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gauche (adj.)

lacking social polish; tactless Use the word gauche when you want to call something tacky, graceless, tactless, rude, boorish, or awkward and foolish. Have you just pointed out someone's misuse of this word? Oh dear, how gauche!

mnemonic (adj.)

assisting or intended to assist the memory - after Mnemosyne, Greek goddess of memory A mnemonic is a memory aid for something, often taking the form of a rhyme or an acronym. I before E except after C, is a mnemonic to help you remember how to spell words like "piece" and "receive."

nascent (adj.)

beginning to exist or develop; coming into existence; emergent

primordial (adj.)

being or happening first in sequence of time; original Primordial, an adjective, describes something that has been around forever, like cockroaches.

awry (adj.)

askew, wrong When something goes wrong with a decent plan, you say it has gone awry. Losing your backpack is a mistake, but when you realize it contained your ticket and your passport, your vacation plans really go awry.

ubiquitous (adj.)

being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time; omnipresent It's everywhere! It's everywhere! When something seems like it's present in all places at the same time, reach for the adjective ubiquitous.

acrimany

bitter, ill-natural animosity

kafkaesque (adj.)

bizarre in circumstance, distorted or surreal as relating to the writing of Franz Kafka (1883-1924) e.g, The Metamorphosis

lackadaisical (adj.)

lacking spirit, liveliness, or interest Even though lackadaisical sounds like it has something to do with a shortage of daisies, know that what it really means is lacking in spirit or liveliness.

dehumanization (n.)

the deprivation of human qualities, rights, or understanding Treating people like they're too inferior or uncivilized to be considered real people is dehumanization. Dehumanization can be avoided simply by acknowledging everyone's humanity.

aesthetic (adj.)

pertaining to what is beautiful or artistic The adjective aesthetic comes in handy when the subject at hand is beauty or the arts. A velvet painting of dogs playing poker might have minimal aesthetic appeal.

bombastic (adj.)

pompous in speech or writing To be bombastic is to be full of hot air — like a politician who makes grand promises and doesn't deliver.

ramshackle (adj.)

poorly constructed; rickety Is your house in terrible condition? Does the roof leak? Is it half tumbling down? Congratulations! It's ramshackle — in other words, in terrible condition and barely holding together.

latent (adj.) latency (n.)

present or potential, but not active or evident Latent is an adjective that you use to describe something that is capable of becoming active or at hand, though it is not currently so.

vogue (n.)

prevailing fashion or practice If something is the latest vogue, it is the latest fashion. When your new hairstyle catches on, it's in vogue — or if it becomes unpopular, it's not.

prolific (adj.)

producing results abundantly Someone or something that is prolific is fruitful or highly productive. A prolific songwriter can churn out five hit tunes before breakfast.

irascible (adj.)

prone to outbursts of temper; easily angered If you're irascible, you get angry easily — perhaps blowing up in rage when someone brushes into you.

germane (adj.)

relevant or appropriate Germane means relevant; it fits in. If you are giving a speech on dog training, stick to the germane, canine stuff. Topics that would not be germane? Catnip toys, hamster wheels, and the use of a saddle.

bucolic (adj.)

rustic, pastoral, countrylike As an adjective, bucolic refers to an ideal country life that many yearn for. If your parents wanted to raise you in a bucolic environment, you may find yourself living 45 minutes away from the nearest movie theater or person your age. Not ideal.

melancholy (n.)

sadness; depression; a gloomy state of mind; pensive reflection Melancholy is beyond sad: as a noun or an adjective, it's a word for the gloomiest of spirits.

sardonic (adj.)

scornfully mocking If someone is being scornful and mocking in a humorous way, call her sardonic. If you want to write comic sketches for late-night talk shows, work on being sardonic.

paradox (n.)

seemingly contradictory statement which may be true Here's a mind-bender: "This statement is false." If you think it's true, then it must be false, but if you think it's false, it must be true. Now that's a paradox!

hegemony (n.)

the dominance of one state over another Hegemony is political or cultural dominance or authority over others. The hegemony of the popular kids over the other students means that they determine what is and is not cool.

facade (n.)

the face of a building; a deceptive appearance A facade is the front of a building, or a kind of front people put up emotionally. If you're mad but acting happy, you're putting up a facade.

synergy (n.)

the interaction between 2 or more forces such that their combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts You write the lyrics and your friend composes the music. Separately each of you is pretty good, but together you've got a mega-hit song. That's synergy — working together to create something greater than either of you could do alone.

serendipity (n.)

the making of fortunate discovery by accident If you find good things without looking for them, serendipity — unexpected good luck — has brought them to you.

nadir (n.)

the point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposed to the zenith; the lowest point. If a highly forgetful person loses his phone, his wallet, and then his car keys in separate instances all in one day, you could say that he has reached an organizational nadir. This means "lowest point."

zenith (n.)

the point on the celestial sphere that is directly above; the highest point attained; the point of culmination. Zenith means the high point — it comes from astronomy, where it describes the highest point in an arc traveled by a star or a planet or another celestial body. The sun reaches its zenith when it is as high in the sky as it is going to go on that day.

bastion (n.)

the projecting part of a fortification (a defensive wall or other reinforcement built to strengthen a place against attack) ; strong hold When the battle is getting long and the odds are getting longer, retreat to your bastion to regroup and prepare for the next round of fighting. A bastion is a stronghold or fortification that remains intact.

quintessential (adj.)

the purest, most essential, perfect example of If someone tells you you're the quintessential rock musician, that means they think that everything about you screams "rock and roll." Quintessential means embodying or possessing the essence of something.

denouement (n.)

the resolution of a dramatic or narrative plot; the outcome of a sequence of events

epiphany (n.)

the revelation of a divine being; a moment of sudden awareness When inspiration hits you out of the blue, call it an epiphany.

libation (n.)

the ritual pouring of a liquid/drinking of an alcoholic beverage

zeitigeist (n.)

the spirits of the time; the outlook or taste of a period or generation Zeitgeist is the spirit or essence of a particular time. In the 1920s, flappers and speakeasies contributed to that era's Zeitgeist.

desensitization (n.)

the tendency over time to show weaker emotional responses to emotional stimuli

hedonism (n.)

the unadulterated pursuit of pleasure Strictly speaking, hedonism is the belief that pursuing pleasure leads to the greatest ethical good. In practice, though, the ethical part sometimes gets lost in the pleasure part.

ostrasize (v.)

to banish or exclude from a group If you banish someone or ignore him, you ostracize him. When the Iranian president claimed that the Holocaust was a hoax, he was ostracized by the international community.

jettison (v.)

to cast overboard or discard Jettison means to push to the side or toss away. If a boat is leaking or an airplane is running out of fuel, you can buy more time by jettisoning cargo, or throwing it overboard.

occlude (v.)

to close or shut off Occlude means to obstruct, as with an opening. You hear this a lot in a medical context. Heart surgeons are looking for occlusions in blood vessels — things that occlude the flow of blood.

flummox (v.)

to confuse or perplex Does the word flummox bewilder, confound, dumbfound and generally mystify you? Well, fear no more, because flummox means all of these things!

acquiesce (v.)

to consent or comply without protest To acquiesce is to agree to something or to give in. If your kid sister is refusing to hand over the television remote, you hope she acquiesces before your favorite show comes on.

bamboozle (v.)

to deceive by elaborate trickery To bamboozle is to hoodwink, lead by the nose, or pull the wool over someone's eyes — you're tricking or fooling them.

resonate (v.)

to exhibit or produce resonance (strong, deep tone) If you have a loud, deep voice, then your voice has resonance, and if your words are powerful and meaningful, then your words have resonance, too. Something with resonance has a deep tone or a powerful lasting effect.

lollygag (v.)

to fool around; dawdle To lollygag is to be slow or idle or lazy. You might say to your dawdling friends, "Don't lollygag! We'll miss our bus!"

exculpate (v.)

to free from blame or guilt To exculpate means to find someone not guilty of criminal charges. If you've been wrongly accused of robbery, you'd better hope a judge will exculpate you, unless you want to go to jail because you've heard prison food is amazing.

misanthrope (n.) misanthropic (adj.)

to hate mankind/ one who hates mankind A misanthropic person does not like people and expects the worst of them. It would be misanthropic of you to say that every human being is a greedy, selfish liar.

ululate (v.) ululation (n.)

to howl; a wail To ululate is to loudly howl or wail. Animals ululate, and so do people in pain.

ameliorate (v.)

to improve To ameliorate is to step in and make a bad situation better. You could try introducing a second lollipop to ameliorate a battle between two toddlers over a single lollipop.

exacerbate (v.)

to increase the severity of, to make something worse For a formal-sounding verb that means to make worse, try exacerbate. If you're in trouble, complaining about it will only exacerbate the problem.

construe (v.)

to interpret, translate or explain If you interpret something or make sense of it, you construe its meaning. If the new girl in your class asks to sit with you at lunch, you could construe that she wants to be friends. You can never have too many friends!

elucidate (v.)

to make (something) clear; explain If you elucidate something, you explain it very clearly. If you don't understand fractions, a visit to the pie shop may elucidate the subject for you.

segue (n.)

to make a transition directly from one theme to another A segue is a smooth transition. When you segue in conversation, you change the topic so smoothly that people might not even notice.

atone (v.)

to make amends To atone is to do something "right" to make up for doing something wrong. Religious believers are known to atone for their sins, but even students can atone for a past failure by acing a quiz or two.

gesticulate (v.)

to make gestures, especially while speaking When you gesticulate, you make sweeping and excited movements with your hands when speaking. Someone describing a scary car accident might gesticulate wildly.

obfuscate (v.)

to make so confused as to be difficult to understand Some people are experts at obfuscating the truth by being evasive, unclear, or obscure in the telling of the facts. The people who are good at obfuscating would include defense lawyers and teenagers asked about their plans for Saturday night.

inundate (v.)

to overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with; to flood To inundate means to quickly fill up or overwhelm, just like a flood. Your bathroom could be inundated with water if the pipes burst, and hopefully your inbox is inundated with nice emails on your birthday.

flabbergast (v.)

to overwhelm with astonishment To flabbergast is to shock, awe, bowl over. For something to flabbergast you, it ought to leave you sputtering in amazement.

cajole (v.)

to persuade with flattery or promises; coax To cajole someone is to persuade them by using insincere compliments or promises. If you say "Please, pretty-please, I'll be your best friend," when asking for a stick of gum, you are cajoling the gum holder.

juxtapose (v.) juxtaposition (n.)

to place side by side If a waiter served you a whole fish and a scoop of chocolate ice cream on the same plate, your surprise might be caused by the juxtaposition, or the side-by-side contrast, of the two foods.

assuage (v.)

to reduce pain If you assuage an unpleasant feeling, you make it go away. Assuaging your hunger by eating a bag of marshmallows may cause you other unpleasant feelings.

eviscerate (v.)

to remove the viscera or the vital part of something Eviscerate is not a pretty word. To eviscerate can mean to remove the entrails of a creature. On the Discovery Channel you can watch a vulture eviscerate or take out the guts of a dead animal.

deride (v.)

to ridicule The verb deride means to speak to someone with contempt or show a low opinion of someone or something. A bully might constantly deride other kids in his class — which might lead to many afternoons spent in the principal's office.

precarious (adj.)

dangerously looking in stability Grab for the adjective precarious when something is unstable, dangerous or difficult and likely to get worse. Are you totally broke and the people you owe money to keep calling? You're in a precarious financial situation!

pernicious (adj.)

deadly; destructive Pernicious means harmful and subtle, such as a poison gas that causes illness in those exposed to it over the course of years.

flamboyant (adj.)

highly elaborated or ornate; showy Flamboyant means elaborate and ostentatious. When you think of flamboyant, think of Las Vegas showgirls: feathers, sequins, three-inch heels, enough make-up to disguise any irregularity.

ethereal (adj.)

highly refined delicate; heavenly Something ethereal is airy and insubstantial, like a ghostly figure at the top of the stairs. This word can also describe something delicate and light, like a singer's ethereal voice.

tenacious (adj.)

holding firmly, as to a belief; stubborn Use tenacious to mean "not easily letting go or giving up," like a clingy child who has a tenacious grip on his mother's hand.

quixotic (adj.)

idealistic or romantic without regard to practicality, as referring to Cervantes' Don Quixote.

indubitably (adv.)

in a manner or degree that could not be doubted Indubitably means "without doubt." If you say that you are indubitably going to run for class president, you're sure of it.

cosmopolitan (adj.)

including or containing people from many different countries Your Aunt Eleanor, who's lived in six different countries and speaks four languages fluently, might be described as cosmopolitan, or comfortable and familiar with different cultures and people.

promiscuous (adj.)

indiscriminant especially in sexual relations; lacking plan or purpose; casual or irregular

didactic (adj.)

intended to instruct; morally instructive When people are didactic, they're teaching or instructing. This word is often used negatively for when someone is acting too much like a teacher.

intrepid (adj.)

invulnerable to fear or intimidation. Intrepid is just a fancy word for describing a person or action that is bold and brave. Super heroes are intrepid in their struggle for truth, justice and the American way.

poignant (adj.)

keenly distressing to the mind, profoundly moving; touching Something that is poignant touches you deeply. Watching a poignant YouTube video about baby penguins chasing their mothers, for example, might give you a lump in your throat.

perspicacity (n.)

keenness of sight clear, understanding of insight If you devote long hours to the arts of attention and analysis, you might develop the perspicacity required to become a really good detective.

clandestine (adj.)

kept or done in secret Use the adjective clandestine to describe something that is done in secret, like your clandestine attempts to steal your brother's Halloween candy.

spurious (adj.)

lacking authentically or validity; false Something false or inauthentic is spurious. Don't trust spurious ideas and stories. Spurious statements often are lies, just as a spurious coin is a counterfeit coin — a fake.

pusillanimous (adj.)

lacking courage; cowardly; timid

gallivant (v.)

to roam about in search of pleasure or amusement People who gallivant are out to have a good time as they wander. You might decide to take a year off between high school and college so you can gallivant around the country for a while.

desecrate (v.)

to show disrespect or to deface something sacred To desecrate means to treat a sacred place or thing with violent disrespect. The news sometimes reports on vandals who have desecrated tombstones or places of worship.

conciliate (v.)

to soothe anger The verb conciliate means to placate, appease, or pacify. If you are eating at a restaurant and the waiter accidentally spills a drink on you, the manager may try to conciliate you by picking up the tab for your meal.

bloviate (v.)

to speak in a boastful way To bloviate is to talk, but not just to chat. To bloviate means to go on and on and on and on, usually in a pompous way.

expedite

to speed up To expedite something is to make it go faster or speed up the process. Expediting that package might get it to Alaska by tomorrow, instead of next Tuesday.

pilfer (v.)

to steal or filch To pilfer is to steal something, typically of small value. Minor thefts, like taking a roll of toilet paper out of a public bathroom or napkins from the Early Bird Buffet are what your grandfather, for example, might pilfer.

capitulate (v.)

to surrender under specified conditions; to surrender conditionally To capitulate means to give in to something. If your parents refuse to raise your allowance, you might try to argue until they capitulate. Good luck!

oscillate (v.)

to swing back and forth steadily to very between alternate extremes On a hot day, you'll be happy to have a fan that can oscillate, meaning it moves back and forth in a steady motion.

perambulate (v.)

to walk about or stroll If you're fond of strolling around your neighborhood with no special destination, you like to perambulate.

atrophy (v.) (n.)

to waste away Wearing a cast on a broken leg can cause atrophy, or withering, in the leg, because it is immobilized and gets no exercise.

nemesis (n.)

unbeatable foe; Greek goddess of vengeanceh Use the word nemesis to describe someone or something that always causes you major problems, like the runner on another school's track team who, for years, has been beating your time by a fraction of a second.

esoteric (adj.)

understood by only a few, not publicly disclosed Pssst... do you know the secret handshake? If you haven't been brought into the inner circle of those with special knowledge, esoteric things will remain a mystery to you.

laconic (adj.)

using few words; concise; terse Laconic is an adjective that describes a style of speaking or writing that uses only a few words, often to express complex thoughts and ideas. A more laconic way to write that last sentence might be this: laconic means brief.

malaise (n.)

vague discomfort If you are experiencing malaise, chances are you are feeling blue or looking green. Malaise is a slump; you're not feeling your best — either mentally or physically.

burlesque (n.) (adj.)

vaudeville entertainment characterized by vulgar comedy and nudity; (adj.) ludicrous or mocking imitation In contemporary usage, burlesque is a playfully nostalgic form of striptease — think fans and feather boas rather than explicit nudity — but this is just the latest form of an ironic style of entertainment dating back to medieval times.

voracious (adj.)

very hungry; insatiable; very eager Voracious is an adjective used to describe a wolflike appetite. It might be a craving for food or for something else, such as power, but the word usually denotes an unflattering greediness.

myriad (n.)

very large indefinite number A myriad is a lot of something. If you're talking about Ancient Greece, a myriad is ten thousand, but today you can use the word in myriad other ways.

loquacious (adj.)

very talkative A loquacious person talks a lot, often about stuff that only they think is interesting. You can also call them chatty or gabby, but either way, they're loquacious.

boondoggle (n.)

wasteful, counterproductive work A boondoggle is a useless, trivial piece of work — it's a waste of time. If you're serious about your career, you should avoid boondoggles.

benevolent (adj.)

well-meaning, kindly Choose the adjective benevolent for someone who does good deeds or shows goodwill. If your teacher collects homework with a benevolent smile, she's hoping that you've done a good job.

iniquity (n.)

wickedness, sinfulness An iniquity is a really unfair or really immoral act. If you're a journalist, you may uncover a terrible iniquity that forces a famous politician to step down.

pandemonium (n.)

wild uproar or noise, chaos Pandemonium is chaos, total and utter craziness — like the stampede after your team won the championship, when everyone spilled onto the field at once, bouncing off each other.

sagacious (adj.)

wise Use the formal adjective sagacious to describe someone who is wise and insightful like an advisor to the president or a Supreme Court justice.

incognito (adj.)

with one's identity disguised When you want to do something and not be recognized, go incognito — hiding your true identity.

raconteur (n.)

witty, skillful storyteller Raconteurs are gifted storytellers, able to spin amusing tales from everyday life. Who is the biggest raconteur in your group? He or she's the one who always tells the best stories — or jumps in when another storyteller isn't being vivid enough.

misogynist (n.)

woman-hater If you're someone who believes women belong in the kitchen and shouldn't be accorded the same respect as men, you might be a misogynist. A misogynist is a person who hates or doesn't trust women.

eponym (n.)

