No Wasting Words

Don’t waste perfectly good words. Use the opposites of words without opposites.

I noticed them before I knew what they were called – “unpaired words”: words without opposites. In most cases, these words do have opposites; it’s just that those opposites aren’t considered “real” words.

Since language is used, mangled, and made up on a regular basis, I’m taking the stance that since these words do have opposites, I’m going to use them whether other people think they are words or not.

The opposite of disgruntled MUST be gruntled.I’ve been disgruntled – fed up, angry, and resentful. When I get over it, I’m gruntled.

I can be profoundly inert – lethargic and inactive. When I get all rested and become active, I’m ert.

When I wake up in the morning, I look pretty unkempt. After I take a shower, fix my hair, and put on clean clothes, I’d say I was kempt.

I know people who are feckless – good for nothing, irresponsible. If they change their ways, develop initiative, and become responsible, then I would describe them as feckful.

If a person is rude, crude, and socially unacceptable – uncouth – then a person who is polite and behaves in a socially acceptable way is couth.


Take a stand.

Join me in preventing the neglect of these perfectly good words!