20181228-4

sanguine

adjective: cheerful; optimistic Synonyms : florid , rubicund , ruddy With the prospect of having to learn 3,000 words during the course of the summer, Paul was anything but sanguine.

inflammable

adjective: extremely controversial, incendiary It only takes one person to leave an inflammable comment on an Internet thread for that thread to blow up into pages upon pages of reader indignation.

indignant

adjective: feeling anger over a perceived injustice Synonyms : incensed , outraged , umbrageous When the cyclist swerved into traffic, it forced the driver to brake and elicited an indignant shout of "Hey, punk, watch where you're going!"

vicarious

adjective: felt or undergone as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another The advent of twitter is a celebrity stalker's dream, as he or she can - through hundreds of intimate "tweets" - vicariously live the life of a famous person.

amiable

adjective: friendly Synonyms : affable , cordial , genial Amy's name was very apt: she was so amiable that she was twice voted class president.

adequate

adjective: good enough for what you need Synonyms : decent , enough A very light jacket will be adequate for Los Angeles's warm winter.

bleak

adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook Synonyms : bare , barren , desolate , stark Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music - compare England's band Radiohead to any band from Southern California.

imponderable

adjective: impossible to estimate or figure out According to many lawmakers, the huge variety of factors affecting society make devising an efficient healthcare system an imponderable task.

embroiled

adjective: involved in argument or contention Synonyms : entangled These days we are never short of a D.C. politician embroiled in scandal—a welcome phenomenon for those who, having barely finished feasting on the sordid details of one imbroglio, can sink their teeth into a fresh one.

affable

adjective: likeable; easy to talk to Synonyms : amiable , cordial , genial For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn't around other people.

sanctimonious

adjective: making a show of being pious; holier-than-thou Synonyms : holier-than-thou , pharisaic , pharisaical , pietistic , pietistical , self-righteous Even during the quiet sanctity of evening prayer, she held her chin high, a sanctimonious sneer forming on her face as she eyed those who were attending church for the first time.

reprobate

noun: a person who is disapproved of Synonyms : miscreant Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river-they are not going to amount to much.

stipend

noun: a regular allowance (of money) He was hoping for a monthly allowance loan from the government, but after no such stipend was forthcoming he realized he would have to seek other means of paying for his college tuition.

pittance

noun: a small amount (of money) Vinny's uncle beamed smugly about how he'd offered his nephew fifty dollars for his Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.

melee

noun: a wild, confusing fight or struggle Synonyms : battle royal , scrimmage After enduring daily taunts about my name, I became enraged and pummeled the schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.

thrifty

adjective: spending money wisely Synonyms : careful He was economical, spending his money thriftily and on items considered essential.

macabre

adjective: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome Synonyms : ghastly , grim , grisly ,sick Edgar Allen Poe was considered the master of the macabre; his stories vividly describe the moment leading up to - and often those moments after - a grisly death.

diabolical

adjective: to be extremely wicked like the devil Synonyms : demonic , diabolic , fiendish , hellish , infernal , satanic , unholy,devilish , diabolic , mephistophelean , mephistophelian The conspirators, willing to dispatch anyone who stood in their way, hatched a diabolical plan to take over the city.

flush

adjective: to be in abundance Synonyms : bloom , blossom , efflorescence , flower , heyday , peak , prime The exam's passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

screed

noun: an abusive rant (often tedious) Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry, who, during his entire cup of coffee, enumerated all of the government's deficiencies--only to break ranks and launch into some screed against big business.

demure

adjective: to be modest and shy Synonyms : coy , overmodest The portrait of her in a simple white blouse was sweet and demure.

remiss

adjective: to be negligent in one's duty Synonyms : delinquent , derelict , neglectful Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning efficiently, the principal was relieved of his position after only three months.

contrite

adjective: to be remorseful Synonyms : remorseful , rueful , ruthful Though he stole his little sister's licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.

retiring

adjective: to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company Synonyms : reticent , self-effacing Nelson was always the first to leave soirees - rather than mill about with "fashionable" folk, he was retiring, and preferred the solitude of his garret. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

errant

adjective: to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed path Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus.

vindictive

adjective: to have a very strong desire for revenge Though the other girl had only lightly poked fun of Vanessa's choice in attire, Vanessa was so vindictive that she waited for an entire semester to get the perfect revenge.

junta

noun: an aggressive takeover by a group (usually military) As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership

tirade

noun: an angry speech Synonyms : broadside , philippic In terms of political change, a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face.

virago

noun: an ill-tempered or violent woman Synonyms : amazon Poor Billy was the victim of the virago's invective - she railed at him for a good 30-minutes about how he is the scum of the earth for speaking loudly on his cellphone in public.

extenuating

adjective: making less guilty or more forgivable The jury was hardly moved by the man's plea that his loneliness was an extenuating factor in his crime of dognapping a prized pooch.

immaterial

adjective: not relevant Synonyms : extraneous , impertinent , orthogonal, incorporeal The judge found the defendant's comments immaterial to the trial, and summarily dismissed him from the witness stand.

cardinal

adjective: of primary importance; fundamental Synonyms : central , fundamental , key , primal Most cultures consider gambling a cardinal sin and thus have outlawed its practice. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

checkered

adjective: one that is marked by disreputable happenings One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective checkered pasts - from embezzlement to infidelity - sabotaging their campaigns. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

telling

adjective: significant and revealing of another factor Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

corroborate

verb: to confirm or lend support to (usually an idea or claim) Synonyms : affirm , confirm , substantiate , sustain,bear out , support , underpin Her claim that frog populations were falling precipitously in Central America was corroborated by locals, who reported that many species of frogs had seemingly vanished overnight.

fleece

verb: to deceive Synonyms : gazump , hook , overcharge , pluck , plume , rob , soak , surcharge Many people have been fleeced by Internet scams and never received their money back. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

censor

verb: to examine and remove objectionable material Synonyms : ban Every fall, high school English teachers are inundated by requests to censor their curriculum by removing The Catcher in the Rye and Scarlet Letter from their reading lists. noun: an official who censors material The censor insisted that every reference to drugs should be removed from the manuscript.

inundate

verb: to flood or overwhelm Synonyms : deluge , submerge, flood , swamp The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.

indict

verb: to formally charge or accuse of wrong-doing The bankrobber was indicted on several major charges, including possession of a firearm.

stem

verb: to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the Revised GRE. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

demean

verb: to insult; to cause someone to lose dignity or respect Synonyms : degrade , disgrace , put down , take down At first the soccer players bantered back and forth, but as soon as one of the players became demeaning, calling the other's mother a water buffalo, the ref whipped out a red card.

check

verb: to limit (usually modifying the growth of something) Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence - weeds grew unchecked in the front yard noun: the condition of being held back or limited When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become autocratic. This word has other definitions but these are the most important ones to study

err

verb: to make an error Synonyms : mistake , slip He erred in thinking that "indigent" and "indignant" were synonyms.

unnerve

verb: to make nervous or upset Synonyms : enervate , faze , unsettle At one time unnerved by math problems, she began avidly "Magoosh-ing", and soon became adept at even combinations and permutations questions.

badger

verb: to pester Synonyms : beleaguer , bug , pester , tease Badgered by his parents to find a job, the 30-year-old loafer instead joined a gang of itinerant musicians. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

hound

verb: to pursue relentlessly Synonyms : hunt , trace An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms - he even helped nab Al Capone. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

dog

verb: to pursue relentlessly; to hound Synonyms : chase , chase after , give chase , go after , tag , tail , track , trail Throughout his life, he was dogged by insecurities that inhibited personal growth. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

peruse

verb: to read very carefully Instead of perusing important documents, people all too often rush to the bottom of the page and plaster their signatures at the bottom.

ferret

verb: to search for something persistently Synonyms : ferret out Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of highly obscure words. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

mesmerize

verb: to spellbind or enthrall Synonyms : bewitch , magnetise , magnetize , mesmerise The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.

exhort

verb: to strongly urge on; encourage Synonyms : barrack , cheer , inspire , pep up , root on , urge , urge on Nelson's parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose a respectable profession; intransigent, Nelson left home to become a graffiti artist.

start

verb: to suddenly move in a particular direction All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

underwrite

verb: to support financially Synonyms : subvent , subvention The latest symphony broadcast was made possible with underwriting from the Carnegie Endowment.

dupe

verb: to trick or swindle Synonyms : befool , cod , fool , gull , put on , put one across , put one over , slang , take in Once again a get-rich-fast Internet scheme had duped Harold into submitting a $5,000 check to a sham operation. noun: a person who is easily tricked or swindled Synonyms : victim The charlatan mistook the crowd for a bunch of dupes, but the crowd was quickly on to him and decried his bald-faced attempt to bilk them.

desecrate

verb: to willfully violate or destroy a sacred place Synonyms : outrage , profane , violate After desecrating the pharaoh's tomb, the archaeologist soon fell victim to a horrible illness.

pine

verb: to yearn for Synonyms : ache , languish , yearn , yen Standing forlornly by the window, she pined for her lost love. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

powwow

noun: an informal meeting or discussion Before the team takes the field, the coach always calls for a powwow so that he can make sure all the players are mentally in the right place.

avarice

noun: greed (one of the seven deadly sins) Synonyms : avaritia , covetousness , greed , rapacity,avariciousness , covetousness , cupidity The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice, plundering Incan land and stealing Incan gold.

animosity

noun: intense hostility The governor's animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread false lies regarding the governor's first term.

spendthrift

noun: one who spends money extravagantly Synonyms : scattergood , spend-all , spender Taking weekly trips to Vegas, Megan was a spendthrift whose excesses eventually caught up to her.

moment

noun: significant and important value Synonyms : consequence , import Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career, and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

catalyst

noun: something that speeds up an event Synonyms : accelerator Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, setting into motion historic changes for African-Americans.

pinnacle

noun: the highest point Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , summit , superlative , tiptop , top At its pinnacle, the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia, a feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.

apex

noun: the highest point Synonyms : acme , peak , vertex The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.

acme

noun: the highest point of achievement Synonyms : elevation , height , meridian , peak , pinnacle , summit , superlative , tiptop , top The new Cessna airplanes will be the acme of comfort, offering reclining seats and ample legroom.

zenith

noun: the highest point; culmination At the zenith of his artistic career, Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.

serendipity

noun: the instance in which an accidental, fortunate discovery is made By pure serendipity, Sarah discovered, at a flea market in Peoria, a matching earring to replace the one that fell down the storm drain back home.

summit

noun: the peak or highest point Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , pinnacle , superlative , tiptop , top, crest , crown After hiking for two days, the climbers finally reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. noun: a meeting of high-level leaders Since climate change policy has been mired in congressional fighting, this summit should help set the goals for president's next term.

heyday

noun: the pinnacle or top of a time period or career Synonyms : bloom , blossom , efflorescence , flower , flush , peak , prime During the heyday of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed.

variance

noun: the quality of being different The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie".

tender

verb: offer up something formally Synonyms : bid The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off inflation. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

candid

adjective: a straightforward and honest look at something Synonyms : blunt , forthright , frank , free-spoken , outspoken , plainspoken , point-blank , straight-from-the-shoulder Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold anything back.

becoming

adjective: appropriate, and matches nicely Synonyms : comely , comme il faut , decent , decorous , seemly Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

beatific

adjective: blissfully happy Synonyms : angelic , angelical , sainted , saintlike , saintly Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha, but, like any of us, a monk can have a bad day and not look very happy.

slapdash

adjective: carelessly and hastily put together Synonyms : haphazard , slipshod , sloppy The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner, so it did not surprise officials when, during a small earthquake, a large crack emerged on the façade of the building.

cogent

adjective: clear and persuasive Synonyms : telling , weighty A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.

replete

adjective: completely stocked or furnished with something Only weeks after the hurricane made landfall, the local supermarket shelves were replete with goods, so quick was the disaster relief response.

scintillating

adjective: describes someone who is brilliant and lively Synonyms : aglitter , coruscant , fulgid , glinting , glistering , glittering , glittery , scintillant , sparkly, bubbling , effervescent , frothy Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.

preemptive

adjective: done before someone else can do it Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively swiped it.

pugnacious

adjective: eager to fight or argue; verbally combative The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, "Hey, you think this is easy - why don't you buffoons give it a shot?"

cadaverous

adjective: emaciated; gaunt Synonyms : bony ,haggard , pinched , skeletal , wasted Some actors take challenging roles in which they have to lose so much weight that they appear cadaverous.

aboveboard

adjective: open and honest Synonyms : straightforward The mayor, despite his avuncular face plastered about the city, was hardly aboveboard - some concluded that it was his ingratiating smile that allowed him to engage in corrupt behavior and get away with it.

indigenous

adjective: originating in a certain area Synonyms : autochthonal , autochthonic , autochthonous , endemic The plants and animals indigenous to Australia are notably different from those indigenous to the U.S - one look at a duckbill platypus and you know you're not dealing with an opossum.

profuse

adjective: plentiful; pouring out in abundance Synonyms : exuberant , lush , luxuriant , riotous During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles wearing nothing more than skimpy shorts.

telltale

adjective: revealing The many telltale signs of chronic smoking include yellow teeth, and a persistent, hacking cough.

disparate

adjective: two things are fundamentally different With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as religion and biology have been brought together by scientists trying to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.

insolvent

adjective: unable to pay one's bills; bankrupt With credit card bills skyrocketing, a shockingly large number of Americans are truly insolvent.

erratic

adjective: unpredictable; strange and unconventional Synonyms : fickle , mercurial , quicksilver It came as no surprise to pundits that the President's attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent.

unconscionable

adjective: unreasonable; unscrupulous; excessive Synonyms : exorbitant , extortionate , outrageous , steep , usurious The lawyer's demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exorbitant sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a new lawyer.

voracious

adjective: very hungry; approaching an activity with gusto Synonyms : edacious , esurient , rapacious , ravening , ravenous , wolfish Steven was a voracious reader, sometimes finishing two novels in the same day.

thoroughgoing

adjective: very thorough; complete Synonyms : exhaustive , thorough As a thoroughgoing bibliophile, one who had turned his house into a veritable library, he shocked his friends when he bought a Kindle.

bellicose

adjective: warlike; inclined to quarrel Synonyms : battleful , combative Known for their bellicose ways, the Spartans were once the most feared people from Peloponnesus to Persia.

affluent

adjective: wealthy The center of the city had sadly become a pit of penury, while, only five miles away, multi-million dollar homes spoke of affluence.

amuck

adverb: in a frenzied or uncontrolled state Synonyms : amok , murderously Wherever the bowl haircut teen-idol went, his legions of screaming fans ran through the streets amuck, hoping for a glance at his boyish face.

miser

noun: a person who doesn't like to spend money (because they are greedy) Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

hodgepodge

noun: a confusing mixture or jumble Synonyms : farrago , gallimaufry , hotchpotch , melange , mingle-mangle , mishmash , oddments , odds and ends , omnium-gatherum , ragbag Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city's denizens: chimney sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers.

misanthrope

noun: a hater of mankind Synonyms : misanthropist Kevin is such a misanthrope that he refused to attend the Christmas party, claiming that everyone's happiness was "fake" and "annoying."

paucity

noun: a lack of something Synonyms : dearth There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced.

raft

noun: a large number of something Synonyms : batch , deal , flock , good deal , great deal , hatful , heap , lot , mass , mess , mickle , mint , mountain , muckle , passel , peck , pile , plenty , pot , quite a little , sight , slew , spate , stack , tidy sum , wad Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

chauvinist

noun: a person who believes in the superiority of their group Synonyms : flag-waver , hundred-percenter , jingo , jingoist , patrioteer The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.