Know these 13 words? You're more educated than 95% of Americans

Every once in a while, I fall down an internet rabbit hole that reminds me how language shapes the way we see the world. It’s humbling — and a little funny — to realize that in an age of endless TikTok slang, some of the most elegant, expressive words have quietly slipped from everyday use.

If you know the 13 words on this list — not just their definitions, but how to use them naturally — you’re in rare company. You probably read more than average, think more critically, and notice subtleties that others miss.

Let’s dive in.

1. Ephemeral

It means: lasting a very short time.

We use it to describe things that are fleeting — a sunset, a viral trend, a perfect moment that you can’t hold onto. It’s poetic because it captures the bittersweet truth of life: nothing lasts.

Example: “That feeling of peace after a long run is ephemeral, but worth chasing.”

In a world obsessed with permanence, understanding ephemeral helps you appreciate the beauty in transience.

2. Cacophony

It means: a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds.

Think of a construction site, or an argument in a crowded restaurant. But it’s also a metaphor for modern life — the digital noise, the constant notifications, the sensory overload of being alive in 2025.

Example: “After an hour on social media, my brain felt like a cacophony of half-formed opinions.”

Knowing this word doesn’t just make you sound smarter. It gives you a label for the chaos we all feel.

3. Serendipity

It means: finding something good without looking for it.

It’s the opposite of hustle culture. Serendipity reminds us that not everything worth having comes from striving — sometimes, it comes from openness.

Example: “We met by pure serendipity — two strangers in the same aisle of an indie bookstore.”

There’s poetry in this word. It’s optimism disguised as vocabulary.

4. Ambivalent

It means: having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.

You can love someone deeply and still resent them sometimes. You can crave change and fear it at the same time. That’s ambivalence.

Example: “She was ambivalent about leaving her job — torn between freedom and stability.”

Being able to name your ambivalence is emotional intelligence in action.

5. Esoteric

It means: understood by only a small group of people with specialized knowledge.

In a world where everyone wants to be relatable, esoteric things stand apart — quantum physics, niche Reddit communities, underground music genres.

Example: “His taste in movies was so esoteric, I had to Google half the titles he mentioned.”

It’s not about showing off. It’s about recognizing the depth in things that most people overlook.

6. Ubiquitous

It means: present, appearing, or found everywhere.

Some words become so useful that you start noticing them everywhere — which, ironically, makes ubiquitous itself a perfect example.

Example: “Smartphones are ubiquitous — even monks have Instagram now.”

Knowing this word gives you a shorthand for the omnipresence of modern phenomena.

7. Juxtapose

It means: to place two things side by side for comparison or contrast.

It’s what great art — and great thinking — does. Juxtaposition helps us see patterns, contradictions, and beauty in the unexpected.

Example: “The neon sign was juxtaposed against the crumbling brick wall, like old meeting new.”

Every culture clash, meme trend, or fashion mash-up is an act of juxtaposition.

8. Ineffable

It means: too great or extreme to be expressed in words.

This one humbles writers like me. Some things — love, grief, awe — defy language itself.

Example: “The view from the mountain was ineffable — a feeling beyond description.”

If you’ve ever stood in silence, overwhelmed by beauty, you’ve felt the meaning of this word.

9. Apathy

It means: a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

It’s easy to confuse apathy with calmness, but they’re opposites. Calmness is peace with presence; apathy is peace from absence.

Example: “Scrolling past bad news without feeling anything — that’s modern apathy.”

Recognizing apathy in yourself or others is the first step toward empathy.

10. Melancholy

It means: a gentle sadness with no clear cause.

It’s not depression. It’s that wistful ache when you hear an old song or smell something that reminds you of home.

Example: “There’s a quiet melancholy in Sunday afternoons — the light fades, and time slows down.”

Melancholy gives texture to joy. It’s what makes happiness meaningful.

11. Dichotomy

It means: a division or contrast between two things that are represented as entirely different.

The world loves black-and-white narratives. But the truth usually lives in the grey space between — and that’s where dichotomy helps you think clearly.

Example: “The dichotomy between freedom and responsibility defines adulthood.”

If you can see dichotomies, you can see complexity — and that’s the mark of a thoughtful mind.

12. Eloquent

It means: fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.

Eloquence isn’t about big words — it’s about clarity, rhythm, and empathy. The best speakers aren’t the most intellectual; they’re the most felt.

Example: “She wasn’t loud, but her words were eloquent enough to silence the room.”

To be eloquent is to connect thought with emotion — something algorithms can’t do (yet).

13. Resilient

It means: able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions.

If there’s a word that defines our era, it’s this one. We’ve all been tested — globally, personally, spiritually. Resilience isn’t toughness; it’s elasticity.

Example: “After losing everything, he rebuilt his life with quiet resilience.”

Resilience doesn’t deny pain. It absorbs it, transforms it, and keeps moving.

Why These Words Matter

There’s a quiet power in language. Words are how we perceive, how we think, how we make meaning. When your vocabulary expands, so does your capacity for empathy, nuance, and self-expression.

Knowing ineffable helps you understand that some emotions can’t be captured. Knowing ambivalent reminds you that contradictions are human. Knowing resilient gives you strength when things fall apart.

These aren’t “big words” — they’re windows into deeper thinking.

The Hidden Cost of a Shrinking Vocabulary

Studies show that the average adult vocabulary is shrinking. Texting and social media favor brevity. We trade clarity for speed, nuance for efficiency. The average American adult reads at a 7th–8th grade level — not because they’re incapable of more, but because everyday language rarely demands it.

When we lose words, we lose awareness.

Without melancholy, sadness becomes one-dimensional. Without dichotomy, we mistake extremes for truth. Without serendipity, we forget that life isn’t fully under our control.

Words aren’t about elitism — they’re about consciousness.

Language as a Mirror

I think of vocabulary like seasoning in cooking. You don’t need rare spices to make something good, but the right ones transform the experience.

When I was younger, I used to think using “big words” was pretentious. Now I see it differently. It’s not about flexing intelligence — it’s about precision. Sometimes, a word like ephemeral just hits closer to the truth than “temporary” ever could.

When we reach for better words, we reach for better thinking.

A Challenge for You

Pick one of these 13 words. Use it today.

Say “I’m feeling ambivalent” instead of “I don’t know.”
Say “That view was ineffable” instead of “amazing.”
Say “I’m learning to be resilient” instead of “I’ll survive.”

Language doesn’t just describe your world — it defines it.

And if you already knew these 13 words? You’re not just more educated than 95% of Americans. You’re someone who sees the world in color, not grayscale.

Final thought:

In a culture that rewards quick takes and surface-level engagement, knowing words like melancholy and serendipity isn’t about showing off — it’s about staying human.

Words remind us that life is complex, fleeting, and worth naming beautifully.

That’s not elitism. That’s awareness. And maybe that’s the rarest kind of intelligence of all.