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Meaning & use

synonymous

adjective·Academic

Last updated

UK/sɪˈnɒnɪməs/
US/səˈnɑːnəməs/

Meanings

  1. adjectivenot comparable

    Meaning exactly or almost the same thing as another word or expression.

    Grammar: Used after be and followed by with: Big is synonymous with large.

    Patterns

    • be synonymous with something

    In this sentence, begin and start are synonymous.

    The two terms are not truly synonymous, because one sounds much more formal.

    Some people treat sad and unhappy as synonymous.

  2. adjectiveafter a verb

    So closely linked with something in people's minds that you cannot think of one without the other.

    Grammar: Always followed by with, never to: a name synonymous with quality.

    Patterns

    • be synonymous with something
    • become synonymous with something

    The brand became synonymous with cheap, reliable phones.

    For many fans, that stadium is synonymous with winning.

    Paris is often considered synonymous with romance.

Common combinations

synonymous with success
Her name is synonymous with success in the business world.
become synonymous with
The tune has become synonymous with the holiday season.
virtually synonymous
The two words are virtually synonymous in everyday speech.
not necessarily synonymous
Being popular is not necessarily synonymous with being right.
largely synonymous
In this context the terms are largely synonymous.

Synonyms and how they differ

equivalent
Equivalent means equal in value or effect, and is not limited to words as synonymous is.
interchangeable
Interchangeable means you can swap one for the other without any change, which is a stronger claim than synonymous.
identical
Identical means exactly the same in every way, so it is stronger than synonymous, which often allows small differences.
tantamount
Tantamount is always followed by to and means equal in effect, usually of an action or situation.

Opposites

oppositedifferent

Word family

synonym noun
a word with the same or nearly the same meaning as another
synonymy noun
the relationship of having the same meaning
synonymously adverb
in a way that treats two words as the same
synonymize verb
to give synonyms of a word (rare)

Commonly confused: synonymous or anonymous?

synonymous vs anonymous

Anonymous means without a known name, while synonymous means having the same meaning; the two look and sound alike but are unrelated.

Practice

For many families, that bakery is ____ celebration, since it makes every wedding cake in town.

Make it your own

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