Word smart words list

Full list of words from this list:

1. abash

   cause to be embarrassed

2. abdicate

   give up power, duties, or obligations

3. aberration

   a state or condition markedly different from the norm

4. abhor

   feel hatred or disgust toward

5. abortive

   failing to accomplish an intended result

6. absolve

   grant remission of a sin to

7. abysmal

   exceptionally bad or displeasing

8. accost

   approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently

9. acumen

   shrewdness shown by keen insight

10. adamant

    very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem

11. adherent

    someone who believes and helps to spread a doctrine

12. adulterate

    make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance

13. affectation

    a deliberate pretense or exaggerated display

14. affinity

    a natural attraction or feeling of kinship

15. ambience

    the atmosphere of an environment

16. amenity

    something that provides value, pleasure, or convenience

17. amorous

    inclined toward or displaying love
18. antecedent

    a preceding occurrence or cause or event

19. antipathy

    a feeling of intense dislike

20. aphorism

    a short pithy instructive saying

21. apocalypse

    a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the powers of evil

22. apotheosis

    model of excellence or perfection of a kind
23. aptitude

    inherent ability

24. arbiter

    someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue

25. arcane

    requiring secret or mysterious knowledge

26. arduous

    characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion

27. artifice

    the use of deception or trickery
28. attrition

    the act of rubbing together
29. avow

    declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true

30. avuncular

    being or relating to an uncle

31. awry

    turned or twisted to one side

32. axiom

    a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof
33. bastion

    projecting part of a rampart or other fortification

34. beget

    have children

35. belabor

    beat soundly

36. beleaguer

    annoy persistently

37. bemuse

    cause to be confused emotionally

38. benefactor

    a person who helps people or institutions

39. bequest

    a gift of personal property by will

40. beset

    assail or attack on all sides

41. blithe

    carefree and happy and lighthearted

42. bovine

    any of various wild or domestic cattle

43. broach

    bring up a topic for discussion

44. bucolic

    devoted to raising sheep or cattle

45. burgeon

    grow and flourish

46. burlesque

    a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor

47. cadence

    the accent in a metrical foot of verse

48. callow

    young and inexperienced

49. catalyst

    substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction

50. categorical

    relating to or included in a class or classes

51. catharsis

    purging the body to stimulate evacuation of the bowels

52. catholic

    comprehensive or broad-minded in tastes and interests

53. cerebral

    of or relating to the brain

54. chagrin

    strong feelings of embarrassment

55. chasm

    a deep opening in the earth’s surface

56. chicanery

    the use of tricks to deceive someone

57. chimera

    a grotesque product of the imagination

58. choleric

    characterized by anger

59. circuitous

    deviating from a straight course

60. clemency

    leniency and compassion shown toward offenders

61. cogent

    powerfully persuasive

62. commensurate

    corresponding in size or degree or extent

63. compendium

    a publication containing a variety of works

64. complicity

    guilt as a confederate in a crime or offense

65. condescend

    behave in a patronizing manner

66. conducive

    tending to bring about; being partly responsible for

67. congenital

    present at birth but not necessarily hereditary

68. conjecture

    believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds

69. connoisseur

    an expert able to appreciate a field

70. construe

    make sense of; assign a meaning to

71. contentious

    showing an inclination to disagree

72. contiguous

    having a common boundary or edge

73. contingent

    determined by conditions or circumstances that follow

74. contrite

    feeling or expressing pain or sorrow

75. corollary

    an inference following from the proof of another proposition

76. cosmopolitan

    composed of people from many parts of the world

77. covenant

    an agreement between a god and the people

78. covet

    wish, long, or crave for

79. criterion

    the ideal in terms of which something can be judged

80. culpable

    deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious

81. cursory

    hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough

82. daunt

    cause to lose courage

83. dearth

    an insufficient quantity or number

84. decadent

    relating to indulgence in something pleasurable

85. decimate

    kill in large numbers

86. decorous

    characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste

87. deduce

    reason from the general to the particular

88. deluge

    a heavy rain

89. denizen

    a plant or animal naturalized in a region

90. desiccate

    lacking vitality or spirit; lifeless

91. destitute

    poor enough to need help from others

92. desultory

    marked by lack of definite plan, purpose, or enthusiasm

93. dexterous

    skillful in physical movements; especially of the hands

94. dialectical

    relating to reasoning by the exchange of logical arguments

95. dictum

    an authoritative declaration

96. diffident

    showing modest reserve

97. dilettante

    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
98. discreet

    marked by prudence or modesty and wise self-restraint

99. discrete

    constituting a separate entity or part

100. distend

     cause to expand as if by internal pressure

101. docile

     easily handled or managed

102. doctrinaire

     a stubborn person of arbitrary or arrogant opinions
103. eccentric

     conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual

104. edify

     make understand

105. efface

     remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing

106. effusion

     an unrestrained expression of emotion

107. egalitarian

     favoring social equality

108. egregious

     conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
109. elicit

     call forth, as an emotion, feeling, or response

110. eminent

     standing above others in quality or position

111. empirical

     derived from experiment and observation rather than theory

112. endemic

     native to or confined to a certain region

113. enormity

     the quality of extreme wickedness

114. epigram

     a witty saying

115. epitome

     a standard or typical example

116. equitable

     fair to all parties as dictated by reason and conscience
117. equivocal

     open to two or more interpretations

118. exasperate

     make furious

119. exhaustive

     performed comprehensively and completely

120. exhort

     spur on or encourage especially by cheers and shouts

121. exigency

     a pressing or urgent situation

122. existential

     relating to or dealing with the state of being
123. expatriate

     a person who is voluntarily absent from home or country

124. extrapolate

     draw from specific cases for more general cases

125. exult

     feel extreme happiness or elation

126. fabrication

     the act of making a product from raw materials

127. facetious

     cleverly amusing in tone

128. farcical

     broadly or extravagantly humorous

129. fatuous

     devoid of intelligence

130. fecund

     capable of producing offspring or vegetation

131. felicity

     pleasing and appropriate manner or style

132. fetter

     a shackle for the ankles or feet

133. flout

     treat with contemptuous disregard

134. foible

     a minor weakness or peculiarity in someone’s character

135. foment

     try to stir up

136. forbear

     refrain from doing

137. forego

     do without or cease to hold or adhere to

138. founder

     fail utterly; collapse

139. frenetic

     fast and energetic in an uncontrolled or wild way

140. gauche

