Susie Dent asked her followers for ‘things you wish there was a word for’ – 17 top-drawer replies

Everyone’s favourite lexicographer and etymologist, Susie Dent, has been lighting up Twitter again after asking her followers for examples of things for which there are no words. The doyen of Countdown‘s Dictionary Corner phrased the question like this…

A question: what are the things you wish there was a word for? And have you come up with your own word to fill that gap?

— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) May 1, 2026

The entertaining and often hilarious answers came flooding in. We’ve chosen 17 of the best.

1.

We need a word for when you're almost finished cleaning but hear your partner coming, so you wait a bit so you can still be doing it when they arrive.

— Andy Ryan (@ItsAndyRyan) May 1, 2026

2.

I wish there was a word for when you come up with a retort to what someone said to you hours or days earlier, and in your mind it would have sounded so witty or clever but took you hours of repeating the scene in your mind to get there

— Dylan (@m_dylans) May 1, 2026

3.

The feeling you get when you discover there's chocolate in the cupboard you'd forgotten you'd bought.

— Edwin Hayward (@edwinhayward) May 1, 2026

4.

A person's grown up children. There's no word for it! You have to keep introducing them as your children -"Hi, I'm Frank and these are my children, Jack and Suzy" even if they're both like 32

— Nick Rowntree (@NickRowntree7) May 1, 2026

5.

That little skip you do when crossing a road to let the cars you are holding up know you are hurrying, even though you're not

— Bob Stone (@bobstoneauthor) May 1, 2026

6.

Binsomnia. Repeatedly waking up in a panic thinking you haven't put the bins out when in fact you have.

— Paul A Davies (@ELTAuthor) May 1, 2026

7.

The opposite of a dopamine hit, something that makes you feel bad – a nopeamine hit.

— Vicky Mulhern (@VickyMulhern) May 1, 2026

8.

My wife describes dead animals found in the countryside: pheasant, rabbit, hare, badger, fox even sheep, as deadstock, the antithesis of livestock. (This may also include roadkill).😁

— John Brownett (@JohnBrownett) May 1, 2026

9.

The brief moment of peace between waking up and remembering you have responsibilities and have top get out of your comfy bed.

— Abu al-Hinnā Yakub (@RobinWi56161978) May 1, 2026