Ten Painless Ways to Improve a Conversation

*Long and exotic words (like defenestration or sesquipedalian) are often more fascinating than useful. By comparison, this list offers words that can enrich a conversation without sounding ridiculous. *

Definition:

not attracting or demanding a lot of attention; not showy or flashy; quiet and polite

Words It Might Replace:

modest; unassuming; shy; coy

Example:

From demure Oberlin alumna to socialist organizer, she embodied a praxis of revolutionary change that profoundly inspired W.E.B. Du Bois' last years.
— Philadelphia Tribune, 2 Sept. 2022

Definition:

having or showing no concern for something that is important or serious

Words It Might Replace:

thoughtless or careless, especially when you're describing a disregard for consequences

Example:

That's precisely the kind of pain the Fed is tasked with preventing, and Powell should not be so cavalier about potentially making that outcome a reality.
— Boston Globe, 19 Sept. 2022

Definition:

said or done too easily or carelessly; marked by ease in speaking to the point of being deceitful

Words It Might Replace:

careless; insincere

Example:

Often, I wanted to say something glib but true, like: "This response was fine but nothing in it convinced me that the student spent any time considering the play outside of what we already discussed in class.”
— Amanda Parish Morgan, The American Scholar (Washington, DC), Autumn 2022

Definition:

causing horror or revulsion; involving sex or violence in a way that is meant to be shocking

Words It Might Replace:

shocking; sensational; gruesome

Example:

Baptist minister Ed Decker, a former Mormon, attracted attention in the 1980s with a book and film called the "God Makers," presenting LDS history and beliefs in the most lurid light possible.
— Matthew Bowman, The Washington Post, 25 Sept. 2022

Definition:

showing or expressing too much emotion especially in a foolish or annoying way

Words It Might Replace:

sappy; schmaltzy; overly emotional

Example:

Daniel's wistful vocals and insightful lyrics were the cherry on top. Yet their maudlin songs of lost love came with buoyant drumming and irresistible melodies.
— Garry Bushell, the Daily Mirror (London, Eng.), 8 Oct. 2021

Definition:

marked by sharp or biting sarcasm; very harsh and critical

Words It Might Replace:

critical, hostile, snarky; nasty; sarcastic

Example:

In 1955, the economist John Kenneth Galbraith published a slim volume entitled The Great Crash 1929, a history of the Wall Street crash. In it, he chronicled, with his customary caustic wit, the rampant speculation that led to the catastrophe and its striking resemblance to all speculative bubbles in one key respect: speculators’ endearing belief that they can become rich without doing any work.
— John Naughton, The Observer (London, Eng.), 2 Jul. 2022

Definition:

showing no emotion especially when something bad is happening

Words It Might Replace:

unemotional; uncomplaining; cold

Example:

Bryan underscored the dilemma with what sounds like self-deprecation but is in fact a kind of stoic pragmatism.
— Jon Caramanica, The New York Times, 25 Sept. 2022

Definition:

likely to change in a very sudden or extreme way; having or showing extreme or sudden changes of emotion

Words It Might Replace:

unstable; emotional; unpredictable

Example:

Every time he solos he explodes from the ensemble. Posi-Tone producer Marc Free made a bold decision when he brought a player this edgy and volatile into such a refined band.
— Thomas Conrad, Jazz Times, Oct. 2022

Definition:

marked by rigorous restraint, simplicity, or self-denial

Words It Might Replace:

simple or plain, especially when you're describing something that is strict or without comfort

Example:

His cookbook title reflects classical philosophers' praise of moderation, although the reader of today will be unlikely to consider the recipes austere.
— Paul Freedman, Natural History (New York, NY), Oct. 2022