| Word |
Part of speech |
Definition |
| abate |
v |
subside or moderate |
| aberrant |
adj |
abnormal or deviant |
| abrasive |
adj |
rubbing away; tending to grind down |
| abridge |
v |
condense or shorten |
| absolute |
adj |
complete; totally unlimited; certain |
| abstemious |
adj |
sparing in eating and drinking; temperate |
| abstract |
adj |
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresential |
| abstruse |
adj |
obscure; profound; difficult to understand |
| accessible |
adj |
easy to approach; obtainable |
| acclaim |
v |
applaud; announce with approval |
| accolade |
n |
award of merit |
| acknowledge |
v |
recognize; admit |
| acquiesce |
v |
assent; agree without protesting |
| acrimonious |
adj |
bitter in words or manner |
| acute |
adj |
quickly perceptive; keen ; brief and severe |
| address |
v |
direct a speech to; deal with or discuss |
| adherent |
n |
supporter; follower |
| adjacent |
adj |
neighboring; adjoining |
| adroit |
adj |
skillful; nimble |
| adulation |
n |
flattery; admiration |
| adversary |
n |
opponent |
| adverse |
adj |
unfavorable; hostile |
| advocate |
v |
urge; plead for |
| aesthetic |
adj |
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful |
| affable |
adj |
easily approachable; warmly friendly |
| affinity |
n |
natural liking; kinship; similarity |
| affirmation |
n |
positive assertion; contirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath |
| aggressor |
n |
attacker |
| alienate |
v |
make hostile; separate |
| alleviate |
v |
relieve |
| aloof |
adj |
apart; reserced; standoffish |
| altruistic |
adj |
unselfichly generous; concerned for others |
| ambiguous |
adj |
unclear or doubtful in meaning |
| ambivalence |
n |
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes |
| ameliorate |
v |
improve; make more satisfactory |
| amend |
v |
correct; change, generall for the better |
| amorphous |
adj |
formless; lacing shape or definition |
| ample |
adj |
abundant |
| analogy |
n |
similarity; parallelism |
| anarchist |
n |
person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority |
| anecdote |
n |
short account of an amusing or interesting event |
| animosity |
n |
active enmity |
| antagonistic |
adj |
hostile; opposed |
| antidote |
n |
medicine to counteract a poison or disease |
| antiquated |
adj |
old-fashioned; obsolete |
| antithesis |
n |
contrast; direct opposite of or to |
| apathy |
n |
lack of caring; indifference |
| apocryphal |
adj |
untrue; made up |
| appease |
v |
pacify or soothe; relieve |
| appreciate |
v |
be thankful for; increase in worth; be thoroughly conscious of |
| apprehension |
n |
fear; discernment; capture |
| arable |
adj |
fit for growing crops |
| arbitrary |
adj |
unreasonable or capricious; randomly selected without any reason; based solely on one's unrestricted will or judgment |
| archaic |
adj |
antiquated |
| ardor |
n |
heat; passion; zeal |
| arid |
adj |
dry; barren |
| arrogance |
n |
pride; haughtiness |
| articulate |
adj |
effective; distinct |
| artifact |
n |
object made by human beings, either hadmade or mass-produced |
| artisan |
n |
manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to artist |
| ascendancy |
n |
controlling influence |
| ascetic |
adj |
practicing self-denial; austere |
| aspire |
v |
seek to attain; long for |
| assuage |
v |
ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger) |
| astute |
adj |
wise; shrewd |
| atrophy |
v |
waste away |
| attentive |
adj |
considerate; thoughtful; paying attention |
| attribute |
v |
ascribe; explain |
| audacious |
adj |
daring; bold |
| augment |
v |
increase; add to |
| austerity |
n |
saternness; severity; strict economy; lack of luxuries |
| authentic |
adj |
genuine |
| authoritarian |
adj |
favoring or exercising total control; nondemocratic |
| autonomous |
adj |
self-governing |
| aversion |
n |
firm dislike |
| banal |
adj |
hackneyed; commonplace; trite |
| bane |
n |
cause of ruin |
| belie |
v |
contradict; give a false impression |
| belittle |
v |
disparage; make fun of |
| belligerent |
adj |
quarrelsome |
| benevolent |
adj |
generous; charitable |
| benign |
adj |
kindly; favorable; not malignant |
| bequeath |
v |
leave to someone by a will; hand down |
| biased |
adj |
slanted; prejudiced |
| bland |
adj |
soothing; mild; dull |
| blasphemy |
n |
irreverence; sacrilege; cursing |
| bolster |
v |
support; reinforce |
| braggart |
n |
boastful person |
| brawn |
n |
muscular strength; sturdiness |
| brevity |
n |
conciseness; briefness |
| buttress |
v |
support; prop up |
| cacophonous |
adj |
discordant; inharmonious |
| cajole |
v |
coax; wheele |
| calculated |
adj |
deliberately planned; likely |
| candor |
n |
frankness |
| capricious |
adj |
fickle; incalculable |
| caricature |
n |
distortion; burlesque |
| censorious |
adj |
critical |
| censure |
v |
blame; criticize |
| certitude |
n |
certainty |
| charlatan |
n |
quack; pretender to knowledge |
| chronicle |
v |
report; record (in chronologial order) |
| civil |
adj |
having to do with citizens or the state; courteous and polite |
| clamor |
n |
noise |
| clemency |
n |
disposition to be lenient; mildness, as of the weather |
| coercion |
n |
use of force to get someone's compliance |
| commemorate |
v |
honor the memory of |
| compelling |
adj |
overpowering; irresistible in effect |
| compile |
v |
assemble; gather; accumulate |
| compliance |
n |
readiness to yield; conformity in fulfilling requirements |
| composure |
n |
mental calmness |
| comprehensive |
adj |
thorough; inclusive |
| concede |
v |
admit; yield |
| conciliatory |
adj |
reconciling; appeasing; amiable |
| concise |
adj |
brief and compact |
| conclusive |
adj |
convincing; decisive |
| concur |
v |
agree in opinion |
| condone |
v |
overlook voluntarily; forgive |
| confirm |
v |
corroborate; verify; support |
| conflagration |
n |
great fire |
| confound |
v |
confuse; puzzle |
| confront |
v |
face; challenge |
| conscientious |
adj |
scrupulous; careful |
| consensus |
n |
general agreement |
| consistency |
n |
absence of contradictions; dependability; uniformity; degree of thickness |
| constraint |
n |
compulsion; repression of feelings |
| contagion |
n |
infection |
| contemporary |
n |
person belonging to the same period |
| contend |
v |
struggle; compete; assert earnestly |
| contentious |
adj |
quarrelsome |
| contract |
v |
compress or shrink; make a pledge; catch a disease |
| converge |
v |
approach; tend to meet; come together |
| conviction |
n |
strongly held belief |
| cordial |
adj |
gracious; heartfelt |
| corroborate |
v |
confirm; support |
| corrosion |
n |
destruction by chemical action |
| credibility |
n |
believability |
| credulity |
n |
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete |
| criterion |
n |
standard used in judging |
| cryptic |
adj |
mysterious; hidden; secret |
| cursory |
adj |
casual; hastily done |
| curtail |
v |
shorten; reduce |
| cynic |
n |
one who is skeptical or distrustful of human motives |
| daunt |
v |
intimidate; frighten |
| dawdle |
v |
loiter; waste time |
| debilitate |
v |
weaken; enfeelbe |
| debunk |
v |
expose something as nonsensical or false |
| decorum |
n |
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners |
| defame |
v |
harm someone's reputation; malign |
| deference |
n |
courteous regard for another's wish |
| defiance |
n |
refusal to yield; resistance |
| degenerate |
v |
become worse; deteriorate |
| degrade |
v |
lower in rank or dignity; debase |
| deliberate |
v |
consider; ponder |
| delineate |
v |
portray; depict; sketch |
| denounce |
v |
condemn; criticize |
| deny |
v |
contradict; refuse |
| depict |
v |
portray; describe |
| deplore |
v |
regret strongly; express grief over |
| depravity |
n |
corruption; wickedness |
| deprecate |
v |
express disapproval of; protest against; belittle |
| deride |
v |
ridicule; make fun of |
| derivative |
adj |
unoriginal; derived from another source |
| despondent |
adj |
depressed; gloomy |
| despot |
n |
tyrant; harsh, authoritarian ruler |
| detached |
adj |
emotionally removed; calm and objective; indifferent |
| deterrent |
n |
something that discourages; hindrance |
| detrimental |
adj |
harmful; damaging |
| devious |
adj |
roundabout; erratic; not straightforward |
| devise |
v |
think up; invent; plan |
| didactic |
adj |
teaching; instructional |
| diffuse |
adj |
wordy; ramblinb; spread out |
| digression |
n |
wandering away from the subject |
| diligence |
n |
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work |
| diminution |
n |
lessening; reduction in size |
| disband |
v |
dissolve; disperse |
| discerning |
adj |
mentally quick and observant; having insight |
| disclose |
v |
reveal |
| discordant |
adj |
not harmonious; conflicting |
| discount |
v |
disregard |
| discredit |
v |
defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve |
| discrepancy |
n |
lack of consistency; difference |
| discriminating |
adj |
able to see differences; prejudiced |
| discursive |
adj |
digressing; rambling |
| disdain |
v |
view with scorn or contempt |
| disinclination |
n |
unwillingness |
| disinterested |
adj |
unprejudiced |
| dismantle |
v |
take apart |
| dismiss |
v |
put away from consideration; reject |
| disparage |
v |
belittle |
| disparity |
n |
difference; condition of inequality |
| dispassionate |
adj |
calm; impartial |
| dispel |
v |
drive away; scatter; cause to vanish |
| disperse |
v |
cause to break up; scatter |
| disputatious |
adj |
argumentative; fond of arguing |
| disseminate |
v |
distribute; spread; scatter (like seeds) |
| dissent |
v |
disagree |
| dissipate |
v |
squander; waste; scatter |
| dissonance |
n |
dissonance; discord |
| dissuade |
v |
advise against |
| distant |
adj |
reserved or aloof; cold in manner |
| divergent |
adj |
differing; deviating |
| diverse |
adj |
differing in some characteristics; various |
| divulge |
v |
reveal |
| doctrine |
n |
teachings, in general; particular principle (religious, legal, and so on) taught |
| document |
v |
provide written evidence |
| dogmatic |
adj |
opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal |
| dormant |
adj |
sleeping' lethargic; latent |
| dubious |
adj |
doubtful; questionable |
| duplicity |
n |
double-dealing; hypocrisy |
| duration |
n |
length of time something lasts |
| dutiful |
adj |
respectful; obedient |
| ebb |
v |
recede; lessen |
| eccentric |
adj |
odd; whimsical; irregular |
| eclectic |
adj |
selective in choosing from a variety of sources |
| eclipse |
v |
darken; extinguish; surpass |
| effervescent |
adj |
exuberant; bubbly and excited |
| egotistical |
adj |
excessively self-centered; self-important; conceited |
| elated |
adj |
overjoyed; in high spirits |
| eloquence |
n |
expressiveness; persuasive speech |
| elusive |
adj |
evasive; baffling; hard to grasp |
| embellish |
v |
adorn; ornament |
| emulate |
v |
imitate; rival |
| endorse |
v |
approve; support |
| enduring |
adj |
lasting; surviving |
| enervate |
v |
weaken |
| engender |
v |
cause; produce |
| enhance |
v |
advance; improve |
| enigma |
n |
puzzle; mystery |
| enmity |
n |
ill will; hatred |
| enumerate |
v |
list; mention one by one |
| ephemeral |
adj |
short-lived; fleeting |
| epic |
n |
long heroic poem, or similar work of art |
| epicure |
n |
connoisseur of food and drink |
| episodic |
adj |
loosely connected; divided into incidents; occurring at intervals |
| equanimity |
n |
calmness of temperament; composure |
| equivocal |
adj |
ambiguous; intentionally misleading |
| erratic |
adj |
odd; unpredictable; wandering |
| erroneous |
adj |
mistaken; wrong |
| erudite |
adj |
learned; scholarly |
| esoteric |
adj |
hard to understand; known only yo the chosen few |
| espouse |
v |
adopt; support |
| esteem |
v |
respect; value; judge |
| ethereal |
adj |
light; heavenly; unusually refined |
| eulogy |
n |
expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death |
| euphemism |
n |
mild expression used in place of an unpleasant one |
| euphonious |
adj |
pleasing in sound |
| euphoria |
n |
feeling of great happiness and well-being (sometimes exaggerated) |
| evanescent |
adj |
fleeting; vanishing |
| exacerbate |
v |
worsen; embitter |
| exacting |
adj |
extremely demanding |
| exalt |
v |
raise in rank or dignity; praise |
| execute |
v |
put into effect; carry out |
| exemplary |
adj |
serving as a model; outstanding |
| exemplify |
v |
serve as an example of; embody |
| exhaustive |
adj |
thorough; comprehensive |
| exhilarating |
adj |
invigorating and refreshing; cheering |
| exonerate |
v |
acquit; exculpate |
| expedient |
adj |
suitable to achieve a particular end; practical; politic |
| expedite |
v |
hasten |
| expertise |
n |
specialized knowledge; expert skill |
| explicit |
adj |
totally clear; deinite; outspoken |
| exploit |
n |
deed or action, particularly a brave deed |
| exploit |
v |
make use of, sometimes unjustly |
| expository |
adj |
explanatory; intended to explain |
| extant |
adj |
still in existence |
| extol |
v |
praise; glorified |
| extraneous |
adj |
not essential; superfluous |
| extricate |
v |
free; disentangle |
| exuberance |
n |
overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm |
| facile |
adj |
easily accomplished; ready or fluent; superficial |
| facilitate |
v |
help bring about; make less difficult |
| fallacious |
adj |
false; misleading |
| fantacism |
n |
excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause |
| fastidious |
adj |
difficult to please; squaemish |
| feasible |
adj |
practical |
| fervor |
n |
glowing ardor; intensity of feeling |
| fickle |
adj |
changeable; faithless |
| figurative |
adj |
not literal, but metaphorical; using a figure of speech |
| flagrant |
adj |
conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous |
| flippant |
adj |
lacking proper seriousness |
| florid |
adj |
ruddy; reddish; flowery |
| fluctuate |
v |
waver; shift |
| foolhardy |
adj |
rash; heedless |
| foresight |
v |
ability to foresee future happenings; prudence |
| forestall |
v |
prevent by taking action in advance |
| forsake |
v |
desert; abandon; renounce |
| forthright |
adj |
outspoken; frank |
| fortuitous |
adj |
accidental; by chance |
| foster |
v |
rear; encourage; nurture |
| founder |
v |
fail completely; sink |
| founder |
n |
person who establishes (an organization, business) |
| frail |
adj |
weak |
| frivolous |
adj |
lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant |
| frugality |
n |
thrift; economy |
| fundamental |
v |
basic; primary; essential |
| furtive |
adj |
stealthy; sneaky |
| futile |
adj |
ineffective; fruitless |
| galvanize |
v |
stimulate by shock; stir up; revitalize |
| garbled |
adj |
mixed up; jumbled; distorted |
| garrulous |
adj |
loquacious; wordy; talkative |
| genre |
n |
particular variety of art or literature |
| germane |
adj |
pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand |
| glacial |
adj |
like a glacier; extremely cold |
| glib |
adj |
fluent; facile; slick |
| glutton |
n |
