GRE Vocabulary Words [Magoosh Common Words]

disaffected

adjective: discontented as toward authority; no longer satisfied or supporting an organisation or idea synonyms : ill-affected , malcontent , rebellious After watching his superior take rations from the soldiers, he quickly became ________________ and rebelled.

forthcoming

adjective: available when required or as promised The President announced that the senators were about to reach a compromise, and that he was eager to read the _____________________ details of the bill. adjective: at ease in talking to others synonyms : extroverted , outgoing As a husband, Larry was not _______________: if Jill didn't demand to know details, Larry would never share them with her.

reticent

adjective: disinclined to talk (of a person), not revealing one's thoughts synonym : untalkative When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather ________________.

querulous

adjective: habitually complaining synonyms : fretful , whiney , whiny The ____________ old woman was beginning to wear down even the happier members of the staff with her ceaseless complaining.

economical

adjective: avoiding waste, efficient synonyms : frugal , scotch , sparing , stinting Journalists favor an ___________________ style of writing, in which no unnecessary words are used and every sentence is as short as possible.

arbitrary

adjective: based on a random, groundless decision One of the ___________________-- decrees in place during the emperor's rule is that all citizens pay him weekly homage at his palace.

taciturn

adjective: habitually reserved and uncommunicative While the CEO enthusiastically shares his plans and agenda with all who will listen, the CFO is far more __________________, rarely revealing his perspective.

deleterious

adjective: harmful to living things synonyms : hurtful , injurious The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was ___________________ to the fishing industry in the southern states.

innocuous

adjective: harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects Synonym : unobjectionable Everyone found Nancy's banter ______________except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

pragmatic

adjective: guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory synonyms : matter-of-fact , pragmatical Rather than make a philosophical appeal to the Congressmen, the Speaker decided to take a far more _________________ approach, making small side-deals that would add votes to his bill.

specious

adjective: based on pretense; deceptively pleasing synonyms : gilded , meretricious Almost every image on TV is __________________ and not to be trusted. adjective: plausible but false synonym : spurious He made a career out of _____________________ arguments and fictional lab results, but lost his job and reputation when his lies were exposed by an article in The New York Times.

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold synonyms: fresh , impudent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer's questions _____________—after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline's favorite snack was?

tantamount

adjective: being essentially equal to something synonym : equivalent In many situations, remaining silent is ________________ to admitting guilt, so speak to prove your innocence.

rudimentary

adjective: being in the earliest stages of development; being or involving basic facts or principles I would love to be able to present a fully polished proposal to the board, but right now, our plans for the product are still in the most ________________ stages.

laconic

adjective: (describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words synonyms : crisp , curt , terse While Martha always swooned over the hunky, __________________ types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative—and not very hunky.

mercurial

adjective: (of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood synonyms: volatile, capricious, fickle, erratic, quicksilver The fact that Ella's moods were as ______________ as the weather was problematic for her relationships—it didn't help that she lived in Chicago.

ignominious

adjective: (used of conduct or character) deserving or bringing disgrace or shame synonyms : black , disgraceful , inglorious , opprobrious , shameful Since the politician preached ethics and morality, his texting of revealing photographs was ______________________, bringing shame on both himself and his party.

unequivocal

adjective: admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion synonyms : unambiguous , univocal The President's first statement on the subject was vague and open to competing interpretations, so when he spoke to Congress about the same subject later, he was careful to make his position completely ____________________.

obsequious

adjective: attentive in an ingratiating or servile manner; attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery synonyms : bootlicking , fawning , sycophantic , toadyish The _________________ waiter did not give the couple a moment's peace all through the meal, constantly returning to their table to refill their water glasses and to tell them what a handsome pair they made.

inveterate

adjective: habitual; ingrained synonym : chronic He is an ________________ smoker and has told his family and friends that there is no way he will ever quit.

treacherous

adjective: betraying trust, not faithful or trustworthy; not dependable; dangerous or deceptive synonyms : perfidious , punic Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more for his ______________ actions than for eliminating a criminal and murderer. adjective: dangerously unstable and unpredictable synonym : unreliable The bridge built from twine and vine is ________________ to walk across, and so I think I will stay put right here.

provincial

adjective: characteristic of a limited perspective; not fashionable or sophisticated Maggie's enthusiasm about her high school teams seemed _____________________ to her college classmates, all of whom were following a nationally ranked college team.

belligerent

adjective: characteristic of one eager to fight synonym : aggressive Tom said that he was arguing the matter purely for philosophical reasons, but his _________________ tone indicated an underlying anger about the issue.

rustic

adjective: characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial synonyms : bumpkinly , hick , unsophisticated The vacation cabin had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences, Nigel adored its ___________________ charm.

scrupulous

adjective: characterized by extreme care and great effort synonyms : conscientious , painstaking Because of his ____________________ nature, Mary put him in charge of numbering and cataloging the entire collection of rare stamps. adjective: having a sense of right and wrong; principled Everyone trusted what he said and followed his example because he was ________________ and honest.

decorous

adjective: characterized by good taste in manners and conduct Sally's parties are _______________ affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is tea and intellectual conversation.

precocious

adjective: characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude) Though only seven years old, she was a ________________ chess prodigy, able to beat players twice her age.

gossamer

adjective: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy synonym: ethereal The ______________ wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate that they are often damaged.

winsome

adjective: charming in a childlike or naive way She was _________________ by nature, and many people were drawn to this free and playful spirit.

maladroit

adjective: clumsy As a child she was quite ________________, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer.

involved

adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend synonyms: convoluted, knotty antonyms: straightforward, simple The physics lecture became so _____________ that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over.

eclectic

adjective: comprised of a variety of styles Joey was known for his _______________ tastes in music, one moment dancing to disco the next "air conducting" along to Beethoven's 9th symphony.

aesthetic

adjective: concerned with the appreciation of beauty synonyms : aesthetical , esthetic , esthetical The director, not known for his _________________ sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at all, and put on the play in everyday clothing. noun: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement. synonyms : esthetic The artist operated according to a peculiar ________________, not considering any photograph to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.

esoteric

adjective: confined to and understandable by only an enlightened inner circle Map collecting is an __________________ hobby to most, but to geography geeks it is a highly enjoyable pastime.

equivocal

adjective: confusing or ambiguous synonym : ambiguous The findings of the study were ____________—the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified.

vociferous

adjective: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry synonyms : blatant , clamant , clamorous , strident In giving Marcia a particular _________________ response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around and look at them angrily.

iconoclastic

adjective: defying tradition or convention Jackson Pollock was an _________________--- artist, totally breaking with tradition by splashing paint on a blank canvas.

