to think there must be a way to add 100 words to my vocabulary

[MariaWaria]

I'd like to expand my vocabulary - this is very much for me and not out of any desire to impress or fit in. But how do I do this?

Have previously signed up for sites where you're emailed a word a day but the words were too obsure; just want to get more words into my vocabulary that I can draw on in general conversation but struggling to do this.

Would like to add 100 words, yet it's not as simple as picking 100 words from the dictionary.

AIBU to ask if there's a technique for doing this or if anyone has ideas?

Reading is definitely the best way. Get a book you think you might enjoy and allocate 20mins a day to it.
Other than that, watch quality tv like a pp mentioned above, documentaries and listen to radio 4.

That's like saying I'm not going to practice my French/Spanish/German because I might say a wrong word and look stupid.

No, it isn’t the same thing at all. You don’t learn a new language by finding isolated words in a dictionary. It’s by reading, talking and watching the language being used in context.

I know Boris Johnson isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he uses words beautifully, fluently and appropriately. With beautiful diction.

Similarly Mary Beard, Stephen Fry and Brian Sewell (dec.)

They've all written books on History Science and Art so loooooads of lovely vocab

Watch some of these - huge range of topics.
www.ted.com/talks

If you don't like reading then listening is the next best thing, a spoken word radio station or podcasts. Find something you're interested in and listen to that or watch some serious type TV.

100 words doesn't sound like too big a target, I don't think it would take you long

Read some period drama
I learnt loads of new words reading Catherine Cookson

I love it when I come across a new word and I have to try and work out what it means
I had to ask dh what oxters meant

I’ll start you off with AMBERGRIS
Look it up, it can come in handy when discussing beach combing, perfumes or quick money.

As well as reading, listening to 'better' radio shows. Radio 4 rather than Radio 1.

Oh yes audiobooks if you’re not too fond of reading. If you download the overdrive app and are a member of a library, you can borrow them for free.

Oh, onalongsabbatical, what a depressing read

Thank you. Clearly I need to start reading more - the message has got through.

And special thanks to onalongsabbatical and Hygge for their especially helpful posts.

Work with my boss - she frequently uses big words I don’t know (i’m a maths type person, not a words type person)

Or

Play words with friends 😀

If you don't like reading, try listening. Download something from a site e.g books should be free (if it still exists). Listen in short bursts and change the book or story if you are not enjoying it.

Not Reading:
Speech making. By good speakers. There are clubs you can join that are all about public speaking so you get practice using words to good effect. Also you would hear people using big words in context, but also finding precise meanings for what they want to express.

Can find good speeches online to listen to. Parliamentary speeches are good for this. Look for Barak Obama, most people that are called "intellectuals". There are youtube videos to pick thru.

Recalitrant. That's a good one. :)

More ideas - brilliant

Crosswords are an excellent way to improve vocabulary, as you're learning the definition as well as the word! You can buy books of the times crosswords, or telegraph. The guardian has them all online! Cryptic ones are the best workout for the brain, but they require very specific skills, so begin with ordinary ones- the guardian quick crossword is excellent.

Listen to R4 constantly. Or the world service. If nothing else, your knowledge of global current affairs will improve.

But reading is the real way to do it.
Read the spectator, private eye, new scientist, broadsheet newspapers (news section!), The Economist.
Read books by Will Self (but they may be more esoteric words!)

You don’t learn a new language by finding isolated words in a dictionary..

I'm afraid you missed my point Purple - my point was - so what if people use a word and it creates a "comedy sentence," that sounds negative, and like there's going to be someone there judging them. Does it matter if they get it wrong? That's a way to learn.

I speak and write French and Spanish and I can say from experience that a quick way (not the only way) of increasing vocab is to make a point of looking up words that mean the same thing and checking in a thesaurus. Yes you may get a "faux Ami" in most languages from time to time eg the Spanish word for Pregnant is embarazada so you wouldn't want to use that in the wrong context but hey ho nothing ventured nothing gained!

I have read the thread but have a streaming cold so may have missed if someone has already suggested this:

freerice.com

I know you don't like reading but this is a quiz and for every word you correctly guess the meaning of, they donate 10 grams of rice to the world food programme or something. It's quite fun cause there is an incentive to get it right!

Get a kindle, if a word crops up that you don't know or don't know the context you can tap on it and get a dictionary definition

Thank you onalongsabbatical that was really interesting.
“depressive hedonia … an inability to do anything else except pursue pleasure” this is the crux of the matter-of-fact too long, the system in this country (and seemingly also Australia) has been edutainment, rather than pursuit of learning and knowledge.
Children (and consequently, university students) expect to be constantly interested and find their learning fun- it shouldn't be! Learning is hard, and we do children no favours by making it fun constantly. They need to learn how to work hard- this is an absolutely critical lesson to learn, but sadly many do not.
We are beginning to see a real disconnect between GCSE and A Level 'learning' and seemingly larger numbers of A Level students cannot cope with the demands of KS5 because GCSE has been completely spoonfed to them by teachers who are terrified of students not passing GCSE (performance related pay!) but pupils' GCSE outcomes do not represent their genuine level if ability in any way. So many sixth formers struggle to understand why they can't do A Levels. It's because they've never learnt to work, to think, or to reason.

As well as reading, buy a Thesaurus.

When you remember, pick it up, choose a (useful) word pretty much at random, or because you've spotted it, or because it's in your mind for some reason. Then read through all the synonyms, and use them. Some might stick. Several could adhere. A few might stay enduringly (etc)

@MariaWaria how on earth do you propose to learn any new words without actually reading anything? If you're not really into reading it's going to be quite a struggle.

When I was a teenager I used to keep a little notebook in my bag and write down interesting words - then look up their meaning. My lovely English teacher recommended trying to use a particular word 3 times in a day and then you'll never forget it. It's 20 years ago now, but I can still remember learning words like capricious, vascillatons and prevaricate like this!

As for reading, you may not enjoy reading novels, but try magazines, newspapers. How about children's books? Factual books? Head to a book shop or library and I bet you can find something you fancy reading.

REad! I read constantly and my vocab is much better than DH’s who rarely reads. Reading on a kindle is good as you can look up the word easily.?