During my July visit to Turkey to be conversational English practice for students there, I was asked to explain a number of words I used in conversation. Then Tamer Ozdemir, the owner of the English Test Language School, asked me to submit to him words that were at the college level so he could teach them to the students.
I’ve been sending him words that I use or read — five words per day. I’m running out of words, so wanted to ask you to help! In a comment, add your favorite words that aren’t on this list. I’m going back to visit Tamer and the students in October so will go over the list with them then.
abet
abhor
abominable
abrade
abrupt
abstain
accolades
accuracy
accusatory
acrimonious
adamant
admonish
admonition
adoration
adrenaline
adversity
aesthetic
affable
affinity
affront
akin
alas
albeit
align
altruism
ameliorate
amenable
amiable
amok
amorphous
analogous
androgynous
angst
animosity
anoint
anomaly
antipathy
apoplectic
arbitrary
arboretum
Archetype
arduous
array
artful
ascertain
aspire
assault
asteroid
attest
attribute
augur
austere
avert
avuncular
awry
banal
beeline
beguiling
behest
belabor
belie
belligerent
bequest
besiege
bigot
bleak
bloodbath
bodacious
bout
bracken
bromide (two meanings)
brunt
bucolic
bumpkin
bundt
bunt
buoyancy
cacophony
cajole
candor
cantankerous
canteen (two meanings)
capacious
careen
cataclysmic
catastrophic
celebrate
centric
chagrin
cheapskate
chide
clout
codify
cog
coherent
cohesive
collaborate
colleague
collegiality
comely
communitarian
compassion
comprise
concoct
concurrent
congruence
connote
conscientious
console
consternation
contemptible
contentious
contrarian
conundrum
copacetic
copious
corrupts
courageous
coy
credo
credulous
crescent
critique
crux
crystallize
curmudgeon
cyclic
cynical
dalliance
dally
daunt
debacle
decipher
decorum
defanged
deference
delusion
demagogue
denote
depravity
despot
detrimental
devolved
devotee
diametrically
diaspora
digress
dilemma
dilettante
diligent
din
dire
discernment
discourse
disenfranchise
disgruntled
disingenuous
dismal
dissemination
distinguish
diversion
divisive
dormant
dunderhead
dysfunctional
eccentric
eclectic
edify
egregious
elaborate
élan
elite
eloquence
emaciate
emancipation
embargo
embody
emerge
emergence
emphasis
empirical
enabler
endemic
energize
enliven
ennui
entitlement
entreaty
entropy
enunciate
envisioning
ephemeral
epidemic
epiphany
epitome
equilateral
ergo
ergonomics
ether
ethos
euphemism
euphoria
evocative
exacerbate
exasperate
expedient
expeditious
explicate
exponential
expound
exquisite
extenuating
extraneous
extrapolate
extricate
faction
fad
fallacy
fanatic
fastidious
fatalistic
faux
fawn (verb)
feign
felled
fervor
feverishly
fierce
figment
finesse
finite
fling
flourish
flummoxed
foist
folly
fostering
fraught
fray
frisson
fruition
gallant
gam
gamut
gauntlet
generational
gi-normous
giddy
gird
glib
glom
glorious
gloss
gobsmacked
gravitas
gridlock
grim
gruff
guile
guise
gung-ho
halcyon
hallucinated
harmonize
harp (verb and noun)
hasten
haughty
hawking (verb)
hearty
hectic
hedonism
hemophiliac
hence
herbivore
hiatus
hilarious
hoards
holistic
homogeneous
hoodwinked
hooligan
horrendous
hovel
hubris
hyperbole
iconic
iconoclast
idiosyncrasy
ilk
immaculate
imminent
imp
impeccable
imperative
impetuous
implicit
imply
impoverish
impresario
impugn
in absentia
incredulous
incremental
indelibly
indiscretion
indulgence
inevitable
inevitably
inexplicable
infantilize
inflammatory
inherent
inherently
inkling
innately
innocuous
innovative
insinuate
insipid
instance
intelligible
intention
interstice
intrigue
intuitive
invective
irrefutably
irritating
isthmus
jostle
jostle
judicious
juxtaposition
keen
kerfuffle
lackluster
laconic
lament
languish
lascivious
