Unexceptional means anything that is not extraordinary while unexceptionable means anything that is beyond criticism and these words are ordinarily not antonyms of each other.

Although unexceptional and unexceptionable are not exact opposites, in certain contexts they are often used as if they are opposites. For example, imagine that an arts critic erroneously reports that a certain painting exhibition was unexceptional when what she actually wanted to say was that the exhibition was unexceptionable. A reader of the article would incorrectly conclude that the exhibition was run-of-the-mill, the exact opposite of what the art critic wanted to say. A misreading of this sort was actually reported in a Certain blog of New York Times and I quote:

The Lede initially misread the Economist’s rating of the book selections, which they judged as “unexceptionable,” not “unexceptional.” .

Although umlaut and diaeresis are often used interchangeably, there is a subtle difference between the two. Umlaut changes the pronunciation of a vowel. Sometimes it changes the meaning of a word too. For example, in German schon bereft of umlaut means already and with those two dots on top (schön) means beautiful.

When umlaut appears in a diphthong it always sits atop on the first vowel. On the other hand when a diaeresis is part of a two vowels conjoin, it sits atop of the second vowel. This is essentially to make it abundantly clear that the second vowel is part of another syllable.

Imagine how co-worker would read without the hyphen. Some of us would trip and quite easily pronounce coworker as cow orker. For a similar reason a diaeresis is placed atop the second vowel, as in naïve. We want it known that i forms part of another syllable.

Still, most pundits say that the utility of diaeresis is fading fast. Most famously Fowler is credited with the quote that says diaeresis is in English an obsolescent symbol.

This is an example of an umlaut

schön

And this is an example of a diaeresis

naïve

Here is the definition of pro bono:

definition of pro bono

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the words pro bono in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

The doctors in the medical camp are screening women of the neighborhood for breast cancer, pro bono.

Dr Kate’s pro bono guidance proved invaluable when the epidemic spread like wildfire through the city.

Whether one is doing pro bono work or paid work one has to start with proper planning and forethought.

There is a thick line between vicarious pleasure and schadenfreude . Although the line still remains thick, vicarious pleasure plants itself in the same corner as that of schadenfreude when the pleasure becomes hedonistic.
Let me illustrate the nuanced difference between  vicarious pleasure and schadenfreude with a help of a popular story.

A poor and righteous man prayed to  God with earnestness and with truthfulness. But his wretchedness and misery due to poverty never seem to end. He however never lost faith and kept praying with unflagging faith. His wife chided him and said what a waste of time his prayers were. But the good man hung on and kept saying his prayers.
Then suddenly one day his God, satisfied with his earnestness and virtue appeared before him with lightning and thunder!
“Ask a boon, Mortal Kombat!” said God unto him.
“Ah God! You have finally appeared. Better late than never. How I have been pilloried by all and sundry for holding on to my faith!”
“Your days of worries are over. Ask for a boon Mr Mortal Kombat!” said God.
“My Lord, Grant me a boon that whatever I wish for would happen instantly.”
“That’s an impossible boon to grant, my son. Ask another boon” said God.
“I don’t want any other. You are Supreme. You are the law. You can grant any boon.”
“Isn’t quite simple as that, my son. I will grant you your boon. But there is a caveat. Whatever you wish for will happen instantly. But your neighbors will get twice of whatever you have wished for.”
“Thank you my Lord. I am very happy that my neighbors will benefit because of my boon.”
“Think over it, my son. Once I grant the boon it cannot be undone.”
“What is there to think, my Lord? Such a boon, to the best of my knowledge, has never been granted to anyone. Why should I let go a good thing?”
“Let the boon be with you,” said God and vanished as abruptly as He had appeared.
The good man wanted to try out his boon and first asked for simple things that he never possessed. He asked for a new pair of socks. He wished for a coat for his wife.
Lo and behold! A pair of socks and a shiny coat, neatly folded, suddenly sat on his rough table. The man was ecstatic. The boon was working! Just to make sure that his boon worked, he wished for a Rolex watch for himself and a gold necklace for his wife. In a flash a beautiful necklace adorned the slender neck of his wife and a high end Rolex was clasped around his wrist. The man was now convinced and a took a deep breath.
Unbeknownst  to our man there was absolute bewilderment in his neighborhood: for his neighbors received two pairs of socks, two shiny coats, two Rolex watches and two gold necklaces. They all rushed out onto the village street and cried and danced for the good fortune that had suddenly fallen upon them.
The story of the good fortune of the neighbors reached our good man and he smiled with vicarious pleasure; a pleasure derived out of  happiness of others.
And weeks and months passed. The man wished for a Ferrari. The man wished for a huge mansion. The man wished for a swimming pool. All were granted. Alongside was granted two cars, two mansions and two swimming pool to his neighbors. The village had turned into the most prosperous town in the world. Everything happened. Only a small wish was required. No more drudgery in the fields and the factories. Life was cool.
But our man was slowly getting very irritated and bitter. He had done all the hard work and had got the boon. But look at his neighbors! They were prospering twice as much without even any effort. “This has to stop,” thought our bitter man. But he remembered the ominous words of God: the boon could not be rolled back.

Slowly a plan was taking shape in his not-so-pure mind.
“I wish I lose one limb,” wished our man. No sooner he had uttered these words, he fell down. To his surprise his left leg had disappeared and beneath his waist there appeared a stump. He started crawling outside.
“I wish I lose one eye,” wished our man. Sure enough he lost vision of his left eye.
As he reached outside he saw mayhem out there. His neighbors were crying out loud in pain as they crawled and bumped into each other. They had lost both their legs and both their eyes.

Mortal Kombat smiled with his one eye, slightly overcome with schadenfreude.

Here is the definition of prodigal:

definition of prodigal

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the word prodigal in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

At the rate Dave parted with his wealth, it is surprising that the fortunes of the prodigal lasted so long.

It is ironic that the son’s dark writing was inspired by the father’s prodigal fatherhood.

It was too late for the prodigal son to return to his grieving father for the father’s memory had by then ebbed due to Alzheimer’s.

Here is the definition of laurel:

definition of laurel

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the word laurel in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

The disastrous rematch proved that the home team was resting too soon on its laurels.

Daniel has earned his laurels and he maybe forgiven if at times he goes over the top.

Kate has numerous laurels in her illustrious career but she is the last person to look back in triumph.

Are the words awful and awesome misnomers? Most pundits of the English language believe so. Today, the meaning of awful is not something that is associated with being full of awe. In fact, it means just the opposite: awful means something that is totally disgusting.
On the other hand awesome should ordinarily mean a little bit of awe. But the definition of awesome today translates to a mind-boggling amount of awe.

An awful looking creature:

What an awesome spectacle!

Here is the definition of antipodal:

definition of antipodal

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the word antipodal in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

The two violent deaths that occurred in the antipodal sections of the city has left the police flummoxed.

The rival factions advocated antipodal approaches to the way the uprising had to be dealt with: one wanted the velvet gloves approach and the other the iron fists approach.

Predictably, the court judgment has made people take antipodal and intensely polarized positions.

Here is the definition of pungent:

definition of pungent

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the word pungent in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

However couched in a tangy flavor, when alcohol makes up more than fifteen percent of the liquid that you wash down, you are bound get pungent effects in your mouth.

Kate examines the mysterious world of the Futura sect in her pungent new novel.

The inseparable part of the Mediterranean diet, the pungent olive oil,  is regarded by many as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Here is the definition of microcosm:

definition of microcosm

Now is the chance for you to show the world how well you can use the word microcosm in a sentence. Add your usages as part of your comments. If our experts approve, we will publish your usage in BeeDictionary.

Here are some usages:

This bustling street of diverse ethnicity is a microcosm of its surrounding borough.

At the book release there was a microcosm of loyal readership that came  to hear Mr Sheriff.

This waterfront is not a microcosm of any port city but has its own distinctive character.