other words for creative writing

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Creative writing synonyms

What is another word for creative writing .

• writing language
• written works
• compositions
• composition writing, language
• style language, writing
• instrumentation language, writing
• prose language, writing
• rhetoric writing
• literary texts
• works of fiction
• short stories
• storytelling
• work of imagination
• belles-lettres
• made-up story

Overused Words And Alternatives To Use Instead

Being a creative writer can be a lot of fun. Whether you’re writing novels, short stories, fan fiction, or even poetry, you can create worlds. Unfortunately, being a creative writer can also be really challenging. It’s not just difficult to imagine new things all the time—coming up with new and interesting ways to say things is also part of the challenge.

There are some words in creative writing that are terribly overused and common. Luckily, a good dictionary and thesaurus can work wonders on strengthening your writing.

So, we’ve rounded up some of the words writers most often use over and over. We’re not saying you should never use these words, but there are more interesting alternatives you might want to consider next time you sit down to write.

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Writing strong dialogue can be difficult. Not only is it hard to write as people talk, it’s hard to incorporate dialogue naturally into a narrative.

Writers typically default to the straightforward verb said to indicate dialogue. This is not always a problem; readers tend to skim over the word without noticing its overuse. However, said isn’t always the only (or best) word you can use. For example:

He said, “She is really smart.”

She said, “No, she is not.”

He said, “Yes, she is.”

Zzzz … snoozefest.

There are lots of good alternatives for said to make dialogue a lot more dynamic and engaging. For example, you could substitute said with a verb like:

• articulated

Check out that same dialogue (from above) with our new words:

He asserted, “She is really smart.”

She retorted, “No, she is not.”

He concluded, “Yes, she is.”

OK, still not the most exciting dialogue ever, but you get the point.

Another verb that can be quickly overused in creative writing is moved .

It’s the most bread-and-butter word to express that a character is doing some kind of action. But, like said , it can get really boring. Not only that, it’s not as descriptive as some alternative verbs, such as:

The word moved can serve an important purpose, but if you find yourself using it too many times, try one of these instead.

Amazing is an amazing word. And it’s  so amazing how many amazing uses it has.

Is your head spinning yet? Do you really understand what we’re trying to say?

Amazing has the distinction of being not only an overused word in creative writing, but also in daily life.

While amazing initially referred to something that causes astonishment or wonderment, now it is used to refer to anything a notch up from “just OK.”

If you find yourself reaching for this adjective, try to drill down and really think about what you’re trying to express. Some alternatives are:

• unbelievable

Very is a modifier that we use all the time in daily life, no problem-o. On the page, though, very is kind of flat. It’s an adverb that’s used for emphasis, but if it’s overused it loses some of its punch.

Instead of using very a hundred million times in your creative writing (and definitely don’t use it more than once in a row, like “this is very, very, very boring”), there are tons of other alternatives you can use for emphasis. Some of our favorites adverbs are:

That said, sometimes it’s enough to let the narrative speak for itself. If you’re tempted to use a modifier for emphasis, go back over the sentence and ask yourself if it’s truly necessary. Sometimes a light touch, like  very , can actually be best.

Love is a wonderful thing. We love love. Who doesn’t?

But love is a word whose meaning is notoriously hard to pin down. When you’re writing about feelings of great affection, romantic or otherwise, love might seem like an obvious word to use. But we recommend using the word love sparingly, like nutmeg. Or salt. Love can be either a noun or a verb. If you’re using love as a noun, such as “I felt a strong feeling of love,” consider some of the following alternatives:

• infatuation
• appreciation

If you’re using love as a verb, as in “I love you,” we recommend some of these alternatives:

• be attached to

There’s nothing wrong with the classic love , but consider some of these options next time you put pen to paper.

Look is another basic verb that is often overused, similar to said and moved . In boring writing, characters are always just looking, whether at objects or each other.

But there are so many more exciting ways to describe someone experiencing something via sight.

For example, there are verbs like:

fAh, thing. We’ve saved the worst for last. No offense to The Thing , thing is like a lead balloon in the middle of a story.

We have an entire thesaurus (and dictionary of course) full of thousands of vibrant, specific, interesting words to replace the imprecise, overworked noun thing .

Next time you find yourself describing something as a thing , take another pass at it. Dig in deep and use a word that really conveys what you’re talking about. Consider if the thing you’re referring to is an emotion, a particular object, or an idea and, then, name it.

The thesaurus is your friend. Don’t hesitate to pull it up and take a look around to find the bon mot , the just-right word or expression, to take the place of thing .

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day

Synonyms of creative

• as in innovative
• as in imaginative
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Thesaurus Definition of creative

Synonyms & Similar Words

• imaginative
• innovational
• originative
• resourceful

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unimaginative
• unproductive
• uninventive
• sophisticated
• adventurous
• intelligent
• groundbreaking
• impractical
• assembly - line
• cookie - cutter

Try This Instead

Articles related to creative.

Can 'creative' be a noun?

When adjectives drift into noun territory

Thesaurus Entries Near creative

creativeness

Cite this Entry

“Creative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creative. Accessed 18 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on creative

Nglish: Translation of creative for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of creative for Arabic Speakers

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Synonyms For 95 Commonly Used Words – A Mini-Thesaurus For Writers

Writers Write creates writing resources and shares writing tips. Use this mini-thesaurus to find synonyms for 95 commonly-used words when you write.

If you do a lot of writing, it’s good to have a selection of synonyms for commonly used words to hand. If you can, keep a thesaurus nearby or use an online thesaurus . Or you could just bookmark this page and use it as needed.

If you are unsure of the replacement word, look it up to see if it has the correct meaning for the sentence you are writing.

Synonyms for 95 Commonly Used Words in the English language

• Amazing  — incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary
• Anger  — enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden
• Angry  — mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed
• Answer  — reply, respond, retort, acknowledge
• Ask  — question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz
• Awful  — dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant
• Bad  — evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, contaminated, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious, unfavourable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable, disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, irascible, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous, infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, nefarious, base, obnoxious, detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly, execrable
• Beautiful  — pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling
• Begin  — start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate
• Big  — enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizeable, grand, great, tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous, titanic, mountainous
• Brave  — courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome
• Break  — fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomise
• Bright  — shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colourful, lustrous, luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual
• Calm  — quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-headed, unexcited, detached, aloof
• Come  — approach, advance, near, arrive, reach
• Cool  — chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid
• Crooked  — bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag
• Cry  — shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl
• Cut  — gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce
• Dangerous  — perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe
• Dark  — shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad
• Decide  — determine, settle, choose, resolve
• Definite  — certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious
• Delicious  — savoury, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable, toothsome, exquisite
• Describe  — portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record
• Destroy  — ruin, demolish, raze, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish
• Difference  — disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility
• Do  — execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain
• Dull  — boring, tiring„ tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead, insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary
• Eager  — keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to
• End  — stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance
• Enjoy  — appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savour, like
• Explain  — elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for
• Fair  — just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest
• Fall  — drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble
• False  — fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless, fallacious
• Famous  — well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, eminent, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious
• Fast  — quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily, lickety-split, post-haste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash
• Fat  — stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky, burly, bulky, elephantine
• Fear  — fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension
• Fly  — soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise
• Funny  — humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly
• Get  — acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net, bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage
• Go  — recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed
• Good  — excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvellous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper, capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory, well-behaved, obedient, honourable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favourable, profitable, advantageous, righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample, salubrious, estimable, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-rate, top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable, edifying
• Great  — noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty
• Gross  — improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful, uncouth, obscene, low
• Happy  — pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, gay, tickled, gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed
• Hate  — despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavour, dislike, disapprove, abominate
• Have  — hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill, enjoy
• Help  — aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succour, benefit, befriend, abet
• Hide  — conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil
• Hurry  — rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle
• Hurt  — damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain
• Idea  — thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief
• Important  — necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal, considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known
• Interesting  — fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive, inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating, tantalising, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming, gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing
• Keep  — hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support
• Kill  — slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish
• Lazy  — indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish
• Little  — tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute
• Look  — gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare, contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinise, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive, spy, sight, discover, notice, recognise, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore
• Love  — like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savour
• Make  — create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce, build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get
• Mark  — label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice, designate
• Mischievous  — prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive
• Move  — plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog, plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear, breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race, chase, hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek, ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch, prance, straggle, meander, perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge
• Moody  — temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, modish, irritable, testy, peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy
• Neat  — clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable, spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely
• New  — fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent
• Old  — feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former, old-fashioned, outmoded, passé, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic, conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct
• Part  — portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment
• Place  — space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site, station, status, state
• Plan  — plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device, contrivance, method, way, blueprint
• Popular  — well-liked, approved, accepted, favourite, celebrated, common, current
• Predicament  — quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam
• Put  — place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build
• Quiet  — silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful
• Right  — correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt, legal, fair
• Run  — race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee
• Scared  — afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy, skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorised, shocked, petrified, haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive
• Show  — display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose
• Slow  — unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack
• Stop  — cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit
• Story  — tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, sage, anecdote, record, memoir
• Strange  — odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique, exclusive, irregular
• Take  — hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift, rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume
• Tell  — disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge, declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat
• Think  — judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate
• Trouble  — distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief, misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort
• True  — accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal, dependable, sincere, staunch
• Ugly  — hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross, grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome
• Unhappy  — miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted, sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy, dismal, discouraged, sad
• Use  — employ, utilise, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise
• Wrong  — incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable

If you are looking for more resources, you might like these posts:

• 17 Pretentious Words & What to Use Instead
• Persuasive Writing – Emotional vs Intellectual Words
• 106 Ways To Describe Sounds
• 75 Words That Describe Smells – A Resource For Writers
• 22 Common Nouns & What You Can Use Instead
• 16 Old Words for Young People
• 30 Filler Words To Cut Out Of Your Writing

28 thoughts on “Synonyms For 95 Commonly Used Words – A Mini-Thesaurus For Writers”

very educative

I love this list. I find the use of a thesaurus both helpful and a hindrance, but it is a necessity at times.

