Near-synonyms
Distinguish near-synonyms precisely: famous/notorious/renowned, error/mistake/blunder, look/glance/stare/glimpse, persuade/convince.
In this lesson you will
- Distinguish near-synonyms by meaning, collocation and register
- Use dictionaries and corpora to check usage
- Choose the most precise word
Learn
Near-synonyms differ in meaning nuance, collocation, connotation and register. Famous (neutral), renowned (respected, formal), notorious (famous for something bad), eminent (distinguished in a profession).
Error/mistake/blunder/oversight/slip: mistake (general), error (formal, technical: a human error, a margin of error), blunder (stupid, serious), oversight (something missed), slip (small, careless).
Seeing: glance (quick, deliberate), glimpse (brief, partial, often by chance), stare (long, fixed), gaze (long, often admiring or thoughtful), peer (with difficulty), scrutinise (examine closely).
Persuade vs convince: persuade someone to do** (action); convince someone that/of** (belief). Convince to is increasingly common but less accepted in careful writing.
Examples
- The city is renowned for its architecture.
- He became notorious for his temper.
- I caught a glimpse of her in the crowd.
- It was a costly blunder.
- She persuaded me to stay but didn’t convince me that it was wise.
Vocabulary
renowned
famous and respected
notorious
famous for something bad
glimpse
a brief, partial view
blunder
a stupid, serious mistake
scrutinise
examine very carefully
Practice
The area is ___ for crime.
Speaking
Explain the differences between three sets of near-synonyms from this lesson to a B2 learner, with your own examples.
Writing
Write a paragraph (130–160 words) about a public figure that uses at least six near-synonyms from this lesson precisely.
Lesson quiz
A long admiring look:
Review
Key points
- Nuance, collocation, connotation, register.
- famous / renowned / notorious / eminent.
- mistake / error / blunder / oversight / slip.
- persuade to / convince that.
What you learned
- ✓ I distinguish near-synonyms.
- ✓ I choose words precisely.
- ✓ I check usage carefully.