Synonyms

Finding a synonym for a word is a common task in cryptic clues. It is often a short three- or four-letter word. Like the abbreviation examples, the synonym is often used in the same letter order. It is usually included as part of an anagram. Synonyms

 

A

About – ON

Abridge – TRIM

Absolutely not – NO

Accent – GRAVE

According to – PER

Account – ENTRY

Action – DEED

Activity – SPORT

Admit – GRANT

Advance – GO

Advantage – EDGE

Affection – LOVE

Afters – DESSERT

Against – CONTRA

Alarm – HORN

Allowance – RATION

Allusion – INUENDO

Alternative – OR

Always – EVER

America – USA

And not – NOR

Anger – RAGE

Arctic – COLD

Aristo – TOFF (as in aristocrats)

Arm – WEAPON

Army – MARTIAL

As – QUA (Latin)

As – SO

As one – UNITED

Assume– DON (as in dress, put on)

At home – IN

Attempt – GO (have a go)

Attempt – STAB

Attend – BE AT

Attitude – STAND

Authority – BOARD

Auction – SALE

Auction – SELL

Average – PAR

Away – OUT (as in away from home)

 

B

Badly – ILL

Bags – SACKS

Bank – RELY

Bank – TIER

Bap – ROLL

Barricade – WEIR

Batting – IN (as in cricket)

Battle – WAR

Bear – STAND

Beat – TAN

Became – GOT

Bench – FORM

Beside – BY

Big – FAT

Bit – PIECE

Bitter – ALE

Blame – RAP

Bloke – GUY

Blue – LOW

Blue-eyed girl – PET

Board – TABLE

Boast – CROW

Book – TOME

Boozer – SOT

Bound – SURE

Bowl – PITCH

Box – CHEST

Box – SPAR

Boy – LAD

Boy – SON

Boys – SONS

Bribe – OIL

Brochure – TRACT

Bury – INTER

Buzzer – BEE

By way of – VIA

 

C

Call – RING

Called – NAMED

Called – RANG

Came first – LED

Canal – DUCT

Canvas – SAIL

Cap – TAM (Scottish cap or bonnet)

Cap – HAT

Case – POD

Catches – LANDS

Centre – HUB

Certain – SURE

Chap – BOD

Chaps – MEN

Character – AIR (as in airs and graces)

Character – PART (in a play)

Charge – FEE

Charge – ION

Charge – RATE

Charges – WARDS

Charity – AID

Charisma – IT

Check – REIN

Checks – STEMS

Cheeky – PERT

Chewed food – CUD

Chosen – ELITE

Circuit – LAP

Class – CASTE

Class – GENUS

Cleavage – RENT

Clergy – CLOTH

Clergyman – MINISTER

Chicken – HEN

Christmas – NOEL

Clever – ABLE

Clip – PIN

Close – NEAR

Close to – BY

Clots – SETS

Club – BAT

Coffee – LATTE

Collection – LOT

Comic – MAGAZINE

Complaint – BEEF

Comrade – PAL

Concerning – ABOUT

Conduct – LEAD

Conscious – AWARE

Control – ORDER

Control – REIN

Cool – IN

Coppers – PENCE

Counterfeit – SHAM

Couple – DUO

Cover – LID

Craft – ART

Crash – BOOM

Craving – LUST

Craze – FAD

Cream – ELITE

Crew – HAND

Cricket match – TEST

Crop – CLIP

Cross – MULE (cross donkey/horse)

Crowd – RUCK

Cue – KEY

Cut – AXE

Cut off – HEW

Cut out – PARE

 

D

Dance – BALL

Deer – HIND

Delight – ELATION

Deliveries – OVER (as in cricket)

Depravity – VICE

Depression – SINK

Desire – YEN

Dessert – AFTERS

Diamonds – ICE

Dig – TILL

Disapproval – TUT

Disease – FLU

Distribute – DEAL

Disturbance – SCENE

Do – ACT

Dock – LOP

Dog – CUR

Dog – TRACE (as in follow)

Dole – RATION

Domestic – CHAR

Down – BLUE

Drain – SAP

Drill – MATERIAL (type of)

Drink – ALE

Drink – GIN

Drink – SIP

Drink – NIP

Drink – SUP

Dry -SEC

Drug smuggler – MULE

Dubious – IFFY

Duck – NIL

Ducks – BOBS

 

E

Eat – ETCH (as with acid)

Edge – END

Edge – HEM

Elected – IN

Elsewhere – OUT

Embrace – HUG

Employment – POST

Empty – BARE

Encountered – MET

End – AIM

Energy – GO

Entrance – GATE

Essential – KEY

European – POLE

Examination – ORAL

Examine – TEST

Excluding – SAVE

Exclusive – SWISH

Exists – IS

Exit – DIE

Experienced – OLD

Expert – ABLE

Expert – ACE

Exploit – USE

 

