100
Words to Make You Sound Smart accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
acrimony
a rough and bitter manner
angst
an acute but unspecific feeling of anxiety
anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
avant-garde
radically new or original
baroque
relating to an elaborately ornamented style of art and music
bona fide
not counterfeit or copied
bonhomie
a disposition to be friendly and approachable
boondoggle
work of little or no value done merely to look busy
bourgeois
being of the property-owning class
bravado
a swaggering show of courage
brogue
a thick and heavy shoe
brusque
rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
cacophony
loud confusing disagreeable sounds
camaraderie
the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
capricious
determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
carte blanche
complete freedom or authority to act
caustic
capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
charisma
personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others
cloying
overly sweet
deja vu
the experience of thinking a new situation already occurred
dichotomy
a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
dilettante
an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
disheveled
in disarray; extremely disorderly
elan
enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness
ennui
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
ephemeral
lasting a very short time
epitome
a standard or typical example
equanimity
steadiness of mind under stress
equivocate
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
ersatz
artificial and inferior
esoteric
understandable only by an enlightened inner circle
euphemism
an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
facetious
cleverly amusing in tone
fait accompli
an irreversible accomplishment
fastidious
giving careful attention to detail
faux pas
a socially awkward or tactless act
fiasco
a complete failure or collapse
finagle
achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
glib
artfully persuasive in speech
gregarious
temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
harbinger
something indicating the approach of something or someone
hedonist
someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
heresy
a belief that rejects the orthodox tenets of a religion
idiosyncratic
peculiar to the individual
idyllic
charmingly simple and serene
indelicate
slightly indecent, offensive, or improper
infinitesimal
immeasurably small
insidious
working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
junket
dessert made of sweetened milk coagulated with rennet
litany
a prayer led by clergy with responses from the congregation
lurid
glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
Machiavellian
of or relating to amoral or conniving political principles
malaise
a feeling of mild sickness or depression
malinger
avoid responsibilities and duties, often by faking illness
mantra
a sacred utterance or poetic hymn in Vedism
maudlin
effusively or insincerely emotional
mercenary
a person hired to fight for another country than their own
minimalist
a conservative advocating only minor reforms in government
misnomer
an incorrect or unsuitable name
narcissist
someone who is excessively self-centered
nirvana
the beatitude that transcends the cycle of reincarnation
non sequitur
a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it
oblivion
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
ogle
stare or look at, especially with amorous intentions
ostentatious
intended to attract notice and impress others
ostracize
expel from a community or group
panacea
hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases
paradox
a statement that contradicts itself
peevish
easily irritated or annoyed
perfunctory
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
philistine
a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
picayune
small and of little importance
precocious
characterized by exceptionally early development
propriety
correct behavior
quid pro quo
something given in exchange for something else
quintessential
representing the perfect example of a class or quality
red herring
something intended to distract attention from the main issue
revel
take delight in
rhetoric
study of the technique for using language effectively
scintillating
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
spartan
unsparing and uncompromising in discipline or judgment
stigma
a symbol of disgrace or infamy
stoic
seeming unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive
suave
having a sophisticated charm
supercilious
having or showing arrogant disdain or haughtiness
sycophant
a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
teetotaler
someone who abstains from drinking alcoholic beverages
tete-a-tete
a private conversation between two people
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
tryst
a secret rendezvous, especially a romantic one
ubiquitous
being present everywhere at once
unrequited
not returned in kind
untenable
incapable of being defended or justified
verbose
using or containing too many words
vicarious
experienced at secondhand
vile
morally reprehensible
waft
a long flag; often tapering
zealous
marked by active interest and enthusiasm
Zeitgeist
the spirit of the time
