Whats another word for Thesaurus?

A

Angelshare1

Well-known member
I'm looking for a good Thesaurus. I purchased my first one and I hate it. It seems to have lots of words that are similar to the words I'm looking up but nothing inspiring. Any secret Thesauruses out there? I'm looking for one that has similar connotations rather than strict definitions. Make sense?

For example, if I look up thinking, I would like to see marinate. Is that possible or am I being too lazy as a writer to come up with that myself?
 
Look at Amazon for a good Thesaurus. I know there's software out there so you can buy either book or software. I prefer book when I was writing a lot. I only want one thing on my screen and that's the script. So it's a matter of preference. You're not lazy. Thesaurus is a good tool for writers. I use dictionary.com right now because I simply am not buying any books.
 
Final Draft 8 has a built in thesaurus. Double click a word, then Tools->Thesaurus, or press Ctrl+Shift+d
Maybe not the most elegant, but takes up no screen space.
 
Also consider crossword dictionaries - their definition of 'related' words often differs to that of a thesaurus, sometimes with intriguing results, especially when you're not looking for an exact synonym.
 
Roget's Thesaurus. It includes phrases. Might not have every one you want but you've got to make an effort too. I sometimes spend hours, even days tracking down the one word or phrase that's on the tip of my tongue or solution to a phrase that is almost but not quite right. Getting familiar with the contents of the book pays dividends too. I've read dictionaries cover to cover multiple times when I was younger and still play thesaurus games on a quiet sunday afternoon (no different to losing yourself in google, pick a start word, look up an interesting similie, repeat).

I haven't used it but I believe this online version is based on it if you don't want to buy the book. http://www.bartleby.com/110/
But I recommend/counsel/laud/adhort/suggest/advocate/sanction/pat on the back/keep in countenance/endorse/give credit to buying this thesaurus.
(See what I did there?) :)

I find searching for words in a book a far more organic if time-consuming process. In fact I think the time-consuming part is what generates the better words. When I search on google for my phrase I'm either overloaded or find and settle on something too quickly.


EDIT: be aware that this thesaurus uses english spellings


Note. Your existing thesaurus may be better than you think depending on how you are using it. When I look up a word I then look up each and every word listed under it. And the better options I will repeat that process for. A search for a single word that has a dozen synonyms/similies may generate a list of some fifty or sixty useable words and phrases going just two or three words deep in this method. You can also look up the antonyms and then look up the antonyms of those words (which should bring you back to synonyms). Also keep a dictionary handy, just because a word sounds good doesn't mean it's right. English has so many words because it can describe many shades of meaning with a single word whereas another language such as german would need to resort to compound words or outright descriptions to do what english can with a single word with connotations.
 
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When I really want to dig for a good similar word, I get out my Roget's International Thesauraus. It's tabbed and has 1248 pages. It's pretty comprehensive. It has an interesting way to look up a word. You look up the word you want in the back and find the most similar word your looking for in a list under that word. I like it a lot. Harper Collins is the publisher.
 
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