Long Synonym Quiz

You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined by our quiz guy, John Chaneski.

Hi, John.

Hi, Grant.

Hi, Martha.

Hi, John.

What is up?

Well, you know, people are always talking about, you know, the difference between athletic people and people who like puzzles and games.

And I think there’s a straight analogy between exercising your mind and exercising your body.

So I think you have to exercise your brain, which is why I’ve come up with this quiz.

This game is sort of an Olympic event.

I’ll start you off with a one-syllable word, and you each have to write down a couple of synonyms.

The idea being that the more syllables, the better.

Sort of like the long jump.

The further you go, the better you score, okay?

Okay.

For example, if I start you with dumb, D-U-M-B, think about it a second and come up with the longest word you can that’s synonymous with dumb.

Now, vacuous is only three syllables, but it’s still an improvement.

Now, the best I have, can you think of one, maybe?

Well, it depends on the meanings of dumb, but ridiculous, maybe.

Or four, that’s pretty good.

Idiotic.

Yeah.

That’s another four.

Very good.

I have unintelligent.

Unintelligent.

That’s five.

Yeah.

That plus vacuous gets you like eight.

That’s a nice score.

That’s pretty good.

Okay.

So, we’re just going to add syllables up and see how far you guys go.

Okay.

Okay.

Here we go.

The first word is appropriately start.

So begin is to.

Beginning if you use it as a noun.

Oh, yeah, that’s fine.

There’s a noun if you ever go.

So then you could do commencement.

Commencement is three.

Very good.

Very good.

Initiation.

Initiation is five.

Nice.

Want to go for another one?

Is there another one?

Well, there’s a couple, but let’s see.

You did pretty well.

That’s with the three and three and five.

We got like 11 there.

That’s good.

Initialization.

That’s a good six.

Embarkation, inauguration with what’s going on now.

Yeah, inauguration’s coming up.

Okay, let’s do another one.

Here we go.

The word is great.

Stupendous.

That’s three.

Outstanding.

Another three.

Most of the ones I have listed here are at least four, just so you know.

Great.

Extraordinary.

Extraordinary, five.

Well, depending on how you say it, yes, but I’ll give it a five.

I said a five.

Extraordinary.

Very good.

That’s a good 11 right there.

Let’s have considerable, illustrious.

Okay.

Here’s another one about the word same.

Same, S-A-M-E.

Right, two things are the same.

They can be said to be.

Similar.

That’s three.

Identical.

Identical, yeah.

Four.

Mirroring images.

Sure, mirroring.

If you’re hyphenated, I’ll give it to you, sure.

Homogeneous, sort of.

That’s pretty good.

Five, that’s a good, let’s see, seven and five minutes.

Twelve, that’s nice.

I have interchangeable, indistinguishable, and undifferentiated.

Oh, nice.

Now, if you’re listening out there and you got that, good on you.

Here’s another one.

The word change, from same to change.

Well, we can do the mathematical delta, right, or the scientific delta, which is the change.

Let’s go for syllables.

Transformation.

I’m working my way up, buddy.

Good.

Transubstantiations.

Oh, nice.

Transubstantiations.

Transmogrification.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Transmogrification.

Oh, that’s a six, too.

That’s 12 and four.

That’s like 16.

Metamorphosis for a good five.

Of course, yeah.

All right.

Okay, you guys did fantastic on your Olympics.

I’d say you should get a gold medal for that.

Thanks, John.

Thank you, Martha.

Thank you, Grant.

Bye-bye.

See you later.

This is a show about short words and long words and a lot of goofing off in between.

877-929-9673 is the number to call to talk with us on the air, or you can email us.

That address is words@waywordradio.org.