How to Use a Thesaurus
A thesaurus helps you avoid repetition in your writing and helps you find a word for an idea you have in mind. You can use it to increase your vocabulary as the typical thesaurus has synonyms for more than 100,000 words.
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Instructions
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Read the introduction to your thesaurus. There are two main kinds: a Roget-type, which has a categorization system, and an A-to-Z thesaurus. Thesauri may also contain antonyms, word lists and other interesting features.
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Get to know the features of your thesaurus. By understanding what changes in typography mean, you will grasp the nuances of the reference book's text.
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3
Become familiar with the categorization scheme, if you have a Roget-type thesaurus. And in an A-to-Z thesaurus, you may also benefit from definitions at each entry.
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Look up a word in a Roget-type thesaurus in the index. The index will likely have the meanings listed under each word. Don't limit your search to one category; also look at the categories just before and after the one you first look up.
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Examine the offerings in all parts of speech in the category of interest. You might find something you can use by broadening your search.
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Choose synonyms carefully. You will soon recognize that few words are exactly interchangeable. Use the thesaurus in conjunction with a good dictionary whenever selecting a word or phrase unfamiliar to you.
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Tips & Warnings
Use the thesaurus to avoid repeating words within a sentence and avoid beginning successive sentences or paragraphs with identical words.
