syn.
Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Grammar and Dictionary
| Stands for | Synonym |
|---|---|
| Categories | Writing & Everyday |
syn. stands for Synonym, a grammar and dictionary abbreviation.
Introduces a word with the same or nearly the same meaning as the headword in dictionaries, thesauruses and vocabulary lists. Thesauruses list many synonyms, while dictionaries usually give a few with usage notes.
Example: happy (adj.) feeling or showing pleasure. Syn. glad, cheerful, content, joyful
Usage notes
Few synonyms are exact; most differ in connotation, register or collocation, which is why Merriam-Webster adds synonym discussions explaining distinctions such as "fear, dread, alarm." Roget's Thesaurus, first published by Peter Mark Roget in 1852, grouped words by concept rather than alphabetically. The opposite relation is marked ant.