Imagine this: one day, you look out your window and notice that the neighbors have installed a very large shed in their yard. If this shed blocks a view you previously enjoyed, would you describe it as intrusive or obtrusive? It’s natural to wonder. Intrusive and obtrusive both refer to something or someone who invades or is thrust into a situation in an unwelcome way. And …
Think of your classic con artist: they lie, they’re manipulative, they don’t care about anyone else, and they lack remorse. Are these criminals psychopaths? Sociopaths? Both? People tend to think that a sociopath is a psychopath who doesn’t go around doing criminal things. Likewise, psycho remains shorthand for all kinds of deviant antisocial behavior, from stalking to murder. We’ve got some news for you. Despite …
Are these adorable shaggy mammals popping up across home goods, clothing, and toys llamas? Or are these sweet, fluffy creatures that people adore called alpacas? And what’s the difference between the two? Despite being commonly mixed up, llamas and alpacas are two distinct animals with several defining features. Let’s take a closer look. What is an alpaca? An alpaca is a domesticated mammal from South America. …
Demonstrations against racism and police brutality have put the words dissent and protest at the center of our vocabulary this year. Dictionary.com has seen a surge of interest in these words, which speak to their relevance to our current times. The death of George Floyd—a Black man who was killed after a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeled on his neck for nearly nine minutes—has inspired worldwide protests that continue …
Now more than ever before, public art is on the rise. New murals crop up in cities, large and small, on what feels like an everyday basis, each one breathing new, vibrant life into the streets that were once blank canvases for creativity. The terms graffiti and street art have long been used interchangeably to describe these public art installations—but what should we really call …
The words synchronous and asynchronous have become part of our lives, especially when it comes to the forms of synchronous and asynchronous learning and working that have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The terms are also used in other contexts, including in digital technology and in general, such as to differentiate forms of communication that happen in real time from those that don’t. We’ll …
Strike and boycott may be related terms but they have different meanings. One is used to describe actions taken by a worker; the other refers to a an effort by consumer to take a stand against something. But which is which? No need to protest—in this article, we’ll describe the differences between strike and boycott and provide some example sentences to show how they’re typically used. What does …
Every year as the weather heats up, grills are dusted off and meats and vegetables are thrown on the fire. To those in the West and many northern cities, this is barbecuing. Just don’t call it that in the South or parts of the Midwest like Kansas City, Mo., because in certain regions, not everything cooked on a grill is called barbecue. The word barbecue means different …
One of the basics of tennis is you never want to hit your ball into the net. Most people won’t confuse this mesh fabric divider that runs across the court with the word gross (even if botching an easy volley straight into the net might feel gross). But when talking about money, the line that divides net and gross profits isn’t as clear. What is the …
When it comes to certain white women these days, it doesn’t matter what lovely moniker their parents may have given them. They’ve also been deigned with the name Karen, Becky, or Stacy. Why? These common names are now shorthand for a certain kind of woman who either behaves badly or others like to complain about. As viral videos of Beckys blow up and the service industry …
Although nobody wants to hear that a doctor found a tumor, it’s the word that comes next that makes all of the difference: is it malignant or benign? One of these words has the power to send chills instantly down someone’s spine, while the other can flood a patient with relief. Let’s take a closer look at which is which. What does malignant mean? Malignant …
During the US presidential election, the votes aren’t always split between two candidates: independent party candidates appear on the ballot as well. Presidential candidate Gary Johnson, a Libertarian, won 4.5 million votes in 2016, for example. But what would it actually take for one of these candidates to be elected as the next president of the United States? Does a presidential candidate simply need the plurality …
