9 sources to help you find that perfect word

I once worked with someone who used the word “secure” continually. He’d write:

• “We need to secure donations.”
• “Have you secured a printer for the newsletter yet?”
• “I’m not feeling secure about our chances of securing this contract.”

I often found myself correcting his writing and replacing “secure” with alternatives such as “obtain,” “get,” “acquire,” “find.” But he was set on the word “secure” and would often change it back.

The importance of varying our words to keep our readers interested cannot be overstated, but it’s no easy task. How many times have you sat in front of your computer screen, grasping for that perfect word? It’s right there, on the tip of your frontal lobe, but you can’t quite get it out there. Grrrrr.

Well, here are some resources to help you find that perfect word. (Visiting these sites will make you feel like a kid in a candy store.)

1. Collins English Thesaurus