Julia Dhar: How to have constructive conversations | TED

Important Vocabulary Words From The Video

ideologically

Ideologically means based on a set of beliefs. When you say that someone is ideologically opposed to something, you mean that they hold a very strong opinion against it.

  • He is ideologically opposed to abortion, which is why he is against it.
  • The politician is ideologically opposed to the government, which is why he is protesting.
pollsters

A pollster is a person who is hired to survey a population about their opinions on a particular topic. They use a variety of methods to gather the information that they need.

  • The pollsters were trying to find out how people felt about the new law.
  • The pollsters were trying to find out how people felt about the candidates.
unbridgeable

When two people are unbridgeable, they are unable to overcome their differences. They might be angry with each other, and they will never be able to get past that.

  • The unbridgeable differences between the two parties caused the conflict.
  • The unbridgeable difference between the two families caused the feud.
headlong

To headlong into something is to go straight into it without thinking about the consequences. When you headlong into a river, you are risking your life.

  • He headlonged into the water and was swept away.
  • The project headlonged into disaster when the budget was cut.
pocketing

To pocket something is to take it without giving it back. Sometimes people use the word to describe the act of spending money without actually contributing anything to the cause.

  • He pocketed the candy when he was leaving the store.
  • She pocketed the book when she was leaving the library.

When you are talking about the practicalities of something, you are referring to the practical aspects of the situation. These might include things like logistics or economics.

  • The practicalities of the situation make it impossible for the army to invade.
  • The practicalities of the situation make it impossible for the government to help the people.
cacophony

When there is a lot of noise that is unpleasant, it's called a cacophony. A cacophony can be anything from a group of people yelling angrily to a swarm of bees flying around.

  • The cacophony of the waves crashing against the shore was overwhelming.
awkwardness

awkwardness is a feeling of discomfort or awkwardness. It can be caused by anything from being in the wrong place at the wrong time to saying the wrong thing.

  • It's often very awkward to talk to people you don't know.
  • She was very uncomfortable at the party, because she felt very awkward.
persuaders

When someone is a persuader, they are able to influence other people to do what they want. Persuaders can be persuasive in a direct way, or they can be persuasive in a indirect way.

  • The persuaders tried to persuade the protesters to leave peacefully.
  • The persuaders tried to persuade the voters to vote for the candidate.