Vote for the best verboticism.

'Omigod! What happened to your nose?'

DEFINITION: v. To make something worse while attempting to make it better. n. A bad improvement.

Create | Read

Verboticisms

Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...

You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Badvancement

Created by: Tigger

Pronunciation: /bad-VANS-mehnt/

Sentence: It seems that each new elected politician is a badvancement on the last one. Although they promise improvement after improvement, and all sorts of advancements, things keep going from bad to worse.

Etymology: Bad - of poor or inferior quality; defective (of uncertain origin; meaning of "defective or inferior" first recorded around 1300 AD) + Advancement - a forward step; an improvement (from Old French, avancer "move forward")

| Comments and Points

Sobadisticimprovement

Created by: chrissimo87

Pronunciation: so-bad-istic-improvement

Sentence: I think you will find that was top of the 100 sobadisticimprovments awards this year

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Conaversion

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: con a ver shun

Sentence: After watching way too many Improve Your Garden style shows on tv,the Reynolds family had decided to create a tropical getaway in their backyard. "Puerto Backyardo" they would call it, when friends asked where they'd be spending their vacation. They dreamed of Mai-Tai's served on the pool deck, luaus and barbecues with friends and a restful oasis after their hectic workdays. But Fate has a funny way of throwing cold water on your reveries. Instead of a dream home, their home had become a living nightmare of a money pit. Yes, the Reynolds' home renovation had truly become a conaversion. Due to poor planning, poor workmanship, misestimates,a fisticuffs with some of the sub-contractors, which involved police action and failure to get proper planning permission, they were left with a mess. No workable plumbing; a sinkhole, instead of a swimming pool;a huge fine for failing to dial-before-you-dig and the subsequent costs to repair the ruptured gas mains;a cease and desist work order from the county;a tools-down job action from the workers and various lawsuits from neighbours whose homes were also affected by this unnatural disaster. Not to mention, a few thousand dollars worth of tropical vegetation drying out in a shed, because there was nowhere to plant them. Serves them right for not doing their homework and checking out the credentials of their contractors, "The 3 Stooges Landscape Co." Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk...

Etymology: conversion ( the act of changing from one use or function or purpose to another;an event that results in a transformation)& aversion(a feeling of intense dislike;disinclined;opposed)

| Comments and Points

Incompattempt

Created by: tmcg5625

Pronunciation: in-comp-att-empt

Sentence: "But honey the car looks way cooler now. you cant tell the spoilers made of cardboard and the foil on the wheels make them look like chrome. classy" "I think so too sweetheart. next should get some personalized plates that say INCOMPATTEMPT!"

Etymology: Incompetent- "Duuhh?" Attempt-"yeah i'll give it a go."

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

great word - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:48:00

like it - galwaywegian, 2008-05-15: 12:10:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Shitigate

Created by: japanaysian

Pronunciation: Shit-e-gate

Sentence: There was an argument within the group, and Tom shitigated the situation by telling everyone to calm down and stop acting like bitches.

Etymology: Shit + mitigate

| Comments and Points

Malhancement

Created by: OZZIEBOB

Pronunciation: mal-HANS-ment

Sentence: The best laid plans of mice and men often end in malhancement.

Etymology: Combination of MAL:bad, badly, wrong,wrongly & HANCEMENT:to make greater,as in value, beauty, effectiveness; provide with improved features.

| Comments and Points

Fortifry

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: for/ti/fry

Sentence: Dave thought that adding wires to his breaker panel would fortify his electricity. Little did he know he would fortifry it.

Etymology: fortify + fry

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

"smokin" - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:41:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Grimprovement

Created by: TJayzz

Pronunciation: Grimm-proov-mant

Sentence: Since taking the home improvement course at her local college, Jenny couldn't wait to try out her new found skills in her own home, but when her husband saw the new lime green paint job in the lounge he thought it was more like a grimprovement.

Etymology: Grim(depressing, unappealing) + Improvement(The action of improving or improved, to make something better than it was) =Grimprovement

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

good word..grimpressive - Nosila, 2008-05-15: 01:54:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Incorrectify

Created by: stache

Pronunciation: ĭn'kə-rěk'tə-fī'

Sentence: "You can't polish a turd," Garvin said when David showed him how he had used accessories to incorrectify his '79 Ford Pinto.

Etymology: incur, to bring upon oneself, as in, to incur the ridicule of the public; rectify, verb form of rectum, part of the human anatomy often euphemized as a term of disparagement.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

nice - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:45:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Remuddle

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: ree - MUDL

Sentence: Wilford had set out to completely redesign and redo the interior of his home but lacking proper skills and experience his effort turned out to be a hideous remuddle rather than the upgrade he had envisioned.

Etymology: Blend of remodel and muddle...to mix up in a confused or bungling manner

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

excellent - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:41:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-15: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by author and philosopher, Mark Kingwell who I saw last night speaking about "Social Change". He reminded us that not all change is good change. And noted that in German they have word to describe such bad improvements -- Schlimmbesserung -- which we don't have in English. And so it's today's challenge. Thanks Mark! ~ James