Make Your Point > Archived Issues > VINCIBLE

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explore the archives: Vincible means conquerable, able to be defeated, able to be overcome. Compare that to fallible: able to make a mistake, able to be wrong. Both words imply weakness, often a hidden weakness, but which word is better for describing a problem? Why? Which is better for describing a beloved parent? Why? Why are both words appropriate for describing theories and leaders? Answer all this to your own satisfaction and you'll know you've conquered these words. :) make your point with... "VINCIBLE" You often see the opposite, invincible, meaning unable to be defeated, like Superman. Someone or something vincible is beatable: able to be defeated, or able to be conquered or overcome.  "Vincible" and "invincible" share a root with "victor," "victory," "victorious," and even "convince." When something is vincible, you can be victorious over it. Pronunciation: VIN sib ull 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 "a vincible thing" or "a vincible person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was vincible" or "He was vincible.") Other forms: vincibly, vincibility How to use it: "Vincible" is the word we need when we find ourselves describing who and what is not invincible: we can avoid the double negative and just say that these things and people are vincible.  Talk about vincible arguments and objections, vincible beliefs, vincible fears, vincible obstacles, vincible defects and flaws and bad habits, vincible armies and vincible opponents in sports and competitions and political races, etc. "Vincible ignorance," exactly as it sounds, is the ignorance we suffer from that we actually have the power to remove if we want to (and if we make the effort). examples: Even after winning match after match, an accomplished chess player is still vincible and needs to stay sharp. They are afflicted with a deep but vincible belief that math is painful and hard. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "vincible" means when you can explain it without saying "beatable" or "surmountable." try it out: Think of an obstacle you overcame. Fill in the blanks: "(The specific obstacle) proved vincible when I (did something)." Example: "My fear of Katie's dog proved vincible when I stopped paying attention to its size and instead noticed its sweet personality." 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. This month, we're playing "You Know, That Thing!" This game challenges your powers of recall. Start a timer: twenty seconds if you're an adult, longer if you're a kid or an English language learner. Read the description of each thing, and come up with its name. Try to name all three before your timer runs out. (Scroll all the way down for the answers.) Ready? Go! 1. Small, white, round stickers that protect notebook paper near the holes are... 2. The pointy orange thing that reroutes traffic is a... 3. A movie or theater performance in the afternoon instead of the evening is a... review today's word: 1. One opposite of VINCIBLE (besides the precise INVINCIBLE) is A. INDOMITABLE B. IMMOVABLE C. INDISPUTABLE 2. In a catchy, thoughtful song, Dar Williams describes a vincible _____ that _____ A. February .. was "long and cold and scary." B. empire .. "fell on its own splintered axis." C. group of teen girls .. "had looks...and rules." Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@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. A 2. B Answers to game questions: 1. reinforcers or reinforcement labels 2. traffic cone or pylon 3. matinee