F

Fabric – LACE

Face – DIAL

Facilities – LOO (as in toilet)

Faction – PARTY

Factory – MILL

Family – KIN

Family – SKIN

Fashionable – IN

Fashion – FAD

Fast – LENT

Feasible – ON (as it’s on)

Feature – CHIN

Feeble – DIM

Feet – PAWS

Fell – MOOR

Female bird – HEN

Fight – VIE

Final sacrament – RITES

Fine – OK

Finish – CLOSE

Fire – SHOOT

First – BETTED

First – LED

First man – OPENER (as in cricket)

Fit – ABLE

Fit – AGUE (as in illness)

Flash – WINK

Flat – EVEN

Flat – PAD

Flea – MITE

Fly – SIDE

Follow – DOG

Fool – ASS

For example – SAY

Formal – PROPER

Free – RID

Founder – BOMB (as in a business or advertising campaign)

French cottage – GITE (a type of holiday accommodation)

Friend – ALLY

Friend – FAN

Friend – MATE

Friend – PAL

Frightening – SCARY

Fur – COAT

 

G

Gear – KIT

General – BROAD

Genius – BRAIN

Gentlemen – SIR

Get on – AGE

Gift – TALENT

Girl – LASS

Girl = MISS

Girl – SHE

Globe – ORB

Gloom – MUCK

Go – TURN (your turn to go)

Go after – SEEK

Go steady – DATE

God – MAKER

God – THOR

Going – BAN

Gosh – COR

Graciously – NOBLY

Gratuity – TIP

Green – VERT

Green light – GO

Greeting – HOLLA

Group – LOT

Group – RING

Group – SET

Group – SETS

Gun – ROD

Guy – CAT

 

H

Had a meal – ATE

Hairdo – PERM

Happy – UP

Head – NESS

Head – PATE

Head – TOP

Headland – NESS

Healthy – HALE

Hear – TRY

Heather – ERICA

Heather – LING

Held– HAD (as in owned)

Here in France – ICI

Hide – COAT (paint over)

Hill – TOR

Historical – PAST

Hits – BIFFS

Horrible – UGH

Hospital (in or within hospital) – WARD

Hundred – TON

Hut – SHED

 

I

I in Paris – JE

Idiot – ASS

Idiot – NIT

In camera – SECRET

In favour – FOR

In favour – PRO

Inaccuracy – LIE

Inferior – POOR

Infusion – TEA

Insect – FLY

Instruct – TELL

Intended – FIANCE

Intrinsically – PER SE

Invest – SINK

Isn’t – AINT

Issue – KID

Item – THING

Item of jewellery – RING

 

J

Jaunt – HOP (quick trip)

Jeer – RAIL

Jelly – GELS

Jerk – TIC

Job – POST

John – LOO (as in the slang for toilet)

Joke – CHAFF

Joke – GAG

Journalist – PRESS

Judge – REF

Judge – TRY

Jug – EWER

Jumper – ROO (after the kangaroo character)

Junior – UNDER

 

K

Keeping – CARE

Kid – TOT

 

L

Label – TAG

Labour – TOIL

Lads – BOYS

Land – TRACT

Law – RULE

Leading – TOP

Leading – UP

Leave – GO

Leaves – EXITS

Left-winger – RED (as in politics)

Length – SPAN

Less water – DRIER

Letters – POST

Level – TIED (as in even score)

Lever – PRISE

Lie – SHAM

Lies – FIBS

Like this – SO

Lines – VERSE (as in poetry)

Lip – RIM

Lit up – ON

Little girl – MISS

Little piece of land – ISLE

Live – BE (be alive)

Lives – IS

Local – PUB

Lock – TRESS (of hair)

Look – LO

Look – AIR (as in appearance)

Look cheerful – SMILE

Loose woman – TART

Lot – OODLES

Low – MOO

 

M

Mains – SEAS

Make notes – SING

Makes public – OUTS (verb)

Managed – RAN

Marijuana – GRASS

Mark – COLON (as in punctuation)

Mark – DOT

Marriage – ALLIANCE

Material – RE

Mature – RIPE

Meal – LUNCH

Meet – FIT

Mine – PIT

Minor – WEE (as in small)

Misdeeds – SIN

Moan – BEEF

Model – CAR

Model – SIT

Money – ANTE (as in a bet)

Moor – FELL

Music phrase – RIFF

 

N

Naughty – RACY

Need – WANT

Nevertheless – BUT

Noise – SOUND

Nonsense – ROT

North African – MOOR

Nose – SNOOP

Not favoured – OUT

Not on – OFF

Not once – NEVER

Not paired – ODD

Note – any letter from A – G (musical notes)

Notes – IOUS (as in debts)

Notice – BILL

Not over – ON

Nothing – ZIP

Now – TODAY

Nugget – MASS

 

