vocab

indignant

adjective feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is perceived as unfair treatment.

laconic

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

mercurial

adjective: (of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood Synonyms : 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.

glib

adjective: (of a person) speaking with ease but without sincerity Synonyms : pat , slick I have found that the more glib the salesman, the worse the product.

lucid

adjective: (of language) transparently clear; easily understandable Though Walters writes about physics and time travel, his writing is always lucid, so readers with little scientific training can understand difficult concepts.

plodding

adjective: (of movement) slow and laborious Charlie may seem to run at a plodding pace, but he is an ultramarathoner, meaning he runs distances of up to 100 miles, and can run for ten hours at a stretch.

unruly

adjective: (of persons) noisy and lacking in restraint or discipline; unwilling to submit to authority Synonyms : boisterous , rambunctious , robustious , rumbustious, disobedient Walk in to any preschool and I am sure that you will find an unruly and chaotic scene - unless it's nap time.

inclement

adjective: (of weather) unpleasant, stormy After a week of inclement weather, we finally are able to go outside and enjoy the sun. adjective: used of persons or behavior; showing no mercy Marcus Aurelius, though a fair man, was inclement to Christians during his reign, persecuting them violently.

detrimental

adjective: (sometimes followed by "to") causing harm or injury Synonyms : damaging , prejudicial , prejudicious Many know that smoking is detrimental to your health, but processed sugar in large quantities is equally bad.

ignominious

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

pristine

adjective: Unspoiled, untouched (usu. of nature) The glacial lake was pristine and we filled our canteens to drink deeply. adjective: Immaculately clean and unused Drill sergeants are known for demanding pristine cabinets, uniforms, and beds, and often make new recruits clean and clean and clean until they meet the expected high standards.

candid

adjective: a straightforward and honest Even with a perfect stranger, Charles was always candid and would rarely hold anything back.

derisive

adjective: abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule Synonyms : gibelike , jeering , mocking , taunting I was surprised by her derisive tone; usually, she is sweet, soft spoken, and congenial.

unequivocal

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

genial

adjective: agreeable, conducive to comfort Synonyms : kind Betty is a genial young woman: everyone she meets is put at ease by her elegance and grace.

becoming

adjective: appropriate, and matches nicely Her dress was becoming and made her look even more beautiful.

obsequious

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

forthcoming

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

economical

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

arbitrary

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

specious

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

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold Synonyms : fresh , impudent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer's questions 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 tantamount 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 rudimentary stages.

apocryphal

adjective: being of questionable authenticity The web is notorious for sandwiching apocryphal stories between actual news.

beatific

adjective: blissfully happy Often we imagine all monks to wear the beatific smile of the Buddha, but, like any of us, a monk can have a bad day and not look very happy.

malleable

adjective: capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out The clay became malleable and easy to work with after a little water was added. adjective: easily influenced My little brother is so malleable that I can convince him to sneak cookies from the cupboard for me.

slapdash

adjective: carelessly and hastily put together Synonyms : haphazard , slipshod , sloppy The office building had been constructed in a slapdash manner, so it did not surprise officials when, during a small earthquake, a large crack emerged on the façade of the building.

belligerent

adjective: characteristic of one eager to fight Synonyms : aggressive Tom said that he was arguing the matter purely for philosophical reasons, but his belligerent 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.

provincial

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

scrupulous

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

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.

jocular

adjective: characterized by jokes and good humor My uncle was always in a jocular mood at family gatherings, messing up people's hair and telling knock-knock jokes to anyone who would listen.

precocious

adjective: characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude) Though only seven years old, she was a precocious 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.

winsome

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

sanguine

adjective: cheerful; optimistic Synonyms : florid , rubicund , ruddy With the prospect of having to learn 3,000 words during the course of the summer, Paul was anything but sanguine.

cogent

adjective: clear and persuasive A cogent argument will change the minds of even the most skeptical audience.

facetious

adjective: cleverly amusing in tone treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant Synonyms : bantering , tongue-in-cheek Facetious behavior will not be tolerated during sex education class; it's time for all of you to treat these matters like mature adults.

maladroit

adjective: clumsy Syn: bumbling, gauche, unskillful As a child she was quite maladroit, but as an adult, she has become an adept dancer.

replete

adjective: completely stocked or furnished with something Only weeks after the hurricane made landfall, the local supermarket shelves were replete with goods, so quick was the disaster relief response.

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 eclectic 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.

pithy

adjective: concise and full of meaning Synonyms : sententious I enjoy reading the Daodejing for its pithy and insightful prose; it always gives me something to think about.

esoteric

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

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.

discrete

adjective: constituting a separate entity or part Synonyms : distinct What was once known as Czechoslovakia has since split into two discrete, independent nations.

illicit

adjective: contrary to or forbidden by law Synonyms : illegitimate , outlaw , outlawed , unlawful Though Al Capone was engaged in many illicit activities, he was finally arrested for income tax evasion, a relatively minor offense.

iconoclastic

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

arduous

adjective: demanding considerable mental effort and skill; testing powers of endurance Synonyms : straining , strenuous In order to deal with the arduous cross-country journey, truck drivers often survive on a string of caffeinated drinks, staying awake for up to 30 hours at a time.

stringent

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

scintillating

adjective: describes someone who is brilliant and lively Synonyms : aglitter , coruscant , fulgid , glinting , glistering , glittering , glittery , scintillant , sparkly, bubbling , effervescent , frothy Richard Feynman was renowned for his scintillating lectures—the arcana of quantum physics was made lucid as he wrote animatedly on the chalkboard.

implausible

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

capricious

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

whimsical

adjective: determined by impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason Synonyms : capricious , impulsive Adults look to kids and envy their whimsical nature at times, wishing that they could act without reason and play without limitation.

vacuous

adjective: devoid of intelligence, matter, or significance To the journalist's pointed question, the senator gave a vacuous response, mixing a few of his overall campaign slogans with platitudes and completely avoiding the controversial subject of the question.

elusive

adjective: difficult to capture or difficult to remember Synonyms : baffling , knotty , problematic , problematical , tough Many first time skydivers say that describing the act of falling from the sky is elusive.

