MGRE_Maria

analogous (adj) uh-NAL-uh-guss

Definition: Comparable, corresponding in some particular way (making a good analogy) Usage: In the U.S., whenever opponents of a war want to suggest that the war is unwinnable, they point out all the ways in which the war is analogous to the VietnamWar. Related Words: Tantamount (equivalent, as in "What he did is tantamount to murder.")

cartography (noun) car-TAH-grah-fee

Definition: Mapmaking Usage: The invention of better navigation tools had major effects on cartography—the more ships knew preciselywhere theywere sailing, the better the world could be mapped. More Info: Fromthe French "carte," map.

aberrant (adj) AB-er-int Also aberration (noun)

Definition: Abnormal, deviant Usage: The teen's aberrant behavior made his family suspect that he was using drugs. / Losing rather than gainingweight over the holidays is certainly an aberration. Related Words: Anomaly (deviation fromthe norm, inconsistency), Outlier (a person on the fringe; a data point that lies outside the main pattern of data) More Info: The prefix "ab" means "away"—in this case, away fromwhat's normal.

anarchy (noun) ANN-ark -ee Also anarchism (noun), anarchist (noun)

Definition: Absence of law or government; chaos, disorder Usage: Once the dictator was assassinated, the country fell into total anarchy, as none of the opposition groups were strong enough to seize power. More Info: Anarchism can sometimes mean the political philosophy that the absence of all direct government is ideal and that voluntary associations of individuals would be able to govern themselves.

capricious (adj) cap-REE-shuss Also caprice (noun)

Definition: Acting on impulse, erratic Usage: The headmaster's punishments were capricious—break the rules one day, you get a warning; break themanother day, you get expelled. / Who needs a plan? A date is more fun with a little caprice—let's just start driving and see what we find! Related Words: Whimsical (fanciful, eccentric), Lark (merry adventure), Mercurial (changingmoods), Arbitrary (based on one's discretion; capricious) More Info: Capricious is generally (but not always) meant in a negative way, as acting on impulse is inappropriate in most contexts. Whimsical is a nearsynonym, although generally used in a positive way, to describe using one's imagination.

artifact (noun) AR-ti-fact

Definition: Any object made by humans, especially those froman earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists Usage: The archaeologists dug up countless artifacts, fromsimple pottery shards and coins to complex written tablets. / The girl's roomwas full of the artifacts of modern teenage life: Justin Bieber posters, Twilight books, and a laptop open to Facebook. More Info: Artifact contains the same root ("fact," meaning "to make") as in factory and manufacture.

concur (verb) cuhn-KER

Definition: Approve, agree Usage: John Locke wrote that justice is based on the social contract, and I concur—in fact, my latest book is all about contractual justice. Related Words: Assent (approval, agreement) More Info: Concur is related to concurrent, meaning "occurring at the same time or acting over the same area; coordinating actions," as in "We recommend that you take calculus before college physics, but it is possible to take them concurrently."

chronological (adj) KRAH-noh-LODGE-ick -ull

Definition: Arranged in or relating to time order Usage: Joey, I'mafraid you've done the assignment wrong—the point of making a timeline is to put the information in chronological order. You've made an alphabetical-order-line instead! More Info: The root "chron," for "time," also occurs in chronicle (a historical account in time order), chronic (ongoing, usually of an illness), and anachronism (thing out of its own time period). Chronometer is just a fancy word for clock.

canonical (adj) can-NON-ick -ull Also "the canon" (noun)

Definition: Authorized, recognized; pertaining to the canon, or body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works Usage: School boards often start controversies when replacing canonical books in the curriculumwithmodern literature; while many people think students should read works more relevant to their lives, others point out that Moby Dick is part of the canon for a reason. More Info: Canon comes froma Greek word similar to "measuring rod" and which also gives us cane.

arbitrary (adj) AR-bi-trayr-ee

Definition: Based entirely on one's discretion; capricious, unreasonable, or having no basis Usage: The judge's rulings were truly arbitrary—one defendant got community service for stealing a television, and another got three years for the same crime. / It doesn't really matter which brand of baking soda you buy—just arbitrarily pick one so we can get out of this grocery store before dinnertime. More Info: Arbitrary looks a lot like arbiter for good reason—originally, something arbitrary was something that was uncertain because it depended on an arbiter's decision. As indicated by the definition above, arbitrary can be neutral or negative.

caustic (adj) CAW-stick

Definition: Capable of corrodingmetal or burning the skin; very critical or sarcastic Usage: Wait, those chemicals are caustic! You need safety gloves and goggles before performing this experiment, or else you risk not only getting your skin burned off, but also some seriously caustic remarks fromour chemistry teacher. Related Words: Acerbic (sour; harsh or severe), Acrid (sharp or biting, pungent), Astringent (caustic, biting, severe; a skin cleaning fluid that clears pores), Excoriate (to rub the skin off of; to criticize very harshly)

alienate (verb) AY-lee-en-ayt Also inalienable (adj)

Definition: Cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant Usage: The talk-show host was trying to help, but only alienated her viewers when she suggested that they cope with a tough economy by checking themselves into a spa. Related Words: Disaffect (cause to lose affection or loyalty), Estrange (make hostile or indifferent—"He hasn't spoken to his estranged son in a decade.") More Info: In law, alienate means to transfer property to another owner. An inalienable right is one that you cannot give away or sell (for instance, it is not possible for a person to sell himself into slavery).

catalyst (noun) CAT-uh-list

Definition: Causer of change Usage: The youngmanager was a catalyst at the stodgy old company—once he introduced employee laptops, telecommuting, and mobile workstations, even the most conventional of employees totally changed the way they worked. / Reaching 500 pounds on the scale was a catalyst for Marcus to really change his lifestyle. More Info: In chemistry, a catalyst causes or accelerates a chemical reaction but is not, itself, affected (the opposite is an inhibitor).Metaphorically, a catalyst is a person or event that causes a reaction.

archaic (adj) ar-CAY-ick Also archaism (noun)

Definition: Characteristic of an earlier period, ancient, primitive Usage: The school's archaic computer systempredated even floppy disks—it stored records on tape drives! / Sometimes, when you look a word up in the dictionary, certain definitions are marked "archaic"—unless you are a Shakespeare scholar, you can safely ignore those archaisms. Related Words: Obsolete (out of date, no longer used), Antediluvian (extremely old, before the Biblical flood) More Info: "Archaic" is especially used to describe language common to an older time but rare today, such as "thou" or "forsooth." If a word appears in a dictionarywith "archaic" next to a secondarymeaning, that meaning is unlikely to be tested on the GRE.

alacrity (noun) uh-LACK-rit-tee

Definition: Cheerful or speedywillingness Usage: Any boss wants an employee to respond with alacrity to his or her requests, handling thempromptly and with enthusiasm. Related Words: Brisk (speedy, energetic, vigorous), Sprightly (lively, full of spirit) More Info: Alacrity has an adjective form, alacritous, but phrases like "full of alacrity" or "with alacrity" are much more common.

coalesce (verb) coh-uh-LESS

Definition: Come together, unite; fuse together Usage: While at first everyone on the teamwas jockeying for power and recognition, eventually, the group coalesced and everyone was happy to share credit for a job well-done. / East and West Germany coalesced into a single country in 1990. Related Words: Agglomerate (collect into a mass), Aggregate (gather together), Consolidate (unite, combine, firmup—you can consolidate loans or consolidate power) More Info: A coalition is a group that has coalesced (at least in theory).

complementary (adj) cahm-pleh-MENT-uh-ree

Definition: Completing; fitting together well; fillingmutual needs Usage: "That scarf really complements your outfit," said Elle. "Thanks for the compliment," said Danica. / The couple had complementary personalities— whenMark got overwhelmed with the details, Lee took care of everything, and when Lee got too introspective,Mark cheered himup with an insatiable zest for life. More Info: Complementary angles (for instance, 35° and 55°) add to 90 degrees.

aesthetic (adj, noun) ess-THEH-tick Also aesthete (noun)

Definition: Concerning the appreciation of beauty or good taste, pertaining to the science of what is beautiful (adj); a sense of beauty and taste of a particular time and place (noun) Usage: The twins were so different—one possessed a truly baroque aesthetic, preferring golden, gilded decor. The other lived in a world of pure logic, untouched by any aesthetic sense whatsoever; art did not move him, his house was bare, and he married his wife solely because she was a master of calculus. More Info: The meaning of aesthetic can range fromthe academic study of beauty (aesthetics) to performingmanicures, the work of an aesthetician. Don't confuse aesthetic with ascetic (pertaining to a simple, austere life with no luxuries, such as that of a monk; a personwho leads such a life).

confer (verb) cuhn-FER

Definition: Consult, compare views; bestow or give Usage: A Ph.D. confers upon a person the right to be addressed as "Doctor" as well as eligibility to pursue tenure-track professorship. / Excuse me for a moment to make a call—I can't buy this car until I confer withmy spouse. Related Words: Vest can mean "grant an authority or right," as in "The ownership of 51% of the stock vests her with the right to make decisions for the company."

belie (verb) bih-LIE

Definition: Contradict or misrepresent Usage: The actress's public persona as a perky "girl next door" belied her private penchant for abusing her assistants and demanding that her trailer be filled with ridiculous luxury goods. / The data belie the accepted theory—either we've made a mistake, or we have an amazing new discovery on our hands! More Info: This word is extremely common in GRE questions that ask you to select the missing word for a blank, as belie allows a sentence to "change directions," as in the example above.

contentious (adj) cuhn-TENT-chuss Also contend (verb), contention (noun)

Definition: Controversial; prone to causing arguments, especially gratuitous or petty ones Usage: The death penalty is a contentious issue. / My uncle is so contentious that every attempt I made to introduce an uncontroversial topic met with failure —he ranted and raved about the weather, trees, math, and my daughter's enjoyment of oatmeal. Related Words: Disputatious and quarrelsome are near-synonyms More Info: A contention is simply a claim, often a thesis or statement that will then be backed up with reasons. To contend can be to argue or to vie for a prize, as in the famous quote fromOn the Waterfront: "I coulda been a contender."

castigate (verb) CASS-tigg-ayt

Definition: Criticize severely; punish in order to correct Usage: At the grocery store, the mother attracted stares when she castigated— rather thanmerely admonished—her child for throwing a box of instant oatmeal. Related Words: Excoriate (berate severely; wear the skin off) More Info: Castigate shares a root (meaning "pure") with both "castrate" and the "caste system." That should make it easy to remember that castigation is harsh indeed!

aver (verb) uh-VER

Definition: Declare or affirmwith confidence Usage: "Despite your insistence that ethics are completely situational," said the philosophy professor, "I aver that the existence of natural rights inevitably leads to certain immutable ethical boundaries." More Info: Aver contains the root "ver" (truth), which also appears in verify, veracious, and verisimilitude.

antipathy (noun) an-TIP-uh-thee

Definition: Deep dislike, aversion, or repugnance, sometimes without reason Usage: As an environmentalist,Mr. Subramanian had nothing but antipathy for the mining company drilling in and polluting his hometown. Related Words: Loathing (strong aversion, dislike, or disgust) More Info: Don't confuse antipathy with apathy, whichmeans "indifference, not caring." Antipathy is the opposite of sympathy (note that the root "path" means "feeling").

abhor (verb) ab-HORE

Definition: Detest, regard with disgust Usage: "Go out with you?" she replied. "I abhor you! I would rather stab myself with a rusty bread knife than be your girlfriend!" Related Words: Loathe, Abominate (synonyms), Antipathy (instinctive repugnance or aversion) More Info: The prefix "ab" means "away"—if you abhor (or abominate) something, you want to get as far away fromit as possible.

anomaly (noun) uh-NOM-ah-lee Also anomalous (adj)

Definition: Deviation fromwhat is common; inconsistency Usage: While the cosmetics division of this company has many female executives, it is an anomaly—in the rest of the company, sadly, only 4% of management positions are filled by women. Related Words: Aberration (departing fromnormal; mental irregularity or deviation in morality) More Info: The word "anomaly" sometimes pops up in discussions of the supernatural. The show X-Files was about the investigation of anomalies.

appreciable (adj) uh-PREESH-yuh-bull

Definition: Enough to be perceived, considerable Usage: She ruefully concluded that the "Pot Pie Diet" was a scamand had made no appreciable difference in her appearance—after four weeks, she had lost three-quarters of a pound. Related Words: A near-antonym is Negligible—bothwords can refer to small amounts, but an appreciable amount or difference is large enough to matter, and a negligible amount or difference is so small it can safely be ignored.

avid (adj) AV-id Also avidity (noun)

Definition: Enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate; excessively desirous Usage: An avid cyclist, she was on her bike everyweekend, and even bought the same bike that Lance Armstrong last used in the Tour de France. / Avid of power, the young Senator compromised every principle to gain the support— and money—of large corporations. Related Words: Ardent (very passionate), Zealous (full of fervor or dedicated enthusiasmfor a cause, person, etc.)

connoisseur (noun) cah-nuh-SOOR

Definition: Expert, especially in the fine arts; person of educated, refined tastes Usage: A chocolate connoisseur,Momeschews grocery store brands and will only eat 80% -cocoa-or-higher artisanal chocolate that is less than a week old. Related Words: Epicure (personwith discriminating tastes, esp. regarding food and wine) More Info: Connoisseur comes, through French, fromthe Latin "cognoscere," meaning "to know," which also gives us cognition.

affectation (noun) aff-eck-TAY-shun Also affected (adj)

Definition: Fake behavior (such as in speech or dress) adopted to give a certain impression Usage: I'mannoyed whenever Americans move to England and suddenly start speakingwith an affected British accent; such affectations, when practiced by celebrities, are only likely to alienate their fans. Related Words: Artifice (trickery, especially as part of a strategy) More Info: In slang, some people call affected behavior "being a poser" (or poseur).

bogus (adj) BOH-guss

Definition: Fake, fraudulent Usage: The back of this bodybuildingmagazine is just full of ads for bogus products—this one promises 22-inch biceps just fromwearingmagnetic armbands! Related Words: Spurious and Sham are synonyms More Info: Bogus is of American origin, originally a device for making counterfeit money. "Bogus!" was also a slang termof the '80s (prominent in the 1989 filmBill and Ted's Excellent Adventure), meaning "bad" or "unfair." On the GRE, however, bogus means fake.

chauvinism (noun) SHOW-vin-izm Also chauvinist (noun), chauvinistic (adj)

Definition: Fanatical patriotismor blind enthusiasmfor military glory; undue or biased devotion to any group, cause, etc. Usage: He's such a chauvinist that he denies that any other nation could be better than ours at anything—he insists our wine is better than France's, our ski slopes are better than Norway's, and even that we grow more rice than China! Absurd. Related Words: Bigot (obstinately prejudiced person), Xenophobia (fear of foreigners), Jingoism (extreme chauvinismplus warlike foreign policy) More Info: Don't confuse chauvinismwith sexism—a "male chauvinist" is just one kind. The original chauvinist was Nicholas Chauvin, a possibly fictional soldier wounded 17 times while serving in Napoleon's army (he really loved Napoleon).

ascertain (verb) ass-er-TAYN

Definition: Find out with certainty Usage: Hopefully, the investigationwill allow us to ascertainwho is at fault here. Related Words: Discern (perceive or recognize; tell two or more things apart), Descry (discover, see by looking carefully) More Info: Ascertain is easy to remember—it means "make certain" and has the word "certain" contained inside it.

abdicate (verb) AB-di-cayt Also abdication (noun)

Definition: Formally give up the throne (or some other power or responsibility) Usage: King Edward VIII of England famously abdicated the throne in order to marry an American divorcée. / Parents can be charged with neglect for abdicating their responsibilities towards their children. Related Words: Don't confuse abdicate with dethrone and depose, which refer to forcing a leader frompower. Abdication is voluntary. More Info: Abdicate comes fromthe root "ab" (away) and "dic/dict" (proclaim), the latter of which also appears in dictator, dictionary, dictate, dictum, and indict.

artless (adj) ART-less

Definition: Free of deceit or craftiness, natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge, crude, uncultured Usage: Children can be so artless that, when you try to explain war to them, they say things like, "But isn't that mean?"/ His artless attempt at negotiating a raise began with "I need more money, please" and ended with "Okay, sorry I asked." Related Words: Guileless, Ingenuous (synonyms) More Info: Don't think of artless as a lack of art—think of it as a lack of artifice, or artificiality. Artless can be either positive (free of deceit) or negative (lacking skill).

aggregate (verb, adj) AG-gruh-gayt (v), AG-gruh-git (n)

Definition: Gather together, amount to (verb); constituting a whole made up of constituent parts (adj) Usage: While some of the company's divisions did better than others, in aggregate, we made a profit. / Concrete is created when crushed rock or glass is aggregatedwith cement; in aggregate, concrete is stronger than cement alone. Related Words: Agglomerate (collect into a mass), Consolidate (unite, combine, firmup—you can consolidate loans or consolidate power) More Info: Aggregate can be used in the same sense as a gross amount. Gross or aggregate sales are the total amount fromall sources.

concede (verb) cuhn-SEED Also concession (noun)

Definition: Give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly; grant or give up (such as giving up land after losing a war) Usage: The negotiations were pointless, with each side's representatives instructed by their home countries to make no concessions whatsoever. / Quebec was a French concession to Britain in the Treaty of Paris in 1763. / I suppose I will have to concede the argument now that you've looked up evidence onWikipedia. More Info: The Latin "cedere" means "yield, go, withdraw" and also gives us cede (to yield, especially to give up land after losing a war), precede, and succeed.

abjure (verb) ab-JOOR

Definition: Give up, renounce; repudiate, recant, or shun (especially formally or under oath) Usage: To become a citizen of the United States, you must abjure loyalty to the nation of your birth. / Since enrolling in that nutrition class, she has abjured sugar and saturated fats. Related Words: Forswear (reject or renounce under oath; swear falsely in court), Eschew (shun, avoid, abstain from) More Info: Abjure can be used in the same way as renounce. You renounce worldly pleasures, a religion or family member, membership in a group, etc. It can also be used in the same way as repudiate, which is more often used with ideas, as in "Galileo repudiated the belief that the Sun revolves around the Earth."

bureaucracy (noun) byur-ROCK-cruh-see Also bureaucratic (adj), bureaucrat (noun)

Definition: Government characterized bymany bureaus and petty administrators or by excessive, seeminglymeaningless requirements Usage: Some nations have a worse reputation for bureaucracy than others—in order to get a visa, he had to file papers with four different agencies, wait for hours in three different waiting rooms, and, weeks later, follow up with some petty bureaucrat who complained that the original application should've been filed in triplicate. More Info: There is nothingwrongwith bureaus (the Federal Bureau of Investigation, for instance), but bureaucracy takes the idea much too far. While, technically, bureaucracy can simplymean a formof government by bureaus, it is virtually always used in the negative sense of excessive "red tape."

burgeon (verb) BER-juhn

Definition: Grow or flourish rapidly; put forth buds or shoots (of a plant) Usage: The dictator was concerned about the people's burgeoning discontent and redoubled his personal security. / Spending an hour a day on vocabulary studies will soon cause your lexicon to burgeon. More Info: FromOld French "burjon," a shoot or bud. Mushroom is used in a similar metaphorical way, meaning "to spread out in all directions," as a mushroomgrows.

benign (adj) bih-NINE Also benignant (adj)

Definition: Harmless; favorable; kindly, gentle, or beneficial; not cancerous Usage: He was relieved when the biopsy results came back, informing himthat the growthwas benign. / He's a benign fellow. I'msure having himassigned to your teamat workwill be perfectly pleasant, without changing the way you do things. Related Words: Innocuous (harmless, inoffensive) More Info: Benign contains the root "bene," meaning "good." Its antonymis malign ("mal" means "bad"), which as an adjective means "evil, harmful, or malicious" (as a verb, it can also mean "slander or defame"). The variant benignant is used the same way as benign.

cacophony (noun) cah-CAW-fuh-nee Also cacophonous (adj)

Definition: Harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds Usage: The first day of elementary school marching band practice was nothing but cacophony, as students who hadn't learned to play their instruments at all nevertheless banged on or puffed air into them. Related Words: Din (loud, confused noise), Dissonance (harsh, inharmonious sound), Clamor (noisy uproar, as froma crowd) More Info: "Caco/kako/kaki" is the Greek root for "bad," occurring in such obscure but useful words as cacography (bad spelling or handwriting) and kakistocracy (rule by evil people). "Eu" is the Greek root for "good" and occurs in the antonymto cacophony, euphony.

abstain (verb) ab-STAIN Also abstemious (adj.)

Definition: Hold back, refrain (especially fromsomething bad or unhealthy); decline to vote Usage: The church board voted on whether to hold an abstinence rally to encourage young people not to become sexually active; while most members voted in favor, one voted against and two abstained, with one abstainer commenting that, as far as she knew, the church's teens were pretty abstemious already. Related Words: Temperance (moderation, holding back), Teetotaler (a person who abstains fromalcohol), Forbear (hold back or abstain from) More Info: Abstain is usually followed by "from" (vegetarians forbear meat or abstain from meat).

conversely (adverb) cuhn-VER-slee

Definition: In an opposite way; on the other hand Usage: I amnot here to argue that lack of education causes poverty. Conversely, I amhere to argue that poverty causes lack of education. Related Words: The expression "to the contrary" is sometimes used in the same way as conversely. More Info: In logic, the converse of a statement is a simple reversal, from "Bachelors are unmarried men" to "Unmarried men are bachelors." The converse is not always true, such as in the case of "All schnauzers are dogs" and "All dogs are schnauzers."

construe (verb) cuhn-STROO

Definition: Interpret or translate Usage: I don't know how you construedmy comment as an insult. All I said was, "Wow, I never knew you could sing." More Info: To misconstrue is to misunderstand or misinterpret.

conversant (adj) cuhn-VER-sint

Definition: Knowledgeable about or experienced with Usage: For an opera singer, she is unusually conversant in physics—she just explained to everyone the purpose of the Large Hadron Collider. Related Words: Abreast (keeping up with, staying aware of, or remaining equal in progress with) More Info: Conversant does NOT mean talkative—it means having enough knowledge to be able to carry on an intelligent conversation about a topic.

arcane (adj) ar-CANE Also arcanum (noun)

Definition: Known or understood by only a few; obscure, secret Usage: To win at Jeopardy, youmust be full of arcane knowledge. / The wizard's shop was full of arcanum, fromLatin-to-Ancient Greek dictionaries to entire books onmagic spells relating only to elephants. Related Words: Esoteric, Abstruse More Info: Arcane comes fromthe Latin "arca," for "box"—arcanumis information that is metaphorically shut up in a box.

console (verb, noun) cuhn-SOHL (v), CAHN-sohl (n)

Definition: Lessen the suffering or grief of (verb); a control panel, or small table or cabinet (noun) Usage: I was unable to console Tina after she fell asleep at the console of her airplane and thereby failed her pilot's exam. Related Words: Succor (comfort, provide relief) More Info: As a verb, the word is pronounced "con-SOLE." As a noun, it's pronounced "CON-sole."

alleviate (verb) uh-LEE-vee-ayt

Definition: Lessen, make easier to endure Usage: The stimulus package has alleviated the pangs of the Great Recession, but times are still tough. Related Words: Assuage (alleviate, satisfy, or pacify—"assuage someone's fears"), Ameliorate (make better), Extenuate (to make seemless serious—"His crime was extenuated by his mental illness"), Palliate (to alleviate or extenuate) More Info: The over-the-counter painkiller "Alleve" was undoubtedly named with the word alleviate in mind.

clinch (verb) KLINch

Definition: Make final or settle conclusively; to fasten or hold together Usage: When their best player was benched, the teamfell behind, but once he was allowed back in the game, the teamwas able to clinch the win. / These two pieces have been clinched together with a clamp while the glue dries. More Info: In sports, to clinch a championship is to gain so great a lead that it is impossible not to win. To clinch a contract is to lock it down. To clinch a nail is to flatten the part that sticks out—that is, to finish your work.

aggrandize (verb) uh-GRAND-ize Also self-aggrandizing (adj)

Definition: Make greater; exaggerate Usage: I can't stand whenmy coworker aggrandizes her role in our group projects. / Stop it with your constant self-aggrandizing—we don't care how many automobiles you own! Related Words: Augment (to make larger) More Info: An opposite of self-aggrandizing could be self-deprecating or selfeffacing.

antagonize (verb) an-TAG-uh-nize Also antagonistic (adj)

Definition: Make hostile or unfriendly Usage: "Josie! Stop antagonizing your little brother! Give himback that firetruck and tell himyou're sorry for pulling his hair!" Related Words: Provoke (anger, enrage, stir up, incite to action) More Info: When discussing literature or films, the protagonist is the main character and the antagonist is the main adversary (The Joker is Batman's antagonist).

augment (verb) awg-MENT

Definition: Make larger Usage: If youmemorize the definitions on all of these flashcards, you will have notably augmented your vocabulary! Related Words: Aggrandize (make greater; exaggerate) More Info: Augment shares a root ("augere," to increase) with august, meaning "majestic, inspiring reverence."

assuage (verb) uh-SWAY-zh

Definition: Make milder, relieve; soothe, pacify, or calm Usage: After losing a million-dollar account, he tried to assuage his furious boss by pointing out that he was close to winning a new account worth at least as much. Related Words: Placate, Mollify, and Appease are near-synonyms More Info: Assuage shares a Latin root (meaning "sweet") with suave, which todaymeans smoothly agreeable or polite.

admonish (verb) ad-MAHN-ish Also admonition (noun)

Definition: Mildly scold; caution, advise, or remind to do something Usage: She was an exacting boss who upbraided an employee for jamming the copier, yet she merely admonished her five-year-old for the same offense. Related Words: Reprove, upbraid, reprimand, and rebuke are all harsher forms of criticismthan admonish. More Info: You can also admonish someone to do something, as in "The GRE instructor admonished her students to study vocabulary every day."

base (adj) BASE

Definition: Morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little or no value; crude and unrefined; counterfeit Usage: His philanthropywas underlied by truly base motives—he not only craved the fawning publicity his donations brought, but he was actually funneling drugmoney through the Children's Defense Fund! / The supposed "gold bricks" were really base metals covered in a very thin layer of real gold. Related Words: Debase (lower or reduce in quality or dignity)

converge (verb) cuhn-VERGE

Definition: Move towards one another or towards a point; unite Usage: I know we're driving to the wedding fromdifferent states, but our routes ought to converge when each of us hits I-95—maybe we could converge at a Cracker Barrel for lunch! More Info: The antonymof converge is diverge.

clamor (verb) CLAM-er

Definition: Noisy uproar or protest, as froma crowd; a loud, continuous noise Usage: As soon as a scent of scandal emerged, the press was clamoring for details. / The mayor couldn't evenmake herself heard over the clamor of the protestors. Related Words: Hubbub (loud noise, confusion), Cacophany (harsh, discordant, or meaningless mixture of sounds), Din (loud, confused noise), Dissonance (cacophony, harsh, inharmonious sound) More Info: Don't confuse with clamber, whichmeans to climb awkwardly or scramble. Clamor comes froman Anglo-French root meaning "cry out," a root that also gives us claim.

apathy (noun) APP-uh-thee Also apathetic (adj)

Definition: Not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern Usage: Many parents of teenagers are concerned by their indolent teens' apathy about the future. Few teens are totally apathetic, however—many get quite excited about video games, flirting, or trips to the mall. Related Words: Indifferent (apathetic or impartial), Lukewarm (moderately warm; having little enthusiasm) More Info: Don't confuse apathy with antipathy, whichmeans "deep dislike, aversion, or repugnance."

ambiguous (adj) am-BIG-yoo-uss

Definition: Not clear, hard to understand, open to having several meanings or interpretations Usage: The meaning of this ancient text is ambiguous—either we are missing some cultural context, or else the writer actuallywanted to be mysterious. Related Words: Equivocal (allowing for several different meanings; undecided or having mixed feelings), Opaque (hard to understand; dull or stupid; literally, not allowing light to pass through) More Info: The prefix "ambi-" means "both" or "all." Don't confuse ambiguous with ambivalent, whichmeans "havingmixed feelings, undecided." People are ambivalent; writing, speech, and other forms of communication are ambiguous.

compliant (adj) cuhm-PLY-ent

Definition: Obeying, submissive; following the requirements Usage: Those who are not compliant with the regulations will be put on probation and possibly expelled. / A compliant child, he never gave his parents any trouble. Related Words: Complaisant and Obliging are words describing people who comply with eagerness.

apocryphal (adj) uh-POCK-riff-ull Also Apocrypha (noun)

Definition: Of questionable authenticity; false Usage: I'msorry, but this putative letter fromGeorgeWashington that you found at a garage sale is clearly apocryphal—it is riddled with anachronisms (for instance,Washingtonwas long dead by the time silent films were invented), and also, Washingtonmost certainly didn't refer to MarthaWashington as "hey baby." Related Words: Ersatz (artificial, synthetic, serving as a substitute), Faux (fake, imitation, as in "faux fur"), Specious (pleasing to the eye but deceptive) More Info: The word "Apocrypha" often refers to books that have been rejected for inclusion in (various versions of) the Bible, either due to dubious authenticity or because the Church considered themuseful, but not divinely inspired. Obviously, different authorities disagree about what exactly is included in the Apocrypha.

candid (adj) CAN-did Also candor (noun)

Definition: Open, sincere, honest Usage: Allow me to be candid: you do look rather portly in those pants, and I think you should wear something else. / You have been really secretive about where you've been going after work; we could use a little more candor in this relationship. Related Words: Frank (direct, straightforward) More Info: Candid photographs are photos "fromlife," where the subjects are not posing. CandidCamera was a "hidden camera" style prank show that ran for decades.

adverse (adj) AD-verss Also adversity (noun)

Definition: Opposing, harmful Usage: Pioneer women persevered despite adverse circumstances, even when fording a river—baby in one arm, leading a horse with the other—against an adverse current. Related Words: Antagonistic (hostile, acting in opposition) More Info: Adverse appears in "adverse criticism," although that expression is a bit redundant. Adverse is also related to adversary (an opponent, foe).

condone (verb) cuhn-DOHN

Definition: Overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless Usage: While underage drinking is illegal, at many universities, it is tacitly condoned by administrations that neglect to enforce anti-drinking policies. Related Words: Brook (suffer or tolerate), Countenance (as a noun: face or facial expression; as a verb: approve or tolerate) More Info: Condone shares a root (meaning "give") with donate. To condone is to give mild, sometimes tacit, approval.

appease (verb) uh-PEEZ

Definition: Pacify, satisfy, relieve; concede to belligerent demands, sometimes at the expense of principles Usage: Mymother is so angry she wasn't the first personwe called when the baby was born—I'mhoping to appease her by spending Christmas at her house this year. Related Words: Placate, Mollify, and Assuage are near-synonyms More Info: "Appeasement" is commonly associated with British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's policy towards Germany between 1937-1939 —as it turned out, giving the Sudetenland to Hitler didn't actually create "Peace in Our Time." Today, appeasement is associated with cowardice and giving in to bullies.

bygone (adj, noun) BYE-gahn

Definition: Past, former (adj); that which is in the past (usually plural noun) Usage: At the nursing home, the time to reminisce about bygone days was pretty much all the time. / It's tempting to spend our whole high school reunion talking about bygones, but instead, let's toast to the future! Related Words: Erstwhile (former), Quondam (former, sometime) More Info: The expression "Let bygones be bygones" means to agree to let go of old disagreements.

contextualize (verb) cuhn-TEKS-tchoo-ah-lize

Definition: Place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances Usage: VirginiaWoolf's feminismis hard to truly understand unless contextualizedwithin the mores of the highly restrained, upper-class English society of her time. More Info: Context, fromthe Latin, can simply be thought of as "the text that comes with." The root "text" itself is the same in both "textbook" and "textile"—it means "weave," just as we would weave either cloth or a story.

copious (adj) COH-pee-uss

Definition: Plentiful, bountiful Usage: Although she took copious notes in class, she found that she was missing a big picture that would have tied all the information together. / The fertile, copious land yielded a rich harvest. Related Words: Profuse (giving or done in a free, abundant way) More Info: Copious shares a root with cornucopia, a "horn of plenty" (the symbol of the American Thanksgiving holiday).

conciliatory (adj) cuhn-SILL-ee-uh-tore-ee

Definition: Reconciling, appeasing, attempting to make the peace Usage: The hotel manager was horrified at how the guest had been treated, and approached himin a conciliatory manner, offering himnumerous freebies and apologizing repeatedly. Related Words: Placate, Mollify, Appease, Pacify and Assuage are all verbs for attempting to calmor make peace.

abridge (verb) uh-BRIDGE Also abridged (adj)

Definition: Reduce or lessen; shorten by omitting parts throughout while retaining the main idea Usage: Our romantic vacation was abridgedwhen the babysitter called to say that the kids were sick and we should come home. / Audio books are almost always abridged, since few people want to listen to a 200-hour book. Related Words: Truncate (shorten by cutting off a part) Memory Trick: When you abridge a book, you cut out sections fromall over (hopefullywithout being too obvious)—that is, you create a bridge fromthe last part you kept in to the next part you kept in, so people don't notice the missing bits. An abridged book still tells the whole story; a truncated book is missing the ending!

abate (verb) uh-BAYT Also abatement (noun)

Definition: Reduce, diminish Usage: Her stress over spending so much money on a house abatedwhen the real estate broker told her about the property's 15 year tax abatement. Related Words: Tax abatement is used in the same way as tax "relief"—that is, a partial discount. Subside is another word for lessening (a stormcould abate or subside). More Info: Abate comes froman Old Frenchword for "beat, cast down" that also gives us batter (beat severely) and abattoir (slaughterhouse).

balk (verb) BALK

Definition: Refuse to proceed or to do something Usage: At the company retreat, he reluctantly agreed to participate in the ropes course, but balked at walking over hot coals as a "trust exercise." Related Words: Demur (show reluctance or object, especially for moral reasons, as in, "His colleagues wanted himto tell the client that their sales would double, but he demurred.") More Info: Balk comes froma word for a beamor ridge—when a horse or mule balks, it stops short and refuses to proceed. Occasionally, balk is used as a noun for an impediment, much like a beamor ridge, or a defeat.

conundrum (noun) cah-NUHN-drum

Definition: Riddle, the answer to which involves a play on words; anymystery Usage: A classic conundrumis "What's black and white and red all over?" The answer, of course, is a newspaper. / How to count the entire population accurately—including those without fixed addresses—is a bit of a conundrum. Related Words: Enigma (puzzle, mystery), Paradox (contradiction, or seeming contradiction that is actually true)

abrasive (adj) uh-BRAY-siv Also abrade (verb)

Definition: Rough, suitable for grinding or polishing (such as sandpaper); causing irritation or annoyance Usage: Could the inside of this mascot costume be any more abrasive? It's rubbing my skin raw! I have some seriously abrasive remarks for whoever designed this thing. Related Words: Caustic (capable of burning or corroding; extremely critical or sarcastic), Excoriate (to rub the skin off of; to criticize very harshly) More Info: Like caustic and excoriate, abrasive can be used literally or metaphorically. You scrub a dirty pan with something abrasive, such as steel wool. Harsh criticismis abrasive, like being scrubbed with steel wool.

anoint (verb) uh-NOINT Also anointed (adj)

Definition: Rub or sprinkle oil on; make sacred, such as by a ceremony that includes applying oil to someone Usage: After Principal Smitters raised test scores over 60% at her school, it was only a matter of time before she was anointed superintendent by a fawning school board. More Info: Anoint shares a root with ointment, an oily substance added to the skin. Anointing occurs repeatedly in the Bible; in that time, people rubbed oil on themselves medicinally and for refreshment, and as a means of showing hospitality to guests.

boor (noun) BOO-er Also boorish (adj)

Definition: Rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person; a peasant or country bumpkin Usage: Milton was such a boor that, when Jane brought himhome to meet her parents, he laughed at their garden gnome and made fun of everyone's hairstyles in old family photos. "Don't be so boorish!" said his mortified girlfriend. Related Words: Churl is a synonymand can also be used in its adjective form, churlish. Bumpkin, Yokel, and Rustic are all words for an awkward, uncultured, simple person, generally fromthe country. More Info: Boor is froma German word for farmer that also gives us the "Boers" in SouthAfrica.

autonomous (adj) aw-TAH-nuh-muss Also autonomy (noun)

Definition: Self-governing, independent Usage: As leader of an autonomous region, the newly-elected president was received as a peer by some world leaders, although he was not entitled to send a representative to the United Nations. / It is normal for young people to desire greater autonomy as they grow up. Related Words: Fiat (dictate or authoritative order, as in "The king rules by fiat."), Hegemony (domination, authority; influence by one country over others socially, culturally, economically, etc.) More Info: An autonomous region, such as Iraqi Kurdistan, is independent, but not considered its own country.

complacent (adj) cuhm-PLAY-sent

Definition: Self-satisfied, smug; overly content (and therefore lazy, neglectful, or some other bad quality) Usage: The coach gave a pep talk: "I know we've never won a championship before, but we do have an advantage over the six-time state champions we're about to play—they have grown complacent with their success, and now they just assume they'll win without having to sweat." More Info: Don't confuse complacent with complaisant, whichmeans "eager to please."

austere (adj) aw-STEER Also austerity (noun)

Definition: Severe in manner or appearance; very self-disciplined, ascetic; without luxury or ease; sober or serious Usage: Her design sense was so minimalist as to be austere; all-white walls, hard, wooden furniture, not a single picture, throw pillow, or cozy comfort anywhere. / The graduation speaker delivered an austere message: the economy is bad, and academic success alone isn't enough to succeed in the job market. Related Words: Ascetic (pertaining to a simple, austere life with no luxuries, such as that of a monk; a personwho leads such a life)

buffer (noun) BUFFer

Definition: Something that shields, protects, absorbs shock, or cushions Usage: During the colonial era, England wanted Georgia as a buffer between its original colonies and Spanish Florida. / A railroad car has a buffer (similar to a bumper on a car) to absorb shock in case of contact with other cars. / When Joel came out to his family, he used his mother as a buffer—he knew she would be supportive, so he allowed her to relay the news to everyone else, and to relay their responses back to him. More Info: A buffer can also be a device for polishing (cars, fingernails, etc.).

advocate (verb, noun) AD-voh-k ayt (v), AD-voh-k it (n)

Definition: Speak or argue in favor of (verb); a personwho pleads for a cause or on behalf of another person (noun) Usage: I cannot possibly vote for a candidate who advocates oil drilling in federally protected nature preserves. / Children often have advocates appointed to represent themin court. Related Words: Proponents, Exponents, or Champions are all people who advocate for a cause. More Info: Advocate contains the root "voc," meaning "to call." This root also appears in vocal, invoke, etc.

constrict (verb) cuhn-STRICT

Definition: Squeeze, compress; restrict the freedomof Usage: The children strongly disliked being gussied up in constrictive clothing for a formal wedding. / Tourismis now allowed in NorthKorea, but tourists must stay with official tour groups, and their movements are heavily constricted. Related Words: Constringe (cause to shrink) More Info: A Boa constrictor is a snake that squeezes its prey to death.

adhere (verb) ad-HERE

Definition: Stick (to), such as with glue, or to a plan or belief Usage: I have a message board that adheres to my refrigerator withmagnets; on it, I've written some affirmations to help me adhere to my diet plan. Related Words: Abide by (follow, conformto), Cohere (become united, hold together as part of the same mass) More Info: Use adhere for attaching two different kinds of things together, and cohere for things of the same kind (good cookie dough coheres instead of crumbles).

bolster (verb) BOHL-ster

Definition: Strengthen or support Usage: The general requested reinforcements to bolster the defensive line set up at the border. / Many people use alcohol to bolster their confidence before approaching an attractive person in a bar. Related Words: Buttress means a support against a building but can also be a verb meaning "strengthen or support." Fortify is most associated with protecting against military attack but also means "strengthen or support." More Info: Bolster comes froman Old Norse noun for a long, supportive pillow, and can still mean this. Bolster has additional meanings in sailing, metalworking, and other fields, but in every case a bolster is some kind of specialized support.

censure (noun, verb) SEN-sher

Definition: Strong disapproval or official reprimand (noun); to issue such disapproval or reprimand (verb) Usage: The Senator was censured by the Senate for campaign fund improprieties—in fact, he narrowly avoided being expelled fromoffice. Related Words: Don't confuse censure with censor (to delete objectionable portions of a work). More Info: In 1834, Andrew Jackson became the only U.S. President to ever be censured by the Senate. Since 1789, nine Senators have been censured; this act of formal disapproval does not remove themfromoffice.

acme (noun) ACK-mee

Definition: Summit, peak, highest point Usage: The acme of my vacation was when I finally climbed to the acme of the mountain and enjoyed the gorgeous vista. Related Words: Summit, Pinnacle (synonyms), Apex (vertex, tip, point), Apogee (high point, point at which the moon is furthest fromthe Earth) More Info: Acme, Summit, Pinnacle, and Apex are all popular names for businesses: Apex Locksmith, Pinnacle Home Security, etc. (Acme is especially popular, since it occurs early in the phone book).

buttress (verb, noun) BUTT-ress

Definition: Support or encourage (verb); a support or prop, esp. projecting fromand supporting the wall of a building (noun) Usage: A self-defense class really helped to buttress Elaine's confidence. / David used his Ph.D. as a buttress against criticism. "I have a doctorate," he would say. "I just don't think you can understand." Related Words: Bolster originallywas a type of pillow and now is also a verb meaning "support or strengthen." Fortify is most associated with protecting against military attack but also means "strengthen or support."

corroborate (verb) cuh-ROBB-er-ayt

Definition: Support, add evidence to Usage: You're telling me you were thirty miles away riding a roller coaster when the school was vandalized? I have a hard time believing that—is there anyone who can corroborate your story? Related Words: Substantiate and verify also mean to prove true or provide evidence in favor of. More Info: Corroborate shares a Latin root ("robur," for oak or strength) with robust.

activism (noun) ACK-ti-vizm Also activist (noun)

Definition: The practice of pursuing political or other goals through vigorous action, often including protests and demonstrations Usage: Lindsay's parents had a hard time accepting that, after incurring $100,000 in student loans, their daughter had decided to enter the low-paying field of environmental activism. Related Words: Advocacy (pleading for, recommending), Champion (one who defends or supports, as a cause) More Info: Activism is often considered noble, but judicial activism—going beyond interpreting existing laws to actually using court decisions to create new public policies—is often controversial.

commensurate (adj) cuh-MEN-sher-it

Definition: The same in size, extent, etc., equivalent; proportional Usage: According to the course catalog, youmay take Advanced Japanese following Japanese III or commensurate experience with the language. Related Words: Tantamount (equivalent, as in "What he did is tantamount to murder.") More Info: The Latin "mensuratus" means "measure"—so commensurate means "measure together."

convoluted (adj) CAHN-vuh-loo-tid

Definition: Twisted; very complicated Usage: Your argument is so convoluted that I'mnot even able to understand it enough to start critiquing it. / To get fromthe hotel roomto the pool requires following a convoluted path up two staircases and down two others—to get to someplace on the same floor we started on! Related Words: Tortuous (twisting, not direct, deceitful), Labyrinthine (tortuous, resembling a labyrinth), Byzantine (complex or intricate; relating to the Byzantine Empire and its highly intricate art and architecture style)

ambivalent (adj) am-BIV-uh-lent Also ambivalence (noun)

Definition: Uncertain; unable to decide, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once Usage: I've been accepted to two amazing graduate programs, one inexpensive and close to home, and one in a big, exciting city. I'mambivalent—I don't know how I'mgoing to decide. / When I asked you if you thought we'd get married some day, your ambivalence hurt my feelings. Related Words: Equivocal (allowing for several different meanings; undecided or havingmixed feelings), Vacillate (waver in decision or opinion, be indecisive) More Info: The prefix "ambi-" means "both" or "all" and also occurs in ambiance and ambidextrous. Don't confuse ambivalent with ambiguous, which means "vague, open to multiple meanings."

consolidate (verb) cuhn-SAH-lid-ayt

Definition: Unite, combine, solidify, make coherent Usage: She consolidated her student loans so she would only have to make one payment per month. / As group leader, Muriel will consolidate all of our research into a single report. Related Words: Agglomerate (collect into a mass), Aggregate (gather together), Commix (mix together), Conglomerate (anythingmade up of different kinds of materials; blended; to bring together)

articulate (adj, verb) ar-TICK-yoo-lit (adj), ar-TICK-yoo-layt (v)

Definition: Using language in a clear, fluent way (adj); speak distinctly or give clarity to an idea (verb) Usage: She's so articulate that I'msure she'll make a good lawyer. / The group voted on who would be the best spokesperson, able to articulate their needs to the panel. Related Words: Eloquent (speaking in a fluent, powerful, appropriate way) More Info: As an adjective, the last syllable is pronounced "lit." As a verb, it is pronounced "late."

audacious (adj) aw-DAY-shuss

Definition: Very bold or brave, often in a rude or reckless way; extremely original Usage: He audaciously asked for a raise after working at the company for less than two months! Related Words: Insolent (bold in a rude way), Brazen (shameless, contemptuously bold) More Info: Barack Obama wrote a book called The Audacity of Hope. The title suggests that Americans should be bold enough to have hope even in bad circumstances. Audacious can be good (audacious explorers) or bad, as in the employee in the sentence above.

cogent (adj) COH-gent

Definition: Very convincing, logical Usage: Studying logic is an excellent way to improve at formulating cogent arguments. / Nurses who work in the Alzheimer's ward must develop skills for communicatingwith people who are often not cogent. More Info: Cogent comes fromtwo roots meaning "together" and "drive"—a cogent argument allows you to "drive" your listener to your conclusion. The resemblance of cogent to cognition, cognitive, cogitation, and excogitate— words about thinking—is merely a coincidence, but a helpful one.

arduous (adj) AR-dyoo-uss

Definition: Very difficult, strenuous; severe, hard to endure Usage: The arduous hike up rocky terrain was all worth it once the hikers reached the summit. / It was an arduous winter on the prairie; the family barely survived. Related Words: Grueling (very difficult and exhausting) More Info: Don't confuse arduous with ardor, whichmeans passion.

ascetic (adj, noun) uh-SET-ick Also asceticism (noun)

Definition: abstinent or austere in lifestyle (adj); a person who leads an austere and simple life without material pleasures, esp. someone who does this for religious reasons Usage: Ascetics such as monks actually take vows of poverty. / The graduate student lived an ascetic existence, her apartment containing only a futon couch and a single bowl and set of chopsticks, which she used to eat ramen noodles every night. Related Words: Hermit or Anchorite (personwho lives away fromsociety, esp. for religious reasons), Recluse (personwho lives in solitude) More Info: Don't confuse ascetic with aesthetic, whichmeans "pertaining to beauty or good taste."

affable (adj) AFF-uh-bull Also affability (noun)

Definition:Warmand friendly, pleasant, approachable Usage: The professional wrestler played at belligerence in the ring, but in real life, he was quite an affable fellow—sociable, easy-going, and always ready to lend a hand. Related Words: Amiable, Cordial, and Genial are synonyms. More Info: The opposite of affable could be standoffish, discourteous, or distant.