Which Word Has The Most Positive Connotation? Bonus Extra Nicety Luxury

Connotative Words: Examples & Meaning of Connotation (With Quiz)

When you look up a give-and-take in the dictionary, yous will detect its literal, or denotative, meaning. This is the bones definition of the word. Nonetheless, many words — especially nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs — also have connotative meanings. Observe the emotional side of words past reviewing some connotation examples.

connotative words examples with grouping of children

Connotative Word Significant

Connotation refers to a meaning suggested or implied by the use of a detail word, beyond its literal (denotative) meaning. Connotation impacts how readers perceive the overall meaning of what a writer or speaker is trying to communicate. Depending on how a word has been used over time, or the context in which it is being used, the term may have a positive, negative or neutral connotation.

Connotative vs. Denotative Meanings

To fully sympathise a word and apply it correctly, y'all need to know both its denotation (the standard definition) and its connotation (the feelings associated with it).

The denotative meaning of a give-and-take is its official dictionary definition.

A word's connotative meaning includes shades of meaning, such equally emotions, associated with the term.

The Importance of Connotation

When choosing words to use in language, information technology's important to consider both types of significant. This is an important key to choosing the right words. If you aren't fully aware of a word'southward connotation, yous may cull an inappropriate synonym in your writing, which can lead to confusion or fifty-fifty to your reader taking law-breaking.

Example: Birthday Activity Request

If you say that you lot desire to do something different for your altogether this year, that doesn't convey the same meaning equally if y'all said y'all wanted to do something unique. The denotative meanings of "different" and "unique" are similar (not the same or unlike). However, the connotative meanings of these 2 words are not the same.

Dissimilar would hateful something other than what you did last twelvemonth or in previous years.
Unique would imply something highly unusual, such as an activity not unremarkably associated with birthdays or something that you (or most people) have never done before

Someone trying to come with a way to celebrate your altogether will probably find it much more than challenging to place a "unique" activity rather than one that is just "different."

Example: Describing a Group

As another case, consider the words group, clique, club, and gang. All 4 take basically the same denotative meaning: a set of more than one person. Each of these words has a different connotative pregnant, however.

Group has a neutral connotation. The word simply describes a number of people. It does not inspire either positive or negative feelings.
Clique too means a group of people, but it carries a negative connotation. This is considering "clique" is typically used in circumstances where the grouping is known for excluding others. This word should be used carefully: If you want to be thought of equally a welcoming group, the negative connotation of this word will turn people off!
Gang is defined as an organized group, just it has very negative connotations. The utilize of this term suggests criminal activity and/or violent behavior.
Club also refers to a group of people, but this word has a more positive connotation because a society is a drove of people that voluntarily come together for a shared passion or purpose.

Example: Describing Demeanor

If yous know someone whose personality style is the opposite of choked, information technology'south important to cull an appropriate word to describe the person's demeanor. Should y'all use relaxed, lackadaisical or low-key?

Relaxed is a fairly neutral or positive way to describe someone'south temperament, but it doesn't imply that the person is this way all the fourth dimension. Someone could exist relaxed now, merely get very agitated or excited at another time.
Easygoing is also likely to exist perceived as a positive or natural clarification. It is more likely to be viewed as a general statement nigh a person'due south full general nature rather than a snapshot of a moment in time.
Lackadaisical is never a compliment. Someone who is lackadaisical is relaxed and easygoing, but that person is also probably careless and disengaged. This term has a negative connotation.

Connotative Words: Examples

To see more examples of how words with like denotations tin can accept positive, neutral or negative connotations, refer to the chart below.

Positive Connotation	Neutral Connotation	Negative Connotation
interested	curious	nosy
employ	employ	exploit
thrifty	saving	stingy
steadfast	tenacious	stubborn
sated	filled	crammed
courageous	confident	conceited
unique	dissimilar	peculiar
meticulous	selective	picky
vintage	onetime	bedraggled
elated	happy	manic

Connotative Meaning: Practice Exercises

At present that you lot're more familiar with connotative words, see how well you do with these fun exercises. The answers are below, and then don't look alee until y'all accept tried to answer on your own.