Excellent work.

I especially liked the list for “move”. Maybe “like” could be added to the list?

Can you add “awesome”? Now there’s an overused word.

Hang on, how is improbable an alternative to amazing…? Or arouse an alternative to anger? Not to mention arouse is an adjective and anger is a noun… Angry -> excited? That’s as far as I read. Someone must have been really confused reading some books….

Thanks for the list. I have a thesaurus on my computer which my husband found. The one above is for the basic words that pop up all the time and I appreciate being given the list.

move? You left one out. In reflection seismology a synonym is migrate.

This is an awesome list. Great work!

This is really helpful! It can be very frustrating trying to come up with a word.

Guys checkout an awesome motivational blog to boost your moral.

http://motivationalthoughtsforyou.blogspot.in/

I’m sure you will definitely love it.

How I wish everyone would read this. Conversation would be so much more interesting and accurate.

I live by my thesaurus and this one is really handy!

Such an great list to write something which is simple and catchy to eyes. As a writer it would be helps a great deal to make my writing meaningful and understandable to others. Thats stuff is seriously an applauded work by author.

This is very helpful for student and also word power make a strong, if you give a deaily word power so it could be help us.

nice sir it could be help ful for word power for student .

oh! i always need this thing thank you so much

Thank you so much for posting this. I am constantly trying to expand my every day vocabulary. These words are simple enough for daily use, yet not the average choice for most. Love it.

Thank you for the feedback. We appreciate it.

Good look up table for writers .terrific.

Generally useful list, but it ignores some important distinctions. “Notorious” is not a synonym for famous; it refers to fame as ignominy. You can write about notorious bank robbers, notorious swindlers, even notorious celebrities when their reputations have been muddied. But you would, in contrast, call, Adele a notorious singer. Nonetheless, I found most of the list helpful for everyday words.

Oops. I meant to say that you would NOT call Adele a notorious singer. Sorry for the word lapse.

Wow, Its so lovely post, So many vocabularies to know into the knowledge.

Very useful. Thank you!

Comments are closed.

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WRITERS HELPING WRITERS®

Helping writers become bestselling authors

DESCRIPTIVE THESAURUS COLLECTION

Every descriptive thesaurus we create starts here on the blog as an experiment. Basically, we explore a topic for up to a year, and post by post, build a collection of entries that writers can use to brainstorm certain elements of their story & strengthen show-don’t-tell skills.

Depending on the topic and how much time we have, some blog thesauruses become books, but others don’t.

Each thesaurus collection is a valuable tool, book or not, and so they are all moved to a permanent home once complete: One Stop for Writers’ THESAURUS , the largest descriptive database available to writers.

When we move a collection to One Stop for Writers, we hang onto a small ‘sample’ that writers can use for free. You can find these below – enjoy!

Ready to level up your fiction?

Character Type and Trope Thesaurus :

There’s a reason we see certain character archetypes and tropes being used over and over in stories—because they’re familiar to readers and fulfill specific roles. Learn how to incorporate them into your story while also developing them into well-rounded and never-seen-before characters.

Status: Still in development. Blog-only for now.

Fear Thesaurus :

Debilitating fears can be crippling for a character, limiting them from day to day and holding them back from their best life. See how these real-life fears might be a problem for your character and hamper them in their story.

Is it a book? No, not yet.

Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here , and get ready to use it to plot how this fear must be addressed for them to succeed in the story!

Relationship Thesaurus :

A character’s relationships can either provide support and encouragement or setbacks and misery. Some even do both. Plan those relationships with care, choosing the ones that will further your story.

Conflict Thesaurus (Samples) : 

Every scene needs conflict. Sometimes that comes in the form of a major obstacle, and sometimes it’s something minor that amps up a character’s stress. Big or small, conflict should always further the story.

Is it a book? Yes, two in fact. The GOLD & SILVER editions span 225 conflict scenarios.

Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here .

Occupation Thesaurus (Samples) :

What job should your character have? What does this say about his goals, passions, or priorities? Careers are important not only for helping define your characters but also as a means of furthering their overall story goals.

Is it a book? Yes! Find it here . Inside is 120 job choices broken down by skills, personality traits, training, how they might lead to friction opportunities and impact your character’s needs. You’ll have everything you need to write them and their job with authority. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here .

Character Motivation Thesaurus (Samples) :

What’s your character’s overall goal? Why does he want it so badly? What might he have to sacrifice in order to achieve it? What roadblocks could stand in his way? Flesh out your character’s inner and outer goals, as well as their inner and outer conflict, so it all makes the most sense for you and for readers.

Is it a book? Not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here , and get ready for plotting a story to become criminally easy.

Weather & Earthly Phenomenon Thesaurus  (Samples) :

Create the perfect mood and atmosphere for your scene using emotion-targeted sensory description.

Is it a book? Not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here , and get ready to strengthen scenes by setting the mood, foreshadowing events, and using sensory details to pull readers in.

Physical Feature Thesaurus  (Samples) :

Hone in on your character’s specific physical features to describes them in a compelling and memorable way, all the while providing clues to the reader about who they really are.

Is it a book? No, not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here and skip the boring, laundry-list description. Instead, use it to hint at the character’s personality, emotions, passions, backstory, and more.

Character Trait Thesaurus  (Samples) : 

Build a dynamic character with a mix of positive and negative qualities, so readers find them interesting yet relatable. The lists of behavioral cues for each trait will help you write their actions & decisions in a way that matches who they are.

Is it a book? Yes, three in fact. You can purchase the Negative Trait and Positive Trait books separately in various formats, including print, or as a cross-linked digital box set . Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find both databases here: Positive Traits and Negative Traits .

HOT TIP: Create your characters using the Character Builder , which sources all character-specific databases at One Stop!

Color, Texture, and Shape Thesaurus  (Samples) :

Add layers to your description by choosing the perfect comparison, simile, or metaphor for different shapes, colors, and textures in the natural and urban worlds.

These little details can pay off big when you describe them the right way!

Is it a book? Not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find them all at the site: the Color & Pattern Database , Texture Database , and Shape Database .

Setting Thesaurus  (Samples):  

Make your scene descriptions come alive by including smells, sights, tastes, sounds, and textures to your setting.

Is it a book? Yes, two in fact. The Urban Setting Thesaurus and Rural Setting Thesaurus are two halves of the same whole, covering 250 locations & all the description you need to make scenes come alive for readers. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes, and it’s been expanded. Find it here .

Theme and Symbolism Thesaurus  (Samples) :

Deepen the meaning of your story through the use of iconic symbolism for different literary themes (the passage of time, coming of age, etc.).

Is it a book? No, not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here and use it to add depth to important story moments, drawing readers in on an emotional level.

Emotion Thesaurus  (Samples):  

Avoid frowns, shrugs, smiles, and eye rolls as you craft unique body language, thoughts, visceral sensations, and action for any emotion your character chooses to express. This sample of blog entries has been published not once, but twice, with the 2019 Second Edition of The Emotion Thesaurus  containing a total of 130 emotions.

Is it a book? Yes, two in fact. The original looked at 75 emotions and the expanded edition pictured here , 130 emotions. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! It’s been expanded further to 135 emotions and many entries have additional content. Find it here .

The Talent and Skill Thesaurus (Samples): 

Add authenticity to your characters by giving them skills or talents that make them unique and interesting.

Is it a book? No, not yet. Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! We’ve expanded it quite a bit, making it even easier to find ways to make your characters stand out. Find it here .

Emotional Wound Thesaurus  (Samples) :

Emotional wounds from the past have the power to greatly impact our characters’ personalities and choices in the future. Get to know your characters intimately by choosing the right emotional wound; understanding its effects will enable you to write realistic, fully-formed characters that resonate with readers and make sense for your story. 

Is it a book? Yes! Find it here . Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here . It’s been expanded and enhanced, giving you more brainstorming options when it comes to finding backstory events that have not been forgotten and will cause problems in the story.

The Emotion Amplifier Thesaurus

Originally entitled Emotion Amplifiers , this companion to The Emotion Thesaurus contains states of being that are often confused with emotions. Amplifiers (stress, addiction, pain, and attraction, to name a few) make a character more emotionally volatile and prone to bad decisions and mistakes. They’re great for adding tension and generating conflict, as well as providing much-needed growth opportunities.

Is it a book? Yes! Find the 2nd edition (expanded to 52 entries) here . Is it at One Stop for Writers? Heck, yes! Find it here .

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Reader Interactions

November 26, 2020 at 10:59 am

all of these are so helpful, thank you! i’m a young aspiring writer attempting to finish my first book and these thesauruses and this website as a whole has saved me more times than i can count.

November 26, 2020 at 3:35 pm

So glad to hear they are a help, Ash!

September 22, 2020 at 10:59 am

hello angela im from india..my son,12 yrs old,is studying gcse …where he needs to write creative write ups..our english is not that good..your books seems to be helpful…however i would like to know if someone needs whole set all how and where to buy from….also do you have any book on sci fi .like space…alien? i would also like to know if there is any blog where my son can join to learn and share creative ideas?please do let me know

September 22, 2020 at 2:35 pm

Hi, Sheetal. Becca here. So glad to hear you’re looking into writing resources for your son. To answer your questions, you don’t need to buy the whole set of books because they each stand along in terms of instruction. I would say to start with The Emotion Thesaurus (since I believe it has the instructive content that would be most helpful for someone his age) and then the character trait books, which will give him a crash course in characterization and character building. If you’re interested in purchasing any of our books, that information can be found on our Bookstore page ( https://writershelpingwriters.net/bookstore/ ).

