click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
SAT Study 1000
words that come from the creators themselves
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Abhor | hate |
Bigot | narrow-minded |
Counterfeit | fake; false |
Enfranchise | give voting rights |
Hamper | hinder; obstruct |
Kindle | to start a fire |
Noxious | harmful; poisonous; lethal |
Placid | calm; peaceful |
Remuneration | payment for work done |
Talisman | lucky charm |
Abrasive | rough; coarse; harsh |
Bilk | cheat; defraud |
Covert | hidden; undercover |
Engender | cause |
Hangar | storage area (like garage) for a plane |
Knotty | complex; difficult to solve |
Nuance | something subtle; a fine shade of meaning |
Plagiarism | taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas |
Renown | fame |
Tangent | going off the main subject |
Abasement | humiliation; degradation |
Billowing | swelling; fluttering; waving |
Cower | recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from |
Enhance | improve; make better or clearer |
Harangue | noisy |
Labyrinth | a maze |
Nullify | to counter; make unimportant |
Plaintiff | petitioner (in court of law) |
Replete | full |
Tangible | can be touched |
Abrogate | cancel; deny; repeal |
Blasphemy | speech which offends religious sentiments |
Credible | believable |
Enigma | puzzle; mystery |
Harbingers | indicators; bringers of warnings |
Labyrinthine | complicated; highly convoluted |
Nuzzle | cuddle; snuggle |
Plaudit | statement giving strong praise |
Reprehensible | shameful; very bad |
Tardy | slow; late; overdue; delayed |
Absolution | forgiveness; pardon; release |
Blatan | t obvious |
Creditable | praiseworthy |
Ensconce | establish firmly in a position |
Hasten | hurry; accelerate; rush |
Laceration | a cut |
Obdurate | stubborn |
Plausible | can be believed; reasonable |
Reprieve | a respite; postponement of a sentence |
Tawdry | of little value; gaudy |
Abstain | desist; go without; withdraw |
Blighted | damaged; destroyed; ruined |
Credulous | gullible; ready to believe anything |
Enshroud | cover |
Haughtiness | arrogance; pride |
Lachrymose | tearful; sad |
Obfuscate | deliberately make something difficult to understand |
Plethora | an excess |
Repudiat | e shun; eschew |
Tedium | boredom |
Abstemious | self denying; refraining from indulging |
Blithe | free-spirited; carefree |
Crepuscular | active at dawn and dusk |
Enunciation | clear pronunciation; accent; articulation |
Headstrong | stubborn; willful |
Lackluster | dull; monotonous; bland |
Objective | unbiased; not subjective |
Pliable | flexible; not stubborn |
Rescind | retract; repeal |
Temper | to moderate; soften |
Abstruse | difficult to understand; obscure |
Blunderbuss | 1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person |
Cringe | recoil; flinch; shy away |
Envenom | to cause bitterness and bad feeling |
Hedonism | self indulgence; pleasure-seeking |
Laconic | using few words; brief; to the point |
Oblique | indirect; slanting |
Plumage | feathers of a bird |
Resignation | acceptance of fate |
Tenacious | stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose |
Accolade | tribute; honor; praise |
Bolster | support; prop up |
Cryptic | puzzling; enigmatic |
Ephemeral | short-lived |
Hedonist | a pleasure seeker |
Lamentation | expression of regret or sorrow |
Obliterate | destroy; demolish; eradicate |
Plummet | fall suddenly and steeply |
Resolution | determination |
Tentative | not certain |
Acquiesce | to agree to; give in to |
Bombast | arrogant |
Curtail | cut short |
Epicure | someone who appreciates good food and drink |
Heed | listen to |
Lampoon | ridicule; spoof |
Oblivious | totally unaware |
Podium | raised platform |
Resonant | echoing |
Tenuous | flimsy; not solid |
Acrid | sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes) |
Boorish | ill-mannered |
Cynical | believing that people act only out of selfish motives |
Epistle | a letter (form of communication) |
Heresy | against orthodox opinion |
Lance | spear; spike; javelin |
Obscure | difficult to understand; partially hidden |
Poignant | deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions |
Respite | a break; intermission |
Terse | concise; to the point |
Acrophobia | fear of heights |
Bourgeois | middle class |
Debility | weakness; incapacity |
Epistolary | concerned with letters; through correspondence |
Hiatus | interruption; pause |
Languid | tired; slow |
Obscured | hidden; covered; buried |
Poised | calm; collected; self-possessed |
Resplendent | shining; glowing |
Therapeutic | medicinal; curative |
Acuity | sharpness (mental or visual) |
Braggart | someone who boasts |
Debunking | exposing false claims or myths |
Epitomized | typified; characterized; personified |
Hidebound | rigid in opinions |
Languish | decay; fade away; get weaker |
Obsequious | servile; submissive |
Polemica | l causing debate or argument |
Restorative | a tonic |
Thwart | prevent; frustrate |
Adamant | forceful; inflexible |
Brawny | muscular |
Decathlon | an athletic competition with ten events |
Equivocate | speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth |
Hieroglyphics | 1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic |
Larceny | theft; robbery; stealing |
Obsession | a dominating concern |
Ponderous | weighty; slow and heavy |
Retention | preservation; withholding |
Timorous | cowardly; fearful |
Adroit | skillful |
Brevity | being brief |
Decorum | dignified |
Err | make a mistake |
Hinder | obstruct |
Largess | generosity |
Obsolete | no longer valid |
Pontificate | speak pompously or dogmatically |
Reticent | restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative |
Tirade | stream of verbal abuse |
Adulation | strong admiration; worship |
Bristle | to show irritation |
Decoy | lure; trap; trick |
Erratic | wandering; irregular |
Histrionic | theatrical; exaggerated |
Laud | praise |
Obstreperous | noisy and boisterous |
Portend | foretell |
Retraction | withdrawal; cancellation of a statement |
Titter | giggle quietly |
Adversity | hardship |
Broach | start to discuss; approach |
Deference | respect |
Esoteric | obscure and difficult to understand |
Hoary | old |
Lavish | on a grand scale; wasteful |
Obtuse | mentally dull |
Portent | a warning sign; omen |
Revere | worship |
Tome | large book |
Advocate | support |
Brusque | blunt; abrupt |
Defoliate | cause leaves to fall off |
Espouse | promote; take up; support |
Hone | sharpen; increase; whet |
Lax | careless; not strict |
Obviate | avoid; make unnecessary |
Poseur | someone who puts on an act |
Riddled | full of (usually full of holes) |
Torpid | inactive; lazy; stagnant |
Aesthetic | concerning art or beauty |
Bulwark | fortification; barricade; wall |
Defunct | no longer in existence |
Etymology | the study of word origins |
Hyperbole | grossly exaggerated speech |
Legend | 1. key to map; 2. myth or story |
Odious | hateful |
Posterity | future generations |
Rife | common |
Torpor | dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity |
Affable | friendly; social; easygoing |
Bureaucracy | officialdom |
Degradation | deprivation; poverty; debasement |
Eulogy | praise |
Hypochondriac | a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses |
Legion | in large numbers |
Officious | domineering; intrusive; meddlesome |
Posthumous | after death |
Rigor | thoroughness |
Totter | walk unsteadily |
Alacrity | eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness |
Burgeon | grow; flourish; put forth new shoots |
Deleterious | harmful |
Euphemism | a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant |
Hypocritical | insincere |
Lethargic | tired; without energy |
Ogle | stare at; observe in an obvious manner |
Postulate | hypothesize; propose |
Robust | strong; healthy; tough |
Tractable | obedient; dutiful; polite |
Alchemy | medieval chemistry; attempt to change base metal into gold |
Burnish | polish |
Deliberate | to think over deeply |
Euphony | pleasant sounds |
Iconoclast | person who opposes orthodoxy |
Levity | flippancy; joking about serious matters |
Olfactory | concerned with the sense of smell |
Potable | suitable for drinking |
Rotund | round |
Tranquil | peaceful |
Alibi | an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene |
Buttress | strengthen; support |
Delineation | demarcation; explanation; definition; outlining |
Evacuate | vacate; empty; abandon |
Idiosyncrasy | a personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual |
Libertarian | someone who opposes tyranny |
Ominous | threatening |
Potent | powerful; compelling; strong |
Ruminate | think over something; ponder |
Transcribe | copy |
Allay | to lessen |
Byline | the line that tells you who wrote an article |
Demur | hesitate; refuse |
Exacerbate | make worse |
Ignominious | shameful |
Liniment | soothing lotion |
Omnipotent | all-powerful |
Pragmatic | practical |
Ruse | trick; stratagem |
Transgress | go astray; disobey; commit a sin |
Alleviate | make less severe |
Cacophony | discordant loud noises |
Denounce | condemn; speak out against |
