100 words to Impress an Examiner!

rife

(adj.) abundant (Surprisingly, the teacher's writing was V with spelling errors.)

flabbergasted

(adj.) astounded (Whenever I read an Agatha Christie mystery novel, I am always V when I learn the identity of the murderer.)

intrepid

(adj.) brave in the face of danger (After scaling a live volcano prior to its eruption, the explorer was praised for his V attitude.)

impudent

(adj.) casually rude, insolent, impertinent (The V young woman looked her teacher up and down and told him he was hot.)

circumspect

(adj.) cautious (Though I promised Marta's father I would bring her home promptly by midnight, it would have been more Vnot to have specified a time.)

quaint

(adj.) charmingly old-fashioned (Mary was delighted by the V bonnets she saw in Romania.)

incisive

(adj.) clear, sharp, direct (The discussion wasn't going anywhere until V comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.)

myriad

(adj.) consisting of a very great number (It was difficult to decide what to do on Saturday night because the city presented us with V possibilities for fun.)

venerable

(adj.) deserving of respect because of age or achievement (The V High Court judge had made several key rulings in landmark cases throughout the years.)

haughty

(adj.) disdainfully proud (The superstar's V dismissal of her co-stars will backfire on her someday.)

superfluous

(adj.) exceeding what is necessary (Samantha had already won the campaign so her constant flattery of others was V.)

brazen

(adj.) excessively bold, brash, clear and obvious (Critics condemned the writer's V attempt to plagiarise Frankow-Czerwonko's work.)

obsequious

(adj.) excessively compliant or submissive (Donald acted like Susan's servant, obeying her every request in an V manner.)

impeccable

(adj.) exemplary, flawless (If your grades were as V as your brother's, then you too would receive a car for a graduation present.)

eloquent

(adj.) expressive, articulate, moving (The best man gave such an V speech that most guests were crying.)

meticulous

(adj.) extremely careful with details (The ornate needlework in the bride's gown was a product of V handiwork.)

jubilant

(adj.) extremely joyful, happy (The crowd was V when the firefighter carried the woman from the flaming building.)

amiable

(adj.) friendly (An V fellow, Neil got along with just about everyone.)

lurid

(adj.) ghastly, sensational (Barry's story, in which he described a character torturing his neighbour's tortoise, was judged too V to be published on the English Library's website.)

morose

(adj.) gloomy or sullen (David's V nature made him very unpleasant to talk to.)

lithe

(adj.) graceful, flexible, supple (Although the dancers were all outstanding, Joanna's control of her V body was particularly impressive.)

callous

(adj.) harsh, cold, unfeeling (The murderer's V lack of remorse shocked the jury.)

rash

(adj.) hasty, incautious (It's best to think things over calmly and thoroughly, rather than make V decisions.)

innate

(adj.) inborn, native, inherent (His incredible athletic talent is V, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.)

implacable

(adj.) incapable of being appeased or mitigated (Watch out: once you shun Grandmother's cooking, she is totally V.)

insatiable

(adj.) incapable of being satisfied (My V appetite for blondes was a real problem on my recent holiday in Japan!)

cumulative

(adj.) increasing, building upon itself (The V effect of hours spent using the World English website was a vast improvement in his vocabulary and general level of English.)

oblivious

(adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something (V to the burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late.)

obtuse

(adj.) lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect (Political opponents warned that the prime minister's V approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.)

indolent

(adj.) lazy (Why should my V children, who can't even pick themselves up off the sofa to pour their own juice, be rewarded with a trip to Burger King?)

erudite

(adj.) learned (My English teacher is such an V scholar that he has translated some of the most difficult and abstruse Old English poetry.)

coherent

(adj.) logically consistent, intelligible (William could not figure out what Harold had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a V statement.)

vociferous

(adj.) loud, boisterous (I'm tired of his V whining so I'm breaking up with him.)

taciturn

(adj.) not inclined to talk (Though Magda never seems to stop talking, her brother is quite V.)

inept

(adj.) not suitable or capable, unqualified (She proved how V she was when she forgot two orders and spilled a pint of cider in a customer's lap.)

arcane

(adj.) obscure, secret, known only by a few (The professor is an expert in V Kashubian literature.)

elated

(adj.) overjoyed, thrilled (When he found out he had won the lottery, the postman was V.)

demure

(adj.) quiet, modest, reserved (Though everyone else at the party was dancing and going crazy, she remained V.)

truculent

(adj.) ready to fight, cruel (This club doesn't really attract the dangerous types, so why was that bouncer being so V?)

impertinent

(adj.) rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so V that I don't wish to dignify them with an answer.)

clandestine

(adj.) secret (Announcing to her boyfriend that she was going to the library, Maria actually went to meet George for a V liaison.)

furtive

(adj.) secretive, sly (Claudia's placement of her drugs in her sock drawer was not as V as she thought, as the sock drawer is the first place most parents look.)

staid

(adj.) sedate, serious, self-restrained (The V butler never changed his expression no matter what happened.)

insular

(adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for MI5 must remain V and generally only spend time with each other.)

brusque

(adj.) short, abrupt, dismissive (Simon's V manner sometimes offends his colleagues.)

diligent

(adj.) showing care in doing one's work (The V researcher made sure to double check her measurements.)

deferential

(adj.) showing respect for another's authority (Donata is always excessively V to any kind of authority figure.)

salient

(adj.) significant, conspicuous (One of the V differences between Alison and Helen is that Alison is a couple of kilos heavier.)

inveterate

(adj.) stubbornly established by habit (I'm the first to admit that I'm an V cider drinker—I drink four pints a day.)

nominal

(adj.) trifling, insignificant (Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Kim sold everything for a V price.)

fractious

(adj.) troublesome or irritable (Although the child insisted he wasn't tired, his V behaviour - especially his decision to crush his jam sandwiches all over the floor - convinced everyone present that it was time to put him to bed.)

gratuitous

(adj.) uncalled for, unwarranted (Every evening the guy at the fish and chip shop gives me a V helping of vinegar.)

wanton

(adj.) undisciplined, lewd, lustful (Joanna's V demeanor often made the frat guys next door very excited.)

feral

(adj.) wild, savage (That beast looks so V that I would fear being alone with it.)

novice

(n.) a beginner, someone without training or experience (Because we were all V at archery, our instructor decided to begin with the basics

perusal

(n.) a careful examination, review (The actor agreed to accept the role after a three-month V of the movie script.)

maxim

(n.) a common saying expressing a principle of conduct (Ms. Stone's etiquette V are both entertaining and instructional.)

confidant

(n.) a person entrusted with secrets (Shortly after we met, he became my chief V.)

predilection

(n.) a preference or inclination for something (James has a V for eating toad in the whole with tomato ketchup.)

panacea

(n.) a remedy for all ills or difficulties (Doctors wish there was a single V for every disease, but sadly there is not.)

parody

(n.) a satirical imitation (A hush fell over the classroom when the teacher returned to find Magdalena acting out a V of his teaching style.)

nuance

(n.) a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression (The V of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the teacher was able to point them out.)

modicum

(n.) a small amount of something (Refusing to display even a V of sensitivity, Magda announced her boss's affair to the entire office.)

penchant

(n.) a tendency, partiality, preference (Fiona's dinner parties quickly became monotonous on account of her V for Indian dishes.)

plethora

(n.) an abundance, excess (The wedding banquet included a V of oysters piled almost three feet high.)

maverick

(n.) an independent, nonconformist person (John is a real V and always does things his own way.)

alacrity

(n.) eagerness, speed (For some reason, Simon loved to help his girlfriend whenever he could, so when his girlfriend asked him to set the table he did so with V.)

avarice

(n.) excessive greed (The banker's V led him to amass an enormous personal fortune.)

candor

(n.) honesty, frankness (We were surprised by the V of the politician's speech because she is usually rather evasive.)

enmity

(n.) ill will, hatred, hostility (John and Scott have clearly not forgiven each other, because the V between them is obvious to anyone in their presence.)

serendipity

(n.) luck, finding good things without looking for them (In an amazing bit of V, penniless Mark found a $50 bill on the back seat of the bus.)

infamy

(n.) notoriety, extreme ill repute (The V of his crime will not lessen as time passes.)

sycophant

(n.) one who flatters for self-gain (Some see the people in the cabinet as the Prime Minister's closest advisors, but others see them as V.)

despot

(n.) one who has total power and rules brutally (The V issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws.)

gluttony

(n.) overindulgence in food or drink (Helen's fried chicken tastes so divine, I don't know how anyone can call V a sin.)

hypocrisy

(n.) pretending to believe what one does not (Once the politician began passing legislation that contradicted his campaign promises, his V became apparent.)

umbrage

(n.) resentment, offence (He called me a lily-livered coward, and I took V at the insult.)

complacency

(n.) self-satisfied ignorance of danger (Simon tried to shock his friends out of their V by painting a frightening picture of what might happen to them.)

empathy

(n.) sensitivity to another's feelings as if they were one's own (I feel such V for my dog when she's upset so am I!)

aberration

(n.) something that differs from the norm (In 1974, Poland won the World Cup, but the success turned out to be an V, and Poland have not won a World Cup since).

nadir

(n.) the lowest point of something (My day was boring, but the V came when my new car was stolen.)

knell

(n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (Echoing throughout our village, the funeral V made the grey day even more grim.)

acquiesce

(v.) to agree without protesting (Though Mr. Pospieszny wanted to stay outside and work in his garage, when his wife told him that he had better come in to dinner, he V to her demands.)

appease

(v.) to calm, satisfy (When Jerry cries, his mother gives him chocolate to V him.)

vex

(v.) to confuse or annoy (My boyfriend V me by pinching my bottom for hours on end.)

decry

(v.) to criticize openly (Andrzej Lepper, the leader of the Polish Self Defence party V the appaling state of Polish roads.)

forsake

(v.) to give up, renounce (I won't V my conservative principles.)

abhor

(v.) to hate, detest (Because he always wound up getting hit in the head when he tried to play cricket, Marcin began to V the sport).

deride

(v.) to laugh at mockingly, scorn (The native speaker often V the other teacher's accent.)

debase

(v.) to lower the quality or esteem of something (The large raise that he gave himself V his motives for running the charity.)

coerce

(v.) to make somebody do something by force or threat (The court decided that David Beckham did not have to honor the contract because he had been V into signing it.)

fabricate

(v.) to make up, invent (When I arrived an hour late to class, I V some excuse about my car breaking down on the way to work.)

connive

(v.) to plot, scheme (She V to get me to give up my plans to start up a new business.)

extol

(v.) to praise, revere (Kamila V the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving boyfriend.)

inhibit

(v.) to prevent, restrain, stop (When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to V you from going out.)

repudiate

(v.) to reject, refuse to accept (Tom made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother V it with a few biting words.)

refurbish

(v.) to restore, clean up (After being V the old Triumph motorcycle commanded the handsome price of $6000.)

embezzle

(v.) to steal money by falsifying records (The accountant was fired for V €10,000 of the company's funds.)

cajole

(v.) to urge, coax (Magda's friends V her into drinking too much.)

chide

(v.) to voice disapproval (Hania V Gregory for his vulgar habits and sloppy appearance.)