Guides • Perfecting your Craft
Last updated on Dec 02, 2021
270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing
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Martin Cavannagh
Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.
View profile →If you've read our previous post on writing dialogue, you'll know that you shouldn't be afraid to default to he said, she said, or they said when you're tagging your dialogue. After all, it's probably the clearest, least distracting way to indicate who's saying what. That being said, it can be useful to deploy a specific and powerful dialogue tag every now and again.
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To help you find that perfect synonym to inject action and emotion into your dialogue, here are over 270 other words for said:
Q: What are some techniques authors can use to introduce characters naturally through dialogue?
Suggested answer
Dialogue is one of the most powerful ways to introduce your characters and bring them to life for readers. When done well, it reveals personality, relationships, and motivations—all in a way that feels natural and engaging. Here are a few techniques to make character introductions through dialogue memorable, with examples from authors I’ve worked with.
Show Personality Through Speech Patterns
The way a character speaks—their tone, choice of words, and rhythm—can reveal a lot about who they are. In Losing Juliet by June Taylor, the dialogue between two adult female characters is a perfect example. One character is guarded and precise, while the other’s tone is more casual and assertive. This contrast instantly tells us about their personalities and sets up their complex dynamic. When editing, I often help authors create unique speech patterns that make each character’s voice distinctive.
Reflect Relationships Through Dialogue
How characters speak to each other reveals their relationship dynamics. In Losing Juliet, Taylor uses subtle hints in the dialogue to convey past secrets and tension without spelling it all out. Readers sense the history and conflict between the characters, making the dialogue feel rich and layered. When I work with authors, I encourage exploring these nuances in relationships, showing rather than telling.
Reveal Motivation Through Subtext
Great dialogue often goes beyond what’s explicitly said. In The Hanged Man Rises by Sarah Naughton, the children’s dialogue is filled with innocence and curiosity, yet it often hints at deeper fears and uncertainties. This subtle layer adds intrigue without needing direct exposition. I frequently work with authors to find opportunities for subtext, letting readers read between the lines to discover characters’ hidden motivations.
Show Conflict and Tension
Conflict in dialogue can reveal a character’s core traits. In The Hanged Man Rises, Naughton’s children’s dialogue shows both their vulnerability and resilience, heightening the story’s suspense. In Losing Juliet, conversations between the protagonists highlight simmering anger and unresolved issues, offering readers a glimpse of what drives each character. When editing, I encourage authors to think about how characters might speak differently under pressure—revealing who they are when emotions run high.
Balance Dialogue with Actions and Reactions
Dialogue is most impactful when paired with physical cues. In Losing Juliet, Taylor often uses gestures and subtle actions to deepen the impact of what’s said (or left unsaid). These small cues add depth, creating a more immersive experience. I often advise authors to integrate these details, as they can make dialogue feel more real and relatable.
Reflect Character Growth in Speech
As characters evolve, so should their dialogue. In The Hanged Man Rises, Naughton’s young characters’ dialogue changes as they face challenges, reflecting their growth over the course of the story. This shift makes their journey feel authentic, and I often encourage authors to consider these changes as they develop characters’ arcs.
Shelley is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
How much or how little a character "speaks" says a lot about them. A dialect can also reveal where they are from. Broken English or a stutter can also say a lot. Dialogue is a great way to "show" and not "tell."
Melody is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
The main thing to get across when introducing characters through dialogue is to write it so it feels natural. Constantly ask yourself if the way you're making them speak is the way regular people in those circumstances would speak. If it sounds too stilted or infodump-y, that's going to distance your reader from the character because they'll feel unreal, manufactured—just there to move the plot along.
Brett is available to hire on Reedsy ⏺
Neutral/multi-purpose words
Acknowledged Added Agreed Announced Articulated Asserted Backtracked Began Blurted Called Commented Communicated Conferred Considered Contended Declared Denoted |
Drawled Elaborated Emitted Ended Enunciated Expounded Expressed Greeted Interjected Mentioned Noted Observed Orated Persisted Predicted Pronounced Quipped |
Recited Reckoned Related Remarked Repeated Replied Responded Shared Slurred Stated Suggested Told Urged Uttered Vocalized Voiced
|
Happy/excited words
Approved Babbled Beamed Bubbled Chattered Cheered Chimed in Chortled Chuckled Congratulated |
Complimented Crooned Effused Exclaimed Giggled Grinned Gushed Jabbered Joked
|
Laughed Praised Rejoiced Sang Smiled Thanked Tittered Trilled Yammered
|
Sad/upset words
Agonized Apologized Bawled Blubbered Cried Fretted |
Grieved Groaned Lamented Mewled Moaned Mumbled |
Sobbed Sighed Sniffled Sniveled Wailed Wept |
Angry words
Accused Choked Badgered Barked Bellowed Chastised Cursed Demanded Exploded Fumed |
Glowered Growled Hissed Insulted Raged Ranted Reprimanded Roared Scolded
|
Screamed Screeched Snarled Spat Shouted Swore Thundered Vociferated Yelled
|
Annoyed words
Bleated Complained Condemned Criticized Exhaled Groused |
Grumbled Grunted Heaved Insisted Mocked Rasped |
Rejoined Retorted Scoffed Smirked Snapped Whined |
Frightened/pained words
Coughed Cautioned Gulped Howled Keened Panted Prayed |
Quavered Screamed Shrieked Shuddered Squalled Squealed Trembled |
Wailed Warbled Whimpered Yelped Yowled Warned
|
Prideful words
Advertised Bloviated Boasted Boomed Bossed Bragged Broadcasted |
Crowed Exhorted Dictated Gloated Moralized Ordered
|
Prattled Preached Sermonized Snorted Swaggered Trumpeted
|

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Words to express uncertainty
Breathed Doubted Faltered Hesitated Lilted Mumbled |
Murmured Muttered Shrugged Squeaked Stammered
|
Stuttered Swallowed Trailed off Vacillated Whispered
|
Words that make fun
Derided Jeered Heckled Lampooned Mocked |
Mimicked Parodied Ridiculed Satirized Scorned |
Spoofed Sneered Snickered Taunted Teased |
Words that ask a question
Asked Begged Challenged Contemplated Guessed Hinted Hypothesized Implied Inquired |
Interrogated Invited Mouthed Mused Pleaded Pondered Probed Proposed Puzzled |
Repeated Requested Requisitioned Queried Questioned Quizzed Solicited Speculated Wondered |
Words that give an answer
Accepted Advised Affirmed Alleged Answered Assured Avowed Claimed Conceded Concluded Confided Confirmed |
Explained Disclosed Disseminated Divulged Imparted Informed Indicated Maintained Notified Offered Passed on Proffered |
Promised Promulgated Released Reported Revealed Shared Specified Speculated Supposed Testified Transmitted Verified |
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Upgrade your dialogue with our list of 270 alternatives to “said.”
To see how master writers assemble their dialogue, head over to our final post in this series for some choice examples of dialogue.