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A growing vocabulary
Definitions, synonyms, and examples from the weekly language feature, arranged newest first.
Week of November 2, 2026
Lacking a clear plan, steady purpose, or sustained effort; moving from one subject or activity to another.
Synonyms: aimless, haphazard, unfocused, fitful
After a desultory debate that drifted from taxes to campaign slogans, the legislature adjourned without addressing the housing shortage.
1. Common usage: Filled with or showing strong sexual desire.
Synonyms: lustful, lecherous, lewd
She flashed a lascivious smile.
2. Legal usage: Sexually lewd, obscene, or indecent; describing conduct outside accepted community standards of sexual propriety.
Synonyms: lewd, indecent, obscene
He was charged with indecent and lascivious conduct.
Week of October 26, 2026
Fruitful and inventive; producing many ideas or imaginative works, especially of a mind.
Synonyms: fruitful, creative, inventive, prolific
Her fecund mind supplied enough ideas for a dozen essays before breakfast.
1. Easily accomplished; requiring little effort.
Synonyms: easy, effortless, readily accomplished
For an experienced editor, correcting the obvious typo was a facile task.
2. Achieved without due care or thought; superficially convincing but lacking depth.
Synonyms: superficial, glib, shallow, oversimplified
His facile explanation blamed every economic problem on taxes and ignored the evidence.
Week of October 19, 2026
Overly concerned with minor details, formal rules, or showing off knowledge, often at the expense of the main point.
Synonyms: nitpicking, overly meticulous, bookish
His pedantic objections to the wording distracted everyone from the proposal’s real purpose.
Settling an issue or determining its outcome; in law, decisive of a claim, question, or case.
Synonyms: decisive, conclusive, determinative
The attorney’s argument was dispositive of the issue, leaving the court no need to consider the remaining objections.
Week of October 12, 2026
Very steep; also, sudden and dramatic, or done hastily without enough thought.
Synonyms: steep; abrupt, sharp; rash, hasty
The council made a precipitous decision to sell the public land before residents had a chance to weigh in.
Existing in name only; also, very small or token in amount.
Synonyms: in name only, titular; token, minimal
Citizens retained a nominal right to vote, but the ruling party controlled every name on the ballot.
Week of October 5, 2026
Government or control by a small group of people.
Synonyms: rule by the few, government by a small elite
When a handful of families controls public decisions, a country may function as an oligarchy even if it still holds elections.
A system in which advancement or authority is based on ability and achievement rather than wealth, family connections, or inherited status.
Synonyms: rule by merit, advancement by ability
In a meritocracy, the job goes to the most capable applicant rather than the one with the best connections.
Week of September 28, 2026
Government or control by the wealthy.
Synonyms: rule by the rich, moneyed oligarchy
A democracy may retain elections in form while drifting toward plutocracy in practice.
Government or control by a mob.
Synonyms: mob rule, mobocracy
The rule of law is meant to prevent popular anger from hardening into ochlocracy.
Week of September 21, 2026
Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.
Synonyms: idealistic, impractical, romantic
It may be quixotic to expect concentrated power to restrain itself without organized public pressure.
To lower in rank, dignity, or esteem; to humble or degrade.
Synonyms: demean, degrade, humiliate
No citizen should have to abase himself before a public official to receive equal treatment under law.
Week of September 14, 2026
Favorable to health or well-being; health-giving, wholesome, or beneficial.
Synonyms: healthful, wholesome, beneficial
Open debate may exert a salubrious influence on institutions that have grown resistant to criticism.
Appearing neat or convincing but achieved too easily and without sufficient thought or depth.
Synonyms: simplistic, superficial, glib
The claim that every political problem has one obvious cause is usually a facile explanation.
Week of September 7, 2026
Extreme or aggressive patriotism, especially when expressed through a belligerent foreign policy.
Synonyms: chauvinism, belligerence, ultranationalism
Love of country need not descend into jingoism or contempt for other nations.
Insincere, empty, or foolish talk, especially speech intended to impress or please an audience.
Synonyms: nonsense, claptrap, humbug
The candidate’s soaring promise sounded impressive until the details revealed it to be pure buncombe.
Week of September 1, 2026
A political leader who gains support by appealing to popular emotions, fears, or prejudices rather than by reasoned argument.
Synonyms: agitator, firebrand, rabble-rouser
A healthy democracy requires citizens who can distinguish a persuasive leader from a demagogue.
Favorable; giving or indicating a good chance of success.
Synonyms: favorable, auspicious, promising
The calm interval between elections may be especially propitious for reconsidering election rules.
Showy but cheap, false, or inferior; something made to appear better than it is.
Synonyms: shoddy, counterfeit, tawdry
The proposal’s impressive title could not conceal its brummagem substance.