VAK-yoo-us
(adjective) Lacking thought, intelligence, or meaning.
The President’s speech was filled with vacuous slogans and lacked substance.
Fun Fact
Vacuous is closely related to the word “vacuum”—think of something hollow or devoid of content. It’s frequently used in media criticism to describe interviews, reality TV dialogue, or political statements that sound nice but say nothing.
RAW-kus
(adjective) Loud, harsh, and disorderly; boisterous in a rough or disruptive way.
The forest erupted in a raucous chorus of crows as hikers approached the clearing.
From Latin raucus, meaning “hoarse” or “harsh-sounding.”
Fun Fact
Raucous describes more than just volume — it captures texture. The word is often used for sounds that are gritty or abrasive: shouting crowds, squabbling birds, rowdy laughter, or stormy winds tearing through branches. In nature writing, it’s a favorite term to evoke the wild, unpolished clamor of life that refuses to be quiet.
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