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8th Grade Words
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Abhor | to hate very much, to detest utterly |
| Abominate | to dislike strongly, to regard with intense aversion or loathing |
| Abridge | to shorten; to condense; to diminish; to curtail |
| Abstruse | hard to understand |
| Abut | to border upon; to adjoin |
| Abyss | bottomless pit; a yawning gulf; a profound depth or void |
| Accolade | an award, an honor; approval, praise |
| Adjunct | something connected or added to another in a subordinate position; an assistant. |
| Affidavit | a sworn written statement |
| Affinity | a natural attraction; kinship; similarity |
| Aftermath | events following some occurrence; a consequence of |
| Aggrandize | to increase in size; enlarger, to cause to appear greater in power, influence |
| Ajar | partially open |
| Alienate | to make hostile; to cause to feel unwelcome or estranged |
| Alleviate | to make less severe; to relieve, to lessen |
| Allure | to entice with something desirable; to tempt |
| Aloof | distant, reserved in manner; uninvolved |
| Also-ran | one who is defeated in a race, election, or other competition; loser |
| Altercation | a heated quarrel |
| Alternative | the choice between two mutually exclusive possibilities, a situation presenting such a choice |
| Ambiance | mood, feeling; general atmosphere |
| Amenable | agreeable, response to authority, pleasant, willing to give into the wishes of another |
| Amplify | to make larger, louder, or more powerful |
| Antecedent | going before; preceding; an occurrence or event preceding another |
| Anterior | situated in front |
| Appalling | filling with dismay; causing horror or consternation |
| Aptitude | capacity for learning; natural ability |
| Archaic | belonging to an earlier time, ancient; outdated |
| Arduous | hard, difficult, tiresome |
| Artisan | a worker skilled in their craft |
| Askew | to one side; crooked; awry; sidelong look of contempt |
| Aspire | to seek, attain, or achieve a goal |
| Assuage | to soother; to make less severe; to satisfy, ease, lessen |
| Astute | quick in discernment; shrewd, clever, keen |
| Asunder | in separate parts; apart from each other |
| Atrophy | to wither away |
| Atypical | not typical, abnormal |
| Austere | stern, as in manner; without excess, unadorned, severely simple and plain |
| Badger | to tease, annoy, harass persistently |
| Ballistics | the study of the dynamics or flight characteristics of projectiles |
| Balm | something that heals or comforts; soothing; and oil or ointment |
| Beget | to give birth to; to create |
| Beleaguer | to besiege; beset, surround, harass |
| Bereave | to deprive and make desolate, esp. By death; to deprive by force |
| Beset | to harass; to surround |
| Bizarre | extremely unconventional or far-fetched |
| Blather | to talk nonsensically |
| Bleak | depressing, discouraging, harsh, cold, barren, raw |
| Bludgeon | to hit or attack with heavy impact; a short, heavy thick club that has one end larger than the other. |
| Bucolic | rural or rustic in nature, country-like |
| Bulwark | a defensive wall; something serving as a principal defense |
| Cache | a hiding place, or the objects hidden in a hiding place |
| Cacophony | harsh sounds |
| Cajole | to wheedle, coax or persuade someone to do something they didn’t want to |
| Callous | unfeeling, insensitive |
| Callow | immature and inexperienced |
| Candor | truthfulness, sincere honesty |
| Capacious | roomy, able to hold much |
| Castigate | to criticize harshly, usually with the intention of correcting wrongdoing |
| Catapult | to launch; a device for hurling objects, a slingshot |
| Catharsis | an emotional or psychological cleansing that brings relief or renewal |
| Caucus | a meeting of the members of a political party to make decisions |
| Cerebral | of or relating to the brain or the intellect |
| Certify | to confirm formally; verify |
| Chasm | a deep opening in the earth’s surface; a gorge; differences of opinions interests, loyalties |
| Chattel | an item of personal movable property; slave |
| Chide | to scold; to voice disapproval |
| Chronic | continuing for a long time; continuous |
| Circa | at, in, or of approximately; at an estimated historical time period |
| Citadel | a fortress overlooking a city; a stronghold |
| Claimant | a person making a claim |
| Cloister | a tranquil, secluded place |
| Commodious | spacious, roomy, capacious |
| Comprise | to consist of; to include, to contain, to be made up of |
| Congenial | pleasant to be around; social, agreeable |
| Connoisseur | an expert, particularly in matters of art and taste |
| Consensus | general agreement |
| Coterie | a circle of close associates or friend |
| Countenance | a person’s face, especially the expression |
| Coup | the violent overthrow of a government by a small group; a victorious accomplishment |
| Couture | fashion designs; clothes created by fashion designers |
| Cower | to cringe in fear; to shrink away |
| Cranny | a small opening as in a wall or rock face |
| Craven | lacking the least bit of courage; cowardly |
| Creditor | a person or entity to whom money is owed |
| Criterion | a standard or rule by which something can be judged; a basis for judgement |
| Cubism | a style of art in which the subject matter is portrayed by geometric forms, especially cubes |
| Curtail | to truncate or abridge; to lessen usually by cutting away from |
| Curvilinear | formed, bound, or characterized by curved lines |
| Damper | one that depresses or restrains; a dulling or deadening influence |
| Dauntless | fearless; unintimidated |
| Dearth | scarcity; lack |
| Debacle | a sudden calamitous downfall; collapse or failure |
| Debase | to lower in quality, character, or value |
| Decree | an order having the force of law |
| Deduce | to come to a conclusion reasoning from the evidence |
| Defame | to libel or slander; to take away a good name |
| Deft | skillful; dexterous |
| Demagogue | a leader who obtains power by appealing to the emotions and prejudices of the people |
| Demonic | one who works devilishly (a demon for work), having a persistent force or drive; fiendish |
| Demur | to object, to make exception |
| Denounce | to condemn; to expose critically |
| Desiccate | to dry out completely; dehydrate |
| Dilemma | a difficult situation where one must choose between two or more choices that seem unfavorable; any problem or predicament |
| Disparage | to belittle, say uncomplimentary things; to put down |
| Dispel | to drive away; to dissipate |
| Disperse | to scatter in various directions; to distribute widely |
| Dissolution | the breaking up into parts; termination of a legal bond or contract |
| Divine | to foretell a prophecy; to infer, to guess |
| Docile | easily taught or controlled; obedient, easy to handle |
| Doldrums | a period or condition of depression or inactivity; a part of the ocean near the equator abounding in calms and squalls |
| Domain | a territory over which one rules, has influence or powers |
| Dormant | asleep or inactive |
| Draconian | hard, severe, cruel |
| Dromedary | a one-humped domesticated camel |
| Dulcet | melodious,soft, soothing; pleasing to the ear |
| Duress | hardship, restraint, confinement |
| Edifice | a building, especially one of imposing appearance or size |
| Efface | to rub away |
| Egalitarian | advocating the doctrine of equal rights for all citizens; a person who adheres to egalitarian beliefs |
| Elapse | to pass or go by (said of time) |
| Elfin | small and sprightly; mischievous, fairylike |
| Embellish | to beautify by adding ornament; to add fanciful or fictitious details to |
| Embody | to give bodily form to; to personify to make part of a system |
| Emit | to send or give out; to express, utter |
| Emulate | to attempt to equal or surpass; especially through imitation |
| Endure | to carry on through despite hardships; to put up with |
| Engulf | to surround or enclose completely |
| Enrage | to put in a rage; infuriate, anger |
| Enrapture | to delight, to thrill or give pleasure |
| Ensemble | a coordinated outfit or costume; a musical group |
| Entice | to lure, to attract, to tempt in a pleasing fashion |
| Entomb | to place in or as if in a tomb, or a grave |
| Entomology | the scientific study of insects |
| Entreat | to ask earnestly; to implore, plead, beg |
| Erudite | deeply learned, scholarly |
| Euphonious | pleasing to the ear |
| Evade | to elude or avoid by cunning; to flee from a pursuer |
| Evoke | to summon forth, call to mind, awaken, produce, suggest |
| Exhume | to dig up from a grave; to bring to light, uncover |
| Expunge | to remove; to delete; to erase |
| Facilitate | to make easier, to help bring about |
| Fathom | to understand fully; to penetrate the meaning of |
| Fawn | to show affection |
| Feign | to give a false appearance; to pretend |
| Fester | to generate pus; to become a source of resentment or irritation |