O

Obscure – DIM

Occupied – BUSY

Of course – SURELY

Offensive – RANK

Old – SQUARE

On – LEG (as in cricket’s onside)

On account of – FOR

On holiday – AWAY

On the telly – AIRED

One – ACE

Ones – ACES

Only – SOLE

Open – OUT

Opportunity – CHANCE

Organised – RAN

Our lot – WE

Out of bed – UP

Outlets – VENTS

 

P

Pain – STING

Pair – BRACE

Pair – MATE (verb)

Pale – WAN

Panic – STATE

Part – ROLE

Party – DO as in ‘a do’

Party – REVEL

Passion – HEAT

Pasta – NOODLES

Pay – FOOT (as in foot the bill)

Peculiar – RUM

Peer – EARL

People – NATION

People of fashion – TON (French)

Performance – SHOW

Performed – DID

Performer – DOER

Performing – ON (on stage)

Phone – RING

Photographed – SHOT

Piece of land – TRACT

Pig – BOAR

Pilot – TEST

Pine – ACHE

Pit – DIVE

Pixie – IMP

Place – PUT

Plane – JET

Player – MAN

Players – ACTORS

Players – CAST

Plot – BED (as in garden)

Poem – ODE

Point – TINE

Police – LAW

Policeman – PLOD

Policy – LINE (as in line of approach)

Poor actor – HAM

Popular – IN

Popular support – IN (as with the in crowd)

Possess – HAS

Post – SEND

Post – SHIP

Present – NOW

Prison – STIR

Prisoner – FAG

Prisoner – LAG

Privy – LOO

Pro – FOR

Problem – SUM (as in mathematics)

Procedure – OP (as in operation)

Proper – PRIM

Proposed – TABLED

Provided – IF

Pub – BAR

Pub – LOCAL

Public – OUT

Public – OVERT

Puck – IMP

Puff – PANT

Purpose – END

Purpose – USE

Pussy – CAT

Put – PARK

Put on – ADD

Put down – BURY

 

Q

Quarrel – TIFF

Queue – STRING

Quick – PRESTO

Quote – CITE

 

R

Racetrack – LAP

Raises – REARS

Read – STUDY

Ready – RIPE

Ready – SET (as in get set, go)

Reckless – RASH

Record – LOG

Record – WRITE

Recorded item – ENTRY

Records – TAPES

Regarding – OVER

Relatives – KIN

Repeat – STRESS

Report – CRACK

Resentment – IRE

Reserve – BOOK

Resolution – END

Rest – PLACE (as in RIP)

Restrained – TIED

Retreat – DEN

Revealing – OUTING

Revel – RIOT

Review – CRITIC

Revolutionary – CHE

Revolutionary – RED

Rich – FAT

Riding – UP

Roar – BOOM

Roguish – ARCH

Roll – LIST

Roughly – OR SO

Round – LAP

Round – SANDWICH

Rubbish – DROS

Rubbish – LITTER

Rubbish – PAP

Rubbish – ROT

Rugby players – SCRUM

Rugby players  – PACK

Rum – ODD

Runs – EXTRA

Runs – LOPES

 

S

Sadly – ALAS

Sailor – JACK

Sailor – RATING

Sailor – SALT

Sailor – TAR

Sauce – LIP

Savage – WILD

Say – STATE

Scholar – SAGE

Scoffed – FED

Search – QUEST

Sees – SPOTS

Send – POST

Send – SHIP

Senior – AGED

Set aside – ALLOW

Sex – IT

Share – CUT

Shed – THROWN

Shift – BUDGE

Shirt – TEE

Shock – HAIR

Short – CURT

Short – GIN

Short – RUM

Short – TERSE

Short while – SPELL

Show impatience – TUT

Shower – PEPPER

Side – FLY

Side – WING

Sign – BADGE

Sign – OMEN

Silent – MUM

Silver – OLD (as in hair)

Since – AGO

Sister – NUN

Skill – ART

Skilled – ACE

Slate – PAN

Slaughter – CULL

Sleep – REM

Slice off – SEVER

Sliced – CUT

Small – MICRO

Smallest room – LOO

Smell – PONG

Smooth – ROLL (v)

Social worker = ANT

Solder – JOIN

Some – ANY

Son – LAD

Song – LAY

Spectators – GATE (as in paying spectators)

Speed of sound – MACH

Spirit – RUM

Sport – REC (as in recreation)

Spot of bother – JAM

Spotted – SEEN

Spray – HOSE

Spread – RANGE

Spring – SPA

Spring – WELL

Spy – MOLE

Squall – GALE

Stage – DAIS

Stage – LEG (of a journey)

Standard – POST (as in flag post)

