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515 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
abate*
To reduce in amount, degree or severity
abdicate
To renounce or relinquish a throne
aberrant
Abnormal or deviant
abeyance
Suspended action
abject
Utterly hopeless, humiliating or wretched
abjure
To renounce on oath
ablution
Act of cleansing
abrogate
To abolish by formal means
abscond*
Depart secretly and hide
abstemious*
Sparing in eating and drinking; temperate
abstruse
Hard to understand; secret, hidden
accretion
An increase by natural growth
acerbic
Sour or astringent in taste, harsh in temper
acquiesce
To comply, give in
acrid
Sharp or biting to the taste or smell
acrimonious
caustic, stinging or bitter in nature
adjoin*
To be close or in contact with
adjure
To beg or command
admonish
To counsel against something; caution; warn; reprove
adulterate*
To make impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
adventitious
accidental
aesthetic
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful
affable
friendly, courteous
aggrandize
To increase in power, influence and reputation
aggregate
gather; accumulate
alacrity
Cheerful promptness; eagerness
alleviate
relieve
altruist
A person unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others
amalgamate
combine; unite in one body
amatory
Of or pertaining to lovers or lovemaking
ambiguous
Unclear or doubtful in meaning
ambivalence
The state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
ameliorate
To make better; to improve
amity
friendship; peaceful harmony
anachronism*
Something or someone misplaced in time; an obsolete or archaic form
analogous
comparable
anarchy
Absence of governing body; state of disorder
androgen
Any substance that promotes masculine characteristics
androgynous
Being both male and female
animus
Hostile feeling or attitude
anomalous
abnormal; irregular
antipathy*
aversion; dislike
apartheid
Any system or caste that separates people according to race
apathy*
Lack of interest or emotion; uncaring; indifference
apogee
The highest or most distant point
apostasy*
Renunciation of one’s previous loyalty; a total desertion of one’s religion, principles, cause, etc.
apotheosis
glorification, glorified ideal
appease
Pacify or soothe; relieve
apprise
Inform
approbation*
approval; praise, consideration
appropriate
acquire; take possession of for one’s own use
arduous
hard; strenuous
arrogate
To claim unwarrantably or presumptuously
artless
Without guile; open and honest
ascetic
Practicing self-denial; austere
assiduous*
diligent, persistent, hardworking
assuage
To make less severe; ease or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
atrophy
To waste away; wither or deteriorate; the wasting away of body tissue
attenuate
Make thinner
audacious
daring; bold
austere*
Forbiddingly stern in appearance; severely simple and unornamented
autonomous*
self-governing; independent
aver*
Assert confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
avocation
Something one does in addition to a principle occupation
banal
boring; commonplace; trite; lacking originality; clichéd; hackneyed
belie
contradict; give a false impression
belligerent
warlike, given to waging war
bemoan
To express pity for
beneficent
kindly; doing good
benevolent
Desiring to do good to others
benign
Having a kindly disposition
bilateral
Pertaining to or affecting two or both sides
bolster
support; reinforce
bombastic*
Pompous in speech and manner ; using inflated language
boorish
rude; insensitive
burgeon
Grow forth; send out buds
burnish
Make shiny by rubbing; polish
buttress
support; prop up
capitulate
To surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms
capricious*
unpredictable; fickle; changing one’s mind quickly and often
castigate*
To punish or criticize harshly
catalyst
Agent that increases the rate of a chemical action; person or thing that causes action
caustic
burning; sarcastically biting
chicanery*
trickery; deception by means of craft or guile
circuitous
roundabout, indirect
circumambulate
To walk about or around
circumscribe
To draw a line around
circumspect
Watchful and discreet
coagulate
thicken; congeal; clot
coda
Concluding section of a musical or literary composition; something that summarizes or concludes
cogent*
Convincing and well reasoned
commensurate
Corresponding in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate
compendium
brief, comprehensive summary
complacent
self-satisfied, unconcerned
complaisant*
Trying to please; overly polite; obliging
compliant
yielding; conforming to requirements
compunction
A feeling of uneasiness for doing wrong
concentric
Having a common center
conciliate
To placate, win over
conciliatory
reconciling; soothing
condone
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
conflagration
A large destructive fire
confluence
Merging into one
confound
confuse; puzzle
congenital
Existing or as such from birth
connoisseur
Person competent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art
contention
claim; thesis
contentious
quarrelsome
contravene
To come into conflict with
contrite
Feeling regret and sorrow for one’s sins or offenses; penitent
conundrum
riddle; difficult problem
convalescent
Recovering from illness
converge
approach; tend to meet; come together
convoke
To call together
convoluted*
Intricate and complicated
corroborate
To provide supporting evidence
craven
cowardly
credulous*
Too trusting; gullible
cursory
Going rapidly over something; hasty; superficial
daunt
intimidate; frighten
decadent
decaying; deteriorating
decorum
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners
default
Failure to act
deference*
respect; courteous regard for another’s wishes
deferential
respectful; to yield judgment to
deign
To think fit or in accordance with one’s dignity
delineate
portray; depict; sketch
delude
To mislead the mind of judgment of, deceive
denigrate
blacken
deride
ridicule; make fun of
derision
Contemptuous or jeering laughter; ridicule.
derivative
unoriginal; obtained from another source
desiccate*
To dry out thoroughly
desultory*
aimless; haphazard; digressing at random
deterrent
Something that discourages; hindrance
diatribe
Bitter scolding; invective
dichotomy*
split; branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)
diffident*
Lacking or marked by a lack of self-confidence; shy and timid.
diffuse*
To spread widely or thinly
digression
Wandering away from the subject
dilatory*
Inclined to delay or procrastinate
dilettante
Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
dirge
Lament with music
disabuse*
Correct a false impression; to set right; to free from error
discerning
Mentally quick and observant; having insight
discordant
Not harmonious; conflicting
discredit
defame; destroy confidence in; disbelieve
discrepancy
Lack of consistency; difference
discrete
separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct parts
disingenuous
Lacking genuine candor; insincere
disinterested
unprejudiced
disjointed
Lacking coherence; separated at the joints
dismiss
Eliminate from consideration; reject
disparage
belittle
disparate
Fundamentally distinct or different in kind; entirely dissimilar
disport
To divert or amuse oneself
disquiet
A lack of calm or peace
dissemble*
disguise; pretend; to disguise one’s real intentions or character
disseminate*
distribute; spread widely; scatter (like seeds)
dissolution
disintegration; looseness in morals
dissonance
discord; opposite of harmony
distend
To expand by stretching; swell out
distill
purify; refine; concentrate
diverge
vary; go in different directions from the same point
divest
strip; deprive
doctrine
A principle or body of principles presented for acceptance or belief; dogma
document
Provide written evidence
dogma
A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
dogmatic*
opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
doleful
sorrowful, mournful
dormant
sleeping; lethargic; latent
dour
sullen, gloomy
dupe*
To deceive; a person who is easily deceived
duplicity
Deceitfulness in speech or conduct; double-dealing
dystrophy
Faulty or inadequate nutrition or development
ebullient
Showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
eclectic*
selective; composed of elements from a variety of sources
efficacy*
Effectiveness; power to produce desired effect
effigy
A dummy; a likeness or image, especially of a person.
