source 1 of 2

1
2
as in headwater
the beginning part of a stream 19th-century explorers who sought the source of the Nile

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in reference
something mentioned in a text as providing related and especially supporting information the professor asked the students to have at least five different sources for their papers

Synonyms & Similar Words

source

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word source distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of source are inception, origin, and root. While all these words mean "the point at which something begins its course or existence," source applies more often to the point where something springs into being.

the source of the Nile
the source of recurrent trouble

When is inception a more appropriate choice than source?

While in some cases nearly identical to source, inception stresses the beginning of something without implying causes.

the business has been a success since its inception

When is it sensible to use origin instead of source?

The words origin and source are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, origin applies to the things or persons from which something is ultimately derived and often to the causes operating before the thing itself comes into being.

an investigation into the origin of baseball

When can root be used instead of source?

While the synonyms root and source are close in meaning, root suggests a first, ultimate, or fundamental source often not easily discerned.

the real root of the violence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of source
Noun
The goal should be not to remove the sources of conflict with Russia but to place constraints on its ability to harm U.S. interests. A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025 What To Know The man was on the fifth floor of Trump Tower and in an emotionally disturbed state, The New York Daily News reported, citing a police source. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
More than 60% of Amazon's sales are from items sold by third-party merchants, and many of those sellers source their products from China. Ari Levy, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2025 The pressure is particularly acute at companies like Target, that had previously championed diversity in hiring and in sourcing their products. Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for source
Recent Examples of Synonyms for source
Noun
  • These asteroids are a direct window into the building blocks of our solar system and the origins of life.
    Patrick M. Shober, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The mystery is three-dimensional: The humongous number of parameters obscuring what the model can do; the open data, internet data, on which the model is based (as opposed to in-house, clean data); and the source, the origin of the model’s development.
    Gil Press, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • These projects manage most of the major reservoirs on the western side of the Sierra Nevada range, from the headwaters of the San Joaquin River to Shasta on the Sacramento River in the state’s far north.
    Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Northern areas of Colorado — including on the Yampa River and near the Colorado River’s headwaters north of Kremmling — have above-normal snowpack.
    Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Give it up for the queen of not being afraid to reference or not reference (but mostly reference).
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Starkey said in seeming reference to the Metro report.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • While the name and concept of the park haven't been released yet, an artist rendering depicts an entrance area that looks pretty similar to the original park, Universal Studios Hollywood, with a circular welcome area centered around a globe fountain.
    Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2025
  • When the puck entered the net behind Sorokin, Ovechkin dove to his stomach in celebration — evoking memories of his notable swim in a D.C. fountain during Washington’s 2018 Stanley Cup celebratioin.
    Carol Schram, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Lina Zeldovich November 6, 2018 The cradle of civilization may not support our civilization anymore.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Soon, a humble little rock cradle appears, painstakingly assembled and fiercely defended.
    Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • What developers would like in these scenarios is a way to find the root cause of security issues and be able to prioritize actions to remediate system health.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Like many modern calamities, the roots of the Great Flood were firmly planted in history.
    Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • What To Know James appeared on the Special Report with Areva Martin podcast on Tuesday, and was asked at the beginning of the interview about the DOJ reviewing the fraud allegations against her.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The painstaking installation process began at the beginning of 2024, and took months of work to complete before it could be utilized for the first time.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Clauses that are difficult for an ordinary person to understand, that utilize small and undistinguishable font types, and that necessitate visiting a separate website tend to encounter more resistance.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Apr. 2025
  • In addition to a library of fabrics, the company also boasts a large archive of applique and embroidery designs, as well as an impressive assortment of designs and fonts for monograms, with the ability to replicate an existing design.
    Rima Suqi, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Source.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/source. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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