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.

abstruse

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

disaffected

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

ignoble

adjective: dishonorable Synonyms : ungentle , untitled In the 1920s, the World Series was rigged--an ignoble act which baseball took decades to recover from.

impermeable

adjective: does not allow fluids to pass through The sand bags placed on the river formed an impermeable barrier, protecting the town from flooding.

preemptive

adjective: done before someone else can do it Just as Martha was about to take the only cookie left on the table, Noah preemptively swiped it.

precipitous

adjective: done with very great haste and without due deliberation Synonyms : hasty , overhasty , precipitant , precipitate He was expecting a precipitous rise in the value of a "hot" tech stock, so he was disappointed when it only inched up a dollar or two each day.

pugnacious

adjective: eager to fight or argue; verbally combative The comedian told one flat joke after another, and when the audience started booing, he pugnaciously spat back at them, "Hey, you think this is easy - why don't you buffoons give it a shot?"

petulant

adjective: easily irritated or annoyed Synonyms : cranky , fractious , irritable , nettlesome , peckish , peevish , pettish , scratchy , techy , testy , tetchy When Ed first met Ruth, he didn't realize she was so petulant, but now that they are three months into their relationship, Ed feels a day doesn't go by in which she isn't whining about some minor issue.

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.

sentimental

adjective: effusively or insincerely emotional, especially in art, music, and literature Synonyms : bathetic , drippy , hokey , kitschy , maudlin , mawkish , mushy , schmaltzy , schmalzy , slushy , soppy , soupy I don't like romanticism for the same reason I don't like melodramatic acting and soap operas - overly sentimental.

cadaverous

adjective: emaciated; gaunt Some actors take challenging roles in which they have to lose so much weight that they appear cadaverous.

poignant

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

edifying

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

pernicious

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

avaricious

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

artful

adjective: exhibiting artistic skill Picasso is generally considered the most 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, autocratic , despotic , tyrannic , tyrannical The coach was dictatorial in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.

pejorative

adjective: expressing disapproval (usu. refers to a term) Synonyms : dislogistic , dyslogistic Most psychologists object to the pejorative term "shrink", believing that they expand the human mind, not limit it. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

snide

adjective: expressive of contempt; derogatory or mocking in an indirect way Synonyms : sneering , supercilious The chairman interpreted Taylor's question about promotions as a snide remark, but in all innocence Taylor was trying to figure out the company's process.

inflammatory

adjective: extremely controversial, incendiary It only takes one person to leave an inflammatory comment on an Internet thread for that thread to blow up into pages upon pages of reader indignation.

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.

ravenous

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

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.

intrepid

adjective: fearless Synonyms : audacious , brave , dauntless , fearless , hardy , unfearing Captain Ahab was an intrepid captain whose reckless and fearless style ultimate leads to his downfall.

reverent

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

vicarious

adjective: felt or undergone as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another The advent of twitter is a celebrity stalker's dream, as he or she can - through hundreds of intimate "tweets" - vicariously live the life of a famous person.

staunch

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

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.

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 quotidian concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.

impartial

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

guileless

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

amiable

adjective: friendly Synonyms : affable , cordial , genial Amy's name was very apt: she was so amiable that she was twice voted class president.

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 jubilant to receive a perfect score on the GRE.

jovial

adjective: full of or showing high-spirited merriment, i.e. happiness Synonyms : gay , jocund , jolly , merry , mirthful The political candidate and his supporters were jovial once it was clear that she had won.

garrulous

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

pragmatic

adjective: guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory Synonyms : hard-nosed , hardheaded , practical Rather than make a philosophical appeal to the Congressmen, the Speaker decided to take a far more pragmatic approach, making small side-deals that would add votes to his bill.

inveterate

adjective: habitual Synonyms : chronic He is an inveterate smoker and has told his family and friends that there is no way he will ever quit.

querulous

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

taciturn

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

inadvertent

adjective: happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally Synonyms : accidental Although Prohibition was rooted in noble ideals, the inadvertent and costly consequences of making alcohol illegal in the U.S. led to its repeal.

deleterious

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

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.

acerbic

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

bleak

adjective: having a depressing or gloomy outlook Unremitting overcast skies tend to lead people to create bleak literature and lugubrious music - compare England's band Radiohead to any band from Southern California.

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.

stolid

adjective: having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited Synonyms : impassive Elephants may appear stolid to casual observers, but they actually have passionate emotional lives.

consummate

adjective: having or revealing supreme mastery or skill Tyler was the consummate musician: he was able to play the guitar, harmonica, and the drum at the same time. verb: to make perfect and complete in every respect The restoration of the ancient church was only consummated after a twenty years of labor.

vindictive

adjective: having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.

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 T he haughty manager didn't believe that any of his subordinates could ever have an insight as brilliant his own.

erudite

adjective: having or showing profound knowledge Synonyms : learned Before the Internet, the library was typically were you would find erudite readers.

pertinent

adjective: having precise or logical relevance to the matter at hand While the salaries of the players might draw attention in the media, such monetary figures are not pertinent to the question of who plays the best on the field.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that your belief may not be correct Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.

inimical

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

morose

adjective: ill-tempered and not inclined to talk; gloomy Synonyms : dark , dour , glowering , glum , moody , saturnine , sour , sullen After Stanley found out he was no longer able to go on vacation with his friends, he sat in his room morosely.

incorrigible

adjective: impervious to correction by punishment; not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed Tom Sawyer seems like an incorrigible youth until Huck Finn enters the novel; even Sawyer can't match his fierce individual spirit.

imponderable

adjective: impossible to estimate or figure out According to many lawmakers, the huge variety of factors affecting society make devising an efficient healthcare system an imponderable task.

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.

copious

adjective: in abundant supply Synonyms : ample , plenteous , plentiful , rich, voluminous In midsummer, there are copious popiscle stands at the beach; in the winter, there are none.

subversive

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

irrevocable

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

implacable

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

surly

adjective: inclined to anger or bad feelings with overtones of menace Every morning, Bhavin was a surly unhappy person, but once he ate breakfast, he became loving, laughing, and a joy to be around.

soporific

adjective: inducing mental lethargy; sleep inducing Synonyms : hypnagogic , hypnogogic , somniferous , somnific , soporiferous, narcotic Although the professor is brilliant, his bland monotone gives his lectures a soporific effect.

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.

prolific

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

ostentatious

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

benign

adjective: kind I remember my grandfather's face was wrinkled, benign, and calm. adjective: (medicine) not dangerous to health; not recurrent or progressive The tumor located in your ear lobe seems to be benign and should not cause you any trouble.

wanting

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

myopic

adjective: lacking foresight or imagination Synonyms : short , shortsighted , unforesightful The company ultimately went out of business because the myopic managers couldn't predict the changes in their industry. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

pedestrian

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

incongruous

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

bumbling

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

hackneyed

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

gauche

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

appreciable

adjective: large enough to be noticed (usu. refers to an amount) There is an appreciable difference between those who say they can get the job done and those who actually get the job done.

transitory

adjective: lasting a very short time Synonyms : ephemeral , fugacious , passing , short-lived , transient If we lived forever and life was not transitory, do you think we would appreciate life less or more?

transient

adjective: lasting a very short time Synonyms : ephemeral , fugacious , passing , short-lived , transitory The unpredictable and transient nature of deja vu makes it a very difficult phenomenon to study properly.

ephemeral

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

perennial

adjective: lasting an indefinitely long time; eternal; everlasting Even at the old-timers games, Stan Musial would get the loudest cheer: he was a perennial favorite of the fans there. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

fickle

adjective: liable to sudden unpredictable change, esp. in affections or attachments Synonyms : erratic , mercurial , quicksilver She was so fickle in her politics, it was hard to pinpoint her beliefs; one week she would embrace a side, and the next week she would denounce it.

affable

adjective: likeable; easy to talk to Synonyms : amiable , cordial , genial For all his surface affability, Marco was remarkably glum when he wasn't around other people.

disheartened

adjective: made less hopeful or enthusiastic Synonyms demoralized , discouraged After the visiting team scored nine times, the home team's fans were disheartened, some leaving the game early.

sanctimonious

adjective: making a show of being pious; holier-than-thou Even during the quiet sanctity of evening prayer, she held her chin high, a sanctimonious sneer forming on her face as she eyed those who were attending church for the first time.

conducive

adjective: making a situation or outcome more likely to happen Studying in a quiet room is conducive to learning; studying in a noisy environment makes learning more difficult.

extenuating

adjective: making less guilty or more forgivable The jury was hardly moved by the man's plea that his loneliness was an extenuating factor in his crime of dognapping a prized pooch.

raffish

adjective: marked by a carefree unconventionality or disreputableness Synonyms : devil-may-care , rakish The men found him raffish, but the women adored his smart clothes and casual attitude.

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.

pedantic

adjective: marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects Synonyms : academic , donnish Professor Thompson was regarded as an expert in his field, but his lectures were utterly pedantic, focused on rigorous details of the most trivial conventions in the field.

avid

adjective: marked by active interest and enthusiasm Martin is an avid birdwatcher, often taking long hikes into remote mountains to see some rare eagle.

elaborate

adjective: marked by complexity and richness of detail Synonyms : luxuriant Thomas, on returning from Morocco, replaced his dirty gray carpet with an elaborate one he'd brought back with him. verb: explain in more detail Synonyms : dilate , enlarge , expand , expatiate , exposit , expound , flesh out , lucubrate Most high school physics teachers find themselves elaborating the same point over and over again, since many concepts confuse students.

ornate

adjective: marked by elaborate rhetoric and elaborated with decorative details The ornate Victorian and Edwardian homes spread throughout San Francisco are my favorite part of the city.

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 While the other employees responded to the bad news in a measured way, Andrew responded in a vehement manner, tipping over his desk and shouting at the top of his lungs.

haphazard

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

forlorn

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

furtive

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

genteel

adjective: marked by refinement in taste and manners A live string quartet would provide a more genteel air to the wedding than would a folk singer.

tortuous

adjective: marked by repeated turns and bends; not straightforward Synonyms : twisting , twisty , voluminous , winding Because the logic behind McMahon's side of the debate was so tortuous, his audience came out either completely confused or, worse, feeling they'd been tricked.

aberrant

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

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.

tempered

adjective: moderated in effect Synonyms : hardened , toughened , treated The wide-eyed optimism of her youth was now tempered after she had worked many years in the criminal justice system.

cryptic

adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally Synonyms : cabalistic , cryptical , kabbalistic , qabalistic , sibylline Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered 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."

endemic

adjective: native; originating where it is found Synonyms indigenous Irish cuisine makes great use of potatoes, but ironically, the potato is not endemic to Ireland.

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 magnanimous.

immutable

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

opaque

adjective: not clearly understood or expressed Synonyms : unintelligible The meaning of the professor's new research was opaque to most people, so no one asked any questions.

inscrutable

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

indecorous

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

languid

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

uncompromising

adjective: not making concessions Synonyms : inflexible , sturdy The relationship between Bart and Hilda ultimately failed because they were both so uncompromising, never wanting to change their opinions.

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.

derivative

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

immaterial

adjective: not relevant Synonyms : extraneous , impertinent , orthogonal, incorporeal The judge found the defendant's comments immaterial to the trial, and summarily dismissed him from the witness stand.

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.

imprudent

adjective: not wise not showing care for the consequences of an action; rash. Hitler, like Napoleon, made the imprudent move of invading Russia in winter, suffering even more casualties than Napoleon had.

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause Synonyms : causeless, uncaused Missing my train turned out to be quite fortuitous since I ran into a childhood friend on the next train and we were able to reconnect after so many years. 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, deceitful , fraudulent The widespread belief that Eskimos have forty different words for snow is fallacious, based on one false report.

cardinal

adjective: of primary importance; fundamental Most cultures consider gambling a cardinal sin and thus have outlawed its practice.

checkered

adjective: one that is marked by disreputable happenings One by one, the presidential candidates dropped out of the race, their respective checkered pasts - from embezzlement to infidelity - sabotaging their campaigns. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

aboveboard

adjective: open and honest Synonyms : straightforward The mayor, despite his avuncular face plastered about the city, was hardly aboveboard - some concluded that it was his ingratiating smile that allowed him to engage in corrupt behavior and get away with it.

moot

adjective: open to argument or debate; undecidable in a meaningless or irrelevant way Since the Board just terminated Steve as the CEO, what the finance committee might have thought of his proposed marketing plan for next year is now a moot point. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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.

indigenous

adjective: originating in a certain area The plants and animals indigenous to Australia are notably different from those indigenous to the U.S - one look at a duckbill platypus and you know you're not dealing with an opossum.

fastidious

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

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.

craven

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

spurious

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

profuse

adjective: plentiful; pouring out in abundance During mile 20 of the Hawaii Marathon, Dwayne was sweating so profusely that he stopped to take off his shirt, and ran the remaining six miles wearing nothing more than skimpy shorts.

austere

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

ascetic

adjective: practicing self-denial Synonyms : ascetical , austere , spartan His ascetic 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, ascetics like Ghandi are often considered wise men partially because of their restraint.

propitious

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

efficacious

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

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.

tractable

adjective: readily reacting to suggestions and influences; easily managed (controlled or taught or molded) Synonyms : amenable, manipulable Compared to middle school students, who have an untamed wildness about them, high school students are somewhat more tractable.

sporadic

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

adamant

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

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country Synonyms : peasant , provincial The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.

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.

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.

trite

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

banal

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

mundane

adjective: repetitive and boring; not spiritual Nancy found doing dishes a thoroughly mundane task, although Peter found a kind of Zen pleasure in the chore. adjective: relating to the ordinary world Synonyms : terrene Though we think of the pope as someone always dealing in holy matters, he is also concerned with mundane events, such as deciding when to set his alarm each morning.

exacting

adjective: requiring and demanding accuracy Synonyms : exigent, stern , strict Though his childhood piano teacher was so exacting, Max is thankful now, as a professional pianist.

arcane

adjective: requiring secret or mysterious knowledge Most college fraternities are known for arcane rituals that those hoping to the join the fraterntiy must learn.

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.

telltale

adjective: revealing The many telltale signs of chronic smoking include yellow teeth, and a persistent, hacking cough.

resurgent

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

insolent

adjective: rude and arrogant lack of respect Lilian could not help herself from being insolent, commenting that the Queen's shoes were showing too much toe.

contemptuous

adjective: scornful, looking down at others with a sneering attitude Synonyms : disdainful , insulting , scornful Always on the forefront of fashion, Vanessa looked contemptuously at anyone wearing dated clothing.

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.

admonitory

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

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.

antithetical

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

sullen

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

urbane

adjective: showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience Synonyms : polished , refined , svelte Because of his service as an intelligence officer and his refined tastes, W. Somerset Maugham became the inspiration for the urbane and sophisticate spy James Bond.

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.

deferential

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

empathetic

adjective: showing understanding and ready comprehension of other peoples' states and emotions Most discrimination and hatred is based on a lack of empathetic awareness of people that have the same aspirations and fears.

telling

adjective: significant and revealing of another factor Her unbecoming dress was very telling when it came to her sense of fashion.

prodigious

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

archaic

adjective: so old as to appear to belong to a different period Hoping to sound intelligent, Mary spoke in archaic English that was right out of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice--needless to say, she didn't have many friends.

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 negligible impact on your score.

muted

adjective: softened, subdued Helen preferred muted earth colors, such as green and brown, to the bright pinks and red her sister liked.

thrifty

adjective: spending money wisely He was economical, spending his money thriftily and on items considered essential.

profligate

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 eminent author in the English language, but I find his writing uninteresting and melodramatic.

egregious

adjective: standing out in negative way; shockingly bad 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 refractory Kindgergarteners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

tenacious

adjective: stubbornly unyielding Synonyms : dogged , dour , persistent , pertinacious , unyielding Even the most tenacious advocates for gun ownership must admit some of the dangers that firearms present.

robust

adjective: sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction Chris preferred bland and mild beers, but Bhavin preferred a beer with more robust flavor.

macabre

adjective: suggesting the horror of death and decay; gruesome Synonyms : ghastly , grim , grisly ,sick Edgar Allen Poe was considered the master of the macabre; his stories vividly describe the moment leading up to - and often those moments after - a grisly death.

martial

adjective: suggesting war or military life Americans tend to remember Abraham Lincoln as kindly and wise, not at all martial, despite the fact that he was involved in the fiercest war America has even fought.

tawdry

adjective: tastelessly showy; cheap and shoddy Carol expected to find New York City magical, the way so many movies had portrayed it, but she was surprised how often tawdry displays took the place of genuine elegance.

treacherous

adjective: tending to betray Synonyms : perfidious , punic Even though Jesse James was an outlaw, his killer, Robert Ford, is remembered more for his treacherous actions than for eliminating a criminal and murder. adjective: dangerously unstable and unpredictable Synonyms : unreliable The bridge built from twine and vine is treacherous to walk across, and so I think I will stay put right here.

timorous

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

diabolical

adjective: to be extremely wicked like the devil The conspirators, willing to dispatch anyone who stood in their way, hatched a diabolical plan to take over the city.

flush

adjective: to be in abundance Synonyms : bloom , blossom , efflorescence , flower , heyday , peak , prime The exam's passage is flush with difficult words, words that you may have learned only yesterday. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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.

demure

adjective: to be modest and shy The portrait of her in a simple white blouse was sweet and demure.

ingenuous

adjective: to be naïve and 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.

remiss

adjective: to be negligent in one's duty Synonyms : delinquent , derelict , neglectful Remiss in his duty to keep the school functioning efficiently, the principal was relieved of his position after only three months.

contrite

adjective: to be remorseful Though he stole his little sister's licorice stick with malevolent glee, Chucky soon became contrite when his sister wouldn't stop crying.

retiring

adjective: to be shy, and to be inclined to retract from company Synonyms : reticent , self-effacing Nelson was always the first to leave soirees - rather than mill about with "fashionable" folk, he was retiring, and preferred the solitude of his garret.

errant

adjective: to be wandering; not sticking to a circumscribed path Unlike his peers, who spent their hours studying in the library, Matthew preferred errant walks through the university campus.

itinerant

adjective: traveling from place to place to work Doctors used to be itinerant, traveling between patients' homes.

harried

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

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.

disparate

adjective: two things are fundamentally different With the advent of machines capable of looking inside the brain, fields as disparate as religion and biology have been brought together by scientists trying to understand what happens in the brain when people have a religious experience.

obdurate

adjective: unable to be persuaded or moved emotionally; stubborn; unyielding No number of pleas and bribes would get him to change his obdurate attitude.

insolvent

adjective: unable to pay one's bills; bankrupt With credit card bills skyrocketing, a shockingly large number of Americans are truly insolvent.

dispassionate

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

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.

irresolute

adjective: uncertain how to act or proceed He stood irresolute at the split in the trail, not sure which route would lead back to the camp.

incessant

adjective: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing I don't mind small children in brief doses, but I think the incessant exposure that their parents have to them would quickly wear me down.

erratic

adjective: unpredictable; strange and unconventional Synonyms : fickle , mercurial , quicksilver It came as no surprise to pundits that the President's attempt at re-election floundered; even during his term, support for his policies was erratic, with an approval rating jumping anywhere from 30 to 60 percent.

unconscionable

adjective: unreasonable; unscrupulous; excessive Synonyms : exorbitant , extortionate , outrageous , steep , usurious The lawyer's demands were so unconscionable that rather than pay an exorbitant sum or submit himself to any other inconveniences, the defendant decided to find a new lawyer.

brazen

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

nonplussed

adjective: unsure how to act or respond Shirley was totally nonplussed when the angry motorist cut her off and then stuck his finger out the window.

intransigent

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

munificent

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

voracious

adjective: very hungry; approaching an activity with gusto Synonyms : edacious , esurient , rapacious , ravening , ravenous , wolfish Steven was a voracious reader, sometimes finishing two novels in the same day.

thoroughgoing

adjective: very thorough; complete Synonyms : exhaustive , thorough As a thoroughgoing bibliophile, one who had turned his house into a veritable library, he shocked his friends when he bought a Kindle.

bellicose

adjective: warlike; inclined to quarrel Synonyms : battleful , combative Known for their bellicose ways, the Spartans were once the most feared people from Peloponnesus to Persia.

dilatory

adjective: wasting time Synonyms : laggard , pokey Lawyers use dilatory tactics so that it takes years before the case is actually decided.

affluent

adjective: wealthy The center of the city had sadly become a pit of penury, while, only five miles away, multi-million dollar homes spoke of affluence.

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.

blatant

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

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.

impeccable

adjective: without fault or error Synonyms : faultless , immaculate He was impeccably dressed in the latest fashion without a single crease or stain.

unscrupulous

adjective: without scruples (a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action) or principles In the courtroom, the lawyer was unscrupulous, using every manner of deceit and manipulation to secure a victory for himself.

insidious

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

laudable

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

commendable

adjective: worthy of high praise Synonyms : applaudable , laudable , praiseworthy The efforts of the firefighters running into the burning building were commendable.

fledgling

adjective: young and inexperienced noun: any new participant in some activity Murray has years of experience in family practice, but he is just a fledgling in surgery.

autonomously

adverb: acting independently; self-governing (of a country) Many of the factory workers are worried about being replaced by machines and computers that will work completely autonomously.

amok

adverb: in a frenzied or uncontrolled state Wherever the bowl haircut teen-idol went, his legions of screaming fans ran through the streets amok, hoping for a glance at his boyish face.

askance

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

acme

highest point; summit; the highest level or degree attainable

idiosyncrasy

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

jargon

noun: a characteristic language of a particular group To those with little training in medicine, the jargon of doctors can be very difficult to understand.

constituent

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

egotist

noun: a conceited and self-centered person Synonyms : egoist , swellhead An egotist, Natasha had few friends because of her inability to talk about anything except her dream of becoming the next American Idol.

hodgepodge

noun: a confusing mixture or jumble Synonyms : farrago , gallimaufry , hotchpotch , melange , mingle-mangle , mishmash , oddments , odds and ends , omnium-gatherum , ragbag Those in attendance represented a hodgepodge of the city's denizens: chimney sweepers could be seen sitting elbow to elbow with stockbrokers.

boon

noun: a desirable state Synonyms : blessing Modern technology has been a boon to the travel industry. adjective: very close and convivial He was a boon companion to many, and will be sadly missed.

abberation

noun: a deviation from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically one that is unwelcome. Abberations in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines

malady

noun: a disease or sickness Synonyms : illness , sickness , unwellness The town was struck by a malady throughout the winter that left most people sick in bed for two weeks.

euphoria

noun: a feeling of great (usually exaggerated) elation The euphoria of winning her first gold medal in the 100 meter dash overwhelmed Shelly-Ann Fraser and she wept tears of immense joy.

contingent

noun: a gathering of persons representative of some larger group A small contingent of those loyal to the king have gathered around the castle to defend it. adjective: possible but not certain to occur Whether the former world champions can win again this year is contingent upon none of its star players getting injured.

misanthrope

noun: a hater of mankind Synonyms : misanthropist Kevin is such a misanthrope that he refused to attend the Christmas party, claiming that everyone's happiness was "fake" and "annoying."

paucity

noun: a lack of something Synonyms : dearth There is a paucity of jobs hiring today that require menial skills, since most jobs have either been automated or outsourced.

dearth

noun: a lack or shortage Synonyms : famine , shortage, paucity I am surprised by the dearth of fast food chains; this is America and I assumed they were on every street.

myriad

noun: a large indefinite number Synonyms : countless , infinite , innumerable , innumerous , multitudinous , numberless , uncounted , unnumberable , unnumbered , unnumerable There are a myriad of internet sites hawking pills that claim to boost energy for hours on end.

raft

noun: a large number of something Despite a raft of city ordinances passed by an overzealous council, noise pollution continued unabated in the megalopolis. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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.

respite

noun: a pause from doing something (as work) Every afternoon, the small company has a respite in which workers play foosball or board games.

