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SAT vocabulary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| resourcefulness | (n) the ability to make decisions and act on your own |
| forage | (v) [of a person or animal] to search widely for food/ [of a person] to search for sth, esp. using the hands |
| acquiesce | (v) to accept or agree to sth, often unwillingly |
| reverence | (n) a feeling of respect or admiration for sb or sth |
| reconcile | (v) to find a way in which 2 situations or beliefs that are opposed to each other can agree and exist together/ to make people become friends again after an argument or a disagreement |
| conducive (to sth) | (a) making it easy, possible or likely for sth to happen |
| courtesy | (n) polite behavior that shows respect for other people/ providing the right condition for sth good to happen or exist |
| intelligible | (a) capable of being understood or comprehended |
| confinement | (n) the situation in which a person or animal is kept somewhere, usually by force |
| scout | (v) explore an area to obtain information (as about an enemy)/ (n) one sent out to get information |
| murmur | (v) complain about sth that you disagree with or dislike, but not in a public way |
| hostility | (n) strong and angry opposition towards an idea, a plan or a situation |
| prairie | (n) a wide area of flat land without trees in Canada and the northern US |
| prosecute | (v) engage in, perform/ bring legal action against for redress or punishment of a crime or violation of law |
| tariff | (n) a tax that is paid on goods coming into or going out of a country/ a list of fixed prices that are charged by a hotel or restaurant for rooms, meals,… or by a company for a particular service |
| aristocracy | (n) a class or group of people believed to be superior (as in rank, wealth, or intellect) |
| tyranny | (n) oppressive power/ an oppressive, harsh, or unjust act |
| ordain | (v) to officially make sb a priest or other religious leader, in a religious ceremony/ to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law/ destine |
| precipitate | (v) to move or act with violent or unwise speed |
| compromised | (a) made vulnerable (as to attack or misuse) by unauthorized access, revelation, or exposure |
| omnipresent | (a) present or having an effect everywhere at the same time |
| cumbersome | (a) large and heavy/ difficult to carry |
| obscure | (a) not readily understood or clearly expressed |
| abysmal | (a) extremely poor or bad |
| affinity | (n) an attraction to or liking for sth/ likeness based on relationship or casual connection |
| allegiance | (n) loyalty and support for a ruler, country, group, or belief |
| morality | (n) virtue, moral conduct |
| magnanimous | (a) kind, generous and forgiving, esp. towards an enemy or competitor you have defeated |
| felicity | (n) the quality or state of being happy/ sth that causes happiness |
| execution | (n) the act of doing a piece of work, performing a duty, or putting a plan into action |
| inveterate | (a) confirmed in a habit, habitual/ firmly established by long persistence |
| amicable | (a) characterized by friendly goodwill, peaceable |
| animosity | (n) strong dislike, opposition, or anger |
| inducement | (n) a motive or consideration that leads one to action or to additional or more effective actions |
| infatuation | (n) a feeling of foolish or obsessively strong love for, admiration for, or interest in sb or sth |
| congeniality | (n) friendly concern, interest, and support |
| enjoin | (v) [US] to legally force sb to do sth or stop doing sth |
| inveterate | (a) sb who does sth very often and cannot stop doing it (eg. liar, gambler, enemies,…) |
| plight | (n) an unfortunate, difficult, or precarious situation |
| ecotype | (n) the type or race of a plant or animal that has adapted to live in particular local conditions |
| precipitous | (a) very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging in rise or fall |
| seismic | (a) of, subject to, or caused by an earthquake/ having very great and usually damaging effects |
| opaque | (a) preventing light from travelling through, not transparent/ [of speech, writing] difficult to understand |
| dimension | (n) a lifelike or realistic quality/ the degree to which sth extends (scope)/ one of the elements or factors making up a completely personality (aspect) |
| exertion | (n) the use of a lot of mental or physical effort/ the use of sth such as authority, power, influence, etc. in order to make sth happen |
| protocol | (n) a detailed plan of a scientific or medical experiment, treatment, or procedure |
| primodial | (a) existing in or persisting from the beginning/ fundamental, primary |
| resonance | (n) the quality of being loud and clear/ the production of a sound as a result of vibration of another object |
| stigma | (n) a set of negative and unfair beliefs that a society or group of people have about sth |
| oscillation | (n) repeated movement from one position to another/ repeated change from one feeling or opinion to another |
| intrepid | (a) characterized by resolute fearlessness and endurance |
| semantic | (a) connected with the meanings of words |
| self-righteous | (a) believing that your ideas and behavior are morally better than those of other people |
| beseeching | (a) showing in an emotional way that sb wants or needs sth very much |
| censorious | (a) often criticizing other people |
| contemptuous | (a) expressing contempt |
| terrestrial | (a) relating to the earth/ [of a planet] similar to Earth |
| zeitgeist | (n) the general set of ideas, beliefs, feelings, etc. that is typical of a particular period in history |
| trepidation | (n) fear or worry about what is going to happen |
| distillation | (n) the process or result of getting the essential meaning, ideas or information from sth |
| tenuous | (a) [of connection, idea, or situation] weak and possibly does not exist |
| primeval | (a) ancient; existing at or from a very early time |
| inarticulate | (a) not able to express ideas or feelings clearly or easily |
| cease | (v) to come to an end esp. gradually |
| inept | (a) not skilled or effective |
| treacherous | (a) marked by hidden dangers, hazards, or perils |
| perilous | (a) extremely dangerous, full of or involving peril |
| profundity | (n) the quality of showing a clear and deep understanding of serious matters/ [usually plural] a mark or thought that shows, or is intended to show, great understanding |
| endeavor | (v) to attempt by exertion of effort/ serious determined effort |
| conservative | (a) not usually liking or trusting change, esp. sudden change/ tending or inclined to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions |
| tolerable | (a) moderately good or agreeable |
| vindicate | (v) to prove that what sb said or did was right or true, after other people thought it was wrong |
| precedent | (n) an action, situation, or decision that has already happened and can be used as a reason why a similar action or decision should be performed or made |
| ecclesiastical | (a) belonging to or connected with the Christian religion |
| hypocrisy | (n) behavior that contradicts what one claims to believe or feel |
| lucidity | (n) clearness of thought or style |
| subversive | (a) trying to destroy or damage sth, esp. an established political system |
| shrewdness | (n) clear understanding and good judgment of a situation, usually resulting in an advantage |
| forbearance | (n) the quality of being patient and being able to forgive sb or control yourself in a difficult situation |
| hurdle | (n) a frame or fence for jumping over in a race |
| plague | (v) to cause worry, pain, or difficulty to sb or sth over a period of time/ to annoy sb, esp. by asking repeated questions |
| condescend (to do sth) | do sth that you think is below your social or professional position to do |
| bestow | (v) to give sth as an honour or present |
| wont (to do sth) | to often do sth |
| ascendancy | (n) a position of power, strength, or success |
| mediate | (v) to talk to 2 separate people or groups involved in a disagreement to try to help them to agree or find a solution to their problems |
| obstinate | (a) [usually disapproving] unreasonably determined, esp. to act in a particular way and not to change at all, despite what anyone else says |
| aggregate | (n) sth formed by adding together several amounts or things/ (a) total |
| belligerent | (a) [disapproving] wishing to fight or argue/ [formal] fighting a war |
| intercede | (v) to use your influence to persuade sb in authority to forgive another person, or save this person from punishment |
| barbarian | (n) a member of a group of people from a very different country or culture that is considered to be less socially advanced and more violent than your own/ [disapproving] a person with little education who has no interest in art and culture |
| narco-trafficking | drug trafficking |
| ascribe (sth to sth) | [formal] to believe or say that sth is caused by sth else |
| remuneration | payment for work or services |
| diplomatic | (a) involving diplomats or the management of the relationships between countries/ [approving] acting in a way that doesn’t cause offence |
| jocularity | (n) [formal] the quality of being happy and liking to make jokes |
| cynicism | (n) [disapproving] the belief that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere/ the fact of using sb’s feelings or emotions to your own advantage |
| mitigate | (v) [formal] to make sth less harmful, unpleasant, or bad |
| exacerbate | (v) to make sth that is already bad even worse |
| indictment | (n) [usually singular] sth that shows a policy, system, society, etc. is bad or wrong |
| riot | (n) an occasion when a large number of people behave in a noisy, violent, and uncontrolled way in public, often as a protest |
| allegation | (n) a statement, made without giving proof, that sb has done sth wrong or illegal |
| substantiate | (v) to show sth to be true, or to support a claim with facts |
| antagonize | (v) to make sb dislike you or feel opposed to you |
| decorum | (n) behavior that is controlled, calm, and polite |
| impartiality | (n) the fact of not supporting any of the sides involved in an argument |
| epilogue | (n) a speech or piece of text that is added to the end of a play or book, often giving a short statement about what happens to the characters after the play or book finishes |
| improvise | (v) to invent or make sth, such as a speech or device, at the time when it is needed without already having planned it |
| epitomize | (v) to be a perfect example of a quality or type of thing |
| turmoil | (n) a state of confusion, uncertainty, or disorder |
| indifference | (n) lack of interest in sb or sth |
| pathetic | (a) causing feelings of sadness, sympathy, or sometimes lack of respect, esp. because a person or an animal is suffering |
| blasphemy | (n) irreverent behavior toward anything held sacred, priceless |
| salient | (a) [formal] [of facts/qualities] the most important thing about a particular thing |
| arbitrary | (a) based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason/ [disapproving] using unlimited personal power without considering other people’s rights or wishes |
| paradigm | (n) a model of sth, or a very clear and typical example of sth |
| spurious | (a) of a deceitful nature or quality |
| irrational | (a) lacking usual or normal mental clarity or coherence |
| reciprocate | (v) [formal] to share the same feelings as sb else, or to behave in the same way as sb else/ [engineering] [of a part of a machine] moves backwards and forwards |
| allude to sb/sth | [formal] to mention sb or sth without talking about him, her, or it directly |
| luster | (n) the brightness that a shiny surface has/ a very special, attractive quality that people admire |
| penetrate | (v) to move into or through sth/ to succeed in becoming part of an organization, etc. and working within it/ to reach or affect sth |
| contemplate | (v) to spend time considering a possible future action, or to consider one particular thing for a long time in a serious and quiet way |
| prosecution | (n) the act of officially accusing sb of committing an illegal act, esp. by bringing a case against that person in a court of law |
| suffrage | (n) the right to vote in an election, esp. to vote for representatives in a gov |
| protestation | (n) an act of saying sth forcefully or complaining about sth |
| enshrine | (v) to contain or keep sth as if in a holy place |
| intervention | (n) intentional action to change a situation, with the aim of improving it or preventing it from getting worse |
| subduction | (n) a situation in which of one of the earth’s plates slides under another, often causing an earthquake or volcano |
| voluptuous | (a) [of a woman] soft, curved, sexually attractive body/ [of an experience/ object] makes you feel comfortable because it sounds or looks extremely beautiful |
| anachronism | (n) a person, thing, or idea that exists out of its time in history, esp. one that happened or existed later than the period being shown, discussed, etc. |
| synopsis | (n) a short description of the contents of sth such as a film or book |
| extravaganza | (n) a large, exciting, and expensive event or entertainment |
| compunction | (n) [formal] a slight guilty feeling about sth you have done or might do |
| vexation | (n) worry or anger/ sth that is worrying or annoying |
| imprudent | (a) [formal] unwise, by falling to consider the likely results of your actions |
| derision | (n) the situation in which sb or sth is laughed at and considered stupid or of no value |
| sophistry | (n) [formal] the clever use of arguments that seem true but are really false, in order to deceive people |
| indolence | (n) [literary] the state of showing no real interest or effort |
| scorn | (n) a very strong feeling of no respect for sb or sth that you think is stupid or has no value |
| disdain | (n) [formal] the feeling of not liking sb or sth and thinking that they do not deserve your interest or respect |
| retort | (v) to answer sb quickly in an angry or funny way/ (n) a container in which substances are heated at high temperatures, esp. in a factory |
| merit | (n) [formal] the quality of being good and deserving praise |
| deduction | (n) the process of reaching a decision or answer by thinking about the known facts, or the decision that is reached |
| pay tribute to sb/sth | to praise sb or sth |
| consensus | (n) a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people |
| cogency | (n) the fact of being clearly expressed and likely to persuade people |
| pecuniary | (a) [formal] relating to money |
| retard | (v) [formal] to make sth slower |
| sinister | (a) making you feel that sth bad or evil might happen |
| delegate | (n) a person chosen or elected by a group to speak, vote, etc. for them, esp. at a meeting |
| transpire | (v) to happen, take place, occur/ to become known or to be revealed |
| remonstrance | (n) [formal] a complaint to sb or about sth |
| perfidy | (n) [literary] behaviour that is not loyal |
| impenetrable | (a) impossible to see through or go through |
| sovereignty | (n) the power of a country to control its own gov |
| delineate | (v) [formal] to describe or mark the edge of sth |
| rationale | (n) [formal] the reasons or intentions that cause a particular set of beliefs or actions |
| nationalism | (n) a nation’s wish and attempt to be politically independent/ a great or too great love of your own country |
| juxtaposition | (n) the fact of putting things that are not similar next to each other |
| propaganda | (n) information, ideas, opinions, or images, often only giving one part of an argument, that are broadcast, published, or in some other way spread with the intention of influencing people’s opinions |
| petition | (n) a document signed by a large number of people demanding or asking for some action from the gov or another authority |
| catalyst | (n) an event or person that causes great change |
| obscurity | (n) the state of not being known to many people |
| self-sustaining | (a) able to continue to exist without help from anyone or anything else |
| incommunicado | (a) not communicating with anyone else because you do not want to or are not allowed to |
| torturous | (a) involving a lot of suffering or difficulty |
| indignant | (a) angry because of sth that is wrong or not fair |
| dispassionate | (a) able to think clearly or make good decisions because of not being influenced by emotions |
| coalition | (n) the joining together of different political parties or groups for a particular purpose, usually for a limited time, or a gov that is formed in this way |
| refuge | (n) (a place that gives) protection or shelter from danger, trouble, unhappiness, etc. |
| outage | (n) a period when a service, such as electricity, is not available |
| repeal | (v) to annul (a law) by authoritative act |
| trample | (v) to step heavily on sth or sb, causing damage or injury |
| apothecary | (n) a person who in the past made and sold medicines |
