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definitive

A ________ answer is a final one. A ________ decision by a court of law is one that will not be changed. A ________ translation is one everyone turns to as correct. ________ means authoritative, conclusive, final.

perquisite

A ________ is a benefit or "perk" that comes along with a job. Free air travel for air hostesses? Free company car for corporate execs? Free pork for politicians? That's right, each of those is an example of a ________.

hallmark

A ________ is a distinctive characteristic of something or someone. That can mean a literal symbol on the bottom of a piece of pottery, or just a rock star's signature hair style.

wince

A ________ is a facial or bodily expression of pain, disgust, or regret. Think of something you've done that was really, really embarrassing or dumb: now take a look in the mirror as you ________ at the uncomfortable memory.

determinant

A ________ is a factor or cause that makes something happen or leads directly to a decision.

sham

A ________ is a fake. If you frequently order products advertised on late-night, hour-long television commercials, you've probably ended up with at least one item that was a ________. All-purpose, industrial strength stain remover, anyone?

gaffe

A ________ is a mistake that embarrasses you in front of others. If you run into a friend out with her grey-haired father, and you blurt out, "Oh, hi, you must be Tara's grandfather!" then you've made a ________.

hybrid

A ________ is a mixture of two different things, resulting in something that has a little bit of both -- like the rare zedonk, a ________ of a donkey and a zebra.

proclivity

A ________ is a natural tendency to like something, such as your sister's ________ for restaurants that serve hot, spicy food.

diehard

A ________ is a person who likes things a certain way and doesn't want them to change — or who sticks to an opinion no matter what. If everyone in your family is a Democrat except your cousin, you might call him a Republican ________

wag

A ________ is a quick, back-and-forth movement. A scolding teacher might give you an irritated ________ of a finger, while a happy dog will give you a cheerful tail ________

brook

A ________ is a small stream. On a hot day, you might enjoy wading in a babbling ________. As a verb, ________ is a rather stuffy word for "put up with." The lord of the manor might say, "I will ________ no trespassing on my land."

minute

A ________ is a unit of time equal to 60 seconds. The word can also be used as an adjective meaning "tiny." Some artists paint ________ images on grains of rice; the paintings are so small that you can only make out the details with a magnifying glass.

pillory

A ________ is a wooden frame with cutouts for someone's head and hands. Long ago, people found guilty of a crime could be sentenced to be locked in a ________ for a certain amount of time for punishment but also for public humiliation.

caterwauling

A ________ is a yowl, shriek, or loud cry. If you've ever heard two cats fighting, you know what a ________ sounds like.

ramification

A ________ is an accidental consequence that complicates things. Remember that time you borrowed your father's car without asking? The ________ was that Dad missed an important meeting, his company went under, and he had to sell the car. Oops!

whim

A ________ is an odd or fanciful idea, something kooky you suddenly decide to do, like dress up like a chicken or drive to Vegas.

mandate

A ________ is an official command or a go-ahead. When a politician wins an election by a wide margin, that's a ________ to implement her ideas.

miser

A ________ is someone who hoards his or her own wealth and doesn't share or spend any of it. If you remember the old saying "You can't take it with you!" — then you won't end up acting stingy like a ________.

vagrant

A ________ is someone who is homeless and poor and may wander from place to place. In fiction a ________ often is a criminal, but a real-life ________ might just be a person who has lost a job and family and lives off the streets with help from charity.

detractor

A ________ is someone who puts you down. When you're proposing ideas at work, your ________ is the person who finds fault with everything you say.

punctilious

A ________ person pays attention to details. Are you always precisely on time? Is your room perfectly neat? Do you never forget a birthday or a library book's due date? Then you are one of the ________ people.

loquacious

A ________ person talks a lot, often about stuff that only they think is interesting. You can also call them chatty or gabby, but either way, they're ________.

remorseless

A person who is ________ doesn't feel any guilt. If you're ________, you don't feel bad at all — even if you've done something terrible.

bizarre

A person, object, or situation that's ________ is very odd or unusual in appearance, style, or character. If your teacher walked into class wearing a purple boa, lime-green cowboy boots, and a scuba mask, you might comment, "How ________!"

lassitude

After running 10 miles, bicycling 20 miles, and swimming 10 miles, the triathlete was overcome with ________ — a great weariness or lack of energy.

aphorism

An ________ is a concise statement that expresses a well-known truth. You have probably heard ________ such as "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

impudent

An ________ person is bold, sassy, and shameless. If you want to get into a fancy nightclub and you tell the bouncer, "Let me in, I'm much more beautiful than all these ugly losers in line," that's ________ behavior.

inscrutable

Any person or thing that's mysterious, mystifying, hard to read, or impossible to interpret is ________. You ever notice how it's hard to tell what some people are thinking? Those folks are ________.

superficial

Anything ________ has to do with the surface of something. If you're judging a book by its cover, you're being ________. People who worry too much about their clothes and hair may also be considered ________.

expeditious

Anything ________ is speedy and efficient. People like shortcuts because they are ________.

gorge

As a noun, ________ means a deep ravine, like the ________ you might see when hiking in the mountains. As a verb, ________ means to overeat, like the way you ________ on pizza after your long and difficult hike.

pundit

Beware the ________, a supposed expert who imparts deep knowledge to us more ignorant folks. ________ are often blowhards, mere hacks, and you might well want to take what they say with a pinch of salt.

benevolent

Choose the adjective ________ for someone who does good deeds or shows goodwill. If your teacher collects homework with a ________ smile, she's hoping that you've done a good job.

petulant

Choose the adjective ________ to describe a person or behavior that is irritable in a childish way.

