Wordiness Part 2
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Wordiness 2: Foggy Words
The following list shows frequently used complex words that make writing foggy, and words that make writing seem phony or insincere. Beside them you’ll see shorter words that are better choices. They make the meaning clearer and more sincere to the reader. They don’t seem phony, so the reader trusts the writer.
Foggy | Clear | Foggy | Clear | Foggy | Clear |
abbreviate | shorten | implemented | began | presume | think |
accomplish | do | imply | mean | prevalent | common |
accordingly | so | inaccurate | wrong | previous | earlier |
acquiesce | agree | inaugurate | begin | primarily | mainly |
adequate | enough | incentive | drive | principally | mostly |
admonition | warning | inconsiderate | unkind | prioritize | rank |
advantageous | good | incorporate | include | proceed | go on |
aggregate | total | indefinite | vague | procure | get |
alleviate | ease | indicate | show | proficiency | skill |
altercation | dispute | inferior | poor | profound | deep |
amicable | friendly | infinite | endless | project | job, plan |
anticipate | expect | inform | tell | purchase | buy |
anxiety | fear | initial | first | purport | claim |
apparent | clear, plain | initiate | start | pursue | follow |
apprehension | fear | inquire | ask | purview | scope |
appropriate | proper | insignificant | slight | qualified | able, fit |
approximately | about | institute | start | realize | understand |
approximation | estimate | instrumental | helpful | receive | get |
assimilate | absorb | intentional | meant | reduce | cut |
assistance | help | intermission | break | regulation | rule |
attributable | due | interrogate | ask | reiterate | repeat |
augmentation | support | interval | gap | relate | tell |
beverage | drink | inundate | flood | reluctant | unwilling |
category | class | investigate | study | remedy | cure |
circumspect | careful | irrelevant | pointless | remuneration | pay |
cognizant | aware | jeopardize | risk | reply | answer |
commendation | praise | laboratory | lab | reproduction | copy |
compatibility | fit, match | lengthy | long | require | need |
compensation | pay | linkage | link | reside | live |
complimentary | kind | locality | town, city | response | answer |
concerning | about, on | locate | find | restrict | limit |
conclusion | end | magnitude | size | retain | keep |
configuration | form | major | big, large | reveal | show |
conjecture | guess | majority | most | scrutinize | check |
connection | link, tie | manage | run | secure | get |
consequently | so | mandatory | must | seek | look for |
consider | think | manufacture | make | segment | part |
considerable | large | materialize | work out | select | pick |
contribute | give, add | maximum | most | separate | split |
conversation | talk | methodology | method | significance | point |
And more foggy words . . .
Foggy | Clear | Foggy | Clear | Foggy | Clear |
criterion | standard | modification | change | signify | mean |
decrease | cut, drop | myself | I, me | submit | offer |
deficiency | lack | necessitate | require | subsequently | then |
deficient | poor | necessity | need | substantially | largely |
designation | label, name | negligible | little | substantiate | prove |
elevate | lift, raise | nominal | small | substantive | large |
eliminate | cut, drop | numerous | many | substitute | replace |
endeavor | try | objective | aim, goal | sufficient | enough |
enhance | add to | obligate | bind | superfluous | extra |
erroneous | wrong | observe | see | supposition | belief |
essence | gist | obtain | get | susceptible | open to |
establish | set, fix | occupation | job | sustain | take |
examination | exam, test | occur | happen | symptom | sign |
examine | check | omit | cut | tentative | trial |
exceedingly | highly | operate | run | terminate | end, stop |
excessive | too much | opportune | handy | termination | end |
execute | do, make | optimal | best | thereupon | then |
exhaustive | full | optimism | hope | thwart | stop |
exhibit | show | originate | start | transaction | deal |
experiment | test | paramount | chief | transfer | send |
experimental | trial | participate | take part | transformation | change |
extinguish | put out | pecuniary | money | transitional | changing |
fabricate | make | pending | initial | transmit | send |
facilitate | help | perceive | see | transparent | clear |
fatuous | silly | permit | let | transpire | happen |
favorable | good | personnel | staff | transport | move, send |
finalize | finish | portion | part | uncertainty | doubt |
forwarding | sending | positively | quite | uncompromising | firm |
frequently | often | possibility | chance | underprivileged | needy |
fundamental | basic | postpone | put off | unequivocal | clear |
gymnasium | gym | practically | nearly | unmistakable | plain |
heinous | ugly, cruel | predicament | trouble | utilization | use |
identical | same | predominantly | chiefly | utilize | use |
identify | recognize | prejudice | bias | variation | change |
imminent | near | preponderant | main | virtually | almost |
impart | tell, teach | preponderantly | nearly | visitation | visit |
implement | begin, use | presently | now | visualize | see |
implementation | use | preserve | keep | voluminous | large |
6. Fuzzy phrases
Some people, when they write, use strings of words that make what follows them vague or meaningless. These trite expressions fog up communication. Some examples follow, with a preferred simple word or two beside each or a note to delete the phrase.
Trite, meaningless phrase | Preferred word, use |
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More fuzzy phrases . . .
Trite, meaningless phrase | Preferred word, use |
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Last updated 9/18/06