Gre vocab prep

rampant

especially of something unwelcome or unpleasant) flourishing or spreading unchecked. ("political violence was rampant")

harrowing

extremely distressing; terrifying

{provocation noun} prov·​o·​ca·​tion | \ ˌprä-və-ˈkā-shən \

{1} : the act of provoking : INCITEMENT {2} : something that provokes, arouses, or stimulates MORE SENTENCES: ("He can turn violent at the least provocation.") ("Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends.") ("With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.") ("With tensions once again on the rise, a parade featuring the very missiles that so unnerved Trump last year, and led to a dangerous volley of insults from both leaders, could be seen as a deliberate provocation.")

{expatiate verb} ex·​pa·​ti·​ate | \ ek-ˈspā-shē-ˌāt \ expatiated; expatiating

{1} : to move about freely or at will : WANDER {2} : to speak or write at length or in detail MORE SENTENCES: ("expatiating upon the value of the fabric") ("the naturalist is known for her willingness to expatiate on any number of issues relating to wildlife and the environment") ("Alex Tizon's essay can be read not simply as an attempt to confess a crime and expatiate his family's guilt.") ("With wit and elan to spare, Greene expatiates on the intrigue that ensues when David Sparsholt, an engineering student with a fiancée, Connie, and a plan to join the Royal Air Force, arrives at Oxford in 1940.")

futile adjective

: having no result or effect : pointless or useless (" All our efforts proved futile.") ("a futile and foolish gesture")

auspicious

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

staunch

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

quotidian

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

guileless

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

interminable adjective in·​ter·​mi·​na·​ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈtərm-nə-bəl , -ˈtər-mə-\

: having or seeming to have no end especially : wearisomely protracted ("an interminable sermon") ("President Trump declared in his interminable State of the Union speech Tuesday night.")

assiduous adjective as·​sid·​u·​ous | \ ə-ˈsij-wəs , -ˈsi-jə-\

: showing great care, attention, and effort : marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application ("assiduous planning") ("an assiduous book collector") ("She tended her garden with assiduous attention.")

nebulous adjective neb·​u·​lous | \ ˈne-byə-ləs \

("... this nebulous thing called jazz.") ("... the nebulous region between mere suspicion and probable cause") ("The plan is too nebulous.") Simplified: not clear : difficult to see, understand, describe, etc. (" These philosophical concepts can be nebulous.") ("made nebulous references to some major changes the future may hold")

sullen adjective sul·​len | \ ˈsə-lən \

1 [a] : gloomily or resentfully silent or repressed ("a sullen crowd") [b] : suggesting a sullen state : LOWERING ("a sullen countenance") 2 : dull or somber in sound or color 3 : DISMAL, GLOOMY ("a sullen morning") (" sullen skies that matched our mood on the day of the funeral") ("sullen and bored at his in-laws' house, he couldn't wait for the holidays to end")

tabulate verb tab·​u·​late | \ ˈta-byə-ˌlāt \ tabulated; tabulating

: to arrange information in an organized way so that it can be studied, recorded, etc. ("A machine is used to tabulate the votes.")

errant adjective er·​rant | \ ˈer-ənt , ˈe-rənt\ (Other Words from errant: errant noun errantly adverb)

1 : traveling or given to traveling ("an errant knight") 2 [a] : straying outside the proper path or bounds an errant calf [b] : moving about aimlessly or irregularly ("an errant breeze") [c]: behaving wrongly ("an errant child") [d] : FALLIBLE ("he could never forgive his daughter's errant ways") ("what he considers to be no more than errant conduct toward women would be regarded as sexual harassment by most people") ("the errant gunslinger as a standard character in western novels") ("Last year, at least 14 people died and 30 were injured when an errant firecracker hit a cache of fireworks in Puebla state.")

patrician noun pa·​tri·​cian | \ pə-ˈtri-shən \ plural patricians

2 [a] : a person of high birth : ARISTOCRAT ("one of the most nobly born of English patricians") [b] : a person of breeding and cultivation ("a tall patrician ... who looked as if she was accustomed to serving on boards and making important decisions") ("The patrician was venerated for his acts of philanthropy") (" the Southern patricians who once resided in these stately plantation homes")

boisterous adjective bois·​ter·​ous | \ ˈbȯi-st(ə-)rəs \ (Other Words from boisterous: boisterously adverb boisterousness noun)

2 [a] : noisily turbulent : ROWDY [b] : marked by or expressive of exuberance and high spirits 3 : STORMY, TUMULTUOUS ("the boisterous conviviality associated with taverns of that period") ("A large and boisterous crowd attended the concert.") ("the fans at the baseball game became particularly boisterous after the home run") ("Things had apparently gotten a little too boisterous during the Northern Ohio Girls Soccer League games. And it wasn't the kids. Fed up with noisy, know-it-all parents, the league banned cheering and jeering from the sidelines for one game, which they dubbed Silent Sunday.") ("The boisterous protest was in sharp contrast to a morning rally in the North Shore suburb of Shorewood.")

telegenic adjective tele·​ge·​nic | \ ˌte-lə-ˈje-nik , -ˈjē-\

: well-suited to the medium of television especially : having an appearance and manner that are markedly attractive to television viewers ("Gantz, a tall, telegenic ex-general with salty hair, delivered his keynote speech to an ecstatic crowd of thousands of people.") ("After extensive dental and plastic surgery, there is barely a mark on Stanton's telegenic face.")

unscathed adjective un·​scathed | \ ˌən-ˈskāt͟hd \

: wholly unharmed : not injured (" She escaped from the wreckage unscathed.") ("The administration was left relatively unscathed by the scandal.")

industrious adjective in·​dus·​tri·​ous | \ in-ˈdə-strē-əs \

: working very hard : not lazy an industrious worker (" He is an industrious worker.") ("an industrious worker who never seems to sleep")

copious adjective co·​pi·​ous | \ ˈkō-pē-əs \

: yielding something abundantly ("a copious harvest") ("copious springs") [b] : plentiful in number ("copious references to other writers") 2 [a] : full of thought, information, or matter ("... Shakespeare, whose soul was so copious ...") — Gilbert Highet [b] : profuse or exuberant in words, expression, or style ("a copious talker")

Epithet

A descriptive name or phrase used to characterize someone or something " Richard the lionheart"

Appositive

A noun or noun phrase that renames another noun right beside it "Mary, queen of the land, hosted the ball"

aplenty adjective & adverb aplen·​ty | \ ə-ˈplen-tē \

Adjective: : being in plenty or abundance —used postpositively ("money aplenty for all their needs") ("there are going to be disasters aplenty in the garden") ("We found mistakes aplenty in their story.") ("there will be food and drink aplenty, so please come") ("And this one contains homages aplenty to the earlier films, particularly the 1976 version.") Adverb: 1 : in abundance : PLENTIFULLY 2 : very much : EXTREMELY ("scared aplenty")

intransitive verb

An intransitive verb is the opposite of a transitive verb: it does not require an object to act upon. (:They jumped.") ("The dog ran.") ("She sang.") ("A light was shining.") None of these verbs require an object for the sentence to make sense, and all of them can end a sentence. Some imperative forms of verbs can even make comprehensible one-word sentences.

antedate noun & verb an·​te·​date | \ ˈan-ti-ˌdāt \

Noun: : a date assigned to an event or document earlier than the actual date of the event or document Verb: transitive verb formal : to give an earlier date rather than the actual date to (something) : to be earlier or older than (something) (" The church antedates the village itself.") ("dinosaurs antedate cavemen by millions of years")

castigate

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

avant-garde noun & adjective \ ˌä-ˌvän(t)-ˈgärd , ˌa-; ə-ˈvänt-ˌ; ˌa-ˌvōⁿ-ˈ, ˌa-ˌvȯn(t)-ˈ\

Noun: : a group of people who develop new and often very surprising ideas in art, literature, etc. ("the avant-garde in the film industry") Adjective: : of or relating to an avant-garde ("avant-garde writers") ("an avant-garde filmmaker")

incisive

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

upbraid

verb: to reproach; to scold Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop" - in the end he had to upbraid the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

False dichotomy

Consists of a consideration of only the two extremes when there are one or more intermediate possibilities ("Most people are unaware of the false dichotomy pertaining to gender.")

venerate

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

extradition noun ex·​tra·​di·​tion | \ ˌek-strə-ˈdi-shən \

Extradition is an act where one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, over to their law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement process between the two jurisdictions and depends on the arrangements made between them ("Both are being held at La Picota prison in Bogota, where Colombian drug traffickers are held, and face extradition to Miami.") ("He was arrested in October 2015 by federal agents to face extradition.")

haughty

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

mawkish

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

tempestuous

I

spurious

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

betray

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

enervate

verb: to sap energy from Synonyms : faze , unnerve , unsettle John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he'd spent the day sightseeing.

prevaricate

verb: to speak in an evasive way Synonyms : beat around the bush , equivocate , palter , tergiversate The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to prevaricate".

laborious adjective la·​bo·​ri·​ous | \ lə-ˈbȯr-ē-əs \

LABOR : requiring a lot of time and effort ("a slow and laborious process") ("the volunteers have been commendably laborious in their cleanup of the beach")

Hasty generalization

Making assumptions about a whole group or range of cases based on a sample that is inadequate (usually because it is atypical or too small). Stereotypes about people ("librarians are shy and smart," "wealthy people are snobs," etc.) are a common example of the principle underlying hasty generalization. (The Writing Center) ("Saying all black people are belligerent and pugilistic is a hasty generalization")

archival

pertaining to historical or public records, documents or archives ("the club maintains an archival research library") ("The possession of archival materials is important: old letters, scrapbooks, photo albums.") ("The font's designers explain that Stack is the result of years of research into archival material.")

Parabole

placing two things side by side in order to compare them

ascetic

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

racketeer noun & verb rack·​e·​teer | \ ˌra-kə-ˈtir \ Verb(racketeered; racketeering; racketeers)

Noun: : one who obtains money by an illegal enterprise usually involving intimidation ("the racketeer threatened to have his thugs vandalize the shop if the shopkeeper didn't pay him a monthly bribe") ("At upper left is Mike Elliott, whose campaign for Multnomah County sheriff would be financed by gambling racketeers.") Verb: intransitive verb : to carry on a racket transitive verb : to extort money from ("racketeering ensnared the economy") ("Nickerson, along with Master, previously pled guilty to racketeering charges in 2012.") ("Martinez faces up to life behind bars after pleading guilty in December to racketeering charges in connection with the killing.")

prodigal

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

anguish noun an·​guish | \ ˈaŋ-gwish \

Noun: : extreme pain, distress, or anxiety ("cries of anguish") ("mental anguish") ("He experienced the anguish of divorce after 10 years of marriage.") ("They watched in anguish as fire spread through the house.") Verb: intransitive verb : to suffer anguish ("He anguished over his failure.") transitive verb : to cause to suffer anguish ("a heart that had been anguished with sorrow") (" she was anguished by the fear that her sons would die in the war") ("I anguished over the loss of my father for years afterwards.")

germane

adjective: relevant and appropriate The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't germane to the charges in the cases.

pedantic

Pedantic means "like a pedant," someone who's too concerned with literal accuracy or formality. It's a negative term that implies someone is showing off book learning or trivia, especially in a tiresome way. ("You don't want to go antique-shopping with a pedantic friend, who will use the opportunity to bore you with his in-depth knowledge of Chinese porcelain kitty-litter boxes.")

reticent

adjective: reluctant to draw attention to yourself; temperamentally disinclined to talk Synonyms : untalkative, retiring , self-effacing When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather reticent.

Conjured from the ether

Pulled from thin air(figuratively)

Transcontinental Railroad

Railroad connecting the west and east coasts of the continental US

banal

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

Baroque

Simplified: : having many details or too many details (" a somewhat baroque writing style") ("a book filled with baroque descriptions")

arbitrary adjective ar·​bi·​trary | \ ˈär-bə-ˌtrer-ē , -ˌtre-rē\

Simplified: : not planned or chosen for a particular reason : not based on reason or evidence : done without concern for what is fair or right (" An arbitrary number has been assigned to each district.") ("I don't know why I chose that one; it was a completely arbitrary decision.") ("Although arbitrary arrests are illegal, they continue to occur in many parts of the country.")

somatic adjective so·​mat·​ic | \ sō-ˈma-tik , sə-\

Somatic is a fancy word that just means dealing with the body. ("You may be tired of hearing your great-grandfather's somatic complaints, but give him a break - his body has been working for 80 years!") Soma means body in Latin, so somatic means of the body and is most often used in connection with one's health.

restive

adjective: restless Synonyms : edgy , high-strung , highly strung , jittery , jumpy , nervy , overstrung , uptight The crowd grew restive as the comedian's opening jokes fell flat.

superfluous

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

amorphous

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

transitive verb

Transitive verbs are not just verbs that can take an object; they demand objects. Without an object to affect, the sentence that a transitive verb inhabits will not seem complete. ("Please bring coffee.") In this sentence, the verb bring is transitive; its object is coffee, the thing that is being brought. Without an object of some kind, this verb cannot function. ("Please bring.") Bring what, or who? The question begs itself because the meaning of bring demands it.

garnish verb & noun gar·​nish | \ ˈgär-nish \ garnished; garnishing; garnishes

Verb: 1 [a] : DECORATE, EMBELLISH [b] : to add decorative or savory touches to (food or drink) ("garnished the fish with parsley leaves") 2 : to equip with accessories : FURNISH (" Chocolate curls garnished the cake.") ("a chef who never served any dish without first garnishing it") Noun: 1 : EMBELLISHMENT, ORNAMENT (" added a garnish of parsley to the plate before serving it")

disaffected

adjective: discontented as toward authority Synonyms : ill-affected , malcontent , rebellious After watching his superior take rations from the soldiers, he quickly became [ ] and rebelled.

purge verb & noun \ ˈpərj \ purged; purging ("Other Words from purge Verb purger noun)

Verb: transitive verb 1 [a] : to clear of guilt [b] : to free from moral or ceremonial defilement 2 [a] : to cause evacuation from purge the bowels [b] (1) : to make free of something unwanted purge a manhole of gas purge yourself of fear (2) : to free (something, such as a boiler) of sediment or relieve (something, such as a steam pipe) of trapped air by bleeding [c] (1) : to rid (a nation, a political party, etc.) by a purge (2) : to get rid of the leaders had been purged intransitive verb 1 : to become purged 2 : to have or produce frequent evacuations 3 : to cause purgation ("Bob had helped purge Martha of the terrible guilt that had haunted her") ("High-ranking officials were purged from the company following the merger.") ("a day on which the faithful are expected to purge themselves of their sins through prayer and fasting") ("Anyone plagued by troublesome thoughts or deeds goes to the ocean to purge themselves of them.") ("But if this sounds a bit stressful, don't fret: At the end of the day, this is ultimately a time to purge.")

diffident

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

artful

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

dictatorial

adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler Synonyms : authoritarian , overbearing,authoritarian , autocratic , despotic , tyrannic , tyrannical The coach was dictatorial in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.

profligate adjective(NOT A VERB)

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

eminent

adjective: standing above others in quality or position Synonyms : lofty , soaring , towering Shakespeare is an [ ] author in the English language, but I find his writing uninteresting and melodramatic.

egregious

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

extant

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

refractory

adjective: stubbornly resistant to authority or control Synonyms : fractious , recalcitrant • Used to studious high school students, Martha was unprepared for the [ ] Kindgergarteners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said. • Knowing her son could be refractory, Mrs. Silverman brought along several books and magic tricks to keep him occupied during the lecture on parenting techniques • The students were particularly refractory, knowing they could take advantage of the inexperienced substitute teacher.

Mercantilist

belief in the benefits of profitable trading; commercialism.

Luddite noun Ludd·​ite | \ ˈlə-ˌdīt \

broadly : one who is opposed to especially technological change ("The Luddite argued that automation destroys jobs.")

proselytize

convert or attempt to convert (someone) from one religion, belief, or opinion to another. ("the program did have a tremendous evangelical effect, proselytizing many")

interminable adjective in·​ter·​mi·​na·​ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈtərm-nə-bəl , -ˈtər-mə-\

disapproving : having or seeming to have no end : continuing for a very long time ("The list pours on and on in interminable columns, down a corridor and across walls that are multiple storeys high.") ("It's beautiful and loving and just a little interminable.")

officious adjective of·​fi·​cious | \ ə-ˈfi-shəs \

disapproving —used to describe an annoying person who tries to tell other people what to do in a way that is not wanted or needed ("an officious little man who was always telling everyone else how to do their jobs")

Orwellian adjective Or·​well·​ian | \ ȯr-ˈwe-lē-ən \

especially : relating to or suggestive of the dystopian reality depicted in the novel 1984 ("Privacy advocates... warn that advances in technology and data collection simply make an Orwellian slippery slope even more slippery.") ("Some critics view knowledge engineering as a threat, as the vanguard of an Orwellian future in which thinking machines take control.") ("The X-Files and its spooky televised brethren dwell in that political twilight zone where left and right meet and greet—an Orwellian, Kafka-esque alien nation that's populated with suspicious folks who have too much time on their hands and a deep sense that something is horribly, horribly wrong.") ("Now despised and feared, the Army has become a virtual occupation force in its own country, compounding what was already an Orwellian nightmare of spies, doublespeak propaganda, curfews, and petty state control of daily life.")

obdurate adjective ob·​du·​rate | \ ˈäb-də-rət , -dyə-; äb-ˈdu̇r-ət, əb-, -ˈdyu̇r-\

formal : refusing to do what other people want : not willing to change your opinion or the way you do something : stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing ("an unrepentant, obdurate sinner") (" He is known for his obdurate determination.") ("the obdurate refusal of the crotchety old man to let the neighborhood kids retrieve their stray ball from his backyard")

purple prose

features exaggerated sentiment or extravagant and flowery language(using a lot of adjectives) Ex:('Her voluminous follicles cascaded down her blushing epidermis of the neck, catching his desirous eye.')

verdant

green with growing plants ("The Green Room's verdant, ruby- accented decor was inspired by the original green tiles framing the fireplace.") ("Outside, a verdant sculpture garden plays with the natural landscape.")

glean verb \ ˈglēn \ gleaned; gleaning; gleans (Other Words from glean: gleanable \ ˈglē-​nə-​bəl \ adjective gleaner noun)

intransitive verb 2 : to gather information or material bit by bit transitive verb transitive verb 2 [a] : to gather (something, such as information) bit by bit ("can glean secrets from his hard drive") [b] : to pick over in search of relevant material ("gleaning old files for information") 3 : FIND OUT ("The police used old-fashioned detective work to glean his whereabouts.") ("objects gleaned from local markets") ("She gleaned her data from various studies.") ("He has a collection of antique tools gleaned from flea markets and garage sales.") ("They spent days gleaning the files for information.") ("The evidence included texts and emails from Russian military officers and information gleaned from a top-secret source close to Mr. Putin, who had described to the C.I.A. how the Kremlin decided to execute its campaign of hacking and disinformation.")

pertain

intransitive verb 1 [a] (1) : to belong as a part, member, accessory, or product (2) : to belong as an attribute, feature, or function ("the destruction pertaining to war") (3) : to belong as a duty or right ("rights that pertain to fatherhood") [b] : to be appropriate to something ("which rule pertains?") 2 : to have reference ("books pertaining to birds") (" books pertaining to the country's history") ("the belief that quality medical care is a right that pertains to everyone")

languish verb lan·​guish | \ ˈlaŋ-gwish \ languished; languishing; languishes

intransitive verb 1 [a] : to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated ("Plants languish in the drought.") [b] : to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality ("languished in prison for ten years") 2 [a] : to become dispirited [b] : to suffer neglect ("the bill languished in the Senate for eight months")

lambast

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

permeate verb per·​me·​ate | \ ˈpər-mē-ˌāt \ permeated; permeating (Other Words from permeate: permeative \ ˈpər-​mē-​ˌā-​tiv \ adjective)

intransitive verb : to diffuse through or penetrate something transitive verb 1 : to spread or diffuse through a room permeated with tobacco smoke 2 : to pass through the pores or interstices of ("The water permeated the sand.") ("The smell of baking bread permeated the kitchen.") ("A feeling of anxiety permeated the office as we rushed to meet the deadline.") ("The rain permeated through the soil.") ("Just dare those allergens to attempt to permeate your bed with this bedding!")

traipse verb \ ˈtrāps \ traipsed; traipsing

intransitive verb : to go on foot : WALK traipsed over to the restaurant children traipsing at her heels also : to walk or travel about without apparent plan but with or without a purpose ("a week traipsing through the Ozarks") ("traipsing from office to office") transitive verb : TRAMP, WALK ("traipse the countryside") (" I traipsed all over town looking for the right dress.") ("I'm too old to go traipsing around Europe.")

intercede verb in·​ter·​cede | \ ˌin-tər-ˈsēd \ interceded; interceding (Other Words from intercede: interceder noun)

intransitive verb : to intervene between parties with a view to reconciling differences : MEDIATE ("I begged him to intercede for Theresa, but he never did a thing") ("Their argument probably would have become violent if I hadn't interceded.") ("When the boss accused her of lying, several other employees interceded on her behalf.") ("If Sabraw doesn't intercede on the ACLU's behalf, family reunification could be followed very swiftly by family deportations and family re-separations.") ("Advocates hope the courts intercede to save the dreamers")

stridulate verb strid·​u·​late | \ ˈstri-jə-ˌlāt \ stridulated; stridulating

intransitive verb : to make a shrill creaking noise by rubbing together special bodily structures —used especially of male insects (such as crickets or grasshoppers) ("Decrepit, senile, and miserable, Tithonus eventually shrank into a cicada who stridulated ceaselessly, calling out for release.") ("The crickets stridulated their everlasting monotonous meaningful note.")

analogy

makes use of something already well known to explain something less well known by comparison Purpose: helps readers quickly see precisely what the writer means

hatemonger

n one who arouses hatred for others. ("The hatemongers present in Charlottesville are anathema")

{salvage noun} sal·​vage | \ ˈsal-vij \

noun: {1} [a] : compensation paid for saving a ship or its cargo from the perils of the sea or for the lives and property rescued in a wreck [b] : the act of saving or rescuing a ship or its cargo [c] : the act of saving or rescuing property in danger (as from fire) {2} [a] : property saved from destruction in a calamity (such as a wreck or fire) [b] : something extracted (as from rubbish) as valuable or useful MORE SENTENCES: ("The ship was beyond salvage.") ("the salvage from the wrecked ship")

aberration

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

harangue

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

amalgam

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

specific deterrence

punishment inflicted on criminals to discourage them from committing future crimes

bemuse

puzzle, confuse, or bewilder (someone). ("they wandered about with bemused expressions")

lectern

reading desk or stand for a public speaker ("I read my speech from the lectern.")

Faustian adjective Faust·​ian | \ ˈfau̇-stē-ən , ˈfȯ- \

relating to or resembling Faust, a German astronomer and necromancer reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil. ("a Faustian bargain") (""modern celebrities enter into a Faustian pact with the general public")

photovoltaic adjective pho·​to·​vol·​ta·​ic | \ ˌfō-tō-väl-ˈtā-ik , -vōl-\

relating to the production of electric current at the junction of two substances exposed to light ("Photovoltaic systems should be used in lieu of fracking")

convivial adjective con·​viv·​ial | \ kən-ˈviv-yəl , -ˈvi-vē-əl\ (Other Words from convivial: conviviality \ kən-​ˌvi-​vē-​ˈa-​lə-​tē \ noun convivially \ kən-​ˈviv-​yə-​lē , -​ˈvi-​vē-​ə-​lē \ adverb)

relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company ("a convivial host") ("a convivial gathering") ("a convivial cocktail party") ("the hiking club attracts a wide range of convivial people who share a love of the outdoors") ("This convivial cocktail lounge, accessible by invitation only, offers a menu of libations made with top-shelf Japanese sakes and whiskeys.") ("This information comes from an Iranian Mr. Erdbrink calls Mr. Big Mouth, who seems, between his death wishes for the West, a convivial sort.")

Epanalepsis

repetition at the end of a clause of the word that occurred at the beginning of the clause "Always Low Prices, Always."

Epizeuxis

repetition of the same word for emphasis "the amusement park was Fun fun"

concomitant

something that happens at the same time as something else : a condition that is associated with some other condition (" The drug's risks increase with the concomitant use of alcohol.") ("an improvement in the facilities led to a concomitant improvement in morale")

inquire verb in·​quire | \ in-ˈkwī(-ə)r \ inquired; inquiring

somewhat formal : to ask for information (" When I inquired, they told me she was not here.") ("We inquired the way to the station.") (""So, what do you want?" he inquired.")

gallivant verb gal·​li·​vant | \ ˈga-lə-ˌvant \ variants: or less commonly galavant gallivanted also galavanted; gallivanting also galavanting; gallivants also galavants

somewhat informal + often disapproving : to go or travel to many different places for pleasure (" They've been gallivanting all over town.") ("He's been gallivanting around the country when he ought to be looking for a job.")

Algorithm

technical : a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process broadly : a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or accomplishing some end ("There are several search engines, with Google, Yahoo and Bing being the biggest players. Each search engine has its own proprietary computation (called an "algorithm") that ranks websites for each keyword or combination of keywords.") ("... sometimes you solve a problem by coming up with an algorithm of some kind. But sometimes you solve a problem in a very ad hoc sort of way.")

in·ter·sec·tion·al·i·tyDictionary result for intersectionality /ˌin(t)ərsekSHəˈnalədē/

the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender as they apply to a given individual or group, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage. (""through an awareness of intersectionality, we can better acknowledge and ground the differences among us"")

esplanade

(n.) a level open stretch of paved or grassy ground often designed for walking or driving

incurious

(of a person or their manner) not eager to know something; lacking curiosity. ("as for who had written it, she was oddly incurious")

Incarnation

1 [a] (1) : the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form (2) capitalized : the union of divinity with humanity in Jesus Christ [b] : a concrete or actual form of a quality or concept especially : a person showing a trait or typical character to a marked degree ("she is the incarnation of goodness") (" the doctrine of the Incarnation") ("she is the very incarnation of grace and tactfulness")

crass adjective \ ˈkras \ (Other Words from crass: crassly adverb crassness noun)

1 [a] : GROSS sense 2a especially : having or indicating such grossness of mind as precludes delicacy and discrimination [b] : being beneath one's dignity ("crass concerns of daily life") [c] —used as a pejorative intensifier ("crass flattery") ("crass propaganda") 2 : guided by or indicative of base or materialistic values ("crass commercialism") ("crass measures of success") Simplified: disapproving : having or showing no understanding of what is proper or acceptable : rude and insensitive ("the crass assumptions that men make about women") (" A few people seemed shocked by her crass comments.") ("a loudmouthed jerk given to rude jokes and crass comments") ("Why would a successful—presumably wealthy—person write this, flaunting luxury brand names in such a blunt and crass fashion?")

promontory noun prom·​on·​to·​ry | \ ˈprä-mən-ˌtȯr-ē \ plural promontories

1 [a] : a high point of land or rock projecting into a body of water [b] : a prominent mass of land overlooking or projecting into a lowland (" stood on the windswept promontory overlooking the bay") ("Cape May is Delaware Bay's largest promontory.")

impasse noun im·​passe | \ ˈim-ˌpas , im-ˈpas\

1 [a] : a predicament affording no obvious escape [b] : DEADLOCK 2 : an impassable road or way : CUL-DE-SAC (" An arbitrator was called in to break the impasse.") ("She had reached an impasse in her career.")

cadence noun ca·​dence | \ ˈkā-dᵊn(t)s \ (Other Words from cadence: cadenced \ ˈkā-​dᵊn(t)st \ adjective cadential \ kā-​ˈden(t)-​shəl \ adjective)

1 [a] : a rhythmic sequence or flow of sounds in language ("the grand cadence of his poetry") [b] : the beat, time, or measure of rhythmical motion or activity ("The drill sergeant counted cadence.") ("the steady cadence of the drums") 2 [a] : a falling inflection of the voice [b] : a concluding and usually falling strain specifically : a musical chord sequence moving to a harmonic close or point of rest and giving the sense of harmonic completion 3 : the modulated and rhythmic recurrence of a sound especially in nature ("the steady cadence of the drums") ("Oars moved back and forth in smooth cadence.") ("He speaks with a soft Southern cadence.") ("The actors can change their performance, cadence, and approach based on participants' behavior, Denton explains.") ("Those nostalgic for the former president can escape to memories of yesteryear by listening to his distinct cadence.")

interstice noun in·​ter·​stice | \ in-ˈtər-stəs \ plural interstices\ in-​ˈtər-​stə-​ˌsēz , -​stə-​səz \

1 [a] : a space that intervenes between things especially : one between closely spaced things interstices of a wall [b] : a gap or break in something generally continuous ("the interstices of society") ("passages of genuine literary merit in the interstices of the ludicrous ... plots") 2 : a short space of time between events ("there's an occasional interstice in the tedium, but most of the novel is boring") ("pesky weeds growing in the interstices between the flagstones") ("Its molten rage has dripped through the interstices of our daily lives.") ("Her shapes intersect at awkward angles but often stop short of touching, exposing slivers and interstices of bare canvas that create a jangly autonomy of parts.")

granary

1 [a] : a storehouse for threshed grain [b] : a region producing grain in abundance ("Granaries are deceivingly convoluted")

caveat noun ca·​ve·​at | \ ˈka-vē-ˌät , -ˌat, ˈkä-vē-ˌät ; ˈkā-vē-ˌat\

1 [a] : a warning enjoining one from certain acts or practices ("a caveat against unfair practices") [b] : an explanation to prevent misinterpretation [c] : a modifying or cautionary detail to be considered when evaluating, interpreting, or doing something ("The driving instructor gave his students this caveat: if you are driving under the speed limit, stay in the far right lane.") 2 : a legal warning to a judicial officer to suspend a proceeding until the opposition has a hearing ("there are a number of caveats which concern the validity of the assessment results") Simplified Definition: formal : an explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something ("His investment advice comes with a caveat: that the stock market is impossible to predict with absolute accuracy.") ("a cluster bomb can destroy objects over a wider area, with the important caveat that it is effective only if the bomblets have sufficient destructive power on their own.") ("We'll add a caveat of our own for parents: After your kids walk through 17,500 gal. of swirling water, they're not going to be satisfied running through the lawn sprinkler.") ("Sound great? There's just one caveat: Knowledge about how genes work is still in the scientific Stone Age.")

libel noun li·​bel | \ ˈlī-bəl \

1 [a] : a written statement in which a plaintiff in certain courts sets forth the cause of action or the relief sought [b] archaic : a handbill especially attacking or defaming someone 2 [a] : a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression [b] (1) : a statement or representation published without just cause and tending to expose another to public contempt (2) : defamation of a person by written or representational means (3) : the publication of blasphemous, treasonable, seditious, or obscene writings or pictures (4) : the act, tort, or crime of publishing such a libel ("a libelous newspaper story") ("He sued the newspaper for libel.") ("The newspaper was found guilty of libel.") ("The newspaper's attorneys argued that the article was not a libel.") ("The above is not only a flat lie but a political libel which may possibly damage me. Publish it at your peril ...")

polemic noun po·​lem·​ic | \ pə-ˈle-mik \

1 [a] : an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another [b] : the art or practice of disputation or controversy —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction 2 : an aggressive controversialist : DISPUTANT (" Her book is a fierce polemic against the inequalities in our society.") ("They managed to discuss the issues without resorting to polemics.")

ordinance noun or·​di·​nance | \ ˈȯrd-nən(t)s , ˈȯr-də-nən(t)s\

1 [a] : an authoritative decree or direction : ORDER ("On that day the king signed three ordinances.") [b] : a law set forth by a governmental authority specifically : a municipal regulation ("A city ordinance forbids construction work to start before 8 a.m.") (" The town has passed a zoning ordinance limiting construction.") ("a local ordinance forbids all street parking during snowstorms")

accordance noun ac·​cor·​dance | \ ə-ˈkȯr-dᵊn(t)s \

1 : AGREEMENT, CONFORMITY ("in accordance with a rule") 2 : the act of granting something ("the accordance of a privilege") (" make sure the fund-raiser is in accordance with the school rules") ("He acted in accordance with his orders.")

overture noun over·​ture | \ ˈō-vər-ˌchu̇r , ˈō-və-, -chər, -ˌtyu̇r, -ˌtu̇r\

1 [a] : an initiative toward agreement or action : PROPOSAL [b] : something introductory : PRELUDE ("the talks were no more than an overture to a long debate") (" The government has made a significant peace overture by opening the door to negotiation.") ("the parade down Main Street served as the overture for a weekend of fun and festivities")

cogent adjective co·​gent | \ ˈkō-jənt \

1 [a] : appealing forcibly to the mind or reason : CONVINCING cogent evidence [b] : PERTINENT, RELEVANT a cogent analysis 2 : having power to compel or constrain cogent forces ("the results of the DNA fingerprinting were the most cogent evidence for acquittal") ("The author ... makes a cogent and finely nuanced case for the wisdom—indeed, the necessity of this vision.") ("Honeyboy Edwards provides a cogent analysis of the shift within the blues over the years ...") ("Your article provides cogent reading.")

imperious adjective im·​pe·​ri·​ous | \ im-ˈpir-ē-əs \

1 [a] : befitting or characteristic of one of eminent rank or attainments : COMMANDING, DOMINANT ("an imperious manner") [b] : marked by arrogant assurance : DOMINEERING 2 : intensely compelling : URGENT ("the imperious problems of the new age") (" an imperious little boy who liked to tell the other scouts what to do") ("an imperious movie star who thinks she's some sort of goddess")

endemic adjective en·​dem·​ic | \ en-ˈde-mik , in-\ (Other Words from endemic Adjective endemically \ en-​ˈde-​mi-​k(ə-​)lē , in-​ \ adverb endemicity \ ˌen-​ˌde-​ˈmi-​sə-​tē , -​də-​ˈmi-​ \ noun endemism \ ˈen-​də-​ˌmi-​zəm \ noun)

1 [a] : belonging or native to a particular people or country [b] : characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field, area, or environment ("problems endemic to translation") ("the self-indulgence endemic in the film industry") 2 : restricted or peculiar to a locality or region ("endemic diseases") ("an endemic species") ("complacency is endemic in industry today") ("the fish is not an endemic species of the lake, and it is rapidly devouring the native trout population") ("The rap performers I enjoy are those who emphasize production values, songcraft and that quality of playfulness endemic to all good pop.") ("Divorce has become so endemic in our society that a whole lore has risen up around it: that divorce is a temporary crisis; that so many children have experienced their parents' divorce that children nowadays do not worry much about it; that in fact it makes things easier, and it is itself a mere rite of passage; that if the parents feel better, so will the children.")

lurid adjective lu·​rid | \ ˈlu̇r-əd \ (Other Words from lurid: luridly adverb luridness noun)

1 [a] : causing horror or revulsion : GRUESOME ("The tabloids gave all the lurid details of floating wreckage and dismembered bodies.") [b] : MELODRAMATIC, SENSATIONAL also : SHOCKING ("paperbacks in the usual lurid covers") 2 [a] : wan and ghastly pale in appearance ("frightened to death by the lurid waxworks") [b] : of any of several light or medium grayish colors ranging in hue from yellow to orange 3 : shining with the red glow of fire seen through smoke or cloud ("lurid flames") ("the more lurid details of the massacre were too frightening for the children") ("a lurid tale of violence and betrayal") ("the lurid lighting of a nightclub") ("The light from the fire cast a lurid glow on everything.") ("Other Wilkerson misdeeds justify this book's lurid title and subtitle.") ("Conservatives have been trading lurid conspiracy theories in their own media echo chamber for ages.")

prosaic adjective pro·​sa·​ic | \ prō-ˈzā-ik \ (Other Words from prosaic: prosaically \ prō-​ˈzā-​ə-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb)

1 [a] : characteristic of prose as distinguished from poetry : FACTUAL [b] : DULL, UNIMAGINATIVE ("prosaic advice") 2 : EVERYDAY, ORDINARY ("heroic characters wasted in prosaic lives") ("prosaic language can't convey the experience") ("He has a prosaic writing style.") ("the prosaic life of a hardworking farmer") ("She believes the noises are made by ghosts, but I think there's a more prosaic explanation.") ("For the most part, the descriptions of the books listed in the "Catalog," though informative, are relentlessly prosaic, even hackneyed.")

unilateral adjective uni·​lat·​er·​al | \ ˌyü-ni-ˈla-tə-rəl , -ˈla-trəl\

1 [a] : done or undertaken by one person or party [b] : of, relating to, or affecting one side of a subject : ONE-SIDED [c] : constituting or relating to a contract or engagement by which an express obligation to do or forbear is imposed on only one party 2 [a] : having parts arranged on one side ("a unilateral raceme") [b] : occurring on, performed on, or affecting one side of the body or one of its parts ("unilateral exophthalmos") 3 : UNILINEAL 4 : having only one side (" Our country is prepared to take unilateral action.") ("Seek compromise with the right, or cut it loose and accept that progress will only be made where Democrats can amass unilateral power?")

arduous adjective ar·​du·​ous | \ ˈär-jə-wəs , -dyu̇-, -jü-əs\

1 [a] : hard to accomplish or achieve : DIFFICULT ("an arduous task") ("years of arduous training") [b] : marked by great labor or effort : STRENUOUS ("... a life of arduous toil.") (" He went through a long and arduous training program.") ("an arduous journey across miles of desert")

tenuous adjective ten·​u·​ous | \ ˈten-yə-wəs , -yü-əs\ (Other Words from tenuous: tenuously adverb tenuousness noun)

1 [a] : having little substance or strength : FLIMSY, WEAK ("tenuous influences") [b] : SHAKY sense 2a ("tenuous reasons") 2 : not thick : SLENDER ("a tenuous rope") 3 : not dense : RARE ("a tenuous fluid") Simplified: : not certain, definite, or strong : flimsy, weak, or uncertain literary : very thin ("according to Trump, there is a tenuous link between coal burning and climate change. Im utterly flummoxed..") ("He has a tenuous grasp on reality.") ("The local theater has had a tenuous existence in recent years.") ("He could demonstrate only a tenuous claim to ownership.") ("After the end of the crusading period, however relations between East and West had grown tenuous ...")

virtuous adjective vir·​tu·​ous | \ ˈvər-chə-wəs , ˈvərch-wəs\

1 [a] : having or exhibiting virtue [b] : morally excellent : RIGHTEOUS ("a virtuous decision") (" She felt that she had made a virtuous decision by donating the money to charity.") ("virtuous behavior is its own reward")

scurrilous adjective scur·​ri·​lous | \ ˈskər-ə-ləs , ˈskə-rə-\

1 [a] : using or given to coarse language [b] : vulgar and evil ("scurrilous imposters who used a religious exterior to rob poor people") 2 : containing obscenities, abuse, or slander scurrilous accusations ("a scurrilous attack on his integrity") ("scurrilous attacks on the senator ("a scurrilous satire on the scandal that enveloped Washington")

discretion noun dis·​cre·​tion | \ dis-ˈkre-shən \

1 [a] : individual choice or judgment ("left the decision to his discretion") [b] : power of free decision or latitude of choice within certain legal bounds ("reached the age of discretion") 2 : the quality of having or showing discernment or good judgment : the quality of being discreet : CIRCUMSPECTION especially : cautious reserve in speech 3 : ability to make responsible decisions 4 : the result of separating or distinguishing Simplified: : the right to choose what should be done in a particular situation : the quality of being careful about what you do and say so that people will not be embarrassed or offended : the quality of being discreet ("she knew she could rely on his discretion") ("Each artist in the gallery has discretion over the price that will be charged for his or her work.") ("The coach used his own discretion to let the injured quarterback play.") ("He always uses care and discretion when dealing with others.") ("She handled the awkward situation with great discretion.") ("In Texas "capital" murder doesn't necessarily mean a death-penalty case; it's the designation for any aggravated murder, and prosecutors have full discretion in deciding whether to seek death in such cases.") ("I'll leave it to your discretion.") ("Use discretion in dealing with the situation.")

exuberant adjective ex·​u·​ber·​ant | \ ig-ˈzü-b(ə-)rənt \

1 [a] : joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic ("exuberant praise") ("an exuberant personality") [b] : unrestrained or elaborate especially in style : FLAMBOYANT ("exuberant architecture") 2 : produced in extreme abundance : PLENTIFUL ("exuberant foliage and vegetation") 3 : extreme or excessive in degree, size, or extent ("exuberant prosperity") (" His exuberant personality makes him fun to be around.") ("exuberant crowds rushed to greet the returning national champions in collegiate basketball")

underlying adjective un·​der·​ly·​ing | \ ˌən-dər-ˈlī-iŋ \

1 [a] : lying beneath or below ("the underlying rock is shale") [b] : BASIC, FUNDAMENTAL ("an investigation of the underlying issues") 2 : evident only on close inspection : IMPLICIT 3 : anterior and prior in claim ("underlying mortgage") 4 : of or being present in deep structure (" the ocean and the underlying rock") ("the underlying differences between democracy and dictatorship")

credence noun cre·​dence | \ ˈkrē-dᵊn(t)s \

1 [a] : mental acceptance as true or real ("give credence to gossip") [b] : CREDIBILITY sense 1 ("lends credence to the theory") ("an idea that is gaining credence") Simplified: : belief that something is true : the quality of being believed or accepted as something true or real (" The theory is gaining credence among scientists.") ("I'm afraid I don't put much credence in common gossip.")

divergent adjective di·​ver·​gent | \ də-ˈvər-jənt , dī-\ (Other Words from divergent- divergently adverb)

1 [a] : moving or extending in different directions from a common point : diverging from each other ("divergent paths") [b] : differing from each other or from a standard ("the divergent interests of capital and labor") ("My childhood friend and I went on divergent paths.") ("Two slayings by the same person with divergent reasons would be two murder charges.") ("Generation Gap Americans in their 20s and 30s are lagging behind their parents in earnings at similar ages and are living longer, divergent dynamics that threaten retirement security.") ("The same disaster can devastate businesses in divergent ways — a hurricane might tear the roof off one restaurant, flood another and leave a third with little damage.") ("Despite using the same internal technology, the Aeon Flow Open and Closed models have fundamentally divergent characters.")

impervious adjective im·​per·​vi·​ous | \ (ˌ)im-ˈpər-vē-əs \

1 [a] : not allowing entrance or passage : IMPENETRABLE ("a coat impervious to rain") [b] : not capable of being damaged or harmed ("a carpet impervious to rough treatment") 2 : not capable of being affected or disturbed ("impervious to criticism") (" the material for this coat is supposed to be impervious to rain") ("the rain forest is impervious to all but the most dedicated explorers")

obtuse adjective ob·​tuse | \ äb-ˈtüs , əb-, -ˈtyüs\ obtuser; obtusest

1 [a] : not pointed or acute : BLUNT [b] (1) of an angle : exceeding 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees (2) : having an obtuse angle ("an obtuse triangle") [c] of a leaf : rounded at the free end 2 [a] : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect : INSENSITIVE, STUPID ("He is too obtuse to take a hint.") [b] : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression ("It is also, unfortunately, ill-written, and at times obtuse and often trivial.") Simplified: formal : stupid or unintelligent : not able to think clearly or to understand what is obvious or simple ("he wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse") ("He is too obtuse to take a hint.") ("obtuse scissors designed so that young users will not cut themselves") ("In fact, he was too obtuse even to realize that his assignment to Tejas was a demotion ...") ("Only the most obtuse missed the main message: humans risked so distorting the natural order that they were sentencing themselves to be destroyed by frost or furnace.")

insensitive adjective in·​sen·​si·​tive | \ (ˌ)in-ˈsen(t)-s(ə-)tiv \ (Other Words from insensitive: insensitively adverb insensitiveness noun insensitivity \ (ˌ)in-​ˌsen(t)-​sə-​ˈti-​və-​tē \ noun)

1 [a] : not responsive or susceptible ("insensitive to the demands of the public") [b] : lacking feeling or tact ("so insensitive as to laugh at someone in pain") 2 : not physically or chemically sensitive ("an insensitive remark") ("He's just a rude, insensitive jerk.") ("It was insensitive of her to say that.") ("At Yale, tensions came to a head over the issue of racially insensitive Halloween costumes.") ("Netflix chief communications officer Jonathan Friedland is leaving the company following a controversy over insensitive remarks.")

tertiary adjective ter·​tia·​ry | \ ˈtər-shē-ˌer-ē , -shə-rē \

1 [a] : of third rank, importance, or value ("Headaches often occur during the tertiary stage of the illness.") ("Bill Clinton ... has passed through the tertiary and quaternary stages and is well on his way to millenary integrity.")

disposition noun dis·​po·​si·​tion | \ ˌdi-spə-ˈzi-shən \

1 [a] : prevailing tendency, mood, or inclination [b] : temperamental makeup [c] : the tendency of something to act in a certain manner under given circumstances ("a dog with an excellent disposition") ("Her disposition was to always think negatively.") ("He has a disposition toward criminal behavior.") ("people with a genetic disposition toward a particular disease") ("A will is a legal document that is used in the disposition of property.")

inhibition noun in·​hi·​bi·​tion | \ ˌin-hə-ˈbi-shən , ˌi-nə-\

1 [a] : the act of inhibiting : the state of being inhibited [b] : something that forbids, debars, or restricts 2 : an inner impediment to free activity, expression, or functioning: such as [a] : a mental process imposing restraint upon behavior or another mental process (such as a desire) [b] : a restraining of the function of a bodily organ or an agent (such as an enzyme) (" She laughed loudly and without inhibition.") ("an innate inhibition made it difficult for him to tell his girlfriend what he was really feeling")

antithesis noun an·​tith·​e·​sis | \ an-ˈti-thə-səs \ plural antitheses\ -​ˌsēz \

1 [a] : the direct opposite ("Her temperament is the very antithesis of mine.") [b] (1) : the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences (as in "action, not words" or "they promised freedom and provided slavery") (2) : OPPOSITION, CONTRAST ("the antithesis of prose and verse") [c] : the second of two opposing words, clauses, or sentences that are being rhetorically contrasted ("love is the antithesis of selfishness") (" true love for another is the antithesis of the desire to control that person's life") ("In urban areas, middle schools often became the antithesis of what reformers had intended. Instead of warm incubators of independence and judgment, they became impersonal, oppressive institutions.") ("Cato, who dosed his family on cabbage soup, derided Greek physicians as the antithesis of Roman virtue: they were frauds who cheated patients and 'have sworn to kill all barbarians with their drugs'.")

obstinacy noun ob·​sti·​na·​cy | \ ˈäb-stə-nə-sē \ plural obstinacies

1 [a] : the quality or state of being obstinate : STUBBORNNESS ("She held to her own opinion with great obstinacy.") [b] : the quality or state of being difficult to remedy, relieve, or subdue ("the obstinacy of tuberculosis") (" the mindless obstinacy of those people who continue to insist that the earth is flat")

pacify verb pac·​i·​fy | \ ˈpa-sə-ˌfī \ pacified; pacifying (Other Words from pacify: pacifiable \ ˌpa-​sə-​ˈfī-​ə-​bəl \ adjective)

1 [a] : to allay the anger or agitation of : SOOTHE pacify a crying child [b] : APPEASE, PROPITIATE tried to pacify the enemy with compromises 2 [a] : to restore to a tranquil state : SETTLE made an attempt to pacify the commotion [b] : to reduce to a submissive state : SUBDUE forces moved in to pacify the country ("he had to pacify angry spectators")

overhaul verb over·​haul | \ ˌō-vər-ˈhȯl \ overhauled; overhauling; overhauls (Other Words from overhaul: overhaul \ ˈō-​vər-​ˌhȯl \ noun)

1 [a] : to examine thoroughly ("our systems of education are being constantly overhauled") [b] (1) : REPAIR ("The mechanic overhauled the engine.") (2) : to renovate, remake, revise, or renew thoroughly ("Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program.") 2 : to haul or drag over 3 : OVERTAKE ("The most imposing U.S. swimmer was overhauled by a 17-year-old Australian in the butterfly race.") ("a company that overhauls and repairs aircraft engines") ("The mechanic overhauled the car's engine.") ("They had to overhaul their original plans.") (" Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program.")

accede verb ac·​cede | \ ak-ˈsēd , ik-\ acceded; acceding

1 [a] : to express approval or give consent : to agree to a request or demand —usually + to ("The government acceded to their demands.") [b] : to become a party to something (such as an agreement) —usually + to ("accede to the terms of a contract") (" finally acceded to their pleas for more time to complete the project") ("So this is going to take a while if the committee accedes to this new demand.")

traverse verb tra·​verse | \ trə-ˈvərs also tra-ˈvərs or ˈtra-(ˌ)vərs \ traversed; traversing

1 [a] : to go or travel across or over [b] : to move or pass along or through ("light rays traversing a crystal") 2 : to make a study of : EXAMINE 3 : to lie or extend across : CROSS ("the bridge traverses a brook") ("Unless physicists find a way to travel faster than the speed of light, I don't think human beings will ever be able to traverse the universe") (" The candidates traversed the state throughout the campaign.") ("The river traverses the county.")

admonish verb ad·​mon·​ish | \ ad-ˈmä-nish \ admonished; admonishing; admonishes

1 [a] : to indicate duties or obligations to [b] : to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner ("were admonished for being late") 2 : to give friendly earnest advice or encouragement to ("admonished them to be careful") ("... users are admonished to change passwords regularly ...") 3 : to say (something) as advice or a warning ("The sign admonished, "Watch your step." "Please be silent while I tell my story," LaPautre admonished.") ("They were admonished to take advantage of the opportunity.") ("my physician is always admonishing me to eat more healthy foods")

foist verb \ ˈfȯist \ foisted; foisting; foists

1 [a] : to introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant [b] : to force another to accept especially by stealth or deceit ("when the states ... foist unnecessary expenses on local taxpayers") 2 : to pass off as genuine or worthy foist costly and valueless products on the public ("... inferior caviar has been foisted on an unknowing public ...") shopkeepers who foist shoddy souvenirs on unsuspecting tourists

tangential adjective tan·​gen·​tial | \ tan-ˈjen(t)-shəl \

1 [a] : touching lightly : INCIDENTAL, PERIPHERAL tangential involvement also : of little relevance arguments tangential to the main point [b] : DIVERGENT, DIGRESSIVE 2 : of, relating to, or of the nature of a tangent 3 : acting along or lying in a tangent tangential forces Simplified: slightly or indirectly related to something : not closely connected to something ("Their romance is tangential to the book's main plot.") ("Arizona's tangential involvement in international cyber spying isn't a total surprise.")

colloquial adjective col·​lo·​qui·​al | \ kə-ˈlō-kwē-əl \ (Other Words from colloquial: colloquialism noun colloquiality \ kə-​ˌlō-​kwē-​ˈa-​lə-​tē \ noun colloquially \ kə-​ˈlō-​kwē-​ə-​lē \ adverb)

1 [a] : used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation ("In colloquial English, "kind of" is often used for "somewhat" or "rather."") also : unacceptably informal [b] : using conversational style ("a colloquial writer") 2 : of or relating to conversation : CONVERSATIONAL ("colloquial expressions") ("Colloquialism is infelicitous when righting a dissertation.") ("But I think part of this pickle that we're in—if I may be colloquial, even though I'm not running for office—is that we've lost their sense of responsibility.") ("Langston was the merriest and the most colloquial of them all. "Best party I've ever been given!" he said.") ("a colloquial essay on what makes a marriage successful") ("the new coworker's rudeness soon began—to use a colloquial expression—to rub me the wrong way")

disconsolate adjective dis·​con·​so·​late | \ dis-ˈkän(t)-sə-lət \

1 : CHEERLESS ("a clutch of disconsolate houses") 2 : DEJECTED, DOWNCAST ("the team returned disconsolate from three losses") Simplified: : very unhappy or sad (" Campaign workers grew increasingly disconsolate as the results came in.") ("spent her last years in the disconsolate environs of a cheap boarding house")

ordure noun

1 : EXCREMENT 2 : something that is morally degrading ("polite people do not discuss ordure in public") ("At the bottom of the tube sat a half-inch of what looked like frozen mud, but was, in fact, orca ordure.")

connoisseur noun con·​nois·​seur | \ ˌkä-nə-ˈsər also -ˈsu̇r \

1 : EXPERT especially : one who understands the details, technique, or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge ("a connoisseur of music") (" She is a connoisseur of African art.") ("a forthcoming exhibit at the art museum that is eagerly awaited by connoisseurs of ancient Greek pottery")

stochastic adjective sto·​chas·​tic | \ stə-ˈka-stik , stō-\

1 : RANDOM specifically : involving a random variable ("a stochastic process") 2 : involving chance or probability : PROBABILISTIC ("a stochastic model of radiation-induced mutation")

parlance noun par·​lance | \ ˈpär-lən(t)s \

1 : SPEECH especially : formal debate or parley ("... battle and not parlance should determine his right and title.") — John Speed 2 : manner or mode of speech : IDIOM The company's computer system had, in computer parlance, "crashed." ("dated terms that were once in common parlance") ("Most of the job cuts were expected to hit employees — or partners, in Starbucks' parlance — at the company's Sodo headquarters, where about 5,000 people work.") ("Each character has its share of subtle weirdness and weaknesses, and breaking this down requires using some of the series' special-move parlance.")

stringent adjective strin·​gent | \ ˈstrin-jənt \

1 : TIGHT, CONSTRICTED 2 : marked by rigor, strictness, or severity ("especially with regard to rule or standard stringent decontamination procedures") 3 : marked by money scarcity and credit strictness ("a stringent budget") ("stringent rules against unauthorized persons being in the building") ("In ICE's case, the agency seems to have adjusted the risk assessment algorithm to reflect a more stringent immigration policy.")

diatribe noun di·​a·​tribe | \ ˈdī-ə-ˌtrīb \

1 : a bitter and abusive speech or piece of writing 2 : ironic or satirical criticism (" The article is a diatribe against mainstream media.") ("a bitter diatribe about how unfair the tax system is") ("... gradually I realize the headman's diatribe has begun to feature a new term I was unfamiliar with at the time—the word for caterpillar, as it turns out, in the Iban dialect.")

depravity noun de·​prav·​i·​ty | \ di-ˈpra-və-tē also -ˈprā- \ plural depravities

1 : a corrupt act or practice ("the depravities of war") 2 : the quality or state of being corrupt, evil, or perverted : the quality or state of being depraved ("He is awed by its fabulous wealth but deeply troubled by what he sees as its moral depravity ...") (" He was sinking into a life of utter depravity.") ("People were shocked by the depravity of her actions.")

syllogism noun syl·​lo·​gism | \ ˈsi-lə-ˌji-zəm \

1 : a deductive scheme of a formal argument consisting of a major and a minor premise and a conclusion (as in "every virtue is laudable; kindness is a virtue; therefore kindness is laudable") 2 : a subtle, specious, or crafty argument 3 : deductive reasoning ("An example of a syllogism is: "All men are human; all humans are mortal; therefore all men are mortal."") ("But the motion, that extraordinary charisma communicated not through image or syllogism but through rhythm alone, remains as permanent as a fingerprint.") ("Shapiro tries to appeal to both the pro-Trump and the anti-Trump factions of the Republican base, spitting out indignant syllogisms in a rapid nasal delivery that sounds like a podcast played at double speed.") ("The Holocaust was the result of a hideous syllogism: if Germany were to expand into the East, where millions of Jews lived, those Jews would have to vanish, because Germans could not coexist with them.")

umbrage noun um·​brage | \ ˈəm-brij \

1 : a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight or insult ("took umbrage at the speaker's remarks") 2 : shady branches : FOLIAGE 3 : SHADE, SHADOW 4 [a] : an indistinct indication : vague suggestion : HINT [b] : a reason for doubt : SUSPICION Simplified: a feeling of being offended by what someone has said or done ("took umbrage at the slightest suggestion of disrespect") ("The men-interrupting-women theme fell into a familiar source of social media umbrage.")

impediment noun im·​ped·​i·​ment | \ im-ˈpe-də-mənt \

1 : a hindrance or obstruction in doing something. especially : an impairment (such as a stutter or a lisp) that interferes with the proper articulation of speech (" tough going for the burros on the canyon trail, even without the added impediment of heavy loads") ("Older workers are more likely to have impediments, including vision challenges and pain, that may qualify them for disability.")

incursion noun in·​cur·​sion | \ in-ˈkər-zhən \

1 : a hostile entrance into a territory : RAID 2 : an entering in or into (something, such as an activity or undertaking) ("his only incursion into the arts") ("incursions into enemy territory") (" an incursion into enemy airspace") ("there were incursions from the border every summer") ("India accuses Pakistan of arming and training anti-India rebels and also helping them by providing gunfire as cover for incursions into the Indian side.") ("Galilee has been subject to missile attacks and terrorist incursions from the north for as long as Israelis have been here.")

aristocrat noun aris·​to·​crat | \ ə-ˈris-tə-ˌkrat , a-; ˈa-rə-stə-\

1 : a member of an aristocracy especially : NOBLE ("an aristocrat by birth") 2 [a] : one who has the bearing and viewpoint typical of the aristocracy [b] : one who favors aristocracy 3 : one believed to be superior of its kind ("the aristocrat of Southern resorts") ("Trump is an aristocrat") (" could trace his lineage to an English aristocrat of the 17th century") ("Famous oil paintings of goddesses and aristocrats of yore only added to the impressive company.") ("The sprawling villa, once a monastery, recalls a Sicily of opulent leisure and eccentric aristocrats.")

trepidation noun trep·​i·​da·​tion | \ ˌtre-pə-ˈdā-shən \

1 : a nervous or fearful feeling of uncertain agitation : APPREHENSION ("trepidation about starting a new job") (" He had some trepidation about agreeing to their proposal.") ("shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old abandoned house")

precinct noun pre·​cinct | \ ˈprē-ˌsiŋ(k)t \

1 : a part of a territory with definite bounds or functions often established for administrative purposes : DISTRICT: such as [a] : a subdivision of a county, town, city, or ward for election purposes [b] : a division of a city for police control ("Voting data came from the Registrar of Voters, generally matching precincts to places of the same name.") ("Precinct the is predominantly democrat")

symposium noun sym·​po·​sium | \ sim-ˈpō-zē-əm also -zh(ē-)əm \ plural symposia\ -​zē-​ə , -​zh(ē-​)ə \ or symposiums

1 : a social gathering at which there is free interchange of ideas 2 [a] : a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics [b] : a collection of opinions on a subject especially : one published by a periodical [c] : DISCUSSION (" Professors and graduate students attended the symposium.") ("recently attended a daylong symposium on new methods of chromatography")

elocution noun el·​o·​cu·​tion | \ ˌe-lə-ˈkyü-shən \

1 : a style of speaking especially in public 2 : the art of effective public speaking (" He took lessons in elocution.") ("the oft-told story that he practiced elocution by learning to speak with a mouth full of pebbles")

precipice noun prec·​i·​pice | \ ˈpre-s(ə-)pəs \

1 : a very steep or overhanging place 2 : a hazardous situation broadly : BRINK (" He stood on the edge of the precipice.") ("We're at the precipice of something really big happening, for us and for future generations.")

allusion noun al·​lu·​sion | \ ə-ˈlü-zhən \ (Other Words from allusion: allusive \ -​ˈlü-​siv , -​ziv \ adjective allusively adverb allusiveness noun)

1 : an implied or indirect reference especially in literature a poem that makes allusions to classical literature also : the use of such references 2 : the act of making an indirect reference to something : the act of alluding to something ("The allusion to the comic books in the marvel movies is cool") ("The lyrics contain biblical allusions.") ("She made allusion to her first marriage.") ("To my ear this is a beautiful reenactment of the prose of the antebellum South, with its careful grammar, its stately cadences, and its classical allusions and quotations.") ("This was of course an allusion to Hudson's Nascar success in the 1950s.")

malaise noun mal·​aise | \ mə-ˈlāz , ma-, -ˈlez \

1 : an indefinite feeling of debility or lack of health often indicative of or accompanying the onset of an illness ("An infected person will feel a general malaise.") 2 : a vague sense of mental or moral ill-being ("a malaise of cynicism and despair") Simplified: a slight or general feeling of not being healthy or happy (" The symptoms include headache, malaise, and fatigue. ("An infected person will feel a general malaise.") ("The country's current economic problems are symptoms of a deeper malaise.") ("The cruelty of baseball, as A.J. Hinch described it, plunged Springer deeper into a hitting malaise.")

memorandum noun mem·​o·​ran·​dum | \ ˌme-mə-ˈran-dəm \ plural memorandums or memoranda\ -​də \

1 : an informal record also : a written reminder 2 : an informal written record of an agreement that has not yet become official (" I'm waiting for the memorandum that will explain the new vacation policy.") ("the studio executives depend on endless memoranda to keep track of what's going on at a movie shot on location")

salacious adjective sa·​la·​cious | \ sə-ˈlā-shəs \

1 : arousing or appealing to sexual desire or imagination ("salacious headlines") ("salacious lyrics") 2 : LECHEROUS, LUSTFUL ("... have fiercely denounced the book's sketches of melodramatic lovers and salacious partygoers ...") ("salacious stories") (" a song with salacious lyrics") ("the salacious Greek god Pan is generally portrayed as having the legs, horns, and ears of a goat")

inimical adjective in·​im·​i·​cal | \ i-ˈni-mi-kəl \ (Other Words from inimical: inimically \ i-​ˈni-​mi-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb)

1 : being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence ("forces inimical to democracy") 2 [a] : having the disposition of an enemy : HOSTILE ("inimical factions") [b] : reflecting or indicating hostility : UNFRIENDLY ("his father's inimical glare") Simplified Definition: formal : likely to cause damage or have a bad effect : not friendly ("an inimical alien power") ("received an inimical response rather than the anticipated support") ("laws designed to enhance national security that some regard as inimical to cherished freedoms") ("But a plan as inimical to Israel as Mr. Trump's appears to be will have major negative implications not only for the Jewish state but for Mr. Trump's re-election hopes.")

antithetical adjective an·​ti·​thet·​i·​cal | \ ˌan-tə-ˈthe-ti-kəl \ variants: or less commonly antithetic \ -​ˈthe-​tik \

1 : being in direct and unequivocal opposition : directly opposite or opposed : Diametrically opposed ("... some see the idea of a museum for rock & roll as antithetical to the music's rebellious ethic ...") 2 : constituting or marked by antithesis ("antithetical conflict") (" the antithetical forces of good and evil") ("spiritual concerns and ideals that are antithetical to the materialism embraced by modern society")

abreast adverb or adjective \ ə-ˈbrest \

1 : beside one another in line ("columns of men five abreast") ("with seats two abreast on each side of the aisle") ("They drew abreast of [=alongside of] each other.") 2 : up to a particular standard or level especially of knowledge of recent developments ("tries to keep abreast of [=to stay informed about] the news") ("These daily updates were designed to help readers keep abreast of the markets...")

caustic adjective caus·​tic | \ ˈkȯ-stik \

1 : capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action : CORROSIVE ("The chemical was so caustic that it ate through the pipe.") 2 : marked by incisive sarcasm ("a caustic film review") ("caustic humor") Simplified: : able to destroy or burn something by chemical action : very harsh and critical (" The chemical was so caustic that it ate through the pipes.") ("She wrote a caustic report about the decisions that led to the crisis.")

fissile adjective fis·​sile | \ ˈfi-səl , ˈfi-ˌsī(-ə)l\

1 : capable of or prone to being split or divided in the direction of the grain or along natural planes of cleavage ("fissile wood") ("fissile crystals") 2 : capable of undergoing fission (noun FISSION - a splitting or breaking up into parts) ("Most of us won't be working with fissile materials.") ("Initial actions could include locking in a freeze on nuclear and missile testing and halting fissile material production.")

formidable adjective for·​mi·​da·​ble | \ ˈfȯr-mə-də-bəl ; fȯr-ˈmi-, fər-ˈmi- \

1 : causing fear, dread, or apprehension ("a formidable prospect") 2 : having qualities that discourage approach or attack ("a formidable opponent") 3 : tending to inspire awe or wonder : IMPRESSIVE ("a formidable accomplishment") (" The mountains were a formidable barrier.") ("He has mastered a formidable amount of material.")

perfunctory adjective per·​func·​to·​ry | \ pər-ˈfəŋ(k)-t(ə-)rē \

1 : characterized by routine or superficiality : MECHANICAL ("a perfunctory smile") 2 : lacking in interest or enthusiasm Simplified: formal —used to describe something that is done without energy or enthusiasm because of habit or because it is expected ("driving manual for years, it has become a perfunctory activity") ("the violinist delivered a perfunctory performance that displayed none of the passion and warmth he was once known for") ("Convivial and self-absorbed, he talks freely about crime and crooks, with only the most perfunctory nods toward conventional morality.") ("The Senate session Monday is likely to be perfunctory and brief, absent any developments.") ("First came the before pictures, as brightly lit and perfunctory as a mug shot.")

garish adjective gar·​ish | \ ˈger-ish \

1 : clothed in vivid colors ("a garish clown") 2 [a] : excessively or disturbingly vivid ("garish colors") ("garish imagery") [b] : offensively or distressingly bright : GLARING 3 : tastelessly showy : FLASHY ("garish neon signs") (" the wedding guest's thick makeup was garish and unnecessary")

customary adjective cus·​tom·​ary | \ ˈkə-stə-ˌmer-ē , -ˌme-rē\

1 : commonly practiced, used, or observed ("customary acts of courtesy") ("his customary enthusiasm") 2 : based on or established by custom ("customary laws") ("it is customary to mark an occasion like this with a toast") ("He forgot the customary "thank you."") ("It is customary to hold the door open for someone who is entering a building behind you.") ("Mark Wilson/Getty Images President George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday at age 94, will be honored with a state funeral this week, as is customary for former heads of state.") ("The president and first lady appeared not to have followed long-running protocol in which a bow or curtsy is customary.")

sophomoric adjective soph·​o·​mor·​ic | \ ˌsäf-ˈmȯr-ik , -ˈmär- also ˌsȯf- or ˌsä-fə- or ˌsȯ-fə-\

1 : conceited and overconfident of knowledge but poorly informed and immature ("a sophomoric argument") 2 : lacking in maturity, taste, or judgment ("sophomoric humor") (" His behavior at the party was sophomoric.") ("The book is still a sophomoric mess, and the 17 songs, which are mostly either fast or rather less so, are lively but unvaried.")

verminous adjective ver·​min·​ous | \ ˈvər-mə-nəs \

1 : consisting of or being vermin : NOXIOUS 2 : forming a breeding place for or infested by vermin : FILTHY ("verminous garbage") 3 : caused by vermin ("verminous disease")

verbose adjective ver·​bose | \ (ˌ)vər-ˈbōs \

1 : containing more words than necessary : WORDY ("a verbose reply") also : impaired by wordiness ("a verbose style") 2 : given to wordiness ("a verbose orator") (" He is a verbose speaker.") ("She has a verbose writing style.")

comprehensive adjective com·​pre·​hen·​sive | \ ˌkäm-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv , -prē-\ (Other Words from comprehensive: comprehensively adverb comprehensiveness noun)

1 : covering completely or broadly : INCLUSIVE ("comprehensive examinations") ("comprehensive insurance") 2 : having or exhibiting wide mental grasp ("comprehensive knowledge") ("a comprehensive biography of Albert Einstein's life .") ("Natalie's every move was photographed, a documentation of a happy childhood as comprehensive as it was false.") ("a comprehensive overview of European history since the French Revolution") ("a comprehensive listing of all the paintings generally attributed to the Dutch artist Rembrandt") ("The paradox is that Merkel might be Italy's best hope for achieving a comprehensive agreement on migration.")

contingent adjective con·​tin·​gent | \ kən-ˈtin-jənt \

1 : dependent on or conditioned by something else ("Payment is contingent on fulfillment of certain conditions.") ("a plan contingent on the weather") 2 : likely but not certain to happen : POSSIBLE 3 : not logically necessary especially : EMPIRICAL ("The isolation and co-optation of the capitalist classes in Germany meant that liberty as an ideal had no contingent link with capitalism, as had happened in Western Europe.") ("Clearly the President was chastened by the sorrow and resentment of the people to whom he spoke, but his words were somehow tentative and contingent, as if they could be withdrawn on a month's notice.") ("Every undogmatic historian is aware of the multitude of contingent events that entered into the victory of the Bolshevik revolution.")

augury noun au·​gu·​ry | \ ˈȯ-gyə-rē , -gə-\ plural auguries

1 : divination from auspices (see AUSPICE sense 3) or omens ("Ancient augury involved the interpretation of the flight patterns of birds.") also : an instance of this 2 : OMEN, PORTENT (" ... the best augury of a man's success in his profession is that he thinks it the finest in the world.") (" a yearbook augury that of all the graduates, he would be the most likely to succeed") ("some people believe that a broken mirror is an augury of seven years' bad luck")

surreptitious adjective sur·​rep·​ti·​tious | \ ˌsər-əp-ˈti-shəs , ˌsə-rəp-, sə-ˌrep-\

1 : done, made, or acquired by stealth : CLANDESTINE 2 : acting or doing something clandestinely : STEALTHY ("a surreptitious glance") (" She had a surreptitious relationship with her employee.") ("a private investigator adept at taking surreptitious pictures of adulterous couples")

maudlin adjective maud·​lin | \ ˈmȯd-lən \

1 : drunk enough to be emotionally silly ("a mob of maudlin rummies ... sing hymns") ("would crack open another beer and become maudlin") 2 : weakly and effusively sentimental ("maudlin expressions of regret") Simplified: : showing or expressing too much emotion especially in a foolish or annoying way (" He became maudlin and started crying like a child.") ("a maudlin movie about a lovable tramp")

provender noun prov·​en·​der | \ ˈprä-vən-dər \

1 : dry food for domestic animals : FEED 2 : FOOD, VICTUALS (" a chef who prides himself on creating all of his dishes from local provender")

rife adjective \ ˈrīf \

1 : prevalent especially to an increasing degree ("suspicion and cruelty were rife") 2 : ABUNDANT, COMMON 3 : copiously supplied : ABOUNDING —usually used with with ("rife with rumors") (" Speculation about who would be fired ran rife for weeks.") ("a city government that is rife with malfeasance and corruption")

equanimity noun equa·​nim·​i·​ty | \ ˌē-kwə-ˈni-mə-tē , ˌe-kwə-\

1 : evenness of mind especially under stress ("nothing could disturb his equanimity") 2 : right disposition : BALANCE ("physical equanimity") Simplified: calm emotions when dealing with problems or pressure ("His equanimity and empathy does not extend to the rest of his colleagues, who quickly set up a sniper to take her out.") ("Even as Amazon and local rival Flipkart push into groceries, Bigbasket's founders profess equanimity.") (" an Olympic diver who always displays remarkable equanimity on the platform")

ambient adjective am·​bi·​ent | \ ˈam-bē-ənt \

1 : existing or present on all sides : ENCOMPASSING ("the ambient air temperature") ("ambient light") ("ambient sound") (" the bright ambient light of the room") ("People shopped as ambient music played in the background.") ("The set detects ambient light and automatically adjusts to give you the greatest visibility: a pulse during the day, and a solid beam at night.")

peril noun per·​il | \ ˈper-əl , ˈpe-rəl\

1 : exposure to the risk of being injured, destroyed, or lost : DANGER ("fire put the city in peril") 2 : something that imperils or endangers : RISK ("lessen the perils of the streets") ("As many have said—on air, in print and everywhere else—the casual reduction of Trumpites to Nazis is fraught with overreach and peril.") ("Just last week he issued a statement encouraging all Iraqis to participate in the election scheduled for January, and he called on the Iraqi government to start registering voters. The powers that be in Iraq ignore him at their peril.") ("One lesson of both the law-school and the Paulin controversies may be the peril of making free-speech judgments at Internet speed.")

tacit adjective tac·​it | \ ˈta-sət \ (Other Words from tacit: tacitly adverb tacitness noun)

1 : expressed or carried on without words or speech ("the blush was a tacit answer") 2 : implied or indicated (as by an act or by silence) but not actually expressed ("tacit consent") ("tacit admission of guilt") ("your silence may be taken to mean tacit agreement") (" She felt that she had her parents' tacit approval to borrow the car.") ("There was a tacit agreement that he would pay off the loan.") ("Magic requires tacit cooperation of the audience with the magician—an abandonment of skepticism ... the willing suspension of disbelief.") ("While they got a frosty public response, officials say the private message was a tacit green light.")

debauchery noun de·​bauch·​ery | \ di-ˈbȯ-chə-rē , -chrē, -ˈbä-\ plural debaucheries

1 : extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures : behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral ("... he was glad when others joined them, men and women; and they had more drink and spent the night in wild rioting and debauchery.") ("... Matthew had continued his debaucheries, having chartered a private plane for himself and a bunch of fringe celebrities to go to Corfu for a week of hard-core partying.") ("The debauchery within the upper echelon of business is odious") (" He later regretted the debauchery of his youth.") ("He recalled the evening's debaucheries with regret.") ("Peter Charming threw parties — epic evenings of '70s-style decadence and debauchery.")

visceral adjective vis·​cer·​al | \ ˈvi-sə-rəl , ˈvis-rəl\

1 : felt in or as if in the internal organs of the body : DEEP ("a visceral conviction") 2 : not intellectual : INSTINCTIVE, UNREASONING ("visceral drives") Simplified: literary : coming from strong emotions and not from logic or reason ("Her visceral reaction was to curse at the other driver.") ("One of the wonders of cooking is that the tiniest adjustment to what you are making, the addition of a single ingredient or the execution of a technique, can entirely change a dish and the visceral response you get from eating it.")

quixotic adjective quix·​ot·​ic | \ kwik-ˈsä-tik \

1 : foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals especially : marked by rash lofty romantic ideas or extravagantly chivalrous action 2 : CAPRICIOUS, UNPREDICTABLE Simplified: hopeful or romantic in a way that is not practical (" They had quixotic dreams about the future.") ("in this age of giant chain stores, any attempt at operating an independent bookstore must be regarded as quixotic")

loquacious adjective lo·​qua·​cious | \ lō-ˈkwā-shəs \

1 : full of excessive talk : WORDY 2 : given to fluent or excessive talk (" a loquacious and glib politician") ("the loquacious host of a radio talk show")

fraught

1 : full of or accompanied by something specified —used with with ("a situation fraught with danger") ("The paper was poorly researched and is fraught with errors.") 2 : causing or characterized by emotional distress or tension : UNEASY ("a fraught relationship")

fraught adjective \ ˈfrȯt \

1 : full of or accompanied by something specified —used with with ("a situation fraught with danger") ("The paper was poorly researched and is fraught with errors.") 2 : causing or characterized by emotional distress or tension : UNEASY ("a fraught relationship") (" every room in my childhood home is fraught with memories") ("had a fraught meeting with his estranged wife to discuss a divorce settlement")

woeful adjective woe·​ful | \ ˈwō-fəl \ variants: or less commonly woful

1 : full of woe : GRIEVOUS ("woeful prophecies") : full of woe : very sad : very bad 2 : involving or bringing woe 3 : lamentably bad or serious : DEPLORABLE ("woeful ignorance") ("her face was woeful") ("The puppy had woeful eyes.") ("The student's grades were woeful.") ("Powerful teachers' unions protect woeful educators when they should be sacked.")