Our books are meant to help writers of all genres, so we don’t currently have anything specifically for sci-fi stories, so I’m afraid we can’t help you there. But if you’re looking for a place where you son can share his work, I highly suggest Critique Circle (www.critiquecircle.com), which is an online community of writers who share excerpts of their work and offer their feedback on other people’s stories. That’s where Angela and I met as critique partners and they don’t have an age limit, so it’s possible your son could find some good advice and partners there.

Best of luck to you and to him!

September 28, 2020 at 3:44 pm

As far as I’ve found on this site, the space ship and space port entries in the setting thesaurus could be helpful starting points for sci fi.

August 28, 2020 at 5:35 pm

I have ordered half a dozen of your thesauruses and am learning plenty. But there is a problem with The Urban Setting Thesaurus: from page 4 to 144 the last line or two of print at the bottom of each page is missing or partially missing, rendering the book useless for me. Is there a way for me to get a replacement book? I could send you the book for you to check for yourselves. Thanks and have a great day!

August 29, 2020 at 12:12 pm

Hi Patricia,

I am thrilled the books have been helpful but so sorry you received a defective copy! This doesn’t happen often, but it does happen when the ink runs low at the printer. The good news is most online e-tailers are great about sending a replacement copy, so wherever you bought it from, they will have a contact link for returns and replacements. For example, here’s Amazon.com’s: https://www.amazon.com/spr/returns

The etailer is the one who requests the copy on your behalf and has it printed, so they are the one to reach out to for a replacement copy at no cost (or shipping). They may ask for a screenshot of the damage. I’m not sure where you purchased from, but usually the link for returns and replacements in in the footer of that page’s site. If you need help fuinding the link, just let me know who you bought it from and I’ll scout around for the link. 😉

November 12, 2019 at 1:43 pm

Is there any new thesaurus on its way? I would definitely like to see the occupation, conflict, and motivation – these three thesauri on my kindle asap. Please don’t make us wait for long. Thanks for your invaluable contribution to the development of writing skills that I am trying to study and practice for a long time. Regards.

November 13, 2019 at 7:57 am

The Occupation Thesaurus is next, releasing sometime in 2020. If you like you can sign up to our notification list here: https://twitter.us20.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=cc1cb11597b48d3f26dd7e1c3&id=f6515a7617 and you’ll get an email each time a new book’s date is set & when ti releases. 😉

Not every thesaurus becomes a book, but they are always accessible through a subscription at One stop for Writers (where we can expand the thesauruses easily): https://onestopforwriters.com/character_motivations

August 9, 2019 at 4:11 pm

I purchased the Emotion Thesaurus in ebook form and it doesn’t have an Appendix like my paperback copy of The Emotional Wound Thesaurus, was it supposed to have one or not? Thanks.

August 10, 2019 at 6:40 am

Can you give us a bit more detail, such as where you bought the ebook so we know what type of file this was (kindle, kobo, etc.?) Thank you, Angela

January 21, 2019 at 6:32 pm

What I would like is to have the option to purchase all the thesaurus’ in PDF version, so I can add it to my kindle and have it next to wherever I am. So the Occupations/Weather etc, etc would be available to download for say $9.99 US.

I’m not bothered about having a subscription to an online website I would far prefer the option of purchasing the PDFs. These are such great books I want them all on my shelf somehow.

January 21, 2019 at 9:53 pm

Right now what we find works the best for us is to have all the collections in one place at One Stop for Writers. This was we can expand and add to the thesauruses whenever we want because we’re not limited by a page count or the “2-page spread” format we follow in books. Some of these thesauruses will become books though–we just need time to do them as they take a lot of energy to complete and research thoroughly. 🙂

May 20, 2019 at 9:17 am

I believe that was not what Emma was asking about. She wanted to buy all of the books as PDFs, rather than subscribing to your website. So do I.

I’m sure you’re making plenty of money selling temporary access for $90 a year … but there’s a market besides that of professional writers who can afford that as a business expense. For example, you’re getting $0 from me instead of, say, $20, because I too would buy a PDF compilation (if you didn’t include Digital Restrictions Management — I will not buy DRM-locked books out of principle) but I’m not going to pay anything for temporary access to a site that I might need to use two or three times a year, but have to continue paying for when I’m not using it.

May 20, 2019 at 9:33 am

We understand what you’re saying, and why you would rather purchase all the WHW thesauruses in PDF form rather than join a subscription service to access them. The problem is that we don’t have PDFs for all of our thesauruses. It takes quite a chunk of time to clean up a thesaurus, format it, add the necessary instructive front matter so writers will know how to best use the information, and turn it into a digital book (even in PDF form). As such, we’ve had to make hard choices about where our time should go, and we’ve decided to only create PDFs for collections that are being made into books.

This is why Angela suggested One Stop for Writers——because all of our thesauruses can be found there in their entirety. We understand that the subscription model isn’t for everyone, but because we can’t provide what Emma was asking for, we suggested the only other option we currently have. We do appreciate you letting us know what products/formats would be most helpful for you, since this guides our decision making.

November 1, 2018 at 10:06 am

Hi, It feels kind of funny to ask this, but can we please have a thesaurus of obstacles, conflicts, problems, stakes or something like that?

Thanks & regards, Krishnendu

November 1, 2018 at 12:05 pm

We actually have this at our second site, One Stop for Writers. You can find generators on these topics here: https://onestopforwriters.com/generator And there’s a free 1-month code here if you need it: https://onestopforwriters.com/image_tips

May 8, 2018 at 12:00 am

Hi, I’ve taken a brief skim-through of the thesauruses you offer here, but I’m unsure if you have what I’m looking for.

I’m looking for a thesaurus (or another resource) that can give me a list of words to use as types of emotionally-tinged synonym for “said”.

For example “XXX!” she spat, or “X-XXX…” she stammered, or “A, B, C, D…” she rattled off.

Any help would be appreciated.

May 8, 2018 at 12:02 am

Ah, I see another comment on this 1 page ( https://writershelpingwriters.net/suggestion-box/ ) that asked for the same thing. Guess you don’t have it yet then?

May 8, 2018 at 8:54 am

Hi, Jimmy. We don’t currently have a resource for that. The closest thing is our Weak Verbs Converter tool ; just scroll down to the “Say” heading to see other words you can use.

The truth is that while some alternatives for “said” are ok to use, “said” typically works better because it’s invisible. When we get too flowery with the dialogue tags, they start to stand out and call attention to themselves. “Said” is one of those words that’s so common; like the , and , and I , it doesn’t get repetitive. So do feel free to throw in the occasional alternative when the situation calls for it, but do so sparingly. For the most part, it’s better to just stick with said . 🙂

May 8, 2018 at 6:12 pm

Thanks for the reply and the advice!

May 9, 2018 at 8:25 am

My pleasure!

December 29, 2018 at 10:08 pm

These have been very helpful to me

https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/words-to-use-instead-of-said http://literallycait.tumblr.com/post/165517499005/words-to-replace-said-except-this-actually-helps

February 22, 2018 at 2:10 pm

Hi, I must admit that all these fruits of your invaluable metculus efforts enriched me to give my ability to express myself a truely desirable orientation, which is why I am requesting for something more; can you please bless us with a thesaurus of plot drivers? Regards….

February 22, 2018 at 2:17 pm

If you are looking for help on plotting, maybe check out our plot complication idea generator (and the Story prompts one!) at our other site, One Stop for Writers: https://onestopforwriters.com/generator

You might find this helpful. 🙂

September 29, 2017 at 10:14 pm

Hello Interested in hearing and reading ur books online.

July 5, 2017 at 11:55 am

What are you working on next? 🙂

July 5, 2017 at 12:27 pm

We are currently finishing the Emotional Wound Thesaurus book, and looking to October for release. 🙂 Are you on our notification list? If not, put yourself on it if you like, and we’ll send out an email when there’s a firm date. You can find the form here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSezNaxWvLZdk_jE1fVTXDHgcha2YbqGEzoMp9qngPvEUtesCw/viewform

December 14, 2017 at 3:46 pm

GOT IT! IT’S AWESOME

December 14, 2017 at 6:40 pm

I am so glad you found One Stop! That is our special project, and we absolutely love the freedom of being able to create amazing tools for writers there. I hope you find it really helpful! And thank you for the kind words. We love helping others. 🙂

June 19, 2017 at 7:16 pm

I am a professional international psychologist with two minors; business management and english (lit) I need a thesaurus or online, I do not care, that I can get to easily, or have it attached already to my word: to purpose different wording possibilities. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, I would be grateful and appreciative

June 19, 2017 at 11:54 pm

There are 13 description thesauruses for writers at One Stop For Writers: http://www.onestopforwriters.com

December 18, 2016 at 5:45 pm

I would like to order one copy of, Emotional Thesaurus.

December 19, 2016 at 8:53 am

Hi, Hugh. I’m so glad you’re interested in getting a copy of The Emotion Thesaurus. We don’t sell them directly but use distributors to do that for us. This page contains links to the various places it can be bought, including Indiebound, which will show you any independent bookstores near you that carry our book. Please let us know if you have any trouble. Have a great week!

November 6, 2016 at 7:10 pm

There’s so much I need to learn about writing well. Mostly I concentrate on good plots. Thanks for what you do.

August 24, 2016 at 5:08 pm

In the Negative Trait Thesaurus, Appendix A: Needs and Lies, the Associated Needs and Lies would be souch easier to view, understand and internalize if the information was s into 2 columns. That way the Need and the Lie ( the dicotomoy) would be visually laid out side by side, instead of 6 or 16 lines later.

August 24, 2016 at 7:22 pm

Thanks for the feedback, Patricia. We are always interested in what will make our books better. 🙂

May 23, 2016 at 11:31 am

Has there been any thought about a book on similes? I am anxiously awaiting the new thesaurus coming in June, but coming up with a powerful or even a simple simile sometimes becomes taxing. It doesn’t have to be an entire book. It could be an add-on to what you already have on this site.

