Glossary

Powerful and convincing; holds attention

Compelling
His story was so compelling that no one dared interrupt.

Small difference or detail in meaning or feeling

Nuance
She noticed the nuance in his response that others missed.

Fascinating and grabs attention

Captivating
The documentary was captivating from start to finish.

Able to recover or bounce back from challenges

Resilient
He’s resilient—no matter what happens, he bounces back stronger.

Polished, improved, or made more precise

Refined
Over the years, her style has become more refined.

Smooth, flexible, or adaptable

Fluid
His performance had a fluid grace that impressed everyone.

Showing deep understanding or perception

Insightful
She gave an insightful take on the situation.

The base or core of something

Foundation
Trust is the foundation of any strong relationship.

To represent or express something clearly in action or form

Embody
He embodies the spirit of perseverance.

Calm, confident, and in control

Poised
Even under pressure, she remained poised and composed.

To notice, understand, or distinguish clearly

Discern
It’s hard to discern his true intentions.

To accept or welcome something fully

Embrace
She embraced the challenge with confidence.

Force that keeps something moving or growing

Momentum
The project gained momentum after the launch.

Done with clear aim or purpose

Intentionality
His work shows great intentionality in every detail.

Interesting; holds attention or involvement

Vibe
The room had a relaxed vibe that put everyone at ease.

Skill and care in creating something

Craftsmanship
You can see the craftsmanship in every detail of this piece.

Forming a united whole

Cohesive
The team’s efforts were cohesive and well-aligned.

Represents something deeper or abstract

Symbolic
The yellow balloon was symbolic of childhood lost.

Skilled or knowledgeable in something

Versed
She’s well-versed in storytelling and design.

Causing a change in how one sees or thinks

Perspective-shifting
His speech was perspective-shifting—it changed how I see the issue.

Being real, genuine, or true to oneself

Authenticity
People respect his authenticity—he’s always real.

A story or way something is told

Narrative
The film follows a powerful narrative of growth.

The way something is done or carried out

Execution
Good ideas need excellent execution to succeed.

Style or attitude in expression

Tone
Her tone was calm but firm throughout the discussion.

Exactness or accuracy

Precision
The artist painted with great precision.

Having multiple levels of meaning or depth

Layered
His lyrics are layered with hidden meaning.

Refined or reduced to essential parts

Distilled
The speech distilled complex ideas into simple truths.

Changing something to make it new or better

Reinvention
He’s known for constant reinvention of his sound.

System of ranking or importance

Hierarchy
In this company, the hierarchy is clearly defined.

Balanced or moderated; not extreme

Tempered
Her enthusiasm was tempered by experience.

Able to adjust to different situations

Adaptability
Adaptability is key in today’s fast-changing world.

Quiet, calm, or understated

Subdued
His style was subdued but impactful.

Clear difference or contrast; excellence

Distinction
There’s a clear distinction between the two versions.

Most noticeable or powerful

Dominant
His voice was the dominant force in the room.

Refined and perfected

Polished
Her delivery was polished and professional.

Cultured, refined, or complex in a good way

Sophisticated
His taste in music is sophisticated but approachable.

Process of improving or perfecting

Refinement
Through refinement, the project became truly world-class.

Guided by a strong story or message

Narrative-driven
The campaign was narrative-driven and emotionally rich.

Adjusted or fine-tuned precisely

Calibrated
Every move he made was carefully calibrated.

Aspect or feature of something

Dimension
This adds a new dimension to the debate.

To come into view or become known

Emerge
New leaders began to emerge from the group.

Speed or rhythm of progress

Pacing
The film’s pacing kept the audience engaged.

Hidden or underlying meaning

Subtext
There was a clear subtext of tension beneath the dialogue.

Seriousness and importance in manner or speech

Gravitas
He spoke with gravitas, and everyone listened.

Combined effect greater than individual parts

Synergy
Their synergy made the performance unforgettable.

Hidden or underlying feeling or influence

Undercurrent
There was an undercurrent of anger in his voice.

To shift direction or strategy

Pivot
They had to pivot after the original plan failed.

Major change disrupting the usual way

Disruption
Digital platforms have caused major disruption in the industry.

Structured system or approach

Framework
Let’s work within a clear framework for this project.

Clearly true; cannot be argued against

Undeniable
His talent is undeniable.

To emphasise or highlight something important

Underscore
This result underscores the need for change.

Carefully made with intention and skill

Crafted
The song was beautifully crafted.

Strong difference or opposition

Contrast
The contrast between light and shadow was striking.

Shape or flow of a story/message

Narrative arc
The film’s narrative arc was emotionally satisfying.

Meaningful content or value

Substance
Beyond the visuals, the film had real substance.

Clear and easy to understand

Lucid
He gave a lucid explanation of the concept.

Clear, clean, and sharply defined

Crisp
Her speech was crisp and to the point.

Carefully shaped or formed

Sculpted
His words were sculpted for maximum impact.

Logical connection or flow

Coherence
The piece lacked coherence and felt disjointed.

Delicate and otherworldly

Ethereal
The music had an ethereal quality.

To communicate or make known

Convey
He struggled to convey his true feelings.

Aspect or element of something

Dimension
This issue has many dimensions to consider.

Capacity for perception or artistic feeling

Sensibility
She has a strong visual sensibility.

Aim or purpose

Intent
His intent was never to offend.