Search for synonyms using the Visual Thesaurus

The Visual Thesaurus is an online thesaurus and dictionary of over 145,000 words that you explore and visualize using an interactive map.

Type in a word and the Visual Thesaurus will show you a map of synonyms, antonyms, and definitions.

Unlike Roget's Thesaurus, the Visual Thesaurus contains over 39,000 proper nouns and American and British spellings and pronunciations.

It's a tool for people who think visually. Look up your word now!

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

"Not to Put Too Fine a Point Upon It": How Dickens Helped Shape the Lexicon

February 3, 2012
By Ben Zimmer
With the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens approaching (get your party hats ready for February 7th!), it's a good time to gauge the enormous impact he had on the English language. By many accounts he was the most widely read author of the Victorian era, and no writer since has held a candle to him in terms of popularity, prolificness, and influence in spreading new forms of the language — both highbrow and lowbrow.  Continue reading...
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Evasive Maneuvers

Euphemisms old and new

Massaging European Issues

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.February 2, 2012
By Mark Peters
Mark Peters give his take on "job creator" (voted 2011's Most Euphemistic term of the year) and his latest batch of old and new euphemisms.  Continue reading...
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Language Lounge

A Monthly Column for Word Lovers

A Rare But Potentially Life-Threatening Condition

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.February 1, 2012
By Orin Hargraves
In this month's Language Lounge, we explore one of the most curious corners of contemporary consumer culture: the litany of side effects in commercials for prescription drugs.  Continue reading...
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Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Get Your Creak On

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.January 31, 2012
By Neal Whitman
The term "vocal fry" has been in the news, because of its supposed recent increase among young American women. How did "vocal fry" get called that? Linguist Neal Whitman investigates.  Continue reading...
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VOCABGRABBER

Automatically create lists of vocabulary from any text using the Visual Thesaurus VocabGrabber.
Try it now!

SPELLING BEE

Think you are a good speller? Take the Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee and find out!
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Blog Excerpts

I DARE Say!

January 17, 2012
The Dictionary of American Regional English (a.k.a. DARE) is finally completed — and it only took fifty years to do it! In the Boston Globe, Visual Thesaurus editor Ben Zimmer looks back on this monument to American speech, and looks ahead to new ways of approaching dialectology. Read his column here.
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Blog Excerpts

What's the Deal with "Auld Lang Syne"?

January 2, 2012
Ben Trawick-Smith is an actor with a deep interest in English dialects. On his Dialect Blog, he takes on a range of interesting linguistic issues. His latest post is perfect for the new year: it's all about the song that we butcher every New Year's Eve, "Auld Lang Syne." Get enlightened about the Scottish tune here.
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Teachers at Work

A column about teaching

Ducking Under the Caution Tape: Approachable Poems
January 30, 2012 - 3 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Word Tasting Notes: "Geoduck"
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 26, 2012 - 6 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Intoxicating: How to Derive "Drunk" Responsibly
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 25, 2012 - 1 Comment

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Type Casting
January 24, 2012 - 2 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

The Power of General Statements
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 23, 2012 - 15 Comments

Teachers at Work

A column about teaching

Nouns on the Loose
January 20, 2012 - 5 Comments

Candlepower

Ad and marketing creatives

The Ündeniable Ümlaut
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 19, 2012 - 9 Comments

Dept. of Word Lists

Les West Side Misérables
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 18, 2012 - 8 Comments

Teachers at Work

A column about teaching

The Art of the Interview
January 17, 2012 - 1 Comment

Dog Eared

Books we love

"Babel No More": Facts and Fables of Linguistic Superheroes
January 13, 2012 - 10 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Flash Card: Who Did What to Whom?
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 12, 2012 - 5 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Seven Ways to Stop Editing While You Write
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 11, 2012 - 24 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

How to Spot Love in Writing
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 10, 2012 - 2 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

"Occupy" Named 2011 Word of the Year
January 9, 2012 - 4 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Now Presenting: The Nominees for the 2011 Word of the Year
January 6, 2012 - 11 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

"Times" That Try Men's Souls
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers January 5, 2012 - 7 Comments
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100 Top SAT Words(99 words)
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OVERHEARD

RECENT COMMENTS FROM OUR SUBSCRIBERS

"Not to Put Too Fine a Point Upon It": How Dickens Helped Shape the Lexicon
Elena R. said, "Thanks for this wonderful piece, reminding me why I loved Dickens so much (and pointing out how many of his treasures I have yet to read). In my..." - Today, 2:58 PM
Massaging European Issues
Ferial E R said, "Here's another one for you Mark: A friend of mine has told me that he met a German gentleman who said that the pre-war street girls in old..." - Today, 1:08 PM
"Not to Put Too Fine a Point Upon It": How Dickens Helped Shape the Lexicon
Vocabularian T. said, "Wonderful article!" - Today, 11:49 AM
Wood F. said, "Great article! Makes me want to go back and read some of those Dickens novels again. Thanks!" - Today, 9:54 AM
Massaging European Issues
Roger Dee said, "The wording was more correctly, "When the moment's right."" - Yesterday, 9:51 PM
Mike said, "Wonderful!" - Yesterday, 5:04 PM
A Rare But Potentially Life-Threatening Condition
Ben Zimmer said, "SNL has done the "side effects" bit a couple of times -- there was Happy Fun Ball in 1991 and Annuale in 2008. In the same vein is the classic E*Trade..." - Yesterday, 11:00 AM
Orin Hargraves said, "Thanks to all for your interesting and insightful comments. A few responses: Roger Dee (first comment): Yes, the commercials about drugs for men are..." - Yesterday, 8:09 AM
Massaging European Issues
Mike P. said, "I always love place- or culture-based euphemisms, which I believe are almost always negative (Dutch courage, French letter, Irish twins). Thus your..." - Yesterday, 2:31 AM
A Rare But Potentially Life-Threatening Condition
Lily T. said, "This is a really interesting article, as my brother and I, when we were kids, used to play with our stuffed animals and make fun of these commercials,..." - Wednesday February 1st, 7:38 PM

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Lesson Plans

Put the VT to work in your classroom

How to Ruin a Poem

January 4, 2012
How is word choice valued in poetry?  Continue reading...
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Contest

The Visual Thesaurus Crossword Puzzle: January Edition

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.January 27, 2012
This month, it's the return of the word-chain crossword puzzle! Follow the chain of synonyms and you could win a Visual Thesaurus T-shirt.  Continue reading...
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Announcements

Visual Thesaurus Expands to the iPad and iPhone

June 9, 2011
We've just released a new version of the Visual Thesaurus that works for the iPad and the iPhone, at no extra cost to subscribers. And whether you're using the VT in your Web browser, on your iPhone, or on your iPad, you'll enjoy lightning-fast load times.  Continue reading...
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Self Promotion

Now Wear This!

November 8, 2006
Give your favorite somebody your favorite word map! Now you can order a Visual Thesaurus word map on a t-shirt, mug, even a postage stamp. Simply search for a word, click on the "Share" button on top right hand of the Visual Thesaurus window, and follow the easy steps. We can't think of a better gift -- or a gift to yourself, for that matter! (Hey, we're biased!)
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Webmasters

Add the VT to your site or blog

Visual Thesaurus Everywhere

Incorporate the Visual Thesaurus into your blog or website, add it to your home page, or use it from Microsoft Word. Learn all the ways that we offer to make the Visual Thesaurus more convenient to use and easier to share with your friends, family, and colleagues: Continue reading...