How to say "terrific" in Japanese

• ものすごいJLPT N2approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThis is the intensive 'terrific' of degree: staggering, tremendous, incredible. Use it when something overwhelms the senses or expectations — terrific speed, a tremendous amount of rain; usually written in kana.
  彼女かのじょはものすごい食欲しょくよくがある。↗

  She has a gigantic appetite.
• すげーCommon
  interjection, expressionA colloquial spoken version of すごい: 'incredible', 'unbelievable', 'terrific' as casual praise or amazement among friends. Keep it to relaxed conversation; it is out of place in polite settings or writing.
  うわっ？これ、勉強べんきょうに運動うんどう神経しんけい、全すべてのパラメータがMAXじゃないか！おまけにお金かねもカンストするまで貯たまってる・・・すげえ。↗

  Wha? Study, reflexes, all the parameters are MAX! You've even saved money up to the limit ... Amazing.
• 猛烈もうれつJLPT N1approx.Common
  na-adjectiveThis means fierce, intense, severe or violent — seldom the word you want for 'terrific' as praise. Think of a storm at its most violent, or a fiercely intense effort.
  警官けいかんがやってくるのを見みると彼かれは猛烈もうれつに走はしり出だした。↗

  When he saw a policeman coming, he began to run like anything.
• 凄まじいすさまじいCommon
  i-adjectiveThis covers 'terrific' in its intensive sense — tremendous, enormous, prodigious — with a frightening, awe-inspiring nuance. Suits a tremendous roar or the enormous scale of a disaster.
  国内市場こくないしじょうの競争きょうそうはすさまじいものです。↗

  Competition in the domestic market is cutthroat.
• すごいJLPT N4approx.Common
  i-adjectiveThe all-purpose word for 'terrific' as praise — amazing, great, wonderful. Use it for someone's skill or strength, or to react to good news; it is normally written in kana.
  今いますごい名案めいあんがうかんだぞ。↗

  I've just come up with a great idea.

For 'terrific' as praise, use 「すごい」 (casually 「すげー」); for the intensive 'tremendous' sense use 「ものすごい」 or, with a frightening, overwhelming nuance, 「凄まじい」; 猛烈 means fierce intensity, not 'wonderful'.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ものすごいterrific
• すげーincredible
• 猛烈もうれつfierce
• ものっそいterrific
• ど偉いどえらいimmense
• やばいterrific
• 凄まじいすさまじいtremendous
• すごいamazing (e.g. of strength)
• すっごいamazing (e.g. of strength)
• やばすterrific
• 激ヤバげきやばamazing