Synonym: definition and examples (2023)

A synonym is a word that has the same meaning as another wordfastsame meaning). For example,lovelyandattractiveare synonyms for each other because they both refer to someone or something that looks good.

Synonyms are a common part of every language, but they're particularly useful when writing, whether you're writing a novel or a business email. Below we explain how synonyms work and when to use them, along with the different types of synonyms. But first, let's take a closer look at this question: "What is a synonym?"

What is a synonym?

Synonyms are different words that have the same or similar meaning. They occur in all parts of speech, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions.

As a synonym example, let's look atsynonymous with good. As one of the most used wordsguthas many synonyms that mean the same or almost the same:fein,Excellent,satisfactory,Marvelous,outstanding, etc.

Note that the meanings are not always identical; for example,Excellentis a great deal of good whilesatisfactoryis rather a minimal amount of good. However, the central idea is the same: all of these synonyms refer to something that is positive and not bad.

Synonym vs. antonym

When discussing synonyms, the termAntonymHappens frequently. While synonyms are words with the same or similar meaning,Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. For example, an antonym ofgutisPoorly, while a synonym forgutisfein.

Understanding synonyms and antonyms is helpful when using a dictionary or thesaurus. Especially in a thesaurus, a word's entry often lists both synonyms and antonyms to help you write.

What is the purpose of synonyms?

What are synonyms for? What's the point of having two words with the same meaning when one will do? There are two main uses of synonyms, which we will explain in detail below:

• Synonyms can improvechoice of words, or choose the best word for what you are trying to communicate.
• Synonyms are necessary to avoid overusing the same word.

1choice of words

First, synonyms are crucial in choosing the perfect word. While some languages ​​only have one word for a meaning, English uses a variety of words to convey a single meaning, each with its own unique and subtle distinction. This variety of words is partly due to English's use of loanwords or words from other languages.

Let's go back to our synonym example forgut. If you want to call somethinggut, you can also call itfeinorExcellent. However, duringgut,fein, andExcellentare all similar, there are some subtle differences:finetends to be at a lower levelgut, duringExcellenttends to be highergut.

Choosing the exact word is crucial to good writing. The differences betweengut,fein, andExcellentmay affect communication. So when you say a meal was 'good' it has a slightly different meaning than saying the meal was 'excellent' although they are synonyms.

In short, the more synonyms you know, the better you can choose the best word for what you want to communicate. That nuance is a significant part of all writing—especiallypersuasive writing, where you select words related to a specific type of reader.

2Avoid overusing words

The second main use of synonyms is to avoid using the same word over and over again. Repeating a specific word can be a problem if your writing focuses on a single topic — as writing often does — and most of your sentences contain words related to that topic. Alternating synonyms for the sake of variety are known aselegant variant.

For example, suppose you write aresearch paperabout dogs. If every sentence uses the worddog, your writing would be repetitive and your reader might lose interest.

In this case, you want to alternate your sentences with synonyms ofdog: You could use generic synonyms likerushorEckzahn, or if you're talking about a specific type of dog, you could use words likepoochorMeat. You could even use slang likedog,tits,pooch,or fur ballsif you write casually.

By alternating synonyms for each new sentence or paragraph, your writing will become more interesting and dynamic. This keeps the reader's attention and makes your work more enjoyable to read.

What types of synonyms are there?

As mentioned above, some synonyms have exactly the same meaning, while others have almost exact meanings. With this in mind, there are three different types of synonyms depending on how similar the meanings of the words are.

Absolute Synonyme

Absolute synonyms are words that mean exactly the same thing; there is no difference in meaning. You can use absolute synonyms interchangeably; a synonym can replace another without changing the message.

Examples:

identical - indistinguishable

drink — drink

Insect - Beetle

Partial Synonym

Partial synonyms are words that mean almost the same thing and the differences are only minor. What separates them can be a degree or a quantity, e.g. B. the difference betweengutandExcellent, or a word can be a specific type of a more general word - such as apoochis still onedog.

When you replace a word with its partial synonym, the meaning changes a bit, but the main message stays the same.

Car—vehicle

run—Sprint

big - gigantic

Almost synonyms

Near-synonyms are words that have different meanings, but their meanings are still related. These words cannot be used interchangeably; Replacing a word with a close synonym changes the message. However, since they are related, a near-synonymous might be a better and more accurate choice of words than the original.

clever - funny

River Creek

hairy - furry

Synonyms ofSynonymy(polysemy, homonymy and contronymy)

Synonyms take their name fromSynonymy, when different words have the same or similar meaning. But synonymy is often confused with other types of word relationships: polysemy, homonymy, and contronymy. To clear things up, let's take a closer look at what these terms mean.

Polysemieis when a word has different meanings. For example the wordKlangcan sometimes mean "noise", but sometimes also "healthy". The only way to get the right meaning is from the context; When someone says they "heard a noise," you know what they meanNoisebecause you can't hear ithealthy.

Disambiguationis when words have different meanings but either have the same spelling or the same pronunciation (or both). There are two types of homonyms:Homophoneand homographs.

Homophones are words that have different meanings and spellings but are pronounced the same, such asyou,there, andThey are. Homographs are words with different meanings but the same spelling, such aslead(the metal) andlead(the verb meaning "to lead"). Homographs may or may not be pronounced the same - it doesn't matter.

Contronymieis even rarer than the others. Acounter wordis a type of homonym in which the words are spelled and pronounced the same, but their meanings are opposite. For example the verbbucklecan mean "connect something":The man buckled his belt. But it can also mean “break a connection”:The chair buckled under the man.

Frequently asked questions about synonyms

What are synonyms?

Synonyms are words with the same or similar meaning. For example, a synonym forteachingisraise; Both words mean the same thing although they are different.

When should synonyms be used?

Synonyms have two main uses. First, synonyms help with word choice to find a closer match to the meaning you are trying to communicate. Second, they help you add more variety to your writing and avoid using the same word too often.

What types of synonyms are there?

Synonyms have three main types, depending on how close the meanings of the words are. Absolute synonyms have exactly the same meaning, partial synonyms have similar meanings with only minor differences, and close synonyms have different meanings that are closely related.