If you are a writer and you want to show two or more people conversing, ‘said’ is the word you would use to mark what is spoken. But it would tire your readers if you used ‘said’ too many times. So instead of ‘said’ you could use a lot of other words that are given below, which could also make your writing more interesting and expressive.
Here are dialogue words you can use instead of ‘said’, categorised by the kind of emotion or scenario they convey:
- Anger: shouted, bellowed, yelled, snapped, cautioned, rebuked, demanded, growled, raged, miffed, seethed, fumed, retorted, thundered, blurted.
- Affection: consoled, comforted, reassured, admired, soothed, agreed, approved.
- Excitement: shouted, yelled, babbled, gushed, exclaimed, repeated.
- Fear: whispered, stuttered, stammered, gasped, urged, hissed, babbled, blurted, begged, quacked, stammered, shuddered, quivered, trembled.
- Determination: declared, insisted, maintained, commanded.
- Authority: insisted, bossed, demanded, professed, preached, dictated.
- Happiness: sighed, murmured, gushed, laughed, giggled, lilted, joked, rejoiced, sang out.
- Sadness: cried, mumbled, sobbed, sighed, lamented, whined, bawled, blubbered, groaned, sniveled, wept, mourned.
- Tired: mumbled, struggled, emitted, wearied.
- Pain: barked, cried out, cried, screamed, jabbered, bellowed, groaned, howled, shrieked, roared, grieved, wailed, yelped.
- Understanding: empathized, accepted, consoled, crooned, comforted, sympathized, agreed.
- Conflict: jabbed, sneered, rebuked, hissed, scolded, demanded, threatened, insinuated, spat, glowered, complained.
- Making up: apologised, relented, agreed, reassured, placated, assented, assured.
- Request/Ask: beseeched, begged, implored, pleaded, entreated, appealed to, enjoined, urged, goaded, induced, persuaded, encouraged, petitioned, prayed.
- Amusement: teased, joked, laughed, chuckled, chortled, sniggered, tittered, guffawed, giggled, roared.
- Storytelling: related, recounted, continued, emphasized, remembered, recalled, resumed, concluded.
- Answer: responded, retorted, replied, rejoined, answered, acknowledged.