Intelligent Terms (MAIN)

*nascent*

*(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential.* "the nascent space industry" synonyms: just beginning, budding, developing, growing, embryonic, incipient, young, fledgling, evolving, emergent, dawning, burgeoning "the nascent economic recovery" CHEMISTRY (chiefly of hydrogen) freshly generated in a reactive form.

*diaphanous*

*(especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent.* "a diaphanous dress of pale gold" synonyms: sheer, fine, delicate, light, thin, insubstantial, floaty, flimsy, filmy, silken, chiffony, gossamer, gossamer-thin, gauzy; translucent, transparent, see-through "a diaphanous dress" antonyms: thick, opaque

*mordant*

*(especially of humor) having or showing a sharp or critical quality; biting.* "a mordant sense of humor" synonyms: caustic, trenchant, biting, cutting, acerbic, sardonic, sarcastic, scathing, acid, sharp, keen; critical, bitter, virulent, vitriolic "a mordant sense of humor"

*precocious*

*(of a child) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual.* "he was a precocious, solitary boy" synonyms:advanced for one's age, forward, mature, gifted, talented, clever, intelligent, quick; informal: smart "some of the boys were extremely precocious" antonyms: backward (of behavior or ability) indicative of early development. "a precocious talent for computing" (of a plant) flowering or fruiting earlier than usual.

*meta*

*(of a creative work) referring to itself or to the conventions of its genre; self-referential.* Meta (from the Greek preposition and prefix meta- (μητά-) meaning "after", or "beyond") is a prefix used in English to indicate a concept which is an abstraction from another concept, used to complete or add to the latter. higher, beyond; higher than, transcending, overarching

*virulent*

*(of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful in its effects.* synonyms: poisonous, toxic, venomous, noxious, deadly, lethal, fatal, dangerous, harmful, injurious, pernicious, damaging, destructive; literary: deathly "virulent herbicides" infectious, infective, contagious, communicable, transmittable, transmissible, spreading, pestilential; informal: catching "a virulent epidemic" (of a pathogen, especially a virus) highly infective. bitterly hostile. "a virulent attack on liberalism" synonyms: vitriolic, malicious, malevolent, hostile, spiteful, venomous, vicious, vindictive, bitter, sharp, rancorous, acrimonious, scathing, caustic, withering, nasty, savage, harsh "a virulent attack on morals"

*phlegmatic*

*(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.* synonyms: calm, cool, composed, 'calm, cool, and collected', controlled, serene, tranquil, placid, impassive, imperturbable, unruffled, dispassionate, philosophical; stolid, dull, bland, unemotional, lifeless; informal: unflappable "I come from a very demonstrative, emotional Italian family—I can't remember one phlegmatic moment from my childhood" antonyms: excitable

*amenable*

*(of a person) open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled.* "parents who have had easy babies and amenable children" synonyms: cooperative, acquiescent, compliant, accommodating, obliging, biddable, manageable, controllable, governable, persuadable, tractable, responsive, pliant, malleable, complaisant, easily handled; rarepersuasible "an amenable child" antonyms: uncooperative (of a thing) capable of being acted upon in a particular way; susceptible to. "the patients had cardiac failure not amenable to medical treatment" synonyms: susceptible, receptive, responsive; archaicsusceptive "many cancers are amenable to treatment" antonyms: unresponsive, resistant

*taciturn*

*(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.* adjective synonyms: untalkative, uncommunicative, reticent, unforthcoming, quiet, secretive, tight-lipped, buttoned-up, close-mouthed; silent, mute, dumb, inarticulate; reserved, withdrawn "our taciturn daughter has suddenly become a little chatty" antonyms: talkative

*laconic*

*(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words.* adjective "his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic" synonyms: brief, concise, terse, succinct, short, pithy "his laconic comment" taciturn, uncommunicative, reticent, quiet, reserved, silent, unforthcoming, brief "their laconic press agent" antonyms: verbose, loquacious

*trite*

*(of a remark, opinion, or idea) overused and consequently of little import; lacking originality or freshness.* "this point may now seem obvious and trite" synonyms: banal, hackneyed, clichéd, platitudinous, vapid, commonplace, stock, conventional, stereotyped, overused, overdone, overworked, stale, worn out, timeworn, tired, hoary, hack, unimaginative, unoriginal, uninteresting, dull, uninvolving; informal: old hat, corny, cornball, cheesy, boilerplate "critics were put off by the trite dialogue" antonyms: original, imaginative

*acrimonious*

*(typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter.* "an acrimonious dispute about wages" synonyms: bitter, angry, rancorous, caustic, acerbic, scathing, sarcastic, acid, harsh, sharp, cutting; virulent, spiteful, vicious, vitriolic, hostile, venomous, nasty, bad-tempered, ill-natured, mean, malign, malicious, malignant, waspish; informal: bitchy, catty "a heated and acrimonious discussion"

*laconic phrase*

*A laconic phrase or laconism is a concise or terse statement, especially a blunt and elliptical rejoinder.*

*epigram*

*An epigram is a concise, clever, and sometimes paradoxical statement or line of verse. Adjective: epigrammatic. Also called, simply, a saying.* A person who composes or uses epigrams is an epigrammatist. Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Oscar Wilde are all known for their highly epigrammatic writing styles. Irish poet Jane Wilde (who wrote under the pen name "Speranza") observed that "epigram is always better than argument in conversation." Definition of Epigram Epigram is a rhetorical device that is a memorable, brief, interesting and surprising satirical statement. It has originated from a Greek word, epigramma, meaning inscription or to inscribe. Often ingenious or witty statements are considered as epigrams such as this quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Oscar Wilde used an epigram, "As long as war is regarded as wicked, it will always have its fascination. When it is looked upon as vulgar, it will cease to be popular." Both of these epigrams are not only interesting and brief but also satirical, as the first one is about the sense of inferiority while the second one is about war. This literary device is commonly used in poetry, where it appears as a short satirical poem with a single subject ending in an ingenious or witty thought. The poets like Alexander Pope, John Donne, William Shakespeare and Samuel Taylor Coleridge popularized epigram as a literary device during sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Jane Wilde, an Irish poet, believed that epigrams were much better than an argumentative speech. Common Used of Epigram Below are some popular examples of epigram used in common speech: "Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put and end to mankind." - John F. Kennedy "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." - Eleanor Roosevelt "A word to the wise ain't necessary; it's the stupid ones who need all the advice." - Bill Cosby "If we don't end war, war will end us." - H.G. Wells "Live simply, so that others may simply live." - Mother Teresa "I'm starting with the man in the mirror." - Michael Jackson "This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children a world where the oceans rise and famine spreads and terrible storms devastate our lands." - Barack Obama "Blessed are the peacemakers." - Jesus Christ Examples of Epigram from Literature Here are some good examples of epigrams from literature. Example 1 To see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand, And eternity in an hour. (Auguries of Innocence by William Blake) Blake wrote poetry about his existential and religious concepts during his times. The above quotation became very popular from Auguries of Innocence. The poem is packed with punch lines, and the poet has laid great emphasis on the concept. Example 2 So all my best is dressing old words new, Spending again what is already spent: For as the sun is daily new and old, So is my love still telling what is told. (Sonnet 76 by William Shakespeare) These four lines of a sonnet by Shakespeare are a good example of an epigram. The poet refers to ideas and items simultaneously as both new and old. He tries to say that he has spent something, which he already has done. He is doing this to express perplexity with a lover, and also shows his feelings of the desire of sexuality. Example 3 - There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about. - Women are a decorative sex. They never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly. - There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all. (The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde) Oscar Wilde was one of the most popular and skilled writers for using epigrams. This novel is filled with a number of epigrams and here we have three prominent examples of epigrams. Example 4 Both robb'd of air, we both lie in one ground Both whom one fire had burnt, one water drown'd. (Hero and Leander by John Donne) This is a good example of epigram. However, we cannot see any apparent humor, but the contradiction is clearly visible as how two people could die with water and fire both. Therefore, the poem has some satirical purposes wrapped up in just two witty lines. Function of Epigram Epigram is a clever and witty statement expressed in just a few lines, pointing out foibles and truths of mankind. This is very common in poetry, but we also find it in prose, film, fiction writing, politics and everyday speeches. Epigrams serve the same purpose as do maxims and proverbs. However, the main purpose of using such statements is to leave a positive impression on the audience, as they demonstrate pure humor coupled with wisdom. Besides, writers use this literary device to cause the listeners and readers to think deeply about their statements.

*autodidact polymath*

*Autodidact: A self-taught person.* *Polymath: A polymath is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas.*

*morals and ethics*

*Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source, e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in religions.* *Morals refer to an individual's own principles regarding right and wrong.*

*quixotic*

*Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.* adjective "a vast and perhaps quixotic project" synonyms: idealistic, romantic, visionary, utopian, extravagant, starry-eyed, unrealistic, unworldly; impractical, impracticable, unworkable, impossible "many dismissed his missionary work as imprudent and quixotic"

*astute*

*Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage.* "an astute businessman" synonyms: shrewd, sharp, acute, adroit, quick, clever, crafty, intelligent, bright, smart, canny, intuitive, perceptive, insightful, incisive, sagacious, wise; informal on the ball, quick on the uptake, savvy; heads-up "an astute investor"

*erudite*

*Having or showing great knowledge or learning.* synonyms: learned, scholarly, educated, knowledgeable, well read, well informed, intellectual

*diffident*

*Modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence.* "a diffident youth" synonyms: shy, bashful, modest, self-effacing, unassuming, meek, unconfident, unassertive, timid, timorous, humble, shrinking, reticent, hesitant, insecure, self-doubting, doubtful, uncertain, unsure, self-conscious; "underneath his diffident exterior was a passionate temperament"

*magnanimous*

*Very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself.*

*tyro*

*a beginner or novice.* synonyms: novice, beginner, learner, neophyte, newcomer, initiate, fledgling; apprentice, trainee, probationer, tenderfoot; informalrookie, newbie, greenhorn "in 1925, he was a Capitol Hill tyro" antonyms: veteran

*parley*

*a conference between opposing sides in a dispute, especially a discussion of terms for an armistice.* synonyms: negotiation, talk(s), conference, summit, discussion, powwow; "a peace parley" *hold a conference with the opposing side to discuss terms.* "they disagreed over whether to parley with the enemy" synonyms: discuss terms, talk, hold talks, negotiate, deliberate; informal: powwow "the two parties were willing to parley"

*idiosyncrasy*

*a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual.* noun "one of his little idiosyncrasies was always preferring to be in the car first" *a distinctive or peculiar feature or characteristic of a place or thing.* "the idiosyncrasies of the prison system" synonyms: peculiarity, oddity, eccentricity, mannerism, trait, singularity, quirk, tic, whim, vagary, caprice, kink; fetish, foible, crotchet, habit, characteristic; individuality; unorthodoxy, unconventionality "traveling with her own fruitcake is one of the queen's idiosyncrasies"

*neologism*

*a newly coined word or expression.* synonyms: new word, new expression, new term, new phrase, coinage; made-up word, nonce word "the delightful neologisms of Lewis Carroll" *the coining or use of new words.*

*point of view*

*a particular attitude or way of considering a matter.* "I'm trying to get Matthew to change his point of view" synonyms: opinion, view, belief, attitude, feeling, sentiment, thoughts; position, perspective, viewpoint, standpoint, outlook "we have different points of view" (in fictional writing) the narrator's position in relation to the story being told. "this story is told from a child's point of view" the position from which something or someone is observed. "certain aspects are not visible from a single point of view"

*philistine*

*a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts, or who has no understanding of them.* "I am a complete philistine when it comes to paintings" hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts. "a philistine government" /ˈfiləˌstēn/

*raconteur*

*a person who tells anecdotes in a skillful and amusing way.* synonyms: storyteller, teller of tales, spinner of yarns, narrator; rare: anecdotist, anecdotalist "an interviewer with his favorite raconteur, Studs Terkel"

*revanchism*

*a policy of seeking to retaliate, especially to recover lost territory.*

*tranche*

*a portion of something, especially money.* "they released the first tranche of the loan"

*rejoinder*

*a reply, especially a sharp or witty one.* "she would have made some cutting rejoinder but none came to mind" synonyms: answer, reply, response, retort, riposte, counter; informal: comeback "what serious rejoinder could I possibly offer when you make such a ludicrous accusation?"

*dearth*

*a scarcity or lack of something.* "there is a dearth of evidence" synonyms: lack, scarcity, shortage, shortfall, want, deficiency, insufficiency, inadequacy, paucity, sparseness, scantiness, rareness; absence "a dearth of trained specialists"

*imprecation*

*a spoken curse.* "she hurled her imprecations at anyone who might be listening"

*bureaucracy*

*a system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives.* synonyms: civil service, government, administration; a state or organization governed or managed as a bureaucracy. The officials in a bureaucracy, considered as a group or hierarchy. *excessively complicated administrative procedure, seen as characteristic of bureaucracy.* "the unnecessary bureaucracy in local government" synonyms: red tape, rules and regulations, protocol, officialdom, paperwork "unnecessary bureaucracy"

*pedagogue*

*a teacher, especially a strict or pedantic one.* noun synonyms: teacher, schoolteacher, schoolmaster, schoolmistress, master, mistress, tutor; lecturer, academic, don, professor, instructor, educator, educationist, educationalist "her thirty-two years as a most beloved pedagogue"

*ingrate*

*an ungrateful person.* ungrateful.

*approbation*

*approval or praise.* "the opera met with high approbation" synonyms: approval, acceptance, endorsement, appreciation, respect, admiration, commendation, praise, congratulations, acclaim, esteem, applause; consent; rare: laudation "at age 45, he was still seeking his parents' approbation" antonyms: criticism

*parenthetically*

*as an aside; incidentally, by the way, in passing, by way of explanation, by the bye* "Parenthetically (speaking)" has the literal sense of "the following remark or section is mentioned in passing but isn't essential" -- making it more like by the way or incidentally, or even personally speaking. In other words, spoken words that otherwise in writing would be put in round brackets. In short, an aside. "Parenthetically, we note that subjects in all experimental conditions were unbiased ..." It's a good word to use in speech, when you can't show actual parentheses

*accede*

*assent or agree to a demand, request, or treaty.* "the authorities did not accede to the strikers' demands" synonyms: agree to, consent to, accept, assent to, acquiesce in, comply with, go along with, concur with, surrender to, yield to, give in to, give way to, defer to "he acceded to the government's demands" *assume an office or position.* "he acceded to the post of director in September" synonyms: succeed to, come to, assume, inherit, take "Elizabeth I acceded to the throne in 1558" *become a member of a community or organization.* "Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990" synonyms: join, become a member of, sign on to, sign up for "Albania acceded to the IMF in 1990"

*officious*

*assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, especially with regard to petty or trivial matters.* "a policeman came to move them on, an officious, spiteful man" *intrusively enthusiastic in offering help or advice; interfering.* "an officious bystander" synonyms: self-important, bumptious, self-assertive, overbearing, overzealous, domineering, opinionated, interfering, intrusive, meddlesome, meddling; informal: pushy, bossy "I try to avoid their officious salesclerks"

*furtive*

*attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive.* "they spent a furtive day together" synonyms: secretive, secret, surreptitious, clandestine, hidden, covert, conspiratorial, cloak-and-dagger, backroom, backstairs, sly, sneaky, under-the-table; sidelong, sideways, oblique, indirect; informal: hush-hush, shifty "they met in seedy dives to craft their furtive plans" suggestive of guilty nervousness. "the look in his eyes became furtive"

*sullen*

*bad-tempered and sulky; gloomy.* adjective "a sullen pout" synonyms: surly, sulky, pouting, sour, morose, resentful, glum, moody, gloomy, grumpy, bad-tempered, ill-tempered; unresponsive, uncommunicative, farouche, uncivil, unfriendly "a bunch of sullen, spoiled brats" antonyms: cheerful (of the sky) full of dark clouds. "a sullen sunless sky"

*subjective*

*based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.* "his views are highly subjective" synonyms: personal, individual, emotional, instinctive, intuitive "a subjective analysis" antonyms: objective *dependent on the mind or on an individual's perception for its existence.*

*pulchritude, pulchritudinous*

*beauty. It's only used to describe people.* pulchritudinous describes a person of breathtaking, heartbreaking...beauty. "Every guy in the lunchroom is trying to flirt with the new girl because she's so pulchritudinous." "The pulchritudinous guitar player has lately become the achy heart of Nashville"

*relegate*

*consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position.* "they aim to prevent women from being relegated to a secondary role" synonyms: downgrade, lower, lower in rank/status, put down, move down; demote, degrade "cooperatives may be relegated to a secondary role in the sector"

*turpitude*

*depravity; wickedness.*

*disjoint*

*disturb the cohesion or organization of.* verb "the loss of the area disjointed military plans" MATHEMATICS (of two or more sets) having no elements in common. adjective

*truculent*

*eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant.* "his days of truculent defiance were over" synonyms: defiant, aggressive, antagonistic, combative, belligerent, pugnacious, confrontational, ready for a fight, obstreperous, argumentative, quarrelsome, uncooperative; bad-tempered, ornery, short-tempered, cross, snappish, cranky; feisty, spoiling for a fight "a number of staffers have complained that Wilson is too truculent to work with" antonyms: cooperative, amiable

*terms for getting energized by something*

*energized stimulated invigorated excited electrified motivated galvanized*

*regale*

*entertain or amuse (someone) with talk.* "he regaled her with a colorful account of that afternoon's meeting" synonyms: entertain, amuse, divert, delight, fascinate, captivate "he regaled her with colorful stories" lavishly supply (someone) with food or drink. "he was regaled with excellent home cooking" synonyms: entertain, wine and dine, fête, feast, serve, feed "they were lavishly regaled"

*energize*

*give vitality and enthusiasm to.* "people were energized by his ideas" synonyms: enliven, liven up, animate, vitalize, invigorate, perk up, excite, electrify, stimulate, stir up, fire up, rouse, motivate, move, drive, spur on, encourage, galvanize; informal: pep up, buck up, jump-start, kick-start, give a shot in the arm to, turbocharge "people are energized by his ideas" *supply energy, typically kinetic or electrical energy, to (something).* synonyms: activate, trigger, trip, operate, actuate, switch on, turn on, start, start up, power "floor sensors energized by standing passengers"

*entropy*

*gradual decline into disorder.* "a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme" synonyms: deterioration, degeneration, crumbling, decline, degradation, decomposition, breaking down, collapse; disorder, chaos "life is a struggle against entropy"

*fervent*

*having or displaying a passionate intensity.* "a fervent disciple of tax reform" synonyms: impassioned, passionate, intense, vehement, ardent, sincere, fervid, heartfelt; enthusiastic, zealous, fanatical, hardcore, wholehearted, avid, eager, keen, committed, dedicated, devout; literary: perfervid "a fervent prayer" antonyms: apathetic archaic: hot, burning, or glowing.

*judicious*

*having, showing, or done with good judgment or sense.* "the efficient and judicious use of pesticides" synonyms: wise, sensible, prudent, politic, shrewd, astute, canny, sagacious, commonsensical, sound, well advised, discerning, percipient, intelligent, smart; informal: heads-up "following a judicious course of action" antonyms: ill-advised

*uninspired*

*lacking in imagination or originality.* "he writes repetitive and uninspired poetry" synonyms: unimaginative, uninventive, pedestrian, mundane, unoriginal, commonplace, ordinary, routine, humdrum, run-of-the-mill, hackneyed, trite; spiritless, passionless, stolid, prosaic "pages and pages of uninspired verse" (of a person) not filled with excitement. "they were uninspired by the Nationalist Party"

*invariant*

*never changing.* adjective "the pattern of cell divisions was found to be invariant" MATHEMATICS a function, quantity, or property that remains unchanged when a specified transformation is applied. noun

*impermeable*

*not allowing fluid to pass through.* "an impermeable membrane" synonyms: watertight, waterproof, damp-proof, airtight, (hermetically) sealed, vacuum-packed, zip-locked "an impermeable vault" *not liable to be affected by pain or distress; insusceptible or imperturbable.* "women who appear impermeable to pain"

*anodyne*

*not likely to provoke dissent or offense; inoffensive, often deliberately so.* "anodyne New Age music"

*unimaginative*

*not readily using or demonstrating the use of the imagination; stolid and somewhat dull.* synonyms: uninspired, uninventive, unoriginal, uncreative, commonplace, pedestrian, mundane, institutional, ordinary, routine, matter-of-fact, humdrum, workaday, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, hackneyed, trite, hoary "the biggest letdown is the dessert menu, which is quite unimaginative"

*superlative*

*of the highest quality or degree.* adjective "a superlative piece of skill" synonyms: excellent, magnificent, wonderful, marvelous, supreme, consummate, outstanding,remarkable, fine, choice, first-rate, first-class, premier, prime, unsurpassed,unequaled, unparalleled, unrivaled, preeminent; informal: crack, ace, wicked, brilliant "a superlative photographer" *(of an adjective or adverb) expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g., bravest, most fiercely).* *an exaggerated or hyperbolical expression of praise.* "the critics ran out of superlatives to describe him"

*vernal*

*of, in, or appropriate to spring.* "the vernal freshness of the land"

*filial*

*of, relating to, or benefitting a son or daughter; having the relation of a child to a parent* adjective

*sophmoric*

*of, relating to, or characteristic of a sophomore.* "my sophomoric years" pretentious or juvenile. "sophomoric double entendres"

*vapid*

*offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging.* "tuneful but vapid musical comedies" synonyms: insipid, uninspired, colorless, uninteresting, feeble, flat, dull, boring, tedious, tired, unexciting, uninspiring, unimaginative, uninvolving, lifeless, tame, vacuous, bland, trite, jejune "a tuneful but vapid musical comedy" antonyms: lively, colorful

*gestalt*

*psychology: something that is made of many parts and yet is somehow more than or different from the combination of its parts* *broadly: the general quality or character of something*

*germane*

*relevant, fitting* adjective relevant to a subject under consideration. "that is not germane to our theme" synonyms: relevant, pertinent, applicable, apposite, material; apropos, appropriate, apt, fitting, suitable; connected, related, akin; on-topic "your question is not germane to the topic at hand"

*acidulous*

*sharp-tasting or sour.* (of a person's remarks or tone) bitter or cutting.

*insolent*

*showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect.* "she hated the insolent tone of his voice" synonyms: impertinent, impudent, cheeky, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, unmannerly, rude, impolite,uncivil, discourteous, disrespectful, insubordinate, contemptuous; audacious, bold, cocky,brazen, pert; insulting, abusive; informal: fresh, lippy, saucy, sassy, smart-alecky; archaic: contumelious "Dan is an inveterate wise guy who can't help making insolent cracks as he narrates the tale" antonyms: polite

*anathema*

*something or someone that one vehemently dislikes.* noun "racial hatred was anathema to her" synonyms: an abomination, an outrage, an abhorrence, a disgrace, an evil, a bane, a bugbear, a bête noire; adjectives: abhorrent, hateful, repugnant, odious, repellent, offensive "the idea of a poem as a mere exercise is anathema to me"

*voluble*

*speaking or spoken incessantly and fluently.* adjective "she was as voluble as her husband was silent" synonyms: talkative, loquacious, garrulous, verbose, wordy, chatty, gossipy, effusive, gushing, forthcoming, conversational, communicative, expansive; articulate, fluent; informalmouthy, motormouthed, gabby, gassy, windy, talky "she was as voluble as her husband was silent" antonyms: taciturn

*morose*

*sullen and ill-tempered.* synonyms: sullen, sulky, gloomy, bad-tempered, ill-tempered, dour, surly, sour, glum, moody, ill-humored, melancholy, melancholic, brooding, broody, doleful, miserable, depressed,dejected, despondent, downcast, unhappy, low, down, grumpy, irritable, churlish,cantankerous, crotchety, cross, crabby, cranky, grouchy, testy, snappish, peevish,crusty; informal: blue, down in the dumps, down in/at the mouth "Louis sat alone, looking morose" antonyms: cheerful

*contrast*

*the state of being strikingly different from something else, typically something in juxtaposition or close association.* "the day began cold and blustery, in contrast to almost two weeks of uninterrupted sunshine" synonyms: difference, dissimilarity, disparity, distinction, contradistinction, divergence, variance, variation, differentiation; contradiction, incongruity, opposition, polarity "the contrast between rural and urban trends" the degree of difference between tones in a television picture, photograph, or other image. enhancement of the apparent brightness or clarity of a design provided by the juxtaposition of different colors or textures. *the action of calling attention to notable differences.* "use knowledge of other languages for contrast and comparison with English" *a thing or person having qualities noticeably different from another.* "the castle is quite a contrast to other places where the singer has performed" synonyms: opposite, antithesis; foil, complement "Jane was a complete contrast to Sarah" verb *differ strikingly.* "his friend's success contrasted with his own failure" synonyms: differ from, be at variance with, be contrary to, conflict with, go against, be at odds with, be in opposition to, disagree with, clash with "a view that contrasts with his earlier opinion" antonyms: resemble, echo *compare in such a way as to emphasize differences.* "people contrasted her with her sister" synonyms: compare with/to, set side by side with, juxtapose with/to; measure against; distinguish from, differentiate from "people contrasted her with her sister" antonyms: liken The verb contrast means to show a difference, like photos that reveal how much weight someone lost by contrasting the "before" and "after" shots. You probably know contrast in its relation to compare. To contrast something is to look for differences among two or more elements, but compare is to do the opposite, to look for similarities. It's easy to tell the difference if you remember that contrast comes from the Latin root contra, and means "against." Contrast is also a noun meaning basically the same thing — you might notice the contrast of a dark tree against a snow-covered hill. the opposition or dissimilarity of things that are compared ""in contrast to", "by contrast" Synonyms: direct contrast Type of: oppositeness, opposition the relation between opposed entities n the act of distinguishing by comparing differences Type of: comparing, comparison the act of examining resemblances n a conceptual separation or distinction Synonyms: demarcation, dividing line, line Types: Rubicon, point of no return a line that when crossed permits of no return and typically results in irrevocable commitment Type of: differentiation, distinction a discrimination between things as different and distinct n the perceptual effect of the juxtaposition of very different colors Type of: beholding, seeing, visual perception perception by means of the eyes n the range of optical density and tone on a photographic negative or print (or the extent to which adjacent areas on a television screen differ in brightness) Type of: ambit, compass, orbit, range, reach, scope an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet" v put in opposition to show or emphasize differences "The middle school teacher contrasted her best student's work with that of her weakest student" Type of: differentiate, distinguish, secern, secernate, separate, severalise, severalize, tell, tell apart mark as different v show differences when compared; be different "the students contrast considerably in their artistic abilities" Synonyms: counterpoint Types: show 5 types... Type of: differ be different

*pedagogy*

*the study of the methods and activities of teaching*

*implacable*

*unable to be placated.* "he was an implacable enemy of Ted's" synonyms: unappeasable, unforgiving, unsparing; inexorable, intransigent, inflexible, unyielding, unbending, uncompromising, unrelenting, relentless, ruthless, remorseless, merciless, heartless, pitiless, cruel, hard, harsh, stern, tough, iron-fisted "the computer hacker has become the new implacable foe" *relentless; unstoppable.* "the implacable advance of the enemy"

*imperturbable*

*unable to be upset or excited; calm.* "an imperturbable tranquility" synonyms: self-possessed, composed, calm, cool, and collected, coolheaded, self-controlled, serene, relaxed, unexcitable, even-tempered, placid, phlegmatic; unperturbed, unflustered, unruffled; informal: unflappable, unfazed, nonplussed, laid-back; rare: equanimous "the guide dogs are trained to be imperturbable" antonyms: excitable, edgy

*longitude*

*vertical axis ( long - top to bottom )*

*incongruous*

*not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something.* "the duffel coat looked incongruous with the black dress she wore underneath" synonyms: out of place, out of keeping, inappropriate, unsuitable, unsuited; wrong, strange, odd, curious, queer, absurd, bizarre "the women visiting the mission looked incongruous in their smart hats and fur coats" ill-matched, ill-assorted, mismatched, unharmonious, discordant, dissonant, conflicting, clashing, jarring, incompatible, different, dissimilar, contrasting, disparate "an incongruous collection of objects" antonyms: appropriate, harmonious

*unremarkable*

*not particularly interesting or surprising.* "his early childhood was unremarkable" *found in the ordinary course of events* Synonyms: everyday, mundane, quotidian, routine, workaday, ordinary *not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree*

*chutzpah*

*shameless audacity; impudence.* synonyms: audacity, cheek, guts, nerve, boldness, temerity "it took a lot of chutzpah for her to walk in on Owen's bachelor party"

*compendious*

*containing or presenting the essential facts of something in a comprehensive but concise way.* "a compendious study" synonyms: succinct, pithy, short and to the point, concise, compact, condensed, compressed, abridged, summarized, synoptic, capsule; informal: snappy "a compendious essay on Italian music" antonyms: expanded briefly giving the gist of something "a short and compendious book" Synonyms: compact, succinct, summary concise expressing much in few words

*inept*

*having or showing no skill; clumsy.* "the inept handling of the threat" synonyms: incompetent, unskillful, unskilled, inexpert, amateurish; clumsy, awkward, maladroit, bungling, blundering; unproductive, unsuccessful, ineffectual, not up to scratch; informal: ham-handed, ham-fisted, butterfingered, klutzy, all thumbs "his mother could pitch a wicked fastball, but she was completely inept in the kitchen" antonyms: competent

*epigrammic*

*Of the nature or in the style of an epigram; concise, clever, and amusing.* "an epigrammatic style" synonyms: concise, succinct, pithy, aphoristic; - incisive, short and sweet; - witty, clever, quick-witted,piquant, sharp, gnomic, laconic; - informalsnappy - "her epigrammatic verses" antonyms: expansive

*puerile*

*Childishly silly and trivial.* adjective "you're making puerile excuses" synonyms: childish, immature, infantile, juvenile, babyish; silly, inane, fatuous, jejune, asinine, foolish, petty "you're too old for these puerile outbursts"

*amalgamate*

*Combine or unite to form one organization or structure. "he amalgamated his company with another"* synonyms: combine, merge, unite, fuse, blend, meld; join (together), join forces, band (together), link (up), team up, go into partnership; literarycommingle "the two departments were amalgamated" antonyms: separate

*ambiguous*

*Open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning.* "the question is rather ambiguous" Unclear or inexact because a choice between alternatives has not been made. "this whole society is morally ambiguous" synonyms: equivocal, ambivalent, open to debate/argument, arguable, debatable; Obscure, unclear, imprecise, vague, abstruse, doubtful, dubious, uncertain "an ambiguous explanation" antonyms: clear

*codify*

*arrange (laws or rules) into a systematic code.* synonyms: systematize, systemize, organize, arrange, order, structure; tabulate, catalog, list, sort, index, classify, categorize, file, log "the bill codified these standards for the first time" *arrange according to a plan or system.* "Verdi helped codify an international operatic culture" To codify is to arrange information in a logical order that others can follow. Legislators may try to codify, or gather and organize, all laws related to a particular issue. When you look at the word codify you can probably guess that it's related to the word code. Warriors live by a code. Building inspectors check that a building and its systems are up to code. Hockey players use "the code" to determine when — and why — to fight on the ice. All of these codes are clear to the people who use them because someone in the past made an effort to codify the various rules into an organized system. organize into a code or system, such as a body of law "Hammurabi codified the laws" Type of: systematise, systematize, systemise, systemize arrange according to a system or reduce to a system

*precipitous*

*dangerously high or steep.* "the precipitous cliffs of the North Atlantic coast" synonyms: steep, sheer, perpendicular, abrupt, sharp, vertical "a precipitous drop" *(of a change to a worse situation or condition) sudden and dramatic.* "the end of the war led to a precipitous decline in exports" synonyms: sudden, rapid, swift, abrupt, headlong, speedy, quick, fast, precipitate "his fall from power was precipitous" *(of an action) done suddenly and without careful consideration.* "precipitous intervention"

*pugnacious*

*eager or quick to argue, quarrel, or fight.* "the increasingly pugnacious demeanor of politicians" synonyms: combative, aggressive, antagonistic, belligerent, bellicose, warlike, quarrelsome,argumentative, contentious, disputatious, hostile, threatening, truculent; fiery, hot-tempered "this looks like the kind of dive that appeals to pugnacious patrons" antonyms: peaceable

*impute*

*represent (something, especially something undesirable) as being done, caused, or possessed by someone; attribute.* "the crimes imputed to Richard" synonyms: attribute to, ascribe to, assign to, credit to; connect with, associate with "the worst of these mistakes have been unfairly imputed to him" FINANCE *assign (a value) to something by inference from the value of the products or processes to which it contributes.* "recovering the initial outlay plus imputed interest"

*plaintive*

*sounding sad and mournful.* "a plaintive cry" synonyms: mournful, sad, wistful, doleful, pathetic, pitiful, piteous, melancholy, sorrowful, unhappy, wretched, woeful, forlorn, woebegone; literary: dolorous "a plaintive cry" Plaintive is an adjective for describing someone or something with a pleading, sorrowful, desperate tone. If you have ever heard the plaintive howl of a wolf, then you know what we are getting at here. A plaint, as in complaint, is an expression of sorrow or grief. This word has also been bent a little at the ends to become plaintiff, or complainant—the sufferer—in a lawsuit. So, whether you are hearing a plaintive tone in a courtroom, at a funeral, or in the wild (as in an animal's plaintive howl), you can be assured that someone or something desires something desperately. expressing sorrow Synonyms: mournful sorrowful experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss

*triage*

*the process of determining the most important people or things from amongst a large number that require attention.* *(in medical use) the assignment of degrees of urgency to wounds or illnesses to decide the order of treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.* *assign degrees of urgency to (wounded or ill patients).* Grouping patients based on the severity of their injuries and the likelihood of their survival is called triage. In a triage situation, urgent cases are seen by doctors first, and non-life-threatening emergencies go last. You can also apply the sorting and prioritizing of triage to more general situations. If you're overwhelmed with homework, you can perform triage by organizing it into subjects and prioritizing assignments based on their due dates. The word triage comes from the French word trier meaning to sort. Although the medical sense is now the most common, it wasn't used that way until World War One. sorting and allocating aid on the basis of need for or likely benefit from medical treatment or food Type of: sorting grouping by class or kind or size

*mendacity*

*untruthfulness.* "people publicly castigated for past mendacity" Mendacity is a tendency to lie. Your friend might swear that he didn't eat your secret chocolate stash, but you'll find it hard to believe him if he's known for his mendacity. Anyone in the habit of lying frequently has the characteristic of mendacity. People often accuse government officials of mendacity, or being less than honest. You're bound to get frustrated by the mendacity of your friend who's a pathological liar. Mendacity comes from the Latin root word mendacium, or "lie." the tendency to be untruthful Antonyms: veracity unwillingness to tell lies Type of: untruthfulness the quality of being untruthful

*orthogonal*

("ortho" meaning right and "gon" meaning angled) *Orthogonality is the property that means "Changing A does not change B".* An example of an orthogonal system would be a radio, where changing the station does not change the volume and vice-versa. A non-orthogonal system would be like a helicopter where changing the speed can change the direction. In programming languages this means that when you execute an instruction, nothing but that instruction happens (very important for debugging). Orthogonality is the ability to change a conceptual part of the software system while minimizing impact to other parts of the software system. An orthogonal design separates different concerns of the system (data access, security, business logic) in a way that enables changes to be made in isolated areas of the code without rippling out. Orthogonality is a system design property which guarantees that modifying the technical effect produced by a component of a system neither creates nor propagates side effects to other components of the system. Typically this is achieved through the separation of concerns and encapsulation, and it is essential for feasible and compact designs of complex systems. The emergent behavior of a system consisting of components should be controlled strictly by formal definitions of its logic and not by side effects resulting from poor integration, i.e., non-orthogonal design of modules and interfaces. Orthogonality reduces testing and development time because it is easier to verify designs that neither cause side effects nor depend on them. - Orthogonal view of software development: In computer terminology, something -- such as a programming language or a data object -- is orthogonal if it can be used without consideration as to how its use will affect something else. An orthogonal language enables software developers to independently change one operation of a system, without triggering a ripple effect of changes to subsidiary or dependent operations. Stated differently, orthogonal design means there is only one way to change the property of the system you are controlling -- executing Operation A exerts no impact on Operation B. This approach is especially useful when debugging script. Orthogonal software development strives for simplicity when assembling instruction sets. A programming language is compiled from a small number of components that can be combined only in a small number of ways, thus reducing the number of errors and enabling developers to more quickly learn to read and write programs in the language. - Orthogonal control functions in computer hardware: In computer terminology, orthogonal describes a condition of independence between different dimensions or objects. A basic example is found on your computer monitor, which includes orthogonal controls for independently adjusting the brightness, contrast and color. You can adjust the brightness knob without changing other aspects of screen resolution, for instance. On a more complex level, orthogonal concepts are commonly associated with software development, persistent storage and networking. - Orthogonal lines and mathematics: orthogonal objects are related by their perpendicularity to one another. Lines or line segments that are perpendicular at their point of intersection are said be related orthogonally - Orthogonal programming languages: A programming language is orthogonal if its features can be used without thinking about how that usage will affect other features. Pascal is sometimes considered an orthogonal language, while C++ is considered a non-orthogonal language. Features of a program that are compatible with its own earlier versions -- called backward compatible -- have an orthogonal relationship with the features of the earlier version because they are mutually independent; you don't have to worry about how the use of one version's features will cause an unintended effect because of an interaction with features from the other version. Both the features and the programs can be said to be mutually orthogonal.

*sublimate*

*(especially in psychoanalytic theory) divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity.* "people who will sublimate sexuality into activities which help to build up and preserve civilization" synonyms: channel, control, divert, transfer, redirect, convert "work can serve as a means of sublimating rage"

*facile*

*(especially of a theory or argument) appearing neat and comprehensive only by ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial.* synonyms: simplistic, superficial, oversimplified; shallow, glib, jejune, naive; dime-store "a facile explanation" *(of a person) having a superficial or simplistic knowledge or approach.* "a man of facile and shallow intellect" (of success, especially in sports) easily achieved; effortless. "a facile victory" synonyms: effortless, easy, undemanding, unexacting, painless, trouble-free "he achieved a facile victory" acting or done in a quick, fluent, and easy manner. "he was revealed to be a facile liar"

*amalgam*

*A mixture or blend.* "a curious amalgam of the traditional and the modern"

*polymath*

*A person of wide-ranging knowledge or learning.* noun Christopher Buecheler is an autodidact polymath, which is an incredibly pretentious way of saying that he's a jack of all trades who didn't like college.

*milieu*

*A person's social environment.* noun "he grew up in a military milieu" synonyms: environment, sphere, background, backdrop, setting, context, atmosphere; location, conditions, surroundings, environs; informal: stomping grounds, stamping grounds, turf "the political milieu in New England"

*aphorism*

*A pithy observation that contains a general truth, such as, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."* synonyms: saying, maxim, axiom, adage, epigram, dictum, gnome, proverb, saw, tag; rare: apophthegm "she was a fount of Orwellian aphorisms" a concise statement of a scientific principle, typically by an ancient classical author. Examples of Aphorisms - A bad penny always turns up. - A barking dog never bites. - A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. - Absence makes the heart grow fonder. - Actions speak louder than words. - All for one and one for all. - All that glitters is not gold. - All the world's a stage. - All things come to he who waits. - All we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history. - All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. - A penny saved is a penny earned. - Children should be seen and not heard. - Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes. - Don't foul your own nest. - Don't give up the ship. - Don't hide your light under a bushel. - Don't judge a book by its cover. - Doubt is the beginning, not the end, of wisdom. - Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise. - Easier said than done. - East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet. - East or West, home is best. - Easy come, easy go. - Eat to live, don't live to eat. - Forgive and forget. - Forgive them, for they know not what they do. - Frailty, thy name is woman! - From the sublime to the ridiculous is but a step. - Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. - Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. - Give a man a fish and he eats for one night. Teach him how and he eats for life. - Give him an inch and he'll take a mile. - Give him enough rope and he'll hang himself. - He that is not with me is against me. - He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day. - He who hesitates is lost. - Here today, gone tomorrow. - History repeats itself. - If you do what you've always done you'll get what you've always got. - If you lie down with dogs, you wake up with fleas. - If you snooze, you lose. - Ignorance is bliss. - Ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. - Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. - Keep your head above water. - Keep your nose to the grindstone. - Keep your powder dry. - Know thyself. - Know which side your bread is buttered on. - Knowledge is power. - Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone. - Life is short, art is long. - Lightning never strikes twice in the same place. - Little pitchers have big ears. - Little strokes fell great oaks. - Live and learn. - Nothing succeeds like success. - Nothing ventured, nothing gained. - Oil and water don't mix. - Old habits die hard. - Once bitten, twice shy. - Opportunity never knocks twice. - Opposites attract. - Out of sight, out of mind. - People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. - Politics makes strange bedfellows. - Possession is nine-tenths of the law. - The more things change, the more they stay the same. - The pen is mightier than sword. - The quality of mercy is not strained. - The proof of the pudding is in the eating. - The race isn't always to the swift, nor the fight to the strong, but that's the way to bet. - While there's life, there's hope. - Who pays the piper calls the tune. - Winners never quit and quitters never win. - You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. - You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. - You can kill a man but you can't kill an idea. - You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. - You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy. - You can't fight city hall. - You get what you pay for. - You have to take the bitter with the sweet. - You have to take the good with the bad. - You made your bed, now lie in it. - You need to stop to smell the roses. - You need to take a bull by the horns, and a man by his word. - You're never too old to learn.

*autonomous*

*Acting independently or having the freedom to do so. "an autonomous committee of the school board"* adjective synonyms: self-governing, self-ruling, self-determining, independent, sovereign,free, unmonitored "an autonomous republic" Having self-government, at least to a significant degree. "the federation included sixteen autonomous republics"

*idempotency*

*From a RESTful service standpoint, for an operation (or service call) to be idempotent, clients can make that same call repeatedly while producing the same result. In other words, making multiple identical requests has the same effect as making a single request. Note that while idempotent operations produce the same result on the server (no side effects), the response itself may not be the same (e.g. a resource's state may change between requests).*

*deterministic*

*In mathematics and physics, a deterministic system is a system in which no randomness is involved in the development of future states of the system. A deterministic model will thus always produce the same output from a given starting condition or initial state.* adjective

*integrity*

*Integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. It is generally a personal choice to uphold oneself to consistent moral and ethical standards.* *Integrity is regarded by many people as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions. * The word integrity evolved from the Latin adjective integer, meaning whole or complete. In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that they act according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold. *Integrity: firm adherence to a code of especially moral values*

*extrinsic*

*Not part of the essential nature of someone or something; coming or operating from outside.* "extrinsic factors that might affect time budgets" synonyms: external, extraneous, exterior, outside, outward "climate, geography, and other extrinsic factors"

*dejected*

*Sad and depressed; dispirited.* "he stood in the street looking dejected" synonyms: downcast, downhearted, despondent, disconsolate, dispirited, crestfallen, disheartened; depressed, crushed, desolate, heartbroken, in the doldrums, sad, unhappy, doleful, melancholy, miserable, woebegone, forlorn, wretched, glum, gloomy; informal: blue, down in/at the mouth, down in the dumps, in a blue funk "the dejected look on Thomas's face"

*assiduous*

*Showing great care and perseverance.* adjective "she was assiduous in pointing out every feature" synonyms: diligent, careful, meticulous, thorough, sedulous, attentive, conscientious, punctilious, painstaking, rigorous, particular; persevering "she was assiduous in pointing out every feature"

*apostasy*

*The abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.*

*paradigm*

*a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns* model, pattern, example, exemplar, template, standard, prototype, archetype

*auspice*

*a divine or prophetic token.*

*harangue*

*a lengthy and aggressive speech.* synonyms: tirade, diatribe, lecture, polemic, rant, fulmination, broadside, attack, onslaught; criticism, condemnation, censure, admonition, sermon; declamation, speech; informal: blast; literary: philippic "a ten-minute harangue" *lecture (someone) at length in an aggressive and critical manner.* "the kind of guy who harangued total strangers about PCB levels in whitefish" synonyms: rant at, hold forth to, lecture, shout at; berate, criticize, attack; informal: sound off at, mouth off to "he harangued his erstwhile colleagues"

*missive*

*a letter, especially a long or official one.* "he hastily banged out electronic missives" synonyms: message, communication, letter, word, note, email, memorandum, line, communiqué, dispatch, news; informal: memo; formalepistle; "take this missive to Lieutenant Baxter"

*axiom*

*a statement or proposition that is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true.* "the axiom that supply equals demand" synonyms: accepted truth, general truth, dictum, truism, principle; maxim, adage, aphorism; "he came to regret his belief in the axiom that there's no such thing as bad publicity"

*paradox*

*a statement or proposition that, despite sound (or apparently sound) reasoning from acceptable premises, leads to a conclusion that seems senseless, logically unacceptable, or self-contradictory.* "a potentially serious conflict between quantum mechanics and the general theory of relativity known as the information paradox" *a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true.* "in a paradox, he has discovered that stepping back from his job has increased the rewards he gleans from it" synonyms: contradiction, contradiction in terms, self-contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity; oxymoron; conflict, anomaly; enigma, puzzle, mystery, conundrum "the paradox of war is that you have to kill people in order to stop people from killing each other" *a situation, person, or thing that combines contradictory features or qualities.* "the mingling of deciduous trees with elements of desert flora forms a fascinating ecological paradox"

*précis*

*a summary or abstract of a text or speech.* synonyms: summary, synopsis, résumé, abstract, outline, summarization, summation; abridgment, digest, overview, epitome, wrap-up "a précis of the report" *make a précis of (a text or speech).*

*cognomen*

*a surname; a nickname* noun

*resolute*

*admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering.* "she was resolute and unswerving" synonyms: determined, purposeful, resolved, adamant, single-minded, firm, unswerving, unwavering, steadfast, staunch, stalwart, unfaltering, unhesitating, persistent, indefatigable, tenacious, strong-willed, unshakable; stubborn, dogged, obstinate, obdurate, inflexible, intransigent, implacable, unyielding, unrelenting; spirited, brave, bold, courageous, plucky, indomitable; informal: gutsy, gutty, spunky, feisty; formal: pertinacious "he had been an early and resolute opponent of fascism"

*conurbation*

*an extended urban area, typically consisting of several towns merging with the suburbs of one or more cities.* noun

*perturbation*

*anxiety; mental uneasiness.* noun "she sensed her friend's perturbation" *a cause of anxiety or uneasiness.* "Frank's atheism was more than a perturbation to Michael" *a deviation of a system, moving object, or process from its regular or normal state of path, caused by an outside influence.* "some minor perturbation in his house's cash flow"

*intrinsic*

*belonging naturally; essential.* "access to the arts is intrinsic to a high quality of life" synonyms: inherent, innate, inborn, inbred, congenital, connate, natural; deep-rooted, deep-seated, indelible, ineradicable, ingrained; integral, basic, fundamental, essential; built-in "an intrinsic eye for fashion"

*preternatural*

*beyond what is normal or natural.* adjective "autumn had arrived with preternatural speed" synonyms: extraordinary, exceptional, unusual, uncommon, singular, unprecedented, remarkable, phenomenal, abnormal, inexplicable, unaccountable; strange, mysterious, fantastic "autumn had arrived with preternatural speed"

*alacrity*

*brisk and cheerful readiness.* noun "she accepted the invitation with alacrity" synonyms: eagerness, willingness, readiness; enthusiasm, ardor, avidity, fervor, keenness; promptness, haste, swiftness, dispatch, speed "we want to move with alacrity, and put a stop to improper conduct while it's still going on"

*precipitate*

*cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely.* "the incident precipitated a political crisis" synonyms: bring about/on, cause, lead to, give rise to, instigate, trigger, spark, touch off, provoke, hasten, accelerate, expedite "the incident precipitated a crisis" cause to move suddenly and with force. "suddenly the ladder broke, precipitating them down into a heap" synonyms: hurl, catapult, throw, plunge, launch, fling, propel "they were precipitated down the mountain" send someone or something suddenly into a particular state or condition. "they were precipitated into a conflict for which they were quite unprepared" *done, made, or acting suddenly or without careful consideration.* "I must apologize for my staff—their actions were precipitate" synonyms: hasty, overhasty, rash, hurried, rushed; impetuous, impulsive, spur-of-the-moment, precipitous, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-advised, reckless, harum-scarum; informal: previous; l iterary: temerarious "their actions were precipitate" *(of an event or situation) occurring suddenly or abruptly.* "a precipitate decline in cultural literacy" Precipitate usually means "bringing something on" or "making it happen" — and not always in a good way. An unpopular verdict might "precipitate violence" or one false step at the Grand Canyon could precipitate you down into the gorge. Precipitate, as a verb, can also mean specifically, "to fall from clouds," such as rain, snow, or other forms of precipitation. When used as an adjective, precipitate means "hasty" or "acting suddenly." If you decide to throw your class project in a trash masher just because someone in your class had a similar idea, then your actions might be described as precipitate. Or if you do that sort of thing regularly, you may be a precipitate person. bring about abruptly "The crisis precipitated by Russia's revolution" Type of: effect, effectuate, set up produce v hurl or throw violently "The bridge broke and precipitated the train into the river below" Type of: cast, hurl, hurtle throw forcefully v fall vertically, sharply, or headlong "Our economy precipitated into complete ruin" Type of: come down, descend, fall, go down move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way adj done with very great haste and without due deliberation "wondered whether they had been rather precipitate in deposing the king" Synonyms: hasty, overhasty, precipitant, precipitous hurried moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste 2 v fall from clouds "Vesuvius precipitated its fiery, destructive rage on Herculaneum" Synonyms: come down, fall fall descend in free fall under the influence of gravity Types: show 9 types... v separate as a fine suspension of solid particles Type of: change state, turn undergo a transformation or a change of position or action n a precipitated solid substance in suspension or after settling or filtering Types: sludge the precipitate produced by sewage treatment Type of: solid matter that is solid at room temperature and pressure

*enervate*

*cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken.* synonyms: exhaust, tire, fatigue, weary, wear out, devitalize, drain, sap, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate, incapacitate, prostrate; informal: knock out, do in, shatter "the hot weather enervated her" literary: lacking in energy or vitality. "the enervate slightness of his frail form"

*clandestine*

*characterized by, or exercised with security or concealment, especially for the purposes of subversion or deception; private or surreptitious* adjective

*beguile*

*charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way.* "every prominent American artist has been beguiled by Maine" synonyms: charm, attract, enchant, entrance, win over, woo, captivate, bewitch, spellbind, dazzle, hypnotize, mesmerize, seduce "she was beguiled by his beauty" antonyms: repel *trick (someone) into doing something.* "they were beguiled into signing a peace treaty"

*chaos*

*complete disorder and confusion.* "snow caused chaos in the region" synonyms: disorder, disarray, disorganization, confusion, mayhem, bedlam, pandemonium, havoc, turmoil, tumult, commotion, disruption, upheaval, uproar, maelstrom; muddle, mess, shambles, free-for-all; anarchy, lawlessness, entropy; informal: hullabaloo, hoopla, train wreck, all hell broken loose "police were called in to quell the chaos" antonyms: order Physics behavior so unpredictable as to appear random, owing to great sensitivity to small changes in conditions. the formless matter supposed to have existed before the creation of the universe.

*sangfroid*

*composure or coolness, sometimes excessive, as shown in danger or under trying circumstances.* noun

*aesthetic*

*concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.* "the pictures give great aesthetic pleasure" giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty; of pleasing appearance. synonyms: artistic, tasteful, in good taste; graceful, elegant, exquisite, beautiful, attractive, pleasing, lovely "several aesthetic gardens radiate from the fountain in the square" *a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.* "the Cubist aesthetic"

*discursive*

*digressing from subject to subject.* "students often write dull, secondhand, discursive prose" synonyms: rambling, digressive, meandering, wandering, maundering, diffuse, long, lengthy, wordy, verbose, long-winded, prolix; circuitous, roundabout, circumlocutory; informal: waffly "dull, discursive prose" antonyms: concise *(of a style of speech or writing) fluent and expansive rather than formulaic or abbreviated.* "the short story is concentrated, whereas the novel is discursive" synonyms: fluent, flowing, fluid, eloquent, expansive "an elegant discursive style" antonyms: terse

*discombobulate*

*disconcert or confuse (someone).* "this attitude totally discombobulated Bruce"

*ardor*

*enthusiasm or passion.* "they felt the stirrings of revolutionary ardor" synonyms: passion, fervor, zeal, vehemence, intensity, verve, fire, emotion; enthusiasm, eagerness, avidity, gusto, keenness, dedication "approaching the project with ardor"

*poignant*

*evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.* "a poignant reminder of the passing of time" synonyms: touching, moving, sad, affecting, pitiful, piteous, pathetic, sorrowful, mournful, wretched, miserable, distressing, heart-rending, tearjerking, plaintive, tragic "they read aloud the poignant letters written by the victims' children" archaic: sharp or pungent in taste or smell.

*vitriolic*

*filled with bitter criticism or malice.* "vitriolic attacks on the politicians" synonyms: acrimonious, rancorous, bitter, caustic, mordant, acerbic, trenchant, virulent, spiteful, savage, venomous, poisonous, malicious, splenetic; nasty, mean, cruel, unkind, harsh, hostile, vindictive, vicious, scathing, barbed, wounding, sharp, cutting, withering, sarcastic; informal: bitchy, catty "a vitriolic attack on the government"

*fundamental*

*forming a necessary base or core; of central importance.* "the protection of fundamental human rights" synonyms: basic, underlying, core, foundational, rudimentary, elemental, elementary, basal, root; primary, prime, cardinal, first, principal, chief, key, central, vital, essential, important, indispensable, necessary, crucial, pivotal, critical; structural, organic, constitutional, inherent, intrinsic "fundamental principles" *affecting or relating to the essential nature of something or the crucial point about an issue.* "the fundamental problem remains that of the housing shortage" *so basic as to be hard to alter, resolve, or overcome.* "the theories are based on a fundamental error" *a central or primary rule or principle on which something is based.* "two courses cover the fundamentals of microbiology" synonyms: basics, essentials, rudiments, foundations, basic principles, first principles, preliminaries; crux, crux of the matter, heart of the matter, essence, core, heart, base, bedrock; informal: nuts and bolts, nitty-gritty, brass tacks, ABC, meat and potatoes "the fundamentals of the job" a fundamental note, tone, or frequency.

*genial*

*friendly and cheerful.* "waved to them in genial greeting" synonyms: friendly, affable, cordial, amiable, warm, easygoing, approachable, sympathetic; good-natured, good-humored, cheerful; neighborly, hospitable, companionable, comradely, sociable, convivial, outgoing, gregarious; informal: chummy "my genial colleagues" antonyms: unfriendly (especially of air or climate) pleasantly mild and warm.

*fecundity*

*fruitfulness and fertility, the ability to produce abundant healthy growth or offspring; capacity of abundant production* noun

*largesse*

*generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others.* "dispensing his money with such largesse" synonyms: generosity, liberality, munificence, bounty, bountifulness, beneficence, altruism, charity, philanthropy, magnanimity, benevolence, charitableness, openhandedness, kindness, big-heartedness; formal: benefaction "Bob took advantage of his friend's largesse" *money or gifts given generously.* "the distribution of largesse to the local population" synonyms: gifts, presents, handouts, grants, aid; patronage, sponsorship, backing, help; alms "distributing largesse to the locals"

*pernicious*

*having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.* adjective "the pernicious influences of the mass media" synonyms: harmful, damaging, destructive, injurious, hurtful, detrimental, deleterious, dangerous, adverse, inimical, unhealthy, unfavorable, bad, evil, baleful, wicked, malign, malevolent, malignant, noxious, poisonous, corrupting; literarymaleficent "a pernicious influence on society" causing insidious harm or ruin; hurtful; deadly; fatal; evil

*metaphysics*

*metaphysics as "science of that which transcends the physical."*

*acumen*

*the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain.* "business acumen" synonyms: astuteness, shrewdness, acuity, sharpness, sharp-wittedness, cleverness, smartness, brains; judgment, understanding, awareness, sense, common sense, canniness, discernment, wisdom, wit, sagacity, perspicacity, insight, perception, penetration; savvy, know-how, horse sense, smarts, street smarts "noted for her business acumen"

*synthesis*

*the combination of ideas to form a theory or system.*

*skookum*

*(of a person or animal) strong, brave, or impressive.* adjective

*snob*

*A person with an exaggerated respect for high social position or wealth who seeks to associate with social superiors and dislikes people or activities regarded as lower-class.* A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people. "a musical snob"

*autodidact*

*A self-taught person.*

*irony*

*A situation that is strange or funny because things happen in a way that seems to be the opposite of what you expected* *The use of words that mean the opposite of what you really think especially in order to be funny*

*antipathy*

*a deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion.* noun "his fundamental antipathy to capitalism" synonyms: hostility, antagonism, animosity, aversion, animus, enmity, dislike, distaste, hatred, hate, abhorrence, loathing "I never encountered racial antipathy until I went to college" antonyms: liking, affinity

*Weltschmerz*

*a feeling of melancholy and world-weariness.* noun ˈveltˌSHmerts/

*oxymoron*

*a figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction (e.g., faith unfaithful kept him falsely true).* *a figure of speech that juxtaposes elements that appear to be contradictory* As with many other literary and rhetorical devices, oxymorons are used for a variety of purposes. Sometimes they are used to create some sort of drama for the reader or listener, and sometimes they are used to make the person stop and think, whether it's to laugh or to ponder. One famous oxymoron is the phrase "the same difference." This phrase qualifies as an oxymoron because the words "same" and "difference" have completely opposite meanings. Therefore, bringing them together into one phrase produces a verbally puzzling, yet engaging, effect. Oxymorons from Everyday Life Whether you know it or not, you have probably used some, or at least heard, some oxymorons in your every day life. - Great Depression - Jumbo shrimp - Cruel to be kind - Pain for pleasure - Clearly confused - Act naturally - Beautifully painful - Painfully beautiful - Deafening silence - Pretty ugly - Pretty fierce - Pretty cruel - Definitely maybe - Living dead - Walking dead - Only choice - Amazingly awful - Alone together - Virtual reality - Random order - Original copy - Happy sad - Disgustingly delicious - Run slowly - Awfully good - Awfully delicious - Small crowd - Dark light - Light darkness - Dark snow - Open secret - Passive aggressive - Appear invisible - Awfully lucky - Awfully pretty - Big baby - Tiny elephant - Wake up dead - Goodbye reception - Growing smaller - Least favorite - True myth - Typically weird - Typically odd - Naturally strange - Weirdly normal - Unpopular celebrity - Worthless gold - Sad joy - Liquid food - Heavy diet - Noticeable absence - Quiet presence - Short wait - Sweet agony Sentence Examples with Oxymorons There are some well-known sentences and quotations that make use of oxymorons. Seeing oxymorons used in context often helps to provide a better idea of how and why they are used. - "I can resist anything, except temptation." - Oscar Wilde - "I like a smuggler. He is the only honest thief." - Charles Lamb - "And faith unfaithful kept him falsely true." - Alfred Tennyson - "Modern dancing is so old fashioned." - Samuel Goldwyn - "A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business." - Henry Ford - "I am busy doing nothing." - Oxymorons - "A little pain never hurt anyone." - Word Explorations - "I am a deeply superficial person." - Andy Warhol - "No one goes to that restaurant anymore - It's always too crowded." - Yogi Berra - "We are not anticipating any emergencies." - Word Explorations - "A joke is actually an extremely really serious issue." - Winston Churchill - "I like humanity, but I loathe persons." - Edna St. Vincent Millay - "Always be sincere, even though you do not necessarily mean it." - Irene Peter - "I generally advise persons never ever to present assistance." - P.G. Wodehouse

*sage*

*a profoundly wise person; a person famed for wisdom.* someone venerated for the possession of wisdom, judgment, and experience.

*panegyric*

*a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something.* "Vera's panegyric on friendship" synonyms: eulogy, speech of praise, paean, accolade, tribute "the panegyric she delivered in Syd's memory brought tears to our eyes"

*vim*

*energy; enthusiasm.* noun "in his youth he was full of vim and vigor"

*demeanor*

*Outward behavior or bearing.* "a quiet, somber demeanor" synonyms: manner, air, attitude, appearance, look; More bearing, carriage; behavior, conduct; formal: comportment "his normally calm demeanor"

*protean*

tending or able to change frequently or easily. adjective "it is difficult to comprehend the whole of this protean subject" synonyms: ever-changing, variable, changeable, mutable, kaleidoscopic, inconstant, inconsistent, unstable, shifting, unsettled, fluctuating, fluid, wavering, vacillating, mercurial, volatile; technicallabile "the protean nature of mental disorders" able to do many different things; versatile. "Shostakovich was a remarkably protean composer, one at home in a wide range of styles" synonyms: versatile, adaptable, flexible, all-around, multifaceted, multitalented, many-sided "a remarkably protean composer"

*potentate*

*a monarch or ruler, especially an autocratic one.* synonyms: ruler, monarch, sovereign, king, queen, emperor, empress, sultan, shah, raja, pharaoh "diplomatic missions to foreign potentates" A person with great power.

*duplicitous*

*deceitful.* "treacherous, duplicitous behavior" Law (of a charge or plea) containing more than one allegation.

*ellipsis*

*the omission from speech or writing of a word or words that are superfluous or able to be understood from contextual clues.*

*tertiary*

*third in order or level.* adjective "most of the enterprises were of tertiary importance" of the third order, rank, stage, formation, etc.; third.

