Let’s be honest, telling someone they’re doing a good job is a little generic. But what else can you say?

In this article, we’re exploring better alternatives with a detailed good job synonym list.

Why You Might Need a Good Job Synonym

Sometimes, good job just doesn’t cut it. It’s such an overused phrase that it’s nearly become cliché. And it doesn’t really tell anyone what you are praising them for.

When people do a good job at something, we want to tell them exactly why they did a good job. We could be praising their creativity and innovation, their work ethic, their willingness to help the team, or just the quality of their work.

Always try to be as specific as possible. Your praise will be much more appreciated than if you generalize.

Praise that focuses on specifics also motivates people better. With children especially, it’s a good idea to praise their process or their determination rather than their finished product.

Doing this rewards people for hard work rather than good results, which leads to perseverance and grit later on.

Plus, good job is so bland that it can feel disingenuous. Sometimes, a good job sounds more like an okay job, especially when people have worked painstakingly on something.

You can use ProWritingAid’s Word Explorer feature to help you find the best word. It doesn’t just tell you synonyms and definitions: it also tells you contextually related words, rhymes, alliterations, idioms, and more.

20+ Good Job Synonyms

Now, let’s ‌look at some better ways to say good job. A good job synonym doesn’t have to be specific, but it should pack more emotion.

Here’s a synonym list to improve how you praise people:

1. Kudos
2. Stellar
3. Tremendous
4. Phenomenal
5. Outstanding
6. Nice going
7. Good going
8. Fantastic work
9. Great work
10. First-class work
11. Good thinking
12. That’s a creative idea

13. You’ve done a fine job
14. Not a half-bad idea
15. Good remembering
16. You are learning fast
17. You should be proud of your work today
18. Thank you for working hard today
19. You’re a team player
20. Wow! I’m impressed
21. You’ve made quite an improvement
22. I admire your work ethic/determination
23. You’re on the right track

Other Ways to Give Praise Instead of Saying Good Job

Sometimes, the best way to praise someone isn’t just with synonyms for good job. Let’s look at some other great ideas for praising people.

Give a shout-out

People want their hard work to be recognized. Shout out someone’s great work to your team or class. You can do this over email, in a meeting, or on a bulletin board.

Say thank you

It’s important that people feel appreciated. Show your gratitude by telling them thank you. You can also write them a private note or email to express your appreciation.

Tangible rewards

Bonuses and raises are a great way to say good job, but that’s not always in your hands.

You can, however, offer other tangible rewards, such as meals, gift cards, or other gifts of appreciation. Just make sure your gift isn’t insulting or infantilizing: for example, free coffee is more appropriate than a free dress day.

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