Olympiad Notes: Synonyms | English Olympiad class 5 PDF Download

Introduction

Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings. They help make writing and speech more interesting by offering alternative ways to express ideas. Knowing synonyms also helps you improve your vocabulary.

What Are Synonyms?

Synonyms are words that mean the same or are similar to each other. They can replace one another without changing the meaning of a sentence. For example, the words "big" and "large" are synonyms because they both describe something of great size.

Examples of Synonyms

• Happy: joyful, cheerful, delighted, glad
  Sentence Example:
  "She felt happy after winning the prize."
  (The word "happy" can be replaced by "joyful" or "glad.")

• Fast: quick, speedy, rapid
  Sentence Example:
  "The car is fast."
  ("Fast" can be replaced by "speedy.")

• Beautiful: pretty, lovely, attractive
  Sentence Example:
  "The garden looks beautiful."
  (You could also say, "The garden looks lovely.")

• Big: large, huge, enormous, gigantic
  Sentence Example:
  "The dog was big."
  (You could also say, "The dog was large.")

• Small: tiny, little, minute, compact
  Sentence Example:
  "She held a small kitten."
  ("Small" can be replaced by "tiny.")

• Smart: clever, intelligent, bright, wise
  Sentence Example:
  "He is very smart."
  (You could also say, "He is very intelligent.")

• Angry: mad, furious, upset, irritated
  Sentence Example:
  "He was angry at his friend."
  ("Angry" can be replaced by "upset.")

• Quiet: silent, calm, peaceful, still
  Sentence Example:
  "The classroom was quiet."
  (You could say, "The classroom was silent.")

• Easy: simple, effortless, straightforward
  Sentence Example:
  "The test was easy."
  ("Easy" can be replaced by "simple.")

• Sad: unhappy, gloomy, sorrowful, downcast
  Sentence Example:
  "She felt sad."
  ("Sad" can be replaced by "unhappy.")

• Strong: powerful, sturdy, robust
  Sentence Example:
  "The bridge is strong."
  ("Strong" can be replaced by "sturdy.")

• Cold: chilly, cool, icy, frosty
  Sentence Example:
  "The weather is cold."
  (You could also say, "The weather is chilly.")

• Hot: warm, scorching, blazing
  Sentence Example:
  "The day was hot."
  ("Hot" can be replaced by "scorching.")

• Brave: courageous, fearless, bold
  Sentence Example:
  "She was brave."
  ("Brave" can be replaced by "courageous.")

• Funny: humorous, amusing, comical
  Sentence Example:
  "The movie was funny."
  (You could also say, "The movie was humorous.")

• Friend: buddy, pal, companion, mate
  Sentence Example:
  "He is my friend."
  (You could also say, "He is my buddy.")

• Rich: wealthy, affluent, well-off
  Sentence Example:
  "The man is rich."
  ("Rich" can be replaced by "wealthy.")
• Poor: needy, impoverished, destitute
  Sentence Example:
  "The family was poor."
  (You could say, "The family was needy.")
• Quick: fast, swift, rapid
  Sentence Example:
  "He made a quick decision."
  ("Quick" can be replaced by "swift.")
• Clean: spotless, tidy, neat
  Sentence Example:
  "The room was clean."
  ("Clean" can be replaced by "tidy.")
• Bright: shining, glowing, radiant
  Sentence Example:
  "The light was bright."
  ("Bright" can be replaced by "radiant.")
• Lazy: idle, sluggish, inactive
  Sentence Example:
  "He was feeling lazy."
  (You could also say, "He was feeling sluggish.")
• Old: ancient, elderly, aged
  Sentence Example:
  "My grandfather is old."
  ("Old" can be replaced by "elderly.")
• Young: youthful, juvenile, fresh
  Sentence Example:
  "She is young."
  ("Young" can be replaced by "youthful.")
• Hard: difficult, tough, challenging
  Sentence Example:
  "The math problem was hard."
  ("Hard" can be replaced by "difficult.")
• Soft: gentle, smooth, delicate
  Sentence Example:
  "The blanket is soft."
  (You could also say, "The blanket is gentle.")
• Kind: nice, caring, gentle, compassionate
  Sentence Example:
  "She is a kind person."
  ("Kind" can be replaced by "caring.")
• Safe: secure, protected, sheltered
  Sentence Example:
  "He felt safe at home."
  (You could also say, "He felt secure at home.")
• New: fresh, recent, modern
  Sentence Example:
  "He bought a new phone."
  (You could also say, "He bought a modern phone.")
• Old-fashioned: outdated, antique, ancient
  Sentence Example:
  "The style is old-fashioned."
  ("Old-fashioned" can be replaced by "outdated.")

Using Synonyms to Improve Writing

Using the same word repeatedly makes sentences boring. Synonyms help you avoid repetition and make your writing more engaging.

• Boring Sentence: "He is very smart, and his friends are smart too."
• Improved Sentence: "He is very intelligent, and his friends are bright too."

Practice with Synonyms

Q1. Choose the synonym for "start."
(a) begin
(b) end
(c) stop
(d) finish
Ans: (a) begin

Q2. Which of the following is a synonym for "small"?
(a) huge
(b) tiny
(c) large
(d) tall
Ans: (b) tiny

Q3. Fill-in-the-Blank Question:
"The room was very dark, but soon the sun made it __________."
(a) bright
(b) small
(c) fast
(d) heavy
Ans: (a) bright

Tips for Learning Synonyms

• Use a Dictionary or Thesaurus: Look up words you don’t know and check for their synonyms.
• Practice in Sentences: Write sentences using new synonyms you learn to remember them better.
• Play Word Games: Engage in crossword puzzles or synonym matching games to improve your vocabulary.

Synonyms are essential for improving both your writing and speaking skills. They help you express yourself better and keep your audience interested.