How To Expand Your Vocabulary (Lexicon)

Admit it, the average person's vocabulary is a cesspool. But you don't have to be that way, you can be better than that. I once read that the only thing that truly limits your mind is your vocabulary, but you can be free. Just use these methods to expand your vocabulary and you'll be on your way to mental freedom.

1. Read

Reading is certainly the most fun way to learn new words, but reading The Magic Tree House won't teach you any new words. If you want to seriously bulk up your vocabulary delve into classics, they tend to be full of unheard (but useful) words. While fiction takes all the attention, nonfiction can boost your vocabulary too. Read something technical and learn all the jargon of a subject. Read everything and often, and your vocabulary will improve.

2. Flip through a dictionary and look for cool words

This method is fun as well. There are a lot of good words in English that aren't used but are still put into dictionaries. Flip through and you might just find some amazing words. Or if you are serious about mastering English you can go page by page and memorize every word you don't know.

3. "Word of the Day"s and Word Pages

Word of the days sent to your email or text are effective and easy. Over the course of a year you'll have learned 365 new words. Over your lifetime you could have expanded your vocabulary more than 20,000 words more than you would have otherwise. Word pages on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter are great to this purpose as well.

4. A Vocabulary list

Many people are trying to expand their vocabulary. Many English teachers are trying to cram another thousand words into the brains of their students. Many people like sharing lists of odd words. There are plenty of vocabulary lists out there to learn from. Just search the internet for something like "A thousand words I should learn" and you are sure to have enough words to satisfy your vocabulary expanding needs.

5. Synonyms and Antonyms

Ever become tired of saying the same word over and over? I know by now I am tired of the word "vocabulary" so the word "lexicon" will be used from here on. A grand way to improve your lexicon is to find alternate words for the ones you usually use. Every word has multiple synonyms, so you are sure to find a plethora of new words to expand your lexicon.

6. Learn Roots From Your Mother Tongue

English is a mixture of Latin, Greek, and German. If you learn the roots from these mother languages and the modern words associated with them, you'll find your lexicon expanding nicely along with deeper understandings of what ancient times were like.

If you use one (or all if you are seriously serious about it) then you'll find your lexicon more complex and maybe even find more deepness in your life. Good luck, enjoy freedom.