Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INSATIABLE

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connect today's word to others: I hope your appetite for good words is as insatiable as mine! Inside that word insatiable is the base verb, satiate, which looks a bit like satisfy (and assets) because they all trace back to the Latin satis, meaning "enough." If you happen to mix up the words satiate and sate, which we've studied before, no one will mind--their meanings are the same.  Let's recall some synonyms of insatiable: R_p_c___s people or things are extremely greedy, grabbing whatever they want, like predators. And v_r_c___s people and things are very hungry, very greedy, and/or very eager. (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "INSATIABLE" To satiate a desire or a craving is to satisfy it completely. Satiable people or things are able to be completely satisfied. But we don't often use the word "satiable;" we use its opposite, "insatiable." Insatiable people or things are so eager, so desirous, or so greedy that no matter how much they get, they still aren't satisfied; they always want more. Pronunciation: in SAY shuh bull Part of speech: Adjective: "an insatiable hunger," "she was insatiable." Other forms: The adverb is "insatiably," pronounced "in SAY shuh blee." For a noun, use "insatiability" (my preference) or "insatiableness." An alternate adjective is "insatiate," pronounced "in SAY she it," which also means "never satisfied, always wanting more." Its related forms are "insatiately" and "insatiety." But I recommend sticking with the more common "insatiable." How to use it: "Insatiable" has a negative tone when we're talking about insatiable people and their insatiable rage, hate, greed, pride, ego, etc.  Depending on what you mean, it can be a negative or a positive thing when you talk about insatiable needs, wants, urges, demands, cravings, appetites and so on: "her insatiable lust for fame," "his insatiable drive to reduce poverty and disease." And of course, we can use "insatiable" with a positive tone when talking about insatiable people and their insatiable passions, curiosity, excitement, and perseverance.  examples: We came home from the library with armloads of Nancy Drew and Baby Sitters Club paperbacks, which we devoured insatiably. "Mr. Bush met his greatest international challenge in the Persian Gulf, where U.S. policy was driven by an insatiable need for oil."    — Karen Tumulty, The Washington Post, 20 November 2018 study it: Explain the meaning of "insatiable" without saying "ever-wanting" or "never satisfied." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some hero or villain)'s main flaw is (his or her) insatiable greed for _____." Example: "Tony Stark's main flaw is his insatiable greed for attention." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Tidbits and Titles! I provide the tidbits; you provide the title. From our previous issue: Here's a quote from a novel: "It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important." And here are some terms and phrases that often appear in that novel: asteroid, baobab trees, desert, forget, golden, lamplighter, planet Earth, snake, stars, tamed, three volcanoes, watch the sunset, whole world. What's the novel's title? Answer: The Little Prince. Try this today: Here's a quote from a novel: "The whole world is now for me divided into two halves: one half is she, and there all is joy, hope, light: the other half is everything where she is not, and there is all gloom and darkness..." And here are some terms and phrases that often appear in that novel: aide-de-camp, battle, Countess, dear, drawing room, Emperor, fire, laughing, Moscow, Prince, silent, Tsar, waiting. What's the novel's title? review today's word: 1. The exact opposite of INSATIABLE is SATIABLE. But a close opposite of INSATIABLE is A. APPEASABLE. B. BELIEVABLE. C. DISPOSABLE. 2. In an exposé, he lists the wealthiest pastors and lays bare the insatiability of their _____. A. avarice B. training C. congregations 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