Theme
Materials: synonyms worth the distinction
Substance words describe texture as much as composition, which is why oily maps onto greasy and mucky onto muddy. Sensory vocabulary with almost no formal register to it.
Start hereOne per tier, easiest first
The whole shelfGrouped by difficulty tier
FoothillsTier 1 · everyday words · 8 words
Words you already use, paired with a synonym you probably also know.
TreelineTier 2 · one step up · 18 words
Familiar words, with a synonym that sits slightly outside daily speech.
- abrasiveadjectivegritty
- beamnoungirder
- causticadjectivecorrosive
- fibrousadjectivestringy
- gemnounstone
- grittyadjectiveabrasive
- impermeableadjectivewatertight
- malleableadjectiveworkable
- mildadjectivesoft
- patinanounsheen
- preparationnouncooking
- resilientadjectiveelastic
- roughlyadverbcoarsely
- shardnounsliver
- smeltverbrefine
- sturdilyadverbrobustly
- tightlyadverbdensely
- veneernounoverlay
RidgelineTier 3 · solid vocabulary · 11 words
The middle of the bank, where the near misses start to bite.
High CampTier 4 · testing · 17 words
Words that turn up in serious reading rather than in conversation.
- airyadjectivegossamer
- alloynounamalgam
- crumblyadjectivefriable
- cureverbvulcanize
- debrisnoundetritus
- dryverbdesiccate
- flexiblyadverbpliantly
- forgeverbsmith
- friableadjectivecrumbly
- kneadverbwedge
- muckyadjectivemuddy
- peelverbdelaminate
- preparationnouncooking
- sizenounsizing
- slimyadjectiveslimed
- stretchyadjectiveextensible
- toughenverbanneal
SummitTier 5 · rare and formal · 3 words
The rare register: literary, legal and technical English.
Materials is one shelf of many
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