Exasperated | frustrated; annoyed |
Ignominy | shame [ignominious (a) = shameful] |
Lithe | flexible; supple |
Omniscient | all-knowing |
Pragmatist | practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness |
Saccharin | falsely sweet |
Transient | short-lived; ephemeral |
Aloof | distant; detached; cold |
Cajole | coax |
Deplete | use up; lessen |
Exceptionable | very bad (something which we should object to) |
Illuminate | to light up or make clear |
Livid | very angry |
Onerous | burdensome; hard to undertake |
Preamble | introductory material |
Sacrosanct | very holy; inviolable |
Traverse | to move across |
Altruism | putting others first; being self-sacrificing |
Caldron | huge cooking pot |
Deplore | regret |
Exculpate | free someone from blame; pardon; acquit |
Illusory | deceptive; false; misleading |
Lobbyist | person who tries to persuade someone to support a particular cause |
Onus | burden |
Precarious | unstable; risky |
Sagacious | wise |
Trepidation | fear |
Amass | accumulate |
Callow | immature |
Depravity | moral corruption |
Execrable | very |
Immoderate | excessive; extreme |
Lofty | snooty; arrogant; haughty |
Opaque | does not let light through |
Precedent | a previous occurrence used as a guide |
Sage | a wise person |
Trinket | something of little value; knick-knack |
Ambiguity | uncertainty; vagueness |
Candid | frank; honest |
Deprecate | criticize; denounce |
Exegesis | scholarly explanation or interpretation |
Immutable | unchanging; permanent |
Longevity | long life |
Opulent | wealthy; rich; magnificent |
Precept | guiding principle |
Salacious | lecherous; erotic |
Trite | unoriginal; dull |
Ambiguous | unclear in meaning; can be interpreted in different ways |
Candor | frankness; openness |
Deride | ridicule; make fun of; mock |
Exemplary | outstandingly good; setting a fine example |
Impartial | unbiased; neutral |
Loquacious | talkative |
Ordain | 1. destine; 2. confer holy orders on a priest |
Precinct | district of a city |
Sallow | yellowish |
Trivial | unimportant |
Ambivalence | lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided |
Cantankerous | bad-tempered; quarrelsome |
Derogatory | uncomplimentary |
Exemplify | to serve as a good example |
Impecunious | having no money |
Lucid | clear |
Ornate | highly decorated |
Precipice | steep slope |
Salubrious | health-giving |
Truant | shirker; someone absent without permission |
Ambulatory | able to walk around (used of hospital patients) |
Capacious | spacious |
Desecrate | to damage or pollute a holy place |
Exhaustive | complete and thorough |
Impious | wicked; profane |
Ludicrous | ridiculous; silly |
Orthodox | conventional |
Precipitous | done in a hurry |
Salutary | something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial |
Truncate | cut short |
Ameliorate | make better |
Capitulate | surrender; give in to |
Desecration | spoiling something holy |
Exonerates | acquits; absolves; removes blame |
Impoverished | destitute; poor |
Lukewarm | 1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold |
Ossify | 1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid |
Preclude | prevent or make impossible |
Sanctimonious | hypocritically holy |
Tumult | uproar; noise |
Amelioration | improvement |
Carping | constant criticism |
Desist | stop; discontinue; cease |
Exorcism | getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons) |
Impromptu | unrehearsed; spontaneous |
Lummox | clumsy person |
Ostentatious | showy |
Precocious | developing early |
Sanction | give approval to |
Turpitude | depravity |
Amiable | friendly |
Cartographer | person who makes maps |
Despondent | having no hope; miserable |
Expatriate | refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country |
Inadvertent | not intentional |
Luscious | juicy; moist; succulent |
Oust | push out of a position |
Predecessor | one who came before |
Sanguinary | bloodthirsty; bloody |
Tyro | novice; beginner |
Amity | friendship |
Castigate | scold strongly |
Destitution | hardship; poverty; misery |
Expedient | convenient; practical |
Incantation | chant; invocation; prayer |
Lynch | assassinate; kill; illegal hanging |
Overt | obvious; not hidden |
Predicament | dilemma; difficult situation |
Sanguine | optimistic; cheerful |
Amorphous | lacking in shape |
Catharsis | purging of pent-up emotions |
Deter | put off; prevent |
Expedite | make faster |
Incarceration | putting in prison |
Machinations | plots and plans |
Overwrought | worked up; in an emotional state |
Preeminent | famous; outstanding |
