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Writer's pictureAdell Ryan

High-Frequency Word Alternatives for Writers

Updated: Jul 7, 2020

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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