smart words to use in creative writing

127 big fancy words to sound smart and boost your eloquence

Karolina Assi

Everyone wants to sound smart and come across as someone that can express their thoughts eloquently. And even though you might have this fantastic ability in your native language, you may feel limited doing this in English if you’re beginning your journey in expanding your vocabulary with unusual or rarer words.

Fortunately, the English language has thousands of big words that will make you sound instantly more eloquent and knowledgeable.

These words will help you express yourself in a more elegant way by substituting the basic, everyday words with their more fancy synonyms. Learning those “big” words in English is also a great way to impress those around you - whether it’s at school, at work, or during your next date.

To help you take your English vocabulary to the next level, we’re prepared a list of 120+ big words to sound smart, with their meaning and an example of how to use them in context.

The do’s and don'ts of using big words in English

Throwing in a few fancy words into your conversations or monologue is a good idea to sound more eloquent and impress everyone around you.

It’s also a great way to sound smart when you don’t know what to say on a specific topic but want to make a good impression and appear more knowledgeable than you are (like this English student during his literature class ).

But there’s a fine line between using fancy words that truly make you sound eloquent and those that make you sound like you’re trying too hard.

Sometimes, using big words to sound smart may backfire, especially if you don’t really know what they mean. Then, you may end up saying something that makes no sense and leaving everyone in the room perplexed. Plus, using complex words you don’t understand can make you sound pompous - so tread the line between careful and carefree.

Use them only if you truly understand their meaning and know what context to use them in. But don’t use them mindlessly as it will result in an opposite effect to what you intended.

Aside from learning those fancy words and their meaning, another challenge lies in their pronunciation. If you choose those big words that are also hard to pronounce , like “epitome” or “niche,” you might end up saying something that makes everyone laugh (it wouldn’t be such a bad scenario!).

The point is: if you’re going to use fancy words to sound smart, learn their meaning, understand how to use them in context, and practice their pronunciation first.

Big words to sound smart and their meaning

The smartest way of sounding more eloquent when expressing yourself in English is to change basic, everyday words for their fancier versions. For instance, instead of saying “very big,” say “massive.” Instead of saying “detailed.” say “granular,” and instead of saying “not interesting,” say “banal.”

See? Using the word “granular” in a sentence will inevitably add more elegance to your speech and make you appear more fluent and eloquent.

The words we’ve chosen to include in the tables below follow this exact principle. Most of them are just a fancier version of a basic, simple word you’d normally use. Others are words used in a professional or academic setting that simply add more articulacy to your statement.

Fancy words you can use at work

The question isn’t whether you should learn a couple of fancy words you can use at work to impress your boss and coworkers. The question is, how do you use them without coming across as a pompous know-it-all, irritating everyone around you?

Well, it’s all about using them wisely. Don’t cram 10 fancy words into a simple sentence just to sound smarter. Only use them when they help you get your message across. If they don’t bring any value to your sentence, simply don’t use them.

In other words - don’t force it! Be natural.

With that said, here are some big words you can use at work.

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Clever words you might use academically

The academic setting does not only encourage you to sound smart. It forces you to. To get higher grades and convince your professors of your knowledge and eloquence, you need to elevate your vocabulary.

Whether it’s in written or spoken assignments, these words will help you express yourself in a more intelligent and elegant way while impressing your colleagues and professors.

Big interesting words you might use socially

Being the smartest person among your friends is surely a great boost for your ego. It can help you gain their approval, receive compliments, and maybe even get a date or two while hanging out at the bar with your friends.

But the other side of the coin is that using overly sophisticated words in a casual, social setting can make you appear pretentious and out of place. That’s why you need to be careful and not overdo it! If you do, you might only end up humiliating yourself, and that’s a terrible place to be in.

Here are 20+ big words in English you can use in social situations with their meaning and an example of a sentence you could say.

Impressive words you might use romantically

Even if you’re not a very romantic person, some occasions require a bit of romanticism. Using elegant words in your expressions of love and affection can make your romantic conversations and gestures more special and memorable.

Still, don’t use big words if you don’t mean them! You should always be sincere and genuine in your expressions. Remember that words hold tremendous power in inspiring emotions in those who receive them.

With that said, here are 30 big words you can use in a romantic setting to express your love and affection for your significant other or to take your relationship with the person you’re currently dating to the next level (congrats!).

Sophisticated words you might use when discussing art and literature

Are you an art or literature? These two areas often require eloquent vocabulary to describe them. At least, that is the sort of language that people expect to hear from someone who’s an avid reader and art connoisseur.

You might want to express how the allegory in that poem made you feel or the way the plot of the book has enthralled you to keep reading but lack the right words to do it. If so, here’s a list of 20+ words you can use to talk about art and literature in different contexts.

Fancy words you might use when talking about your hobbies

When talking about our hobbies, we want to come across as more knowledgeable than others. After all, they’re our special interests, and we naturally possess a greater deal of expertise in these areas.

Whether you’re into literature, movies, or sports, here are some fancy words you can use to describe your interests.

Make the Thesaurus your new best friend

In this article, we’ve only covered 126 big words. Understandably, we can’t include all the fancy words you might need in one article. There are simply too many!

But luckily, there’s a free online tool you can use to find the synonyms of everyday words to expand your vocabulary and make yourself sound smarter.

Can you take a guess?

That’s right - it’s the online Thesaurus . You’ve surely heard about it from your English teacher, but in case you haven’t, Thesaurus is a dictionary of synonyms and related concepts. It’s a great way to find synonyms of different words to spice up your oral or written statements and avoid repeating the same old boring words time and time again.

Choose your words wisely

Whether you’re using simple, everyday words in casual conversations or those big, fancy words in a professional or academic environment, remember one thing: words have power.

They’re spells that you cast (there’s a reason why it’s called “spelling”) onto yourself and those who you speak them to. The words you speak inspire emotions and shape how other people perceive you. But they also influence your own emotions and shape how you perceive yourself.

So choose them wisely.

Learn more about the fascinating English language on our English language blog here.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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400 Descriptive Words List to Make Your Writing Shine

Do you want to make your writing more engaging? Check out this descriptive words list with 400 words you can use today.

As you strive to be a more engaging writer, using  descriptive words  can help. It’s easy to overuse these words, but sprinkling them in here and there is a great way to colorize your writing.

Descriptive words are adjectives , which describe nouns and pronouns, or adverbs, which describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Identifying and using these will help you write stronger pieces and descriptive essays .

This descriptive word list is a good place to start. It also pairs nicely with our list of mood words .

Descriptive Words List: 400 Words to Make Your Writing More Colorful

Example sentences using adjectives, common endings for adjectives, list of adverbs in english, example sentences using adverbs, a final word on descriptive words list, what are some good descriptive words, what words describe movement.

Descriptive words take writing from boring to engaging. Consider this sentence:

• She swam across the water.

While this tells you what is happening, it has little to help you imagine the scene. If you add some adjectives and adverbs and transform the statement to this:

• She swam speedily across the choppy water.

Now you have a better picture of what happened. In order to transform your writing in this way, you need a number of descriptive words at the ready, and this list of descriptive words will help.

List of Descriptive Adjectives in English

Adjectives are the most common type of descriptive words, so first we will look at these. These words describe features like shape, texture, color, and size. They help differentiate between items in a group by calling out distinguishing features.

In  English  grammar, you can use the following to describe nouns and pronouns:

• Adventurous
• Accomplished
• Comfortable
• Embellished
• Enthusiastic
• Everlasting
• Fashionable
• Intelligent
• Quarrelsome
• Querulous 
• Questionable
• Thoughtless
• Uninterested

This list is not exhaustive, and there are many synonyms and other words that could be added. In addition, all colors are considered adjectives and describing words . Nationalities, like American or English, can also fit this list.

As you work on creating descriptive writing, get used to using these and similar words. You might also find our list of pronouns useful.

To better understand how adjectives look in sentences, consider these examples:

• The fuzzy red fox jumped over the tall fence. (red, tall)
• We like to visit the beautiful forest (beautiful)
• The garden shed feels damp this morning. (garden, damp)
• The trip to Disney World was magical. (Magical)
• The beautiful bird sat on the rough branch and sang. (beautiful, rough)
• The woman is short, but her husband is tall. (short, tall)
• I prefer cold climates. (cold)
• The luxurious hotel included soft robes for each guest. (luxurious, soft, each)

Because listing all adjectives in the English language is impossible, knowing their endings is helpful, especially for ESL language learners. Some of the common endings for adjectives include:

If you see a word ending in one of these, and you know it isn’t a noun, chances are high it is an adjective.

The English language also uses adverbs to describe verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. These descriptive words show intensity, number, and extent. They often end in -ly.

• Accidentally
• Aggressively
• Apathetically
• Assertively
• Astronomically
• Beautifully
• Begrudgingly
• Blearily 
• Deceivingly
• Deliberately
• Differently
• Dramatically
• Emotionally
• Exceptionally
• Frightfully
• Frenetically
• Frivolously
• Hysterically
• Inquisitively
• Intelligently
• Impressively
• Ludicrously
• Methodically
• Mysteriously
• Neglectfully
• Obnoxiously
• Occasionally
• Pointlessly
• Significantly
• Splendidly 
• Substantially
• Technically
• Unexpectedly
• Victoriously
• Vitally 
• Vivaciously
• Voluntarily

Again, this is not an exhaustive list. As you learn to identify adverbs or use them in your writing, look for words that describe verbs and other descriptive words that end in -ly.

Editing tip: Sometimes adverbs can also serve as filler words that you can remove or use to slow down or speed up a piece.

To better understand how adverbs show up in sentences as descriptive words, consider these examples:

• The electric car drove so quietly we didn’t hear it coming. (so, quietly)
• My dog barked angrily at the intruder. (angrily)
• The girls sang beautifully. (beautifully)
• He swam across the pool quickly. (quickly)
• The box is surprisingly heavy for its size. (surprisingly) 
• The toddler walked very carefully across the slippery floor. (very, carefully)
• Language learning is incredibly easy for some students, and incredibly hard for others (incredibly)

As you learn how to become a better writer , descriptive language is a big part of the picture. Adjectives and adverbs are the parts of speech that allow you to describe other things vividly. While you can overuse them, they can add color and interest to your writing when used well.

Keep this list of descriptive words handy. When you have a need, pull it out and find one that fits your writing. Whether you’re writing a sentence, a short story, or an entire novel, you’ll find it easier to get descriptive when you have these words on hand.

Check Like this? Check out our list of sensory words .

FAQs on Descriptive Words List

Descriptive words are words that make something easier to identify by describing its characteristics. Some good words that fit this include: Bright Adventurous Jovial Charming Peaceful

Some descriptive words describe the movement of an object. These include: Swiftly Fluidly Gracefully Smoothly Disjointedly

Nicole Harms has been writing professionally since 2006. She specializes in education content and real estate writing but enjoys a wide gamut of topics. Her goal is to connect with the reader in an engaging, but informative way. Her work has been featured on USA Today, and she ghostwrites for many high-profile companies. As a former teacher, she is passionate about both research and grammar, giving her clients the quality they demand in today's online marketing world.

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Copyblogger

51 Smart Tips for Brilliant Writing

Do you sound smarter when you use big words?

According to a study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology , the answer is no.

In fact, complex writing makes you sound small-minded. Just consider the title of the study: Consequences of erudite vernacular utilized irrespective of necessity: problems with using long words needlessly.

Wouldn’t it be better to title this study something like The effect of using big words when you don’t need them?

To sound smart, you must stop trying to sound smart. Brilliant writing is simple writing, a relevant idea delivered clearly and directly.

Here are 11 ways you can start writing today and sound brilliant:

1. Have something to say

This makes writing easier and faster. When you have nothing to say, you are forced to write sentences that sound meaningful but deliver nothing.

Read widely. Take notes. Choose your subjects wisely. Then share the information with readers, in your own writing voice .

2. Be specific

Consider two sentences:

I grow lots of flowers in my back yard. I grow 34 varieties of flowers in my back yard, including pink coneflowers, purple asters, yellow daylilies, Shasta daisies, and climbing clematis.

Which is more interesting in a writing introduction ? Which helps you see my back yard?

3. Choose simple words

Write use instead of utilize , near instead of close proximity , help instead of facilitate , for instead of in the amount of , start instead of commence .

Use longer words only if your meaning is so specific no other words will do.

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4. Write short sentences

You should keep sentences short for the same reason you keep paragraphs short: they’re easier to read and understand.

Each sentence should have one simple thought. More than that creates complexity and invites confusion.

5. Use the active voice

In English, readers prefer the SVO sentence sequence: Subject, Verb, Object. This is the active voice.

For example:

Passive sentences bore people.

When you reverse the active sequence, you have the OVS or passive sequence: Object, Verb, Subject.

People are bored by passive sentences.

You can’t always use the active voice, but most writers should use it more often.

6. Keep paragraphs short

Look at any newspaper and notice the short paragraphs.

That’s done to make reading easier, because our brains take in information better when it’s broken into small chunks.

In academic writing, each paragraph develops one idea and often includes many sentences. But in casual, everyday writing, the style is less formal and paragraphs may be as short as a single sentence or even a single word.

7. Eliminate fluff words

Qualifying words, such as very , little , and rather , add nothing to your meaning and suck the life out of your sentences.

It is very important to basically avoid fluff words because they are rather empty and sometimes a little distracting.

Mark Twain suggested that you should “Substitute damn every time you’re inclined to write very ; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

8. Don’t ramble

Rambling is a big problem for many writers. Not as big as some other problems, such as affordable health insurance or the Middle East, which has been a problem for many decades because of disputes over territory. Speaking of which, the word “territory” has an interesting word origin from terra , meaning earth.

But the point is, don’t ramble.

9. Don’t be redundant or repeat yourself

Also, don’t keep writing the same thing over and over and over. In other words, say something once rather than several times. Because when you repeat yourself or keep writing the same thing, your readers go to sleep.

10. Don’t over write

This is a symptom of having too little to say or too much ego .

Put your reader first. Put yourself in the background. Focus on the message.

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11. Edit ruthlessly

Shorten, delete, and rewrite anything that does not add to the meaning. It’s okay to write in a casual style, but don’t inject extra words without good reason.

To make this easier, break your writing into three steps:

• Write the entire text.
• Set your text aside for a few hours or days.
• Return to your text fresh and edit.

None of us can ever be perfect writers, and no one expects us to be. However, we can all improve our style and sound smarter by following these tips and writing naturally.

40 quick writing tips to help you start today

Looking for more quick writing tips? These 40 pointers will help you organize and express your thoughts.

• Stop overthinking.
• Jot down one idea at a time.
• Write a little bit every day.
• Read something interesting if you’re feeling stuck.
• Make notes in your phone.
• Keep a pen and pad of paper with you when you’re away from your computer.
• Transfer your notes to your computer regularly.
• Pause conversations to capture interesting anecdotes.
• Add interesting anecdotes to conversations.
• Monitor how people react.
• Research fascinating topics.
• Brainstorm the best way to approach a topic.
• Look for fresh angles.
• Listen to a podcast related to your topic.
• Watch a video related to your topic.
• Discover the time of day when you’re most creative.
• Schedule time to write at your desk.
• Clean your desk.
• Know your audience.
• Practice choosing the right words.
• Outline your main points.
• Experiment with how you structure your writing.
• Draft many headlines.
• Craft intriguing subheadlines.
• Use effective bullet points.
• Study other authors.
• Create a messy draft.
• Take a break before you edit.
• Refine your messy draft.
• Edit with your ideal reader in mind.
• Choose simple language.
• Clarify any confusing phrases.
• Keep your explanations concise.
• Go into more detail only when it’s necessary.
• Entertain your reader.
• Share an unpopular opinion.
• Inspire new ideas.
• Transform written articles into other forms of content.
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Reader Interactions

Reader comments (181).

April 7, 2010 at 8:15 am

I think one big word is good, people that use many risk alienating readers. I enjoy articles that have one big word that fits perfectly. It makes me feel the article was worthwhile (I learned something), no matter what.

April 7, 2010 at 8:17 am

At school, I loved maths/science and hated English. My writing was bad. I felt stupid because all the other kids used long words.

Then a few years ago, a good friend of mine, who is a confidence coach, simply told me I was much better understood by others because I used plain and simple words…. none of these pompous long words.

It took someone else to point out my simple writing strength.

September 4, 2010 at 1:29 pm

Friends usually praise me for using simple words in my writing. They said they wanted to learn how to do it. So, they asked me to teach them.

I told them that my writing vocabulary is very limited. I have no other choice but to use simple words. Those are the only words I know.

Jef Menguin

April 7, 2010 at 8:18 am

After all, everything is about simplicity.

Less is more!

April 7, 2010 at 8:19 am

Some writers seem to use ‘rambling’ for comic effect and it seems to work quite well for them – but perhaps it only works for those with an established audience who have come to expect it??

I confess that I fall foul of most of the tips above. 🙁

January 1, 2011 at 6:15 pm

Basically rambling only “works” when the intent is humor. It distracts us from an initial point, sometimes returning us there via a circuitous route, sometimes dropping us off at the head of a totally new pathway. Handled with care, it can leave the reader saying ‘hmph’ to himself as he grins at being cleverly tricked. Handled poorly, it can be accompanied by the sound of a book being slammed shut and tossed into the fire.

I ramble far too much. Not because I have nothing to say or am pretentious, but because I have ADD and that’s the way my brain works. I think that I get more ideas on paper faster than most people, but I think it likely that I spend more time editing in order to get decent copy, too.

August 4, 2011 at 3:13 am

I ramble a ton, and like Bill it’s not to be egotistical or for filler (typically), it’s just that is how I’ve always written. I actually do write with a personal style, but part of my personal style IS my rambling. However, perhaps that should be my next “elimination round” for re-writing since I get less than 50 VIEWS… not visits, not subscribers, but VIEWS a day. My HIGHEST has been 75 VIEWS in a day. No subscribers.

The more I read about other people’s blogs, the more envious I get.

But, I will also say that I’ve been too heavy handed on the “good grammar” aspect of using 4-6 sentence paragraphs, instead of limiting my paragraphs to a just a few sentences if that was all that was necessary.

There I go rambling again. =P

April 7, 2010 at 8:24 am

I hope this post goes viral today – these tips are what strong writers do every day. Saying more with less is the best kind of writing. I think that’s why enjoy blog writing because the whole point is to say as much as you can in the smallest space. What good are big words if they don’t add clarity?

April 7, 2010 at 8:25 am

Thanks for putting this list together. Now, I must apply it!

Information like this is priceless!

Chat with you later… Josh

August 4, 2011 at 3:14 am

I think you just succeeded in every single one of these tips.

April 7, 2010 at 8:30 am

Love Mark Twain’s quote.

By the way, could “brilliant” be considered a fluff word in some context? 🙂

Ana/ YourNetBiz

April 7, 2010 at 8:31 am

This is very useful advice. I find your posts almost always help me. Thank you!

April 7, 2010 at 8:34 am

Damn fine article… Mark Twain would be proud!

I think the title of that study is really clever, though. How often are the titles of studies funny, while also clearly illustrating the point of the study? Full points!

I know it’s widely accepted writing tips gospel, but I’m still unconvinced by the “passive voice must be avoided!” rule of writing. See, when I was taught English (as a foreign language), I was told, “in English, the passive voice is used very often so you will have to learn how to use it.” I did, like a good little student, only to be told later in life I should stop!

Did the last paragraph really bore you that much? (Did you even notice?) Is the active form really always better? Where did this anti-passive sentiment start?

I realise you may not have the answers, but I’ve long wondered, so if you do, fill me in!

September 4, 2010 at 1:34 pm

Passive voice has its own place. It is very useful when you are describing a process or when the doer of the action is not as important as the result.

April 7, 2010 at 8:35 am

I love the big words. Love them. But I tend not to write them so much as I would speak them, so it’s not a problem in my blogging.

Just two days ago I was reading Ray Bradbury’s Zen and the Art of Writing and a maxim jumped right out at me: “…when you write quickly, you write honestly.” I love that. It’s both true and useful. And to follow along with today’s point, when you write quickly, you can’t stuff your writing full of multi-syllabic nonsense someone else can’t easily decipher.

April 7, 2010 at 8:43 am

These are brilliant tips! Anyone of our clients writing copy for their site could benefit from this. Thanks!

April 7, 2010 at 8:45 am

Interesting. I’m translator, and when we speak about these online writing news and challenges of the unknown, it seems that both languages coincide. The same principles apply to my native language (Spanish). I’m ready to read the next 11 tips! Thank you!

April 7, 2010 at 8:47 am

Great advice. I find audio transcription a useful technique to avoid unnatural language, thus my writing comes across more conversational. A great iPhone app for this is Dragon Dictation.

April 7, 2010 at 8:52 am

Great tips! As a psychologist I know of the big words–and they do bore me! Even though I understand the words, I skim over much of them to get to the point. Which might be a the 12th tip here: Get to the point and be done with it!

April 7, 2010 at 8:57 am

If for nothing else, avoid the passive voice since politicians use it to get around tough questions. 🙂

Politicians know “it’s easy to leave the actor out of passive sentences… to avoid mentioning who is responsible for certain actions.”

April 7, 2010 at 9:02 am

I’m a civil servant. I know all about leaving the actor out of sentences, but does that mean the active voice is always better? Is the problem the voice, or the avoidance?

It’s perfectly possible to avoid identifying the actor when writing in the active voice. I did it just now.

Politicians also use soap. Should I stop?

April 7, 2010 at 9:10 am

There is only a small handful of people that have their clocks wound through big words.

The rest of our customers just want to hear us speak in everyday language. When I write copy I like to pretend that I am writing a letter to my grandmother. If she would get what I’m saying then I know it worked.

Great post. Very concise and packed with valuable tidbits.

-Joshua Black The Underdog Millionaire

April 7, 2010 at 9:16 am

It’s great how you made your point both in words and in this blog. Nice job!

April 7, 2010 at 9:18 am

@willie. I’m no active voice extremist, but active rules!

“politicians also use soap. Should I stop?”

Didn’t you mean, “The soap was used by the politicians. Should I be stopped by that?” 😉

April 7, 2010 at 9:23 am

Thank you, Dean. I’ve been reading your stuff for 15 years or more (a yellowed torn-out page from an old DM News confirms this), and you’re always right on. Too many writers, I think, begin with the goal of impressing their audiences. The real goal is communication.

April 7, 2010 at 9:27 am

I always keep in mind that I should write simple words and short sentences when I’m writing.

April 7, 2010 at 9:30 am

@willie, passive voice isn’t always a bad thing. But in general, I agree with Shane & Dean, active voice is clearer and it always identify who or what is doing the action of the sentence.

Too often, passive voice is used to keep from getting clear about what’s actually going on. The classic example being “mistakes were made.” Well ok, that’s helpful in one sense, but it would be good to know who made them.

The reason so many writing teachers recommend reworking passive to active is it’s a quick way to make your writing simpler and more direct. I like the way Dean framed it, rather than saying “it’s always wrong.”

April 7, 2010 at 9:44 am

Excellent and immediately useful tips. Novice blogger.

April 7, 2010 at 9:45 am

Nice post. I see a conflict between #2 and #4. In example #2, you take a sentence and make a paragraph out of it. In #4, you advise shorter sentences. I think the example in #2 would have worked better if you had found a way to use several short sentences to flesh out the description.

I’m a nit picker.

May 1, 2012 at 10:43 am

Benjie, I beg to disagree, there is no conflict. Adjectives and adverbs are two different things. He advises against using “unnecessary” words and keep it to the point, not do away with subject matter altogether.

April 7, 2010 at 9:56 am

Probably one of my biggest downfalls is being a little too stiff in my writing style. I appreciate your tips Dean. I think we all know many of these things. I’ll be very good at my writing for day, then start to get carried away and back into bad habits. Nice refresher.

April 7, 2010 at 10:01 am

“Sesquipedalian” means the use of especially big or long words. You should assiduously eschew obfuscatory prolixity and hyperverbosity.

April 7, 2010 at 10:08 am

Your post was very good, Dean. A nice, clean, spare writing style is something to be envied. I go in spurts. When I organize myself and clear my head, I do well. My thoughts flow and I lose myself in my writing. I glance at the clock and realize I’ve been writing and editing the same piece for 2 hours. I feel good about the end result.

Then, the next day, things may go all to heck in a handcart. I allow the tyranny of the urgent to take over and find myself racing to get things done. My work suffers, my desk gets more cluttered and I get so scattered I don’t do anything particularly well.

That’s when I pull back and decide to let my writing take a breather, while I catch up on other things. I don’t allow myself to turn out garbage. When I’m back to the right place in my head, I start writing again.

Thanks for the reminders and the little insights.

Steve Benedict

April 7, 2010 at 10:17 am

To take a page from Hemingway… good post! Time to drink.

April 7, 2010 at 10:19 am

You are singing my song. I read so much tangled writing every day that my eyes hurt.

April 7, 2010 at 10:24 am

@Bob, thanks for the reminder about a word I happen to love!

@James, laughing, thanks.

April 7, 2010 at 10:27 am

As a grammar lover, librarian, Mark Twain fan, and nit-picker, I love everything about the post.

I recently learned that there is now an opera based on Strunk’s The Elements of Style, for anyone who just can’t get through the book:)

April 7, 2010 at 10:36 am

ps. Active voice cuts down on word count, too. At 8 cents per word, that can add up with the proofer.

April 7, 2010 at 10:37 am

OK, well, I’m not trying to start the passive voice appreciation society here (although I do think it’s been unneccesarily hated on by some).

And, yes, the passive voice can be and is used to obfuscate. Sometimes, though, who is doing the obfuscating (for example) is either unimportant or really obvious (here it’s clearly the aforementioned soap-using politicians). (The bastards.)

I guess my main issue with “avoid the passive voice” as writing advice is that for many of us, determining whether a sentence is in active or passive voice is a non-trivial task. It is a non-trivial task to me, and I’m *good* at grammar.

Instead of spending time working out whether each of your sentences is active or passive, is it not more efficient to hunt for things that are unclear, or wordy, or that sound like a civil servant wrote it?

April 7, 2010 at 10:38 am

Great tips to keep in mind, especially number 4 – I am Queen of the never ending sentence.

April 7, 2010 at 10:45 am

I think these are all very useful tips – thanks for sharing. The advice on short sentences, paragraphs and not writing too much are something I think would make a lot of blogs a lot better and are sins I often fall foul of myself (I am a chronic over-writer).

Josh, is that opera real? I’m the kind of word geek who’d go and see it!

April 7, 2010 at 10:50 am

I’ll definitely apply these tips. Thanks for posting it! More power! (^_^)

April 7, 2010 at 10:56 am

@Willie, it only takes a few seconds to erase passive.

In your word processor, do a search for any form of “to be” (ex. “is, are, am, was, were, has been, have been, had been, will be, can be, should be, would be.”). If verbs follow these words, it’s probably passive voice.

To establish niche authority, we need to write with authority. And, yes, you’re making me laugh (Josh, too).

Passive voice is to be avoided because many extra syllables are added for it to be accomplished.

Avoid passive voice, which adds many extra syllables. (43% difference)

As for the big words and complex sentence issues– while thesauritis and inelegant subordination can lead to obsfucation, we have 800,000 words to choose from and complex ideas to convey. Simple sentences cannot express complex, subtle relationships. The world of ideas should not be limited to a 4th grade reading level.

April 7, 2010 at 11:09 am

Great article. I noticed I’m doing a couple of these things. I need to stop.

Another thing to add to Edit Ruthlessly: read your copy out loud. One of the quickest ways to catch all the points that come before 11.

April 7, 2010 at 11:34 am

Great blogging advice! Ban the fluff, for sure. Be concise. Be simple if/when possible. And *usually* brevity is helpful too, but rambling from time to time CAN be just what the meandering flâneur needs… 😉

April 7, 2010 at 11:40 am

This is right in line with the lessons from a business writing course I’m taking. What’s interesting is that I didn’t realize that I was adding fluff words, cliches, etc. until after I took the course. I now find myself auto-correcting my writing more.

Your tips are simple, but so valuable. I think more of us need these tips than we realize.

Thanks for sharing.

April 7, 2010 at 11:41 am

I do wish that Dean had a career in politics. It would be so good to hear less hot air and more truth from those who are supposed to govern us.

April 7, 2010 at 11:53 am

Love this as so many of us are guilty of these at one point or another. I am not a fan of the big words as it do not find them to be very conversational. I do not necessarily talk in big words so why would I write that way is sort of my model for writing. For me it is not necessarily about looking smarter or not, it is about how I talk and transferring that over to how I write.

These tips are ones to remember esp when we do start to ramble – resists the inviting temptation.

@SuzanneVara

April 7, 2010 at 12:08 pm

I’ve always been a believer in these suggestions. Always remembering to use them is another question…

April 7, 2010 at 12:13 pm

“Is passive voice must have to be avoided?” I think it shouldn’t, because it is the smartest way to keep long your article without adding some extra information.

April 7, 2010 at 12:18 pm

I disagree with #3. I think some well-placed “big words” beg the reader to grow instead of “talking down.” As mdb wrote in the first reply, it may ask them to learn something new. Maybe I write to stir people differently, as I’m sure personal style creates its own parameters. I feel it’s most important to string words together in your own voice.

Of course, I’ve yet to really go out and develop an audience. I may adapt my view when that time comes.

April 7, 2010 at 1:16 pm

Be succinct!

April 7, 2010 at 1:26 pm

I got a kick out of this: Mark Twain suggested that you should “Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

It’s damn good! [Edited: It’s good; hmm it doesn’t sound as good as it seems. This is the case where you gotta keep the ‘damn’! Of course it’s not professional, but you don’t have to be.]

One side thought: Although many Copyblogger posts are driving home the same messages, repetition is crucial in making the messages stick. Everytime I read a new post, I get some new ideas to work on. This always happens even if I’d already seen the tips/advices tens of times.

April 7, 2010 at 2:15 pm

After further consideration, I think the picture you’re trying to paint is the guiding principle.

You can say something “takes hard work” or be more descriptive and refer to “inglorious and unglamorous toil.”

Again, it comes down to style. Just a second though to share.

April 7, 2010 at 2:43 pm

Great list of tips to keep us all focused. For those of us that had to write huge papers in high school and college, writing so that most people can understand and enjoy does not come naturally.

We’ve been taught that you have to use flowery language and write above people’s heads.

Do that online and you’ll have a bunch of bored readers. Keep things short, interesting and to the point.

April 7, 2010 at 2:48 pm

Love this! Your first point is great. Have something worthwhile to say. When you do have meaning behind your words, it’s easy to write simply and specifically. You know your point. You get it across. Job well done.

April 7, 2010 at 3:04 pm

My favorite: “Shorten, delete, and rewrite anything that does not add to the meaning. It’s okay to write in a casual style, but don’t inject extra words without good reason.”

April 7, 2010 at 3:21 pm

I’m guilty of many of these, especially #s 5 and 7. But a bigger issue for me is trying to balance writing for attorneys with good blogging. I can see how #3 makes sense for content in general, but most of my clients prefer “commence” and similar words in legal docs. I guess it means I must juggle 2 writing styles to blog well and satisfy my clients. Thanks for the tips, timely as always!

April 7, 2010 at 3:24 pm

Great list 🙂 I am very new in the field of writing and I feel your post directly pointed out to me the areas I need to work on.

Thank you for sharing those strategies 🙂

April 7, 2010 at 4:34 pm

I’ve been thinking about this post all day. Every time I sat down to write something, I double checked to be sure I wasn’t using any $100 words. It’s unlikely that I would, but as a graduate student I have added a few “academic” terms to my vocabulary. I would hate for them to slip in to everyday conversation! 🙂

April 7, 2010 at 4:35 pm

Great stuff. Short and sweet. Thank you.

April 7, 2010 at 4:38 pm

Great tips Dean. I’ll keep an eye on my “very, little and rather” etc. I think I’m guilty. I’ve never given much thought to the active vs passive voicing before either. Thanks for posting.

April 7, 2010 at 4:51 pm

It is sometimes hard not to use big words to describe something… It can be quicker and more precise to use technical jargon and fancy words but you do have to get your message across to your reader, who may not have the depth of your vocabulary. Personally, I don’t know many big words… I think wordy is better than verbose anyway, which is what I am becoming here…

April 7, 2010 at 5:23 pm

@Dean – Thanks for the article, and especially the damn fine Mark Twain quote. I love it.

@WillieHewes – My gripe with passive voice is that it usually hurts clarity. I agree that “determining whether a sentence is in active or passive voice is a non-trivial task”, so I let Microsoft Word help. I swear that its grammar checker draws immense pleasure from harassing me about passive voice. I gripe, but my rewrite is usually much clearer. Maybe your word processing software has a similar torture-the-writer option. Word doesn’t have an option to flag writing that sounds-like-a-civil-servant-wrote-it though. Maybe in the next version 🙂

April 7, 2010 at 5:33 pm

Fantastic tips. It’s essential to strike a balance between writing detailed, specific points and eliminating grandiose phrasing.

Amen, Dean. Excellent post.

April 7, 2010 at 5:47 pm

There’s nothing worse than trying to eke out a post when you have nothing to say! I’ve been guilty of it several times, but my new technique is to plan out (bullet point) all my drafts on a Monday, then they simmer away in my mind and I fill in the gaps later in the week. It’s saving me a lot of time actually.

April 7, 2010 at 6:40 pm

I think that everyone who writes should read Stephen King’s ‘On Writing’, even if you’re not a fiction writer. He covers a lot of these tips, actually. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, like cutting all your adverbs (a well-placed one can be handy), but since I read it I can see where I’m going wrong and fix it – and see how much better it is afterwards.

April 7, 2010 at 7:18 pm

Thanks Dean, your words have ignited a spark of responses hungry for simplified expression. Me too as I struggle to find ways to describe the way something looks.. as in a product that effects a great look expressed as ‘gorgeous..’ Any thoughts as to expression of tired words so people don’t switch off ?

April 7, 2010 at 7:37 pm

Its an awesome article. I have been struggling to write these simple words and explain correctly. Now, I have some idea and hopefully I will use on my website. I have been writing a website on Nepal with lots of helpful informations. If you guys could help me how to simplify my writing visiting my website that would be awesome.

April 7, 2010 at 7:46 pm

Holy crap! Love the tips, but I am not reading all these comments. lol. I would be here for hours, and I’m sure I would run across a few redundant things.

I love number 7. Eliminate the fluff. Cut it out. Chop it up. Anything that can help us keep it simple, make it more readable and get our message across is a good lesson to learn. Damn good!

April 7, 2010 at 7:57 pm

Love the Mark Twain quote!

Simplicity is key.

April 7, 2010 at 10:17 pm

Thanks for the great post! K.I.S.S. when you communicate.

April 8, 2010 at 3:02 am

These Tips are very unique and easy to learn …. I like it, Thanks for sharing!! 🙂

April 8, 2010 at 5:33 am

“Word doesn’t have an option to flag writing that sounds-like-a-civil-servant-wrote-it though. Maybe in the next version.”

They should totally build that. I might even use the programme if they did.

April 8, 2010 at 7:15 am

I will never be able to write ‘very’ again without thinking about Mark Twain.

April 8, 2010 at 8:17 am

One of the other advantages of the Write – Wait – Edit approach is that you will discover words that have been left out and should be there to complete a sentence.

The missing words are in your head when you write the article and when you review it right after writing. The missing words are no longer in your head when you come back later to review and edit the article.

April 8, 2010 at 8:30 am

Leaving the text and coming back later is a trick that I swear by. I also read text out loud to spot errors.

Mark Twain cracks me up.

April 8, 2010 at 9:22 am

Good writing tips here. I do have a tendency of getting a little long winded some times. How do you like Thesis? I’m considering purchasing.

April 8, 2010 at 9:36 am

Luv 1 – 8 and 10

I guess having something to write SHOULD be your first step..lol

April 8, 2010 at 10:47 am

Thanks for firmly reminding me about what I know but tend to ignore!

Especially timely as I write monthly blogs and website articles for clients, as well as myself. This will help me give them better value.

April 8, 2010 at 10:50 am

Excellent post Dean. The idea is to welcome readers and let them know that we are just as ordinary as any other person. This keeps the readers coming back as having simple English laid out enables more understanding, instantly encouraging him/her to ENGAGE with the writer; which is important.

April 8, 2010 at 2:04 pm

This is an interesting study. However, this seems to be stating the obvious. Overusing complex terminology and vague adjectives definitely alienates the average reader. Technical vernacular is appropriate for trade journals and other professional publication but vague adjectives always make the writer seem less credible. I am a journalism student at the University of Kansas and these are the types writing guideline that were drilled into our brains during the first research and writing class we were required to take. All these guidelines are basic AP and inverted pyramid news writing styles. Nevertheless, it is nice to see one scientific field provide legitimacy to the practices of another.

April 8, 2010 at 4:31 pm

I agree. Using complicated words only makes you sound like you’re trying to be smart as apposed to actually being smart. Got a chuckle out of “See?”

April 8, 2010 at 5:12 pm

Thanks for this article. I really need it today, and I have it bookmarked. Awesome tips.

April 8, 2010 at 8:42 pm

Agreed! I feel the most inspired and creative when I’m taking simple ideas and turning them into fresh, exciting, new insight. It’s the same with words. It’s how you use them together and develop the relationship between them. In a vaccum, words mean nothing. Delicately crafted, they’re powerful tools.

April 9, 2010 at 3:01 am

I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent and articulate person. But when I read academic articles and journals I typically find them full of words that seem designed to confuse. So a really useful application of these basic rules would be in academic papers. Encourage understanding rather than show how clever you are.

By the way, love the site.

April 9, 2010 at 3:27 pm

These are some very good tips. Especially #1 “Having Something To Say.” Because without this it’s a waste of time for you and your readers.

Kind regards,

April 11, 2010 at 11:08 am

Thank for the tips, there are many people like me who are not the best at writing but we still want to express ourselves.

To writers these are already embedded in them, but for those who aren’t, it is always great to see read them to start the process of having them naturally enforced in our writing.

April 11, 2010 at 7:24 pm

Simple, concise, brilliant.

April 12, 2010 at 8:15 am

I am going to print this and hang it by my computer to serve as a reminder.

An important trick I see some great writers use is rhythm. They use words like a paint brush and are able make something boring or difficult easier to read. I compare to a photograph of an ugly person wearing a nice shirt.

April 16, 2010 at 10:35 pm

Simply brilliant. A good reference would be “On Writing Well”, an excellent book which covers many of these topics in such simplicity that you wonder why you didn’t remember them from high school or grammar school …. (did they ever teach us that stuff?) Thank you!

April 17, 2010 at 9:06 pm

Reading this was so refreshing…Thanks for the great content. I’m going to print it and keep it handy it was so good!

April 19, 2010 at 11:11 am

July 29, 2010 at 2:36 pm

Well, I think it’s pretty clear from the subtitle of the study that the main title was a joke… And while a “conversational” style of copy is more effective in general, I think how far to go with that is dependent on the site that you are writing for. If I’m writing copy for a VoTech, I do not want to go overly verbose, but sounding like I’m a teenager texting my friends does not work either. And while I suppose it is ultimately true that you have to take into account smaller and smaller vocabularies, sometimes it is just easier and more efficient to use a “big word”.

April 23, 2011 at 3:10 pm

I try to use the simplest word that exactly fits the situation. Sometimes a ‘larger’, less familiar word is the correct match. “Dumbing down” is not the correct approach for everything.

If I were describing a General speaking to the Senate, at first I would have him use military gobbledygook to try to BS the Senators (a pre-emptive counter-strike against the counter-insurgents*, for instance). Then, when the bull stuff hit the PhD (Piled Higher & Deeper) levels, I’d have the Senators interrupt him for a definition in layman terms. The General might not even know the layman terms … so he/she would have to fumble in the simple-words backpack for something that might be useful.

Finally, the Senators might choose to express their frustration and say something to the effect of “General, let’s cut to the chase … when you aim the damned thing and pull the trigger, what in the hell is supposed to happen next?”

Is there a simpler term for “gobbledygook”? Definitely … but you’d have to string a bunch of those simpler terms together to express the same thought and that would NOT simplify either the writing or the reading.

There is concision in precision.

Use a large word when it suits the purpose better than a short word or a brief phrase. Use the larger word when it will be understood by your audience at least as readily as-a-bunch-of-small-words-piled-up-in-a-three-high-traffic-accident-just-before-the-full-stop.

Just my 2 cents worth.

*attacking the lawful government

July 31, 2010 at 9:31 am

Well I agree with this: Nobody can be perfect writers.

As time passes by we become aware of the mistakes what we do commonly and try to correct it to improvise ourselves.

August 17, 2010 at 12:51 am

The word fat is a perfectly good one, but when it is hijacked by neo-puritans, with the implication that slimness equates to virtue, we are on dangerous ground.

August 21, 2010 at 9:04 am

I endorse this completely. This stuff is what I teach my essay writing students. I wonder if all these are applicable to writing marketing copy.

August 31, 2010 at 2:59 am

Brilliant tips! These impart a lot of confidence into people like me, who would want to try a hand at writing a blog.

October 25, 2010 at 6:44 am

I love to write……simple. Earlier I used to feel I wasn’t good at writing for I couldn’t remember long words, however much I had tried. Really, I had given a lot to digest long dictionary word so that I could also write ‘good’. Somewhere inside I always hated looking into the dictionary while reading books. And that was probably the reason why I could never remember long words.

When I started with content writing job, I realized that: at least on the web, nobody is going to sit with a dictionary to understand my text. I only use longer synonyms of any simple word when the word itself has been already used. I, as a reader also, want to read and understand a sentence in an instant…. and want to build up a similar content for all readers……so now I love writing SIMPLE…..

April 23, 2011 at 3:43 pm

The way to read a sentence “in an instant” … ANY sentence … is to build up your vocabulary and grammar. The way to do that is to read material that is challenging: not material with all the life sucked out of it by the “keep it simple” police.

The way to limit your audience to those who can barely drool is to continually accommodate the least literate of them. As we have seen on the internet, that bar continually gets lower and lower. It’s a race to the bottom. All you have to do is find a line of fools, blow a whistle to get their attention, then walk away, dropping marshmallows behind you. In the end, your readers will not be able to understand you (in ANY language) and you will not be able to find simple enough words to actually communicate anything beyond “New!”, “Improved!”.

Don’t go there. Don’t lower your own command of the language and don’t talk down to your readers. Yes, you will gain the less literate … but it will come at the expense of the more literate (who generally have more disposable income).

Look at the ads for luxury automobiles. They generally have a few VERY well chosen words. They aren’t afraid of tossing in foreign terms or using unusual typefaces (which, I assure you, were as thoroughly tested as the words themselves).

You will not become a better writer by abandoning your craft and aiming for the bottom of the pile. You become a better writer by mastering your craft and aiming at any part of the pile you choose.

October 26, 2010 at 4:20 am

The tips above strike a chord. I love to read anything that neatly describes what I already believe, but failed to put into words myself.

October 27, 2010 at 12:10 am

All these rules basically work together – if you use one, often times, the rest will follow. For example, if you work on 4. “keeping it short,” you will also avoid 7-10, avoiding rambling, fluff, redundancy, and over writing. I agree that big words are not always best, but I’m not sure how I feel about steering clear of ‘longer’ words. Sometimes, I think “utilize” is an appropriate replacement for use. Use can sound bland whereas utilize, if you ask me, falls under step 2 of being specific – utilize paints a more descriptive image for the reader. Other than that, I think these 11 tips are simple and completely on target. It’s hard to disappoint when you follow guidelines as point-blank and directional as these. And better yet, they apply to all forms or writing: blogs, memos, letters, documents, anything.

October 28, 2010 at 12:03 pm

The ‘complex’ title that you described made me chuckle, and effectively got the point across. I have always struggled with keeping my writing concise and clear. Your post offers some great advice to students like me who are looking for ways to work on their writing. Thanks for these tips. I always try to remember to cut out ‘fat’ around my message – excess words that do not really add to the sentence. It’s painful at first, but I can notice the improvement after. Remembering these tips can really help writers stand out, as you have described. Thanks again!

October 28, 2010 at 2:14 pm

These tips go right along with our firm’s motto: “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes.

Thanks for the reminder.

Maureen Dudley of Dudley & Nunez Communications

November 11, 2010 at 11:39 am

Amazing tips that will give readers a more entertaining copy to read.

November 11, 2010 at 12:10 pm

Good tips. Now if I could just get my clients to read this and follow your advice. Keep it simple and edit, edit, edit. Well written. Thanks for the post!

November 13, 2010 at 3:21 am

Even though I know a lot of this stuff intuitively, I feel it’s really helpful to see it listed so clearly. This is a great article.

November 29, 2010 at 10:39 am

The overwriting part is helpful. I really like this blog. Excuse me I d@#$mn like this blog.

December 10, 2010 at 10:05 pm

I was taught English as a second language. And now I’m excising my writing skills working as an copywriter. These tips are really helpful. 🙂

March 1, 2011 at 10:11 am

That’s a great list. A useful read for anybody who wishes to write well!

April 16, 2011 at 10:20 pm

Dean, I am agree with all of your views. As non-native speaker, we sometimes tend to use some complex, unusual and metaphoric words to make our writing (so-called) standard…But simplicity is the most powerful way in every step of our life… A must-read post… Thanks!

April 23, 2011 at 4:03 pm

I’ve added a couple counter-points to earlier comments. Now I’d like to suggest a #12. Shoot it down if you can.

Of those portions of the world who speak English, many of them speak it only as a second tongue, a language of necessity. It has to do with English speaking people having money and guns and a willingness to use one whenever the other fails to achieve the desired results. Those who read your material in their native language will bring a sense of gratitude and pride to the reading. This can result in sales that would have otherwise been missed.

So, here’s the proposed rule:

Even if you also post in English, do not neglect to post in your native tongue.

April 26, 2011 at 6:09 am

I’ve always found that less is often more. Simple words, short sentences will keep the readers coming back. These are great tips 🙂

April 26, 2011 at 10:40 am

Keep it short. It’s much harder to write a little than a lot. Editing may be harder than writing. Read my blog, The Pragmatic Marketer for insights and tips.

April 27, 2011 at 2:11 am

Excellent tips to be mindful of. Sometimes I tend to write sentences too long. I can see the gist of writing small sentences. Choice.

May 14, 2011 at 10:12 am

I find your advice useful. The article itself followed the rules you outlined. Good articles don’t need to take forever to read.

May 17, 2011 at 4:11 pm

Some fantastic tips in this article especially the passive voice , this is a mistake I always make in writing ,Thank you for sharing.

June 6, 2011 at 9:58 pm

Amazing article, and the Tips are just so juicy and easy to understand.

Thank You very much!

July 26, 2011 at 5:03 pm

Fun fact of the day: ‘utilize’ doesn’t even mean ‘use.’ It means to use in a novel way. If you put cereal in a bowl, you’re not utilizing it. If you put the bowl on your head to use as a guide for cutting hair, you’re probably also not utilizing it – lots of people have done that before. If you put the bowl on your head and then dangle a chain from your ear and pretend to be a lamp, while someone takes a picture, maybe then you’re utilizing the bowl.

So – 90% of the time, if you’re using the word ‘utilize,’ you probably shouldn’t be.

Also – notice the single quotes around the words? Double quotes are for quotations, not emphasis. And, yeah, bold would be better still. Oh, gee! Look at the time!

I feel better now. 🙂

August 21, 2011 at 7:13 pm

I think it all depends on context, though. IMHO, big words can make you seem smarter, if you slip them in amidst a bunch of smaller ones. It’s overkill that murders your prose. Not the use of big words.

Anyway, thanks for this great article. Brevity is not my strong point. I like long sentences. A lot. I have to resist the urge to use them quite often. I fail more often than not, however, and that’s why I must humbly thank you for this perfect article on the subject. Maybe this time the advice will go to heart.

Probably not.

Have a great day, and happy writing!

September 20, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Simplicity is complicated.

October 28, 2011 at 1:39 am

A great post………… important thing is to apply it!

December 5, 2011 at 5:54 am

Rightly said all well put together,Great post.

December 13, 2011 at 12:42 pm

This was overall a very informative article, but I must disagree with you over the title of that study you cited. I believe the authors were using a little tongue-in-cheek humor to further emphasize what they found in their study – I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on that.

December 15, 2011 at 4:53 pm

I should have read this before I started writing and blogging. Now i know exactly what to do and forget about high sounding words that always make me freak out before I even go half way of my articles. I thought and many people think too that using big words is the way to effective writing. Thank you for a very informative article that writers could use to improve their writing.

February 13, 2012 at 5:47 am

I have always used simple words in my copy. But at times you risk being labelled as someone with a limited vocabulary. Cannot help but use some big words to make the seemingly mundane copy better.

February 19, 2012 at 7:50 pm

My argument has always been that even if you can understand all those big words, do you want to wade through them? Especially if you’re working to understand the message itself or follow some instructions. Simple writing is easiest to read and distracts less from the message so it’s great to see these tips available for people wanting to improve their writing.

May 2, 2012 at 11:54 am

Okay, time for a difference of opinion. I don’t agree with this article one-hundred percent. While it’s true that there are good books that are straight to the point, what’s wrong with novels with big words and loads of description? I ask you all to truly think about this. You say we should all use smaller words, less complex words. Well then, why even have those big words in the dictionary if no one uses them? We might as well make our dictionaries simpler if our vocabularies are going to be so. But in the process, I feel, something terrible happens, our lives become a little less rich. So what if novel makes use of big words? Reading words I’m unfamiliar with has done no harm to me, but encouraged me to look through a dictionary to find their meanings. This in turn has enlivened my vocabulary and made my life all the more richer and fulfilling. We should have the intelligence to learn new words, the mental comprehension to do so.

Next issue I have with this article, the need to always write short sentences and never to ramble. Again, why? Some of the greatest literature is incredibly wordy. Let’s take a look at Moby Dick. It rambles on and on. Some people hate, I admit it. But I found the book to be thought-provoking in it’s wordiness. The same goes for Great Expectations. These books, though wordy, allow to really reflect inner-thoughts in a way I have found very meaningful. Books with loads of description, like Lord of the Rings, with tons of sentences, going into detail descriptions on the lands alone, allow me immerse myself in the fantasy land that Tolkien has created, something I find fantasy books with shorter descriptions have not allowed me to do so. There is a poetry to some of these long-winded novels, a beauty.

As I said before, straight to the point novels with little description and smaller words are not bad novels. They can be very good novels. But wanting every novel to be written like that smacks of something the fast food generation wants, something called instant gratification. They want results now, they want their food now. Sometimes I wonder if there is a correlation to the fast food generation to people wanting their novels always simple and straight to the point. To say that novels should only be written one way, which this article seems to be saying, is a disservice to literature and it’s many diverse writers. I ask you all to think it over.

May 2, 2012 at 12:45 pm

Fair enough, Jonathan, except the article isn’t about writing novels — it’s about writing content in service to a business.

This article's comments are closed.

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100 Creative Writing Prompts to Inspire Your Writing

With this list, you’ll never run out of story ideas again!

By Natasha Khullar Relph

Starting a new project feels like stepping into a world of endless possibilities, yet it can also be like staring into the abyss of the unknown. While the battle between a writer and their blank page is well documented, you don’t have to go to war with your creative self just to get some words on a page.

Creative writing prompts can be the answer to a blocked writer’s prayers, offering story starters and writing ideas to jumpstart your creative thinking. To aid in your efforts, we’ve put together a curated collection of 100 creative writing prompts. From thought-provoking scenarios to whimsical adventures, these prompts are guaranteed to jumpstart your writing, transport you to new worlds, and breathe life into your stories.

What is a writing prompt?

A writing prompt is a specific, often short, phrase, question, or statement designed to stimulate and inspire creative writing. Writing prompts can help you overcome writer’s block , generate new ideas, or simply get your creative juices flowing. You can use them in various forms of writing, including fiction, poetry, journaling, and essay writing, and they vary widely in their content and purpose. Some prompts are open-ended, encouraging writers to explore their thoughts and emotions freely, while others may be more specific, asking you to write about a particular topic or scenario.

Writing prompts serve as creative triggers, helping you to explore new story ideas , develop characters, or practice different writing styles. They can be a valuable tool for both beginners who need writing inspiration and more experienced writers looking to build a writing habit or become better writers through a regular writing practice .

100 creative writing prompts for writers

Fiction writing prompts.

Whether you’re writing adult novels or children’s books, these fiction and short story writing prompts will inspire new worlds and scenarios for your characters to play in as you write your first draft .

• Write a modern-day fairy tale set in a bustling metropolis . Your story should feature a main character who stumbles upon a hidden, magical world within the city. Explore how this discovery changes their life and the challenges they face as they navigate between the ordinary and the extraordinary in the heart of the urban jungle.
• Write a story in which the main character discovers a superpower , but it comes with a mysterious and unexpected side effect. Explore the challenges they face in harnessing their newfound ability while dealing with the consequences of the side effect. How do they adapt and ultimately use their power for good or ill?
• Imagine you stumble upon an ancient, dusty time traveler’s journal in an antique shop. As you flip through its pages, you realize it contains detailed accounts of the past, present, and future. Write a story about the discoveries you make within the journal and how they shape your life and decisions.
• In a post-apocalyptic society, a group of survivors discover a hidden library containing books from every era. Describe their journey to preserve knowledge, as they grapple not only with the challenge of safeguarding these precious texts but also with the moral dilemmas and conflicts that arise when they must decide who has access to this invaluable resource in a world defined by scarcity.
• In a world where people’s dreams become real, a person with chronic nightmares suddenly possesses unimaginable power , forcing them to confront the fine line between their inner demons and the extraordinary possibilities that now lie at their fingertips.
• Write a story set in a future where civilians can take vacations to outer space . Describe the adventures, challenges, and experiences of a family or group of friends as they embark on a journey beyond the earth’s atmosphere for the first time.
• Craft a science fiction tale set in a world where technology has reached unimaginable heights , but human emotions and relationships remain unchanged. Explore how advanced AI, virtual reality, and futuristic inventions impact the characters’ lives, love, and the essence of what it means to be human.
• Write a story that begins with a group of childhood friends building a secret treehouse in the woods. Years later, they reunite as adults to discover that their beloved hideaway holds a mysterious and enchanting secret that will change their lives forever.
• Write a story set in a small American town during the 1950s, capturing the essence of post-war America and the lives of its diverse residents as they navigate love, ambition, and the pursuit of the American Dream.
• Imagine a future where Earth faces an impending catastrophic event, and humanity has initiated a mission to colonize a distant planet . Write a story from the perspective of one astronaut on this interstellar journey, capturing the emotions, challenges, and sense of hope as they leave behind their home planet and embark on a journey into the unknown.
• Your favorite book has always been a cherished escape, but one day, as you open its pages, you find yourself transported into the world within . Write a story about your adventures in the world of your favorite book, exploring the characters, places, and challenges you encounter along the way.
• Imagine a world where everyone knows the exact date of their last day on Earth . Write a story about a person living through their last day, exploring how they choose to spend it and the emotions, reflections, and last moments they experience as they prepare to say their farewells.
• Set your story in a future where a society of advanced learners, equipped with a unique ability to acquire new skills and knowledge rapidly , faces a mysterious threat. Write about their quest to unravel the enigma, the extraordinary challenges they encounter, and how their insatiable thirst for learning becomes their greatest asset in this high-stakes adventure.
• Write a story in which each chapter shifts between the first-person point of view of two characters who have drastically different perspectives on the same events. Explore how their contrasting viewpoints shape the narrative and challenge the reader’s understanding of the story’s central conflict.
• Imagine a world where gods exist but are not all-powerful . Write a story about a god who, despite their divine status, faces a unique and formidable challenge that forces them to confront their limitations and question the very nature of godhood.
• Write a story set in a world where time travel is possible but limited to a single day . Describe the adventures and dilemmas of a character who can only revisit or change events in their life within the confines of that single day. What choices do they make, and how does it impact their future and the world around them?
• In a near-future world, video games have evolved to become the primary form of communication and competition . Write a story where a skilled gamer is recruited for a high-stakes mission within a virtual reality game, blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds. Explore the challenges, alliances, and ethical dilemmas they face as they navigate this immersive and unpredictable gaming landscape.
• Imagine a writer who discovers an ancient, enchanted book that can bring its characters to life and grant them free will. Write a new story in which the writer and the characters they create must work together to navigate the challenges and consequences of their shared existence, blurring the lines between creator and creation.
• Imagine a character whose favorite things are slowly disappearing from their life one by one . Write a story about their journey to hold on to the essence of what they love most, the challenges they face in preserving their cherished favorites, and the unexpected discoveries they make along the way.
• Two strangers find themselves washed ashore on a deserted island after a shipwreck . They have no memory of their past lives and must work together to survive. Write a story about their journey of discovery, resilience, and the bond that forms as they navigate the challenges of the deserted island.
• Your favorite holiday has always been a time of joy and celebration, but this year, it’s under threat of cancellation. Write a story about the determined efforts of a group of individuals who come together to save and rekindle the spirit of their favorite holiday , facing unexpected challenges and finding new meaning in the process.
• Write a story set in a quaint English village, where an eccentric resident claims to have discovered a hidden portal to another dimension in their garden shed . As rumors spread and curiosity grows, explore the adventures and mysteries that unfold when the villagers decide to investigate this bizarre claim and step into the unknown.
• Your favorite Tumblr blog suddenly starts posting cryptic messages that seem to predict events in your life . Write a story about the growing intrigue and obsession as you try to uncover the identity of the blog’s enigmatic author and the source of their uncanny knowledge.
• Your favorite season has always been winter, but this year, it never ends . Write a story about the challenges, wonders, and unexpected consequences that arise as your world becomes perpetually blanketed in snow and ice, and you must navigate the eternal winter that now defines your life.
• Write a story about a high school student who stumbles upon a mysterious diary hidden in the school library . The diary seems to contain entries from a former student who experienced extraordinary and supernatural events during their time at the school. As the current student reads the diary, they begin to notice strange occurrences happening around them, blurring the line between reality and the paranormal.

Nonfiction writing prompts

Here’s a selection of nonfiction writing prompts to help you delve into your own experiences , share your expertise, and craft powerful narratives rooted in the world around us.

• Explore the concept of “utopia” and “dystopia.” Write an analytical essay comparing and contrasting two fictional utopian or dystopian worlds from literature, film, or popular culture, and discuss their societal ideals, flaws, and relevance to contemporary society.
• Consider a unique or unusual skill or hobby you possess , such as extreme knitting or competitive tree climbing. Write a how-to guide or tutorial that explains the fundamentals and intricacies of this skill, offering practical advice and personal anecdotes to inspire others to explore it.
• Take a nature walk or visit a local park, and choose a specific tree as your subject . Write a detailed and poetic nature essay that describes the tree’s appearance, its role in the ecosystem, and the stories it could tell if it could speak.
• Choose an everyday object that holds special significance to you , such as a childhood toy or a family heirloom. Write a detailed essay exploring the memories, emotions, and stories connected to this object, and how it has shaped your identity.
• Imagine you have the opportunity to interview your future self 10 years from now . Draft a list of thought-provoking questions you would ask to gain insights into your future experiences, decisions, and reflections.
• Select a word from a language other than your own that encapsulates a feeling or concept you find intriguing but that has no direct translation in your language. Write an essay exploring the word’s meaning, cultural context, and the emotions it evokes, reflecting on the beauty of language and its ability to convey complex ideas.
• Imagine you are given the chance to host a dinner party with five historical figures , living or deceased, from any time period. Create a detailed guest list, describe the menu, and write an essay outlining the topics of conversation you would explore with your eclectic group of guests.
• Write a personal essay about a specific sound or noise that holds deep meaning to you . Explain why this sound resonates with you, its significance in your life, and the emotions or memories it triggers.
• Consider a peculiar or unusual museum exhibit you’ve encountered or would like to visit . Write an engaging review or critique of the exhibit, examining its historical, artistic, or cultural value, and sharing your insights and reactions as a visitor.
• Think about an unsolved mystery, conspiracy theory, or urban legend that has always intrigued you . Write an investigative essay delving into the facts, theories, and speculations surrounding this enigma, presenting your own analysis and conclusions.
• Explore the concept of “lost cities” or “hidden civilizations.” Write an investigative essay about a real or legendary lost city, such as Atlantis, discussing the historical evidence, theories, and mysteries surrounding its existence and disappearance.
• Imagine you have the ability to witness and document a day in the life of a famous historical figure or celebrity of your choice. Write a detailed and immersive diary entry that captures their experiences, thoughts, and emotions on this hypothetical day.
• Reflect on the idea of “space tourism” becoming a reality in the near future . Write an opinion piece discussing the ethical, environmental, and cultural implications of commercial space travel and colonization.
• Select an everyday object or phenomenon, such as rain, a traffic light, or a pencil , and write an in-depth exploration of its history, evolution, and societal impact. Share surprising facts and anecdotes that shed new light on this seemingly ordinary subject.
• Write an i n-depth profile of a local unsung hero or community leader who has made a significant impact on your town or neighborhood. Share their story, accomplishments, and the lasting effects of their work.
• Explore the concept of “found family.” Write a personal essay reflecting on the importance of the friendships and relationships you’ve built with individuals who may not be biologically related but have become like family to you.
• Consider the phenomenon of life hacks and practical tips shared on the internet. Write a guide or compilation of your favorite life hacks, along with personal anecdotes of how they’ve improved your daily life.
• Reflect on the concept of digital nostalgia. Write an essay about the emotional connections people form with digital content, such as video games, social media, or online communities, and how it shapes their sense of identity and belonging.
• Explore the world of extreme sports or unconventional hobbies. Write a feature article about individuals who engage in activities like base jumping, extreme ironing, or underwater pumpkin carving, and delve into their motivations and experiences.
• Imagine you have the opportunity to curate an art exhibition featuring the work of artists from different time periods and backgrounds . Describe the themes, connections, and narratives that tie these diverse artworks together.
• Write a reflective essay about your personal journey with mental health , highlighting a specific turning point or moment of insight that led to a deeper understanding of your own well-being. Discuss the strategies, resources, or support systems that have helped you on this path and how your experience might offer inspiration or guidance to others facing similar challenges.
• Explore the cultural and personal significance of your favorite food . Write an essay that delves into the history, traditions, and memories associated with this dish, and how it has become a symbol of comfort, celebration, or connection in your life.
• Create a comprehensive FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) document for your own life , highlighting the questions people often ask you about your experiences, beliefs, or expertise. Write detailed and thoughtful responses to these questions, providing insights into your unique perspective and experiences. Reflect on how compiling this FAQ helps you understand the common themes and curiosities that surround your life and the impact they have on your relationships and identity.
• Explore the concept of “first days” in human history . Write a historical analysis that delves into the pivotal first days of significant events, discoveries, or eras, such as the first day humans walked on the moon, the first day of the Industrial Revolution, or the first day a groundbreaking scientific theory was proposed.
• Imagine you have the ability to observe and document the everyday life of an individual from a completely different culture or time period. Write a descriptive essay that vividly portrays the daily rituals, customs, and experiences of this person, highlighting the contrasts and similarities between their everyday life and your own.

Journal prompts

These prompts are designed to encourage self-discovery, mindfulness, and the art of capturing the essence of your life’s moments on paper. Use them for directed journaling or as part of your Morning Pages practice .

• Choose an object in your immediate environment, such as a book, a plant, or a piece of artwork. Write a journal entry from the perspective of that object , describing its history, observations, and the emotions it might feel as it silently witnesses your life.
• Create a gratitude journal entry in the form of a letter to your past self, expressing appreciation for the experiences, challenges, and lessons that have shaped you into the person you are today. Reflect on how these past moments have contributed to your growth.
• Imagine you’re given the opportunity to have a conversation with your future self 20 years from now . Write a journal entry in which you ask your future self three questions about your life, dreams, and accomplishments, and then respond as you believe your future self would.
• Imagine you have a “time capsule” journal in which you can write messages to your future descendants . Write a journal entry addressing your great-great-grandchildren, sharing personal stories, values, and advice you would want them to know about your life and the world you lived in.
• Write a journal entry as if you were a detective or investigator documenting your own life’s mysteries and unsolved questions . Explore the enigmas, unanswered questions, or unresolved situations you’ve encountered, and brainstorm potential solutions or paths for exploration.
• Create a reverse bucket list in your journal —a list of experiences, achievements, and moments from your life that you’re proud of and grateful for. Reflect on each item and the significance it holds for you.
• Write a journal entry as if you were a traveler from the future, visiting the present day . Describe your observations of contemporary life, technology, culture, and the changes that have occurred since your time.
• Imagine you possess a magic journal that can answer any question you pose to it . Write a series of questions about life, the universe, or personal dilemmas, and then provide detailed answers as if the journal responded.
• Select a word from a foreign language that has no direct translation in your native language. Write a journal entry exploring the word’s meaning, cultural context, and the emotions or concepts it represents. Reflect on how this word might enrich your understanding of life.
• Create a journal entry capturing your ideal day from start to finish . Describe the perfect morning routine, activities, interactions, and moments of joy you would like to experience. Reflect on what elements of this ideal day you can incorporate into your current life.
• Imagine you have a “memory map” in your mind that marks the locations of significant moments from your life . Write a journal entry where you choose a location on this map and describe the memories associated with it, delving into the emotions, people, and events that make it special.
• Write a journal entry from the perspective of your favorite fictional character . Imagine their thoughts, experiences, and feelings in a specific moment from their story, and explore how their perspective might differ from your own.
• Create a “ soundtrack of your life” journal entry . List songs or pieces of music that have been significant at different stages of your life, and describe the memories and emotions each song evokes.
• Imagine you have the ability to visit parallel universes and experience different versions of your life . Write a journal entry about a day in the life of an alternate “you” in a parallel universe, describing the choices and outcomes that diverged from your current reality.
• Reflect on the idea of “unfinished stories” in your life —those moments or relationships that you wish you could revisit or complete. Write a journal entry exploring these unfinished stories and consider what closure or resolution might mean to you.
• Reflect on a cherished memory with your best friend that you haven’t shared before . Write a journal entry describing the moment—the sights, sounds, and emotions that made it special. Consider how this memory has shaped your friendship and what it reveals about the unique bond you share.
• Choose a family member whose life story or experiences you find intriguing . Write a journal entry where you explore their perspective, challenges, and defining moments from their point of view. Consider how understanding their journey can deepen your connection and appreciation for the complexities of family dynamics.
• Imagine your favorite place, whether it’s a bustling city square, a tranquil beach, or a cozy corner of your home . Write a journal entry that transports yourself and your readers to this cherished spot. Describe the sights, sounds, and sensations that make it your favorite place, and reflect on why it holds such a special space in your heart.
• Select a random word from a dictionary and let it guide your journal entry today. Write about the first memories, emotions, or thoughts that come to mind when you encounter this word. Explore its connections to your life, experiences, or the world around you, and see where this unexpected word takes your reflections.
• Recall your earliest memory, no matter how faint or fragmentary it may be. Write a journal entry that delves into the details of this memory—what you saw, felt, or experienced. Reflect on how this seemingly distant moment may have shaped your perceptions, fears, or interests as you grew older, and consider what hidden treasures might lie within your earliest recollections.
• Think about your favorite story from childhood , whether it’s a fairy tale, a classic novel, or a bedtime fable. Write a journal entry that explores why this particular story resonated with you so deeply and how its themes, characters, or lessons continue to influence your life and perspective.
• Imagine planning the ultimate road trip of a lifetime with no constraints or limitations. Write a journal entry detailing the destinations you would visit, the people you’d travel with (or not), and the experiences you’d seek along the way.
• Describe a recent dream or vivid daydream in detail. Dive into the symbolism, emotions, and hidden meanings behind the dream’s elements. Consider how this dream might relate to your current thoughts, fears, or aspirations.
• Reflect on a memorable encounter with a stranger that left a lasting impression on you . Write a journal entry describing the details of this encounter, the emotions it stirred, and any insights or lessons you gained from the brief connection.
• Create a life garden in your journal, where each flower or plant represents a person, experience, or aspect of your life . Write a journal entry about the state of your life garden—which plants are thriving, which need nurturing, and the symbolic meaning behind each one.

Fun writing prompts

Here are some fun writing prompts that will take you on whimsical journeys, tickle your funny bone, and remind you that writing can be as joyful as it is expressive.

• Write a story where the characters have the ability to swap bodies with one another, but they can only do it for one day. Explore the humorous and chaotic situations that arise as they navigate each other’s lives and personalities.
• Imagine a world where all forms of transportation, from bicycles to rocket ships, are powered by something unexpected , like laughter, music, or compliments. Write a whimsical tale set in this world, where the power of positive emotions fuels extraordinary journeys.
• Write a dialogue between a superhero and their arch-nemesis as they meet for coffee on their day off. Explore the dynamics of their relationship when they’re not in the midst of battling each other and consider the unexpected topics they might discuss.
• Create a story set in a magical library where the books come to life at night . Write about the adventures of the librarian and their bookish companions as they go on quests within the pages of the books, encountering characters and worlds from classic literature.
• Imagine a future where humans can communicate with animals through a universal translator . Write a humorous narrative from the perspective of a pet who has overheard some surprising conversations and secrets among their human family members.
• Write a story set in a world where time moves backward for one hour each day . Explore the consequences and comedic situations that arise as people try to navigate a daily rewind hour.
• Imagine a future where robots have taken over mundane household tasks, but they’ve also developed quirky personalities . Write a series of humorous vignettes about the misadventures of a family and their eccentric robot helpers.
• Create a story where the characters discover a magical paintbrush that brings anything they draw to life . Explore the imaginative creations and unexpected challenges that arise as they wield this extraordinary tool.
• Write a dialogue between a famous historical figure and a modern-day teenager who accidentally time-traveled to the past. Explore the clash of perspectives, cultural differences, and humorous misunderstandings that occur during their conversation.
• Imagine a world where dreams are physical objects that can be collected, traded, and even stolen. Write a thrilling heist story where a group of dream thieves plans to steal the most valuable dream ever recorded.
• Write a story in which the main character has a time-traveling pet —a dog or cat that can transport them to different time periods by touching specific objects. Explore the adventures and challenges they face together as they navigate history.
• Imagine a world where everyone’s dreams become real, but only for 24 hours. Write about the chaos and hilarity that ensue as people try to make the most of their dream days. What unusual dreams and desires come to life?
• Create a story set in a town where every resident has a superpower, but each power comes with an unusual and often comical drawback . Explore the everyday challenges and humorous situations that arise in this extraordinary community.
• Write a tale about a character who discovers a magic book that allows them to rewrite one event from their past. Explore the consequences, both intended and unintended, of altering a pivotal moment in their life.
• Imagine a reality where technology allows people to swap personalities for a day. Write a story about two individuals who decide to exchange lives, exploring the comedic and thought-provoking results of their temporary personality swap.
• Write a story set in a world where every time someone tells a lie, a colorful tattoo appears on their skin, revealing the nature of the falsehood. Explore the adventures and misadventures of a charismatic con artist in this truth-telling society.
• Imagine a reality where people can communicate with objects, from talking to their toaster to negotiating with their car. Write a humorous tale about the challenges and comedic situations that arise when inanimate objects have opinions and demands.
• Create a story about a group of time-traveling tourists who accidentally land in a pivotal historical event. How do they handle being unexpected witnesses to history, and what comical twists and turns result from their presence?
• Write a narrative in which a group of misfit superheroes forms a support group to discuss their quirky and seemingly useless powers. Explore their camaraderie and how they come together to solve a surprisingly mundane problem.
• Imagine a town where each day is themed differently , from “Pirate Day” to “Outer Space Day.” Write a day-in-the-life story of a resident navigating the zany challenges and adventures that come with living in a town of perpetual themed days.
• Write a story in which a middle school’s annual talent show becomes a time-traveling extravaganza . Students’ talents inadvertently transport them to different historical eras. Describe the hilarious and surprising adventures as they try to make their way back to the present, using their unique talents to navigate history.
• Imagine attending a summer camp where everything is topsy-turvy! Campers become the counselors, and counselors become campers. Write a story about the humorous and unexpected challenges, pranks, and adventures that unfold when kids are in charge of running the camp, from organizing activities to dealing with the chaos that ensues.
• Create a story about an unusual camping trip where the characters discover their campsite is a portal to a fantasy realm . Write about the magical creatures, enchanted forests, and unexpected challenges they encounter while trying to enjoy a traditional camping experience with a fantastical twist.
• Write a story about a quirky character who believes they have the power to predict when things will happen for the last time . Explore the humorous and imaginative ways in which they navigate everyday life, from savoring last time moments like the last scoop of ice cream in the tub to the last raindrop before a storm.
• Imagine a world where the word “finish” holds the power to complete any task or goal instantly. Write a story about a protagonist who stumbles upon this word’s magical ability and the humorous and unexpected situations that unfold as they navigate life with the ultimate shortcut at their disposal.

(You can also download this prompts list as a printable pdf sheet and sign up to the Wordling’s weekly newsletter for more writing and publishing tips.)

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Word Choice

What this handout is about.

This handout can help you revise your papers for word-level clarity, eliminate wordiness and avoid clichés, find the words that best express your ideas, and choose words that suit an academic audience.

Introduction

Writing is a series of choices. As you work on a paper, you choose your topic, your approach, your sources, and your thesis; when it’s time to write, you have to choose the words you will use to express your ideas and decide how you will arrange those words into sentences and paragraphs. As you revise your draft, you make more choices. You might ask yourself, “Is this really what I mean?” or “Will readers understand this?” or “Does this sound good?” Finding words that capture your meaning and convey that meaning to your readers is challenging. When your instructors write things like “awkward,” “vague,” or “wordy” on your draft, they are letting you know that they want you to work on word choice. This handout will explain some common issues related to word choice and give you strategies for choosing the best words as you revise your drafts.

As you read further into the handout, keep in mind that it can sometimes take more time to “save” words from your original sentence than to write a brand new sentence to convey the same meaning or idea. Don’t be too attached to what you’ve already written; if you are willing to start a sentence fresh, you may be able to choose words with greater clarity.

For tips on making more substantial revisions, take a look at our handouts on reorganizing drafts and revising drafts .

“Awkward,” “vague,” and “unclear” word choice

So: you write a paper that makes perfect sense to you, but it comes back with “awkward” scribbled throughout the margins. Why, you wonder, are instructors so fond of terms like “awkward”? Most instructors use terms like this to draw your attention to sentences they had trouble understanding and to encourage you to rewrite those sentences more clearly.

Difficulties with word choice aren’t the only cause of awkwardness, vagueness, or other problems with clarity. Sometimes a sentence is hard to follow because there is a grammatical problem with it or because of the syntax (the way the words and phrases are put together). Here’s an example: “Having finished with studying, the pizza was quickly eaten.” This sentence isn’t hard to understand because of the words I chose—everybody knows what studying, pizza, and eating are. The problem here is that readers will naturally assume that first bit of the sentence “(Having finished with studying”) goes with the next noun that follows it—which, in this case, is “the pizza”! It doesn’t make a lot of sense to imply that the pizza was studying. What I was actually trying to express was something more like this: “Having finished with studying, the students quickly ate the pizza.” If you have a sentence that has been marked “awkward,” “vague,” or “unclear,” try to think about it from a reader’s point of view—see if you can tell where it changes direction or leaves out important information.

Sometimes, though, problems with clarity are a matter of word choice. See if you recognize any of these issues:

• Misused words —the word doesn’t actually mean what the writer thinks it does. Example : Cree Indians were a monotonous culture until French and British settlers arrived. Revision: Cree Indians were a homogenous culture.
• Words with unwanted connotations or meanings. Example : I sprayed the ants in their private places. Revision: I sprayed the ants in their hiding places.
• Using a pronoun when readers can’t tell whom/what it refers to. Example : My cousin Jake hugged my brother Trey, even though he didn’t like him very much. Revision: My cousin Jake hugged my brother Trey, even though Jake doesn’t like Trey very much.
• Jargon or technical terms that make readers work unnecessarily hard. Maybe you need to use some of these words because they are important terms in your field, but don’t throw them in just to “sound smart.” Example : The dialectical interface between neo-Platonists and anti-disestablishment Catholics offers an algorithm for deontological thought. Revision : The dialogue between neo-Platonists and certain Catholic thinkers is a model for deontological thought.
• Loaded language. Sometimes we as writers know what we mean by a certain word, but we haven’t ever spelled that out for readers. We rely too heavily on that word, perhaps repeating it often, without clarifying what we are talking about. Example : Society teaches young girls that beauty is their most important quality. In order to prevent eating disorders and other health problems, we must change society. Revision : Contemporary American popular media, like magazines and movies, teach young girls that beauty is their most important quality. In order to prevent eating disorders and other health problems, we must change the images and role models girls are offered.

Sometimes the problem isn’t choosing exactly the right word to express an idea—it’s being “wordy,” or using words that your reader may regard as “extra” or inefficient. Take a look at the following list for some examples. On the left are some phrases that use three, four, or more words where fewer will do; on the right are some shorter substitutes:

Keep an eye out for wordy constructions in your writing and see if you can replace them with more concise words or phrases.

In academic writing, it’s a good idea to limit your use of clichés. Clichés are catchy little phrases so frequently used that they have become trite, corny, or annoying. They are problematic because their overuse has diminished their impact and because they require several words where just one would do.

The main way to avoid clichés is first to recognize them and then to create shorter, fresher equivalents. Ask yourself if there is one word that means the same thing as the cliché. If there isn’t, can you use two or three words to state the idea your own way? Below you will see five common clichés, with some alternatives to their right. As a challenge, see how many alternatives you can create for the final two examples.

Try these yourself:

Writing for an academic audience

When you choose words to express your ideas, you have to think not only about what makes sense and sounds best to you, but what will make sense and sound best to your readers. Thinking about your audience and their expectations will help you make decisions about word choice.

Some writers think that academic audiences expect them to “sound smart” by using big or technical words. But the most important goal of academic writing is not to sound smart—it is to communicate an argument or information clearly and convincingly. It is true that academic writing has a certain style of its own and that you, as a student, are beginning to learn to read and write in that style. You may find yourself using words and grammatical constructions that you didn’t use in your high school writing. The danger is that if you consciously set out to “sound smart” and use words or structures that are very unfamiliar to you, you may produce sentences that your readers can’t understand.

When writing for your professors, think simplicity. Using simple words does not indicate simple thoughts. In an academic argument paper, what makes the thesis and argument sophisticated are the connections presented in simple, clear language.

Keep in mind, though, that simple and clear doesn’t necessarily mean casual. Most instructors will not be pleased if your paper looks like an instant message or an email to a friend. It’s usually best to avoid slang and colloquialisms. Take a look at this example and ask yourself how a professor would probably respond to it if it were the thesis statement of a paper: “Moulin Rouge really bit because the singing sucked and the costume colors were nasty, KWIM?”

Selecting and using key terms

When writing academic papers, it is often helpful to find key terms and use them within your paper as well as in your thesis. This section comments on the crucial difference between repetition and redundancy of terms and works through an example of using key terms in a thesis statement.

Repetition vs. redundancy

These two phenomena are not necessarily the same. Repetition can be a good thing. Sometimes we have to use our key terms several times within a paper, especially in topic sentences. Sometimes there is simply no substitute for the key terms, and selecting a weaker term as a synonym can do more harm than good. Repeating key terms emphasizes important points and signals to the reader that the argument is still being supported. This kind of repetition can give your paper cohesion and is done by conscious choice.

In contrast, if you find yourself frustrated, tiredly repeating the same nouns, verbs, or adjectives, or making the same point over and over, you are probably being redundant. In this case, you are swimming aimlessly around the same points because you have not decided what your argument really is or because you are truly fatigued and clarity escapes you. Refer to the “Strategies” section below for ideas on revising for redundancy.

Building clear thesis statements

Writing clear sentences is important throughout your writing. For the purposes of this handout, let’s focus on the thesis statement—one of the most important sentences in academic argument papers. You can apply these ideas to other sentences in your papers.

A common problem with writing good thesis statements is finding the words that best capture both the important elements and the significance of the essay’s argument. It is not always easy to condense several paragraphs or several pages into concise key terms that, when combined in one sentence, can effectively describe the argument.

However, taking the time to find the right words offers writers a significant edge. Concise and appropriate terms will help both the writer and the reader keep track of what the essay will show and how it will show it. Graders, in particular, like to see clearly stated thesis statements. (For more on thesis statements in general, please refer to our handout .)

Example : You’ve been assigned to write an essay that contrasts the river and shore scenes in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. You work on it for several days, producing three versions of your thesis:

Version 1 : There are many important river and shore scenes in Huckleberry Finn.

Version 2 : The contrasting river and shore scenes in Huckleberry Finn suggest a return to nature.

Version 3 : Through its contrasting river and shore scenes, Twain’s Huckleberry Finn suggests that to find the true expression of American democratic ideals, one must leave “civilized” society and go back to nature.

Let’s consider the word choice issues in these statements. In Version 1, the word “important”—like “interesting”—is both overused and vague; it suggests that the author has an opinion but gives very little indication about the framework of that opinion. As a result, your reader knows only that you’re going to talk about river and shore scenes, but not what you’re going to say. Version 2 is an improvement: the words “return to nature” give your reader a better idea where the paper is headed. On the other hand, they still do not know how this return to nature is crucial to your understanding of the novel.

Finally, you come up with Version 3, which is a stronger thesis because it offers a sophisticated argument and the key terms used to make this argument are clear. At least three key terms or concepts are evident: the contrast between river and shore scenes, a return to nature, and American democratic ideals.

By itself, a key term is merely a topic—an element of the argument but not the argument itself. The argument, then, becomes clear to the reader through the way in which you combine key terms.

Strategies for successful word choice

• Be careful when using words you are unfamiliar with. Look at how they are used in context and check their dictionary definitions.
• Be careful when using the thesaurus. Each word listed as a synonym for the word you’re looking up may have its own unique connotations or shades of meaning. Use a dictionary to be sure the synonym you are considering really fits what you are trying to say.
• Under the present conditions of our society, marriage practices generally demonstrate a high degree of homogeneity.
• In our culture, people tend to marry others who are like themselves. (Longman, p. 452)
• Before you revise for accurate and strong adjectives, make sure you are first using accurate and strong nouns and verbs. For example, if you were revising the sentence “This is a good book that tells about the Revolutionary War,” think about whether “book” and “tells” are as strong as they could be before you worry about “good.” (A stronger sentence might read “The novel describes the experiences of a soldier during the Revolutionary War.” “Novel” tells us what kind of book it is, and “describes” tells us more about how the book communicates information.)
• Try the slash/option technique, which is like brainstorming as you write. When you get stuck, write out two or more choices for a questionable word or a confusing sentence, e.g., “questionable/inaccurate/vague/inappropriate.” Pick the word that best indicates your meaning or combine different terms to say what you mean.
• Look for repetition. When you find it, decide if it is “good” repetition (using key terms that are crucial and helpful to meaning) or “bad” repetition (redundancy or laziness in reusing words).
• Write your thesis in five different ways. Make five different versions of your thesis sentence. Compose five sentences that express your argument. Try to come up with four alternatives to the thesis sentence you’ve already written. Find five possible ways to communicate your argument in one sentence to your reader. (We’ve just used this technique—which of the last five sentences do you prefer?)Whenever we write a sentence we make choices. Some are less obvious than others, so that it can often feel like we’ve written the sentence the only way we know how. By writing out five different versions of your thesis, you can begin to see your range of choices. The final version may be a combination of phrasings and words from all five versions, or the one version that says it best. By literally spelling out some possibilities for yourself, you will be able to make better decisions.
• Read your paper out loud and at… a… slow… pace. You can do this alone or with a friend, roommate, TA, etc. When read out loud, your written words should make sense to both you and other listeners. If a sentence seems confusing, rewrite it to make the meaning clear.
• Instead of reading the paper itself, put it down and just talk through your argument as concisely as you can. If your listener quickly and easily comprehends your essay’s main point and significance, you should then make sure that your written words are as clear as your oral presentation was. If, on the other hand, your listener keeps asking for clarification, you will need to work on finding the right terms for your essay. If you do this in exchange with a friend or classmate, rest assured that whether you are the talker or the listener, your articulation skills will develop.
• Have someone not familiar with the issue read the paper and point out words or sentences they find confusing. Do not brush off this reader’s confusion by assuming they simply doesn’t know enough about the topic. Instead, rewrite the sentences so that your “outsider” reader can follow along at all times.
• Check out the Writing Center’s handouts on style , passive voice , and proofreading for more tips.

Questions to ask yourself

• Am I sure what each word I use really means? Am I positive, or should I look it up?
• Have I found the best word or just settled for the most obvious, or the easiest, one?
• Am I trying too hard to impress my reader?
• What’s the easiest way to write this sentence? (Sometimes it helps to answer this question by trying it out loud. How would you say it to someone?)
• What are the key terms of my argument?
• Can I outline out my argument using only these key terms? What others do I need? Which do I not need?
• Have I created my own terms, or have I simply borrowed what looked like key ones from the assignment? If I’ve borrowed the terms, can I find better ones in my own vocabulary, the texts, my notes, the dictionary, or the thesaurus to make myself clearer?
• Are my key terms too specific? (Do they cover the entire range of my argument?) Can I think of specific examples from my sources that fall under the key term?
• Are my key terms too vague? (Do they cover more than the range of my argument?)

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Cook, Claire Kehrwald. 1985. Line by Line: How to Improve Your Own Writing . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Grossman, Ellie. 1997. The Grammatically Correct Handbook: A Lively and Unorthodox Review of Common English for the Linguistically Challenged . New York: Hyperion.

Houghton Mifflin. 1996. The American Heritage Book of English Usage: A Practical and Authoritative Guide to Contemporary English . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

O’Conner, Patricia. 2010. Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English , 3rd ed. New York: Penguin Publishing Group.

Tarshis, Barry. 1998. How to Be Your Own Best Editor: The Toolkit for Everyone Who Writes . New York: Three Rivers Press.

Williams, Joseph, and Joseph Bizup. 2017. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , 12th ed. Boston: Pearson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Transform Words Into Writing Inspiration

by Melissa Donovan | Oct 7, 2021 | Creative Writing | 25 comments

Words as writing inspiration.

I recently flipped through my copy of Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge’s Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words (aff link), and after just a couple of chapters, my imagination was on fire.

I’m always looking for new ways to inspire writing ideas, and lately I’ve been thinking that we should talk more about a writer’s most basic building blocks: words. Using words as a way to come up with writing ideas sounded ideal to me.

In Poemcrazy, Wooldridge talks about collecting words. She captures words, stores them, and then stashes them in all kinds of interesting places where they might come in handy.

As I read about how this brilliant poet gathers words so she can use them to jump-start her creative writing, I saw how the idea could apply to any kind of writer, not just a poet. I also saw how physically collecting words could be exhilarating.

Chasing and Capturing Words

As Woodridge says, we can borrow, trade, steal, even invent words for our own pleasure. To find words, you have to pay attention. You’ll discover them in your environment (around the house or when you’re out and about), in conversations, in your reading material, on TV, and in the songs you listen to. They are the labels we use for ordinary objects, extraordinary moments, and anything unusual.

I plucked eviscerate from a favorite R.E.M. song. Arbitrary came from a television show. Humma humma — something my mom used to say when I was a kid (it means “ho hum” or “that’s hot,” depending on the inflection) . Wooldridge’s favorite method is to take walks and grab words from nature or from field guides. She notes, “My friend Tom’s Ford pickup repair manual is chock full of great words: luminosity probe, diesel throttle, control tool, acceleration pump link, swivel, internal vent valve, choke hinge pin…”

Once you attune yourself to all the words you come into contact with every day, you need a place to stash the ones that speak to you. Jot them down in your journal, on index cards, or sticky notes. Use postcards, gift tags, or scrap paper. Lots of these are easy to tote around (a friend of Wooldridge’s always tucks a few index cards in her back pocket). Be sure to carry a pen.

Tip: You don’t always have to write your words down. If you find words in a magazine or newspaper, simply cut them out and then tape them into your journal, or use a glue stick to attach them to index cards. You probably always have your phone on your person, so snap a photo of the words you like, or save them in a notes file on your mobile device.

Storing and Stashing Words

If you’re a word-crazy writer, your word collection will grow rapidly. What are you going to do with all those words? Woodridge keeps a few in her purse, a couple on her desk, some special favorites in a cloth bag. I keep envisioning a big, round glass fishbowl filled with colorful cards, each with a choice word scrawled on it in. The words in this fishbowl are written in various, vibrant colors of ink.

You could keep them in a tin, a basket, a bucket. Toss them into a drawer or slip them into an envelope. Tuck them into your journal.

The idea is to make the process fun. I’ve actually never seen the fun in collecting anything other than books and music, but words are a collectible that I can really get behind.

Using Words for Writing Ideas

The human mind is a funny thing. Ever notice how annoying, unsavory, or unwelcome memories pop into your brain at the most inopportune moments? Or how sometimes, when you sit down to write, you suddenly have absolutely nothing to say? We’ve all experienced the frustrating phenomenon of having a word on the “tip of your tongue.” You know the word, you know what it means. You even have a general sense of how it sounds. But you just can’t remember it!

With your word collection, you’ll have plenty of words at your disposal — words that will inspire a writing session or provide the perfect adjective when that other one that you wanted to use can’t get past the tip of your tongue.

When you’re ready to create, just pull out your collection and start building. Grab a handful of words, put them in an order that interests you, maybe add a few new words to the mix (off the top of your head or from beyond the tip of your tongue), and then make something out of them. It doesn’t have to a be a poem or an essay or a story. It’s a collection of words. Your collection.

For more details about Poemcrazy , check out my full review . In the meantime, get out there, start collecting words, and let them provide you with fresh writing ideas. You’re going to need them!

25 Comments

That sounds like a very interesting idea! What I have done before when I couldn’t come up with anything was IMing several friends to each give me a list of ten random words. I have come up with stories based on those words before. Carrying a collection of words with you… now that’s something I’ve never heard of. (Or rather, that’s something of which I’ve never heard, if you prefer.)

It sounds like a fun approach for collecting ideas though!

I have made lists of words, but the problem is that I can never find them. I’d have to flip through all my journals and notebooks to find that one word. This is a much better method, in my opinion. I’m planning on starting my word collection by the weekend. Already have my supplies ready to go!

I love to collect words and names. If I come across an unusual name, I jot it down and use it in the future.

I recently collected the longest name I’ve ever seen and will create an extremely large character…a giant to be exact. I can’t wait!

I’ve gotten some great words over the years but I usually just throw them out when I’m talking to The Man. He then says, “When did you make that up?” hahahaha! He knows how to make-a-me laugh.

I have a love-hate relationship with names. When I need a name for one of my projects, I can never find the right one. But if someone else needs a name, I can usually come up with something that works well. So this method of collecting words will be good for names too. Made up words are the best!

Thank you! This was wonderful…I’ve always meant to collect words, but for some reason it is hard to start until you are given specific directions. I think keeping these tips in mind will be very helpful.

I feel the same way. I too have collected words but not in this fashion. I have a couple sets of tags from a photo project I did last year and I’m going to start with those. I figure I’ll just put them on my desk and when an intriguing word pops up, I’ll jot it down and then put it in a storage container. The container is the only thing I’m missing, actually. I’m going to try to find a pretty glass jar because the tags I’m using are so colorful.

It’s so reassuringly awesome I’m not the only one who collects words. And it’s no surprise to you that I make words up, but part of the fun of doing that is looking up my made up word to make sure it doesn’t already exist. I laughed when you said you pulled a word out of a song because I do that all the time. Sometimes a word just sticks with you and you are inspried by it or feel the need to look it up to get several definitions. The word for me this past week has been “purpose” and I even came up with a six word story for it. But since I have way too many sticky notes that I know what to do with, I now have use for them and will start putting words on them. I already collect words on my phone. In fact, forgetting a word happened to me the other night. A friend and I were discussing the word that I guess means the same thing as “reference” but when it applies to one story talking about another story in context to the current story. Rather than confuse you, the discussion was about Phil Collins and how Eminem reffered to him in his song “Stan”. However my friend didn’t think the word “reference” was the correct term. We both knew of another word but still we haven’t figured out what it was. I found some nice ones in the process of my search though.

I think “reference” works. Here’s an article that talks about a David Bowie song, “Space Oddity,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Oddity_%28song%29 . It mentions several other songs that reference the main character in the song (Major Tom). Words used: feature, allude, and reference. Keep collecting those words!

words are all I have to take your heart away… It was a pop song long ago but it’s stayed with me, along with Rilke’s poem about gathering words to make them ‘smile as they step into my song.’ Though Walter Raleigh warned, Psassions are likened best to floods and streams/The shallow murmur, but the deep are dumb./ Those who are rich in words, in words discover/ they are poor in that which makes a lover. What do we want most, words or love. or both?

What a beautiful quote, Jenny. Thank you for sharing it.

Hi Melissa,

Just want to thank you for the poetry prompts. I was finally able to write down a poem after a long time and the inspiration came from one of your posts,the “Love Poetry prompts”.Here is what i came up with:

She stands still in a trance, The leaves fall from the branch; Her eyes wander in their search, For her perfect match on this earth.

Her heart has heard the harbinger’s cry, She is ready for another try; The blood gushes down in her veins as her heart beats with a strain .

His steps sound, soft and slow, To her enchanted ears they flow; Carried by the blissful breeze, Which none of us would want to cease.

The twilight rays brighten her face, One last glance she has that way. Through the shadows into the fading light, He makes his way to her delight.

He recognizes her from his countless dreams, Her voice he has heard beyond those streams. Dazed and dazzled, she falls into his arms, The two of them dissolve into a trance.

Hi Peter. What a lovely poem! Thank you for sharing it.

Word collectors unite! Yes, the collecting of words is acknowledged. One of the things I enjoy doing is reading a good old fashioned, hard copy dictionary. The online versions simply don’t compare.

I’m still in possession of my wonderful magnetic word collection, and love moving them about to create simple or complex sentences and short (terrible) poetry. But, the idea of collecting my own written version of a word collection is . . . well, for lack of a better word, exciting.

Thanks, Melissa for letting us know about the book and the concept.

I have been known to read the dictionary. In fact, I was reading it a couple of years ago, looking for a perfect word (for a name) and I was on the phone with a friend who thought I was crazy. The things we writers will do!

I do read the dictionary but the thesaurus is my favorite reference book, and I do mean ‘book’. Roget’s Thesaurus has a wonderful beginning called the Synopsis of Categories. I love looking through all the concepts it covers like Class 3 – Physics or Class 8 – Affection. You can look up words alphabetically in the index, but I can get lost in the concepts and how they are related.

Love this post! I think I’m going to become a word collector 🙂 I’m a novelist, not a poet, but words are still important to me. Thanks for introducing this idea!

Words are just as useful to a novelist! I also collect names.

What a great way to look at words – as inspiration for writing ideas. I love it. I’m going to share this post on my blog.

Thanks for the unique way to think of our most important asset – our words.

I have started poems with words before. A word or phrase pops into my mind and somehow it develops into a poem. It’s pretty cool.

Very inspiring, thank you!

I like to read novels or poems with a notebook and pen handy (or my iPhone notes app) and I can jot down other writers’ inspiring words. Rather than copy them exactly into my own writing, I can juggle them around and use with my own. I recently learnt that in ‘Gone with the Wind’, Scarlett got angry and her ‘lips turned pale’. I am always looking for more interesting ways to express emotion instead of saying ‘she felt angry’ or ‘she felt sad’.

I have also discovered something wonderful about my new Kindle that I did not realise it could do. If I email my work as a Word attachment to my Kindle email, it will appear as a download and I can read and proof read it on the Kindle, marking words, making notes for changes or else just checking for a more useful word in the dictionary that pops up. Brilliant and no paper wasted!

I’ve heard a lot of authors talk about proofreading on their Kindles. I haven’t tried that yet. I either proof on my computer screen or I use a printed copy. I will check Kindle for formatting. I definitely try to save paper. In fact I don’t have a printer hooked up at all. I only proof printed copies for longer projects.

I collect words (from books I read) in Field Notes Notebooks – http://www.fieldnotesbrand.com . I staple two or three together along the spine and keep it handy while I’m reading.

I’ve heard good things about Field Notes notebooks!

Fun idea for getting inspired to write. It makes me think of the OuLiPo writing group who would find creative potential out of exercises such as replacing every fourth or fifth word in an existing piece of text with a word that came x number of words after it.

Oh yes, I’ve done a few writing exercises that start with a word hunt. Good fun!

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How to Use Vocabulary in Creative Writing to Make Brilliant Stories

If you want to be a writer or really like writing, it’s important to know that vocabulary in creative writing is very important – as it can help you be the best writer you can be.

Creative writing is the way for people to express themselves and share their imaginative stories with others. It doesn’t follow regular writing rules, so it allows writers to create stories, poems, and essays that deeply connect with the readers’ emotions. When you are writing in a creative approach, it is very important to have a large and strong set of words that you know and understand well. This allows you to express your thoughts clearly, create strong mental pictures, and provoke feelings in your readers’ mind.

With Vocavive App , we have been helping students learn and master a strong collection of important English vocabulary. Having this kind of collection of a wide range of words helps writers express their ideas clearly and genuinely, making their creative ideas come alive on paper.

In this article, we will further discuss the words that can greatly help you to create a well-crafted story. We will give you helpful advice and tips to improve your writing skills – which includes choosing the right words, avoiding using the same words too much, and using good transitions.

Let’s get started?

Exploring the Significance of Vocabulary in Creative Writing

Creative writing is incredibly important because it lets us express ourselves and connect with others. It allows us to unleash our imagination, share personal stories, and evoke emotions in readers. The best kind of Creative writings have a great storytelling . They are full of rich expressions that take the reader through a journey.

Now, when it comes to writing effectively, having a good vocabulary is vital. Why?

A wide range of words helps us to convey our thoughts, emotions, and visuals in the best possible way. The work gets easier for the writer. But is it only that?

It also enables us to create vivid imagery in readers’ minds, develop intriguing characters, and construct realistic worlds. Numerous research studies have demonstrated this link between a strong vocabulary and writing proficiency. Research conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) reveals that a larger vocabulary enhances the quality and complexity of writing. When we know and use a variety of words, our writing becomes more creative, clear, and profound.

Another study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students with an extensive vocabulary tend to produce more engaging and captivating stories.

Overused Words That Will Make Your Writing Sound Weak

Using a variety of words is important when writing creatively. However, we should try not to use words and phrases which have been used too much in creative writing. We might use those words thinking it will improve the richness, when in fact, it can do the opposite. Those commonly used and overused words can make our writing sound boring and unoriginal.

Let’s look at a list of commonly used words that we should be careful not to use too much.

• Awesome – The word “awesome” is used too much and doesn’t give enough details to describe something impressive or remarkable.
• Beautiful – A word that is often used without giving any specific details or personal viewpoints.
• Brilliant – The word “brilliant” is often used to say something is really good or smart, but it might sound overused.
• Cool – An informal word that many people use a lot, but it doesn’t give a clear meaning anymore.
• Cute – Often used to describe something charming or appealing, but it can be used too much and become unoriginal.
• Different – Different is a word that is commonly used to describe something but doesn’t give much information or understanding about it.
• Simple – Simple things are repeated too much and don’t have much meaning, so they don’t show all the details or difficulties involved.
• Great – A word that is often used but it doesn’t provide many details and can be unoriginal.
• Nice – A word that is used too much and doesn’t have enough clear details to describe something well.
• Really – Often used as a word that doesn’t have much meaning and doesn’t make things clearer or more important.
• Amazing – Often used without giving details or showing the real specialness of something.
• Surprising – Used too much and doesn’t have a strong effect because people use it to describe things that happen or experiences that they have frequently.
• Breathtaking – It has been used so much that it lost some of its power and impact.
• Difficult – Often used without giving specific details or explanations about the difficulties being talked about.
• Compelling – Means when something is persuasive or captivating, but it is often used too much and lacks originality.
• Important – Often used to highlight significance without giving different viewpoints or specific details.
• Dramatic – Often used to describe something intense or powerful, but can be unoriginal.
• Effective – Effective is a word we use a lot but it doesn’t tell us much and doesn’t give us any new or special information about what we’re talking about.
• Encouraging – Means giving support or motivation, but it is often used without giving examples or details to explain why it is encouraging.
• Exciting – A word that people use too much, and it’s not very specific in describing the real nature or specialness of an exciting experience or event.
• Fabulous – Frequently used to describe something exceptional or marvelous, but its frequent usage has diminished its impact.
• Fantastic – Often employed as a generic term to convey excitement or positivity, but can lack specificity and originality.
• Fascinating – A common choice to describe something intriguing or captivating, but its frequent usage can make it sound clichéd.
• Fortunate – Frequently used without providing unique details or perspectives on the nature of the good fortune.
• Genius – Overused to describe exceptional intelligence or talent, but its frequent use can diminish its impact.
• Helpful – A commonly used term that lacks specificity, failing to convey the specific ways in which something or someone is helpful.
• Incredible – Often used generically to express disbelief or awe, but its frequent usage can dilute its impact.
• Inspiring – Frequently used to describe something that motivates or encourages, but can sound clichéd without offering specific examples.
• Interesting – A generic term used to convey engagement or curiosity, but its overuse can make it sound unoriginal.
• Magnificent – Frequently used to describe something grand or impressive, but its frequent usage can lessen its impact.
• Memorable – Often used without providing specific details or insights into what makes something truly memorable.
• Outstanding – A common descriptor for excellence, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or unique.
• Powerful – Frequently used to convey strength or influence, but its frequent usage can make it lose some of its impact.
• Remarkable – Often used to describe something extraordinary or noteworthy, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
• Significant – A frequently used term to express importance or meaning, but its overuse can make it sound clichéd.
• Spectacular – Often used to describe something visually stunning or impressive, but its frequent usage can make it lose impact.
• Striking – Frequently used to describe something visually or emotionally impactful, but its overuse can diminish its effect.
• Substantial – A common term used to convey importance or size, but its overuse can make it sound generic or lacking in specificity.
• Successful – Often used without providing specific criteria or context for defining success.
• Surprising – Frequently used to convey unexpectedness, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or genuine.
• Terrific – A commonly used term to express enthusiasm or positivity, but its frequent usage can make it sound clichéd.
• Unique – Often used to describe something one-of-a-kind or distinct, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
• Valuable – Frequently used to express worth or importance, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or specific.
• Vivid – A commonly used term to describe something vibrant or intense, but its frequent usage can make it sound unoriginal.
• Wonderful – Often employed as a generic term to convey delight or positivity, but its frequent usage can diminish its impact.
• Worthwhile – Frequently used to express value or significance, but its overuse can make it sound less impactful or meaningful.

Use these 14 Types of Transition Vocabulary In Creative Writing

Effective transitions help connect ideas and make it easier for readers to follow along with the story or information. By using connecting words and phrases, writers often make their work easier to understand and flow better. Here are the Transition Words and Phrases you should keep in your volt.

Addition: again, also, besides, too, furthermore, moreover, in addition, first, second, third, next, lastly

Contrast: but, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, conversely, yet, although, even though, while, whereas

Comparison: similarly, likewise, in the same way, as, just as, than, like

Cause and Effect: because, therefore, thus, hence, as a result, consequently, so, for this reason, due to

Time: after, before, during, since, then, when, while, afterwards, next, finally, initially

Sequence: first, second, third, next, then, afterward, finally, to begin with, to start with

Emphasis: indeed, in fact, certainly, of course, truly, really, definitely, undoubtedly

Restatement: in other words, to put it another way, that is, as I said, in short

Clarification: to be more specific, to clarify, in other words, that is to say

Summarization: in summary, to sum up, all in all, in conclusion, to conclude

Example: for example, for instance, to illustrate, as an illustration, as shown

Concession: admittedly, it is true that, I agree that, I grant that, I will admit that

Refutation: however, on the contrary, yet, still, nevertheless, in spite of

Concluding Remarks: to conclude, in conclusion, in summary, to sum up, all in all

Question: How do I Use These Transition Words to Create a More Compelling Read?

To make your paragraphs flow better, it’s important to keep a few practical tips around you that connect your ideas smoothly. First, think carefully about how to move smoothly from one idea to another in your writing. Plan out the order that makes the most sense for your thoughts.

By doing this, you can find out where you need to use transition words and phrases to help readers understand how ideas are connected. Try out different connectors like “also,” “however,” or “likewise,” to keep your readers interested and add some variety to your writing.

Make sure to think about the situation and what you want to say when you write. Choose words that clearly show how your ideas connect to each other. It’s important to put transitions in the right places in sentences to make sure the writing flows smoothly and makes sense. You can put them at the start, in the middle, or at the end of sentences.

Vocabulary Gems to Dazzle Your Teacher in Essay Writing

As students, we often find ourselves striving to impress our teachers with well-crafted answer scripts. Beyond accurate content, an impressive essay demands the strategic use of vocabulary to showcase our language prowess and command over the subject matter. Let’s take a look at it with an example.

Before Using Vocabulary:

Imagine you are writing an essay about the American Revolution. In the fayirst scenario where there is no vocabulary, your essay may read like this –

“The American Revolution was a significant event in history. The colonists fought against British rule for their freedom.”

After Using Vocabulary:

Now, let’s see the same essay with an improved vocabulary usage –

“The American Revolution stands as a pivotal milestone in history, epitomizing the relentless spirit of the colonists who valiantly waged a battle for their emancipation from British dominion .”

Which one do you think has more richness?

See, the “after” scenario here elevates the description of the American Revolution by incorporating words like “pivotal milestone,” “relentless spirit,” and “valiantly waged a battle.”

Your classroom might have 20+ students. To stand out from the general crowd, you can use vocabulary like these. It not only demonstrates a more nuanced understanding of the said topic, but it also brilliantly captures the attention of the reader, including your teacher. She might feel more convinced to give you an A.

How to use specific words, descriptive language, and figurative language in creative writing

When describing emotions, shy away from simplistic and overused terms, such as “happy” or “sad”, or “very important”. Instead, try to opt for colorful alternatives that bring your characters’ feelings to life. For instance, rather than stating “The boy was happy,” say “The boy was grinning ear to ear, his eyes twinkling with excitement.” Such descriptions allow your readers to experience the joy alongside the character.

You also need to pay attention to employing descriptive language that adds depth and color to your writing. For example, replace mundane phrases like “The sky was blue” with a more captivating expression. It could be “The sky was a brilliant azure blue, stretching out like a vast ocean.” When you are using such rich language, your readers can feel as though they’re witnessing the scene firsthand.

Coming to figurative language, utilize similes, metaphors, and personification. This will leave a lasting impact on your audience who want to enjoy and feel connected to your story. For example, if you had to merely write an expression such as “The boy was strong” – you could very well say “The boy was as strong as an ox.” When this is done, the comparison to “an ox” not only conveys strength but also makes the description more memorable for the reader.

In Conclusion

In your journey as a budding writer, remember that mastering vocabulary in creative writing is not just a skill but a powerful tool for self-expression and captivating your readers. It is a skill that is essential for any writer, but it is especially important for creative writers. When you have a wide vocabulary, you have a wider range of tools to express yourself and bring your stories to life. You can use more precise language to describe your characters, settings, and events.

So don’t be afraid to experiment with new words. The more you use them, the more comfortable you will become with them, and the better your writing will be.

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A (Very) Simple Way to Improve Your Writing

• Mark Rennella

It’s called the “one-idea rule” — and any level of writer can use it.

The “one idea” rule is a simple concept that can help you sharpen your writing, persuade others by presenting your argument in a clear, concise, and engaging way. What exactly does the rule say?

• Every component of a successful piece of writing should express only one idea.
• In persuasive writing, your “one idea” is often the argument or belief you are presenting to the reader. Once you identify what that argument is, the “one-idea rule” can help you develop, revise, and connect the various components of your writing.
• For instance, let’s say you’re writing an essay. There are three components you will be working with throughout your piece: the title, the paragraphs, and the sentences.
• Each of these parts should be dedicated to just one idea. The ideas are not identical, of course, but they’re all related. If done correctly, the smaller ideas (in sentences) all build (in paragraphs) to support the main point (suggested in the title).

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Most advice about writing looks like a long laundry list of “do’s and don’ts.” These lists can be helpful from time to time, but they’re hard to remember … and, therefore, hard to depend on when you’re having trouble putting your thoughts to paper. During my time in academia, teaching composition at the undergraduate and graduate levels, I saw many people struggle with this.

• MR Mark Rennella is Associate Editor at HBP and has published two books, Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders and The Boston Cosmopolitans .  

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25 Smart Words You Should Be Using But Aren’t

By paul anthony jones | feb 8, 2022, 4:00 pm est.

Over its lengthy history, the English language has amassed the largest vocabulary of any comparable language on the planet. That’s great when it comes to picking precisely the right word for a very specific situation, but not so great when you think about the countless words that are lying ignored in the murkier corners of the dictionary, being overlooked in favor of their more familiar synonyms and equivalents. So in the interest of improving your vocabulary (and scoring a few smart points along the way) why not try ditching the familiar for the unfamiliar, and dropping one of these 25 fantastically obscure phrases into a conversation?

1. Ablocate

Dating from the 17th century, to ablocate something is to hire it out. For obvious reasons, it literally means “to put in a different place.”

2. Agelastic

Derived from a Greek word meaning “laughter,” someone who is agelastic literally never laughs. Or, put another way, they’re extremely miserable.

3. Aprication

The early lexicographer Henry Cockeram defined aprication as “a baking in the sun” in his 1623 English Dictionarie . Derived from a Latin word literally meaning “exposed,” it’s basically a fancy alternative to sunbathing .

4. Brachylogical

Brachylogy is brevity of speech, which makes someone who is brachylogical a succinct, terse, straight-to-the-point speaker.

Instead of saying "double chin," say buccula . It sounds a lot more complimentary and literally means “little cheek.”

6. Calamistration

In Latin, a calamistrum was a curling iron, which makes calamistration the act or process of curling your hair and calamistrate —a word dating from the mid-1600s in English—the verb for precisely that.

7. Deosculation

They’re not the most romantic of words, but both osculation and deosculation are 17th-century words for kissing.

8. Decemnovenarian

The word decemnovenarian is derived from the Latin word for the number 19, and so literally means “characteristic of the 19th century”—or more loosely, “outdated” or “old-fashioned.”

9. Echinate

Your hairbrush might be echinate , and so too might a hedgehog—for good reason. Although it’s usually used more generally of anything covered in prickly spikes or points, echinate literally means “hedgehog-like.”

10. Éclaircissement

English has picked up some very smart-sounding words from French over the years, including the noun éclaircissement , which dates back to the late 1600s and has been used to mean “a clearing up of that which is obscure or unknown.” More generally, it's an enlightening explanation of something seemingly inexplicable.

11. Facinorous

Derived from a Latin word for an evil deed, the adjective facinorous dates from the mid 16th century in English and refers to anything or anyone atrociously, heinously evil or bad.

12. Fritiniency

The Latin word fritinnire meant, onomatopoeically, “twittering” or “chirping.” And derived from that, fritiniency is a 17th-century word for the chirruping sounds made by birds or insects.

13. Infucation

To fucate is to paint or color something. Derived from there, infucation is a 17th-century word for the process of applying makeup—or, as one 1658 English dictionary put it , the “laying on of drugs or artificial colors upon the face."

14. Laodicean

Derived from the name of an ancient region of the eastern Mediterranean (whose inhabitants, according to the Book of Revelation, were singled out for their indifference or lukewarm interest in Christianity), a Laodicean is someone who holds no particular opinion or interest, especially in contentious subject like politics or religion; as an adjective, it means “indifferent” or “uninterested."

15. Malversation

To malverse is to act corruptly in an elected office or position of trust, and malversation —originally a Scottish legal term—is the act of doing precisely that.

16. Nimbose

Nimbus (as in words like cumulonimbus and nimbostratus ) was the Latin word for “cloud,” which lies at the root of a handful of weather-related words like nimbosity (meaning “storminess” or “cloudiness”) and nimbose , which means “stormy” or “overcast."

17. Penelopizing

If you know your classic literature, you’ll know that Penelope was the faithful wife of Odysseus in The Odyssey by Homer (more on him in a moment), who spent her time waiting for her husband’s return by working on a never-ending tapestry. With Odysseus presumed dead, Penelope managed to put off all her potential suitors by explaining that she would only begin to consider their marriage proposals once her embroidery was completed—but every night, she would secretly unpick her day’s work so that she remained busy until Odysseus finally returned. From that story of pure fidelity, the name Penelope came to be used allusively in English of any enduringly faithful partner, while the verb penelopize came to be used variously to mean “to make one’s work fill up the time available,” “to procrastinate” or “put off a decision,” and “to deliberately waste one’s time."

18. Pervicacious

Derived from a Latin word meaning “to convince someone of your point” or “to demonstrate without doubt,” someone who is pervicacious is extremely obstinate or stubborn.

19. Prodromus

That “drom” in the middle of prodromus —which is the same root as words like velodrome and hippodrome (which is literally a race course )—derives from a Greek word meaning “running.” That makes a prodromus literally a “forerunner,” or just something that comes before something else. Today, it's most often used in the natural sciences in reference to "a prelimary publication or introductory work."

20. Proditorious

A proditor is a traitor, which makes someone who is proditorious untrustworthy or disloyal.

21. Rocambolesque

Rocambole was the name of a flashy fictional adventurer created by a 19th-century French writer named Pierre Alexis Ponson du Terrail. The stories in which Rocambole appears grew ever more outlandish as the series continued, and ultimately gave rise to the word rocambolesque , meaning “utterly extraordinary” or “too bizarre to be believable."

