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401 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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aberrant
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Abnormal; different from the accepted norm.
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abeyance
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State of suspension; temporary inaction.
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abstemious
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Characterized by a state of self-denial, particularly in the area of food or drink.
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acquiescent
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Agreeing with protest.
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acrid
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Bitter; harsh.
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acrimonious
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Bitter in temper, manner, and speech.
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acumen
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Keenness; quickness of intellectual insight.
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admonition
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A gentle reproof.
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affront
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To offend, as with a gesture.
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aggrandize
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To widen in scope or make bigger.
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aggregate
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Amounting to a whole.
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allay
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To reduce the intensity of.
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amalgamate
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To mix or blend together in a homogenous body.
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ameliorate
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To make better or improve.
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anecdote
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A short account of an interesting incident.
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archipelago
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A large group of islands.
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artifice
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Cleverness or skill.
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ascetic
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Given to severe self-denial; practicing excessive abstinence.
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assiduous
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Persistent, unceasing.
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astute
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Keen; wise.
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audacious
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Fearless
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austere
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Unadorned; severely simple.
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aver
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To avouch, justify, or prove.
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banal
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Tripe; commonplace.
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base
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The underlying concept of a system or theory,
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beset
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To surround, as in an attack.
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blatant
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Offensively loud.
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bolster
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To support; to reinforce.
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bombastic
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Using inflated language; pompous.
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boon
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A timely benefit.
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brevity
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Briefness or conciseness.
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browbeat
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To intimidate in an overbearing manner.
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bumptious
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Offensively self-assertive; pushy.
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bungle
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To perform clumsily or inadequately; botch.
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burgeon
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To grow forth; to send out buds.
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cacophony
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A disagreeable, harsh, or discordant sound or tone.
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callous
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Insensitive; indifferent.
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calumniate
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To make false and malicious statements about.
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candor
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To be open and sincere.
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chicanery
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Use of trickery to deceive.
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churl
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A rude, boorish, or surly person.
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coda
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Concluding section of a musical or literary piece; something that sumarizes
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cognizant
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Aware; taking notice.
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colloquial
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Pertaining to common speech.
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complacency
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A feeling of quiet security.
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confidante
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One to whom secrets are confided.
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congruous
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Appropriate or fitting.
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consternation
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Panic
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contentious
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Quarrelsome
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contrite
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Penitent
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contumacious
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Rebellious
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corroborate
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To make more certain; confirm.
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countenance
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Appearance, especially the look or expression of the face.
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counterpart
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A person or thing resembling or complementing another.
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craven
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Cowardly
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credulity
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Willingness to behave or trust too readily.
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cronyism
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The practice of favoring one's friends, especially in political appointments.
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cursory
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Hasty, superficial, as of a review of something.
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dearth
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An inadequate supply; scarcity; lack.
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decorum
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Orderliness and good taste in manners.
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deleterious
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Hurtful, morally or physically.
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delineate
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To represent by sketch or diagram.
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depravity
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The state of being morally bad or evil.
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deride
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To ridicule; to make fun of.
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derision
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Ridicule
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derivative
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Something obtained from a source.
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desultory
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Aimless; haphazard;
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diatribe
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Bitter or malicious criticism.
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didactic
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Pertaining to teaching.
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dilatory
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Causing delay.
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disconcert
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To disturb the composure of.
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discretion
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The power to act according to one's own judgment; the quality of being discreet.
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disquiet
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Lack of calm, peace, ease.
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dissemble
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To disguise or pretend.
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dissolution
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Breaking up of a union of persons.
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divest
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To strip; to deprive.
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divulge
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To tell or make known, generally of something secret or private.
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doldrums
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A state of inactivity or low spirits.
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dubious
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Doubtful
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dupe
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Someone easily fooled.
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ebullient
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Showing great enthusiasm or exhilaration.
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efficacy
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Power to produce an intended effect.
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effrontery
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Shameless boldness; impudence.
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egress
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Exit
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elegy
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A poem lamenting the dead.
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elicit
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To extract without violence; to learn through discussion.
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elitism
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Consciousness or pride in belonging to a select group.
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embellish
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To add attractive and ornamental features.
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emulate
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Imitate
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enervate
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To weaken.