| apocryphal | (a) [formal] [of a story] probably not true although the story is often told and believed by some people to have happened |
| sneering | (a) [disapproving] rude and not showing respect |
| hideous | (a) extremely ugly or bad |
| nimble | (a) [usually approving] quick and exact either in movement or thoughts |
| abscond | (v) to go away suddenly and secretly (in order to escape from sw/ because you have stolen sth, esp. money) |
| loathsome | (a) extremely unpleasant |
| menace | (n) [usually singular] sth that is likely to cause harm/ a dangerous quality that makes you think sb is going to do sth bad |
| charlatan | (n) [disapproving] a person who pretends to have skills or knowledge that they do not have, esp. in medicine |
| heredity | (n) the process by which characteristics are given from a parent to their child through the genes |
| encode | (v) [often passive] to change sth into a system for sending messages secretly, or to represent complicated information in a simple and short way/ [language] to use a word or phrase in a foreign language in the correct way |
| constellation | (n) any of the groups of stars in the sky that seem from earth to form a pattern and have been given names/ [often humorous] a group of famous or admired people all together in one place |
| monumental | (a) highly significant, outstanding/ very big, very great |
| mutation | (n) the way in which genes change and produce permanent differences |
| anthropology | (n) the study of the human race, its culture and society, and its physical development |
| remediation | (n) the process of improving or correcting a situation |
| cluster | (n) a group of similar things that are close together, sometimes surrounding sth |
| prevail | (v) [formal] to get control or influence/ to be common among a group of people are area at a particular time |
| oppression | (n) a situation in which people are governed in an unfair and cruel way and prevented from having opportunities and freedom/ a feeling of being very uncomfortable and worried |
| intercourse | (n) [old-fashioned formal] conversation and social activity between people |
| countenance | (n) [formal] the appearance or expression of sb’s face |
| despotic | (a) having unlimited power over other people, and often using it fairly and cruelly |
| persecution | (n) unfair or cruel treatment over a long period of time because of race, religion, or political beliefs |
| subversive | (a) [formal] trying to destroy or damage sth, esp. an established political system |
| dispose | (v) to make sb feel a particular, and often bad, way toward sb else, or to influence sb in a particular way |
| transcribe | (v) to record sth written, spoken, or played by writing it down |
| conundrum | (n) a problem that is difficult to deal with/ a question that is a trick, often involving a humorous use of words that have two meanings |
| posturing | (n) [disapproving] behaviour or speech that is intended to attract attention and interest, or to make people believe sth that is not true |
| derive | (v) to get or obtain sth |
| strenuous | (a) needing or using a lot of physical or mental effort or energy |
| primitive | (a) relating to human society at a very early stage of development, with people living in a simple way without machines or a writing system/ [disapproving] [of living conditions] basic, unpleasant, and uncomfortable |
| inanimate | (a) having none of the characteristics of life that an animal or plant has |
| infliction | (n) the action of forcing sb to experience sth very unpleasant |
| resolute | (a) [formal] determined in character, action, or ideas |
| strained | (a) showing that sb is nervous or worried |
| abhorrent | (a) [formal] morally very bad |
| indignation | (n) anger about a situation that you think is wrong or not fair |
| vacuum | (n) a lack of sth |
| in a vacuum | (phrase) kept separate from other people and activities |
| arbitrariness | (n) the quality of being based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason |
| monarchist | (n) a person who supports the system of having a king or queen |
| extenuate | (v) [formal] to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it |
| attentuate | (v) [formal] to make sth less or weaker/ to make sth longer and thinner |
| accentuate | (v) to emphasize a particular feature of sth or to make sth more noticeable |
| gloss over sth | (phr v) to avoid considering sth, such as an embarrassing mistake, to make it seem not important, and to quickly continue talking about sth else |
| rescind | (v) [formal] to make a law, agreement, order, or decision no longer have any (legal) power |
| ferret sth out | (phr v) [informal] to find out a piece of information or find sb or sth, after looking in many places or asking many questions |
| enact | (v) [often passive] to put sth into action, esp. to make sth law |
| bequeath | (v) [formal] to arrange for money or property to be given to sb after your death |
| condemn | (v) to criticize sth or sb strongly, usually for moral reasons |
| tactic | (n) a planned way of doing sth |
| poignant | (a) causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness |
| reintegrate | (v) to make or be made into a whole again |
| subtle | (a) [approving] not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way/ small but important/ achieved in a quiet way that does not attract attention to itself and is therefore good or clever |
| listlessly | (adv) in a way that shows you have no energy and enthusiasm and are unwilling to do anything needing effort |
| revelation | (n) the act of making sth known that was secret, or fact that is made known |
| brevity | (n) using only a few words or lasting only a short time |
| quiver | (v) to shake lightly, often because of strong emotion |
| transient | (a) lasting for only a short time; temporary |
| perplexed | (a) confused, because sth is difficult to understand or solve |
| flatter | (v) to make sb feel important or attractive, or to praise sb in order to please him or her |
| squander | (v) to waste money or supplies, or to waste opportunities by not using them to your advantage |
| dismissive | (a) showing that you do not think sth is worth considering |
| despondency | (n) the quality of being unhappy, with no hope or enthusiasm |
| console | (v) to make sb who is sad or disappointed feel better, usually by giving them comfort or sympathy |
| apparatus | (n) a set of equipment or tools or a machine that is used for a particular purpose/ an organization or system, esp. a political one |
| indolent | (a) [literary] showing no real interest or effort |
| celibate | (a) not “doing it”, esp. because you have made a religious promise not to |
| asceticism | (n) the practice of living a simple life without physical pleasures, often for religious reasons |
| frivolous | (a) behaving in a silly way and not taking anything seriously/ [of an activity or object] silly or not important rather than useful or serious |
| austerity | (n) the condition of living without unnecessary things and without comfort, with limited money or goods, or a practice, habit, or experience that is typical of this |
| austere | (a) very simple, with only the only things that are absolutely necessary, esp. because of severe limits on money or goods |
| decadent | (a) [of a person or group] having low moral standards |
| replete | (a) [formal] full, esp. with food/ well supplied |
| concoct | (v) to make sth, usually food, by adding several different parts together, often in a way that is original or not planned/ to invent an excuse, explanation, or story in order to deceive sb |
| pervasive | (a) [formal] present or noticeable in every part of a thing or place |
| lineage | (n) [formal] the members of a person’s family who are directly related to that person and who lived a long time before him or her |
| contour | (n) the shape of a mass of land or other object, esp. its curved surface or the curved shape formed by its outer edge |
| fabrication | (n) the act of inventing false information in order to deceive sb, or the false information itself |
| plaintiff | (n) sb who makes a legal complaint against sb else in court |
| segregation | (n) the policy of keeping one group of people apart from another and treating them differently, esp. because of race, sex, or religion |
| sanction | (n) an official order, such as the stopping of trade, that is taken against a country in order to make it obey international law |
| retard | (v) to make sth slower |
| coinage | (n) a set of coins of different values used in a country’s money system |
| aspire (to sth) | (v) to want sth very much or hope to achieve sth or be successful |
| disparity | (n) a lack of equality or similarity, esp. in a way that is not fair |
| didactic | (a) [mainly disapproving] intended to teach, esp. in a way that is too determined or eager, and often fixed and unwilling to change |
| comical | (a) funny in a strange or silly way |
| aversion | (n) (a person or thing that causes) a feeling of strong dislike or of not wishing to do sth |
| afflict | (v) to make sb or sth suffer physically or mentally |
| contention | (n) the disagreement that results from opposing arguments/ an opinion expressed in an argument |
| overwhelm | (v) to defeat sb or sth by using a lot of force |
| communism | (n) the belief in a society without different social classes in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members, and everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need |
| fatality | (n) a death caused by an accident or by violence, or sb who has died in either of these ways |
| momentum | (n) the quality that keeps an event developing or making progress after it has started/ [physics] the force that keeps an object moving |
| apt | (a) suitable or right for a particular situation |
| circulation | (n) the process in which sth such as information, money, or goods passes from one person to another |
| obliterate | (v) to remove all signs of sth, either by destroying it or by covering it so that it cannot be seen/ to make an idea or feeling disappear completely |
| impractical | (a) [of people] not naturally good at doing useful jobs such as making or repairing things/ [of arrangements, ideas, or methods] cannot be done or used easily or effectively |
| outrageous | (a) shocking and morally unacceptable/ used to describe sth or sb that is shocking because they are unusual or strange |
| wither | (v) (to cause sth) to become weak and dry and decay/ to slowly disappear, lose importance, or become weaker |
| intricate | (a) having a lot of small parts that are arranged in a complicated or delicated way/ with many complicated details that make sth difficult to understand |
| ingenious | (a) [of a person] very intelligent and skillful/ [of a thing] skillfully made or planned and involving new ideas and methods |
| pristine | (a) [formal] [approving] new or almost new, and in very good condition |
| repudiate | (v) to refuse to accept sth or sb as true, good, or reasonable |
| assertive | (a) [of a person] behaves confidently and is not frightened to say what they want or believe |
| indefatigably | (adv) [formal] in an always determined and energetic way, never willing to admit defeat |
| homogeneous | (a) consisting of parts or people that are similar to each other or are of the same type |
| arbiter | (n) sb who makes a judgment, solves an argument, or decides what will be done |
| longitudinal | (a) [of research] to be done on people or groups over a long period of time |
| buttress | (v) to make support for an idea or argument stronger by providing a good reason for it |
| corroborate | (v) [formal] to add proof to an account, statement, idea, etc. with new information |
| palpable | (a) so obvious that it can easily be seen or known/ [of a feeling] so strong that it seems as if it can be touched or physically felt |
| scrupulous | (a) extremely honest |
| evince | (v) to make sth obvious or show sth clearly |
| preclude | (v) to prevent sth or make it impossible, or prevent sb from doing sth |
| insinuate | (v) to suggest, without being direct, that sth unpleasant is true |
| jargon | (n) [usually disapproving] special words and phrases that are used by particular groups of people, esp. in their work |
| pertinent | (a) [formal] relating directly to the subject being considered |
| ornate | (a) having a lot of complicated decoration/ [mainly disapproving] [of language] containing too many complicated words or phrases |
| lofty | (a) [formal] [of ideas] to be of a high moral standards/ [disapproving] [of a person] if one has this way of behaving or talking, they act as if they think they are better than other people |
| magnate | (n) a person who is very rich and successful in business or industry |
| mar | (v) [formal] to spoil sth, making it less good or less enjoyable |
| nuance | (n) a very slight difference in appearance, meaning, sound, etc. |
| oblivion | (n) the state of being completely forgotten/ the state of being completely destroyed |
| momentous | (a) very important because of effects on future events |
| poignant | (a) causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness |
| frivolous | (a) behaving in a silly way and not taking anything seriously/ [of an activity or object] to be silly or not important rather than useful or serious |
| esoteric | (a) very unusual and understood or liked by only a small number of people, esp. those with special knowledge |
| artifice | (n) [formal] (the use of) a clever trick or sth intended to deceive |
| concur | (v) [formal] to agree or have the same opinion |
| voluble | (a) [formal] speaking a lot, with confidence and enthusiasm/ involving a lot of words spoken confidently and forcefully |
| impasse | (n) a point in a process at which further progress is blocked, esp. by disagreement |
| husbandry | (n) the careful use of money, food, supplies, etc./ farming |
| docile | (a) quiet and easy to influence, persuade, or control |
| connoisseur | (n) a person who knows a lot about and enjoys one of the arts, or food, drink, etc. and can judge quality and skill in that subject |
| banal | (a) too often used in the past and therefore not interesting |
| facile | (a) easy or too easy, not needing effort/ [of a remark or theory] too simple and has not been thought about enough |
| hypocrite | (n) [disapproving] sb who says they have particular moral beliefs but behaves in way that shows these are not sincere |
| fortitude | (n) [formal] courage over a long period |
| volatile | (a) likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, esp. by getting worse |
| parry | (v) to manage cleverly to avoid dealing with a difficult question or some criticism |
| novice | (n) a person who is not experienced in a job or situation |
| lament | (v) to express sadness and feeling sorry but sth |
| integral | (a) necessary and important as a part of a whole |
| mandate | (n) the authority given to an elected group of people, such as a government, to perform an action or govern a country |
| paradox | (n) a situation or statement that seems impossible or is difficult to understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics |
| opaque | (a) preventing light from travelling through, and therefore not transparent or translucent/ [of speech or writing] difficult to understand |
| pious | (a) strongly believe in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief |
| integrity | (n) the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles that you refuse to change |
| mundane | (a) very ordinary and therefore not interesting |
| obscure | (a) not known to many people |
| viable | (a) able to work as intended or able to succeed |
| zenith | (n) the best or most successful point or time |
| undermine | (v) to make sb less confident, less powerful, or less likely to succeed, or to make sth weaker, often gradually |
| alacrity | (n) speed and eagerness |
| callous | (a) unkind, cruel, and without sympathy or feeling for other people |
| tacit | (a) understood without being expressed directly/ not expressing or talking about sth directly or openly |
| sage | (a) wise, esp. as a result of great experience |
| perceptive | (a) very good at noticing and understanding things that many people do not notice |
| sombre | (a) serious, sad, and without humour or entertainment |
| rustic | (a) simple and often rough in appearance/ typical of the countryside |
| stagnant | (a) (of water or air) not flowing or moving, and smelling unpleasant |
| subordinate | (a) having a lower or less important position |
| ubiquitous | (a) seeming to be everywhere |
| oblivious | (a) not conscious of sth, esp. what is happening around you |
| unorthodox | (a) different from what is usual or expected in behavior, ideas, methods, etc. |
| affable | (a) friendly and easy to talk to |
| acrid | (a) strong, bitter, and unpleasant |
| wry | (a) showing that you find a bad or difficult situation slightly funny |
| anachronism | (n) a person, thing, or idea that exists out of its time in history, esp. one that happened or existed later than the period being shown |