word derived from the name of a person An eponym is either a person for whom something is named, or a thing named for a person. Jules Leotard, a trapeze artist, inspired the creation of the eponym "leotard." Thanks, Jules.

onomatopoeia (n.)

word that imitates the sound associated with the object/action to which it refers. Boom! Bang! Crash! When a word is formed from the sound that an associated thing makes, call it an example of onomatopoeia.

insidious (adj.)

working harmfully in a subtle or steady manner, treacherous If something is slowly and secretly causing harm, it's insidious — like the rumors no one seems to listen to until suddenly someone's reputation is ruined.

deplorable (adj.)

worthy of disapproval; regrettable Deplorable is an adjective used to describe something extremely bad or unfortunate, like the deplorable destruction and loss of life in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami.

exemplary (adj.)

worthy of imitation, commendable; serving as a model Exemplary people excel at what they do and are excellent examples to others. Something exemplary is so good that it is an example for others to follow.

flotsam (n.)

wreckage or cargo that remains afloat after a ship has sunk Flotsam is the floating wreckage of a ship. You'll often hear it used with the word jetsam, which refers to floating objects that have been thrown from a ship, usually to lighten it before it sinks.

miscreant (n.)

wrongdoer or offender; villain A miscreant is a person who behaves badly — who lies, breaks the law, yells at puppies. It's a somewhat old-fashioned word, popular with old ladies shocked at having their purses stolen at the opera.

ebullient (adj.)

zestfully enthusiastic More than chipper, more than happy, more than delighted is ebullient — meaning bubbling over with joy and delight.

paradigm (n.)

a pattern or mode of thought A paradigm is a standard, perspective, or set of ideas. A paradigm is a way of looking at something.

hullabaloo (n.)

a great noise or excitement Hullabaloo is a lovely term for a fuss or commotion, usually over something of little or no importance, like a celebrity's new hair style.

archipelago (n.)

a group of islands Now here's a word, archipelago, that is super-specific: it means a group of many islands. Wouldn't it be great to build your dream house in the Galapagos archipelago?

sentinel (n.)

a guard or sentry A sentinel is a guard, a lookout, a person keeping watch. It's often a soldier, but not always. If you're watching a pot, waiting for it to boil, you're standing sentinel over it — and incidentally, it won't boil until you leave.

idiosyncrasy (n.)

a habit or characteristic peculiar to an individual accentricity If a person has an idiosyncrasy, he or she has a little quirk, or a funny behavior, that makes him or her different. If you only say goodbye in French, never in English, that would be an idiosyncrasy.

cacophony (n.)

a harsh, discordant, disagreeable mixture of sounds A cacophony is a mishmash of unpleasant sounds, often at loud volume. It's what you'd hear if you gave instruments to a group of four-year-olds and asked them to play one of Beethoven's symphonies.

covert (n.)

a hiding place

brouhaha (adj.)

a large commotion or uproar Brouhaha is something that people think is really important that's actually not important at all, like the brouhaha over some new celebrity gossip. Brouhaha seems like a big deal, but it's a bunch of baloney.

conflagration (n)

a large destructive fire A conflagration isn't just a few flames; it's an especially large and destructive fire that causes devastation.

gambit (n.)

a maneuver or ploy; chess opening in which a pawn is offered in exchanged for a favorable position A gambit is a strategic move, often in chess but also in politics or business, where a player sacrifices something up front for future gain.

ephemeral (adj.)

anything short-lived; fleeting Something that is fleeting or short-lived is ephemeral, like a fly that lives for one day or text messages flitting from cellphone to cellphone.

labryinth (n.)

a maze A labyrinth is a structure with many connected paths or passages in which it is hard to find your way. In figurative use, a labyrinth is a complicated situation: our tax code is a labyrinth of rules and regulations.

rendezvous (n.)

a meeting at a set time and place Rendezvous is a very French way to say "meeting" or "date." So go ahead and call your next dentist appointment or lunch date with friends a rendezvous.

paragon (n.)

a model of excellence Paragon applies to someone who is a model of perfection in some quality or trait. We link paragon with other words that follow it, such as "paragon of virtue" or "paragon of patience."

edifice (n)

a building of imposing size Edifice means a building, but it doesn't mean just any building. To merit being called an edifice, a building must be important. A mini temple can be an edifice, or a towering sky scraper.

amalgam (n.)

a combination of diverse elements, a mixture or blend In science, when you mix a metal with mercury to soften it, you create an amalgam. Otherwise, an amalgam is simply a combination of two or more unlike things into one.

polemic (n.)

a controversy; argument; verbal attack A polemic is something that stirs up controversy by having a negative opinion, usually aimed at a particular group. A piece of writing can be a polemic, as long as it gets someone's goat.

imbroglio (n.)

a difficult or intricate situation; confused or complicated disagreement An imbroglio is a complicated or confusing personal situation. To rephrase the J. Geils band song, "Love Stinks," if you love her and she loves him and he loves somebody else, you've got quite an imbroglio.

antithesis (n.) antithetical (adj.)

a direct contrast or opposition An antithesis is the complete opposite of something. Though the counterculture was strong in America in 1968, voters elected Richard Nixon, the antithesis of a hippie. Something is antithetical when it is in complete and utter opposition to the character of something. If you're a vegetarian, eating giant T-bone steaks is antithetical to your beliefs.

ragamuffin (n.)

a dirty, shabbily clothed child Use the word ragamuffin to affectionately tease your friend who shows up late to brunch with messy hair, dark circles under her eyes, and her shirt on backwards. In essence, you are calling her a shabbily clad street urchin.

phantasmagoria (n.) phantasmagorical (adj.)

a fantastic sequence of haphazardly associated imagery, as in a dream Dream-like visions can be called a phantasmagoria. If you've ever had a very high fever, you might have experienced seeing a phantasmagoria of strange images in your half-awake, feverish state.

donnybrook (n.)

a fight; an uproar; a brawl or dispute.

festoon (n.)

a garland hanging between two points A festoon is a decorative string of flowers that you drape across a room, dropping in curves between support points. If you're decorating for Halloween, why not try a creatively spooky festoon of dried roses covered in cobwebs?

dystopia (n.)

a genre of fiction that presents an imagined future society that purports to be perfect and utopian but the author presets to the reader as a horrifyingly inhuman A dystopia is a fictional world where people live under a highly controlled, totalitarian system. In his novel "Brave New World," Aldous Huxley created a dystopia where individual identity is suppressed and families no longer exist. Yep, it's pretty scary.