effluence
Flowing out of
effrontery
impudence; shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness
elegy*
A sorrowful poem or speech
elicit
draw out by discussion
elocution
Art of clear and expressive speaking
embellish
adorn; ornament; enhance, as a story
empathy
The identification with the feelings or thoughts of others
empirical
Based on experience
emulate
imitate; rival
endemic
Prevailing among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country
enervate*
weaken; to reduce in strength
engender*
To produce, cause or bring about
enhance
increase; improve
enigma
A puzzle; a mystery
ephemeral*
short-lived; fleeting
epigram
A witty or pointed saying tersely expressed
epithet
A word or phrase characteristically used to characterize a person or thing
equanimity
Calmness of temperament; composure
equivocate*
lie; mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
erudite*
learned, scholarly, bookish
esoteric*
Hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
estimable
Admirable
eugenics
Improvement of qualities of race by control of inherited characteristics
eulogy*
Expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone’s death
euphemism
An inoffensive expression that is substituted for one that is considered offensive
euphony
Pleasantness of sound
exacerbate*
worsen; to increase bitterness or violence
exculpate*
To clear from blame; prove innocent
execrable
abominable
exigency
Urgent situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention
exigent
urgent; requiring immediate action
expound
To set forth in detail
extrapolation
projection; conjecture
exult
To show or feel triumphant joy
facetious
Joking (often inappropriately); humorous
facilitate
Help bring about; make less difficult
fallacious
false; misleading
fatuous
brainless; inane; foolish, yet smug
fawning*
Trying to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing
felicitous
apt; suitably expressed; well chosen
fervor
Glowing ardor; intensity of feeling
fiduciary
Of a trust; held or given in trust
flag
droop; grow feeble; to decline in vigor or strength
fledgling
Inexperienced
flout
reject; mock; show contempt for
foment*
To arouse or incite
forestall*
Prevent by taking action in advance
fractious
irritable, peevish
frugality
thrifty; economy
fusillade
Continuous discharge of firearms or outburst of criticism
futile
useless; hopeless; ineffectual
gainsay
deny
garrulous
loquacious; talkative; wordy
goad
Urge on
gouge
overcharge
grandiloquent*
Pompous or inflated in language; bombastic; using high-sounding language
gregarious
sociable
guile
Deceit or trickery
guileless
Without deceit
gullible
Easily deceived
harangue
long, passionate, and vehement speech
heterodox
Different from acknowledged standard; holding unorthodox opinions or doctrines
heterogeneous
Of other origin; not originating in the body
homogeneous
Of the same kind
hyperbole
exaggeration; overstatement
hypocritical
Affecting virtues or qualities one does not have
iconoclast*
One who opposes established beliefs, customs and institutions
idolatry
Worship of idols; excessive admiration
immutable
unchangeable
impair
injure; hurt
impassive*
Without feeling; imperturbable; showing or feeling no emotion
impede
hinder; block
impermeable
impervious; not permitting passage through its substance
imperturbable
calm; placid
impervious*
impenetrable; incapable of being damaged or distressed
impetuous*
Quick to act without thinking
implacable
Incapable of being pacified
implicit
Understood but not stated
implode
Burst inward
importune
To urge or press with excessive persistence
impugn
To attack as false or questionable; challenge in argument
inadvertently
unintentionally; by oversight; carelessly
inamorata
A female lover
inchoate*
Not fully formed; disorganized; rudimentary; elementary
incongruity
Lack of harmony; absurdity
inconsequential
insignificant; unimportant
incorporate
Introduce something into a larger whole; combine; unite
inculpate
To charge with fault
incursion
A hostile entrance into a place
indeterminate
uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite
indigence
poverty
indigent
Experiencing want or need; impoverished.
indoctrinate
To imbue someone with learning
indolence*
State of being lazy or slothful
induce
To move or lead by influence
ineffable
Too great for description
inert
inactive; lacking power to move
infusion
Liquid extract so obtained
ingenuous*
Naïve and trusting; young; unsophisticated
inherent
Firmly established by nature or habit
inimical
hostile, unfriendly
innocuous
harmless
insensate
Without feeling or sensitivity
insensible
unconscious; unresponsive
insidious
Intended to trap or beguile
insinuate
hint; imply; creep in
insipid*
Lacking in interest or flavor; dull
insolent
Boldly rude or disrespectful
insularity
narrow-mindedness; isolation
interloper
Someone who intrudes in the domain of others
intractable
unruly; stubborn; unyielding
intransigence
Refusal of any compromise; stubbornness
intransigent*
Refusing to agree or compromise
inundate
overwhelm; flood; submerge
inured
accustomed; hardened
invective*
of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse
irascible*
irritable; easily angered
irresolute
Uncertain how to act; weak
itinerary
Plan of a trip
laconic
Brief and to the point; using few words
lassitude
languor; weariness
latent
Potential but undeveloped; dormant; hidden
laud
praise
lethargic
drowsy; dull
levee
Earth or stone embankment to prevent flooding
levity
Lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity
litigate
To make the subject of a lawsuit
log
Record of a voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities
loquacious
talkative
lucid
Easily understood; clear; intelligible
luminous
shining; issuing light
magnanimity
generosity
magnanimous
Generous in forgiving an insult or injury
magnate
A powerful or influential person
maladroit
clumsy, tactless
malevolent
