Reading...
Play button
Play button
Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
500 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
|
Abstract
|
theoretical; not concrete
|
|
|
Abstruse
|
difficult to understand
|
|
|
Acclaim
|
praise;applaud
|
|
|
Accolade
|
an award, or praise
|
|
|
Acquiescent
|
reluctantly agreeable; compliant
|
|
|
Acrimony
|
words or behavior filled with harshness or anger
|
|
|
Adamant
|
refusing to change; stubborn, unyielding
|
|
|
Adroit
|
skillful in physical activity, or in handling difficult situations
|
|
|
Advocate
|
support;plead for; speak on behalf of
|
|
|
Affable
|
friendly; easygoing
|
|
|
Affirmation
|
positive statement; assertion; agreement
|
|
|
Alienate
|
to push someone away, or cause him to separate from people
|
|
|
Aloof
|
detached; apart; indifferent
|
|
|
Altruistic
|
unselfish; caring
|
|
|
Ambidextrous
|
able to use both hands with equal skill
|
|
|
Ambiguous
|
unclear; vague; having several possible interpretations
|
|
|
Ambivalence
|
indecision; feeling of being pulled in two directions
|
|
|
Ameliorate
|
to make an unpleasant situation better; to improve
|
|
|
Amity
|
friendship
|
|
|
Amorphous
|
without form or shape
|
|
|
Analogous
|
similar
|
|
|
Anarchy
|
a lack of order, chaos
|
|
|
Anathema
|
a religious curse, or the thing or person being cursed
|
|
|
Antagonistic
|
in hostile competition; opposing
|
|
|
Antiquated
|
too old to be useful; outdated; obsolete
|
|
|
Antithesis
|
opposite
|
|
|
Apathy
|
lack of interest or concern
|
|
|
Apex
|
top; highest point; summit
|
|
|
Appease
|
calm; pacify
|
|
|
Arbitrary
|
selected by random choice and without solid reason
|
|
|
Arcane
|
secret; mysterious
|
|
|
Archaic
|
old;antiquated
|
|
|
Arrogant
|
acting superior, obnoxious, smug or rude
|
|
|
Articulate
|
Able to speak clearly and effectively
|
|
|
Ascendancy
|
domination; controlling power
|
|
|
Ascetic
|
person who rejects physical comfort and luxury for self discipline
|
|
|
Asperity
|
roughness, hardness, irritability
|
|
|
Assail
|
attack with words or force
|
|
|
Assiduous
|
persistent; hard working; diligent; attentive to detail
|
|
|
Assuage
|
relieve; ease; pacify
|
|
|
Astute
|
wise; insightfully clever; shrewd
|
|
|
Atrophy
|
waste away;wither
|
|
|
Audacious
|
brazen, brash,nervy
|
|
|
Augment
|
make larger; increase
|
|
|
auspicious
|
taking place under promising conditions; likely to succeed
|
|
|
Austere
|
stern; plain; without luxuries
|
|
|
Avarice
|
greed
|
|
|
Averse
|
feeling repelled; wanting to avoid
|
|
|
Baleful
|
harmful; menacing
|
|
|
Banal
|
boring; trite; insipid
|
|
|
Beguile
|
to cheat or deceive, usually through charm; also, to amuse
|
|
|
Belie
|
to give an impression that is the opposite of the way things really are; to misrepresent
|
|
|
Belligerent
|
having a strong tendency to argue and fight
|
|
|
Benediction
|
Good wishes; a blessing
|
|
|
Benevolent
|
Kind hearted; good natured, generous
|
|
|
Benign
|
gentle, kind hearted, mild
|
|
|
Bequeath
|
To leave behind or hand down
|
|
|
Blight
|
decay; disease; widespread death
|
|
|
Bolster
|
to support, reinforce
|
|
|
Bombast
|
speech or writing intended to impress the audience; pompous
|
|
|
Brevity
|
briefness; conciseness
|
|
|
Bumptious
|
Pushy; obnoxiously self assertive
|
|
|
Cacophony
|
harshness of sounds; opposite of harmony
|
|
|
Cajole
|
to fool with flattery or false promises; coax; deceive
|
|
|
Candor
|
honesty, frankness
|
|
|
Capacious
|
large; roomy; spacious
|
|
|
Capitulate
|
surrender, yield
|
|
|
Capricious
|
unpredictable
|
|
|
Castigate
|
scold; punish
|
|
|
Caustic
|
burning, either with chemicals or sarcasm
|
|
|
Celerity
|
Speed
|
|
|
Censure
|
to criticize
|
|
|
Chasten
|
punish, discpline, castigate
|
|
|
Chastise
|
scold, punish, castigate
|
|
|
Choler
|
anger
|
|
|
Circumscribe
|
draw a line around; define limits; confine; restrict
|
|
|
Circumspect
|
cautious
|
|
|
clemency
|
mercy
|
|
|
cloister
|
secluded or isolated
|
|
|
coalesce
|
unite; grow together
|
|
|
coerce
|
to force someone by threatening or physically overpowering him
|
|
|
complacent
|
self satisfied; unconcerned
|
|
|
compliant
|
following someone else's demands, conforming; obeying
|
|
|
composure
|
calmness; equanimity
|
|
|
concede
|
admit reluctantly; yield
|
|
|
concise
|
short and to the point; terse
|
|
|
concur
|
agree
|
|
|
condone
|
to overlook, excuse or pardon
|
|
|
confound
|
to mix up (in your own mind) or to confuse someone else)
|
|
|
consonance
|
a blending of sounds or opinions; harmony; agreement
|
|
|
Consummate
|
to complete or make whole
|
|
|
Contend
|
to argue a point or position; to struggle for
|
|
|
Contingent
|
dependent on other circumstances ; conditional
|
|
|
Contract
|
squeeze together; shrink
|
|
|
contrite
|
sorry, penitent
|
|
|
conundrum
|
riddle; mystery
|
|
|
converge
|
move together to meet at a common point
|
|
|
conviction
|
an opinion that is strongly held
|
|
|
Convivial
|
fond of parties; sociable
|
|
|
copious
|
in large quantity; abundant
|
|
|
Cordial
|
friendly; welcoming; gracious
|
|
|
Corporeal
|
having to do with the body or physical world
|
|
|
Corroborate
|
support with evidence; tell the same story; confirm
|
|
|
Criteria
|
requirements or standards used to make a decision
|
|
|
Cryptic
|
hidden; secret; mysterious
|
|
|
culpable
|
guilty; blameworthy
|
|
|
cupidity
|
greed, esp. for money
|
|
|
cursory
|
quickly and incompletely done; superficial
|
|
|
daunted
|
dismayed; disheartened; discouraged
|
|
|
decadence
|
moral declay or decline
|
|
|
defame
|
to say things harmful to a person's reputation; malign; vilify
|
|
|
deference
|
the act of yielding to someone else out of respect
|
|
|
denounce
|
criticize; condemn
|
|
|
depleted
|
emptied; drained; used up
|
|
|
deplore
|
to express reqret or disapproval; complain; criticize
|
|
|
deprecate
|
disapprove; belittle
|
|
|
deride
|
make fun of; ridicule
|
|
|
despondent
|
feeling hopeless or depressed
|
|
|
despot
|
tyrant
|
|
|
destitute
|
poor; lacking possessions
|
|
|
Desultory
|
lacking a plan; aimless
|
|
|
Dexterity
|
High level of skill, especially with the hands; adroitness
|
|
|
Diatribe
|
a bitterly critical speech
|
|
|
Digress
|
To move away from the main topic when writing or speaking; to go off on a tangent
|
|
|
Dilatory
|
causing lateness; stalling
|
|
|
Discerning
|
insightful; perceptive
|
|
|
Disclose
|
provide information; reveal
|
|
|
Discord
|
disagreement; dissonance
|
|
|
Discourse
|
exchange of ideas; converstation
|
|
|
Disdain
|
a feeling of scorn or contempt
|
|
|
Disparage
|
say negative things; belittle
|
|
|
Disparate
|
different
|
|
|
Disperse
|
spread around; scatter
|
|
|
Dissent
|
to disagree, especially with the majority, or with an authority
|
|
|
Dissouloution
|
separation into parts; the process of dissolving
|
|
|
Distended
|
swollen; extended
|
|
|
Divergence
|
the act of splitting off into different directions
|
|
|
Diverse
|
different; various
|
|
|
Dogmatic
|
sticking to widely-accepted beliefs, even when faced with contrary evidence; closed-minded
|
|
|
Doleful
|
extremely sad
|
|
|
Eccentric
|
different from most, especially in personality or behavior
|
|
|
Eclectic
|
choosing from many different sources; carefully selective
|
|
|
Efface
|
erase
|
|
|
effervescence
|
teh q uality of being bubbly or full of life
|
|
|
Efficacy
|
the ability to produce desired results
|
|
|
Elated
|
extremely happy; overjoyed
|
|
|
Eloquence
|
powerfully effective speech
|
|
|
Embellish
|
to make more beautfiul; decorate or adorn
|
|
|
Emulate
|
imitate
|
|
|
Endemic
|
Native to a particular country or among a particular group
|
|
|
Endorse
|
promote; recommend
|
|
|
Enervate
|
sap the strengthp; weaken
|
|
|
enhance
|
intensify; improve
|
|
|
enigma
|
mystery; puzzle
|
|
|
enmity
|
mutual hatred
|
|
|
ephemeral
|
temporary; short lived
|
|
|
Eradicate
|
remove completly and permanently; esterminate
|
|
|
Erratic
|
unpredictable; differing from what is normal or expected
|
|
|
Erudition
|
the knowledge acquired through many years of study
|
|
|
Esoteric
|
known to, or understood by, a limited group of people
|
|
|
Ethereal
|
heavenly; fine; delicately beautiful
|
|
|
Eulogize
|
to praise highly; to extol
|
|
|
Euphemism
|
a word or phrase that's used to make an unpleasant idea sound better
|
|
|
Evasive
|
tending to avoid giving direct answers
|
|
|
Exacerbate
|
to make a bad situation worse
|
|
|
Exalt
|
raise in rank; elevate; praise
|
|
|
Expunge
|
erase
|
|
|
Expurgate
|
to remove offensive words, ideas , or symbols; censor
|
|
|
Extemproaneous
|
done without planning; improvised
|
|
|
Extol
|
praise
|
|
|
Extraneous
|
unnecessary; irrevlevant
|
|
|
Extricate
|
to free from a trap of difficult situation; to disentangle
|
|
|
Exuberant
|
uncontrollably joyous
|
|
|
Fallacious
|
fals; misleading
|
|
|
Fastidious
|
difficult to please
|
|
|
Fervor
|
strong passion
|
|
|
Fickle
|
lacking lyalty; unpredictably changeable; erratic
|
|
|
Flaccid
|
lacking firmness; soft; limp
|
|
|
Flagrant
|
openly and obviously evil; glaring; conspicious
|
|
|
Fledgling
|
beginner
|
|
|
Flippancy
|
treating a serious situation with arrogant humor or disrespect
|
|
|
Foment
|
to stir into action; rouse; incite
|
|
|
Foresight
|
the ability to see ahead, anticipate, or predict
|
|
|
Frugal
|
careful with money; thrifty
|
|
|
Fulminate
|
to explode, either with sound or anger
|
|
|
Furtive
|
sneaky; secretive
|
|
|
Futile
|
hopelessly ineffective; useless; in vain
|
|
|
Garbled
|
changed so much that the original meaning has been distorted; scrambled
|
|
|
Garish
|
flashy; gaudy
|
|
|
Garner
|
collect; gather; accumulate; earn
|
|
|
Garrulous
|
