Grammar-Quizzes › Clauses › Subordinate Clauses › Synonyms for "Said"
Synonyms for "Said"
Other words for reporting speech (reported or indirect speech)
Say, Tell, Add —complements
| SUBJECT + VERB | INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUN | QUOTE / THAT OR INFIN CLAUSE | |
|---|---|---|---|
A number of verbs express a meaning of "say". The verbs differ slightly in meaning, and in the way they are complemented. |
Some verbs are complemented by an indirect object, while others optionally include a prepositional phrase with "to". |
The verb complement may be a noun phrase, quoted speech, an infinitive clause, that + a clause, and sometimes a prepositional phrase. |
|
| SUBJECT | SAID | PREP PHRASE (optional) | QUOTE / THAT |
|
said
|
to me, to me
|
"It is nearby." that it was nearby.
|
| SUBJECT | TOLD | INDIRECT OBJECT | QUOTE / THAT / INFIN |
|
told
|
me, me
|
"It is nearby." that it was nearby. to look nearby. about her work. |
| SUBJECT | ADD | NONE | QUOTE |
|
added, added
|
|
"It is nearby." that it was nearby. |
A comma separates a statement before a quote: He said, "Hello".
About "complements"
- Some verbs require complements to complete their meaning: She spoke. (complete) *She said. (incomplete)
- Some verbs can be complemented by a number of structures: She told me. (IO) She told me her story. (IO, DO) She told her story to me. (DO, PP) She told me that she was happy. (IO, Clause)
- An indirect object (the recipient or beneficiary of the action) — can be a name John, a noun the man or a personal pronoun you, him, her, them, us.
- The recipient or beneficiary of the action can also be expressed as a prepositional phrase with "to" — to you, to him, to her, to them, to us, to John, to the class
- Longer phrases or clauses are placed after the indirect object: She told me that she would be leaving soon.
- Shorter phrases are placed before the indirect object (expressed as 'to'): She told the news to me.
Word Categories: N – Noun; V – Verb; Aux – Auxiliary; Adj – Adjective; Adv – Adverb; P –Preposition; Det –Determiner.
Phrasal Categories: NP – Noun Phrase; VP – Verb Phrase; AdjP – Adjective Phrase; AdvP – Adverb Phrase; PP – Prepositional Phrase; DP – Determinative Phrase.
Clausal Categories: Cls – clause; F – finite clause; NF – nonfinite clause (Ger – gerund; Inf – infinitive; PPart – past participle).
Word Functions: Subj – subject; Pred – predicate/predicator; Comp – complement: elements required by an expression to complete its meaning (DO – direct object; IO – indirect object); Adjunct – adjunct: elements not required by an expression to complete its meaning (Subord – subordinator; Coord – coordinator); Supl – supplement: a clause or phrase added onto a clause that is not closely related to the central thought or structure of the main clause.
Also see Direct objects Indirect Objects Say / Tell
Synonyms for "Say"
Said List
Verbs similar to Said (64)
| SAID | DEFINITION | IN CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|
acknowledged (to him) |
admit to be real or true; recognize the existence, truth, or fact of something |
He acknowledge his mistake to me. (formal) |
admitted (to him) |
allow or concede (give in) as truth |
They finally conceded that we were right. |
announced (to him) |
make something known publicly or officially; proclaim; give notice of something |
The couple announced their baby's birth. |
babbled (to him) |
utter sounds or words imperfectly, indistinctly, or without meaning |
The baby babbled something to us. |
blurted (to him) |
utter suddenly or inadvertently; divulge impulsively or unadvisedly |
He suddenly blurted his secret to me. |
boasted (to him) |
speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself |
They boasted about their football team. |
bragged (to him) |
speak with exaggeration and excessive pride, especially about oneself |
They bragged to us about their children. |
chuckled (to him) |
laugh softly or amusedly, usually with satisfaction |
He chuckled to himself as he watch the comedy show. |
claimed (to him) |
state with confidence, strongly, positively, something to be true or right |
He claimed to us that he was the rightful owner. |
commented (to him) |
add a remark, observation, or criticism |
He commented to me that he enjoyed my writing. |
complained (to him) |
express dissatisfaction, pain, uneasiness, find fault: |
He complained to them about the lack of hot water. |
confided (to him) |
discuss or share private matters, secrets or problems |
She confided to me a secret about herself. |
declared (to him) |
make known or state clearly, especially in formal terms |
She declared to me that she was old enough to make her own decisions. |
denied (to him) |
state that something (others believe is true) is not true |
He denied to us that he was looking for a new job. |
described (to him) |
