youvegotrpmemes:

This has been quoted from Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan

• “I’m not saying no, but…”
  
• “Excuse me?”
  
• “Hold up.”
  
• “Nope.”
  
• “Nah.”
  
• “Naw.”
  
• “Uh-uh.”
  
• “Nuh-uh.”
  
• “Yeah, no.”
  
• “How about no.”
  
• “Oh God, no.”
  
• “Aw, hell, no.”
  
• “Yeah, right.”
  
• “You wish.”
  
• “Get lost.”
  
• “Get out of here.”
  
• “Give me a break.”
  
• “Please.”
  
• “Forget it.”
  
• “Absolutely not.”
  
• “Not hardly.”
  
• “Not even close.”
  
• “Not a chance.”
  
• “Not going to happen.”
  
• “No can do.”
  
• “No way.”
  
• “No way in hell.”
  
• “No fucking way.”
  
• “Not on your life.”
  
• “Not in a million years.”
  
• “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
  
• “Are you out of your mind?”
  
• “Seriously?”
  
• “I wish I could.”
  
• “I don’t think so.”
  
• “Let me think about it.”
  
• “We’ll see.”
  

Said is NOT a bad word. ~75% of the time, it’s all you need. But here’s some alternative when you really need to spice up that dialogue! 

Use sparingly for more impact - especiallythe more dramatic verbs. 

Emotion and intent are complex! I tried to reduce redundancy as much as I could, but some words are simply going to be in multiple categories. i.e. “anger” and “loud” share a lot of words

This is a living document and will be updated whenever I think of new words.

Neutral

• Acknowledged
  
• Added
  
• Announced
  
• Answered
  
• Articulated
  
• Asserted
  
• Assured / Reassured
  
• Began
  
• Breathed
  
• Claimed
  
• Commented
  
• Continued
  
• Decided
  
• Declared
  
• Delivered
  
• Disclosed
  
• Emphasized
  
• Enunciated
  
• Exaggerated
  
• Exclaimed
  
• Expressed
  
• Guess
  
• Implied
  
• Mentioned
  
• Offered
  
• Proclaimed
  
• Promised
  
• Proposed
  
• Read
  
• Recalled
  
• Remarked
  
• Repeated
  
• Responded
  
• Retorted
  
• Shared
  
• Suggested
  
• Told
  
• Vowed

Happiness

• Beamed
  
• Cajoled
  
• Cheered
  
• Chimed
  
• Chirped
  
• Chuckled
  
• Cooed
  
• Enthused
  
• Flirted
  
• Giggled
  
• Gushed
  
• Hummed
  
• Joked
  
• Laughed
  
• Marveled
  
• Purred
  
• Sang

Anger

• Barked
  
• Bellowed
  
• Bit
• Cackled
  
• Chastised
  
• Cursed
  
• Fumed
  
• Grated
  
• Growled
  
• Hissed
  
• Howled
  
• Huffed
  
• Roared
  
• Scolded
  
• Snapped
  
• Sneered
  
• Spat
  
• Taunted
  
• Threatened
  

Fear / Sadness / Desperation

• Begged
  
• Choked (out)
  
• Cried (out)
  