| candor | (n) the quality of being honest and telling the truth, esp. about a difficult or embarrassing subject |
| belligerent | (a) [disapproving] wishing to fight or argue/ [formal] fighting a war |
| pervasive | (a) [formal] present or noticeable in every part of a thing or place |
| ominous | (a) suggesting that sth unpleasant is likely to happen |
| mercenary | (a) [disapproving] interested only in the amount of money that you can get from a situation |
| watershed | (n) an event or period that is important because it represents a big change in how people do or think about sth |
| accolade | (n) praise and approval |
| arcane | (a) mysterious and known only by a few people |
| ruthless | (a) not thinking or worrying about any pain caused to others; cruel |
| monotonous | (a) not changing and therefore boring |
| intrinsic | (a) being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing |
| onerous | (a) [formal] difficult to do or needing a lot of effort |
| parochial | (a) [disapproving] showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, esp. those that directly affect yourself, your town, or your country |
| unequivocal | (a) total, or expressed in a clear and certain way |
| abrasive | (a) rude and unfriendly/ [of a substance] slightly rough, and often used for cleaning surfaces |
| bastion | (n) sth that keeps or defends a belief or a way of life that is disappearing or threatened |
| chagrin | (n) [formal] disappointment or anger, esp. when caused by a failure or mistake |
| clamour | (v) to make a loud complaint or demand |
| deft | (a) skillful, clever, or quick |
| equivocal | (a) [formal] not clear and seeming to have two opposing meanings, or confusing and able to be understood in two different ways |
| furtive | (a) [of people] behaving secretly and often dishonestly, or [of actions] done secretly and often dishonestly |
| incipient | (a) [formal] just beginning |
| maverick | (n) a person who thinks and acts in an independent way, often behaving differently from the expected or usual way |
| fickle | (a) [disapproving] likely to change your opinion or your feelings suddenly and without a good reason |
| manifesto | (n) a written statement of the beliefs, aims, and policies of an organization, esp. a political party |
| proximity | (n) the state of being near in space or time |
| tentative | (a) [of a plan or idea] not certain or agreed, or [of a suggestion or action] said or done in a careful but uncertain way because you do not know if you are right |
| florid | (a) with too much decoration or detail |
| unctuous | (a) [formal] [disapproving] [of people or behavior] expresses too much praise, interest, friendliness, etc. in a way that is false and unpleasant |
| stoicism | (n) [formal] the quality of experiencing pain or trouble without complaining or showing your emotions |
| enmity | (n) a feeling of hate |
| didactic | (a) [mainly disapproving] intended to teach, esp. in a way that is too determined or eager, and often fixed and unwilling to change |
| concord | (n) [formal] agreement and peace between countries and people |
| appease | (v) [often disapproving] to prevent further disagreement or fighting by letting the opposing side have sth that they want |
| sporadic | (a) happening sometimes, not regular or continuous |
| orthodox | (a) [of beliefs, ideas, or activities] considered traditional, normal, and acceptable by most people |
| respite | (n) [formal] a pause or rest from sth difficult or unpleasant/ a useful delay before sth unpleasant happens |
| utilitarian | (a) designed to be useful rather than decorative |
| marshal | (v) to bring together or organize people or things in order to achieve a particular aim/ (n) sb who is involved in a public event, esp. a famous people chosen to lead a parade |
| superfluous | (a) more than is needed or wanted |
| transient | (a) [formal] lasting for only a short time, temporary |
| aberration | (n) [formal] a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving |
| cogent | (a) [formal] [of an argument, reason, etc.] to be clearly expressed and persuades people to believe it |
| diffident | (a) shy and not confident of your abilities |
| acumen | (n) [formal] skill in making correct decisions and judgments in a particular subject, such as business or politics |
| condone | (v) to accept or allow behaviour that is wrong |
| dearth | (n) [formal] an amount or supply that isn’t large enough |
| temperate | (a) [of weather conditions] neither very hot nor very cold |
| finesse | (n) great skill or style/ (v) to deal with a situation or a person in a skillful and often slightly dishonest way/ (v) to improve sth so it is the best it can possibly be |
| adulation | (n) very great admiration or praise for sb, esp. when it is more than is deserved |
| extricate | (v) [formal] to remove sth or set sth free with difficulty |
| copious | (a) in large amounts, or more than enough |
| rescind | (v) [formal] to make a law, agreement, order, or decision no longer have any (legal) power |
| confound | (v) to confuse and very much surprise sb, so that they are unable to explain or deal with a situation |
| potent | (a) very powerful, forceful, or effective |
| static | (a) staying in one place without moving, or not changing for a long time |
| atheist | (n) [religion] sb who doesn’t believe in any god or gods, or who believes that no god or gods exist |
| divisive | (a) [disapproving] tending to cause disagreements that separate people |
| jubilant | (a) feeling or expressing great happiness, esp. because of a success |
| languid | (a) [literary] moving or speaking slowly with little energy, often in an attractive way |
| congenial | (a) friendly and pleasant |
| polemical | (a) [formal] [of a piece of writing or a speech] strongly attacking or defending a particular opinion, person, idea, or set of beliefs |
| usurp | (v) [formal] to take control of a position of power, esp. without having the right to |
| taciturn | (a) tending not to speak much |
| fastidious | (a) giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect/ having a strong dislike of anything dirty or unpleasant |
| recluse | (n) a person who lives alone and avoids going outside or talking to other people |
| meagre | (a) [of amounts or numbers] very small or not enough |
| dogmatic | (a) [disapproving] [of a person or a group] strongly expressing your beliefs as if they were facts |
| strut | (v) to walk in a proud way trying to look important |
| myopia | (n) a condition in which sb can’t clearly see things that are far away |
| pristine | (a) [formal approving] new or almost new, and in very good condition |
| stoic | (a) determined not to complain or show your feelings, esp. when sth bad happens to you |
| negate | (v) [formal] to cause sth to have no effect |
| amalgam | (n) a combination of parts that create a complete whole |
| opulent | (a) expensive and luxurious |
| lithe | (a) young, healthy, attractive, and able to move and bend smoothly |
| strident | (a) expressing or expressed in forceful language that does not try to avoid upsetting other people |
| uncouth | (a) [disapproving] behaving in a rude, unpleasant way |
| surfeit | (n) [formal] an amount that is too large, or is more than is needed |
| torpor | (n) [formal] the state of not being active and having no energy or enthusiasm |
| incisive | (a) expressing an idea or opinion in a clear and direct way that shows good understanding of what is important |
| gullible | (a) easily deceived or tricked, and too willing to believe everything that other people say |
| deplore | (v) [formal] to say or think that sth is very bad |
| epitome | (n) the typical or highest example of a stated quality, as shown by a particular person or thing |
| apathetic | (a) showing no interest or energy and unwilling to take action, esp. over sth important |
| prudent | (a) careful and avoiding risks |
| eclectic | (a) consisting of different types, methods, styles, etc. |
| oblique | (a) [of remarks] to not be direct, so that the real meaning is not immediately clear |
| noxious | (a) [formal] harmful and unpleasant |
| indulgent | (a) allowing sb to have or do what they want, esp. when this is not good for them |
| antipathy | (n) a feeling of strong dislike, opposition, or anger |
| precursor | (n) [formal] sth that happened or existed before another thing, esp. if it either developed into it and had an influence on it |
