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synonym

2 antonyms for synonym — opposites grouped by meaning.

Noun — A word or phrase that means the same, or almost the same, as another word or phrase.

Antonyms

How to use synonym

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

a synonym for find a synonym list of synonyms near-synonym

Synonym is a standard word used in everyday, academic and technical writing alike.

Etymology

Synonym came into English through Latin synonymum, which in turn came from Ancient Greek. The Greek word combined a prefix meaning "with" or "together" and a root meaning "name", so the word literally describes terms that share a name or meaning.

Full origin of synonym →

Frequently asked questions

What is a synonym in simple terms?
A synonym is a different word that means almost the same thing as another word, such as big and large.
Can two words ever be perfect synonyms?
Words that share a meaning often still differ slightly in tone or context, so exact interchangeability is rare even between close synonyms.
What is the opposite of a synonym called?
The opposite of a synonym is an antonym, which is a word with a contrasting or opposite meaning.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.