*admonish*

*warn or reprimand someone firmly.* "she admonished me for appearing at breakfast unshaven" synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, scold, reprove, reproach, upbraid, chastise, chide, berate, criticize, take to task, read the riot act to, rake/haul over the coals; dress down, bawl out, rap over the knuckles, give someone hell; chew out; formal: castigate; rare: reprehend "he was severely admonished by his father" *advise or urge (someone) earnestly.* "she admonished him to drink no more than one glass of wine" synonyms: advise, recommend, counsel, urge, exhort, bid, enjoin; caution, warn; "she admonished him to drink less"

*heuristic*

*enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves.* "a "hands-on" or interactive heuristic approach to learning" COMPUTING *proceeding to a solution by trial and error or by rules that are only loosely defined.*

*obscure*

*not discovered or known about; uncertain.* "his origins and parentage are obscure" synonyms: unclear, uncertain, unknown, in doubt, doubtful, dubious, mysterious, hazy, vague, indeterminate, concealed, hidden "the truth is that many aspects of a war's outcome remain obscure for years" antonyms: clear, obvious *not clearly expressed or easily understood.* "obscure references to Proust" synonyms: abstruse, recondite, arcane, esoteric; mystifying, puzzling, perplexing, baffling, ambiguous, cryptic, enigmatic, Delphic, oracular, oblique, opaque, elliptical, unintelligible, incomprehensible, impenetrable, unfathomable; informal: as clear as mud "obscure references to Proust" antonyms:clear, plain *not important or well known.* "an obscure religious sect" synonyms: little known, unknown, unheard of, unnoticed, undistinguished, unimportant, insignificant, inconsequential, minor, lowly; nameless, anonymous; unsung, unrecognized, forgotten "rumors from open-mouth radio shows and obscure web sites" antonyms: famous, renowned *hard to make out or define; vague.* "I feel an obscure resentment" synonyms: indistinct, faint, vague, nebulous, ill-defined, unclear, blurred, blurry,misty, hazy; dark, dim, shadowy; literary: tenebrous; archaic: caliginous "an obscure shape" antonyms: distinct (of a color) not sharply defined; dim or dingy. *keep from being seen; conceal.* "gray clouds obscure the sun" synonyms: hide, conceal, cover, veil, shroud, screen, mask, cloak, cast a shadow over, shadow, block (out), obliterate, eclipse, darken; literary: bedim, enshroud "a shy and abject manner obscured her prettiness" antonyms: reveal *make unclear and difficult to understand.* "the debate has become obscured by conflicting ideological perspectives" synonyms: confuse, complicate, obfuscate, cloud, blur, muddy; muddy the waters of; literary: befog, becloud "human rights are often obscured by the shadow of politics" antonyms: illuminate, clarify overshadow. "none of this should obscure the skill, experience, and perseverance of the workers" If something is obscure, it's vague and hard to see. Be careful if you're driving in heavy rain — the painted lines can be obscure. Obscure comes from Latin obscurus, which can mean "dark, dim," "unclear, hard to understand," or "insignificant, humble." We tend to use obscure in the metaphorical senses: an obscure sound is unclear, an obscure village is hidden away in the countryside, and an obscure poet is little known and probably insignificant. Obscure can also be used as a verb. If you get really nervous when you speak during a debate, your embarrassing twitches and shaking hands can obscure your argument. not clearly understood or expressed "an obscure turn of phrase" ""an impulse to go off and fight certain obscure battles of his own spirit"-Anatole Broyard" Synonyms: vague unclear not clear to the mind adj marked by difficulty of style or expression "those who do not appreciate Kafka's work say his style is obscure" Synonyms: dark incomprehensible, uncomprehensible difficult to understand adj not drawing attention "an obscure flaw" Synonyms: unnoticeable inconspicuous, invisible not prominent or readily noticeable adj not famous or acclaimed "an obscure family" Synonyms: unknown, unsung inglorious not bringing honor and glory v make unclear, indistinct, or blurred Synonyms: blur, confuse, obnubilate confound, confuse mistake one thing for another Types: muddy cause to become muddy Type of: alter, change, modify cause to change; make different; cause a transformation v make less visible or unclear "the big elm tree obscures our view of the valley" Synonyms: becloud, befog, cloud, fog, haze over, mist, obnubilate Types: overshadow cast a shadow upon eclipse, occult cause an eclipse of (a celestial body) by intervention Type of: conceal, hide prevent from being seen or discovered v make obscure or unclear "The distinction was obscured" Synonyms: bedim, overcloud Type of: alter, change, modify cause to change; make different; cause a transformation v make undecipherable or imperceptible by obscuring or concealing Synonyms: blot out, hide, obliterate, veil efface, obliterate remove completely from recognition or memory Types: mystify make mysterious Type of: alter, change, modify cause to change; make different; cause a transformation 2 adj difficult to find "an obscure retreat" Synonyms: hidden concealed hidden on any grounds for any motive adj remote and separate physically or socially "an obscure village" Synonyms: apart, isolated unconnected not joined or linked together

*evanescent*

*soon passing out of sight, memory, or existence; quickly fading or disappearing.* "a shimmering evanescent bubble" synonyms: vanishing, fading, evaporating, melting away, disappearing; ephemeral, fleeting, short-lived, short-term, transitory, transient, fugitive, temporary "operating on an evanescent budget" antonyms: permanent

*discourse*

*written or spoken communication or debate.* "the language of political discourse" synonyms: discussion, conversation, talk, dialogue, conference, debate, consultation; parley, powwow, chat, confab; formal: confabulation, colloquy "they prolonged their discourse outside the door" *a formal discussion of a topic in speech or writing.* "a discourse on critical theory" synonyms: essay, treatise, dissertation, paper, study, critique, monograph, disquisition, tract; lecture, address, speech, oration; sermon, homily "a discourse on critical theory" LINGUISTICS a connected series of utterances; a text or conversation. verb *speak or write authoritatively about a topic.* "she could discourse at great length on the history of Europe" synonyms: hold forth, expatiate, pontificate; talk, give a talk, give a speech, lecture, sermonize, preach; informal: spout, sound off; formal: perorate "he discoursed at length on his favorite topic" engage in conversation. "he spent an hour discoursing with his supporters in the courtroom" synonyms: converse, talk, speak, debate, confer, consult, parley, chat "Edward was discoursing with his friends" If you use the word discourse, you are describing a formal and intense discussion or debate. The noun discourse comes from the Latin discursus to mean "an argument." But luckily, that kind of argument does not mean people fighting or coming to blows. The argument in discourse refers to an exchange of ideas — sometimes heated — that often follows a kind of order and give-and-take between the participants. It's the kind of argument and discussion that teachers love, so discourse away! an extended communication (often interactive) dealing with some particular topic Synonyms: discussion, treatment Types: show 8 types... Type of: communicating, communication the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information n extended verbal expression in speech or writing Types: context, context of use, linguistic context discourse that surrounds a language unit and helps to determine its interpretation Type of: language unit, linguistic unit one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed n an address of a religious nature (usually delivered during a church service) Synonyms: preaching, sermon Examples: Sermon on the Mount the first major discourse delivered by Jesus (Matthew 5-7 and Luke 6:20-49) Types: show 5 types... Type of: address, speech the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience v consider or examine in speech or writing Synonyms: discuss, talk about Types: descant talk at great length about something of one's interest talk shop discuss matters that are related to work Type of: address, cover, deal, handle, plow, treat act on verbally or in some form of artistic expression v talk at length and formally about a topic Synonyms: dissertate, hold forth Type of: speak, talk exchange thoughts; talk with v carry on a conversation Synonyms: converse Types: show 11 types... Type of: speak, talk exchange thoughts; talk with

*cliche*

*a phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought.* "the old cliché "one man's meat is another man's poison."" synonyms: platitude, hackneyed phrase, commonplace, banality, old saying, maxim, truism, stock phrase, trite phrase; old chestnut "a good speechwriter will steer clear of clichés" *a very predictable or unoriginal thing or person.* "each building is a mishmash of tired clichés"

*deleterious*

*Causing harm or damage.* "divorce is assumed to have deleterious effects on children" synonyms: harmful, damaging, detrimental, injurious; adverse, disadvantageous, unfavorable, unfortunate, undesirable, bad "the deleterious effects of smoking"

*acerbic*

*(especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright.* "his acerbic wit" synonyms: sharp, sarcastic, sardonic, mordant, trenchant, cutting, razor-edged, biting, piercing, stinging, searing, scathing, caustic, bitter, acrimonious, astringent, abrasive, harsh, wounding, hurtful, unkind, cruel, virulent, vitriolic, venomous, malicious, vicious; informal: bitchy; rare: acidulous, mordacious "soaring melodies built around acerbic lyrics" archaic: tasting sour or bitter. informal: bitchy; rare: acidulous, mordacious "soaring melodies built around acerbic lyrics"

*opaque*

*(especially of language) hard or impossible to understand; unfathomable.* "technical jargon that was opaque to her" synonyms: obscure, unclear, mysterious, puzzling, perplexing, baffling, mystifying, confusing, unfathomable, incomprehensible, unintelligible, ambiguous, Delphic, impenetrable, oblique, enigmatic, cryptic, hazy, foggy; informal: as clear as mud "the technical jargon was opaque to him" antonyms: clear not able to be seen through; not transparent. "the windows were opaque with steam" synonyms: nontransparent, cloudy, filmy, blurred, smeared, smeary, misty, hazy; dirty, muddy, muddied, grimy "opaque glass" antonyms: transparent, translucent, clear Use the adjective opaque either for something that doesn't allow light to pass through (like a heavy curtain) or for something difficult to understand (like bureaucratic gobbledygook). Opaque is from a Latin word meaning "dark," and that was its original sense in English, but it now means literally "not transparent" or metaphorically "hard to understand; unclear": "Some of his sentences are really opaque." It used to be spelled opake, which made the pronunciation clearer, but we then borrowed the more opaque French spelling. Come to think of it, English spelling is often pretty opaque, which makes it hard for learners of the language to master. not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy; impenetrable to sight "opaque windows of the jail" "opaque to X-rays" Synonyms: unclear not clear to the mind cloudy, mirky, muddy, murky, turbid (of liquids) clouded as with sediment fogged, foggy obscured by fog frosted (of glass) having a roughened coating resembling frost glaucous having a frosted look from a powdery coating, as on plants light-tight, lightproof not penetrable by light milklike, milky, whitish resembling milk in color not clear semiopaque partially opaque solid impenetrable for the eye Antonyms: clear allowing light to pass through adj not clearly understood or expressed Synonyms: unintelligible incomprehensible, uncomprehensible difficult to understand

*endemic*

*(of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.* adjective "areas where malaria is endemic" *(of a plant or animal) native or restricted to a certain country or area.* "a marsupial endemic to northeastern Australia"

*debonair*

*(of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.* synonyms: suave, urbane, sophisticated, cultured, self-possessed, self-assured, confident, charming, gracious, courteous, gallant, chivalrous, gentlemanly, refined, polished, well bred, genteel, dignified, courtly; well groomed, elegant, stylish, smart, dashing; informal: smooth, sharp, cool, slick, fly "as debonair as Cary Grant" antonyms:unsophisticated

*articulate*

*(of a person or a person's words) having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently.* "an articulate account of their experiences" synonyms: eloquent, fluent, effective, persuasive, lucid, expressive, silver-tongued; intelligible, comprehensible, understandable "an articulate speaker" antonyms: unintelligible verb *express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently.* "they were unable to articulate their emotions" synonyms: express, voice, vocalize, put in words, communicate, state; air, ventilate, vent, pour out; utter, say, speak, enunciate, pronounce; informal: come out with "they were unable to articulate their emotions" *pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly.* "he articulated each word with precision" To articulate is to say something. And, if you say it well, someone might praise you by saying you are articulate. Confused yet? It's all in the pronunciation. Reach for articulate when you need an adjective meaning "well-spoken" (pronounced ar-TIC-yuh-lit) or a verb (ar-TIC-yuh-late) meaning "to speak or express yourself clearly." The key to understanding articulate's many uses is to think of the related noun article: an articulate person clearly pronounces each article of his or her speech (that is, each word and syllable), and an articulated joint is divided up into distinct articles, or parts. express or state clearly Synonyms: enunciate, vocalise, vocalize Type of: say, state, tell express in words v speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way Synonyms: enounce, enunciate, pronounce, say, sound out v put into words or an expression Synonyms: formulate, give voice, phrase, word Types: show 5 types... Type of: evince, express, show give expression to adj expressing yourself easily or characterized by clear expressive language "articulate speech" "an articulate orator" "articulate beings" Synonyms: eloquent, facile, fluent, silver, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively speech-endowed capable of speech well-spoken speaking or spoken fittingly or pleasingly communicative, communicatory able or tending to communicate spoken uttered through the medium of speech or characterized by speech; sometimes used in combination Antonyms: inarticulate, unarticulate without or deprived of the use of speech or words show more antonyms... 2 adj consisting of segments held together by joints Synonyms: articulated jointed having joints or jointed segments; Antonyms: unarticulated not consisting of segments that are held together by joints show more antonyms... v provide with a joint Synonyms: joint Type of: furnish, provide, render, supply give something useful or necessary to v unite by forming a joint or joints "the ankle bone articulates with the leg bones to form the ankle bones" Type of: connect, join, link, link up, unite be or become joined or united or linked Joint oirented meanings: adjective: having joints or jointed segments. ZOOLOGY denoting a brachiopod that has projections and sockets that form a hinge joining the two halves of the shell. verb: form a joint. "the mandible is a solid piece articulating with the head" be connected by joints. "the wing is articulated to the thorax"

*sedulous*

*(of a person or action) showing dedication and diligence.* "he watched himself with the most sedulous care" synonyms: diligent, careful, meticulous, thorough, assiduous, attentive, industrious, conscientious, ultracareful, punctilious, scrupulous, painstaking, minute, rigorous, particular "he picked the thorn from his leg with sedulous care"

*tractable*

*(of a person or animal) easy to control or influence.* "tractable dogs that have had some obedience training" synonyms: malleable, manageable, amenable, pliable, governable, yielding, complaisant, compliant, game, persuadable, accommodating, docile, biddable, obliging, obedient, submissive, meek "our preschool teachers disagree with the statement that children are becoming less tractable every year" antonyms: recalcitrant *(of a situation or problem) easy to deal with.* "trying to make the mathematics tractable"

*incisive*

*(of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking.* "she was an incisive critic" synonyms: penetrating, acute, sharp, sharp-witted, razor-sharp, keen, astute, trenchant, shrewd, piercing, cutting, perceptive, insightful, percipient, perspicacious, discerning, analytical, clever, smart, quick; concise, succinct, pithy, to the point, brief, crisp, clear, effective; informal: punchy, heads-up, on the ball; rare: sapient "an incisive commentator" antonyms:rambling, vague *(of an account) accurate and sharply focused.* "the songs offer incisive pictures of American ways" The adjective incisive describes something that is sharp, decisive, and direct. A comment that cuts right to the bone can be just as incisive as an actual knife. The word incisive is rooted in a Latin word that literally means "to cut with a sharp edge." To help you remember the meaning, you can think of the similar word, incisors, which are the teeth that are sharp and cut and tear. The more figurative meaning of describing something that is mentally sharp first appeared in the 1850s. Keen criticism and cutting remarks have been called incisive ever since. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions "incisive comments" "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang" Synonyms: acute, discriminating, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp perceptive having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment adj suitable for cutting or piercing "incisive teeth" Synonyms: sharp having or made by a thin edge or sharp point; suitable for cutting or piercing

*objective*

*(of a person or their judgment) not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing facts.* "historians try to be objective and impartial" synonyms: impartial, unbiased, unprejudiced, nonpartisan, disinterested, neutral, uninvolved, even-handed, equitable, fair, fair-minded, just, open-minded, dispassionate, detached, neutral "I was hoping to get an objective and pragmatic report" antonyms: biased, partial, prejudiced not dependent on the mind for existence; actual. "a matter of objective fact" synonyms: factual, actual, real, empirical, evidence-based, verifiable "eight objective measurements to track student performance" antonyms: subjective a thing aimed at or sought; a goal. "the system has achieved its objective" synonyms:aim, intention, purpose, target, goal, intent, object, end; idea, point, design, plan, ambition, aspiration, desire, hope "you can't achieve your objectives unless people understand them"

*listless*

*(of a person or their manner) lacking energy or enthusiasm.* "bouts of listless depression" synonyms: lethargic, enervated, spiritless, lifeless, languid, languorous, inactive, underactive, inert, sluggish, torpid "this heat makes me listless" antonyms: energetic

*moribund*

*(of a person) at the point of death.* adjective synonyms: dying, expiring, terminal, on one's deathbed, near death, at death's door, not long for this world "the patient was moribund" antonyms: thriving, recovering (of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor. "the moribund commercial property market" synonyms: declining, in decline, waning, dying, stagnating, stagnant, crumbling, on its last legs "the moribund shipbuilding industry"

*unctous*

*(of a person) excessively or ingratiatingly flattering; oily.* adjective "he seemed anxious to please but not in an unctuous way" synonyms: sycophantic, ingratiating, obsequious, fawning, servile, groveling, subservient, cringing, humble, hypocritical, insincere, gushing, effusive; glib, smooth, slick, slippery, oily, greasy; smarmy, slimy "she sees through his unctuous manners"

*gregarious*

*(of a person) fond of company; sociable.* adjective "he was a popular and gregarious man" synonyms: sociable, company-loving, convivial, companionable, outgoing, friendly, affable, amiable, genial, warm, comradely; informalchummy "he was fun-loving and gregarious" *fond of the company of other; sociable; clusters OR pertaining to a flock or crowd*

*percipient*

*(of a person) having a good understanding of things; perceptive.*

*discriminating*

*(of a person) having or showing refined taste or good judgment.* adjective "he became a discriminating collector and patron of the arts" synonyms: discerning, perceptive, astute, shrewd, judicious, perspicacious, insightful, keen; selective, fastidious, tasteful, refined, sensitive, cultivated, cultured, artistic, aesthetic "she had discriminating tastes" antonyms: indiscriminate

*mercurial*

*(of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind.* adjective "his mercurial temperament" synonyms: volatile, capricious, temperamental, excitable, fickle, changeable, unpredictable,variable, protean, mutable, erratic, quicksilver, inconstant, inconsistent, unstable,unsteady, fluctuating, ever-changing, moody, flighty, wayward, whimsical, impulsive;

*urbane*

*(of a person, especially a man) suave, courteous, and refined in manner.* synonyms: suave, sophisticated, debonair, worldly, cultivated, cultured, civilized, cosmopolitan; smooth, polished, refined, self-possessed; courteous, polite, well mannered, mannerly, civil, charming, gentlemanly, gallant "the urbane English professor" antonyms: uncouth, unsophisticated

*languid*

*(of a person, manner, or gesture) displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed.* "they turned with languid movements from back to front so as to tan evenly" synonyms: relaxed, unhurried, languorous, slow; listless, lethargic, sluggish, lazy, idle, indolent, apathetic; informallaid-back "a languid wave of the hand" antonyms: energetic (of an occasion or period of time) pleasantly lazy and peaceful. "the terrace was perfect for languid days in the Italian sun" synonyms: leisurely, languorous, relaxed, restful, lazy "languid days in the sun" antonyms: action-packed *weak or faint from illness or fatigue.* "she was pale, languid, and weak, as if she had delivered a child" synonyms: sickly, weak, faint, feeble, frail, delicate; tired, weary, fatigued "she was pale and languid" antonyms: vigorous Describe a slow-moving river or a weak breeze or a listless manner with the slightly poetic adjective, languid. Languid comes from the Latin verb, languere "to be weak or faint" and is a somewhat literary word for something that doesn't use much energy. If someone says goodbye to you with a languid wave of the hand, there's not too much movement involved. You can describe yourself as languid when you have that feeling of not being entirely awake — kind of lazy in the mind. lacking spirit or liveliness "a languid mood" "a languid wave of the hand" Synonyms: dreamy, lackadaisical, languorous lethargic, unenrgetic deficient in alertness or activity

*hackneyed*

*(of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite.* "hackneyed old sayings" synonyms: overused, overdone, overworked, worn out, timeworn, platitudinous, vapid, stale, tired, threadbare; trite, banal, hack, clichéd, hoary, commonplace, common, ordinary, stock, conventional, stereotyped, predictable; unimaginative, unoriginal, uninspired, prosaic, dull, boring, uninvolving, pedestrian, run-of-the-mill, boilerplate, routine; informal: old hat, cheesy, corny, played out "your hackneyed arguments fail to persuade anyone" antonyms: original

*latent*

*(of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden; concealed.* "discovering her latent talent for diplomacy" synonyms: dormant, untapped, unused, undiscovered, hidden, concealed, underlying, invisible, unseen, undeveloped, unrealized, unfulfilled, potential "his latent skills" BIOLOGY (of a bud, resting stage, etc.) lying dormant or hidden until circumstances are suitable for development or manifestation. synonyms: dormant, untapped, unused, undiscovered, hidden, concealed, underlying, invisible, unseen, undeveloped, unrealized, unfulfilled, potential "his latent skills" *(of a disease) in which the usual symptoms are not yet manifest.* synonyms: dormant, untapped, unused, undiscovered, hidden, concealed, underlying, invisible, unseen, undeveloped, unrealized, unfulfilled, potential "his latent skills"

*platitudinous*

*(of a remark or statement) used too often to be interesting or thoughtful; hackneyed.* "this may sound platitudinous" synonyms: hackneyed, overworked, overused, clichéd, banal, trite, commonplace, well worn, stale, tired, unoriginal; informal: corny, old hat "platitudinous political sound bites" antonyms: original

*diverge*

*(of a road, route, or line) separate from another route, especially a main one, and go in a different direction.* synonyms: separate, part, fork, divide, split, bifurcate, go in different directions "the two roads diverged" antonyms: converge *develop in a different direction.* "howler and spider monkeys diverged from a common ancestor" *(of an opinion, theory, approach, etc.) differ markedly.* "the coverage by the columnists diverged from that in the main news stories" synonyms: differ, be different, be dissimilar; More *disagree, be at variance, be at odds, conflict, clash* "areas where our views diverge" antonyms: agree *deviate from a set course or standard.* "suddenly he diverged from his text" synonyms: deviate, digress, depart, veer, stray; More *stray from the point, get off the subject* "he diverged from his script" Mathematics (of a series) increase indefinitely as more terms are added.

*recondite*

*(of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse.* "the book is full of recondite information" synonyms: obscure, abstruse, arcane, esoteric, recherché, profound, difficult, complex, complicated, involved; incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, cryptic, opaque "the recondite realms of Semitic philology" *hard for the average mind to understand.* If it's really hard to comprehend, then it's safe to say it's recondite. In the same family as "abstruse," "esoteric" and "totally deep, man," recondite is a very serious word that you could use to describe obscure philosophy books, high level mathematical theory, and the series finale of The Sopranos — you know, things that make your brain hurt.

*mellifluous*

*(of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear.* "the voice was mellifluous and smooth" synonyms: sweet-sounding, dulcet, honeyed, mellow, soft, liquid, silvery, soothing, rich, smooth,euphonious, harmonious, tuneful, musical"mellifluous dinner music" antonyms: cacophonous Use the adjective mellifluous to describe something that sounds sweet and smooth, like the honeyed voice of a late-night radio DJ. You might think that that mell in mellifluous has something to do with mellow. Actually, it's related to Melissa. In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who discovered that you could eat the smooth, sweet stuff that bees make. Honeybees were named after her, and their tasty product was called meli. Mellifluous means to "flow as if with honey." pleasing to the ear Synonyms: dulcet, honeyed, mellisonant, sweet melodic, melodious, musical containing or constituting or characterized by pleasing melody

*perspicuous*

*(of an account or representation) clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid.* "it provides simpler and more perspicuous explanations than its rivals" *(of a person) able to give an account or express an idea clearly.*

*politic*

*(of an action) seeming sensible and judicious under the circumstances.* "I did not think it politic to express my reservations" synonyms:wise, prudent, sensible, judicious, canny, sagacious, shrewd, astute; recommended, advantageous, beneficial, profitable, desirable, advisable; appropriate, suitable, fitting, apt "I do not think it politic to express my reservations"

*laudable*

*(of an action, idea, or goal) deserving praise and commendation.* "laudable though the aim might be, the results have been criticized" synonyms: praiseworthy, commendable, admirable, meritorious, worthy, deserving, creditable, estimable "thanked for their laudable contributions of time and talent" antonyms: shameful

*cogent*

*(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.* synonyms: convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful, potent, weighty, impactful, effective; valid, sound, plausible, telling; impressive, persuasive, eloquent, credible, influential; conclusive, authoritative; logical, reasoned, rational, reasonable, lucid, coherent, clear "a cogent argument" When you make a cogent argument, it means your argument is clear and persuasive. In these days of 24-hour entertainment news and sound-bite sized explanations of complex government policy, it's hard to find a cogent argument amidst all the emotional outbursts. Cogent comes from a Latin word meaning to drive together, so cogent thinking is well-organized: it hangs together. If you try to convince your mayor to build a new park by saying that playgrounds are good, seeing the sky is nice, and raccoons are cool...well that's not a cogent argument; it's just random. But you could cogently argue that parks contribute to civic happiness by providing space for exercise, community, and encounters with nature. powerfully persuasive "a cogent argument" Synonyms: telling, weighty persuasive intended or having the power to induce action or belief

*lamentable*

*(of circumstances or conditions) deplorably bad or unsatisfactory.* adjective "the facilities provided were lamentable, not merely basic but squalid" *(of an event, action, or attitude) unfortunate; regrettable.* "her open prejudice showed lamentable immaturity" synonyms: deplorable, regrettable, sad, terrible, awful, wretched, woeful, dire, disastrous, grave, appalling, dreadful, pitiful, shameful, sorrowful, unfortunate "lamentable living conditions"

*rococo*

*(of furniture or architecture) of or characterized by an elaborately ornamental late baroque style of decoration prevalent in 18th-century Continental Europe, with asymmetrical patterns involving motifs and scrollwork. extravagantly or excessively ornate, especially (of music or literature) highly ornamented and florid.* synonyms: ornate, fancy, elaborate, extravagant, baroque; fussy, busy, ostentatious, showy; flowery, florid, flamboyant, high-flown, magniloquent, orotund, bombastic, overwrought, overblown, inflated, turgid; informal: highfalutin "rococo draperies" antonyms: plain

*indelible*

*(of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed.* adjective synonyms: ineradicable, permanent, lasting, ingrained, persisting, enduring, unfading, unforgettable, haunting, never to be forgotten "indelible memories" Not able to be forgotten or removed. "his story made an indelible impression on me" synonyms: ineradicable, permanent, lasting, ingrained, persisting, enduring, unfading, unforgettable, haunting, never to be forgotten "indelible memories"

*staccato sentence*

*1 or 2 word sentence* By far the shortest of the sentence types: it's a sentence consisting of one to two words. Ex. "Do you like the Twilight Series?" - "Absolutely not." "I'm bored." - Staccato Commonly used by writers to break up the text of a piece of writing to disrupt an event or emphasize the importance of a previous statement. - Ex. "The tree that John gazed upon was tall. Very. Very. Tall." These sentences are grammatically unorthodox as they do not fulfill the requirements of a complete sentence (subject, verb, etc.) Staccato is Italian for "detached"

*prolix*

*(of speech or writing) using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy.* "he found the narrative too prolix and discursive" synonyms: long-winded, verbose, wordy, pleonastic, discursive, rambling, long-drawn-out, overlong, lengthy, protracted, interminable; More informal: windy, waffly "his prolix speeches" A book that feels like it is several hundred pages longer than it needs to be is prolix. The word simply means that something has too many words and goes on too long. To avoid being called prolix, we'll keep this short. Prolix means using more words than necessary. For a less formal word choice try wordy, verbose, long-winded or drawn out. tediously prolonged or tending to speak or write at great length "editing a prolix manuscript" "a prolix lecturer telling you more than you want to know" Synonyms: diffuse lacking conciseness long-winded, tedious, verbose, windy, wordy using or containing too many words verbal prolix pleonastic, redundant, tautologic, tautological repetition of same sense in different words voluble marked by a ready flow of speech Antonyms: concise expressing much in few words

*incoherent*

*(of spoken or written language) expressed in an incomprehensible or confusing way; unclear.* "he screamed some incoherent threat" synonyms: unclear, confused, unintelligible, incomprehensible, hard to follow, disjointed, disconnected, disordered, mixed up, garbled, jumbled, scrambled, muddled; rambling, wandering, disorganized, illogical; inarticulate, mumbling, slurred "a long, incoherent speech" antonyms :intelligible *(of a person) unable to speak intelligibly.* "I splutter several more times before becoming incoherent" synonyms:delirious, raving, babbling, hysterical, irrational "she was incoherent and shivering" antonyms:lucid (of an ideology, policy, or system) internally inconsistent; illogical. "the film is ideologically incoherent" Incoherent thoughts don't follow each other logically. Incoherent speech is mumbled or jumbled. Incoherent means that something is difficult to understand because it's not holding together. A lot of people use incoherent to mean unintelligible, which is a perfectly fine usage. But it specifically means unintelligible due to a lack of cohesion, or sticking together. An incoherent argument may sound something like this. "I deserve to go to the dance because it is the second Tuesday of the month and my feet are a size ten." The reasons do not follow each other logically and to not even relate. It's an incoherent mess. without logical or meaningful connection "a turgid incoherent presentation" Synonyms: confused, disconnected, disjointed, disordered, garbled, illogical, scattered, unconnected lacking orderly continuity fuzzy confused and not coherent; not clearly thought out illogical, unlogical lacking in correct logical relation irrational not consistent with or using reason Antonyms: coherent, consistent, logical, ordered marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts show more antonyms... adj unable to express yourself clearly or fluently "incoherent with grief" Synonyms: tongue-tied inarticulate, unarticulate without or deprived of the use of speech or words

*orotund*

*(of the voice or phrasing) full, round, and imposing.* synonyms: deep, sonorous, strong, powerful, full, rich, resonant, loud, booming "an orotund singing voice" *(of writing, style, or expression) pompous; pretentious.* synonyms: pompous, pretentious, affected, fulsome, grandiose, ornate, overblown, flowery, florid, high-flown, magniloquent, grandiloquent, rhetorical, oratorical; informal: highfalutin, purple "the orotund rhetoric of his prose"

*glib*

*(of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow.* "she was careful not to let the answer sound too glib" synonyms: slick, pat, fast-talking, smooth-talking; disingenuous, insincere, facile, shallow, superficial, flippant; smooth, silver-tongued, urbane; informal: flip, sweet-talking "glib phrases rolled off his tongue"

*rambling*

*(of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential.* synonyms: long-winded, verbose, wordy, prolix; digressive, maundering, roundabout, circuitous, tortuous, circumlocutory; disconnected, disjointed, incoherent "a rambling speech" *(of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects* The adjective rambling means confused and long-winded, the way you could describe your grandfather's endless rambling stories of his childhood. Rambling always means indirect and a little confusing, which can be a negative quality in a classroom lecture or movie plot — but when you're talking about a path through the woods, rambling is a charming way to describe it. You might love to hike through the woods on rambling trails that twist and turn. Rambling comes from the verb ramble, "walk or stroll," which is a variant on the older verb romen, "to walk, or to go," and related to "roam." *spreading out in different directions* Synonyms: sprawling, straggling, straggly, untidy not neat and tidy *winding or meandering* "rambling forest paths" Synonyms: meandering, wandering, winding, indirect not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination *(of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects* "a rambling speech about this and that" Synonyms: digressive, discursive, excursive, indirect, extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action

*optics*

*(typically in a political context) the way in which an event or course of action is perceived by the public.* "the issue itself is secondary to the optics of the Democrats opposing this administration in a high-profile way" the scientific study of sight and the behavior of light, or the properties of transmission and deflection of other forms of radiation.

*Delphic*

*(typically of a pronouncement) deliberately obscure or ambiguous.*

*derivative*

*(typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason.* "an artist who is not in the slightest bit derivative" adjective synonyms: imitative, unoriginal, uninventive, unimaginative, uninspired; copied, plagiarized, plagiaristic, secondhand; trite, hackneyed, clichéd, stale, stock, banal; informal: copycat, cribbed, old hat "her poetry was derivative" antonyms: original (of a financial product) having a value deriving from an underlying variable asset. "equity-based derivative products" noun something that is based on another source. "a derivative of the system was chosen for the Marine Corps' V-22 tilt rotor aircraft" *an arrangement or instrument (such as a future, option, or warrant) whose value derives from and is dependent on the value of an underlying asset.* "the derivatives market" a word derived from another or from a root in the same or another language. a substance that is derived chemically from a specified compound."crack is a highly addictive cocaine derivative" synonyms: by-product, subsidiary product; spin-off "a derivative of opium" Mathematics an expression representing the rate of change of a function with respect to an independent variable.

*fractious*

*(typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome.* adjective "they fight and squabble like fractious children" synonyms: grumpy, bad-tempered, irascible, irritable, crotchety, grouchy, cantankerous, short-tempered, tetchy, testy, curmudgeonly, ill-tempered, ill-humored, peevish, cross, waspish, crabby, crusty, prickly, touchy "fractious children" (of a group or organization) difficult to control; unruly. "the fractious coalition of Social Democrats" synonyms: wayward, unruly, uncontrollable, unmanageable, out of hand, obstreperous, difficult, headstrong, recalcitrant, intractable; disobedient, insubordinate, disruptive, disorderly, undisciplined; contrary, willful "the fractious opposition party"

*medium sentence*

*15 to 20 word sentence* A sentence containing between fifteen and twenty words. Ex. "While tigers may be beautiful, majestic creatures of the jungle, they are also very deadly." "Whenever I see a Volkswagen, I make sure that I yell 'slug bug!' and punch the person nearest me." - Medium Medium length sentences are typically the most effective in terms of content and descriptiveness, giving the reader more detail to build an idea off of. Depending on the style of the writer, these sentences are not always the best, but can be quite useful

*long sentence*

*30 or more words sentence* As stated by the name, long sentences are pretty long; holding thirty words or more. Ex. "While some people may accuse others of being lazy, I look at it as a more passive lifestyle; one which a person gets to relax and enjoy the little things in life rather than rushing through every event that passes through your life." "I'm not sure if this presentation will reach ten minutes, but I sure hope it does; I need all the points I can get in all of my classes because my school schedule this year sure is a lot of tedious work!" - Long User beware when using long sentences: it may create a run-on sentence so boring that the reader just may fall asleep while reading your monotonous, excruciatingly long sentence filled with gigantic words that may stray the reader away from the point of your writing. Typically extended by many conjunctions (FANBOYS) or colons/ semicolons, long sentences often tire out a reader in a sense.

*short sentence*

*5 to 10 word sentence* Sentence containing between five and ten words - Ex. "That pink cat is really cool!" "Angry Birds is lots of fun to play." - Short Whether you realize it or not, short sentences are most commonly used in daily speech. Next time you say a sentence, count your words; chances are it will be between five and ten. Short sentences are also very straightforward and concise, but usually with more descriptive words than a telegraphic sentence. - Ex. "That guy is tall." vs. "The charming fellow in the chair is very tall"

*telegraphic sentence*

*5-words or less sentence.* A sentence containing less than five words - Ex. "Don't drop the ball." "Let's go running today." - Telegraphic Typical in journalistic writing, states the facts outright with no 'fluff' in the sentence providing all of the essential elements without extra words. - Ex. "The president is speaking. He is very tall. People cheer for him. His words are concise." The primary function is to report the facts of a story or event directly

*dichotomy*

*A division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different.* "a rigid dichotomy between science and mysticism" synonyms: contrast, difference, polarity, conflict; gulf, chasm, division, separation, split; "the great dichotomy between theory and practice"

*abstraction*

*Abstraction is a technique for managing complexity of computer systems. It works by establishing a level of complexity on which a person interacts with the system, suppressing the more complex details below the current level*

*inure*

*Accustom (someone) to something, especially something unpleasant.* "these children have been inured to violence" synonyms: harden, toughen, season, temper, condition; accustom, habituate, familiarize, acclimatize, adjust, adapt, desensitize "they had become inured to poverty"

*prudent*

*Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.* adjective "no prudent money manager would authorize a loan without first knowing its purpose" synonyms: wise, well judged, sensible, politic, judicious, sagacious, sage, shrewd, advisable, well advised "it is prudent to obtain consent" cautious, careful, provident, farsighted, judicious, shrewd, circumspect; thrifty, economical "a prudent approach to borrowing"

*recrimination*

*An accusation in response to one from someone else.* noun "there are no tears, no recriminations" synonyms: accusation(s), counteraccusation(s), countercharge(s), counterattack(s), retaliation(s) "this is not a time for recrimination, but a time to come together in solidarity"

*allusion*

*An expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly; an indirect or passing reference. "an allusion to Shakespeare"* synonyms: reference to, mention of, suggestion of, hint to, intimation of, comment on, remark on "the town's name is an allusion to its founding family" Allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text. For instance, you make a literary allusion the moment you say, "I do not approve of this quixotic idea," Quixotic means stupid and impractical derived from Cervantes's "Don Quixote", a story of a foolish knight and his misadventures. Allusion Examples in Everyday Speech The use allusions are not confined to literature alone. Their occurrence is fairly common in our daily speech. Look at some common allusion examples in everyday life: - "Don't act like a Romeo in front of her." - "Romeo" is a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo, a passionate lover of Juliet, in "Romeo and Juliet". - The rise in poverty will unlock the Pandora's box of crimes. - This is an allusion to one of Greek Mythology's origin myth, "Pandora's box". - "This place is like a Garden of Eden." - This is a biblical allusion to the "garden of God" in the Book of Genesis. - "Hey! Guess who the new Newton of our school is?" - "Newton", means a genius student, alludes to a famous scientist Isaac Newton. - "Stop acting like my ex-husband please." - Apart from scholarly allusions we refer to common people and places in our speech.

*idiom*

*An idiom is a phrase, or a combination of words, that has developed a figurative meaning through frequency of use. Idioms are a staple in many different languages, and are often shared across languages through numerous translations. They can be useful and even fun to use, but are also bound to confuse any new speaker of a language who isn't familiar with the phrase's cultural relevance.* For instance, what does it mean to "spill the beans," and why is everyone making such a fuss over someone doing it? Why are they telling that person to "break a leg" on stage? It doesn't look like that person has a "chip on their shoulder." This guide will go over a large list of common American English idioms and their meanings, along with examples to help you better understand the context you need to use them in. Before you start to focus too much on silly phrases like idioms, it'd be worth it to work on your English language fluency with a course like this. Idioms Are a Piece of Cake! Perhaps even more embarrassing than not understanding an idiom is misusing it. Because of how nonsensical the phrases can be - piece of cake? - you don't want to get caught using them in an incorrect context. Take the idiom used in the header above: "Idioms are a piece of cake." When you refer to something as a "piece of cake," you're calling it easy. In this context, the header is saying that idioms are easy to understand and use. While it might seem like idioms are definitely not a piece of cake, to someone first learning about them, I can assure you, the more of them you hear and study, the easier they'll be to accept as just a natural part of the English language! Let's take a look at some examples. List of Idioms and Their Meanings The following list of idioms will be in alphabetical order, with an explanation and contextual example provided for easier comprehension. actions speak louder than words - Definition: Refers to the idea that it's better to do something than just talk about it. - Example: "He always tells his girlfriend that he loves her, but he never actually does anything nice for her. Someone should teach him that actions speak louder than words." add fuel to the fire - Definition: Something that worsens an already bad situation. - Example: "I wanted to intervene when they were yelling at each other, but that would have just added fuel to the fire." all bark and no bite - Definition: Being verbally threatening, but unwilling to do anything significant. - Example: "He keeps threatening to shut down our paper after we ran that article about him, but I don't think he will. In my opinion, he's all bark and no bite." at the drop of a hat - Definition: A willingness to do something right away. - Example: "Our boss expects us to show up in her office at the drop of a hat, even when we're in a meeting with clients." beating around the bush - Definition: Avoiding the main issue. - Example: "I kept trying to steer the conversation back to his alibi, but he wouldn't stop beating around the bush, bringing up things totally off-topic." a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush - Definition: It's better to have a small, secured advantage than the possibility of a bigger one. It's better to stick with what you have than risk it for something greater. - Example: "Someone offered me $100 to buy my old TV. I was hoping to sell it for $200, but I have a feeling this is the best offer I'll get for a while, and I need that money now. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, right?" blessing in disguise - Definition: Something good and beneficial that did not initially seem that way. - Example: "It was raining so hard that our cab was late, and we were late to our reservation at the restaurant. Turns out everyone who ate there that night got food poisoning. I guess the bad weather was a blessing in disguise!" break a leg - Definition: Something you say to someone you want to wish luck on. - Example: "Is tonight your big performance? Break a leg!" chip on your shoulder - Definition: When someone is upset about something that happened a while ago. - Example: "He has a chip on his shoulder from years of being bullied as a kid." come hell or high water - Definition: Possible obstacles in your path. - Example: "I promise you, come hell or high water, we are going to make it to your party tonight!" cry over spilt milk - Definition: Complaining about a loss or failure from the past. - Example: "She was mad that he broke her vase, but it was an accident, and there's no use crying over spilt milk anyway, so she forgave him." cut to the chase - Definition: Skip the irrelevant parts, and go straight to the main point. - Example: "Why don't you just cut to the chase, and tell me where you hid my phone!" hit the nail on the head - Definition: Do or say exactly the correct thing. - Example: "I really hit the nail on the head when I guessed they were getting married." piece of cake - Definition: Something that is easy to understand or accomplish. - Example: "My math homework last night was a piece of cake! I finished it ten minutes." slap on the wrist - Definition: A mild punishment, such as a scolding. - Example: "The cop pulled me over for speeding, but it was my first time so she just gave me a slap on the wrist." spill the beeans - Definition: Tell a secret. - Example: "My three-year-old spilled the beans about the surprise birthday party we were planning." taste of your own medicine - Definition: When someone receives the same treatment, usually negative, that they gave someone else. - Example: "That kid is always beating up other kids on the playground. I wish someone would give him a taste of his own medicine."

*deduce*

*Arrive at (a fact or a conclusion) by reasoning; draw as a logical conclusion.* "little can be safely deduced from these figures" synonyms: conclude, reason, work out, infer; glean, divine, intuit, understand, assume, presume, conjecture, surmise, reckon; informal: figure out "we can deduce from the evidence that Harding was indeed present at the time of the murder"

*arbitrary*

*Based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.* "his mealtimes were entirely arbitrary" synonyms: capricious, whimsical, random, chance, unpredictable; casual, wanton, unmotivated,motiveless, unreasoned, unsupported, irrational, illogical, groundless, unjustified; personal, discretionary, subjective "an arbitrary decision" antonyms: reasoned, rational

*auspicious*

*Conducive to success; favorable.* "it was not the most auspicious moment to hold an election" synonyms: favorable, propitious, promising, rosy, good, encouraging; opportune, timely, lucky, fortunate, providential, felicitous, advantageous "thanks for joining us on this auspicious occasion" Giving or being a sign of future success. "they said it was an auspicious moon—it was rising" "he was respectful to his auspicious customers" auspicious - 1 : showing or suggesting that future success is likely : propitious <made an auspicious beginning> - 2 : attended by good fortune : prosperous <an auspicious year> Examples of auspicious in a sentence - After his auspicious debut, Chambers became sought after by serious collectors of folk art; but given that the present show is now only the second he has had and is the first retrospective look at him, he is probably as obscure to the general museum going public today as he was in 1942. —Sanford Schwartz, New York Review of Books, 15 Jan. 2009 - There is, first of all, Marconi himself, the 21-year-old prodigy who burst on London with his gizmo in 1896. This wasn't the most auspicious moment for a half-Irish, half-Italian unknown to announce that he had bested some of the empire's greatest scientific minds. —Kevin Baker, New York Times Book Review, 5 Nov. 2006 - Indeed, it hardly seems like an auspicious time to introduce a brand of cigarettes, especially for tiny Star, which accounts for just over 1 percent of the U.S. market with its four brands of discount smokes. —David Noonan, Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2000 - His acclaimed first novel was an auspicious debut. - <told him she couldn't dance with him just then, but her auspicious smile encouraged him to ask again later>

*pejorative*

*Expressing contempt or disapproval* adjective "permissiveness" is used almost universally as a pejorative term" synonyms: disparaging, derogatory, denigratory, deprecatory, defamatory, slanderous, libelous, abusive, insulting, slighting; informal: bitchy "his remarks were considered too pejorative for daytime radio" antonyms: complimentary noun A word expressing contempt or disapproval.

*extrapolation and interpolation*

*Extrapolation is an estimation of a value based on extending a known sequence of values or facts beyond the area that is certainly known. In a general sense, to extrapolate is to infer something that is not explicitly stated from existing information.* *Interpolation is an estimation of a value within two known values in a sequence of values. Polynomial interpolation is a method of estimating values between known data points. When graphical data contains a gap, but data is available on either side of the gap or at a few specific points within the gap, interpolation allows us to estimate the values within the gap.*

*fortuitous*

*Happening by accident or chance rather than design.* "the similarity between the paintings may not be simply fortuitous" synonyms: chance, adventitious, unexpected, unanticipated, unpredictable, unforeseen, unlooked-for, serendipitous, casual, incidental, coincidental, random, accidental, inadvertent, unintentional, unintended, unplanned, unpremeditated "a fortuitous resemblance" antonyms: predictable informal: happening by a lucky chance; fortunate. "from a cash standpoint, the company's timing is fortuitous" synonyms: lucky, fluky, fortunate, providential, advantageous, timely, opportune, serendipitous, heaven-sent "the Red Wings were saved by a fortuitous rebound"

*ambivalent*

*Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.* "some loved her, some hated her, few were ambivalent about her" synonyms: equivocal, uncertain, unsure, doubtful, indecisive, inconclusive, irresolute, of two minds, undecided, torn, in a quandary, on the fence, hesitating, wavering, vacillating, equivocating, blowing/running hot and cold; informal: iffy "the need to relocate has made her ambivalent about the promotion"

*discerning*

*Having or showing good judgment.* "the restaurant attracts discerning customers" synonyms: discriminating, judicious, shrewd, clever, astute, intelligent, sharp, selective, sophisticated, tasteful, sensitive, perceptive, percipient, perspicacious, wise, aware, knowing; informal: clueful "some real treasures for the discerning collector"

*terms for incompetent*

*Incompetent Unskilled Unskillful Unintelligent Dim Misguided Amateurish Maladroit Bumbling Awkward Mindless Negligent Thoughtless Non-strategic Careless Reckless Irresponsible Without smart thinking Heavy-handed Undiplomatic Impolitic*

*inculcate*

*Instill (an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent instruction.* verb "the failures of the churches to inculcate a sense of moral responsibility" synonyms: instill in, implant in, fix in, impress in, imprint in; hammer into, drum into, drive into, drill into "the beliefs inculcated in him by his father" Teach (someone) an attitude, idea, or habit by persistent instruction. "they will try to inculcate you with a respect for culture"

*tumultuous*

*Making a loud, confused noise; uproarious.* adjective "tumultuous applause" synonyms: loud, deafening, thunderous, uproarious, noisy, clamorous, vociferous, vehement "tumultuous applause" antonyms: soft *excited, confused, or disorderly.* "a tumultuous crowd" synonyms: tempestuous, stormy, turbulent, passionate, intense, explosive, violent, volatile, full of ups and downs, roller-coaster "their tumultuous relationship" disorderly, unruly, rowdy, turbulent, boisterous, excited, agitated, restless, wild, riotous, frenzied "a tumultuous crowd" antonyms: peaceful, uneventful, orderly

*irrational*

*Not logical or reasonable.* synonyms: unreasonable, illogical, groundless, baseless, unfounded, unjustifiable; absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous, preposterous, silly, foolish, senseless "an irrational fear of insects" antonyms: reasonable, logical not endowed with the power of reason. Mathematics (of a number, quantity, or expression) not expressible as a ratio of two integers, and having an infinite and nonrecurring expansion when expressed as a decimal. Examples of irrational numbers are the number π and the square root of 2.

*imprudent*

*Not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash.* "it would be imprudent to leave her winter coat behind" synonyms: unwise, injudicious, incautious, indiscreet, misguided, ill-advised, ill-judged; thoughtless,unthinking, improvident, irresponsible, shortsighted, foolish; rash, reckless, heedless "a series of imprudent marriages" antonyms: sensible

*dyspeptic*

*Of or having indigestion or consequent irritability or depression.* synonyms: bad-tempered, short-tempered, irritable, snappish, testy, tetchy, touchy, crabby, crotchety, grouchy, cantankerous, peevish, cross, disagreeable, waspish, prickly; informal: on a short fuse, cranky, ornery "he never became the dyspeptic old man his father had been" a person who suffers from indigestion or irritability.

*personification*

*Personification is a figure of speech where human qualities are given to animals, objects or ideas.* *In the arts, personification means representing a non-human thing as if it were human.* Personification gives human traits and qualities, such as emotions, desires, sensations, gestures and speech, often by way of a metaphor.

*pithy*

*Precisely meaningful; forceful and brief* a pithy comment (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive. synonyms: succinct, terse, concise, compact, short (and sweet), brief, condensed, to the point, epigrammatic, crisp, thumbnail; significant, meaningful, expressive, telling; formal: compendious "pithy comments" antonyms: verbose brief, forceful, and meaningful in expression; full of vigor, substance, or meaning; terse; forcible: a pithy observation pithy - Definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary (of speech or writing) brief and full of meaning expressing an idea cleverly in a few words pithy comments a pithy quote a pithy remark using few words in a clever and effective way having substance and point Examples of pithy in a sentence - ... Gore's prowess had been blurred by his performance in the Quayle debate and by his four preceding years in the Senate, where the prevailing style is indirect and woolly-swathed in layers of "my distinguished colleague" and short on zingers and pithy remarks. —James Fallows,Atlantic, July 2000 - I read my poems in L.A., chatted up the literary set, waxed pithy and beleaguered at the book signings and wine and cheese receptions. —Thomas Lynch, The Undertaking, 1997 - He does not hold forth to his family or to his court of old men; he listens, ... then delivers short,pithy edicts that are then followed. —Guy Martin, Esquire, June 1997 - Unlike a great many other science books, the pithy, lyrical text never bogs down in a mudflat of facts. —Leonard S. Marcus, Parenting, December/January 1996 - The critic gave the film a pithy review. - The book is filled with pithy sayings about love and loss. - a pithy little Mother's Day card

*axiomatic*

*Self-evident or unquestionable.* "it is axiomatic that dividends have to be financed"

*denude*

*Strip (something) of its covering, possessions, or assets; make bare.* verb "almost overnight the Arctic was denuded of animals" synonyms: strip, clear, deprive, bereave, rob; lay bare, uncover, expose; deforest, defoliate; dated: divest "the autumn winds denude the maples, reminding us of the starkness of winter"

*loquacious*

*Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.* adjective synonyms: talkative, voluble, communicative, expansive, garrulous, unreserved, chatty, gossipy, gossiping; informalhaving the gift of (the) gab, gabby, gassy, motormouthed, talky, windy "a loquacious little boy" antonyms: reticent, taciturn

*denouement*

*The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.* noun synonyms: finale, final scene, epilogue, coda, end, ending, finish, close; culmination, climax, conclusion, resolution, solution "the film's denouement" antonyms: beginning the climax of a chain of events, usually when something is decided or made clear. "I waited by the eighteenth green to see the denouement" synonyms: outcome, upshot, consequence, result, end; informal payoff "the debate had an unexpected denouement"

*edification*

*The instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually.* "the idea that art's main purpose is to supply moral uplift and edification" synonyms: education, instruction, tuition, teaching, training, tutelage, guidance; enlightenment, cultivation, information; improvement, development "I read Latin for my own personal edification"

*audacity*

*The willingness to take bold risks.* "her audacity came in handy during our most recent emergency" synonyms: boldness, daring, fearlessness, intrepidity, bravery, courage, heroism, pluck, grit; recklessness; spirit, mettle; informal: guts, gutsiness, spunk, moxie "a traveler of extraordinary audacity" *rude or disrespectful behavior; impudence.* "she had the audacity to pick up the receiver and ask me to hang up" synonyms: impudence, impertinence, insolence, presumption, cheek, bad manners, effrontery, nerve, gall, defiance, temerity; informal: chutzpah, sass "he had the audacity to contradict me"

*extrapolate*

*To guess or think about what might happen using information that is already known:* To use facts about the present or about one thing or group to make a guess about the future or about other things or groups Extend the application of (a method or conclusion, especially one based on statistics) to an unknown situation by assuming that existing trends will continue or similar methods will be applicable: To infer or estimate by extending or projecting known information The verb extrapolate can mean "to predict future outcomes based on known facts."

*curmudgeon*

*a bad-tempered or surly person.* noun

*contradiction*

*a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another.* "the proposed new system suffers from a set of internal contradictions" a person, thing, or situation in which inconsistent elements are present. "the paradox of using force to overcome force is a real contradiction" *the statement of a position opposite to one already made.* "the second sentence appears to be in flat contradiction of the first" synonyms: denial, refutation, rebuttal, countering "a contradiction of his statement" antonyms: confirmation, reaffirmation

*panoply*

*a complete or impressive collection of things.* "a deliciously inventive panoply of insults" synonyms: array, range, collection "the full panoply of U.S. military might" *a splendid display.* "all the panoply of Western religious liturgy" synonyms: trappings, regalia; More historical, literary: a complete set of arms or suit of armor.

*conundrum*

*a confusing and difficult problem or question.* "one of the most difficult conundrums for the experts" synonyms: problem, difficult question, difficulty, quandary, dilemma; "the conundrums facing policy-makers" *a question asked for amusement, typically one with a pun in its answer; a riddle.* synonyms: riddle, puzzle, word game; informal: brainteaser "Rod enjoyed conundrums and crosswords"

*monotony*

*lack of variety and interest; tedious repetition and routine.* "you can become resigned to the monotony of captivity" synonyms: tedium, tediousness, lack of variety, dullness, boredom, repetitiveness, uniformity, routineness, wearisomeness, tiresomeness; lack of excitement, uneventfulness, dreariness, colorlessness, featurelessness; informal: deadliness "the monotony of everyday life" sameness of pitch or tone in a sound or utterance. "depression flattens the voice almost to monotony" synonyms: tonelessness, flatness "the monotony of her voice"

*aberration*

*a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome.* "they described the outbreak of violence in the area as an aberration" synonyms: anomaly, deviation, departure from the norm, divergence, abnormality, irregularity, variation, digression, freak, rogue, rarity, oddity, peculiarity, curiosity, quirk; mistake "a statistical aberration" Biology a characteristic that deviates from the normal type. "color aberrations" synonyms: anomaly, deviation, departure from the norm, divergence, abnormality, irregularity, variation, digression, freak, rogue, rarity, oddity, peculiarity, curiosity, quirk; mistake "a statistical aberration"

*trepidation*

*a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.* noun "the men set off in fear and trepidation" synonyms: fear, apprehension, dread, fearfulness, fright, agitation, anxiety, worry, nervousness, tension, misgivings, unease, uneasiness, foreboding, disquiet, dismay, consternation, alarm, panic; informal: butterflies (in one's stomach), jitteriness, the jitters, the creeps, the shivers, a cold sweat, the heebie-jeebies, the willies, the shakes, jim-jams, collywobbles, cold feet "he sat in the waiting room, full of trepidation"

*ennui*

*a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.* noun synonyms: boredom, tedium, listlessness, lethargy, lassitude, languor, weariness, enervation; malaise, dissatisfaction, melancholy, depression, world-weariness, Weltschmerz "an ennui bred of long familiarity"

*solecism*

*a grammatical mistake in speech or writing.* synonyms: (grammatical) mistake, error, blunder; informal: howler, blooper "a poem marred by solecisms" *a breach of good manners; a piece of incorrect behavior. synonyms: faux pas, gaffe, impropriety, social indiscretion, infelicity, slip, error, blunder, lapse; * informal: slip-up, boo-boo, goof, blooper, flub "it would have been a solecism to answer"

*discrepancy*

*a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts.* "there's a discrepancy between your account and his" synonyms: difference, disparity, variance, variation, deviation, divergence, disagreement, inconsistency, dissimilarity, mismatch, discordance, incompatibility, conflict "the discrepancy between the two sets of figures" antonyms: correspondence

*grandiloquence*

*a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language.* *Grandiloquence is a type of talk that is pompous and bombastic, full of pretty-sounding words and elegant turns of phrase that add up to nothing. Politicians who say nothing but make it sound important are masters of grandiloquence.*

*din*

*a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.* "the fans made an awful din" synonyms: noise, racket, rumpus, ruckus, cacophony, babel, hubbub, tumult, uproar, commotion, clatter; shouting, yelling, screaming, caterwauling, clamor, clangor, outcry; informal: hullabaloo "he shouted above the din" *make (someone) learn or remember something by constant repetition.* "the doctrine that has been dinned into all our heads" synonyms: instill, inculcate, drive, drum, hammer, drill, ingrain; indoctrinate, brainwash "she had had the evils of drink dinned into her" *make a loud, unpleasant, and prolonged noise.* "the sound dinning in my ears was the telephone ringing" synonyms: blare, blast, clang, clatter, crash, clamor "the sound dinning in my ears"

*euphemism*

*a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.* noun ""downsizing" as a euphemism for cuts" synonyms: polite term, indirect term, circumlocution, substitute, alternative, understatement, genteelism "'influential person' is the local euphemism for underworld don"

*perspective*

*a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.* "most guidebook history is written from the editor's perspective" synonyms: outlook, view, viewpoint, point of view, POV, standpoint, position, stand, stance, angle, slant, attitude, frame of mind, frame of reference, approach, way of looking, interpretation "her perspective on things had changed" the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point. "a perspective drawing" a picture drawn in perspective, especially one appearing to enlarge or extend the actual space, or to give the effect of distance. a view or prospect. synonyms: view, vista, panorama, prospect, bird's-eye view, outlook, aspect "a perspective of the whole valley"

*charlatan*

*a person falsely claiming to have a special knowledge or skill; a fraud.* synonyms: quack, sham, fraud, fake, impostor, hoaxer, cheat, deceiver, double-dealer, swindler, fraudster, mountebank; informal: phony, shark, con man, con artist, scam artist, flimflammer, bunco artist, snake oil salesman; dated: confidence man/woman "the shallow promise of a charlatan selling snake oil"

*toady*

*a person who behaves obsequiously to someone important.* noun synonyms: sycophant, brown-noser, lickspittle, flatterer, flunky, lackey, trained seal, doormat, stooge, cringer; informal: bootlicker, suck-up, yes-man; vulgar: slangkiss-ass, ass-kisser "a conniving little toady" verb act in an obsequious way. "she imagined him toadying to his rich clients" synonyms: grovel to, ingratiate oneself with, be obsequious to, kowtow to, pander to, crawl to, truckle to, bow and scrape to, curry favor with, make up to, fawn on/over, slaver over, flatter, adulate, suck up to, lick the boots of, butter up "she imagined him toadying to his rich clients"

*quisling*

*a person who collaborates with an enemy occupying force*

*dilettante*

*a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge.* "a dilettante approach to science" synonyms: dabbler, amateur, nonprofessional, nonspecialist, layman, layperson "there is no room for the dilettante in this business" archaic: a person with an amateur interest in the arts.

*misanthrope*

*a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society.* synonyms: hater of mankind, hater, cynic; recluse, hermit; hikikomori; informal: grouch, grump "he was going to join a group of misanthropes but he disliked all the members"

*bigot*

*a person who is intolerant toward those holding different opinions.* "don't let a few small-minded bigots destroy the good image of the city" synonyms: chauvinist, partisan, sectarian; racist, sexist, homophobe, dogmatist, jingoist "he comes off as a naïve, close-minded bigot"

*provocateur*

*a person who provokes trouble, causes dissension, or the like; agitator.* A provocateur has the job of convincing people to commit crimes. Usually, a provocateur works for a police department or government. If police want to catch a criminal in the act, they might use a provocateur to induce the suspect to buy drugs, for example, so officers can swoop in and make an arrest. Provocateur is a shortened form of "agent provocateur," used since the late 1800s to mean "person hired to make trouble." When police officers pretend to join protests — such as those at political conventions — with the goal of inciting people to violence and then arresting them, they act as provocateurs. a secret agent who incites suspected persons to commit illegal acts Synonyms: agent provocateur Type of: intelligence agent, intelligence officer, operative, secret agent a person secretly employed in espionage for a government

*advocate*

*a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy.* "he was an untiring advocate of economic reform" synonyms: champion, upholder, supporter, backer, promoter, proponent, exponent, spokesman, spokeswoman, spokesperson, campaigner, fighter, crusader; propagandist, apostle, apologist, booster, flag-bearer; "an advocate of children's rights" *publicly recommend or support.* "they advocated an ethical foreign policy" synonyms: recommend, prescribe, advise, urge; support, back, favor, espouse, endorse, uphold, subscribe to, champion, campaign on behalf of, speak for, argue for, lobby for, promote "heart specialists advocate a diet low in cholesterol"

*plutocrat*

*a person whose power derives from their wealth.* synonyms: rich person, magnate, millionaire, billionaire, multimillionaire; nouveau riche; informal: gazillionaire, moneybags; derogatory: fat cat "champagne-swilling plutocrats" A plutocrat is someone who uses their wealth to buy political power. It's not a complement, yet plutocrats rule the world. Just ask them. The terms plutocrat and plutocracy are almost always used in a critical or derogatory way. Plutocrats are a small, rich group of people within a larger society that rule or exert control (sometimes indirectly or secretly) using their money. Wealthy groups and people can do this by making large donations to political campaigns, with the expectation of favors in return. The Greek root of plutocrat is ploutos, "wealth." someone who exercises power by virtue of wealth Type of: have, rich person, wealthy person a person who possesses great material wealth

*predilection*

*a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favor of something.* noun "my predilection for Asian food" synonyms: liking, fondness, preference, partiality, taste, penchant, weakness, soft spot, fancy, inclination, leaning, bias, propensity, bent, proclivity, predisposition, appetite "a predilection for shellfish"

*pretext*

*a reason given in justification of a course of action that is not the real reason.* "the rebels had the perfect pretext for making their move" synonyms:excuse, false excuse, ostensible reason, alleged reason; guise, ploy, pretense, ruse "he used the pretext of looking for his dog to come into our yard" noun Pretext is a false reason given for doing something. If you catch your mother going through your drawers, and she says she was just tidying up, cleaning was her pretext for snooping. Sometimes a government will try to take away its citizens' rights under the pretext of national security. Though pretext sounds like text that comes before other text, the text you see in it is actually more closely related to the word textile, meaning fabric. Its Latin root meant pretty much "to pull the wool over someone's eyes." something serving to conceal plans; a fictitious reason that is concocted in order to conceal the real reason Synonyms: stalking-horse Types: putoff a pretext for delay or inaction Type of: dissembling, feigning, pretence, pretense pretending with intention to deceive n an artful or simulated semblance Synonyms: guise, pretence, pretense Type of: color, colour, gloss, semblance an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading

*maxim*

*a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct.* "the maxim that actions speak louder than words" synonyms: saying, adage, aphorism, proverb, motto, saw, axiom, dictum, precept, epigram; truism, cliché "the maxim "you can't cheat an honest man" is posted on the wall above his desk"

*portent*

*a sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen.* "they believed that wild birds in the house were portents of death" synonyms: omen, sign, signal, token, forewarning, warning, danger sign, foreshadowing, prediction, forecast, prophecy, harbinger, augury, auspice, presage; writing on the wall, indication, hint; literary: foretoken "a portent of things to come" future significance. "an omen of grave portent for the tribe" synonyms: significance, importance, import, consequence, meaning, weight; formal: moment "the word carries terrifying portent" archaic: an exceptional or wonderful person or thing. "what portent can be greater than a pious notary?"

*quibble*

*a slight objection or criticism.* "the only quibble about this book is the price" synonyms: criticism, objection, complaint, protest, argument, exception, grumble, grouse, cavil; informal: beef, gripe, moan "I have just one quibble" *argue or raise objections about a trivial matter.* "they are always quibbling about the amount they are prepared to pay" synonyms: object to, find fault with, complain about, cavil at; split hairs about; criticize, query, fault, pick holes in; informal: nitpick "no one quibbled with the title"

*republic*

*a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.* In a republic, instead of voting directly about what they want to do, as in a democracy, people instead vote for people to represent them, and those people decide what to do.

*polemic*

*a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something.* "his polemic against the cultural relativism of the sixties" synonyms: diatribe, invective, rant, tirade, broadside, attack, harangue, condemnation, criticism, stricture, admonition, rebuke; abuse; informal: blast; formal: castigation "a polemic against injustice" argumentation, argument, debate, contention, disputation, discussion, altercation; formal: contestation "he is skilled in polemics"

*disjointed*

*lacking a coherent sequence or connection.* "piecing together disjointed fragments of information" synonyms: unconnected, disconnected, disunited, discontinuous, fragmented, disorganized, disordered, muddled, mixed up, jumbled, garbled, incoherent, confused; rambling, wandering "the discussion was too disjointed to follow"

*cretin*

*a stupid person (used as a general term of abuse).* The English language has no shortage of cruel names for people, and one of them is cretin, which is what you'd call someone who is very, very dumb in the head. Back before cretin meant "a stupid person," it was a medical term for a physical deformity that came from a specific disease. Surprisingly, the root of cretin is the Swiss French word crestin, which means "Christian." It seems that people back then wanted to remind themselves that even though cretins look unusual, they're still humans who deserve kindness. Knowing this makes it hard to use cretin in a mean way, but there are plenty more rude words you could use. a person of subnormal intelligence Synonyms: changeling, half-wit, idiot, imbecile, moron, retard Types: mongoloid a person suffering from Down syndrome (no longer used technically in this sense) Type of: simple, simpleton a person lacking intelligence or common sense

*anachronism*

*a thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, especially a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned.* "everything was as it would have appeared in centuries past apart from one anachronism, a bright yellow construction crane" an act of attributing a custom, event, or object to a period to which it does not belong.

