# Words you use to make yourself sound smart

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 18, 2011, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103 "2011-03-18T02:23:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/81 "2011-04-04T00:12:40Z")

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> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#):
>
> Carbuncular trollopsy!!

What are you talking about??

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**Author:** ![scamartistry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@scamartistry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scamartistry)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/82 "2011-04-04T00:15:42Z")

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> [@Purd\_Werfect](#):
>
> provenance, ubiquitous, stuff like that. Not to sound smart, but because that’s simply the way I speak.

I got douche-chills from this message

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/83 "2011-04-04T00:35:39Z")

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I am wont to use obsolete or archaic words-I particularly like “paradigm shift” and “scoundrel”.

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**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/84 "2011-04-04T00:52:28Z")

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> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> I am wont to use obsolete or archaic words-I particularly like “paradigm shift” and “scoundrel”.

Scoundrel is a great word, but I prefer to sneer “cad”.

I don’t think I’d call either archaic, though.

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**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/85 "2011-04-04T01:21:26Z")

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Indubitably, unless I’m being avuncular.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/86 "2011-04-04T01:35:51Z")

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I like to go for a little reverse psychology and use words that people think are dumb but actually aren’t. “Niggardly” and “ironical” are especially good examples of this. Sure, people will laugh at you and make fun of you behind your back but you can rest easy knowing you good the upper hand on their ignorance.

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**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-you-use-to-make-yourself-sound-smart/575103/87 "2011-04-04T21:52:43Z")

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badinage

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