English Vocabulary

Abstemious

Adj. Sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet. Adj. Abstinent; showing restraint when drinking alcohol. Synonyms: Adj. Austere; self-denying; ascetic Adj. Sober; dry; abstaining.

Ancillary

Adj. Subordinate; subsidiary. Adj. Auxiliary; assisting; supplementary; supportive. Noun. Something that serves to support a primary thing. Synonyms: Adj. Secondary; extra; accessory; additional; accompanying. Noun. Supplement; accessary; adjunct.

Paroxysmal

Adj. Sudden, uncontrolled, and violent; outbursting. Adj. (Pathology) Recurring, esp. a fit, attack, or sudden episode of symptoms; recurrent. Synonyms: Adj. Spasmodic; sporadic; convulsive.

Dyspeptic

Adj. Suffering from indigestion. Adj. Gloomy, pessimistic, and irritable. Noun. A person who suffers from indigestion or irritability. Synonyms: Adj. Bad-tempered; snappish; crabby; cantankerous.

Garish

Adj. Tastelessly showy as of clothes or decoration; gaudy. Adj. Excessively bright; glaringly distasteful as of clothing or decoration. Synonyms: Adj. Tawdry; flashy.

Reductive

Adj. Tending to present a subject or problem in a simplified form. Adj. Serving to reduce or abridge. Synonyms: Adj. Minimizing; diminishing; diminutive; lessening.

Beleaguered

Adj. Troubled with many problems; in a difficult situation. Adj. Surrounded by military forces; besieged. Synonyms: Adj. Harassed; careworn; fraught; long-suffering. Adj. Blockaded; encircled; beset; assailed.

Categorical

Adj. Unambiguously explicit and direct; absolute. Adj. Irrefutable or impossible to deny. Synonyms: Adj. Certain; unequivocal. Adj. Undeniable; indisputable; unquestionable.

Recalcitrant

Adj. Uncooperative, defiant, or resistant to authority/control; disobedient. Synonyms: Adj. Intractable; unmanageable; wayward; ungovernable; willful; insubordinate; contumacious; rebellious; unruly.

Mercurial

Adj. Unpredictable; fickle. Adj. Animated; lively. Adj. In astronomy, relating to the planet Mercury. Synonyms: Adj. Quicksilver; changeable; erratic. Adj. Alive; spirited; enlivened.

Unwonted

Adj. Unusual; rare. Adj. (Archaic) Unaccustomed to something. Synonyms: Adj. Uncommon; unconventional. Adj. Uncustomary; unused to; unfamiliar with.

Noctivagant

Adj. Wandering at night. Synonyms: Adj. Nocturnal.

Infirm

Adj. Weak in body, mind, or health. Adj. Not firm or strong. Synonyms: Adj. Frail; feeble; ailing; decrepit. Adj. Powerless; impuissant; impotent.

Wrought

Adj. Worked into shape by artistry or effort. Adj. Elaborately embellished; ornamented. Adj. Processed for use; manufactured; constructed. Adj. (Of metal) Beaten into shape by tools. Adj. Excited.

Ungainly

Adjective (Of a person or movement) awkward; clumsy. Synonyms: Adjective. Gauche; graceless; gawky; ungraceful.

Out of Kilter/Off-Kilter

Adjective Phrase. Not in order; out of whack. Synonyms: Adjective Phrase. Not adjusted; not working; out of order.

Mundivagant

Adjective. (Archaic) Wandering over the world. Synonyms: Adjective. Peripatetic.

Amiable

Adjective. (Disposition) Friendly; sociable. Synonyms: Adjective. Affable; cordial.

Picayune

Adjective. (Informal) Petty; worthless; valueless. Synonyms: Adjective. Diminutive; frivolous; inconsequential.

Peckish

Adjective. (Informal) Slightly hungry. Adjective. Irritated. Synonyms: Adjective. Famished; starved. Adjective. Annoyed.

Pellucid

Adjective. (Literary) Allowing light to pass through; translucent. Adjective. Clear, as of water, air, or crystal. Adjective. Clear in meaning; easy to understand. Synonyms: Adjective. Transparent; luculent. Adjective. Crystal; crystalline. Adjective. Limpid.

Malefic

Adjective. (Literary) Causing or capable of harm or evil, esp. by supernatural means. Synonyms: Adjective. Baneful; malicious; vicious; spiteful.

Temerarious

Adjective. (Literary) Confident in contempt of danger or opposition; reckless; rash. Synonyms: Adjective. Bold; brash.

Fervid

Adjective. (Literary) Extremely hot. Adjective. Passionate; emotional. Synonyms: Adjective. Ardent; impassioned; fervent. Adjective. Warm; fiery; red-hot; blazing; heated; sizzling; sultry; sweltering; scorching; torrid.

Tenebrous

Adjective. (Literary) Gloomy; dark; shadowy. Adjective. Hard to understand; obscure. Synonyms: Adjective. Black; darkened; darksome; dimmed; dusky.

Atrabilious

Adjective. (Literary) Melancholy or ill-tempered. Synonyms: Adj. Gloomy; ill-natured; peevish; splenetic.

Sylvan

Adjective. (Literary) Of, relating to, or inhabiting the woods. Synonyms: Adjective. Wooded; woody; woodsy; bosky.

Refulgent

Adjective. (Literary) Shining brightly; radiant; resplendent. Synonyms: Adjective. Beaming; bedazzling; brilliant; dazzling; effulgent; fulgent; glowing; lambent; lucent; lucid; luminous; lustrous; radiant; sheeny; shiny; splendid.

Lucent

Adjective. (Literary) Shining. Adjective. Allowing light to pass through; translucent. Synonyms: Adjective. Bright; beaming; bedazzling. Adjective. Crystal clear; limpid; pellucid; see-through; transparent.

Nonferrous

Adjective. (Of Metal) Containing little or no iron.

Pallid

Adjective. (Of a person's face) Pale and unhealthy. Adjective. Uninteresting; dull. Synonyms: Adjective. White; pasty; wan; anemic; whey-faced; ashen; sickly; sallow. Adjective. Uninspired; unexciting; unimaginative; lifeless.

Remontant

Adjective. (Of certain roses) Blooming more than once in a season. Synonyms: N/A

Palatable

Adjective. (Of food or drink) Tasty. Adjective. Acceptable or satisfactory. Synonyms: Adjective. Edible; eatable; appetizing; savory. Adjective. Pleasant; pleasing; agreeable.

Bleak

Adjective. (Of land) Bare and exposed to the elements. Adjective. Cold and cutting. Adjective. Depressing. Synonyms: Adjective. Barren. Adjective. Chilly. Adjective. Dark; dismal; dreary.

Scurrilous

Adjective. (Of language) Abusive or defamatory. Adjective. Obscenely humorous. Synonyms: Adjective. Vulgar; foul-mouthed; indecent; insulting.

Opprobrious

Adjective. (Of language) Scornful, critical, or contemptuous. Adjective. Disgraceful or shameful. Synonyms. Adjective. Abusive; hateful; scurrilous; vitriolic; vituperative; pejorative. Adjective. Dishonorable; ignominious.

Turbid

Adjective. (Of liquid) Cloudy because of stirred sediment. Adjective. Confused or obscured in meaning. Synonyms: Adjective. Murky; muddy; milky. Adjective. Unclear.

Sullen

Adjective. (Of the sky) Darkened by clouds; gloomy; dismal. Adjective. Broodingly sulky or bad-tempered; gloomy. Synonyms: Adjective. Upset; churlish; morose.

Balmy

Adjective. (Of the weather) Pleasantly warm; soothing. Adjective. (Informal) Crazy; foolish. Synonyms: Adjective. Clement; temperate. Adjective. Insane; loco; wacky; loopy; nuts; kooky; nutty.

Auspicious

Adjective. Conducive to success; favorable. Synonyms: Adjective. Promising; advantageous; opportune; propitious.

Illustrious

Adjective. Famous; distinguished; well-known. Synonyms: Adjective. Celebrated; renowned; esteemed; glorious; outstanding; noteworthy; preeminent; prestigious; redoubtable; superior; remarkable; famed.

Adipose

Adjective. Fatty. Noun. Animal fat. Synonyms: Adjective. Blubbery; lardy.

Captious

Adjective. Faultfinding; difficult to please. Synonyms: Adjective. Carping; hypercritical; judgemental; overcritical.

Penitent

Adjective. Feeling regret for one's sins; repentant. Noun. A person who repents and seeks forgiveness for sins. Synonyms: Adjective. Contrite; sorrowful; sorry.

Arable

Adjective. Fit for growing crops. Synonyms: Adjective. Farmable; fertile.

Clubbable

Adjective. Fit for social clubs; sociable. Synonyms: Adjective. Gregarious; social; convivial; outgoing; extroverted; affable; friendly; companionable; boon.

Lissome

Adjective. Flexible and graceful, esp. of body. Synonyms: Adjective: Agile; nimble; lithe; supple; lithesome; gracile.

Glib

Adjective. Fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow. Synonyms: Adjective. Smooth-talking; slick; flippant.

Bibulous

Adjective. Fond of or inclined to drink. Adjective. Absorbent. Synonyms: Adjective. Drunken; intemperate. Adjecitve. Absorptive; spongy.

Querulous

Adjective. Full of complaints. Synonyms: Adjective. Whiney; complaining; fussy.

Contrite

Adjective. Full of guilt and regret; remorseful. Synonyms: Adjective. Penitent; guilt-ridden; ashamed; apologetic.

Libidinous

Adjective. Full of sexual desire; lustful. Synonyms: Adjective. Lascivious; lewd.

Convivial

Adjective. Fun-loving; fond of company; friendly. Synonyms: Adjective. Companionable; extroverted/extraverted; gregarious; sociable; social; outgoing.

Ecumenical

Adjective. General; universal; worldwide. Adjective. Promoting christian church unity. Synonyms: Adjective. Comprehensive. Adjective. Nonsectarian; ecumenic.

Spectral

Adjective. Ghostly; phantom. Synonyms: Adjective. Shadowy; apparitional.

Flighty

Adjective. Given to flights of fancy; capricious. Synonyms: Adjective. Unpredictable; unstable; giddy.

Jocular

Adjective. Given to joking and good humor. Synonyms: Adjective. Facetious; waggish; humorous; jovial; jolly; playful; jocund; jocose.

Saturnine

Adjective. Gloomy. Synonyms: Adjective. Somber; moody; glum; dour.

Supererogatory

Adjective. Going beyond the requirements of duty. Adjective. Superflous; excessive. Synonyms: Adjective. Excess; extra; redundant; spare; supernumerary.

Hoary

Adjective. Gray or white with age. Adjective. Unoriginal; stale; trite. Adjective. Ancient; old. Synonyms: Adjective. Graying; silvery; grayish white. Adjective. Overused; banal; jejune. Adjective. Age-old; antiquated; timeworn.

Avid

Adjective. Greedy; extremely eager for. Synonyms: Adjective. Enthusiastic; zealous; desirous.

Rapacious

Adjective. Greedy; grasping. Adjective. Of animals, predacious. Synonyms: Adjective. Plundering; ravenous; edacious; esurient. Adjective. Predatory; raptorial.

Verdant

Adjective. Green with vegetation. Synonyms: Adjective. Flourishing; grassy; leafy; lush.

Rampant

Adjective. Growing quickly; profusely widespread. Adjective. (Of animals) standing on hind legs. Synonyms: Adjective. Uncontrollable; prevalent.

Jejune

Adjective. Not interesting; dull; insipid. Adjective. Childish; immature; juvenile. Adjective. Lacking nutritive value. Synonyms: Adjective. Boring; mind-numbing; humdrum; pedestrian. Adjective. Kiddish; puerile; infantile. Adjective. Unhealthy; nonnutritive; nonnutritious.

Imperious

Adjective. Domineering; overbearing; dictatorial. Adjective. Urgent; imperative. Synonyms: Adjective. Haughty, bossy; tyrannical; autocratic. Adjective. Critical; crucial; demanding.

Pretentious

Adjective. Done for show; ostentatious. Synonyms: Adjective. Showy; grandiose; gaudy.

Kinetic

Adjective. Pertaining to motion. Synonyms: Adjective. Energetic; animated; lively; peppy; perky; spirited; sprightly; vivacious; zippy.

Venereal

Adjective. Pertaining to or resulting from sexual intercourse. Synonyms: Adjective. Genital.

Alluvial

Adjective. Pertaining to soil deposits left by running water. Synonyms: Adjective. Earthy.

Clandestine

Adjective. Done in secret, esp. for subversive or deceptive purposes. Synonyms: Adjective. Covert; furtive; hole-and-corner; hush-hush; private; sneaky; stealth; surreptitious; undercover.

Furtive

Adjective. Done in secret. Synonyms: Adjective. Sly; secretive; sneaky; surreptitious; covert; clandestine.

Perfunctory

Adjective. Done routinely and with little interest; mechanical. Adjective. Indifferent; apathetic. Synonyms: Adjective. Cursory; desultory; thoughtless; careless.

Skeptical

Adjective. Doubtful; dubious; incredulous. Synonyms: Adjective. Disbelieving; leery; unconvinced; suspicious.

Obtuse

Adjective. Dull of mind; stupid. Adjective. Not sharp. Synonyms: Adjective. Asinine; dumb. Adjective. Blunt; rounded.

Equitable

Adjective. Fair; impartial. Synonyms: Adjective. Just; unbiased; unprejudiced; egalitarian; objective; neutral; nonpartisan.

Fallacious

Adjective. False; misleading. Synonyms: Adjective. Wrong.

Conversant

Adjective. Familiar with; having knowledge of. Synonyms: Adjective. Experienced; abreast; knowledgeable.

Infamous

Adjective. Famous for something bad. Synonyms: Adjective. Disgraceful; dishonorable; notorious.

Actuarial

Adjective. Pertaining to statistics in assessing insurance risks, esp. of life expectancy.

Vehement

Adjective. Impassioned; zealous; strongly emotional. Adjective. Marked by great energy. Synonyms: Adjective. Passionate; ardent; emphatic; enthusiastic; fervent; forceful.

Tacit

Adjective. Implied; understood without being said. Synonyms: Adjective. Implicit; indirect; unspoken.

Quixotic

Adjective. Impractical; unrealistic; idealistic. Synonyms: Adjective. Dreamy; impracticable; starry-eyed.

Quiescent

Adjective. Inactive; at rest; dormant. Synonyms: Adjective. Still; motionless; inert; lethargic; sluggish; torpid.

Insoluble

Adjective. Incapable of being dissolved. Adjective. Unsolvable. Synonyms: Adjective. Indissoluble; Water-insoluble. Adjective. Unresolvable; inexplicable.

Incorrigible

Adjective. Incapable of correction or reform. Synonyms: Adjective. Incurable; irreformable; irremediable; unredeemable.

Perforated

Adjective. Pierced with holes or a hole. Synonyms: Adjective. Punctured; penetrated.

Unremitting

Adjective. Incessant; continuous; constant; not stopping or growing weaker. Synonyms: Adjective. Continual; ongoing; persistent; unceasing; inexorable.

Inchoate

Adjective. Incipient; just begun. Adjective. Undeveloped; rudimentary. Synonyms: Adjective. Incipient; beginning. Adjective. Unformed; embryonic; fledgling.

Ineffable

Adjective. Indescribable; beyond words; inexpressible. Synonyms: Adjective. Incommunicable; indefinable.

Ineffectual

Adjective. Ineffective; futile. Synonyms: Adjective. Useless; impotent; inefficient; feckless; otiose.

Feckless

Adjective. Ineffective; useless; weak. Adjective. Worthless; irresponsible. Synonyms: Adjective. Incompetent; futile; otiose.

Ineluctable

Adjective. Inescapable; unavoidable. Synonyms: Adjective. Inevitable; unstoppable; inexorable.

Perspicacious

Adjective. Insightful; wise; judicious. Synonyms: Adjective. Acute; astute; observant; sagacious.

Insuperable

Adjective. Insurmountable; unbeatable. Synonyms: Adjective. Impassable.

Prudential

Adjective. Intelligent in business matters. Adjective. Having good judgement. Synonyms: Adjective. Economical; cost-effective. Adjective. Wise; sound; perspicacious; judicious.

Prefatory

Adjective. Introductory; relating to a preface. Synonyms: Adjective. Beginning; preliminary; initial.

Masturbatory

Adjective. Involving masturbation. Adjective. Excessively self-absorbed or self-indulgent.

Irrevocable

Adjective. Irreversible; unchangeable; permanent. Synonyms: Adjective. Unrectifiable; irreparable; unalterable.

Esoteric

Adjective. Known only to the chosen few. Synonyms: Adjective. Arcane; abstruse.

Listless

Adjective. Lacking energy; spiritless; languid; indifferent. Synonyms: Adjective. Lackadasical; limp.

Flippant

Adjective. Lacking proper respect or seriousness. Synonyms: Adjective. Smart-alecky; cheeky; light-minded; glib.

Gauche

Adjective. Lacking social grace; unsophisticated. Synonyms: Adjective. Awkward; graceless; inelegant; rough-hewn; tactless.

Sumptuous

Adjective. Lavish; expensive-looking. Synonyms: Adjective. Opulent; splendid; ritzy; grand; rich; palatial.

Legitimate

Adjective. Lawful. Adjective. Real; official; genuine. Adjective. Born in wedlock. Verb. To make legal or lawful. Verb. To establish as lawfully born. Synonyms: Adjective. Legal; licit. Adjective. Authentic. Verb. To make licit.

Licit

Adjective. Legal; lawful; permissible. Synonyms: Adjective. Legitimate; authorized; allowable; warrantable.

Torpid

Adjective. Lethargic; lacking energy. Synonyms: Adjective. Listless; languid; sluggish; inactive; slothful; lackadaisical.

Leonine

Adjective. Like a lion. Synonyms: Adj. Catlike; feline.

Languid

Adjective. Listless; lacking in energy; lackadaisical. Synonyms: Adjective. Drooping; dull; spiritless; torpid; sluggish; indolent.

Jaunty

Adjective. Lively and self-confident. Adjective. Stylish, as of clothing. Synonyms: Adjective. Sprightly; carefree; jolly. Adjective. Fashionable; natty; dashing; dapper; spiffy.

Skittish

Adjective. Lively; frisky. Adjective. (of an animal) easily frightened. Synonyms: Adjective. Nervous; edgy; excited.

Endemic

Adjective. Local. Noun. A chronic disease restricted to a local place that does not spread outside of it. Synonyms: Adjective. Regional; indigenous.

Inveterate

Adjective. Long established and unlikely to change (habit, feeling, disease, practice). Synonyms: Adjective. Ingrained; deep-seated; entrenched; congenital; ineradicable.

Strident

Adjective. Loud and harsh; grating. Synonyms: Adjective. Shrill; raucous; noisy.

Salacious

Adjective. Lustful; lecherous; having strong sexual desires. Synonyms: Adjective. Libidinous; lascivious; licentious; prurient.

Causative

Adjective. Making something happen or exist; producing an effect. Synonyms: Adjective. Casual.

Fetid

Adjective. Malodorous; stinking. Synonyms: Adjective. Foul; funky; fusty; musty; noisome; rank; reeking; ripe; smelly; stinky; strong.

Confluent

Adjective. Merging; flowing together. Noun. Merging streams. Synonyms: Adjective. Joining; meeting. Noun. Tributary; Feeder; bayou.

Jocund

Adjective. Merry; cheerful; lighthearted; jocular. Synonyms: Adjective: Blithe; elated; jolly; euphoric; halcyon.

Tepid

Adjective. Mildly warm. Adjective. Lacking enthusiasm; apathetic. Synonyms: Adjective. Lukewarm; warmish. Adjective. Unenthusiastic; halfhearted; indifferent

Unpretentious

Adjective. Modest; not showy. Synonyms: Adjective. Simple; plain; humble; unassuming.

Dolorous

Adjective. Mournful; sorrowful. Synonyms: Adjective. Agonized; anguished; bemoaning; bewailing; deploring; doleful; dolesome; grieving; heartbroken; lamentable; lugubrious; plaintive; plangent; regretful; rueful; sorrowful; wailing; woeful; weeping.

Westering

Adjective. Moving or shifting to the west.

Centrifugal

Adjective. Moving outward from the center. Synonyms: Adjective. Spreading.

Centripetal

Adjective. Moving toward the center. Synonyms: Adjective. Integrative; centralizing.

Canorous

Adjective. Musical; melodious. Synonyms: Adjective. Euphonic; euphonious; mellifluous.

Parochial

Adjective. Narrow-minded. Adjective. Of or relating to a local church parish. Synonyms: Adjective. Insular; restricted.

Myopic

Adjective. Nearsighted; lacking foresight. Synonyms: Adjective. Shortsighted.

Natty

Adjective. Neat and trim in dress or appearance; fashionable; dapper. Synonyms: Adjective. Snappy; spiffy; dashing; stylish; modish.

Obstreperous

Adjective. Noisy and difficult to control; unruly. Synonyms: Adjective. Clamorous; boisterous; strepitous; vociferous.

Apolitical

Adjective. Not caring about politics. Synonyms: Adjective. Nonpolitical; politically neutral.

Incredible

Adjective. Not credible; unbelievable. Adjective. Extremely great. Synonyms: Adjective. Implausible; inconceivable; incredulous; unconvincing. Adjective. Marvelous; amazing; astonishing; awe-inspiring; astounding.

Inscrutable

Adjective. Not easily understood. Synonyms: Adjective. Arcane; cryptic; enigmatic; mysterious; mystic, occult; uncanny.

Impenitent

Adjective. Not feeling regret for one's sins; unrepentant. Synonyms: Adjective. Remorseless; unashamed; unapologetic.

Tentative

Adjective. Not final or complete; provisional. Adjective. Uncertain; hesitant. Synonyms: Adjective. Iffy; preliminary. Adjective. Cautious; timid.

Savory

Adjective. Pleasant in taste or smell. Adjective. Attractive; pleasing. Synonyms: Adjective. Appetizing; aromatic; delectable; fragrant; luscious.

Bucolic

Adjective. Pleasantly rustic; idyllically rural. Adjective. Of or pertaining to shepherds or herdsmen; pastoral. Synonyms: Adjective. Country; backwoods; countrified; agrarian; campestral.

Remediable

Adjective. Repairable/reparable; curable. Synonyms: Adjective. Correctable; corrigible; fixable.

Mesic

Adjective. Requiring moderate moisture. Synonyms: Adjective. Mesophytic.

Xyloid

Adjective. Resembling wood; ligneous. Synonyms: Adjective. Woody; woodlike; wooden.

Surly

Adjective. Rude and bad-tempered. Synonyms: Adjective. Gruff; bearish; boorish; petulant; cantankerous.

Boorish

Adjective. Rude; insensitive; crass. Synonyms: Adjective. Crude; churlish; coarse; impolite.

Plaintive

Adjective. Sad; sorrowful. Synonyms: Adjective. Mournful; wistful; doleful; dolorous; forlorn; melancholic; wretched; woeful; disconsolate.

Saline

Adjective. Salty. Noun. A salt solution. Synonyms: Adjective. Salty; brackish; briny.

Mordant

Adjective. Sarcastic or caustic. Adjective. Burning or corroding. Synonyms: Adjective. Acerbic; biting; sardonic; scathing. Adjective. Corrosive.

Bestial

Adjective. Savage; brutal. Adjective. Relating to beasts and base inhuman instincts. Synonyms: Adjective. Animalistic; feral.

Arcane

Adjective. Secret; esoteric; known only to a few. Synonyms: Adjective. Mysterious; enigmatic; cryptic; recondite.

Assertive

Adjective. Self-assured; confidently aggressive. Synonyms: Adjective. Self-confident; decisive; strong-willed; bold.

Tumid

Adjective. Swollen; enlarged. Adjective. Using pompous language; bombastic. Synonyms: Adjective. Bulging; puffed; bloated; turgid. Adjective. Fulsome; inflated; overblown.

Garrulous

Adjective. Talkative. Synonyms: Adjective. Blabby; chatty; loquacious; talky; motormouthed; voluble.

Voluble

Adjective. Talkative; garrulous. Synonyms: Adjective. Chatty; loquacious.

Loquacious

Adjective. Talkative; wordy. Synonyms: Adjective. Chatty; voluble; garrulous; prolix; verbose.

Flaxen

Adj. (Literary) Pale yellowish-gray, esp. of hair. Synonyms: Adj. Blond/blonde; golden.

Evanescent

Adj. (Literary) Quickly fading; short-lived. Synonyms: Adj. Vanishing; disappearing; ephemeral.

Rubescent

Adj. (Literary) Reddening; blushing. Synonyms: Adj. Flushing; ruddy.

Crapulent

Adj. (Literary) Related to drinking alcohol or drunkenness. Synonyms: Adj. Drunk; intoxicated.

Empyrean

Adj. (Literary) Relating to heaven or the sky. Noun. (Literary). Heaven or the sky. Synonyms: Adj. Heavenly; celestial; ethereal; supernal; superlunary. Noun. Heaven; firmament, the sky; ether; welkin.

Hymeneal

Adj. (Literary) Relating to marriage. Synonyms: Adj. Conjugal; marital; matrimonial; nuptial; espousal.

Finny

Adj. (Literary) Relating to or resembling a fish. Synonyms: Adj. Finlike.

Supernal

Adj. (Literary) Relating to the sky or the heavens; celestial. Synonyms: Adj. Empyrean; empyreal; ethereal; superlunary.

Fulgent

Adj. (Literary) Shining brightly. Synonyms: Adj. Radiant; dazzling; resplendent; effulgent.

Effulgent

Adj. (Literary) Shining brightly; radiant. Synonyms: Adj. Dazzling; beaming; brilliant.

Niveous

Adj. (Literary) Snowy or resembling snow. Synonyms: Adj. Snow-white.

Rufescent

Adj. (Literary) Somewhat reddish; tinged with red; rufous. Synonyms: Adj. Reddish-brown; russet; rust-colored.

Fuliginous

Adj. (Literary) Sooty; dusky. Synonyms: Adj. Grungy; mucky; murky; dingy; smokey.

Rhadamanthine

Adj. (Literary) Stern and inflexible in judgment. Synonyms: Adj. Stony; unfeeling; callous; unsympathetic.

Stilly

Adj. (Literary) Still and quiet. Adv. (Literary) Quietly and with little movement. Synonyms: Adj. Tranquil; calm; peaceful; serene; placid. Adv. Calmly; noiselessly.

Redolent

Adj. (Literary) Strongly smelling of (followed by of). Adj. (Archaic/Literary). Sweet-smelling; fragrant. Adjective. Suggestive or reminiscent of. Synonyms: Adjective. Ambrosial; aromatic; perfumed; savory; scented; pungent. Adjective. Evocative; calling up.

Sea-girt

Adj. (Literary) Surrounded by sea. Synonyms: Adj. Seabound; ocean-bound.

Fugacious

Adj. (Literary) Tending to disappear; fleeting; short-lived. Synonyms: Adj. Evanescent; ephemeral.

Impuissant

Adj. (Literary) Unable to take effective action; powerless. Synonyms: Adj. Helpless; hamstrung; handcuffed.

Wonted

Adj. (Literary) Usual; habitual; customary. Adj. (Archaic) Accustomed; habituated. Synonyms: Adj. Common; Conventional. Adj. Used to; familiar; habituated.

Stygian

Adj. (Literary) Very dark. Adj. Relating to the Styx River (Greek mythological river that serves as boundary between Earth and the Underworld). Synonyms: Adj. Gloomy; obscure; dimmed; dusky; black; darkened. Adj. Hellish; infernal.

Bosky

Adj. (Literary) Wooded; covered by trees or bushes. Synonyms: Adj. Sylvan; woody.

Orgulous

Adj. (Literary/Archaic) Haughty or proud. Synonyms: Adj. Arrogant; hubristic; supercilious; egocentric; egoistic.

Puissant

Adj. (Literary/Archaic) Powerful or influential. Synonyms: Adj. Strong; mighty; potent.

Lacustrine

Adj. (Literary/Technical) Associated with lakes.

Hyperbolic

Adj. (Of Language) Exaggerated; marked by overstating the truth. Synonyms: Adj. Farfetched; inflated.

Glaucous

Adj. (Technical/Literary) Of a dull grayish-green or blue color, as on plants or birds. Adj. Covered with a whitish bloom like on grapes or plums. Synonyms: Adj. Aquamarine; viridescent.

Fractious

Adj. (Typically children) Irritable and quarrelsome. Adj. (Of a group) Difficult to control; unruly; troublesome. Synonyms: Adj. Grouchy; peevish; testy; crabby; crotchety. Adj. Disobedient; recalcitrant; refractory; uncontrollable.

Dipsomaniac

Adj. (no longer in technical use) An alcoholic. Synonyms: Noun. Drunk; drunkard; boozer; lush.

Sentient

Adj. Able to perceive or feel things; conscious. Synonyms: Adj. Aware.

Emaciated

Adj. Abnormally thin or weak, esp. b/c of illness or lack of food. Synonyms: Adj. Bony; skeletal; wasted; gaunt.

Campy

Adj. Absurdly exaggerated, artificial, theatrical, or affected in a usually humorous way. Synonyms: Adj. Theatric; overdramatic; farcical.

Mealy-mouthed

Adj. Afraid to speak frankly or straightforward; devious. Synonyms: Adj. Indirect; doubtful; equivocal.

Ashen

Adj. Ash-colored; gray. Adj. (Of a person's face) Pale; drained of color due to shock, fear, or illness; pallid. Synonyms: Adj. Silvery; slate; grayish. Adj. Pasty; wan; blanched.

Cantankerous

Adj. Bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative. Synonyms: Adj. Contentious; peevish; quarrelsome; cranky; grumpy; grouchy; dour; testy; petulant; surly.

Audacious

Adj. Bold; fearless; intrepid; unafraid. Synonyms: Adj. Risky; unflinching.

Frivolous

Adj. Carefree; silly and not serious. Adj. Insignificant; unimportant. Synonyms: Adj. Flippant; glib; waggish. Adj. Inconsequential; negligible; trivial.

Vaporous

Adj. Characteristic of vapors; misty; foggy. Adj. Light; unsubstantial; airy; diaphanous. Adj. Lacking in substance or clarity; vague. Synonyms: Adj. Gaseous; pneumatic; Adj. Gossamer; ethereal; feathery; delicate; sheer.

Limpid

Adj. Clear, as of water, crystal, or air. Adj. Clear in meaning, as of writing or speech. Adj. Completely calm. Synonyms: Adj. Transparent; lucid; lucent; see-through. Adj. Pellucid. Adj. Composed; cool.

Exacting

Adj. Demanding or rigid. Adj. Requiring close attention. Synonyms: Adj. Strict; stern; inflexible. Adj. Difficult; testing.

Deplorable

Adj. Deserving censure or contempt. Adj. Lamentable; regrettable. Adj. Wretched; very bad. Synonyms: Adj. Disgraceful; reprehensible; unforgivable. Adj. Grievous. Adj. Dreadful; sad; terrible.

Epicurean

Adj. Devoted to the pursuit of pleasure, esp. food and drink. Noun. A person devoted to pleasure, esp. good food and drink. Synonyms: Adj. Gluttonous; libertine. Noun. Gourmand; Bon vivant.

Scrupulous

Adj. Diligent, thorough, and extremely detailed. Adj. Moral; honest. Synonyms: Adj. Careful; meticulous; fastidious; painstaking. Adj. Principled; ethical; upright.

Misanthropic

Adj. Disliking or hating mankind/humankind and avoiding human society. Synonyms: Adj. Antisocial; cynical; unfriendly.

Dichotomous

Adj. Divided into two contrasting or opposite parts. Synonyms: Adj. Separated; split; disjointed.

Extemporaneous

Adj. Done without preparation; impromptu; improvised. Synonyms: Adj. Extemporized; extemporary; spontaneous; ad lib; unpremeditated.

Chthonic

Adj. Dwelling in or under the earth. Adj. Also, pertaining to the underworld. Synonyms: Adj. Infernal; hellish; Stygian; Styxian.

Irascible

Adj. Easily angered or provoked. Synonyms: Adj. Irritable; testy; touchy; snappish; prickly.

Compensable

Adj. Eligible for compensation or payback, esp. for a bodily injury. Synonyms: Adj. Remunerative.

Interminable

Adj. Endless (often hyperbolically and wearily). Synonyms: Adj. Never-ending; ceaseless; everlasting; incessant; infinite; unending.

Poignant

Adj. Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. Adj. Painfully affecting emotions. Synonyms: Adj. Touching; moving; sad; affecting.

Uxorious

Adj. Excessively fond of or submissive to one's wife. Synonyms: Adj. Doting; henpecked.

Treacly

Adj. Excessively sentimental. Adj. Resembling treacle (syrupy). Synonyms: Adj. Soppy; mawkish; corny. Adj. Sticky; glutinous.

Demonstrative

Adj. Openly displaying feelings. Adj. Serving to prove; conclusive. Adj. (Grammar) Indicating the thing referred to (This, that, those). Synonyms: Adj. Expressive; effusive; affectionate. Adj. Incontestable; irrefutable.

Fanciful

Adj. Overimaginative and unrealistic. Synonyms: Adj. Imaginary; unreal; romantic.

Pervious

Adj. Permeable; allowing passage or entrance. Synonyms: Adj. Porous; penetrable.

Indefatigable

Adj. Persisting tirelessly; incapable of being fatigued. Synonyms: Adj. Tireless; untiring; steadfast; unflagging; unwavering.

Whimsical

Adj. Playfully fanciful (imaginative/fantastic), esp. in an amusing way. Adj. Capricious; unpredictable. Synonyms: Adj. Curious; eccentric; quaint. Adj. Erratic; impulsive; fickle.

Dowdy

Adj. Poorly dressed; shabby; unfashionable (typically of a woman). Adj. Not neat or tidy; shabby. Synonyms: Adj. Unstylish; slovenly; sloppy. Adj. Dirty; sordid; grimy.

Plenipotent

Adj. Possessing full power or authority. Synonyms: Adj. Supreme; plenipotentiary; authoritative.

Palmary

Adj. Praiseworthy; outstanding. Synonyms: Adj. Admirable; commendable; laudable; estimable.

Ubiquitous

Adj. Present everywhere, esp. at once. Synonyms: Adj. Omnipresent; ever-present.

Propitious

Adj. Presenting favorable circumstances; favorable. Synonyms: Adj. Promising; auspicious; felicitous.

Sacrosanct

Adj. Regarded as too important or valuable to be interfered with; sacred, holy, or inviolable. Synonyms: Adj. Blessed; hallowed; consecrated; untouchable; invulnerable.

Equestrian

Adj. Related to horseback riding. Noun. A person skilled in horseback riding and horses. Synonyms: Adj. Horsy; equine. Noun. Jockey; horse rider.

Vampish

Adj. Relating to a seductive woman who uses her sexual attractiveness to exploit men. Synonyms: Adj. Coquettish; kittenish; coy; dallying.

Matrilineal

Adj. Relating to a social system in which family descent and inheritance rights are traced through the mother.

Pathological

Adj. Relating to pathology (diseases). Adj. Relating to mental or physical disease; mentally disturbed. Adj. (Informal) Compulsive; obsessive. Synonyms: Adj. Morbid; diseased; unhealthy. Adj. Persistent; obsessional.

Hydric

Adj. Requiring a lot of moisture. Synonyms: Adj. Hydrophytic.

Struthious

Adj. Resembling ostriches and related birds. Synonyms: Adj. Struthian.

Refractory

Adj. Resisting control or authority; unmanageable. Adj. Resistance to treatment or cure. Synonyms: Adj. Intractable; stubborn; headstrong.

Restive

Adj. Restless and impatient; unable to relax due to stress or worry. Synonyms: Adj. Uneasy; fidgety.

Sardonic

Adj. Scornfully mocking. Synonyms: Adj. Sarcastic; caustic; ironical.

Emulous

Adj. Seeking to emulate or imitate someone or something. Synonyms: Adj. Aspiring.

Tutelary

Adj. Serving as a protector or guardian, esp. as a deity or spirit. Adj. Relating to protection or guardianship. Synonyms: Adj. Protecting; guardian; protective.

Ephemeral

Adj. Short-lived. Synonyms: Adjective. Fleeting; transient; transitory; passing; momentary; evanescent.

Politic

Adj. Shrewd or prudent in practical matters; tactful. Adj. Contrived in a shrewd and practical way; expedient. Adj. Political. Synonyms: Adj. Wise; sensible; judicious; canny.

Fatuous

Adj. Silly and pointless. Synonyms: Adj. Foolish; stupid; inane; nonsensical.

Homespun

Adj. Simple and unsophisticated. Adj. (Of cloth or yarn) made or spun at home. Synonyms: Adj. Unpolished; unrefined; plain. Adj. Homemade; handmade; handcrafter.

Capacious

Adj. Spacious; roomy. Synonyms: Adj. Commodious; voluminous.

Frugal

Adj. Sparing or economical with food or money; saving. Adj. Costing little; meager; scant. Synonyms: Adj. Thrifty; prudent. Adj. Paltry; scanty.

Episodic

Adjective. Telling many separate events; serial. Adjective. Occurring at irregular times or intervals. Synonyms: Adjective. Loosely connected; divided; serialized; periodical. Adjective. Occasional; casual; aperiodic.

Irenic

Adjective. Tending to promote peace; peaceable. Synonyms: Adjective. Peaceful.

Antepenultimate

Adjective. Third from last.

Tertiary

Adjective. Third. Synonyms: Adjective. Ordinal; tertian; triennial.

Credulous

Adjective. Too trusting. Synonyms: Adjective. Gullible; believing; naive.

Sinewy

Adjective. Tough; firm; strong. Adjective. Vigorous or forceful, as of language. Synonyms: Adjective. Brawny; muscular.

Liminal

Adjective. Transitional or initial. Adjective. (Psychology) Relating to the threshold beyond which sensation becomes too faint to experience. Synonyms: Adjective. In-between. Adjective. Barely perceptible.

Insidious

Adjective. Treacherous; crafty; deceitful. Adjective. Proceeding gradually or subtly with harmful effects. Synonyms: Adjective. Stealthy; surreptitious; sly; sneaky.

Tortuous

Adjective. Twisting; turning. Adjective. Not direct or straightforward; complicated, long, and confusing. Synonyms: Adjective. Bending; curling; curvy; circuitous. Adjective. Tricky; ambiguous.

Implacable

Adjective. Unable to be calmed or stopped; unyielding. Synonyms: Adjective. Inexorable; unrelenting; unyielding; relentless; unalterable.

Unsung

Adjective. Uncelebrated; not praised or acclaimed. Synonyms: Adjective. Overlooked; forgotten; nameless.

Precarious

Adjective. Uncertain. Adjective. Risky; dangerous. Synonyms: Adjective. Unstable; insecure. Adjective. Chancy; dicey.

Intransigent

Adjective. Uncompromising. Synonyms: Adjective. Stubborn; dogged; inflexible; implacable.

Diffident

Adjective. Unconfident. Synonyms: Adjective. Shy; bashful; modest; unassuming.

Irrepressible

Adjective. Uncontrollable; unable to be restrained. Synonyms: Adjective. Unquenchable; uncontainable; uncontrollable; inextinguishable.

Uncouth

Adjective. Uncultured; crude; lacking manners; unsophisticated. Synonyms: Adjective. Uncivilized; uncultivated; unrefined; boorish; oafish; common.

Stoic

Adjective. Unemotional; impassive. Synonyms: Adjective. Apathetic; detached; phlegmatic; stolid.

Infallible

Adjective. Unerring; incapable of mistakes. Synonyms: Adjective. Flawless; unfailing; inerrant; correct.

Hapless

Adjective. Unfortunate; unlucky. Synonyms: Adjective. Luckless; ill-fated; jinxed.

Prosaic

Adjective. Unimaginative; dull. Synonyms: Adjective. Banal; mundane; drab; jejune; pedestrian; vapid; hackneyed; trite.

Gratuitous

Adjective. Unnecessary; unjustified; unwarranted. Adjective. Given or done free of charge. Synonyms: Adjective. Inessential; needless; uncalled-for; superfluous. Adjective. Complimentary; costless; gratis; free.

Banal

Adjective. Unoriginal; boring; dull. Synonyms: Adjective. Trite; hackneyed; clichéd; platitudinous; vapid; jejune; prosaic; overdone; quotidian.

Surreal

Adjective. Unreal; dreamlike; fantastic. Synonyms: Adjective. Unbelievable; unearthly; uncanny.

Inexorable

Adjective. Unyielding; relentless; not able to be stopped or changed. Synonyms: Adjective. Unrelenting; implacable; unalterable; unremitting.

Exigent

Adjective. Urgent. Adjective. Requiring great effort; demanding. Synonyms: Adjective. Pressing; emergent. Adjective. Difficult; taxing; exacting.

Hortatory

Adjective. Urging; persuading. Synonyms: Adjective. Exhorting; encouraging.

Otiose

Adjective. Useless; futile. Adjective. (Archaic) Idle; indolent. Synonyms: Adjective. Fruitless; ineffectual; ineffective; vain. Adjective. Listless; slothful; lazy.

Bombastic

Adjective. Using pompous, inflated language. Synonyms: Adjective. Grandiose; histrionic; rhapsodic; overblown.

Prolix

Adjective. Using too many words; wordy. Synonyms: Adjective. Long-winded; circuitous; circumlocutory; garrulous; verbose; pleonastic; rambling; voluble.

Obscure

Adjective. Vague; unclear. Adjective. Relatively unknown. Synonyms: Adjective. Ambiguous; cryptic; dark. Adjective. Nameless; no-one.

Declamatory

Adjective. Vehement or bombastic in speech or expression. Synonyms: Adjective. Rhetorical; oratorical; extravagant.

Vindictive

Adjective. Vengeful. Synonyms: Adjective. Revengeful.

Egregious

Adjective. Very bad and easily noticed. Synonyms: Adjective. Flagrant; blatant; gross.

Multitudinous

Adjective. Very numerous; forming a great number. Adjective. Comprising many items, parts, or elements. Synonyms: Adjective. Abundant; profuse; prolific; copious; numberless.

Uncanny

Adjective. Very strange or supernatural. Synonyms: Adjective. Mysterious; unnatural; weird.

Painstaking

Adjective. Very thorough; careful. Synonyms: Adjective. Meticulous; assiduous; thorough; fastidious.

Trenchant

Adjective. Vigorous or incisive in expression or style. Adjective. (Archaic or literary) Having a sharp edge. Synonyms: Adjective. Cutting; piercing; penetrating; sharp.

Peripatetic

Adjective. Walking or traveling about; itinerant. Adjective. Relating to Aristotle or his philosophy. Noun. A person who walks or travels about. Noun. A member of Aristotelian school. Synonyms: Adjective. Nomadic; roving; migrant. Noun. Nomad; migrant; wanderer.

Errant

Adjective. Wandering; deviating from the proper course. Synonyms: Adjective. Straying; aberrant; wayward.

Martial

Adjective. Warlike. Synonyms: Adjective. Soldierly; military; service.

Affable

Adjective. Warmly friendly and easily approachable. Synonyms: Adjective. Cordial; amiable; genial.

Tenuous

Adjective. Weak or slight. Adjective. Slender, thin, or fine; insubstantial. Synonyms: Adjective. Meager; flimsy; dubious; shaky. Adjective. Fragile; delicate; wispy; gossamer.

Decorous

Adjective. Well behaved; dignified; socially correct. Synonyms: Adjective. Civilized; polite.

Felicitous

Adjective. Well chosen or suited; appropriate. Adjective. Pleasant; delightful. Synonyms: Adjective. Apt; applicable; becoming. Adjective. Agreeable; congenial; darling.

Feral

Adjective. Wild or untamed. Synonyms: Adjective. Ferocious; undomesticated.

Prudent

Adjective. Wise; judicious. Adjective. Careful in providing for the future; provident. Synonyms: Adjective. Sagacious; discreet; circumspect; sober.

Judicious

Adjective. Wise; sound in judgement; perspicacious. Synonyms: Adjective. Intelligent; thoughtful; astute.

Malevolent

Adjective. Wishing ill-will. Adjective. Evil. Synonyms: Adjective. Hateful; malicious.

Inept

Adjective. Without skill. Adjective. Bungling and clumsy. Adjective. Inappropriate. Synonyms: Adjective. Incompetent; inefficient. Adjective. Cumbersome; awkward. Adjective. Unsuitable; out of place.

Redundant

Adjective. Wordy. Adjective. Excessive; repetitive. Synonyms: Adjective. Verbose; long-winded; circumlocutory; discursive; prolix. Adjective. Superfluous; unnecessary.

Estimable

Adjective. Worthy of respect; deserving admiration. Synonyms: Adjective. Praiseworthy; esteemed; palmary; laudable; commendable; exemplary; eminent.

Ex Officio

Adjective/Adverb (Latin). By virtue of holding an office or position.

Ad Hominem

Adjective/Adverb. Attacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument; literally meaning "to the man." Adjective. Appealing to prejudices and emotions rather than reason. Synonyms: Adjective. Smearing; personal.

Overhead

Adjective/Adverb. Over one's head; up in the sky; aloft. Noun. Operating costs; fixed costs of running a business, as rent, lighting, and heating expenses, which cannot be charged or attributed to a specific product or part of the work operation. Synonyms: Adjective. Aerial; up above; skyward; atop.

À La Carte

Adjective/Adverb. With a separate price for each item on the menu.

Verbatim

Adjective/Adverb. Word for word. Synonyms: Adjective/Adverb. Exactly; directly; literally.

Peradventure

Adv. (Archaic/Humorous) Perhaps; possibly. Noun. Uncertainty, chance, or doubt. Phrase. Beyond Peradventure (Without question or doubt). Synonyms: Adv. Maybe; conceivably; perchance; mayhap; potentially. Noun. Accident; luck; fate; fortune; destiny.

Perchance

Adv. (Archaic/Literary) By chance; perhaps. Synonyms: Adv. Maybe; possibly; conceivably; mayhap; peradventure; imaginably.

In medias Res/Medias in res

Adv. (Latin for "into the middle of things") A literary and artistic technique where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning (ab ovo or ab initio). The characters, setting, and conflict are often introduced through a series of flashbacks or through characters relating past events to each other.

In Extremis

Adv. (Latin) At the point of death. Synonyms: Adv. At death's door; near-death.

Ad Nauseum

Adv. (Latin) To a sickening or disgusting degree. Synonyms: Adv. At length; endlessly; repeatedly.

Apace

Adv. (Literary) Swiftly; quickly. Synonyms: Adv. Rapidly; briskly; speedily.

Hyperbolically

Adv. Exaggeratedly; unrealistically; in a manner that overstates the truth. Synonyms: Adv. Inflatedly.

Exempli Gratia (e.g.)

Adv. For example; such as. Synonyms: Adv. For the sake of example; for instance; like.

Seriatim

Adv. In a series; one after another. Synonyms: Adv. Successively; consecutively; sequentially.

Alfresco

Adv. In the open air, esp. when eating; out-of-doors. Adj. Done or eaten in the open air; outdoor. Synonyms: Adv. Out; open-air. Adj. Open-air; outside.

Tandem (In Tandem)

Adv. One behind the other. Phrase. In single file.

Nigh

Adv/Adj/Prep. (Archaic/Literary) Near. Adv. Almost Verb. To draw or come near; to approach. Synonyms: Adj. Approaching; close; nearby. Adv. Around; close by; beside; alongside.

Sub Rosa

Adverb (Latin) In secret; confidentially; privately. Synonyms: Adverb. Clandestinely; covertly; furtively.

In Loco Parentis

Adverb (Latin). In place or role of parents (referencing teacher or other guardian).

Askance

Adverb. (Preceded by to look) With a sideways look, usually with suspicion or mistrust. Synonyms: Adverb. Skeptically; suspiciously; distrustfully.

Et Alii (et al.)

Adverb. And others. Synonyms: Adverb. Et Alia; et aliae.

Automagically

Adverb. Automatically; in a way that is hidden from or not understood by the user, and in that sense, apparently "magical."

Ipso Facto

Adverb. By the fact itself; by the very nature of the deed; because of that fact: as an inevitable result. Synonyms: Adverb. Actually; by that very fact.

Incidentally

Adverb. By the way; apart or aside from the main subject of attention. Adverb. In a manner that is liable to happen as a consequence; accidentally. Synonyms: Adverb. Parenthetically; speaking of which. Adverb. By chance.

Ad Infinitum

Adverb. Endlessly; without limit. (literally meaning to infinity). Synonyms: Adverb. Continuously; endlessly; interminably; in perpetuity; sempiternally; invariably.

Erstwhile

Adverb. Formerly; in the past. Adjective. Former. Synonyms: Adverb. Onetime; erst; at one time. Adjective. Late; old; once; onetime; past.

By Rote

Adverb. From memory. Synonyms: Adverb. In a mechanical way.

Summarily

Adverb. Immediately; straightaway. Synonyms: Adverb. Without delay; promptly; swiftly.

Pell-Mell

Adverb. In confusion; in disorder. Adjective. Disordered; confused. Synonyms: Adverb. Hurriedly and carelessly. Adjective. Chaotic; disarrayed.

Qua

Adverb. In the capacity of; in the role of (someone or something). Synonyms: Adverb. As; as being in.

Piecemeal

Adverb. Piece by piece; gradually. Adjective. Done piece by piece; gradual. Synonyms: Adverb. At intervals; by installments; by degrees. Adjective. Bit by bit; little by little; incremental; step-by-step.

Videlicet (viz.)

Adverb. That is to say; namely; explicitly. Synonyms: Adverb. Especially; i.e.; particularly; specially; to wit.

To wit

Adverb. That is to say; namely; explicitly. Synonyms: Adverb. Especially; i.e.; particularly; specifically; videlicet.

Id Est (i.e.)

Adverb. That is; in other words. Synonyms: Adverb. As it were.

In spite of

Adverb. Without being affected by; notwithstanding; despite. Synonyms: Adverb. Regardless of; in disregard or defiance of.

Ad hoc

Adverb/Adjective. For one specific purpose. Synonyms: Adjective. Impromptu; provisional; extemporaneous.

Long Pig

Noun. (Obsolete and among Maori and Polynesian peoples) Human flesh as food for cannibals. Synonyms: Noun. Body tissue.

Ch'i (Qi)

Noun. (Oriental Medicine) Vital energy believed to circulate around the body in currents.

Cognitive Dissonance

Noun. (Psychology) Inconsistent thoughts or beliefs. Synonyms: Noun. Internal conflict; inner turmoil.

Gestalt

Noun. (Psychology) Something that is made of many parts and yet is somehow more than or different from the combination of its parts. Synonyms. Noun. A unified whole.

Calliope

Noun. (Steam organ). A musical instrument consisting of a set of harsh-sounding steam whistles that are activated by a keyboard. Noun. (Greek mythology) The muse of heroic poetry.

Brinksmanship

Noun. (Usu. Politics). The practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the edge (brink) of disaster before stopping in order to gain something. Synonyms. Noun. Courting disaster.

Ornithology

Noun. (Zoology) The study of birds.

Xu

Noun. A Vietnamese monetary unit worth one hundredth of a dông.

Presage

Noun. A bad omen or portent. Verb. To portent; to predict something bad. Synonyms: Noun. Prognostication; forewarning; foreboding. Verb. To foreshadow; to foretell.

Curmudgeon

Noun. A bad-tempered, difficult person (usually old man). Synonyms: Noun. Grouch; bellyacher; sourpuss; whiner; griper.

Insignia

Noun. A badge of office, rank, or membership. Noun. A distinguishing mark or sign of anything. Synonyms: Noun. Emblem; coat of arms; ensign; symbol; regalia.

Parlay

Noun. A bet to increase the previous winnings. Verb. To gamble the previous winnings to gain greater value. Synonyms: Noun. Wager; bet. Verb. To wager; to stake; to back; to game.

Towser

Noun. A big dog. Noun. (Informal) A large rough person.

Diatribe

Noun. A bitter verbal attack; a tirade. Synonyms: Noun. Harangue; criticism; denunciation; invective; screed.

Cockalorum

Noun. A boastful, self-important person. Noun. Boastful talk. Synonyms: Noun. Braggadocio; bluster; bombast; grandiloquence.

Phalanx

Noun. A body of people, animals, or things. Noun. Army; brigade; troop. Noun. One of the bones of the hand or foot. Synonyms: Noun. Crowd; group. Noun. Military unit; force; legion; throng; brigade; company; division. Noun. Hand or feet.

Jawbone

Noun. A bone of the jaw, esp. the lower jaw (mandible). Verb. (Informal) To influence or persuade by talking rather than force. Adjective (Informal) Influencing, persuading. Synonyms: Noun. Chin, mentum. Verb. Sweet-talk, flatter, cajole, wheedle. Adjective. Cajoling; wheedling.

Bibliophile

Noun. A book lover. Synonyms. Noun. Bibliolater; bibliomaniac; bookman; bookworm; reader.

Prong

Noun. A branch or a fork. Synonyms: Noun. Hook.

Hiatus

Noun. A break, gap, or pause of work, series, process, or sequence. Synonyms: Noun. Respite; discontinuity;

Waft

Noun. A breeze; wind; a draft. Verb. To float; to drift (on water or air). Synonyms: Noun. Puff; zephyr; breath; air; current; airflow; squall. Verb. To glide; to hang; to hover; to sail.

Swath

Noun. A broad strip or area of something. Noun. A row or line of cut grass, grain, or other crop.

Bleb

Noun. A bubble. Noun. In medicine, a blister or vesicle. Synonyms: Noun. A boil; a swelling; a pustule; a pimple.

Interment

Noun. A burial. Synonyms: Noun. Obsequy; entombment.

Gorge

Noun. A canyon; a narrow valley between hills or mountains with rocky walls and a stream running through it. Verb. To eat greedily. Synonyms: Noun. Ravine; canyon; gully. Verb. To stuff; to cram; to fill.

Dalliance

Noun. A casual romantic or sexual relationship; flirtation. Noun. A brief or casual involvement with something; a trifling away of time. Synonyms: Noun. Affair; coquetry. Noun. Dawdling; delaying.

Totalitarianism

Noun. A centralized government that exercises control over the freedom, will, or thought of others. Synonyms: Noun. Absolutism; authoritarianism; autocracy; despotism; tyranny.

Author Surrogate

Noun. A character who expresses the ideas, questions, personality, and morality of the author.

Fictional Fictional Character

Noun. A character whose fictional existence is introduced within a larger work of fiction.

Attribute

Noun. A characteristic; a trait. Verb. To ascribe to; to explain. Synonyms: Noun. Feature; aspect; facet. Verb. To credit to; to assign a source.

Epithet

Noun. A characterizing word or phrase of something; a nickname. Noun. An abusive nickname. Synonyms: Noun. Sobriquet; byname; label; alias.

Quack

Noun. A charlatan; an impostor. Synonyms: Noun. Faker; pretender; phony.

Malcontent

Noun. A chronically unsatisfied person. Noun. A rebel. Adjective. Dissatisfied. Synonyms: Noun. Grumbler; whiner; complainer. Noun. Agitator; dissident; rabble-rouser. Adjective. Disgruntled; displeased; discontent.

Rotunda

Noun. A circular building, esp. with a dome. Synonyms: Noun. Edifice.

Municipality

Noun. A city, town, or district with some degree of local self-government. Synonyms: Noun. Community; township.

Coterie

Noun. A close group with shared interests; clique. Synonyms: Noun. Circle; cadre.

Pall

Noun. A cloth spread over a coffin, hearse, or tomb. Noun. A dark cloud. Noun. Anything that covers with an air of gloom or darkness. Verb. To become less appealing through familiarity. Synonyms: Noun. Covering; cloak; veil; shroud; layer; overshadow. Verb. To become bored; to lose interest; to weary; to sicken.

Cohort

Noun. A colleague; an associate. Synonyms: Noun. A partner.

Congeries

Noun. A collection; an aggregation. Synonyms: Noun. Assemblage; heap; accumulation; agglomeration.

Bildungsroman

Noun. A coming of age story. Synonyms: Noun. Education novel; formation novel.

Grievance

Noun. A complaint for an injustice. Synonyms: Noun. Gripe; grief; outrage.

Panoply

Noun. A complete or impressive collection of things. Noun. A splendid display. Noun. A complete set of arms of suit of armor. Synonyms: Noun. Array; range. Noun. Regalia; splendor; show.

Lichen

Noun. A complex plantlike organism made up of an alga or a cyanobacterium and a fungus growing in symbiotic association on a solid surface (such as on a rock or the bark of trees). Noun. A skin disorder.

Synesthesia

Noun. A condition that causes different senses to blend; "seeing sounds" or "hearing colors."

Parley

Noun. A conference, especially between enemies. Synonyms: Noun. Negotiation; discussion.

Assertion

Noun. A confident and forceful statement, often without supportive evidence. Synonyms: Noun. Declaration; allegation; affirmation.

Albatross

Noun. A constant burden. Noun. Any of several large, web-footed sea birds of the family Diomedeidae. Synonyms: Noun. Encumbrance; handicap; hinderance. Noun. Oceanic bird; pelagic bird.

Fusillade

Noun. A continuous discharge of firearms. Noun. A discharge or outpouring of anything. Synonyms: Noun. Barrage; broadside; salvo; volley.

Clangor

Noun. A continuous loud banging or ringing sound. Synonyms: Noun. Babel; blare; cacophony; racket; clamor; discordance; tolling; clang.

Polemic

Noun. A controversial argument. Noun. A controversialist; one who argues. Synonyms. Noun. A spat; bicker. Noun. Polemist.

Recrimination

Noun. A counter accusation; countercharge. Synonyms: Noun. Allegation; accusation; denunciation; indictment; incrimination.

Poltroon

Noun. A coward. Synonyms: Noun. Dastard; craven; chicken.

Malefactor

Noun. A criminal. Noun. A person who does evil or harm. Synonyms: Noun. Culprit; fiend; felon; convict. Noun. Evildoer; villain.

Admonition

Noun. A criticism or warning. Synonyms: Noun. Adjuration; advice; counsel; guidance; caveat.

Panacea

Noun. A cure-all. Synonyms: Noun. Elixir; catholicon; nostrum; theriac.

Anathema

Noun. A curse; words to harm someone. Noun. A person or thing hated. Synonyms: Noun. Execration; imprecation; malediction. Noun. Bane; pariah; abomination.

Umber

Noun. A dark reddish-brown color, like dark wood or rich soil. Adj. Of a dark reddish-brown color, like dark wood or rich soil.

Mensch

Noun. A decent, mature, and responsible person. Synonyms: Noun. Good person.

Sockdolager

Noun. A decisive blow or answer. Noun. An exceptional person or thing. Synonyms: Noun. A finisher. Noun. Crackerjack; standout.

Rampart

Noun. A defensive wall or mound. Synonyms: Noun. Fortification; bulwark; stronghold; barricade; bastion.

Bulwark

Noun. A defensive wall; rampart. Noun. Strong support or protection. Verb. To fortify; to safeguard. Synonyms: Noun. Fortification; fortress; redoubt; bastion. Noun. Buttress; bastion. Verb. To defend; to guard; to protect.

Delectation

Noun. A delight or enjoyment. Synonyms: Noun. Pleasure; amusement; joy.

Scion

Noun. A descendent or heir. Noun. A shoot or twig of plant to form a graft. Synonyms: Noun. Ancestor; offshoot.

Adjuration

Noun. A desperate request. Synonyms: Noun. Appeal; conjuration; supplication.

Sleuth

Noun. A detective or investigator. Verb. To investigate. Synonyms: Noun. Private investigator. Verb. To probe; to scrutinize.

Schema

Noun. A diagram; framework; plan. Synonyms: Noun. Scheme; blueprint; concept.

Lexicon

Noun. A dictionary. Noun. The vocabulary of a person, group, subject, or language. Synonyms: Noun. Glossary; wordbook. Noun. Lingo; dialect; language; jargon; vernacular; verbiage; speech.

Asperity

Noun. Meanness, of tone or temper. Noun. Hardship; difficulty. Noun. Roughness of a surface. Synonyms: Noun. Acrimony; bile; vitriol. Noun. Rigor; adversity. Noun. Unevenness; ruggedness.

Dementia

Noun. Mental deterioration. Synonyms: Noun. Mental disorder; senility.

Acumen

Noun. Mental sharpness; keen insight. Synonyms: Noun. Astuteness; shrewdness; acuity; cleverness.

Clemency

Noun. Mercy; leniency. Noun. Good, comfortable weather. Synonyms: Noun. Forgiveness.

Mirth

Noun. Merriment and laughter. Synonyms: Noun. Glee; gaiety; happiness; cheer; jocundity; joviality.

Quibble

Noun. Minor objection or complaint. Noun. Doublespeak; ambiguous or evasive language. Verb. To equivocate; to avoid an issue. Verb. To carp; to cavil; to nag. Synonyms: Noun. Disagreement. Noun. Equivocation. Verb. To lie. Verb. To find fault with.

Bric-a-brac

Noun. Miscellaneous objects and ornaments of little value. Synonyms: Noun. Knickknacks, trinkets, gewgaws, baubels.

Malfeasance

Noun. Misconduct by a public official. Synonyms: Noun. Misbehavior; impropriety; misdoing; wrongdoing; malefaction.

Ambivalence

Noun. Mixed emotions. Synonyms: Noun. Conflict; equivocation; doubt.

Temperance

Noun. Moderation; self-restraint. Noun. Moderation or abstinence from alcoholic liquors. Synonyms: Noun. Self-control; discipline. Noun. Teetotalism; sobriety.

Susurration

Noun. Murmur; whispering sound. Synonyms: Noun. Mutter; mumble; susurrus.

Adonis Complex

Noun. Muscle dysmorphia; a disorder where the person is preoccupied with appearance, esp. musculature. Synonyms: Noun. Reverse anorexia nervosa.

Comity

Noun. Mutual courtesy; civility. Noun. (Comity of Nations) Courtesy between nations. Synonyms: Noun. Harmony; peace; concord; amity.

Synergy

Noun. Mutual effort. Synonyms: Noun. Cooperation; teamwork; collaboration.

Lore

Noun. Myth; traditional wisdom. Synonyms: Noun. Traditional knowledge; folklore; fable.

Proximity

Noun. Nearness. Synonyms: Noun. Closeness.

Propinquity

Noun. Nearness; proximity. Noun. Kinship. Synonyms: Noun. Closeness; adjacency.

Laissez-Faire

Noun. Noninterference, esp. economically from the government. Synonyms: Noun. Do-nothing policy; nonintervention.

Eccentricity

Noun. Oddity; peculiarity. Synonyms: Noun. Bizarreness; foible; idiosyncrasy; quirk; weirdness.

Umbrage

Noun. Offense; annoyance. Noun. Shady branches; shadow, esp. from trees. Noun. A hint; a suggestion. Noun. Reason for doubt; suspicion. Synonyms: Noun. Resentment; indignation. Noun. Disbelief; incredulity. Noun. Inkling; connotation.

Dudgeon (In high dudgeon)

Noun. Offense; deep resentment. Adverb/Phrase. Indignantly; angrily. Synonyms: Noun. Anger.

Apostate

Noun. One who abandons his beliefs, cause, or party. Synonyms: Noun. Traitor; defector.

Agnostic

Noun. One who believes the existence of a God can be neither proven nor disproven. Noun. A person who holds neither of two opposing positions. Adjective. Noncommital. Synonyms: Noun. Skeptic; unbelieving.

Ascetic

Noun. One who leads a life absent of luxury, practicing severe self-discipline. Adjective. Self-restraining; disciplined. Synonyms: Adjective. Self-denying.

Slugabed

Noun. One who stays in bed until a late hour. Synonyms: Noun. Idler; loafer; layabout.

Herpetologist

Noun. One who studies reptiles. Synonyms: Noun. Animal scientist; zoologist.

Venality

Noun. Openness to bribery. Noun. Willingness to do dishonest acts for money. Synonyms: Noun. Corruptness; immorality, unscrupulousness.

Elocution

Noun. Oratory; style or manner of speaking or reading in public. Synonyms: Noun. Declamation; eloquence; locution.

Éclat

Noun. Ostentatious display. Noun. Brilliance of success. Synonyms: Noun. Splendor; grandeur. Noun. Aclaim; acclamation; praise.

Mortify

Verb. To humiliate; to shame. Verb. To discipline one's body and appetites. Synonyms: Verb. To embarrass; to chagrin. Verb. To subdue (desires); to deny (desires); to restrain (oneself).

Verbiage

Noun. Overabundance of words; wordiness. Noun. Style of expressing words; wording. Synonyms: Noun. Verbosity; redundancy; repetition; loquacity; long-windedness; prolixity; tautology; garrulity. Noun. Diction; language; phrasing.

Shellshock

Noun. PTSD due to prolonged exposure to warfare. Synonyms: Noun. Combat fatigue; battle fatigue.

Longanimity

Noun. Patient endurance of hardship, injuries, or offense; forbearance. Synonyms: Noun. Sufferance.

Remuneration

Noun. Payment; compensation. Synonyms: Noun. Remittance; wage; salary.

Détente

Noun. Peace, esp. between nations. Synonyms: Noun. Easement; Passivity.

Dilettante

Noun. Person who dabbles in the arts. Synonyms: Noun. Amateur; nonprofessional; unskilled.

Paraphernalia

Noun. Personal belongings. Noun. Equipment; gear. Synonyms: Noun. Effects; personal effects; personal property; possessions. Noun. Accoutrements.

Amenity

Noun. Pleasant behavior; civility. Noun. Something increasing comfort; material pleasure; convenience. Synonyms: Noun. Courtesy; pleasantry. Noun. Luxury; accommodation; creature comfort.

Solstice

Noun. Point or time at which the sun is farthest from the equator (northernmost-summer; southermost-winter).

