This :-) is an emoticon.
Source: tatoeba (2470605)
Emoticon
/ɪˈmoʊtəˌkɑn/
Synonyms for "emoticon" (7 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: affect marker, ascii emoticon, mood marker, smiley, smileys.
- Sentence evidence is available for emoticon, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from 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 "emoticon".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "emoticon"
Keep "emoticon" 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 "emoticon" 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 "emoticon", 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 "emoticon" 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
6 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
6 entriesASCII emoticondigital communicationemoticon setemoticon usageonline communicationtext emoticon
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
51 translations across 29 languages.
Armenian
2 entries- զմայլիկ noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- սմայլիկ noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Catalan
1 entries- emoticona noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 表情符號 /表情符号 noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Danish
2 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- smiley noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Esperanto
1 entries- miensimbolo noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Finnish
1 entries- hymiö noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
French
4 entries- binette noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- frimousse noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- émoticone noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- émoticône noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Galician
1 entries- emoticona noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Georgian
1 entries- სიცილაკი noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
German
1 entries- Emoticon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Hebrew
2 entries- פַּרְצוּפוֹן noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- רִגְשׁוֹן noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Hungarian
2 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- hangulatjel noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Indonesian
1 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Irish
1 entries- straoiseog noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Italian
1 entries- faccina noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Japanese
3 entries- エモティコン noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- 絵文字 noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- 顔文字 noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Kazakh
3 entries- күлегеш noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- эмотикон noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- өңтаңба noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Korean
2 entries- 이모티콘 noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- 통보문그림기호 noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Ligurian
2 entries- facìn noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- morìn noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Māori
1 entries- tohukare noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Persian
1 entries- شکلک noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Polish
3 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- emotikona noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- emotka noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Portuguese
1 entries- emoticon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Romanian
1 entries- emoticon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Russian
3 entries- сма́йлик noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- смайл noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- эмотико́н noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Serbo-Croatian
1 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Slovene
2 entries- smeško noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- čustvenček noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Spanish
2 entries- emoticono noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- emoticón noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Swedish
4 entries- emotikon noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- smajlis noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- smilgubbe noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
- smilis noun (representation of an emotion of the writer)
Sample sentences
9 total sentences available.
The “smiling face with smiling eyes” is a standard in approval and appreciation. It expresses genuine happiness and warm, positive feelings. It is an emoji form of the ^^ emoticon.
Source: tatoeba (8665635)
Do you know what the difference between an emoticon and an emoji is?
Source: tatoeba (9737669)
This is the first time I've seen this emoticon in a while.
Source: tatoeba (11040268)
Showing 4 of 9 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "emoticon"?
Closest matches include affect marker, ascii emoticon, mood marker, smiley, smileys.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "emoticon"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.