Synonym or Not?

The English language is awash (flooded, drenched, wet?) with synonyms, yet in every list of ten or twenty words supposedly meaning the same thing, you'll find variations, slight or large, in connotation and tone. It's often tempting to look for a new word for the familiar smile, walk, big, good, bad etc, but take care when you do so. Stop and visualise each word's real meaning, taking into account tone and usual use and "seeing" it in your mind. If in doubt, check it in a dictionary (not a thesaurus).

Here are some examples of supposed synonyms which have widely differing meanings in reality.

Look
Glance
Glimpse
Stare
Glare
Examine
Glower
Eye
Peer
Peep
Peek
Leer

Walk
Stroll
Shamble
Ramble
Wander
Stride
Glide
Prance
Strut

Laugh
Giggle
Snicker
Snigger
Chortle
Cackle
Chuckle
Guffaw

In each case, the first example is the mainstream word. You might call it neutral or almost invisible. Once you use one of the others, your writing takes on a specific colour or tone and if you're not careful it may be something you never meant.