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engender
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To produce.
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ennui
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Boredom
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ephemeral
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Short-lived; fleeting.
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equable
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Free from many changes or variations.
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equanimity
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Evenness of mind or temper.
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equivocal
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Ambiguous
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equivocate
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To use ambiguous or unclear expressions, usually to avoid commitment or to mislead.
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eradicate
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To destroy completely.
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erudite
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Very learned.
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eschew
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To keep clear of.
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esoteric
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Hard to understand; known only by a few.
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exacerbate
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To make more sharp or severe; to make worse.
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exculpate
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To free from blame.
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exigency
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Urgent situation.
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expatiate
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To speak or write at some length.
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expiation
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The means by which atonement or reparation is made.
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extirpate
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To root out; to eradicate.
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extrapolation
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To infer an unknown from something that is known.
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facetious
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Amusing
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fallacious
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Illogical
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fatuous
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Idiotic
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fervor
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Ardor or intensity of feeling.
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fledgling
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Inexperienced
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foment
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To nurse to life; to encourage.
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forestall
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To prevent by taking action in advance.
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fortification
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The act of strengthening or protecting.
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frugal
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Economical
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fulminate
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To cause to explode.
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fumble
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To feel or grope about clumsily.
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gaffe
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Social blunder; faux pas.
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gainsay
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To contradict; to deny.
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garrulous
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Prone to trivial talking.
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germane
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Relevant
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goad
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To urge on.
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grandiloquent
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Pompous; bombastic.
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grandstand
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To conduct oneself or perform showily in an attempt to impress onlookers.
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gregarious
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Sociable; outgoing
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quileless
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Without deceit.
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gullible
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Easily deceived.
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halcyon
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Calm
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haphazard
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Characterized by a lack of order or planning.
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harangue
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A tirade
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harbinger
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One who foreruns and announces the coming of a person or thing.
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hedge
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A barrier or boundary; an act of preventing complete loss of a bet or investment.
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heresy
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Opinion or doctrine subversive of settled or accepted beliefs.
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homogeneous
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Of the same kind.
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hyperbole
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Exaggeration or overstatement.
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iconoclast
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An image-breaker.
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ignominious
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Shameful
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impecunious
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Having no money; broke.
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impede
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To hinder; to block.
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impenitent
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Not feeling regret about one's sins.
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imperious
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Insisting on obedience.
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imperturbable
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Calm
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impervious
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Impenetrable
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impetuous
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Impulsive
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implicit
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Implied
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importune
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To harass with persistent demands.
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impugn
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To assail with arguments or accusations.
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inadvertently
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Unintentionally
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inane
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Silly
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inchoate
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Recently begun
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inconstant
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Changeable; fickle; variable.
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indolence
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Laziness
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ineffable
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Unutterable
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inert
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Inactive; lacking power to move.
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inexorable
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Unrelenting
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ingratiating
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Charming, agreeable
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innocuous
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Harmless
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insinuate
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To suggest or hint slyly.
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insipid
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Bland
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insouciant
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Nonchalant
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intimation
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Something indicated or made known indirectly.
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intrepid
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Fearless and bold.
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inure
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To harden or toughen by use, exercise, or exposure.
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invidious
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Showing or feeling envy.
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irascible
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Easily angered
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itinerant
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Wandering
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jingoism
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Professing one's patriotism loudly and excessively.
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killjoy
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A person who spoils the joy or pleasure of others.
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laconic
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Brief and to the point.
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latent
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Dormant
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laudable
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Praiseworthy
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licentious
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Wanton
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liken
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To represent as similar to someone or something.
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loquacious
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Talkative
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lucid
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Easily understood; clear.
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magnanimity
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Generosity
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malingerer
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One who feigns illness to escape duty.
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malleable
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Pliant
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masticate
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To chew or reduce to a pulp.
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maverick
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Rebel; nonconformist
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mediocrity
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The state or quality of being mediocre.
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mendacious
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Untrue
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metamorphosis
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Change of form.
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meticulous
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Overcautious
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misanthrope
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One who hates mankind.
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mitigate
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To lessen in intensity; to appease.
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modicum
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A small amount.
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mollify
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To soothe
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mordant
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Biting
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moribund
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Near death or extinction.