May 23, 2016 at 3:23 pm

There isn’t a book on Similes by us, but there are many, many examples in the two Setting Thesaurus volumes releasing in June.

April 27, 2016 at 6:28 pm

As always, very helpful!!

April 3, 2016 at 2:27 pm

Are you planning on doing one on physical motion and movement? It would be helpful in my editing if I were able to describe characters movements in a variety of ways. I like to add a depth to my characters by giving them movement. For example, a regular thesaurus tells me alternate words for walk is: march, parade, step, and so on. I’m looking for shuffled, limped, ambled, etc. I am also looking for replacements for phrases such as ‘walked around’, ‘walked behind’…

April 4, 2016 at 12:35 pm

Something that will help you Keri is the Weak Verb Converter Tool on the Tools for Writers page. This has many stronger options for “weaker” verbs. https://writershelpingwriters.net/writing-tools/

April 10, 2016 at 5:29 pm

Thank you! The link has been a great help!

January 6, 2016 at 1:10 pm

I don’t comment often but I sure enjoy your information. Question: I have purchased the Emotion Thesaurus and find it very useful. Will you be publishing the other Thesauruses in hardback? The guests commentators on your site offer really great input. I look forward to seeing Writers Helping Writers pop up on my computer. Thank you.

January 6, 2016 at 2:29 pm

Hi, Joanne. I’m so glad you’re finding helpful information at our site, and that your copy of the Emotion Thesaurus is coming in handy :). I don’t know if you’re aware, but there’s a free companion to that book called Emotion Amplifiers; you can download a copy at Amazon or Smashwords. We also have a published version of our Character Traits Thesaurus; that one is in two volumes, The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus. Those are available in print and digital copies; you can find distribution sites on our Bookstore page. The Setting Thesaurus is the next collection that will be turned into book form. That will have two volumes also (Urban and Rural settings), and those are due out in late spring. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Happy writing!

December 23, 2015 at 1:07 pm

Dearest Becca: First of all, thank you for this outstanding site. I bought the book about Positive traits and I love it. However I have a hard time trying to describe old, creaking, wooden floor, and all the words that I think of, do not fit in. How would you describe this type of floor in an abandoned house? You have to watch out because the floors are uneven, you may fall, etc, etc….

December 27, 2015 at 6:45 pm

Hi, Julio. I’m so glad you’re finding the Positive Traits book helpful. As far as describing the old wooden floor, I would focus on words that show how it sounds and feels. Write a paragraph about your main character crossing the floor in the dark, where he can’t see and must instead rely on his other senses. His toes stub the uneven edges of the warped boards. He slides his feet across the rough boards, feeling the spots where the finish has worn off. The sound of the boards creaking is loud in the dark. This description isn’t one you’re likely to use in your story, but it will give you ideas for what details can be used to make your descriptions more vivid and realistic for readers. I hope this helps!

September 18, 2015 at 9:13 am

Thank you so much! This is a gold mine here…food for thought and composition. So much hard work to benefit writers. This is an amazing legacy. Most grateful!

August 18, 2015 at 9:35 pm

How would you describe yearning in a child. Like they want to do something but are afraid.

August 18, 2015 at 11:10 pm

I would describe the thought process of wanting something and then the fears. Also think hesitation and start/stopping in body language and action.Like taking steps forward, then stpping, reversing direction, that sort of thing. Or making a decision, and then reversing the decision.

August 4, 2015 at 5:46 pm

How would you describe the sounds of a fiddle being played?

August 4, 2015 at 7:03 pm

I would try to describe the melody be how it makes the listener feel. Give it an emotion component. 🙂

August 4, 2015 at 10:10 pm

July 13, 2015 at 1:28 pm

Do the two of you ever plan on attempting to possibly turn all of these into books (physical and/or eBook) in the future? The reason I’m only asking because I think it would be great to have them as a use. Especially for those who are on the road, having no way to connect to the internet, or just not wanting to actually be on the internet at that given time due to whatever given reasons. (Such as getting easily distracted and whatnot.) If not, that’s fine! I can just come back and forth with looking all of this up on here! ^^;;

July 13, 2015 at 1:46 pm

Hi, DJ. I’m glad you’re finding so much of our content useful. Some of it we will be turning into books; the Setting Thesaurus, for example, should be out this winter *fingers crossed*. But some of the material we won’t be publishing, because not all of it is in high demand. So yes and no :).

July 16, 2015 at 4:06 pm

Hey! Some is better than none! So I’m not complaining. Either way, I’ll be using this site in one way or another regardless of the situation.

May 23, 2015 at 3:11 am

Would you be willing to come up with a thesaurus for smells.

May 23, 2015 at 4:14 pm

Hi, Chellie! We’re always open to new ideas :). What kind of information would this cover?

May 24, 2015 at 1:37 am

The description for smells is extensive, but I will try to narrow it down to a shorter version of what I was thinking. It would combine a lot of what you already have, but I think it would help writers become more rich in their story telling. I am not as good a writer as others I have not been doing it long.

I must admit I am guilty of not taking the time or attention to identify smells, I have been trying to remember to do it in different situations, but those who are a lot like me that do not smell as well as others do.

I compensate by adding verbs to smells, kind of like bringing them to a little bit of life, such as waft, surround, wrap, assault etc…

Like others when I hear sounds, smell things or feel specific feelings they will spark or trigger memories which in turn elicit emotions, connect smells with emotions.

Sometimes smells will cause images to form in my mind, sometimes they are not even related to the smell, I am sure I am not the only one who does this.

I can try to put together something for you, but it will take a while, smells are the most difficult thing to do, but I cannot do it alone.

May 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm

Ok, I think I see what you’re saying. I can see how something like this would be helpful. Please don’t go to any trouble putting anything together, only because I don’t know when/if we would be able to do a Smells Thesaurus (since we have a list of possible thesauri that we’re working through). We will add this one to the list of possibilities and see what happens :). Thanks so much for your input, Chellie!

September 16, 2016 at 9:42 am

Becca, I hate to ask for more as you already have so much wonderful information here. However, I’d like a book like the one asked for above, especially if it could cover all the senses. Smell, taste, touch, sight, sound. To me it sounds like such a tall order that I think I’m asking for too much. But it would be so helpful (eyes cast heavenward in supplication). Oops, sorry for the flying body parts.

I’ve bought all your thesauri in ebook form as they came out. Now I’m scraping the money together to get the hard copies.

Whatever you want to put in book form I will buy and be thankful for. And I really appreciate your emails. I save most of your columns on my hard drive so I can use them at any time. Sorry use isn’t the word I want, but had a stroke in November of last year and words won’t always come.

September 16, 2016 at 10:51 am

Judi, there’s never any harm in asking. We’re always grateful for feedback from you all about what you’d like to see; it’s a part of what drives our choices regarding new thesauruses. We’ve added this idea to the hopper and will take your comments into account. And thanks so much for your kind words. I’m so glad that our books and resources are coming in handy :).

March 4, 2015 at 1:05 am

I teach a nonfiction picture book class and at the beginning of each class, your books are must haves for every aspiring writer. Have you considered doing your other thesauruses (settings, colors, etc) in an ebook format? Even for a nominal fee? It would be so worth it to me and I am sure to many others as well.

March 4, 2015 at 10:07 am

Hi, Kristen! Thanks so much for promoting our books through your nonfiction picture book class. People like you are doing the heavy lifting for us when it comes to marketing our books, and Angela and I really appreciate it! We talk quite a bit about which thesauri to turn into books. Some have been better received than others and we feel they would sell well as books. Others, not so much. We’ve discussed the ebook-only option, and it’s something that makes sense for some of our smaller collections. Some of them, honestly, we may never publish in book form. But as new products become available, we’ll announce them here, so stay tuned :). Thanks again for your support and feedback.

February 18, 2015 at 2:25 am

Hey guys, I recently purchased all your thesaurus collection, and I would like to know witch one should I start with?

February 18, 2015 at 10:25 am

Hi, Júlia. Thanks so much for buying the books! As for which one to read first, it kind of depends on what you’re most interested in learning. The Emotion Thesaurus contains a lot of in-depth information about the importance of showing instead of telling; while it focuses mostly on how to show character emotion, the techniques shared can be applied to any of the descriptive writing in your story. If you feel like that’s an area you could hone in your writing, I would start there. If you’re focus is on character building and characterization, I’d suggest starting with The Negative Trait Thesaurus; it goes into great detail about how flaws are formed, the importance of knowing your character’s backstory, and how to go about creating unique and realistic characters.

The good news is that the books aren’t sequential, so you can honestly start with any of the three and come away with new techniques and information to help with your writing. Best of luck!

February 13, 2015 at 8:56 pm

This is so awesome! I’ve been building a collection like this for ages, but mine is pitiful. You are an answer to prayer. Thank you.

February 13, 2015 at 9:36 pm

Very happy you found you way here, Connie! 🙂

December 14, 2014 at 6:36 pm

Thank you, I am looking forward to them and I will purchase them. The emotion thesaurus has gotten me out of many stressful binds and the personality traits, both have served me well.

December 13, 2014 at 1:28 pm

First off, I love the three books, the Emotion, Negative and Positive traits Thesaurus books; I first purchased the Emotion thesaurus and it helped me so much I purchased the other two. They are very helpful resources; if you were to put the other thesaurus’ in eBook form I would purchase them without hesitation. Thank you so much for the help.

December 14, 2014 at 1:15 am

Chellie, thanks so much for taking the time to write us. We are so pleased you are finding our books helpful! Converting our blog content and then expanding it to become an ebook and print book takes a lot of time, and so it is rewarding to hear from people that the time is well spent and they are getting good use from our collections. We hope to have two more books ready in April (on setting)!

January 19, 2015 at 5:15 pm

December 5, 2014 at 8:01 pm

I got here by someone saying this was like a Paradise for an author. And she was so right!

November 14, 2014 at 11:54 am

Thank you very much for useful resources! I have a doubt, though – why are the titles strickenthrough?

