Words That Make You Sound Smarter — Because, Yes, We All Need a Little Help

It’s happened to all of us. You’re holding court at work or a party, the conversation is flowing and you are on it. Until you aren’t. You start stuttering, looking for that perfect word that’s on the tip of your tongue. Darn it, if you just had the right word you’d sound so smart.

We know you’re smart, you know you’re smart, but sometimes it’s just hard to articulate thoughts — if you brush up on some vocab, however, you’ll be ready to spout off a ton of words that will totally let everyone know just how witty and together you are.

Whether you have a job interview, want to impress your boss, or just want to sound a little more intellectual on a regular basis, these 100 words will instantly make you sound like the smartest person in the room.

1. Acrimony

Definition: Bitterness, especially in vocabulary or mannerisms

Example: The discussion began with such acrimony, it was clear to the lawyer this was going to be a tense contract negotiation.

2. Acquiesce

Definition: consent without objection, even after previously objecting

Example: When the salesman realized he was going to lose the sale unless he threw in a free tire rotation that the customer wanted, he acquiesced.

3. Adept

Definition: being highly skilled or well trained in a particular discipline; an expert

Example: She’s an adept graphic designer and was headhunted by a rival company.

4. Adulation

Definition: excessive praise, admiration or flattery

Example: The adulation from thousands of excited fans faced by Justin Bieber would make most people uncomfortable, but he seems to enjoy it.

5. Ambivalent

Definition: uncertainty when choosing between two options (often involving fluctuating or contradictory emotions)

Example: Sienna knew she had to make a decision, but she just felt ambivalent, so she flipped a coin.

6. Anomaly

Definition: abnormality, often a red flag that there may be a greater issue

Example: Jennifer found an anomaly in the profit projections that proved to be evidence of embezzlement.

7. Avant-garde

Definition: unorthodox, experimental or progressive work in any field (usually relating to the arts) or the group who forwards the concept (Tim Burton or E.E. Cummings)

Example: The new ad agency’s concept may be too avant-garde for our more traditional image.

8. Axiomatic

Definition: obvious or self-evident; based on one or more axioms

Example: It’s axiomatic that great salespeople have solid communication skills.

9. Bourgeois/bourgeoisification/bourgeoisify

Definition: striving for but lacking the sophistication of the ultra rich while also lacking the “authenticity” of the working class (often a pejorative term in the U.S.)

Example: The bourgeois attitude of modern culture has changed how many high-end retailers do business.

10. Byzantine

Definition: devious and surreptitious operation

Example: Lauren’s high personal ethics made it difficult for her to work for such a byzantine company, so she tendered her resignation.

11. Cacophony/cacophonous

Definition: harsh, dissonant sounds

Example: The sudden sound of a cell phone only added to the cacophony of the boardroom executives’ heated shouting.

12. Capitulate

Definition: to stop fighting or surrender (as in a social battle or negotiation)

Example: The CEO refused to capitulate to Terry’s salary demands, so she tendered her resignation.

13. Catch-22

Definition: a lose-lose paradox in which the only solution to problem is prevented by circumstance or often a means of entrapment or political maneuvering (from the novel of the same name)

Example: Lolita’s boss presented her with a catch-22 — she couldn’t work another shift without a doctor’s sign-off, but couldn’t afford another doctor’s appointment without a paycheck.

14. Cavalier

Definition: disdainful or unceremonious

Example: His cavalier attitude toward customers made the manager wonder if he had any respect for others.

15. Chimera

Definition: something or a combination of things that’s so odd or improbable that it shouldn’t logically exist, but does

Example: The software suite of billing and graphic design software was a chimera, but the company managed to sell enough units to make a profit.

16. Clandestine

Definition: something done in secret, usually with a hidden or nefarious agenda

Example: The president had to fire her vice president when she found out he was making clandestine deals with the competition.

17. Cogent

Definition: well-reasoned, logical and compelling

Example: Ally’s points were well founded, but her inability to present a cogent argument left the stockholders wondering if she was the right woman for the job.

18. Conundrum

Definition: a difficult problem

Example: Jackie was charged with solving the shipping conundrum before the company lost money.

19. Cronyism

Definition: partiality to one’s friends, often evidenced by favors or promotions they don’t deserve or are unqualified for

Example: The boss’ cronyism became apparent when he appointed his fraternity brother’s deadbeat son as vice president.

20. Delineate

Definition: to precisely describe or outline

Example: To ensure things ran smoothly, the team moved to the conference room to delineate their plan on the whiteboard before beginning the project.

21. Deviate

Definition: to stray or depart (from a standard, course of action or the norm)

Example: If you deviate from your customer’s expectations, they may buy from competitors who offer a more consistent experience.

22. Dichotomy

Definition: a division into two parts, often contradictory or mutually exclusive

Example: By attempting to work half an hour on the production line, the president only further illustrated the dichotomy that exists between executives and factory workers in our company.

23. Disconcerting

Definition: to disturb, upset or confuse, as in demeanor or plans

Example: Salma was disconcerted by the accountant’s sudden outburst during the meeting, but quickly recovered.

24. Disenfranchised

Definition: to deprive someone of a privilege or right

Example: Regardless of how hard their jobs are, the factory workers found it difficult to feel disenfranchised while working for a company.

25. Disseminate

Definition: to spread or disperse

Example: Celebrities have it rough these days, because the internet makes it easy and fast to disseminate rumors about their misdeeds.