someone who eats too much; greedy person |
| gorge |
n |
small,, steep-walled canyon |
| grandiose |
adj |
pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated; impressive |
| gratify |
v |
please |
| gratuitous |
adj |
given freely; unwarranted; unprovoked |
| gravity |
n |
seriousness |
| gregarious |
adj |
sociable |
| grievance |
n |
cause of complaint |
| grudging |
adj |
unwilling; reluctant; stingy |
| guile |
n |
deceit; duplicity; wiliness; cunning |
| gullible |
adj |
easily deceived |
| hackneyed |
adj |
commonplace; trite |
| hallowed |
adj |
blessed; consecrated |
| hamper |
v |
obstruct |
| harass |
v |
annoy by repeated attacks; torment |
| hardy |
adj |
sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather |
| haughtiness |
n |
pride; arrogance |
| hedonist |
n |
one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life |
| heed |
v |
pay attention to; consider |
| heresy |
n |
opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion |
| heterodox |
adj |
unorthodox; unconventional |
| heterogeneous |
adj |
dissimilar; mixed |
| heyday |
n |
time of greatest success; prime |
| hiatus |
n |
gap; interruption in duration or continuity; pause |
| hierarchy |
n |
arrangement by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks |
| hindrance |
n |
block; obstacle |
| hoard |
v |
stockpile; accumulate for future use |
| homogeneous |
adj |
of the same kind |
| hone |
v |
sharpen |
| hostility |
n |
unfriendliness; hatred |
| humane |
adj |
marked by kindness or consideration |
| husband |
v |
use sparingly; conserve; save |
| hyperbole |
n |
exaggeration; overstatement |
| hypocritical |
adj |
pretending to be virtuous; deceiving |
| hypothetical |
adj |
based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed |
| iconoclast |
n |
one who attacks cherished traditions |
| idiosyncrasy |
n |
individual trait, usually odd in nature; eccentricity |
| ignominy |
n |
deep disgrace; shame or dishonor |
| allicit |
adj |
illegal |
| illuminate |
v |
brighten; clear up or make understandable; enlighten |
| illusory |
adj |
deceptive; not real |
| imbalance |
n |
lack of balance or symmetry; disproportion |
| immaculate |
adj |
spotless; flawless; absolutely clean |
| immune |
adj |
resistant to; free or exempt from |
| immutable |
adj |
unchangeable |
| impair |
v |
injure; hurt |
| impartial |
adj |
not biased; fair |
| impassive |
adj |
without feeling; imperturbable; stoical |
| impeccable |
adj |
faultless |
| impecunious |
adj |
without money |
| impede |
v |
hinder; block; delay |
| impel |
v |
drive or force onward |
| imperceptible |
adj |
unnoticeable; undetectable |
| imperious |
adj |
domineering; haughty |
| impervious |
adj |
impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed |
| impetuous |
adj |
violent; hasty; rash |
| implausible |
adj |
unlikely; unbelievable |
| implement |
v |
put into effect; supply with tools |
| implication |
n |
something hinted at or suggested |
| implicit |
adj |
understood but not stated |
| impoverished |
adj |
poor |
| impromptu |
adj |
without previous preparation; off the cuff; on the spur of the moment |
| impudence |
n |
impertinence; insolence |
| inadvertently |
adv |
by oversight; carelessly or unintentionally |
| inane |
adj |
silly; senseless |
| inaugurate |
v |
start; initiate; install in office |
| incense |
v |
enrage; infuriate |
| incentive |
n |
spor; motive |
| incessant |
adj |
uninterrupted; unceasing |
| incidental |
adj |
not essential; minor |
| incisive |
adj |
cutting; sharp |
| incite |
v |
arouse to action; goad; motivate; induce to exist |
| incline |
v |
slope; slante |
| inclined |
adj |
tending to leaning toward; bent |
| inclusive |
adj |
tending to include all |
| incoherent |
adj |
unintelligible; muddled; illogical |
| incongruous |
adj |
not fitting; absurd |
| inconsequential |
adj |
insignificant; unimportant |
| incontrovertible |
adj |
indisputable; not open to question |
| incorrigible |
adj |
uncorrectale |
| indefatigable |
adj |
tireless |
| indict |
v |
charge |
| indifferent |
adj |
unmoved; lacking concern |
| indigenous |
adj |
native |
| digent |
adj |
poor; destitute |
| indiscriminate |
adj |
choosing at random; confused |
| indolent |
adj |
lazy |
| indomitable |
adj |
unconquerable; unyielding |
| indubitable |
adj |
unable to be doubted; unquestionable |
| induce |
v |
persuade; bring about |
| indulge |
v |
humor; treat leniently |
| industrious |
adj |
diligent; hard-working |
| effectual |
adj |
not effective; weak |
| inept |
adj |
unsuited; absurd; incompetent |
| inequity |
n |
unfairness |
| inert |
adj |
inactive; lacking power to move |
| inexorable |
adj |
relentless; unyielding; implacable |
| infamous |
adj |
notoriously bad |
| infer |
v |
deduce; conclude |
| infiltrate |
v |
pass into or through; penetrate (an organization) sneakily |
| infinitesimal |
adj |
exceedingly small; so small as to be almost nonexistent |
| infraction |
n |
violation (o fa rule or regulation); breach |
| ingenious |
adj |
clever; resourceful |
