Tagged Questions
0
votes
1answer
101 views
Synonyms, Antonyms, and “Neutralnyms”
Two words A and B are synonyms if they mean the same thing, and antonyms if they mean opposite things. But is there a word to describe the relationship where A means "neither B nor its opposite"?
...
0
votes
1answer
101 views
Alternative for “full-fledged”
I am looking for an alternative for "full-fledged".
Mister X systematised its use and meaning, and developed the notion
into a full-fledged concept of ...
The context is academic, but not ...
0
votes
1answer
95 views
Is there a difference between “opt” and “choose”?
Could you give examples where one is better suited than the other one? Or are they completely synonymous?
(I'm not a native speaker.)
Update: I'm writing a piece software documentation and I wonder ...
-1
votes
3answers
66 views
Is a certification “gotten”, “earned”, or “obtained”? [closed]
When you pass the exam for certification in ABC, which if any of these work, and which if any do not work?
You get a certification in ABC.
You earn a certification in ABC.
You obtain a certification ...
5
votes
3answers
965 views
Adjective describing a person who does work to get it done
I have a friend who always goes on that I have a bad work ethic, though I am not lazy. At the same time, he says he has a good work ethic, but is lazy.
The definition of having a good work ethic is ...
3
votes
6answers
255 views
Word or phrase to refer to self-employed professionals working from home in the UK?
Other than homeworkers (which is vague), freelancers (which is, to my knowledge, US-specific, and non-exclusive to this), what other words do self-employed people working from home describe ...
-1
votes
5answers
78 views
Alternative for “seats” in expressions such as “40% of the total seats are reserved for students of backward cast”
All of the leading educational institutes have 60% of their seats reserved for students of backward castes. It is a fairly common expression and a sad fact in India.
What would be an alternative to ...
6
votes
3answers
253 views
Alternatives for “conducted” with respect to research
Literature review is a big part of my life. I usually use “[Scientist] conducted a research using data from” to state a previous study.
Do you have recommendations of other verbs to use? I am tired ...
1
vote
0answers
474 views
“Particular” vs. “specific” [closed]
The Free Dictionary lists particular and specific as synonyms, but there still seems to be a subtle distinction between the two. What is that distinction?
In a phrase along the lines of:
the ...
-1
votes
2answers
160 views
Word meaning “Identical statement except for swapping (selected) nouns and verbs” [closed]
Perhaps the word doesn't exist, or it's just in the back of my head where I can't reach it currently.
It's a word supporting the proposition that two statements tell the same story, but about ...
1
vote
4answers
296 views
Synonyms for “curate” in US English
What synonyms are there for "curate", as in (to quote here) to
select, organize, and present (suitable content, typically for online or computational use), using professional or expert knowledge
...
-1
votes
1answer
115 views
Correct headline in scientific pro/contra table
Which words are appropriate for the headline in a table with pros and cons in a scientific paper (physics)?
PROS CONS
ice cheap cold
fish expensive warm
0
votes
2answers
79 views
Alternative for the word “options” as in “extra purchase possibilities to go with a booking”
Is there a better alternative to the word options when referring to "extra purchase possibilities next to a booking you have already made"? For instance, you can think of food and beverages, ...
-3
votes
3answers
207 views
What word best describes a “living hell” [closed]
I am looking for a word (or a phrase for that matter) to describe a "living hell". The word I am looking for should describe a situation that people would usually want to give up.
To put things in ...
1
vote
1answer
226 views
Is “Fellow” informal? If yes, what's a formal equivalent?
In this article I read that:
Fellow – Avoid using "fellow" when you mean "a person." Calling someone a fellow is more formal than calling him or her a dude, but "fellow" is still a colloquialism.
...
1
vote
5answers
174 views
What's a better replacement for the word “enemy”?
What's a better replacement for the word enemy? I'm not simply looking for a synonym, I'm looking for one that fits this context:
When you don't know how to use your firearm, you could ...
