Make Your Point > Archived Issues > POLEMIC

Send Make Your Point issues straight to your inbox.

pronounce POLEMIC: Say it "puh LEM ick." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: As we check out polemic--a word that's feisty yet sophisticated--see if you can recall some equally feisty, equally sophisticated synonyms: 1. A ph___ppic is an angry speech against something. 2. A ti__de is a long, emotionally heated outpouring of words. 3. A ha____ue is a long, angry speech that tells people what they should do. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)     definition: You can trace the word "polemic" through French back to the Greek polemikos, meaning "warlike or hostile." A polemic is an angry written rant that targets some specific, hated person or thing. That's the most common meaning. A polemic can also be a controversy (an ongoing fight or argument between people with different opinions). And a polemic can also be a person who angrily attacks ideas in writing, although we're much more likely to call that person a polemicist. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Most often a noun, and most often the countable kind: "He wrote this polemic;" "The film is basically one long polemic;" "She published those polemics." Also the uncountable kind: "There's too much polemic for my taste in that publication." However, if you need an uncountable noun, there's also "polemy," which I like because it actually looks like a noun--whereas "polemic" looks like an adjective. Occasionally, "polemic" is an adjective: "I wish they'd dial down that polemic tone." But when you need an adjective, I suggest using "polemical" instead. Rarely, "polemic" is  a noun for the person: "She's a known polemic." But again, I suggest you just use "polemicist" for that, because it's clearer: "She's a known polemicist." Other forms:  Polemics, polemicist(s), polemical, polemically. how to use it: "Polemic" is a fairly common word, but it's extremely formal and serious.  Use it to label someone's angry written social media post, article, book, documentary, etc. If you're labeling something a polemic, you probably disagree with it, because "polemic" has an ugly, critical tone. A polemic almost always rages against something. If you need a word with a positive tone instead, especially for someone who writes in favor of something, I suggest "manifesto." examples: "Outer Worlds is a political polemic built on video game logic. As many reviews have pointed out, the game harshly critiques corporations that exploit people."    — Adi Robertson, The Verge, 12 November 2019 "[Late-night comedians'] weapons are parody and polemics, dripping sarcasm and cheap-shot one-liners, video compilation reels and schoolyard taunts."    — Richard Zoglin, Time, 15 September 2016 has this page helped you understand "polemic"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "polemic" without saying "rage-fest" or "fulmination." try it out: In The Guardian, Helen Walsh refers to the practice of wearing your opinions on your tee shirts as "polemic vest culture." She says: "No matter how noble the sentiment, going public with your polemic leaves you open to ridicule." Talk about what she means, and whether you agree or disagree. Do you (or would you) proudly post your opinions on your shirt, or maybe your car, even if others interpret your statement as as a polemic? If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is Oddball Recall! Given some abbreviated definitions and a few letters, try to recall some of the kookiest terms we've studied. To see the answers, scroll all the way down. Try this set today: Those Consonants, Though. 1. Nerve: ___tzp__. 2. Paradise: X___d_. 3. Bombardment: ___tzkr___. 4. Patchy solution: kl_dg_. 5. Unfathomable, or subterranean: chth___c. review this word: 1. A near-opposite of POLEMIC is A. OPPROBRIUM (public disgrace or dishonor). B. ENCOMIUM (a formal piece of high praise). C. COMPENDIUM (a summary or collection of writings). 2. True to their name, the band _____ sings plenty of polemics. A. Spinal Tap B. 10,000 Maniacs C. Rage Against the Machine Answers to the review questions: 1. B 2. C Answers to the game questions: 1. Nerve: chutzpah. 2. Paradise: Xanadu. 3. Bombardment: blitzkrieg. 4. Patchy solution: kludge. 5. Unfathomable, or subterranean: chthonic. a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A 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.