San José State University Writing Center

www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter
Written by Andrew Tucker

Synonyms for Said

Have you found that you are overusing the word “said”? Do you want to give more meaning,
action, and emotion to the dialogue in your writing? Do you want to use more descriptive words
in your essays? Simply replacing the word “said” with one of the following synonyms could give
your writing the “extra kick” you’re looking for.

Acknowledged Boasted Demurred

Acquiesced Bragged Denied
Added Brought forth Denounced
Addressed Called Described
Admitted Cautioned Dictated
Admonished Charged Directed
Advised Chided Disclosed
Advocated Cited Disrupted
Affirmed Claimed Divulged
Agreed Commanded Drawled
Alleged Commented Droned
Allowed Complained Elaborated
Announced Conceded Emphasized
Answered Concluded Enjoined
Approved Condescended Entreated
Argued Confessed Enunciated
Asked Confided Estimated
Assented Consented Exclaimed
Asserted Contended Explained
Assumed Contested Exposed
Assured Continued Expressed
Attested Contradicted Faltered
Avowed Counseled Feared
Babbled Countered Foretold
Bantered Cracked Fumed
Bargained Cried Gasped
Barked Debated Giggled
Began Decided Granted
Begged Declared Grinned
Bellowed Decreed Groaned
Beseeched Demanded Growled

Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014. 1 of 5

Grumbled Narrated Reiterated
Grunted Noted Rejoiced
Haggled Notified Rejoined
Hedged Objected Related
Held Observed Relented
Hesitated Opined Remarked
Hinted Orated Reminded
Howled Ordered Remonstrated
Imparted Petitioned Repeated
Implied Pleaded Replied
Implored Pled Reported
Indicated Pointed out Reprimanded
Inferred Prayed Requested
Informed Predicted Responded
Inquired Proclaimed Restated
Insinuated Professed Resumed
Insisted Prompted Retorted
Instructed Pronounced Returned
Interjected Proposed Revealed
Interrogated Propounded Roared
Intimidated Protested Ruled
Itemized Proved Sanctioned
Jested Publicized Scoffed
Judged Queried Scolded
Lamented Questioned Screamed
Laughed Quibbled Shouted
Lectured Quipped Shrieked
Lied Quoted Snapped
Lisped Rambled Sneered
Listed Ranted Sobbed
Made known Reaffirmed Solicited
Maintained Reasoned Specified
Mentioned Reassured Spoke
Mimicked Reciprocated Sputtered
Moaned Recited Stammered
Mumbled Recommended Stated
Murmured Recounted Stipulated
Mused Referred Stormed
Muttered Refuted Stressed
Nagged Regretted Stuttered

Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014. 2 of 5

Suggested Upbraided Wept
Taunted Urged Whimpered
Testified Uttered Whistled
Thought Vowed Whooped
Threatened Wailed Wrangled
Told Warned Yelled
Twitted Went on

Substituting for “Said”

Each of the above words, when used in the place of “said,” will make your writing much more
concrete and vivid. Take the following sentence, for example:

“I will love you until the end of time,” John said.

versus

“I will love you until the end of time,” John vowed.

Simply by replacing “said” with “vowed,” I have made the second sentence much more
meaningful than the first.

Here is another example:

“I think you had better go now,” Cindy said.

versus

“I think you had better go now,” Cindy snapped.

In the first sentence, readers have no hint at what Cindy is feeling when she speaks. In the
second sentence, readers can sense a hint of anger and intensity in Cindy’s voice.

Choosing more concrete synonyms for “said” can also strengthen your academic writing, as
shown in the following example:

“An anonymous source admitted that the company had actually been losing profit for years and
remarked that the reason for the loss was the poor judgment of the CEO.”

The words “admitted” and “remarked” both carry more weight than the word “said.” To say
simply means to say, but to admit and to remark both mean to say in a distinct and specific way.

Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014. 3 of 5

Activity 1
Using the context clues in each sentence, fill in each blank with the appropriate synonym for
“said” from the list below.

objected questioned described professed directed

confessed hinted began decided nagged

1. “Well, you see,” Julie __________, “It all started like this.”
2. Joseph __________that the Industrial Revolution was a time of growth and change in
America.
3. Carol __________whether or not she was making the right decision.
4. “You haven’t taken the trash out yet,” Lizzie __________.
5. The employee __________that he had been taking naps under the bar on his breaks.
6. “I will not stand for this!” Jason __________.
7. In the story of Oedipus, the oracle __________that Oedipus would kill his father and
marry his mother.
8. “I supposed I will go to the movie after all,” Andrea __________.
9. “You, take the cake out of the oven. You, frost it,” the baker __________.
10. The author __________that there would be a sequel to the novel.

Activity 2
Often, more than one synonym for said will work in a sentence. In the next exercise, select up to
three synonyms for said that you think are appropriate to fill in the blank. Following the exercise,
you will find some suggested answers. Keep in mind that these answers are only some of the
many possibilities.

1. Roger __________ that it would be a bad idea to leave the stove on all day.
2. “Please, don’t make me go,” Carla __________.
3. “I don’t want to eat here! This has to be the worst restaurant in all of San Jose,” Matthew
__________.
4. “Even though I don’t like it, I guess you might be correct,” Sharon __________.
5. “I’m n-n-not so sure that w-w-we should go in there,” Shaggy __________.
6. Experts on the matter have __________ that a sufficient amount of evidence exists to
prove the existence of Bigfoot.
7. “I am so angry with you, I hope that you never speak to me again!” Albert __________.
8. Many prospective jurors have __________ that the death penalty is a cruel and unusual
punishment.

Answer Key for Activity 1

1. began
2. described
3. questioned
4. nagged
5. confessed

Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014. 4 of 5

 6. objected
7. professed
8. decided
9. directed
10. hinted

Answer Key for Activity 2

1. insisted, pointed out, warned

2. groaned, pleaded, begged
3. complained, protested, ranted, objected
4. agreed, assented, conceded
5. murmured, stammered, hesitated
6. debated, argued, contended
7. roared, shouted, exclaimed, growled
8. argued, proclaimed, opined

Synonyms for Said. Rev. Summer 2014. 5 of 5