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Great vs. Best: What's the Difference?

Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on September 29, 2023
"Great" refers to something that is above average or exceptional, but not necessarily the finest. "Best" denotes the highest quality or degree among all; it is comparative and superlative. A movie can be great, but only one can be the best.

Key Differences

"Great" is an adjective that signifies something is much better than average in quality, size, or performance. "Best," on the other hand, is the superlative form of "good" and suggests that something is at the pinnacle in terms of quality, performance, or suitability. A great singer impresses the audience, but the best singer wins the competition.
The word "great" can be used more loosely and doesn't have to denote comparison with other entities. "Best" implies a comparison and signifies being at the top when ranked among others. A person can be a great athlete based on talent, but to be the best, one must outperform all competitors.
"Great" can refer to multiple aspects such as size, extent, or emotional intensity, apart from just quality. "Best" is almost always tied to the quality of something and is an absolute term that leaves no room for ambiguity. For example, a great novel can be lengthy and intense, but the best novel is unmatched in quality.
In grammar, "great" is a simple adjective, whereas "best" serves as both an adjective and an adverb. While you can say that someone is doing great, saying someone is doing best would imply that the person is outperforming all others in that particular activity.
In summary, "great" is a versatile word indicating something above average or large in scope but does not imply being the ultimate. "Best" is definitive, making a clear claim of superiority, and involves a comparative element. A great effort is commendable, but the best effort surpasses all others.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

Above average, large, or extreme.
Highest in quality, degree, or performance.

Comparative Element

Generally not comparative.
Explicitly comparative and superlative.

Grammatical Role

Usually an adjective.
Serves as both an adjective and an adverb.

Context of Usage

Can be used loosely.
Specific and makes a strong claim.

Flexibility

Applies to multiple dimensions (size, quality).
Typically applies to quality.
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Great and Best Definitions

Great

Significantly above average in quality.
She is a great musician.

Best

Highest in quality or excellence.
She is the best musician in town.

Great

Very large in size, extent, or intensity
A great pile of rubble.
A great storm.

Best

Most enjoyable or desirable.
This is the best movie I've ever seen.

Great

Of a larger size than other, similar forms
The great anteater.

Best

Highest in skill or achievement.
He is the best chess player in the world.

Great

Large in quantity or number
A great throng awaited us.

Best

Surpassing all others in excellence, achievement, or quality; most excellent
The best performer.
The best grade of ore.

Great

Extensive in time or distance
A great delay.
A great way off.

Best

Most satisfactory, suitable, or useful; most desirable
The best solution.
The best time for planting.

Great

Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent
A great crisis.
Great anticipation.

Best

Greatest; most
He spoke for the best part of an hour.

Great

Of outstanding significance or importance
A great work of art.

Best

Most highly skilled
The best doctor in town.

Great

Chief or principal
The great house on the estate.

Best

In a most excellent way; most creditably or advantageously.

Great

Superior in quality or character; noble
A great man who dedicated himself to helping others.

Best

To the greatest degree or extent; most
"He was certainly the best hated man in the ship" (W. Somerset Maugham).

Great

Powerful; influential
One of the great nations of the West.

Best

One that surpasses all others.

Great

Eminent; distinguished
A great leader.

Best

The best part, moment, or value
The best is still to come. Let's get the best out of life.

Great

Very good; first-rate
We had a great time at the dance.

Best

The optimum condition or quality
Look your best. She was at her best in the freestyle competition.

Great

Very skillful
She is great at algebra.

Best

One's nicest or most formal clothing.

Great

Enthusiastic
A great lover of music.

Best

The supreme effort one can make
Doing our best.

Great

Being one generation removed from the relative specified. Often used in combination
A great-granddaughter.

Best

One's warmest wishes or regards
Give them my best.

Great

(Archaic) Pregnant.

Best

To get the better of; beat
"I'm a rough customer, I expect, but I know when I'm bested" (Nathanael West).

Great

Pl. greats or great One that is great
A composer considered among the greats.

Best

Most; largest.
Unpacking took the best part of a week.

Great

A division of most pipe organs, usually containing the most powerful ranks of pipes.

Best

Most superior; most favorable.
In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.

Great

A similar division of other organs.

Best

To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.

Great

Very well
Got along great with the teacher.

Best

(uncountable) The supreme effort one can make, or has made.
I did my best.
My personal best in that race is eighteen minutes, four seconds.

Great

Used as an intensive with certain adjectives
A great big kiss.

Best

(uncountable) One's best behavior.
I was somewhat distant lately, and my lady promised me head every Tuesday of the week when I'm nice to her, so I better be on my best.

Great

(augmentative) Large, senior high-ranking, intense, extreme, or exceptional

Best

(countable) The person (or persons; or thing or things) that is (are) most excellent.
Even the best of us makes mistakes.
We're the best of friends.

Great

Relatively large in scale, size, extent, number (i.e. having many parts or members) or duration (i.e. relatively long); very big.
A great storm is approaching our shores.
A great assembly
A great wait

Best

To surpass in skill or achievement.

Great

Title referring to an important leader.
Alexander the Great

Best

(transitive) To beat in a contest.

Great

Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.
The great auk

Best

Had best.
It's getting late. You best get on home.

Great

(informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.
Dinner was great.

Best

Having good qualities in the highest degree; most good, kind, desirable, suitable, etc.; most excellent; as, the best man; the best road; the best cloth; the best abilities.
When he is best, he is a little worse than a man.
Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight.

Great

Intensifying a word or expression, used in mild oaths.
A dirty great smack in the face
Great Scott!

Best

Most advanced; most correct or complete; as, the best scholar; the best view of a subject.

Great

(qualifying nouns of family relationship) Involving more generations than the qualified word implies — as many extra generations as repetitions of the word great (from 1510s). [see Derived terms]
Great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, great-great-great-grandfather

Best

Most; largest; as, the best part of a week.

Great

Pregnant; large with young; full of.
Great with child
Great with hope

Best

Utmost; highest endeavor or state; most nearly perfect thing, or being, or action; as, to do one's best; to the best of our ability.

Great

Intimate; familiar.

Best

In the highest degree; beyond all others.
He prayeth best, who loveth bestAll things both great and small.

Great

Extreme or more than usual.
Great worry

Best

To the most advantage; with the most success, case, profit, benefit, or propriety.
Had we best retire? I see a storm.
Had I not best go to her?

Great

Of significant importance or consequence; important.
A great decision

Best

Most intimately; most thoroughly or correctly; as, what is expedient is best known to himself.

Great

(applied to actions, thoughts and feelings) Arising from or possessing idealism; admirable; superior; commanding; heroic; illustrious; eminent.
A great deed
A great nature
A great history

Best

To get the better of.

Great

Impressive or striking.
A great show of wealth

Best

The supreme effort one can make;
They did their best

Great

Much in use; favoured.
Poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era.

Best

The person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others;
He could beat the best of them

Great

(applied to persons) Endowed with extraordinary powers; of exceptional talents or achievements; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; remarkable; strong; powerful; mighty; noble.
A great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, writer etc.

Best

Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)

Great

Doing or exemplifying (a characteristic or pursuit) on a large scale; active or enthusiastic.
What a great buffoon!
He's not a great one for reading.
A great walker

Best

Get the better of;
The goal was to best the competition

Great

(often followed by 'at') Skilful or adroit.
A great carpenter
You are great at singing.

Best

(superlative of `good') having the most positive qualities;
The best film of the year
The best solution
The best time for planting
Wore his best suit

Great

Expression of gladness and content about something.
Great! Thanks for the wonderful work.

Best

(comparative and superlative of `well') wiser or more advantageous and hence advisable;
It would be better to speak to him
The White House thought it best not to respond

Great

Sarcastic inversion thereof.
Oh, great! I just dumped all 500 sheets of the manuscript all over and now I have to put them back in order.

