When someone has a good vocabulary, you might be interested to know what words you could use to describe them. Interestingly, they’re probably the best people to ask to explain the word you’re looking for. This article will help you understand the best words for such a case too.
What Do You Call Someone Who Is Good With Words?
There are plenty of options to describe someone who is good with words and vocabulary. The ones we want to share with you include:
- Wordsmith
- Eloquent
- Articulate
- Expressive
- Communicative
- Logophile
- Well-spoken
- Fluent
The preferred version is “wordsmith” because it can apply to most situations. We can call some a wordsmith when we’re impressed with their overall usage of the English language and how well they can use words for a variety of reasons.
Wordsmith
Let’s start with the preferred option and see why it’s so suitable for us!
A wordsmith is somebody who has a way with words. They can usually paint very clear images by just describing things, making them perfect speakers and writers in all situations.
The definition of “wordsmith,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a person who has skill with using words, especially in writing.”
If somebody calls you a wordsmith, you can be sure that it’s meant as a compliment. It means you know things about words and the language you’re speaking in that other people can’t seem to comprehend.
We might be able to use it as follows:
- He’s a wordsmith on paper. He has come up with such impressive ways to describe the most mundane of things.
- She’s a wordsmith, which is why so many people listen to every word she says!
- I’m a bit of a wordsmith myself, and I’ll be happy to help you improve your own vocabulary.
Eloquent
Next, let’s see how we might be able to use “eloquent.”
Someone who is eloquent is able to speak in a clear and concise manner. It usually means they can easily share opinions and ideas, and most of this comes from being good with words. The better someone is with words; the easier people understand their opinions.
The definition of “eloquent,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “using language to express ideas or opinions clearly and well, so that they have a strong effect on others.”
We can see eloquent people in the following ways:
- I like to think of myself as eloquent. After all, no one else can speak quite as I can.
- They were both incredibly eloquent, considering they were still so young.
- You’re quite the eloquent speaker, aren’t you?
Articulate
You might also be interested to learn how “articulate” can work when talking about someone who is good with words.
We can use “articulate” to describe anybody capable of explaining thoughts and feeling with nothing more than words. It’s helpful for their friends and family because they merely need to speak to get people to understand what they’re going through.
The definition of “articulate,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “able to express thoughts and feelings easily and clearly, or showing this quality.”
Some people will struggle to be articulate because certain things require more than words to convey. However, articulate people will always know the right words and combinations of words to convey to get their message across.
An articulate might work in the following ways:
- He’s articulate, which can make it troublesome to talk to him. It’s especially difficult when he’s in his special mood.
- You’re articulate with your words, which is why I think so many people trust the things you say.
- You articulate when you speak, which is why it’s so easy to understand your message.
Expressive
While “expressive” isn’t directly related to being good with words, we can still use it in the correct context.
An expressive person can use their voice to express their feelings. That means they know exactly what to say to trigger a response of empathy in someone, and they know how to explain their feelings.
The definition of “expressive,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “showing your feelings in your voice, behavior, or appearance.”
Expressive people are easy to talk to. If they feel down or low, then they will usually convey this to you to let you know why they might not be feeling like themselves.
It’s easy to see expressive people in the following:
- I’ve never known someone as expressive with their vocabulary as you.
- You can paint such a vivid picture because of your expressive language skills.
- I am expressive when I speak, and I make sure to use all the meaningful words I have at my disposal.
Communicative
Again, “communicative” isn’t quite in line with the meaning of being good with words. However, when used in the right context, it works well to describe someone with this quality.
A communicative person is able to speak and use words unlike anyone else. It comes from “communicate,” which means that people will converse with each other to get their points across.
The definition of “communicative,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “willing to talk to people and give them information.”
Communicative can work as follows:
- He wasn’t feeling particularly communicative, which was strange because he’s usually full of words.
- My teacher is really communicative in lessons because he has a way of saying the right things at the right time.
- He isn’t as communicative with these things as he seems to think he is.
Logophile
A “logophile” isn’t a common word to come across. However, it’s still a great word to use, especially in any situation where you want to show that someone is good with words.
Logophiles love words. It takes the Greek “-phile” suffix, meaning “lover of,” and adds it to the end of “logo,” meaning “words” in Greek. A lover of words is often easy to talk to, and they’ll be happy to share their vocabulary knowledge with anyone who asks.
The definition of “logophile,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “a person who loves words and language.”
A logophile can be described with any other word on this list. They can easily be expressive or articulate because of how much they love words and how much they know about words and their meanings.
Here’s how you might benefit from using it:
- I like to think of myself as a logophile. After all, I know four languages and love all the words I learn!
- He’s a logophile, which is why he thrives when he’s doing any kind of language learning.
- You’re a logophile because you care about the words on the page, where most people will overlook them!
Well-spoken
Now, let’s look at “well-spoken.” Generally, being well-spoken is more to do with how you speak and pronounce things rather than how you use words, but it still works in certain contexts.
A well-spoken person is often well-educated and has a strong understanding of words. They know how to use words correctly to describe and explain their thoughts and feelings efficiently.
The definition of “well-spoken,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “having a pleasant and polite way of speaking that is considered socially acceptable.”
If one is well-spoken, you could write about them as follows:
- She’s well-spoken, considering she comes from one of the most run-down parts of the city.
- I’m well-spoken for my age, and I’m happy to share my vocabularic choices with you.
- You’re not well-spoken enough to be taken seriously here.
Fluent
Finally, we’ll look at “fluent” as an option. It’s not the best option here as it applies to so many different areas, but it’s still a great choice when you’re simply talking about how well someone can speak.
Fluent people are great with languages. They can use words and speak easily without even thinking about it. Most native speakers are fluent in their own language, and some have fluency in others as well. It usually translates to them being good with words for this reason.
The definition of “fluent,” according to The Cambridge Dictionary, is “able to speak a language easily and well, or (of a language) spoken easily and without many pauses.”
Here’s how “fluent” could work:
- I am absolutely fluent with good words. You can ask me the meaning of anything, and I’ll tell you!
- I’m fluent where it counts, which is more than I can say for you.
- She’s fluent in about ten languages, which is why her vocabulary skills are so on-point.
What Do You Call Someone Who Has A Bad Vocabulary?
Just so you have some idea of what kind of antonyms you might be able to use, we thought we’d include this section. While someone can be good with words, it can be just as easy to find someone who is bad with them.
These antonyms are your best bet to show the opposite of someone with good vocabulary:
- Bumbling
- Inept
- Muddled
- Confused
- Stuttering
There aren’t any words that directly show bad vocabulary. However, we can use all of the above in the context of someone being poor with words or writing.
You may also like: 10 Best Words for a Person Exceptional at Writing
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
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For speech, the word could be articulate, eloquent, or glib.
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Full list of words from this list:
-
mendicant
a pauper who lives by begging
In others are the broken-down
mendicants who live on soup-kitchens and begging. -
meretricious
tastelessly showy
Mediocre actors are often undone by great material, but good ones can burnish even
meretricious nonsense with craft and conviction. -
vitiate
make imperfect
The new blood, however, instead of redeeming the tainted stock, itself became
vitiated. -
vapid
lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest
Tired of constantly hearing this same
vapid truism, I asked him, ‘What then? -
ruddy
inclined to a healthy reddish color
The prime minister, his face
ruddy with disdain, responded by calling Balls a “muttering idiot.” -
bourgeois
being of the property-owning class
Ashamed of being only a
bourgeois, he was squandering his fortune at Paris under an assumed title. -
augur
predict from an omen
Republicans believe the special election
augurs well for them in November. -
prosaic
lacking wit or imagination
But inside Greece, local leaders are struggling with more
prosaic concerns, like trash pickups. -
profligate
unrestrained by convention or morality
German voters are even more skeptical than their leaders about financing their “slothful” and “
profligate” neighbors. -
hoary
having gray or white hair as with age
By thy glad youth, and tranquil prime Assured, I smile at
hoary time! -
blase
nonchalantly unconcerned
Westwood is
blase about going to next week’s major as world number one or being favorite to win at Royal St George’s. -
insular
narrowly restricted in outlook or scope
And yet, Japanese firms have remained largely
insular, resisted change, and doubled down on existing strategies. -
baleful
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
There were no
baleful stares at his box, only fist pumps after winning a well-played point. -
ostensible
appearing as such but not necessarily so
Google insists its data gathering practice is done for the
ostensible purpose of better serving its users. -
odium
hate coupled with disgust
It is now forgotten that with one exception—Johnson—no President ever went out of office so loaded with
odium as Washington. -
obsequious
attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
An
obsequious servant brings me a rump steak, grilled to perfection, and so tender that it melts in the mouth. -
ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
With services such as Amazon’s One-Click, money and transactions are more
ephemeral than ever. -
grandiloquent
lofty in style
Nothing is so distressing in an argument as to have a burst of
grandiloquent sentiment set aside by a few words of common sense. -
chasten
correct by punishment or discipline
The United States is an imperial power
chastened by more than 10 years of failed, heavy-footprint wars. -
cathartic
emotionally purging
A few seriously evolved jazz musicians swoop in for
cathartic solos, including Mr. Sánchez and Mr. Zenón. -
panegyric
formally expressing praise
He began with
panegyric verse, first on Cromwell and then on Charles, which is full of fine things and false writing. -
viscid
having the sticky properties of an adhesive
Making thin, as fluids; diluting; rendering less dense and
viscid; diluent. -
comestible
suitable for use as food
And her basket contained a miscellaneous assortment of esoteric
comestibles which would later appear in an astonishingly appetizing form at the table. -
natty
marked by up-to-dateness in dress and manners
Alexander Garvin,
natty in bowtie and jacket, watched commuters hustle through the gray, sunken concrete plaza at Citicorp Center on Lexington Avenue. -
facetious
cleverly amusing in tone
«We have a very
facetious Liverpool sense of humour, laughing at things which are stupid,» says Wells. -
minatory
threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
There was a silence which, it seemed to her, could be more
minatory even than accusation. -
pique
call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response
Mr. Tillotson was a little
piqued at being found so absurdly in the wrong. -
parry
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing
-
wizened
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
He’s now a
wizened 74-year-old, retired after serving 40 years as chief of his village. -
pasquinade
a composition that humorously imitates somebody’s style
I made no doubt privately that the creature would be on hand in plenty of time to write some
pasquinades about my master.Seawell, Molly Elliot -
ubiquitous
being present everywhere at once
Back then, there were no
ubiquitous advertising campaigns promoting sports brands and fast food restaurants. -
fetter
a shackle for the ankles or feet
By nature his ideas were transformed and released from the
fetters of inherited prejudice. -
anodyne
capable of relieving pain
A lull following the tempest seemed an
anodyne for broken rest. -
frugality
prudence in avoiding waste
Frugality makes an easy chair for old age.
-
wanton
unprovoked or without motive or justification
At heart as
wanton as he was weak…. -
nettle
disturb, especially by minor irritations
-
flout
treat with contemptuous disregard
Fire safety codes are routinely
flouted in India both in private and government buildings. -
cornice
a molding between the ceiling and the top of a wall
-
epicurean
displaying luxury and furnishing gratification to the senses
All the same, the new focus on food safety has not necessarily translated into
epicurean experiences at breakfast, lunch and dinner. -
picayune
small and of little importance
This mystified me, but to object to the tent, of course, would have been
picayune.
Created on July 25, 2012
(updated July 27, 2012)
by Kate Woodford
We all need words and phrases for saying that things are good or great – that we find them nice or very nice. This post aims to give you more ways to say that you like, or really like, something.
Starting with a very frequent adjective; lovely is used a lot in UK English for generally good things and experiences: That’s a lovely dress you’re wearing!/It was so lovely to see you again!
Moving on to words that express stronger approval; two very common adjectives meaning ‘very surprising’ are also used slightly informally to mean ‘extremely good’. Incredible and amazing are both used to praise things, sometimes describing a thing that is so good, you cannot quite believe it: It was an amazing performance – I’ve never seen anything like it./He was an incredible artist – almost certainly a genius. Other strong adjectives that are commonly used to mean ‘extremely good’ are wonderful, (UK) marvellous/(US) marvelous and fabulous: He’s a wonderful cook./It’s a marvellous story./The food was fabulous. The word excellent is also used a lot, often describing something that is of extremely good quality: The service was excellent./I thought the acting was excellent. Similarly, superb is used to describe something of the highest quality: a superb album/It was a superb goal.
Of course, there are more informal adjectives too that are used to ‘great’. ‘Fantastic’ is one and ‘brilliant’ (in UK English) is another: The view was just fantastic./We were lucky – the weather was brilliant. Two informal, approving adjectives that are used especially by younger people are cool and awesome: “It’s a really cool place to hang out.” “She has an awesome voice.”
Other adjectives describe things which are very unusual because they are so good, for example exceptional: The care I received from the hospital staff was exceptional – it couldn’t have been better. Outstanding also refers to something that is very much better than others of the same type: All in all, it was an outstanding performance by Messi. The adjectives remarkable and extraordinary, meanwhile, describe things that are extremely good, having a quality that is unique, or at least, very special: her extraordinary beauty/Even as a young girl, she had a remarkable singing voice.
Of course, we also use idioms to say that things are very good. Something that is out of this world is extremely good:The food there is out of this world. If you say that something takes some beating, you mean it is so good that it is hard to improve on: That hotel would take some beating. Finally, someone or something that leaves someone or something standing is very much better than others of the same type: His voice is excellent – it leaves the others standing.
Have a fantastic week!