inquisitive adjective in·​quis·​i·​tive | \ in-ˈkwi-zə-tiv \

1 : given to examination or investigation 2 : inclined to ask questions especially : inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others ("he was very chatty and inquisitive about everything") (" an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody's business but her own") ("Inquisitive eyes reveal the dingo's true nature—it's a hunter, from its cocked ears and powerful jaws to the white tip of its tail.") ("Symbolized by the archer, this energy is curious, inquisitive, and philosophical.")

noncommittal adjective non·​com·​mit·​tal | \ ˌnän-kə-ˈmi-tᵊl \

1 : giving no clear indication of attitude or feeling ("a noncommittal reply") ("He was noncommittal about how the money would be spent.") 2 : having no clear or distinctive character ("a noncommittal word which might be used of anything from babies to furnaces") Simplified: : not telling or showing what you think about something (" She would only give noncommittal answers about her plans.") ("The president remained noncommittal, saying only that all options would be considered.")

bounteous adjective boun·​te·​ous | \ ˈbau̇n-tē-əs \ (Other Words from bounteous bounteously adverb bounteousness noun)

1 : giving or disposed to give freely 2 : liberally bestowed ("the earth yields a bounteous harvest") ("Together we give thanks for this bounteous harvest.") ("offered a bounteous reward for finding the lost ring") ("Instead, she is sentenced to suffer amid bounteous luxury.") ("The chorus will sing a bounteous selection of HMC's greatest hits under what is billed as the world's largest stained glass window.")

aristocracy noun ar·​is·​toc·​ra·​cy | \ ˌa-rə-ˈstä-krə-sē , ˌer-ə-\ plural aristocracies

1 : government by the best individuals or by a small privileged class 2 [a] : a government in which power is vested (see VEST entry 2 sense 1a) in a minority consisting of those believed to be best qualified [b] : a state with such a government 3 : a governing body or upper class usually made up of a hereditary nobility ("a member of the British aristocracy") 4 : a class or group of people believed to be superior (as in rank, wealth, or intellect) ("an intellectual aristocracy") ("Most medieval kingdom's were aristocracies") (" a member of the aristocracy") ("at one time in China only the aristocracy could own land") ("Kate is not of the aristocracy, and that was taken for granted.") ("Casely-Hayford was a scion of the African aristocracy—one who rebelled against it.")

plutocracy noun plu·​toc·​ra·​cy | \ plü-ˈtä-krə-sē \ (Other Words from plutocracy plutocrat \ ˈplü-​tə-​ˌkrat \ noun plutocratic \ ˌplü-​tə-​ˈkra-​tik \ adjective plutocratically \ ˌplü-​tə-​ˈkra-​ti-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb)

1 : government by the wealthy 2 : a controlling class of the wealthy ("the attack on the Bank of England was a gesture against the very symbol of plutocracy") ("If only the wealthy can afford to run for public office, are we more a plutocracy than a democracy?") ("corporate greed and America's growing plutocracy") ("Sanders is a politician who relishes a fight against the plutocracy, and who, even in the Trump era, regards a guy like Jeff Bezos primarily as the class enemy founder of Amazon rather than a pillar of civil society who owns the Washington Post.") ("The Roosevelts saved America from plutocracy and created a golden age for the middle class.")

hoary adjective \ ˈhȯr-ē \ hoarier; hoariest

1 : gray or white with or as if with age ("bowed his hoary head") 2 : extremely old : ANCIENT ("hoary legends") ("that hoary American notion that bigger is better") (" a hoary tale of revenge") ("He bowed his hoary head.") ("a man hoary with age") ("His newest title has a hoary theme: plundering a pharaoh's tomb for treasure.")

circuitous adjective cir·​cu·​i·​tous | \ (ˌ)sər-ˈkyü-ə-təs \

1 : having a circular or winding course ("a circuitous route") ("a circuitous journey by snowmobile") 2 : not being forthright or direct in language or action ("a circuitous explanation") ("His circuitous form of logic was mind-boggling.") ("the canal followed a circuitous route") ("Their logic seems a bit circuitous.") ("we took a circuitous route to the airport so as to avoid the massive traffic jam on the highway")

mellifluous adjective mel·​lif·​lu·​ous | \ me-ˈli-flə-wəs , mə-\

1 : having a smooth rich flow ("a mellifluous voice") 2 : filled with something (such as honey) that sweetens ("mellifluous confections") ("a rich, mellifluous voice that gets her a lot of work in radio and TV commercials") ("No matter the volume, Carlile's deliveries sounded tuneful and nuanced, her tones mellifluous and warm.")

convoluted adjective con·​vo·​lut·​ed | \ ˈkän-və-ˌlü-təd \

1 : having convolutions ("a ram with convoluted horns") 2 : INVOLVED, INTRICATE ("a convoluted argument") ("its convoluted narrative encompasses all manner of digressions") ("They are pictures of convoluted tree trunks on an island of pink wave-smoothed stone ...") ("To therapists, stepfamilies may present convoluted psychological dilemmas ...") ("a convoluted explanation that left the listeners even more confused than they were before") ("At base stands a profound respect for the integrity of history and the complex and convoluted relationship between present and the past.")

scrupulous adjective scru·​pu·​lous | \ ˈskrü-pyə-ləs \

1 : having moral integrity : acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper 2 : punctiliously exact : PAINSTAKING working with scrupulous care ("the research has been carried out with scrupulous attention to detail") ("she's too scrupulous to have an affair with a married man") (" She was always scrupulous about her work. ("The work requires scrupulous attention to detail.") ("Less scrupulous companies find ways to evade the law.")

erratic adjective er·​rat·​ic | \ i-ˈra-tik \ (Other Words from erratic: Adjective erratical \ i-​ˈra-​ti-​kəl \ adjective erratically \ i-​ˈra-​ti-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb erraticism \ i-​ˈra-​tə-​ˌsi-​zəm \ noun)

1 : having no fixed course : WANDERING ("an erratic comet") 2 [a] : characterized by lack of consistency, regularity, or uniformity ("erratic dieting") ("keeps erratic hours") [b] : deviating from what is ordinary or standard : ECCENTRIC ("an erratic genius") Simplified: : acting, moving, or changing in ways that are not expected or usual : not consistent or regular ("her breathing was erratic") ("so far your effort to land a summer job has been very erratic") ("because of your erratic attendance at practice, you're in danger of being cut from the team") ("My sinker has been my most erratic pitch. And when your foundation pitch is lacking, you have to go to other pitches. My sinker has been in and out, but mostly out.") ("Since the last update in 2015, there have been erratic changes that have surprised researchers.")

predominant adjective pre·​dom·​i·​nant | \ pri-ˈdä-mə-nənt , -ˈdäm-nənt\

1 : having superior strength, influence, or authority : PREVAILING 2 : being most frequent or common (" Religion is the predominant theme of the play.") ("She is predominant among new writers.")

preponderant adjective pre·​pon·​der·​ant | \ pri-ˈpän-d(ə-)rənt \

1 : having superior weight, force, or influence 2 : having greater prevalence ("In Britain, England was always the preponderant partner.") ("Trump's defenders correctly note that polls show a preponderant majority of Republicans approve of his job performance.")

pernicious adjective per·​ni·​cious | \ pər-ˈni-shəs \

1 : highly injurious or destructive : DEADLY (" More pernicious still has been the acceptance of the author's controversial ideas by the general public.") ("the pernicious effects of jealousy") ("She thinks television has a pernicious influence on our children.")

injurious adjective in·​ju·​ri·​ous | \ in-ˈju̇r-ē-əs \

1 : inflicting or tending to inflict injury : DETRIMENTAL ("injurious to health") 2 : ABUSIVE, DEFAMATORY ("speak not injurious words") ("high temperature is injurious to mangoes") (" The decision has had an injurious effect.") ("inaccurate news reports are injurious to the public's faith in the media")

fervor noun fer·​vor | \ ˈfər-vər \

1 : intensity of feeling or expression booing and cheering with almost equal fervor — Alan Rich ("revolutionary fervor") 2 : intense heat ("he talked with all the fervor of a new convert") ("The fervor surrounding her campaign continued right through election day.") ("The novel captures the revolutionary fervor of the period.") ("Reciting, her voice took on resonance and firmness, it rang with the old fervor, with ferocity even.") ("In her renewed fervor, Norma fears that the past decade has turned women inward, away from one another, and away, too, from the notion that solidarity among women is ultimately a source of personal strength.")

tautological adjective tau·​to·​log·​i·​cal | \ ˌtȯ-tə-ˈlä-ji-kəl \

1 : involving or containing rhetorical tautology : REDUNDANT 2 : true by virtue of its logical form alone (""It was visible to the eye," is a very tautological statement") ("But his reputation is a tautological loop — and one that has proven difficult to escape.") ("That statement may sound tautological on the surface.") ("There are countless claims like these, almost all of them unsubstantiated, tautological or otherwise self-serving.")

onerous adjective oner·​ous | \ ˈä-nə-rəs , ˈō- \ (Other Words from onerous: onerously adverb onerousness noun)

1 : involving, imposing, or constituting a burden : TROUBLESOME ("an onerous task") ("onerous regulations") ("an onerous mortgage") 2 : having legal obligations that outweigh the advantages ("an onerous contract") ("he found his duties increasingly onerous") ("The government imposed onerous taxes on imports.") ("had the onerous and stressful job of notifying the families of soldiers killed in action") ("As such, mandatory cybersecurity requirements could be inadequate for some sectors and needlessly onerous for others.") ("The lawsuit sought compensation for what Greenberg's lawyers said were onerous bailout terms that gave the government 80 percent of AIG's equity.")

inept adjective in·​ept | \ i-ˈnept \ (Other Words from inept: ineptly \ i-​ˈnep(t)-​lē \ adverb ineptness \ i-​ˈnept-​nəs \ noun)

1 : lacking in fitness or aptitude : UNFIT inept at sports 2 : lacking sense or reason : FOOLISH 3 : not suitable to the time, place, or occasion : inappropriate often to an absurd degree an inept metaphor 4 : generally incompetent : BUNGLING inept leadership ("the inept handling of the threat") ("Not only does the post have a narrow mandate, covering such sexy subjects as nuclear waste and solar energy, but the secretary presides over the most inept bureaucrats in the land.") ("The real hackers have an understanding of technology at a basic level. ... The rest are talentless poseurs and hangers-on, either completely inept or basic criminals.") ("He was completely inept at sports.") ("He made an inept attempt to apologize.")

contentious adjective con·​ten·​tious | \ kən-ˈten(t)-shəs \

1 : likely to cause disagreement or argument ("a contentious issue") 2 : exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes ("a man of a most contentious nature") ("After a contentious debate, members of the committee finally voted to approve the funding.") ("The dispute involves one of the region's most contentious leaders.")

sanguine adjective san·​guine | \ ˈsaŋ-gwən \

1 : marked by eager hopefulness : confidently optimistic ("In the month of August 1994, Democrats remained sanguine about their chances at the polls ...") ("A lot of attention also is being devoted to the development of vaccines to prevent genital herpes, although not everyone is sanguine about the outcome.") (" She has a sanguine disposition.") ("He is sanguine about the company's future.")

orotund adjective oro·​tund | \ ˈȯr-ə-ˌtənd , ˈär-\ (Other Words from orotund: orotundity \ ˌȯr-​ə-​ˈtən-​də-​tē , ˌär-​ \ noun

1 : marked by fullness, strength, and clarity of sound : SONOROUS ("an orotund voice") 2 : POMPOUS, BOMBASTIC ("an orotund speech") ("Halliwell's orotund voice") ("the tenor's orotund voice was just what this soaring aria needs") ("a master of the orotund prose that is favored by academic journals of literary criticism")

crude adjective \ ˈkrüd \ cruder; crudest (Other Words from crude: Adjective crudely adverb crudeness noun)

1 : marked by the primitive, gross, or elemental or by uncultivated simplicity or vulgarity ("a crude stereotype") ("crude tools") ("crude jokes") 2 : existing in a natural state and unaltered by cooking or processing ("crude oil") ("crude ore") ("crude protein") ("a relatively crude nuclear weapon")

tumultuous adjective tu·​mul·​tu·​ous | \ tu̇-ˈməl-chə-wəs , tyu̇-, tə-, -chəs; -ˈməlch-wəs\

1 : marked by tumult : loud, excited, and emotional ("tumultuous applause") 2 : tending or disposed to cause or incite a tumult ("the laws ... were violated by a tumultuous faction") 3 : marked by violent or overwhelming turbulence or upheaval ("tumultuous passions") ("tumultuous applause") (" The returning astronauts were given a ("tumultuous welcome.") ("The room filled with tumultuous applause.")

ignominious adjective ig·​no·​min·​i·​ous | \ ˌig-nə-ˈmi-nē-əs \

1 : marked with or characterized by disgrace or shame : DISHONORABLE 2 : deserving of shame or infamy : DESPICABLE 3 : HUMILIATING, DEGRADING ("an ignominious defeat") (" some of his friends considered the job of janitor to be an ignominious fate for the laid-off executive") ("the prison guards degraded themselves with their inhumane, ignominious treatment of the prisoners")

disparate adjective dis·​pa·​rate | \ ˈdis-p(ə-)rət , di-ˈsper-ət, -ˈspa-rət \

1 : markedly distinct in quality or character 2 : containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements Simplified: different from each other (" disparate notions among adults and adolescents about when middle age begins") ("The disparate death tolls could not be immediately reconciled.")

ensconce verb en·​sconce | \ in-ˈskän(t)s \ ensconced; ensconcing

1 : to firmly place or hide (someone or something) ("ensconced themselves within the protection of three great elms") 2 : ESTABLISH, SETTLE ("ensconced in a new job") (" The sculpture is safely ensconced behind glass.") ("He ensconced himself in front of the television.")

disinterested

adjective: unbiased; neutral The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of disinterested members.

tepid adjective tep·​id | \ ˈte-pəd \ (Other Words from tepid: tepidity \ tə-​ˈpi-​də-​tē , te-​ \ noun tepidly \ ˈte-​pəd-​lē \ adverb tepidness noun)

1 : moderately warm : LUKEWARM ("a tepid bath") 2 [a] : lacking in passion, force, or zest ("tepid poetry") [b] : marked by an absence of enthusiasm or conviction ("a tepid interest") ("a tepid response") ("she soaked a flannel in the tepid water") ("the applause was tepid") ("He gave a tepid performance.") ("My suggestion was given a tepid response.") ("Sony was largely silent on the matter, before issuing a very tepid statement.")

salient adjective sa·​lient | \ ˈsā-lyənt , -lē-ənt\

1 : moving by leaps or springs : JUMPING 2 : jetting upward ("a salient fountain") 3 [a] : projecting beyond a line, surface, or level [b] : standing out conspicuously : PROMINENT especially : of notable significance ("similar to ... Prohibition, but there are a couple of salient differences") ("Then there were those who doubted the need for radio in the first place, since the telegraph was already ubiquitous. Marconi's salient achievement was to realize that radio waves could be transmitted across vast distances, an incalculable step forward in mass communications.") ("A 2002 study conducted at the University of Illinois by Diener and Seligman found that the most salient characteristics shared by the 10% of students with the highest levels of happiness and the fewest signs of depression were their strong ties to friends and family and commitment to spending time with them.")

pensive adjective pen·​sive | \ ˈpen(t)-siv \ (Other Words from pensive: pensively adverb pensiveness noun)

1 : musingly or dreamily thoughtful ("a pensive young poet") 2 : suggestive of sad thoughtfulness ("her face had the pensive mournfulness of a seraph in an old sad painting") ("The child sat by himself, looking pensive.") ("rainy days often put her in a pensive mood") ("We take in the synchronized swimming of sardines and the pensive patrol of a leopard shark.") ("the combination of national crisis and imminent electoral victory creates an atmosphere at once pensive and elated.")

gratuitous adjective gra·​tu·​i·​tous | \ grə-ˈtü-ə-təs , -ˈtyü-\ (Other Words from gratuitous: gratuitously adverb gratuitousness noun)

1 : not called for by the circumstances : not necessary, appropriate, or justified : UNWARRANTED ("a gratuitous insult") ("a gratuitous assumption") ("a movie criticized for gratuitous violence") 2 [a] : given unearned or without recompense ("We mistake the gratuitous blessings of Heaven for the fruits of our own industry." [b] : costing nothing : FREE ("It was printed in France at the author's expense, for gratuitous distribution to educators and others.") ("gratuitous violence") ("The film was criticized for its gratuitous violence.") ("they will throw in a gratuitous box of chocolates when you spend $30 or more in their shop") ("Yet television's recent history is bloated with gratuitous rape sequences written and directed by men.") ("There might be a case for avoiding contaminating the American flag with the emblem of an odious regime if it is done for purely gratuitous reasons.")

exorbitant adjective ex·​or·​bi·​tant | \ ig-ˈzȯr-bə-tənt \

1 : not coming within the scope of the law (BEYOND ORBIT) 2 : exceeding the customary or appropriate limits in intensity, quality, amount, or size ("the exorbitant price of tickets") (" They were charged exorbitant rates for phone calls.") ("the cost of our stay was so exorbitant you would have thought that we had bought the hotel and not just spent a few nights there")

tentative adjective ten·​ta·​tive | \ ˈten-tə-tiv \

1 : not fully worked out or developed ("tentative plans") 2 : HESITANT, UNCERTAIN ("a tentative smile") ("he eventually tried a few tentative steps round his hospital room") ("Clearly the President was chastened by the sorrow and resentment of the people to whom he spoke, but his words were somehow tentative and contingent, as if they could be withdrawn on a month's notice.") ("the baby's first tentative steps") ("We have tentative plans for the weekend.") ("Wright said the project, which began in late February with progress made each Saturday, should be completed by a tentative date of May 28.")

impotent adjective im·​po·​tent | \ ˈim-pə-tənt \

1 : not potent : lacking in power, strength, or vigor : HELPLESS (" an impotent ruler who was just a figurehead") ("Meanwhile, the story of Tuesday and the story of Group D has been Argentina's implosion, and what very well may be a very brief and impotent World Cup farewell for Messi.")

Machiavellian adjective Ma·​chi·​a·​vel·​lian | \ ˌma-kē-ə-ˈve-lē-ən , -ˈvel-yən\

1 : of or relating to Machiavelli or Machiavellianism 2 : suggesting the principles of conduct laid down by Machiavelli specifically : marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith ("He relied on Machiavellian tactics to get elected.") Simplified: : using clever lies and tricks in order to get or achieve something : clever and dishonest (" a Machiavellian battle for control of the company") ("yet another tale of a power-mad dictator with a Machiavellian plan to take over the world")

ultramontane adjective ul·​tra·​mon·​tane | \ ˌəl-trə-ˈ

1 : of or relating to countries or peoples beyond the mountains (such as the Alps) 2 : favoring greater or absolute supremacy of papal(PAPAL - relating to a pope or to the papacy) over national or diocesan authority in the Roman Catholic Church

acolyte noun ac·​o·​lyte | \ ˈa-kə-ˌlīt , -kō-\

1 : one who assists a member of the clergy in a liturgical service by performing minor duties 2 : one who attends or assists a leader : FOLLOWER ("The mayor dined with a few of his acolytes.") Simplified Defintion: formal : someone who follows and admires a leader ("she runs the department through a small group of acolytes") ("a popular professor dining with a few of her acolytes") ("a highly influential economist whose acolytes can be found at many major universities") ("Then there's Peter Bogdanovich, who plays a Hannaford acolyte who's become more successful than his mentor.") ("Then-Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley is also a Carroll acolyte.")

idyllic adjective idyl·​lic | \ ī-ˈdi-lik , chiefly British i-\

1 : pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity (" He had an idyllic childhood.") ("an idyllic retreat in the countryside")

hegemony noun he·​ge·​mo·​ny | \ hi-ˈje-mə-nē , -ˈge-; ˈhe-jə-ˌmō-nē \

1 : preponderant influence or authority over others : DOMINATION ("battled for hegemony in Asia") 2 : the social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group (" They discussed the national government's hegemony over their tribal community.") ("European intellectuals have long debated the consequences of the hegemony of American popular culture around the world.")

exogenous adjective ex·​og·​e·​nous | \ ek-ˈsä-jə-nəs \

1 : produced by growth from superficial tissue ("exogenous roots produced by leaves") 2 [a] : caused by factors (such as food or a traumatic factor) or an agent (such as a disease-producing organism) from outside the organism or system ("exogenous obesity") ("exogenous psychic depression") ("exogenous market fluctuations") [b] : introduced from or produced outside the organism or system specifically : not synthesized within the organism or system ("Several exogenous factors are also helping to keep the flow of oil in check for now, notes Roy Martin of Wood Mackenzie, an energy consultancy.") ("In part due to exogenous reasons that have to do with communication.")

credulous adjective cred·​u·​lous | \ ˈkre-jə-ləs \

1 : ready to believe especially on slight or uncertain evidence ("accused of swindling credulous investors") ("Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.") 2 : proceeding from credulity credulous superstitions ("a ceremony staged for credulous tourists") ("Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.") ("Few people are credulous enough to believe such nonsense.") ("In short, between this and other recent conduct, the threat demonstrates that anti-Trump vigor -- like pro-Trump vigor -- is not a good reason to put credulous trust in someone.") ("The most skeptical assumptions about Trump somehow proved too credulous.")

lustrous adjective lus·​trous | \ ˈlə-strəs \

1 : reflecting light evenly and efficiently without glitter or sparkle ("a lustrous satin") ("the lustrous glow of an opal") 2 : radiant in character or reputation : ILLUSTRIOUS ("set a lustrous example for others to follow") ("the lustrous finish on the satin bedspread adds to the feeling of luxury") ("lustrous silver jewelry adorned her neck")

prospective adjective pro·​spec·​tive | \ prə-ˈspek-tiv also ˈprä-ˌspek- , prō-ˈspek-, prä-ˈspek-\

1 : relating to or effective in the future 2 [a] : likely to come about : EXPECTED ("the prospective benefits of this law") [b] : likely to be or become ("a prospective mother") ("she showed a prospective buyer around the house") ("All of these arguments were prospective, all anticipated the role that public opinion would play in future constitutional disputes.") ("All too often in the post-Vietnam past—the first Gulf War, for example—the default position of the Democratic Party has been to assume that any prospective use of U.S. military power would be immoral.") ("In 2005 [Jerry] Colangelo arranged face-to-face sit-downs with every prospective national team player, to hear in their own words why they wanted to represent their country.") ("Current and prospective students must fill it out annually to get loans, grants and other forms of federal student aid.")

dearth noun \ ˈdərth \

1 : scarcity that makes dear specifically : FAMINE 2 : an inadequate supply : LACK ("a dearth of evidence") (" there was a dearth of usable firewood at the campsite") ("the dearth of salesclerks at the shoe store annoyed us")

quagmire noun quag·​mire | \ ˈkwag-ˌmī(-ə)r , ˈkwäg- \

1 : soft miry land that shakes or yields under the foot 2 : a difficult, precarious, or entrapping position : PREDICAMENT Simplified: : an area of soft, wet ground : a situation that is hard to deal with or get out of : a situation that is full of problems ("We'd all like to avoid the kind of military quagmire characterized by the Vietnam War.") ("the party was once again facing its quadrennial quagmire: the candidate sufficiently liberal to win the nomination would be too liberal for the general election") ("a protracted custody dispute that became a judicial quagmire") ("State involvement will create a vast bioethical quagmire. Even if everyone magically agrees that improving a child's memory is as valid as avoiding dyslexia, there will still be things taxpayers aren't ready to pay for—genes of unproven benefit, say, or alterations whose downsides may exceed the upside.")

vitriol noun vit·​ri·​ol | \ ˈvi-trē-əl \ (Other Words from vitriol vitriolic \ ˌvi-​trē-​ˈä-​lik \ adjective)

1 : something felt to resemble vitriol especially in caustic quality especially : virulence of feeling or of speech Simplified: harsh and angry words

trifle noun tri·​fle | \ ˈtrī-fəl \

1 : something of little value, substance, or importance a trifle : to some small degree : SLIGHTLY ("a trifle annoyed") (" There's no reason to argue over such trifles.") ("The money is a mere trifle to me.")

expedient adjective ex·​pe·​di·​ent | \ ik-ˈspē-dē-ənt \

1 : suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance 2 : characterized by concern with what is opportune especially : governed by self-interest Simplified: (of an action) convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral. (" They found it expedient to negotiate with the terrorists.") ("Do the right thing, not the expedient thing.")

axiomatic adjective ax·​i·​om·​at·​ic | \ ˌak-sē-ə-ˈma-tik \

1 : taken for granted : SELF-EVIDENT ("an axiomatic truth") 2 : based on or involving an axiom or system of axioms ("axiomatic set theory") Simplified: obviously true ("It is axiomatic that good athletes have a strong mental attitude.") ("it's axiomatic that the instinct for self-preservation is universal throughout the animal kingdom") ("But the interpretation of that axiomatic truth often reflects deep confusion about teachers and their profession.")

fractious adjective frac·​tious | \ ˈfrak-shəs \

1 : tending to be troublesome : UNRULY ("a fractious crowd") 2 : QUARRELSOME, IRRITABLE ("a fractious political campaign") (" The fractious crowd grew violent.") ("But in fractious Europe, how long do policymakers have?")

allegation noun al·​le·​ga·​tion | \ ˌa-li-ˈgā-shən \

1 : the act of alleging something 2 : a positive assertion especially of misconduct Some former colleagues have made serious allegations against him. specifically : a statement by a party to a legal action of what the party undertakes to prove 3 : an assertion unsupported and by implication regarded as unsupportable ("he made allegations of corruption against the administration") ("The police are investigating allegations that the mayor has accepted bribes.") ("There have been allegations of fraud in the city government.")

soliloquy noun so·​lil·​o·​quy | \ sə-ˈli-lə-kwē \ plural soliloquies

1 : the act of talking to oneself 2 : a poem, discourse, or utterance of a character in a drama that has the form of a monologue or gives the illusion of being a series of unspoken reflections ("But if it is hard for the theatergoer to catch all the meanings in Macbeth's rippling soliloquies, then how much harder is that task when Shakespeare seems unable or unwilling to unpack his obscurities.") ("And then there was Councilman Curtis Jones Jr., who went on a long soliloquy about McDonald's.")

inference noun in·​fer·​ence | \ ˈin-f(ə-)rən(t)s , -fərn(t)s\

1 : the act or process of inferring (see INFER): such as [a] : the act of passing from one proposition, statement, or judgment considered as true to another whose truth is believed to follow from that of the former [b] : the act of passing from statistical sample data to generalizations (as of the value of population parameters) usually with calculated degrees of certainty 2 : something that is inferred especially : a conclusion or opinion that is formed because of known facts or evidence ("his emphasis on order and health, and by inference cleanliness") (" Its existence is only known by inference.") ("The program uses records of past purchases to make inferences about what customers will buy in the future.") ("What inference can we draw from these facts?")

enumeration noun enu·​mer·​a·​tion | \ i-ˌn(y)ü-mə-ˈrā-shən \ plural enumerations

1 : the act or process of making or stating a list of things one after another ("the rebel leader's effective enumeration of popular grievances") also : the list itself ("The restaurant creates an astonishing range of preserved products ... Here's a partial enumeration from Rodgers ... : anchovies; jams; pickled cherries; brandied grapes...") 2 : the act or process of counting something or a count made of something ("In fact, the idea of the census as a head count may be out of date; it may be more efficient and cost-effective to replace enumeration with statistical sampling.") ("the complete enumeration of all possible genetic states")

misnomer noun mis·​no·​mer | \ ˌmis-ˈnō-mər \

1 : the misnaming of a person in a legal instrument 2 [a] : a use of a wrong or inappropriate name ("Nowadays it is a misnomer to call a farmer a peasant.") [b] : a wrong name or inappropriate designation ("The name "Greenland" is a misnomer, since much of the island is covered by a massive ice sheet.") Simplified: : a name that is wrong or not proper or appropriate (""International Airport" is something of a misnomer, since almost all the arriving and departing flights are local.") ("Categorizing excess as toxins, Dr. Mysore says, is a misnomer.")

aviation noun, often attributive avi·​a·​tion | \ ˌā-vē-ˈā-shən , ˌa-\

1 : the operation of aircraft ("a pioneer in the early days of aviation") ("a career in aviation") sometimes, specifically : the operation of heavier-than-air aircraft ("... the basic division of human flight into aviation (heavier-than-air flight) with its aviators, and aerostation (lighter-than-air flight) with its aeronauts.") 2 : military airplanes ("carrier-based aviation") 3 : airplane manufacture, development, and design ("By that time, [Theodore P.] Wright already had established himself as a leading figure in American aviation.") ("Aviation is unequivocally the most fascinating part about being in the air force".)

immensity noun im·​men·​si·​ty | \ i-ˈmen(t)-sə-tē \ plural immensities

1 : the quality or state of being immense 2 : something immense : extremely great size (" the immensity of the universe") ("She couldn't understand the immensity of their problem.")

bewilderment noun be·​wil·​der·​ment | \ bi-ˈwil-dər-mənt , bē-\

1 : the quality or state of being lost, perplexed, or confused : the quality or state of being bewildered ("She stared at them in bewilderment.") 2 : a complicated or confusing state or condition : a bewildering tangle or confusion ("a bewilderment of streets")

tedium noun te·​di·​um | \ ˈtē-dē-əm \

1 : the quality or state of being tedious : TEDIOUSNESS also : BOREDOM 2 : a tedious period of time (" The movie was three hours of tedium.") ("I took a day off to relieve the tedium of work.")

emolument noun emol·​u·​ment | \ i-ˈmäl-yə-mənt \

1 : the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites Simplified: : fee, salary ("I was paid a bi-weekly emolument for my services") (" the annual emolument for the director of the charity is officially only one dollar") ("The foreign emoluments clause of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the right to grant or deny the president permission to accept benefits from foreign governments.") ("Trump hasn't conceded the revenue amounts to an emolument and that's an issue that still has to be settled.") ("One clause bars federal officers from taking gifts, or emoluments, from foreign governments.")

jurisprudence noun ju·​ris·​pru·​dence | \ ˌju̇r-əs-ˈprü-dᵊn(t)s \

1 : the science or philosophy of law ("they have no theories of jurisprudence but ... decide each case on its facts") 2 [a] : a system or body of law ("Roman jurisprudence") ("labor jurisprudence") [b] : the course of court decisions as distinguished from legislation and doctrine ("a tendency that has become apparent in the jurisprudence of the American courts") — Bernard Schwartz 3 : a department of law ("medical jurisprudence")

incense verb (2) in·​cense | \ in-ˈsen(t)s \ incensed; incensing

1 : to arouse the extreme anger or indignation of 2 : to apply or offer incense to 3: to perfume with incense ("I incensed my dog") ("The racist women incensed the POC")

perturb verb per·​turb | \ pər-ˈtərb \ perturbed; perturbing; perturbs

1 : to cause to be worried or upset : DISQUIET 2 : to throw into confusion : DISORDER 3 : to cause to experience a perturbation Simplified: to disturb or disquiet greatly in mind; agitate. to throw into great disorder; derange. (" It perturbed him that his son was thinking about leaving school.") ("the caller's strange remark perturbed me enough to keep me awake that night")

transpire verb tran·​spire | \ tran(t)-ˈspī(-ə)r \ transpired; transpiring

1 : to come to pass : HAPPEN Important events transpired that day. 2 : to become known or apparent It transpired that they had met before. (" No one will soon forget the historic events that transpired on that day.")

disparage verb dis·​par·​age | \ di-ˈsper-ij , -ˈspa-rij\ disparaged; disparaging

1 : to depreciate (see DEPRECIATE sense 1) by indirect means (such as invidious comparison) : speak slightingly about : BELITTLE ("religious beliefs disparaged as superstition") ("Voters don't like political advertisements in which opponents disparage one another.") ("It's a mistake to disparage their achievements.") ("The article disparaged polo as a game for the wealthy.")

desiccate verb des·​ic·​cate | \ ˈde-si-ˌkāt \ desiccated; desiccating

1 : to dry up ("the desiccated land") 2 : to preserve (a food) by drying : DEHYDRATE ("desiccated coconut") 3 : to drain of emotional or intellectual vitality ("... a charming little romance ... not desiccated and compressed within the pages of a book")

prevail verb pre·​vail | \ pri-ˈvāl \ prevailed; prevailing; prevails

1 : to gain ascendancy through strength or superiority : TRIUMPH 2 : to be or become effective or effectual 3 : to use persuasion successfully ("prevailed on him to sing") 4 : to be frequent : PREDOMINATE ("the west winds that prevail in the mountains") ("it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion") (" Mutual respect prevails among students and teachers here.") ("The house was built in the style that prevailed in the 1980s.")

jettison verb jet·​ti·​son | \ ˈje-tə-sən , -zən\ jettisoned; jettisoning; jettisons (Other Words from jettison: Verb jettisonable \ ˈje-​tə-​sə-​nə-​bəl , -​zə-​ \ adjective)

1 : to get rid of as superfluous or encumbering : omit or forgo as part of a plan or as the result of some other decision ("must be prepared to jettison many romantic notions") 2 : to drop (cargo) to lighten a ship's load in time of distress 3 : to drop from an aircraft or spacecraft in flight ("six aircraft jettisoned their loads in the sea") ("The captain gave orders to jettison the cargo.") ("They jettisoned the fuel and made an emergency landing.") ("We should jettison these old computers and get new ones.") ("They jettisoned plans for a vacation.") ("It was finally jettisoned in early 2018, but the damage to trust has been massive and will take years to repair.")

entail verb en·​tail | \ in-ˈtāl , en-\ entailed; entailing; entails

1 : to impose, involve, or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result ("the project will entail considerable expense") ("a situation that entails considerable risks") (" He accepted the responsibility, with all that it entails.") ("a lavish wedding entails extensive planning and often staggering expense")

consolidate verb con·​sol·​i·​date | \ kən-ˈsä-lə-ˌdāt \

1 : to join together into one whole : UNITE ("consolidate several small school districts") 2 : to make firm or secure : STRENGTHEN ("consolidate their hold on first place") ("He consolidated his position as head of the political party.") 3 : to form into a compact mass ("The press consolidates the fibers into board.") intransitive verb : to become consolidated specifically : MERGE ("The two companies consolidated.") ("the permanent consolidation of peace") ("The two funds will consolidate into one.") ("The administration hopes that such measures will consolidate its position.") ("Rebel forces have consolidated their hold on the region.")

tout verb \ ˈtau̇t , in sense 1 also ˈtüt \ touted; touting; touts

1 : to make much of : PROMOTE, TALK UP ("touted as the summer's blockbuster movie") ("the college's much touted women's studies program") 2 : to solicit, peddle, or persuade importunately not meant to tout you off the movie (" The company is running advertisements touting the drug's effectiveness.") ("The company's stock is being touted by many financial advisers.") ("People were touting tickets outside the stadium.")

absolve verb ab·​solve | \ əb-ˈzälv , -ˈsälv, -ˈzȯlv, -ˈsȯlv also without l \ absolved; absolving

1 : to set (someone) free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt ("The jury absolved the defendants of their crimes.") ("Her youth does not absolve her of responsibility for her actions.") 2 : to pardon or forgive (a sin) : to remit (a sin) by absolution asked the priest to absolve his sins ("the pardon absolved them of any crimes") ("no amount of remorse will absolve shoplifters who are caught, and all cases will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law") ("By absolving people of the responsibility for deciding when to cash in their savings, RMDs can serve as prescriptions for spending more than our mental barriers would otherwise allow.")

estivate verb es·​ti·​vate | \ ˈe-stə-ˌvāt \ variants: or less commonly aestivate estivated; estivating

1 : to spend the summer usually at one place 2 : to pass the summer in a state of torpor — compare HIBERNATE

avert verb \ ə-ˈvərt \ averted; averting; averts

1 : to turn away or aside (the eyes, one's gaze, etc.) in avoidance ("I found the sight so grotesque that I had to avert my eyes ...") 2 : to see coming and ward off : AVOID ("avert disaster") ("talks failed to avert a rail strike") (" He sped up and averted an accident.") ("The diplomatic talks narrowly averted a war.") ("an attempt to avert a strike at the plant")

vacillate verb vac·​il·​late | \ ˈva-sə-ˌlāt \ vacillated; vacillating

1 : to waver in mind, will, or feeling : hesitate in choice of opinions or courses 2 [a] : to sway through lack of equilibrium [b] : FLUCTUATE, OSCILLATE (" She has vacillated on this issue.") ("vacillated for so long that someone else stepped in and made the decision")

aggrieved adjective ag·​grieved | \ ə-ˈgrēvd \

1 : troubled or distressed in spirit 2 [a] : suffering from an infringement or denial of legal rights ("aggrieved minority groups") [b] : showing or expressing grief, injury, or offense ("an aggrieved plea") ("they were aggrieved at the outcome") ("But this grand alignment of the aggrieved has been moving from the realm of the hypothetical...") ("He felt aggrieved by their refusal to meet with him.") ("The aggrieved party may cancel the contract.")

