Questions tagged [synonyms]
A synonym is a word that means the same, or almost the same thing, as another word. This tag is for asking about pairs of words. If you're requesting a synonym, please use the ‘single-word-request’ tag.
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When are “carpet” and “rug” synonymous?
I am a speaker of Canadian English. Recently, I saw this video on Youtube about operant conditioning link to video where the speaker says
"remove something pleasant like the carpet.”
at about 1....
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Synonyms for "impact ventilation" and "cross ventilation" of (West) Germanic roots (dead / alive / old / new)
A German "end of the year" 2020 overview of absurdities and rather funny trends mentions British "Corona talk" about the German words
Stoßlüften = impact ventilation,
Querlüften = ...
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Verbs with interchanged subject and object
For some verbs we can find another (not necessarily unique) verb which has the same meaning except that it corresponds the subject and the object in the opposite direction. For example, if I say “our ...
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Difference between 'headstrong' and 'strong-minded'?
I can read the dictionary definitions myself, of course:
strong-minded:
Someone who is strong-minded is determined and unwilling to change their opinions and beliefs:
You'll have to be strong-minded ...
- 151
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0
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933
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Phrasal verbs with synonymous opposites
There are some cases in English where one can substitute in a word that normally has an opposite meaning, but instead produces the same meaning. For examples, consider the following meanings and uses:...
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Are “Get” or “Grasp” stative or dynamic verbs?
In Merriam–Webster, the definition of understand is as follows:
to get the meaning of something / to grasp the meaning of something.
Now my questions are regarding a sentence like:
I don’t ...
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272
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Erstwhile, meanwhile, and _?
If past is to present as erstwhile is to meanwhile, then present is to future as meanwhile is to thingwhile.
What is the actual word that thing in the above statement refers to?
Sometimes you hear ...
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7k
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How to say week before last week?
As a data analyst, I am trying to define the time periods in my analysis. I simply compare the weeks with each other.
Let's assume that
Today is 11.06.2020
Last week was 01.06.2020 - 07.06.2020
...
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2
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0
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515
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Using 'caveats' in context of problems
I am using the world caveats as follows:
However, there are three major caveats in using these data sets.
The meaning - there are 3 major drawbacks/flaws that a researcher might encounter if he or ...
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0
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740
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equivocal vs. unequivocal vs. unambiguous vs. ambiguous
The word "equivocal" sounds like "talking with the same (one) voice". But in the English language it seems to mean explicitly "ambiguous" (= "talking with two voices/tongues/meanings").
How can ...
2
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1
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Simpler synonym for serial monomania
I read a book years ago in which one character described another succinctly in one or maybe two words. Sadly, the book was lost in a flood and I cannot recall the vocabulary used. Nor can I recall ...
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What's the word for day/night?
So I'm customizing a WordPress (cms) for hotel for a client and he asked me to do add a new functionality that is a options dropdown where the user can select "time" like
Time:
- Day
- Night
...
- 29
1
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1
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79
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Is there a term for words that are stronger than a similar counterpart? (e.g. Dislike vs. Hate)
Title says it all, but some more examples could be:
like vs love
pleasure vs euphoria
carelessness vs apathy
etc.
...essentially words that carry more weight than their counterpart despite having ...
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111
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Word for hair growing from bald head
Broadly, I am looking for a synonym for "stubble". It has to be gender-neutral so it won't look funny when it is used with males or females.
Context: The word is used when a bald person, who ...
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0
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78
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What is a word equivalent to "bias" without the meaning where it is considered to be unfair?
What is a word equivalent to "bias" without the meaning where it is considered to be unfair?
From a google search the meaining of bias is:
an inclination or prejudice for or against one ...
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0
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195
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Antonym of 'Boolean'
A Boolean variable has either 0 or 1 as its value. (correct me if I'm wrong) If 'Boolean' is used as an adjective, it means, either that entity exists or does not exist (but no both). For example:
A ...
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Is there a synonym for "manual entry"?
Consider a comparison of selecting from a list versus directly entering an option. Would you call the latter "manual entry" or something else?
For example, are there alternatives in ...
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1
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Word or term for the containment and shelving properties of an object? (might be science question)
Backstory
A roommate left their car key on the microwave. I typed her an email about leaving her key on the microwave. Google spell check suggested that "on the" should be "in the" ...
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0
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107
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False monochotomy? Dichotomy for one?
I often see people complaining about a politician, e.g. "X is terrible". But instead of evaluating X in an absolute sense, X should be compared with the other available options. So if X was ...
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What is a good adjective that describes the quality of "having a growth mindset"?
I'm struggling to find a single word that conveys what is shared in the following statements
Have a growth mindset
Be a lifelong learner
Be a student of the game
Is there a good single adjective ...
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0
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2k
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Is there any difference in meaning/usage/etc between the words 'explorative' and 'exploratory'?
The question:
I am curious about the relation between the words 'explorative' and 'exploratory'. Are those exact synonyms, or is there a difference in their meaning, their usage, their geographic ...
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0
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What is the past form of the structure "used to"?
We generally change the tense of the verb and shift back when reporting something (unless it's still true, has just been said, or is a scientific fact). For example, "I was sitting in the car&...
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995
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What are the alternatives of "based on that" in academic writing?
I have the following statement:
The algorithm A produces more equal fitness values than algorithm B.
Based on that, one possible explanation of why the search peroformance
with algorithm A is not as ...
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0
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56
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What is a single word/phrase that can be used in place of 'mistaken assumption' or 'incorrect belief'?
What is a suitable word that can be used in the below story scenario?
I've considered the following words; Delusion, Conjecture, Fallacy, Belief, Erroneous assumption. Is there a better word anyone ...
1
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0
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84
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Contemporary synonym of "thereanent" or "thereabout"
I want to express that one thing concerns another, using an adverb, such as in:
I mended the sink and wrote her a note thereanent / thereabout.
Meaning:
I mended the sink and wrote her a note ...
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0
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48
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Is there a term for a phrase in which an antonym can be switched-in and yet it still retains the same, or synonymous, meaning as the original?
For example,
Based on/Based off,
Break up/Break down,
Write up/Write down,
Up for/Down for,
Went on/Went off,
Slow up/Slow down
These all retain similar meanings when substituting with antonyms.
...
1
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0
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185
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Is there a word to refer to all people in a country who are citizens, non-citizens, undocumented, etc?
I have already tried Google, Oxford Dictionary, etc., but it was all to no end, so as a last resort I've decided to come here and ask this question, as it is personally important that I get an answer ...
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0
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175
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Synonym for "series" with distinguishable singular and plural forms
I need a word which could be used instead of "series" when we talk about books, movies, computer games. The word should have distinguishable singular and plural forms.
An example passage:
My ...
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0
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74
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Book or App to learn subtle differences between synomyms
I've been working on my English vocabulary for about 16 months now. I feel like I'm at a point at which I sometimes know different ways to express something I have in mind, but I struggle to choose ...
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0
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207
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Is there a synonym for "flunky" that specifically denotes a failed student at university?
Am searching for a term to denote a person who has failed within a university, ie. someone who could not excel in his or her course of study. Not a dropout, per se, or someone who simply could not ...
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0
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276
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Single word meaning "Treasure Hunter"
I am looking for a single word which means something close to "treasure hunter". However, "treasure hunter" may not mean exactly what I want. I want a word that describes a person whose job is to ...
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70
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Words to call a gun?
How would someone who goes hunting/shooting a lot describe a gun? (in UK, not USA) Any casual terms that non-hunters would not know, e.g. would they refer to the make - as in I've just bought a new "...
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188
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I'm looking for a word to mean less enthusiastic in a positive demeanor
I'm trying to convey to someone that he is too "enthusiastic" and I would like him to calm down a little bit but done with a positive tone.
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0
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218
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Adjective word that means a person who sets up decisions and plans
I'm trying to find the word that is used as an Adjective which means a characteristic of a person who sets up all the plans and decisions.
This word is usually used in relationships when a girl, e.g,...
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188
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Ashen / pallid / sallow / pale (/ livid)
I have these words in my spaced repetition system (Anki). However, when I am trying to guess the translation from my mother tongue, I always guess one of the other three.
Looking for pictures on ...
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0
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using ''require'' or synonyms in a cover letter
I have a doubt about the correct use of the verb to require and its synonyms in a cover letter.
My doubt is: require sounds almost like it's something that you are forced to do (therefore expresses a ...
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0
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Synonyms for "exchange partner"
I'm currently writing a letter to my Canadian student exchange partner whose name I don't know. So, instead of writing "exchange partner" all the time, are there any useful synonyms? Any help is ...
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0
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Is there a dictionary/tool where I can find advanced usage of simple words?
Is there a dictionary/tool where I can find advanced versions of simple words? (thesaurus is not enough)
For example,
Untapped vs unexploited
Lucrative vs profitable
Prospect vs aspect
...
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0
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Is "to attribute a property" equal to "to give a property"?
I'm wondering if I can use both. For instance in: "We can give/attribute a property of an eraser to a pencil."
Thank you in advance!
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Is there a corpus of synonyms that is classified by connotation (or sentiment)?
I am a software developer working on supervised document classification. In this case, a classification system for movie reviews. I need to determine with an acceptable degree of accuracy, whether I ...
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exhibition v.s. inhibition
In my experience...
Inhibition is commonly used in different ways, say to render
difficult, or to hide, to restrict or hinder, etc.
Exhibition can be something like making and art show, presentations,...
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0
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201
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"unloading" or "landing"? The action to remove goods from a ship
When I was checking an English document written by Japanese colleague, I found "landing" and wanted to replace it with "unloading". In Japanese-English dictionary I found "landing" also has such a ...
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Riding along with the windows down
I have met a kind of expression that I am unable to understand. The full sentence I met is "Most of the automotive stock analysts were, and are, happily riding along with the windows down." I myself ...
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0
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Opposite of Therewithal
Below is the definition of therewithal according to google and several other sources.
Therewithal: together with that; besides.
"he was to make a voyage and his fortune therewithal"
I was searching ...
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0
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112
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How do you say "to brown-bag it" in your neck of the woods?
Is the North American phrase "to brown-bag it"--which means to take a packed lunch to work, school, etc.--used or at least readily understood in the UK and other English-speaking countries? How would ...
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Decry vs. Call (someone) out
To decry means
Publicly denounce.
To call (someone) out means, especially in American English
Draw critical attention to someone's unacceptable actions or
behaviour.
As far as I am concerned,...
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386
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One-word synonym for "anonymous assistance"
I'm looking for a single noun or verb that means the following. The first on the list is the most important and the others are other characteristics the word must have.
Anonymous assistance
Rapid ...
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Is "paper cutter" still used as a synonym of "paper knife"?
The Oxford Dictionary and Merriam Webster tell me that "papper cutter" is also a synonym of "paper knife". However, so far I've found only examples for this usage from the 19th century. Is "paper ...
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0
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Usage of the phrase fall back
I came across the usage of "falling back" in a poem (Ted Hughes' Crow and Mama), and googled for its meaning and its usages.
Putting the poem aside, what I'd like to understand is when an english ...
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Is there a word for a false accuser?
Obviously other than false accuser. Something like charlatan but specifically when someone is making a false claim against another.
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