0
votes
0answers
93 views
Lite vs. Full (something) - alternatives [closed]
I see quite often references to lite vs full (something). For example, I may be able to get a lite version of something for free and would have to pay for full version of the same thing, which would ...
2
votes
3answers
188 views
Some substitution words for “up in the air”? [closed]
"Up in the air" is not formal in academic writing.
Can anyone provide me another word (as clean as possible, don't use another idiom) which has the same meaning?
5
votes
3answers
203 views
Term for locally installed and fully owned software
I am having a bit of trouble coming up with an appropriate term for software that is locally installed, and fully owned by the buyer. This would be the opposite of the term "software as a service", ...
7
votes
4answers
562 views
Synonym for “a lot” where each contributes only a little
I'm looking for a professional-context appropriate synonym for the word "a lot", but with the additional expression of "each contributes only a little"
For example,
To fill up that vat you'd need ...
4
votes
7answers
300 views
Word (or shorter phrase for) “evaluate the relationship between”? [closed]
I am creating a poster to describe some research I have done. Listing the objectives I have something like (edit: using more sensible comparisons):
Evaluate the relationship between height and ...
4
votes
5answers
300 views
Which adverb implies supreme confidence, falling just shy of arrogance?
When he participated in debates and round table discussions, Christopher Hitchens spoke with supreme confidence.
I'd like to replace with supreme confidence with an adverb that implies supreme ...
4
votes
3answers
186 views
Grammatically correct synonym for “level of catastrophicness”
I'm trying to say something like this:
We have developed a strategy to numerically rate the relative level of catastrophicness of a potential hardware failure.
Looking at a thesaurus hasn't ...
3
votes
6answers
206 views
Less ambiguous synonym for “hold up”?
The fundamental, simple meaning of the phrase "hold up" is "keep in upper position" or close derivative meanings: "keep it active", "keep it running", especially in situation when it would stop/drop ...
0
votes
0answers
331 views
Synonyms for “Tips and Tricks” [closed]
"Tips and Tricks" is a title of the section in the magazine, that includes list of snippets and helpful suggestions. but, This word seems common. Are there any synonyms or title for this section ?
0
votes
2answers
244 views
What's the difference between 'reliant', 'relying' and 'dependent'?
I wanted to say that someone's project has some dependencies on my previous work and that project reuses some part of my work. Which word or phrase should I use?
0
votes
8answers
202 views
Common synonym of tortuosity or antonym of straightness
What is a common synonym of tortuosity or antonym of straightness, as in the following:
Country roads typically have greater ____ than motorways.
Tortuosity or tortuousness is technically ...
0
votes
1answer
202 views
Can “an act of protest” and “a sign of protest” be used interchangeably? Are they idioms that are synonymous to each other? [closed]
Can "an act of protest" and "a sign of protest" be used interchangeably? Are there contexts where one of these phrases should be used, and not the other?
Also, are "act of protest" and "sign of ...
7
votes
4answers
548 views
Word or phrase for making something seem better by comparison
What is a word or phrase that expresses the idea of purposely making something seem better by comparison? For example, lemon Starburst was created to make the cherry flavor seem that much tastier.
2
votes
1answer
140 views
Is it possible to rephrase “we're going to bring back that hulking hunk of bumbling brawn”? [closed]
The context of the following quote is from the comic book Avengers. In a circus, the ringmaster introduces a brawny guy by saying:
First off today, we're going to bring back that hulking hunk of ...
0
votes
3answers
296 views
What's the difference between “niche” and “mainstream”?
Is there a word meaning that usage of something is narrower than "mainstream" but wider than "niche"?
For example, speaking of operating systems, Windows is mainstream, embedded operating systems are ...
2
votes
6answers
1k views
Positive synonym for 'exploit'
I want to know a single word which denotes the idea of full or maximum utilization, such as the words exploit or milk. But the trouble is, they both have a negative tone to them. Is there a positive ...
0
votes
2answers
185 views
Difference between “harvesting” and “scavenging” [closed]
What is the difference between energy harvesting and energy scavenging? Which is more appropriate when referring to an electronic device getting energy from the environment?
