Vocab Level G Unit 13-15 Mastery

Captious

(adj. ) excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show up SYN: faultfinding, carping ANT: uncritical

Imminent

(adj.) about to happen, threatening SYN: looming ANT: distant, remote, faraway

Seraphic

(adj.) angelic, heavenly, celestial SYN: cherubic ANT: devilsh, impish

Cognizant

(adj.) aware, knowledgeable, informed; having jurisdiction SYN: acquainted ANT: unaware, unconscious, oblivious

Beatific

(adj.) blissful; rendering or making blessed SYN: rapturous, ecstatic ANT: disconsolate, dejected, doleful

Manifest

(adj.) clear, evident to the eyes or mind; (v.) to show plainly, exhibit, evince; (n.) a list of cargo and/or passengers SYN: (adj.) apparent; (v.) reveal, disclose ANT: (adj.) unrevealed, hidden; (v.) hide, conceal

Epicurean

(adj.) devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; fond of good food, comfort, and ease; with discriminating tastes; (n.) a person with discriminating tastes SYN: (adj.) sybaritic, discriminating ANT: (adj.) ascetic, self-denying, abstemious

Abstruse

(adj.) extremely difficult to understand SYN: arcane, recondite, occult ANT: simple, straightforward

Febrile

(adj.) feverish; pertaining to or marked by fever; frenetic ANT: leisurely

Putative

(adj.) generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred SYN: supposed, presumed ANT: corroborated, confirmed

Cacophonous

(adj.) harsh-sounding, raucous, discordant, dissonant ANT: harmonious, melodious, mellifuous

Nascent

(adj.) just beginning to exist or develop; having just come into existence SYN: incipient, embryonic ANT: dying, moribund, senescent

Ethereal

(adj.) light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (rather than earthbound) SYN: heavenly, celestial, gossamer ANT: infernal, hellish, thick, heavy

Innate

(adj.) natural, inborn, inherent; built-in SYN: congenital ANT: learned, acquired, extrinsic, accidental

Incongruous

(adj.) not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible SYN: discordant ANT: compatible, harmonious, consistent

Visionary

(adj.) not practical, lacking in realism; having the nature of a fantasy or dream; (n.) one given to far-fetched ideas; a dreamer or seer characterized by vision or foresight SYN: (adj.) utopian, idealistic, impractical ANT: (adj.) practical

Improvident

(adj.) not thrifty; failing to plan ahead SYN: prodigal, spendthrift, extravagant ANT: frugal, economical, cautious

Mutable

(adj.) open to or capable of change, fickle SYN: changeable, variable ANT: changeless, steadfast, constant

Contrite

(adj.) regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of guilt; thoroughly penitent SYN: remorseful, rueful ANT: unapologetic, impenitent

Restive

(adj.) restless, hard to manage, balky SYN: uneasy, recalcitrant ANT: serene, unruffled, docile

Ghoulish

(adj.) revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead SYN: barbarous, monstrous

Inviolable

(adj.) sacred; of such a character that it must not be broken, injured, or profaned SYN: unassailable, sacrosanct ANT: vulnerable, assailable

Loath

(adj.) unwilling, reluctant, disinclined SYN: averse, indisposed ANT: eager, inclined

Decorous

(adj.) well behaved, dignified, socially proper SYN: seemly, becoming, tasteful ANT: unbecoming, improper, tasteless

Wizened

(adj., part) dry, shrunken, and wrinkled (often as the result of aging) SYN: withered, shriveled ANT: bloated, distended

Desiccated

(adj., part.) thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting SYN: dehydrated, shriveled ANT: sodden, waterlogged, drenched

Machination

(n.) a crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some (usually evil) end SYN: plot, maneuver

Behemoth

(n.) a creature of enormous size, power, or appearance SYN: whale, elephant, colossus ANT: dwarf, pygmy, midget

Obeisance

(n.) a deep bow or other body movement indicating respect or submission; deference, homage SYN: honor ANT: disrespect, irreverence

Pillory

(n.) a device for publicly punishing offenders; a means for exposing one to public contempt or ridicule; (v.) to expose to public contempt or ridicule ANT: (v.) extol, laud, acclaim

Dissidence

(n.) a difference of opinion; discontent SYN: disagreement, disaffection ANT: harmony, concord

Canard

(n.) a false rumor, fabricated story SYN: hoax

Coup

(n.) a highly successful stroke, masterstroke, act, plan, or stratagem; a sudden takeover of power or leadership ANT: blunder, faux pas, gaffe

Euphemism

(n.) a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

Moratorium

(n.) a suspension of activity; an official waiting period; an authorized period of delay SYN: postponement, stoppage ANT: escalation

Pittance

(n.) a woefully meager allowance, wage, or portion SYN: trifle, modicum ANT: fortune

Nostrum

(n.) an alleged cure-all; a remedy or scheme of questionable effectiveness SYN: elixir

Affront

(n.) an open or intentional insult; a slight; (v.) to insult to one's face in defiance, confront SYN: (n.) offense; (v.) offend ANT: (n., v.) compliment, praise

Progeny

(n.) descendants, offspring, children, followers, disciples SYN: issue, posterity ANT: forebears, antecedents

Opprobrium

(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach SYN: infamy, dishonor, odium ANT: acclaim, honor, glory, renown

Panegyric

(n.) formal or elaborate praise; a tribute SYN: tribute, encomium, testimonial ANT: tirade, philippic

Pariah

(n.) one who is rejected by a social group or organization SYN: untouchable, persona non grata

Amenity

(n.) that which is pleasant or agreeable; (pl.) attractive features, customs, etc. ANT: unpleasantness, disagreeableness

Cynosure

(n.) the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct SYN: focus

Facade

(n.) the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (as opposed to what may lie behind) SYN: exterior, surface, mask ANT: interior

Aperture

(n.) the opening, gap, hole; orifice ANT: closure, blockage, occlusion

Efficacy

(n.) the power to produce a desired result SYN: effectiveness, potency, reliability ANT: impotence

Chicanery

(n.) trickery, deceptive practices or tactics, double-dealing ANT: fair dealing

Rectitude

(n.) uprightness, righteousness; correctness SYN: probity, integrity ANT: iniquity, heinousness

Iniquity

(n.) wickedness, sin; a grossly immoral act SYN: evil, crime ANT: probity, rectitude, uprightness

Blandishment

(n., often pl.) anything designed to flatter or coax; sweet talk SYN: allurement, cajolery ANT: intimidation

Minutiae

(pl. n) small or trivial details, trifling matters SYN: trifles ANT: essentials

Engender

(v.) to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form SYN: generate, cause, form ANT: stop, deter

Gainsay

(v.) to deny, contradict, controvert; to dispute, oppose ANT: confirm, corroborate, support, admit

Presage

(v.) to foreshadow or point to a future event, to predict; (n.) a warning or indication of the future SYN: (v.) augur, foretell

Consign

(v.) to give over to another's care, charge, or control; to entrust, deliver; to set apart for a special use SYN: remit, convey

Subsist

(v.) to have existence; to remain alive, manage to make a living or maintain life; to persist or continue SYN: last, sustain

Mesmerize

(v.) to hypnotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch

Promulgate

(v.) to proclaim or issue officially; to make known far and wide SYN: announce ANT: withdraw, retract, abrogate, nullify

Deign

(v.) to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something; to condescend SYN: deem