✅ Balk means to stop and refuse to go on (The horse balked at the sight of a lizard).

✅ Demur means to object to or show reluctance toward something, especially based on scruples (I demurred when I was offered an extra bag of apples under the table).

✅ Although both balk and demur mean to object to something, balk suggests a sudden and stubborn refusal to continue or to go on, whereas demur has a less stubborn connotation (At first I demurred, but I accepted after hearing their perspective; He balked at the dangerous river crossing and decided to go home).

An ovation is an especially enthusiastic and prolonged round of applause, often by an entire audience, such as at the end of a concert. The word is especially known for its use in the phrase standing ovation, in which members of the audience not only applaud but also stand to signal their passionate acclaim.

Today we give a standing ovation to 50 years of hip-hop artists and their language mastery, including the wordsmiths whose next level lyrics we’ve featured in our Hip-Hop Editions of Synonym of the Day.

Don't miss the greatest hits in our Hip-Hop Vocab Playlist!

And don't miss our Hip-Hop 50 videos:

@dictionarycom We're celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop! How many of these iconic album covers do you recognize? #hiphop50 #hiphop #hophopanniversary #language #vocab #vocabulary #word #words ♬ Euro$tep - West

In honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we’re highlighting some of the masterful word choices that exemplify music’s most language-loving genre.

🎤 I brought butter for the popcorn, dip for the chips
And ego for your trip, some scripts for you to flip
Corrections for mishaps, errors, or mistakes
Fly raps for beats, and pop and lock for breaks
A legend in my own lifetime, from one rhyme
That was specially designed, from the hook to bottom line

GZA, "Alphabets" (Pro Tools, 2008, Babygrande Records)

✏️ Stylish is a conventional word to describe someone or something as attractively fashionable, especially in a timeless or elegant way. Fly is a very informal term, popularized by hip-hop culture, that suggests not just style and sophistication but also coolness and creativity.

Check out our full hip-hop vocab playlist!