Synonyms are words related to each other by special relationships. They are characterized by similarities, but nevertheless, absolute coincidences among the samples of such vocabulary are quite rare.
General information
Synonyms are words used to denote the same object or concept: food, food, food. Their spelling can be completely different, as in the previous example. In addition, there are synonyms of the same root: save - save, little book - little book. They have a mismatch in the spelling of individual morphemes.
The whole group of words serving to define one concept is called a synonymous series. It usually has a dominant word - the one that expresses the meaning most accurately. For example, an object of considerable size can be called large, huge, huge, gigantic, rather big. In this group, the pivotal word is "big", the rest add clarifying shades to the general meaning.
Comparison
Words of the considered category are subject to comparison according to different criteria. Let's list the signs that can make up the difference between synonyms from each other:
- Shades of lexical meaning. In this case, words express, for example, the degree of manifestation of something (heat - hell), the nature of the action (open - open) or the level of concretization (cook - extinguish).
- Style. Here we are talking about synonyms belonging to different spheres of communication or related to one or another literary style. For example, the word "steal" in this sense is neutral. In colloquial speech, the same action is expressed with the help of the synonym "to steal", in the book style "to abduct" is used, carriers of the thieves' jargon say "to cut".
- Emotional and evaluative characteristics. Some synonyms that call one concept allow us to show a different attitude towards it: the sun - the sun (affectionately), nondescript - shabby (dismissively), travel - to drive around (sometimes playfully).
- Imagery. For example, an understanding, noble person can be characterized by the simple word "good". But often in this case, the phrase "golden man" is used.
- The degree of modernity. In the language there are always words that have recently appeared, are gradually falling out of use and obsolete. And here synonyms also play a role. In the presented pairs of words, the modern version of the name is first used, and then archaism: palm - hand, speak - say, only - just, hope - hope.
- Lexical compatibility. What is the difference between synonyms from this point of view? In that they can successfully associate with different numbers of words. Take, for example, synonyms quickly and headlong. The first of them is combined with a mass of words denoting all kinds of actions: go, remember, sew, write, turn, grab, lift, button, etc. But headlong it connects only with a few verbs, the meaning of which is associated exclusively with running: run, run out, rush, rush.
