Synonyms for essay
- noun
Most common
article paper thesis dissertation piece treatise disquisition
Definitions
- n. 1
A written composition of moderate length, exploring a particular issue or subject.
Related words
- Word family
- essayette essaylet essayist
- Phrases
- essay mill
Forms
- Plural
- essays → articles, dissertations, theses, papers…
Choose the right word
To attempt is with the view of accomplishing; to essay, with a view of testing our own powers.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- article It'll be two weeks before you receive the article.
- paper I wrote down his phone number on a scrap of paper.
- thesis The thesis is finished except for the conclusion.
- dissertation That was the subject of his doctoral dissertation.
- piece He showed kindness by giving me a piece of advice.
- treatise Tom's "treatise" was little more than a racist diatribe.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| essay | rising | |
| article | falling | |
| paper | steady | |
| thesis | steady | |
| dissertation | steady | |
| piece | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- paper2, piece1, theme1, tract1
- 6 letters
- thesis2
- 7 letters
- article3
- 8 letters
- treatise2, exertion3
- 9 letters
- probation3
- 12 letters
- dissertation4, disquisition
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (paper2 = 2 syllables).