Unit 1 Vocab

brevity (noun)

briefness or conciseness in speech or writing -synonyms: conciseness, succinctness, pithiness, terseness -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)

succinct (adj.)

clearly and briefly stated -synonyms: concise, laconic, pithy, terse -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)

acerbic (adj.)

expressing harsh or sharp criticism in a clever way

reticent (adj.)

not talking much; reserved -synonyms: taciturn -antonyms:

colloquial (adj.)

pertaining to common everyday speech; conversational

quiescent (adj.)

quiet; still; inactive -synonyms: -antonyms:

rhetorical (adj.)

relating to speech that is used to persuade or have some effect; insincere in expression -synonyms: eloquent, bombastic, grandiloquent, voluble? -antonyms: concise

taciturn (adj.)

silent; sparing of words; close-mouthed -synonyms: reticent, laconic, quiescent? -antonyms: verbose

circumlocution (noun)

speaking in circles' round about speech -synonyms: verbosity, diffuseness, -antonyms: terseness, conciseness

diffuse (adj.)

spread out, not concise; wordy -synonyms: verbose? -antonyms: succinct, (concise, succinct, laconic, terse, pithy)

garrulous (adj.)

talkative -synonyms: loquacious, voluble, verbose, rambling, digressive, diffuse, prattling -antonyms: quiescent, taciturn, reticent

voluble (adj.)

talking a great deal with ease; glib -synonyms: loquacious, garrulous, verbose, rambling, colloquial? -antonyms: taciturn, quiescent

prattle (verb)

to speak on and on in a senseless and silly manner; to talk foolishly -synonyms: ranting, ramble -antonyms:

ramble (verb)

to talk on and on pointlessly, without clear direction -synonyms: digress, rant?, prattle -antonyms:

rant (verb)

to talk very loudly, even wildly; rave -synonyms: -antonyms: quiescent?

digress (verb)

to wander off from the subject or topic spoken about -synonyms: circumlocute -antonyms:

grandiloquent (adj.)

using big and fancy words when speaking for the purpose of impressing others -synonyms: bombastic, verbose -antonyms: reticent?, quiescent?

concise (adj.)

using few words in speaking or writing -synonyms: pithy, succinct, terse, laconic -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)

laconic (adj.)

using few words in speech -synonyms: concise, succinct, pithy, terse, reticent, taciturn -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)

bombastic (adj.)

using language in a pompous, showy way; speaking to impress others -synonyms: verbose, grandiloquent -antonyms: reticent?, quiescent?

terse (adj.)

using only the words that are needed to make the point; very concise, sometimes to the point of rudeness -synonyms: concise, succinct, pithy -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)

verbose (adj.)

using too many words; wordy; long-winded -synonyms: loquacious, garrulous, bombastic, diffuse, circumlocutory, grandiloquent, rhetorical? -antonyms: concise, succinct (terse, pithy, laconic)

loquacious (adj.)

very talkative; liking to talk -synonyms: voluble, garrulous, verbose -antonyms: reticent, taciturn, quiescent, taciturn

eloquence (noun)

artful ease with speaking; speech that can influence people's feelings -synonyms: rhetoric, grandiloquence, loquacity, volubility -antonyms:

pithy (adj.)

brief and full of meaning and substance -synonyms: succinct, terse, concise, laconic -antonyms: verbose, (loquacious, garrulous)