very talkative; loquacious
|
|
|
Genial
|
friendly; gracious; kind
|
|
|
Germane
|
relevant; fitting
|
|
|
Girth
|
distance around an object; circumference
|
|
|
Glutton
|
a person who consumes huge quantities of food or drink, someone with great endurance
|
|
|
Gravity
|
seriousness
|
|
|
Gregarious
|
sociable; extroverted; enjoying companionship
|
|
|
Gullible
|
easily deceived
|
|
|
Hackneyed
|
unoriginal; trite
|
|
|
Hamper
|
interfere with movement or progress
|
|
|
Haphazard
|
withought plan or direction
|
|
|
Harangue
|
a long, lecturing speech
|
|
|
Harbor
|
to provide shelter or refurge; hide
|
|
|
Hardy
|
bold; brave; capable of withstanding harsh conditions
|
|
|
Hedge
|
to avoid giving a clear answer, therby escaping responsibility or blame
|
|
|
Heed
|
notice, pay attention to
|
|
|
Heinous
|
shockingly evil
|
|
|
Heresy
|
an opinon expressed in defiance of generally accepted ideas
|
|
|
Hiatus
|
gap; a break in the continuity of a process
|
|
|
Hierarchy
|
a group of people in authority, ranked in order of power; a sequential listing
|
|
|
Homage
|
respect paid to someone or something; tribute
|
|
|
Homogeneous
|
the same throughout; uniform
|
|
|
Hyperbole
|
extreme exaggeration
|
|
|
Hypocrite
|
an insincere person; one who pretends to have feelings he doesn't really possess
|
|
|
Idolatry
|
the worshop of objects or people as gods
|
|
|
Inbue
|
to fill, as with a strong dye of a strong feeling
|
|
|
Imminent
|
about to take place, happening soon
|
|
|
immutable
|
unable to change
|
|
|
Impair
|
weaken in strength or value
|
|
|
Impasse
|
a situation form which you cannot escape; stalemate
|
|
|
Impassivwe
|
without feeling; expressionless
|
|
|
Impede
|
get in the way; hinder
|
|
|
Impetuous
|
making quick decisions and takin sudden action; hasty; impulsive
|
|
|
Impostor
|
pretender
|
|
|
Impudence
|
rudeness; insolence
|
|
|
Inadvertent
|
unintentional
|
|
|
Inane
|
silly; insignificant
|
|
|
Inaugurate
|
begin; induct into
|
|
|
Incessant
|
continuous; endless
|
|
|
Inchoate
|
not yet fully developed
|
|
|
Incite
|
arouse to action; stir up; foment
|
|
|
Incompatible
|
incapable of existing together in peace
|
|
|
Incongruous
|
out of place
|
|
|
Incorrigible
|
impossible to correct, control, or discipline
|
|
|
Incredulous
|
unwilling or unable or believe
|
|
|
Indict
|
charge with a crime; accuse
|
|
|
indigent
|
very poor
|
|
|
indolent
|
lazy
|
|
|
induce
|
cause to happen; bring about
|
|
|
Inert
|
lacking movement; inactive; sluggish
|
|
|
Infallible
|
incapable of making a mistake
|
|
|
Infamy
|
a bad reputation; notoriety
|
|
|
Infer
|
to figure out, based on given information; conclude; deduce
|
|
|
Infiltrate
|
penetrate by passing through gapgs; enter secretly and become established, such as a spy might do in an enemy organization
|
|
|
Ingenuous
|
naive; unsophisticated; inexperienced
|
|
|
Innate
|
having a quality that arises from within, rather than learned or acquired form the outside; native; inborn
|
|
|
Innocuous
|
harmless; inoffensive
|
|
|
Innovation
|
a new idea or product; a new way of doing something that is so much better, it causes others to copy it
|
|
|
Inscrutable
|
mysterious
|
|
|
Insipid
|
dull; flat; without sparkle or flavor
|
|
|
insolent
|
rude;haughty
|
|
|
insolvent
|
unable to pay bills; bankrupt
|
|
|
intermittent
|
occurring at intervals; periodic
|
|
|
intractable
|
stubborn; immovable
|
|
|
intrinsic
|
located within the very nature of an object or person; inherent
|
|
|
invert
|
turn upside down or inside out; reverse position
|
|
|
irascible
|
easily angered
|
|
|
irony
|
an unexpected outcome, or the use of a word that is the opposite of its literal meaning
|
|
|
irresolute
|
indecisive; unsure
|
|
|
irreverent
|
disrespectful
|
|
|
jargon
|
specialized language used by a particular group
|
|
|
jaundice
|
yellow color; or envy or resentment
|
|
|
jaunty
|
perky; lively; sprightly
|
|
|
jeopardy
|
the threat or possibility of danger
|
|
|
jettison
|
to throw overboard; to discard
|
|
|
jocular
|
joking; playful; jesting; witty
|
|
|
jubilant
|
filled with joy
|
|
|
judicious
|
wise; making good decisions
|
|
|
juncture
|
point in time, especially a crucial one; joint or connection
|
|
|
juxtapose
|
to place side by side
|
|
|
kindle
|
to start a fire; ignite; arouse
|
|
|
kinetic
|
in motion; active
|
|
|
laconic
|
quiet; of few words; terse
|
|
|
lament
|
express sorrow; complain
|
|
|
languish
|
lose energy or motivation; become weak or depressed
|
|
|
latent
|
existing but inactive, such as a certain quality; dormant or still; invisible
|
|
|
laud
|
praise; worship; extol
|
|
|
legacy
|
something inherited, either from an ancestor or from the past itself
|
|
|
lethargic
|
tired; sluggish; drowsy
|
|
|
levity
|
lightness; playfulness; jocularity
|
|
|
lionize
|
to put someone on a pedestal; to treat with great respect
|
|
|
listless
|
tired; sluggish; lacking drive
|
|
|
loath
|
reluctant; unwilling
|
|
|
loathe
|
hate
|
|
|
lofty
|
at a great height; elevated; noble
|
|
|
loquacious
|
talkative
|
|
|
lucid
|
easy to understand; transparent; clear thinking
|
|
|
ludicrous
|
absurd, ridiculous
|
|
|
lugubrious
|
mournful
|
|
|
magnanimous
|
big hearted; generous; forgiving; noble
|
|
|
magnate
|
a person of great power
|
|
|
malediction
|
evil speech; curse
|
|
|
malefactor
|
person who tries to hurt others; criminal
|
|
|
malice
|
a desire to cause harm or suffering
|
|
|
malign
|
to say evil or harmful things about someone; defame; vilify
|
|
|
malleable
|
able to be reshaped by force; pliable; impressionable
|
|
|
marred
|
spoiled, scratched, blemished
|
|
|
meager
|
small in size or amount; thin; weak
|
|
|
meander
|
wander in a carefree manner; follow a winding course; ramble
|
|
|
mellifluous
|
smooth, sweetly flowing
|
|
|
mendacity
|
a lie; a false statement
|
|
|
meticulous
|
extremely careful about details
|
|
|
minute
|
very small in size
|
|
|
misconstrue
|
misunderstand; interpret incorrectly
|
|
|
mitigate
|
make less severe; mollify
|
|
|
mollify
|
lessen anger; soothe; placate
|
|
|
monologue
|
a long, uninterrupted speech by one person
|
|
|
morose
|
depressed
|
|
|
mundane
|
ordinary; earthly (not spiritual): practical; temporary
|
|
|
myriad
|
large number; many
|
|
|
nefarious
|
extremely evil
|
|
|
negligent
|
careless in a situation that could result in harm; neglectful
|
|
|
neophyte
|
beginner
|
|
|
nocturnal
|
active at night
|
|
|
nostalgic
|
wishing for a return to the way things used to be; longing for the past; homesick
|
|
|
novelt
|
Something new or unusual
|
|
|
nuance
|
slight degree; shade of difference
|
|
|
nullify
|
remove or cancel all value or force; negate
|
|
|
nurture
|
provide care and support; nourish; train or educate
|
|
|
obdurate
|
stubborn; unyielding
|
|
|
objurgate
|
scold; castigate; denounce
|
|
|
obliterate
|
remove or destroy completely; erase
|
|
|
obscure
|
hazy; unfamiliar; difficult to understand
|
|
|
obsequious
|
behaving like a meek, spineless servant; subservient; sycophantic
|
|
|
obsolete
|
no longer usable; outdated
|
|
|
obstinate
|
stubborn; refusing to be persuaded
|
|
|
obtuse
|
dull; blunt; unintelligent; lacking sharpness
|
|
|
obviate
|
eliminate the need for something; make unnecessary
|
|
|
ominous
|
a sign of something unpleasant that's going to happen; inauspicious
|
|
|
onerous
|
burdensome; oppressive
|
|
|
opaque
|
too dark or thick for light to pass through
|
|
|
opportunist
|
someone who takes advantage of the situation
|
|
|
optimist
|
someone who always believes things will turn out okay
|
|
|
opulence
|
luxury;wealth; riches
|
|
|
pacifist
|
person who refuses to fight
|
|
|
paltry
|
worthless; insignificant; petty
|
|
|
paragon
|
model of excellence; the best
|
|
|
parity
|
equality or equivalency; balance among a group of rivals
|
|
|
parsimony
|
stinginess; excessive frugality
|
|
|
partisan
|
blindly devoted to a cause or organization
|
|
|
paucity
|
too few; scarcity
|
|
|
pecuniary
|
having to do with money; financial
|
|
|
penchant
|
a strong liking; attraction
|
|
|
penury
|
extreme poverty; destitution
|
|
|
perfunctory
|
without enthusiasm or thoroughness; routine; "going through the motions"
|
|
|
pernicious
|
destructive
|
|
|
perspicacity
|
mental sharpness; keen insight; shrewdness
|
|
|
peruse
|
read carefully; study in detail
|
|
|
pervade
|
to spread to every part
|
|
|
petulance
|
grouchiness
|
|
|
phlegmatic
|
calm; unemotional
|
|
|
pious
|
exhibiting religious devotion
|
|
|
pithy
|
to the point; concise
|
|
|
placate
|
to appease; pacify; mollify
|
|
|
platitude
|
dull, trite statement
|
|
|
plausible
|
believable, but not completely
|
|
|
pompous
|
filled with self importance; arrogant; obnoxiously proud
|
|
|
ponderous
|
slow; weighty; labored
|
|
|
portent
|
warning sign; omen; indication
|
|
|
potent
|
powerful
|
|
|
precarious
|
risky; uncertain
|
|
|
preclude
|
prevent; make impossible
|
|
|
precocious
|
mature at a young age
|
|
|
predecessor
|
an earlier occupant of a job, office, or position
|
|
|
predeliction
|
a preference for something
|
|
|
pretentious
|
showy; making ridiculous claims; excessively ambitious
|
|
|
prevalent
|
widely accepted; common; prevailing
|
|
|
primordial
|
formed long ago; primitive
|
|
|
prodigal
|
wasteful, especially of money; extravagant
|
|
|
prodigious
|
very large
|
|
|
profound
|
penetrating beyond the superficial; filled with wisdom and insight; deep
|
|
|
profuse
|
ln large amounts or quantities
|
|
|
protract
|
extend in time or space
|
|
|
provoke
|
to anger; to stir up or arouse
|
|
|
proximity
|
nearness; closeness
|
|
|
prudent
|
wise; shrewd; cautious
|
|
|
puerile
|
childish
|
|
|
qualify
|
