Gre

Front 1

Ribald

Back 1

(adj.) coarsely or irreverently humorous , describes language that is humorously vulgar and sexual; (noun) a person who uses language that is humorously vulgar.
Example:
- The stand-up comedian entertained his audience with ribald stories.
- Joanne didn't like the movie Knocked Up because it was full of ribald jokes.
- The ribald made everyone at the restaurant feel uncomfortable with lewd comments about the food.
Synonyms: (adj.) rude, crude, lewd, profane, dirty, indecent, vulgar, racy
Antonyms: proper, wholesome

Front 2

Divulge

Back 2

verb To make known (private or sensitive information). To reveal something, especially something private or secret.
Examples:
- Marc divulged Lisa's little secret.
- Lisa thought she could divulge information with complete trust.
- Marc shouldn't divulge other people's secrets.
Synonyms: disclose, reveal, tell, expose
Antonyms: hide, mask

Front 3

Fecund

Back 3

(adjective) 1.fertile:capable of producing much vegetation or many offspring. 2.highly imaginative:able to produce many different and original ideas.
Synonyms:
fertile, productive, prolific, creative, fruitful
Antonyms:
unproductive, unimaginative, barren, impotent, infertile, sterile, feckless
Examples:
- The avid gardener was proud of his lush and fecund garden.
- It was a fecund meeting that produced several new ideas for how to improve our product.
- Meditation creates a fecund atmosphere that enables me to think of completely original ideas.

Front 4

Vitriolic

Back 4

(adjective) 1. filled with or expressing extreme bitterness and hatred toward somebody or something
2. like metallic sulfate:resembling a glassy metallic sulfate.
Example:
- Marc is a writer who has often been criticized by the press but never before with such vitriol.
- The Mayor launched a vitriolic attack on the Police Dept. Officer, accusing him of shielding maffia friends.
As a NOUN
- His review was more than just unfavorableâit was loaded with vitriol
Synonyms: acrimonious, rancorous, bitter, caustic, mordant, acerbic.

Front 5

Transcend

Back 5

verb 1 be or go beyond the range or limits of. 2 be superior to; surpass.
Examples:
- Marc hope he would gain things from soccer that transcend the game
itself, like honor and good sportsmanship.
- Lisa said that society must transcend its racial and ethnic divisions.
- The rock star’s popularity transcended borders.
Synonyms:
surpass, be superior, exceed, rise above, go beyond, outshine
Antonyms:
be inferior, fail, lose

Front 6

Deluge

Back 6

(n.) heavy downpour or flood; (v.) to overwhelm with a large amount of something.
Examples:
- We’ve been deluged with replies to our advertisement.
- Karen was caught in a deluge on her way to the interview, and her clothing and papers were soaked.
- This little stream can become a deluge when it rains heavily.
Synonyms:
(n.) torrent, downpour, flood, cataclysm, spate, inundation, (v.) douse, drench, soak, engulf, inundate, oversupply
Antonyms:
sprinkling, undersupply

Front 7

Welter

Back 7

(n.) a large, confused, or disorderly group of things; (v.) 1. to roll
about–wallow; 2. to be immersed in something, like a liquid
Examples:
- The report was issued amid a welter of conflicting evidence.
- I did not want David to welter in sorrow over his break-up, so I took him out to dinner.
- It’s amazing that anyone survived the welter of chaos and violence during the riot.
- I couldn’t even hear myself think in the welter of the noisy market place
Synonyms:
(n.) commotion, confusion, turmoil, jumble, excitement, fuss, (v.) roll, wallow, soak, bask
Antonyms:
(n.) calm, order

Front 8

Tantamount

Back 8

(adjective) equivalent to a particular thing in effect, outcome, or value–the same as
Examples:
- Many felt the questionable accounting practices of the company were tantamount to corporate fraud.
- Marc’s refusal to testify was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
- I believe his testimony was tantamount to perjury.
Synonyms:
equal, equivalent, identical, parallel, synonymous
Antonyms:
opposite, unlike

Front 9

Yoke

Back 9

(n.) 1. a wooden bar that harnesses two animals together; 2. a bar
designed to fit across a person’s shoulders so that loads can be
balanced on the ends; 3. a bond that ties; 4. something that is
restrictive or oppressive; (v.) to link or become joined together
Examples:
- The people of that country have been living under the yoke of oppression for far too long.
- The farmer yoked the oxen together in order to plow the field.
- Our creative department will have to yoke with the account service department to meet the needs of the customers.
Synonyms: (n.) collar, harness, crosspiece,
bondage, chain, enslavement, link, connection, oppression, (v.)
harness, attach, connect, join, bond, tie
Antonyms:
(v.) disconnect, divide, separate, free, release

Front 10

Vapid

Back 10

1.dull:lacking interest or liveliness. 2.insipid:lacking strength, taste, or flavor
Example:
- A tuneful but vapid musical comedy
- Joanne watched a vapid tv programme
- The debate turned into a vapid conversation.

Front 11

Incessant

Back 11

uninterrupted and continuous, unceasing:continuing for a long time without stopping
Examples:
- Lisa’s incessant questions were cute at first, but soon became very annoying.
- Frank’s bossâ incessant demands are putting so much pressure on him that he’s
beginning to see physical signs of the strain.
- The city endured weeks of incessant bombing.
Synonyms:
constant, unending, ceaseless, continuous, uninterrupted, perpetual
Antonyms:
temporary, periodic

Front 12

Paltry

Back 12

1. not worthy of consideration; 2. so small as to be contemptible
Examples:
- Joanne’s paltry salary is barely enough to cover my rent.

- Marc was tired of Lisa’s paltry excuses.
- The restaurant served a paltry meal, leaving everyone hungry and irritable.
Synonyms:
tiny, insignificant, meager, scant, negligible, worthless, pathetic
Antonyms:
large, grand, significant, substantial

Front 13

Minutia

Back 13

(plural noun) the small, precise, or trivial details of something.
Example:
- The committee studied the minutiae of the report for hours.
- Comedy is so often based in the minutiae of everyday life.
- He had memorized the many minutiae of the legal code
Origin: mid 18th cent.: Latin, literally âtrifles,â from minutia âsmallness,â from minutus (see minute 2 ).

Front 14

Arduous

Back 14

1. requiring great physical endurance or exertion; 2. requiring great mental effort; 3.steep or demanding.
Examples:
- Reading War and Peace would be an arduous task, because it would require a persistent effort over a long period of time.
- Frank was given the arduous task of managing the global product launch in
20 countries.
- In those days, a trip to the West was an arduous journey.
Synonyms:
difficult, hard, strenuous, laborious, formidable, tiring, exhausting,
Antonyms:
effortless, easy

Front 15

Sumptuous

Back 15

1. of superior quality; 2. magnificent, grand, and lavish, especially when created at great expense
Example:
- Paris Hilton turned up dressed in a sumptuous evening gown.
- Marc recently sold his sumptuous apartment.
- Frank decided to buy a sumptuous luxury car.
Synonyms:
luxurious, lavish, magnificent, deluxe, extravagant, grand, impressive, expensive
Antonyms:
cheap, inferior, poor, low-key, humble, simple

Front 16

Omniscient

Back 16

having or seeming to have unlimited knowledge. Knowing and understanding all things
Example:
- They give the impression that the magazine is omniscient.
- Marc seemed to know everything about Lisa, but surely, he couldn’t be omniscient.
- If God is omniscient, then He knows everything that will ever happen to me in my life.
Synonyms:
all-knowing, all-seeing
Antonyms:
short-sighted

Front 17

Pittance

Back 17

(noun) a very small or inadequate amount of money.
Examples:
- Marc did not accept Lisa’s apology because it didn’t show even a pittance of sincerity.
- After the attorney’s fees, Phil only received a pittance of the original settlement.
- Fresh out of college, many young people work for a pittance just to gain some experience.
Synonyms:
rationing, allowance, bit, trifle, smidgen, inadequacy
Antonyms:
abundance, plenty

Front 18

Rapacious

Back 18

(adjective) greedy and grasping, especially for money, and sometimes willing to use unscrupulous means to obtain what is desired
2. destructive and vicious: engaging in violent pillaging and likely to harm or destroy things.

