Vocabulary Workshop Level H (Units 10-12)
apposite
(adj) appropriate; suitable; apt syn. relevant, pertinent, material, germane ant. irrelevant, immaterial, inappropriate
viable
(adj) capable of living or developing under normal circumstances syn. practicable, workable, feasible ant. impracticable, unworkable, unfeasible
monolithic
(adj) characterized by massiveness, solidness, and total uniformity syn. undifferentiated, massive, dense ant. diversified, variform, multifarious
gothic
(adj) characterized by or emphasizing a gloomy setting and grotesque or violent events; such a literary or artistic style; a type of medieval architecture syn. sinister, eerie
zany
(adj) clownish or funny in a crazy, bizarre, or ludicrous way (n) one who plays the clown syn. (adj) comical, daffy; (n) buffoon ant. (adj) sedate, decorous, prim, sober, grave
empirical
(adj) derived from, dependent upon, or guided by practical experience, observation, or experiment, rather than by theory; so verifiable syn. observed, experiential, pragmatic ant. theoretical, hypothetical, conjectural
vacuous
(adj) devoid of matter, substance, or meaning; lacking ideas or intelligence; purposeless syn. inane, insipid, fatuous, void, empty ant. incisive, trenchant, perceptive, intelligent
quixotic
(adj) extravagantly or romantically idealistic; visionary without regard to practical considerations syn. fanciful, impractical, utopian ant. realistic, down-to-earth, pragmatic
imperceptible
(adj) extremely slight; incapable of being perceived by the senses or the mind syn. minimal, undetectable ant. conspicuous, noticeable, flagrant
parlous
(adj) full of danger or risk, perilous syn. hazardous, risky, dangerous ant. safe, secure, risk-free
effusive
(adj) highly demonstrative; unrestrained syn. gushy, lavish ant. restrained, reserved, muted, subdued
flamboyant
(adj) highly elaborate or ornate; vividly colored; strikingly brilliant or bold syn. showy, ostentatious, florid ant. staid, sedate, decorous, seemly, sober
apocryphal
(adj) of doubtful or questionable authenticity syn. fictitious, mythical, spurious, bogus ant. authentic, genuine, true
fulsome
(adj) offensively insincere or excessive; disgusting, sickening syn. inordinate, repulsive ant. understated, muted, restrained, agreeable
lugubrious
(adj) sad, mournful, or gloomy, especially to an exaggerated or ludicrous degree syn. doleful, melancholy, dismal, dolorous ant. merry, jovial, hilarious, funny
niggardly
(adj) stingy; meanly small or insufficient syn. tightfisted, penny-pinching, mean ant. generous, bountiful, magnanimous
utilitarian
(adj) stressing practicality over other considerations; relating to the belief that what is good or desirable is determined purely by its usefulness syn. practical, functional, pragmatic ant. nonfunctional, ornamental, decorative
execrable
(adj) utterly detestable, hateful, or abhorrent; extremely inferior syn. odious, abominable, reprehensible ant. commendable, praiseworthy, meritorious
precarious
(adj) very uncertain or unsure; dangerous or risky syn. perilous, dubious, ticklish ant. secure, safe, sturdy, firm
sic
(adv) thus so; intentionally written so
labyrinth
(n) a bewildering maze; any confusing or complicated situation syn. tangle, mystery, enigma
anachronism
(n) a chronological misplacing of events, objects, customs, or persons in regard to each other syn. chronological error
rapport
(n) a close and harmonious relationship syn. bond, tire, affinity, understanding
consensus
(n) a collective or general agreement of opinion, feeling, or thinking syn. unanimity, concord, accord, harmony ant. dissension, discord, disagreement
metamorphosis
(n) a complete transformation, as if by magic syn. change, makeover
impasse
(n) a dead end; a position from which there is no escape; a problem to which there is no solution syn. deadlock, standoff, stalemate
disparity
(n) a difference or inequality in age, rank, degree, amount, or quality; a dissimilarity, unlikeness syn. discrepancy, incongruity ant. similarity, likeness, congruity
bravado
(n) a display of false or assumed courage syn. swagger, bluster, braggadocio ant. mettle, bravery, pluck
dichotomy
(n) a division into two contradictory or mutually exclusive parts' a branching or forking in an ancestral line syn. schism, division, bifurcation ant. uniformity, oneness
