15 Big Words To Sound Smart in English (2024)

Have you ever found yourself amidst a conversation filled with words beyond your comprehension? It’s not a fun place to be, so to help you avoid that, we’ll teach you fifteen advanced English words that will make people believe you’re a human dictionary.

Are you ready? Let’s go!

Fifteen Big English Words

1. Abdicate

Abdicate is a verb that means “to give up or fail to complete one’s duties or responsibilities.”

Imagine a king who has ruled for many years but finds it increasingly difficult to manage the kingdom's affairs due to old age. After careful consideration, he might decide to abdicate the throne in favor of his heir.

Please note that the word isn’t only used to refer to monarchs; it can also be applied to everyday roles.

After the scandal, the CEO decided to abdicate her position.

2. Capricious

Capricious is an adjective that describes someone or something as “given to sudden changes in mood and behavior.”

For example, you might consider your two-year-old brother unpredictable and capricious because one day, he loves bananas, and the next, he cries at the sight of them.

Working for my last boss was nerve-racking, as his capricious and abrupt demeanor made it difficult for me to know what he wanted.

3. Embellish

To embellish something is to “make something more beautiful by adding decorations.” A pine tree is just a pine tree until you embellish it with lights and ornaments—then it becomes a Christmas tree.

One can embellish a story by adding false or exaggerated details to make it sound better.

The tables were embellished with gold-laced cloth and impressive crystal centerpieces.

4. Evocative

If something is evocative, it “brings to mind strong emotions, images, or memories.” Those sad commercials about the puppies and kittens stuck in animal shelters might be evocative enough to get you to adopt one of them.

I performed my most evocative song, and there was no dry eye in sight.

5. Extrapolate

To extrapolate is “to make an educated prediction about something based on the information you already have about something else.” If you’ve passed all your math tests throughout the semester with flying colors, you can extrapolate that you’ll do well in your final exam, too.

Based on last year’s data, we can extrapolate that consumers prefer to buy packages rather than individual products.

6. Frivolous

Frivolous is an adjective that describes something as “carrying little importance, purpose, or value.” Your best friend’s collectible action figures may seem frivolous to you, but to him, they’re the most valuable things in the world.

We rummaged through the attic and got rid of all the frivolous belongings we'd been storing for years.

7. Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is when two opposite elements are presented side by side to create a contrasting effect. An ice-cold ice cream on a scorching summer day, a hot chocolate on a frigid night, and an elderly grandmother carrying her newborn granddaughter all contain elements of juxtaposition.

What struck me the most about the book is the subtle yet significant juxtaposition between individualism and collectivism.

8. Loquacious

Loquacious is an adjective that describes someone as “excessively talkative.” You may regret teaching your loquacious parrot all those words, as now you can’t get him to be quiet.

He is quite a loquacious person, but the surprise left him at a loss for words.

9. Mellifluous

If you’re having trouble going to sleep, you may want to listen to someone sing in a mellifluous—or sweet and soft—voice to help lure you to sleep.

I was enamored with her mellifluous voice, which filled the room.

10. Mitigate

Mitigate is a verb that means “to make something bad less severe, serious, or harmful.” If mom is almost home, and you haven’t done the chores she asked you to do, you’ll probably want to mitigate the punishment by telling her how pretty she is as soon as she walks through the door.

If we don’t start to mitigate climate change, future generations will suffer.

11. Perspicacious

A lawyer who understands body language and knows when someone is lying can be considered perspicacious, which means “having keen insight and being able to understand somebody or something quickly.”

She was perspicacious and, therefore, not surprised when she got the promotion.

12. Superfluous

Superfluous means “extra, unnecessary, or exceeding what one needs or wants.” Some might say the word superfluous is, well, superfluous.

My teacher read my paper and scratched out all the superfluous words with a red pen.

13. Trepidation

When it’s Halloween and you and your friends are walking through horrifying haunted houses, every turn you make and door you open will fill you with trepidation, or “worrying fear and anxiety about something that might happen.”

I’m usually excited for school to start, but this year, I was overcome with trepidation.

14. Vivacious

That cheerful teacher who always wears bright yellow dresses and maintains a positive attitude no matter what? Yeah, you can describe her as vivacious, which means “lively and animated in spirit and conduct.”

I was grumpy, but her vivacious personality made me crack a smile.

15. Vitriol

Stay away from people who express nothing but hateful comments and vitriol, or “bitter, cruel, and malicious remarks.”

The bully’s sudden fury of vitriol made the young student cry.

How To Easily Expand Your English Vocabulary

There you have it! Study this list, and you’ll find yourself less likely to feel trepidation and more likely to be perspicacious when your loquacious self is immersed in advanced conversations.

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