14 Other Words for “Said” in an Essay
You want to sound as engaging and interesting as possible when writing an essay, and using words like “said” might prevent that.
So, if you’re about to use “said” for the umpteenth time, you’re in luck!
We have gathered some alternatives to show you other ways to say “said” in an essay that are bound to keep the reader entertained.
Other Ways to Say “Said”
Key takeaways.
- “Stated” is a great essay word that shows you are quoting a specific statement from a trustworthy source.
- “Declared” is a great way to describe an announcement or official quote.
- “Mentioned” is a bit simpler and allows you to highlight a quote that’s relevant to your essay.
Keep reading to find out how to quote what someone said in an essay. We’ll go over the three most effective terms to help spice up your academic writing.
One of the most common ways to replace “said” in an essay is “stated.” It’s a great formal synonym that helps to keep things direct and clear for the reader.
It works well before a quote. You should write “stated” to clarify that you’re about to run a quote by the reader.
Of course, you can’t claim that someone “stated” something without backing it up with evidence.
The last thing you’ll want is for the reader to look into the quote and find out it was never actually said.
But, as long as you’ve done your research, this works well. Good academic phrases that start with “stated” help you to establish a clear quote relating to the bulk of your essay.
These essay samples will also help you understand it:
It’s clear that he stated “time is the killer of all things.” However, nobody really understood the prophetic meaning behind it.
She stated that “it’s time to make the changes you want to see in the world.” That’s what led most people to join the revolution.
For a more impactful alternative, you can use “declared.”
You won’t find “declared” quite as often as “said,” but it’s still an incredibly good term to include.
It’s a formal synonym. It also shows that someone announced something important .
Generally, “declared” comes before compelling quotes. It might be more suitable to use it when quoting a famous politician or monarch of some kind.
It’s a surefire way to engage the reader and spark their imagination.
We highly recommend it when you’re certain that it belongs before a quote and will allow you to establish a more powerful meaning behind it.
Perhaps these essay samples will also help you with it:
The king declared “good things will come to those who ask me for them.” He was a very proud man.
She declared that “this was going to be the only time she offered her services to those in need.”
Feel free to use “mentioned,” too. It’s another word you can use instead of “said” in an essay that’ll keep things engaging for the reader.
It’s much subtler than the other phrases. It suggests that someone has made a brief comment about something, and you’d like to quote it for the reader.
Don’t worry; it’s still a good formal synonym. However, you should use it when the quote isn’t the most important part of your essay.
Quotes are there to add a bit of context for the reader. So, they’re not always needed to improve an essay.
“Mentioned” is a simple word that allows you to include a short but interesting quote . However, it usually isn’t as impactful as saying something like “declared” or “exclaimed.”
You can also refer to these essay examples:
The politician mentioned that “we cannot know what we haven’t already experienced.” That resonated with me.
It was clear that he mentioned “things were bound to change soon,” so they had to figure out what he meant.
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270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing
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If you've read our previous post on writing dialogue , you'll know that you shouldn't be afraid to default to he said , she said , or they said when you're tagging your dialogue. After all, it's probably the clearest, least distracting way to indicate who's saying what. That being said, it can be useful to deploy a specific and powerful dialogue tag every now and again.
Which dialogue tag are YOU?
Find out in just a minute.
