word for word
6 synonyms and 5 antonyms for word for word, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adverb — In exactly the same words as the original, with nothing changed, added or left out.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adverb
In exactly the same words as the original, with nothing changed, added or left out.
“He repeated the message word for word.”
Opposites
How to use word for word
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
repeat it word for word
word-for-word translation
copied word for word
word-for-word transcript
Hyphenate before a noun (a word-for-word transcript); leave it open after a verb (she quoted it word for word). Verbatim is the one-word formal equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between word for word and verbatim?
They mean the same thing. Verbatim comes from Latin and sounds more formal or legal; word for word is the plain English version and is more common in speech.
What is the difference between a word-for-word and a literal translation?
A word-for-word translation replaces each word one at a time, ignoring grammar differences, so it often reads as nonsense. A literal translation stays close to the source but still produces grammatical sentences in the target language.
