0256 That's great/awesome/cool/sweet

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OPINIONS & REACTIONS
Approval & Praise
[0256] That's great/awesome/cool/sweet

Explanation

A versatile set of expressions used to show approval, enthusiasm, agreement, or positive reaction to news or an event.
Great is the most standard.
Awesome implies more impressiveness or excitement.
Cool is generally approving and relaxed.
Sweet often implies something fortunate, pleasant, or agreeable, sometimes with a touch of relief or satisfaction.

Origin

Great: Long-standing adjective of magnitude, applied to positive feelings since Old English.
Awesome: Originally meant inspiring awe (fear/reverence). Its modern sense of excellent or impressive emerged in American slang mid-20th century and exploded in popularity from the 1980s onwards.
Cool: Originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) jazz culture in the 1940s, meaning sophisticated, controlled, fashionable, or generally good. It spread rapidly.
Sweet: Used to mean pleasant or agreeable for centuries. Its specific slang use for excellent or fortunate gained traction in the later 20th century, possibly boosted by youth/skater/surfer culture.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal (See other entries for details):

Sick
Dope
Lit
Rad
Wicked (Especially New England US / UK)
Mint (UK slang for excellent)
Ace (UK slang for excellent)

Vulgar/Emphatic:

Fuckin' A! / Fucking awesome!
Hell yeah!
Badass! (Meaning impressive)

Milder/More Formal:

Excellent
Wonderful
Splendid
Fantastic
Terrific
That's good news.

Situational Appropriateness

Great is broadly acceptable, even in semi-formal contexts.
Awesome, Cool, and Sweet are informal. Best suited for casual conversations with friends, family, or peers. Avoid in highly formal or professional settings unless the relationship is very relaxed.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Sarcasm is the main risk. If someone says Oh, that's just great... after something bad happens, they mean the opposite. Tone and context are key.
Non-native speakers might overuse awesome or cool in more formal settings.

Examples

You got the job? That's great!
You saw that concert? Awesome!
Nice new phone. Cool.
They gave us an extra day off? Sweet!

Dialogue

Layla: Hey, guess what? I finally finished knitting that scarf.

Ben: No way, let me see!

Layla: (Shows scarf)

Ben: Whoa, that's awesome! The pattern is really intricate.

Layla: Thanks! It took ages.

Chris: The meeting's postponed until next week.

Dana: Oh, really? Sweet. That gives me more time to prepare.

Response Patterns

Yeah, I know, right?
Thanks! I'm pretty happy about it.
Totally.
I thought so too.
A simple nod or smile.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After hearing That's great/awesome/cool/sweet!:

The person who shared the news might add more details: Yeah, I start next Monday!
The person who used the expression might ask for more details: Wow, tell me more! or How did you manage that?
The conversation might shift: So, what else is new?

Conversation Starter

No. Typically used as a response to information shared by someone else.

Intonation

Emphasis typically falls heavily on the adjective (GREAT, AWESOME, COOL, SWEET).
Generally spoken with a positive, often slightly elevated pitch and falling intonation at the end to express genuine feeling.
A flatter intonation can signal mild approval or even sarcasm, depending on context.

Generation Differences

Great: Universal.
Awesome: Very common across most age groups, though perhaps peaked with Gen X/Millennials.
Cool: Widely used, though maybe less intensely than awesome among younger generations who have newer slang. Still universally understood.
Sweet: Common, especially among Millennials and Gen Z, but understood by most.

Regional Variations

All are very common in North American English.
Awesome and Cool are globally understood.
Sweet is also widely understood.
British English might also commonly use Brilliant, Lovely, or Fantastic in similar contexts.

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[0256] That's great/awesome/cool/sweet