*chimera*

*a thing that is hoped or wished for but in fact is illusory or impossible to achieve.* "the economic sovereignty you claim to defend is a chimera" synonyms: illusion, fantasy, delusion, dream, daydream, pipe dream, figment of the/one's imagination, castle in the air, mirage

*caveat*

*a warning* noun a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations. synonyms: warning, caution, admonition; proviso, condition, stipulation, provision, clause, rider, qualification "he added the caveat that the results still had to be corroborated"

*double entendre*

*a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which is usually risqué or indecent.* synonyms: ambiguity, double meaning, innuendo, play on words "much of the comedy is derived from racy double entendres" A double-entendre is a phrase or figure of speech that could have two meanings or that could be understood in two different ways. Example #1 "Marriage is a fine institution, but I'm not ready for an institution" (Mae West, the 2,548 Best things Anybody Ever Said). The word "institution" in connection to marriage has two meanings in this context. One, it refers to marriage as an important practice of a society. Two, marriage is something that will cause an individual to go to a mental institution. Example #2 An excerpt from William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene three. Nurse: God ye good morrow, gentlemen. Mercutio: God ye good den, fair gentlewoman. Nurse: Is it good den? Mercutio: 'Tis no less, I tell you; for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon. Nurse: Out upon you! What a man are you! Are wondering why the nurse reacted negatively when Mercutio was plainly stating the time? This is because he was telling her something more... something that is sexual in meaning (bawdy = lustful; prick = penis). A double entendre is a phrase that expresses double meanings, the purpose of using double entendre is usually to articulate one thing perfectly and indirectly (which is generally an insult, or an insinuation). Shakespeare made use of this device to add humor to his work. If the audience are able to understand the different meanings that the actors or characters are trying to convey, double entendre will surely create laughter or to put forward a suggestion to the audiences.

*venerable*

*accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character.* "a venerable statesman" synonyms: respected, venerated, revered, honored, esteemed, hallowed, august, distinguished, eminent, great, grand "the venerable Martin Steed joined our faculty in 1962" (in the Roman Catholic Church) a title given to a deceased person who has attained a certain degree of sanctity but has not been fully beatified or canonized. (in the Anglican Church) a title given to an archdeacon.

*impetuous*

*acting or done quickly and without thought or care.* "her friend was headstrong and impetuous" synonyms: impulsive, rash, hasty, overhasty, reckless, heedless, careless, foolhardy, bullheaded, headstrong, incautious, imprudent, injudicious, ill-considered, unthought-out; spontaneous, impromptu, spur-of-the-moment, precipitate, precipitous, hurried, rushed; informal: devil-may-care, harum-scarum, hotheaded "an impetuous decision" antonyms: considered, cautious moving forcefully or rapidly. "an impetuous but controlled flow of water" synonyms: torrential, powerful, forceful, vigorous, violent, raging, relentless, uncontrolled; rapid, fast, fast-flowing, swift "an impetuous flow of water" antonyms: sluggish

*coalition*

*an alliance for combined action, especially a temporary alliance of political parties forming a government or of states.* "a coalition of conservatives and disaffected Democrats" synonyms: alliance, union, partnership, bloc, caucus; federation, league, association, confederation, consortium, syndicate, combine; amalgamation, merger "the ruling four-party coalition"

*innuendo*

*an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one.* "she's always making sly innuendoes" synonyms: insinuation, suggestion, intimation, implication, hint, overtone, undertone, allusion, reference; aspersion, slur "his innuendoes were usually just thinly veiled sexual remarks"

*surfeit*

*an excessive amount of something.* "a surfeit of food and drink" synonyms: excess, surplus, abundance, oversupply, superabundance, superfluity, glut, avalanche, deluge; overdose; informal: bellyful, gutful, buttload "a surfeit of apples" archaic: an illness caused or regarded as being caused by excessive eating or drinking. "he died of a surfeit" *cause (someone) to desire no more of something as a result of having consumed or done it to excess.* "I am surfeited with shopping" synonyms: satiate, sate, gorge, overfeed, overfill, glut, cram, stuff, overindulge, fill; saturate "we'll all be surfeited with food"

*decorum*

*behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety.* "you exhibit remarkable modesty and decorum" synonyms: propriety, seemliness, decency, good taste, correctness; politeness, courtesy, good manners; dignity, respectability, modesty, demureness "he had acted with decorum" antonyms: impropriety etiquette. "he had no idea of funeral decorum" synonyms: etiquette, protocol, good form, custom, convention; formalities, niceties, punctilios, politeness "a breach of decorum" antonyms: impropriety archaic: a particular requirement of good taste and propriety. archaic: suitability to the requirements of a person, rank, or occasion.

*obtuse*

*annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.* "he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse" synonyms: stupid, slow-witted, slow, dull-witted, unintelligent, ignorant, simpleminded, witless; insensitive, imperceptive, uncomprehending; informal: dim, dimwitted, dense, dumb, slow on the uptake, halfwitted, brain-dead, moronic, cretinous, thick, dopey, lamebrained, dumb-'ass', dead from the neck up, boneheaded, chowderheaded "he frustrated his teachers by pretending to be obtuse" antonyms: clever, astute *difficult to understand.* "some of the lyrics are a bit obtuse" (of an angle) more than 90° and less than 180°. not sharp-pointed or sharp-edged; blunt. The adjective obtuse is good for describing someone slow on the uptake: "Don't be so obtuse: get with the program!" The adjective obtuse literally means "rounded" or "blunt," but when it's used for a person, it means "not quick or alert in perception" — in other words, not the sharpest tool in the shed. It's not just for dull people, but also dull angles: in geometry, an obtuse angle is one that is not so sharp (between 90 and 180 degrees). lacking in insight or discernment "too obtuse to grasp the implications of his behavior" Synonyms: purblind undiscerning lacking discernment adj slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity "he was either normally stupid or being deliberately obtuse" Synonyms: dense, dim, dull, dumb, slow stupid lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity

*succor*

*assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.* synonyms: aid, help, a helping hand, assistance; comfort, ease, relief, support, TLC "they are providing succor in times of need" *give assistance or aid to.* "prisoners of war were liberated and succored" synonyms: help, aid, bring aid to, give/render assistance to, assist, lend a (helping) hand to; minister to, care for, comfort, bring relief to, support, take care of, look after, attend to "the prisoners were succored" Succor is relief or help. If you've just woken up in the midst of a lion's den, wearing nothing but raw meat pajamas — sounds like you could use some succor! In archaic times, succor meant a reinforcement of troops during a hard battle. These days though, those reinforcements are a bit more figurative. Succor is a helping hand in a time of need, relief when the going gets tough. Succor can also be used as a verb, as in, "After Bob fell overboard, he was saved — succored by a life preserver." assistance in time of difficulty Synonyms: ministration, relief, succour Types: comfort, consolation, solace the act of consoling; giving relief in affliction mercy alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed Type of: aid, assist, assistance, help the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose v help in a difficult situation Synonyms: succour Type of: aid, assist, help give help or assistance; be of service

*pillory*

*attack or ridicule publicly.* "he found himself pilloried by members of his own party" synonyms: attack, criticize, censure, condemn, denigrate, lambaste, savage, stigmatize,denounce; informal: knock, slam, pan, bash, crucify, hammer, pummel; formal: excoriate "he was pilloried by the press" ridicule, jeer at, sneer at, deride, mock, scorn, make fun of, poke fun at, laugh at, scoff at, tease, taunt; informal: rib, josh, razz "they were pilloried at school" A pillory is a wooden frame with cutouts for someone's head and hands. Long ago, people found guilty of a crime could be sentenced to be locked in a pillory for a certain amount of time for punishment but also for public humiliation. The verb pillory means to be punished by being locked in a pillory, but references to this form of punishment are historic and it is no longer used — you might see references today to someone in a pillory in a cartoon. As a modern verb, pillory means both to criticize harshly and to expose to public ridicule. Someone who is caught doing something immoral may be pilloried and people who believe they have been unfairly criticized say they have been pilloried, but often only after they've been exposed! A pillory is a wooden frame with cutouts for someone's head and hands. Long ago, people found guilty of a crime could be sentenced to be locked in a pillory for a certain amount of time for punishment but also for public humiliation. The verb pillory means to be punished by being locked in a pillory, but references to this form of punishment are historic and it is no longer used — you might see references today to someone in a pillory in a cartoon. As a modern verb, pillory means both to criticize harshly and to expose to public ridicule. Someone who is caught doing something immoral may be pilloried and people who believe they have been unfairly criticized say they have been pilloried, but often only after they've been exposed!

*empirical*

*based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.* "they provided considerable empirical evidence to support their argument" synonyms: experiential, practical, heuristic, firsthand, hands-on; observed, evidence-based, seen, demonstrable "many of these predictions have received empirical confirmation" antonyms: theoretical *Relying on or derived from observation or experiment.* Verifiable or provable by means of observation or experiment. Of or being a philosophy of medicine emphasizing practical experience and observation over scientific theory.

*burgeon*

*begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish.* "manufacturers are keen to cash in on the burgeoning demand" synonyms: flourish, thrive, prosper, improve, develop; expand, escalate, swell, grow, boom, mushroom, snowball, rocket "the toy industry is burgeoning" put forth young shoots; bud.

*mannered*

*behaving in a specified way.* "pleasant-mannered" (of a writer, artist, or artistic style) marked by idiosyncratic mannerisms; artificial, stilted, and overelaborate in delivery. "inane dialogue and mannered acting" synonyms: affected, pretentious, unnatural, artificial, contrived, stilted, stiff, forced, put-on, theatrical, precious, stagy, camp; informal: pseudo "his highly mannered style of prose" antonyms: natural

*sycophantic*

*behaving or done in an obsequious way in order to gain advantage.* adjective "a sycophantic interview" synonyms: obsequious, servile, subservient, deferential, groveling, toadying, fawning, flattering, ingratiating, cringing, unctuous, slavish; informal: smarmy, bootlicking, brown-nosing "his clique of sycophantic friends"

*supercilious*

*behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior to others.* "a supercilious lady's maid" synonyms: arrogant, haughty, conceited, disdainful, overbearing, pompous, condescending, superior, patronizing, imperious, proud, snobbish, snobby, smug, scornful, sneering; informal: hoity-toity, high and mighty, uppity, snooty, stuck-up, snotty, snot-nosed, jumped up, too big for one's britches "a supercilious young clerk" Supercilious people think very highly of themselves, more highly than of others. If your sister tends to act snobby and superior, you can describe her as supercilious. You might expect Nobel Prize winners to be supercilious — after all, they've reached the very heights of their profession. But one-on-one, your famous physics professor might be humble and fun to talk to, anything but supercilious. Most often, it's people who have no right to be arrogant, rude, and holier-than-thou who behave in the most supercilious ways. The Latin root supercilium means "haughty demeanor," but also "eyebrow" — as in an eyebrow raised in a haughty, supercilious expression. having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy "his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air" Synonyms: disdainful, haughty, imperious, lordly, overbearing, prideful, sniffy, swaggering proud feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride adj expressive of contempt "curled his lip in a supercilious smile" Synonyms: sneering, snide uncomplimentary tending to (or intended to) detract or disparage

*virtue*

*behavior showing high moral standards.* noun "paragons of virtue" synonyms: goodness, virtuousness, righteousness, morality, integrity, dignity, rectitude, honor, decency, respectability, nobility, worthiness, purity; More *principles, ethics* "the simple virtue of farm life" antonyms: vice, iniquity *a quality considered morally good or desirable in a person.* "patience is a virtue" synonyms: strong point, good point, good quality, asset, forte, attribute, strength, talent, feature "promptness was not one of his virtues" antonyms: failing *a good or useful quality of a thing.* "Mike was extolling the virtues of the car" synonyms: merit, advantage, benefit, usefulness, strength, efficacy, plus, point "I can see no virtue in this" antonyms: disadvantage archaic: virginity or chastity, especially of a woman.

*cynical*

*believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.* adjective "her cynical attitude" *doubtful as to whether something will happen or whether it is worthwhile.* "most residents are cynical about efforts to clean mobsters out of their city" synonyms: skeptical, doubtful, distrustful, suspicious, disbelieving; pessimistic, negative, world-weary, disillusioned, disenchanted, jaundiced, sardonic "losing her job after fifteen years of loyal service had left her bitter and cynical" antonyms: idealistic contemptuous; mocking. "he gave a cynical laugh" *concerned only with one's own interests and typically disregarding accepted or appropriate standards in order to achieve them.* "a cynical manipulation of public opinion"

*brazen*

*bold and without shame.* "he went about his illegal business with a brazen assurance" synonyms: bold, shameless, unashamed, unabashed, unembarrassed; defiant, impudent, impertinent, cheeky, insolent, in-your-face; barefaced, blatant, flagrant; informal: saucy "brazen defiance" antonyms: timid harsh in sound. "the music's brazen chords" verb *endure an embarrassing or difficult situation by behaving with apparent confidence and lack of shame.* synonyms: put on a bold front, stand one's ground, be defiant, be unrepentant, be unabashed "we were shaking in our boots, but we brazened it out" With brazen disregard for the sign that said "no cellphones please" the woman took a long call in the doctor's office waiting room. Brazen refers to something shocking, done shamelessly. The Middle English word was brasen "made of brass," from Old English bræsen, from bræs "brass." In fact a near synonym of brazen is our English word brassy, which has the additional meaning of being loud and showy. unrestrained by convention or propriety "brazen arrogance" Synonyms: audacious, bald-faced, barefaced, bodacious, brassy, brazen-faced, insolent unashamed used of persons or their behavior; feeling no shame v face with defiance or impudence "brazen it out" Type of: dare, defy challenge 2 adj made of or resembling brass (as in color or hardness)

*confound*

*cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations.* "the inflation figure confounded economic analysts" synonyms: amaze, astonish, dumbfound, stagger, surprise, startle, stun, throw, shake, discompose, bewilder, bedazzle, baffle, mystify, bemuse, perplex, puzzle, confuse; take aback, shake up, catch off balance; informal: flabbergast, blow someone's mind, blow away, flummox, faze, stump, beat, fox, discombobulate "the figures confounded analysts" mix up (something) with something else so that the individual elements become difficult to distinguish. "'nuke' is now a cooking technique, as microwave radiation is confounded with nuclear radiation"

*chary*

*cautiously or suspiciously reluctant to do something.* "most people are chary of allowing themselves to be photographed" synonyms: wary, cautious, circumspect, heedful, careful, on one's guard; distrustful, mistrustful, skeptical, suspicious, dubious, hesitant, reluctant, leery, canny, nervous, apprehensive, uneasy; informal: cagey, iffy "he was chary of broaching the subject" /ˈCHerē/

*iconoclastic*

*characterized by attack on cherished beliefs or institutions.* "a fresh, even an iconoclastic, influence could work wonders"

*solicitous*

*characterized by or showing interest or concern.* "she was always solicitous about the welfare of her students" synonyms: concerned, caring, considerate, attentive, mindful, thoughtful, interested; anxious, worried; compassionate, humane "she was always solicitous about the welfare of her students" archaic: eager or anxious to do something. "he was solicitous to cultivate her mamma's good opinion" *given to or made with heedful anticipation of the needs and happiness of others* "a most solicitous husband, he had already cleaned the house and cooked dinner by the time his wife returned home from work" synonyms: attentive, considerate, kind, thoughtful Related Words brotherly, good, good-hearted, helpful, hospitable, kindhearted, kindly, neighborly, nice; caring, compassionate, sympathetic, tender; chivalrous, courteous, courtly, gallant, gracious, polite; diplomatic, tactful; deferential, dutiful, obliging, regardful, respectful; altruistic, beneficent, benevolent, benignant, humane, selfless, unselfish; charitable, generous, magnanimous near antonyms inattentive, uncaring, unheeding; inhospitable, unkind, unkindly; ill-bred, ill-mannered, impolite, rude, uncivil, unmannerly; unhelpful; malevolent, malicious, mean, spiteful antonyms: heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, unthinking *showing urgent desire or interest* "a family that is solicitous to put this whole unfortunate affair behind them and to move on with their lives" synonyms: agog, antsy, anxious, ardent, athirst, avid, crazy, desirous, enthused, enthusiastic, excited, geeked [slang], great, greedy, gung ho, hepped up, hopped-up, hot, hungry, impatient, juiced, keen, nuts, pumped, raring, eager, stoked [slang], thirsty, voracious, wild related words: engaged, interested; happy, hung up, obsessed; ambitious, appetent, covetous, craving, hankering, longing, pining; breathless, restive, restless; amenable, disposed, game, glad, inclined, ready, unreluctant, willing near antonyms: casual, incurious, insouciant, nonchalant, unconcerned, uninterested; aloof, detached, disinterested; impassive, stolid; halfhearted, lackadaisical, languid, languorous, lukewarm, spiritless; averse, disinclined, hesitant, loath (also loth or loathe), reluctant, unwilling Antonyms apathetic, indifferent, uneager, unenthusiastic

*luculent*

*clear in thought or expression, lucid* "the interviewee was luculent and personable" (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable ""a luculent oration"- Robert Burton" Synonyms: crystal clear, limpid, lucid, pellucid, perspicuous clear readily apparent to the mind

*adroit*

*clever or skillful in using the hands or mind.* "he was adroit at tax avoidance" synonyms: skillful, adept, dexterous, deft, nimble, able, capable, skilled, expert, masterly, masterful, master, practiced, handy, polished, slick, proficient, accomplished, gifted, talented

*analogous*

*comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared.* "they saw the relationship between a ruler and his subjects as analogous to that of father and children" synonyms: comparable, parallel, similar, like, akin, corresponding, related, kindred, equivalent "their lab results were analogous"

*remiss*

*lacking care or attention to duty; negligent.* "it would be very remiss of me not to pass on that information" synonyms: negligent, neglectful, irresponsible, careless, thoughtless, heedless, lax, slack, slipshod, lackadaisical, derelict; informal: sloppy; formal: delinquent "I would be remiss if I did not thank my sister"

*redeem*

*compensate for the faults or bad aspects of (something).* verb "a disappointing debate redeemed only by an outstanding speech" synonyms: save, compensate for the defects of, vindicate do something that compensates for poor past performance or behavior. "they redeemed themselves in the playoffs by pushing the Detroit Red Wings to a seventh and deciding game" synonyms: vindicate, free from blame, absolve "he fully redeemed himself in the next race" (of a person) atone or make amends for (error or evil). "the thief on the cross who by a single act redeemed a life of evil" synonyms: atone for, make amends for, make restitution for "you cannot redeem their sins" save (someone) from sin, error, or evil. "he was a sinner, redeemed by the grace of God" synonyms: save, deliver from sin, convert "who shall redeem these sinners?" gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment. "his best suit had been redeemed from the pawnbrokers" synonyms: retrieve, regain, recover, get back, reclaim, repossess; buy back "Billy redeemed his drums from the pawnbrokers" - FINANCE repay (a stock, bond, or other instrument) at the maturity date. - exchange (a coupon, voucher, or trading stamp) for merchandise, a discount, or money. - synonyms: exchange, give in exchange, cash in, convert, trade in - "this voucher can be redeemed at any branch" - pay the necessary money to clear (a debt). "owners were unable to redeem their mortgages" - synonyms: pay off/back, clear, discharge, honor - "they could not redeem their debts" - fulfill or carry out (a pledge or promise). "the party prepared to redeem the pledges of the past three years" - synonyms: fulfill, carry out, discharge, make good; More - archaic: buy the freedom of.

*fulsome*

*complimentary or flattering to an excessive degree.* "they are almost embarrassingly fulsome in their appreciation" synonyms: excessive, extravagant, overdone, immoderate, inordinate, over-appreciative, flattering, adulatory, fawning, unctuous, ingratiating, cloying, saccharine; enthusiastic, effusive, rapturous, glowing, gushing, profuse, generous, lavish; informal: over the top, smarmy "he paid fulsome tribute to his secretary" *of large size or quantity; generous or abundant.* "a fulsome harvest" adjective Compliments usually make you feel pretty good, but fulsome compliments, which are exaggerated and usually insincere, may have the opposite effect. Hundreds of years ago fulsome used to mean "abundant," but now it's more often used to describe an ingratiating manner or an excess of flattery that might provoke an onlooker to mime gagging. If you find fulsome to be a rather clunky word, there are several fun (if vaguely stomach-churning) synonyms, including buttery, oily, oleaginous, and smarmy. unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech "gave him a fulsome introduction" Synonyms: buttery, oily, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy, unctuous insincere lacking sincerity

*commensurate*

*corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.* adjective "salary will be commensurate with experience" synonyms: equivalent, equal, corresponding, correspondent, comparable, proportionate, proportional "they had privileges but commensurate duties" *appropriate to, in keeping with, in line with, consistent with, corresponding to, according to, relative to;* *dependent on, based on* "a salary commensurate with your qualifications"

*sully*

*damage the purity or integrity of; defile.* "they were outraged that anyone should sully their good name" synonyms: taint, defile, soil, tarnish, stain, blemish, pollute, spoil, mar; literary: besmirch, befoul "he never sullied his lips with foul language"

*halcyon*

*denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.* adjective "the halcyon days of the mid-1980s, when profits were soaring" synonyms: happy, golden, idyllic, carefree, blissful, joyful, joyous, contented; flourishing, thriving, prosperous, successful; serene, calm, tranquil, peaceful "the halcyon days of our youth"

*gainsay*

*deny or contradict (a fact or statement).* verb "the impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid" synonyms: deny, dispute, disagree with, argue with, dissent from, contradict, repudiate, challenge, oppose, contest, counter, controvert, rebut "it was difficult to gainsay his claim" antonyms: confirm speak against or oppose (someone).

*eclectic*

*deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.* "her musical tastes are eclectic" synonyms: wide-ranging, broad-based, extensive, comprehensive, encyclopedic; varied, diverse, catholic, all-embracing, multifaceted, multifarious, heterogeneous, miscellaneous, assorted "an eclectic mix of party music" a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

*delineate*

*describe or portray (something) precisely.* "the law should delineate and prohibit behavior that is socially abhorrent" synonyms: describe, set forth/out, present, outline, sketch, depict, represent; map out, define, specify, identify "the aims of the study as delineated by the boss" indicate the exact position of (a border or boundary). synonyms: outline, trace, block in, mark (out/off), delimit "a section delineated in red pen" there is a "line" in the middle of delineate. This might help you remember that to delineate is to outline and define something in detail or with an actual marking of lines and boundaries. When you create an outline for a paper it usually summarizes what you will detail later. You delineate the sections, or mark the heading lines, and when you write the details, you delineate the subject of each heading. So, to delineate is both to mark lines and to fill in the lines. Using a fence to divide properties or a carpet to claim your side of the bedroom also is a way to delineate, or mark, physical boundaries.

*guileless*

*devoid of guile; innocent and without deception.* "his face, once so open and guileless" synonyms: artless, ingenuous, naive, open, genuine, natural, simple, childlike, innocent, unsophisticated, unworldly, unsuspicious, trustful, trusting; honest, truthful, sincere, straightforward "how can you take advantage of someone so sweet and guileless?" antonyms: scheming

*abstruse*

*difficult to understand; obscure.* "an abstruse philosophical inquiry" synonyms: obscure, arcane, esoteric, little known, recherché, rarefied, recondite, difficult, hard, puzzling, perplexing, cryptic, enigmatic, Delphic, complex, complicated, involved, over/above one's head, incomprehensible, unfathomable, impenetrable, mysterious "her abstruse arguments were hard to follow"

*affable*

*friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to.* "an affable and agreeable companion" synonyms: friendly, amiable, genial, congenial, cordial, warm, pleasant, nice, likable, personable, charming, agreeable, sympathetic, simpatico, good-humored, good-natured, jolly, kindly, kind, courteous, civil, gracious, approachable, accessible, amenable, sociable, hail-fellow-well-met, outgoing, gregarious, neighborly "he would have us believe that his sexual advances were merely the charming excesses of an affable rogue"

*discord*

*disagreement between people.* "a prosperous family who showed no signs of discord" synonyms: strife, conflict, friction, hostility, antagonism, antipathy, enmity, bad feeling, ill feeling, bad blood, argument, quarreling, squabbling, bickering, wrangling, feuding, contention, disagreement, dissension, dispute, difference of opinion, disunity, division, opposition; infighting "stress resulting from family discord" MUSIC *lack of harmony between notes sounding together.* "the music faded in discord" synonyms: dissonance, discordance, disharmony, cacophony "the music faded in discord" (of people) disagree. "we discorded commonly on two points"

*cloy*

*disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment.* "a romantic, rather cloying story" synonyms: sickly, syrupy, saccharine, oversweet; sickening, nauseating; mawkish, sentimental, twee; informal: over the top, mushy, slushy, sloppy, gooey, cheesy, corny, cornball, sappy "her romance novels are too cloying for my taste"

*temerity*

*excessive confidence or boldness; audacity.* "no one had the temerity to question his conclusions" synonyms: audacity, nerve, effrontery, impudence, impertinence, cheek, gall, presumption; daring; informal: face, front, neck, chutzpah "I doubt they'll have the temerity to print these accusations" Use the noun temerity to mean the quality of being unafraid of danger or punishment. If you have the temerity to jump off the bridge even after hearing about the risk of instant death, you truly are a nutcase. Someone who has the temerity to do something is usually considered to be bold in a foolish way. Near synonyms are audacity and recklessness. Temerity is from Middle English temeryte, from Latin temeritas, from temere "by chance, rashly." fearless daring Synonyms: audaciousness, audacity Type of: boldness, daring, hardihood, hardiness the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger

*conceit*

*excessive pride in oneself.* "he was puffed up with conceit" synonyms: vanity, narcissism, conceitedness, egotism, self-admiration, self-regard; pride, arrogance, hubris, self-importance; self-satisfaction, smugness; informal: big-headedness; literary: vainglory "his extraordinary conceit" antonyms: humility a fanciful expression in writing or speech; an elaborate metaphor. "the idea of the wind's singing is a prime romantic conceit" synonyms: image, imagery, metaphor, simile, trope; play on words, pun, quip, witticism "the conceits of Shakespeare's verse" an artistic effect or device. "the director's brilliant conceit was to film this tale in black and white" a fanciful notion. "he is alarmed by the widespread conceit that he spent most of the 1980s drunk" synonyms: idea, notion, fancy "the conceit of time travel" If you're always boasting and can't stop talking about yourself, you have that character flaw known as conceit. Your friends — if you have any — may also complain about your arrogance, vanity, and egotism. A conceit can also be an artistic device — probably a little forced — like the plot of a movie built on the conceit of everything that happens being foretold in song. You might find an architectural conceit in a Baroque palace, where you think you're looking down a long hallway lined with columns, but when you get closer you see that it's really a mural painted in perspective so that the columns only seem to disappear in the distance. the trait of being unduly vain and conceited; false pride Synonyms: conceitedness, vanity Antonyms: humbleness, humility a disposition to be humble; a lack of false pride Types: show 5 types... Type of: trait a distinguishing feature of your personal nature n feelings of excessive pride Synonyms: amour propre, self-love, vanity Type of: pride, pridefulness a feeling of self-respect and personal worth 2 n an artistic device or effect "the architect's brilliant conceit was to build the house around the tree" Type of: device something in an artistic work designed to achieve a particular effect n an elaborate poetic image or a far-fetched comparison of very dissimilar things Type of: figure, figure of speech, image, trope language used in a figurative or nonliteral sense n a witty or ingenious turn of phrase "he could always come up with some inspired off-the-wall conceit" Type of: turn of expression, turn of phrase a distinctive spoken or written expression

*saccharine*

*excessively sweet or sentimental.* synonyms: sentimental, sickly, mawkish, cloying, sugary, sickening, nauseating; informal: mushy, sappy, schmaltzy, weepy, gooey, drippy, cheesy, corny, soppy, cornball "saccharine love songs" dated: relating to or containing sugar; sugary. adjective

*garrulous*

*excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.* "Polonius is portrayed as a foolish, garrulous old man" synonyms: talkative, loquacious, voluble, verbose, chatty, chattering, gossipy; effusive, expansive, forthcoming, conversational, communicative; informal: mouthy, gabby, gassy, windy, having the gift of (the) gab, motormouthed "a garrulous old man" long-winded, wordy, verbose, prolix, long, lengthy, rambling, wandering, maundering, meandering, digressive, diffuse, discursive; gossipy, chatty; informal: windy, gassy "his garrulous reminiscences"

*fulminate*

*express vehement protest.* "all fulminated against the new curriculum" synonyms: protest, rail against, rage about, rant about, thunder about, storm about, vociferate against, declaim, inveigh against, speak out against, make/take a stand against; denounce, decry, condemn, criticize, censure, disparage, attack, execrate; informal: mouth off about; formal: excoriate "homeowners fulminated against the tax hikes" literary: explode violently or flash like lightning. "thunder fulminated around the house"

*lucid*

*expressed clearly; easy to understand.* "a lucid account" synonyms: intelligible, comprehensible, understandable, cogent, coherent, articulate; clear, transparent; plain, simple, vivid, sharp, straightforward, unambiguous; *formal: perspicuous* "a lucid description" antonyms: confusing, ambiguous *showing ability to think clearly, especially in the intervals between periods of confusion or insanity.* "he has a few lucid moments every now and then" synonyms: rational, sane, in one's right mind, in possession of one's faculties, compos mentis, able to think clearly, balanced, clearheaded, sober, sensible; informal: all there "he was not lucid enough to explain" antonyms: muddled, confused Psychology (of a dream) experienced with the dreamer feeling awake, aware of dreaming, and able to control events consciously. literary: bright or luminous. "birds dipped their wings in the lucid flow of air" *perspicuous: (of an account or representation) clearly expressed and easily understood; lucid.* "it provides simpler and more perspicuous explanations than its rivals" *(of a person) able to give an account or express an idea clearly.*

*luminous*

*full of or shedding light; bright or shining, especially in the dark.* "the luminous dial on his watch" synonyms: shining, bright, brilliant, radiant, dazzling, glowing, gleaming, scintillating, lustrous; luminescent, phosphorescent, fluorescent, incandescent "the luminous face of the alarm clock" antonyms: dark (of a color) very bright; harsh to the eye.

*gauche*

*lacking ease or grace; unsophisticated and socially awkward.* synonyms: awkward, gawky, inelegant, graceless, ungraceful, ungainly, maladroit, klutzy, inept; lacking in social grace(s), unsophisticated, uncultured, uncultivated, unrefined, raw, inexperienced, unworldly "Rose was embarrassed by her gauche relatives" antonyms: elegant, sophisticated

*penurious*

*extremely poor; poverty-stricken.* "a penurious old tramp" synonyms: poor, poor as a church mouse, poverty-stricken, destitute, necessitous, impecunious, impoverished, indigent, needy, in need/want, badly off, in reduced/straitened circumstances, hard up, unable to make ends meet, penniless, without a cent (to one's name), without a sou; informal: (flat) broke, strapped for cash "a penurious student" antonyms: wealthy *characterized by poverty or need.* "penurious years" *parsimonious; mean.* "he was generous and hospitable in contrast to his stingy and penurious wife" synonyms: mean, miserly, niggardly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, close-fisted, Scroogelike; informalstingy, mingy, tight, tightfisted, money-grubbing; "a penurious old skinflint" antonyms: generous Don't have two nickels to rub together? You're penurious — a lovely long way of saying you're flat broke. Penurious also means a general dislike of spending money. If someone accuses you of being cheap, tell them you prefer to be thought of as penurious. It sounds so much classier. It's related to a similar word, penury, which means "a state of extreme poverty." excessively unwilling to spend "lived in a most penurious manner--denying himself every indulgence" Synonyms: parsimonious stingy, ungenerous unwilling to spend adj not having enough money to pay for necessities Synonyms: hard up, impecunious, in straitened circumstances, penniless, pinched poor having little money or few possessions

*impolitic*

*failing to possess or display prudence; unwise.* "it was impolitic to pay the slightest tribute to the enemy" synonyms: imprudent, unwise, injudicious, incautious, irresponsible; ill-judged, ill-advised, misguided, rash, reckless, foolhardy, foolish, shortsighted; undiplomatic, tactless, thoughtless "it was impolitic of you to alienate the very people who could finance our program" If you've ever put your foot in your mouth, you've probably said something impolitic. If you have made an impolitic statement, it was a politically unwise one. It is impolitic to fail to remember flowers for your beloved on Valentine's Day, or to fail to show up in class when your grade point average is hanging by a thread. Remember back in 1981 when then U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig informed the press after the assassination attempt on President Reagan that "I am in control here?" Well that was a classic impolitic statement. Poor guy resigned the following year. not politic "an impolitic approach to a sensitive issue" Synonyms: inexpedient not suitable or advisable inexpedient, unwise not appropriate to the purpose foolish devoid of good sense or judgment Antonyms: politic marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness show more antonyms...

*cosmopolitan*

*familiar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures.* "his knowledge of French, Italian, and Spanish made him genuinely cosmopolitan" synonyms: worldly, worldly-wise, well travelled, experienced, unprovincial, cultivated, cultured, sophisticated, suave, urbane, glamorous, fashionable, stylish; informal: jet-setting, cool, hip, styling/stylin' "a cosmopolitan audience" including people from many different countries. "immigration transformed the city into a cosmopolitan metropolis" synonyms: multicultural, multiracial, international, worldwide, global "the student body has a cosmopolitan character" *having an exciting and glamorous character associated with travel and a mixture of cultures.* "their designs became a byword for cosmopolitan chic"

*haute*

*fashionably elegant or high-class.*

*frenetic*

*fast and energetic in a rather wild and uncontrolled way.* "a frenetic pace of activity" synonyms: frantic, wild, frenzied, hectic, fraught, feverish, fevered, mad, manic, hyperactive, energetic, intense, amped-up, fast and furious, turbulent, tumultuous "the frenetic bustle of the city" antonyms: calm

*intrepid*

*fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect).* "our intrepid reporter" synonyms: fearless, unafraid, undaunted, unflinching, unshrinking, bold, daring, gallant, audacious, adventurous, heroic, dynamic, spirited, indomitable; brave, courageous, valiant, valorous, stouthearted, stalwart, plucky, doughty; informal: gutsy, gutty, spunky, ballsy "our intrepid leader inspired us to forge ahead" antonyms: timid

*dolorous*

*feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress.*

*contrite*

*feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt.* "a broken and a contrite heart" synonyms: remorseful, repentant, penitent, regretful, sorry, apologetic, rueful, sheepish, hangdog, ashamed, chastened, shamefaced, conscience-stricken, guilt-ridden "Joey was so contrite we had to conceal our amusement"

*indignant*

*feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.* "he was indignant at being the object of suspicion" synonyms: aggrieved, resentful, affronted, disgruntled, displeased, cross, angry, mad, annoyed, offended, exasperated, irritated, piqued, nettled, in high dudgeon, chagrined; informal: peeved, vexed, irked, put out, miffed, aggravated, riled, in a huff, huffy, ticked off, sore "after the shabby way you've treated me, why shouldn't I be indignant?" adjective indignant When you're indignant, you're angry about an unfair situation. If you discovered that a teacher gave ten extra points on a test to all students who sat in the front row, you'd be indignant. Indignant is from Latin indignus "unworthy," and it refers to anger based on unworthy or unfair behavior rather than merely injury to one's own interests. You may be angry, even furious, if someone shoves you, but you are indignant if the shove is directed at someone weak or helpless. The related noun is indignation, and something that arouses indignation is an indignity. angered at something unjust or wrong "an indignant denial" Synonyms: incensed, outraged, umbrageous angry feeling or showing anger

*upbraid*

*find fault with (someone); scold.* "he was upbraided for his slovenly appearance" synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind, give someone a tongue-lashing, rake/haul over the coals, lecture; informal: tell off, give someone a talking-to, tear a strip off (of), dress down, give someone an earful, rap over the knuckles, bawl out, lay into, chew out, ream out; formal: castigate rare: reprehend "we were upbraided for leaving the back door unlocked"

*perquisite*

*formal: another term for perk.* a thing regarded as a special right or privilege enjoyed as a result of one's position. noun "the wife of a president has all the perquisites of stardom" a privilege, gain, or profit incidental to regular salary or wages; especially one expected or promised; a gratuity or tip

*unfeigned*

*genuine; sincere.* "a broad smile of unfeigned delight" synonyms: sincere, genuine, real, true, honest, unaffected, unforced, heartfelt, wholehearted, bona fide "he looked at his wife with unfeigned admiration" antonyms: insincere Feign means to fake, or pretend, so unfeigned means sincere. If you greet a friend with unfeigned joy, she'll know you are happy to see her. Unfeigned is a delightful word, pertaining as it often does to young, innocent, and trusting people--the ones who cannot hide their feelings. Who wants fake laughs when you can have unfeigned laughter? Or fake tears when unfeigned sorrow is so much more affecting? When spelling unfeigned, remember the poem: "'i' before 'e,' except after 'c,' or when sounding like 'a,' as in 'neighbor' or 'weigh'." Or unfeigned. not pretended; sincerely felt or expressed "her interest in people was unfeigned" Synonyms: genuine, true sincere open and genuine; not deceitful

*sententious*

*given to moralizing in a pompous or affected manner.* "he tried to encourage his men with sententious rhetoric" synonyms: moralistic, moralizing, sanctimonious, self-righteous, pietistic, pious, priggish, judgmental; More pompous, pontifical, self-important; informal: preachy "her later works are sometimes diffuse and sententious" If you speak in sententious phrases, your listeners are probably falling asleep, as your speech is pompous and pretentious, and full of moralistic babble. When sententious first appeared in English — back in the late Middle Ages — it meant "full of wisdom," but now it usually has a negative sense, meaning heavy handed and self-important. The sententious blowhard makes people laugh, and you can probably think of at least three cartoon characters who fit the bill — often a politician or minister who drones on and on, oblivious to the fact that his audience is snickering or trying to sneak out. concise and full of meaning ""the peculiarly sardonic and sententious style in which Don Luis composed his epigrams"- Hervey Allen" Synonyms: pithy concise expressing much in few words adj abounding in or given to pompous or aphoristic moralizing ""too often the significant episode deteriorates into sententious conversation"- Kathleen Barnes" Synonyms: pretentious making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction

*capricious*

*given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.* "a capricious and often brutal administration" synonyms: fickle, inconstant, changeable, variable, mercurial, volatile, unpredictable, temperamental; whimsical, fanciful, flighty, quirky, faddish

*sardonic*

*grimly mocking or cynical.* adjective "Starkey attempted a sardonic smile" synonyms: mocking, satirical, sarcastic, ironical, ironic; cynical, scornful, contemptuous, derisive, derisory, sneering, jeering; scathing, caustic, trenchant, cutting, sharp, acerbic "his sardonic wit"

*intractable*

*hard to control or deal with.* "intractable economic problems" synonyms: unmanageable, uncontrollable, difficult, awkward, troublesome, demanding, burdensome "intractable problems" antonyms: manageable *(of a person) difficult; stubborn.* synonyms: stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, inflexible, headstrong, willful, unbending, unyielding, uncompromising, unaccommodating, uncooperative, difficult, awkward, perverse, contrary, pigheaded, stiff-necked "an intractable man" antonyms: compliant

*capacious*

*having a lot of space inside; roomy.* "she rummaged in her capacious handbag" synonyms:roomy, spacious, ample, big, large, sizable, generous; formal: commodious "a capacious hotel suite" antonyms: cramped, small

*inveterate*

*having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change.* "he was an inveterate gambler" synonyms: ingrained, deep-seated, deep-rooted, entrenched, congenital, ineradicable, incurable "inveterate corruption" *(of a feeling or habit) long-established and unlikely to change.* synonyms: confirmed, hardened, incorrigible, addicted, habitual, compulsive, obsessive; informal: pathological, chronic "an inveterate gambler" staunch, steadfast, committed, devoted, dedicated, dyed-in-the-wool, out-and-out, diehard, hard-core "an inveterate liberal"

*piquant*

*having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.* synonyms: spicy, tangy, peppery, hot; tasty, flavorful, appetizing, savory; pungent, sharp, tart,zesty, strong, salty "a piquant sauce" *pleasantly stimulating or exciting to the mind.* synonyms:intriguing, stimulating, interesting, fascinating, colorful, exciting, lively; spicy,provocative, racy; informal: juicy "a piquant story"

*perspicacious*

*having a ready insight into and understanding of things; having keen mental perception or understanding* adjective "it offers quite a few facts to the perspicacious reporter" synonyms: discerning, shrewd, perceptive, astute, penetrating, observant, percipient, sharp-witted, sharp, smart, alert, clear-sighted, farsighted, acute, clever, canny, intelligent, insightful, wise, sage, sensitive, intuitive, understanding, aware, discriminating; informal: on the ball, heads-up, with it "his perspicacious advisers recommended caution"

*averse*

*having a strong dislike of or opposition to something.* "as a former CIA director, he is not averse to secrecy" synonyms: opposed to, against, antipathetic to, hostile to, ill-disposed to, resistant to; disinclined to, reluctant to, unwilling to, loath to; informal: anti "why are you so averse to being hospitalized?" antonyms: keen

*recalcitrant*

*having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline.* "a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-olds" synonyms: uncooperative, intractable, obstreperous, truculent, insubordinate, defiant, rebellious, willful, wayward, headstrong, self-willed, contrary, perverse, difficult; formal: refractory; archaic: froward, contumacious "Amy was unprepared to deal with three recalcitrant stepchildren" antonyms: amenable

*impecunious*

*having little or no money.* "a titled but impecunious family" synonyms: penniless, poor, impoverished, indigent, insolvent, hard up, poverty-stricken, needy, destitute; in straitened circumstances, unable to make ends meet; informal(flat) broke, strapped (for cash); formal: penurious "she left Evansville to escape the solicitations of her impecunious relatives"

*multifarious*

*having many varied parts or aspects.* "a vast multifarious organization" *many and of various types.* "multifarious activities" synonyms: diverse, many, numerous, various, varied, diversified, multiple, multitudinous, multiplex, manifold, multifaceted, different, heterogeneous, miscellaneous, assorted; literary: myriad, divers "our multifarious ethnic traditions" antonyms: homogeneous

*indifferent*

*having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.* "they all seemed indifferent rather than angry" synonyms: unconcerned, uninterested, uncaring, casual, nonchalant, offhand, uninvolved, unenthusiastic, apathetic, lukewarm, phlegmatic, blasé, insouciant; unimpressed, bored, unmoved, unresponsive, impassive, dispassionate, detached, cool "an indifferent shrug" antonyms: heedful, caring *neither good nor bad; mediocre.* "attempts to distinguish between good, bad, and indifferent work" synonyms: mediocre, ordinary, average, middling, middle-of-the-road, uninspired, undistinguished, unexceptional, unexciting, unremarkable, run-of-the-mill, pedestrian, prosaic, lackluster, forgettable, amateur, amateurish; informal: OK, so-so, 'comme ci, comme ça', fair-to-middling, no great shakes, bush-league "an indifferent performance"

*unintelligent*

*having or showing a low level of intelligence.* "a good-natured but unintelligent boy" synonyms: stupid, ignorant, dense, brainless, mindless, slow, dull-witted, feebleminded, simpleminded, vacuous, obtuse, vapid, irrational, idiotic; informal: thick, knuckleheaded, bubbleheaded, lunkheaded, dim, dumb, dopey, halfwitted, dozy "I'd say he was more lazy than unintelligent"

*irascible*

*having or showing a tendency to be easily angered.* "an irascible man" synonyms: irritable, quick-tempered, short-tempered, hot-tempered, testy, touchy, tetchy, edgy, crabby, petulant, waspish, dyspeptic, snappish; cross, surly, crusty, grouchy, grumpy, cranky, cantankerous, curmudgeonly, ill-natured, peevish, querulous, fractious; informal: prickly, snippy "this hot weather has put everyone in an irascible mood" antonyms: even-tempered, good-natured

*malevolent*

*having or showing a wish to do evil to others.* "the glint of dark, malevolent eyes" synonyms: malicious, hostile, evil-minded, baleful, evil-intentioned, venomous, evil, malign,malignant, rancorous, vicious, vindictive, vengeful; literarymalefic, maleficent"a malevolent glare" antonyms: benevolent If someone is malevolent, they wish evil on others. If you find yourself approaching someone with a malevolent look in her eye, best to run the other way. Malevolent comes from the Latin word malevolens, which means "ill-disposed, spiteful"; its opposite is benevolent, which means "wishing good things for others." A malevolent person might display satisfaction at someone else's problems. But it's not only individuals who can be malevolent. If you think that television violence influences viewers to violence, you see television as a malevolent force. The stress is on the second syllable: muh-LEV-uh-lent. wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; arising from intense ill will or hatred "a gossipy malevolent old woman" "failure made him malevolent toward those who were successful" Synonyms: malicious having the nature of or resulting from malice adj having or exerting a malignant influence "malevolent stars" Synonyms: evil, malefic, malign maleficent harmful or evil in intent or effect

*avaricious*

*having or showing an extreme greed for wealth or material gain.* "a corrupt and avaricious government" synonyms: greedy, acquisitive, covetous, rapacious, grasping, materialistic, mercenary; informal: money-grubbing "his avaricious children cared only about their inheritance" antonyms: generous

*misguided*

*having or showing faulty judgment or reasoning.* "misguided attempts to promote political correctness" synonyms: erroneous, fallacious, unsound, misplaced, misconceived, ill-advised, ill-considered, ill-judged, ill-founded, inappropriate, unwise, injudicious, imprudent "the policy is misguided" misinformed, misled, wrong, mistaken, deluded, confused; informal: off base "you are quite misguided" A misguided decision is one that's made without good judgment and careful thought. It would be misguided to think you could write your entire term paper in one night, or to climb into the polar bear exhibit at the zoo for a better look at them. Misguided is a polite way to say "a really dumb decision or belief." Your choice to go swimming in the ocean during a hurricane would definitely be considered misguided, and so would your decision to join the mountain climbing team if you are afraid of heights. Both are examples of unwise choices made after not enough deliberation. Misguided uses the prefix mis-, "bad or wrong," and guided, or "directed." poorly conceived or thought out Synonyms: ill-conceived foolish devoid of good sense or judgment adj wrong in opinion or judgment "well-meaning but misguided teachers" Synonyms: mistaken wrong contrary to conscience or morality or law

*sagacious*

*having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd.* "they were sagacious enough to avoid any outright confrontation" synonyms: wise, clever, intelligent, knowledgeable, sensible, sage; discerning,judicious, canny, perceptive, astute, shrewd, prudent, thoughtful,insightful, perspicacious; informal: streetwise, savvy; formal: sapient "they would all go to Granny Maywell, a sagacious old bird who could scare anyone into doing the right thing" antonyms: foolish Use the formal adjective sagacious to describe someone who is wise and insightful like an advisor to the president or a Supreme Court justice. Someone like an inspirational leader or an expert in a field who seeks knowledge and has foresight can be described as sagacious. If you comment on something at a deeper level, you are making a sagacious observation. *acutely insightful and wise* "observant and thoughtful, he was given to asking sagacious questions" Synonyms: perspicacious, sapient, wise *having or prompted by wisdom or discernment* *skillful in statecraft or management* "an astute and sagacious statesman" Synonyms: politic, marked by artful prudence, expedience, and shrewdness

*perceptive*

*having or showing sensitive insight.* "an extraordinarily perceptive account of their relationship" synonyms: insightful, discerning, sensitive, intuitive, observant; piercing, penetrating, percipient,perspicacious, penetrative, clear-sighted, farsighted, intelligent, clever, canny, keen,sharp, sharp-witted, astute, shrewd, quick, smart, acute, discriminating; informal: on the ball, right-brained, heads-up, with it "children are usually more perceptive than their parents think" antonyms: obtuse

*arduous*

*involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring.* "an arduous journey" synonyms: onerous, taxing, difficult, hard, heavy, laborious, burdensome, strenuous, vigorous, back-breaking; demanding, tough, challenging, formidable; exhausting, tiring, punishing,grueling; uphill, steep; *toilsome* "an arduous journey" antonyms: easy

*inchoate*

*just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.* "a still inchoate democracy" synonyms: rudimentary, undeveloped, unformed, immature, incipient, embryonic; beginning, fledgling, developing "their government should not interfere in the inchoate market forces" LAW (of an offense, such as incitement or conspiracy) anticipating a further criminal act.

*prosaic*

*having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty.* "prosaic language can't convey the experience" synonyms: ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward, routine, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, matter-of-fact, dull, dry, dreary, tedious, boring, humdrum, mundane, uninvolving, pedestrian, tame, plodding; bland, insipid, banal, trite, literal, factual, unpoetic, unemotional, unsentimental "a prosaic lecture that had us fighting to stay awake" antonyms: interesting, imaginative, inspired *commonplace; unromantic.* "the masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns" synonyms: ordinary, everyday, commonplace, conventional, straightforward, routine, run-of-the-mill, by-the-numbers, workaday; unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, matter-of-fact, dull, dry, dreary, tedious, boring, humdrum, mundane, uninvolving, pedestrian, tame, plodding; bland, insipid, banal, trite, literal, factual, unpoetic, unemotional, unsentimental "a prosaic lecture that had us fighting to stay awake" antonyms: interesting, imaginative, inspired Prosaic means ordinary or dull. Most of us lead a prosaic everyday life, sometimes interrupted by some drama or crisis. This adjective is from Latin prosa "prose," which is ordinary writing intended to communicate ideas and information. Prose is often contrasted with poetry, which usually has a more imaginative and original style. lacking wit or imagination Synonyms: earthbound, pedestrian, prosy uninteresting arousing no interest or attention or curiosity or excitement adj not challenging; dull and lacking excitement Synonyms: commonplace, humdrum, unglamorous, unglamourous unexciting not exciting adj not fanciful or imaginative "a prosaic and unimaginative essay" Synonyms: matter-of-fact unrhetorical not rhetorical

*systematic*

*having, showing, or involving a system, method, or plan* systematic process: A process used to determine the viability of a project or procedure based on the experiential application of clearly defined and repeatable steps and an evaluation of the outcomes. The goal of a systematic approach is to identify the most efficient means to generate consistent, optimum results. Methodical approach repeatable and learnable through a step by step procedure.

*salubrious*

*health-giving; healthy.* "salubrious weather" synonyms: healthy, health-giving, healthful, beneficial, wholesome; archaicsalutary "I found the climate salubrious" antonyms: unhealthy (of a place) pleasant; not run-down. synonyms: pleasant, agreeable, pleasing, enjoyable, pleasurable, nice, delightful; select, high-class, upscale, upmarket; informalposh, swanky, classy, swank; informal: cushty "a salubrious Sunday afternoon" antonyms: unpleasant Salubrious is a fancy way to describe something that's good for you or is generally favorable to mind or body, but it need not be limited to describing healthy foods or liquids. We salute each other with the cheer, "To your health!" as we chug down something that probably isn't that good for us. But if it were salubrious, it would be. The two words, salute and salubrious stem from the same salus, meaning "welfare, health." Maybe next time, raise a glass of wheatgrass instead of vino! promoting health; healthful ""the salubrious mountain air and water"- C.B.Davis" Synonyms: good for you, healthy wholesome conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being adj favorable to health of mind or body "not the most salubrious campsite" "one of the less salubrious suburbs" Synonyms: wholesome conducive to or characteristic of physical or moral well-being

*bombastic*

*high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated.* "bombastic rhetoric" synonyms: pompous, blustering, turgid, verbose, orotund, high-flown, high-sounding, overwrought, pretentious, ostentatious, grandiloquent; informal: highfalutin, puffed up; "his bombastic speeches could send thousands into the streets"

*latitude*

*horizontal axis ( lateral - side to side )*

*deference*

*humble submission and respect.* "he addressed her with the deference due to age" synonyms: respect, respectfulness, dutifulness; submissiveness, submission, obedience, surrender, accession, capitulation, acquiescence, complaisance, obeisance "his writings show excessive deference to the wealthy"

*iniquity*

*immoral or grossly unfair behavior.* "a den of iniquity" synonyms: wickedness, sinfulness, immorality, impropriety; vice, evil, sin; villainy, criminality; odiousness, atrocity, egregiousness; outrage, monstrosity, obscenity, reprehensibility; formal: turpitude "many runaways become the pawns of these merchants of iniquity" sin, crime, transgression, wrongdoing, wrong, violation, offense, vice "I will forgive their iniquity" antonyms: morality, virtue, goodness

*inscrutable*

*impossible to understand or interpret.* "Guy looked blankly inscrutable" synonyms: enigmatic, mysterious, unreadable, inexplicable, unexplainable,incomprehensible, impenetrable, unfathomable, unknowable; opaque,abstruse, arcane, obscure, cryptic "he was a financial genius with inscrutable motives" antonyms: transparent inscrutable Any person or thing that's mysterious, mystifying, hard to read, or impossible to interpret is inscrutable. You ever notice how it's hard to tell what some people are thinking? Those folks are inscrutable. A good way to think about what inscrutable means is to consider cats and dogs. Dogs wear their hearts on their sleeves, shaking when they're afraid and bouncing up and down when they're happy. Dogs are definitely not inscrutable, because you can tell what they're thinking and feeling. On the other hand, cats are very difficult to read. Even longtime cat owners aren't always sure what's going on with their kitty. Cats are very inscrutable animals. of an obscure nature "the inscrutable workings of Providence" Synonyms: cryptic, cryptical, deep, mysterious, mystifying incomprehensible, inexplicable incapable of being explained or accounted for

*surreptitious*

*kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.* "they carried on a surreptitious affair" synonyms: secret, secretive, stealthy, clandestine, sneaky, sly, furtive; concealed, hidden,undercover, covert, veiled, cloak-and-dagger "a surreptitious glance" antonyms: blatant

*polyglot*

*knowing or using several languages.* "a polyglot career woman" (of a book) having the text translated into several languages. "polyglot and bilingual technical dictionaries" a person who knows and is able to use several languages.

*apathy*

*lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.* "widespread apathy among students" synonyms: indifference, lack of interest, lack of enthusiasm, lack of concern, unconcern, uninterestedness, unresponsiveness, impassivity, dispassion, lethargy, languor, ennui; rare: acedia "widespread apathy among the voters"

*muddled*

*in a state of bewildered or bewildering confusion or disorder.* adjective "misplaced suggestions and muddled thinking" verb *bring into a disordered or confusing state.* "they were muddling up the cards" synonyms: confuse, mix up, jumble (up), disarrange, disorganize, disorder, disturb, mess up "you've muddled things up" *confuse (a person or their thoughts).* "I do not wish to muddle him by making him read more books" synonyms: bewilder, confuse, bemuse, perplex, puzzle, baffle, mystify "she became muddled" busy oneself in a confused and ineffective way. "he was muddling about in the kitchen" mix (a drink) or stir (an ingredient) into a drink. Muddled things are all mixed-up and confused. Your mind might feel muddled when you first wake up from a long nap. Your school's football quarterback might get muddled and throw the ball the wrong way. Or, your muddled French teacher could make the class feel muddled too if she accidentally starts speaking German in class. The verb muddle, "to make confused or disordered," originally meant "destroy the clarity of," from its literal meaning, "to bathe in mud." confused and vague; used especially of thinking Synonyms: addled, befuddled, muzzy, woolly, woolly-headed, wooly, wooly-minded confused mentally confused; unable to think with clarity or act intelligently

*quiescent*

*in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy.* adjective "strikes were headed by groups of workers who had previously been quiescent" synonyms: inactive, inert, idle, dormant, at rest, inoperative, deactivated, quiet;

*derelict*

*in a very poor condition as a result of disuse and neglect.* "the cities were derelict and dying" synonyms: damned, doomed, lost, condemned to hell; censured, faulted, convicted; literary: accursed "a condemned construction site" dilapidated, ramshackle, run-down, tumbledown, in ruins, falling apart; rickety, creaky, deteriorating, crumbling, disintegrating, decaying; neglected, untended, gone to rack and ruin "a derelict building" *disused, abandoned, deserted, discarded, rejected, neglected, untended* "a derelict airfield" NORTH AMERICAN *(of a person) shamefully negligent in not having done what one should have done.* "he was derelict in his duty to his country" synonyms: negligent, neglectful, remiss, lax, careless, sloppy, slipshod, slack, irresponsible, delinquent "he was derelict in his duty" *a person without a home, job, or property.* "derelicts who could fit all their possessions in a paper bag" synonyms: tramp, vagrant, vagabond, down and out, homeless person, drifter; beggar, mendicant; outcast; informal: bag lady, hobo, bum "the derelicts who survive on the streets" *a piece of property, especially a ship, abandoned by the owner and in poor condition.*

*incipient*

*in an initial stage; beginning to happen or develop.* "he could feel incipient anger building up" *(of a person) developing into a specified type or role.* "we seemed more like friends than incipient lovers" synonyms: developing, growing, emerging, emergent, dawning, just beginning, inceptive, initial, inchoate; nascent, embryonic, fledgling, in its infancy, germinal "the system detects incipient problems early" antonyms: full-blown

*emergent*

*in the process of coming into being or becoming prominent.* "the emergent democracies of eastern Europe" synonyms: emerging, developing, rising, dawning, budding, embryonic, infant, fledgling, nascent,incipient, inchoate "an emergent democracy"

*discrete*

*individually separate and distinct.* adjective "speech sounds are produced as a continuous sound signal rather than discrete units" synonyms: separate, distinct, individual, detached, unattached, disconnected, discontinuous, disjunct, disjoined "discrete units of sound" antonyms: connected

*maladroit*

*ineffective or bungling; clumsy.* synonyms: bungling, awkward, inept, clumsy, bumbling, incompetent, unskillful, heavy-handed,gauche, tactless, inconsiderate, undiplomatic, impolitic; informal: ham-fisted, all thumbs,klutzy "the judge reprimanded him for his maladroit handling of the case" antonyms: adroit, skillful

*interpolate*

*insert (something) between fixed points.* to put (something) between other things or parts; especially : to put (words) into a piece of writing or a conversation

*effrontery*

*insolent or impertinent behavior.* "one juror had the effrontery to challenge the coroner's decision" synonyms: impudence, impertinence, cheek, insolence, cockiness, audacity, temerity, presumption, nerve, gall, shamelessness, impoliteness, disrespect, bad manners; informal: brass, face, chutzpah, sauce, sass "Stearns had the effrontery to counter the admiral's directive"

*contumely*

*insolent or insulting language or treatment.* "the church should not be exposed to gossip and contumely"

*invective*

*insulting, abusive, or highly critical language.* "he let out a stream of invective" synonyms: abuse, insults, expletives, swear words, swearing, curses, foul language, foul language, vituperation; denunciation, censure, vilification, revilement, reproach, castigation, recrimination; informaltongue-lashing, trash talk; formalobloquy, contumely "the invective that spewed from his lips left everyone speechless" antonyms: praise

*cerebral*

*intellectual rather than emotional or physical.* "photography is a cerebral process" synonyms: intellectual, academic, rational, logical, analytical, scholarly; bookish, brainy "their subversive brand of cerebral comedy" antonyms: emotional of the cerebrum of the brain. "a cerebral hemorrhage"

*esoteric*

*intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.* adjective "esoteric philosophical debates" synonyms: abstruse, obscure, arcane, recherché, rarefied, recondite, abstract; enigmatic, inscrutable, cryptic, Delphic; complex, complicated, incomprehensible, opaque, impenetrable, mysterious "in attendance were more than 50 antiques dealers brimming with esoteric knowledge"

*ingratiating*

*intended to gain approval or favor; sycophantic.* adjective "an ingratiating manner" synonyms: sycophantic, toadying, fawning, unctuous, obsequious; flattering, insincere; smooth-tongued, slick; greasy, oily, saccharine; informal: smarmy, slimy "a forced and ingratiating smile"

*symbiosis*

*interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both.* *a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups.* "a perfect mother and daughter symbiosis"

*insipid*

*lacking flavor.* "mugs of insipid coffee" synonyms: tasteless, flavorless, bland, weak, wishy-washy; unappetizing, unpalatable "insipid coffee" antonyms: tasty *lacking vigor or interest.* "many artists continued to churn out insipid, shallow works" synonyms: unimaginative, uninspired, uninspiring, characterless, flat, uninteresting, lackluster, dull, drab, boring, dry, humdrum, ho-hum, monochrome, tedious, uneventful, run-of-the-mill, commonplace, pedestrian, trite, tired, hackneyed, stale, lame, wishy-washy, colorless, anemic, lifeless "insipid pictures" antonyms: interesting, imaginative

*inert*

*lacking the ability or strength to move.* "she lay inert in her bed" synonyms: unmoving, motionless, immobile, inanimate, still, stationary, static; dormant, sleeping; unconscious, comatose, lifeless, insensible, insensate, insentient; idle, inactive, underactive, sluggish, lethargic, indolent, stagnant, listless, torpid "forces that once drove the economy have become inert" antonyms: active *lacking vigor.* "an inert political system" chemically inactive. synonyms: unmoving, motionless, immobile, inanimate, still, stationary, static; dormant, sleeping; unconscious, comatose, lifeless, insensible, insensate, insentient; idle, inactive, underactive, sluggish, lethargic, indolent, stagnant, listless, torpid "forces that once drove the economy have become inert" antonyms: active

*ephemeral*

*lasting a short time* adjective lasting for a very short time. "fashions are ephemeral" synonyms: transitory, transient, fleeting, passing, short-lived, momentary, brief, short; temporary, impermanent, short-term; fly-by-night "last year's ephemeral fashions"

*perennial*

*lasting or existing for a long or apparently infinite time; enduring or continually recurring.* adjective "his perennial distrust of the media" synonyms: abiding, enduring, lasting, everlasting, perpetual, eternal, continuing, unending, unceasing, never-ending, endless, undying, ceaseless, persisting, permanent, constant, continual, unfailing, unchanging, never-changing "the perennial fascination with crime" a plant that lives for many years

*beleaguer*

*lay siege to.* "he is leading a relief force to the aid of the beleaguered city" synonyms: besieged, under siege, blockaded, surrounded, encircled, beset, hemmed in, under attack "the beleaguered garrison" Beset with difficulties. "the board is supporting the beleaguered director amid calls for his resignation" synonyms: hard-pressed, troubled, in difficulties, under pressure, under stress, with one's back to the wall, in a tight corner, in a tight spot, up against it; beset, assailed "a beleaguered government" Beset, assailed "a beleaguered government

*abscond*

*leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft.* "she absconded with the remaining thousand dollars" synonyms: run away, escape, bolt, flee, make off, take flight, take off, decamp; make a break for it, take to one's heels, make a quick getaway, beat a hasty retreat, run for it, make a run for it; disappear, vanish, slip away, split, steal away, sneak away; clear out, duck out; informal: cut and run, skedaddle, skip, skip town, head for the hills, do a disappearing act, fly the coop, take French leave, vamoose, take a powder "it seems that the one they entrusted with their stolen goods has absconded"

*mutable*

*liable to change.* "the mutable nature of fashion" synonyms: changeable, variable, varying, fluctuating, shifting, inconsistent, unpredictable, inconstant, fickle, uneven, unstable, protean; literary: fluctuant "the mutable nature of fashion" antonyms: invariable

*persiflage*

*light and slightly contemptuous mockery or banter.* noun

*lugubrious*

*looking or sounding sad and dismal.* synonyms: mournful, gloomy, sad, unhappy, doleful, glum, melancholy, woeful, miserable, woebegone, forlorn, somber, solemn, serious, sorrowful, morose, dour, cheerless, joyless, dismal; funereal, sepulchral; informal: down in/at the mouth; literary: dolorous "lugubrious hymns"

*bespoke*

*made to order (of goods, especially clothing)* "a bespoke suit"

*exacerbate*

*make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse.* "the forest fire was exacerbated by the lack of rain" synonyms: aggravate, worsen, inflame, compound; intensify, increase, heighten, magnify, add to, amplify, augment; informal: add fuel to the fire/flames "each party blames the other for exacerbating the problem"

*assuage*

*make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense.* verb "the letter assuaged the fears of most members" synonyms: relieve, ease, alleviate, soothe, mitigate, allay, palliate, abate, suppress, subdue; More *moderate, lessen, diminish, reduce* "a pain that could never be assuaged" antonyms: aggravate *satisfy (an appetite or desire).* "an opportunity occurred to assuage her desire for knowledge" synonyms: satisfy, gratify, appease, fulfill, indulge, relieve, slake, sate, satiate, quench, check "her hunger was quickly assuaged" antonyms: intensify

*placate*

*make (someone) less angry or hostile.* "they attempted to placate the students with promises" synonyms: pacify, calm, appease, mollify, soothe, win over, conciliate, propitiate, make peace with, humor "John did his best to placate her" antonyms: provoke

*ameliorate*

*make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.* verb "the reform did much to ameliorate living standards" synonyms: improve, make better, better, make improvements to, enhance, help, benefit, boost, amend; relieve, ease, mitigate; informal: tweak, patch up "measures were taken to ameliorate the situation"

*sanctimonious*

*making a show of being morally superior to other people.* "what happened to all the sanctimonious talk about putting his family first?" synonyms: self-righteous, holier-than-thou, pious, pietistic, churchy, moralizing, preachy, smug, superior, priggish, hypocritical, insincere; informal: goody-goody "no one wants to hear your sanctimonious hot air" The sanctimonious person sounds like a hypocrite when he preaches to a friend about the evils of drugs, while he drinks one beer after another. Sanctimonious is a twist on the words sanctity and sacred, which mean holy or religious. A sanctimonious person might think he's holy, but their attitude comes across more like "holier-than-thou." Though sanctimonious people might try to act like saints, their actions are far from pure or holy, which just makes them sound like hypocrites. excessively or hypocritically pious "a sickening sanctimonious smile" Synonyms: holier-than-thou, pharisaic, pharisaical, pietistic, pietistical, self-righteous pious having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity

*sarcastic*

*marked by or given to using irony in order to mock or convey contempt.* "sarcastic comments on their failures" synonyms: sardonic, ironic, ironical; derisive, snide, scornful, contemptuous, mocking, sneering, jeering; caustic, scathing, trenchant, cutting, biting, sharp, acerbic; informal: smart-alecky "I've had enough of your sarcastic comments"

*torpid*

*mentally or physically inactive; lethargic.* "we sat around in a torpid state" synonyms: lethargic, sluggish, inert, inactive, slow, lifeless; languid, listless, lazy, idle, indolent, slothful, supine, passive, apathetic, phlegmatic, somnolent, sleepy, weary, tired "torpid tourists traveled tired through the tropics" antonyms: energetic While the adjective torpid sounds a lot like the noun torpedo, it actually describes something slow or even inactive, like the torpedo that's just sitting around before it's launched. Torpid comes from the Latin word torpere, meaning "numb," which is exactly how torpid things act. A hibernating bear and a caterpillar holed up in a cocoon are two good examples. You might feel torpid sitting in front of the fire after a big meal. The mind, too, can become torpid. The writer Samuel Johnson said, "It is a man's own fault, it is from want of use, if his mind grow torpid in old age." adj in a condition of biological rest or suspended animation "torpid frogs" Synonyms: dormant, hibernating asleep in a state of sleep adj slow and apathetic "a mind grown torpid in old age" Synonyms: inert, sluggish, soggy inactive not active physically or mentally

*oscillate*

*move or swing back and forth at a regular speed.* "a pendulum oscillates about its lowest point" synonyms: swing, swing back and forth, swing to and fro, sway; informal: wigwag "the pendulum started to oscillate" waver between extremes of opinion, action, or quality. "he was oscillating between fear and bravery" synonyms: waver, swing, fluctuate, alternate, seesaw, yo-yo, sway, vacillate, waffle, hover; informal: wobble "oscillating between fear and bravery"

*jejune*

*naive, simplistic, and superficial.* "their entirely predictable and usually jejune opinions" *(of ideas or writings) dry and uninteresting.* "the poem seems to me rather jejune" adjective *lacking interest or significance or impact* Use the adjective jejune to describe something that is uninteresting or insignificant. Many people claim to find celebrity gossip jejune, but ask them about a recent movie star scandal and chances are they know all about it. *displaying or suggesting a lack of maturity* Jejune can also describe something that's immature or simplistic. All that actress could say about her latest movie was that it was "Super fun"? That's a pretty jejune comment. Basically jejune means lacking substance. It originally comes from the Latin word jejunus, which means "fasting," so when something is jejune, it's figuratively empty — devoid of intellectual nourishment. *lacking in nutritive value*

*disingenuous*

*not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does.* synonyms: insincere, dishonest, untruthful, false, deceitful, duplicitous, lying, mendacious; hypocritical "that innocent, teary-eyed look is just part of a disingenuous act"

*inconspicuous*

*not clearly visible or attracting attention; not conspicuous.* "an inconspicuous red-brick building" synonyms: unobtrusive, unnoticeable, unremarkable, unspectacular, unostentatious, unshowy, unflashy, undistinguished, unexceptional, modest, unassuming, discreet, hidden, concealed; unseen, in the background, low-profile "the flaw in the carpeting is inconspicuous" antonyms: noticeable

*innocuous*

*not harmful or offensive.* "it was an innocuous question" synonyms: harmless, safe, nontoxic, innocent; edible, eatable "an innocuous fungus" inoffensive, unobjectionable, unexceptionable, harmless, mild, tame, anodyne, soft-focus "an innocuous comment"

*disinterested*

*not influenced by considerations of personal advantage.* "a banker is under an obligation to give disinterested advice" synonyms: unbiased, unprejudiced, impartial, neutral, nonpartisan, detached, uninvolved, objective, dispassionate, impersonal, clinical; open-minded, fair, just, equitable, balanced, even-handed, with no ax to grind "disinterested advice" *having or feeling no interest in something.* "her father was so disinterested in her progress that he only visited the school once" synonyms: uninterested, indifferent, incurious, uncurious, unconcerned, unmoved, unresponsive, impassive, passive, detached, unenthusiastic, lukewarm, bored, apathetic; informal: couldn't-care-less "he looked at her with disinterested eyes"

*reticent*

*not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.* "she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs" synonyms:reserved, withdrawn, introverted, inhibited, diffident, shy; uncommunicative, unforthcoming, unresponsive, tight-lipped, buttoned-up, quiet, taciturn, silent, guarded, secretive "Smith was reticent about his personal affairs" antonyms: expansive *reluctant to draw attention to yourself* Synonyms: retiring, self-effacing, unassertive inclined to timidity or lack of self-confidence *cool and formal in manner* Synonyms: restrained, unemotional, undemonstrative not given to open expression of emotion *temperamentally disinclined to talk* Synonyms: untalkative, taciturn, habitually reserved and uncommunicative Reticent means either quiet or restrained. If you're reticent about your feelings, you like to keep them to yourself, and you're probably quiet in rowdy groups where everyone is talking over each other. The original meaning of reticent describes someone who doesn't like to talk. Be careful in your context, however. Reticent can refer to someone who is restrained and formal, but it can also refer to someone who doesn't want to draw attention to herself or who prefers seclusion to other people. Don't confuse reticent with reluctant, which means unwilling.

*precarious*

*not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse.* "a precarious ladder" *dependent on chance; uncertain.* "she made a precarious living by writing" synonyms: uncertain, insecure, unpredictable, risky, parlous, hazardous, dangerous, unsafe; unsettled, unstable, unsteady, shaky; informal: dicey, chancy, iffy "those steps look a bit precarious" antonyms: safe

*abstemious*

*not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking.* "We only had a bottle." "Very abstemious of you." synonyms: self-denying, temperate, abstinent, moderate, self-disciplined, restrained, self-restrained, sober, austere, ascetic, puritanical, spartan, hair-shirt "the monks here have willingly chosen this abstemious life" antonyms: self-indulgent

*impudent*

*not showing due respect for another person; impertinent.* "he could have strangled this impudent upstart" synonyms: impertinent, insolent, cheeky, cocky, brazen, bold, audacious; presumptuous, forward,disrespectful, insubordinate, bumptious, brash, brassy; rude, impolite, ill-mannered,discourteous, ill-bred; informal: saucy, lippy, sassy, smart-alecky; archaic: contumelious "the oblivious couple and their impudent children were asked to leave" antonyms: polite ˈimpyəd(ə)nt/ An impudent person is bold, sassy, and shameless. If you want to get into a fancy nightclub and you tell the bouncer, "Let me in, I'm much more beautiful than all these ugly losers in line," that's impudent behavior. Impudent comes from the Latin combination of im, meaning without, and pudens, meaning shame. We often call someone impudent if they're disrespectful, snotty, or inappropriate in a way that makes someone feel bad. If you know someone has just lost all their money on the stock market, don't be impudent and ask them how they're going to afford gas money for their yacht. improperly forward or bold "an impudent boy given to insulting strangers" Synonyms: fresh, impertinent, overbold, sassy, saucy, smart, wise forward used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty adj marked by casual disrespect "the student was kept in for impudent behavior" Synonyms: flip, insolent, snotty-nosed disrespectful exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous

*impertinent*

*not showing proper respect; rude.* "an impertinent question" synonyms: rude, insolent, impolite, ill-mannered, bad-mannered, uncivil, discourteous,disrespectful; impudent, cheeky, pert, audacious, bold, brazen, brash, presumptuous,forward; tactless, undiplomatic; informal: saucy, sassy, smart-alecky "impertinent remarks" *not pertinent to a particular matter; irrelevant.* "talk of "rhetoric" and "strategy" is impertinent to this process" informal: saucy, sassy, smart-alecky "impertinent remarks"

*mendacious*

*not telling the truth; lying* adjective "mendacious propaganda" synonyms: lying, untruthful, dishonest, deceitful, false, dissembling, insincere, disingenuous, hypocritical, fraudulent, double-dealing, two-faced, Janus-faced, two-timing, duplicitous, perjured; untrue, fictitious, falsified, fabricated, fallacious, invented, made up; vulgar slangfull of crap; literary: perfidious "politicians and their mendacious spin doctors"

*obsequious*

*obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.* adjective "they were served by obsequious waiters" synonyms: servile, ingratiating, sycophantic, fawning, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, groveling, cringing, subservient, submissive, slavish; informal: brown-nosing, bootlicking, smarmy; vulgar slangass-kissing "an elderly gentlemen surrounded by obsequious heirs"

*adulation*

*obsequious flattery; excessive admiration or praise.* "he found it difficult to cope with the adulation of the fans" synonyms: hero worship, worship, idolization, adoration, admiration, veneration, awe, devotion, glorification, praise, flattery, blandishments "unspoiled by all the adulation he's received"

*martial*

*of or appropriate to war; warlike.* "martial bravery" synonyms: military, soldierly, soldier-like, army, naval; warlike, fighting, combative, bellicose, hawkish, pugnacious, militaristic "their martial exploits"

*antediluvian*

*of or belonging to the time before the biblical Flood.* "gigantic bones of antediluvian animals" synonyms: out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, antiquated, behind the times, passé "her antediluvian attitudes" humorous: ridiculously old-fashioned. "they maintain antediluvian sex-role stereotypes" synonyms: out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, antiquated, behind the times, passé "her antediluvian attitudes"

*quotidian*

*of or occurring every day; daily.* "the car sped noisily off through the quotidian traffic" *ordinary or everyday, especially when mundane.* "his story is an achingly human one, mired in quotidian details" synonyms: daily, everyday, day-to-day, diurnal "the quotidian routine" ordinary, average, run-of-the-mill, everyday, standard, typical, middle-of-the-road, common, conventional, mainstream, unremarkable, unexceptional, workaday, commonplace, mundane, uninteresting; informal: nothing to write home about, a dime a dozen "her horribly quotidian furniture"

*monastic*

*of or relating to monks, nuns, or others living under religious vows, or the buildings in which they live.* "a monastic order" synonyms: cloistered, cloistral, claustral "a monastic community" *resembling or suggestive of monks or their way of life, especially in being austere, solitary, or celibate.* "a monastic student bedroom" synonyms: austere, ascetic, simple, solitary, monkish, celibate, quiet, cloistered, sequestered, secluded, reclusive, hermitlike, hermitic, incommunicado "a monastic existence"

*rustic*

*of or relating to the countryside; rural.* *having a simplicity and charm that is considered typical of the countryside.* "bare plaster walls and a terra-cotta floor give a rustic feel" synonyms: rural, country, countryside, countrified, pastoral, bucolic; agricultural, agrarian; literary: sylvan, georgic "a rustic setting" antonyms: urban derogatory: lacking the sophistication of the city; backward and provincial. "you are a rustic halfwit" synonyms: unsophisticated, uncultured, unrefined, simple; artless, unassuming, guileless, naive, ingenuous; coarse, rough, uncouth, boorish; informal: hillbilly, hick, country-fried "rustic peasants" antonyms: urbane, cultured, sophisticated constructed or made in a plain and simple fashion, in particular. synonyms: plain, simple, homely, unsophisticated; rough, rude, crude "rustic wooden tables" antonyms: fancy, ornate made of untrimmed branches or rough timber. "a rustic oak bench" ARCHITECTURE with rough-hewn or roughened surface or with deeply sunk joints. "a rustic bridge" denoting freely formed lettering, especially a relatively informal style of handwritten Roman capital letter. an unsophisticated country person. synonyms: peasant, countryman, countrywoman, bumpkin, yokel, country cousin; informal: hillbilly, hayseed, hick, apple knocker; archaic: swain, cottier "the rustics were carousing"

*bucolic*

*of or relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life.* "the church is lovely for its bucolic setting" synonyms: rustic, rural, pastoral, country, countryside

*sublime*

*of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe.* adjective "Mozart's sublime piano concertos" synonyms: exalted, elevated, noble, lofty, awe-inspiring, majestic, magnificent, glorious, superb,wonderful, marvelous, splendid; informal: fantastic, fabulous, terrific, heavenly, divine,out of this world "sublime music" *used to denote the extreme or unparalleled nature of a person's attitude or behavior.* "he had the sublime confidence of youth" synonyms: supreme, total, complete, utter, consummate "the sublime confidence of youth"

*equivocal*

*open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.* "the equivocal nature of her remarks" synonyms: ambiguous, indefinite, noncommittal, vague, imprecise, inexact, inexplicit, hazy; unclear, cryptic, enigmatic, pettifogging; ambivalent, uncertain, unsure, indecisive "an equivocal statement" antonyms: definite *uncertain or questionable in nature.* "the results of the investigation were equivocal" adjective Try to remember that uncertain means equivocal and certain means unequivocal. That's a tricky movement the un- is making, and a lot of people get stumped. From the Latin aequus 'equal, the same' + vocare "to call," equivocal describes when something is too close to call. Whose hand first touched the last brownie on the plate? We asked everyone but the answers were equivocal. open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead "an equivocal statement" "the officer's equivocal behavior increased the victim's uneasiness" "popularity is an equivocal crown" "an equivocal response to an embarrassing question" Synonyms: ambiguous ambiguous having more than one possible meaning double, forked having two meanings with intent to deceive evasive deliberately vague or ambiguous indeterminate of uncertain or ambiguous nature Antonyms: unambiguous, unequivocal, univocal admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion show more antonyms... adj uncertain as a sign or indication "the evidence from bacteriologic analysis was equivocal" Synonyms: inconclusive not conclusive; not putting an end to doubt or question adj open to question "aliens of equivocal loyalty" ""his conscience reproached him with the equivocal character of the union into which he had forced his son"-Anna Jameson" Synonyms: questionable subject to question

*flout*

*openly disregard (a rule, law or convention).* "these same companies still flout basic ethical practices" synonyms: defy, refuse to obey, disobey, break, violate, fail to comply with, fail to observe, contravene, infringe, breach, commit a breach of, transgress against; ignore, disregard "countless retailers flout the law by selling cigarettes to children" antonyms: observe archaic: mock; scoff. "the women pointed and flouted at her"

*sanguine*

*optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.* "he is sanguine about prospects for the global economy" synonyms: optimistic, bullish, hopeful, buoyant, positive, confident, cheerful, cheery; informal: upbeat "he is sanguine about the advance of technology" antonyms: gloomy

*apoplectic*

*overcome with anger; extremely indignant.* "Mark was apoplectic with rage at the decision" Someone who is apoplectic is not just mad — they're so filled with rage, they can barely communicate. If your mother is apoplectic, you'd better hope it isn't over something you did. Apoplectic comes from a Greek word that means to "disable by a stroke." What is a stroke? The sudden loss of consciousness or control caused when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures or becomes blocked. When this happens, a person becomes apoplectic. This word also applies to someone who acts so upset, it is like he or she is having a stroke. pertaining to or characteristic of apoplexy "apoplectic seizure"

*histrionic*

*overly theatrical or melodramatic in character or style.* "a histrionic outburst" synonyms: melodramatic, theatrical, dramatic, exaggerated, stagy, actorly, showy, affected, artificial, overacted, overdone; informal: hammy, ham, campy "a histrionic account of her divorce" formal: of or concerning actors or acting. "histrionic talents" Psychiatry denoting a personality disorder marked by shallow, volatile emotions, and attention-seeking behavior. noun *exaggerated dramatic behavior designed to attract attention.* "discussions around the issue have been based as much in histrionics as in history" synonyms: dramatics, theatrics, tantrums; affectation, staginess, artificiality "how about a little more plain-talking sincerity and a little less histrionics?" "how about a little more plain-talking sincerity and a little less histrionics?" dramatic performance; theater. archaic: an actor.

*dissuade*

*persuade (someone) not to take a particular course of action.* "his friends tried to dissuade him from flying" synonyms: discourage from, deter from, prevent from, divert from, stop from; talk out of, persuade against, advise against, argue out of "his colleagues did nothing to dissuade him from quitting"

*disabuse*

*persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken.* "he quickly disabused me of my fanciful notions" synonyms: disillusion about, undeceive about, set straight on/about, open someone's eyes about, correct on, enlighten on/about, disenchant about, shatter someone's illusions about "it isn't easy to disabuse people of something they've been taught to believe in"

*schadenfreude*

*pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.* noun

*stymie*

*prevent or hinder the progress of.* "the changes must not be allowed to stymie new medical treatments" The verb stymie means to obstruct or hinder. Constantly texting with your friends will stymie your effort to finish your homework. Stymie was first used on the golf course in Scotland, where it referred to an opponent's ball blocking your own ball's path to the cup. From there a verb sense developed, until finally stymie came to mean blocking with any obstacle, not just a golf ball. hinder or prevent the progress or accomplishment of Synonyms: block, blockade, embarrass, hinder, obstruct, stymy Types: show 5 types... Type of: forbid, foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent keep from happening or arising; make impossible n a thwarting and distressing situation Synonyms: stymy Type of: obstacle, obstruction something immaterial that stands in the way and must be circumvented or surmounted n a situation in golf where an opponent's ball blocks the line between your ball and the hole Synonyms: stymy Type of: position, situation a condition or position in which you find yourself

*adverse*

*preventing success or development; harmful; unfavorable.* "taxes are having an adverse effect on production" synonyms: unfavorable, disadvantageous, inauspicious, unpropitious, unfortunate, unlucky, untimely, untoward "adverse weather conditions" *harmful, dangerous, injurious, detrimental, hurtful, negative, deleterious* "the drug's adverse side effects" hostile, unfavorable, antagonistic, unfriendly, ill-disposed, negative "an adverse response from the public"

*adulterate*

*render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one.* "the meat was ground fine and adulterated with potato flour" synonyms: make impure, degrade, debase, spoil, taint, contaminate; doctor, tamper with, dilute, water down, weaken; bastardize, corrupt; informal: cut, spike, lace, dope "some of the drinks had been adulterated with tranquilizers"

*ancillary*

*providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system.* "the development of ancillary services to support its products" additional; subsidiary. "paragraph 19 was merely ancillary to paragraph 16" synonyms: additional, auxiliary, supporting, helping, extra, supplementary, supplemental, accessory, attendant; subsidiary, secondary; adjuvant; rare: adminicular "the Administrative Procedures Act and ancillary documents" *a person whose work provides necessary support to the primary activities of an organization, institution, or industry.* "the employment of specialist teachers and ancillaries" *something that functions in a supplementary or supporting role.* "undergraduate courses of three main subjects with related ancillaries" If you use the adjective ancillary to describe your position you are subordinate or supporting something or someone else. The adjective ancillary originally meant "relating to maidservants" from the Latin, but the element of a female servant has fallen away and now the word merely refers to a position as helpful or subordinate. An example of how something in medicine can be ancillary is after you have surgery you may also take a drug to aid healing — the drug would be considered ancillary to the surgery. One could also argue that in the United States the vice-president takes an ancillary role to the president. furnishing added support "an ancillary pump" Synonyms: accessory, adjunct, adjuvant, appurtenant, auxiliary supportive furnishing support or assistance

*sensitive*

*quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences.* "the new method of protein detection was more sensitive than earlier ones" synonyms: responsive to, reactive to, sentient of, sensitized to; aware of, conscious of, alive to; susceptible to, affected by, vulnerable to; attuned to "she's sensitive to changes in temperature" antonyms: impervious, unresponsive easily damaged, injured, or distressed by slight changes. "the committee called for improved protection of wildlife in environmentally sensitive areas" synonyms: delicate, fragile; tender, sore, raw "sensitive skin" antonyms: resilient, tough (of photographic materials) prepared so as to respond rapidly to the action of light. (of a market) unstable and liable to quick changes of price because of outside influences. *(of a person or a person's behavior) having or displaying a quick and delicate appreciation of others' feelings.* "I pay tribute to the Minister for his sensitive handling of the bill" synonyms: tactful, careful, thoughtful, diplomatic, delicate, subtle, kid-glove; sympathetic, compassionate, understanding, intuitive, responsive, insightful "the matter needs sensitive handling" antonyms: clumsy *easily offended or upset.* "I suppose I shouldn't be so sensitive" synonyms: touchy, oversensitive, hypersensitive, easily offended, easily upset, easily hurt, thin-skinned, defensive; paranoid, neurotic; informal: uptight "he's sensitive about his bald patch" antonyms: thick-skinned *kept secret or with restrictions on disclosure to avoid endangering security.* "he was suspected of passing sensitive information to other countries"

*demur*

*raise doubts or objections or show reluctance.* "normally she would have accepted the challenge, but she demurred" synonyms: object, take exception, take issue, protest, cavil, dissent; voice reservations, be unwilling, be reluctant, balk, think twice; drag one's heels, refuse; informal: boggle, kick up a fuss "Steve demurred when the suggestion was made" *the action or process of objecting to or hesitating over something.* "they accepted this ruling without demur" synonyms: objection, protest, protestation, complaint, dispute, dissent, opposition, resistance; reservation, hesitation, reluctance, disinclination; doubts, qualms, misgivings, second thoughts; a murmur, a word "they accepted without demur"

*stochastic*

*randomly determined; having a random probability distribution or pattern that may be analyzed statistically but may not be predicted precisely.* adjective

*recherché*

*rare, exotic, or obscure.* "a few linguistic terms are perhaps a bit recherché for the average readership" synonyms: obscure, rare, esoteric, abstruse, arcane, recondite, exotic, strange, unusual, unfamiliar, out of the ordinary "most of the titles are recherché"

*attenuate*

*reduce the force, effect, or value of.* verb "her intolerance was attenuated by a rather unexpected liberalism" synonyms: weakened, reduced, lessened, decreased, diminished, impaired "the patient's muscle activity was much attenuated" antonyms: strengthened reduce the amplitude of (a signal, electric current, or other oscillation). synonyms: weakened, reduced, lessened, decreased, diminished, impaired "the patient's muscle activity was much attenuated" antonyms: strengthened reduce the virulence of (a pathogenic organism or vaccine). "attenuated strains of rabies virus" reduce in thickness; make thin. "the trees are attenuated from being grown too close together" reduced in force, effect, or physical thickness.

*repudiate*

*refuse to accept or be associated with.* "she has repudiated policies associated with previous party leaders" synonyms: reject, renounce, abandon, give up, turn one's back on, disown, cast off, lay aside; "he repudiated his Catholic faith" antonyms: embrace *deny the truth or validity of.* "the minister repudiated allegations of human rights abuses" synonyms: deny, contradict, controvert, rebut, dispute, dismiss, brush aside; formal: gainsay "Hansen repudiated the allegations" antonyms: acknowledge, confirm

*adamant*

*refusing to be persuaded or to change one's mind.* "he is adamant that he is not going to resign" synonyms: unshakable, immovable, inflexible, unwavering, unswerving, uncompromising, insistent, resolute, resolved, determined, firm, steadfast; stubborn, unrelenting, diehard, unyielding, unbending, rigid, obdurate, inexorable, intransigent, (dead) set "he begged his mother to let him try out for the football team, but she was adamant" If you stubbornly refuse to change your mind about something, you are adamant about it. This word's story begins in ancient Greece, where philosophers spoke about a legendary unbreakable stone or metal they called adamas (literally, "invincible"). In English, people began to use the word to refer to something that cannot be altered, and then in the twentieth century — after adamant had been in English for about a thousand years — it came to be used as an adjective to mean "unyielding as stone." If you're adamant about something, no amount of persuasion is going to convince you otherwise. impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason "he is adamant in his refusal to change his mind" Synonyms: adamantine, inexorable, intransigent inflexible incapable of change Other: noun a legendary rock or mineral to which many, often contradictory, properties were attributed, formerly associated with diamond or lodestone.

*regurgitate*

*repeat (information) without analyzing or comprehending it.* "facts that can then be regurgitated at examinations" synonyms: repeat, say again, restate, reiterate, recite, parrot "regurgitating facts" bring (swallowed food) up again to the mouth. "gulls regurgitate food for the chicks" synonyms: disgorge, bring up "a ruminant continually regurgitates food"

*castigate*

*reprimand (someone) severely.* "he was castigated for not setting a good example" synonyms: reprimand, rebuke, admonish, chastise, chide, censure, upbraid, reprove, reproach, scold, berate, take to task, lambaste, give someone a piece of one's mind; informalrake/haul over the coals, tell off, give someone an earful, give someone a tongue-lashing, give someone a roasting, rap someone on the knuckles, slap someone's wrist, dress down, bawl out, give someone hell, blow up at, lay into, blast, zing, have a go at, give someone what for, chew out, ream out; rare: reprehend "Leopold castigated his son for leaving the archbishop's service" antonyms: praise, commend

*esteem*

*respect and admire.* "many of these qualities are esteemed by managers" synonyms: respect, admire, value, regard, acclaim, appreciate, like, prize, treasure, favor, revere "such ceramics are highly esteemed"

*disaggregate*

*separate (something) into its component parts.* verb "a method for disaggregating cells"

*austere*

*severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.* "an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook" synonyms: severe, stern, strict, harsh, steely, flinty, dour, grim, cold, frosty, unemotional, unfriendly; formal, stiff, reserved, aloof, forbidding; grave, solemn, serious, unsmiling, unsympathetic, unforgiving; hard, unyielding, unbending, inflexible; informal: hard-boiled "an outwardly austere man" antonyms: genial (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic. "conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere" synonyms: ascetic, self-denying, self-disciplined, nonindulgent, frugal, spartan, puritanical, abstemious, abstinent, self-sacrificing, strict, temperate, sober, simple, restrained; celibate, chaste "an austere life" antonyms: immoderate *having an extremely plain and simple style or appearance; unadorned.* "the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity" synonyms: plain, simple, basic, functional, modest, unadorned, unembellished, unfussy, restrained; More stark, bleak, bare, clinical, spartan, ascetic; informal: no-frills, bare-bones "the buildings were austere" antonyms: ornate (of an economic policy or measure) designed to reduce a budget deficit, especially by cutting public expenditure.

*contiguous*

*sharing a common border; touching.* adjective "the 48 contiguous states" synonyms: adjacent, neighboring, adjoining, bordering, next-door; abutting, connecting, touching, in contact, proximate "the contiguous Gulf states" next or together in sequence. "five hundred contiguous dictionary entries"

*exculpate*

*show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing.* "the article exculpated the mayor"

*insouciant*

*showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent.* "an insouciant shrug" synonyms: nonchalant, untroubled, unworried, unruffled, unconcerned, indifferent, blasé, heedless, careless; relaxed, calm, equable, serene, composed, easy, easygoing, carefree, free and easy, happy-go-lucky, lighthearted, airy, blithe, mellow; informal: cool, laid-back, slaphappy "only outwardly did he possess an insouciant attitude about the disease"

*cliched*

*showing a lack of originality; based on frequently repeated phrases or opinions.* "the clichéd storytelling lacks that vital spark"

*irreverent*

*showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously.* "she is irreverent about the whole business of politics" synonyms: disrespectful, disdainful, scornful, contemptuous, derisive, disparaging; impertinent,impudent, cheeky, flippant, rude, discourteous; informalsaucy, smart-alecky"no one was amused by his irreverent joke-telling" antonyms: respectful If you are irreverent, you don't show respect toward something, like your irreverent singing of your school's alma mater in a funny voice. To be irreverent doesn't necessarily mean you don't like something; it's just that you don't display the same honor for it that other people do. You might have a more light-hearted approach, poking fun of the way other people seem to almost blindly show their devotion. For example, when people at the Louvre are standing in hushed awe in front of the "Mona Lisa" it would be irreverent to holler "What's so great about that?" showing lack of due respect or veneration "irreverent scholars mocking sacred things" "noisy irreverent tourists" Synonyms: disrespectful exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous blasphemous, profane, sacrilegious grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred aweless, awless, disrespectful neither feeling nor showing respect Antonyms: reverent feeling or showing profound respect or veneration show more antonyms... adj not revering god Synonyms: godless impious lacking piety or reverence for a god adj characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality "a certain irreverent gaiety and ease of manner" Synonyms: impertinent, pert, saucy spirited displaying animation, vigor, or liveliness

*contemptuous*

*showing contempt; scornful.* "she was intolerant and contemptuous of the majority of the human race" synonyms: scornful, disdainful, disrespectful, insulting, insolent, derisive, mocking, sneering, scoffing, withering, scathing, snide; condescending, supercilious, haughty, proud, superior, arrogant, dismissive, aloof; informal: high and mighty, snotty, sniffy "the contemptuous look on your face says it all"

*dauntless*

*showing fearlessness and determination.* "dauntless bravery" synonyms: fearless, determined, resolute, indomitable, intrepid, doughty, plucky, spirited, mettlesome; undaunted, undismayed, unflinching, unshrinking, bold, audacious, valiant, brave, courageous, daring; informal: gutsy, gutty, spunky, feisty, skookum "only the most dauntless were selected for this dangerous expedition"

*punctilious*

*showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.* adjective "he was punctilious in providing every amenity for his guests" synonyms: meticulous, conscientious, diligent, scrupulous, careful, painstaking, rigorous, perfectionist, methodical, particular, strict; fussy, fastidious, finicky, pedantic; informalnitpicking, persnickety "his punctilious implementation of orders" antonyms: careless

*timorous*

*showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence.* "a timorous voice"

*legerdemain*

*skillful use of one's hands when performing conjuring tricks.* noun synonyms: sleight of hand, conjuring, magic, wizardry; formal: prestidigitation; rare: thaumaturgy "stage magicians practicing legerdemain" *deception; trickery.* synonyms: trickery, cunning, artfulness, craftiness, chicanery, skulduggery, deceit, deception, artifice "a piece of management legerdemain"

*dilatory*

*slow to act.* "he had been dilatory in appointing a solicitor" synonyms: slow, tardy, unhurried, sluggish, sluggardly, snaillike, lazy "he had been dilatory in appointing an executor" antonyms: fast, prompt *intended to cause delay.* "they resorted to dilatory procedural tactics, forcing a postponement of peace talks" synonyms: delaying, stalling, temporizing, procrastinating, time-wasting, filibustering "dilatory procedural tactics"

*fetid*

*smelling extremely unpleasant.* "the fetid water of the marsh" synonyms: stinking, smelly, foul-smelling, malodorous, reeking, pungent, acrid, high, rank, foul, noxious, humming; informal: funky "a fetid pile of garbage"

*banal*

*so lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring.* "songs with banal, repeated words" synonyms: trite, hackneyed, clichéd, platitudinous, vapid, commonplace, ordinary, common, stock, conventional, stereotyped, overused, overdone, overworked, stale, worn out, timeworn, tired, threadbare, hoary, hack, unimaginative, humdrum, ho-hum, unoriginal, uninteresting, dull, uninvolving, trivial; informalold hat, corny, cornball, played out; dateddime-store; raretruistic, bromidic "banal lyrics" antonyms: original

*pedantic*

*someone who is pedantic makes a big display of knowing obscure facts and details* adjective of or like a pedant. "many of the essays are long, dense, and too pedantic to hold great appeal" synonyms: overscrupulous, scrupulous, precise, exact, perfectionist, punctilious, meticulous, fussy, fastidious, finicky; dogmatic, purist, literalist, literalistic, formalist; casuistic, casuistical, sophistic, sophistical; captious, hair-splitting, quibbling; informal: nitpicking, persnickety "a pedantic interpretation of the rules"

*disseminate*

*spread or disperse (something, especially information) widely.* "health authorities should foster good practice by disseminating information" synonyms: spread, circulate, distribute, disperse, promulgate, propagate, publicize, communicate, pass on, put about, make known "much of our funding is used to disseminate information where it is most needed" spread throughout an organ or the body. "disseminated colonic cancer"

*conspicuous*

*standing out so as to be clearly visible.* "he was very thin, with a conspicuous Adam's apple" attracting notice or attention. "he showed conspicuous bravery" synonyms:: easily seen, clear, visible, noticeable, discernible, perceptible, detectable; obvious, manifest, evident, apparent, marked, pronounced, prominent, patent, crystal clear; striking, eye-catching, impactful, overt, blatant; distinct, recognizable, unmistakable, inescapable; informal: as plain as the nose on one's face, standing/sticking out like a sore thumb "a tropical vine with conspicuous blossoms"

*aver*

*state or assert to be the case.* "he averred that he was innocent of the allegations" LAW allege as a fact in support of a plea.

*predicate*

*state, affirm, or assert (something) about the subject of a sentence or an argument of proposition.* "a word that predicates something about its subject" *found or base something on.* "the theory of structure on which later chemistry was predicated" synonyms: base, be dependent, found, establish, rest, ground, premise "expansion of the group is predicated on further research"

*obstinate*

*stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.* synonyms: stubborn, unyielding, inflexible, unbending, intransigent, intractable, obdurate, mulish, bullheaded, stubborn as a mule, pigheaded, self-willed, strong-willed, headstrong, willful, contrary, perverse, recalcitrant, refractory, uncooperative, unmanageable, stiff-necked, rigid, uncompromising, implacable, unrelenting, immovable, unshakable; persistent, tenacious, pertinacious, dogged, single-minded "it's unusual for two such obstinate people to have a happy marriage" antonyms: compliant *(of an unwelcome phenomenon or situation) very difficult to change or overcome.* "the obstinate problem of unemployment"

*obdurate*

*stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action.* synonyms: stubborn, obstinate, intransigent, inflexible, unyielding, unbending, pigheaded, bullheaded, mulish, stiff-necked; headstrong, unshakable, intractable, unpersuadable, immovable, inexorable, uncompromising, iron-willed, adamant, firm, determined "the brass were also obdurate in their opposition to having women in any combat positions" antonyms: malleable, tractable

*truckle*

*submit or behave obsequiously.* "she despised her husband, who truckled to her" synonyms: kowtow to, submit to, defer to, yield to, back down to, bow and scrape to, be obsequious to, be subordinate to, pander to, toady to, prostrate oneself to, grovel to; dance attendance on, curry favor with, ingratiate oneself with; informal: suck up to, crawl to, lick the boots of "an ambitious woman who truckled to no man"

*postulate*

*suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief.* verb "his theory postulated a rotatory movement for hurricanes" synonyms: put forward, suggest, advance, posit, hypothesize, propose; assume, presuppose, presume, take for granted "a theory postulated by a respected scientist" (in ecclesiastical law) nominate or elect (someone) to an ecclesiastical office subject to the sanction of a higher authority. *a thing suggested or assumed as true as the basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief.* "perhaps the postulate of Babylonian influence on Greek astronomy is incorrect" MATHEMATICS an assumption used as a basis for mathematical reasoning.

*peregrinate*

*travel or wander around from place to place.* Related: itinerant traveling from place to place. "itinerant traders" synonyms: traveling, peripatetic, wandering, roving, roaming, touring, saddlebag, nomadic, gypsy, migrant, vagrant, vagabond, of no fixed address "itinerant traders" a person who travels from place to place. synonyms: traveler, wanderer, roamer, rover, nomad, gypsy, migrant, transient, drifter, vagabond, hobo, vagrant, tramp "an encampment of itinerants"

*specious*

*superficially plausible, but actually wrong.* "a specious argument" *misleading in appearance, especially misleadingly attractive.* "the music trade gives Golden Oldies a specious appearance of novelty" synonyms: misleading, deceptive, false, fallacious, unsound, spurious, casuistic, sophistic "specious reasoning" Use specious to describe an argument that seems to be good, correct, or logical, but is not so. We live on the earth, therefore the earth must be the center of the universe has been proven to be a specious theory of the solar system. Specious is pronounced "SPEE-shuhs." Something that is specious is attractive in a deceptive way, and if you follow the word's etymology, you'll see why. In Middle English, this adjective meant "attractive," from Latin speciōsus "showy, beautiful," from speciēs "appearance, kind, sort." Latin speciēs is also the source of English species. plausible but false "a specious claim" Synonyms: spurious false not in accordance with the fact or reality or actuality adj based on pretense; deceptively pleasing Synonyms: gilded, meretricious insincere lacking sincerity

*bolster*

*support or strengthen; prop up.* synonyms: strengthen, reinforce, boost, fortify, renew; support, sustain, buoy up, prop up, shore up, maintain, aid, help; augment, increase "an occasional word of thanks would really bolster the staff's morale" "the fall in interest rates is starting to bolster confidence" synonyms: strengthen, reinforce, boost, fortify, renew; support, sustain, buoy up, prop up, shore up, maintain, aid, help; augment, increase "an occasional word of thanks would really bolster the staff's morale" a long, thick pillow that is placed under other pillows for support.

*salty*

*tasting of, containing, or preserved with salt.* synonyms: salt, salted, saline, briny, brackish "salty water" *(of language or humor) down-to-earth; coarse.* synonyms: earthy, colorful, spicy, racy, risqué, naughty, vulgar, rude; piquant, biting "a salty sense of humor" informal: tough; aggressive.

*lachrymose*

*tearful or given to weeping.* "she was pink-eyed and lachrymose"

*hortatory*

*tending or aiming to exhort.* "the central bank relied on hortatory messages and voluntary compliance"

*inimical*

*tending to obstruct or harm.* "actions inimical to our interests" synonyms: harmful, injurious, detrimental, deleterious, prejudicial, damaging, hurtful, destructive, ruinous, pernicious; antagonistic, contrary, antipathetic, unfavorable, adverse, opposed; hostile, unkind, unsympathetic, unfriendly, ill-disposed, malevolent; unwelcoming, cold, frosty; "an inimical gaze" antonyms: friendly, favorable unfriendly; hostile. "an inimical alien power" synonyms: harmful, injurious, detrimental, deleterious, prejudicial, damaging, hurtful, destructive, ruinous, pernicious; antagonistic, contrary, antipathetic, unfavorable, adverse, opposed; hostile, unkind, unsympathetic, unfriendly, ill-disposed, malevolent; unwelcoming, cold, frosty; "an inimical gaze" antonyms: friendly, favorable

*incendiary*

*tending to stir up conflict.* "incendiary rhetoric" synonyms: inflammatory, rabble-rousing, provocative, seditious, subversive; contentious, controversial "an incendiary speech" *very exciting.* "an incendiary live performer" (of a device or attack) designed to cause fires. "incendiary grenades" synonyms: combustible, flammable, inflammable "an incendiary bomb" noun *a person who starts fires, especially in a military context. a person who stirs up conflict.* synonyms: agitator, demagogue, rabble-rouser, firebrand, troublemaker, agent provocateur,revolutionary, insurgent, subversive "a political incendiary" an incendiary bomb or device. An incendiary device is a bomb. An incendiary statement is, "You're ugly and stupid." Both are likely to produce an explosion of one kind or another. Incendiary means more than flammable. It means explosive, in both a literal and figurative way. If you're a radical who changes the world by exciting people and makes as many enemies as followers, you're an incendiary figure. The speeches you give that rile people up are incendiary. The fires you set are also incendiary, and by setting them you are also likely to be called an incendiary — someone who burns things, more commonly known as an arsonist. capable of catching fire spontaneously or causing fires or burning readily "an incendiary agent" "incendiary bombs" Synonyms: combustible capable of igniting and burning adj involving deliberate burning of property "an incendiary fire" adj arousing to action or rebellion Synonyms: incitive, inflammatory, instigative, rabble-rousing, seditious provocative serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy n a criminal who illegally sets fire to property Synonyms: arsonist, firebug Types: barnburner someone who burns down a barn Type of: criminal, crook, felon, malefactor, outlaw someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime n a bomb that is designed to start fires; is most effective against flammable targets (such as fuel) Synonyms: firebomb, incendiary bomb Type of: bomb an explosive device fused to explode under specific conditions

*rhetoric*

*the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques.* synonyms: oratory, eloquence, command of language, way with words "a form of rhetoric" *language designed to have a persuasive or impressive effect on its audience, but often regarded as lacking in sincerity or meaningful content.* "all we have from the opposition is empty rhetoric" synonyms: bombast, turgidity, grandiloquence, magniloquence, pomposity, extravagant language, purple prose; wordiness, verbosity, prolixity; informal: hot air; rare: fustian "empty rhetoric"

*context*

*the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.* "the decision was taken within the context of planned cuts in spending" synonyms: circumstances, conditions, factors, state of affairs, situation, background, scene, setting "the wider historical context" frame of reference, contextual relationship; text, subject, theme, topic "a quote taken out of context" The parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning. "word processing is affected by the context in which words appear"

*couture*

*the design and manufacture of fashionable clothes to a client's specific requirements and measurements. fashionable made-to-measure clothes.* "they were dressed in size eight printed-silk couture"

*peripatetic*

*traveling from place to place, especially working or based in various places for relatively short periods.* "the peripatetic nature of military life" synonyms: nomadic, itinerant, traveling, wandering, roving, roaming, migrant, migratory, unsettled "I could never get used to her peripatetic lifestyle" a person who travels from place to place.

*itinerate*

*traveling from place to place.* "itinerant traders" synonyms: traveling, peripatetic, wandering, roving, roaming, touring, saddlebag, nomadic, gypsy, migrant, vagrant, vagabond, of no fixed address "itinerant traders" a person who travels from place to place. synonyms: traveler, wanderer, roamer, rover, nomad, gypsy, migrant, transient, drifter, vagabond, hobo, vagrant, tramp "an encampment of itinerants"

*logistics*

*the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities, or supplies.* noun "the logistics and costs of a vaccination campaign" synonyms: organization, planning, plans, management, arrangement, administration, orchestration, coordination, execution, handling, running "the logistics of deploying forces in the field" Military *the organization of moving, housing, and supplying troops and equipment.* *the commercial activity of transporting goods to customers.* "Germany's largest beverage logistics organization" When you sit down to plan a party and work out how many cups you need, where you'll put the chairs, and what time you'll start cooking, you are working out the logistics — the necessary details. Logistics can describe difficult, technical operations. Many colleges have departments of logistics, which teach students how to plan for complicated events, like wars. The term is often used in military contexts to describe how to get soldiers to a certain place with enough food, toilet paper, guns, ammunition, and transportation. You'll often hear logistics used in regular speech to describe any effort that requires some prior planning — even if it's just the logistics of picking someone up at the airport. handling an operation that involves providing labor and materials be supplied as needed Type of: provision, supply, supplying the activity of supplying or providing something

*nomenclature*

*the devising or choosing of names for things, especially in a science or other discipline.* *the body or system of names in a particular field.* noun "the nomenclature of chemical compounds" formal: the term or terms applied to someone or something. ""customers" was preferred to the original nomenclature "passengers."" a set or system of names or terms used in a particular community, science, or art; names or terms comprising a set or system

*pith*

*the essence of something.* "a book that he considered contained the pith of all his work" synonyms: essence, main point, fundamentals, heart, substance, nub, core, quintessence, crux, gist, meat, kernel, marrow, burden; informal: nitty-gritty "the pith of the argument" Pith is the central idea or essence of something. If you're in danger, you could exclaim, "I would greatly appreciate it if someone would provide assistance." Or, you could get right to the pith of your point by shouting, "Help!" In botanical terminology, pith refers to a spongy, central cylinder of tissue found inside the stems of most flowering plants. If you know a lot about plants, that fact should help you remember the primary definition of pith. If not, just take our word for it. You can think about the pith of an argument like the pith of a plant: both lie at the heart or core of something. the choicest or most essential or most vital part of some idea or experience Synonyms: center, centre, core, essence, gist, heart, heart and soul, inwardness, kernel, marrow, meat, nitty-gritty, nub, substance, sum Types: show 5 types... Type of: cognitive content, content, mental object the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned

*contempt*

*the feeling that a person or a thing is beneath consideration, worthless, or deserving scorn.* "he showed his contempt for his job by doing it very badly" synonyms: scorn, disdain, disrespect, scornfulness, contemptuousness, derision; disgust, loathing, hatred, abhorrence "she regarded him with contempt" *disregard for something that should be taken into account.* "this action displays an arrogant contempt for the wishes of the majority" synonyms: disrespect, disregard, slighting "he is guilty of contempt of court" *the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful of a court of law and its officers.*

*disdain*

*the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect; contempt.* "her upper lip curled in disdain" synonyms: contempt, scorn, scornfulness, contemptuousness, derision, disrespect; disparagement, condescension, superciliousness, hauteur, haughtiness, arrogance, snobbishness, indifference, distaste, dislike, disgust "she looked at him with disdain" antonyms: respect *consider to be unworthy of one's consideration.* verb "gamblers disdain four-horse races" synonyms: scorn, deride, pour scorn on, regard with contempt, sneer at, sniff at, curl one's lip at, look down one's nose at, look down on; despise; informal: turn up one's nose at, pooh-pooh "she disdained vulgar exhibitionism"

*calumny*

*the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander.* synonyms: slander, defamation (of character), character assassination, libel; vilification, traducement, obloquy, verbal abuse; informal: mudslinging, trash-talk; "voters were tired of the candidates' endless barrage of calumny" a false and slanderous statement.

*acme*

*the point at which someone or something is best, perfect, or most successful.* "physics is the acme of scientific knowledge" synonyms: peak, pinnacle, zenith, height, high point, crown, crest, summit, top, apex, apogee; climax, culmination "the acme of her career" antonyms: nadir

*divergence*

*the process or state of diverging.* "the divergence between primates and other groups" synonyms: separation, dividing, parting, forking, bifurcation "the divergence of the human and ape lineages" *a difference or conflict in opinions, interests, wishes, etc. "a fundamental divergence of attitude" synonyms: difference, dissimilarity, variance, disparity; More *disagreement, incompatibility, mismatch* "a marked political divergence" *deviation, digression, departure, shift, straying;* *variation, change, alteration* "divergence from standard behavior"

*euphony*

*the quality of being pleasing to the ear, especially through a harmonious combination of words.*

*patronize*

*treat with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority.* verb "She's a good-hearted girl," he said in a patronizing voice" synonyms: treat condescendingly, condescend to, look down on, talk down to, put down, treat like a child, treat with disdain "don't patronize me!" condescending, disdainful, supercilious, superior, imperious, scornful, contemptuous; informal: uppity, high and mighty "your patronizing mother just told me how "adequate" my dress is" Simple Definition of patronize - 1: to give money or support to (someone or something) - 2: to talk to (someone) in a way that shows that you believe you are more intelligent or better than other people - 3: to be a frequent or regular customer or user of (a place)

*ossify*

*turn into bone or bony tissue.* verb "these tracheal cartilages may ossify" synonyms: turn into bone, become bony, calcify, harden, solidify, rigidify, petrify "the cartilage may ossify" *cease developing; be stagnant or rigid.* "ossified political institutions" synonyms: become inflexible, become rigid, fossilize, calcify, rigidify, stagnate "the old political institutions have ossified"

*tenacity*

*the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly; grip.* "the sheer tenacity of the limpet" synonyms: persistence, determination, perseverance, doggedness, strength of purpose, tirelessness, indefatigability, resolution, resoluteness, resolve, firmness, patience, purposefulness, staunchness, steadfastness, staying power, endurance, stamina, stubbornness, intransigence, obstinacy, obduracy, pertinacity "she practices her gymnastics routine with the tenacity of a bulldog" *the quality or fact of being very determined; determination.* "you have to admire the tenacity of these two guys" *the quality or fact of continuing to exist; persistence.* "the tenacity of certain myths within the historical record" Most people will tell you that tenacity is a great quality to have, especially if you're trying something challenging that takes a while to complete. Odds are, the people you admire have shown real tenacity in achieving their goals. Anything really worth doing takes persistence, perseverance, and stubborn determination. Being a great baseball player requires real gifts, no doubt, but even the most gifted player won't make it to the big leagues without the tenacity required to make the long, hard journey up from the minors. Tenacity is the quality displayed by someone who just won't quit — who keeps trying until they reach their goal. persistent determination Synonyms: doggedness, perseverance, persistence, persistency, pertinacity, tenaciousness Type of: determination, purpose the quality of being determined to do or achieve something; firmness of purpose

*value*

*the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.* noun "your support is of great value" synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail; importance, significance "the value of adequate preparation cannot be understated" the material or monetary worth of something. "prints seldom rise in value" synonyms: price, cost, worth; market price, monetary value, face value "houses exceeding $250,000 in value" the worth of something compared to the price paid or asked for it. "at $12.50 the book is a good value" *a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.* "they internalize their parents' rules and values" synonyms: principles, ethics, moral code, morals, standards, code of behavior "society's values are passed on to us as children" *the numerical amount denoted by an algebraic term; a magnitude, quantity, or number.* "the mean value of x" verb 1. estimate the monetary worth of (something). "his estate was valued at $45,000" synonyms: evaluate, assess, estimate, appraise, price, put/set a price on *consider (someone or something) to be important or beneficial; have a high opinion of.* "she had come to value her privacy and independence" synonyms: think highly of, have a high opinion of, hold in high regard, rate highly, esteem, set (great) store by, put stock in, appreciate, respect; Moreprize, cherish, treasure "she valued his opinion" cherished, treasured, dear, prized; esteemed, respected, highly regarded, appreciated, important "this is my most valued piece of crystal"

*tautology*

*the saying of the same thing twice in different words, generally considered to be a fault of style (e.g., they arrived one after the other in succession).* noun synonyms: pleonasm, repetition, reiteration, redundancy, superfluity, duplication "avoid such tautology as "let's all work together, everyone, as a team" by saying simply "let's work together"" a phrase or expression in which the same thing is said twice in different words. - Logic a statement that is true by necessity or by virtue of its logical form.

*knell*

*the sound of a bell, especially when rung solemnly for a death or funeral.* noun synonyms: toll, tolling, dong, resounding, reverberation; death knell; "the knell of the ship's bell" *used in reference to an announcement, event, or sound that warns of the end of something.* "the decision will probably toll the knell for the facility" synonyms: end, beginning of the end, death knell, death warrant "this sounded the knell for the project" verb (of a bell) ring solemnly, especially for a death or funeral. proclaim (something) by or as if by a knell.

*vexation*

*the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried.* "Jenny bit her lip in vexation" synonyms: annoyance, irritation, exasperation, indignation, anger, crossness, displeasure, pique, bile, disgruntlement, bad mood; informal: aggravation "she stamped her foot in vexation" *something that causes annoyance, frustration, or worry.* "the cares and vexations of life" vex verb make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters. "the memory of the conversation still vexed him" synonyms: annoy, irritate, anger, infuriate, exasperate, irk, gall, pique, put out, antagonize, nettle, get on someone's nerves, ruffle someone's feathers, rattle someone's cage, make someone's hackles rise, rub the wrong way; informal: aggravate, peeve, miff, rile, needle, get (to), bug, get someone's goat, get someone's back up, get someone's dander up, tee off, tick off, burn up, rankle "Alice was vexed by his remarks" archaic cause distress to. "thou shalt not vex a stranger"

*etymology*

*the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history* noun

*apparatus*

*the technical equipment or machinery needed for a particular activity or purpose.* "laboratory apparatus" synonyms: equipment, gear, rig, tackle, gadgetry; appliance, instrument, machine, mechanism, device, contraption, gadget, gizmo, doohickey "laboratory apparatus" *a complex structure within an organization or system.* "the apparatus of government" synonyms: structure, system, framework, organization, network "the apparatus of government"

*solipsism*

*the view or theory that the self is all that can be known to exist.* Solipsism is the philosophical theory that what's in your mind is the only reality that can be known and verified. Solipsism comes from the Latin words for alone (sol) and self (ipse), and means that only the self is real. In metaphysical solipsism, your mind is the only thing that's real, and everything else is just a representation. In epistemological solipsism, there might be a world outside your mind, which you could detect with your senses, but it's impossible to prove. In methodological solipsism the self is the only proper starting point for exploring the nature of reality.

*rarefy*

*to become rare or less dense; become thinned* to make more subtle or refined

*brook*

*tolerate or allow (something, typically dissent or opposition).* "Jenny would brook no criticism of Matthew" synonyms: tolerate, allow, stand, bear, abide, put up with, endure; accept, permit, countenance; informal: stomach, stand for, hack; archaic: suffer "we brook no violence"

*immutable*

*unchanging over time or unable to be changed.* "an immutable fact" synonyms:fixed, set, rigid, inflexible, permanent, established, carved in stone; unchanging, unchanged, unvarying, unvaried, static, constant, lasting, enduring, steadfast "the subtext of the liturgy had always been God's immutable power" --- If you can't change it, it's immutable. There are many things in life that are immutable; these unchangeable things include death, taxes, and the laws of physics. The adjective immutable has Latin roots that mean "not changeable." The Latin prefix for not is in, but the spelling changes when the prefix is put before the consonant m. It is im before a root word starting with m as in immutable. If you learn this rule, you'll know the immutable fact that immutable begins with i-m-m. Not subject or susceptible to change or variation in form or quality or nature In object-oriented and functional programming, an immutable object is an object whose state cannot be modified after it is created

*arcane*

*understood by few; mysterious or secret.* "modern math and its arcane notation" synonyms: mysterious, secret; enigmatic, esoteric, cryptic, obscure, abstruse, recondite, recherché, impenetrable, opaque "processes as old and arcane as the language of the law" Something arcane is understood or known by only a few people. Almost everyone knows the basics of baseball, but only an elite few possess the arcane knowledge of its history that marks the true fan. A near synonym is esoteric, as in remote information or knowledge. Experts in academic fields often show off the depth of their knowledge by mentioning some arcane and esoteric fact as if it was common for everyone to know. The origin of arcane is Latin arcānus "secret, closed," from arca "a chest, box." Arcana (singular arcanum) are pieces of mysterious knowledge or information. requiring secret or mysterious knowledge "the arcane science of dowsing" Synonyms: esoteric confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle

*intransigent*

*unwilling or refusing to change one's views or to agree about something.* synonyms: uncompromising, inflexible, unbending, unyielding, diehard, unshakable, unwavering, resolute, rigid, unaccommodating, uncooperative, stubborn, obstinate, obdurate, pigheaded, single-minded, iron-willed, stiff-necked "the regime remained intransigent in its opposition to wider participation in the political process" antonyms: compliant

*parsimonious*

*unwilling to spend money or use resources; stingy or frugal.* adjective "parsimonious New Hampshire voters, who have a phobia about taxes" synonyms: cheap, miserly, mean, niggardly, close-fisted, close, penny-pinching, ungenerous, Scroogelike; informaltightfisted, cheeseparing, tight, stingy, mingy; formal: penurious "Lou's parsimonious mother was horrified by his lavish spending" antonyms: generous

*gossamer*

*used to refer to something very light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate.* "in the light from the table lamp, his hair was blond gossamer" synonyms: gauzy, gossamery, fine, diaphanous, delicate, filmy, floaty, chiffony, cobwebby, wispy, thin, light, insubstantial, flimsy; translucent, transparent, see-through, sheer "a gossamer veil"

*magniloquent*

*using high-flown or bombastic language.* If you want to impress people, you might try using magniloquent language. That is, fancy and flowery language. For instance, you could use the word magniloquent, which come to think of it, is a magniloquent word itself. Magniloquent may remind you of the word eloquent, which describes a way of speaking that is articulate, persuasive, and carefully chosen. Magniloquent shares the Latin root loqui, "speak," with eloquent and also describes a way of speaking. However, magniloquent describes speech that sounds very intelligent and important, but may in fact have little substance. Another adjective that sounds similar and conveys the same meaning is grandiloquent. Other synonyms include bombastic, pompous, and highfalutin. lofty in style Synonyms: grandiloquent, tall rhetorical given to rhetoric, emphasizing style at the expense of thought

*adept*

*very skilled or proficient at something.* "he is adept at cutting through red tape" synonyms: expert, proficient, accomplished, skillful, talented, masterly, masterful, consummate,virtuoso; adroit, dexterous, deft, artful; brilliant, splendid, marvelous, formidable,outstanding, first-rate, first-class, excellent, fine; informal: great, top-notch, tip-top,A1, ace, mean, hotshot, crack, nifty, deadly; informal: crackerjack "an adept negotiator" antonyms: inept *a person who is skilled or proficient at something.* "they are adepts at kung fu and karate"synonyms:expert, past master, master, genius, maestro, doyen, virtuoso; informal: wizard,demon, ace, hotshot, whiz, maven, crackerjack "figure-skating adepts" antonyms: amate

*tenuous*

*very weak or slight* very slender or fine; insubstantial.

*trenchant*

*vigorous or incisive in expression or style.* "she heard angry voices, not loud, yet certainly trenchant" synonyms: incisive, penetrating, sharp, keen, insightful, acute, focused, shrewd, razor-sharp, piercing; More antonyms: vague archaic: literary (of a weapon or tool) having a sharp edge. "a trenchant blade"

*voracious*

*wanting or devouring great quantities of food.* "he had a voracious appetite" synonyms: insatiable, unquenchable, unappeasable, prodigious, uncontrollable, compulsive, gluttonous, greedy, rapacious; enthusiastic, eager, keen, avid, desirous, hungry, ravenous; informal: piggish; rare: esurient "her voracious appetite" having a very eager approach to an activity. "his voracious reading of literature"

*indolent*

*wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy.* synonyms: lazy, idle, slothful, loafing, do-nothing, sluggardly, shiftless, lackadaisical, languid, inactive, underactive, inert, sluggish, lethargic, torpid; slack, good-for-nothing, feckless "those who choose to remain aimless and indolent will never benefit from our self-help programs" antonyms: industrious, energetic MEDICINE (of a disease condition) causing little or no pain. (especially of an ulcer) slow to develop, progress, or heal; persistent.

*circumspect*

*wary and unwilling to take risks.* adjective "the officials were very circumspect in their statements" synonyms: cautious, wary, careful, chary, guarded, on one's guard; watchful, alert, attentive, heedful, vigilant, leery; informal: cagey, playing one's cards close to one's chest "she would have to be circumspect in her dealings with Catherine" *heedful of potential consequences* "circumspect actions" "physicians are now more circumspect about recommending its use" Synonyms: discreet, prudent, careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment If you are circumspect, you think carefully before doing or saying anything. A good quality in someone entrusted with responsibility, though sometimes boring in a friend. Near synonyms are prudent and cautious, though circumspect implies a careful consideration of all circumstances and a desire to avoid mistakes and bad consequences. The word circumspect was borrowed from Latin circumspectus, from circumspicere "to be cautious." The basic meaning of Latin circumspicere is "to look around."

*felicitous*

*well chosen or suited to the circumstances.* "a felicitous phrase" synonyms: apt, well chosen, fitting, suitable, appropriate, apposite, pertinent, germane, relevant "his nickname was particularly felicitous" antonyms: inappropriate *pleasing and fortunate.* "the view was the room's only felicitous feature" synonyms: favorable, advantageous, good, pleasing "the room's only felicitous feature" antonyms: unfortunate

*propitiate*

*win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them.* "the pagans thought it was important to propitiate the gods with sacrifices" synonyms: appease, placate, mollify, pacify, make peace with, conciliate, make amends to, soothe, calm "my attempts to propitiate you are useless" antonyms: provoke

*artless*

*without guile or deception.* "an artless, naive girl" *without effort or pretentiousness; natural and simple.* "an artless literary masterpiece" synonyms: natural, ingenuous, naive, simple, innocent, childlike, guileless; candid, open, sincere, unaffected "there is a no-nonsense, artless flavor to his memoirs" *without skill or finesse.* "her awkward, artless prose"

*proclivity*

A tendency to choose or do something regularly; an inclination or predisposition toward a particular thing. noun "a proclivity for hard work" synonyms: inclination, tendency, leaning, disposition, proneness, propensity, bent, bias, penchant, predisposition;predilection, partiality, liking, preference, taste, fondness, weakness "his sexual proclivities are none of your business"

*Paamayim Nekudotayim*

Huh? If you seen these two words before, you're a PHP developer, and you've just gotten an error message with these two words embedded in the error message. It usually looks something like this: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM..." *Paamayim nekudotayim is Hebrew for "double colon."* The words were used by the two original Israeli developers of PHP, Andi Gutmans and Zeev Suraski, for the scope resolution operator, "::". The first time you run across it in an error message, it throws you for a curve, what the heck? As you continue to develop in PHP, you find the two words are so distinctive, that you instantly recognize the error message, and you instantly know how to correct the error. As a result, the words have persisted as the scope resolution error message in PHP since it was first used in PHP 3 back in 1997. What is a scope resolution operator? It looks like this when your coding, ::, and it is used when you want to use a static method. Let's use an example, here's a class... class AnimalSounds { public static function DogBark() { $bark = "woof, woof, "; $numberofBarks = 4; while ($numberOfBarks > 0 ) { echo $bark; $numberofBarks--; } } } Since we've made the method DogBark() a static method, we can call the method from anywhere in our application by doing this. AnimalSounds::DogBark(); The result would be: woof,woof,woof,woof,woof,woof,woof,woof, All's well and good. This is the proper use of the paamayim nekudotayim, ::, scope resolution operator. It's used with static methods and can be used without instantiating a class. Knowing what the words mean "::" can instantly clue you in to the error condition. If you use a :: and you were supposed to use a ->. In the above example, if the DogBark() method was not static and you called it with :: when you should have instantiated the object and called it with a ->, you'll get this error: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM". This same error message will also occur if you forget and use a $ sign, as if the class was a variable, in the above example, like so: $AnimalSounds::DogBark(); This will give you the same error message: "Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM". In this case, because of the $, PHP thought that AnimalSounds was a variable instead of a class, and when it ran into ::, it threw the unexpected T_PAAMAYIM_NEKUDOTAYIM error. By the way, the T_ in the error message stands for "token." You'll find this with other PHP error messages. It's just the way PHP finds errors. When the Paamayim Nekudotayim error occurs, look for somewhere in your code where you've used a :: for the cause of the problem. You'll get so you instantly know what the problem is, and grow to appreciate the Paamayim Nekudotayim error message.

*cemetery vs. graveyard*

Some people think graveyard and cemetery mean the same, but, if we want to be a little nitpicky, we should say that graveyard is a type of cemetery, but a cemetery is usually not a graveyard. To understand the difference, we need a little bit of history. From about the 7th century, the process of burial was firmly in the hands of the Church (meaning the organization), and burying the dead was only allowed on the lands near a church (now referring to the building), the so-called churchyard. The part of the churchyard used for burial is called graveyard, an example of which you can see in the picture. As the population of Europe started to grow, the capacity of graveyards was no longer sufficient (the population of modern Europe is almost 40 times higher than it was in the 7th century). By the end of the 18th century, the unsustainability of church burials became apparent, and completely new places, independent of graveyards, were devised—and these were called cemeteries. The etymology of the two words is also quite intriguing. The origin of "graveyard" is rather obvious; it is a yard filled with graves. However, you might be surprised to hear that "grave" comes from Proto-Germanic *graban, meaning "to dig", and is unrelated to "gravel". Of course, the word "cemetery" did not appear out of the blue when graveyards started to burst at the seams. It comes from Old French cimetiere, which meant, well, graveyard. Nevertheless, the French word originally comes from Greek koimeterion, meaning "a sleeping place". Isn't that poetic?