Inertia (noun) A strong tendency to stay in the same state or keep doing the same thing without change.
Example: Despite knowing the old system was inefficient, the company kept using it out of pure inertia.
Mnemonic: Borrowed straight from physics, where inertia is an object's resistance to changing its motion; people resist change the same way.
Ingenious (adjective) Extremely clever and original, especially in solving a problem.
Example: The engineers came up with an ingenious way to cool the building using outside air instead of electricity.
Mnemonic: It shares a root with genius, so an ingenious idea feels like it sprang from a sudden flash of brilliance.
Inquisitive (adjective) Having a strong curiosity and desire to learn or ask questions about things.
Example: Even as a young child, she was inquisitive about how machines worked.
Mnemonic: Notice the word quest inside it; an inquisitive mind is always on a quest for answers.
Intangible (adjective) Not able to be touched or physically measured, though still real.
Example: Trust between colleagues is an intangible asset that no balance sheet can capture.
Mnemonic: Tangible comes from the Latin tangere, to touch, so intangible describes something you simply cannot put your hands on.
Idiosyncratic (adjective) Peculiar to a specific individual, reflecting a personal quirk rather than any general pattern.
Example: His idiosyncratic habit of alphabetizing his spice rack baffled his roommates.
Mnemonic: 'Idio-' means 'one's own' (as in 'idiom') — an idiosyncratic trait belongs to one person alone, a quirk nobody else shares.
Inconsequential (adjective) Not important enough to have any real effect or significance.
Example: Compared to the loss of the whole factory, the missing paperwork was inconsequential.
Mnemonic: It is simply in- (not) plus consequential (having consequences), describing something with no real consequence at all.
Inhibit (verb) To hold back or restrict a process, action, or feeling.
Example: Fear of failure can inhibit students from asking questions in class.
Mnemonic: Picture a hidden brake pedal that quietly slows everything down before it can pick up speed.
Inscrutable (adjective) Impossible to read or understand clearly, especially someone's thoughts or feelings.
Example: The old man's inscrutable expression gave no hint of whether he approved of the plan.
Mnemonic: Scrutable relates to scrutinize, to examine closely, so something inscrutable resists even the closest examination.
Instigate (verb) To set an action or conflict in motion, especially one that stirs up trouble.
Example: Investigators believed a rival gang had instigated the warehouse fire to scare off the competition.
Mnemonic: Picture someone using a long stick to poke a hornet's nest — to instigate is to jab at a situation until it erupts.
Juxtapose (verb) To place two things side by side so that their differences or similarities become clear.
Example: The exhibit juxtaposed photos of the city from 1920 and today to show how much had changed.
Mnemonic: Latin 'juxta' means 'next to' — to juxtapose is literally to set things next to each other for comparison.
Judicious (adjective) Showing sound, sensible judgment, especially in practical decisions.
Example: A judicious investor spreads risk across several different assets.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'judge' and 'judgment' — a judicious person weighs decisions the way a wise judge weighs a case.
Jargon (noun) Special words or expressions used by a particular profession or group that outsiders find hard to understand.
Example: The doctor tried to explain the diagnosis without using too much medical jargon.
Mnemonic: Picture geese gargling nonsense sounds at each other; to an outsider, jargon can sound just as meaningless.
Jeopardize (verb) To put something valuable or important at risk of harm or loss.
Example: Missing another deadline could jeopardize the entire contract.
Mnemonic: It hides the word jeopardy inside it, the same risk-everything idea used in the quiz show, so to jeopardize is to gamble something away.
Kindle (verb) To start a fire, or figuratively to stir up a feeling or interest that grows stronger over time.
Example: A single documentary about coral reefs was enough to kindle her lifelong passion for marine biology.
Mnemonic: Picture striking a match to kindle a campfire — the same little spark can kindle curiosity in a person.
Knack (noun) A natural or learned ability to do something skillfully and easily.
Example: He has a real knack for explaining difficult ideas in simple terms.
Mnemonic: It rhymes with snack, and a knack is just as quick and easy to reach for once you have it.
Lament (verb) To express deep sorrow or regret, often openly, about a loss or disappointment.
Example: The old fisherman would lament the disappearance of the salmon that once filled the river every spring.
Mnemonic: Think of a lament as a sad song set to a slow 'moment' — a lament is basically a melody of mourning.
Latent (adjective) Present but hidden or undeveloped, not yet showing itself.
Example: The test revealed a latent talent for music that she had never had the chance to explore.
Mnemonic: From Latin 'latere,' to lie hidden — latent qualities are lying in wait just beneath the surface.
Lucid (adjective) Clear and easy to understand; also, clear-headed and coherent in thought.
Example: Even in her nineties, my grandmother gave a lucid account of events from decades earlier.
Mnemonic: From Latin 'lux,' light — lucid thinking or writing lets light shine straight through, with nothing murky in the way.
Lucrative (adjective) Generating a substantial amount of profit or financial gain.
Example: The teenager's lawn-mowing business turned surprisingly lucrative once he added three new neighborhoods.
Mnemonic: Shares a root with 'lucre,' an old word for money — lucrative ventures are dripping with lucre.
Lethargic (adjective) Sluggish and lacking energy, often due to tiredness or illness.
Example: The heavy lunch left everyone feeling lethargic through the afternoon meeting.
Mnemonic: Comes from 'lethargy' — picture the mythical river Lethe, whose waters were said to cause a drowsy, forgetful haze.
Lenient (adjective) Not strict, and willing to be gentle or forgiving when judging or punishing someone.
Example: The teacher was lenient about the late submission because of the student's family emergency.
Mnemonic: Think of a branch that can lean and bend instead of snapping; a lenient judge bends the rules rather than enforcing them rigidly.
Longevity (noun) The length of time something or someone lives or lasts.
Example: Regular exercise and a balanced diet are linked to greater longevity.
Mnemonic: It starts with the word long, and longevity is simply about living long.
Leverage (noun) The power or advantage gained by using a particular resource or strategy effectively.
Example: Owning the only bridge into town gave the company enormous leverage in price negotiations.
Mnemonic: Picture an actual lever, a small tool that, placed correctly, lets you move something far heavier than yourself.
Loquacious (adjective) Very talkative, often to an excessive degree.
Example: The loquacious tour guide narrated every building we passed in exhausting detail.
Mnemonic: From Latin 'loqui,' to speak (also found in 'eloquent' and 'colloquial') — loquacious people just keep on speaking.
Malleable (adjective) Easily shaped, bent, or influenced.
Example: Gold is prized by jewelers because it is so malleable that it can be hammered into thin sheets.
Mnemonic: From Latin 'malleus,' hammer — malleable material can be hammered into a new shape without breaking.