sturdy

Describe something that is firmly constructed or strongly made as ________. That house you built was not ________ at all. It blew down in the last wind storm. Fortunately, it was only a dog house and the dog wasn't in it.

vex

Does something ________ you? It might, if it brings you trouble or difficulty. In other words, it annoys, worries, distresses, irritates, bothers, or puzzles you.

banter

Good friends usually ________ back and forth easily, like they're a step ahead of each other in witty responses, and whether it happens every day or every ten years, that teasing, that easy ________, is their special language of friendship.

chicanery

Have you ever gotten the sense that politicians or corporate leaders will say anything to turn public opinion their way? This tricky kind of deceit and manipulation is called ________.

forge

Have you ever seen a blacksmith make a horseshoe? Well, no, probably not, but they use a special furnace which is called a ________, and "to ________ something" is also the act of bashing that hot object into shape.

remunerate

If I owe you money, then I need to ________ you. To ________ is to compensate or pay money that is owed.

invalidate

If administrators find out that students cheated on a test, the school might ________ their class grades. To ________ means to cancel something or make it void, as if it never happened.

platitude

If an executive gives a speech that begins, "This business is all about survival of the fittest. You need to burn the midnight oil and take one for the team," his employees might get sick of listening to these meaningless clichés. There's nothing original in a ________.

bilious

If an unpleasant meal has left you feeling grumpy and looking green, you're ________ in several senses of the word. This adjective can mean both "troubled by indigestion" and "irritable," and it can also be used to suggest a sickly green shade.

preempt

If everyone at the lunch meeting is vying for the last roast beef sandwich, but you grab it first, you ________ your colleagues from getting it. Let them eat liverwurst. ________ means to displace or take something before others can.

abject

If it reeks of humiliation or looks like the lowest of low, then you can safely describe it as ________.

faze

If nothing can ________ you, you are unflappable. Nothing bothers you, or gets you off your game. To ________ is to disrupt or disturb.

demoralize

If something ________ you, it makes you feel bad or hopeless. When your soccer team was trounced by the last-place team in the league, the loss seemed to ________ everyone, from players to coaches to fans.

persistent

If something is ________, it just won't stop. If you're ________ in your suggestions for a trip to Mexico, maybe your parents will eventually give in and take you there.

exceptionable

If something is ________, someone is bound to find something wrong with it.

execrable

If something's ________ it's really and truly, unbelievably, absolutely the worst.

prohibitive

If something's so expensive you can't touch it, it's ________. That Ferrari in the showroom? You may want it, but its price is ________.

vouch

If you ________ for someone, you provide evidence or guarantee something on their behalf. If you ________ for your brother, you're saying he's a stand-up type of guy.

abstain

If you ________ from something, you restrain yourself from consuming it. People usually ________ from things that are considered vices.

blurt

If you ________ something out, you're speaking abruptly and without thinking about what you're saying.

redeem

If you ________ yourself, you make up for wrongs by doing something that makes you seem good again. If you were irritable and snappy with your grandmother, you could ________ yourself by bringing her flowers and apologizing.

rigorous

If you are ________ when you do something, you do it extremely carefully and precisely. A ________ inspection of your tax records has revealed the government owes you money. Congratulations!

crestfallen

If you are ________, you are dark, depressed, and down in the dumps. You are in need of a pep talk, or at least a hug.

dissident

If you are a ________, you are a person who is rebelling against a government. ________ can do their work peacefully or with violence.

maladroit

If you are clumsy, you are ________. But the word can mean all kinds of clumsy. Trip over your words? You are verbally ________. Stumble in social situations? You're socially ________.

malaise

If you are experiencing ________, chances are you are feeling blue or looking green. ________ is a slump; you're not feeling your best — either mentally or physically.

transfer

If you are moving something from one place to another, like ________ money from your savings account to your checking account, you are ________ it. Or, if you've been moved from one job site to another — you, my friend, have been ________.

compliant

If you are willing to submit to someone's request, then you are ________. Parents like it when their teenagers are ________ and follow the rules. Teenagers, on the other hand, are probably not as ________ as parents would like to think!

discordant

If you believe that movies should entertain, but your friend insists that movies should inspire, then the two of you hold ________ views on the purpose of movies. That means your opinions are in conflict.

ad hoc

If you call an ________ meeting of your knitting buddies, it means the meeting was formed for one particular reason — in this case to knit. Anything that's ________ is done with only one specific purpose in mind.

assiduous

If you call someone ________, it's a compliment. It means they're careful, methodical and very persistent. Good detectives are classically ________ types.

accord

If you clean your room of your own ________, your parents will be pleased—it means you did it without having to be asked. They might even ________ you an extra privilege. Warring nations make peace ________.

principled

If you decide to take a lower grade rather than cheat on a test, you are making a ________ decision, or one that is based on moral rightness.

confer

If you gab, chat, and talk it up with someone, you have conversation, but if you're looking for input from each other as you talk, you ________, or consult, together. They had a family meeting to ________ about a schedule for sharing the new laptop.

aversion

If you have an ________ to something, you have an intense dislike for it. Toddlers often have an ________ to broccoli and spinach.

confound

If you have an identical twin, you've probably tried dressing alike so that people ________ you with, or mistake you for, one another. You've also probably learned that, unfortunately, this trick doesn't work on your mom.

disparage

If you haven't got anything nice to say, then it's time to ________ someone. It means to belittle or degrade a person or idea.

clarion

If you hear the ________ call of the stage, it means you want to be an actor. ________ means loud and clear, and a ________ call is a call to something that is hard to ignore.

