“Comprehensive” means: covering a wide range; being thorough; and including everything. Another synonym for comprehensive is “exhaustive” – you might use these two words together when describing an academic study or research project. Example: “Before the committee made a decision, … Continue reading…

“Tenuous” means flimsy, fragile, or not substantial. You can use it to talk about concepts, like the tenuous tie between the words “trivial” and “annual.” You can also use this word to describe physical characteristics. For example, a loose button … Continue reading…

“Surreptitious” means sneaky, stealthy, furtive, or hidden. A child who doesn’t want to clean his room might try to hide some of the mess in a closet or under his bed, That sort of surreptitious behavior doesn’t work for long, … Continue reading…

The word “nominal” comes from the Latin “nomen,” meaning “name,” and in this example, means “in name only” – that is, a token amount of money, compared to what the carver could charge for the toys. Nominal means small in … Continue reading…

“Dubious” means “questionable” or “open to doubt.” It’s a versatile word: you can be dubious about something that is dubious. Example:  “The cheap plastic toys were colorful but of dubious quality, and Elena decided to buy the sturdier wooden toys, … Continue reading…

If you’re a fan of pub quizzes, you probably have a store of knowledge that’s not of much practical use – other than for winning pub quizzes, that is. This knowledge is referred to as “trivia.” Add an ‘L’ to … Continue reading…

“Incorrigible” means “not correctable.” You’ll often hear this word applied to children who persist in doing bad things, even when they’re punished for them over and over again. Example:  “The arsonist had been in and out of jail so many … Continue reading…

Even the most perfectly-constructed sand castle is no match for the power of the ocean. When something is perfect, without any flaws or errors, it can be described as “impeccable.” Example:  “She speaks English and German quite well, but her … Continue reading…

Studying the massive galaxies and the uncountable number of stars they contain, watching them as they travel across light-years, gives you a sense of the forces at work, a movement that is powerful and unstoppable. From our perspective, the forces … Continue reading…

When one thing is “intrinsic” to another, it means that the first thing is so entwined, so essential, that it cannot be separated from the second thing; that when you talk about the second thing it’s understood that the first … Continue reading…