By Laurie James
It doesn’t matter what language you look at; synonyms are an inescapable part of our linguistic diet, and we should be deeply grateful for this! It’s no coincidence to observe that the more basic and ubiquitous a concept is, the hungrier we are for more and more ways to express it. This is why languages are equipped with hundreds of words for their own pertinent weather conditions to deploy in uncomfortable elevator silences, while a word like schadenfreude (German, the pleasure we receive from other people’s bad luck) is lucky to exist once in any language.
One of the most basic ideas expressed in language is that which we like and dislike; it is one of the first linguistic rudiments that we develop as children, for obvious reasons. English, in particular, with its infinitely diverse etymological influences, abounds in ways to express our approval, or otherwise, like no other language. However, if we accept the generally-shared philological principle that true synonyms are impossible, we must contemplate the tonal, grammatical and contextual differences between seemingly-identical words before we can properly assimilate them into our vocabulary.
VERBS
We know about ‘Like’ and ‘Love’, but if we really want to exaggerate, why not go over the top with ‘ADORE’? It’s a beautiful latin-origin word – romantic in all senses – that is impossible to pronounce undramatically:
“I absolutely adored that episode. When will they release the next season?”
Another alternative verb with more precise stoicism is ‘RATE’. It works like ‘Like’, but emphasises ‘Respect’ over more romantic sentiments, speaking more about the ‘Legitimacy’ of something than its emotional effect:
“I really rate Crystal Palace this year. I think they’ve got a real chance of getting a Europa League place with this manager.”
Both of these options are, expectedly, stative verbs, which means they’re much more comfortable in the simple tenses than continuous ones.
ADJECTIVES
One thing we love to do in English is to describe our feelings with adjectives. We have the verbs ‘Bore’, ‘Tire’, ‘Anger’, for example, but while a latin language might simply direct those verbs reflexively at oneself, we prefer to convert them into adjectives first. By using a preposition afterwards, we can greatly expand the amount of sentiments we are able to express with adjectives into transitive territory – feelings that we have towards someone or something. In this way, we can, for example, be ‘KEEN on ’, ‘PARTIAL to’, or ‘CRAZY/MAD/NUTS about’ a person or thing that we really like, the last option being the most extreme and least formal:
“I’ve always been keen on her. She’s got a great voice, and her backing band are incredible.”
“You might not know this about me, but I’m partial to travelling if the conditions are right.”
“When I was a child, I was completely mad about Star Wars.”
PREPOSITIONS
Ignore the false plural – there is only one example of this, but it’s worth looking at; it’s a very rare thing in language to express something as subjective and personal as ‘Liking’ with a preposition. The magical English exception is the enigmatic ‘INTO’, which, like the adjectives, uses the verb ‘To be’, but skips the adjective completely. With a person it has more romantic connotations, but otherwise, it captures the spirit of ‘To like’ almost perfectly. We can also use it with the verb ‘To get’ to give it a more causative sense, referring more specifically to the action of liking something, rather than the state.
“She’s definitely into science. She adores physics most of all, although she’s also partial to chemistry and biology.”
“Last year I got really into Formula 1. I don’t rate it now, though.”
So, the next time you find yourself reaching for the familiar ‘like’, remember the rich palette of alternatives at your disposal. Whether you choose to adore a film, rate a team, confess to being partial to a hobby, or declare that you’re into a new interest, each word offers a unique shade of meaning. By consciously selecting the synonym that best fits the context, you do more than just avoid repetition; you engage more deeply with the language, allowing you to express your preferences with greater precision, personality, and flair.
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