Exercise i: Finding Words With Negative Connotations

Read the sentences below. Place the give-and-take(south) that take a negative connotation.

Bedford is a gritty neighborhood, simply the hire is affordable.
On my flying to Los Angeles, I sat adjacent to this geezer. He was very quondam.
Every morning my neighbor takes his mutt to the park. It always barks loudly when leaving the building.
You need to be pushy when you are looking for a job.
Bob is bullheaded sometimes, but he e'er gets the job done.

Exercise 2: Choose a Word With a Positive Connotation

Choose the word with the most positive connotation to complete the sentences below.

I dear spending time with my aunt. She has a very (artless, youthful, kittenish) outlook on life.
I enjoy finding ways to make the nearly of my upkeep by being (frugal, miserly, inexpensive).
I am (confident, arrogant, egotistical) that I will be selected for a role in the schoolhouse play.
I realize that you're feeling (nosy, prying, inquisitive), simply I'd rather non talk over the thing.
My cousin is very (blathering, jabbering, talkative).

Exercise 3: What'due south the Connotation?

For each of the sentences below, determine if the assuming discussion has a positive or negative connotation.

How long have you been dieting? Perchance too long. You await so skinny.
I tin can tell you put a lot of work into your book report. It is extraordinary.
I hope to look similar my sister when I grow upward. She is absolutely gorgeous.
I know that Eddie and I are the aforementioned age, but he is simply then juvenile.
It's certainly unusual to utilise Comic Sans font on a resume.

Answers for Exercise 1: Finding Words With Negative Connotations

The terms with a negative connotation are marked in assuming.

Bedford is a gritty neighborhood, but the rent is affordable.
On my flying to Los Angeles, I sat next to this geezer. He was very old.
Every morning my neighbor takes his mutt to the park. It ever barks loudly when leaving the building.
You need to be pushy when you lot are looking for a task.
Bob is blind sometimes, but he always gets the job done.

Answers for Exercise two: Choose a Give-and-take With a Positive Connotation

Options with the nearly positive connotation are marked in bold.

I love spending time with my aunt. She has a very (childlike, youthful, childish) outlook on life.
I enjoy finding ways to make the most of my budget by being (frugal, miserly, cheap).
I am (confident, arrogant, egotistical) that I will be selected for a role in the school play.
I realize that you're feeling (nosy, prying, inquisitive), but I'd rather non discuss the matter.
My cousin is very (blathering, talkative, jabbering).

Do three: What's the Connotation

Answers announced in parentheses afterwards each sentence.

How long have you been dieting? Possibly too long. Y'all look so skinny. (negative - implies the person has lost too much weight)
I tin can tell you put a lot of work into your book written report. It is extraordinary. (positive - implies that the results are very good)
I hope to look like my sister when I grow upwardly. She is absolutely gorgeous. (positive - implies great beauty)
I know that Eddie and I are the same age, but he is only and so juvenile. (negative - implies young and childish)
It's certainly unusual to apply Comic Sans font on a resume. (negative - implies that this is a bad idea)

Utilise Context to Get a Sense of the Word

Equally you tin can see, it's of import to understand the connotation as well every bit the denotation of a word before you lot apply it. Otherwise, you lot run the adventure of picking a word that doesn't effectively communicate your intended significant. Information technology takes practice to understand both the connotation and denotation of a new word, but information technology's well worth the effort. The all-time manner to learn a discussion'southward connotation is to review information technology in actual sentences to get a sense of how it is used. There are many examples of connotation in literature to review. It's also helpful to compare how synonyms are used so you can come across which are positive, negative or neutral. These strategies can help set up you to select the best denotative and connotative words for your purposes.