There’s a stigma that whenever someone uses big words, they’re trying to appear smart, and it comes across as pretentious. Besides that stigma, most people don’t think twice when formulating their thoughts. We just call things “good” or “bad” and reply with “literally.” While I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with simple, everyday language, there’s a great advantage you’re missing out on if you don’t treat articulation as something intentional, something delicate.

To illustrate this, let’s visualize two people. Both of them don’t feel like talking to others, but they word it differently. The first person says, “I don’t feel like talking to people.” The second person says, “My social battery just ran out.”

Both are expressing the same idea—that they don’t want to talk—but they communicate vastly different things. The first statement is ambiguous. Do they not want to talk because they’re introverted? Asocial? In a bad mood? It’s unclear what this person means or what their character is like based on that statement. The second phrase, however, gives a much more nuanced and layered picture. It implies that the person is usually social but has simply talked to too many people and needs a break. See how that reveals much more about someone´s personality?

This kind of nuance matters because language is one of the primary ways we showcase who we are. Beyond body language and actions, our words communicate our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. If we limit our vocabulary to generic phrases like, “I just like it” or “I don’t know, I just feel that way,” we’re stripping away layers of who we are. And the truth is, we’re all much more complex than that.

Once you start speaking with more precision, another beautiful thing happens: it becomes easier to connect with others—both like-minded individuals and those with differing perspectives who find your views intriguing. Because you’ve articulated your feelings so clearly, you’ll naturally attract people who resonate with them.

For example, when you say, “My social battery just ran out,” someone might respond, “Omg, same! I love talking to people, but after a few chats, I just want to go home to my cats, you know?” In that moment, you’ve hit the nail on the head—expressing something they may have subconsciously felt but never quite put into words. That shared understanding wouldn’t have been possible if you had simply said, “I don’t like talking to people.” True connections are built when people bond over who you actually are.

There are several ways to improve your articulation. Personally, one of the most effective methods for me is consuming media and looking up any word I don’t know whenever I hear or see it. Watching well-spoken individuals, journaling about what you truly feel and think, and taking a moment to pause before speaking to express exactly what you mean will all help refine your articulation over time.

All of this to say, and I mean this in the most non-villainous way, choose your next words wisely.