arduous

adjective: demanding considerable mental effort and skill; testing powers of endurance synonyms : backbreaking , grueling , gruelling , hard , heavy , laborious , operose , punishing , toilsome In order to deal with the ____________________ cross-country journey, truck drivers often survive on a string of caffeinated drinks, staying awake for up to 30 hours at a time.

stringent

adjective: demanding strict attention to rules and procedures synonyms : rigorous , tight Most of the students disliked the teacher because of his _________________ homework policy, but many students would later thank him for demanding so much from them.

implausible

adjective: describing a statement that is not believable The teacher found it ________________ that the student was late to school because he had been kidnapped by outlaws on horseback.

capricious

adjective: determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason synonyms : impulsive , whimsical Nearly every month our ______________________ CEO had a new plan to turn the company around, and none of them worked because we never gave them the time they needed to succeed.

recondite

adjective: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge synonyms : abstruse , deep I found Ulysses __________________ and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.

abstruse

adjective: difficult to understand; incomprehensible synonyms : deep , recondite Physics textbooks can seem so ________________ to the uninitiated that readers feel as though they are looking at hieroglyphics.

precipitous

adjective: done with very great haste and without due deliberation synonyms : hasty , overhasty , precipitant , precipitate Instead of calling his financial advisor, Harold acted ___________________, buying 4,000 shares of the latest "hot" stock, only to find out that the company had a history of inflating its year end numbers.

tractable

adjective: easily dealt with, controlled or persuaded synonym : manipulable Compared to middle school students, who have an untamed wildness about them, high school students are somewhat more ___________________.

petulant

adjective: easily irritated or annoyed over small issues synonyms : cranky , fractious , irritable , nettlesome , peckish , peevish , pettish , scratchy , techy , testy , tetchy Although the three year old was often described as mature for his age, he was ____________________ and whiny whenever his father forgot to remove the crust from his sandwiches.

amenable

adjective: easily persuaded synonym : conformable Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally _________________- and so her brother was able to persuade her to go camping.

poignant

adjective: emotionally touching synonyms : affecting , touching After the Montagues and Capulets discover the dead bodies of Romeo and Juliet, in the play's most __________________ moment, the two griefstricken families agree to end their feud once and for all.

edifying

adjective: enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage intellectual or moral improvement synonyms : enlightening I recently read an article in the Times about whether good literature is ________________ or not; specifically, does reading more make a person more moral.

pernicious

adjective: exceedingly harmful; working or spreading in a hidden and injurious way synonyms : baneful , deadly , pestilent; insidious , subtle The most successful viruses are __________________: an infected person may feel perfectly healthy for several months while incubating and spreading the virus.

avaricious

adjective: excessively greedy synonyms : covetous , grabby , grasping , greedy , prehensile Since __________________ desire is similar to gluttony or lust--sins of excess--it was listed as one of the seven deadly sins by the Catholic church.

artful

adjective: exhibiting artistic skill Picasso is generally considered the most _______________ member of the Cubist movement. adjective: clever in a cunning way synonym : disingenuous Bernie Madoff's ___________ Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.

dictatorial

adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler synonyms : authoritarian , overbearing The coach was ________________ in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.

pejorative

adjective: expressing disapproval (usually refers to a term) synonyms : dislogistic , dyslogistic Most psychologists object to the ____________________ term "shrink", believing that they expand the human mind, not limit it.

parsimonious

adjective: extremely frugal; miserly synonyms : penurious Katie is so ______________ that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them.

ravenous

adjective: extremely hungry; devouring or craving food in great quantities synonyms : esurient , famished , sharp-set , starved John didn't eat much at all during the week he had the flu, so now that he is regaining his health, it's not surprising that he has a _______________ appetite.

auspicious

adjective: favorable, the opposite of sinister; suggesting a positive and successful future Despite an ______________ beginning, Mike's road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

intrepid

adjective: fearless synonyms : audacious , brave , dauntless , fearless , hardy , unfearing Captain Ahab was an ______________ captain whose reckless and fearless style ultimately lead to his downfall.

reverent

adjective: feeling or showing profound respect or veneration The professor could speak objectively about the other composers, but he always lectured about Brahms with a particularly _____________ air, unable to offer a single criticism of his compositions.

staunch

adjective: firm and dependable especially in loyalty synonyms : steadfast , unswerving No longer a _______________ supporter of the movement, Todd now will openly question whether its goals are worthwhile.

entrenched

adjective: fixed firmly or securely; firmly established and unlikely or difficult to change; ingrained By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so ______________ that it is difficult for us to change.

quotidian

adjective: found in the ordinary course of events; daily or commonplace synonyms : everyday , mundane , routine , unremarkable , workaday Phil gets so involved thinking about Aristotle's arguments that he totally forgets ______________ concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.

impartial

adjective: free from undue bias or preconceived opinions synonym : unprejudiced The judge was not _________________ since he had been bribed by the witness's family.

guileless

adjective: free of deceit; innocent synonym : transparent At first I thought my niece was __________________, but I then found myself buying her ice cream every time we passed a shop.

jubilant

adjective: full of high-spirited delight because of triumph or success synonyms : exultant , exulting , prideful , rejoicing , triumphal , triumphant My hardwork paid off, and I was _______________ to receive a perfect score on the GRE.

jovial

adjective: full of or showing high-spirited merriment synonyms : gay , jocund , jolly , merry , mirthful The presidential candidate and her supporters were _________________ once it was clear that she had won.

garrulous

adjective: full of trivial conversation synonyms : chatty , gabby , loquacious , talkative , talky Lynne was ___________________: once, she had a fifteen minute conversation with a stranger before she realized the woman didn't speak English.

acerbic

adjective: harsh in tone; sour; harsh synonyms : acerb , acid , acrid , bitter , blistering , caustic , sulfurous , sulphurous , virulent , vitriolic Most movie critics are _________________ towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them as garbage.

incisive

adjective: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions synonyms : acute , discriminating , keen , knifelike , penetrating , penetrative , piercing , sharp The lawyer had an _____________ mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue and isolate the essential laws at play.

haughty

adjective: having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy synonyms : disdainful , imperious , lordly , overbearing , prideful , sniffy , supercilious , swaggering The _______________ manager didn't believe that any of his subordinates could ever have an insight as brilliant as his own.

erudite

adjective: having or showing profound knowledge synonym : learned Before the Internet, the library was typically where you would find ______________________ readers.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that one's own beliefs may not be correct synonyms : dogmatical Bryan is _________________ in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.

inimical

adjective: hostile (usually describes conditions or environments) synonym : unfriendly Venus, with a surface temperature that would turn rubber to liquid, is ________________ to any form of life.

