Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INVIOLABLE
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pronounce
INVIOLABLE:
Say it "in VYE uh luh bull."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the dramatic word inviolable, see if you can recall a close synonym.
Something sac__s____t is so holy, or so special and beloved, that it absolutely must be treated that way--and can't be changed, left out, or joked about. This word literally means "made holy by holy ceremonies."
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
If you make a promise and keep it, you're honoring it. If you make a promise and break it, you're violating it.
In that sense, violating things is the opposite of respecting or fulfilling them. That is, if you violate something, it's as if you're hurting it or doing violence to it in a way that dishonors it or disrespects it.
So, something violable is able to be dishonored or disrespected.
And something inviolable is so honorable, and so deserving of respect, that it should never be violated.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Adjective: "an inviolable promise;" "That principle is inviolable."
Other common forms:
The adverb is "inviolably."
For the noun, you can pick from "inviolacy" (my favorite), "inviolability," and "inviolableness."
how to use it:
Pick the formal, serious, semi-common word "inviolable" when you want to emphasize the holiness or sanctity of something very important.
Talk about an inviolable oath, promise, principle, right, feeling, commitment, relationship, commandment, requirement, tradition, or boundary.
examples:
"Her father was a church deacon and he believed the injunction 'till death do you part' to be as inviolable as 'Thou shalt not murder.'"
— Osha Gray Davidson, The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South, 1996
"As the art form has begun to borrow more from other traditions, the stuff that was once inviolable within jazz is now available for new experimentation."
— Giovanni Russonello, New York Times, 11 September 2018
has this page helped you understand "inviolable"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "inviolable" without saying "sacred" or "unassailable."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "From (some important moment or event), I knew (something) was inviolable."
Example: "From the very moment [the baby Shoshana] flung her fist away from her mouth to cry, I knew my feelings for her were inviolable."
— Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club, 1989
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Defining by Rhyming!
Check out the given term, and try to complete the definition by supplying a missing rhyming word. For example, if I give you "bevy = _ _ _ _ herd," then you give me "bird," because a bevy is a bird herd. To peek at the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
barrage = maul _ _ _ _
review this word:
A. CHATTY and VOLUBLE.
B. VIVID and IRIDESCENT.
C. THROWAWAY and INSIGNIFICANT.
2.
In The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri wrote, "Within Bengali families, individual names are _____, inviolable."
A. sacred
B. precise
C. symbolic
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A 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.
As we check out the dramatic word inviolable, see if you can recall a close synonym.
If you make a promise and keep it, you're honoring it. If you make a promise and break it, you're violating it.
Part of speech:
Pick the formal, serious, semi-common word "inviolable" when you want to emphasize the holiness or sanctity of something very important.
"Her father was a church deacon and he believed the injunction 'till death do you part' to be as inviolable as 'Thou shalt not murder.'"
Explain the meaning of "inviolable" without saying "sacred" or "unassailable."
Fill in the blanks: "From (some important moment or event), I knew (something) was inviolable."
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |