Words I can Remember

bleak

Definition:
Cold, depressing, and lacking in hope or encouragement

Synonym: grim, desolate, gloomy

Mnemonic: "Bleak = black + weak" → a dark and weak situation without hope

Example Sentence:
After losing his job and apartment, things looked bleak for Thomas.

reprobate

An unprincipled or morally corrupt person (often used humorously or affectionately)

Synonym: scoundrel, rogue, miscreant

Mnemonic: "Re-probate" → failed morality again → someone who fails repeatedly at being good

Example Sentence:
Though he was a charming reprobate, nobody trusted him with money.

serenndipity

The occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

Synonym: chance, fluke, good fortune

Mnemonic: "Serene + dip" into luck → A peaceful dip into unexpected good luck

Example Sentence:
Finding my lost ring in the sand was pure serendipity.

reticent

Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; reserved or restrained in expression

Synonym: reserved, quiet, taciturn

Mnemonic: Reticent sounds like "reluctant to send" → someone reluctant to send their thoughts out loud

Example Sentence:
Unlike her outgoing sister, Maria was reticent at parties and preferred to listen rather than speak.

inundate

To flood or overwhelm, either literally with water or figuratively with things like tasks or messages

Synonym: overwhelm, flood, swamp

Mnemonic: Inundate = “in + under + date” → being under a flood of things to do before a due date

Example Sentence:
After her post went viral, she was inundated with hundreds of messages from fans and reporters.

acme

The highest point or peak of something; the best or most successful stage

Synonym: peak, pinnacle, zenith

Mnemonic: Acme sounds like “at me” → when you're at the top, everyone looks “at me”

Example Sentence:
The acme of her career was winning the Nobel Prize in Physics.

tirade

A long, angry, and critical speech

Synonym: rant, diatribe, harangue

Mnemonic: Tirade = “tired” + “raid” → you get tired listening to someone raid you with angry words

Example Sentence:
The teacher launched into a tirade after discovering that half the class had plagiarized their essays.

screed

A long, tedious, and often angry speech or piece of writing

Synonym: rant, tirade, diatribe

Mnemonic: Screed = sounds like “scream” + “read” → a long angry rant you read or say aloud

Example Sentence:
After being fired, he sent his former boss a bitter screed blaming the entire company for his misfortune.

remiss

Negligent in attending to duty or responsibility; careless

Synonym: negligent, lax, inattentive

Mnemonic: Re- (again) + miss (fail) → Remiss = fail again = careless

Example Sentence:
He was remiss in his duties as a student, often forgetting deadlines and skipping class.