: How to use the word "Dysphoria" in a sentence to show distress and sadness? I'm writing a sentence which goes like this: I could sense the dysphoria setting in her voice even through a

@Lengel543

Posted in: #CreativeWriting #Editing #WordChoice

I'm writing a sentence which goes like this:


I could sense the dysphoria setting in her voice even through a noisy phone call.


Is this the correct use of the word?, what else can I use to make this sentence more impactful?

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@Yeniel532

@Yeniel532

I would think carefully about using the word "dysphoria" in that context. The most common use of the word "dysphoria" is in the phrase "gender dysphoria," which is a very specific psychological term. Even if you think it's safe to assume your readers won't be confused by dysphoria's close relationship with gender dysphoria, it is a term with a rather clinical connotation. It's as though you're giving a psychological evaluation of the woman on the other end of the phone.

If you want that clinical connotation, then it's a strong word to use. But if you want a more direct emotional descriptor, you'd be best served by thinking of the particular emotion the woman is feeling. Dysphoria is an emotion, but close synonyms that don't have the same sterile connotation include anxiety, fear, and malaise, and apprehension.

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