tribulation (n.)

a great affliction or distress Tribulation is suffering or trouble, usually resulting from oppression. The tribulations of a coal miner include a dangerous work environment, lung disease from black dust and a cramped, dark work space.

clairvoyant (n.)

a person with the power to see objects or events that cannot be perceived by the five senses If you can predict the future, you may want to keep your clairvoyant powers to yourself. Otherwise everyone will be knocking down your door asking for the next winning lotto numbers.

panacea (n.)

a remedy for all diseases, evils, or difficulties; a cure-all If someone offers you a pill that promises eternal life, don't take the pill. It's a panacea, a remedy that falsely claims to solve every problem ever.

conundrum (n.)

a riddle or dilemma The tricky word conundrum is used to describe a riddle or puzzle, sometimes including a play on words or pun.

harangue (n.)

a scolding or a long or intense verbal attack; diatribe A harangue is more than a speech, louder than a discussion, and nastier than a lecture. It is a verbal attack that doesn't let up, delivered as a verb or received as a noun. Either way, it's pretty unpleasant.

scalawag (n.)

a scoundrel, rascal, reprobate A scalawag is a lying, no-good rascal. Scalawags are not to be trusted, but sometimes they're a little bit cute. A scalawag would take the cookies right off your plate!

sycophant (n.)

a self-seeker who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people A sycophant is a person who tries to win favor from wealthy or influential people by flattering them. Also known as brown-nosers, teacher's pets or suck-ups.

quandary (n.)

a state of uncertainty or perplexity How to define the word quandary? Wow, this is quite a dilemma. What to do, what to do? Hmmm. Looks like this moment itself is a quandary: a tough situation that will be really hard to resolve.

non sequitur (n.)

a statement that does not follow logically from what preceded it A non sequitur is a conclusion or reply that doesn't follow logically from the previous statement. You've probably heard an example of a non sequitur before, therefore bunny rabbits are way cuter than chipmunks.

metamorphosis (n.)

a transformation In Kafka's novel entitled Metamorphosis, a man wakes up to find he has turned into a cockroach. That kind of complete and startling change pretty much sums up the word.

snollygoster (n.)

a villain

palindrome (n.)

a word, phrase, or sentence that reads the same backward or forward "Madam, I'm Adam," says Adam when he meets a woman for the first time. Not only is Adam polite, he's also using a palindrome, a word or phrase that can be read the same way either forward or backward.

bureaucracy (n.)

administration of government chiefly through bureaus and departments, an unwieldy administrative system A bureaucracy is an organization made up of many departments and divisions that are administered by lots of people. If you've ever had to deal with health insurance or financial aid, you're familiar with the dark side of bureaucracy.

euphony (n.)

agreeable pleasing sound; beautiful sound Shakespeare's language is a good example of euphony: pleasant, musical sounds in harmony, as with "To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day."

ambuscade (n.) (v.)

an ambush/ to attack from a concealed place An ambuscade is a surprise attack. There's nothing funnier than watching your cat lie in wait behind the couch until your dog wanders over, only to be startled by the cat's ambuscade.

capitalism (n.)

an economic system in which the means of production and distribution are privately or corporately owned Capitalism is an economic system featuring the private ownership of business wealth and the free and unfettered operation of trade markets.

impresario (n.)

an entertainment producer or manager An impresario is a promoter: someone who books, promotes, and organizes shows such as concerts.

innuendo (n.)

an indirect or subtle (usually derogatory) insinuation Speaking in innuendo is when you say something indirectly — often of a hurtful or sexual nature.

bugaboo (n.)

an object of excessive exaggerated fear or anxiety Use the noun bugaboo to describe something that causes worry, like the bugaboo of having three tests on the same day at school.

juggernaut (n.)

an overwhelming advancing force that crushes everything in its path Juggernaut means a massive force. If the army marching into your country is a juggernaut, you're doomed. If you're trying to market a new Cola product, you're up against corporate giant Coca-Cola, a beverage juggernaut if ever there was one.

rogue (n.)

an unprincipled person; scoundrel A rogue is a sneaky person who has tricks up his sleeve, not like a magician, but like someone who would steal your wallet or cheat at cards.

tirade (n.)

angry, denunciatory speech; diatribe A tirade is a speech, usually consisting of a long string of violent, emotionally charged words. Borrow and lose your roommate's clothes one too many times, and you can bet you'll be treated to a heated tirade.

curmudgeon (n.)

cantankerous (bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative) , ill-tempered person Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the gruff, grey-haired neighbor who refuses to hand out candy at Halloween and shoos away holiday carolers with a "bah humbug!"

jetsam (n.)

cargo or equipment thrown overboard to lighten a ship in distress Jetsam is debris floating around the water that has been dumped from a sinking ship. Sometimes beachcombers find jetsam washed up on shore.

lurid (adj.)

causing shock, horror, gruesome Something lurid is vivid and attention-grabbing in a shocking, graphic, or horrible way. that pulls them in. Your mother might complain that she hates lurid TV shows — ones that are overly sensationalized and meant to shock.

colloquial (adj.)

characteristic of or appropriate to informal speech or writing Colloquial language is casual and conversational: it's the difference between "What are you going to do?" and "Whatchagonnado?"

ostentatious (adj.)

characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice Reach for the adjective ostentatious when you want a flashy way to say — well, "flashy" or "showy."

lucid (adj.)

clear; rational Something that's lucid is clear and understandable. Lucid writing is important in journalism, so that readers easily get the point of the article they're reading.

pugnacious (adj.)

combative in nature, belligerent Pugnacious means ready for a fight. If you're pugnacious, you might find it hard to make friends. On the other hand, you might be a very successful professional boxer one day.

consummate (adj.) (v.)

complete or perfect in every respect/ to bring to completion; conclude Consummate means complete, finished, or masterful. If you refer to someone as a consummate chef, then you are saying he is the ultimate chef. If you say someone is a consummate jerk, then you are saying he is the ultimate jerk.

covert (adj.)

concealed or secret Covert means secret or hidden. Soldiers might take part in a covert mission to infiltrate an enemy camp — and you might take part in a covert mission to steal your brother's leftover Halloween candy.

incessant (adj.)

continuing without interruption Something incessant continues without interruption. When you're on a cross-country flight, it's tough to tolerate the incessant crying of a baby.