Start – OPEN

Steamy – HOT

Stew – HOTPOT

Stick – CANE

Stick – POLE

Still – BUT

Still – STATIC

Stock – STORE

Stone – ROCK

Stop – BAR

Stop – HALT

Stop – QUIT

Stop – RED

Store – BIN

Story – LIE

Stray – ERR (verb)

Stretch – SPACE

Strong – POTENT

Struggled – VIED

Study – DEN

Study – Read (verb)

Stuff – MATERIAL

Sturdy – STOUT

Style – MODE

Substance – CONTENT

Support – ALLY

Support – BACK

Support – BRA

Support – LEG

Support – PROP

Support – REST

Support – TEE

Supporter – BRA

Supporter – FAN

Sweep – PAN

Sweet – DESSERT

 

T

Take in – EAT

Tank – VAT

Tax – LEVY

Taxi – CAB

Tea – CHA

Teacher – RABI

Team – SIDE

That group – THEM

The – DAS, DIE or DER (as in German)

The foreign – LA, LE, etc

The French – LA or LE

The French uprising – reverse la (the) for AL

The Spanish – EL (in Spanish)

The girl – SHE

Therefore – ERGO

Thus – SO

Tiddler – FRY

Tier – ROW

Time spent – LIVED

To call – PHONE

To eat – DINE

To eat – HAVE

Tolerated – BORNE

Took food – ATE

Tooth – COG

Top – LID

Top – SURFACE

Total – SUM

Tourist attraction – SIGHT

Trademark – BRAND

Travel – GO

Tricky question – TEASE

Trouble – AIL

Trouble, fuss – ADO

Troubles – PAINS

Travel – GO

Trial – TEST

Tries – HEARS (as in a court case)

Truth – FACT

Try – Hear (as in court)

Tucked in – ATE

Turn – ACT (as in next on stage)

Turn – GO

Twitching – TIC

 

U

Umpire – REF

Unchanged – AS IS

Underground worker – MINER

Uniform – EVEN

Unfashionable – OUT

Unwell – AIL

 

V

Vault – TOMB

Vehicle – BUS

Very – MOST

Very – SO

Very dry – BRUT

Vessel – PAN

Vessel – POT

View – SEE

View – SIGHT

Visiting – AT

 

W

Walk – MALL

Was first – LED

Watch – TICKER

Weak – LAME

Weight – TARE

Well – OK

Well – SO

When – AS

Whip – LASH

White – PALE

Wine – ASTI

Wine – PORT

Winning – UP

Wisdom – LORE

Within reach – HANDY

With German – MIT

Without – MINUS

Without exception – ALL

Wolf – EAT (as in wolf down)

Work – GO

Work – LINE (of work)

Work – PLY

Worker – ANT

Worker – BEE

Worker – HAND

Worker – MAN

Working – ON (as in on duty)

Works – MILL

World – ORB

Wretched – LORN (archaic)

Write – PEN

Writer – PENS

Wrong – SIN

Wrong – TORT

 

Y

Yank – TUG

Yell – RANT

Yes – RIGHT

You – THOU

You – TU (in French)

You and I – US or WE

Young fellow – CUB

Note: The foreign – this could be any foreign word meaning “the”. For example, LE (in French) and so on.

Examples

1] Bury stick, leaving evidence finally for detectives (8).

The definition word is “detectives”. For bury use the word INTER. For stick use POLE. Leaving evidence finally is the letter manipulation flag for you to remove the E, the last letter of “pole”, to give you the anagram INTERPOL. The answer, of course, is “interpol”.

2] Pussy eats stewed bream or some other sea food (8). Use the synonym for pussy CAT. Stewed is an anagram flag. CATBREAM is the anagram, and the answer is “crabmeat”.

3] Sadly never having had food, daughter becomes exhausted (9). The synonym here is “having had food”. Note the use of the negative to deliberately mislead you with “never having had food” but this is the wrong interpretation. Sadly is the anagram flag indicating you use NEVER in your answer. For “having food” use the synonym ATE. Use D for the abbreviation of daughter, for the full anagram ATEDNEVER. The answer is “enervated”.

4] Skipper’s on call, being top manager (10). Two synonyms here, use MASTER for skipper and RING for call (making a call). “On” tells you that “call” comes first. The answer is “ringmaster”.

5] Adopt a series of steps to disappear quickly (4,6). Use TAKE for adopt, and FLIGHT for a flight of stairs (series of steps). The answer is “take flight”.

6] Absolutely great in play (7). Two synonyms here. Use TALL for great, and TOY for play, to get the anagram TALLTOY. Answer is “totally”.

7] Suggestions from open individuals (9). Another two synonyms. Use OVERT for open and ONES for individuals. The answer is “overtones”.

8] Cunning plan, petrol as driving force (10). Cunning is the anagram flag for PLAN PETROL. Note the misplaced comma! The answer is “propellant”.

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By Nigel Benetton

Last updated: Monday, 21st March 2022