| Word |
Definition |
| Astral | relating to the stars |
| Astringent | causing contraction of soft organic tissues; harsh or severe |
| Astronomical | enormously large or extensive |
| Astute | wise; shrewd; keen |
| Asunder | into parts; apart |
| Asylum | a place of refuge or shelter; protection |
| Asymmetric | not identical on both sides of a dividing central line |
| Atavism | resemblance to remote ancestors rather than to parents; reversion to an earlier type; throwback |
| Atheistic | denying the existence of God |
| Atone | to make amends for; pay for |
| Atrocity | brutal deed |
| Atrophy | wasting away; degeneration |
| Attentive | alert and watchful; considerate; thoughtful |
| Attenuate | to make thin; to weaken |
| Attest | to testify; to bear witness |
| Attribute | essential quality; to ascribe (refer); to explain |
| Attrition | gradual decrease in numbers; reduction in the work force without firing employees |
| Atypical | not normal |
| Audacious | daring; bold |
| Audit | examination of accounts |
| Augment | to increase; to add to |
| Augury | omen; prophecy |
| August | impressive; majestic |
| Aureole | sun's corona; halo |
| Auroral | pertaining to the aurora borealis (northern lights) |
| Auspicious | favoring success; prosperous |
| Austere | stern and cold appearance; simple and unadorn |
| Authenticate | to prove genuine |
| Authoritarian | favoring complete obedience as oppose to individual freedom |
| Authoritative | having the weight of authority; peremptory and dictatorial |
| Autocratic | having absolute, unchecked power; dictatorial |
| Automaton | a mechanism that is relatively self-operating: Robot |
| Autonomous | self-governing; independent |
| Autopsy | examination of a dead body; postmortem |
| Auxiliary | offering or providing help; additional or subsidiary |
| Avalanche | great mass of falling snow and ice |
| Avarice | greediness for wealth |
| Avenge | to take vengeance for something |
| Aver | to state with confidence; declare <She was able to aver the identity of the assailant.> |
| Averse | reluctant; disinclined |
| Aversion | firm dislike |
| Avert | to turn away; to avoid; to prevent |
| Aviary | enclosure for birds |
| Avid | greedy; eager for |
| Avocation | secondary or minor occupation |
| Avow | declare openly |
| Avuncular | like an uncle |
| Awe | overwhelming feeling of wonder |
| Awl | pointed tool used for piercing |
| Awry | distorted; crooked; amiss; askew |
| Axiom | self-evident truth requiring no proof |
| Azure | sky blue |
| Babble | chatter idly |
| Bacchanalian | a drunken feast |
| Badger | pester; annoy |
| Badinage | playful repartee (interchange of clever retorts); banter |
| Baffle | frustrate; perplex |
| Bait | to harass; to tease |
| Baleful | deadly; having a malign influence; ominous |
| Balk | to stop short and refuse to proceed; to refuse abruptly |
| Balk | to foil (to prevent the success of) |
| Ballast | heavy substance used to add stability to weight |
| Balm | a soothing restorative agent |
| Balmy | mild and refreshing; fragrant |
| Banal | Hackneyed; commonplace; trite; lacking originality |
| Bandy | to circulate freely <to bandy gossip>; to exchange |
| Bane | cause of ruin; curse |
| Bantering | to speak or act playfully or wittily |
| Barb | sharp projection from fishhook or other object; openly cutting remark |
