100 Whimsical Words

100 Whimsical Words 100 Whimsical Words 100 Whimsical Words By Mark Nichol The English language can be maddening to native speakers and learners alike, but is also delightfully rich, especially for those who seek to convey a lighthearted tone in their writing. Here are 100 words it’s difficult to employ without smiling. Though their meanings may be obscure, they each present a challenge I mean an opportunity for you to paint a vivid word picture. Imbue your musings with mirth by incorporating these terms: absquatulate: to flee, abscond abstemious: restrained in consumption of food and alcohol balderdash: nonsense ballyhoo: commotion, hype bindle stiff: hobo bodacious: remarkable, voluptuous borborygmus: sound of intestinal gas cahoots (in the expression â€Å"in cahoots with†): scheming callipygian: possessing a shapely derriere cantankerous: irritating, difficult carbuncle: pustule caterwaul: to wail or protest noisily cattywampus: in disarray cockamamie (also cockamamie): ridiculous comeuppance: just deserts concupiscent: possessed of erotic desire copacetic (also copasetic, copesetic): satisfactory curmudgeon: ill-tempered (and often old) person debauchery: sensual gratification doohickey: gadget or attachment effluvium: unpleasant smell factotum: all-around servant or attendant farrago: confused mixture festoon: to decorate; dangling decorative chains finagle: to trick fisticuffs: fighting with fists flabbergasted: dumbfounded flagitious: villainous flibbertigibbet: flighty person flummoxed: confused foible: fault folderol: nonsense foofaraw: flash, frills fusty: moldy, musty, old-fashioned gallimaufry: mixture, jumble gallivant: to jaunt or carouse gobbledygook: nonsense, indecipherable writing haberdasher: men’s clothier; provider of sundries harridan: shrewish woman higgledy-piggledy: in a disorganized or confused manner high jinks (also hijinks): boisterous antics hodgepodge: mixture, jumble hokum: nonsense hoodwink: to deceive hoosegow: jail hornswoggle: to dupe or hoax hortatory: advisory hullabaloo: uproar ignoramus: dunce imbroglio: confused predicament jackanapes: impudent or mischievous person jiggery-pokery: deceit kerfuffle: disturbance lackadaisical: bereft of energy or enthusiasm loggerheads (in the expression â€Å"at loggerheads†): quarrelsome lollygag: to meander, delay loquacious: talkative louche: disreputable lugubrious: mournful, dismal malarkey (also malarky): nonsense maleficence: evil mendacious: deceptive oaf: clumsy or stupid person obfuscate: confuse, obscure obloquy: condemning or abusive language, or the state of being subject to such obsequious: flattering orotund: sonorous, or pompous osculate: to kiss paroxysm: convulsion or outburst peccadillo: minor offense periwinkle: light purplish blue; creeping plant; aquatic snail perspicacious: astute pettifogger: quibbler; disreputable lawyer poltroon: cowardly, coward prognosticate: to predict pusillanimous: cowardly raffish: vulgar ragamuffin: dirty, disheveled person rambunctious: unruly resplendent: brilliantly glowing ribaldry: crude or coarse behavior rigmarole (also rigamarole): confused talk; complicated procedure ruckus: disturbance scalawag: scamp scofflaw: lawbreaker shenanigans: tricks or mischief skedaddle: flee skulduggery: devious behavior spiffy: stylish squelch: to suppress or silence; act of silencing; sucking sound subterfuge: deception, or deceptive ploy supercilious: haughty swashbuckler: cocky adventurer; story about the same sylph: lithe woman tatterdemalion: raggedly dressed person; looking disreputable or decayed termagant: shrewish woman whirligig: whirling toy; merry-go-round; dizzying course of events widdershins (also withershins): counterclockwise, contrary willy-nilly: by force, haphazardly Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comparative Forms of Adjectives75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†Captain vs. Master