Expanding My Vocabulary!

[DameiThiessen]

I've been told time and time again that my writing is good, but a more advanced vocabulary would make it better. So I'm trying to find some new words to use in my writing.

Tell me, which words are your favourites? (Please include a definition too)

This is my list so far:

Aplomb — perpendicular, straight, vertical; imperturbable self possession, poise or assurance
Unctuous — characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervour, especially in an affected manner; excessively suave, smooth, smug; oily, greasy, like lotion is
Pluvial — rainy
Scurrilous — grossly or obscenely abusive; stupid
Irascible — hot tempered, prone to anger
Bedaubed — soiled heavily
Verisimilitude — the appearance of truth, seeming to be true or real
Interregnum — an interval between two rulings
Pusillanimous — cowardly, lacking in courage
Fanfaronade — swaggering, empty boasting, ostentatious display; fanfare
Esoteric — obscure, arcane
Confute — to over rule by argument, to show or prove to be false
Cosset — to treat as a pet, pamper
Quixotic — having romanticized ideals; chivalrous, impractical
Deprecate — to disprove of; to belittle
Incipient — beginning to appear (“Also, improved diagnostic techniques can alert individuals to incipient illnesses.”)
Pugnacious — combative, quarrelsome
Nomothetic psychology seeks general laws that can be applied to many different people, such as the principle of self-actualization, or the trait of extraversion.
Idiographic psychology is an attempt to understand the unique aspects of a particular individual.

 

[Elder the Dwarf]

Can't think of words right now but just a question:

Is it appropriate to use words such as Quixotic in fantasy when it is a clear illusion to a real-world novel (Don Quixote)? I don't feel it would make sense when applied in a made up world, like mentioning a Romeo and Juliet when describing characters' relationships. Just wanted to get another perspective on it.

 

[Eimingami]

Elder the Dwarf makes a very good point.

On another note: what you are doing is awesome. Keep looking into expanding your vocabulary. I would recommend that when using truly rare words you make sure the meaning is clear through context (at least when using them for the first time).

 

[Lord Darkstorm]

dictionary.com has a word of the day, I'd go with that one. The ones that have a good sound and aren't sixty years out of use, you can learn.

 

[DameiThiessen]

Can't think of words right now but just a question:

Is it appropriate to use words such as Quixotic in fantasy when it is a clear illusion to a real-world novel (Don Quixote)? I don't feel it would make sense when applied in a made up world, like mentioning a Romeo and Juliet when describing characters' relationships. Just wanted to get another perspective on it.

It would depend on whether your story were set in a world where the original work did exist or a world where the original work did not exist. If the latter, it wouldn't make sense, no. But perhaps it could still be used to describe a character or their actions (in third person). And if the former, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be used. Personally I think it's okay when referring to classical works, not so much contemporary. But again it would depend on the story.

 

[myrddin173]

Here's a good one. Defenestrate; v, to throw something out a window.

 

[mythique890]

IMO, though the word "quixotic" entered the language as a literary reference, it has since become part of the language and has its own intrinsic meaning. I'm pretty sure I've seen it in published fantasy a few times.

Also, here's a good word:
in·trin·sic [in-trin-sik, -zik]
adjective
1. Belonging to a thing by its very nature: the intrinsic value of a gold ring.
2. Anatomy. (of certain muscles, nerves, etc.) belonging to or lying within a given part.

And a favorite my dad uses all the time :
as·i·nine   [as-uh-nahyn]
adjective
1. Foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid: It is surprising that supposedly intelligent people can make such asinine statements.
2. Of or like an ass: asinine obstinacy; asinine features.

 

[Johnny Cosmo]

Having a desktop thesaurus on your computer is a good idea, running alongside your word processor/writing software. It's also useful when you forget a specific word, but know a similar one. Dictionary.com's Word of the Day is a good idea too.

New words are easier to remember if you apply them, so I think it's best to learn them as you go, when you need them, rather than making lists of new ones.

 

[Dragonie]

On another note: what you are doing is awesome. Keep looking into expanding your vocabulary. I would recommend that when using truly rare words you make sure the meaning is clear through context (at least when using them for the first time).

I agree! I like unusual words, but when I run across one of them in a story I don't necessarily want to have to pause to look up the meaning in a dictionary.

 

[Sparkie]

I dare anyone reading this post to use the word antidisestablishmentarianisim in a short story.

I won't strictly define it; hell, I can barely spell it!