Best

In a most excellent way or manner;
He played best after a couple of martinis

Great

A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.
Newton and Einstein are two of the greats of the history of science.

Best

It would be sensible;
You'd best stay at home

Great

(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.

Best

From a position of superiority or authority;
Father knows best
I know better.

Great

(in combinations such as "two-greats", "three-greats" etc.) An instance of the word "great" signifying an additional generation in phrases expressing family relationships.
My three-greats grandmother.

Best

Most suitable or appropriate.
This is the best route to take.

Great

(informal) Very well in a very satisfactory manner.
Those mechanical colored pencils work great because they don't have to be sharpened.

Best

Most advantageous or effective.
The best method for solving the problem is...

Great

Large in space; of much size; big; immense; enormous; expanded; - opposed to small and little; as, a great house, ship, farm, plain, distance, length.

Great

Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.

Great

Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval.

Great

Superior; admirable; commanding; - applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.

Great

Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.

Great

Holding a chief position; elevated: lofty: eminent; distinguished; foremost; principal; as, great men; the great seal; the great marshal, etc.
He doth object I am too great of birth.

Great

Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle.

Great

Pregnant; big (with young).
The ewes great with young.

Great

More than ordinary in degree; very considerable in degree; as, to use great caution; to be in great pain.
We have allGreat cause to give great thanks.

Great

Older, younger, or more remote, by single generation; - often used before grand to indicate one degree more remote in the direct line of descent; as, great-grandfather (a grandfather's or a grandmother's father), great-grandson, etc.

Great

The whole; the gross; as, a contract to build a ship by the great.

Great

Relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind;
A great juicy steak
A great multitude
The great auk
A great old oak
A great ocean liner
A great delay

Great

More than usual;
Great expectations
Great worry

Great

(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation;
Our distinguished professor
An eminent scholar
A great statesman

Great

Of major significance or importance;
A great work of art
Einstein was one of the outstanding figures of the 20th century

Great

Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect;
A great crisis
Had a great stake in the outcome

Great

Very good;
He did a bully job
A neat sports car
Had a great time at the party
You look simply smashing

Great

Uppercase;
Capital A
Great A
Many medieval manuscripts are in majuscule script

Great

Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
An avid sports fan
A great walker
An eager beaver

Great

In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child

Great

Large in size or extent.
He built a great empire.

Great

Intense or extreme in degree.
They felt great sorrow.

Great

Distinguished or notable.
Einstein is a great scientist.

Great

Very satisfactory or pleasing.
We had a great time at the party.

FAQs

What does "best" mean?

"Best" means the highest in quality, most suitable, or most effective among all.

Can something be both great and best?

Yes, something can be both great (above average) and the best (highest in quality).

Can "great" be used as an adverb?

Not usually, it's predominantly an adjective.

What does "great" mean?

"Great" means above average in quality, large in size, or intense in degree.

Does "great" always imply a comparison?

No, "great" can be used without necessarily comparing to other things.

Can "best" be used as an adverb?

Yes, "best" can serve as both an adjective and an adverb.

Does "best" always imply a comparison?

Yes, "best" inherently implies a comparison with other things.

Can "great" be used to describe size?

Yes, "great" can describe something that is large in size.

Is "best" always about quality?

Mostly yes, "best" typically refers to the highest quality or suitability.

Is "greatest" the superlative of "great"?

Yes, "greatest" is the superlative form of "great."

Is "great" always about quality?

No, "great" can also refer to size, intensity, and other attributes.

Can "best" be used to describe size?

Not usually, "best" is primarily about quality or suitability.

Is "best" the superlative of "good"?

Yes, "best" is the superlative form of "good."

Can multiple things be "great"?

Yes, many things can be described as "great."

Can multiple things be "best"?

In most contexts, only one thing can be described as the "best."
About Author
Written by
Janet White
Janet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon Moss
Harlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.

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