Shades of Meaning: Feelings and Sizes

Some synonyms are alike but not exactly the same. They are different shades, like light blue and dark blue. 'Big', 'huge', and 'gigantic' all mean large, but 'gigantic' is the biggest.

'Glad', 'happy', and 'thrilled' are all good feelings, but 'thrilled' is the strongest. Choosing the right shade makes your meaning clearer. Compare: 'I was happy to see my friend' and 'I was thrilled to see my friend.

' The second shows much more excitement. Try ordering: warm, hot, boiling. Boiling is the hottest.

• 1Similar words can have different strengths.
• 2Order them from weakest to strongest.
• 3Pick the shade that fits your meaning.