Also, a suggestion: maybe you could make a verb substitute thesaurus, for replacing weak verbs for powerful ones (exploded instead of ran, for instance).

Thanks a lot for the awesome content!

November 18, 2014 at 10:01 am

Hi, Thiago. Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. We experienced some kind of technical snafu this weekend that I believe triggered the strike-throughs. It should be fixed now. As for your suggestion, we don’t have a weak verb thesaurus in the pipeline, but we do have an Active Verbs List on our Tools page. I believe this might be what you’re looking for :).

November 18, 2014 at 10:36 am

Hahaha that’s exactly what I had in mind. Thanks for pointing it out to me! I’m gonna go crazy with this in the rewriting! 🙂

All the best for you, and thanks again.

November 6, 2014 at 8:07 pm

Thank you so much for your presentation to National Assn. of Memoir Writers and for sharing this site with us.

November 6, 2014 at 8:12 pm

Thanks so much for having me. I think you guys have a very challenging job to do, which of course makes it so very rewarding and worthwhile. Go Memoirs!

October 22, 2014 at 11:30 am

Best site ever. I have scoured the internet looking for something just like this. Silly thing is, I have had The Emotion Thesaurus for months, but was so wrapped up on what was in it, I didn’t take the time to look at the book itself and find the website, until showing my Aunt your amazingly helpful book. Thanks so much.

What about smell descriptors? That would be great.

October 1, 2014 at 9:43 pm

This is paradise for young writers like me. It makes me giggle as I read through your posts. Thank you so much for sharing these to us.

October 2, 2014 at 9:56 am

so glad you found us, Ysadora!

May 16, 2014 at 12:11 pm

Hello! I have just started using this site and I must say that it just blew me away! I have been having some trouble writing some certain scenes lately as I didn’t know how to describe some objects, and this helped me a lot as a beginner. This is awesome!

May 16, 2014 at 12:16 pm

So glad you found your way here, Summer Splash! Happy exploring & writing!

May 12, 2014 at 6:18 pm

I have only just begun to explore the wonderful tools available on this site, so please forgive me if I recommend something that you already have. I think it would be useful to have an Injury Thesaurus, or something similar, where one could find the causes of an injury and the immediate and subsequent effects. What I’ve seen of your collection so far is full of helpful writing tips; thanks for sharing your expertise 🙂

May 13, 2014 at 8:12 am

This is an interesting idea, Kat. We’re always open to new thesaurus ideas that will be helpful to writers. Thanks for sharing!

March 24, 2014 at 5:58 pm

I love this blog. Your title intrigued me, but your resources hooked me. I scanned through your thesaurus and was blown away by the descriptions, the advice and the warnings. I felt like you catered this site for people like me. Sometimes, I like to ‘get the info’ without slogging through a maze of metaphors. I am now, and will continue to be, a faithful follower. Great job!!! 🙂

March 24, 2014 at 6:54 pm

We’re so glad to have you here, Ella. Make yourself at home :).

March 16, 2014 at 10:24 pm

I Love these and I seriously think they would make great android apps for writers on the go. I have the emotion thesaurus in hard copy and love it. Thank you for these. I have shared your books with my writing group who’ve flown to their computers to buy them too. Fabulous tools. ~Christina

March 25, 2014 at 12:58 pm

Thanks for the kind words, Christina. Angela and I have talked a little bit about apps to go along with our books. There’s nothing in the works right now, but down the road, we very likely could come up with something. And thanks for spreading the word with your writing friends 🙂

December 16, 2013 at 12:09 pm

I love all your theasauri. It would be wonderful if all were put in PDF so I could download them all. Hope you never run out of ideas.

[…] other online resources, my favorite resource for a descriptive vocabulary is — hands down — WritersHelpingWriters.com. Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi have compiled an incredible collection of thesauri for […]

[…] różne Kolekcje tezaurusa (Różne kategorie ze strony internetowej Writer’s Helping Writers) […]

[…] and I are actively exploring this topic through a new thesaurus at Writers Helping Writers. The Character Types and Tropes Thesaurus will dig into Jung’s archetypes and many tropes—what the commonalities are for each and how […]

[…] DESCRIPTIVE THESAURUS COLLECTION […]

[…] April of 2021, Writers Helping Writers, the makers of the fabulous One Stop For Writers and Thesaurus books, hosted a blog post on the topic. See here for practical ways to use TikTok to see your […]

[…] Descriptive Thesaurus Collection […]

[…] https://writershelpingwriters.net/thesaurus-collections/ […]

[…] Misc. Thesaurus Collections (Various categories from the Writer’s Helping Writers website […]

[…] your subscription, you get access to every one of the thesauruses that Angela and Becca have written. That is a total of […]

[…] Emotion Thesaurus cover image from Writers Helping Writers. […]

[…] was part of the reason why Becca and I began building databases of information called thesauruses. We knew it would shorten the brainstorming […]

[…] for this is The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. They have a sample list online that I use (scroll […]

[…] and writing skills. One of the types of thesaurus Team KC recommends to all the writers is The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman. This title has an entire series dedicated to various emotions that can help a […]

[…] https://writershelpingwriters.net/thesaurus-collections/ Go to this website as the authors have created Thesauri about so many parts of writing including 2 on Negative traits and Positive traits. They go into extreme depth and it is so interesting. It is also very helpful and teaching you how to show and tell these traits and so much more. […]

[…] from their own posts, posts by their Resident Writing Coaches (including yours truly), and posts of samples for whatever new thesaurus they have in the works (their newest addition is the Occupation […]

[…] fiction. Other authors helping other authors that have also inspired me include K.M. Weiland, Angela Ackerman and Beth Puglisi and their thesauri series. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t also give a nod to […]

[…] your characterization and story. I reviewed four of them here, and you can learn more about them here as well. They also offer regular blog posts that cover other thesaurus like entries, such as the […]

[…] The newest edition will be available October 25th, 2017 so mark your calendars! I look forward to adding to this wonderful series! […]

[…] I can’t get my friend another book, you say. But what about a book on writing? Every writer will appreciate On Writing by Stephen King or a Descriptive Thesaurus. […]

[…] There is a thesaurus for practically anything and everything that a writer might be puzzled by, with more coming out as the authors complete them. Their offerings include The Emotion Thesaurus, The Positive Trait Thesaurus as well as The Negative Trait Thesaurus and such in-depth subjects as The Emotional Wounds Thesaurus, The Symbolism and Motif Thesaurus, and The Talent and Skill Thesaurus, plus many more. You can read about them and learn where to purchase them on Angela and Becca’s website. […]

[…] Descriptive Thesaurus. A thesaurus on how to describe everything from settings, to colors, to people. […]

[…] 1. The Descriptive Thesaurus Series […]

[…] you don’t like books, there are hundreds of different thesauruses out there for you to use (including some just for writers). Seconds, mere clicks […]

[…] with plot planning, self-editing and promoting your book. You’ll be especially excited about the collection of thesauruses for emotions, talents, skills, physical attributes and other important character […]

[…] tells to help portray emotions in a variety of ways. It still has some fairly extensive (and free) guides to characterization and setting, as well as some general advice […]

[…] This robust sampling from the published book lists the physical manifestations of many emotions. https://writershelpingwriters.net/thesaurus-collections ~~~To get updates on my new titles for 2016 and beyond, sign up, click here. […]

[…] with plot planning, self-editing and promoting your book. You’ll be especially excited about the collection of thesauruses for emotions, talents, skills, physical attributes and other important character […]

[…] Don’t have a villain as yet? Try my quick and easy recipe to develop characters to get you started. Just toss in some extra negative traits to make sure you get enough nasty in there. Having trouble with finding negative traits, try Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi’s book The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws. […]

[…] from The Emotion, Positive Trait, and Negative Trait thesauruses (and their other thesauruses on Writers Helping Writers) to Bath and Body Works Pocket Notes booklets (I used to work there) that list the key notes of […]

[…] Descriptive Thesaurus. A thesaurus on how to describe everything from settings, to colors, to people.  […]

[…] The Emotion’s Thesaurus -Descriptive Thesaurus Collection (story) […]

[…] and “The Negative Traits Thesaurus”? And then there’s the rest of the thesaurus collection at WritersHelpingWriters.net. All that is now updated, enhanced and available through a brand new […]

[…] author of the book “Three Lines.” Follow her @blackinkpinkdsk Angela Ackerman over at Writers Helping Writers is one of my favorite go-to resources for advice on characters, setting, word building, symbol […]

[…] and Ends Show Emotion With Body Language (scroll down for samples) Descriptive Thesaurus Find a Career With Wages Behind the Name – First Name History/Origin Name Generator Currency […]

[…] The Emotion Thesaurus […]

[…] of a word. Doing this research makes you a stronger word smith. Don’t just use one type of Thesaurus, just as you would not use the same word over and over again in your stories. Think outside the box […]

[…] thesauri specifically made for writers. Thesaurus.com can only do so much. I particularly love the thesaurus collection written by the ladies over at Writers Helping Writers (formerly The Bookshelf Muse). They have […]

[…] Every writer needs to have good reference books at hand. Yep, good old fashioned, hard copy dictionary and thesaurus. I know there are free ones online, but there is still something awe-inspiring about holding a giant dictionary in your hands and skimming through the myriad words you can use to express yourself. Call me a geek, but I still love and use the good old Webster’s and Roget that I used in college. Other options would be the Synonym Finder,  The Emotion Thesaurus,  The Negative Trait Thesaurus, or The Positive Trait Thesaurus – all are excellent resources. Check out the other thesauruses (thesauri?) that these talented authors are working on here. […]

[…] Well then you can imagine my excitement at discovering an abundance of alternative thesauruses at Writers Helping Writers. You’ll find links to scads of helpful resources, such as the Weather & Earthly […]

[…] THESAURUS COLLECTIONS […]

[…] can also check out their blog Writers Helping Writers where Angela and Becca have more Thesaurus Collections on the […]

[…] Story is my go-to book for plotting, and I love Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi’s Thesaurus Collections for building characters, settings, moods and more! […]

[…] recently won The Emotions Thesaurus and companion pieces The Positive & The Negative Thesaurus from Angela Ackerman and Becca […]

[…] write more.  Also, if I haven’t mentioned it before, I highly recommend getting a thesaurus. The Bookshelf Muse has been a great help to me, also.  There is a collection of thesauruses on this site for just […]

[…] post is about helping two writers who’ve created an amazing tool for writers.  https://writershelpingwriters.net/thesaurus-collections/  This is a website you must check out.  I absolutely love their Emotions Thesaurus, and their […]

[…] Thesaurus Collection includes unique descriptions and tips for how to use the entry in our writing. Find collections for […]

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270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing

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

Happy/excited words , sad/upset words , angry words , annoyed words, frightened/pained words, prideful words.

