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