Necromancy

Noun. Practice of talking to spirits of dead people. Noun. Black magic. Synonyms: Noun. Evil magic; witchcraft; sorcery.

Cachet

Noun. Prestige; the state of being respected or admired. Noun. A distinguishing mark or seal. Synonyms: Noun. Distinction; status; eminence; kudos. Noun. Stamp; status.

Inroad

Noun. Progress; an advance. Noun. A hostile attack; a raid. Synonyms: Noun. Headway; steps forward; gains. Noun. Encroachment; incursions.

Aegis (Under the Aegis)

Noun. Protection, backing, or support of a person or organization. Synonyms: Noun. Auspices; sponsorship; endorsement.

Obloquy

Noun. Public criticism or verbal abuse. Noun. Disgrace, esp. from public abuse. Synonyms: Noun. Vilification; opprobrium; vituperation; condemnation; denigration; aspersion. Noun. Dishonor; ignominy; odium; disrepute; infamy.

Nostrum

Noun. Quack medicine; a hypothetical cure that may have no effect. Synonyms: Noun. Patent medicine; elixir; panacea.

Apartheid

Noun. Racial segregation, usually referring to the Republic of South Africa's policy of segregation from 1948 to 1991. Synonmys: Noun. Discrimination; racism.

Credulity

Noun. Readiness to believe. Synonyms: Noun. Gullibility; naïveté.

Deductive Reasoning

Noun. Reasoning from general to specific. Synonyms: Noun. Top-down logic.

Pleonasm

Noun. Redundancy in words. Synonyms: Noun. Verbosity; verboseness; superfluity.

Forbearance

Noun. Refraining from something; patient self-control. Noun. A delay in enforcing a legal right; giving of further time for repayment. Synonyms: Noun. Resisting; avoidance.

Intransigence

Noun. Refusal to compromise; inflexibility. Synonyms: Noun. Stubbornness; bullheadedness; adamancy; doggedness; implacability.

Conjecture

Noun. Speculation; a theory; a guess. Verb. To guess; to speculate. Synonyms: Noun. Hypothesis; guesswork; hunch; inference; supposition. Verb. To surmise; to assume.

Fighting Words

Noun. Speech which would likely make the person whom they are addressed commit an act of violence. Fighting words are a category of speech that is unprotected by the First Amendment.

Auspices (Under the Auspices)

Noun. Sponsorship; support; aegis. Idiom. Under the protection. Synonyms: Noun. Protection; endorsement.

Defalcation

Noun. Stealing funds held by an official. Synonyms: Noun. Embezzlement; misappropriation.

Bristle

Noun. Stiff coarse hairs. Verb. To stand or rise stiffly. Verb. To become rigid with anger. Synonyms: Noun. Barb; feeler; fiber; quill. Verb. To rage; to fume; to storm.

Pandiculation

Noun. Stretching, esp. after waking.

Punctilio

Noun. Strict attention to etiquette. Synonyms: Noun. Good manners; civilities.

Apoplexy

Noun. Stroke (blockage or hemorrhage of a blood vessel to the brain) marked by paralysis and unconsciousness. Noun. Extreme anger. Noun. (Informal) Speechlessness caused by anger. Synonyms: Noun. Occlusion.

Cosmology

Noun. Study of the universe. Synonyms: Noun. Cosmogenesis; cosmogony.

Panache

Noun. Style; flair; a flamboyant manner. Synonyms: Noun. Elegance; dash; charisma.

Occult

Noun. Supernatural forces. Adjective. Hidden; secret; concealed. Adjective. Mysterious; abstruse. Adjective. Relating to supernatural forces. Verb. To hide. Synonyms: Adjective. Unknown; arcane; cryptic; enigmatic. Verb. To belie; to blot out; to cloak; to curtain; to enshroud; to obscure.

Glut

Noun. Surplus; an overabundance. Verb. To fill of feed to excess. Synonyms: Noun. Surfeit; oversupply. Verb. To gorge.

Obelisk

Noun. Tapering, four-sided shaft of stone, usually monolithic and having a pyramidal apex.

Abeyance

Noun. Temporary cessation or suspension. Synonyms: Discontinuance; intermission; quiescence; remission; moratorium.

Bivouac

Noun. Temporary encampment, usually without shelter. Verb. To encamp, usually without shelter. Synonyms: Noun. Camp; encampment.

Apollo

Noun. The Greek and Roman god of sunlight, prophecy, music, and poetry.

Politburo

Noun. The Principal policymaking committe of a Communist Party.

Decalogue

Noun. The Ten Commandments. Synonyms: Noun. Rules; Law of Moses; code; canon.

Congress

Noun. The U.S. government legislature. Noun. The act of coming together. Noun. Sex; coitus. Synonyms: Noun. Assembly; association. Noun. Sexual intercourse.

Occident

Noun. The Western Hemisphere; the countries of Europe and America. Synonyms: Noun. The West; western regions.

Prognostication

Noun. The ability to tell the future. Noun. A prophecy; divination. Synonyms: Noun. Prediction; foretelling; forecast.

Extortion

Noun. The act of illegally taking something by abuse of one's power, position, rank, or authority. Synonyms: Noun. Blackmail; shakedown.

Self-Effacement

Noun. The act of making one's actions inconspicuous, esp. because of humility. Synonyms: Noun. Modesty; humbleness.

Libation

Noun. The act of pouring a liquid offering, esp. wine, as a religious ceremony. Noun. The liquid poured. Noun. (Informal) A drink, esp. an alcoholic one. Synonyms: Noun. Oblation.

Consumption

Noun. The act of taking in or absorbing, as of food, drink, etc. Noun. (Dated: 1834-1943) A wasting disease, esp. pulmonary tuberculosis. Synonyms: Noun. Devouring.

Connotation

Noun. The additional meaning a word or thing implies; undertone. Synonyms: Noun. Implication; hint.

Deductible

Noun. The amount you have to pay out-of-pocket for expenses before the insurance company will cover the remaining costs. Adjective. Able to be taken away from an amount, usually for taxes.

Semblance

Noun. The barest trace or small amount. Noun. Outward appearance, esp. when the reality is different. Noun. (Archaic) A likeness; similarity. Synonyms: Noun. Fragment; modicum; shred. Noun. Guise; facade. Noun. Resemblance.

Exordium

Noun. The beginning. Noun. In rhetoric, the introductory part of a speech or treatise. Synonyms: Noun. Introduction; foreword; preamble; preface; prelude.

Canon

Noun. The body of ecclesiastical law. Noun. A rule, principle, or standard. Noun. Any set of recognized sacred books. Noun. The works of an author deemed acceptable. Synonyms: Noun. A criterion; edict.

Cynosure

Noun. The center of attention. Noun. Something that serves to guide. Synonyms: Noun. Compass; direction.

Ethos

Noun. The character or culture of a community, group, or person. Synonyms: Noun. Philosophy; ideology; mindset; mentality.

Milieu

Noun. The environment; the setting. Synonyms: Noun. Atmosphere; surroundings; ambience; location.

Countenance

Noun. The face or facial features. Noun. Calm facial expression; composure. Verb. To tolerate; to permit. Verb. To support. Synonyms: Noun. Profile. Verb. To brook.

Physiognomy

Noun. The face or facial features. Noun. The art of assessing someone's character based on their outward appearance. Synonyms: Noun. Expression; feature.

Fulcrum

Noun. The fixed point around which a lever pivots.

Ideation

Noun. The formation of ideas or concepts. Synonyms: Noun. Thought; conception.

Rictus

Noun. The gape (open-mouth) of a bird's mouth. Noun. A fixed grimace or grin. Synonyms: Noun. Fixed expression; contortion.

Zeitgeist

Noun. The general spirit or attitude of the time. Synonyms: Noun. Climate; outlook; trend.

Apogee

Noun. The highest or most distant point; climax. Noun. (Astronomy) The point in orbit of a heavenly body when it is farthest from the earth. Synonyms: Noun. Pinnacle; apex; zenith; acme; capstone; crescendo; crest; crown; culmination; high noon; meridian; ne plus ultra; summit.

Zenith

Noun. The highest point. Synonyms: Noun. Top; acme; crest; apex.

Acme

Noun. The highest point; the peak. Synonyms: Noun. Summit; zenith; apogee; climax.

Etymology

Noun. The history of a word. Synonyms: Noun. Word origin.

Maw

Noun. The jaws or throat of a voracious animal. Synonyms: Noun. Gullet; mouth; chops.

Watershed

Noun. The land area that supplies water to a river system. Noun. A turning point; an important change. Synonyms: Noun. Basin; bowl; lagoon; valley. Noun. Milestone; event; landmark.

Checkov's Gun

Noun. The literary technique whereby an element is introduced early in the story, but whose significance does not become clear until later on.

Nadir

Noun. The lowest point of great adversity or despair. Noun. (Astronomy) The point of a celestial sphere directly below an observer. Synonyms: Noun. Rock bottom; all-time low.

Semantics

Noun. The meaning or interpretation of the meaning of a word, phrase, or sentence. Noun. The study of the meanings of words. Synonyms: Noun. Connotation.

Malapropism/Malaprop

Noun. The misuse of a word by confusion with one of a similar sound. Synonyms: Noun. Misstatement; malaprop. Examples: Flamingo/flamenco; auspicious/suspicious; affluence/influence.

Miscegenation

Noun. The mixture of races, esp. through marriage. Synonyms: Noun. Crossbreeding; interbreeding; mixed marriage.

Eaves

Noun. The overhanging edge of a roof. Noun. The overhanging edge of anything (like a hat). Synonyms: Noun. Rim; overhang. Noun. Ledge.

Offal

Noun. The parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings. Noun. Waste; garbage. Synonyms: Noun. Debris; junk; refuse; rubbish; trash; scrap.

Marxism

Noun. The political, economic, and social theories of Karl Marx including the belief that the struggle between social classes is a major force in history and that there should eventually be a society in which there are no classes.

Altruism

Noun. Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness. Noun. Animal behavior that benefits another at its own expense. Synonyms: Noun. Unselfishness; humanitarianism.

Tautology

Noun. Useless repetition using different words. Synonyms: Noun. Indirect speech; discursiveness.

Virulence

Noun. Venomous hostility. Noun. The capacity to be infectious. Synonyms: Noun. Acrimony; bitterness; malice; spite. Noun. Noxiousness; toxicity; infectiousness.

Turbulence

Noun. Violent movements of air or water. Noun. State of violent agitation. Synonyms: Noun. Disturbance; tumult; turmoil.

Emesis

Noun. Vomit; regurgitation. Synonyms: Noun. Barf; puke; spew.

Ablution

Noun. Washing; act of cleansing. Synonyms: Noun. Bath.

Detritus

Noun. Waste; debris. Noun. (Geology) Gravel, sand, silt or other material produced by erosion. Noun. Organic waste material from decomposing plants or animals. Synonymns: Noun.

Atrophy

Noun. Wasting away. Verb. To waste away; to decline. Synonyms: Noun. Wasting; emaciation; shriveling. Verb. To dwindle; to deteriorate; to shrivel.

Turpitude

Noun. Wickedness; depravity. Noun. A wicked, shameful, base, or depraved act. Synonyms: Noun. Immorality; vileness; evil.

Bedlam

Noun. Wild uproar and confusion. Synonyms: Noun. Commotion; mayhem; pandemonium.

Logophile

Noun. Word lover. Synonyms: Noun. Word buff.

Hate Speech

Noun. Words that attack, threaten, or insult a person or group on the basis of national origin, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Narrative Hook

Noun. a literary technique in the opening of a story that "hooks" the reader's attention so that he will read on. The "opening" may consist of several paragraphs for a short story, or several pages for a novel, but ideally is the opening sentence. Synonyms: Noun. Hook.

Incarnadine

Noun/Adj. (Literary) A bright crimson or pinkish-red color. Verb. To color a bright crimson or pinkish-red color. Synonyms: Noun/Adj. Dark red; rosy. Verb. To redden; to flush.

Dichotomy

Nouns. A division into two opposite parts. Synonyms: Noun. Separation; split; contradiction; disjunction.

Limn

Ver. (Literary) To depict or describe in painting or words. Synonyms: Verb. To sketch; to paint; to illustrate.

Rend

Verb (Literary) To tear into pieces. Verb. (Literary) To cause great emotional pain. Synonyms: Verb. To sever; to rip; to shred. Verb. To traumatize; to afflict; to trouble; to distress; to torment.

Descry

Verb (Literary). To catch sight of. Synonyms. Verb. To spot; to notice; to see; espy.

Fleece

Verb (Literary). To overspread, as with a fleece. (Ex. A host of clouds fleecing the summer sky.) Verb. To defraud or swindle. Noun. A fabric made of wool. Synonyms: Verb. To cheat.

Tope

Verb. (Archaic/Literary) To drink alcohol to excess, usually habitually. Synonyms: Verb. To booze; to binge-drink.

Judder

Verb. (Chiefly British) To vibrate violently, esp. something mechanical. Noun. Violent shaking and vibration. Synonyms: Verb. To shake; to shudder; to quiver. Noun. Jolt; jerk; joggle.

Coruscate

Verb. (Literary) Flash or sparkle (of light). Synonyms: Verb. Glimmer; shimmer.

Hark

Verb. (Literary) Listen. Synonyms: Verb. To hear; to lend an ear.

Furbelow

Verb. (Literary) To adorn with trimmings. Noun. A ruffle or pleat, as on a woman's skirt or petticoat. Synonyms: Verb. To bedeck; to embellish. Noun. A frill; flounce.

Inhume

Verb. (Literary) To bury in a grave. Synonyms: Verb. To inter; to consign to the grave; to deep-six.

Espy

Verb. (Literary) To catch sight of. Synonyms: Verb. To glimpse; descry; discern; to spot; to notice.

Repine

Verb. (Literary) To complain; to feel or express discontent. Synonyms: Verb. To fret; to beef.

Tarry

Verb. (Literary) To delay leaving or acting (on something). synonyms: Verb. To procrastinate; to linger; to loiter; to dawdle; to dally; temporize.

Bedizen

Verb. (Literary) To dress up or decorate gaudily or in a tasteless manner. Synonyms: Verb. To adorn; to embellish; to festoon.

Fulminate

Verb. (Literary) To explode violently or flash like lighting. Verb. To protest vehemently. Synonyms: Verb. To flash; to crack; to blow up; to detonate; to thunder. Verb. To rail; to rage; to rant; to declaim.

Ravish

Verb. (Literary) To fill with strong emotion. Verb. (Archaic) To seize or carry off (someone) by force. Verb. (Dated) To rape. Synonyms: Verb. To enrapture; to charm; to delight. Verb. To snatch; to steal; to abduct. Verb. To sexually assault; to molest.

Betide

Verb. (Literary) To happen to. Synonyms: Verb. To befall; to come to.

Fleer

Verb. (Literary) To jeer or laugh disrespectfully. Synonyms: Verb. To sneer.

Repose

Verb. (Literary) To lay something to rest in or on something. Verb. To lie or be at rest. Noun. A state of rest, sleep, or tranquility. Synonyms: Verb. To place; to set; to situate. Verb. To relax; to lounge; to recline. Noun. Restfulness; calm; stillness; inactivity.

Bestrew

Verb. (Literary) To scatter about objects (on a surface). Synonyms: Verb. To strew; to sprinkle; to pepper.

Admonish

Verb. To caution or advise against. Verb. To reprove or scold, esp. in a good-willed manner. Verb. To urge to a duty. Synonyms: Verb. To warn; to strongly criticize.

Congeal

Verb. To change from a soft/fluid state to solid, esp. by cooling. Verb. To come together to form a whole; coalesce. Synonyms: Verb. To coagulate; to curdle; to thicken.

Indict

Verb. To charge with a crime. Synonyms: Verb. To formally accuse.

Jabber

Verb. To chatter rapidly or unintelligibly. Synonyms: Verb. To babble; to blather.

Vindicate

Verb. To clear from blame or suspicion; to exculpate. Verb. To prove to be right or justifiable. Synonyms: Verb. To absolve; to acquit; exonerate.

Conflate

Verb. To combine (texts, ideas, etc.) into one; to merge. Synonyms: Verb. To mix; to blend; to unite; to fuse.

Coalesce

Verb. To combine; to fuse. Synonyms: Verb. To consolidate; to blend; to come together; to unite; to integrate.

Indemnify

Verb. To compensate for loss, damage, or injury. Verb. To guard against anticipated loss, damage, or injury. Synonyms: Verb. To compensate; to repay; to recompense. Verb. To insure; to secure.

Comport

Verb. To conduct oneself; to behave. Verb. To agree, usually followed by with. Synonyms: Verb. To compose; to control; to temper. Verb. To accord; to harmonize; to jibe; to conform.

Discomfit

Verb. To confuse, embarrass, or upset. Verb. To frustrate someone's plans; to thwart. Verb. (Archaic) To defeat in battle. Synonyms: Verb. To disconcert; to abash; to fluster. Verb. To foil; to checkmate. Verb. To conquer; to vanquish.

Addle

Verb. To confuse; to muddle. Verb. (Archaic) To rotten, as eggs. Synonyms: Verb. To baffle; to befuddle. Verb. To go bad; to spoil.

Felicitate

Verb. To congratulate. Synonyms: Verb. To commend; to praise; to extol; to compliment.

Deify

Verb. To consider as a god or god-like. Synonyms: Verb. To elevate; to glorify.

Contextualize

Verb. To consider something together with the situation, events, or information related to it, rather than alone. Synonyms: Verb. To study; to check.

Solace

Verb. To console. Noun. Comfort. Synonyms: Verb. To comfort; to soothe; to calm. Noun. Consolation; relief.

Machinate

Verb. To contrive or plot, esp. artfully or for evil; to scheme. Synonyms: Verb. To conspire; to collude; to complot.

Micromanage

Verb. To control in a detailed, meddlesome manner. Synonyms: Verb. To supervise; to bureaucratize.

Proselytize

Verb. To convert or try to convert someone. Synonyms: Verb. To recruit; to evangelize.

Debauch

Verb. To corrupt; to seduce from virtue. Synonyms: Verb. To defile; to violate; to deprave; to corrupt.

Suppurate

Verb. To create pus. Synonyms: Verb. To fester; to putrefy.

Revile

Verb. To criticize abusively. Synonyms: Verb. To censure; to condemn; to castigate; to lambaste; to denounce; to malign; to excoriate.

Fustigate

Verb. To criticize harshly; to reprimand; to chide; to chastise; to castigate. Synonym: Verb. To rebuke; to upbraid; to scold; to reprove; to censure;

Excoriate

Verb. To criticize severely; to denounce. Verb. To strip the skin. Synonyms: Verb. To berate; to castigate; to chastise. Verb. To abrade; to scrape; to scratch; to chafe.

Avouch

Verb. To declare as fact; to affirm; to assert. Synonyms: Verb. To attest; to authenticate; to testify; to certify.

Acquit

Verb. To declare not guilty; to free from a crime. Verb. To release from an obligation. Verb. To conduct oneself. Synonyms: Verb. To absolve; to vindicate; to exonerate. Verb. To discharge. Verb. To behave; to comport.

Embellish

Verb. To decorate. Verb. To add fictitious details. Synonyms: Verb. To bedeck; to adorn. Verb. To enrich; to give details.

Apotheosize

Verb. To deify; glorify as a god. Synonyms: Verb. To idolize; to aggrandize.

Disenfranchise

Verb. To deprive someone of a privilege or right, like voting, citizenship, etc. Synonyms: Verb. To prevent; to disfranchise.

Dissuade

Verb. To deter or persuade not to do something. Synonyms: Verb. To discourage; to disincline; to disadvise; to dehort.

Abominate

Verb. To detest; to dislike strongly. Synonyms: Verb. To abhor; to despise; to hate.

Prevaricate

Verb. To deviate from the truth (implying someone is rather evading the truth rather than purposely making false statements). Synonyms: Verb. To equivocate; to lie; hedge; to deceive; to belie.

Enjoin

Verb. To direct or order to do something. Synonyms: Verb. To command.

Deter

Verb. To discourage or restrain from acting. Verb. To prevent; to check. Synonyms: Verb. To dissuade; to disadvise. Verb. To hamper; to hinder; to impede.

Misappropriate

Verb. To dishonestly take, usually funds entrusted to one's care; to embezzle. Synonyms: Verb. To steal; to expropriate; defalcate; peculate.

Abhor

Verb. To dislike intensely; to loathe. Synonyms: Verb. To hate; to despise.

Perturb

Verb. To distress; to agitate. Verb. To throw into confusion; to disorder. Synonyms: Verb. To worry; to upset; to unsettle; to trouble; to disconcert; to unnerve.

Roil

Verb. To disturb; to disquiet; to irritate. Verb. To move turbulently. Verb. To make turbid (unclear) by stirring up sediment. Synonyms: Verb. To vex; to anger. Verb. To boil; to churn; to seethe. Verb. To muddy.

Dichotomize

Verb. To divide into two contrasting or opposite parts. Synonyms: Verb. To separate; to split; to contradict; to disjoint.

Subjugate

Verb. To dominate or control; to conquer. Synonyms: Verb. To defeat; to quell.

Conscript

Verb. To draft into the military. Noun. A person drafted into the military. Synonyms: Verb. To enlist; to recruit. Noun. A recruit; a draftee.

Circumscribe

Verb. To draw a line around; encircle. Verb. To limit; to confine. Synonyms: Verb. To outline; to gird; to girdle. Verb. To demarcate; to demark.

Elicit

Verb. To draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone in reaction to one's own actions or questions. Synonyms: To evoke; to bring out; to extract.

Quaff

Verb. To drink with relish, usually an intoxicating one. Synonyms: Verb. To gulp; to guzzle; to imbibe.

Expel

Verb. To drive or force out. Verb. To cut off membership or relations. Synonyms: Verb. To discharge; to eject. Verb. To excommunicate; to banish; to oust.

Desiccate

Verb. To dry out thoroughly, usually for preservation. Synonyms: Verb. To dehydrate; to parch.

Peter

Verb. To dwindle to nothing. Verb. To tire; to exhaust. Synonyms: Verb. To decrease; to diminish. Verb. To wear out.

Abash

Verb. To embarrass. Synonyms: Verb. To disconcert; to shame.

Personify

Verb. To embody; to represent. Verb. To give human qualities to a thing or abstraction. Synonyms: Verb. To be; to stand for; to exemplify; to epitomize. Verb. To personate.

Matriculate

Verb. To enroll, esp. into a college. Synonyms: Verb. To register; to join; to sign up for.

Accouter/Accoutre

Verb. To equip; to outfit. Synonyms: Verb. To furnish to clothe.

Adulate

Verb. To excessively praise or flatter someone. Synonyms: Verb. To brown-nose; to fawn; to worship.

Excommunicate

Verb. To exclude from a group, especially a church. Synonyms: Verb. To banish; to oust; to expel; to exile; to dispossess.

Ostracize

Verb. To exile; to shut out. Synonyms: Verb. To ban; to blackball; to exclude; to snub; to excommunicate; to shun.

Opine

Verb. To express an opinion. Synonyms: Verb. To comment; to remark; to weigh in; to editorialize; to note.

Deprecate

Verb. To express disapproval of. Verb. To belittle. Synonyms: Verb. To condemn; to disparage.

Bemoan

Verb. To express grief; to distress; to lament. Synonyms: Verb. To bewail; to deplore; to grieve (for); to mourn; to regret.

Inundate

Verb. To flood; to overspread with water. Verb. To overwhelm. Synonyms: Verb. To deluge; to overflow; to submerge. Verb. To overburden; to overload; to swamp.

Ensue

Verb. To follow in order; to come afterward. Synonyms: Verb. To befall; to turn out.

Proscribe

Verb. To forbid; to prohibit. Synonyms: Verb. To outlaw; to ban.

Impose

Verb. To forcibly place upon. Synonyms: Verb. To foist.

Conceptualize

Verb. To form ideas. Snonyms: Verb. To gestate; to brainstorm.

Stratify

Verb. To form in strata or layers. Synonyms: Verb. To overlay.

Abdicate

Verb. To formally relinquish power. Synonyms: Verb. To step down; to forgo; to resign.

Exculpate

Verb. To free from blame; to clear from guilt/fault. Synonyms: Verb. To acquit; to absolve; to exonerate; to vindicate.

Absolve

Verb. To free from responsibility or guilt. Synonyms: Verb. To acquit; to exonerate; to vindicate; to pardon; exculpate.

Disembody

Verb. To free or separate (soul, spirit) from a body.

Extricate

Verb. To free; to disentangle. Synonyms: Verb. To bail out; to extract; to liberate; to unfetter.

Unfetter

Verb. To free; to liberate. Synonyms: Verb. To emancipate; to release; to extricate.

Daunt

Verb. To frighten; to intimidate. Synonyms: Verb. To alarm; to appall; browbeat.

Glean

Verb. To gather slowly, bit by bit. Verb. To gather grain or produce left by reapers. Synonyms: Verb. To collect; to garner. Verb. To reap; to sift.

Ingratiate

Verb. To get on someone's good side (usually followed by with). Synonyms: Verb. To flatter.

Belie

Verb. To give a false impression; to disguise or contradict. Verb. To show to be false. Synonyms: Verb. To conceal; to cover. Verb. To disprove; to confute; to refute.

Gerrymander

Noun. A dividing of a voting area so as to give your party an unfair advantage. Verb. To divide a voting area so as to give your party an unfair advantage. Synonyms: Noun. Cheat. Verb. To fix; to rig; to tamper with.

Voucher

Noun. A document proving payment; receipt. Noun. Someone who supports another or the correctness of a statement. Synonyms: Noun. Certificate; check; ticket; evidence; documentation. Noun. Champion; verifier; supporter.

Caricature

Noun. A humorously exaggerated imitation. Verb. To show as an exaggerated imitation. Synonyms: Noun. Mockery; farce; parody. Verb. To mock; to ape.

Yeoman

Noun. A middle-class farmer. Noun. A petty officer in the Navy. Synonyms: Noun. A worker; a freeholder.

Quorum

Noun. A minimum number of members necessary to conduct a meeting. Synonyms: Noun. Required number.

Foible

Noun. A minor weakness or character flaw. Synonyms: Noun. Weak point; personal imperfection.

Amortize

Verb. To gradually reduce the cost of an asset (debt, mortgage, etc.). Synonyms: Verb. To write off; to pay off.

Neophyte

Noun. A person who is new to a subject, skill, or belief; beginner. Synonyms: Noun. Newcomer; novice.

Pander

Verb. To gratify or indulge a desire or person(s). Verb. To seek favor from by fawning or w/servile behavior. Synonyms: Verb. To please; to satisfy. Verb. To brownnose; to flatter; ingratiate.

Accrue

Verb. To grow by addition, usually finances. Synonyms: Verb. To accumulate; to amass.

Burgeon

Verb. To grow or develop quickly; to flourish. Verb. To put forth young shoots; to bud. Synonyms: Verb. To thrive; to prosper. Verb. To sprout; to blossom.

Maul

Verb. To handle roughly. Synonyms: Verb. To manhandle; rough up; to beat up.

Ossify

Verb. To harden into bone. Verb. To harden or set in one's ways; to cease developing. Synonyms: Verb. To fossilize; to harden; to petrify. Verb. To become rigid; to stagnate; to become inflexible; to rigidify.

Impede

Verb. To hinder; to slow down the progress of. Synonyms: Verb. To obstruct; to stymie.

Connote

Verb. To hint; to imply. Synonyms: Verb. To suggest; to state indirectly.

Expatriate Expat

Noun. A person who lives outside their native country. Adjective. Living outside their native country. Verb. To settle oneself abroad. Synonyms: Noun. Foreigner; alien; emigrant. Adjective. Emigrant; non-native; foreign.

Doctrinaire

Noun. A person who stubbornly attempts to apply a theory/doctrine without regard for practical difficulties. Adjective. Stubbornly attempting to apply a theory/doctrine without regard for practical difficulties. Synonyms: Noun. Zealot; dogmatist. Adjective. Dogmatic; opinionated; pontifical.

Hypochondriac

Noun. A person with imaginary ailments. Adjective. Having imaginary ailments. Synonyms: Noun. Neurotic. Adjective. Neurotic; hypochondriacal.

Prodigy

Noun. A person, esp. young, with extraordinary talents or abilities. Noun. An impressive example. Synonyms: Noun. Genius; virtuoso; wunderkind. Noun. Model; paragon; paradigm; epitome; archetype.

Daguerreotype

Noun. A photograph taken by an early photographic process employing an iodine-sensitized silvered plate and mercury vapor.

Fane

Noun. A place of worship. Synonyms: Noun. Temple; church; synagogue; mosque.

Juxtaposition

Noun. A placement of things side by side for comparison or contrast. Synonyms: Noun. Adjacency.

Autotroph

Noun. A plant capable of synthesizing its own food from organic substances. Synonyms: Noun. Autophyte; plant.

Apothegm

Noun. A short, wise saying; proverb; adage; maxim. Synonyms: Noun. Dictum; saying; axiom; aphorism.

Gewgaw

Noun. A showy but worthless trinket. Synonyms: Noun. Bauble; knickknack; bric-a-brac.

Chichi

Noun. A showy person or thing. Adjective. Trendy; showy. Synonyms: Noun. Stylishness; dapperness; elegance; modishness. Adjective. Flamboyant; swank.

Herald

Noun. A sign of something to come; a harbinger. Verb. To announce; to usher in. Synonyms: Noun. Omen; messenger. Verb. To augur; to forebode; to forecast.

Raconteur

Noun. A skilled storyteller. Synonyms: Noun. Narrator; anecdotist.

Menial

Noun. A slave; a servant. Adj. Lowly and degrading. Adj. Slavish; submissive; servile. Synonyms: Noun. Factotum; laborer. Adj. Low-status.

Soupçon

Noun. A slight trace, as of taste or flavor. Synonyms: Noun. A bit, dab, vestige, sprinkle, touch.

Placket

Noun. A slit in a garment (such as a skirt) often forming the closure.

Modicum

Noun. A small amount. Synonyms: Noun. Bit; iota; shred; ounce; scintilla.

Pinnace

Noun. A small boat.

Dapple

Noun. A small contrasting spot or blotch. Noun. A spotted or blotched appearance, esp. of the coat of an animal. Verb. To mark with spots. Synonyms: Noun. Speckle; speck; patch; splotch. Verb. To speckle; to bespeckle.

Ramekin

Noun. A small individual baking dish.

Paucity

Noun. A small or insufficient quantity; scarcity. Synonyms: Noun. Sparseness; dearth; shortage.

Rivulet

Noun. A small stream. Synonyms: Noun. Brook; channel; creek; river; beck (Northen English mountain stream).

Peccadillo

Noun. A small, insignificant sin or offense; a petty misdeed. Synonyms: Noun. Indiscretion; wrongdoing.

Brook

Noun. A small, natural freshwater stream. Verb. To tolerate. Synonyms: Noun. Beck; creek; river; rivulet. Verb. To endure; to accept.

Emollient

Noun. A softening or soothing agent especially for the skin; salve. Adjective. Soothing; softening; mollifying. Synonyms: Noun. Balm; lotion. Adjective. Demulcent; healing.

Sentry

Noun. A soldier who guards a door or gate. Synonyms: Noun. Sentinel; guard; custodian; lookout; watchman.

Helix

Noun. A spiral; coil.

Adjutant

Noun. A staff officer assisting the commander. Noun. An assistant. Synonyms: Noun. Aide; auxiliary; helper.

Philatelist

Noun. A stamp collector. Synonyms: Noun. Collector; aggregator.

Desuetude

Noun. A state of disuse. Synonyms: Noun. Idleness; inactivity.

Non Sequitur

Noun. A statement that does not relate logically to what comes before it. Synonyms: Noun. "It does not follow."

Touchstone

Noun. A stone used to test the fineness of gold alloys. Noun. A standard; a test of authenticity or quality. Synonyms: Noun. Guide; barometer; criterion.

Lagoon

Noun. A stretch of salt water separated from the sea by a low sandbank or coral reef.

Shoal

Noun. A stretch of shallow water. Adjective. Shallow; lacking depth in water. Verb. To make or become shallow. Synonyms: Noun. Reef; shallow; ford; sandbank; sandbar. Adjective. Not deep. Verb. To shallow.

Martinet

Noun. A strict disciplinarian, esp. a military one. Synonyms: Noun. Authoritarian; taskmaster.

Redoubt

Noun. A stronghold; a defendable position; a fortification. Synonyms: Noun. Fortress; bastion; bulwark.

Fortification

Noun. A stronghold; something that protects; a redoubt. Synonyms: Noun. Blockade; fortress; reinforced position; bulwark; bastion.

Lout

Noun. A stupid, rude, or awkward person; a brute. Verb. To bow in respect. Synonyms: Noun. A boor; bumpkin; clodhopper; gawk; clod.

Nuance

Noun. A subtle difference in meaning or color. Synonyms: Noun. Distinction; implication.

Spasm

Noun. A sudden burst of energy. Noun. (Pathology) A sudden involuntary muscle contraction. Synonyms: Noun. Burst; paroxysm. Noun. Convulsion; cramp; twitch.

