Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition, allows the user to find the right synonym with a minimum of effort. Unlike many thesauruses, this easy-to-use reference lists main entry words alphabetically, as in a dictionary, for quick lookup. Each entry is divided into senses, with brief definitions and a full list of synonyms for each sense, to ensure that the selected usage is the most appropriate one.

All special usages, such as slang terms, are labeled and grouped together at the end of each synonym list. Following each list is a cross-reference to a related entry in the thesaurus's unique Category Index. This index leads the reader from the starting word to dozens of others that have related or opposite meanings. All these features make Roget's II the best resource for finding the right word every time.