Dialogue and Discourse: English Vocabulary List

to unfairly influence someone's opinion or judgment about someone or something

"Media coverage can prejudice public opinion unfairly."

"The media coverage might prejudice potential jurors against the defendant before the trial even begins."

to think again about an opinion or decision, particularly to see if it needs changing or not

"Please reconsider your decision to resign."

"After hearing the arguments the committee decided to reconsider its previous decision and vote again on the matter."

to talk excessively or continuously, often in a way that is annoying to others

"The small dog yapped at the mailman."

"The tiny dog would not stop yapping at the mailman every single morning making it impossible for anyone in the house to sleep late."

based on or relating to a specific set of political or economic views or policies

"The debate is ideological."

"The ideological differences between the two political parties made it impossible for them to work together on important legislation."

having no importance or connection with something

"This fact is irrelevant."

"The irrelevant comments from the audience member disrupted the speaker's flow and wasted valuable time that could have been used for better questions."

(of a person) wrong in one's judgment, opinion, or belief

"You are mistaken."

"You are mistaken about the time of the meeting because it starts at three o'clock not two thirty as you thought."

reluctant to share feelings or problems

"She is reserved."

"The reserved man sat quietly in the corner and he did not say much during the entire party because he was shy."

not clearly said or explained

"The rules are unstated."

"The unstated rule in the office was that everyone should bring coffee for the boss but nobody ever talked about it openly."

used to express that one is considering a particular fact before sharing one's opinion or making a judgment

"Given that it's late, we should go."

"Given that the weather forecast predicted heavy rain, they decided to postpone their outdoor picnic until the following weekend."

used to emphasize the fact that one is telling the truth

"That is honest to God truth."

"Honest to God I did not see the stop sign and I am very sorry that I caused the accident."

used to introduce an opposing statement after making a point

"The hotel was expensive. Having said that, it was very nice."

"The food was delicious having said that the service was a little bit slow and unfriendly."

used to suggest that the opposite of what has been stated may be closer to the truth

"If anything, the weather got worse."

"If anything the new policy has made things worse instead of better for the workers."

to the smallest amount or degree

"I do not like him at all."

"I do not like him at all because he is rude and arrogant and never listens to anyone else opinions."

used to introduce statement that is in contrast to what one previously stated

"That said, I still think you are right."

"The hotel room was very small that said it was clean and the bed was comfortable."

in a way that is absolutely certain and cannot be questioned

"His skill is beyond doubt."

"The evidence presented in court proved his guilt beyond doubt to every single member of the jury."

behavior or feelings that are aggressive or unfriendly

"Open hostility shown."

"The hostility between the two rival gangs led to frequent violent confrontations in the streets."

widely accepted or popular among the general public

"His views are mainstream."

"The band's music was too experimental for mainstream radio stations but they gained a loyal following among fans of indie rock and alternative music."

the state of being affected by facts and statistics instead of personal opinions and feelings

"Maintain objectivity when evaluating the evidence."

"Journalists should strive for objectivity by reporting facts without letting personal opinions influence their writing."

the state of being affected by personal opinions and feelings instead of facts and statistics

"Subjectivity affects how we interpret art."

"The film review was full of subjectivity because the critic openly admitted his love for the actor."

the act of rational and logical thinking about something

"Logical reasoning used."

"His reasoning was logical but he lacked enough evidence to support his initial claim."

to start doubting a decision and begin to wonder whether it is the right or best thing to do

"I am having second thoughts about this."

"She is having second thoughts about moving to a new city so far away from her family."

the support given by the members of a group to each other because of sharing the same opinions, feelings, goals, etc.

"They showed solidarity today."

"The workers showed solidarity by refusing to cross the picket line during the strike."

to form an opinion or reach a conclusion about something by taking a few instances or facts into account

"Do not generalize about people from one example."

"It is unfair to generalize about an entire group of people based on the actions of a few individuals."

to disagree with or not fit well with a specific rule, concept, or standard

"This goes against rules."

"His controversial statement seemed to go against the established ethical guidelines of the organization."

to mention someone or something of prominence as a support or reason for an argument or action

"He invokes his rights."

"The lawyer decided to invoke the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination during the intense questioning."

to state something as an excuse

"He will plead illness."

"The defendant attempted to plead temporary insanity as a defense against the serious charges."

to suggest that something is probable or certain

"I point it is true."

"All the evidence gathered seems to point towards a conspiracy among the key stakeholders involved."

to intentionally annoy someone so that they become angry

"His rude comments provoke an angry response."

"The rude comment from the stranger provoked an angry response from the normally calm and peaceful man."

to mark a place such as a road, etc. with a signpost

"The signs signpost the trail directions clearly."

"The signs along the highway signpost the directions to the nearest town and the distance to various tourist attractions."

to briefly state the most important parts or facts of something

"Let's sum up."

"To sum up, the report highlights the urgent need for systemic changes to address the ongoing environmental crisis."

giving an opinion in a way that is not strong

"I am inclined to agree."

"I am inclined to agree with your opinion because you have presented strong evidence and logical arguments that support your position."

(of a rule, opinion, etc.) fixed and not easily changed

"The rules are inflexible."

"The rules are inflexible and there are no exceptions for special circumstances or emergencies."

(of a person or ideology) not extreme or radical and considered reasonable by a majority of people

"A moderate approach works."

"Her moderate views on social issues made her a popular candidate among a wide range of voters."

reluctant to share feelings or problems

"My friend is reserved."

"My friend is reserved and does not share her feelings easily with people she just met."

giving opinions loudly or freely

"She is vocal."

"The vocal members of the community spoke out against the new development and their protests convinced the city council to reject the proposal."

used to highlight the sincerity or truthfulness of a statement

"No kidding! Really, tell me more."

"No kidding! I thought the same thing. You are absolutely right."

the opinions, activities, or methods that are considered normal because they are accepted by a majority of people

"It is now mainstream."

"The once fringe idea of renewable energy has now become part of the mainstream conversation about climate change."

a theory or statement that acts as the foundation of an argument

"Basic premise wrong."

"The basic premise of the argument was flawed so all conclusions drawn from it were wrong."

the right or chance to give an opinion about something

"I have my say."

"Every member of the committee will have an equal say in the final decision."

the right to give an opinion on something

"Give your voice here."

"Every citizen deserves to have a voice in the democratic process and future decisions."