That's cool vs That's great

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

That's cool

Informal Top 1,000 (very common)

That's great

	That's cool	That's great
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //ðæts kuːl// 🇺🇸 //ðæts kul//
Meaning	That's nice or impressive.
Example	When she showed her artwork, I thought, 'That's cool!'	-
Register	Informal	-
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	-
Collocations	That's really cool, I think that's cool, Wow, that's cool, That's cool to hear, Yeah, that's cool	-
Common mistakes	Using it in overly formal contexts., Confusing it with 'that's good' in serious discussions., Misunderstanding it as sarcastic when used sincerely.	-
Usage notes	Used in casual conversations. Avoid in formal situations. Expressing approval or agreement.	-

See it in real clips

The Pitt › S1 E1

Oh, that's cool.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Oh, um, no, that's cool. Yeah, maybe later.

The Pitt › S1 E1

Oh, that's cool.

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Oh, um, no, that's cool. Yeah, maybe later.

That's cool

That's great. So are we.

That's great

Frequently asked questions: That's cool vs That's great

What's the difference between That's cool and That's great?

That's cool: That's nice or impressive. That's great:

Can I use That's cool and That's great interchangeably?

Not always. That's cool and That's great are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.