If you’ve ever found yourself unfamiliar with some of the words used in Knuckle Puck songs (What does Copacetic even mean?), don’t feel stupid—you’re not the only one who has been taken aback by their creative integration of uncommon vocabulary.

The band have done a great job incorporating intelligent and often underused words into their lyrics over the years—not to come off as pretentious, but to add depth to their tracks.

“We’re not trying to make it confusing; we would like for people who listen to our band to really delve deeper and figure out what we’re actually trying to say,” guitarist Kevin Maida tells Noisey. “When you’re writing lyrics you can get pretty bland pretty fast without even trying to.”



With help from Merriam-Webster, here is a streamlined definition list of some the “big words” Knuckle Puck have used in their songs.

Cavalier
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Track: “In Your Crosshairs”
Lyric: “From the kitchen steps, through the ceiling vents/So careless and cavalier“
Definition: adjective; dismissal of important matters

Complacent

Track: “Bedford Falls”
Lyric: “Fucked and complacent/condemned to my basement”
Definition: adjective; satisfied with how things are and not wanting to change them

Contrite

Track: “True Contrite”
Lyric: “Between the covers, we sleep on beds of lies/Someday your true contrite will find you”
Definition: adjective; feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming

Copacetic

Track: “Ponder”
Lyric: ”I’ll tell you everything is copacetic“
Definition: adjective; very satisfactory

Depreciation

Track: “Wall To Wall (Depreciation)”
Lyric: “Wall to fucking wall depreciation/You twist my tongue with costly dividends”
Definition: verb; to lower in honor or esteem

Disdain

Track: ”Disdain”
Lyric: “My disdain for the Pacific threw my name into distant mouths”
Definition: verb; to strongly dislike or disapprove of (someone or something)

Enamored

Track: “Poison Pen Letter”
Lyric: “Once a young boy enamored by the things that you gave me”
Definition: verb; to cause to feel a strong or excessive interest or fascination

Expendable

Track: “But Why Would You Care?”
Lyric: “I am expendable, but I guess that’s just the way things go.”
Definition: adjective; easily replaced : not worth saving : not meant to be saved : meant to be used and thrown away