Home Improvement Vocabulary

adjective forming a tight seal that does not allow air or other substances to pass through

• The airtight container kept the food fresh for a longer period of time.
• Make sure you seal the bag airtight to keep the chips from going stale.
• I always zip my backpack airtight so nothing falls out.
• Her alibi was airtight, so there was no way she could have committed the crime.

noun a change or modification made to something

verb not applicable

adjective not applicable

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• The alteration of the contract was approved by all parties involved.
• I made a few alterations to the recipe to suit my taste.
• She's always altering her appearance with different hairstyles and outfits.
• The alteration of his mindset led to a significant change in his behavior.

noun a clumsy or poorly done task or job

verb to carry out a task or job clumsily or poorly

• The surgeon botched the procedure, leading to complications for the patient.
• I tried to fix the leaky faucet myself, but I ended up botching it even more.
• She completely botched her presentation at work today.
• His attempt to cover up the mistake only served to botch the situation further.

noun A company or organization that constructs or repairs buildings

• The builder constructed a new office building in the city center.
• The builder is working on a cool new project downtown.
• That builder dude is always on site, getting things done.
• She is the builder of her own destiny, shaping her future with each decision.

noun A room in a house or hotel where meals are eaten

• The elegant chandelier in the dining room illuminated the entire space.
• Let's eat in the dining room tonight, it's a nice change from the kitchen.
• I'm so hungry, let's chow down in the dining room.
• The dining room of life is where we gather to share our experiences and nourish our souls.

noun a state of being in need of repair or maintenance

• The old building has fallen into disrepair over the years.
• The house next door is in such disrepair, it's a real eyesore.
• That car is in total disrepair, it's barely hanging on.
• Her mental health was in disrepair after the traumatic event.

adjective causing anxiety, sorrow, or pain; upsetting or troubling

• The news of the recent natural disaster was distressing for the entire community.
• I had a distressing conversation with my boss about my performance at work.
• The movie was so distressing, I couldn't stop crying.
• The constant noise from the construction site was distressing to my ears.

noun a barrier that encloses an area, typically made of wood or wire

verb to surround or enclose an area with a fence

• The farmer decided to fence in his livestock to prevent them from wandering off.
• I'm going to fence in the backyard so the dog can run around freely.
• Let's fence in this area to keep nosy neighbors out.
• Don't fence yourself in with limiting beliefs, think outside the box.

noun a poker hand containing three of a kind and a pair

adjective describing a situation where all the seats in a venue are occupied

• The theater had a full house for the opening night of the new play.
• We had a full house at the party last night, it was packed!
• The concert was lit, it was a full house in there!
• When all my family comes over for the holidays, it's a full house at my place.

noun a word used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

verb a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence

adjective a word that describes or gives more information about a noun or pronoun

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used with a noun to specify grammatical definiteness of the noun

• The noise from the construction work caused the tenant to hit the ceiling and file a complaint.
• When I told my mom I failed my math test, she hit the ceiling.
• My friend's parents hit the ceiling when they found out he got a tattoo.
• The news of the company's bankruptcy made the investors hit the ceiling.

noun a hollow place in a solid body or surface

verb to hide or conceal oneself, typically for a prolonged period of time

• The suspect decided to hole up in a remote cabin to avoid capture.
• Let's hole up in my room and watch movies all day.
• We should hole up at the beach for the weekend.
• After the breakup, she decided to hole up in her apartment and avoid seeing anyone.

noun the top part of a house or building

• The chimney on the housetop was emitting smoke.
• I love sitting on the housetop and watching the sunset.
• Let's sneak up to the housetop and have a secret chat.
• His dreams were as high as the housetop.

noun a thing installed, in particular a piece of equipment or furniture that is fixed in position in a building or area

• The installation of the new software went smoothly without any issues.
• We finally got around to doing the installation for the new TV.
• I'm so excited for the installation of the new gaming console!
• The installation of the new leadership brought fresh ideas to the company.

adjective having a musty or damp smell; covered with mold

• The bread had gone mouldy due to improper storage.
• Ew, that cheese is mouldy, don't eat it!
• I found some mouldy old leftovers in the fridge.
• His mind was filled with mouldy ideas that needed freshening up.

noun a system of pipes and fixtures for the distribution of water or gas in a building, or for the disposal of sewage

• The plumbing in the new office building was installed by a team of professional plumbers.
• I need to call a plumber to fix the plumbing in my bathroom.
• I'm tired of dealing with this messed up plumbing in my house.
• The plumbing of the organization needs some serious restructuring to improve efficiency.

adjective in a state of severe disrepair; lacking structure or organization

• The ramshackle building was deemed uninhabitable by the city inspectors.
• We found a ramshackle cabin in the woods for our weekend getaway.
• That old car is so ramshackle, it's a miracle it still runs.
• His ramshackle excuse for being late didn't fool anyone.

verb to renovate or update the appearance of a room or space

• The homeowners decided to redecorate their living room to give it a more modern look.
• I'm thinking about redecorating my bedroom this weekend, want to help?
• I'm so over this place, I need to totally redecorate ASAP.
• After the breakup, she felt the need to redecorate her life and start fresh.

verb to cover or provide with a roof

• The roofed structure provided shelter from the rain.
• We had a great time under the roofed area at the party.
• Let's hang out in the roofed spot over there.
• His mind was roofed with doubt, preventing him from making a decision.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case, 'shingled' describes a noun as having shingles or being covered in shingles

• The roof of the house was shingled with high-quality materials to ensure durability.
• I'm thinking about getting my roof shingled next summer.
• I heard Bob shingled his roof himself over the weekend.
• Her words were like shingled stones, each one carefully placed to build a strong argument.

noun a short, high-pitched sound or cry

verb to make a short, high-pitched sound

• The old hinges on the door began to squeak as it opened.
• I heard a little squeak coming from the mouse in the corner.
• That car's brakes always squeak, it's so annoying.
• Her voice had a slight squeak of nervousness in it.

noun a drop of clear salty liquid secreted by glands in a person's eye when they cry

verb to forcefully remove or pull something out

adverb used to describe the act of forcefully removing or pulling something out

preposition used to indicate the action of forcefully removing or pulling something out

• The contractor had to tear out the old flooring before installing the new tiles.
• I'm going to tear out this old wallpaper and give the room a fresh look.
• Let's tear out of here before the party gets too boring.
• The heartbreaking news seemed to tear out a piece of her soul.

verb to free or release something that is stuck or glued together

• The mechanic used a special solvent to unstick the rusted bolts.
• I had to unstick the drawer by giving it a good tug.
• I had to unstick the gum from my shoe with some peanut butter.
• The therapist helped me unstick my thoughts and move forward with a clearer mind.

noun a wooden paneling that lines the lower part of the walls of a room

• The dining room was elegantly decorated with a wainscot paneling along the walls.
• I really like how the wainscot adds a touch of class to the living room.
• Check out the cool wainscot in this room, it's so fancy!
• The wainscot of lies he built around himself eventually crumbled, revealing the truth.

noun a device that breaks or interrupts the flow of something

• The circuit breaker automatically cuts off the flow of electricity in case of a power surge.
• I had to reset the circuit breaker in the basement because the lights weren't working.
• If you blow a fuse, just flip the circuit breaker back on.
• Taking a break from work can act as a circuit breaker for stress and burnout.

noun a type of door that slides open and closed, disappearing into a compartment in the wall

• The architect recommended installing a pocket door to save space in the small room.
• I love how easy it is to slide open a pocket door instead of dealing with a regular swinging door.
• I'm thinking of ditching the old door and putting in a cool pocket door instead.
• She kept her emotions hidden behind a pocket door, not letting anyone see how she truly felt.

noun a slang term for an electrician or someone who works with electrical systems

• The sparkie arrived to fix the electrical wiring in the building.
• Hey, have you seen the sparkie around? I need him to check the lights in my room.
• I heard that sparkie is really good at what he does.
• Her presence was like a sparkie in the room, lighting up everyone's mood.

• The A/C unit in the office needs to be serviced regularly to ensure optimal performance.
• Hey, can you turn up the A/C? It's getting really hot in here.
• I can't stand the heat, let's crank up the A/C.
• She always knows how to keep her cool, like an A/C in a heatwave.

noun a pipe that emits foul odors or gases, typically found in sewage systems

• The plumber identified a blockage in the stink pipe connected to the sewage system.
• My dad had to unclog the stink pipe in the backyard yesterday.
• I accidentally dropped my ring down the stink pipe, now it's gone forever.
• The corruption in the government is like a stink pipe, polluting everything it touches.

adjective A word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case 'scratch-proof' describes something that is resistant to scratches.

• The new phone model boasts a scratch-proof screen, ensuring durability and longevity.
• I got a scratch-proof case for my new laptop so I don't have to worry about damaging it.
• This watch is totally scratch-proof, so I can wear it without being careful at all.
• Her confidence was like a scratch-proof shield, protecting her from any negative comments.

verb to furnish again; to provide with new or different furniture

• The company decided to refurnish their office space with modern furniture.
• We're planning to refurnish the living room next weekend.
• Let's refurnish this place and make it look awesome!
• She decided to refurnish her life by moving to a new city and starting fresh.

adjective describing something that can be locked

• The storage cabinet comes with lockable doors to ensure security.
• I bought a lockable suitcase for my upcoming trip.
• I need to get a lockable box to keep my valuables safe.
• Her heart was like a lockable vault, guarded against any unwanted intruders.

adverb in a position that is near the door or doors

preposition used to indicate the location of something near a door or doors

• The grand entrance adoors were intricately carved with ornate designs.
• I always forget to lock the adoors when I leave the house.
• Let's hang out at my place, I just got a new sound system installed adoors.
• She kept her emotions adoors, not letting anyone see how she truly felt.