The synonyms are two or more different words that express a similar or the same meaning. For example: raise / rise, fast / fast, small / boy.
Synonymy occurs between words with sufficient similarity in their meaning, so that one can replace the other and the meaning of the phrase does not change. For example:
- The dog moves the line. / The dog moves the tail.
- I lost my glasses. / I lost my glasses.
- I’ll cut my hair. / I will cut my hair.
Synonyms are different from antonyms, which are words with opposite meanings. For example: good/bad, high/low, clean/dirty.
We made a video to explain it easily:
The synonymy relationship can be given by its strict (dictionary) meaning or by the connotation that a word can assume in certain contexts. For example, husband Y husband are synonymous in any case, but annoying Y heavy not always, since the word heavyin its basic meaning, only refers to something that has a lot of mass or weight.
To keep in mind: It is common for words with a very concrete or specific meaning to lack synonyms (for example: stethoscope), while the words that express feelings, emotions or rather abstract concepts usually have several (for example: cute/beautiful/graceful).
Examples of synonyms
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What are synonyms for?
Synonyms are useful when writing a text to avoid repetition of the same word or expression without missing the meaning of what you want to convey.
Types of synonymy
Synonymy is usually divided into:
- full synonymy. The words coincide in their meaning, that is, one can replace the other in the sentence, regardless of the context. For example: dentist/dentist.
- partial synonymy. Words are synonymous in only one of the senses they have. For example: lady/woman.
However, words often have many shades of meaning and no word can be the perfect equivalent of another in all contexts. That is why many linguists affirm that total and perfect synonymy does not exist. Based on this, according to the meaning of the words and the type of similarity that is established between them, synonymy can be classified as:
- conceptual synonymy. The words allude to the same concept or referent and could be interchangeable, but different speakers will prefer to use one over the other. For example: bed/bed, boy/child.
- contextual synonymy. Words can be interchanged only in certain contexts, in which their meanings coincide. For example: boy/little, copy/imitate.
- referential synonymy. The words refer to the same referent, but they do not mean exactly the same thing. This is what happens, for example, with hyponyms and hypernyms. For example: dance/dance, table/furniture.
- connotation synonymy. The words do not mean the same thing, but they connote the same thing in some of their senses. For example: Andrew is the Maradona of computers. In this case, the word Maradona functions as a synonym for genius.
More examples of synonyms
- Great: monumental, considerable, capital, gigantic, colossal, enormous, grandiose, vast, spacious, extensive, baggy, wide, wide, tall, elevated, outstanding.
- Happy: happy, amused, pleased, delighted, satisfied, joyous, smiling, proud.
- Say: pronounce, speak, manifest, declare, express, expose, mention, formulate, announce, articulate, tell, assert, affirm, give an opinion.
- House: home, domicile, dwelling, roof, abode, residence, family, lineage, business, society, company.
- Use: use, employ, manage, consume, serve, benefit, take advantage of, apply.
- Have: possess, hold, have, enjoy, keep, keep, hold, retain, hold, catch, grab, consider, estimate, judge.
- Sad: afflicted, sorrowful, saddened, sorrowful, sorrowful, sorrowful, troubled, tearful, taciturn, lamentable, deplorable, gloomy, gloomy.
- Old: old, mature, senile, ailing, long-lived, old-fashioned, ancient, centenary, aged, old, outdated, archaic, worn, damaged, tarnished, faded.
- Cheerful: happy, amused, lively, smiling, laughing, humorous, jubilant, humorous, festive, vivacious, tipsy.
- Short: boy, tiny, reduced, short, minuscule, insignificant, low, child, child, kid, baby.
Sentences with synonyms
- The young man returned to his House after work.
The young man returned to his home after work. - The leopard is a very Quick.
The leopard is a very fast. - He arrived famished, he didn’t know how satisfy his appetite.
He arrived famished, he didn’t know how satiate his appetite. - We must Add milk to the mixture before taking it to the oven.
We must add milk to the mixture before taking it to the oven. - he left without say single word.
he left without to pronounce single word. - The boss noticed employee discontent.
The boss warned employee discontent. - The fighters were braided in a contest.
The fighters were braided in a combat. - Why not you choose a movie to see in the cinema?
Why not you choose a movie to see in the cinema? - They say that man no longer To return to his people.
They say that man no longer return his people. - Is possible that tonight I pass by your house.
Is feasible that tonight I pass by your house.
To keep in mind: The synonym and antonym dictionaries are a very useful resource when we want to look for alternatives to avoid repeating words in our texts. There are several available online, among them we suggest:
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