Warning 7.3.9. Thesaurus Use.
Try using a thesaurus to find alternative words, but use caution! Sometimes thesauruses mislead writers when the writer doesn’t fully understand the connotation or typical uses of a synonym.
Subsection 7.3.4 Using Strong Verbs
While we use “to be” frequently in our every day speech, the verb is often too weak as the main verb in formal writing. Uses of “to be” include: to be, being, am, is, are, was, and were.
Writers prefer not to overuse “to be” because English contains plenty of stronger (i.e., more active, informative, and interesting) verbs. “To be” also frequently indicates that you are using passive voice. Using “to be” too much thus makes your writing boring or too passive. Which passage below do you prefer?
“I was going to the coffee shop when I saw something that was interesting. It was my friend, Sally. Sally was outside and was sleeping on her chemistry textbook.”“On my way to the coffee shop, I happened upon an interesting (and funny) sight: my friend, Sally, had fallen asleep outside, using her chemistry textbook as a pillow!”
Here’s a list of Some Strong Verbs to consider using. There are short definitions to give you an idea of what the word means, but be sure to look up any words you use to make sure that the contexts in which you’re using them align with their meaning. There may also be alternative meanings that aren’t listed here, so the dictionary and thesaurus will still be your friends.
Example 7.3.10. Some Strong Verbs.
- Affirm
- to assert or support
- Allude
- to point out indirectly
- Amalgamate
- to combine or unite pieces into a whole, to merge
- Ameliorate
- to make better
- Ascertain
- to find out or make sure
- Bolster
- to reinforce, support
- Censure
- to criticize severely
- Concede
- to acknowledge or grant something
- Concur
- to agree
- Contend
- to assert or argue
- Contest
- to oppose, challenge, or argue against
- Demur
- to object, be reluctant
- Differentiate
- to make a distinction between
- Elucidate
- to explain, make clear
- Enable
- to make able or powerful, to make possible
- Engender
- to lead to, to produce or cause
- Essay
- to try, attempt
- Exacerbate
- to make worse, exasperate
- Excoriate
- to criticize or denounce severely
- Function
- to act as, operate
- Laud
- to praise
- Mitigate
- to lessen severity or intensity, to alleviate
- Obfuscate
- to obscure
- Pervade
- to permeate, spread throughout
- Present
- to offer, give, introduce, show
- Squander
- to waste, spend, use irresponsibly
- Stymie
- to stop, block
- Substantiate
- to support something with evidence
- Supplant
- to take the place of, replace
- Vilify
- to defame or slander
Note 7.3.11.
You don’t need to fill your writing with big, obscure words; instead, you’ll want to use more complex words where appropriate to convey meaning more precisely and concisely.