| dispel | (v) to remove fears, doubts, and false ideas, usually by proving them wrong or unnecessary |
| turpitude | (n) [formal] evil |
| paltry | (a) [of an amount of money] very small and of little or no value |
| inimical | (a) [formal] harmful or limiting |
| gregarious | (a) [of people] liking to be with other people |
| atrophy | (v) [of a part of the body] to be reduced in size and therefore strength, or, more generally, to become weaker |
| cynic | (n) [disapproving] a person who believes that people are only interested in themselves and are not sincere |
| preclude | (v) [formal] to prevent sth or make it impossible, or prevent sb from doing sth |
| deferential | (a) polite and showing respect |
| engender | (v) [formal] to make people have a particular feeling or make a situation start to exist |
| elliptical | (a) [formal] [of a language] having parts missing, so that the language is sometimes difficult to understand |
| sanction | (n) a strong action taken in order to make people obey a law or rule, or a punishment given when they do not obey/ (n) approval or permission, esp. formal or legal/ (v) to formally give permission for sth |
| agnostic | (n) sb who does not know, or believes that it is impossible to know, if a god exists/ (n) sb who does not know or does not have an opinion about whether sth is true, good, correct, etc. |
| cryptic | (a) mysterious and difficult to understand |
| inert | (a) not moving or not able to move |
| morose | (a) unhappy, annoyed, and unwilling to speak or smile |
| obliterate | (v) to make an idea or feeling disappear completely |
| panacea | (n) sth that will solve all problems |
| veracity | (n) [formal] the quality of being true, honest, or accurate |
| stigmatize | (v) [often passive] to treat sb or sth unfairly by disapproving of him, her, or it |
| quiescent | (a) [formal] temporarily quiet and not active |
| hiatus | (n) [formal] a short pause in which nothing happens or is said, or a space where sth is missing |
| staunch | (a) always loyal in supporting a person, organization, or set of beliefs or opinions/ (v) to stop sth happening, or to stop liquid, esp. blood, from flowing out |
| austere | (a) very simple, with only the things that are absolutely necessary, esp. because of severe limits on money or goods |
| malaise | (n) [formal] a general feeling of being ill or having no energy, or an uncomfortable feeling that sth is wrong, esp. with society, and that you cannot change the situation |
| penchant | (n) [usually singular] a liking for, an enjoyment of, or a habit of doing sth, esp. sth that other people might not like |
| rigorous | (a) [approving] careful to look at or consider every part of sth to make certain it is correct or safe |
| profound | (a) felt or experienced very strongly or in an extreme way |
| archetype | (n) a typical example of sth, or the original model of sth from which others are copied |
| debacle | (n) a complete failure, esp. because of bad planning and organization |
| supercilious | (a) [disapproving] behaving as if you are better than other people, and that their opinions, beliefs, or ideas are not important |
| viable | (a) able to work as intended or able to succeed |
| trepidation | (n) [formal] fear or worry about what is going to happen |
| slander | (n) a false spoken statement about sb that damages their reputation, or the making of such a statement/ (v) to damage sb’s reputation by making a false statement about them |
| pre-eminent | (a) [formal] more important or better than others |
| milieu | (n) [formal] the people, physical, and social conditions and events that provide the environment in which sb acts or lives |
| jaded | (a) not having interest or losing interest because you have experienced sth too many times |
| lucid | (a) clearly expressed and easy to understand, or [of a person] thinking or speaking clearly |
| intrepid | (a) extremely brave and showing no fear of dangerous situations |
| fortuitous | (a) [formal] [of sth that is to your advantage] not planned, happening by chance |
| exacting | (a) demanding a lot of effort, care, or attention |
| arcane | (a) [formal] mysterious and known only by a few people |
| capricious | (a) [literary] changing mood or behavior suddenly and unexpectedly |
| reprieve | (n) an official order that stops or delays the punishment, esp. by death, of a prisoner/ (n) an escape from a bad situation or experience/ (v) to stop or delay the punishment, esp. by death, of a prisoner |
| partisan | (a) strongly supporting a person, principle, or political party, often without considering or judging the matter very carefully |
| sardonic | (a) humorous in an unkind way that shows you do not respect sb or sth |
| acrimonious | (a) [formal] full of anger, arguments, and bad feeling |
| trite | (a) [disapproving] expressed too often to be interesting or seem sincere |
| insatiable | (a) [esp. of a desire or need] too great to be satisfied |
| discriminating | (a) [formal] [approving] able to know and act on the difference between good and bad |
| strut | (v) to walk in a proud way trying to look important |
| vehement | (a) expressing strong feelings, or shown by strong feelings or great energy or force |
| upbraid | (v) [formal] to forcefully or angrily tell sb they should not have done a particular thing and criticize them for it |
| prosaic | (a) [formal] without interest, imagination, and excitement |
| meander | (v) to walk slowly without any clear direction/ (v) [of a river, stream, or road] to follow a route that is not straight or direct/ (n) a journey that has no particular direction |
| gratuitous | (a) [disapproving] [of sth such as bad behavior] not necessary, or with no cause |
| duplicity | (n) [formal] dishonest talk or behavior, esp. by saying different things to two people |
| circumspect | (a) [formal] careful not to take risks |
| augment | (v) [formal] to increase the size or value of sth by adding sth to it |
| intermittent | (a) not happening regularly or continuously; stopping and starting repeatedly or with periods in between |
| antiquated | (a) old-fashioned or unsuitable for modern society |
| figurative | (a) [of words and phrases] used not with their basic meaning but with a more imaginative meaning, in order to create a special effect |
| dissipate | (v) [formal] to (cause to) gradually disappear and waste |
| cursory | (a) quick and probably not detailed |
| inexorable | (a) [formal] continuing without any possibility of being stopped |
| paucity | (n) [formal] the fact that there is too little of sth |
| reticent | (a) [formal] unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings |
| misnomer | (n) a name that does not suit what it refers to, or the use of such a name |
| ostentatious | (a) [disapproving] too obviously showing your money, possessions, or power, in an attempt to make other people notice and admire you |
| undaunted | (a) still determined and enthusiastic, despite problems or no success |
| pragmatic | (a) solving problems in a sensible way that suits the conditions that really exist now, rather than obeying fixed theories, ideas, or rules |
| antagonistic | (a) actively opposing or showing unfriendliness towards sth or sb |
| curtail | (v) to stop sth before it’s finished, or to reduce or limit sth |
| fanaticism | (n) [disapproving] extreme beliefs that may lead to unreasonable or violent behaviour/ [informal] extreme interest in sth, to a degree that some people find unreasonable |
| hallowed | (a) very respected and praised because of great importance or great age/ [religion] holy |
| refute | (v) [formal] to say or prove that a person, statement, opinion, etc. is wrong or false |
| scrupulous | (a) extremely honest/ doing everything correctly and exactly as it should be done |
| axiom | (n) [formal] a statement or principle that is generally accepted to be true, but need not be so/ [science] [specialized] a formal statement or principle in mathematics, science, etc. from which other statements can be obtained |
| malleable | (a) [of substance] to be easily changed into a new shape/ easily influenced, trained, or controlled |
| judicious | (a) having or showing reason and good judgment in making decisions |
| lethargy | (n) the feeling of having little energy or of being unable or unwilling to do anything |
| ratify | (v) [formal] (esp. of governments or organizations) to make an agreement official |
| terse | (a) using a few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly |
| stymie | (v) [often passive] [informal] to prevent sth from happening or sb from achieving a purpose |
