English Synonyms: Definition, Examples, Practice Questions with Answers and Easy Tricks

In layman’s language, synonyms are words that either have the same or almost the same meaning as one another. One of the key purposes of using synonyms in a sentence is to avoid over-usage of a certain word while simultaneously improving how the overall sentence sounds. There are three types of synonyms in English: absolute, near/ partial, and contextual.

Some of the words might have multiple synonyms. One such example is happy. “Joyful”, “Cheerful”, and “Glad” are some of the commonly used synonyms for happy. All of these words denote a similar feeling and meaning.

Example: Preeti beckoned me towards her so that we could share our lunch together.

The word beckoned is a synonym for gesturing, waving, motioning, signaled, etc.

In simple terms, synonyms are words with a similar meaning.

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As per the Oxford dictionary, synonyms are “a word or expression that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another in the same language”.

Further, as per the Collins Dictionary, synonyms are “a word that means the same or nearly the same as another word”.

Word Origin: late Middle English; via Latin from Greek sunōnumon, neuter (used as a noun) of the adjective sunōnumos, from sun (with) + onoma (name).

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪn.ə.nɪm/.

Examples of Synonyms

Synonyms are broadly categorised into three types: Absolute or Exact, Partial and Near/ Contextual. Take a look at the types of synonyms used in English:

Absolute Synonyms

Also known as exact or perfect synonyms, these are words having the exact same meaning and can easily be used interchangeably without any change in the overall meaning.

In the sentences above, the general meaning is conveyed in the same manner, even with the usage of two different words. 'Mother' is more formal than 'mom'.

Partial Synonyms

Partial synonyms are words that carry a similar meaning but are not identical to one another. A few examples are listed below:

In the sentences above, looked is used in a more general and formal sense, however, glance (suggesting a brief look) is more nuanced and informal..

Near Synonyms

Unlike the partial synonyms, Near synonyms are words that have slightly different meanings (the difference could be due to degree or amount). But they are somewhat still related in meaning. However, near synonyms cannot be used interchangeably. Some examples of near synonyms in English are as follows:

In the sentences above, cat and kitten are referring to the same animal, however, cat is more of a generic word compared to kitten.

You can check out the following flowchart to get a visual idea of the types of synonyms in English grammar and examples:

Synonyms play an important role in our daily conversations. Although one can do without using many of them, they still add a flair both verbal conversations and literary front too. Let’s look at some key pointers on the importance of synonyms in the English language:

#1: Improved Communication

Instead of repeating the same word multiple times in a conversation, using words with a similar meaning and context will greatly improve a sentence.

Example: “The moon looked beautiful today. I looked at Rhea, who was standing near the seashore, and she was also looking beautiful. The sea also looked beautiful in moonlight.”

The sentence above has overused the words beautiful and also. This makes it monotonous and plain. We can improvise the sentence by using some of the synonyms of “beautiful” and “also”. Let’s take a look at the following sentence to understand this better;

“The moon looked beautiful today. I looked at Rhea, who was standing near the seashore, and she was looking heavenly as well. The sea too looked stunning in the moonlight.”

Heavenly and Stunning can both be used in place of ‘beautiful’; however, the context matters.

# 2: Synonym Provide Clarity 

By using the correct word or its synonym, one can express their thoughts better. There are various synonyms which have a subtle difference in meaning and can greatly enhance a sentence.

Example: “My puppy is three weeks old.” Instead of “My dog is three weeks old.”

A puppy is a dog, too; however, using puppy in a sentence instantly specifies that it is still young. This gives an added imagery while reading or listening to the sentence.

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We often come across situations in our day-to-day life where we either tend to use the synonyms ourselves or witness someone else using it in their conversations.

Shashi Tharoor is well-known for his penchant of using obscure words that most people have never heard of before in their lives. His vocabulary is filled to the brim with unique words and phrases. Find below few examples of synonyms to the words used by Mr. Tharoor:

“It’s clear you are not sesquipedalian, nor given to rodomontade. Your ideas are unembellished with tortuous convolutions and expressed without ostentation. I appreciate the limpid perspicacity of today’s column."

Let’s take a look at some common synonyms of all of the “obscure” words used above:

As a bonus, the synonyms for “Obscure” are; Unclear, Unknown, Mysterious, Hidden, etc.

In the era of technology and the internet, looking up a synonym for a certain word is just a click away. Alternatively, you can also seek out more traditional methods, such as reading. Some best tips to learn synonyms in English are as follows:

Tip #1: Look up online to find more synonymous words. You can simply type out your query in Google or any AI platform.

Example: “Give me synonyms for happy.”

Tip #2: Checking out Thesaurus to find words with a similar meaning. You can either purchase a thesaurus or simply look it up online.

Tip #3: Playing online quizzes can help one gain more knowledge about words that share a similar meaning and can be used in a sentence.

Synonyms for Competitive Exams

Synonyms for one of the essential topics for competitive exams. These are an integral part of the comprehension passages, vocabulary, and other grammar-related sections of popular exams, such as IELTS, TOEFL, MAT, UPSC, SSC, and more. Find below a list of synonyms to prepare for competitive exams:

A good way to learn more about Synonyms is by going through books which contain a variety of examples. Some of the books that will help students are as follows:

You can find a variety of other such books in offline markets, online PDFs, and more. 

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