| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | best, excellent |
| Synonyms: | blue-ribbon, boss*, capital, chief, choice, cool, dandy, distinguished, first, greatest, head, illustrious, out of sight, out of this world, outstanding, premier, prime, principal, prize-winning, splendid, super, superior, tip top, top drawer, top-notch*, topflight, tops, unbeaten, undefeated, world class |
| Antonyms: | poorest, worst |
| Main Entry: | choice |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | best, superior |
| Synonyms: | 10, 24-karat, A-1, elect, elite, excellent, exceptional, exclusive, exquisite, fine, first-class, hand-picked, nice, popular, precious, preferential, preferred, prime, prize, rare, select, solid gold, special, top-drawer, uncommon, unusual, valuable, winner |
| Antonyms: | inferior, poor, sad, worst |
| Main Entry: | classic/classical |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | best, model |
| Synonyms: | archetypal, capital, champion, consummate, definitive, distinguished, esthetic, excellent, exemplary, famous, fine, finest, first-rate, flawless, ideal, master, masterly, paradigmatic, paramount, perfect, prime, quintessential, ranking, standard, superior, top, top-notch, vintage, well-known |
| Antonyms: | inferior, worst |
| Main Entry: | dandy |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | fine, excellent |
| Synonyms: | capital, cool*, exemplary, famous, first-class, first-rate, five-star, fly*, glorious, grand, great, groovy*, hunky-dory, keen, marvelous, model, neat, nifty, paragon, peachy*, prime, splendid, sup rior, swell, terrific |
| Antonyms: | bad, inferior, not good, second-rate, unacceptable |
| Main Entry: | deciding |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | determining |
| Synonyms: | chief, conclusive, critical, crucial, decisive, important, influential, key, necessary, prime, principal, significant |
| Antonyms: | inconclusive, insignificant, secondary, trivial, uncritical, unimportant |
| Main Entry: | early |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | in the beginning |
| Synonyms: | a bit previous, aboriginal, ancient, antecedent, antediluvian, antiquated, brand-new, budding, early bird, fresh, initial, new, original, preceding, premier, prevenient, previous, primal, prime, primeval, primitive, primordial, prior, pristine, proleptical, raw, recent, undeveloped, young |
| Antonyms: | late |
| Main Entry: | essential |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | basic, fundamental |
| Synonyms: | absolute, basal, cardinal, cold, complete, congenital, connate, constitutional, deep-seated, elemental, elementary, ideal, inborn, inbred, inherent, innate, intrinsic, key, main, material, meat and potatoes, name of the game, nitty-gritty, nub, perfect, primary, prime, primitive, principal, quintessential, substratal, underlying |
| Notes: | the words crucial, essential, and vital cannot be qualified (cannot be more or less...) |
| Antonyms: | atypical, minor, secondary |
| Main Entry: | excellent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | superior, wonderful |
| Synonyms: | A-1, accomplished, admirable, attractive, capital, certified, champion, choice, choicest, desirable, distinctive, distinguished, estimable, exceptional, exemplary, exquisite, fine, finest, first, first-class, first-rate, good, great, high, incomparable, invaluable, magnificent, meritorious, notable, noted, outstanding, peerless, piked, premium, priceless, prime, select, skillful, sterling, striking, superb, superlative, supreme, tiptop, top-notch, transcendent, world-class |
| Antonyms: | bad, failing, imperfect, indistinguished, inferior, poor, second-class, second-rate, unnoteworthy, unworthy |
| Main Entry: | first |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | earliest in order |
| Synonyms: | aboriginal, ahead, antecedent, anterior, basic, beginning, cardinal, early, elementary, first off, front, fundamental, head, headmost, in the beginning, inaugural, inceptive, incipient, initial, introductory, key, lead off, leading, least, number one, numero uno, opening, original, pioneer, premier, primary, prime, primeval, primitive, primogenial, primordial, pristine, right up front, rudimentary, slightest, smallest |
| Antonyms: | final, last |