Word Power

The Stumpers!

What words perplex us most often? The dictionary team at Merriam-Webster revealed some of the most frequently searched words on their website, and a few of them may surprise you. Answers on the next page.

1. paradigm n. – A: puzzle or problem. B: pattern or archetype. C: fringe.

2. malarkey n. – A: wild partying. B: foolish talk. C: habitual laziness.

3. ubiquitous adj. – A: found everywhere. B: pertaining to a wife. C: spoiling for a fight.

4. hypocrite n. – A: syringe. B: overstatement. C: person who acts counter to stated beliefs.

5. louche adj. – A: quite comfortable. B: of doubtful morals. C: childlike or naive.

6. didactic adj. – A: taking bold steps. B: intended to teach. C: shrill as crickets.

7. holistic adj. – A: sacred. B: threedimensional. C: involving entire systems.

8. albeit conj. – A: such as. B: though. C: because.

9. insidious adj. – A: treacherous. B: known to a select few. C: coiled like a snake.

10. camaraderie n. A: good fellowship. B: photographic memory. C: odd collection.

11. touché inter. – A: “Bon voyage!” B: “Such is life.” C: “Good point.”

12. conundrum n. – A: monotony. B: riddle. C: instrument in a convent.

13. pragmatic adj. – A: practical. B: boastful. C: stuck in a rut.

14. esoteric adj. – A: distrustful of foreigners. B: of fossil fuels. C: arcane.

15. schadenfreude n. – A: feeling of déjà vu. B: exact copy. C: taking pleasure in another’s misfortune.