Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 10-12

fortuitous

(adj) accidental, occurring by a happy chance. SYN: unintentional, unplanned, random, lucky. ANT: intentional, deliberate, premeditated

gauche

(adj) awkward, lacking in social graces, tactless, clumsy. SYN: inept, uncouth, maladroit. ANT: adroit, tactful, diplomatic, politic

palpable

(adj) capable of being touched or felt, easily seen, heard, or recognized. SYN: tangible, plain, obvious, manifest. ANT: intangible, insubstantial, incorporeal

sedentary

(adj) characterized by or calling for continued sitting; remaining in one place. SYN: seated, stationary, static. ANT: active, peripatetic, migratory

winsome

(adj) charming, attractive, pleasing in a way suggesting childlike charm or innocence. SYN: winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing. ANT: unattractive, unappealing, repulsive

specious

(adj) deceptive, apparently good or valid but lacking real merit. SYN: deceptively, plausible, sophistic, casuistic. ANT: valid, sound, solid, genuine

censurable

(adj) deserving of blame or correction. SYN: blameworthy, discreditable, reprehensible. ANT: commendable, laudable, meritorious

prosaic

(adj) dull, ordinary, lacking in distinction or originality. SYN: commonplace, humdrum, literal, pedestrian. ANT: remarkable, distinctive, poetic, inspired

efficacious

(adj) effective, producing results. SYN: effectual, efficient, potent, powerful. ANT: ineffective, worthless, useless

recondite

(adj) exceeding ordinary knowledge and understanding. SYN: esoteric, arcane, profound, abstruse. ANT: simple, uncomplicated

redundant

(adj) extra, excess, more than is needed, wordy or repetitive, profuse, lush. SYN:unnecessary, superfluous, verbose, prolix. ANT: succinct, terse, laconic, scarce, inadequate

munificent

(adj) extremely generous, lavish. SYN: bounteous, liberal. ANT: stingy, miserly, tightfisted, parsimonious

pernicious

(adj) extremely harmful, deadly, fatal. SYN: injurious, deleterious, baleful, noxious. ANT: harmless, innocuous, salutary, salubrious

gratuitous

(adj) freely given; not called for by circumstances, unwarranted. SYN: voluntary, unjustified, uncalled-for. ANT: justified, warranted

deleterious

(adj) harmful, injurious. SYN: detrimental, destructive, pernicious, damaging. ANT: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous

perceptive

(adj) having sympathetic insight or understanding, capable of keen appreciation. SYN: insightful, discerning, observant. ANT: dense, thick, obtuse, dim-witted

covert

(adj) hidden, disguised, purposefully kept secret; sheltered, secluded; (n) a sheltered place, a hiding place. SYN: undercover, clandestine, sub-rosa. ANT: open, overt, undisguised

florid

(adj) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, overdecorated, showy. SYN: flushed, ruddy, flowery, frilly, flamboyant. ANT: pale, ashen, pallid, sallow, austere, stark

implicit

(adj) implied, understood though unexpressed, without doubts or reservations, potentially contained in. SYN: inferred, tacit, unspoken, unconditional. ANT: explicit, expressed, stated, revealed

salient

(adj) leaping, jumping, springing forth, prominent, standing out, conspicuous; (n) a land form that projects upwards or outwards. SYN: striking, notable, protrusive, obvious. ANT: inconspicuous, recessive

contingent

(adj) likely but not certain to happen, possible; dependent on uncertain events or conditions; happening by chance; (n) a representative group forming part of a larger body. SYN: conditional, dependent, a detachment. ANT: independent of, unconnected with, certain

sanctimonious

(adj) making a show of virtue or righteousness, hypocritically moralistic or pious. ANT: heartfelt, sincere, humble

ostentatious

(adj) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display. SYN: flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant. ANT: modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring

abstemious

(adj) moderate, sparing; characterized by abstinence and self-discipline. SYN: temperate, sober, moderate. ANT: indulgent, immoderate, intemperate

imperious

(adj) overbearing, arrogant; seeking to dominate; pressing, compelling. SYN: domineering, magisterial, urgent, imperative. ANT: fawning, obsequious, humble, unassuming

discursive

(adj) passing aimlessly from one place or subject to another, rambling, roving, nomadic. SYN: digressive, diffuse, wandering, episodic. ANT: short and to the point, succinct

debonair

(adj) pleasant, courteous, lighthearted; smooth and polished in manner and appearance. SYN: carefree, jaunty, gracious, suave, urbane. ANT: distraught, agitated, boorish, churlish

