Collins Dictionaries - Collins Primary Thesaurus

The fire chief directed operations from a mobile control centre.

manage

Mum’s sister manages a supermarket down the road.

control (2) NOUN

Control is the power over something.

authority

The mayor had authority over the city’s transport system.

command

The conductor was in complete command of the orchestra.

direction

The team is playing well under the direction of the new manager.

power

“The Wizard of Oz has the power to give you courage, Lion,” said Dorothy.

convenient (1) ADJECTIVE

If a time to do a particular thing is convenient, it is suitable for those concerned.

agreeable

“Is three o’clock agreeable to you, Mrs Williams?” the receptionist enquired.

appropriate

Max felt it was an appropriate moment to ask the question.

suitable

“Eight o’clock would be a suitable time for me to pick you up,” my stepdad said.

ANTONYM: inconvenient

convenient (2) ADJECTIVE

If something is convenient, it is easy to use, do or go to.

handy

The store is really handy for Grandma to pop down to.

helpful

Mrs Hakim handed out a helpful fact sheet at the end of the lesson.

useful

Tin-openers are a useful invention which we couldn’t do without!

ANTONYM: inconvenient

conversation NOUN

When people have a conversation, they talk to each other.

chat

Auntie Doris often pops in for a chat on her way home from work.

dialogue

The opening scene of Macbeth consists of a dialogue between three witches.

discussion

Our discussion centred on whether to play indoors or outdoors.

cook VERB

When you cook food, you prepare it for eating by boiling, baking or frying it.

Some ways to cook food:

bake

barbecue

blanch

boil

braise

fry

grill

microwave

poach

roast

simmer

steam

stew

stir-fry

toast

cool (1) ADJECTIVE

Something cool has a low temperature but is not cold.

chilly

It was chilly outside, so we stayed by the fire.

fresh

A fresh breeze blew off the estuary, flapping the flag on the church tower.

nippy

“It’s rather nippy,” Mum said. “I’d take a pullover if I were you.”

refreshing

In summer there’s nothing to beat refreshing orange juice.

ANTONYM: warm

➔ See cold

cool (2) ADJECTIVE

If you are cool in a difficult situation, you stay calm.

calm

“Now everybody keep calm,” the captain said. “There is no need for panic.”

laid back INFORMAL

My friend Chris was totally laid back about the exam. “If I fail, I fail,” he said.

relaxed

Despite the tension in those around him, the sub’s commander looked relaxed.

ANTONYM: nervous

cope VERB

If you cope with a task or problem, you deal with it successfully.

carry on

Despite the rain, the team carried on and eventually won the game.

get by

Although money was tight, Mum got by doing all sorts of odd jobs for people.

manage

“That piano’s heavy. Can you manage?” a kind passer-by enquired.

survive

During the exams, Liam survived by drinking cups of coffee and going to bed early.

cope with VERB

If you have to cope with a difficult situation, you have to deal with it.

contend with

Apart from blizzards, Captain Scott had to contend with a growing shortage of food.

deal with

I don’t know how teachers deal with 30 kids like my little brother.

copy (1) NOUN

A copy is something made to look like something else.

duplicate

As the new car came with only one key, Dad had a duplicate made.

forgery

The banknotes were such good forgeries that only an expert could tell they weren’t the real thing.

imitation

“If that diamond is an imitation, it’s very like the real thing,” I thought.

replica

The miniature locomotive was an exact replica of the real train.

reproduction

As the real painting is worth millions, our family was quite happy with a reproduction.

ANTONYM: original

copy (2) VERB

If you copy what someone does, you do the same thing.

follow

If you set a good example, others may follow.

imitate

Jordan sits behind me, imitating Mr Heaney’s funny voice.

impersonate

To gain access to the jewels, the thief impersonated the head porter.

copy (3) VERB

If you copy something, you make a copy of it.

counterfeit

The criminals tried to counterfeit passports with false names.

duplicate

Before you mail the completed form, duplicate it so we have a copy for the files.

forge

The sly couple forged tickets and then tried to sell them outside the stadium.

replicate

The artist replicated paintings and passed them off as originals.

cost NOUN

The cost is the amount of money needed to buy, do or make something.

charge

“You know, sir, there’ll be a charge for any phone calls,” the hotel clerk said smoothly.

expense

My father didn’t want the expense of a new roof, but the leaks changed his mind.

price

The money I made from errands was just about the price of the model I wanted.

The cost of travelling on transport is the fare.

cosy ADJECTIVE

Somewhere cosy is warm and comfortable.

comfortable

Gramps finds his new reclining armchair very comfortable.

comfy INFORMAL

I was very comfy in my little room right up in the loft.

snug

The two dogs were snug in their baskets when Peter foolishly mentioned “walkies”.

ANTONYM: uncomfortable

count (1) VERB

If you count, or count up, all the things in a group, you add them up to see how many there are.

add up

Irina added up the number of times Mr Reid clapped his hands.

calculate

The salesman calculated the money he would make that week.

reckon up

If you reckon up the rainy days we’ve had recently, you’ll get a surprise.

tot up INFORMAL

My friend Ainsley and I totted up the number of cakes our dads had eaten.

count (2) VERB

If something counts in a situation, it is important or valuable.

carry weight

The politician assured people that their opinions did carry weight.

make a difference

The crook’s previous crimes certainly made a difference to the length of his jail sentence.

matter

The goals you scored before don’t matter. It’s the ones you get now that are important.

count (3) VERB

If you can count on someone or something, you can rely on them.

bank

We were banking on good weather for the school fête.

depend

“I’m depending on you, Smithers. Don’t let me down,” the lieutenant said.

rely

“Can I rely on you to check that all doors are locked?” my mother asked.

country (1) NOUN

A country is one of the political areas the world is divided into.

kingdom

Beyond the barren plains of Kremmen lay the kingdom of the Wargs.

land

“We’re very proud of our land,” said the large Welshman.

nation

Napoleon once said that England was a nation of shopkeepers.

state

After the war a new state was created which united the people.

country (2) NOUN

The country is land away from towns and cities.

bush NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIAN AND AFRICAN

The Pritchards’ farm is right out in the bush.

countryside

The countryside was a patchwork of fields.

outback AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND