Word of the Day 2024
June 14
de·noue·ment
/ˌdāno͞oˈmäN/
noun
the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.
"the film's denouement was unsatisfying and ambiguous"
Similar: finale, final scene, final act, last act, epilogue, coda, ,end, ending
This brings to a close not only our review of plot terms, but to official word of the day. Hopefully, new words were learned.
June 12
Conclusion
The final, or ending part of the story/plot. There, the struggle is resolved, and the meaning or central theme becomes clear to the reader. An effective ending or conclusion comes from the main character resolving the central problem or conflict.
June 11
Falling action
Everything that takes place immediately after the climax. The purpose of falling action is to bring the story from climax to a resolution.
June 10
cli·max
The point of highest dramatic tension or a major turning point in the action.
June 7
rising action
Rising action is the section of a story that leads toward its climax. Because of the increased tension as a book's central conflict (or conflicts) become clear, the rising action is often what keeps you turning the pages.
June 6
initial incident
otherwise known as the inciting incident is an event that hooks the viewer into the story and sets everything else that happens into motion. This moment is when an event thrusts the protagonist into the main action of the story.
June 5
in·tro·duc·tion
/ˌintrəˈdəkSHən/
noun
1. The opening part of the story in which the characters, setting and conflict are first revealed.
June 4
plot
/plät/
noun
1.the main events of a play, novel, movie, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence.
"the plot consists almost entirely of a man and woman falling in love"Similar: storyline, story, chain of events, scenario, action, thread, diegesis, mythos
verb
1. devise the sequence of events in (a play, novel, movie, or similar work).
"she would plot a chapter as she drove"
June 3
im·age·ry
/ˈiməj(ə)rē/
noun
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.
"Tennyson uses imagery to create a lyrical emotion"visual images collectively.
"the impact of computer-generated imagery on contemporary art"
May 31
rep·e·ti·tion
/ˌrepəˈtiSH(ə)n/
noun
The definition of repetition in poetry is repeating words, phrases, lines, or stanzas. It is an intentional technique that the author uses throughout the poem.
May 30
al·lit·er·a·tion
/əˌlidəˈrāSH(ə)n/
noun
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
"the alliteration of “sweet birds sang”"
May 29
on·o·mat·o·poe·ia
/ˌänəˌmädəˈpēə,ˌänəˌmadəˈpēə/
noun
May 28
hy·per·bo·le
/hīˈpərbəlē/
noun
exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.
"he vowed revenge with oaths and hyperboles"
Similar: exaggeration, overstatement, magnification, amplification, embroidery
May 27
per·son·i·fi·ca·tion
Personification is defined as “the attribution of human characteristics to things, abstract ideas, etc., as for literary or artistic effect”, and “the representation of an abstract quality or idea in the form of a person, creature, etc., as in art and literature”.
May 23
met·a·phor
A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another (e.g., “that chef is a magician”). Metaphors can be used to create vivid imagery, exaggerate a characteristic or action, or express a complex idea.
May 23
sim·i·le
/ˈsiməlē/
noun
a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g., as brave as a lion, crazy like a fox ).
May 21
yoke
/yōk/
noun
1. 1.
a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to the plow or cart that they are to pull.
Similar:harness, collar, coupling, tackle, tack, equipage
2. 2
a part of a garment that fits over the shoulders and to which the main part of the garment is attached, typically in gathers or pleats.
"the pinafore fell amply from a short yoke"
May 16
re·buke
/rəˈbyo͞ok/
Verb - : rebuke; 3rd person present: rebukes; past tense: rebuked; past participle: rebuked; gerund or present participle: rebuking
1. express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions.
"she had rebuked him for drinking too much"
Similar: reprimand, reproach, scold, admonish, reprove, chastise, berate, castigate, lambaste, censure
Opposite: praise, compliment, commend
Noun - : rebuke; plural noun: rebukes
1. an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism.
"he hadn't meant it as a rebuke, but Neil flinched"
Similar: reprimand, reproof, admonishment, admonition, lecture, castigation, lambasting, criticism
Opposite: praise, compliment, commendation,
Origin
Middle English (originally in the sense ‘force back, repress’): from Anglo-Norman French and Old Northern French rebuker, from re- ‘back, down’ + bukier ‘to beat’ (originally ‘cut down wood’, from Old French busche ‘log’).
May 15
as·sail
/əˈsāl/
verb
1. make a concerted or violent attack on.
"the Scots army assailed Edward's army from the rear"
Similar: attack, assault, make an assault on, launch an attack on, beset ,accost, mug
o (of an unpleasant feeling or physical sensation) come upon (someone) suddenly and strongly.
"she was assailed by doubts and regrets"
Similar: trouble, disturb, worry, plague, beset, torture, torment, rack, bedevil, nag, vex, harass, pester, dog,
criticize (someone) strongly.
"he assailed a group of editors for their alleged excesses"
Similar: criticize, censure, attack, condemn, castigate, chastise, berate
May 14
lu·mi·nous
/ˈlo͞omənəs/
adjective
1. full of or shedding light; bright or shining, especially in the dark.
"the luminous dial on his watch"
Similar: shining, bright, brilliant, radiant, dazzling, glowing, gleaming, scintillating, lustrous, luminescent, phosphorescent, incandescent, vivid, intense, resplendent, lighted, lit, illuminated, candescent
Opposite: dark
o (of a color) very bright; harsh to the eye.
"he wore luminous green socks"
o PHYSICS
relating to light as it is perceived by the eye, rather than in terms of its actual energy.
"luminous intensity"
May 13
u·biq·ui·tous
/yo͞oˈbikwədəs/
adjective
1. present, appearing, or found everywhere.
"his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family"
Similar: omnipresent, ever-present, present everywhere, everywhere, all-over
May 10
bla·sé
/bläˈzā/
adjective
1. unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before.
"she was becoming quite blasé about the dangers"
Similar: indifferent to, unconcerned about, uncaring about, casual about
May 9
a·wry
/əˈrī/
adjective
1. away from the appropriate, planned, or expected course; amiss.
"I got the impression that something was awry"
Similar: amiss, wrong, not right
o out of the normal or correct position; askew.
"he was hatless, his silver hair awry"
Similar: askew, crooked, lopsided, uneven, asymmetrical, to one side
May 8
clad1
/klad/
verb
ARCHAIC
1. past participle of clothe.
adjective
1. 1. clothed.
"they were clad in T-shirts and shorts"
Similar: dressed, clothed, attired, garbed, costumed, wearing, dolled up, caparisoned, appareled
1. 2. provide or encase with a covering or coating.
"he cladded the concrete-frame structure in stainless steel"
May 7
or·nate
/ôrˈnāt/
adjective
1. made in an intricate shape or decorated with complex patterns.
"an ornate wrought-iron railing"
Similar: elaborate, decorated, embellished, adorned, ornamented, fancy, ostentatious
o (of literary style) using unusual words and complex constructions.
"peculiarly ornate and metaphorical language"
Similar: elaborate, flowery, florid, grandiose, pompous, pretentious, affected, highfalutin, purple
Opposite: plain, austere, simple
o (of musical composition or performance) using many ornaments such as grace notes and trills.
Now begins 10 words with a hidden message.
May 6
vil·i·fy
/ˈviləˌfī/
verb
1. speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner.
"he has been vilified in the press"
Similar: disparage, denigrate, defame, run down, revile, berate, belittle
May 3
No word today.
May 2
au·da·cious
/ôˈdāSHəs/
adjective
showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
"a series of audacious takeovers"
Similar: bold, daring, fearless, intrepid, brave, unafraid, unflinching, courageous, valiant, valorous
Opposite: timid
showing an impudent lack of respect.
"an audacious remark"
Similar: impudent, impertinent, insolent, presumptuous, forward, cheeky
May 1
boun·ti·ful
/ˈboun(t)əfəl/
adjective
1. large in quantity; abundant.
"the ocean provided a bountiful supply of fresh food"
Similar: abundant, plentiful, ample, bumper, superabundant, prolific, profuse, copious, whopping,
Opposite: meager
o giving generously.
"he was exceedingly bountiful to persons in distress"
Similar: generous, magnanimous, munificent, giving, unstinting
com·mem·o·rate
/kəˈmeməˌrāt/
verb
1. recall and show respect for (someone or something).
"a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the war dead"
o celebrate (an event, a person, or a situation) by doing or building something.
"it was a night commemorated in a song"
Similar: celebrate, pay tribute to, pay homage to, honor, salute, toast
Apr 26
de·face
/dəˈfās/
verb
1. spoil the surface or appearance of (something), for example by drawing or writing on it.
"he defaced library books"
Similar: vandalize, disfigure, mar, spoil, ruin, deform, sully
Apr 25
ex·cru·ci·at·ing
/ikˈskro͞oSHēˌādiNG/
adjective
1. intensely painful.
"excruciating back pain"
Similar: agonizing, extremely painful, severe, acute, intense, extreme
Opposite: slight, mild
Apr 24
fend
/fend/
verb
1. look after and provide for oneself, without any help from others.
"you're old enough to fend for yourself"
Similar: take care of oneself, look after oneself, provide for oneself
Apr 23
gul·li·ble
/ˈɡələb(ə)l/
adjective
1. easily persuaded to believe something; credulous.
"an attempt to persuade a gullible public to spend their money"
Similar: credulous, over-trusting, over-trustful, easily deceived/led
Apr 22
hin·drance
/ˈhindrəns/
noun
a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone.
"a hindrance to the development process"
Similar: impediment, obstacle, barrier, bar, obstruction, handicap, block
Apr 19
in·still
/inˈstil/
verb
1. gradually but firmly establish (an idea or attitude, especially a desirable one) in a person's mind.
"how do we instill a sense of rightness in today's youth?"
Similar: inculcate, implant, infuse, imprint, introduce, engender, produce, generate, induce, inspire, foster
Apr 18
jar·gon
/ˈjärɡən/
noun
1. special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult for others to understand.
"legal jargon"
Similar: specialized language, technical language, slang, cant, idiom, argot
Apr 17
knell
/nel/
noun
1. the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.
Similar:toll, tolling, ringing, chime, clang, peal, resounding, clangor, death knell, knoll
verb
1. (of a bell) ring solemnly, especially for a death or funeral.
Apr 15/16
lu·cra·tive
/ˈlo͞okrədiv/
adjective
producing a great deal of profit.
"a lucrative career as a stand-up comedian"
Similar: profitable, profit-making, gainful, moneymaking
Apr 12
mem·oir
/ˈmemˌwär/
noun
a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources.
"in 1924 she published a short memoir of her husband"
Apr 11
nau·se·ate
/ˈnôzēˌāt,ˈnôZHēˌāt/
verb
past tense: nauseated; past participle: nauseated
1. make (someone) feel sick; affect with nausea.
"the thought of food nauseated her"
Similar: sickening, stomach-turning, stomach-churning, disgusting, revolting, repulsive
Apr 10
on·slaught
\ ˈän-ˌslȯt , ˈȯn- \
noun
: an especially fierce attack
the tremendous onslaught across the Rhine— Sir Winston Churchill
also : something resembling such an attack
an onslaught of technological changes
Employers are expecting an onslaught of recent college graduates.
Apr 9
pseu·do·nym
/ˈso͞odənim/
noun
a fictitious name, especially one used by an author.
"I wrote under the pseudonym of Evelyn Hervey"
Similar: pen name, assumed name, incognito, alias, false name
Apr 8
quash
/kwäSH/
verb
reject or void, especially by legal procedure.
"his conviction was quashed on appeal"
Similar: cancel, reverse, rescind, repeal, revoke, retract, countermand
Opposite: validate
put an end to; suppress.
"a hospital executive quashed rumors that nursing staff will lose jobs"
Similar: put an end to, stamp out, put a stop to, end, finish, get rid of
Apr 5
rue
\ ˈrü \
verb
rued; ruing
transitive verb
: to feel penitence, remorse, or regret for
intransitive verb
: to feel sorrow, remorse, or regret
noun
REGET, SORROW
“with rue my heart is laden” — A. E. Housman
Apr 4
se·rene
/səˈrēn/
adjective
1. calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil.
"her eyes were closed and she looked very serene"
2. (in a title) used as a term of respect for members of some European royal families.
"His Serene Highness"
Apr 3
trep·i·da·tion
/ˌtrepəˈdāSH(ə)n/
noun
1. a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.
"the men set off in fear and trepidation"
Similar: fear, apprehension, dread, fearfulness, apprehensiveness
Apr 2
uni·lat·er·al
\ ˌyü-ni-ˈla-tə-rəl or -ˈla-trəl \
adjective
1a: done or undertaken by one person or party
b: of, relating to, or affecting one side of a subject: ONE-SIDED
c: constituting or relating to a contract or engagement by which an express obligation to do or forbear is imposed on only one party
2a: having parts arranged on one side
b: occurring on, performed on, or affecting one side of the body or one of its parts
Mar 15
vo·ra·cious
/vəˈrāSHəs/
adjective
1. wanting or devouring great quantities of food.
"he had a voracious appetite"
Similar: insatiable, unquenchable, unappeasable, prodigious, uncontrollable, rapacious, avid, ravenous
o having a very eager approach to an activity.
"his voracious reading of literature"
Mar 14
wage
\ ˈwāj \
noun
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a: a payment usually of money for labor or services usually according to contract and on an hourly, daily, or piecework basis —often used in plural
wages plural : the share of the national product attributable to labor as a factor in production
2: RECOMPENSE, REWARD —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction ; the wages of sin is death— Romans 6:23 (Revised Standard Version)
verb
waged; waging
(Entry 2 of 2)
transitive verb
: to engage in or carry on: wage war, wage a campaign
intransitive verb
: to be in process of occurring: the riot waged for several hours— Amer. Guide Series: Md.
Mar 13
xan·thic
\ ˈzan(t)thik \
adjective
1a : of, relating to, or tending toward a yellow color.
2 : of or relating to xanthin or xanthine.(a substance of yellow pigment)
[Admittingly, I chose this word because there are very few x words. You will never use this one.]
Mar 12
yon·der
/ˈyändər/
noun
the far distance.
"attempting to fly off into the wild blue yonder"
adverb
ARCHAIC•DIALECT
at some distance in the direction indicated; over there.
"there's a ford south of here, about nine miles yonder"
Mar 11
ze·nith
/ˈzēnəTH/
noun
1 the time at which something is most powerful or successful.
"under Justinian, the Byzantine Empire reached its zenith of influence"
Similar: highest point, peak, pinnacle, apex, apogee, summit, climax
Opposite: nadir, bottom
2. ASTRONOMY
the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer.
Mar 8
zeal
/zēl/
noun
great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective.
"his zeal for privatization"
Similar: passion, zealousness, committedness, ardor, love, fervor
Mar 7
yearn
/yərn/
verb
have an intense feeling of longing for something, typically something that one has lost or been separated from.
"she yearned for a glimpse of him"
Similar: long, pine, crave, desire, want, wish
Mar 6
xen·o·pho·bi·a
/ˌzenəˈfōbēə,ˌzēnəˈfōbēə/
noun
dislike of or prejudice against people from other countries.
"the resurgence of racism and xenophobia"
Similar: racism, ethnocentrism
Mar 5
wran·gle
/ˈraNGɡəl/
noun
noun: wrangle; plural noun: wrangles
a dispute or argument, typically one that is long and complicated.
"an insurance wrangle is holding up compensation payments"
Similar: argument, dispute, disagreement, quarrel, row, fight, squabble, tiff, tussle, brouhaha, fracas, rumpus, brawl, clash, scuffle,
Opposite: agreement
verb
verb: wrangle; 3rd person present: wrangles; past tense: wrangled; past participle: wrangled; gerund or present participle: wrangling
1. have a long and complicated dispute.
