100 SAT Words Beginning with "I"
Find lists of SAT words organized by every letter of the alphabet here: A , B , C , D , E , F , G , H , I , J, K & L , M , N , O , P , Q , R , S , T , U , V , and W, X, Y & Z .
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- iconoclast someone who attacks cherished ideas or institutions Jobs is a classic iconoclast , one who aggressively seeks out, attacks, and overthrows conventional ideas. BusinessWeek (Oct 12, 2010)
- idealistic motivated by noble or moral beliefs rather than practicality Instructors, of all levels, are fundamentally idealistic people, motivated by a passion for helping the world’s young billions achieve their human potential. Forbes (Jan 24, 2012)
- ideological concerned with or suggestive of mental concepts What was once an ideological abstraction — “austerity” — will have very real effects on everyday life for average Americans. Washington Post (Jul 30, 2011)
- idiom expression whose meaning cannot be inferred from its words “Hand down, man down,” he said, repeating a favorite Jackson broadcasting idiom at a news conference Monday to introduce the Warriors’ rookies for next season. New York Times (Jun 29, 2011)
- idiosyncrasy a behavioral attribute peculiar to an individual My roles in independent films have been fuller, chockablock with all sorts of human idiosyncrasies , kinks and foibles of humanity.
- idle silly or trivial "Sure, sir, they can know nothing about it; it's just idle talk, and no more." Lever, Charles James
- idyllic charmingly simple and serene The scene of this charming, idyllic love story is laid in Central Indiana. Davis, Owen
- ignominious deserving or bringing disgrace or shame The sentence passed upon them is that they die a shameful and ignominious death. Hodgson, Edward S.
- illustrious widely known and esteemed The Trumbull family was the most illustrious in the state, embracing three governors and other distinguished men. White, Horace
- imbibe take in liquids For that little beast, having a severe cold, was given whisky-and-milk one day, and, imbibing too freely, became absolutely drunk. Casserly, Gordon
- imbroglio an intricate and confusing interpersonal situation And indeed his world is one huge imbroglio of Potentialities and Diplomatic Intricacies, agitating to behold. Carlyle, Thomas
- imminent close in time; about to occur He perceived the danger which he had so long warded off now instant and imminent . Rosebery, Archibald Phillip Primrose
- impaired diminished in strength, quality, or utility “Thinking could be slowed, attention dulled, judgement impaired , memory muddled.” Washington Post (Mar 12, 2012)
- impartial free from undue bias or preconceived opinions “We are looking for people who can serve as fair, objective and impartial jurors.” Washington Post (Sep 14, 2011)
- impasse a situation in which no progress can be made Unfortunately success also depends on an end to the impasse between America and China, whose trade relations seem stuck.
- impecunious not having enough money to pay for necessities It had been quite in keeping with his ideas that the Thornes should taste the bitters of poverty, and know what being impecunious really meant. Fenn, George Manville
- impediment something immaterial that interferes with action or progress He identified several chronic impediments to long-term progress in Brazil, too, including high tax rates, deficient transportation and other infrastructure and a poor education system. New York Times (Apr 7, 2012)
- impending close in time; about to occur Davis immediately began preparing food and snacks for his wife’s impending arrival. New York Times (Jul 23, 2011)
- imperative requiring attention or action Though always important, safety becomes imperative when children are involved.
- imperceptible impossible or difficult to sense Only a faint, almost imperceptible tinge remained of the ink stains on her face. Wells, Carolyn
- imperious having or showing arrogant superiority He was known as an imperious boss with little patience for weakness, one who launched blistering tirades that left subordinates fuming, or in tears. Chicago Tribune (Oct 6, 2011)
- impetuous marked by violent force There are times when all these Yorkshire rivers become impetuous torrents, roaring along in resistless might and majesty. White, Walter
- implicit being without doubt or reserve He was accustomed to implicit obedience and was not used to seeing men smile when he uttered a threat. Marshall, Edison
- implode burst inward As the graph shows, growth actually slowed and then the whole system imploded into a catastrophic crisis.
- implore beg or request earnestly and urgently The poor woman continued to implore mercy; and coming nearer to the Lord, "She fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me!" Ross, Lady Mary
- imply express or state indirectly Smoothing planes are, as the name implies , used to simply smoothen the work surface after it has been trued. Rose, Joshua
- impregnable incapable of being attacked or tampered with At the same time, the United States would be safeguarded against internal dangers and made impregnable against attack or invasion by any foreign power. Maxwell, George Hebard
- impromptu without advance preparation Bauer proposed to Shourd while both were in prison, fashioning an impromptu ring out of threads from his shirt. Washington Post (Nov 14, 2011)
- impudence the trait of being rude and impertinent Ichikawa conceded that his "arrogance and impudence " may have brought on the attack, adding: "I won't feel like having a drink for a while."
- impunity exemption from punishment or loss According to Amnesty, some groups of former rebels are committing human rights violations with impunity , unchecked by the interim government.
- inalienable not subject to forfeiture Men's natural rights are all inherent and inalienable ; and therefore cannot be parted with, or delegated, by one person to another. Spooner, Lysander
- inane devoid of intelligence And then, again, his asking me his stupid, inane questions, as if I cared what man, and how many. Hutcheson, John C. (John Conroy)
- inanimate belonging to the class of nouns denoting nonliving things The moment when the first living beings arose from inanimate matter almost four billion years ago is still shrouded in mystery. Scientific American (Oct 10, 2011)
- inaugurate commence officially Continental has ordered 25 Dreamliners and plans to inaugurate them in November 2011 on new, nonstop flights to Auckland, New Zealand, and Lagos, Nigeria. New York Times (Aug 25, 2010)
- incarnation time passed in a particular bodily form When America Online came out, that was a very early incarnation of social networking with the instant messaging.
- incendiary a criminal who illegally sets fire to property While there the depot was set on fire and burned down, supposed to be the work of an incendiary . Terrill, J. Newton
- inception an event that is a beginning They were confident this week, eager to show how much improvement the league has made since its inception in 1996. Seattle Times (Jul 29, 2010)
- inchoate only partly in existence; imperfectly formed “But when the law is unsettled, inchoate , undeveloped, let’s say, it’s natural that judges’ political, social and economic views will shape how they see things.” New York Times (Dec 16, 2010)
- incipient only partly in existence; imperfectly formed As yet, it is in an incipient stage of development and has by no means revealed its full power for evil. Clark, John Bates
- incite provoke or stir up He was arrested on charges including inciting a riot and disorderly conduct. Seattle Times (Jun 16, 2011)
- inclement severe, of weather Check with your business's insurance policy to make sure it covers any accidents on company property caused by inclement weather conditions.
- incognito without revealing one's identity Hitherto their security has depended on keeping up their incognito by disguises, and the secrecy of their camping place. Reid, Mayne
- incompetent not qualified or suited for a purpose The common people, especially in the villages, know nothing at all of Christian doctrine; and many pastors are quite unfit and incompetent to teach. Just, Gustav
- inconspicuous not prominent or readily noticeable Unless Socapa Castle, therefore, is so small and inconspicuous as to have escaped my notice, it must have fallen into ruins or been destroyed. Kennan, George
- incorrigible impervious to correction by punishment There are some, however, who maintain that the criminal is incorrigible and that reformatory agencies have invariably failed. Kayll, James Leslie Allan
- incredulous not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving She looked puzzled, half incredulous and perplexed, inclined to smile, blushing somewhat, and all uncertain. Black, William
- increment the amount by which something increases The plan also called for quoting prices in decimals, doing away with the one-eighth increments that had long defined Wall Street math.
- incumbent the official who holds an office The Democratic incumbent faces no serious primary challenge and his re-election campaign already is well under way. Time (Mar 25, 2012)
- indelible not able to be forgotten, removed, or erased The paints were not indelible , consequently they could be easily removed and another application made as circumstances required. Collins, Dennis
- indemnity protection against future loss They should pay an indemnity to the state of Guatemala, not just apologize.” New York Times (Oct 2, 2010)
- indenture bind by a contract for work, as an apprentice or servant Beneath both these classes were the indentured servants, a few of whom were men of ability forced to pay their passage by service. Commons, John R. (John Rogers)
- indifferent marked by a lack of interest He leant back in his chair, outwardly indifferent and calm, but throbbing in every nerve and pulse with wild excitement. Gull, Cyril Arthur Edward Ranger
- indigenous originating where it is found These deer are not indigenous , but were introduced by the Romans, probably from Asia Minor; and are, as at home, more or less private property. Buck, Walter J.
- indigent poor enough to need help from others Tarkowski declared himself indigent , and said he could not pay the fines, according to news reports.
- indignant angered at something unjust or wrong In Spain throngs of young people, known as “the indignant ones,” occupied public plazas nationwide, protesting unemployment and exclusionary politics. Forbes (Sep 7, 2011)
- indomitable impossible to subdue "The very heart of the city was burned out, but nothing could extinguish its indomitable spirit." Mitchell, Broadus
- ineffable defying expression or description He had asked questions—never in the form of words but only ineffable yearnings of his soul—and at last it had responded. Marshall, Edison
- inevitable incapable of being avoided or prevented “Yes,” she repeated more faintly, as though this was all natural, inevitable , expected. Blackwood, Algernon
- inexorable impossible to prevent, resist, or stop He urged, entreated, commanded in vain, Mrs. Fortescue was inexorable . Aguilar, Grace
- infamous known widely and usually unfavorably This one line in President George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union address overshadowed all the others, becoming infamously known as the "16 words."
- infinitesimal immeasurably small Within an infinitesimal period of time, a period too brief to be calculable, both hemispheres are again acting in unison. Ottolengui, Rodrigues
- infirmity the state of being weak in health or body Such are death, old age, physical infirmity , loss of worldly honor, final impenitence. Rameur, E.
- inflammatory arousing to action or rebellion After being fired, Ms. Bartz gave an inflammatory interview to Fortune magazine in which she used an expletive and called Yahoo’s board “doofuses.” New York Times (Sep 12, 2011)
- infringe go against, as of rules and laws He said the order was unlawful and infringed on officers' rights.
- ingratiate gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts Yeah, well… I’ve seen eyes narrow and ears go back at first meetings — even when I’m trying to be humble, ingratiating and likable. New York Times (Nov 30, 2010)
- inherent existing as an essential constituent or characteristic Action and reaction are, according to him, essential inherent properties of brain matter as such, but consciousness is merely a dependent. Williams, C. M.
- iniquity absence of moral or spiritual values "I have loved justice and hated iniquity ," he said in dying, "therefore I die in exile." Norway, Arthur H.
- innate not established by conditioning or learning In other words, one of our most essential abilities as humans--reading--is the product of a combination of innate and learned traits.
- innocuous lacking intent or capacity to injure Yet in confinement, he was docile, compliant and innocuous , they said. New York Times (Oct 31, 2011)
- innovative introducing new ideas or creative methods On display are examples of artists using traditional subjects — portraits, landscapes, still lifes — in ways that were new, innovative , and sometimes shocking, at the time. Washington Post (Oct 14, 2011)
- innuendo an indirect and usually malicious implication As a genuine Irishman he never used an immodest word, or by gesture, phrase, or innuendo suggested an impure thought. Various
- insatiable impossible to fulfill, appease, or gratify The site branched into movies, foreign cartoons, news programs — anything to feed viewers’ insatiable appetite. New York Times (Jul 23, 2011)
- inscrutable difficult or impossible to understand Hearing these words, Nabu-Nahid's face assumed an expression that was unexpectedly complex—a little inscrutable , indeed. Potter, Margaret Horton
- insidious working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way Its onset is usually insidious , gradually worsening over years and thus easily ignored. New York Times (Jan 16, 2012)
- insolent marked by casual disrespect Insolent laughter and mocking shouts were the answer he received. J?kai, M?r
- insolvent unable to meet or discharge financial obligations In common parlance, bankruptcy is often used more casually, to mean something like broke or insolvent . New York Times (Sep 2, 2011)
- insouciant marked by unconcern I rattled on, insouciant and careless to all appearances, but in reality my heart like lead. Travis, Stuart
- insubordination defiance of authority "What Keble hated instinctively," says Newman, "was heresy, insubordination , resistance to things established, claims of independence, disloyalty, innovation, a critical and censorious spirit." Benson, Arthur Christopher
- insular suggestive of the isolated life of an island Describing the tour as “an insular , introverted, isolated world,” Wright said she found no relief during her too-brief trips home. New York Times (Mar 30, 2012)
- insuperable incapable of being surpassed or excelled His life is an insuperable force, vivid, inviolable and free, which my heart out of sheer love of him failed to recognize. Marx, Magdeleine
- insurgent a person who takes part in an armed insurrection Clashes broke out between the insurgents and government troops in June, with both sides blaming the other for provoking the violence.
- insurrection organized opposition to authority More than a decade of civil war left thousands dead after separatists on Bougainville Island began an armed insurrection in 1989. New York Times (Dec 13, 2011)
- intact undamaged in any way Questions were raised about the quality of construction in the area, with some buildings having remained completely intact while those next door were destroyed. New York Times (Oct 26, 2011)
- intangible incapable of being perceived by the senses, especially touch I thought they were all clouds—beautiful, airy intangible shapes. Waddington, Mary Alsop King
- inter place in a grave or tomb He was interred with due military honors in a cemetery near his home in Jersey City. Various
- interdict a court order prohibiting a party from a certain activity Out-of-door life is interdicted , so to speak; gaiety is out of the question; everything predisposes to industry and thought. O'Rell, Max
- interim serving during an intermediate interval of time Chief Financial Officer Anthony Vuolo will serve as interim CEO while the company looks for a permanent replacement. Washington Post (Jan 10, 2012)
- interject insert between other elements Indeed, the book is like an endless string of pearls, with here and there a ruby, a diamond, or a bit of honest glass interjected . Ballou, Maturin Murray
- interloper someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another We look upon them somewhat as interlopers , parasites, occupying a place to which they have no legitimate right. Various
- interminable tiresomely long; seemingly without end This duration is eternity: an interminable duration existing all together. Coffey, Peter
- intimation an indirect suggestion Saul flinched before the concealed intimation in the words. Miller, Elizabeth
- intransigent impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason Cuba's response to recent US efforts to improve relations had revealed "an intransigent , entrenched regime" in Havana, said the US secretary of state. BBC (Apr 10, 2010)
- intrepid invulnerable to fear or intimidation He must be intrepid , persisting through danger to death, laboring for religious truth, neither precipitating peril by audacity nor shrinking from it through timidity. Lea, Henry Charles
- intrinsic belonging to a thing by its very nature Roughly speaking, some Christian thinkers believe animals have intrinsic rights to be treated well, like people. New York Times (Oct 14, 2011)
- introspective given to examining own sensory and perceptual experiences Some of these artists do show an introspective side, reaching inward to confess their dreams, and what innocent dreams they are.
- inundated covered with water The baffled water stopped, as if reflecting; then it turned back, and rose till it poured over its banks and inundated the fields. Aksakov, S. T. (Sergei Timofeevich)
- inverse opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity Others showed an inverse relationship, with their activity declining as the value increased.
- irrelevant having no bearing on or connection with the subject at issue His views are irrelevant – he’s a tudor historian talking about contemporary urban unrest. New York Times (Aug 13, 2011)
- irreverent showing lack of due respect or veneration His humour was cheeky, irreverent , subversive and most definitely not politically correct.
- itinerant traveling from place to place to work The interest extending widely beyond his parish, he spent part of his time in itinerant preaching, going several hundred miles and in every direction. Campbell, Charles
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- influential
- efficacious
- stimulating
antonyms for persuasive
- ineffective
- unbelievable
- unreasonable
- discouraging
- disheartening
- ineffectual
TRY USING persuasive
How to use persuasive in a sentence, words related to persuasive, .css-lmff85{color:#00248b;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;} believable.
- conceivable
- presumptive
- trustworthy
- unquestionable
- consequential
- irresistible
- satisfactory
- significant
- well-grounded
- argumentative
- controversial
- dialectical
- rationalistic
- deferential
- ingratiating
- ingratiatory
- insinuating
- insinuative
- having lead in pencil
- on the ball
- playing hardball
- serviceable
- grandiloquent
- impassioned
- magniloquent
- sententious
- silver-tongued
- smooth-spoken
- well-expressed
The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language
Home » Blog » The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language
THE 108 MOST PERSUASIVE WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
It’s a long known fact that the secret to persuasive writing isn’t in the adjectives, it’s in the verbs.
Copywriters know power verbs sell and convince.
Internally, we have a list of 108 verbs that we’ve been using for a good decade, and we recently thought we should share it with proper credit to the original author.
We found that although the list is being recirculated (and in many cases claimed as original by several different authors!), the original author is, in fact, nowhere to be found.
So, if anyone knows who wrote this, we’d love to know!
With or without the original author, it’s still a great list…here it is!
According to legendary advertising man, Leo Burnet, “Dull and exaggerated ad copy is due to the excess use of adjectives.”
To prove it, he asked his staff to compare the number of adjectives in 62 ads that failed to the number of adjectives in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, and other age-old classics.
Here’s what he discovered:
Of the 12,758 words in the 62 failed ads, 24.1% were adjectives.
By direct comparison, Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address contains only 35 adjectives out of 268 immortal words – only 13.1% adjective-to-total-word ratio.
Winston Churchill’s famous “Blood, Sweat and Tears” speech rates even lower and has a 12.1% adjective ratio (81 adjectives from 667 words).
Burnett found that similar ratios applied to great works such as The Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. Conclusion: Use more verbs, not adjectives.
Verbs increase the pulling-power and believability of ad copy.
That’s why it makes sense to keep this 108-VERB “CHEAT-SHEET” close-by whenever you begin to draft your next space ad, sales letter, Website, or email campaign.
Still unsure how to incorporate these verbs into your marketing campaign? Or, perhaps, you just don’t have the time?
Then consider hiring a team of professional copywriters to do it for you! Talented advertising and marketing writers can take mediocre content and use power verbs to turn it into engaging copy that meets goals and produces results.