     lacking social polish

141. gesticulate

     show, express, or direct through movement

142. glut

     supply with an excess of

143. hapless

     unfortunate and deserving pity

144. harbinger

     something indicating the approach of something or someone

145. hegemony

     the dominance or leadership of one social group over others

146. hermetic

     completely sealed or airtight

147. histrionic

     overly dramatic or emotional

148. idyllic

     charmingly simple and serene

149. imminent

     close in time; about to occur

150. impartial

     free from undue bias or preconceived opinions

151. impervious

     not admitting of passage or capable of being affected

152. inane

     devoid of intelligence

153. incandescent

     emitting light as a result of being heated

154. incantation

     a ritual reciting of words believed to have a magical effect

155. ineffable

     defying expression or description

156. infatuated

     marked by foolish or unreasoning fondness

157. innate

     present at birth but not necessarily hereditary

158. insidious

     working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way

159. intrinsic

     belonging to a thing by its very nature

160. invective

     abusive language used to express blame or censure

161. inveterate

     habitual

162. irascible

     quickly aroused to anger

163. juxtapose

     place side by side

164. lampoon

     ridicule with satire

165. latent

     potentially existing but not presently evident or realized

166. libel

     a false and malicious publication

167. litigate

     engage in legal proceedings

168. lugubrious

     excessively mournful

169. machination

     a crafty and involved plot to achieve your ends

170. malaise

     a feeling of mild sickness or depression

171. malfeasance

     wrongful conduct by a public official

172. malinger

     avoid responsibilities and duties, often by faking illness

173. marshal

     a military officer of highest rank

174. matriculate

     enroll as a student

175. maudlin

     very sentimental or emotional

176. maverick

     someone who exhibits independence in thought and action

177. maxim

     a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits

178. mendacious

     given to lying

179. mendicant

     a pauper who lives by begging

180. microcosm

     a miniature model of something

181. milieu

     the environmental condition

182. misanthropic

     hating mankind in general

183. monolithic

     imposing in size or bulk or solidity

184. moribund

     being on the point of death

185. nebulous

     lacking definite form or limits

186. neologism

     a newly invented word or phrase

187. nepotism

     favoritism shown to relatives or friends by those in power

188. nihilism

     complete denial of established authority and institutions

189. noxious

     injurious to physical or mental health

190. obfuscate

     make obscure or unclear

191. oblique

     slanting or inclined in direction or course or position

192. ostensible

     appearing as such but not necessarily so

193. pacify

     ease the anger, agitation, or strong emotion of

194. panacea

     hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases

195. paradigm

     a standard or typical example

196. parsimonious

     excessively unwilling to spend

197. peccadillo

     a petty misdeed

198. pejorative

     expressing disapproval

199. penitent

     feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds

200. peremptory

     putting an end to all debate or action

201. perfidy

     an act of deliberate betrayal

202. perquisite

     an incidental benefit for certain types of employment

203. peruse

     examine or consider with attention and in detail

204. philistine

     a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits

205. plaintive

     expressing sorrow

206. portent

     a sign of something about to happen

207. postulate

     maintain or assert

208. pragmatic

     concerned with practical matters

209. precept

     a rule of personal conduct

210. preeminent

     greatest in importance, degree, or significance

211. premise

     a statement that is held to be true

212. prepossess

     cause to be preoccupied

213. prerogative

     a right reserved exclusively by a person or group

214. proletariat

     a social class comprising those who do manual labor

215. promulgate

     state or announce

216. proprietary

     protected by trademark or patent or copyright

217. proselytize

     convert or try to convert someone to another religion

218. purportedly

     allegedly but not definitely true

219. putative

     purported

220. quixotic

     not sensible about practical matters

221. rapacious

     living by preying on other animals

222. reciprocal

     concerning each of two or more persons or things

223. recondite

     difficult to understand

224. recrimination

     mutual accusations

225. redolent

     having a strong pleasant odor

226. relinquish

     turn away from; give up

227. remonstrate

     argue in protest or opposition

228. reparation

     something done or paid in expiation of a wrong

229. ruminate

     reflect deeply on a subject

230. rustic

     characteristic of rural life

231. saccharine

     overly sweet

232. sacrilege

     blasphemous behavior

233. salient

     conspicuous, prominent, or important

234. salutary

     tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health

235. sanctimonious

     excessively or hypocritically pious

236. sanguine

     confidently optimistic and cheerful

237. scintillate

     emit or reflect light in a flickering manner

238. sentient

     endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness

239. serendipity

     good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries

240. slander

     words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another

241. solicitous

     full of anxiety and concern

242. solvent

     capable of meeting financial obligations

243. sordid

     foul and run-down and repulsive

244. specious

     plausible but false

245. spurious

     plausible but false

246. squalor

     sordid dirtiness

247. squander

     spend thoughtlessly; throw away

248. stigmatize

     condemn or openly brand as disgraceful

249. stipulate

     make an express demand or provision in an agreement

250. stoic

     seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive

251. stratum

     one of several parallel layers of material

252. stricture

     a principle that restricts the extent of something

253. stringent

     demanding strict attention to rules and procedures

254. subjugate

     make subservient; force to submit or subdue

255. substantive

     having a firm basis in reality and therefore important

256. synthesis

     the combination of ideas into a complex whole

257. tacit

     implied by or inferred from actions or statements

258. tautological

     characterized by unnecessary repetition

259. temerity

     fearless daring

260. tenable

     based on sound reasoning or evidence

261. tenet

     a basic principle or belief that is accepted as true

262. tenuous

     lacking substance or significance

263. touchstone

     a basis for comparison

264. tout

     advertise in strongly positive terms

265. transgress

     act in disregard of laws, rules, contracts, or promises

266. turpitude

     a corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice

267. urbane

     showing a high degree of refinement

268. utilitarian

     having a useful function

269. vehement

     marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions

270. verisimilitude

     the appearance of truth; the quality of seeming to be true

271. vestige

     an indication that something has been present

272. vex

     disturb, especially by minor irritations

273. vicarious

     experienced at secondhand

274. vitiate

     make imperfect

275. vitriolic

     harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone

276. wanton

     a lewd or immoral person

277. wistful

     showing pensive sadness

Created on August 4, 2012

Posted by in Англо-Русские, Слова по темам |

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Список изучаемых слов:

affinity — близость, родство (эмоциональное), влечение, тяга
affliction — страдание, печаль, скорбь
affluent society — богатое общество, общество изобилия
alacrity — готовность (как ответная реакция на предложение)
alleviate — облегчать (боль, страдания); смягчать
ambiguous — двусмысленный
ambivalent — двойственный, противоречивый
amiable — дружелюбный, дружеский, дружественный; любезный
animosity — враждебность, вражда
annex — приложение, дополнение (к тексту, договору, книге)
apocryphal — апокрифический, неканонический
apprehensive — испытывающий тревогу, полный страха
aqueous — водный, водяной; водянистый
arduous — трудный, тяжёлый
aroma — аромат, приятный запах
atone — заглаживать, искупать (грех, вину)
attrition — трение
avarice — алчность; жадность, скупость
bellicose mood — воинственное настроение
belligerent — воюющая сторона (в войне)
beneficiary — владелец бенефиция, доходной должности (в католической и англиканской церквах)
brazen lie — бесстыдное враньё
brusque — отрывистый, резкий (о словах)
capricious — капризный, раздражительный
charisma — искра божья, божий дар, божественная сила; гениальность
chastise — бить, пороть, сечь (подвергать телесному наказанию)
cognitive dissonance — когнитивный диссонанс (столкновение в сознании индивида противоречивых знаний, убеждений, поведенческих установок в отношении какого-л. объекта или явления)
coherent story — логичный, последовательный рассказ
complicity — соучастие (в правонарушении)
comprehensive insurance — полное страхование
concoct — состряпать (что-н. необычное из разных продуктов)
condone — мириться с чем-л.; попустительствовать, потворствовать чему-л.
congenial — сходный, близкий по духу; родственный
congenital deafness — врождённая глухота
consensus — единодушие, согласие
contiguous — соприкасающийся; смежный; граничащий, прилегающий
convivial — праздничный; пиршественный
cryptic remark — непонятное, загадочное высказывание; загадочная реплика
culpable — виновный, преступный; заслуживающий порицания, осуждения
curtail — сокращать, укорачивать; урезывать, уменьшать
dangle — болтать (ногами)
dearth — недостаток продуктов; голод; голодание
deference — уважение, почтение
delineate — набрасывать, чертить, намечать
derogatory remark — пренебрежительное замечание
diligent — прилежный, старательный, исполнительный (о людях)
disparage — унижать достоинство, принижать
docile — восприимчивый, понятливый, способный
doleful — скорбный, печальный; меланхолический; страдальческий, унылый
dormant partner — пассивный партнёр / компаньон (представляющий фирму, но активно не участвующий в ведении дел)
drought — засуха; засушливость
dubious — вызывающий сомнения, опасения; сомнительный;
dumbfound — ошарашить, ошеломить, потрясти
duplicity — двуличность, лживость (in); двуличность, лживость (in)
efface oneself — стушеваться, держаться в тени
egocentric — эгоистичный, эгоцентрический
elucidate — объяснять, разъяснять, растолковывать; истолковывать, проливать свет
eminent — высокий, вздымающийся; возвышающийся (над чем-л.)
enchant — очаровывать, приводить в восторг; восхищать
enigma — головоломка, загадка; головоломка, загадка
esoteric — эзотерический, тайный, скрытый; известный или понятный лишь посвящённым
exacerbate — обострять, осложнять, углублять, усиливать (кризис, недовольство)
extol — восхвалять, превозносить, хвалить; восхвалять, превозносить, хвалить
felicity — счастье; блаженство
fidelity attachment — приверженность; верность
flagrant — ужасающий, ужасный, страшный, вопиющий (об обиде, преступлении и т. п.; тж. об обидчике, преступнике и т. п.)
flimsy — тонкая бумага (используемая для копирования)
frugal — бережливый, экономный
futile — бесполезный, напрасный, тщетный
gaudy — большое празднество
ghastly — наводящий ужас, жуткий, страшный
gluttony — обжорство
gratuitous — бесплатный, даровой
gregarious — живущий стаями, стадами, обществами
grumble — ворчать, жаловаться
haughty — высокомерный, заносчивый, надменный
heterogeneous — гетерогенный, неоднородный, разнородный, разнотипный, различный
homogeneous — однородный;
hypocrisy — лживость, лицемерие, притворство, фальшь
imminent abortion — угрожающий аборт
impediment — физический недостаток (обычно связанный с речью)
indigenous population — коренное население
indulgent — снисходительный; терпимый; потакающий
ingenuous — открытый, прямой, искренний, откровенный
inherent contradiction — внутреннее противоречие, внутренний конфликт
insatiate — ненасытный; жадный, алчный
instigate — (instigate to) побуждать, подстрекать (к чему-л.)
intrepid — бесстрашный, неустрашимый, отважный, смелый, храбрый
jeopardy — опасность, риск
laconic(al) — лаконичный, краткий; сжатый (о стиле)
lament — горестное стенание, завывание, причитание
latent energy — потенциальная (скрытая) энергия
lithe — гибкий, податливый
lurid — мертвенно-бледный
leash — поводок; цепь (на которой держат и водят животных); ремень, лямка
loafer — бездельник, тунеядец
lucrative — прибыльный, выгодный, доходный, рентабельный
lustrous — блестящий, яркий; глянцевитый
malign — пагубный; вредный; дурной
meddle — заниматься, интересоваться чем-л.; вмешиваться, совать свой нос
to mend fences — стараться установить дружеские отношения
mendacious — лживый; ложный, обманчивый
minuscule — минускул (строчная буква в средневековых рукописях)
mirth — веселье, радость, увеселение
munificent — необычайно щедрый
nausea — тошнота; морская болезнь
neglect — пренебрежение, игнорирование
nihilism — нигилизм
nocturnal emission — поллюция
nominal price — номинальная цена
notorious — пользующийся дурной славой; печально известный; пресловутый;
noxious air — отравленная атмосфера
nuance — нюанс, оттенок
oblique case — косвенный падеж (любой падеж, кроме именительного)
obscure meaning — тёмное, неясное значение
officious — назойливый; навязчивый; вмешивающийся не в свои дела
opaque projector — эпидиаскоп
parsimonious — бережливый, расчётливый, экономный
pejorative — уничижительный, умаляющий
perch — насест, жёрдочка (для птиц)
pervade — заполнять, наполнять (что-л.)
petulant — нетерпеливый; обидчивый, раздражительный, вздорный, всем недовольный
philanthropy — филантропия, благотворительность
philistine — мещанин, обыватель, филистер
pillage — грабёж, мародёрство
plethora — полнокровие
ponderous — тяжеловесный, тяжёлый, увесистый
postulate — аксиома
precipitous — крутой; обрывистый;
precursor — предшественник; предтеча, предвестник
presumptuous — самонадеянный; бесцеремонный, дерзкий, нахальный
prevail — восторжествовать, одержать победу; достичь цели
prodigious — чрезмерный, непомерный, очень большой
prodigy — одарённый человек (чаще о ребёнке)
proliferate — распространяться (о знаниях и т. п.)
prolific — плодородный (о почве)
proprietary hospital — частная больница
provident — предвидящий, предусмотрительный; осмотрительный, осторожный;
prudent — благоразумный, предусмотрительный, разумный, рассудительный
quash — аннулировать, отменять
quenching — гашение, тушение
reciprocal curve — кривая обратной зависимости
reclusive — затворнический, отшельнический
renaissance — (the Renaissance) Ренессанс, эпоха Возрождения
replenish — снова наполняться, пополняться
reproach — бранить; попрекать; укорять, упрекать
reticent — молчаливый, немногословный, неразговорчивый
reverberate — многократно повторяться (о звуке); звучать гулко, раскатисто;
revere — уважать; чтить, почитать
rotundity — округлённость
rudimentary knowledge — поверхностные знания
salvage — спасение имущества (при кораблекрушении или пожаре)
scattered showers — местами проливные дожди
scrupulous — честный, порядочный, добросовестный
sentient — ощущающий, чувствующий
serendipity — интуитивная прозорливость
shatter — разбить вдребезги; раздробить
shun — беречься, избегать, остерегаться
sketchy records — фрагментарные записи
sporadic(al) disease— единичное заболевание
squander — расточительство
stagnation — застой, застойные явления; загнивание
stifle — душить
strive — стараться, пытаться
subjugate — подчинять, покорять, порабощать
sublime — высочайший, величайший; совершенный, безупречный; безукоризненный
succumb — (succumb to)
superfluous hair — избыточная растительность на теле (особенно у женщин)
surreptitious — тайный; сделанный тайком
taciturn — молчаливый; неразговорчивый
tangible assets — материальные средства
tantalize — манить, соблазнять, дразнить, мучить; подвергать танталовым мукам
tenacious — крепкий, прочный, сильный, цепкий
tentative itinerary — пробный маршрут
torpid — онемелый, оцепеневший
treacherous — вероломный, изменнический, предательский
tyro — новичок; начинающий
uproar — шум, гул, гудение (людей)
vehemence — сила; горячность, страстность
venerate — благоговеть (перед кем-л.), чтить (кого-л.)
verisimilitude — правдоподобие, вероятность
vestige — след, остаток
vigilance committee — «комитет бдительности» (организация линчевателей)
vilify — поносить, чернить (кого-л.)
vindicate — доказывать
visionary — мечтательный
vitriolic — купоросный
volatile oils — эфирные (летучие) масла
voluptuous — чувственный; сладострастный, сластолюбивый

