Mary got the nod from among some 500 applicants.
Source: tatoeba (32007)
Nod
/nÉ’d/
Synonyms for "nod" (398 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (80)
abide byaccedeaccede toacceptacceptanceacclaimaccordaccord toaccostacquiesceacquiesce inaddressadherenceadmirationaffirmanceaffirmationaffirmativeaffirmative attitudeaffirmativenessagree
Show 53 more words
agree toagree withaid to navigationalarmamber lightamenapplaudapprobationapprovalapproveapprove ofassentauthenticationauthorizationayebagbalefirebe caught nappingbe neglectfulbe negligentbe willingbeaconbeacon firebeat the drumbeckbeck and callbellbell buoybendbend the kneebend the neckbending the kneebid good daybid good morningbiddingblessingblinkerblue peterbobbob a curtsybob downbowbow and scrapebow downbow the headbow tobowing and scrapingbroad hintbuoybuycallcallingcalling forth
Strong matches (119)
cascadecatalepsycaution lightcertificationcheercluecomacomplycondescendconfirmationconnive atconsentconsent to silentlyconvocationcountenancecountersignaturecrouchcuecurtsydaggle
Show 94 more words
dangledefaultdeigndependdipdipping the colorsdisregarddope offdoze offdrabbledragdraggledrapedroopdrop asleepdrop offdrowse offduckembraceencephalitis lethargicaendorseendorsementesteemevocationexchange colorsfailfallfall asleepfall down beforefavorfavorable voteflagflag downflapflareflashflopflowfog bellfog signalfog whistlefoghorngentle hintgenuflectgenuflectiongesturegive a signalgive consentgive the nodglanceglimmerglimmeringgloss overgo aheadgo along withgo lightgo to sleepgo-aheadgong buoygrantgreen lightgreetgreetinghailhail and speakhalf-masthand clasphand-clasphandshakehanghang downhave no objectionheliographhellohighhigh signhinthoist a bannerhold withhomagehow-do-you-dohugignoreimplicationimprimaturin totoinclinationindentindexindicationindorseinklinginnuendoinsinuation
Noun(5 words)
Related words (199)
international alphabet flaginternational numeral pennantintimationinvocationjohn hancockkickkisskiss handskneelkneelingkowtowlapseleerlet golet ridelet slidelet sliplethargylift the hatlook
Show 173 more words
loplose sight oflose track ofmake a legmake a signmake obeisancemaking a legmarker beaconnarcohypnosisnarcolepsynarcomanarcosisnarcotic stupornarcotizationneglectnod assentnod of assentnod offnod tonot care fornot get involvednot heednot refusenot thinknotarizationnudgeobeisanceobsequiousnessokokayoverlookparachute flarepass overpendpermissionpermitpilot flagpokepolice whistlepreconizationpresenting armspromptprostrationpull the forelockquarantine flagradio beaconraise a cryratificationratifyreceivered flagred lightrequisitionrespectrestreverencerocketroman candlerubber stampsagsailing aidsalaamsalutationsalutesanctionsay ayesay hellosay yesscentscrapesealseal of approvalsedationsemaphoresemaphore flagsemaphore telegraphservilitysettle to sleepshakeshake handsshocksigilsignsignalsignal beaconsignal bellsignal firesignal flagsignal gongsignal gunsignal lampsignal lightsignal mastsignal postsignal rocketsignal shotsignal sirensignal towersignalizesignaturesignetsleepsleeping sicknesssmilesmile of recognitionsoporsound an alarmsound the trumpetspar buoyspeakspoorsquatstampstamp of approvalstanding at attentionstoopstop lightstuporsubmissionsubmissivenesssubscribe tosubscriptionsuggestionsummonssupinationsuspicionswagswingswoonsymptomtake for grantedtake kindly totelltalethanatosisthe nodthe winkthumbs-uptouchtouch the hattracktraffic lighttraffic signaltrailtranceuncoverunfurl a flagvalidationvisavisevoicevotevote affirmativelyvote ayevote forwarrantwatch firewavewave a flagwave the handweepwelcomewhisperwhite flagwigwagwigwag flagwinkwink atyeayea voteyea-sayingyellow flagyesyield assent
Verb(1 words)
signal a desire
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abide by, accede, accede to, accept, acceptance.
- Sentence evidence is available for nod, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss.
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 "nod".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "nod"
Keep "nod" 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 "nod" 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 "nod", 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 "nod" 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
17 entriesShowing 16 of 17 words.
More specific
8 entriesCollocations
10 entriesbrief nodfirm nodgentle nodgive a nodhead nodnod of acknowledgmentnod of approvalrapid nodsilent nodsubtle nod
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
25 total sentences available.
Nancy greeted me with a nod from across the street.
Source: tatoeba (36167)
A nod is a sign of agreement.
Source: tatoeba (65472)
Last night I began to nod off in front of the TV.
Source: tatoeba (244781)
Showing 4 of 25 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "nod"?
Closest matches include abide by, accede, accede to, accept, acceptance.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "nod"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.