10 Times Shashi Tharoor’s English Left the Dictionary Speechless

Tharoor once described a misleading argument as a “farrago of distortions”—where farrago means a confused mixture. Most people had to Google it!

He referred to someone’s loud voice as “stentorian” (meaning booming and powerful). Many wondered if it was related to Stentor, the Greek herald with a voice as loud as 50 men.

When dismissing absurd claims, he called them “risible” (so ridiculous they’re laughable). Most would just say “funny,” but Tharoor chose the fanciest synonym.

He labeled misconduct as “egregious” (shockingly bad). The word originally meant remarkably good (from Latin e-gregis, “out of the flock”), but now means the opposite—fitting for political scandals.

Tharoor accused opponents of “obfuscation” (deliberately making things unclear). The word itself is so complex that it almost proves his point!

He described a mournful speech as “lugubrious” (exaggeratedly sad). Most people would say “gloomy,” but Tharoor went full Shakespeare.

When complimenting someone’s beauty, he used “pulchritude” (an ironically ugly-sounding word for beauty). Even spell-check stumbles over this one.

Ironically, Tharoor is the perfect example of a “sesquipedalian” speaker (someone who uses long words). The term comes from Latin sesquipedalis—”a foot and a half long.”

In a debate, he differentiated between “proletarian” (working-class) and “pleonastic” (using more words than necessary). Few could follow without a thesaurus!

When critics attacked him, he said they “excoriated” him (harshly denounced). Most would say “roasted,” but Tharoor chose a word that also means to strip off skin—ouch!