Using a Reverse Dictionary to Solve
Word Choice Problems
Step One: Locate the questionable word.
Example:
the Amazons immunize
bad soil with a transforming bacterial change
Step Two: Open the “reverse dictionary.”
Step Three: Look up the problem word.
Result:
Words
and phrases matching your pattern:
(We're
restricting the list to terms we think are related to immunize, and sorting by relatedness.)
1. vaccinate
2. immunization
3. immunized
4. immunizing
5. innoculate
6. inoculate
7. anthrax
vaccine
8. antiserum
9. sabin
10. toxin
antitoxin
Search
completed in 0.404 seconds.
Step Four: Click on an alternative word to cross-reference it in
another dictionary.
Result:
We found 20 dictionaries with
English definitions that include the word vaccinate:
Tip: Click on the first link on a line below to go directly to a page where
"vaccinate" is defined.
General (17
matching dictionaries)
1.
vaccinate
: Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, 10th Edition [home, info]
2.
vaccinate :
Compact Oxford English Dictionary [home,
info]
3.
vaccinate
: Encarta® World English Dictionary, North American Edition [home,
info]
4.
vaccinate
: Cambridge International Dictionary of English [home, info]
5.
vaccinate
: The Wordsmyth English Dictionary-Thesaurus [home, info]
6.
vaccinate
: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language [home, info]
7.
vaccinate
: Infoplease Dictionary [home,
info]
8.
vaccinate :
Dictionary.com [home, info]
9.
vaccinate
: UltraLingua English Dictionary [home,
info]
10. vaccinate
: Cambridge Dictionary of American English [home, info]
11. Vaccinate :
Online Plain Text English Dictionary [home, info]
12. vaccinate
: Webster's Revised Unabridged, 1913 Edition [home, info]
13. vaccinate :
Rhymezone [home, info]
14. Vaccinate
: AllWords.com Multi-Lingual Dictionary [home,
info]
15. vaccinate
: Webster's 1828 Dictionary [home, info]
Step Five: Study the dictionary entry for the alternative word.
Result:
One entry found for vaccinate.
Main Entry: vac·ci·nate 
Pronunciation: 'vak-s&-"nAt
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): -nat·ed; -nat·ing
transitive senses
1 : to inoculate (a person) with cowpox virus in order to produce
immunity to smallpox
2 : to administer a vaccine
to usually by injection
intransitive senses : to perform or practice vaccination
Step Six: Going back to the results of step three, click on another alternative.
Result:
5 entries found for inoculate.
in·oc·u·late 
P ) Pronunciation Key (
-n
k
y
-l
t
)
tr.v. in·oc·u·lat·ed, in·oc·u·lat·ing, in·oc·u·lates
1. To
introduce a serum, vaccine, or antigenic substance into (the body of a person
or animal), especially to produce or boost immunity to a specific disease.
2. To
communicate a disease to (a living organism) by transferring its causative
agent into the organism.
3. To implant
microorganisms or infectious material into (a culture medium).
4. To
safeguard as if by inoculation; protect.
5.
To introduce an idea or attitude into the mind of.
Step Seven: After looking up all the possible alternatives, select the word that best matches your intended meaning.
Question: which word makes better sense, vaccinate or inoculate?
Task: look up your own problem words at http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml