Intellectual Vocabulary

noun a mood or period of serious or melancholy reflection

• She was lost in a brown study, deep in thought about the implications of the new policy.
• He went into a brown study after hearing the news, staring off into space with a puzzled look on his face.
• I found myself in a brown study trying to figure out how to fix my car without spending too much money.
• The artist sat in a brown study, contemplating the meaning behind his latest masterpiece.

verb to give someone greater knowledge and understanding about a subject or situation

• The professor was able to enlighten the students on the complex topic.
• Can you enlighten me on how to use this new software?
• I had no idea what was going on until my friend enlightened me.
• Traveling to new places can enlighten your perspective on the world.

noun the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning

• Her erudition on the subject was evident as she effortlessly discussed complex theories and concepts.
• He impressed everyone with his erudition on ancient history during the trivia night.
• Dude, her erudition game is on point when it comes to pop culture references.
• His erudition was like a beacon of knowledge in a sea of ignorance.

adjective capable of being understood or grasped

adverb in a way that can be understood or grasped

• The complexity of the situation was beyond fathomable.
• I can't even fathomable how much work that would take.
• It's totally unfathomable to me why she would do that.
• The depth of his emotions was unfathomable.

verb to struggle or engage in a physical or mental fight or contest

preposition used to indicate that someone is dealing with or trying to solve a problem or difficult situation

• The team of researchers continues to grapple with the complexities of the data analysis.
• I've been grappling with this math problem for hours and still can't figure it out.
• He's really been grappling with his decision to quit his job and travel the world.
• She grappled with her emotions as she tried to make sense of the situation.

noun a person who has or is considered to have superior intellectual or cultural tastes and interests

adjective appealing to or associated with people who have superior intellectual or cultural tastes and interests

• The highbrow literary magazine only publishes works by established authors.
• She always feels out of place at those highbrow art galleries.
• I can't stand those highbrow snobs who think they're better than everyone else.
• His taste in music is quite highbrow, always seeking out the most sophisticated compositions.

adjective lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly

• The professor dismissed the student's inane question during the lecture.
• I can't believe she wasted time on such an inane topic.
• Stop being so inane, it's annoying.
• His inane ideas were like a broken record, repeating the same nonsense over and over again.

adjective having or showing knowledge or intelligence; well-informed

• The professor is very knowledgeable in the field of quantum physics.
• My friend is so knowledgeable about cars, he can fix anything that goes wrong with mine.
• She's the most knowledgeable person I know when it comes to makeup trends.
• The old wise man was like a walking encyclopedia, so knowledgeable about the history of our town.

noun a person who has acquired much knowledge through study and experience

• The learned man delivered a captivating lecture on ancient philosophy.
• My neighbor is a real learned man when it comes to history.
• That dude is such a learned man, he knows everything about cars.
• In this field, she is considered a learned man among her peers.

noun the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline

• The study of philosophy delves into fundamental questions about existence and knowledge.
• I've always been interested in philosophy and love discussing deep topics with my friends.
• Philosophy is like, all about thinking deeply and stuff.
• In life, sometimes we need to adopt a philosophical mindset to navigate through challenges.

noun a profound or far-reaching state, quality, or condition

adjective showing great knowledge or insight; deep or intense

• The scientist made a profound discovery that will revolutionize the field of medicine.
• I had a profound realization about the importance of family during the holiday season.
• That movie was so profound, it really made me think about life in a different way.
• The artist's use of color in the painting created a profound sense of emotion.

noun the quality of being profound; great depth of intellect, feeling, or meaning

• The speaker's lecture on the topic delved into the profundity of the subject matter.
• I never realized the profundity of her words until I really thought about it.
• I was blown away by the profundity of that movie, it really made me think.
• The artist's painting captured the profundity of human emotion in a way that words cannot express.

noun the quality of being sagacious; keen mental discernment and good judgment

• His sagacity in financial matters was highly respected by the board members.
• She always turns to her grandmother for sagacity when making important decisions.
• I never expected him to show such sagacity in handling the situation.
• The sagacity of the old tree in the forest was evident in its ability to survive harsh weather conditions.

noun A person who thinks deeply or reflects on complex ideas

• The philosopher was known as a profound thinker in the academic community.
• My friend is such a deep thinker - he's always pondering the meaning of life.
• That guy is a real brainiac, a true thinker.
• She was a thinker in a world of doers, always contemplating the bigger picture.

adjective An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun. In this case, 'thought provoking' describes something that stimulates or encourages deep thinking.

• The professor presented a thought provoking argument during the lecture.
• I just watched a thought provoking documentary on Netflix.
• That movie was so thought provoking, it really made me think.
• His artwork is truly thought provoking, each piece tells a unique story.

adjective describing something as thoughtful or contemplative, often in a pretentious or self-important manner

• The professor stood at the front of the classroom, looking thoughtful with a chin-strokey gesture.
• She always gets a chin-strokey when she's trying to figure something out.
• I could see him doing the chin-strokey thing while he was deep in thought.
• Her decision-making process always involves a lot of chin-strokey moments.

adverb in a foolish or silly manner

• She spoke fatuously about the benefits of the new policy without considering any potential drawbacks.
• He fatuously believed he could win the game without even practicing.
• Stop talking fatuously, you sound ridiculous.
• His fatuously optimistic attitude towards life often leads to disappointment.

noun the quality of being difficult to understand or comprehend

• The professor's lecture on quantum physics was filled with abstrusity, leaving many students confused.
• I tried reading that scientific paper, but the abstrusity of the language made my head hurt.
• I can't follow the abstrusity of this math problem, it's too complicated.
• The abstrusity of her emotions made it hard for him to understand her true feelings.