Make Your Point > Archived Issues > UNDILUTED
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"UNDILUTED"
Pronunciation:
UN dih loot id
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 “undiluted support.”
2. After a linking verb, as in "The support was undiluted.”)
Meaning:
To dilute something is to water it down: to make it weaker or less effective.
So, something undiluted is as strong and effective as it can be: it has not been watered down.
Other forms:
dilute, diluted, diluting
How to use it:
"Undiluted" is another very easy word that's worth our consideration because it's handy yet underutilized.
Whatever you describe as undiluted is as powerful and as strong as it can be, so you're emphasizing that it's possible for that thing to be watered down or made less intense, and yet that's not the case.
You can be concrete and talk about undiluted apple juice, for instance, but more often we use this word abstractly. Talk about an undiluted feeling or reaction, like undiluted joy or undiluted disappointment. Something or someone can have an undiluted quality or aspect, like undiluted greed or undiluted beauty. You can express an undiluted message or idea. You can have an undiluted style or color, you can witness an undiluted force or power, and you can earn people's undiluted focus or attention, and so on.
Lastly, just as something can be diluted by something ("soda diluted by melted ice," "a message diluted by oversimplification") you can have something undiluted by something: "Her joy as a new mom is undiluted by the increase in responsibilities."
Only on a cloudless day in Hilo can you witness the undiluted beauty of the mountain.
One of my favorite Taylor Swift songs shows gratitude for her mother's undiluted support: "You were on my side even when I was wrong."
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "undiluted" means when you can explain it without saying “pure" or "full strength."
Think of an activity you enjoy so much that it totally absorbs you, and fill in the blank: "I give my undiluted attention to _(doing something)_."
Example: "I give my undiluted attention to browsing for new books that I hope will appeal to my students."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game and quote below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
Playing With Words:
Our game for July is called A Verbal Tour of the US. I’ll ask you a trivia question each day this month about the names of US cities, states, geographic features, etc. Try it out each day, and see the right answer the next day. Happy verbal trails to you!
From yesterday:
This funny-sounding term means “a long ridge with sharp crests.” An example of one is Dinosaur Ridge, in Colorado. There are some in Wyoming, too. The term is a compound word—the first half of it is an animal, and the second is a body part. What is the term?
Answer: A long ridge with sharp crests is a hogback!
Try this one today:
According to some sources, the name of this national park means “They are killers” because it was what the natives outside the valley called those who lived inside it. What national park is it?
A Point Well Made:
Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel: “It’s not the failure [itself] that’s desirable, it’s the dauntless effort despite the risks, the discovery of what works and what doesn’t that sometimes only failure can reveal.”
1. One opposite of UNDILUTED is
A. CONCENTRATED
B. ADULTERATED
C. CONFOUNDED
2. _____ can earn the undiluted approval of the entire public.
A. No political candidate, no matter how relatable,
B. A clearly and deeply flawed plan for reform
C. The simplest summation of how our country needs to improve
Answers are below.
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Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each day for free by Mrs. Liesl Johnson, M.Ed., a word lover, learning enthusiast, and private tutor of reading and writing in the verdant little town of Hilo, Hawaii. For writing tips, online learning, essay guidance, and more, please visit www.HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. B
2. A
![]() "UNDILUTED" Pronunciation: UN dih loot idPart of speech: Meaning: Other forms: |