Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Keep "sarcopterygian" 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.
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sarcopterygian" intact in the sentence you are editing.
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
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.
After choosing a replacement for "sarcopterygian", 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 "sarcopterygian" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
3 total sentences available.
[…] actinopterygians have 'ray fins' which are supported by a series of narrow cartilaginous or bony rods called radials, while sarcopterygians have 'lobe fins' supported by a single basal bone and with muscles that can modify the posture of the fin.
Source: wiktionary
Many sarcopterygians have a lung as a respiratory organ.
Source: wiktionary
2004, M. L. J. Stiassny, E. O, Wiley, G. D. Johnson, M. R, de Carvalho, 24: Gnathostome Fishes, Joel Cracraft, Michael J. Donoghue (editors), Assembling the Tree of Life, page 415, All sarcopterygians are characterized by the evolutionary innovation of having the pectoral fins articulating with the shoulder girdle by a single element, known as the humerus in tetrapods.
Source: wiktionary
Closest matches include lobefin.
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.