Alternatives is a recurring post in which I give synonyms for an over used word. Click on the tab above for a "complete" list of over used words.
Today's word is:
Not to be confused with bye or buy. Not surprising there aren't a whole lot of of synonyms for by. And some of them are cheaters, using "by" in the synonym.
Depending on how you use it, this list may come in handy for finding another way to say the same thing.
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abreast, adjacent to, adjoining, along, alongside (of), as a result
of, aside, at, at hand, at the side of, attached to, away
because of, before, be on one side, beside, beyond, border/bordering, by dint of,
by way of, by means of, by virtue of
check by jowl, close, close to, connected to, contiguous with
flank
handy
in front of, in good time, in reach
laterally
next to, no later than
on, out flank, over, overlooking
past
neighboring, next to
past
right and left
side by side, sidle, skirt
through, to leeward, to one side, to windward
via
A lot of people have covered The Rivers of Babylon, but this is the original hit from 1970.
Learning English as a second language is always a challenge and a lot of it is due to this kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteLoved hearing that song!
Now that's a simple word that I rarely think about. Great selection of alternatives. Now if I can only notice and not let that one slip by next--I mean "slip past".
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
Ah a wonderfully helpful list!!! Must keep this in mind.
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
My mom always used "by" as in "at" -- "Were you by Barbie's house?" I never liked that usage. Yep, picky about words even way back when.
ReplyDelete