A List of Thesauri (synonyms)

What are Synonyms?

A synonym is a word with the same or similar meaning as another word (wikipedia).  Synonyms allow writers to increase their word variety. Be careful: make sure your synonym really belongs in the sentence. Just because it's a synonym doesn't mean that it automatically "fits." I often find myself grading incorrect sentences where students have just blindly inserted a synonym.

What is a Thesaurus?

In short, a thesaurus helps writers find synonyms (and antonyms).  As Wikipedia notes, a thesaurus is a reference work that lists words grouped together according to similarity of meaning (containing synonyms and sometimes antonyms), in contrast to a dictionary, which provides definitions for words.

• A list of recommended book (paper) thesauri (thesauruses)
• A list of recommended online thesauri

Recommended Book-Format Thesauri

In order to purchase a thesaurus, you will need to visit a bookstore (library) in-person or online.  Physical brick-and-mortar bookstores (libraries) are becoming extinct and you may find it easier to order a book from an online bookstore. Here is a list of recommended publications:

Title, Author, ISBN	Notes
Oxford Thesaurus (available in paperback and hardcover versions): PAPERBACK: Oxford Paperback Thesaurus, Oxford Dictionaries, 0199640955, or 978-0199640959 HARDCOVER: Oxford Thesaurus of English, Oxford, 0199560811, or 978-0199560813	The paperback version was $15 in 2015 and the hardcover version was $65 in 2015. Oxford Publishing is a well-respected brand-name.
Roget's International Thesaurus, Barbara A Kipfer, 0061715220, or 978-0061715228	Roget's Thesaurus is a good pick because it's got history behind it--it's been used forever by professional authors in all specialties. This text was selling for $30 in 2015.
Oxford Canadian Thesaurus of Current English, Oxford University Press, 0195425693, or 978-0195425697	The paperback version was selling for $10 in 2015. As the title implies, this book places an emphasis on Canadian words.
The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, 0877798508, or 978-0877798507	The ISBN numbers refer to the 7th Edition of this publication; however, something more recent may have come out since the time this recommendation was published. This book was selling for $10 in 2015.

Recommended Online Thesauri

This is a list of online thesauri. Enter a word and receive a list of words with similar meaning (synonyms) or words with opposite meaning (antonyms):

Website	Comments
Thesaurus.com	This is my preferred online thesaurus site--simply because the hyperlink is so easy to remember!
Collins	This site is managed by a publisher with a good reputation.
Merriam-Webster	Another site managed by a publisher with a solid reputation.
MacMillan Dictionary	This website provides a bit of a different spin--it integrates synonyms into its dictionary.
The Visual Thesaurus	For visual learners, this website graphically connects meanings of words together.  I've placed it here toward the end of my recommendations because the site offers users a free trial.  Eventually, the trial is up and they try to hit you up for money.
Power Thesaurus	What I might term the "people's thesaurus," this is a "crowdsourced" thesaurus. Something similar to Wikipedia where anyone can contribute to the document.