Synonym

A synonym is a word or phrase that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word or phrase in the same language. In practice, synonyms are defined by meaning within a given context; no two words are perfectly interchangeable in all situations due to nuance, connotation, and usage patterns.

The word itself comes from Greek syn, meaning together, and onoma, meaning name. Synonyms can be classified as absolute (fully interchangeable in all contexts) or near or partial (sharing a core meaning but differing in nuance, formality, or collocation). Their relationship is shaped by factors such as register, geographic variety, and historical usage.

In writing and editing, synonyms are used to avoid repetition, refine precision, or adjust tone. However, interchangeable use is limited by connotation, usage restrictions, and collocations. For example, buy and purchase are largely synonymous but purchase is more formal; large and big are common synonyms with subtle emphasis differences; child and kid convey different levels of formality and age specificity.

Lexicography and natural language processing treat synonyms as connected word groups. Thesauri organize synonyms into synonym sets, or synsets, while dictionaries typically note nuances and typical collocations. In NLP, synonym data supports tasks such as paraphrase generation, information retrieval, and translation, though context-sensitive meaning remains essential for correct substitution.

Examples of common synonyms include happy and glad, large and big, buy and purchase, and intelligent and smart. Understanding when two words can substitute for one another depends on context, tone, and the intended emphasis.