21/11/2017 List of Synonyms

Synonym Lists
A list of common synonyms grouped in categories: for teachers, writers and students of English alike.

Synonmys

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Common Synonyms

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These lists also contain examples for the most common 100 words or so; however, the intention is not to replace a thesaurus. Within the
categories the sorting is alphabetical. For the selection of the words the top 50 lists of the most "common words in English" (provided by the
makers of the Oxford English Dictionary) were a preferred inspiration - mostly verbs and adjectives, only rarely nouns and adverbs.
Also, these are not exact synonyms, consider them as grouped in semantic fields - the reason being to provide a help for inspiration with these
50 examples of the most common synonyms and antonyms.

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Different words which have the same meaning (or similar meaning) are called synonyms. Words which have an opposite meaning are called
antonyms.
Words that are synonyms are referred to as being synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy.

List of Synonyms

Action
Come — advance, approach, arrive, near, reach

Go — depart, disappear, fade, move, proceed, recede, travel

Run — dash, escape, elope, flee, hasten, hurry, race, rush, speed, sprint

Hurry — rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle

Hide — conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil

Move — plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog, plug,
trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk,
rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase, hasten, hurry,
hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide,
slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander,
perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge

Do — execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain

Have — hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy

Use — employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise

Get — acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net, bag,
derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage

Keep — hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support

Put — place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build

Take — hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob,
engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume

Make — create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build,
develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

Break — fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize

Destroy — ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish

Kill — slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

Cut — gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce

Fall — drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble

Fly — soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise

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Decide — determine, settle, choose, resolve

Help — aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succor, benefit, befriend, abet

Mark — label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice,
designate

Plan — plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance,
method, way, blueprint

Show — display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose

Antonyms
Begin — start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate

End — stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance, cease, halt, stay, pause,
discontinue, conclude, finish, quit

Big — large, enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, sizable, grand, great, tall,
substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic,
mountainous

Little — small, tiny, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy,
microscopic, slight, petite, minute

New — fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

Old — feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-
fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional,
customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct

False — wrong, fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless,
fallacious, incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable

True — right, accurate, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable,
sincere, staunch, correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable,
apt, legal, fair

Fast — quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily, lickety-
split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash

Slow — unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack

Cool — chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid

Hot — feverish, warm, heated, sweltering, torrid, equatorial, tropical, erotic, passionate, spicy, peppery,
pungent, sharp tangy, tart, fiery, flaming, sizzling, charged, burning, seared, chafed´, inflamed, irritated, red,
smarting, stinging

Quiet — silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful, hushed, inaudible
reticent, reserved, taciturn, secretive, uncommunicative, tightlipped

Noisy — loudly, earsplitting, stentorian, strident, clamorous, boisterous, clangorous, deafening, roisterous,
uproarious, pandemoniac

All — complete, entire, full, gross, outright, perfect, total, utter, whole, any, complete, every, sum, totality,
each and every, every bit of, bar none, every single, everything, everyone

None — nothing, nobody, no one, zero, zilch, no one at all, no part, not a bit, not a soul, not a thing, not any,
not anyone, not anything, not one, nonexistent, null
nadir, nil, naught, void, nada, blank, nix

Normal — daily, traditional, familiar, routine, proper, ordinary, typical, everyday, usual, commonplace, natural,
classic, standard, general, bona fide, established, habitual, orthodox, prevalent, run-of-the-mill, time-honored,
unvarying, average, conventional, customary, common, regular, garden-variety, household, plain, simple,
balanced

Strange — abnormal, aberrant, anomalous, bent, bizarre, deviant, queer, eccentric, freakish, fanatical, odd,
eerie, peculiar, weird, unorthodox, nonstandard, atypical, different, irregular, nonconforming, offbeat, unusual,
extraordinary, insane, irrational, disorderly, rare, exceptional, extreme, outlandish

Descriptive
Describe — portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record

Difference — disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility

Explain — elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for

Idea — thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief

Look — gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate,
examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover,
notice, recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore

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Story — tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir

Tell — disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge, declare,
command, order, bid, recount, repeat

Think — judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate

Feelings
Anger — enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden

Angry — mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed

Calm — quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed,
unexcited, detached, aloof

Eager — keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to

Fear — fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension

Happy — pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled,
gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed

Hate — despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate

Love — like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savor

Moody — temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy,
peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

Sad — miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful,

Scared — afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish,
jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified, haunted,
timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive

Negative
Awful — dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant

Bad — evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful,
injurious, unfavorable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable,
disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous,
infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base,
obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable

Crooked — bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag

Dangerous — perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe

Dark — shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad

Dull — boring, tiring,, tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible,
tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary

Fat — stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, burly, bulky,
elephantine

Gross — improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth,
obscene, low

Hurt — damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain

Lazy — indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

Predicament — quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam

Trouble — distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune,
difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort

Ugly — hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly,
ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

Positive
Amazing — incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding,
extraordinary

Beautiful — pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair,
ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly,
resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

Brave — courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant,
valiant, doughty, mettlesome

Bright — shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colorful, lustrous, luminous,
incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual

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Delicious — savory, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome,
exquisite

Enjoy — appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savor, like

Famous — well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious

Funny — humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

Good — excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvelous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper, capable,
generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved,
obedient, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favorable, profitable, advantageous, righteous, expedient,
helpful, valid, genuine, ample, salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-
notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying

Great — noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty

Mischievous — prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive

Neat — clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable, spruce,
shipshape, well-kept, shapely

Popular — well-liked, approved, accepted, favorite, celebrated, common, current

Talk / Speech
Answer — reply, respond, retort, acknowledge

Ask — question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query,
interrogate, examine, quiz

Cry — shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl

Say/Tell — inform, notify, advise, relate, recount, narrate, explain, reveal, disclose, divulge, declare,
command, order, bid, enlighten, instruct, insist, teach, train, direct, issue, remark, converse, speak, affirm,
suppose, utter, negate, express, verbalize, voice, articulate, pronounce, deliver, convey, impart, assert, state,
allege, mutter, mumble, whisper, sigh, exclaim, yell, sing, yelp, snarl, hiss, grunt, snort, roar, bellow, thunder,
boom, scream, shriek, screech, squawk, whine, philosophize, stammer, stutter, lisp, drawl, jabber, protest,
announce, swear, vow, content, assure, deny, dispute

Mean (Something) — add up to, affect, be important, be of value, be substantive, carry weight, connote,
count, denote, express, imply, intend, involve, signify, spell, stand for, suggest, value, weigh in,

Unsorted
Somewhat — a little, sort of, kind of, a bit, relatively, slightly, moderately, to some extent / degree ,
reasonably, partially, more or less, not much
rather, quite, fairly, by a long shot, by far, rather, significantly, well

Somehow — in a way, virtually, to a certain extent, in some measure, to some extent, to a certain degree,
quasi , in a manner of speaking, effectively
anyhow, anyway, anywise, by hook or by crook, another, howsoever, in any way, somehow or other, someway,
by some means

Definite — certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

Fair — just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

Important — necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal,
considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known

Interesting — fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting,
intriguing, provocative, thought-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalizing,
exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting,
enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing

Part — portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment

Place — space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station,
status, state

Download this » List of Synonyms & Antonyms as a PDF file (300KB, 5 pages).

It contains all the synonyms & antonyms listed on this site. The image to the left gives you an impression how it looks like.

Exact Synonyms

According to one definition (attributed to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646 - 1716)) two expressions are synonymous if the substitution of one for
the other does not change the "truth value" of a sentence in which the substitution is made. This is a rather mathematical definition. However,

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true synonyms are rare; most so called synonyms have subtle differences in their meaning. Examples of true synonyms are rare in any
» language, if they exist at all.

In practice, some words are called synonyms, just because they are used to describe the same "fact" in different parts of the world. For example,
autumn and fall are synonyms, but the former is used in British English and the latter in American English.

English is rich in synonyms because during the centuries it adopted a variety of foreign languages - most notably French, German and Latin.

Now, what does this mean? If a word in a sentence is changed, usually the meaning and perception of the sentence is also slightly altered -
hopefully to the point of being more precise in its description.

Popular Synonyms (also Antonyms)

Often we are looking for another word, to express something we have in mind. Existing online dictionaries can be used; however most of them
are either slow, packed with advertisement, or not very helpful concerning their result lists. Here are sites which I tested, and found acceptable:

Ever wondered what the expression » Holy Cow exactly means and what its origin is? The site also lists the 20 or so most common synonyms.

For further resources related to learning and teaching English, see also » here

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