How to decipher unfamiliar words? Synonyms as Context Clues | Learn English

How to decipher unfamiliar words?

Synonyms as Context Clues

The most basic, and perhaps helpful, type of context clues are synonyms. If you can’t decipher a meaning, adding a few synonyms, or words with similar meanings, is a surefire way to point to a word’s meaning. Let’s take a look at a few examples:

It was an idyllic day - sunny, warm, and perfect for a walk in the park.

She hums continuously, or all the time, and it annoys me.

The crime he committed was egregious; he’ll never recover from this horrendous scandal.

His animosity, or hatred, of his sister divided the family.

Bill felt remorse, or shame, for his harsh words.

This situation is a conundrum, a puzzle that’s difficult to solve.

@english4y