Front 19

Tractable

Back 19

(adjective) easily dealt with, controlled or persuaded.
Example:
- It can be easy for marketers to influence tractable young minds.
- The problem turned out to be rather less tractable than I had expected.
- The horse was intractable and wouldn’t make a good riding horse.
Synonyms:
manageable, compliant, complaisant, controllable, docile, workable,
Antonyms:
intractable, nonconforming, inflexible, stubborn

Front 20

Wince

Back 20

(verb, noun) to show pain briefly and suddenly in the face, often moving the head back at the same time.
Synonyms:
(verb) flinch, recoil, shrink, cringe
Example:
- Did I hurt you? – I thought I saw you wince.
- It makes me wince even thinking about eye operations.
- Lisa gave a wince as the nurse put the needle in.

Front 21

Truncate

Back 21

(verb) to shorten something by cutting off or removing a part. 2. to shorten decimal number: to restrict the precision of a decimal number by limiting the digits to the right of the decimal point without rounding
Example:
- Television coverage of the match was truncated by a technical fault.
- Because Lisa’s report was longer than allowed, she had to truncate the ending.
- The movie was truncated so that it would fit the television time slot.
- Marc truncate certain words when sending text messages.
- Our discussion was truncated by the arrival of our main menu.

Front 22

Uncouth

Back 22

behaving in a rude, unpleasant way. Rude and without refinement.
Example:
- Frank’s uncouth brother uses his shirt for a napkin.
- Joanne’s new boyfriend seems like an uncouth, opinionated boor.
- It was really uncouth of Phil to make that comment about how much more money he makes than his coworker.
- Their hockey team had more talent but less couth.

Front 23

Sunder

Back 23

(verb) break something apart:to separate something into parts, especially by force, or be separated in this way.
Example:
- During the cold war East and West Berlin were sundered by an impenetrable wall.
- The controversial issue threatened to sunder the government.
- The unity of the group could not be sundered
Synonyms:
separate, crack, divide, split, break, sever
Antonyms:
assemble, join, unify

Front 24

Subjugate

Back 24

(verb) to conquer or take control by force. to bring somebody, especially a people or nation, under the control of another, e.g. by military conquest. To treat yourself, your wishes or your beliefs as being less important than other people or their wishes or beliefs.
Example:
- The United States is set up in a way that ensures the government could
never subjugate its people.
- The rebel leader’s plan was to subjugate the people of the country in
order to establish a new form of government.
- Frank was determined not to allow his boss to subjugate him with his threats
- Journalists must subjugate personal political convictions to their professional commitment to fairness and balance.

Front 25

Stigma

Back 25

(noun) sign of social unacceptability:the shame or disgrace attached to something regarded as socially unacceptable. A strong lack of respect for someone or a bad opinion of them because they have done something society does not approve of.
Example:
- People should not be stigmatized on the basis of race.
- There’s a stigma associated with low-income food programs.
- The disease AIDS no longer seems to have the stigma attached to it that it had a decade ago.
Synonyms:
shame, disgrace, dishonor, reproach, scar, smudge, blemish
Antonyms:
glory, honor

Front 26

Tendentious

Back 26

(adjective) having a tendency toward something and wanting to influence others to
agree with your viewpoint, especially in an argumentative way. Trying to influence opinion:written or spoken with personal bias in order to promote a cause or support a viewpoint
Example:
- Phil’s account of the events was tendentious, not to mention inaccurate.
- Luckily Phil’s tendentious statements no longer anger his friends and family.
- The tendentious talk show host used his show to promote his political ideology.
Synonyms:
biased, partial, inclined, argumentative
Antonyms:
impartial, unbiased

Front 27

Rend

Back 27

(verb) 1. tear, split, or divide with force; 2. to take something or
somebody away using force; 3. to pierce with a loud scream or shriek;
4. to cause distress to somebody
Synonyms:
separate, rip, sever, sunder, cleave, lacerate, split, pierce, pull, tear
Antonyms:
attach, join, meld, unite
Examples:
- The storm Gustav is likely to rend apart everything in its path.
- The senator’s extreme left-wing advisor may prove to rend the voters who want a more moderate approach.
- With one stroke of his sword, he rent his enemy’s helmet in two.
- The monster had snapping teeth that would rend flesh to shreds.