| ingrate |
n |
ungrateful person |
| inherent |
adj |
firmly established by nature or habit; intrinsic |
| inimcal |
adj |
unfriendly; hostile; harmful; detrimental |
| initiate |
v |
begin; originate; receive into a group |
| injurious |
adj |
harmful |
| innate |
adj |
inborn |
| innocuous |
adj |
harmless |
| innovation |
n |
change; introduction of something new |
| inopportune |
adj |
untimely; poorly chosen |
| insatiable |
adj |
not easily satisfied; greedy |
| insightful |
adj |
discerning; perceptive |
| insinuate |
v |
hint; imply; creep in |
| insipid |
adj |
lacking in flavor; dull |
| insolvent |
adj |
bankrupt; unable to repay one's debts |
| instigate |
v |
urge; start; provoke |
| insularity |
n |
narrow-mindedness; isolation |
| insuperable |
adj |
insurmountable; unbeatable |
| insurgent |
adj |
rebellious |
| intangible |
adj |
not material; not able to be perceived by touch; vague; elusive |
| integral |
adj |
complete; necessary for completeness |
| integrity |
n |
uprightness; wholeness |
| intermittent |
adj |
periodic; on and off |
| intervene |
v |
come between |
| intimidate |
v |
frighten |
| intractable |
adj |
unruly; stubborn; unyielding |
| intrasigence |
n |
refusal of any compromise; stubbornness |
| intrepid |
adj |
fearless |
| intricate |
adj |
complex; knotty; tangled |
| intrinsic |
adj |
essential; inherent; built-in; matural |
| introspective |
adj |
looking within oneself |
| intuition |
n |
immediate insight; power of knowing without reasoning |
| inundate |
v |
overwhelm; flood; submerge |
| invert |
v |
turn upside down or inside out |
| irascible |
adj |
irritable; easily angered |
| ironic |
adj |
relating to a contradiction between an event's expected result and its actual outsome; sarcastic |
| irrational |
adj |
illogical; lacking reason; insane |
| irrelevant |
adj |
not applicable; unrelated |
| irreproachable |
adj |
blameless; impeccable |
| irresolute |
adj |
uncertain how to act; weak |
| irreverence |
n |
lack of proper respect |
| jargon |
n |
language used by a special group; technical terminology; gibberish |
| jocular |
adj |
said or done in jest; joking |
| judicious |
adj |
sound in judgment; wise |
| justification |
n |
good or just reason; defense; excuse |
| kindle |
v |
start a fire; inspire |
| labyrinth |
n |
maze |
| laconic |
adj |
brief and to the point |
| lament |
v |
grieve; express sorrow |
| lassitude |
n |
languor; weariness |
| laud |
v |
praise |
| lavish |
adj |
liberal; wasteful |
| legacy |
n |
a gift made by a will |
| lethargic |
adj |
drowsy; dull |
| levity |
n |
lack of seriousness; lightness |
| linger |
v |
loiter or dawdle; continue or persist |
| list |
v |
tilt; lean over |
| listlessness |
n |
lack in spirit or energy |
| loathe |
v |
detest |
| lofty |
adj |
very high |
| loquacious |
adj |
talkative |
| lucid |
adj |
easily understood; clear; intelligible |
| lurid |
adj |
wild; sensational; graphic; gruesome |
| magnanimous |
adj |
generous |
| magnate |
n |
person of prominence or influence |
| maladroit |
adj |
clumsy; bungling |
| malevolent |
adj |
wishing evil |
| malice |
n |
hatred; spite |
| malign |
v |
speak evil of; bad-mouth; defame |
| marred |
adj |
damaged; disfigured |
| martinet |
n |
rigid disciplinarian; strict military officer |
| materialism |
n |
preoccupationg with physical comforts and things |
| meager |
adj |
scanty; inadequate |
| meander |
v |
wind or turn in a course |
| medley |
n |
mixture |
| meek |
adj |
quiet and obedient |
| melancholy |
adj |
gloomy; morose; blue |
| mercenary |
adj |
interested in money or gain |
| mercurial |
adj |
capricious; changing; fickle |
| merger |
n |
combination (of two business corporations) |
| methodical |
adj |
systematic |
| meticulous |
adj |
excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous |
| minute |
adj |
extremely small |
| misanthrope |
n |
one who hates mankind |
| miserly |
adj |
stingy; mean |
| misnomer |
n |
wrong name; incorrect designation |
| mitigate |
v |
appease; moderate |
| mock |
v |
ridicule; imitate, often in derision |
| mollify |
v |
soothe |
| momentous |
adj |
very important |
| monotony |
n |
sameness leading to boredom |
| morbid |
adj |
given to unwholesome thought; moody; characteristic of disease |
| morose |
adj |
ill-humored; sullen; melancholy |
| mundane |
adj |
worldly as opposed to spiritual |
| munificent |
adj |
very generous |
| mutability |
n |
ability to change in form; fickle |
| muted |
adj |
silent; muffled; toned down |
| naivete |
n |
quiality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility |
| nefarious |
adj |
very wicked |
| negate |
v |
cancel out; nullify; deny |
| nonchalance |
n |
indifference; lack of concern; composure |
| nonentity |
n |
person of no importance; nonexistence |
| nostalgia |
n |
homesickness; longing for the past |
| notoriety |
n |
disrepute; ill fame |
| novelty |
n |
something new; newness |
| novice |
n |
beginner |
| nuance |
n |
shade of difference in meaning or color |
| nullify |
v |
to make in valid; void; abolish |
| nurture |
v |
nourish; educate; foster |
| obdurate |
adj |
stubborn |
| objective |
adj |
not influenced by emotions; fair |
| objective |
n |
goal; aim |
| obliterate |
v |
destroy completely |
| oblivion |
n |
obscurity; forgetfulness |
| oblivious |
adj |
inattentive or unmindful; wholly absorbed |
| obscure |
adj |
dark; vague; unclear |
| obscure |
v |
darken; make unclear |
| obsequious |
adj |
slavishly attentive; servile; fawning; sycophantic |
| obsessive |
adj |
related to thinking about something constantly; preoccupying |
| obstinate |
adj |
stubborn; hard to control or treat |
| obtuse |
adj |
blunt; stupid |
| officious |
adj |
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one's services |
| ominous |
adj |
threatening |
| opaque |
adj |
dark; not transparent |
| opportunist |
n |
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances |
| optimist |
n |
person who looks on the good side |
| opional |
adj |
not compulsory; left to one's choice |
| opulence |
n |
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance |
| orator |
n |
public speaker |
| ornate |
adj |
excessively or elaborately decorated |
| ostentatious |
adj |
showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention |
| pacifist |
n |
one opposed to force; antimilitarist |
| painstaking |
adj |
showing hard work; taking great care |
| paltry |
adj |
insignificant; petty; trifiling |
| paradigm |
n |
odel; example; pattern |
| paradox |
n |
somehting apparently contradictory in nature; statement that looks false but is actually correct |
| paragon |
n |
model of perfection |
| parochial |
adj |
narrow in outlook; provincial; related to parishes |
| parody |
n |
humorous imitation; spoof; takeoff; travesty |
| parry |
v |
ward off a blow; deflect |
| parsimony |
n |
stinginess; excessive frugality |
| partial |
adj |
1 incomplete. 2 biased; having a liking for something |
| partisan |
adj |
one-sided; prejudiced; comitted to a party |
| passive |
adj |
noteactive; acted upon |
| paucity |
n |
scarcity; lack |
| pedantic |
adj |
showing off learning; bookish |
| penchant |
n |
strong inclination; liking |
| pensive |
adj |
dreamily thoughtful; thoughtful with a hint of sadness; contemplative |
| perceptive |
adj |
insightful; aware; wise |
| perfunctory |
adj |
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm |
| peripheral |
adj |
marginal; outer |
| perjury |
n |
false testimony while under oath |
| pernicious |
adj |
very destructive |
| perpetuate |
v |
make something last; preserve from extinction |
| perturb |
v |
disturb greatly |
| pervasive |
adj |
pervading; spread throughout every part |
| pessimism |
n |
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess |
| petty |
adj |
trivial; unimportant; very small |
| petulant |
adj |
touchy; peevish |
| phenomena |
n, pl |
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation |
| philanthropist |
n |
lover of mankind; doer of good |
| pious |
adj |
devout; religious |
| pitfall |
n |
hidden danger; concealed trap |
| pithy |
adj |
concise; meaningful; substantial; meaty |
| pivotal |
adj |
crucial; key; bital |
| placate |
v |
pacify; conciliate |
| plagiarize |
v |
steal anoter's ideas and pass them off as one's own |
| platitude |
n |
trite remark; commonplace statement |
| plausible |
adj |
having a show of truth but open to doubt; specious |
| pliant |
adj |
flexible; easily influend |
| plight |
n |
condition, state (especially a bad state or condition); predicament |
| poignancy |
n |
quality of being deeply moving; keenness of emotion |
| polemial |
adj |
aggressive in verbal attack; disputatious |
| pomposity |
n |
self-important behavior; acting like a stuffed shirt |
| ponderous |
adj |
weighty; unwieldy |
| porous |
adj |
full of pores; like a sieve |
| potent |
dj |
powerful; persuasive; greatly influential |
| pragmatic |
adj |
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something |
| prattle |
v |
babble |
| precarious |
adj |
uncertain; risky |
| precedent |
n |
something preceding in time that may be used as an authority or guide for future action |
| precipitate |
adj |
rash; premature; hasty; sudden |
| precipitous |
adj |
steep; overhasty |
| preclude |
v |
make impossible; eliminate |
| precocious |
adj |
advanced in development |
| predator |
n |
creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who rods or exploits others |
| predecessor |
n |
former occupant of a post |
| predilection |
n |
partiality; preference |
| preposterous |
adj |
absurd; ridiculous |
| prestige |
n |
impression produced by achievements or reputation |
| presumptuous |
adj |
overconfident; impertinent |
| pretentious |
adj |
ostentatious; pompous; making unjustified claims; overambitious |
| prevalent |
adj |
widespread; generally accepted |
| problematic |
adj |
doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing |
| proclivity |
n |
inclination; natural tendency |
| procrastinate |
v |
postpone; delay or put off |
| prodigal |
adj |
