Do you need an easy way to find creative synonyms while writing in Microsoft Word? Word’s built-in thesaurus makes finding words with the same or similar meanings a breeze. You can even use the Word thesaurus to find synonyms for words in other languages, as well as antonyms. This article will walk you through using the Microsoft Word thesaurus tool on Windows and macOS.
Things You Should Know
- The thesaurus is available on all desktop versions of Microsoft Word on Windows and macOS, but not online or on the mobile apps.
- To find a synonym or antonym, select a word, right-click the selection, and then choose Synonym.
- If a word has multiple meanings, you might find synonyms in different parts of speech.
Steps
Step 1: Select a Word in Your Document
Select a word in your document by clicking and dragging your mouse to highlight it. You can also double-click the word to select it instantly. Depending on your version of Word, a blue or gray outline will surround the selected word. Note that the thesaurus is only available in the Windows and macOS Word applications.
Step 2: Right-Click the Highlighted Word
Right-click the highlighted word. If you don’t have a right mouse button, press Control as you click the word or tap the trackpad with two fingers. You can also open the thesaurus by clicking the Review tab and selecting Thesaurus on the toolbar.
Step 3: Click Synonyms on the Menu
Click Synonyms on the menu. Another menu will expand, displaying a few select words that have the same or similar meaning as the word you’ve selected. You can click any of the suggested synonyms on the menu to instantly replace the selected word or continue to explore other options in the thesaurus.
Step 4: Click Thesaurus on the Menu
Click Thesaurus on the menu. This expands the Thesaurus tab on the right side of your document. The new window displays the suggestions you saw on the previous menu, and in many cases, several other suggestions. If the selected word has multiple meanings, you may see synonyms in different parts of speech.
Step 5: Click the Arrow to the Right of a Synonym
Click the arrow to the right of a synonym. If you don’t see the arrow, hover your cursor over it first. A brief drop-down menu will expand. If the word you’re looking up is in a different language than your default language, select that language from the menu at the bottom of the right panel first.
Step 6: Click Insert
Click Insert. This replaces the word in your document with the selected synonym. If you’re finished with the panel, click the X at the top to close it. To look up more synonyms and antonyms, leave it open and type additional words into the bar at the top of the panel. You can also click the down-arrow next to “Thesaurus” at the top of the panel to find helpful options like Resize (to make the panel larger or smaller) or Move (to move the panel somewhere other than the right side of the document).
By following these steps, you can easily enhance your writing with varied vocabulary using Microsoft Word’s built-in thesaurus tool.