Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To push yourself so hard to reach an impossibly high standard of perfection, that you undercut your own success. n. An impossibly high goal which practically guarantees failure.
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.
Acubris
Created by: ArsMajika
Pronunciation: ah-KEW-bris
Sentence: My acubris led to me getting more work done than my boss... she fired me that afternoon.
Etymology: Acme - one that represents perfection of the thing expressed; Hubris - Foolish pride
Paragoon
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: par-uh-goon
Sentence: By constantly setting goals that nobody could achieve Andre set himself for a decline from paragon to paragoon.
Etymology: paragon (a model or pattern of excellence) + goon (stupid, foolish, or awkward person)
Icarussing
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: icarus - ing
Sentence: The opera singer strove for a perfect tone, but icarussing resulted in vocal cord nodes and a husky voice.
Etymology: Icarus (the boy, exulting in his career, began to soar upward as if to reach heaven, where the sun melted the wax holding his wings together and he plunged into the sea) + ing
Overincompetentsate
Created by: Fleury
Pronunciation: oh-ver-in-COM-peh-tint-sayt
Sentence: Bob wanted his bathroom so clean, he could eat off the floor. The fumes got so strong, he suffered nerve paralysis, and now he can't get up off the floor. That's overincompentsation.
Etymology: overcompensate + incompetent
Poorfect
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: poor - fekt
Sentence: No matter how hard Roger tried, his results were poorfect. He wanted to achieve and he tried to be perfect in everything he did but somehow, he always fell far short of his goals.
Etymology: poor (inadequate: not sufficient to meet a need), perfect
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COMMENTS:
He's just poofectly human... - Nosila, 2009-08-19: 12:11:00
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Nosestrive
Created by: sodium
Pronunciation: nose-strive
Sentence: Garfunkel, who only wanted to look sharp, would often nosestrive while working on his makeup, forgetting that one also requires pants to make a good impression.
Etymology: strive + nosedive
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COMMENTS:
Good! - wordmeister, 2007-01-16: 10:12:00
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Undergrasp
Created by: ErWenn
Pronunciation: /"un-d&r-'grasp/
Sentence: When the couple played Spades, he would always underbid and she would always overbid; between his overreaching and her undergrasping, they'd usually break even.
Etymology: From the common phrase "his reach exceeds his grasp"
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COMMENTS:
Good word ErWenn! This is a word you could us on an everyday basis -- at least if you know people like that... - wordmeister, 2007-01-16: 10:55:00
Thanks, I was happy with that one. It's nice to come up with one that's not just a portmanteau. - ErWenn, 2007-01-17: 00:15:00
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Underflog
Created by: Javeson1
Pronunciation: uhn-der-flog
Sentence: Sometimes actors, musicians, politicians, or other celebrities (also including honor students) tend to underflog their own success by expecting too much of themselves.
Etymology: underdog + flog (as in, underdogging one's self, which leads to the flogging of one's career)
Parfection
Created by: urbanwookie
Pronunciation: par-fek-shun
Sentence: Despite his best efforts, Jeremy again found himself only achieving parfection...
Etymology: par (average) + perfection
