noun
synonym
SIN-uh-nim/ˈsɪnənɪm/
A word with substantially the same meaning as another.
The word big is a synonym for large in describing the elephant.
Etymology
The pieces express “having the same name.” The Greek noun already referred to a word sharing another word’s sense, making shared meaning the key connection.
In context
the wider culture seems to have a pretty negative attitude towards dissonance the word is basically used as a synonym for ugly unpleasant
More examples
- A thesaurus lists synonyms for words you want to replace.
- “Purchase” is a more formal synonym for “buy.”
- Synonyms can share a meaning without fitting every sentence equally well.
Forms
synonym · synonyms
synonymous adjective — Having the same or nearly identical meaning.
synonymy noun — The relationship between words with equivalent meanings.
Similar words
- equivalent
- Can match meaning, value, or function, not just word meaning.