conversant

If you know a lot about computer programming, then you could describe yourself as ________ with the latest updates in coding languages. This means you have current working knowledge of the topic.

nettle

If you know what a ________ is—that is, a barbed seed that gets stuck in your clothes and hair—then you'll have no trouble remembering the verb ________: it means to annoy, bother, irritate, or bedevil.

disclosure

If you make a ________, you reveal information not previously known — either because it's new information or because it's been kept secret. ________ of new evidence at a trial could reveal that the accused is innocent of the crime.

shun

If you purposely stay away from someone or something, you ________ that person or thing. People with diabetes must ________ sugar.

hoax

If you put on big fake feet, stomp through your muddy backyard and tell everyone you saw Bigfoot fixing a steak on your grill, you are playing a ________ on your friends.

subjugate

If you say you won't be kept down by the man, you are saying that you won't let the man ________ you. To ________ is to repress someone, or to make them subservient to you.

unwieldy

If you see an ________ person coming down the aisle of the bus with an ________ box, you may want to step aside because that's a double dose of clumsy. It's an awkward person carrying a box that is difficult to manage.

surmise

If you see empty ice cream containers on the table, sprinkles littering the ground, and a can of whipped cream in the trash, you can ________ what happened: someone made sundaes. To ________ is to form an opinion or make a guess about something.

adamant

If you stubbornly refuse to change your mind about something, you are ________ about it.

gallant

If you volunteered to deal with removing a huge, hairy spider from your bathroom ceiling, your whole family would be grateful for your ________ actions. The adjective ________ means "heroic or brave."

innocuous

If you want to reassure someone that something isn't harmful or likely to cause injury, call it ________. Even an ________ letter from your boyfriend is embarrassing if your parents find it!

queasy

If you're ________, you're feeling sick to your stomach. Eating a peanut butter and pickle sandwich might make you feel ________.

flabby

If you're ________, you're out of shape, with a soft, slack body. Some people join a gym when they're feeling a little ________.

poised

If you're ________, you're self-possessed and in full control of your faculties. You're balanced, grounded, and ready for action.

mettlesome

If you're spirited and brave, you're ________. It takes a ________ person to hike the Appalachian Trail all alone.

conjure

If your mom can magically ________ up the most delicious meals from the most random ingredients in the kitchen, she might just be the best cook in the neighborhood.

parallel

In math, ________ describes two lines that never intersect -- think of an equal sign. Figuratively, ________ means similar or happening at the same time. A story might describe the ________ lives of three close friends.

valiant

It was pretty courageous of the automaker Plymouth to name a car the "________" in the 1960s and 70s because that term usually refers to a hero or describes a really determined, or ________, effort that doesn't end well.

equipoise

Looking for a really fancy way to say "balance" or "equilibrium"? Then stand up straight and try ________ on for size.

vitriolic

Mean, nasty, and caustic as the worst acid, ________ words can hurt feelings, break hearts, and even lead to violence.

ruse

Movie bank robbers always seem to pull some kind of ________, a deceptive trick or tactic like hiding the money underneath the bank while they drive off in the getaway car to avoid capture by the police.

cursory

No reason to get excited — ________ has nothing to do with bad language. Instead, it means not paying attention to details, like friends who are so busy studying for a test that they give your new haircut only a ________ glance.

phlegmatic

People who are ________ aren't called that because they have lots of mucus. They are just a little dull in expressing feelings or showing emotion.

esoteric

Pssst... do you know the secret handshake? If you haven't been brought into the inner circle of those with special knowledge, ________ things will remain a mystery to you.

nominal

Schools, libraries, and other organizations often ask you to make a ________, or insignificantly small, donation to their cause. But be careful: these ________ donations can add up quickly!

prolific

Someone or something that is ________ is fruitful or highly productive. A ________ songwriter can churn out five hit tunes before breakfast.

surrogate

Someone who acts as a ________ takes the place of another person. In the middle of a big Hollywood awards ceremony, if a celebrity has to go to the bathroom, a ________ will take his or her place and fill the seat.

impassive

Someone who doesn't seem to react or show a lot of emotion can be described as ________.

dogmatic

Someone who is ________ has arrogant attitudes based on unproved theories. If you ________ assert that the moon is made of green cheese, you'll just get laughed at.

complacent

Someone who is ________ has become overly content with the status quo. That junk-food-eating couch potato might be feeling a little too ________ about his health.

guarded

Someone who's ________ is careful, restrained, and maybe a little bit wary. It's normal for a new rescue dog to be ________ when you first bring her home.

enamored

Someone who's ________ is hopelessly or foolishly fond of someone or something, like your ________ best friend, who constantly writes love notes to his crush.

inattentive

Someone who's ________ isn't paying enough attention. An ________ lunch companion might spend the whole meal texting on his phone.

numinous

Something ________ has a strong religious quality, suggesting the presence of a divine power. When you enter a temple, church, or mosque, you might feel as though you've entered a ________ space.

variegated

Something ________ has many different colors, as in the trees of autumn or the feathers of a peacock. Whenever you see "vari" at the beginning of a word, you know that the idea of difference or change is involved.

prevalent

Something ________ is common in a particular place at a particular time. ________ things are hard to avoid. When you see the word ________, think "It's everywhere!"

loathsome

Something ________ is disgusting, distasteful, foul, revolting, repellent, awful, or yucky. In other words, ________ things are things people hate.

noxious

Something ________ is harmful and could be even fatal — whether it is colorless, odorless, and invisible like carbon monoxide, or dark, strong-smelling, and obvious, like black smoke from a fire. People are called ________ too when they hurt others with cruelty or mental anguish.