22. Somniloquy

Derived from the same roots as words like insomnia and soliloquy , somniloquy is a more formal word for sleep talking. Sleepwalking, incidentally, is somnambulism , while to somniate is to dream and something that is somnifacient puts you to sleep.

23. Temporicide

A derivative of the Latin word for “kill” or “cut,” the suffix – cide is found at the end of all kinds of words in English, from the familiar ( homicide , suicide ) to the rare ( ceticide , “the killing of whales”), and to the downright bizarre ( coquicide , “the killing of a cook”). At the rarer end of the scale is temporicide , a term coined as relatively recently as 1851 for the figurative “killing of time."

24. Xyresic

Derived from the Ancient Greek word for a razor, xyresic literally means “razor-sharp”—or, more figuratively, “cutting” or “keen.”

25. Zoilism

Zoilus was a 4th-century BCE Greek grammarian and philosopher, who was known to be one of the harshest critics of Homer . Homer may have been the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey , but his work was not viewed in particularly high regard by Zoilus, who wrote extensively on the shortcomings and loopholes he found in Homer's writings. It was this unending, near-constant nitpicking of the author's work that not only earned Zoilus the nickname “Homeromastix” (literally, “Homer-whipper”) in his lifetime, but also eventually gave the English language the brilliant word zoilism —meaning “fault-finding” or “unfair, overly fastidious criticism.”

A version of this story ran in 2017; it has been updated for 2022.

500 Descriptive Words To Improve Your Writing

These  descriptive words  will help improve your writing. All these  describing words  are from my own personal notes. I’m an avid, and active, reader, and over the last couple of years I’ve jotted down the descriptive words that I pop out to me.

This list of descriptive words for writing was born from a desire to become enhance my vocabulary and become a better storyteller, and writer. Three things I care a lot about – just a  fun fact about me .

I’ve learned over time – and with many failures – that working with describing words on a page is akin to a potter at the molding wheel. And as writers, we use them to slowly shape our stories whether it’s writing about  driving around the world  or inspiring people to create their own list of  bucket list ideas .

The list is separated by  parts of speech ; You’ll find a list of adjectives, descriptive phrases, action verbs, and more.

At the end are some phrases I like, that I have read here or there over the years. Make sure to check out our  list of descriptive adjectives  as well.

I hope you use this  list of descriptive words , and phrases and garner inspiration to enhance your tales.

500 Describing Words to Improve Your Writing

“This is one of the best resources I’ve come across in a long time…”

Get our Descriptive Word Cheat Sheet for FREE . You’ll get immediate access to our PDF cheat sheet of Descriptive Words. A resource you won’t find elsewhere. Perfect for papers, writing and resumes!

1 – although.

“he was making headway, albeit rather slowly.”

1 – very typical of a certain kind of person or thing.

“the archetypal country doctor”

1 – without purpose or direction.

“Don’t live an aimless life.”

1 – To face or endure danger or pain; showing courage.

The brave healthcare workers are putting their life on the line.

1 – perplexed and confused; very puzzled.

“I had a bewildered look on my face”

1 – giving out or reflecting a lot of light; shining.

The sun was bright in his eyes.

2 – vivid and bold color.

The grass in Ireland is bright green.

1 – Bright or Radiant.

The brilliant light was blinding.

1 – Clever or Smart

He was a brilliant student. He always chose to use the right word.

1 – unlimited, infinite, or immense.

The boundless energy of the kid wore me out.

1 – socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative

Running this  travel blog  has led me to live a boho life.

2 – woman’s fashion aesthetic is characterized by flowing print fabrics, layers of clothing, and costume jewelry such as long strings of beads, dangling earrings, and multiple bangles.

she went for the boho look in a floor-length green dress teamed with a fringed  jacket  and chandelier earrings.

1 – hurt by repeated blows or punishment.

he finished the day battered and bruised.

2 – damaged by age or used repeatedly.

I finished the day battered and bruised.

1 – a taste sensation that is peculiarly sharp or acrid.

The bitter fruit tasted terrible.

1 – lacking due thought or consideration

Zack Morris showed a blithe disregard for the rules.

2 – Happy or Lighthearted Character

Want to watch a blithe romantic comedy?

1 – having a blue tinge; somewhat blue.

The bluish tint of the water was stylish.

1 – Lost in deep sadness of thought.

The kid was brooding that his parents wouldn’t buy the toy.

1 – having the characteristic of a baby.

He acted babyish when he lost the game.

1 – not fake; or counterfeit

This is a bona fide masterpiece.

1 – lose or hanging.

My eyes are baggy after a red-eye flight.

1 – loved very dearly.

The teacher was beloved by his students.

1 – a low murmuring or humming sound.

The buzzing bee flew across the park.

1 – strong, or strongly built.

The burly bear was intimidating.

1 – having a lot of bounce.

The trampoline was extra bouncy.

2 – confident or having a jaunty rhythm.

The man was bouncy and full of life.

1 – very apt to stay afloat.

The pool floaty was extremely buoyant.

2 – cheerful.

The buoyant salesman was very charming.

1 – lacking plants or life.

The bleak desert was barren.

2 – Cold and Miserable Outlook.

After his divorce, he had a bleak outlook on life.

1 – expressing or marked by earnest entreaty or pleading.

The beseeching peasant feared for his life.

1 – having the taste of butter.

The buttery bread warmed the soul.

1 – having feelings or actions control or remaining calm.

Even though he was afraid he remained composed.

1 – caverns in either size, shape, or atmosphere.

The cavernous mansion stood empty.

2 – Giving the impression of dark and vast.

The cavernous eyes.

1 – a series of columns set at specific intervals, and supporting a roof.

The ancient marble colonnades are just one reason to explore the  best islands in Greece .

1 – free from worry or anxiety.

he was a carefree soul.

1 – having a rough texture; large grains.

The treated wood was coarse.

1 – anxious to protect or avoid potential danger or mishaps.

he was careful not to get into trouble.

1 – making or liable to make a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.

“I climbed the creaky stairs”

1 – dirt free, unmarked, or have been washed.

the room was clean.

1 – having a wavy outline

The crenelated coast when  backpacking Thailand  is breathtaking. ..

1 – covered by clouds.

It was too cloudy to go hiking.

1 – present from birth.

“a congenital defect of the heart.”

1 – a striking array of colors.

The colorful painting lit up the room.

1 – rude language.

They didn’t allow the colorful speech to get past the sensors.

1 – Happy / Sprightly

He was chipper after getting  married in Sweden .

1 – rude shortness

The curt manager’s comments angered the waiter.

1 – confused

The chef was confounded by the dinner tickets.

1 – continuing occurrence

I suffer from chronic indigestion.

2 – present and encountered.

Chronic meddling always causes problems.

1 – relating to the community / Collective ownership.

The communal garden gives us great vegetables every year.

1 – huge in size, power, or stupendous.

The colossal rocks blocked the dusty path.

1 – pleasing

Chicago food  has some of the most delectable meals I’ve ever had.

1 – delicate

The dainty glass broke from the fall.

2 – tasty

The dainty sandwich was filling.

1 – untidy in appearance

Boys often have a disheveled room.

1 – devoted to a cause or purpose

Star Wars has dedicated fans.

2 – given a purpose

He has a dedicated server to protect his data.

1 – awarded or received marks of honor.

He was decorated with a medal for winning the race.

2 – furnished with something ornamental

A hallmark of the parade are the decorated floats.

1 – chosen but not yet installed

the ambassador designates the future assignments.

He has a designated server to protect his data.

1 – bright, brilliant, or showy, colorful, and impressive.

The dazzling fireworks were the highlight of the festival.

1 – eating food quickly.

The Lion is a devouring beast.

2 – destructively consuming/absorbing

Don’t let devouring loneliness defeat you.

1 – below / far from the surface

His joy was buried deep below the surface of an ocean of swirling emotions.

Deep-Pocketed 

1- Having a great deal of money; being wealthy.

The deep-pocketed businessman donated a large sum of money to the charity. 

Disagreeable 

1- Having a disposition that is not pleasant or agreeable; disagreeable behavior or remarks.

“I’m sorry I was so disagreeable earlier. I had a really bad day.” 

DILAPIDATED

1 – fallen into decay or deteriorated

The dilapidated home needed an intense amount of love and care.

1 – serving for ornamental decoration.

The decorative replica was made to be displayed. And invoked a strong emotion.

1 – moving from the common direction.

Do follow the popular path. Instead, go into the unknown, and discover your divergent path.

Compassionate 

1 – Showing concern and sympathy for others, especially those in distress.

When I saw the homeless man on the side of the road, I felt compassion for him and wished I could help him. 

Entertaining  

1 – A movie that is enjoyable and amusing.

The new comedy starring Melissa McCarthy was very entertaining. 

1 – hard to pin down, identify, or isolate.

They knew the elusive thief lurked nearby.

1 – enthusiastic joy

They were exuberant about their upcoming trip to some of the  most beautiful places in the world .

1 – vertical position

Few erect columns were peppered throughout the temple ruins.

1 – having the ability to expand.

The expansive landscape is seemingly never-ending.

1 – deriving style, ideas, and taste from a wide range of sources.

The eclectic mix of opinions caused an argument.

EXASPERATING

1 – cause a strong feeling of annoyance

The planes exasperating delay made everyone late.

1 – fully detailed or well planned.

The elaborate design of Bangkok’s royal palace is breathtaking.

1 – uttered, or emphasizing on.

The emphatic refusal helped them close the deal.

1 – productive / desired effects.

The efficient writer finished before the deadline.

2 – being involved or an immediate agent.

The efficient action helped make a change.

EVER-DEEPENING

1 – go deeper

He had an ever-deepening love for sports.

1 – thorough / all possibilities

The exhaustive to-do list was intimidating.

1 – seemingly without end

The endless forest instilled a mood of tranquility.

EXTRAVAGANT

1 – exceeding normal limits or excessively elaborate

The extravagant building is grand.

2 – extremely high in price

The extravagant purchase maxed out his credit card purchase.

1 – elegance

The elegant clothes belonged to the king.

1 – relating to or named after

The eponymous landscape outside Dingle is one of the  best places to visit in Ireland .

1 – relating to a celebration,  festival , or feast.

The festive dinner got a little out of hand.

1 – tinged with red in the face, from shame, heat, or physical exertion.

Caught in a lie, his face became flushed with embarrassment.

1 – very hot or passionate desire.

I have a fervent desire to explore the world.

FAST-MOVING

1 – moving quickly

The fast-moving current washed away our supplies.

FANTASTICAL

1 – based on fantasy

Game of Thrones takes place in a fantastical world, filled with dragons, and magic.

1 – unrestrained violence or brutality

The ferocious lion hunted his prey.

1 – having to do with the burial.

They found treasure in the Pharaoh’s funerary chamber.

1 – focused on something.

The dog was fixated on the squirrel.

1 – loving having fun.

The fun-loving locals love putting on their annual festival.

1 – covered with grass

The grassy knolls are stunning.

1 – a large number of

He had charm galore.

1 – repulsion, or inspiring horror.

The movie was too gruesome for me.

1 – possessing glory

When  backpacking New Zealand  you see glorious landscapes. 

Good-Looking 

1 – Very good-looking, or beautiful. Can be used to describe people, things, or places. For example, “She is a glorious sight in that dress.” 

1 – painful or distressing

It was a harrowing adventure filled with an unexpected twists, turns, and sacrifices.

1 – an unrestrained expression

I was greeted with a hearty welcome.

2 – wholesome or substantial

I enjoyed the hearty meal.

1 – relating to an herb

Those herbaceous florae were savory.

1 – alone

He was isolated during the exam.

INTOLERABLE

1 – not tolerable or unbearable

The intolerable noise kept me up all night.

1 – picturesque or pleasing

The idyllic Irish landscapes are some of the best in Europe.

1 – great in size or degree

Our immense Universe is without limits.

1 – extreme degree

The intense amount of work was overbearing.

1 – irk or tedious

Sometimes we all have to do Irksome tasks.

1 – prone to act, acting momentarily

To lose weight sometimes we have to deny our impulses for bad food.

1 – tempting

The inviting meal made my mouth water.

1 – existing in, or belonging to

The innate behavior of a child was to cause trouble.

1 – memorable or cannot be washed away or erased.

The indelible landscape means there are hundreds of  places to visit in the United States .

INFURIATING

1 – the feeling of extreme anger.

The infuriating delay at the airport made him miss his flight.

1 – spotless / extremely clean

Singapore is an immaculately clean country.

2 – having no flaw

The glass in Venice is immaculate.

1 – having many complex parts

Mona Lisa is an intricate painting. Making it the most famous in the world.

1 – belonging to the inside,

I great battles happen inside the interior of our minds.

1 – sprightly

he took a jaunty stroll through the park.

1 – having a disorienting effect

The jarring truth is that dreams without goals, remain dreams.

1 – ready, or in favor of

I am keen to go to the bar.

2 – sensitive perception

He had a keen nose.

1 – having lungs

The lunged fish swan in the pond.

1 – transparent or clear; Glasslike

The limpid waters in Thailand or famed around the world.

1 – expending or bestowing excess

The lavish palace of Versailles is one of the most popular  day trips from Paris .

1 – outlandish, or eccentric

Some ludicrous movies aren’t bad.

1 – filled with desire or lust

She was filled with lascivious thoughts.

1 – lack of interest, or energy

His listless attitude held him back in life.

1 – sad or lonely

Ah, the lonesome road, has many trails, but many rewards.

1 – highly significant, outstanding

The monumental task can be accomplished by taking little steps every day.

1 – expressing sadness

A melancholy nature will keep you stuck.

MERITORIOUS

1 – deserving reward or praise.

A meritorious life of service.

1 – intrusive or getting involved in

The meddlesome raccoon knocked over the trash can.

1 – Huge, exceedingly large

Many of the mammoth  caves in the United States  are worth visiting.

1 – existing today

Many modern-day advances give our lives ease.

1 – inferior in size or degree

The minor problems in life or nothing to sweat over –  life is too short .

1 – covered by mist.

The heavy air of the misty morning endowed the park with an eerie coolness.

1 – covered by mystery

The monk has a mysterious nature.

OUT-OF-PLACE

1 – not where it should be

The restaurant felt out of place.

1 – elaborate or excessively decorated

The ornate .ruins draw in visitors.

OUTSTANDING

1 – standing out

His outstanding skills put him in line for a promotion.

2 – unpaid

Outstanding bills can be stressful.

1 – lack of sharpness

His obtuse answer made no sense.

1 – lacking remembrance, or memory

Don’t be oblivious to the opportunities that life presents you.

1 – wealth, abundance

The opulent hotel is worth the price tag.

1 – characteristic of a person

His hot temper was peculiar.

2 – different from the normal

The book had a particular plot twist in the book.

1 – not spoiled, or corrupted

The pristine beaches had soft sand.

2 – earliest state

The pristine state of the forest

1 – a sense of peace

The peaceful forest instilled a peace of tranquility.

1 – argumentative quarrelsome

He has a pugnacious nature.

1 – mental and emotional state of fear

Don’t panic. Breathe and slow down.

1 – able to be passed

The currents were passable during the low tide.

1 – turning, a pivot

Taking my first trip to Ireland was a pivotal moment in my life.

1 – critical

It was a pivotal piece of the puzzle.

1 – polishing, smooth, glossy

Polish your writing before publishing the piece.

1 – by or in itself

That’s not the facts per se, but valuable to know.

1 – notably luxurious or rich

His plush life made him soft.

1 – elevated or arrogant

The pompous rhetoric is hurtful.

2- exhibiting an air of self-importance.

The pompous politician lost sight of his vision.

1 – extreme or severe

After rigorous training, he was ready to test himself.

Sidesplitting 

1 – When something is so funny that it causes one’s sides to split, it is side-splitting.

My mom’s joke was sidesplittingly funny.

1 – like thunder

The thunderous roar of the waves beating along the coast.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: ACTION and Strong VERBS

These are some of the best words. They are great when wanting to show a clear meaning of a sentence or improve a short story.

1- regard something as being caused by.

I attribute my grammar skill to how many questions I ask.

1 – provide clear evidence; declare that something exist.

I attest that life is good

1 – make minor changes.

I had to amend your application before sending it in.

1 – regard (an object, quality, or person) with respect or warm approval.

I admire your commitment to learning the English Language.

1 – praise enthusiastically

I acclaimed actor won the best actor for his deep performance.

1 – achieve or complete successfully.

I accomplish my goals.

1 – increase in sound

They amplify the sound at the concert.

2 – make copies of something

The notes amplify that new evidence. ..

1 – change, or make changes too

They altered the rules of the game.

1 – (of a problem, opportunity, or situation) emerge; become apparent.

“a string of new difficulties have arisen “

2 – get or stand up.

“he arose at 5:30 to work out.”

1 – to clear out or save (Usually water from a boat)

They bailed him out of trouble.

1 – talk enthusiastically for a long time

Just one of the many  fun facts about me . Sometimes I like to babble about travel.

1 – to set upon

We were beset with locals trying to make a sale.

2 – to set with ornaments

The roses are beset with thrones.

1 – fail to give a true notion or impression of (something); disguise or contradict.

I newspaper story belied the facts.

2 – fail to fulfill or justify (a claim or expectation); betray.

The notebooks belie Darwin’s later recollection.

1 – hit repeatedly with blows.

He battered the broken car.

1 – become perplexed.

I was bewildered by the lack of work the team had done.

1 – bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame.

It is common to bow in Asia.

2 – play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow.

The techniques by which the pieces were bowed.

1 – think deeply about something that makes the person unhappy.

He brooded over his bad day.

1 – encourage or help

I need to boost my spirits.

2 – push from below

She needs to boost to master the English Language.

1 – cast a spell or enchant.

I was bewitched by the lush landscape.

1 – low murmuring or humming sound.

Flies buzz when they fly.

1 – lock with a bar that slides into a socket.

He bolted the door for protection.

2 – ran away quickly.

He bolted down the street.

1 – strike hard.

He bashed the wall in anger.

2 – criticize.

He bashed the smoking industry.

1 – break or burst

They bust the water balloon.

2 – lose something

He went bust at the poker table…

1 – squeeze together

Compress the laptop’s file to save space.

1 – to bring to an end.

The summit concluded with world peace.

2 – to reach a logical end or decision.

The magazine concludes that Rome is one of the  most beautiful cities in the world .

He concluded his college application with a question.

1 – unmarked, free dirt

He cleaned the room every other week.

1 – fall or hang in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“the cool water cascading down the waterfall.”

1 – decrease in size, number, or range.

“glass contracts as it cools.”

2 – become shorter and tighter to affect the movement of part of the body.

“The heart is a muscle that contracts about seventy times a minute”

1 – wind into rings

The sailor coiled the rope.

1 – to cover something

Massive trees canopied the small island.

1 – to form short bends or ripples / Wrinkle

Don’t crinkle my shirt.

2 – a think crackling sound

The crinkling bag woke up the dog.

1 – chuckle or laugh

He chortled with amusement.

2 – sing or chant

She chortled in her happiness.

1 – broken into small parts.

The  Greek Islands  are filled with crumbling ruins.

1 – beg or sponge

He cadges for a free cup of coffee.

1 – sharp, quick, repeated noises

The crackling fire.

1 – to dig and bring to light.

Don’t dredge up those painful memories.

1 – travel somewhere in a hurry

I dashed through the forest.

2 – strike, or destroy

The ship was dashed upon the rocks.

She dashed his spirits.

1 – cause (someone) to feel consternation and distress.

A deep  feeling  of dismay overtook the room.

1 – greatly astonish or amaze

I’m often dumbfounded after watching the task force meetings.

1 – eat / destroy / adsorb quickly

I want to devour the big meal.

2 – read eagerly

Amy always devours a good book.

1 – make (someone’s) clothes or hair messy.

Boris Johnson disheveled his hair before being on camera.

1 – to lessen the courage of

A lesser man would be daunted by this challenge.

1 – to set apart for a purpose. to distinguish as a class

We designate this room as the class lab.

2 – to point out a location

A marker designating where the trial starts.

1 – to feel aversion to (Offend)

His distaste for the joke was apparent.

1 – to dig

Suspicion led him to delve into his wife’s bag.

1 – to search for information

He delved into the past to find the problem.

1 – to get carried along (by water, air, etc)

The windy drift pushed the hot air balloon to the west.

1 – a pile of something in heaps

Snow drifts covered the landscape.

1 – to stray or move from a principle, standard, or topic.

Don’t deviate from your goals. Stayed focused even when life is tough.

1 – to cause annoyance or irritation

I hope you’re not exasperated by this list of descriptive words.

1 – Set up / to fix/put together in an upright position

The father and son erected the tree house.

1 – to become known,

Jane emerged from her travels a most well-rounded person.

1 – To make it ornamental or make it more attractive.

Frank embellished his life story to impress his date.

1 – to furnish / to provide with

I’m endowed with a  good sense of humor .

1 – allure or tempt

He was enticed by the smell of the chocolate.

1 – eliminate by wearing away surface

The rocks are effaced by wear and tear.

1 – rot slowly

Don’t let your anger fester about your tough English test.

1 – steal secretly

He filches the cookie from the jar.

1 – give a false appearance

The company feigned how bad his leg hurt.

1 – containing frescoes

The frescoed walls of the chapel inspired my love of art.

1 – to pass quickly or shift

The chortling birds flitted around the forest.

1 – to flow in an irregular current

The stream gurgling stream swept over the rocks.

2 – ta gurgling sound

The gurgling stream blocked the path.

1 – to gather,

Tim garnered his courage before presenting his  essay  to his teachers.

1 – move quickly

He hastened his journey home.

1 – lift or raise by tackle

Hoist the flag.

1 – lift or raise or pull

He heaved the trunk onto the oak table.

1 – a harmful or disquieting occurrence

The past mistakes haunted him.

2 – to visit often to seek the company of

I spend a lot of time haunting the bookstore.

1 – cross one with another.

The intertwined vines were impassable.

1 – place a body in a tomb or grave

The king was interred with all the honor due him.

1 – weave.

It’s dangerous to interweave lies and the truth.

1 – to make, irritated, or weary

He was irked trying to learn all the  English grammar  rules.

1 – endow or influence

He imbued the spirit of the old times.

INTERSPERSE

1 – spaced in intervals

The interspersed paintings covered the east wing.

1 – sharp uneven surface

The jagged mountains dotted the horizon.

1 – come into contact or pushing

The jostling crowd flooded to the door.

2 – vying for a position.

The workers began to jostle for the new job.

1 – expend or bestow

His lavish habits cost him a lot of money.

1 – slow parting

The effects lingered long after it was over.

1 – take a large shape or an impending occurrence

The  teacher  loomed over the  student  to make sure he wasn’t cheating.

1 – an area to stop

Lay-by the dock the ship tied up.

1 – utter barely audible sounds in a low voice.

He muttered to himself about his workload.

1 – hypnotizing

The mesmerizing beauty of the  best islands in Croatia  is not easily forgotten.