Caprice

Noun. A sudden change in behavior/mind or weather. Synonyms: Noun. Capriciousness; whim.

Paroxysm

Noun. A sudden violent burst of emotion; outburst. Noun. (Pathology) A fit, attack, or sudden increase or recurrence of symptoms. Synonyms: Noun. Flare-up; fit; spasm.

Implication

Noun. A suggestion; something implied. Noun. Involvement. Synonyms: Noun. Connotation; hint; undertone. Noun. Connection; association.

Buttress

Noun. A support, usually of stone. Verb. To support; to prop up. Synonyms: Noun. Brace; prop. Verb. To bolster; to reinforce; to uphold.

Advocate

Noun. A supporter; a defender. Verb. To support; to defend. Synonyms: Noun. Exponent; backer; champion; apologist. Verb. To back; to champion.

Sovereign

Noun. A supreme ruler. Adjective. Possessing supreme power. Synonyms: Noun. Ruler; monarch; head of state; overlord. Adjective. Supreme; absolute; unlimited; unrestricted.

Moratorium

Noun. A suspension of activity. Synonyms: Noun. Delay; freeze; postponement; abeyance.

Nomenclature

Noun. A system of words used in a particular discipline; terminology. Synonyms: Noun. Classification; language; toponomy.

Incluing

Noun. A technique of world-building, in which the reader is gradually exposed to background information about the world in which a story is set.

Armistice

Noun. A temporary truce in war. Synonyms: Noun. Ceasefire; peace.

Proclivity

Noun. A tendency to choose to do something; a predisposition. Synonyms: Noun. Propensity; liking; inclination; leaning; bent; predilection.

Juggernaut

Noun. A terrible, destructive, or irresistible force. Synonyms: Noun. An overpowering force.

Communism

Noun. A theory or system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state. Synonyms: Noun. Bolshevism; totalitarianism.

Contrivance

Noun. A thing created skillfully & inventively to serve a particular purpose. Noun. A device which gives a sense of artificiality. Synonyms: Noun. Scheme; strategm; plot. Noun. Machine; device; contraption.

Abstraction

Noun. A thing that exists in thought, not reality. Noun. Preoccupation; absentmindedness. Noun. Art that does not represent reality, seeking to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures. Noun. Removal, esp. water from a river or other source. Synonyms: Noun. Concept; thought; ideal. Noun. Distraction; inattention. Noun. Extraction; separation.

Menace

Noun. A threat or danger. Verb. To threaten; to endanger. Synonyms: Noun. Hazard; risk; jeopardy. Verb. To risk; to imperil.

Day of Reckoning

Noun. A time when one is called to account for one's actions. Synonyms: Noun. Judgement; doomsday.

Scintilla

Noun. A tiny trace or spark of a quality or feeling. Example: "A scintilla of doubt." Synonyms: Noun. A nip; a bit; smidgen; iota; shred; modicum.

Lagniappe

Noun. A tip or gratuity, especially one given to a customer. Noun. An unexpected bonus. Synonyms: Noun. Gift; present; largess.

Celluloid

Noun. A tough, transparent, flammable plastic made in sheets from camphor and nitrocellulose, formerly used for cinematographic film. Noun. Motion-picture film. Synonyms: Noun. Movie; flick; cinema.

Vestige

Noun. A trace; remains. Synonyms: Noun. Remnant; relic; footprint; indication; soupçon.

Embargo

Noun. A trade ban on a certain country. Verb. To ban trade with a certain country. Synonyms: Noun. Bar; prohibition; stoppage; moratorium. Verb. To bar; to prohibit; to outlaw.

Quisling

Noun. A traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country. Synonyms: Noun. Sympathizer; defector; betrayer.

Flounder

Noun. A type of fish with a flat body. Verb. To struggle clumsily. Synonyms: Noun. Flatfish. Verb. To flop; to stumble; to bumble.

Grouse

Noun. A type of game bird. Noun. A complaint; a grumble. Verb. To complain; to grumble. Synonyms: Noun. Grievance; objection; quibble. Verb. Protest; object.

Burqa

Noun. A veil worn by Muslim women that covers the entire body and face, with a mesh window or grille across the eyes for sight.

Niqab

Noun. A veil worn by Muslim women that covers the hair and face, but not the eyes, with a loose black garment (abaya) that covers from head to feet.

Mogul

Noun. A very rich or powerful person. Synonyms: Noun. Magnate; tycoon.

Precipice

Noun. A very steep cliff. Noun. The brink of a dangerous situation. Synonyms: Noun. Bluff; crag; escarpment. Noun. Crisis.

Quarry

Noun. A victim; an object of a hunt. Noun. An excavation; a digging. Verb. To excavate a quarry. Synonyms: Noun. Chase; prey; game. Noun. Hole; unearthing. Verb. To dig up; to bore; to burrow.

Infraction

Noun. A violation; a breach of a rule. Synonyms: Noun. Infringement; offense; crime; transgression.

Maelstrom

Noun. A violent whirlpool. Noun. A confused, violent situation. Synonyms: Noun. Tourbillion; vortex; swirl. Noun. Turbulence; tumult; disorder; upheaval; bedlam; pandemonium; disarray; chaos; confusion.

Caveat

Noun. A warning or caution. Synonyms: Noun. Admonition.

Wastrel

Noun. A wasteful person. Synonyms: Noun. Squanderer; spendthrift; profligate; spender; prodigal; waster.

Velleity

Noun. A weak desire or leaning w/no effort to obtain it. Synonyms: Noun. Want; inclination; tendency.

Infirmity

Noun. A weakness or ailment. Synonyms: Noun. Sickness.

Tycoon

Noun. A wealthy and powerful businessperson; mogul. Synonyms: Noun. Magnate; fat cat.

Scourge

Noun. A whip; a lash. Noun. A source of widespread affliction. Verb. To whip; to lash. Verb. To punish severely. Synonyms: Noun. Plague; torment.

Tourbillion

Noun. A whirlwind or whirlpool. Synonyms: Noun. Vortex; cyclone; whirl; maelstrom.

Maxim

Noun. A wise saying; proverb; adage; an expression of general truth. Synonyms: Noun. Aphorism; axiom; dictum; motto; theorem.

Aphorism

Noun. A wise saying; proverb; adage; maxim. Synonyms: Noun. Dictum; saying; apothegm; axiom.

Adage

Noun. A wise saying; proverb; maxim. Synonyms: Noun. Aphorism; axiom; motto; dictum; precept.

Witticism

Noun. A witty remark. Synonyms. Noun. Repartee; zinger; wisecrack; riposte; epigram.

Acronym

Noun. A word formed from the initial letters or groups of letters of words in a set phrase and pronounced as a separate word.

Contronym

Noun. A word with two opposite meanings; auto-antonym. Examples: To sanction; to peruse; to overlook; to dust.

Palindrome

Noun. A word, phrase, sentence, or verse that reads the same backward or forward.

Fledgling

Noun. A young bird just able to fly. Noun. An inexperienced person. Adjective. Young or inexperienced. Synonyms: Noun. Chick; babe. Noun. Neophyte; novice; tyro; rookie. Adjective. Incipient; callow.

Debutante

Noun. A young woman making a debut into society.

Xerosis

Noun. Abnormal dryness of the skin or eyes.

Teetotalism

Noun. Abstinence from alcoholic beverages. Synonyms: Noun. Temperance; abnegation; abstemiousness.

Invective

Noun. Abusive language. Adjective. Insulting, abusive, as of language. Synonyms: Noun. Insults; expletives; curses; censure; reproach; castigation; recrimination; pejorative. Adjective. Vituperative; denunciatory.

Passivity

Noun. Acceptance of what happens without response, emotion, or resistance; inactivity. Synonyms: Noun. Lifelessness; apathy; indifference.

Epexegesis

Noun. Addition of words for further clarification.

Compromise

Noun. Agreement between two or more sides in which each side gives up some of what it wants. Noun. Exposure to danger. Verb. To settle; to accept a lower standard. Verb. To expose to danger or make vulnerable. Verb. To impair or diminish in function. Synonyms: Noun. Accommodation; accord; arrangement. Verb. To give and take. Verb. To put in jeopardy.

Profusion

Noun. An abundance or large quantity. Synonyms: Noun. Extravagance; surplus; glut; copiousness.

Imputation

Noun. An accusation. Synonyms: Noun. Allegation; incrimination.

Precedent

Noun. An act that serves as a guide for later acts. Adj. Coming before; preceding. Synonyms: Noun. An example; model; paradigm; standard; guide. Adj. Previous; foregoing; former; prior; antecedent.

Thespian

Noun. An actor or actress. Adjective. Of or relating to drama or theater. Synonyms: Noun. A performer; impersonator; tragedian; histrionic. Adjective. Dramatic.

Apologue

Noun. An allegory or moral fable, often w/talking animals or object. Synonyms: Noun. Folktale; folklore.

Progenitor

Noun. An ancestor; a forefather. Synonyms: Noun. Primogenitor; forebear.

Polis

Noun. An ancient Greek city-state. Synonyms: Noun. Metropolis; city; municipality.

Canid

Noun. An animal of the carnivorous, Canidae family including dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and jackals. Synonyms: Noun. Canis; Canidae; aureus.

Gesticulation

Noun. An animated or expressive gesture (action to convey feeling). Synonyms: Noun. Body language; motion.

Carp

Noun. An annoying complaint. Noun. A large freshwater cyprinid fish. Verb. To annoyingly complain and criticize; to cavil. Synonyms: Noun. Grievance; gripe. Verb. To nag; to grumble; to quibble.

Skid Row (Road)

Noun. An area of cheap barrooms and run down hotels, frequented by alcoholics and vagrants. Synonyms: Noun. Red-light district; ghetto.

Commodity

Noun. An article of trade; merchandise. Noun. Benefit; advantage. Synonyms: Noun. Goodes; wares; product. Noun. Aid; asset.

Pastiche

Noun. An artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period. Noun. An incongruous mixture; hodgepodge. Verb. To imitate the style of (an artist or work). Synonyms: Noun. Imitation; copy; mimicry. Noun. Medley; jumble; melange; patchwork. Verb. To copy; to emulate; to mimic.

Abettor

Noun. An assistant, esp. in wrongdoing. Synonyms: Noun. Accessory; accomplice.

Consortium

Noun. An association, typically of several business companies. Noun. An association; a society. Noun. (Law) The right of companionship with one's husband. Synonyms: Noun. Alliance; coalition; union.

Acolyte

Noun. An attendant, assistant, or follower. Noun. In Christianity, an alter attendant in public worship. Synonyms: Noun. Aid; helper.

Sanction

Noun. An authoritative permission or approval. Noun. In law, a penalty or reward. Verb. To authorize; to approve. Verb. To penalize. Synonyms: Noun. Allowance; backing.

Ocher

Noun. An earthy yellow or red. Adj. Of an earthy yellow or red.

Egoist

Noun. An egocentric, self-centered, or egoistic person. Synonyms: Noun. Narcissist; self-aggrandizer; ego-tripper; cockalorum.

Adversary

Noun. An enemy; an opponent. Synonyms: Noun. Antagonist; foe.

Gamut

Noun. An entire range or extent. Synonyms: Noun. Spectrum; breadth; scope.

Rapprochement

Noun. An establishment or reestablishment of cordial relations (esp. in international relations). Synonyms: Noun. Reconciliation; detente.

Malefaction

Noun. An evil deed; crime; wrongdoing. Synonyms: Noun. Offense; misdeed; misdoing; sin; transgression; violation.

Miscreant

Noun. An evildoer; a villain. Adjective. Evil; villainous. Synonyms: Noun. Lowlife; fiend; malefactor. Adjective. Criminal.

Surfeit

Noun. An excess. Verb. To overindulge in something. Synonyms: Noun. Surplus; overabundance; glut. Verb. To overfeed; to glut; to fill.

Sinologist

Noun. An expert in Chinese language, literature, history, art, and customs. Synonyms: Noun. Scholarly name; bookman; scholar.

Virtuoso

Noun. An expert in the arts. Synonyms: Noun. Expert; master; maestro.

Mavin/Maven

Noun. An expert or connoisseur. Synonyms: Noun. Ace; adept; artist; authority; crackerjack; guru; maestro; expert; virtuoso.

Adept

Noun. An expert. Adjective. Highly skilled. Synonyms: Noun. An authority; a connoisseur. Adjective. Experienced; accomplished.

Jingoist

Noun. An extremely aggressive and militant patriot. Synonyms: Noun. Flag-waver; loyalist; nationalist.

Utopia

Noun. An ideal place or state. Synonyms: Noun. Paradise.

Anhedonia

Noun. An inability to experience pleasure.

Accretion

Noun. An increase by natural growth. Noun. An addition. Synonyms: Noun. Accumulation.

Impropriety

Noun. An indecent or improper act. Synonyms: Noun. Indecency; inappropriateness; unsuitableness.

Pococurante (poh-koh-koo-ran-tee)

Noun. An indifferent person. Adjective. Indifferent. Synonyms: Noun. Nonchalance; apathy. Adjective. Careless; nonchalant; apathetic.

Innuendo

Noun. An indirect or allusive remark, usually disparaging. Synonyms: Noun. Intimation; insinuation; suggestion.

Denizen

Noun. An inhabitant; a resident. Noun. A person who regularly frequents a place; an habitué. Synonyms: Noun. Dweller; habitant; tenant. Noun. A regular; a familiar; a frequenter.

Affront

Noun. An insult; an offense. Verb. To insult; to offend. Synonyms: Noun. Indignity; slight. Verb. To disrespect; to outrage; to slight.

Flashback

Noun. An interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached; analepsis.

Flashforward

Noun. An interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point the story has reached; prolepsis.

Rendition

Noun. An interpretation or performance of music or a drama. Noun. A translation. Noun. The legal process of sending a suspect to another country to be interrogated or detained.

Erudition

Noun. Bookishness; scholarship; extensive knowledge acquired from books. Synonyms: Noun. Learnedness; education; literacy.

Brevity

Noun. Briefness or conciseness in speech or writing. Synonyms: Noun. Terseness; shortness.

Equanimity

Noun. Calmness under stress. Synonyms: Noun. Levelheadedness; composure; coolness.

Aptitude

Noun. Capacity for learning. Noun. Natural ability; talent. Synonyms: Noun. Competence; savvy. Noun. Inclination; tendency; predilection; propensity.

Insouciance

Noun. Casual lack of concern; indifference. Synonyms: Noun. Apathy; disinterest; nonchalance.

Validation

Noun. Checking something's accuracy. Noun. Affirmation that a person's opinions or feelings are valid. Synonyms: Noun. Attestation; confirmation; corroboration; substantiation; testimony; proof.

Alacrity

Noun. Cheerful willingness or readiness; eagerness. Synonyms: Noun. Promptness; liveliness; readiness.

Analogy

Noun. Comparison; similarity. Synonyms: Noun. Correlation; metaphor.

Table d'hôte

Noun. Complete meal of several courses offered in a restaurant at a fixed price. Synonyms: Noun. Banquet; feast; supper.

Kleptomania

Noun. Compulsion to steal.

Corollary

Noun. Conclusion; result. Synonyms: Noun. Consequence; aftermath.

Temerity

Noun. Confidence in contempt of danger or opposition; foolhardiness; recklessness. Synonyms: Noun. Nerve; audacity; rashness.

Aplomb

Noun. Confidence; poise; assurance. Synonyms: Noun. Composure; equanimity; imperturbability.

Compliance

Noun. Conformity or accordance. Noun. Cooperation or obedience. Synonyms: Noun. Agreement; consent.

Sadism

Noun. Enjoyment from causing others pain, especially sexually. Synonyms: Noun. Malice; barbarity; brutality; cruelness; atrociousness; viciousness.

Effervescence

Noun. Enthusiasm. Noun. Bubbles; fizz. Synonyms: Noun. Vivacity; excitement. Noun. Foam; froth.

Acclaim

Noun. Enthusiastic approval; favorable opinion. Verb. To applaud; to praise. Synonyms: Noun. Acclamation; kudos. Verb. To extol; to laud.

Stasis

Noun. Equilibrium or inactivity caused by opposing equal forces. Synonyms: Noun. Balance.

Perpetuity

Noun. Eternity; infinity; foreverness. Noun. (In law) An annuity (income) payable forever. Synonyms: Noun. Continuity; continuance.

Censor

Noun. Examination and removal of offensive parts in movies, art, or publications. Noun. An adverse critic; faultfinder. Verb. To examine and remove offensive parts in movies, art, or publications. Synonyms: Noun. Carper; nag; nitpicker. Verb. Bowdlerize; to expurgate; to edit.

Prowess

Noun. Exceptional ability or skill. Noun. A valiant deed, esp. in battle. Synonyms: Noun. Accomplishment; aptitude; dexterity; excellence. Noun. Courage; bravery.

Tour De Force

Noun. Exceptional achievement, usually by an author, artist, or the like. Synonyms: Noun. Masterpiece.

Plethora

Noun. Excess; overabundance. Synonyms: Noun. Surfeit; glut; profusion.

Vanity

Noun. Excessive pride; conceit. Synonyms: Noun. Egotism; narcissism; vainglory; haughtiness.

Dispensation

Noun. Exemption from a rule. Noun. Distribution; dispensing. Noun. A system of order, government, or organization of a nation. Synonyms: Noun. Immunity; exception. Noun. Disbursement; allocation. Noun. Arrangement.

Breadth

Noun. Extent; width. Noun. Freedom from narrowness or restraint; liberality. Synonyms: Noun. Broadness.

Guise (Under/In the Guise)

Noun. External appearance; semblance. Noun. False appearance. Noun. Style of dress; costume. Verb. To dress; to attire. Idiom. Disguise; false appearance. Synonyms: Noun. Face; outward. Noun. Pretense; pretext; disguise.

Repugnance

Noun. Extreme dislike. Synonyms: Noun. Aversion; abhorrence; disgust; distaste; animus; revulsion.

Voracity

Noun. Extreme hunger; gluttony. Synonyms: Noun. Ravenousness; rapacity; hungriness.

Bravado

Noun. False bravery. Synonyms: Noun. Boastfulness; boldness; swagger.

Nepotism

Noun. Favoritism shown to relatives, as by giving them jobs. Synonyms: Noun. Patronage.

Acrophobia

Noun. Fear of heights. Synonyms: Noun. Phobia.

Hydrophobia

Noun. Fear of water. Noun. Rabies. Synonyms: Noun. Phobia. Noun. Zoonosis; symptom.

Trepidation

Noun. Fear; agitation. Synonyms: Noun. Dread; fright; worry; nervousness; apprehension.

Emolument

Noun. Fee or salary; profit derived from employment. Synonyms: Noun. Payment; compensation.

Blarney

Noun. Flattering; wheedling talk Noun. Deceptive or misleading talk; nonsense. Verb. To flatter or wheedle. Synonyms: Noun. Cajolery; sweet talk. Noun. Nonsense; hooey. Verb. To coax; to sweet talk.

Blandishment

Noun. Flattery intended to persuade. Synonyms: Noun. Cajolery; coaxing; blarney.

Coquetry

Noun. Flirtation. Synonyms: Noun. Flirting; dalliance.

Flotsam

Noun. Floating debris. Synonyms: Noun. Ruins; wreckage; rubble.

Viand

Noun. Food. Synonyms: Noun. Dish; chow; eats; edibles; grub; provisions; comestibles.

Dint

Noun. Force; effort. Idiom. (By Dint Of) As a result of; due to the efforts of. Synonyms: Noun. Exertion; strain; struggle.

Prescience

Noun. Foresight; knowledge of the future. Synonyms: Noun. Foreknowledge; divination.

Absolution

Noun. Forgiveness; freeing from blame or guilt. Synonyms: Noun. Pardon; amnesty.

Eulogy

Noun. Formal praise, esp. at one's death. Synonyms: Noun. Tribute.

Shrapnel

Noun. Fragments from an exploded artillery shell. Synonyms: Noun. Ammunition; ammo; bullet; shell.

Volition

Noun. Free will. Synonyms: Noun. Choice; autonomy; will.

Bonhomie

Noun. Friendliness; geniality; good-heartedness. Synonyms: Noun. Congeniality; conviviality; cordiality; affability.

Refuse

Noun. Garbage; rubbish. Adjective. Worthless. Verb. To decline to accept. Synonyms: Noun. Litter; waste; junk; trash. Verb. To pass; to dismiss.

Inductive Reasoning

Noun. Generalization: reasoning from detailed facts to general principles. Synonyms: Noun. Bottom-up logic; stereotype.

Largess

Noun. Generous bestowal of gifts or money. Synonyms: Noun. Generosity; liberality; bounty; philanthropy; magnanimity.

Providence

Noun. God, esp. when caring for the universe. Synonyms: Noun. Divine intervention; God's will.

Kilter (Off-Kilter)

Noun. Good condition; working order. Adj. (Idiom) Not perfectly balanced; not aligned. Synonyms: Noun. Health; repair.

Consignment

Noun. Goods to be delivered. Noun. Agreement to pay a supplier after the goods are sold. Synonyms: Noun. Load; cargo; shipment.

Gerontocracy

Noun. Government ruled by elders.

Euphoria

Noun. Great happiness. Synonyms: Noun. Elation; high spirits.

Cupidity

Noun. Greed, esp. for money or possessions. Synonyms: Noun. Avarice; materialism; rapaciousness.

Avarice

Noun. Greediness for wealth. Synonyms: Noun. Cupidity; covetousness; avidness; rapacity.

Tutelage

Noun. Guidance; instruction; teaching. Synonyms: Noun. Guardianship; apprenticeship.

Escapism

Noun. Habitual, mental diversion to imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine. Synonyms: Noun. Diversion; avoidance.

Sclerosis

Noun. Hardening of tissue; especially from inflammation and certain disease states. Though it may occur in many areas of the body, the term is most often associated with blood vessels.

Animadversion

Noun. Harsh criticism; disapproval. Synonyms: Noun. Condemnation; disapprobation; censure.

Crustiness

Noun. Harshness; surliness; rudeness. Noun. A crisp or thick outer layer or covering (crust). Synonyms: Noun. Irritability; irascibility; testiness.

Perdition

Noun. Hell; final spiritual ruin; loss of the soul. Synonyms: Noun. Eternal damnation.

Annals

Noun. Historical records. Synonyms: Noun. Archives; accounts.

Notoriety

Noun. Ill fame; disrepute. Synonyms: Noun. Infamy; opprobrium.

Edification

Noun. Improvement or enlightenment. Synonyms: Noun. Betterment; elucidation; enhancement.

Descant

Noun. In Music, an additional melody sung above the principal melody. Noun. A comment, criticism, or discourse. Verb. To discuss at length.

Smart

Verb. To hurt. Adjective. Intelligent. Adjective. Clean, neat, and well-dressed. Synonyms: Verb. To ache; to sting. Adjective. Clever; bright; shrewd. Adjective. Stylish; chic; fashionable; modish; dapper; natty; jaunty.

Postulate

Verb. To hypothesize; to claim or assume the existence or truth. Synonyms: Verb. To posit; to presuppose; to theorize.

Extemporize

Verb. To improvise (speech, music, actions). Synonyms: Verb. To ad lib.

Ad lib

Verb. To improvise speech, music, etcetera. Adj. Impromptu; extemporaneous. Adv. Freely; without restraint or limit. Synonyms: Verb. To extemporize. Adj. Improvised. Adv. At one's pleasure; without stint.

Actuate

Verb. To incite to action; to motiviate. Verb. To make (a machine or device) operate. Synonyms: Verb. To incite; to animate.

Imbue

Verb. To inspire; to influence. Verb. To saturate with color, moisture, dye, etc. Synonyms: Verb. To invest; to ingrain; inculcate; indoctrinate. Verb. To infuse; to soak; to impregnate.

Inculcate

Verb. To instill or teach by forceful repetition (usually followed by upon, in, or with). Synonyms: Verb. To impart; to indoctrinate; to implant.

Edify

Verb. To instruct or improve morally or intellectually. Synonyms: Verb. To enlighten; to education.

Nettle

Verb. To irritate; to vex. Synonyms: Verb. To provoke; to upset; aggravate; to annoy; to bother; to exasperate; to gall; to grate; to irk; to peeve; to spite.

Sequester

Verb. To isolate; to hide away. Verb. (Law) To take away assets until a debt has been paid. Noun. A general cut in government spending. Synonyms: Verb. To cloister; to insulate; to segregate.

Shanghai

Verb. To kidnap (a man or seaman) for enforced service at sea, esp. on a merchant ship. Synonyms: Verb. To abduct; to capture.

Emigrate

Verb. To leave (exit) a country and settle in another.

Minify

Verb. To lessen; to reduce in size or importance. Synonyms: Verb. To decrease; to minimize.

Concatenate

Verb. To link together in a chain or series. Synonyms: Verb. To couple; to connect; to string together.

Ameliorate

Verb. To make better; to improve. Synonyms: Verb. To alleviate; to lighten; to mitigate.

Elucidate

Verb. To make clear; to explain. Synonyms: Verb. To clarify; to explicate; to expound; to demystify.

Alleviate

Verb. To make easier to endure. Synonyms: Verb. To soothe; to comfort; to relieve; to allay.

Augment

Verb. To make greater by adding to it; to increase. Synonyms: Verb. To amplify; to enlarge; to escalate; to intensify.

Preclude

Verb. To make impossible; to prevent; to eliminate. Synonyms: Verb. To inhibit; to thwart; to avert; to forestall; to obviate.

Stultify

Verb. To make ineffective or useless; cripple; to impair. Synonyms: Verb. To hamper; to impede; to obstruct.

Reify

Verb. To make or consider (something abstract) more concrete or real. Synonyms: Verb. To materialize.

Atone (for)

Verb. To make up, as for sins or errors. Synonyms: Verb. To mend; to redeem; to right; to expiate.

Emulate

Verb. To match or surpass someone's achievement by imitation. Verb. To imitate. Synonyms: Verb. To mimic; to imitate; to copy.

Malversate

Verb. To misuse funds entrusted to one; to embezzle. Synonyms: Verb. Defalcate; misappropriate; peculate.

Migrate

Verb. To move from one place to another, although not typically permanent.

Immigrate

Verb. To move into (enter) a country and settle in.

Demur

Verb. To object; to protest. Noun. Objection; protest. Synonyms: Verb. To complain; to cavil; to dispute; to disagree. Noun. Hesitation; complaint; dispute; dissent.

Reconnoiter

Verb. To observe a region or enemy to gain military information. Synonyms: Verb. To survey; to explore.

Abrogate

Verb. To officially repeal or abolish. Synonyms: Verb. To annul; to nullify; to cancel; to rescind.

Flout

Verb. To openly disregard (rules, law, convention). Synonyms. Verb. To defy; to refuse to obey; to rebel against.

Marshal

Verb. To organize. Noun. A federal or municipal law officer. Noun. A military officer of the highest rank. Synonyms: Verb. To set up; to arrange. Noun. Lawman; peace officer. Noun. Commissioned military officer.

Adumbrate

Verb. To outline; to sketch in a shadowy way. Verb. To foreshadow. Synonyms: Verb. To depict; to draw. Verb. To herald; to forerun; to prefigure; to foretell.

Gourmandize

Verb. To overeat. Synonyms: Verb. To gorge; to glut; to gluttonize.

Discern

Verb. To perceive as separate or distinct. Verb. To recognize; to see. Synonyms: Verb. To detect; to determine; to perceive.

Solemnize

Verb. To perform the ceremony of (marriage, funeral, etc.); to make official through ceremony. Verb. To render serious or grave. Synonyms: Verb. To commemorte; to formalize; to observe.

Nonplus

Verb. To perplex; to confuse. Synonyms: Verb. To puzzle; to baffle; to bewilder; to fluster; to confound; to muddle; to flummox.

Harry

Verb. To persistently attack (an enemy or territory). Verb. To harass. Synonyms: Verb. To assail; to maraud; to ravage; to assault. Verb. To beleaguer; to hassle; to molest.

Induce

Verb. To persuade or influence. Verb. To bring about; to produce. Synonyms: Verb. To convince; to prompt; to inspire; to motivate. Verb. To effect; to create; to generate; to engender.

Disabuse

Verb. To persuade someone that an idea or belief is mistaken; to free from deception or error; disillusion. Synonyms: Verb. To undeceive; to disenchant; to open the eyes of.

Coax

Verb. To persuade with flattery. Synonyms: Verb. To cajole; to wheedle.

Wheedle

Verb. To persuade with flattery. Synonyms: Verb. To coax; to cajole.

Cajole

Verb. To persuade with flattery. Synonyms: Verb. To coax; to wheedle.

Appose

Verb. To place next to; to place side by side. Synonyms: Verb. To juxtapose; to pair.

Juxtapose

Verb. To place side by side, esp. for comparison or contrast. Synonyms: Verb. To appose; to pair.

Trill

Verb. To play or sing in tremulous vibrations of sound. Verb. (of birds, insects, etc.) To sing or utter in a succession of rapidly alternating sounds. Verb. To resound vibrantly, or with a rapid succession of sounds, as the voice, song, or laughter. Noun. A warbling or twittering sound or utterance. Noun. A succession of sounds (by insects, bird, people laughing). Synonyms: Verb. To warble; to sing; to chirp; to tweet. Verb. To sing; to chant. Noun. Quaver; chant; song.

Remonstrate

Verb. To plead in protest, objection, or disapproval. Synonyms: Verb. To complain; to argue; to demur.

Decant

Verb. To pour (as liquid) from one container to another without disturbing the sediment. Synonyms: Verb. To drain; to transfer.

Laud

Verb. To praise (achievements); to glorify, esp. publicly. Synonyms: Verb. To extol; to acclaim; to proclaim.

Extol

Verb. To praise enthusiastically; to glorify Synonyms: Verb. To laud; to acclaim.

Imprecate

Verb. To pray for evil or invoke a curse on someone. Synonyms: Verb. To damn; to execrate; to anathematize.

Supplicate

Verb. To pray humbly. Synonyms: Verb. To beg; to ask.

Extrapolate

Verb. To predict on the basis of known data. Synonyms: Verb. To deduce; to hypothesize.

Bear Down

Verb. To press or weigh down. Verb. To strive harder; to intensify one's efforts. Synonyms: Verb. To close in on. Verb. To strive toward.

Feign

Verb. To pretend. Synonyms: Verb. To fake; to make believe.

Forfend

Verb. To prevent (something) by precautionary measures. Verb. (Archaic) To avert; to keep away. Synonyms: Verb. To defend; to secure; to protect. Verb. To prohibit.

Stridulate

Verb. To produce a shrill, grating sound, like a cricket does by rubbing together certain parts of the body. Synonyms: Verb. Squeak.

Tweedle

Verb. To produce high-pitched sounds like a bird, singer, or musical instrument. Verb. To perform lightly on a musical instrument. Synonyms: Verb. To whistle; to pipe; to chirp. Verb. To play.

Engender

Verb. To produce or cause; to give rise to. Verb. To beget; to procreate. Synonyms: Verb. To bring about; to bring on; to induce. Verb. To spawn; to sire; to breed.

Goad

Verb. To provoke to action. Verb. To prick or drive to action. Noun. A stick used for driving cattle. Noun. Anything that encourages to action. Synonyms: Verb. To spur; to prod; to incite. Noun. Prod; spike; staff. Noun. Stimulus; incentive; inducement.

Tout

Verb. To publicly praise or promote. Synonyms: Verb. To brag about; to laud.

Quash

Verb. To put an end to; to suppress. Verb. To reject or void, esp. legally. Synonyms: Verb. To quell; to subdue. Verb. to cancel; to repeal; to rescind.

Propound

Verb. To put forward (an idea) for consideration; to propose. Synonyms: Verb. To offer; to proffer; to tender; to set forth; to posit; to postulate.

Cavil

Verb. To raise trivial objections; to find fault with unnecessarily. Synonyms: Verb. To quibble; to carp; to criticize.

Peruse

Verb. To read thoroughly. Verb. (Informal) To scan or browse. Synonyms: Verb. To pore over; to scrutinize. Verb. To speed-read; to leaf; to skim.

Abase

Verb. To reduce or lower in rank, reputation, office, prestige, or esteem; to humble. Synonyms: Verb. To belittle; to debase; to degrade.

Forbear

Verb. To refrain or abstain an impulse. Verb. To refrain from doing or using something. Synonyms: Verb. To resist temptation; to avoid; to desist.

Repudiate

Verb. To reject; to refuse to accept or support. Verb. To show that something is untrue. Synonyms: Verb. To abandon; to disavow; to revoke.

Assuage

Verb. To relieve, as of pain, hunger, or anger. Synonyms: Verb. To allay; to alleviate.

Bowdlerize

Verb. To remove offensive passages of a play, novel, etcetera; to expurgate. Synonyms: Verb. To censor; to redact.

Extirpate

Verb. To remove or destroy totally; to exterminate. Verb. To uproot. Verb. To surgically remove an organ. Synonyms: Verb. To exterminate; to destruct; to eradicate.