miscellaneous

Something ________ is made up of an odd bunch of things — things you might not expect to go together. A breakfast bar, a DVD, and a credit card bill are ________ items that may be in your backpack.

baroque

Something ________ is overly ornate, like a paisley red velvet jacket with tassels, or music that has a lot going on and might include a harpsichord.

supple

Something or someone that is ________ bends and moves easily, like a contortionist at a circus sideshow. If you can wrap your legs around your neck, you most likely have a ________ body.

symmetrical

Something that is ________ has corresponding similar parts: in other words, one side is the same as the other.

moribund

Something that is ________ is almost dead, like a ________ economy that has been stuck in a recession for years.

soporific

Something that is ________ is sleep-inducing. Certain medicines, but also extreme coziness, can have a ________ effect.

frail

Something that is delicate and fragile can be described as ________. Grandma's favorite vase is probably too ________ to use for football practice; some of us have learned that the hard way.

prevailing

Something that is prevalent or most common can be described as ________. The ________ opinion in your family might that your cousin Bob who sleeps in his closet is certifiably insane.

strident

Something that's ________ is loud, grating, and obnoxious. Your roommate's ________ laughter as he watches cartoons late into the night might inspire you to buy a pair of ear plugs.

arbitrary

Something that's ________ seems like it's chosen at random instead of following a consistent rule. Team members would dislike their coach using a totally ________ method to pick starting players.

excruciating

Something that's really intense or painful is ________. If you go skiing and break your leg in several places, the ride from the slope to the hospital will be ________ — unless you're unconscious, too.

abdicate

Sometimes someone in power might decide to give up that power and step down from his or her position. When they do that, they ________ their authority, giving up all duties and perks of the job.

fealty

Stemming from the Latin word "fidelitas," the noun ________ is related to "fidelity," and is another way of saying "loyalty" or "faithfulness."

rationale

The ________ for something is the basic or underlying reason or explanation for it. If you don't understand why your brother quit his part-time job at Burger Palace, your might ask him for his ________.

grimace

The ________ on her face when he asked her to the prom told him her answer was "no" before she said a word. A ________ is a facial expression that usually suggests disgust or pain or occasionally comic exaggeration.

diffident

The adjective ________ describes someone who is shy and lacking in self-confidence. If you are shy and have a ________ manner, you should probably not choose one of these professions: substitute teacher, stand-up comic, or lion-tamer.

erroneous

The adjective ________ describes something or someone as mistaken and incorrect. Early explorers had the ________ notion that the oceans were full of dragons.

utilitarian

The adjective ________ describes something that is useful or functional. If you are attracted to a car for its storage space and gas mileage — as opposed to its sparkly tire rims — then chances are you value ________ features.

fecund

The adjective ________ describes things that are highly fertile and that easily produce offspring or fruit. Rabbits are often considered to be ________ animals, and you may hear jokes in poor taste about people reproducing like rabbits if they have a lot of children.

keen

The adjective ________ has a variety of meanings, but they all have in common the concept of being acute, sharp, or focused. A knife can have a ________ blade, and a student can have a ________ mind.

obtuse

The adjective ________ is good for describing someone slow on the uptake: "Don't be so ________: get with the program!"

timeworn

The adjective ________ is good for describing something that's been said or done so often that it's not interesting or fresh any more. A movie with a ________ plot has few surprises.

mannered

The adjective ________ means "having unnatural or overly formal mannerisms." If an actor gives a ________ performance, his portrayal of the character seems a bit affected and unnatural.

profane

The adjective ________ means irreverent, blasphemous, or vulgar, like the ________ language that gets bleeped on network TV. When you ________ something (usually something holy), you treat it with disrespect.

locus

The center or source of something is known as the ________. A shopping mall is usually a ________ for teenagers.

curb

The hard thing about learning how to parallel park is trying to get the car close enough to the ________ without hitting it. A ________ is the edge of the sidewalk beside the road.

anthropomorphism

The idea behind ________ is that of attributing human characteristics to nonhumans — gods, animals, or inanimate objects. If you believe that your cat wants to celebrate his birthday, you are indulging in ________.

solvent

The meaning of ________ changes depending on its part of speech. As a noun, ________ is either a certain kind of chemical or an idea that solves a problem. As an adjective, ________ describes someone who's got cash on hand.

parlance

The noun ________ means the manner of speaking and using words. Your 15-year-old will tell you that you are definitely not fluent in the ________ of teenagers, no matter how cool you think you are.

conundrum

The tricky word ________ is used to describe a riddle or puzzle, sometimes including a play on words or pun.

deplore

The verb ________ is used to express strong disapproval of something. If you really, really hate the way your mom makes meatloaf, then it's safe to say you ________ it.

enfranchise

The verb ________ is used when a group of people are given voting rights or freedoms they didn't have before. Many people under the age of 18 would like lawmakers to ________ their peer group so they can vote.

forgo

The verb ________ means to give up or lose the right to something.

dawdle

The verb ________ means to move too slowly, to fall behind, or to not focus on making progress. If your little brother is constantly dragging his feet on the way to school, you may need to remind him not to ________.

galvanize

The verb ________ refers to stimulating muscles with an electrical current, and is also used to suggest stimulating someone into action.

fiscal

The word ________ resembles the word financial, which makes sense because both involve money.

hearten

Things that ________ you cheer you up. A welcome home party will ________ even the weariest traveler.

infatuated

Think he has no faults? Blush when he walks by? You are ________. When you are ________, your crush is so severe that it's pretty darned foolish.