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morose
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Ill-humored; sullen
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mundane
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Ordinary; dull
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myopic
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Shortsighted or narrow-minded
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narcissism
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Excessive fascination with oneself.
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nefarious
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Extremely wicked
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negate
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To cancel out; to nullify.
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neophyte
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Beginner
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nepotism
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Favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship.
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obdurate
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Stubborn
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obfuscate
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To darken
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obsequious
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Servile; ready to serve.
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obviate
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To make unnecessary.
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odious
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Hateful
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officious
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Meddlesome
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onus
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Burden
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opprobrium
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Infamy; vilification
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oscillate
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To waver
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ostentation
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A display of vanity; showiness.
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palpable
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Perceptible by feeling or touch.
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panache
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A grand or flamboyant manner or style.
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parable
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A short story designed to illustrate a lesson.
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paragon
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Model of perfection.
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parsimonious
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Sparing in spending of money.
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partisan
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One-sided; committed to one party.
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pathos
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Having a quality that rouses emotion or sympathy.
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paucity
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Fewness
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pejorative
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Having a disparaging or derogatory effect.
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penchant
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Strong inclination
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penurious
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Excessively sparing in the use of money; frugal.
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perennial
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Something long-lasting
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perfidy
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Treachery
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permeable
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Penetrable; porous
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pernicious
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Tending to kill or hurt.
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pervasive
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Spread throughout
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phlegmatic
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Not easily roused to feeling or emotion.
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pious
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Religious
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placate
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To soothe; to bring from a hostile state to a calm one.
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platitude
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Trite or commonplace statement
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plethora
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Excess; superabundance
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plumb
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To make vertical.
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polarize
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To divide into sharply opposing factions.
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pompous
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Ostentatiously lofty or high-flown
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ponderous
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Massive, awkward, unwieldy
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porous
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Full of pores
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portend
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Foretell
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poseur
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A person who attempts to impress others by assuming a manner other than his true one.
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pragmatic
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Practical
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precarious
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Perilous
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precipitate
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Rash; premature
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precocious
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Mature at a young age.
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preeminent
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Eminent above or before others.
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prescience
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Knowledge of events before they happen.
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presentiment
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A feeling or impression that something is about to happen.
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prevaricate
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To use ambiguous language for the purpose of deceiving.
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proclivity
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Natural inclination
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prodigal
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Wasteful or lavish
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prodigious
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Immense
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prodigy
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A person, usually a child, having extraordinary talent.
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profound
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Deep; not superficial.
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proliferate
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To grow rapidly.
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propensity
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Natural inclination
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prophetic
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Of the nature or containing a prophecy.
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propitious
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Indicative of favor.
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prosaic
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Commonplace or dull
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protean
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Changeable in shape or form.
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prudence
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Caution
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puerile
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Childish
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pugnacious
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Quarrelsome
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pungent
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Stinging; sharp in taste or smell.
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pusillanimous
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Cowardly; fainthearted
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qualms
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Misgivings; uneasy fears
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quibble
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Minor objection or complaint.
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quiescence
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Being quiet or still; inactivity.
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quixotic
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Idealistic; romantic to a ridiculous degree.
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recant
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To formally withdraw one's belief.
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recidivism
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The tendency toward repeated or habitual relapse.
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recondite
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Incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding; profound.
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redress
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To set right by compensation or punishment.
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refutation
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An act of disproving a statement or charge.
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repose
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The state of being at rest.
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reprobate
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A sinful and depraved person.
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repudiate
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To refuse to have anything to do with.
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rescind
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To void by enacting authority.
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respite
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Interval of rest.
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restive
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Impatient or refusing to go forward.
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reticent
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Reserved; inclined to silence.
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reverent
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Respectful
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rhetoric
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The art of effective communication.
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rout
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To drive out; to stampede.
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rueful
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Causing sorrow or pity.
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ruminate
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To chew over again; to think over.
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sagacious
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Wise
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salacious
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Having strong sexual desires.
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salubrious
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Healthful
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sanction
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To approve
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sanguine
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Cheerfully confident; optimistic.
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satiate
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To satisfy or fulfill the appetite or desire of.
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savor
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To satisfy fully.
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secrete
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To hide away.