restive

adjective: impatient or uneasy under the control of another; resisting being controlled; restless synonyms : edgy , high-strung , highly strung , jittery , jumpy , nervy , overstrung , uptight antonyms: calm, biddable, peaceable The crowd grew ____________ as the comedian's opening jokes fell flat.

incorrigible

adjective: impervious to correction by punishment Tom Sawyer seems like an __________________- youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even Sawyer can't match his fierce individual spirit.

inexorable

adjective: impossible to stop or prevent synonyms : grim , relentless , stern , unappeasable , unforgiving , unrelenting The rise of the computer was an ______________ shift in technology and culture.

impudent

adjective: improperly forward or bold synonyms : fresh , impertinent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise In an ____________ move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things to the judge.

copious

adjective: in abundant supply or more than enough synonym : voluminous In midsummer, there are ________________ popsicle stands at the beach; in the winter, there are none.

subversive

adjective: in opposition to an established system or institution. synonyms : insurgent , seditious The ruling political party has begun a campaign to shut down ____________________ websites that it deems as a threat to "national safety."

irrevocable

adjective: incapable of being retracted or revoked synonym : irrevokable Once you enter your plea to the court, it is ____________________ so think carefully about what you will say.

implacable

adjective: incapable of making less angry or hostile Win or lose, the coach was always ______________impugn, never giving the athletes an easy practice or a break.

soporific

adjective: inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing; causing sleep; sleepy, drowsy synonyms : hypnagogic , hypnogogic , somniferous , somnific , soporiferous Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a ________________ effect.

prolific

adjective: intellectually productive synonyms : fecund , fertile Schubert was the most __________________ composer, producing hundreds of hours of music before he died at the age of 31.

ostentatious

adjective: intended to attract notice and impress others; tawdry or vulgar; boastful showiness synonym : pretentious Matt wanted to buy stone lions for front of the house, but Cynthia convinced him that such a display would be too ___________________ for a modest house in an unassuming neighborhood.

didactic

adjective: intended to instruct; teaching, or teaching a moral lesson; instructive (especially excessively) synonym : didactical Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a _________________ novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.

wanting

adjective: lacking synonym: deficient She did not think her vocabulary was wanting, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn't know.

pedestrian

adjective: lacking imagination synonyms : earthbound , prosaic , prosy While Nan was always engaged in philosophical speculation, her brother was occupied with far more _____________________ concerns: how to earn a salary and run a household.

incongruous

adjective: lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness The vast economic inequality of modern society is _________________ with America's ideals.

bumbling

adjective: lacking physical movement skills, especially with the hands synonyms : bungling , butterfingered , ham-fisted , ham-handed , handless , heavy-handed , left-handed Within a week of starting, the ________________- new waiter was unceremoniously fired.

hackneyed

adjective: lacking significance through having been overused synonyms : banal , commonplace , old-hat , shopworn , stock , threadbare , timeworn , tired , trite , well-worn Cheryl rolled her eyes when she heard the lecturer's ________________ advice to "be true to yourself."

gauche

adjective: lacking social polish synonyms : graceless , unpolished Sylvester says the most _______________ things, such as telling a girl he liked that she was much prettier when she wore makeup.

transient

adjective: lasting a very short time The unpredictable and _________________ nature of deja vu makes it a very difficult phenomenon to study properly.

ephemeral

adjective: lasting a very short time synonyms : fugacious , passing , short-lived , transient , transitory The lifespan of a mayfly is _____________, lasting from a few hours to a couple of days.

apathetic

adjective: marked by a lack of interest synonym : indifferent Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally __________________ students took interest.

meticulous

adjective: marked by extreme care in treatment of details synonyms : punctilious The Japanese noodle maker was ______________ in making his noodles and would never let another person take over the task.

vehement

adjective: marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions synonyms : fierce , tearing , trigger-happy , violent While the other employees responded to the bad news in a measured way, Andrew responded in a _______________ manner, tipping over his desk and shouting at the top of his lungs.

haphazard

adjective: marked by great carelessness; dependent upon or characterized by chance synonyms : slapdash , slipshod , sloppy; hit-or-miss Many golf courses are designed with great care, but the greens on the county golf course seem entirely ___________________.

forlorn

adjective: marked by or showing hopelessness After her third pet dog died, Marcia was simply ____________: this time even the possibility of buying a new dog no longer held any joy.

furtive

adjective: marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed synonyms : sneak , sneaky , stealthy , surreptitious While at work, George and his boss Regina felt the need to be as ____________________ as possible about their romantic relationship.

aberrant

adjective: markedly different from an accepted norm synonyms : deviant , deviate When the financial director started screaming and throwing food at his co-workers, the police had to come in to deal with his ______________ behavior.

ambivalent

adjective: mixed or conflicting emotions about something Sam was______________ about studying for the exam because doing so ate up a lot of his time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills.

tempered

adjective: moderated in effect The wide-eyed optimism of her youth was now __________________ after she had worked many years in the criminal justice system.

cryptic

adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally synonyms : cabalistic , cryptical , kabbalistic , qabalistic , sibylline Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered _________________ when he would ask her questions about it.

parochial

adjective: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook synonym : insular Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work out because his culinary tastes were simply too _____________; "After all," she quipped on her blog, "he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food."

myopic

adjective: near-sighted; lacking long-term thinking, short-sighted synonyms : nearsighted , shortsighted The company ultimately went out of business because the __________________ managers couldn't predict the changes in their industry.

magnanimous

adjective: noble and generous in spirit, especially towards a rival or someone less powerful synonym : greathearted He was a great sportsman: in defeat he was complimentary and in victory he was ____________________.

immutable

adjective: not able to be changed synonym : changeless Taxes are one of the ________________ laws of the land, so there is no use arguing about paying them.

opaque

adjective: not clearly understood or expressed; not clear; not allowing light to pass through synonym : unintelligible The meaning of the professor's new research was __________________ to most people, so no one asked any questions.

inscrutable

adjective: not easily understood; unfathomable; not showing emotion synonyms : cryptic , cryptical , deep , mysterious , mystifying His speech was so dense and confusing that many in the audience found it _____________________.

indecorous

adjective: not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society synonyms : indecent , unbecoming , uncomely , unseemly , untoward Eating with elbows on the table is considered _______________________ in refined circles.

languid

adjective: not inclined towards physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed synonyms : dreamy , lackadaisical , languorous As the sun beat down and the temperature climbed higher, we spent a _________________ week lying around the house.

ignoble

adjective: not noble; having mean, base, low motives; low quality; dishonorable In 1919, the World Series was rigged--an _______________ act which baseball took decades to recover from.

anomalous

adjective: not normal According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over the last five years is simply ________________—daily temperatures should return to their old averages, they believe.

derivative

adjective: not original but drawing strongly on something already in existence, especially in reference to a creative product (e.g. music, writing, poetry etc.); something that came from an original Because the movies were utterly _________________ of other popular movies, they did well at the box office.

frivolous

adjective: not serious in content or attitude or behavior Compared to Juliet's passionate concern for human rights, Jake's non-stop concern about football seems somewhat _________________.

frugal

adjective: not spending much money (but spending wisely) synonyms : economical , scotch , sparing , stinting Monte was no miser, but was simply _____________, wisely spending the little that he earned.

imprudent

adjective: not wise Hitler, like Napoleon, made the _________________ move of invading Russia in winter, suffering even more casualties than Napoleon had.