1 – settle snugly

A small town nestled among the mountains.

1 – grab or catch

He nabbed the best spot in the class for the  English lesson .

1 – a slow trickle, to seep out of something

The oozing gunk stained the floor.

1 – exiled

He was ostracized after his betrayal was made public.

1 – to peer through / to look furtively.

Don’t peek around the corner.

1 – to go deep into, or thrust into something.

I plunged into the task of self-development.

1 – landscape with a level surface, and little change

He wandered the plateau looking for his lost wallet.

1 – search for information.

His friend probed him with questions about the girl.

1 – sprinkled throughout

The olive trees peppered the Greek countryside.

1 – work laboriously

The book plodded along slowly.

1 – soaked in

The city was steeped in charm.

1 – a loud sharp noise

He shirked when he thought he saw a ghost.

1 – to spread without restraint

The sprawling landscape of the desert is one of the best  things to do in Tucson .

1 – fill with things or with satiety

He was stuffed after Thanksgiving dinner.

1 – feeling to do something (usually wrong)

He was tempted to eat the candy.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF ADVERBS

1 – Suddenly or Unexpectedly.

The car stopped abruptly.

2 – In a rude manner.

His mom abruptly cut him off.

3 – Steep

The hill ascends abruptly.

Apathetically 

1- Without enthusiasm or interest.

She played with the dog apathetically, barely looking at it. 

ADDITIONALLY

1 – extra factor or circumstance.

brokers finance themselves additionally by short-term borrowing.

2 – used to introduce a new fact or argument.

Additionally, the regulations require a clean environment.

ALTERNATELY

1 – one after the other or next

Alternately, don’t give up when things get hard.

Begrudgingly 

begrudgingly (adverb) – unwillingly; reluctantly 

I begrudgingly gave him my number.

 Deliberately 

1- done or planned with care and intention

The mother deliberately left the child in the car while she went into the store. 

 Dramatically 

1. in a dramatic manner

The actress dramatically read the lines from the script. 

EFFECTIVELY

1 – being effective or in effect

John effectively finished his to-do list before stopping for the day.

1 – evident or provide evidence

He was evidently born in Ohio.

1 – expert in something

He expertly navigated his way through the maze of alleyways.

Extraordinary 

1 – strikingly unusual or different; remarkable

This painting is extraordinary! 

FURTHERMORE

1 – what precedes

Furthermore, people should travel more.

1 – a gloomy or somber

He grimly walked to see his boos.

1 – a sinister character

The dark figure had a grimly stance that shadows seemed to cling to.

Inquisitively 

1- Inquisitively is defined as in a curious or questioning manner. 

Looking inquisitively at someone means looking at them in a way that suggests you want to know more about them. For example, you may be staring intently at their face as if you are trying to read their thoughts. 

Intelligently

1 – In an intelligent way

The mother cat was intelligently trying to get her kitten out from under the car. 

1 – to a great degree

The immensely talented writer self-published his book.

INTENTIONALLY

1 – intentional manner or awareness

He intentionally arrived at the airport early.

1 – intense

He intensely focused on the problem at hand.

IMPULSIVELY

1 – from impulse

He impulsively got up early every morning.

He invitingly offered me a free drink.

INFURIATINGLY

1 – extreme anger

Moving to my wife in Sweden is an infuriatingly slow process.

1 – born or existing in.

He innately loved filling his head with quotes about adventure.

1 – lasting or unforgettable cannot be removed.

The indelibly hued landscape when  backpacking Italy  changed my life.

INTRICATELY

1 – complex with many parts

The intricately designed plot has levels of detail.

1 – eager or intense

They are keenly attuned to your bad behavior.

1 – clear; glassiness

The limpidly rushing water of the cascading waterfall.

LUDICROUSLY

1 – meriting laughter or exaggeration

He ludicrously lost his wallet.

Synonym for Richly or Grandly

1 – marked by excess

The lavishly decorated crown marked him as king.

Methodically 

1 – In a precise and orderly way.

The scientist methodically recorded the data. 

MONUMENTALLY

1 – large, or to an extreme degree

He monumentally failed in his task.

1 – without doubt

The claims were patently false.

1 – peace or tranquility

he peacefully listened to the sounds of birds singing outside his window.

1 – strict

He rigorously worked at his craft every day.

ROMANTICALLY

1 – romantic

He was romantically involved with her.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: NOUNS

1 – the process of absorbing.

The absorption of the spilled water.

2 – The whole occupation of the mind.

The absorption of my work overtakes every other desire.

1 – strong desire to do or to achieve something which takes hard work.

People trying to improve their skills with this list of descriptive words for  writing  have a lot of ambition.

2 – determination to achieve success.

life offers many opportunities for those with ambition.

1 – a large quantity of something.

I have an abundance of ambition.

2 – The condition of having a copious quantity of something; bountifulness.

The vineyard has an abundance of grapes.

1 – a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime.

“He’s a wine aficionado.”

1 – a dark volcanic rock that displays a columnar structure and is made of fine-grained.

The fertile soil was made of decomposed basalt.

1 – something of monstrous size

That’s a behemoth-sized lion.

1 – a person who is socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative artists; a bohemian.

The town bohos opened an art gallery.

1 – an increase

A boost in the economy.

1 – a room or pantry used for storing wine or hard liquor.

Can you grab the wine out of the buttery?

1 – a beer that has a strong hop taste; or liquor with the sharp taste of plant extracts.

What bitters do you have on tap?

1 – a combination of qualities of color, such as shape, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

“I was struck by her beauty .”

Synonym  for Rock or Stone

1 – a large rock, mostly worn smooth by years of erosion.

The boulder blocked the path.

1 – move quickly.

He buzzed through these descriptive words.

1 – Irish name for a beehive hut.

The ruins of a clochán sat on the other side of the field.

1 – a written or spoken agreement, especially one concerning employment, sales, or tenancy, that is intended to be enforceable by law.

“both parties must sign employment contracts “

1 – a mass of something that falls or hangs in copious or luxuriant quantities.

“A cascade of pink bougainvillea.”

2 – a large number or amount of something occurring or arriving in rapid succession.

“a cascade of antiwar literature”

1 – an ornamental decoration at the ridge of a roof or top of a wall or screen.

High on the roof was a cresting decoration.

1 – Someone who chips

The chipper was hard at working cutting down the tree.

1 – one delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office

The commissary was tasked with finding a cure.

1 – a series of loops

The coil of pumps was confusing.

2 – everyday troubles

Sometimes we all need to shrug off the coils of the workday.

1 – any of an order (Coniferales) of mostly evergreen trees and shrubs having usually needle-shaped or scalelike leaves like pine, cones, and arillate fruit.

The group of conifer trees took over the forest.

1 – to create

Christians believe in the creation story.

1 – an agreement or promise / attached to someone or something

I have a commitment to my wife.

1 – a cover carried above by a person of rank / or a cloth suspended

The canopy covered the diners on the patio.

1 – a heap of stones in a heap. Usually a landmark or memorial. Typically on a hilltop or skyline.

The stony cairn marked the way back.

Characteristics

1- Colorful Having many different colors. The sunset was so colorful.

Loyalty is one of his best characteristics

1 – something to eat considered rare and luxurious

What is your favorite delicacy in Italy?

2 – the quality or state of being dainty of someone or something

Spiderwebs have a delicacy.

1 – to flow along

To drift through life is sad.

2 – an underlying meaning or design.

The spy understood the drift of his orders.

1 – dislike food or drink

Many have a distaste for mushrooms.

1 – representation in images or  describing words  depicting something or someone.

The depiction of the movie wasn’t congruent with the book.

1 – a deep place or state of being

The depths of our abilities remain unknown until we push for greatness.

1 – an arrangement, or state of being engaged

Social engagement took most of my day.

1 – a massive structure

The social edifice holds together certain rules.

plural noun

1 – city districts / or surroundings in your space or vicinity

The crystal environs of the waterfalls.

1 – a public showcase

The art exhibition was a success.

1 – a high position of superiority, Commanding or in a profession.

His eminence in the film made him a legend.

1 – refined taste, dignified gracefulness

The novel had an air of elegance and wit.

EXASPERATION

1 – a state of exasperated or exasperating someone/feeling irritation

He was exasperated after working all day.

1 – the act of representing a medium

I don’t understand the expression that artists are trying to achieve.

FOCAL POINT

1 – point of attention.

The focal point of this blog post is  describing words  that help others master descriptive  writing .

1 – an embarrassing mistake or error.

Interpreting someone is considered a social faux pas.

1 – the front of the building

The store’s facade was highly decorated.

1 – a false, or fake appearance

His friends saw through his thinly veiled facade.

A love this descriptive word.

1 – a boisterous and loud burst of laughter.

The joke caused a guffaw in the room.

1 – enthusiastic and filled with joy.

1 – a gloomy or somber outlook

He had a grim disposition on life.

The grim tale left me afraid.

1 – the quality or current state

The grandeur of ancient Rome inspired our world.

1 – grand

Many of the  best places to visit in Europe  are grand in design, scope, and scale.

1 – strong wind

The gust of wind caused the bike to tip over.

1 – an outburst of feeling

He had a gust of energy that came with the good news.

1 – either side of an arch.

The dog loves to have his back haunches scratched.

1 – a great number

A host of ants took over the picnic.

1 – something to indicate

He gave the indication that he was going to travel this summer.

1 – a stage or exception

In this instance, we all need to be quiet.

2 – example

For instance, pasta tastes better in Italy.

1 – inside limits or inner constitution

Travelers loved the lavish interior of the modern-day art gallery.

1 – limestone land or limestone plateau

The karst lands were filled with sinkholes and caverns.

1 – a plant organism made up of alge

Working the lichen spotted lake held a natural charm rarely found.

1 – machine for interlacing

Working the loom is hard and painful.

1 – soil made of silt, sand, and clay.

The loam ground was hard to walk.

LAUNDERETTE

1 – a self-service laundry

The launderette was packed with others.

1 – causing wonder and astonishment

Abu Simbel, in Egypt, is a marvel to behold.

1 – a great number of

This myriad  list  of descriptive words is very helpful – like our list of descriptive words for personality -.

1 – middle of the day

The midday meal made him want a nap.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk

Monoliths pepper the old landscape.

1 – a single massive stone in a column or obelisk from prehistoric origin.

The Menhir’s of Stonehenge tower over all who stand before it.

METROPOLITAN

1 – one who lives in a metropolis

The metropolitan knew the city backward and forwards.

1 – wealth and Abundance

The opulence of the Blue Mosque makes it one of the  best things to do in Turkey .

1 – of an unusual size

The outsize bed wouldn’t fit.

1 – a dirty slovenly place

Clean up this pigpen of a room.

1 – the quality of excitement or attractive

He was charming and had a large amount of pizzazz.

1 – an earnest entreaty

They plead for another helping of mashed potatoes.

1 – a bar something is hung on

The bird sat on the perch.

1 – a medical instrument for exploring

The doctor used a probe to discover what was wrong.

1 – a person despised or rejected

The thief was treated as a pariah.

1 – chasing after

Our pursuits define our lives.

1 – contradictory phases or conclusions.

Life is full of many a paradox.

1 – state of fear

Don’t panic about your writing . Just learn more descriptive words that will improve your writing.

1 – a close inspection; under a microscope

His paper was under a lot of scrutiny.

1 – riot or commotion

Tumult uprisings are a big part of history.

2 – loud noise

a tumult of noise kept me from sleeping.

1 – tiles

The tiling walls were stunning.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: LIST OF PREPOSITIONS WITH DEFINITION

preposition

1 – surrounded by; in the middle of

He walked amid the rolling hills and lush landscape.

2 – in an atmosphere or against a background of.

Mid accusations of cheating the student were suspended.

DESCRIPTIVE WORDS FOR WRITING: DESCRIPTIVE PHRASES

Here are a lot of describing words that I’ve picked up from various books, and blog posts. I fell in love with this word list. And are great for adding detail.

Pro tip:  The  describing words  are all around you. Listen to how people use descriptive language in your favorite movies, tv shows, and podcast. Try to find describing words in the things you read. The  lesson  you are looking for and the right words are all around you! You just have to look for the lesson to find the best describing word.

ARID STEPPE

1 – one of the vast treeless tracts in Europe and Asia.

The arid steppe of Mongolia is famous around the world.

ATLANTIC SWELLS

1- Waves crashing on the coast.

The Atlantic swells crashed against the crenelated coast.

BROODING SUMMITS

1 – sad terrain, a  phrase to describe  mountain ranges.

The brooding summits, covered in clouds, look like a storm is coming.

BEHIND THE TIMES

1 – not aware of or using the latest ideas or techniques; out of date.

When it came to tech, he was behind the times.

CRYSTALLINE LAKES

1 – a good description to describe a still lake. Or a phrase lake on a nice day.

The crystalline lake boasted the perfect space to camp.

CRUMBLING CASTLES

1 – a castle falling apart.

Ireland’s peppered with crumbling castles.

CRESTING MOUNTAINS

1 – descriptive of a scenic mountain range.

The cresting mountains of New Zealand are unforgettable.

EVER- DEEPENING

1 – getting deeper

The ever-deepening snow made the terrain impassable.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

The historical significance of Rome echoes even until today.

INFINITE HILLS

The infinite hills of New Zealand lure thousands of visitors a year. This is one of my favorite descriptive phrases.

ICY ROLLERS

1 – cold waves

The icy rollers of the Atlantic Ocean beat along the coast.

INDELIBLY WILD

The indelibly wild forest of Peru.

LUNAR-SCAPED

1 – landscape similar to that on the moon

The Lunar-scaped beaches on Milos, put it high on many travelers’  lists of Greek Islands  to visit.

LONG-FORGOTTEN

The long-forgotten castle has centuries of neglect.

A great  descriptive word  for the forest!

1 – covered by moss

The moss-clad rocks sat along the stream.

MODERN HIGH-RISE SKYSCRAPERS

The hundreds of workers wasted their lives in modern high-rise skyscrapers.

Descriptive Words for Food

1 – having a pleasing smell

1 – having a brittle texture and a dry, brittle sound when broken

Crunchy 

1 – having a brittle texture and a crisp, crackling sound when broken

1 – having a strong, satisfying flavor

1 – having a pleasing, sugary flavor

1 -having a sour, acidic taste

Salty 

1 – having a salty, savory flavor

1 – not having a strong or distinctive flavor

 1 – having a hot, pungent flavor

1 – having a lot of flavors 

1 – something that tastes extremely good 

1- providing the body with essential nutrients 

1 – making someone want to eat something 

Scrumptious

1 – extremely delicious and appetizing 

1 – a sweet liquid produced by flowers and used as a drink or in cooking 

1 – producing an excessive flow of saliva 

1 – of or relating to the sense of taste 

1 – arousing or tempting the appetite 

1 – having an extremely pleasing taste 

1 – delightfully beautiful or elegant 

1 – extremely luxurious and expensive 

Scintillating

1 – brilliantly sparkling 

1 – strikingly unusual or different 

1 – restoring or invigorating 

1 – promoting good health

1 – energetically alive and vigorous 

1 – pleasantly firm and fresh 

1 -full of juice 

1 – having a strong, distinctive taste 

Mouth-watering 

1- so delicious as to make the mouth water 

1 – easily broken or chewed and having a delicate, pleasing texture 

Descriptive Words for Trees

Words to describe trees is one of the most requested updates for this post. So I have updated the list with a bunch of tree descriptive words. I hope you enjoy it! 

• massive 
• towering 
• gigantic 
• enormous 

Descriptive Words in Spanish

• ágil – agile
• bello – beautiful
• brillante – brilliant
• cálido – warm
• claro – clear
• colorido – colorful
• cortés – courteous
• curioso – curious
• dulce – sweet
• enérgico – energetic
• fresco – fresh
• gentil – gentle
• inteligente – intelligent
• joven – young
• ligero – light
• lindo – pretty
• maduro – mature
• maravilloso – marvelous
• nervioso – nervous
• optimista – optimistic
• pacífico – peaceful
• perezoso – lazy
• romántico – romantic
• sensible – sensible
• serio – serious
• simpático – likable
• triste – sad
• vibrante – vibrant 

LIST OF DESCRIPTIVE ADJECTIVES

Here are some words to describe the positive qualities of people’s personalities. And using words like this to showcase a  personality  can connect those feeling with your readers.

affectionate – readily feeling or showing fondness or tenderness.

Agile – able to move quickly and easily.

Altruistic – showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish.

amiable – having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.

bright – giving out or reflecting much light; shining. – A very common descriptive phrase.

Bonza – excellent; first-rate.

charming – very pleasant or attractive.

Conscientious – wishing to do one’s work or duty well and thoroughly

imaginative – having or showing creativity or inventiveness.

List of Common Adjectives

These are great for common adjectives that can be used for anything from a descriptive phrase, descriptive writing, or a cover letter. 

compassionate

distinguished

enthusiastic

fashionable

fascinating

independent

influential

intelligent

mesmerizing

WORD LIST OF ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVES

What are attributive adjectives?

These are words to can be placed inside a sentence that can modify a person or a thing. These  different adjective  are only used before nouns.

Example Sentence:  The tender steak made my mouth water.

Heart-stopping

Too-yummy-to-be-believed

Face-to-face vicious

adjective for thick vines

• coiling, twisting, writhing
• constricting
• claustrophobic 

WORD LIST OF MULTIPLE ADJECTIVES

What are multiple adjectives?

Sometimes called paired adjectives. This is using more than one word to describe a noun.

Almost an adjective can be multiple adjectives if it can be paired together with other describing words to describe a noun. The key is to put them in the right order.

But here are some common ones.

Example Sentence:  The thick, dense college application seemed daunting.

Smart, energetic

Small, round

Short, Fast

Pretty Little

WHAT ARE COORDINATE ADJECTIVES

Similar to paired adjectives,  Coordinate adjectives

are two – or maybe even more – adjectives that describe the same noun. They are separated by a common.

LIST OF POSITIVE ADJECTIVES

Positive words are a great way to make your readers feel something about a character, place, or object. Positive words of descriptive are powerful.

Example: He was brave enough to use a new word to showcase his skill in front of the class.

Adventurous

Affectionate

Broadminded

Knowledgeable

Self-confident

Warmhearted

descriptive words starting with m

Magnificent.

impressively beautiful, elaborate or striking

Example: The view from the top of the mountain was simply magnificent.

given to unpredictable changes in mood or feelings

Example: He was in a moody state after his fight with his girlfriend.

Melancholic

feeling or expressing a deep sadness or gloominess

Example: The melancholic music helped me release my emotions.

Mischievous

Playful or causing trouble in a playful way Example: The mischievous child kept on playing pranks on his siblings.

difficult or impossible to understand or explain

Example: The disappearance of the man is still a mysterious case to this day.

having or showing impressive beauty or dignity

Example: The Taj Mahal is a majestic work of art.

having a smooth, rich, or full flavor or personality

Example: The mellow sound of the saxophone helped me relax.

relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past

Example: The modern technology we have today has made life easier.

Magnanimous

generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful person

Example: Despite losing the game, he still remained magnanimous and congratulated the winning team.

unassuming or moderate in size, quantity, or importance

Example: She is a modest person who never seeks attention.

Descriptive Words Starting With N

feeling or showing anxiety or worry.

Example: I’m nervous about my upcoming job interview.

having or showing high moral principles or ideals.

Example: He was a noble man who always put others before himself.

making a lot of sound, often in an unpleasant or disruptive way.

Example: The party next door was very noisy and kept us up all night.

existing or occurring as part of nature; not artificial or man-made.

Example: The park was a beautiful natural oasis in the middle of the city.

clean, orderly, and well-organized.

Example: His desk was always so neat and tidy.

pleasingly stylish or clever; neat or attractive.

Example: The nifty new gadget made my life easier.

quick and light in movement or action.

Example: The nimble cat easily caught the mouse.

feeling a sentimental longing for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.

Example: Looking at old family photos made her feel nostalgic for her childhood.

providing nourishment or food that is essential for health and growth.

Example: The salad was full of nutritious vegetables and healthy fats.

worthy of attention or notice; remarkable.

Example: His notable achievements in the field of science made him a household name.

descriptive words of a leader and Leadership Skills

Here are some great descriptive words that are great for describing effective leaders, passionate leaders, and other leadership qualities.  

Charismatic

Having a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others.

Example: His charismatic personality made him a great public speaker. And a successful leaders. 

having or showing a powerful imagination and the ability to think about or plan the future with wisdom or foresight.

Example: Steve Jobs was a visionary who revolutionized the technology industry. And held many leadership roles throughout his life. 

Feeling or showing self-assurance; having faith in oneself and one’s abilities.

Example: A confident leader can inspire confidence in others. Which makes him a true leader. 

Settling an issue; producing a definite result.

Example: A decisive leader is able to make tough decisions when necessary.

Having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Example: An empathetic leader is able to connect with and inspire their team. Which makes them effective leaders. 

Relating to the identification of long-term or overall aims and interests and the means of achieving them.

Example: A strategic leader is able to plan and execute successful business strategies.

Inspirational

providing inspiration or motivation to others; uplifting and motivating.

Example: An inspirational leader can inspire their team to achieve great things. And allows him to be a true leader. 

Trustworthy

deserving of trust or confidence; reliable.

Example: A trustworthy leader is one who can be relied upon to keep their promises.

able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Example: A resilient leader is able to bounce back from setbacks and continue to lead effectively.

having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance.

Example: A humble leader is able to put the needs of others ahead of their own and lead with integrity. And a true leader is humble, and it’s a sign of effective leadership. 

MORE ENGLISH GRAMMAR QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED!

What are the different kinds of adjectives.

There are several kinds of adjectives, including descriptive adjectives, limiting adjectives, proper adjectives, demonstrative adjectives, interrogative adjectives, and distributive adjectives.

Descriptive adjectives describe the qualities of a noun or pronoun, such as “blue,” “soft,” or “happy.”

Limiting adjectives limit the noun or pronoun by indicating a specific quantity or amount, such as “two,” “many,” or “few.”

Proper adjectives are formed from proper nouns and describe a particular noun or pronoun, such as “American,” “Italian,” or “Shakespearean.”

Demonstrative adjectives point out or indicate which noun or pronoun is being referred to, such as “this,” “that,” “these,” or “those.”

Interrogative adjectives are used to ask questions and include “which,” “what,” and “whose.”

Distributive adjectives refer to individual members of a group, such as “each,” “every,” “either,” or “neither.”

What are Negative Adjectives?

Negative adjectives are adjectives that describe something negatively, or with a negative connotation. And indicating that it lacks or has the opposite of a positive quality. They can be used talk about a personality trait, character trait, and change your writing style. 

Examples of negative adjectives include “bad,” “ugly,” “harmful,” “horrible,” “unpleasant,” “unfortunate,” “unfriendly,” “unhappy,” “displeasing,” “unfair,” and “unsatisfactory.”

These adjectives can be used to express criticism, disapproval, or disappointment towards someone or something. Negative adjectives can also be used to contrast one thing with another, such as in phrases like “less beautiful,” “not as smart,” or “less effective.”

positive personality adjectives

• Affable – friendly, easy-going and pleasant to talk to
• Ambitious – determined to succeed and reach goals
• Assertive – confident and self-assured; able to stand up for oneself and one’s beliefs
• Authentic – genuine and true to oneself; not fake or artificial
• Benevolent – kind, caring and generous, with a desire to do good for others
• Brave – courageous, not afraid to face challenges or danger
• Charismatic – possessing a compelling charm or appeal that inspires devotion in others
• Compassionate – empathetic, caring and understanding towards others who are suffering
• Confident – having faith in oneself and one’s abilities; self-assured
• Creative – imaginative, original and innovative
• Diplomatic – able to handle delicate or difficult situations with tact and sensitivity
• Empathetic – having the ability to understand and share the feelings of others
• Enthusiastic – passionate, energetic and eager to do things
• Gracious – courteous, kind and polite
• Honest – truthful and sincere; not deceptive or deceitful
• Humorous – having a sense of humor and able to make others laugh
• Independent – self-sufficient and able to take care of oneself
• Intuitive – able to understand or know something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning
• Optimistic – hopeful and positive, expecting good outcomes and opportunities
• Passionate – having strong emotions and intense feelings towards something or someone.

WHAT IS A PRESENT PARTICIPLE?

A word formed from a verb that ends in ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop laughing.

What is a Pronoun?

Pronouns are words that replace a noun.

A word formed from a verb that ends in  ing.

Sentence: He couldn’t stop  laughing.

What is a Collective Noun?

A collective noun is a word that refers to a group of things or animals as a single unit. Some common collective nouns are flock, herd, pack, and swarm. 

What is a Prepositional Phrase?

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or a pronoun. The preposition shows the relationship between the noun or pronoun and the verb. 

 What are Some Popular Synonyms?

Some popular synonyms are beautiful, pretty, handsome, and stunning. 

What are Transition Words

Transition words are used to connect ideas, show relationships between ideas, and indicate the logic of thought or argument. They are used to signal the start and end of paragraphs, introduce new paragraphs, and connect related thoughts within a paragraph. 

There we go! Over 500 descriptive words that will help you improve your writing! This list is always being updated as I find new  describing words  I like through reading and writing. Becoming a good writer and increasing your  skill , and learning  a new word  is an endless quest. These are great words that can improve your follow-up comments or inline feedback on your writing.

And I hope that you found the list of adjectives, nouns, descriptive phrases, and verbs useful. And helps you get a little better and expand your  vocabulary.

Check back for new  descriptive words  monthly!

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10 Beautiful Words You Can Use in Narrative / Descriptive Writing | Secondary School

• Posted By blog-user

Have you ever asked yourself: what makes a word beautiful? Is it because of what it means or the way it sounds? According to British linguist David Crystal in his article titled, “Phonaesthetically Speaking”, we tend to love words that have three or more syllables and include letters that we enjoy enunciating like “ m ” and “ l ”. Simply put, beautiful words are lovely to read and sound pleasant to our ears.

For Secondary English students, such charming words with positive connotations can be used to bedazzle your reader. Let’s explore ten beautiful words which not only sound great but will also be useful in painting vivid pictures for your examiners (especially for narrative and descriptive writing). With the examples provided below, try coming up with your own sentences to use these words! (:

1. Compelling (adj.)

Meaning: (something e.g. a reason, argument) that makes you pay attention to it because it is interesting and exciting

Synonym: enthralling, captivating, gripping

Sentence examples:

I found it hard to look away from his compelling eyes that seemed to ask me to inch closer. It was such a compelling story that I ended up reading the entire book in one sitting.

2. Effervescent (adj.)

Meaning: (of people and their behaviour) excited, enthusiastic and full of energy

Synonym: vivacious, animated, bubbly

She has a warm effervescent personality that made her easy to get along with. The effervescent host spoke with infectious energy and was able to bring a smile to not only the contestants on the show, but also the audience at home.

3. Euphonious (adj.)

Meaning: (of a sound, especially speech) pleasing to the ear

Synonym: pleasant-sounding, sweet-sounding, honeyed

The euphonious chimes of the bell lulled the baby to sleep. Her euphonious tone made her sound like an angel and I was immediately all ears to what she was explaining.

4. Evocative (adj.)

Meaning: bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind

Synonym: reminiscent, suggestive

The writer uses descriptive vocabulary to paint evocative images, moving his readers to tears. The evocative music that she often heard as a child in her grandparents’ house made her miss them dearly.

5. Halcyon (adj.)

Meaning: denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful

Synonym: happy, carefree, blissful

My grandmother would often recall the halcyon days of the past when her grocery store business boomed and she was healthy and free to do what she liked. The halcyon summer holidays where we could play outdoors freely in groups without our masks are long gone.

6. Lissom (adj.)

Meaning: (of a person or their body) thin, supple, and graceful

Synonym: lithe, elegant, svelte

The lissom dancer mesmerised the audience as she swayed to the music. Perry grew up with horses and always admired how graceful they looked trotting around the stables with their lissom bodies.

7. Resplendent (adj.)

Meaning: very bright, attractive and impressive in appearance

Synonym: splendid, magnificent, brilliant

Dressed in resplendent costumes, the children created a beautiful rainbow of colours on the stage. During the Singapore Night Festival in 2019, a resplendent underwater scene full of marine animals was projected onto the building of the National Museum of Singapore.

8. Redolent (adj.)

Meaning: having a strong pleasant smell

Synonym: aromatic, perfumed

Although my mother had left for work, the entire house was redolent with the fragrance of her perfume. The kitchen was redolent with the aroma of freshly baked bread, making my mouth water.

9. Serendipitous (adj.)

Meaning: occurring or discovered by chance in a happy or beneficial way

Synonym: coincidental, lucky

The serendipitous encounter with my primary school classmate after not seeing him for two years led to an enjoyable chat about our shared experience. The scientists made a serendipitous discovery which could lead them to the cure for cancer.

10. Sublime (adj.)

Meaning: of great excellence or beauty

Synonym: outstanding, grand, majestic, stellar

The Great Barrier Reef is known for its sublime natural seascape full of unique marine life and vibrantly coloured corals. Having devoured the delectable food, we complimented the chef for the sublime meal.

Were you able to come up with your own examples to use the beautiful words in your narrative writing as you were reading this post? Feel free to look them up in a dictionary to familiarise yourself with more contexts where you can use these charming words appropriately.

I hope you would use these beautiful words in your narrative writing. Go forth and apply the new knowledge you have acquired to impress your readers. See you in future posts!

Ms. Hui Jun

As a teacher, Ms Hui Jun is driven to create a safe conducive space for learning in her classroom. To achieve this, she makes an effort to build rapport with her students so that they are unafraid to ask questions when in doubt. With an aim for her students to grow from every lesson, she encourages them to reflect on their learning and find ways to connect them to real life application. With this, she hopes to stretch the young minds of all her pupils and to equip them with the language skills necessary in our world today.

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25 Fancy Words That You Can Use In Daily Conversations

When it comes to fancy yet useful words, the English language has tons to offer. Here are 25 examples of smart words that you can use in daily conversation. 

As an English learner, one of the best feelings in the world is creating better English sentences. There’s just something very satisfying in knowing some smart words to use in a conversation and using them. We all had that “Yes, I did it!” moment after using something we learned in real life. 

Adding beautiful words in your vocabulary has some benefits as well. Some of the advantages of learning powerful words are improving English pronunciation, better-articulated speeches, and better reading and listening comprehension. Besides, it makes you feel and sound smart, which you can use to your advantage professionally.

Why Sounding Smart Is A Good Thing? 

Did you know that there’s a benefit when you sound fluent like a native speaker ? According to a Harvard Business Review study, an applicant’s voice and sound can affect the employer’s impression during interviews. The more confident and smart-sounding your voice is, the better you can fare in job interviews. 

Using big words can be frowned upon and even ridiculed by some English speakers. After all, there are times that these complicated words can be frustrating and irritating to the listener. If misused, they make you sound incoherent instead of smart. Make sure that you understand the word you’re going to use in a sentence. Here are other tips to sound smarter and more confident when speaking in English. 

• Check and fix your posture (stand straight, but remain relaxed)
• Speak loud and clear
• Use matching body language 
• Use appropriate words based on the audience.
• Always practice your English daily.

25 Impressively Useful Words That Can Make You Sound Smarter

According to Merriam-Webster , no one knows the exact amount of English words ever created. However, an individual is said to use 20,000 to 30,000 words in daily conversations. New words are also made annually, primarily from interactions on the internet. If you want to spice up your speech and sound fluent, use these 25 smart words.

1. Repertoire

• A person’s list of talents and skills 
• In formal language, repertoire means all songs and plays a performer can perform without fail.

Chris knows how to play the piano, bass, drums, and guitar. His musical repertoire is quite extensive.

Damian has a wide repertoire of champions he can play in League of Legends. 

2. Accolade 

• Acknowledgment of someone’s excellent performance
• A similar term for award or honor

The team’s hard work has finally paid off! Receiving the highest accolade in the contest is worth all the sacrifices they made. 

Did you hear? Allan received the highest accolade from the Science Fair. What a lucky guy. 

3. Exacerbate

• Worsen a situation that is already bad
• Make bad things severe.

Steven thought opening the window can put out the fire. Unfortunately, this further exacerbated the problem. 

Shouting at her while she’s mad will only exacerbate her mood, so calm yourself before making a conversation. 

4. Quid Pro Quo 

• A material or favor received for doing or giving something else. 
• A favor for a favor; give and take

How about this? I’ll give you this book when you give me that book? Quid Pro Quo? 

Daenerys and Jon agreed on a quid pro quo: she will help him defeat his enemies in exchange for his loyalty. 

5. Rendezvous 

• A meeting place and date agreed upon by two parties
• The location and time where two or more parties can meet together 

Do you have any problem with the rendezvous? We can adjust the particular details when the boss gets back. 

Luffy is once again late for the rendezvous. I swear I’m going to give him an earful when he arrives. 

• Acknowledging someone’s good point during an argument
• Can be used to appreciate someone’s clever point

Danny: Do you think Jon knows how to solve this math problem? 

Tyrion: He knows nothing about math. 

Danny: Hmm, touche. 

• Can be used to describe something that failed miserably
• A complete failure; a great disaster

Have you seen the last season of “Game of Thrones”? It was a total fiasco!

“The Room” is considered a fiasco by a lot of people. But the memes from that movie have been viral. 

8. Ostentatious

• An act which is done to obviously seek attention
• Giving a show to impress other people

Darius likes showing off his wealth. He’ll grab every chance to show his ostentatious lifestyle. 

Garen has been admired in the military due to his display of skills and humility. He was never ostentatious nor arrogant when teaching his juniors. 

9. Tranquil

• The state of being relaxed/calm
• Free from any distraction or agitation
• A word to describe a peaceful and quiet environment

Nothing beats the tranquil ocean during the sunset. It’s a magnificent view worth seeing every day. 

The village is so tranquil, it's a nice place to settle down and start a family. 

10. Flummoxed

• Extreme confusion or bewilderment
• A state of utter confusion; perplexed

The instruction was written poorly; no wonder he got so flummoxed and made a wrong input. 

Cristina cannot understand anything about the lesson; she was so flummoxed. 

I hope this example doesn’t make you flummoxed. 

11. Capricious

• Sudden changes in mood or behavior
• Unpredictable
• Changing from time to time

Example : She suddenly became angry and walked off, and I don’t know why. Women are so capricious sometimes!

Short-term stock trading is challenging when the economy and stock market are in a capricious state. 

12. Concur (Concurred)

• To agree to an opinion or a statement
• To have the same opinion as another person.
• Synonym of “agree.”

The team concurred to spend the next vacation on a nearby beach resort. 

Now that I think about it, you’re right about the whole situation. I concur and support your decisions.  

13. Quintessential

• Being the best example of something/someone
• A perfect representation of a class or a quality

Macky is a very reckless driver. He’s the perfect quintessential guy insurance companies would like to avoid. 

Jack Ma’s from-rags-to-riches tale is a quintessential success story of not giving up. 

14. Red Herring

• An idea or things  that takes the audiences’ attention away from the central matter
• Is a term that refers to a thing that diverts people’s attention from the main focal point

He’s just redirecting the attention to other people to bury his controversies away from the spotlight. Please don’t fall on his red herrings. 

The investigation revealed that one piece of evidence found on the scene was actually a red herring. 

15. Cacophony

• A loud and displeasing sound
• Deafening or boisterous noises

The cacophony from my neighbor’s ridiculously large sound system never fails to wake me up each morning. 

Although the band has a lot of aesthetic qualities, the cacophony in their sound fails to maintain the crowd’s attention. 

• To persuade someone with gentle coaxing
• Reducing reluctance  with praises and flattery

After a couple of voluntary housework and good grades, Rocky finally managed to cajole his parents to let him go on a hiking trip. 

The hardest thing to do when you’re under pressure is to cajole yourself to keep going. 

• To greatly enjoy doing something
• To party and have a good time with other people
• Feasting/celebrating

Happy Birthday! Let’s spend the night revealing with good food and good karaoke session. 

Chad is out and might not come back until tomorrow. He’s currently out with friends for their weekly late-night revels.

• Someone (usually a man) dressed up in a classy and dashing fashion
• A man who is sporting a neat and elegant look

I remember him! He is that dapper gentleman who danced with me at the ball. 

Michael can’t seem to find the best outfit for a dapper-inspired look in his wardrobe. 

19. Fortuitous

• A very unexpected surprise; accidental; by chance
• When something pleasant happens unexpectedly
• Fortunate or lucky

When Tom met Summer for the first time, he knew at that moment that it was a fortuitous event.

Norman deemed today’s routine walk fortuitous after bumping and catching up with an old childhood friend. 

20. Fastidious

• A very detail-oriented person
• Someone who likes everything to be perfect up to the smallest detail
• Having high standards (adj)

Conny’s fastidious character makes her one of the best event organizers in the area. 

When it comes to food, the chef always makes sure that everything is perfect and passes his fastidious standards. 

21. Idyllic

• Extremely pleasant, peaceful, and safe;
• This word often used to describe time, place, or personal experiences

She remembered her childhood as one of the most idyllic times of her life. 

 If you want to live an idyllic lifestyle, consider living close to nature. 

22. Bonafide

• A genuine classification
• Authentic and real 
• Can be used to describe a good intention

It is confirmed that the excavated jars and cutleries from the new digging sites are bona fide relics from the Pax Romana era. 

Take it, it's a bona fide good offer if you ask me. 

23. Innocuous

• Harmless in nature
• Inoffensive
• Innocent and friendly

That innocuous puppy look was all it takes to convince me. 

Even behind those innocuous smiles, you can tell that he’s planning something wicked. 

24. Prolific

• Someone or something that has an abundant productivity
• Being extremely productive
• Fast growth or generation

The harshness of the weather in the wild prompted the prolific improvement of his survival skills. 

Beethoven was known as a prolific composer and pianist, as well as one of the best classical musicians ever.

25. Peevish

• The state of being extremely irritable
• Being irritated or frustrated over the smallest things
• Someone who is bad-tempered

May is not very good at controlling her words and facial expressions when she’s peevish. 

Oh no, what have I done? She’s got that peevish face on, I’m in big trouble. 

The peevish patient has been waiting for the doctor’s arrival for 30 minutes.  

Final Thoughts

There’s nothing wrong with using fancy words that can make you sound smarter. The problem starts when you’re using words that you don’t fully understand. As always, practice makes everything perfect, so continue expanding your English vocabulary. Talk to other English speakers or learners to learn more about the language. 

If you’re interested in improving your English, consider these excellent online learning resources: Kick off your journey with Babbel , offering user-friendly, engaging lessons tailored to fit seamlessly into your daily schedule. If you want something more in-depth, there's a great English course on Coursera that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics. For a more personalized learning experience, connect with native English tutors on Preply , enhancing your speaking and comprehension skills. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first Preply session by using this link .

What are some smart words to use in conversation?

Repertoire, Accolade, Exacerbate, Quid pro quo, Rendezvous, Touche, Fiasco, Ostentatious, Tranquil, Flummoxed, Capricious, Concur, Quintessential, Red herring, Cacophony, Cajole, Revel, Dapper, Fortuitous, Fastidious.

What does Bonafide mean?

A genuine classification. Authentic and real. It can be used to describe a good intention.

What does Touche mean?

Touche is acknowledging someone’s good point during an argument. It can be used to appreciate someone’s clever point. For example: Danny: Do you think Jon knows how to solve this math problem? Tyrion: He knows nothing about math. Danny: Hmm, touche.

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Writing Tips

Examples & instructions, writing guide:.

• Writing Personal Letters
• Writing Business Letters

Essay Definition

Essay: An essay is a piece of writing (usually a few thousand words) that delivers the authors own, more or less witty, perspective on a scientific, cultural or social phenomenon. The criteria of scientific methodology can be neglected; so the writer has relatively great freedom to express his personal view.

There are a lot of teaches and instructors, who provide you with writing tips , just as any doctor will tell you to “eat right and exercise”. But changing your writing (or eating) habits only happens when you truly understand why you should change them. Writing is easy: All you have to do is start writing, finish writing, and make sure it’s good. However, even some of the best writers of our time have tried and failed. But they worked hard and later succeeded. And some of the indispensable wisdom and useful advice from famous authors are collected on this page - as an inspirational guide for beginners and experts alike.

Creative Writing Tips

6 questions & rules.

George Orwell (*1903 in British India as Eric Arthur Blair; † 1950 in London) was an English writer, essayist and journalist. From 1921 to 1927 he was an official of the British colonial police in Burma. After his participation in the Spanish Civil War in 1936, he wrote social portraits and essays. Through his utopias “Animal Farm” (1945) and “1984” (1949) Orwell became known world-wide and in 2008 “The Times” ranked him second on a list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945" (first and third being Philip Larkin (e.g. “Selected Poems”) and William Golding (e.g. “Lord of the Flies”) respectively).

A scrupulous writer, in every sentence that he writes, will ask himself at least four questions, thus:

• What am I trying to say?
• What words will express it?
• What image or idiom will make it clearer?
• Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?

And he will probably ask himself two more:

• Could I put it more shortly?
• Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?

One can often be in doubt about the effect of a word or a phrase, and one needs rules that one can rely on when instinct fails. I think the following rules will cover most cases:

• Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
• Never use a long word where a short one will do.
• If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
• Never use the passive where you can use the active.
• Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
• Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.

From Orwell's essay "Politics and the English Language" (1946).

Selected Advice

• If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy. [Dorothy Parker (1893 – 1967); American poet, short story writer, critic, and satirist]
• Forget the books you want to write. Think only of the book you are writing. [Henry Miller (1891 – 1980); American writer (known for breaking with existing literary rules, e.g.the novel "Tropic of Cancer" banned in the US until 1961)]
• I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide. [Harper Lee (1926 – 2016); American novelist widely known for "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1960) (she wrote only one other book)]
• You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club. [Jack London (1876 – 1916); American novelist & journalist; e.g. "White Fang" & "John Barleycorn" (autobiographical novel)]
• There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. [William Somerset Maugham (1874 – 1965); British writer (e.g. "The Razor's Edge" & "The Painted Veil")]
• If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time — or the tools — to write. Simple as that. [Stephen King (*1947); American author (e.g. "Shining" & "Finders Keepers")]
• If writing seems hard, it’s because it is hard. It’s one of the hardest things people do. [William Zinsser (1922 – 2015) American editor & teacher (e.g. "On Writing Well")]
• Prose is architecture, not interior decoration. [Ernest Hemingway (1899 – 1961) American novelist & journalist (e.g. "For Whom the Bell Tolls" & "The Old Man and The Sea")]
• Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. [Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) Irish essayist & poet (e.g. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" & "The Importance of Being Earnest")]
• Don’t take anyone’s writing advice too seriously. [Lev Grossman (*1969); American novelist & book critic]
• Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you. — Zadie Smith
• Introduce your main characters and themes in the first third of your novel. If you are writing a plot-driven genre novel make sure all your major themes/plot elements are introduced in the first third, which you can call the introduction. Develop your themes and characters in your second third, the development. Resolve your themes, mysteries and so on in the final third, the resolution. — Michael Moorcock
• Remember: when people tell you something’s wrong or doesn’t work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong. – Neil Gaiman
• Always carry a note-book. And I mean always. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever. — Will Self
• The nearest I have to a rule is a Post-it on the wall in front of my desk saying ‘Faire et se taire’ (Flaubert), which I translate for myself as ‘Shut up and get on with it.’ — Helen Simpson
• In the planning stage of a book, don't plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it. — Rose Tremain
• The difference between the almost right word & the right word is really a large matter. It's the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning. — Mark Twain
• The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator. — Jonathan Franzen
• Rewrite and edit until you achieve the most felicitous phrase / sentence / paragraph / page / story / chapter. — Annie Proulx
• Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip. — Elmore Leonard

Why writting skills are important

Writing letters or essays might be seen so old-fashioned in the age of Internet communication but it is still a very important skill to master. Writing letters is not dead, no matter that instant messaging and e-mails are becoming the major ways of communication. What is more, many of the rules that apply for conventional, printed or handwritten letters apply to e-mails as well.

The medium becomes less important because when you have to write a business letter, there is no difference if you write it by hand, if you type it on your typing machine, or if you sent it by conventional mail, fax or by electronic mail — the same postulates are in power and if you don't know them — bad for you!

Last but not Least

In a Workshop about Poe it was mockingly claimed that "in a recently-found treatise (*), Poe set down the following advice for bettering a story:"

• Employ an unreliable narrator, preferably one who doesn’t know he is insane and has no recollection of such events as digging into a grave to rip out the teeth of his recently departed lover.
• Include a beautiful woman with raven locks and porcelain skin, preferably quite young, and let her die tragically of some unknown ailment.
• Use grandiloquent words, such as heretofore, forthwith, and nevermore. A little Latin will also enhance the text.
• Do not shy away from such grotesqueries as inebriation, imprisonment, insanity, and men costumed as orangutans being burned to death.
• When in doubt, bury someone alive.

(*) Poe didn't really compose this advice, but, as he was fond of a good hoax, we hope he would be pleased by this affectionate charade.

And humor is almost always an element that helps attracting readers. See this hilarious collection of Funny Stories (on our sister site), most of them rather short.

Writing Guide

Basic Writing Instructions and Example material. Learn how to write personal and professional documents. Freewrite and regular writing exercises evoke new creative insights, create story patterns and associations which leads to writing that is high quality, whole and cohesive. Browse through our library of writing instructions. And if you can not find the right word, check out this great list of synonyms which is sorted by categories.

BTW: Looking for Cheat Sheets? Have a look at these www.system-overload.org

Just in case you are wondering: