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Why say “that’s an anomaly,” when you can just say “that’s odd”? Maybe it’s because you’re trying to look more intelligent. A study by the education platform Preply, found that nearly three in five people have used complex vocabulary to appear smarter. Often, it’s to make a good impression. The survey found that seven in 10 said they had used complex vocabulary to impress someone in a professional setting, most often their boss and colleagues.
It seems to be working. More than three quarters of respondents believed that using big words or a complex vocabulary makes someone seem smarter. But 58% of the people in the survey admitted they’d used a word to sound smarter, even though they didn’t know what it meant.
“Big words only work if you know how to use them,” says innovation and leadership consultant Val Wright, author of Words That Work, Communicate Your Purpose, Your Profit, and Your Performance. “If 58% of people are using words they don’t understand, how many of those on the receiving end are getting confusing messages?”
In the Preply study, 43% percent of people assumed someone using a complex vocabulary was trying to sound smarter than they really were. And more than half of the people in the survey said they’d tried to end a conversation because of it. Complex language tests the other person’s patience if they don’t know what you mean.
The point of any communication is to be understood. So while using bigger words might make you appear smarter, if you don’t know what you’re doing, you risk being misunderstood and making a bad impression.
Here’s how to start using more complex words correctly, along with deep dives into a few of the most commonly used “big” words to get you started.
The right way to use big words to sounds smarter
In the boardroom, during career promotion decisions, at investment rounds—that is when your vocabulary matters most at work, and you see the results of the language you use. Wright shares a few ways you can use more complex words to get the right reaction from those around you:
How to expand your vocabulary
Here are some tips to grow your vocabulary over time:
Be Curious.
When you come across a new word, be curious about it. Learn the definition and challenge yourself to use it three times within a week. Wright says Vocabulary.com has great resources for exploring words that will work and gives usage examples from different sources.
And don’t just do this for words you hear at work or networking events. You can come across new words all the time in your personal life through conversations, consuming entertainment, or any number of situations.
Read.
It’s probably not shocking that one of the best ways to come across new words is reading. But in an article about expanding your vocabulary for Fast Company, Michael Grothaus points out that you don’t need to limit yourself to classic literature or “high-brow” writing. “While the Bard is one of the greatest wordsmiths in the history of the English language, you needn’t read his complete works to improve your vocabulary…The important thing is just that you read–and doing so will automatically increase your vocabulary.” In addition to exposing you to new words, reading can also expose you to new usages of words you already know.
Play word games.
In addition to popular games like Wordle or Words With Friends, there are many other games and apps that will help you grow your vocabulary naturally over time. The New York Times also has Spelling Bee, and many papers have a daily crossword. The App Store has an entire section dedicated to word games. Or you could try a “Word of the Day” app which will help keep you to the goal of learning one new word a day.
Put it in writing.
You don’t necessarily get the chance to ruminate over your word choices when you’re speaking day-to-day, but writing gives you a chance to slow down. Edit your written work and challenge yourself to move away from common words and use words that captivate without losing your meaning.
You can do the same for notes made ahead of a meeting or presentation. “When preparing executives for their on-stage speaking events, I encourage them to prepare specific phrases they will use that will cause their audience to pause and think,” says Wright.
20 Words That Make You Sound Smarter
In the Preply study, participants were asked which words made a person sound smarter. Here are the top two, along with their definition (from Merriam-Webster) and how to use them.
Abysmal
Adjective
Accolade
Noun
Adept
Adequate
Adulation
Aesthetic
Ambiguous
Anomaly
Articulate
Note that “articulate” can also be used as an adjective to describe a person who is well-spoken. However, this usage often has racial connotations and is best avoided.
Brevity
Candor
Caveat
Exacerbate
Verb
Fastidious
Juxtapose
Misnomer
Quintessential
Repertoire
Vacillate
Vernacular
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