chauvinist

noun: a person who believes in the superiority of their group The chauvinist lives on both sides of the political spectrum, outright shunning anybody whose ideas are not consistent with his own.

miser

noun: a person who doesn't like to spend money (because they are greedy) Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

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 heretic and always did the reverse.

proponent

noun: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea Synonyms : advocate , advocator , exponent Ironically, the leading proponent of Flat-Earth Theory flies all over the world in an effort to win more adherents.

sycophant

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

reprobate

noun: a person without morals who is disapproved of Synonyms : miscreant Those old reprobates drinking all day down by the river-they are not going to amount to much.

stipend

noun: a regular allowance (of money) He was hoping for a monthly allowance loan from the government, but after no such stipend was forthcoming he realized he would have to seek other means of paying for his college tuition.

smattering

noun: a slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something Synonyms : handful I know only a smattering of German, but Helen is able to read German newspapers and converse with natives.

pittance

noun: a small amount (of money) Vinny's uncle beamed smugly about how he'd offered his nephew fifty dollars for his Harvard tuition; even twice the amount would have been a mere pittance.

tumult

noun: a state of chaos, noise and confusion Synonyms : garboil , tumultuousness , uproar, commotion , din , ruckus , ruction , rumpus Riots broke out just in front of our apartment building, and the tumult continued late into the night.

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.

flux

noun: a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) Ever since Elvira resigned as the head of marketing, everything about our sales strategy has been in a state of flux. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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.

polemic

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

nuance

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

platitude

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

banality

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

melee

noun: a wild, confusing fight or struggle After enduring daily taunts about my name, I became enraged and pummeled the schoolyard bully and his sycophantic friends in a brutal melee.

audacity

noun: aggressive boldness in social situations Synonyms : audaciousness , temerity She surprised her colleagues by having the audacity to publically criticize the findings of a distinguished scientist.

apathy

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

travesty

noun: an absurd presentation of something; a mockery Synonyms : farce , comedy , 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 travesty of the form.

cornucopia

noun: an abundant supply of something good Synonyms : profuseness , profusion , richness The International Food Expo was a cornucopia of culinary delights: gourmet foods from every continent were under one roof.

screed

noun: an abusive rant (often tedious) Joey had difficulty hanging out with his former best friend Perry, who, during his entire cup of coffee, enumerated all of the government's deficiencies--only to break ranks and launch into some screed against big business.

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.

junta

noun: an aggressive takeover by a group (usually military); the group that executes such a takeover As dangerous of a threat as North Korea is, some analysts believe that were a junta suddenly to gain power, it could be even more unpredictable and bellicose than the current leadership

dilettante

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

tirade

noun: an angry speech In terms of political change, a tirade oftentimes does little more than make the person speaking red in the face.

accolade

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

precedent

noun: an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time The principal explained that even though one student had done modeling work outside of school, the outfits that student wore in those photographs in no way established a precedent for what could be worn at school dances.

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.

virago

noun: an ill-tempered or violent woman Poor Billy was the victim of the virago's invective - she railed at him for a good 30-minutes about how he is the scum of the earth for speaking loudly on his cellphone in public.

antipathy

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

credence

noun: belief in something He placed no credence in psychics, claiming that they offered no special powers beyond the ability to make people part with their money.

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.

duress

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

panache

noun: distinctive and showy elegance Synonyms : dash , elan , flair , style Jim, with his typical panache, came to the wedding reception with a top hat, a cane, and a long cape covered in sequins.

hegemony

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

largess

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

lassitude

noun: extreme tiredness, either mental or physical Upon finishing a 6 hour standardized exam, Dahlia emerged from the testing center overcome by lassitude.

jingoism

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

apprehension

noun: fearful expectation Test day can be one of pure apprehension, as many students worry about their test scores.

avarice

noun: greed (one of the seven deadly sins) Synonyms : avaritia , covetousness , greed , rapacity, avariciousness , covetousness , cupidity The Spanish conquistadors were known for their avarice, plundering Incan land and stealing Incan gold.

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.

animosity

noun: intense hostility The governor's animosity toward his rival was only inflamed when the latter spread false lies regarding the governor's first term.

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.

spendthrift

noun: one who spends money extravagantly Taking weekly trips to Vegas, Megan was a spendthrift whose excesses eventually caught up to her.

decorum

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

moment

noun: significant and important value Synonyms : consequence , import Despite the initial hullabaloo, the play was of no great moment in Hampton's writing career, and within a few years the public quickly forgot his foray into theater arts. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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.

maverick

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

pundit

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

anomaly

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

catalyst

noun: something that speeds up an event Rosa Park's refusal to give up her bus seat acted as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement, setting into motion historic changes for African-Americans.

quandary

noun: state of uncertainty or perplexity especially as requiring a choice between equally unfavorable options Synonyms : dilemma Steve certainly is in a quandary: if he doesn't call Elaine, she will blame him for everything, but if he does call her, the evidence of where he currently is could cost him his job.

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.

contrition

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

pinnacle

noun: the highest point Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , summit , superlative , tiptop , top At its pinnacle, the Roman Empire extended across most of the landmass of Eurasia, a feat not paralleled to the rise of the British Empire in the 18th and 19th century.

apex

noun: the highest point The Ivy League is considered the apex of the secondary education system.

zenith

noun: the highest point; culmination At the zenith of his artistic career, Elvis was outselling any other artist on the charts.

serendipity

noun: the instance in which an accidental, fortunate discovery is made By pure serendipity, Sarah discovered, at a flea market in Peoria, a matching earring to replace the one that fell down the storm drain back home.

summit

noun: the peak or highest point Synonyms : acme , elevation , height , meridian , peak , pinnacle , superlative , tiptop , top, crest , crown After hiking for two days, the climbers finally reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. noun: a meeting of high-level leaders Since climate change policy has been mired in congressional fighting, this summit should help set the goals for president's next term.

heyday

noun: the pinnacle or top of a time period or career During the heyday of Prohibition, bootlegging had become such a lucrative business that many who had been opposed to the 18th Amendment began to fear it would be repealed.

ingenuity

noun: the power of creative imagination Synonyms : cleverness , ingeniousness , inventiveness Daedalus was famous for his ingenuity; he was able to fashion his son Icarus with a pair of wings, using wax to hold them together.

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.

variance

noun: the quality of being different The cynic quipped, "There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to lie".

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.

altruism

noun: the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others Synonyms : selflessness Albert Schweitzer spent most of his life doing missionary work as a doctor in Africa, seeking no reward, apparently motivated only by altruism.

ascendancy

noun: the state that exists when one person or group has power over another The ascendancy of the Carlsbad water polo team is clear—they have a decade of championships behind them.

mendacity

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

temperance

noun: the trait of avoiding excesses Synonyms : moderation, sobriety Welles wasn't known for his temperance--he usually ate enough for two and drank enough for three.

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.

indifference

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

opulence

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

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.

expound

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

lionize

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

posit

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

assail

verb: attack in speech or writing Synonyms : assault , attack , lash out , round , snipe In the weekly paper, the editor assailed the governor for wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars in public projects that quickly failed.

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.

impede

verb: be a hindrance or obstacle to Since the police sergeant had to train the pair of new hires, progress in his own case was impeded.

denote

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

confound

verb: be confusing or perplexing to Synonyms : bedevil , befuddle , confuse , discombobulate , fox , fuddle , throw Though Harry loved numbers, he found calculus confounding. verb: mistake one thing for another Americans often confound sweet potatoes with yams, and refer to both vegetables by the same name.

vacillate

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

flounder

verb: behave awkwardly; have difficulties Sylvia has excelled at advanced calculus, but ironically, when she has deal with taxes, she flounders.

elicit

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

rescind

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

placate

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

disseminate

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

perpetuate

verb: cause to continue If you do not let him do things for himself, you are merely perpetuating bad habits that will be even harder to break in the future.

denigrate

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

abstain

verb: choose not to consume or take part in (particularly something enjoyable) Synonyms : desist , refrain Considered a health nut, Jessica abstained from anything containing sugar-even chocolate.

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 circumventing the GRE is to apply to a grad school that does not require GRE scores.

derive

verb: come from; be connected by a relationship of blood, for example Many words in the English language are derived from Latin, including the word "derive." verb: reason by deduction; establish by deduction Synonyms : deduce , deduct , infer From the multiple set of footprints in the living room, the investigator derived 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 subsumed 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 subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.

lambast

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

rebuke

verb: criticize severely or angrily; censure The police chief rebuked the two officers whose irresponsible decisions almost led to the deaths of seven innocent by-standers.

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.

disenfranchise

verb: deprive of voting rights The U.S. Constitution disenfranchised women until 1920 when they were given the right to vote.

delineate

verb: describe in detail After a brief summary of proper swimming technique, the coach delineated the specifics of each stroke, spending 30 minutes alone on the backstroke.

augment

verb: enlarge or increase; improve Ideally, the restaurant's augmented menu will expand its clientele and increase its profits.

ostracize

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

banish

verb: expel from a community, residence, or location; drive away The most difficult part of the fast was banishing thoughts of food.

renege

verb: fail to fulfill a promise or obligation We will no longer work with that vendor since it has reneged on nearly every agreement.

ingratiate

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

entice

verb: get someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises Synonyms : lure , tempt Harold enticed his wife, Maude, to go on a vacation to Hawaii, with promises of luaus on the beach and all-you-can-eat seafood buffets.

sanction

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

underscore

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

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.

rankle

verb: gnaw into; make resentful or angry Synonyms : eat into , fret , grate His constant whistling would rankle her, sometimes causing her to leave in a huff.

burgeon

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

thwart

verb: hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of I wanted to spend a week in New York this autumn, but the high costs of travel and lodging thwarted my plans.

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 frustrate my plan. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

misconstrue

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

construe

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

embroiled

verb: involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation.

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.

guffaw

verb: laugh boisterously Whenever the jester fell to the ground in mock pain, the king guffawed, exposing his yellow, fang-like teeth.

hamstrung

verb: made ineffective or powerless The FBI has made so many restrictions on the local police that they are absolutely hamstrung, unable to accomplish anything.

reconcile

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

elucidate

verb: make clearer and easier to understand Synonyms : clear , clear up , crystallize , enlighten , illuminate , shed light on , sort out , straighten out Youtube is great place to learn just about anything-an expert elucidates 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 ameliorate poverty and the lack of education in Afghanistan.

assuage

verb: make something intense less severe Her fear that the new college would be filled with unknown faces was assuaged when she recognized her childhood friend standing in line.

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.

tender

verb: offer up something formally The government was loath to tender more money in the fear that it might set off inflation.

appease

verb: pacify by acceding to the demands of Synonyms : assuage , conciliate , gentle , gruntle , lenify , mollify , pacify , placate Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister during WWII, tried to appease Hitler and in doing so sent a clear message: you can walk all over us.

juxtapose

verb: place side by side for contrast The appeal of her paintings comes from a classical style which is juxtaposed with modern themes.

exalt

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

exonerate

verb: pronounce not guilty of criminal charges Synonyms : acquit , assoil , clear , discharge , exculpate The document clearly indicated that Nick was out of the state at the time of the crime, and so served to exonerate him of any charges.

refute

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

resolve

verb: reach a conclusion after a discussion or deliberation After much thought, Ted resolved not to travel abroad this summer because he didn't have much money in his bank account.

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.

discriminate

verb: recognize or perceive the difference Sarah couldn't discriminate between a good wine and a bad wine, so she avoided wine tastings.

degrade

verb: reduce in worth or character, usually verbally Synonyms : demean , disgrace , put down , take down Jesse had mockingly pointed out all of Nancy's faults in front of their friends, publicly degrading the poor girl.

truncate

verb: reduce the length of something Synonym: abridge The soccer game was truncated when the monsoon rain began to fall.

debase

verb: reduce the quality or value of something The third-rate script so debased the film that not even the flawless acting could save it from being a flop.

repudiate

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

spurn

verb: reject with contempt Synonyms : disdain , freeze off , pooh-pooh , reject , scorn , turn down She spurned all his flattery and proposals, and so he walked off embarrassed and sad.

buck

verb: resist Synonyms : go against The profits at our firm bucked the general downturn that affected the real estate industry.

circumscribe

verb: restrict or confine Synonyms : confine , limit Their tour of South America was circumscribed so that they saw only popular destinations and avoided the dangerous parts of cities. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

grovel

verb: show submission or fear Every time Susan comes to the office, Frank grovels as if she were about to fire.

advocate

verb: speak, plead, or argue in favor of While the senator privately approved of gay marriage, he was unwilling to advocate for the cause in a public venue. noun: a person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea Martin Luther King Jr. was a tireless advocate for the rights of African-Americans in the United States.