Слова по теме «Smart Words» на английском с транскрипцией

affinity	əˈfɪnɪti	близость, родство (эмоциональное), влечение, тяга
affliction	əˈflɪkʃ(ə)n	страдание, печаль, скорбь
affluent society	ˈæflʊənt səˈsaɪəti	богатое общество, общество изобилия
alacrity	əˈlækrɪti	готовность (как ответная реакция на предложение)
alleviate	əˈliːvɪeɪt	облегчать (боль, страдания); смягчать
ambiguous	æmˈbɪgjʊəs	двусмысленный
ambivalent	æmˈbɪvələnt	двойственный, противоречивый
amiable	ˈeɪmjəbl	дружелюбный, дружеский, дружественный; любезный
animosity	ˌænɪˈmɒsɪti	враждебность, вражда
annex	ˈænɛks	приложение, дополнение (к тексту, договору, книге)
apocryphal	əˈpɒkrɪfəl	апокрифический, неканонический
apprehensive	ˌæprɪˈhɛnsɪv	испытывающий тревогу, полный страха
aqueous	ˈeɪkwɪəs	водный, водяной; водянистый
arduous	ˈɑːdjʊəs	трудный, тяжёлый
aroma	əˈrəʊmə	аромат, приятный запах
atone	əˈtəʊn	заглаживать, искупать (грех, вину)
attrition	əˈtrɪʃ(ə)n	трение
avarice	ˈævərɪs	алчность; жадность, скупость
bellicose mood	ˈbɛlɪkəʊs muːd	воинственное настроение
belligerent	bɪˈlɪʤərənt	воюющая сторона (в войне)
beneficiary	ˌbɛnɪˈfɪʃəri	владелец бенефиция, доходной должности (в католической и англиканской церквах)
brazen lie	ˈbreɪzn laɪ	бесстыдное враньё
brusque	brʊsk	отрывистый, резкий (о словах)
capricious	kəˈprɪʃəs	капризный, раздражительный
charisma	ˈkærɪzmə	искра божья, божий дар, божественная сила; гениальность
chastise	ʧæsˈtaɪz	бить, пороть, сечь (подвергать телесному наказанию)
cognitive dissonance	ˈkɒgnɪtɪv ˈdɪsənəns	когнитивный диссонанс (столкновение в сознании индивида противоречивых знаний, убеждений, поведенческих установок в отношении какого-л. объекта или явления)
coherent story	kəʊˈhɪərənt ˈstɔːri	логичный, последовательный рассказ
complicity	kəmˈplɪsɪti	соучастие (в правонарушении)
comprehensive insurance	ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv ɪnˈʃʊərəns	полное страхование
concoct	kənˈkɒkt	состряпать (что-н. необычное из разных продуктов)
condone	kənˈdəʊn	мириться с чем-л.; попустительствовать, потворствовать чему-л.
congenial	kənˈʤiːnjəl	сходный, близкий по духу; родственный
congenital deafness	kənˈʤɛnɪtl ˈdɛfnɪs	врождённая глухота
consensus	kənˈsɛnsəs	единодушие, согласие
contiguous	kənˈtɪgjʊəs	соприкасающийся; смежный; граничащий, прилегающий
convivial	kənˈvɪvɪəl	праздничный; пиршественный
cryptic remark	ˈkrɪptɪk ˈrɪˈmɑːk	непонятное, загадочное высказывание; загадочная реплика
culpable	ˈkʌlpəbl	виновный, преступный; заслуживающий порицания, осуждения
curtail	kɜːˈteɪl	сокращать, укорачивать; урезывать, уменьшать
dangle	ˈdæŋgl	болтать (ногами)
dearth	dɜːθ	недостаток продуктов; голод; голодание
deference	ˈdɛfərəns	уважение, почтение
delineate	dɪˈlɪnɪeɪt	набрасывать, чертить, намечать
derogatory remark	dɪˈrɒgətəri ˈrɪˈmɑːk	пренебрежительное замечание
diligent	ˈdɪlɪʤənt	прилежный, старательный, исполнительный (о людях)
disparage	dɪsˈpærɪʤ	унижать достоинство, принижать
docile	ˈdəʊsaɪl	восприимчивый, понятливый, способный
doleful	ˈdəʊlfʊl	скорбный, печальный; меланхолический; страдальческий, унылый
dormant partner	ˈdɔːmənt ˈpɑːtnə	пассивный партнёр / компаньон (представляющий фирму, но активно не участвующий в ведении дел)
drought	draʊt	засуха; засушливость
dubious	ˈdjuːbjəs	вызывающий сомнения, опасения; сомнительный;
dumbfound	dʌmˈfaʊnd	ошарашить, ошеломить, потрясти
duplicity	dju(ː)ˈplɪsɪti	двуличность, лживость (in); двуличность, лживость (in)
efface oneself	ɪˈfeɪs wʌnˈsɛlf	стушеваться, держаться в тени
egocentric	ˌɛgəʊˈsɛntrɪk	эгоистичный, эгоцентрический
elucidate	ɪˈluːsɪdeɪt	объяснять, разъяснять, растолковывать; истолковывать, проливать свет
eminent	ˈɛmɪnənt	высокий, вздымающийся; возвышающийся (над чем-л.)
enchant	ɪnˈʧɑːnt	очаровывать, приводить в восторг; восхищать
enigma	ɪˈnɪgmə	головоломка, загадка; головоломка, загадка
esoteric	ˌɛsəʊˈtɛrɪk	эзотерический, тайный, скрытый; известный или понятный лишь посвящённым
exacerbate	ɛksˈæsə(ː)beɪt	обострять, осложнять, углублять, усиливать (кризис, недовольство)
extol	ɪksˈtəʊl	восхвалять, превозносить, хвалить; восхвалять, превозносить, хвалить
felicity	fiˈlɪsɪti	счастье; блаженство
fidelity attachment	fɪˈdɛlɪti əˈtæʧmənt	приверженность; верность
flagrant	ˈfleɪgrənt	ужасающий, ужасный, страшный, вопиющий (об обиде, преступлении и т. п.; тж. об обидчике, преступнике и т. п.)
flimsy	ˈflɪmzi	тонкая бумага (используемая для копирования)
frugal	ˈfruːgəl	бережливый, экономный
futile	ˈfjuːtaɪl	бесполезный, напрасный, тщетный
gaudy	ˈgɔːdi	большое празднество
ghastly	ˈgɑːstli	наводящий ужас, жуткий, страшный
gluttony	ˈglʌtni	обжорство
gratuitous	grəˈtju(ː)ɪtəs	бесплатный, даровой
gregarious	grɪˈgeərɪəs	живущий стаями, стадами, обществами
grumble	ˈgrʌmbl	ворчать, жаловаться
haughty	ˈhɔːti	высокомерный, заносчивый, надменный
heterogeneous	ˈhɛtərəʊˈʤiːnjəs	гетерогенный, неоднородный, разнородный, разнотипный, различный
homogeneous	ˌhɒməʊˈʤiːnjəs	однородный;
hypocrisy	hɪˈpɒkrəsi	лживость, лицемерие, притворство, фальшь
imminent abortion	ˈɪmɪnənt əˈbɔːʃ(ə)n	угрожающий аборт
impediment	ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt	физический недостаток (обычно связанный с речью)
indigenous population	ɪnˈdɪʤɪnəs ˌpɒpjʊˈleɪʃən	коренное население
indulgent	ɪnˈdʌlʤənt	снисходительный; терпимый; потакающий
ingenuous	ɪnˈʤɛnjʊəs	открытый, прямой, искренний, откровенный
inherent contradiction	ɪnˈhɪərənt ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkʃən	внутреннее противоречие, внутренний конфликт
insatiate	ɪnˈseɪʃɪɪt	ненасытный; жадный, алчный
