Small Words for Big Words

Small Words for Big Words Index

This section has been put into this site simply to provide mental recreation on Small Words and to help those who are interested in word games. It is well to emphasize, however, that it is generally better to use the Small Words rather than the big words both in speaking and in writing.


Small Words for Big Words have been arranged in alphabetical order.


Big Words…Small Words

  1. Absolution…forgiveness
  2. Abstemious…moderate
  3. Acatalectic…complete
  4. Acauline…stem less
  5. Accessory…additional
  6. Acephalous…headless
  7. Acerbity…bitterness
  8. Acerbity…sourness
  9. Adipose…fatty
  10. Adjacent…near
  11. Adulation…flattery
  12. Adversary…enemy
  13. Affirmation…oath
  14. Afflatus…inspiration
  15. Affluence…wealthy
  16. Alacrity…briskness
  17. Alacrity…readiness
  18. Aliment…food
  19. Alimony…maintenance
  20. Amanuensis…secretary
  21. Ambiguous…doubtful
  22. Ameliorate…improve
  23. Amiable…lovable
  24. Amicable…friendly
  25. Amity…friendship
  26. Amorphous…shapeless
  27. Animosity…hatred
  28. Animus…intention
  29. Anonymous…nameless
  30. Anourous…tailless
  31. Aperients…purgative
  32. Aphonia…dumbness
  33. Aptitude…Fitness
  34. Arenaceous…sandy
  35. Asperity…harshness
  36. Aspersion...slander
  37. Asphyxia…suffocating
  38. Assiduity…diligence
  39. Assuetude…habit
  40. Audacious…bold
  41. Authentic…genuine
  42. Avidity…eagerness
  43. Avocation…occupation


  44. Banausic…mechanical
  45. Beguile…deceive
  46. Benediction…blessing
  47. Bias … prejudice
  48. Boisterous…noisy


  49. Calcareous…chalky
  50. Calisthenics…gymnastics
  51. Calligraphy… penmanship
  52. Cantankerous…quarrelsome
  53. Cecity…blindness
  54. Celerity…swiftness
  55. Chanticleer…cock
  56. Charlatan…quack
  57. Chicanery…trickery
  58. Chirography… penmanship
  59. Chivalrous…gallant
  60. Chronometer…clock
  61. Cinerary… ashes
  62. Clandestine…secret
  63. Clemency…leniency
  64. Clocher…belfry
  65. Co-adjutor…huge
  66. Coagulation…clotting
  67. Coalesce…unite
  68. Coerce…compel
  69. Cogitate…think
  70. Collateral…parallel
  71. Colossal…huge
  72. Commiseration…pity
  73. Commodious… spacious
  74. Commodious…roomy
  75. Communication…denunciation
  76. Commutation…exchange
  77. Compendious…brief
  78. Compunction…remorse
  79. Concierge…porter
  80. Condign…worthy
  81. Confabulate…gossip
  82. Conjecture…guesses
  83. Consentaneous…unanimous
  84. Consign…send
  85. Conspectus…synopsis
  86. Consuetude…custom
  87. Contaminate…pollute
  88. Contiguity…nearness
  89. Contiguous…adjoining
  90. Contumacious…stubborn
  91. Contumelious…insolent
  92. Conundrum…riddles
  93. Convivial…jovial
  94. Copious…plentiful
  95. Corneous…horny
  96. Credence…belief
  97. Culpable…guilty
  98. Cupidity…covetousness
  99. Cupidity…greed
  100. Cursory…hasty


  101. Debility…weakness
  102. Debonair…courteous
  103. Decadence…..decay
  104. Decapitate…behead
  105. Declivity. Slope
  106. Decollate…behead
  107. Decrepit…feeble
  108. Decrescent…waning
  109. Defeasance...defeat
  110. Defecate…purify
  111. Deficiency…lack
  112. Deglutition…swallowing
  113. Delectable…delightful
  114. Deleterious…hurtful
  115. Delinquent…wrong-doer
  116. Delitescent…latent
  117. Demise…death
  118. Demotic…popular
  119. Denegation…denial
  120. Depredator…thief
  121. Depurate…purify
  122. Derelict…abandoned
  123. Deride…mock
  124. Desipient…foolish
  125. Desuetude…disuse
  126. Desultory...rambling
  127. Diaphanous…transparent
  128. Disingenuous…insincere
  129. Disseminate…scatter
  130. Domicile…home
  131. Domicile…house
  132. Dubious…doubtful
  133. Dudgeon…anger


  134. Echinated…prickly
  135. Edacious…greedy
  136. Edentate…toothless
  137. Edible…eatable
  138. Edulcorate…sweeten
  139. Effeminate…womanish
  140. Effulgence…luster
  141. Elliptical…oval
  142. Elucidate…explain
  143. Encephalon…brain
  144. Encomium…praise
  145. Endeavour…try
  146. Enigma…puzzle
  147. Equivocal…doubtful
  148. Erroneous…wrong
  149. Erudite…learned
  150. Eschew…avoid
  151. Esculent…edible
  152. Esoteric…mysterious
  153. Espionage…spying
  154. Eulogy…praise
  155. Evanesce…disappear
  156. Exiguous…small
  157. Eximious…excellent
  158. Exorbitant…excessive
  159. Expectorate…spit
  160. Expeditious…quick
  161. Extortionate…oppressive


  162. Facetious…jocular
  163. Factitious…artificial
  164. Fainéant… idle
  165. Fallacious…misleading
  166. Fallacious…misleading
  167. Fatuous…foolish
  168. Fecundity…fruitfulness
  169. Felicitation…congratulation
  170. Firmament…sky
  171. Fortnightly…bi-weekly
  172. Fortitude…strength
  173. Fortuitous…accidental
  174. Fremescent…noisy
  175. Frigid…cold
  176. Fugacious…fleeting
  177. Furlough…vacation


  178. Garish…gaudy
  179. Garrulous….talkative
  180. Geniculate…knotted
  181. Gigantic…huge
  182. Grandiloquent…bombastic
  183. Gratuitous…free
  184. Gravamen…grievance
  185. Guerdon…reward


  186. Habiliment…garment
  187. Hallucination…delusion
  188. Hamate…crooked
  189. Hauteur…pride
  190. Hebdomadal…weekly
  191. Hiatus…gap
  192. Hilarious…merry
  193. Histrionic…theatrical
  194. Homily…sermon
  195. Humidity…moisture
  196. Hypochondriacal…melancholy


  197. Ignominy…disgrace
  198. Immaculate…spotless
  199. Impeccable…blameless
  200. Impuissant…powerless
  201. Inadequate…insufficient
  202. Inane…empty
  203. Inanimate...lifeless
  204. Incarcerate…imprison
  205. Incertitude…uncertainty
  206. Incessant…unceasing
  207. Indigenous…native
  208. Indigent…poor
  209. Indolent…lazy
  210. Inebriate…drunk
  211. Ineffable…unspeakable
  212. Inexorable…inflexible
  213. Infallible…unerring
  214. Ingenuous…candid
  215. Innocuous… harmless
  216. Innoxiously… harmlessly
  217. Inquietude…uneasiness
  218. Insipience…foolishness
  219. Insomnia…sleeplessness
  220. Insouciant…careless
  221. Insubordinate…disobedient
  222. Insurgent…rebel
  223. Insurrection…rebellion
  224. Interminable…endless
  225. Internecine…deadly
  226. Interstice…space
  227. Intimidate…frighten
  228. Intrepidity…daring
  229. Inundate…flood
  230. Irascible…irritable


  231. Jejune…bare
  232. Jocund…gay
  233. Juvenescence…youthfulness


  234. Keen…Eager
  235. kindle…Ignite
  236. knit…join
  237. knot…tie


  238. Labefaction…decay
  239. Labyrinth…maze
  240. Lacerate…tear
  241. Lancinate…tear
  242. Lascivious…lewd
  243. Lassitude…weariness
  244. Lentitude…slowness
  245. Lethal…deadly
  246. Lethiferous…deadly
  247. Lexicon…dictionary
  248. Loquacious….talkative
  249. Lucrative…profitable
  250. Ludicrous…comical
  251. Lugubrious…mournful


  252. Malediction…curse
  253. Manacle…handcuff
  254. Masticate…chew
  255. Matrimony…marriage
  256. Mendacious…untruthful
  257. Mendacity…falsehood
  258. Mendicant…beggar
  259. Merchandise…goods
  260. Minacious…threatening
  261. Minauderie…affectation
  262. Miscellaneous…mixed
  263. Missive…letter
  264. Moiety…Half
  265. Mucedinous …mouldy
  266. Mucilage…gum
  267. Mundane…worldly
  268. Munificent…liberal
  269. Myriad…countless


  270. Nefarious...wicked
  271. Negation…denial
  272. Nescient…ignorant
  273. Nigrescent…blackish
  274. Nostalgia…home-sickness
  275. Noxious…hurtful


  276. Obdurate…stubborn
  277. Obese…fat
  278. Oblivion…forgetfulness
  279. Obsequious…cringing
  280. Obstreperous…noisy
  281. Occidental…western
  282. Oecumenical…universal
  283. Oleaginous…oily
  284. Opprobrium…disgrace
  285. Opulent…rich
  286. Oriental…eastern
  287. Oriental…eastern
  288. Orison…prayer
  289. Oscillate…waver
  290. Osculate…kiss
  291. Osseous…bony


  292. Parsimonious…frugal
  293. Pellucid…clear
  294. Pendulous…hanging
  295. Penitentiary…prison
  296. Peradventure…perhaps
  297. Perfunctory…careless
  298. Pertinacious…stubborn
  299. Petulant...peevish
  300. Pishogue…sorcery
  301. Plenary…full
  302. Plenipotentiary…ambassador
  303. Plenitude…fullness
  304. Plumose … feathery
  305. Porraceous…greenish
  306. Portal…door
  307. Predatory…plundering
  308. Prehensile…seizing
  309. Pristine…original
  310. Proclivitous…steep
  311. Procrastinate…defer
  312. Prognosis…forecast
  313. Propensity…inclination
  314. Prophylactic…preventive
  315. Propitiate…appease
  316. Prospicience…foresight
  317. Provenance…origin
  318. Proximity…near
  319. Prudence…discretion
  320. Puerile…childish
  321. Pugilist…boxer
  322. Pugnacious…aggressive
  323. Pusillanimous…faint-hearted


  324. Querulous…complaining
  325. Quiescent…dormant
  326. Quixotic…visionary
  327. Quondam…former
  328. Quotidian…daily
  329. Qurimonious…complaining


  330. Rabid…mad
  331. Rapacious…greedy
  332. Rapine…plunders
  333. Recapitulate…summarize
  334. Recipient…receiver
  335. Recluse…hermit
  336. Recreant…coward
  337. Rectitude…uprightness
  338. Refescent…reddish
  339. Renovate…renew
  340. Replete…full
  341. Reticent…silent
  342. Reverberate…echo


  343. Salacious…lustful
  344. Salutary…beneficial
  345. Sangfroid…calmness
  346. Sangfroid…coolness
  347. Sanguinary…blood-thirsty
  348. Sebaceous…fatty
  349. Secrete…hide
  350. Sedentary…sitting
  351. Sediment…dregs
  352. Sempervirent…evergreen
  353. Sempiternal…everlasting
  354. Senile…old
  355. Sepulcher…tomb
  356. Setaceous…bristly
  357. Simulacrum…image
  358. Sobriquet…nickname
  359. Somnolence…sleep
  360. Spurious…false
  361. Sterile…barren
  362. Stratagem…trick
  363. Subaltern…subordinate
  364. Subterranean…underground
  365. Succedaneum…substitute
  366. Succinct…brief
  367. Succulent…juicy
  368. Sudation…sweat
  369. Supercilious…arrogant
  370. Surmise…guesses
  371. Surreptitious…secret
  372. Surveillance…supervision


  373. Tableau…picture
  374. Taciturn…reserved
  375. Taciturn…silent
  376. Tardy…slow
  377. Temerarious…reckless
  378. Tenement…dwelling-house
  379. Tentative…experimental
  380. Tenuity…thinness
  381. Terminus…boundary
  382. Textile…woven
  383. Thesaurus…dictionary
  384. Thrasonical…boasting
  385. Timorous…fearful
  386. Titillate…tickle
  387. Totile…twisted
  388. Traduce…defame
  389. Tranquil…calm
  390. Transgression…sin
  391. Translucent…opaque
  392. Truculent…savage
  393. Turpitude…baseness
  394. Twaddle…chatter


  395. Udometer…rain-gauge
  396. Ululate…howl
  397. Umbrage...offence
  398. Undulate…wavy
  399. Unguent…ointment


  400. Vacillate…waver
  401. Vacuous…empty
  402. Valediction…farewell
  403. Valetudinarian…invalid
  404. Vanquish…conquer
  405. Vapulation…flogging
  406. Vaunt…boast
  407. Velocity…swiftness
  408. Venal…mercenary
  409. Veracity…truth
  410. Verisimilitude…probability
  411. Veritable…real
  412. Vernacular…native
  413. Vertigo…giddiness
  414. Vicissitude…change
  415. Vilify…slander
  416. Viridescent…greenish
  417. Viscid…sticky
  418. Vitiate…corrupt
  419. Vituperate…abuse
  420. Vivacious…lively
  421. Vociferate…bawl
  422. Voracious…gluttonous
  423. Vouchsafe…condescend


  424. Wraith…ghost


  425. Xanthic… Light – skinned
  426. Xanthous… Yellow – haired


  427. Yawn…Split
  428. Yield…Surrender
  429. Yoke…Link
  430. Yell…Scream


  431. Zeal…Eagerness
  432. Zenith…Apex
  433. Zest…Enjoyment
  434. Zip…Energy


It is generally better to use the
Small Words rather than the big words both in speaking and in writing.



Small Words for Big Words Index





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