By J. Bartleby
Before we begin, let's challenge the notion that people who use "big words" do so to impress or belittle other people. While it's true that some people rely on their vocabularies to elicit those responses out of insecurity, it's also true that�sometimes those so-called big words are the most deft, purposeful choices for a situation.� Similar words are endowed with subtly different meanings. The art of accumulating and using a large vocabulary turns on recognizing and employing those differences.
For instance, the words "crotchety," "cantankerous," and "petulant" are rough synonyms, but they do possess different connotations. If you're communicating a nuanced thought or feeling about someone who is irritable and contrary, you have choices available to you! And the more robust your vocabulary, the more choices you have for conveying precisely what you mean.