counterintuitive (adj.)

contrary to what intuition and common sense would indicate If something is counterintuitive it means it's the opposite of "intuitive" — in other words it's not easily understood in an instinctive, unconscious way. A red light for "go" and a green light for "stop" would be highly counterintuitive, for example.

widdershins (adv.)

counterclockwise; in a contrary direction

moxie (n.)

courage in adversity If you have moxie, you won't let a minor setback stop you from trying again, because you're a determined person who doesn't give up easily.

opus (n.)

creative work especially in musical composition An opus is a created work, usually musical in nature. The composer's greatest opus was inspired by the blooming of the spring flowers.

duplicity (n) duplicitous (adj)

deliberate deceptiveness deliberate deceptiveness/ deceitful Though he said he didn't know anything about the footprints in the new sidewalk, his duplicity, or deceitfulness, was obvious from the cement caking his shoes. His mouth said one thing, his feet said another.

eclectic (adj.)

deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources She listens to hip-hop, Gregorian chant, and folk music from the '60s. He's been seen wearing a handmade tuxedo jacket over a thrift-store flannel shirt. They both have eclectic tastes.

laudable (adj.)

deserving praise; praiseworthy; commendable Use the word laudable to describe something that deserves praise or admiration, like your laudable efforts to start a recycling program at your school.

lexicon (n.)

dictionary; specialized vocabulary A lexicon is the vocabulary of a language or subject. "No-hitter," "go-ahead run," and "Baltimore chop" are part of the baseball lexicon.

inscrutable (adj.)

difficult to fathom or understand Any person or thing that's mysterious, mystifying, hard to read, or impossible to interpret is inscrutable. You ever notice how it's hard to tell what some people are thinking? Those folks are inscrutable.

enigmatic (adj.)

difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious or puzzling Something that's enigmatic is tough to figure out. It's puzzling and even mysterious, like those weird secret college societies, Mona Lisa's smile, or the New York Times crossword.

opprobrium (n.)

disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach If you go against or oppose what's good, you might earn opprobrium — the opposite of getting attention for something good. Bad behavior leads to opprobrium. If you throw a soft drink off the theater balcony, the opprobrium might keep you from getting dates to the movies.

belligerent (adj.)

eager to fight, aggressively hostile, pugnacious If someone is belligerent, they're eager to fight. It's a good idea to avoid hardcore hockey fans after their team loses — they tend to be belligerent.

irascible (adj.)

easily angered If you're irascible, you get angry easily — perhaps blowing up in rage when someone brushes into you.

docile (adj.)

easily managed or taught; tractable If someone is docile, he is easily taught or handled. If you suddenly became a trouble-maker in class, your teachers would long for the days when you were sweet and docile.

diaspora (n.)

emigration of a group of people from a central homeland A diaspora is a large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland who have since moved out to places all over the world.

effervescent (adj.)

emitting small bubbles (as in carbonated liquid); to show high spirits or excitement Something effervescent has bubbles or froth, like a sparkling cider or a bubble bath. If you have a happy, light, cheerful personality — if you are "bubbly" — you too are effervescent.

braggadocio (n.) a braggart (n.)

empty or pretentious bragging; a swaggering, cocky manner Braggadocio means not only bragging, but bragging about something that's not true. When your friend boasts of a private yacht, ten personal servants and nightly caviar dinners, that's braggadocio, unless he happens to live on the French Riviera.

quotidian (adj.)

everyday; commonplace; pedestrian banal Quotidian is a fancy way of saying "daily" or "ordinary." Quotidian events are the everyday details of life.

hubris

excessive pride Hubris is an excess of confidence: a boxer who shouts "I'm the greatest!" even though he's about to get pummeled by a much stronger opponent is displaying a lot of hubris.

pretentious

extravagantly showy, ostentatious Use the adjective pretentious as a way to criticize people who try to act like they are more important or knowledgeable than they really are.

diminutive (adj.)

extremely small in size; tiny Diminutive means small. A diminutive person is short and small. A diminutive word is a "cute" version of a word or name: for example, "duckling" is a diminutive of "duck" and Billy is a diminutive form of the name William.

fallacy (n.)

false idea or notion A fallacy is a misleading argument or belief based on a falsehood. If you oppose state testing in schools, you think it is a fallacy that educational quality can be measured by standardized tests.

persnickety (adj.)

fastidious; fussy; overparticular; fussy Persnickety is a lively, fancy word for "fussy." If you've sent your salad back to the kitchen three times, you might be a persnickety eater.

salubrious (adj.)

favorable to or promoting health or well-being Salubrious is a fancy way to describe something that's good for you or is generally favorable to mind or body, but it need not be limited to describing healthy foods or liquids.

supercilious (adj.)

feeling or showing haughty disdain; contemptuous Supercilious people think very highly of themselves, more highly than of others. If your sister tends to act snobby and superior, you can describe her as supercilious.

sordid (adj.)

filthy or foul; depressingly squalid; wretched; morally degraded. Describe a person's actions as sordid if they are so immoral or unethical that they seem dirty. Think of the worst parts of a bad soap opera!

fastidious (adj.)

finicky; overly critical If you want to describe a person who insists on perfection or pays much attention to food, clothing and cleanliness, the right word is fastidious.

mellifluous (adj.)

flowing in a smooth or sweet manner Use the adjective mellifluous to describe something that sounds sweet and smooth, like the honeyed voice of a late-night radio DJ.

succulent (adj.)

full of juice or sap Succulent means "juicy" and is often used to describe food. Think a succulent piece of meat, or berries so succulent you're left sucking juice off your fingertips when you eat them.

vociferous (adj.)

full of noisy shouting; clamarous Vociferous describes loudmouths, such as the vociferous mob at the soccer game.

posterity (n.)

future generations all of a person's descendants Posterity is a noun meaning "future generations." These people of the future could be your children and great-great grandchildren, or any people who are born after you.

magnanimous (adj.)

generous and noble, especially in forgiving A magnanimous person has a generous spirit. Letting your little sister have the last of the cookies, even though you hadn't eaten since breakfast, would be considered a magnanimous act.

auxiliary (adj.)

giving assistance or support, supplementary, held in reserve When you're offering something in support of an already existing thing, you're offering something auxiliary. The auxiliary police will help out the regular police with things like directing traffic and crowd control when there's a special event in town.

consternation (n.)

great agitation or dismay; sudden amazement or dread Consternation is a noun that can stop you in your tracks because it means "a sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion; dismay."

apocalypse (n.)

great devastation of doom Apocalypse is a word that means "the end of the world" — or something so destructive it seems like the world has ended in a place, like a major earthquake.