Sardonic | mocking |
Unalloyed | undiluted; total |
Analgesic | medicine to combat pain |
Caucus | type of private political meeting |
Deteriorate | worsen; decline |
Exposition | clear explanation |
Incessant | without stopping |
Maelstrom | whirlpool; storm in the ocean |
Palatable | good to eat; agreeable |
Prerogative | right or privilege |
Savant | person with knowledge |
Unctuous | oily; using excessive flattery |
Analogous | comparable |
Caustic | burning |
Detrimental | harmful |
Extol | praise |
Incipient | just beginning |
Magnanimous | generous; big-hearted |
Palisade | fence made of posts |
Prescient | having fore-knowledge |
Scale | to climb |
Undermined | damaged; attacked |
Anarchy | chaos; lack of government |
Cavalcade | procession of vehicles |
Devoured | greedily eaten/consumed |
Extradite | deport from one country back to the home country |
Inclination | tendency; a leaning toward |
Magnate | powerful businessman |
Palliative | a remedy that improves but doesn't cure |
Presentiment | a feeling that something might happen |
Scapegoat | person on whom blame is placed for faults of others |
Underscore | emphasize |
Anecdote | a brief amusing story |
Celerity | speed |
Dexterous | skilful with hands |
Extraneous | irrelevant |
Incoherent | not clear |
Maladroit | clumsy; unskillful |
Pallid | pale |
Presumptuous | assuming too much; arrogant |
Scrupulous | careful; diligent; painstaking |
Unequivocal | clear; obvious |
Animosity | hatred; antagonism |
Censorious | disapproving; critical |
Dichotomy | a division into two parts |
Extrapolate | extend; predict on the basis of known data |
Incongruous | not fitting in; out of place |
Malady | illness |
Palpable | easily felt; easily perceived |
Pretentious | pompous; self-important |
Scrutinize | examine carefully |
Unfetter | set free |
Annex (n) | a building which is an addition to an existing building |
Censure | blame |
Didactic | intended to teach; instructive |
Extrinsic | irrelevant; on the outside |
Inconsequential | unimportant; insignificant; negligible |
Malediction | a curse |
Panacea | remedy for all ills |
Prevaricate | speak misleadingly and evasively |
Scuttle | sink |
Unfrock | to remove a priest from his position |
Annex (v | ) take possession of; seize; capture |
Cerebral | intellectual |
Diffident | lacking confidence |
Fallacious | false |
Inconspicuous | not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable |
Malefactor | a wrong-doer |
Paradigm | 1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things |
Pristine | unspoiled |
Seminary | an institution in which priests are trained |
Unprecedented | never having happened before |
Anomaly | something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity |
Certitude | certainty |
Digress | wander off the subject |
Falter | hesitate; waver |
Indelible | cannot be wiped out |
Malinger | deliberately avoid work; shirk |
Paradox | apparently contradictory statement |
Proclivity | tendency towards |
Sensuous | appealing to the senses |
Unscathed | unharmed; intact; without a scratch |
Antagonism | hostility; strong opposition |
Charlatan | trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have |
Dike | dam; embankment |
Fanatical | obsessive; fixated |
Indifferent | 1. neutral; 2. not outstanding |
Malingerer | person who deliberately tries to avoid work |
Paragon | a perfect example |
Procrastinate | delay; put off |
Sentinel | guard; sentry |
Unwitting | not deliberate; unconscious |
Antagonistic | opposed; hostile; aggressive |
Chary | wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give |
Dilatory | slow; falling behind with one's work |
Fanaticism | passion; excessive devotion |
Indigenous | native to a particular area |
Malleable | flexible; can be shaped |
Paramount | of supreme importance |
Prodigal | wasteful; extravagant |
Sequester | isolate |
Upbraid | scold; tell off; reprimand |
Antediluvian | outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned |
Chastises | punishes |
Dilemma | puzzling situation |
Fastidious | overly particular; finicky |
Indolence | laziness |
Mallet | 1. wooden hammer; 2. stick used for polo |
Parasite | 1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another |
Prodigious | very large |
Serendipity | fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery |
Uproarious | hilarious; hysterical; very funny |
Anthology | a book which is a collection of poems or stories |
Chicanery | trickery |
Dilettante | person who dabbles in a subject without serious study |
Fatuous | silly; foolish |
Inductee | novice; beginner |
Manipulatable | influencable; controllable |
Parched | dried up |
Profane | unholy |
Serene | calm; peaceful |
Upshot | outcome |
Anthropocentrism | putting man at the center of one's philosophy |
Chimerical | changeable; unstable |
Diligent | hard-working |
Feasible | possible and practicable |
Indulgent | pampering; satisfying desires |
Marred | damaged; spoiled |
Pariah | an outcast from society |
Profanity | swearing; cursing |
Serrated | jagged; saw-like |
Urbane | sophisticated; suave |
Antiquated | outdated; old fashioned |
Choleric | easily angered |
Diorama | model of a scene |
Fecund | fertile |
Inebriation | drunkenness; intoxication |
Marshal | to gather together |
Parity | equality |
Profound | having deep meaning |
Servile | overly submissive; groveling |
Usurp | take someone's position (usually by force) |
Apathetic | indifferent; uninterested; lethargic |
Chronicler | person who records historical information |
Dirge | mournful song |
Felicitous | apt |
Ineffable | cannot be expressed in words |
Marsupial | pouched mammal (like a kangaroo) |
Parochial | narrow-minded; concerned only with local matters |
Profundity | depth |
Skeptical | doubting; not gullible |
Utilitarian | useful |
Apathy | lack of interest or emotion |
Circuitous | indirect |
Disapprobation | disapproval |
Fervor | passion; enthusiasm |
Inept | incompetent; unskilled; useless |
Martinet | person who believes in strict discipline |
Parody | a mockery; imitation for ridicule; spoof |
Proletarian | member of the working class |
Skirmish | minor battle |
Utopian | a believer in an ideal world |
Apocryphal | of doubtful origin |
Circumlocution | using too many words; long-windedness |
Discern | to distinguish one thing from another |
Fickle | unpredictable; whimsical; easily swayed |
Inertia | inactivity; lethargy |
Masochist | person who intentionally inflicts pain on himself |
Parry | ward off; avoid |
Prolific | producing a lot |
Sluggard | slow-moving; lethargic person |
Vacillate | waver; hesitate |
Appease | pacify; soothe; calm down; make peace with |
Circumscribe | limit |
Discord | disagreement |
Finesse | skill |
Inevitable | cannot be avoided |
Matriarchy | society governed by women |
Parsimonious | economical; frugal; thrifty |
Proponents | promoters; supporters |
Smelt | refine an ore |
Vacuous | empty; silly; meaningless |
Apprehensive | worried; fearful |
Circumspect | cautious; considering all sides |
Discordancy | cacophony; harshness; jarring |
Fitful | not continuous; stopping and starting |
Inexorable | relentless |
Maverick | a loner |
Parsimony | stinginess; frugality; cost-cutting |
Prosaic | dull; boring; ordinary |
Smorgasbord | a Swedish buffet of cold dishes |
Vagrant | person wandering without a home |
Arable | can be cultivated |
Circumvent | avoid |
Discrepancy | something which does not match up; inconsistency |
Flagrant | clearly wrong |
Inexpedient | not advisable |
Meager | in short supply |
Partisan | biased; one-sided; committed to one group |
Proscribe | forbid |
Solace | comfort for grief |
Vapid | dull; uninspiring |
Arbitrary | random; for no definite reason |
Clairvoyant | psychic; mystic |
Discriminate | to make a clear distinction; see the difference |
Flamboyant | showy; ornate |
Infallible | perfect; flawless; cannot make mistakes |
Meander | wander from side to side |
Pathos | evoking sadness or pity |
Prosody | study of versification |
Solicit | to ask for; seek |
Variegated | multicolored; speckled |
Arcane | obscure; known only to a few people |
Clamor | shout; scream |
Discursiveness | long windedness; indirectness |
Flaunt | show off; display in a showy manner |
Infamous | famous for something bad |
Mellow | soft; melodious; ripe |
Patron | one who give support (usually financial) |
Prostration | 1. lying face down; 2. be overcome with extreme weakness |
Somnambulist | sleepwalker |
Vehemence | violence; fervor; forcefulness |
Archaic | ancient; outdated; old fashioned |
Clandestine | secret; covert; stealthy |
Disdain | contempt; strong dislike |
Flippant | making jokes about serious matters |
Infer | deduce; conclude |
Menagerie | collection of animals |
Patronize | condescend to; behave in an arrogant manner towards |
Protagonist | main character in film |
Soothsayer | fortuneteller |
Vehement | forceful |
Archetype | classic example of |
Clemency | mercy |
Disinterested | unbiased |
Flout | defy; reject |
Ingénue | naïve |
Mendacious | given to lying |
Paucity | shortage |
Protean | changeable |
Sophomoric | juvenile; immature |
Venal | corrupt; can be bribed |
Archives | collections of old records; place of storage of old documents |
Cliché | overused expression; something unoriginal |
Disparage | criticize; belittle |
Flustered | worked-up; not calm |
Ingrate | ungrateful person |
Mercenary | concerned only with money |
Peccadillo | minor weakness; trivial offence |
Protégé | person under protection of |
Soporific | inducing sleep |
Veneer | surface coating |
Articulate | clear; lucid; eloquent |
Clientele | customers |
Disparity | an inequality |
Fly-by-night | unreliable; disreputable |
Inimical | hostile |
Mercurial | volatile; changeable |
Pedant | person who insists on strict adherence to rules or narrow learning |
Protocol | procedure; code of behavior |
Sparse | spare; bare; meager |
Venerate | revere; worship |
Artifice | deception; trickery |
Coalesce | come together; merge |
Dispassionate | neutral; objective |
Forensic | concerned with argument or debate (esp. for legal evidence) |
Innate | inherited; inborn |
Merge | come together |
Pedestrian | common; mundane; banal |
Provincial | unsophisticated; narrow-minded |
Specious | false |
Venial | minor; unimportant |
Artisan | craftsman |
Coddle | pamper; fuss over; indulge |
Disseminating | circulating; broadcasting; spreading (information) |
Fortitude | bravery |
Innocuous | harmless; inoffensive |
Metaphorically | symbolically; figuratively |
Peerless | without equal |
Prudent | cautious; wise |
Speckled | spotted; freckled; dotted |
Veracity | truthfulness |
Ascetic | without luxuries; severely simple |
Coercion | force |
Diurnal | active in daytime |
Fortuitous | happening by chance |
Innovate | create; introduce something new |
Meticulous | very careful; painstaking |
Pejorative | derogatory |
Puerile | childish |
Sporadic | not continuous; intermittent |
Verbose | talkative; long-winded; rambling |
Assiduous | thorough; diligent |
Cogent | lucid; well argued |
Divert | 1. entertain; 2. distract; 3. cause a detour |
Fractious | irritable; difficult to control |
Inscrutable | mysterious; impenetrable |
Mettle | courage; bravery; valor |
Pellucid | transparently clear |
Punctilious | paying attention to small details |
Spurious | false |
Verbosity | using too many words |
Assuage | to calm |
Cogitate | think over something; ponder |
Docile | gentle and easily lead |
Fraudulent | fake; false |
Insentient | unfeeling |
Milieu | environment |
Pensive | in a thoughtful mood; thinking deeply |
Purloin | steal |
Stagnant | still; not moving |
Vertigo | dizziness |
Astute | perceptive; sharp-witted |
Collage | picture made from fragments of other pictures |
Dogmatic | having stubbornly held opinions |
Frivolous | not serious |
Insipid | dull; bland; boring |
Mire | swamp; muddy ground |
Penury | poverty |
Pusillanimous | cowardly |
Staid | dull; sober; serious |
Vestigial | not developed |
Asylum | place of refuge or safety |
Collate | arrange in order |
Dolt | stupid person |
Frugal | economical; not wasting anything |
Instigate | to start; provoke |
Misanthrope | hater of the rest of mankind |
Perceptive | observant |
Pyromania | compulsion to start fires |
Stanza | section of a poem |
Vignette | small sketch |
Atheist | person who does not believe in God |
Colloquial | local and informal (used of language) |
Dotard | foolish old man |
Furrow | groove |
Instigator | troublemaker; person who entices others to do something |
Misnomer | wrong name |
Percipient | perceptive; insightful |
Quaff | drink down quickly |
Staunch | loyal; faithful; dependable |
Vilification | blackening someone's name |
Atrophy | waste away from lack of use |
Collusion | plotting and planning |
Drawl | speak slowly with words running together |
Furtive | hidden and secret |
Insurgent | a rebel |
Misogynist | hater of women |
Perdition | damnation |
Quagmire | marsh; bog |
Stereotype | fixed image |
Vindicate | prove right; remove blame |
Attenuate | weaken |
Commandeer | take possession of |
Drivel | nonsense |
Futile | useless; hopeless |
Interminable | never-ending |
Misrepresentation | deliberately deceiving |
Peremptory | in a commanding manner |
Quaint | picturesque |
Stevedore | dockworker |
Virtuoso | an accomplished musician |
Augment | increase; make bigger |
Complacent | self-satisfied; smug |
Droll | dryly amusing |
Galleon | ancient type of sailing ship |
Intermittent | sporadic; irregular |
Mitigate | lessen; make less severe |
Perfidy | treachery |
Quandary | dilemma; puzzle |
Stifle | suppress |
Virulent | dangerous; harmful |
Auspicious | favorable; promising to turn out well |
Compliant | easy to control; submissive |
Drone | 1. monotonous noise (n); 2. to speak with no emotion (v); 3.male bee |
Gambol | frolic; leap; bound |
Intransigence | stubbornness |
Modicum | small amount |
Perfunctory | superficial; cursory |
Quarantine | isolation to prevent the spread of disease |
Stoic | known for fortitude; indifferent to pleasure or pain |
Vital | essential; alive; important |
Austere | severely plain |
Concatenate | link together |
Dubious | doubtful |
Garble | distort; confuse; muddle |
Intransigent | stubborn; unyielding |
Momentous | very important |
Peripatetic | nomadic; moving from place to place |
Quarry | 1. something that is hunted; 2. mine for stone |
Stoke | add fuel to; strengthen |
Vitriolic | corrosive; strongly attacking |
Aversion | a dislike of |
Concatenation | linking into chains |
Dupe | to fool someone |
Garish | gaudy |
Intrepid | brave |
Monotonous | dull; unvarying |
Peripheral | on the edge; not important |
Querulous | always complaining |
Stolid | impassive; dull; indifferent |
Vivacity | liveliness; animation |
Balk | hinder and prevent; hesitate over |
Conciliate | to bring together; end a dispute |
Dynamic | lively; vibrant; energetic |
Garner | gather; collect |
Inveterate | habitual |
Moratorium | temporary prohibition or halt to activity |
Perjury | telling lies under oath |
Quirk | oddity |
Stratagem | plot; plan; trick |
Vivify | enliven |
Banal | common; dull |
Concise | stated in few words |
Ebullient | very lively; cheerful; jovial; happy |
Garrulous | talkative |
Invidious | arousing envy |
Moribund | on the point of death |
Pernicious | destructive; harmful |
Ramble | wander aimlessly |
Strident | loud and harsh |
Vociferous | noisy; loud in speech |
Banality | ordinariness; dullness |
Condescend | talk down to |
Eccentric | unusual; quirky; odd |
Gaunt | emaciated; bony and angular |
Inviolable | cannot be invaded |
Morose | gloomy; bad tempered |
Persnickety | fastidious; fussy |
Ramifications | branches; subdivisions of a complex system; outcomes |
Stringent | strict or severe |
Volatile | dangerously unstable; evaporates easily |
Bane | troublesome influence |
Condone | tacitly support; overlook |
Eclectic | taking things from different sources |
Genre | a category; type |
Irascible | easily angered |
Mundane | ordinary; worldly |
Perpetuated | caused to continue |
Rancor | resentment; animosity; bad feeling |
Strut | swagger; show off |
Voluble | talkative |
Bard | poet |
Condoning | overlooking; disregarding; ignoring |
Edifice | building; structure; construction |
Germane | relevant |
Ire | anger [irate (a) = very angry] |
Munificent | generous; charitable |
Perpetuity | eternity |
Rant | use bombastic language |
Stupefying | astonishing; shocking; stunning into silence |
Voluminous | very large; spacious |
Bastion | fortress; stronghold |
Conflagration | big fire |
Efface | wipe out; remove all trace of |
Germinal | just growing; not developed; immature |
Irksome | annoying; infuriating |
Mutinous | very rebellious |
Personable | attractive |
Ratify | approve; consent |
Subpoena | summons to court |
Voracious | ravenous |
Befuddle | confuse |
Confound | confuse |
Effigy | a model of a person |
Gibbering | making meaningless noises |
Ironic | satiric; unexpected |
Myriad | in large numbers |
Perspicacious | insightful; sharp; wise |
Raucous | rough and unpleasant (of sounds) |
Substantiate | give supporting evidence |
Waive | surrender; give up |
Begrudge | resent |
Congeal | to solidify |
Effusive | gushing; demonstrative |
Glacial | hostile; unfriendly; cold; icy |
Irrational | unreasonable; absurd |
Navigable | suitable for sailing |
Perspicacity | insight |
Raze | destroy; demolish; tear down |
Subterfuge | a trick |
Wane | grow less |
Beguile | mislead; lure |
Congenital | present from birth |
Egalitarianism | belief in equality |
Goad | prod; urge |
Irreproachable | cannot be criticized; perfect |
Nebulous | vague |
Pertinent | relevant |
Rebuttal | denial |
Subtle | not obvious |
Wary | hesitant; cautious |
Belabor | explain in unnecessary detail |
Connoisseur | person with refined taste and good judgment |
Egregious | outstandingly |
Grate (v) | 1. to annoy; aggravate; vex; 2. shred |
Irrevocable | cannot be cancelled; unchangeable |
Nefarious | wicked; immoral; disreputable |
Peruse | read carefully |
Recant | disclaim; retract statement |
Subversive | rebellious; revolutionary |
Wax | to increase; to grow |
Beleaguer | besiege; attack |
Consecrate | dedicate |
Egress | exit |
Gratis | free of charge; without payment |
Itinerant | nomadic; wandering from place to place |
Negate | cancel; deny |
Pervasive | spreading everywhere |
Recapitulate | summarize |
Succinct | concise |
Waylay | accost; stop; approach; hinder |
Belie | contradict |
Consensus | general agreement |
Eloquent | fluent and persuasive in speech |
Gratuitous | unwarranted |
Jaded | tired; bored; worn out |
Negligence | carelessness |
Petrify | 1. terrify; 2. turn to stone |
Receptacle | container; vessel; holder |
Suffragist | someone who campaigns for voting rights |
Weighty | serious |
Belittle | to demean |
Conspicuous | easily seen; prominent |
Elucidate | make clear |
Gravity | seriousness |
Jargon | specialized language used by experts |
Neologism | newly coined word |
Petulant | sulky; peevish |
Recluse | someone who cuts himself off from life |
Supercilious | proud and haughty |
Whelp | young dog |
Bellicose | war-like; aggressive |
Consummate | complete; total; supremely good |
Elusive | hard to pin down |
Gregarious | extroverted; sociable; outgoing |
Jaundiced | cynical; pessimistic |
Nettle | annoy |
Phenomenon | an event or happening (plural: phenomena) |
Recuperate | get better after illness |
Superlative | extremely good; the best |
Whet | sharpen |
Belligerent | aggressive; ready to fight |
Contemporary | living or happening at the same time |
Emaciated | very thin; withered |
Gritty | coarse; granular |
Jaunt | short pleasure trip |
Niggardly | miserly; stingy |
Philanthropy | charity; love of mankind |
Red tape | formalities; paperwork; official procedure |
Surly | grumpy; rude |
Whimsical | capricious; changeable |
Bemoan | complain about |
Contrite | sorry |
Emancipate | set free |
Guffaw | sudden loud laughter |
Jeopardize | put at risk; endanger |
Nomadic | wandering from place to place |
Philistine | uncultured person |
Redolent | smelling of; giving off odors |
Surreptitious | secret; sneaky; stealthy |
Willful | stubborn |
Benevolent | kindly |
Contrition | sorrow and repentance |
Embezzle | defraud; steal |
Guile | cunning; craftiness |
Jingoistic | extremely patriotic; nationalistic |
Nonchalance | an appearance of indifference; calm and composed |
Phlegmatic | calm; imperturbable |
Redress | put right something that was wrong |
Surreptitiously | secretly; furtively; stealthily |
Wily | cunning |
Benign | kindly; harmless |
Contumacious | stubborn |
Embroil | involve in hostility or argument |
Guileless | frank; straightforward; honest |
Jocular | in a joking manner |
Nondescript | having no special features; dull and ordinary |
Pillage | plunder |
Redundant | unnecessary; superfluous |
Susceptible | vulnerable |
Wispy | flimsy; frail; delicate |
Benignity | compassion; gentleness; fondness |
Contusion | a bruise |
Emerge | come out; appear |
Gullibility | unwariness; trustfulness; being easily fooled |
Jollity | gaiety; happiness |
Nonentity | a person of no importance; not famous |
Pinnacle | topmost point |
Referendum | public vote |
Suspect | doubtful |
Wistful | melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for |
Bequeath | leave something in one's will to be given after one's death |
Conundrum | a puzzle |
Emulate | to imitate something admired |
Gullible | easily fooled |
Jubilant | ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing |
Nostalgia | longing for the past |
Pious | very religious |
Refute | disprove |
Sybarite | lover of luxury |
Zany | crazy; wacky |
Berate | scold; criticize |
Conventional | usual; customary; common |
Endorse | give support or approval to |
Gustatory | concerned with the sense of taste |
Judicious | correct in judgment; wise |
Notoriety | infamy; known for wrong doing |
Pivotal | of central importance |
Regale | entertain |
Sycophant | bootlicker; flatterer |
Zeal | enthusiasm |
Beret | type of cap |
Corpulent | fat |
Endurance | staying power; patience; stamina |
Hackneyed | common and over-used |
Jurisprudence | science or study of law |
Novel | new; unusual |
Placate | pacify; soothe; calm |
Relegate | dismiss to a lower position |
Taciturn | quiet; saying little |
Zealot | fanatic |
Bestial | behaving like a beast; brutal |
Corrugated | highly folded |
Enduring | lasting |
Hallowed | worshipped; consecrated |
Juxtapose | place next to |
Novice | a beginner; tyro |
Placebo | harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine |
Remorse | regret; sorrow; contrition |
Tactile | concerned with the sense of touch |
Zenith | summit |