1. Howdy
Howdy is an informal greeting that is generally
associated with Texas and other southwestern states. This particularly fun word
can be used to spice up greetings with close friends and acquaintances.
“Howdy,
partner. How about you and I take a trip to the rodeo this afternoon.”
2. Palsy-Walsy
Palsy-walsy is an adjective that
describes someone or something that is very friendly or intimate. Believe it or
not, this phrase is almost 100 years old; the first recorded usage was in the
1930s.
“I’m palsy-walsy with all my coworkers.
We get dinner outside of the office every Thursday night.”
3. Scrumptious
Scrumptious means tasty or delicious.
Your favorite dish or an extremely pleasant meal could be described as
“scrumptious.”
“The lobster with the lemon butter was
scrumptious.”
4. Lollygag
Lollygag means to loaf about or act
lazily. This fun verb is both a treat to use and to do – especially when you
have important things to take care of.
“The reports are due today, but we’ll
lollygag for a few hours before we get started; I say it’s the perfect
work-life balance.”
5. Indubitably
The adjective form of this word,
indubitable, means unquestionable or certain. Indubitably is the adverb form,
which is more fun to say and can be used to express certainty about an action.
“Aaron Judge will indubitably hit a
home run against the Red Sox during the game on Thursday.”
6. Fantastical
Fantastical describes something that is
like a fantasy: imaginary. For the most part, people enjoy works of fantasy,
and so the term has taken on a positive meaning.
“She had a beautiful, fairy-tale
wedding. It was fantastical.”
7. Funky
Funky is an adjective that has two
primary definitions:
First, it describes a rhythm or music –
think of the funk genre. Second, it is used to characterize a strange, musty
smell.
Regardless of how you use it, funky
will always be fun to say.
“The mixture of sweat, deodorant, and
cologne gave the men’s locker room a funky smell.”
8. Serendipity
Serendipity is a fortunate coincidence
or happy accident. If you find yourself in a serendipitous situation, then
things are probably going very well.
“Serendipity proved once again to be
John’s close friend: he had not studied for the test, but luckily for him, the
professor canceled class at the last minute.
9. Bodacious
Bodacious means excellent, admirable,
or attractive. You can use this word to depict a number of pleasant objects or
experiences.
“I bought the car at a bodacious price
– 50% off!”
10. Bonkers
To call something bonkers is to say
that it is crazy or unbelievable.
“Are you bonkers? Everyone knows that
Interstellar is Matthew McConaughey's best movie; not How To Lose A Guy In 10
Days.”
11. Rad
Rad, or radical, is another way to call something cool, awesome, or great. While this word is used less today than it was in the 1980s and 1990s, it still retains its fun.
“The new Porsche body style is rad.”
12. Frazzle
A frazzled person is someone who is
anxious, tired, worn down, or fatigued. It derives its meaning from frayed rope
or fabric. While the definition possesses a negative connotation, the word is
still great fun to roll off the tongue.
“Ms. Smith’s energetic third grade
class wore her down to a frazzle at the day’s end.”
13. Dazzle
If something dazzles you, you are
either overpowered with a brilliant light or deeply impressed. This word is
both fun to say and a good addition to your vocabulary.
“The rendition of the Nutcracker was a
dazzling performance despite the dancer’s frazzled appearance.”
14. Quack
Quack can mean the sound a duck makes
or a meritless medical doctor. The former definition always makes for good fun
to imitate while the latter is used as an insult.
“Doctor Morris prescribed snake oil for
your cough? He might be a quack.”
15. Tummy
Tummy is another word for stomach or
abdomen. The term is usually reserved for children to use, but it is still fun
to say when trying to vary your vocabulary.
“That pasta was yummy in my tummy.”
16. Sizzle
Sizzle is the sound certain objects
make when exposed to heat – particularly food. The example that comes to mind
most often is bacon. This word is classified as an onomatopoeia because its
pronunciation mimics the sound it describes.
“The bacon fat sizzled when I placed it
on the pan.”