Characterized by or expressing bad will
malfeasance
Misconduct or wrongdoing often committed by a public official
malign
To speak harmful untruths about, to slander
malinger
To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
malingerer
One who feigns illness to escape duty
malleable
Capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable
maverick
rebel; nonconformist
maxim
An expression of general truth or principle
mendacious
lying; habitually dishonest
metamorphosis
Change of form
meticulous
Excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous
minatory
menacing, threatening
misanthrope*
One who hates mankind
miscegenation
Interbreeding of races
mitigate*
To soften, to lessen
mollify*
To calm or make less severe; soothe
morose
ill-humored; sullen; melancholy
mundane
Worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday
nascent
Starting to develop
negate
Cancel out; nullify; deny
neophyte*
Recent convert; beginner
obdurate
stubborn, hardened in feelings; resistant to persuasion
obfuscate
To render indistinct or dim
oblique
Having a slanting or sloping direction
obsequious*
Overly submissive and eager to please; servile; sycophantic
obsolescent
Becoming obsolete
obstreperous
Noisily defiant, unruly
obtuse
Not sharp, pointed or acute
obviate
To prevent; make unnecessary; get rid of
occlude
To stop; close; to prevent the passage of
officious
meddlesome; excessively pushy in offering one’s services
omnivorous
Eating or absorbing everything
onerous*
Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
opprobrium*
Public disgrace; infamy; vilification
oscillate
vibrate; waver
ostentatious
showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention
panegyric
Formal or elaborate praise at an assembly
panoply
A wide-ranging and impressive array or display
paragon*
Model of excellence or perfection
partisan
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
pathogenic
Causing disease
pathological
Pertaining to disease
paucity*
Smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness
pedantic
Showing off learning; bookish
penchant
Strong inclination; liking
penury
Severe poverty; stinginess
percipient
Having perception; discerning; discriminating
perennial
Something long-lasting
perfidious*
treacherous; disloyal; willing to betray one’s trust
perfidious
Willing to betray one’s trust
perfunctory*
superficial; not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm; done in a routine way;
peripatetic
Walking or traveling about; itinerant
permeable
penetrable; porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through
permutation
A complete change; transformation
perquisite
A gratuity, tip
perspicacious
Having keen mental perception and understanding; shrewd; astute
pertinacious
resolute; persistent, stubborn
pervasive
Spread throughout
petulant
Showing sudden irritation, esp. over some annoyance
philanderer
One who carries on flirtations
philanthropy
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
philology
The study of literary texts to establish their authenticity and determine their meaning
phlegmatic
calm; not easily disturbed
piety
devoutness; reverence for God
placate
pacify; conciliate
plasticity
Ability to be molded
platitude
Trite remark; commonplace statement
plethora*
excess; overabundance
plummet
Fall sharply
porous
Full of pores; like a sieve
pragmatic
Practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
preamble
Introductory statement
precarious
uncertain; risky
precept
A commandment given as a rule of action or conduct
precipitate
n. to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
precipitate
adj. rash, premature, hasty, sudden
preclude
To prevent the presence of
precocious
Unusually advanced or mature in mental development or talent
precursor
forerunner
predilection
preference, liking
prescient
Having knowledge of things before they happen
presentiment
A feeling of anticipation over a future event
presumptuous
arrogant; taking liberties
prevaricate*
To lie or deviate from the truth
pristine
Characteristic of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled
probity*
honesty; uprightness; incorruptibility
problematic
doubtful; unsettled; questionable; perplexing
prodigal*
lavish; wasteful; reckless with money
profound
deep; not superficial; complete
prohibitive
Tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid
proliferate*
Grow rapidly; spread; multiply
promulgate
To make known by open declaration
propensity
Natural inclination
propitiate*
To conciliate; to appease
propound
To set forth for consideration
propriety*
Correct behavior or conduct, obedience to rules and customs
proscribe*
To condemn as harmful or odious; ostracize; banish; outlaw
proselytize
To convert (a person) from one belief, doctrine, cause, or faith to another
protract
To prolong, draw out, extend
provident
Having or showing foresight
prudence
wisdom, caution or restraint
puerile
childish, immature
pugnacious
To quarrel or fight readily
punctilious
Strict or exact in the observance of formalities
pungent
stinging; sharp in taste or smell; caustic
pusillanimous
Lacking courage or resolution
qualified
limited; restricted
querulous
Full of complaints
quibble
Minor objection or complaint
quiescence
n. the condition of being at rest, still, inactive
quiescent*
adj. at rest; dormant; temporarily inactive; motionless
rarefied
Made less dense (of a gas)
recalcitrant
Obstinately stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly
recant
Disclaim or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error
recluse
hermit; loner
recondite
abstruse; profound; secret
recumbent
Lying down; reclining; leaning
refractory*
stubborn; unmanageable; rebellious
refute
disprove
rejoinder
To reply, retort
relegate
Banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign
remonstrate
To say or plead in protest, objection, or reproof
reprehensible
Deserving rebuke or censure; blameworthy.
