I don't understand this word. Could you paraphrase it?
Source: tatoeba (3412477)
Paraphrase
/ˈpæɹəfɹeɪz/
Synonyms for "paraphrase" (136 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (28)
Adjective(1 words)
academic paraphrase
Verb(2 words)
adjust wordingclarifying phrasing
amplificationbilingual textburlesqueclaviscopycribdecipherdeciphermentdecodingdummyduplicationexplainexplicatefacsimilefaithful translationfree translationglossglossaryimitationinterlinear
Strong matches (40)
interlinear translationinterpretkeyknockoffloose translationmetaphrasemock upmock-upmodelparaphrasisparodyponyrehash
Verb(10 words)
Noun(16 words)
interpret textmodifying wordparaphrasesparaphrasisparrot backperiphrasesperiphrasisphrase motifplainly writtenrecappingrecastsreflective listeningreformulatingreformulationrehashesrehashing
Determiner(1 words)
more copying ethics
Related words (68)
Verb(19 words)
Noun(25 words)
reiterationrepeat patternsrephraserestaterestatementrestatementsrestatingretell as playretellingrewordrewordingrewritesshakespearean addresssimplified legal frenchsteelmansynonymstailor languagetext meaning extractiontext modificationtextual evidence
Show 5 more words
Adjective(1 words)
verbal interpretation
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abstract, academic paraphrase, adjust wording, amplification, bilingual text.
- Sentence evidence is available for paraphrase, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, wordnet, opengloss, 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 "paraphrase".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "paraphrase"
Keep "paraphrase" 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 "paraphrase" 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 "paraphrase", 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 "paraphrase" 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
15 entriesacademic skillingeminateiteratelanguage skilllinguistic devicerecastingreiteraterepeatrephrasingrestaterestatementretellrewordingwriting taskwriting technique
More specific
7 entriesbrief paraphraseeducational paraphraseparaphrase a paragraphparaphrase a quotationparaphrase a sentencesimplified paraphrasesummary paraphrase
Collocations
7 entriesparaphrase checklistparaphrase exampleparaphrase exerciseparaphrase passageparaphrase practiceparaphrase taskparaphrase technique
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
7 entriesSample sentences
10 total sentences available.
Paraphrasing is all well and good as long as you don't have the original sentence in sight when you seek to paraphrase.
Source: tatoeba (4685965)
Don't repeat or paraphrase the question you're being asked because it sounds patronizing.
Source: tatoeba (6607851)
It is the 2nd of July of 2015. My friend Yaroslav is from the Ukraine, an ex-Soviet republic, and he grew up in the Soviet Era, when the ruble was money, but communism was the objective. He said that those good ol' childhood years were the best for him, and he feels nostalgic about them. Yaroslav has been a seaman engineer for some years. He has moved to Canada, and he studies English now, Russian being his first language and Ukrainian second. His original hair was near black, but is now whitening. He has blue eyes. He still looks like a big teenager. He is a pizza delivery man now at my local pizzeria, here at Lulu Island. We both discuss many deep, intellectual things at the pizza parlour, whilst he waits to go off for a delivery. He likes reading drama books, like Tolstoy. He likes drama movies, too. Unlike me, whose hobby is speculative fiction and astronomy, Yaroslav talks little of such things. My impression of Soviets were that they were all space-savvy. But he did mention once that within 1000 years, humanity will have to be really serious about space travel and out-of-Earth colonization, because our own Earth may fall into decay. I think that he tried to paraphrase Stephen Hawking the physicist. Yaroslav does not know Star Trek too well. I talked to him about teleportation, which scientists around the world are researching. They think that teleportation is not impossible.
Source: tatoeba (10715838)
Showing 4 of 10 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "paraphrase"?
Closest matches include abstract, academic paraphrase, adjust wording, amplification, bilingual text.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "paraphrase"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.