Doff

Verb. To remove or take off, as of clothing. Synonyms: Verb. To disrober; to undress.

Eviscerate

Verb. To remove the entrails; disembowel. Verb. To deprive of vital or essential parts. Synonyms: Verb. To gut, devitalize, or weaken.

Abnegate

Verb. To renounce or reject (something desired or valuable). Synonyms: Verb. To deny oneself (something); to relinquish; to give up; to surrender (something).

Abjure

Verb. To renounce upon oath (a belief, cause, or claim). Verb. To solemnly reject. Verb. To abstain from; to avoid. Synonyms: Verb. To abnegate; to forswear; to disavow. Verb. To disallow; to turn down. Verb. To forbear; to refrain.

Rescind

Verb. To repeal; to cancel. Synonyms: Verb. To abolish; to abrogate; to annul; to invalidate.

Iterate

Verb. To repeat. Synonyms: Verb. To go over.

Supplant

Verb. To replace. Synonyms: Verb. To supersede; to override; to displace.

Invoke

Verb. To request help. Verb. To appeal to or cite as authority for support. Verb. To call forth; to bring about. Synonyms: Verb. To beg; to implore; to solicit. Verb. To refer to. Verb. To conjure; to summon.

Resonate

Verb. To resound. Verb. To evoke images, memories, and emotions for someone. Verb. To produce a positive feeling, emotional response, or opinion. Synonyms: Verb. To echo; to reverberate.

Reverberate

Verb. To resound; to echo. Synonyms: Verb. To re-echo; to resonate; to vibrate.

Venerate

Verb. To respect; to revere. Synonyms: Verb. To glorify; to exalt; to esteem.

Convalesce

Verb. To return to health and strength after illness. Synonyms: Verb. To recover; to recuperate.

Deride

Verb. To ridicule; to make fun of. Synonyms: Verb. To insult; to disparage; to mock; to scoff; to scorn; to taunt.

Efface

Verb. To rub out; to erase (outlines, traces, inscriptions). Verb. To wipe out; to do away with. Verb. To make inconspicuous; to cause to vanish. Synonyms: Verb. To scratch out; to cut out. Verb. To abolish; to black out; to eradicate. Verb. To withdraw oneself.

Lope

Verb. To run with long bounding stride. Noun. A long bounding stride. Synonyms: Verb. Gallop; trot. Noun. Gallop; trot.

Chide

Verb. To scold; objurgate; berate. Synonyms: Verb. To criticize; to blame; to castigate; to censure; to condemn; to rebuke; to reprimand; to reproach; to upbraid.

Abrade

Verb. To scrape or rub off, esp. by friction. Synonyms: Verb. To chaff; to wear.

Abscond

Verb. To secretly leave, esp. from the law. Synonyms: Verb. To flee; to depart.

Conspire

Verb. To secretly plot wrongdoing. Synonyms: Verb. To scheme; to machinate; to collude; to connive.

Equivocate

Verb. To use intentionally misleading or ambiguous language. Synonyms: Verb. To lie.

Cannibalize

Verb. To use/remove parts, equipment, assets, employees, etc. from (an item, product, or business) in order to use them in another. Verb. To eat a member of the same species. Synonyms: Verb. To recycle; to reuse.

Arboreal

Adjective. Relating to trees; treelike. Synonyms: Adjective. Arborescent.

Coxcomb

Noun. (Archaic) A conceited, foolish man; dandy. Synonyms: Noun. Fool.

Gloaming

Noun. (Literary) Twilight; dusk. Synonyms: Noun. Evening.

Toilsome

Adj. (Archaic/Literary) Involving hard work. Synonyms: Adj. Arduous; demanding; taxing; exacting; grueling; laborious; strenuous; operose; tiresome.

Superlunary

Adj. (Archaic/Literary). Relating to heaven; celestial. Synonyms: Adj. Heavely; empyrean; ethereal; supernal; elysian

Plangent

Adj. (Literary) (Of a sound) Loud, reverberating, and mournful. Synonyms: Adj. Sonorous; resounding; resonant; clangorous; reverberant.

Lambent

Adj. (Literary) (Of light) Softly glowing or flickering. Synonyms: Adj. Luminous; refulgent; effulgent; radiant; scintillating; luminescent; resplendent.

Wont

Adj. (Literary) Accustomed (as of habit). Noun. Habit. Verb. (Archaic) To become accustomed to. Synonyms: Adj. Habituated; adapted; acquainted; familiarized; Noun. Custom; practice; habitude. Verb. To habituate; to adapt; to familiarize.

Madding

Adj. (Literary) Acting madly; frenzied; insane. Synonyms: Adj. Frantic; raving; berserk; crazy.

Sublunary

Adj. (Literary) Belonging to this world as opposed to a better, spiritual one; earthly. Adj. Between the moon and earth. Synonyms: Adj. Terrestrial; worldly.

Storied

Adj. (Literary) Celebrated in stories. Synonyms: Adj. Legendary; illustrious; celebrated; famed.

Bacchanalian

Adj. (Literary) Characterized by drunken revelry. Synonyms: Adj. Dionysiac; carousing; Dionysian; crapulous.

Lachrymal

Adj. (Literary) Connected with weeping or tears. Synonyms: Adj. Lacrimal; lachrymose.

Darksome

Adj. (Literary) Dark or gloomy. Synonyms: Adj. Darkish.

Perfidious

Adj. (Literary) Deceitful and untrustworthy. Synonyms: Adj. Treacherous; disloyal; unfaithful.

Sempiternal

Adj. (Literary) Everlasting; eternal; never-ending. Synonyms: Adj. Perpetual; abiding; enduring; lasting; permanent; timeless; unending.

Vainglorious

Adj. (Literary) Excessively prideful; boastful. Synonyms: Adj. Conceited; pompous; egotistical; arrogant.

Plumbless

Adj. (Literary) Extremely deep (water). Synonyms: Adj. Bottomless; abysmal; abyssal.

Noisome

Adj. (Literary) Foul-smelling. Synonyms: Adj. Mephitic; noxious.

Mephitic

Adj. (Literary) Foul-smelling; noxious (esp. of gas or vapors). Synonyms: Adj. Stinking; fetid; malodorous; putrid; miasmic; miasmal; noisome; olid; reeking; fusty; odorous;

Flexuous

Adj. (Literary) Full of bends and curves. Synonyms: Adj. Sinuous; curving; tortuous; meandering; circuitous.

Rutilant

Adj. (Literary) Glowing or glittering with red or golden light (fiery). Synonyms: Adj. Radiant; shining; beaming.

Viridescent

Adj. (Literary) Greenish or becoming green. Synonyms: Adj. Virescent.

Virescent

Adj. (Literary) Greenish. Synonyms: Adj. Green; viridescent.

Darkling

Adj. (Literary) Growing dark or characterized by darkness. Synonyms: Adj. Dark; black; darksome; lightless; pitch-black.

Wondrous

Adj. (Literary) Inspiring wonder or delight; marvelous. Synonyms: Adj. Amazing; awesome; stunning; incredible; extraordinary; miraculous; phenomenal; fascinating; breathtaking; spectacular; impressive; fantastic; awe-inspiring.

Perfervid

Adj. (Literary) Intense and impassioned; very fervent. Synonyms. Adj. Fervid; passionate; ardent; vehement; emotional.

Nescient

Adj. (Literary) Lacking knowledge; ignorant. Synonyms: Adj. Clueless; oblivious; incognizant; unaware; uninformed.

Clarion

Adj. (Literary) Loud and clear. Noun. A medieval trumpet with a curved shape. Noun. The sound from a clarion. Synonyms: Adj. Blaring.

Lightsome

Adj. (Literary) Nimble; agile; graceful. Adj. (Literary) Merry and carefree. Synonyms: Adj. Lissome; light-footed; spry. Adj. Cheerful; buoyant; gay; blithe; chipper; eupeptic.

Nocuous

Adj. (Literary) Noxious, harmful, or poisonous. Synonyms: Adj. Toxic; pernicious; pestiferous; baneful; deleterious; mephitical; malign.

Abstract

Adj. Existing in thought, but not reality; theoretical. Adj. Relating to artwork that does not represent reality, seeking to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures. Adj. Difficult to understand; abstruse. Verb. To extract or remove. Verb. To divert or draw away the attention of; distract. Noun. A summary of contents in a writing. Synonyms: Adjective. Hypothetical; philosophical; unreal. Verb. To disconnect. Noun. A recap; a synopsis.

Prodigious

Adj. Extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc. Synonyms: Adj. Enormous, immense, huge, gigantic, tremendous.

Infinitesimal

Adj. Extremely small; incalculably or immeasurably small. Synonyms: Adj. Microscopic; teeny; negligible; minute; minuscule; tiny.

Fictive

Adj. Fictitious; imaginary. Synonyms: Adj. Fabricated; fictional; invented; made-up; make-believe.

Agog

Adj. Full of interest or excitement; eager. Synonyms: Adj. Enthusiastic; avid.

Fraught

Adj. Full of, usually something unpleasant (followed by with). Adj. Stressed; distressed; anxious. Synonyms: Adj. Abounding; abundant; replete; teeming. Adj. Uneasy; worried.

Putative

Adj. Generally considered or reputed to be; supposed; presumed. Synonyms: Adj. Acknowledged; recognized; ostensible.

Noxious

Adj. Harmful, poisonous, or very unpleasant. Synonyms: Adj. Insalubrious; noisome; deadly; toxic; virulent.

Pernicious

Adj. Harmful; destructive, esp. gradually. Adj. Fatal; deadly. Synonyms: Adj. Adverse; deleterious; pestiferous; ruinous; inimical. Adj. Mortal.

Crusty

Adj. Harsh; surly; rude. Adj. Having a crisp or thick outer layer or covering (crust). Synonyms: Adj. Testy; prickly; touchy; curt.

Corpulent

Adj. Having a large body; fat. Syunonyms: Adj. Fleshy; obese; overweight; podgy; plump; heavyset.

Mealy

Adj. Having the qualities of meal; powdery; soft, dry, and crumbly. Adj. Pale; sallow: Adj. Of or containing meal; farinaceous. Adj. Covered with or as if with meal or powder.

Eminent

Adj. High; lofty. Adj. Famous; celebrated; distinguished. Synonyms: Adj. Outstanding; notable; renowned.

Madcap

Adj. Impulsive, reckless, or rash often in an amusing way. Synonyms: Adj. Foolhardy; heedless; crackpot; brash; audacious; temerarious.

Inimitable

Adj. Incapable of being copied; matchless; unique. Synonyms: Adj. Distinctive; special; peerless; incomparable; nonpareil.

Bawdy

Adj. Indecent; lewd; or obscene, esp. in writing or drama. Synonyms: Adj. Ribald; racy; naughty.

Incontrovertible

Adj. Indisputable; undeniable; irrefutable; not controvertible. Synonyms: Adj. Unquestionable; accurate.

Incongruous

Adj. Inharmonious, inconsistent, or inappropriate for the situation/thing; out of place. Synonyms: Adj. Incompatible; unsuited; conflicting.

Didactic

Adj. Intended to teach; instructive. Adj. Inclined to teach or lecture too much and in a patronizing way. Synonyms: Adj. Instructional; educational; informative.

Fungible

Adj. Interchangeable; able to be replaced by another identical item. Synonyms: Adj. Changeable; compatible.

Heady

Adj. Intoxicating. Adj. Exciting; exhilarating. Adj. Violent; destructive. Adj. Impetuous. Adj. Shrewd; intelligent. Synonyms: Adj. Inebriating. Adj. Thrilling; invigorating. Adj. Impulsive; rash.

Extraneous

Adj. Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject. Adj. Not belonging to something; external; foreign. Synonyms: Adj. Inapplicable; impertinent. Adj. Alien.

Desultory

Adj. Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm. Adj. Jumping from one subject to another without order; disconnected. Synonyms: Adj. Aimless; erratic; haphazard. Adj. Digressing; discursive; unfocused.

Stuffy

Adj. Lacking fresh air; poorly ventilated. Adj. Dull; tedious; boring. Adj. Blocked up and difficult to breath. Adj. Self-important; pompous. Adj. Rigid in attitudes; old-fashioned; conservative. Adj. Ill-tempered; sulky.

Inelegant

Adj. Lacking grace, elegance, refinement, or good taste. Synonyms: Adj. Awkward; clumsy; gauche; uncouth; unrefined.

Voluminous

Adj. Large; substantial; sizeable/sizable. Adj. Very loose-fitting; baggy. Adj. (Of writing) Very lengthy and full. Adj. Spacious; capacious. Synonyms: Adj. Considerable; big; ample; vast. Adj. Sagging; bagging. Adj. Comprehensive. Adj. Cavernous; roomy; spacey.

Matronly

Adj. Like a married, middle-aged, and dignified woman; motherly. Synonyms: Adj. Ladylike; full-figured; womanish.

Avuncular

Adj. Like an uncle, esp. a kind and patient one.

Supine

Adj. Lying on one's back. Adj. Failing to act or protest b/c of moral weakness or indolence. Synonyms: Adj. Recumbent; prone; prostrate. Adj. Spineless; pliant; passive; indifferent.

Sun-kissed

Adj. Made warm or brown by the sun; suntanned. Adj. Sunny. Synonyms: Adj. Dark-skinned; bronzed; tanned. Adj. Sunlit; sunshiny.

Recondite

Adj. Mysterious or difficult to understand; abstruse. Adj. Beyond ordinary knowledge; esoteric. Synonyms: Adj. Obscure; arcane.

Equable

Adj. Not easily disturbed or angered; calm and even-tempered. Adj. Not varying or fluctuating greatly; uniform. Synonyms: Adj. Composed; imperturbable; unflappable. Adj. Constant; consistent; even; steady.

Staid

Adj. Of a sedate, serious, or humorless character. Adj. Fixed, settled, or permanent. Synonyms: Adj. Solemn; stiff, unsmiling; composed. Adj. Investerate; lasting.

Aestival

Adj. Of or belonging to the summer. Synonyms: Adj. Summery; summerlike.

Seminal

Adjective. (Of work, event, moment, or figure) Original and influencing future developments. Adjective. Relating to semen. Adjective. (Botany) Relating to seed. Synonyms: Adjective. Influential; generative; groundbreaking; pioneering; innovative; formative.

Ectopic

Adjective. (Pathology) Occurring in an abnormal position or place. Adjective. (Pathology) Abnormal implanting of the fertilized egg out of the uterus. Synonyms: Adjective. Displaced.

Hiemal

Adjective. (Rare) Of or relating to winter. Synonyms: Adjective. Wintry; winter-like; brumal.

Aboriginal

Adjective. (Relating to humans, plants, and animals) Inhabiting a land in its earliest times; indigenous. Synonyms: Adjective. Original; native.

Epidemic

Adjective. (of a disease) Affecting many persons at the same time and spreading in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent. Adjective. Widespread; prevalent. Noun. A temporary prevalence of a disease. Noun. A rapid spread or increase in the occurrence of something. Synonyms: Adjective. Contagious; endemic.

Sesquipedalian

Adjective. (of words) Polysyllabic; long. Adjective. Using long words.

Automagical

Adjective. (technical or computer process) Operating in a way that is hidden from or not understood by the user.

Derelict

Adjective. Abandoned by the owner; deserted. Adjective. Negligent; remiss. Adjective. Very poor in condition; dilapidated. Noun. A person negligent in duties. Noun. A vagrant; bum. Synonyms: Adjective. Desolate. Adjective. Careless. Adjective. Dingy; neglected; ruined; shabby. Noun. Beggar; hobo.

Retentive

Adjective. Able to hold, keep, or recall. Adjective. Having a good memory. Synonyms: Adjective. Absorbent; imbibing; permeable. Adjective. Recollective.

Sententious

Adjective. Abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims. Adjective. Excessively moralizing; self-righteous. Synonyms: Adjective. Pithy; concise. Adjective. Didactic; homiletic/homiletical; moralistic; moralizing; preachy; sermonic.

Abounding

Adjective. Abundant. Synonyms: Adjective. Plentiful; teeming; copious; filled.

Consummate

Adjective. Accomplished or supremely skilled. Verb. To make perfect; to fulfill. Verb. To complete a marriage by having sex.

Inured

Adjective. Accustomed to hardship. Verb. To accustom to hardship; to toughen. Synonyms: Adjective. Acclimated; hardened; toughened.

Impetuous

Adjective. Acting without thought; controlled by emotion. Adjective. Moving with great force. Synonyms: Adjective. Impulsive. Adjective. Forceful.

Vertiginous

Adjective. Affected with vertigo; dizzy; dizzying. Synonyms: Adjective. Whirling; reeling; giddy; light-headed.

Postprandial

Adjective. After dinner.

Bellicose

Adjective. Aggressive; hostile; belligerent. Synonyms: Adjective. Pugnacious; combative; antagonistic; warlike.

Belligerent

Adjective. Aggressively hostile or warlike; pugnacious. Synonyms: Adjective. Bellicose; combative; confrontational; disputatious; feisty; quarrelsome; scrappy; truculent.

Overwrought

Adjective. Agitated; excited; nervous. Adjective. (piece of writing or art) Overdone; complicated in design; elaborated to excess. Synonyms: Adjective. Edgy; high-strung; tense; frantic. Adjective. Overblown; overelaborate.

Hermetic

Adjective. Airtight; tightly sealed. Adjective. Hidden or protected from the outside world; isolated. Synonyms: Adjective. Tight; impervious. Adjective. Recluse; solitary.

Omniscient

Adjective. All-knowing. Synonyms: Adj. All-seeing; pansophical.

Officious

Adjective. Annoyingly telling others what to do when not asked or needed. Synonyms: Adjective. Self-assertive; overbearing; domineering.

Archaic

Adjective. Antiquated; old-fashioned. Synonyms: Adjective. Antediluvian; obsolete; dated; outmoded; outdated; ancient; timeworn.

Meretricious

Adjective. Apparently attractive but having no value. Synonyms: Adjective. Garish; gaudy; brassy; tawdry; cheap; tacky; gimcrack; trashy.

Demagogic

Adjective. Appealing to mass prejudice, often using lies; rabble-rousing. Synonyms: Adjective. Inflammatory; provocative; subversive; incendiary.

Ostensible

Adjective. Appearing to be true, but not. Synonyms: Adjective. Alleged; supposed; specious.

Apposite

Adjective. Appropriate; suitable; well-adapted. Synonyms: Adjective. Pertinent; relevant; apt; applicable.

Polemical

Adjective. Argumentative; quarrelsome. Synonyms: Adjective. Controversial; disputatious.

Patrician

Adjective. Aristocratic; of noble birth. Synonyms: Adjective. Royal; blue-blooded; noble.

Ad Feminam

Adjective. Attacking a woman's character rather than her argument. Synonyms: Adjective. "To the woman."

Iconoclastic

Adjective. Attacking cherished traditions; unorthodox. Synonyms: Adjective. Dissentient; dissenting; heretical; heterodox; maverick; nonconformist; nonorthodox; unconventional.

Comely

Adjective. Attractive; beautiful. Synonyms: Adjective. Good-looking; pretty; ravishing.

Anthropomorphic

Adjective. Attributing human qualities to nonhumans. Synonyms: Adjective. Humanlike.

Petulant

Adjective. Bad-tempered; crabby. Synonyms: Adjective. Moody, testy; irritable; surly; cantankerous; crotchety.

Laconic

Adjective. Concise; using few words. Synonyms: Adjective. Short; terse; to the point; succinct.

Arbitrary

Adjective. Based on one's wishes or whims without regard to reason or fairness; inconsistent. Adjective. Unrestrained and autocratic in exercising power; tyrannical. Synonyms: Adjective. Capricious; whimsical; unpredictable. Adjective. Dictatorial; undemocratic; despotic; authoritarian.

Rudimentary

Adjective. Basic; elementary. Adjective. Undeveloped. Synonyms: Noun. Fundamental; simple. Noun. Uncomplete; incomplete.

Flummoxed

Adjective. Bewildered; perplexed; confused. Synonyms: Adjective. Puzzled; baffled; muddled.

Magniloquent

Adjective. Boastful in speech. Synonyms: Adjective. Grandiloquent; pompous; bombastic.

Corporeal

Adjective. Bodily; physical. Adjective. Material; tangible. Synonyms: Adjective. Fleshly; carnal.

Strepitous

Adjective. Boisterous; noisy. Synonyms: Adjective. Cacophonous; clamorous; rambunctious; riotous; rowdy; obstreperous; vociferous.

Pestiferous

Adjective. Bringing disease; pestilential; infective. Adjective. Pernicious; evil. Adjective. Troublesome; annoying. Synonyms: Adjective. Infectious; contagious; virulent; toxic. Adjective. Malicious. Adjective. Bothersome; abrasive; irksome.

Evocative

Adjective. Bringing strong thoughts, feelings, or memories to mind. Synonyms: Adjective. Suggestive; reminiscent; expressive.

Effervescent

Adjective. Bubbly; fizzy. Adjective. Enthusiastic; excited. Synonyms: Adjective. Sparkling; carbonated; aerated. Adjective. Lively; spirited; vivacious.

Onerous

Adjective. Burdensome; troublesome. Adjective. Involving heavy legal obligations. Synonyms: Adjective. Arduous; difficult; laborious; demanding.

Halcyon

Adjective. Calm; peaceful (as of days). Adjective. Rich; wealthy; prosperous. Adjective. Happy; joyful; carefree. Noun. A legendary bird (kingfisher) with the power to calm the winter sea. Synonyms: Adjective. Placid; quiet; serene. Adjective. Affluent; thriving; well-off. Adjective. Elated; golden; excited.

Viable

Adjective. Capable of living or succeeding. Adjective. Practical; feasible. Synonyms: Adjective. Possible; workable; achievable; doable.

Circumspect

Adjective. Careful to consider all circumstances and possible consequences. Synonyms: Adjective. Cautious; wary; chary; discreet.

Pathogenic

Adjective. Causing disease. Synonyms: Adjective. Infective; unhealthful; morbific.

Cloying

Adjective. Causing disgust through excess. Adjective. Sickly sweet or sentimental; ingratiating. Synonyms: Adjective. Saccharine.

Grievous

Adjective. Causing grief or sorrow. Synonyms: Adjective. Appalling; atrocious; severe; grave.

Sudorific

Adjective. Causing sweat. Noun. A drug that induces sweating. Synonyms: Adjective. Diaphoretic. Noun. Medicine.

Chary

Adjective. Cautious or careful. Synonyms: Adjective: Alert; circumspect; heedful; wary; safe.

Symbiotic

Adjective. Characterized by mutual benefit; shared. Synonyms: Adjective. Cooperative; interdependent; reciprocal; united.

Xeric

Adjective. Characterized by or adapted to a dry habitat; requiring little moisture. Synonyms: Adjective. Xerophytic.

Winsome

Adjective. Charming in a childlike or naive way. Synonyms: Adjective. Cute; attractive; cheerful; pleasant; appealing.

Blithe

Adjective. Cheerful; joyous. Adjective. Indifferent; carefree. Synonyms: Adjective. Happy; jaunty. Adjective. Apathetic.

Caustic

Adjective. Chemically corrosive. Adjective. Sarcastic in a critical way. Synonyms: Adjective. Acrid; burning. Adjective. Mordant; scathing.

Puerile

Adjective. Childishly silly. Synonyms: Adjective. Childish; immature; juvenile; jejune.

Explicit

Adjective. Clearly expressed or shown. Synonyms: Adjective. Clear; straightforward; specific; clear-cut; definitive; obvious; unequivocal.

Marked

Adjective. Clearly noticeable; evident. Synonyms: Adjective. Conspicuous; apparent; obvious.

Artful

Adjective. Clever or skillful, usually in a crafty or deceitful way. Synonyms: Adjective. Adroit; slick; sly; cunning.

Pugnacious

Adjective. Combative; quarrelsome; belligerent. Synonyms: Adjective. Aggressive; bellicose; argumentative; contentious; disputatious; hostile; bellicose.

Provincial

Adjective. Coming from a country, territory, or region. Adjective. Narrow-minded; limited in outlook. Adjective. Unpolished and unsophisticated. Noun. A person who comes from a country, territory, or region. Noun. An unpolished and unsophisticated person. Synonyms: Adjective. Parochial; small-minded. Adjective. Bumpkin; countryman; hillbilly; yokel.

Trite

Adjective. Commonplace; stale; worn-out. Synonyms: Adjective. Overused; quotidian; overdone; platitudinous; vapid; clichéd; banal; jejune; prosaic; hackneyed.

Hackneyed

Adjective. Commonplace; stale; worn-out. Synonyms: Adjective. Overused; trite; overdone; platitudinous; vapid; clichéd; banal; quotidian.

Analogous

Adjective. Comparable; similar. Synonyms: Adjective. Corresponding; akin; related; alike; cognate; connate; correspondent; matching; resemblant; resembling; suchlike.

Plenary

Adjective. Complete; full; absolute; unqualified. Adjective. Attended by all qualified members; fully constituted. Synonyms: Adjective. Unrestricted; comprehensive; entire.

Solicitous

Adjective. Concerned; worried. Adjective. Particular. Synonyms: Adjective. Caring; attentive; interest.

Sectarian

Adjective. Confined to a particular group or sect, especially religious or political. Noun. A member of a group of sect. Noun. A bigoted or narrow-minded member of a group, especially religious or political. Synonyms: Adjective. Exclusive; factional; separatist; partisan. Noun. Intolerant, prejudiced person.

Elitist

Adjective. Considered superior by others or by themselves. Adjective. Believing in or associated with elitist class, its ideologies, or its institutions. Noun. A person professing superiority. Noun. A person who believes in elitism. Synonyms: Adjective. Aristocratic; snobbish.

Subdued

Adjective. Controlled; less intense. Synonyms: Hushed; low-key; mellow; muted; restrained.

Expedient

Adjective. Convenient and practical, although possibly immoral. Noun. A means to an end, although possibly immoral. Synonyms: Adjective. Worthwhile; appropriate. Noun. Measure; means; stratagem; plan.

Colloquial

Adjective. Conversational; informal (as of language). Synonyms: Adjective. Non-formal; vernacular; newsy.

Recreant

Adjective. Cowardly. Adjective. Unfaithful. Noun. A coward. Noun. A traitor. Synonyms: Adjective. Dastardly, pusillanimous; craven. Adjective. Disloyal.

Craven

Adjective. Cowardly; contemptibly timid. Noun. A coward. Synonyms: Adjective. Lily-livered; faint-hearted; spineless; timorous; pusillanimous. Noun. Poltroon; dastard; chicken.

Bovine

Adjective. Cowlike; oxlike. Adjective. Slow moving, like an ox. Synonyms: Adjective. Bovid; Bovidae.

Wanton

Adjective. Cruel and unprovoked; malicious. Adjective. (Of a woman) Having sex with many men; promiscuous. Synonyms: Adjective. Atrocious; brutal; vicious; heartless. Adjective. Lewd; lascivious; pornographic; smutty; indecent.

Procrustean

Adjective. Cruel or inflexible in enforcing conformity. Synonyms: Adjective. Ruthless; unmerciful.

Vociferous

Adjective. Crying out noisily; clamorous. Synonyms: Adjective. Obstreperous; strepitous; boisterous.

Aquiline

Adjective. Curved or hooked like an Eagle's beak. Synonyms: Adjective. Beaked.

Imperiling

Adjective. Dangerous; hazardous. Synonyms: Adjective. Perilous; risky; threatening; grave; unsafe; parlous; deleterious; inimical; pernicious.

Parlous

Adjective. Dangerous; hazardous; risky. Synonyms: Adjective. Perilous; risky; threatening; grave; unsafe.

Perilous

Adjective. Dangerous; hazardous; risky. Synonyms: Adjective. Threatening; unsafe; grave; parlous.

Somber

Adjective. Dark in color. Adjective. Gloomy; depressing; dismal. Adjective. Serious; grave. Adjective. Gloomily dark; shadowy; dimly lit. Synonyms: Adjective. Sad; dull; sober; solemn.

Tessellated

Adjective. Decorated with small pieces of colored glass or stone fitted together; like a mosaic.

Determinate

Adjective. Definite; having defined limits. Synonyms: Adjective. Certain.

Contingent

Adjective. Dependent. Adjective. Possible. Adjective. Accidental. Noun. A representative group. Synonyms. Adjective. Conditional. Adjective. Likely; uncertain. Adjective. Fortuitous. Noun. Group.

Dispossessed

Adjective. Deprived of homes, possessions, and security. Synonyms. Adjective. Disfranchised; disenfranchised; evicted.

Disenfranchised

Adjective. Deprived of the right to vote. Adjective. Deprived of power; marginalized. Adjective. Deprived of a right or privilege. Synonyms: Adjective. Oppressed; subjugated; suppressed.

Reprehensible

Adjective. Deserving blame; blameworthy. Synonyms: Adjective. Culpable; condemnable; blamable; reproachable.

Probative

Adjective. Designed to test or try. Adjective. (Law) Serving to prove; substantiating. Synonyms: Adjective. Confirmational; corroborating; probatory; supporting; verifying.

Aberrant

Adjective. Deviating from the usual way. Adjective. Abnormal. Synonyms: Adjective. Not normal.

Sedulous

Adjective. Diligent; constant in effort. Synonyms: Adjective. Assiduous; dedicated.

Deprecatory

Adjective. Disapproving. Adjective. Apologetic. Synonyms: Adjective. Critical; scathing; condemnatory. Adjective. Rueful; sorry; regretful; remorseful; repentant.

Cacophonous

Adjective. Discordant; inharmonious. Synonyms: Adjective. Dissonant; unmelodious.

Brusque/Brusk

Adjective. Discourteously blunt. Synonyms: Adjective. Abrupt; curt; snippy.

Unscrupulous

Adjective. Dishonest; immoral. Synonyms: Adjective. Corrupt; crooked.

Pejorative

Adjective. Disparaging; belittling; insulting. Noun. A disparaging or belittling word or expression. Synonyms: Adjective. Demeaning; denigrative; derogatory. Noun. Slander; denigration; insult; affront.

Irreverent

Adjective. Disrespectful. Synonyms: Adjective. Insolent; impudent.

Aloof

Adjective. Distant physically or emotionally. Synonyms: Adjective. Detached; distant.

Cynical

Adjective. Distrusting other's motives. Synonyms: Adjective. Nonbelieving; doubtful.

Giddy

Adjective. Dizzy. Adjective. Frivolous and lighthearted; impulsive; flighty. Adjective. Happy; joyful. Verb. To make giddy. Synonyms. Adjective. Light-headed; swimmy; vertiginous; woozy; whirling; aswoon. Adjective. Silly; birdbrained; ditzy. Adjective. Euphoric; elated; blithe; exultant; ecstatic; rapt; rapturous.

Maleficent

Adjective. Doing evil or harm. Synonyms: Adjective. Immoral; bad; corrupt; hateful; heinous; vile; malevolent.

Vapid

Adjective. Dull; uninteresting. Adjective. Tasteless. Synonyms: Adj. Ordinary; commonplace; run-of-the-mill; banal; trite; pedestrian; dry; quotidian; mundane; drab; jejune; hackneyed. Adj. Flavorless; flat; unpalatable; unsavory; stale.

Diurnal

Adjective. During the day (as opposed to nocturnal). Adjective. Daily. Synonyms: Adjective. Everyday; quotidian; day-to-day.

Moribund

Adjective. Dying, on the way out. Synonyms: Adjective. Terminal; declining.

Expectant

Adjective. Eagerly anticipating. Adjective. Pregnant. Synonyms: Adjective. Excited; agog; waiting; anticipatory.

Choleric

Adjective. Easily angered, bad-tempered; irritable. Synonyms: Adjective. Irascible; grumpy; crotchety; cantankerous; crabby; waspish; snappish; angry; irate.

Facile

Adjective. Easy. Adjective. (Of theory or argument) Ignoring the true complexities of an issue; superficial. Synonyms: Adjective. Effortless; undemanding. Adjective. Simplistic; oversimplified.

Eldritch/Eldrich/Elritch

Adjective. Eerie; spooky. Synonyms: Adjective. Weird; ghostly.

Urbane

Adjective. Elegant in manner. Synonyms: Adjective. Civilized; refined; sophisticated.

Sublime

Adjective. Elevated or lofty in thought, language, etc. Adjective. Awe-inspiring. Synonyms: Adjective. Great; magnificent.

Vacuous

Adjective. Empty. Adjective. Stupid; inane. Synonyms: Adjective. Bare; blank; devoid; stark; vacant; void. Adjective. Birdbrained; brain-dead; dense; dim; doltish; asinine; dumb; witless; softheaded.

Gregarious

Adjective. Enjoying company; sociable. Synonyms: Adjective. Companionable; extroverted; convivial; outgoing; social; affable; friendly; clubbable.

Tantamount

Adjective. Equivalent; equal. Synonyms: Adjective. Same; commensurate.

Quotidian

Adjective. Every day; daily. Adjective. Ordinary; commonplace; everyday. Synonyms: Adjective. Day-to-day. Adjective. Regular; common; garden-variety; routine; usual; normal.

Malign

Adjective. Evil in effect; injurious. Verb. To slander; to speak evil of. Synonyms: Adjective. Hurtful; malicious; hateful; virulent. Verb. To defame; to libel; to vilify.

Unctuous

Adjective. Exaggeratedly or insincerely polite. Adjective. Oily; greasy. Synonyms: Adjective. Sycophantic; ingratiating.

Exorbitant

Adjective. Excessive. Synonyms: Adjective. Inordinate; extravagant; superfluous.

Superfluous

Adjective. Excessive; unnecessary. Synonyms: Adjective. Gratuitous; redundant; exorbitant.

Smarmy

Adjective. Excessively flattering; servile. Synonyms: Adjective. Ingratiating; unctuous; smug; obsequious; sycophantic; fawning.

Lugubrious

Adjective. Excessively mournful; exaggeratedly sad. Synonyms: Adjective. Cheerless; depressing; melancholy; dismal; dolorous; doleful.

Fastidious

Adjective. Excessively particular and hard to please; painstaking. Synonyms: Adjective. Meticulous; choosy.

Primordial

Adjective. Existing from the beginning of time; primeval. Adjective. Basic and fundamental. Synonyms: Adjective. Ancient; prehistoric. Adjective. Innate; inherent.

Nominal

Adjective. Existing in name only; not actual or real. Adjective. Relating to, or being, a noun. Adjective. (Usu. of a price or amount of money) Small; insignificant. Synonyms: Adjective. Titular; honorary; so-called. Adjective. Inconsequential; paltry.

Satirical

Adjective. Exposing human folly to ridicule or irony. Synonyms: Adjective. Sardonic; mocking.

Terse

Adjective. Expressed in few words. Synonyms: Adjective. Brief; concise; succinct; laconic.

Succinct

Adjective. Expressed in few words; brief; concise; terse; laconic. Synonyms: Adjective. Pithy.

Gnomic

Adjective. Expressed in pithy maxims or aphorisms. Adjective. Enigmatic; ambiguous. Adjective. Resembling gnomes — species in folklore with short stature and act as treasure guardians. Synonyms: Adjective. Terse; concise; laconic. Adjective. Cryptic; mysterious. Adjective. Troll.

Effusive

Adjective. Expressing a lot of emotion; gushing. Adjective. (Geology) Characterized by an outpouring of lava. Synonyms: Adjective. Gushy; demonstrative; exuberant.

Dogmatic

Adjective. Expressing opinions strongly as if they were facts. Synonyms: Adjective. Opinionated; assertive; doctrinaire.

Supernumerary

Adjective. Extra; excessive. Noun. An extra. Noun. An actor employed to play a walk-on. Synonyms: Adjective. Additional; superfluous. Noun. Surplus; addition.

Antediluvian

Adjective. Extremely ancient; antiquated. Synonyms: Adjective. Out-of-date; antique; age-old; archaic; timeworn.

Wroth

Adjective. Extremely angry. Synonyms: Adjective. Annoyed; enraged; furious; indignant; infuriated; angered; horn-mad; incensed; inflamed; rabid; irate; ireful; livid; mad; outraged; sore.

Harrowing

Adjective. Extremely disturbing or distressing. Synonyms: Adjective. Troubling; grieving; tormenting.

Stentorian

Adjective. Extremely loud. Synonyms: Adjective. Blaring; blasting; booming; stentorious.

Panglossian

Adjective. Extremely optimistic, esp. in the face of adversity or hardship. Synonyms: Adjective. Hopeful; looking on the bright side; pollyannish.

Virulent

Adjective. Extremely poisonous. Adjective. Hostile; bitter. Synonyms: Adjective. Toxic; venomous. Adjective. Acerbic; vitriolic; acrid.

Lurid

Adjective. Gruesome; macabre; revolting. Adjective. Shockingly vivid. Adjective. Lacking color. Adjective. Terrible in intensity, fierce passion, or unrestraint. Adjective. Shining with an unnatural, fiery glow. Synonyms: Adjective. Appalling; atrocious; awful; dreadful. Adjective. Catchpenny; sensationalist. Adjective. Ashen; ashy; blanched; cadaverous; livid; pale; mealy; paled; pallid; pasty; peaked; wan.

Hirsute

Adjective. Hairy; shaggy. Synonyms: Adjective. Furry; bristly; furred.

Casual

Adjective. Happening by chance; random. Adjective. Careless and offhand. Adjective. Apathetic; unconcerned. Adjective. Not dressy. Adjective. Irregular; occasional. Synonyms: Adjective. Fortuitous; unplanned. Adjective. Without thought. Adjective. Indifferent; nonchalant. Adjective. Informal dress. Adjective. Aperiodic; erratic.

Jovial (By Jove)

Adjective. Happy; joyful. Adjective. Relating to Jove, or Jupiter, the Roman god of the weather. Idiom. (By Jove) Exclamation to emphasize surprise, approval, or agreement. Synonyms: Adjective. Blithe; blithesome; gay; gleeful; jocose; jocular; jocund; jolly; merry; mirthful.

Deleterious

Adjective. Harmful, injurious. Synonyms: Adjective. Damaging; hurtful; adverse; nocuous; detrimental; pernicious.

Inimical

Adjective. Harmful; unfavorable. Adjective. Hostile; unfriendly. Synonyms: Adjective. Adverse; destructive; injurious; imperiling; deleterious; pernicious.

Benign

Adjective. Harmless; gentle. Synonyms: Adjective. Anodyne; innocuous; inoffensive; kind.

Acrid

Adjective. Harsh in smell or taste. Adjective. Caustic in language or tone. Synonyms: Adjective. Pungent or sour; bitter. Adjective. Acrimonious; Vitriolic.

Cursory

Adjective. Hasty and without attention to detail. Synonyms: Adjective. Offhand; desultory; rushed; hurried.

Odious

Adjective. Hateful; detestable; highly offensive; disgusting; repugnant. Synonyms: Adjective. Abhorrent; abominable; horrible;

Rawboned

Adjective. Having a lean and bony physique; gaunt. Synonyms: Adjective. Skinny; thin.

Aspirant

Adjective. Having ambitions to achieve. Noun. A person who has ambitions to achieve. Synonyms: Noun. Applicant; candidate.

Titular

Adjective. Having an important title without the power or duties. Adjective. Having the feature character's name in the title. Synonyms: Adjective. So-called; in name only; nominal; honorary.

Multifarious

Adjective. Having great variety; diversified. Synonyms: Adjective. Diverse; varied; multitudinous; multifaceted; assorted; miscellaneous.

Incorporeal

Adjective. Having no material body or form. Synonyms: Adjective. Insubstantial; intangible; impalpable; nonphysical; disembodied.

Feverish

Adjective. Having or showing a fever. Adjective. Excited, restless, or uncontrolled. Synonyms: Adjective. Febrile; fevered. Adjective. Agitated; frenzied; hectic.

Febrile

Adjective. Having or showing a fever; feverish. Synonyms: Adjective. Hot; burning; flushed; sweating.

Virile

Adjective. Having strength, energy, and strong sex drive (usually of a man); manly. Synonyms: Adjective. Macho; masculine.

Ambivalent

Adjective. Having two opposing feelings at the same time or mixed feelings. Synonyms: Adjective. Unsure; uncertain; indecisive.

Nebulous

Adjective. Hazy; vague. Adjective. Resembling a cloud of interstellar gas and dust. Synonyms: Adjective. Confused; obscure. Adjective. Nebular.

Acephalous

Adjective. Headless. Adjective. Without a ruler or leader. Synonyms: Adjective. Beheaded.

Ebullient

Adjective. High-spirited; cheerful; full of energy. Synonyms: Adjective. Vivacious; enthusiastic; exuberant; buoyant; jaunty; effervescent; euphoric; exhilarated.

Baroque

Adjective. Highly ornate and extravagant in style. Adjective. Relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Bernini in Italy. Major composers include Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel; Caravaggio and Rubens are important baroque artists. Noun. The baroque style.

Pertinacious

Adjective. Holding firmly to an opinion or course of action; persistent. Synonyms: Adjective. Tenacious; stubborn; determined; obstinate; resolute; dogged; insistent; unrelenting; unyielding.

Aboveboard

Adjective. Honest; frank. Synonyms: Adjective. Trustworthy; candid; truthful; artless.

Aghast

Adjective. Horrified or shocked. Synonyms: Adjective. Appalled; dismayed; stunned.

Ribald

Adjective. Humorous in a vulgar, usually sexual, way. Synonyms: Adjective. Bawdy; foul-mouthed; naughty; risqué.

Facetious

Adjective. Humorous. Adjective. Not meant seriously. Synonyms: Adjective. Flippant; frivolous; glib.

Esurient

Adjective. Hungry, greedy. Synonyms: Adjective. Rapacious; ravenous; devouring; voracious.

Pharisaic

Adjective. Hypocritically self-righteous. Adjective. Of or relating to the Pharisees. Synonyms: Adjective. Affected; artificial; phony.

Utopian

Adjective. Idealistic; impractical. Synonyms: Adjective. Quixotic; romantic; starry-eyed.

Unconscionable

Adjective. Immoral and unreasonable. Adjective. Unreasonably excessive. Synonyms: Adjective. Unscrupulous; unprincipled; unethical. Adjective. Unwarranted; unnecessary.

Farcical

Adjective. Pertaining to a play with ridiculous happenings. Adjective. Ludicrous; absurd. Synonyms: Adjective. Amusing; comical; funny.

Sober

Adjective. Not intoxicated or drunk. Adjective. Serious; solemn. Adjective. Muted in color. Verb. To become free unaffected by alcohol. Synonyms: Adjective. Clearheaded; teetotal; abstinent; abstemious. Adjective. Grave; somber; staid; unemotional. Verb. To quit drinking; to dry out.

Humble

Adjective. Not proud; modest; down-to-earth. Verb. To lower in condition or status. Synonyms: Adjective. Meek; unassuming; soft-spoken. Verb. To deprive of confidence.

Secular

Adjective. Not religious; not spiritual. Synonyms: Adjective. Worldly; materialistic.

Unrequited

Adjective. Not returned in kind; unreciprocated. Synonyms: Adjective. Unreturned; rejected.

Indiscriminate

Adjective. Not selective; random. Synonyms: Adjective. Haphazard; aimless.

Unassuming

Adjective. Not showy; unpretentious. Synonyms: Adjective. Demure; down-to-earth; modest; humble.

Obsequious

Adjective. Obedient or excessively servile. Synonyms: Adjective. Ingratiating; sycophantic; fawning; unctuous; subservient; slavish; smarmy.

Surreptitious

Adjective. Obtained or done in secret; clandestine. Synonyms: Adjective. Stealthy; sneaky; furtive.

Contrived

Adjective. Obviously planned or forced instead of arising naturally; artificial. Verb. To obviously plan; invent; devise. Synonyms: Adjective. Affected; phony; false; feigned; fake; unnatural. Verb. To engineer; to manufacture; to stage.

Contemporary

Adjective. Occurring in present times; modern. Adjective. Occurring in the same time period; coexistent. Noun. A person who is about the same age as another person. Synonyms: Adjective. New; present-day; current. Adjective. Coetaneous; coeval; concurrent.

Sallow

Adjective. Of a sickly, yellowish color, esp. of skin. Verb. To make sickly and yellow in color. Synonyms: Adjective. Pale and unhealthy; jaundiced. Verb. To make pale and unhealthy; to jaundice.

Apocryphal

Adjective. Of doubtful authenticity; questionable. Synonyms: Adjective. Unverified; unauthenticated; unsubstantiated.

Nugatory

Adjective. Of no real value; worthless. Adjective. Useless; futile. Synonyms: Adjective. Unimportant; trifling; trivial; insignificant. Adjective. Vain; unavailing; invalid.

Vernal

Adjective. Of or relating to spring. Synonyms: Adjective. Springlike; spring.

Estival

Adjective. Of or relating to summer. Synonyms: Adjective. Summery; aestival.

Brumal

Adjective. Of or relating to winter. Synonyms: Adjective. Wintry; winter-like; hiemal.

Homogeneous

Adjective. Of the same kind. Synonyms: Adjective. Similar; comparable.

Crass

Adjective. Offensive; insensitive. Synonyms: Adjective. Coarse; boorish; rude; vulgar.

Bumptious

Adjective. Offensively self-assertive. Synonyms: Adjective. Cocky; egotistic; self-important; conceited; arrogant.

Antiquated

Adjective. Old-fashioned; obsolete; antediluvian. Synonyms: Adjective. Ancient; archaic; outmoded; timeworn.

Unilateral

Adjective. One-sided. Synonyms: Adjective. One-party.

Artless

Adjective. Open and honest. Synonyms: Adjective. Innocent; natural; real; simple; unaffected; frank; aboveboard.

Receptive

Adjective. Open to arguments, ideas, or change. Synonyms: Adjective. Broad-minded; open-minded.

Venal

Adjective. Open to bribery. Synonyms: Adjective. Corrupt; bribable; corruptible.

Equivocal

Adjective. Open to more than one meaning; ambiguous. Synonyms: Adjective. Unclear; inconclusive; inexplicit.

Ambiguous

Adjective. Open to more than one meaning; equivocal. Synonyms: Adjective. Unclear; inconclusive; inexplicit.

Amenable

Adjective. Open to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled. Adjective. Able to be corrected, revised, or altered. Synonyms: Adjective. Receptive; cooperative; responsive; agreeable.

Heavy-Handed

Adjective. Oppressive; harsh. Adjective. Clumsy; graceless. Synonyms: Adjective. Severe; cruel. Adjective. All thumbs; blundering; bungling.

Sanguine

Adjective. Optimistic; hopeful. Adjective. Reddish; blood red. Synonyms: Adjective. Cheerful; happy. Adjective. Flushed; reddish.

Workaday

Adjective. Ordinary; commonplace. Synonyms: Adjective. Everyday; routine; normal; average.

Indigenous

Adjective. Originating naturally in an area; native. Adjective. Innate; inborn; inherent. Synonyms: Adjective. Aboriginal; domestic; endemic. Adjective. Built-in; hardwired; inbred; ingrained; intrinsic.

Pedantic

Adjective. Ostentatious in one's learning. Adjective. Overly concerned with minute details in teaching. Synonms: Adjective. Precise; perfectionist; persnickety.

Sophomoric

Adjective. Overconfident and conceited, but immature. Synonyms: Adjective. Inexperienced; foolish.

Overweening

Adjective. Overconfident; conceited. Synonyms: Adjective. Arrogant; cocksure; cocky; smug; haughty.

Wan

Adjective. Pale or sickly in appearance or complexion. Adjective. Pale or weak lighting. Synonyms: Adjective. Pallid; ashen; white; gray. Adjective. Dim; faint.

Bygone

Adjective. Past; gone by; earlier; former. Noun. A past occurrence. Synonyms: Adjective. Long-ago; lost; previous.

Immaculate

Adjective. Perfectly clean, neat, or tidy. Adjective. Perfect; flawless. Synonyms: Adjective. Spotless; pure; pristine; unsoiled. Adjective. Fautless

Piquant

Adjective. Pleasantly spicy or tart. Adjective. Interesting, exciting, or attractive. Adjective. Lively; excited. Synonyms: Adjective. Flavorful; biting; tangy; zesty; peppery. Adjective. Engaging; stimulating. Adjective. Provocative; animated; spirited; vivacious.

Ambrosial

Adjective. Pleasing in taste or smell. Adjective. Worthy of the gods. Synonyms: Adjective. Tasty; nectarous; fragrant; aromatic; redolent; savory; scented; sweet; perfumed. Adjective. Heavenly; ambrosian.

Hoity-toity

Adjective. Pompous; highfalutin; pretentious. Adjective. Thoughtlessly silly or lighthearted; flighty; impulsive and unpredictable. Synonyms: Adjective. Snobbish; haughty; arrogant; supercilious; superior; imperious; self-important. Adjective. Capricious; mercurial.

Impecunious

Adjective. Poor; having no money. Synonyms: Adjective. Penniless; poverty-stricken; destitute; broke; impoverished; indigent.

Indigent

Adjective. Poor; needy; impoverished. Noun. A needy person. Synonyms: Adjective. Impecunious; insolvent; poverty-stricken; destitute; penniless. Noun. Vagrant; beggar; pauper; derelict.

Ominous

Adjective. Portending evil or harm; threatening. Synonyms: Adjective. Dire; dismal; apocalyptic; foreboding.

Cogent

Adjective. Powerfully persuasive; convincing. Synonyms: Adjective. Effective.

Omnipresent

Adjective. Present everywhere. Synonyms: Adjective. All-present; ubiquitous.

Coy

Adjective. Pretending shyness or modesty to attract. Adjective. Shy; modest. Synonyms: Adjective. Coquettish; flirtatious; kittenish. Adjective. Bashful; timid; demure.

Highfalutin

Adjective. Pretentious; pompous, especially of speech. Synonyms: Adjective. Grandiloquent; flowery; high-flown; high-sounding; magniloquent.

Prolific

Adjective. Producing abundantly; productive. Synonyms: Adjective. Fruitful; fertile; fecund; rich.

Verboten

Adjective. Prohibited; forbidden. Synonyms: Adjective. Banned; taboo; disallowed.

Salient

Adjective. Prominent; noticeable or important. Synonyms: Adjective. Conspicuous.

Egalitarian

Adjective. Promoting equality for all; equal. Noun. A person who promotes equality for all; equalitarian. Synonyms: Adjective. Democratic; equitable. Noun. Democrat; leveler.

Litigious

Adjective. Prone to bringing lawsuits. Adjective. Disputatious; argumentative. Synonyms: Adjective. Belligerent; contentious; disputable.

Commensurate

Adjective. Proportional; equal. Synonyms: Adjective. Comparable; corresponding; adequate.

Cathartic

Adjective. Providing psychological/emotional relief or purging through open expression. Adjective. Purgative; cleansing. Synonyms: Adjective. Purifying.

Discursive

Adjective. Rambling. Adjective. Concluding by reason not intuition. Synonyms: Adjective. Digressive; indirect; deviating. Adjective. Logical.

Haphazard

Adjective. Random; by chance. Synonyms: Adjective. Aimless; indiscriminate.

Profligate

Adjective. Recklessly wasteful. Adjective. Immoral; licentious (promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters). Noun. A wasteful person. Synonyms: Adjective. Prodigal.

Pleonastic

Adjective. Redundant with words. Synonyms: Adjective. Redundant; verbose; superfluous.

Perverse

Adjective. Rejecting what is right. Synonyms: Adjective. Contrary; corrupt; improper.

Histrionic

Adjective. Related to acting or actors; dramatic. Noun. An actor. Synonyms: Adjective. Theatrical; melodramatic; hammy; thespian. Noun. Character.

Classical

Adjective. Relating to Greek and Roman antiquity, literature, art, architecture, or etc. Adjective. Based on customs usually handed down from a previous generation; traditional. Adjective. Regarded as representing an exemplary standard. Synonyms: Adjective. Conventional; customary; classic.

Epochal

Adjective. Relating to a particular time in history. Adjective. Highly significant; momentous. Synonyms. Adjective. Epoch-making; historical. Adjective. Memorable; eventful.

Campestral

Adjective. Relating to fields or open country; rural. Synonyms: Adjective. Rustic; pastoral; arcadian; bucolic.

Pecuniary

Adjective. Relating to money. Synonyms. Adjective. Financial; monetary; fiscal.

Epistolary

Adjective. Relating to or contained in letters.

Carnal

Adjective. Relating to sensual desires and appetites; sexual. Synonyms: Adjective. Lewd; sensuous; fleshy; libidinous.

Phonetic

Adjective. Relating to spoken language or speech sounds. Synonyms: Adjective. Oral; spoken; vocal.

Visceral

Adjective. Relating to the inner organs. Adjective. Relating to deep inward feelings rather than intellect. Synonyms: Adjective. Gut; abdominal. Adjective. Innate; instinctive; instinctual.

Sinistral

Adjective. Relating to the left hand (opposite of dextral). Adjective. Left-handed.

Dextral

Adjective. Relating to the right hand (opposite sinistral). Adjective. Right-handed.

Conceptual

Adjective. Relating to thought or the generation of ideas. Synonyms: Adjective. Abstract; theoretical; visionary.

Temporal

Adjective. Relating to time. Adjective. Worldy; secular. Adjective. Enduring for a time only; temporary; transitory (opposed to eternal). Synonyms: Adjective. Momentary; transitory. Adjective. Material; earthly; physical; materialistic.

Indicative

Adjective. Serving as a sign; suggestive. Adjective. In grammar, pertaining to the mood of the verb used for objective statements or questions. Noun. In grammar, a verb expressing a statement of fact or asking a question. Synonyms: Adjective. Symbolic; exhibitive; connotative.

Acute

Adjective. Severe; intense. Adjective. Deeply perceptive. Adjective. Extremely great or serious. Adjective. Sharp. Synonyms: Adjective. Excruciating; cutting. Adjective. Keen; smart. Adjective. Important. Adjective. Spiked; sharpened.

Obscene

Adjective. Sexually offensive or disgusting by accepted standards. Adjective. Offensive; repugnant; disgusting. Synonyms: Adjective. Shocking; vile; foul. Adjective. Salacious; lewd.

Brazen

Adjective. Shamelessly bold and disrespectful; impudent. Synonyms: Adjective. Brash; audacious; shameless.

Amorphous

Adjective. Shapeless. Synonyms: Adjective. Formless; undefined.

Flagrant

Adjective. Shockingly noticeable or evident. Adjective. Without shame; conspicuously wicked. Synonyms: Adjective. Blatant; glaring; obvious.

Supercilious

Adjective. Showing arrogant disdain and superiority. Synonyms: Adjective. Stuck-up; high-and-mighty; imperious; pompous; superior.

Meticulous

Adjective. Showing great care, precision, and attention to detail. Synonyms: Adjective. Fastidious; painstaking.

Boastful

Adjective. Showing or speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction. Synonyms: Adjective. Bragging; full of oneself; egotistical; magniloquent; grandiloquent.

Flamboyant

Adjective. Showy in display or behavior. Synonyms: Adjective. Flashy; ornate.

Ostentatious

Adjective. Showy; flashy. Synonyms: Adjective. Flaunty; pretentious; gaudy.

Canny

Adjective. Shrewd. Adjective. Wisely economical. Synonyms: Adjective. Clever; artful; astute. Adjective. Cost-effective; prudent; frugal; thrifty.

Astute

Adjective. Shrewd; clever. Synonyms: Adjective. Perceptive; discerning; keen; insightful.

Wizened

Adjective. Shriveled; withered; wrinkled. Verb. To wither; to shrivel. Synonyms: Adjective. Diminished; shrunken. Verb. To shrink; to waste away; to atrophy.

Adroit

Adjective. Skillful; clever. Adjective. Dexterous; nimble. Noun. A skilled person. Synonyms: Adjective. Very able; adept; skilled; artful. Adjective. Agile; graceful; limber; lissome; lithe; spry; flexible. Noun. Expert; master; maestro; virtuoso; guru; crackerjack.

Dilatory

Adjective. Slow to act; intended to cause delay. Synonyms: Adjective. Tardy; unhurried; sluggish; lazy; leisurely; procrastinating.

Lethargic

Adjective. Sluggish. Synonyms: Adjective. Inactive; torpid; dull; laid-back; listless; languid; lackadasical.

Negligible

Adjective. So unimportant that it can be disregarded. Synonyms: Adjective. Insignificant; trivial.

Demulcent

Adjective. Soothing, as a medicinal substance. Noun. A medication that soothes injured skin. Synonyms: Adjective. Healing; balsamic; emollient. Noun. Ointment; lotion; salve; emollient.

Doleful

Adjective. Sorrowful; mournful; melancholy. Synonyms: Adjective. Depressing; dejected; dispirited; cheerless; crestfallen; rueful; somber; woebegone.

Acidulous

Adjective. Sour in taste, manner, or speech. Synonyms: Adjective. Bitter.

Maculated

Adjective. Spotted or stained. Verb. To mark with spots; to stain. Synonyms: Adjective. Blotched; dotted; dappled; speckled; splotched. Verb. Blotch; dot; dapple; speckle; splotch.

Pervasive

Adjective. Spread throughout; extensive. Synonyms: Adjective. Distributive; permeant; permeating; permeative; prevalent; ubiquitous; universal.

Quizzical

Adjective. Strange and amusing. Adjective. Questioning; puzzled. Adjective. Mildly teasing or mocking; bantering. Synonyms: Adjective. Odd; comical. Adjective. Puzzling; perplexed; baffled.

Arresting

Adjective. Striking; interesting; attracting attention. Adjective. Making a legal capture. Synonyms: Adjective. Absorbing; consuming; engaging; enthralling; fascinating; gripping; immersing; intriguing; involving; riveting; alluring; compelling; impressive; intriguing; thought-provoking.

Robust

Adjective. Strong and healthy. Adjective. Rich; full-bodied; flavorful. Adjective. Strong in effect for most situations. Synonyms: Adjective. Booming; hearty; hefty; potent; powerful.

Modish

Adjective. Stylish; fashionable. Synonyms: Adjective. A la mode; in style; in vogue; chic; smart; sharp; snappy; trendy; voguish.

Servile

Adjective. Submissive; slavish. Synonyms: Adjective. Groveling; subservient.

Saccharine

Adjective. Sugary; sweet tasting. Adjective. Cloyingly or ingratiatingly agreeable. Adjective. Overly sentimental. Synonyms. Adjective. Syrupy. Adjective. Sycophantic; obsequious. Adjective. Mawkish; maudlin; mushy; corny; sappy;

Appropriate

Adjective. Suitable or fitting. Verb. To set apart for a specific purpose. Verb. To take (money) for oneself; take possession of. Verb. To steal. Synonyms: Adjective. Applicable; proper. Verb. To allocate; to allot. Verb. To confiscate; to embezzle; to misappropriate.

Morose

Adjective. Sullen or gloomy (as a person or mood). Synonyms: Adjective. Sulky; ill-tempered; dour; glum; moody; cantankerous.

Natant

Adjective. Swimming; floating. Synonyms: Adjective. Natatory.

Turgid

Adjective. Swollen, distended, or congested. Adjective. Bombastic; pompous. Synonyms: Adjective. Tumescent; bloated; tumid. Adjective. Overblown; inflated; high-flown; pretentious; grandiose.

Muliebrity

Noun. (Literary) Womanly qualities; womanhood; femininity. Synonyms: Noun. Womanliness; femaleness; effeminateness.

Terra Firma

Noun (Latin). Solid ground; dry earth as opposed to sea or air. Synonyms: Noun. Land; soil.

In Vino Veritas

Latin. Under the influence of alcohol, a person tells the truth.

Sine Qua Non

Noun (Latin). An essential condition; something absolutely necessary. Synonyms: Noun. Necessity; requirement; requisite; must-have.

Caveat Emptor

Noun (Latin). Let the buyer beware: The principle that the seller of a product cannot be held responsible for its quality unless it is under warranty. Synonyms: Noun. Buy at your own risk.

Modus Operandi (MO)

Noun (Latin). Mode of operating; procedure. Synonyms: Noun. Rule of thumb.

Cavalier

Noun. (Archaic) A horseman trained in arms; knight. Noun. A man escorting a woman. Adjective. Dismissive of important matters, often disdainful; supercilious. Synonyms: Noun. Galant. Noun. Gentleman. Adjective. Superior; arrogant; haughty; imperious; high-and-mighty; uppity.

Knar

Noun. (Archaic) A knot on a tree or in wood. Synonyms: Noun. knag; knurl; node.

Slubberdegullion

Noun. (Archaic) A slovenly or worthless person. Synonyms: Noun. Layabout; idler; loafer; shirker; do-nothing.

Quidnunc

Noun. (Archaic) An inquisitive and gossipy person. Synonyms: Noun. Gossip; rumormonger; gabber; busybody.

Grimalkin

Noun. (Archaic) An old female cat. Noun. (Archaic) A spiteful old woman. Synonyms: Noun. Feline. Noun. A crone.

Clock Calm

Noun. (Archaic) Dead calm. Synonyms: Noun. Calmness.

Bricolage

Noun. (Art/Literature) A construction or creation from diverse resources. Synonyms: Noun. Patchwork.

Carom

Noun. (Billiards, pool) A shot where the cue ball hits two balls in succession. Noun. Any strike and rebound, as a ball. Verb. To strike and rebound, as a ball. Synonyms. Verb. To bounce; to ricochet.

Selenotropism

Noun. (Biology) Growth in response to moonlight.

Wynd

Noun. (Chiefly Scottish) A narrow street or alley. Synonyms: Noun. Alleyway; passageway.

Metadata

Noun. (Computing) Data that provides information about other data. Synonyms: Noun. Information.

Gamin

Noun. (Dated) A neglected boy left to run the streets. Synonyms: Noun. Street urchin; waif; stray.

Ambuscade

Noun. (Dated) An ambush. Verb. (Archaic) To ambush (someone). Synonyms: Noun. Trap; waylaying. Verb. Bushwhack; entrap.

Slyboots

Noun. (Derogatory/Informal) A sly or mischievous person. Synonyms: Noun. Trickster; rapscallion; rascal.

Euphemism

Noun. (Figure of Speech) A mild expression in place of an unpleasant one. Example: "We're teaching our toddler how to go potty," Bob said. Synonyms: Noun. Saying; locution.

Chiasmus

Noun. (Figure of Speech) A verbal pattern in which the second half of an expression is balanced against the first but with the parts reversed. Example: The famous chef said people should live to eat, not eat to live.

Hyperbole

Noun. (Figure of Speech) An extravagant statement; the use of exaggerated terms for the purpose of emphasis or heightened effect. Example: I have a ton of things to do when I get home.

Apostrophe

Noun. (Figure of Speech) Directly addressing an absent or imaginary person, inanimate object, or some abstraction. Example: "Oh, you stupid car, you never work when I need you to," Bert sighed.

Alliteration

Noun. (Figure of Speech) Repetition of the beginning sounds of words. Example: She sells seashells by the seashore.

Assonance

Noun. (Figure of Speech) Repetition of vowel sounds. Example: How now, brown cow?

Antithesis

Noun. (Figure of Speech) The placement of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases. Noun. The direct opposite. Example: As Abraham Lincoln said, "Folks who have no vices have very few virtues." Synonyms: Noun. Antipode; contrast.

Anaphora

Noun. (Figure of Speech) The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or verses. Example: Unfortunately, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time on the wrong day.

Irony

Noun. (Figure of Speech) The use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. Noun. A statement or situation where the meaning is contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea. Synonyms: Noun. Contrariness; double meaning.

Metaphor

Noun. (Figure of speech) Something used to represent something else. Synonyms: Noun. Symbol; emblem; analogy.

Schadenfreude

Noun. (German) Enjoyment from seeing other's misfortune. Synonyms: Noun. (Rare) Epicaricacy.

Deus Ex Machina

Noun. (God from the Machine) A plot device dating back to ancient Greek theater, where the primary conflict is resolved through a means that seems unrelated to the story (i.e. a God comes down out of nowhere and solves everything, saving the character from peril).

Caesura

Noun. (In Prosody/Poetry) A pause in the middle of a verse. Noun. An interruption; a break. Synonyms: Noun. A respite; a pause; a rest.

Crackpot

Noun. (Informal) An eccentric, unrealistic, or fanatical person. Adj. Eccentric; impractical; lunatic. Synonyms: Noun. Nutcase; oddball; weirdo. Adj. Unusual; crazy; unhinged; wacky.

Ballyhoo

Noun. (Informal) Clamorous publicity or advertising to win customers; an attention-seeking demonstration. Noun. Clamor or outcry. Verb. To clamorously advertise. Synonyms: Noun. Promotion; marketing; propaganda. Noun. Commotion; uproar. Verb. Glorify.

Sheeple

Noun. (Informal) People who are easily persuaded and tend to follow what others do (portmanteau of sheep and people).

Persona Non Grata

Noun. (Latin) An unwelcome or unacceptable person. Synonyms: Noun. An undesirable; an outcast.

Mea Culpa

Noun. (Latin) My fault. Synonyms: Noun. My blame; guilt acknowledgment.

Fidus Achates

Noun. (Latin/Literary). A faithful friend. Synonyms: Noun. Devoted friend; trustworthy friend.

Codicil

Noun. (Law) A document that adds or changes a will. Noun. Appendix; supplement. Synonyms: Noun. Addition; addendum.

Ichor

Noun. (Literary/Greek Mythology) A blood-like fluid in the veins of the gods. Synonyms: Noun. Blood; lifeblood.

Jactitation

Noun. (Law) A false claim that causes injury to another. Noun. Boasting; bragging. Noun. (Medicine) tossing, jerking, or twitching of the body. Synonyms. Noun. Crowing; rhodomontade; self-praise; gasconade; braggadocio. Noun. Jactation; restlessness.

Fiduciary

Noun. (Law) A person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another; a trustee. Adjective. Relating to the relationship between trustee and beneficiary.

Easement

Noun. (Law) A right to cross or otherwise use someone else's land for a specified purpose. Noun. A feeling of comfort or peace. Synonyms. Noun. Right of way. Noun. Something soothing; balm.

Nymph

Noun. (Literary) A beautiful young woman. Noun. A mythological spirit of nature as a beautiful maiden inhabiting rivers, woods, or other locations. Noun. A young insect that undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. Synonyms: Noun. Damsel; maiden; sprite.

Philippic

Noun. (Literary) A bitter verbal attack or denunciation. Synonyms: Noun. Tirade; harangue; broadsude; invective.

Dingle

Noun. (Literary) A deep, wooded valley. Synonyms: Noun. Dell; vale.

Fulguration

Noun. (Literary) A flash like lightning. Synonym: Noun. Flickering; coruscation; luminescence.

Zephyr

Noun. (Literary) A gentle breeze. Synonyms: Noun. Waft; gust; draft.

Travail

Noun. (Literary) A painful or laborious effort. Verb. To engage in a painful or laborious effort. Synonyms: Noun. Ordeal; trial; tribulation; hardship. Verb. To struggle; to toil.

Wayfarer

Noun. (Literary) A person who travels on foot. Synonyms: Noun. Gypsy; nomad; rover; itinerant; traveler; roamer.

Tryst

Noun. (Literary) A secret meeting, especially between lovers. Synonyms: Date; engagement; rendezvous.

Isle

Noun. (Literary) A small island or peninsula. Synonyms: Noun. Islet; Cay.

Dell

Noun. (Literary) A small valley, usu. among tress. Synonyms: Noun. Vale; dingle.

Prothalamium

Noun. (Literary) A song or poem celebrating a wedding.

Fulmination

Noun. (Literary) A violent explosion or flash-like lighting; fulguration. Noun. Vehement protest or censure. Synonyms: Noun. Blast; discharge. Noun. Tirade; diatribe; outburst; rant; condemnation.

Susurrus

Noun. (Literary) A whispering or rustling sound. Synonyms: Noun. Susurration; murmur.

Bacchanal

Noun. (Literary) A wild and drunken revelry. Noun. A priest, worshiper, or follower of Bacchus. Adj. Pertaining to Bacchus; bacchanalian. Synonyms: Noun. Orgy; carnival; party; merrymaking.

Swain

Noun. (Literary) A young (male) lover, admirer, or suitor. Noun. (Archaic) A country youth/lad. Synonyms: Noun. Beau; boyfriend; courter. Noun. Provincial; countryman; yokel; hick; bumpkin; backwoodsman.

Youngling

Noun. (Literary) A young person or animal. Synonyms: Noun. Youth; kids; children.

Lea

Noun. (Literary) An area of grassy or arable land. Synonyms: Noun. Meadow; field.

Pulchritude

Noun. (Literary) Beauty. Synonyms: Noun. Prettiness; comeliness; gorgeousness.

Cockcrow

Noun. (Literary) Dawn. Synonyms: Noun. Aurora; dawning; daybreak; morning.

Aurora

Noun. (Literary) Dawn. Noun. A natural electrical phenomenon characterized by streams of reddish or greenish lights in the sky, usually near the northern or southern magnetic pole. Synonyms: Noun. Daybreak; morning; dawning; cockcrow.

Horripilation

Noun. (Literary) Gooseflesh; goosebumps; a bristling of the hairs on the skin from cold, fear, or excitement. Synonyms: Noun. Goose pimples; jimjams.

Greensward

Noun. (Literary) Grassy ground. Synonyms: Noun. Meadow; grass-plot; lawn; pasture.

Dolor

Noun. (Literary) Great sorrow; distress. Synonyms: Noun. Sadness; unhappiness; dejection; depression.

Lenity

Noun. (Literary) Kindness; gentleness. Noun. Leniency. Synonyms: Noun. Compassion; kindliness; beneficence. Noun. Mercy; clemency.

Nescience

Noun. (Literary) Lack of knowledge or awareness; ignorance. Synonyms: Noun. Incognizance; obliviousness; unawareness.

Brume

Noun. (Literary) Mist; fog. Synonyms: Noun. Vapors; haze.

Eld

Noun. (Literary) Old age. Synonyms: Noun. Agedness; dotage; oldness.

Threescore

Noun. (Literary) Sixty.

Celerity

Noun. (Literary) Speed. Synonyms: Noun. Swiftness.

Ether

Noun. (Literary) The clear sky. Noun. (Chemistry) A pleasant-smelling colorless volatile liquid that is highly flammable. It is used as an anesthetic and as a solvent or intermediate in industrial processes. Synonyms: Noun. Heavens; firmament; empyrean; welkin.

Visage

Noun. (Literary) The face; the countenance. Noun. The appearance. Synonyms: Noun. Expression; cast; look.

Welkin

Noun. (Literary) The sky or heaven. Synonyms: Noun. Firmament; stratosphere; empyrean; ether.

Firmament

Noun. (Literary) The sky or the heavens. Synonyms: Noun. Empyrean; welkin; ether; empyrean.

Knell

Noun. (Literary) The sound of a funeral bell; hence the figurative omen of death or failure. Verb. To sound a funeral bell. Synonyms: Noun. A toll; chime; clang; ringing; tolling; ring; clangor. Verb. To toll; to ring; to chime; to sound.

Perfidy

Noun. (Literary) Treachery; betrayal. Synonyms: Noun. Disloyalty; faithlessness; treason.

Declination

Noun. A downward slope. Noun. Decline; refusal; rejection. Noun. Deterioration; decay. Noun. Deviation; swerving. Synonyms: Noun. Descent; declivity; downhill. Noun. Disallowance; nay; nonacceptance. Noun. Decadence; degeneration. Noun. Aberration; alteration; detour; divergence.

Impetus

Noun. A driving force; a stimulus. Synonyms: Noun. Impulse; incentive; motivation; inducement.

Arroyo

Noun. A dry creek that temporarily fills after sufficient rain. Synonyms: Noun. Watercourse; brook; channel.

Murphy's Law

Noun. A facetious propositions that if anything can go wrong, it will.

Calumny

Noun. A false and malicious accusation. Synonyms: Noun. Slander; defamation.

Sophism

Noun. A false argument meant to deliberately deceive. Synonyms: Noun. Fallacy; deception.

Canard

Noun. A false rumor; a fabricated story. Synonyms: Noun. Lie; fib.

Pretense

Noun. A false show; make-believe. Synonyms: Noun. Charade; pretext.

Presentiment

Noun. A feeling that something, often bad, is going to happen; a foreboding. Synonyms: Noun. Premonition; presage; intuition; pre-notion.

Melee

Noun. A fight. Synonyms: Noun. Fray; brawl; fracas; affray.

Miff

Noun. A fit or ill humor. Noun. A petty quarrel. Verb. To annoy; to offend. Synonyms: Noun. Offense; resentment; umbrage; ire. Noun. Dispute; discord. Verb. To affront; to displease.

Trowel

Noun. A flat-bladed tool used for spreading cement or mortar. Noun. A hand-held tool used for scooping earth in gardening.

Buoy

Noun. A float used to mark water channels or other hazards. Verb. To keep afloat. Verb. To encourage. Synonyms: Noun. Floating device; beacon; water marker. Verb. To float. Verb. To inspire; to energize.

Gadfly

Noun. A fly that bites livestock, esp. a horsefly, warble fly, or botfly. Noun. An annoying person, esp. one who criticizes and provokes others. Synonyms: Noun. Annoyance; nuisance.

Buffoon

Noun. A foolish person; a clown. Noun. A gross, stupid person. Synonyms: Noun. Harlequin; zany; jester; comedian; comic. Noun. Clod; boor; lout; ouf.

Tontine

Noun. A form of life insurance whereby on the death or default of a participant his share is distributed to the remaining members.

Panegyric

Noun. A formal expression of praise. Synonyms: Noun. Tribute; speech of praise; acclamation.

Boulevardier

Noun. A frequenter of fashionable Parisian locales. Synonyms: Noun. Man-about-the town; bon vivant.

Chador

Noun. A full length cloak worn by Muslim women, typically held close by the wearer's hands or under the arms that does not cover the face.

Ombudsman

Noun. A government appointee who investigates and resolves complaints by private persons against the government. Synonyms: Noun. A judge; inspector.

Absolutism

Noun. A government by a complete and unrestricted ruler or authority. Noun. Any belief that values, principles, etc. are complete and not relative, dependent, or changeable. Synonyms: Noun. Autarchy; authoritarianism; autocracy; totalitarianism; tyranny; dictatorship; totalism.

Junta

Noun. A governmental council who rules after a coup d'état. Synonyms: Noun. Faction; council.

Patina

Noun. A green or brown film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period. Noun. A gloss or sheen on a surface resulting from age or polishing. Noun. The impression or appearance of something.

Retinue

Noun. A group of advisors, assistants, or others accompanying an important person; entourage. Synonyms: Noun. Aides; staff; cortege.

Denomination

Noun. A group or branch of any religion. Noun. The face value of a banknote, coin, or postage stamp. Noun. A name or designation, esp. to classify things. Synonyms: Noun. Sect; religious group. Noun. Unit; measure. Noun. Title; label.

Avant-Garde

Noun. A group who invents surprising ideas in art, literature, music, etc. Adjective. Introducing surprising ideas in art, literature, music, etc. Synonyms: Noun. Cutting edge; vanguard. Adjective. Unconventional; forward-looking; progressive.

Sentinel

Noun. A guard; a watchman. Synonyms: Noun. Sentry; lookout.

Censure

Noun. A harsh criticism or disapproval. Verb. To blame; to criticize; to disapprove. Synonyms: Noun. Reproach; condemnation; rebuke; reprimand. Verb. Reproach; condemn; rebuke; reprimand.

Hijab

Noun. A head scarf worn by Muslim women that covers the hair and neck, but not the face.

Inkling

Noun. A hint. Synonyms: Noun. Idea; clue; hunch.

Avocation

Noun. A hobby. Synonyms: Noun. Pastime; pursuit; hobbyhorse; recreation.

Waif

Noun. A homeless or abandoned person (usu. child), animal, or thing. Noun. A young person who is thing and looks unhealthy or uncared for. Synonyms: Noun. Guttersnipe; ragamuffin; orphan; stray; urchin.

Aspiration

Noun. A hope or ambition. Synonyms: Noun. Desire; longing; yearning.

Chimera

Noun. A horrible creature of the imagination. Noun. In Greek mythology, a fire-breathing she-monster with a lion's head, goat's body, and a serpent's tail. Synonyms: Noun. Illusion; nightmare.

Parody

Noun. A humorous imitation; a spoof. Verb. To imitate in a humorous way. Synonyms: Noun. Burlesque; caricature; farce. Verb. To spoof; to lampoon.

Voyeur

Noun. A sexually prying person. Synonyms: Noun. Peeping Tom; ogler.

Jouska

Noun. A hypothetical conversation that you compulsively play out in your head—a crisp analysis, a cathartic dialogue, a devastating comeback—which serves as a kind of psychological batting cage where you can connect more deeply with people than in the small ball of everyday life, which is a frustratingly cautious game of change-up pitches, sacrifice bunts, and intentional walks.

Jowl

Noun. A jaw, esp. the lower jaw. Noun. The cheek, esp. loose and fleshy. Adjective. Jowled. Synonyms: Noun. Jawbone; jawline; mandible.

Arbiter

Noun. A judge; a person with the power to decide a matter in a dispute. Synonyms: Noun. Moderator; mediator; referee.

Conviction

Noun. A judgment that someone is guilty of a crime. Noun. A strongly held belief. Synonyms: Noun. Guilty sentence. Noun. Opinion.

Agglomeration

Noun. A jumbled collection or mass. Synonyms: Noun. Cluster; aggregation; assemblage; congeries.

Bandog

Noun. A large and fierce dog for protection. Synonyms: Noun. Guard dog; watchdog; attack dog.

Conflagration

Noun. A large destructive fire. Synonyms: Noun. Fire; blaze; inferno; firestorm; bonfire; wildfire; arson.

Mausoleum

Noun. A large tomb. Synonyms: Noun. Burial; coffin; grave; sepulchre; crypt.

Demagogue

Noun. A leader who appeals to mass prejudice, often using lies; rabble-rouser. Synonyms: Noun. Agitator; firebrand; fomenter; provocateur.

Skein

Noun. A length of thread or yarn, loosely coiled and knotted. Noun. A tangled or complicated arrangement, state, or situation. Noun. A flock of wild geese or swans in flight, typically in a V-shaped formation. Synonyms: Noun. Knot; snarl reel. Noun. Mess; quagmire; web.

Collation

Noun. A light meal, usually allowed during a fast. Noun. An arrangement in their proper sequence, usually pages. Synonyms: Noun. Repast; chow; supper. Noun. Systematization; assembling; ordering.

Foreshadow

Noun. A literary device in which an author drops subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story.

Poetic Justice

Noun. A literary device in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished, often in modern literature by an ironic twist of fate intimately related to the character's own conduct.

Abscess

Noun. A localized collection of pus surrounded by inflamed tissue. Synonyms: Noun. Swelling; ulcer.

Maverick

Noun. A lone dissenter; a free thinker; a nonconformist. Adjective. Nonconformist; unconventional. Synonyms: Noun. Individualist; outsider; rebel. Adjective. Unorthodox; nontraditional.

Screed

Noun. A long and often angry speech or writing, esp. a diatribe. Noun. A leveled layer of material (e.g., cement) applied to a floor or other surface. Synonyms: Noun. Harangue; tirade.

Roman-Fleuve

Noun. A long novel often many volumes chronicling the history of a family community or other group. Synonyms: Noun. Stream novel.

Dupatta

Noun. A long scarf worn by South Asian women that is loosely draped across the head and shoulders and often paired with matching garments.

Firth

Noun. A long, narrow inlet of the sea. Synonyms: Noun. Estuary.

Harangue

Noun. A long, pompous speech. Noun. A scolding, long verbal attack. Verb. To deliver a long, pompous speech. Synonyms: Noun. A tirade; a diatribe.

Plume

Noun. A long, soft feather. Noun. Something featherlike. Noun. A cloud of smoke spreading like a feather. Verb. To adorn with feathers. Synonyms: Noun. Quill; plumage; plumule.

Lexicomane

Noun. A lover of words; one who enjoys looking up words in the dictionary. Adjective. Word-loving.

Thoroughfare

Noun. A main road or public highway. Noun. A passage or way through. Synonyms: Noun. Roadway; avenue; artery.

Roué

Noun. A man devoted to a life of sensual pleasure. Synonyms: Noun. Rake; lecher; cad; bounder; rakehell; profligate.

Womanizer

Noun. A man who seduces women; philanderer. Synonyms: Noun. Casanova; lecher; lothario.

Lothario

Noun. A man who seduces women; rake. Synonym: Noun. Womanizer; lecher; philanderer.

Philanderer

Noun. A man who seduces women; womanizer. Synonyms: Noun. Casanova; lecher; lothario.

Amazon

Noun. A masculine woman. Noun. The largest river in the world in volumes of water carried, located in South America. Noun. A member of a group of female warriors from ancient Greek stories.

Repast

Noun. A meal. Synonyms: Noun. Collation; chow; grub.

Gauge

Noun. A means of judging; a test. Verb. To evaluate; to judge. Synonyms: Noun. Barometer; benchmark; meter; indicator. Verb. To measure; to appraise; to assess; to calculate.

Busybody

Noun. A meddling or prying person. Synonyms: Noun. Gossip; snoop; blabbermouth.

Bolsheviks

Noun. A member of the more radical majority Social Democratic Party in Russia from 1903-1917, advocating seizure of power by the proletariat. Noun. (after 1918) A communist. Synonyms: Noun. Commie; socialist; leninist.

Populist

Noun. A member of the political party representing the interest of the common people. Noun. A believer in the rights of the common people. Adjective. Relating to a political party that represents the rights of the common people. Synonyms: Noun. Democrat. Adjective. Democratic.

Psychosis

Noun. A mental disorder characterized by a break from reality. Synonyms: Noun. Mental illness.

Neurosis

Noun. A mental disorder of fear and anxiety. Synonyms: Noun. Disturbance; folie; neuroticism.

Pore

Noun. A minute opening in a surface, esp. skin, through which gases, liquids, or microscopic particles can pass. Verb. To study industriously. Verb. To ponder; to meditate. Synonyms: Noun. Opening; orifice; aperture; hole. Verb. To brood; to contemplate.

Double Standard

Noun. A moral code applied more strictly to one group than another. Synonyms: Noun. Contrasting principles; two sets of rules.

Opus

Noun. A musical composition. Noun. A literary work. Synonyms: Noun. Artistic work Noun. Book.

Harp

Noun. A musical instrument that has strings stretched across a large open frame and that is played with your fingers. Verb. To play a harp. Verb. (harp on/upon) To dwell on persistently in speaking or writing; to belabor. Synonyms: Verb. To reiterate; to repeat; to nag.

Propensity

Noun. A natural inclination or tendency. Synonyms: Noun. Aptness; proneness; proclivity; bias; leaning; penchant; predilection; predisposition.

Blackball

Noun. A negative vote. Verb. To vote against. Verb. To ostracize. Synonyms: Verb. To blacklist; to ban.

Aerie

Noun. A nest of a large bird of prey (Eagle; Hawk). Synonyms: Noun. Eyrie; bird nest.

Dragnet

Noun. A net drawn through a river or across ground to trap fish or game. Noun. A network of measures to apprehend criminals. Synonyms: Noun. Manhunt; search.

Portmanteau

Noun. A new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings. Noun. (Chiefly British) A large trunk or suitcase. Synonyms: Noun. Word blending. Noun. Bag; case; luggage.

Neoterism (nee-ot-uh-riz-uhm)

Noun. A newly invented word or phrase. Synonyms: Noun. Neologism; coinage.

Neologism

Noun. A newly invented word or phrase. Synonyms: Noun. Neoterism; neology; coinage.

Alcove

Noun. A nook; a recess or small room adjacent to or opening out of a room. Synonyms: Noun. Niche; cavity; hollow; apse.

Carpetbagger

Noun. A northerner in the US who went to the South after the Civil War to make money. Noun. A political candidate who runs for office in a place they've lived in for a short time. Synonyms: Noun. Self-seeker; opportunist.

Epistolary Novel

Noun. A novel written as a series of documents. The usual form is letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings, and other documents are sometimes used.

Parasocial Relationship

Noun. A one-sided relationship that a media user engages in with a media persona, where one person expends emotional energy, interest, and time, and the other party, the persona, is completely unaware of the other's existence. Parasocial relationships are most common with celebrities, organizations (such as sports teams), or television stars. Media users can form parasocial relationships with celebrities, live-action fictional characters, social media influencers, animated characters, and any other figure they encounter through media, including movies, TV shows, podcasts, radio talk shows, or social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok.

Anodyne

Noun. A painkilling drug. Adjective. Relieving pain. Adjective. Not likely to provoke or offend; inoffensive. Synonyms: Noun. Analgesic; anesthetic. Adjective. Analgetic. Adjective. Harmless; benign; innocuous.

Mauve

Noun. A pale purple color. Adjective. Pale purple. Synonyms: Adjective. Lavender; plum; violet; lilac.

Kleptophilia

Noun. A paraphilia (abnormal sexual arousal) in which a person is sexually aroused by stealing. Synonyms: Noun. Kleptolagnia; chremastistophilia.

Arboretum

Noun. A park where trees and shrubs are displayed and studied. Synonyms: Noun. Botanical garden.

Col

Noun. A pass or depression in a mountain range. Synonyms: Noun. Gap; opening; break.

Paisley

Noun. A pattern of curved, feather-shaped figures based on a pine-cone design from India. Adjective. Having a pattern of curved, feather-shaped figures based on a pine-cone design from India.

Viceroy

Noun. A person appointed by a higher authority to govern a province. Noun. A brightly marked American butterfly, Limenitis archippus, closely mimicking the monarch butterfly in coloration. Synonyms: Noun. Governor; delegate.

Factotum

Noun. A person employed to do all work around the house. Synonyms: Noun. Handyman; servant.

Bon Vivant

Noun. A person fond of good food and luxury. Synonyms: Noun. Epicurean; gastronome; gourmand.

Tatterdemalion

Noun. A person in tattered clothing; a shabby person. Adjective. Ragged; unkempt. Synonyms: Noun. A raggamuffin. Adjective. Dilapidated; shoddy; beat-up; damaged.

Nonesuch

Noun. A person or thing without equal; paragon. Synonyms: Noun. Beau Ideal; model of excellence.

Incendiary

Noun. A person who commits arson. Noun. A substance used to start fires. Noun. A person who excites factions, quarrels, or sedition; agitator. Adjective. Tending to excite or inflame; inflammatory. Adjective. Producing fire. Synonyms: Noun. Firebug; arsonist; pyromaniac; flamer; igniter; inflamer. Noun. Demagogue; exciter; firebrand; fomenter; inciter; instigator; provocateur; rabble-rouser. Adjective. Seditious; instigative; provocative.

Fabulist

Noun. A person who composes or relates fables. Noun. A liar, esp. a person who invents elaborate, dishonest stories. Synonyms: Noun. Fabricator; fibber; storyteller; falsifier.

Whistle-blower

Noun. A person who exposes wrongdoing in an organization. Synonyms: Noun. Tattletale; squealer.

Heretic

Noun. A person who holds controversial opinions, usually with a church. Synonyms: Noun. Apostate; dissenter; nonconformist; maverick; counterculturist; renegade; individualist.

Gastronome

Noun. A person who is knowledgeable about good food and drink. Synonyms. Noun. A gourmet; epicure.

Blight

Noun. A plant disease. Noun. Something that spoils or damages. Verb. To infect a plant with blight. Verb. To destroy, ruin, or decay. Synonyms: Noun. Fungus; mildew, mold, rot, decay. Noun. Affliction; scourge; bane; plague. Verb. To wither; to blast. Verb. To wreck; to spoil

Bromide

Noun. A platitude or trite saying. Noun. A binary compound of bromine with another element or a radical including some used as sedatives. Synonyms: Noun. Banality; cliché; triviality.

Farce

Noun. A play with ridiculous happenings. Noun. An absurd event. Synonyms: Noun. Parody; burlesque; comedy.

Socialism

Noun. A political/economic theory advocating state and community ownership of industry and capital. Synonyms: Noun. Communism; Bolshevism; Marxism; Collectivism.

Bias

Noun. A preconceived opinion in favor or against something or someone(s); prejudice. Noun. A strong interest; tendency. Synonyms: Noun. Partiality; partisanship.

Hypocrisy

Noun. A pretense of principles one does not have. Synonyms: Noun. Insincerity; deceit; deception.

Interrobang/Interabang

Noun. A printed punctuation mark (‽) designed to combine the question mark (?) and the exclamation point (!), indicating a mixture of query and interjection.

Prerogative

Noun. A privilege; a right. Synonyms: Noun. Birthright.

Repatriation

Noun. A process of returning (a refugee or prisoner of war) to their homelands after the violence or turmoil in those places ceases.

Luminary

Noun. A prominent or inspiring person in their field. Noun. A body that gives light, esp. a celestial one (sun or moon). Synonyms: Noun. Celebrity; notable; superstar. Noun. Light.

Rail

Noun. A protective barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and its supports. Noun. A roadway overlaid with parallel steel bars over which trains travel. Verb. To criticize harshly. Synonyms: Noun. Banister; guardrail. Noun. Railroad; railway. Verb. To scold; to catigate.

Manifesto

Noun. A public declaration of beliefs, policies, or intentions, usually political. Synonyms: Noun. Platform; proclamation.

Affray

Noun. A public fight. Synonyms: Noun. Fray; melee.

Crimson

Noun. A purplish red color. Adjective. Deep, purplish red. Synonyms: Noun. Red; redness; maroon. Adjective. Reddish; scarlet; cherry-red; ruddy.

Riposte

Noun. A quick, witty reply. Synonyms: Noun. Witticism; retort; repartee; epigram.

Repartee

Noun. A quick, witty reply; witticism. Noun. A conversation of witty replies. Synonyms: Noun. Banter; badinage; epigram; riposte; witticism; raillery.

Quietude

Noun. A quiet, still, or calm state in a person or place. Synonyms: Noun. Calmness; tranquility; stillness; placidity; sereneness.

Foray

Noun. A raid. Noun. A quick, sudden attack. Noun. An initial venture. Verb. To raid. Synonyms: Noun. An incursion; invasion.

Lectern

Noun. A reading desk in a church with a Bible. Noun. A podium; a speaker's reading stand. Synonyms: Noun. Rostrum; pulpit.

Pretext

Noun. A reason given to hide the real reason for doing something; false reason. Synonyms: Noun. Deceptive excuse; alleged reason; pretense.

Leitmotif

Noun. A recurring theme, esp. in literature or music. Synonyms: Noun. Motif; idea; point.

Attrition

Noun. A reduction in size, strength, or numbers. Noun. A gradual reduction in work force without firing of personnel, as when workers resign or retire and are not replaced. Synonyms: Noun. Erosion; wearing down.

Oblation

Noun. A religious offering. Synonyms: Noun. Sacrifice; libation.

Anchorite

Noun. A religious recluse. Synonyms: Noun. Hermit; ascetic.

Crackerjack

Noun. A remarkable person or thing. Adjective. Remarkable; exceptionally good. Synonyms: Noun. Ace; adept; expert; guru; maestro; master. Adjective. Accomplished; ace; adept; consummate; experienced.

Respite

Noun. A rest or break. Synonyms: Noun. Reprieve; hiatus; breather; downtime; lull.

Trammel

Noun. A restraint; a hindrance. Synonyms: Noun. Obstacle; impediment; barrier; handicap; deterrent.

Boor

Noun. A rude or impolite person. Synonyms: Noun. Lout; oaf.

Potentate

Noun. A ruler. Synonyms: Noun. Sovereign; monarch.

Tenement

Noun. A run-down and often overcrowded apartment complex, esp. in a poor section of a city. Synonyms: Noun. Lodgings; rental; slums.

Immolation

Noun. A sacrifice, usually by killing. Noun. The killing or destruction, often by fire. Synonyms: Noun. Offering.

Dearth

Noun. A scarcity; inadequate supply. Synonyms: Noun. Deficiency; paucity.

Savant

Noun. A scholar. Synonyms: Noun. Bookman; pundit; polymath; sage.

Collusion

Noun. A secret agreement for wrongdoing. Synonyms: Noun. Conspiracy; connivance.

Truism

Noun. A self-evident truth. Synonyms: Noun. Adage; aphorism; maxim; axiom.

Dotard

Noun. A senile, old person. Synonyms: Noun. Geezer.

Concatenation

Noun. A series of interconnected or interdependent things or events. Synonyms: Noun. Chain; link; series.

Geneva Convention

Noun. A set of international agreements of conduct for treating prisoners of war, established in 1864.

Valetudinarian

Noun. An invalid; a sickly person. Adj. Invalid; sickly. Noun. A person who is unduly anxious about their health. Adj. Being unduly anxious about one's health. Synonyms: Noun. Convalescent. Adj. Bedridden; feeble; debilitated; ailing. Noun/Adj. Hypochondriac.

Effluvium

Noun. An invisible vapor, esp. a noxious or disagreeable one. Noun. A waste by-product. Synonyms: Noun. Exhalation; odor; smell. Noun. Garbage; scrap; junk.

Comestible

Noun. An item of food. Adjective. Edible; eatable. Synonyms: Noun. Victuals; provisions; viand; sustenance. Adjective. Esculent.

Stymie

Noun. An obstruction; hindrance. Verb. To hinder; to block; to thwart. Synonyms: Noun. Blockage; interference. Verb. To foil; to impede; to obstruct.

Amnesty

Noun. An official pardon. Synonyms: Noun. Forgiveness; immunity; reprieve.

Functionary

Noun. An official. Synonyms: Noun. Agent; civil servant.

Unguent

Noun. An ointment for application to wounds. Synonyms: Noun. Balm; cream; emollient.

Fissure

Noun. An opening; a groove; a split. Verb. To split. Synonyms: Noun. Gap; cleavage; crevice. Verb. To cleave.

Overture

Noun. An orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, play, or composition. Noun. An introduction to something more substantial. Noun. A proposal for opening negotiations or establishing a relationship. Synonyms: Noun. Prelude, introduction; opening. Noun. Opening move; advances.

Platitude

Noun. An overused saying; a cliché. Synonyms: Noun. Banality; bromide; cliché; inanity; homily.

Nemesis

Noun. An unbeatable opponent. Synonyms: Noun. Adversary.

Litotes

Noun. An understatement for emphasis by using its opposite (and usually a double negative). Example. "Not a bad singer" or "Not unhappy." Synonyms: Noun. Rhetorical device; meiosis; understatement; figure of speech.

Plight

Noun. An unfortunate state; a predicament. Verb. To pledge, usually one's troth in marriage. Synonyms: Noun. Dilemma; trouble; quandary. Verb. To engage (in marriage).

Lowest Common Denominator

Noun. An unintelligent group who accepts low-quality products and entertainment. Synonyms: Noun. Lowbrow people; everyman; Joe Blow.

Arrears (In arrears)

Noun. An unpaid or overdue debt. Idiom. Behind or late in payment. Synonyms: Noun. Indebtedness; arrearage.

Black Swan

Noun. An unpredictable and unforeseen event, usually with extreme consequences. Synonyms: Noun. Surprise.

Myrmidon

Noun. An unquestioning follower. Noun. In Greek mythology, a member of Achilles' warriors on the expedition against Troy. Synonyms: Noun. Disciple; follower.

Acclivity

Noun. An upward slope. Synonyms: Noun. Elevation; incline.

Forebears

Noun. Ancestors; forefathers. Synonyms: Noun. Progenitor.

Pedigree

Noun. Ancestral line; line of descent. Noun. (Of animals) Purebred. Synonyms: Noun. Ancestry; heritage; lineage. Noun. Thoroughbred.

Poleis

Noun. Ancient Greek city-states. Synonyms: Noun. Municipalities; cities; metropolises.

Indignation

Noun. Anger at an injustice. Synonyms: Noun. Displeasure; resentment; wrath; ire; choler.

Ire

Noun. Anger; wrath. Synonyms: Noun. Lividness; madness; indignation; fury; furor; choler; outrage; rage.

Consternation

Noun. Anxiety or confusion from something unexpected. Synonyms: Noun. Dismay; distress; disquiet; perturbation.

Tenet

Noun. Any opinion or principle, esp. one held as true by members of a group. Synonyms: Noun. Belief; creed; doctrine; dogma.

Ephemeron

Noun. Anything short-lived. Noun. An insect that lives only for a day in its winged form. Synonyms: Noun. Transient; ephemeral; impermanence.

Approbation

Noun. Approval. Synonyms: Noun. Commendation; blessing.

Adjunct

Noun. Assistant; help. Adjective. Additional. Adjective. Attached to a staff in a temporary or auxiliary capacity. Synonyms. Noun. Appendage; accessory. Adjective. Extra.

Pansexuality

Noun. Attraction to any sex or gender. Synonyms: Noun. Omnisexuality.

Accolade

Noun. Award of merit. Synonyms: Noun. Honor; tribute; prize.

Apiculture

Noun. Bee-keeping.

Occlusion

Noun. Blockage. Noun. In pathology, blockage of a blood vessel. Noun. In dentistry, the fitting together of the upper and lower jaw teeth. Synonyms: Noun. Obstruction; barricade.

Consanguinity

Noun. Blood relation; kinship. Noun. Close relation or connection. Synonyms: Noun. Kin; lineage.

Gasconade

Noun. Boastful talk. Synonyms: Noun. Bluster; braggadocio; cockalorum; brag; grandiloquence; magniloquence.

Braggadocio

Noun. Boastful, arrogant behavior. Noun. A boasting person; braggart. Synonyms: Noun. Cockiness; bluster; bombast; cockalorum; grandiloquence. Noun. Boaster; bragger; show-off.

Revelry

Noun. Boisterous merrymaking. Synonyms: Noun. Celebration; carousal.

Effrontery

Noun. Bold rudeness or disrespect; impudence. Synonyms. Noun. Nerve; brashness.

Gall

Noun. Bold, disrespectful behavior. Verb. To vex; to irritate. Synonyms: Noun. Impudence; effrontery; nerve; brashness; insolence. Verb. To annoy; to bother.

Discourse

Noun. Conversation. Noun. A formal discussion of a subject. Verb. To converse. Verb. To treat a subject formally in speech or writing. Synonyms: Noun. Dialogue; dissertation; communication. Verb. To discuss; to speak about; to chat.

Interlocutor

Noun. Conversationalist. Noun. A person who questions; interrogator. Noun. A man in the middle line of a minstrel show who questions the end men and acts as the leader. Synonyms: Noun. Conversationist; talker; dialogist. Noun. Interviewer. Noun. Minstrel; middleman.

Jobbery

Noun. Corruption in public office. Synonyms: Noun. Graft; bribery; malfeasance; corruptness.

