Synonyms: All You Need to Know about Synonym (with List, Types, Examples)

 

What is a synonym? Since we have already looked at antonyms, it’s also good for you to understand what exactly synonyms are. We have already touched on the meaning of synonyms before, but this quick guide will take you through everything you need to know about synonyms, including what they are, the different types of synonyms, synonyms list, and why it’s important to know them and use them in your own writing. So, let’s take a look!

What Is A Synonym?

As we’ve already mentioned before, synonyms are the opposite of antonyms, because synonyms are words with the same meaning. That means that they should be interchangeable in any given sentence (theoretically, though more on this later) and it wouldn’t affect the meaning of the overall sentence.

Synonym definition: a synonym is a word or a phrase that means exactly or nearly the same thing as another word or phrase in English.

As you can probably guess, it’s important to know these words for you to use in writing and speaking. When you think of synonyms, think of a thesaurus, because these useful books provide you with synonyms for different words so you never have to use the same word over and over again.

Synonyms Examples:

• Fast Synonyms: Quick, Speedy, Rapid, Blistering, Nimble, Swift,…
• Strange Synonyms: Odd, Weird, Surreal, Queer, Astonishing, Curious, …
• Amazing Synonyms: Adorable, Spectacular, Fantastic, Irresistible, Splendid, Alluring, Dazzling, Fascinating, Lovely, Staggering,…
• Bad Synonyms: Awful, Atrocious, Disagreeable, Grievous, Infamous, Odious, Sordid, Rotten, Awful, Disheartening…
• Great Synonyms: Admirable, Amazing, Arresting, Astonishing, Awesome, Beautiful, Breathtaking, Brilliant, Capital …

Common Synonyms

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Synonyms

Types of Synonyms

Idiographic Synonyms or Relative Synonyms

These synonyms are so-called because they are words with similar meanings, but they are based on different degrees of describing certain qualities. This can be slightly complicated to explain, so examples are much easier to understand in the case of these synonyms:

• Let’s look at different synonyms for the word attractive. Some examples of synonyms for attractive are – beautiful, fine, handsome, pretty. As you can see, these synonyms all describe someone’s attractiveness, and whilst all of them do describe somebody as being attractive, some words carry with it slightly more weight, despite all of them essentially meaning the same thing. You might prefer to be called beautiful instead of pretty, or handsome instead of fine. All of them mean the same thing, but they do describe your attractiveness to slightly different degrees.
• Another example is big. Synonyms of big are – huge, colossal, massive, ginormous – again, all of them have the same meaning, but there are differences in the degrees in their description of how big something is. If you were to look at the Eiffel Tower in France from below, you’d likely describe it as ginormous, because saying it was big just wouldn’t do it justice. Likewise, if you see a Great Dane, you might describe it as huge, because to say it was massive would be slightly too much. The different degrees of meaning are important, so they are all idiographic synonyms or relative synonyms.

Stylistic Synonyms

Stylistic synonyms are much easier to understand, because the meanings are exactly the same, but you use them interchangeably based only on the style of writing you are doing. So, some might be more appropriate to use in formal writing, and others are appropriate in informal writing. Let’s take a look at some examples:

• Doctor or Doc – both of these mean exactly the same thing, but choosing which one to use would be based solely on the style of writing. If you were writing to your boss to request time off for a medical appointment, telling them that you are visiting the Doctor is much more appropriate than telling them you are visiting the Doc. However, if you are telling your friend about the medical advice you received in a text message, you might choose to tell them what the Doc said.
• Commence or begin – again, they mean exactly the same thing, but choosing them is entirely stylistic. If you are sitting around the dinner table with your friends, then asking if you should begin eating would be much more appropriate than asking whether or not you should commence. Likewise, if you are the commentator welcoming in the Olympic Games, saying something like ‘Let the games commence’ would be slightly more official and therefore more appropriate. Because it all comes down to choosing the word based on the style of writing or speaking that is necessary, they are stylistic synonyms.

Contextual Synonyms

These synonyms mean the same thing, but only based on the context in which they are used. Here are some examples to make that clearer:

• Buy and Get – in certain contexts, these are synonyms because they mean the same thing, but they won’t always be classed as synonyms because they won’t always be interchangeable. Telling someone to go and buy you something from the store, could be replaced by telling them to go and get you something from the store. They are interchangeable here and mean the same thing, so they are contextual synonyms. If you tell someone that you think you might get a cold, then replacing get with buy wouldn’t make sense. In this context, they aren’t synonyms.
• Active and Athletic – if you are describing a physically fit person who enjoys working out, then you could equally describe them as active or athletic and it would make perfect sense. If, however, you were on social media and updated your status to active, then athletic couldn’t be used in its place because that just doesn’t make sense. Because it relies on context, they are contextual synonyms.

Total Synonyms

These synonyms are synonyms in their purest form. It isn’t based on the degree of anything, or context, or even stylistic choice. These words just have the exact same meaning and can be switched whenever. Here are some examples:

• Perfect and flawless – these words mean exactly the same thing, and are completely interchangeable in every context. They don’t describe the degree of anything because their meaning is exactly the same, so they are total synonyms.

There are, in fact, very few examples of total synonyms, because so often they depend on something else. There are, of course, more examples than those above though.

Why Learn Synonyms?

Synonyms are some of the most important linguistic devices we can learn, because without them we would be very limited in our vocabulary. By knowing the different examples of synonyms listed above, you can be sure that you are able to describe things effectively. Sometimes synonyms rely on context, degrees of description, or stylistic choice, so knowing how to adapt your writing or speech to suit whatever situation you are in is important!

Hopefully, this guide will teach you more about synonyms and give you some ideas for you to use in your own writing!

Synonyms List

An extensive list of common synonyms in English from A to Z with synonyms examples.

Synonyms (A)

Learn the list of common synonyms that start with A with examples.

Abandon —– Forsake

• People often simply abandon their pets when they go abroad
• He had made it clear to his wife that he would never forsake her.

Able —– Capable

• You must be able to speak French for this job.
• You are capable of better work than this.

Accomplish —– Achieve

• Easy enough to say, but sometimes hard to accomplish!
• They could not achieve their target of less than 3% inflation.

Accurate —– Precise

• Scientists have found a more accurate way of dating cave paintings.
• I can be reasonably precise about the time of the incident.

Active —– Athletic

• She’s over 80, but is still very active.
• He can play any sport, he’s naturally athletic.

Admit —– Confess

• Don’t be afraid to admit to your mistakes.
• We persuaded her to confess her crime.

Agree —– Consent

• I agree with her analysis of the situation.
• I rarely consent to do interviews.

Aim —– Goal/ Purpose

• Our main aim is to increase sales in Europe.
• Your goal as a parent is to help your child become an independent adult.
• The purpose of the book is to provide a complete guide to the university.

Alike —– Same

• My mother and I are alike in many ways.
• She was born on the same day as me.

All —– Every

• The boys played video games all day.
• I enjoyed every minute of the film.

Allow —– Permit

• My parents wouldn’t allow me to go to the party
• We were not permitted any contact with each other.

Amiable —– Friendly

• Her parents seemed very amiable.
• Everyone was very friendly towards me.

Amount —– Quantity

• We’ve had an enormous amount of help from people.
• The police also found a quantity of ammunition in the flat.

Angry —– Mad/ Irritated

• Her behavior really made me angry.
• He’s always been mad about kids.
• She was getting more and more irritated at his comments.

Arrive —– Reach

• They arrived at the airport at 10.30.
• You should reach there around 9.45 a.m.

Ask —– Enquire

• We’ll have to ask someone the way to the station.
• I called the station to enquire about train times.

Assist —– Help

• Anyone willing to assist can contact this number.
• This charity aims to help people to help themselves.

Assure —– Guarantee

• We were assured that everything possible was being done.
• We cannot guarantee our flights will never be delayed.

Attire —– Dress

• Their attire was a mixture of the sombre and seaside wear.
• I am wearing the long white dress.

Away —– Absent

• There were ten children away yesterday.
• Today, he is absent from work.

Awful —– Terrible/ Bad

• The weather last summer was awful.
• That’s a terrible thing to say!
• I’m having a really bad day.

Synonyms (B)

Learn a list of synonyms that start with B with examples.

Bargain —– Deal

• The car was a bargain at that price.
• We did a deal with the management on overtime.

Begin —– Start

• He always begins his lessons with a warmup exercise.
• I only started this book yesterday.

Beginner —– Novice/ Amateur

• She’s in the beginners’ class.
• I’m a complete novice at skiing.
• The tournament is open to both amateurs and professionals.

Behave —– Act

• The doctor behaved very unprofessionally.
• John’s been acting very strangely lately.

Belly —– Stomach

• They crawled along on their bellies.
• You shouldn’t exercise on a full stomach.

Below —– Under

• He dived below the surface of the water.
• The dog squeezed under the gate and ran into the road.

Big —– Vast/ Large

• It’s the world’s biggest computer company.
• His business empire was vast.
• Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee.

Blank —– Empty

• Sign your name in the blank space below.
• It’s not good to drink alcohol on an empty stomach.

Blend —– Mix

• Blend together the eggs, sugar and flour.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

Bother —– Annoy

• I don’t want to bother her with my problems at the moment.
• His constant joking was beginning to annoy her.

