Literary Words You'll Want To Know

In many writing exercises, whether they be writing a job application, creating a speech, orbusiness writing, you will probably have been told to use everyday words and keep your language simple. That is often very sound advice, and helps keep communication simple and effective. 

In some contexts, though, you may wish to use a less common, more elevated word. This list of words below would largely be used in writing that was intentionally seeking a literary tone. That might be a poem, or (if you are writing fiction) in the dialogue of a literary character - or even apretentious one.

On the other hand, you may simply want new words for language games, or hope to impress friends and family! Whatever the reason, the list below will offer literary equivalents for everyday words (behold for see; lightsome for nimble; dulcify for sweeten), terms relating to Greek mythology (Rhadamanthine, Stygian), and words with unexpected meanings (crapulent, for example).

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