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3 thoughts on “ The 108 Most Persuasive Words In The English Language ”
It is remarkable, very amusing piece
Hi there, love your website. I am a teacher and my kids love using your amazing verbs you have provided us with in their writing. Email me and I could send you some drafts of their writing – you’ll be blown away!
Catch up soon 🙂
Thanks, Hope Brown
Hi Hope! We are so happy to hear that our blog has helped you and your students. We would love to see some of their writing!
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189 Powerful Words That Convert: Write Copy That Gets Your Customer’s Attention Every Time
These phrases litter the huge variety of email newsletter boxes you’ll come across online, and they generally serve the same purpose: Click here to give us your email address. They serve the same purpose, but do they say the same thing?
Can one word change the way you feel about a button?
In my experience, yes. I subscribe to the copywriting school of thought where every single word is absolutely worth stewing over and A/B testing because one single word can change everything . The difference between “joining” and “signing up” is the difference between fellowship and enlisting. A word changes the meaning, the mood, and the motivation.
Once you’ve found the most powerful words, we’d love to help you share them to social at exactly the right times — so you can drive more traffic, engagement, and conversions.
To connect the dots then, you’re probably wondering: If a single word makes that much difference, then what words should I be using? Which words and phrases convert?
The science of copywriting , the psychology of headlines , and the art of CTAs has revealed quite a number of go-to moves for marketers looking to gain a linguistic edge in their words and pitches.
I’ve enjoyed saving several lists of these so-called power words and pulling them out to use in a pinch. I’m happy to share my lists with you of the phrases and words that convert. Do you have any power words that work magic for you? I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
Research reveals how a single word makes all the difference
You likely know inherently that specific words matter. You click on a headline because a single word strikes you. You click a signup button because a word creates an emotion.
The research behind this power of words is incredibly deep. Researchers have found that the word you use to describe a car accident (“contacted” vs. “smashed”) paints the way eyewitnesses view the event. Another study found that simple stock names that are easier to pronounce lead to quicker gains post-IPO .
Perhaps my favorite study is one shared by Brian Clark of Copyblogger . Social psychologist Ellen Langer tested the power of a single word in an experiment where she asked to cut in line at a copy machine. She tried three different ways of asking:
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” – 60% said OK
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?” – 94% said OK
“Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?” – 93% said OK
I don’t know about you, but I thought Langer’s third request was rather elementary. Yet it didn’t matter. The trigger word “because” was all she needed. The takeaway: When you want people to take action, always give a reason.
Neurologically, we have an instinctual reaction to words and language. Researchers have found that we are hardwired to associate sounds with images, even in words we do not comprehend. Here’s a test for you, pulled from a study by
The vast majority of respondents label the smooth, rounded image a maluma and the hard, jagged image a takete .
To go one step further into the power of words, you can look at Patrick Renvoise and Christopher Morin’s book about neuromarketing (see Peep Laja’s article at ConversionXL for a great analysis of the book ). Renvoise and Morin highlight the three different brains we have: the new brain, the middle brain, and the old brain.
The old brain is the part that controls decisions , and it also happens to be the most primitive. In this way, the words you use to market to the old brain will often be the most direct, simple, arresting, visual words you have.
You’ll likely see a lot of these “old brain” words in the lists below.
The ultimate list of words and phrases that convert
A quick Google search can reveal pages of results for persuasive and powerful words. There’s no trouble finding them; there’s sometimes trouble applying them. The words you see below are split into a number of categories, along with some ideas on how I’ve used them in the past (and how you can use them, too).
The 5 most persuasive words in the English language
You’ve seen these words countless times before—and for good reason. The research behind these words has shown over and over that they work. Gregory Ciotti wrote about these five in a post for Copyblogger, showing exactly how each is vital for persuasive speech and copy. For instance, immediate words like “instantly” trigger mid-brain activity and feed our zest for quick gratification.
Where to try these words : Calls-to-action, headlines, email subject lines, headings, opening sentences and paragraphs
The 20 most influential words, via David Ogilvy
- Introducing
- Improvement
- Sensational
- Revolutionary
David Ogilvy is to advertising as Jimi Hendrix is to the electric guitar. His list of influential words you see above was first published in 1963, and many remain in vogue today.
Where to try these : Headlines, bullet points, subject lines
(Sidenote: For a fun blast from the past, courtesy of Ben Locker, here are a couple advertisements for power words that date back to 1961. A New York Times ad is on the left, a Washington Post ad is on the right. Ogilvy’s 20 influential words came out two years after these.)
3 words to encourage community
- Become a member
These community phrases provide a sense of togetherness to the user; they feel like they’re taking part in something larger than themselves. (You’ll notice that we use the word “join” in our email newsletter form.)
Where to try these words : Email signups, trial offers, in-app messaging
10 cause-and-effect words and phrases
- Accordingly
- As a result
- Consequently
- For this reason
Cause-and-effect words make your claims sound objective and rational rather than biased and subjective.”
Where to try these: Closing paragraphs, transitions
12 phrases that imply exclusivity
- Members only
- Login required
- Membership now closed
- Ask for an invitation
- Apply to be one of our beta testers
- Exclusive offers
- Become an insider
- Be one of the few
- Get it before everybody else
- Be the first to hear about it
- Only available to subscribers
Garrett Moon of CoSchedule explains exclusivity as being like a club with membership restrictions. You want in because others are in. There’s a bit of social pressure with exclusivity wording, and it helps drive decisions and actions for the user.
Where to try these : Signup forms, links, calls-to-action, subheads
9 phrases that imply scarcity
- Limited offer
- Supplies running out
- Get them while they last
- Sale ends soon
- Only 10 available
- Only 3 left
- Only available here
- Double the offer in the next hour only
The fear of missing out (often abbreviated as FOMO) is a common driver of action for marketers and advertisers. FOMO is essentially scarcity. By showing that an item or product is in limited supply , you hope to ratchet up demand.
Where to try these : Headings, promo copy
28 words and phrases that make you feel safe
- Best-selling
- Cancel Anytime
- No Obligation
- No Questions Asked
- No Strings Attached
- Recession-proof
- Try before You Buy
- Unconditional
Boost Blog Traffic’s Jon Morrow collected a huge list of power words (his full list of 317 is well worth the read) and sorted the list by category. The above section is Morrow’s grouping of words that engender feelings of safety. It’s my favorite group from Morrow’s list because these safety words have an amazing effect on the person reading: They create trust.
Where to try these: Payment forms, signup forms, testimonials
47 ubiquitous power words
- Immediately
- Hot Special
- Extraordinary
- Anniversary
Each employee on the circulation and email marketing teams at Interweave Press has these words printed and posted on their wall. The list, which was originally compiled Linda Ruth and Curtis Circulation Company , came from studying best-selling magazine covers, and Interweave’s Bob Kaslik found that the words work equally well on magazines as they do in promo copy and in email subject lines.
Where to try these: Email subject lines, headlines, calls-to-action
9 word for shareable content
Neil Patel put together the infographic you see below , based on research on each of the four major social networks: Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn. His list represents the words that can get your content shared on social media. I’ve found success grouping some of these words with other power words as well.
Where to try these : Social media updates
Create and share your own list
If you’re looking for inspiration (and a few unique power words to keep in your toolbox), try keeping track of the words that get you to convert. Take note of the words and phrases that grab your attention. Keep in mind why a headline stands out more than another. Notice which words grab you in a bullet list of benefits.
As you find new words, you can build a list in Evernote or another note-taking app; then be sure to reference them when you’re in a pinch and looking for a powerful addition to your headline, copy, or post.
And once you’ve found the power words that help you convert, we’d love to help you share them to your social profiles at exactly the right times.
Do you have any favorite power words that have worked for you? Which ones from the list here might you be interested to try? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Image credits: CarbonNYC , Ben Locker, Conversion XL ,
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Copyblogger
Most Persuasive Words and Phrases for Copywriting (and How to Use Them)
When it comes to assembling persuasive words for copywriting, like any other construction job, you need to rely on your skills, experience, and toolbox .
The toolbox of the writer is filled with words.
In defining what I believe is a critical element of effective copywriting , I’ll make my case by amending the famous quote from Animal Farm:
“All words are equal, but some words are more equal than others.”
And there are certain power words that hold more sway over our decision-making process than others. You might be surprised to find that these “power words” don’t seem … well, all that powerful.
This speaks to just how damned efficient they are. Simple language is crystal-clear, as we’ve learned from Brian’s article How to Write like Hemingway . And these compelling words make just what you want your reader to do clear.
Warning: I can’t stress enough, though — just as in the application of writing headlines that work — you must understand why these words are persuasive. You can’t forget to use them in the contexts that make sense for your audience and your business. If you just start slapping them on every piece of content you create for no apparent reason, you’ll quickly see just how unpersuasive they can be.
There, you’ve been warned. Now, let’s get on with the show …
How do you make a sentence more persuasive?
Before you can make a sentence more persuasive, you have to intimately know who you’re talking to in your content and copy. That’s why these words don’t work if you just blindly start using them. You’ll actually combine them with your research about your prospects.
Making a sentence more compelling is all about adding persuasive language to otherwise vague sentences. The more specific you can be, the more the reader will feel like you’ve written your content specifically for them. Then you sprinkle in known persuasive words to keep your reader hooked.
Ready to check out top persuasive words and sentences?
The 5 most persuasive words in the English language for copywriting
You might be surprised to learn that the most persuasive words in the English language are actually quite simple. Simple, but highly effective.
The persuading words list below (along with studies related to their power) will show you how to speak more persuasively to your audience.
There’s an often-cited study in the copywriting world. It’s about a piece of Yale research that reveals “You” to be the #1 power word out of a supposed 12.
Despite the fact that the study likely never happened , I have some actual research that reveals the power of invoking the self.
As it turns out, while people might like the word “you,” it is guaranteed that they love reading their own name much more.
According to research examining brain activation , few things light us up quite like seeing our own names in print or on the screen. Our names are intrinsically tied to our self-perception and make up a massive part of our identity. No surprise then, that we become more engaged and even more trusting of a message in which our name appears.
Research has shown that we will gladly pay more for personalization . So, isn’t it about time you start getting personal with your customers?
However, there is one small problem with this finding …
Writing general web copy with name utilization in mind isn’t usually possible. But by capitalizing on the power of permission marketing, you can adapt this strategy easily. Emails are greatly enhanced when they start off messages with a customer’s name.
If you maintain a variety of separate lists for your products (and you should), make sure you’re grabbing the first name. This way, your broadcasts can trigger that personal aspect with customers.
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Everybody loves free.
People love free stuff so much they’ll actually make different choices, even when the respective value of the item or service remains the same.
Dan Ariely revealed this startling fact in his book Predictably Irrational . He examined a very unusual “battle” between Lindt chocolate truffles and Hershey’s Kisses.
To test the power of the word “free” in relation to concrete value, the study first asked people to choose between a 1-cent Hershey Kiss or a 15-cent Lindt truffle. (That’s about half of the truffle’s actual value, and Lindt is generally considered a richer, superior chocolate).
Here were the results:
In other words, tastes were found to be very much in favor for the truffle. I mean, who’s going to pass up a deal, right?
Later though, another random group of subjects seemingly flipped on their opinion of these two treats. Ariely revealed that when the price was reduced by one cent for both brands (meaning the Kiss was now free), people altered their choices drastically.
With the new prices, here were the results:
Although in the first test it appears we simply can’t pass up a deal, as it turns out, we really can’t pass up a steal . Although the relation in prices remained the same (a 14 cent difference between the two), people chose the Kiss far more often when it was free.
Ariely points to loss aversion (our disdain for losing out on things) and our natural instinct to go after “low hanging fruit” as the reasons why we are so susceptible to snatching up free stuff.
Use free only when it makes sense, and only in the right context
There’s a certain inherent danger in trumpeting free things. Having something for free will attract more people. But that will most certainly include a fair share of “bargain hunters” who aren’t likely to turn into the superstar customers who really grow your business.
Emphasizing the “freeness” of your free guides, courses, information, support, etc., can go a long way in attracting attention. On Sparring Mind , I emphasize the fact that my newsletter is “free to join,” because although most marketers understand this, many folks don’t quite understand what it means to subscribe.
Conversely, you should use minimal pricing to keep out those barnacle customers who aren’t ideal long-term buyers, or who aren’t truly suited for your flagship offerings.
In a study from the classic book Influence by Robert Cialdini, tests were conducted on requests from a person in a hurry to use an in-office copy machine. The tests examined how different requests might affect people’s willingness to allow this person to “cut” in line.
In the first test, the participant simply stated:
“Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?”
In this scenario, around 60% of people allowed him to cut in line and use the machine first.
In the next scenario, the request was slightly tweaked. This time the participant said:
“I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine, because I am in a rush?”
Did you see the ever-so-subtle difference between the two?
Let’s break down this experiment with one of the most persuasive words.
Not only was the request only minimally changed, but the “because” (his reason) was barely a reason at all! “Because I’m in a rush” wouldn’t stand up as a good excuse for most of us, right? Isn’t a majority of the working world in a rush?
Despite what we might like to believe, around 94% of people allowed him to cut in line this time! If you think that’s strange, check out the request used in the 3rd and final test:
“Excuse me, I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make copies?”
That went from having a barely passable reason to absolutely no reason at all for letting the man cut. In spite of this, 93% of people let him cut on this third trial. That’s only a 1% drop from when he had a weak reason (“I’m in a rush”) and a 33% improvement vs. the first test.
According to Cialdini:
“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason. People simply like to have reasons for what they do.”
Here’s the bottom line
Many companies are proud of the features that their product (or service) can offer. That’s fine, but you have to remember that when you’re focusing on writing persuasive copy, it all comes down to answering your customer’s #1 question:
What’s in it for me?
Although “because” may appear to have some sort of brainwashing effect on people at Xerox machines, it’s only really a matter of reasoning. Even giving weak reasons have been shown to be more persuasive than giving no reason at all.
Only trumpet features and product traits you’re proud of when they help make your point. Use them to create an incentive for customers to take action. And use “because” when pointing out these compelling reasons, but don’t rely on it as a crutch.
4. Instantly
Delayed gratification is an important subject among neuroscientists. Many famous studies (such as the Stanford marshmallow experiment ) showcase how being able to delay rewards to a later date is a skill needed to become successful. (I know very few entrepreneurs who would argue against that.)
This interests us as marketers because it reveals an interesting aspect of human nature …
We want things yesterday!
Several MRI studies have shown just how fired up our mid-brain gets when we envision instant rewards. It’s our frontal cortex that’s activated when it comes to waiting for something (that’s a no-no for sales).
Words like “instant,” “immediately,” or even “fast” are triggers for flipping the switch on that mid-brain activity.
If you are in the business of selling web-based software, you already have an advantage here. “Instant access” isn’t a vague promise; it’s often the reality.
For those in the physical products or services business, using persuasive words and phrases to remind customers that they’ll receive their product quickly (or someone will get in touch with them ASAP) can go a long way. It can be the gentle push they need to buy.
We’ve seen how even “tightwad customers” can be swayed. These subtle changes in language to create persuasion sentences insinuate fast pain removal. It’s a reliable tactic for converting more prospects into customers as long as you follow the one golden rule …
Always deliver on your promises
And, whenever possible, overdeliver .
This is an area where many business get too optimistic. Although it’s smart to emphasis these instant rewards, it’s also always a good idea to under-promise and over-deliver. Be sure you can actually follow through on your promises, or you may end up with a “tribe” that hates your guts.
This one almost seems paradoxical.
According to neuroimaging research , we actually respond more favorably to recognized brands, and can have a hefty amount of disdain for any drastic changes. (Remember New Coke? Oh, the horror …)
On the other hand, it’s long been known that novelty plays an incredibly important role in activating our brains’ reward centers and in keeping us content with our products.
“Newness” is important to products, especially because research has shown that they age far more quickly than “experiential” purchases. (In other words, you’ll hate your new headphones in two years, but that concert you went to five years ago probably aged in your mind like a fine wine.)
How can you achieve a zen-like balance against these two contradictory sides of the same word?
The important things to consider here are which parts of your business generate trust, and which parts generate utility. It’s your brand that creates trust. And as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Your products however are what customers get utility out of. Stagnant offerings are your first class ticket to an abysmally bored user base.
Your core brand elements like your unique selling proposition , dazzling customer service , and quality offering in the marketplace should be approached with excessive caution if things are going well.
With your products, it’s far easier to excite customers with new features and polish. Even if things don’t work out perfectly, a majority of customers will appreciate innovation attempts over no progression at all.
New fixes to old problems, new features and improvements, a fresh new design, or even new ways of getting your message out there are all essential. They keep customers “on their toes,” without losing the trust that has cemented you as an awesome brand in their mind.
Powerful, persuasive phrases and sentences
We just covered a lot, so take all the time you need to study those lessons.
When you’re ready to keep going, here are 20 more trigger words and phrases to supercharge your copy at the exact right moment when you need to connect with your reader.
To introduce your topic
- Picture this …
- Although it’s commonly believed …
- When was the last time you …?
- I’m sure you’ve heard of [blank], but …
- Ready to discover a new way to …?
To make a point
- Also …
- In other words …
- Therefore …
- Supporting evidence shows …
- I reached this conclusion after finding …
To support your point
- For example …
- Especially in this case …
- In fact …
- According to this study …
- Independent test results show …
To end your case
- In conclusion …
- To wrap things up …
- As you understand by now …
- Try [blank] for yourself, if you want to see similar results.
Now it’s your turn to experiment with persuasive copywriting words …
You know your audience better than anyone else. So, what type of persuasive language strikes a chord with your prospects?
Keep digging deeper and experimenting to find out how to connect with more people who are the perfect fit for your products or services.
Gregory Ciotti
Gregory Ciotti is the marketing strategist at Help Scout , the invisible email support software for small businesses who love taking care of customers. Get more data-driven content from Greg by visiting the Help Scout blog .