Brave —– Courageous

• I wasn’t brave enough to tell her what I thought of her.
• I hope people will be courageous enough to speak out against this injustice.

Broad —– Wide

• He is tall, broad and muscular.
• Her face broke into a wide grin.

Brute —– Rough/ Violent

• His father was a drunken brute.
• This watch is not designed for rough treatment.
• Her husband was a violent man.

Bucket —– Pail

• They were playing on the beach with their buckets and spades.
• It was a community that drank out of the beer pail and ate out of the lunch bucket.

Bunny —– Rabbit

• A little bunny seemed harmless enough.
• I want to have a rabbit.

Business —– Trade

• It’s been a pleasure to do business with you.
• Trade between the two countries has increased.

Buy —– Purchase

• If you’re thinking of getting a new car, now is a good time to buy.
• The equipment can be purchased from your local supplier.

Synonyms (C)

Common synonyms that start with C with examples.

Center —– Middle

• There was an enormous oak table in the center of the room.
• He was standing in the middle of the room.

Chiefly —– Mainly

• We are chiefly concerned with improving educational standards.
• They eat mainly fruit and nuts.

Child —– Kid

• I lived in London as a child.
• She’s a bright kid.

Choose —– Select/ Pick

• We have to choose a new manager from a shortlist of five candidates.
• She was selected as the parliamentary candidate for Bath.
• She picked the best cake for herself.

Chop —– Cut

• He was chopping logs for firewood.
• You need a powerful saw to cut through metal.

Close —– Shut

• I closed my eyes against the bright light.
• Philip went into his room and shut the door behind him.

Coat —– Jacket

• I have a long winter coat.
• I have to wear a jacket and tie to work.

Cold —– Chilly/ Freezing

• Today, it is very cold.
• I was feeling chilly.
• My hands are freezing!

Competent —– Capable

• He’s very competent in his work.
• You are capable of better work than this.

Complete —– Finish

• The project should be completed within a year.
• She finished law school last year.

Complex —– Complicated

• That’s a complex problem.
• The story is extremely complicated.

Connect —– Join

• The towns are connected by train and bus services.
• The island is joined to the mainland by a bridge.

Cope —– Manage

• He wasn’t able to cope with the stresses and strains of the job.
• She’s 82 and can’t manage on her own any more.

Couch —– Sofa

• Tom offered to sleep on the couch.
• I took my shoe off and lay down on the sofa.

Coarse —– Rough

• He is wearing a jacket of coarse wool.
• The skin on her hands was hard and rough.

Crash —– Accident

• A girl was killed yesterday in a crash involving a stolen car.
• He was killed in an accident.

Crook —– Criminal

• The film portrays a world of smalltime crooks, petty crime and drinking clubs.
• Lawyers are not allowed to comment on current criminal cases.

Cry —– Weep

• It’s all right. Don’t cry.
• She started to weep uncontrollably.

Cunning —– Clever

• It was a cunning piece of detective work.
• He’s clever with his hands.

List of Common Synonyms in English

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Synonyms (D)

Common synonyms that start with D with examples.

Danger —– Harm

• Children’s lives are in danger every time they cross this road.
• He would never frighten anyone or cause them any harm.

Daybreak —– Dawn/ Sunrise

• We left before daybreak.
• They start work at dawn.
• We left before sunrise.

Dear —– Expensive

• Everything’s so dear now, isn’t it?
• I can’t afford it, it’s too expensive.

Defective —– Faulty

• Her hearing was found to be slightly defective.
• Ask for a refund if the goods are faulty.

Delicious —– Yummy

• This dish is delicious with cream.
• These biscuits are yummy.

Demolish —– Destroy/ Wreck

• The factory is due to be demolished next year.
• The building was completely destroyed by fire.
• The house was a wreck when we bought it.

Demonstrate —– Protest

• They are demonstrating in favor of free higher education.
• Students took to the streets to protest against the decision.

Denounce —– Blame/ Indict

• Amnesty International denounced the failure by the authorities to take action.
• The report blames poor safety standards for the accident.
• They were indicted on a number of corruption charges.

Dense —– Thick/ Heavy

• A narrow track wound steeply up through dense forest.
• This breed of cattle has a very thick coat.
• The air was heavy with the scent of flowers.

Depart —– Leave

• The train departed Amritsar at 6.15 p.m.
• The plane leaves for Dallas at 12.35.

Despise —– Hate/ Detest/ Loathe

• She thoroughly despised him for his weakness.
• He hates violence in any form.
• They detested each other on sight.
• I loathe modern art.