lass
ledger
lethargic
liaison
lingering
linguistic
litany
lithe
litigious
loathe
loquacious
lout
lowbrow
lucrative
ludicrous
lunatic
maelstrom
magnate
malicious
manifest
manipulate
mar
marvel
masochist
mediocrity
melange
meritocracy
mesmerizing
metabolism
metaphysical
meticulous
middling
mindful
miniscule
minutia
mired
mitigate
modicum
molten
moot
morph
mosaic
mulch
mutter
myriad
narcissism
naught
nebulous
nefarious
niche
nimble
non-chalant
non sequitur
notoriety
nuance
obdurate
obfuscate
obsequious
obsolete
obstacle
obstreperous
obtuse
obviate
odious
omnipotence
omnivore
onerous
onomatopoeia
onus
opaque
opportunistic
orifice
osmosis
ostentatious
ostracize
overt
pamper
panoply
parochial
parse
partake
pate
patronize
payola
peckish
pedestrian
penance
penchant
penultimate
peril
pernicious
perpetual
perpetuity
perseverance
pert
pesky
pew
phew
pigheaded
pilfer
pique
pithy
placate
plethora
ploy
pluck (verb and adjective)
plummet
plunder
poignant
ponder
pontificate
portend
portent
posh
posterity
pragmatic
precedence
premise
preposterous
prerogative
presumptuous
pretentious
prevail
prevalent
prickly
princely
prism
prodigious
proficient
profuse
prognathous
proliferate
prose
pseudo
pseudonym
pugnacious
pulverize
pummel
pungent
purloin
quaint
quantum
quasi-
quest
quip
quixotic
rambunctious
ramification
rampant
rapacious
raucous
realm
rebellious
reciprocity
reconnaissance
recuse
redundant
reign
reign
reinvent
rely
remiss
Renaissance
repartee
repeal
repercussion
replicate
repugnant
repulse
resilient
restraint
reticent
retinue
reverberate
rhetoric
ribald
ridicule
rigor
romp
rube
rue (verb)
ruse
sadist
salacious
sashay
sate
saunter
savvy
scenario
schism
scruff
scurrilous
scurry
secession
self-effacing
shim
shoddy
shrewd
shun
silhouette
skeptical
slant
slog
slosh
slovenly
smelt
smitten
sobriety
sojourn
sophomoric
souvenir
spectrum
spew
squalid
squander
squelch
stanza
stave
stimulation
stipulate
strife
stupefy
stupendous
stymied
subjugate
subsequent
subset
subtle
succumb
suffice
sully
sumptuous
superficial
supplant
surely
surly
surveillance
susceptible
svelte
swath
swizzle
sycophants
taciturn
tanked (verb)
tardy
telltale
tenacity
tenets
throes
thug
thus
thwart
timid
tingle
titan
tome
topple
torpur
torque
torrent
trait
transmute
treatise
trepidation
tresses
trifle
trite
trivial
trolling
troubadour
truffle
truncate
truss
tumult
tumultuous
turbulence
turnstile
ubiquitous
unbeknownst
unconscionable
unduly
unrequited
unseemly
untenable
unwitting
upheaval
vacillate
vacuum
vagaries
vain
vainglorious
vagabond
vamp
vapid
vaporize
velocity
venerable
venue
verbiage
vestibule
vetting
vexation
viable
viable
vibrant
vice
vicious
victim
vigor
vile
vilify
violate
virtuous
visionary
vitriol
vociferous
voluble
voluptuous
voracious
vouch
vow
wallow
winsome
wistful
woe
woo
wuss
yabber
zaftig
zany
yam
zap
zealot
zenith
zest
zinger
yowl
Obfuscate
Pernicious
Interstices (my personal favorite)
My favorite words:
admonish
obsequious
opaque
obtuse
harmonize
pretentious
ubiquitous (personal favorite)
Emaciate
Flummoxed
Immaculate
Impeccable
Impetuous
Insinuate
Jostle
Perseverance
Preposterous
How about “vacillate”?
It sounds vaguely obscene (like a combination of “vaseline” and “going back and forth”) but it’s a perfectly acceptable word.
-Diana
Jenny’s ring was quite ostentatious.
Don Quixote was a quixotic fellow.
Here are a few that passed my eyes this week:
sycophants
inherent
resilient
obstacles
sumptuous
peril
~Metha Sizemore
Among my favorite words are:
Gi-normous
quantum
visionary
pragmatic
equilateral
Expedient
Expedicious
Poinient
Prodigious
ascertain
My favorite words:
emancipation
fruition
hemophiliac
obdurant
prerogative
Exacerbate
Onus
Generational
Plethora
Energize