Abstract and controversial ideas can often be clarified through extended definitions. The 60 concepts listed here can be defined in various ways and from different points of view.
Sixty Topic Suggestions: Extended Definitions
- Peace of mind
- Kindness
- Sexism
- Gumption
- Racism
- Sportsmanship
- Honor
- Modesty
- Self-assurance
- Humility
- Dedication
- Sensitivity
- Trust
- Respect
- Ambition
- Right to privacy
- Generosity
- Laziness
- Charisma
- Common sense
- Team player
- Maturity
- Integrity
- Healthy appetite
- Frustration
- Optimism
- Sense of humor
- Liberal
- Conservative
- A good (or bad) teacher or professor
- Physical fitness
- Feminism
- A happy marriage
- True friendship
- Courage
- Citizenship
- Success
- A good (or bad) coach
- Intelligence
- Personality
- A good (or bad) roommate
- Political correctness
- Peer pressure
- Leadership
- Persistence
- Responsibility
- Human rights
- Sophistication
- Self-respect
- Heroism
- Thrift
- Sloth
- Vanity
- Pride
- Beauty
- Greed
- Virtue
- Progress
- A good (or bad) boss
- A good (or bad) parent
Model Paragraphs and Essays
- A Definition of Happiness, by Nikos Kazantzakis
- A Definition of a Jerk, by Sydney J. Harris
- Gifts, by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Gore Vidal's Definition of Prettiness
- A Definition of Pantomime, by Julian Barnes
- The Meaning of Home, by John Berger
- The Essence of Humanism, by William James
Also see: 400 Writing Topics