Destiny —– Fate

• I believe there’s some force guiding us—call it God, destiny or fate.
• By a strange twist of fate, Andy and I were on the same plane.

Destitute —– Poor/ Penniless

• When he died, his family was left completely destitute.
• They were too poor to buy shoes for the kids.
• Uncle Charlie was jobless and penniless.

Detach —– Remove

• The skis should detach from the boot if you fall.
• Three children were removed from the school for persistent bad behavior.

Deter —– Hinder

• The high price of the service could deter people from seeking advice.
• Some teachers felt hindered by a lack of resources.

Determined —– Sure/ Convinced

• I’m determined to succeed.
• You don’t sound very sure.
• I am convinced of her innocence.

Different —– Diverse

• They are sold in many different colors.
• My interests are very diverse.

Difficult —– Hard

• Your writing is really difficult to read.
• It was one of the hardest things I ever did.

Diminish —– Decrease

• The world’s resources are rapidly diminishing.
• The number of new students decreased from 210 to 160 this year.

Disappear —– Vanish

• The plane disappeared behind a cloud.
• The magician vanished in a puff of smoke.

Disclose —– Reveal

• The spokesman refused to disclose details of the takeover to the press.
• The doctors did not reveal the truth to him.

Down —– Below

• The stone rolled down the hill.
• He dived below the surface of the water.

Synonyms (E)

Learn synonym words that start with E with examples.

Earth —– Ground

• After a week at sea, it was good to feel the earth beneath our feet again.
• I found her lying on the ground.

Easy —– Simple

• It’s easy for you to tell me to keep calm, but you’re not in my position.
• The answer is really quite simple.

Encourage —– Urge

• My parents have always encouraged me in my choice of career.
• The report urged that all children be taught to swim.

End —– Finish/ Conclude

• They decided to end their relationship.
• She finished law school last year.
• She concluded her speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.

Enlarge —– Magnify

• There are plans to enlarge the recreation area.
• The picture shows the insect’s head magnified ten times.

Enormous —– Huge

• The problems facing the President are enormous.
• He gazed up at her with huge brown eyes.

Enquire —– Investigate

• I called the station to enquire about train times.
• The FBI has been called in to investigate.

Evaluate —– Assess

• Our research attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of the different drugs.
• Damage to the building was assessed at £40 000.

Everlasting —– Eternal

• To his everlasting credit, he never told anyone what I’d done.
• She’s an eternal optimist.

Extra —– Additional

• Breakfast is provided at no extra charge.
• The government provided an additional £25 million to expand the service.

Synonyms (F)

List of common synonyms that start with F with examples.

Faithful —– Loyal/ Devoted

• I have been a faithful reader of your newspaper for many years.
• She has always remained loyal to her political principles.
• They are devoted to their children.

Fall —– Drop

• September had come and the leaves were starting to fall.
• The climber slipped and dropped to his death.

False —– Untrue

• He used a false name to get the job.
• These accusations are totally untrue.

Famous —– Renowned

• He became internationally famous for his novels.
• She is renowned for her patience.

Fantastic —– Great

• The weather was absolutely fantastic.
• This represents a great achievement.

Fast —– Quick

• He’s one of the fastest runners in the world.
• She walked with short, quick steps.

Father —– Dad

• He was a wonderful father to both his natural and adopted children.
• That’s my dad over there.

Find —– Discover

• Can you find my bag for me?
• Police discovered a large stash of drugs while searching the house.

Fix —– Repair/ Mend

• I’ve fixed the problem.
• The human body has an amazing capacity to repair itself.
• Could you mend my bike for me?

Fool —– Idiot

• He told me he was an actor and I was fool enough to believe him.
• When I lost my passport, I felt such an idiot.

Forbid —– Prohibit/ Ban

• My doctor has forbidden me sugar.
• The policy prohibits smoking on school grounds.
• Chemical weapons are banned internationally.

Forgive —– Pardon

• I’ll never forgive her for what she did.
• She was pardoned after serving ten years of a life sentence.

Former —– Previous

• Nelson Mandela is a former South African president.
• She is his daughter from a previous marriage.

Fraction —– Part/ Portion/ Segment

• She hesitated for the merest fraction of a second.
• We spent part of the time in the museum.
• The central portion of the bridge collapsed.
• She cleaned a small segment of the painting.

Fragrance —– Perfume

• They are about to launch their first fragrance for men.
• She was wearing too much perfume.

Frank —– Candid

• He was very frank about his relationship with the actress.
• I felt she was being less than candid with me.

Freedom —– Liberty

• People here like their freedom and privacy.
• The concept of individual liberty is enshrined in the constitution.