| Fetish | any thing or activity to which one is irrationally devoted |
| Fickle | often changing for no reason; not loyal or consistent |
| Fjord | a long narrow inlet from the sea between steep cliffs or hills |
| Fleece | to defraud, swindle; also the wool of a sheep or similar animal |
| Forage | to search or hunt for food and provisions |
| Forbear | to do without; to leave alone; to refrain from; to abstain |
| Forsake | to abandon, to give up, to renounce |
| Fortuitous | good fortune occurring by accident or chance |
| Fraught | teeming with; laden; full involving accompanied by |
| Gamin | a neglected boy left to run about in the streets |
| Gazebo | the outdoor structure with a roof and open sides |
| Generalize | general rather than specific; to form a general conclusion |
| Giddy | a light-headed sensation; dizzy; lighthearted silly |
| Gird | to encircle as with a belt; to prepare as for action |
| Girth | the distance around something; circumference |
| Gloat | to brag greatly |
| Glutton | one who eats or consumes a great deal; having the capacity to receive or withstand something |
| Gossamer | delicate floating cobwebs; a sheer gauzy fabric; something delicate, light, flimsy |
| Grandiloquent | attempting to impress with big words or grand gestures |
| Grandiose | grand and impressive, especially flashy and showy |
| Guile | cunning, deceitfulness; artfulness |
| Guise | appearance, semblance |
| Harangue | to lecture, berate; a long bombastic speech |
| Harrowing | extremely distressing; disturbing or frightening |
| Herbicide | a substance used to destroy plants, especially weeds |
| Histrionic | overly dramatic, theatrical |
| Hoard | to accumulate for future use; stockpile |
| Hovel | a small, miserable dwelling; an open, low shed |
| Husbandry | the cultivation, production, and/or management of resources of edible plants or animals |
| Idiosyncrasy | a behavioral quirk; a person’s idea about behavior different from others |
| Impede | to obstruct or interfere with; to delay |
| Incite | to arouse to action |
| Incongruous | not appropriate, unsuited to the surrounding; to fitting in |
| Infamy | an evil reputation; extreme disgrace |
| Insouciant | calm and carefree; lighthearted |
| Intervene | to come between; to mediate, to occur between times |
| Inveigle | to tempt or persuade by using deception or flattery |
| Irascible | easily angered, irritable |
| Joust | to engage in combat or competition; any combate suggestive of a joust |
| Karma | fate, destiny; the force generated by a person’s good or bad actions |
| Laconic | brief, using few words |
| Lament | to express sorrow or regret; to mourn |
| Languish | to become weak or feeble; to sag with loss of strength |
| Lassitude | a condition of weariness; fatigue |
| Laudable | worthy or deserving of praise |
| Lax | careless, negligent; not tense, slack |
| Legacy | something handed down from one who has gone before or from the past; a bequest |
| Lesion | wound, injury; especially one created by a disease |
| Lethargy | laziness, tiredness; sluggish |
| Lexicon | a dictionary; vocabulary terms used in or of a particular profession, subject, or style |
| Lieu | instead of; in place of |
| Loiter | to remain in an areas without any specific reason; to lag behind |
| Maim | to disable or disfigure, to cripple |
| Marauder | a raider, intruder |
| Marshal | to assemble together for the purpose of doing something; also an officer in the police or military |
| Martyr | someone willing to sacrifice and even give his/her life for a cause; also one who pretends suffering to gain sympathy |
| Masticate | to chew |
| Melancholy | depression of spirits; gloomy; weary |
| Menagerie | a collection of live wild animals on exhibit |
| Migratory | roving, wandering, nomadic |
| Milieu | environment or surroundings |
| Mirage | unreal reflection; an optical illusion |
| Misanthropy | someone who hates mankind |
| Misnomer | an incorrect or inappropriate name |
| Mode | a way or method of doing something; type, manner, fashion |
| Mores | customary cultural standards; moral attitudes, manners, habits |
| Muse | to ponder; meditate; think about at length |
| Muster | to collect or gather; the act of inspection or critical examination |
| Myriad | an extremely large number |
| Nepotism | favors shown by those in high positions to relatives and friends |
| Noisome | stinking; offensive; disgusting |
| Noxious | physically or mentally destructive, or harmful to human beings |
