Hard Words to Spell, Say and Define

A

acquiesce verb

To accept or comply with something reluctantly but without open protest. “Though she disagreed with the decision, she chose to acquiesce rather than prolong the argument.”

antediluvian adjective / noun

Ridiculously old-fashioned or outdated; belonging to a time long past. “The antediluvian filing system—paper cards organized by color—baffled every new hire at the archive.”

archipelago noun

A group of islands scattered across a body of water. “The Indonesian archipelago comprises more than seventeen thousand islands spread across the equatorial Pacific and Indian oceans.”

C

cacophony noun

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds that is unpleasant or jarring to the ear. “The construction site outside her window produced a daily cacophony of drilling and hammering.”

colonel noun

A senior military officer ranking above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier general. “The colonel reviewed her troops before the early morning exercise began.”

conscientious adjective

Wishing to do what is right; taking great care to do one's work or duty thoroughly and correctly. “She was a conscientious student who always double-checked her work before submitting it.”

D

denouement noun

The final resolution or outcome of a plot, conflict, or complex sequence of events. “The novel's denouement revealed that the seemingly villainous lawyer had actually been protecting the family's secret all along.”

E

egregious adjective

Outstandingly bad or shocking; conspicuously offensive. “The referee made an egregious error that cost the home team the match.”

H

hyperbole noun

An exaggerated statement not meant to be taken literally, used for emphasis or rhetorical effect. “Saying 'I've told you a million times' is a classic example of hyperbole.”

I

idiosyncrasy noun

A distinctive personal quirk, habit, or characteristic that sets an individual apart from others. “One of the professor's most endearing idiosyncrasies was his habit of humming softly while grading papers.”

L

labyrinthine adjective

Resembling a labyrinth in complexity or intricacy; extremely complicated and difficult to navigate. “The city's labyrinthine alleyways confused even the most seasoned tourists.”

liaison noun

A communication link or cooperative relationship between two groups or individuals, especially in an official or professional context. “The embassy appointed a cultural liaison to facilitate communication between the two delegations during the summit.”

M

mnemonic adjective / noun

As an adjective, relating to or assisting the memory; as a noun, a device such as a rhyme or acronym used to aid memorization. “The teacher gave the class a mnemonic to remember the order of the planets.”

N

nefarious adjective

Wicked, criminal, or villainous in nature or character. “The detective uncovered the gang's nefarious scheme to defraud elderly victims.”

O

onomatopoeia noun

The formation of a word that phonetically imitates or resembles the sound it describes, such as 'buzz' or 'crash'. “The poem was rich with onomatopoeia, with words like 'hiss,' 'clang,' and 'murmur' bringing the scene to vivid life.”

P

pharaoh noun

A ruler of ancient Egypt, regarded as a god-king and the supreme authority of the state. “The pharaoh commissioned the construction of a massive pyramid as his eternal tomb.”

pneumonia noun

A lung infection causing inflammation of the air sacs, which may fill with fluid, causing cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. “After a week of high fever and labored breathing, she was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia.”

pusillanimous adjective

Showing a lack of courage or determination; timid and cowardly. “The pusillanimous council refused to take any decisive action on the matter.”

Q

quinoa noun

A South American plant whose seeds are widely eaten as a nutritious grain-like food. “She prepared a salad with quinoa, roasted vegetables, and a lemon vinaigrette.”

R

rendezvous noun / verb

A prearranged meeting or meeting place between two or more people. “The spies arranged a rendezvous at a quiet café on the outskirts of the city.”

S

sesquipedalian adjective

Characterized by the use of long words, or of or relating to a long word. “The professor's sesquipedalian vocabulary left half the students scrambling for a dictionary.”

soliloquy noun

An act of speaking one's thoughts aloud when alone or regardless of hearers, especially in a play. “Hamlet's famous soliloquy beginning 'To be, or not to be' is one of the most quoted passages in English literature.”

supererogatory adjective

Going beyond what duty or obligation requires; superfluous or unnecessary. “Providing three detailed analyses when one was requested struck the committee as supererogatory.”

surreptitious adjective

Done secretly or stealthily, especially to avoid detection or notice. “She cast a surreptitious glance at her colleague's notes during the meeting.”

sycophantic adjective

Behaving in an obsequious, flattering way toward someone in power in order to gain advantage. “The sycophantic assistant agreed with everything his boss said, regardless of merit.”

T

tergiversation noun

The action of making evasive or contradictory statements, or of abandoning a cause or position. “The politician's tergiversation on climate policy frustrated voters across the spectrum.”