Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INDOMITABLE

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connect today's word to others: Someone indomitable can't be dominated. So why don't we say "indominatable" instead? Surprisingly, the word indomitable doesn't literally mean "unable to be dominated." It means "unable to be tamed"--it's based on the Latin domare, meaning "to tame." That makes indomitable a slightly closer relative of domesticate than dominate. But all those words are related: you can trace dominate all the way back to domus, meaning "house," just like you can for domesticate. So if you like to think of indomitable as "unable to be dominated," go for it! You'll be only technically incorrect. See if you can recall all of these synonyms of indomitable: __deter___, __flag____, __remit____, and ____fatig____. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "INDOMITABLE" (There's an old word you've probably never heard of, "domitate," that means "to tame." It's just based on the Latin word for "to tame.") Indomitable people and things can't be tamed: they're strong, powerful, unstoppable, and impossible to beat or crush. Pronunciation: in DOM ih tuh bull Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "an indomitable thing" or "an indomitable person." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was indomitable" or "He was indomitable.") Other forms: indomitably, indomitability/indomitableness; domitable (rare) How to use it: When you call things or people indomitable, it's usually a compliment: you're suggesting that they're strong and persistent, able to withstand pressure and difficulties. Talk about indomitable people or animals, someone's indomitable strength or energy or courage, someone's indomitable spirit, someone's indomitable will, etc. You can get a little more abstract and talk about indomitable movements and forces, indomitable symbols and refuges, something with an indomitable appeal, etc. examples: Long before its days of massive data breaches, Yahoo! was an indomitable Internet pioneer. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road remains an indomitable creation: a double album of 17 songs, none of them weak or dull, with over 30 million copies sold, and extending an immeasurable creative and cultural influence into the world. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "indomitable" means when you can explain it without saying "not tamable" or "unbeatable." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some actor or actress) plays the indomitable (hero or heroine) (Name), who (does something courageous or accomplishes something difficult)." Example: "Jennifer Lawrence plays the indomitable heroine Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take her young sister's place in a fight to the death." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, see if you can associate a snippet of song lyrics with a word we’ve studied before. For example, here's Dave Matthews: "Wasting time, let the hours roll by doing nothing for the fun. A little taste of the good life." Those lyrics call to mind the word LOTUS-EATING. From our previous issue:  In "Master of the House," the actor playing the innkeeper Thenardier in the musical Les Miserables sings: "Reasonable charges plus some little extras on the side Charge 'em for the lice, extra for the mice Two percent for looking in the mirror twice Here a little slice, there a little cut Three percent for sleeping with the window shut." Do those lyrics call to mind the word CENSORIOUS, ILLUSTRIOUS, or USURIOUS? Why? Answer: USURIOUS. Something usurious is unreasonable and immoderate, especially in a way that unfairly takes advantage of people by charging them way too much money.  Try this today: In "Everything," Michael Buble sings: "And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times It's you, it's you, you make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything." Do those lyrics call to mind the term RAISON D'ETRE, JEU D'ESPRIT, or MALAPROPOS? Why? review today's word: 1. The exact opposite of INDOMITABLE is DOMITABLE. But a close opposite of INDOMITABLE is A. WEAK. B. CAUTIOUS. C. AWKWARD. 2. _____ symbolizes his indomitable spirit. A. The scar on his forehead, shaped like a lightning bolt, B. The twisted ankle that hobbles his every step C. The shifty, ratlike pierce of his gaze Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A