audacious

This adjective is very bold — if you are ________, you are daring and unconventional!

probity

Though ________ sounds like what you might do with a sharp stick, it actually means being morally and ethically above reproach, having integrity.

duplicity

Though he said he didn't know anything about the footprints in the new sidewalk, his ________, or deceitfulness, was obvious from the cement caking his shoes. His mouth said one thing, his feet said another.

grievous

Though the 20th century was a time of great enlightenment, it was also an era of many of man's most ________ crimes. The adjective ________ means extremely sad or hurtful and is closely related to the verb "grieve."

smash

To _______ something is to hit or throw it so hard that it breaks or is hurt. It's important to pay careful attention while you're driving so you don't _______ into the car in front of you.

embody

To ________ a role is to fill it completely. If a high schooler seems to ________ the character of Macbeth, his performance might make the audience forget they're watching a dorky 15-year-old with braces

concur

To ________ is to agree or approve of something. If someone says something you agree with, you can say "I ________!"

boggle

To ________ is to amaze, astonish, or overwhelm. Your mind might ________ at all the information your physics teacher writes on the board on the first day of class.

codify

To ________ is to arrange information in a logical order that others can follow. Legislators may try to ________, or gather and organize, all laws related to a particular issue.

mollify

To ________ is to calm someone down, talk them off the ledge, make amends, maybe even apologize.

apprehend

To ________ is to capture or arrest, as when the police try to ________ criminals and bring them to justice. You also ________ a concept when you understand it, grasping or capturing its meaning.

afflict

To ________ is to cause suffering, pain, or misery. It's often associated with medical conditions. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most likely to ________ someone who spends many hours every day typing.

expurgate

To ________ is to censor. Usually, people talk about ________ bad words from something written or on TV.

precede

To ________ is to come before. A short speech could ________ dinner. When marching into the room, the younger kids could ________ the older ones.

bedeck

To ________ is to decorate or embellish. If you ________ your house with streamers and balloons, you'll feel prepared for your brother's surprise party.

disavow

To ________ is to deny support for someone or something. You might feel dissed if your biggest donor decides to suddenly ________ you in your run for president.

strive

To ________ is to endeavor, reach, or strain for something above or beyond. We ________ for self-improvement, a better world, or success in general.

deduce

To ________ is to figure something out based on what you already know. When you see a person crying, it's easy to ________ that the person is sad. Unless they're happy, of course. Sometimes happy people cry.

personify

To ________ is to give something lifeless human-like qualities — like when Emily Dickinson wrote, "Because I could not stop for Death, He kindly stopped for me..."

cede

To ________ is to give up or surrender land, position, or authority. "When her brother was born, she had to ________ her coveted position as the baby of the family. She would not, however, ________ her bedroom to him."

trespass

To ________ is to illegally enter someone's property or overstep your bounds in another way.

disrupt

To ________ is to interrupt or throw something into disorder. If you don't turn your phone off before a play, it might ring and ________ the actors and the audience.

clamor

To ________ is to make a demand — LOUDLY. It's usually a group that ________ — like Americans might ________ for comprehensive health care coverage.

inflame

To ________ is to make feelings stronger, or stir them up. Reminding your grandfather about the time his car was stolen may just ________ his anger.

integrate

To ________ is to make parts of something into a whole. It also means to become one unit, or to make a place (like a school) open to people of all races and ethnic groups.

persecute

To ________ is to make someone suffer or to keep them in bad circumstances. In some parts of the world governments or military groups ________, or punish, people for religious beliefs, often sending them to prisons or work camps.

propagate

To ________ is to multiply or spread. You would feel angry and betrayed if your best friend ________ a nasty rumor about you.

connive

To ________ is to plan or plot to do something illegal or wrong.

attest

To ________ is to prove or declare to be true. For example: the fact that you aced the SAT ________ to the strength of your vocabulary.

gambol

To ________ is to run around playing excitedly. Although the word sounds like "gamble," when you ________ you never lose — you just have a great time!

denigrate

To ________ is to say bad things — true or false — about a person or thing. Your reputation as a math whiz might be hurt if your jealous classmate manages to ________ you, even though the accusations are unfounded.

demarcate

To ________ is to set or draw a boundary, like that of a country. It can also mean to separate clearly in other ways.

flaunt

To ________ is to show something off or display it proudly, like when you ________ your new Italian leather jacket by wearing it to school, the mall, the beach -- pretty much everywhere.

ameliorate

To ________ is to step in and make a bad situation better. You could try introducing a second lollipop to ________ a battle between two four-year-olds over a single lollipop.

denounce

To ________ is to tattle, rat out, or speak out against something. When you stand on your desk and tell the class that your partner is cheating, you ________ him or her.

delude

To ________ is to trick or fool, often in relation to yourself. If you ________ yourself into thinking your mom's chocolate cake is low in fat, you'll be disappointed to find out it's made with two sticks of butter!

pry

To ________ is to try and find something out that is none of your business. We all hate people who ________, sticking their nose into our personal affairs, and it is an annoying and disrespectful habit.

disconcert

To ________ is to unsettle someone, or make them feel confused and out of sorts. It might ________ you to see your little brother heading off to school in a tuxedo and pink bunny slippers.

impugn

To ________ means to call into question or attack as wrong. If your usually grumpy brother is suddenly nice and sweet, you'll ________ his motives if you're smart — he probably just wants something from you.

blare

To ________ means to crank up the volume. If you ________ your dance music early in the morning, your roommates will probably get annoyed.

