Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions:

  • How can I try the Visual Thesaurus before purchasing it?
    Simply type a word into the white box that appears on the top of this screen and click "Look it up."
  • How many words are in the Visual Thesaurus?
    The Visual Thesaurus has over 145,000 English words and 115,000 meanings. In addition, online subscribers take advantage of our internet-only International Edition (beta) and have access to over 125,000 Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish words.
  • What's the best way to give the Visual Thesaurus as a gift?
    We offer several ways of giving the Visual Thesaurus as a gift:
    • Gift CD-ROMs: Send a CD-ROM to your friends or family. As part of the purchase process, you can specify that the purchase is a gift. The product is shipped with a gift receipt, which doesn't include pricing information and allows you to send a personal message. Click here to give a CD-ROM.
    • Gift Subscriptions: Gift subscriptions to the Online Edition include one year of access to the Visual Thesaurus and our online magazine. When ordering a gift subscription, you can elect to either email your gift on a specific day or download a printable gift certificate. Click here to order a gift subscription.
    • Group Subscriptions: Another option is to give your friends and family access to the online version through a group subscription. With a group subscription, you control the primary subscription and can send your friends and family an invitation to join your subscription. Each recipient of the email gets his or her own log in. It costs $10/yr to add a member to your group. Click here to find out more and take advantage of this offer.
  • Which edition should I get: the Desktop or the Online?
    This depends on how you plan to use the software. Many people purchase both, buying the Desktop Edition for a laptop and subscribing to the Online Edition so they can access the Visual Thesaurus from home and at work.

    If you have a laptop or intend to use the Visual Thesaurus when you are not connected to the Internet, we recommend the Desktop Edition.

    The Online Edition lets you log in at home or at the office. Subscribers get free updates and upgrades, and access to our internet-only International Edition (beta), so you can search for words in French, German, Italian, Dutch, or Spanish. In addition, subscribing to the Online Edition gives you unlimited access to our magazine where you can read features on language and the creative process and join a community passionate about words, language and creativity.

    The following chart lists the differences between the Desktop and the Online Edition:

    Online Edition Desktop Edition
    Access Method No software to install, access through your Internet browser, anywhere, anytime. Download the software, or get a CD-ROM shipped to you. Software is installed on your computer.
    Internet Connection Internet Connection required Internet Connection optional
    (An Internet connection is required for audio pronunciations)
    Printing Print in two formats (requires the Java Plug-in on Windows) Print in two formats
    Upgrades & Updates All updates and upgrades included for the life of your subscription. Minor updates and bug fixes as they become available; major upgrades at additional cost.
    Online Magazine Access to all online articles, word lists and word of the day. Not Available
    Multiple Languages (beta) Beta version of the International Edition gives access to Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. International Edition is not available.
    Word Lists (beta) Beta version allows you to make and share lists of your favorite words. Not Available
    Risk-free Trial Cancel your subscription within the 14 day trial period, and we'll give you the option to receive a full refund -- no questions asked. Not Available
    Cancellation Subscriptions automatically renew at the end of your term. However, you can cancel the automated renewal at any time. Cancellation is easy and can be done online -- just click on "My Account", enter your email address and password, and click the "Cancel my Subscription" button. No phone calls or annoying emails required. Not Applicable
    Minimum System Requirements
    Windows Macintosh
    OS: 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista OS: OSX 10+
    Memory: 128MB Memory: 128MB
    Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5+, Firefox Browser: Safari, Firefox
    Java: Virtual Machine 1.1+ Java: Virtual Machine 1.2+
    Windows Macintosh
    OS: 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista OS: OSX 10+
    Memory: 128MB Memory: 128MB
    Disk Space: 100MB Disk Space: 100MB
  • I represent an Educational Institution. Do you offer education discounts?
    We offer educational discounts through our educational resellers. You can find a list of them here. You might also want to take a look at the Educators section to find out more about how the Visual Thesaurus is used in schools and libraries.
  • Which edition would you recommend for my company or School?
    We recommend the Online Edition for site licenses. It requires no installation, and all upgrades are included as part of your subscription. We also offer many different authentication options. For more information please fill out the following form, or contact one of our Educational resellers.
  • Can I filter the dictionary to remove objectionable words?
    Yes. If you subscribe to the Online Edition or own the Desktop Edition of the Visual Thesaurus, you can control the content filtering to one of four levels.
  • What is the technology behind the Visual Thesaurus?
    The Visual Thesaurus uses Thinkmap® software as its visualization engine. Thinkmap gives users the ability to retrieve a result set from large data sets. Through a series of task-specific visualization mechanisms, users can navigate, organize and visualize that result set within graphical user interfaces. In addition to helping users find information, the visualization mechanisms help them understand the composition and structure of the data being examined.
  • Can I use Thinkmap for my application or as part of my software product?
    Thinkmap is licensed to customers worldwide. For more information, please visit http://www.thinkmap.com.
  • Can I search for words in other languages besides English?
    If you subscribe to our Online Edition, you can take advantage of our internet-only International Edition (beta) and have access to over 125,000 Dutch, French, German, Italian, and Spanish words.
  • I have a question that is not covered here. What do I do?
    Please visit our support section. There, you can search our knowledge base for solutions to common problems and answers to other frequent questions.