• Croaked
  
• Fretted
  
• Gasped
  
• Howled
• Pleaded
  
• Prayed
  
• Sniffled
• Sobbed
  
• Wailed
  
• Wept
  
• Whimpered
  
• Worried

Surprise / Embarrassment  

• Attempted
  
• Babbled
  
• Choked
  
• Coughed
  
• Croaked
  
• Faltered
  
• Shrieked
  
• Sputtered
  
• Squawked
  
• Squeaked
  
• Squealed
  
• Stammered
  
• Struggled
  
• Stumbled
  
• Stuttered
  

Disgust

• Bit
  
• Bitched
• Complained
  
• Condemned
  
• Decried
  
• Jeered
  
• Mocked
  
• Scoffed
  
• Scoffed
  
• Sneered
  
• Snorted
  
• Spat

Admiration / Awe

• Praised
  
• Admired
  
• Marveled
  
• Adored
  
• Worshiped
  
• Wondered
  

Agreement

• Admitted
  
• Agreed
  
• Allowed
  
• Approved
  
• Conceded
  
• Concurred
  
• Concurred
  
• Confirmed
  
• Verified
  

Disagreement

• Argued
  
• Challenged
  
• Contended
  
• Denied
  
• Differed
  
• Dissented
  
• Grumbled
  
• Objected
  
• Opposed
  
• Protested
  
• Protested
  
• Revolted

Directive

• Commanded
  
• Demanded
  
• Directed
  
• Ordered
  
• Pointed
  

Lying

• Beguiled
  
• Conned
  
• Deceived
  
• Duped
  
• Evaded
  
• Fibbed
  
• Lied
  
• Misinformed
  
• Misled

Explanation

• Clarified
  
• Described
  
• Elucidated
  
• Explained
  
• Expounded
  
• Informed
  
• Interpreted
  
• Recounted
  
• Simplified
  
• Spelled (out)
  
• Translated

Questioning

• Asked
  
• Demanded
  
• Interrogated
  
• Questioned
  
• Queried
  
• Requested
  
• Quizzed
  
• Investigated
  
• Pressed (furtherorforas in for answers or for more)
  
• Pried
  

Thought

• Contemplated
  
• Mused
  
• Reflected
  
• Considered
  
• Deliberated
  
• Meditated
  
• Brooded
  
• Chew (on)
  
• Pondered
  
• Reasoned
  
• Studied
  
• Stewed
  
• Wondered
  

Breathy / Throaty Sounds

• Breathed
  
• Exhaled
  
• Gnarled
  
• Groaned
• Grumbled
• Gulped
• Heaved
  
• Hissed
  
• Howled
• Huffed
  
• Inhaled
  
• Keened
  
• Moaned
  
• Panted
  
• Rasped
  
• Roared
  
• Rumbled
  
• Sighed
• Snarled
  
• Struggled for breath
  
• Swallowed
  
• Thundered
  
• Wheezed
  
• Whined
  

Singing

• Belted (out)
  
• Caroled
  
• Crooned
  
• Harmonized
  
• Hummed
  
• Purred
  
• Serenaded
  
• Shouted
  
• Sung
  
• Trilled
  
• Warbled

Loud

• Bawled
  
• Bellowed
  
• Belted
  
• Called
  
• Cried
  
• Hollered
  
• Hooted
  
• Howled
  
• Roared
  
• Screamed
  
• Screeched
  
• Shouted
  
• Shrieked
  
• Squawked
  
• Squeaked
  
• Squealed
  
• Thundered
  
• Wailed
  
• Whooped
  
• Yapped
  
• Yapped
  
• Yelled
  
• Yelped
  
• Yipped
  

Quiet

• Grumbled
  
• Maundered
  
• Mumbled
  
• Murmured
  
• Muttered
  
• Sighed
• Uttered
  
• Uttered
  
• Whimpered
  
• Whined
  
• Whispered

—– source: http://ingridsundberg.com/

—– additional synonyms added by me : @damselwrites​

This is a living document and will be updated whenever I think of new words.

White

also: pale; blanched; sallow; pallid; waxen; spectral; translucent; albino; 

Grey

also: dust; stone; pepper;  

Black

also:  coal; slate; dusky; ebon; shadow; murky; 

Tan

also: flesh; khaki; cream; tawny; 

Brown

also:  henna; russet; sepia; chestnut; cocoa; drab; bronze; 

Red

also: terracotta ; rouge; carmine;  fire-engine; ruddy

Orange

also:  pumpkin ; rust ; 

Yellow

also: sunny; amber; saffron; hay; straw; platinum; 

Green

also: viridescent; grass; jade; forest; 

Blue

also: turquoise; cyan; ultramarine; royal; aqua; aquamarine;

Purple

also: berry;  amaranthine;

Pink

also: flushed; candy; cherry blossom; petal pink ; 

whatdoidowithmybainenglish:

There’s a writing tip I’ve heard a lot over the years claiming that a thesaurus can be your best friend because it can expand your vocabulary and help you avoid repetition. There are also posts floating around promoting the whole “said is dead” idea, bringing attention to the fact that there are many other words that could be used in place of “said.” While I think this is great and having an extended vocabulary is important, especially being a writer, this can also get you into trouble.