garner

To ________ means to gather or earn. If you want to run for office without belonging to a political party, you must ________ enough signatures — usually a few thousand — to get onto the ballot.

cater (to)

To ________ means to supply food for meetings or celebrations. If you're having a big barbecue party but would rather hang out with your friends than grill, you could pay someone to ________ it.

prate

To ________ means to talk on and on about something. While it may be interesting to hear about other people's vacations, when they ________ about them until the wee hours, it becomes intolerable.

discomfit

To ________ someone is to make them feel uncomfortable or upset. An easy way to ________ another person is to use the age-old, childish trick of ignoring them. (Of course, we're sure you would never do that, right? Right?)

arrest

To ________ someone is to put them in custody for breaking the law. If you face ________, your criminal activities will be "at rest" because you'll be behind bars, or in jail.

abandon

To ________ something is to give it up completely. If you're in a cabin and a forest fire approaches, you'd better get in your car and ________ your cabin, or else be prepared to ________ your life.

adumbrate

To ________ something is to outline it. In an English essay, you could ________ the themes in a novel; or, in a letter to Santa, you could ________ all the ways you have been behaving.

encapsulate

To ________ something is to sum it up in shorter form — to summarize something.

fathom

To ________ something is to understand it thoroughly, and is usually used in the negative, as in "I can't ________ why he doesn't want to go along with us."

fetching

To be ________ is to be attractive and beautitful. A ________ woman catches people's interest.

panache

To have ________ is to have a stylish flair. You might wear your giant polka-dotted scarf with great ________.

fervor

Use ________ to describe an intensity of emotion or expression. Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers show so much ________ that they "bleed Dodger blue."

attentive

Use the adjective ________ to describe someone who is alert and paying attention: "________ observers of the play used clues given in the first scenes of the play to guess the identity of the murderer."

underhanded

Use the adjective ________ to describe someone who plays dirty tricks, like a cheating poker player or a manipulative classmate.

fraternal

Use the adjective ________ to mean "brotherly," the way you'd describe your ________ relationship with your oldest friend who is like a brother to you

virtuosity

Use the noun ________ to describe an impressive skill, such as a classical musician's ________ at playing the cello.

stanch

Use the verb ________ to describe stopping a liquid from spreading. A bandage or compress can ________ bleeding and thick towels can ________ the flow of water across the kitchen floor when you drop a full glass of water.

mislead

Use the verb ________ to describe what you're doing when you don't tell the whole truth, or when you let someone believe something false.

burgeon

Use the verb ________ when something is growing, expanding, and flourishing. If you have a green thumb, in the spring your flower gardens will ________ in a cacophony of color.

purport

Use the verb ________ when to refer to the act of convincing people about something that might not be true, like when you ________ that the dog ate your homework

abstemious

Use the word ________ for someone who exercises restraint, especially when it comes to eating and drinking. A pastry chef might make decadent desserts for others but be ________ in her own eating habits.

unseemly

Use the word ________ to describe behavior that is inappropriate or unacceptable. It's ________ to chew with your mouth wide open.

deadpan

Use the word ________ to describe someone who uses no expression when speaking, such as the ________ way some comedians deliver even their funniest jokes — which can make them even funnie

scanty

We refer to an amount or thing that is not quite enough as ________, or lacking. It's an adjective used to describe something that doesn't offer enough, as in "farmers having a ________ crop in a drought year."

flag

When ________ is used as a verb, it means "to lose energy or enthusiasm." When students start to ________ in the afternoon, they tend to take a quick nap — sitting up at their desks.

preen

When a bird or a cat ________, it smooths its feathers or cleans its fur. When you ________, you primp and pay careful attention to how you're dressed and groomed, as if you're inviting the whole world to watch you.

unanimous

When a group or a decision is ________, it means that everyone is in total agreement. Just imagine if you let third graders vote on what to serve at lunch: Pizza and candy would be the ________ choice!

incursion

When an army crosses a border into another country for battle, they are making an ________ into enemy territory. An ________ is an invasion as well as an attack.

impregnable

When something is ________ it is not easily taken by force and can stand up to any attack. We usually use it in reference to some form of protection, like a fort or a solid defensive line in football.

unwarranted

When something is ________, it's not called-for under the given circumstances. For example, debating the merits of someone's talent is one thing, but calling them stupid is ________.

minuscule

When something is teeny tiny, it is ________. You might think your allowance is ________, but your parents probably think it's just right.

reassure

When we ________ other people, we pat them on the head, give them a hug, or say soothing words to convince them that everything is going to be OK.

dissect

When you ________ a frog in science class, you cut it open to look at its inner organs. To ________ is to break something down to look at its parts.

alienate

When you ________ people, you make them stop liking or caring about you. Show up at a conference of cat lovers with a sign around your neck that says, "I hate kittens," and you'll learn firsthand what that means.

detain

When you ________ someone, you hold them back, slow them down, or stop them from moving on. If you are ________ by the police, you may be late for the big football game, even if you were speeding to get there by the kickoff.

amend

When you ________ something, you correct or improve it. If you confused your audience when you gave your speech, don't be afraid to ________ what you said.

evade

When you ________ something, you escape it. You could ________ a police chase by slipping into a hidden alley, or you could ________ your mother's questions about the missing cookies by quickly changing the subject.

simulate

When you ________ something, you imitate it. Hollywood makeup artists can ________ old age in a young actor. ________ can also mean to model — a computer can ________ disaster scenarios in cities.

adduce

When you ________ something, you offer proof in support of an argument. You might ________ the contents of your nearly empty closet in an effort to get your mom to take you clothing shopping.

uphold

When you ________ something, you stick up for or support it. Police officers are paid to ________ the law, and crazy Elvis fans ________ their belief that he's still alive out there somewhere.

squelch

When you ________ something, you're putting an end to it. You can ________ an idea or a rebellion.

streamline

When you ________ something, you're simplifying it to make it more efficient or profitable.

malinger

When you ________, you pretend to be sick. If you ever claimed to have a stomach ache in order to stay home from school, you know what it means to ________.

lucid

When you call something ________, you mean it's "easy to understand" or "sensible": "The singer's ________ style was obscured by backup singers chanting 'Shama-lama-ding-dong.'"

tangible

When you can touch something, it's ________: "I need ________ proof that aliens exist — I want to shake their little green hands!"

regression

When you experience ________, you "go back" in some way. If you've been trying to break your sugar habit but one day eat several pieces of cake, that's ________.

submerge

When you go swimming, you ________ your body in water. If you head is out of the water, it is not ________ — it's just wet.

solicitous

When you hear the word ________, think of your mom — attentive, caring, and concerned. It's nice when your waiter gives you good service, but if he or she is ________, the hovering might annoy you

tolerance

When you practice ________, you accept another's ideas and beliefs. If you respect someone's opinions — even if you disagree or find them nonsensical — you display ________.

bestow

When you present an honor or gift to someone, you ________ it, which is the same as giving it, but often classier and more respectful.

duly

When you put in a lot of overtime hours at your job, you assume you'll be ________ paid. ________ means "properly" or "appropriately."

obliterate

When you see ________, think of evil alien invaders that zap a planet with a destructive ray. In one blast, the planet and all of the people on it are vaporized. The planet is truly ________, or completely wiped out.

collaborate

When you work together on shared goals, you ________. If you don't just split a project up evenly but work together on creating solutions, you ________.

glaring

Whether it's a bright light or a fault, ________ things are obvious. You just can't miss them.

dote

Who doesn't love to have someone ________ on them? If you ________ on someone, you shower them with love and attention. Sounds like the life!

toady

You can call the kid who is always really nice to the teacher in hopes of getting a good grade a brown-noser or, if you want to sound clever, a ________.

prosecution

You know the lawyers who try to make the jury believe the guy on trial for stealing the bananas actually stole the bananas? That team of lawyers is known as the ________.

waffle

You might think of a ________ as a grid-patterned pancake-like food that's tasty with syrup, and you'd be right. But the word is also a verb that means to avoid making a definitive decision.

grandiose

You've got big plans. Huge plans. Plans that are going to blow minds and rock worlds! To some people your ideas might sound a bit ________ -- or unnecessarily overblown -- but you're confident you can pull them off.

perspective

Your ________ is the way you see something. If you think that toys corrupt children's minds, then from your ________ a toy shop is an evil place.

quirky

Your friend with the pink hair, the excellent vocabulary, and the totally inappropriate wit? You could probably call her ________, meaning she's unconventional and has a strange mix of traits that somehow end up being kind of interesting or charming.

idiocy

_____ is extreme stupidity. If you skied down a dangerous slope with little experience and no helmet, your friends would be right to comment on your _____

grandiloquent

________ is a fancy term for, well, being fancy or pretentious. In fact, you might say ________ is itself a pretty ________ word.

engender

________ is a fancy way of saying "to make happen," like when you ________ the spirit of teamwork and cooperation by encouraging others and doing your share of the group's work.

awe

________ is a feeling of wonder or admiration, sometimes tinged with fear. A spectacular view of the Grand Canyon could fill you with ________ — and so could an aggressive military attack.

lofty

________ is a good word for describing something that's high above the ground, or someone who acts like she's high above everyone else.

relish

________ is a kind of spicy or savory condiment, the stuff you slather on hotdogs or hamburgers. So if you're fickle when it comes to pickles, you might ask them to hold the ________.

zest

________ is a kind of zeal or enthusiasm. If you've got a ________ for something, you put your whole heart and soul into it. Dancers who have great ________ leap, kick, and soar their way around the stage with a kind of joyful energy.

unwonted

________ is a pretty old-fashioned word now, meaning something unusual or out of the ordinary. Nowadays, ________ is a pretty ________ word itself.

equilibrium

________ is a state of balance. If you play sports so much that you don't have time for your studies, you need to study more and play less, until sports and studying reach a point of ________.

bliss

________ is a state of complete happiness or joy. Marriage is often associated with this joyous feeling: people who are married and still in love are described as living in wedded ________.

congregate

________ is a verb that means to come together, to assemble, or to gather. At school dances, you may ________ with your friends, because you get nervous in front of kids you don't know very well.

semblance

________ is all about illusion. Cramming all of your dirty clothes into the closet gives the ________, or false appearance, that you've done your laundry — but the stench might give you away.

ribald

________ is an adjective you would use to describe someone who makes off-color jokes. Vulgar but still kind of funny — that's a ________ person.

adolescent

________ is just a fancy word for teenager — someone who is no longer a child but is not yet an adult. The word can also be used as an adjective. For example, a particular clothing line might be geared toward ________ girls.

foul

________ is most commonly used as an adjective to describe a bad smell. As a verb, ________ usually means "make dirty or messy." You might ________ your room to the point where it smells a bit ________.

libel

________ is the act of publishing a statement about someone that is not true and that gives a bad impression about the person.

illiteracy

________ is the inability to read. You can help someone overcome ________ by reading together, or even by sharing your knowledge of vocabulary.

nepotism

________ is the practice of favoritism based on kinship, like when the coach chooses his own kid to be the quarterback even if his kid stinks at football.

