Webster's New World Thesaurus (Hardcover)

by Charlton Laird (Author), Staff of Webster's New World Dictionary (Author), Michael E. Agnes (Editor) "a, modif. & prep. 1. [The indefinite article; before vowels, written "an"] - Syn. some, one, any, each, some kind of, some particular, any of,..." (more)
Key Phrases: synonym study, general word meaning, acquit oneself, United States, Great Britain, New York (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Although largely replaced by the modern A-Z thesaurus format, the thematic organization of the original Roget thesaurus set the standard for many years. This new edition of the renowned Webster's New World™ Thesaurus combines a thematic index, based on Roget's original categories, with the proven usefulness of its A-Z listing. New introductory material and an interpretive essay on Roget and his work reintroduce Roget's organizational technique to a new generation of thesaurus users. A helpful appendix produces lists of important terms grouped by their endings such as -cracy/-crat (government types), -ology/-ologist (field of scholarship), and more. Webster's New World™ Roget's A-Z Thesaurus gives writers what they really need -- more synonyms, with the broadest and most useful range of comparisons, examples, and related terms and ideas. It is the only college thesaurus to offer synonym discussion paragraphs and clearly distinguished example lists. Writers and speakers everywhere will find that when they have to say it better, Webster's New World™ Roget's A-Z Thesaurus, unique in concept and revolutionary in design, can help them say it best.

From the Publisher
The most complete and helpful A-Z thesaurus is now adapted for Roget users as well.

Writers and speakers everywhere will find that when they have to say it better, Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus, unique in concept and revolutionary in design, can help them say it best.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 894 pages
• Publisher: Webster's New World (June 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028631226
• ISBN-13: 978-0028631226
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.6 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,227 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully easy to use!, October 1, 2003

By	Jennifer L. Metcalf (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This thesaurus is divided into two main sections: Roget's style thematic index and a dictionary style alphabetized index.

The thematic index is divided into six areas, covering less than 20 pages:

Abstract Concepts
Spatial Concepts
Physical and material Concepts
Human Intellect
Human Personality and Actions
Human Emotions and Beliefs

For researching ideas, this first part is invaluable.

However, the vast majority of the time, I use the extraordinarily convenient dictionary style index, covering nearly 900 pages. It's easy - if you need a new word to cover the same tired old word you've been using, just look it up. For example, here's the entry for the common word, friend:

Friend, n. 1. [a person with whom one has mutual attachment] - Syn. Companion, intimate, confidant, comrade, familiar, schoolmate, playmate, best friend, close friend, roommate, bedfellow, fellow, fast friend, bosom friend, boon companion, mate alter ego, other self, soul mate, crony*, buddy*, sidekick*, bosom buddy*, homeboy*, homegirl*. Ant. Foe, ENEMY, stranger.

2. [An ally] Syn. Compatriot, confrere, colleague; see associate (in boldface)

3. [A patron] -- Syn. Supporter, backer, advocate, sympathizer; see patron (in boldface) 1.

Make friends with (in bold face) - Syn. Befriend, strike up a friendship with, buddy up to*; see associate (in boldface) 1.

When a word is in bold face, it means that the word is included in the thesaurus and may have other suggestions for you. The number after the bold face tells where in the entry to look for suggestions. The noun form of the word friend has three numbers referring to different definitions. An asterisk after a word, according to the thesaurus, indicates "archaic, colloquial, dialect, slang, or other unusual usage." The N after the entry word refers to its part of speech; in this case, the word friend is a noun. Syn. refers to synonym, or a word that is similar in meaning. Ant. refers to antonym, or a word that is opposite in definition.

The very back of the book has a small handful of pages called the Supplementary Word Lists, which include endings of words, such as -cide, --cracy, --iac, --mancy, and so forth and gives a list of words with that particular suffix. For example, for -iac, the listings includes words such as insomniac, kleptomaniac, and paranoiac, among many others.

In short, this is an excellent reference for a beginner (my ten-year-old frequently uses this thesaurus) as well as a seasoned professional. The organization is superb and it is easy to read and to follow. It's nearly impossible not to find the word that you seek!

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful tool for writing, September 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus (Paperback)

Even though I'm a die-hard Merriam-Webster user, I have to say that this thesaurus well exceeds the M-W Collegiate one in both resourcefulness and usability. Extensive, well-organized and user-friendly. A powerful tool to empower your writing.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What is a synonym for thesaurus?, June 1, 2001

By A Customer

This book is a great resource for all students from high school to college and has the organization to easily find the word you're looking for so you can get back to writing. A good desk tool that you will use forever. I love it, FIVE stars!