SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
connotation
noun
An associated idea or feeling beyond a word's direct meaning.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Associated meaning or feeling
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topDenotation identifies a direct meaning; connotation concerns what the word additionally evokes.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See connotation in use
The word frugal carries a more favorable connotation than miserly.
The nickname has a pejorative connotation.
1 more example
Dana revised a description that unintentionally gave a negative connotation to a character she meant to portray sympathetically.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license