Writers – and language speakers in general – have a tendency to fall back on go-to words that are comfortable for us. In the case of adjectives, this may mean that we describe too many things as big or small, nice or good, interesting or all right. These can become “weasel words” – words that sneak into our communication to make it commonplace and far less powerful than it could be. Why not use over-sized for big, enjoyable for nice, captivating for interesting, and passable for all right? Variety is the zest and spice of grand writing.

On that note, my next several posts under the label of the written stuff in coming months will highlight sets of rich words that you can build into your own writing (and speaking, when appropriate), to more specifically, meaningfully, or delightfully communicate to your audience.

Let’s start with five potent adjectives…

1. Lavish: sumptuously rich, elaborate, or luxurious. (Wow, in that definition, there are a string of other great words!) When was the last time you experienced or imagined something lavish? And what elements of your current lifestyle might seem lavish to a family in a developing country?
2. Chivalrous: having such qualities as courage, courtesy, and loyalty, especially used for men who are gracious towards women and honorable towards their enemies. Some would call this word archaic because it smacks of gender inequality and a bygone, sexist society. But it’s still a great word to use in writing historical pieces. And I, for one, find chivalrous men to be the best sort. 🙂
3. Objectionable: offensive or causing disapproval and protest. This is another one that doesn’t sit well with some folks presently because it may accompany an intolerant attitude or judgmental set of ideals. But the truth is we all have opinions and we all find certain things to be uncomfortable to the point of being NOT OK. We must learn to screen such feelings and instincts for truth, but such feelings and instincts are there for a purpose and can be used to do a great deal of good when rightly acted upon.
4. Ambivalent: having mixed feelings or being unable to choose between two or more things or courses of action. It’s ironic – how ambivalent I can feel about picking the right word in a given sentence while revising a draft. 🙂
5. Leery: wary, suspicious, or distrustful of someone or something. Adding a variety of feeling words such as these can enrich the description of a character’s emotions, one the draws the reader further in to the character’s personal experience.

Happy vocabulary building! If you have other useful or enriching adjectives you have discovered or successfully used, please share them with us in the comments section below!