fleabane
noun
Those volunteer zinnias or the fleabane that popped up in the middle of your roses may add to the wild garden aesthetic, so consider leaving them there. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Feb. 2026
violet
noun
When to Skip Mowing in May If your backyard looks more like a tapestry lawn—patches of violet, yellow, and white mini blossoms—than an uninterrupted blanket of green that resembles a golf course, then No Mow May is for you. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026
trillium
noun
Come in spring when migratory warblers fill the trees and trilliums bloom along the Heron Rookery Trail. — Alexandra Gillespie, AFAR Media, 19 Sep. 2025
goldenrod
noun
Milkweed and moths at screens, fields of corn and goldenrod and Queen Anne’s lace. — Karen Brown, The Atlantic, 31 Aug. 2021
touch-me-not
noun
The leaves and petals of the touch-me-not have been traditionally used by Korean girls and women to dye their fingernails in the summer, and there’s even a superstition that if there’s still some dye left on your fingernails by the time the first snow falls, then your first love will come true. — Regina Kim, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024
black-eyed Susan
noun
Pick colorful, feel-good plants such as summer coleus and petunia, fall aster and black-eyed Susan, winter’s fragrant golden Mexican orange and camellia sasanqua, and your favorite spring flowers. — oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2021
milkweed
noun
Monarchs rely on one group of plants on which to lay their eggs: the milkweeds. — Molly Marquand, Good Housekeeping, 28 July 2016
lily
noun
The trail takes visitors along Rottenwood Creek where, at this time of year, thousands of dimpled trout lilies (Erythronium umbilicatum) create bright yellow carpets on the hillsides and stream banks. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026
weasel
noun
rinse
verb
rinse out the mouth
I rinsed my face in the sink.
laser
noun
laser beam
laser printer
doctors using a laser to perform delicate eye surgery
maser
noun
In 1960, physicist Ted Maiman developed the laser by building on its 1950s predecessor, the maser. — John Ballato, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026
In fact, observations of these masers have proved that our Milky Way is a magnificent example of a spiral galaxy. — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 20 Feb. 2025
dusk
noun
The park closes at dusk.
adjective
beginning to grow dusk outside
verb
the dusking room
dissipation
noun
Insulation helps prevent the dissipation of heat from houses in the winter.
hippie
noun
Why are acorn woodpeckers the hippies of the bird world? — Kelcie Pegher, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023
But a lot of things were happening in the 60s, like the hippie movement. — National Geographic, 10 Mar. 2018
embodiment
noun
Mother Theresa was often regarded as the embodiment of selfless devotion to others.
Nvidia, the leading maker of AI chips, is the embodiment of the AI boom. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025
He was once cheered as the embodiment of the Chinese dream. — New York Times, 8 July 2021
confide
verb
He confided that he was very unhappy with his job.
My heart is open to anyone who needs someone to confide in. — Jake Adams, The Courier-Journal, 7 Oct. 2022
Who wants to confide in someone who doesn’t understand you? — Jessica Marie Garcia, refinery29.com, 13 July 2020
reserved
adjective
She is a very reserved young woman.
The front row is reserved for faculty.
sob
verb
sobbed out her grief
She could not stop sobbing.
“I hate you,” she sobbed.
noun
He’s one arrogant/tough/greedy SOB.
I hate that miserable SOB.
glow
verb
The coals glowed in the fireplace.
This toy glows in the dark.
noun
We could see the glow of the lamp in the window.
Their problems were all forgotten in the glow of victory.
slim
adjective
She looked slim and fit for her age.
verb
She started exercising to slim her thighs.
I’ll skip dessert; I’m slimming.
lovebird
noun
Artemis
noun
rough
adjective
a rough draft
The design is still a bit rough around the edges. = the design needs refinement
Don’t be so rough on them for the mistake. = don’t criticize or punish them so harshly
we’ve had some rough times
The First Step to Take When You’re Having a Rough Day
unprecedented
adjective
The team has enjoyed unprecedented success this year.
scam
noun
Financial scams and fraud come in many different forms, including text messages, emails, or phone calls, and often these fraudulent communications are designed to look like they are coming from your bank. - TD Bank
brain rot
noun
This meme gave me brainrot. - The Brainrot Industrial Complex
As a result of too much screen time, brain rot might be associated with symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, reduced attention span and an inability to self-regulate. — Sarah Jacoby
People are assigning themselves homework to combat brain rot and improve their attention spans. There are no grades and no hard deadlines, just the satisfaction that comes with enriching your mind … — Daniel Wine
Just like teenagers or young adults who can display physical and cognitive signs when they consume an overload of brain rot, so do young children. — Lindsay Freiberger
insolvency
noun
inability to pay debts
bankruptcy
unless the economy improves, many resorts in the area face insolvency
This means more retailers may soon be on the brink of insolvency. — Sommer Saadi, Bloomberg.com, 9 Feb. 2023