To express consequence or result:
* Therefore
* Thus
* Hence
* Accordingly
* Consequently
* As a result
* For this reason
To express intensity or degree:
* Very
* Extremely
* Incredibly
* Really
* Quite
* Rather
To express agreement or confirmation:
* Yes
* Indeed
* Certainly
* Absolutely
* Definitely
To introduce a statement or question:
* Well
* Now
* Then
* You see
* You know
To indicate a change of topic or thought:
* Anyway
* Anyhow
* By the way
* Speaking of
To express surprise or disbelief:
* Wow
* Really?
* Seriously?
* No way!
To express connection or similarity:
* Likewise
* Similarly
* In the same way
* Just like
To express emphasis:
* Especially
* Particularly
* Specifically
* In fact
* Actually
To express transition:
* However
* Nevertheless
* On the other hand
* Despite this
* Still
Examples:
* Original: "The weather is bad, so we're staying inside."
* Replaced: "The weather is bad, therefore we're staying inside."
* Original: "I'm so tired."
* Replaced: "I'm extremely tired."
* Original: "Are you coming? So, I'll see you there."
* Replaced: "Are you coming? Then I'll see you there."
By considering the meaning you want to convey, you can choose the best replacement for "so" in your writing.