reprisals
Retaliation against an enemy
reproach
Express disapproval or disappointment
reprobate*
Person hardened in sin; wicked person; devoid of a sense of decency
repudiate*
disown; disavow; to reject the validity of
rescind
Cancel
resolution
n. determination
resolve
v. to make a firm decision about.
reticent*
silent; reserved; uncommunicative; inclined to silence
reverent
respectful; worshipful
revile
To criticize with harsh language
sage
Person celebrated for wisdom
salient
Prominent or conspicuous
salubrious
Conducive or favorable to health or well-being
sanction
approve; ratify
satiate
Satisfy fully
saturate
Soak thoroughly
savor
enjoy; have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality
secrete
Hide away or cache; produce and release a substance
sedition
Incitement of discontent or rebellion against a government
shard
A piece of broken pottery, especially one found in an archaeological dig; a potsherd.
skeptic
doubter; person who suspends judgment until having examined evidence supporting a point of view
sociopath
A person whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility
solicitous
worried; concerned
soporific*
sleep-causing; lethargy; marked by sleepiness
specious*
Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious)
spectrum
Colored band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism
sporadic
Occurring irregularly
stigma*
A mark of shame or discredit
stint
To restrict or limit, as in amount or number; be sparing with
stipulate
To lay down as a condition of an agreement; require by contract
stolid*
dull; impassive; unemotional; lacking sensitivity
striated
Marked with parallel bands; grooved
strut
Pompous walk or supporting bar
subjugate
To conquer
subpoena
A writ requiring appearance in court to give testimony
subside
Settle down; descend; grow quiet
substantiate
Establish by evidence; verify; support
subterfuge
An artifice or expedient used to evade a rule
supercilious
arrogant, haughty, condescending
supersede
Cause to be set aside; replace; make obsolete
supplicate
To make humble and earnest entreaty
supposition
hypothesis; surmise
tacit
understood; not put into words
taciturn
silent, not talkative
tangential
peripheral; only slightly connected; digressing
tenable
Capable of being held, maintained or defended
tenacious
Holding fast; holding or tending to hold persistently to something
tendentious
Marked by a strong implicit point of view; partisan
tenuous
thin; rare; slim
tirade
Extended scolding; denunciation; harangue
torpor*
lethargy; sluggishness; dormancy
tortuous
winding; full of curves
tractable*
docile; easily managed or controlled
transcendent
Going beyond ordinary limits
transgression
Violation of a law; sin
truculence
aggressiveness; ferocity
unconscionable
Not restrained by conscience; unscrupulous
vacillate
waver; fluctuate
venerate
revere
veracious*
truthful
veracity
Filled with trust and accuracy
verbose
wordy
verisimilitude
The appearance or semblance of truth
verity
truthfulness
viable
Practical or workable
vicarious
performed, exercised, received or suffered in place of another
vilify
To slander, to defame
viscous
sticky, gluey
vituperative
adj. abusive; scolding
vociferous
Crying out noisily
volatile
changeable; explosive; evaporation rapidly
volition
Free choice, free will; act of choosing
voracious
Having a great appetite
warranted
justified; authorized
wary
Very cautious
welter
turmoil; bewildering jumble
whimsical
capricious; fanciful
zealot
fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal