Parenting Challenges

noun a person who behaves in a morally wrong or evil way

• It is unethical to label someone as a bad person without considering the full context of their actions.
• I don't want to hang out with him anymore, he's just a bad person.
• She's a total jerk, a real bad person.
• His heart was as black as coal, truly a bad person.

noun a person who talks too much, especially indiscreetly

verb to talk too much, especially indiscreetly

• The witness refused to blab about what he saw at the crime scene.
• Don't blab about the surprise party, it's supposed to be a secret!
• I can't believe she blabbed to the teacher about our plans to skip class.
• The river seemed to blab its secrets as it flowed through the forest.

adjective relating to or suffering from colic, which is severe pain in the abdomen caused by gas or obstruction in the intestines

• The baby's crying could be a sign of colicky pain.
• My friend's newborn is so colicky, it's been keeping them up all night.
• I heard colicky babies are a real handful.
• Dealing with this project's technical issues has been quite colicky.

verb to waste time, to move slowly or idly

adjective wasting time or moving slowly

adverb in a slow or idle manner

• The child was dawdling on his way to school, causing him to be late.
• Stop dawdling and hurry up, we're going to be late!
• Quit dawdling and let's bounce, we're gonna miss the movie.
• She felt like she was dawdling through life, not making any progress towards her goals.

noun open resistance; bold disobedience

adjective defiant (describes a person or behavior characterized by defiance)

• The student showed defiance by refusing to follow the school's dress code.
• She rolled her eyes in defiance when her mom told her to clean her room.
• The teenager's defiance was off the charts when he was told he couldn't go to the party.
• The artist's use of bold colors was a form of defiance against traditional painting techniques.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

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

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

• The constant noise from the construction site next door can drive up the wall.
• My little brother's whining about not getting his way really drives me up the wall.
• Her constant gossiping about others really drives me up the wall.
• The never-ending paperwork at work is starting to drive me up the wall.

noun a feeling of self-satisfaction or pleasure, often over someone else's misfortune

verb to dwell on one's own success or another's misfortune with smugness or malignant pleasure

• It is considered inappropriate to gloat about one's accomplishments in a professional setting.
• She couldn't help but gloat about winning the competition to her friends.
• He's always gloating about how much money he makes.
• The sun seemed to gloat as it shone brightly on the successful harvest.

noun a complaint or criticism

verb to complain or grumble

• She had a legitimate gripe with the company's lack of transparency.
• I hear you, that's a valid gripe to have.
• Stop griping about the weather, there's nothing we can do about it.
• His constant griping about his job was like a broken record.

noun a person who has been found guilty of a crime and is therefore responsible for it

adjective feeling or showing guilt; responsible for a crime or offense

• The jury found the defendant guilty of all charges.
• I can't believe he admitted he was guilty.
• She's totally guilty of stealing my snacks.
• His guilty conscience kept him up at night.

noun a person, especially a child, who is extremely difficult to control or manage

adjective used to describe someone or something that causes fear or terror

• The child was known to be a holy terror in the classroom, disrupting lessons and causing chaos.
• Watch out for that little boy, he's a holy terror when he's in a mischievous mood.
• She's a holy terror when she's had too much coffee, always buzzing around and getting into everyone's business.
• The new boss was a holy terror when it came to enforcing deadlines and quality standards.

noun a slang term for playing truant or skipping school or work

• The student was caught playing hooky from school yesterday.
• Let's play hooky and go to the beach instead of work.
• I can't believe he's pulling a hooky again, what a slacker.
• Her excuse for missing the meeting sounded like a hooky to me.

noun a strong feeling of annoyance or irritation caused by being unable to wait for something

adjective impatient (describing someone who is easily annoyed or irritated when having to wait)

• The doctor could sense the patient's impatience as they waited for their test results.
• I can't stand waiting in line, it always brings out my impatience.
• My impatience is off the charts today, I just can't wait for the weekend.
• His impatience was like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

adjective not easily taught, disciplined, or managed; unruly

• The indocile student refused to follow the teacher's instructions.
• He's so indocile, he never listens to anyone.
• That indocile kid is always causing trouble.
• Her indocile nature was like a wild horse that couldn't be tamed.

adjective showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect

• The student's insolent behavior towards the teacher was unacceptable.
• She couldn't stand his insolent attitude any longer.
• Stop being so insolent, it's really annoying.
• The storm raged on, its winds howling in an insolent manner.

adjective disobedient to authority; defiant; unruly

• The employee was reprimanded for being insubordinate towards their supervisor.
• He got in trouble for being insubordinate and not following orders.
• She was being insubordinate and got herself into hot water.
• The rebellious teenager's insubordinate attitude caused tension within the family.

noun a feeling of disappointment or disillusionment

verb to disappoint or fail to meet expectations

• The outcome of the project was a major letdown for the team.
• I was really looking forward to the concert, but it turned out to be a letdown.
• The movie was such a letdown, I was expecting so much more.
• His constant excuses were a letdown to our friendship.

noun a state of sluggishness or laziness

• The patient's lethargy was a concerning symptom of their illness.
• I can't shake off this lethargy, I just want to stay in bed all day.
• I feel so lazy and tired, it's like I'm in a state of lethargy.
• The company's growth was hindered by a sense of lethargy among its employees.

noun a state of lacking energy or enthusiasm

• The patient's listlessness was a concerning symptom of their illness.
• I can't shake this feeling of listlessness today, I just don't have any motivation.
• I was feeling so listless after staying up all night playing video games.
• The stagnant economy was characterized by a sense of listlessness among investors.

noun a man who has the characteristics of a child, such as immaturity or dependence

• The manchild refused to take on any responsibilities at work.
• My brother is such a manchild, always playing video games and avoiding adulting.
• Stop acting like a manchild and start acting your age.
• His inability to handle criticism showed his inner manchild.

noun a mistake or error in judgment or action

• The CEO's misstep in handling the company's finances led to a steep decline in profits.
• I made a misstep by forgetting to send out the invitations for the party.
• She made a major misstep by not studying for the exam and failing miserably.
• His misstep on the career ladder caused him to fall behind in his professional development.

adjective feeling or expressing great embarrassment or shame

• She was absolutely mortified when she realized she had forgotten her lines during the play.
• I was so mortified when I tripped and spilled my drink all over myself at the party.
• I was mortified when I accidentally liked my crush's old Instagram photo.
• The team was mortified when they lost the championship game in the final seconds.

adjective talkative in a rude or impudent way

• She was reprimanded by her teacher for being too mouthy during class discussions.
• My little brother can be so mouthy when he doesn't get his way.
• Don't be so mouthy with me, I'm not in the mood for your attitude.
• His mouthy behavior was a clear sign of his insecurity and need for attention.

adjective stubborn or obstinate in behavior

• Despite repeated attempts to convince him otherwise, the mulish man refused to change his opinion.
• She can be so mulish sometimes, always insisting on doing things her own way.
• Don't be so mulish about it, just go with the flow for once.
• The stubbornness of his mulish behavior caused tension in the workplace.

verb to be overcome by a large amount or force

adjective feeling a strong emotional effect

• She felt overwhelmed by the amount of work that needed to be completed by the end of the week.
• I'm completely overwhelmed with all the assignments due tomorrow.
• I'm totally swamped and overwhelmed with everything on my plate right now.
• The sheer magnitude of the task ahead left her feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin.

noun a personal dislike or source of irritation

• One of my biggest pet peeves is when people interrupt others while they are speaking.
• My pet peeve is when someone leaves dirty dishes in the sink without washing them.
• It really grinds my gears when people don't use their turn signals while driving, that's my pet peeve.
• His constant tapping on the desk during the meeting was like a pet peeve that drove me crazy.

verb to tolerate or endure something unpleasant or difficult

• I cannot continue to put up with your unprofessional behavior in the workplace.
• I'm tired of putting up with your constant excuses for being late.
• I'm done putting up with his drama, it's too much.
• Sometimes in life, you just have to put up with the rainy days to enjoy the sunshine.

adjective easily irritated or annoyed; prone to snapping or biting in response

• The customer service representative was being quite snappish when asked about the return policy.
• My boss gets snappish when she's stressed out.
• Don't be so snappish, I was just asking a question.
• Her words had a snappish bite to them, revealing her frustration.

noun a sudden, violent, and uncontrolled outburst of anger or frustration; a fit of bad temper

• The child threw a tantrum when he was told he couldn't have any more candy.
• She always throws a tantrum when things don't go her way.
• He had a major tantrum over losing the game.
• The storm outside matched the tantrum brewing inside of her.

adjective Tired is an adjective that describes a feeling of exhaustion or fatigue.

