The trend of public opinion is against corporal punishment.
Source: tatoeba (271225)
Corporal
/ˈkoɹ.pɚ.əl/
Synonyms for "corporal" (88 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (18)
Noun(4 words)
Adjective(1 words)
Strong matches (26)
Adjective(1 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (44)
mess sergeantmissilemortalnaikncononcomnoncommissioned officernonspiritualoblation clothpatenphysicalpiscinaplatoon sergeantprayer rugprie-dieureredosrocketrood clothrood screensacrament cloth
Show 16 more words
sargesecularsergeantsergeant first classsergeant majorsomaticstaff sergeantstoupsubstantialtechnical sergeanttemporaltop sergeanttopkickunspiritualwarrant officerworldly
Adjective(4 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: acting corporal, acting sergeant, altar cloth, anatomical model, atlas.
- Sentence evidence is available for corporal, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, wordnet, wiktionary, 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 "corporal".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "corporal"
Keep "corporal" 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 "corporal" 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 "corporal", 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 "corporal" 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
7 entriesMore specific
5 entriesCollocations
11 entriesacting corporalarmy corporalcorporal punishmentcorporal punishment lawscorporal punishment policyenlisted personnellower enlistedmilitary rankmilitary rank corporalnoncommissioned officerrank insignia
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
1 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
36 translations across 30 languages.
Albanian
1 entries- tetar noun (military rank)
Armenian
1 entries- կապրալ noun (military rank)
Bulgarian
1 entries- ефрейтор noun (military rank)
Catalan
1 entries- caporal noun (military rank)
Czech
2 entries- desátník noun (military rank)
- kaprál noun (military rank)
Danish
1 entries- korporal noun (military rank)
Dutch
1 entries- korporaal noun (military rank)
Estonian
1 entries- kapral noun (military rank)
Finnish
1 entries- alikersantti noun (military rank)
French
1 entries- caporal noun (military rank)
German
3 entries- Korporal noun (military rank)
- Oberstabsgefreiter noun (military rank)
- Stabsgefreiter noun (military rank)
Greek
1 entries- υποδεκανέας noun (military rank)
Hungarian
3 entries- káplár noun (military rank)
- szakaszvezető noun (military rank)
- tizedes noun (military rank)
Indonesian
1 entries- kopral noun (military rank)
Italian
1 entries- caporale noun (military rank)
Japanese
1 entries- 伍長 noun (military rank)
Korean
1 entries- 상병 noun (military rank)
Latin
1 entries- decuriō noun (military rank)
Macedonian
2 entries- десета́р noun (military rank)
- каплар noun (military rank)
Māori
1 entries- kāpara noun (military rank)
Norman
1 entries- corpotha noun (military rank)
Norwegian Bokmål
1 entries- korporal noun (military rank)
Norwegian Nynorsk
1 entries- korporal noun (military rank)
Ottoman Turkish
1 entries- اون باش noun (military rank)
Persian
1 entries- سرجوخه noun (military rank)
Polish
1 entries- kapral noun (military rank)
Portuguese
1 entries- cabo noun (military rank)
Russian
1 entries- капра́л noun (military rank)
Spanish
1 entries- cabo noun (military rank)
Tagalog
1 entries- kabo noun (military rank)
Sample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Corporal punishment is now prohibited in schools.
Source: tatoeba (1336510)
The corporal is on furlough.
Source: tatoeba (2268072)
In this legal system, corporal punishment is imposed on adult men only.
Source: tatoeba (2913582)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "corporal"?
Closest matches include acting corporal, acting sergeant, altar cloth, anatomical model, atlas.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "corporal"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.