Mnemosyne (n.)

greek goddess of memory

heinous (adj.)

grossly wicked or abdominal A heinous crime is very evil or wicked. Of course, some people only use the term as an exaggeration, claiming that their parents' requirement that they write thank you notes after their birthdays is a heinous form of torture.

taciturn (adj.)

habitually silent or quiet; inclined to talk very little Someone who is taciturn is reserved, not loud and talkative. The word itself refers to the trait of reticence, of seeming aloof and uncommunicative. A taciturn person might be snobby, naturally quiet, or just shy.

innocuous (adj.)

having no adverse effect; harmless Something that's innocuous isn't harmful or likely to cause injury. Public figures like mayors and governors have to expect they'll get critical or even hurtful emails and phone calls, as well as more innocuous feedback.

ambivalent (adj.)

having opposing feelings towards a person, object, or idea If you can't decide how you feel about something, declare yourself ambivalent about it.

malevolent (adj.)

having or exhibiting ill-will, malicious If someone is malevolent, they wish evil on others. If you find yourself approaching someone with a malevolent look in her eye, best to run the other way.

sonorous (adj.)

having or producing sound, full, deep, or rich sound Used to describe sound or speech that is full, rich, and deep, sonorous is a great word for snoring, for bass voices, and for low notes on the tuba.

perspicacious (adj.)

having the power to see through, sharp-sighted Perspicacious is an adjective that means "shrewd" and "wise." A perspicacious child can't be fooled when her parents try to keep a secret by talking in Pig Latin.

omnipotent (adj)

having unlimited power, authority, or force If you want to describe someone who can do absolutely anything, reach for the adjective omnipotent.

inundation (n.)

large, overwhelming, destructive flood An overabundance of something is an inundation. If you got an inundation of requests for your famous chocolate cupcakes, you better get baking!

mendacious (adj.)

lying; false; deceitful A mendacious person is one who tells lies habitually and intentionally. Don't get stuck at the water cooler or bus stop next to someone you consider mendacious!

surreptitious (adj.)

marked by quiet, caution, and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed When someone behaves in a surreptitious way, they're being secretive. They're doing something that they don't want to be seen doing.

impetuous (adj.)

marked by sudden and forceful energy and emotion impulsive Someone impetuous acts too hastily or carelessly. Hotheaded, impulsive folks are impetuous.

ominous (adj.)

menacing or foreboding If something looks or sounds ominous, be careful: a threat or an unpleasant event is at hand. If you see an ominous frown on your boss's face, you're in trouble!

megalomania (n.)

mental disorder characterized by delusions of wealth, power, or omnipotence Megalomania is a crazy hunger for power and wealth, and a passion for grand schemes. Comic book villains often suffer from megalomania. Their plans are thwarted only by superheroes.

dereliction (n.)

neglect of duty; abandonment Dereliction is a word for neglecting responsibilities. Failing to care for your family or do your job are examples of dereliction.

inviolable (adj.)

never to be broken, infringed, or dishonored; untouchable Wedding vows and vault combinations that can't be broken are considered inviolable. (Of course, divorce lawyers and bank robbers consider this a challenge.)

spry (adj.)

nimble or active, adroit If you are an old lady, remaining spry is something you aspire to. It means "nimble." You might also use it to describe a goat that jumps easily along from mountain crag to mountain crag.

obsolete (adj.)

no longer in use or effect, outmoded in style or contruction Use the adjective obsolete for something that is out of date. As the Rolling Stones song "Out of Time" goes, "You're obsolete, my baby, my poor old-fashioned baby."

obstreperous (adj.)

noisily and stubbornly defiant Obstreperous means boisterous, noisy, aggressive, defiant. You've probably seen an obstreperous child in the grocery store, pulling away from her mother, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Illieit

not permitted by custom or law; unlawful

sporadic (adj.)

occurring at irregular intervals, having no pattern in time Sporadic is an adjective that you can use to refer to something that happens or appears often, but not constantly or regularly. The mail carrier comes every day but the plumber's visits are sporadic — he comes as needed.

droll (adj.)

odd or whimsically amusing Need a mental picture for the word droll? Think of one of those cute-homely troll dolls — blend those two words together — "doll" and "troll" — and you get droll, a description of a figure that is adorably strange and whimsically cute.

heterogeneous (adj.)

of different or dissimilar nature Heterogeneous can be used to describe the diversity of nearly anything — populations, classrooms, collections. A heterogeneous array of immigrants passed through Ellis Island to help create the American "melting pot."

apocryphal (adj.)

of doubtful origin; of questionable authorship or authenticity; erroneous Urban legends — stories about phantom hitchhikers, deep-fried rats, and spider eggs in bubblegum — are classic examples of apocryphal tales. They're told as if they're true, but no one can ever verify their origins or authenticity.

sublime (adj.)

of high spiritual, moral, or intellectual worth; inspiring awe; impressive In common use, sublime is an adjective meaning "awe-inspiringly grand, excellent, or impressive," like the best chocolate fudge sundae you've ever had.

gargantuan (adj.)

of immense size, gigantic Whether you're talking about your gargantuan appetite or a gargantuan building, use the word gargantuan to describe something so big that big just isn't, well, big enough to accurately describe it

Byzantine (adj.)

of or relating to Byzantium or the Byzantine empire; richly decorated artistic or architectural style

provincial (adj.)

of or relating to province, local; limited in perspective A provincial person comes from the backwaters. Someone from a small province outside of Provence, France, might seem a little more provincial and less worldly than someone from, say, Paris.

occult (adj.)

of or relating to supernatural phenomena secret; beyond human Dark and mysterious, the occult is a kind of supernatural power or magic. If you see your neighbor chanting over a giant vat of bubbling brew in the middle of the night, there's a chance he's dabbling in the occult.

celestial (adj.)

of or relating to the sky or the heavens What is the difference between a celestial being and a celestial body? The first is something living such as an alien or an angel, whereas the latter is an inanimate object such as a star or a planet. Both, however, are from the sky.

homogenous (adj.)

