Product Description

Although largely replaced by the modern A-Z thesaurus format, the thematic organization of the original Roget thesaurus set the standard for many years. This new edition of the renowned Webster's New World™ Thesaurus combines a thematic index, based on Roget's original categories, with the proven usefulness of its A-Z listing. New introductory material and an interpretive essay on Roget and his work reintroduce Roget's organizational technique to a new generation of thesaurus users. A helpful appendix produces lists of important terms grouped by their endings such as -cracy/-crat (government types), -ology/-ologist (field of scholarship), and more. Webster's New World™ Roget's A-Z Thesaurus gives writers what they really need -- more synonyms, with the broadest and most useful range of comparisons, examples, and related terms and ideas. It is the only college thesaurus to offer synonym discussion paragraphs and clearly distinguished example lists. Writers and speakers everywhere will find that when they have to say it better, Webster's New World™ Roget's A-Z Thesaurus, unique in concept and revolutionary in design, can help them say it best.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20420 in Books
• Published on: 1999-06-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 894 pages

From the Publisher
The most complete and helpful A-Z thesaurus is now adapted for Roget users as well.

Writers and speakers everywhere will find that when they have to say it better, Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus, unique in concept and revolutionary in design, can help them say it best.

From the Inside Flap
Webster's New World™ Roget's A–Z Thesaurus The original Roget's Thesaurus, with its ingenious thematic organization, served as a benchmark in language reference books for nearly 100 years. This new Roget edition of the renowned Webster's New World™ Thesaurus features an all-new thematic index, based on Roget's original categories, that provides a new means of access to the body of the thesaurus without sacrificing the proven usefulness of its A–Z structure. New introductory material reintroduces Roget's organizational technique to a new generation of thesaurus users. A useful and entertaining appendix provides lists of important terms grouped by their endings, such as -cracy (government types), -ology (fields of scholarship), and more. Based on an alphabetical list of more than 30,000 of the words most commonly used by writers and speakers in America, Webster's New World™ Roget's A–Z Thesaurus suggests over 300,000 synonymous, related, and derived terms to help you say what you really mean to say. Entries include brief definitions to distinguish among the various senses of words and their related synonyms. Idioms of all sorts are included, an unusual and enriching feature in a thesaurus. Extensive synonym studies provide even deeper and more nuanced information, as well as examples invaluable for sure-footed usage guidance. Writers, speakers, editors, and students will find that Webster's New World is, more than ever before, the most helpful and effective word resource of all. Webster's New World™ is the name millions of people trust for language reference books. For decades the Webster's New World staff has maintained an extensive language-tracking program and from it created the finest dictionaries and language guides available. The premier dictionary of American English and the official dictionary of the Associated Press, Webster's New World™ College Dictionary is now available in its Fourth Edition — revised and updated with over 5,000 new entries and a full-color world atlas. These handy pocket-size references, with durable vinyl covers, are ideal for students.

From the Back Cover
The Thesaurus that Works Hardest for you, with New Features to Make it Even More Helpful Webster's New World™ Roget's A–Z Thesaurus opens up the world of words and leads you to more precise and more effective communication. Thousands of synonym entries include the broadest and most useful word comparisons and the greatest number of examples of any thesaurus, with more grammatical and usage information and a greater variety of related terms. Entries are arranged in alphabetical order, so synonyms are easy to find. A new index, based on Roget's original index and updated for the 21st century, now lets you browse the thesaurus by theme, directing you to related entries. Users accustomed to a Roget-style thesaurus will appreciate this alternate way to explore the A–Z listings. And word buffs will enjoy specialized word lists, such as phobias and animal group names. Writers and speakers everywhere know that when you have to say it better, Webster's New World™ Roget's A–Z Thesaurus is the essential word resource.

Customer Reviews

Wonderfully easy to use!
This thesaurus is divided into two main sections: Roget's style thematic index and a dictionary style alphabetized index.

The thematic index is divided into six areas, covering less than 20 pages:

Abstract Concepts
Spatial Concepts
Physical and material Concepts
Human Intellect
Human Personality and Actions
Human Emotions and Beliefs

For researching ideas, this first part is invaluable.

However, the vast majority of the time, I use the extraordinarily convenient dictionary style index, covering nearly 900 pages. It's easy - if you need a new word to cover the same tired old word you've been using, just look it up. For example, here's the entry for the common word, friend:

Friend, n. 1. [a person with whom one has mutual attachment] - Syn. Companion, intimate, confidant, comrade, familiar, schoolmate, playmate, best friend, close friend, roommate, bedfellow, fellow, fast friend, bosom friend, boon companion, mate alter ego, other self, soul mate, crony*, buddy*, sidekick*, bosom buddy*, homeboy*, homegirl*. Ant. Foe, ENEMY, stranger.

2. [An ally] Syn. Compatriot, confrere, colleague; see associate (in boldface)

3. [A patron] -- Syn. Supporter, backer, advocate, sympathizer; see patron (in boldface) 1.

Make friends with (in bold face) - Syn. Befriend, strike up a friendship with, buddy up to*; see associate (in boldface) 1.

When a word is in bold face, it means that the word is included in the thesaurus and may have other suggestions for you. The number after the bold face tells where in the entry to look for suggestions. The noun form of the word friend has three numbers referring to different definitions. An asterisk after a word, according to the thesaurus, indicates "archaic, colloquial, dialect, slang, or other unusual usage." The N after the entry word refers to its part of speech; in this case, the word friend is a noun. Syn. refers to synonym, or a word that is similar in meaning. Ant. refers to antonym, or a word that is opposite in definition.

The very back of the book has a small handful of pages called the Supplementary Word Lists, which include endings of words, such as -cide, --cracy, --iac, --mancy, and so forth and gives a list of words with that particular suffix. For example, for -iac, the listings includes words such as insomniac, kleptomaniac, and paranoiac, among many others.

In short, this is an excellent reference for a beginner (my ten-year-old frequently uses this thesaurus) as well as a seasoned professional. The organization is superb and it is easy to read and to follow. It's nearly impossible not to find the word that you seek!

Powerful tool for writing
Even though I'm a die-hard Merriam-Webster user, I have to say that this thesaurus well exceeds the M-W Collegiate one in both resourcefulness and usability. Extensive, well-organized and user-friendly. A powerful tool to empower your writing.

What is a synonym for thesaurus?
This book is a great resource for all students from high school to college and has the organization to easily find the word you're looking for so you can get back to writing. A good desk tool that you will use forever. I love it, FIVE stars!