How to Use the Thesaurus Function in Word

Word not in the thesaurus

You like variety, especially when it comes to writing. This is exactly why you are going to scream if you have to use the same word more than once in a particular piece you’re working on. Sometimes, for words like Zeitgeist or antidisestablishmentarianism, you will have no choice. But for others, you have a thesaurus right at your fingertips if you are working in Microsoft Word.

Instructions

1. Click the “Review” option on your topmost menu. Icons should pop up across the top, with the third one from the left a little book marked “Thesaurus.” Click on it.

2. Enter your word. A tall, thin window headed “Research” will appear to the right of your screen. In it you will find a little white window near the top under the heading “Search for:.” Enter the word you want to find a synonym for. Let’s say the word is “scream.”

3. Review your options. Once you enter your word “scream” in the little box and hit enter, a list of words will pop up below it. The lists will be headed with a bold synonym and the part of speech in parenthesis. Our first list for “scream” are verbs, or (v.) and include options such as “shout,” “yell” and “shriek.” The second list contains nouns, or (n.), and include “shriek,” “yell,” and “yelp.”

4. Find more options. If you don’t like the words the thesaurus offers, click on any word on the list to get synonyms for that word. For instance, clicking on “yell” offers options including “roar,” “bellow” or “bawl.”

5. Find even more options. If you are still not satisfied, the thesaurus function in Word allows you to search “All Reference Books” or “All Research Sites” with those options listed at the bottom of your Research window.

Tips & Warnings

• Another way to use the thesaurus is to highlight the word in the text you want a synonym for by clicking the mouse, dragging it over the word and releasing the button. The Research window will open with your selected word already in place.

• One more way to use the thesaurus is to select the word from your text and click the right-hand button on your mouse. A menu will pop up with “Synonyms” as one option, giving you a list of words right there. The bottom option will be “Thesaurus” where you can open the Research window and go from there.

• Research words in the thesaurus by using singular nouns and present tense verbs.