Reader Interactions
Reader comments (182).
December 6, 2012 at 6:58 am
I often listen when the the word “Appreciate” is used. It’s a word often used by Mr. Nelson Mandela.
December 6, 2012 at 10:16 am
Meet you out the back.
December 9, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Interesting… why do you think that is? I would imagine that “appreciate” has some really meaningful connections to our ego.
December 9, 2012 at 6:08 pm
Not too sure if your prescriptions (which do make sense to me) are universally applicable, especially as regards the words ‘free’ and ‘new’. For some audiences in the UK and Ireland these two words can have negative connotations. ‘Free’, for example can be associated with ‘shoddy’ or ‘valueless’ or ‘they wouldn’t be giving it away for free if it was any good’; while ‘new’ can give the impression that the product is ‘untested’.
December 22, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I wouldn’t have agreed with you but last year a friend put an ad for free poodle puppies in the paper and didn’t get one response. She then put in an ad to sell them for $100 each and they were gone in a week.
May 30, 2013 at 10:48 am
Lisa, that goes back to the piece on understanding why these words work and using them in the right situations. For example, a free ebook is a nice benefit that captivates my attention. However, free puppies makes me think there’s probably something heinously wrong with them. A dog is such a long term valued investment that it almost doesn’t seem right to acquire one for free, which sparks suspicion and mistrust
July 23, 2013 at 10:26 am
Lisa – free, for some, means too good to be true. By having a value people can understand response is bound to be higher.
December 6, 2012 at 7:23 am
You presented some interesting research here because it is fascinating to learn how we are converted.
I don’t write persuasive copy, but I will start using some these words more often in my blogging.
Perhaps I can use this type of language to help persuade more people to comment.
December 6, 2012 at 8:30 am
I’m in the same boat as you, lacking persuasive copy. I also enjoyed seeing the psychology behind how we make decisions and are converted to the message.
December 6, 2012 at 9:34 am
Thanks Iain!
I would also add that you ARE writing persuasive copy, even if you don’t write sales pages, because any business related writing will at *least* have the simple goals of getting people to read all the way through and then take some sort of action when they’re finished.
So give yourself some credit. 😉
December 6, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Thanks for the support.
You are right. Business writing is persuasive writing, It revolves around persuading your boss, or persuading a colleague, and not selling a product per se. Selling your boss on an idea is converting a lead I guess.
Perhaps I feel am not writing persuasive copy, but in reality I am.
Again, great work.
December 9, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Definitely! Persuasion is really in all aspects of our lives, including how we persuade ourselves. 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 8:28 am
A surprising piece that is nicely done, and I notice that you model the strategies nicely in your own writing, with “you need,” for example. “You” in the number one position was especially surprising since it counters everything we’ve been taught in other types of writing. Teachers always scold when if you adopt the second person, but what you say makes perfect sense in engaging the reader. As a university English professor, unfortunately, I still have to teach this because all of the other professors while criticize the use of “you.” I guess it all depends on your purpose in writing, the audience’s needs and expectations.
The others were less surprising except “because,” which struck me as unusual at first. However, you make clear how the word establishes the significance of the message for the reader. These are all things that we are not normally conscious of, and therefore very helpful to consider. Thank you.
December 6, 2012 at 11:34 am
I don’t remember where or explicitly what, but I recently read an article that commented on writing as taught in school as being suitable only for the academic community. The gist was that this ‘formal’ writing didn’t actually communicate with the world outside academia and that an ‘informal’ style that used contractions and other speech-like forms did a better job with sales, instructional material, etc.
December 6, 2012 at 3:52 pm
I do not doubt it, and the battle is often fought between the sciences and humanities in higher education. The sciences tend to be prescriptive with language and writing, wanting to freeze academic language in time while the humanities lean towards the descriptive (a little bit), believing that languages change over time. The main objective is to communicate your purpose and message to an audience effectively.
The real difficulty lies in determining where the boundaries are drawn. With too much freedom, communication is hindered, but with excessive restriction comes the scene as you describe it. I like the approach taken in Gregory’s article where he focuses strictly on his purpose, message, and reader.
Thanks for your insight , Amki,
December 9, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Great points Darin, really appreciate your thoughts.
I would clarify on “You” just a bit: it obviously isn’t appropriate for certain styles of writing, but in this instance I actually use “You” in reference to the self, that is, your *name* is actually one of the most important words in your own mind.
December 9, 2012 at 6:00 pm
Hey, thank you for the follow up and clarification, Gregory. It’s great when bloggers participate in the conversation! Looking forward to reading more of your writing.
December 6, 2012 at 10:35 am
I thought I was all high and mighty because I read Cialdini (by the way – it’s the first time I’ve seen him being mentioned on a blog, you have my respect for this one). But I was only using the first three words, so thanks for the help. I always enjoy the down-to-earth, no-bull**** way in which you write articles. It makes it much easier to remember the pieces of information you give out. Keep it up! 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 11:04 am
If you like Cialdini, check out this series of posts I wrote in 2006, when Copyblogger was only 3 months old. 😉
https://copyblogger.com/blog-triggers/
December 7, 2012 at 3:30 am
Hey, thanks a lot Brian! I can’t wait to read it:) And of course, I’ll give feedback. Cheers!
December 9, 2012 at 1:44 pm
This is a great segment, Cialdini’s is almost a *must* reference in these sorts of articles, and Brian covers his book really well here on CB. 🙂
I’m flattered! (And flattery goes a long way with me! ;))
December 6, 2012 at 10:45 am
Great stuff! I’d like to nominate a sixth word: SAVE. When people are buying something, they’re often more interested in getting a good deal than paying a low price, and SAVE implies that they are indeed getting a deal. People also like to save things other than money, like time and effort. Do you have any research supporting the power of SAVE?
Thanks for a very insightful post!
December 9, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Really like this one John.
I like it so much that I think I’ll have to look around for some research on the subject!
That’s the best part about citing research in my opinion, not to break new ground, but to verify things we already suspect, a la:
“Normal science does not aim at novelty but at clearing up the status quo. It discovers what it expects to discover.” – Thomas Kuhn
I”ll get back to you if I find anything. 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 11:01 am
Good stuff Gregory. Interesting point on the danger of free attracting the wrong kind of customer. I’m sure the 80/20 rule applies here.
I also like the words “check”, “how”, “why”, “try” and “value”. They can certainly be persuasive.
December 9, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Why do you consider “check” and “why” to be persuasive words? Curious about those two choices…
I agree with John Pohl that “save” is a good word. I also like “now”, “hurry”, & “limited”. I enjoyed this article and look forward to more.
December 9, 2012 at 1:48 pm
This is very true, in fact in our e-Book I cover the importance of urgency (and follow-up instructions) that cites some interesting research on the matter. You should check it out 😉
December 6, 2012 at 11:16 am
Just expanding on the word ‘you’ a bit further, it is particularly effective when used with certain simple (but also powerful) verbs, e.g. you’ll have you’ll get you’ll save (as mentioned in the comment above) you’ll find you’ll discover
December 6, 2012 at 11:48 am
Kevin –
I might add that from a sub-conscious perspective, the contraction you’ll implies you will have in the future…
A better word would be to put them into the present tense, such as “you have” or “you get”… present tense will allow themselves to visualize already owning the product, and mentally they will already own the proverbial set of keys to the car, making it that much easier for them to plop down money
December 6, 2012 at 11:37 am
FREE I’m starting to get suspicious of that word. I’ve jumped through hoops only to determine that “free” meant: – Free 7-day limited trial – Free to register and look at titles but accessing anything costs money – EXTREMELY limited access. I wanted to convert a 166-page PDF and went to a “free” site. After giving all of my contact info and doing the confirmation email, I converted the file and … oops … “free” means 3 pages. My other 163 pages would have cost me about $10. I was irritated by then that I left the site and blocked the domain fomr ever coming up in future Google searches.
I don’t chase free things because I’m cheap. Often I have legit interest in something and the marketing just irritates me because they’re being slimy.
Marketers need to be judicious about what they call “free” because consumers are learning to put bogus or even offensive data into online forms just to peek over the wall and see if the marketer is really delivering what they are touting. Now, what good is the data that’s been collected?
December 6, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Absolutely agree — it all has to be in context. If you’re in a context of providing solid value with content + you’re getting good word of mouth over social platforms, “Free” is something your audience will feel they can trust. But all of these classic persuasive power words are used extensively by businesses that are dodgy or spammy, as well.
“Free” will feel trustworthy to your audience when they know they can trust you, in other words. 🙂
December 7, 2012 at 8:29 am
Developing trust! YESSSSS! I think this is more important than the 5 Most Persuasive Words. So many marketers are abusing these words. Yes, there are studies showing that the words work. But will they work in the long run?
If you look up ‘banner blindness’ is shows a habit that people have for consciously and subconsciously being blind to ads. We’ve been trained. Ads not only try to sell to us, they also have a history of being associated with malware, pop-up storms, endless redirects, etc.
SImilarly, we can be trained to be suspicious of words like free and instantly. We might be “persuaded” but then we can be “trained” to click on something and stay there long enough to determine there’s something useful or just bait to build their list and load users into an auto-responder.
Marketers are going to have to do more to cultivate trust. This will ensure that the persuasive words remain persuasive or, they can turn into warning flags.
December 8, 2012 at 9:09 am
Also, it wasn’t brought up that maybe the reason the $.15 sold over the $.01 is perceived value.
What would happen if Hershey raised their prices to $.15 or even $.30? Some people, like myself, like to pay extra for the good stuff. So if something is more expensive there can be more perceived value…
December 10, 2012 at 10:53 am
Perhaps the word “Free” would create less suspicion if it came with a “Because”.
December 6, 2012 at 11:42 am
Gregory –
A well formed story, and your final 2 points highlight my own – that you made this an interesting exercise to practice putting these words together into a sentence or two, which is exactly what I did as I posted this to facebook… I used all 5 words in two sentences, that will become clear to my friends after they read it.
As I started your article, the first book I thought of was “How to win friends and Influence people”, our names are our most important power word, and your tie in with mailing lists was spot on with that.
Thanks for sharing such a succinct and insightful article.
December 6, 2012 at 11:52 am
Something positive about a negative…not exactly what you asked for:
It always intrigues me that ‘need’ is NOT a trigger word. While it is always emphasized that buying is an emotional process based on desire and not logic, it seems to me that need would be at least equally motivational emotionally.
I can’t exactly put my finger on it, but I think that says something about my own logical processes. 😉
December 6, 2012 at 12:01 pm
I’d like to nominate ‘GET’. Because everybody wants something. As always, a very helpful post, Brian. Happy Holidays!
December 6, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Heh, “everybody wants something”, maybe the understatement of the century. 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Great article You & Your – such powerful words, but how many websites talk about them?
December 6, 2012 at 2:28 pm
The analysis around the word free was really interesting. I’d like to think that I’m smart enough to see through the marketing when it comes to free stuff, but either I’m really naive about how I really think, or I’m in the minority. I don’t tend to offer free stuff because I think that people tend to see through it. but maybe it’s just me! Might make me reconsider making free offers in future.
January 9, 2013 at 11:49 am
Good points Dave, but I think we become susceptible to these words during situations where they aren’t directly on our minds.
For instance, reading this post, these words seem “too obvious” to be effective, but out and about in the real world when we aren’t consciously thinking about them, they’re able to influence us.
December 6, 2012 at 2:55 pm
A surprisingly short post for you, Greg, but just as excellent as ever!
We recently started using customer names in our email blasts. I don’t have any numbers yet, but we are definitely seeing more conversions. Getting intimate works, plain and simple.
Personally, I like using “right now” in my copy. I use it mostly because I know it usually gets me to buy, so hey, it should work for others! And based on the psychology behind “instantly,” it all makes more sense. 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 4:46 pm
Agree 100%, I always try to attach some form of “time limit” to actions I’d like for people to take. Given people’s reluctance to come back to things a second time, any language that urges action within the next few minutes is key. 🙂
December 6, 2012 at 3:04 pm
I’m not sure I agree with the use of a person’s name – in advertising copy, it seems manipulative to me when I see it. Especially if it’s in an email from someone who I know has no idea who the hell I am (and that goes double if they’ve spelled my name wrong). But then, I’m in marketing, so I’m probably a tougher audience. People in general are more cynical and aware of marketing “tricks” than they used to be, though. It’d be interesting to see how some of those stats have changed over time!
December 6, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Laurie, that’s why we don’t personalize the emails at Copyblogger — our audience of marketers sees that and thinks, “Ad.” Normal people are less likely to do that. 🙂
September 11, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Our target audience are mechanics, and used to be video store owners (still is, but less these days).
We’ve had people respond to our emails as if we’d sent them directly, so I agree marketers are more skeptical. We also noticed (and we never figured out why), that the mechanics (or their assistants) tend to post correct info including the phone number, whereas the video store people gave us bogus info. Perhaps we’re saying something wrong on the download page. I’ll be checking into that after this article, Thanks.
December 6, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Hi Gregory, great post. I’m a huge fan of using “you” in copy. Why? Because it’s the equivalent of using someone’s first name in a mass communication. Yes, actually using their first name would provide a better result, but using “you” as a first name alternative gets nearly the same results.
December 6, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Thanks Joe, I’d agree that on a large scale, it’s the best way to go, I was just tired of that fake “study” getting passed around the web 😉
December 6, 2012 at 3:15 pm
Very interesting article and well researched. Here’s a tip to make your chocolate graphics even better: 15 cents should be $.15 or 15¢ (.15¢ means 15/100 or 3/20 of 1 cent). Ditto for the other amounts. Thanks!
December 6, 2012 at 3:25 pm
While using certain words is important I think its more important if you speak with conviction as people will pay more attention to what you say.
January 9, 2013 at 11:52 am
Very true! In fact there is research on things like confidence + persuasion, and many studies point to conviction playing a HUGE role in persuasive speaking and arguments.
December 6, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Ian, Thanks! I found this article to be helpful with the work I need to do on a daily basis. Writing persuasively is so difficult because you don’t get the chance to listen before making your argument.
Oh, how I fought the “you need” in a Tweet the other day.
Days went by and that hashtag my name and what I needed to do rolled around in my head. Finally and against my will my curiosity got the best of me. I clicked the website. When the “you need” is hard wired to my core interest and there is not even the slightest whiff of spam anywhere to be found, I was a goner. You’ve got to hate that. Or, you’ve got to figure out how to use it. Your call.
P.S. The person blew it though. You get to the site and it is miles away from the implication and someone just burned a bridge. The one that leads me to take ” you need” seriously. It is like a vaccination. Next time the bug has a harder time. Or, no shot at all.
December 6, 2012 at 4:59 pm
I agree with your list of words if our goal is to sell. I’ve taught advertsing and understand the basics of writing great headlines and copy. As a blogger, I’m creative and try to be sincere. I shudder to feel like I have to use advertising tactics to simply get more traffic, but I guess it comes with the territory.
January 9, 2013 at 11:50 am
I think it’s very possible to be persuasive and sincere at the same time Dan. It’s sometimes tough when we feel like we may be going “too far”, but as long as everything is honest, it’s okay to utilize this information to get people to take action.
December 6, 2012 at 5:05 pm
All good ideas and reminders. I too am suspicious of “free” yet really like “because” as folks like an explanation.
December 6, 2012 at 5:06 pm
persuasive indeed….how about words like “essential” or ‘vital” and “now”
December 6, 2012 at 7:22 pm
Thanks Greg. Great post. I saw four of the five coming but I have to admit I would never have picked ‘Because’. But it makes sense. Now to make sure that I keep these words in the back of my mind when writing. Cheers!
December 6, 2012 at 10:08 pm
One of my new power words is “Quickly”. I borrowed it from an ad for a competing hypnosis firm. 😉
December 7, 2012 at 12:58 am
The most powerful 3 letter word in the the English language is YET http://www.nylaw2law.blogspot.com/search/label/Power%20of%20Yet
December 7, 2012 at 3:01 am
Your piece is not just full of persuasive copy; it has a very persuasive headline too. I spotted it in Twitter and immediately wanted to know what those 5 words were – and I read right through to the end. In fact, I have even forgotten why I went to Twitter in the first case. Nice article 😉
December 7, 2012 at 11:37 am
Why thank ya! I actually can’t take credit for the headline this time around, the CB team came up with that gem. 🙂
December 7, 2012 at 5:00 am
Amazon once ran a promotion – free delivery when you make a 2nd book purchase. This was very successful in every country apart from France. The marketing department looked into it and found that the program had been slightly altered in France. The French offer charged 20 cents for shipping when customers made a 2nd purchase. Monetarily, the promotions are almost indistinguishable but the 20c offer did not perform…it just doesn’t have the power of FREE. http://www.webcontentwriter.co.uk/website-copywriter-reveals-2-most-powerful-web-words/
Very familiar with this study and I’ve written about it before too! Great minds must think alike 😉
December 7, 2012 at 5:28 am
Indivdually, each of these words appeals to a certain kind of person. If we use the Eisenberg Modes of Persuasion as a guide, we can assign each to a different mode.
“You” – Humanists are relationship oriented. When your voice shifts from “We” and “our company” and you speak to them in the first person, it feels more human — and more Humanistic.
“Free” – This word appeals to the Spontaneous reader. These visitors are just looking for an excuse to take action.
“Because” – Methodicals want to understand the details. They make decisions deliberately and logically. Credible proof is important.
“Instantly” – This also appeals to our Spontaneous reader, who wants immmediate gratification.
“New” – This appeals to the Competitive, who wants to know what will make them better. New technologies, new versions, new looks get their attention.
So, two of the words are very Spontaneous, and we tend to act spontaneously when we’ve decided to buy something. So, “Free” and “Instantly” are probably good “bottom of the funnel” words.
December 7, 2012 at 10:53 am
I’m going to start using “because” more when I’m in a rush. I think I’ll still get scolded, especially in the grocery store line in Philly.
December 7, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Thanks Greg (can I call ya Greg?)
It’s cool to read WHY those words we use in our copy actually work – and why sometimes they can be used incorrectly.
December 7, 2012 at 6:38 pm
Great article and great feedback.
I liked your action items at the end, asking for comments as well as offering your “10 Ways…” with a great reason. I’m going to use this reason with some of my offers. (Hope that’s OK)
A number of months ago I felt that I was writing too much copy with “you” in it and decided to switch to “we” instead.
Based on your article, I think I will go back to these articles and compare my reader engagement. It will be interesting to see if there is a difference.
December 7, 2012 at 9:16 pm
When you’re venturing into “because” land, try also using “so that” so that you can easily describe cause/effect relationships that enhance the persuasiveness of a message.
I’ve heard this discussed before, placing the connection between action and outcome more clearly… will have to look into that a little more…
December 7, 2012 at 9:43 pm
These are really interesting. I love that because is on the list.
December 8, 2012 at 1:13 am
I would like to politely disagree Gregory my man.
Five more persuasive words:
– Freeze! – Bomb! – Duck! – Run! – Three! (after dad had already said “….1…. 2…..”)
Great post bro. Always enjoy your research.
December 8, 2012 at 11:21 am
Good one! And you know what? You point to the fact that the context is really what’s important. The words happen inside a context. Do I want to see “free” at a plastic surgeon’s website? Oh, Lord!
December 9, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Ehhhh… a “free” consultation might be persuasive… but I definitely get what you’re saying. 🙂
December 9, 2012 at 1:52 pm
This guy right here…
That was a roller-coaster of a comment, I was initially so distraught that his royal highness didn’t agree with my post 😉
For more flavor, I’d add “BANZAI!”, heh.
December 9, 2012 at 10:58 pm
Ha ha you clown.
December 8, 2012 at 1:26 am
You can also use the word ESPECIALLY to justify a call to action. Unlike because,you can use ESPECIALLY to confirm your reader’s justification for wanting a particular product or service. Thank you for the practical advice and theory,especially the referenced academic studies.
December 8, 2012 at 2:29 am
You nailed it! A very good blog on the subject of writing persuasive texts. I would like to add that these words, in combination ith the three modalities that people perceive the wworld surrounding them is even more powerful. So like for people who think (mostly) in terms of pictures: Imaging yourself being… For those who act based upon their (gut?) feelings: You can feel yourself … For those that think in terms of words: You can hear the apraisal from your friends now that you…
Of course, combining these makes a post for all readers interesting
December 8, 2012 at 3:08 am
Thank you! A fan of words, I enjoyed this post very much; very interesting and inspiring.
December 8, 2012 at 9:21 am
Hello, my two cents, or should I say my $.02? … 🙂
Great article. Way to put 5 great topics into one short and to-the-point blog.
One phrase I’m trying is “CLICK HERE” and seeing if that works. From what I have learned, some people like to be told what to do. You lead them through the process while giving the impression that all choices are made by YOU. I thought it was a great comment about how in English class we are taught not to use “You” or “I” but to write academically. I guess it really depends on your audience and the search criteria they are using.
I know one word that really helps. When I was reading, I thought the word “Warning” was one of those words you were talking about, but it wasn’t even part of the article.
Another word is “Help”. People like to help. “Please help me”, “Could you help me?”
And as far as “Free” goes, I’ve heard that “Free” can be a bad thing too because it lowers the perceived value. Yeah someone wants something free, but when the person has to spend money, are they going to buy the Hershey Kisses or the other kind? I would have liked to see the conversions of the people after the test, whether or not they became customers or bought anything afterwards.
Another thing I would personally like to see is if someone is telling me to click on a link, I want to know exactly what I’m getting myself into. If not, I assume they are hiding something because they won’t tell me what the hell is going to happen once I click that link.
As one person says, “Free” usually means “Free for 7 days, then it’s $39.99 a month” and they don’t mention how difficult it is to get through to customer service to cancel. Or all the other assortment of not-so-free sites.
December 9, 2012 at 1:55 pm
I agree with “Click Here” when it comes to the web, I’ve tested that on multiple occasions and an “action phrase” like that almost always outperforms other words.
December 8, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Imagine, Extend, Expand, Value, Reach, Grow
December 9, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Are you being cheeky?
December 12, 2012 at 1:27 am
I asked at the bottom of the article to suggest more persuasive words, I didn’t require any research. 🙂
December 8, 2012 at 8:06 pm
I’m going to experiment with this, and make an effort to notice when I used these words and what effect they have.
December 9, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Report back! Where will you be testing these words?
December 9, 2012 at 3:15 am
Well-researched article. Using simple language is the way to write. Now I agree more with #5 because before I always replace it with the word “improved”. But then it’s the right timing that makes these words most persuasive. Great article.
December 9, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Eh, I would say they go hand-in-hand on many occasions. The persuasive element here is the *novelty* of whatever you’re describing, and “improved” often implies that something about the product is new.
December 9, 2012 at 1:20 pm
Found this really interesting. Most of them I can see how they work. For me the first one can be a complete turn off!! If my name is anywhere other than in the titles then I switch off. My Mum used to put my name in a sentence as a put down or to let me know I was in the wrong – it still has the same connotation!!
December 9, 2012 at 4:14 pm
True, but a lot of testing with personal communication (read: email marketing) has shown that names often increase open-rates and engagement in many instances. I remember a MailChimp article that showed exactly that, so it’s something to consider.
December 9, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Your title totally drew me in because I wanted to instantly know those five words that would be new to me . . . for free!! Aren’t I clever? I used all five words in that sentence! Seriously, great and helpful post with terrific research and backing added in. Can’t wait to grab that free report too. 🙂
December 9, 2012 at 4:13 pm
I see what you did there 😉
You’ll definitely enjoy the report if you liked this post! 🙂
December 10, 2012 at 12:00 am
awesome and informative stuff here.. Love to read it.. Normally, i will incorporate this word in my article: I, me, you etc.. and it is worked, my blog looks more alive..
December 10, 2012 at 3:32 am
I imagined the word “FREE” would be at the top. I also knew about “because” and “you”. The word “instantly” is a new idea. I’ll try and fit that into my writing…
December 10, 2012 at 11:00 am
It’s definitely a great way to promote action immediately, and on the web, you rarely get a second chance if you lose someone the first time.
December 11, 2012 at 2:11 am
But be careful. Using these words to draw people in, and then not delivering anything, that can hurt a person’s reputation and train people on what to ignore.
Yes. We get one chance to make an impression. Don’t miss an opportunity, but don’t ruin the experience either.
Awesome information for a newbie like me to get his hands on. Thanks!
December 11, 2012 at 8:49 am
Very welcome!
December 10, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Who amongst us can resist the alluring nature of the word “FREE”? Posts like this are why I love Copy Blogger. The info on here is great and has really helped me improve my writing over the years. No matter how long you’ve been writing, there’s always something new to learn.
December 11, 2012 at 2:16 am
Lots of us can resist the word “free.” We’re being trained to be suspicious. See some of the earlier conversation.
Free can get someone’s attention. “Free” can also be the first step toward “I should have known it was too good to be true. Lots of “free” software is revealed to be packaged with adware and hijacks your homepage, and claims “in order to provide this to you for free, we have to pull these shenanigans.”
December 11, 2012 at 8:50 am
I think it was a given here that honesty needs to accompany every form of persuasion that you implement. 🙂
December 11, 2012 at 2:05 am
“Free”, “New” and “You” were quite obvious but didn’t expect “Because” and “Instantly” in the top 5 list. I expected “Now” word.
December 11, 2012 at 10:52 am
If I had to go with a 6th “bonus word”, I’d definitely envision it being something like “Now”, I should look to see if there is any solid research on that! 🙂
December 11, 2012 at 11:17 am
These are specially great for writing ads, where you have so little time to grab someone’s attention, not to mention the million other ads competing for those same eyeballs. Great, useful article. Anyone looking to improve their copywriting skills should spend some time learning all the “power” words that can dramatically improve engagement and clickthrough rates.
December 12, 2012 at 1:24 am
Very true, advertisements are a medium where you have a very limited time span to catch attention.
December 14, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I hardly ever write copy. Most often I just correct it. Coincidentally however, I just helped someone write copy for an advertorial of sorts today. I think it’s important to say “we will” as opposed to “we can.” “We can” just sounds too much like “we may,” while “we will” sounds more certain. Agree? Loved the information….thank you!
December 16, 2012 at 8:46 pm
I agree 100% Joline, in fact, I’d go even further and say that great copy should eliminate any phrases that showcases an alternative (“I think that…”, etc.)
December 16, 2012 at 1:15 am
About 20 years ago i was working for a bank selling balance transfers, which basically is trying to get people to switch all of their debt to us for a lower interest rate. I was doing a terrible job up until the guy next to me said to start using the phrase. It’s a no brainer. To my shock and amazement I more than doubled my closing rate with this stupid phrase. I guess no one wants to feel like they have no brain…LOL
December 16, 2012 at 8:45 pm
Ha! Wow, that’s a story I almost feel guilty laughing about…
December 18, 2012 at 4:13 am
The world will be pleased to know I’ve ordered that Cialdini book.
Everywhere I go recently that book is recommended. Can’t wait!
Great post – I loved the Chocolate study, that’s fascinating.
December 22, 2012 at 10:43 am
Thanks, I now have the title of my next headline…
“I am giving YOU a FREE eBook BECAUSE I INSTANTLY want a NEW Fan” 🙂
December 23, 2012 at 1:06 pm
Gregory – YOU did a great job with this article BECAUSE it INSTANTLY helped me idetify specific ways to make my copy more persuasive. I hope I can reciprocate in the near future with NEW ideas for you in my next blog post on Harvard Business Review. Thank you. I find thank you and reciprocity to be attractive words as well.
January 3, 2013 at 11:31 pm
I do agree that FREE is a great in attracting attention. But over the years, I do notice that FREE attracts the wrong prospects as well. Now I actually charge a nominal fee for all the workshops to capture a better qualified audience.
February 7, 2013 at 12:43 am
From my media training – “Actually” is very powerful. It’s a good word to use instead of “yes” or “no” to pivot questioning
February 8, 2013 at 3:52 pm
I’m not sure about the “because” but You, free, instantly and New are difintely words that gets my heart racing. Like most people, I like to hear my name and see my name in big lites. Who doesn’t love free? Only thing about free is that it can sometimes devalue valuable things. We take things for granted when they’re free. Like mostly people today, we want everything and we want it now. Instantly ain’t fast enough sometimes. Definitely love new. Been buying used stuff so long only new will due for me now.
February 10, 2013 at 6:24 pm
Thanks for the information! I’m writing a sales letter for my ebook so you already know I turned to copyblogger for advice ?.
February 12, 2013 at 11:44 am
I read a blog a year ago where the writer had done tests to his “follow me on Twitter” link to see what compelled the most people to follow him. He ended up with “You should follow me on Twitter”. I wonder how much the “You” had to do with that being the most compelling version.
Now I also wonder how much more compelling it would have been if he had had a “because” in there.
March 19, 2013 at 5:50 am
I have always loved that Cialdini experiment example.thanks for the reminder….I’m in the middle of sending out some postcards and I think I will use this great article as the basis to do some testing…thanx
March 20, 2013 at 4:36 pm
Two words keep popping up in my mind: “please” and “thanks”. What strikes me is that I believe these two words are very powerful, but mostly when spoken! In writing, these are overused or expected. Interesting the difference between both ways of communicating
March 25, 2013 at 3:47 am
A word I keep thinking of is “beta”. Many people like the idea of being the first one to try something new. I know I do. Giving people access to something prior to the “general public” makes them feel special and will likely lead to brand loyalty and engagement.
April 1, 2013 at 7:41 pm
Wow, this list was put together well. I still can’t believe because is that persuasive, but the logic behind it makes sense. I could have guessed the other 4. Great post keep up the good work, Daniel
April 3, 2013 at 9:36 am
I always think when I see things like: “These are selling like hotcakes. Only 5 left. Hurry. Don’t miss out!”. This makes me think: “If they’re selling so fast and furious, why are they so bent on urging us to buy?”. They don’t need to!
April 13, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Not for headlines, but within copy, it is important for me to use the word LIKE somewhere in there for two reasons. The first is such usage almost always is in an analogy, and anologies work well in persuasive writing. Analogies are like pictures, they convey more than the words they are comprised of. The second is that within the analogy, I always try and put the word like in front of what I am persuading about. For example, if the new “what-a-car-mobile” is something I am trying to pursuade some to take interest in, I could say “Seeing a double rainbow is for visual pleasure much like the what-a-car-mobile is for driving pleasure. The embedded secondary statement that speaks to the subconscious is ‘like the what-a-car-mobile”.
May 15, 2013 at 10:09 am
As a Public Speaking Coach and Trainer, I teach 4 of these to my students! I have started Copywriting more and more to learn more about persuasive speaking! Thank you for the tips!
May 24, 2013 at 3:06 pm
This is a fabulous blog post.
‘You’ is a very powerful word that stands out to me above all others. ‘You’ creates a personal relationship between a reader and the content that they are reading.
Content writing often misses out in creating a relationship with the reader.
Without that relationship there will be no engagement and your content will not be valuable
May 28, 2013 at 7:58 am
I use superlatives to make products and services seem more attractive. Saying something is lovely or beautiful, amazing or remarkable, is powerful stuff.
June 8, 2013 at 8:51 am
The word “because” is definitely an important word to implement when using persuasive language. Especially when you’re trying to get your kids to do stuff like clean up their room and things like that. Great post by the way!
June 17, 2013 at 9:23 pm
yup, those are 5 very persuasive words!
July 11, 2013 at 6:25 pm
I can’t help but feeling a little sleezball knowing these psychological tricks and using them to get conversions.
I keep reminding myself that I am offering something really valuable, something that I would like to give away for free. And, even am giving away for free to a certain extent, or at least will be when I publish my free report “Busy People Get Healthy (In Half the Time)”
You should check out my site and let me know how your brain reacts because, I would really value your opinion. (There’s a real reason!)
Thanks for a great article,
July 18, 2013 at 5:53 am
From my experience, while “You” is indeed deserving its spot, an even better one is a person’s own name. We all hear our name from the very first days of our lives – we are conditioned to pay attention whenever that word is used.
Even when walking on the street, if you hear someone saying out loud your name: “Gregory!” … “you” would turn your head “instantly”, not “because” it is something “new” but simply “because” you are trained to do so from way back, during your childhood.
The attention-grabbing word “free” is an acquired taste, though; it comes in your life almost at the same time (parents provide you with anything in “free” mode) but you come to value it properly only much later… 🙂
Cheers, ~Steve
July 18, 2013 at 10:37 am
Thank you for making me smile in a VERY hectic week. Of course, you are right. But I write historical fiction and while ultimately I’m selling a product, something in me rebels/resists using outright marketing strategies such as those outlined here.
BUT I do want to reach my audience. So I’ve got my toe in and appreciate very much this NEW and FREE information you’ve made so INSTANTLY available BECAUSE you have helped me. Thank YOU!
July 19, 2013 at 7:12 pm
because you asked me to I’m going to instantly give you my new opinion, for free!
When I started blogging about yoga I quickly realized that my average competitor was writing a lot of blah blah blah posting photos of themselves in insanely difficult yoga poses, talking about their “beautiful” kids and supportive spouse. yawn. Even I don’t want to read about that, and I’m a professional yoga teacher!
So I started talking about “you” and things that might be of interest to “you”. Assuming that the average yoga practitioner is smart, green conscious, politically savvy I started instantly started blogging on new topics like big pharma, organic foods, and relationships because, you know, people like to read about interesting things – not just “me” and how my day went when I worked out.
My readership really grew! Stop by and read me some day, would love to meet you
July 22, 2013 at 7:04 pm
Thank You Gregory,
Simple and definitely meaningful tips. As Dale Carnegie said many years ago “the most important sound to a person is the sound of their own name”. A challenge though with digital communication, eg. communicating with parents via Facebook to help one another, the hardest job in the world with little to no prior preparation and loaded with exhaustion, frustration and loneliness.
I took a few great tips from your article, any others would be greatly appreciated by this parent and others ?
Thank you again all the way from Down Under.
August 6, 2013 at 8:09 pm
Persuasion is written and verbal and I think it’s true people like seeing their name in print, hearing it called. Persuading the brain in advertising is an awesome process when you see it unfold.
August 31, 2013 at 11:29 am
I like to use the word “imagine”. I think it is a way to get people involved in the content being discussed. I suppose it is a way to try to force them to think.
Once they are doing that, it may be possible to lead them in a certain direction by providing compelling arguments, research results, and information.
What do you think to this approach?
August 31, 2013 at 1:18 pm
That’s called “invoking the mind’s eye.” Very powerful.
August 31, 2013 at 3:07 pm
I should have mentioned it in the previous post, what an excellent and informative article that was. Certainly some food for thought there. I will keep this in mind when writing content for my site.
Thanks so much.
September 7, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Love this article. I’ve bought so many marketing tools, plugins, themes, etc. and most, if not all of these persuasive words were in the copy that sold me.
October 15, 2013 at 11:29 am
Great article really helpful for getting into your customers head and there thought processes. Very interesting and helpful. Thank you,
November 19, 2013 at 10:16 am
The word, “Please” is also very persuasive!
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801+ Power Words That Pack a Punch & Convert like Crazy
by Jon Morrow
on Feb 27, 2023
Freebie: Power Words PDF
Power words are like a “cheat code” for boosting conversion rates. Sprinkle in a few and you can transform dull, lifeless words into persuasive words that compel readers to take action.
And the best part?
You can use them anywhere.
In this post, you’ll learn how to use power words like a kung fu master. Specifically:
- The definition of power words (and why they’re so powerful);
- The 7 types of power words proven to increase conversions;
- Examples of how bloggers, freelance writers, and businesses are using powerful words to boost conversions;
- A huge list of strong words you can use, bookmark, and reference (again and again).
Want to bring your ideas to life, to make them take up residence in the reader’s mind, lurking in the background, tugging, pulling, and cajoling their emotions until they think and feel exactly as you want?
Then you’re going to love this post.
Let’s jump in.
What are Power Words?
Power words are persuasive, descriptive words that trigger a positive or negative emotional response. They can make us feel scared, encouraged, aroused, angry, greedy, safe, or curious. Authors, freelance writers , copywriters , and content marketers use “power words” to spice up their content and compel audiences to take action.
Clear as mud?
Let’s deconstruct an example from the great Winston Churchill. All the power words are underlined:
Inspiring, right?
Here’s why:
Power Words = Emotional Words Packed with Persuasion
Smart speakers, as well as their speechwriters, sprinkle their speeches with carefully-chosen power words drenched in sensory details , drawing the audience from one emotion to another as skillfully as any novelist or screenwriter.
And it goes beyond speakers and storytellers.
Email marketing messages, copywriting , infographics, step-by-step tutorials, sales pages, inspirational quotes , content marketing , case studies, calls to action, testimonials, tweets, and other social media posts are all designed to influence the reader (and prospective customers) in some way. You want to pass along information, yes, but you also want the reader to feel a certain way about that information.
Maybe you want to impress them, get them excited, make them cautious, get them angry, encourage them to keep going, trigger curiosity, create urgency, build trust with them, or any number of emotions. The better a job you do at making them feel, the more influential you are, and the better your chances of getting what you want.
Looking for a quick way to give your writing more punch ?
Maybe add a little personality or pizzazz — that extra little “oomph” that grabs your reader’s attention?
Then you need to expand your vocabulary and infuse your content with emotional power words.
The 7 Different Types of Power Words
- Fear Power Words
- Encouragement Power Words
- Lust Power Words
- Anger Power Words
- Greed Power Words
- Safety Power Words
- Forbidden Power Words
We’ve organized our power words into seven different types, which all accomplish the same goal: Each elicits emotion in your reader.
Let’s go over each type and see why these words work.
1. Fear Power Words
Let’s do a little experiment.
Just for a moment, stop reading this post, turn on the television, and go to a major news channel. Watch it for five minutes, listening for the words below.
Chances are, you’ll hear dozens of them. Here’s why:
Fear is without a doubt the most powerful emotion for grabbing and keeping an audience’s attention. To make sure you don’t change the channel, news networks load up with fear words, making you worry you might miss something important.
Granted, you can overdo it, but in my opinion, most writers don’t use these types of words nearly enough. They really do connect with people.
How to Crank Up Emotion with Fear Words
Here’s an example of a blog post headline here at Smart Blogger that utilizes three different fear words:
Open it and you’re greeted by this fear-packed introduction:
Waves of pain unimaginable shot down my spine, causing every muscle in my body to contract as if I’d been shocked with 20,000 volts of electricity. My back arched up at an unnatural angle. My arms and legs began to shake.
Pretty effective, right?
Here’s another one:
If I’m working from home , will I lose my sanity if I don’t read this post? There’s only one way to find out. (Click!)
Want to sprinkle fear power words into your writing? Here are a bunch to get you started:
2. Encouragement Power Words
Let’s face it.
When they’re reading, most people aren’t exactly bouncing off the walls with energy and enthusiasm. They’re probably bored, maybe a little depressed, and almost definitely tired.
And they’re looking for something, anything, that’ll wake them up and make them feel better.
The good news?
Your writing can do that for them.
How to Crank Up Emotion with Encouragement Words
Here’s an example email from Mirasee:
With two encouraging words — life-changing and magic — in one email subject line, it’s a message that stands out in most inboxes.
Want to give your readers a pep talk and get them charged up again? Want to encourage them?
Use these persuasive words and adjectives:
3. Lust Power Words
Like it or not, lust is one of the core human emotions .
Just look at the men’s and women’s magazines in the checkout aisle, and you’ll see what I mean. Nearly every headline on the cover is either blatantly or indirectly about sex.
And it works, not just for headlines in men’s and women’s magazines, but for messages to your email list, subheads in your articles, ad copy — anything.
As a writer (or marketer), you can use words that inspire lust to make almost anything intriguing.
How to Crank Up Emotion with Lust Words
See if you can spot the lust words in this headline from Cosmopolitan:
Okay, the orange underlines probably give it away, but my hunch is you didn’t need them.
Power words like captivating and love jump off the page. And if you use them properly, they can stir all sorts of emotions in your readers’ heads. (Want to see your click-through rates soar? Add a lust word or two.)
Here’s a lascivious list of descriptive words to get you started:
4. Anger Power Words
As writers, sometimes our job is to anger people.
Not for the fun of it, mind you, but because someone is doing something wrong, and the community needs to take action to correct it.
The problem is, with wrongdoing, most people are pretty apathetic — they’ll wait until the situation becomes entirely intolerable to do anything, and by then, it’s often too late.
So, we have to fan the flames.
How to Crank Up Emotion with Anger Words
The authors of this Forbes headline don’t pull any punches:
I didn’t realize some people get angry over business jargon, but apparently it’s a thing. And this headline, undoubtedly, had such people frothing at the mouth.
If you want to connect with people’s anger and slowly but surely work them into a frenzy, use the power words below.
Just be careful who you target. Lawyers can eat you alive if you pick on the wrong person. 🙂
5. Greed Power Words
The legendary copywriter Gary Halbert once said, “If you want people to buy something, stomp on their greed glands until they bleed.” Graphic, yes, but also true.
Skim through good digital marketing campaign copy on an e-commerce site, and you’ll find a lot of power words based on vanity or greed. Many of them are so overused they’ve become cliché, but that doesn’t stop them from working.
The truth is, nearly every human being on the planet is interested in making money (or saving money ).
How to Crank Up Emotion with Greed Words
Its explicit and implicit use of greed words makes this popular book from Dave Ramsey a great example:
“Money” is hard to miss — it’s probably the ultimate greed word and it’s sitting there in capital letters.
But a title like “Total Money Makeover” also implies another greed word (even though it doesn’t directly state it): money-saving .
(It also gets bonus points for using alliteration and the safety power word “proven”, which we’ll discuss in a moment.)
If you want to stomp (which is also an excellent example of onomatopoeia , by the way) on your readers’ greed glands, use these power words:
6. Safety Power Words
Greed isn’t the only emotion you want buyers to feel. You also want to make them feel safe.
They need to trust both you and your product or service. They need to have confidence you’ll deliver, and they need to believe they’ll get results.
Of course, building that kind of trust starts with having a quality brand and reputation, but the words you use to describe yourself and your product or service also matter.
How to Crank Up Emotion with Safety Words
On the landing page for one of our Smart Blogger courses, we use power words to make sure our potential customers feel safe:
In addition to “legitimate” and “guaranteed” in the screenshot above, our landing page is sprinkled with numerous safety words:
They work for us, and they can work for you.
Help your customers feel safe by using as many of these power words as possible:
7. Forbidden Power Words
Remember when you were a kid, and someone told you NOT to do something? From that point on, you could think about little else, right? Curiosity always got the better of us.
The truth is, we’re all fascinated by the mysterious and forbidden. It’s like it’s programmed into our very nature.
So why not tap into that programming?
How to Crank Up Emotion with Forbidden Words
This Ahrefs article tempts you with its headline:
What’s the “secret”? Only one way to find out.
Whenever you want to create curiosity, sprinkle these powerful curiosity words throughout your writing, and readers won’t be able to help being intrigued:
Powerful Words in Action: 14 Places Where Strong Words Can Help You
- Email Subject Lines
- Opt-In Boxes
- Business Names/Blog Names
- Product Names
- Sales Pages
- Testimonials
- Bullet Lists
- Button Copy (Call to Action Words)
- Author Bios
- YouTube Videos
- Book Titles
1. Using Power Words in Headlines
Any writer or blogger who’s been in the game for a while knows the headline is the most important part of writing your blog post .
Its purpose, after all, is to entice the reader to read the rest of your content. If your headline fails to get attention, potential readers will ignore it when it shows up in their tweets and social media feeds.
And just one or two power words in your headline is usually enough to make it stand out.
Just look at this headline from BuzzFeed:
The word choice of “Unveiled” makes it feel like a secret is being exposed, and the word “Breathtaking” makes you curious to see what the photo looks like.
Here’s another example from BoredPanda:
People generally love anything adorable, so this headline will easily catch attention. (The fact that it refers to snakes will only make people more curious.)
The headline then drives it home by using the powerful action verb “Conquer.”
Here’s one from BrightSide:
While one or two power words are often enough, this headline proves you can use more when it fits.
This headline has four powerful words, but they feel natural in the headline, which keeps it from feeling like over-the-top clickbait.
Here’s one from Smart Blogger:
Greed (“best”) and anger (“not-so-good”) words highlight the headline for Smart Blogger’s recent review of SiteGround .
This headline from our How to Make Money Writing: 5 Ways to Get Paid to Write in 2023 post incorporates two greed words: “money” and “get paid.”
It’s one of our most popular posts, and its headline’s use of power words is a big reason why.
2. Using Power Words in Subheads
Too many writers overlook the value of subheads , which is a mistake. Once people click on your headline, most will scan the post first to see if it looks worthy of their attention.
Adding some power words to your subheads is a good way to make your post look like an interesting read.
For example, here are three subheads from our post on E-book mistakes :
See how the power words in these subheads grab your attention and make you want to read the text that follows?
Power words can help with SEO too. Adding an SEO power word to your subheads will compel readers to stick around longer, which will increase your dwell time — a big deal in Google’s eyes.
3. Using Power Words in Email Subject Lines
Having an email list is of little use if only a handful of readers bother to open your emails.
And these days, most people’s inboxes are flooded, so they’re selective in which emails they open.
You can stand out in their inbox and raise your open rates by including power words in your subject lines.
Just look at this one from Ramit Sethi:
If this subject line would’ve read “The rules of learning,” do you think it would be as appealing? The powerful word “unspoken” is what makes it interesting.
Here’s another one from Cal Fussman:
Both “Triumph” and “Tragedy” are powerful words full of emotion.
And finally, here’s a good example from AppSumo:
The power phrase “Unleash the power” makes you feel this email is hiding something incredibly powerful inside.
See how that works?
When you send out emails to your list, try to add a strong word to your subject line so it stands out in a prospect’s inbox.
4. Using Power Words in Opt-In Boxes
As a blogger, one of your main goals is to grow a large and engaged readership, and the best way to do it is by converting readers into subscribers.
That means — unless you’re using a blogging platform like Medium which doesn’t allow them — you should have opt-in forms scattered across your website.
You can place them on your homepage, at the end of your posts, in your sidebar, in a popup, or anywhere else.
But no matter where you place them, your opt-in boxes must catch people’s eye and make them want to share their email address with you. Because they won’t give it away to just anyone.
(Remember, their inboxes are already flooded, so they’re not necessarily eager to get even more emails.)
Fortunately, you can use power words to make your offer more enticing.
As an example, here’s an old popup from Cosmopolitan:
This popup had power words everywhere, but it avoided feeling like overkill. I bet it converted like crazy.
Here’s a slightly more subtle example from Betty Means Business:
It’s understated, but still quite effective.
Again, you don’t have to overdo it with the power words on these. A little can go a long way.
Here’s one final example from Renegade Planner:
If you’re not using power words in your opt-in boxes, you’re missing out.
5. Using Power Words on Your Homepage
Your homepage is the face of your website and it’s usually one of the most visited pages. Many people who visit your website will see this page first, so you want it to make a good first impression.
Some people use their homepage to promote their email list, others use it to promote one of their products, and others use it as a red carpet — welcoming new visitors and explaining what their site is all about.
In any case, your homepage is a good spot to add a few power words, as it can determine whether people stay (and take the action you want them to take) or leave (never to return).
Look at this value proposition on the homepage for Nerd Fitness:
“Nerds,” “Misfits,” and “Mutants” are unusual power words that work well for Nerd Fitness’ target audience. These words immediately separate it from all the other fitness blogs out there.
But they push it even further with “Strong,” “Healthy,” and “Permanently.”
Here’s another value proposition from MainStreetHost’s homepage:
It’s quite minimal, isn’t it? They just wrote down three power words and follow it up with a service they provide.
Of course, you don’t have to limit your use of power words to the top of your homepage.
You can use it in other parts of the homepage too, as Ramit Sethi does here in his list of what you’ll get when you sign up for his email list:
Go look at your homepage now and see if you can find any areas you can spruce up with some power words.
6. Using Power Words in Business Names/Blog Names
Having a forgettable name is poison to your website’s growth. So when you start a blog , you want to make sure you have a name people can easily recall.
If you haven’t chosen your blog name yet (or if you’re thinking about rebranding), you should use a SEO power word to give it some punch. The right word will make you stand out from all the boring, forgettable brands out there.
Just take a look at the collection of blog names below and see how well they’ve incorporated power words:
7. Using Power Words in Product Names
Just like you can use power words to spruce up your blog name, you can also use them to make your product names pack more of a punch.
It can make the difference between your potential customers thinking, “Ooh, this product sounds cool!” and them thinking, “Meh.”
Just check out this subscription product from Nerd Fitness:
It has such a powerful name that you’d almost want to sign up without learning anything else about it. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a community of rising heroes?
Here’s another good example from Pat Flynn:
It’s a powerful name for his podcasting course that instantly informs you of the benefit.
So if you’re about to launch a product (or if you’ve launched a product with a tepid name), consider giving it a power word to make it pack a punch.
8. Using Power Words on Sales Pages
You can also use power words to spruce up the copywriting on your sales pages and make them more effective at selling your e-commerce products or services.
They will grab people’s attention when they arrive on the page, they will keep their attention as they scroll down, and they’ll help seduce readers before they reach your “buy” button.
Just look at this headline on Ramit Sethi’s sales page for his product 50 Proven Email Scripts (which also has a power word in its name):
And as you scroll down, you see he keeps using power words throughout his sales page.
His headline is followed by emotion-packed subheads:
And he even uses power words in his guarantee:
9. Using Power Words in Testimonials
Power words are also tremendously effective in testimonials.
Of course, I’m not suggesting you change people’s testimonials to include power words. But you can certainly select the ones that already use them to great effect.
Just look at this example from Betty Means Business:
Or look at this one from Farideh’s blog:
And here’s another example from Renegade Planner:
All these testimonials will lend extra credibility and excitement due to their power words and phrases.
10. Using Power Words in Bullet Lists
Many sales pages include a list of benefits of the product they’re selling. Many opt-in forms include a huge list of reasons you should sign up to their email list. And many case studies use bullet lists to quickly summarize information.
You can use power words in these lists to inspire more excitement in your reader as they read through them.
Here’s one example from Ramit Sethi’s sales page for his How to Talk to Anyone course:
And here’s another example from an opt-in form on Restart Your Style:
Without these power words, these lists wouldn’t convince nearly as many prospects to buy or subscribe.
11. Using Power Words in Button Copy and CTA (Call to Action Words)
Yep, you can use power words in your button copy too — even if you only have a few words you can fit in there.
One of the most common power words used in buttons is “Free” (as in the example below):
But you can be more creative with buttons than you might think.
Takes this button from the sales page for the book The Renegade Diet :
“Immediate,” “Money Back,” and “Guarantee” are all incredibly powerful words, and the author manages to squeeze them all into one button.
Here’s an example from Tim Ferris:
He could’ve used “Send Me the List” as most people would do, but the specific word “Unlock” makes it sound a lot more intriguing — like you’re getting access to something that’s been kept hidden away.
Now take a look at the buttons on your site.
Do you see any opportunities to spruce them up with a power word?
12. Using Power Words in Author Bios
Your author bio is another extremely important part of your marketing.
When you guest post for another blog (or write a paid article as a freelancer) , your author bio has the difficult job of making readers want to know more about you so they click through to your site.
That means your author bio needs to spark attention and interest. And you usually only get three sentences, so you need to carefully consider the words you use.
As an example, here’s the author bio from Henneke Duistermaat in her ultimate guide on overcoming writer’s block :
Henneke’s author bio is full of power words. It shows her uniqueness and makes her stand out from other copywriters.
You can tell she has carefully picked each perfect word for maximum impact.
Here’s another example from Sarah Peterson’s post on blog ads :
She opens strong immediately by mentioning her guides are insanely useful. And just the name of her report alone is full of power words: “Free,” “Reveal,” and “Begging.”
Makes you want to get your hands on that report, doesn’t it?
13. Using Power Words on YouTube Videos
If you’re publishing videos on YouTube and you want to get more views, you should use power words in your titles.
All the biggest YouTube channels do this.
They understand most of their views will come from their subscribers finding them in their feeds, and from people finding them in the sidebar of other videos.
In both cases, you’re competing with many other videos for their attention. If you want your video to stand out and be the one they choose to watch, your title has to be captivating.
See how Philip DeFranco does it below:
“Disgusting,” “Punishment,” and “Controversy” are all attention-grabbing words (and that’s besides the attention-grabbing names of Brock Turner, Star Wars, and Kim Kardashian).
Note also how he has capitalized “Disgusting.” It’s another smart trick many YouTube channels use to stand out more in YouTube’s lists of video suggestions.
Style vlogger Aaron Marino often does it as well:
By capitalizing the power words “Don’ts” and “Stupid,” his title catches a lot more attention (as you can see for yourself by the millions of views it’s received).
14. Using Power Words in Book Titles
If you’re interested in writing your own book , adding power words to your titles will help it sell better.
With all the competition in the book market these days, you need a title that grabs people’s attention and makes them want to peek inside.
Here are a few quick grabs from Amazon’s list of bestsellers in the self-help niche:
I’m sure you’ve seen this title before.
You might say Stephen Covey’s use of power words in his title has been highly effective. (See what I did there?)
Here’s another:
Mark Manson’s bestselling title is packed with power.
The power word “Subtle” juxtaposes well with the F-bomb in the title, and his use of “Counterintuitive” will spark some interest as well.
Lastly, Jen Sincero’s encouraging book title makes you want to flip it open and read it in one go.
Go Ahead and Tell Me. What Powerful Words Did I Miss?
They’re known by many names…
Emotion words. Good words. Strong words . Powerful words, creative words, sensory words, trigger words, persuasive words, descriptive words, impactful words, interesting words, positive words, unique words, action words, and even — yes, seriously — awesome words.
But whatever you call them; smart, attractive people such as yourself have mastered the strategic use of power words and use this valuable communication skill every day to pack their writing with emotion so they can increase conversions.
Yes, this is an enormous list of words, but with so many power words and power phrases available, you’d need a thesaurus or Word of the Day dictionary to catch every single word on the first pass. (Plus, new words seem to be added to the English language every day.)
What are some other good words that seem to have that extra little spark of emotion inside them? Do you have favorite power words? What are some other ways you can use power words that I didn’t go over (Facebook ads, a resume headline, cover letter, etc.)?
Share them in a comment below.
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Written by Jon Morrow
264 thoughts on “801+ power words that pack a punch & convert like crazy”.
Thanks Jon, what a great resource. I’ve already tweeted it out.
Excellent as always! Thanks so much Jon for this great insight.
Love this post too. : ) Each post is detailed and, like you said, excellent.
Jules and Esther, I started putting some of these words into practice and I’m already receiving results through more traffic when I share a new post on my blog. I simply use them in Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin shares which is something you might want to try even if it’s just for practice.
Thanks again for sharing these with us Jon and while I’m here, thanks for the great webinar yesterday. I took a lot of notes from it! 🙂
Yup another post that makes your stomach churns and your mind inspired and enriched… Thank you your awesomeness…
I have to say, I find that most self-help postings are statements of the glaringly obvious at best, and utter nonsense at worst. But this is really, really good.
Thanks for the list, Jon. It definitely gives me some food for thought… but I will tell you that after glancing through the list, it seems like a lot of the words are negative.
I’m curious if anyone else noticed that, or if my scanning just grabbed the negative ones. I read someone that our brains latch onto and hold onto the negative more than the positive so maybe that’s why?
Well, I noticed the Fearmonger and Riot categories were negative but that’s for obvious reasons.
I didn’t notice that to be the case with Feel Safe or Pep Talk.. Did you?
My mind naturally goes to the outrageous with Headlines so for me the challenge is to make sure I’m not misleading.. and to deliver what the Headline promises.
The fear section is the largest one, and yes, those are definitely negative. You could argue it’s a personal bias on my part,, but my guess is we have more words to describe fear than any other emotion. Not because we’re afraid all the time, but because fear is one of those emotions that pretty much dominates everything else.
Excellent. Copy, pasted and saved in my swipe file. Thanks Jon for making life easier for the rest of us.
Julie, fear is the most powerful emotion and is so instilled in our collective conscious and we obviously lust after it because the news media keeps peddling fear every night.
Also, Hollywood is brilliant at cashing in on fear with movies like World War Z and 2012.
They say sex sells but I think fear sells more and that’s probably why we have more negative words than positive ones.
I bet Jon that if you punched every one of those 317 words into a thesaurus you will reach your 1000 word goal very quickly. You know, I think I will do just that.
Or to put it more cynically, Jon, fear sell lots of stuff. Thanks for the list. Paradoxically, sentences constructed negatively are a turn-off.
Academic research has shown that the psychological impact of a negative event is approximately twice in value/significance as a positive event. In other words, we are psychologically wired to respond — at an instinctual level — to anything that could cause harm. This is why copy/words with negative themes trigger more reaction than positive themes.
Can you point me to a source on this “academic research”? Please and thank you!
Great list Jon, thank you. You used, what I perceive to be, a power word in your title and sub title, but I couldn’t see it in the list…
“Instantly”
In today’s world where delayed gratification is so last season, we all want instant results, right!?
+1 brownie points for noticing that. 🙂
Can I get brownie points for noticing that one too?
On the topic of ‘fear’ appeals, research shows that 60 per cent of the population is more tuned into avoiding a ‘pain’ than making a ‘gain.’ UNLESS you’re talking to people like CEOs: 90 per cent of them are tuned into making a ‘gain.’
Love your work, Jon. Thanks for this very helpful post.
Awesome list Jon. I use your “52 Headline Hacks” guide all the time and it has really helped my blogs get read a lot more and far more social sharing. Thanks for the great information!
Awesome! Would love to see your results if there is anything in particular you’d like to share.
I love the list but some of the words also make you sound sleazy. Like backdoor. And secrets has been done to death. Okay I’ll admit that everything in the forbidden fruit section is making me feel icky 🙂
A power words is defined by its ability to make you feel. If the forbidden words are making you feel icky, that just proves their power. 🙂
Also, secrets may have been used to death, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. People continue using it because it works.
There’s a branding thing at work here, isn’t there? I find that with Jon’s Headline Hacks — some work great for me, others make me shudder and would be off-putting to my audience (but I guess I can see that they’d work for some folk!)
I like “little-known” as a slightly tamer version of a forbidden fruit word. Also “unusual” and “under-used”.
Great list, Jon, thanks for the reminders.
I’m copying and pasting this one into my permanent writing file.
This is a great list! I copied it into OneNote, and I’ll be sure to come back to check for updates.
Thanks so much for a great, extended list of power words which I will dutifully and studiously commit to memory and learn how to use.
Thank you for your excellent posts and continued professionalism.
PLEASE keep up the “Confidential, Amazing, Breathtaking and Eye-Opening” work.
Thank you so much!
I added this to my Evernote “Power Words” note; I have over 1,500 power words. Now I’ll have over 1,800 power words to use. 🙂
Oooh! We need to compare lists! 🙂
Some of my favorites from my list are:
A Cut Above Absolutely Announced Anyone Can Do This Approved By Major Companies Astonishing Astounded Audit(ed) Balance(d) Bandwagon Bargain Beautiful (overused) Believe Benefit Beneficial Before and After Beware Big Blown Away (also a good song by Carrie Underwood) Bold Bottom Line Capture(d) Change(d) Charge(d) Colorful Colossal Congratulations! Crucial Don’t be Left Behind Earn More Money! Envy(ied) Extraordinary Favorable Find the Answer to Foolproof Get Results Now! Gigantic Hottest How to (oldie but goody) In-Depth In-Demand Invited Join Now! Judgment Killer Strategy Last Minute Late-Breaking Learn About Lifetime Like No Other Master of Your Destiny Minimal Investment Money-Making Money-Saving Most Underrated No Experience Necessary No Experience Necessary No Obligation No Risk (on your list) Nostalgic (I like this word) Now is the Time! Odd Organized Outstanding People Helping People Pioneered Priceless Quit Quiet Quick Tips Rare Realize Your Dreams Reap the Benefits Red Hot Safe Save Thousands Secure(d) Sensational Simple Savvy Sky-Rocket(ed) Small Investment Smart Speedy Stand Out from the Crowd State-of-the-Art Step-by-Step Stop Wasting Time! Substantial Savings! Super (Savings) (Sale) Sure-Fire Tap Into Terrific Thousands Treated Tremendous Ultimate Ultra Underrated Unique Unlock (oldie but goody) Urge(d) Urgent Validation Validated Value Valuable Vibrant Warning (an oldie but goody) Wealth(y) Weird Wide Varity Win Witnessed Word-of-Mouth X-Ray Xanadu Year-Round You Young Your You Owe it to Yourself Zen Zest(y) Zinger
Great list! I even went back to read your article and noticed the power words used in it. Thanks!
Amandah, Thanks for sharing the list of words below! Some good ones in there. And Jon, thank you for a great post. Like many here, I have copied both lists into Evernote.
Great list, Jon. It’s not technically a word, but “NSFW” could fall under lust and curiosity. That one can work under the right circumstances.
Very true. Might be interesting to start an abbreviation category.
For some reason, when I clicked on the link to this post, again, I received a “Database Error Connection” error. I just thought I’d let you know.
Thanks. Yes, we seem to be having some technical issues. Investigating.
You are so right when you say that most of us don’t tend to use such powerful words in our posts or even the daily lives because we lose touch if we don’t use them regularly, and I speak as a blogger for now.
Speaking of myself, even though I might use such words when I speak to someone, I am careful to use words that even a 5th grade student would understand or based on the kind of readers I get over at my blog. So, I do need to keep the words very simple and easy to understand. This is for the purpose of blogging, though there are always exceptions.
I don’t say that’s the case with all the words, but yes, some of them, especially those where a person might need to refer to a dictonary, may be tough for me to use on my blog. I wonder if others feel the same way about using such words in their blog posts, even though I admit they are awesome power words, which we do use otherwise.
Thanks for sharing these with us. I’mm surely bookmarking this as I’ve got my list of a few words I’d written earlier too, so, would just keep adding onto it whenever you update this one. Have a nice week ahead 🙂
Sure. You probably wouldn’t want to use “lascivious” around fifth-graders. I think they would understand about 75% of the words on this list, though. Like “breathtaking” or “hero.”
Great post. So many good words now to learn how to put the story together. Thanks Jon once again for sharing
Another great post, Jon,and a keeper along with the “52 Headline Hacks.” Thanks for sharing so generously.
A delicious literary stimulation, Jon. And your About The Author text is the icing.
You’re a legend, Jon!
This list is pure gold.
I’m certainly going to use it myself, and share it with my students.
You set a high standard for insanely useful content. We need people like you to inspire us, Jon
– Mary
Oh, and do join Jon and myself for his awesome free Webinar:
How to Write Irresistible Headlines and Instantly Double Your Traffic .
Yes, everyone go sign-up for the webinar. It’s going to be stupendous. 🙂
This is one of the best posts I’ve ever read, Jon. Very well done!
Since you asked us for our contributions, here are a few suggestions that might make your list. My apologies in advance if you already mentioned them:
Petrified Debilitating Decadent Rock Solid Brinks-Truck-Safe Chilling Goosebumps Diabolical Calculating Relentless Unbridled Mind-boggling Cocoon Slimy Squeaky Clean
Thanks for the list Michael!
Petrified a great word, and I want to add more to my list, because I forgot to add them at my post on the bottom (and again, sorry for any accidental repeats):
Crap, “Eff” (as in grow the “eff” up instead of saying “f*ck), effing (for f*cking), NMFP (not my f*cking problem), useless, lazy, menace, lethargic, [email protected], perpetrator, nuisance, leech, bloodsucker, catastrophe, trauma, terrified,
Oh…and one of my absolute favorite words…
Brinks-Truck-Safe – exceptional and one for my list! Thanks
Oh! This list is awesome! I’m going to go check out my previous posts to see how often I used these words. I know I could use more for sure. I use your headline hacks and they are amazing. I like the words suggested in the comments and will keep coming back for more!
More great advice from the inimitable Jon Morrow! Thanks for the power words–I’ve added this article to my stash of go-to writing resources.
It’s so easy to get stuck in a rut using the same boring words. I appreciate the way you have expanded our vocabularies with this post!
At the same time, I will proceed with caution. Some of the stock words like “insider” create aversion for me, and I imagine they might turn off people in my audience too.
In essence this post is about how to manipulate peoples’ emotions, which many have come to take for granted as a good way to make money. But I personally feel this is a realm in which it’s best to proceed carefully. The main takeaway for me is about enriching my vocabulary. Thanks for the kick in the right place!
Yep. If you think about it, pretty much all writers manipulate the emotions of their readers. It’s just part of what we do.
The key is doing it in a way your readers like and enjoy. That takes careful study and a lot of thought.
It’s like you mentioned above in your post, it takes ages of practice to learn to use all the different writing techniques out there, but using good vocabulary is a good starter. Just gotta be careful that it doesn’t end your career because of overuse!
One of my favourites is “explicit”. Combination of lust and forbidden fruit there. 😉
Good one, Sophie! 😉
That one is definitely going in the next version. 🙂
If you’re going to add “Explicit”, Jon, then “Taboo” deserves strong consideration as well. It’s lust and forbidden fruit all rolled into one. Thanks for the inspiration, Sophie! See what you started??!!!…:-)
I love this post. It along with your 52 Headline Hacks have given me a boatload of ideas for my content.
Here is one possible addition:
Great list, but I have taken a vow to stop using the word “amazing.” It is so overused that IMO it has lost its impact. Instead I try for something more descriptive, like “heart-stopping” or “marvelous” or “magical”… you get the picture.
Yep, heart stopping, marvelous, and magical have stronger emotional pulls too.
amazing for conjures up gordon ramsey describing food so for any food might be a good word. marvelous goes with darling and that is Joan Crawford and Joan Rivers so anything Joan or jewelry I would think…
I agree. The same goes for the word “awesome:” enough with it already! I remember when it meant something absolutely extraordinary, and now it has been demoted down to “cool.” I’ve never used the word in my life except to describe schooner sailing, writing, horseback riding, rock climbing, and camping (originally only for sailing). Though I may have slipped a few times…I’m only human, after all.
Your Royal Awesomeness – thank you for the awesome resource. The lists of power words I’ve used in the past pale in comparison to your Awesomeness. I’ve printed and added to my copywriting resource file. Mucho thanks!
I am super excited to get your mind-blowing list of wondrous power words. The post was an eye opener and such a bargain considering all you want in return is an endorsed share. 🙂 Thanks. Did I over do what I learned from your post? 🙂
Hey, at least you got the message down! 🙂
what about things like inspiring.
It would be great to see this topic in an updated headline hacks, or in its own pdf.
I have a God of Writing and his name is Jon.
Are their statues and other symbols for worshiping in your online store. I need many to adorn my home and to spread across the land to start a Morrow cult.
No need for purple Kool-Aid, just meditations where we read your posts and reach higher states of writing consciousness and eventually writing nirvana.
Thanks Jon, you are awesomely admirable.
(laughing) You’re welcome, man.
His Royal Highness, Awesomeness, Power Influencer…
Just printed out the power words to keep forever. Thanks.
Question: Would each industry/niche also have it’s own set of power words? i.e. in the disability community I think they would be: “inclusion, community, natural supports, family, jobs, friends…” –The impossible dream we are all seeking.
Your humble servant:)
I think you can use them all for pretty much all niches.
Jon, A very helpful post and especially timely for me because I’m working on a speech to give on Saturday and need some strong fear words.
Two words you might consider adding to that category are “brutal” and “exhausting” (or “exhausted”).
Super this collection! The only problem is how to keep this resource handy? 🙂 THank you so much, can’t think of a word you missed before I compute each one you gave us here! Llyane
Be sure to give it a bookmark. Also, we are preparing a PDF version. 🙂
Hi there Jon! This one really reminds me of a report Henneke Duistermaat launched way back called “21 Easy Tips to Turbocharge Your Web Copy and Win Customers” which touches on the subject of Power Words from another scope… would you call sensory words Power Words? If so, I would put them in categories in which the senses I want to stimulate are the ones that remind me of the category’s emotion right? For example: dazzling reminds me of something shiny and new so maybe I would put it in the Greed or Pep Talk category… other examples would be chirpy, sizzling, bland, smelly and any colorful (maybe this is a Power Word too LOL) adjectives… great post!
Ha, yeah, that would be another interesting way to organize them.
I was thinking exactly the same. That’s one of my favorite categories 🙂
A few more examples:
Gloomy, shadowy, glittering, sparkling, creepy, rotten, moldy, spicy, gritty, drab, roaring, squeaky.
There’s some interesting research into the power of sensory words: http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/metaphor-marketing.htm
Maybe we can create another list for the five senses?
What the hell is this list jon… It’s enthralling. What about slangs, rude words?
Great List. Thanks Jon. The only thing missing is a group of words that create FUD (Fear, uncertainty and doubt).
The first group can probably help you with that.
Thanks Jon for the hard work you’ve done for us.
When I heard that I should use power words in my headlines, headings and in copy I agreed, but when I went to find them I didn’t know where to get them from. Watching news and magazine was an “a-ha” moment for me.
Stupendous post! Actually I was thinking of writing one along the same lines. There is so much content out there we have to grab the readers attention. Graphic, descriptive phrasing is a way to take them by the throat and force feed them what they need. 😉
Thanks for the eloquent reminder!
Nice idea,Jon. Synonyms are GOOD! Whee! (or Wow!) But, uh, didn’t Roget’s Thesaurus make that point – rather more comprehensively, some 100 year ago? Or am I, in my imbecility,(losing, missing, dropping, overlooking) something here? I love you truly, Jon. (I do.) But please clarify… and tell us, what in this post is truly new? 🙂
These aren’t synonyms. They are words that cause readers to feel a particular emotion.
Take a look again at the Winston Churchill example in the beginning.
Great! A list of powerful words that give much more impression when you used it. Thanks John for sharing.
Dear Jon, Thank you very much for your lists of powerful words. You are very kind to share them with us, your readers.
Celebrate you. Never Give Up Joan Y. Edwards
A few spur of the moment suggestions:
Big, Grand, Huge, Captivating, Rock Solid, Essential, One of a kind, Satisfying, Legendary, Full Access, Giant, Exquisite, Over the top, Thrilling, Momentuous, Bargain Basement, Free, Available, Now, Right Now, Low Ball, Ace, Prime, Primo, Diamond in the rough, Gem of a Deal, Envy of them all…
Nice list. Thanks Tzod.
Great list of words Jon. A good resource to get the creative juices flowing in telling a story and getting a point across. Thank you.
A generous post and resource thank you Jon. For me it’s a reminder to write with passion – to grab readers’ attention and engage them.
The post is an explanation for why a random post I did a long while back has always been more popular (on view count) than others – Confessions of A Recovering Adrenaline Junkie
As a therapist my work is all about power words. Thinking about recent sessions these come to mind: hunger, desperation, rage, alone, antidote, wish, dreams. Now if I can just hold on to them as move from my arm chair to my desk and write!
So true. Great insights.
Thanks Jon, I am going to love putting these words into use. I think I will even use the ones others have listed.
Senational post, Jon!
