Merriam Webster's School Thesaurus [Hardcover]

Merriam-Webster (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0877791783 | ISBN-13: 978-0877791782 | Publication Date: April 1978 | Edition: 1

This thesaurus is designed for high-school students, and contains over 157,000 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic phrases, and related and contrasted words. Brief definitions describe shared meanings, and there are abundant usage examples

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The Merriam brothers desired a continuity of editorship that would link Noah Webster's efforts with their own editions, so they selected Chauncey A. Goodrich, Webster's son-in-law and literary heir, who had been trained in lexicography by Webster himself, to be their editor in chief. Webster's son William also served as an editor of that first Merriam-Webster dictionary, which was published on September 24, 1847.

Although Webster's work was honored, his big dictionaries had never sold well. The 1828 edition was priced at a whopping $20; in 13 years its 2,500 copies had not sold out. Similarly, the 1841 edition, only slightly more affordable at $15, moved slowly. Assuming that a lower price would increase sales, the Merriams introduced the 1847 edition at $6, and although Webster's heirs initially questioned this move, extraordinary sales that brought them $250,000 in royalties over the ensuing 25 years convinced them that the Merriams' decision had been abundantly sound.

The first Merriam-Webster dictionary was greeted with wide acclaim. President James K. Polk, General Zachary Taylor (hero of the Mexican War and later president himself), 31 U.S. senators, and other prominent people hailed it unreservedly. In 1850 its acceptance as a resource for students began when Massachusetts ordered a copy for every school and New York placed a similar order for 10,000 copies to be used in schools throughout the state. Eventually school use would spread throughout the country. In becoming America's most trusted authority on the English language, Merriam-Webster dictionaries had taken on a role of public responsibility demanded of few other publishing companies. 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Merriam Webster; 1 edition (April 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877791783
• ISBN-13: 978-0877791782
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #456,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars DO NOT BUY THIS!!!!! Stinks., December 17, 2007

By 

W. H. Yarbrough "A Mom in NC" (WS, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merriam Webster's School Thesaurus (Hardcover)

Okay, when using a Thesaurus - you quickly want to look up a word and get another word to use in its place, right?

YOU WILL NOT GET THAT WITH THIS VERSION. This one refers you to another word in the book, you go to the next word and it refers you yet again to another word. Very few words have what you will be looking for. WASTE OF MONEY - DO NOT BUY.

You get tons of useless information, but that's about it.

I don't understand why this book is set up the way it is and find it USELESS. It is currently resting under my bed.

0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Merriam Webster's School Thesaurus, February 16, 2007

By 

Sylvia Burford - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Merriam Webster's School Thesaurus (Hardcover)

I purchased a complete set for my language arts teacher and saved her over $50.00. Thanks for helping save our school money we can use for other school supplies.