✅ Great describes something wonderful, or particularly good. It can also describe something particularly notable or remarkable (a great holiday).

✅ Outstanding describes something excellent, or something superior to other things like it. Outstanding can also describe something that is prominent or notable because of its excellence (Their work was outstanding).

✅ Great is generally used to mean particularly good. In this sense, outstanding is a more intense word, suggesting something even better (an outstanding painting).

✅ However, when great and outstanding are used to mean important or prominent, great has the more intense meaning (a great statesperson).

Check out these outstanding synonyms!

✅ Realistic and pragmatic both describe people who are focused on real and practical things.

✅ Generally realistic describes someone who is not fanciful or idealistic. Sometimes this suggests someone who is pessimistic—although a realistic person is technically neither optimistic nor pessimistic (She was realistic about how difficult the house would be to renovate, which put us in a sour mood).

✅ Pragmatic describes someone who is focused on the practicality of doing something or making something happen (She had a pragmatic approach to interior design, taking into consideration people’s day-to-day needs).

✅ Realistic often suggests a worldview or state of mind, while pragmatic suggests less interest in big picture ideas and more interest in getting something done (He was very pragmatic about solving issues).

Describe a time when you had to be pragmatic about something with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Pessimistic describes a state of mind in which you expect only bad things to happen, or feel gloomy and unhopeful (I was pessimistic about my exam results).

✅ Fatalistic describes a state of mind in which you see events as inevitable or predetermined, so that your choices and efforts will make no difference (He is fatalistic about his job search).

✅ While both fatalistic and pessimistic usually suggest negative states of mind, they are actually pretty different in meaning.

✅ Pessimistic suggests expecting only bad things to happen, whereas fatalistic suggests that your choices will have no impact on the outcome of things (They were always pessimistic about making friends; While she was fatalistic about politics, she was generally pretty cheerful).

Try describing a fatalistic person with the help of Grammar Coach.