The ultimate guide on how to speak eloquently, including 200 well-spoken alternatives to common words and phrases. If you've ever fumbled while trying to use a big word ('lofty word,' 'pretentious word') to impress a crowd, you know what it's like to ('know what it is to') be poorly spoken. The fear of mispronouncing or misusing complex words is real and leaves many of us consigned to the lower levels ('lower reaches,' 'lower echelons') of the English language. The secret to eloquence, however, lies in simplicity—the ability to use ordinary words in extraordinary ways. The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is your guide to eloquence, featuring lessons from some of the most articulate speakers of our past and present. While a common thesaurus provides only synonyms as mere word-for-word equivalents, The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is filled with ('awash in,' 'instilled with,' 'dense with,' 'rich in') dynamic reinventions of standard words and phrases. Lessons from history's greatest writers and speakers, including: Margaret Atwood Barack Obama T. S. Eliot Edith Wharton Martin Luther King, Jr. Henry James Barbara Kingsolver John Steinbeck The Well-Spoken Thesaurus is the ultimate vocabulary builder for adults seeking to improve their vocabulary and speak better.