dubious adjective du·​bi·​ous | \ ˈdü-bē-əs also dyü- \ (Other Words from dubious: dubiously adverb dubiousness noun)

1 : unsettled in opinion : DOUBTFUL ("I was dubious about the plan.") 2 : giving rise to uncertainty: such as [a] : of doubtful promise or outcome ("a dubious plan") [b] : questionable or suspect as to true nature or quality ("the practice is of dubious legality") ("extremely dubious assumptions") ("He made the highly dubious claim that Elvis is still alive and living in Hawaii.") ("a man of dubious character") ("The recent rumbles and ruptures in the financial markets are finally making people reassess the dubious systems of credit that have arisen in the past few years.") ("President Trump has also recently charged the company with dubious claims of bias against conservatives.")

incredulous adjective in·​cred·​u·​lous | \ (ˌ)in-ˈkre-jə-ləs , -dyə-ləs\

1 : unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true : not credulous : SKEPTICAL ("Opposition lawmakers were incredulous at the position Poland was in.") (" She listened to his explanation with an incredulous smile.") ("He was incredulous at the news.") ("Many people were incredulous that such a small fire could have caused so much damage.")

monotonous adjective mo·​not·​o·​nous | \ mə-ˈnä-tə-nəs , -ˈnät-nəs\

1 : uttered or sounded in one unvarying tone : marked by a sameness of pitch and intensity 2 : tediously uniform or unvarying ("The crickets stridulated their everlasting monotonous meaningful note.") ("the lecturer's monotonous delivery threatened to put us to sleep")

apprehensive adjective ap·​pre·​hen·​sive | \ ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv \ (Other Words from apprehensive apprehensively adverb apprehensiveness noun)

1 : viewing the future with anxiety or alarm : feeling or showing fear or apprehension about the future ("... many adults who do not think twice about the risks of driving an automobile are apprehensive about flying.") 2 : capable of understanding or quick to do so : DISCERNING 3 : having awareness or knowledge of something : COGNIZANT ("he felt apprehensive about going home") ("I'm fully apprehensive of the options, I assure you.") ("While Juror wrote in Vanity Fair that many were still apprehensive, the overall response was positive.") ("But many immigrants were increasingly apprehensive.") ("After 50 years in government service, James Clapper is more apprehensive about the future of the country than ever before.")

hermetic adjective her·​met·​ic | \ (ˌ)hər-ˈme-tik \ variants: or less commonly hermetical \ (ˌ)hər-​ˈme-​ti-​kəl \

1 often capitalized [a] : of or relating to the mystical and alchemical writings or teachings arising in the first three centuries a.d. and attributed to Hermes Trismegistus [b] : relating to or characterized by subjects that are mysterious and difficult to understand : relating to or characterized by occultism or abstruseness : RECONDITE ("a hermetic discussion") (" wrote hermetic poetry whose sole intended readership was himself") ("As president of the Korean friendship association, Mr. Quennedey has traveled to the hermetic nation multiple times.")

evanescent adjective ev·​a·​nes·​cent | \ ˌe-və-ˈne-sᵊnt \

: tending to vanish like vapor ("beauty that is as evanescent as a rainbow") ("Even the body, Ms. Tokarczuk suggests, is an uncertain, evanescent thing.")

frigate noun frig·​ate | \ ˈfri-gət \

: a small and fast military ship ("Detoyato said the frigate had minimal hull damage and its engine was running.") ("The frigate, which was being towed back to a Philippine port, ran aground during a routine patrol, damaging some of its propellers.")

apoplectic adjective ap·​o·​plec·​tic | \ ˌa-pə-ˈplek-tik \

2 [a] : of a kind to cause or apparently cause stroke ("an apoplectic rage") [b] : extremely enraged ("was apoplectic over the news") ("Mark was apoplectic with rage at the decision") (" She was positively apoplectic with anger when she realized she had been cheated.") ("the coach was so apoplectic when the player missed the free throw that he threw his clipboard onto the court")

capitulate verb ca·​pit·​u·​late | \ kə-ˈpi-chə-ˌlāt \ capitulated; capitulating

2 [a] : to surrender often after negotiation of terms ("The enemy was forced to capitulate unconditionally.") [b] : to cease resisting : ACQUIESCE ("The company capitulated to the labor union to avoid a strike.") ("the patriots had to capitulate to the enemy forces") (" The country still refuses to capitulate despite its weakening army and dwindling resources.") ("The teacher refused to capitulate: no calculators were to be used during the exam.")

grievance noun griev·​ance | \ ˈgrē-vən(t)s \

2 : a cause of distress (such as an unsatisfactory working condition) felt to afford reason for complaint or resistance ("Her chief grievance was the sexual harassment by her boss.") 3 : the formal expression of a grievance : COMPLAINT ("filed a grievance against her employer") ("failure to redress genuine grievances") ("He has a deep sense of grievance against his former employer.") ("She has been nursing a grievance all week.") ("In the petition, the students listed their many grievances against the university administration.") ("Several customers came to the front desk to air their grievances.")

pundit noun pun·​dit | \ ˈpən-dət \

2 : a learned person : TEACHER 3 : a person who gives opinions in an authoritative manner usually through the mass media : CRITIC Simplified: : a person who knows a lot about a particular subject and who expresses ideas and opinions about that subject publicly (such as by speaking on television and radio shows) (" a moral question that has puzzled the pundits throughout the ages") ("the new mini laptop has gotten a thumbs-up from industry pundits") ("But pundits expect Democrats to make an issue of it as the 2020 presidential election nears.")

diminutive adjective

2 : exceptionally or notably small : TINY a diminutive performer (" a radio with a diminutive set of speakers") ("In their place will be a diminutive group that hides from us.")

roughshod adjective rough·​shod | \ ˈrəf-ˌshäd \

2 : marked by tyrannical force ("roughshod rule") ("Originally a competitor to the roughshod Jeep CJ, the Ford Bronco spat mud for three decades from 1966 to 1996, when the infamous O.J. Simpson chase hastened its end.") ("It is borne of frustration and a lack of results after abiding by the norms of political discourse while Trump and his allies run roughshod over all the old rules.")

patronage noun pa·​tron·​age | \ ˈpa-trə-nij , ˈpā- \

2 : the support or influence of a patron ("the patronage of science by universities") 3 : kindness done with an air of superiority ("The prince deigned to bestow his patronage on the composer.") Simplified: : money and support that is given to an artist, organization, etc. chiefly US, somewhat formal : support that is given to a business, library, etc., by buying its goods or using its services ("the arts could no longer depend on private patronage") ("The college relied on the patronage of its wealthy graduates to expand its funds.") ("They thanked her for her patronage of the new hospital.") ("The city should do more to encourage patronage of local businesses.") ("a system of political patronage")

invoke verb in·​voke | \ in-ˈvōk \ invoked; invoking

2 : to call forth by incantation : CONJURE 3 : to make an earnest request for : SOLICIT 4 : to put into effect or operation : IMPLEMENT 5 : BRING ABOUT, CAUSE ("she invoked his help against this attack") ("Nietzsche is so complex that he can be invoked in support of many outlooks, some of them brutal or nihilistic.") ("There are some people who commit murder as a way of invoking the death penalty. Capital punishment can sometimes, then, be equivalent to suicide.")

curb verb curbed; curbing; curbs

2 : to check or control with or as if with a curb ("trying to curb her curiosity") (" The legislation is intended to curb price and wage increases.") ("pills designed to curb your appetite")

skewer verb skewered; skewering; skewers

2 : to criticize or ridicule sharply and effectively (" let's skewer our marshmallows on these sticks and start toasting") ("the satirical comic strip gleefully skewers many of society's sacred cows")

benediction noun bene·​dic·​tion | \ ˌbe-nə-ˈdik-shən \

2: something that promotes goodness or well-being ("... the Mexican sun is no pleasant benediction like our northern sun ...") — Gertrude Diamant 3 often capitalized, Christianity : a Roman Catholic or Anglo-Catholic devotion (see DEVOTION sense 1c) including the exposition of ("the eucharistic Host in the monstrance and the blessing of the people with it") 4 : an expression of good wishes ... yearning for the benediction of the New York critics ... ("her arms outstretched in benediction") ("He dismissed the congregation with a benediction.") ("the priest offered a benediction for the missing children")

confound verb con·​found | \ kən-ˈfau̇nd , kän-\ confounded; confounding; confounds

3 [a] : to put to shame : DISCOMFIT ("a performance that confounded the critics") [b] : REFUTE ("sought to confound his arguments") 4 : DAMN 5 : to throw (a person) into confusion or perplexity ("tactics to confound the enemy") 6 [a] : to fail to discern differences between : mix up ("They implored Charles not to confound the innocent with the guilty ...") [b] : to increase the confusion of ("the inflation figure confounded economic analysts") ("The strategy confounded our opponents.") ("The murder case has confounded investigators.") (" The school's team confounded all predictions and won the game.") ("The success of the show confounded critics.")

attrition noun at·​tri·​tion | \ ə-ˈtri-shən , a-\

3 : the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack ("a war of attrition") 4 : a reduction in numbers usually as a result of resignation, retirement, or death ("a company with a high rate of attrition") (" Attrition is high among social workers because of the difficult work and poor pay.") ("took the machinery out of operation since attrition had led to the main mechanism's breaking")

render verb ren·​der | \ ˈren-dər \ rendered; rendering\ ˈren-​d(ə-​)riŋ \

4 [a] : to cause to be or become : MAKE enough rainfall ... to render irrigation unnecessary — P. E. James ("rendered him helpless") (" The sight of her rendered him speechless.") ("The virus rendered the computer useless.") ("The jury rendered a verdict of not guilty.")

hauteur noun hau·​teur | \ hȯ-ˈtər , (h)ō-\

: ARROGANCE, HAUGHTINESS (" she looked at him with the hauteur of someone who is accustomed to being instantly obeyed") ("Beneath the chilly hauteur of Levy's Elsa lies a world of fear, sadness and confusion.")

sacrilegious adjective sac·​ri·​le·​gious | \ ˌsa-krə-ˈli-jəs also -ˈlē- \

: Against religion : committing or characterized by sacrilege : having or showing a lack of proper respect for a sacred person, place, or object ("sacrilegious acts") ("It is difficult for religiously committed persons to acknowledge that their sacred texts are prone to sacrilegious uses.") —often used in an exaggerated way in contexts unrelated to religion ("It would be sacrilegious to cut down such beautiful trees.") ("Chilling your red wines may seem sacrilegious to some, and downright odd to others.")

lascivious adjective las·​civ·​i·​ous | \ lə-ˈsi-vē-əs \

: LUSTFUL ("arrested for lewd and lascivious assault") ("he gave her a lascivious wink") (" He was arrested for lewd and lascivious behavior.") ("was fired for making lascivious remarks to a coworker")

Bevel

: OBLIQUE, BEVELED ("a bevel edge")

purported adjective pur·​port·​ed | \ (ˌ)pər-ˈpȯr-təd \

: REPUTED, ALLEGED, RUMORED, CLAIMED ("took gullible tourists to purported ancient sites") ("Trump purported that he knew more about taxes than any other person in history") (" the purported value of the estate") ("Among other purported benefits, dry brushing is said to increase drainage of lymphatic fluids, thereby flushing toxins from the body.")

revanche noun re·​vanche | \ rə-ˈväⁿsh \ Revanchism noun

: REVENGE(in french) especially : a usually political policy designed to recover lost territory or status ("'Sorel was no starry-eyed advocate of revanche in the decades following the defeat of 1871'") ("Trumps policies were based off revanchism")

potentate noun po·​ten·​tate | \ ˈpō-tᵊn-ˌtāt \

: RULER, SOVEREIGN broadly : one who wields great power or sway ("Charles inherited the position of potentate of the Holy Roman Empire from his grandfather, as well that of king of Spain from his father.") ("The swells, the potentates would have gone off with their concubines and pet slaves and soldier guards . . ") ("Her father was a Shriner and member of El Korah and its former potentate.") ("Orlando Gutierrez, media potentate at Los Al, volunteered and penned this season preview.")

pestiferous adjective pes·​tif·​er·​ous | \ pe-ˈsti-f(ə-)rəs \

: TROUBLESOME, ANNOYING : dangerous to society : PERNICIOUS (" a pestiferous weed that has given gardeners no end of grief")

pervicacious adjective per·​vi·​ca·​cious | \ ¦pərvə¦kāshəs\

: Very obstinate or stubborn; headstrong. ("In fact, I'm a word nerd. I get a kick out of tossing a few odd ones into my column, just to see if the pervicacious editors will weed them out.") ("The language of the bureaucrats and administrators must needs be recognized as an outgrowth of legal parlance. There is no other way to explain its pervading, pervicacious and pernicious meanderings. ")

etiology noun eti·​ol·​o·​gy | \ ˌē-tē-ˈä-lə-jē \

: a branch of knowledge concerned with causes specifically : a branch of medical science concerned with the causes and origins of diseases ("In social terms, regardless of its etiology, memory loss may be a way of coping with harsh reality.") ("I have Freud in my novel as a doctor someone has heard about somewhere, perhaps in Vindobo-na in Pannonia (Vienna in Austria to you), who thinks, though not in so many words, that neuroses have no somatic etiology. ")

oxymoron noun ox·​y·​mo·​ron | \ ˌäk-si-ˈmȯr-ˌän , -sē-\ plural oxymora\ ˌäk-​si-​ˈmȯr-​ə , -​sē-​ \

: a combination of contradictory or incongruous words (such as cruel kindness) broadly : something (such as a concept) that is made up of contradictory or incongruous elements ("The phrase 'Genuine fake watches' is such an oxymoron") ("The phrase "Broadway rock musical" is an oxymoron. Broadway doesn't have the nerve to let the really hard stuff in the house.") ("The work's effect demands an oxymoron: daintily powerful, say, or deliriously serene.") ("Which is a logistical problem that echoes a philosophical one in both the show and our own world: Isn't the term virtual reality inevitably an oxymoron?")

stupor noun stu·​por | \ ˈstü-pər , ˈstyü-\

: a condition in which someone is not able to think normally because of being drunk, drugged, tired, etc. (" He fell into a drunken stupor.") ("in a stupor of fatigue")

respite noun

: a short period of time when you are able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed ("The laborer's day ends with the going down of the sun ... but his employer, who speculates from month to month, has no respite from one end of the year to the other.") — Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854 ("The bad weather has continued without respite.")

sobriquet noun so·​bri·​quet | \ ˈsō-bri-ˌkā , -ˌket; ˌsō-bri-ˈkā, -ˈket \ variants: or less commonly soubriquet \ ˈsō-​bri-​ˌkā , -​ˌket , ˈsü-​ ; ˌsō-​bri-​ˈkā , -​ˈket , ˌsü-​ \

: a descriptive name or epithet : NICKNAME ("she was a vast and haughty person who answered to the sobriquet "Duchesse"") ("Baseball player Ty Cobb was also known by the sobriquet "The Georgia Peach."") ("tagged her with the sobriquet "peanut" because of her diminutive size") ("Among his Tour colleagues Donald has earned the sobriquet Mr. Plod.") ("Exclusive but not elite, it was stigmatized with the sobriquet University of Spoiled Children.")

tragicomic adjective tragi·​com·​ic | \ ˌtra-ji-ˈkä-mik \ variants: or less commonly tragicomical \ ˌtra-​ji-​ˈkä-​mi-​kəl \

: a drama or a situation blending tragic and comic elements ("My tragicomic sex life.")

pretense noun pre·​tense | \ ˈprē-ˌten(t)s , pri-ˈten(t)s\ variants: or pretence

: a false reason or explanation that is used to hide the real purpose of something : an act or appearance that looks real but is false (" We tried to keep up the pretense that everything was fine.") ("Their indifference is merely pretense.")

ennui noun en·​nui | \ ˌän-ˈwē \

: a feeling of weariness and dissatisfaction : BOREDOM Simplified: : a lack of spirit, enthusiasm, or interest ("the kind of ennui that comes from having too much time on one's hands and too little will to find something productive to do") ("On the negative side, the vocabulary, over a long period, generates a certain ennui.")

foreboding noun fore·​bode | \ (ˌ)fȯr-ˈbōd \ variants: or less commonly forbode

: a feeling that something bad is going to happen (" She was filled with a sense of foreboding.") ("It seems that her forebodings were justified.")

impetus noun im·​pe·​tus | \ ˈim-pə-təs \

: a force that causes something (such as a process or activity) to be done or to become more active technical : a force that causes an object to begin moving or to continue to move (" His discoveries have given impetus to further research.") ("the reward money should be sufficient impetus for someone to come forward with information about the robbery")

deputation noun dep·​u·​ta·​tion | \ ˌde-pyə-ˈtā-shən \

: a group of people appointed to represent others (" Many countries will be sending deputations to the peace conference.")

promontory noun prom·​on·​to·​ry | \ ˈprä-mən-ˌtȯr-ē \ plural promontories

: a high area of land or rock that sticks out into the sea (" stood on the windswept promontory overlooking the bay") ("Cape May is Delaware Bay's largest promontory.")

cavalcade noun cav·​al·​cade | \ ˌka-vəl-ˈkād , ˈka-vəl-ˌkād\

: a line of riders, vehicles, etc., moving along in the same direction literary : a series of related things (" The cavalcade arrived at the hotel.") ("a cavalcade of antique cars") ("a cavalcade of natural disasters")

convent noun con·​vent | \ ˈkän-vənt , -ˌvent\

: a local community or house of a religious order or congregation especially : an establishment of nuns ("Now the building, which formerly housed a convent for Franciscan nuns, is at the center of a heated debate over its namesake, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.")

exodus noun ex·​o·​dus | \ ˈek-sə-dəs , ˈeg-zə- \

: a mass departure : EMIGRATION ("Last year, nearly 105,000 Haitians — or the equivalent of 1 percent of Haiti's population — flocked to the South American nation as part of a mass exodus driven by Haiti's young people, both educated and uneducated, and particularly the rural poor.") ("The worst case scenario would depend on if Auburn were to change coaches, which would likely lead to a mass exodus.")

paradigm noun

: a model or pattern for something that may be copied : a theory or a group of ideas about how something should be done, made, or thought about (" Her recent book provides us with a new paradigm for modern biography.") ("the Freudian paradigm of psychoanalysis") ("a new study that challenges the current evolutionary paradigm")

emeritus noun & noun emer·​i·​tus | \ i-ˈmer-ə-təs \ plural emeriti\ i-​ˈmer-​ə-​ˌtī , -​ˌtē \

: a person retired from professional life but permitted to retain as an honorary title the rank of the last office held ("The method of the author, an emeritus professor at the University of California, Irvine, is at once modest and radical.") ("Randolph Henning Hokanson, 103, a pianist and emeritus professor at the University of Washington, died Oct. 18.") ("His honorary title will be chairman emeritus, according to Starbucks.")

renegade noun ren·​e·​gade | \ ˈre-ni-ˌgād \

: a person who leaves one group, religion, etc., and joins another that opposes it : someone or something that causes trouble and cannot be controlled (" renegades from the Republican Party") ("stories about pirates and renegades on the high seas")

plaintiff noun plain·​tiff | \ ˈplān-təf \

: a person who sues another person or accuses another person of a crime in a court of law ("the plaintiff commenced an action for damages") ("the judge ruled that the plaintiff's lawsuit was groundless, and he dismissed it") ("The plaintiffs said the lawsuit could be revived once a plan is adopted.") ("Also named in the suit are two men who plaintiffs say worked on conspiracy videos that Jones showed.") ("The plaintiffs say the law lacks safeguards to protect against abuse.")

gradient noun gra·​di·​ent | \ ˈgrā-dē-ənt \

: a place where the ground slopes up or down (" the path goes up at a pretty steep gradient before leveling off")

incantation noun in·​can·​ta·​tion | \ ˌin-ˌkan-ˈtā-shən \

: a series of words used to make something magic happen (" trying to produce a miracle by incantation") ("hovering over the sick child, the witch doctor muttered mysterious incantations")

sycophant noun sy·​co·​phant | \ ˈsi-kə-fənt also ˈsī- & -ˌfant \

: a servile self-seeking flatterer Simplified: a person who praises powerful people in order to get their approval ("And swirling all around were coteries of agents, managers, execs, and moneymen; publicists and journalists, gawkers and sycophants.") ("Where his father liked to have sycophants, he likes to be with intellectuals. He likes confrontation.") ("when her career was riding high, the self-deluded actress often mistook sycophants for true friends")

non sequitur noun non se·​qui·​tur | \ ˌnän-ˈse-kwə-tər also -ˌtu̇r \

: a statement (such as a response) that does not follow logically from or is not clearly related to anything previously said ("We were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.") ("When asked this week about the importance of winning in a fashion that will impress the selection committee, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer responded with a non sequitur about Northwestern's punt rush.") ("The easygoing comic actor snags laughs by his lonesome, simply by providing deadpan reactions and blithe non sequiturs while others strain for effect.") ("Rather, Fox News has often used Clinton as a non sequitur.") ("Coleman told the gathering a personal story that at first seemed like a non sequitur.")

provision noun pro·​vi·​sion | \ prə-ˈvi-zhən \

: a stock of needed materials or supplies especially : a stock of food —usually used in plural (" You should make provision for emergencies.") ("I carried my provisions in one large backpack.") ("We brought enough provisions to last the entire trip.")

penchant noun pen·​chant | \ ˈpen-chənt , especially British ˈpäⁿ-ˌshäⁿ\

: a strong and continued inclination broadly : LIKING (" a penchant for sitting by the window and staring moodily off into space") ("Aside from the Catholic penchant for fish on Fridays, there is also the tradition of eating red beans and rice on Monday ...")

cessation noun ces·​sa·​tion | \ se-ˈsā-shən \

: a temporary or final ceasing (as of action) : STOP ("mutually agreed to a cessation of fighting") ("The cessation of monopolies was essential for the development of contemporary american business.") (" Relapses after cessation of treatment are common.") ("the cessation of the snowstorm was a relief")

Eon noun

: a very long period of time : an immeasurably or indefinitely long period of time : AGE ("I haven't seen him in eons.") ("Through eons of incremental innovation, a cave dweller's sketching stick evolved into the No.")

pliant adjective pli·​ant | \ ˈplī-ənt \

: able to bend without breaking : able to move freely : too easily influenced or controlled by other people (" a pliant Congress that will do whatever the President wants") ("a pliant branch bent low with the weight of ripe fruit")

kosher adjective ko·​sher | \ ˈkō-shər \

: accepted by Jewish law as fit for eating or drinking : selling or serving kosher food informal : proper or acceptable (" Something about this deal is just not kosher.") ("The ruling, which contrasts with U.S. regulations, also applies to kosher slaughter methods. ...")

impetuous adjective im·​pet·​u·​ous | \ im-ˈpech-wəs ; -ˈpe-chə-, -chü-əs\

: acting or done quickly and without thought : controlled by emotion rather than thought ("Men who don't wear hats are generally youthful, vigorous, impetuous, and have a devil-may-care glint in their eyes.") ("He's always been an impetuous young man.")

enamored adjective en·​am·​ored | \ i-ˈna-mərd \ variants: or British enamoured

: affected by strong feelings of love, admiration, or fascination ("Japanese fans took to the gruff Americans, but the homegrown players were less enamored.") — Mark Bechtel ("... he would be enamored of a particular wine for a while, and then switch to a new one that caught his fancy.") — Lisa King ("How did we get to be so enamored of the outdoors?") — P. J. O'Rourke ("Wild mushrooms were my first love. Long before I became enamored with green plants, I was stalking mushrooms ...")

consternation noun con·​ster·​na·​tion | \ ˌkän(t)-stər-ˈnā-shən \

: amazement or dismay that hinders or throws into confusion ("the two ... stared at each other in consternation, and neither knew what to do") ("The candidate caused consternation among his supporters by changing positions on a key issue.") ("Much to her parents' consternation, she had decided to not go to college.") ("The King was relaxing; his face had softened. Awful, to have to banish this hard-earned peace, burden him with a fresh worry. But better he should hear it from his loyalest baron, his own brother, than have the news blurted out to him by some idiot agent avid to cause a maximum of consternation.") ("In the grimy market-places where so-called friendly intelligence services do their trading, tip-offs, like money, are laundered in all sorts of ways ... . They can be blown up so as to cause consternation or tempered to encourage complacency.") ("The fact that the exact depth was recorded on the bottles was the source of considerable consternation among the admirals presiding over the Navy inquiry last week. The depth an attack sub can reach is supposed to be classified ... .")

prodigious adjective pro·​di·​gious | \ prə-ˈdi-jəs \

: amazing or wonderful : very impressive : very big (" stage magicians performing prodigious feats for rapt audiences") ("a prodigious supply of canned food kept in the basement for emergencies")

rescission noun re·​scis·​sion | \ ri-ˈsi-zhən \

: an act of rescinding ("the plaintiff agreed to the rescission of the agreement") ("he judge ruled that the town's rescission of the contract was justified due the contractor's repeated failures to meet its obligations") ("Burr's vote against the rescissions package is an early sign of a political tussle that may lie ahead.") ("Democrats will do that again in September no matter what Republicans do on rescissions.") ("Pelosi also ripped into the Trump administration for proposing to roll back $7 billion in unspent funds from the Children's Health Insurance Program as part of its rescissions package.")

aphrodisiac noun & adjective aph·​ro·​di·​si·​ac | \ ˌa-frə-ˈdē-zē-ˌak , -ˈdi-zē- \

: an agent (such as a food or drug) that arouses or is held to arouse sexual desire : The Greek goddess Aphrodite was the goddess of erotic love. She has appropriately left her mark in this word. It refers to food or drugs that allegedly make men and women feel more amorous. ("Sagittarius Venus love to be entertained, so laughter will always be their number one aphrodisiac.") ("At the event, the star asked which of the chocolate bars were considered an aphrodisiac.")

expenditure noun ex·​pen·​di·​ture | \ ik-ˈspen-di-chər , -də-ˌchu̇r, -də-ˌt(y)u̇r\

: an amount of money that is spent on something : an amount of time, energy, effort, etc., that is used to do something : the act of spending money (" an increase in military expenditures") ("an increase in military expenditure") ("vast expenditures of time and effort") ("The energy expenditure was significant.") ("the expenditure of funds for the new school") ("The project will require an expenditure of effort on everyone's part.")

prosthesis noun pros·​the·​sis | \ präs-ˈthē-səs , ˈpräs-thə-\ plural prostheses\ präs-​ˈthē-​ˌsēz , ˈpräs-​thə-​ \

: an artificial device to replace or augment a missing or impaired part of the body (" She was fitted with a prosthesis to replace her missing leg.")

vagary noun va·​ga·​ry | \ ˈvā-gə-rē ; və-ˈger-ē, vā- ; also ˈva-gə-rē \ plural vagaries

: an erratic, unpredictable, or extravagant manifestation, action, or notion ("the vagaries of the weather") ("the vagaries of a rather eccentric, elderly lady") ("In a sport with razor-thin margins and near-imperceptible vagaries, Krueger knows both sides of the calls and the breaks.") ("But part of the difference might just be down to the vagaries of translation.") ("Their exact origins remain elusive, obscured by the vagaries of myth and memory.")

dissertation noun dis·​ser·​ta·​tion | \ ˌdi-sər-ˈtā-shən \

: an extended usually written treatment of a subject specifically : one submitted for a doctorate ("wrote her dissertation on an obscure 16th-century poet") Simplified: : a long piece of writing about a particular subject that is done to earn an advanced degree at a university ("Joe wrote his doctoral dissertation on Thucydides") ("His dissertation was a study of the Renaissance poet Francesco Petrarch.")

effigy noun ef·​fi·​gy | \ ˈe-fə-jē \ plural effigies

: an image or representation especially of a person especially : a crude figure representing a hated person ("Demonstrators created larger-than-life papier-mâché figures and effigies of Ms. Park and Samsung's third-generation heir Lee Jae-yong; the latter served more than a year in prison on bribery charges.") ("In one camp, organizers placed four life-sized effigies of Israeli soldiers in a cage facing the border.") ("the senator was burned in effigy")

paradigm shift noun

: an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way ("This discovery will bring about a paradigm shift in our understanding of evolution")

proclivity noun pro·​cliv·​i·​ty | \ prō-ˈkli-və-tē \ plural proclivities

: an inclination or predisposition toward something especially : a strong inherent inclination toward something objectionable ("His locs are perpetually crisp and manicured, sometimes twisted together — another obvious aesthetic proclivity.") ("Polster has historically shown a proclivity to resolve cases and avoid trials.")

reprieve noun re·​prieve | \ ri-ˈprēv \ reprieved; reprieving

: an official order that delays the punishment of a prisoner who is sentenced to death : a delay that keeps something bad from happening : a period of relief from pain, trouble, etc. (" They wanted to close the library, but we managed to get a reprieve for it.") ("This warm spell has given us a reprieve from the winter cold.")

indictment noun in·​dict·​ment | \ in-ˈdīt-mənt \

: an official written statement charging a person with a crime : the act of officially charging someone with a crime : the act of indicting someone : an expression or statement of strong disapproval (" The grand jury has handed down indictments against several mobsters.") ("No one was surprised by her indictment.") ("She intended the film to be an indictment of the media.")

propensity noun pro·​pen·​si·​ty | \ prə-ˈpen(t)-sə-tē \ plural propensities

: an often intense natural inclination or preference (" He had a propensity for crime.") ("the criminal propensities of the family extended over several generations")

procession noun pro·​ces·​sion | \ prə-ˈse-shən \

: an organized group or line of people or vehicles that move together slowly as part of a ceremony : a number of people or things that come or happen one after another (" There was a procession of children carrying candles.") ("The cars moved in procession to the cemetery.")

procession noun pro·​ces·​sion | \ prə-ˈse-shən \

: an organized group or line of people or vehicles that move together slowly as part of a ceremony : a number of people or things that come or happen one after another (" There was a procession of children carrying candles.") ("The cars moved in procession to the cemetery.")

prefecture noun pre·​fec·​ture | \ ˈprē-ˌfek-chər \

: any one of the areas into which some countries (such as Japan and France) are divided for local government : the area that is governed by a prefect ("Completion of a bullet train line from Tokyo to the prefecture capital, Kanazawa, four years ago fueled an influx of tourists, while manufacturing, especially of food products, is booming.")

odious adjective odi·​ous | \ ˈō-dē-əs \ (Other Words from odious: odiously adverb odiousness noun)

: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance : HATEFUL ("an odious crime") ("a false and odious comparison") ("For one thing, Staten Island was once home to the world's largest and most odious trash dump.") ("Two of them—his mother Livia and his odious sister Janice—were at heart killers like himself.") ("It was one of the most odious crimes of recent history.") ("an odious and unforgivable insult") ("Instead of making Iran look like a diplomacy-loving victim of American unilateralism, Tehran would have to defend its odious Syria policy.")

punctual adjective punc·​tu·​al | \ ˈpəŋk-chə-wəl , -chəl\

: arriving or doing something at the expected or planned time (" the punctual delivery of the daily mail")

veritable adjective ver·​i·​ta·​ble | \ ˈver-ə-tə-bəl \

: being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary —often used to stress the aptness of a metaphor ("a veritable mountain of references") ("If the plethora of activity in Chicago alone is any indication, the field is experiencing a veritable golden age of new American chamber operas.")

arrant adjective ar·​rant | \ ˈa-rənt , ˈer-ənt\ (Other Words from arrant: arrantly adverb)

: being notoriously without moderation : EXTREME ("we are arrant knaves, all; believe none of us") ("what arrant nonsense!") (" that statement is complete and arrant nonsense")

punctual adjective punc·​tu·​al | \ ˈpəŋk-chə-wəl , -chəl\

: being on time : PROMPT (" the punctual delivery of the daily mail")

diplomatic adjective dip·​lo·​mat·​ic | \ ˌdi-plə-ˈma-tik \

: not causing bad feelings : having or showing an ability to deal with people politely (" Negotiators are working to restore full diplomatic relations.") ("a diplomatic attempt at preventing any hurt feelings")

scintillating adjective scin·​til·​lat·​ing | \ ˈsin-tə-ˌlā-tiŋ \

: brilliantly lively, stimulating, or witty ("a scintillating conversation") ("Episode 10 of Riverdale is sure to be scintillating.") ("Does anyone really want an NFL deprived of scintillating scorers like Kansas City's young quarterback Patrick Mahomes?") ("And books stitched out of a series of prestigious lectures have never been good bets for scintillating reading experiences") ("Standouts include a fantastic flamingo pink cropped fur Gucci chubbie, an acid green terry cloth polo, a gorgeous python skin jacket, and a scintillating leopard print wrap top and skirt set.")

presumably adverb pre·​sum·​ably | \ pri-ˈzü-mə-blē \

: by reasonable assumption (" presumably, nothing can go faster than light") (" presumably he's going on the trip for business reasons, but we have our doubts") ("Toby, presumably, then gets up and goes down to meet Tess and Randall.") ("No teacher is in it for the money, which presumably means a higher percentage motivated by the right reasons.") ("There's no word yet on price or release date for the HU85L, but presumably LG will have more information to offer when CES rolls around in a few weeks.")

revocable adjective rev·​o·​ca·​ble | \ ˈre-və-kə-bəl also ri-ˈvō- \ variants: or less commonly revokable \ ri-​ˈvō-​kə-​bəl \

: capable of being revoked a revocable privilege ("a revocable settlement") ("As a reminder, every team places multiple players on revocable waivers this month.") ("Aldrin set up a new revocable trust with Andrew as trustee.") ("Unlike many other types of trusts, revocable living trusts don't trigger special tax treatment.")

fallible adjective fal·​li·​ble | \ ˈfa-lə-bəl \

: capable of making mistakes or being wrong ("a fallible generalization") ("we're all fallible") ("But Twitter also has administrators: a small group of real and fallible human beings.") ("Humans, ever fallible, must practice humility, this logic goes; part of that practice must involve the recognition that even empathy must answer to a higher power.")

ignominious

: causing disgrace or shame (" some of his friends considered the job of janitor to be an ignominious fate for the laid-off executive") ("the prison guards degraded themselves with their inhumane, ignominious treatment of the prisoners")

implication noun im·​pli·​ca·​tion | \ ˌim-plə-ˈkā-shən \

: close connection especially : an incriminating involvement 2 [a] : the act of implying : the state of being implied [b] (1) : a logical relation between two propositions that fails to hold only if the first is true and the second is false — see TRUTH TABLE (2) : a logical relationship between two propositions in which if the first is true the second is true (3) : a statement exhibiting a relation of implication 3 : something implied: such as [a] : SUGGESTION [b] : a possible significance ("the book has political implications") ("I'm offended by his implication that women can't be good at mathematics.") ("He condemned the court and, by implication, the entire legal system.") ("He was shocked by the implication of his partner in the theft.")

nascent adjective na·​scent | \ ˈna-sᵊnt , ˈnā- \

: coming or having recently come into existence ("a nascent middle class") ("her nascent singing career") ("the nascent space industry") (" The actress is now focusing on her nascent singing career.") ("one of the leading figures in the nascent civil-rights movement") ("A few centuries late, when the nascent science of geology was gathering evidence for the earth's enormous antiquity, some advocates of biblical literalism revived this old argument for our entire planet.")

flummoxed adjective flum·​moxed | \ ˈflə-məkst , -mikst\

: completely unable to understand : utterly confused or perplexed ("Then, perforce, his eyes returned to the highway as he headed for I-95 and South Carolina, the most flummoxed driver on the road.") ("Seems to know as much about the inside of my larders as I do myself!" thought Mr. Baggins, who was feeling positively flummoxed...") ("he became flummoxed and speechless")

conscription noun con·​scrip·​tion | \ kən-ˈskrip-shən \

: compulsory enrollment of persons especially for military service : DRAFT ("During the war the armed forces were heavily dependent on conscription.") (" young people who face conscription into the army")

incessant adjective in·​ces·​sant | \ (ˌ)in-ˈse-sᵊnt \

: continuing or following without interruption : UNCEASING\ (" the incessant noise from an outside repair crew was a real distraction during the test") ("Much of the early motor development of the child depends on learning and refining such procedures, through play, imitation, trial and error, and incessant rehearsal.")

dilapidated adjective di·​lap·​i·​dat·​ed

: decayed, deteriorated, or fallen into partial ruin especially through neglect or misuse a dilapidated old house ("old, dilapidated buildings") ("a dilapidated car that had seen better days") ("The family's yard had a dilapidated garage, or perhaps former garage would be more precise.") ("Shortly after the birth of their only child, the couple bought and renovated a dilapidated 1860 Boston townhouse.")

equivocation noun equiv·​o·​ca·​tion | \ i-ˌkwi-və-ˈkā-shən \ plural equivocations

: deliberate evasiveness in wording : the use of ambiguous or equivocal language ("Like any good teacher, he does his best to answer with clarity and minimal equivocation.") ("Let me say now without equivocation or need for reflection: Devils tower is the most amazing sight of my entire trip.") : an ambiguous or deliberately evasive statement ("His answers were filled with evasions and equivocations.") ("Increasingly, the inaccuracies, the elisions, and the equivocations were viewed as deliberate acts of subversion, efforts to assert some control over the past instead of simply recording it.")

contraception noun con·​tra·​cep·​tion | \ ˌkän-trə-ˈsep-shən \ (Other Words from contraception: contraceptive \ ˌkän-​trə-​ˈsep-​tiv \ adjective or noun)

