Today’s post is by veteran WriteAtHome writing coach, Rhonda Barfield. Thanks, Rhonda!

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When I was growing up, referencing a thesaurus often seemed like too much effort. I had to find the thick, unwieldy tome, locate a word among hundreds of pages, and copy it manually onto my typewriter or by hand. Today, the process is effortless. I click onto my online dictionary, key in the word, and shazam! Within seconds, several word options magically appear.

Sometimes I use the thesaurus when a word choice seems off-target. Recent examples include:

• helping me to promulgate. . . helping me to explain
• easy to stay a juvenile. . . easy to remain a juvenile

At other times, I’ve needed a synonym to avoid repetition, such as:

• people. . . individuals
• concentrate. . . focus
• achieved. . . reached
• explain. . . describe
• better. . . preferable

I also find it helpful when I’m trying to substitute a more precise word:

• the quote says your idea. . . the quote expresses your idea
• despite the good. . . despite the admirable. . .

Finally, the thesaurus offers options for replacing weak verbs:

• babies have. . . babies possess
• anything less is. . . anything less guarantees. . .

I reference this valuable resource many times daily. In fact, I recommend that all writers use/utilize/employ/wield/take advantage of the thesaurus.

WriteAtHome: We Teach Writing for You!

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