Wonderful vs. Amazing — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 14, 2024
Wonderful describes something inspiring delight or pleasure, while amazing refers to something that causes great surprise or wonder.
Difference Between Wonderful and Amazing
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Wonderful often implies a sense of charming or delightful qualities, as found in experiences or events that bring joy. On the other hand, amazing pertains to something that astonishes or exceeds expectations, often due to its extraordinary nature.
In literature, characters might describe a scenic landscape as wonderful due to its beauty, whereas they might call a miraculous event amazing because it's unexpected.
Wonderful experiences tend to evoke a warm, comforting feeling, while amazing situations might trigger shock or awe. Amazing is typically used to express higher levels of surprise or disbelief compared to wonderful, which conveys a more subdued and pleasant astonishment.
Both adjectives are popular in everyday language to express positive emotions, but amazing often carries a stronger intensity.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Inspiring delight or pleasure
Causing great surprise or wonder
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Intensity of Experience
Often gentle and heartwarming
Strong, sometimes overwhelming
Common Usages
Describing pleasing experiences
Describing surprising events
Emotional Response
Joy, satisfaction
Astonishment, shock
Example Contexts
Art, music, nature
Magic shows, unexpected successes
Compare with Definitions
Wonderful
Admirable.
His dedication to volunteering is truly wonderful.
Amazing
Staggering.
The amount of detail in the artwork is amazing.
Wonderful
Effective.
This new tool is wonderful for our projects.
Amazing
Wonderful.
We had an amazing time at the theme park.
Wonderful
Inspiring delight or pleasure.
The wonderful performance left the audience in high spirits.
Amazing
Causing astonishment or surprise.
The magician's amazing trick stunned the crowd.
Wonderful
Beautiful.
The garden looked wonderful in the spring bloom.
Amazing
Impressive.
Her quick recovery after the surgery was amazing.
Wonderful
Very pleasing.
She always felt wonderful after a day spent outdoors.
Amazing
Mind-blowing.
The finale of the show was absolutely amazing.
Wonderful
Inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration; extremely good; marvellous
The climate was wonderful all the year round
They all think she's wonderful
Amazing
To affect with great wonder; astonish.
Wonderful
Admirable or very good; excellent or splendid
What a wonderful person she is.
Had a wonderful time at the party.
Amazing
(Obsolete) To bewilder; perplex.
Wonderful
Capable of eliciting wonder; astonishing
"The ... whale is one of the most wonderful animals in the world" (Charles Darwin).
Amazing
To cause great wonder or astonishment
A sight that amazes.
Wonderful
Tending to excite wonder; surprising, extraordinary.
Amazing
Amazement; wonder.
Wonderful
Surprisingly excellent; very good or admirable, extremely impressive.
They served a wonderful six-course meal.
What appears to be wonderful may turn out to be anything but.
Amazing
Present participle of amaze
Wonderful
(dialect) Exceedingly, to a great extent.
Amazing
Causing wonder and amazement; very surprising.
Wonderful
Adapted to excite wonder or admiration; surprising; strange; astonishing.
Amazing
(informal) Possessing uniquely wonderful qualities; very good.
Wonderful
Extraordinarily good; used especially as intensifiers;
A fantastic trip to the Orient
The film was fantastic!
A howling success
A marvelous collection of rare books
Had a rattling conversation about politics
A tremendous achievement
Amazing
Causing amazement; very wonderful; as, amazing grace.
Amazing
Surprising greatly;
She does an amazing amount of work
The dog was capable of astonishing tricks
Amazing
Inspiring awe or admiration or wonder;
New York is an amazing city
The Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring sight
The awesome complexity of the universe
This sea, whose gently awful stirrings seem to speak of some hidden soul beneath
Westminster Hall's awing majesty, so vast, so high, so silent
Common Curiosities
Can an experience be both wonderful and amazing?
Yes, experiences that are both delightful and surprisingly impressive can be described as both wonderful and amazing.
What makes something wonderful?
Something is considered wonderful if it inspires delight and pleasure.
Can a simple act be described as amazing?
Yes, if the act is exceptionally impressive or unexpected, it can be described as amazing.
What emotional response does wonderful evoke?
Wonderful typically evokes feelings of joy and contentment.
What is a typical reaction to something amazing?
A typical reaction to something amazing is shock or awe.
Which is more suitable for describing nature, wonderful or amazing?
Nature can be described as wonderful when emphasizing its beauty and tranquility, and amazing when highlighting its grandeur and unpredictability.
Is wonderful used more for personal experiences?
Yes, wonderful is often used to describe personal, heartwarming experiences.
How does amazing differ from wonderful in intensity?
Amazing often suggests a stronger, more overwhelming experience than wonderful.
Which adjective is more likely to be used in a professional review?
Both can be used depending on the context; wonderful for the quality and enjoyment, amazing for the surprising elements.
What type of events are typically called amazing?
Events that are unexpected or have a significant impact, such as miraculous recoveries or spectacular performances, are often called amazing.
How do children typically use these words?
Children may use wonderful to describe things they find pleasing, and amazing for things that surprise them greatly.
Can food be described as wonderful or amazing?
Yes, food can be described as wonderful if it's particularly delicious, and amazing if it's surprisingly good or unique.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
