Adell Ryan

May 26, 20201 min

High-Frequency Word Alternatives for Writers

Updated: Jul 7, 2020

High-Frequency Word Alternatives for Writers

Every writer has them... high-frequency or "crutch" words, if you will. If you're anything like me, they tend to change with each unique work. Words like "before," and "then," for example. With a little help from 34 Editing, the editor who made my Daughter of Perdition Series pretty, we decided to provide you all with several alternatives to some of the more frequent over-used words in fiction.

For handy bonus graphics that correlate with some of the ideas listed in this blog post, skip to the High-Frequency Word Alternatives for Writers Pinterest Board!

First

  • Prime/primary/primarily

  • primitive/primitively

  • initial/initially

  • basic/basically

  • lead/leading

  • original/originally

  • pioneer/pioneering

  • cardinal/cardinally

  • principal/principally

  • inaugural/inaugurally

Then/Suddenly

  • abruptly

  • thereupon

  • swiftly

  • formerly

  • later

  • at once

  • at that moment

  • in that instant

  • without warning

Now

  • pronto

  • momentarily

  • directly

  • immediately

  • presently

  • straightaway

  • in an instant/this instant

  • right now/away

  • at once

While

  • accompanying

  • coexistent

  • synchronous

  • amid

  • throughout

  • during

  • although

  • at the same time

  • in the midst

  • in the course of

  • concurrent

However

  • despite

  • nonetheless

  • for all that

  • though

  • all the same

  • howbeit

  • regardless/without regard

  • notwithstanding

Little/Small

  • bitty

  • dainty

  • slim

  • diminutive

  • slight

  • undersized

  • weensy

  • teeny

  • teensy

  • minute

  • microscopic

  • puny

Say

  • speak

  • state

  • rebut

  • declare

  • nag

  • assert

  • explain

  • vow

  • babble

  • allege

  • roar

  • exclaim

  • cry

  • taunt

  • demand

Great

  • wondrous

  • spectacular

  • precious

  • exceptional

  • worthy

  • commendable

  • phenomenal

  • stupendous

  • valuable

  • considerable

Very

  • especially

  • exceeding

  • chief

  • notable

  • vast

  • immense

  • dreadful

  • unique

  • serious

  • undoubted

Since

  • after all

  • considering

  • inasmuch/insomuch as

  • in view/consideration of

  • by reason of

  • seeing as/that

Like

  • resembling

  • comparable

  • parallel

  • uniform

  • compatible

  • homogenous

  • duplicate

  • carbon-copy

  • clone

  • double

  • equal/equal to

  • corresponding

  • akin

  • similar

Always

  • ever

  • forever

  • perpetual

  • unceasing

  • constant

  • eternal

  • everlasting

  • consistent

Just

  • simply

  • purely

  • quite

  • seemly

  • almost

  • hardly

  • barely

  • scarcely

  • marginally

  • ineptly

  • slightly

  • imperceptibly

  • somewhat

  • not quite

That

  • since

  • considering

  • given

  • such

  • in particular

  • specific/specifically

  • said

  • such

  • the mentioned/aforementioned

  • assumed

  • forenamed

Before

  • earlier

  • previous/previously

  • former/formerly

  • preliminary/preliminarily

  • ahead

  • precedently

  • past

  • afore

  • sooner

  • prior to
     

There you have it -- several high-frequency word alternatives to get you started. Check out my High-Frequency Word Alternatives for Writers Pinterest Board to access the bonus graphics that correlate with some of the ideas listed in this blog post!

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