It refers to a policy of vigilance against elements deemed dangerous by an entrenched society, or something like that.

 

[Devor]

Learning new words is great, but it's how you use them that's important. Don't use any language you aren't comfortable with.

I keep a thesaurus handy when I write my second draft. Typically my first drafts focus on structure, then I rewrite for language (sometimes I do both at once). When I write for structure I find there's a handful of crutch words I use too often just to keep moving forward quickly, and I have to take them out later. I think a list of fancy words would make me use those too often as well. But to each their own.

Here's a word that I find good to use and helpful with understanding my characters all in one:

cognitive dissonance (you would just use "dissonance" when you write)
noun Psychology .
anxiety that results from simultaneously holding contradictory or otherwise incompatible attitudes, beliefs, or the like, as when one likes a person but disapproves strongly of one of his or her habits.

 

[Reaver]

I defiinitely agree that it's great to expand your vocabulary not only to know more but to keep your stories fresh and far from ordinary. However, I try to avoid obscure or archaic words that people would have a hard time looking up, let alone comprehend. I've found that when I first started writing, I tried to dazzle my readers with my knowledge of synonyms and antonyms. I've since discovered that most of the time, simplicity is best. I also try to avoid euphimisms at all costs because you can't please everyone.

 

[Terra Arkay]

We must remember that if we use words that are completely unheard of like in this case, those new words you've been learning then people are going to have to read a dictionary as well as your writing simultaneously. Think about it.

 

[Telcontar]

A fun term. It's often helpful to have an understanding of basic description psychology terms - not to use them in the actual story, but to understand, personally, what kind of traits you are trying to portray. In other words, its easy to develop believable characters when you know a little bit about how people think.

Try looking up confirmation bias. It's somewhat linked.

 

[Tim]

Why use aplomb when you can use straight? I don't think that we as writer's need to talk above our readers. Use the words that you feel most comfortable using and which feel right. More often than not they will feel right to the reader as well.

 

[Devor]

Why use aplomb when you can use straight? I don't think that we as writer's need to talk above our readers.

You've got a great point and truth be told, I had to go look that one up. But there's certainly reasons to use "aplomb" if the story is right for it. The reason which comes to mind is characterization. Maybe the snooty character really is talking down to people. Maybe you have a narrative voice which echoes that character's thoughts. Maybe it could be used in irony.

Miniford nervously smoothed out the wrinkles in his vest while he stood in front of the door, his foot twitching and his throat dry from the anxiety of having to present his findings to the king. He decided he looked too casual and buttoned his coat. For a second he stood with great aplomb, and then his monocle slipped from his eye, loosened by sweat. With a shake of his head he at length pushed open the door and took a trembling step, then a deep breath, and then a long stride forward, struggling to feign confidence.

The word has its uses. DameiThiessen wants to learn new words. What's the harm in that?

 

[Spring-Gem]

Improving your personal vocabulary is admirable, however you don't necessarily need to use all those new words in your writing. I think the vocabulary in a story aught to be appropriate for the POV character and the story you are trying to tell. An upper class business man will use/think different words than a teenager from the poor side of town.

~Lavern~

 

[Ghost]

I've been told time and time again that my writing is good, but a more advanced vocabulary would make it better.

Did they give you examples of what they meant by this? Perhaps they meant you overuse certain words or use vague terms instead of specific ones. If they actually meant for you to have a polysyllabic explosion on every page...well, I guess it's a matter of taste.

 

[Ravana]

"Vacuum-hermetic fumigation." (Look it up if you can't assemble it from the parts. The only reason it's a "favorite" is because I once had an ESL student try to tell me the paper she'd used it in hadn't been plagiarized.)

 

[Lord Darkstorm]

Here is where you might want to make sure you don't overdo it. I was trying to read a non fiction book (political type, name irrelevant), but while I agreed with what the writer was saying, I ended up putting the book back on the shelf after a couple chapters. He used all the $2 words, that no one else seems to use anymore. It was a real book, so I didn't have a built in dictionary to give me the definition of every other word just about. In this case, knowing more words and even if used correctly still cost the writer a reader, since if they do it once, they will most likely always write that way. If so, I can save myself some time and not bother with it.

Knowing more words is good, as long as they are ones people might still know. Using a lot of words that have been long buried by time and lack of use, will only annoy a reader by having to look up each one if they really want to know what you are saying.

Writing is communication, and the point you stop communicating to the reader, you are failing to do your job as a writer.