wasteful; reckless with money |
| prodigious |
adj |
marvelous; enormous |
| prodigy |
n |
marvel; highly gifted child |
| profane |
v |
violate; desecrate; treat unworthily |
| profligate |
adj |
dissipated; wasteful; wildly immoral |
| profound |
adj |
deep; not superficial; complete |
| profusion |
n |
overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess |
| proliferation |
n |
rapid growth; spread; multiplication |
| prolific |
adj |
abundantly fruitful |
| prologue |
n |
introduction (to a poem or play) |
| prophetic |
adj |
foretelling the future |
| propitious |
adj |
favorable; fortunate; advantageous |
| proprity |
n |
fitness; correct conduct |
| prosaic |
adj |
dull and unimaginative; matter-of-fact; factual |
| protract |
v |
prolong |
| provincial |
adj |
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated |
| provisional |
adj |
tentative |
| provocative |
adj |
arousing anger or interest; annoying |
| proximity |
n |
nearness |
| prudent |
adj |
cautious; careful |
| pugnacity |
n |
combativeness; disposition to fight |
| pungent |
adj |
stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic |
| purse |
v |
pucker; contract into wrinkles |
| qualified |
adj |
limited; restricted |
| quandary |
n |
dilemma |
| quell |
v |
extinguish; put down; quiet |
| querulous |
adj |
fretful; whining |
| quiescent |
adj |
at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive |
| ramble |
v |
wander aimlessly (physically or mentally) |
| rancor |
n |
bitterness; hatred |
| rant |
v |
rave; talk excitedly; scold; make a grandiloquent speech |
| raityf |
v |
approve formally; verify |
| raucous |
adj |
harsh and shrill; disorderly and boisterous |
| raze |
v |
destroy completely |
| rebuttal |
n |
refutation; reponse with contrary evidence |
| recalcitrant |
adj |
obstinately stubbown; determined to resist authority; unruly |
| recant |
v |
disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error |
| receptive |
adj |
quick or willing to receive ideas, suggestions, etc. |
| recluse |
n |
hermit; loner |
| recount |
v |
narrate or tell; count over again |
| rectify |
v |
set right; correct |
| redundant |
adj |
superfluous; repetitious; excessively wordy |
| refute |
v |
disprove |
| relegate |
v |
banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign |
| relevant |
adj |
pertinent; referring to the case in hand |
| relinquish |
v |
give up something with reluctance; yield |
| relish |
v |
savor; enjoy |
| remorse |
n |
guilt; self-reproach |
| renegade |
n |
deserter; traitor |
| renounce |
v |
forswear; repudiate; abandon; discontinue |
| repel |
v |
drive away; disgust |
| replete |
adj |
filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied |
| reprehensible |
adj |
deserving blame |
| repress |
v |
restrain; hold back; crush; suppress |
| reprimand |
v |
reprove severely; rebuke |
| reproach |
v |
express disapproval |
| reprove |
v |
censure; rebuke |
| repudiate |
v |
disown; disavow |
| rescind |
v |
cancel |
| reserve |
n |
self-control; formal but distant manner |
| reisgned |
adj |
unresisting; patiently submissive |
| resolution |
n |
determination; resolve |
| resolve |
n |
determination; firmness of purpose |
| resolve |
v |
decide; settle; solve |
| respite |
n |
interval of relief; time for rest; delay in punishment |
| resplendent |
adj |
dazzling; glorious; brilliant |
| restraint |
n |
controlling force; control over one's emotions |
| reticent |
adj |
reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to be silent |
| reitring |
adj |
modest; shy |
| retract |
v |
withdraw; take back |
| reverent |
adj |
respectful |
| rhetorical |
adj |
pertaining to effective communication; insincere in language |
| rigorous |
adj |
severe; harsh; demanding; exact |
| robust |
adj |
vigorous; strong |
| rudimentaryy |
adj |
not developed; elementary; crude |
| ruthless |
adj |
pitiless; cruel |
| sagacious |
adj |
perceptive; shrewd; having insight |
| sage |
n |
person celebrated for wisdom |
| sanction |
v |
approve; ratify |
| sactuary |
n |
refuge; shelter; shrine; holy place |
| sarcasm |
n |
scornful remarks; stinging rebuke |
| satirical |
adj |
mocking |
| saturate |
v |
soak thoroughly |
| savory |
adj |
tasty; pleasing, attractive, or agreeable |
| scanty |
adj |
meager; insufficient |
| scrupulous |
adj |
conscientious; extremely thorough |
| scrutinize |
v |
examine closely and critically |
| seclusion |
n |
isolation; solitude |
| sectarian |
adj |
relating to a religious faction or subgroup; narrow-minded; limited |
| sedentary |
adj |
requiring sitting |
| sequester |
v |
isolate; retire from public life; segregate; seclude |
| serenity |
n |
calmness; placidity |
| servile |
adj |
slavishly submissive; fawning; cringing |
| sever |
v |
cut; separate |
| severity |
n |
harshness; intensity; austerity; rigidity |
| shrewd |
adj |
clever; astute |
| singular |
adj |
unique; extraordinary; odd |
| skeptical |
adj |
doubting; suspending judgment until one has examined the evidence supporting a point of view |
