speech vocab words

127 big fancy words to sound smart and boost your eloquence

Karolina Assi

Everyone wants to sound smart and come across as someone that can express their thoughts eloquently. And even though you might have this fantastic ability in your native language, you may feel limited doing this in English if you’re beginning your journey in expanding your vocabulary with unusual or rarer words.

Fortunately, the English language has thousands of big words that will make you sound instantly more eloquent and knowledgeable.

These words will help you express yourself in a more elegant way by substituting the basic, everyday words with their more fancy synonyms. Learning those “big” words in English is also a great way to impress those around you - whether it’s at school, at work, or during your next date.

To help you take your English vocabulary to the next level, we’re prepared a list of 120+ big words to sound smart, with their meaning and an example of how to use them in context.

The do’s and don'ts of using big words in English

Throwing in a few fancy words into your conversations or monologue is a good idea to sound more eloquent and impress everyone around you.

It’s also a great way to sound smart when you don’t know what to say on a specific topic but want to make a good impression and appear more knowledgeable than you are (like this English student during his literature class ).

But there’s a fine line between using fancy words that truly make you sound eloquent and those that make you sound like you’re trying too hard.

Sometimes, using big words to sound smart may backfire, especially if you don’t really know what they mean. Then, you may end up saying something that makes no sense and leaving everyone in the room perplexed. Plus, using complex words you don’t understand can make you sound pompous - so tread the line between careful and carefree.

Use them only if you truly understand their meaning and know what context to use them in. But don’t use them mindlessly as it will result in an opposite effect to what you intended.

Aside from learning those fancy words and their meaning, another challenge lies in their pronunciation. If you choose those big words that are also hard to pronounce , like “epitome” or “niche,” you might end up saying something that makes everyone laugh (it wouldn’t be such a bad scenario!).

The point is: if you’re going to use fancy words to sound smart, learn their meaning, understand how to use them in context, and practice their pronunciation first.

Big words to sound smart and their meaning

The smartest way of sounding more eloquent when expressing yourself in English is to change basic, everyday words for their fancier versions. For instance, instead of saying “very big,” say “massive.” Instead of saying “detailed.” say “granular,” and instead of saying “not interesting,” say “banal.”

See? Using the word “granular” in a sentence will inevitably add more elegance to your speech and make you appear more fluent and eloquent.

The words we’ve chosen to include in the tables below follow this exact principle. Most of them are just a fancier version of a basic, simple word you’d normally use. Others are words used in a professional or academic setting that simply add more articulacy to your statement.

Fancy words you can use at work

The question isn’t whether you should learn a couple of fancy words you can use at work to impress your boss and coworkers. The question is, how do you use them without coming across as a pompous know-it-all, irritating everyone around you?

Well, it’s all about using them wisely. Don’t cram 10 fancy words into a simple sentence just to sound smarter. Only use them when they help you get your message across. If they don’t bring any value to your sentence, simply don’t use them.

In other words - don’t force it! Be natural.

With that said, here are some big words you can use at work.

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Clever words you might use academically

The academic setting does not only encourage you to sound smart. It forces you to. To get higher grades and convince your professors of your knowledge and eloquence, you need to elevate your vocabulary.

Whether it’s in written or spoken assignments, these words will help you express yourself in a more intelligent and elegant way while impressing your colleagues and professors.

Big interesting words you might use socially

Being the smartest person among your friends is surely a great boost for your ego. It can help you gain their approval, receive compliments, and maybe even get a date or two while hanging out at the bar with your friends.

But the other side of the coin is that using overly sophisticated words in a casual, social setting can make you appear pretentious and out of place. That’s why you need to be careful and not overdo it! If you do, you might only end up humiliating yourself, and that’s a terrible place to be in.

Here are 20+ big words in English you can use in social situations with their meaning and an example of a sentence you could say.

Impressive words you might use romantically

Even if you’re not a very romantic person, some occasions require a bit of romanticism. Using elegant words in your expressions of love and affection can make your romantic conversations and gestures more special and memorable.

Still, don’t use big words if you don’t mean them! You should always be sincere and genuine in your expressions. Remember that words hold tremendous power in inspiring emotions in those who receive them.

With that said, here are 30 big words you can use in a romantic setting to express your love and affection for your significant other or to take your relationship with the person you’re currently dating to the next level (congrats!).

Sophisticated words you might use when discussing art and literature

Are you an art or literature? These two areas often require eloquent vocabulary to describe them. At least, that is the sort of language that people expect to hear from someone who’s an avid reader and art connoisseur.

You might want to express how the allegory in that poem made you feel or the way the plot of the book has enthralled you to keep reading but lack the right words to do it. If so, here’s a list of 20+ words you can use to talk about art and literature in different contexts.

Fancy words you might use when talking about your hobbies

When talking about our hobbies, we want to come across as more knowledgeable than others. After all, they’re our special interests, and we naturally possess a greater deal of expertise in these areas.

Whether you’re into literature, movies, or sports, here are some fancy words you can use to describe your interests.

Make the Thesaurus your new best friend

In this article, we’ve only covered 126 big words. Understandably, we can’t include all the fancy words you might need in one article. There are simply too many!

But luckily, there’s a free online tool you can use to find the synonyms of everyday words to expand your vocabulary and make yourself sound smarter.

Can you take a guess?

That’s right - it’s the online Thesaurus . You’ve surely heard about it from your English teacher, but in case you haven’t, Thesaurus is a dictionary of synonyms and related concepts. It’s a great way to find synonyms of different words to spice up your oral or written statements and avoid repeating the same old boring words time and time again.

Choose your words wisely

Whether you’re using simple, everyday words in casual conversations or those big, fancy words in a professional or academic environment, remember one thing: words have power.

They’re spells that you cast (there’s a reason why it’s called “spelling”) onto yourself and those who you speak them to. The words you speak inspire emotions and shape how other people perceive you. But they also influence your own emotions and shape how you perceive yourself.

So choose them wisely.

Learn more about the fascinating English language on our English language blog here.

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The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language

Home » Blog » The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language

THE 108 MOST PERSUASIVE WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

It’s a long known fact that the secret to persuasive writing isn’t in the adjectives, it’s in the verbs.

Copywriters know power verbs sell and convince.

Internally, we have a list of 108 verbs that we’ve been using for a good decade, and we recently thought we should share it with proper credit to the original author.

We found that although the list is being recirculated (and in many cases claimed as original by several different authors!), the original author is, in fact, nowhere to be found.

So, if anyone knows who wrote this, we’d love to know!

With or without the original author, it’s still a great list…here it is!

According to legendary advertising man, Leo Burnet, “Dull and exaggerated ad copy is due to the excess use of adjectives.”

To prove it, he asked his staff to compare the number of adjectives in 62 ads that failed to the number of adjectives in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and other age-old classics.

Here’s what he discovered:

Of the 12,758 words in the 62 failed ads, 24.1% were adjectives.

By direct comparison, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains only 35 adjectives out of 268 immortal words – only 13.1% adjective-to-total-word ratio.

Winston Churchill’s famous “Blood, Sweat and Tears” speech rates even lower and has a 12.1% adjective ratio (81 adjectives from 667 words).

Burnett found that similar ratios applied to great works such as The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Conclusion: Use more verbs, not adjectives.

Verbs increase the pulling-power and believability of ad copy.

That’s why it makes sense to keep this 108-VERB “CHEAT-SHEET” close-by whenever you begin to draft your next space ad, sales letter, Website, or email campaign.

Still unsure how to incorporate these verbs into your marketing campaign? Or, perhaps, you just don’t have the time?

Then consider hiring a team of professional copywriters to do it for you! Talented advertising and marketing writers can take mediocre content and use power verbs to turn it into engaging copy that meets goals and produces results.

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3 thoughts on “ The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language ”

It is remarkable, very amusing piece

Hi there, love your website. I am a teacher and my kids love using your amazing verbs you have provided us with in their writing. Email me and I could send you some drafts of their writing – you’ll be blown away!

Catch up soon 🙂

Thanks, Hope Brown

Hi Hope! We are so happy to hear that our blog has helped you and your students. We would love to see some of their writing!

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Which of these “Power Verbs” do you find most persuasive?

How to Build Vocabulary You Can Actually Use in Speech and Writing?

• Published on Aug 25, 2019

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This post comes from my experience of adding more than 8,000 words and phrases to my vocabulary in a way that I can actually use them on the fly in my speech and writing. Some words, especially those that I haven’t used for long time, may elude me, but overall the recall & use works quite well.

That’s why you build vocabulary, right? To use in speech and writing. There are no prizes for building list of words you can’t use. (The ultimate goal of vocabulary-building is to use words in verbal communication where you’ve to come up with an appropriate word in split second. It’s not to say that it’s easy to come up with words while writing, but in writing you can at least afford to think.)

This post also adopts couple of best practices such as

• Spaced repetition,
• Deliberate Practice,
• Begin with end in mind, and
• Build on what you already know

In this post, you’ll learn how you too can build such vocabulary, the one you can actually use. However, be warned. It’s not easy. It requires consistent work. But the rewards are more than worth the squeeze.

