brevity
briefness or conciseness in speech or writing
concise
using few words in speaking or writing
laconic
using few words in speech
pithy
brief and full of meaning and substance; concise
quiescent
quiet; still; inactive
reticent
not talking much; reserved
succint
clearly and briefly stated; concise
taciturn
silent; sparing of words; close-mouthed
terse
using only the words that are needed to make the point; very concise, sometimes to the point of rudeness
bombastic
using language in a pompous, showy way; speaking to impress others
circumlocution
speaking in circles; round-about speech
colloquial
pertaining to common everyday speech; conversational
diffuse (adj.)
spread out, not concise, wordy
digress
to wander off from the subject or topic spoken about
eloquence
talkative; loquacious
grandiloquent
using big and fancy words when speaking for the purpose of impressing others
loquacious
very talkative; liking to talk; garrulous
prattle
to speak on and on in a senseless and silly manner; to talk foolishly
ramble
to talk on and on pointlessly, without clear direction
rant
to talk very loudly, even wildly; rave
rhetorical
relating to speech that is used to persuade or have some effect; insincere in expression
verbose
using too many words; wordy; long winded
voluble
talking with a great deal of ease; glib
arrogant
overbearing; proud; haughty
braggart
one who boasts a great deal
complacent
self-satisfied; smug
contemptuous
lacking respect; scornful
disdainful
full of bitter scorn and pride; aloof
egotistical
Excessively self-absorbed; very conceited
haughty
having great pride in oneself and dislike for others
insolent
boldly disrespectful in speech or behavior; rude
narcissistic
having to do with extreme self-adoration and a feeling of superiority of everyone
ostentatious
having to do with showing off; pretentious
presumptuous
too forward or bold; overstepping proper bounds
pretentious
claiming or pretending increased importance; ostentatious; affectedly grand
supercilious
looking down on others; proud and scornful
swagger (vb.)
to walk around in a proud showy manner; to boast in a loud manner
banal
dull or stale because of overuse; trite; hackneyed
clich�
an idea or expression that has become stale due to overuse
derivative (adj.)
unoriginal; taken from something already existing
hackneyed
made common place by overuse; trite (n. hack, one who copies or imitates the work of others)
insipid
lacking flavor or taste; unexciting
lackluster
lacking vitality, energy, or brightness; boring
mundane
commonplace; ordinary
platitude
quality of being dull; an obvious remark uttered as if it were original
prosaic
dull; commonplace
trite
unoriginal and stale due to overuse
vapid
lacking freshness and zest; flat; stale
allay
to lessen fear; to calm; to relieve pain
alleviate
to lessen pain or discomfort
ameliorate
to make better; to lessen pain, difficulty, or tension
appease
to make tranquil or quiet, especially by giving into another's demands; to pacify
assuage
to alleviate; to lessen pain or conflict; pacify
consciliate
to win a person over through special considerations or persuasive methods; reconcile
mediate
to act as a go-between in settling conflicts or disputes between people or opposing sides
mitigate
to make or become less severe; to lessen pain or damage
mollify
to pacify, soothe, or appease; to make less severe or violent
pacify
to calm; to make peaceful; to restore to a tranquil state
placate
to make calm; to soothe
quell
to pacify; to subdue; to quiet down
affable
easy to talk to; easy to approach, friendly; kind; amiable
amiable
friendly, kind
amicable
showing goodwill; peaceable
congenial
compatible; having kindred needs or tastes; sympathetic
convivial
sociable, outgoing in a festive way, especially when pertaining to eating and drinking; fond of good company
cordial
warm and friendly; amiable
gregarious
sociable, outgoing
jocular
liking to be with people, joke around with them and have fun
levity
lightheartedness; gaiety; carefree disposition, particularly when not appropriate
animosity
hatred; ill will
antagonism
hatred or hostility
bellicose
of a quarrelsome nature; eager to fight; warlike; belligerent
belligerent
taking part in war or fighting; ready to fight
cantankerous
bad-tempered or irritable; quarrelsome
captious
made for the sake of quarreling; quibbling
contentious
quarrelsome; belligerent
disputatious
likely to dispute or argue
polemical
inclined to argue or debate; controversial
predator
one who takes advantage of another, exploits or feeds on another; a strong adversary or rival
pugnacious
eager to fight; belligerent
altruistic
showing an unselfish concern for others
benevolent
giving freely and easily to others; charitable; kind
largess
generous giving (also spelled largesse)
lavish (#1)
generous in giving to others or in spending money
magnanimous
generous in overlooking insult or injury by others; rising above pettiness
munificent
very generous
philanthropic
showing a desire to help others by gibing gifts; charitable; humane
prodigal
wasteful; lavish
squander
to spend money (or time) in a wasteful, uncaring fashon
austere
having great economy; showing self-control when it comes to foregoing luxuries and frills; stern in manner or appearence
avaricious
greedy
frugal
careful with money; thrifty; not prodigal or wasteful
mercenary
greedy for self-gain; thinking only of money-making
miserly
careful with how money is spent; thrifty
parsimonious
overly thrifty or miserly
penurious
stingy; relating to great poverty, destitution
thrifty
showing care with how money and resources are spent or used
adversity
great trouble or difficulty
conflagration
a huge fire, and inferno
confounding
puzzling; baffling
cryptic
hidden; hard to understand; mysterious; obscure
debacle
a failure or breakdown; a collapse that is often nonsensical
enigma
a riddle or mystery; a puzzling or baffling matter or person
labyrinth
a maze from which it is very hard to extricate or free oneself
precarious
dangerous or risky; uncertain
quagmire
a difficult or troubling situation; a swampy ground, bog, mire
quandary
a dilemma; a confusing or puzzling situation
turbulence
great unrest; turmoil or disorder
turmoil
a turbulent scenario or situation; tumult
baneful
causing ruin; harmful; pernicious
deleterious
harmful to one's health or overall welfare; pernicious
detrimental
harmful
devious
dishonest or deceptive; tricky
iniquitous
showing a lack of fairness; wicked; vicious
malicious
intending to hurt or harm another; spiteful
nefarious
very mean and wicked
odious
loathsome; evil; revolting in a disgusting way
ominous
pertaining to an evil omen; foreboding
pernicious
very destructive or harmful, usually in an inconspicuous and relentless way
rancorous
deeply hateful or spiteful; malicious
virulent
extremely poisonous; deadly; full of spiteful hatred
berate
to rebuke or scold in a harsh tone
carp
to find fault; to be critical
castigate
to scold or punish severely
censure
to criticize strongly
chastise
to punish or scold harshly
deprecate
to show mild disapproval
deride
to ridicule or make fun of; to scoff at
impugn
to oppose or attack someone or something as false or refutable
rebuff
to snub; to bluntly refuse
rebuke
to reprimand or scold sharply
reprove
to speak to in a disapproving manner; to scold
upbraid
to chide; to scold bitterly
aloof
uninterested; showing no concern; emotionally removed or distant
apathetic
indifferent; showing no caring, interest, or concern; lacking emotion
detached
aloof; indifferent
impassive
lacking emotion or drive
indifferent
apathetic; showing little or no concern or care
listless
lacking interest in something, usually because of illness fatigue, or general sadness; spiritless
nonchalant
casual and indifferent; not showing any great concern or worry about anything
phlegmatic
hard to get excited or emotional; calm; slow moving
remote
emotionally distant and disinterested; aloof; uninvolved; distant, far away
stolid
lacking emotion or not showing any emotion; stoical
indolent
lazy; not wanting to do any work
languor
a weak or lifeless feeling
lassitude
a tired feeling, usually resulting from depression or too much work
lethargic
having little or no energy
sedentary
having to do with sitting around a lot
sluggish
slow and lazy
soporific
sleep-inducing; sleepy
stagnant
lacking movement or energy
torpid
lacking energy; relating to inactivity; feeling sluggish
compliant
yielding, submissive
fawning
gaining the favor of another by acting overly kind or by using flattery
obsequious
obeying or performing a service for someone in an overly attentive manner
servile
slave-like; very humble and submissive
slavish
slave-like; overly humble; involving very hard work
submissive
voluntarily obeying another; humble