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 vilify Todd.

bolster

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

supplant

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

espouse

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

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

fete

verb: to celebrate a person After World War II, war heroes were feted at first but quickly forgotten.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way 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.

eradicate

verb: to completely destroy Synonyms : exterminate , extirpate , root out , uproot, annihilate , carry off , decimate , eliminate , extinguish , wipe out I tried eradicating the mosquitos in my apartment with a rolled up newspaper, but there were too many of them.

corroborate

verb: to confirm or lend support to (usually an idea or claim) Synonyms : affirm , confirm , substantiate , sustain,bear out , support , underpin Her claim that frog populations were falling precipitously in Central America was corroborated by locals, who reported that many species of frogs had seemingly vanished overnight.

fleece

verb: to deceive Synonyms : gazump , hook , overcharge , pluck , plume , rob , soak , surcharge Many people have been fleeced by Internet scams and never received their money back.

censor

verb: to examine and remove objectionable material Synonyms : ban Every fall, high school English teachers are inundated by requests to censor their curriculum by removing The Catcher in the Rye and Scarlet Letter from their reading lists. noun: an official who censors material The censor insisted that every reference to drugs should be removed from the manuscript.

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.

reproach

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

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.

inundate

verb: to flood or overwhelm Synonyms : deluge , submerge, flood , swamp The newsroom was inundated with false reports that only made it more difficult for the newscasters to provide an objective account of the bank robbery.

indict

verb: to formally charge or accuse of wrong-doing The bankrobber was indicted on several major charges, including possession of a firearm.

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.

wax

verb: to gradually increase in size or intensity Her enthusiasm for the diva's new album only waxed with each song; by the end of the album, it was her favorite CD yet.

stem

verb: to hold back or limit the flow or growth of something To stem the tide of applications, the prestigious Ivy requires that each applicant score at least 330 on the Revised GRE.

demean

verb: to insult; to cause someone to lose dignity or respect Synonyms : degrade , disgrace , put down , take down At first the soccer players bantered back and forth, but as soon as one of the players became demeaning, calling the other's mother a water buffalo, the ref whipped out a red card.

check

verb: to limit (usually modifying the growth of something) Deserted for six months, the property began to look more like a jungle and less like a residence - weeds grew unchecked in the front yard noun: the condition of being held back or limited When government abuses are not kept in check, that government is likely to become autocratic. This word has other definitions but these are the most important ones to study

err

verb: to make an error He erred in thinking that "indigent" and "indignant" were synonyms.

qualify

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

unnerve

verb: to make nervous or upset Synonyms : enervate , faze , unsettle At one time unnerved by math problems, she began avidly "Magoosh-ing", and soon became adept at even combinations and permutations questions.

mollify

verb: to make someone angry less angry; placate Synonyms : season , temper In the morning, Harriat was unable to mollify 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.

badger

verb: to pester Badgered by his parents to find a job, the 30-year-old loafer instead joined a gang of itinerant musicians.

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 contrived 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

hound

verb: to pursue relentlessly Synonyms : hunt , trace An implacable foe of corruption, Eliot Ness hounded out graft in all forms - he even helped nab Al Capone. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

dog

verb: to pursue relentlessly; to hound Synonyms : chase , chase after , give chase , go after , tag , tail , track , trail Throughout his life, he was dogged by insecurities that inhibited personal growth. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

peruse

verb: to read very carefully Instead of perusing important documents, people all too often rush to the bottom of the page and plaster their signatures at the bottom.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

ferret

verb: to search for something persistently Ever the resourceful lexicographer, Fenton was able to ferret out the word origin of highly obscure words. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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".

mesmerize

verb: to spellbind or enthrall The plot and the characters were so well developed that many viewers were mesmerized, unable to move their eyes from the screen for even a single second.

exhort

verb: to strongly urge on; encourage Nelson's parents exhorted him to study medicine, urging him to choose a respectable profession; intransigent, Nelson left home to become a graffiti artist.

start

verb: to suddenly move in a particular direction All alone in the mansion, Henrietta started when she heard a sound. This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

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

underwrite

verb: to support financially Synonyms : subvent , subvention The latest symphony broadcast was made possible with underwriting from the Carnegie Endowment.

dupe

verb: to trick or swindle Synonyms : befool , cod , fool , gull , put on , put one across , put one over , slang , take in Once again a get-rich-fast Internet scheme had duped Harold into submitting a $5,000 check to a sham operation. noun: a person who is easily tricked or swindled Synonyms : victim The charlatan mistook the crowd for a bunch of dupes, but the crowd was quickly on to him and decried his bald-faced attempt to bilk them.

meander

verb: to wander aimlessly A casual observer might have thought that Peter was meandering through the city, but that day he was actually seeking out those places where he and his long lost love had once visited.

admonish

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

undermine

verb: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term) The student undermined the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgement on numerous occasions.

desecrate

verb: to willfully violate or destroy a sacred place After desecrating the pharaoh's tomb, the archaeologist soon fell victim to a horrible illness.

pine

verb: to yearn for Standing forlornly by the window, she pined for her lost love.

patronize

verb: treat condescendingly She says she genuinely wanted to help me, but instead she patronized me, constantly pointing out how I was inferior to her.

foment

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

deter

verb: turn away from by persuasion Synonyms : dissuade His mother tried to deter him from joining the army, but he was too intoxicated with the idea of war to listen. verb: try to prevent; show opposition to Synonyms : discourage The government's primary job should involve deterring paths to war, not finding ways to start them.