Look, we're all trying to find a way to make ourselves seem smarter than we actually are. One of the easiest ways is to up our vocabulary.
We all better be careful about words you end up using, because the ones you think make you sound smart, actually make you sound pretentious!
A study from Preply actually found the words people use most often to sound smarter, and the words they use that actually make them sound pretentious!
The words that make people sound smarter include:
1 - Articulate
2 - Accolade
3 - Brevity
4 - Anomaly
5 - Adulation
6 - Abysmal
7 - Candor
8 - Adept
9 - Exacerbate
10 - Vernacular
And the top words that you think make you sound smarter, but actually make you sound PRETENTIOUS include:
1 - Faux pas
2 - Audacious
3 - Caveat
4 - Bonafide
5 - Chic
6 - Brevity
7 - Touché
8 - Adulation
9 - Articulate
The study also found:
1. 56% of people say they usually assume someone with a complex vocabulary is smart. And 78% say big, complex words can make someone seem smarter.
2. But they have to use the word CORRECTLY. 58% of people admit to using a word they didn't know the meaning of to sound smarter.
3. 68% of people say they have intentionally used complex words to impress someone. 63% have done it to impress a date, while 70% have done it at work.
4. But only 35% of people say big words in everyday conversation impresses them. 58% say it annoys or bothers them.
5. 43% of people say they've heard someone use words like this and thought the person was trying to sound smarter than they are . . . and 28% think someone with a complex vocabulary is insecure.
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