Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Quickly Finding Synonyms.
Long-time users of Word know that the program offers several different writing tools you can use, such as a spell checker, grammar checker, and thesaurus. You can easily find synonyms for a word (from the thesaurus, of course) by right-clicking on a word and then choosing Synonyms from the resulting Context menu.
As you are using this feature, you may notice that it is not available at all times or, if it is available, it may not offer any real synonyms. This is because Word may not know of any synonyms (particularly if it cannot determine how a word is being used) or if there simply aren't any. In addition, there are no synonyms available if the original word is in a bulleted list, a numbered list, if it is misspelled, part of a marked grammar error, or if it is part of a hyperlink.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13010) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Quickly Finding Synonyms.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Smart quotes look great in a document, but may not be right for all instances of quote marks or apostrophes. If you need to ...
Discover MoreOne of the most common symbols that can be added to a document is the copyright mark. This tip examines several ways you can ...
Discover MoreType three periods in a row, and the AutoCorrect feature in Word kicks in to exchange that sequence for a special ellipses ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-12-09 07:00:18
Jim Stevens
Or you can use the keyboard shortcut for the thesaurus: Shift + F7
2014-03-17 13:55:47
John Shiffler
Just a note in reference to "there are no synonyms available if the original word is in a bulleted list, a numbered list..."
I am able to use the right-click synonym function with text in both bulleted and numbered lists.
Using Word 2010 (SP2) 32-bit in Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Comments