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause Though Maria's neighbor Ernie "bumped into" her at the Farmer's Market, the encounter wasn't nearly as _________________ as Maria was led to believe: Ernie desperately wanted to ask Maria out on a date and had been following her about town.

fallacious

adjective: of a belief that is based on faulty reasoning; containing a fallacy, or mistake in logic; logically unsound; deceptive synonymss : unsound The widespread belief that Eskimos have forty different words for snow is ________________, based on one false report.

apocryphal

adjective: of questionable authenticity; false The web is notorious for sandwiching _______________ stories between actual news.

ambiguous

adjective: open to more than one interpretation synonym : equivocal The coach told his team, "Move towards that side of the field"; because he did not point, his directions were _______________, and the team had no idea to which side he was referring.

fastidious

adjective: overly concerned with details; fussy Whitney is ___________________ about her shoes, arranging them on a shelf in a specific order, each pair evenly spaced.

pedantic

adjective: overly concerned with irrelevant detail, fussy while teaching or learning synonyms : academic , donnish Professor Thompson was regarded as an expert in his field, but his lectures were utterly ________________, focused on rigorous details of the most trivial conventions in the field.

mawkish

adjective: overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting synonyms : bathetic , drippy , hokey , kitschy , maudlin , mushy , schmaltzy , schmalzy , sentimental , slushy , soppy , soupy The film was incredibly ____________-, introducing highly likeable characters only to have them succumb to a devastating illness by the end of the movie.

craven

adjective: pathetically cowardly synonyms : recreant Though the man could have at least alerted the police, he crouched _________________ in the corner as the old woman was mugged.

spurious

adjective: plausible but false synonyms : specious When listening to a politician speak, it is hard to distinguish the ______________ claims from the authentic ones.

austere

adjective: practicing self-denial synonyms : ascetic , ascetical , spartan His lifestyle of revelry and luxurious excess could hardly be called __________________. adjective: unadorned in style or appearance synonyms : severe , stark , stern Late Soviet architecture, although remaining largely _______________, moved into experimental territory that employed previously unused shapes and structures. adjective: harsh in manner of temperament synonym : stern The principal of my elementary school was a cold, _________________ woman; I could never understand why she chose to work with children.

ascetic

adjective: practicing self-denial synonyms : ascetical , austere , spartan His _____________ life is the main reason he inspired so many followers, especially since he gave up wealth and power to live in poverty. noun: one who practices great self-denial synonym : abstainer Historically, _______________ like Gandhi are often considered wise men partially because of their restraint.

propitious

adjective: presenting favorable circumstances; likely to result in or show signs of success The child's heartbeat is still weak, but I am seeing many ____________ signs and I think that she may be healing.

efficacious

adjective: producing the intended result synonyms : effective , effectual Since Maggie's cough syrup, which had expired five years back, was no longer ______________________, she coughed through the night.

prodigal

adjective: rashly or wastefully extravagant synonyms : extravagant , profligate , spendthrift Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to _______________ seem to be the exception—most live decadent lives.

sporadic

adjective: recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances The signals were at first ____________________ but now we detect a clear, consistent pattern of electromagnetic radiation emanating from deep space.

adamant

adjective: refusing to change one's mind synonyms : adamantine , inexorable , intransigent Civil rights icon Rosa Parks will forever be remembered for __________________ refusing to give up her seat on a public bus--even after the bus driver insisted, she remained rooted in place.

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country synonyms : arcadian , pastoral The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, ________________ land.

germane

adjective: relevant and appropriate, on topic, relating to a subject in an appropriate way The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't _____________ to the charges in the cases.

trite

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse synonyms : banal , commonplace , hackneyed , old-hat , shopworn , stock , threadbare , timeworn , tired , well-worn Many style guides recommend not using idioms in writing because these _________________ expressions are uninteresting and show a lack of imagination on the part of the writer.

banal

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse synonyms : commonplace , hackneyed , old-hat , shopworn , stock , threadbare , timeworn , tired , trite , well-worn The professor used such _____________ expression that many students in the class either fell asleep from boredom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends.

mundane

adjective: repetitive and boring; not spiritual synonyms : terrestrial Nancy found doing dishes a thorougly _________________ task, although Peter found a kind of Zen pleasure in the chore. adjective: relating to the ordinary world synonyms : everyday , quotidian , routine , unremarkable , workaday Though we think of the pope as someone always dealing in holy matters, he is also concerned with ____________________ events, such as deciding when to set his alarm each morning.

arcane

adjective: requiring secret or mysterious knowledge; understood by few Most college fraternities are known for _______________ rituals that those hoping to join the fraternity must learn.

resurgent

adjective: rising again as to new life and vigor synonyms : renascent The team sank to fourth place in June, but is now _____________________ and about to win the division.

insolent

adjective: rude and arrogant synonyms : flip , impudent , snotty-nosed Lilian could not help herself from being __________________, commenting that the Queen's shoes were showing too much toe.

discrete

adjective: separate, distinct, detached, existing as individual parts synonym : distinct What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two ___________________, independent nations.

superfluous

adjective: serving no useful purpose; excessive synonyms : otiose , pointless , purposeless , senseless , wasted How can we hope to stay open if we don't eliminate all ___________________ spending, like catered meetings and free acupuncture Tuesday? adjective: more than is needed, desired, or required synonyms : excess , extra , redundant , spare , supererogatory , supernumerary , surplus The third paragraph in your essay is ___________ and can be deleted.

admonitory

adjective: serving to warn; expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective synonyms : cautionary , exemplary , monitory , warning, admonishing , reproachful , reproving At the assembly, the high school vice-principal gave the students an ____________________ speech, warning them of the many risks and dangers of prom night.

amorphous

adjective: shapeless synonym : formless His study plan for the GRE was at best ________________; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books.

antithetical

adjective: sharply contrasted in character or purpose synonym : antithetic His deep emotional involvement with these ideas is, in fact, _______________________ to the detachment Buddhism preaches.

