Dilute (verb) – to make thinner or more liquid by admixture

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilute

From “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie

I came across this word while reading “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie. It appears around the end of the reading, as the author talks about how you let out your emotions in the shower, crying as you’re in it. It caught my interest because it’s a word I don’t hear quite often and didn’t know it’s meaning, so i’m curious as to how it ties in with the sentence and the author’s overall point.

“Later, in the shower, you started to cry, you watched the water dilute your tears and you didn’t know why you were crying.” (Adichie).

After reading the definition of the word I better understand the context of how the author was using it in that part of the text. As seen in the quote, the author is discribing how you would react in a sad situation like that.

Bemoaned (verb) – to express deep grief or distress over

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bemoaned

From “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie

I came across this word while reading “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie. It appears around the middle of the reading, as the author talks about how other individuals perceive you, and how it changes depending on the kind of people. It caught my interest because it’s a word I don’t hear quite often and didn’t know it’s meaning, so i’m curious as to how it ties in with the sentence and the author’s overall point.

“The old white women who muttered and glared at him, the black men who shook their heads at you, the black women whose pitiful eyes bemoaned your lack of self-esteem, your self-loathing.” (Adichie).

After reading the definition of the word I better understand the context of how the author was using it in that part of the text. As seen in the quote, the author is discribing how the individuals perceived you negatively.

Maudlin (adjective) – weakly and effusively sentimental

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maudlin

From “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie

I came across this word while reading “You In America” by Amanda Ngozi Adichie. It appears around the middle of the reading, as the author illustrates an interection with a man and the kind of conversation you have with him. It caught my interest because it’s a word I don’t hear quite often and didn’t know it’s meaning, so i’m curious as to how it ties in with the sentence and the author’s overall point.

“After your shift of that day, he was waiting outside, leaning by a pole, asking you to go out with him because your name ryhmed with hakuna matata and The Lion King was the only maudlin movie he’d ever liked.” (Adichie).

After reading the definition of the word I better understand the context of how the author was using it in that part of the text. As seen in the quote, the author is discribing how the man views the movie The Lion King and what it means to him.