10 more vocabulary words to help you get a point across

Mar 14, 2021

It's "anathema" to give "carte blanche" to someone who is either "brusque" or "diffident"

But wait, there’s more. A while back we gave you 10 powerful words to give your vocabulary more punch. Here are an additional 10 for your consideration:

Anathema: condemned, forbidden, accursed. Originally, it was an ecclesiastical term but it can have powerful application elsewhere. Used in a sentence: Rick got in trouble using the Oxford comma at the community newspaper, where the practice was anathema.
Brusque: verbally short, discourteously abrupt. Used in a sentence: I asked the car salesman whether there was financing available for this vehicle and he answered with a brusque “no.”
Carte blanche: total freedom, discretionary power. Used in a sentence: The party now ran every branch of the government, giving it carte blanche to set a new agenda.
Diffident: shy, reserved, without self-confidence or assertiveness. Used in a sentence: Jennifer knew real estate well but struggled as an agent because her diffident nature made cold calling nearly intolerable.
Harbinger: something that indicates the future. Used in a sentence: The sudden drop in the commodities market was a harbinger of economic trouble.
Idiosyncratic: peculiar to a given individual. Used in a sentence: Ben’s idiosyncratic preference for wood-paneled cars is longstanding and inexplicable.
Misnomer: a name that is unsuitable or self-contradictory. Used in a sentence: She calls her toy poodle “Rocky,” a bit of a misnomer for such a small dog.
Rancorous: characterized by bitterness and malevolent resentment. Used in a sentence: Hannah’s rancorous arguments with family members have created tension at holiday gatherings.
Spurious: illegitimate and false, despite appearing plausible. Used in a sentence: After a German shepherd got out of its yard the other night, spurious reports began circulating of a coyote in the neighborhood.
Unflappable: calm, not easily disturbed or excited. Used in a sentence: Despite the hurricane bearing down on the coast, Harry remained unflappable and took his usual afternoon nap.