Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To make something worse while attempting to make it better. n. A bad improvement.
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.
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.
Badderment
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: bad-er-ment
Sentence: The government's social engineering activities were well intentioned but ended up for the badderment of all. It was really more like woeful engineering.
Etymology: bad + betterment
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COMMENTS:
Good one! - Mustang, 2008-05-15: 21:47:00
Oh, this word works nicely! Good job. - Tigger, 2008-05-15: 23:33:00
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Remuddle
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: re-MUD-l
Sentence: Simpson 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' (redo or makeover) and 'muddle' (to mix up in a confused or bungling manner)
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
Unintendment
Created by: pieceof314
Pronunciation: un-intend-ment
Sentence: Horace had horrible headaches. He was getting rather desperate. He thought by cutting his head off, he would alleviate the problem. The one unintendment he didn't count on was death.
Etymology: un, not + intend, to direct one's attention towards
Adworsity
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: Ad/wurs/itee
Sentence: They suffered further adworsity when the contractor hung the windows upsidedown.
Etymology: add + worse + adversity
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.
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COMMENTS:
nice - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:45:00
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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
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COMMENTS:
"smokin" - Jabberwocky, 2008-05-15: 11:41:00
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Wimprovement
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: wim proov ment
Sentence: When Cathy met Todd in High School, he was a brawny fellow, but lacking in refinement. Ten years later, they were wed, had 2 kids and Todd was now a big pudding of a man who was so whipped and broken by the demanding Cathy. She considered Todd her greatest wimprovement.
Etymology: Wimp (a person who lacks confidence, is irresolute and wishy-washy) & Improvement (betterment;change;progress)
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
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COMMENTS:
good word..grimpressive - Nosila, 2008-05-15: 01:54:00
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Comments:
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