The Synonym Finder

Not only an extremely, awfully, terribly functional, operative opus, opuscule, work or tome, but also a handy and serviceable one. Avail oneself of, utilize, apply and put to use this most excellent, masterly, well-executed volume. Advantageous and beneficial: use to good advantage. I have the Webster Thesaurus as well and use them in conjunction. Can't tell which is the better, frankly, because the other will invariably, inevitably, inexorably bring up some alternatives. Great for any writer. Easy to use on your kindle. Just search for a word. I love it.

Okay---so when I write I tend to follow my original educational training and plod along stringing together fractured grammatical phrases and hackneyed expressions that although correct tend to reflect the activity of the left side of my brain rather than my creative portion that supposedly gives credence to my inner Shakespeare. Obviously, that dull analytical side needs to kick it up notch and one of the best ways that I know how to add verbal spice to that artistic gumbo is to flip open my well-worn copy of J.I Rodale's "The Synonym Finder." Sadly, as I did not have the foresight to purchase this approximately 1400 page word fest in hardback, the once smooth and blemish-free cover of my copy has since creased and folded many times over, adding nothing to its beauty but detracting little from its immense and efficient functionality. A word to the wise: do buy this tome with the intention of keeping it on your shelves for a lifetime. Using the book cannot be any easier. Written like a dictionary, each word is arranged alphabetically with all the appropriate parts of speech included under a single headword. Unlike Roget's, no complicated system of themes clouds the writer's simple need to find another more exact word to fit his/her specific thought process. Numerical sub-listings of each word indicate different definitions and semantic groupings while usage and technical labels like "slang", "informal", "nautical or "chemistry" are indicated with the appropriate italicized label. What really sets this volume apart from other synonym dictionaries is the wealth of choices available for each word. The word "childlike" includes 37 different words and phrases that just might be that one special term that changes your sentence from mediocre to cutting edge. Highly recommended to all who write and are tired of the usual gamut of word substitutes offered by your word processing program or a standard thesaurus. Diana F. Von Behren "reneofc"

If you care about PRECISION in your communication, The Synonym Finder is indispensible. Here's why... Page count: Synonym Finder 1371, Roget's Thesaurus 572 They're not even in the same weight class. And why is Synonym Finder is superior to online searching? Let me give you an example. I was looking for an alternative to the word "competitor." But I was also exploring the IDEA of competition in the piece I was working on. Roget gave me only "compete." Good grief man, give me something to work with! Synonym Finder gave me: * compete * competition * competitive * competitor They're all lined up, one after the other, in close proximity, allowing me to scan back and forth between them to find the PERFECT way to express the thought AND the feeling I was trying to convey. THAT is the kind of precision that lends power to the copy I write. Not everybody needs that kind of attention to detail, but it's good to know that when I need it, Synonym Finder is right there next to me. And, there is VALUE in having all the words in front of me at once. Could I have gotten all of these derivatives by searching online? Yes. And could I have typed in ALL FOUR words into separate windows and cascaded or tiled them so they were all visible at the same time? Well, yeah, but how much screen real estate do you have? But it's SO much easier to have them in print together, organized, and easy to rove from one to the others instantly. But here's what I feel is the most important reason to use a BOOK, as opposed to a computer screen: Typically, I'm writing on a computer or laptop. It's how I learned to write- on the old Apple IIe... you're looking at a SCREEN. and when you're trying to get clear on a line or a word or a way of expressing idea, or you're struggling with the BEST way to communicate with your reader... you're looking at a SCREEN. Just the mere physical act of looking away from that SCREEN, opening the book, changing your focus, finding the page and seeing a different font style can interrupt your pattern, and open up your mind to a whole new way of seeing and thinking about the subject. It's not just about the words, it's also about the state change. It's a 10-second exercise that gets you OUT of the problem and INTO the solution. The real power is the combination of the two working together, hand in hand. Not everyone needs this level of fanaticism, but there's an unmistakable difference between the "talking at them" style of copy that's so prevalent today, and communicating with your reader in a way that tells them that you know them you understand them, and you care about them in a way that nobody else in your market does. The Synonym Finder can help you get there faster than you would any other way.

Must say, I was so pleasantly surprised to find such an extensive list of synonyms for every word I looked up. If you find that I am not well enough acquainted with any edition of Thesaurus (Roget's, any of the others---which along with you, I have used in the past), kindly let me know, but my opinion of this reference book is that it covers things beautifully. Where has it been all my life? I only came across it because one of my friends owns one. One look inside, and I decided I ought to get one for myself.

If you use your thesaurus primarily to find synonyms, as many people do, then Rodale's 'The Synonym Finder' is hard to beat. In fact, I find it indispensable. I've been getting paid for my writing since the late 1970s, and a copy of 'The Synonym Finder' has been on my desk since the late 1980s. Comprehensive to a fault, the back cover claims more than one million synonyms can be found inside. And I can't argue with that. At more than 1,300 pages in an easy-to-read dictionary format, this book gets a lot of attention from me. I have nothing against Roget. The numerous variations all have good, solid word choices and other info. But if you simply need a synonym, Rodale will usually give you more choices, often in more contexts. The only issue I have with Rodale -- and the reason I deduct one star -- is that it is dire need of an update. Both of my copies (hardcover and paperback) are from 1986. Isn't it about time for someone to give it a facelift?

The book version of this book is perfect, thus the 5 stars. The Kindle version is useless. There is no way to go directly to a word you wish to find the synonym of; thus the desire to give only 1 star. First you have to go to the section of the book beginning with the first letter of the word you wish to look up, for example, delta. There is a list to first letters, so you click on d, the first letter of delta. Now you have to page through all the words before delta to find delta. You could use the search function, but you will come up with every word that has delta as a synonym. Then you have to page through that list to find the entry for delta. So why didn't I vent my anger with the Kindle version by giving a rating of 1? The simple reason is the physical book is better than any other synonym book I have ever tried to use. It really is the best and deserves 5 stars. Get the physical book!

I am glad that I was able to get this book on line. Because I had one before and it was ruined by some careless hands. The Synonym Finder is a book that every writer need in his or her posession. Because it help widen your vocabulary and enriches your writings. I can assure you that with the aid of this book, no one will ignor your corresponce. Therefore my adminition to all writers that do not have the book is this, do yourself a great favour and please get it, it is not expense.

Complaint: Creepy, Spooky. Not in the 'Finder' as primary words? What gives? In fact these were a couple of the words I was HOPING to find synonyms for. I know of Eldritch for creepy, but assume there are other words for it. I wa a bit disappointed that such a common word wasn't used... I of course was inventive and tried looking up less 'standard' words to start from, like 'unnatural' and 'hellish.' Those seemed to work better. Minor foible aside, you can turn to pretty much any page and learn a whole lot of new words! This, I can tell, will be an absolutely indispensable desk reference... Especially since I want to write some esoterica and Lovecraftian purple prose with a pseudo-archaic affect. This should make for an excellent compendium of obscure and half-forgotten lore. Love it! One other minor quibble, I kind of wish it had antonyms too, like your usual thesaurus. But, then the book would probably be twice as long. So, I'm okay with it! It's already a truly massive tome.