Make Your Point > Archived Issues > MATCHLESS

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explore the archives: Matchless expresses, more plainly, the same idea expressed by the fancier "nonpareil" and "unpar_____ed."  To me, that word "unpar_____ed" sounds like a trumpet blast: DUN dun dun DUNNN. Sometimes you do need a trumpet blast of a word! Matchless is quieter but just as emphatic. make your point with... "MATCHLESS" Of course, "matchless" can be very literal: "a matchless sock," "matchless fire-making." But here's the meaning we'll focus on. Matchless people and things are so excellent that nothing else can match them. In other words, to be matchless is to be so good that you have no equals or no peers. Pronunciation: MATCH liss 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 matchless thing" or "a matchless person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was matchless" or "He was matchless.") Other forms: matchlessly, matchlessness How to use it: This word is graceful and simple. As long as you stick to its precise meaning, it's good for all situations. Talk about matchless people: she's a matchless figure skater, he's matchless as a storyteller. Or, matchless things: matchless beauty, a matchless performance, their matchless collection of art, this matchless contribution to humanity. examples: Among Granddad's cherished possessions was his matchless collection of Native American arrowheads. Despite its matchless ocean view, the house is worthless: the shoreline there is eroding. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "matchless" means when you can explain it without saying "superior" or "unique." try it out: Think of someone enormously talented, productive, or both. Fill in the blanks: "(Person) is/was a matchless (thing-doer, or doer of things)." Example: "Elton John is a matchless songwriter." 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. Our game this month is called One-Word Titles! Rely on your cultural knowledge, your vocabulary, or both as we consider the power and simplicity of one-word titles. We'll recall movies, songs, books, television shows, and musicals with brief, meaningful, well-chosen titles of only one word each. Let's play! From yesterday: The title of this 1516 book by Sir Thomas More means "a perfect or ideal society." In fact, with this book, More invented and popularized that word. The word, and the book’s title, is __________. Answer: Utopia. Try this today: The title of this television series that debuted in 2009, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan, means both "a type of musical composition for multiple voices" and "gladness, merriment." The title is ____. review today's word: 1. One opposite of MATCHLESS is A. REFINED B. STANDARD C. REJECTED 2. It's a _____ tourist destination known for its matchless _____. A. ritzy .. fees B. popular .. hotels C. kitschy .. D-list performers Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, 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. B 2. B