Shades of Meaning

Front

Meaning of connotation?

Back

Emotional meaning of a word

Front

Denotation

Back

The official meaning of a word

Front

I hear my brother talking on the phone with his girlfriend. I hear my brother chatting on the phone with his girlfriend. How does the connotation of 'chatting' convey the author’s purpose?

Back

It implies the conversation is not serious.

Front

Tiger Woods won the tournament by seven strokes. The word 'dominated' suggests the author's purpose. How does it convey this?

Back

It emphasizes that he easily won.

Front

More positive connotation: laid-back or lazy?

Back

laid-back

Front

More positive connotation: Bean-pole or Slender?

Back

Slender

Front

Phrase with negative connotation:

Back

a box crammed with documents

Front

More negative phrase:

Back

scowl at someone

Front

Order of intensity (weakest to strongest):

Back

nibble, eat, gobble

Front

Order of intensity (weakest to strongest): wreck, destroy, damage?

Back

damage, destroy, wreck