A couple of months ago, I wrote a blog post about my favorite words. It was a post filled with cute gifs, soaring vowels, and inspiring definitions. But now, I thought it was about time I shared with you the dusty, dirty, dankest in the English Language. These are the words that make me want to gag. These are the words that make me scratch my head in confusion and throw the dictionary against the wall in anger. These are my most hated words.
1. Queasy
Listen, to be fair, the word does it’s job well, because it makes me a little nauseous. Something about the three vowels together and the cutesy sound mixed with the vomit-involved definition make this a fun word to say and a terrible one to have to listen to.
2. Pulchritude
Definition: Beauty
Let’s face it. This word looks like ‘putrid’ with more letters. It just doesn’t mean what it sounds like it means. You can tell your friends that they look simply ‘pulchritudinous,’ but don’t be surprised if you get only an angry glare in return.
3. Nonplussed
This word is way too similar to ‘nonchalant.’ It sounds like it would describe someone relaxed and unbothered about something, right? Nope.
Definition: (someone who’s) surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react.
So, just about the opposite of what it sounds. That makes me quite nonplussed.
4. Sanction
OH, HERE’S A REALLY FUN ONE.
Definition #1: to give official permission or approval for
Definition #2: to impose a punishment or penalty on
Um?? So, let’s say that a principal sanctions the school dance. Is she giving it permission to occur, or is she penalizing it in some manner? We wouldn’t know, even though those options are opposite actions, because sanction means both of those things. Ugh.
5. Pianist
Such an eloquent profession. The piano is so graceful, the player’s hands so nimble…you can see a piano performance at a theatre, peering through golden opera glasses to see the stage while listening to wonderful music. Whatever should we call someone talented enough to coax a melody from the strings and keys from a piano? OH I KNOW! LET’S USE A WORD THAT MAKES EVERYONE THINK OF GOING TO THE BATHROOM.
6. Noisome
Definition: having an extremely offensive smell
Oh, come on. When you start a word with “Nois,” you would think it would be about sound. But no. Noisome is all about smell.
7. Inflammable
Well, since flammable means easily set on fire, inflammable must mean that it’s not easy to set on fire. NOPE.
Inflammable literally means easy to set on fire. It has the same definition as flammable. What is the purpose of this word? Does it exist only to confuse us?
8. Prodigal
This has nothing to do with prodigies. Instead, it means “spending money or resources freely and recklessly.” Why do you do this to us, English language?
9. Ravel
Yet another useless word. Ravel means the same exact thing as unravel. Was there a two-for-one sale at Merriam-Webster or something? Where are all these extra words coming from?
10. Moist
This is everyone’s least favorite word. And you know what? They’re right. For a word that Bobby Flay uses to describe cake, it sure ain’t appetizing.
Are you a fellow ‘moist’ hater? Do you actually love any of the words I hate? What are your least favorite words? Let me know in the comments below! Until next time, you can find me on Pinterest or Instagram.
This is a great post!
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Thank you! I’m glad you liked it.
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Lamo😂 love this!
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Thanks, glad it made you laugh!
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I don’t get inflammable either! Like whats the purpose of that word? Why invent it?
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I don’t envy anyone who has to learn the English language…it sure is confusing!
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Me either!
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Great post! One of my top hated words is “obesity”. I’m fat, I know I’m fat. I don’t need you to make it sound like I’m some horrible monster on top of it.
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Here, here! Body weight doesn’t have anything to do with morality. 🙂
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Makes me think about a favorite song by Pavement: ‘Unseen Power of the Picket Fence’ in which Steve Malkmus name-checks REM and shouts out after naming their first great record and several top songs from it, that “Time after Time is my least favorite song!” “Time after Time is my least favorite song!”
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Haha! I’m in good company, then. ❤
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Completely agree, I hear the phrase “moist cake” and it actually makes me lose my appetite! Great post, Viv!
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Thank you! And right?!?!? Martha Stewart, you can do better than that!
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This was a great post! The English language can be odd sometimes 😛
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Thank you! For being a supposed word-lover, I sure do complain about words a lot haha.
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I hate moist as well XD, but I was very excited to see you use the word eloquent, because it’s one of my favorites! 🙂 ~Julia ❤
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I love how the word eloquent sounds exactly what it means! Thank you.
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Nearly laughed out loud several times in our quiet study area, great post x
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Oops! Hope I didn’t get you in trouble. Thank you and I’m glad you enjoyed!
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I NEVER, EVER, use inflammable. It’s just stupid. And as for ‘sanctioned’… the same word meaning opposites? Just plainly idiotic.
I think nauseous is as bad, if not worse than queasy.
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Ugh, nauseous is terrible too. I think I just take it a little bit more seriously than queasy?? But both make my stomach do flips.
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I never realised th ‘inflammable’ one. XD But yes TO HATING MOIST. Oh and I get you on Pianist – it makes me queasy.
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RIGHT?? The piano is so pretty, and you just had to go and….*sigh.* Oh well, it is what it is.
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Too funny! And yes to “moist”! Use it to describe a cake, not a romance scene!
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True!! And thank you, haha, I’m glad you liked it!
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Oh my goodness… This post was WAY too hilarious!! XD I always love it when a post can make me laugh out loud, and this one succeeded!
I absolutely despise the word ‘moist’. Ever since my great grandmother’s birthday, in which every single person was describing a cake that was so WET IT WAS STICKY as ‘moist’, I’ve completely lost my appetite for the word… 😛
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Yay! I’m so glad you liked it…not so glad that you had to eat a cake described as ‘moist!’ It’s really a threatening word haha 😉
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Hahahahaha!!! It truly is!!! Not to mention the cake was quite gross, haha! XD
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I like the word, “nonplussed”. Before I learned what it actually meant, I imagined it meant a character’s expression went flat. I’m not a fan of “moist”, but I think “juicy” is worse, honestly. Yet as a lover of cooking I find myself having to use both words occasionally!
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Oh no, I didn’t even consider juicy! Good luck with your cooking, and let me know if the culinary world thinks of any more appetizing alternatives to the words we have!
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This post really made me hate the English language haha. Why do words like inflammable and ravel even exist?? What is the point. It feels like a really bad prank
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It sure does feel like some dictionary makers were being paid by the word and made some extra, useless ones up, doesn’t it? Thanks for reading!
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