r/vocabulary

It seems like whenever I sit down to write I struggle to find "the right words", which I'm sure is the struggle of all writers. My thing is it seems when I finally get myself to write, it's either some dug up pretentious wording or some sort of neanderthal murmurings that are the trademark of a warehouse employee, such as I currently am. What has worked for most writers here and abroad? Do people just keep a dictionary or thesaurus next to the keyboard or what? I'd think if I did that it would 1) take me out of any flow state I might be in or 2) make it feel more pretentious or otherwise unreadable if the words become too fancy

For some context... I haven't completed or honestly worked on a project in a very long time, it's more or less a recent adventure/hobby so to say my writing skills have atrophied would be an understatement but I'm trying.

I've spent the last several years working in a warehouse where most of words used are those found in the top 500 words used in the English language which only ever help to describe how to do the job and ask what sort of movies/music your new work buddy is into. With this in mind, it can be challenging at times to find words that are in the slightest way stimulating.

On the other end of the spectrum though is sometimes I do conjure up some more sophisticated vocabulary but it sorta makes the writing either outright boring or just unnecessarily complicated, which I equate to the headache I get reading Dune (with all due respect to the masterpiece)...

This last piece is part of the peer review I received from my wife when she read one of my mini-drafts (versions of the story that ended getting scrapped rather early on)

i want to improve my English vocabulary, and i wanted to explore meaningful words, i need Trivia and new words, you can share anyword, I'll study every word Thankiesss**😸**

like when your laying in bed before going to sleep and your mind is wandering and your reacting to some of those thoughts as actual words at times? Playing fictional scenarios. As visuals or words. but it isn’t conscious word by word thought, like how you would read. and sometimes they’re words but they are faint. if I come up with a conclusion I couldn’t recount it and articulate it? Guided more by emotions kind of? not rumination either.

Writing something involving a blind species who only recently discovered that stars and other planets were a thing, after inventing a way to detect electromagnetic wavelengths (aka light) and translate them into comprehensible output - they thought space was basically empty until then. So they’d really have no need to have a simple layperson word for it.

So i've been putting a lot of effort into improving my English and focusing on learning new vocabulary. I'll use apps, watch videos, and even try to memorize words, but the problem is, as soon as i feel like ive learned a new word, it just slips away from my memory the moment i try to use it. Like, i'll know the word when i study it, but when it comes time to speak or write, it's gone. It's honestly so frustrating because i'm doing the work, but the words don't stick unless i keep seeing or hearing them over and over again

I've tried writing them down, repeating them in sentences, and even using flashcards, but nothing seems to make them stick for good. Do you guys know any strategies or tips on how to make vocabulary stick and actually remember words when i need them?

I tried to google this question, wording it multiple different ways but can’t find anything.. but I just have to know if there’s a word for this?

how can i use it in a sentence. like i am genuinely so lost

The character has never been exposed to water freezing.

I've been learning english for a while now, but the one thing that throws me off is slang and everyday expressions. People will use phrases i've never seen in textbooks, and it's like they're speaking a completely different language. I get lost in conversations and it's super frustrating because i feel like i should understand but don't know how to keep up.

Anyone else have this issue?

"High-functioning alcoholic" isn't quite right because this person is not necessarily an alcoholic. Just that they are able to act quite sober while drunk. I feel like there is another word or term for this that I am not remembering. Google is mistaking my search for "dry drunk" which is also not what I am looking for. Perhaps this word does not exist. Also, let me know if there is a better subreddit for this question.

Hi everyone,

I have been in Australia ever since i was 10 (25) now.

Long story short my husband’s english is fucked up and he fucked mine too. Idk how to explain it but yah.

I want to improve my vocabulary and just the overall speaking skills.

Is there anything anyone can recommend me to do?.

Also i work from home. So there is not lot interactions in my day

Braging is a new slang word from the AI community.

Let's coin a term 'reddwhore'

redd·whore / ˈrɛdˌhɔːr /

adjective

(slang, derogatory)

Characterized by the compulsive or excessive posting of personal details, opinions, or media to the Reddit platform, typically for the sole purpose of accumulating karma or maintaining constant digital visibility.

“His reddwhore tendencies were obvious when he started live-updating his break-up in the comments section.”

(informal) Displaying an insatiable need for validation from anonymous online communities; exhibiting attention-seeking behavior specifically within subreddit ecosystems.

“She became increasingly reddwhore, sharing every meal and minor thought just to see the upvote count rise.”

Word Origin

A portmanteau of the social news website Reddit and the derogatory slang whore (in the sense of "attention-whore," one who compromises personal privacy for public validation).

Synonyms

Karma-hungry, attention-seeking, chronically online, oversharing.

Internment means keeping people confined or imprisoned, often during a war or for political reasons, usually without a normal trial.