SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
synonymous
adjective
Having the same or nearly the same meaning, or being closely associated in people's minds.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Same or nearly the same meaning
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSynonymous words can differ in register, grammar, or connotation. Interchangeable is stronger and requires the particular sentence to support substitution.
Closely associated in the mind
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topHere a name or thing is closely linked with a familiar quality in people's minds. Emblematic and symbolic add a representative role; this sense does not require literal equality of meaning.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See synonymous in use
In this sentence, 'begin' and 'commence' are synonymous.
The class drew a distinction between two characters' plans: one preserved a shared courtyard, while the other replaced it with private storage. Two different diagrams of the first plan were equivalent in function because either showed the same boundaries and access routes. The words courtyard and storage were not synonymous, however, and exchanging them would change the proposal's meaning.
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