Since building such vocabulary is one of the most challenging aspects of English Language, you’ll stand out in crowd when you use precise words and, the best part, you can use this sub-skill till you’re in this world, long after you retire professionally. (Doesn’t this sound so much better when weighed against today’s reality where most professional skills get outdated in just few years?)

You may have grossly overestimated the size of your vocabulary

Once your understand the difference between active and passive vocabulary, you’ll realize that size of your vocabulary isn’t what you think it to be.

Active vs. Passive vocabulary

Words that you can use in speech and writing constitute your active vocabulary (also called functional vocabulary). You, of course, understand these words while reading and listening as well. Think of words such as eat , sell , drink , see , and cook .

But how about words such as munch , outsmart , salvage , savagery , and skinny ? Do you use these words regularly while speaking and writing? Unlikely. Do you understand meaning of these words while reading and listening? Highly likely. Such words constitute your passive vocabulary (also called recognition vocabulary). You can understand these words while reading and listening, but you can’t use them while speaking and writing.

Your active vocabulary is a tiny subset of your passive vocabulary:

(While the proportion of the two inner circles – active and passive vocabulary – bears some resemblance to reality, the outer rectangle is not proportionate because of paucity of space. In reality, the outer rectangle is much bigger, representing hundreds of thousands of words.)

Note : Feel free to use the above and other images in the post, using the link of this post for reference/attribution.

Many mistakenly believe that they’ve strong vocabulary because they can understand most words when reading and listening. But the real magic, the real use of vocabulary is when you use words in speech and writing. If you evaluate your vocabulary against this yardstick – active vs. passive – your confidence in your vocabulary will be shaken.

Why build vocabulary – a small exercise?

You would be all too aware of cases where people frequently pause while speaking because they can’t think of words for what they want to say. We can easily spot such extreme cases.

What we fail to spot, however, are less extreme, far more common cases where people don’t pause, but they use imprecise words and long-winding explanations to drive their message.

The bridge was destroyed (or broken) by the flooded river.

The bridge was washed away by the flooded river.

Although both convey the message, the second sentence stands out because of use of precise phrase.

What word(s) best describe what’s happening in the picture below?

Image source

Not the best response.

A better word is ‘emptied’. Even ‘dumped’ is great.

A crisp description of the above action would be: “The dumper emptied (or dumped) the stones on the roadside.”

What about this?

‘Took out grapes’.

‘Plucked grapes’ is far better.

If you notice, these words – wash away , empty , dump , and pluck – are simple. We can easily understand them while reading and listening, but rarely use them (with the possible exception of empty ) in speech or writing. Remember, active vs. passive vocabulary?

If you use such precise words in your communication you’ll stand out in crowd.

Little wonder, studies point to a correlation between strength of vocabulary and professional success. Earl Nightingale, a renowned self-help expert and author, in his 20-year study of college graduates found :

Without a single exception, those who had scored highest on the vocabulary test given in college, were in the top income group, while those who had scored the lowest were in the bottom income group.

He also refers to a study by Johnson O’Connor, an American educator and researcher, who gave vocabulary tests to executive and supervisory personnel in 39 large manufacturing companies. According to this study:

Presidents and vice presidents averaged 236 out of a possible 272 points; managers averaged 168; superintendents, 140; foremen, 114; floor bosses, 86. In virtually every case, vocabulary correlated with executive level and income.

Though there are plenty of studies linking professional success with fluency in English overall, I haven’t come across any study linking professional success with any individual component – grammar and pronunciation, for example – of English language other than vocabulary.

You can make professional success a motivation to improve your active vocabulary.

Let’s dive into the tactics now.

How to build vocabulary you can use in speech and writing?

(In the spirit of the topic of this section, I’ve highlighted words that I’ve shifted from my passive to active vocabulary in red font . I’ve done this for only this section, lest the red font become too distracting.)

Almost all of us build vocabulary through the following two-step process:

Step 1 : We come across new words while reading and listening. Meanings of many of these words get registered in our brains – sometimes vaguely, sometimes precisely – through the context in which we see these words. John Rupert Firth, a leading figure in British linguistics during the 1950s, rightly said , “You shall know a word by the company it keeps.”

Many of these words then figure repeatedly in our reading and listening and gradually, as if by osmosis , they start taking roots in our passive vocabulary.

Step 2 : We start using some of these words in our speech and writing. (They are, as discussed earlier, just a small fraction of our passive vocabulary.) By and large, we stay in our comfort zones, making do with this limited set of words.

Little wonder, we add to our vocabulary in trickle . In his book Word Power Made Easy , Norman Lewis laments the tortoise-like rate of vocabulary-building among adults:

Educational testing indicates that children of ten who have grown up in families in which English is the native language have recognition [passive] vocabularies of over twenty thousand words. And that these same ten-year-olds have been learning new words at a rate of many hundreds a year since the age of four . In astonishing contrast, studies show that adults who are no longer attending school increase their vocabularies at a pace slower than twenty-five to fifty words annually .

Adults improve passive vocabulary at an astonishingly meagre rate of 25-50 words a year. The chain to acquire active vocabulary is getting broken at the first step itself – failure to read or listen enough (see Step 1 we just covered). Most are not even reaching the second step, which is far tougher than the first. Following statistic from National Spoken English Skills Report by Aspiring Minds (sample of more than 30,000 students from 500+ colleges in India) bears this point:

Only 33 percent know such simple words! They’re not getting enough inputs.

Such vocabulary-acquisition can be schematically represented as:

The problem here is at both the steps of vocabulary acquisition:

• Not enough inputs (represented by funnel filled only little) and
• Not enough exploration and use of words to convert inputs into active vocabulary (represented by few drops coming out of the funnel)

Here is what you can do to dramatically improve your active vocabulary:

1. Get more inputs (reading and listening)

That’s a no-brainer. The more you read,

• the more new words you come across and
• the more earlier-seen words get reinforced

If you’ve to prioritize between reading and listening purely from the perspective of building vocabulary, go for more reading, because it’s easier to read and mark words on paper or screen. Note that listening will be a more helpful input when you’re working on your speaking skills .

So develop the habit to read something 30-60 minutes every day. It has benefits far beyond just vocabulary-building .

If you increase your inputs, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs but no other steps result in larger active vocabulary.

2. Gather words from your passive vocabulary for deeper exploration

The reading and listening you do, over months and years, increase the size of your passive vocabulary. There are plenty of words, almost inexhaustible, sitting underutilized in your passive vocabulary. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could move many of them to your active vocabulary? That would be easier too because you don’t have to learn them from scratch. You already understand their meaning and usage, at least to some extent. That’s like plucking – to use the word we’ve already overused – low hanging fruits.

While reading and listening, note down words that you’re already familiar with, but you don’t use them (that is they’re part of your passive vocabulary). We covered few examples of such words earlier in the post – pluck , dump , salvage , munch , etc. If you’re like most, your passive vocabulary is already large, waiting for you to shift some of it to your active vocabulary. You can also note down completely unfamiliar words, but only in exceptional cases.

To put what I said in the previous paragraph in more concrete terms, you may ask following two questions to decide which words to note down for further exploration:

• Do you understand the meaning of the word from the context of your reading or listening?
• Do you use this word while speaking and writing?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to the first question and ‘no’ to the second, you can note down the word.

3. Explore the words in an online dictionary

Time to go a step further than seeing words in context while reading.

You need to explore each word (you’ve noted) further in a dictionary. Know its precise meaning(s). Listen to pronunciation and speak it out loud, first individually and then as part of sentences. (If you’re interested in the topic of pronunciation, refer to the post on pronunciation .) And, equally important, see few sentences where the word has been used.

Preferably, note down the meaning(s) and few example sentences so that you can practice spaced repetition and retain them for long. Those who do not know what spaced repetition is, it is the best way to retain things in your long-term memory . There are number of options these days to note words and other details about them – note-taking apps and good-old word document. I’ve been copying-pasting on word document and taking printouts. For details on how I practiced spaced repetition, refer to my experience of adding more than 8,000 words to my vocabulary.

But why go through the drudgery of noting down – and going through, probably multiple times – example sentences? Why not just construct sentences straight after knowing the meaning of the word?

Blachowicz, Fisher, Ogle, and Watts-Taffe, in their paper , point out the yawning gap between knowing the meaning of words and using them in sentences:

Research suggests that students are able to select correct definitions for unknown words from a dictionary, but they have difficulty then using these words in production tasks such as writing sentences using the new words.

If only it was easy. It’s even more difficult in verbal communication where, unlike in writing, you don’t have the luxury of pausing and recalling appropriate words.

That’s why you need to focus on example sentences.

Majority of those who refer dictionary, however, restrict themselves to meaning of the word. Few bother to check example sentences. But they’re at least as much important as meaning of the word, because they teach you how to use words in sentences, and sentences are the building blocks of speech and writing.

If you regularly explore words in a dictionary, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs combined with exploration of words result in even larger active vocabulary.

After you absorb the meaning and example sentences of a word, it enters a virtuous cycle of consolidation. The next time you read or listen the word, you’ll take note of it and its use more actively , which will further reinforce it in your memory. In contrast, if you didn’t interact with the word in-depth, it’ll pass unnoticed, like thousands do every day. That’s cascading effect.

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4. Use them

To quote Maxwell Nurnberg and Morris Rosenblum from their book All About Words :

In vocabulary building, the problem is not so much finding new words or even finding out what they mean. The problem is to remember them, to fix them permanently in your mind. For you can see that if you are merely introduced to words, you will forget them as quickly as you forget the names of people you are casually introduced to at a crowded party – unless you meet them again or unless you spend some time with them.

This is the crux. Use it or lose it.

Without using, the words will slowly slip away from your memory.

Without using the words few times, you won’t feel confident using them in situations that matter.

If you use the words you explored in dictionary, your vocabulary-acquisition funnel will look something like:

More inputs combined with exploration of words and use of them result in the largest active vocabulary.

Here is a comparison of the four ways in which people acquire active vocabulary:

The big question though is how to use the words you’re exploring. Here are few exercises to accomplish this most important step in vocabulary-building process.

Vocabulary exercises: how to use words you’re learning

You can practice these vocabulary activities for 10-odd minutes every day, preferably during the time you waste such as commuting or waiting, to shift more and more words you’ve noted down to your active vocabulary. I’ve used these activities extensively, with strong results to boot.

1. Form sentences and speak them out during your reviews

When you review the list of words you’ve compiled, take a word as cue without looking at its meaning and examples, recall its meaning, and, most importantly, speak out 4-5 sentences using the word. It’s nothing but a flashcard in work. If you follow spaced repetition diligently, you’ll go through this process at least few times. I recommend reading my experience of building vocabulary (linked earlier) to know how I did this part.

Why speaking out, though? (If the surroundings don’t permit, it can be whisper as well.)

Speaking out the word as part of few sentences will serve the additional purpose of making your vocal cords accustomed to new words and phrases.

2. Create thematic webs

When reviewing, take a word and think of other words related to that word. Web of words on a particular theme, in short, and hence the name ‘thematic web’. These are five of many, many thematic webs I’ve actually come up in my reviews:

(Note: Name of the theme is in bold. Second, where there are multiple words, I’ve underlined the main word.)

If I come across the word ‘gourmet’ in my review, I’ll also quickly recall all the words related with food: tea strainer, kitchen cabinet, sink, dish cloth, wipe dishes, rinse utensils, immerse beans in water, simmer, steam, gourmet food, sprinkle salt, spread butter, smear butter, sauté, toss vegetables, and garnish the sweet dish

Similarly, for other themes:

Prognosis, recuperate, frail, pass away, resting place, supplemental air, excruciating pain, and salubrious

C. Showing off

Showy, gaudy, extravaganza, over the top, ostentatious, and grandstanding

D. Crowd behavior

Restive, expectant, hysteria, swoon, resounding welcome, rapturous, jeer, and cheer

E. Rainfall

Deluge, cats and dogs, downpour, cloudburst, heavens opened, started pouring , submerged, embankment, inundate, waterlogged, soaked to the skin, take shelter, run for a cover, torrent, and thunderbolt

(If you notice, words in a particular theme are much wider in sweep than just synonyms.)

It takes me under a minute to complete dozen-odd words in a theme. However, in the beginning, when you’re still adding to your active vocabulary in tons, you’ll struggle to go beyond 2-3 simple words when thinking out such thematic lists. That’s absolutely fine.

Why thematic web, though?

Because that’s how we recall words when speaking or writing. (If you flip through Word Power Made Easy by Norman Lewis, a popular book on improving vocabulary, you’ll realize that each of its chapters represents a particular idea, something similar to a theme.) Besides, building a web also quickly jogs you through many more words.

3. Describe what you see around

In a commute or other time-waster, look around and speak softly an apt word in a split second for whatever you see. Few examples:

• If you see grass on the roadside, you can say verdant or luxurious .
• If you see a vehicle stopping by the roadside, you can say pull over .
• If you see a vehicle speeding away from other vehicles, you can say pull away .
• If you see a person carrying a load on the road side, you can say lug and pavement .

Key is to come up with these words in a flash. Go for speed, not accuracy. (After all, you’ll have similar reaction time when speaking.) If you can’t think of an appropriate word for what you see instantaneously – and there will be plenty in the beginning – skip it.

This vocabulary exercise also serves an unintended, though important, objective of curbing the tendency to first think in the native language and then translating into English as you speak. This happens because the spontaneity in coming up with words forces you to think directly in English.

Last, this exercise also helps you assess your current level of vocabulary (for spoken English). If you struggle to come up with words for too many things/ situations, you’ve job on your hands.

4. Describe what one person or object is doing

Another vocabulary exercise you can practice during time-wasters is to focus on a single person and describe her/ his actions, as they unfold, for few minutes. An example:

He is skimming Facebook on his phone. OK, he is done with it. Now, he is taking out his earphones. He has plugged them into his phone, and now he is watching some video. He is watching and watching. There is something funny there in that video, which makes him giggle . Simultaneously, he is adjusting the bag slung across his shoulder.

The underlined words are few of the new additions to my active vocabulary I used on the fly when focusing on this person.

Feel free to improvise and modify this process to suit your unique conditions, keeping in mind the fundamentals such as spaced repetition, utilizing the time you waste, and putting what you’re learning to use.

To end this section, I must point out that you need to build habit to perform these exercises for few minutes at certain time(s) of the day. They’re effective when done regularly.

Why I learnt English vocabulary this way?

For few reasons:

1. I worked backwards from the end result to prepare for real-world situations

David H. Freedman learnt Italian using Duolingo , a popular language-learning app, for more than 70 hours in the buildup to his trip to Italy. A week before they were to leave for Rome, his wife put him to test. She asked how would he ask for his way from Rome airport to the downtown. And how would he order in a restaurant?

David failed miserably.

He had become a master of multiple-choice questions in Italian, which had little bearing on the real situations he would face.

We make this mistake all the time. We don’t start from the end goal and work backwards to design our lessons and exercises accordingly. David’s goal wasn’t to pass a vocabulary test. It was to strike conversation socially.

Coming back to the topic of vocabulary, learning meanings and examples of words in significant volume is a challenge. But a much bigger challenge is to recall an apt word in split second while speaking. (That’s the holy grail of any vocabulary-building exercise, and that’s the end goal we want to achieve.)

The exercises I described earlier in the post follow the same path – backwards from the end.

2. I used proven scientific methods to increase effectiveness

Looking at just a word and recalling its meaning and coming up with rapid-fire examples where that word can be used introduced elements of deliberate practice, the fastest way to build neural connection and hence any skill. (See the exercises we covered.) For the uninitiated, deliberate practice is the way top performers in any field practice .

Another proven method I used was spaced repetition.

3. I built on what I already knew to progress faster

Covering mainly passive vocabulary has made sure that I’m building on what I already know, which makes for faster progress.

Don’t ignore these when building vocabulary

Keep in mind following while building vocabulary:

1. Use of fancy words in communication make you look dumb, not smart

Don’t pick fancy words to add to your vocabulary. Use of such words doesn’t make you look smart. It makes your communication incomprehensible and it shows lack of empathy for the listeners. So avoid learning words such as soliloquy and twerking . The more the word is used in common parlance, the better it is.

An example of how fancy words can make a piece of writing bad is this review of movie , which is littered with plenty of fancy words such as caper , overlong , tomfoolery , hectoring , and cockney . For the same reason, Shashi Tharoor’s Word of the Week is not a good idea . Don’t add such words to your vocabulary.

2. Verbs are more important than nouns and adjectives

Verbs describe action, tell us what to do. They’re clearer. Let me explain this through an example.

In his book Start with Why , Simon Sinek articulates why verbs are more effective than nouns:

For values or guiding principles to be truly effective they have to be verbs. It’s not ‘integrity’, it’s ‘always do the right thing’. It’s not ‘innovation’, it’s ‘look at the problem from a different angle’. Articulating our values as verbs gives us a clear idea… we have a clear idea of how to act in any situation.

‘Always do the right thing’ is better than ‘integrity’ and ‘look at the problem from a different angle’ is better than ‘innovation’ because the former, a verb, in each case is clearer.

The same (importance of verb) is emphasized by L. Dee Fink in his book Creating Significant Learning Experiences in the context of defining learning goals for college students.

Moreover, most people’s vocabulary is particularly poor in verbs. Remember, the verbs from the three examples at the beginning of the post – wash away , dump , and pluck ? How many use them? And they’re simple.

3. Don’t ignore simple verbs

You wouldn’t bother to note down words such as slip , give , and move because you think you know them inside out, after all you’ve been using them regularly for ages.

I also thought so… until I explored few of them.

I found that majority of simple words have few common usages we rarely use. Use of simple words for such common usages will stand your communication skills out.

An example:

a. To slide suddenly or involuntarily as on a smooth surface: She slipped on the icy ground .

b. To slide out from grasp, etc.: The soap slipped from my hand .

c. To move or start gradually from a place or position: His hat slipped over his eyes .

d. To pass without having been acted upon or used: to let an opportunity slip .

e. To pass quickly (often followed by away or by): The years slipped by .

f. To move or go quietly, cautiously, or unobtrusively: to slip out of a room .

