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synonym
noun
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Some Differences Between Synonyms and Antonyms
The English language (and, we may presume, many other languages) has both antonyms and synonyms. There are many more words with synonyms than there are words with antonyms, since many things exist which do not have an opposite (the word sandwich, for instance, may be said to have synonyms in the words hoagie, grinder, submarine, and many other words, but there is no opposite of sandwich). Antonym is also a much more recent addition to English than synonym is; it first appeared in the 1860s, whereas synonym has been used for more than 500 years. Additionally, both nouns have adjectival forms: synonymous and antonymous. Synonymous, which is often used loosely ("She has become synonymous with good taste"), is the more common of the two.
Examples of synonym in a Sentence
Colin McGinn, The New York Review of Books, 27 Sept. 2007
The debris hurtled by so fast that the New York Times editorial page seemed to run out of synonyms for disgust, revulsion and abuse.
—Michael Duffy et al., Time, 5 Mar. 2001
"Hollywood" is not, of course, a place. Nor is it a synonym for the entertainment business. There are upstanding citizens who make their living in that field.
—P. J. O'Rourke, Republican Party Reptile, 1987
“Small” and “little” are synonyms.
Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024
The first person to win the World Cup both as a player and a manager, Zagallo is for many Brazilian soccer fans a synonym of patriotism, grit and glory.
—Tales Azzoni and Mauricio Savarese, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for synonym 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'synonym.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Synonym.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/synonym. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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synonym
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More from Merriam-Webster on synonym
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for synonym
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