The closest everyday alternatives to communicate are talk, tell, convey, and express. Inform and share are also common, and transmit and relay fit when a message is passed from one person or place to another.
The best word depends on how the message travels. Communicate can mean exchanging words with someone, making an idea known, expressing a feeling clearly, or passing along a signal. It has a general meaning, so most alternatives are more specific.
Quick list: talk, tell, convey, express, inform, share, transmit, relay, contact
This article examines 30 alternatives. For each one, you will find its meaning, IPA, a usage note, and an example. It also shows which verb patterns each word uses, so you can use them correctly in a sentence.
At a Glance: Communicate Synonyms and Related Alternatives
| Alternative | Part of Speech | Meaning | Register / Tone | Ideal Context |
| Talk | verb | To speak with someone | Plain, everyday | Conversation |
| Tell | verb | To give information to someone in words | Plain, everyday | News, instructions |
| Convey | verb | To make ideas or feelings known | Neutral to formal | Meaning, tone, emotion |
| Express | verb | To show thoughts or feelings in words or actions | Neutral | Opinions, emotions |
| Inform | verb | To give someone facts | Neutral to formal | News, work, official notices |
| Share | verb | To tell others what you know or feel | Warm, neutral | Ideas, news, feelings |
| Transmit | verb | To send from one place or person to another | Formal, technical | Signals, data, messages |
| Relay | verb | To receive a message and pass it on | Neutral | Messages passed through people |
| Correspond | verb | To communicate by letters or emails | Formal | Writing over time |
| Signal | verb | To communicate by a sign, gesture, or sound | Neutral | Non-verbal messages |
Which Word Should You Use?
| If you want to… | Use | Why |
| Say you spoke with someone | Talk or speak | They are simple and clear. |
| Give facts to someone | Inform or tell | They focus on passing on information. |
| Show thoughts or feelings | Express or share | They stress what the speaker thinks or feels. |
| Pass a message along | Relay or pass on | They suggest a middle person. |
| Send signals or data | Transmit | It is the standard word for technical sending. |
| Keep in touch by writing | Correspond | It suggests letters or emails over time. |
| Work with another group to share information | Liaise | It is common in business and is mostly British. |
| Communicate without words | Signal or indicate | They suit gestures, signs, and actions. |
Exploring the Multiple Meanings of “Communicate”
1. To Exchange Information, Ideas, or Feelings
- Meaning: To share thoughts, feelings, or information with another person.
- Explanation: This is the main sense, used without an object, as in “communicate with.” It describes two-way contact by speaking, writing, or other means.
- Example: The two friends communicate by text every day.
2. To Make Something Known
- Meaning: To pass knowledge, news, or a feeling to someone.
- Explanation: In this sense the word takes an object, such as information or wishes. Etymonline records this meaning from the 1520s: to impart information or to give a quality or feeling to another.
- Example: She communicated her plans to the team.
3. To Express Ideas Clearly
- Meaning: To put thoughts or feelings across in a way that others understand.
- Explanation: This sense describes a skill. Dictionary.com includes the idea of expressing thoughts, feelings, or information easily or effectively.
- Example: A good teacher can communicate hard ideas in a simple way.
4. To Pass On a Disease or Quality
- Meaning: To spread an illness or give a quality to another person.
- Explanation: This is an older, formal sense. Etymonline dates the sense of sharing or transmitting diseases to the 1530s. Modern speakers usually say spread or pass on.
- Example: Doctors once believed the illness was communicated by touch.
5. To Be Connected, as Rooms Are
- Meaning: To open into each other, as rooms do.
- Explanation: This is an intransitive sense, used with rooms and spaces. Etymonline dates it to 1731.
- Example: The two hotel rooms communicate through a small door.
Sources: Etymonline (communicate); Dictionary.com (communicate); Merriam-Webster
Analyzing 30 Communicate Alternatives in Detail
Some of these words are direct synonyms of communicate, while others are related alternatives that fit only certain situations. The usage notes say which is which.
Core Alternatives for Talking and Expressing
1. Talk
IPA: /tɔːk/ (US and UK)
Definition: To speak with someone, or to exchange ideas in speech.
- Usage: This is the closest everyday alternative for the two-way sense. It works only for speech, while communicate also covers writing and gestures. It is used without an object, as in “talk to” or “talk with.”
- Example: We talked for an hour about our plans.
2. Speak
IPA: /spiːk/ (US and UK)
Definition: To say words in a voice, or to talk.
- Usage: This is a related alternative, a little more formal than talk. It is limited to spoken language.
- Example: She speaks to her parents every Sunday.
3. Tell
IPA: /tɛl/ (US and UK)
Definition: To give information to someone in words.
- Usage: This is a close alternative for one-way news or instructions. It usually names the person told, as in “tell someone something.”
- Example: He told us the news over dinner.
4. Convey
IPA: /kənˈveɪ/ (US and UK)
Definition: To make ideas, feelings, or meaning known to someone.
- Usage: This is a close synonym for the “make known” sense. It works with words, tone, and actions, and it sounds neutral to formal.
- Example: Her smile conveyed relief.
5. Express
IPA: /ɪkˈsprɛs/ (US and UK)
Definition: To show thoughts or feelings in words or actions.
- Usage: This is a close alternative. It focuses on the speaker’s own thoughts and feelings, not on whether the message was received.
- Example: He found it hard to express his anger.
Informing and Announcing
6. Inform
IPA: US /ɪnˈfɔːrm/ · UK /ɪnˈfɔːm/
Definition: To give someone facts or knowledge.
- Usage: This is a close alternative for one-way information. It is neutral to formal and takes the person as its object, as in “inform someone of something.”
- Example: The school informed parents of the change.
7. Notify
IPA: US /ˈnoʊtəfaɪ/ · UK /ˈnəʊtɪfaɪ/
Definition: To tell someone officially about something.
- Usage: This is a related, formal alternative. It is common in business, law, and official notices.
- Example: We will notify you by email when your order ships.
8. Announce
IPA: /əˈnaʊns/ (US and UK)
Definition: To make something known publicly.
- Usage: This is a related alternative. It suggests a public statement to many people, not a private conversation.
- Example: The company announced a new product.
9. Report
IPA: US /rɪˈpɔːrt/ · UK /rɪˈpɔːt/
Definition: To give an account of something that happened or was seen.
- Usage: This is a related alternative. It suits news, work, and official contexts, especially when someone is passing on facts.
- Example: Several students reported the problem to the teacher.
10. Brief
IPA: /briːf/ (US and UK)
Definition: To give someone key information or instructions before something happens.
- Usage: This is a related alternative used at work and in the military or news. It describes preparing someone with the facts they need.
- Example: The manager briefed the team before the meeting.
Passing Messages Along
11. Transmit
IPA: /trænzˈmɪt/ (US and UK)
Definition: To send or pass something from one person or place to another.
- Usage: This is a close alternative for the “pass along” sense. It is formal and technical, and it is used for signals, data, and diseases.
- Example: The tower transmits signals across the valley.
12. Relay
IPA: /ˈriːleɪ/ (US and UK)
Definition: To receive a message and pass it on to someone else.
- Usage: This is a related alternative that stresses a middle person or step in the chain.
- Example: She relayed the message to her boss.
13. Send
IPA: /sɛnd/ (US and UK)
Definition: To cause something to go to a person or place.
- Usage: This is a related alternative for delivering a message, but it names only the sending, not the exchange.
- Example: I’ll send you the details tomorrow.
14. Pass on
IPA: US /ˌpæs ˈɑːn/ · UK /ˌpɑːs ˈɒn/
Definition: To give information to another person after you have received it.
- Usage: This is a related phrasal verb with an informal to neutral tone. It is similar to relay, but plainer.
- Example: Can you pass on the news to Sam?
15. Broadcast
IPA: US /ˈbrɔːdkæst/ · UK /ˈbrɔːdkɑːst/
Definition: To send out by radio, television, or the internet to many people.
- Usage: This is a related alternative for one-to-many communication. It does not suggest a reply.
- Example: The station broadcast the speech live.
Sharing and Revealing
16. Share
IPA: US /ʃɛr/ · UK /ʃeə/
Definition: To tell others what you know, think, or feel.
- Usage: This is a close alternative with a warm tone. It suggests openness, as in “share ideas” or “share news.”
- Example: She shared her ideas with the group.
17. Impart
IPA: /ɪmˈpɑːrt/ (US) · /ɪmˈpɑːt/ (UK)
Definition: To give knowledge, skills, or a quality to someone.
- Usage: This is a formal, close alternative. Dictionary.com notes that impart and communicate are close in meaning, and that communicate is the more common word.
- Example: The teacher imparted her love of reading to her students.
18. Disclose
IPA: US /dɪsˈkloʊz/ · UK /dɪsˈkləʊz/
Definition: To make secret or new information known.
- Usage: This is a related, formal alternative. It is common in business and legal writing and suggests that the information was private.
- Example: The company disclosed its plans to buy a rival.
19. Reveal
IPA: /rɪˈviːl/ (US and UK)
Definition: To make known something that was hidden.
- Usage: This is a related alternative. It focuses on uncovering a secret or surprise.