dowdy

(adj) poorly dressed, shabby; lacking smartness and good taste. SYN: frumpy, tacky, frowsy, drab. ANT: chic, stylish, elegant, fashionable

politic

(adj) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed, artful, expedient. SYN: tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect. ANT: unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash

incisive

(adj) sharp, keen, penetrating. SYN: acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant

motley

(adj) showing great variety; composed of different elements or many colors; (n) a jester's costume; a jester. SYN: variegated, heterogeneous, diverse, fool. ANT: uniform, homogenous, monochromatic

contiguous

(adj) side by side, touching, near, adjacent in time. SYN: adjoining, abutting, next door to. ANT: detached, apart, distant, remote

scintillating

(adj) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant. SYN: stimulating, lively, glittering, flashing. ANT: dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame, vapid

provocative

(adj) tending to produce a strong feeling or response; arousing desire or appetite; irritating, annoying. SYN: stimulating, arousing, vexing, galling. ANT: dull, insipid, bland, unstimulating

annotation

(n) a critical or explanatory note or comment, especially for a literary work

reprobate

(n) a depraved, vicious, or unprincipled person, scoundrel; (adj) wicked, corrupt, or unprincipled; (v) to disapprove of, condemn. SYN: scoundrel, blackguard, immoral, corrupt. ANT: saint, upright, virtuous, moral

clangor

(n) a loud ringing sound; (v) to make a loud, ringing noise. SYN: din, clamor, uproar. ANT: silence, stillness, peace and quiet

paragon

(n) a model of excellence or perfection. SYN: exemplar, ideal, paradigm, model, good example

caricature

(n) a representation in which the subject's characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; (V) to present someone of something in a deliberately distorted way. SYN: cartoon, burlesque, parody, lampoon

bedlam

(n) a state or scene of uproar and confusion. SYN: commotion, pandemonium, chaos, anarchy. ANT: peace and quiet, order, tranquility

invective

(n) a strong denunciation or condemnation; abusive language; (adj) abusive, vituperative. SYN: vituperation, abuse, diatribe, philippic. ANT: tribute, panegyric, encomium

cupidity

(n) an eager desire for something, greed. SYN: avarice, rapacity, craving, lust. ANT: helpful, beneficial, harmless, innocuous

denizen

(n) an inhabitant, resident; one who frequents a place. SYN: resident, dweller, habitue. ANT: alien, outsider, stranger, foreigner

heresy

(n) an opinion different from accepted belief, the denial of an idea that is generally held sacred. SYN: unorthodox belief, heterodoxy. ANT: orthodoxy

equanimity

(n) calmness, composure, refusal to panic. SYN: tranquility, imperturbability. ANT: excitability, flappability, agitation

gist

(n) the essential part, main point, or essence. SYN: substance, core, nucleus

dun

(v) To demand insistently, especially in payment of a debt; (n) A creditor; (adj.) Dark, dull, drab, dingy. SYN: hound, pester, harass, nag

absolve

(v) to clear from blame, responsibility, guilt. SYN: acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon. ANT: condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate

corroborate

(v) to confirm, make more certain, bolster, substantiate, verify. ANT: refute, contradict, undermine, discredit

procrastinate

(v) to delay, put off until later. SYN: stall, temporize, dillydally

enthrall

(v) to enslave, imprison, captivate, charm, hold spellbound. SYN: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch. ANT: bore to tears, repel, put someone off

accrue

(v) to grow or accumulate over time; to happen as a natural result. SYN: collect, accumulate, proceed from. ANT: dwindle, decrease, diminish, lessen

foist

(v) to impose by fraud, to pass off as worth or genuine, to bring about by stealth, dishonesty, or coercion. SYN: pass off, palm off, fob off

inculcate

(v) to impress on the mind by repetition, teach persistently and earnestly. SYN: instill, implant, infuse, ingrain, imbue. ANT: efface, extirpate, root out

extenuate

(v) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses. SYN: moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay. ANT: intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate

sear

(v) to make or become dry or withered, to char or scorch the surface of, to harden or make unfeeling

enhance

(v) to raise to a higher degrees, to increase the value or desirability of. SYN: fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch. ANT: bore to tears, repel, put someone off

paraphrase

(v) to restate in other words; (n) a statement that presents a given idea in a new language. SYN: reword, rephrase, a rendition, version. ANT: repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote

satiate

(v) to satisfy completely, fill to excess; (adj) full or satisfied. SYN: gratify, cloy, surfeit, gorge. ANT: starve, deprive entirely of

disseminate

(v) to scatter or spread widely. SYN: disperse, publicize, broadcast, circulate. ANT: bring together, concentrate, muster, conceal, hide