| slacken |
v |
slow up; loosen |
| slander |
n |
defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements |
| slothful |
adj |
lazy |
| sluggish |
adj |
slow; lazy; lethargic |
| solemnity |
n |
seriousness; gravity |
| solicit |
v |
request earnestly; seek |
| solitude |
n |
state of being alone; seclusion |
| soluble |
adj |
able to be dissolved; able to be explained |
| somber |
adj |
gloomy; depressing; dark; drab |
| sparse |
adj |
not thick; thinly scattered; scanty |
| spendthrift |
n |
someone who wastes money |
| spontaneity |
n |
lack or premeditation; naturalness; freedom from constraint |
| sporadic |
adj |
occuring irregularly |
| spurious |
adj |
false; counterfeit |
| spurn |
v |
reject; scorn |
| squalor |
n |
filth; degradation; dirty, neglected state |
| squander |
v |
waste |
| stagnant |
adj |
motionless; stale; dull |
| stanza |
n |
division of a poem |
| static |
adj |
unchanging; lacking development |
| steadfast |
adj |
loyal; unswerving |
| stoic |
adj |
impassive; unmoved by joy or grief |
| strident |
adj |
loud and harsh; insistent |
| strut |
n |
pompous walk; swagger |
| stupefy |
v |
make numb; stun; amaze |
| subdued |
adj |
less intense; quieter |
| submissive |
adj |
yielding; timid |
| subordinate |
adj |
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive |
| subside |
v |
settle down; descend; grow quiet |
| substantial |
adj |
ample; solid |
| substantiate |
v |
establish by evidence; verify; support |
| subtlety |
n |
perceptiveness; ingenuity; delicacy |
| succinct |
adj |
brief; terse; compact |
| supercilious |
adj |
arrogant; condescending; patronizing |
| superficial |
adj |
trivial; shallow |
| superfluous |
adj |
excessive; overabundant; unnecessary |
| supplant |
v |
replace; usurp |
| suppress |
v |
crush; subdue; inhibit |
| surmount |
v |
overcome |
| surpass |
v |
exceed |
| surreptitious |
adj |
secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden |
| susceptible |
adj |
impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease; receptive to |
| sustain |
v |
experience; support; nourish |
| swindler |
n |
cheat |
| sycophant |
n |
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man |
| symmetry |
n |
arrangement of parts so that balance is obtained; congruity |
| taciturn |
adj |
habitually silent; talking little |
| taint |
v |
contaminate; cause ot lose purity; modify with a trace of something bad |
| tangential |
adj |
peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing |
| tangible |
adj |
able to be touched; real; palable |
| tantamount |
adj |
equivalent in effect or value |
| tedious |
adj |
boring; tiring |
| temper |
v |
moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel) |
| tenacity |
n |
firmness; persistence |
| tertative |
adj |
provisional; experimental; doubtful |
| termination |
n |
end |
| terse |
adj |
concise; abrupt; pithy |
| treadbare |
adj |
worn through till the threads show; shabby and poor |
| thrive |
v |
prosper; flourish |
| tirade |
n |
extended scolding; denunciation; harangue |
| torpor |
n |
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy |
| tractable |
adj |
docile; easily managed |
| tranquility |
n |
calmness; peace |
| transcendent |
adj |
surpassing; exceeding ordinary limits; superior |
| transient |
adj |
momentary; temporary; staying for a short time |
| transparent |
adj |
easily detected; permitting light to pass through freely |
| trepidation |
n |
fear; nervous apprehension |
| trifiling |
adj |
trivial; unimportant |
| trite |
adj |
hackneyed; commonplace |
| trivial |
adj |
unimportant; triffling |
| turbulence |
n |
state of violent agitation |
| turmoil |
n |
great commotion and confusion |
| tyranny |
n |
oppression; cruel government |
| undermine |
v |
weaken; sap |
| uniformity |
n |
sameness; monotony |
| universal |
adj |
characterizing or affecting all; present everywhere |
| unkempt |
adj |
dishevled; uncared for in appearance |
| unprecedented |
adj |
novel; unparalleled |
| unwarranted |
adj |
unjustified; groundless; undeserved |
| usurp |
v |
seize anoterh's power or rank |
| vacillate |
v |
waver; fluctuate |
| venerate |
v |
revere |
| veracity |
n |
truthfulness |
| verbose |
adj |
wordy |
| viable |
adj |
practical or workable; capable of maintaining life |
| vigor |
n |
active stregth |
| vilify |
v |
slander |
| vindicate |
v |
clear from blame; exonerate; justify or support |
| vindictive |
adj |
out for revenge; malicious |
| virtuoso |
n |
highly skilled artist |
| virulent |
adj |
extremely poisonous; hostile; bitter |
| volatile |
adj |
changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly |
| voluble |
adj |
fluent; glib; talkative |
| voluminous |
adj |
bulky; large |
| vulnerable |
adj |
susceptible to wounds |
| whimsical |
adj |
capricious; fanciful |
| willful |
adj |
intentional; headstrong; stubbornly set on getting one's way |
| withhold |
v |
refuse to give; hold back |
| zealot |
n |
fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal |
Science Vocab 147928