take a visual impression and put it in spoken or written words |
He described to us his visit to Disneyland. |
dictated (to him) |
tell, with authority, another person what to do in detail; command ("micro-manage") |
He dictated to us what we had to do that morning. |
echoed (to him) |
repeat ideas or opinions of another person in same or similar words |
My father echoed to us what my mother had said earlier. |
emphasized (to him) |
lay stress or put importance of something |
They emphasized to us that honesty came first. |
exclaimed (to him) |
cry out or speak suddenly, strongly, with surprise |
She exclaimed to us that she was not the owner of the dog. |
explained (to him) |
make plain or clear, understandable |
They explained their plan to us. |
expressed (to him) |
put into words, utter, state, reveal |
He expressed his anger to us. |
giggled (to him) |
laugh in a high-pitch way, sometimes from amusement, nervousness, embarrassment |
The children giggle in the corner when the stranger walked in. |
go |
spoken-only "live" narration (spoken, direct quote only; informal) |
I go "where were you?" and then she goes "like here waiting for you!" |
growled (to him) |
utter a deep sound (from the back of the mouth) of anger or hostility (dog-like) |
He growled to us that he hated "cute". |
hinted (to him) |
give an indirect suggestion or a clue |
He hinted to us that the movie had an unexpected ending. |
hissed (to him) |
make a sharp letter s sound expressing disapproval or contempt (snake-like) |
The audience hissed to them their disapproval. |
howled (to him) |
make a long, mournful, sound (wolf-like) |
The child howled to her mother when she put her in her room. |
indicated (to him) |
point out, direct attention to, make known |
They indicated to us their disapproval of our way of dressing. |
lied (to him) |
say something that is not true |
He lied to us about his age. |
(be) like |
expresses opinion of contrary expectation and more; see "Like" interpretations (spoken, direct quote only; informal) |
She was like "where did you go?" |
mentioned (to him) |
refer to briefly, speak about something in passing (not the focus of the conversation) |
He mentioned to her that he had seen her ex-husband. |
muttered (to him) |
say in a low voice, uncleanly as if talking to oneself |
She muttered to her self that she always had to do the "dirty work". |
moaned (to him) |
a long, low sound of suffering |
She moaned to us that she had to much homework to do. |
mumbled (to him) |
speak in a low, unclear manner, (may be unsure of an answer and hoping to pass) |
He mumbled the words to his teacher in French. |
murmured (to him) |
a low sounding, unclear, indistinct voice |
She murmured to him as she fell asleep. |
muttered (to him) |
a low sounding, unclear, indistinct voice |
She muttered to herself as she worked. |
pleaded (to him) |
a serious request for aid, support or time |
He pleaded to his boss for just one more chance to improve his work. |
pointed out (to him) |
indicate, direct attention to, make known, reveal |
The lawyer pointed out to the court the error. |
prayed (to God) |
to ask for divine assistance |
They prayed to God for safe passage. |
ranted (to him) |
talk in a wild, crazy or possibly violent way |
He ranted to them about the theft of his computer. |
related (to him) |
tell, narrate, recount |
He related his story to us. |
remarked (to him) |
say casually, make a comment (in passing, not the focus) |
He remarked to us that our dog looked like a wolf. |
repeated (to him) |
say again |
She repeated the password to us. |
reported (to him) |
tell or describe an event in detail |
The journalist reported the events of the day at the court house. |
replied (to him) |
give an answer in spoken or written words |
The landlord replied to us regarding our requests. |
responded (to him) |
give an answer in spoken or written words |
She responded to me that I should call back later. |
restated (to him) |
say again with different words or in a new way |
She restated to the child that there were no more, zero, cookies. |
revealed (to him) |
make known, uncover, disclose, divulge |
He revealed to us that he disliked chocolate. |
roared (to him) |
utter with a deep, loud sound (like a lion) |
Father roared his orders to us. |
screamed (to him) |
utter a loud, sharp, high-pitched, sound |
The woman screamed to us when she needed help. |
screeched (to him) |
utter a loud, sharp, high-pitched, sound (birdlike, owl) |
The unhappy child screeched to us to pick her up. |
shouted (to him) |
speak out with a loud, strong and clear voice (sometimes across a long distance) |
He shouted to me not to forget to take the parking brake off. |
shrieked |
utter a loud, sharp, high-pitched, sound (bird-like, ghost-like) |
The witch shrieked her name to us. |
sobbed (to him) |
cry, weep, catching one's breath in between |
She sobbed to us that she had lost her home and family. |
sputtered (to him) |
utter words explosively (often in anger or frustration (sputter like an old car engine) |
He sputtered the situation to us. |
stated (to him) |
say clearly, definitely, specifically |
She stated her mission to the committee. |
sighed (to him) |
sat under one's breath, very quietly (as from tiredness, sadness or relief) |
She sighed to herself then fell asleep. |
squawked (to him) |
utter a loud, harsh cry (like a crow, duck or other frightened bird) |
She squawked her orders to us. |
squeaked (to him) |
a short, sharp, cry; a sharp, high-pitched sound (mouse-like) |
She squeaked her name to us. |
uttered (to him) |
let out, sound, pronounce, say |
He uttered a curse to us and left. |
vowed (to him) |
promise; state something will be observed |
They vowed to each other to honor their marriage. |
wailed (to him) |
utter a mournful (sorrowful, sad) cry |
She wailed to her mother as the car drove away. |
whispered (to him) |
speak in soft sounds, without using the voice (vocal chords) |
He whispered his secret to me. |
whined (to him) |
utter a long, nasal-sounding, complaining cry |
He whined to us about how unfair the world is. |
yelled (to him) |
speak out with a loud, strong and clear voice (angrily) |
He yelled to us to come back and finish. |
Note that the meanings vary in levels of loudness ("shouted") , pitch ("shrieked") , strength ("burst") , emotion ("whined") , clarity ("mumbled") , and formality ("announced") . Many share animal-like qualities ("howled", "barked", "snorted", "snickered").
Use the COCA database to check contextual use for the above verbs.
- Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Brigham Young U, 2013, corpus.byu.edu/coca.
- was like (V) – expresses opinion, contrary expectation→ She was like "where did you go?" (very informal; direct-quote only; See "Like" interpretations.)
- go (V) – spoken-only "live" narration → I go "where were you?" and then she goes "like here waiting for you!" (very informal; direct-quote only)
Synonyms for "Tell"
Told List
Verbs similar to Told (12)
| TOLD | DEFINITION | IN CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|
advised (him) |
give opinion, suggest action based on experience, knowledge or expertise |
My counselor advised me to try a class. (that I should try a class.) |
assured (him) |
tell confidently, positively |
He assured me that he was right. |
asked (him) |
question; inquire |
They asked me the reason. |
cautioned (him) |
warn, tell about danger |
They cautioned us to be careful. (that we be careful.) |
convinced (him) |
move a person with reasoning to agreement |
They convinced us to stay. |
informed (him) |
give knowledge, facts, information |
He informed us about the road closure. |
instructed (him) |
teach, train, educate; inform |
He instructed us to eat better. |
lectured (him) |
express disapproval, reprimand; give a long speech |
The officer lectured us on safe driving |
notified (him) |
inform, give notice about |
They notified us about their change of address. |
reassured (him) |
restore confidence |
He reassured us that no one would get hurt. |
told (him) |
give an account or narration |
He told us his life story. |
warned (him) |
caution, tell about danger |
We warned them not to walk at night. |
Synonyms for "Add"
Added List
Verbs similar to Added (60)
| ADDED | DEFINITION | IN CONTEXT |
|---|---|---|
added |
give additional information |
He added that he is looking forward to it. |
affirm |
state positively that something is true |
He affirmed that everything was fine. / the plan. |
agreed |
give approval |
He agreed that we should continue. |
answered |
reply, respond |
He answered that did not know "that" woman. |
approved |
speak favorably about |
He approved that they were applying to college. |
argued |
state reasons against something |
He argued that we were wrong. |
asserted |
state with confidence, force, assurance |
He asserted that the climate was changing. |
assumed |
state that something is true without proof or research |
He assumed that everyone already knew the situation. |
barked |
say something in a sharp, harsh way (dog-like) |
He barked that everyone had to try harder. |
bellowed |
utter a loud, low animal cry (bull-like) |
He bellowed that we were acting like children. |
bargained |
tell terms of negotiation; bargain |
He bargained that he would buy one hundred items if the seller lowered his price. |
began |
start, commence speaking |
He began that he had gotten his first job in the mail room of the company |
begged |
ask for help or support; ask someone to do something |
He begged that we stay a little longer. |
cajoled |
persuade by flattering or offering promises |
He cajoled that she give him another chance. |
clarify |
make an idea, statement, clear, intelligible |
