A practical three-part method
Read around the word before looking it up. Notice contrasts, examples, and cause-and-effect clues. Make a quick guess, then check a simple definition.
- Read the whole sentence
- Look for context clues
- Confirm with a simple meaning
Replace, reread, refine
Temporarily replace the difficult word with its simple meaning and reread the sentence. If it makes sense, you have the central idea; if not, the word may have a different meaning in that context.
- The instructions were ambiguous.
- The instructions were unclear.
- She gave the document a glance.
- She gave the document a quick look.
Know when you need more detail
A simple definition is excellent for immediate comprehension. For technical, legal, medical, or highly specialized uses, consult an authoritative subject-specific source as well.