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The Visual Thesaurus is an online thesaurus and dictionary of over 145,000 words that you explore and visualize using an interactive map.

Type in a word and the Visual Thesaurus will show you a map of synonyms, antonyms, and definitions.

Unlike Roget's Thesaurus, the Visual Thesaurus contains over 39,000 proper nouns and American and British spellings and pronunciations.

It's a tool for people who think visually. Look up your word now!

"Bad Language"

A column about writing in business

Being Human is Overrated (But Not When You are Writing)

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.August 20, 2008
By Matthew Stibbe

"Bill Gates once asked me, 'Could you make me more human?' I said, 'Being human is overrated.'"

This doubly priceless quote comes from Mark Penn, Hillary Clinton's former campaign strategist. (Hat tip: The Atlantic.)

When it comes to writing copy, the human touch is still vital. Here are some tips for making copy that reads like a human being wrote it. Continue reading...

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Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Really! Truly! Literally!

August 19, 2008
By Ben Zimmer
A modest defense of the often criticized word "literally." Continue reading...
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SPELLING BEE

Think you are a good speller? Take the Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee and find out!
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Blog Du Jour

EdTech Blogs

August 19, 2008

Here are a few exceptional blogs exploring the frontiers of education technology.

Moving at the Speed of Creativity

EdTechTalk

Teach42

2 Cents Worth

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Blog Excerpts

Bad Characters

August 14, 2008

Hanzi Smatter is a blog "dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters in Western culture." Find out what that tattoo really says.

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Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Inside the OED, Part 3: Across the Alphabet
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers August 14, 2008

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Stumbling over "Synecdoche"
August 12, 2008 - 8 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Are You Willing to Talk About the Elephant in the Room?
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers August 11, 2008 - 7 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Mailbag Friday: "Mad Hatter"
August 8, 2008 - 5 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Medical Misapprehensions
August 7, 2008 - 2 Comments

Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Inside the OED, Part 2: Expanding Electronically
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers August 6, 2008 - 1 Comment

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Don't Be Eristic, Be Lapidary!
August 5, 2008 - 6 Comments

Candlepower

Ad and marketing creatives

Book Titles Made Easy: Nine Fast Formulas for Fame, Fortune, and a Good Night's Sleep
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers August 4, 2008

Language Lounge

A Monthly Column for Word Lovers

Not to be Counted On
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers August 1, 2008 - 18 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Twilighters vs. Twi-Hards
July 31, 2008 - 2 Comments

Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Inside the OED, Part 1: The Wisdom of Crowds
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers July 30, 2008 - 3 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Of Showdowns, Throwdowns, and Hoedowns
July 28, 2008 - 3 Comments

Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Usage Showdown: Who Are You Going to Listen to?
July 24, 2008 - 5 Comments

Behind the Dictionary

Lexicographers Talk About Language

Usage Showdown: Who Cares About 'Whom'?
July 23, 2008 - 16 Comments

Word Routes

Exploring the pathways of our lexicon

Pushing to the Cloud: Weird Wireless Words
July 22, 2008 - 4 Comments

Word Count

Writers Talk About Writing

Five Reasons Why You Must Murder Your Darlings
premium content - available only to Visual Thesaurus subcribers July 21, 2008 - 14 Comments
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OVERHEARD

RECENT COMMENTS FROM OUR SUBSCRIBERS

Being Human is Overrated (But Not When You are Writing)
Susan R. said, "Oh, mercy. “Write like you speak.” There’s an unfortunate sweeping generalization if I ever saw one. Trust me, there are plenty of venues where..." - Today, 1:39 PM
Don H. said, "I'm a professional ghostwriter (www.donwriteforyou.com). Plus, I'm Editor In Chief of a lifestyle magazine (www.110mag.com). Everything in the..." - Today, 10:59 AM
Really! Truly! Literally!
James L. said, "Ben I like your comparison of "literally" with others like "truly" "really" etc. I'm less convinced by your earlier examples of the word "literally"..." - Yesterday, 6:36 PM
Steve C. said, "For those who aren't easily offended by r-rated language, David Cross does a wonderful bit on the misuse of 'literally' on his CD, Shut Up, You..." - Yesterday, 5:13 PM
Red-Pen Pointer: She Literally Misused the Word
Taganana said, "My own language is Spanish so I don't feel qualified to express an opinion.Anyway, in this particular case, we have the very same word in Spanish. It..." - Yesterday, 3:36 PM
Really! Truly! Literally!
Ellen M. said, "Regarding "no pun intended". I've used it and understood it to refer to unintentional puns, Freudian slips, those statements where you don't realize..." - Yesterday, 1:24 PM
sarah R. said, "There's a passage in "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson about the use of "very" or "just". The narrator points out how these can (disappointingly) dull..." - Yesterday, 11:25 AM

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Lesson Plans

Put the VT to work in your classroom

Math Words with Multiple Meanings

July 29, 2008

How can the Visual Thesaurus help students better understand the language of mathematics?

In this lesson, small groups of students will use the Visual Thesaurus to explore the multiple meanings of some common math terms. Then, groups will synthesize this knowledge by coming up with examples of the words in both mathematical and other contexts. Continue reading...
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When You Reeeaaallly Want to Say Something
July 3, 2008
Where Math Meets Poetry
May 30, 2008 - 2 Comments
What's Your Genus? Scientific Classification and the VT
April 23, 2008
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Contest

The Visual Thesaurus Crossword Puzzle: July Edition

Premium content available only to Visual Thesaurus subscribers.July 25, 2008
Beat the dog days of summer with this month's crossword puzzle. Solve it and you could win a Visual Thesaurus T-shirt! Continue reading...
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Announcements

Introducing... The VT Spelling Bee!

June 26, 2008
We're very pleased to announce a brand-new feature: the Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee! Taking advantage of our high-quality audio pronunciations, we've created a quiz that will sharpen your spelling skills and expand your vocabulary. And as everyone here in the office can attest, the quiz is downright addictive. Continue reading...
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Recent Announcements:
A New Look, and a New Column on the Way
May 12, 2008
Our Audio Pronunciations... And the Voices Behind Them
May 5, 2008 - 6 Comments
Stylin', Profilin'
April 28, 2008
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Self Promotion

Now Wear This!

November 8, 2006
Give your favorite somebody your favorite word map! Now you can order a Visual Thesaurus word map on a t-shirt, mug, even a postage stamp. Simply search for a word, click on the "Share" button on top right hand of the Visual Thesaurus window, and follow the easy steps. We can't think of a better gift -- or a gift to yourself, for that matter! (Hey, we're biased!)
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Add the VT to your site or blog

Visual Thesaurus Everywhere

Incorporate the Visual Thesaurus into your blog or website, add it to your home page, or use it from Microsoft Word. Learn all the ways that we offer to make the Visual Thesaurus more convenient to use and easier to share with your friends, family, and colleagues: Continue reading...