You are halfway through a paragraph when you realize you’re using the same word again and again: says, says, says. A few tenses ago, it was said, said, said. It’s bland, so you open up a search bar and look for synonyms for says. Alternatives to “says” only do half a job, though. They don’t…
The word ‘cool’ has few equivalents that do the same work in English: it may refer to a garment, a companion, a draught, a scheme, or even a state of mind. As such, it is one of those words which we tend to use most often and yet find hardest to define clearly enough to…
“Interesting” is one of the most flexible words in English. You can use it for a documentary, a job offer, a neighbor’s haircut, or a scientific finding. That flexibility is also its weakness. The word says something held your attention, but not why or how. Choosing a better word is mostly a matter of asking…