synonymize

A student uses a thesaurus to synonymize a word in her essay.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To provide or create synonyms for a word: "synonymize" means to furnish a word with synonyms or to treat words as synonymous in a given context.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • The lexicographer worked to synonymize difficult vocabulary in the thesaurus. (To provide synonyms for challenging terms.)
  • In this essay, the author tends to synonymize 'happiness' and 'joy', though they have subtle differences. (To treat two words as synonyms.)

Advanced Usage

• "to synonymize with": to be regarded or used as synonymous with another word.
  • In informal speech, 'smart' is often synonymized with 'intelligent' without distinction. (They are treated as having the same meaning.)

Variants and Related Words

• Synonymization (n): the process or act of making words synonymous.

  • The synonymization of technical terms can lead to confusion in specialized fields. (The act of treating them as synonyms.)

• Synonymy (n): the relationship of being synonymous; a set of synonyms.

  • The synonymy between 'begin' and 'commence' is well-known. (Their equivalence in meaning.)

Synonyms

• Equate: to consider or treat as equal or equivalent.
• Identify: to regard as identical in meaning or function.

Related Idioms

• To put on the same footing: to treat as equivalent or synonymous.
  • In this dictionary, the two words are put on the same footing. (They are synonymized.)