To help you find that perfect synonym to inject action and emotion into your dialogue, here are over 270 other words for said:
Neutral/multi-purpose words
| Acknowledged Added Agreed Announced Articulated Asserted Backtracked Began Blurted Called Commented Communicated Conferred Considered Contended Declared Denoted | Drawled Elaborated Emitted Ended Enunciated Expounded Expressed Greeted Interjected Mentioned Noted Observed Orated Persisted Predicted Pronounced Quipped | Recited Reckoned Related Remarked Repeated Replied Responded Shared Slurred Stated Suggested Told Urged Uttered Vocalized Voiced
|
Happy/excited words
| Approved Babbled Beamed Bubbled Chattered Cheered Chimed in Chortled Chuckled Congratulated | Complimented Crooned Effused Exclaimed Giggled Grinned Gushed Jabbered Joked
| Laughed Praised Rejoiced Sang Smiled Thanked Tittered Trilled Yammered
|
Sad/upset words
| Agonized Apologized Bawled Blubbered Cried Fretted | Grieved Groaned Lamented Mewled Moaned Mumbled | Sobbed Sighed Sniffled Sniveled Wailed Wept |
Angry words
| Accused Choked Badgered Barked Bellowed Chastised Cursed Demanded Exploded Fumed | Glowered Growled Hissed Insulted Raged Ranted Reprimanded Roared Scolded
| Screamed Screeched Snarled Spat Shouted Swore Thundered Vociferated Yelled
|
Annoyed words
| Bleated Complained Condemned Criticized Exhaled Groused | Grumbled Grunted Heaved Insisted Mocked Rasped | Rejoined Retorted Scoffed Smirked Snapped Whined |
Frightened/pained words
| Coughed Cautioned Gulped Howled Keened Panted Prayed | Quavered Screamed Shrieked Shuddered Squalled Squealed Trembled | Wailed Warbled Whimpered Yelped Yowled Warned
|
Prideful words
| Advertised Bloviated Boasted Boomed Bossed Bragged Broadcasted | Crowed Exhorted Dictated Gloated Moralized Ordered
| Prattled Preached Sermonized Snorted Swaggered Trumpeted
|
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Words to express uncertainty
| Breathed Doubted Faltered Hesitated Lilted Mumbled | Murmured Muttered Shrugged Squeaked Stammered
| Stuttered Swallowed Trailed off Vacillated Whispered
|
Words that make fun
| Derided Jeered Heckled Lampooned Mocked | Mimicked Parodied Ridiculed Satirized Scorned | Spoofed Sneered Snickered Taunted Teased |
Words that ask a question
| Asked Begged Challenged Contemplated Guessed Hinted Hypothesized Implied Inquired | Interrogated Invited Mouthed Mused Pleaded Pondered Probed Proposed Puzzled | Repeated Requested Requisitioned Queried Questioned Quizzed Solicited Speculated Wondered |
Words that give an answer
| Accepted Advised Affirmed Alleged Answered Assured Avowed Claimed Conceded Concluded Confided Confirmed | Explained Disclosed Disseminated Divulged Imparted Informed Indicated Maintained Notified Offered Passed on Proffered | Promised Promulgated Released Reported Revealed Shared Specified Speculated Supposed Testified Transmitted Verified |
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Upgrade your dialogue with our list of 270 alternatives to “said.”
To see how master writers assemble their dialogue, head over to our final post in this series for some choice examples of dialogue.
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200+ Other Words For Said: Synonyms to Spice up Your Writing
General Education
One of the words that comes up most commonly in various types of writing, from fiction to academic writing, is the word “said.” Any time a writer is referencing the words or thoughts expressed by another person, whether that be thoughts expressed verbally or in writing, an appropriate way to introduce--or attribute--that person’s thoughts is with the phrase “said.”
But if you’re incorporating a lot of quotations in your writing, you might find yourself repeating the word “said” a lot. Repeating the same phrase in a piece of writing can start to feel monotonous, which is why incorporating synonyms or an oft-used word or phrase can make your writing more interesting and accurate. But here’s some good news: there are tons of other words for “said” out there for you to use!
To help you build a repertoire of words to replace “said,” we’re going to do the following in this article:
- Explain the importance of using word variety and avoiding repetition of the same word in your writing
- Explain when to use “said” and when not to use “said”
- Provide a comprehensive list of alternative words for “said,” organized into categories based on emotion and intention
Ready to check out some synonyms for “said”? Then let’s get going!
Other Words for Said
To give you the most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate list, we’ve organized our list into two main categories: first, we’re including several lists of other words for “said” by emotion , and second, we’re including several lists of different words for “said” by intention or action . You can decide what meaning you’re trying to express in your writing, and use our lists accordingly!
Happy Words to Use Instead of “Said”
We’re going to kick off our list by giving you a lot of other words for “said” by emotion, starting with synonyms for “said” that convey a happy, joyful, or positive tone.
Sad Words to Use Instead of “Said”
Sadness is a common emotion expressed in writing--let’s look at a few synonyms for “said” that convey sadness.
