other words for said in an essay

14 Other Words for “Said” in an Essay

You want to sound as engaging and interesting as possible when writing an essay, and using words like “said” might prevent that.

So, if you’re about to use “said” for the umpteenth time, you’re in luck!

We have gathered some alternatives to show you other ways to say “said” in an essay that are bound to keep the reader entertained.

Other Ways to Say “Said”

Key takeaways.

• “Stated” is a great essay word that shows you are quoting a specific statement from a trustworthy source.
• “Declared” is a great way to describe an announcement or official quote.
• “Mentioned” is a bit simpler and allows you to highlight a quote that’s relevant to your essay.

Keep reading to find out how to quote what someone said in an essay. We’ll go over the three most effective terms to help spice up your academic writing.

One of the most common ways to replace “said” in an essay is “stated.” It’s a great formal synonym that helps to keep things direct and clear for the reader.

It works well before a quote. You should write “stated” to clarify that you’re about to run a quote by the reader.

Of course, you can’t claim that someone “stated” something without backing it up with evidence.

The last thing you’ll want is for the reader to look into the quote and find out it was never actually said.

But, as long as you’ve done your research, this works well. Good academic phrases that start with “stated” help you to establish a clear quote relating to the bulk of your essay.

These essay samples will also help you understand it:

It’s clear that he stated “time is the killer of all things.” However, nobody really understood the prophetic meaning behind it.

She stated that “it’s time to make the changes you want to see in the world.” That’s what led most people to join the revolution.

For a more impactful alternative, you can use “declared.”

You won’t find “declared” quite as often as “said,” but it’s still an incredibly good term to include.

It’s a formal synonym. It also shows that someone announced something important .

Generally, “declared” comes before compelling quotes. It might be more suitable to use it when quoting a famous politician or monarch of some kind.

It’s a surefire way to engage the reader and spark their imagination.

We highly recommend it when you’re certain that it belongs before a quote and will allow you to establish a more powerful meaning behind it.

Perhaps these essay samples will also help you with it:

The king declared “good things will come to those who ask me for them.” He was a very proud man.

She declared that “this was going to be the only time she offered her services to those in need.”

Feel free to use “mentioned,” too. It’s another word you can use instead of “said” in an essay that’ll keep things engaging for the reader.

It’s much subtler than the other phrases. It suggests that someone has made a brief comment about something, and you’d like to quote it for the reader.

Don’t worry; it’s still a good formal synonym. However, you should use it when the quote isn’t the most important part of your essay.

Quotes are there to add a bit of context for the reader. So, they’re not always needed to improve an essay.

“Mentioned” is a simple word that allows you to include a short but interesting quote . However, it usually isn’t as impactful as saying something like “declared” or “exclaimed.”

You can also refer to these essay examples:

The politician mentioned that “we cannot know what we haven’t already experienced.” That resonated with me.

It was clear that he mentioned “things were bound to change soon,” so they had to figure out what he meant.

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General Education

One of the words that comes up most commonly in various types of writing, from fiction to academic writing, is the word “said.” Any time a writer is referencing the words or thoughts expressed by another person, whether that be thoughts expressed verbally or in writing, an appropriate way to introduce--or attribute--that person’s thoughts is with the phrase “said.” 

But if you’re incorporating a lot of quotations in your writing, you might find yourself repeating  the word “said” a lot. Repeating the same phrase in a piece of writing can start to feel monotonous, which is why incorporating synonyms or an oft-used word or phrase can make your writing more interesting and accurate. But here’s some good news: there are tons of other words for “said” out there for you to use! 

To help you build a repertoire of words to replace “said,” we’re going to do the following in this article: 

• Explain the importance of using word variety and avoiding repetition of the same word in your writing
• Explain when to use “said” and when not to use “said” 
• Provide a comprehensive list of alternative words for “said,” organized into categories based on emotion and intention

Ready to check out some synonyms for “said”? Then let’s get going!

Other Words for Said 

To give you the most comprehensive and easy-to-navigate list, we’ve organized our list into two main categories: first, we’re including several lists of other words for “said” by emotion , and second, we’re including several lists of different words for “said” by intention or action . You can decide what meaning you’re trying to express in your writing, and use our lists accordingly!

Happy Words to Use Instead of “Said”

We’re going to kick off our list by giving you a lot of other words for “said” by emotion, starting with synonyms for “said” that convey a happy, joyful, or positive tone. 

Sad Words to Use Instead of “Said” 

Sadness is a common emotion expressed in writing--let’s look at a few synonyms for “said” that convey sadness. 

Angry Words to Replace “Said”

There are a ton of synonyms for “said” that express anger, and we’ve included several of them for you here. 

Different Words for “Said” That Express Shock or Surprise

When you want to communicate a tone of shock or surprise in your writing, try using these synonyms for “said”! 

Other Words for “Said” That Express Fear

The last emotion it might be helpful to be able to express accurately and vividly in your writing is fear. Here’s a list of synonyms for “said” that you can use to demonstrate a feeling of fear. 

Words to Replace “Said” That Are Expository

If you’re working with a quote in which the speaker is clarifying information or explaining something, you can try out these words instead of “said”!

Other Words for “Said” That Are Argumentative

When you incorporate quotes or dialogue that make an argument, use these synonyms for “said” in your attributions.

Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Critical 

If a speaker in a quote or piece of dialogue is forming a critique, incorporate one of these different words for “said” in your attribution.

Words to Use Instead of “Said” That Are Implicative

Try using these alternative words for “said” that imply meaning. 

Words to Replace “Said” That Seek Information

Sometimes you need to include an attribution that shows a speaker is searching for information. These synonyms for “said” can help you establish a tone of inquisitiveness!

Words to Replace “Said” That Reveal Information

Finally, if you need a word other than “said” that reveals information, try out the options in the list below. 

When to Use Different Words for “Said” in Your Writing...And When Not To

In most cases, deciding when to use words other than “said” in your writing is up to your discretion. But there are actually some situations when it’s correct to use “said” exclusively to attribute a piece of dialogue or a quote in your writing . This depends on the type of writing, so we’re going to break down the situations when you should definitely use “said” here!

The first situation where you can expect to see writers exclusively using “said” is in any type of writing that relies on AP Style . “AP” stands for “Associated Press,” and this set of style guidelines is the standard for journalistic writing. This includes writing for newspapers, magazines, and public relations in the United States. AP Style provides a lot of rules about grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language use, and using “said” for quote attribution is one of those rules.

Impartiality and objectivity are two values that are extremely important in journalistic writing. Unlike many synonyms for “said,” which reveal a speaker’s feelings, attitude, or intentions, “said” doesn’t try to interpret the feelings, attitude, or intentions of the speaker. “Said” just states factual information: the words in the quote were spoken by a person or group of people . Using “said” allows the journalist to remain impartial and objective about the information, and it also lets readers interpret the meaning of quoted material on their own. 

Technical Writing

While not exactly a rule, using “said” is an unspoken expectation for quote attribution in technical writing. Technical writing is a style of writing used in business environments and some scientific fields, like engineering . It’s important for this style of writing to be clear, specific, and, in most cases, concise. In fact, readers of technical writing appreciate a writer’s ability to communicate directly and plainly by using short, direct words. That’s why “said” is the best choice for introducing quotes or paraphrases in technical writing: it’s clear, specific, and concise. 

Creative Writing 

Creative writing is a third situation that might require you to think strategically about when to use “said.” In creative writing--like fiction, for instance--when and how often to use “said” is pretty much up for debate. There are a lot of synonyms for “said” that you can use to convey the emotions or intentions of a character in dialogue, but you don’t necessarily have to use some flowery synonym for “said” every time you include a piece of dialogue in creative writing. In fact, sometimes it’s okay to strategically omit attributions altogether. 

Here’s one example of a way to present dialogue in creative writing that doesn’t overuse attributions: 

“I suppose I didn’t see the point.” Paige shook her head. “It’s not like you would’ve let me go if I’d told you ahead of time.” 

“That’s really selfish, Paige.” 

Even without attributions for every piece of dialogue in the example above, you can still get an idea of how the characters feel and what their intentions are through the dialogue beats (“She crossed her arms angrily,” and, “Paige shook her head”) . Alternatively, dialogue attributions in creative writing are another place where word variety is important. Your attributions are a great way for you to add emotion and imagery to your work. That means sometimes you might simply use “said,” sometimes you might use a more expressive synonym for “said,” and other times you might forego attributions altogether.

Academic Writing

One final writing situation where you’ll find yourself needing to make decisions about when to use “said” is academic, research-based writing. In academic writing, it’s important to be clear about who you are quoting and to provide adequate context for the quote you include. For example, if the scholar you’re quoting is making an argument in the quote you include, it would be more accurate to say, “Dr. Garcia argued” or “Dr. Garcia claimed,” instead of “Dr. Garcia said .” Using a quote attribution that gives your reader a clearer sense of the speaker or writer’s purpose and tone. 

3 Reasons Why Word Variety Is Important in Writing

Word variety is important to any type of writing for three main reasons: using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging, more accurate, and more expressive .

First, using a variety of words can make your writing more engaging and interesting for the people who are reading it. In some types of writing, like poetry , repetition is used as a strategic stylistic device. In lots of cases, though, writers repeat the same word because they don’t know its synonyms. After a while, readers might feel a bit exhausted by repetitiveness in a piece of writing. That’s one reason why knowing and using synonyms for commonly repeated words is so important!

Second, word variety can make your writing more accurate. For example, while “said” is always going to accurately describe a piece of dialogue or a quote from an outside source, there are words to use instead of “said” that can reveal the intention behind dialogue or the information conveyed in a quote . 

Let’s say you incorporate a quote where the author is disagreeing with a point made by a scholar. Sure, you could introduce that quote with, “Dr. Smith said.” But you could be more accurate by introducing the quote with a word that indicates that the quote is going to express disagreement, like, “Dr. Smith countered ” or “Dr. Smith responded .” 

Finally, your writing is expressive and vivid when you avoid repetition . When your word choice reflects the emotions or tone expressed by a quote or piece of dialogue that you include in your writing, your readers can get a better sense of your intended meaning. Using synonyms for “said” to create tone and imagery in your writing can help readers better understand your position and make them more willing to buy into your ideas. 

What’s Next? 

If you’re studying for the verbal portion of your SAT or ACT, we’ve got you covered. Here are our expert guides to the verbal portions of the SAT and ACT , and we even have tips and tricks to help you tackle the essay sections ! These are just a few of the tons (and tons!) of resources we have, so be sure to check out our blog for more information.

This cheat sheet for ways to say “said” can be really helpful if you’re starting to write your college admissions essays . Learn how to start your essay off perfectly , and make sure you know the biggest mistakes you should avoid , too.

If you’re using this guide to help you write creatively, you might be a great fit for a creative writing degree ! Here’s a guide to the best creative writing colleges and programs in the United States. 

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing

If you've read our previous post on writing dialogue , you'll know that you shouldn't be afraid to default to he said , she said , or they said  when you're tagging your dialogue. After all, it's probably the clearest, least distracting way to indicate who's saying what. That being said, it can be useful to deploy a specific and powerful dialogue tag every now and again. 

Which dialogue tag are YOU?

Find out in just a minute.

To help you find that perfect synonym to inject action and emotion into your dialogue, here are over 270 other words for said:

Neutral/multi-purpose words

Happy/excited words 

Sad/upset words 

Angry words 

Annoyed words

Frightened/pained words

Prideful words

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Upgrade your dialogue with our list of 270 alternatives to “said.”

To see how master writers assemble their dialogue, head over to our final post in this series for some choice examples of dialogue.

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10 Other Words for “Said” in an Essay

Including quotes in your essays shows that you’re sourcing your work. It’s, therefore, relatively easy to repeatedly write “said” when quoting things from other people.

This article has gathered some alternatives to show you more words to replace “said” in an essay.

Keep reading to learn other ways to say “said” in an essay. We’ve also provided examples for each to help you understand them better.

1. Explained

2. mentioned.

Another way to say “said” is “mentioned.” It’s a formal synonym that keeps things fresh when quoting information .

Generally, “mentioned” refers to less important information . If you “mention” something, it’s likely that it’s not the most important thing for a reader to pay attention to.

3. Suggested

People make suggestions all the time. And, as it happens, you can use “suggested” as a formal way to say “said.”

Claims are common in essays. People claim things all the time to try and share facts and opinions. Generally, claims can be disproved (with a little bit of research and quality debating skills).

Generally, this phrase works best when sharing thoughts and ideas . You can always argue someone’s claim, so it’s a good way to set up contradicting points.

Also, these examples should clear things up:

5. Remarked

If you can find a way to relate someone’s quote to your writing, feel free to use this.

You can also review the following examples:

Arguments make for more interesting essays. If you can include appropriate and relevant essays, you’re liable to get a much better grade from the reviewer.

7. Commented

When someone makes a comment, it means they’ve briefly shared a view . Therefore, “commented” allows you to replace “said” when sharing someone’s viewpoint or opinion.

Typically, “commented” doesn’t work for highly-valued information. It’s much better for minor details and comments made by important people in your writing.

Quotes are also called statements. Therefore, it would be silly not to include “stated” at least once in your academic writing.

While it might not be a particularly common choice, there’s nothing wrong with writing “shared” instead of “said.” It works well in essays to give you something different to write .

10. Clarified

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

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10 “Said” Synonyms You Can Use in All Types of Writing

Elevate your writing by adding these ten synonyms of “said” to your vocabulary. They can be more accurate and help you avoid repetitiveness throughout your text.

Other Words You Could Use Instead of “Said”

• Knowing other words you can use in place of said can improve your writing because it adds variety and removes repetitiveness.
• Five formal alternatives of said are: announced , commente , explained , replied , and stated .
• Five creative alternatives of said are: whispered/exclaimed , rambled , chimed , bemoaned , and scolded .