sullen

adjective: showing a brooding ill humor synonyms : dark , dour , glowering , glum , moody , morose , saturnine , sour Herbert took board games too seriously, often appearing __________________ after losing.

diffident

adjective: showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence synonyms : shy , timid , unsure As a young girl she was ________________ and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident and assertive.

deferential

adjective: showing respect synonyms : deferent , regardful If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be ________________.

prodigious

adjective: so great in size or force or extent as to elicit awe synonyms : colossal , stupendous After the relatively small homerun totals in the "dead ball" era, Babe Ruth's homerun totals were truly _________________: every year, he set a new all-time record.

negligible

adjective: so small as to be meaningless; insignificant The GRE tests cumulative knowledge, so if you cram the night before it is, at best, likely to only have a ____________--- impact on your score.

profligate

adjective: spending resources recklessly or wastefully synonyms : extravagant , prodigal , spendthrift The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so _______________ as to line all the walls of his apartment with pure silk. noun: someone who spends resources recklessly or wastefully synonyms : prodigal , squanderer Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright ______________ who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.

eminent

adjective: standing above others in quality or position; distinguished and prominent synonym : high Shakespeare is an _________________ author in the English language, but I find his writing uninteresting and melodramatic.

egregious

adjective: standing out in a negative way; shockingly bad synonyms : crying , flagrant , glaring , gross , rank The dictator's abuse of human rights was so ______________ that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide.

extant

adjective: still in existence (usually refers to documents). Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be _____________ generations from now.

refractory

adjective: stubbornly resistant to authority or control synonyms : stubborn Used to studious high school students, Martha was unprepared for the ________________ Kindergarteners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said.

tenacious

adjective: stubbornly unyielding; showing great determination synonyms : dogged , dour , persistent , pertinacious , unyielding Even the most ______________ advocates for gun ownership must admit some of the dangers that firearms present.

timorous

adjective: timid by nature or revealing fear and nervousness synonyms : fearful , trepid Since this was her first time debating on stage and before an audience, Di's voice was ___________________ and quiet for the first 10 minutes.

commensurate

adjective: to be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount; proportional The convicted felon's life sentence was _______________ with the heinousness of his crime.

gregarious

adjective: to be likely to socialize with others synonyms: sociable, social, company-loving, companionable Often we think that great leaders are those who are _______________, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted.

ingenuous

adjective: to be naïve and innocent synonyms: childlike, trusting, trustful, Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an _______________ girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.

itinerant

adjective: traveling from place to place to work, especially as part of a job Doctors used to be _________________, traveling between patients' homes.

harried

adjective: troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances synonyms : annoyed , harassed , pestered , vexed With a team of new hires to train, Martha was constantly _________________ with little questions and could not focus on her projects.

veracious

adjective: truthful synonyms: true, accurate, veritable, correct, errorless, unerring While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be _______________, history has shown that such a hope is naive.

tortuous

adjective: twisting, winding, complex; devious, not straightforward synonyms : byzantine , convoluted , involved , knotty , tangled Because the logic behind McMahon's side of the debate was so _________________, his audience came out either completely confused or, worse, feeling they'd been tricked.

dispassionate

adjective: unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice synonym : cold-eyed A good scientist should be ____________________, focusing purely on what the evidence says, without personal attachment.

disinterested

adjective: unbiased; neutral; not influenced by considerations of personal advantage synonyms: unbiased, unprejudiced, impartial The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of ______________ members.

brazen

adjective: unrestrained by convention or propriety synonyms : audacious , bald-faced , barefaced , bodacious , brassy , brazen-faced , insolent Their large "donations" to the local police department gave the drug cartel the __________________ confidence to do their business out in the open.

nonplussed

adjective: unsure how to act or respond synonyms : at a loss , nonplused , puzzled Shirley was totally ___________________ when the angry motorist cut her off and then stuck his finger out the window.

intransigent

adjective: unwilling to change one's beliefs or course of action synonyms : adamant , adamantine , inexorable Despite many calls for mercy, the judge remained _____________________, citing strict legal precedence.

munificent

adjective: very generous synonyms : lavish , overgenerous , too-generous , unsparing , unstinted , unstinting Uncle Charley was known for his ______________________, giving all seven of his nephews lavish Christmas presents each year.

exacting

adjective: very severe in making demands, requiring and demanding accuracy synonym : exigent Though his childhood piano teacher was so __________________, Max is thankful now, as a professional pianist.

dilatory

adjective: wasting time synonyms : laggard , pokey , poky Dillon asked nearly twenty _________________________ questions at the start of class in an attempt to postpone the scheduled math test.

audacious

adjective: willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks synonyms : brave , dauntless , fearless , hardy , intrepid , unfearing As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight, ________________ tracked down the bear that had raided their food.

conspicuous

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious synonyms : blatant , blazing American basketball players are always __________________ when they go abroad--not only are they American, but some are over seven feet tall.

blatant

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious synonyms : blazing , conspicuous Allen was often punished in school for ____________________ disrespecting teachers.

unscrupulous

adjective: without scruples or principles In the courtroom, the lawyer was _________________, using every manner of deceit and manipulation to secure a victory for himself.

insidious

adjective: working in a subtle but destructive way synonyms : pernicious , subtle Plaque is __________________: we cannot see it, but each day it eats away at our enamel, causing cavities and other dental problems.

laudable

adjective: worthy of high praise synonyms : applaudable , commendable , praiseworthy To say that Gandhi's actions were ______________ is the greatest understatement; he overthrew an empire without violence.

askance

adverb: with a look of suspicion or disapproval The old couple looked ______________________ on the teenagers seated next to them, whispering to each other, "They've got rings through their noses and purple hair!"

bolster

verb: support and strengthen synonym : ________ up The case for the suspect's innocence was _________________ considerably by the fact that neither fingerprints nor DNA were found at the scene.

amalgam

noun: a mixture of multiple things The band's music was an ______________ of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three styles with surprising results.

idiosyncrasy

noun: a behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual synonyms : foible , mannerism Peggy's numerous _______________ include wearing mismatched shoes, laughing loudly to herself, and owning a pet aardvark.

constituent

noun: a citizen who is represented in a government by officials for whom he or she votes The mayor's _____________________ are no longer happy with her performance and plan to vote for another candidate in the upcoming election. noun: an abstract part of something The __________________ of the metal alloy are nickel, copper, and tin.

aberration

noun: a deviation from what is normal or expected synonyms : aberrance , aberrancy , deviance _______________ in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines.

