People with strong vocabularies don’t use big words to impress. They use everyday words correctly, even when most people don’t realize they’re getting them wrong. Once you notice that difference, you start hearing clarity and confidence in how people communicate.
I spent most of my twenties working in high-end restaurants, and one thing that surprised me was how much language mattered behind the scenes.
Not flowery language or pretentious jargon, but simple everyday words used with almost obsessive precision.
In kitchens and dining rooms, words aren’t just decorative. They carry instructions, expectations, and sometimes the difference between a smooth service and absolute chaos.
That experience trained my ear. I started noticing that people with truly strong vocabularies don’t rely on obscure words to sound intelligent.
They use common words correctly, even when everyone else is casually getting them wrong.
Once you start paying attention to this, it changes how you listen to people. You can hear clarity, confidence, and care in the way someone chooses their words.
Here are nine words that quietly reveal whether someone really understands language or just thinks they do.
1) Literally
This word has become the poster child for modern misuse, and for good reason. Most people now use literally as an emotional intensifier rather than a statement of fact.
When someone says, “I was literally dying of embarrassment,” they’re not communicating accuracy. They’re communicating drama.
Literally means something happened exactly as described, without exaggeration or metaphor.
If you literally ran out of the restaurant because the fire alarm went off, that tells me something very specific.
In professional kitchens, this distinction mattered more than you’d expect.
If someone said a freezer literally broke overnight, we didn’t debate semantics, we took immediate action.
People with exceptional vocabularies tend to use literally sparingly. When they do use it, they mean it, and that restraint gives the word its power back.
2) Irony
Irony is one of those words that people confidently misuse, which somehow makes it worse.
It gets applied to anything mildly inconvenient or unfortunate.
Irony is not just bad luck or disappointment. It’s a situation where the outcome directly contradicts expectations in a meaningful way.
A restaurant famous for food safety getting shut down for health violations is ironic. Burning your dinner at home is not.
People who understand irony intuitively look for that contrast before using the word. They ask whether there’s an implied setup and an unexpected reversal.
That pause alone signals a more thoughtful relationship with language.
3) Disinterested
Disinterested is often treated as a fancy version of uninterested, but they describe two very different states.
Mixing them up can change the meaning of a sentence entirely.
Uninterested means bored or lacking curiosity. Disinterested means impartial or unbiased.
If a food critic is disinterested, that’s exactly what you want. If a guest is disinterested in the menu, that’s a problem.
People with strong vocabularies understand how this word functions in professional and ethical contexts.
They know that being disinterested can be a strength, not a flaw.
Using it correctly signals that you understand nuance, not just surface-level meaning.
4) Nonplussed
This is the word that gets almost everyone.
Most people think nonplussed means unimpressed, unfazed, or indifferent. In reality, it means confused, surprised, or unsure how to react.
If a chef suddenly changes the menu mid-service and the staff just stands there blinking, they are nonplussed.
They are not calm or cool, they are momentarily stunned.
This word has been misused so frequently that some dictionaries now acknowledge the incorrect definition because of widespread adoption.
That doesn’t make the original meaning disappear.
People with exceptional vocabularies still use nonplussed the traditional way.
When they do, it’s a subtle signal that they care about language history and precision.
It’s also a reminder that confidence doesn’t always equal correctness.
5) Bemused
Bemused is another word people think they understand because it sounds friendly and light.
In reality, it describes something much closer to confusion than amusement.
To be bemused is to be puzzled or mentally distracted, often with a hint of curiosity.
It doesn’t mean entertained or delighted, though those feelings can coexist.
I’ve seen restaurant reviews describe a chef as bemused while cooking, clearly intending to say playful or amused.
What they actually wrote was that the chef looked confused.
That kind of error doesn’t just affect tone, it affects credibility. Readers may not consciously spot the mistake, but something feels off.
People with strong vocabularies understand emotional precision. They know that words don’t just convey feeling, they shape how others interpret a situation.
6) Envy
Envy and jealousy get swapped so often that most people assume they’re interchangeable.
They’re not, and the difference reveals a lot about emotional awareness.
Envy is wanting something someone else has. Jealousy is fear of losing something you already possess.
If you want your coworker’s promotion, you envy them. If you’re worried someone else is threatening your relationship, you’re jealous.
People with exceptional vocabularies tend to be honest about which feeling they’re experiencing. That honesty makes the emotion easier to understand and manage.
Naming emotions accurately is a form of self-respect, and language is the tool that makes it possible.
7) Nauseous
This one feels nitpicky until you work in food, then it suddenly matters a lot. Nauseous and nauseated are not technically the same thing.
Nauseous means causing nausea. Nauseated means experiencing nausea.
If you say you’re nauseous, you’re saying you make other people feel sick. If you feel sick, you are nauseated.
Language has relaxed here, and most people won’t correct you.
Still, people with strong vocabularies know the distinction even if they choose not to enforce it.
In food writing and dining criticism, this precision can prevent some very awkward misunderstandings.
8) Affect
Affect and effect have become a collective stumbling block, especially in professional writing.
Even confident speakers hesitate when these words show up.
Affect is usually a verb. Effect is usually a noun.
Stress affects your appetite. The effect is that you skip meals or crave sugar.
There are edge cases, but mastering the basic rule already puts you ahead of most people.
People with exceptional vocabularies internalize this pattern rather than memorizing it.
They don’t have to stop and think, which keeps their communication smooth and confident.
9) Infer
Finally, this word often gets tangled up with imply, and the confusion runs deep. The difference comes down to perspective.
To imply is to suggest something indirectly. To infer is to draw a conclusion from what’s been suggested.
A chef might imply confidence by keeping the menu short. You infer confidence by noticing that restraint and reading between the lines.
People with strong vocabularies know which side of the exchange they’re on. They don’t blur the roles of speaker and listener.
That clarity reflects a deeper understanding of communication itself.
The bottom line
A strong vocabulary isn’t about sounding impressive or correcting people at dinner. It’s about thinking clearly and communicating with intention.
Words are tools, and when you use the wrong one, meaning slips just enough to create confusion. Over time, those small slips add up.
People who use these words correctly tend to be better thinkers, better listeners, and better communicators.
Not because they’re smarter, but because they respect precision.
The good news is you don’t need to learn rare or obscure words to improve your vocabulary.
You just need to use the words you already know with a little more care.
That habit alone quietly sets you apart.
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