: deliberate prevention of conception or impregnation ("the contraceptive pill") ("Like Manning -- who once suggested that contraception doesn't work -- Huber has a record of skepticism about birth control.") ("Not only does access to birth control help people take more control over their reproductive lives, contraception is helpful for managing many medical issues, SELF wrote previously.") ("The report suggests that one way to alleviate the effects of a growing population is to make sure that women have information about, and access to, contraception.")

asphyxiation noun as·​phyx·​i·​ation | \ as-ˌfik-sē-ˈā-shən , əs-\ (suffocation)

: deprivation of oxygen that can result in unconsciousness and often death : an act of asphyxiating a person or animal or a state of asphyxia : SUFFOCATION ("The autopsy showed that the cause of death was asphyxiation.") ("Pliny the Elder did not die of falling pumice, but of asphyxiation, as he breathed noxious fumes from the eruption.") ("Asphyxiation at birth caused permanent impairment of his nerve-signaling system ...") ("In rats, mice, and rabbits ciguatera poison causes death by asphyxiation.")

hedonistic adjective he·​do·​nis·​tic | \ ˌhē-də-ˈni-stik \

: devoted to the pursuit of pleasure : of, relating to, or characterized by hedonism ("a hedonistic lifestyle") ("a city known for its wild, hedonistic nightlife") ("The unabashedly hedonistic Allen pursued the good life for two or three years after leaving Microsoft.") — David Kirkpatrick ("This tiny European island will give you a taste of the fabled hedonistic decadence of the Roman Empire.") — Lauren Malaika Cooper

abstruse adjective ab·​struse | \ əb-ˈstrüs , ab-\

: difficult to comprehend : RECONDITE ("the abstruse calculations of mathematicians") ("abstruse concepts/ideas/theories")

furtive adjective fur·​tive | \ ˈfər-tiv \

: done in a quiet and secret way to avoid being noticed (" He cast a furtive glance in our direction.") ("We exchanged furtive smiles across the table.")

zeal noun \ ˈzēl \

: eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit of something : FERVOR ("her zeal to succeed strained her relationships") ("his zeal for privatization") ("He showed his anatomical zeal by robbing a wayside gibbet, smuggling the bones back home and reconstructing the skeleton.") ("In 1248, channelling his piety into crusading zeal, Louis embarked on the Seventh Crusade, against the wishes of the Pope and against the judgement of his counsellors.") ("Charlotte Hornets point guard Kemba Walker has been compared to Kobe Bryant for his competitive zeal.") ("That zeal for justice will continue to permeate her artistic work; her videos in particular create worlds of both oppression and rebellion.")

docile adjective doc·​ile | \ ˈdä-səl also -ˌsī(-ə)l , especially British ˈdō-ˌsī(-ə)l\

: easily taught, led, or controlled ("a docile pupil") ("a docile pony") (" His students were docile and eager to learn.") ("a docile young pony that went wherever it was led")

cohesive adjective co·​he·​sive | \ kō-ˈhē-siv , -ziv\

: exhibiting or producing cohesion or coherence (COHESION - the act or state of sticking together tightly) ("a cohesive social unit") ("cohesive soils") ("the cohesive property of clay") ("the work at present lacks cohesion") ("We need to work as a cohesive whole") (" Their tribe is a small but cohesive group.") ("Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.") ("Teams working on Yahoo Mail and Yahoo's home page were merged and charged with creating a more cohesive user experience.")

ubiquitous adjective ubiq·​ui·​tous | \ yü-ˈbi-kwə-təs \

: existing or being everywhere at the same time : constantly encountered : WIDESPREAD ("a ubiquitous fashion") ("Hot dogs are the ideal road trip food—inexpensive, portable, ubiquitous.") ("The company's advertisements are ubiquitous.") ("by that time cell phones had become ubiquitous, and people had long ceased to be impressed by the sight of one")

{derisive adjective} de·​ri·​sive | \ di-ˈrī-siv , -ziv; -ˈri-ziv, -ˈri-siv

: expressing or causing contemptuous ridicule or scorn : expressing or causing derision derisive laughter MORE SENTENCES: ("a harsh, derisive laugh") ("The Lions, who voted in favor of Wednesday's proposal, had eight players take a knee during the anthem for a game last September, after derisive comments made by President Donald Trump.") ("Last week, the department's consular affairs unit held a question-and-answer session via Facebook on tips for traveling with children, which led to a cascade of derisive questions about the advisability of caging children.") ("Those derisive statements and others help explain why Democrats entered into the politically perilous fight.") ("the derisive performances of some of the singers on the talent show") Mnemonic: (de)risive > words that start with 'de' usually have a negative connotation(ex: denounce, decry, denigrate etc.) || deridere > deride > to scoff at.

hyperbole noun hy·​per·​bo·​le | \ hī-ˈpər-bə-(ˌ)lē \

: extravagant exaggeration (such as "mile-high ice-cream cones") Simplified: : language that describes something as better or worse than it really is (""enough food to feed a whole army" is a common example of hyperbole") ("Even if we discount the hyperbole evident in such accounts, they were far from inventions.")

indignant adjective in·​dig·​nant | \ in-ˈdig-nənt \ (indignation)

: feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy : filled with or marked by indignation ("became indignant at the accusation") (" She wrote an indignant letter to the editor.") ("He was very indignant about the changes.") ("an indignant tone of voice")

zealous adjective zeal·​ous | \ ˈze-ləs \

: feeling or showing strong and energetic support for a person, cause, etc. : filled with zeal ("zealous missionaries") ("the council was extremely zealous in the application of the regulations") ("Sir Thomas was zealous in the pursuit of recusants, not poachers, and was otherwise an amiable man.") ("The detective was zealous in her pursuit of the kidnappers.") ("Down that road lies a world in which only the most zealous sign up for public service.")

exultant adjective ex·​ul·​tant | \ ig-ˈzəl-tᵊnt \

: filled with or expressing great joy or triumph : JUBILANT ("an exultant cheer") ("exultant fans")

nefarious adjective ne·​far·​i·​ous | \ ni-ˈfer-ē-əs \

: flagrantly wicked or impious : EVIL (" a nefarious scheme to cheat people out of their money") ("the chaste heroines and nefarious villains of old-time melodramas")

impeccable adjective im·​pec·​ca·​ble | \ (ˌ)im-ˈpek-ə-bəl \

: free from fault or blame : FLAWLESS spoke impeccable French (" She has impeccable taste in music.") ("the etiquette expert was celebrated for her absolutely impeccable manners")

unsolicited adjective un·​so·​lic·​it·​ed | \ ˌən-sə-ˈli-sə-təd

: not asked for or requested : not solicited ("unsolicited advice") ("unsolicited e-mail") ("unsolicited junk mail") ("One way to fend off these unsolicited messages is to use a disposable email address.") ("Even if these notifications are easy to dismiss, people tend to hate unsolicited junk on their phone.")

mendacious adjective men·​da·​cious | \ men-ˈdā-shəs \ (Other Words from mendacious: mendaciously adverb mendaciousness noun)

: given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth ("mendacious tales of his adventures") ("mendacious propaganda") ("A choice item in the collection of mendacious stories that were circulated about Columbus after his death is this. Columbus lost himself on the way to Hispaniola, and only by virtue of letters and pilots sent by Martín Alonso did he manage to find the island and join Pinta.") ("Indeed, the racist and Malthusian elements in Darwin's work are subjects on which the new secularists are either silent, delicate, or mendacious.") ("that tabloid routinely publishes the most moronically mendacious stories about celebrities")

glutinous adjective glu·​ti·​nous | \ ˈglüt-nəs , ˈglü-tə-nəs\

: gluey; sticky : having the quality of glue : GUMMY (" a bad horror movie from the 1950s about a glutinous blob that devoured Manhattan") ("There is nothing like the glutinous gutbuster of a sandwich, with three different cheeses.")

capricious adjective ca·​pri·​cious | \ kə-ˈpri-shəs , -ˈprē- \

: governed or characterized by caprice : IMPULSIVE, UNPREDICTABLE Simplified: : changing often and quickly especially : often changing suddenly in mood or behavior : not logical or reasonable : based on an idea, desire, etc., that is not possible to predict (" employees who are at the mercy of a capricious manager") ("The court ruled that the punishment was arbitrary and capricious.")

kakistocracy noun kak·​is·​toc·​ra·​cy | \ ˌkakə̇ˈstäkrəsē\

: government by the worst people ("the modern regime is at once a plutocracy and a kakistocracy")

kleptocracy noun klep·​toc·​ra·​cy | \ klep-ˈtä-krə-sē \ plural kleptocracies (Other Words from kleptocracy kleptocrat \ ˈklep-​tə-​ˌkrat \ noun kleptocratic \ ˌklep-​tə-​ˈkra-​tik \ adjective)

: government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed; rule by thieves also : a particular government of this kind (The Trump administration resembles a kleptocracy") ("Lavish lifestyles in mostly impoverished countries, seen as a grotesque kleptocracy by many, and a seeming disdain for the wider population, are a familiar theme.") ("Ethics watchdogs and the American public could rest easy knowing that the threat of pay-to-play kleptocracy has abated.") ("In 2018, Abrams is running against hate, despair and an oligarchy that has turned the White House into a kleptocracy.") ("Perhaps, though, Britain's primary aim is to protect itself from the corrupting influence of Russian kleptocracy.")

cumbersome adjective cum·​ber·​some | \ ˈkəm-bər-səm \

: hard to handle or manage because of size or weight : complicated and hard to do : long and difficult to read, say, etc. (" The application process is cumbersome and time-consuming.") ("Her expanded job title is really cumbersome.")

aromatic adjective ar·​o·​mat·​ic | \ ˌa-rə-ˈma-tik , ˌer-ə-\

: having a noticeable and pleasant smell (" aromatic flowers can add greatly to the ambience of a room")

unprecedented adjective un·​prec·​e·​dent·​ed | \ ˌən-ˈpre-sə-ˌden-təd \

: having no precedent : NOVEL, UNEXAMPLED (" The team has enjoyed unprecedented success this year.") ("This level of growth is unprecedented.") ("An unprecedented number of students are taking the class.")

gauche adjective \ ˈgōsh \ sometimes gaucher; sometimes gauchest

: having or showing a lack of awareness about the proper way to behave : socially awkward ("it would be gauche to mention the subject") (" Would it be gauche of me to ask her how old she is?") ("his loud talking at the opera marked him as gauche and uncultured")

ardent adjective ar·​dent | \ ˈär-dᵊnt \

: having or showing very strong feelings ("made ardent declarations of love to the woman he someday hoped to marry") ("an ardent science-fiction fan who has read virtually all of his favorite author's many works")

preeminent adjective pre·​em·​i·​nent | \ prē-ˈe-mə-nənt \

: having paramount rank, dignity, or importance : OUTSTANDING, SUPREME ("the world's preeminent expert on asbestos") ("She's the preeminent chef in a city that has many good ones.") ("The poem is a preeminent example of his work.") ("The Grammys took some online blowback by having Jennifer Lopez deliver a tribute to Motown , once the nation's preeminent label for black artists.")

concentric adjective con·​cen·​tric | \ kən-ˈsen-trik , ˌkän-\

: having the same center ("concentric circles") ("the concentric layers of the wedding cake")

judicious adjective ju·​di·​cious | \ jü-ˈdi-shəs \

: having, exercising, or characterized by sound judgment ("judicious investments") ("a judicious decision") ("Patricia is very judicious with alcohol consumption.") ("So whether this is Apple being judicious or merely limited by circumstance, its first 5G device is a long way off.")

indomitable adjective in·​dom·​i·​ta·​ble | \ in-ˈdä-mə-tə-bəl \

: incapable of being subdued : UNCONQUERABLE ("indomitable courage") (" an indomitable spirit was needed to endure the rigors of pioneer life")

insuperable adjective in·​su·​per·​a·​ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈsü-p(ə-)rə-bəl \

: incapable of being surmounted, overcome, passed over, or solved ("insuperable difficulties") ("The 30 point lead seemed insuperable") ("the building project ran into insuperable ("financial difficulties and had to be scrapped") ("insuperable problems have arisen which make it very unlikely that we will ever finish this project")

punitive adjective pu·​ni·​tive | \ ˈpyü-nə-tiv \ (Other Words from punitive punitively adverb punitiveness noun)

: inflicting, involving, or aiming at punishment ("severe punitive measures") ("he called for punitive measures against the Eastern bloc") ("The federal government will take punitive action against the company that polluted the river.") ("Lobbyists complain that the bill would impose punitive taxes on the industry.") ("Some also decry the Hong Kong bill as carrying the harshest penalty of any jurisdiction that has a punitive national anthem law, including Russia, Singapore and Malaysia.") ("The federal government, however, does not determine how districts recover debts from families, and some districts use punitive measures to settle students' meal accounts.")

inimitable adjective in·​im·​i·​ta·​ble | \ (ˌ)i-ˈni-mə-tə-bəl \

: not capable of being imitated : MATCHLESS ("her own inimitable style") (" an inimitable performer of violin solos")

turpitude noun tur·​pi·​tude | \ ˈtər-pə-ˌtüd , -ˌtyüd\

: inherent baseness : DEPRAVITY ("moral turpitude") Simplified: a very evil quality or way of behaving (" pictorial advertisements for chic clothing and fragrances in which drug addiction and other forms of moral turpitude are depicted as alternative fashion statements") ("The fantasy role-playing game was, in the '80s, considered by some as a ploy conceived by Satan to arouse moral turpitude.")

conciliatory adjective con·​cil·​ia·​to·​ry | \ kən-ˈsil-yə-ˌtȯr-ē , -ˈsi-lē-ə-\

: intended to gain goodwill or favor or to reduce hostility : tending or intended to conciliate ("speaking in a conciliatory tone") ("But while the conference call might have been seen as a conciliatory gesture, an olive branch to his critics after weeks of bitter back-and-forth, the meeting seemed anything but.") ("He was self-assured, aggressive, combative, at times willing to offend and at times trying to sound conciliatory.") Simplified: intended or likely to placate or pacify. ("a conciliatory approach")

macabre adjective ma·​ca·​bre | \ mə-ˈkäb ; -ˈkä-brə, -bər; -ˈkäbrᵊ \

: involving death or violence in a way that is strange, frightening, or unpleasant ("The macabre dance included a procession of skeletons.") ("a macabre presentation of a tragic story") ("this macabre procession of starving peasants")

interdisciplinary adjective in·​ter·​dis·​ci·​plin·​ary | \ ˌin-tər-ˈdi-sə-plə-ˌner-ē \

: involving two or more academic, scientific, or artistic disciplines ("Weekly interdisciplinary meetings for doctors and conferences with the Millers were hosted to maximize chances of a successful delivery.") ("Turin's idea remains contentious — his experimental data have divided the interdisciplinary community of olfactory researchers.")

intensive adjective in·​ten·​sive | \ in-ˈten(t)-siv \ (Other Words from intensive: intensively adverb intensiveness noun)

: involving very great effort or work grammar : giving force or emphasis to a statement ("intensive study") ("intensive adverb") ("she undertook an intensive Arabic course") ("an intensive course in business writing") ("an intensive effort to prevent an adult bookstore from opening in town") ("The war effort still spurred intensive inflation pressure, contained only with wage and price controls.")

arcane adjective ar·​cane | \ är-ˈkān \

: known or knowable only to a few people : SECRET ("arcane rites") ("an arcane ritual") broadly : MYSTERIOUS, OBSCURE ("arcane explanations") ("arcane technical details") ("Being able to mine a cryptocurrency is a arcane skill ) ("Amazon-which is still glowing from its first profitable nonholiday quarter ever-has been working with a shadowy start-up called Groxis, a company that dabbles in curious, arcane techniques for graphically displaying search results.")

myopic adjective my·​o·​pic | \ mī-ˈō-pik , -ˈä-pik\

: lacking in foresight or discernment : narrow in perspective and without concern for broader implications Simplified: disapproving : only thinking or caring about things that are happening now or that relate to a particular group rather than things that are in the future or that relate to many people ("But only a myopic angler would fail to recognize the alarming signals in those unusual conditions.") ("When he ran again in 2013, this time without a primary opponent, his campaign had an almost myopic focus on a subject dear to Republicans: job creation.") ("Higher learning can offer individuals and societies a depth and breadth of vision absent from the inevitably myopic present.")

desolate adjective des·​o·​late | \ ˈde-sə-lət , ˈde-zə-\

: lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people feel welcome in a place : very sad and lonely especially because someone you love has died or left (" a desolate house abandoned many years ago") ("destitute and desolate since her husband walked out on her")

apt

: likely to do something : having a tendency to do something : appropriate or suitable : quick to learn (" "Stripe" is an apt name for the cat, since she has striped fur.") ("that dog is apt to run off if you don't put him on a leash")

raucous adjective rau·​cous | \ ˈrȯ-kəs \

: loud and unpleasant to listen to : behaving in a very rough and noisy way ("The scene was reminiscent of a college fraternity reunion, with plenty of backslapping, joking, hugging and raucous laughter.") (" the partying neighbors kept up their raucous laughter half the night")

punctilious adjective punc·​til·​i·​ous | \ ˌpəŋk-ˈti-lē-əs \ (Other Words from punctilious: punctiliously adverb punctiliousness noun)

: marked by or concerned about precise accordance with the details of codes or conventions Simplified: formal : very careful about behaving properly and doing things in a correct and accurate way (" She's very punctilious about grammar.") ("old-money aristocrats with a punctilious sense of propriety") ("Her poise is the result of a loving yet punctilious upbringing by parents determined that their fame and its accompanying perks were not going to mollycoddle their two children.") ("Rather, the director and his lead actor, partners in life and art, have a punctilious approach where language is everything.")

aquiver adjective aquiv·​er | \ ə-ˈkwi-vər \

: marked by trembling or quivering (" He was all aquiver with excitement.") ("a puppy aquiver with anticipation as his owner held out a treat")

rambunctious adjective ram·​bunc·​tious | \ ram-ˈbəŋk-shəs \

: marked by uncontrollable exuberance : UNRULY : uncontrolled in a way that is playful or full of energy (" that beach is often taken over by packs of rambunctious young people, so don't go there expecting peace and quiet") ("Keep rambunctious kids away from the pets (or vice versa)")

clandestine adjective clan·​des·​tine | \ klan-ˈde-stən also -ˌstīn or -ˌstēn or ˈklan-də-\

: marked by, held in, or conducted with secrecy : SURREPTITIOUS ("a clandestine love affair") ("And Pym was in London for a conference—no, he wasn't, he was attending a three-day course on the latest methods of clandestine communication in a beastly little training house off Smith Square.") ("I took a clandestine peek at the price tag on the diamond necklace.")

disenchanted adjective dis·​en·​chant·​ed | \ ˌdis-in-ˈchan-təd \

: no longer happy, pleased, or satisfied : DISAPPOINTED, DISSATISFIED ("disenchanted voters/workers/fans") ("But midway through his architectural training at the Rhode Island School of Design, he grew disenchanted with the pretentious edifice of postmodern design.")

oblique adjective \ ō-ˈblēk , ə-, -ˈblīk; military usually -ˈblīk \

: not direct : not stated directly of a line : having a slanting direction or position : neither perpendicular nor parallel ("Harden ... , who missed a month with a strained left oblique muscle, has become one of the game's most intimidating starters in just his second full big league season.") ("They were painted in oil paints on old-fashioned canvas. But the manner of their portrayal was oblique and enigmatic, with an element of hide-and-seek in which hiding most often won out over seeking.")

intractable adjective in·​trac·​ta·​ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈtrak-tə-bəl \

: not easily managed, controlled, or solved : not easily relieved or cured ("a patient experiencing intractable pain") ("an intractable child who deliberately does the opposite of whatever he is told")

extraneous adjective ex·​tra·​ne·​ous | \ ek-ˈstrā-nē-əs \

: not forming a necessary part of something : not important ("She sped up the process by eliminating all extraneous steps.") ("the architect's streamlined modern style shuns any sort of extraneous ornamentation")

unsubstantiated adjective un·​sub·​stan·​ti·​at·​ed | \ ˌən-səb-ˈstan(t)-shē-ˌā-təd \

: not proven to be true : not substantiated an unsubstantiated rumor/report ("a plausible but unsubstantiated theory") ("unsubstantiated claims") ("Many of these unsubstantiated threats were made on social media.")

ineluctable adjective in·​eluc·​ta·​ble | \ ˌi-ni-ˈlək-tə-bəl \

: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted : INEVITABLE ("an ineluctable fate") ("Democracies are also prone to disorder and corruption, but these are ineluctable features of any political system comprised of selfish and flawed human beings.") (" the ineluctable approach of winter had many worried about the cost of heating their homes") ("Yet like all stars, this palpable humanity comes with an ineluctable facility for both holding the screen and your attention.")

disingenuous adjective dis·​in·​gen·​u·​ous | \ ˌdis-in-ˈjen-yə-wəs , -yü-əs\

: not truly honest or genuine or sincere : giving the false appearance of being honest or sincere : lacking in candor ("Unity is at best an ideal, at worst a disingenuous political slogan.") ("Her recent expressions of concern are self-serving and disingenuous.")

perspicacious adjective per·​spi·​ca·​cious | \ ˌpər-spə-ˈkā-shəs \

: of acute mental vision or discernment : KEEN Simplified: having or showing an ability to notice and understand things that are difficult or not obvious ("The review on the book was very perspicacious") ("What secured the nomination were two things: the movie's extraordinary quality and the perspicacious marketing department at Netflix's documentary division.") ("Of course, any perspicacious viewer of Rocky and Bullwinkle knew that the squirrel was the brains of the outfit.")

nautical adjective nau·​ti·​cal | \ ˈnȯ-ti-kəl , ˈnä-\

: of, relating to, or associated with seamen, navigation, or ships : relating to ships and sailing ("a dictionary of nautical terms") ("nautical flags") ("nautical skills")

pedagogical adjective ped·​a·​gog·​i·​cal | \ ˌpe-də-ˈgä-ji-kəl , -ˈgō- \ variants: or less commonly pedagogic \ ˌpe-​də-​ˈgä-​jik , -​ˈgō-​ \

: of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education ("pedagogical methods") ("pedagogical concerns") Simplified: of or relating to teachers or education ("But any approach that dictates uniformity fails to recognize that different pedagogical practices (including in grading) suit different disciplines and pedagogies.") ("The pedagogical divide mirrors a political one between conservative statists and liberal technocrats.")

despotic adjective des·​pot·​ic | \ de-ˈspä-tik , di-\

: of, relating to, or characteristic of a despot(DESPOT - : a ruler with absolute power and authority) ("a despotic government")

managerial adjective

: of, relating to, or characteristic of management (as of a business) or a manager ("managerial qualities/skills") ("a job that requires managerial experience") ("was hired for a managerial position") ("managerial problems") ("I have a managerial role")

appellate adjective ap·​pel·​late | \ ə-ˈpe-lət \

: of, relating to, or recognizing appeals specifically : having the power to review the judgment of another tribunal ("an appellate court") : having the power to review and change the decisions of a lower court

tempestuous adjective tem·​pes·​tu·​ous | \ tem-ˈpes-chə-wəs , -ˈpesh-\

: of, relating to, or resembling a tempest : TURBULENT, STORMY ("tempestuous weather") ("a tempestuous relationship") Simplified: : full of strong emotions (such as anger or excitement) (" order was restored to the court after the judge put a stop to the defendant's tempestuous outburst") ("in terms of social change, the 1960s are generally considered the most tempestuous decade in recent American history")

invariably adverb in·​vari·​ably | \ (ˌ)in-ˈver-ē-ə-blē \

: on every occasion : ALWAYS invariably late ("their slacker son invariably gives the same response to the questions about his career plans") ("And in big aerospace development programs, things invariably go wrong.") ("Though postmodernism would seem to be a challenge to every sort of truth claim, postmodernists are, in practice, almost invariably on the political left.") ("It's in writing invariably, and has to be by DOJ policy")

diplomat noun dip·​lo·​mat | \ ˈdi-plə-ˌmat \

: one employed or skilled in diplomacy a foreign diplomat Simplified: : a person who represents his or her country's government in a foreign country : someone whose work is diplomacy ("The President will be meeting with foreign diplomats.") ("He's a talented architect but a poor diplomat.") ("Kovrig was previously a diplomat in China and elsewhere.") ("So how did a bunch of crickets manage to incapacitate a collection of U.S. diplomats?")

entrant noun en·​trant | \ ˈen-trənt \

: one that enters especially : one that enters a contest ("the prize will be awarded to the entrant who wins the tiebreak") (" Each entrant had to agree to the contest rules.") ("new entrants into a highly competitive field")

glib adjective \ ˈglib \ glibber; glibbest

: said or done too easily or carelessly : showing little preparation or thought : speaking in a smooth, easy way that is not sincere ("Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.") ("the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict")

quantifier noun quan·​ti·​fi·​er | \ ˈkwän-tə-ˌfī(-ə)r \

: one that quantifies: such as [a] : a prefixed operator that binds the variables in a logical formula by specifying their quantity [b] : a limiting noun modifier (such as five in "the five young men") expressive of quantity and characterized by occurrence before the descriptive adjectives in a noun phrase e.g. I don't have much time; I have a lot of books. (""Five" in "the five men" is a quantifier") ("The New York Times profile on Harris also uses Sanders supporters as some sort of quantifier of success."

bellwether noun bell·​weth·​er | \ ˈbel-ˈwe-t͟hər , -ˌwe-\

: one that takes the lead or initiative : LEADER also : an indicator of trends (" She is a bellwether of fashion.") ("High-tech bellwethers led the decline in the stock market.") ("a county that is a bellwether in national elections")

teetotaler noun tee·​to·​tal·​er | \ ˈtē-ˈtō-tᵊl-ər , -ˌtō-\ variants: or teetotaller

: one who practices or advocates teetotalism Simplified: : someone who never drinks alcohol ("He was a teetotaler, he is a proponent for prohibition.") ("in a quandary about what to serve for the wedding toast since his future in-laws are teetotalers") ("Kids and teetotalers can opt for mystic portal punch, which has lemon-lime and tangerine flavors with Powerade Mountain Berry Blast.")

interlocutor noun in·​ter·​loc·​u·​tor | \ ˌin-tər-ˈlä-kyə-tər \

: one who takes part in dialogue or conversation ("The following day, the leader's younger sister and the main interlocutor in the South, Kim Yo Jong, told her brother about the visit before locking arms with him for a photo.") ("And for better or worse, Trump has chosen Saudi Arabia as its main interlocutor and leading Arab ally in confronting Tehran.")

quintessential adjective quin·​tes·​sen·​tial | \ ˌkwin-tə-ˈsen(t)-shəl \

: perfectly typical or representative of a particular kind of person or thing ("Jerry's your quintessential streetwise New Yorker ...") ("This is the quintessential Los Angeles restaurant, casual but never frumpy, lively but not overheated ...") ("Marx was the quintessential intellectual, remarkably detached from the real world.") : being a quintessence ("His very faults were middling ... It was not in his nature to be superlative in anything; unless, indeed, he was superlatively middling, the quintessential extract of mediocrity.") ("It is commonly accepted ... that the rocking chair was an American invention, perhaps the most quintessentially American furniture form ever invented.") ("There's no occupation more quintessentially macho than that of private detective.")

perspicuous adjective per·​spic·​u·​ous | \ pər-ˈspi-kyə-wəs \

: plain to the understanding especially because of clarity and precision of presentation ("a perspicuous argument") ("To make my theory perspicuous, I subsumed visuals") (" believing that poetry need not be as perspicuous as prose, he writes poems that are intentionally ambiguous")

enmity noun en·​mi·​ty | \ ˈen-mə-tē \ plural enmities

: positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will ("decades of enmity between the two countries") ("Bin Laden may no longer be supplying directions and funding, but his ethos of enmity lives on.") ("What has earned her the enmity of so many peers is her indiscriminate outspokenness.") ("The debate was still going 12 hours later, a sign of the enmity coursing through Tunisia's political scene.")

resonant adjective res·​o·​nant | \ ˈre-zə-nənt , ˈrez-nənt\

: producing a loud, clear, deep sound : strongly affecting someone especially with a particular quality (" the resonant tones of the piano")5 ("He has a deep, resonant voice.") ("His words were resonant with meaning.")

carcinogenic adjective car·​ci·​no·​gen·​ic | \ ˌkär-sə-nō-ˈje-nik \ (Other Words from carcinogenic: carcinogenically \ ˌkär-​sə-​nō-​ˈje-​ni-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb carcinogenicity \ ˌkär-​sə-​nō-​jə-​ˈni-​sə-​tē \ noun)

: producing or tending to produce cancer ("a carcinogenic substance/compound/chemical") ("a chemical that has been found to have carcinogenic effects") ("Removing the carcinogenic mineral—used for years as a pipe and tank insulator—is a highly regulated process ...") ("Meat is carcinogenic and its consumption is conducive to heart disease") ("California at Berkeley, was the developer of the most widely used rapid laboratory test ... for detecting the probable carcinogenicity of chemicals.") ("The plant derivatives ... are less carcinogenically active than those from the fossil fuels.")

imminent adjective im·​mi·​nent | \ ˈi-mə-nənt \

: ready to take place : happening soon ("... systems engineers have become rather blasé about the imminent liftoff.") —often used of something bad or dangerous seen as menacingly near ("imminent disaster") ("Like books, board games appear headed for imminent demise at the hands of cathode-ray terminals.") (" We are awaiting their imminent arrival.") ("These patients are facing imminent death.")

sleep apnea noun

: recurs during sleep and is caused especially by obstruction of the airway or a disturbance in the brain's respiratory center ("To what degree weight loss is an effective treatment for sleep apnea isn't totally clear.") ("The most likely cause of death was sleep apnea, a known condition of his.") ("The answer could be a sleep disorder like sleep apnea, say experts, which causes poor, disrupted sleep.") ("So far, no pills for sleep apnea exist, but researchers are working on it.")

obstinate adjective ob·​sti·​nate | \ ˈäb-stə-nət \

: refusing to change your behavior or your ideas : difficult to deal with, remove, etc. (" his obstinate refusal to obey") ("My parents remain as obstinate as ever.")

ill-advised adjective ill-ad·​vised | \ ˌil-əd-ˈvīzd \ (Other Words from ill-advised ill-advisedly \ ˌil-​əd-​ˈvī-​zəd-​lē \ adverb)

: resulting from or showing lack of wise and sufficient counsel or deliberation an ill-advised decision Simplified: : not wise or sensible ("you would be ill-advised to go on your own") ("The first blunder of the Hats was the hasty and ill-advised war with Russia.") ("His early exploits against the English were failures and revealed in the young prince both avarice and stubborn persistence in projects obviously ill-advised.") ("Keep in mind that shoes are 'wear' items and will need to be replaced, and if you are serious about your game, you would not be ill-advised to have a pair of shoes that you only use for tennis, to avoid the wear and tear of everyday use.")

bereaved adjective be·​reaved | \ bi-ˈrēvd , bē-\

: suffering the death of a loved one ("bereaved families of the victims")

collusion noun col·​lu·​sion | \ kə-ˈlü-zhən \ (Other Words from collusion: collusive \ kə-​ˈlü-​siv , -​ziv \ adjective collusively adverb)

: secret agreement or cooperation especially for an illegal or deceitful purpose ("acting in collusion with the enemy") ("the armed forces were working in collusion with drug traffickers") (" The company was acting in collusion with manufacturers to inflate prices.") ("there was collusion between the two companies to fix prices") ("How much more evidence of collusion is yet to come out?") ("The new Senate committee report does not address the issue of collusion.")

placid adjective plac·​id | \ ˈpla-səd \

: serenely free of interruption or disturbance ("placid skies") ("a placid disposition") (" a person with a sunny, placid disposition") ("the placid surface of the lake")

provisional adjective pro·​vi·​sion·​al | \ prə-ˈvizh-nəl , -ˈvi-zhə-nᵊl\ (Other Words from provisional Adjective provisionally adverb)

: serving for the time being : TEMPORARY ("a provisional government") ("The government has given provisional approval for the use of the new drug.") ("will form a provisional government until a new leader can be elected") ("The key, in journalism as in any truth-seeking pursuit, is to try your best to keep all your beliefs and conclusions at arm's length, at least somewhat provisional.") ("The Vatican said the agreement was provisional, suggesting it could be revisited periodically.")

iridescent adjective ir·​i·​des·​cent | \ ˌir-ə-ˈde-sᵊnt \

: shining with many different colors when seen from different angles ("This fall shoes will be taking center stage with new, iridescent styles.") ("Designers created iterations of the utilitarian sandals with platforms (like Anna Sui above) and iridescent straps.")

gallant noun gal·​lant | \ gə-ˈlant , gə-ˈlänt , ˈga-lənt \

: showing courage : very brave : large and impressive : having or showing politeness and respect for women ("he was quite a gallant, primping more than either of his sisters") ("she had a whole host of gallants vying for her hand in marriage") Adjective ("The defenders of the fort made a gallant stand.") ("They failed to reach the summit, but they made a gallant attempt.") ("He greeted her with a gallant bow.") ("He offered her his seat in a gallant gesture.")

ingenuity noun in·​ge·​nu·​i·​ty | \ ˌin-jə-ˈnü-ə-tē , -ˈnyü-\ plural ingenuities

: skill or cleverness that allows someone to solve problems, invent things, etc. : a clever device or method (" She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs.") ("It will take considerable ingenuity to fix these problems.")

indisposed adjective in·​dis·​posed | \ ˌin-di-ˈspōzd \

: slightly ill : not feeling well : not willing or likely to do something (" one person in our reading group is very indisposed to choosing a racy book") ("stays home from work whenever he feels the least indisposed")

anachronism noun anach·​ro·​nism | \ ə-ˈna-krə-ˌni-zəm \

: something (such as a word, an object, or an event) that is mistakenly placed in a time where it does not belong in a story, movie, etc. : a person or a thing that seems to belong to the past and not to fit in the present ("found several anachronisms in the movie") ("By the time I reached my teens, the housewife was an anachronism, replaced on television by the perky, glamorous, character of That Girl, Marlo Thomas, who kept her boyfriend at bay in the interest of pursuing her acting career.") (" The novel is full of anachronisms.") ("He's an old-fashioned politician who is seen by many of his colleagues as an anachronism.")

addendum noun ad·​den·​dum | \ ə-ˈden-dəm \ plural addenda\ -​ˈden-​də \ also addendums

: something that is added especially : a section of a book that is added to the main or original text ("The letters are included as an addendum to the biography.") ("there's an addendum from the author to explain certain stylistic choices that she made")

reprisal noun re·​pri·​sal | \ ri-ˈprī-zəl \

: something that is done to hurt or punish someone who has hurt you or done something bad to you (" Enemy officers suffered harsh reprisals.") ("The allies threatened economic reprisals against the invading country.") ("The hostages were taken in reprisal for the bombing.")

reprisal noun re·​pri·​sal | \ ri-ˈprī-zəl \

: something that is done to hurt or punish someone who has hurt you or done something bad to you (" Enemy officers suffered harsh reprisals.") ("The allies threatened economic reprisals against the invading country.") ("The hostages were taken in reprisal for the bombing.")

penance noun pen·​ance | \ ˈpe-nən(t)s \

: something that you do or are given to do in order to show that you are sad or sorry about doing something wrong ("He did charitable work as a penance") ("Facing your fears, especially in conjunction with penance, was key to Nxivm.")

succor noun suc·​cor | \ ˈsə-kər \ pronounced: sucker

: something that you do or give to help someone who is suffering or in a difficult situation ("We see it as our duty to give succor to those in need.")

intermittent adjective in·​ter·​mit·​tent | \ ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tᵊnt \

: starting, stopping, and starting again : not constant or steady (" The patient was having intermittent pains in his side.") ("The forecast is for intermittent rain.")

acquisitive adjective ac·​quis·​i·​tive | \ ə-ˈkwi-zə-tiv \ (Other Words from acquisitive: acquisitively adverb acquisitiveness noun)

: strongly desirous of acquiring and possessing ("we live in a competitive and acquisitive society") ("acquisitive developers are trying to tear down the historic home and build a shopping mall") ("But investors questioned the logic of the move for Broadcom, the acquisitive chip maker that had a mammoth hostile bid for Qualcomm Inc. blocked earlier this year by President Donald Trump.") ("What is more, VMware is a fairly acquisitive company, having wrapped up six M&A deals just since Dell's EMC takeover was completed.")

aghast adjective \ ə-ˈgast \

: struck with terror, amazement, or horror : shocked and upset ("was aghast when she heard the news") ("when the news came out they were aghast") ("The news left her aghast. Critics were aghast to see how awful the play was.") ("Theologian Albert Mohler has noted, aghast, that more than 10 percent of Americans think that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.") ("When news hit this afternoon that the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show might be Adriana Lima's last, the Internet was aghast.")

piracy noun pi·​ra·​cy | \ ˈpī-rə-sē \ plural piracies

: the act of attacking and stealing from a ship at sea : the act of illegally copying someone's product or invention without permission : the act of illegally making television or radio broadcasts (" piracy on the high seas") ("many countries have harsh penalties for piracy now")

defamation/defamatory noun def·​a·​ma·​tion | \ ˌde-fə-ˈmā-shən \

: the act of communicating false statements about a person that injure the reputation of that person : the act of defaming another : CALUMNY ("defamation of character") ("a defamation lawsuit") ("a defamatory allegation") (" The article was full of lies and defamations.") ("accused the newspaper columnist of defamation of character")

appraisal noun ap·​prais·​al | \ ə-ˈprā-zəl \

: the act of judging the value, condition, or importance of something : the act of appraising something : something that states an opinion about the value, condition, or importance of something (" the appraisal of some jewelry") ("I made a quick appraisal of the situation and decided to leave right away.") ("The book is an excellent appraisal of the influences that have shaped our government.")

