Collins Dictionaries - Collins Primary Thesaurus

storm

On D-Day 1944, Allied troops stormed the beaches and cliffs of Normandy.

chase VERB

If you chase someone, you run after them or follow them in order to catch them.

follow

Fans followed the pop idol wherever he went.

hound

Reporters hounded the star until she gave them an interview.

hunt

Lions hunt antelope as their prey.

pursue

Detectives pursued the gangster to South America.

track

Sniffer dogs tracked the thief to a disused dockside warehouse.

cheap ADJECTIVE

Something that is cheap costs very little money.

bargain

My bargain laptop computer cost half of what most people pay.

economical

My old car is very economical on fuel, but costs more in repairs.

inexpensive

The jacket was inexpensive but looked very smart.

reasonable

Mum thought that it was a reasonable price for a second-hand mountain bike.

cheat (1) VERB

If someone cheats, they lie or do unfair things to win or get what they want.

con INFORMAL

The thief conned his way into the old woman’s house by asking if he could use her phone for an emergency.

deceive

“It’s no good trying to deceive me,” Mum said. “I know you’re up to something!”

double-cross INFORMAL

The thief double-crossed his accomplice and took all the cash.

dupe

The stamp collectors were duped into buying some very convincing fakes.

rip off INFORMAL

“We were ripped off there!” snorted my brother disgustedly, as we left the burger bar.

swindle

The cashier had systematically swindled the bank for years before she was caught.

trick

Trying to trick his pursuers, the getaway driver doubled back.

cheat (2) NOUN

A cheat is a person who lies or does unfair things to win or get what they want.

con man INFORMAL

The con man pretended to be from the electricity company.

double-crosser

The gangster snarled “You dirty double-crosser!” and pulled the trigger.

swindler

The swindler sold villas to his clients which did not really exist.

check (1) VERB

If you check something, you examine it to make sure that everything is all right.

assess

Miss Connolly assessed our term’s work before writing her report.

examine

Sherlock Holmes picked up the knife and examined it.

inspect

The council team inspected the food cupboards carefully.

test

To test our multiplication tables, Mr Murphy fires questions at us.

check (2) NOUN

A check is an inspection to make sure that everything is all right.

assessment

Every soldier has to do his PFA, or Physical Fitness Assessment.

check-up

After his fall, Grandad had to visit the doctor’s for a check-up.

examination

Detectives carried out a minute examination of the crime scene.

inspection

Even the best schools are subject to regular inspections.

test

Older vehicles have to go through a safety test to ensure that they are roadworthy.

cheeky ADJECTIVE

Someone who is cheeky is rude and disrespectful, often in an amusing way.

disrespectful

It’s a mistake to be disrespectful to teachers.

impertinent

What an impertinent thing to say to someone who has helped you!

impudent

The impudent waiter said the cheekiest things to his customers.

rude

“Try not to be rude to people, even if they are unpleasant to you,” said Mum.

ANTONYMS: respectful or polite

cheerful ADJECTIVE

A cheerful person is happy.

bright

I’m quite bright in the morning.

cheery

The postman gave us a cheery wave.

chirpy INFORMAL

Despite her aches, Gran is always chirpy.

jolly

The jolly poacher chuckled as he popped another salmon in his bag.

light-hearted

After Scrooge changed his character, he was light-hearted at Christmas.

merry

Mum and her friend had a merry time looking at old school photos.

chew VERB

When you chew something, you use your teeth to break it up in your mouth before swallowing it.

chomp

The horse chomped its way through a field of lettuces.

crunch

Some people crunch their lollipops. Others suck them.

gnaw

Beavers had gnawed away the bark of the tree.

munch

I hate it when people munch their lunch with their mouth open.

child NOUN

A child is a young person who is not yet an adult.

juvenile

In the eyes of the law, anyone under 18 is a juvenile.

kid INFORMAL

Mum takes several kids to school, not just us.

nipper INFORMAL

“When I was a nipper,” Grandad said, “I used to climb that oak tree.”

youngster

The youngster ran out into the road without even looking.

➔ See baby

A child whose parents are dead is an orphan.

childish ADJECTIVE

If someone is childish, they are not acting in an adult way.

immature

To lark around like that was immature for a man of his age.

infantile

Jafar’s temper tantrum was very infantile.

juvenile

“Such juvenile behaviour must be punished,” the head teacher said grimly.

choice (1) NOUN

A choice is a range of different things that are available to choose from.

selection

What a selection of chocolates greeted my eyes when I opened the box!

variety

There was a variety of films to choose from on the plane.

choice (2) NOUN

A choice is something that you choose.

option

We had no option but to accept a refund when our flights were cancelled.

preference

My preference is action movies rather than romances.

selection

To her disgust, the judges’ selection did not include Mrs Whipple’s fairy cakes.

If you have a choice whether or not to do something, it is optional.

choose VERB

If you choose something, you decide to have it or do it.

opt for

Mum and Dad couldn’t decide which holiday to opt for: Florida or France.

pick

My mean sister always picks the chocolates that I want.

select

The archer selected an arrow.

single out

The dog show judge singled out Wuffles as being especially intelligent.

church NOUN

A church is a building where Christians go to pray.

Some parts of a church:

aisle

altar

choir

font

lectern

nave

pew

pulpit

spire

steeple

tower

vestry

circle VERB

If someone or something circles an object, they move around it in a circle.

lap

The cyclist lapped the track for the final time.

orbit

The earth takes around 365 days, or one year, to orbit the sun.

➔ See go round (1)

To sail round the world is to circumnavigate it.

circumstances NOUN

The circumstances of a situation or event are the conditions that affect what happens.

background

Our history teacher explained the background of the American Civil War.

context

The police had to consider the context of the accident.

situation

The situation was difficult for everyone.

claim VERB

If you claim that something is the case, you say that it is so.

allege

The witness alleged that Jones had threatened several people.

argue

The boss argued that it was fair to sack someone who worked slowly.

declare

The smuggler declared that he had nothing illegal in his case.

insist