Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”

You are doing everything possible to make your writing better, tighter, and more interesting, but are you still using “dead words?” These are words that are simply just too plain, bland, and vague to be included in your awesome writing. One of the most notorious “dead words” is “said.” But dialogue is important! I hear you. It is also important to show readers exactly how something is communicated. Think: what emotion is behind this dialogue? What picture do I want to paint? This is where synonyms come in handy.  To help you get started, we compiled a list of alternatives to the dreaded “said.” With this list, you are sure to find a perfect fit for every “said” in your writing.

 

141 synonyms to use for the word "said".

 

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With experience as an English literature teacher and freelance writer, Elaine brings her knack for revision to the editorial team. She started at the University of Central Florida in 2005, and she holds degrees in English Literature and Language Arts Education with an additional minor in writing. As a parenting blogger, she enjoys writing about her adventures with her toddler daughter and husband as they take advantage of living where the rest of the world vacations.

3 Comments on “Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”

  1. I want to become an author, and through every site I’ve explored thus far for writing tips, this is the first one to suggest that we should use alternatives to “said” in dialogue. Their reasoning is because said is ordinary and authors constantly use it, the reader tends to skip over the word right to the action and important information, whereas overdoing alternatives tends to distract the reader. I personally like using alternatives because I find said boring and redundant after a while. Your thoughts on this?

  2. Jenelle: far from distracting, these synonyms add colour and variety to your writing. Overusing them is a no-no and judging that takes practice but, yeah, use them, use them a lot in many types of writing.

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