With all due respect.

[0251] Good job

🎲 Well done
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • A common expression of praise or approval for a task or action done well.

Origin

  • Straightforward combination of Good (positive quality) and Job (task, piece of work, or action). Simple and widely understood.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • Well done.
  • Nice work.
  • Great work.
  • Excellent job.
  • Way to go. (More informal)
  • Attaboy / Attagirl. (Informal, sometimes seen as dated or slightly patronizing)
  • Kudos. (From Greek, meaning praise/glory)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Nice one (Especially UK/Aus): Similar to Good job, often for smaller achievements or clever actions.
  • Way to go: Enthusiastic praise.
  • Kudos: Acknowledgment of achievement.
  • Props: (From proper respect) Giving recognition or credit. Props to you for finishing that.
  • Nailed it: Said when someone performed a task perfectly or very successfully.
  • Killed it: (Informal) Means performed exceptionally well, dominated the task.

Vulgar/Emphatic (Expressing strong enthusiasm/approval):

  • Fucking awesome job!
  • Hell yeah, good job!
  • You kicked ass! / That was badass!

More Formal / Emphatic Praise:

  • Excellent work.
  • Outstanding performance.
  • Well done indeed.
  • Commendable effort.
  • Bravo! (Especially after a performance)

Situational Appropriateness

  • Very versatile. Appropriate in most informal and semi-formal settings (workplace, school, home).
  • Can sometimes sound slightly generic or perfunctory if used too often without specific feedback.
  • Might sound a bit informal or potentially patronizing if said by a junior person to a very senior person regarding a major accomplishment (though context matters).

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally straightforward. The main nuance is that it can sometimes feel insufficient or generic if the accomplishment was significant; more specific praise might be better in those cases.

Examples

  • You finished the report ahead of schedule? Good job!
  • Good job cleaning your room.
  • (After a presentation) Good job, everyone.

Dialogue

Teacher: Your essay was very well-written, Maya. Good job.

Maya: Thank you, Ms. Davis! I worked hard on it.

Teacher: It shows. Keep up the good work.

Social Media Examples

  • Comment on a photo of a completed project: Wow, looks amazing! Good job! 👍
  • Reply to a tweet announcing an achievement: Congrats! Good job!
  • Team chat: Finished the deployment. -> Manager: Good job team!

Response Patterns

  • Acceptance/Gratitude: Thanks!, Thank you., I appreciate that.
  • Modesty: Oh, it was nothing., Glad I could help., We all worked hard.
  • Sharing credit: Thanks, the whole team did well.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After hearing Good job!:

  • The receiver usually expresses thanks.
  • The conversation might move on, or the person giving praise might ask for details (How did you manage that?) or offer more specific positive feedback.

After saying Good job!:

  • The speaker might add specific praise (Good job! I especially liked how you...) or simply move to the next topic.

Conversation Starter

  • No. It's a response to an action or completed task.

Intonation

  • Generally positive and encouraging. Often emphasis on GOOD. GOOD job.
  • Can be said enthusiastically or more matter-of-factly.

Generation Differences

  • Universally used and understood across all generations.

Regional Variations

  • Common in all major English-speaking regions.
With all due respect.
🎲 Well done