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Last updated on Dec 02, 2021

270+ Other Words For "Said" To Supercharge Your Writing

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:

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


Download this 'greatest hits' list

For this infographic, we've narrowed down the 270 most essential dialogue words for you to know! Simply enter your email below to get it in your inbox within minutes.

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Get our Dialogue Tag Cheatsheet

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.

RBE | Spellcheck (photo) | 2023-03

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