Adding more words to your vocabulary is an easy way to raise your self-esteem and have others look at you with admiration. It can also help you process information faster and think in brand new ways. And there's no better way to deepen your lexicon than by strengthening your internal thesaurus, starting with these 50 synonyms for common words. They'll help you elevate your language, boost your brain function, and impress everyone around you.
1 | Adore (in place of "love")
iStockInstead of saying that you love something, say that you adore it. Adore—which comes from the Latin adōrāre—has a similar meaning to "revere" and "venerate," though those words have a more deferential tinge.
Example: "I simply adore when people respond to my emails quickly. The fact that it happens so rarely just makes it more special."
2 | Aghast (in place of "shocked")
iStockWhen you want to describe how unnerved, shocked, or upset you are, elevate your language by using aghast in place of these more common words. The adjective comes from the Middle English verb gasten, meaning "to frighten." That word, in turn, comes from gast, a Middle English spelling of ghost.
Example: "I was aghastat his manners."
3 | Agitated (in place of "worried")
iStockWe all have plenty of things that we're worried about, and that's precisely why you need more than one word to describe your anxieties. The next time you're worried, try saying you're agitated or even "flustered" or "disturbed" instead. Agitated, first used in the 15th century, comes from the Middle English agitat, which is borrowed from the Latin agitātus for "arouse" or "disturb."
Example: "I was agitated when my wife didn't pick up the phone, but it turned out she just fell asleep watching a movie."
4 | Amalgam (in place of "combination" and "mixture")
ShutterstockWhen you amalgamate things, you're merging, blending, or uniting them; amalgamation is both the process of that action and a longer way of saying amalgam, or the resulting mixture of different elements. You could also turn to "merger" or "admixture" to communicate this idea. Amalgam comes from Middle English via Middle French, which borrowed the word from Medieval Latin (a common language path).
Example: "Our breakup was due to an amalgam of issues, but mostly because he completely disrespected my time."
5 | Ascertain (in place of "figure out")
iStockFrom the Middle English acertainen ("to inform" or "to give assurance to"), ascertain is a verb meaning "to find out or learn with certainty." When you are aware of what you don't know, you might need to "ascertain," "discover," or "determine" the truth.
Example: "Before I book the flight, I need to ascertain how it affects my finances."
6 | Astute (in place of "smart")
iStockIf you want to compliment someone's intelligence, give astute a try. It's derived from the Latin astutus, which has the same definition. Other acceptable synonyms are "brilliant," "discerning," or "perspicacious."
Example: "What an astute observation, Steve."
7 | Aver (in place of "declare")
iStockIf you want to declare something beyond a shadow of a doubt, feel free to aver it instead. The word originated from the Latin combination ad- and verus (meaning "true") and made its way to Middle English via Medieval Latin and Anglo-French. You can also "affirm," "insist," or "maintain" something that you are sure of.
Example: "Last month, I averred that this restaurant makes the best hamburger, and I proudly stand by that statement."
8 | Commence (in place of “begin”)
iStockInstead of saying something has "begun" or "started," say it has commenced. First used in the 14th century, the word comes from the Latin com- and initiare, meaning "to initiate" and also refers to the first step in a "course, process, or operation."
Example: "We should commence the festivities before it gets dark out."
9 | Contemplate (in place of “think”)
iStockWhile "thinking" about something is an action we all do regularly, make yourself sound more unique by telling people you're contemplating something. This word was first used in the 1500s, borrowed from the Latin contemplātus, which means "to look at fixedly, observe, notice, or ponder."
Example: "She contemplated it for hours before she decided on that font for the poster she was designing."
10 | Cunning (in place of "clever")
ShutterstockWhen you need an adjective to describe something as "dexterous," "wily," or "beguiling," you can't do better than cunning. First used in the 14th century, the word comes from Middle English—specifically from the present participle of can (meaning "know"). To really have fun with the word, deploy it in a sports-centric conversation.
Example: "Man, that was such a cunning play! I think this team has a good shot at making the playoffs."
11 | Curious (in place of "weird")
iStockCurious, from the Latin curiosus for careful or inquisitive, is most commonly used as an adjective to describe an inquisitive interest in something or a desire to investigate. However, it can also be used to describe something you find odd or weird.
Example: "What a curious question, Melissa."
12 | Delighted (in place of "happy")
iStockMaking its way to us via Anglo-French and Middle English variations, delighted is an elevated way of saying that you're happy about something. Other appropriate synonyms include "pleased" if you're trying to be low-key, or "thrilled" for when you want to bring your enthusiasm up a notch.
Example: "A housewarming party for the neighbors? Sure, I'd be delighted to attend."
13 | Dilapidated (in place of “old”)
ShutterstockInstead of saying one of your worn out pair of shoes is just an "old" pair, call them dilapidated. The word was originally only used to describe old buildings made of stone since it derived from the Latin lapis, or "stone."
Example: "Your car is so dilapidated at this point, it's only running on a prayer."
14 | Divulge (in place of “tell”)
iStockSure, anyone can "tell" you something, but it's much more interesting if they divulge information to you. Coming to us from the 15th century, the word describes something told, or being made known, most commonly in terms of a secret.
Example: "I would tell you, but I don't want to divulge what she said to me in private."
15 | Egregious (in place of "awful")
iStockWhen something is obviously awful and you want to describe it as such, feel free to upgrade your put-down to egregious. Though it derives from the Latin egregius for "distinguished" and "eminent," its meaning has taken on a less positive connotation over the years and can now be substituted for words like "flagrant."
Example: "His egregious disregard for my request was truly abhorrent."
16 | Erroneous (in place of “wrong”)
iStockIf something is wrong, it's bad. But if something is erroneous, that sounds even worse! The word, which was first used in the 15th century, gives an urgency or emphasizes any false or inaccurate information.
Example: "That was such an erroneous error that it nearly cost the company millions."
17 | Exasperated (in place of "annoyed")
iStockThere's a lot to be frustrated by these days, but don't further your annoyance by using the same word over and over again to express the emotion. Instead, try telling people you are exasperated. The word comes from the Latin exasperare; it's a synonym for "frustrated," "annoyed," "irritated," or "aggravated." And if you're completely done with something or someone, you could also say you've reached "the frozen limit."
Example: "You sounded so exasperated by your boss' request in that meeting."
18 | Expeditiously (in place of “fast”)
iStockAnyone can do something in a "fast" way, but can they do it expeditiously? Describing the ability to "respond without delay or hesitation," you can also interchange this term with words like "swift" or "instantaneous."
Example: "Your intern handled that task in such an expeditious manner. I turned around and she was already back!"
19 | Exquisite (in place of “delicious”)
iStockWhile you could tell the chef that the food they cooked was "delicious," they would probably be even more grateful to hear you call it exquisite. This word comes to us from the Latin exquisitus, past participle of exquirere, meaning "to search out." Perhaps, like searching out for a uniquely delicious, or exquisite, dish?
Example: "Please give my compliments to the chef—this salmon was exquisite!"
20 | Fallacious (in place of "false")
iStock"Invalid," "irrational," and "illogical" are all synonyms for fallacious, which describes something that deceives or misleads. Originally from the Latin verb fallere, meaning "to deceive" (which also gave us "fault," "fail," and "false"), fallacious made its way to our modern language in the early 1500s through both Latin and French.
Example: "For some reason, he's holding on to the fallacious belief that you can function on four hours of sleep per night."
21 | Fatigued (in place of "tired")
ShutterstockWhen you come home after a long day at work, tell your roommates, significant other, or children that you're fatigued—in other words, completely devoid of energy; you'll automatically get more respect than if you just plop on the couch and complain about how tired you are. This word comes to us from the French, originally from the Latin fatigare.
Example: "Between the three-hour delay and the four-hour layover, I could not be more fatigued by that trip."
22 | Frigid (in place of "cold")
ShutterstockWhen you're intensely cold, you can add some nuance to your language and say you're frigid, i.e., freezing. The adjective comes straight from the Latin frigēre, which means "to be cold." And this word can also cover the other definitions of cold—if a person is emotionally frigid, they're indifferent or lack warmth; if a piece of writing is frigid, it's insipid and lacks imagination.
Example: "You don't have to be so frigid... You're allowed to talk about your feelings."
23 | Frugal (in place of "thrifty")
iStockIf you're economical about your use of resources, then you're definitely thrifty. However, it sounds more impressive to say you are frugal. The origin of the word is actually the Latin frux, which means "fruit"—in this case, it's a reference to the fruit of your labor.
Example: "Money is tight, so we're going to have to be a bit frugal right now."
24 | Ghastly (in place of “ugly”)
iStockWhat's a better way to call something horrifyingly ugly? Say it's ghastly! This word, coming from the Middle English gasten meaning "to terrify," is typically associated with Halloween and ghosts, describing something "terrifyingly horrible to the senses."
Example: "That was such a ghastly crime scene, I couldn't even look at it!"
25 | Impartial (in place of “fair”)
iStockIf someone sees both sides of an argument in an unbiased way, you could say they were being "fair," but you could also say they were being impartial. This word is often used to describe judges in court cases, but is frequently mixed up with the word "partial," which actually means the complete opposite—in that someone is somewhat biased, leaning toward or "partial" to a certain side.
Example: "Of course you're going to side with your friend; I feel like we need an impartial party to decide who was right."
26 | Incandescent (in place of “bright”)
iStockInstead of calling something bright, like a bright light, call it incandescent. This word came about in the 18th century, describing an object that literally glowed at "a high temperature," and comes from the Latin candēre, meaning "to glow."
Example: "Your smile lights up the room, it is so incandescent."
27 | Inquire (in place of “ask”)
iStockYou can always "ask" someone something, but if you tell them you're inquiring something of them, they might be more keen to tell you. Used to describe the act of "seeking information by questioning," this 13th century word comes to use via Middle English through the Latin in- and quaerere, meaning "to seek."
Example: "I inquired about the horses to the stablehand, but she said she was not working when they went missing."
28 | Intriguing (in place of "interesting")
iStockWhen you call something "interesting," both the tone and circumstance really determine if you honestly find the topic to be of interest or if you're just being rude. Intriguing—which has its roots in a French acquisition of the Italian intrigo—can be used in the same way, as can "fascinating."
Example: "The art show I saw over the weekend was intriguing, that's for sure."
29 | Keen on/to (in place of "excited")
ShutterstockAs an alternative to reiterating how excited you are about something, tell people you're keen to go somewhere or are keen on doing something. It'll communicate that you're enthusiastic or eager about an event while giving you a bit more gravitas. This word got its modern meaning from the Middle English kene for "brave" or "sharp." (Keen also means intellectually astute, perceptive, or alert, so it's also a perfect synonym for "clever.")
Example: "I'm keen to grab drinks later, since I've never met Greg's friend."
30 | Livid (in place of "angry")
iStockWhy be simply "angry" when you could belivid? Derived from the French livide (which in turn comes from the Latin lividus for "dull" or "blue"), this adjective can also refer to the discoloration around a bruise or even the ashy pallor of a corpse. As a result, it communicates a degree of intensity that simply doesn't exist in a word as tame as "angry." You could also use "apoplectic" or irate" to really make your point.
Example: "My boss was livid when he realized I messed up the annual report."
31 | Loathe (in place of "hate")
iStockWhen you need to communicate just how much you hate something, look no further than loathe to express your disgust. You could also "abhor" or "detest" the item or person in question, but loathe just has that special, guttural oomph that only centuries-old verbiage can give. First used in the 12th century, the word derives from the Old English lāthian, which means "to dislike" or "to be hateful."
Example: "Mary loathes banana bread. Bring brownies instead!"
32 | Mercurial (in place of "moody")
iStockStemming from the Latin adjective mercurialis, the adjective mercurial was first associated with eloquence, ingenuity, and thievishness, thanks to its connection to the Roman god Mercury. Nowadays, however, the word means "unpredictably changeable" and is synonymous with "capricious," "fickle," and "temperamental."
Example: "My dog is totally mercurial. I have no idea how she'll like this new puppy chow."
33 | Minutiae (in place of "details")
ShutterstockUsually referring to "minor details," minutiae stems directly from the Latin noun minutiae, meaning "trifles" or "details." If Latin isn't your style, you could also refer to the "particulars" of whatever you're working through.
Example: "Don't worry about the presentation Monday. I'll take care of the minutiae."
34 | Misfortune (in place of “trouble”)
iStockWhile people may be sympathetic for your "troubles," they may be even more so for any misfortunes you face. Describing a "distressing or unfortunate incident," this word was first used in the 15th century and can be interchangeable with "adversity" or "tragedy."
Example: "I had the misfortune of running into my ex while grocery shopping in sweatpants."
35 | Obtuse (in place of "stupid")
ShutterstockThe word obtuse implies that someone is being stupid without resorting to using that tired and ableist word. It comes from a Middle English adoption of the Latin obtusus, meaning "blunt" or "dull."
Example: "She was too obtuse to take the hint that the conversation was over."
36 | Outlandish (in place of “strange”)
iStockBack in the day, English speakers would describe a man as outlandishif they came from an outland, otherwise known as a "foreign" or "strange" land. Since then, the word has broadened to describe any "unfamiliar" or "strange" situation.
Example: "There were so many outlandish animals to see at the zoo."
37 | Perilous (in place of “dangerous”)
iStockSure, a "dangerous" situation sounds worrisome, but a perilous situation sounds even worse. Perilous comes to us via Middle English from the Latin perīculōsus, combining perīcultum meaning "test or risk" with -ōsus.
Example: "That was such a perilous situation you put yourself in; you're lucky you weren't hurt!"