- Example: The report revealed the truth about the accident.
20. Confide
IPA: /kənˈfaɪd/ (US and UK)
Definition: To tell private thoughts or secrets to someone you trust.
- Usage: This is a related alternative with an intimate tone. It is narrower than communicate and is used with “in” or “to.”
- Example: She confided her worries to a close friend.
Two-Way Contact and Exchange
21. Contact
IPA: US /ˈkɑːntækt/ · UK /ˈkɒntækt/
Definition: To get in touch with someone, such as by phone or email.
- Usage: This is a related alternative. It focuses on reaching someone and does not take a preposition: say “contact me,” not “contact with me.”
- Example: Please contact me if you have questions.
22. Correspond
IPA: US /ˌkɔːrəˈspɑːnd/ · UK /ˌkɒrɪˈspɒnd/
Definition: To communicate by writing letters or emails.
- Usage: This is a related, formal alternative. It is used with “with.” Correspond to means something else: to match.
- Example: They corresponded for years.
23. Converse
IPA: US /kənˈvɜːrs/ · UK /kənˈvɜːs/
Definition: To talk with someone, usually in a friendly way.
- Usage: This is a formal alternative for two-way speech. It is not used with an object. The noun converse, meaning “opposite,” is a different word with a different stress.
- Example: The two women conversed quietly in the corner.
24. Liaise
IPA: /liˈeɪz/ (US and UK)
Definition: To work or communicate with another person or group to share information.
- Usage: This is a related alternative, mostly British, used in business and public services.
- Example: The nurse liaised with the family doctor.
25. Interact
IPA: /ˌɪntərˈækt/ (US and UK)
Definition: To act together or have an effect on each other, including by communicating.
- Usage: This is a related, broader alternative. It covers any kind of contact, not only the exchange of messages.
- Example: Children learn by interacting with others.
Showing and Signaling Meaning
26. Signal
IPA: /ˈsɪɡnəl/ (US and UK)
Definition: To communicate by a gesture, sign, or sound.
- Usage: This is a close alternative for non-verbal messages. The British spelling of the past tense is signalled.
- Example: She signaled to the waiter for the check.
27. Indicate
IPA: /ˈɪndɪkeɪt/ (US and UK)
Definition: To show or point out something.
- Usage: This is a related, formal alternative. It suggests a short, clear sign.
- Example: He indicated that he agreed with a nod.
28. Show
IPA: US /ʃoʊ/ · UK /ʃəʊ/
Definition: To make something clear by actions, evidence, or appearance.
- Usage: This is a related, plain alternative. It describes what a face, number, or action makes clear.
- Example: Her face showed how tired she was.
29. Suggest
IPA: /səɡˈdʒɛst/ (US and UK)
Definition: To put forward an idea, or to hint at something.
- Usage: This is a related alternative for indirect communication. It is weaker than convey and often leaves the message open.
- Example: His tone suggested he was unhappy.
30. Signify
IPA: /ˈsɪɡnɪfaɪ/ (US and UK)
Definition: To be a sign of something, or to mean it.
- Usage: This is a related, formal alternative. It describes what a sign or action means.
- Example: A nod can signify agreement.
Sources: Merriam-Webster; Dictionary.com; Collins Dictionary; Etymonline (communicate)
How to Use Communicate: Common Verb Patterns and Alternatives
Communicate can be used with or without an object, and the pattern changes the best alternative.
| Pattern | Meaning | Example | Closest Alternative |
| communicate with + person | Exchange messages with someone | They communicate with each other every day. | Talk with, correspond with |
| communicate + object | Make something known | She communicated her wishes. | Convey, share |
| communicate + object + to + person | Pass something on to someone | He communicated the news to his team. | Tell, relay |
| communicate + that clause | State a fact or position | She communicated that she would be late. | Inform, state |
| communicate (no object) | Express yourself well | He communicates clearly. | Speak, express himself |
| rooms or spaces communicate | Open into each other | The rooms communicate through a door. | Connect |
A useful rule is that most alternatives are narrower. Talk and speak need speech, correspond suggests writing, and signal suggests a sign. Communicate works with all of these.
Sources: Dictionary.com (communicate); Etymonline (communicate)
Communicate and Opposite/Paired Word Pairs
| Word | Paired Word | Note |
| Communicate | Miscommunicate | To communicate wrongly or unclearly. |
| Communicate | Withhold | To keep information back instead of sharing it. |
| Communicate | Conceal | To hide something on purpose. |
| Communicate | Listen | A natural pair, since good communication needs both. |
| Speak | Listen | A common pair in two-way conversation. |
| Send | Receive | A common pair for messages and signals. |
Communicate has no single true opposite. Withhold and conceal are the closest contrasts, because they mean keeping information from others. Listen and receive are not opposites but natural partners, because communication usually needs a sender and a receiver.
