Writer's Guide

Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Here's a list of Vocabulary words you might find helpful...

Mercurial = Volatile; fickle; flighty; erratic; having an "up-and-down" personality.

Mealymouthed = afraid to speak frankly or straightforwardly.

Indolent = wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy (Uncle Peter sat in an indolent slouch.)

Demure = (of a woman or her behavior) reserved, modest, and shy.

Swagger = Walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air.

Fiasco = Total failure.

Camaraderie = Great friendship, fellowship.

Portly = Fat

Reverie = a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream. (His curt tones snapped her from her reverie.)

Impassive = not feeling or showing emotion.

Terse = sparing in the use of words. "a terse reply" brief. "He replied tersely."

Plotz = to collapse or faint, as from surprise, excitement, or exhaustion. "If my mother knew about this she would plotz."

Fegeddaboudit! = For get about it. 1980s: representing a regional pronunciation of forget about it associated especially with New York and New Jersey.

Deadpan = say something amusing while affecting a serious manner. ("I can't think of a reason off hand." deadpanned Uncle Peter.)

Nondescript = Lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics.

Pustule = An insult or a small blister or pimple on the skin containing pus.

Haughtily = disdainfully proud ("I'll never ask for your help again!" she said haughtily.)

Chuck under the chin = to tap someone, as a child, lightly under the chin, as a sign of affection. ("He said hello to little Mary and chucked her under the chin.")

Feigned = He feigned interest in what she was saying.

Winced = He winced when she said that.

Wry = Using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor. "a wry smile"

Vehemence = The display of strong feeling; passion.

Malaise = General sick feeling or discomfort whose cause is difficult to identify.

Steeled = Mentally prepare oneself to do or face something difficult. (Samber steeled herself.)

Promptly = The bullet hit and he promptly fell back.

Affability = Pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly. "His affability had despaired."

Malicious = Mean. Intending to do harm.

Crestfallen = Sad and disappointed.

Succumbed = Having failed to resist temptation, pressure, or some other negative force. To die from the effect of a disease or injury.

Finesse = Artful subtle. What is typically needed for the tactful handling of something difficult or delicate.

Gruff = Blunt, unfriendly, and curt.

Boded il = The verb bode suggests forecasting. Something "bodes well" when the clues or signs imply a favorable outcome. But if something "bodes ill", you'd better watch out! (The lack of food boded ill for our chances of survival.)

Emaciated = Abnormally thin or weak, especially because of illness or a lack of food.

Incredulous = (of a person or their manner) unwilling or unable to believe something.

Sullen = Bad-tempered, gloomy, grumpy or depressed mood.

Enmity = The state of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something. (The enmity she bears him is well known.)

Radiated (The crowd radiated hate. Her smile radiated affection. He radiated an uneasy fear.)

Buttressed = Increase the strength of something. To reinforce something.

Panache = Flamboyant confidence of style or manner.

Feigned = (She frightened surprise at the news.)

Forthright = Straightforward and honest.

Acquiesced = Accept something reluctantly but without protest.

Sorties = Short trip or journey.

Damnable = Extremely bad or unpleasant. Worthy of a god's condemnation.

Vaunted = To boast about or praise something (The much vaunted Federation.)

Sanctum = A private place.

Judiciously = Using or showing good or discriminating judgment; wise, sensible.

Subterfuge = Deceit used in order to achieve one's goal.

Facetious = Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant

Ineffable = Too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words. "The fear and anxiety created by agoraphobia is ineffable; it must be experienced to be understood."

Gravitas = Dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner. "The Sponge-Bob poster sucked the gravitas out of the room."

Tattered = Old and torn; in poor condition.

Undercurrent = Tendency underlying or at variance with the obvious or superficial significance of words, actions, etc... "Peter seemed oblivious to the undercurrent of the conversation."

Intonation = The rise and fall of the voice in speaking. "I delivered my lines with just the right intonation and wondered if I should have been an actor."