Angry Words to Replace “Said”
There are a ton of synonyms for “said” that express anger, and we’ve included several of them for you here.
Different Words for “Said” That Express Shock or Surprise
When you want to communicate a tone of shock or surprise in your writing, try using these synonyms for “said”!
Other Words for “Said” That Express Fear
The last emotion it might be helpful to be able to express accurately and vividly in your writing is fear. Here’s a list of synonyms for “said” that you can use to demonstrate a feeling of fear.
Words to Replace “Said” That Are Expository
If you’re working with a quote in which the speaker is clarifying information or explaining something, you can try out these words instead of “said”!
Other Words for “Said” That Are Argumentative
When you incorporate quotes or dialogue that make an argument, use these synonyms for “said” in your attributions.
Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Critical
If a speaker in a quote or piece of dialogue is forming a critique, incorporate one of these different words for “said” in your attribution.
Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Implicative
Try using these alternative words for “said” that imply meaning.
Words to Replace “Said” That Seek Information
Sometimes you need to include an attribution that shows a speaker is searching for information. These synonyms for “said” can help you establish a tone of inquisitiveness!
Words to Replace “Said” That Reveal Information
Finally, if you need a word other than “said” that reveals information, try out the options in the list below.
When to Use Different Words for “Said” in Your Writing...And When Not To
In most cases, deciding when to use words other than “said” in your writing is up to your discretion. But there are actually some situations when it’s correct to use “said” exclusively to attribute a piece of dialogue or a quote in your writing . This depends on the type of writing, so we’re going to break down the situations when you should definitely use “said” here!
The first situation where you can expect to see writers exclusively using “said” is in any type of writing that relies on AP Style . “AP” stands for “Associated Press,” and this set of style guidelines is the standard for journalistic writing. This includes writing for newspapers, magazines, and public relations in the United States. AP Style provides a lot of rules about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use, and using “said” for quote attribution is one of those rules.
Impartiality and objectivity are two values that are extremely important in journalistic writing. Unlike many synonyms for “said,” which reveal a speaker’s feelings, attitude, or intentions, “said” doesn’t try to interpret the feelings, attitude, or intentions of the speaker. “Said” just states factual information: the words in the quote were spoken by a person or group of people . Using “said” allows the journalist to remain impartial and objective about the information, and it also lets readers interpret the meaning of quoted material on their own.
Technical Writing
While not exactly a rule, using “said” is an unspoken expectation for quote attribution in technical writing. Technical writing is a style of writing used in business environments and some scientific fields, like engineering . It’s important for this style of writing to be clear, specific, and, in most cases, concise. In fact, readers of technical writing appreciate a writer’s ability to communicate directly and plainly by using short, direct words. That’s why “said” is the best choice for introducing quotes or paraphrases in technical writing: it’s clear, specific, and concise.
Creative Writing
Creative writing is a third situation that might require you to think strategically about when to use “said.” In creative writing--like fiction, for instance--when and how often to use “said” is pretty much up for debate. There are a lot of synonyms for “said” that you can use to convey the emotions or intentions of a character in dialogue, but you don’t necessarily have to use some flowery synonym for “said” every time you include a piece of dialogue in creative writing. In fact, sometimes it’s okay to strategically omit attributions altogether.
Here’s one example of a way to present dialogue in creative writing that doesn’t overuse attributions:
“I suppose I didn’t see the point.” Paige shook her head. “It’s not like you would’ve let me go if I’d told you ahead of time.”
“That’s really selfish, Paige.”
Even without attributions for every piece of dialogue in the example above, you can still get an idea of how the characters feel and what their intentions are through the dialogue beats (“She crossed her arms angrily,” and, “Paige shook her head”) . Alternatively, dialogue attributions in creative writing are another place where word variety is important. Your attributions are a great way for you to add emotion and imagery to your work. That means sometimes you might simply use “said,” sometimes you might use a more expressive synonym for “said,” and other times you might forego attributions altogether.
