Synonyms list
A synonym is a word that means the same, or nearly the same, as another word: big and large, quick and fast. This list gives common words with their synonyms, and the antonyms, or opposites, of the describing words.
Free printable PDF, 2nd grade to 5th grade.
One page, black and white, prints the same every time.
What is on the sheet
Describing words
| Word | Synonyms | Antonyms |
|---|---|---|
| big | large, huge, giant, enormous | small, little |
| small | little, tiny, miniature | big, large |
| happy | glad, cheerful, joyful | sad, unhappy |
| sad | unhappy, gloomy, miserable | happy, cheerful |
| angry | mad, annoyed, furious | calm, pleased |
| scared | afraid, frightened, terrified | brave, fearless |
| fast | quick, speedy, rapid | slow |
| smart | clever, bright, wise | foolish |
| good | great, fine, excellent | bad, poor |
| pretty | beautiful, lovely, attractive | ugly, plain |
| funny | silly, amusing, hilarious | serious |
| quiet | silent, hushed, still | loud, noisy |
| cold | chilly, cool, freezing | hot, warm |
| old | ancient, elderly, antique | new, young |
| tired | sleepy, weary, exhausted | rested, lively |
| kind | caring, gentle, friendly | mean, unkind |
| wet | damp, soaked, soggy | dry |
Action words
| Word | Synonyms |
|---|---|
| walk | stroll, march, wander, stride |
| run | race, dash, sprint, jog |
| look | glance, stare, peek, gaze |
| eat | munch, nibble, gobble, devour |
| throw | toss, pitch, fling, hurl |
| jump | leap, hop, bounce, spring |
| laugh | giggle, chuckle, cackle |
| cry | weep, sob, wail, whimper |
| shout | yell, scream, bellow |
| like | enjoy, love, adore |
| make | build, create, form |
| help | aid, assist, support |
Choosing the right synonym
Synonyms are close in meaning but rarely the same. Big and enormous both describe size, but an enormous dog is much bigger than a big one. Throw, toss and hurl all send something through the air, with very different force. Picking the word that matches how much, how fast or how strong makes writing clearer.
Before swapping a word, read the sentence out loud with the new one in it. "The room was quiet" can become "the room was still." "Speak in a quiet voice" cannot become "speak in a still voice," so there still is the wrong choice and hushed or soft fits better.
Synonyms and antonyms by grade
2nd grade sorts closely related verbs and adjectives by shades of meaning, such as toss, throw and hurl (CCSS L.2.5b). 3rd grade describes how close words differ, like knew, believed and suspected (L.3.5c), and 4th grade explains words by their antonyms and synonyms (L.4.5c). 5th grade uses them to work out what a new word means (L.5.5c).
Common questions
- What is the difference between a synonym and an antonym?
- A synonym means the same or nearly the same, as glad does for happy. An antonym means the opposite, as sad does for happy.
- Can a word have more than one antonym?
- Yes. Small and little are both antonyms of big. A word with more than one meaning can have different antonyms too: the opposite of hard in "a hard test" is easy, and in "a hard rock" it is soft.