Reckoning

Noun. Count; computation; calculation. Noun. A settlement of accounts. Noun. A statement of an amount due; bill. Noun. Judgement. Synonyms: Noun. Arithmetic; ciphering. Noun. Estimation; appraisal; assessment.

Gumption

Noun. Courage; spunk; guts. Noun. Common sense; shrewdness. Noun. Initiative; resourcefulness. Synonyms: Noun. Grit; fortitude; moxie; backbone. Noun. Levelheadedness; sense; sensibleness. Noun. Enterprise; drive; go-ahead.

Reproach

Noun. Criticism; blame. Verb. To criticize; to blame. Synonyms: Noun. Defamation; dishonor; disgrace. Verb. To backbite; to bash; to berate; to chide; to rebuke; to reprimand; to scold; to upbraid; to discredit.

Fete

Noun. Day of celebration; a holiday. Noun. A festive celebration. Verb. To celebrate. Synonyms: Noun. Carnival; fest; festivity; festival; fiesta; gala. Noun. Bash; blowout; party; shindig. Verb. To revel; to make merry.

Carrion

Noun. Dead or decaying flesh. Synonyms: Noun. Corpse.

Subterfuge

Noun. Deceit used to achieve one's goal; trickery. Synonyms: Noun. Artifice; deception; dishonesty; duplicity; cheating; guile; cunning; chicanery; pretense; fraud; knavery.

Guile

Noun. Deceitful cleverness. Synonyms: Noun. Duplicity; trickery; chicanery.

Duplicity

Noun. Deceitfulness; double-dealing; contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action usually to belie one's true intentions. Synonyms: Noun. Deception; trickery; subterfuge; double-dealing; dishonesty; guile; chicanery; knavery.

Artifice

Noun. Deceptive behavior; trickery. Noun. Clever or artful skill. Synonyms: Noun. Hoax; contrivance; gimmick; trick; knavery; subterfuge; legerdemain. Noun. Ingenuity; inventiveness; craftiness.

Affirmation

Noun. Declaration of the existence or truth of something. Noun. Support, approval, or encouragement. Noun. (Law) Solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath. Synonyms: Noun. Assertion; confirmation.

Tinsel

Noun. Decoration consisting of thin strips of shiny metal foil. Noun. A showy or superficial attractiveness or glamour. Synonyms: Noun. Spangle; glitter; clinquant. Noun. Showiness; pretentiousness; flamboyance.

Angst

Noun. Deep anxiety or dread, typically an unfocused one about the human condition or the state of the world in general. Synonyms: Noun. Perturbation; worry; apprehension; disquietude; unease.

Reverence

Noun. Deep respect. Synonyms: Noun. Admiration; veneration; adoration; awe; deference.

Progeny

Noun. Descendant; offspring. Noun. A result; outcome. Synonyms: Noun. Breed; children; lineage; heir; seed; spawn. Noun. Product.

Aberration

Noun. Deviation from the normal way. Noun. Mental irregularity or disorder. Noun. (Biology) An abnormal characteristic. Synonyms: Noun. Detour. Noun. Oddity; peculiarity. Noun. Abnormality; anomaly; irregularity; divergence.

Variance (At Variance)

Noun. Difference; discrepancy. Noun. Disagreement; dispute; quarrel. Idiom. In a state of disagreement or difference. Synonyms: Noun. Deviation; divergence. Noun. Contention; division.

Sedulity

Noun. Diligence; continuance in effort. Synonyms: Adjective. Assiduousness; committment.

Discord

Noun. Disagreement or dispute. Noun. Unpleasant musical notes. Synonyms: Noun. Strife; disharmony; tumult. Noun. Cacophony; dissonance.

Dissonance

Noun. Disagreement; discord. Noun. Disagreeable or harsh sounds; cacophony. Synonyms: Noun. Conflict; disaccord; discordance; dissension; dissent; dissidence; disunion; disunity; division; friction; infighting; strife; variance. Noun. Incongruity; inharmony; noise; racket.

Opprobrium

Noun. Disgrace arising from shameful conduct. Noun. Harsh criticism or censure. Synonyms: Noun. Ignominy; public contempt. Noun. Vilification; vituperation; condemnation.

Knavery

Noun. Dishonest conduct; trickery. Synonyms: Noun. Antic; caper; deceitfulness; chicanery.

Couture

Noun. Dressmaking and designing. Noun. A fashion designer. Adjective. Created by a fashion designer. Synonyms: Adjective. Fashionable.

Expostulation

Noun. Earnest and kindly protest. Synonyms: Noun. Objection; remonstrance.

Dexterity

Noun. Ease and grace in physical activity; agility. Noun. Cleverness; mental adroitness. Synonyms: Noun. Nimbleness; sleight; spryness; deftness. Noun. Skill; know-how.

Efficacy

Noun. Effectiveness; the power to produce a desired result or effect. Synonyms: Noun. Efficiency; potency.

Equinox

Noun. Either of the two times each year (about March 21 and September 23) when the sun crosses the equator and day and night everywhere on earth are approximately equal length.

Apotheosis

Noun. Elevation to the rank of a god. Noun. Ideal; epitome; quintessence. Synonyms: Noun. Deification; exaltation. Noun. Model; classic; perfection.

Verve

Noun. Energy; enthusiasm. Synonyms: Noun. Gusto; moxie.

Logrolling

Noun. In U.S. Politics, exchange of favors, especially by legislators by voting for each other's bill. Noun. A sport where two players floating on a log try to dislodge one another by spinning the log with their feet. Synonyms: Noun. Favor; back scratching; favor of office.

Clerestory

Noun. In architecture, high windows above eye level.

Carapace

Noun. In crustaceans and arachnids (as well as vertebrates such as turtles and tortoises), the hard shell of the exoskeleton that covers the cephalothorax. Synonyms: Noun. Shell.

Graft

Noun. In surgery, the tissue for transplant. Noun. In botany/horticulture, a piece of a plant that is attached to part of another plant. Noun. Illegal use of political influence for personal gain. Verb. To transplant; to splice; to unite (tissue or plant). Synonyms: Noun. Transplant. Noun. Payoff for fraud.

Levity

Noun. Inappropriate lack of seriousness. Synonyms: Noun. Frivolity; facetiousness; flightiness.

Autonomy

Noun. Independence; freedom. Synonyms: Noun. Self-government; sovereignty; liberty; self-rule;

Disparity

Noun. Inequality; difference. Synonyms: Noun. Discrepancy; distinction.

Leverage

Noun. Influence; advantage. Verb. To use (something) for gain. Synonyms: Noun. Bargaining chip; clout; vantage. Verb. To exploit.

Incongruity

Noun. Inharmony, disharmony, inconsistency, or inappropriateness for the situation or thing. Synonyms: Noun. Incompatibility; unsuitability; conflict.

Iniquity

Noun. Injustice; wickedness. Synonyms. Noun. Sin; evil.

Savvy

Noun. Intelligence; Know-how. Adjective. Intelligent. Synonyms: Noun. Acumen; knowledge; intellect. Adjective. Acute; cunning; keen; smart.

Fervor

Noun. Intense emotion. Noun. Intense heat. Synonyms: Noun. Excitement; enthusiasm; ardor; passion; zeal. Noun. Warmth; fire.

Vehemence

Noun. Intensity of emotion or expression. Synonyms: Noun. Fervor; ardor; assertiveness; fierceness.

Sadomasochism

Noun. Interaction, esp. sexual activity, in which one person enjoys inflicting pain on another person, who derives pleasure from experiencing pain. Combination of sadism and masochism. Synonyms: Noun. S-M; S and M.

Viscera

Noun. Internal organs in the abdomen; intestines. Synonyms: Noun. Bowels; entrails.

Diaspora

Noun. Jews living in countries outside of Israel. Noun. Any group that has been dispersed outside of its traditional homeland, as Africans during the trans-Atlantic slave trade and Jews after the Babylonian captivity. Noun. The dissemination of anything from its local place. Synonyms: Noun. Dispersion; migration; displacement; scattering; exile.

Euthanasia

Noun. Killing to end suffering; mercy killing. Synonyms: Noun. Painless death; putting out of misery; assisted suicide.

Clairvoyance

Noun. Knowledge about something/someone not obtained through ordinary perception or reasoning but rather through extrasensory perception. Synonyms: Noun. Extrasensory perception; sixth sense.

Apathy

Noun. Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern. Synonyms: Noun. Indifference; detachment; passivity.

Acreage

Noun. Land area measured in acres. Synonyms: Noun. Property; real estate; plot.

Hegemony

Noun. Leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group over others. Synonyms: Noun. Dominion; supremacy.

Frondescence

Noun. Leafage; foliage. Synonyms: Noun. Vegetation; herbage.

Autodidactism/Autodidacticism

Noun. Learning without a teacher or formal education. Synonyms: Noun. Self-education; self-directed learning.

Furlough

Noun. Leave of absence, esp. to a member of the armed forces. Noun. A temporary release from prison. Noun. A temporary layoff from work. Verb. To grant a temporary leave of absence. Verb. To lay off. Synonyms: Noun. Layoff. Verb. Layoff.

Foliage

Noun. Leaves in general; frondescence. Synonyms: Noun. Leafage.

Lien

Noun. Legal claim on someone's property until the debt on it is repaid. Synonyms: Noun. Hold on property; mortgage.

Diminution

Noun. Lessening; reduction in size. Synonyms: Noun. Weakening; abatement; shrinkage; depletion.

Badinage

Noun. Light, playful talk; banter. Synonyms: Noun. Banter; repartee; raillery.

Gingham

Noun. Lightweight plain-woven cotton cloth, typically checked or striped in white and a bold color.

Effluent

Noun. Liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or sea. Synonyms: Noun. Effluvium; outflow; pollutant.

Ennui

Noun. Listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement. Synonyms: Noun. Boredom; terium.

Carousal

Noun. Loud, drunken merrymaking. Synonyms: Noun. Revelry; jamboree.

Virtu

Noun. Love for curious or rare art; connoisseurship.

Prestidigitation

Noun. Magic tricks. Synonyms: Noun. Legerdemain; thaumaturgy; abracadabra.

Thaumaturgy

Noun. Magic; the performances of miracles. Synonyms: Noun. Sorcery; wizardry.

Tenor

Noun. Meaning; intent; drift. Noun. Continuous course or movement. Noun. Quality; character; condition. Noun. A male voice in between bass and alto. Synonyms: Noun. Purport; gist; mood; tone. Noun. Direction; trend. Noun. Trait; aspect. Noun. Falsetto.

Nihilism

Noun. Rejection and skepticism of laws, morals, institutions, and religion, often believing life is meaningless. Noun. Annihilation of the world and oneself. Synonyms: Noun. Negativity; cynicism; pessimism; anarchy. Noun. Self-destruction; destruction.

Iteration

Noun. Repetition. Noun. (Computing) New version; incarnation. Synonyms: Noun. Redundancy; duplication; repeat; replay; reprise. Noun. Interpretation.

Atavism

Noun. Reversion to a primitive type or ancestor. Synonyms: Noun. Throwback; relapse; regression.

Derision

Noun. Ridicule; mockery. Synonyms: Noun. Disrespect; insult; contempt.

Rote

Noun. Routine; repetition. Synonyms: Noun. Drill; grind; lockstep.

Self-Immolation

Noun. Sacrifice by fire. Synonyms: Noun. Ritual sacrifice.

Connivance

Noun. Secret cooperation in wrongdoing. Synonyms: Noun. Collusion; conspiracy; complicity.

Divination

Noun. Seeing the future by supernatural means or rituals. Synonyms: Noun. Augury; divining; soothsaying.

Gravitas

Noun. Seriousness or dignity in conduct and appearance. Synonyms: Noun. Solemnity; sobriety.

Pederasty

Noun. Sexual activity involving a man and a boy.

Lechery

Noun. Sexual indulgence. Synonyms: Noun. Lasciviousness; carnality; lewdness.

Coitus

Noun. Sexual intercourse, especially between a man and woman. Synonyms: Noun. Sex; copulation; intimacy.

Asylum

Noun. Shelter or protection. Noun. An institution for the mentally ill. Synonyms: Noun. Refuge; sanctuary; safety. Noun. Mental hospital; psychiatric hospital.

Statecraft

Noun. Skill in state affairs, government, and diplomacy. Synonyms: Noun. Governance.

Adoxography

Noun. Skilled writing on an unimportant subject.

Legerdemain

Noun. Sleight of hand; magic. Noun. Trickery; deception. Synonyms: Noun. Trick; prestidigitation; hocus-pocus; conjuring. Noun. Deceit; duplicity; guile; beguilement.

Torpor

Noun. Sluggishness or inertia. Noun. Lethargic indifference; apathy. Synonyms: Noun. Languor; listlessness; stupor; hebetude. Noun. Disinterest; nonchalance.

Mote

Noun. Small speck, esp. of dust. Synonyms: Noun. Scintilla; speck; particle; grain.

Exiguity

Noun. Smallness; thinness; the quality of being meager. Synonyms: Noun. Scarcity; deficiency; dearth; insufficiency.

Sobriety

Noun. Soberness; teetotalism. Noun. Seriousness; gravity; solemnity. Synonyms: Noun. Abstinence; temperance; abstemiousness. Noun. Graveness; earnestness.

Apologist

Noun. Someone who defends an idea, cause, or person; defender. Synonyms: Noun. Proponent; advocater; exponent; advocate; vindicator.

Polymath

Noun. Someone who shows great knowledge and learning; polyhistor. Synonyms: Noun. Savant; pundit; learned person.

Litmus Test

Noun. Something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) used to pass judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable. Noun. (Chemistry) A test to establish the acidity or alkalinity of a mixture. Synonyms: Noun. Acid/base test.

Concession

Noun. Something given up or yielded. Noun. Something done or agreed to, usually grudgingly, in order to reach an agreement or improve a situation. Synonyms: Noun. Adjustment; acknowledgment; compromise.

Gossamer

Noun. Something light, flimsy, or delicate. Noun. A fine filmy cobweb. Adjective. Light; sheer; delicate. Synonyms: Noun. Silk; gauze; chiffon. Adjective. Gauzy; filmy; cobwebby; wispy; fibrous; silky.

Anachronism

Noun. Something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred. Synonyms: Noun. Chronological error; misdate.

Figment

Noun. Something mentally invented or imagined. Synonyms: Noun. Fabrication; fiction; delusion.

Archaism

Noun. Something old, as in a word, expression, or literary style. Synonyms. Noun. Antiquity; relic; antique; remnant.

Recourse

Noun. Something or someone turned to for help. Synonyms: Noun. Alternative; assistance; resort; help.

Soporific

Noun. Something that causes sleep, as a medicine or drug. Adjective. Sleep-causing. Adjective. Sleepy. Synonyms: Noun. Sleeping pill; drug. Adjective. Somnific. Adjective. Drowsy; slumberous.

Harbinger

Noun. Something that comes before and signals the arrival of another. Noun. Anything that foreshadows a future event; omen. Synonyms: Noun. Herald; sign; indicator.

Complement

Noun. Something that completes or makes perfect. Verb. To complete; to make perfect. Synonyms: Noun. Accompainment; companion. Verb. To accompany; to go with.

Red Herring

Noun. Something that distracts attention from the real issue. Noun. A dried fish, turned red by smoking. Synonyms: Noun. Ruse; gimmick; diversion; pretext; feint; bait-and-switch; distraction.

Outlier

Noun. Something that exists on the outside of a group. Synonyms: Noun. Anomaly; aberration; peculiarity.

Incentive

Noun. Something that induces action; e.g., rewards, fear, punishment, etc. Synonyms: Noun. Inducement; motivation; stimulus; impetus; impulse; incitement; provocation.

Inducement

Noun. Something that motivates. Synonyms: Noun. Incentive; encouragement; incitement.

Dissolution

Noun. The practice of dissolving. Noun. The breaking down, disrupting, or dispersing of anything (tie, union, partnership, assembly, etc.) Noun. Debauched living; dissipation. Noun. Death; decease; termination; decay. Synonyms: Noun. Decomposition. Noun. Demise; destruction; collapse.

Collectivism

Noun. The principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. Noun. Political/economic theory advocating state and community ownership of industry and capital. Synonyms: Noun. Communism; socialism; totalitarianism.

Gradient

Noun. The rate something rises or declines. Noun. An incline or decline. Noun. (Physics) An increase or decrease in the magnitude of a property (e.g. temperature, pressure, or concentration) observed in passing from one point or moment to another. Synonyms: Noun. Ramp; slant; inclination; incline; slope; tilt; upgrade; declination; decline; declivity; descent dip; downgrade.

Fruition

Noun. The realization of a plan or project achievement. Noun. (Literary) The state or action of producing fruit. Synonyms: Noun. Fulfillment; attainment; realization.

Tintinnabulation

Noun. The ringing or sound of bells. Synonyms: Noun. Jingle; chime; clangor.

Optics

Noun. The science of light and vision. Noun. The public perception of a situation. Synonyms: Noun. Physics; catoptrics. Noun. Viewpoint; visual image; mental representation.

Lee

Noun. The sheltered side of something; the side away from the wind. Synonyms: Noun. Refuge; cover.

Timbre

Noun. The sound or voice quality as distinct from its pitch. Synonyms: Noun. Tone; tonality; resonance; tone color.

Effulgence

Noun. The state of being bright and radiant; splendor; brilliance. Synonyms: Noun. Brightness; Luminosity; refulgence; luster.

Salience

Noun. The state of being noticeable or important; highlight. Synonyms: Noun. Prominence; conspicuousness; strikingness; notability.

Vexillology

Noun. The study of flags.

Eugenics

Noun. The study of hereditary improvement of the human race by controlled selective breeding.

Entomology

Noun. The study of insects. Synonyms: Noun. Zoological science.

Epiphany

Noun. The sudden realization of the meaning of something. Synonyms: Noun. Eye-opener.

Orthography

Noun. The system in which words are spelled.

Nib

Noun. The tip of a pen.

Objectification

Noun. The treatment of someone as a material rather than a person. Synonyms: Noun. Embodiment.

Gentrification

Noun. The trend of middle- and upper-income Americans moving into city centers and rehabilitating much of the architecture but also replacing low-income populations and changing the social character of certain neighborhoods. Synonyms: Noun. Redevelopment; restoration; rehabilitation; urban renewal.

Coercion

Noun. The use of force to get someone to obey. Synonyms: Noun. Arm-twisting; force; compulsion; duress; pressure.

Circumlocution

Noun. The use of many words instead of few; verbosity. Noun. Evasion in speech; a roundabout/indirect expression. Synonyms: Noun. Verboseness; ambage. Noun. Equivocation.

Polysyndeton (pol-ee-sin-di-ton)

Noun. The use of several conjunctions (and, but, for, so) in close succession.

McCarthyism

Noun. The use of unsupported accusations for any purpose. Context. The term refers to U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, from 1947 to 1956 during the Second Red Scare and characterized by heightened political repression as well as a campaign spreading fear of influence on American institutions and of espionage by Soviet agents.

Philtrum

Noun. The vertical groove between the base of the nose and the border of the upper lip.

Vox Populi

Noun. The voice of the people; popular opinion. Synonyms: Noun. Public opinion; popular sentiment.

Hagiography

Noun. The writing or study of the lives of saints.

Larceny

Noun. Theft. Synonyms: Noun. Burglary; robbery.

Astrology

Noun. Theory (pseudoscience) of the influence of planets and stars on human events. Synonyms: Noun. Astromancy; horoscopy.

Funambulist

Noun. Tightrope walker. Synonyms: Noun. Performer.

Mores

Noun. Traditional customs; practices. Synonyms: Noun. Codes; formalities; etiquette.

Commodification

Noun. Transformation of goods, services, ideas, and people into articles/objects of trade. Synonyms: Noun. Merchandise; assets; possessions.

Peregrination

Noun. Travel by walking. Synonyms: Noun. Traveling.

Infantilization

Noun. Treating something as if it is a child or immature.

Chicanery

Noun. Trickery; deception. Synonyms: Noun. Fraud; deceit; guile; duplicity.

Reticence

Noun. Uncommunicativeness; reserve. Synonyms: Noun. Restraint; hesitation; taciturnity.

Qualms

Noun. Uneasy feelings. Synonyms: Noun. Anxiety; apprehension; hesitation; nervousness; misgivings; disquiet; pangs.

Windfall

Noun. Unexpected good fortune. Noun. Something blown down by the wind, as fruit. Synonyms: Noun. Jackpot; profit; bonus; bonanza.

Solidarity

Noun. Union or fellowship. Synonyms: Noun. Unity; community; cooperation.

Alienate

Verb. To cause (someone) to feel isolated or estranged. Verb. To turn away. Synonyms: Verb. To disaffect; to disgruntle.

Requiescat In Pace

Phrase. (Latin) May he/she rest in peace. Synonyms: Phrase: R.I.P.

Barring

Preposition. Excepting; except for; omitting; but. Noun. Anything that obstructs, hinders, or impedes. Verb. To exclude or except; to prevent or hinder. Synonyms: Preposition. Apart from; aside from. Noun. Prohibition; banning. Verb. To expel; to forbid.

-Monger

Suffix. Broker; dealer. Suffix. A person who attempts to stir up or spread something that is discreditable. Synonyms: Noun. Vendor; hawker; trader. Examples: Rumormonger; fishmonger; warmonger.

-Plex

Suffix. Made up of numbers or parts; e.g., duplex, googolplex.

Gird

Verb. (Literary) To secure with a belt. Verb. To surround; to enclose. Verb. To prepare (oneself) for action. Synonyms: Verb. To girdle; to begird; to band; to belt. Verb. To encircle; to enclose; to circle. Verb. To brace; to steel; to ready.

Circumvallate

Verb. (Literary) To surround with a rampart or wall. Synonyms: Verb. To fortify; to rampart; to embattle; to build defenses around.

Dulcify

Verb. (Literary) To sweeten. Verb. To calm or soothe. Synonyms: Verb. To allay; to appease; to assuage.

Illude

Verb. (Literary) To trick; to delude. Synonyms: Verb. To swindle; to defraud; to fleece; to bilk; to bamboozle.

Lave

Verb. (Literary) To wash; to bathe. Synonyms: Verb. To cleanse; to clean; to sponge down; to scrub up; to rinse.

Gyre

Verb. (Literary) To whirl; to gyrate; to swirl or move in a circle. Noun. A spiral or vortex. Synonyms. Verb. To spiral; to rotate; to twist; to swivel; to pirouette. Noun. Helix; curl; whorl; twirl; swirl.

Unman

Verb. (Literary) to deprive of manly qualities (like courage or confidence). Synonyms: Verb. To demoralize; to emasculate; to dispirit.

Percolate

Verb. (Of a liquid or gas) To filter; to brew (coffee). Verb. To spread gradually; to germinate. Synonyms: Verb. To strain; to filtrate. Verb. To permeate; to pervade; to spread.

Sublimate

Verb. (Psychology) To modify an impulse into a culturally acceptable activity. Synonyms: Verb. To channel; to control; to divert; to redirect.

Philander

Verb. (of men) To have casual or illicit sex with a woman or with many women; to be sexually unfaithful to one's wife. Synonyms: Verb. To womanize.

Vituperate

Verb. To abuse verbally; to berate. Synonyms: Verb. To revile; to criticize harshly; to chide; to scold.

Inure

Verb. To accustom to hardship. Synonyms: Verb. To acclimate; to harden.

Acclimate

Verb. To adapt; to get used to. Synonyms: Verb. To accustom.

Aggrieve

Verb. To afflict; to distress. Verb. To infringe or deny the rights of. Synonyms: Verb. To sorrow; to grieve. Verb. To wrong; to oppress; to abuse.

Acquiesce

Verb. To agree without protest. Synonyms: Verb. To accede; to cave in; to conform.

Jibe

Verb. To agree; to harmonize. Synonyms: Verb. To conform; to correspond; to comport.

Assay

Verb. To analyze; to examine. Synonyms: Verb. To asses; to evaluate.

Vex

Verb. To annoy; to irritate; to anger. Synonyms: Verb. To infuriate; to antagonize; to nettle; to exasperate; to irk.

Obviate

Verb. To anticipate and prevent something bad. Synonyms: Verb. To counteract; to preclude; to forestall.

Accost

Verb. To approach and speak to often in an angry, aggressive, or unwanted way. Verb. To solicit for sexual purposes. Synonyms: Verb. To annoy; to confront.

Entreat

Verb. To ask earnestly; to beg; to implore. Synonyms: Verb. To beseech; to supplicate; to importune.

Posit

Verb. To assume without proof; postulate. Noun. An assumed fact or idea; assumption. Synonyms: Verb. To suppose; to hypothesize; to presume.

Entice

Verb. To attract; to tempt. Synonyms: Verb. To lure; to allure.

Ascribe

Verb. To attribute or credit to. Synonyms: Verb. To assign; to source; to charge.

Suffice

Verb. To be enough; to satisfy. Synonyms: Verb. To be sufficient; to meet.

Vacillate

Verb. To be indecisive. Synonyms: Verb. To waver; to dither; to be unsure.

Behoove

Verb. To be necessary or proper for (someone). Synonyms: Verb. To be incumbent on; to be obligatory for; to be required of; to be expected of.

Disparage

Verb. To belittle; to regard as being of little worth. Synonyms: Verb. To denigrate; to undervalue; to play down.

Genuflect

Verb. To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship. Verb. To show deference or servility. Synonyms: Verb. To kneel; to bow. Verb. To fawn; to defer to.

Objurgate

Verb. To berate; to chastise; to criticize severely. Synonyms: Verb. To chew out; to castigate; to scold; to hide; to lambaste; to reprimand; revile; to chide; to upbraid.

Upbraid

Verb. To blame; to find fault with. Synonyms: Verb. To scold; to berate; to castigate; to chastise; to chide; to reprimand; to reproach; to objurgate; to censure.

Repatriate

Verb. To bring or send back (a person, esp. P.O.W.) to his country. Noun. A person who was sent back to their country. Synonym. Verb. To extradite; to deport.

Browbeat

Verb. To bully; to intimidate. Synonyms: Verb. To hector; to strong-arm; to castigate; to harass; to tyrannize; to bullyrag; to daunt.

Impugn

Verb. To call into question; to attack as false. Synonyms: Verb. To criticize; to challenge.

Convoke

Verb. To call together; to convene. Synonyms: Verb. To assemble; to gather; to rally.

Emasculate

Verb. To castrate. Verb. To weaken. Synonyms: Verb. To caponize; desexualize; fix; geld; neuter; spay; unsex. Verb. To deprive of force; vitiate.

Extenuate

Verb. To cause (an offense) to seem less serious. Verb. (Literary/Archaic) To make (someone) thin. Synonyms: Verb. To mitigate; to palliate; to lessen; to downplay.

Micturate

Verb. To urinate. Synonyms: Verb. To pee; to tinkle; to peepee; to wee.

Cull

Verb. To select from a group. Verb. To reduce the size, esp. of animal populations. Noun. Selection of inferior ones from a group. Noun. Reduction in size, esp. of animal populations. Synonyms: Verb. To choose; to extract. Noun. Extraction. Noun. Rejection.

Allocate

Verb. To set aside for specific purposes. Synonyms: Verb. To assign; to divide among; to appropriate.

Whet

Verb. To sharpen (a knife, tool) by grinding or friction. Verb. To stimulate; to make keen or eager. Synonyms: Verb. To hone; to edge.

Appall

Verb. To shock, dismay, or horrify. Synonyms: Verb. To alarm; to distress.

Abbreviate

Verb. To shorten a word or phrase. Synonyms: Verb. To abridge; to compress.

Jostle

Verb. To shove; to bump. Synonyms: Verb. To shake.

Eschew

Verb. To shun; to avoid. Synonyms: Verb. To dodge; to evade; to get around.

Cloy

Verb. To sicken or cause distaste with an excess of food, sweetness, pleasure, etc. Synonyms: Verb. To overfill; to cause weariness; to bore; to glut.

Loll

Verb. To sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way. Verb. To hang loosely; droop. Synonyms: Verb. To lounge; to sprawl; to recline; to slouch.

Denigrate

Verb. To slander (damage the reputation); to defame. Synonyms: Verb. To criticize unfairly; to disparage; to deprecate.

Simper

Verb. To smile in a silly way. Noun. A silly smile. Synonyms: Verb. To smirk. Noun. A smirk.

Articulate

Verb. To speak clearly. Verb. To unite by a joint, usually in botany or zoology. Adjective. Well-spoken. Synonyms: Verb. To enunciate; to express. Verb. To connect; to concatenate. Adjective. Coherent; eloquent.

Vilify

Verb. To speak ill of. Synonyms: Verb. To defame; to slander; to denounce.

Backbite

Verb. To speak negatively about an absent person; to slander. Synonyms: Verb. To defame; to vituperate.

Expedite

Verb. To speed up the progress of. Synonyms: Verb. To accelerate; to hasten.

Impale

Verb. To stab; to pierce. Synonyms: Verb. To prick; to puncture.

Temporize

Verb. To stall or act evasively in order to gain something. Synonyms: Verb. To procrastinate; to delay; to filibuster.

Espouse

Verb. To stand up for; to support (a cause or ideal). Verb. (Archaic) To marry. Synonyms: Verb. To adopt; to advocate; to defend; to embrace. Verb. To betroth; to wed.

Pilfer

Verb. To steal, esp. in small amounts. Synonyms: Verb. To thieve; to loot; to rob; to heist; to purloin; to filch.

Filch

Verb. To steal. Synonyms: Verb. To purloin; to loot; to thieve; to rob.

Purloin

Verb. To steal. Synonyms: Verb. To theft; to filch; to pilfer; to rob.

Deign

Verb. To stoop (in position or rank) to do something; to lower oneself. Synonyms: Verb. To condescend.

Divest

Verb. To strip or deprive someone of something, esp. property, rights, clothing, ornaments, etc. Verb. To rid; to free. Synonyms: Verb. To dispossess; to expropriate.

Abate

Verb. To subside; to decrease; to lessen. Synonyms: Verb. To dwindle; to dull; to recede.

Capitulate

Verb. To surrender under agreed conditions. Synonyms: Verb. To cede; to succumb.

Bilk

Verb. To swindle; to cheat; to defraud. Verb. To avoid; to escape. Verb. To block the development of. Noun. A cheat. Noun. A trick; fraud. Synonyms: Verb. To dupe; to trick. Verb. To elude; to evade. Verb. To hinder; to impede. Noun. A swindler; trickster; defrauder. Noun. Deceit.

Recant

Verb. To take back; to deny, a statement, opinion, etc. Synonyms: Verb. To disavow; to renege; to renounce; to repudiate.

Assimilate

Verb. To take in; to absorb. Synonyms: Verb. To conform; to incorporate.

Indoctrinate

Verb. To teach someone to accept a set of beliefs uncritically. Verb. To teach or inculcate. Synonyms: Verb. To brainwash; to imbue; to instill.

Lacerate

Verb. To tear (flesh) roughly; to mangle. Verb. To distress emotionally. Synonyms: Verb. To wound; to gash. Verb. To offend; to hurt feelings.

Jettison

Verb. To throw overboard. Synonyms: Verb. To eject; to discard; to dump.

Titillate

Verb. To tickle; to excite a tingle or itch, as by touch. Verb. To excite; to arouse. Synonyms: Verb. To stimulate; to amuse; to tantalize; to tease.

Bedevil

Verb. To torment; to harass. Synonyms: Verb. To anguish; to distress; to bother.

Commodify

Verb. To transform a person, good, or idea into an article of trade. Synonyms: Verb. To commercialize.

Transmogrify

Verb. To transform in a grotesque or humorous manner. Synonyms: Verb. To convert; to alter; to mutate.

Lionize

Verb. To treat as a celebrity. Synonyms: Verb. To celebrate; to glorify; to honor.

Infantilize

Verb. To treat as a child or immature. Synonyms: Verb. To baby; to coddle.

Patronize

Verb. To treat in a falsely kind way that betrays superiority; to condescend. Verb. To do business with as a customer. Synonyms: Verb. To look down on; to talk down to. Verb. To shop; to buy from.

Importune

Verb. To urgently or persistently beg. Synonyms: Verb. To badger; to beseech; to entreat; to implore; to lobby.

Meander

Verb. To wander randomly. Verb. To speak/write aimlessly; to ramble. Verb. (of a river or road) To follow a winding course. Noun. A winding curve or bend in a river or road. Noun. A circuitous, random journey. Synonyms: Verb. To stray; to roam.

Fritter

Verb. To waste. Noun. A fried food usually containing meat, seafood, fruit, or vegetables. Synonyms: Verb. To squander; to misspend, to dissipate.

Swathe

Verb. To wrap in layers of fabric. Noun. A piece of wrapped material. Synonyms Verb. To envelop; to bind; to swaddle; to bandage.

Wrick

Verb. To wrench; to strain. Noun. A sprain. Synonyms: Verb. To crick; to kink; to rick. Noun. An injury.

Asseverate

Verbs. To declare earnestly or solemnly; affirm positively; aver. Synonyms: Verb. To aver; to assert; to proclaim.