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Word a Day

mercurial

adjective · /mɚˈkjʊɹiəl/ · Level 4 · Expert

What does mercurial mean?

mercurial (adjective): having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted.

Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

How do you pronounce mercurial?

/mɚˈkjʊɹiəl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.

What are synonyms of mercurial?

From Princeton WordNet 3.1.

Test yourself: do you know “mercurial”?

Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.

What does “mercurial” mean?

extremely offensive or unpleasant; very annoying, contemptible, or odious

Not quite: that's what obnoxious means.

occurring or existing at the same time or having the same period or phase

Not quite: that's what synchronous means.

inspiring fear, especially in a mysterious or shadowy way; strange, weird

Not quite: that's what eerie means.

having a lively or volatile character; animated, changeable, quick-witted

Right! That's what “mercurial” means.

Which word is closest in meaning to “mercurial”?

upfront

Not quite: upfront means something else.

erratic

Right!

elusive

Not quite: elusive means something else.

dubious

Not quite: dubious means something else.

Learn a word like “mercurial” every day

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