✅ An act and a deed are both the result of an action (which can also be used as a synonym). If you’ve done something nice for someone, you could say you’ve done a good deed or a random act of kindness.
✅ An act can be positive or negative, big or small. A deed, however, is usually noteworthy, either because it was particularly good, brave, or even bad, and it often has an air of formality (She was known for her great deeds of bravery; dastardly deeds).
✅ Act can be used in a wider variety of circumstances, whether formal (We hereby recognize these acts of heroism) or informal (It was a thoughtless act—I’m sorry).
✅ It’s better to use deed instead of act when you’re trying to imply that what someone did was significant. Be careful, though, because sometimes it can sound overly dramatic.
Do yourself a good deed and discover some more of its synonyms!
✅ But and except can both suggest something is being excluded (We ate all but one; I answered all the questions except for the last two).
✅ Except often emphasizes the exclusion and draws our attention to the exception even more than but does (We were all excited except Thomas).
✅ When used as a synonym for except, but can sometimes sound archaic or formal. This is especially true when used with the word for (The whole family was there, but for Aunt Ida; But for the rain, it was a perfect day to go on a picnic).
Make sure you’re not leaving anything out with these synonyms for except!
✅ Swift and fast are both words that describe quick, speedy movement.
✅ Swift can imply that something is happening immediately, or is happening smoothly without any delays. It can also be a more formal, often literary word (the swiftest horse in all the realm).
✅ Fast can also be used to describe wit or intelligence (She has a fast mind). However, it’s most common to use quick in that context.
✅ You wouldn’t normally use swift to describe wit, but it can be used to describe decision-making, or a thought process (The response was swift).
Think fast and look at these synonyms for swift!