ABERRATION (ab uh RAY shun) n, something not typical; a deviation from the standard
ACCOST (uh KAWST) v, to approach and speak to someone aggressively
AFFABLE (AF uh bul) adj, easy to talk to; friendly
AFFECTATION (af ek TAY shun) n, an unnatural or artificial behavior, usually intended to impress
AMOROUS (AM ur rus) adj, feeling loving, especially in a physical sense; in love; relating to love
AMORPHOUS (uh MOR fus) adj, shapeless; without a regular or stable shape; bloblike
ANARCHY (AN ur kee) n,
absence
of government or control; lawlessness; disorder
ANGUISH (ANG gwish) n, agonizing physical or mental pain
ANIMOSITY (an uh MAHS uh tee) n, resentment; hostility; ill will
APATHY (AP uh thee) n, lack of interest; lack of feeling
APOCRYPHAL (uh
POK ruh ful) adj, of dubious
authenticity; fictitious; spurious
APTITUDE (AP tuh tood) n, capacity for learning; natural ability
ARDENT (AHR dunt) adj, passionate, enthusiastic
ASSUAGE (uh
SWAYJ) v, to soothe; to pacify; to ease the pain of; to
relieve
AUSPICIOUS (aw SPISH us) adj, favorable; promising; pointing to a good result
BASTION (BAS chun) n, stronghold; fortress; fortified place
BAUBLE (BAH bul) n, a showy but worthless or useless thing; a trinket, trifle
BEDEW (be DOO) v, to make wet with or as if with drops of dew
BELITTLE (bih LIT ul) v, to make to seem little; to put someone down
BILLOW (bil OH) v, to surge, swell, or rise like or in a great wave
BLATHER (BLA thur) v, to talk on and on foolishly
BLITHE (blythe) adj, without a care; cheerful
BREVITY (BREV i tee) n, briefness
BUCOLIC (byoo KAHL ik) adj, charmingly rural; rustic; countrylike
BURGEON (BUR jun) v, to expand; to flourish
CACOPHONY (kuh KAHF uh nee) n, a harsh-sounding mixture of words, voices or sounds
CALLOW (KAL oh) adj, immature; inexperienced; unsophisticated
CAPITULATE (kuh PICH uh layt) v, to surrender; to give up or give in
CATALYST (KAT uh list) n, in chemistry, something that changes the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being changed; anyone or anything that makes something happen without being directly involved with it
CATHARSIS (kuh THAR sis) n, purification that brings emotional relief or renewal
CAUSTIC (KAW stik) adj, like acid; corrosive
CEREBRAL (suh REE brul) adj, brainy; intellectually refined
CHOLERIC (KAHL ur ik) adj, hot-tempered; quick to anger
CIRCUMSCRIBE (SUR kum skrybe) v, to draw a line around; to set the limits
Cliché (klee SHAY) n, an overused saying or idea
CLIQUE (kleek) n, an exclusive group bound together by some shared quality or interest
COERCE (koh URS) v, to force someone to do or not to do something
COLLOQUIAL (kul OH kwee ul) adj, conversational; informal in language
COLLUSION (kuh LOO zhun) n, conspiracy; secret cooperation
COMPLACENT (kum PLAY sunt) adj, self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault
COMPLICITY (kum PLIS uh tee) n, participation in wrongdoing; the act of being an accomplice
CONCORD (KAHN kord) n, harmony; agreement
CONDUCIVE (kun DOO siv) v, promotes or contributes; tending or leading to
CONJURE (KAHN jur) v, to summon or bring into being, as if by magic
CONTRITE (kun TRITE) adj, admitting guilt; feeling especially remorseful
CRYPTIC (KRIP tik) adj, mysterious; mystifying
CULINARY (KYOO luh ner ee) adj, relating to cooking or the kitchen
CULPABLE (KUL puh bul) adj, deserving blame; guilty
CURTAIL (kur TAYL) v, to shorten; to cut short
CYNIC (SIN ik) n, one who deeply distrusts human nature; one who believes humans are motivated only by selfishness
DAUNT (dawnt) v, to make fearful; to intimidate
DEBAUCHERY (di BAW chuh ree) n, wild living; excessive intemperance
DEBILITATE (di BIL uh tayt) v, to weaken; to cripple
