Meaning & Definition of word "Synonym"

Synonym

/ˈsɪnəˌnɪm/

noun:

  • 1. A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word.
    • Example: The word 'happy' is a synonym for 'joyful'.
  • 2. A word that can be substituted for another in a sentence without changing its meaning.
    • Example: In this context, 'fast' and 'quick' are synonyms.
  • 3. A word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word or phrase in the same language.
    • Example: Thesauruses are useful for finding synonyms.
  • 4. A term that can be used to enhance vocabulary by providing alternative expressions.
    • Example: Using a synonym can help avoid repetition in writing.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'synonumon', from 'syn-' meaning 'together' and 'onoma' meaning 'name'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

a synonym for:

an alternative term that conveys the same meaning

find a synonym:

to look for a word that has a similar meaning

the synonym of:

the equivalent word for a particular term

Related Words

antonym:

A word that has the opposite meaning.

homonym:

A word that sounds the same as another but has a different meaning.

thesaurus:

A reference source that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning.

Slang Meanings of synonym

Meaning: Word buddy

Example Sentence: In writing, I often ask my friends for word buddies to avoid repetition.

Meaning: Word twin

Example Sentence: The word 'cool' has a lot of word twins like 'awesome' and 'dope'.