Great vs. Best: What's the Difference?
Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || 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.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
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.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
"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.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
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.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
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.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 19, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Above average, large, or extreme.
Highest in quality, degree, or performance.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Comparative Element
Generally not comparative.
Explicitly comparative and superlative.
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Sep 19, 2023
Grammatical Role
Usually an adjective.
Serves as both an adjective and an adverb.
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Sep 19, 2023
Flexibility
Applies to multiple dimensions (size, quality).
Typically applies to quality.
Harlon Moss
Sep 19, 2023
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Great and Best Definitions
Great
Very large in size, extent, or intensity
A great pile of rubble.
A great storm.
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Apr 25, 2023
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Best
Highest in skill or achievement.
He is the best chess player in the world.
Janet White
Sep 19, 2023
Best
Surpassing all others in excellence, achievement, or quality; most excellent
The best performer.
The best grade of ore.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 25, 2023
Best
Most satisfactory, suitable, or useful; most desirable
The best solution.
The best time for planting.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent
A great crisis.
Great anticipation.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Superior in quality or character; noble
A great man who dedicated himself to helping others.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
To the greatest degree or extent; most
"He was certainly the best hated man in the ship" (W. Somerset Maugham).
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
The best part, moment, or value
The best is still to come. Let's get the best out of life.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
The optimum condition or quality
Look your best. She was at her best in the freestyle competition.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Being one generation removed from the relative specified. Often used in combination
A great-granddaughter.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
To get the better of; beat
"I'm a rough customer, I expect, but I know when I'm bested" (Nathanael West).
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Pl. greats or great One that is great
A composer considered among the greats.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
A division of most pipe organs, usually containing the most powerful ranks of pipes.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
Most superior; most favorable.
In my opinion, mushrooms are the best pizza toppings.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
To the most advantage; with the most success, cause, profit, benefit, or propriety.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(augmentative) Large, senior high-ranking, intense, extreme, or exceptional
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Of larger size or more importance than others of its kind.
The great auk
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(informal) Very good; excellent; wonderful; fantastic.
Dinner was great.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Intensifying a word or expression, used in mild oaths.
A dirty great smack in the face
Great Scott!
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
Most advanced; most correct or complete; as, the best scholar; the best view of a subject.
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
In the highest degree; beyond all others.
He prayeth best, who loveth bestAll things both great and small.
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Apr 25, 2023
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?
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
Most intimately; most thoroughly or correctly; as, what is expedient is best known to himself.
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Much in use; favoured.
Poetry was a great convention of the Romantic era.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
The person who is most outstanding or excellent; someone who tops all others;
He could beat the best of them
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
Canadian physiologist (born in the United States) who assisted F. G. Banting in research leading to the discovery of insulin (1899-1978)
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(often followed by 'at') Skilful or adroit.
A great carpenter
You are great at singing.
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Expression of gladness and content about something.
Great! Thanks for the wonderful work.
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Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
In a most excellent way or manner;
He played best after a couple of martinis
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
A person of major significance, accomplishment or acclaim.
Newton and Einstein are two of the greats of the history of science.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(music) The main division in a pipe organ, usually the loudest division.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
From a position of superiority or authority;
Father knows best
I know better.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(informal) Very well in a very satisfactory manner.
Those mechanical colored pencils work great because they don't have to be sharpened.
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Apr 25, 2023
Best
Most advantageous or effective.
The best method for solving the problem is...
Janet White
Sep 19, 2023
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.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 25, 2023
Great
Large in number; numerous; as, a great company, multitude, series, etc.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Long continued; lengthened in duration; prolonged in time; as, a great while; a great interval.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Superior; admirable; commanding; - applied to thoughts, actions, and feelings.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Endowed with extraordinary powers; uncommonly gifted; able to accomplish vast results; strong; powerful; mighty; noble; as, a great hero, scholar, genius, philosopher, etc.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Entitled to earnest consideration; weighty; important; as, a great argument, truth, or principle.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
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Apr 25, 2023
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.
Sawaira Riaz
Apr 25, 2023
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
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
(used of persons) standing above others in character or attainment or reputation;
Our distinguished professor
An eminent scholar
A great statesman
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Of major significance or importance;
A great work of art
Einstein was one of the outstanding figures of the 20th century
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect;
A great crisis
Had a great stake in the outcome
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Very good;
He did a bully job
A neat sports car
Had a great time at the party
You look simply smashing
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Uppercase;
Capital A
Great A
Many medieval manuscripts are in majuscule script
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
Marked by active interest and enthusiasm;
An avid sports fan
A great walker
An eager beaver
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Apr 25, 2023
Great
In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child
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Apr 25, 2023
FAQs
What does "best" mean?
"Best" means the highest in quality, most suitable, or most effective among all.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Can something be both great and best?
Yes, something can be both great (above average) and the best (highest in quality).
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Can "great" be used as an adverb?
Not usually, it's predominantly an adjective.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 19, 2023
What does "great" mean?
"Great" means above average in quality, large in size, or intense in degree.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Does "great" always imply a comparison?
No, "great" can be used without necessarily comparing to other things.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 19, 2023
Can "best" be used as an adverb?
Yes, "best" can serve as both an adjective and an adverb.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Does "best" always imply a comparison?
Yes, "best" inherently implies a comparison with other things.
Aimie Carlson
Sep 19, 2023
Can "great" be used to describe size?
Yes, "great" can describe something that is large in size.
Harlon Moss
Sep 19, 2023
Is "best" always about quality?
Mostly yes, "best" typically refers to the highest quality or suitability.
Harlon Moss
Sep 19, 2023
Is "greatest" the superlative of "great"?
Yes, "greatest" is the superlative form of "great."
Harlon Moss
Sep 19, 2023
Is "great" always about quality?
No, "great" can also refer to size, intensity, and other attributes.
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Can "best" be used to describe size?
Not usually, "best" is primarily about quality or suitability.
Harlon Moss
Sep 19, 2023
Is "best" the superlative of "good"?
Yes, "best" is the superlative form of "good."
Sawaira Riaz
Sep 19, 2023
Can multiple things be "best"?
In most contexts, only one thing can be described as the "best."
Janet White
Sep 19, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Sumera SaeedSumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.
