The Words You Should Know to Sound Smart (8 page)

iconoclast
(eye-KAHN-uh-clast), noun

An individual who is contrarian in thought, rebellious in spirit, oppositional, and who applies himself to battling established institutions, existing governments, religious doctrine, and popular notions and beliefs.

The late George Carlin saw the role of the comic in society as one of ICONOCLAST.

ideologue
(EYE-dee-oh-log), noun

A person who rigidly adheres to an ideology with a closed mind regarding other points of view.

“An IDEOLOGUE may be defined as a mad intellectual.” – Clifton Fadiman, American critic

ignominious
(ig-no-MIN-ee-us), adjective

Marked by failure or humiliation in public.

After his IGNOMINIOUS defeat in the election, Frank never ran for Congress again.

imbroglio
(im-BRO-lee-oh), noun

Colloquially referred to as a “sticky situation”—a predicament that is difficult to get out of.

Our inability to decide which New Year’s Eve party to attend created an IMBROGLIO that disrupted our social calendar for months.

immure
(ih-MYOOR), verb

To confine, imprison, or enclose behind walls.

Whitney remained IMMURED in her room as she pondered the itinerary for her luxury vacation to Italy.

immutable
(im-MYOO-tuh-bull), adjective

Unable, or unwilling, to change.

“I don’t know what IMMUTABLE differences exist between men and women apart from differences in their genitals.” – Naomi Weisstein, American feminist

impalpable
(im-PAL-puh-bull), adjective

Difficult to understand easily; or, intangible.

imparity
(ihm-PAR-ih-tee), noun

Inequality or disparity.

There is little, if any, IMPARITY between the chateaubriand offered at the two bistros.

impecunious
(im-puh-KYOON-ee-us), adjective

To be poor or broke; to have little or no money.

Alex has been raving about his IMPECUNIOUS state ever since his trust fund was cut from $25,000 to $20,000 per month.

implausible
(im-PLAWZ-ih-bull), adjective

Difficult to believe; highly unlikely to be true.

“At first glance, most famous fairy tales seem so IMPLAUSIBLE and irrelevant to contemporary life that their survival is hard to understand.” – Alison Lurie, American novelist and academic

implicit
(im-PLIH-set), adjective

Something that is understood or implied but not stated directly.

“The vanity of men, a constant insult to women, is also the ground for the IMPLICIT feminine claim of superior sensitivity and morality.” – Patricia Meyer Spacks, American literary critic

importunate
(ihm-PORE-chuh-nitt), adjective

Urgent and persistent in solicitation, to the point of annoyance.

“Sisters are always drying their hair. / Locked into rooms, alone, / They pose at the mirror, shoulders bare, / Trying this way and that their hair, / Or fly IMPORTUNATE down the stair / To answer the telephone.” – Phyllis McGinley, American poet

imprecation
(IM-pre-kay-shun), noun

A curse spoken aloud.

Thomas muttered IMPRECATIONS as he circled the airfield, waiting for clearance to land his Airbus 380.

improvidence
(im-PRAH-vih-dense), noun

A rash action performed without careful consideration or deliberation.

“This made him think of all the nights … spending his youth with the casual IMPROVIDENCE of a millionaire.” – Richard Matheson, American science fiction writer

impugn
(ihm-PYOON), verb

To attack as false or wrong.

“I do not IMPUGN the motives of any one opposed to me. It is no pleasure to me to triumph over any one.” –Abraham Lincoln

impute
(im-PYOOT), verb

To attribute something, to assign responsibility or blame.

incipient
(in-SIH-pee-ent), adjective

In the early stages of development; developing but not fully formed.

The chef’s INCIPIENT cuisine already surpasses the fare of other, more established, culinary artists.

incommensurable
(in-co-MEN-ser-uh-bull), adjective

Two things that cannot be measured or judged by the same standards.

“Two men who perceive the same situation differently but employ the same vocabulary in its discussion speak from INCOMMENSURABLE viewpoints.” – Thomas Kuhn, American philosopher

incongruous
(in-KAHNG-grew-us), adjective

Describes something that does not belong in its current place, setting, or role; out of place; not fitting in.

“The taste for quotations (and for the juxtaposition of INCONGRUOUS quotations) is a Surrealist taste.” – Susan Sontag, American literary theorist, philosopher, and political activist

incontrovertible
(in-kahn-trah-VER-tih-bull), adjective

Beyond question or dispute.

“Some minds are as little logical or argumentative as nature; they can offer no reason or “guess,” but they exhibit the solemn and INCONTROVERTIBLE fact.” – Henry David Thoreau, American author and transcendentalist

inculcate
(IN-kul-kate), transitive verb

To impress an idea or belief upon someone by repeating it to that person over and over until the idea is firmly lodged in his brain.

New cult members are quickly INCULCATED with the cult leader’s beliefs and world view.

inculpate
(in-KOOL-pate), verb

To incriminate, blame, or charge with a crime.

Thanks to our connections, none of us were INCULPATED in the nightclub melee.

indefatigable
(in-deh-fah-TEE-gah-bull), adjective

Capable of continuing along one’s current course of action without wavering, tiring, or faltering.

“We are truly INDEFATIGABLE in providing for the needs of the body, but we starve the soul.” – Ellen Wood, British playwright

indite
(in-DITE), verb

To write or compose a literary work.

“But if, both for your love and skill, your name / You seek to nurse at fullest breasts of Fame, / Stella behold, and then begin to INDITE.” – Sir Philip Sidney, English courtier, soldier, and poet

ineffable
(in-EF-uh-bull), adjective

Something so fantastic, incredible, or difficult-to-grasp it cannot be described in words.

Poet Ezra Pound wrote of “the infinite and INEFFABLE quality of the British empire.”

ineluctable
(In-el-LUCK-tah-bull), adjective

Unavoidable, inevitable, with a sense of being unfortunate, sad, or even tragic.

Our inability to procure Pratesi linens for our Colorado ski lodge created an INELUCTABLE sadness among the members of our family.

inexorable
(in-eks-ZOR-ah-bull), adjective

Inevitable; unavoidable; relentless; persistent; unstoppable.

“I know enough to know that most of the visible signs of aging are the result of the INEXORABLE victory of gravity over tissue.” – Isaac Asimov, Russian-born American author and biochemist

inextricably
(in-eks-TRIK-uh-blee), adverb

Something that is strongly linked to something else, with the bond between quite difficult to break.

“At its best, [Japanese cooking] is INEXTRICABLY meshed with aesthetics, with religion, with tradition and history.” – M. F. K. Fisher, American author

inference (IN-fer-ence),
noun

The process of reaching a logical conclusion by examining and analyzing the evidence.

Watson solved cases through INFERENCE, while Sherlock Holmes was seemingly gifted with flashes of brilliant insight.

inimical
(ih-NIM-ih-kull), adjective

Something working in opposition to your goal; having a harmful effect, particularly on an enterprise or endeavor.

Clarissa’s decorating sense is INIMICAL to producing a successful soiree.

innocuous
(ih-NAHK-yew-us), adjective

Not harmful or offensive; innocent, incidental, and hardly noticeable.

“I know those little phrases that seem so INNOCUOUS and, once you let them in, pollute the whole of speech.” – Samuel Beckett, Irish writer, dramatist, and poet

inscrutable
(in-SKROO-tuh-bull), adjective

Mysterious and not easy to understand.

“I suppose I now have the reputation of being an INSCRUTABLE dipsomaniac. One woman here originated the rumour that I am extremely lazy and will never do or finish anything.” – James Joyce, Irish author and playwright

insouciant
(in-SOO-see-unt), adjective

Acting as if one has not a care in the world; free of worry and angst.

We are never INSOUCIANT about our wealth because we must work at all times to ensure its protection.

insular
(INN-suh-ler), adjective

Self-contained and therefore isolated from the world and unaffected by outside influences, usually to one’s detriment.

The Pricewaters moved from the family’s tradition enclave to a more INSULAR compound further up the coast.

insuperable
(in-SOO-per-uh-bull), adjective

Not possible to overcome or surmount.

“Conceit is an INSUPERABLE obstacle to all progress.” Ellen Terry, British actress

intelligentsia
(in-tell-ih-GENT-see-uh), noun

The class of people who are cultured, educated, intellectual, and interested in art and literature.

“You see these gray hairs? Well, making whoopee with the INTELLIGENTSIA was the way I earned them.” – Dorothy Parker, American author and poet

intemperate
(in-TEM-prit), adjective

Refers to a person who indulges his own whims and fancies without regard to other people’s feelings or inconvenience.

“Certainly it was ordained as a scourge upon the pride of human wisdom, that the wisest of us all, should thus outwit ourselves, and eternally forego our purposes in the INTEMPERATE act of pursuing them.” – Laurence Sterne, Irish-born English novelist and Anglican clergyman

interminably
(in-TUR-min-uh-blee), adverb

Seemingly without end or going on for an indeterminate period of time.

interpolate
(in-TER-poh-late), verb

To introduce something—often something unnecessary—between other things or parts.

Dexter could not help but continuously INTERPOLATE unnecessary criticism into the discussion of the latest Parisian designs.

interpose
(in-ter-POZ), verb

To aggressively insert your unsolicited opinion, assistance, or presence into a situation where it is not particularly wanted.

“I hope I am not INTERPOSING,” Eileen said as she walked in on our meeting—which of course, she was.

intractable
(in-TRACK-tuh-bull), adjective

Difficult to control or manage.

“It is precisely here, where the writer fights with the raw, the INTRACTABLE, that poetry is born.” – Doris Lessing, British author

intransigent
(in-TRANZ-ih-gent), adjective

Stubborn; refusing to consider opinions other than one’s own.

“Lamont stared for a moment in frustration but Burt’s expression was a clearly INTRANSIGENT one now.” – Isaac Asimov, Russian-born American author and biochemist

intrinsic
(in-TRIN-zick), adjective

Of, or related to, something’s essential nature.

“We are the men of INTRINSIC value, who can strike our fortunes out of ourselves, whose worth is independent of accidents in life, or revolutions in government: we have heads to get money, and hearts to spend it.” – George Farquhar, Irish dramatist

inurement
(inn-UR-meant), noun

Acceptance without resistance or fighting back of punishment, poor treatment, or unpleasant circumstances or conditions.

“Perhaps others might respond to this treatment with INUREMENT,” Eloise hissed, “but I will buy my diamonds at another boutique from this point forward.”

invective
(inn-VEK-tiv), noun

Criticism or negative observations expressed in the strongest, harshest possible terms.