Front 28

Propitiate

Back 28

win somebody’s favor:to appease or conciliate somebody or something
Synonyms:
conciliate, gratify, appease, correct, soften, redeem, placate, pacify, mollify, mitigate
Antonyms:
aggravate, annoy, irritate
Examples:
The CEO hoped that the refund would help to propitiate ther angry customers.
Marc brought donuts to work as a propitiatory gift, in hopes that
everyone would forgive him for losing his temper.
Frank sent flowers to his girlfriend everyday last week, in order to propitiate her anger over his lies.
The propitiatory flowers didn’t work; she was still angry a week later.

Front 29

Refute

Back 29

1. to deny the truth of and overthrow by argument, evidence, or proof; 2. to prove to be false or incorrect

Synonyms:
disprove, dispute, oppose, challenge, contend, contradict, contravene, gainsay, negate

Antonyms:
prove, confirm, defend, corroborate

Examples:
- Marc definitely lost that debate; Frank refuted each of Marc’s points with contradicting statements.
- The attorneys will attempt to refute the evidence against the defendant.
- The witness refuted her earlier testimony by repeatedly contradicting herself.

Front 30

Recuperate

Back 30

1. to recover after a sickness; 2. to recover after a monetary loss

Examples:
- Lisa went home to recuperate from her recent surgery.

- Frank lost at black jack but hoped to recuperate his losses at the poker table.

- The bank filed for bankruptcy, but they never expected to recuperate their good financial standing so quickly.

Synonyms:
improve, heal, mend, recover, survive, regain

Antonyms:
regress, degenerate

Front 31

Proselytize

Back 31

to convert or try to convert someone to a different religion

Synonyms:
convert, convince, indoctrinate, influence, persuade, change, proselyte

Examples:
- The missionary tried to proselytize people to his religion.
- The cult members tried to proselytize the students.
- The man proselytized to Islam after falling in love with a Muslim woman.
- The preacher tries to proselytize visitors to his church.

Front 32

Sinuous

Back 32

1. curved or moving in a curved way,full of bends and curves, 2. lithe and graceful, especially making graceful winding or curving movements

Synonyms:
winding, coiling, crooked, curved, serpentine, twisting, curvy

Antonyms:
straight, unbent

Examples:

Lisa hated driving the sinuous roads that led up to the mountains.

The man loved his wife’s sinuous, feminine body

At the lectures, he tormented the teachers with sinuous questions

Front 33

Sinister

Back 33

(adjective) 1.suggesting evil:threatening or suggesting malevolence, menace, or harm. Giving the impression that something harmful or evil is happening or will happen.

Synonyms:
threatening, foreboding, menacing, evil, wicked, minatory, malign, ominous

Antonyms:
benevolent, benign, good, kind

Examples:

- The evil villain had a sinister plan to take over the world.
- Frank’s sinister smile and squinted eyes scared the children.
- The shadows of the trees looked sinister in the moonlight.
- The ruined house had a sinister appearance.

Front 34

PROFUSION

Back 34

(noun) a great deal: a large quantity of something. 2. profuse quality: the quality of being profuse

Example:
- Mark loved the recent profusion of books and articles on his favorite subject.
- She’d never seen flowers so beautiful and in such profusion.
- The company accepted blame and sent us profuse apologies.
- This spring the flowers bloomed in greater profusion than in past years.
- After riding the exercise bike for an hour, he was sweating profusely.
Synonyms:
abundance, extravagance, lavishness, excess, bounty, plenty, wealth

Antonyms:
sparseness, lack, shortage

Front 35

LICENTIOUS

Back 35

having little or no moral restriction, especially in sexual behavior

Synonyms:
promiscuous, immoral, lascivious, lustful, lewd, abandoned, unconstrained

Antonyms:
chaste, moral, virtuous

Examples:

- During his college years Mark engaged in a licentious lifestyle.

- Mark has now reformed from his licentious lifestyle to one of self-restraint and chastity.

