Magoosh Common Words I

bereft

adjective: unhappy in love; suffering from unrequited love After 64 years of marriage, William was ________ after the death of his wife. adjective: sorrowful through loss or deprivation "You are not ________ if you haven't played on your Xbox in the past week," his mother said.

loath

adjective: unwillingness to do something contrary to your custom (usually followed by 'to') I was ________ to leave the concert before my favorite band finished playing.

splenetic

adjective: very irritable Ever since the car accident, Frank has been unable to walk without a cane, and so he has become ______________ and unpleasant to be around.

exiguity

noun: the quality of being meager After two months at sea, the _________ of the ship's supplies forced them to search for fresh water and food.

disinterested

Unbiased; neutral The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of _____________ members.

prevaricate

to speak in a way that evades the truth The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to ____________"

impertinent

being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold 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?

acrimony

bitterness and ill will The ___________ between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled

involved

complicated, and difficult to comprehend The physics lecture became so __________ that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over

equivocal

confusing or ambiguous The findings of the study were __________; the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified

amenable

easily persuaded Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally __________ and so her brother was able to persuade her to go camping

artful

exhibiting artistic skill or: clever in a cunning way Bernie Madoff's _________ ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. History

parsimonious

extremely frugal; miserly Katie is so ___________ that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them

auspicious

favorable, the opposite of sinister Despite a/an _______________ beginning, Mike's road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, learning against his wrecked automobile

simulacrum

noun: a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture) The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center showcases a ______________ of all the present and approved buildings in the city of Shanghai. noun: a bad imitation The early days of computer graphics made real people into a _____________ that now seems comical.

modicum

noun: a small or moderate or token amount If my sister had even a ___________ of sense, she wouldn't be engaged to that barbarian.

bastardization

noun: an act that debases or corrupts The movie World War Z is a complete _______________ of the book with little more in common than zombies and a title.

row

noun: an angry dispute The Prime Minister looked very foolish after his ________ with the foreign dignitary was caught on video and posted on youtube.

cataclysm

noun: an event resulting in great loss and misfortune The introduction of smallpox was a ___________ for Native Americans, killing off more than half of their population.

surfeit

noun: an excessive amount of something There was no such thing as a __________ of shopping for Nancy--she could stay at the outlet stores from opening to closing time.

graft

noun: corruption, usually through bribery In countries with rampant __________, getting a driver's license can require no more than paying an official.

chauvinism

noun: fanatical patriotism; belief that one's group/cause is superior to all other groups/causes Vegetarians argue that man is _____________ (adjective usage) in his belief that animals do not consciously feel the pain we humans do.

panacea

noun: hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases; a universal solution While the company credit card has made most large purchases easier, it is no ___________: some smaller basic transactions still must be conducted in cash.

raillery

noun: light teasing The new recruit was not bothered by the _________, finding most of it light-hearted and good-natured.

verisimilitude

noun: the appearance of truth All bad novels are bad for numerous reasons; all good novels are good for their ________________ of reality, placing the readers in a world that resembles the one they know.

eponym

noun: the name derived from a person (real or imaginary); the person for whom something is named Alexandria, Egypt is an ___________ because it is named after Alexander the Great.

laconic

(describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words While Martha always swooned over the hunky, __________ types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative - and not very hunky

iconoclast

Attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions Lady Gaga is an ______________ of fashion; she shocked the fashion world when she decided to turn meat into fashion

castigate

Criticize severely; punish in order to correct Drill sergeants are known to __________ new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training

frugal

Economical, thrifty, not wasteful with money; inexpensive Monte was no miser, but was simply _______, wisely spending the little that he earned

upbraid

Find fault with, criticize or scold severely Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop" - in the end he had to ___________ the apparently drunk barber for giving him an even bowl cut.

ingenuous

Genuine, sincere, not holding back; naive Two years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from a/an _____________ girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate

innocuous

Harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects Everyone found Nancy's banter ___________ - except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him

calumny

Making of a false statement meant to injure a person's reputation With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is this with _________, and the mud already waist-high

ambivalent

Mixed or conflicting emotions about something, or wanting to do two contradictory things at once 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

profligate

Noun: someone who spends resources recklessly Adj: spending resources recklessly or wastefully Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright ____________ (plural with -s) who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts

mercurial

Quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty 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

venerate

Revere, regard with deep respect and awe The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was ___________ (past tense) amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined

gregarious

Sociable, pertaining to a flock or crowd Often we think that great leaders are those who are ______________, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as mahatma ghandi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted

egregious

Standing out in a negative way; shockingly bad The dictator's abuse of human rights was so ____________ that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide

commensurate

The same in size, extent, etc. equivalent; proportional The convicted felon's life sentence was ______________ with the heinousness of his crime

belie

To give a false representation to; misrepresent The smile on her face ________ (with an -s) the pain she must feel after the death of her husband

aberration

a deviation from what is normal or expected ____________ (plural -s) in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines

amalgam

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

harangue

a tirade, a long pompous speech 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 ____________ (plural -s) against the government

obtain

adjective: be valid, applicable, or true The custom of waiting your turn in line does not ________ in some countries, in which many people try to rush to front of the line at the same time.

trenchant

adjective: characterized by or full of force and vigor; having keenness and forcefulness and penetration in thought, expression, or intellect Jill presented a rather superficial treatment of sales in Asia, but her ____________ analysis of sales in Europe inspired a number of insights into how to proceed in that market.

concomitant

adjective: describing an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another ____________ with his desire for nature was a desire for the culture and energy of a big city.

estimable

adjective: deserving of esteem and respect After serving thirty years, in which he selflessly served the community, Judge Harper was one of the more ____________ people in town.

sardonic

adjective: disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking A stand-up comedian walks a fine line when making jokes about members of the audience; such fun and joking can quickly become __________ and cutting.

demonstrative

adjective: given to or marked by the open expression of emotion When Sally told James that she wanted to break up with him, she expected he would react ______________ (adverb with -ly), but he quietly nodded his head and left without saying a word.

exorbitant

adjective: greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation Shelley made one _____________ purchase after another, buying new clothes and taking vacations even though she earned a limited salary.

halcyon

adjective: idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity; marked by peace and prosperity The first decade after WWI was a ___________ period in America with new-found wealth and rapidly improving technology.

ineluctable

adjective: impossible to avoid or evade: For those who smoke cigarettes for years, a major health crisis brought on by smoking is ______________.

infelicitous

adjective: inappropriate During the executive meeting, the marketing director continued to make ____________ comments about the CEO's gambling habit.

officious

adjective: intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner The professor had trouble concentrating on her new theorem, because her _________ secretary would barge in frequently reminding her of some trivial detail involving departmental paperwork.

ebullient

adjective: joyously unrestrained Can you blame him for his ___________ mood? He just graduated from medical school.

oblique

adjective: not straightforward; indirect Herbert never explicitly revealed anything negative about Tom's past, but at times he would ___________ (adverb with -ly) suggest that Tom was not as innocent as he seemed.

lachrymose

adjective: showing sorrow _____________ and depressed, Alexei Alexandrovich walked two miles home in the rain after learning that his wife was having an affair.

evanescent

adjective: tending to vanish like vapor The storm flashed into existence above us and lasted only a short time—an ____________ turbulence of wind and cloud.

veritable

adjective: truthfully, without a doubt Frank is a ____________ life-saver -- last year, on two different occasions, he revived people using CPR.

restive

impatient, uneasy, or restless The crowd grew __________ as the comedian's opening jokes fell flat

wanting

lacking She did not think her vocabulary was ___________, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn't know

parochial

narrowly restricted in scope or outlook 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

anomalous

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

despot

noun: a cruel and oppressive dictator The Emperor Claudius was regarded as a fair-minded leader; his successor, Nero, was an absolute __________.

canard

noun: a deliberately misleading fabrication The public will always be fooled by the media's _________ (plural with -s).

dissolution

noun: a living full of debauchery and indulgence in sensual pleasure Many Roman emperors were known for their __________, indulging in unspeakable desires of the flesh.

diminutive

noun: to indicate smallness He prefers to be called a ____________ of his name: "Bill" instead of "John William." adjective: very small When he put on his father's suit and shoes, his appearance was that of a ____________ youth.

capitulate

noun: to surrender (usually under agreed conditions) Paul, losing 19-0 in a ping-pong match against his nimble friend, basically ___________ (past tense -d) when he played the last two points with his eyes closed.