He clarified that he had not dated her but had met her once or twice for coffee. |
cited |
quote, mention in support (as proof) |
He cited that Newsweek had used the term "information superhighway" as early as 1983. |
commanded¹ |
order, require (from an authority) |
He commanded that we leave immediately. |
confirmed |
state positively that something is true |
He confirmed that we had a deal. |
cried |
speak out emotionally, usually with grief or suffering |
He cried that he was treated unfairly. |
decided |
conclude, solve or settle something |
He decide that we should continue the project. |
drawled |
say in a slow way that lengthens vowel sounds |
He drawled that he was a native of Mississippi. |
demanded¹ |
order, command, say as an authority |
He demanded that we do as he wanted. |
estimated |
make a judgment or give opinion on worth |
He estimated that the house was worth $30,000. |
enunciated |
pronounce clearly |
He enunciated the words in his speech. |
exploded |
say in a burst of emotion (anger or grief) |
He exploded with rage. / that he had had enough! |
feared |
say with anxiety and emotion |
He feared that he might lose his savings. |
grinned |
smile widely with pleasure or amusement |
He grinned his approval of the entertainment. |
hollered |
shout, yell (often across distance) |
He hollered that he would be back late. |
insisted¹ |
say firmly, confidently |
He insisted that he could do it better |
interrupted |
to break the flow of a conversation, interject speech |
He interrupted he mid-sentence. |
laughed |
say with amusement or pleasure |
He laughed that he was able to fool everyone. |
nagged |
pester constantly with fault-finding; complain |
He nagged that she had to lose weight. |
noted |
mention briefly |
He note the changes. / that they had made changes. |
objected |
offer reason against |
He objected that they called during dinnertime. |
observed |
see, watch, notice |
He observed the situation. / that they had a problem. |
ordered¹ |
command, require (from an authority) |
He ordered a change. / that they change their plan. |
pleaded |
use arguments or persuasions for or against something |
He plead that he was not guilty. |
protested |
object; offer reason against something |
He protested that the law was unfair to immigrants. |
predicted |
to foretell the future |
He predicted that Brazil would win the World Cup. |
pronounced |
declare or specify something |
The judge pronounced the sentence. / He pronounced that the man be imprisoned for life. |
questioned |
ask, inquire; challenge or dispute. |
He questioned her character. He questioned that they waited so long to recall the car. |
quoted |
repeat a passage from a book or speech |
He quoted a paragraph from her speech. |
reasoned |
think logically; think through; conclude or infer |
He reasoned that she had lied. |
requested¹ |
ask for |
He requested a new trial. He requested that the man be retried |
ruled |
direct, govern |
The Supreme Court ruled that the law should be overturned. |
snapped |
say something suddenly, quickly |
He snapped that we were annoying. |
sneered |
to smile with contempt, scorn (willful disobedience, think or regard something unworthy, beneath oneself) |
He sneered that she was talking nonsense. |
snorted |
express contempt, (pig-like sound with nose forced through nasal passages) |
He snorted that they were were uneducated. |
snickered |
laugh disrespectfully (horse-like sound) |
He snickered that their performance was "interesting". |
spoke |
say (normal voice) |
He spoke the truth. |
stammered |
speak with difficulty, with involuntary stops and starts; stutter (sometimes with repeated sounds) |
He stammered his name. / that he had to leave. |
stormed |
utter in a sudden, violent way; rage |
He stormed that he would rather work alone than with us. |
suggested¹ |
offer opinion |
He suggested that we ask our questions later. |
taunted |
say in a way that makes fun of something or someone; insults or speaks sarcastically |
He taunted that we couldn't win even if we tried. |
thought |
belief to be true of someone or something |
He thought that they were truthful. |
urged¹ |
convince; move a person with reasoning to agreement |
He urged that we take action right away. |
wept |
cry, sob, catching one's breath in between |
He wept that alcohol had ruined his life. |
whimpered |
cry in a low, submissive way (puppy-like) |
He whimpered that no one had given him a chance. |
whined |
utter a long, nasal-sounding, complaining cry |
He whined that he didn't have enough time. |
yawned |
open mouth involuntary to take in a long breath of air |
He yawned that he had already heard the joke. |
¹subjunctive – a verb that expresses ones wishes, doubts, or imposition of will (command) *Imperative Clauses
Use the COCA database to check contextual use for the above verbs.
- Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA). Brigham Young U, 2013, corpus.byu.edu/coca.
Tense Agreement
Formal vs. Informal Agreement
Formal vs. Informal Agreement
| FORMAL AGREEMENT |
|---|
When using formal agreement, the verb tense in the dependent clause adjusts to the time frame of the verb in the main (independent) clause. |
|
She said, "I am a nurse." |
She said, "I am tired." |
She said, "I was a nurse." |
| INFORMAL AGREEMENT |
|---|
In informal speech and writing, the verb in the dependent clause can remain in the present tense if the clause is a statement of 'general truth' (a situation that still exists.) |
|
She said, "I am a nurse." |
|
|
Related pages: Tense Adjustment | Same Time vs. Earlier
Practice
Do you lie?
Read the Context
Jill: I probably tell a lie a couple of times a day! (admit)
Brian: I tell lies often. It makes life easier. (brag)
Jane: You shouldn't be so bold about it. (remark)
Brian: People don't always want the truth. (reason)
Jill: People don't want the truth. It's true. (echo)
Brian: No woman wants to hear her dress is ugly. So, I say I say that it looks nice. (reassure)
Elena: That is a white lie. It's different. (point out)
Brian: It's still a lie. (argue)
Jane: It is told with kindness. (interrupt)
Elena: When my mom asks if I cleaned up my mess, I say "yes". Then I go clean it up. (laugh)
Jane: That is an example of a near truth. (explain)
Brian: Enough about truthiness. I have to go. Oh, and nice dress, Jill. (comment)
Jill: Thank you! Oh wait,… that's a lie? (question)
Brian: Correct. And I don't really have to go. (confirm)
a white lie (expression) — a lie told to avoid hurting the feelings of someone
a near truth (expression) — mostly true, but not completely true (untrue)
bold (Adj) — not afraid of taking a risk and making a difficult decision (not afraid of admitting that she does, indeed, tell a lie.
brag (V) — to speak proudly about an accomplishment
echo (V) — repeat, a sound that you hear again as it bounces off a surface, for example, a wall in a hall
mess (N) — a place where things are untidy, not organized, not neat
sincere (Adj) — true, honest
truthiness — (not a real word) an unofficial word introduced by a comedian, Stephen Colbert, regarding political variations in truth.
Change the quote to reported speech.
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Practice 2
Confidential Talk
Read for Errors
Last week, my friend say me that he is going to look for a new job. I told that I understood why he wanted to leave, but that it might not be a good idea right now. I explain him that the job market is very difficult right now. He argue his boss is a very, very difficult woman to get along with, and that he wasn't getting anywhere.
I agree him about his frustration and ask to him if he was learning anything new in his job. He confided to me that each day is the same old thing. So I expressed my sympathy and told to him that I would miss him if he left. He looked sad and agreed me that he would miss his work friends.
confide (V) – to impart secrets trustfully; discuss private matters or problems
job market (N) – work that is available, opportunities to be hired
Correct or Incorrect?
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Practice 3
A Writing Topic
Read for errors
Our teacher said that we should write a essay on our favorite saying. (tell)
She said that sayings were one way in which we pass our cultural values from one generation to the next. (explain)
She said that we should choose a saying that we learned from our family. (instruct)
She said that we should give an example of what it meant. (point out)
She said that we shouldn't make the example too long. (warn)
She said that "Less is better". (remark)
She said that she wanted us to explain how the saying influenced our actions or our thinking. (add)
She said that we had one hour to write the essay. (indicate)
essay (N) – a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative
saying (N) – a proverb; a short popular saying, usually of unknown and ancient origin, that expresses effectively some commonplace truth or useful thought; adage; saw. (e.g. The early bird catches the worm. or Time is money.)
Change "said" to the word given in parentheses ( ).
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