Make Your Point > Archived Issues > SORDID

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pronounce SORDID: Say it "SORD ud." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: You have to love Disney villains for their evil songs filled with highbrow words. See if you can supply the missing words from Scar's song, "Be Prepared." He's just laid out his plan to kill the king and seize the throne:    I know it sounds sordid    But you'll be rewarded    When at last I am given my dues...    So prepare for the coup of the century.    Be prepared for the murkiest scam.    M______ous planning,    T_____ty spanning    Decades of denial    Is simply why I'll    Be king un______ed,    Respected, saluted. Each word with blanks above is four syllables long. 1. The M-word means "very careful about details." 2. The T-word means "perseverance: holding on in a firm, strong way." 3. The U-word means "so true or so clear that no one denies it." (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: "Sordid" comes from a Latin word meaning "vile, foul, filthy, or dirty." That's what it means in English, too. Sordid things are dirty or disgusting, often in a way that's selfish and greedy. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "all the sordid details;" "Their history is sordid." Other forms:  The adverb is "sordidly." For a noun, you can pick between "sordidness" and, my preference, "sordidity." how to use it: Our word "sordid" is common, formal, and very harsh in tone. Pick it when you need to emphasize how deeply disgusting and selfish someone's actions are. You might talk about sordid people and their sordid plans, thoughts, intentions, ambitions, etc. Or, talk about a sordid past, a sordid history, all the sordid details of a sordid scam, etc. examples: "An apartment and two jobs just waiting for them? Money up front? There were plenty of unscrupulous recruiters who made all kinds of promises and deceived trusting job seekers — a cruel and sordid side of the industry."     — Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 1 April 2018 "There was something sordid about the tumbled sheets, the sprawling blankets, and the thumped pillows, and that bedside table dusty with powder, spilt scent, and melting liquid rouge. Her bed would be littered with the separated sheets of the daily papers folded anyhow, while French novels with curling edges and the covers torn kept company with American magazines. The mashed stubs of cigarettes lay everywhere..."    — Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca, 1938 has this page helped you understand "sordid"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "sordid" without saying "sleazy" or "despicable." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some book, movie, show, or news article) tells the sordid saga of _____." Example: "This article tells the sordid saga of GardaWorld, a trucking company that cut costs, took dangerous shortcuts, and got people killed." If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) 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. Country Song, or Springer Episode? Be warned: this month's game is in poor taste. I had so much fun creating it, so what does that say about me? And if you're good at it, what does that say about you? Oh, snap.  Country songs and Jerry Springer episodes have something in common: their self-aware, over-the-top titles. It's clear that the creators of both enjoyed poking fun at their genre. In each round of the game this month, check out a handful of titles, and see if you can decide whether each belongs to a country song or a Jerry Springer episode. For the answers, scroll all the way down. Try this last set today: 1. I Want My Mullet Back 2. Collidin' Kinfolk 3. You Were Only A Splinter As I Slid Down The Banister Of Life review this word: 1. One opposite of SORDID is A. MESSY. B. EVOCATIVE. C. IMMACULATE. 2. The word "sordid" appears in Onion articles such as _____ A. "I Think I'd Make a Pretty Good HBO Show," by 18th-Century France. B. "No One At Laser Tag Prepared For How Hard Dad Was Going To Bring It." C. "Historians Confirm Lewis And Clark Set Out On Expedition To Justify Purchase Of Expensive Camping Equipment." Answers to review questions: 1. C 2. A Answer to the game questions:  1. I Want My Mullet Back → Song 2. Collidin' Kinfolk → Springer 3. You Were Only A Splinter As I Slid Down The Banister Of Life → Song 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:    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.