Writing With Style

My Least Favorite Words

My Least Favorite Words

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. 

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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.

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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.

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vivianparkinderosa

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32 responses to “My Least Favorite Words”

  5. 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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  10. 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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  13. 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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  14. 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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