Which Word Has the Most Negative Connotation

Connotative Word Significant

Connotation refers to a meaning suggested or implied by the employ of a particular word, beyond its literal (denotative) meaning. Connotation impacts how readers perceive the overall meaning of what a author or speaker is trying to communicate. Depending on how a word has been used over fourth dimension, or the context in which it is existence used, the term may accept a positive, negative or neutral connotation.

Connotative vs. Denotative Meanings

To fully sympathise a give-and-take and utilize it correctly, you need to know both its denotation (the standard definition) and its connotation (the feelings associated with it).

• The
  denotative
  meaning of a word is its official dictionary definition.

• A word’s
  connotative
  meaning includes shades of meaning, such as emotions, associated with the term.

The Importance of Connotation

When choosing words to use in language, it’southward important to consider both types of significant. This is an important central to choosing the right words. If yous aren’t fully aware of a word’s connotation, you lot may choose an inappropriate synonym in your writing, which can atomic number 82 to confusion or even to your reader taking offense.

Case: Altogether Activity Request

If you say that you lot want to exercise something
different
for your birthday this year, that doesn’t convey the same meaning as if you said you lot wanted to practice something
unique. The denotative meanings of “unlike” and “unique” are similar (non the same or unlike). However, the connotative meanings of these ii words are not the aforementioned.

• Unlike
  would hateful something other than what you did concluding twelvemonth or in previous years.
• Unique
  would imply something highly unusual, such equally an activeness not commonly associated with birthdays or something that you (or well-nigh people) take never done before

Someone trying to come up with a way to celebrate your birthday volition probably find it much more challenging to identify a “unique” activity rather than one that is just “unlike.”

Case: Describing a Group

As another case, consider the words
group,
clique,
guild, and
gang. All iv have basically the aforementioned denotative pregnant: a set of more than than ane person. Each of these words has a different connotative pregnant, however.

• Group
  has a neutral connotation. The word simply describes a number of people. It does not inspire either positive or negative feelings.
• Clique
  too ways a grouping of people, only it carries a negative connotation. This is because “clique” is typically used in circumstances where the group is known for excluding others. This give-and-take should be used carefully: If you lot want to be idea of as a welcoming group, the negative connotation of this word will turn people off!
• Gang
  is defined every bit an organized group, but information technology has very negative connotations. The utilise of this term suggests criminal action and/or trigger-happy behavior.
• Club
  likewise refers to a group of people, but this give-and-take has a more positive connotation considering a club is a drove of people that voluntarily come up together for a shared passion or purpose.

Case: Describing Demeanor

If you know someone whose personality way is the opposite of high-strung, it’south important to choose an appropriate word to depict the person’s demeanor. Should y’all apply relaxed, lackadaisical or low-key?

• Relaxed
  is a adequately neutral or positive way to depict someone’s temperament, but it doesn’t imply that the person is this way all the time. Someone could be relaxed now, just become very agitated or excited at another time.
• Easygoing
  is also probable to be perceived as a positive or natural description. Information technology is more probable to exist viewed equally a general statement nigh a person’s general nature rather than a snapshot of a moment in time.
  
  
  
• Lackadaisical
  is never a compliment. Someone who is lackadaisical is relaxed and low-key, simply that person is likewise probably careless and disengaged. This term has a negative connotation.

Connotative Words: Examples

To see more examples of how words with similar denotations tin have positive, neutral or negative connotations, refer to the chart below.

Connotative Significant: Practice Exercises

Now that you lot’re more than familiar with connotative words, come across how well you practice with these fun exercises. The answers are beneath, and then don’t look ahead until yous have tried to answer on your ain.

Exercise ane: Finding Words With Negative Connotations

Read the sentences beneath. Identify the word(s) that accept a negative connotation.

1. Bedford is a gritty neighborhood, only the rent is affordable.
2. On my flight to Los Angeles, I saturday adjacent to this geezer. He was very quondam.
3. Every morning my neighbor takes his mutt to the park. It always barks loudly when leaving the edifice.
4. You need to be pushy when you lot are looking for a job.
5. Bob is bullheaded sometimes, just he always gets the chore done.

Exercise ii: Choose a Word With a Positive Connotation

Choose the word with the most positive connotation to complete the sentences below.

1. I love spending fourth dimension with my aunt. She has a very (childlike, youthful, kittenish) outlook on life.
2. I enjoy finding ways to make the most of my budget by existence (frugal, miserly, cheap).
3. I am (confident, arrogant, egotistical) that I will be selected for a part in the school play.
4. I realize that yous’re feeling (nosy, prying, inquisitive), just I’d rather not discuss the thing.
5. My cousin is very (blathering, jabbering, talkative).

Exercise 3: What’s the Connotation?

For each of the sentences below, determine if the assuming discussion has a positive or negative connotation.

1. How long accept yous been dieting? Possibly too long. Yous look and then
   skinny.
2. I can tell you put a lot of work into your book report. It is
   extraordinary.
3. I hope to look like my sister when I grow upwardly. She is absolutely
   gorgeous.
   
4. I know that Eddie and I are the same age, only he is only so
   juvenile.
5. It’s certainly
   unusual
   to use Comic Sans font on a resume.

Answers for Exercise ane: Finding Words With Negative Connotations

The terms with a negative connotation are marked in bold.

1. Bedford is a
   gritty
   neighborhood, but the rent is affordable.
2. On my flight to Los Angeles, I sabbatum next to this
   geezer. He was very onetime.
3. Every morning my neighbour takes his
   mutt
   to the park. Information technology ever barks loudly when leaving the building.
4. Yous need to exist
   pushy
   when you are looking for a job.
5. Bob is
   blind
   sometimes, but he always gets the job done.

Answers for Do 2: Choose a Word With a Positive Connotation

Options with the virtually positive connotation are marked in assuming.

1. I dearest spending fourth dimension with my aunt. She has a very (childlike,
   youthful, kittenish) outlook on life.
2. I enjoy finding ways to make the most of my budget past being (frugal, miserly, cheap).
3. I am (confident, arrogant, egotistical) that I volition be selected for a part in the school play.
4. I realize that you lot’re feeling (nosy, prying,
   inquisitive), merely I’d rather not talk over the matter.
5. My cousin is very (blathering,
   talkative, jabbering).

Practise 3: What’due south the Connotation

Answers appear in parentheses after each judgement.

1. How long have you lot been dieting? Peradventure as well long. You wait and then
   skinny. (negative – implies the person has lost as well much weight)
2. I can tell you lot put a lot of piece of work into your volume report. Information technology is
   extraordinary. (positive – implies that the results are very good)
3. I hope to look like my sister when I abound up. She is absolutely
   gorgeous. (positive – implies great beauty)
4. I know that Eddie and I are the same age, just he is just so
   juvenile. (negative – implies immature and childish)
5. It’s certainly
   unusual
   to use Comic Sans font on a resume. (negative – implies that this is a bad thought)

Employ Context to Become a Sense of the Word

As you tin can run across, it’south important to sympathise the connotation as well as the denotation of a word before you lot use it. Otherwise, you run the risk of picking a discussion that doesn’t effectively communicate your intended meaning. Information technology takes practice to understand both the connotation and denotation of a new word, only it’s well worth the attempt. The best way to larn a give-and-take’southward connotation is to review it in actual sentences to get a sense of how it is used. There are many examples of connotation in literature to review. It’due south as well helpful to compare how synonyms are used then you lot can see which are positive, negative or neutral. These strategies can aid prepare y’all to select the best denotative and connotative words for your purposes.