contingent

noun: a gathering of persons representative of some larger group A small ________________ of those loyal to the king have gathered around the castle to defend it. adjective: dependent on (usually used with upon) Whether the former world champions can win again this year is ________________ upon none of its star players getting injured.

myriad

noun: a large indefinite number There are a _________________ of internet sites hawking pills that claim to boost energy for hours on end.

harangue

noun: a long pompous speech; a tirade synonym: rant Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable _________________ against the government. verb: to deliver a long pompous speech or tirade Synonym: ranting Tired of his parents _____________ him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.

heretic

noun: a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion) synonyms : misbeliever , religious outcast Though everybody at the gym told Mikey to do cardio before weights, Mikey was a _______________ and always did the reverse.

sycophant

noun: a person who tries to please someone in order to gain a personal advantage synonyms : ass-kisser , crawler , lackey , toady The CEO was unaware of the damaging consequences of his choices, largely because he surrounded himself with _____________________ who would never dare criticize him.

culpability

noun: a state of guilt synonyms : blameworthiness , culpableness Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted _________________ for Martha's broken leg.

flux

noun: a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) synonym : state of ________________ Ever since Elvira resigned as the head of marketing, everything about our sales strategy has been in a state of _________________.

predilection

noun: a strong liking synonyms : penchant , preference , taste Preston has a __________________ for cheddar so be sure not to serve mozzarella when he visits.

polemic

noun: a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something. synonym : polemical The professor launched into a ______________________, claiming that Freudian theory was a pack of lies that absolutely destroyed European literary theory.

nuance

noun: a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude synonyms : nicety , refinement , shade , subtlety Because of the _____________________ involved in this case, I hired an outside consultant to advise us and help.

platitude

noun: a trite or obvious remark synonyms : banality , bromide , cliche , commonplace The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere _________________.

banality

noun: a trite or obvious remark synonyms : bromide , cliche , commonplace , platitude Herbert regarded the minister's remark as a mere ____________________ until Sharon pointed out profound implications to the seemingly obvious words.

audacity

noun: aggressive boldness in social situations synonyms : audaciousness , temerity Mike was upset at the man who not only cut in front of him at the ticket counter but also had the ___________________ to cut in front of him at the bathroom line.

apathy

noun: an absence of emotion or enthusiasm synonyms : indifference , numbness , spiritlessness Widespread _____________ among voters led to a very small turnout on election day.

travesty

noun: an absurd presentation of something; a mockery synonyms : farce , farce comedy What I expected to be an intelligent, nuanced historical documentary turned out to be a poorly-produced _____________ of the form.

perfidy

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust synonyms : betrayal , treachery , treason Sure, he was the best salesman in the company; but Michael had abused the trust of the firm, sharing product secrets with a competitor, and for such __________________ he was terminated.

dilettante

noun: an amateur who engages in an activity without serious intentions and who pretends to have knowledge synonyms : dabbler , sciolist Fred has no formal medical training; while he likes to claim authority on medical issues, he is little more than a _______________________.

accolade

noun: an award or praise granted as a special honor synonyms : award , honor , honour , laurels Jean Paul-Sartre was not a fan of ___________________, and as such, he refused to accept the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964.

glut

noun: an excessive supply The Internet offers such a _______________ of news related stories that many find it difficult to know which story to read first. verb: supply with an excess of In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes ______________ with resumes.

antipathy

noun: an intense feeling of dislike or aversion Maria had an ___________________ for tour groups, often bolting to the other side of the museum as soon as she saw a chaperone leading a group of wide-eyed tourists.

acrimony

noun: bitterness and ill will synonyms : acerbity , bitterness , jaundice , tartness , thorniness The ______________ between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.

duress

noun: compulsory force or threat The witness said he signed the contract under _________________ and argued that the court should cancel the agreement.

panache

noun: distinctive and showy elegance synonyms : dash , elan , flair , style Penny only dates men with __________________; she prefers to be seen with flamboyant boyfriends.

hegemony

noun: dominance over a certain area Until the Spanish Armada was defeated in 1587, Spain had ____________________ over the seas, controlling waters stretching as far as the Americas.

largess

noun: extreme generosity and giving synonyms : largesse , magnanimity , munificence , openhandedness Uncle Frank was known for his _______________, so his nephew was sad when he did not receive a present for his birthday.

jingoism

noun: fanatical patriotism synonyms : chauvinism , superpatriotism , ultranationalism North Korea maintains intense control over its population through a combination of _____________ and cult of personality.

torpor

noun: inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy synonyms : listlessness , torpidity , torpidness After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I found them in a state of complete ________________.

calumny

noun: making of a false statement meant to injure a person's reputation synonyms : calumniation , defamation , hatchet job , obloquy , traducement With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with _______________, and the mud already waist-high.

temperance

noun: moderation, self-control, esp. regarding alcohol or other desires or pleasures; total abstinence from alcohol synonyms : moderation Welles wasn't known for his ________________--he usually ate enough for two and drank enough for three.

aesthete

noun: one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature synonyms : esthete A true __________________, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at the same Picasso.

decorum

noun: propriety in manners and conduct synonyms : decorousness "You will obey the rules of ______________ for this courtroom or spend the night in a jail cell," said the judge to the prosecutor.

iconoclast

noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions synonyms: critic, sceptic, questioner; heretic, nonconformist Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an ______________ for wearing a "meat dress" to a prominent awards show.

maverick

noun: someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action; a nonconformist synonym : rebel Officer Kelly was a ______________________, rarely following police protocols or adopting the conventions for speech common among his fellow officers.

pundit

noun: someone who has been admitted to membership in a scholarly field synonyms : initiate , learned person , savant Steven Pinker's credentials are unquestioned as a ________________; he has taught at MIT and Stanford, teaches at Harvard, and has published a number of influential books on cognition, language, and psychology.

anomaly

noun: something that is not normal, standard, or expected synonyms : anomalousness After finding an __________________ in the data, she knew that she would have to conduct her experiment again.

venality

noun: the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to ________________, as many of the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.

contrition

noun: the feeling of remorse or guilt that comes from doing something bad synonyms : attrition , contriteness Those who show _____________________ during their prison terms--especially when under review by a parole board--often get shortened sentences.

prescience

noun: the power to foresee the future synonym : prevision Baxter's warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of ______________- after the whole market declined significantly.

volubility

noun: the quality of talking or writing easily and continuously synonyms : articulateness , fluency The professor's _______________-- knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's Day to the next.

mendacity

noun: the tendency to be untruthful I can forgive her for her ________________ but only because she is a child and is seeing what she can get away with.

gall

noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent The speeding car had the ______________ to switch five lanes at once, run through a red light, and then cut off a police car before finally coming to a stop in front of a sea of flashing red lights. noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will synonyms : bitterness , rancor, resentment In an act of ____________, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.c

indifference

noun: the trait of seeming not to care synonyms : emotionlessness , impassiveness , impassivity , phlegm , stolidity , unemotionality In an effort to fight __________________, the president of the college introduced a new, stricter grading system.

opulence

noun: wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living synonyms : luxuriousness , luxury , sumptuousness Russian oligarchs are famous for their ____________________, living in fancy homes and dining on expensive caviar.

gainsay

verb: deny or contradict; speak against or oppose synonyms : challenge , dispute I can't _______________ a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don't trust his conclusion.

vilify

verb: spread negative information about synonyms : rail , revile , vituperate Todd was noble after the divorce, choosing to say only complimentary things about Barbara, but Barbara did not hesitate to ______________ Todd.

ostracize

verb: exclude from a community or group synonyms : ban , banish , blackball , cast out , ostracise , shun Later in his life, Leo Tolstoy was ___________________ from the Russian Orthodox Church for his writings that contradicted church doctrine.

upbraid

verb: find fault in someone; to scold synonym : reproach Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop"—in the end he had to ________ the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

ingratiate

verb: gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts (false friendliness) Even though Tom didn't like his new boss, he decided to ______________ himself to her in order to advance his career.

concede

verb: acknowledge defeat I __________________. You win! verb: admit (to a wrongdoing) synonyms : confess , profess After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia _____________________ to having broken the window. verb: give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another synonyms : cede , grant , yield The Spanish were forced to _________________ much of the territory they had previously conquered.

expound

verb: add details or explanation; clarify the meaning; state in depth synonyms : dilate , elaborate , enlarge , expand , expatiate , exposit , flesh out , lucubrate The CEO refused to ___________________ on the decision to merge our department with another one, and so I quit.

lionize

verb: assign great social importance to synonyms : celebrate , lionise Students in the U.S. learn to ___________________ Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington because they are the founding fathers of the nation.

posit

verb: assume as fact synonym : postulate Initially, Einstein _________________ a repulsive force to balance Gravity, but then rejected that idea as a blunder.

eschew

verb: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of synonym : shun Politicians are the masters of _____________ morals; academics are the masters of _____________ clarity.

denote

verb: be a sign or indication of; have as a meaning synonym : refer Even if the text is not visible, the red octagon _____________ "stop" to all motorists in America.

vacillate

verb: be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action synonyms : hover , oscillate , vibrate Some students ___________________ between schools when deciding which to attend, while others focus only on one school.

elicit

verb: call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses) synonyms : arouse , enkindle , evoke , fire , kindle , provoke , raise Just smiling--even if you are depressed--can __________________ feelings of pleasure and happiness.

rescind

verb: cancel officially synonyms : annul , countermand , lift , overturn , repeal , reverse , revoke , vacate The man's driver's license was ________________ after his tenth car accident, which meant he would never be allowed to legally drive again.

placate

verb: cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of synonyms : appease , assuage , conciliate , gentle , gruntle , lenify , mollify , pacify I was able to _________________ the angry mob of students by promising to bring cookies on Monday.

disseminate

verb: cause to become widely known (especially information) synonyms : broadcast , circularise , circularize , circulate , diffuse , disperse , distribute , pass around , propagate , spread Before the effects of anesthesia were _______________________, patients had to experience the full pain of a surgery.

denigrate

verb: charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone synonyms : asperse , besmirch , calumniate , defame , slander , smear , smirch , sully Count Rumford ______________________ the new theory of heat, demonstrating that it was wholly inadequate to explain the observations.

circumvent

verb: cleverly find a way out of one's duties or obligations synonyms : dodge , duck , elude , evade , fudge , hedge , parry , put off , sidestep , skirt One way of ___________________ the GRE is to apply to a grad school that does not require GRE scores.

derive

verb: come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example synonyms : come , descend Many words in the English language are _______________ from Latin, including the word "_____________." verb: reason by deduction; establish by deduction synonyms : deduce , deduct , infer From the multiple set of footprints in the living room, the investigator _____________ an important clue: Sheila was not alone in the room at the time of the murder.

subsume

verb: contain or include The rogue wave quickly _______________ the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in its path. verb: consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle synonyms : colligate Don Quixote of La Mancha _______________ all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.

lambast

verb: criticize severely or angrily synonyms : bawl out , berate , call down , call on the carpet , chew out , chew up , chide , dress down , have words , jaw , lambaste , lecture , rag , rebuke , remonstrate , reprimand , reproof , scold , take to task , trounce Showing no patience, the manager utterly _____________ the sales team that lost the big account.

rebuke

verb: criticize severely or angrily; censure synonyms : bawl out , berate , call down , call on the carpet , chew out , chew up , chide , dress down , have words , jaw , lambast , lambaste , lecture , rag , remonstrate , reprimand , reproof , scold , take to task , trounce The police chief ____________________ the two officers whose irresponsible decisions almost led to the deaths of seven innocent by-standers.

sanction

verb: give authority or permission to synonyms : approve , o.k. , okay The authorities have __________________ the use of the wilderness reserve for public use; many expect to see hikers and campers enjoying the park in the coming months. noun: a legal penalty for a forbidden action synonyms : authorisation , authority , authorization International _________________ have been placed on certain shipping lanes that were thought to be involved in human trafficking.

underscore

verb: give extra weight to (a communication); emphasize (or, literally, to underline text) synonyms : emphasise , emphasize , underline While the hiking instructor agreed that carrying a first aid kit could be a good idea under certain circumstances, he _________________ the importance of carrying enough water.

engender

verb: give rise to; make a situation start to exist synonyms : breed , spawn The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they ______________ deep hatred and resentment in the German people.

burgeon

verb: grow and flourish China's housing market is __________________, but some predict that the growth is merely a bubble and will burst much like the U.S. real estate bubble of 2008.

frustrate

verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of synonyms : baffle , bilk , cross , foil , queer , scotch , spoil , thwart I thought I would finish writing the paper by lunchtime, but a number of urgent interruptions served to ________________ my plan.

abstain

verb: hold back, refrain (especially from something bad or unhealthy); decline to vote synonyms : desist , refrain Considered a health nut, Jessica _________________ from anything containing sugar--even chocolate.

misconstrue

verb: interpret in the wrong way synonyms : be amiss , misapprehend , misconceive , misinterpret , misunderstand The politician never trusted journalists because he thought that they would ________________________ his words and misrepresent his positions.

construe

verb: interpreted in a particular way synonyms : interpret , see The author's inability to take a side on the issue was ________________ by both his opponents and supporters as a sign of weakness.

preclude

verb: keep from happening or arising; make impossible synonyms : forbid , foreclose , forestall , prevent The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to __________________ the possibility of persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.

reconcile

verb: make (one thing) compatible with (another) synonyms : accommodate , conciliate Peggy was unable to _________________ her kind friend Jane with the cruel and merciless character Jane played on television.

elucidate

verb: make clearer and easier to understand synonyms : clarify , clear up Youtube is great place to learn just about anything--an expert _________________ finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.

mitigate

verb: make less severe or harsh I can only spend so much time __________________ your disagreements with your wife, and at certain point, you need to do it on your own. verb: lessen the severity of an offense synonyms : extenuate , palliate If it weren't for the __________________ circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.

ameliorate

verb: make something bad better synonyms : amend , better , improve , meliorate "Three Cups of Tea" tells the story of western man who hopes to _________________ poverty and the lack of education in Afghanistan.

obscure

verb: make unclear On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head ________________- much of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock. synonyms : blur , confuse , obnubilate adjective: known by only a few synonyms : unknown , unsung Many of the biggest movie stars were once _______________ actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films.

delineate

verb: mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail synonyms : delineated , represented After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach _______________ the specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.

appease

verb: pacify by acceding to the demands of synonyms : propitiate Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister during WWII, tried to ____________________ Hitler and in doing so sent a clear message: you can walk all over us.

juxtapose

verb: place side by side (either physically or in a metaphorical way, such as to make a comparison) The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is _______________- with modern themes.

exalt

verb: praise or glorify of someone synonyms : extol , glorify , laud , proclaim The teenagers ____________________ the rock star, covering their bedrooms with posters of him.

exonerate

verb: pronounce not guilty of criminal charges; clear from blame or accusation synonyms : acquit , assoil , clear , discharge , exculpate The document clearly indicated that Nick was out of the state at the time of the crime, and so served to ____________________ him of any charges.

refute

verb: prove to be false or incorrect synonyms : controvert , rebut No one could ____________________ his theories or propositions, and that is why he was esteemed by all his colleagues in the philosophy department.

culminate

verb: reach the highest or most decisive point synonyms: come to a climax, come to a crescendo, come to a head, reach a finale, peak, climax, reach a pinnacle Beethoven's musical genius _________________ in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.

truncate

verb: reduce the length of something synonym : cut short The soccer game was _________________ when the monsoon rain began to fall.

repudiate

verb: reject as untrue or unfounded Many in the public believed the rumors of a UFO crash outside town, so the chief of police did everything he could to _________________- the rumors.

circumscribe

verb: restrict or confine synonyms : confine , limit Their tour of South America was _____________________ so that they saw only popular destinations and avoided the dangerous parts of cities.

supplant

verb: take the place or move into the position of, especially through sneaky tactics synonyms : replace , supercede , supersede , supervene upon For many, a cell phone has ________________ a traditional phone; in fact, most 20-somethings don't even have a traditional phone anymore.

espouse

verb: to adopt or support an idea or cause synonyms : adopt , embrace , sweep up As a college student, Charlie _________________ Marxism, growing his beard out and railing against the evils of the free-market.

maintain

verb: to assert synonym: asseverate The scientist _______________ that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate.

confound

verb: to cause confusion; mix up or make worse synonyms : bedevil , befuddle , confuse , discombobulate , fox , fuddle , throw Though Harry loved numbers, calculus __________________ him. verb: mistake one thing for another synonyms : confuse Americans often _________________ sweet potatoes with yams, and refer to both vegetables by the same name.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way; laugh quietly or with restraint synonyms : chuckle , laugh softly Walking into the cafe, I could hear happy, __________________ people and smell the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans.

vindicate

verb: to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof synonyms: acquit, clear, absolve Even seven Tour de France wins cannot ______________ Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the public--that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.

eradicate

verb: to completely destroy synonyms : exterminate , extirpate , root out , uproot I tried ____________________ the mosquitos in my apartment with a rolled up newspaper, but there were too many of them.

galvanize

verb: to excite or inspire (someone) to action synonyms : galvanise , startle At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read, "Go Kyle"; _________________, he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.

reproach

verb: to express criticism towards synonym : upbraid At first, Sarah was going to yell at the boy, but she didn't want to ___________________ him for telling the truth about the situation.

censure

verb: to express strong disapproval synonyms : criminate , reprimand After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly ____________________ by the city council.

belie

verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent synonym : misrepresent The smile on her face ____________ the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

exacerbate

verb: to make a bad thing worse synonyms : aggravate , exasperate , worsen Her sleeplessness ______________ her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.

qualify

verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement) synonyms: limited, conditional, restricted, bounded, contingent Chris ________________ his love for San Francisco, adding he didn't like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles.

mollify

verb: to make someone angry less angry; placate synonyms : appease , assuage , conciliate , gentle , gruntle , lenify , pacify , placate In the morning, Janine was unable to _______________ Harry, if he happened to become angry, unless he'd had his cup of coffee.

demur

verb: to object or show reluctance, especially for moral reasons; to express disagreement or refuse to do something synonyms: raise objections, object, take exception, take issue, Wallace disliked the cold, so he ______________ when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps.

contrive

verb: to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery synonyms : design , plan , project Despite a low GPA, he ________________ to get into college, going so far as to write his own glowing letters of recommendation.

chastise

verb: to reprimand harshly synonyms : castigate , chasten , correct , objurgate Though ________________ for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother's harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.

castigate

verb: to reprimand harshly synonyms : chasten , chastise , correct , objurgate Drill sergeants are known to __________________ new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training.

venerate

verb: to respect deeply synonyms: revere, respect The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was ________________ amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.

betray

verb: to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally synonym : bewray With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip _______________ his intense emotions.

enervate

verb: to sap energy from; to make someone feel weak and without energy synonyms : faze , unnerve , unsettle John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him ________________ after he'd spent the day sightseeing.

prevaricate

verb: to speak in an evasive way; stray from the truth, mislead, lie synonyms : beat around the bush , equivocate , palter , tergiversate Presley _______________________ about her grades, claiming to have a 3.5 GPA even though it was below 2.0.

intimate

verb: to suggest something subtly synonym : suggest At first Manfred's teachers _______________ to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy's precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade.

admonish

verb: to warn strongly, even to the point of reprimanding synonyms : caution , monish Before the concert began, security personnel __________________ the crowd not to come up on stage during the performance.

undermine

verb: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term) synonyms : counteract , countermine , sabotage subvert , weaken The student _______________ the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgment on numerous occasions.

foment

verb: try to stir up public opinion synonyms : agitate , stir up After having his pay cut, Phil spread vicious rumors about his boss, hoping to _______________ a general feeling of discontent.