• After a long day of work, I felt extremely tired and in need of rest.
• I'm so tired after staying up late watching movies last night.
• I can't hang out tonight, I'm too tired to function.
• She was tired of the same old routine and decided to make a change.

noun a person or thing that causes boredom or annoyance

adjective causing one to feel bored or annoyed

• The tiresome task of data entry took up most of my afternoon.
• I find long meetings to be quite tiresome.
• Ugh, that movie was so tiresome, I almost fell asleep!
• Dealing with his constant complaints was like carrying a tiresome burden.

adjective causing one to feel tired or weary

• The long hike up the mountain was incredibly tiring.
• I'm so tired after that workout, it was exhausting.
• That party last night was so tiring, I'm beat.
• Dealing with her constant complaints is emotionally tiring.

noun the quality or state of being unruly; disorderly or disruptive behavior

• The teacher struggled to control the unruliness of the students during the class.
• The party was chaotic due to the unruliness of the guests.
• The unruliness of the crowd at the concert was off the charts.
• The unruliness of the weather made it difficult to plan outdoor activities.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case, 'unteachable' describes someone or something that cannot be taught

• Some students may be labeled as unteachable due to their lack of progress in traditional learning environments.
• That kid is unteachable, he never pays attention in class.
• She's so unteachable, it's like talking to a brick wall.
• The concept of time travel may seem unteachable at first, but with the right explanation, it can be understood.

adjective given to or marked by willful, often perverse deviation from what is desired, expected, or required

• The wayward student was constantly getting into trouble for not following school rules.
• My wayward cat keeps sneaking out of the house when I'm not looking.
• That wayward driver almost caused an accident by swerving in and out of lanes.
• Her wayward thoughts led her down a path of self-destruction.

adverb In a manner that causes worry or unease

• The data from the latest report is concerningly low, indicating a potential issue with our strategy.
• I find it concerningly odd that she hasn't replied to my messages for days.
• His behavior at the party was concerningly sketchy, I think he's up to something.
• The dark clouds gathering on the horizon were concerningly ominous, hinting at an impending storm.

noun an extreme or irrational fear of bathing, washing, or cleaning

• Ablutophobia is a serious condition that causes individuals to have an extreme fear of bathing or washing.
• My friend suffers from ablutophobia, so she rarely takes showers.
• I heard that guy has ablutophobia, he never wants to get clean.
• Her ablutophobia towards change was evident in her reluctance to try new things.

noun a fear or aversion to children

• Pedophobia is a serious fear of children that can greatly impact a person's daily life.
• I don't understand why some people have pedophobia, kids are just little humans.
• Pedophobia is just plain silly, kids are so much fun to be around.
• Her pedophobia was like a barrier preventing her from connecting with the younger generation.

noun the consumption of feces, typically by animals

• Coprophagia is a behavior observed in some animal species where they consume feces.
• I read that coprophagia is actually a natural behavior in certain animals.
• Ew, did you know some animals engage in coprophagia?
• Metaphorically speaking, engaging in coprophagia means consuming negative thoughts and emotions.

noun a slang term for complaining or whining excessively

• The employees continued to piss and moan about the new company policy.
• Stop pissing and moaning about having to work late tonight.
• Why do you always have to piss and moan about everything?
• Instead of just pissing and moaning, let's focus on finding a solution to the problem.

noun A person who frequently uses vulgar or obscene language

adjective Describing someone who frequently uses vulgar or obscene language

• She was reprimanded for being potty mouthed during the board meeting.
• I can't believe how potty mouthed he is when he's angry.
• She's known for being a bit potty mouthed when she's had a few drinks.
• His potty mouthed comments left a bad impression on everyone at the party.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun, in this case, 'sweary' describes someone or something that uses swear words frequently

• The speaker was asked to refrain from using sweary language during the conference.
• I didn't realize how much I swear until my friend pointed out how often I use sweary words.
• Some people find it cool to use sweary language to sound tough.
• Her anger was so intense that she could feel the heat of sweary words rising in her throat.

noun a quality of being adamant or unyielding in attitude or opinion

adjective adamant or unyielding in attitude or opinion

• Despite the adamance of the opposition, the proposal was eventually approved.
• She's pretty set on her decision, her adamance is impressive.
• I can't believe his adamance on this issue, it's so stubborn.
• Her adamance was like a brick wall, impossible to sway.