Using the Built-in Thesaurus on Your Mac, iPhone or iPad
Your Mac comes with a built-in Dictionary app that also includes a thesaurus. You can also access it while writing, or on the iPhone and iPad while writing though not in an app.
Related Subjects: iPad (177 videos), iPhone (307 videos)
Comments: 13 Responses to “Using the Built-in Thesaurus on Your Mac, iPhone or iPad”
Jaime Saborio
1 year ago
Hi Gary, excellent video, however, that only works for english. I could not find a thesaurus for Spanish nor French. Is there a way to add new thesaurus for other languages to the Dictionary app and do you know where can I find them (I searched everywhere and I could not find any)? Thanks a lot.
Jaime: You can add dictionaries, but you'd need to find one in a particular format and I've never really seen a good source for that. Best to use your favorite online thesaurus instead.
Rae L
1 year ago
The Mac Thesaurus was woefully inadequate on my very first search. I looked up "polymath" in the dictionary and found synonym "polyhistor." I looked up "polyhistor" in the dictionary and found synonym "polymath."
However, when I went to Thesaurus, both "polymath" and "polyhistor" came up "not found."
Dave Taenzer
1 year ago
What is the Apple Dictionary in the iPhone -> General -> Dictionary settings (and in the Mac Dictionary settings)?
jel888
1 year ago
Thanks Gary, tried this and saw that mine was auto setup based on the languages I had set up for the Mac (at least I don't recall every setting the dictionary up). @Rae Ln that's because you're accessing the Oxford American English Thesaurus and even online there isn't a "polymath" synonym entry.
Dave: that’s the dictionary used for definition lookups.
grooey
12 months ago
dictionary/thesaurus does not show up when right clicking in pages.... locations; safari etc show up.
How can I add dictionary/
to the options of what shows up?
grooey: Make sure you have a word selected and are Control+clicking on that word.
Badi
9 months ago
Hi Gary, Control+clicking only brings up limited options like substitutions and Transformations. Theres no option for thesaurus on the list. I can only access it at the launchpad. Thanks
Badi: Select a word, then use Look Up like I show in this video.
N
5 months ago
Hi Gary, My settings may be wrong, in App Library, settings search and everywhere else I’ve looked, (ipad9) I can’t find the dictionary or “spotlight” I can press on a word and get dictionary that way. I rarely use apps that didn’t come on device, so I don’t want to get just any dictionary app off the App Store. (Is the Original Apple dictionary there?) Do ipads not come with dictionary and spotlight? OR can you tell me what my settings should be —.
New to iPad - and not often online.
Hi Gary, excellent video, however, that only works for english. I could not find a thesaurus for Spanish nor French. Is there a way to add new thesaurus for other languages to the Dictionary app and do you know where can I find them (I searched everywhere and I could not find any)? Thanks a lot.
Jaime: You can add dictionaries, but you'd need to find one in a particular format and I've never really seen a good source for that. Best to use your favorite online thesaurus instead.
The Mac Thesaurus was woefully inadequate on my very first search. I looked up "polymath" in the dictionary and found synonym "polyhistor." I looked up "polyhistor" in the dictionary and found synonym "polymath."
However, when I went to Thesaurus, both "polymath" and "polyhistor" came up "not found."
What is the Apple Dictionary in the iPhone -> General -> Dictionary settings (and in the Mac Dictionary settings)?
Thanks Gary, tried this and saw that mine was auto setup based on the languages I had set up for the Mac (at least I don't recall every setting the dictionary up). @Rae Ln that's because you're accessing the Oxford American English Thesaurus and even online there isn't a "polymath" synonym entry.
Dave: that’s the dictionary used for definition lookups.
dictionary/thesaurus does not show up when right clicking in pages.... locations; safari etc show up.
How can I add dictionary/
to the options of what shows up?
grooey: Make sure you have a word selected and are Control+clicking on that word.
Hi Gary, Control+clicking only brings up limited options like substitutions and Transformations. Theres no option for thesaurus on the list. I can only access it at the launchpad. Thanks
Badi: Select a word, then use Look Up like I show in this video.
Hi Gary, My settings may be wrong, in App Library, settings search and everywhere else I’ve looked, (ipad9) I can’t find the dictionary or “spotlight” I can press on a word and get dictionary that way. I rarely use apps that didn’t come on device, so I don’t want to get just any dictionary app off the App Store. (Is the Original Apple dictionary there?) Do ipads not come with dictionary and spotlight? OR can you tell me what my settings should be —.
New to iPad - and not often online.
N: There is no app on the iPad. Rewatch starting at 3:20
Opps sent too soon! You already answered all my questions! Apologies