Help: Using TheFreeDictionary

Colored dots and squares represent the different dictionaries and encyclopedias contained within the website. For example, the green circle () signifies the General Dictionary and Thesaurus, while the purple square () stands for the Wikipedia Encyclopedia. Background colors

The blue tab represents the active tab, meaning that you are looking at search results from this dictionary/encyclopedia. A white tab indicates that there are additional search results available under this tab. A gray tab indicates that there is no additional information available under this tab.

Most of the content (over 95%) on TheFreeDictionary is free. However, due to a licensing arrangement with some of our content providers, we are required to charge a small monthly fee for some of the articles. That content is always clearly labeled under the subscription tab.

The Dictionary/Thesaurus tab is the default tab. When you begin a search on TheFreeDictionary's homepage, you will see results from the Dictionary/Thesaurus.

When you search for a word using the Dictionary/Thesaurus tab, you will access the word's definition, pronunciation, phonetic spelling, part(s) of speech, and etymology. For example, if you search for the word "car," you will see this:

The Thesaurus, located below the dictionary definition in the main tab, lists the word's synonyms, related words, and antonyms. If you search for the word "good," you will see something like this:

A unique feature that enables you to see what other words feature your search word in their definition. For example, if you search for the word "car," each listing in the “Mentioned in” section will include the word "car" in its definition or article.

This section lists any available examples of how your word or phrase is used in great works of classic literature. You can click on “view in context” to access the full text of the relevant work in TheFreeLibrary.

This browser shows you an alphabetical listing of the articles and entries that surround your search item in a particular dictionary or encyclopedia.

This browser shows you an alphabetical listing of the articles and entries that surround your search item in the entire FreeDictionary. Each listing is color-coded to indicate where that word or phrase can be found. For example, if you searched for the word "internet" under the Dictionary/Thesaurus tab, you would see:

Farlex reserves this spot for charitable organizations. We do not charge organizations for the use of this spot, and we would like to encourage our visitors to help these charities by donating their time, money, or services.

In addition to the Dictionary/Thesaurus tab, TheFreeDictionary.com offers content from various sources, including subject-specific dictionaries as well as several encyclopedias. The different definitions and articles can be accessed by clicking on tabs on the top of the page.

Available definitions come from Computing, Medical, Financial and Legal Dictionaries, an Acronyms section, Columbia and Wikipedia Encyclopedias, and premium content, such as the Hutchinson Encyclopedia.

The active tab is highlighted in blue. The white tabs indicate that more information about cancer can be found under these tabs. The gray tabs indicate that there is no information under these tabs regarding cancer, although you can still click on those tabs to do a new search in that dictionary.

If you misspell a word while searching, the auto-suggest tool will help you find what are looking for. For example, if you meant to search for the word "receive," but accidentally typed "receeve," you will see this: