Dictionaries · head-to-head
Oxford vs Synonyms
Oxford Dictionaries API (Oxford Languages) exposes definitions, translations, and lexical metadata sourced from Oxford University Press's own databases across dozens of languages, authenticated with an app ID/key pair from its developer portal. New accounts start on a free Sandbox tier that emulates the live API for evaluation before moving to paid production plans, with custom Enterprise licensing available from an annual per-language fee.
The Synonyms API is STANDS4 Network's word-lookup service, returning synonym, antonym, and part-of-speech data for a submitted word as either JSON or XML from a single GET request against stands4.com's shared services endpoint — the same backend that powers sibling STANDS4 properties like Rhymes.com and Definitions.net. A live GET and OPTIONS preflight against that endpoint both echoed `access-control-allow-origin: *`; the service is free for up to 100 queries/day, with a paid commercial license available by contacting STANDS4 directly.
| Oxford | Synonyms | |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | API Key | API Key |
| Pricing | freemium | freemium |
| Formats | JSON | JSON, XML |
| CORS | no | yes |
| HTTPS | Yes | Yes |
Synonyms supports CORS, while Oxford doesn't — pick Synonyms for direct browser calls.