A canary is a small bird, and people sometimes keep it as a pet.
Source: tatoeba (63624)
Canary
/kəˈnɛəɹi/
Synonyms for "canary" (149 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (30)
Noun(6 words)
altoaria singeraureateauricbaritenorbaritonebassbassobasso buffobasso cantantebasso profundobeigebetrayerblues singerbuffbuff-yellowbulbulcanary-yellowcantatricecantor
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (45)
citroncitron-yellowcolorcoloratura sopranocomic basscontraltocountertenorcreamcreamycroonercuckoodeep bassdivadramatic sopranoecrufallowfeathered songsterflaxengildedgilt
Show 19 more words
goldgold-coloredgoldenheldentenorheroic tenorhymnerimprovisatorinformerlarklead singerlemonlemon-yellowlieder singerluteolouslutescentmagpiemavismeistersingermelodist
Related words (74)
mezzo sopranomezzo-sopranomockingbirdnarknightingaleocherishocherousocheryochreousochroidochrousochryopera singerororiolephilomelpigmentpimpprima donnaprimrose
Show 41 more words
primrose-coloredprimrose-yellowpsalm singerringdoverock-and-roll singersaffronsaffron-coloredsaffron-yellowsallowsand-coloredsandysingersinging birdsingstresssnitchsong sparrowsongbirdsongstersongstresssopranosquealerstoolstool pigeonstooliestrawstraw-coloredtalebearertenorthrushtipstertorch singervocalistvocalizervoicewarblerwinexanthicxanthousyellowyellowishyodeler
Noun(12 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: canary yellow, alto, aria singer, aureate, auric.
- Sentence evidence is available for canary, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "canary".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "canary"
Keep "canary" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "canary" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "canary", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "canary" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
19 entriesShowing 16 of 19 words.
More specific
6 entriesbright yellowdomestic canaryearly indicatorlemon yellowwarning signalwild canary
Collocations
12 entriesCanary Islandscanary birdcanary colorcanary colored plumagecanary indicatorcanary seedcanary songcanary yellowcanary yellow colorcanary yellow dyecanary yellow pigmentcanary yellow spectrum
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
76 translations across 57 languages.
Afrikaans
1 entries- kanarie noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Arabic
1 entries- كَنَارِي noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Armenian
1 entries- դեղձանիկ noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Asturian
1 entries- canariu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Azerbaijani
1 entries- sarı bülbül noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Bulgarian
1 entries- канарче noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Campidanese Sardinian
2 entries- canariu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canariu noun (small yellow bird in general)
Catalan
2 entries- canari noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canarí noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 金絲雀 /金丝雀 noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Czech
2 entries- kanár noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- kanárek noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Danish
1 entries- kanariefugl noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Dutch
2 entries- kanarie noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- kanarievogel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Esperanto
1 entries- kanario noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Faroese
1 entries- kanarjufuglur noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Finnish
2 entries- kanarialintu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- kanarialintu noun (small yellow bird in general)
French
1 entries- canari noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Gallurese
2 entries- canariu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canariu noun (small yellow bird in general)
German
1 entries- Kanarienvogel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Greek
2 entries- καναρίνι noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- καναρίνι noun (small yellow bird in general)
Hebrew
1 entries- כנרית noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Hungarian
2 entries- kanári noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- kanárimadár noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Ido
1 entries- kanario noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Indonesian
1 entries- kenari noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Italian
3 entries- canarino noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canarino noun (small yellow bird in general)
- canario noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Japanese
3 entries- カナリア noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- カナリヤ noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- 金糸雀 noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Korean
1 entries- 카나리아 noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Kumyk
1 entries- сарижымчыкъ noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Latin
1 entries- canaria fringilla noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Lithuanian
1 entries- kanarėlė noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Low German
3 entries- Kanaarjenvagel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- Kanaarnvagel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- Kanaljenvagel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Luxembourgish
1 entries- Kanarievillchen noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Macedonian
1 entries- канари́нец noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Norman
1 entries- canârien noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Norwegian
1 entries- kanarifugl noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Papiamentu
1 entries- kanari noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Polish
1 entries- kanarek noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Portuguese
1 entries- canário noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Romanian
1 entries- canar noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Russian
1 entries- канаре́йка noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Sardinian
2 entries- canarinu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canarinu noun (small yellow bird in general)
Sassarese
2 entries- canariu noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- canariu noun (small yellow bird in general)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- canèiridh noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Serbo-Croatian
2 entries- kanarinac noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- канаринац noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Slovak
1 entries- kanárik noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Slovene
1 entries- kanarček noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Soussian
1 entries- kalalius noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Spanish
1 entries- canario noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Sranan Tongo
1 entries- kanari noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Swedish
1 entries- kanariefågel noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Tagalog
1 entries- kanaryo noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Thai
1 entries- นกคีรีบูน noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Turkish
2 entries- kanarya noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- sarı bülbül noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Venetan
1 entries- canarìn noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Vietnamese
2 entries- chim bạch yến noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
- chim tước noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Volapük
1 entries- kanair noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
West-Frisian
1 entries- kanarje noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Yiddish
1 entries- קאַנאַריק noun (bird from the Canary Islands)
Sample sentences
23 total sentences available.
I had scarcely opened the cage when the canary flew out.
Source: tatoeba (246445)
My canary was killed by a cat.
Source: tatoeba (250282)
He looks like a cat that ate the canary.
Source: tatoeba (288044)
Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "canary"?
Closest matches include canary yellow, alto, aria singer, aureate, auric.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "canary"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.