good
/ɡʊd/adjective, interjection, adverb, noun, verb
good is spelled G-O-O-D: 4 letters and one syllable. It appears 1,318 times per million words in written English, the 81st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, good means “Acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in good?
| Letters | 4: G-O-O-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 1,318 times per million words; the 81st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is good?
Good appears 1,318 times per million words in written English, the 81st most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce good?
- US /ɡʊd/
- British /ɡɵd/
- /ɡʉd/
Good has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-uk-good.ogg, En-us-good.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with good?
5 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as good from its last stressed vowel (/ʊd/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of good
- better comparative
- best superlative
- gooid
- goods plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- gooding participle, present
- gooded participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does good mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Acting in the interest of what is beneficial, ethical, or moral.
good intentions
- 2
Competent or talented.
a good swimmer
- 3
Able to be depended on for the discharge of obligations incurred; of unimpaired credit; used with for.
Can you lend me fifty dollars? You know I'm good for it.
- 4
Well-behaved (especially of children or animals).
Be good while your mother and I are out.
- 5
USSatisfied or at ease; not requiring more.
Would you like a glass of water? – I'm good.
- 6
colloquialAccepting of, OK with
My mother said she's good with me being alone with my date as long as she's met them first.
- 7
archaicOf high rank or birth.
- 8
Useful for a particular purpose; functional.
it’s a good watch; the flashlight batteries are still good
- 9
offensiveOf a black person, dead or killed.
interjection
- 1
That is good; an elliptical exclamation of satisfaction or commendation.
Good! I can leave now.
adverb
- 1
informalproscribedWell; satisfactorily or thoroughly.
When you're cleaning these racks, you've got to get in there good, because the quality system specifies it.
noun
- 1
The forces or behaviours that are the enemy of evil. Usually consists of helping others and general benevolence.
- 2
A result that is positive in the view of the speaker.
- 3
The abstract instantiation of goodness; that which possesses desirable qualities, promotes success, welfare, or happiness, is serviceable, fit, excellent, kind, benevolent, etc.
The best is the enemy of the good.
- 4
An item of merchandise.
- 5
An article of personal property (as opposed to real property).
verb
- 1
To thrive; fatten; prosper; improve.
- 2
To make good; turn to good; improve.
- 3
To make improvements or repairs.
- 4
To benefit; gain.
- 5
To do good to (someone); benefit; cause to improve or gain.
- 6
To satisfy; indulge; gratify.
- 7
To flatter; congratulate oneself; anticipate.
- 8
ScotlandTo furnish with dung; manure; fatten with manure; fertilise.
April 5 1628, Bishop Joseph Hall, The Blessings, Sins, and Judgments of God's Vineyard Nature was like itself , in it , in the world : God hath taken it in from the barren downs , and gooded it : his choice did not find , but make it thus
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate good?
Wiktionary records 3 abbreviations of good: GGG, g, gd.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Good in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | bon , sage , bien |
| German | gut , brav, gehörig , das Gute , lecker , Gut |
| Portuguese | bom , bem , vantagem |
| Spanish | bueno, bon , fetén , bien |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does good come from?
Inherited from Middle English good, from Old English gōd, from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz (“good”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to unite, be associated, suit, fit”). Related to gather and together, but not to god/God. Eclipsed non-native Middle English bon, bone, boon, boun (“good”) borrowed from Old French bon (“good”), from Latin bonus (“good”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).