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Explanatory Notes to the 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