Keeping vocab reviews from getting stale

I'm tired of rote flashcards. It’s hard to stay engaged when you lose the subtle shift in meaning between similar terms. I started grouping words by "social weight" or emotional vibe instead of just meaning. Like, is it a medical term or something you'd say to a friend? It helps but I need more ideas to keep things interesting during my daily commute. how do you guys keep the nuance alive?