Theme
Events: synonyms worth the distinction
An event word tells you how much control anyone had. Accident, stroke and chance all describe something unplanned, with quite different attitudes to luck. Short shelf, unusually clean distinctions.
Start hereOne per tier, easiest first
The whole shelfGrouped by difficulty tier
FoothillsTier 1 · everyday words · 17 words
Words you already use, paired with a synonym you probably also know.
TreelineTier 2 · one step up · 25 words
Familiar words, with a synonym that sits slightly outside daily speech.
- bumpnounblow
- clipnountime
- crackingnounsnap
- criticaladjectivedecisive
- currentnounflow
- cyclenounround
- defeatnounlicking
- disasternountragedy
- disturbancenouncommotion
- emergencynounpinch
- encounternounmeeting
- endnounlast
- engagementnouninvolvement
- fussnountrouble
- leaknounescape
- raisingnounlift
- replacementnounswitch
- returnnounhomecoming
- revolutionaryadjectiveradical
- risenounhike
- scrapenounscratch
- shockingadjectiveshameful
- spectacularadjectivedramatic
- tollnounbell
- victorynountriumph
RidgelineTier 3 · solid vocabulary · 36 words
The middle of the bank, where the near misses start to bite.
- accidentaladjectiveincidental
- birthnounnativity
- bitnounpiece
- bombshellnounthunderclap
- clangnouncrash
- contractionnouncompression
- creationnounconception
- deviationnoundifference
- dripnoundribble
- emergencenoungrowth
- engagementnouninvolvement
- finishnounending
- flopnounbust
- fussnountrouble
- initiationnouninstallation
- interruptionnounbreak
- invasionnounintrusion
- jinglenounjangle
- joltnounshock
- onsetnounoncoming
- outbreaknouneruption
- outburstnounburst
- prejudicialadjectivedamaging
- preliminarynounoverture
- progressnounadvance
- repeatnounrepetition
- revolutionnounrotation
- rumblingadjectivegrumbling
- shimmernounplay
- showernouncascade
- signverbsubscribe
- spatternounsputtering
- throbbingnounpounding
- untowardadjectiveadverse
- visitationnountrial
- wringnounsqueeze
High CampTier 4 · testing · 16 words
Words that turn up in serious reading rather than in conversation.
- accidentaladjectiveincidental
- ceremonynounobservance
- cyclenounround
- deathnounexpiry
- decreasenounlessening
- gushnounflush
- humiliationnounmortification
- looseningnounrelaxation
- passingnoungoing
- providentialadjectivedivine
- refinementnounelaboration
- remissionnounsubsidence
- returnnounhomecoming
- ringverbknell
- signverbsubscribe
- watershednounlandmark
SummitTier 5 · rare and formal · 4 words
The rare register: literary, legal and technical English.
Events is one shelf of many
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