instigate	ˈɪnstɪgeɪt	(instigate to) побуждать, подстрекать (к чему-л.)
intrepid	ɪnˈtrɛpɪd	бесстрашный, неустрашимый, отважный, смелый, храбрый
jeopardy	ˈʤɛpədi	опасность, риск
laconic(al)	ləˈkɒnɪk(æl)	лаконичный, краткий; сжатый (о стиле)
lament	ləˈmɛnt	горестное стенание, завывание, причитание
latent energy	ˈleɪtənt ˈɛnəʤi	потенциальная (скрытая) энергия
lithe	laɪð	гибкий, податливый
lurid	ˈljʊərɪd	мертвенно-бледный
leash	liːʃ	поводок; цепь (на которой держат и водят животных); ремень, лямка
loafer	ˈləʊfə	бездельник, тунеядец
lucrative	ˈluːkrətɪv	прибыльный, выгодный, доходный, рентабельный
lustrous	ˈlʌstrəs	блестящий, яркий; глянцевитый
malign	məˈlaɪn	пагубный; вредный; дурной
meddle	ˈmɛdl	заниматься, интересоваться чем-л.; вмешиваться, совать свой нос
to mend fences	tuː mɛnd ˈfɛnsɪz	стараться установить дружеские отношения
mendacious	mɛnˈdeɪʃəs	лживый; ложный, обманчивый
minuscule	ˈmɪnəskjuːl	минускул (строчная буква в средневековых рукописях)
mirth	mɜːθ	веселье, радость, увеселение
munificent	mju(ː)ˈnɪfɪsnt	необычайно щедрый
nausea	ˈnɔːsjə	тошнота; морская болезнь
neglect	nɪˈglɛkt	пренебрежение, игнорирование
nihilism	nihilism	нигилизм
nocturnal emission	nɒkˈtɜːnl ɪˈmɪʃən	поллюция
nominal price	ˈnɒmɪnl praɪs	номинальная цена
notorious	nəʊˈtɔːrɪəs	пользующийся дурной славой; печально известный; пресловутый;
noxious air	ˈnɒkʃəs eə	отравленная атмосфера
nuance	nju(ː)ˈɑːns	нюанс, оттенок
oblique case	əˈbliːk keɪs	косвенный падеж (любой падеж, кроме именительного)
obscure meaning	əbˈskjʊə ˈmiːnɪŋ	тёмное, неясное значение
officious	əˈfɪʃəs	назойливый; навязчивый; вмешивающийся не в свои дела
opaque projector	əʊˈpeɪk prəˈʤɛktə	эпидиаскоп
parsimonious	ˌpɑːsɪˈməʊnjəs	бережливый, расчётливый, экономный
pejorative	ˈpiːʤərətɪv	уничижительный, умаляющий
perch	pɜːʧ	насест, жёрдочка (для птиц)
pervade	pɜːˈveɪd	заполнять, наполнять (что-л.)
petulant	ˈpɛtjʊlənt	нетерпеливый; обидчивый, раздражительный, вздорный, всем недовольный
philanthropy	fɪˈlænθrəpi	филантропия, благотворительность
philistine	ˈfɪlɪstaɪn	мещанин, обыватель, филистер
pillage	ˈpɪlɪʤ	грабёж, мародёрство
plethora	ˈplɛθərə	полнокровие
ponderous	ˈpɒndərəs	тяжеловесный, тяжёлый, увесистый
postulate	ˈpɒstjʊlɪt	аксиома
precipitous	prɪˈsɪpɪtəs	крутой; обрывистый;
precursor	pri(ː)ˈkɜːsə	предшественник; предтеча, предвестник
presumptuous	prɪˈzʌmptjʊəs	самонадеянный; бесцеремонный, дерзкий, нахальный
prevail	prɪˈveɪl	восторжествовать, одержать победу; достичь цели
prodigious	prəˈdɪʤəs	чрезмерный, непомерный, очень большой
prodigy	ˈprɒdɪʤi	одарённый человек (чаще о ребёнке)
proliferate	prəʊˈlɪfəreɪt	распространяться (о знаниях и т. п.)
prolific	prəʊˈlɪfɪk	плодородный (о почве)
proprietary hospital	prəˈpraɪətəri ˈhɒspɪtl	частная больница
provident	ˈprɒvɪdənt	предвидящий, предусмотрительный; осмотрительный, осторожный;
prudent	ˈpruːdənt	благоразумный, предусмотрительный, разумный, рассудительный
quash	kwɒʃ	аннулировать, отменять
quenching	ˈkwɛnʧɪŋ	гашение, тушение
reciprocal curve	rɪˈsɪprəkəl kɜːv	кривая обратной зависимости
reclusive	reclusive	затворнический, отшельнический
renaissance	rəˈneɪsəns	(the Renaissance) Ренессанс, эпоха Возрождения
replenish	rɪˈplɛnɪʃ	снова наполняться, пополняться
reproach	rɪˈprəʊʧ	бранить; попрекать; укорять, упрекать
reticent	ˈrɛtɪsənt	молчаливый, немногословный, неразговорчивый
reverberate	rɪˈvɜːbəreɪt	многократно повторяться (о звуке); звучать гулко, раскатисто;
revere	rɪˈvɪə	уважать; чтить, почитать
rotundity	rəʊˈtʌndɪti	округлённость
rudimentary knowledge	ˌruːdɪˈmɛntəri ˈnɒlɪʤ	поверхностные знания
salvage	ˈsælvɪʤ	спасение имущества (при кораблекрушении или пожаре)
scattered showers	ˈskætəd ˈʃaʊəz	местами проливные дожди
scrupulous	ˈskruːpjʊləs	честный, порядочный, добросовестный
sentient	ˈsɛnʃənt	ощущающий, чувствующий
serendipity	ˌsɛrɛnˈdɪpəti	интуитивная прозорливость
shatter	ˈʃætə	разбить вдребезги; раздробить
shun	ʃʌn	беречься, избегать, остерегаться
sketchy records	ˈskɛʧi ˈrɛkɔːdz	фрагментарные записи
sporadic(al) disease	spəˈrædɪk(æl) dɪˈziːz	единичное заболевание
squander	ˈskwɒndə	расточительство
stagnation	stægˈneɪʃən	застой, застойные явления; загнивание
stifle	ˈstaɪfl	душить
strive	straɪv	стараться, пытаться
subjugate	ˈsʌbʤʊgeɪt	подчинять, покорять, порабощать
sublime	səˈblaɪm	высочайший, величайший; совершенный, безупречный; безукоризненный
succumb	səˈkʌm	(succumb to)
superfluous hair	sju(ː)ˈpɜːflʊəs heə	избыточная растительность на теле (особенно у женщин)
surreptitious	ˌsʌrəpˈtɪʃəs	тайный; сделанный тайком
taciturn	ˈtæsɪtɜːn	молчаливый; неразговорчивый
tangible assets	ˈtænʤəbl ˈæsɛts	материальные средства
tantalize	ˈtæntəlaɪz	манить, соблазнять, дразнить, мучить; подвергать танталовым мукам
tenacious	tɪˈneɪʃəs	крепкий, прочный, сильный, цепкий
tentative itinerary	ˈtɛntətɪv aɪˈtɪnərəri	пробный маршрут
torpid	ˈtɔːpɪd	онемелый, оцепеневший
treacherous	ˈtrɛʧərəs	вероломный, изменнический, предательский
tyro	ˈtaɪərəʊ	новичок; начинающий
uproar	ˈʌprɔː	шум, гул, гудение (людей)
vehemence	ˈviːɪməns	сила; горячность, страстность
venerate	ˈvɛnəreɪt	благоговеть (перед кем-л.), чтить (кого-л.)
verisimilitude	ˌvɛrɪsɪˈmɪlɪtjuːd	правдоподобие, вероятность
vestige	ˈvɛstɪʤ	след, остаток
vigilance committee	ˈvɪʤɪləns kəˈmɪti	«комитет бдительности» (организация линчевателей)
vilify	ˈvɪlɪfaɪ	поносить, чернить (кого-л.)
vindicate	ˈvɪndɪkeɪt	доказывать
visionary	ˈvɪʒnəri	мечтательный
vitriolic	ˌvɪtrɪˈɒlɪk	купоросный
volatile oils	ˈvɒlətaɪl ɔɪlz	эфирные (летучие) масла
voluptuous	vəˈlʌptjʊəs	чувственный; сладострастный, сластолюбивый

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/ Vocabulary / 50 Words That Make You Sound Smart

50 Words That Make You Sound Smart

Label Versace gown or Tommy Hilfiger pants will make you look neat, no doubt on that. But if you have ever wanted to enlighten yourself and others with the smartest set of words, you have come to the right place. I’ll take you through 50 words that will make you sound smarter, make you actually smarter if you use them in the correct time with the correct meaning, and will let you please others ears, and your heart. 

Here you go: 

• Accolade: An expression of praise, where someone is given an award or a privilege, to acknowledge their merit. The Chairman received an accolade from a foreign University for his extraordinary role in education.
• Anomaly: An irregularity or deviation from what is normal. The anomaly of people doing the same job but getting different pays irritates me.
• Antidote: Something pleasant that counteracts something unpleasant. Family and loved ones are the antidotes to loneliness.
• Ambivalent: Having two minds or mixed feelings about something. Jenna was ambivalent about her relationship with Mark: she neither liked it nor hated it.
• Avant Garde: Ultra-modern, innovative or advanced.  The mansion has a Swiss construction and an avant-garde touch to it.
• Bona fide: Done genuinely in good faith, having no intention otherwise. He acted bona fide when Sumner’s husband was out of town, providing them with the necessities.
• Bourgeois: Middle-class. The bourgeois of France had suffered a great lot and ultimately rose to protest in the French Revolution.
• Brusque: Abrupt or blunt. His sarcastic and brusque nature often offended many.
• Cacophony: Harsh noise. The alarm clock creates such a cacophony in the morning that even our dog Sniper wakes up.
• Cajole: To coax someone or flatter them to have something done. Mr. Roland can’t be cajoled into promoting Alex, however hard he tries.
• Capricious: Unpredictable or changing from time to time. Kate is very capricious so you never know how she will deal with your behavior.

Read- Vocabulary: A Complete Guide to Improve your Word Memory

• Carte blanche: Complete freedom to act according to your desires. 9-5 offices are seldom carte blanche, so Rita chose entrepreneurship.
• Catch-22: A situation from which you cannot escape because of contradictory rules. You can’t land a job without the experience, to have experience you need a job is a modern catch-22.
• Caustic: Critical or sarcastic. When Geoff gets bored, he speaks in a very caustic tone.
• Charisma: The charm or aura of a person. The way she can please everyone, no wonder her parents named her Charisma.
• Chic: Elegant and/or fashionable. She has a Parisian Chic touch to her personal style sense.
• Dapper: Smart. It’s in the title so I am pretty sure you wouldn’t need explaining with another example.
• Deja Vu: A feeling that you have already lived this moment before. Whenever I am going down Park Street to my way to the office, I get a feeling of deja vu, like I’ve known the streets since my childhood.
• Didactic: Intending to teach, in the manner of teachers. Her tone went from didactic to caustic.
• Disheveled: Untidy. After spending 10 hours in the office, Max comes home looking twice as disheveled as before.
• Elucidate: Explain elaborately so as to clarify. The second and third chapter elucidates the background of the antagonist mentioned in chapter one.
• Empathy: The ability to understand what others feel. The policewoman showed empathy with the arrested, something not very characteristic of them.
• Equivocate: Using vague language to hide the truth. The way he equivocates the details, it will not be very hard for any psychologist to tell the truth from the falsehood.
• Euphemism: A coy alternative for an unpleasant or embarrassing word. «Passed away» is a euphemism for «died».
• Exacerbate: Make worse. Stress doesn’t only affect the mental health but exacerbates the physical health also.
• Fait Accompli: Something that has already happened before others hear about it, leaving them with no option except accepting it. He had been transferred to Oklahoma before he thought of writing a letter to the management not to transfer you outside NY.
• Fastidious: The nature of perfectionists usually, having an acute attention to detail. He was a fastidious man, so examined the hygiene of the food in his restaurant in the strictest of manners.
• Faux Pas: A tactless remark or happening in a social situation. An abrupt color combination can change you from fashionable to faux pas in parties.
• Fiasco: A total failure. Lucy’s surprise party was a complete fiasco thanks to Mark’s driver who told her everything before she came into the venue.
• Flabbergasted: Greatly shocked. Her mom was flabbergasted to see her after marriage, she had gained so much weight!
• Flummoxed: Utterly confused. He’s easy with routine work but gets flummoxed when given challenges.
• Fortuitous: Happening by luck, not by will. Their meeting in a relief camp was totally fortuitous, but their choice of marriage was willful.
• Gregarious: Social. Parrots and dolphins are gregarious animals.
• Hyperbole: Exaggeration. Hyperbole isn’t just a part of his speech, he even writes overstatements.
• Idiosyncrasy: An unusual feature of a person. One of his little idiosyncrasies was collecting dead cockroaches.
• Innocuous: Not harmful. Her statement was innocuous but still, it raised eyebrows.
• Mellifluous: Pleasing to the ear. The mellifluous Parisian Jazz was a blessing to my ears.
• Nefarious: Wicked. Her nefarious motives were out in the open after she was busted.
• Non sequitur: An illogical conclusion. Her whole thesis was that dairy wasn’t good for humans, but her ending seemed non sequitur.
• Obfuscate: Confuse. The debate on whether or not video games should be played or not often obfuscates readers.
• Parsimonious: Illiberal in terms of money spending. Even the parsimonious George treated his friends to delicacies on his birthday.
• Perfunctory: Carried out without effort. The simple assignment was a perfunctory example of Mary’s job performance.
• Quid Pro Quo: A favor granted in return of something. His pardon was quid pro quo for his past honesty.
• Quintessential: The most perfect example of something. He was the quintessential Prince Charming: tall, dark, and handsome.
• Rendezvous: Meeting at an agreed time and place. Macy was late for our monthly rendezvous.
• Scintillating: Sparkling. Luna was scintillating in that sequined dress she made for the party.
• Status Quo: The existing social and political affairs. The Government wishes to fix this status quo of unrest.
• Sycophant: Creep. The way the boss flatters his secretary sometimes seems sycophantic.
• Touché: Used as an acknowledgment to the attack of the opponent. «I must finish this early.» «So you’re saying that at 12 in the night?» «Touché.»
• Ubiquitous: Found everywhere. His influence was ubiquitous, from his family to his workplace.

So, practice using these, and you will instantly get smarter.

Number 1: Certainly

Certainly is a great alternative to okay or no problem, which are used way too much in English.

So the next time your boss asks, “Can you get that document to me by the end of the afternoon?”

You should respond, “Certainly!”

Number 2: Modify

Things at work are always changing. The problem is many people don’t like change, so the word ‘change’ doesn’t help them feel good or make you look good.

An easy upgrade here, that can make you sound smart is the word ‘modify’. This means it is a small change, so it can sound less terrifying. 

Instead of saying:

 ‘We need to change what we are doing here because the customer isn’t happy.’ 

You can use the word modify and say:

‘Modifying our approach would make the customer happier.’

Number 3: Complications

There is a word that puts fear into almost anyone at work, and that word is ‘problem’.

When someone walks into the office and says ‘there is a problem’, no one feels great! So, to sound less negative and impress a little more, try a fancier word like ‘complication’. 

Rather than:

There is a problem with the order and it is running really late.

Say:

There have been some complications and the order’s been delayed.

Number 4: Sensational

Don’t get me wrong, awesome is a fabulous word. That is exactly why we use it so much.

But at work, saying this is awesome and that is awesome all the time, gets old really quickly and the word loses it power from being overused.

So, it is definitely a good move to change it up and use some synonyms for ‘awesome’.

‘Sensational’ is a good place to start, it has the same meaning, that something is really great or wonderful, and it sounds particularly positive. 

If a colleague offers to buy you coffee, what could you say? That would be sensational!! 

Number 5: Elaborate

Elaborate is a great verb that just means to give more details.

So instead of saying to your colleague, “what do you mean?”

You can say, “Could you elaborate?” It’s much more polite and professional.

Number 6: Leverage

Companies love the word leverage. If you talk about this at work, you will definitely impress.

It really means getting an advantage, so you could say to your colleague: Modifying our approach could give us real leverage here (which means, if we change what we are doing we could get an advantage). But using leverage sounds SO much better, doesn’t it?

Number 7: Ramifications

The fact is, at work we sometimes have to talk about bad things that have happened or might happen. So why not take that opportunity to sound super smart while doing it?

The word you need in that case is ‘ramifications’ which means those bad things that happen that we didn’t want or didn’t expect.

We often use this word together with ‘potential’.

For instance, when considering an idea at work, if you want to suggest the team thinks about the possibility for unexpected or unwanted negative effects you could say:

“We may need to consider the ramifications before proceeding.” 

Number 8: Perplexing

Sometimes things are definitely confusing at work.

Perhaps a customer has done something weird, maybe the files you just put on your desk have disappeared… or that email your boss sent didn’t show up in your inbox. 😬

In these instances it is the perfect time to sound smart. Instead of saying, ‘That’s weird!’ or ‘I’m confused’, use ‘That’s perplexing’.

You are simply saying how confusing something is, but you are sounding so impressive doing it!

Number 9: Straightforward

Everyone likes things at work to be easy.

We hope that a project will be easy, that preparing for the presentation will be easy and that meeting our deadlines will be easy.

Instead of saying ‘easy’, impress with your vocabulary and say ‘straightforward’.

For example:

“Working with this client should be quite straightforward, they have clear goals and timelines.”

Number 10: Like (a word to AVOID)

It is time to talk about the all important overused filler that we all need to stop using so much. The word ‘like’.

This word creeps into way too many sentences. I have heard sentences where it pops up 3, 4 or even 5 times!

👉At work it sounds unprofessional, especially when used as a filler. So, instead of throwing ‘like’ in there, just take a little pause and think clearly about what you want to say.

There are some great alternatives for when we are using ‘like’ to introduce information. For instance:

Don’t say: There are lots of opportunities like this for our product.

Do say: There are plenty of opportunities such as this for our sensational product.

Other options include: for instance or specifically.

❤️love this lesson? Be sure to check out these similar lessons on advanced vocabulary:

10 Collocations with the Word Say

Collocations with the Word Think

Visit my full Advanced Vocabulary playlist

Let’s get one thing clear right up front: Just randomly using big words in hopes you’ll sound smarter isn’t going to work. As one Princeton study found, it can have the opposite effect. But don’t let that discourage from actually broadening your vocabulary. Learning a new word here and there—and knowing how to use it effectively—doesn’t just make you appear more intelligent: It will actually make you more intelligent, for real. Recent studies have found a correlation between increasing your vocabulary as an adult and strengthening your brain.

Now, that doesn’t mean memorizing a dozen or so words with six or more syllables will make you the smartest person in your social circle. No, strengthening your vocabulary is more about having a sincere curiosity about language, and wanting to find new, more creative ways to describe the world around you. To help you on your quest for greater intelligence, here are 30 words that won’t just make you sound smarter, but just might make you smarter. And to see where the most intelligent people live, This Is the Smartest State in the U.S.

Read the original article on Best Life.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: It doesn’t sound like a put-down, but it kind of is. A «cacophony» is any loud, unpleasant mixture of sounds. It could be musical instruments, howling dogs, car horns, or even people.

EXAMPLE: «A bachelor party is happening next door. Hence the cacophony.»

Looking for more ways to boost your intelligence? Just This Many Minutes of Exercise Will Boost Your Brain, Study Says.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: It’s the feeling you get when you’re simultaneously bored and annoyed. You were expecting more, but you got… this? You’re not depressed exactly, but you’d definitely rather be anywhere but here. (If you’re in one of the 50 cities with the worst singles scenes in America, you probably know the feeling.)

EXAMPLE: «How was my date last night? Well, I’ll just say this. At the end, I had a gnawing sense of ennui.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: You’ve got a serious case of the feels, but you’re not sure how to talk about it without saying «the feels»? Try this tasty word, which means you’re so overcome with emotion that you’re practically trembling.

EXAMPLE: «Am I excited for the new Star Wars sequel? I’m aquiver with excitement!»

What better way to exercise the mind than learning more about it with these 23 Facts About Your Brain That Will Blow Your Mind.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: You can’t put your finger on it, but something about the way that guy is talking sounds completely insincere. He thinks he has all the solutions, but he’s just blowing smoke.

EXAMPLE: «I know you think you’re being helpful, but you’re being way too glib.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Can you imagine how much more fun Twitter fights would be if people responded to insults that hurt their feelings with, «Dear sir, I take umbrage to that comment?» Yes, it means «offense» or «annoyance.»

EXAMPLE: «I know you’re just an Internet troll with no sense of right or wrong, but you didn’t have to cause me so much umbrage.»

And for the terms that will have a negative affect on how you’re perceived by others, check out 5 Words That Will Make You Sound Less Confident, According to Experts.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: It’s when the subject in a conversation gets changed without warning, usually abruptly. It’s a nice way of saying, «Have you even been listening to me?» Its Latin translation, literally: «it does not follow.»

EXAMPLE: «Wait, why did you just bring up astronauts? I thought we were talking about mud races. That was a weird non-sequitur.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: It just sounds like something a Looney Tunes character would say—but it’s actually a legitimate word, meaning «to leave hurriedly.» Originally derived from the Spanish word vamos, which means «let’s go,» modern usage takes it up a notch: When it’s time to vamoose, danger is probably imminent.

EXAMPLE: «I don’t know how a mountain lion got in the room either, but we’ll talk about it later. Vamoose, man, vamoose!»

And for more brain-boosting content delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: You could say «That stuff is everywhere,» and you’d probably be understood. But then you’re missing all the fun of language. A word like «ubiquitous» communicates the same idea, but it’s the deep-dish pizza of vocabulary. You have to eat it with a fork. (Officially, it means: «found everywhere.»)

EXAMPLE: «Oh yeah, I’ve seen plenty of guys with hipster beards. They’re ubiquitous.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Evil is just evil, but when it goes the extra mile into Bond villain territory, that’s when it becomes nefarious.

EXAMPLE: «The way he runs his business, it’s just so… nefarious.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Sure, you could ask your wife or girlfriend why she’s being so moody and unpredictable. Or you take a safer tactic, and use a word that isn’t quite so negatively loaded.

EXAMPLE: «You seem a little capricious tonight, dear, is everything okay?»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: No, we’re not kidding. It’s an actual word, referring to any activity that pretends to be useful but is really just a big waste of your valuable time.

EXAMPLE: «Of all the company meetings we’ve had this year, this was the biggest boondoggle!»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Calling somebody a «suck-up» or a «brown-noser» feels so juvenile, like an insult you’d hurl at somebody in high school. You can do better. And unless they know what it means, «sycophant» can even sound like a compliment.

EXAMPLE: «No, you totally deserve that raise. You’re the biggest sycophant in the office.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: When music hits you right in the feels, it’s hard to explain why you love it so much. Instead of saying «Damn this is good,» try a slightly more expressive word like «mellifluous.» It means a smooth, flowing sound that hits your ears in just the right way.

EXAMPLE: «I can’t stop listening to the new Arcade Fire record. It’s so darn mellifluous.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Telling a pal «your leather shoes are boss» makes you sound like a frat dude. If you’re going to compliment somebody on his sturdy, rugged-looking footwear, use a word with a sense of history. If it was good enough for Irish workers during the 18th century, it’s good enough for you.

EXAMPLE: «I like your brogues, bro.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Just by using the word «perfunctory,» you’re being the opposite of perfunctory. (See what we did there?) The only ones who make a perfunctory, halfhearted effort are the ones who aren’t really sure if being called «perfunctory» is a snub but can’t be bothered to look it up.

EXAMPLE: «The interviewer asked all the perfunctory questions. He didn’t seem truly interested.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Words like «affair» and «one-night stand» sound so judgy. If you’re having a secret meeting with somebody you shouldn’t be alone with, and it’s possible one or more of you weren’t wearing pants, well my good sir, that’s a tryst.

EXAMPLE: «No, we never officially dated. We just had the occasional tryst.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY: It’s also the name for sulfuric acid, which is powerful enough to burn through just about anything. That’s how it works with the emotion as well. If you have vitriol for someone, well, they’re far from your favorite person.

EXAMPLE: «Don’t even bring up that guy’s name. The amount of vitriol I have for that person, I can’t even explain.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Rarely does such a simple word (or a word and a number) express such a complicated idea. You can thank Joseph Heller for coining the term in his 1962 novel Catch-22. It’s a paradox where there’s no escape: You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. If you ever find yourself in a situation where there are no easy answers and either choice seems seems like a dead end, what you have is an old-fashioned catch-22.

EXAMPLE: «You have to have money to make money. It’s a catch-22.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: If it’s starting to seem like an expanded vocabulary is just an excuse to be more creative with your insults, you might be right. But if you’re so dim and slow-witted that you don’t realize that being called obtuse isn’t adulation, maybe you a little bit deserved it?

EXAMPLE: «Don’t worry, he’s too obtuse to realize we’re talking about him.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: We don’t mean the Family Guy character, but a swampy marsh, or any difficult or precarious situation. If you’re stuck in a quagmire, you’re in quite the predicament.

EXAMPLE: «Until he pays off the IRS, Bob’s in one heck of a financial quagmire.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: We live in a scary, uncertain world, and it’s easy to feel bewildered or confused. But you can add a little color to your consternation by using a word that sounds like it belongs in a British comedy.

EXAMPLE: «I was following the GPS, I have no idea how we got this lost. I’m flummoxed!»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: When somebody’s pushing for you to do something you’d rather not be doing, you could accuse them of trying to bully or dupe you—what we once called «peer pressure» in high school—or you could hit them with a word that gives them pause. That alone might make them back off.

EXAMPLE: «Nice try, but you’re not going to cajole me into drinking another beer.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: We’ve all been caught in the act of being a jerk for no reason. But who wants to say, «Sorry, I was a jerk for no reason?» Here’s a better way to explain.

EXAMPLE: «No, I didn’t really mean it when I said you would die alone and unloved. I was being caustic.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: You were gonna lobby for a raise at work but your boss is already planned on giving you one? It’s a fait accompli! Your partner’s been pestering you to do the dishes but they’ve already loaded the washer? Another fait accompli! If there’s a cooler, more French, way of saying «Already done,» we haven’t heard it. (It’s not always a good thing, though—when HR puts a frustrating new policy into effect and only tells you after the fact, that’s a fait accompli, too.)

EXAMPLE: «What’s that, dear? You need me to take out the trash? Well, no need. Fait accompli!»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: A truly great word gives people pause, forcing them to wonder if it really means what they think it is. Gregarious sounds like an endorsement—and it is; it means somebody is sociable and fond of other people’s company—but phonetically it’s a little too close to «gangrene.» They could ask, but that would mean admitting they don’t know what the word means.

EXAMPLE: «You know why I like you? You’re one of the most gregarious people I know.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: A fun word because it changes depending on the context. Used to describe somebody who’s obsessed with the small details and can be very difficult to please, it’s obviously meant as a compliment when you say, «You’re an excellent cook, you must be very fastidious in the kitchen.» Great for the office, but maybe not so much when it’s used in the bedroom.

EXAMPLE: «It’s six hours and you still haven’t had an orgasm? You’re being way too fastidious.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Feeling a little tearfully sentimental? Or choked-up with emotion for no apparent reason? Describe what you’re feeling with a word that manages to have some gravitas (despite it normally being used to diss something as overly sentimental). Ernest Hemingway was never weepy, but he definitely had his (drunk) maudlin moments.

EXAMPLE: «Sorry, looking at all these old photos always makes me maudlin.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: That feeling you get when you read the news every morning, and you’re like, «Is this real? Is that actually happening? This can’t be real life.» That’s you being flabbergasted.

EXAMPLE: «Yes, I saw Game of Thrones last week. I’m still flabbergasted.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: Whether you’re a recovering alcoholic or have never touched a drop, abstaining completely from alcohol qualifies somebody as a teetotaler. Where on earth does it come from? Nobody’s entirely sure. It might have something to do with drinking tea: It first came into fashion during England’s temperance movement of the early 19th century. (Richard Turner, the guy who most likely came up with the word, liked it so much that he put in on his gravestone.)

EXAMPLE: «Are you sure you want to invite him to your bachelor party? He’s a teetotaler.»

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE DEFINITION ALREADY…: You should really know what this means by now—and it’s definitely one we should try using more often. People with even the slightest sensitivity to other people’s feelings might as well have super powers.

EXAMPLE: «I know you think he’s the enemy because of his political beliefs, but let’s try to have a little empathy, okay?»