Theme
People and roles: synonyms worth the distinction
Nouns for people carry judgement whether you intend it or not. An adviser and a consultant do similar work and are paid very differently. Words here often shift register rather than meaning.
Start hereOne per tier, easiest first
assistantnounhelpa person who contributes to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purposeFoothillsHas a reason linechapnounfellowa boy or manTreelineHas a reason lineaboriginaladjectivenativecharacteristic of or relating to people inhabiting a region from the beginningRidgelineHas a reason line
The whole shelfGrouped by difficulty tier
FoothillsTier 1 · everyday words · 19 words
Words you already use, paired with a synonym you probably also know.
- assistantnounhelp
- babynounbabe
- boyfriendnounfellow
- childnounbaby
- datenounappointment
- daughternoungirl
- destinynounfate
- federaladjectiveunion
- fellownouncolleague
- figurenounname
- geniusnounwonder
- ladynounmadam
- powernounelectricity
- principalnounhead
- regularadjectiveeven
- sonnounboy
- successnounwinner
- toastverbdrink
- typenouncase
TreelineTier 2 · one step up · 19 words
Familiar words, with a synonym that sits slightly outside daily speech.
- allynounfriend
- alternativeadjectivesubstitute
- chapnounfellow
- companynouncaller
- competitionnounrival
- divineadjectiveinspired
- doctornounphysician
- dognounheel
- examinernouninspector
- exoticadjectivealien
- generatornounsource
- jokernounturkey
- masternounmaestro
- offspringnounissue
- shooternounshot
- successornounreplacement
- targetnounprey
- terrornounthreat
- thickadjectivedense
RidgelineTier 3 · solid vocabulary · 42 words
The middle of the bank, where the near misses start to bite.
- aboriginaladjectivenative
- activeadjectiveparticipating
- advisernounconsultant
- amateuradjectiveunpaid
- apparitionnounphantom
- austereadjectivespartan
- auxiliaryadjectivesupplemental
- avatarnounincarnation
- bearernounholder
- bossyadjectivedominating
- bullnounbruiser
- bumnounloafer
- captainnounchieftain
- carriernounbearer
- companynouncaller
- doernounactor
- dopeyadjectivefoolish
- engagedadjectivebetrothed
- fanaticnounfiend
- fixturenounregular
- geniusnounwonder
- gitnounrat
- mannequinnounmodel
- masternounmaestro
- nobleadjectiveimposing
- operatornounmanipulator
- playernounparticipant
- primitiveadjectivearchaic
- saintlyadjectiveangelic
- sendernountransmitter
- speakernountalker
- strikernounhitter
- stupendousadjectivecolossal
- stupidnoundolt
- supernaturalnounoccult
- sweetadjectiveangelic
- thickadjectivedense
- toastverbdrink
- uncivilizedadjectivewild
- utilityadjectivesubstitute
- veteranadjectiveseasoned
- youngsternounkid
High CampTier 4 · testing · 30 words
Words that turn up in serious reading rather than in conversation.
- amateurishadjectiveunskilled
- automatonnounzombie
- breakawayadjectiveseparatist
- changernounmodifier
- destroyernounwaster
- dictatornounauthoritarian
- dictatorialadjectivetyrannical
- divineadjectiveinspired
- egocentricadjectiveselfish
- engagedadjectivebetrothed
- fledglingadjectivecallow
- fractiousadjectivecranky
- frumpnoundog
- hedonisticadjectiveepicurean
- heraldnountrumpeter
- instigatornounfirebrand
- nondescriptadjectivecharacterless
- nutnounjunky
- organizernounarranger
- ownernounpossessor
- parasiticadjectivebloodsucking
- pillarnounmainstay
- ramshackleadjectivederelict
- relievernouncomforter
- roguishadjectivedevilish
- southpawnounlefty
- swimmernounbather
- tenantnounrenter
- umpirenounarbiter
- unsophisticatedadjectivehick
SummitTier 5 · rare and formal · 8 words
The rare register: literary, legal and technical English.
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