Why You Should Know Other Ways To Say “Said”

Whether you’re writing a formal text or creative text, you may notice that said is a frequently used verb. After all, it denotes information that someone has spoken. Said can be found in essays such as explanatory essays, where the writer has to explain what a source has, well, said .

It’s also found in creative writing to commence a dialogue. Below, you’ll find five alternatives that are perfect for formal settings and five alternatives that are great for creative writing.

Five Other Ways To Say “Said” In Formal Writing

1. announced.

As you might have guessed, this alternative is perfect when you are quoting an announcement.

2. Commented

Use this said alternative when you are quoting someone's opinion or response to something.

3. Explained

Use explained when referring to an explanation someone gave.

Replied is used when someone is answering a question or replying to something.

Stated is used exactly as said , but carries a more formal tone.

Five Other Ways To Say “Said” in Creative Writing

These other words for said are perfect within dialogue, to advance a storyline, or for many other creative uses.

1. Whispered/Exclaimed

Whispered and exclaimed are ideal synonyms when you want your readers to visualize the volume of what the speaker is saying.

Rambled implies that the speaker is talking a lot.

As a verb, the literal definition of chimed is “to make a musical ringing sound.” This is a good word to use to help your readers visualize a happy or excited speaker.

4. Bemoaned

Bemoaned means “to complain or regard something with displeasure,” so use it when you want to display that someone is sad or upset.

Use scolded when the speaker is angry and/or wants to influence someone’s behavior.

He Said, She Said, They Said

💡 Keep in mind that all these examples also work in the present tense.

There are hundreds upon hundreds of different words you can use in place of said . Remember to keep the context in mind when choosing an alternative. Another tip to keep in mind that will help strengthen your writing is to make sure your text is free from spelling and grammar errors. Not only can LanguageTool provide accurate synonyms, but it can check for all types of mistakes in more than twenty languages.

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300+ Ways to Say “Said” (“Say”): A Word List for Writers

He Said. She Said. They Said.

Said is a convenient word when you need it, and some pundits claim you should never use anything else, ever, to attribute dialogue.

I disagree.

Please don’t get huffy until you read this entire post, especially if you’re a writer who swears on a bushel of Dothraki bells that said is the best way — nay, the only way — to tag conversation.

Repeat any word often enough, and it morphs into an irritation just as obnoxious as a saddle sore on a long ride.

Forget the rules . Invent your own. Whatever engages readers is right.

Consider the Following Micro-Story

An icy draft speared through the living room as John stepped into the house from the wintry blizzard that raged outside. His arms overflowed with packages.

“Please close the door,” Amy said . “It’s freezing in here.”

John said , “Close it yourself!”

Amy said back, in an angry tone, “What did you say?”

“I told you to close it yourself,” he said , in a voice so loud it rattled the windows.

She pressed her lips into a firm white line and said , “You’re the one who pays the heating bill. But I guess you have lots of money. You can afford it.”

He slammed the door closed and said , “If you’d get off your duff and find a job, I wouldn’t have to pay all the bills myself.”

Amy said , “Well, if you hadn’t got me preg —”

“You’re pregnant?” John said . “Why didn’t you say something?”

Try This Instead

Amy glanced up from the baby booties she was knitting. “Please close the door. It’s freezing in here.”

John glowered . “Close it yourself!”

“What did you say?”

“I told you to close it yourself.” The windows rattled. From the angry volume of his voice? Or the storm?

She pressed her lips into a firm white line. “You’re the one who pays the heating bill. But I guess you have lots of money. You can afford it.”

He slammed the door. “If you’d get off your duff and find a job, I wouldn’t have to pay all the bills myself.”

“Well, if you hadn’t got me preg —”

“You’re pregnant?” John beamed and dropped the packages. “Why didn’t you say something?”

Did You Notice the Changes in the Second Piece?

#1. Two paragraphs have no attribution. With obvious back and forth of dialogue, it’s unnecessary and distracting to tag every snippet of speech

#2. Action beats replace dialogue tags in a few spots.

Amy glanced up

John glowered

She pressed her lips

He slammed the door

John beamed

#3. The knitting of baby booties gives readers a clue about the ending, which comes as an abrupt surprise in the first piece.

#4. One adjective, angry , describes John’s attitude. Yes, it’s a tell, and the pundits who recommend that you should always show might disagree with its use. However, rules are made to be broken. Right?

#5. One narrative statement becomes interrogative. Judicious use of questions can draw readers into prose or poetry.

Reread the pieces to see how much stronger the second example is. Both contain the same number of words.

Now Consider a Third Version

John retorted, “Close it yourself!”

“I told you to close it yourself,” he snapped. The windows rattled. Perhaps from the angry volume of his voice?

Did You Catch the Two Said Alternatives?

Retorted and snapped are so much more effective than said .

But don’t overdo! Like exclamation points, em dashes, and ellipses , excessive use of colorful verbs for dialogue tags irritates readers.

By the way, the third piece contains the same number of words as the first two.

And About That Slamming Door

It’s unnecessary to say someone slams a door closed.

Whenever You Need a Direct Replacement for Said , Refer to This List

Some of these words contravene the show, don’t tell rule.

As always, watch for clichés, and apply these suggestions sparingly. Some, while suitable for children, might not be appropriate for adults.

Words such as neighed or whickered can describe a character’s voice , especially appropriate for someone with a horsey face. Frugal use recommended.

Although many writers show their characters laughing, sighing, sobbing, or breathing speech, I recommend you avoid verbs like these as dialogue tags. Save them for action beats, or substitute body language to show emotions.

Lied or doubted and their ilk can break point of view if not used correctly. Many of these would be suitable for micro fiction where tell is often the norm, because show requires too many words.

A accused, acknowledged, acquiesced, added, admitted, admonished, advised, advocated, affirmed, agreed, alleged, announced, answered, apologized, applauded, argued, asked, assented, asserted, assured, avowed

B babbled, badgered, barked, began, begged, bellowed, bellyached, beseeched, bickered, blabbed, blabbered, blathered, bleated, blubbered, blurted, boasted, boomed, bragged, brayed, broke in, bubbled, burst out

C cajoled, called, carped, cautioned, challenged, charged, chatted, chattered, cheered, chided, chimed in, chirped, chittered, chorused, claimed, clarified, clucked, coached, coaxed, commanded, commented, complained, complimented, conceded, concluded, concurred, confessed, confided, confirmed, congratulated, contended, continued, contradicted, contributed, cooed, corrected, corroborated, counseled, countered, cried, croaked, crowed, cursed

D and E debated, decided, declared, decreed, deduced, demanded, demurred, denied, described, directed, disagreed, disclosed, disputed, dissented, divulged, doubted, drawled, dribbled, droned, echoed, effused, ejaculated, elucidated, emphasized, encouraged, ended, entreated, exclaimed, explained, exploded, exulted

F to H finished, fretted, fussed, gibbered, gibed, gloated, granted, greeted, griped, groaned, growled, grunted, grumbled, guaranteed, guessed, gurgled, gushed, harangued, hinted, hissed, hollered, howled, huffed, hypothesized

I to M imitated, implied, implored, informed, inquired, insisted, interjected, interrupted, intoned, instructed, invited, jabbered, jeered, jested, jibed, joined in, joked, lamented, lectured, lied, lisped, maintained, marveled, mentioned, mimicked, mocked, mumbled, murmured, mused, muttered

N to P nagged, nattered, neighed, nitpicked, noted, objected, observed, offered, opined, ordered, persisted, persuaded, pestered, piped, pleaded, pled, pledged, pointed out, pondered, praised, prated, prattled, prayed, pressed, proclaimed, professed, promised, proposed, protested, provoked, purred, put in, puzzled

Q and R quavered, queried, questioned, quipped, quizzed, quoted, raged, ranted, rattled on, reasoned, reassured, rebuked, recalled, reckoned, recommended, recounted, reiterated, rejoined, related, remarked, remembered, reminded, repeated, replied, reported, reprimanded, reproached, reproved, requested, resounded, responded, resumed, retaliated, retorted, revealed, roared

S and T sang, sassed, screamed, scoffed, scolded, shot, shouted, shrieked, shrilled, slurred, snapped, snarled, sniveled, spat, speculated, spluttered, spoke, squeaked, squealed, stammered, started, stated, stormed, stressed, stuttered, suggested, surmised, swore, tattled, taunted, teased, testified, theorized, threatened, thundered, told, trilled, tutted

U to Y urged, uttered, verified, volunteered, vowed, wailed, warned, weighed in, went on, wheedled, whickered, whimpered, whined, whinnied, whispered, whooped, wondered, worried, yammered, yawned, yakked, yelled, yelped, yowled

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8 thoughts on “ 300+ Ways to Say “Said” (“Say”): A Word List for Writers ”

I don’t use dialogue tags. Never. They’re a distraction created by lazy writers. You have to be more careful to make sure the reader knows who’s talking, though.

Gordon, if you can do that and produce a story that seems natural, good going. However, wouldn’t the absolute avoidance of anything, whether it be dialogue tags or adverbs, seem unnatural to readers?

You make some good points. I find ‘said’ annoying when it is a question. It is technically correct, but that is a personal tick. If it is a question and needs a dialogue tag, I used asked. I am also willing to use whispered and shouted. I really do not care what ‘rule’ someone else makes up. But that is the full list of dialogue tags I am willing to use. If only two people are speaking, the reader should be able to tell who is speaking much of the time without being told. If they cannot, a beat will often be good, but you don’t want to turn your character into a jackrabbit by making her bob about too much either. A judicious mix when needed is, in my opinion, the best choice.

I prefer simple: asked, in/enquired, requested, demanded, stated, whispered, mumbled, murmured, muttered, yelled, shouted, explained, and a few others.

However, when writing for kids or creating a humor piece, words such as brayed, cawed, etc., create the perfect image.

I’m somewhere in the middle when it comes to the “said” argument. While the tags “said” and “asked” are generally invisible, they’re also pretty bland at times and not entirely sufficient at getting across the intended tone or inflection of a person’s voice.

People don’t always just “say” things. Sometimes they scream, whisper, mutter, hiss, and so on.

I’m in the middle too, Rhonda. I’m usually not keen on a character “whinnying” dialogue, but in rare cases, it works.

I hope 2022 is treating you well!

Great article! I love the rewritten versions, much improved, and the list is very helpful too. Your advice is solid — not to be completely rigid on “always use said” but not to overdo the alternates.

One additional consideration when using action beats in lieu of dialogue tags, is whether a listener will be able to interpret dialogue as dialogue when the story is read aloud. In your examples above it’s clear, but sometimes a character will say something that could easily be interpreted as narrative rather than dialogue.

I often read novels aloud to my children, and sometimes have to stop and explain who was speaking, or insert dialogue tags myself.

Thanks, Mike. Great tips!

Love You English

25 “Said” Synonyms You Can Use in All Types of Writing

Hello everyone,

If you’ve ever written a story , an article, or any type of narrative writing, you’ve likely found yourself using the word “said” over and over again when writing dialogue .

While there’s nothing wrong with using “said” – it’s a perfectly good dialogue tag – too many repetitions can make your writing feel dull and flat.

Using synonyms for “said” can help add more variety and vividness to your dialogue .

Here are 25 great “said” synonyms to try:

1. Declared

To declare is to state firmly and forcefully.

For example: “I’m going to the party,” she declared.

2. Announced

To announce is to state officially or publicly.

For example: “Dinner is served,” he announced.

3. Proclaimed

To proclaim is to declare loudly, proudly or defiantly.

For example: The leader proclaimed, “We will not surrender!”

4. Exclaimed

To exclaim is to cry out suddenly, loudly or emotionally.

For example: “Watch out!” he exclaimed in alarm.

To shout is to say loudly in a strong, powerful voice.

For example: “Stop that racket!” she shouted angrily.

Similar to shouting but with more intensity and higher volume.

For example: He yelled furiously, “Get out of my house!”

7. Bellowed

To bellow is to shout in a loud, deep roaring voice.

For example: The captain bellowed orders to his sailors.

8. Whispered

To whisper is to speak very softly and quietly.

For example: Leaning in close, he whispered, “I have a secret to tell you.”

9. Murmured

To murmur is to speak softly and indistinctly.

For example: She murmured a few words of gratitude.

10. Mumbled

To mumble is to speak in an unclear, inaudible way.

For example: He mumbled an apology under his breath.

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11. Muttered

To mutter is similar to mumbling – speaking indistinctly in a low voice.

For example: “This is ridiculous,” she muttered to herself.

12. Uttered

To utter is to give voice to and speak words .

For example: He uttered a short prayer before eating.

13. Remarked

To remark is to say something in a casual, nonchalant way.

For example: “Nice weather today,” he remarked offhandedly.

14. Commented

To comment is to express an opinion or observation.

For example: “That was quite a performance,” she commented wryly.

To muse is to speak one’s thoughts aloud in a reflective manner.

For example: She mused, “I wonder what life will be like in ten years?”

To say something while sighing, which suggests sadness, tiredness or resignation.

For example: “I suppose I’ll have to go,” he sighed reluctantly.

To gasp is to intake breath sharply in reaction to surprise or shock.

For example: “You’re getting married?” she gasped in astonishment.

18. Groaned

To groan is to make a deep inarticulate sound in pain or anguish.

For example: Carrying the heavy box, he groaned, “This is so heavy.”

19. Grumbled

To grumble is to mutter in a discontented way.

For example: He grumbled under his breath about the long wait.

20. Snapped

To snap is to say something in an ill-tempered, angry way.

For example: “Don’t tell me what to do!” she snapped impatiently.

21. Snorted

To snort is to make a noise by expelling air forcibly through one’s nose, suggesting scorn or contempt.

For example: “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” he snorted derisively.

22. Grunted

To grunt is to make a short, low guttural sound, like a pig.

For dialogue , it suggests reluctance or lack of enthusiasm. For example: In response to her request, he simply grunted, “Uh-huh.”

23. Chuckled

To chuckle is to laugh in a quiet, amused way.

For example: She chuckled, “You always did have a funny way of putting things.”

24. Giggled

To giggle is similar to a chuckle but higher-pitched and more youthful or immature-sounding.

For example: The schoolgirls giggled uncontrollably at the silly joke.

25. Scoffed

To scoff is to speak in a disdainful, mocking way.

For example: “You actually believed that?” he scoffed with an arrogant laugh.

Using these synonyms in place of “said” can make your dialogue livelier, more visual, and give it a wider range of emotional context and subtext.

Of course, you’ll want to use them judiciously – too many fancy synonyms can make writing feel overwritten or melodramatic.

But swapping out a few instances of “said” here and there helps your character voices feel more distinct and your scenes more dynamic.

As you write dialogue , pay attention to your characters’ emotions, personalities and circumstances in each moment.

What motivation are they bringing to their speech?

How are they feeling?

What is their intent – to proclaim boldly, mutter reluctantly, remark dryly?

Once you understand the subtext, you can choose a more precise dialogue tag to reflect that.

You’ll also want to consider striking the right balance in your writing. Some variation is good to avoid dull repetition of the same word over and over.

But don’t go overboard swapping out every single “said.” Too many fancy substitutes can distract the reader from the dialogue itself.

A good rule of thumb is to use a basic tag like “said” or “asked” for most dialogue lines, but swap in a more evocative synonym occasionally when the situation calls for it.

With this list of 25 “said” synonyms in your back pocket, you should be able to add more color, texture and nuance to your dialogue writing.

Having the right word choices at your fingertips makes it easy to breathe more life into any character’s voice.

So, get creative, exercise those writing muscles, and start declaring, exclaiming, murmuring and uttering your way to more engaging dialogue !

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Words to use instead of SAID

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There are many synonyms for the word said. Said and its synonyms can also be described by adding an adverb. Said is the most frequently used word to indicate that a person is speaking in writing. You should heed the warnings below from top writers and instructors that replacing said or using adverbs to describe said is usually a bad idea. Using many said synonyms or alternatives can make your writing stilted and disrupt the flow.

Here are three ways you can replace or modify said in a sentence. In these examples we will change the following the sentence: Bob said, "There are no bears in the woods."

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Other Words for “Said”

“Are you crazy?” said Mary.

“Some of the time,” said John.

“Well,” said Mary, “I wish you would give me some warning before you do things like that!”

“I’ll try,” said John.

Then Mary leaned in close and said, “Oh shucks! I love you anyway!”

That’s a whole lot of “said” right there, and it gets repetitive pretty fast, doesn’t it? It becomes essential to have alternatives for the word “said” if you want your writing to sound decent. There are several ways this can be done.

Skip the Bits Outside the Quotation Marks Altogether!

If a conversation involves two people (dialogue), your reader will quickly see the two people are talking. That means that you can introduce your speakers, and then continue the conversation without saying who said what on the assumption your reader will be able to work out who is speaking, at least for a few lines.

Describe Actions Before or After the Quotation Marks

For example: “Oh shucks! I love you anyway!” Mary cuddled closer with a sigh.

In our example, we can clearly see Mary was doing the talking. If John says something next, he’ll get a new paragraph to himself, emphasizing the change of speaker. Voila! Conundrum avoided. “Saying” words have been completely skipped, but we still know who was talking.

Use Words Other than “Said”

Depending on context, there are a whole bunch of alternative words for “said” we can choose. Perhaps Mary’s romantic utterance was:

Her opening, “Are you crazy?” could have been:

• Asked (a little weak, but there it is)

What’s interesting is all these words imply mood much better than “said” does. Was Mary objecting to John’s actions in a good-humored, frightened or angry way? Your choice of words can tell your reader what her tone of voice was.

And when she told John she loved him anyway, was she feeling romantic or amused? Did she blurt it out unexpectedly, or was she being coy and flirtatious? How did John feel when he responded to her initial protestation? Was he serious or light-hearted?

Changing Moods

Look at how these words change the mood of the conversation:

“Are you crazy?” sobbed Mary.

“Some of the time,” muttered John.

“Well,” Mary complained , “I wish you would give me some warning before you do things like that!”

“I’ll try,” John promised .

Then Mary leaned in close and murmured,  “Oh shucks! I love you anyway!”

You should have gained a sense of how the person speaking felt by the way they said it. Now see how changing the “talking” words can change the entire scene:

“Are you crazy?” giggled Mary.

“Some of the time,” chuckled John.

“Well,” Mary laughed , “I wish you would give me some warning before you do things like that!”

“I’ll try,” John grinned .

Then Mary leaned in close and purred,  “Oh shucks! I love you anyway!”

Ok, so it’s not great literature. I’d probably have avoided introducing the speaker from about line 3, reintroducing them if the mood changed, or the conversation started to get too long to follow, but you get the idea. Example one is a lovers’ tiff, while example two is a couple having fun together. That’s a big difference, and “said” just wouldn’t have conveyed that.

List of “Said” Words According to Mood

Angry, Tense

• Barked (lots of doggy words so far)
• Bellowed (and a moose)
• Roared (and a lion – this one could also imply triumph)
• Remonstrated
• Huffed (this one is just mildly exasperated)
• Thundered (and some weather)
• Hollered (a bit of volume in these last few!)

Happy, Amused, Positive

Certain, Sure, Confident

Sarcastic, Creepy

Asking or Asking for

• Asked (of course)

Tones other than the ones we’ve already covered (especially the loud ones)

And we’re just scratching the surface…here are a few more:

• Volunteered
• Interrupted
• Interjected

And as for “finished,” I realize this list is far from actually being finished. “Said” is all very well, but with so many more expressive words to choose from, you probably don’t need it! Do you have a favorite word to use other than “said” when you write that’s not listed above? Let us know and we’ll add it to our list.

Great list of awesomely perfect words, thanks for this.

Some good words for said are as following: Whispered, cried, screamed, sobbed, screeched, sang, giggled. Each one produces a different emotion so each one can work in all different situations!

“said” is so boring. It’s like using “very” when describing everything. You can make your stories so much more interesting if you use a little imagination and creativity instead of using “said” all the time.

Ya! I’m writing a story and i found this, and it helps SO SO much!!!

same it helped me so much

definitely not definetly

You sound like me. I always correct my friend on grammar and spelling.

We are like the only people from 2021

next thing you know it’s 2024 and everyone checking back on this post is like ayyyyyy I made that joke like a year ago

Hehehe I’m still using this link in 2024 when I found it in 2023.

you are a kotlc fan i looooove kotlc it is the best book series ever

Yes. Keefe is my favourite person in the whole series!

i havent finished it yet but its good so far

Oh My Gosh! I love KOTLC, too! Keefe all the way!

Same here, but I’m only on the 4th book

You don’t always have to comment on someone else’s spelling. That’s just the way the spell it .

Yeah, it does! I’m writing a story with my best friend and I had NO IDEA what to say instead of said, and then I found this!! You can guess what happened next! XD

Oh!! I am too, haha! 🙂

I’m writing a story with my friend too! hahaha

I am writing a story with 2 friends and this really helped!

they might already have this one, I don’t think they do though. Exclaimed is a good one

yeah, they do have exclaimed, I agree though! it is a good one!

Do you like Harry Potter Weaslyboy??? I do!

Me too, LizzyCupcakeAuthor12!!

I LOVE the name Harper!

Agreed, my friend told me about this, and this has helped me have a much more interesting story.

I was searching for words to use other than said and came across this. It helped soooooo much

Same I’m writing an essay it was so boring until I found this

ya, that’s what I’m doing.

Yes! I am writing one based on Greek Mythology.

Greek Mythology is the best! Boy, were they creative.

Yeah! I love their stories, it’s so interesting!

I love the Percy jackson books!

Same! iits sooo good

I’m literally using this for my PJO fanfic

Noice. I love Greek Mythology!

yaas greek mythology is the best

Percy Jackson is Greek Mythology it’s the best series ever

I am also writing a story and I kept using the word “said” so I looked this up and it helped.

It helped me to, but I just wanted to say that my name is Lyla too!

IKR I’m writing a book and this helped so much!!!!

I’m writing a book too! so helpful

you are so right! I’m writing on too and this helps lots!

Same! It is a really good source for improvement!

Even though it’s been three years since you’ve commented this, how’s the writing going? Lol

Me too this helps me so much!

i know i am also writing a story too and this helped a lot ty!

i decided to use miraculous stories for that but umm…THANK YOU GOOGLE!!

Same. This has been amazing. It helps me because in the first chapter, I used “said” like 23 times. So I used good ole google and here we are folks

Haha me too! I always have this tab open 🙂

Agreed. See isn’t agreed so much better than said?

I second this. When I found this page, my book went from said said said to She hesitated, then whispered “I know” just to scratch the surface

this helps me a lot when writing my stories. Thx

I’m writing a story,And this really inspired me,To make my book interesting.Thank you 🙂

why is everyone writing stories not like im not…

I too find “very” a dull word. I try to combine very + adjective and use that instead

Said is dead! LOL

omg lol i gonna say that and it rymes too lol

My ELA teacher from last year always said- no, declared that to the whole class when we wrote narratives.

They should make a site for words replacing “very” as well!

I agree Sequoia.

I agree very is extremely plain!

You are soooo right. I find very, very plain!!

SAME! I am writing a story and this REALLY helps!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

Yes.I agree the best word is begged

true! i bet the people who disliked this comment probably uses said and very all the time lol

Your right, but the good thing about “said” is it’s an “invisible word” meaning the readers don’t really realize the word said unless the word is overused.

Same Im writing a story for fun and it’s called “The orphange” and this help me so much when people start or finish talking.

I am writing a story called Knock Knock Who’s There and it is a graded assignment for school. I used said too much and wanted it to have different words to describe the way they said things.

I think you meant “stated”.

Yeah im writing a horror story called blair high and it helps alot. i wonder if this website has a page for other words for very.

I am writing a horror story too, monster.

That is sooooooo not true, dialoge tags are MEANT to be invisible

Same with me! I have 117 pages so far in my book and I need more types on my said problem!

“Said” is literally the worst to use. It really helps ya a lot when you choose good words so you have an awesome story.

It makes it more descriptive and colorful- and even better? It makes us look smart and sophisticated.

I love how everyone here is writing a story

Yes, I agree! I use this all the time. My writing gets better each day.

I know!!! What if we teach this to the kindergarteners!

Same. It would be a great idea to teach this to younger generations.

Wait, Harper? My story is about a guy named Harper…

Wow this article is great! I was assigned to find words other than said and this was great! Shout out this was great to whoever made this!

Said is boring (so is math). So is the word very!

Personally, I think it’s okay to use “said” sometimes, if there’s not really any emotion in the scene, and there’s no need to use another word besides “said” to express emotion or characterization. Just, please don’t make it the entire story. Please use other word besides “said”, especially in more intense scenes. It also can help give characterization. I don’t think it’s a problem to use “said”, in a scene were a character isn’t really expressing any type of thing, but if you do have an opportunity to have it be, “slyly”, then that can tell us that the character is, well, sly. Anyways, still better than, “Ron ejaculated loudly” lol.

So true. I sometimes find it hard to replace said with another word.

So true! I agree!

I agree! It’s better to use other words to substitute because readers can often find themselves getting bored when reading your work if you only use ‘Said’.

Maybe you should put In read, like for example: “Dear Abby” She read. If you don’t think so, then thats okey! -LizzyCupcake!

thank you for this amazing list!!

You said make a novel on how to better express dialouge, or on how to better express one’s writing.

I think You should make a novel on how to better express dialogue, or on how to better express one’s self in writing. ~RoseAngelz

novels are fiction, though. it would be an informational/self-help book rather than a novel.

Actually a novel is a book that is a chapter book, fiction or not.

Sorry I know this is the third time, I’m commenting on this; however this time I’m not a guest. Plus I’m not sure if you got my comment the first two times – no I’m not trying to spam – so I’m gonna comment this one last time. I think you should make a novel on how to better express dialogue, or on how to better express one’s writing. Again I’m not trying to spam; it’s just that I’m not sure if you got my comment the first two times. ~RoseAngelz

Well “said” is a rather valuable word when it is used properly, as you can “build up” emotions onto it

exactly like “YAY” Mia said jumping up and down with excitement! although doing that makes your story longer.

Btw who is going out and disliking all of these comments?

I know right!

I have no idea but they are very annoying…

No idea. It’s like almost every comment has at least 10 likes. lol

None of these would be a synonym for “said” per se, but all could be used in it’s place given the correct context. Retorted, responded, replied, shot back, countered. Mentioned, noted, suggested. Warned, cautioned, advised, admonished, corrected. Reported.

In my English class we have a board with ”Said is dead” and we have to write different words for ”said”, if we do we get a prize so I study different words at home lol

That’s what we do in my English class too! 🙂

that’s what we do in mine too!!

that’s what i did in 4th

o yes! I went to a writing camp with a song that goes, like “said is dead, this is the funeral!” lol.

im being forced to do a story but this helps so much!!!

This is so good

Everyone should use these words

This helped me a lot with school work

I want to be a writer, but one of my cons is definitely finding proper words to use instead of “says” or “said”. This has helped me a lot, so thank you very much!

said is sooooo boring

Best website in the WORLD!

I would have to agree with this statement.

I’m 14 and I’m writing a book. I haven’t gone to school to do this kind of stuff, but this was really helpful. Now maybe I can get my book published!

I’m only 11 and writing a book and it’s turning out great! Getting published is my dream, and this site has been really helpful!

Same! I’m writing a book about MAGIC!

maddie me toooo

OMG SAME!!!! FANTASY IS MY FAV GENER!!!! :DDD

ooh same. fantasy is so interesting. i was planning on writing a short story but i ended up with a chapter book! and i’m only 11.

I am 10 and planning to get my school story published when me and my friend finish it. I too love fantasy and read that genre

I love books with magic in it

even younger than katie, but apparently reading at a late 10th grade level, and writing a chapter book, this list helps a LOT!

Yeah! I’m writing an 6-8 paragraph essay on a spooky story for Halloween, and this site helped me so much for that reason! Ahhh my essay is so spicy nowww! 😀

I’m 13 and I started writing when I was I think 9 or 10. I have never found a good website that has helped my as much as this one has. I have over 20 books that I am working on and this is one of the things I have troubles with while writing. Thank you so much to whoever posted this site! It’s been a huge help to me.

I am 11 too, I am writing a chapter book and is about mysteries

omg i’m writing a mystery book series too! mystery is full of suspense and i like it

And my dream is the book to get published

YES! I’m only 11 and writing a chapter book! This really helped me. I also really want to get my story published.

woah im 12 and I’m writing a sci fi book :00

Ya, me too! I’m 12 and have been writing a book series since November in 2019. It’s about metamorphosis and people that have metamorphosi forms. This website has really helped to make my stories more innovative! THX A LOT

Have you read Animorphs by K.A. Applegate? Or watched Inhumans or seen the episodes about them on S.H.I.E.L.D?

I’m writing a composition and this really helped! 😀

Hey, I was wondering if you could answer me a question. I am trying to write a book but want an opinion. Horror or Mental Health?

I’m 12 and writing a book about people who can make whatever they imagine come true- kinda like authors. I’m using this for a PJO fanfic I’m writing tho.

we’re all so young, I’m 14 and trying to write a couple stories.

I agree but Im 10 not 14 ha

heh me too :> but i’m using this for my school compo hw .w.

mate getting ur book published is a BIT too far

you saying that is a little to far

Okay, they were only saying that it is a dream, and you can never go too far with a dream. ‘Cause it might actually come true. Don’t just tell people to give up on their dreams. ‘Cause actually, that’s what I’m working up to. I want to do this for a living, and there is nothing wrong with that. So leave them be to dream and make it come true if they can. And know this: If you fail, try until you succeed. ‘Cause I know that you can do it, as long as you are willing to go through with it.

Uh—– The youngest child to write a published book was a 4-year-old girl named Dorothy in 1964, according to Google, so I think someone my age (ten years old or so) can publish their book.

Yess! Same! writin is my dream and rite now my goal is to not have a SINGLE “said” in my entire story. This helped a lot! Woot woot!

Haha, me too. Said is so overrated when I can use these!

*writing and *right not trying to be rude just correcting you! sorry if this comment sounded rude!

Yes! That’s exactly what i’m doing! I’m also trying to not use a “talking” word more than once!

Yay! I’m 13 and writing a book. This really helps. I love it!!

I’m 10 and writing a book too, my dream is to get published. Hopefully, your book gets published! 🙂

I teach 10 year olds I have a few students writing books – you go girl!!! You can do it:)

I’m actually 10 but i’m also planning to get a short-ish book published

I LOVE this it helps me with work so much whoever did this should so get an award as a “thank u 4 all these awesome words!!”

This website helped me with my narrative writing! Also who is the person/people who keep going around and disliking every single comment? It is just annoying.

I know right? It’s annoying and kind of hurtful for me. At least put a comment that says why you dislike it! Just… don’t use bad words.

Bad words like said or very. 😉

All of these words helped me write my story! I wonder what other words we could use instead of said.

amazing list

Maybe meowed? I know that’s what cats do, and even if you aren’t writing about cats, maybe a person is mimicking one of the cute little felines?

Ooh, admitted is also one. Like, “I guess you were right,” Bob admitted.

I have to write a story (Thanks Covid) and this has been soooo helpful! Gracias! -unknowable

am i the only one here who’s writing a fanfic?

No you’re not . I am writing a fanfic too . lol

And me, a draco Malfoy one 😏

That’s awesome!

WOAH YOU HAVE THE SAME NAME AS MY COUSIN, LAST NAME INCLUDED-

I’m thinking of starting a Supernatural fanfic. Do you think I should?

Of course! I honestly love supernateral, and I think that the fanfic ones are the best. I don’t write fanfic though, I only do it in my head or cosplay it with my friends. Good Luck!

Thanks. Also I started a BNHA fanfic with my sister, it’s going well I think.

Yep! Wattpad videogame fanfic writer here ✌

I am doing my school work and it helped so much I got eight lines of speech with this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish you could replace my editor. I’m a new author and my editor just tells me what’s wrong without helping me fix it. I’m glad I found this website.

Good luck with your book! I hope it gets fully published! I’m currently writing a book, at the same time trying to figure out how to publish without spending a TON of money. Good luck!! Hope u get the advice u need

yes i’m writing a book too and this list prevents my story from getting boring…lol

if i do use said i like to put something like he said with a smile 🙂

I totally agree… sometimes adding just a bit of flavor can make even “said” interesting to read

I’m working on a novel, and this helped so much! What a great website!

I’m writing a short story on the word ridicule and this is really helping TYSM!!

Is there any word for when someone is stern?

Forbid/forbidden/forbiddingly

Well, when someone is stern, u could use some words (Glared, muttered, forbade) but, what I would recommend is something like this: “Why did you sneak out tonight?” His mother cried, slamming both her hands on her table. Jake opened his mouth to speak, “You could have been killed!” Jake winced. He had hoped she wouldn’t find out about that. “Mom I-” “No!” she glared at him. Her face straight and void of any laughter. “I don’t want to hear it” “I’ll do better next time!” “You’re grounded for a week” he looked up at her in disbelief. “Grounded? A week?” he began to stand up but his mothers gaze stopped him “Mom, seriously, it won’t happen again! It’s Lila’s birthday on Wendsday!” “You heard me” her gaze didn’t waver as she stared him down. Jake flopped backward into his chair, defeated, “Lila’s gonna kill me” he muttered.

You see, sometimes, (I think this was said above) its not better to use dialouge tags. Actions make writing much stronger and less choppy, hope this helps

I love making stories! I’m trying to make one for school, but I was so stuck on what to say instead of said THIS RLLY HELPS

I have to write a story every week for school so I will use this so much thanks!

I think that this website is wonderful! My friend thought writing was hard until we found this!

This really helps make stories more interesting then if you just say said. When you use a little imagination or you find words (like the ones above) to use in your story it really makes a world of difference.

Yes! Exactly, Lauren, have you read Keeper of the Lost Cities? If you haven’t, you really should. Its amazing!

this was very helpful lol. my sister read my narrative and she was like “dude ur in 6th grade i expected more” and i was like “bruh shut up i wanna see u do better” lol

I doubt she could do better. My sister who is 3 years older than me says that, and her writing (sorry sis) sucks!

I am writing a narrative and this list helps me so much! I love all the words that you can choose from! Overall, so helpful!

So helpful thanks a lot, makes my narrative a lot better.

Thank you very much! Our school wanted us to write a story and I absolutely love writing stories but I got a little annoyed when I kept using the word ‘said’ again and again. Just like ‘very’ is used pretty often. These words express emotion into the sentence and make the sentence more longer which for me is a good thing. I really appreciate your help. Thank you so much once again. ~Asuna

I have been writing a book since I was eight years old, and I am now about to turn 14 years old. Many of the chapters were discarded, as I did not like the word choices. I tried using things like thesaurus, and many others, but none worked and none gave me the help I needed personally when trying to use words. What I recommend is opening a google doc (I know that’s what we’re all using, and we learned about it from school), and copying and pasting the words. Of course, label them saying “this is for angry scenes” or something of that sort, but that’s what helps me so I can quickly find a word I’m looking for and I don’t have to scroll past all the passages. Also, it’s much more organized! Happy writing!

Angelic Devil

Thx writing an essay for school and that’s an amaz. idea!!

Thx soooo much Angelic Devil

tg for this! it was so helpful! im writing a piece n this def helped me! tysm!

I think this is helpful even though i knew most of the words it helped me a lot.

tysm! this was so helpful! tg for this! im def going to use this! amaz!

I’m 10 and I’m writing an article about food and this really helped. Thx a lot. Also, Said is the worst word you can use for said. XD

I need this for my story for little kids thank you

This has been SO helpful! I am writing my own little short story in my (little) free time and I have been struggling to find more descriptive words other than the common ones. This website is pretty much a miracle to any other writer out there! I will say, sometimes when I use the word “said” I like to add a bit of flavor to it, like instead of Brooke said You can put more discription onto it like Brooke said, a grin spreading across her face. Anyways this was sooo helpful thank you for this amazing site!

Like in the story I’m writing for school about a zombie apocalypse one of my sentences is; “Alright let’s move on. My name is James, and I am absolutely useless just so you guys are aware.” He nods at the group with a tight smile on his face as everyone starts laughing.

This is a great website to make stories more intresting!

Bruh… all of these comments make you guys seem like newbie writers (no offense) because it’s really easy to think of words instead of said without searching up websites. And SAID IS NOT BORING. Writing too many complex words, or getting TOO descriptive, will make your writing seem immature and cringy. Just saying. SAID IS A GOOD WORD. it’s classic, and it should be used the most, but just use words like yelled, whispered, etc. to show readers HOW that character said that line of dialogue. You don’t need to go out of your way using the word “expostualted” when you literally can just simply use the word “said”. It’s simple and smart. Period.

Yea, and? To get good at writing, you need to know what words to use. It’s how everybody starts, and nobody should take offense to that. And no, it is not necessarily that easy to just think of words. Writing with “too many” complex words is good, gives the characters tone, and emotions. It makes the characters feel real. We have complex words in our dictionary for a reason, to explain complex feelings. Also, said is not classic. It’s a word, just a simple word. It doesn’t explain much at all. Simpler words should be used, but that doesn’t mean we need to overuse them. Finding more complex words helps make your story not sound dry and boring. It is not simple and smart, it sounds blatantly stupid, and honestly, you sound like a person who doesn’t know much about writing. Thank you.

I think what he means is “Do you think this is right?” he catechized “N-no” she blundered You see? The words are complex and its hard for people to understand. It kind of seems like you don’t know what you’re doing. If you do it like this though “Do you think this is right?” He demanded, his stern gaze looking into her. Maya shrunk back, “N-no” she said, hoping that was the right answer. (Or, she said with a stutter/stammer)

if its not boring then why are you even on this website.

Excuse me? Does writing a chapter book seem like newbie writers to you? That comment you just posted might have crushed some of their dreams! I also do NOT allow the word, “cringey,” to be used on comments, chats, etc. etc. It is rude, it is offensive, and like I said before, it will crush other people’s dreams. SO DO NOT USE THE WORD CRINGEY! And yes, you seem like a person who do NOT know about writing at all. You can’t just simply use the word “said.” Didn’t you read this article? Using the word said can be “BORING” and “NOT INTERESTING.” You need to read the article and you can’t judge other people’s comments and what they type and what they think. End of discussion.

Agree and disagree. He was a little rude about it, but like I said in a reply above using too many complex words can actually make writing boring (believe it or not). Said should definately be used many times, but other words are important too! He’s saying don’t get carried away with fancy words! (I know from experience, I used a bunch of words I thought would make me sound sooo good, but after I finished I read it through and it sounded choppy, noobish, and… wrong, somehow.) I think this guy is just trying to save everyone from digging a hole they cant get out of. He could have been nicer about it, but we all make mistakes, (Even if he meant to be rude) I hope my comments helped clear things up with everyone. Said does get boring, DO NOT use it too much. But also DO NOT make your writing completely void of the word. If you want, use adverbs. “I can help!” She said cheerfully, I hope this helped! Everyone who is making a book, perservere, u can do anything if u put your mind to it. Get advice from others, read and reread. Your book may someday be a bestseller! Best of luck!

What was the point to make this mean comment Zack? I agree with bree and emma! There is 277 pages in my book, I’m ELEVEN! That sound like a newbie???

Yo. I have written a 30,000 word essay!!! I’ve written more in a book and I’m 12!!! I SO agree with Bree, emma, and DarlingCat11. You are rude and when someone (LIKE YOU) says “No offense”, WERE GONNA TAKE OFFENSE!!! So why are you on this page anyway? to be rude? so take you non-boring said and GET OUT OF HERE.

I have a writing exam tomorrow so thanks a lot

This was very very helpful for my Christmas story. Thanks!

If you want to use an angry one you can also use the word hissed if it helps

Hissed is already up there, just letting you know.

I love this site, thank you, Regards.

I am writing a science fiction story and this list helped so much to make my story interesting! LOVE IT! THANKS FOR POSTING IT! – Some 6th grader.

Said is dead don’t kill it more

I absolutely agree with this. Said is not always a bad thing to use.

Th is is AMAZINGLY helpful I am righting school story and this is super great for it

This is super helpful!

Thanks for this list! I’m 11 and this has been incredibly helpful for writing a historical fiction story for school.

Ahaha this is amazing I’m making my own story & there was dialog so I had to find words that are not said this is amazing tbh

I’m writing a story right now about a girl who keeps having nightmares about her past self a.k.a what she’s done in the past only to find out those nightmares are real, and these really worked! Because I have lots of characters in the story and I can’t keep saying said or say

Honestly Ella, That is a good idea but I won’t steal it! I hope that book gets everything it deserves! I am currently the first like on this! Have a good day. (And I feel you, I forget about some characters and then I have to make up an excuse for bringing them back in.) Also, LETS BRING THIS COMMENT TO THE TOP! Hope you all have a nice day!

I have a lot of characters in my story too, (It takes place in a school, so… yeah) But, dont forget to still use said sometimes, (Definately not all the time). (Also, I make separate docs for lists of characters names and traits, just a tip!)

I’m writing a story and this is so helpful!

Thank u this helped so much 🙎🏿😺😾🕺🏾

A few more to intend bragging, or showing off that could be used: Boast(ed), Crow(ed), Bluster(ed), Swank(ed), Gloat(ed) Just some examples, not saying they should be added, just trying to be useful for anyone who needs more help with words that aren’t on the list. (at least I don’t think they are on the list lol.)

I’m almost 13 years old and I want to write a book of wizardry (sort o like Harry Potter). Either way, I’m really thankful for this website and this helps me soooooo much with my writing!!! ‘Said’ is like really boring, so tysm!!!

I write a lot of stories as well, and this list makes it so much easier to make intriguing dialogue! Thanks!

Im writing a book called the woman underwater and this is really helping me.

it is better to mostly use said. publishers will riject books that have too much other words instead of said because it is a sign of inexperience! 99% of the time you should use said!

Thanks for the heads up!

I love when actions describe or replace ‘said’! I’m writing a book, so this was extremely helpful. one like on this comment = one appreciation for this

Best website ever!!!!!

Thank you so much for this website! It helps alot!

This is extremely helpful.

A word a really like to use is Sputter(ed). It might already be up here but if it isn’t here you go.

I need a word to use when someone is scared, any ideas?

Wispered, Breathed, Muttered, Squeaked, Stuttered, Mouthed

Wow this helps so much! Thanks! Using said is so overrated now!

This was soo helpful! Thanks!

This helps so much! Thank you!

This helped me a lot when I was writing a story. I thought using ‘said’ all the time was super boring.

Thank you i was looking everywhere for different saids and i finnaly found one that shows the emotion that the person is feeling when they say that!

Am I the only one that has like 500 books on their computer and each one only has like 60 pages and you only finished like one?

I have like 15 I think. I guess, same!

Im trying to keep myself under control lol

This is so true though, having so many and then having another idea and then failing on finishing your old ones and returning to them years later only to realize they no longer sound fun and trashing them. XD I actually do this all the time.

This helped me so much

I have started my own book series on this website so thanks a lot

This is sooo awesome I’m in middle of a story and i feel like I need to go back and change all my previous saids 😂

Though saying “said” can get a little boring, simply replacing them with action words is a no no. Said is really just a dialogue tag, not your chance to get creative or descriptive. If someone “said” something, you can say they “giggled it.” Amateur mistakes 101.

If you find yourself looking for words to replace said because you’re using it too many times, it’s a sign that you need to go back and restructure your sentences. That’s where you get creative.

It’s okay to get a big more descriptive than said sometimes, but substitute words is usually not the answer.

I actually think this works well XD I had so many “Saids” in my story. It’s 213 pages long so I need to go all over it again to fix all those mistakes XD

lol same! mine isn’t as long yet, but I still have to go back and change them all.

Said Is so boring I’m glad someone made this

This is so helpful. I can’t explain how thankful I am!

im writing a story about monsters at the moment i needed so much good word other than “said” and then i found this, this is so helpful, thanks!

I’m writing a story that using a lot of emotions, and this helped me a lot, thank you.

I am writing a new Percy Jackson book, and this helped me a lot.

so helpful! had no idea how much I used said until this!

This is SO helpful! I’m writing a book right now, and I have so many “said”s that I have to go change! (and, LizzyCupcakeAuthor12!, on one of the other posts I read the beginning of your story about the three orphans, and, by now you might have finished it, but it is AMAZING. Never give up writing!)

Thank you so much. I have to write a story for school and this was so helpful!!!😀😀😀

thank you so much! i’m not a native english speaker so i struggle sometimes, but this article helped me so much!

I am also writing a story! It´s for a school project I’m doing. It´s about a girl named sage who keeps living the same day over and over again. In order to fix it she has to touch a magic pendelum from an old grandfather clock wich got her into this mess in the first place.

That’s actually a really good idea! I’m in the middle of making an HP fanfic right now

OMG. That’s so interesting! If you ever want to publish it, I’ll be the first to purchase your book! 😀

Can concluded be used as well?

Yes, if you use it after the dialogue. It would probably work best if you use it after someone says a long paragraph or explains something with a lot of detail.

i wish i could be as good as enid blython or j.k rowling aka {joanne kathleen rowling} i finished them books im sad

Thank you so much for this! I’m trying to write a story and this helped so much!

This is very helpful. I will be sure to look at their stuff again. I’m trying to write a book for school and this helped tremendously!

This is amazing! It really improves my writing skills!

Thank you very much!! This helped a bunch!

So many unique and new ways to say ‘said’! I’m writing a short story essay for our dystopian unit in school, and this has helped SO much. Thank you 🙂

I’m currently writing a horror (but not that scary) chapter book series, and I need help for finding a word when they’re sad. If you can’t help me, that’s okay. I’m sure I’ll find a word. (P.S. To those who write stories too, I believe in you and good luck!)

I’m writing a story for my Reading class, and this helped me tremendously, thanks!

These really helped in one of my projects!

I’m writing a book, and this really helped. Highly recommend it.

I was writing a paper for school and I needed to find a word to use instead of said because I’m not allowed to use the word said in my paper, so this really helped. Thank you to whoever made this website!!!!!!

Really? You aren’t allowed to use the word said? Haven’t had that come up before.

yea it’s the same at my school/homeschool thing, there are banned words like: say; said and other overused words though at times it gets frustrating, it helps grow vocabulary and gets us used to using assertive words, and adjectives that are direct, and straight to the point, using words like: mumbled, breathed, quired, yelled and others add EMOTION to papers, essays, and stories

I started to write when I was eight years old. I have written more than ten stories to keep myself entertained during the long, boring winter. (and am currently working on one called the pack) Writing keeps me alive, and I often think about becoming an author when I get a little older. I found this website when I was around eight and a half, and it helped me to find other words than the plain old, ‘said’.

I have to agree with that, young lad. I also found this site very useful and probably the most useful source for “said” words. Make sure you keep you’re reader interested! 😉

I as well started when I was eight, I started writing fan fiction for some of my favorite stories, and we seem very alike, because I have a story called ‘The wolf packs’. Quite a coincidence.

Hey ya’ll! I’m 13, and I am officially finished my book and I’m publishing it really soon!! I just wanted to say thank you so this website for helping me reach my dream. I hope I can publish in the next few months, thank you for these words. It’s helped a ton!

I hope you find a publisher soon/are able to achieve your dream, Rose!

Wow. This helped! Im writing a story about a werewolf and this helped-

I came here for help with my DNF fanfic, Im taking your username as a sign lmao

I don’t know why, but I guess I have a lot of the same ideas as people, I also have a story that is called ‘Bewere’ about a Werewolf.

Thank you so much! I really needed this list of other words besides said!!!!!!! 🙂

I have a suggestion- whimpered. Fellow authors — present and future — you could also use this: “But then it would be . . . him!” She realized {or wondered, or anything related, of course!} aloud. Realized aloud. . .Just a tip!! Since most ppl read comments, you don’t have to put “whimpered” on your list. Thank you for this wonderful list, creator! Wow no one knew what the coronavirus was back in November 2016! btw I feel kinda bad for making the comment amount 221 instead of 220. BUT if someone comments again, it’ll be 222!

“this is nice ” stuttered molly “i know this place is amazing ” gigled polly “this place is so boring ” moared jon at the end: stuttered gigled moared

Thank you so much for these words! I’m writing a story about the day of the dead then realized I’m using said over and over!!

This is my favorite list because the organization just makes it so much easier to read. I hate walls of text with a burning passion.

This website has been a real help for me when I write!! 🙂

It’s sooooooo boring to use “said someone”

Thanks sooooo much, you don’t know how much this had helped me! Im writing a novel,and being only 11, I need to expand my vocabulary! (even tho I have a pretty big one already haha)

Said us the most commonly used and most boring word (apart from I and A ) in the entire dictionary! It is sooooooo boring! I’m writing a book and this really helps

I’m writing a book and this helped a lot.

Wow. I write stories and I was looking for other words then ‘said’. For my friends, I tried to read them my story. But I could see how bored they were. So I demanded them to tell me all the downsides to my story. And all three of them told me that I used ‘said’ WAY TO MUCH. So I re-read my writing and they weren’t wrong! I used it so much even I got bored of my own writing. So I looked for sites that’d give me some helpful word ideas and I came across this. TRUST ME, this is the best site. I love this and I think it is very helpful. Thank you to the creators of this website!

Using all of this won’t make the reader fall asleep when saying, “Said…said…said…”

Thx this really helped me with the story I’m currently writing – good one.

omg this was so helpful I felt like said,says and asked was all my vocabulary consisted of and this helps with my story!!

I am writing ✍🏻 a story and this has been very useful indeed , all ur words have been in handy especially when having so many ‘direct and indirect sentences’

I am writing a story as well. I had a brain fart for the word ‘said’ and looked up some meanings, and this helped out a LOT. Thank you so much

Tysm for this website! I am writing a realistic fiction/comedy/mystery, and also a Fantasy/Thriller and it is helping SO MUCH! I hope I can get it published one day, but… you know how life is… anyways wish me luck! Also, other words are Retorted, Countered, Glared, Calls, Affirmed, Greets. (Sorry if some of these are already on here) Also good luck everyone on their books!

Thanks! I’ll look out for your book if it gets published! What’s the name of your book!?

More words are: Inquired, Admitted, Accepted, Chided, Chirped, Piped, Announces, Scolds, Accused, Glowered, Snarled, Mused, Advised, again, sorry if there are already on here or someone else said them, I hope they help too!

Wow thank you so much I am a writer and somtimes I have a hard time replacing said though this made it fun and easy!!!

Im writing a book and I looked at this and exclaimed this helps! Thanks!

I was writing a story with cats, and all I could think to say instead of said was, “hissed, mewed, meowed, and spat.” I found this and it helps so so so much! Love this, and thank you whoever made this!

Yea I’m only 11 & 2 quarters and I’m righting a story and this helps me so MUCH

Yeah, me too! I’m also writing a story and I’m 11&11/12 (as in that I’ll be 12 in exactly one month). This has helped a LOT, although I’m going to have to use human words (like yelled, whispered, cried) for rabbits.

You could also use respond for the list

said is dead

does ‘shrugs’ work. it is kind of like, “I searched it up,” she shrugged.

Oh my gosh, you have NO idea how much I needed this. I am writing a book right now and the word “said” was getting repetitive. Thanks so much for this! 🙂

I love this! It helped me so much as I’m writing a book. Also made me laugh 🤣

Any suggestions for when a character is talking in an innocent way? (Besides innocently)

Thanks for making my short story so much better! It really is helpful

This helped me with a story that I had to type. I hate the word said, did, and because. I’m always correcting my friends when they talk.

I’m looking for something instead of though. But this helps! Thanks you! (I suck at writing narratives! It’s like I’m writing a whole book!)

I like to use “added” and “replied” alot.

I need something instead of “said”, but none of the alternates work for this sentence: “Hello, this is Violet Amorde,” she _____ brightly.

Chided, Chirped, Added, (Or said, Ig LOL)

Introduced her, maybe? That might work. Plus, if there’s other dialogue around it, you can get away with not using the tag.

I am writing a story and this has made my writing so much better

I’m writing a scary story for writing class, and this helped soooooo much. DEFINATELY much better than said. I am satisfied. I also like how the author explains everything too, in a relatable and entertaining way.😁

I am writing a essay and this helped me so much!!!

These help so much!

I was making an essay for something and this helped when I was trying to find a positive tone of wording rather than just said :]

This was really helpful with my homework! It gave me a lot of cool new words to use in stories. I’ll definitely use these for my classes.

I was wondering if you knew a good word for when someone says something in disbelief, shock, and disappointment. As if someone said something bad and someone else blurted out their name in disbelief. For example: To end the tourcher I blurted out the secrets to our captors, Nelly then (blank)”Tommy!” As so say come on really, I can’t believe you’ve done this.

Like this? I couldn’t take the torture any longer, I closed my eyes shut and blurted out the secrets to our captors. I opened my eyes to see Nelly’s disbelieving face, “Tommy!” She cried out in vain, Other examples: “Tommy…” She wispered, eyes bubbling with tears “Tommy!” She spat, “You idiot! Why would you say that?!” “Tommy” She muttered, refusing to look at me “Tommy,” She breathed, barely audible. Her [Blank] eyes staring into mine Let me know if this helps!

I’ve always felt so uncomfortable writing dialogue like

“Hello!” Mary said.

so I’ve always written it like

Mary ran up to Parker and wrapped her arms around him. “Hello!”

and I’m just SO glad that’s not a bad way to do it 😁😁

Actually, in a way it makes your writing better. It sounds more… I cant think of the word

I would say included, and the reader can feel more like a part of the story.

I’ve been writing a story for about two weeks. It’s kind of difficult since I’m only in 7th, and I don’t know a lot of words besides said, so this help a lot （￣︶￣）↗

Oml, thx for making this i am writing a narrative for my school and was like “ugh i hate the word, ‘said’ and i hated the others because they only listee like 2 or 3 words

I SO agree with you! I am writing a english essay, and I needed other words than said. I wanted it to be more interesting, because said gets really boring really fast.

So, great website! Great words, great advice! I have some advice too. Many times it makes your writing stronger to not use dialouge tags at all. Not saying u should NEVER use them, that would be utterly stupid. But don’t use them EVERY time. There’s a time for everything. A parent giving a talking-to to their kid is probably best for no dialouge tags. But a friendly conversation could benefit from them. Also, if you have a lot of characters I recommend making a separate doc with the list of characters and traits on it. One other thing; said can get boring and useless. Its a fact. But, dont let it get that way. At the same time, still use it, maybe even use it A LOT. Like “Blah blah” She said cheerfully “Blah blee blah blah” He grinned “Blah blah blah blee blah” Molly giggled Use said, dont overuse it, and make it interesting!

But, for those times where I want another word this was very helpful. Im writing a book about magic. I want to get it published someday, it may or may not happen. Its going to be a five book series that follows a girl, her best friend, and her twin sister, along with another friend. They go on quests, there’s a fair amount of fighting and betrayl. And more than just a touch of magic. I’ve already fallen in love with both my main character and her best friend. My brother has fallen in love with the twin sister and the best friends brother. I take this as a good sign. Maybe someday I’ll reach my goal. Best of luck to all of you! Dont give up! ~Narwhal

I have IEW, (Institute for Excellence in Writing), and I’m working on my final draft. All I could think of was, ‘Jane `said`, “I’m going to call the babysitter and check on the kids”, which I can’t use say or said, so I’ve been having a struggle. I looked up ‘different words for say and said’, because none of the ones I have in my binder where quite good enough. After searching different link I didn’t like many times, I found this one. SO many were perfect, but I only needed one. It’s funny how I was really struggling and couldn’t find or think of a perfect word, and then now I there is way to many perfect words! I also don’t know how you thought of all of these words! It’s making me bamboozled! Thank you a LOT for this site that you put all of your time into, because I will be using this page a bunch!!😂

This was so helpful thank you.

Other words for said could be utter, note, presume, pronounce, comment, and mention.

I use this link all the time and I also share it with my friends and family

hate this, it is amazing

How do you hate it AND it’s amazing? Do you hate amazing things?

Grumbled is another good word.

I write a book series (And I’m only 11 not to brag) and I use this whenever I get stuck

same, i’m also young and i’ve written multiple books on wattpad with thousands of views, im working on my fourth!

this website helped me a lot! it has great words and makes writing sound a lot better. could you also add in “guess” to the “asking” category? but it was super helpful and easy, thank you!

Thank you! I’m writing a novel and I was stuck- this really helped! 🙂

This really helped me with toy stories I’ve been writing.

thanks so much. I never knew there were so many ways to say things!

These are so so useful! Thank you!

Smiled is a good one EX. Luca smiled “I guess its all settled then”

I write stories too but I need some for words for like when there in pain or worried.

painfully exclaimed said worridly sighed in worry cried in pain shouted in pain

Shouted Screamed in agony Strained Struggled Gasped Said, gasping for breath Said anxiously Fretted Said uneasily.

Screamed and shook in agony

I always come here when I get stuck on wording my dialogue to find the words to match it how it sounds in my head. It’s been a big help for me. I’ve also been thinking about making a book based on a true story, I’d have to get permission from my friend, but I’m still trying to decide. I don’t know if I should start it though, I’ve got an entire huge drawer full of WIPs and am still getting ideas for new stories.

“said” is so boring. It’s like using “very” when describing everything. You can make your stories so much more interesting if you use a little imagination and creativity instead of using “said” all the time.

this kinda save my life i’m an editor for a small story and theres so many saids-

same. i’m writing a wattpad story and this saved my life.

I’m writing my first ever biography and this was extremely helpful

this helps with all my story’s thank tou

I am SO bad at writing things without said. It is such a bad habit at this point. This list has helped me so much! My dearest thanks!

Thank You! I am writing a story and I need to change the word said ALOT TYSM!! <3 🙂

I’m writing a story, and this helped honestly so much. I am a very descriptive writing and this is definitely helping my creative imagination run wild. Tysm.

I’m currently writing a story about a coffee shop where dead famous people come and I needed other words then said! Thanks you so much this helped a ton!

This helped me so much with my story. Thx!

This really came at the perfect timing when I needed words to replace said this is a lifesaver

I was writing an essay and i searched up “words to replace said” and i found this i love those words that are up there

Not being rude to blog, but I despise words like said and anything that replaces them. In my opinion it is easier to avoid words like that in favor of adding detail: ie “‘we could go to the beach,’ he said” sounds so much better as “‘We could go to the beach,” his eyes were hopeful and he smiled.”

But, is it better than “we could go to the beach,’ he queried” actually, I think that has a ring to it, depending on the context. I mean, I don’t think many authors would add that much detail in a sentence like that, unless it was romantic or something, at least I wouldn’t. That is adding too much detail to a simple sentence. Like putting lipstick on a pig. You only really need to add detail to moments in your book that are really important, or just moments you want your reader to remember.

said is dead!

Helped me so much in my writing it just brightens up my writing.

I”m writing a horror story and this helped tons.

btw my book is called the haunted dollhouse because i’m a huge horror fan

Can I read it? It sounds interesting!

Bellowed is a good one when someone is loud.

I really appreciate this website. It helps a lot with the story I am writing.

This really helped! Thank you!

Thank you for this list. It has helped me with school work and helped me with writing my book Millie and the Lost Diamond. I’m a enormous J.K Rowling fan and Harry Potter. Comment back if your the same!

guys this too much comments for anyone to read!

another good one is, “chimed”. It really helps when the character in question is overly happy about something. For example, ” “I am really looking forward to coming over tonight!” He chimed.”

croaned is one I like, especially when showing love or care proclaimed is one I use bemused I think you can use that one proffered retracted when taking something back relented same

am I the only one who has this tab open every time they’re writing a story lol xD

I also always have it open while I write.

This really helped me with some dialogue in my story, it used to be:

“Oh really?” Asked Rust.

“I’m sure of it,” Dew said.

“Well, then, where’s the proof?” Rust told him.

It turned into:

“Oh, really?” Rust snarled.

“I’m sure of it,” Dew gave him a weary look as he muttered.

“Well, then, where’s the proof?” Rust inquired.

I feel that I have about one million stories in progress, Mystic Kingdoms, Bewere, The Keeper, The Forgotten Power, An Abstract story, Life in 4th Grade (Started this in fourth grade, somehow not done), Dragonslayer, How It All Began, Nessi, New Dawn Old Dusk, Destiny In The Making.

This helped me alot, thanks i guess.

notice that a lot of these came from Harry Potter

yep! I finished my first book and now i’m writing another one I spent hours looking for this website. SO HELPFUL!

very help full im righting a book about a witch called far away still making it but because of this its helping so much

This was so helpful for my writing! Thx!

I’m writing a book called champion. I have people in place, and plans to get it published(self-published actually). I am 13, writing this book with my best friend Sadie (one of the main characters), and one of my dreams is to be a writer, as a thirteen-year-old, I’m taking control of my experience with writing, and putting it toward my book. I know many authors, many self-published people, some people’s books have profited, some not, but I’m taking control of my future, building my creativity, and learning. As a teen, this will help build my confidence for the future, and if my book does profit, it will give me an opportunity for a career in writing. This has helped, by taking my character’s conversations and adding emotions.

That’s super cool, I wish you good luck on your book

I NEED OPINIONSSSS i am writing a book, champions is the title, and the main characters are luke,sadie (who are d8ing) amealia,mason,and julia SHOULD THERE BE ROMANCE BETWEEN MASON&AMEALIA (btw amealia is the main character)

This will help me loads!

One other word I dont think they mentioned is Confessed

Thank you sooooo much. I’m 13 and I’m getting into writting so I’m writting my first story/book. I’m so excited to use these in my story!! ^-^

I am using this list while writing my book, and this is helping me a lot as a young writer. Thanks for making it!

I’ve used this in soooo many stories i’ve written, it’s super helpful. I have been using this for almost a year.

I love this! I am writing a story right now and using “said” all the time gets repetitive. This helped a ton!

I’m writing a book and this really lent a helping hand. Using ‘said’ when writing dialogue is so boring.

This was so useful!

gotta agree w/ @ethan the word said has been overused way too much lately

This article has helped me write a story. It’s hard to find other words besides said. It’s nice to have a source that will help you with personal and professional writing.

Also, this website helped me so much!

One word this didn’t mention was probably ” grinned “

Oh wait, I just realized they did mention “grinned “! Alright, never mind!

I didn’t see “sassed” on the lists; I use that a lot.

Hello, I’d just like to tell you you put ‘screamed’ twice.

Wow! I am writing a story and this is helping a LOT!

I recently participated in a four-week dialogue clinic at the local community college, and we debated this subject. What surprised me was that I went back and re-read Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and the entire novel was nearly entirely written with “said/say/saying” and “ask/asked/asking.” Obviously, we all can’t write like Mary Shelley, but we should ask ourselves what we are compensating for with our need for stronger dialogue tags.

I found this when i was 10, and now im almost 15 and still use it, i love this thing tysmm

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Use the word “said” instead of one of its many synonyms

Using the most specific vocabulary word usually is good advice in writing, but there is one exception: the word “said.”

Told, stated, remarked, revealed, whispered, shouted, spoke—the list of substitutes is practically endless. But most of the time, “said” is the best option.

When you write, “He said,” you are informing that a person spoke, but you are not informing how he spoke, so the focus goes on the words he said aloud. In the sentence, “Jack said, ‘I am soaking wet from that rain,’” the focus is on what Jack said aloud, as it should be. In the sentence, “Jack hollered, ‘I am soaking wet from that rain,’” the focus is split. Part of the focus is on what words Jack said aloud, and part is on his manner of speech—a holler.

We are so used to reading the word “said” that it virtually disappears, much like the article, “a.” That is what we want. We need to let our readers know who is speaking, but usually the manner of speech is not important. By using any word other than “said,” attention is drawn away from what is said to how it is said, which we don’t want.

A good rule of thumb is to use “said” if you want your reader to focus on the words which were said aloud. However, if you want your reader to focus on the manner of speaking, then use another word. But do so sparingly.  Click on the listing (graphic) below for a larger version.

Synonyms for the word “said” as compiled by http://www.synonyms-antonyms.com

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One response to “ Use the word “said” instead of one of its many synonyms ”

This is a good site to go to when you are writing a narritive for collage or other things

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Synonyms For “Say” or “Said”

For narrative writing, sometimes you want to use a verb other than “he says” or “she said.” This is a cheatsheet to help you break out of that rut.

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27 replies on “Synonyms For “Say” or “Said””

These comments are so old, I was 1 when the first comment was written, but anyways, this was a lifesaver, THX

What would you use if you had to do a character that is sad but happy and anouncing something

Yelled, Raged, and DAB ON IT (LOL)

that is called onomatoeipia

Hello, this word list helped me a lot, I have learned a lot of different words

what if i am using character who is shy and what words i would use say for that?

Mumble, Murmur, Whisper, Stutter, etc.

it would be helpful if there were words for called as i am writing a story

Hey! Thanks for this list! It will help in my 6th grade writing class but I have a question. What if a chracater is to speak in a nervous tone, or a bully-like tone. It would mean a lot that you could find these answers and possibly more tones for perfect essay writing! But I will definetly use these tips in my essay. thanks!

If you plan to have talking animals, you can also use “yowled”, “mewed”, “bark”, “yipped”, “squawked” and other depending on the animal.

Crackled, fizzled, beeped and similar can be used for mechanical creatures.

thanks this helps a lot with animal and other misc stuff!

Thank you. This is going to help me on my essay, and my writing. I’m 14 and I write novel type books in my spare time, if I have any at all.

You’re welcome, Kayla.

[…] http://wiredpen.com/resources/synonyms-for-say-or-said/ […]

Thank you for these life saving tips! There really going to help me with my book, it’s SciFi and has a lot of dialog. But you need another tone, like chat or something. Because I wanna find words that I can use in normal chat.

I have a 141 word list

thank you. I am 14 and writing a novel that has a lot of dialog. This really helped me!

Thank you, this will help me alot with my essay.

Awesome… thankyou

really usefull! also i would add cried to the sad list.

Life saver.

What a useful list. Thankyou. May I add – cautioned, yelled, roared, allowed (agreement) tittered, chuckled, hissed, growled. I’ve seen ’empathised’ in books but that’s not strictly accurate as empathy is the ability to *feel* what someone else is feeling and often used quite wrongly.

You can sympathise, as that is understanding, but not empathise. :)

Also, to any budding writers, there are many words which even experienced writers use wrong (and get them past lazy editors! ) One is “prone” – if a person is lying prone, they are face down (look it up in the dictionary is my rule) this leads to hilarious visual situations such as when someone is ‘lying prone and gazing at the stars’ !! The other word which really annoys is ‘brackish” this is a mixture of salt and fresh water, as one might find in an estuary, it does NOT mean dirty water, as is so often implied. The other important thing is to make your clauses agree. To write, “Driving in to work, a tree fell on Mary’s car” means the tree was driving. :) ‘Driving in to work, Mary’s car was hit by a tree’ – is better

“She was so tired she jumped into the bed in her underclothes” recently caused me to laugh out loud.

The rule here is to ask yourself “what or who is that first clause about?” The 2nd clause should be about that too.

Dan, thanks for alerting me to the Spam!

Thanks a lot for these ! :] Rachelle is just stupid and ignorant. She won’t get far in life with her attitude.

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Other Ways to Say SAID + PDF ✔

Other ways to say “said”.

When writing your essay, academic papers, you are overusing the word ‘said’ and looking for ‘ other ways to say said ‘? You can give more action, meaning and emotion to your dialogues with these synonyms for ‘ said ‘. There are many different ways to say ‘ said ‘ in a dialogue and academic writings. You can also download ‘other ways to say’ said pdf down below.

“I don’t want to go;’ she said. BORING! “I don’t want to go!” she whimpered. INTERESTING!

Simply replacing the word “ said ” with one of the following synonyms could give your writing the “extra kick” you’re looking for.

100 ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO SAY “SAID”

OTHER WAYS TO SAY “SAID” FOR WRITERS

agreed acknowledged, assented, conceded, concurred, consented, seconded

animal sounds barked, chirped, croaked, crowed, growled, hissed, howled, panted, roared, snarled, squawked, squeaked, yapped, yelped

answered reacted, remarked, replied, responded, retorted, returned

argued bickered, contended, contested, contradicted, countered, debated, denied, disagreed, disputed, objected, opposed, protested, quarreled, quibbled, squabbbled

asked challenged, grilled, inquired, interrogated, pried, probed, queried, questioned, quizzed, requested

begged beseeched, entreated, implored, petitioned, pleaded, prayed, pressed, requested, urged

blamed accused, alleged, attacked, charged, claimed, rebuked, reproved

chatted babbled, blabbed, chit chatted, gabbed, gibbered, gossiped, jabbered, prattled

commented mentioned, noted, opined, remarked, stated

complained bemoaned, bewailed, fretted, fussed, griped, groaned, grumbled, moaned, pouted, sniveled, whimpered, whined, yammered

cried bawled, bemoaned, bewailed,blubbered, grieved, groaned, howled, lamented, moaned, mourned, sighed, sniffled, sniveled, sobbed, wailed, wept, whimpered, yammered, yowled

criticized blasted, chastised, chided, disapproved, lambasted, nitpicked, reprimanded, zinged

declared announced, asserted, broadcasted, confirmed, informed, proclaimed, professed

exaggerated boasted, bragged, distorted, elaborated, embellished, enhanced, expanded, expounded, fabricated, inflated, overstated

explained clarified, described, detailed, illustrated, interpreted, paraphrased, summarized, translated

gasped choked, gulped, heaved, panted, snorted, wheezed

imitated aped, echoed, impersonated, mimicked, mocked, parodied, parroted

interrupted blurted, inserted, interfered, interjected

intimidated badgered, browbeat, bullied, coerced, harassed, hounded, taunted, threatened

joked bantered, jested, jived, joshed, kidded

laughed cackled, jested, jived, joshed, kidded

laughed cackled, chortled, chuckled, giggled, howled, roared, snickered, sniggere

nagged badgered, hounded, needled, pestered, prodded

observed detected, discerned, discovered, noted, noticed, perceived

ordered charged, commanded, decreed, demanded, directed, instructed

persuaded cajoled, coaxed, convinced, exhorted, insisted, urged, wheedled, wooed

predicted conjectured, forecasted, foretold, guessed, inferred, presumed, prognosticated, prophesied, speculated, supposed, surmised

promised agreed, assured, ensured, guaranteed, pledged, swore, vowed

raged boiled, bristled, foamed, fumed, ranted, raved, spit, stormed

rejoiced celebrated, cheered, exulted, hooted, jubilated, reveled

remembered brooded, recalled, recollected, reflected, reminisced

retold narrated, quoted, recited, recounted, repeated

revealed announced, confessed, confided, declared, disclosed, divulged, expressed, proclaimed, professed, uttered

sang chanted, chirped, crooned, hummed, serenaded, trilled, twittered, warbled, yodeled

scolded berated, chastened, chided, criticized, lectured, rebuked, reprimanded, reproached

screamed bawled, bellowed, blared, blurted, cried, exclaimed, hollered, roared, shouted, shrieked, shrilled, squealed, wailed, yelled, yowled

stuttered faltered, hesitated, sputtered, stammered, stumbled, trembled

suggested advised, hinted, implied, inferred, insinuated, intimated, offered, proposed, recommended

tattled blabbed, blurted, gossiped, leaked, rumored, snitched, spilled, squeaked

teased bugged, harassed, mocked, needled, pestered, razzed, ribbed, roasted, taunted

warned admonished, advised, alerted, cautioned, exhorted, forewarned

whispered breathed, buzzed, hissed, mumbled, murmured, muttered

Other Ways to Say “Said” for Academic Writing

acknowledged, added , advocated, agreed , argued, asserted , attested, commented , contradicted, elaborated , emphasized, estimated , explained, held , implied, indicated , inferred, maintained , mentioned, noted , objected, observed , pointed out, predicted , reciprocated, related , responded, stated , stressed, suggested , thought

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Synonyms of said

• as in aforementioned
• as in expressed
• as in recited
• as in assumed
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Thesaurus Definition of said

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• aforementioned
• preliminary
• introductory

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Thesaurus Definition of said  (Entry 2 of 2)

• articulated
• brought out
• put into words
• promulgated
• broadcasted
• ripped (out)
• piped up (with)
• communicated
• paraphrased
• hypothesized
• presupposed
• took for granted
• hypothecated
• conjectured
• preconceived
• wondered (about)
• disagreed (with)
• discredited
• controverted
• disbelieved

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Cite this entry.

“Said.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/said. Accessed 19 Jun. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on said

Nglish: Translation of said for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of said for Arabic Speakers

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12 Other Words for “Said” in an Essay

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Welcome to the world of expression! In this article, we’ll delve into 12 other words for “said” that will breathe life into your essays . Words hold immense power , and using a diverse vocabulary can transform your writing. Let’s explore exciting alternatives that will not only captivate your readers but also showcase your linguistic prowess.

12 Other Words for “Said”

Here are 12 alternatives to the word “said”:

• Articulated

Here’s a table featuring the meaning and examples of 12 alternatives to the word “said”:

Expanding your vocabulary beyond the simple use of “said” allows for a more nuanced and engaging expression in your writing. By incorporating these alternatives, you can add depth and variety to your dialogue, creating a more vivid and compelling narrative.

Is It Correct to Say “Said”?

Certainly! While the word “said” is a common and widely accepted term for attributing dialogue in writing, it’s essential to recognize that using a variety of dialogue tags can enrich your writing and make it more engaging. However, there is absolutely nothing incorrect about using “said.” In fact, it is a straightforward and neutral way to attribute speech.

That being said, diversifying your dialogue tags with alternatives, as explored in this article, can add nuance and depth to your writing. Different words convey different tones and emotions, allowing you to paint a more vivid picture of how the words are spoken.

Professional Mail Example With “Said”

Here’s an example of a professional email using the word “said”:

Subject: Follow-Up on Project Status

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I trust this email finds you well. I am reaching out to provide an update on the current status of our ongoing project, as discussed in our recent team meeting.

During the meeting, you said that you would take the lead on coordinating with the client to gather their feedback. I appreciate your initiative in handling this crucial aspect of the project.

Additionally, it was said that the deadline for the final report would be extended by a week to accommodate any unforeseen challenges. Please confirm if this adjustment aligns with your team’s timeline and if any further support is required from my end.

Furthermore, as you said, regular check-ins will be scheduled every Friday to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding project milestones and potential roadblocks. Your commitment to clear communication is instrumental in the success of our collaborative efforts.

If there are any updates or concerns not covered in our meeting, please do not hesitate to reach out. I value your contributions to the project and look forward to its successful completion under your leadership.

Thank you for your attention to these matters, and I anticipate a productive week ahead.

Best regards,

[Your Full Name] [Your Position] [Your Company] [Your Contact Information]

Uttered: Giving Voice to Your Characters

In the realm of effective communication, the term “uttered” takes center stage. This alternative to “said” encapsulates the act of speaking, emphasizing not just the words spoken but the essence of giving voice to characters in your narrative.

When to Use: Formal Context: In professional dialogues or formal settings, “uttered” can lend an air of sophistication to your characters, making their expressions more deliberate and impactful.

Informal Context: In casual conversations, using “uttered” can convey a sense of thoughtfulness or earnestness, elevating everyday speech to a more intentional level.

Example: Colleague Context: John uttered a proposal during the team meeting, suggesting an innovative approach to streamline our workflow.

Friend Context: Samantha uttered words of encouragement, assuring her friend that better days were ahead.

Email Sample:

Subject: Proposal for Project Enhancement

Dear [Colleague’s Name],

I hope this email finds you well. During our recent team meeting, I uttered a suggestion that I believe could significantly enhance our project’s efficiency…

Variations:

Dictionary Insight: Cambridge Dictionary defines “utter” as expressing something or making a sound with the voice.

Tips: Ensure the usage aligns with the tone of your narrative. In more formal contexts, reserve “uttered” for significant statements to maintain its impact.

Exclaimed: Infusing Emotion into Dialogue

In the world of storytelling, adding emotion to dialogue is crucial. “Exclaimed” serves as a powerful alternative to “said,” injecting scenes with vibrant expressions and heightened feelings.

When to Use: Formal Context: In formal writing, using “exclaimed” can convey excitement or urgency, breaking away from the monotony of traditional dialogue tags.

Informal Context: In casual or creative contexts, “exclaimed” can capture the dynamic nature of conversations, portraying characters’ genuine reactions.

Example: Mentor-Mentee Context: The mentor exclaimed with joy as the mentee showcased a groundbreaking solution to the problem they’d been tackling.

Family Context: She exclaimed, “You got the job!” when her brother shared the news of his recent employment.

Subject: Exciting News!

I couldn’t wait to share the news with you. I exclaimed with joy when I received confirmation that…

Dictionary Insight: According to Merriam-Webster, to exclaim is to cry out loudly or vehemently, especially in surprise, pain, or enthusiasm.

Tips: Use “exclaimed” sparingly to maintain its impact. Reserve it for moments of genuine surprise, enthusiasm, or urgency.

Whispered: Adding a Touch of Secrecy

For moments of intimacy or confidentiality, “whispered” emerges as a potent alternative to “said.” This term not only describes speech but also conveys a sense of discretion and shared secrets.

When to Use: Formal Context: In a formal setting, “whispered” can be employed to indicate discreet communication, perhaps during a confidential meeting or presentation.

Informal Context: In personal interactions, especially those of a more private nature, using “whispered” sets the scene for hushed conversations that carry a sense of trust.

Example: Colleague Context: She whispered the solution to her colleague during the strategy meeting, ensuring only the necessary ears caught wind of the brilliant idea.

Friend Context: In the crowded room, they whispered plans for the surprise birthday party, keeping the excitement a well-guarded secret.

Subject: Confidential Update

I wanted to share a whispered update with you regarding the upcoming project. Please keep this information confidential for now…

• Shared in hushed tones

Dictionary Insight: According to Oxford Languages, to whisper is to speak very softly using one’s breath rather than one’s throat, especially for privacy.

Tips: Employ “whispered” selectively to underscore moments of confidentiality, deepening the emotional impact of your narrative.

Asserted: Conveying Confidence in Speech

When characters need to speak with confidence and authority, “asserted” steps into the spotlight. This alternative to “said” adds a layer of conviction, making statements more impactful.

When to Use: Formal Context: In professional or authoritative dialogues, using “asserted” can elevate the speaker’s presence, emphasizing the assured nature of their statements.

Informal Context: Even in casual exchanges, “asserted” can be effective when characters wish to communicate with conviction or emphasize a point strongly.

Example: Business Context: The CEO asserted the company’s commitment to sustainability, outlining ambitious environmental goals during the press conference.

Family Context: He asserted his viewpoint during the family discussion, advocating for a collective decision on their upcoming vacation destination.

Subject: Key Decision

I want to assert our team’s stance on the proposed changes. It is crucial that we remain steadfast in our commitment to…

• Stated firmly

Dictionary Insight: Merriam-Webster defines “assert” as to state or declare positively and often forcefully or aggressively.

Tips: Use “asserted” when you want characters to command attention and underline the certainty of their statements.

Murmured: Creating an Intimate Atmosphere

In instances where the dialogue demands a touch of intimacy, “murmured” serves as the perfect alternative to “said.” This term encapsulates quiet and confidential exchanges, adding a layer of subtlety to your narrative.

When to Use: Formal Context: During formal events or meetings, employing “murmured” can create a sense of exclusivity, making certain conversations appear private even in a public setting.

Informal Context: In personal relationships or friendly exchanges, “murmured” can convey a closeness between characters, drawing readers into the intimate aspects of their interactions.

Example: Romantic Context: As they strolled through the moonlit garden, he murmured sweet words of affection, creating an atmosphere of romance.

Friend Context: She murmured a heartfelt apology to her friend, mending a minor disagreement without drawing unnecessary attention.

Subject: Sensitive Matter

I wanted to discuss a sensitive topic with you and thought it best if we murmured about it privately…

• Softly spoke
• Shared in an undertone

Dictionary Insight: Cambridge Dictionary defines “murmur” as to speak or say something very quietly, using the breath but not the voice.

Tips: Use “murmured” judiciously to heighten the emotional impact of pivotal moments in your narrative.

Articulating: Emphasizing Clarity in Communication

For characters who prioritize precision and clarity in their speech, “articulating” emerges as a valuable alternative to “said.” This term conveys a commitment to expressing thoughts with utmost clarity.

When to Use: Formal Context: In professional settings or academic dialogues, using “articulating” can underscore the speaker’s dedication to clear and concise communication.

Informal Context: Even in casual conversations, “articulating” can be effective when characters want to emphasize the importance of their words or ideas.

Example: Academic Context: The professor excelled in articulating complex theories, making them accessible to students with varying levels of expertise.

Friend Context: She had a knack for articulating her thoughts, ensuring that her friends always understood her perspective in any discussion.

Subject: Clarification on Project Scope

I am writing to articulate our team’s understanding of the project scope. It is essential that we remain aligned…

• Articulating
• Expressing clearly
• Conveying precisely

Dictionary Insight: Oxford Languages defines “articulate” as having the ability to express oneself fluently and coherently.

Tips: Use “articulating” to showcase characters who prioritize effective and clear communication, especially in contexts where precision matters.

