Dope is slang for great, really cool: that beat is dope, a dope mural. People use it for music, videos and art in conversation and chat. But a dope on its own means an idiot, and that's not praise at all. In an essay: impressive or excellent.
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something is dope; a dope + noun; a dope = a foolish person
- The lighting in your new video is dope.
- They painted a dope mural on the wall behind the café.
- That drummer has a really dope sense of rhythm.
What changed
First versionThat beat is a dope; I have played it five times already.
RevisionThat beat is dope; I have played it five times already.
Praise words like a hit or a gem come with a, so is a dope seems natural. But here the praise is an adjective: that beat is dope. An article is possible only before a noun: a dope mural.
As a noun, dope also means drugs or a fool: don't be a dope. Cool is softer and fits more situations. Impressive and excellent are neutral choices for writing.
Your turn
You want to praise a friend's design: Your new poster is ___.
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dope — A poster is praised with the adjective: is dope. A dope is a noun about a person, and it doesn't praise a design.
Praise a friend's creative work in a message and add a detail that explains why.
Your animation is dope; the movement looks so smooth even in the busy scenes.
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