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Is the word awesome overused?
Many object to the use of awesome to describe something (such as a sandwich) that does not literally elicit feelings of awe. Yet the same people who insist that awesome should be used only of weighty subjects (Niagara Falls, man landing on the moon) will happily use the word awful in reference to something (such as a mess) that falls distinctly short of being “full of awe.” This weakened sense was once considered improper—in fact, complaints about it persisted through the early decades of the 20th century.
The change in meaning that awesome is undergoing may be more recent than that of awful, but both words are treading the same path. For evidence that such change is normal, we need look no further than awe, which originally meant “terror” and now carries the weaker sense “wonder.”
Synonyms
Examples of awesome in a Sentence
Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 16 Apr. 2024
This is from Brooklyn Tailors, which is an awesome tailor in Brooklyn.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 15 Apr. 2024
See all Example Sentences for awesome 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'awesome.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near awesome
Cite this Entry
“Awesome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/awesome. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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awesome
adjective
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