17. Jiggle
Merriam-Webster defines jiggle as a
verb meaning “to cause to move with quick little jerks or oscillating motions.”
Jiggle is a delight to use humorously.
“John tapped the Jell-O with his spoon
and watched it jiggle back and forth.”
18. Rambunctious
Rambunctious means full of energy or
difficult to control. This word is most commonly used to describe energetic
children.
“Ms. Smith did not have the energy to
keep up with her rambunctious students.”
19. Saucy
If you’re European, a saucy person
might mean that you’ve met someone rude or disrespectful. If you’re in North
America, a saucy individual might be bold and well-dressed.
“Did you see John’s new jacket? That
saucy fellow looks sharp.”
20. Eureka
Eureka is an exclamation of great
satisfaction or relief. According to legend, the term was shouted by the
ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes when he discovered a method of
determining the purity of gold.
“Eureka! I’ve discovered the cure to
the common cold.”
Eureka! That's a great idea.
21. Golly
Golly, like eureka, is an exclamation.
It is used to express delight, surprise, or disappointment in a situation. You
can consider it a one-stop shop for exclamations, although it has fallen out of
use in recent times.
“Golly! Did you get me a bicycle for my
birthday? I sure appreciate that.”
22. Sloshed
Sloshed is a word that you would use to
describe inebriated friends. Think of it as a step above drunk but not quite at
the level of a college fraternity party. This word is fun to use, although you
may regret it the next morning.
“After three beers I’ll be sloshed. I’m
a lightweight when it comes to alcohol.”
23. Flabbergasted
Flabbergasted means greatly surprised.
“I was flabbergasted by the party. It
was a perfect surprise – I was speechless.”
24. Jeez
Jeez, like golly, is an exclamation
that has fallen out of use lately, but it is still fun to say for its unique
pronunciation. It is primarily used for expressing mild surprise or annoyance.
“Jeez-Louise! Those bagel bites are
hot. I think I burnt my tongue.”
25. Scoundrel
A scoundrel is a dishonest or immoral
person. While you can probably think of other names to describe such
individuals, this word is both forceful, descriptive, and full of character.
Consider adding it to your vocabulary.
“Doctor Morris stole funds from the
hospital? That scoundrel!”
26. Boogie
Boogie got its start as a style of
blues, but now it is used as a general term for dance. Boogie is another word
of a bygone era, but don’t let that stop you from hitting the dance floor.
“I boogied all night at Dave’s
wedding.”
27. Scoot
Scoot is a verb that means to slide or
move over. If you want a seat on a bench, you might ask someone to scoot over
to make room.
“Would you mind scooting over so I
could sit? There’s still no space; keep scooting. Scoot scoot scoot. That’s
perfect, thank you.”
28. Chic
Chic means well dressed and
fashionable. A wardrobe that consists of designer clothes would be considered
chic.
“His faux-ostrich-hide-pleather belt
was designed in Milan. It’s so chic.”
29. Scandalous
Scandalous is a word used to describe
an event as outrageous, offensive, or in poor taste. While the word retains its
serious meaning, it has developed a light-hearted connotation in some
situations.
30. Aficionado
An aficionado is a person who is an
expert in their past time, hobby, or subject matter. This is a great term to
use when you need a synonym for expert or connoisseur.
“Addison, a true chocolate aficionado,
can name every Swiss and German chocolatier in business today.”
31. Jubilee
A jubilee is an event celebrating 25
(silver), 40 (ruby), 50 (golden), 60 (diamond), 65 (sapphire), and 70
(platinum) years of activity. You may have heard this word used during the
Queen of England’s platinum jubilee, which she celebrated in early 2022. This
is a fantastic term for adding elegance to milestones in your life.
“My grandmother and grandfather
celebrate their golden jubilee anniversary in March. They’ve been married for
50 years.
The Queen of England's platinum jubilee
celebration
32. Juice.
Juicy describes a food that is full of
liquid or moisture. It can also be used to describe an interesting piece of
gossip.
“Oranges are juiciest when they’re
freshly picked.”
33. Phalanges
The definition of phalanges might be
mundane, but no one can deny how fun it is to say it. In anatomy, it is another
word for the bone of a finger or toe. In other contexts, it can refer to a
formation of police or troops.
“What’s the deal with chicken fingers?
Do they even have phalanges?”
34. Gooey
Gooey is an adjective that defines an
object as soft and sticky. Most people, excluding children, dislike touching
gooey substances.
“I made gooey slime for my science fair
project. Ah gross, it’s stuck to my fingers.”
35. Sham
A sham is something that is falsely
portrayed or a lie. This can be a fun word to use when expressing annoyance at
being deceived.
“That two-for-one deal was a sham. The
cost came out to be the exact same.”
36. Bamboozle
To be bamboozled means you were fooled
or tricked. Most people would not use this word today, but it could be a silly
alternative to create a lively conversation.
“How was I to know that he was a card
sharp? I can’t believe he bamboozled out of $50 bucks with those tricks.”
37. Shenanigans
A shenanigan is a fun word used to
describe a prank or mischievous behavior. Despite being considered an outdated
word, it is used more today than when it was first coined in the mid-1800s.
Don’t expect to hear it in serious conversation, although it may pop up when
people are in a playful mood.
Darius is up to his shenanigans again;
he unscrewed the cap to the salt and pepper shakers.”
38. Jibber-Jabber
Jibber-jabber is another archaic phrase
that is making a comeback. It means to quickly talk back and forth or to talk
on an unimportant subject.
“Enough jibber-jabber. Let’s get down
to business; these stock prices aren’t going to discuss themselves.”
39. Jabberwocky
Jabberwocky is an invented,
nonsensical, or meaningless language. The term was coined by Lewis Carrol in
his poem by the same name. It is an interesting word that can be used to
describe anything that you find to be nonsense.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
- The
first stanza of the Jabberwocky by Lewis Carrol
40. Malarkey
Some readers may recognize this word
from our “Joe Biden Teaches Slang” article. Check it out if you haven’t
already. Anyway, malarkey is an expression used to describe something as
disingenuous or nonsense.
“The Earth is flat you say? As a NASA
scientist, I think that’s total malarkey’”
41. Catawampus
This fun-sounding word has a beastly
definition: it describes an imaginary, fierce, and wild animal. According to
Merriam-Webster, it can also mean to go askew or awry.
“I planned a surprise party for Sarah,
but things went catawampus when Jake spilled the beans during breakfast.”
42. Stupendous
Stupendous is used to praise something
as fantastic, great, or impressive.
“Our pilot landed the plane in a
hurricane. That was stupendous flying on his part.”
43. Frolic
If you ask Oxford Languages what it
means to frolic, it will tell you that frolicking is to “play or move about
cheerfully, excitedly, or energetically. Frolicking means the same thing as
lollicking and rollicking, in case you were wondering.
“I felt fantastic yesterday in the
ocean air; I frolicked on the beach as if I were a child again.”
A child frolicking on the beach
44. Boisterous
A boisterous person will be loud,
rowdy, and (hopefully) cheerful. When describing the weather, boisterous means
extremely windy. You now have a fun word to use for your rambunctious friends
or for a particularly breezy day.
“I love going to hockey games with
Randy. His boisterous persona helps the players get their heads in the game.”
45. Pandowdy
Pandowdy is a type of baked good that
closely resembles an apple pie. You may not have any use for this word unless
you work at a bakery, but I would encourage everyone to work it into a sentence
at least once a day.
“I could use a spiced apple dessert.
Anyone up for a pandowdy.”
46. Bonanza
Our friends at Merriam-Webster tell us
that bonanza has two definitions: The first is narrow and related to mining:
“an exceptionally large and rich mineral deposit.” The second, broader
definition derives its meaning from the first. It means “something that is very
valuable, profitable, and rewarding.” Bonanza is also an American western TV
show that aired from 1959 to 1973.
“The mattress sale bonanza ends today.
Go now to get a great discount before it’s too late.”
