Community Engagement Vocabulary

noun a person one knows slightly, but who is not a close friend

• I have recently made the acquaintance of a prominent scientist in the field.
• I bumped into an old acquaintance at the grocery store yesterday.
• I don't really hang out with that acquaintance anymore.
• The concept of time is a fickle acquaintance, always slipping away when you need it most.

noun a person or group that includes members from two different political parties

adjective relating to or involving two political parties

• The bipartisan committee reached a compromise on the new legislation.
• The bipartisan group of lawmakers worked together to pass the bill.
• It's rare to see a bipartisan agreement in politics these days.
• Their friendship was like a bipartisan relationship, always finding common ground.

noun a small piece of something

verb to contribute money or effort towards a cause or project

preposition used to indicate contributing or adding to something

• It would be greatly appreciated if everyone could chip in for the office party.
• Hey, can you chip in a few bucks for pizza?
• Let's all chip in and buy some snacks for the road trip.
• We all need to chip in and help out with the project to get it done on time.

verb to move towards the speaker or towards a specified place

adverb in a direction towards a specified place

• The witness decided to come forward with new information about the crime.
• I heard that someone is going to come forward and confess to the prank.
• If you know who did it, tell them to come forward and own up to it.
• It's time for the truth to come forward and reveal itself.

verb to gather or unite in one place or action

adverb used to describe how the action of coming together is done

• The two organizations will come together to discuss the merger.
• Let's all come together for a barbecue this weekend.
• The squad is planning to come together for a movie night.
• Different ideas and perspectives can come together to create something truly innovative.

verb to give or supply for a common purpose or fund

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• Education can greatly contribute to a person's overall success in life.
• Eating healthy and exercising regularly can contribute to your overall well-being.
• Pitching in with the chores can contribute to a harmonious household.
• Each small act of kindness can contribute to creating a more compassionate world.

noun a group of people, especially ones sharing a common characteristic

verb none

adjective none

adverb none

pronoun none

preposition none

conjunction none

interjection none

article none

• The company's new policy aims to provide better benefits for all its employees, including the hardworking folks in the marketing department.
• Hey folks, don't forget about the team meeting tomorrow morning!
• What's up, folks? Ready to party tonight?
• In the grand scheme of things, we are all just tiny specks in the universe, folks.

verb to gather or assemble in a group or crowd

• The delegates will forgather at the conference to discuss the new policies.
• Let's forgather at the park for a picnic this weekend.
• Hey, want to forgather at the mall later?
• Ideas and inspiration forgather in the mind before the creative process begins.

noun a person who takes advantage of others' generosity without giving anything in return

• The company had to deal with a freeloader who was taking advantage of the lunchroom without contributing.
• I can't believe that freeloader always asks to borrow money but never pays it back.
• That freeloader is always mooching off of everyone else.
• Her negative attitude made her feel like a freeloader in the group project.

noun a person who is on good terms with another

adjective showing kindness or goodwill

• The hotel staff were very friendly and accommodating during my stay.
• My neighbor is super friendly and always says hi whenever we see each other.
• I met this really cool and friendly dude at the party last night.
• The sun greeted us with its friendly rays as we started our hike.

noun a gathering or assembly of people, animals, or things

verb to bring together or collect into one place or group

• The conference room is where we gather for important meetings.
• Let's gather at the park for a picnic this weekend.
• Hey, wanna gather at my place later to hang out?
• She could gather her thoughts before making a decision.

verb to increase in size or develop in a coordinated way

adverb in a manner that involves growing together

• It is important for employees to collaborate and grow together in order to achieve success.
• Let's work as a team and grow together to make this project a success.
• We should all be homies and grow together in this journey.
• Just like plants need sunlight to grow, relationships also need nurturing to grow together.

noun a written or verbal request inviting someone to go somewhere or to do something

verb to ask someone to go somewhere or to do something

• We would like to formally invite you to attend our annual gala event.
• Hey, we're having a party this weekend, want to come? You're invited!
• Yo, we're throwing a bash next Friday, you gotta come, you're totally invited!
• The beautiful sunset seemed to invite us to stay a little longer and enjoy the view.

noun a person, animal, or object that is adopted by a team or organization as a symbolic figure and brings good luck

• The university's mascot is a lion, symbolizing strength and courage.
• We cheered loudly for the team's mascot, a friendly bear.
• That mascot costume is so cool, I wish I could wear it!
• In the business world, the company's logo is like its mascot, representing its brand identity.

noun a person who deliberately delays or prevents progress

adjective relating to or characteristic of obstructionism

• The opposition party is often labeled as obstructionist for constantly blocking legislative proposals.
• That guy is such an obstructionist, he never lets anything get done.
• Don't be such an obstructionist, just go with the flow.
• The heavy rain acted as an obstructionist, causing delays in the construction project.

noun an effort to reach out or extend services to a wider population or community

• The organization implemented an outreach program to connect with underserved communities.
• We're doing some outreach to get more people to join the club.
• I'm gonna do some outreach to spread the word about the event.
• His outreach to mend their relationship was met with skepticism.

noun a public procession, especially one celebrating a special day or event

verb to walk or march in public procession, especially in a showy or ostentatious manner

• The annual Thanksgiving parade will feature elaborate floats and marching bands.
• I heard there's going to be a parade downtown this weekend, want to check it out?
• I can't believe we missed the parade, it was supposed to be lit!
• The colorful array of flowers in the garden looked like a parade of nature's beauty.

noun a person who takes part in an activity or event

verb to take part in an activity or event

• It is important for all members to actively participate in the meeting.
• Hey, are you going to participate in the game later?
• I'm definitely gonna participate in the concert, it's gonna be lit!
• Sometimes it feels like I'm just going through the motions and not really participating in life.

noun a close relationship between women based on shared experiences, goals, and values

• The sisterhood of nurses in the hospital is a strong support system for each other.
• My sisterhood of friends and I always have each other's backs.
• Me and my girls have a tight sisterhood that can't be broken.
• The sisterhood of female entrepreneurs is breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations.

noun a meeting or gathering place for the residents of a town

• The town hall meeting will be held at 7pm in the municipal building.
• Let's meet up at the town hall later to discuss the upcoming event.
• I heard there's a party happening at the town hall tonight.
• The town hall represents the heart of the community where important decisions are made.

verb to join together for a common purpose or action

• The two political parties decided to unite in order to pass the new legislation.
• Let's unite and work together to achieve our goals.
• We should all unite and throw a party this weekend!
• Music has the power to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures.

noun the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property

• The act of vandalism on public property is a serious offense that can result in legal consequences.
• Someone committed vandalism on the school's building last night.
• I can't believe they tagged the wall with graffiti, that's straight up vandalism.
• His harsh criticism felt like emotional vandalism on her self-esteem.

noun a person who is involved in local politics and is often associated with machine politics

• The ward heeler was responsible for mobilizing voters in the local district.
• The ward heeler knows everyone in the neighborhood and can get things done.
• That ward heeler is always working the angles to get ahead.
• In a political sense, the ward heeler can be seen as a puppet master pulling the strings behind the scenes.

noun a large choreographed display of support by fans at a sports event, typically involving banners and flags

• The supporters group organized an impressive tifo display before the match.
• Did you see the tifo the fans made for the game? It was awesome!
• The tifo at the stadium was lit! It really hyped up the crowd.
• The tifo of unity and solidarity displayed by the fans was truly inspiring.

noun a period of decline in social and economic activity within a community or society

• The ongoing pandemic has led to a social recession, with many people experiencing isolation and loneliness.
• I feel like we're in a social recession since we can't hang out with friends like we used to.
• The social scene is totally in a recession right now, everyone's staying home.
• His lack of social skills has caused a personal social recession, as he struggles to connect with others.

interjection used in some dialects as a way to express agreement or encouragement

• Ayuh, let us proceed with caution and carefully consider all the options.
• Ayuh, let's head out for a walk in the park.
• Ayuh, come on, don't be a chicken - let's do this!
• Ayuh, sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and see where it leads you.

noun a person who pretends to be a philanthropist or someone who donates money or time to charitable causes, but actually does not do so

• The community was shocked to discover that the supposed philanthropist was actually a fauxlanthropist, only pretending to care about charitable causes.
• Don't be fooled by his flashy donations, he's just a fauxlanthropist looking for attention.
• That fauxlanthropist is all talk and no action when it comes to helping others.
• Her outward displays of generosity were merely a facade, revealing her true nature as a fauxlanthropist.

noun A person who combines crafting with activism, using their creative skills to promote social or political change.

• The craftivist movement seeks to promote social change through art and craft projects.
• My friend is a craftivist who uses knitting as a form of activism.
• I never thought I'd be into craftivism, but now I love making protest banners.
• The craftivist's needle was like a sword, piercing through societal norms and injustices.

noun a person who is intensely focused on or committed to their local community or area

• The hyperlocalist movement emphasizes supporting small businesses within one's immediate community.
• My friend is a total hyperlocalist - she only shops at stores within a few blocks of her apartment.
• I consider myself a hyperlocalist because I love to eat at all the mom-and-pop restaurants in my neighborhood.
• Being a hyperlocalist in terms of social connections means focusing on building relationships with those closest to you.

noun a casual gathering of people, especially for refreshments and informal conversation

• The literary klatch met every Thursday evening to discuss classic novels.
• I love getting together with my klatch of friends for coffee and gossip.
• I heard there's a new klatch forming at the local bar for craft beer enthusiasts.
• The political klatch in the office always seems to be scheming behind closed doors.

noun a portmanteau of winter and festival, used to describe a winter festival or event

• Winterval is a winter festival celebrated in some parts of Europe.
• Are you going to the Winterval event this weekend?
• I heard Winterval is going to be lit this year!
• The town was buzzing with excitement during Winterval, like a winter wonderland come to life.

noun a social event held in the parking lot of a sports stadium, typically involving eating, drinking, and socializing before a game

• The company organized a tailgating party for employees to celebrate the end of the quarter.
• We're having a tailgating party before the big game this weekend, want to join?
• Let's throw a sick tailgating party with all our friends and grill some burgers.
• The political rally felt more like a tailgating party, with supporters gathering and socializing before the event.