| Oblique | not an angle neither perpendicular or parallel; indirect or evasive; not straightforward |
| Obtuse | lacking intelligence, difficult to comprehend; not quick or alert in perception or feeling |
| Opportune | occurring or coming at a good time |
| Optimum | the most advantageous ; the best condition, degree or amount |
| Orthodox | conventional, doing it by the book, sticking to established principles |
| Ostracize | to exclude form a group; to shun |
| Oust | to eject; to force out; to banish |
| Paradox | a situation in which something seems both true and false |
| Paranoia | a mental illness of unreasonable anxiety, especially believing someone is out to get you, or that you are an important person |
| Parry | to ward off a blow; to turn aside; to avoid skillfully, to evade |
| Partition | the division of something into parts; an interior structure dividing a larger area |
| Penitent | one who feels sorrow and remorse for past misdeeds; feeling sorrow or humble |
| Periphery | the outermost part within a boundary, the outside edge |
| Permeate | to flow or spread through, penetrate |
| Perverse | stubborn; contrary; intractable |
| Petulant | ill-humored, irritable, cranky |
| Philanthropy | love of mankind, especially through charitable gifts and deeds |
| Phobia | a persistent, illogical fear |
| Photogenic | suitable, especially attractive for photography |
| Pied | having patches or blotches of two or more colors |
| Pillage | to rob of goods by violent seizure, plunder; to take as spoils |
| Pique | irritation, resentment stemming from wounded pride; to arouse curiosity |
| Plight | a distressing situation |
| Porcine | reminiscent of or pertaining to a pig; resembling a pig |
| Potentate | a powerful ruler; an important person |
| Precarious | unsafe, unsteady, unstable |
| Procrastinate | to put of until a later time |
| Proficient | skillful; to be very good at something |
| Propulsive | the act or process of propelling; a propelling force |
| Prowess | exceptional skill and bravery |
| Quandary | state of perplexity or doubt; a difficult or uncertain situation |
| Queue | to form or to wait in line; a line |
| Quirk | a peculiarity of behavior; an unaccountable act or event |
| Quixotic | totally or foolishly impractical |
| Ramification | a development growing out of and often complicating a problem or pain; a consequence |
| Relinquish | to give up doing, professing, or intending; to surrender, give in |
| Reminisce | the act or practice of recalling the past |
| Remorse | a strong feeling of sadness or guilt for having done something wrong |
| Resurgent | rising after defeat |
| Revere | to regard with great devotion or respect, to honor |
| Rivet | to hold the attention of; something that fastens to parts together |
| Roster | a list of names; especially of personnel available for duty |
| Rudimentary | basic, crude, undeveloped; fundamental principles or skills |
| Scapegoat | one that bears the blame for others |
| Scrutinize | to look very careful; to examine |
| Segregate | to separate or keep apart from others |
| Serpentine | snakelike in shape or movement; winding as a snake |
| Somber | depressing, gloomy, dark |
| Sonorous | producing sound, especially deep and rich, resonant |
| Spur | to move in action |
| Spurn | to reject with disdain |
| Stupefy | to make numb with amazement; to stun into helplessness |
| Sundry | various, several, miscellaneous |
| Supplant | to take the place of |
| Surfeit | an overabundant amount, especially overindulgence in eating and drinking |
| Tether | a rope or chain that allows limited movement; the limit of one’s resources or strength |
| Torque | a turning or twisting force |
| Trenchant | cutting, incisive, having a sharp point; caustic, sarcastic |
| Truculent | inclined toward conflict; eager to fight |
| Truncate | to shorten by cutting cutting off |
| Tyro | a beginner; a novice |
| Ubiquitous | existing or being everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread |
| Umbrage | sense of injury or insult; to take offense, displeasure |
| Unbridled | violent, unbounded, unrestrained |
| Veer | to change direction |
| Verbatim | using exactly the same words, word for word |
| Vertigo | the sensation of dizziness |
| Volition | an act of choosing, using one’s own will in a conscious choice |
| Wane | to decreased gradually |
| Wither | to become dry; shriveled, shrunken dried |
| Wrest | to pull away, take by violence |
| Yore | former days, an era long past |
Created by:
Mrs.Maskelony