“Good words are worth much and cost little.”
As a writer, I think about words a lot. And putting them together to convey not just a message but also a tone is my idea of fun. However, the thing I love most is when a word I haven’t thought about in ages – or ever – just pops out in conversation or on the page. When that happens, it’s magical.
Of course, there are other times when the word I want stays hidden, just out of reach, no matter how hard I try to summon it. It’s a textbook case of lethologica, a fancy name for the inability to remember the right word. It usually arrives hours later while I’m walking the dog or eating dinner. Thanks, but where were you when I needed you?
Some words I love for the way they sound or how much fun they are to say. Others I like for what they mean or how, just by saying them, your tone is instantly more formal or downright silly. Randomly, I started cataloging some of my favorite words. And that inspired this A-to-Z list.
Getting the words out
The criteria for making the list are all over the place. Some I like because they’re obscure. Some because they make me smile when I say them. Others because they’re just smart. I’ll let you decide which is which.
A
Auspicious (A perfect way to begin.)
B
Bombastic (An adjective that sounds exactly like what it means.)
C
Coo (Aww)
D
Dapper (This one always arrives at just the right moment.)
E
Eclectic (How specific and intentional.)
F
Flim-flam (A fun way to say someone is shady.)
G
Giddy (Doesn’t it capture the mood?)
H
Hellacious (That about sums it up.)
I
Igloo (A childhood favorite.)
J
Juxtapose (Compare and contrast are so boring.)
K
Khaki (Such a non-beige word.)
L
Lackadaisical (It just feels careless.)
M
Myriad (When many isn’t enough.)
N
Nevertheless (Oooh. I think the discussion is over.)
O
Oligarchy (Does it sound like a good idea?)
P
Pithy (The comment that cuts to the chase.)
Q
Quiddle (I need to use this one more.)
R
Retort (Because he said, she said is bland.)
S
Schlep (Enough said.)
T
Tumultuous (Look out!)
U
Unflappable (An underappreciated trait.)
V
Vacillate (Wait, maybe there’s another V word I like…)
W
Wackadoo (We all know one.)
X
Xenophobic (Note to self: Learn more X words.)
Y
Yawn (Don’t worry, only one more.)
Z
Zigzag (I would like to be the person who invented this one.)
When it’s time to put some words together to tell your story, Write Hand Ann can help. Let’s collaborate to create some compelling content that catches your audience’s attention, generates leads, and gets results.
More about writing from Write Hand Ann:
What’s the word? How to expand your active vocabulary
Say more. Write less. How to streamline wordy sentences
Does blogging work? (Yes! These real-life examples prove it.)
