Synonyms for Said - BizLand

This writers' handout was designed to accompany one of WritingFix's on-line, interactive writing prompts.

Synonyms for Said

Don't just use said. Balance your dialogue verbs between said and its synonyms.

accused acknowledged

addressed admitted advised affirmed agreed announced answered approved argued

asked asserted assured avowed

babbled barked bawled beamed begged bellowed bleated blurted boasted boomed bragged broke in bubbled bugged

called cautioned

chatted chattered cheered

chided

chimed in choked chortled chorused chuckled claimed clucked coaxed

commanded commented complained conceded concluded confessed

confided congratulated

continued convinced corrected coughed

cried croaked crowed

dared decided declared demanded denied described disagreed disclosed divulged drawled

echoed exclaimed

explained

finished fretted

gasped giggled greeted groaned growled grumbled grunted guessed gulped gurgled

hinted hissed hollered hypothesized

imitated implied informed inquired insisted interjected interrupted

jeered jested joked

laughed lied

lisped

maintained marveled mentioned mimicked moaned mumbled murmured

mused muttered

nagged nodded noted

objected observed

offered ordered

panted piped pleaded pointed out pondered praised prayed proclaimed promised proposed protested put in puzzled

quavered questioned

quipped quoted

ranted reasoned reassured recalled reckoned

related remarked remembered reminded repeated

replied reported requested responded retorted revealed roared

sang sassed screamed scolded shouted shrieked shrilled sighed smiled smirked snapped snarled sneered sneezed snickered sniffed sniffled snorted sobbed

speculated spoke

sputtered squeaked stammered

started stated stormed stuttered suggested surmised

taunted teased tempted tested theorized threatened

told

urged uttered

volunteered vowed

wailed warned

wept whimpered

whined whispered wondered

worried

yawned yakked

Don't misunderstand this lesson! Said is an important verb! There are times when it makes sense to use it. Other times, it's a good idea to choose a synonym instead of said. When might you choose to use said as your verb? When might you choose to use one if its synonyms? A good writer makes good choices, often balancing his/her use of verbs.

Look at some of your favorite novels and short stories to help you think about this. Look at newspaper and magazine articles. Who is using said and who isn't?

?2006 Northern Nevada Writing Project. All rights reserved. This resource comes from the best website for writers and writing teachers: http// and Use of this document in the classroom is encouraged and supported. Others must request permission from the website to reproduce.

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