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sedulous
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Persevering in effort or endeavor.
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seethe
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To be disturbed.
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seminal
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Influencing future developments.
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shard
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Fragment
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shirk
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To avoid
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shoddy
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Not genuine; inferior
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sinuous
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Curving in and out.
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skeptic
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Doubter
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skepticism
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Doubt or disbelief
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skittish
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Lively; frisky
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slander
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Defamation
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slothful
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Slow-moving, lazy
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solicitous
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Worried; concerned
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sonorous
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Resonant
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soporific
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Causing sleep
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spate
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A sudden, almost overwhelming outpouring.
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specious
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Seemingly reasonable but incorrect.
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spendthrift
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Someone who wastes money.
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spurious
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Not genuine
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stentorian
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Extremely loud
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stigma
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A token of disgrace.
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stint
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To be thrifty.
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stipulate
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To make express conditions.
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stolid
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Dull; impassive
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stratify
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To form or place in layers.
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striated
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Marked with parallel bands.
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strut
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A pompous walk.
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sublime
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Supreme or outstanding; elevated.
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subterfuge
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Evasion
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supercilious
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Showing careless contempt.
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superfluous
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More than what is needed.
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supersede
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To cause to be set back.
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supine
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Lying on the back.
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sybarite
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A person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
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sycophant
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A self-seeking servile flatterer.
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tacit
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Understood
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taciturn
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Stern; silent
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tangential
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Digressing
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tantamount
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Equivalent in effect or value.
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tawdry
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Cheap
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temerity
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A foolish disregard of danger.
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tempestuous
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Stormy; impassioned
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tenacious
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Holding fast
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tendentious
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Having or showing a definite tendency, bias, or purpose.
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tenuous
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Thin; slim
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tepid
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Lukewarm
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thrall
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Slave; bondage
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thwart
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To frustrate
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timidity
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Lacking in self-assurance or courage.
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titillate
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To tickle
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titular
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Pertaining to the nature of a title.
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torpid
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Dull; sluggish; inactive
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tortuous
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Abounding in irregular bends or turns.
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tractable
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Docile
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transgression
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Violation; sin
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transience
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Being in a state of transition.
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transmute
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To change
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transparent
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Easily detected
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transpire
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To happen, to be revealed.
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trepidation
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Nervous feeling; fear
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truculence
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Ferocity
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turgid
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Inflated, overblown, or pompous
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tutelage
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The act of training or being under instruction.
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tyro
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Beginner
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ubiquitous
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Being present everywhere.
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umbrage
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Sense of injury
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unassuaged
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Unsatisfied; not soothed
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uncouth
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Clumsy; rude
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undermine
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To weaken; to sap
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unerringly
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Without fail
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ungainly
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Awkward; clumsy
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unison
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Complete accord
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unruly
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Disobedient
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untenable
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Indefensible
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upbraid
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To reproach as deserving blame.
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urbanity
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Refined courtesy or politeness.
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vacillate
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To waver; to fluctuate
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vagabond
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Wanderer
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vainglorious
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Excessive; pretentious
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valorous
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Courageous
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vantage
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Position giving advantage.
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vapid
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Having lost quality and flavor; dull; lifeless.
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variegated
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Many colored
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vehement
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Forceful
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venerate
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To look upon with deep respect.
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veracious
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Truthful
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verbiage
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Use of many words.
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verbose
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Wordy
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vestigial
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Occurring or persisting as a rudimentary or degenerate structure.
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vicissitude
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Change of condition or circumstances, generally of fortune.
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virtuosity
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Having the character or ability of an expert.
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virulence
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Intense sharpness of anger; intensity.
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viscous
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Sticky; gluey
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vituperate
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Overwhelm with wordy abuse.
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vociferous
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Making a loud outcry.
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volatile
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Changeable
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volition
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A choice or decision made by the will.
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voluble
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Fluent; talkative
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warranted
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Justified
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wary
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Very cautious
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welter
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Turmoil
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whet
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To sharpen or stimulate.
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whimsical
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Fanciful
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whorl
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Ring
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winsome
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Attractive
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wreak
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Inflict
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writhe
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Twist
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yore
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Time past
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zealot
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Fanatic
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zeitgeist
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Intellectual and moral tendencies of any age.
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