| venal | (a) [formal] [of a person] willing to behave in a way that is not honest or moral in exchange for money/ [of an activity] to be done in order to get money |
| hyperbole | (n) [formal] a way of speaking or writing that makes sb or sth sound bigger, better, more, etc. than they are |
| flagrant | (a) [of a bad action, situation, person, etc.] shocking because of being so obvious |
| provisional | (a) for the present time but likely to change |
| clandestine | (a) [formal] planned or done in secret, esp. describing sth that is not officially allowed |
| painstaking | (a) extremely careful and correct, and involving a lot of effort |
| amorphous | (a) [of a physical thing] having no fixed form or shape/ [of an idea, a plan, etc.] having no clear structure or details |
| reproach | (v) to criticize sb, esp. for not being successful or not doing what is expected |
| blasphemy | (n) sth that you say or do that shows you do not respect God or a religion |
| ebullient | (a) very energetic, positive, and happy |
| moribund | (a) [formal] [disapproving] [esp. of an organization or business] not active or successful |
| palpable | (a) so obvious that it can easily be seen or known, or [of a feeling] so strong that it seems as if it can be touched or physically felt |
| ramble | (v) to walk for pleasure, esp. in the countryside/ [disapproving] to talk or write in a confused way, often for a long time |
| vicarious | (a) [before noun] experienced as a result of watching, listening to, or reading about the activities of other people, rather than by doing the activities yourself |
| steadfast | (a) [approving] staying the same for a long time and not changing quickly or unexpectedly |
| tangential | (a) [of a subject or activity] different from or not directly connected with the one you are talking about or doing |
| denounce | (v) to criticize sth or sb strongly and publicly/ to tell sb in authority about a person’s illegal activities, esp. illegal political activities |
| colloquial | (a) [of words and expressions] informal and more suitable for use in speech than in writing |
| ascetic | (a) avoiding physical pleasures and living a simple life, often for religious reasons |
| precarious | (a) in a dangerous state because of not being safe or not being in place firmly/ [of a situation] likely to get worse |
| candid | (a) [approving] honest and telling the truth, esp. about sth difficult or painful |
| irreverent | (a) not showing the expected respect for official, important, or holy things |
| mercurial | (a) [literary] changing suddenly and often/ [literary] intelligent, enthusiastic, and quick |
| resplendent | (a) [literary] having a very bright or beautiful appearance |
| thwart | (v) to stop sth from happening or sb from doing sth |
| irresolute | (a) [formal] [disapproving] not able or willing to take decisions or actions |
| malinger | (v) [disapproving] to pretend to be ill in order to avoid having to work |
| lugubrious | (a) [literary] sad and serious |
| iconoclast | (n) [formal] a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions |
| hubris | (n) [literary] a way of talking or behaving that is too proud |
| debunk | (v) [informal] to show that sth is less important, less good, or less true than it has been made to appear |
| assuage | (v) [formal] to make unpleasant feelings less strong |
| laconic | (a) [formal] using very few words to express what you mean |
| instigate | (v) [formal] to cause an event or situation to happen by making a set of actions or a formal process begin |
| kindle | (v) [often passive] [literary] to cause strong feelings or ideas in sb |
| soporific | (a) causing sleep or making a person want to sleep |
| juxtapose | (v) to put things that are not similar next to each other |
| profligate | (a) [formal] spending money or using sth in a way that wastes it and is not wise/ behaving in a way that is bad or morally wrong |
| lampoon | (v) to criticize a famous person or a public organization in a piece of writing, a drawing, etc., in a humorous way, allowing their or its bad qualities to be seen and making them or it stupid |
| obscure | (a) not known to many people/ not clear and difficult to understand or see/ (v) to prevent sth from being seen or heard/ to make sth difficult to discover and understand |
| insightful | (a) [approving] showing a clear and usually original understanding of a complicated problem or situation |
| propitious | (a) likely to result in success, or showing signs of success |
| underscore | (v) to emphasize the importance of sth |
| specious | (a) [formal] [disapproving] seeming to be right or true, but really wrong or false |
| nullify | (v) [formal] to make a legal agreement or decision have no legal force/ to cause sth to have no value or effect |
| exalt | (v) [formal] to raise sb to a higher rank or more powerful position |
| incantation | (n) words that are believed to have a magical effect when spoken or sung, or the act of saying these words |
| contrite | (a) [formal] feeling very sorry and guilty for sth bad that you have done |
| virulent | (a) [of a disease or poison] to be dangerous and spreads or affects people very quickly/ [formal] full of hate and violent opposition |
| fickle | (a) [disapproving] likely to change your opinion and your feelings suddenly and without a good reason |
| hone | (v) to make an object sharp/ to make sth perfect or completely suitable for its purpose |
| querulous | (a) [formal] often complaining, esp. in a weak high voice |
| punctilious | (a) [formal] very careful to behave correctly or to give attention to details |
| unflappable | (a) not likely to get worried, nervous, or angry even in difficult situations |
| quandary | (n) [usually singular] a state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation in which you are involved |
| mellifluous | (a) [formal] having a pleasant and flowing sound |
| adroit | (a) very skillful and quick in the way you think or move |
| credulous | (a) [formal] too willing to believe what you are told and so easily deceived |
| whimsical | (a) unusual and strange in a way that might be funny or annoying |
| epicure | (n) [formal] a person who enjoys high quality food and drink |
| guile | (n) [formal] clever but sometimes dishonest behaviour that you use to deceive sb |
| jocular | (a) [formal] funny or intended to make sb laugh/ used to describe sb who is happy and likes to make jokes |
| lackadaisical | (a) [formal] showing little enthusiasm and effort |
| neologism | (n) [formal] a new word or expression, or a new meaning for an existing word |
| remiss | (a) [formal] careless and not doing a duty well enough |
| volatile | (a) likely to change suddenly and unexpectedly, esp. by getting worse/ likely to change emotional state very suddenly, esp. by becoming angry |
| officious | (a) [disapproving] too eager to tell people what to do and having too high an opinion of your own importance |
| covet | (v) [formal] to want to have sth very much, esp. sth that belongs to sb else |
| voracious | (a) very eager for sth, esp. a lot of food |
| quixotic | (a) [literary] having or showing ideas that are different and unusual but not practical or likely to succeed |
| transgress | (v) [formal] to break a law or moral rule |
| stymie | (v) [informal] to prevent sth from happening or sb from achieving a purpose |
| irascible | (a) [formal] made angry easily |
| exonerate | (v) [formal] to show or state that sb or sth is not guilty of sth |
| wistful | (a) sad and thinking about sth that is impossible or in the past |
| abate | (v) [formal] to become less strong |
| zealot | (n) a person who has very strong opinions about sth, and tries to make other people have them too |
| clairvoyance | (n) the power to see the future or to see things that other people cannot see |
| empathetic | (a) having the ability to imagine how sb else feels |
| pliant | (a) [of a person] to be easily influenced or controlled by other people/ able to bend easily without breaking |
| supplant | (v) [formal] to take the place of (sth or sb) |
| solicit | (v) [formal] to ask sb for money, information, or help |
| overwrought | (a) in a state of being upset, nervous, and worried |
| nondescript | (a) very ordinary, or having no interesting or exciting features or qualities |
| polarize | (v) to cause sth, esp. sth that contains different people or opinions, to divide into two completely opposing groups |
| acolyte | (n) [formal or specialized] anyone who follows or helps another person, or sb who helps a priest in some religious ceremonies |
| rancour | (n) a feeling of hate and continuing anger about sth in the past |
| broach | (v) to begin a discussion of sth difficult/ [formal] to open a bottle or barrel in order to drink its content |
| lampoon | (v) to criticize a famous person or a public organization in a piece of writing, a drawing, etc. in a humorous way, allowing their or its bad qualities to be seen and making them or it seem stupid |
| presumptuous | (a) [of a person] to show little respect for others by doing things they have no right to do |
| insipid | (a) [disapproving] not having a strong taste or character, or having no interest or energy |
| facetious | (a) [disapproving] not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever |
| largesse | (n) [formal] willingness to give money, or money given to poor people |
| edify | (v) [formal] to improve sb’s mind |
| callow | (a) [literary] [disapproving] [of a person, esp. a young one] to behave in a way that shows they have little experience, confidence, or judgment |
| voluminous | (a) [formal] [of a piece of clothing] to be large and consist of a lot of cloth/ [of a piece of writing] to be long and detailed |
| maladroit | (a) [formal] awkward in movement or unskilled in behaviour or action |
| peruse | (v) [formal] to read through sth, esp. in order to find the part you are interested in |
| abridge | (v) to make a book, play, or piece of writing shorter by removing details and information that is not important |
| bucolic | (a) [literary] relating to the countryside |
| rebut | (v) [formal] to argue that a statement or claim is not true |
| ingenuous | (a) [formal] honest, sincere, and trusting, sometimes in a way that seems silly |
| abhor | (v) [not continuous] [formal] to hate a way of behaving or thinking, often because you think it is not moral |
| cantankerous | (a) arguing and complaining a lot |
| fallacious | (a) [formal] not correct |
| martinet | (n) [formal] [disapproving] sb who demands that rules and orders always be obeyed, even when it is unnecessary or unreasonable to do so |
| veracity | (n) [formal] the quality of being true, honest, or accurate |
| moribund | (a) [formal] [disapproving] [esp. of an organization or business] not active or successful |
| omnipotent | (a) [formal] having unlimited power and able to do anything |
| hackneyed | (a) [disapproving] [of a phrase or an idea] to have been said or used so often that is has become boring and has no meaning |
| exasperate | (v) to make sb very annoyed, usually when they can do nothing to solve a problem |
| parsimony | (n) [formal] the quality of not being willing to spend money or to give or use a lot of sth |
| despot | (n) a person, esp. a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses it unfairly and cruelly |
| cacophony | (n) an unpleasant mixture of loud sounds |
| perjury | (n) [law] the crime of telling lies in court when you have promised to tell the truth |
| obtuse | (a) [of an angle] more than 90 degrees and less than 180 degrees |
| perturb | (v) [formal] to worry sb |
| deride | (v) [formal] to laugh at or show no respect for sb or sth, because you think they are stupid or of no value |
| sagacious | (a) [formal] having or showing understanding and the ability to make good judgments |
| evanescent | (a) [formal] lasting for only a short time, then disappearing quickly and being forgotten |
| histrionic | (a) [disapproving] very emotional and energetic, but not sincere or without real meaning |
| peccadillo | (n) a small fault or mistake, or sth that sb does wrong that is not very serious |
| circumscribe | (v) [often passive] [formal] to limit sth |
| inaugurate | (v) to put sth into use or action officially/ to put sb into an official position with a ceremony |
| dilettante | (n) [usually disapproving] a person who is or seems to be interested in a subject, but whose understanding of it is not very deep or serious |
| obstreperous | (a) [formal] difficult to deal with and noisy |
| parsimonious | (a) [formal] not willing to spend money or use a lot of sth/ small in size or amount |
| munificent | (a) [formal] very generous with money |
| lassitude | (n) [formal] physical or mental tiredness |
| ethereal | (a) very light and delicate, esp. in a way that does not seem to come from the real, physical world |
| fitful | (a) often stopping and starting and not happening in a regular or continuous way |
| redolent | (a) [literary] smelling strongly of sth or having qualities (esp. smells) that make you think of sth else |
| venerate | (v) [formal] to honour or very much respect a person or thing |
| obsequious | (a) [formal] [disapproving] too eager to praise or obey sb |
| salutary | (a) [formal] causing improvement of behaviour or character |
| surreptitious | (a) done secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing |
| flout | (v) to intentionally not obey a rule, law, or custom |
| patronize | (v) to speak to or behave towards sb as if they are stupid or not important |
| dirge | (n) a slow sad song or piece of music, sometimes played because sb has died |
| maudlin | (a) feeling sad and sorry for yourself, esp. after you have drunk a lot of alcohol |
| exemplify | (v) to be or give a typical example of sth |
| vapid | (a) [formal] showing no intelligence or imagination |
| obtrusive | (a) too noticeable |
| admonish | (v) [formal] to tell sb that they have done sth wrong/ to advise sb to do sth |
| cajole | (v) to persuade sb to do sth they might not want to do, by pleasant talk and promises, sometimes ones which are false |
| extrapolate | (v) to guess or think about what might happen using information that is already known |
| nonentity | (n) [disapproving] a person without strong character, ideas, or influence/ the fact that sth or sb is not known about because of not having any strong character, ideas, or influence |
| obdurate | (a) [formal] [disapproving] extremely determined to act in a particular way and not to change despite what anyone else says |
| protean | (a) [literary] easily and continuously changing |
| phlegmatic | (a) [formal] [of a person] to not usually get emotional or excited about things |
| pensive | (a) thinking in a quiet way, often with a serious expression on your face |
| levity | (n) [formal] humour or lack of seriousness, esp. during a serious occasion |
| burgeon | (v) [literary] to develop or grow quickly |
| peripatetic | (a) [formal] travelling around to different places, usually because you work in more than one place |
| punctilious | (a) [formal] very careful to behave correctly or to give attention to details |
| torpor | (n) [formal] the state of not being active and having no energy of enthusiasm |
| unctuous | (a) [formal] [disapproving] [of people or behavior] to express too much praise, interest, friendliness, etc., in a way that is false and unpleasant |
| obfuscate | (v) [formal] to make sth less clear and harder to understand, esp. intentionally |
| nefarious | (a) [formal] [esp. of activities] morally bad |
| inane | (a) extremely silly or with no real meaning or importance |
| proclivity | (n) [formal] the fact sb likes sth or likes to do sth, esp. sth considered morally wrong |
| indelible | (a) [of a mark or substance] to be impossible to remove by washing or in any other way/ [of memories or actions] to be impossible to forget, or have a permanent influence or effect |
| avuncular | (a) [formal] friendly, kind, or helpful, like the expected behaviour of an uncle |
| belabour | (v) to explain sth more than necessary |
| effusive | (a) [formal] expressing welcome, approval, or pleasure in a way that shows very strong feeling |
| sacrosanct | (a) thought to be too important or too special to be changed |
| misanthrope | (n) sb who dislikes and avoids other people |
| dexterous | (a) having the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skillfully with the hands/ having the ability to think quickly and effectively or to do sth difficult extremely well |
| incorrigible | (a) [mainly humorous] [of a person or behaviour] to be bad and impossible to change or improve |
| belie | (v) to show sth to be false, or to hide sth such as an emotion |
| fecund | (a) [formal] able to produce a lot of crops, fruit, babies, young animals, etc./ producing or creating a lot of new things, ideas, etc. |
| portent | (n) a sign that sth bad is likely to happen in the future |
| droll | (a) humourous, esp. in an unusual way |
Created by:
emilynghiem
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