# ten-dollar word

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/ten-dollar-word
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A long and uncommon word used in place of a shorter and simpler one with the intent to appear sophisticated.

## Examples

- Stop using ten-dollar words and just tell me what you mean.
- The professor loves using ten-dollar words that leave his students feeling confused during every lecture.
- By filling his essay with unnecessary ten-dollar words, the student hoped to mask his lack of actual research on the topic.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.