DECOROUS (DEK ur us) adj, proper, in good taste; orderly
DEFAME (di FAYM) v, to libel or slander; to ruin the good name of
DEFERENCE (DEF ur uhns) n, submission to another's will; respect; courtesy
DELETERIOUS (del uh TIR ee us) adj, harmful
DESPONDENT (dih SPAHN dunt) adj, extremely depressed; full of despair
DILETTANTE (DIL uh tahnt) n, someone with superficial knowledge of the arts; an amateur; a dabbler
DOCILE (DAHS ul) adj, easily taught; obedient; easy to handle
EBULLIENT (ih BUL yunt) adj, boiling; bubbling with excitement; exuberant
ECCENTRIC (ek SEN trik) adj, not conventional; a little kooky; irregular
EGREGIOUS (ih GREE jus) adj, extremely bad; flagrant
EMINENT (EM uh nunt) adj, well-known and respected; standing out from all others in quality or accomplishment
ENCROACH (en KROHCH) v, to make gradual or stealthy inroads into; to trespass
ETHEREAL (ih THIR ee ul) adj, heavenly; as light and insubstantial as a gas or ether
EXACERBATE (ig ZAS ur bayt) v, to make worse
FACTION (FAK shun) n, a group, usually a small part of a larger group, united around some cause; disagreement within an organization
FAUNA (FAW nuh) n, animals
FATUOUS (FACH oo us) adj, foolish; silly; idiotic
FECUND (FEE kund) adj, fertile; productive
FETTER (FET ur) v, to restrain; to hamper
FIDELITY (fuh DEL uh tee) n, faithfulness. loyalty
FOIBLE (FOY bul) n, a minor character flaw
FOMENT (foh MENT) v, to stir up; to instigate
FOREGO (for GOH) v, to do without; to forebear
FRUGAL (FROO gul) adj, economical; penny-pinching
GENTEEL (jen TEEL) adj, refined; polite; aristocratic; affecting refinement
GRANDIOSE (GRAN dee ohs) adj, absurdly exaggerated
GRATUITOUS (gruh TOO uh tus) adj, unjustified; unprovoked; uncalled for
GREGARIOUS (gruh GAR ee us) adj, sociable; enjoying the company of others
HACKNEYED (HAK need) adj, overused; trite; stale
HERMETIC (hur MET ik) adj, impervious to external influence; airtight
IDEOLOGY (eye
dee AHL uh jee)
n, a system of social or political ideas
IGNOMINY (IG
nuh min ee)
n, deep disgrace
ILLICIT ( i LIS it) adj, illegall; not permitted
IMPETUOUS (im
PECH oo us) adj, impulsive;
extremely impatient
IMPERIAL (im PEER ee ul) adj, like an emperor or an empire
IMPOTENT (IM puh tunt) adj, powerless; helpless
IMPUGN (im PYOON) v, to attack, especially to attack the truth or integrity of something
INCENSE (in SENS) v, to make very angry
INCIPIENT (in SIP ee unt) adj, beginning, emerging
INCREMENT (IN cruh munt) n, an increase; one in a series of increases
INDIGNANT (in DIG nunt) adj, angry, especially over something unjust or unworthy; insulted
INDOLENT (IN duh lunt) adj, lazy
INEPT (in EPT) adj, clumsy; incompetent
INFATUATED (in FACH oo ay tid) adj, foolish; foolishly passionate or attracted; made foolish; foolishly in love
INUNDATE (IN un dayt} v, to flood; to cover completely with water; to overwhelm
IRASCIBLE (i RAS uh bul) adj, easily angered or provoked; irritable
INSURGENT (IN sur JUNT) n, a rebel; someone who revolts against a government
INTEGRAL (IN tuh grul) adj, essential
ITINERANT (eye TIN ur unt) adj, moving from place to place
LABYRINTH (LAB
uh rinth) n, a maze; something like a maze
LACONIC (luh KAHN ik) adj, using few words,
especially to the point of seeming rude
LAMENT (luh MENT) v, to mourn
LAMPOON (lam POON) v, to satirize; to mock; to parody
LANGUISH (LANG gwish) v, to become weak, listless, or depressed
LAUD (lawd) v, to praise; to applaud; to extol; to celebrate
LEGACY (LEG uh see) n, something handed down from the past; a bequest
LETHARGY (LETH ur gee) n, sluggishness; laziness; drowsiness; indifference
LUCID (LOO sid) adj, easy to understand
LUGUBRIOUS (loo GOO bree us) adj, exaggeratedly mournful
MALINGER (muh LING ger) v, to pretend to be sick to avoid doing work
MALLEABLE (MAL ay uh bul) adj, easy to shape or bend
MANIFEST (MAN uh fest) adj, visible; evident
MARTIAL (MAHR shul) adj, warlike; having to do with combat
MAVERICK (MAV ur ik) n, a nonconformist; a rebel
MERCENARY (MUR suh ner ee) n, a hired soldier; someone who will do anything for money
MERCURIAL (mur KYOOR ee ul) adj, emotionally unpredictable; rapidly changing in mood
MICROCOSM (MYE kruh kahz um) n, the world in miniature
MINISCULE (MIN uh skyool) adj, very tiny
MORTIFY (MOR tuh fye) v, to humiliate
MUNDANE (mun DAYN) adj, ordinary; pretty boring; not heavenly and eternal
MUNIFICENT (myoo NIF uh sunt) adj, very generous; lavish
MYOPIA (mye OH pee uh) n, nearsightedness; lack of foresight
MYRIAD (MIR ee ud) n, a huge number
NARCISSISM (NAHR si siz um) adj, excessive love of one's body or oneself
NEBULOUS (NEB yuh lus) adj, vague; hazy; indistinct
NEOLOGISM (nee OL uh jiz um) n, a new word or phrase; a new usage of a word
NOSTALGIA (nahs TAL juh) n, sentimental longing for the past; homesickness
NOTORIOUS (noh TOR ee us) adj, famous for something bad
OBDURATE (AHB dur rit) adj, stubborn and insensitive
OBSEQUIOUS (ub SEE kwee us) adj, fawning; subservient; sucking up to
OBTUSE (ahb TOOS) n, slow to understand; dull or insensitive
OPAQUE (oh PAYK) adj, impossible to see through; impossible to understand
OSTENTATIOUS (ahs ten TAY shus) adj, excessively conspicuous; showing off
PACIFY (PAS uh fye) v, to calm someone down; to placate
PAINSTAKING (PAYN stay king) adj, extremely careful; taking pains
PALLIATE (PAL ee ayt) v, to relieve or alleviate something without getting rid of the problem; to assuage; to mitigate
PALTRY (PAWL tree) adj, insignificant; worthless
PAUCITY (PAW suh tee) n, scarcity
PENSIVE (PEN siv) adj, thoughtful and sad
PEREMPTORY (puh REMP tuh ree) adj, final; categorical; dictatorial
PERENNIAL (puh REN ee ul) adj, continual; happening again and again or year after year
PERFIDY (PUR fuh dee) n, treachery
PERFUNCTORY (pur FUNGK tuh ree) adj, unenthusiastic; careless
RANCOR (RANG kur) n, bitter, long-lasting ill will or resentment
RAPACIOUS (ruh PAY shus) adj, greedy; plundering; avaricious
RECIPROCAL (ri SIP ruh kul) adj, mutual; shared; interchangeable
RECONDITE (REK un dyte) adj, hard to understand; over one's head
REDUNDANT (ri DUN dunt) adj, unnecessarily repetitive; excessive; excessively wordy
REFUTE (ri FYOOT) v, to prove false; to disprove
RELINQUISH (ri LING kwish) v, to release or let go; to surrender; to stop doing
REPLETE (ri PLEET) adj, completely filled
REPROACH (ri PROHCH) v, to scold, usually in disappointment; to blame to disgrace
SALUTARY (SAL yuh ter ee) adj, healthful; remedial, curative
SANGUINE (SANG gwin) adj, cheerful; optimistic; hopeful
SERENDIPITY (ser un DIP uh tee) n, accidental good fortune; discovering things without looking for them
SQUALOR (SKWAHL ur) n, filth; wretched, degraded, or repulsive living conditions
SUBLIME (suh BLYME) adj, awesome; extremely exalted; lofty; majestic
TAUTOLOGICAL (tawt uh LAH juh kul) adj, redundant; circular
TENACIOUS (tuh NAY shus) adj, persistent; stubborn; not letting go
TRANSIENT (TRAN shunt) adj, not staying for a long time; temporary
TREPIDATION (trep uh DAY shun) n, fear; apprehension; nervous trembling
TURPITUDE (TUR puh tood) n, shameful wickedness; depravity
UNCTUOUS (UNGK choo us) adj, oily, both literally and figuratively; insincere
URBANE (ur BAYN) adj, poised; sophisticated; refined
VACILLATE (VAS uh layt) v, to be indecisive; to waver
WANTON (WAHN tun) adj, malicious; unjustifiable; unprovoked; egregious
ZEALOUS (ZEL us) adj, enthusiastically devoted to something; fervent
