Let's say you're going to be in a wedding this weekend. And miracle of all miracles, the attire the bride or groom has selected for you to wear is to your liking. Then suddenly, the delightful couple calls to say that your dress, or suit, will no longer be basic black. But, instead, a lovely shade of green. Now, most people would understand if you reacted with extreme displeasure at the turn of events. Sure the dress, or suit, is still the same attire you once thought attractive. But the whole sentiment and flavor has been thrown off by the choice of color. 

This little example may help explain some reactions displayed by writers when their careful word selections get replaced with other, ahem, lesser words.  While it's easy to take a word and type it in to Google to find a suitable synonym, it's very rare that you find two words that truly express the exact same thing. Connotations are everything. Take for example the word "cuisine." Pop it in to a synonym finder and you come up with options, like food, fare, eats, grub, vittles, etc. Sure, they all hit around the idea of cuisine, but the emotional implications and associations which each of those word choices are very different. You would hardly expect a 5-star experience at a restaurant that has the word "vittles" on the menu.

So the next time a writer balks at the suggestion to replace a word, ask yourself if the word you're advocating carries with it all the subtle nuances of the original.