47. Pawky
Pawky is a term used to describe
someone with a shrewd or cynical sense of humor. If you know a person that is
witty in their criticisms, you can accurately call them pawky.
“Mohammad’s pawky remarks about the
movie’s poor plot had the car roaring with laughter.”
48. Peewee
Peewee means tiny or small. It is
usually reserved for describing children, and in particular, children’s sports
leagues. The usage can be stretched to cover anything you find tiny, and using
this word will bring you more than a peewee amount of laughter.
“Hey John, I heard your son won a
peewee league trophy. I didn’t know they let 4-year-olds play basketball.”
49. Groovy
Groovy is a word synonymous with the
70s and hippie culture. When you call something groovy, you are saying that it
is “awesome” or “fantastic”.
“Hey, I heard you started a new band.
That’s groovy.”
Now that's a groovy van
50. Piffle
Piffle is an interesting word because
it is a noun that means nonsense. This definition combined with the parts of
speech leads to some hilarious sentences.
“Fred’s piffle about the anatomy of
chickens and the lack of fingers is starting to make sense, I think.”
51. Ragamuffin
A ragamuffin is a child that is dressed
in ragged or dirty clothes.
“Melissa you’ve worn that outfit for
four days in a row. You’re starting to look like a ragamuffin.”
52. Rhapsody
Rhapsody has two definitions: an
outburst of emotional feeling, and a poem in ancient Greek culture meant to be
recited, at least in part, during one sitting. This word could be a fun way for
you to describe the singing you do in the car.
“With tears in my eyes, I rhapsodized
to the crowd about the need to be a more caring society.”
53. Worrywart
True to its name, a worrywart is a
person who worries excessively or unnecessarily. Be sure to add this to your
vocabulary if you have an over-worrier in your life. Plus, worrywart is an
alliteration, and alliterations are always fun to use.
“Of course, I’ll wear a helmet when I
ride my motorcycle. Don’t be such a worrywart.”
54. Persnickety
Persnickety characterizes a person who
is fussy or finicky over small things. Perhaps you know a persnickety eater who
needs every meal to be perfect.
“Jennifer’s persnickety approach to car
interior ensures that it stays as clean as the day she bought it.”
55. Rapscallion
A rapscallion is a mischievous person. This could describe a prankster or a more serious hooligan, but either way, it is a great word to keep around.
“Hannah, the little rapscallion, put a whoopie cushion under my chair.”
56. Pettifog
Returning to our trusted Merriam-Webster definitions, pettifogging is “to quibble over petty details” and “to engage in legal chicanery.” While no one knows what chicanery means, we all understand petty quibbling. Use this word to at least make the pettifogging fun.
“We pettifogged all night about the contract. She wanted to sign her name first, but I absolutely would not stand for it.”
57. Bungalow
A bungalow is a small, one-story house, cottage, or hut. This word is a must for anyone looking to spice up their vocabulary. Say it a few times in a sing-song voice to get the full effect.
“Despite the millions of dollars she made selling her textile company, the former CEO refused to live an exorbitant lifestyle of fast cars and big mansions, instead opting for a bungalow on the beach.
58. Dongle
Dongle is a hilarious word for no other reason than the sound it makes. What is a dongle you may ask? It is an adaptor device of sorts that connects to other devices and increases their functionality. If you own an iPhone, you probably received a dongle that connects the lighting port to a headphone jack
“Did someone borrow my dongle? I need
that back or else I can’t listen to jams in my car.”
Items that could be classified as
dongles
59. Banjo
Many people are familiar with a banjo:
it is a stringed instrument that resembles a guitar and is played by plucking
and strumming. It is featured most often in American folk music. What makes
this a fun word to use, and why you should add it to your vocabulary, is that
it is the most unique name for an instrument in the English language – at least
in my opinion.
“The rustic twangs of the banjo are a staple at the county fair, where live music is performed by members of the Appalachian community.”
60. Rascal
Rascal is a term used to affectionately describe a misbehaved child.
“Ah those little rascals – they tracked
mud through the house again, but I still love them.”
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