This is up there with Headline Hacks for sheer volume of awesome suggestions.
Here are a few that come to mind in no particular order:
Incendiary Diabolical Exclusive (can’t believe that didn’t make it into the Greed category) Dibilitating Paralysing Fabulous Psychotic Notorious
Funny about the timing of this post. I was about to publish a new post tonight but I’m gojng to go through it and sprinkle a little power fairy dust on it before it goes out.
Thanks again, Jon for some truly helpful ideas!
Awesomeness. Love “diabolical.” 🙂
One of my faves.
Great list. However, the editor in me has to ask about “pommel.” I bet you intended to use, “pummel,” which means to hit someone repeatedly. “Pommel” is a knob or protruding part on a sword or a saddle.
Good catch! Fixed.
Thank you Jon! I’ll definitely file this for safekeeping! 😀
Thanks for this awesome resource! Some of my favorites:
Eye-popping Juicy Cute Weird Freakish Geeky Nerdy Ugliest
Nice list, Jon.
If I’m learning that there’s one particular weakness in my writing then it’s probably the headline writing so making use of “power words” as you call them should help me out a little!
Bookmarked!
What an incredibly useful post. Many thanks for sharing.
I’m pleased that you have some of my favorite words on your lists. I have a short memory, so if some of these I present to you are already lists above, I apologize in advance.
Some more of my favorite words:
My #1 lately is…
Then I list these:
Intricate Exquisite Perturbed Disturbed Distressed Dismayed Discouraged Empowered Justice Scott free (as in getting away with murder, [email protected], etc.)
And also mild swear words that help me keep my blog PG-13:
Jerk (in place of @sshole) Tail or booty (in place of @ss) Piece of tail (instead of piece of @ss) Boink, Bang, Screw, (instead of f*ck) Frick (instead of f*ck) Freaking (instead of f*cking) Bloody freaking miracle (instead of f*cking miracle) Hell Sweet lies from Hell Fresh lies from hell (or fresh hell)
Oh, and of course — last but not least —
Douchebag! LOL
Nice! I’ll have to add some of these.
sweet lies from hell is my new “scam” phrase…. thx
I use your headline hacks PDF all the time. In fact, I have officially made it is mandatory reading for all new members of my team. Even if they never write a headline, I think it’s super-important for them to learn good copy-writing skills and Headline Hacks is our go-to resource. Now the lists in these posts are the perfect supplement to help me and my team take our copy-writing to the next level. Awesome!
Thanks so much for continuing to create such great resources. All the best!
Headlines as mandatory reading? Hot damn. I want to come work at your company. 🙂
I think you need a list of words that evoke an image or feeling like “Gobsmacked.”
Best word ever!
impressive top of my list. thx
Thanks Jon. I do know that the power words can make a big difference. Thanks for the list. Now have it printed and good to go with more of your great help from you. Debbie
Hi Debbie, definitely some super-powerful power words in your blog title! :-]]
Glad my parents, in what I presume was a back-to-the-future move ahead of its time, got hold of your advice just in time for me … lol
Thanks Beat,
I can’t take all the credit for it though. The truth is Jon pretty much came up with that one, with his blogging class I took. It sure is paying off for me.
Actually i just got an email from someone that wants to advertise on my site.
What can i say, Jon is good with the words. Thanks again and hope you have a great day or evening.
Debbie, you have definitely utilized Jon’s lessons well! Your headings are irresistible! I challenge the young and inexperienced to stay away…lol!
Jon, a great post! Tony Robbins also refers to power words. Looking at your list, I see authentic listed under “safe”. I never thought of it that way before. Maybe having worked in the corporate world, authentic seems more audacious to me. Now, I am going to have to change the tagline for my site. 😛
I love the concept of juxtaposition and confluence. Other words I love are those that convey a transitory magical feeling – elusive, evanescent, fleeting.
I am going to have to grab your headline hacks PDF.
Being Authentic is audacious Interacting with someone who is being authentic is safe
These are delightful (would that be a power word?), but I’m curious about one thing: there are a lot of adjectives in this list. Online marketers and copywriters keep saying it’s best to be simple while also being compelling, which means leaving out adjectives when they’re not necessary.
But it seems you’re making the case that they ARE necessary to a degree, right? Otherwise people won’t emotionally be pulled in by what you’re reading.
That’s absolutely true. 😉
Thanks! Glad to see my love of adjectives doesn’t have to be ENTIRELY thrown out the window. 🙂
Hey Jon, I feel like I’m on a radio call in show so I’ll start by saying Long time reader, first time commentor. LOL
AWESOME and I mean AWESOME list! I’ll be using these for sure!
I have a few to add if I may: Transient Disrupt Sabotage Forge Ravenous Maverick Rogue Emphatic Boost Sprint Drudgery Fervor Wrath Spook Awe Moxie Zest Zeal Cachet Schism Doctrine Dogma Zealot
And I seem to be using this one a lot lately: PRAGMATIC
Some great words there. Thanks for sharing!
Your Royal Awesomeness, hi … with breathtaking “Thanks!” for your sensational list.
I’ve been bombarded with devastatingly boring power word lists ever since the last millennium, but Your Royal Awesomeness’s volatile compilation of power words is strikingly different. It’s eye-openingly intelligent.
Re the staggering importance of (power) words. “In the beginning was the word”. Not only is it tantalizingly clear – “what part of ‘in the beginning’ do you not understand?” – it’s also a secret and therefore hypnotic wisdom of every sage and wisdom that ever existed, across all time, space and religions, gracefully discounting the usual few exceptions. Yet, I shamelessly admit [in truth I’m thrilled to admit], it took my genius self a revoltingly long time to a) notice, b) to believe and c) to really believe it … and experience the magic of belief in power words.
Now your evil list will quadruple the experience, no doubt about it. Hence my recession-proof thanks.
But I see Your Gifted Awesomeness by now is getting over-powered or disgustingly bored – likely both.
So let me hurriedly take quick leave … by crookedly adding the only other intelligent list of power words in my trusted hands is from Tony Robbins [Unleash the Giant Within]. He lists words in two columns: “good word” and “great word”. Cannot reproduce it here – whoppingly true – because I only have it as a guaranteed jpg file. But if anyone wants the bonanza of a copy, just holler and make sure it includes your prized email, and a power word or two :-]
Great list. My additions:
Jon, mind-blowing stuff! 🙂
How about “because”? Tony Robbins first gave me insight into the power of this word. Years later, Brian Clark reminded me. Tony Robbins suggested doing a little experiment to see how powerful “because” was …
Go to the front of any line of people waiting for something – have a really good excuse ready for why you need to be served [or whatever] first and add “because” like this … “Do you all mind if I go first because …[enter good excuse] my little girl’s lost her teddy and she thinks he might be in here.” Or ..
Other power words: Please. May I? Thank-you. You’re fired! … possibly not in that order 🙂
Great post Jon, thanks… I’ll be using it with your Headline Hacks report to juice up my headlines.
Tony Robbins has a very effective practice to change emotional states by changing our usual, self-talk vocabulary to one peppered with power words; they’re a potent influence. Fab list.
This is a really great list. I have been working on improving my writing and this should really help. Thank you for posting this
Dear “His Royal Awesomeness”!
What an impressive and powerful list of perfectly categorized word groups! I’m sending you a H-U-G !
I’m another fan of “Headline Hacks” that I originally downloaded in March 2012 — it’s been like a word bible!
Thank you Jon!
Holy Forgotten Bonanza Batman! This article has titillated my limp mind!
Wow, what else can I say that hasn’t already been said? Like all those before me, I copied this into a word doc (including most of the comment lists) for even more reference material! Thank you!
Thanks for not including curse words. They’re like that broken screwdriver you keep in the drawer. It might work, but it will probably just make someone really angry at you for using it.
Also, I like: “carnage”, “rock star”, “inevitable”, “betray”, “putrid”, “rotten”, “rat”, “patriot”, “made in America”, “Draconian” (when I can get away with it), and especially “insanity” (because it can be good or bad depending on context).
Jon, I love your article and your list of power words is incredible. I am sure I will be using it all the time. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. It’s always greatly appreciated!
Let’s face it. Everything we do in life relates to our emotions. What this list of words does is help us to communicate better as writers and capture those emotions from our readers.
I offer my sincere appreciation for this list and will be sure to keep it in a safe place along with sharing this great article.
Wishing everyone a great inspiration filled day,
Hi Jon. Another staggeringly useful post that will help us to rise to victory. Many thanks.
How about: dying awesome unstoppable alone abandoned fighting mother ideals (I wonder where I got those last 3) surrender freedom love waspish inspired struggle soar impressive heady
I can’t see them in your list- but I may have missed them.
This list is almost as useful as Headline Hacks. Magical! Thanks again. Jane
Excellent. I am a great believer in power words and write and rewrite constantly before posting. Thanks for your list.I will add to mine. Great post.
I’m gobsmacked! (Just had to repeat that word.)
Inspired to contribute an ” Old Coots’ Cahoots” annex: addle bamboozle cahoots cockamamie codger coot craw curmudgeon dagnabbit doddering dandy dandified jim-dandy fester foolhardy frank gobbedlygook grog guffah habberdashery hayseed heyday hobnob horsey kerfuffle lolligag rascal rip-roaring ripsnorter shenanigans skidaddle skinflint skullduggery slapdash sloe-eyed small fry soft shoe tippled tomfoolery toodle-do toodles toots whittle whollop whoop-de-do yackety-yack yammer yellow-belly young ‘un youza yuk yellow-bellied sapsucker zounds zowie zzz
I worry about this type of guide as it lacks so much that is fundamental to the craft of good writing, such as pace, tempo and punctuation. “How to become an instantly better writer,” it says, “it’s simple: Use power words.” If it were that simple there wouldn’t be writers of the calibre we celebrate. If painting were a metaphor, it would say: “it’s simple. Use the colour red.” Picasso painted some of his most famous works in muted blue’s and grey. It goes on to cite a speech of Winston Churchill’s where he uses “power words” yet it brushes over the fact that those words were used in the context of war – a subject of power in itself. it also ignores the power of Churchill’s voice – his pace and tempo and the people who were used to imitate him (there is good evidence that his radio speeches were recorded by a voice artist imitating him). I see so many bloggers applying similar rules while ignoring the power of developing their own style and voice. It is the only way to truly stand out because too many bloggers are taking attention grabbing guides like this to heart.
I understand what you’re saying but blogging is an advanced form of communication that is entirely different than traditional styles of writing. Blogging is meant to attract readers and gain attention because of it’s intimate and quick to read format.
What Jon’s post does is it tells you how to be a better blogger, not to be a better “writer” in the traditional writing sense. Go and read any newspaper and then go read their blog. I’m sure you’ll find very quickly that they are merely curating content with the odd piece thrown in and calling it a blog. That’s not blogging. That’s Journalism.
I was surfing a writers website and looked at their guest post submission guidelines. It asked for a degree in communications and posts must be written in AP style. Since when does AP style have to do with blogging?
I think too many people (along with the so called blogging experts)seem to confuse blogging with the writing we were all taught in school. Two completely different things. Jon doesn’t do that. He has a very clear understanding of what a blog is and what traditional writing is. If you want to write a better fiction novel, screenplay, business letter or speech, take a college level writing class. If you want to learn how to blog, learn from guys who live it.
Just my two cents.
Thanks for your reply, Michael.
Writing forms the basis of blogging, as it does journalism, play writing, speech writing and so on. All of these forms employ words, which are crafted by what we all call WRITING, to attract readers or listeners and gain attention. ALL writing, not just blogging.
Even Jon’s headline states: 317 Power Words That’ll Instantly Make You a Better WRITER. Not a blogger. A WRITER.
People may believe blogging needs to be shorter and punchier to retain peoples attention, but a 2000 word long blog can retain peoples attention if it is WRITTEN well.
Using these so called power words does not make you a better writer. The power of a written piece does not come from individual words, it comes from the context the words are written in; how they relate to other words; sentences; paragraphs and the subject they are describing.
Michael, You say: “I think too many people (along with the so called blogging experts)seem to confuse blogging with the writing we were all taught in school.” This is a ridiculous assumption. The fact that bloggers can string sentences together is a direct result of that schooling. Without it, blogging would not exist.
Indeed, Anton Crone. I’m a novelist myself and come from a world where good, contextual, syntactic writing is as important as vocabulary. But vocabulary’s important too! This list may not touch on everything that makes a good writer, but it specializes in one thing. Why not take that college level writing class Michael mentioned if you want the rest of the picture? And I’m sure there are bloggers out there who specialize in other elements…
Hey Jon, I’ve got one more word that should definitely be added to your power list.
Ben Casnocha just did an entire post on the power of the word “yet” and it’s ability to motivate.
(here’s the post he wrote: http://casnocha.com/2013/07/the-power-of-the-word-yet.html )
Pretty convincing, no?
No. It is not a “power word” in the context of the blog piece above. It is made “powerful” by its application in the sentences or phrases mentioned in the piece you reference. It is just a word, otherwise you may as well say “the” is a power word, or any other word for that matter. Looking at the words above, a great number of them require context to give them “power”. For example: gift; mother; silly, belief. Some of them aren’t even words. IRS? For crying out loud. Some are more than one word: Sick and tired; marked down?
Come on, Jon.
I know something that would make me a better writer…
Taking this article as well as some of your other awesome basic writing technique articles, and putting them to practice in a system each time I write!
Why do we fail to do what we know to do, especially when someone helps us out (gives us the answers? DOH…
I am determine to get this right….
Thanks for another great one, Jon!
Thanks very much for this post. I am always looking for descriptive words to flood my readers’ senses. Ok, maybe that was a tad too dramatic, but I think you understand what I mean.
Anyways, here is a list of words that I’ve used recently:
inexplicable flashed twinge precious simmering stewing gorgeous excruciating pristine guarded throaty sneer struck conjoined exude/ooze venom ecstasy barrage tug-of-war monologue blast inched sly ample paranoia-induced haze alienate chide inconspicuous sanctimonious bastard unadulterated
Thanks for the article and thanks to all those that took the time to comment. This has given me some fresh ideas.
ha! a list to be reckoned with. Great resource and a very interesting read. Great work.
Love this, thank you!
I think we should petition Microsoft to add high-lightened power words to synonyms. That way it is easy. Sorry. It is the lazy me.
Jon, I forgot to thank you. This is a lot of hard work and the comments have added more to its value. Thanks for this great work. Cheers.
Wow! Much like your former students, I have been looking for this list for years! Thanks for putting this together and now I will print it out and place it in front of me for reference in all my writing. I have also shared it with our writers so they too can benefit from your Uncensored, Mind-Blowing and Victorious list of power words. Thansk!
Jon, my hat off to you. As a former college teacher of rhetoric a Dale Carnegie instructor and writing coach, I watch people struggle to find the right words to appeal to the right emotion. Your explanations and lists are concrete, and once again, very helpful. Thanks for being there for us.
I am the same blowing my hat off to Jon. He has all the right terms to display his thoughts on emotions and all. Well organized and great post to show. Share for for more of this kind Jon. Thanks
I write about natural health and food, and I often find myself using the same old words when posting my recipes (boooring!!!). Food is very much tied in with emotion, so I am going to try some of these “new” words. Thanks so much!
Great list…I may have overlooked it, but it seems like “Insane” might be a great word…as in “Insane Offer” or “you’d be insane to miss this!” What do you think? Thanks for a terrific boost for boring blog posts!
Just thought I’d pop back in to let you know that everyone I’ve shared this with has given me nothing but Thanks so lets cheers to that and keep on rockin with words! 🙂
Jon, this post and all these words are awesome! What makes them all so rich and intense is the way they connect us to our feelings; the way they bring us to something in our lives that matters.
That is hands-down, one of the BEST, most USEFUL posts I’ve seen. I used your Headline Hacks with great success and this is now going to build upon that vision to post powerful headlines with even more powerful content. Thank you!!!!!
Just found you guys and am loving all the words. Smooches.
This list is great! Seems like it would be some good words to use in sales pages as well. Thank you!
Excellent article Jon .Thanks for sharing these power words.
Reading some of the comments makes me think some of them missed the point. These words are power words because they evoke an immediate, emotional and visceral response. That is their power! One of the most powerful words I know is not itself a power word; it does not itself have the power of the words in your blog, it is instead a word that describes them. The word is NUANCE. Why say ‘red’ when you can evoke a more emotional, visceral response by saying ‘scarlet’? The smell of blood is one thing; the smoky copper scent of blood is entirely another. Those descriptive, nuanced words are words of power. That’s what these words are. Thank you so much for adding to my store!
Favorite FB pic I saw lately: Never underestimate the seductive power of a decent vocabulary!
Great content! The “power word” in the title is what got my attention. I’ll be using this for my next e-book and optin form. Thanks!
Jon I cannot thank you enough for this killer list…and everyone else for adding even more! If I could bookmark this more than once, I would!
Pure magic right here!
This is such a helpful post, really grateful you shared. I like to throw in “potentionally award-winning” now and again.
Love it! Save as > Bookmark
Great post. This is clearly valuable information.
I loved reading this post and all of your comments. They were a real source of inspiration and a great learning opportunity, as English is not my main language. This is a great way for me to expand my vocabulary and cultivate a more distinguished communication style, so thank you everyone.
All of the above.
Thanks Jon.
Incredible post and list, Jon.
Peak/peek as in summit or peaked his curiosity. The latter: Get a Special Peek into Our [goods} before [the masses]…I’ve stashed some more away and will come back and add them. Though another source is Mark Twain/Samuel Clemens.He could come up with some doozies! I’ll look through those as well.
We, as novelists, are taught not to use the $10 word when the $1 one would work (thank you, Hemingway). But, though similar, copywriting has its own rules and you are setting up to become the next Merriam Webster (and Mark Twain) of our time. Love this.
The other day I listened to a class you gave on how to make $2000 per post. In it, you talked about using ‘power words’…so I started making a list of what I assumed would be good power words.