of the same or similar nature; uniform in composition Homogenous describes things that are all of the similar kind. If you have a homogenous group of friends, you probably wear the same outfits, talk the same way, live in the same kind of neighborhood, and like the same music. Boring.

visceral (adj.)

of, situated in, or affecting the viscera (internal organs); extremely emotional When something's visceral, you feel it in your guts. A visceral feeling is intuitive — there might not be a rational explanation, but you feel that you know what's best, like your visceral reaction against egg salad.

peripheral (adj.)

on the edge, not important Scanners, printers, and speakers are peripheral devices for a computer because they aren't central to the working of the computer itself. Anything peripheral is on the margin, or outside, while main things, like a computer's processor, are not peripheral.

maverick (n.)

one that resists adherence to a group rebel; an unbranded calf A maverick is a rebel, someone who shows a lot of independence. A maverick on a motorcycle might blaze her own trail, traveling around the country and earning money by performing in rodeos.

iconoclast (n.)

one who attacks traditional ideas or institutions Are you always challenging the establishment? Or provoking popular thought by attacking traditions and institutions? Then you're definitely an iconoclast.

zealot (n.)

one who is overly zealous or fanatically dedicated to a cause The hamburger zealot was so fanatical about his burgers that he camped outside his favorite fast-food joint for hours every morning, waiting for it to open. And he would never put mustard on them, only ketchup.

xenophobe (n.)

one who is unduly fearful of strangers or foreigners Getting a job as a greeter with the United Nations is probably not the best career option for someone who suffers from xenophobia, a fear of foreigners or strangers.

philistine (n.)

one who lacks culture or taste A philistine is a person who doesn't think a lot and isn't interested in learning. Your uncle Marvin, who's only interested in eating, sleeping, and watching game shows, could be considered a philistine.

liaison (n.)

one who mantains communication between two parties; love affair Employ the French-sounding word liaison to refer to a relationship, a link between people or groups who aids communication.

precipice (n.)

overhanging or extremely steep cliff Cartoon characters often end up on a precipice, the edge of a steep cliff, where their chubby toes curl and cling as they totter and eventually fall, making a hole in the ground below and getting up again. Most real people avoid precipices.

servile (adj.)

overly submissive; abjectly submissive; slavish.

pallid (adj.)

pale or wan (pale and giving the impression of illness or exhaustion) in color or complexion; dull Santa looks a little pallid, meaning that he has a pale complexion, from spending too much time at the North Pole. A few days in Hawaii might do wonders to add color to his pale, bearded face.

extemporaneous (adj.)

performed with little or no preparation; impromptu Extemporaneous means spoken without preparation. The orator's performance was impressive, but only after we learn that his speech was extemporaneous did we realize the true depth of his talent.

entrepreneur (n.)

person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture An entrepreneur is someone who starts a new business. Little stores and huge companies both have entrepreneurs behind them.

paraphernalia (n.)

personal. belongings, the articles or equipment used for a particular activity Having lunch in the park might require you to first gather together a lot of picnic paraphernalia, such as blankets, coolers, Frisbees, and other miscellaneous items that are relevant to that activity.

austere (adj.) austerity (n.)

sever or stern, somber, strict in discipline The adjective austere is used to describe something or someone stern or without any decoration. You wouldn't want someone to describe you or your home as austere. If you've ever had a teacher who was particularly stern and strict, you might have (quietly) remarked on his austerity. When you're talking about the character of a person, austerity means "sternness and severity."

ignominy (n.)

shame and disgrace If you walk into class in your underwear, you'll know what the word ignominy means. Ignominy is a noun meaning great public shame, disgrace, or embarrassment, or a situation or event that causes this.

effulgent (adj.)

shining brilliantly, radiant, respenden Something effulgent radiates light. On a clear day the sun can be quite effulgent. You might need a pair of shades.

audacious (adj.) audacity (n.)

showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks; fearless; not showing respect This adjective is very bold — if you are audacious, you are daring and unconventional!

malignant (adj.)

showing great malevolence; highly injurious medically, relating to an abnormal growth that tends to spread For something that's very harmful, especially a tumor that's cancerous, use the term malignant.

benign (adj.)

showing kindness and gentleness; favorable; not malignant Someone or something that is benign is gentle, kind, mild, or unharmful: a benign soul wouldn't hurt a fly.

anachronism (n.) anachronistic (adj.)

something existing or happening outside the historical order; out of chronilogical order An anachronism is something that doesn't fit its time period, like if you say you'll "dial" your smartphone. Something that's old-fashioned and maybe a little out of place is anachronistic, like a clunky black rotary-dial telephone sitting on a desk beside a sleek new smart-phone (or whatever the new technology is when you read this).

aberration (n.) aberrant (adj.)

something that differs from the norm; a state or condition markedly different from the norm

woebegone

sorrowful, downcast

camaraderie (n.)

spirited good will among friends Camaraderie is a spirit of good friendship and loyalty among members of a group. You might not like your job, but still enjoy the camaraderie of the people you work with.

splendiferous (adj.)

splendid, great Even though it sounds like a made-up word, splendiferous is a word for wonderful things. You may have seen a splendiferous sunset or a splendiferous velvet gown in your day.

dogmatic (adj.)

stubbornly opinionated To be dogmatic is to follow a set of rules no matter what. The rules might be religious, philosophical, or made-up, but dogmatic people would never waver in their beliefs so don't even think of trying to change their minds.

macabre (adj.)

suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome, ghastly The adjective macabre is used to describe things that involve the horror of death or violence. If a story involves lots of blood and gore, you can call it macabre.

plethora (n.)

superabundance; excess Plethora means an abundance or excess of something. If you have 15 different people who want to take you on a date, you have a plethora of romantic possibilities.

retrograde (adj.)

tending backwards; reverting to an earlier or inferior condition Retrograde describes moving in a backwards or reverse direction. If you're suddenly told that you can no longer vote because you're a woman, that's a retrograde affront to your civil rights. Start protesting!

ergonomics (n.)

the applied science of equipment design intended to reduce operator fatigue or discomfort If you use scientific knowledge about body health to help design workplaces that keep workers healthy, then you work in the field of ergonomics.

oblivion (n.)

the condition of being completely forgotten Oblivion is the state of being forgotten. If you slip into oblivion after selling one record, then your only hope is becoming a "VH1 one-hit wonder."