0
votes
3answers
836 views
“Location” vs. “locality” [closed]
I can't seem to find a good explanation of what the differences are between the words location and locality. Are they interchangeable, or are there certain contexts in which one or the other must be ...
-1
votes
4answers
199 views
Synonym needed for “teetotaler”
Is teetotaler still an acceptable term for someone advocating alcohol abstinence? If not, what is a better word to use?
3
votes
3answers
301 views
Is *race* a synonym of *species* or is just a common mistake?
It's very common -- specially in fantasy and science-fiction -- to use race instead of species.
For example:
“In Middle Earth (...) Aragorn (race: men) (...) Bilbo (race: hobbit)” 1
“Tarkin's ...
3
votes
2answers
578 views
What's a good synonym for “unwantedly”?
Hi all I was wondering how do we rewrite this sentence in a nicer way:
This webapp makes me hit the "Cancel" button unwantedly, arghh!
I was wondering what's a good synonym for the word ...
6
votes
6answers
1k views
Is “sans” a drop-in replacement for “without”?
I keep hearing people use the word sans in place of without which causes me to cringe. Can sans really be used as a drop-in replacement?
Examples:
"I prefer cheeseburgers sans pickles."
"I ...
8
votes
3answers
402 views
“Bash” vs. “party”
Our management team ask us to join a pizza/beer bash, which is essentially nothing but a pizza lunch held for all employees.
My concept of the word bash still remained somewhere near the name of the ...
2
votes
3answers
964 views
Proverb: “have fate without destiny”
I was looking for an English equivalent of the Chinese proverb (有缘无分) which describes couples who meet but who do not for whatever reason stay together.
My friend (native speaker, no Chinese ...
4
votes
4answers
665 views
“Doubt” vs. “suspect” [closed]
I have never used doubt or suspect properly before. Now I understand that they seem to bear quite the opposite meanings in a sentence.
For example,
Everybody believes him, but I suspect he is ...
4
votes
3answers
255 views
Is there a better term for 'low-level?'
In computer programming, low-level means something used as a base upon which to build more complex mechanisms. To the untrained ear, I think the term might imply inferiority, which is simply not the ...
3
votes
2answers
195 views
Choice of words referring to being attacked/assaulted with a glass/cup
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the verb, glass, means to encase in glass. Recently, it has also come to mean being attacked or assaulted by a glass vessel/container as in this ...
6
votes
5answers
2k views
Do native English speakers use the word “touristic”?
A word usage that always annoys me and feels like Euroenglish to me is "touristic".
I don't believe I've ever seen it printed or heard it used by a native English speaker and I've travelled in most ...
5
votes
4answers
209 views
Is there any countable noun which is a synonym of 'rating'?
What noun can be used to describe how many times something has been rated?
For voting, you can say "one vote" or "two votes".
For liking (Facebook), you can say "one like" or "two likes".
For ...
4
votes
7answers
374 views
Appropriate use of the term “transversely”
In the following paragraph, is it appropriate to use the term "transversely" to describe something that has the opposite effect?
Tests have shown that the lower the range, the more likely that a ...
1
vote
2answers
349 views
When is the correct time to use 'granter' or 'grantor'
We have a site where we have people grant each other favors. Within the site, we have copy that says when you grant someone a favor you are a '?'. Should the person who grants a favor to another ...
4
votes
5answers
1k views
Is there a more eloquent word for a zigzag? [closed]
The title pretty much says it all. Is there a more eloquent word for a zigzag?
Edit:
Allow me to clarify, I'm referring to the shape of a zigzag, a picture is attached below.
6
votes
2answers
627 views
Is there a difference between “continual” and “continuous”?
They are very close in meaning, I know, but I want to know if there are any subtle differences. Let me give you an example of a subtle difference in meaning between synonyms:
Deceitful vs. ...
6
votes
5answers
4k views
What is a good substitute for “echoey”?
As in "an echoey room". People do use this word in speech, but it isn't proper in writing. I thought of "echoing", but that implies that something is currently making an echo, whereas what I'm ...