THANK GOODNESS I came across this! Saves a lot of time and these ‘power’ words are way better than the list I had started!
Awesome stuff! Thanks.
Thanks for the list Jon. Your list is quite effective. I bookmarked this page for future use while writing new blog posts. This list of words is quite effective and easy to use. Thanks for sharing this list.
Jon… you are the most generous person, really! Sharing so much to ensure others are also successful. Pretty happy with all the word lists I got from your page and comments. I’m a month-old blogger… so just getting going and finding that yes, I love writing.. but catching the attention of a sophisticated and click-happy current social media audienceI is not about presenting a powerful book.. it’s about sound bytes and seconds of their headspace. I agree with the ‘devil’s advocate commentator” re words are really only powerful in their designated context.. but we still need WORDS! So thanks a bunch. Can’t wait to wordsmith… within the context and get myself and my audience stoked 🙂
I love words!! I could take each one and write and paragraph around it. Thanks for so many incredible ideas. It’s quite an undertaking to come up with something like this. I have used a list of words for choosing life values or inspiring a passion statement but never thought about words in this context before. Thanks to everyone for your contribution as well. Much food for thought (and pen).
As someone who has really struggled with my writing, I have found that a thesaurus is truly my strongest asset. But posts like these are a close second. Some of these are words I know, but I just never think of implementing. I’m glad I have a new resource to look back on now for my next blog post! Thanks!
This is an amazing article! with that list no article will be a dull text! I learned so many new power words. And I think I’ll go an fix my article like right now! Thanks a lot for the list!
what a great resource. I love this list, this is pure gold for me. thanks you sooo much. especially the forbidden fruit list is really awsome and great to know these words. with these lists I´m sure I can improve my marketing and especially marketing for offline. thanks again. this blog is officially bookmarked.
Wow… Here’s what I made for easy additions to the list: http://prntscr.com/2nzt5m (I can share the link for those who want it :)) This was, obviously, just for starters, considering all the contributions in the comments 😀
*speechless*
Yesterday I read a blog post on the Internet about powerful words and the one word I think is not included maybe supposedly not included is “viral”. I think the viral word is also a power word. I don’t want to compete with this article I’m just a beginner to blogging so if I’m wrong do let me know
A brilliant piece of work! May I post a link of this article in my blog? My friends will find it very helpful.
Coooooool ! Going to try this out for my future posts
This is an awesome list here. I have looked at it several times when trying to make a query or hook for a book I am writing and found several words that have worked for me. Although during one query I was writing I found that Vigilante worked for me better than Terrorist. I did not see that in one of the lists and do not know if anyone else has mentioned that one yet. If not there is a new word for you.
One word that never loses its power:
I have a couple to add:
Erotic (lascivious list) Dastardly (fear monger list) Iron clad (make ’em safe list)
And there’s one that I kinda made up “toe curler” as in Stephen King’s novels are so scary and beautifully written that they’re real toe curlers.
Was so glad I stumbled on this post from Jodie Llyewellyn’s post. Will give me food for thought as I write my next blog entry and then next 2000 words on my next books, today. Here are some power words from my writing, yesterday. I used this as an exercise to explore my writing:
bubbled smooth cool underground alert bleary yawning licked high grating chest lifted feisty nuzzled lips soft warm thrumming bones stretched stroked guttoral breaking strip oblivion unforgiving hit suck poison secret
Lots of good ones – i don’t remember seeing ignite incite
Jon – congrats – a cracking post, that I use every week as a reference guide when creating and editing my own. It does what it says on the tin, because it absolutely HAS made me a better writer.
We have to use power words and think powerful, great post bro, keep up the good writing, I’m taking notes.
Just so you know, I liked your blog and printed it but your “Grow Your Bog to Six figures” promo blocks the upper left corner of each page so that the keywords behind it on every page I printed are completely blocked. Pretty frustrating!!
Compelling collection of words on this page! Here are a few that I think evoke a lot of emotion:
Train-Wreck Crushing Invigorating Force Surrounded Collide Unknown Embellish Calamity Absorb Immeasurable Transparent Tremble Vivacious
Thanks Jon, yet another beautiful one.
I have been using these now a few times, but I am struggling with how much I should emulate your style.
German audiences, besides reading a different language, have a bit of a different rhythm.
Also, you tend to hype the living gold out of your articles. Contrary to most other authors, you keep your promises of awesomeness.
But Germans are a little allergic to hype.
The last time Germans believed in hype, in particular political hype, it didn’t go over so well for them and even less for the rest of the world.
Maybe you heard about it.
Anyway, thanks again for making me a better writer and a more conscious promoter. People actually read my posts now.
The secrets of this post can skyrocket anyone’s blog to staggering heights of success. A true gift from a true genius. Thank you.
I completely Agree with some “intriguing” words that you suggest but for some it was too “extreme” so I cant use some of those words to my blog. If I want to straight “extravaganza” and try to attract peoples, I’ll probably will use some harsh words such as N-Word, F-Word, B-Word, FG-Word and many more and I will get some backlash for that.
A million dollar idea – it would be great to have a power word thesauras online.
Here are 120 more power words that I came up with for the Fear Mongering category:
Apprehension
Assassination
Conflagration
Disturbance
Endangerment
Exterminate
Eye-opening
Hallucination
Incapacitated
Infiltration
Provocation
Retaliation
Shenanigans
Treacherous
Trepidation
How about: Speedy Calculating Sensational Petrified Savvy Treated Ultimate Rock Solid 🙂
Great info even if you’re not a PRO writer These are great words that I can use to get my prospects motivated to call or click on my website. Thanks, John
This was a very helpful article. Definitely going to be referring back to it. Thank you so much!
This will be very helpful! I’m going to print out these lists out and stick them up on the wall of my office! Thank you!!! 🙂
Great post! Thank you for making the list so detailed and organized, and sharing it for free. I’ll definitely add many of these to my posts and make them a permanent part of my vocabulary. We all know these words, but we often try to think of new, modern, complex ones that we think will grab attention. Eventually, we realize that simplicity is the solution to everything. The simpler, the better.
Awesome! Thank you for this! Where can I get a copy to have with me at all times?
Great piece here, and what’s more: followed by great comments. Thanks to all. My humble contribution primarily but not exclusively for political speeches : – Loyal(ty) – Patriot – Country – Future – (our) Children – Safe(ty) – Promise/pledge – (our) Duty – any term linked to physical exercise: run, rush, lift, push…
Hi Jon, Great list, great post! More ideas for your list of 1000 power words when you create it: flee, fan, flame, charge, fury, free (not in the no-cost sense, but in freeing a prisoner), glory, glorify, exuberance, guffaw, volcanic, hassle, harried, hair-tearing, genius, generous, humble, zen-like, ravenous, raging, riotous
Thanks for posting so much great content – and often!
Great List. I have now bookmarked it so that I can keep referring back to it when writing certain blog posts and articles. Thank you.
Great topic. Love the article would consider implementing soon.
thanks, these are seriously awesome words
Thank you! I’m struggling to improve my boring headlines. I appreciate the list being very long.
Good words … but they’re effective only when they’re wrapped around something that’s meaningful to your audience. The word “badass” has become so overused it now seems forced; I avoid reading anything with “badass” in the title. Love the examples from Henneke and Sarah Peterson — their personalities shine through. The words they use fit their brand.
Excellent knowledge pack article … strange only 595 words make me better writer i am really very excited and going to use this soon.
Jon, this post and all these words are awesome! What makes them all so rich and intense is the way they connect us to our feelings; the way they bring us to something in our lives that matters
Great piece of content. I’m a beginner and the list of power words was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks a ton Jon.
Learned a lot from your thoughts. Your content always inspires me.Thank You for your powerful words.
Wow, this is an awesome list of words collection.
Learned a lot from your thoughts, your content is precious, easy to read and understand, Thanks for sharing.
Hi! very nice article , I am a digital marketer in a company and i need to enhance my knowledge and skills in writing and absolutely your post has very informative content, so thank you very much for sharing this post.
On the internet we can find lots of information but in the whole thing existence of the reality is very few, so this site i found which is really helped me a lot. thank you so much for sharing nice thing.
Not only is this a valuable list, but this post is a case study in how to write a great blog post.
The information you have published in your blog is really useful and I will apply this useful information to the seo studies of my own website and blog page. It’s a pleasure to take advantage of this useful information on your blog page. Thank you.
You have such a gift for practicing what you preach. Seriously, this is high value for me, and I can implement immediately. Thanks for pouring the work into making this great.
A big thanks for you
Great article, I would really thankful for share the article from the digital marketing point of view.
Thanks for sharing this article. Great post! Thank you for making the list so detailed and organized, and sharing it for free. I’ll definitely add many of these to my posts and make them a permanent part of my vocabulary. I’ll teach this strategy to my Digital Marketing students so that they can write content easefully.
Great article, I would love to use it in my writing.
Hi, Great post. Thanks for sharing. Keep up the good work. Really informational. Keep posting. Cheers – Jatin
Some really interesting details you have written.Aided me a lot, just what I was looking for
Good work bro and I love your all articles and love to read them.
Sir amazing work by you. loved to read this article . I am also a blogger and its a veryhelpful for a blogger like me.
This is literally the best. Thank you for taking the time to write this! I can already see the value in this article and I have shared it with my staff.
Okay. Why am I just finding you again? This is a great resource. I’ve always noticed catchy headlines and phrases, but never really observed their power points, now you have drawn my attention to those. Thanks. You are a good writer, and this resource you provided will make many more better writers as well.🙂
Do you think these will be effective in paid ad copies as well? How do “Now” impacts? Every other ad copy uses it!
Very helpful information Thanks, Jon Morrow for sharing with us
Awesome list Jon, this will help me to create compelling post titles. Thanks a lot for sharing. I always keep watching and reading every post of Smart Blogger and I must say you’re doing a damn good job by helping out the digital community here.
Words can be as powerful as actions if they come from the right mouth… My job demands constant writing and editing. I strive to write only high-quality content with no fluff included. Sometimes it bothers me that I have used so many popular expressions and words and I reach the writer’s block. Mr. Morrow, I would like to personally express my gratitude for the job you have made with this blog post. It can really fire up my next projects!
Language is a communication medium, the words used do the trick. The more apt the word selected, the purpose served better.Kudos to your ingenuity and benevolence. Jon ,you are a Bruce Lee to English language as is he to marital arts.
Hey Jon !! i just started my career in writing field. my problem is i know what i want to write but when i starts writing i just cant express my feeling into words , but when i saw your post , i got more confident to write but not enough , so could you please suggest me some ideas ?
I just saw this in my email now, opened, read and it was filled with awesomeness 😀 I must confess!
I’ve been messing around with words on my blog – trying to sound too seriously lol.
But this just gave me a brand new perspective on how to write better and crank out compelling copies.
Thanks so much Jon!
I have just started to write a blog and recently I just have read your blog and it is helpfully for me to how to write a blog which word should we used to get more audience and how to connect with the audience.
`Believe me when I say this has been the best read for me as a professional writer. It has a considerable part to play in my transition from a content writer to a copywriter. Thanks for the list, Jon.
Hi, good to see you here for power that words your article to see you here. Thanks a lot for sharing with us.
Wow, I really do hear these power words subconsciously but have never really thought of using them. I’ll give it a try. Thanks for sharing this article.
What a great list of powerful words, thank you Jon for this very insightful post. And I thought ‘successfully’ is included but didn’t see anywhere 🙂
Very helpful. I will apply these tips for my new blog. thanks for taking your time to come up with this awesome content
Having these power words can influence your thinking in powerful ways. Superb!
Wow, that is some list you have built there and to be honest, I have not been utilizing power words at all within the articles i have been writing at all. Do the length of an article not throw people off? I am assuming through use of power words, people would feel or be more engaged and as such, would not bounce, what are your thoughts on this?
Wow. What a list with power words 🙂
This is a very good post. Very well done, Jon!
I totally agree that most of us don’t use these kind of powerful words at all. The outcome for me is first of all about strengthening my glossary.
Thanks a lot!
I’ve just started blogging and I’m really trying to learn how to write the content to get the best value. Articles like this area really useful to me so thanks a lot.
Hey Jon, you nailed it brother. What an article!! I really enjoyed a lot. Now understood why some sales copy make millions and why some fails. Power words are really transforming words. Thanks a lot, Jon.
There are 3 power words that I love to use when describing myself, as it boosts my profile before I state what I do for a living (marketing consultant). Those 3 words are: “world-renowned”, “highly-acclaimed”, and “world-class”. Great article on power words.
Thanks for the list, Jon. It definitely gives me some food for thought… but I will tell you that after glancing through the list, it seems like a lot of the words are negative.
I totally agree with that words are the most powerful tool humans have developed and they definitively make a big difference in someone life.
Great post, very insightful and highly useful. Regarding power words, I totally agree they’re very powerful and make a huge difference. However, what ate your thoughts of including power words in the SEO title of your post? The common perception (mine also) is that they will increase CTR when a person sees your article in the search results. However, some big SEO guys are saying that including power words in the SEO title will actually cause a lower CTR, which doesn’t really make sense to me. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Many thanks!
Best, Steve
Thanks for the great post! I have noted down many of them and will definitely use them in my writings. Also, I love the comments below that contributed to the power words list!
Hello John,
Fantabulous post. Power words have a great impact on CTR. Personally, I have tried different power words on my SERP title. Without a doubt, I would say they increase CTR to 200%. Keep posting more!
Your Royal Awesomeness,
I’m not quite sure whether you’re still secretly reading comments on your posts or whether now you only focus on CEO-bossing your team 😉
In any case, I just wanted to express my deepest, groupie-like (without the sex, though) admiration for your work.
Your personal, emotion-infused style succeeded to defibrillate me and inspire me. Like Jack Nicholson said in As Good As It Gets, “you make me want to be a better man”.
In his article THE BRAIN-DEAD SIMPLE BUT ASTONISHINGLY EFFECTIVE WAY TO BECOME A BETTER WRITER, Greg Digneo describes how you hand-copied for months Stephen King’s “On Writing” in order to chisel out your style (any other books or articles, too?).
I plan to hand-copy articles from you, Brian Clark and Henneke Duistermaat. Though each of you has a completely unique voice, you have in common that passionate style filled with sensory words that few other authors master.
If you might have any other suggestion on how to learn sensory writing and an emotion-packed style, please let me know.
In any case, I’ll come back here to continue worshipping (and hand-copy) your posts 🙂
Thank you so much, John, for the power words. I have downloaded the list for further reference.
Have you used Coschedule’s Headline Analyzer? What is the highest score you have received?
I am going to use these power keywords and test my headlines to get the best score. Could you share with me some insights to get the best score?
Cheers, Nirmal Kumar
Thank You John for putting this together. I am going to implement this, I am sure it will improve the click through rate and conversion.
I find this post so fascinating. I mean I read it and I think, you are so right! I wish I could write more powerfully! It all makes sense but I feel like it is something you just have to have a gut instinct for. So much trouble to try figure out what words to use and infuse them into your writing otherwise. Or maybe that makes me sound lazy! I suppose practice would make it come more naturally.
At least we now know for certain that affiliate marketing, blogging, creative content marketing and side hustles online are here to stay. One thing I can say for sure is thought freelancing online with blogging and affiliate marketing has no financial guarantees, it’s surely more stable than going to a cushy day job. 🙂
WOW! What a list. I have this page bookmarked for future reference to help me with my blog posts. Love it!
I really appreciate that you shared a very informative list of power words. I am checking your blog too and find very informative. I would love to connect you on linkedin and twitter.
thanks, adesh from India
Pretty amazing that this was written in 2013 and I still come back to this on a frequent basis. Incredible job!
It’s an awesome article. I will definitely implement these techniques in my blogs. Thanks Jon
Hi Jon, Knowing about the powerful words, I believe it will help for sure. Thanks for sharing the great post. will be sharing it with my friends as well.
Nice post! Thanks for all the power word suggestions. Will keep them at my fingertips
Hi jon, this is a great list of power words. I’m definitely going to use them in my blog posts.
I enrolled for the writing machine course and side by side reading these articles. Awesome work Jon. I highly admire your creativity and way of conveying the message across.
It was a great share! I am a writer too, and I am always looking to improve and leave a mark with my writing. I think adding these words will definitely make a difference. I write all of my blog posts, headlines, and captions myself, and at times I feel short of good words. I will definitely bookmark these words and try to use them in my posts. Thanks a lot for sharing this article, as a writer I acn tell you it was a great read and will be very helpful in my process.
Amazing, amazing, amazing! Actually, this article is so much helpful for using power words in different fields like your title, domain and business name, etc. In fact, it will work. Thanks, John, for making such a great article and giving it a deep time.
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A vocabulary list featuring 100 SAT Words Beginning with "I". Find lists of SAT words organized by every letter of the alphabet here: A, B, C, D, E, F, G
WORDS RELATED TO PERSUASIVE · believable · cogent · dialectic · disarming · effective · eloquent.
Verbs increase the pulling-power and believability of ad copy. That's why it makes sense to keep this 108-VERB “CHEAT-SHEET” close-by whenever you begin to
Synonyms for PERSUASION: convincing, persuading, suasion, conversion, ... The words opinion and persuasion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance.
Definition of convincing. as in compelling. having the power to persuade convincing evidence for the guilt of the accused. Synonyms & Similar Words.
The 5 most persuasive words in the English language. You; Free; Because; Instantly; New. You've seen these words countless times before—and for
Who doesn't love free? Only thing about free is that it can sometimes devalue valuable things. We take things for granted when they're free.
Words Start With "A" ; Abbreviate, verb, Shorten a word or phrase ; Abdicate, verb, To give up the throne, fail to carry on a duty ; Aberration, noun, Deviation
Words Start With "E" ; Earnest, adjective, Very serious, sincere intent ; Eavesdrop, verb, Secretly listening to a conversation ; Ebb, verb, Gradually lessen, at a
Power words are persuasive, descriptive words that trigger an emotional response. They make us feel scared, encouraged, aroused, angry