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Words to express uncertainty

Words that make fun, words that ask a question, words that give an answer, download this 'greatest hits' list.

For this infographic, we've narrowed down the 270 most essential dialogue words for you to know! Simply enter your email below to get it in your inbox within minutes.

FREE RESOURCE

Get our Dialogue Tag Cheatsheet

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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9 Of The Most Useful Thesauruses For Writers

Throw out the term “thesaurus words ,” and you’ll probably get some side-eye from writers who see the thesaurus as a crutch for amateur writers trying to make their writing sound more sophisticated. 

But a thesaurus can help you find the right words for your project — the ones that say what you need to say, just the way you need to say it.

The words every writer should know, after all, are the words they need to tell a compelling story or to get their point across with clarity, simplicity, and elegance. 

So, the best thesaurus for writers is the one that helps them find those words as efficiently as possible, so they can get back to the business of writing. 

Best Online Thesaurus for Writers

• 1. Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus
• 2. The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression 
• 3. Roget’s Thesaurus of Words for Writers 
• 4. The Emotional Wound Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Psychological Trauma 
• 5. The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases
• 6. Thesaurus of the Senses (by Linda Hart)
• 7. The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes (Writers Helping Writers Series, Book 3) 
• 8. The Thinker’s Thesaurus: Sophisticated Alternatives to Common Words
• 9. The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws (Writers Helping Writers Series, Book 2) 

The Best Thesaurus for Writers: 9 Excellent Print or Kindle Options

What if you need a more evocative thesaurus for your writing project ? By that, I mean a thesaurus that helps you find the words most likely to evoke the right images or feelings in your reader? 

Also, it helps to have a printed book you can thumb through whenever you need it, without having to rely on your internet connection.

Online thesauruses are fine for the random, occasional search for synonyms or antonyms.

But when you need a go-to resource to help you find the right words (more than once a day) for your current work in progress, you need something close at hand. 

The following tools provide thousands of well-organized words for writers . Don’t be surprised if more than one of them end up in your cart. 

Offering real-life example sentences and a selection of the most relevant synonyms for each word, the Oxford Thesaurus should have pride of place on your writer’s library shelf -- right alongside the Oxford Dictionary. 

It even has a Word Finder section, organized by subject, as well as a comprehensive language guide and tools for selecting and using vocabulary. 

You’ll also find helpful commentary (on certain words) by noted contemporary writers, including Zadie Smith and David Foster Wallace.

This is Book 1 of the Writers Helping Writers Series by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi. Writers have hailed this bestselling thesaurus as “the gold standard for writers.” 

Each entry offers body language cues, thoughts, and visceral responses, so you can show rather than tell what your  character  is feeling. 

If you’ve ever looked for just the right word to show what your character was feeling, so your reader could feel it, too, this book will be an indispensable part of your writing resource library. 

The old standby thesaurus now comes in an edition  specifically for writers . Organized by meaning, each entry in the book provides a pronunciation guide, definition, antonyms, synonyms, and a sample sentence. 

You’ll find inspiration and expand your vocabulary the more you use this book. Updated for the 21st century, Roget’s Thesaurus may be the first one you open when you’re struggling to think of just the right word to use. 

Book 6 of the Writers Helping Writer Series, this thesaurus specializes in words related to psychological trauma and emotional wounds. Readers to connect to characters who’ve experienced trauma or heartbreak. 

Painful experiences lend depth and pathos to a character who might otherwise feel two-dimensional and unrelatable. But if you’ve ever had difficulty finding the words you need to give your damaged characters that depth, you need this thesaurus on your shelf. 

A self-described “ultimate guide to powerful language,” this unique thesaurus focuses on the words we use every day and addresses mispronounced and misused words. 

The goal here is to learn how to expand your vocabulary and know how to use the right words (scholarly or simple, depending on the context) correctly and with the best results.

Because being well-spoken is less about knowing lofty words and more about knowing what words best suit the moment and using them correctly. 

Speaking of evocative thesauruses, if you’re looking for the right words to appeal to your readers senses -- so they see, hear, smell, taste, or feel what you’re describing -- you need Linda Hart’s Thesaurus of the Senses . 

The most compelling words are those that invoke the senses. And even the best writers can struggle sometimes to think of the right ones to use. Keep this thesaurus on your shelf to make those moments far less frequent.

Every important character in your story -- especially the protagonist -- needs both flaws and redeeming qualities. But how do you choose the right positive traits for a character with specific flaws . And how would those positive traits manifest?

Enter the Positive Traits Thesaurus, which gives you a large selection of positive attributes to choose from, each with possible causes for those traits to emerge, along with the attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that tend to go with it. 

You’ll also see real character examples from literature, film, and television to illustrate each positive trait and show how it influences each character’s arc and actions. 

If you love distinctive words and have a passion for precise, evocative language, this thesaurus is for you. Meltzer’s thesaurus puts each word in context with examples that show exactly how to use it and what it brings to the sentence. 

His introduction argues the importance of broadening your vocabulary and learning how to use the “one right word.” Both are important not only for everyday speech but for writing content your readers will enjoy and learn from. 

Book 2 of the Writers Helping Writers Series, this thesaurus is all about finding the right flaws for your characters, understanding how those flaws might have developed, and knowing how they might drive your characters and affect those around them. 

Real examples from literature, film, and television show how each flaw can influence a character’s actions and decision-making -- as well as what you can do to help your flawed character’s avoid common pitfalls. 

If you’re running short on space for printed books — or you’d just rather use online dictionaries and other resources — we’re here to help you find the best writer’s thesaurus online for your purposes. 

Here’s a shortlist of the best options we’ve found:

• Thesaurus.com (by Dictionary.com) — the oldest and most trusted online thesaurus
• Merriam-Webster’s Thesaurus — similar to Thesaurus.com but with the results formatted differently. 
• The FreeDictionary Thesaurus — creates a diagram for each word entered, indicating synonyms and antonyms by green circles or red squares (respectively).
• Collins Dictionary Thesaurus — similar to the Merriam-Webster thesaurus in the way it displays results.
• PowerThesaurus.com — a crowdsourced English thesaurus that generates synonyms, antonyms, definitions, and examples for each word.

More Related Articles:

The Perfect Writing Software And Apps For Your Writing Style

6 Excellent Writing Prompt Generators To Inspire Content Ideas

The Author’s Guide To Writing Dialogue Between Two Characters

Final Thoughts

Now that you’ve looked over 9 of the most useful thesauruses for writers, which ones stood out to you the most? Which do you think you’d get the most use out of — either with your writing or with your own personal development? 

I hope you found more than one to add to your writing resource library. The right word at the right time is magic. I hope you use the resources listed in this post to bring more of that magic into your life and the lives of your readers. 

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Say it Better: Using Synonyms as a Writer

Want to making your writing clearer? Using synonyms in your writing is an easy way to connect with your audience and keep your writing fresh.

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Want to making your writing clearer? Using synonyms in your writing is an easy way to connect with your audience and keep your writing fresh. Today we share 10 tips for how to use synonyms and choose the right words everytime you write.

Have you ever caught yourself in the middle of writing and notice you’ve been using the same word or expression over and over? Did you ever feel stuck because you were striving for variety but were having difficulty finding the right words?

Keeping a limited and mind-numbing vocabulary is certainly no one’s idea of fun. Writer or not, it takes a while to expand knowledge on word stock.

Simple rephrasing or rewording sometimes doesn’t work. There’s context and structure to consider. Being able to refer to the same thing in varying ways is what makes writing a formidable skill to master. Consistency in pursuing knowledge and practice is what makes an excellent wordsmith. 

Here are some ways to help you in becoming an expert scribe and finally master the use of synonyms in your writing once and for all.  

1. Observe and Replace

Self-awareness of what words you choose to use is the key to becoming a better writer. Observe the words or key phrases you always use. Research for alternatives.

Once you identify which words need changed, slowly replace the ones you regularly use with their alternatives. If you use them enough, eventually it will stick. You can make it a goal to work on 5 phrases or words at a time. 

2. Gauge Word Fit Based on Context

A thesaurus is a great tool to help broaden word choice, but it’s not always easy enough to just pick any old word from a list. Don’t substitute words without considering context. While it presents you with words that are related to what you have, they may have slightly different definitions.

Consider the yellow bananas above. If you call them mouth-watering, this paints an entirely different meaning than you might if you just called them delicious.

This is why they say in order to improve one’s writing style, the person must also be willing to invest time reading. By reading, you observe what makes sense to use by noticing how words differ in meaning and usage.

There are also some instances, like learning colloquial terms, which can be learned by conversing and interacting with people which brings us to our next point.

3. Maintain a Record of New words You Encounter

One of the things you may want to consider including in your writer’s notebook is maintaining a record of new words you come across.

Take note of their meaning and how they were being used. Cite examples.

Doing so will allow you to easily recall and use them when needed. Try to use them in your day to day conversations to grow accustomed to it.

Keeping track of your favorite synonyms and jotting down different ways to say something can help you with writing dialogue and also improving the revision process of your work.

4. Enhance your writing style with Euphemisms

Euphemisms are the “nice words” we say when other words might be too strong. Unless it was your intention to be blunt or harsh, a good grasp of euphemisms can help improve your communication style and avoid miscommunication.  

5. Use Idioms to Spice It Up

Idiomatic expressions can make a reader pause, think and evaluate a situation.There are instances wherein using idioms can help denote cultural aspects as well.

The trick with using idioms in your writing is to use them sparingly and only when absolutely necessary – you don’t want to risk your work sounding cliché.

Here are some interesting idioms you can use as synonyms while writing:

6. Be Precise

Merely using an adjective is not going to provide a reader with the most vivid picture of what’s going on. Take the time to use the surroundings as means of comparison or contrast. These are some ways you can say it better:

The room is hot. → The room’s temperature is oven-like. John is tall. → John almost reaches the ceiling. He is noticeable. → You will not miss his presence once he enters the room. She is very beautiful. → Her face could stop the traffic whenever she crosses the street. The house is very messy. → The house is akin to a big dumpsite. You would take hours rummaging through the household items to find what you need.

7. Avoid the use of “very.”

The author of Dead Poets Society, N.H Kleinbaum, pointed out that using “very” to describe something is an act of laziness, to which we absolutely agree! For lack of apt words to describe something, people tend to insert the word “very” to up the degree of the adjective. This can be avoided by introducing new words into your vocabulary to properly portray the intensity you aim for. Case in point:

8. D evelop a love for stories and creative pieces.

Keep a pile of nonfiction novels for a good read. This form of writing exposes you to different approaches to describing a scene or situation. Best selling authors have acquired the skill of using words and phrases to perfectly paint a clear picture or situation. They take you to the plot and let you imagine what happens next as if you were there.

9. Take vocabulary quizzes.

There are quite a lot of vocabulary quizzes you can take online. You can learn something new and have fun at the same time. 

Merriam-Webster for one has become crafty by coming up with an online quiz they call, “How Strong Is Your Vocabulary” which you have to answer in 10 seconds. Enhancing the inner thesaurus in you does not have to be boring. Always challenge yourself. Aim to continuously improve your communication skills.

Learn 18 Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary Skills Here

10. Offer to edit other people’s work

Editing other people’s write-up could make you keen on frequently committed errors in grammar, flow, clarity, etc. It could help you pick up new words, learn alternative ways to say things and acquaint yourself with other styles of writing. You could harvest new learnings from what you are reading and editing. 

There’s nothing you will regret from opting to expand your vocabulary and enhance your communication style. Learning to write using synonyms and say things better will make it easier for you to interact with people better and be clearer with your intentions.

Do you have any tips for writing with synonyms and choosing words for your writing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!

Eric Pangburn is a freelance writer who shares his best tips with other writers here at ThinkWritten. When not writing, he enjoys coaching basketball and spending time with his family.

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Ready to level up your description and write powerful stories? Search the largest show-don't-tell database for writers available anywhere.

CHARACTER MOTIVATIONS

Explore character arc from all angles by digging into what is motivating your protagonist, the obstacles that could stand in their way, and how sacrifices may be required if they are to succeed.

COLORS AND PATTERNS

Create a stronger visual image for readers by choosing the perfect descriptive matches to the colors of your world, helping readers make emotional associations that draw them in.

Conflict should generate problems for your character, cause internal crises, and force them to adapt and fight hard to win. This database will provide you with endless possibilities for fresh story complications.

EMOTION AMPLIFIERS

Altering a character’s mood through emotional amplifiers (such as hunger, illness, stress, and pain) is a great way to generate tension, turn up the heat, and complicate your character’s situation.

EMOTIONAL WOUNDS

While wounds generate fears, misbeliefs, and dysfunction, they also steer a character's decisions and actions. Understanding your character's trauma will help you plot a meaningful goal (which may include a path to overcoming this past pain).

Brainstorm fresh body language, visceral sensations, thoughts, dialogue cues, and actions to express your character’s emotions in ways that fit their personality and emotional range.

Fears stemming from difficult experiences, mental health conditions, and emotional trauma can limit your character, holding them back from what they want most. Brainstorm how real-life fears will steer their behavior and hamper them in the story.

NEGATIVE TRAITS

Readers want to see characters who are flawed, complex, and far from perfect. Choose negative traits that fit the character, cause them problems in the story, and may need to be shed if they are to achieve their story goal.

OCCUPATIONS

A job or career is loaded with show-don't-tell details that reveal your character's personality, morals, skills, and more. It also provides a natural environment for work-life crossover friction and (if you choose it) goal achievement.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Say goodbye to boring physical description dumps! Instead, use this database to choose meaningful details that seed hints about who your character is, their personality traits, preferences, attitudes, and much more.

POSITIVE TRAITS

To draw readers in, well-layered characters should have admirable qualities that showcase their identity, reveal morals, help them communicate, and assist them in achieving their story goals. This thesaurus provides you with endless options for unique personality combinations.

Instead of choosing a generic location for a scene, scan our setting database to find one that perfectly fits the action, generates natural conflict, and triggers the character's emotions. Then, use sensory details to pull readers into the scene and the character's experience.

Convey shapes quickly with apt comparisons, saving your word count for other descriptive areas, such as emotions, character development, sensory details, and conflict.

TALENTS AND SKILLS

What special skills or talents make your character exceptional and unique? Bonus points if this quality is something others fail to see the value of...especially when it ends up helping the character achieve their goal!

Touch is a vital sense for engaging readers. This thesaurus helps you choose details that will make important story moments more intimate, pulling readers into the character's viewpoint.

THEMES AND SYMBOLS

Not only will symbols deepen your story's meaning, they also turn readers into active participants as they gather the clues about your character's emotions, backstory, and more.

WEATHER AND EARTHLY PHENOMENA

Weather is packed with storytelling power, altering a character's emotions, creating mood, foreshadowing, and more. It also adds realism to the story, so make sure to include it in your scenes.

Never struggle with Show-and-Tell again. Start your free trial to access story details that will push your plot forward, characterize your cast, and bring emotion to the page.

400 Descriptive Words List to Make Your Writing Shine

Do you want to make your writing more engaging? Check out this descriptive words list with 400 words you can use today.

As you strive to be a more engaging writer, using  descriptive words  can help. It’s easy to overuse these words, but sprinkling them in here and there is a great way to colorize your writing.

Descriptive words are adjectives , which describe nouns and pronouns, or adverbs, which describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Identifying and using these will help you write stronger pieces and descriptive essays .

This descriptive word list is a good place to start. It also pairs nicely with our list of mood words .

Descriptive Words List: 400 Words to Make Your Writing More Colorful

Example sentences using adjectives, common endings for adjectives, list of adverbs in english, example sentences using adverbs, a final word on descriptive words list, what are some good descriptive words, what words describe movement.

Descriptive words take writing from boring to engaging. Consider this sentence:

• She swam across the water.

While this tells you what is happening, it has little to help you imagine the scene. If you add some adjectives and adverbs and transform the statement to this:

• She swam speedily across the choppy water.

Now you have a better picture of what happened. In order to transform your writing in this way, you need a number of descriptive words at the ready, and this list of descriptive words will help.

List of Descriptive Adjectives in English

Adjectives are the most common type of descriptive words, so first we will look at these. These words describe features like shape, texture, color, and size. They help differentiate between items in a group by calling out distinguishing features.

In  English  grammar, you can use the following to describe nouns and pronouns:

• Adventurous
• Accomplished
• Comfortable
• Embellished
• Enthusiastic
• Everlasting
• Fashionable
• Intelligent
• Quarrelsome
• Querulous 
• Questionable
• Thoughtless
• Uninterested

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many synonyms and other words that could be added. In addition, all colors are considered adjectives and describing words . Nationalities, like American or English, can also fit this list.

As you work on creating descriptive writing, get used to using these and similar words. You might also find our list of pronouns useful.

To better understand how adjectives look in sentences, consider these examples:

• The fuzzy red fox jumped over the tall fence. (red, tall)
• We like to visit the beautiful forest (beautiful)
• The garden shed feels damp this morning. (garden, damp)
• The trip to Disney World was magical. (Magical)
• The beautiful bird sat on the rough branch and sang. (beautiful, rough)
• The woman is short, but her husband is tall. (short, tall)
• I prefer cold climates. (cold)
• The luxurious hotel included soft robes for each guest. (luxurious, soft, each)

Because listing all adjectives in the English language is impossible, knowing their endings is helpful, especially for ESL language learners. Some of the common endings for adjectives include:

If you see a word ending in one of these, and you know it isn’t a noun, chances are high it is an adjective.

The English language also uses adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. These descriptive words show intensity, number, and extent. They often end in -ly.

• Accidentally
• Aggressively
• Apathetically
• Assertively
• Astronomically
• Beautifully
• Begrudgingly
• Blearily 
• Deceivingly
• Deliberately
• Differently
• Dramatically
• Emotionally
• Exceptionally
• Frightfully
• Frenetically
• Frivolously
• Hysterically
• Inquisitively
• Intelligently
• Impressively
• Ludicrously
• Methodically
• Mysteriously
• Neglectfully
• Obnoxiously
• Occasionally
• Pointlessly
• Significantly
• Splendidly 
• Substantially
• Technically
• Unexpectedly
• Victoriously
• Vitally 
• Vivaciously
• Voluntarily

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. As you learn to identify adverbs or use them in your writing, look for words that describe verbs and other descriptive words that end in -ly.

Editing tip: Sometimes adverbs can also serve as filler words that you can remove or use to slow down or speed up a piece.

To better understand how adverbs show up in sentences as descriptive words, consider these examples:

• The electric car drove so quietly we didn’t hear it coming. (so, quietly)
• My dog barked angrily at the intruder. (angrily)
• The girls sang beautifully. (beautifully)
• He swam across the pool quickly. (quickly)
• The box is surprisingly heavy for its size. (surprisingly) 
• The toddler walked very carefully across the slippery floor. (very, carefully)
• Language learning is incredibly easy for some students, and incredibly hard for others (incredibly)

As you learn how to become a better writer , descriptive language is a big part of the picture. Adjectives and adverbs are the parts of speech that allow you to describe other things vividly. While you can overuse them, they can add color and interest to your writing when used well.

