Vote for the best verboticism.

'It's time to find your inner cockroach'

DEFINITION: n. A person who succeeds not because of their talents, but because they just won't quit. v. To firmly believe in your talents and never give up on your goals, despite the huge obstacles, snide comments, and repeated setbacks.

Create | Read

Verboticisms

Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...

You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Ithinkicandidate

Created by: bookowl

Pronunciation: eye/think/eye/can/di/date

Sentence: An IthinkIcandidate must follow the teachings of the little engine that could.

Etymology: I think I can + candidate

| Comments and Points

Sissyfuss

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: sisss eeee fuhsss

Sentence: Mary was the complete Sissyfuss, who else would have tried to get one of the Rolling Stones to settle down on Beverly Hills?

Etymology: sissy fuss, Sisiphus

| Comments and Points

Stickawidgit

Created by: TJayzz

Pronunciation: Stik-a-wid-jit

Sentence: Being a stickawidgit Harry would not give up his presentation, he had been working on it for the past 3 weeks and, after changing it many times, he was finally pleased with the result.

Etymology: Stick(adhere to something, to stick to!) + Widgit(with it) = Stickawidgit

| Comments and Points

Hacklentless

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: hak-lent-lis

Sentence: Sally is now in charge of the department, not because of any outstanding talent or even a clear understanding of what the job entails. Anybody with an ounce of skill or ambition has moved on to bigger and better things long ago. Her plodding, hacklentless approach to her work and mediocre results keeps her so far under the radar of scrutiny that she has no enemies. In fact, most people don't even know who she is after 20 years with the company. Sometimes people walk into her because they just don't notice she is there.

Etymology: Hack (a person, as an artist or writer, who exploits, for money, his or her creative ability or training in the production of dull, unimaginative, and trite work) + relentless (unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh)

| Comments and Points

Personverence

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: per son veer ents

Sentence: Jane's coach tried to instill in her a sense of personverence. He made her do yoga with a cockroach on her nose. He thought if she overcame her bizarre fear of bugs, she could be a gold medal yogoist. Trouble is, coach never knew it was not an Olympic sport yet and so her goals were beyond her roach. He was obviously just a Roachcoach...if he taught theatrics, he could be a Stagecoach!

Etymology: Person (a human being) & Perseverence (the ability to be persistent, refuse to stop)

| Comments and Points

Talentenacious

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: talətənāshəs

Sentence: It’s not that Jim is the best or brightest in his field. His skill is being tanentenacious. The fact that he can’t carry a tune with a flat-bed truck doesn\'t stop him from becoming a country/western singing sensation. His rugged good looks, back-up singers and technology by the truckload has gotten him far. There was that little setback last week when somebody called ASPCA to report an animal being tortured when Jim was singing in the shower, but he’ll get past that.

Etymology: talent (natural aptitude or skill) + tenacious (not readily letting go of, giving up, or separated from an object that one holds, a position, or a principle)

| Comments and Points

Shambition

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: shambishən

Sentence: After years of being passed over for advancement, Harry's time finally came. He was promoted to Division Director. Unfortunately the budget cuts and ensuing layoffs left him as the lone worker. In a case of shambition Harry hadn’t even applied for the position when it was vacated by his former boss.

Etymology: sham (a thing that is not what it is purported to be) + ambition (a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work)

| Comments and Points

Obsesstinate

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: ob/sess/stuh/nit

Sentence: Karen's obsesstinate personality drove her supervisors and managers crazy and so she was promoted quickly up the company infrastructure to get rid of her, not because of her business sense, or corporate abilities.

Etymology: some one who is totally obsessed with being obstinate - obsess (uhb-ses) - to think about something unceasingly, or persistently + obstinate (ob-stuh-nit) - inflexible persistence, or an unyielding attitude

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Excellent word! - Mustang, 2009-06-11: 20:50:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Determaniacal

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: deh-ter-muhn-I-uh-kyl

Sentence: Melody was absolutely determaniacal in pursuit of her singing career, ignoring criticism and negative critiques of her somewhat limited skills and in time managed to secure a job as a backup singer for a budding young artist in the pop music field.

Etymology: blend of determined and maniacal

| Comments and Points

Hangstay

Created by: rebelvin

Pronunciation: hang+stay

Sentence: She won't quit, she is such a hangstay.

Etymology: hang+stay

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

nice simple combination. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-02: 05:28:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2008-05-01: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-06-11: 00:01:00
Today's definition is inspired by Johnny Bunko's Career Lesson # 4: "Persistence trumps talent". See: "The Adventures of Johnny Bunko" by Dan Pink. Thanks Dan! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-07-05: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by johnnybunko. Thank you johnnybunko. ~ James