Academic Writing
One final writing situation where you’ll find yourself needing to make decisions about when to use “said” is academic, research-based writing. In academic writing, it’s important to be clear about who you are quoting and to provide adequate context for the quote you include. For example, if the scholar you’re quoting is making an argument in the quote you include, it would be more accurate to say, “Dr. Garcia argued” or “Dr. Garcia claimed,” instead of “Dr. Garcia said .” Using a quote attribution that gives your reader a clearer sense of the speaker or writer’s purpose and tone.
3 Reasons Why Word Variety Is Important in Writing
Word variety is important to any type of writing for three main reasons: using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging, more accurate, and more expressive .
First, using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging and interesting for the people who are reading it. In some types of writing, like poetry , repetition is used as a strategic stylistic device. In lots of cases, though, writers repeat the same word because they don’t know its synonyms. After a while, readers might feel a bit exhausted by repetitiveness in a piece of writing. That’s one reason why knowing and using synonyms for commonly repeated words is so important!
Second, word variety can make your writing more accurate. For example, while “said” is always going to accurately describe a piece of dialogue or a quote from an outside source, there are words to use instead of “said” that can reveal the intention behind dialogue or the information conveyed in a quote .
Let’s say you incorporate a quote where the author is disagreeing with a point made by a scholar. Sure, you could introduce that quote with, “Dr. Smith said.” But you could be more accurate by introducing the quote with a word that indicates that the quote is going to express disagreement, like, “Dr. Smith countered ” or “Dr. Smith responded .”
Finally, your writing is expressive and vivid when you avoid repetition . When your word choice reflects the emotions or tone expressed by a quote or piece of dialogue that you include in your writing, your readers can get a better sense of your intended meaning. Using synonyms for “said” to create tone and imagery in your writing can help readers better understand your position and make them more willing to buy into your ideas.
What’s Next?
If you’re studying for the verbal portion of your SAT or ACT, we’ve got you covered. Here are our expert guides to the verbal portions of the SAT and ACT , and we even have tips and tricks to help you tackle the essay sections ! These are just a few of the tons (and tons!) of resources we have, so be sure to check out our blog for more information.
This cheat sheet for ways to say “said” can be really helpful if you’re starting to write your college admissions essays . Learn how to start your essay off perfectly , and make sure you know the biggest mistakes you should avoid , too.
If you’re using this guide to help you write creatively, you might be a great fit for a creative writing degree ! Here’s a guide to the best creative writing colleges and programs in the United States.
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10 “Said” Synonyms You Can Use in All Types of Writing
Elevate your writing by adding these ten synonyms of “said” to your vocabulary. They can be more accurate and help you avoid repetitiveness throughout your text.
Other Words You Could Use Instead of “Said”
- Knowing other words you can use in place of said can improve your writing because it adds variety and removes repetitiveness.
- Five formal alternatives of said are: announced , commente , explained , replied , and stated .
- Five creative alternatives of said are: whispered/exclaimed , rambled , chimed , bemoaned , and scolded .
Why You Should Know Other Ways To Say “Said”
Whether you’re writing a formal text or creative text, you may notice that said is a frequently used verb. After all, it denotes information that someone has spoken. Said can be found in essays such as explanatory essays, where the writer has to explain what a source has, well, said .
It’s also found in creative writing to commence a dialogue. Below, you’ll find five alternatives that are perfect for formal settings and five alternatives that are great for creative writing.
Five Other Ways To Say “Said” In Formal Writing
1. announced.
As you might have guessed, this alternative is perfect when you are quoting an announcement.
2. Commented
Use this said alternative when you are quoting someone's opinion or response to something.
3. Explained
Use explained when referring to an explanation someone gave.
Replied is used when someone is answering a question or replying to something.
Stated is used exactly as said , but carries a more formal tone.
Five Other Ways To Say “Said” in Creative Writing
These other words for said are perfect within dialogue, to advance a storyline, or for many other creative uses.
1. Whispered/Exclaimed
Whispered and exclaimed are ideal synonyms when you want your readers to visualize the volume of what the speaker is saying.
Rambled implies that the speaker is talking a lot.
As a verb, the literal definition of chimed is “to make a musical ringing sound.” This is a good word to use to help your readers visualize a happy or excited speaker.
4. Bemoaned
Bemoaned means “to complain or regard something with displeasure,” so use it when you want to display that someone is sad or upset.
Use scolded when the speaker is angry and/or wants to influence someone’s behavior.
He Said, She Said, They Said
💡 Keep in mind that all these examples also work in the present tense.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of different words you can use in place of said . Remember to keep the context in mind when choosing an alternative. Another tip to keep in mind that will help strengthen your writing is to make sure your text is free from spelling and grammar errors. Not only can LanguageTool provide accurate synonyms, but it can check for all types of mistakes in more than twenty languages.
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Alternatives to Using “Said” When Quoting a Source
- 2-minute read
- 24th July 2014
When discussing the arguments of other thinkers, as we often have to do when writing a paper , you might find yourself writing “so and so says…” quite often. While this is good enough most of the time, you may also want to vary your word choice.
Moreover, in academic writing , “says” or “said” might not fully communicate what you intend. It may therefore be better to use a more precise alternative.
Alternatives to “Said”
There are plenty of synonyms for “said” that can be used in academic writing. For instance, if we imagine quoting an author called Johnson, instead of “Johnson says that,” we could write:
- States (“Johnson states that the results are consistent with past studies…”)
- Asserts (“Johnson asserts that the technique is flawed…”)
- Argues (“Johnson argues that the test should be revised…”)
- Claims (“Johnson claims that the conclusion is valid…”)
- Believes (“Johnson believes that modern science should be trusted…”)
However, it should be noted that most of these words are more specific than “said.” As such, you’ll need to check that the word you pick fits the situation.
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Saying that “Johnson argues such and such,” for instance, only makes sense if you are quoting an argument. As such, it wouldn’t make sense to say “Johnson argues that his favorite ice-cream is vanilla,” since this is an opinion, not an argument.
Likewise, some terms have connotations that you need to understand before you use them. The word “alleges,” for instance, can be a synonym for “says,” but it implies that the claim is unproven, controversial or doubtful. It therefore has quite a specific use.
Nor should you avoid using the word “says” in your work. It’s simply a case of being aware of how often you use particular terms and trying to find a suitable alternative if you are using any single term (including “said”) too much.
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- 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays
To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.
Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.
It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.
If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.
General explaining
Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.
1. In order to
Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”
2. In other words
Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”
3. To put it another way
Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”
4. That is to say
Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”
5. To that end
Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”
Adding additional information to support a point
Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.
6. Moreover
Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”
7. Furthermore
Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”
8. What’s more
Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”
9. Likewise
Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”
10. Similarly
Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”
11. Another key thing to remember
Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”
12. As well as
Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”
13. Not only… but also
Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”
14. Coupled with
Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”
15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…
Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.
16. Not to mention/to say nothing of
Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”
Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast
When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.
17. However
Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”
18. On the other hand
Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”
19. Having said that
Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”
20. By contrast/in comparison
Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”
21. Then again
Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”
22. That said
Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”
Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”
Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations
Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.
24. Despite this
Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”
25. With this in mind
Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”
26. Provided that
Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”
27. In view of/in light of
Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”
28. Nonetheless
Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”
29. Nevertheless
Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”
30. Notwithstanding
Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”
Giving examples
Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.
31. For instance
Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”
32. To give an illustration
Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”
Signifying importance
When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.
33. Significantly
Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”
34. Notably
Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”
35. Importantly
Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”
Summarising
You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.
36. In conclusion
Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”
37. Above all
Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”
38. Persuasive
Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”
39. Compelling
Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”
40. All things considered
Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”
How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.
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Synonyms For “Say” or “Said”
For narrative writing, sometimes you want to use a verb other than “he says” or “she said.” This is a cheatsheet to help you break out of that rut.
| Variation | Possibilities |
|---|---|
| Explanatory | answered, acknowledged, explained, proposed, replied, responded, retorted |
| Tone: Anger | fumed, raged, scolded, shrieked, shouted |
| Tone: Argumentative/Oppositional | argued, contended, countered, cried out, demanded, dictated, emphasized, insisted, maintained, ordered, preached, proclaimed |
| Tone: Happy | giggled, joked, laughed |
| Tone: Sad | agonized, cried, mourned, screamed, sobbed, wept |
| Tone: Suggestive | hinted, implied, insinuated, intimated, suggested |
| Tone: Tired/Pleading | begged, implored, mumbled, murmured, muttered, pleaded, whispered |
| Tone: Understanding | accepted, agreed, empathized, sympathized |
| Tone: Miscellaneous | cackled, drawled, exclaimed |
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27 replies on “Synonyms For “Say” or “Said””
These comments are so old, I was 1 when the first comment was written, but anyways, this was a lifesaver, THX
What would you use if you had to do a character that is sad but happy and anouncing something
Yelled, Raged, and DAB ON IT (LOL)
that is called onomatoeipia
Hello, this word list helped me a lot, I have learned a lot of different words
what if i am using character who is shy and what words i would use say for that?
