The sapphire, azure gem that emulates heaven's loftly arch, shall gleam, and softly there the verdant emerald shed its greenest light, and fiery carbuncle flash forth its rosy rays from the pure gold.
Source: tatoeba (10960022)
Carbuncle
/ˈkɑː.bʌŋ.kl̩/
Synonyms for "carbuncle" (88 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Strong matches (26)
Related words (44)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abscess, aposteme, bed sore, blain, bleb.
- Sentence evidence is available for carbuncle, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, derived_reverse.
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 "carbuncle".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "carbuncle"
Keep "carbuncle" 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 "carbuncle" 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 "carbuncle", 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 "carbuncle" 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
8 entriesMore specific
3 entriesCollocations
6 entriescarbuncle gemstonecarbuncle lesionfaceted carbuncleprecious carbunclered carbuncleskin carbuncle
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
1 entriesTranslations
27 translations across 26 languages.
Ancient Greek
1 entries- ἄνθραξ noun (precious stone)
Bulgarian
1 entries- гранат noun (precious stone)
Catalan
1 entries- carboncle noun (precious stone)
Danish
1 entries- karfunkel noun (precious stone)
Dutch
1 entries- karbonkel noun (precious stone)
Erzya
1 entries- мазыкев noun (precious stone)
French
1 entries- carboucle noun (precious stone)
Galician
1 entries- carbúnculo noun (precious stone)
Georgian
1 entries- ტოპაზი noun (precious stone)
German
1 entries- Karfunkel noun (precious stone)
Hebrew
1 entries- נֹפֶךְ noun (precious stone)
Irish
1 entries- carrmhogal noun (precious stone)
Latin
1 entries- carbunculus noun (precious stone)
Malay
1 entries- batu merah noun (precious stone)
Manx
1 entries- carbuncle noun (precious stone)
Middle English
1 entries- carbuncle noun (precious stone)
Māori
1 entries- kapakara noun (precious stone)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- karfunkel noun (precious stone)
Old French
1 entries- carbuncle noun (precious stone)
Old Georgian
1 entries- ანთრაკი noun (precious stone)
Polish
1 entries- karbunkuł noun (precious stone)
Portuguese
1 entries- granado oriental noun (precious stone)
Scottish Gaelic
1 entries- càrrmhogal noun (precious stone)
Spanish
2 entries- carbunclo noun (precious stone)
- carbúnculo noun (precious stone)
Welsh
1 entries- carbwncl noun (precious stone)
Yiddish
1 entries- גאָרפֿינקל noun (precious stone)
Sample sentences
5 total sentences available.
With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus […]
Source: wiktionary
And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
Source: wiktionary
His turban, or mandil [mandīl], was of finest white silk interwoven with gold, bestudded with pearl[s] and carbuncles; […]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 5 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "carbuncle"?
Closest matches include abscess, aposteme, bed sore, blain, bleb.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "carbuncle"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.