This post is part of a series describing interesting, slightly uncommon words, and how to use them.
Image credit: Pixabay
I love words, and love to continually build a rich vocabulary. I know we have a global platform here, and people from many corners of the world, walks of life, backgrounds, levels of education, and native languages. No matter who you are, if you have an interest in learning new words in the English language and seeing them in context, this might be fun for you.
As I mentioned, it would be great if others participate. If there’s a word you love that you think other people might not know, please write a “Words to Learn” post using the format outlined below.
Words to learn format
Here’s the format: Provide the word, the pronunciation, the definition, a description of how and when to use it, and a few examples of sentences. You may also want to list any other forms of the word, and a description of what you like about the word. Then please use #learnwords as one of your tags, which I’ve made up for this purpose. Let’s get started!
The word inexorably
- Pronunciation: This word is pronounced “in-ek-ser-uh-blee.”
- Definition: This is an adverb that means unyielding, unstoppable, or relentless.
- How to use it: Inexorably is handy when you want to communicate that something just won’t stop.
- Another form of the word: Inexorable.
- Example sentences:
Despite the sandbags along the river bank, the river swelled inexorably over the barrier.
*In the subsequent chapters the narrator is pulled, inexorably, to new depths of disillusionment and wretchedness.
I made up the first of these two examples and found the other on the Internet.
The reason I love this word is because it is highly versatile. In novels writers may use it in a wry, negative or facetious way. If you are a fiction writer, you can use this word to enrich the language in your writing. For example, let’s say someone is riding a train to a destination to see a relative they really do not like. Here’s a little scene I made up to illustrate one use of the word:
Sarah cringed, remembering her great aunt’s cold, leathery hand on her arm. It seemed impossible that it belonged to a living being. She wished more than anything that her mother had not forced her to go on this trip, or that she could simply stop the train and send it back down the tracks in reverse. But the train moved inexorably toward Doileag, clacking like a death march drum beat.
Try using the word. It might be fun to surprise your friends and use it in a sentence, if you usually don’t use fancy words.
Thanks for reading!
