Words for Writers
Precise, expressive words for people who care about sentences.
Writers need words that name a thing exactly: a tone, a structure, a shade of intention. These are the words that stop a sentence from reaching for three when one would do.
20 words
nuance
noun
A subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude.
“without understanding the finer nuances you can't enjoy the humor”
cadence
noun
(prosody) the accent in a metrical foot of verse.
allusion
noun
Passing reference or indirect mention.
metaphor
noun
A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity.
juxtapose
verb
Place side by side.
“The fauvists juxtaposed strong colors”
aphorism
noun
A short pithy instructive saying.
epiphany
noun
A divine manifestation.
motif
noun
A design or figure that consists of recurring shapes or colors, as in architecture or decoration.
lyric
noun
The text of a popular song or musical-comedy number.
“his compositions always started with the lyrics”
ambiguity
noun
An expression whose meaning cannot be determined from its context.
clarity
noun
Free from obscurity and easy to understand; the comprehensibility of clear expression.
imagery
noun
The ability to form mental images of things or events.
“he could still hear her in his imagination”
satire
noun
Witty language used to convey insults or scorn.
“he used sarcasm to upset his opponent”
irony
noun
Witty language used to convey insults or scorn.
“he used sarcasm to upset his opponent”
brevity
noun
The use of brief expressions.
rhythm
noun
The basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music.
“the piece has a fast rhythm”
narrative
noun
A message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program.
“his narrative was interesting”
voice
noun
The distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech.
“A shrill voice sounded behind us”
tone
noun
The quality of a person's voice.
“he began in a conversational tone”
texture
noun
The feel of a surface or a fabric.
“the wall had a smooth texture”