Quick Answer: The best synonyms for this shows in an essay include this demonstrates, this indicates, this reveals, this suggests, this proves, this illustrates, this highlights, this implies, this reflects, and this supports. Use this demonstrates for formal analysis, this indicates for evidence based points, this suggests for cautious interpretation, this proves for strong claims, this illustrates for examples, and this highlights when you want to emphasize an important idea.
Pronunciation and Word Details
Word: This shows.
Pronunciation: /ðɪs ʃoʊz/.
Part of Speech: Verb phrase.
Meaning: This shows means this makes an idea, point, result, or meaning clear.
US Pronunciation:
UK Pronunciation:
What Does “This Shows” Mean?
This shows means that something makes a point, idea, result, or meaning clear. It is a verb phrase commonly used in essays when explaining evidence, examples, quotes, facts, data, or arguments.
In essay writing, this shows often connects evidence to analysis. It tells the reader what your example proves, reveals, supports, or suggests. However, the phrase can sound basic or repetitive if used too often. Stronger alternatives such as this demonstrates, this indicates, and this reveals can make academic writing more precise.
Example: The character refuses to give up. This shows her courage.
Meaning, Tone, and Context of “This Shows”
This shows has a clear, simple, and neutral tone. It is easy to understand, but it may sound too basic in formal essays if repeated many times. In academic writing, teachers often expect more precise wording that explains the exact relationship between evidence and meaning.
The phrase is common in school essays, literature analysis, argumentative writing, research summaries, and explanation paragraphs. It works well when introducing analysis, but stronger synonyms can improve style, clarity, and authority.
Casual Tone: This shows that he was upset.
Formal Tone: This demonstrates that he was emotionally affected by the event.
Analytical Tone: This reveals the character’s inner conflict.
Cautious Tone: This suggests that the result may have been influenced by outside factors.
When and How to Use “This Shows”
For Essay Evidence: Use this shows after a quote, fact, example, or detail to explain what the evidence means.
Example: The repeated use of dark imagery shows the speaker’s fear.
For Literary Analysis: Use it when explaining character traits, themes, symbols, or conflict.
Example: Her silence shows that she feels powerless.
For Argument Support: Use it when connecting evidence to your main claim.
Example: The survey results show that students need more support.
For Cause and Effect: Use it when one detail reveals a reason, result, or consequence.
Example: The sudden drop in attendance shows that the policy affected participation.
For Interpretation: Use it when explaining what a detail suggests beyond its surface meaning.
Example: The broken window shows a loss of safety and order.
Best Synonyms for This Shows
This Demonstrates: This clearly proves or explains a point.
Example: This demonstrates the importance of education in social progress.
This Indicates: This points to a fact, result, or possible meaning.
Example: This indicates that the problem was caused by poor planning.
This Reveals: This uncovers something hidden, deeper, or important.
Example: This reveals the character’s true motivation.
This Suggests: This presents a possible meaning without sounding too absolute.
Example: This suggests that the speaker is unsure about the future.
This Proves: This gives strong evidence that a claim is true.
Example: This proves that the decision had serious consequences.
This Illustrates: This gives a clear example of an idea.
Example: This illustrates how fear can affect judgment.
This Highlights: This draws attention to an important point.
Example: This highlights the need for stronger communication.
This Implies: This suggests a meaning indirectly.
Example: This implies that the narrator does not fully trust the other characters.
This Reflects: This shows a quality, belief, feeling, or condition.
Example: This reflects the pressure placed on young people.
This Supports: This strengthens a claim or argument.
Example: This supports the idea that change is necessary.
50 Synonyms for This Shows with Short Meanings
- This Demonstrates: Clearly shows or proves a point.
- This Indicates: Points to a meaning or result.
- This Reveals: Makes something hidden or important clear.
- This Suggests: Shows a possible meaning.
- This Proves: Gives strong evidence for a claim.
- This Illustrates: Explains through an example.
- This Highlights: Draws attention to something important.
- This Implies: Suggests meaning indirectly.
- This Reflects: Shows a quality, feeling, or condition.
- This Supports: Strengthens an argument or idea.
- This Confirms: Shows that something is true.
- This Emphasizes: Gives special importance to a point.
- This Establishes: Sets up or proves a clear idea.
- This Clarifies: Makes the meaning easier to understand.
- This Explains: Makes the reason or meaning clear.
- This Represents: Stands for a larger idea or meaning.
- This Signifies: Means or symbolizes something.
- This Conveys: Communicates an idea, feeling, or message.
- This Expresses: Shows a thought, feeling, or meaning.
- This Displays: Shows something openly.
- This Presents: Gives or introduces an idea.
- This Points To: Directs attention to a conclusion.
- This Makes Clear: Removes doubt about meaning.
- This Makes Evident: Makes a point easy to see.
- This Underlines: Stresses an important idea.
- This Reinforces: Makes an argument stronger.
- This Exemplifies: Serves as a clear example.
- This Shows That: Directly connects evidence to meaning.
- This Provides Evidence That: Gives support for a claim.
- This Gives Evidence Of: Shows signs of something.
- This Sheds Light On: Helps explain a topic more clearly.
- This Draws Attention To: Makes the reader notice something.
- This Brings Out: Makes a quality or meaning more noticeable.
- This Marks: Shows an important point or change.
- This Symbolizes: Represents a deeper meaning.
- This Denotes: Directly means or refers to something.
- This Portrays: Shows or describes something clearly.
- This Uncovers: Reveals something not obvious.
- This Exposes: Shows a hidden truth or problem.
- This Identifies: Points out a specific idea or issue.
- This Validates: Shows that a claim is reasonable or true.
- This Substantiates: Supports a claim with evidence.
- This Verifies: Confirms accuracy or truth.
- This Attests To: Serves as evidence of something.
- This Signals: Shows that something may be happening.
- This Manifests: Shows a quality clearly.
- This Embodies: Represents an idea in a strong way.
- This Captures: Shows the nature or feeling of something.
- This Depicts: Describes or shows something.
- This Makes Plain: Makes the meaning obvious.
Read Also:
Synonyms for Connect
Synonyms for This Shows by Context
When This Shows Means Demonstrates
Use these alternatives when you want a formal and confident academic tone.
This Demonstrates: This demonstrates the importance of honesty in leadership.
This Establishes: This establishes the writer’s main argument about justice.
This Proves: This proves that the policy created more problems than solutions.
This Confirms: This confirms the idea that preparation improves performance.
When This Shows Means Suggests
Use these synonyms when the evidence points to a possible meaning but does not prove it completely.
This Suggests: This suggests that the narrator feels isolated.
This Implies: This implies that the character is hiding the truth.
This Signals: This signals a change in the speaker’s attitude.
This Points To: This points to a deeper conflict within the family.
When This Shows Means Reveals
Use these alternatives when a detail uncovers a hidden meaning, emotion, motive, or truth.
This Reveals: This reveals the character’s fear of failure.
This Exposes: This exposes the weakness of the argument.
This Uncovers: This uncovers the real cause of the conflict.
This Brings Out: This brings out the emotional tension in the scene.
When This Shows Means Highlights
Use these synonyms when you want to stress or draw attention to an important point.
This Highlights: This highlights the need for stronger support systems.
This Emphasizes: This emphasizes the writer’s concern about inequality.
This Underlines: This underlines the seriousness of the problem.
This Draws Attention To: This draws attention to the effect of poor communication.
When This Shows Means Represents
Use these words when the evidence stands for a larger theme, symbol, or idea.
This Represents: This represents the struggle between freedom and control.
This Symbolizes: This symbolizes hope during a difficult time.
This Signifies: This signifies a turning point in the story.
This Embodies: This embodies the central theme of sacrifice.
Another Word for This Shows
Another word for this shows is this demonstrates. It is the best formal replacement because it works well in essays, reports, analysis paragraphs, and academic writing. However, the best alternative depends on the sentence. Use this suggests for cautious claims, this reveals for hidden meaning, this highlights for emphasis, and this supports for argument evidence.
Original: This shows that the character is brave.
Better Option: This demonstrates that the character is brave.
Original: This shows that the writer disagrees with the policy.
Better Option: This indicates that the writer disagrees with the policy.
Original: This shows the theme of loneliness.
Better Option: This highlights the theme of loneliness.
Original: This shows that the evidence is strong.
Better Option: This supports the argument that the evidence is strong.
When Not to Use “This Shows”
Do not use this shows too often in an essay. Repetition can make your writing sound basic and less analytical. It is also weak when the relationship between evidence and meaning needs to be more specific. In formal writing, choose a synonym that tells the reader exactly what the evidence does.
Weak: This shows that the character is sad.
Better: This reveals the character’s sadness and emotional isolation.
Weak: This shows that the data is important.
Better: This indicates that the data is central to the argument.
Weak: This shows the author’s message.
Better: This highlights the author’s message about personal responsibility.
Weak: This shows that the quote supports the point.
Better: This supports the claim by giving direct evidence.
Weak: This shows many things about society.
Better: This reflects the social pressure placed on individuals.
Words Commonly Confused With This Shows
This Shows vs This Demonstrates: This shows is simple and general, while this demonstrates sounds more formal and analytical.
This Shows vs This Suggests: This shows can sound certain, while this suggests is better when the meaning is possible but not fully proven.
This Shows vs This Proves: This shows explains a point, while this proves should only be used when the evidence strongly confirms the claim.
This Shows vs This Reveals: This shows can describe any clear meaning, while this reveals is better for hidden emotions, motives, truths, or deeper ideas.
This Shows vs This Highlights: This shows explains meaning, while this highlights draws attention to a key point.
This Shows vs This Supports: This shows explains what evidence means, while this supports connects evidence directly to an argument.
This Shows vs This Implies: This shows is direct, while this implies refers to indirect or suggested meaning.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
Choose this demonstrates when you need a formal essay phrase that clearly connects evidence to analysis.
Choose this indicates when evidence points to a result, trend, meaning, or conclusion.
Choose this suggests when your interpretation is possible but should not sound too absolute.
Choose this reveals when discussing hidden meaning, character emotion, motive, conflict, or theme.
Choose this proves only when the evidence strongly confirms your claim.
Choose this illustrates when an example helps explain a larger idea.
Choose this highlights when you want to emphasize an important detail.
Choose this supports when evidence strengthens your thesis, topic sentence, or argument.
Choose this reflects when a detail shows a belief, condition, attitude, or social issue.
Choose this implies when the meaning is indirect rather than clearly stated.
Real Life Examples of “This Shows” in Sentences
Original: The character refuses to leave his friend. This shows his loyalty.
Better Option: The character refuses to leave his friend. This demonstrates his loyalty.
Original: The writer repeats the word darkness. This shows fear and uncertainty.
Better Option: The writer repeats the word darkness. This highlights fear and uncertainty.
Original: The survey results increased each month. This shows improvement.
Better Option: The survey results increased each month. This indicates improvement.
Original: The speaker avoids answering the question. This shows guilt.
Better Option: The speaker avoids answering the question. This suggests guilt.
Original: The broken mirror appears at the end. This shows a loss of identity.
Better Option: The broken mirror appears at the end. This symbolizes a loss of identity.
Original: The facts match the claim. This shows that the argument is valid.
Better Option: The facts match the claim. This supports the argument’s validity.
Original: The child hides behind the door. This shows that she is afraid.
Better Option: The child hides behind the door. This reveals her fear.
Original: The final paragraph repeats the main idea. This shows its importance.
Better Option: The final paragraph repeats the main idea. This emphasizes its importance.
Original: The author describes the town as empty. This shows loneliness.
Better Option: The author describes the town as empty. This conveys loneliness.
Original: The evidence appears in several studies. This shows that the claim is reliable.
Better Option: The evidence appears in several studies. This substantiates the claim.
Synonym Groups and Usage Differences
Academic Analysis Group
This group is best for essays, assignments, reports, and formal paragraphs. These phrases sound polished and analytical.
Synonyms: This demonstrates, this indicates, this establishes, this confirms.
Example: This demonstrates the connection between education and opportunity.
Evidence Support Group
This group is useful when connecting proof, quotes, examples, or facts to your thesis.
Synonyms: This supports, this substantiates, this verifies, this provides evidence that.
Example: This supports the argument that early planning improves results.
Interpretation Group
This group works well when explaining possible meanings, especially in literature and analysis.
Synonyms: This suggests, this implies, this points to, this signals.
Example: This suggests that the narrator is uncertain about his future.
Hidden Meaning Group
This group is best when explaining deeper meaning, emotion, conflict, or motive.
Synonyms: This reveals, this exposes, this uncovers, this sheds light on.
Example: This reveals the character’s struggle with guilt.
Emphasis Group
This group helps stress an important idea or draw attention to a major point.
Synonyms: This highlights, this emphasizes, this underlines, this draws attention to.
Example: This highlights the importance of trust in relationships.
Symbolic Meaning Group
This group is useful for themes, symbols, imagery, and literary interpretation.
Synonyms: This symbolizes, this represents, this signifies, this embodies.
Example: This symbolizes the character’s hope for a better life.
Antonyms of This Shows
This Hides: Keeps the meaning unclear or unseen.
This Conceals: Covers or prevents understanding.
This Obscures: Makes the meaning difficult to see.
This Confuses: Makes the point unclear.
This Contradicts: Goes against the claim or idea.
This Disproves: Shows that a claim is false.
This Weakens: Makes an argument less convincing.
This Undermines: Reduces the strength of a point.
This Misrepresents: Gives a false or inaccurate impression.
This Complicates: Makes the meaning less simple or direct.
Comparison: This Shows vs Related Words
This Shows vs This Demonstrates
This shows is simple and clear. This demonstrates is stronger and more formal, making it better for essays and analysis.
Example With This Shows: This shows that the speaker values honesty.
Example With This Demonstrates: This demonstrates that the speaker values honesty.
This Shows vs This Indicates
This shows gives a general meaning. This indicates is better when evidence points to a result, pattern, or conclusion.
Example With This Shows: This shows that the number increased.
Example With This Indicates: This indicates a steady increase in the number.
This Shows vs This Suggests
This shows sounds more certain. This suggests sounds more careful and is useful when the evidence allows interpretation.
Example With This Shows: This shows that the character is jealous.
Example With This Suggests: This suggests that the character may be jealous.
This Shows vs This Reveals
This shows explains a visible meaning. This reveals is better when a detail uncovers something deeper or hidden.
Example With This Shows: This shows that she is nervous.
Example With This Reveals: This reveals her nervousness and lack of confidence.
This Shows vs This Supports
This shows explains meaning. This supports strengthens a claim, thesis, or argument.
Example With This Shows: This shows that the policy was effective.
Example With This Supports: This supports the claim that the policy was effective.
This Shows vs This Highlights
This shows makes something clear. This highlights focuses the reader’s attention on an important point.
Example With This Shows: This shows the problem in the system.
Example With This Highlights: This highlights the problem in the system.
Common Phrases and Expressions With This Shows
This Shows That: Introduces the meaning or result of evidence.
This Shows How: Explains the way something happens or works.
This Shows Why: Explains the reason behind a point.
This Shows The Importance Of: Points to the value of something.
This Shows A Clear Link: Explains a connection between ideas.
This Shows The Effect Of: Explains a result or consequence.
This Shows The Need For: Points to something necessary.
This Shows Evidence Of: Points to proof or signs of something.
This Shows A Change In: Explains a shift in behavior, attitude, or result.
This Shows The Reader: Helps the reader understand a point.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A common mistake is repeating this shows after every quote or example. This makes essay writing sound basic and mechanical. Use alternatives such as this demonstrates, this reveals, this suggests, and this supports to create variety.
Another mistake is choosing a synonym that is too strong. Do not use this proves unless the evidence truly proves the claim. For cautious analysis, this suggests or this indicates may be better.
Writers also confuse this reveals and this highlights. Use this reveals for hidden meaning and this highlights for emphasis.
Avoid vague analysis after the phrase. Instead of writing this shows the theme, explain the specific theme and how the evidence supports it.
Conclusion
Synonyms for this shows in an essay help make your writing clearer, stronger, and more academic. Use this demonstrates for formal analysis, this indicates for evidence, this suggests for careful interpretation, this reveals for hidden meaning, and this supports for arguments. The best choice depends on your sentence, evidence, and level of certainty. Replacing repeated uses of this shows with precise alternatives can improve essay flow, tone, and analysis.
FAQs About Synonyms for This Shows
What is the best synonym for this shows in an essay?
Answer: The best synonym is this demonstrates because it sounds formal, clear, and analytical. It works well in most essay paragraphs.
What can I say instead of this shows?
Answer: You can say this demonstrates, this indicates, this reveals, this suggests, this proves, this illustrates, or this highlights.
Is this shows too informal for an essay?
Answer: This shows is not wrong, but it can sound basic if repeated. Formal alternatives like this demonstrates or this indicates often sound stronger.
When should I use this suggests?
Answer: Use this suggests when your evidence points to a possible meaning but does not fully prove it.
When should I use this proves?
Answer: Use this proves only when the evidence strongly confirms your claim. Avoid it when the evidence is open to interpretation.
What is a formal way to say this shows?
Answer: A formal way to say this shows is this demonstrates. Other formal choices include this indicates, this establishes, and this substantiates.
How do I avoid repeating this shows in an essay?
Answer: Replace it based on meaning. Use this reveals for hidden meaning, this highlights for emphasis, this supports for evidence, and this suggests for careful analysis