"the bureaucrats continue wrangling over the fine print"
Similar: argue, quarrel, row, bicker, squabble, have words, debate, disagree, bandy words, feud
Opposite: agree
2. NORTH AMERICAN
round up, herd, or take charge of (livestock).
"the horses were wrangled early"
Mar 4
vie
/vī/
verb
verb: vie; 3rd person present: vies; past tense: vied; past participle: vied; gerund or present participle: vying
compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something.
"rival mobs vying for control of the liquor business"
Similar: compete, contend, struggle, fight, battle
Mar 1
un·gain·ly
/ˌənˈɡānlē/
adjective
comparative adjective: ungainlier; superlative adjective: ungainliest
(of a person or movement) awkward; clumsy.
"an ungainly walk"
Similar: awkward, clumsy, ungraceful, graceless, inelegant, gawky
Feb 29
ti·rade
/ˈtīˌrād/
noun
plural noun: tirades
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation.
"a tirade of abuse"
Similar: diatribe, denunciation, rant, attack
Feb 28
sub·lime
/səˈblīm/
adjective
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.
"Mozart's sublime piano concertos"
Similar: exalted, elevated, lofty, awe-inspiring, awesome, majestic
Also has a chemistry meaning and an older or archaic meaning.
Feb 27
re·nown
/rəˈnoun/
noun
the condition of being known or talked about by many people; fame.
"authors of great renown"
Similar :fame, distinction, eminence, prominence, repute
Feb 26
quell
/kwel/
verb
1. put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force.
"extra police were called to quell the disturbance"
Similar: end, finish, crush, thwart, squash, quash, subdue, quench
Opposite: bring about, prompt
2. subdue or silence someone.
"Connor quelled him with a look"
3. suppress (a feeling, especially an unpleasant one).
"he spoke up again to quell any panic among the assembled youngsters"
Word of the Day Quiz will be on Monday Feb 26.
The Quiz will be as follows
Create a list of as many of the word of the day words that you can recall. Beneath the word try to use it in a sentence.
You have a limited time to write this, and you may not use your word list – go from memory.
Hand it in when done.
We have covered 16 words (not counting today).
15+ correctly used in sentences is Extending.
11+ correctly used in sentences or listing all 16 is Proficient.
6+ correctly used in sentences or listing 10 or more is Developing.
3+ correctly used in sentences or listing 5 or more is Emerging
Less than 3 is Not Meeting Standards
Feb 23
pre·pos·ter·ous
/prəˈpäst(ə)rəs/
adjective
contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous.
"a preposterous suggestion"
Similar: absurd, ridiculous, foolish, stupid, ludicrous, farcical, laughable
Feb 22
o·vert
/ōˈvərt,ˈōvərt/
adjective
done or shown openly; plainly or readily apparent, not secret or hidden.
"an overt act of aggression"
Similar: undisguised, unconcealed, plain to see, plain
Feb 21
nu·ance
/ˈn(y)o͞oˌäns/
noun
a subtle difference in shade of meaning, expression, or sound.
"the nuances of facial expression and body language"
Similar: fine distinction, shade, degree, subtlety, refinement
verb
give nuances to.
"the effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners"
Feb 20
mus·ter
/ˈməstər/
verb
1. assemble (troops), especially for inspection or in preparation for battle.
"17,000 men had been mustered on Haldon Hill"
Similar: assemble, bring together, marshal, mobilize, rally, raise, summon, gather, mass, convene, call to arms
Opposite: disperse
2. collect or assemble (a number or amount).
"the city council was unable to muster enough votes to pass the measure"
RARE
a group of peacocks.
"the sound was like the cry of a muster of peacocks"
Feb 15
lan·guish
/ˈlaNGɡwiSH/
verb
1. (of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble.
"plants may appear to be languishing simply because they are dormant"
Similar: weaken, grow weak, deteriorate, decline, wither, wilt, fade, fail, waste away
Opposite: thrive, flourish
2 suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation.
"he has been languishing in jail since 1974"
Similar: waste away, rot, decay, wither away, molder, be abandoned
Feb 14
ken
/ken/
noun
one's range of knowledge or sight.
"such determination is beyond my ken"
Similar: knowledge, awareness, understanding, grasp, comprehension
verb
SCOTTISH•NORTHERN ENGLISH
know.
"d'ye ken anyone who can boast o’ that?"
Feb 13
ju·ris·dic·tion
/ˌjo͝orəsˈdikSH(ə)n/
noun
1. the official power to make legal decisions and judgments.
"federal courts had no jurisdiction over the case"
Similar:authority, control, power, sway, influence
o the extent of the power to make legal decisions and judgments.
"the claim will be within the jurisdiction of the industrial tribunal"
o a system of law courts; a judicature.
plural noun: jurisdictions
"in some jurisdictions there is a mandatory death sentence for murder"
Feb 12
im·per·a·tive
/əmˈperədiv/
adjective
of vital importance; crucial.
"immediate action was imperative"
Similar: vitally important, all-important, crucial, essential, pressing, required
Opposite: unimportant, optional
2. giving an authoritative command; peremptory.
"the bell pealed again, a final imperative call"
Similar: commanding, authoritative, overbearing, assertive, firm, insistent, bossy
Opposite: submissive
noun
an essential or urgent thing.
"free movement of labor was an economic imperative"
Feb 09
Hag·gard
hag·gard | \ ˈha-gərd \
adjective
1a: wild in appearance
b: having a worn or emaciated appearance
eg. haggard faces looked up sadly from out of the straw— W. M. Thackeray
Feb 08
gaunt
\ ˈgȯnt , ˈgänt \
Adjective
1: excessively thin and angular, a long gaunt face
Synonyms: cadaverous, emaciated, haggard, skeletal, wasted
Feb 05
ec·cen·tric
\ ik-ˈsen-trik , ek- \
Adjective
1a: deviating (different) from conventional or accepted usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways e.g. an eccentric millionaire
b: deviating (different) from an established or usual pattern or style
Synonyms: bizarre, far-out, odd, offbeat, outlandish, peculiar, quaint, quirky, remarkable, strange, way-out, weird
Noun
1: a person who behaves in odd or unusual ways: an eccentric lived in the old house
Synonyms: character, codger, crackpot, crank, oddball, oddity
Feb 02
dis·cern
/dəˈsərn/
verb
perceive or recognize (something).
"I can discern no difference between the two policies"
distinguish (someone or something) with difficulty by sight or with the other senses.
"she could faintly discern the shape of a skull"
Similar: perceive, make out, pick out, detect, recognize, notice
Feb 01
chas·tise
/ˈCHasˌtīz,ˌCHaˈstīz/
verb
1. rebuke or reprimand severely.
"he chastised his colleagues for their laziness"
Similar: scold, upbraid, berate, reprimand, reprove, rebuke, admonish, chide, censure, castigate, lambaste
Opposite: praise
o DATED
punish, especially by beating.
"the General cruelly chastised them with a whip"
Similar: punish, discipline, beat, thrash, flog, whip, horsewhip, strap
Jan 31
be·nign
/bəˈnīn/
adjective
1. gentle and kindly.
"his benign but firm manner"
Similar: kindly, kind, warmhearted, good-natured, friendly, warm
Opposite: unfriendly, hostile
MEDICINE
(of a disease) not harmful in effect.
"a benign condition"
Jan 30
a·dept
adjective /əˈdept/
1. very skilled or proficient at something.
"he is adept at cutting through red tape"
Similar: Expert, proficient, accomplished, skillful, talented, gifted
Opposite: Inept, mediocre,
Noun /ˈadept,əˈdept/
1. a person who is skilled or proficient at something.
"they are adepts at kung fu and karate"