In lexical semantics (i.e. the study of word meanings), synonymy and antonymy are things that come up kind of a lot. One of the most basic ways that we humans conceptualize the world around us is by comparison–saying something is like something else, or the opposite of something. The same is true when ascertaining meaning. For example:

Person 1: So, what is a wolf?
Person 2: Well, it’s like a dog, but has x, y, and z features.

Person 1: What exactly does “day” mean?
Person 2: It’s not night, for one thing.

And so on.

One of the main features of language in general is that it’s efficient, or at least it tries to be. Taking this into account, it’s hard to believe that there would be two single words that express the same exact meaning. Even words that appear to have the same exact meaning, upon closer inspection, have subtle differences which makes them two separate words. They may belong in the same semantic field, but there’s still some tiny difference in meaning that warrants the existence of both.

Take, for example, the word scared. If you were to look this up in a thesaurus, you’d probably find words like afraid, terrified, andfrightened. Sure, they all have the same general meaning of a feeling inflicted by fear, but they’re not all the same. Each word is a varying degree of fear. Even afraid, despite being almost the same as scared, can’t always be used interchangeably without slightly changing the meaning of the entire clause  it’s a part of.

It’s really important to take this into account when writing. Take those advice posts with a grain of salt. Sure, those posts can give you a hundred different substitutes for the word “walk,” but if you really mean walk, don’t say ambleorsaunter because they’re entirely different types of walking. True synonyms don’t actually exist. Write exactly what you mean, and don’t try to flower it up by plugging in a bunch of words you found in a thesaurus.

If anyone has anything else to add, please do!

Show not tell “Happy”:

▪️Her cheeks glowed pink.

▪️He smiled, his brown eyes sparkling.

▪️She skipped across the room, humming a love song.

▪️He laid down with an amused smile on his face.

▪️Her hands clasped together and she squealed.

▪️She laughed, falling into the chair and holding her stomach.

▪️She jumped to her feet and cheered them on.

▪️She danced around her room, grinning wide.

▪️Her eyes teared with joy at the sight of her missing daughter.

▪️She wiggled her feet in the sheets, a soft sigh on her lips.

▪️Warm goosebumps broke out on her skin as she stared into his wonderful eyes.

▪️She waved her hands from side to side, twirling.

Notice that I’m not describing happy with “happy” synonyms: 

▪️She was ecstatic.

▪️She felt joyful.

▪️She looked cheery.

This is still telling and your readers won’t get the picture you’re trying to paint.

Example:

She felt so cheery and joyful. ✖️

Vs.

Her cheeks hurt from smiling as she skipped from the room, daydreaming and singing a love song. ✔️

Synonyms for “Walk”:

▪️Theystrolled through the garden hand in hand.

▪️Shetramped through the mud, her legs aching.

▪️Hehiked up the hill.

▪️The cat awoke and moseyed to her food bowl.

▪️Heprowled around the corner as the girl neared.

▪️Hemarched around the school yard, feeling proud.

▪️Sheambled into the kitchen with a yawn.

▪️Hewandered through the hallways, staring down at th map.

▪️Shetrodslowlyacross the old bridge, watching her feet.

▪️Heproceeded on his way after stopping for a drink.

▪️The boys trooped into the locker room after a long game.

▪️The boy and girl sauntered down the road.

▪️Sheplodded toward the house, having finished her jog.

▪️Hepatrolled up and down the street.

▪️The dogs roamed the open meadows.