- My Grandma found the licentious behavior of today’s generation offensive.

The young waitress was tired of the licentious men who came into her bar and overtly flirted with her.

Front 36

IMPASSIVE

Back 36

1. expressionless: showing no outward sign of emotion, especially on the face2. devoid of all emotion: feeling no emotions at all, either positive or negative

Synonyms:
unemotional, stoic, inscrutable, apathetic, indifferent

Antonyms:
emotional, moved

Examples:
- Whe they told Lisa that she was adopted, she was surprisingly
impassive.

- An impassive expression is a real asset in a poker game.
- The defendant sat impassively in the dock while evidence was given against him.
- Frank was so impassive when we told him the bad news that I wasn’t sure how it affected him.

Front 37

LEVERAGE

Back 37

noun: 1 the exertion of force by means of a lever. 2 the power to influence: political leverage. verb: 1. to provide or supplement with leverage; 2. to use leverage for one’s advantage; 3. to borrow money for investment.

Example:
- That company leveraged a very small investment into millions of dollars.
- Marc used a client’s review as leverage to ask for a raise.
- If the United Nations had more troops in the area, it would have greater leverage.
- The company is highly leveraged and struggling with interest payments.

Synonyms: (n.) advantage, effectiveness, power,
influence, clout, weight, force, support, pull, (v.) fund, borrow,
benefit, profit, supplement, invest

Antonyms:
(n.) disadvantage, hindrance, weakness

Front 38

IRATE

Back 38

(adjective) indicating anger:showing or typical of great anger

Examples:
- Her boss became irate when she cost the company its biggest client.
- His irate neighbors yelled at him for throwing such a loud party.
- I was irate that she had forgotten to give me the message, but I kept my anger inside.
- Shelly was irate with Jack for forgetting her birthday and didn’t speak to him for two weeks.

Synonyms:
angry, enraged, mad, furious, fuming, heated, annoyed

Antonyms:
calm, kind, pleased

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Latin iratus, from ira âanger.â

Front 39

MISCREANT

Back 39

(noun) someone who breaks the law or does wrong. adjective behaving badly or unlawfully.

Examples:
- The museum was vandalized by a group of miscreants last night.
- Many people were upset that the alleged miscreant was not found guilty.
- I think we need tougher penalties to discourage miscreants.
- Our neighborhood has been taken over by a pack of drug-dealing miscreants.
Synonyms:
villain, criminal, wrongdoer, scoundrel, knave, ruffian

Antonyms:
do-gooder

Front 40

INANIMATE

Back 40

adjective 1 not alive, especially not in the manner of animals and humans. 2 showing no sign of life; lifeless.

Examples:
- Lisa prefers to paint still life art and inanimate objects rather than people and animals.

- The audience for tonight’s show has proved to be a rather inanimate crowd.

- At first, the seal’s body looked inanimate, but when we noticed it was
still breathing we took the seal to the vet and she was resuscitated.

- In my last dream several of the inanimate objects in my bedroom came to life.

Synonyms:
nonliving, inorganic, dull, lifeless, inert, inactive

Antonyms:
living, lively, animated

Front 41

IMPROMPTU

Back 41

(adjective & adverb) done without being planned, organized, or rehearsed. said or done without preparation, on the spot

Examples:
- Upon receiving the award, Jim Tressel made an impromptu speech to his team.
- Part of the Obama and McCain debate is the impromptu question-and-answer session.
- My friend asked me to deliver a short, impromptu toast during the cocktail hour.
- Marc has an uncanny ability to deliver hilarious, impromptu speeches without any preparation or advanced notice.

Synonyms:
spontaneous, improvised, ad lib, ad hoc, unrehearsed, extemporaneous

Antonyms:
planned, rehearsed

Front 42

GENIAL

Back 42

1. good-natured and kind; 2. mild, especially sunny and good for life or growth.

Examples:

- The genial sunshine and mild temperature was ideal for growing a variety of flowers and plants.

- Elisabeth was always a genial hostess, treating her guests with kindness and sincere attention.

- I really like listening to Robin Sharma because of his genial demeanor, which
always puts me at ease and makes me happy.