pastiche
(n) a dramatic, musical, or literary work made up of bits and pieces from other sources; a hodgepodge syn. medley, patchwork, melange, potpourri
zealot
(n) a fanatical partisan; an ardent follower syn. fanatic, extremist
euphoria
(n) a feeling of great happiness or well-being, often with no objective basis syn. elation, bliss, ecstasy, rapture ant. melancholy, depression, gloom
patrician
(n) a member of the ruling class; a person of high or noble rank or of prominent social standing (adj) belonging to, befitting, or characteristic of such a person syn. (n) aristocrat, peer, noble; (adj) highborn ant. (n) peasant, commoner, plebeian
puntilio
(n) a minute detail of conduct or procedure; an instant of time syn. fine point, nicety
raconteur
(n) a person who tells stories and anecdotes with great skill syn. a storyteller, anecdotist
vendetta
(n) a prolonged feud, often between two families, characterized by retaliatory acts of revenge; any act motivated by vengeance syn. blood feud, rivalry
augur
(n) a prophet or seer (v) to predict, foreshadow syn. (n) oracle; (v) bode
nihilism
(n) a total rejection of existing laws, institutions, and moral values; extreme radicalism ant. conservatism
mystique
(n) an aura or attitude of mystery or veneration surrounding something or someone syn. charisma
sine qua non
(n) an essential or indispensable element or condition syn. necessity, requisite, desideratum
non sequitur
(n) an inference or conclusion that does not follow logically from the facts or premises syn. illogical reference, unsound conclusion
vagary
(n) an unpredictable, erratic, or seemingly purposeless action, occurrence, or notion syn. caprice, whim, quirk
narcissism
(n) excessively self-love; absorption in oneself syn. egotism, conceit, vanity, amour propre
acumen
(n) keenness of insight; quickness or accuracy of judgment syn. perspicacity, shrewdness, acuity ant. ignorance, stupidity, obtuseness
apostate
(n) one who forsakes his or her religion, party, or cause syn. renegade, defector, turncoat ant. true believer, loyalist
quagmire
(n) soft, soggy mud or slush; a difficult or entrapping situation syn. fen, marsh, bog, morass ant. bedrock, solid footing, terra firma
liaison
(n) the contact or means of communication between groups; someone acting as such a contact; any close relationship; a thickening or binding agent used in cooking syn. intermediary, channel
mot juste
(n) the most suitable or exact word or expression syn. right word ant. misnomer, misuage, malapropism
charisma
(n) the special personal magnetism that makes an individual exceptionally appealing to other people; a divinely bestowed gift or power syn. appeal, charm, mystique
xenophobia
(n) undue or unreasonable fear, hatred, or contempt of foreigners or strangers or of what is foreign or strange syn. provinciality, parochialism, chauvinism
lackey
(n) uniformed male servant; a servile follower syn. footman, toady, flunky, hanger-on ant. lord, liege, employer, boss
adjudicate
(v) to act as judge in a matter; to settle through the use of a judge or legal tribunal syn. arbitrate, referee, mediate
bilk
(v) to defraud, cheat, or swindle; to evade payment of; to frustrate, thwart syn. dupe, cozen
dissimulate
(v) to hide or disguise one's true thoughts, feelings, or intentions syn. dissemble, pretend, misrepresent ant. reveal
immolate
(v) to kill as sacrifice, especially by fire; to destroy or renounce for hte sake of another syn. slay, kill ant. save, rescue, preserve
constrict
(v) to make smaller or narrower, draw together, squeeze; to stop or cause to falter syn. contract, curb, restrain ant. enlarge, dilate, expand
propitiate
(v) to make someone or something favorably inclined toward oneself; to conciliate, satisfy, or appease syn. placate, mollify ant. estrange, alienate, provoke, annoy
debilitate
(v) to make weak or feeble syn. enervate, sap, exhaust, enfeeble ant. strengthen, fortify, invigorate
sublimate
(v) to redirect the energy of a biological or instinctual impulse into a higher or more acceptable channel syn. rechannel, elevate
impinge
(v) to strike against or collide with violently; to encroach or obtrude upon; to make an impression upon syn. horn in, affect