4/8/2015

100WhimsicalWords

TheEnglishlanguagecanbemaddeningtonativespeakersandlearnersalike,butisalso
delightfullyrich,especiallyforthosewhoseektoconveyalightheartedtoneintheirwriting.Here
are100wordsitsdifficulttoemploywithoutsmiling.Thoughtheirmeaningsmaybeobscure,
theyeachpresentachallengeImeananopportunityforyoutopaintavividwordpicture.
Imbueyourmusingswithmirthbyincorporatingtheseterms:
absquatulate:toflee,abscond
abstemious:restrainedinconsumptionoffoodandalcohol
balderdash:nonsense
ballyhoo:commotion,hype
bindlestiff:hobo
bodacious:remarkable,voluptuous
borborygmus:soundofintestinalgas
cahoots(intheexpressionincahootswith):scheming
callipygian:possessingashapelyderriere
cantankerous:irritating,difficult
carbuncle:pustule
caterwaul:towailorprotestnoisily
cattywampus:indisarray
cockamamie(alsocockamamie):ridiculous
comeuppance:justdeserts
concupiscent:possessedoferoticdesire
copacetic(alsocopasetic,copesetic):satisfactory
curmudgeon:illtempered(andoftenold)person
debauchery:sensualgratification
doohickey:gadgetorattachment
effluvium:unpleasantsmell
factotum:allaroundservantorattendant
farrago:confusedmixture
festoon:todecoratedanglingdecorativechains
finagle:totrick
fisticuffs:fightingwithfists
flabbergasted:dumbfounded
flagitious:villainous
flibbertigibbet:flightyperson
flummoxed:confused
foible:fault
folderol:nonsense
foofaraw:flash,frills
fusty:moldy,musty,oldfashioned
gallimaufry:mixture,jumble
gallivant:tojauntorcarouse
gobbledygook:nonsense,indecipherablewriting

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4/8/2015

100WhimsicalWords

haberdasher:mensclothierproviderofsundries
harridan:shrewishwoman
higgledypiggledy:inadisorganizedorconfusedmanner
highjinks(alsohijinks):boisterousantics
hodgepodge:mixture,jumble
hokum:nonsense
hoodwink:todeceive
hoosegow:jail
hornswoggle:todupeorhoax
hortatory:advisory
hullabaloo:uproar
ignoramus:dunce
imbroglio:confusedpredicament
jackanapes:impudentormischievousperson
jiggerypokery:deceit
kerfuffle:disturbance
lackadaisical:bereftofenergyorenthusiasm
loggerheads(intheexpressionatloggerheads):quarrelsome
lollygag:tomeander,delay
loquacious:talkative
louche:disreputable
lugubrious:mournful,dismal
malarkey(alsomalarky):nonsense
maleficence:evil
mendacious:deceptive
oaf:clumsyorstupidperson
obfuscate:confuse,obscure
obloquy:condemningorabusivelanguage,orthestateofbeingsubjecttosuch
obsequious:flattering
orotund:sonorous,orpompous
osculate:tokiss
paroxysm:convulsionoroutburst
peccadillo:minoroffense
periwinkle:lightpurplishbluecreepingplantaquaticsnail
perspicacious:astute
pettifogger:quibblerdisreputablelawyer
poltroon:cowardly,coward
prognosticate:topredict
pusillanimous:cowardly
raffish:vulgar
ragamuffin:dirty,disheveledperson
rambunctious:unruly
resplendent:brilliantlyglowing

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100WhimsicalWords

ribaldry:crudeorcoarsebehavior
rigmarole(alsorigamarole):confusedtalkcomplicatedprocedure
ruckus:disturbance
scalawag:scamp
scofflaw:lawbreaker
shenanigans:tricksormischief
skedaddle:flee
skulduggery:deviousbehavior
spiffy:stylish
squelch:tosuppressorsilenceactofsilencingsuckingsound
subterfuge:deception,ordeceptiveploy
supercilious:haughty
swashbuckler:cockyadventurerstoryaboutthesame
sylph:lithewoman
tatterdemalion:raggedlydressedpersonlookingdisreputableordecayed
termagant:shrewishwoman
whirligig:whirlingtoymerrygorounddizzyingcourseofevents
widdershins(alsowithershins):counterclockwise,contrary
willynilly:byforce,haphazardly

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