Keep this list of descriptive words handy. When you have a need, pull it out and find one that fits your writing. Whether you’re writing a sentence, a short story, or an entire novel, you’ll find it easier to get descriptive when you have these words on hand.

Check Like this? Check out our list of sensory words .

FAQs on Descriptive Words List

Descriptive words are words that make something easier to identify by describing its characteristics. Some good words that fit this include: Bright Adventurous Jovial Charming Peaceful

Some descriptive words describe the movement of an object. These include: Swiftly Fluidly Gracefully Smoothly Disjointedly

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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The Best Thesaurus for Writers (Best 9 Tested & Solved)

You’re probably looking for the best thesaurus for writers. Maybe you are looking to enhance a sentence, letter, email, blog post, or story.

Whatever the reason, finding that exact right word can sometimes make all the difference between writing that is ho-hum or humdinger .

What is the best thesaurus for writers?

The best thesaurus for writers depends on your purpose. The best thesaurus for writers who want to enhance their writing long-term is the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus. The best thesaurus for authors who want a quick fix to a sentence is Thesaurus.com. There are also 7 other good thesauruses .

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the best thesaurus for writers.

Why Is the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus the Best Thesaurus for Writers Who Want to Improve Their Writing Long-Term?

Table of Contents

The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus is the best thesaurus for writers for the long-term advancement of their craft because it goes far beyond simply providing a list of synonyms (alternative words).

Any old thesaurus can do that.

Rather, it is the most comprehensive, most intuitively categorized, and most conducive to actual language learning. The latter is the key to not only enhanced writing of a singular sentence but enhanced writing on all future sentences.

In a way, it is the writer’s version of the parable about giving a man (or woman) a fish versus teaching him (or her) how to fish.

(According to the parable, if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime). If you are looking for a thesaurus that will feed your inner writer for a lifetime, this is absolutely the one for you.

Special Features for Writers

• Scope of word choice • Comprehensive (writers often find more options with this resource than other options) • Synonyms closer to the meaning of the root word searched • Multiple meanings • Part of speech of main entry word (plus additional parts of speech) • Synonyms for each meaning • Examples for how to use the word in a sentence • Different words with the same spelling • Specialist field (medicine, etc.) • Personal observations from contributing authors (scattered throughout the text)

In the back of the thesaurus, you’ll find a Language Guide with a number of helpful resources, including the following: (examples in parentheses)

• List of capitalization and italicizing rules and guidelines • List of punctuation along with proper usage (examples included) • List of related thematic words by type and subtype (Technology, Music, Psychological Disorders, Computer and Internet Terms, Types of Poems, Fashion, Transportation, Society, etc.) – trust me, this section is crazy comprehensive! • List of archaic words (life, grimalkin, and pismire) • List of Latin phrases with their meanings (amor nummi = love of money) • List of literary words used most often in poetry or other elevated writing (disenthrall, hyperborean, and divers)

Probably one of the most useful features of the thesaurus is how it supports choosing the right word with the right meaning. Word associations, word links, and noted incorrect usage assist you in avoiding embarrassing narrative mistakes.

It is basically a writer’s best friend.

Also, a benefit of owning a physical hardcopy of the thesaurus is that the mere activity of searching for the right word by flipping actual pages will more deeply imprint new vocabulary in your mind than mere “click-and-scroll” online searches (which are easier and more accessible but less mentally and physically engaging).

The title of the introduction to the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus, written by Ben Zimmer, says it all: Remodeling the “Warehouse of Roget”: How the Thesaurus is Being Reinvented as a Writer’s Tool.

Why Is thesaurus.com the Best Thesaurus for Writers Who Want a Quick Fix to a Sentence?

The main reason thesaurus.com is the best for quick answers to word problems is that it is online and accessible from any internet-connected device. It is by far the best online thesaurus for writers.

It doesn’t matter if you’re using your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop (or some other future device), you can access thesaurus.com.

This means you don’t even have to walk across the room to the bookshelf to pull out the book and flip through the pages.

A simple word search will present you with many alternate terms.

A few newer updates to the site make it even more helpful. The site now provides color-coded search results based on relevance to your root search term.

The latest update is to include a typable box we can actually write out your sentence using different words in the search results. That means you can actually see multiple variations of your root word in action and actual sentences.

This takes all the effort out of wondering how different synonyms will sound in your sentence. You can type in any sentence you want and replace the root or keyword with the different words in the search results. I can’t tell you how much I love this feature.

When you want to find the right word fast, there’s simply no better thesaurus for writers online.

How to Use the Best Thesaurus for Writers

What I love most about the Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus are the structure and organization.

Simple alphabetical indexing allows you to find synonyms easily and quickly.

Then you also get all the added features like multiple meanings, example phrases, and sentences and noted commonly misused words.

Let’s say you’re trying to find another word for assume . You just don’t think your Southern tobacco farmer would use it. No problem. You open the thesaurus, flip to the A’s, and locate the term.

What you notice right away about the entry for assuming is that it is a verb. You read a sample sentence. You see several possible alternatives such as presume, deduce, infer and reckon.

Reckon . The moment you lay eyes on it, you know instinctively that it’s the perfect word choice.

Ok, but gut-check aside, how do you know when you’ve found the right word? The right word…

• Matches the tone of the rest of the sentence
• Matches your voice and style
• Enhances clarity (instead of fogs the point)
• Matches the simplicity of the sentence (and writing piece)

Should Writers Even Use a Thesaurus?

Have you ever questioned the thesaurus? That may sound like a strange question, but the truth is that the thesaurus has a bad name. Many writing teachers (ahem, I’m looking at you Mr. King) warn writers to toss them out with the adverbs.

But what is wrong with using a thesaurus for writing? Do professional writers use them? Do content writers use the thesaurus? And, if so, what do writers use the thesaurus for?

Such is the controversy of the thesaurus. But why?

So many questions. Let’s see if we can get to the crux of the issue. The truth is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a thesaurus. Nothing at all.

The reason some writers and teachers loathe thesauruses lies in not the existence of the resource (it’s not that the Thesaurus itself is somehow bad or wrong), but in the misuse of the resource.

You see, many beginner writers stumble over the Thesaurus.

They reach for it when they are better served to get out the first messy draft.

Then thumb through pages when their writing might need that simple, direct term at the top of their mind. This is how the thesaurus became a crutch for lazy thinking.

So, it’s not really about torching your thesaurus in the name of artistic purity. It’s not really about scoffing at a resource for expanding our vocabulary. It comes down to two essential writing skills: timing and judgment.

This, naturally, brings us to when to best use (and when not to use) a thesaurus. The recommendations may surprise you.

When to Use a Thesaurus for Writers

Take the following guidelines into consideration when deciding when to pull out the thesaurus.

The most effective times to use a thesaurus:

• To find the right or better word
• To understand the meaning of a word more deeply
• To rewrite or edit your writing
• To search and replace overused words (most writers tend to repeat the same words and phrases. A thesaurus can help add fresh words by replacing repeated words with different and, hopefully, better words)

In other words, use the thesaurus not as a crutch but as a catapult. Avoid overuse. Don’t rely on a thesaurus as a shortcut to critical thinking.

Constant or even intermittent searches for the right word can interrupt the flow of the creative phase of writing. Save your thesaurus for the editing phase.

When Not to Use a Thesaurus

Just as importantly, there are times not to use a thesaurus. If you overuse a thesaurus, your writing will often come across as distant, cold, pretentious, and try-hard. Nobody wants that.

Here are times not to use the thesaurus…

When You Don’t Understand the Word

Don’t use a word if you don’t 100% understand its meaning. At best, a wrong meaning will cause confusion; at worst, a negative evaluation of writing quality.

When You Are Trying to Sound Smart

I don’t really think this point needs elaboration. A big word can look out of place if plunked there alone without a context of other big words.

And a grouping of big words is intimidating. Scholarly articles might require so-called “five dollars” words, but most other writing benefits from simplicity and clarity.

The other downside (and its major) is that trying to sound smart instead of smartly choosing the right word distances you from the reader. This snobby type of writing can put off the very readers you want to embrace with open arms.

When a Shorter, Simpler Word Would Do

Einstein said it best: “Things should be as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

The smart word choice is almost always the shorter choice. Clarity trumps captivating every time. How can a reader be mesmerized if they are confused?

List of Other Useful Thesauruses for Writers

As a writer, you have many choices for a thesaurus. Some are more specific and helpful to authors of fiction, while others are useful to all types of writers. Scan the list below, take note of any that stick out to you, and check out those options.

• Emotional thesaurus (Just like it sounds, it’s a list of descriptive emotional words and phrases. Many writers sweat by it)
• Emotional Wound Thesaurus (Emotions leave scars. This tool gives you all the ways to describe those wounds on the page)
• Thesaurus of the senses (Thesaurus that helps you describe using the five senses)
• Positive Trait Thesaurus (Thesaurus of positive character traits for fiction)
• Negative Trait Thesaurus (Thesaurus of negative character traits for fiction)
• The Power Thesaurus (online crowdsourced thesaurus)
• The Well-Spoken Thesaurus: The Most Powerful Ways to Say Everyday Words and Phrases (This may come in handy when writing fiction or nonfiction)
• Misc. Thesaurus Collections (Various categories from the Writer’s Helping Writers website)

Final Thoughts

Here’s a quick summary:

• The best thesaurus for writers (long-term): Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus
• The best thesaurus for writers for quick fixes: www.thesaurus.com

Related Posts:

• Why Do Writers Hate Adverbs? (The Final Answer)
• How to Write Erotica: The NEW Ultimate Guide
• How to Write an Ode (Step-by-Step with Examples)
• Can You Write a Novel Without a Big Vocabulary? [The Final Answer]

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 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. 

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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