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  1. brevity
    the use of concise expressions
    Following are excerpts from the e-mail conversation, edited for brevity and clarity.
  2. concise
    expressing much in few words
    Two smaller “Penetrables” offer more concise, but almost as rewarding, experiences. New York Times (May 24, 2012)
  3. quiescent
    being quiet or still or inactive
  4. reticent
    reluctant to draw attention to yourself
    Despite the potential advantages, big industry players were reticent at first.
  5. succinct
    briefly giving the gist of something
  6. taciturn
    habitually reserved and uncommunicative
  7. terse
    brief and to the point
  8. bombastic
    ostentatiously lofty in style
  9. circumlocution
    an indirect way of expressing something
  10. colloquial
    characteristic of informal spoken language or conversation
  11. diffuse
    spread out; not concentrated in one place
  12. digress
    wander from a direct or straight course
  13. eloquence
    powerful and effective language
  14. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  15. prattle
    speak about unimportant matters rapidly and incessantly
  16. rant
    talk at length in a noisy, excited, or angry manner
  17. rhetorical
    relating to using language effectively
  18. verbose
    using or containing too many words
  19. voluble
    marked by a ready flow of speech
  20. arrogant
    having or showing feelings of unwarranted importance
  21. braggart
    a very boastful and talkative person
  22. complacent
    contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
  23. contemptuous
    expressing extreme scorn
  24. disdainful
    having or showing arrogant superiority
  25. egotistical
    having an inflated idea of one's own importance
  26. haughty
    having or showing arrogant superiority
  27. insolent
    marked by casual disrespect
  28. narcissistic
    having an inflated idea of one's own importance
  29. ostentatious
    intended to attract notice and impress others
  30. presumptuous
    going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous
  31. supercilious
    having or showing arrogant superiority
  32. swagger
    walk with a lofty proud gait
  33. banal
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  34. cliche
    a trite or obvious remark
  35. derivative
    a compound obtained from another compound
  36. hackneyed
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  37. insipid
    lacking interest or significance or impact
  38. lackluster
    not having brilliance or vitality
  39. mundane
    found in the ordinary course of events
  40. platitude
    a trite or obvious remark
  41. prosaic
    lacking wit or imagination
  42. trite
    repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
  43. vapid
    lacking significance or liveliness or spirit or zest
  44. allay
    lessen the intensity of or calm
  45. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  46. ameliorate
    make better
  47. appease
    make peace with
  48. assuage
    provide physical relief, as from pain
  49. conciliate
    gain the good will of or cause to be more favorably inclined
  50. mediate
    act between parties with a view to reconciling differences
  51. mitigate
    lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of
  52. mollify
    cause to be more favorably inclined
  53. placate
    cause to be more favorably inclined
  54. quell
    suppress or crush completely
  55. affable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  56. amiable
    diffusing warmth and friendliness
  57. congenial
    suitable to your needs
  58. convivial
    occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
  59. cordial
    politely warm and friendly
  60. gregarious
    temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
  61. jocular
    characterized by jokes and good humor
  62. levity
    a manner lacking seriousness
  63. animosity
    a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
  64. antagonism
    an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
  65. bellicose
    having or showing a ready disposition to fight
  66. belligerent
    characteristic of an enemy or one eager to fight
  67. cantankerous
    stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate
  68. captious
    tending to find and call attention to faults
  69. contentious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  70. disputatious
    showing an inclination to disagree
  71. polemical
    of or involving dispute or controversy
  72. pugnacious
    ready and able to resort to force or violence
  73. altruistic
    showing unselfish concern for the welfare of others
  74. benevolent
    showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
  75. largess
    liberality in bestowing gifts
  76. lavish
    given or giving freely, generously, or without restriction
  77. magnanimous
    noble and generous in spirit
  78. munificent
    given or giving freely, generously, or without restriction
  79. philanthropic
    of or relating to charitable giving
  80. prodigal
    recklessly wasteful
  81. squander
    spend thoughtlessly; throw away
  82. austere
    of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
  83. avaricious
    immoderately desirous of acquiring something
  84. frugal
    avoiding waste
  85. mercenary
    a person hired to fight for another country than their own
  86. miserly
    characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity
  87. parsimonious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  88. penurious
    excessively unwilling to spend
  89. thrifty
    mindful of the future in spending money
  90. adversity
    a state of misfortune or affliction
  91. conflagration
    a very intense and uncontrolled fire
  92. confounding
    that confounds or contradicts or confuses
  93. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
  94. debacle
    a sudden and complete disaster
  95. enigma
    something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
  96. labyrinth
    complex system of paths in which it is easy to get lost
  97. precarious
    not secure; beset with difficulties
  98. quagmire
    a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
  99. quandary
    state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
  100. turbulence
    instability in the atmosphere
  101. turmoil
    a violent disturbance
  102. baneful
    evil or sinister
  103. deleterious
    harmful to living things
  104. detrimental
    causing harm or injury
  105. devious
    turning away from a straight course
  106. iniquitous
    characterized by injustice or wickedness
  107. malicious
    having the nature of threatening evil
  108. nefarious
    extremely wicked
  109. odious
    extremely repulsive or unpleasant
  110. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
  111. pernicious
    exceedingly harmful
  112. rancorous
    showing deep-seated resentment
  113. virulent
    extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
  114. berate
    censure severely or angrily
  115. carp
    any of various freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae
  116. castigate
    inflict severe punishment on
  117. censure
    harsh criticism or disapproval
  118. chastise
    scold or criticize severely
  119. deprecate
    express strong disapproval of; deplore
  120. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  121. impugn
    attack as false or wrong
  122. rebuff
    a deliberate discourteous act
  123. rebuke
    an act or expression of criticism and censure
  124. reprove
    reprimand, scold, or express dissatisfaction with
  125. upbraid
    express criticism towards
  126. aloof
    distant, cold, or detached in manner
  127. apathetic
    showing little or no emotion or animation
  128. detached
    no longer connected or joined
  129. impassive
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  130. indifferent
    marked by a lack of interest
  131. listless
    lacking zest or vivacity
  132. nonchalant
    marked by casual unconcern or indifference
  133. phlegmatic
    showing little emotion
  134. remote
    located far away spatially
  135. stolid
    having or revealing little emotion or sensibility
  136. indolent
    disinclined to work or exertion
  137. languor
    inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energy
  138. lassitude
    a feeling of lack of interest or energy
  139. lethargic
    deficient in alertness or activity
  140. sedentary
    requiring sitting or little activity
  141. sluggish
    moving slowly
  142. soporific
    inducing sleep
  143. stagnant
    not growing or changing; without force or vitality
  144. torpid
    in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation
  145. compliant
    disposed to act in accordance with someone's wishes
  146. fawning
    attempting to win favor by flattery
  147. obsequious
    attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery
  148. servile
    submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior
  149. slavish
    abjectly submissive; characteristic of a servant
  150. submissive
    inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others
  151. subordinate
    an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
  152. subservient
    compliant and obedient to authority
  153. sycophant
    a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
  154. toady
    a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
  155. ardent
    characterized by intense emotion
  156. avid
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  157. ebullient
    joyously unrestrained
  158. effervescent
    giving off bubbles
  159. exuberant
    joyously unrestrained
  160. fanatical
    marked by excessive enthusiasm for a cause or idea
  161. fervent
    characterized by intense emotion
  162. impassioned
    characterized by intense emotion
  163. vibrant
    vigorous and animated
  164. zealous
    marked by active interest and enthusiasm
  165. adamant
    very hard native crystalline carbon valued as a gem
  166. dogmatic
    pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative
  167. hidebound
    stubbornly inflexible and narrow-minded
  168. intractable
    difficult to manage or mold
  169. obdurate
    stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing
  170. obstinate
    refusing to change one's mind or ways; difficult to convince
  171. recalcitrant
    stubbornly resistant to authority or control
  172. resolve
    find a solution or answer
  173. unwavering
    marked by firm determination or resolution
  174. unyielding
    stubbornly unwilling to give in
  175. willful
    done by design
  176. acoustics
    the study of the physical properties of sound
  177. cacophony
    loud confusing disagreeable sounds
  178. clamor
    utter or proclaim insistently and noisily
  179. din
    a loud, harsh, or strident noise
  180. discordant
    not in agreement or harmony
  181. euphony
    any pleasing and harmonious sounds
  182. mellifluous
    pleasing to the ear
  183. raucous
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  184. strident
    unpleasantly loud and harsh
  185. vociferous
    conspicuously and offensively loud
  186. acclaim
    enthusiastic approval
  187. accolade
    a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
  188. adulate
    flatter in an obsequious manner
  189. eulogize
    praise formally and eloquently
  190. exalt
    praise, glorify, or honor
  191. extol
    praise, glorify, or honor
  192. laud
    praise, glorify, or honor
  193. panegyric
    formally expressing praise
  194. revere
    regard with feelings of respect
  195. venerate
    regard with feelings of respect and reverence
  196. ample
    more than enough in size or scope or capacity
  197. copious
    large in number or quantity
  198. lavish
    given or giving freely, generously, or without restriction
  199. myriad
    a large indefinite number
  200. plethora
    extreme excess
  201. profuse
    produced or growing in extreme abundance
  202. prolific
    intellectually productive
  203. superfluous
    more than is needed, desired, or required
  204. surfeit
    indulge (one's appetite) to satiety
  205. abstemious
    marked by temperance in indulgence
  206. alimentary
    of or providing nourishment
  207. culinary
    of or relating to or used in cooking
  208. delectable
    extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
  209. emaciated
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
  210. epicurean
    devoted to pleasure
  211. glutton
    a person who is devoted to eating and drinking to excess
  212. palatable
    acceptable to the taste or mind
  213. ravenous
    extremely hungry
  214. savory
    pleasing to the sense of taste
  215. voracious
    devouring or craving food in great quantities
  216. chary
    characterized by great caution
  217. circumspect
    careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
  218. conscientious
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
  219. exacting
    severe and unremitting in making demands
  220. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
  221. heedful
    giving close and thoughtful attention
  222. meticulous
    marked by precise accordance with details
  223. scrupulous
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
  224. vigilant
    carefully observant or attentive
  225. wary
    marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
  226. ephemeral
    anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
  227. evanescent
    short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear
  228. fleeting
    lasting for a markedly brief time
  229. itinerant
    traveling from place to place to work
  230. nomadic
    relating to persons or groups who travel in search of food or work
  231. peripatetic
    traveling especially on foot
  232. transient
    lasting a very short time
  233. transitory
    lasting a very short time
  234. volatile
    liable to lead to sudden change or violence
  235. antediluvian
    of or relating to the period before the biblical flood
  236. antiquated
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
  237. antiquity
    the historic period preceding the Middle Ages in Europe
  238. archaic
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
  239. archaic
    so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
  240. obsolete
    no longer in use
  241. relic
    an antiquity that has survived from the distant past
  242. contemporary
    occurring in the same period of time
  243. inception
    an event that is a beginning
  244. innovation
    the act of starting something for the first time
  245. novel
    an extended fictional work in prose
  246. unprecedented
    novel; having no earlier occurrence
  247. clandestine
    conducted with or marked by hidden aims or methods
  248. covert
    secret or hidden
  249. furtive
    secret and sly
  250. inconspicuous
    not prominent or readily noticeable
  251. shy
    timid and lacking self-confidence
  252. stealthy
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  253. surreptitious
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  254. unobtrusive
    not undesirably noticeable
  255. adversary
    someone who offers opposition
  256. advocate
    a person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea
  257. artisan
    a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
  258. charlatan
    a flamboyant deceiver
  259. hedonist
    someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
  260. orator
    a person who delivers a speech
  261. pariah
    a person who is rejected from society or home
  262. raconteur
    a person skilled in telling anecdotes
  263. skeptic
    someone who habitually doubts accepted beliefs
  264. virtuoso
    someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
  265. extraneous
    not belonging to that in which it is contained
  266. frivolous
    not serious in content, attitude, or behavior
  267. incidental
    minor or casual or subordinate in significance or nature
  268. inconsequential
    lacking worth or importance
  269. irrelevant
    having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
  270. negligible
    so small as to be meaningless; insignificant
  271. peripheral
    on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary
  272. petty
    small and of little importance
  273. superficial
    of, affecting, or being on or near the surface
  274. trifling
    not worth considering
  275. trivial
    (informal) small and of little importance
  276. acute
    ending in a sharp point
  277. astute
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  278. discerning
    having or revealing keen insight and good judgment
  279. erudite
    having or showing profound knowledge
  280. incisive
    demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
  281. ingenious
    showing inventiveness and skill
  282. judicious
    marked by the exercise of common sense in practical matters
  283. perspicacious
    mentally acute or penetratingly discerning
  284. prudent
    marked by sound judgment
  285. sagacious
    acutely insightful and wise
  286. savvy
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  287. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
  288. acrid
    strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
  289. ascetic
    someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
  290. coalesce
    fuse or cause to come together
  291. convalesce
    get over an illness or shock
  292. delusion
    a mistaken or unfounded opinion or idea
  293. allusion
    passing reference or indirect mention
  294. illusion
    an erroneous mental representation
  295. indigent
    poor enough to need help from others
  296. indignant
    angered at something unjust or wrong
  297. obtuse
    of an angle, between 90 and 180 degrees
  298. ponderous
    having great mass and weight and unwieldiness
  299. ponderable
    capable of being thought about
  300. abridge
    lessen, diminish, or curtail
  301. accessible
    capable of being reached
  302. antidote
    a remedy that stops or controls the effects of a poison
  303. aspire
    have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
  304. hamper
    prevent the progress or free movement of
  305. bolster
    support and strengthen
  306. candor
    the quality of being honest and straightforward
  307. fastidious
    giving careful attention to detail
  308. gratify
    make happy or satisfied
  309. hardy
    having rugged physical strength
  310. homogeneous
    all of the same or similar kind or nature
  311. intrepid
    invulnerable to fear or intimidation
  312. linger
    remain present although waning or gradually dying
  313. lofty
    of imposing height; especially standing out above others
  314. querulous
    habitually complaining
  315. saturate
    infuse or fill completely
  316. scrutinize
    examine carefully for accuracy
  317. thrive
    make steady progress
  318. uniformity
    the quality of lacking diversity or variation
  319. vilify
    spread negative information about
  320. aggregate
    a sum total of many heterogeneous things taken together
  321. debunk
    expose while ridiculing
  322. excerpt
    a passage selected from a larger work
  323. eclectic
    selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
  324. discrepancy
    a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
  325. insuperable
    incapable of being surpassed or excelled
  326. lithe
    moving and bending with ease
  327. misanthrope
    someone who dislikes people in general
  328. raze
    tear down so as to make flat with the ground
  329. replete
    filled to satisfaction with food or drink
  330. respite
    a pause from doing something
  331. spurious
    plausible but false
  332. aplomb
    great coolness and composure under strain
  333. axiom
    a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof
  334. capricious
    determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
  335. cavalier
    showing a lack of concern or seriousness
  336. compunction
    a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
  337. diffident
    showing modest reserve
  338. dilettante
    an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
  339. egalitarian
    favoring social equality
  340. idiosyncratic
    peculiar to the individual
  341. mimetic
    exhibiting or characterized by imitation
  342. palpable
    capable of being perceived
  343. pedantic
    marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning
  344. portentous
    of momentous or ominous significance
  345. sardonic
    disdainfully or ironically humorous
  346. variegated
    having an assortment of colors
  347. catharsis
    purging the body to stimulate evacuation of the bowels
  348. pathos
    a quality that arouses emotions, especially pity or sorrow
  349. vignette
    a brief literary description
Created on Thu Sep 20 09:53:09 EDT 2012 (updated Thu Sep 20 10:16:16 EDT 2012)

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