to limit the meaning of a previous statement; to modify
|
|
|
quandary
|
a state of confusion or doubt; dilemma
|
|
|
quarantine
|
forced isolation to prevent the spread of disease
|
|
|
quell
|
to calm or pacify
|
|
|
querolous
|
constantly complaining
|
|
|
rampant
|
unrestrained; widespread
|
|
|
ratify
|
approve (by formal vote, for example): confirm
|
|
|
rebuff
|
to ignore or reject strongly; snub
|
|
|
rebuttal
|
denial or contradiction; argument; refutation
|
|
|
recant
|
take back something you've said; withdraw a statement or belief
|
|
|
recluse
|
person who prefers to be alone all the time; someone withdrawn from the rest of society
|
|
|
recondite
|
hidden; difficult to understand; profound
|
|
|
redolent
|
strongly scented; fragrant
|
|
|
redundant
|
more than what is necessary; repetition of words or ideas in speech or writing
|
|
|
relegate
|
reduce or demote to an inferior place or position; banish
|
|
|
relevancy
|
having a clear relationship to the matter at hand
|
|
|
remorse
|
a feeling of guilt; self reproach; regret
|
|
|
reprimand
|
scold; criticize
|
|
|
reprove
|
scold; criticize; disapprove of
|
|
|
repudiate
|
disown; reject
|
|
|
reserve
|
the ability to control your emotions and actions; self restraint
|
|
|
resign
|
give in; acquiesce; relinquish
|
|
|
resolve
|
determination; strong will
|
|
|
reticent
|
quiet; uncommunicative
|
|
|
revere
|
greatly respect
|
|
|
rotund
|
round
|
|
|
rudimentary
|
undeveloped; fundamental; elementary
|
|
|
salubrious
|
promoting health
|
|
|
salutary
|
promoting health or having some beneficial effect
|
|
|
sanction
|
approve; give consent
|
|
|
sanguine
|
optimistic; cheerful
|
|
|
sardonic
|
humorous, but humor tinged with sarcasm or disdain; cynical
|
|
|
scanty
|
small in quantity; insufficent
|
|
|
scrupulous
|
very thorough or doing what is right and ethical
|
|
|
scrutinize
|
examine closely, inspect carefully
|
|
|
seclusion
|
separation from other people; isolation
|
|
|
sectarian
|
limited to the beliefs of a small group, such as a religious sect; narrow in scope
|
|
|
seditious
|
trying to stir up a revolt against an authority figure
|
|
|
sententious
|
short and to the point; terse
|
|
|
serpentine
|
coiled; twisted; winding
|
|
|
servile
|
like a slave; subservient; submissive
|
|
|
skeptic
|
one who doesn't believe unless he's shown absolute proof; doubter
|
|
|
slander
|
negative oral remarks about another person that are untrue
|
|
|
slough
|
discard, cast off, shed
|
|
|
solemn
|
serious, somber, grave
|
|
|
somber
|
dark, gloomy
|
|
|
sonorous
|
loud, full in sound, booming
|
|
|
specious
|
having a false or misleading appearance; only seeming to be true
|
|
|
sporadic
|
occurring infrequently and without predictability; occasional
|
|
|
spurious
|
false; fake; misleading
|
|
|
stagnant
|
motionless; unchanging; dull
|
|
|
static
|
unchanging; motionless
|
|
|
stealth
|
secretive behavior
|
|
|
stoic
|
a person who shows no response to pleasure or pain; someone who is impassive
|
|
|
stymie
|
block, get in the way of, hamper
|
|
|
subjugate
|
take over, enslave
|
|
|
sublime
|
of very special quality; noble
|
|
|
subtle
|
hard to see or understand; elusive
|
|
|
succinct
|
short and to the point; concise
|
|
|
succor
|
assistance, relief
|
|
|
sumptuous
|
rich, magnificent
|
|
|
superfluous
|
unnecessary, extra
|
|
|
surreptitious
|
secret
|
|
|
sustain
|
support, nurture, take on
|
|
|
sycophant
|
someone who flatters in order to gain favor; wimpy follower
|
|
|
symmetry
|
balance, having a similar appearance on all sides
|
|
|
taciturn
|
quiet
|
|
|
tangent
|
a line that touches a curve at just one point; or, a comment that is off the main topic
|
|
|
tantamount
|
equal, comparable
|
|
|
temper
|
bring into balance; moderate
|
|
|
tenacious
|
strong; persistent; determined to hold on
|
|
|
tentative
|
not fully developed or definitely planned; provisional
|
|
|
tenuous
|
thin; flimsy
|
|
|
terse
|
of few words; to the point; pithy
|
|
|
thrifty
|
careful about managing money
|
|
|
timorous
|
afraid
|
|
|
tirade
|
a long and bitter speech; diatribe
|
|
|
torpid
|
sluggish; dull; lacking enthusiasm
|
|
|
translucent
|
permitting light to pass through
|
|
|
trepidation
|
fear
|
|
|
trite
|
overused; common; stale
|
|
|
truculent
|
aggressive; savage; cruel
|
|
|
turbulence
|
violent disturbance
|
|
|
tyranny
|
government based on absolute power or cruelty
|
|
|
ubiquitous
|
existing everywhere at the same time
|
|
|
unanimous
|
in total agreement
|
|
|
undermine
|
to weaken by wearing away the foundation; to sabotage
|
|
|
undulate
|
move in a wavy manner
|
|
|
unerring
|
without making a mistake
|
|
|
uniform
|
similar; consistent
|
|
|
unkempt
|
messy, sloppy
|
|
|
unprecedented
|
the first of its kind
|
|
|
upbraid
|
criticize severely, scold
|
|
|
usurp
|
to seize or take over by force
|
|
|
usury
|
the practice of charging a very high rate of interest on loans
|
|
|
vacillate
|
move back and forth between choices, unable to decide
|
|
|
vacuous
|
empty; stupid; purposeless
|
|
|
vagrant
|
homeless person; wanderer
|
|
|
valedictory
|
a farewell speech
|
|
|
validate
|
confirm; corroborate; support; sanction
|
|
|
vapid
|
dull, boring, lacking flavor or spark
|
|
|
veracity
|
truth
|
|
|
verbose
|
very talkative; loquacious
|
|
|
versatile
|
having many talents or uses
|
|
|
vestige
|
something left behind; a visible trace or evidence of something that has vanished
|
|
|
vilify
|
defame; attack someone's reputation
|
|
|
virulent
|
poisonous or destructive; filled with hate or anger; harsh
|
|
|
viscous
|
resistant to flow, like a very thick liquid; or sticky
|
|
|
volatile
|
capable of evaporating, exploding or changing moods very quickly
|
|
|
voluble
|
comfortable with speech; always ready to talk
|
|
|
waive
|
to voluntarily abandon a legal right or privilege; relinquish; postpone
|
|
|
wane
|
grow gradually smaller
|
|
|
wanton
|
excessive, uncontrolled, lustful
|
|
|
warranted
|
justified; authorized
|
|
|
wastrel
|
person who wastes his money or resources
|
|
|
wax
|
grow gradually larger
|
|
|
wither
|
dry out, shrivel up, lose life or energy
|
|
|
wizened
|
old and wrinkled; withered
|
|
|
xenophobia
|
the fear or hatred of anything foreign
|
|
|
yield
|
give up; give in
|
|
|
yoke
|
to link or join together; marry
|
|
|
zealot
|
someone with an extreme enthusiasm for a particular belief or activity; a fanatic
|
|
|
zenith
|
the highest point; apex
|
