Why Some Words Dazzle (And Why I Hate “Lukewarm”)

Some words have a certain stylish flair. They have pizzazz. You see them and the emotion and action jump off the screen or page. It’s like a house that gets refurbished and all of a sudden turns heads for the first time in years or seeing a dry, just-the-facts coworker outside of work and finding out they ooze charisma and energy.

I love words like that — the ones that completely change how you feel. The favorite words listed each year by publishers like Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com tend to lean toward words with evocative sounds and specific meanings. They frequently cite words that are descriptive, ironic, or pleasing to say. Top favorites often include words like “serendipity,” “iridescent,” “euphoria,” and “effervescent.”

I’m a word guy, of course I like them. However, here’s a few more that are pleasing to my ears:

Image by Pexels.

–Mojo. A magical charm, personal charisma, or confidence (“getting your mojo back.”)

–Burst, Leap, Surge, Boom, Spark, and Galvanize.

–Cherish, Ecstatic, Enthusiastic, Excitement, Vibrant.

–Giggle, Chuckle, Laughter.

–Devour, Create, Pounce. When you hear these verbs, you can see it. You can feel, taste, and see the action. You know instantly what’s going on.

–Compassionate, Kind, Love, Happy, Hopeful, Joyful.

Image by Pexels.

–Whimsical, Playful, Knowledgeable.

–Moolah. An American slang term for money. Cash, loot, bucks, bread, or dough all work. And, yes, Moolah isn’t the most respectful term. You almost feel like you need to lead with “pardon my French” before using the word in a sentence. But if we’re talking “money, money, money” then let’s have some fun saying it.

–Safe, Save, Savor, Beloved. Wrapped in the arms of someone who treasures and values you. No better feeling.

–Grounded, Wise, Balanced, Centered. Someone who says what they mean, means what they say. Someone who’s got your back when you need it the most. Now those are good words, very good words.

–Gobbledygook, Brouhaha, Shenanigans, Audacious, Topsy-turvy. Go big or go home.

–Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. And yes it is a real word meaning extraordinarily good, wonderful, or fantastic. Thank you Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

There’s certain short phrases that are music to the ears too.

–“Great job.”

–“I was just thinking about you.”

–“You inspire me.”

–“Let’s work together.”

–“Thank you, friend.”

–“I love you Daddy.”

Since we’re talking favorites, I should probably share a few of my least favorite words. In studies, people consistently rank “Moist” as one of the most despised word in the English language. I would add a few more words that hurt the ears as soon as you see them.

They’re like a loud construction vehicle backing up and breaking the silence of a quiet morning. They jostle and rumble and destroy the calm. They include: Lukewarm, Negative, Very, Apathy, Hellish, Scandalous, Hate, Effect, and Cruel.

They’re just so blasé. (Yea, you can add blasé to that list too.) They make you want to cringe.

What’s your favorite? Least favorite?