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ausgezeichnet
excellent
Describes something as excellent, outstanding, or of very high quality.
example
Das Essen im neuen Restaurant war wirklich ausgezeichnet.
The food at the new restaurant was truly excellent.
ausgezeichnet
excellent / awarded
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Ausgezeichnet' (excellent / awarded) is the past participle of the verb 'auszeichnen' (to distinguish / award). 'Auszeichnen' means to single out something or someone as special, either through an honor or because of high quality. The adjective also has this double meaning.
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein für seine Romane ausgezeichneter Autor.
He is an author awarded for his novels.
Position in the sentence
In the meaning 'excellent', 'ausgezeichnet' (excellent) often stands alone after a verb. In the meaning 'honored/awarded', it usually stands directly before a noun, often followed by an explanation with 'für' (for) or 'mit' (with).
EXAMPLE
Der Service in diesem Hotel ist ausgezeichnet.
The service in this hotel is excellent.
Style and register
As a synonym for 'sehr gut' (very good), 'ausgezeichnet' (excellent) is a strong and somewhat elevated expression. It gives special weight to a positive evaluation.
EXAMPLE
Ihre Präsentation war nicht nur gut, sie war ausgezeichnet.
Her presentation was not just good; it was excellent.
Signal words for honors
When 'ausgezeichnet' means 'honored' or 'awarded', you often find a preposition such as 'mit' (with), e.g. 'mit einem Preis' (with a prize), or 'für' (for), e.g. 'für seine Verdienste' (for his services/achievements), which describes the honor more precisely.
EXAMPLE
Die Forscherin wurde für ihre Entdeckungen mit dem Nobelpreis ausgezeichnet.
The researcher was awarded the Nobel Prize for her discoveries.
Compare with
ausgezeichnet vs gut
good
'gut' and 'ausgezeichnet' can both describe high quality. 'gut' is more general and fits almost any everyday situation. 'ausgezeichnet' is much stronger and sounds like high praise. You use it when something is truly very good, for example a result, a meal, or a piece of work. In this meaning, it is not about an official award, but about quality. As a simple rule: 'gut' is positive; 'ausgezeichnet' is very positive.
ausgezeichnet
Das Team bekommt viel Lob, weil die Arbeit ausgezeichnet ist.
The team is getting a lot of praise because the work is excellent.
gut
Im Gespräch hat Frau Hoffmann eine gute Lösung vorgeschlagen.
In the discussion, Ms. Hoffmann suggested a good solution.
In real life
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