Explanatory Notes to the Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus

A thesaurus consists mostly of lists of words, and it is often difficult to know which word is best for a particular purpose. Because the English language has so many different ways of combining words with different shades of meaning, you should always use this thesaurus along with the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary.

Synonyms

Related Words

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Entry Order and Kinds of Entries

Shared Meanings

Phrases

Plural Nouns

Variants

Cross-References

Usage Labels

Verbs

Verbal Illustrations

Word Duplication

Choosing the Right Word