The longest words in English

In terms of languages, English has more words than any other by a long shot. Today we are going to focus on words in English which are longer and slightly more complicated than the norm but ones which are relatively common in the spoken language. So let’s get cracking! (this means to start).

Condescending

This adjective means that someone is showing or implying a somewhat patronising tone towards the person they are speaking to implying that they are more superior than their interlocutor.

Example:

Jane is starting to get fed up with how condescending David can be. She doesn’t understand why he think he is better than her because she got better results in their exams.

Evanescent

Apart from the American band, Evanescence who lived up to their title, the word evanescent means to start to disappear or fade away and no longer become visible. While not being the most common of the words in today’s post, it is certainly a word that you may see more in written English than everyday spoken English.

Example:

With the introduction of even more powerful smartphones for watching films, DVDs are starting to become more evanescent.

Inconsequential

As much as this word looks similar to “consequence”, it actually means that something is not of significant importance or is actually irrelevant to other more pressing issues. This is a word that you may hear parliamentarians say when talking about governmental issues that they have to make choices about.

Example:

Due to the government pushing through its agenda, public opinion is sometimes inconsequential even if it is different to that of the government’s.

Ostentatious

Perhaps attributed to the upper class of society or people who wish to impress others, this word means that someone or something is trying to catch the attention of someone by acting very over the top in a rather pretentious manner.

Example:

The ostentatious manner in which celebrities post pictures on their social media networks only contributes to making the divide between rich and poor even greater.

Procrastination

People who are working with strict deadlines in place to finish tasks may be prone to procrastination- especially university students. Procrastination is the habit of delaying or pushing back something which effectively requires immediate attention. This could range from writing an essay for university or fixing a leaking pipe.

Example:

John’s procrastination caused him to rush his essay and get a very low mark. If he had spent more time researching, he would have passed.

Surreptitiously

Perhaps not the most common word in today’s list but certainly a very good one nonetheless, surreptitiously refers to obtaining, making or doing something in such a secret or stealthy way that nobody is aware that you have done it. An obvious synonym of surreptitiously is stealthily.

Example:

Jane surreptitiously gave Diane a nasty stare. Diane saw it and knew straight away, but everyone else was oblivious to what Jane had just done.

Boisterous

While being an adjective that is often attributed to young children with lots of energy, there are quite a few adults that this adjective could be attributed to too. Boisterous means that someone or something is unrestrained, very noisy and rowdy.

Example:

Mrs. Smith had a really tough time of it trying to control her boisterous class at the theme park. It was the first time that they had gone to one, therefore they were so excited.

Extenuating

As much as this adjective is used in legal circumstances more often than elsewhere, it can also be used in other situations. Extenuating is used to describe a situation where the surrounding factors appear less serious and can in turn help a situation as a whole not to appear as bad as it perhaps seemed at first. Some may argue that it is making excuses to make a situation seem less serious

Example:

The police argued that the extenuating circumstances allowed the case against Mr. Robertson to be dropped.

Now it’s your turn…

As much as these words may not be heard in every conversation you participate in in the English language, they are relatively common and great words to know. We recommend that you try to learn them and see if you can find a way to incorporate them into your own vocabulary in English. Not only are they great words to know, but people you are talking to will be marvelled by the extent of your vocabulary.

If you would like to keep expanding your vocabulary in English, remember than the ABA English course exposes you to both British and American dialects to give you a rounded more widespread view of the language. Gaining access to 144 video classes for free when you sign is sure to improve your vocabulary. So, what are you waiting for?