Today's Word

Baleful

BAYL-full

Definition

(adjective) Threatening harm or expressing hostility; ominous in tone or intent.

Example

The villain gave a baleful glare that silenced the entire room.

Word Origin

Old English bealufull, from bealu meaning “evil” or “harm.”

Fun Fact

Baleful shows up a lot in literature, especially when describing dark atmospheres or intense characters. It can describe looks, gestures, or environments that signal danger before it strikes. A baleful sky? Storm’s coming. A baleful glance? You’re on thin ice. It’s a great word for when something feels wrong—even if nothing’s happened yet.

Previous Words

Pragmatic

Today's Word

Pragmatic

prag-MAT-ik

Definition

(adjective) focused on practical results and real-world consequences rather than ideals, theories, or abstract principles.

Example

Instead of arguing over perfect solutions, she took a pragmatic approach and fixed what could be done immediately.

Word Origin

Pragmatic traces back to the Greek word pragmatikos, meaning “relating to deeds or actions,” from pragma (“thing done” or “action”). It entered English in the late 16th century, originally referring to people skilled in managing practical affairs, before evolving into its modern meaning of valuing usefulness and outcomes over theory.

Fun Fact

In philosophy, pragmatism became a major movement in the late 1800s, arguing that ideas should be judged by how well they work in real life—not by whether they sound good in theory. That mindset still shapes modern problem-solving, from business decisions to software design, where a “good enough” solution that works today often beats a perfect one that never ships.

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Baleful

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Previous Words

Pragmatic

Pragmatic

Definition

Example

Word Origin

Pragmatic

Semaphore

Portentous

Blandishment

Sequester