Frenzy —– Fury/ Rage

• The speaker worked the crowd up into a frenzy.
• Her eyes blazed with fury.
• His face was dark with rage.

Fresh —– Unused/ New

• Let me write it down while it’s still fresh in my mind.
• The house was left unused for most of the year.
• Have you read her new novel?

Fun —– Enjoyment

• We had a lot of fun at Sarah’s party.
• I get a lot of enjoyment from music.

Funny —– Amusing/ Entertaining

• It’s not funny! Someone could have been hurt.
• It’s a very amusing game to play.
• It was a very entertaining evening.

Furious —– Angry

• She was absolutely furious at having been deceived.
• Her behavior really made me angry.

Synonyms (G)

List of synonyms that start with G with examples.

Gain —– Acquire/ Obtain

• The country gained its independence ten years ago.
• She has acquired a good knowledge of English.
• I finally managed to obtain a copy of the report.

Gallant —– Chivalrous

• That wasn’t very gallant of you.
• I was only trying to be chivalrous.

Garbage —– Trash/ Rubbish

• Don’t forget to take out the garbage.
• Will someone take out the trash?
• The streets were littered with rubbish.

Gather —– Collect

• His supporters gathered in the main square.
• The company collects information about consumer trends.

Gaunt —– Scrawny/ Skinny/ Thin

• She looked gaunt and exhausted.
• He had long scrawny fingers.
• She had wild hair and long skinny arms.
• He was tall and thin, with dark hair.

Gentle —– Tender

• He lived in a gentle age than ours.
• What he needs now is a lot of tender loving care.

Gift —– Present

• The watch was a gift from my mother.
• What can I get him for a birthday present?

Glad —– Happy/ Pleased/ Delighted/ Cheerful/ Joyful/ Merry

• She was glad when the meeting was over.
• You don’t look very happy today.
• She was very pleased with her exam results.
• I was delighted that you could stay.
• He felt bright and cheerful and full of energy.
• It was a joyful reunion of all the family.
• He’s a lovely man with merry eyes and a wide smile.

Good —– Excellent

• The piano was in good condition.
• She speaks excellent French.

Great —– Grand

• People were arriving in great numbers.
• It’s not a very grand house.

Synonyms (H)

Synonyms list that starts with H with examples.

Hat —– Cap

• I’m wearing two hats tonight—parent and teacher.
• He is wearing a baseball cap.

Have —– Own/ Possess

• I have a new car and a boat.
• I don’t own anything of any value.
• I’m afraid this is the only suitcase I possess.

Help —– Assist

• He always helps with the housework.
• We will assist you in finding somewhere to live.

Hot —– Boiling

• It was hot and getting hotter.
• You must be boiling in that sweater!

House —– Home

• He went into the house.
• We are not far from my home now.

Synonyms (I)

List of synonyms that start with I with examples.

Idea —– Thought

• I like the idea of living on a boat.
• I don’t like the thought of you walking home alone.

Important —– Significant

• Money played an important role in his life.
• Your work has shown a significant improvement.

Infant —– Baby

• She was seriously ill as an infant.
• My sister’s expecting a baby.

Inspect —– Examine

• The plants are regularly inspected for disease.
• The doctor examined her but could find nothing wrong.

Interesting —– Exciting

• It would be interesting to know what he really believed.
• They waited and waited for something exciting to happen.

Synonyms (J)

Learn synonyms list that starts with J with examples.

Job —– Occupation/ Work/ Career

• He’s trying to get a job.
• Please state your name, age and occupation below.
• It’s very difficult to find work at the moment.
• He had a very distinguished career in the Foreign Office.

Jungle —– Forest

• The area was covered in dense jungle.
• Thousands of hectares of forest are destroyed each year.

Synonyms (K)

Learn synonym words that start with K with examples.

Keep —– Hold

• She keeps the blue bear as a souvenir.
• The girl holds her father’s hand tightly.

Kind —– Helpful

• She’s a very kind and generous person.
• She’s one of the most helpful people I know.

Synonyms (L)

List of synonyms that start with L with examples.

Last —– Final/ Ultimate

• I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last person on earth!
• They find each other in the final chapter of the book.
• We will accept ultimate responsibility for whatever happens.

Late —– Tardy

• She’s late for work every day.
• The law is often tardy in reacting to changing attitudes.

Laugh —– Giggle

• She always makes me laugh.
• The girls giggled at the joke.

Learn —– Study

• She’s very keen to learn about Japanese culture.
• My brother studied at the Royal College of Art.

Like —– Love/ Enjoy/ Prefer

• I don’t like the way he’s looking at me.
• If you love each other, why not get married?
• Thanks for a great evening. I really enjoyed it.
• I prefer my coffee black.