internment noun in·​tern·​ment | \ in-ˈtərn-mənt , ˈin-ˌtərn-\ plural internments

: the act of putting someone in a prison for political reasons or during a war : the act of interning someone : the state of being interned ("His parents had never told him about the exclusion laws, or the internment of Japanese-Americans, and the subject had not come up in his textbooks.") ("Even in the midst of betrayal and the resulting alienation experienced in the internment, there exists the unnegotiable state of human bonds and possibility for reconciliation.") ("... an American who spent World War II with his parents in an internment camp.")

injunction noun in·​junc·​tion | \ in-ˈjəŋ(k)-shən \

: the act or an instance of enjoining : ORDER, ADMONITION : an order from a court of law that says something must be done or must not be done (" The group has obtained an injunction to prevent the demolition of the building.") ("in the cult there were injunctions for and against everything, as nothing was a matter of personal choice")

digression noun di·​gres·​sion | \ -ˈgre-shən \ (Other Words from digression: digressional \ -​ˈgresh-​nəl , -​ə-​nᵊl \ adjective digressionary \ -​ˈgre-​shə-​ˌner-​ē \ adjective)

: the act or an instance of leaving the main subject in an extended written or verbal expression of thought : the act or an instance of digressing in a discourse or other usually organized literary work ("Every place Hamilton, his parents, or his wife visited over a century's time is described at length; everyone he met merits at least a minor biographical digression.") ("let's return to the main topic after that brief digression") ("the professor's frequent and extended digressions are the stuff of campus legend") ("Too often the narrative thread gets lost in a flurry of bulleted lists and theoretical digressions.") ("These other topics are to some extent a digression from the main topic of cyberwarfare.") ("This historical digression proved to be a prophetic guide to an as-yet-unimaginable future Trump presidency.")

extortion noun ex·​tor·​tion | \ ik-ˈstȯr-shən \

: the act or practice of extorting especially money or other property especially : the offense committed by an official engaging in such practice ("he used bribery and extortion to build himself a huge, art-stuffed mansion") (" He was arrested and charged with extortion.") ("six dollars for a cup of coffee is just plain extortion")

tenure noun ten·​ure | \ ˈten-yər also -ˌyu̇r \

: the amount of time that a person holds a job, office, or title : the right to keep a job (especially the job of being a professor at a college or university) for as long as you want to have it (" During his tenure as head coach, the team won the championship twice.") ("her 12-year tenure with the company") ("His tenure in office will end with the next election.") ("After seven years I was finally granted tenure.") ("He hopes to get tenure next year.") ("The defendant did not have tenure on the land.") ("land tenure in Anglo-Saxon Britain")

Advent noun Ad·​vent | \ ˈad-ˌvent , chiefly British -vənt\

: the arrival or coming of something ("the advent of spring") ("the advent of spring") ("the advent of pasteurization") ("the advent of personal computers")

espionage noun es·​pi·​o·​nage | \ ˈe-spē-ə-ˌnäzh , -ˌnäj, -nij, Canadian also -ˌnazh; ˌe-spē-ə-ˈnäzh; i-ˈspē-ə-nij \

: the practice of spying or using spies to obtain information about the plans and activities especially of a foreign government or a competing company ("industrial espionage") (" He was charged with several counts of espionage.") ("the acts of espionage on behalf of the Confederacy carried on by Belle Boyd and Rose Greenhow")

alliteration noun al·​lit·​er·​a·​tion | \ ə-ˌli-tə-ˈrā-shən \

: the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables (such as wild and woolly, threatening throngs) ("As far as sound repetition goes, I don't have any principles. I try to stay away from heavy alliteration and other pyrotechnics because I think they detract from the sense of the poem and blur the imagery.")

fruition noun fru·​ition | \ frü-ˈi-shən \

: the state of being real or complete ("the plans have come to fruition sooner than expected") ("These were dreams of long standing that had finally come to fruition ...") ("Truth is a weapon so powerful that the slowness of its fruition matters little in the end.") (" when she landed the lead in a Broadway play, a lifelong dream was brought to fruition") ("The plan never came into fruition; Mr. Guzmán's brother was killed in prison in 2004.")

semblance noun sem·​blance | \ ˈsem-blən(t)s \

: the state of being somewhat like something but not truly or fully the same thing : actual or apparent resemblance : a small portion : a limited quantity (" tried to project some semblance of confidence even though public speaking terrified her") ("a used-car dealer with only a semblance of honesty")

epistemology noun epis·​te·​mol·​o·​gy | \ i-ˌpi-stə-ˈmä-lə-jē \

: the study or a theory of the nature and grounds of knowledge especially with reference to its limits and validity ("Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the information gods, play at epistemology.") ("This point is obvious for certain aptitudes, as the field of feminist epistemology in philosophy has emphasized.")

euphemism noun eu·​phe·​mism | \ ˈyü-fə-ˌmi-zəm \ (Other Words from euphemism: euphemist \ ˈyü-​fə-​mist \ noun euphemistic \ ˌyü-​fə-​ˈmi-​stik \ adjective euphemistically \ ˌyü-​fə-​ˈmi-​sti-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb euphemize \ verb)

: the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant also : the expression so substituted (Euphemism is your best friend when you are giving constructive criticism") ("Cougar is the euphemism for a woman who has reached mid-life, who is single, financially secure and on the lookout for relationships with younger men—as in "prey.") ("Spin is sometimes dismissed as a simple euphemism for lying. But it's actually something more insidious: indifference to the truth.") ("Though that sounds like a euphemism, the field of medical genetics conducted itself as if toxic information was a literal phenomenon for years, and many in the field still do.")

gestation noun ges·​ta·​tion | \ je-ˈstā-shən \

: the time when a person or animal is developing inside its mother before it is born also : the process of development that happens during this time : the process by which something (such as an idea) forms and develops (" the gestation of new ideas") ("The book has been in gestation for a long time.")

calibrate verb cal·​i·​brate | \ ˈka-lə-ˌbrāt \ calibrated; calibrating

: to adjust or mark (something, such as a measuring device) so that it can be used in an accurate and exact way : to measure (something) in an exact and precise way (" carefully calibrate the dosage of a medicine") ("The tightening phase needs to be finely calibrated, carefully managing market expectations.")

reappraise verb re·​ap·​praise | \ (ˌ)rē-ə-ˈprāz \

: to appraise (something) again : to reevaluate the amount, value, or significance of ("...suggests that wine owners have their collections reappraised every few years ...") ("a critical essay that reappraises the director's early films")

silt verb

: to become blocked, filled, or covered with silt : to block, fill, or cover (something) with silt ("The entrance to the creek had silted shut.") ("And once that soil was gone, it was gone for good, silting up the seabed and exposing the old bony rock beneath Europe's soft topside.")

blanch

: to become white or pale (as from shock or fear) ("His face blanched with horror.") —often used figuratively to describe a reaction of shock or dismay that makes someone unwilling or reluctant to proceed ("Civilians also saw benefits to the system but blanched when talk then included references to $300-plus user fees.") ("... the managers of the companies blanched at the expenditures necessary to retool factories.") (" She blanched and remained silent when the store owner accused her of taking the money.")

chasten verb chas·​ten | \ ˈchā-sᵊn \ chastened; chastening\ ˈchās-​niŋ , ˈchā-​sᵊn-​iŋ \

: to cause (someone) to feel sad or embarrassed about something that has happened : to correct by punishment or suffering : DISCIPLINE (" chastened the child with five minutes of sitting in the corner") ("the unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament's top-seeded tennis star")

transpose verb

: to change the position or order of (two things) : to change (something) by giving it a different form, using it in a different place or situation, etc. (" I must have accidentally transposed the numbers when I dialed his phone number.") ("a story originally set in London that has been transposed to Paris for this film") ("a melody transposed to the key of C")

emanate verb em·​a·​nate | \ ˈe-mə-ˌnāt \ emanated; emanating

: to come out from a source : to send (something) out : to give out (something) ("she seems to emanate an air of serenity") ("a sweet scent emanating from the blossoms") (" Good smells emanated from the kitchen. ("Constant criticism has emanated from her opponents.") ("Happiness seems to emanate from her.") ("She seems to emanate happiness.")

emanate verb em·​a·​nate | \ ˈe-mə-ˌnāt \ emanated; emanating

: to come out from a source : to send (something) out : to give out (something) (" Good smells emanated from the kitchen. ("Constant criticism has emanated from her opponents.") ("Happiness seems to emanate from her.") ("She seems to emanate happiness.")

reverberate verb re·​ver·​ber·​ate | \ ri-ˈvər-bə-ˌrāt \ reverberated; reverberating

: to continue in a series of quickly repeated sounds that bounce off a surface (such as a wall) : to become filled with a sound (" the sound of thunder reverberated from one end of the mountain pass to the other")

embellish verb em·​bel·​lish | \ im-ˈbe-lish \ embellished; embellishing; embellishes

: to decorate (something) by adding special details and features : to make (something) more appealing or attractive (" a book embellished with colorful illustrations") ("He embellished his speech with a few quotations.")

inter verb in·​ter | \ in-ˈtər \ interred; interring

: to deposit (a dead body) in the earth or in a tomb (" a burial site where people have been interred for over a thousand years") ("the soldier was interred with great honors at Arlington National Cemetery")

defoliate verb de·​fo·​li·​ate | \ -lē-ˌāt \ defoliated; defoliating; defoliates (Other Words from defoliate: defoliation \ (ˌ)dē-​ˌfō-​lē-​ˈā-​shən \ noun defoliator \ (ˌ)dē-​ˈfō-​lē-​ˌā-​tər \ noun)

: to deprive of leaves especially prematurely ("Black spot, which looks like its name, attacks leaves. Left untreated, it spreads and multiplies, and can defoliate the plant.") ("During 1979, approximately 226.260 acres of land/forest was estimated to have been defoliated to varying degrees by the Gypsy moth ... in Massachusetts.") ("the area was defoliated and napalmed many times") ("a chemical used to defoliate trees") ("Insects are defoliating the trees.")

confer verb con·​fer | \ kən-ˈfər \ conferred; conferring

: to discuss something important in order to make a decision : to give (something, such as a degree, award, title, right, etc.) to someone or something (" The lawyer and judge conferred about the ruling.") ("the British monarch continues to confer knighthood on those who are outstanding in their fields of endeavor")

scrutinize verb scru·​ti·​nize | \ ˈskrü-tə-ˌnīz \ scrutinized; scrutinizing

: to examine (something) carefully especially in a critical way (" I closely scrutinized my opponent's every move.") ("Her performance was carefully scrutinized by her employer.")

extricate verb ex·​tri·​cate | \ ˈek-strə-ˌkāt \ extricated; extricating

: to free or remove (someone or something) from something (such as a trap or a difficult situation) (" Several survivors were extricated from the wreckage.") ("They extricated the tractor from the mud.") ("She hasn't been able to extricate herself from her legal problems.")

nuzzle verb nuz·​zle | \ ˈnə-zəl \ nuzzled; nuzzling\ ˈnəz-​liŋ , ˈnə-​zə-​ \

: to gently push or rub your nose or face against (someone or something) to show affection (" The dog nuzzled my leg.") ("He nuzzled into her neck.")

engross verb en·​gross | \ in-ˈgrōs , en-\ engrossed; engrossing; engrosses

: to hold the complete interest or attention of (someone) (" a mystery story that will engross readers all the way to the surprise ending")

proliferate

: to increase in number or amount quickly (" rumors about the incident proliferated on the Internet")

disembark verb dis·​em·​bark | \ ˌdis-əm-ˈbärk \ disembarked; disembarking; disembarks

: to leave a ship or airplane or vehicle : to remove (something or someone) from a ship or airplane or vehicle

embroider verb

: to make (a story, the truth, etc.) more interesting by adding details that are not true or accurate (" He is known to embroider the truth about his service in the army.")

embroider verb em·​broi·​der | \ im-ˈbrȯi-dər \ embroidered; embroidering\ im-​ˈbrȯi-​d(ə-​)riŋ \

: to make (a story, the truth, etc.) more interesting by adding details that are not true or accurate (" He is known to embroider the truth about his service in the army.")

bolster verb bol·​ster | \ ˈbōl-stər \

: to make (something) stronger or better : to give support to (something) (" She came with me to bolster my confidence.") ("a convincing argument that was bolstered by the speaker's reputation") ("She is thinking of ways to bolster her career.")

dispel verb dis·​pel | \ di-ˈspel \ dispelled; dispelling

: to make (something, such as a belief, feeling, or idea) go away or end (" This report should dispel any doubts you have about the plan.") ("She made an official statement to dispel any rumors about her retirement.") ("The experience dispelled some of our fears about the process.")

cajole verb ca·​jole | \ kə-ˈjōl \ cajoled; cajoling

: to persuade someone to do something or to give you something by making promises or saying nice things (" cajoled her into doing his laundry for him") ("In much the way her family had cajoled her to face the world again, Darby was doing the same for Dave.")

cultivate

: to prepare and use (soil) for growing plants : to grow and care for (plants) : to grow or raise (something) under conditions that you can control ("Prehistoric peoples settled the area and began to cultivate the land.") ("Some of the fields are cultivated while others lie fallow.") ("a plant that is cultivated for its fruit") ("They survived by cultivating vegetables and grain.") ("He has carefully cultivated his image.") ("She cultivated a taste for fine wines.")

bemoan

: to say that you are unhappy about (something) : to complain about (something) (" He bemoans the fact that the team lost again.") ("an article bemoaning the decline in voter turnout") ("Some critics are always bemoaning the state of the language.")

encapsulate verb en·​cap·​su·​late | \ in-ˈkap-sə-ˌlāt , en-\ encapsulated; encapsulating

: to show or express the main idea or quality of (something) in a brief way : to completely cover (something) especially so that it will not touch anything else (" The contaminated material should be encapsulated and removed.") ("can you encapsulate the president's speech in about a paragraph?")

augur noun au·​gur | \ ˈȯ-gər \

: to show or suggest something that might happen in the future (" The decision doesn't augur well.") ("the extended interview augurs well for your acceptance into that law school")

pervade verb per·​vade | \ pər-ˈvād \ pervaded; pervading

: to spread through all parts of (something) : to exist in every part of (something) (" A feeling of great sadness pervades the film.") ("Art and music pervade every aspect of their lives.")

plunder verb

: to steal things from (a place, such as a city or town) especially by force (" The village was plundered by the invading army.") ("Thieves had long ago plundered the tomb.") ("The soldiers continued plundering for days.")

emulate verb em·​u·​late | \ ˈem-yə-ˌlāt , -yü-\ emulated; emulating

: to try to be like (someone or something you admire) (" She grew up emulating her sports heroes.") ("artists emulating the style of their teachers")

excavate verb ex·​ca·​vate | \ ˈek-skə-ˌvāt \ excavated; excavating

: to uncover (something) by digging away and removing the earth that covers it : to dig a large hole in (something) : to form (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by digging (" They excavated an ancient city.") ("It is the first site to be excavated in this area.") ("They began excavating the backyard for their new pool.") ("The excess dirt was carefully excavated.")

excavate verb ex·​ca·​vate | \ ˈek-skə-ˌvāt \ excavated; excavating

: to uncover (something) by digging away and removing the earth that covers it : to dig a large hole in (something) : to form (a hole, tunnel, etc.) by digging (" They excavated an ancient city.") ("It is the first site to be excavated in this area.") ("They began excavating the backyard for their new pool.") ("The excess dirt was carefully excavated.")

amble verb

: to walk slowly in a free and relaxed way (" We ambled along as we talked.") ("They ambled down the road.")

presumptuous adjective pre·​sump·​tu·​ous | \ pri-ˈzəm(p)-chə-wəs , -chəs, -shəs\

: too confident especially in a way that is rude : done or made without permission, right, or good reason ("it's a little presumptuous of you to assume that I'm your new best friend just because I invited you along") ("the presumptuous doctor didn't even bother to explain to me the treatment that I would be receiving")

innumerable adjective in·​nu·​mer·​a·​ble | \ i-ˈnüm-rə-bəl , -ˈnyüm-; -ˈn(y)ü-mə-\

: too many to be numbered : COUNTLESS also : very many (" There are innumerable errors in the book.") ("our reasons to give thanks are as innumerable as the stars")

unintelligible adjective un·​in·​tel·​li·​gi·​ble | \ ˌən-in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl \

: unable to be understood or comprehended : not intelligible ("a song with unintelligible lyrics") ("unintelligible jargon") ("... including parenthetical translations of the words and phrases he knew would be unintelligible to contemporary readers.")

inert adjective in·​ert | \ i-ˈnərt \

: unable to move : moving or acting very slowly : lacking the power to move : very slow to move or act : SLUGGISH ("an inert and lifeless body") ("How does he propose to stimulate the inert economy and create jobs?")

irresolute adjective ir·​res·​o·​lute | \ i-ˈre-zə-ˌlüt , ˌi(r)-, -lət\

: uncertain how to act or proceed : VACILLATING : INDECISIVE ("irresolute legislators")

litotes noun li·​to·​tes | \ ˈlī-tə-ˌtēz , ˈli-, lī-ˈtō-ˌtēz \ plural litotes

: understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by the negative of the contrary (as in "not a bad singer" or "not unhappy") "not bad"

solidarity noun sol·​i·​dar·​i·​ty | \ ˌsä-lə-ˈder-ə-tē , -ˈda-rə-\

: unity (as of a group or class) that produces or is based on community of interests, objectives, and standards (" The vote was a show of solidarity.") ("Fans almost immediately began flooding ("Twitter with crying emojis and purple hearts in solidarity for Taehyung's own apparent tears.")

cacophony noun ca·​coph·​o·​ny | \ ka-ˈkä-fə-nē , -ˈkȯ- also -ˈka-\

: unpleasant loud sounds ("The sounds of barking dogs and sirens added to the cacophony on the streets.") ("the cacophony of a pet store full of animals")

sultry adjective sul·​try | \ ˈsəl-trē \ sultrier; sultriest

: very hot and humid : attractive in a way that suggests or causes feelings of sexual desire (" She looked at him with a sultry glance.") ("an actress with a sultry voice")

studious

: very serious about studying, reading, learning, etc. : very careful and serious (" He made a studious effort to obey the rules.")

general deterrence

A goal of criminal sentencing that seeks to prevent others from committing crimes similar to the one for which a particular offender is being sentenced by making an example of the person sentenced.

motorcade

A parade of cars

Onomatopoeia

A word that imitates the sound it represents.

pugilistic

Adj looking for a fight

lustful

Adj; feeling or showing strong sexual desire ("lustful glances")

epidemic adjective & noun ep·​i·​dem·​ic | \ ˌe-pə-ˈde-mik \ (Other Words from epidemic: Adjective epidemical \ ˌe-​pə-​ˈde-​mi-​kəl \ adjective epidemically \ ˌe-​pə-​ˈde-​mi-​k(ə-​)lē \ adverb epidemicity \ ˌe-​pə-​də-​ˈmi-​sə-​tē \ noun)

Adjective: 1 : affecting or tending to affect a disproportionately large number of individuals within a population, community, or region at the same time typhoid was epidemic 2 [a] : excessively prevalent [b] : CONTAGIOUS sense 4 epidemic laughter 3 : characterized by very widespread growth or extent : of, relating to, or constituting an epidemic the practice had reached epidemic proportions ("the little girl's giggles were epidemic, and soon the entire gathering was laughing") ("Saturday Night Fever propelled disco fever to epidemic proportions: By 1978, 40 percent of all the music on Billboard's Hot 100 was disco.") ("The dream of running off to live the good life in a postcard perfect town in the mountains or by the sea often reaches epidemic proportions near the end of summer.") Noun: 1 : an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time : an outbreak of epidemic disease 2 : an outbreak or product of sudden rapid spread, growth, or development an epidemic of bankruptcies ("a flu epidemic") ("Cosmetic surgery is now so prevalent that it could qualify as a national epidemic.")

pejorative adjective & noun pe·​jo·​ra·​tive | \ pi-ˈjȯr-ə-tiv , -ˈjär- also ˈpe-jə-rə-tiv or ˈpē- or -ˌrā- or ˈpej-rə- or ˈpēj-\

Adjective: : having negative connotations (see CONNOTATION sense 1) especially : tending to disparage or belittle : DEPRECIATORY ("Children born with an extra chromosome 21 are healthy, conspicuously happy and destined to live for many years. But they are not considered, in that pejorative word, 'normal'.") (" a word with pejorative connotations") ("the reviewer used the pejorative word "versifier" to refer to the writer, whose poems had struck a responsive chord with the general public") ("On occasion they expressed a preference for the terms Latino or Hispanic if that would assist them in escaping from the term Puerto Rican, which became, at times, almost pejorative.") Noun: : a word or phrase that has negative connotations (see CONNOTATION sense 1) or that is intended to disparage or belittle : a pejorative word or phrase

adept adjective & noun \ ə-ˈdept also ˈa-ˌdept \ (Other Words from adept Adjective adeptly \ ə-​ˈdep-​(t)lē , a-​ \ adverb She dealt with the changes adeptly. adeptness \ -​ˈdep(t)-​nəs \ noun)

Adjective: : thoroughly proficient : EXPERT ("an adept negotiator") ("He's adept at fixing computers.") ("he is adept at cutting through red tape") ("He's adept in several languages.") ("he's an adept pitcher, and the team is lucky to have him") ("Barnum was especially adept at pulling back one curtain after another, keeping the audience in a state of panting uncertainty, perpetually postponing the revelation of what was "really" going on.") Noun: : a highly skilled or well-trained individual : EXPERT ("an adept at chess") ("they are adepts at kung fu and karate") ("even by the standards of Washington, he's an adept at political intrigue and power politics") ("Once safely back in Paris, and having attained his majority, the poet squandered his inheritance with an adept's fervor ...") ("Martin has even mentioned having the 6-foot-11 Porter, with his adept passing skills, bring the ball upcourt to initiate offense.")

precedent noun & adjective prec·​e·​dent | \ ˈpre-sə-dənt \

Noun: 1 : an earlier occurrence of something similar 2 [a] : something done or said that may serve as an example or rule to authorize or justify a subsequent act of the same or an analogous kind ("a verdict that had no precedent") [b] : the convention established by such a precedent or by long practice 3 : a person or thing that serves as a model ("there are substantial precedents for using interactive media in training") ("The judge's ruling was based on a precedent established by an earlier decision.") ("He says that the government will set a dangerous precedent if it refuses to allow the protesters to hold a rally.") ("The judge's ruling was based on legal precedent.") Adjective: : prior in time, order, arrangement, or significance (" behavior that may be explained by a precedent event in her troubled life")

insurgent noun & adjective in·​sur·​gent | \ in-ˈsər-jənt \

Noun: 1 : a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government especially : a rebel not recognized as a belligerent 2 : one who acts contrary to the policies and decisions of one's own political party (" Insurgents are trying to gain control of the country's transportation system.") ("the government subjected the insurgents to the most inhuman torture imaginable") Adjective: : rising in opposition to civil authority or established leadership : REBELLIOUS ("any insurgent soldiers will be dealt with harshly") ("The huge exodus of Rohingya from Myanmar began after security forces there launched a brutal crackdown following attacks by an insurgent group on guard posts.")

cascade noun & verb cas·​cade | \ (ˌ)kas-ˈkād \

Noun: 1 : a steep usually small fall of water especially : one of a series 2 [a] : something arranged or occurring in a series or in a succession of stages so that each stage derives from or acts upon the product of the preceding ("blood clotting involves a biochemical cascade") [b] : a fall of material (such as lace) that hangs in a zigzag line and that is used especially in clothing and draperies 3 : something falling or rushing forth in quantity ("a cascade of sound") ("a cascade of events") ("Her hair was arranged in a cascade of curls.") ("That decision set off a cascade of events.") ("The 30-foot tree is decorated with a twinkling cascade of fairy lights and huge, oversized ornaments.") Verb: intransitive verb : to fall, pour, or rush in or as if in a cascade ("The water cascaded over the rocks.") ("Her hair cascaded down around her shoulders.") transitive verb 1 : to cause to fall like a cascade 2 : to connect in a cascade arrangement ("water was cascading down the stairs") ("The water cascades over the rocks.") ("Her hair cascaded down around her shoulders.")

disillusion noun & verb dis·​il·​lu·​sion | \ ˌdis-ə-ˈlü-zhən \

Noun: : the condition of being disenchanted : the condition of being dissatisfied or defeated in expectation or hope ("suffered romantic disillusions") Verb: transitive verb : to free from illusion also : to cause to lose naive faith and trust ("The job disillusioned her about working in retail.") (" Working at that store for six months was enough to disillusion me about retail work.") ("we were disillusioned when we saw how the movie star acted in real life")

scourge noun & verb \ ˈskərj , ˈskȯrj, ˈsku̇rj\

Noun: formal + literary : someone or something that causes a great amount of trouble or suffering (" a city ravaged by the scourge of unemployment") ("The disease continues to be a scourge in the developing world.") Verb: transitive verb 1 : FLOG, WHIP 2 [a] : to punish severely [b] : AFFLICT [c] : to drive as if by blows of a whip [d] : CHASTISE (" a neighborhood scourged by crime") ("The prisoner was scourged with a whip.")

dissent verb & noun dis·​sent | \ di-ˈsent \ dissented; dissenting; dissents

Verb: 1 : to withhold assent or approval 2 : to differ in opinion ("Three of the justices dissented from the majority opinion.") (" The Supreme Court, with two justices dissenting, ruled that the law was constitutional.") ("anyone who dissented was encouraged to speak out while they had the chance") Noun: : difference of opinion ("heard voices of dissent at the meeting") : such as [a] : religious nonconformity permitted no dissent from church teachings [b] law : a justice's nonconcurrence with a decision of the majority ("cited an earlier case in her dissent") [c] : political opposition to a government or its policies ("attempts to suppress domestic dissent") (" Church leaders permitted no dissent from church teachings.") ("He did everything in his power to suppress political dissent.") ("These dissents come from prominent scientists and should not be ignored.") ("She argued in her dissent that Congress had exceeded its authority.")

assent verb & noun as·​sent | \ ə-ˈsent , a-\ assented; assenting; assents

Verb: intransitive verb : to agree to or approve of something (such as an idea or suggestion) especially after thoughtful consideration : CONCUR assent to a proposal Noun: : an act of agreeing to something especially after thoughtful consideration : an act of assenting : ACQUIESCENCE, AGREEMENT ("She gave her assent to the proposal.") ("a loud murmur of assent") ("One day I arrived at class to discuss some abolition treaties written during the early Romantic period. An African American woman, Stephanie, was introduced to me by one of my students. Stephanie asked if she could sit in on the class, and I of course assented.") ("Christopher, on his end, is supposed to have assented to and even welcomed this public confirmation of his own negligibility, not that foreign diplomats needed any.") ("The general proposed a detailed plan and the President assented.") ("are we to conclude from your silence that you assent?") ("Once filming began, sequences that had been axed for budgetary reasons were put back—with the studio's tacit assent.")

redress verb & noun re·​dress | \ ri-ˈdres \ redressed; redressing; redresses (Other Words from redress: Verb redresser noun)

Verb: transitive verb 1 [a] (1) : to set right : REMEDY ("looked to charity, not to legislation, to redress social wrongs") — W. R. Inge (2) : to make up for : COMPENSATE [b] : to remove the cause of (a grievance or complaint) [c] : to exact reparation for : AVENGE ("It is time to redress the injustices of the past.") ("the belief that redressing a murder with another murder, even if carried out by the state, is not morally justified") ("Both halves of her narrative are about senseless loss and the efforts to survive and, if possible, redress that loss.") ("That's a good sign for the agency's various efforts to redress the stark racial disparities seen in the past enforcement of marijuana prohibition.") Noun: 1 [a] : relief from distress [b] : means or possibility of seeking a remedy ("without redress") 2 : compensation for wrong or loss : REPARATION 3 [a] : an act or instance of redressing [b] : RETRIBUTION, CORRECTION ("the new skis were certainly an adequate redress for the lost snowboard") ("Francis has not yet announced what concrete goals the Vatican will pursue to change its culture or seek redress for the victims.") ("President Trump has shown himself more than willing to intervene to redress such cases.")

rebate verb & noun re·​bate | \ ˈrē-ˌbāt , ri-ˈbāt\ rebated; rebating

Verb: transitive verb 1 : to reduce the force or activity of : DIMINISH 2 : to reduce the sharpness of : BLUNT ("Spark has agreed to rebate some of the price to insurers, including Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in Wellesley, Mass., if the treatment doesn't work as intended.") Noun: : a return of a part of a payment ("There is a $50 rebate offered with the printer.")

laud verb & noun \ ˈlȯd \ lauded; lauding; lauds

Verb: transitive verb : PRAISE, EXTOL ("He was lauded for his accomplishments.") ("the obituary lauded him as a great statesman and soldier") (" He was much lauded as a successful businessman.") ("the critics have lauded the best-selling author's newest novel") ("Byron and his teammates will spend the week being lauded as the Daytona 500 favorites.") Noun: : PRAISE, ACCLAIM ("all glory, laud and honor to Thee") ("an actor who in his lifetime received all the laud and honor that the theater world could bestow")

plight verb & noun \ ˈplīt \ plighted; plighting; plights (Other Words from plight Verb plighter noun)

Verb: transitive verb : to put or give in pledge : ENGAGE plight his troth Noun: 1: a solemnly given pledge : ENGAGEMENT 2: an unfortunate, difficult, or precarious situation ("we must direct our efforts toward relieving the plight of children living in poverty") ("New political arrangements helped do in both Uruguay and New Zealand, and behind those arrangements are the plights of western Europe's old agricultural supply regions, especially those of France.") ("It's a sign of where the health-care debate has gone that truly big dilemmas—like the plight of the 42.6 million people still uninsured or the future of Medicare—are taking a back seat to what was only recently a relatively minor campaign issue.") ("Huckelberry decided to use the owl's plight as the impetus to craft a comprehensive conservation plan.")

prerogative noun pre·​rog·​a·​tive | \ pri-ˈrä-gə-tiv \

[a] : an exclusive or special right, power, or privilege: such as (1) : one belonging to an office or an official body (2) : one belonging to a person, group, or class of individuals (3) : one possessed by a nation as an attribute of sovereignty (" If you'd rather sell the tickets than use them, that's your prerogative.") ("It's a writer's prerogative to decide the fate of her characters.")

premise noun prem·​ise | \ ˈpre-məs \ variants: or less commonly premiss

[a] : a proposition antecedently supposed or proved as a basis of argument or inference specifically : either of the first two propositions of a syllogism from which the conclusion is drawn [b] : something assumed or taken for granted : PRESUPPOSITION ("For a syllogistic argument to be sound, the premise and the conclusion must be true.") (" He disagreed with her premise.") ("the basic premises of the argument") ("a theory based on the simple premise that what goes up must come down")

vexed adjective \ ˈvekst \

[a] : feeling or showing irritation, annoyance, or distress ("He had a vexed look, as if irritated at having to direct yet another ... lost tourist to more celebrated Washington landmarks.") ("... I plainly perceived him to be extremely vexed at me ...") [b] : difficult and often frustrating to understand or deal with ("a vexed question") ("Merchants such as the Polos sought to circumvent the vexed system of coins, with its inevitable confusion and debasement, by trading in gems such as rubies and sapphires and in pearls.") ("But the coming months—when America will have to vote for or against China in matters of trade, proliferation and human rights—will severely test the White House's ability to manage a perpetually vexed relationship.") ("I vexed my bother until he cried") ("She was feeling somewhat vexed.") ("my dog was clearly vexed with me for having been gone all week, and hardly greeted me when I came home") ("Poirot himself is vexed to have been used in such a scheme—and concerned about greater mischief to come.") ("Researchers have long been puzzled by the disease and vexed by how long it's taking to unravel its mysteries.")

infelicitous adjective in·​fe·​lic·​i·​tous | \ ˌin-fi-ˈli-sə-təs \

[a] : not appropriate or well-timed ("an infelicitous remark") [b] : AWKWARD, UNFORTUNATE ("an infelicitous moment") ("an infelicitous comment on the weight of the guest of honor at the banquet") ("As in video games, the action is lurid, hyperkinetic, and gruesomely violent, with nods to Grand Theft Auto and a comparably infelicitous treatment of the few women characters who show up.")

transient adjective tran·​sient | \ ˈtran(t)-sh(ē-)ənt ; ˈtran-zē-ənt, ˈtran(t)-sē-; ˈtran-zhənt, -jənt\

[a] : passing especially quickly into and out of existence : TRANSITORY ("transient beauty") [b] : passing through or by a place with only a brief stay or sojourn ("transient visitors") ("The mountain lies between his residence and the main road, and occludes the expectation of transient visits.")

fastidious adjective fas·​tid·​i·​ous | \ fa-ˈsti-dē-əs , fə-\

[a] : showing or demanding excessive delicacy or care ("fastidious attention to detail") [b] : reflecting a meticulous, sensitive, or demanding attitude ("fastidious workmanship") [c] : having high and often capricious standards : difficult to please ("critics ... so fastidious that they can talk only to a small circle of initiates") Simplified: : very careful about how you do something : liking few things : hard to please : wanting to always be clean, neat, etc. (" He is fastidious about keeping the house clean.") ("She was too fastidious to do anything that might get her dirty.") ("Though he prides himself on being hip, he is too fastidious to do anything dangerous or dirty.")

{derision noun} de·​ri·​sion | \ di-ˈri-zhən \

[a] : the use of ridicule or scorn to show contempt [b] : a state of being laughed at or ridiculed : a state of being derided MORE SENTENCES: ("Britain had its boffins, working researchers subject to the derision of intellectual gentlemen.") ("Ironically, in his denunciation of ISIS as apostate, Kerry joined the group in declaring who is and who is not a Muslim, drawing derision and mockery from Muslims.") ("Black wasn't a burden, or a yoke around one's neck that invited suspicion or derision.") ("My remarks were anodyne, but some other snippets of marginalia were shrieks of derision ...") Mnemonic:

obfuscate verb ob·​fus·​cate | \ ˈäb-fə-ˌskāt ; äb-ˈfə-ˌskāt, əb-\ obfuscated; obfuscating (Other Words from obfuscate: obfuscation \ ˌäb-​(ˌ)fə-​ˈskā-​shən \ noun obfuscatory \ äb-​ˈfə-​skə-​ˌtȯr-​ē , əb-​ \ adjective)

[b] : to make obscure ("obfuscate the issue") ("officials who ... continue to obscure and obfuscate what happened") — Mary Carroll 2 : CONFUSE ("obfuscate the reader") intransitive verb : to be evasive, unclear, or confusing The suspect often obfuscated during the interrogation. (" Politicians keep obfuscating the issues.") ("Their explanations only serve to obfuscate and confuse.") ("But this obfuscates the excessive pension promises that politicians have made.") ("Still, the game's attempts at realism can at times obfuscate some narrative choices and arbitrarily deny others.")

ominous adjective om·​i·​nous | \ ˈä-mə-nəs \ (Other Words from ominous: ominously adverb ominousness noun)

[b] suggesting that something bad is going to happen in the future ("there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead") ("an ominous threat of war") ("He spoke in ominous tones.") ("Sunday night's squall line led to an ominous shelf cloud that rolled across much of the Washington region and across the Chesapeake Bay.") ("Typically, those stemmed from gunfire around campuses or ominous warnings - often anonymous and seldom legitimate - that someone intended to carry out an attack.")

chasm

a profound difference between people, viewpoints, feelings, etc. ("a chasm between theory and practice")

mercurial

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

derivative

adjective: (or a creative product, e.g. music, writing, etc.) not original but drawing on the work of another person Because the movies were utterly [ ] of other popular movies, they did well at the box office. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

unequivocal

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

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold Synonyms : fresh , impudent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer's questions impertinent - after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline's favorite snack was? (adj) not pertinent to the matter under consideration Synonyms : extraneous , immaterial , orthogonal

tantamount

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

rudimentary

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

belligerent

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

rustic

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

decorous

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

precocious

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

gossamer

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

relevant

adjective: closely connected to the topic and therefore important I think Professor McGarry can give you some relevant books to help you write that essay.

involved

adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend Synonyms : byzantine , convoluted , knotty , tangled , tortuous The physics lecture became so involved that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over.

eclectic

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

aesthetic

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

equivocal

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

vociferous

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

recondite

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

amenable

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

avaricious

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

parsimonious

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

entrenched

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

jubilant

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

querulous

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

innocuous

adjective: harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects Synonyms : innocent Everyone found Nancy's banter innocuous - except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that your belief may not be correct |||| Though it comes from the Greek word that means "opinion," this word has a more negative connotation. Someone who is dogmatic stubbornly asserts an opinion that is unproved or unprovable. Those beliefs are called "dogma," and the person asserting them is a "dogmatist." • Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated. • Spouting religious dogma, the zealot called the college students "immoral sinners" and told them they would "never enter the Kingdom of Heaven." • A dogmatic conservative, the president refused to raise taxes even though key social service programs were woefully underfunded.

inexorable

adjective: impossible to stop or prevent Synonyms : adamant , adamantine , intransigent The rise of the computer was an inexorable shift in technology and culture.

impudent

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

didactic

adjective: instructive (especially excessively) Synonyms : didactical Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Illyich is a didactic novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.

wanting

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

incongruous

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

ephemeral

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

apathetic

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

meticulous

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

vehement

adjective: marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions Synonyms : fierce , tearing , trigger-happy , violent While the other employees responded to the bad news in a measured way, Andrew responded in a [ ] manner, tipping over his desk and shouting at the top of his lungs. ve(very)+he+men; try to remember as very manly; full of energy, violent man

forlorn

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

ambivalent

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

cryptic

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

parochial

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

magnanimous

adjective: noble and generous in spirit, especially towards a rival or someone less powerful Synonyms : greathearted He was a great sportsman: in defeat he was complementary and in victory he was [ ].

immutable

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

languid

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

anomalous

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

frivolous

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

frugal

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

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause Synonyms : causeless , uncaused While the real objects are vastly different sizes in space, the sun and the moon seem to have the same fortuitous size in the sky.

fallacious

adjective: of a belief that is based on faulty reasoning Synonyms : unsound,Synonyms, deceitful , fraudulent The widespread belief that Eskimos have forty different words for snow is [ ], based on one false report.

laconic

adjective: one who says very few words Synonyms : crisp , curt , terse While Martha always swooned over the hunky, laconic types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative - and not very hunky.

ambiguous

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

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country Synonyms : peasant , provincial The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.

deferential

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

negligible

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

tenacious

adjective: stubbornly unyielding Synonyms : dogged , dour , persistent , pertinacious , unyielding Even the most [ ] advocates for gun ownership must admit some of the dangers that firearms present.

treacherous

adjective: tending to betray Synonyms : perfidious , punic Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more for his [ ] actions than for eliminating a criminal and murder. adjective: dangerously unstable and unpredictable Synonyms : unreliable The bridge built from twine and vine is [ ] to walk across, and so I think I will stay put right here.

commensurate

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

gregarious

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

ingenuous

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

undermine

adjective: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term) The student undermined the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgment on numerous occasions.

itinerant

adjective: traveling from place to place to work Synonyms : gipsy , gypsy Doctors used to be [ ], traveling between patients' homes.

veracious

adjective: truthful Synonyms : right While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be veracious, history has shown that such a hope is naive.

audacious

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

conspicuous

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

insidious

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

espouse

adopt or support (a cause, belief, or way of life). ("he turned his back on the modernism he had espoused in his youth")

covetous adjective cov·​et·​ous | \ ˈkə-və-təs \

feeling or showing a very strong desire for something that you do not have and especially for something that belongs to someone else (" The expensive car drew many covetous looks.") ("one aggressive bargain hunter rushed to make a covetous grab for the last marked-down TV")

nominal adjective nom·​i·​nal | \ ˈnä-mə-nᵊl , ˈnäm-nəl\

formal : existing as something in name only : not actual or real : very small in amount ("What gave it resonance was that she was reflecting—in a fun-house mirror—the thuggish behavior of her nominal betters.") ("Instead they will decentralize and devolve power, and rely on the people over whom they have nominal authority to be self-organizing.") ("some firms charge only a nominal fee for the service") ("The emeritus was a nominally a professor") ("Her title of vice president had been nominal only.") ("They charge a nominal fee for the service.")

sustenance noun sus·​te·​nance | \ ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s \

formal : something (such as food) that keeps someone or something alive : something that gives support, help, or strength (" Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought.") ("The village depends on the sea for sustenance.") ("She draws spiritual sustenance from daily church attendance.")

somber adjective som·​ber | \ ˈsäm-bər \ variants: or sombre

formal : very sad and serious : having a dull or dark color (" Her death put us in a somber mood.") ("The movie is a somber portrait of life on the streets.") ("He wore a somber suit.")

sinuous adjective sin·​u·​ous | \ ˈsin-yə-wəs , -yü-əs\

formal + literary : having many twists and turns : moving and bending in a smooth and attractive way (" She moved with sinuous grace.") ("the river flowed in a sinuous path through the lush valley")

travail noun tra·​vail | \ trə-ˈvāl , ˈtra-ˌvāl\

formal : a difficult experience or situation literary : painful or difficult work or effort (" They finally succeeded after many months of travail.") ("no greater travail than that of parents who have suffered the death of a child")

synopsis noun syn·​op·​sis | \ sə-ˈnäp-səs \ plural synopses\ sə-​ˈnäp-​ˌsēz \

formal : a short description of the most important information about something : a summary or outline ("I don't need to know every little plot twist; just give me a synopsis of the movie.")

propensity noun pro·​pen·​si·​ty | \ prə-ˈpen(t)-sə-tē \ plural propensities

formal : a strong natural tendency to do something (" He had a propensity for crime.") ("the criminal propensities of the family extended over several generations")

capacious adjective ca·​pa·​cious | \ kə-ˈpā-shəs \

formal : able to hold or contain a lot : large in capacity ("the museum's capacious rooms") (" that car has a capacious trunk that makes it a good choice for families")

rapacious adjective ra·​pa·​cious | \ rə-ˈpā-shəs \

formal : always wanting more money, possessions, etc. : wanting more than is needed or deserved (" nothing livens things up like a whole team of rapacious basketball players descending upon the pizza parlor") ("rapacious mammals, such as coyotes, foxes, and bobcats")

infraction noun in·​frac·​tion | \ in-ˈfrak-shən \

formal : an act that breaks a rule or law ("speeding is only a minor infraction, but vehicular homicide is a serious felony")

inscrutable adjective in·​scru·​ta·​ble | \ in-ˈskrü-tə-bəl \

formal : difficult to understand : causing people to feel curious or confused ("an inscrutable smile") ("inscrutable motives") ("an inscrutable work of art") ("He was a quiet, inscrutable man.")

plaintive adjective plain·​tive | \ ˈplān-tiv \

formal : expressing suffering or sadness : having a sad sound ("a plaintive sigh") (" We could hear the plaintive cry of a wounded animal in the woods.") ("the puppy's plaintive expression after we put the toy away was rather amusing")

noxious adjective nox·​ious | \ ˈnäk-shəs \

formal : harmful to living things (" mixing bleach and ammonia can cause noxious fumes that can seriously harm you") ("noxious smog that for years has been encrusting the historic cathedral with soot")

invective noun in·​vec·​tive | \ in-ˈvek-tiv \

formal : harsh or insulting words : rude and angry language (" a barrage of racist invective") ("hurled curses and invective at the driver who heedlessly cut them off in traffic")

retentive adjective re·​ten·​tive | \ ri-ˈten-tiv \

formal : having the ability to remember things easily or for a long time ("a retentive memory") : having the power, property, or capacity of retaining ("soils retentive of moisture")

reverence noun rev·​er·​ence | \ ˈrev-rən(t)s , ˈre-və-; ˈre-vərn(t)s\

formal : honor or respect that is felt for or shown to (someone or something) (" Her poems are treated with reverence by other poets.") ("Their religion has a deep reverence for nature.")

corollary noun cor·​ol·​lary | \ ˈkȯr-ə-ˌler-ē , ˈkär-, -le-rē, British kə-ˈrä-lə-rē\ plural corollaries

formal : something that naturally follows or results from another thing ("one corollary of the rise of television was a massive makeover of radio's programming") ("increased taxes—or expanding deficits—are the inevitable corollary to any new government spending program")

scrutiny noun scru·​ti·​ny | \ ˈskrü-tə-nē , ˈskrüt-nē\ plural scrutinies

formal : the act of carefully examining something especially in a critical way : the act of scrutinizing something (" the close scrutiny of data") ("I'd never faced that kind of scrutiny before.") ("Because of their past crimes, everything they do now will be subject to scrutiny.") ("Her opinion is based on a careful scrutiny of the text.")

provenance noun prov·​e·​nance | \ ˈpräv-nən(t)s , ˈprä-və-ˌnän(t)s\

formal : the origin or source of something (" Has anyone traced the provenances of these paintings?") ("The artifact is of unknown provenance.")

temerity noun te·​mer·​i·​ty | \ tə-ˈmer-ə-tē \ plural temerities

formal : the quality of being confident and unafraid of danger or punishment especially in a way that seems rude or foolish (" He was punished for his temerity.") ("she had the temerity to ask my boyfriend if she could go out with him should he and I ever break up")

subterfuge noun sub·​ter·​fuge | \ ˈsəb-tər-ˌfyüj \

formal : the use of tricks especially to hide, avoid, or get something ("They obtained the documents by subterfuge.") ("propagandists who use a kind of photographic subterfuge, superimposing one image on another to create a false "reality"")

transmute verb trans·​mute | \ tran(t)s-ˈmyüt , tranz-\ transmuted; transmuting

formal : to completely change the form, appearance, or nature of (someone or something) (" The stories of their lives were transmuted into works of fiction.") ("The former criminal had transmuted into a national hero.")

extirpate verb ex·​tir·​pate | \ ˈek-stər-ˌpāt \ extirpated; extirpating

formal : to destroy or remove (something) completely (" the triumph of modern medicine in extirpating certain diseases") ("Wild turkeys are native to Wisconsin but were extirpated by unregulated hunting in the 1800s.")

transgress verb trans·​gress | \ tran(t)s-ˈgres , tranz-\ transgressed; transgressing; transgresses

formal : to do something that is not allowed : to disobey a command or law (" He who transgresses must seek forgiveness.") ("There are legal consequences for companies that transgress the rules.")

sequester verb se·​ques·​ter | \ si-ˈkwe-stər \ sequestered; sequestering\ si-​ˈkwe-​st(ə-​)riŋ \

formal : to keep (a person or group) apart from other people law : to take (property) until a debt has been paid (" The jury was sequestered until a verdict was reached.") ("He was sequestered in his room.")

discomfit verb dis·​com·​fit | \ dis-ˈkəm(p)-fət , especially Southern ˌdis-kəm-ˈfit\ discomfited; discomfiting; discomfits

formal : to make (someone) confused or upset

attenuate verb at·​ten·​u·​ate | \ ə-ˈten-yə-ˌwāt , -yü-ˌāt \ attenuated; attenuating

formal : to make (something) weaker or less in amount, effect, or force (" Earplugs will attenuate the loud sounds of the machinery.") ("an investment attenuated by significant inflation over the years")

assuage verb as·​suage | \ ə-ˈswāj also -ˈswāzh or -ˈswäzh \ assuaged; assuaging

formal : to make (something, such as an unpleasant feeling) less painful, severe, etc. ("He couldn't assuage his guilt over the divorce.") ("a mother cooing to her toddler and assuaging his fear of the dark")

undulate verb un·​du·​late | \ ˈən-jə-ˌlāt , ˈən-dyə-, ˈən-də-\ undulated; undulating

formal : to move or be shaped like waves ("Inside my apartment, the hardwood floors undulated like waves from the water buildup.")

{preempt verb} pre·​empt | \ prē-ˈem(p)t \ preempted; preempting; preempts

formal : to prevent (something) from happening formal : to take the place of (something) US : to be shown instead of (another television program) ("the movement was then preempted by a lunatic fringe") ("the program did not appear, having been preempted by a baseball game") — Robert MacNeil ("In so doing, the Court held that Congress did not intend to preempt common law contract claims.") — Charas v. Trans World Airlines, Inc. MORE SENTENCES: ("the government preempted a coup attempt") Mnemonic: (pre)empt > before; pre(empt) > to do >> do before;

relegate verb rel·​e·​gate | \ ˈre-lə-ˌgāt \

formal : to put (someone or something) in a lower or less important position, rank, etc. formal : to give (something, such as a job or responsibility) to another person or group (" The bill has been relegated to committee for discussion.") ("courtiers and generals who incurred the emperor's disfavor were soon relegated to the farther reaches of the empire")

demarcate verb de·​mar·​cate | \ di-ˈmär-ˌkāt , ˈdē-ˌ \ demarcated; demarcating

formal : to show the limits or edges of (something) ("demarcate teachers as mentor, master and model teachers based on their level of education") ("a plot of land demarcated by a low stone wall")

execrable adjective ex·​e·​cra·​ble | \ ˈek-si-krə-bəl \

formal : very bad (" Living conditions in the slums were execrable.") ("her execrable singing finally brought a complaint from the neighbors")

preternatural adjective pre·​ter·​nat·​u·​ral | \ ˌprē-tər-ˈna-chə-rəl , -ˈnach-rəl, pre-\

formal : very unusual in a way that does not seem natural (" She has a preternatural ability to charm people.") ("There was a preternatural quiet in the house.")

conspire verb con·​spire | \ kən-ˈspī(-ə)r \ conspired; conspiring

intransitive verb 1 [a] : to join in a secret agreement to do an unlawful or wrongful act or an act which becomes unlawful as a result of the secret agreement ("accused of conspiring to overthrow the government") ("conspired to monopolize and restrict trade") [b] : SCHEME 2 : to act in harmony toward a common end Circumstances conspired to defeat his efforts. ("... the sun and the wind conspired to make splinters out of solid wood.") (" conspired to replace the leader with someone more easily influenced") ("foul weather and airline foul-ups seemed to be conspiring to ruin our vacation")

adhere verb ad·​here | \ ad-ˈhir , əd-\ adhered; adhering

intransitive verb 1 : to hold fast or stick by or as if by gluing, suction, grasping, or fusing ("The stamp failed to adhere to the envelope.") 2 : to give support or maintain loyalty ("adhere to traditional values") : to cause to stick fast The paper had been adhered to the wall. (" The stamp failed to adhere.") ("everyone started calling her "Cookie" when she was little and the name adhered")

dawdle verb daw·​dle | \ ˈdȯ-dᵊl \ dawdled; dawdling\ ˈdȯ-​dliŋ , -​dᵊl-​iŋ \ (Other Words from dawdle dawdler \ ˈdȯ-​dlər , -​dᵊl-​ər \ noun)

intransitive verb 1 : to spend time idly ("... dawdled about in the vestibule ...") — Jane Austen 2 : to move lackadaisically ("I don't want you dawdling while you making deliveries for Mrs. Ford.") — Connie Porter transitive verb : to spend fruitlessly or lackadaisically dawdled the day away ("I couldn't dawdle over my coffee any longer") ("Hurry up! There's no time to dawdle.") ("Come home immediately after school, and don't dawdle.")

contend verb con·​tend | \ kən-ˈtend \ contended; contending; contends

intransitive verb 1 : to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties : STRUGGLE ("contended with the problems of municipal government") ("will contend for the championship this year") 2 : to strive in debate : ARGUE transitive verb 1 : MAINTAIN, ASSERT ("contended that he was right") ("contends that the new law would help only the wealthy") 2 : to struggle for : CONTEST ("She contended every point, objected to every request ...") Simplified: : to argue or state (something) in a strong and definite way : to compete with someone or for something : to compete with a good chance of winning ("she had to contend with his uncertain temper") ("These people contend that they have earned the right to the land.") ("The team is expected to contend for the championship this year.") ("Of course, the internet isn't going away, and retailers still, really, have to contend with Amazon.") ("The Angels entered Saturday — just the third official day of summer — very much in the mode of contending for something significant in 2018.")

equivocate verb equiv·​o·​cate | \ i-ˈkwi-və-ˌkāt \ (Other Words from equivocate: equivocation \ i-​ˌkwi-​və-​ˈkā-​shən \ noun equivocator \ i-​ˈkwi-​və-​ˌkā-​tər \ noun)

intransitive verb 1 : to use equivocal language especially with intent to deceive 2 : to avoid committing oneself in what one says (" The applicant seemed to be equivocating when we asked him about his last job.") ("When asked about her tax plan, the candidate didn't equivocate.") ("The Warriors had their invitation for a visit with Trump rescinded after publicly equivocating about attending.") ("In reality, African-Americans always vote in line with their interests, and a president who has equivocated on white supremacist violence naturally repels them.")

grouse verb & noun \ ˈgrau̇s \ plural grouse or grouses

intransitive verb : COMPLAIN, GRUMBLE groused about the higher prices (" She's been grousing to her boss about the working conditions.") ("Fans have groused that the higher prices are unfair.") Noun: :COMPLAINT

acquiesce verb ac·​qui·​esce | \ ˌa-kwē-ˈes \ acquiesced; acquiescing

intransitive verb : to accept, comply, or submit tacitly or passively —often used with in or to ("... the tender understanding with which he had acquiesced to her wish not to consummate their relationship out of wedlock.") ("Sara acquiesced in his decision") ("... he seems to have acquiesced in his Christian Scientist wife's refusal to provide medical care ...") ("They demanded it, and he acquiesced.") ("apparently the contractor expected me to acquiesce to my own fleecing")

sleuth verb sleuthed; sleuthing; sleuths

intransitive verb : to act as a detective : search for information transitive verb : to search for and discover ("scientists began their genetic sleuthing for honey mushrooms four years ago") ("The birth of eBay signaled an entirely new way of sleuthing out vintage gear.") ("But Young's sister had done her homework to ensure she'd made the right choice, sleuthing out the breed Young was partial to and even catching him in conversation about dog names.") ("The Nancy Drew fan in me decided to sleuth around a bit.")

hector verb hectored; hectoring\ ˈhek-​t(ə-​)riŋ \ (Other Words from hector Verb hectoringly \ ˈhek-​t(ə-​)riŋ-​lē \ adverb)

intransitive verb : to behave in an arrogant or intimidating way : to play the bully : SWAGGER transitive verb : to intimidate or harass by bluster or personal pressure ("football players being hectored by their coach") ("My sister was hectoring me on how incompetent I was") ("The judge ordered the attorney to stop hectoring the witness.") ("the children used to constantly hector the poor dog, and now he growls at everybody") ("Mr. Liggett sometimes used his art to hector neighbors in a score of grievances.")

litigate verb lit·​i·​gate | \ ˈli-tə-ˌgāt \ litigated; litigating

intransitive verb : to carry on a legal contest by judicial (see JUDICIAL sense 1a) process ("only states can litigate before this court") transitive verb 1 archaic : DISPUTE 2 : to decide and settle in a court of law ("litigate a claim") ("the company wishes to avoid litigation") ("They agree to litigate all disputes in this court.") ("The company's unwillingness to make a deal increased her desire to litigate.")

vamoose verb va·​moose | \ və-ˈmüs , va-\ vamoosed; vamoosing

intransitive verb : to depart quickly ("it's getting late, so we had better vamoose") ("In November, the owner of the building housing Trump's SoHo hotel in Manhattan paid the Trump Organization to vamoose.")

lament verb la·​ment | \ lə-ˈment \ lamented; lamenting; laments

intransitive verb : to mourn aloud : WAIL ("nightingales lament without ceasing") transitive verb 1 : to express sorrow, mourning, or regret for often demonstratively : MOURN ("... must regret the imprudence, lament the result ...") 2 : to regret strongly ("He lamented his decision not to go to college.")

platitude

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

statutory adjective stat·​u·​to·​ry | \ ˈsta-chə-ˌtȯr-ē \

law : of or relating to formal laws or statutes : controlled or determined by a law or rule ("The statutory requirement to pay taxes is burdensome") ("Clayton's bill, however, is a statutory change that would require legislative action to undo.") ("People know that they will be released, so there needs to be a statutory change.")

pestilence noun pes·​ti·​lence | \ ˈpe-stə-lən(t)s \

literary : a disease that causes many people to die : something that is destructive or pernicious ("I'll pour this pestilence into his ear") (" After years of war and pestilence, few people remained in the city.") ("the fear that terrorists could unleash a pestilence that would wreak unspeakable havoc")

apathy

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

penurious adjective pe·​nu·​ri·​ous | \ pə-ˈnu̇r-ē-əs , -ˈnyu̇r-\

means "stingy, unwilling to spend money" and "poverty-stricken or destitute ("very poor") (" The penurious school system had to lay off several teachers.") ("the company's penurious management could not be convinced of the need to earmark more money for research and development")

heretic

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

culpability

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

predilection

noun: a strong liking Synonyms : penchant , preference , taste Monte had a predilection for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and trips to the French Riviera.

travesty

noun: an absurd presentation of something; a mockery |||| means any "grotesque parody"of something or a disastrous mockery. It comes from the French word for "disguise" or "parody. Synonyms : farce , farce comedy,burlesque , charade , lampoon , mockery , parody , pasquinade , put-on , sendup , spoof , takeoff • What I expected to be an intelligent, nuanced historical documentary turned out to be a poorly-produced [ ] of the form. • "Allowing the murderer to go free is a travesty of justice," said the lawyer. "It is a gross misinterpretation of the law." • The soccer game was a travesty; the Boston team, usually far superior to their opponents, was careless, clumsy, and thoughtless. It's no wonder they lost by two goals.

perfidy

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust Synonyms : betrayal , treachery , treason,perfidiousness , treachery The lowest circles in Dante's Inferno were for those who had practiced perfidy, and among these, the very lowest was for those, such as Judas, who had been treacherous to one of their benefactors.

glut

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

acrimony

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

panache

noun: distinctive and stylish elegance Synonyms : dash , elan , flair , style Jim, with his typical [ ], came to the wedding reception with a top hat, a cane, and a long cape covered in sequins.

jingoism

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

torpor

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

calumny

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

aesthete

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

resource

noun: some saved material that can be used for a purpose (especially money, anything used to make energy such as oil, or information sources such as books) Many of the richest countries have surprisingly few natural resources and must buy oil or gas from other countries. Never forget to make use of the library during your studies; it's full of great resources.

iconoclast

noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an iconoclast for wearing a "meat dress" to a prominent awards show.

chagrin

noun: strong feelings of embarrassment Synonyms : humiliation , mortification Much to the timid writer's chagrin, the audience chanted his name until he came back on the stage. verb: cause to feel shame; hurt the pride o Synonyms : abase , humble , humiliate , mortifyf She never cared what others said about her appearance but was chagrined by the smallest comment from her mother.

access

noun: the ability to go into (when somebody or something must allow you to enter) Synonyms : accession , admission , admittance , entree verb: to go into something when allowed to enter Only students have [ ] to the university library. There is a large amount of oil under the ice, but we have not be able to [ ] it.

venality

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

prescience

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

volubility

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

gall

noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent Synonyms : cheekiness , crust , freshness , impertinence , impudence , insolence Even though Carly was only recently hired, she had the gall to question her boss's judgment in front of the office. noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will Synonyms : bitterness , rancor , rancour , resentment In an act of gall, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.

confined adjective con·​fined | \ kən-ˈfīnd \

of a space or area : very small : held captive ("confined prisoners") ("She gets uncomfortable in confined spaces.") ("confined citizens have basic rights under that nation's constitution")

gnarled adjective \ ˈnär(-ə)ld \

of wood : having many twists and hard bumps or knots : bumpy or twisted ("gnarled hands") ("gnarled olive trees") (" the old man's gnarled fingers")

solipsistic adjective so·​lip·​sis·​tic | \ ˌsō-ləp-ˈsi-stik , ˌsä-\

of, relating to, or characterized by solipsism or extreme egocentricity Simplified: Narcissistic ("The new punks can only rant about solipsistic concerns: themselves, their friends and girlfriends, and us, the people they think look at them funny.") ("Played by a ferocious cast of nonactors, the dead-end adolescent rebels in Kids are like a wolf pack of baby sociopaths, leaping from one solipsistic sensation to the next.") ("What we say to ourselves is often quite similar to what we say to each other, because we solipsistically forget that we are in fact speaking to someone else.")

repatriation noun re·​pa·​tri·​a·​tion | \ (ˌ)rē-ˌpā-trē-ˈā-shən , -ˌpa-\ plural repatriations

t: the act or process of restoring or returning someone or something to the country of origin, allegiance, or citizenship : the act of repatriating or the state of being repatriated ("While officials privately acknowledge there is scant legal basis for repatriation, their public statements suggest that they would use lawsuits, diplomatic pressure and shame to bring home looted objects—not unlike Italy, Greece and Egypt, which have sought, with some success, to recover antiquities in European and American museums.") ("They say they have that right under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which requires that human remains and artifacts be returned to Indian tribes that can show a cultural link.") ("This left him an illegal immigrant in Hong Kong, subject to arrest and repatriation at any time.")("the voluntary repatriation of refugees")

aqueous adjective aque·​ous | \ ˈā-kwē-əs , ˈa- \

technical : containing water or similar to water ("The habitable remainder contains neighborhoods with different aqueous bodies and wealth indexes.") ("an aqueous solution")

denunciation noun de·​nun·​ci·​a·​tion | \ di-ˌnən(t)-sē-ˈā-shən \

to denounce

extenuate verb ex·​ten·​u·​ate | \ ik-ˈsten-yə-ˌwāt , -yü-ˌāt\ extenuated; extenuating (Other Words from extenuate: extenuator \ ik-​ˈsten-​yə-​ˌwā-​tər , -​yü-​ˌā-​ \ noun extenuatory \ ik-​ˈsten-​yə-​wə-​ˌtȯr-​ē , -​yü-​ə-​ \ adjective)

transitive verb 1 : cause (an offense) to seem less serious. ("even the fact that you once helped to save my life could not extenuate your offence") ("There is no economic analysis that can extenuate bigotry.") ("... all the lies that society tells to justify its values and extenuate its conduct ...") 2 : to lessen the strength or effect of (something) : WEAKEN ("... it was true that he was an old friend and that ... she felt a desire not to extenuate such ties.") ("even the fact that you once helped to save my life could not extenuate your offence"). ("don't even try to extenuate their vandalism of the cemetery with the old refrain of "Boys will be boys"") ("There was other extenuating evidence that was attached.") ("Swaps aren't all bad... When extenuating circumstances hit, airlines may be able to switch airports at your request, to make your journey smoother.")

encompass verb en·​com·​pass | \ in-ˈkəm-pəs , en- also -ˈkäm-\ encompassed; encompassing; encompasses (Other Words from encompass: encompassment \ in-​ˈkəm-​pə-​smənt , en-​ also -​ˈkäm-​ \ noun)

transitive verb 1 [a] : INCLUDE, COMPREHEND ("a plan that encompasses a number of aims") [b] : ENVELOP 2 [a] : to form a circle about : ENCLOSE [b] obsolete : to go completely around 3 : BRING ABOUT, ACCOMPLISH ("encompass a task") ("a vast halo encompassing the Milky Way galaxy") (" The district encompasses most of the downtown area.") ("a neighborhood encompassed by a highway") ("At the same time I've never been awarded a higher honor than that of sending her back home, totally encompassed in love and tears.") ("No one has been able to prove Steve Hodel wrong—but as his theories have continued to spiral, encompassing more and more unsolved murders, experts have become increasingly divided about his conclusions.")

affirm verb af·​firm | \ ə-ˈfərm \ affirmed; affirming; affirms

transitive verb 1 [a] : VALIDATE, CONFIRM He was affirmed as a candidate. [b] : to state positively ("He affirmed his innocence.") 2 : to assert (something, such as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed ("The court affirmed his conviction.") (" We cannot affirm that this painting is genuine.") ("They neither affirmed nor denied their guilt.") ("laws affirming the racial equality of all peoples") ("They continued to affirm their religious beliefs.") ("The decision was affirmed by a higher court.")

divest verb di·​vest | \ dī-ˈvest , də-\ divested; divesting; divests (Other Words from divest: divestment \ -​ˈves(t)-​mənt \ noun)

transitive verb 1 [a] : to deprive or dispossess especially of property, authority, or title ("divesting assets to raise capital") ("was divested of his rights") ("divesting herself of all her worldly possessions") ("encouraged the university to divest itself from fossil fuels") [b] : to undress or strip especially of clothing, ornament, or equipment ("Christmas trees divested of their ornaments") [c] : RID, FREE 2 : to take away from a person ("men are unlikely to be divested of power without a struggle") ("The company is divesting 8 of its 20 stores.") ("We may have to divest assets to raise capital.") ("Requiring the president and vice president to disclose their tax returns and divest any assets that could present a conflict of interest.") ("Comcast promised to match Disney's promise to divest.")

concede

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

discern verb dis·​cern | \ di-ˈsərn , -ˈzərn \ discerned; discerning; discerns

transitive verb 1 [a] : to detect with the eyes ("discerned a figure approaching through the fog") [b] : to detect with senses other than vision ("discerned a strange odor") 2 : to recognize or identify as separate and distinct : DISCRIMINATE ("discern right from wrong") 3 : to come to know or recognize mentally ("unable to discern his motives") intransitive verb : to see or understand the difference ("To discern whether he was lying or not, the investigator told the prisoner to corroborate his claims of innocence") (" The reasons behind this sudden change are difficult to discern.") ("barely able to discern the garden gate through the mist")

insinuate verb in·​sin·​u·​ate | \ in-ˈsin-yə-ˌwāt , -yü-ˌāt\ insinuated; insinuating

transitive verb 1 [a] : to introduce (something, such as an idea) gradually or in a subtle, indirect, or covert way ("insinuate doubts into a trusting mind") [b] : to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way : IMPLY ("I resent what you're insinuating") 2 : to introduce (someone, such as oneself) by stealthy, smooth, or artful means intransitive verb 1 archaic : to enter gently, slowly, or imperceptibly : CREEP (" years were needed for the agent to insinuate himself into the terrorist organization") ("are you insinuating that I won by cheating?")

roil verb \ ˈrȯi(-ə)l , sense vt 2 is also ˈrī(-ə)l\ roiled; roiling; roils

transitive verb 1 [a] : to make turbid by stirring up the sediment or dregs of [b] : to stir up : DISTURB, DISORDER 2 : RILE sense 1 intransitive verb : to move turbulently : be in a state of turbulence or agitation ("conflicting emotions roiling inside her") ("He roiled my meditation when bursted through the door") ("Financial markets have been roiled by the banking crisis.") ("the waters of the gulf tossed and roiled as the hurricane surged toward the shore")

cajole verb ca·​jole | \ kə-ˈjōl \ cajoled; cajoling

transitive verb 1 [a] : to persuade with flattery or gentle urging especially in the face of reluctance : COAX ("had to cajole them into going") [b] : to obtain from someone by gentle persuasion ("cajoled money from his parents") 2 : to deceive with soothing words or false promises ("cajoled himself with thoughts of escape") Simplified: : to persuade someone to do something or to give you something by making promises or saying nice things ("cajoled her into doing his laundry for him") ("In much the way her family had cajoled her to face the world again, Darby was doing the same for Dave.")

repudiate verb re·​pu·​di·​ate | \ ri-ˈpyü-dē-ˌāt \

transitive verb 1 [a] : to refuse to accept especially : to reject as unauthorized or as having no binding force ("repudiate a contract") ("repudiate a will") [b] : to reject as untrue or unjust ("repudiate a charge") : to refuse to accept or support (something) : to reject (something or someone) : to say or show that (something) is not true (" a generation that has repudiated the values of the past") ("He has publicly repudiated the government's policies.") ("He published an article that repudiates the study's claims.") ("She says she has evidence which repudiates the allegations. a generation that has repudiated the values of the past") ("He has publicly repudiated the government's policies.") ("He published an article that repudiates the study's claims.") ("She says she has evidence which repudiates the allegations.")

usurp verb \ yu̇-ˈsərp also -ˈzərp \ usurped; usurping; usurps (Other Words from usurp: usurpation \ ˌyü-​sər-​ˈpā-​shən also ˌyü-​zər-​ \ noun usurper \ yu̇-​ˈsər-​pər also -​ˈzər-​ \ noun)

transitive verb 1 [a] : to seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.) in possession by force or without right ("usurp a throne") [b] : to take or make use of without right ("usurped the rights to her life story") 2 : to take the place of by or as if by force : SUPPLANT ("must not let stock responses based on inherited prejudice usurp careful judgment") intransitive verb : to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully ("Richard usurped the throne") ("Some people have accused city council members of trying to usurp the mayor's power.") ("attempting to usurp the throne") ("If successful, the launch would usurp the current record of 37 satellites launched on a Russian rocket in 2014.") ("The problem is that the federal government has gradually usurped the powers of the states.")

assimilate verb as·​sim·​i·​late | \ ə-ˈsi-mə-ˌlāt \ assimilated; assimilating

transitive verb 1 [a] : to take into the mind and thoroughly understand ("assimilate information") ("Students need to assimilate new concepts.") [b] : to take in and utilize as nourishment : to absorb into the system ("The body assimilates digested food.") (" Children need to assimilate new ideas. There was a lot of information to assimilate at school.") ("Schools were used to assimilate the children of immigrants.") ("They found it hard to assimilate to American society.") ("Many of these religious traditions have been assimilated into the culture.")

extricate verb ex·​tri·​cate | \ ˈek-strə-ˌkāt \ extricated; extricating (Other Words from extricate extricable \ ik-​ˈstri-​kə-​bəl , ek-​ˈstri-​ \ adjective extrication \ ˌek-​strə-​ˈkā-​shən \ noun)

transitive verb 1 [a] archaic : UNRAVEL [b] : to distinguish from a related thing 2 : to free or remove from an entanglement or difficulty ("he was trying to extricate himself from official duties") ("Several survivors were extricated from the wreckage.") ("They extricated the tractor from the mud.") ("Companies and banks doing business with Iran will have to scramble to extricate themselves or run afoul of the U.S. government.")

beleaguer verb be·​lea·​guer | \ bi-ˈlē-gər , bē-\ beleaguered; beleaguering\ bi-​ˈlē-​g(ə-​)riŋ , bē-​ \

transitive verb 1 : BESIEGE a town beleaguered by an army a beleaguered city 2 : TROUBLE, HARASS beleaguered parents an economically beleaguered city (" the lack of funds that beleaguers schools") ("beleaguered the castle for months")

chafe verb \ ˈchāf \ chafed; chafing

transitive verb 1 : IRRITATE, VEX ("The noise of the children playing chafed her.") intransitive verb 1 : to feel irritation, discontent, or impatience : FRET ("chafes at the rules") ("Amber Hinds chafed at a previous employer over colleagues who always headed home by 5 p.m., no matter what.") ("American institutions are already chafing against Beijing's tightening grip over Taiwan.")

eschew

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

denote

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

allocate verb al·​lo·​cate | \ ˈa-lə-ˌkāt \ allocated; allocating

transitive verb 1 : to apportion for a specific purpose or to particular persons or things : DISTRIBUTE ("allocate tasks among human and automated components") 2 : to set apart or earmark : DESIGNATE ("allocate a section of the building for special research purposes") (" Money from the sale of the house was allocated to each of the children.") ("We need to determine the best way to allocate our resources.") ("Have enough funds been allocated to finance the project?")

estrange verb es·​trange | \ i-ˈstrānj \ estranged; estranging (Other Words from estrange: estrangement \ i-​ˈstrānj-​mənt \ noun her estrangement from her family estranger noun)

transitive verb 1 : to arouse especially mutual enmity or indifference in (someone) where there had formerly been love, affection, or friendliness : ALIENATE ("John's excesses gradually estranged him from his mother ...") ("She became estranged from her family.") 2 : to remove from customary environment or associations ("The first words spoken were not those of one becoming estranged from this world, and already permitted to stray at times into realms foreign to the living.") ("she estranged several of her coworkers when she let her promotion go to her head") ("Maybe his family is estranged, or oceans away, or his relatives have all passed on.") ("Although their divorce did not become official until 1996, Sarah was estranged from the royal family after her photo scandal in 1992.") ("Tyler has reportedly been estranged from his father for some time.")

obstruct verb ob·​struct | \ əb-ˈstrəkt , äb-\ obstructed; obstructing; obstructs

transitive verb 1 : to block or close up by an obstacle ("A piece of food obstructed his airway.") ("The road was obstructed by a fallen tree.") 2 : to hinder from passage, action, or operation : IMPEDE ("Constant interruptions obstruct our progress.") ("was charged with obstructing justice by lying to investigators") 3 : to cut off from sight ("A wall obstructs the view.")

evoke verb \ i-ˈvōk \ evoked; evoking

transitive verb 1 : to call forth or up: such as [a] : to bring to mind or recollection ("this place evokes memories") [b] : to cite especially with approval or for support : INVOKE [c] : CONJURE sense 2a ("evoke evil spirits") 2 : to re-create imaginatively ("The old house evoked memories of his childhood.") ("His photographs evoke the isolation and solitude of the desert.") ("Stories about trauma can easily evoke our own trauma, and that's not always desirable.") ("By night, the lights evoke a starry night, illuminating the midnight blue sofas below.") ("Her design sensibility did evoke the past, but with modern stylization.")