- He is a great person to have as a boss because of his genial manner.
- His geniality, reliability and ability made him a popular figure.

Synonyms:
pleasant, mild, amicable, amiable, kind, friendly, congenial, warm, favorable

Antonyms:
unfriendly, cold, hostile

Front 43

HERESY

Back 43

(noun) 1 belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine. 2 opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.

Examples:

- Some famous thinkers such Galileo were accused of
heresy in their own times because their new ideas contradicted the
church.

- Lisa thinks Marc is a heretic because Marc is not entirely convinced that Western medicine has all the answers.

- To hear that Frank changed from a Mac to a PC was heresy in the eyes of her loyal, Mac-using friends.
- Joanne committed the heresy of playing a Madonna song on a classical music station.
- Lisa’s belief that a split would be good for the party was regarded as heretical.

Synonyms:
dissent, iconoclasm, dissidence, nonconformity, revisionism, sacrilege

Antonyms:
orthodox

Front 44

GAINSAY

Back 44

to say that something isn’t true, especially by contradicting another person.

Examples:

- It was very difficult to gainsay Marc’s claim

- I hear what you’re saying, but I must gainsay the premise of your argument.

- The test results are conclusive and there’s no gainsaying the validity of this study.
- The impact of the railroads cannot be gainsaid.

Synonyms:
oppose, deny, refute, disallow, dispute, question, impugn

Antonyms:
agree, allow, affirm

Front 45

GRANDIOSE

Back 45

1. large, grand, and impressive, but sometimes also pretentious or
unrealistic; 2. larger and containing more detail than necessary, or
intended to seem important or splendid.

Examples:

- As a teenager, Phil had formed many grandiose plans about becoming rich
and famous, but none of them came to pass.

- The sight of the grandiose ballroom took our breath away.

- Marc fancied himself as a visionary, but his ideas were all grandiose and could never be implemented.

- Frank made a grandiose arrival to his high school reunion, in a large,
convertible Bentley

Synonyms:
pretentious, ostentatious, pompous, magnificent, regal, stately, impressive, grand, unrealistic, overblown, extravagant

Antonyms:
modest, simple, ordinary

Front 46

DISCOURSE

Back 46

(n.) 1. verbal communication; 2. formal, extended
expression of thought on a subject; (v.) to converse or discuss

Examples:

- Marc’s passionate political discourse caused a stir among the students.

- The discourse around the dinner table mainly surrounded Frank’s business plans.

- Lisa would like to engage Phil in discourse regarding plans for a company expansion.

Synonyms:
(n.) talk, dialogue, conversation, discussion, speech, lecture, thesis, (v.) discuss, communicate, convers

Front 47

EXEMPLARY

Back 47

1. worthy of imitation; 2. serving as a perfect model or example; 3.
designed to be severe and serve as a warning to others (as in a
punishment)

Examples:
- Through the exemplary jail sentence for the 15 year old, the judge
hoped to curb violent behavior amongst other young gang members.

- Phil ran an exemplary project, which I want everyone to use as a model for future success.
- Frank saw action in the Marines, and his performance was exemplary.
- Marc’s tact was exemplary, especially considering the circumstances.

Synonyms: laudable, praiseworthy, quintessential,
worthy, emblematic, typical, illustrative, representative, cautionary,
dissuasive, monitory

Antonyms:
reprehensible, substandard, awful, atypical, anomalous

Front 48

FACTION

Back 48

1. a self-seeking party or group (generally within a government) that
is the dissenting minority within a larger group; this clique of
partisans holds slightly different beliefs and interests than the rest
of the group;2. party strife and intrigue; 3. a literary work or film
that blends fiction into factual elements.

Examples:
- There were two major Roman political factions: the populares and the optimates.
- There is a faction in the Democratic party that supports tax cuts and strong defense.
- The president didn’t realize that there was a faction within the board
of directors, meeting to plan his removal.