Most use the word in the meaning (a) and (b), but if you use the word for meaning (c) to (f) – which BTW is common – you’ll impress people.

Another example:

a. Without the physical presence of people in control: an unmanned spacecraft .

b.  Hovering near the unmanned iPod resting on the side bar, stands a short, blond man.

c. Political leaders are vocal about the benefits they expect to see from unmanned aircraft.

Most use the word unmanned with a moving object such as an aircraft or a drone, but how about using it with an iPod (see (b) above).

4. Don’t ignore phrasal verbs. Get at least common idioms. Proverbs… maybe

4.1 phrasal verbs.

Phrasal verbs are verbs made from combining a main verb and an adverb or preposition or both. For example, here are few phrasal verbs of verb give :

We use phrasal verbs aplenty:

I went to the airport to see my friend off .

He could see through my carefully-crafted ruse.

I took off my coat.

The new captain took over the reins of the company on June 25.

So, don’t ignore them.

Unfortunately, you can’t predict the meaning of a phrasal verb from the main verb. For example, it’s hard to guess the meaning of take over or take off from take . You’ve to learn each phrasal verb separately.

What about idioms?

Compared to phrasal verbs, idioms are relatively less used, but it’s good to know the common ones. To continue the example of word give , here are few idioms derived from it:

Give and take

Give or take

Give ground

Give rise to

Want a list of common idioms? It’s here: List of 200 common idioms .

4.3 Proverbs

Proverbs are popular sayings that provide nuggets of wisdom. Example: A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

Compared to phrasal verbs and idioms, they’re much less used in common conversation and therefore you can do without them.

For the motivated, here is a list of common proverbs: List of 200 common proverbs .

5. Steal phrases, words, and even sentences you like

If you like phrases and sentences you come across, add them to your list for future use. I do it all the time and have built a decent repository of phrases and sentences. Few examples (underlined part is the key phrase):

The bondholders faced the prospect of losing their trousers .

The economy behaved more like a rollercoaster than a balloon . [Whereas rollercoaster refers to an up and down movement, balloon refers to a continuous expansion. Doesn’t such a short phrase express such a profound meaning?]

Throw enough spaghetti against the wall and some of it sticks .

You need blue collar work ethic to succeed in this industry.

He runs fast. Not quite .

Time to give up scalpel . Bring in hammer .

Note that you would usually not find such phrases in a dictionary, because dictionaries are limited to words, phrasal verbs, idioms, and maybe proverbs.

6. Commonly-used nouns

One of my goals while building vocabulary has been to learn what to call commonly-used objects (or nouns) that most struggle to put a word to.

To give an example, what would you call the following?

Answer: Tea strainer.

You would sound far more impressive when you say, “My tea strainer has turned blackish because of months of filtering tea.”

Than when you say, “The implement that filters tea has turned blackish because of months of filtering tea.”

What do you say?

More examples:

Saucer (We use it every day, but call it ‘plate’.)

Straight/ wavy/ curly hair

Corner shop

I’ll end with a brief reference to the UIDAI project that is providing unique biometric ID to every Indian. This project, launched in 2009, has so far issued a unique ID (popularly called Aadhaar card) to more than 1.1 billion people. The project faced many teething problems and has been a one big grind for the implementers. But once this massive data of billion + people was collected, so many obstinate, long-standing problems are being eased using this data, which otherwise would’ve been difficult to pull off. It has enabled faster delivery of scores of government and private services, checked duplication on many fronts, and brought in more transparency in financial and other transactions, denting parallel economy. There are many more. And many more are being conceived on top of this data.

At some level, vocabulary is somewhat similar. It’ll take effort, but once you’ve sizable active vocabulary, it’ll strengthen arguably the most challenging and the most impressive part of your communication. And because it takes some doing, it’s not easy for others to catch up.

Anil is the person behind this website. He writes on most aspects of English Language Skills. More about him here:

Such a comprehensive guide. Awesome…

I am using the note app and inbuilt dictionary of iPhone. I have accumulated over 1400 words in 1 year. Will definitely implement ideas from this blog.

Krishna, thanks. If you’re building vocabulary for using, then make sure you work it accordingly.

Building solid vocabulary is my new year’s resolution and you’ve perfectly captured the issues I’ve been facing, with emphasis on passive vocabulary building. So many vocab apps are multiple choice and thereby useless for this reason. Thanks so much for the exercises! I plan to put them to use!

It was everything that I need to boost my active vocabulary. Thank you so much for sharing all these precious pieces of information.

Anil sir, I am quiet satisfied the way you laid out everything possible that one needs to know from A-Z. Also, thanks for assuring me from your experience that applying this will work.

This post definitely blew me away…. I am impressed! Thank you so much for sharing such valuable information. It was exactly what I needed!

Amazing post! While reading this post, I am thinking about the person who developed this. I wanna give a big hug and thank you so much.

Comments are closed.

16 Other Words for Speaking

Learn 16 advanced English words for speaking. Image source

Let’s learn different English words for speaking! It’s useful vocabulary for different ways of speaking: yell, mumble, snap, whine, and more.

To improve your spoken English fast, join my Everyday English Speaking Courses , where you’ll learn hundreds of useful phrases for daily life.

yell / shout / scream / shriek = speak loudly

You might yell, shout, scream, or shriek if you are:

• Communicating with someone who is far away (usually yell / shout) “The soccer coach shouted instructions to the players on the field.”
• Angry (usually yell, shout, or scream) “My boss yelled at me after I missed an important deadline.”
• Afraid or surprised (usually scream / shriek) “Barbara shrieked when she found a giant spider in her bed.”
• In pain (usually scream / shriek) “The little boy started screaming when he accidentally closed his finger in the car door.”

Scream and shriek can also refer to making loud vocal sounds that are not words (especially in the case of fear, surprise, or pain).

cheer = yell / shout in a happy/excited way

People often cheer at sports games and after a great music/theater performance:

• “Everyone cheered when the Brazilian team scored a goal.”

whisper = speak extremely quietly

This is an example of whispering.

You would whisper in a movie theater so as not to disturb the other people – or when you don’t want anyone else to hear what you’re saying.

mumble = speak quietly and  not clearly, without opening your mouth very much

People often mumble when they don’t want to talk, or when they’re nervous, embarrassed, or have low confidence in general.

• “My son mumbled an apology to my daughter after breaking her favorite toy.”

mutter / murmur = speak in a quiet voice

The difference between these two is that mutter is usually complaining and saying negative things, whereas murmur is neutral.

• “He left the store muttering about the terrible customer service.”
• “My piano teacher murmured a few words of encouragement to me before I went on stage to perform.”

A similar word to mutter is grumble, meaning to complain in a quiet, low-pitched voice.

whine = complain in an annoying, high-pitched voice

• “My kids started whining when I told them they couldn’t watch TV until they had finished their homework.” (“But mooooom, that’s not faaaaiiir, I’ll miss my favorite prograaaaam!” )

ramble = speak continuously for a long time with too many details or different topics

• “You shouldn’t ramble during a job interview. Try to keep your answers concise and relevant.”

chat = have an informal conversation

You can use “chat” for informal conversations both online and offline.

• “The teacher was chatting with a few students in the hallway.”

stutter / stammer = speak repeating some sounds

If someone says: “P-p-please don’t d-do that” – they are stuttering or stammering. Some people do this frequently because they have a speech problem, and other people do it occasionally when they are extremely afraid or nervous.

gossip = talk about other peoples’ lives, especially negative things or secret details

• “My neighbor loves to gossip – I think she’s got some dirt on everyone who lives in this apartment building.” (“Dirt” is a slang word for some scandalous or secret information)

Gossip is both a verb and a noun for this type of speaking.

snap at (someone) = say a quick phrase in an annoyed/angry way

• “When I asked my wife if dinner was ready, she snapped at me.” (“If you want dinner, make it yourself!”)

Now try using each of these words for speaking in your own example sentence. Creating your own examples is a great way to remember English vocabulary better.

I hope you enjoyed learning all these “speaking” words! You can learn lots more useful vocabulary words in my Vocabulary Builder Courses.

If you’d like to focus on more advanced English words, check out my Advanced Vocabulary and Collocations Course.

Want to increase your vocabulary & improve your fluency?

More Espresso English Lessons:

About the author.

Shayna Oliveira

Shayna Oliveira is the founder of Espresso English, where you can improve your English fast - even if you don’t have much time to study. Millions of students are learning English from her clear, friendly, and practical lessons! Shayna is a CELTA-certified teacher with 10+ years of experience helping English learners become more fluent in her English courses.

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100 Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence in English

Mastering a new language is not easy because there are numerous challenges to overcome while learning and comprehending the language. These difficulties are exacerbated when the language in question is as important as English. One of the many challenges is remembering the vocabulary words with meaning and sentence.

Do many newcomers have trouble remembering English words? Well, memorizing new words is a significant challenge in learning a new language, but it is not insurmountable.

Here are 100 vocabulary words, which will enhance your English language skills .

100 Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentences

Many people have a firm grasp on English grammar and even make it a point to learn new words every day, but when it comes to actually using those new words, they fall short. Is it similar in sound? If you react yes, you’ve arrived at the right place.

Reading is widely recommended as the most effective way to increase vocabulary . While immersed in a science fiction story or a romantic work of art, it broadens your exposure to different styles and sentence structures.

Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence

# Competence (Noun): capability

• Similar Word : ability, proficiency
• Reverse : bluntness, dullness
• Usage : My competence in work has made me reach great heights.

# Compendium (Noun): summary

• Similar Word : digest, compilation
• Reverse : extension, enlargement
• Usage : He has neatly and clearly compended his novel in less than 500 words.

# Compassion (Noun): pity

• Similar Word : tenderness, gentleness
• Reverse : antipathy, ruthlessness
• Usage : People with too much ego don’t show any compassion.

# Libidinous (Adjective): lustful

• Word : sensual, lascivious
• Reverse : moral, decent
• Usage : Teenagers are becoming more libidinous nowadays.

# Ravelry (Noun): merrymaking

• Word : festivity, celebration
• Reverse : mourning, sadness
• Usage : Ganesh Chaturthi is the best ravelry celebrated among Hindus.

# Ruse (Noun): trick, deception

• Word : gimmick, a ploy
• Reverse : honesty, openness
• Usage : Sam had ruse Mika and also robbed money from her.

# Simpleton (Noun): fool

• Word : buffoon, jerk
• Reverse : brain, genius
• b: She is a simpleton, but has a lot of egos.

# Clannish (Adjective): exclusive

• Word : selected, reserved
• Reverse : welcoming, open
• Usage : Nowadays clannish dresses have become a new trend.

# Satanic (Adjective): demonic

• Word : cruel, maniacal
• Reverse : angelic, good
• Sentence : It is said that bad deeds always leave a satanic effect.

# Titular (Adjective): having a title

• Word : nominal, so-called
• Reverse : actual, real
• Sentence : He had always refused to be titular but, he achieved many because of his personality.

# Speckle (Adjective): dotted

• Word : flecked, mottled
• Reverse : plain, simple
• Sentence : Her dress was speckled beautifully and glossy.

# Befoul (Verb): contaminate

• Word : dirty, malign
• Reverse : cleanse, purify
• Sentence : Vehicles today have befouled air and water.

# Flurry (Noun): commotion

• Word : turmoil, outbreak
• Reverse : calm, peace
• Sentence : After the corona outbreak there was no flurry in the markets.

# Quandary (Noun): Delicate situation

• Word : difficulty, dilemma
• Reverse : advantage, boon
• Sentence : In the amusement ride, I found myself in a quandary situation.

# Quitedude (NOUN): Calm

• Word : dispassion, peace
• Reverse : agitation, clamour
• Sentence : She felt quite a dude after the fight.

# Proclivity (Noun): Inclination

• Word : penchant, predilection
• Antonyms : antipathy, dislike
• Sentence : The new novel surmises in a way that hardly fits my own social proclivity.

# Quisling (Noun): Traitor

• Word : betrayer, collaborator
• Antonyms : loyalist, patriot
• Sentence : The boy who committed the crime was proved not to be a quisling.

# Plebeian (ADJECTIVE): Native

• Word : local, indigenous
• Antonyms : uncommon, different
• Sentence : She is a plebian writer.

Also Read: Modern English Words Used in Conversation: Let’s Learn Effective English Speaking Ethics!

New Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence

# Opulence (Noun): Wealth

• Word : abundance, affluence
• Antonyms : dearth, deficiency
• Sentence : His opulence made her have many fake friends.

# Obviate (Verb): Counteract

• Word : preclude, forestall
• Antonyms : assist, support
• Sentence : The weather shown on the tv obviates the snow.

# Overt (Adjective): Obvious

• Word : apparent, definite
• Opposite : obscure, uncertain
• Example : The person in the last smiled overtly at that woman.

# Meddlesome (Adjective): Interfering

• Word : intrusive, meddling
• Opposite : avoiding, dodging
• Example : She made a meddlesome statement.

# Mincing (Adjective): Affected

• Word : artificial, dainty
• Opposite : extroverted, unaffected
• Example : Claire can’t put up with his mincing singer for the rest of her life.

# Lavish (Adjective): wasteful

• Word : extravagant, profligate
• Opposite : economical, mean
• Example : He came to grief because of his lavish dating habits.

# Laconic (Adjective): brief

• Similar Word : short, terse
• Opposite : verbose, wordy
• Example : Though her conversation was laconic, yet it was clear.

# Mammoth (Adjective): huge

• Similar Word : enormous, gargantuan
• Opposite : little, miniature
• Example : My mammoth program will be finalized very soon.

# Menace (Noun): danger

• Similar Word : threat, peril
• Opposite : safety, surety
• Example : Pollution is a potential menace to the health of the people.

# Manifest (Adjective): clear

• Similar Word : understandable, palpable
• Opposite : unclear, obscure
• Example : Her evil ambitions were manifest when she remembered the question of dowry.

# Modicum (Noun): small amount

• Similar Word : ounce, shred
• Opposite : lot, whole
• Example : There is no modicum of fact in his statement.

# Oblivion (Noun): mental blankness

• Similar Word : forgetfulness, unconsciousness
• Opposite : awareness, concern
• Example : She was immersed in oblivion when he left.

# Refurbish (Verb): make clean

• Similar Word : repair, renovate
• Opposite : ruin, destroy
• Example : An individual can refurbish his/her image by discipline.

# Raze (Verb): destroy completely

• Similar Word : demolish, obliterate
• Opposite : build, construct
• Example : Dozens of forests have been razed.

# Rapt (Adjective): fully attentive

• Similar Word : elated, ecstatic
• Opposite : dejected, doleful
• Example : She listened to the lecturer with rapt interest.

# Perpetuate (Verb): maintain

• Similar Word : preserve, conserve
• Opposite : discontinue, cease
• Example : In order to perpetuate the method of teaching, teachers should make it fun.

# Malignant (Adjective): deadly

• Similar Word : destructive, mortal
• Opposite : harmless, healthful
• Example : She died of malignant cancer.

# Denigrate (VERB): besmirch

• Similar Word : defame, disparage
• Opposite : praise, laud
• Example : We should not try to denigrate the personality of anyone.

Also Read: Daily Routine English Conversation: Make Your Communication Skills Effective

Daily Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence

# Dauntless (Adjective): bold

• Similar Term : brave, gallant
• Opposite : timid, fearful
• Example : Hitler was a dauntless and cruel ruler.

# Decorum (Noun): grace

• Similar Term : propriety, dignity
• Opposite : Impropriety, Levity
• Example : Maintaining decorum in school is necessary.

# Detriment (Noun): damage

• Similar Term : harm, loss
• Opposite : profit, benefit
• Example : Drinking is a detriment to good health and hygiene.

# Dreary (Adjective): cheerless

• Similar Term : comfortless, dark
• Opposite : inspiring, pleasant
• Example : There will be a dreary meeting tomorrow.

# Grotesque (Adjective): ugly

• Similar Term : absurd, odd
• Opposite : graceful, natural
• Example : Her grotesque appearance makes her less popular.

# Glide (Verb): pass

• Similar Term : relapse, go by
• Opposite : stop, freeze
• Example : Her team glided across the region easily.

# Gingerly (Adverb): carefully

• Similar Term : cautiously, delicately
• Opposite : hesitantly, timidly
• Example : One should gingerly check their details.

# Teem (Verb): Overflow

• Similar Term : overrun, full
• Opposite : lack, need
• Example : The teem of water squashed the shore

# Chunky (Adjective): Chubby

• Similar Term : stocky, stout
• Opposite : skinny, thin
• Example : Ram is a chunky friend of mine.

# Hasping (Verb): Fasten

• Similar Term : grab, catch
• Opposite : loose, release
• Example : Riya went to the door and hasped it.

# Undertone (Noun ): Mumble

• Similar Term : murmur, hint
• Opposite : overtone, enunciate
• Example : Rai was talking in an undertone.

# Unscsthed (Adjective): Unharmed

• Similar Term : unhurt, uninjured
• Opposite : hurt, injured
• Example : The dogs caught in the fire escaped unscathed.

# Varnish (Verb): add a layer to; embellish

• Similar Term : lacquer, Cover
• Opposite : uncover. reveal
• Example : The painter varnished the windows.

# Tout (Verb): Laud

• Similar Term : praise, promote
• Opposite : blame, discourage
• Example : They touted his achievement.

# Tepid (Adjective): Mild

• Similar Term : warm, unenthusiastic
• Opposite : enthusiastic, keen
• Example : The cheering from the balcony was tepid.

# Vestige (Noun): Sign

• Similar Term : glimmer, indication
• Opposite : information, lot
• Example : We can get a vestige through astrology.

# Ingrained (Adjective): Deep-rooted

• Similar Term : deep-seated, inbred
• Opposite : acquired, learned
• Example : The belief of poverty is ingrained in them.

# Feud (Noun): major argument

• Similar Term : conflict, dispute
• Opposite : friendship, accord
• Example : The feud between the two brothers lasted for one hour.

Also Read: English Conversation Sentences: Buckle Up with Spoken English Conversation Practice

English Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence

# Fluster (Noun): perturbation, upset

• Similar Term : agitation, disturbance
• Opposite : peace, calmness
• Example : There is a great fluster in the atmosphere due to increasing pollution.

# Fealty (Noun): allegiance

• Similar Term : faithfulness, loyalty
• Opposite : disloyalty, treachery
• Example : They have expected fealty from their close friends.

# Broach (Verb): bring up a topic

• Similar Term : introduce, moot
• Opposite : stop, close
• Example : The topic was broached to educate the teachers in a better way.

# Coy (Adjective): bashful

• Synonyms : Skittish, timid
• Antonyms : aggressive, forward
• Sentence : Riya gave him a coy grin.

# Concoct (Verb): formulate, think up

• Synonyms : contrive, create
• Antonyms : demolish, destroy
• Sentence : She concocted an intention to start a new career.

# Dilatory (Adjective): procrastinating

• Synonyms : delaying, laggard
• Antonyms : diligent, eager
• Sentence : She had been dilatory but now she intended to shut her shop.

# Gambol (Verb): run or jump about playfully

• Synonyms : prank, play
• Antonyms : work, study
• Sentence : The children gambolled all around the home.

# Impeach (Verb): denounce, censure

• Synonyms : accuse, criticize
• Antonyms : praise, commend
• Sentence : He impeached the actress in front of everyone for her wrong deeds.

# Indignation (Noun): anger

• Synonyms : rage, displeasure
• Antonyms : delight, cheer
• Sentence : The client came out in indignation from the office.

# Besmirch (Verb): taint

• Synonyms : blacken, defile
• Antonyms : honour, praise
• Sentence : The actress insisted that the charge was to besmirch her name.

# Smear (Verb): To make something blurred

• Synonyms : smudge, stained
• Antonyms : clean, purity
• Sentence : She painted a beautiful floral painting but, because of the rain it smeared.

# Spongy (Adjective): cushioned

• Synonyms : soft, porous
• Antonyms : hard, inflexible
• Sentence : She baked a fluffy and spongy cake on her father’s birthday.

# Brevity (Noun): briefness

• Synonyms : concise, short
• Antonyms : longevity, lengthiness
• Sentence : She explained the whole situation in brevity.

# Appal (Verb): horrify

• Synonyms : alarm, amaze
• Antonyms : comfort, encourage
• Sentence : I am always appalled in a horror house.

# Astound (Verb): amaze

• Synonyms : astonish, bewilder
• Antonyms : calm, expect
• Sentence : He was astounded at her presence.

# Exalted (Verb): praised

• Synonyms : elevated, illustrious
• Antonyms : criticized, debased
• Sentence : She exalted the paintings made by me.

# Abandon (Verb): cease to support or look after (someone)

• Synonyms : desert, leave
• Antonyms : adopt, adapt
• Sentence : They abandoned their old house and moved to a cottage.

# Boredom (Noun): disinterest

• Synonyms : apathy, disgust
• Antonyms : concern, energy
• Sentence : Boredom had settled on his face since he came back from London.

Also Read: Simple Phone Conversation in English: Important Etiquette Phrases & Dialogues

Basic Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence

# Stupefy (Verb): stun

• Synonyms : benumb, daze
• Antonyms : enliven, inspire
• Sentence : She was stupied to her spot, when she saw an accident

# Quixotic (Adjective): generous

• Synonyms : idealistic, dreamy
• Antonyms : cautious, pragmatic
• Sentence : She has not been successful in life because of her non-quixotic ideas.

# Noxious (Adjective): harmful

• Synonyms : offensive, putrid
• Antonyms : helpful, healthy
• Sentence : Emission from petrol cars generating noxious gases causes pollution.

# Narcissism (Noun): self-love and devotion

• Synonyms : egotism, selfishness
• Antonyms : humility, modesty

# Vitriolic (Adjective): bitter

• Synonyms : astringent, sardonic
• Antonyms : courteous, gracious

# Pilferage (NOUN): theft

• Synonyms : burglary, misappropriation
• Antonyms : veto, disapprove

# Myriad (Adjective): infinite

• Synonyms : multitudinous, multiple
• Antonyms : finite, limited

# Reposistion (Verb): alter

• Synonyms : deviate, change
• Antonyms : keep, hold

# Rambunctious (Adjective): noisy

• Synonyms : boisterous, raucous
• Antonyms : calm, quiet

# Rankle (Verb): annoy

• Synonyms : bother, embitter
• Antonyms : comfort, aid

# Recidivism (Noun): lapse

• Synonyms : backsliding, decadence
• Antonyms : ascent, increase

# Apposite (Adjective): apt

• Synonyms : appropriate, relevant
• Antonyms : inapt, inapplicable

# Jumble (Verb): disturb

• Synonyms : disorder, disorganise
• Antonyms : Organise, Arrange
• Sentence : My life gets jumbled everyday because of new obstacles.

# Agility (Noun): quickness

• Synonyms : swiftness, sprightliness
• Antonyms : dullness, sluggishness
• Sentence : My dog has shown agility after his training.

# Rampart (Noun): defensive wall

• Synonyms : barricade, fortification
• Antonyms : opening, ditch
• Sentence : I have formed a rampart against boys in my school.

# Quandary (Noun): dilemma

• Synonyms : in a fix, predicament
• Antonyms : advantage, good fortune
• Sentence : Yesterday I saw my teacher in a quandary.

# Quip (Noun): A clever remark

• Synonyms : banter, gag
• Antonyms : praise, flattery
• Sentence : I usually make a quip when I pass by creative people.

# Pernicious (Adjective): destructive

• Synonyms : injurious, unsafe
• Antonyms : safe, harmless
• Sentence : Aria’s approach is self-pernicious; she needs to expand a lot.

Reading is the most effective way to improve your vocabulary , but make a habit of taking notes and using the words you learn in a novel to make it even more effective. Every day, try to read something and keep a dictionary nearby. So start today!

FAQs –

Q.1. What is the purpose of the “100 Vocabulary Words with Meaning and Sentence in English” resource? A: This resource aims to expand your English vocabulary by providing a curated list of 100 words, along with their meanings and example sentences. It helps learners to grasp the context and usage of these words, enhancing their language skills.

Q.2. How were the 100 words selected for this vocabulary resource? A: The selection process involved choosing a diverse range of words across various parts of speech, difficulty levels, and relevance in everyday communication. The goal was to include words that are commonly used and beneficial for learners in both written and spoken English.

Q.3. What kind of information can I expect for each vocabulary word in this resource? A: For each word, you will find its meaning or definitions. Additionally, there will be one or more sample sentences showcasing how the word can be used in context. This helps to comprehend the word’s application in different situations.

Q.4. Is this resource suitable for beginners or advanced English learners? A: This resource caters to a wide audience, spanning from beginners to more advanced learners. The words have been chosen to offer a balance, allowing beginners to learn new terms while also challenging those who are more proficient in English.

Q.5. How can I effectively utilize this vocabulary resource to improve my English skills? A: To maximize the benefits, it’s recommended to study a few words at a time, understand their meanings, and incorporate them into your daily communication or writing. Regular practice and usage will aid in solidifying your grasp of these new words and their appropriate contexts.

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Teaching Vocabulary in Speech Therapy can be one of the trickiest areas to work on, mainly because there is no clear path for it. The best way we have seen however is to target address building vocabulary is to focus on using strategies and meaningful repetition.

Students need to comprehend at least 90-95% of words in a text to comprehend it (Nagy & Scott 2000) … So, This means working on vocabulary development is a critical element of therapy.⁣⁣ According to Storkel et al., 2019, students need at least 36 exposures to a new vocabulary word for it to stick. That means 6 different exposures to the word across 6 different sessions ( or 9 exposures across 4 sessions, however you want to work the math). ?⁣⁣

Before we dive into strategies, somethings to keep in mind when working on vocabulary and literacy. First, don’t feel you need to work on every possible vocabulary word in the book. Pick 5-7, tier 2 words, or words that are re-occurring in the text to focus on. Then, pre-teach these words before you even read the book. Give the students a definition right away rather then having them guess, and let the learning go from there.

Ok, onto strategies!

Vocabulary in Speech Therapy: CONTEXT CLUES

Using context clues has been an evidence-based way to help students boost and learn new vocabulary. No matter how much vocabulary a student has there will always be words they don’t know. This helps students understand how to find the relevant information for the word within the context it is being used.

Fair warning, this strategy can overwhelming for kids, so I have developed a concrete system to make things more straightforward. I call it the Clue Sandwich. You start by highlighting the sentence the word is in, then in another color, highlight the sentence before it, and finally highlight the sentence after it in a 3rd color. This gives a visual area for the students to focus on, rather than a bunch of daunting text. I have the whole strategy broken down in this post .

I use these Context Clues in Color pages to help students practice this breakdown in a structured setting before branching to using academic texts or passages from class.

Vocabulary in Speech Therapy: Prefixes and Suffixes

These little parts of speech can have a big impact on vocabulary. While understanding the full word may be tricky at first, students have a fighting chance if they can pick apart the ‘little words’ they do know. Seeing the word ‘reoccurrence’ might be intimidating to a student but if they recognize the prefix ‘re’ and know that it means ‘to do again’ then they can apply context from the text to get an idea of the definition. Suffixes can do just the same. Teaching prefixes as suffixes doesn’t have to be a long-drawn-out event either. I use a prefixes bulletin board with my students as a warm-up. We focus on two prefixes a week and it has truly helped them start to identify these prefixes in text.

Finally, kids who identify the part of speech of a word ( noun, verb, adjective ) had better vocabulary skills than those who could not. If a student can use clues to determine how the word is being used, it puts them one step closer to establishing meaning for it. My favorite strategy for this is Word Mapping.

It has the student break down the word into parts of speech, synonym/antonym, application, and illustration. As we complete each map, we keep them and review them at the start of each session to increase our exposure and repetition. I have used these Vocabulary Kits for years. These are best for students whose vocabulary deficits are in the mild to slightly moderate range. It gives you all the words, pretest/post-test, activities, and more.

These strategies are shown to give those students the actual boost in vocabulary development they need. Do you have a favorite method to teach vocabulary?

Elleman, A.M., Steacy, L.M., Olinghouse, N.G., Compton, D.L. (2017). Examining Child and Word Characteristics in Vocabulary Learning of Struggling Readers.  Scientific Studies of Reading . Advance online publication. doi:10.1080/10888438.2016.1265970

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Hey there! I’m Maureen Wilson, a school-base SLP who is data driven and caffeine powered. My passion is supporting other pediatric SLPs by teaching them how to harness the power of literacy and data to help their students achieve their goals…without sacrificing time they don’t have.

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115 Advanced English Words (Advanced Vocabulary List)

Learning vocabulary is my hobby. It’s amazing how many meanings the word has, where it comes from, and what it represents in a cultural context . The more words you know, the more things and experiences you can name, which helps a lot if you want to become a writer.

“I have hated words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right.”― Markus Zusak

115 Advanced Words in English

1. construe (verb).

a) interpret (a word or action) in a particular way.

Example: From her arguments, I construe she wants to turn the world into a place of chaos.

2. Peruse (verb)

a) read (something), typically thoroughly or carefully. b) examine carefully or at length.

3. Condone (verb)

a) accept (behavior that is considered morally wrong or offensive). b) approve or sanction (something), especially with reluctance.

Example: For the last time, she condoned their egregious mistake.

4. Latent (adjective)

(of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed.

5. Acrimonious (adjective)

(typically of speech or discussion) angry and bitter.

Example: She rejected his offer with an acrimonious sneer.

6. Indubitable (adjective)

7. propitious (adjective).

giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable.

8. Tremulous (adjective)

Example: She was tremulous with fear.

9. Masquerade (noun/verb)

a) noun – a false show or pretense. b) verb – pretend to be someone one is not.

Example: The whole grand reception was a masquerade.

10. Salient (adjective)

11. embroil (verb).

involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation.

Example: She was embroiled in the scheme and there was no way out.

12. Languish (verb)

13. aspersion (noun).

an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something.

Example: They hurled aspersions as she came along.

14. Sedulous (adjective)

15. pertinacious (adjective).

holding firmly to an opinion or a course of action.

16. Encumber (verb)

restrict or impede (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult.

17. Effusion (noun)

a) an instance of giving off something such as a liquid or gas. b) an act of talking or writing in an unrestrained or heartfelt way.

18. Waffle (verb)

speak or write at length vaguely or trivially.

Example: Stop waffling about it or I’ll pull your tongue out!

19. Intrepid (adjective)

20. mores (noun).

the essential or characteristic customs and conventions of a society or community.

21. Disheveled (adjective)

untidy, disarranged

22. Sumptuous (adjective)

splendid and expensive-looking

Example: They were regaled with sumptuous gifts and splendid food.

23. Reciprocate (verb)

respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one.

Example: The Moroccan trader gave him some tea, so he felt he had to reciprocate by buying something.

24. Infallible (adjective)

25. dissident (noun/adjective).

a) a person who opposes the official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state. b) in opposition to official policy.

Example: The government forces clashed with dissidents on Friday.

26. Dispatch (verb/noun)

a) send off to a destination or for a purpose. b) the sending of someone or something to a destination or for a purpose.

27. Intransigence (noun)

refusal to change one’s views or to agree about something.

28. Pastoral (adjective/noun)

a) (of land) used for the keeping or grazing of sheep or cattle. b) a work of literature portraying an idealized version of country life.

Example: The light pastoral depicted children strolling through meadows among the cattle.

29. Concede (verb)

30. manifold (adjective).

many and various

31. Punitive (adjective)

inflicting or intended as punishment.

32. Nonplus (noun/verb)

a) surprise and confuse (someone) so much that they are unsure how to react. b) a state of being very surprised and confused.

Example: They were nonplused by the stupidity of his remark.

33. Salacious (adjective)

a) having or conveying an undue or indecent interest in sexual matters.

Example: The salacious dog had to be restrained.

34. Behoove (verb)

35. vulpine (adjective).

a) relating to a fox or foxes. b) crafty; cunning.

Example: Her vulpine ways made him confused and thirsty for answers.

36. Premise (noun)

a) a previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.

37. Demise (noun)

a) a person’s death.

Example: The sudden fall led to his demise.

38. Megalomania (noun)

Example: Megalomania was the worst, among his many negative qualities.

39. Asinine (adjective)

Example: Bringing a knife to a gunfight? You’re asinine.

40. Surfeit (noun/verb)

Example: They were surfeited with the chocolate pancakes.

41. Reputable (adjective)

Example: I’ll give you a recommendation for a reputable psychologist.

42. Oblique (adjective)

Example: His oblique explanations didn’t bring any light to the matter.

43. Jeopardize (verb)

Example: By divulging secret information, he jeopardized the whole operation.

44. Impudence (noun)

Example: Her impudence was the main reason she wasn’t promoted.

45. Desolate (adjective/verb)

46. ballast (noun/verb).

a) heavy material, such as gravel, sand, or iron, placed in the bilge of a ship to ensure its stability. b) give stability to (a ship) by putting a heavy substance in its bilge.

47. Disperse (verb/adjective)

a) distribute or spread over a wide area. b) denoting a phase dispersed in another phase, as in a colloid.

48. Faze (verb)

Example: He wasn’t fazed by their threats.

49. Compunction (noun)

50. complacency (noun), 51. caliber (noun).

a) the quality of someone’s character or the level of their ability. b) the internal diameter or bore of a gun barrel.

52. Entreat (verb)

53. dissection (noun).

Example: He dissected the paragraph with such precision that even the distinguished professors were amazed.

54. Antiquated (adjective)

55. anguish (noun/verb), 56. effeminate (adjective).

(of a man) having characteristics regarded as typical of a woman; unmanly.

57. Enmity (noun)

58. epoch (noun).

Example: It was in the epoch of Socrates and Plato that ideas of the afterlife first took hold over the European psyche.

59. Intrinsic (adjective)

60. quotidian (adjective), 61. hazardous (adjective).

risky; dangerous.

62. Peregrination (noun)

63. attenuate (verb).

Example: Medical cannabis attenuated the pain of the cancer patient.

64. Unravel (verb)

65. behemoth (noun), 66. impeccable (adjective).

by the highest standards; faultless.

67. Jaded (adjective)

68. figurative (adjective).

Example: He was a master of pithy, figurative expressions.

69. Relic (noun)

70. wreak (verb), 71. utopia (noun).

an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

72. Vegetate (verb)

73. infringe (verb).

Example: He infringed on their agreement by opting out just after twenty days into the contract.

74. Subtlety (noun)

75. epitaph (noun), 76. grisly (adjective).

causing horror or disgust.

77. Libido (noun)

78. epitome (noun).

Example: The president was an epitome of imbecility.

79. Topple (verb)

80. morose (adjective), 81. impalpable (adjective).

a) unable to be felt by touch. b) not easily comprehended.

82. Gratuitous (adjective)

83. opaque (adjective).

Example: He couldn’t see anything through the opaque glass of the jail cell.

84. Postmortem (noun)

85. eclectic (adjective/noun), 86. delve (verb).

reach inside a receptacle and search for something.

87. Studious (adjective)

88. impel (verb).

Example: He impelled the soldiers to face the enemy.

89. Mannered (adjective)

90. peevish (adjective), 91. stickler (noun).

a person who insists on a certain quality or type of behavior

92. Adulterate (verb)

93. deplete (verb).

Example: All our resources are being depleted.

94. Nadir (noun)

95. prelude (noun), 96. curtail (verb).

reduce in extent or quantity; restrict on.

97. Tacit (adjective)

98. abstruse (adjective).

Example: His philosophy was abstruse.

99. Placate (verb)

100. fathomless (adjective), 101. iconoclastic (adjective).

criticizing or attacking cherished beliefs or institutions.

102. Antithesis (noun)

103. magniloquent (adjective).

Example: His magniloquent speech didn’t impress anyone.

104. Deference (noun)

105. unwitting (adjective), 106. mutinous (adjective).

Example: The mutinous sailors threw the captain over the board.

107. Craven (adjective/noun)

108. luminary (noun), 109. homage (noun).

special honor or respect that is shown publicly.

110. Cupidity (noun)

111. syllogism (noun), 112. facetious (adjective).

treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.

113. Martinet (noun)

114. irksome (adjective), 115. defalcate (verb).

embezzle (funds with which one has been entrusted).

This is a part of the language and vocabulary series, which includes:

Parting words, rafal reyzer.

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

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20 Easy to Grab Toys to Target Core Words in Speech Therapy

February 23, 2023

Let’s chat core words, ya’ll!  *This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

When working with preverbal students who are just learning to communicate, it’s not always easy to know where to begin.  If you wade through the research, you’ll probably learn that the core vocabulary approach is one of the most effective ways to help early communicators get their messages across!

Check out the end of this post for some helpful research articles to dig deeper into using core vocabulary.

During therapy, one of my favorite ways to implement and practice core words is through play ! Check out this list of 20 familiar toys to target core vocabulary words . These ideas are perfect for you if you push into your preschool classrooms during center time.

1. Sensory bins

My favorite fun activity to target core words is through a sensory bin !  You can address SO many different core words by using the bins in different ways.  Check out this blog post to learn more.

If you want tons of done-for-you activities to use with the bins, check out my Core Word Sensory Bin Sets!

2. Mr. Potato Head

This classic toy is perfect for targeting core words like: “put,” “in,” “out,” “off,” “more,” and “mine.”

3. Play food

Kitchen and play food sets are preschool staples. Look for ways to focus on the words: “eat,” “more,” “like,” “all gone,” “finished,” “good,” and “want.”

4. Pop-up toys

Those pop-up toys that always make me jump can actually be really fun for your littles.  I’m talking about toys like Pop Up Pirate , Pop the Pig, and Jack in the Box.  I love these for targeting “open,” “close,” “in,” “out,” “push,” and “pull.”

5. Dolls and action figures

Dolls or figurines are great for pretend play.  Core words that are easy to target with these include “play,” “go,” “help,” “do,” “you,” and “me.”  The possibilities really are endless with these.

6. Cars and trucks

If you are focusing on the words “stop” and “go,” you definitely want to use cars and trucks.  They’re also great for the words “again,” “up,” “down,” “here,” and “there.”

I love using balls to work on “my turn,” and “your turn” as well as “away,” “play,” “here,” and “there.”

This year a couple of my students are obsessed with puzzles. They’re great for targeting the words “help,” “put,” “in,” “more,” and “finished.”

9. Shape-sorters

Shape-sorters , piggy bank toys , or any type of toy that you place objects inside of it are good for the words “put” and “in.”  You can also use them with the words “not” (not there or not that one), “more,” “that,” “all,” and “out.” 

10. Blocks

All kids love building big towers with blocks.  I love using them to target the words “big,” “little,” “up,” “down,” “make,” and “more.”

11. Musical toys or instruments

If you and your students don’t mind a little noise, musical toys are so great for practicing the words “play,” “stop,” “more,” “on,” and “loud.” 

12. Playdough

Are you team love playdough or team hate playdough?  I feel like most SLPs are either one or the other.  I personally love it for focusing on the words “push,” “pull,” “make,” “roll,” “help,” and “feel.”

13. Farm and zoo animal toys

Several of my students are obsessed with animals.  They can list and label all the animals, which is great but not super functional.  I use these motivating toys to practice core words like: “eat,” “drink,” “stop,” “go,” “walk,” “big,” and “little.”  

You can also practice imitating different animal noises if your student has some verbal abilities.

14. Magnatiles

Magnatiles are a fun building toy that’s a little different from regular blocks.  They are magnetic, so the sides can stick together to make 3D objects.  My students love them.  And I love them to target the words, “make,” “together,” “big,” “down,” “finished,” and “help.”

15. Trains

You can get those cute little magnetic trains on a track that all preschoolers love to build.  I use these to practice the words “make,” “stop,” “go,” “fast,” “slow,” and “together.”  You can also do fun noises like “choo choo” or whistles.

16. Critter Clinic

Critter clinic , garage toys , or toys with doors and keys are really motivating for my kids.  They love finding out what’s inside the doors but often have a hard time getting the doors open without help .

I love this toy to knock on the door and practice “who’s there” or just “who.”  We also work on “help,” “turn,” “open,” “close,” “in,” “out,” and “look.”

17. Riding toys

Some kids just need to always be moving.  Small riding toys like tricycles or scooter or even giant yoga balls are fun for this.  Kids can practice using the words “again,” “help,” “go,” “more,” “turn,” “stop,” “on,” and “off.”  They seriously lend themselves to tons of words.

18. Wind up toys

Most young kids love wind-up toys but have a hard time working them on their own.  This is great for the words “help,” “more,” “go,” “stop,”  and “it.” 

19. Latch toys

Similarly to the Critter Clinic, latch toys like the one below can be fun for kids but tricky for them to open by themselves .  It’s a good one to practice “open,” “help,” “move,” “turn,” “it,” and “look.”  You can also use common kid phrases like “uh oh” or “it’s stuck.”  

20. Art supplies

Sometimes you just want to practice some basic words over and over again.  Crafts are nice for doing that.  You can glue cotton balls “on” a million times.  You can also cut things “off,” color “more,” or “need” more stickers.  We take the tops “off” markers and “put” them back “on.”  The possibilities are endless.

Do you want to know a secret?  You can really make nearly any toy work for almost any core word with a little creativity.  However, there are some toys that lend themselves better to certain words than to others.  That’s where this list comes in. 🙂

To dig a little deeper into the topic of using core words in your therapy sessions, here are a few helpful ASHAwire research articles on the subject:

• Enhancing Vocabulary Selection for Preschoolers Who Require Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) (Fallon, et al. 2001)
• A Few Good Words Using Core Vocabulary to Support Nonverbal Students (Cannon and Edmond 2009)
• Vocabulary Selection in AAC: Application of Core Vocabulary in Atypical Populations (Van Tilborg and Deckers 2016)

If you’re wondering which words to target with your specific student , check out this post by Praactical AAC for two great checklists on how to identify words that can be personalized for them.

Hope that helps!  Check out both of the Core Word Sensory Bin Sets for even more help getting started with core words in your speech therapy sessions.

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Word of the Day

Remuneration, what it means.

Remuneration is a formal word that refers to an amount of money paid to someone for a service, loss, or expense, or to the act of paying such an amount. It is synonymous with recompense and pay .

// The actor was offered a modest speaking fee by the host as remuneration for giving her speech at the awards ceremony.

See the entry >

remuneration in Context

"Workers are paid per task, with remuneration ranging from a cent to a few dollars—although the upper end is considered something of a rare gem, workers say." — Niamh Rowe, Wired , 15 Nov. 2023

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Did You Know?

Our evidence shows remuneration to be most at home in writing that concerns financial matters, especially when large amounts of money or forms of compensation are involved. Whether it's because money is often expressed in numerals, or simply because the n and m are adjacent to each other on our keyboards, reMUNeration often appears misspelled as reNUMeration . It pays to know, however, that in fact, renumeration is a distinct term, a rare word meaning "the act of enumerating again" ( enumerate means "to list" or "to count").

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Fill in the blanks to complete a word of unknown origin that is slang for "money": m _ _ _ a.

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David Tennant Called ‘Rich, Lefty, White Male Celebrity’ by U.K. Minister for Equality After War of Words Over LGBT+ Rights

By K.J. Yossman

K.J. Yossman

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David Tennant has been embroiled in a war of words with U.K. Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch just days after he was honored at the British LGBT Awards.

Tennant, who picked up the Celebrity Ally award at the ceremony, gave an acceptance speech in which he said how important Pride was to his family, saying “we have skin in the game.” During his speech he also mentioned the U.K. Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch, who has said she would exclude trans women from single sex spaces.

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WORD OF THE DAY

Use the adverb obtrusively to mean "in a noticeable way." You could describe your brother's enormous television as stretching obtrusively across his entire living room wall, for example.

Something is done obtrusively when in gets in the way or is glaringly obvious. Cell phone towers often loom obtrusively above fields and forests, and annoying people tend to talk obtrusively throughout movies. Obtrusively comes from the adjective obtrusive , which in turn is rooted in the Latin word obtrudere , "to thrust upon or to press into," from ob , "toward," and trudere , "to thrust."

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Vocabulary lists containing obtrusively

This classic Russian novel, translated by Constance Garnett, details the ill-fated relationship between Countess Anna Karenina and Count Alexei Vronsky.

When 13-year-old Briony Tallis accuses a family friend of a terrible crime, she sets off a chain of events that will irrevocably alter the lives of everyone involved.

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