Synonym Chooser

How is the word system different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of system are fashion, manner, method, mode, and way. While all these words mean "the means taken or procedure followed in achieving an end," system suggests a fully developed or carefully formulated method often emphasizing rational orderliness.

a filing system

When might fashion be a better fit than system?

While in some cases nearly identical to system, fashion may suggest a peculiar or characteristic way of doing something.

rushing about in his typical fashion

How do manner and mode relate to one another, in the sense of system?

Manner is close to mode but may imply a procedure or method that is individual or distinctive.

an odd manner of conducting

When would method be a good substitute for system?

The words method and system can be used in similar contexts, but method implies an orderly logical arrangement usually in steps.

effective teaching methods

When is it sensible to use mode instead of system?

The meanings of mode and system largely overlap; however, mode implies an order or course followed by custom, tradition, or personal preference.

the preferred mode of transportation

When can way be used instead of system?

The words way and system are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, way is very general and may be used for any of the preceding words.

has her own way of doing things

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of system The Argo took black-and-white video of the Titanic in 1985, while an older system called ANGUS, with its 35-mm camera system, captured blue-hued still images revealing the wreck’s existence. Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2025 Without this initiative by my office, the work of the property tax system would have ground to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025 The sudden twist in her proceedings comes just weeks after Bolivia's general election boosted the opposition for the first time in decades, raising concerns among critics who see a justice system subject to political manipulation. Isabel Debre, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2025 Unlike some other business banking options, Live Oak doesn’t offer a tiered APY system for earning the highest return. Access to your cash Customers can link an external bank account (like a personal checking account) to their Live Oak Business account in order to transfer their cash. Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for system
Recent Examples of Synonyms for system
Noun
  • The company’s leadership also includes several figures with ties to the Biden administration, giving Anthropic the look of a Democratic insider network.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Thousands of London Underground staff—including drivers, signalers and maintenance workers—began rolling strike action on Sunday, triggering severe disruption across the city's subway network and threatening almost complete suspension of Tube services through Thursday.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • At least one former candidate – Kansas City attorney Stacy Lake, who lost to White in the Democratic primary for County Executive in 2022 – has announced plans to run at that point.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The bulk of his cases are reviews involving the major Medicaid plans in Ohio.
    Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Vote as many times as you’d like until then without using bots or any other artificial methods of voting.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Likewise, the internet has made fundraising much easier with the use of online payment methods, which are easy to set up and difficult to trace.
    Richard Frankel, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Seeking professional guidance early is key so that strategies can be examined and coordinated effectively.
    Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Wasserman, the committee's chairman, directed the council to suggest a new distribution strategy for the committee to review in December.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hilleary, at the campaign event, also harshly criticized Biden’s immigration policies and his administration’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Powered by 70% rosemary water, oil, and extract alongside capixyl, this could be a great option for someone interested in a more natural approach, rooted in optimizing overall scalp health.
    Kiana Murden, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • By combining hierarchical planning, reinforcement learning, and motion data drawn from human players, the project provides a blueprint for building robots that are efficient and intuitive in their movements.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Lessons from Jasmine’s Career Journey Jasmine’s evolution from marketer to product leader offers a blueprint for navigating disruption in today’s rapidly changing world of work.
    AJ Thomas, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Their methodology, chemical liquid deposition (CLD), allows precise engineering and rapid testing of various metal-imidazole combinations.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2025
  • For example, the United Nations has an extensive AI ethics methodology (see my coverage at the link here), the NIST has a robust AI risk management scheme (see my coverage at the link here), and so on.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This comprehensive program features more than 70 microlearning modules that can be accessed through the RockED mobile app.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Then there were those epic Pac-12 shindigs, when Harbaugh was trying to resurrect the Stanford program and Carroll was pulling the levels during one of USC’s glory eras, with the advantage going to Harbaugh, 2-1.
    Jay Paris, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“System.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/system. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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