conjure verb con·​jure | \ sense vt 2 & vi senses ˈkän-jər also ˈkən- ; sense vt 1 kən-ˈju̇r \ conjured; conjuring\ ˈkänj-​riŋ , ˈkän-​jə-​ , ˈkənj-​ , ˈkən-​jə-​ ; kən-​ˈju̇r-​iŋ \

transitive verb 1 : to charge or entreat earnestly or solemnly ("I conjure you ... to weigh my case well ... ") 2 [a] : to summon by or as if by invocation or incantation [b] (1) : to affect or effect by or as if by magic (2) : IMAGINE, CONTRIVE —often used with up We conjure up our own metaphors for our own needs ... — R. J. Kaufmann conjured up a clever plan to raise the money (3) : to bring to mind ("words that conjure pleasant images") ("conjure up memories") intransitive verb 1 [a] : to summon a devil or spirit by invocation or incantation [b] : to practice magical arts ("... prayed and conjured, but all was useless ...") Herman Melville 2 : to use a conjurer's tricks : JUGGLE conjure with chiefly British : to treat or regard as important ("Victor Hugo is a name to conjure with ...") ("they hoped to conjure up the spirit of their dead friend")

inundate verb in·​un·​date | \ ˈi-(ˌ)nən-ˌdāt \ inundated; inundating (Other Words from inundate: inundation \ ˌi-​(ˌ)nən-​ˈdā-​shən \ noun inundator \ ˈi-​(ˌ)nən-​ˌdā-​tər \ noun inundatory \ i-​ˈnən-​də-​ˌtȯr-​ē \ adjective)

transitive verb 1 : to cover with a flood : OVERFLOW 2 : OVERWHELM ("was inundated with phone calls") ("we've been inundated with complaints from listeners") ("Rising rivers could inundate low-lying areas.") ("water from the overflowing bathtub inundated the bathroom floor") ("Clark said Democratic members of Congress have been inundated with calls from constituents who are fired up about stopping the separations.") ("Slower forward movement means a hurricane has more time to inundate a region with rain and storm surge")

decry verb de·​cry | \ di-ˈkrī , dē-\ decried; decrying (Other Words from decry: decrier \ -​ˈkrī(-​ə)r \ noun)

transitive verb 1 : to depreciate (something, such as a coin) officially or publicly ("the king may at any time decry ... any coin of the kingdom") 2 : to express strong disapproval of ("decry the emphasis on sex") ("... has decried the medical marijuana ballot initiative as being rife with loopholes.") ("they decried human rights abuses") (" In her article, she decries the pollution of the environment by manufacturers.") ("Violence on television is generally decried as harmful to children.") ("Conservatives have long decried political correctness.") ("President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have decried such disclosures, and announced a sharp increase in leak investigations.")

predispose verb pre·​dis·​pose | \ ˌprē-di-ˈspōz \ predisposed; predisposing; predisposes

transitive verb 1 : to dispose in advance ("a good teacher predisposes children to learn") 2 : to make susceptible ("malnutrition predisposes one to disease") intransitive verb : to bring about susceptibility ("a child may inherit a predisposition to schizophrenia") ("Past experiences have predisposed her to distrust people.") ("This predisposes them to diarrhea several hours after consuming fructose-rich foods.")

eradicate verb erad·​i·​cate | \ i-ˈra-də-ˌkāt \ eradicated; eradicating

transitive verb 1 : to do away with as completely as if by pulling up by the roots ("programs to eradicate illiteracy") Simplified: : to remove (something) completely : to eliminate or destroy (something harmful) (" The disease has now been completely eradicated.") ("His ambition is to eradicate poverty in his community.")

ruminate verb ru·​mi·​nate | \ ˈrü-mə-ˌnāt \ ruminated; ruminating

transitive verb 1 : to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly intransitive verb 2 : to engage in contemplation : REFLECT (" The question got us ruminating on the real value of wealth.") ("He ruminated over the implications of their decision.")

abstain

verb: choose not to consume or take part in (particularly something enjoyable) Synonyms : desist , refrain Considered a health nut, Jessica [ ]ed from anything containing sugar-even chocolate.

furlough verb & noun fur·​lough | \ ˈfər-(ˌ)lō \

transitive verb 1 : to grant a leave of absence or furlough to (someone) ("a soldier being furloughed") ("a furloughed prisoner") 2 : to put (a worker) on furlough : to lay off (a worker) for usually a brief or temporary period ("... other airlines are placing pressure on the unionized pilots to take large salary cuts—at least those pilots who haven't already been "furloughed" (the word pilots use instead of the more plebeian "laid off").") ("Although no one could supply exact figures, sources in Washington, D.C., said nearly 500,000 federal workers were furloughed for all or part of Thursday. In the Los Angeles-Long Beach area about 11,000 of the 40,000 federal workers were sent home because of the operating fund impasse in Congress.") Noun ("Each employee will have a one-day furlough every month.") ("the landscaping company usually has to put most of its personnel on furlough during the extremely slow winter months") Verb ("The company will consider furloughing a small number of workers.")

enthrall verb en·​thrall | \ in-ˈthrȯl , en-\ variants: or enthral enthralled; enthralling

transitive verb 1 : to hold in or reduce to slavery 2 : to hold spellbound : CHARM : : CAPTIVATE ("enthralled by the flickering fire in the hearth, we lost all track of time") ("for years these master magicians have been enthralling audiences with their astounding illusions")

nullify verb nul·​li·​fy | \ ˈnə-lə-ˌfī \ nullified; nullifying

transitive verb 1 : to make null (see NULL entry 1 sense 1) especially : to make legally null and void ("nullify a law") 2 : to make of no value or consequence (see CONSEQUENCE sense 3) ("a promise later nullified") ("judges were unwilling to nullify government decisions") ("The law has been nullified by the U.S. Supreme Court.") ("The penalty nullified the goal") ("Gerrymandering isn't the only way modern Republicans have tried to nullify Democratic votes") ("Scott Olson/Getty Images The Wisconsin Republican Party is nullifying the results of the 2018 election.")

intersperse verb in·​ter·​sperse | \ ˌin-tər-ˈspərs \ interspersed; interspersing

transitive verb 1 : to place something at intervals in or among ("intersperse a book with pictures") 2 : to insert at intervals among other things ("interspersing drawings throughout the text") (" You should intersperse these pictures evenly throughout the book.") ("Some seagulls were interspersed among the ducks.")

pulverize verb pul·​ver·​ize | \ ˈpəl-və-ˌrīz \ pulverized; pulverizing (Other Words from pulverize pulverizable \ ˌpəl-​və-​ˈrī-​zə-​bəl \ adjective pulverization \ ˌpəl-​və-​rə-​ˈzā-​shən , ˌpəlv-​rə-​ \ noun pulverizer \ ˈpəl-​və-​ˌrī-​zər \ noun)

transitive verb 1 : to reduce (as by crushing, beating, or grinding) to very small particles : ATOMIZE "pulverize rock" 2 : ANNIHILATE, DEMOLISH ("the brick of the villages was pulverized by the bombardment") ("The mower pulverizes grass clippings.") ("Bits of pulverized rock filled the air.") ("The details: This 12-piece blender pulverizes fruits, vegetables, and nuts for everything from smoothies to nut butters") ("Hyperinflation has pulverized incomes while putting ticket prices out of reach for many.")

cull verb \ ˈkəl \ culled; culling; culls

transitive verb 1 : to select from a group : CHOOSE ("culled the best passages from the poet's work") ("Damaged fruits are culled before the produce is shipped.") ("louise culled his favorite poems from anthologies in English, Latin, and Spanish") ("More and more, the ranks of commissioners are culled from the legislative branch.")

appraise verb ap·​praise | \ ə-ˈprāz \ appraised; appraising

transitive verb 1 : to set a value on : to estimate the amount of ("appraise the damage") 2 : to evaluate the worth, significance, or status of especially : to give an expert judgment of the value or merit of ("appraise an actor's career") (" The ring must be appraised by a jeweler before it can be insured.") ("appraise the house and property") ("What is the property's appraised value?") ("In the book, he appraises Hollywood's recent films and contrasts them with several independent films.")

upend verb up·​end | \ ˌəp-ˈend \ upended; upending; upends

transitive verb 1 : to set or stand on end also : OVERTURN sense 1 2 [a] : to affect to the point of being upset or flurried ("a ... literary shocker, designed to upend the credulous matrons") [b] : DEFEAT, BEAT intransitive verb : to rise on an end (" He upended the bicycle to fix its flat tire.") ("I upended the bucket to use as a stool.") ("The security inspector upended my bag and dumped everything out.") ("A giant wave upended the surfers.") ("The midfielder was upended before he got the ball.")

disseminate verb dis·​sem·​i·​nate | \ di-ˈse-mə-ˌnāt \ disseminated; disseminating

transitive verb 1 : to spread abroad as though sowing seed ("disseminate ideas") 2 : to disperse throughout ("health authorities should foster good practice by disseminating information") (" The Internet allows us to disseminate information faster.") ("The findings were widely disseminated.")

presuppose verb pre·​sup·​pose | \ ˌprē-sə-ˈpōz \ presupposed; presupposing; presupposes

transitive verb 1 : to suppose beforehand : ASSUME 2 : to require as an antecedent in logic or fact ("I presupposed that because I was tall, I would be naturally adept at basketball") (" The rule presupposes a need to restrict student access to the library.") ("the book presupposes its readers will already know something about the subject")

quell verb \ ˈkwel \ quelled; quelling; quells (Other Words from quell: queller noun)

transitive verb 1 : to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity ("quell a riot") 2 : QUIET, PACIFY quell fears ("extra police were called to quell the disturbance") ("the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown") ("the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement") ("An election that could have quelled euroskepticism may incite it instead.")

embroil verb em·​broil | \ im-ˈbrȯi(-ə)l \ embroiled; embroiling; embroils

transitive verb 1 : to throw into disorder or confusion 2 : to involve in conflict or difficulties ("embroiled in controversy") (" His stand on this issue has embroiled him in controversy.") ("The new drug has been embroiled in controversy.") ("They were embroiled in a complicated lawsuit.")

circumvent

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

excoriate verb ex·​co·​ri·​ate | \ ek-ˈskȯr-ē-ˌāt \ excoriated; excoriating (Other Words from excoriate: excoriation \ (ˌ)ek-​ˌskȯr-​ē-​ˈā-​shən \ noun)

transitive verb 1 : to wear off the skin of : ABRADE 2 : to censure scathingly Simplified: formal : to criticize (someone or something) very harshly ("the papers that had been excoriating him were now lauding him") ("He was excoriated as a racist"). ("The candidates have publicly excoriated each other throughout the campaign.") ("In other news of the week: On New Year's Day, Mitt Romney penned an editorial in the Washington Post, excoriating the president for his lack of character.") ("California officials wasted no time Monday in excoriating the decision.")

ponder verb pon·​der | \ ˈpän-dər \ pondered; pondering\ ˈpän-​d(ə-​)riŋ \ (Other Words from ponder: ponderer \ ˈpän-​dər-​ər \ noun)

transitive verb 1 : to weigh in the mind : APPRAISE pondered their chances of success 2 : to think about : reflect on pondered the events of the day intransitive verb : to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply ("I pondered the question of what clothes to wear for the occasion") ("He pondered the question before he answered.") ("The team pondered their chances of success.") (" We pondered whether we could afford the trip.") ("Gillespie continued to train last year, competed in some meets unattached, and pondered his options.")

besiege verb be·​siege | \ bi-ˈsēj , bē-\ besieged; besieging

transitive verb 1 military : to surround with armed forces The army had besieged the castle. 2 [a] : to press with requests : IMPORTUNE ("... besieging the royal ministers with petitions ...") ("besieged by the media") [b] : to cause worry or distress to : BESET ("doubts besieged him.") ("Customers have besieged the company with questions.") ("In the city, once besieged during the Civil War, schools and neighborhoods remained segregated through the 1960s.")

assail verb as·​sail | \ ə-ˈsāl \ assailed; assailing; assails

transitive verb : to attack violently ("Critics assailed his new book.") ("a politician assailed by the media") ("She was assailed by doubts.") ("A horrible odor assailed our noses.") ("Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith was assailed for using a clumsy joke to flatter one of her supporters.") ("The ads have been assailed as racist by critics, including dozens of national security experts.")

{roust verb} \ ˈrau̇st \ rousted; rousting; rousts

transitive verb : to drive (as from bed) roughly or unceremoniously MORE SENTENCES: ("I rousted him out of his bed with a cup of coffee") ("The soldiers were rousted from their beds before sunrise.") ("Encampments are rousted, spurring the people in them to move somewhere else.") ("Here are some Soviet Russian spies being rousted in Australia in 1954.") Mnemonic: (rous)t > Ronda rousey rousted her opponent out of the octagon

commence verb com·​mence | \ kə-ˈmen(t)s \ commenced; commencing

transitive verb : to enter upon : BEGIN ("commence proceedings") intransitive verb 1 : to have or make a beginning : START (" The festivities will commence with a parade.") ("Their contract commences in January.") ("The court commenced criminal proceedings.") ("The country has commenced preparations for war.")

embolden verb em·​bold·​en | \ im-ˈbōl-dən \ emboldened; emboldening; emboldens

transitive verb : to instill with boldness or courage ("emboldened by robust passenger traffic, the airlines put through major fare increases") (" his poor showing in his first swim meet just emboldened him to train even harder") ("Trump, under pressure but also emboldened by the response to all this, is now dangling pardons for Manafort.") ("Hindu nationalists have also been emboldened and there have been a rise in attacks on Muslims and other minorities.")

depredate verb dep·​re·​date | \ ˈde-prə-ˌdāt \ depredated; depredating

transitive verb : to lay waste : PLUNDER, RAVAGE intransitive verb : to engage in plunder

invalidate verb in·​val·​i·​date | \ (ˌ)in-ˈva-lə-ˌdāt \ invalidated; invalidating; invalidates (Other Words from invalidate: invalidation \ (ˌ)in-​ˌva-​lə-​ˈdā-​shən \ noun invalidator \ in-​ˈva-​lə-​ˌdā-​tər \ noun)

transitive verb : to make invalid especially : to weaken or destroy the cogency of ("If your tickets are stolen, the distributor can invalidate them so they can't be used.") ("actions that will invalidate the contract") ("The study invalidates earlier theories.") ("factors that may invalidate the test results") ("But lawmakers in several states are trying to effectively invalidate some parts of the law well before then.")

curtail verb cur·​tail | \ (ˌ)kər-ˈtāl \ curtailed; curtailing; curtails

transitive verb : to make less by or as if by cutting off or away some part ("curtail the power of the executive branch") ("curtail inflation") ("Some school activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.") (" The new laws are an effort to curtail illegal drug use.") ("School activities are being curtailed due to a lack of funds.")

sully verb sul·​ly | \ ˈsə-lē \ sullied; sullying

transitive verb : to make soiled or tarnished : DEFILE (" people that sully our state parks with their trash") ("a once-gleaming marble interior sullied by decades of exposure to cigarette smoke")

incite verb in·​cite | \ in-ˈsīt \ incited; inciting (Other Words from incite incitant \ in-​ˈsī-​tᵊnt \ noun incitement \ in-​ˈsīt-​mənt \ noun inciter noun)

transitive verb : to move to action : stir up : spur on : urge on ("the offense of inciting racial hatred") (" The news incited widespread fear and paranoia.") ("the rock band's failure to show up incited a riot, as the crowd had waited for hours")

insulate verb in·​su·​late | \ ˈin(t)-sə-ˌlāt \

transitive verb : to place in a detached situation : ISOLATE especially : to separate from conducting bodies by means of nonconductors so as to prevent transfer of electricity, heat, or sound Synonyms & Antonyms ("the room was heavily insulated against all outside noise") ("They used a special type of fiberglass to insulate the attic.") ("a material that is able to insulate against cold") ("However, to keep the cup insulated and dry, a thin layer of plastic must be tightly attached to the cup.")

extol verb ex·​tol | \ ik-ˈstōl \

transitive verb : to praise highly : GLORIFY ("he extolled the virtues of the Russian peoples") (" The health benefits of exercise are widely extolled.") ("campaign literature extolling the candidate's military record")

{salvage verb} sal·​vage | \ ˈsal-vij \ salvaged; salvaging (Other Words from salvage: salvageability \ ˌsal-​vi-​jə-​ˈbi-​lə-​tē \ noun salvageable \ ˈsal-​vi-​jə-​bəl \ adjective salvager noun)

transitive verb : to rescue or save especially from wreckage or ruin MORE SENTENCES: ("Divers salvaged some of the sunken ship's cargo.") ("Few of their possessions were salvaged from the fire.") ("He is trying to salvage his marriage.") ("Facebook is working hard on salvaging its reputation among both users and investors.") ("Many have already said that regardless of what is salvaged, the loss will be immeasurable.")

placate verb pla·​cate | \ ˈplā-ˌkāt , ˈpla- \ placated; placating (Other Words from placate: placater noun placatingly \ ˈplā-​ˌkā-​tiŋ-​lē , ˈpla-​ \ adverb placation \ plā-​ˈkā-​shən , pla-​ \ noun placative \ ˈplā-​ˌkā-​tiv , ˈpla-​ \ adjective placatory \ ˈplā-​kə-​ˌtȯr-​ē , ˈpla-​ \ adjective)

transitive verb : to soothe or mollify especially by concessions : APPEASE ("they attempted to placate the students with promises")

corroborate verb cor·​rob·​o·​rate | \ kə-ˈrä-bə-ˌrāt \ corroborated; corroborating

transitive verb : to support with evidence or authority : make more certain (" the witnesses corroborated the policeman's testimony") ("my personal experience does not corroborate your faith in the essential goodness of people") ("Evidence like this is rarely conclusive, but it can help police corroborate testimony ...")

ensnare verb en·​snare | \ in-ˈsner , en-\ ensnared; ensnaring; ensnares

transitive verb : to take in or as if in a snare : TRAP ("they were ensnared in downtown traffic") (" The animals got ensnared in the net.") ("The police successfully ensnared the burglar.")

inculcate verb in·​cul·​cate | \ in-ˈkəl-ˌkāt , ˈin-(ˌ) \ inculcated; inculcating (Other Words from inculcate: inculcation \ ˌin-​(ˌ)kəl-​ˈkā-​shən \ noun inculcator \ in-​ˈkəl-​ˌkā-​tər , ˈin-​(ˌ)kəl-​ \ noun)

transitive verb : to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions ("the failures of the churches to inculcate a sense of moral responsibility") ("The teacher inculcated in her students the importance of good study habits.") ("dedicated teachers inculcating young minds with a love of learning") ("But the greatest challenge may be the need to inculcate character.")

tantalize verb tan·​ta·​lize | \ ˈtan-tə-ˌlīz \ tantalized; tantalizing (Other Words from tantalize tantalizer noun)

transitive verb : to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach intransitive verb : to cause one to be tantalized ("such ambitious questions have long tantalized the world's best thinkers") ("She was tantalized by the possibility of earning a lot of money quickly.") ("Hints of the old Tiger have tantalized fans and goosed TV ratings.") ("Sip it slowly and let the flavors tantalize your palate.") ("Ever since 2005, when the Cassini spacecraft discovered that Enceladus shoots geysers of liquid water 125 miles into space, the little icy moon orbiting Saturn has tantalized planetary scientists.")

flout verb \ ˈflau̇t \ flouted; flouting; flouts

transitive verb : to treat with contemptuous disregard : SCORN flouting the rules intransitive verb : to indulge in scornful behavior Ah, you may flout and turn up your faces Simplified: the action of ignoring a law or rule (or something similar) with no sense of embarrassment ("Despite the arrogant politician's flouting of the custom of showing respect to one's opponent, he triumphed in the election") (" Despite repeated warnings, they have continued to flout the law.") ("an able-bodied motorist openly flouting the law and parking in a space reserved for the disabled")

predate verb (1) pre·​date | \ (ˌ)prē-ˈdāt \ predated; predating; predates

transitive verb formal : to give an earlier date rather than the actual date to (something) : to be earlier or older than (something) (" modes of transportation that predate the car") ("the native people who predated European settlers in America")

disgorge verb dis·​gorge | \ (ˌ)dis-ˈgȯrj \ disgorged; disgorging; disgorges

transitive verb somewhat formal : to empty whatever is in the stomach through the mouth : to let out or release (something) : to flow out : to discharge contents ("where the river disgorges into the sea") ("We watched the airplane disgorging its passengers at the gate.") ("The damaged ship disgorged thousands of gallons of oil into the bay.") ("The river disgorges into the ocean just south of the city.") ("The company will disgorge $27.6 million of gains related to the deals plus $6.9 million interest.")

thwart verb \ ˈthwȯrt \ thwarted; thwarting; thwarts (Other Words from thwart: thwarter noun)

transitive verb {1} [a] : to oppose successfully : defeat the hopes or aspirations of [b] : to run counter to so as to effectively oppose or baffle : CONTRAVENE {2} : to pass through or across ("he never did anything to thwart his father") ("She did all she could to thwart his plans.") ("The army thwarted the attempt at a coup.")

denigrate verb den·​i·​grate | \ ˈde-ni-ˌgrāt \ denigrated; denigrating (Other Words from denigrate: denigration \ ˌde-​ni-​ˈgrā-​shən \ noun denigrative \ ˈde-​ni-​ˌgrā-​tiv \ adjective denigrator \ -​ˌgrā-​tər \ noun denigratory \ ˈde-​ni-​grə-​ˌtȯr-​ē \ adjective)

transitive verb {1} : to attack the reputation of : DEFAME denigrate one's opponents {2} : to deny the importance or validity of : BELITTLE ("denigrate their achievements") ("there is a tendency to denigrate the poor") ("Her story denigrates him as a person and as a teacher.") ("No one is trying to denigrate the importance of a good education. We all know that it is crucial for success.") ("denigrating the talents and achievements of women") ("And one of the more common ways to denigrate an opponent in such an argument is to play the purity card.") Mnemonic: (de) > negative connotation || dene(grate) > cheese grater >> to negatively grate someone = criticize.

{renege verb} re·​nege | \ ri-ˈneg also -ˈnāg, -ˈnig; rē- \ reneged; reneging (reneger noun)

transitive verb : DENY, RENOUNCE intransitive verb {1} obsolete : to make a denial {2} : REVOKE {3} : to go back on a promise or commitment MORE SENTENCES: ("the administration had reneged on its election promises") ("They had promised to pay her tuition but later reneged.") ("my so-called best friend promised to help me move, only to renege come Saturday morning") ("Before long, MoviePass had announced and then quickly reneged on several schemes for growing revenue quickly.") Mnemonic: Re(nege) > reminds me of the word neglect >> neglect a promise/ contract/ undertaking

whittle verb whittled; whittling\ ˈhwit-​liŋ , ˈwit-​ ; ˈhwi-​tᵊl-​iŋ , ˈwi-​ \ (Other Words from whittle: whittler \ ˈhwit-​lər , ˈwit-​ ; ˈhwi-​tᵊl-​ər , ˈwi-​ \ noun)

transitive verb {1} [a] : to pare or cut off chips from the surface of (wood) with a knife [b] : to shape or form by so paring or cutting {2} : to reduce, remove, or destroy gradually as if by cutting off bits with a knife : PARE ("whittle down expenses") intransitive verb {1} : to cut or shape something (such as wood) by or as if by paring it with a knife {2} : to wear oneself or another out with fretting ("He sat whittling a piece of wood with a knife") ("She whittled a walking stick from a maple tree branch.") ("Over the past decades, a U.S. manufacturing operation with 15 sewing factories, two plants making down for parkas and more than 3,500 workers whittled down to a skeleton crew of about 45 employees at the Pennsylvania mill.") ("The voting period for whittling that list down even further is still open through October, and readers can vote via app or social media.") Mnemonic:

derive

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

subsume

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

gainsay

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

delineate

verb: describe in detail After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach [ ]ed the specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.

engender

verb: give rise to Synonyms : beget , bring forth , father , generate , get , mother , sire The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they engendered deep hatred and resentment in the German people.

frustrate

verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of Synonyms : baffle , bilk , cross , foil , queer , scotch , spoil , thwart, I thought I would finish writing the paper by lunchtime, but a number of urgent interruptions served to [ ] my plan. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

preclude

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

elucidate

verb: make clearer and easier to understand Synonyms : clear , clear up , crystalise , crystalize , crystallise , crystallize , enlighten , illuminate , shed light on , sort out , straighten out Youtube is great place to learn just about anything-an expert [ ]s finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.

mitigate

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

ameliorate

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

obscure

verb: make unclear Synonyms : becloud , befog , cloud , fog , haze over , mist , obnubilate On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head obscured much of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock. adjective: known by only a few Synonyms : unknown , unsung Many of the biggest movie stars were once obscure actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films. This word has other definitions but these are the most important ones to study

exacerbate

verb: make worse Synonyms : aggravate , exasperate , worsen Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.

juxtapose

verb: place side by side The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is [ ]ed with modern themes.

culminate

verb: reach the highest or most decisive point Synonyms : climax Beethoven's musical genius culminated in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.

vilify

verb: spread negative information about Synonyms : rail , revile , vituperate Todd was noble after the divorce, choosing to say only complimentary things about Barbara, but Barbara did not hesitate to [ ] Todd. Rem:- Vilify (to speak ill of) is to make someone out to be a villain

supplant

verb: take the place or move into the position of Synonyms : replace , supercede , supersede , supervene upon For many, a cell phone has [ ]ed a traditional phone; in fact, most 20-somethings don't even have a traditional phone anymore.

maintain

verb: to assert Synonyms : defend The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

perceive

verb: to be aware of, to sense or feel Synonyms : comprehend If hunters are skilled, the animals will not [ ] their presence.

qualify

verb: to be eligible for a role, status, or benefit by meeting specific requirements Synonyms : measure up If James had made more than $50,000 last year, then he wouldn't have qualified for the low-income scholarship. verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement) Synonyms : restrict Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding that he didn't like the weather as much as the weather in Los Angeles.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily Synonyms : chuckle , laugh softly Walking past the bar, I could hear happy, chortling people and the blast of horns from a jazz band.

vindicate

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

galvanize

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

censure

verb: to express strong disapproval Synonyms : animadversion After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly censured by the city council.

belie

verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent Synonyms : contradict , negate The smile on her face belies the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

mollify

verb: to make someone angry less angry; placate Synonyms : season , temper In the morning, Harriat was unable to [ ] Harry, if he happened to become angry, unless he had his cup of coffee.

demur

verb: to object or show reluctance Wallace disliked the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they going skiing in the Alps.

contrive

verb: to pull off a plan or scheme, usually through skill or trickery Synonyms : devise , excogitate , forge , formulate , invent Despite a low GPA, he [ ]ed to get into college, going so far as to write his own glowing letters of recommendation. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study Take it as Cant+Drive. He cant able to drive but he manages to drive but he manages it.. he has clever ways Contrive=Cannot(con ) do but i try(artificially forcefully).

register

verb: to put your name or other information in a list for something verb: to identify and show on a tool for measuring Synonyms : read , record , show If you'd like to buy a meal plan, you can [ ] at the student affairs office. The bomb was so strong that far away weather balloons [ ]ed the heat.

chastise

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

intimate

verb: to suggest something subtly Synonyms : adumbrate , insinuate At first Manfred's teachers intimated to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy's precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

torrential adjective tor·​ren·​tial | \ tȯ-ˈren(t)-shəl , tə-\ (Other Words from torrential: torrentially \ tȯ-​ˈren(t)-​sh(ə-​)lē , tə-​ \ adverb)

{1} [a] : (of rain) falling rapidly and in copious quantities. ("torrential rains") [b] : caused by or resulting from action of rapid streams ("torrential gravel") {2} : resembling a torrent in violence or rapidity of flow ("a torrential downpour") ("The rain caused torrential flooding.") ("Authorities blamed the accident on bad weather, saying torrential rains had badly damaged the ground under the tracks.")

{congenial adjective} con·​ge·​nial | \ kən-ˈjē-nē-əl , -ˈjēn-yəl\

{1} [a] : PLEASANT especially : agreeably suited to one's nature, tastes, or outlook ("a congenial atmosphere") [b] : SOCIABLE, GENIAL ("a congenial host") [c] : existing or associated together harmoniously {2} : having the same nature, disposition, or tastes : KINDRED MORE SENTENCES: ("his need for some congenial company") ("There was no way through it, and the front windows of the Doctor's lodgings commanded a pleasant little vista of street that had a congenial air of retirement on it.") ("The strong tide, so swift, so deep, and certain, was like a congenial friend, in the morning stillness.") ("They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds") ("As I walk along the stony shore of the pond in my shirt sleeves, though it is cool as well as cloudy and windy, and I see nothing special to attract me, all the elements are unusually congenial to me.") Mnemonic: (con)genial > congruent in personality; the same || con(genial) > friendly

anathema noun anath·​e·​ma | \ ə-ˈna-thə-mə \

{1} [a] : one that is cursed by ecclesiastical authority [b] : someone or something intensely disliked or loathed —usually used as a predicate nominative (... this notion was anathema to most of his countrymen.) — Stephen Jay Gould {2} [a] : a ban or curse solemnly pronounced by ecclesiastical authority and accompanied by excommunication [b] : the denunciation of something as accursed [c] : a vigorous denunciation : CURSE("racial hatred was anathema to her") (Maugham was not only prolific but also a best-seller, though snobs dismissed his work as middlebrow (a category that few people worry about in our day but that once was anathema).) (While everything pointed to an immense flood, Bretz knew such a notion would be anathema to his fellow geologists. In part that was because the quantity of water needed for such a flood would exceed the flow of all the world's modern rivers combined.) (a politician who is anathema to conservatives) (ideas that are an anathema to me) Mnemonic: Ana >> I hate Ana >> Ana is anathema

{torrid adjective} tor·​rid | \ ˈtȯr-əd , ˈtär-\

{1} [a] : parched with heat especially of the sun : HOT torrid sands [b] : giving off intense heat : SCORCHING {2} : ARDENT, PASSIONATE ("torrid love letters") MORE SENTENCES: ("the torrid heat of the afternoon") ("The team had a torrid time trying to score.") ("the dry, torrid summers in southern Arizona") ("Blunt was another serial adulterer, who had pursued a torrid affair with Mary's mother in the 1870s.") Mnemonic: (t)orrid > temprature || t(orrid) > horrid >> horrid temprature/intense heat.

{preemptive adjective} pre·​emp·​tive | \ prē-ˈem(p)-tiv \

{1} [a] : prevention [b] : having power to preempt {2} of a bid in bridge : higher than necessary and intended to shut out bids by the opponents {3} : giving a stockholder first option to purchase new stock in an amount proportionate to his existing holdings {4} : marked by the seizing of the initiative : initiated by oneself ("a preemptive attack") MORE SENTENCES: ("a preemptive strike") ("The country took preemptive action against the perceived enemy.") ("Spraying around the property for termites is a preemptive move a wise homeowner should make.") ("The politician made a preemptive move when he reported his own misdeeds to the media.") ("Feeling he was about to be attacked, the homeowner made a preemptive first strike and shot the person invading his home.") Mnemonic: (pre)empt > before; pre(empt) > to do >> do before;

prelude noun pre·​lude | \ ˈprel-ˌyüd , ˈprāl-; ˈpre-ˌlüd, ˈprā-; sense 1 also ˈprē-ˌlüd \

{1} : an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter {2} [a] : a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue or suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio [b] : an opening voluntary [c] : a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and based entirely on a short motif ("education cannot simply be a prelude to a career") ("an eruption of sectarian violence that proved to be the prelude to all-out civil war") ("the musical had a brief prelude to get the audience in the proper mood") ("The power move is believed to be a prelude to a new internal system that Amazon has yet to launch called One Vendor.)

{transitive adjective} tran·​si·​tive | \ ˈtran(t)-sə-tiv , ˈtran-zə-; ˈtran(t)s-tiv\ (Other Words from transitive: transitively adverb transitiveness noun transitivity \ ˌtran(t)-​sə-​ˈti-​və-​tē , ˌtran-​zə-​ \ noun)

{1} : characterized by having or containing a direct object ("a transitive verb") {2} : being or relating to a relation with the property that if the relation holds between a first element and a second and between the second element and a third, it holds between the first and third elements ("equality is a transitive relation") ("if a = b, b = c, then a = c. This is a transitive statement.") {3} : of, relating to, or characterized by transition MORE SETENCES: (In "I like pie" and "She makes hats," the verbs "like" and "makes" are transitive.) ("But as Abby later explained it, because Bates had beaten St. Olaf in pool play and Williams had beaten Bates at the regional tournament earlier in the season, by the Ultimate transitive property, Williams was now the national champion.")

ostensible adjective os·​ten·​si·​ble | \ ä-ˈsten(t)-sə-bəl , ə-\

{1} : intended for display : open to view {2} : being such in appearance : plausible rather than demonstrably true or real ("the ostensible purpose for the trip") Simplified: : seeming or said to be true or real but very possibly not true or real ("the delay may have a deeper cause than the ostensible reason") ("That intelligence and those facts, of course, all pertained to Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, the war's ostensible casus belli, which we now know did not exist.") ("The ostensible opposition party lacks a clear strategy for the coming legislative midterms, let alone for the incremental grooming of a cohort of jurists to place on the bench two to three decades down the road.")

ecclesiastical adjective ec·​cle·​si·​as·​ti·​cal | \ i-ˌklē-zē-ˈa-sti-kəl , e-ˌklē-\ (Other Words from ecclesiastical: ecclesiastically \ i-​ˌklē-​zē-​ˈa-​sti-​k(ə-​)lē , e-​ˌklē-​ \ adverb)

{1} : of or relating to a church especially as an established institution {2} : suitable for use in a church (ecclesiastical laws that have been in existence for centuries.) (Ninomiya's all-black ensembles underlined his inventive use of fabric, while Piccioli's colorful nylon capes suggested ecclesiastical astronauts.) (Among the high-level ecclesiastical officials implicated in the report is Donald Wuerl, currently the archbishop of Washington, DC.)

{venereal adjective} ve·​ne·​re·​al | \ və-ˈnir-ē-əl \

{1} : of or relating to sexual pleasure or indulgence {2} [a] : resulting from or contracted during sexual intercourse ("venereal infections") [b] : of, relating to, or affected with venereal disease ("a high venereal rate") [c] : involving the genital organs venereal sarcoma MORE SENTENCES: ("the venereal act") ("It seems like he either shot himself or died of venereal disease.") ("Laser therapy, although more expensive, is often used for treating venereal warts that are more extensive.") ("Human papillomavirus (HPV): HPV causes condylomata acuminata, more commonly known as venereal warts or genital warts.") Mnemonic: (vener)eal > venus god of love and sex > vener = pertaining to sex and intercourse.

{anodyne adjective & noun} an·​o·​dyne | \ ˈa-nə-ˌdīn \

{1} : serving to alleviate pain {2} : not likely to offend or arouse tensions : INNOCUOUS MORE SENTENCES: ("... his speech contained a single anodyne reference to the man who preceded him.") ("the anodyne properties of certain drugs") ("the otherwise anodyne comments sounded quite inflammatory when taken out of context") ("the dentist prescribed an anodyne after the root canal") ("That anodyne language masks the conflict within the administration over how Obama should respond.")

denounce verb de·​nounce | \ di-ˈnau̇n(t)s , dē-\ (Other Words from denounce: denouncement \ -​ˈnau̇n(t)-​smənt \ noun denouncer noun)

{1} : to pronounce especially publicly to be blameworthy or evil ("they denounced him as a bigot") ("Others might cry or get bent out of shape when their personal tastes are denounced and ridiculed, but not him ...") — David Sedaris {2} archaic [a] : PROCLAIM [b] : to announce threateningly {3} : to inform (see INFORM sense intransitive 1) against : ACCUSE ("was denounced to the authorities") ("denunciation of his reckless methods") (" The government called on the group to denounce the use of violence.") ("The film was denounced for the way it portrayed its female characters.") ("The faith has now denounced conversion therapy or other practices that subject people to abuse.")

{rectify verb} rec·​ti·​fy | \ ˈrek-tə-ˌfī \ rectified; rectifying (Other Words from rectify: rectification \ ˌrek-​tə-​fə-​ˈkā-​shən \ noun)

{1} : to set right : REMEDY {2} : to purify especially by repeated or fractional distillation ("rectified alcohol") {3} : to correct by removing errors : ADJUST ("rectify the calendar") ("mistakes made now cannot be rectified later") ("The hotel management promised to rectify the problem.") ("let me get the store manager, and he'll rectify the invoice for your order") Mnemonic: (Rect)ify >> wiping your rectum to put it right lol....It helps don't judge. || (Rect)ify >> rectus = right > Rect(ify) to make >> make (something) right.

succinct adjective suc·​cinct | \ (ˌ)sək-ˈsiŋ(k)t , sə-ˈsiŋ(k)t \ (Other Words from succinct: succinctly \ (ˌ)sək-​ˈsiŋ(k)t-​lē , -​ˈsiŋ-​klē , sə-​ \ adverb succinctness \ (ˌ)sək-​ˈsiŋt-​nəs , -​ˈsiŋk-​nəs , sə-​ \ noun)

{1} archaic [a] : being girded [b] : close-fitting {2} : marked by compact precise expression without wasted words a succinct description ("use short, succinct sentences") ("He gave a succinct overview of the expansion project.") ("a pocket guide that provides succinct explanations for rules of grammar and punctuation") ("The most succinct answer is: join your local activists.")

{antecedent noun} an·​te·​ced·​ent | \ ˌan-tə-ˈsē-dᵊnt \

{1} grammar : a substantive word, phrase, or clause whose denotation is referred to by a pronoun (such as John in "Mary saw John and called to him") broadly : a word or phrase replaced by a substitute {2} [a] : a preceding event, condition, or cause events that were antecedents of the war [b] antecedents plural : the significant events, conditions, and traits of one's earlier life {3} [a]: PREDECESSOR especially : a model or stimulus for later developments ("The sackbut was the antecedent of the trombone.") [b] antecedents plural : ANCESTORS, PARENTS ("He was proud of his Scottish antecedents.") {4} : the conditional element in a proposition (such as if A in "if A, then B") MORE SENTENCES: ("some antecedents to the African novel might exist in Africa's oral traditions") ("The sentence you wrote is a bit confusing because the pronoun does not have an antecedent describing the person to whom you are referring.") ("When the screenwriter wrote the second movie of the trilogy, he did not carry over the plot from the film's antecedent.") ("Can you identify the antecedent that led to Jane's emotional breakdown?") ("When the college was established in 1546, it inherited a hall from each of three antecedent institutions.") Mnemonic: (ante)cedent > ante = before/preceding || ante(cedent) > cedere = go || antecedent = go before.