subordinate
inferior; lower in rank or status
subservient
obedient; obsequious
sycophant
a self-server who tries to gain the favor of others through the use of flattery of by being overattentive
taody
a flatterer; a sycophant
ardent
full of passion and emotion
avid
showing enthusiasm; ardent
ebullient
filled with a bubbly excitement, as if boiling over with excitement
effervescent
lively; full of uplifted spirit; vivacious
exuberant
overflowing with vitality and good spirits
fanatical
full of great enthusiasm or devotion
fervent
filled with passion or intensity
impassioned
filled with passionate emotion
vibrant
lively; full of vitality
zealous
filled with enthusiasm; fervent
adamant
unwilling to bend; unyielding
dogmatic
strongly opinionated; rigid; dictatorial
hidebound
strongly opinionated; narrow-mindedly stubborn
intractable
stubborn; hard to manage
obdurate
resistant to persuasion or softening; stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
obstinate
stubborn; inflexible
recalcitrant
stubborn; disobedient; defiant
resolve
firmness, determination
unwavering
firm and determined
unyielding
stubborn; inflexible
willful
stubborn
acoustics
the quality of sound, pertaining to how it is heard based on the quality and structure of the room
cacophony
lack of harmony; loud and unpleasant noise; a racket
clamor
unpleasant sound; noise
din
ongoing loud sound; noise
discordant
lacking harmony or agreement
euphony
pleasing sound
mellifluous
sweet and smooth sounding
raucous
coarse-sounding; loud and unruly
strident
shrill; high pitched
vociferous
loud and noisy regarding one's own voice, especially shouting; demandingly clamorous
acclaim
to express strong approval or praise; hail
accolade
an award given as a sign of appreciation or respect
adulate
to praise or flatter too greatly; fawn over
esteem
to value highly; to have great regard for
eulogize
to praise, as in a eulogy; to say good things about
exalt
to praise or glorify; to lift up in status, dignity, or power
laud
to praise; extol
panegyrize
to praise a person or event in a formal speech or in writing; to praise highly
revere
to regard highly with love and respect
venerate
to feel or show deep respect for, especially due to age or tradition; to honor
ample
abundant; plentiful; more than enough
copious
abundant; much; plentiful
lavish (#2)
abundant; in excess
myriad (adj. and n.)
countless; a very large number
plethora
excess; abundance
profuse
abundant; more than enough
prolific
abundant; producing a great deal; fertile
superfluous
overabundant; more than is needed; unnecessary
surfeit
an oversupply
abstemious
holding back from eating or drinking too much
alimentary
relating to good and nourishment
culinary
having to do with cooking, preparing meals
delectable
delicious
emaciated
very, very thin due to lack of adequate food
epicurean
having to do with relishing the pleasure of eating and drinking (n. epicure: the pleasure...)
glutton
one who overindulges in food and drink
palatable
pleasing to the taste buds
ravenous
very hungry
savory
tasty or good smelling
voracious
greedy; gluttonous; ravenous; insatiable
chary
cautious; wary
circumspect
careful and cautious before acting
conscientious
relating to doing what one knows is right; scrupulous
exacting
requiring a great deal of care of effort; painstaking
gingerly
very carefully
heedful
paying careful attention to
meticulous
very careful; fussy; finicky; fastidious
scrupulous
showing great care and honesty, based on personal belief of what is right and proper
vigilant
carefully alert and watchful
wary
cautious, careful
ephemeral
lasting a short time; fleeting
evanescent
vanishing quickly; fleeting
fleeting
short-lived
itinerant
wandering about; tending to move around, travel
nomadic
wandering
peripatetic
moving or walking about; itinerant
transient
lasting for only a short time; temporary
transitory
fleeting
volatile
explosive or changing very quickly
antediluvian
very, very, old; antiquated
antiquated
very old and no longer in use; obsolete
antiquity
ancient times
archaic
old; from a much earlier time; antiquated
obsolete
old; outdated, no longer in use
relic
a custom or object that has been around for a very, very long time
contemporary
modern, new; relating to the same time period
inception
the start, the beginning of something
innovation
something new
novel
new
unprecedented
novel; unparalleled