# synonym

/ˈsɪnəˌnɪm/ (US) · /sˈɪnənˌɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/synonym
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. word with the same meaning

noun · CEFR B1

a word that has the same or a very similar meaning to another word.

For teachers: a word or phrase that is synonymous with another in the same language.

- The word 'shut' is a synonym for 'closed' in most contexts.
- The thesaurus provides several synonyms for 'beautiful', though each carries a slightly different nuance depending on the subject being described.

### 2. scientific naming

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a different scientific name used for the same group of animals or plants.

For teachers: any of the various names that could in theory be used for a taxon in accordance with the relevant rules of nomenclature.

- The biologist explained that the two species names were actually synonyms for the same bird.
- In botanical nomenclature, a name may be rejected as a junior synonym if a validly published name already exists for that specific taxon.

### 3. database alias

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a shorter or alternative name for a table or object in a computer database.

For teachers: an alternative name defined for an object, such as a table or view, within a database management system.

- The programmer created a synonym to make the long database table name easier to type.
- By defining a public synonym, the administrator allowed users to access the table without prefixing it with the schema owner's name.

### 4. to make synonymous

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to treat two different things or words as if they mean exactly the same thing.

For teachers: to make two terms or concepts synonymous; to treat as having the same meaning.

- People often synonymize success with having a lot of money.
- The critic argued that the author tended to synonymize silence with complicity throughout the novel.

## Examples

- 'Happy' is a synonym for 'glad'.
- The writer used a thesaurus to find a synonym for 'beautiful' to make the description more interesting.
- While 'start' and 'commence' are often treated as synonyms, the latter carries a formal weight that makes it unsuitable for casual conversation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.