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation 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 which side he was referring

prodigal

rashly or wastefully extravagant Most rich celebrities live ________ lives

amorphous

shapeless His study plan for the GRE was at best __________; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books

extant

still in existence; the opposite of extinct Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be _________ generations from now

venality

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

maintain

to assert The scientist ___________ (with -ed) that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate

vindicate

to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof 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

galvanize

to excite or inspire (someone) to action at mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle has all but given up, until he notice his friends and family holding up a sign that read, "Go Kyle"; ______________ (past tense), he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes

censure

to express strong disapproval After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly ___________ (past tense) by the city council

qualify

to make less severe; to limit (a statement) Chris __________ (past tense) his love for San Francisco, adding he didn't like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles

demur

to object or show reluctance Wallace disliked the cold, so he ___________ (with -red) when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps

chastise

to reprimand harshly Though __________ (past tense -d) 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

betray

to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip __________ (present tense with -ing) his intense emotions

enervate

to sap energy from John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him _____________ (past tense -d) after he'd spent the day sightseeing

intimate

to suggest something subtly The principal had already ___________ (past tense) to his colleagues that he will soon be retiring.

undermine

to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term) The student ____________ (past tense -d) the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgment on numerous occasions

veracious

truthful While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be ____________, history has shown that such a hope is naive

misattribute

verb: To erroneously attribute; to falsely ascribe; used especially of authorship. I made a mistake; I _____________ (past tense -d) "Crime and Punishment" to Leo Tolstoy when it was actually written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

countermand

verb: a contrary command cancelling or reversing a previous command By the time the colonel _______________ (past tense -ed) his soldiers not to land in enemy territory, a few helicopters had already touched down amid heavy gunfire.

enamor

verb: attraction or feeling of love She is completely _________ (past tense -ed) with Justin Bieber, and goes to all his concerts on the East coast.

dissemble

verb: conceal one's true motives, usually through deceit To get close to the senator, the assassin __________ (past tense -d) his intentions, convincing many people that he was a reporter for a well-known newspaper.

extrapolate

verb: draw from specific cases for more general cases By ____________ (present tense with -ing) from the data on the past three months, we can predict a 5% increase in traffic to our website.

flag

verb: droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness; become less intense After the three crushing defeats in the last three games, the team's enthusiasm began to _______.

abrogate

verb: revoke formally As part of the agreement between the labor union and the company, the workers ____________ (past tense -d) their right to strike for four years in exchange for better health insurance.

pillory

verb: ridicule or expose to public scorn After the candidate confessed, the press of the opposing party took the opportunity to __________ him, printing editorials with the most blatantly exaggerated accusations.

palaver

verb: speak (about unimportant matters) rapidly and incessantly During the rain delay, many who had come to see the game ___________ (past tense -ed), probably hoping that idle chatter would make the time go by faster.

dissipate

verb: squander or spend money frivolously The recent graduates __________ (past tense -d) their earnings on trips to Las Vegas and cruises in Mexico. verb: to disperse or scatter Kathleen's perfume was overwhelming in the cramped apartment, but once we stepped outside the smell ___________ (past tense -d) and we could breathe once again.

promulgate

verb: state or announce The President wanted to ____________ the success of the treaty negotiations, but he had to wait until Congress formally approved the agreement.

hoodwink

verb: to deceive or trick someone Someone tried to __________ Marty with an email telling him that his uncle had just passed away, and to collect the inheritance he should send his credit card information.

adjudicate

verb: to serve as a judge in a competition; to arrive at a judgment or conclusion Only those with the most refined palates were able to ____________ during the barbeque competition.