Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ACRIMONIOUS
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connect today's word to others:
The tone of an acrimonious argument is nasty, and an acrimonious campaign is a mean, bitter one.
Acrimonious comes from a Latin word meaning "sharp, harsh, sour, and bitter," and so do two synonyms we've checked out before:
1. acr__, as in "the acr__ smell of molding books;"
2. and ac___ic, as in "a comedy full of ac___ic one-liners" (or the overused phrase "ac___ic wit").
Can you recall both?
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"ACRIMONIOUS"
Acrimonious things are sharp, harsh, mean, and bitter.
Pronunciation:
ACK ruh MONE ee us
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late."
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in "an acrimonious debate."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was acrimonious.")
Other forms:
For the noun, pick "acrimoniousness" or "acrimony" (ACK ruh mone ee). (I prefer "acrimony.")
The adverb is "acrimoniously."
How to use it:
Talk about
acrimonious tones, manners, and feelings;
acrimonious words, speeches, and conversations;
acrimonious debates, campaigns, and contests;
acrimonious spats, feuds, conflicts, arguments, lawsuits, and legal battles;
acrimonious misunderstandings;
acrimonious relationships;
acrimonious splits, partings, and divorces, etc.
examples:
Traditionally, a roast is supposed to be good-natured, even peppered with hints of praise, not acrimonious.
Her parting from the company was so acrimonious that we were shocked--and worried how desperate she must be--when she asked us for a letter of recommendation.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "acrimonious" means when you can explain it without saying "resentful" or "biting."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "(Two specific people or groups) (can't or couldn't) even hold a discussion without descending into acrimony."
Example: "Until their twenties, the sisters couldn't even hold a discussion without descending into acrimony."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
Uncommon Opposites!
In each issue this month, I'll give you a rare word and its definition, and you come up with its more familiar opposite.
For example, if I say, "To exfiltrate is to secretly withdraw people from a dangerous situation," then you come up with the opposite: "infiltrate." Or if I say, "An allograph is something written by someone other than the person concerned," then you come up with "autograph."
We'll take these in order from easy to hard as the month goes on. Ready?
From our previous issue: Hypermnesia is an overactive memory, the power to remember a great deal of information. What's the opposite?
Answer: Amnesia.
Try this today: A hominist is an advocate for men’s rights. What’s the opposite?
review today's word:
1. One opposite of ACRIMONIOUS is
A. CEREBRAL.
B. ELEMENTAL.
C. GENIAL.
2. We see Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches" as a gentle _____ acrimony between social castes.
A. celebration of
B. suggestion of
C. warning against
Answers are below.
a final word:
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From Liesl's blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. C
2. C
The tone of an acrimonious argument is nasty, and an acrimonious campaign is a mean, bitter one.
"ACRIMONIOUS" Acrimonious things are sharp, harsh, mean, and bitter. Other forms:
Traditionally, a roast is supposed to be good-natured, even peppered with hints of praise, not acrimonious.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "acrimonious" means when you can explain it without saying "resentful" or "biting."
Fill in the blanks: "(Two specific people or groups) (can't or couldn't) even hold a discussion without descending into acrimony."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. One opposite of ACRIMONIOUS is
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |