Connotation refers to the emotional or cultural associations that a word carries beyond its literal definition (denotation). Two words can have the same denotation but quite different connotations, which can affect the reader's impression.
For example:
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Word: "Home"
- Denotation: A place where one lives.
- Connotation: Warmth, safety, comfort, family, belonging.
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Similar Word: "House"
- Denotation: A physical structure for living.
- Connotation: Neutral, functional, impersonal, merely a building.
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Exact Synonym: "Dwelling"
- Denotation: A place where someone lives.
- Connotation: Formal, perhaps clinical, less emotional than "home."
Each of these words—home, house, dwelling—has a different connotation despite their similarities in meaning.