A list of useful synonyms

• Argument:altercation, squabble
• Chaos: disorder, confusion, pandemonium
• Collect: assemble, cumulate, stock
• Difficult:arduous, strenuous
• Easy: effortless, painless
• Effort: elbow grease, expenditure, labor
• Happiness: contentement, cheerfulness, joy
• Help: assist, aid, succor
• Love: fondness, tenderness, adoration
• Money:capital, finances, currency
• Pain: affliction, agony, suffering
• Power:ability, potential
• Pleasure:delight, satisfaction, fulfilment
• Prejudice:preconception
• Pride:self-esteem, dignity, honour
• Purpose:motive, cause, impetus
• Reason: aim, objective, incentive
• Rich:affluent, moneyed, wealthy
• Strong:powerful, brawny, strapping
• Useful:handy, nifty, convenient
• Understand: comprehend, perceive

Do you ever find yourself over-using the word “shout” (or “shouted” or “shouting”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

• yell / yelled / yelling
• scream / screamed / screaming
• shriek / shrieked / shrieking
• bellow / bellowed / bellowing
• holler / hollered / hollering
• cheer / cheered / cheering
• bark / barked / barking
• squeal / squealed / squealing
• howl / howled / howling
• roar / roared / roaring
• hoot / hooted / hooting
• call / called / calling
• squawk / squawked / squawking
• screech / screeched / screeching
• exclaim / exclaimed / exclaiming
• whoop / whooped / whooping
• boom / boomed / booming
• whoop / whooped / whooping
• erupt / erupted / erupting
• cry out / cried out / crying out

(NOTE: Keep in mind that all of these words have slightly different meanings and are associated with different emotions/scenarios.)

Do you ever find yourself over-using the verb “laugh” (or “laughed” or “laughing”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

• giggle / giggled / giggling
• chuckle / chuckled / chuckling
• snicker / snickered / snickering
• cackle / cackled / cackling
• guffaw / guffawed / guffawing
• grin / grinned / grinning
• titter / tittered / tittering
• snort / snorted / snorting
• chortle / chortled / chortling
• howl / howled / howling
• roar / roared / roaring
• cachinnate / cachinnated / cachinnating
• snigger / sniggered / sniggering
• mock / mocked / mocking
• crack up / cracked up / cracking up
• bust a gut / busted a gut / busting a gut
• in stitches / in stitches / in stitches
• burst into laughter / burst into laughter / bursting into laughter
• die of laughter / died of laughter / dying of laughter
• split one’s sides / split one’s sides / splitting one’s sides

(NOTE: Keep in mind that all of these words have slightly different meanings and are associated with different emotions/scenarios.)

lower-east-side:

There really isn’t any better word for “kiss” than “kiss,” and I gotta stop opening the thesaurus and just accept it

rjalker:

critical-thinking-is-mandatory:

instead of calling an ‘evil’ character a psychopath, sociopath, psychotic, narcissistic  or etc. use any of these words instead:

• self-centered 
• violent
• manipulative
• remorseless
• wicked
• cunning
• mean
• abusive
• dangerous
• corrupt
• morally corrupt
• insensitive
• bully
• foul
• vile
• cruel
• aggressive
• threatening
• brutal 
• vicious
• rampaging
• out of control

because there are so many ways to describe someone as ‘bad’ than by assigning them a misunderstood, demonised personality disorder and if i see anyone using personality disorders as substitutes for evil then you’re getting blocked plain and simple.

Everyone always insist on arguing this point, so here’s another example.

Would you call a character autistic because you don’t like them? Would you call a character autistic to show how evil and terrible they are as a person?

No, of course you wouldn’t.