ferocity

________ is the state of being wild, scary, and fierce. A five year-old girl pretending to be a lion will display her ________ by roaring and baring her teeth

sophistry

________ is tricking someone by making a seemingly clever argument, such as telling your mom you must have candy before dinner because if you don't you'll die and then the protein and vitamins won't get eaten at all

drivel

________ is useless, boring, nonsensical information. Your parents might think the articles in your favorite fashion magazine are ________. As a verb, ________ means to talk stupidly or to drool.

slick

________ mean smooth or slippery, but it can also describe a smooth, effortless style. How did that Girl Scout talk you into buying so many boxes of cookies? It must have been her ________ sales pitch.

subservient

________ means "compliant," "obedient," "submissive," or having the qualities of a servant. Something that's ________ has been made useful, or put into the service of, something else.

succulent

________ means "juicy" and is often used to describe food. Think a ________ piece of meat, or berries so ________ you're left sucking juice off your fingertips when you eat them.

pugnacious

________ means always ready for a fight. If you're ________, you might find it hard to make friends. On the other hand, you might be a very successful professional boxer one day.

revulsion

________ means an intense, violent, sometimes physical dislike of something. People feel ________ to different things. You may feel ________ at the thought of seeing a horror movie, but other people can't wait to be scared by the latest zombie or slasher flick.

verisimilitude

________ means being believable, or having the appearance of being true. You can improve your play by using the sounds and smells of the beach as well as lots of sand to create ________.

amass

________ means bring together or assemble. You might have a secret desire to ________ the largest collection of cookie jars in North America. Good luck!

reprehensible

________ means deserving of blame or strong criticism. It is a strong word--your mother might forgive you for doing something bad, but something ________? That's worse.

obese

________ means excessively fat. In medical terms, it means you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more, at which point your body's excess fat begins to threaten your health.

fraught

________ means filled with something — often something bad. Your Thanksgiving was ________ with awkward moments when your family saw your blue hair, and it only got worse when you told them you'd quit law school to join the circus.

luminous

________ means full of or giving off light. During the winter holidays, with all their emphasis on light, you can see ________ displays of candles everywhere.

pernicious

________ means harmful and subtle, such as a poison gas that causes cancer in those exposed to it over the course of years

corporate

________ means having to do with a corporation. Playing golf can be a part of ________ culture. A ________ jet is one owned by the company and used for company business

redoubtable

________ means honorable, maybe even intimidatingly so. If your grandmother worked tirelessly to raise four kids on her own and start her own taxi cab business and to this day, keeps all of her cabbies in line, she is without a doubt ________.

usury

________ means lending money at exorbitant interest rates. Credit-card companies charging annual interest rates of 29% are guilty of ________, as far as I'm concerned.

idle

________ means not busy or being used, or doing nothing. If you have lots of homework, you shouldn't ________ away the afternoon.

covert

________ means secret or hidden. Soldiers might take part in a ________ mission to infiltrate an enemy camp -- and you might take part in a ________ mission to steal your brother's leftover Halloween candy.

consolidate

________ means to bring together. You may feel like you don't have any pens, but if you ________ all the pens lying around your house into one basket, you might find you in fact have a thousand.

retain

________ means to hold on to or keep. People who can ________ a lot of information are often mistaken for geniuses, but really they just have very good memories.

compensate

________ means to make amends or correct an imbalance. If you step in an unmarked pothole, the city may ________ you by paying the medical bills for your broken ankle.

occlude

________ means to obstruct, as with an opening. You hear this a lot in a medical context. Heart surgeons are looking for ________ in blood vessels--things that ________ the flow of blood.

revert

________ means to return to something earlier or to go back. If your editor hates the revisions you've made to the novel you're writing, you might ________ to an earlier draft.

discerning

________ people pick up on subtle traits and are good judges of quality — they're the ones who can tell if your cupcakes are homemade from the finest ingredients or made from a boxed mix.

heresy

________ refers to beliefs that do not agree with the official beliefs of a particular religion. In some cultures and time periods, people were persecuted for ________.

cache

________ sounds like what it is, a stash, and sometimes people — usually the criminal type — have a ________ of stolen cash.

abstruse

________ things are difficult to understand because they are so deep and intellectually challenging. It might be hard to figure out how a toilet flushes, but the technology that goes into making the Internet function is much more ________.

secular

________ things are not religious. Anything not affiliated with a church or faith can be called ________.

genuine

________ things are true or authentic. When you're talking about people, being ________ has to do with being sincere.

intriguing

________ things or people arouse curiosity and have an indescribable draw. If you find the night sky ________ and enjoy pondering the limitlessness of the universe, you should consider becoming an astronomer.

quizzical

________ usually means puzzled or questioning, though it can also mean confused, surprised, comical, or mocking. If someone's looking at you with a ________ expression when you mention your summer, it might mean they don't know about your adventures at space camp.

restrain

________means to hold yourself back, which is exactly what you'd have to do if, after weeks of dieting, you found yourself face to face with a dessert case filled with pies, cakes, and cookies.

sophism

a deliberately invalid argument displaying ingenuity in reasoning in the hope of deceiving someone

befitting

appropriate to

entrance

attract; cause to be enamored

meet

being precisely fitting and right

gripping

capable of arousing and holding the attention

ticklish

difficult to handle; requiring great tact

unnerve

disturb the composure of

froward

habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition

uninitiated

not initiated; deficient in relevant experience

elemental

of or being the essential or basic part

telling

powerfully persuasive, producing a strong effect

stigmatise

to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful

squash

to compress with violence, out of natural shape or condition