Sources: Merriam-Webster; Dictionary.com
Common Word Partners of “Communicate”
| Pattern | Common Partners | Example |
| communicate + adverb | effectively, clearly, openly, directly, well | She communicates clearly in meetings. |
| communicate + noun | ideas, information, feelings, needs, wishes, message | He cannot communicate his wishes. |
| communicate with + noun | colleagues, customers, each other, parents | The team communicates with customers daily. |
| communicate by/through + noun | email, phone, text, gestures, sign language | They communicate by text. |
| adjective + to communicate | able, unable, willing, hard, easy | He was unable to communicate with the pilot. |
Sources: Dictionary.com (communicate); Merriam-Webster
Idiomatic Phrases Featuring “Communicate”
Communicate has very few true idioms. The phrases below are established expressions and terms.
1. Failure to communicate
- Meaning: A breakdown in understanding between people. The phrase was made famous by a line in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke.
- Example: The mix-up was a simple failure to communicate.
2. Communicating rooms (or communicating doors)
- Meaning: Hotel rooms that are connected by a door between them. The phrase is common in British English and follows the “rooms open into each other” sense.
- Example: We booked two communicating rooms for the family.
3. Communicating vessels
- Meaning: A science term for containers joined at the bottom so that liquid can flow between them.
- Example: In the experiment, the water reached the same level in both communicating vessels.
Sources: Etymonline (communicate); Dictionary.com (communicate); Merriam-Webster
Word Formation of “Communicate”
Etymology & Structure
Communicate comes from Latin communicatus, the past participle of communicare, meaning “to share, communicate, impart, inform.” Etymonline explains that it literally means “to make common” and is related to communis, “common, public, general.” The English ending -ate shows that it is a verb formed from a Latin participle.
Date and History
Etymonline dates communicate to the 1520s, meaning “to impart (information, etc.)” or “to give or transmit (a quality, feeling, etc.) to another.” The sense of sharing or transmitting diseases is recorded from the 1530s. The intransitive sense for rooms that open into each other is from 1731. Etymonline also records intercommunicate from the 1580s.
Word Class Variations
- Verb: communicate (communicates, communicated, communicating)
- Noun: communication, communicator
- Adjective: communicative, uncommunicative, communicable
- Adverb: communicatively
- Related derivatives: miscommunicate, miscommunication
Sources: Etymonline (communicate); Dictionary.com (communicate)
Common Word-Choice Mistakes
- I communicate to my friends every day: I communicate with my friends every day (for two-way contact).
- He communicated me the news: He communicated the news to me.
- Please inform to me: Please inform me.
- She said me the answer: She told me the answer.
- I will contact with you: I will contact you.
- We correspond to each other by email: We correspond with each other by email (correspond to means “match”).
- He communicated the flu to his sister: He passed the flu on to his sister (the disease sense of communicate is now rare).
FAQs
What is the closest synonym for communicate?
It depends on the sense. Talk is closest for speech, convey for making ideas known, and share for thoughts and feelings.
What is the difference between communicate and convey?
Communicate is broader and includes two-way exchange. Convey usually means making a meaning or feeling known, often through tone or action.
What is the difference between communicate and inform?
Inform is one-way and gives facts to someone. Communicate can also mean exchanging messages in both directions.
What is a formal alternative to communicate?
Impart, convey, transmit, and disclose are formal choices, depending on the meaning.
What is a casual alternative to communicate?
Talk, tell, and pass on are casual and clear.
What is a good word for communicating at work?
Liaise, correspond, brief, and contact are common in business, depending on the situation.
What can I use for communicating without words?
Signal, indicate, show, and convey work well for gestures, signs, and actions.
What is the opposite of communicate?
There is no single opposite. Withhold and conceal are the closest contrasts, and miscommunicate means to do it badly.
Is communicate transitive or intransitive?
Both. You can communicate something (transitive) or communicate with someone (intransitive).
What is the noun for communicate?
The noun is communication, and a person who communicates is a communicator.
Conclusion
The closest alternatives to communicate are talk, tell, convey, express, inform, and share. For passing messages along, transmit, relay, and pass on fit well, and for non-verbal messages, signal and indicate are good choices.
Context and meaning decide the right word. Some alternatives describe speech, some describe writing, and some describe a one-way message or a two-way exchange. Verb patterns also matter, since words like contact, inform, and tell take an object directly, while talk, correspond, and liaise need a preposition.
To choose well, ask how the message travels. If you speak, use talk. If you give facts, use inform.
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