Avoid Sounding Basic With This New App That Expands Your Vocabulary

It’s called Words U, a free app that exchanges the words in your text messages for smarter-sounding ones, which means your words are modified to more advanced equivalents, which means you don’t have to open up your thesaurus each time you text, which means you can say “I’m indisposed at the moment” instead of your usual “I’m sick,” and which also means you’ll have more time to search online for how to file a restraining order against that guy.

It’s fairly simple but still ingenious. All you have to do is type your text, hit send and Words U picks substitute synonym words for your words and drops them in. You can tap directly on the changed word, which is highlighted in blue, to get the definition. You’ll look smart and might even build your vocabulary in the process.

Ditch saying “hey” or “hello” and say “salutations” instead!

“Learning new vocabulary can be stressful and challenging, but it doesn’t have to be,” said founders Sam Mendelson and Allan Zhang. “‘With Words U, your casual conversations become learning opportunities.”

The pair also claim that the algorithm is much “smarter than an electronic thesaurus” because the sentence structures and meaning isn’t changed. Even so, the app isn’t perfect. Since many English words have multiple meanings, they can be substituted in the wrong context.

Currently, there are more than 800 words that can be used. To get more, you can download an “extension pack” for $6.99. The words have been taken — no, culled! — from college curriculums and even SAT English exams. Texters can “collect” the words to compete with their friends. No, wait — comrades. You can also revert back to the original word. No, wait — friends. Words U hopes to educate those learning English for the first time.

The app is only available in English right now, but if it’s a success, the founders say they would like to roll out foreign language versions. That could be soon — err, impending — due to the app going viral after its launch on Product Hunt. There’s even talk about getting the app into classrooms.