Whats another word for thesaurus?

A

Angelshare1

Well-known member
I hate my thesaurus. If I want a better verb or noun it seems to give me lots of words that literally mean almost the same thing. I guess that's what it's supposed to do. Is there a better thesaurus out there that's more creative with connotation over literal meaning?

So let's say I tell you to think about something:

Bob walked out of the kitchen, having just received the bad news. He would go to O'Malley's and let what Jennifer said marinate with him.

Is there a thesaurus that would suggest marinate as a synonym for thinking? Petrified for shock. Devour a book over reading it?
 
I have found that they all vary by author and publisher. (Or "developer") Which one are you using currently?

You may have great success just by switching to one from a different maker.
 
Try crossword-solving dictionaries (and web sites) - they usually delve into 'related' words rather than just synonyms.
 
No. But I think marinate is a creative way of saying what you are saying. For me, it all goes back to show, don't tell. Too much of writing is telling us, not showing us. Good writing shows us the world; it doesn't tell us about the world. So how you can engage the senses and express yourself creatively is a good thing, and a thesaurus won't help you there. Only your creativity in showing or trying to show us what you are trying to communicate will do that. I discussed this issue of show vs tell with my English professor, and he said that 80% of writing should be descriptive and showing, and maybe only 20% telling. Saying that your character is "thinking" is telling us; marinating is showing.
 
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