Desktop FAQ:

Online FAQ

  • How does the online subscription work?
    We offer monthly or yearly subscriptions.

    Once you sign up for a subscription, you get full access to the Visual Thesaurus and the online magazine. You automatically get access to any upgrades or improvements made to the product during your subscription.

    All of our subscriptions automatically renew at the end of their term. What this means is that at the end of your subscription, your credit card will be charged, and your subscription will be extended by either one year or one month, depending on the type of subscription you purchased.

    You can cancel your automatic renewal at any time. If you cancel your automatic renewal, we will not renew your subscription at the end of your term. However, you will be able to use the Visual Thesaurus until your current subscription ends.

    If you cancel within two weeks of signing up, you can elect to receive a full refund and end your access to the Visual Thesaurus.

  • How do I log into the Online Edition?
    After you subscribe, you will be recognized automatically when you are using the computer on which you purchased the subscription. Otherwise, you can sign in using your email address and password. To use the Online Edition, you have to be connected to the Internet.
  • Can I cancel my subscription?
    You can cancel your automatic renewal at any time. If you cancel your automatic renewal, we will not renew your subscription at the end of your term. However, you will be able to use the Visual Thesaurus until your current subscription ends.

    If you cancel within two weeks of signing up, you can elect to receive a full refund and end your access to the Visual Thesaurus.

    To cancel your subscription, just click on "My Account" and then click the "cancel my subscription" button.

  • Can I use the Online Edition of Visual Thesaurus both at work and at home?
    Yes. You will sign up for the Visual Thesaurus with an email address and password. You can use this information to sign in to the Visual Thesaurus anywhere you have an Internet connection.
  • Can I print from the Visual Thesaurus Online Edition?
    Yes, you can print from the Online Edition.
  • What does it mean that Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish are available in Beta?
    As a trial (Beta) program, all subscribers to the online version of the Visual Thesaurus can try our International Edition for no additional cost. For more on this program, click here.
  • Can I limit access to offensive language on the Online Edition?
    You can choose from four levels of content filtering.
  • What are the System Requirements for the Online Edition?
    Windows Macintosh
    OS: 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista OS: OSX 10+
    Memory: 128MB Memory: 128MB
    Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5+, Firefox Browser: Safari, Firefox
    Java: Virtual Machine 1.1+ Java: Virtual Machine 1.2+
  • What is the magazine about?
    Subscribers to the Online Edition of the Visual Thesaurus get full access to our online magazine. You can read features about language and the creative process and join a community passionate about words, language and creativity.
  • I have a question that is not covered here. What do I do?
    Please visit our support section. There, you can search our knowledge base for solutions to common problems and answers to other frequent questions.