Using a Thesaurus to Choose Words
Use a thesaurus to find synonyms and extend vocabulary choices, selecting the most appropriate word based on context, connotation, and register
What a learner can do afterwards
- Use a thesaurus to find three alternatives for overused words in own writing
- Select the most appropriate synonym from thesaurus options based on context and tone
- Explain why one synonym is more suitable than another for a specific sentence
1 · Read
You already know that synonyms are words with almost the same meaning. A thesaurus is a tool that lists synonyms for a word, so when you are stuck on a tired, overused word, you can look it up and find fresher options.
Zara wrote 'The dog was big' three times in her story. She looked up 'big' and found large, huge, enormous, and gigantic. For a dog the size of a horse, she picked 'enormous'. For a dog just a bit bigger than normal, 'large' fits better. The right word depends on how big the dog really is. The same care applies to feeling words. 'Furious' means very angry, while 'calm' means peaceful and quiet. Pick the word whose feeling matches the feeling in your sentence.
Do not pick a word just because it sounds impressive. Check its connotation, the feeling it carries, and whether it matches how formal your writing needs to be. A true synonym can still sound wrong in your sentence. Scrawny means very thin, with bones sticking out. Skinny for a person often sounds disapproving. Slim often sounds like a compliment.
Words for 'said' differ in volume and clarity. Whispered means said very quietly. Shouted means said loudly. Mumbled means said in a low, unclear voice.
A thesaurus entry can have two labelled lists. One list is headed Synonyms, and the other is headed Antonyms. To answer a question about synonyms, count only the words under Synonyms. Do not count the words under Antonyms. For the word 'happy', the Synonyms list has glad, joyful and pleased, and the Antonyms list has sad and unhappy.
A thesaurus gives you choices, but you decide which one truly fits your sentence's meaning, feeling, and tone.
2 · Watch
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Where it sits
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Optional connections
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Where this leads
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8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.