Then why do you think it’s okay to call them a sociopath or psychopath?

ibunnyreuni:

damselwrites:

White

also: pale; blanched; sallow; pallid; waxen; spectral; translucent; albino; 

Grey

also: dust; stone; pepper;  

Black

also:  coal; slate; dusky; ebon; shadow; murky; 

Tan

also: flesh; khaki; cream; tawny; 

Brown

also:  henna; russet; sepia; chestnut; cocoa; drab; bronze; 

Red

also: terracotta ; rouge; carmine;  fire-engine; ruddy

Orange

also:  pumpkin ; rust ; 

Yellow

also: sunny; amber; saffron; hay; straw; platinum; 

Green

also: viridescent; grass; jade; forest; 

Blue

also: turquoise; cyan; ultramarine; royal; aqua; aquamarine;

Purple

also: berry;  amaranthine;

Pink

also: flushed; candy; cherry blossom; petal pink ; 

—– source: http://ingridsundberg.com/

—–additional synonyms added by me

I will forever cherish this post. I’ve seen it a multiple of times; how foolish of me to not reblog this masterpiece the first time I see it UGH

thisiswhymomworries:

3tno:

thisiswhymomworries:

how many synonyms for “penis” do I actually know?

and how many of those synonyms am I actually willing to use

tier 1 (most accepted, considered sexy): cock, dick

tier 2 (generally accepted): length, manhood, member, shaft

tier 3 (clinical, too formal, but not cheesy): groin, penis, phallus

tier 4 (cheesy, barely acceptable): [insert name] Jr., dong, junk, knob, prick, rod, tool, wand, wood

tier 5 (ridiculous, unacceptable, pls don’t): anything to do with beer cans, baby-maker, bishop, choad, donger, dragon, fuck wand, fun stick, hog, johnson, jimmy, lap rocket, little [insert name], love muscle/rod/stick, meat stick, one-eyed [anything], piston, private eye, schlong, trouser snake, wiener, winkie

tier 6 (you’re literally a fourth grader): baby arm, baloney pony, beaver basher, beef whistle, custard launcher, dude piston, flesh flute, heat-seeking moisture missile, krull the warrior king, luigi, mayo shooting hotdog gun, meter long king kong dong, pig skin bus, piss weasle, purple-headed yogurt flinger, purple-helmeted warrior of love, schlong dongadoodle, single barreled pump action bollock, spawn hammer, steamin’ semen truck, tan banana, thundersword, wang doodle, whoopie stick, wing wang doodle, yogurt shotgun 

adventurecore-suggestions:

i love all the words we have that mean traveler. i love the shades of difference between wandererandramblerandrover. i love the boldness of adventurer and the purposefulness of explorer, the lawlessness of vagabond and the capability of wayfarer, the quiet reverence of pilgrim and the wild rootlessness of nomad.

emersonjydestein:

iguessweallcrazyithinktho:

as 

• while 
• when,
• whilst
•  even as
•  just as
•  just when
•  simultaneously as
•  so long as
•  at the moment that
•  at the same time that at the time that
•  in the act of
•  in the process of 
• on the point of
• during the time that
•  at the same time as
•  during the time
•  throughout the time
•  in the time
•  during which
•  during which time
• for the period that
•  at the same time
•  meanwhile
•  at the time
•  as long as
•  exactly when
•  at the very moment that
• at the very time that after
•  as soon as
•  immediately when
•  immediately after
• instantly when once

looked

• glanced 
• gazed 
• stared
• gaped
• peered
• focused 
•  peeped 
• peeked
• took a look
• taken a look 
• watched
• considered 
• saw 
• seen
• observed 
• viewed
• regarded
• marked 
• checked out
• glimpsed 
• spotted 
• eyed 
• took in 
• taken 
• in ogled
• eyeballed 
• beheld
• beholden 

before

• ahead
• back
• previously
• since
• sooner
• afore
• aforetime
• ante
• antecedently
• anteriorly
• before present
• ere
• fore
• former
• formerly
• forward
• gone
• gone by
• heretofore
• in advance
• in days of yore
• in front
• in old days
• in the past
• past
• precendently
• previous
• up to now

smiled

• beam
• grin
• laugh
• smirk
• simper
• be gracious
• express friendliness
• express tenderness
• look amused
• look delighted
• look happy
• look pleased

touch

• brush
• caress
• feel
• handle
• hit
• kiss
• lick
• pat
• reach
• rub
• strike
• stroke
• tap
• abut
• adjoin
• border
• communicate
• contact
• converge
• dab
• examine
• finger
• fondle
• frisk
• glance
• graze
• grope
• inspect
• join
• line
• manipulate
• march
• massage
• meet
• neighbor
• osculate
• palm
• palpate
• partake
• paw
• percuss
• pet
• probe
• push
• scrutinize
• sip
• smooth
• suck
• sweep
• tag
• taste
• thumb
• tickle
• tip
• toy
• verge
• be in contact
• butt on
• come together
• feel up
• impinge upon
• lay a finger on

exhaled

• breathe
• emit
• give off
• let out
• discharge
• eject
• emanate
• evaporate
• expel
• issue
• respire
• steam
• vaporize

nodded

• acknowledge
• bend
• bow
• greet
• respond
• salute
• acquiesce
• agree
• approve
• assent

passionate

• ardent
• dramatic
• eager
• eloquent
• emotional
• expressive
• fervent
• fierce
• fiery
• forceful
• heartfelt
• heated
• impassioned
• intense
• poignant
• spirited
• strong
• vehement
• violent
• zealous
• affecting
• animated
• blazing
• burning
• deep
• fervid
• flaming
• frenzied
• glowing
• headlong
• high-powered
• high-pressure
• hot
• hotblooded
• impetuous
• impulsive
• inspiring
• melodramatic
• moving
• precipitate
• quickened
• steamed up
• stimulated
• stirring
• thrilling
• warm
• wild

but

• although
• however
• nevertheless
• on the other hand
• still
• though
• yet

gasped

• choke
• snort
• whoop
• blow
• convulse
• gulp
• heave
• inhale
• inspire
• pant
• puff
• respire
• sniffle
• wheeze
• catch one’s breath
• fight for breath

frowned

• glare
• glower
• grimace
• pout
• gloom
• lower
• sulk
• cloud up
• do a slow burn
• give a dirty look
• give the evil eye
• knit brows
• look black
• look daggers
• look stern

movement

• act
• action
• change
• development
• evolution
• exercise
• flow
• migration
• move
• operation
• progress
• shift
• advance
• agitation
• alteration

swirled

• boil
• churn
• roil
• twirl
• whirl
• agitate
• coil
• crimp
• crisp
• curl
• eddy
• purl
• roll
• snake
• surge
• swoosh
• whirlpool
• whorl
• wriggle

posted by iguessweallcrazyithinktho

berlynn-wohl:

greenbergwrites:

This Tik Tok that just came across my FYP: “Will y’all authors stop using the word ‘cock’?? There’s so many other words!!”

Ma’am, respectfully, that is the least objectionable / most palatable word for that particular reproductive organ

and also respectfully, no, I will not stop

you want me to say “dick”? that’s just caffeine-free diet “cock”

I swear upon every cock in this world, you do not want me to use other words.

You do not want to be reading escapades of eroticism and suddenly stumble upon a gushing Gogurt-Gun, a throbbing flesh worm peeking out of its skin-turtleneck, a swinging sperm shooter, or the wet-eyed Cyclopian gaze of a seducer’s trouser-beast.

love-me-a-good-prompt:

Do you ever find yourself over-using the verb “laugh” (or “laughed” or “laughing”) in your writing? Try using these words instead:

• giggle / giggled / giggling
• chuckle / chuckled / chuckling
• snicker / snickered / snickering
• cackle / cackled / cackling
• guffaw / guffawed / guffawing
• grin / grinned / grinning
• titter / tittered / tittering
• snort / snorted / snorting
• chortle / chortled / chortling
• howl / howled / howling
• roar / roared / roaring
• cachinnate / cachinnated / cachinnating
• snigger / sniggered / sniggering
• mock / mocked / mocking
• crack up / cracked up / cracking up
• bust a gut / busted a gut / busting a gut
• in stitches / in stitches / in stitches
• burst into laughter / burst into laughter / bursting into laughter
• die of laughter / died of laughter / dying of laughter
• split one’s sides / split one’s sides / splitting one’s sides

(NOTE: Keep in mind that all of these words have slightly different meanings and are associated with different emotions/scenarios.)