Announcing: Making Declarations with Authority

When it’s time for characters to make authoritative statements or share significant news, “announcing” steps into the limelight. This alternative to “said” conveys a sense of importance and command in communication.

When to Use: Formal Context: In formal announcements, speeches, or presentations, “announcing” is an effective choice to capture attention and convey the weight of the information being shared.

Informal Context: Even in casual situations, characters can use “announcing” to add flair to their declarations, making mundane announcements more engaging.

Example: Official Announcement: The mayor stood at the podium, announcing a groundbreaking initiative to enhance the city’s infrastructure.

Family Context: She excitedly announced her engagement during the family gathering, creating an atmosphere of celebration.

Subject: Important Update

I am pleased to announce a major breakthrough in our ongoing project. Your dedication and hard work have led to…

• Made it known

Dictionary Insight: According to Merriam-Webster, to announce is to make known publicly or officially.

Tips: Reserve “announcing” for pivotal moments or significant information, enhancing the impact of your characters’ declarations.

Conveying: Transmitting Messages Effectively

For characters who excel in effective communication, “conveying” serves as a powerful alternative to “said.” This term implies the successful transmission of messages, highlighting a character’s communicative prowess.

When to Use: Formal Context: In business or professional contexts, “conveying” can be employed to underscore a character’s ability to articulate and transmit ideas clearly.

Informal Context: In personal relationships, using “conveying” showcases characters who excel in expressing their thoughts and emotions with precision.

Example: Corporate Setting: The executive excelled in conveying complex strategies to the team, ensuring everyone understood their role in the upcoming project.

Friend Context: She was adept at conveying her feelings, making her a reliable confidante for her friends.

Subject: Clarity in Communication

I wanted to express my gratitude for your role in conveying the project updates to the team. Your clear communication has…

• Transmitting
• Sharing effectively

Dictionary Insight: Cambridge Dictionary defines “convey” as to express a thought, feeling, or idea so that it is understood by other people.

Tips: Use “conveying” to showcase characters with strong communication skills, especially in contexts where clarity is crucial.

Pronouncing: Embodying Distinct Articulation

When characters possess distinct articulation and precision in their speech, “pronouncing” stands out as an alternative to “said.” This term emphasizes the clarity and individuality with which characters express themselves.

When to Use: Formal Context: In formal or academic discussions, “pronouncing” can be employed to highlight a character’s ability to enunciate complex ideas with clarity.

Informal Context: Even in everyday conversations, using “pronouncing” can accentuate a character’s unique manner of speaking, making their dialogue memorable.

Example: Academic Setting: The professor was skilled at pronouncing scientific terms, ensuring students grasped the nuances of each concept during lectures.

Friend Context: He was known for pronouncing words in a distinct manner, adding a touch of charm to his everyday conversations with friends.

Subject: Articulate Expression

I wanted to commend you for the way you’ve been pronouncing key points in our recent discussions. Your articulate expression…

• Pronouncing
• Enunciating clearly

Dictionary Insight: Merriam-Webster defines “pronounce” as to declare officially or ceremoniously.

Tips: Use “pronouncing” to showcase characters whose speech is marked by clarity, precision, and a distinctive manner of articulation.

Expressing: Conveying Feelings and Thoughts

For characters engaged in heartfelt communication, “expressing” serves as an alternative to “said.” This term goes beyond mere speech, encompassing the conveyance of deep emotions and thoughts.

When to Use: Formal Context: In formal settings, using “expressing” can highlight a character’s ability to communicate complex emotions or ideas with depth and sincerity.

Informal Context: In personal relationships, employing “expressing” adds a layer of authenticity to dialogue, allowing characters to share their feelings openly.

Example: Professional Context: The therapist excelled in expressing empathy, creating a safe space for clients to open up about their struggles.

Family Context: She was skilled at expressing her gratitude, ensuring her loved ones felt genuinely appreciated.

Subject: Heartfelt Appreciation

I am writing to express my sincere appreciation for your dedication and hard work on the recent project. Your efforts have not gone unnoticed…

• Sharing emotions
• Communicating feelings

Dictionary Insight: Cambridge Dictionary defines “express” as to communicate thoughts or feelings to others, often through speech or art.

Tips: Use “expressing” to showcase characters who excel in conveying the depth of their emotions and thoughts, adding authenticity to your narrative.

Disclosing: Revealing Information with Intent

When characters purposefully reveal information, “disclosing” emerges as a powerful alternative to “said.” This term conveys a sense of intentionality, suggesting that the information is shared for a specific reason.

When to Use: Formal Context: In professional or legal discussions, “disclosing” can be employed to highlight the deliberate nature of sharing information, often with legal or ethical considerations.

Informal Context: In personal relationships, using “disclosing” can signify a character’s openness and honesty, adding depth to the narrative.

Example: Legal Context: The lawyer was careful in disclosing only essential information during the deposition, ensuring strategic communication.

Friend Context: She took a step in disclosing her past experiences, fostering trust and understanding in her close friendship.

Subject: Important Disclosure

I am writing to disclose some key information regarding the upcoming project. It is crucial that we are all aware of…

• Sharing intentionally
• Making known

Dictionary Insight: According to Oxford Languages, to disclose is to make (secret or new information) known.

Tips: Use “disclosing” to underscore moments where characters intentionally share information, emphasizing the significance of the revelation.

Recounting: Narrating with Vivid Detail

For characters engaged in storytelling or detailed narration, “recounting” serves as a captivating alternative to “said.” This term implies a thorough and vivid retelling of events.

When to Use: Formal Context: In formal storytelling, historical accounts, or literary contexts, “recounting” can add a layer of richness to the narrative, providing readers with a detailed and immersive experience.

Informal Context: In casual conversations or personal anecdotes, using “recounting” allows characters to share experiences with vivid detail, engaging the listener.

Example: Historical Context: The historian excelled in recounting ancient battles, transporting listeners to a bygone era with vivid descriptions.

Friend Context: He enjoyed recounting his adventures during the backpacking trip, painting a colorful picture for his friends.

Subject: Detailed Recap

I wanted to take a moment to recount the key highlights of our recent meeting. Your insights and contributions were particularly noteworthy…

• Describing in detail

Dictionary Insight: Merriam-Webster defines “recount” as to relate in detail, narrate.

Tips: Use “recounting” when characters share stories or narrate events, aiming to immerse readers in the richness of the narrative with detailed descriptions.

Q: How can using alternatives to “said” enhance my writing? A: Incorporating diverse expressions adds depth and nuance to your narrative, creating a more engaging and vivid reading experience.

Q: Are these alternatives suitable for all types of writing? A: Yes, these alternatives can be adapted to various writing styles, from fiction and essays to professional communication.

Q: Can I use these words interchangeably? A: While these words offer alternatives to “said,” consider the context and tone of your writing to choose the most fitting expression.

Q: Do these alternatives work for both dialogue and narration? A: Absolutely. These words can enhance both dialogue tags and narrative elements, providing flexibility in your writing.

Q: How can I seamlessly integrate these alternatives into my writing? A: Practice incorporating these words into your writing gradually, ensuring they align with the tone and style of your narrative.

Q: Are there any resources to further expand my vocabulary? A: Yes, reading widely and using thesauruses can help you discover even more alternatives, enriching your writing arsenal.

Congratulations! You’ve now expanded your repertoire with 12 other words for “said.” Embrace these alternatives, experiment with them, and witness the transformative power they bring to your writing. Enhance your storytelling, captivate your audience, and let your words resonate.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Discussions about the writing craft.

What are other words to use instead of "Said" in writing?

I feel like its overused in my writing, and perhaps others, and I want to make my conversations amongst characters interesting and/or thrilling to the reader yet I cant really think of other words to use.

I know it depends on the situation but I'd appreciate If I could be given any and then a description of when to use if for different situations? ,

Refine Your Final Word With 10 Alternatives To “In Conclusion”

• Alternatives To In Conclusion

Wrapping up a presentation or a paper can be deceptively difficult. It seems like it should be easy—after all, your goal is to summarize the ideas you’ve already presented and possibly make a call to action. You don’t have to find new information; you just have to share what you already know.

Here’s where it gets tricky, though. Oftentimes, it turns out that the hardest part about writing a good conclusion is avoiding repetition.

That’s where we can help, at least a little bit. When it comes to using a transition word or phrase to kick off your conclusion, the phrase in conclusion is frequently overused. It’s easy to understand why—it is straightforward. But there are far more interesting and attention-grabbing words and phrases you can use in your papers and speeches to signal that you have reached the end.

One of the simplest  synonyms  of in conclusion is  in summary .  This transition phrase signals that you are going to briefly state the main idea or conclusion of your research. Like  in conclusion , it is formal enough to be used both when writing an academic paper and when giving a presentation.

• In summary,  despite multiple experimental designs, the research remains inconclusive.
• In summary , there is currently unprecedented interest in our new products.

A less formal version of  in summary  is  to sum up . While this phrase expresses the same idea, it's more commonly found in oral presentations rather than written papers in this use.

• To sum up,  we have only begun to discover the possible applications of this finding.

let's review or to review

A conclusion doesn't simply review the main idea or argument of a presentation. In some cases, a conclusion includes a more complete assessment of the evidence presented. For example, in some cases, you might choose to briefly review the chain of logic of an argument to demonstrate how you reached your conclusion. In these instances, the expressions  let's review  or  to review  are good signposts.

The transition phrases  let's review  and  to review  are most often used in spoken presentations, not in written papers. Unlike the other examples we have looked at,  let's review  is a complete sentence on its own.

• Let's review.  First, he tricked the guard. Then, he escaped out the front door.
• To review:  we developed a special kind of soil, and then we planted the seeds in it.

A classy alternative to in conclusion , both in papers and presentations, is in closing . It is a somewhat formal expression, without being flowery. This transition phrase is especially useful for the last or penultimate sentence of a conclusion. It is a good way to signal that you are nearly at the bitter end of your essay or speech. A particularly common way to use in closing is to signal in an argumentative piece that you are about to give your call to action (what you want your audience to do).

• In closing, we should all do more to help save the rainforest.
• In closing, I urge all parties to consider alternative solutions such as the ones I have presented.

in a nutshell

The expression in a nutshell is a cute and informal metaphor used to indicate that you are about to give a short summary. (Imagine you're taking all of the information and shrinking it down so it can fit in a nutshell.) It's appropriate to use in a nutshell both in writing and in speeches, but it should be avoided in contexts where you're expected to use a serious, formal register .

• In a nutshell, the life of this artist was one of great triumph and great sadness.
• In a nutshell, the company spent too much money and failed to turn a profit.

The expression in a nutshell can also be used to signal you've reached the end of a summarized story or argument that you are relating orally, as in "That's the whole story, in a nutshell."

[To make a] long story short

Another informal expression that signals you're about to give a short summary is to make a long story short , sometimes abbreviated to simply long story short. The implication of this expression is that a lengthy saga has been cut down to just the most important facts. (Not uncommonly, long story short is used ironically to indicate that a story has, in fact, been far too long and detailed.)

Because it is so casual, long story short is most often found in presentations rather than written papers. Either the full expression or the shortened version are appropriate, as long as there isn't an expectation that you be formal with your language.

• Long story short, the explorers were never able to find the Northwest Passage.
• To make a long story short, our assessments have found that there is a large crack in the foundation.

If using a transitional expression doesn't appeal to you, and you would rather stick to a straightforward transition word, you have quite a few options. We are going to cover a couple of the transition words you may choose to use to signal you are wrapping up, either when giving a presentation or writing a paper.

The first term we are going to look at is ultimately . Ultimately is an adverb that means "in the end; at last; finally." Typically, you will want to use it in the first or last sentence of your conclusion. Like in closing , it is particularly effective at signaling a call to action.

• Ultimately, each and every single person has a responsibility to care about this issue.
• Ultimately, the army beat a hasty retreat and the war was over.

Another transition word that is good for conclusions is lastly , an adverb meaning "in conclusion; in the last place; finally." Lastly can be used in informational or argumentative essays or speeches. It is a way to signal that you are about to provide the last point in your summary or argument. The word lastly is most often used in the first or last sentence of a conclusion.

• Lastly, I would like to thank the members of the committee and all of you for being such a gracious audience.
• Lastly, it must be noted that the institution has not been able to address these many complaints adequately.

The word overall is particularly good for summing up an idea or argument as part of your conclusion. Meaning "covering or including everything," overall is a bit like a formal synonym for "in a nutshell."

Unlike the other examples we have looked at in this slideshow, it is not unusual for overall to be found at the end of a sentence, rather than only at the beginning.

• Overall, we were very pleased with the results of our experiment.
• The findings of our study indicate that there is a lot of dissatisfaction with internet providers overall.

asking questions

Using traditional language like the options we have outlined so far is not your only choice when it comes to crafting a strong conclusion. If you are writing an argumentative essay or speech, you might also choose to end with one or a short series of open-ended or leading questions. These function as a creative call to action and leave the audience thinking about the arguments you have made.

In many cases, these questions begin with a WH-word , such as who or what. The specifics will vary spending on the argument being made, but here are a few general examples:

• When it comes to keeping our oceans clean, shouldn't we be doing more?
• Who is ultimately responsible for these terrible mistakes?

on a final note

Before we wrap up, we want to leave you with one last alternative for in conclusion . The expression on a final note signals that you are about to give your final point or argument. On a final note is formal enough to be used both in writing and in speeches. In fact, it can be used in a speech as a natural way to transition to your final thank yous.

• On a final note, thank you for your time and attention.
• On a final note, you can find more synonyms for in conclusion here.

The next time you are working on a conclusion and find yourself stuck for inspiration, try out some of these expressions. After all, there is always more than one way to write an ending.

No matter how you wrap up your project, keep in mind there are some rules you don't always have to follow! Let's look at them here.

Ways To Say

Synonym of the day