Alphabetic N

noun

1 of 62

Bad / Strange

audio

nerd - A person who lacks social skills but often makes up for it with technical ability

Kevin was such a nerd that he couldn't even consider asking any girl out for a date.

verb

2 of 62

Bad / Unfriendly

audio

nix - Put an end to; cancel

Once Ed found out that his potential business partner had been arrested for fraud 2 years before, he nixed the scheduled meeting, and he tore up the partnership agreement that he was about to sign.

verb

3 of 62

Bad / Unfriendly

Url audio

neglect - To fail to care of something or someone properly.

During a mass emergency, it's important for the emergency room staff to remember not to neglect their need to eat and sleep.

noun

4 of 62

Good / New

audio

novice - Someone who is beginning to learn a skill or subject

Because Mary was a novice programmer, she often asked her co-workers for help and advice.

noun

5 of 62

Other / Other

audio

narrative - A story or a description of a series of events

As historians learned more about the ancient revolution, they gradually changed their narrative about what happened.

adjective

6 of 62

Good / Smart-Adj

audio

nifty - Particularly good, skillful, or effective

Gene Kelly delighted audiences with his nifty footwork in his musicals.

noun

7 of 62

Bad / Dangerous

Url audio

nosedive - A sudden, steep drop, a sharp decline in condition, success, or stability.

After the scandal, the company’s stock took a nosedive.

noun

8 of 62

Bad / Small

audio

nub - A small lump or protuberance

To end a call when using old rotary phones, a person would have to place the phone down on the two nubs sticking out on top of the dial.

noun

9 of 62

Good / Happy

audio

nirvana - (in Buddhism) a transcendent state in which there is neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and the subject is released from the effects of karma and the cycle of death and rebirth; it represents the final goal of Buddhism

As the Buddha meditated under the banyan tree, a serene glow seemed to appear around him when he finally achieved nirvana.

adjective

10 of 62

Bad / Unfriendly

Url audio

nosey - Too interested in other people's business or private matters.

Our nosey neighbors always ask who visited our house every weekend, but we pretend that it doesn't bother us.

noun

See verb

11 of 62

Bad / Unfriendly

audio

nag - A person who nags someone

Kevin had suspicions that his girlfriend was turning into a nag because she was always telling how to dress and what to do.

verb

12 of 62

Good / Smart

Url audio

navigate - To lead a company, activity, etc. in a particular direction, or to deal effectively with a difficult situation.

From the time he started Microsoft, Bill Gates was able to successfully navigate its rapid growth in terms of products and customers.