Listen —– Hear

• I listened carefully to her story.
• He could hear a dog barking.

Long —– Endless

• There was a long silence before she spoke.
• The journey seemed endless.

Look —– Glance/ See/ Watch/ View

• If you look carefully you can just see our house from here.
• She glanced at her watch.
• I hate to see you unhappy.
• She watched the kids playing in the yard.
• People came from all over the world to view her work.

Loud —– Noisy

• She spoke in a very loud voice.
• The streets were very noisy throughout the night.

Lucky —– Fortunate

• His friend was killed and he knows he is lucky to be alive.
• I have been fortunate enough to visit many parts of the world as a lecturer.

Synonyms (M)

Learn synonyms list that starts with M with examples.

Many —– Numerous

• There are too many mistakes in this essay.
• He has been late on numerous occasions.

Misery —– Distress/ Hardship

• Fame brought her nothing but misery.
• The charity aims to relieve poverty and distress caused by natural disasters.
• People suffered many hardships during that long winter.

Mistake —– Error

• It would be a mistake to ignore his opinion.
• I think you have made an error in calculating the total.

Mix —– Stir/ Mingle/ Blend

• Oil does not mix with water.
• The vegetables are stirred into the rice while it is hot.
• He felt a kind of happiness mingled with regret.
• Blend the flour with the milk to make a smooth paste.

Mother —– Mom

• I want to buy a present for my mother and father.
• My mom says I have to stay home tonight.

Synonyms (N)

List of common synonyms that start with N with examples.

Naughty —– Mischievous

• He is a naughty boy.
• She looked slightly mischievous.

Nearly —– Almost

• The bottle’s nearly empty.
• The story is almost certainly false.

Neat —– Tidy

• She was wearing a neat black suit.
• She keeps her flat very tidy.

Synonyms (O)

List of synonyms that start with O with examples.

Occur —– Happen

• When exactly did the incident occur?
• You’ll never guess what’s happened!

Odd —– Strange/ Queer/ Weird

• The odd thing was that he didn’t recognize me.
• A strange thing happened this morning.
• She had a queer feeling that she was being watched.
• It’s really weird seeing yourself on television.

Old —– Ancient

• He always gives the same old excuses.
• That’s an ancient oak tree!

Opportunity —– Chance

• You’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions at the end.
• Please give me a chance to explain.

Outside —– Exterior

• You can’t open the door from the outside.
• The exterior of the house needs painting.

Common Synonyms List in English 

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Synonyms (P)

Learn common synonyms list that starts with P with examples.

Page —– Sheet

• Someone has torn a page out of this book.
• Start each answer on a fresh sheet.

Particular —– Specific

• There is one particular patient I’d like you to see.
• The money was collected for a specific purpose.

Pastime —– Hobby

• Watching television now seems to be the most popular national pastime.
• I only play jazz as a hobby.

Pause —– Hesitate

• Anita paused for a moment, then said: ‘All right’.
• He seemed to hesitate a second.

Perform —– Act/ Carry out

• She performs an important role in our organization.
• Can you act as interpreter?
• Extensive tests have been carried out on the patient.

Place —– Put

• He placed his hand on her shoulder.
• Did you put sugar in my coffee?

Play —– Frolic

• You’ll have to play inside today.
• Lambs frolicked in the next field.

Polite —– Courteous

• Please be polite to our guests.
• The hotel staffs are friendly and courteous.

Popular —– Favorite

• This is one of our most popular designs.
• It’s one of my favorite movies.

Precarious —– Uncertain/ Insecure

• The museum is in a financially precarious position.
• They’re both uncertain about what to do.
• Insecure doors and windows make life easy for burglars.

Pretty —– Beautiful

• She is a pretty girl.
• She looked stunningly beautiful that night.

Prompt —– Immediate/ Instant

• Prompt payment of the invoice would be appreciated.
• Our immediate response to the attack was sheer horror.
• This account gives you instant access to your money.

Pull —– Tug

• Pull the chair nearer the table.
• She tried to escape but he tugged her back.

Push —– Shove

• She pushed at the door but it wouldn’t budge.
• The door wouldn’t open no matter how hard she shoved.

Synonym (Q)

List of synonyms that start with Q with examples.

Quake —– Tremble

• They are quaking in their boots at the prospect of tomorrow’s game.
• He opened the letter with trembling hands.

Quiet —– Peaceful

• I was looking forward to a quiet evening at home.
• He had a peaceful life.

Quiet —– Silent

• “Be quiet,” said the teacher.
• “Keep silent, please!”

Quite —– Fairly/ Pretty

• He plays quite well.
• I know him fairly well, but I wouldn’t say we were really close friends.
• I’m pretty sure I’ll be going.

Synonyms (R)

List of common synonyms that start with R with examples.

Raise —– Lift

• She raised the gun and fired.
• I lifted the lid of the box and peered in.

Real —– Genuine/ True

• Are those real flowers?
• Is the painting a genuine Picasso?
• The novel is based on a true story.

Receive —– Get

• He received an award for bravery from the police service.
• I got a letter from Dave this morning.

Regret —– Remorse

• She expressed her regret at the decision.
• She felt no remorse at leaving them without notice.

Reject —– Deny/ Refuse

• The prime minister rejected any idea of reforming the system.
• She denied all knowledge of the incident.
• I politely refused their invitation.

Reliable —– Dependable/ Trustworthy

• We are looking for someone who is reliable and hardworking.
• She is a dependable man.
• If you want your mom to trust you, you have to be a trustworthy person.

Remark —– Comment

• The judges remarked on the high standard of entries for the competition.
• I don’t feel I can comment on their decision.

Renew —– Resume

• The army renewed its assault on the capital.
• She resumed her career after an interval of six years.

Rescue —– Save

• He rescued a child from drowning.
• Doctors were unable to save her.

Respect —– Honor

• I have the greatest respect for your brother.
• They stood in silence as a mark of honor to her.

Respond —– Reply/ Answer

• I asked him his name, but he didn’t respond.
• He never replied to any of my letters.
• I repeated the question, but she didn’t answer.

Rest —– Relax

• The doctor told me to rest.
• Just relax and enjoy the movie.

Right —– Correct/ Proper/ True

• You were quite right to criticize him.
• Please check that these details are correct.
• We should have had a proper discussion before voting.
• I think it would be true to say that the show was a success.

Rich —– Wealthy

• Nobody gets rich from writing nowadays.
• They live in a wealthy suburb of Chicago.

Round —– Circular

• The child was watching it all with big round eyes.
• The crater was two miles across and roughly circular.

Rug —– Carpet

• There were several brightly colored rugs scattered around.
• My bedroom carpet is green.

Rule —– Law

• The 1972 act imposed direct rule from Westminster.
• The reforms have recently become law.

Synonyms (S)

Learn synonyms list that starts with S with examples.

Sack —– Bag

• We need about a sack of rice.
• She is holding a plastic bag.

Sad —– Unhappy

• We are very sad to hear that you are leaving.
• I was unhappy that she had to go.

Say —– Tell/ Talk/ Speak

• Be quiet, I have something to say.
• Tell me where you live.
• Stop talking and listen!
• The President refused to speak to the waiting journalists.

Scared —– Terrified/ Frightened/ Afraid

• She is scared of going out alone.
• I’m terrified of losing you.
• I’m frightened of walking home alone in the dark.
• I started to feel afraid of going out alone at night.

Shop —– Store

• There’s a little gift shop around the corner.
• She worked in a grocery store before going to college.

Shout —– Scream/ Yell

• I shouted for help but nobody came.
• He screamed at me to stop.
• She yelled at the child to get down from the wall.

Shy —– Bashful/ Timid/ Embarrassed

• She was too shy to ask anyone for help.
• She looked bashful when he asked her what she wanted.
• He stopped in the doorway, too timid to go in.
• He felt embarrassed at being the centre of attention.

Sick —– Ill

• Her mother’s very sick.
• Her father is seriously ill in St Luke’s hospital.

Sincere —– Honest

• He seemed sincere enough when he said he wanted to help.
• Give me your honest opinion.

Slim —– Slender/ Thin

• She was tall and slim.
• She is slender and stylish.
• She was looking pale and thin.

Small —– Little/ Tiny/ Diminutive

• They’re having a relatively small wedding.
• She gave a little laugh.
• Only a tiny minority hold such extreme views.
• She was a diminutive figure beside her husband.

Smart —– Brilliant/ Intelligent/ Clever/ Bright

• She’s smarter than her brother.
• She has one of the most brilliant minds in the country.
• She asked a lot of intelligent questions.
• He’s too clever by half, if you ask me.
• She’s probably the brightest student in the class.

Smile —– Grin

• He smiled with relief.
• They grinned with delight when they heard our news.

Sniff —– Smell

• The dog sniffed at my shoes.
• I could smell alcohol on his breath.

Sordid —– Dirty

• These were the urban poor, living in the sordid back streets and alleys of prosperous Victorian cities.
• She circled the bedroom, picking up dirty clothes.

Speech —– Lecture

• He made the announcement in a speech on television.
• He regularly gives lectures on modern French literature.

Split —– Divide

• She split the class into groups of four.
• A sentence can be divided up into meaningful segments.

Spooky —– Scary/ Creepy

• It got a bit spooky when James started telling ghost stories.
• It was a really scary moment.
• It’s kind of creepy down in the cellar!

Sprint —– Run

• Three runners sprinted past.
• I had to run to catch the bus.

Stone —– Rock

• The floors are made of stone.
• To build the tunnel, they had to cut through 500 feet of solid rock.

Story —– Tale

• He read the children a story.
• His latest book is a delightful children’s tale about talking animals.

Street —– Highway

• The bank is just across the street.
• He took highway 314 heading north.

Suggest —– Propose

• May I suggest a white wine with this dish, Sir?
• The government proposed changes to the voting system.

Sundown —– Sunset

• The celebration begins at sundown.
• Every evening at sunset the flag was lowered.

Sure —– Certain

• You don’t sound very sure.
• She looks certain to win an Oscar.

Synonym (T)

Learn synonyms list that starts with T with examples.

Talkative —– Communicative

• She was in a talkative mood.
• He wasn’t very communicative and kept things to himself.

Taxi —– Cab

• We’d better take a taxi.
• I took a cab to the airport.

Temper —– Mood

• He must learn to control his temper.
• He’s always in a bad mood.

Thankful —– Grateful

• I was thankful to see they’d all arrived safely.
• I am extremely grateful to all the teachers for their help.

Think —– Ponder/ Consider

• I didn’t think you liked sports.
• The senator pondered the question for a moment.
• She considered her options.

Toss —– Throw

• She tossed her jacket onto the bed.
• Some kids were throwing stones at the window.

Total —– Entire/ Whole

• This bought the total number of accidents so far this year to 113.
• The entire village was destroyed.
• He spent the whole day writing.

Transform —– Convert

• The photochemical reactions transform the light into electrical impulses.
• The hotel is going to be converted into a nursing home.

Trip —– Journey

• We went on a trip to the mountains.
• They went on a long train journey across India.

Trust —– Believe

• You can trust me not to tell anyone.
• I believed his lies for years.

Try —– Attempt

• I don’t know if I can come but I’ll try.
• I will attempt to answer all your questions.

Trivial —– Unimportant

• I know it sounds trivial, but I’m worried about it.
• I was just a young girl from a small town and I felt very unimportant.

Synonyms (U)

List of synonyms that start with U with examples.

Uncommon —– Unusual

• Side effects from the drug are uncommon.
• She has a very unusual name.

Uncooked —– Raw

• The steak was uncooked in the middle.
• These fish are often eaten raw.

Uneasy —– Restless/ Concerned/ Nervous/ Anxious

• His presence made her feel uneasy.
• After five years in the job, he was beginning to feel restless.
• The President is deeply concerned about this issue.
• I felt really nervous before the interview.
• He seemed anxious about the meeting.

Unfortunate —– Unlucky

• He was unfortunate to lose in the final round.
• He was very unlucky not to win.

Unlawful —– Illegal

• The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing.
• It’s illegal to drive through a red light.

Unmarried —– Single

• She was sent away to a home for unmarried mothers.
• The apartments are ideal for single people living alone.

Usually —– Generally

• I’m usually home by 6 o’clock.
• I generally get up at six.

Synonyms (V)

List of common synonyms that start with V with examples.

Value —– Worth

• The winner will receive a prize to the value of £1 000.
• He has a personal net worth of $10 million.

Very —– Extremely

• The new building has been very much admired.
• This issue is extremely complicated.

Synonyms (W-Y)

List of synonyms that start with W,Y with examples.

Walk —– Stroll

• He walked slowly away from her.
• People were strolling along the beach.

Want —– Desire

• She’s always wanted a large family.
• We all desire health and happiness.

Weak —– Feeble

• She is still weak after her illness.
• The heartbeat was feeble and irregular.

Winner —– Victor

• The winners of the competition will be announced next month.
• There are no victors in a divorce.

Woman —– Lady

• I prefer to see a woman doctor.
• He was with an attractive young lady.

Wonderful —– Amazing

• It’s wonderful what you can do when you have to.
• It’s amazing the difference a few polite words make.

Word —– Expression

• Could I have a quick word with you?
• Her writing is full of colorful expressions.

Write —– Record

• Write your name at the top of the paper.
• The band is back in the US recording their new album.

Writer —– Author

• She’s one of my favorite writers.
• He was the author of two books on China.

Wrong —– Incorrect

• He was driving on the wrong side of the road
• His version of what happened is incorrect.

Yearly —– Annually

• The magazine is issued twice yearly.
• The exhibition is held annually.

Synonym | Infographic

Common Synonyms List in English | Synonym Image 1

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Useful Synonyms List in English | Synonym Image 2