Word’s Thesaurus suggests synonyms and related words for selected text. It is useful for finding alternatives, but the suggestions can have different meanings or tone.
- Select the word you want to reconsider.
- Open Review > Thesaurus, or use Word’s contextual synonym command where available.
- Review the suggested alternatives in the pane/menu.
- Choose a replacement only after checking that it fits the sentence’s meaning and grammar.
Shortcut
In many desktop versions of Word, Shift+F7 opens thesaurus/research tools for the selected word.
Synonyms are not interchangeable
Words can differ in formality, connotation, regional use, and grammatical pattern. Read the entire sentence after replacing a word.
Proofing language matters
Word’s language setting influences proofing and reference tools. If suggestions are missing or in the wrong language, check the selected text’s proofing language and installed language resources.
Using the Editor pane
Newer Word versions can integrate synonym and writing suggestions with Microsoft Editor as well as the traditional Thesaurus pane. If an older screenshot does not match, search the Review tab or right-click the selected word rather than assuming the reference feature was removed.
Technical terms
For specialized writing, a thesaurus can suggest a word that sounds smoother but is technically wrong. Verify terminology against a domain reference when precision matters, particularly in legal, medical, scientific, or software documentation.
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