Vocabulary in Everything I Never Told You

To gradually scatter or fade away until something disappears entirely; here used for feelings, tension, or presence that slowly dissolves rather than ending abruptly.

Coated with a hard, shiny varnish-like finish; used to describe surfaces that are glossy and polished in appearance.

Impossible to understand or interpret; describing a face or expression that gives away no feelings or thoughts whatsoever.

So strong or obvious that it can almost be physically felt, even though it is not a physical thing, like tension or silence in a room.

An attitude of talking down to someone as if they are less intelligent or important than you; a tone of superiority mixed with mild contempt.

To search through a place or container in a hurried, untidy way, moving things around carelessly while looking for something.

An official legal investigation, typically conducted by a coroner, to determine the cause of an unexpected or suspicious death.

A public official whose job is to investigate deaths that are sudden, violent, or unexplained, and to determine their official cause.

A medical examination of a dead body performed by a doctor to find out the exact cause of death, especially when it is unclear or suspicious.

Matter that has settled at the bottom of a liquid; used figuratively in this novel for feelings or memories that have sunk deep and stayed there over time.

Stretched tight with tension; used to describe muscles, nerves, or emotional states that are strained to the point of near-breaking.

A state of pleasant, dreamy, absent-minded thought; a kind of waking daydream in which a person loses awareness of their surroundings.

Abrupt and unfriendly in manner or speech; dealing with people in a short, blunt way that can feel rude even if not intended to be.

Done as a routine duty with little care or attention; carried out quickly and mechanically without genuine feeling or interest.

Pale and looking unwell or exhausted; describing a face or complexion drained of healthy color, often from grief, illness, or lack of sleep.

Seeming to last forever because it is so tedious or painful; endlessly long in a way that feels unbearable to the person experiencing it.

Done in a secretive, sneaky way to avoid being noticed; behaving as if one is trying to hide something or avoid drawing attention.

To calm someone down or make them less angry by saying or doing something to satisfy them, even if the underlying problem is not resolved.

Habitually quiet and saying very little; a person who does not talk much and tends to keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves.

To suggest something unpleasant or critical in an indirect, subtle way rather than saying it openly or directly.

Having or showing very strong, intense feeling or belief; describing a desire, hope, or wish that is deeply and passionately felt.

Not direct or straightforward; referring to a remark or approach that hints at something without stating it plainly, leaving meaning partly hidden.

Clearly visible and attracting attention, often in an uncomfortable way; standing out from surroundings so obviously that others notice immediately.

A tendency to remain in the same state and resist change; here used for the emotional paralysis that keeps characters stuck in grief or routine.

To hide one's true feelings, intentions, or identity by pretending to feel or be something different; to conceal the truth through false behavior.

Deep, bitter resentment or ill will that has built up over a long time; a lasting feeling of anger and hostility toward someone who has caused hurt.