38 | Plunge (in place of “fall”)
iStockIf something takes a deep-dive, you could easily say it "fell," but you could also say it plunged. The word comes to us via Middle English, taken from the Anglo-French plunger. You can use terms like "plummet" or "cascade."
Example: "The car plunged off the bridge."
39 | Portray (in place of “describe”)
iStockAn author may "describe" the characters in a book, but you could also say they portrayed them. First used in the 14th century, the word comes from the Latin protrahere, meaning "to draw forth, reveal, or expose."
Example: "Rapunzel was portrayed as a beautiful princess, with long, flowing blonde hair."
40 | Predicament (in place of "problem")
iStockWhen you find yourself in a predicament, or "a difficult, perplexing, or trying situation," using a smarter word might make it sound like you're more on top of it than if you were to say that you have a problem. First used in the 14th century, predicament comes from Middle English, derived from the late Latin praedicamentum for "something predicted" or "that which is asserted."
Example: "Don't panic, but we might have a bit of a predicament on our hands here: I can't find the car keys."
41 | Profess (in place of "declare")
ShutterstockSure, you can use "declare" and be ambiguous, but if you want to take things to the next level, use the word profess. This term made its way into our lexicon from the Latin profitēri by way of the familiar Anglo-French to Middle English sidestep.
Example: "He professed his love for his boyfriend in front of the entire family."
42 | Profligate (in place of "extravagant")
ShutterstockIf something's just so over-the-top that you need to call attention to its wild extravagance, feel free to toss profligate into the mix. Synonyms include "high-rolling," "spendthrift," and "squandering," and the word can also mean "shamelessly immoral." It has a straightforward etymology, coming directly from the Latin profligare, which means "to strike down."
Example: "His profligate spending was no doubt a part of why his wife married him and left him."
43 | Punctilious (in place of "thorough")
Shutterstock/SmolawIf you're tired of telling someone how thorough they are, try calling them punctiliousinstead. The word, which means "concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions," came into usage in the mid-17th century, likely from the Italian puntiglioso, which itself was derived from the Latin punctum, meaning "point" or "dot."
Example: "She appreciates how punctilious you are, but wanted me to tell you there's really no need to go so overboard with the drafts."
44 | Quandary (in place of “problem”)
iStockFacing a problem? You could say you're in the middle of a "catch-22," or facing a "dilemma," or better yet, a quandary. The first known use of the word comes from 1579, and it best describes the utter "doubt" and "perplexity" that comes when facing a problem.
Example: "My friend asked me to lie for her, but since I always tell the truth, I feel I am in a quandary."
45 | Ravishing (in place of “beautiful”)
iStockRavishing elevates the word "beautiful," describing something as "unusually attractive, pleasing or striking." It often gets confused with "ravenous," however, which describes someone "very eager or greedy for food." So while you could say a delicious plate of food looks ravishing, if you called yourself ravishing rather than "ravenous," you would be talking about your appearance, not your hunger.
Example: "Is that a new dress? I've never seen you look so ravishing."
46 | Stagnant (in place of "on hold")
iStockFrom the Latin stagnatus comes stagnant, a word that can communicate when something is not flowing (like a body of water), when it's stale (such as certain smells), or when it's not advancing or developing. It has synonyms in "still," "motionless," and "static."
Example: "This project has been stagnant for so long, I don't think they even want us to get the clearance."
47 | Tranquil (in place of “calm”)
iStockIf you want a better way to describe a "calm" feeling, use the word tranquil. First used in the 15th century, it comes to us from the Latin tranquillus and is interchangeable with words like "serene" or "peaceful."
Example: "Sitting alone, starring out at the water is such a tranquil experience."
48 | Uncouth (in place of "rude")
iStockIt's always a pleasure to call someone out for being rude, but the next time you do, take it up a notch and call attention to their awkward, uncultivated behavior or manner by calling them uncouthinstead. Originally meaning "unfamiliar," the word derives from the Old English uncūth. The change in meaning happened naturally, seeing as it's not a far jump from calling something unfamiliar to calling it strange or unpleasant.
Example: "Mark's uncouth behavior is going to get us kicked out of the bar!"
49 | Utterly (in place of "literally")
iStockNot only is "literally" overused, but it's often used incorrectly. So, wipe it from your vocabulary and start using utterly instead. You can use the word, which is part of our lexicon thanks to the Old English utera for "outer," to communicate the extent of your emotion.
Example: "The movie Inception left me utterly vexed."
50 | Valorous (in place of “brave”)
iStockIf someone is very calm and takes the lead in difficult circumstances, you could call them "brave." But a better way to describe them would be "courageous," "dauntless," or even valorous. This term has Middle French origins, coming from the word valeureux.
Example: "Your valorous deeds will forever be remembered."