Mumble, Murmur, Whisper, Stutter, etc.
it would be helpful if there were words for called as i am writing a story
Hey! Thanks for this list! It will help in my 6th grade writing class but I have a question. What if a chracater is to speak in a nervous tone, or a bully-like tone. It would mean a lot that you could find these answers and possibly more tones for perfect essay writing! But I will definetly use these tips in my essay. thanks!
If you plan to have talking animals, you can also use “yowled”, “mewed”, “bark”, “yipped”, “squawked” and other depending on the animal.
Crackled, fizzled, beeped and similar can be used for mechanical creatures.
thanks this helps a lot with animal and other misc stuff!
Thank you. This is going to help me on my essay, and my writing. I’m 14 and I write novel type books in my spare time, if I have any at all.
You’re welcome, Kayla.
[…] http://wiredpen.com/resources/synonyms-for-say-or-said/ […]
Thank you for these life saving tips! There really going to help me with my book, it’s SciFi and has a lot of dialog. But you need another tone, like chat or something. Because I wanna find words that I can use in normal chat.
I have a 141 word list
thank you. I am 14 and writing a novel that has a lot of dialog. This really helped me!
Thank you, this will help me alot with my essay.
Awesome… thankyou
really usefull! also i would add cried to the sad list.
Life saver.
What a useful list. Thankyou. May I add – cautioned, yelled, roared, allowed (agreement) tittered, chuckled, hissed, growled. I’ve seen ’empathised’ in books but that’s not strictly accurate as empathy is the ability to *feel* what someone else is feeling and often used quite wrongly.
You can sympathise, as that is understanding, but not empathise. :)
Also, to any budding writers, there are many words which even experienced writers use wrong (and get them past lazy editors! ) One is “prone” – if a person is lying prone, they are face down (look it up in the dictionary is my rule) this leads to hilarious visual situations such as when someone is ‘lying prone and gazing at the stars’ !! The other word which really annoys is ‘brackish” this is a mixture of salt and fresh water, as one might find in an estuary, it does NOT mean dirty water, as is so often implied. The other important thing is to make your clauses agree. To write, “Driving in to work, a tree fell on Mary’s car” means the tree was driving. :) ‘Driving in to work, Mary’s car was hit by a tree’ – is better
“She was so tired she jumped into the bed in her underclothes” recently caused me to laugh out loud.
The rule here is to ask yourself “what or who is that first clause about?” The 2nd clause should be about that too.
Dan, thanks for alerting me to the Spam!
Thanks a lot for these ! :] Rachelle is just stupid and ignorant. She won’t get far in life with her attitude.
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COMMENTS
Find 78 different ways to say SAYS, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Stated. One of the most common ways to replace "said" in an essay is "stated.". It's a great formal synonym that helps to keep things direct and clear for the reader. It works well before a quote. You should write "stated" to clarify that you're about to run a quote by the reader. Of course, you can't claim that someone ...
Acknowledged. Added. Agreed. Announced. Articulated. Asserted. Backtracked. Began. Blurted. Called. Commented. Communicated. Conferred. Considered. Contended ...
Saying That synonyms - 199 Words and Phrases for Saying That. say this. mean that. say it. talk like that. you say that. said that. tell you that. pronouncing that.
Synonyms for Says that. 122 other terms for says that - words and phrases with similar meaning. states that. asserts that. declares that. affirms that. expresses that. proclaims that. claims.
Synonyms for SAYS: tells, utters, speaks, talks, discusses, states, shares, announces; Antonyms of SAYS: suppresses, stifles, reads, denies, wonders (about), doubts ...
One of the words that comes up most commonly in various types of writing, from fiction to academic writing, is the word "said." Any time a writer is referencing the words or thoughts expressed by another person, whether that be thoughts expressed verbally or in writing, an appropriate way to introduce--or attribute--that person's thoughts is with the phrase "said."
If you're writing dialogue or a personal narrative, it helps to know these synonyms for "said." Your writing can only be enhanced with any of these options.
3. Chimed. As a verb, the literal definition of chimed is "to make a musical ringing sound.". This is a good word to use to help your readers visualize a happy or excited speaker. "It's the last day of school," he said happily. ↓. "It's the last day of school," he chimed happily. 4. Bemoaned.
Alternatives to "Said". There are plenty of synonyms for "said" that can be used in academic writing. For instance, if we imagine quoting an author called Johnson, instead of "Johnson says that," we could write: States ("Johnson states that the results are consistent with past studies…") Asserts ("Johnson asserts that the ...
That is to say. Usage: "That is" and "that is to say" can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: "Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.". 5. To that end. Usage: Use "to that end" or "to this end" in a similar way to "in order to" or "so".
27 replies on "Synonyms For "Say" or "Said"" Noor says: 13 February 2022 at 9:35 pm. These comments are so old, I was 1 when the first comment was written, but anyways, this was a lifesaver, THX ... But I will definetly use these tips in my essay. thanks! Reply. Michael Alonso says: 7 November 2014 at 9:59 am. If you plan to have ...
Synonyms for says include speaks, declares, pronounces, states, utters, voices, exclaims, remarks, announces and mentions. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com!
The content reveals. The excerpt indicates. The piece conveys. 1. The document asserts. "The document asserts" is a formal way to convey that the text presents a clear statement or position on a topic. It implies a level of authority and confidence in the information presented.
Synonyms for ESSAY: article, paper, dissertation, theme, thesis, composition, treatise, editorial; Antonyms of ESSAY: quit, drop, give up
Synonyms for SAY: tell, talk, utter, speak, discuss, share, state, give; Antonyms of SAY: suppress, stifle, read, doubt, question, wonder (about), challenge, disagree ...
The best formal synonyms for "with that being said" are "that being said," "with that," and "from that.". You might notice that the first two synonyms are shortened forms of "with that being said.". This is because they are more concise and work well in most formal papers. 1.
Find 80 different ways to say ESSAY, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Synonyms for This shows. 199 other terms for this shows- words and phrases with similar meaning. Lists. synonyms. antonyms. definitions. sentences. thesaurus. words. phrases. Parts of speech. ... it is to say that. it looks. it seems to me that. this makes it clear. this makes manifest. this presents. v. this provides evidence. this puts in the ...
Such compromises meant that those who shared overlapping politics could still draw wildly different conclusions from the Constitution. The abolitionist William Garrison considered the compromises ...
Don't get me wrong — there are many worse things than joy — but I cringed a little in the convention hall Tuesday night when Bill Clinton said Kamala Harris would be "the president of joy ...
In its disjointed way, it did all sort of seem to wend back to why he thinks he should be president again. "Unlike Kamala Harris, who can't put together a coherent sentence without a ...
SHAPIRO: This collection of essays is full of Haitian expressions and words, and many of them have layers of meaning. One is the word - I believe, it's pronounced wozo, which is a bit like resilience.
Find 78 different ways to say SAYS, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
His response to a question Thursday raised eyebrows. "Trump sounded like the student who hadn't studied for the test and was making up numbers," said one conservative economist.
Semiconductor shares including Nvidia Corp. are in for a rough ride if US jobs data Friday point to a hard landing for the word's biggest economy, according to strategists at Bank of America Corp.
Among those who said they were unlikely, "women younger than 50 are especially likely to say they just don't want to have children (64 percent versus 50 percent of men in this group)."
Donald Trump has a small but clear lead over Joe Biden
That didn't work out. The Obamas were barely unpacked at the White House when the wise word came from legions of the writerly class that the election of a Black man didn't mean that America ...
Former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney will vote for Kamala Harris, his daughter Liz Cheney, a former U.S. representative, said at The Texas Tribune Festival on Friday. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming ...