Interpersonal Communication Terms

verb to cause someone to feel irritated or displeased

adjective a feeling of irritation or displeasure

• She was visibly annoyed by the constant interruptions during the meeting.
• I'm so annoyed that my favorite show got canceled.
• I'm totally bugged by his attitude.
• The buzzing of the flies annoyed her like a persistent itch.

noun the action or practice of speaking maliciously about someone when they are not present

verb to speak maliciously about someone when they are not present

• Backbiting is a form of malicious gossip that can harm someone's reputation.
• I heard there was a lot of backbiting going on in the office.
• Stop all the backbiting and just speak directly to each other.
• The backbiting between the two rival companies was getting out of control.

noun a physical or emotional sensation

verb to explore or assess a situation or person cautiously or tentatively

• She was feeling out the situation before making any decisions.
• He's just feeling out if she's interested in him.
• I'm feeling out the vibe of the party before I decide if I want to stay.
• The artist was feeling out different color combinations before finalizing the painting.

verb to behave in a servile or obsequious manner

adjective showing excessive humility or submissiveness

• The servant was groveling at the feet of the king, begging for forgiveness.
• Stop groveling and stand up for yourself.
• I can't believe he's groveling for her attention like that.
• She felt like she was groveling for scraps of affection in their relationship.

noun a lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt

adjective feeling uncertain or vulnerable

• The rise in unemployment has led to an increase in insecurity among the population.
• She always feels a sense of insecurity when she's around her ex-boyfriend.
• I can't deal with all this drama and insecurity in our group of friends.
• The cracks in the foundation of their relationship were a source of insecurity for both of them.

noun the action of making something known, especially in an indirect way

• The letter from the lawyer contained an intimation of legal action if the payment was not made promptly.
• She gave me a subtle intimation that she wanted to break up.
• I got an intimation from my boss that I might be getting a promotion soon.
• The dark clouds gathering in the sky were an intimation of an approaching storm.

adjective describing a lack of emotion or showing no emotion

• The scientist presented a nonemotional analysis of the data during the conference.
• She tends to be pretty nonemotional when it comes to making decisions.
• I can't believe how nonemotional he was when he broke up with her.
• His nonemotional facade was just a cover for the pain he was feeling inside.

noun the act of pacifying or appeasing someone or something

verb to pacify or appease someone or something

• The diplomat attempted placation of the warring factions through negotiation.
• He tried placation by offering to buy her favorite dessert.
• She resorted to placation by promising to do his chores for a week.
• The soothing music acted as a placation for her troubled mind.

adjective easily annoyed or irritated; short-tempered

• The supervisor's snippy response to the employee's question was unwarranted.
• She can be a bit snippy when she's stressed out.
• Don't get snippy with me, I'm just trying to help.
• The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a snippy remark.

noun shade or shadow, especially as cast by trees

• The politician took umbrage at the journalist's probing questions.
• She really took umbrage at being called out in front of everyone.
• He totally caught umbrage when his friend made a joke about his haircut.
• The artist found umbrage in the blank canvas, seeing endless possibilities for creation.

noun a state or quality of being unfriendly; lack of friendliness or warmth

• The unfriendliness of the receptionist made the visitors feel unwelcome.
• I can't stand the unfriendliness of some of my coworkers.
• The unfriendliness of that bouncer was next level rude.
• The storm clouds gathered overhead, casting an air of unfriendliness over the once cheerful picnic.

noun the state or quality of being social with members of the opposite sex

• Heterosociality refers to the interaction and socialization between individuals of different genders.
• Heterosociality can sometimes lead to misunderstandings between men and women.
• I heard that party is going to be a heterosocial event, so make sure you bring a friend of the opposite gender.
• In the world of business, heterosociality plays a key role in networking and building professional relationships.