Synonyms:
wing, caucus, coalition, group, schism, cell, conflict, discord, dissension, rebellion, strife

Antonyms:
entirety, total, whole, agreement, peace, unity

Front 49

EXTANT

Back 49

describes something very old, yet still existing–not lost or destroyed

Examples:
- It was challenging for David Attenborough to track extant plant species in the
rainforest, as some of them are destroyed daily.
- The Discovery channel did a series on extant Egyptian artifacts and
their significance to the culture.
- Because he is so recluse, Marcus Jonathan is probably one of the most
famous extant authors that people mistake for being dead.
- Beethoven’s original manuscript is no longer extant.

Synonyms:
surviving, existent, undestroyed, remaining

Antonyms:
dead, departed, destroyed, extinct, gone

Front 50

FLACCID

Back 50

1. limp: soft, limp, or lacking firmness2. lacking vitality: lacking energy, enthusiasm, or competence,
lacking firmness or resilience.

Examples:
- The flaccid asparagus was not well received by the food critics.
- The manâs flaccid handshake did not make a good first impression.
- In business, it is considered totally unacceptable to have a flaccid handshake.
- The flaccid leadership campaign was causing concern.

Synonyms:
soft, weak, inelastic, slack, limp, flimsy, lax, droopy

Antonyms:
firm, tough, strong

Front 51

EQUIVOCAL

Back 51

1. open to question or interpretation; 2. difficult to understand. An
equivocation is a statement which is deliberately vague or ambiguous.
And finally, to equivocate is to be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
in order to mislead or withhold information.

Synonyms:
ambiguous, dubious, questionable, uncertain, cryptic, confusing, unclear, ambivalent, suspicious

Antonyms:
clear, certain

Examples:
- Marc will vote for the new candidate who never tries to equivocate.
- Lisa’s father grew tired of Lisa equivocations and her ability to twist the truth.
- The equivocal trial results left the scientists bickering about how to interpret the outcome.
- Frank’s letter of resignation is unequivocal and leaves no doubt as to why he is leaving the company.

Front 52

ENERVATE

Back 52

to weaken somebody, either physically or mentally. to weaken somebody’s physical, mental, or moral vitality.

Examples:-
– Nothing enervates me like a car alarm that beeps all night.
- Elizabeth’s marathon debut was successful, but even more enervating than she had expected.
- Just the thought of speaking in public is enough to enervate me.
- The Lisa’s constant questions enervated Marc.

Synonyms:
tire, exhaust, fatigue, deplete, weaken, enfeeble

Antonyms:
strengthen, energize

Front 53

DISSUADE

Back 53

to convince or persuade someone not to do something.

The most common usage of dissuade is, “to dissuade someone from doing something.” Dissuade is the opposite of persuade.

Examples:
- There was nothing anyone could do to dissuade Lisa from going on the dangerous trip.
- After a long talk, Marc was able to dissuade Joanne from marrying the man who had been unfaithful to her.
- It is often difficult to dissuade someone from a firmly held political viewpoint.
- The bad review did not dissuade me from seeing the movie.

Synonyms:
deter, discourage, divert

Antonyms:
persuade

Front 54

ESCHEW

Back 54

to intentionally avoid something, especially on moral or practical grounds. abstain from: to avoid doing or using something on principle or as a matter of course.

Examples:
- In an attempt at self-transformation, Phil strives to eschew mistakes he had made in the past.
- Ever since Frank stopped drinking alcohol, he has eschewed any party
where he knew drinks were being served.
- Bill decided to eschew his friend’s bachelor party, as I knew it would be wild, and his wife would not approve.

Synonyms:
avoid, evade, shun, abstain, forgo, renounce

Antonyms:
choose, embrace, indulge in

Front 55

OBEISANCE

Back 55

1. the act of obeying or behaving respectfully; 2. a show or sign of respect such as bowing, a gesture of respect or deference, e.g. a bow of the head

Synonyms:
respect, courtesy, bow, homage, deference, reverence

Antonyms:
disrespect

Examples:
- The servant bowed deeply in obeisance to the queen.
- Phil’s obeisance at the meeting seemed rather formal and unnecessary.
- Marc demands obeisance from all his students.

Front 56

OBTUSE

Back 56

annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.
1. slow to learn or understand; 2. lacking insight; 3. blunt or rounded, not sharp

Synonyms:
dim-witted, dull, dumb, ignorant, stupid, blunt

Antonyms:
acute, sharp, keen, intelligent

Examples:
- Lisa tried to learn how the application functions, but Frank thinks she’s too obtuse to ever learn how to use it.
- Marc wondered if the doctor was being deliberately obtuse.
- Joanne frustrated her mentor by pretending to be obtuse

Front 57

QUERULOUS

Back 57

1. tending to complain: inclined to complain or find fault2. whining: whining or complaining in tone

Synonyms:
petulant, grouchy, critical, irritable, whiny, peevish, grumbly

Antonyms:
cheerful, happy, good-natured

Examples:
- The querulous woman drove her boyfriend crazy with her constant nagging.
- My sister is a great nurse, even the most querulous patients failed to upset her.
- Lisa’s uncle became increasingly dissatisfied and querulous in his old age.
- Being around querulous people puts me in a bad mood.

Front 58

REBUFF

Back 58

(v.) to reject or refuse sharply and with criticism; (n.) 1. a rude
or curt rejection of an offer or advance; 2. a sudden block or setback
of progress, 1.reject or snub something:to reject or snub an offer, advance, or approach made by somebody

Synonyms:
(v.) snub, reject, repel, deny, refuse, spurn, (n.) snub, block, setback

Antonyms:
(v.) accept, approve

Examples:
- Lisa asked Frank for help, but Frank rebuffed her, saying he only helped his real friends.
- I asked Madonna to be my wife, and was rebuffed in no uncertain terms.
- Her rebuff stung, since my offer had been kind and sincere.

Front 59

PHLEGMATIC

Back 59

1. having a calm temperament; 2. not readily showing emotion. unexcitable:generally unemotional and difficult to arouse

Synonyms:
aloof, cold, apathetic, stony, stoic, nonchalant, composed, impersonal, calm, unemotional, passive, languid

Antonyms:
animated, excited, emotional, passionate, spirited

Examples:
- As a footballer his great asset was his calm, phlegmatic manner.
- Lisa’s bright hair color would shock even the most phlegmatic person.
- He is a retired lawyer with a solid, phlegmatic manner.
- Joanne wished her boyfriend would be a little more open and animated, and a little less phlegmatic.

Front 60

OPPROBRIOUS

Back 60

disgraceful; shameful 1. expressing harsh criticism or scorn; 2. shameful and worthy of contempt

Synonyms:
critical, scornful, derogatory, abusive, insulting, contemptible, offensive, scurrilous, infamous, disgraceful, shameful

Antonyms:
appreciative, complimentary, proud, worthy, reputable, honorable

Examples:
- The CEO had opprobrious words for his sales department after another weak month.
- Most people believe that cheating on your spouse is an opprobrious act.
- The way Lisa flaunts her wealth while others suffer, is opprobrious.
- Frank was embarrassed by his father’s opprobrious remarks

Front 61

MURMUR

Back 61

noun 1 a quietly spoken utterance. 2 . a subdued complaint. â verb 1 say something in a murmur.

Synonyms:
(n.) grumbling, complaint, lament, gripe, (v.) mumble, mutter

Examples:
- A murmur of complaint was heard from the audience when the sound system failed.
- The students murmured something under when Marc the teacher handed out their new homework assignment.
- Frank finished the job without a murmur
- My little daughter Jenny was so tired that she went to bed without a murmur for once.

Front 62

NEOPHYTE

Back 62

1. beginner: a beginner or novice at something2. recent convert: a recent convert to a religion3. religious novice: a new resident of a religious community who has not yet taken vows, someone who has recently become involved in an activity and is still learning about it

Synonyms:
novice, beginner, student, rookie, amateur, convert, proselyte

Antonyms:
veteran

Examples:
- When Karen married Jim, she became a Catholic neophyte.
- Undergraduate students are generally neophytes in their chosen majors and need guidance from experienced professors.
- The neophyte on the team surprised everyone when he scored the winning goal.
- I’m a neophyte when it comes to baking, so I’m a little nervous about how my first apple pie will turn out.

Front 63

MELLIFLUOUS

Back 63

having a pleasing or rich sound, pleasant and soothing to listen to, and sweet or rich in tone

Synonyms:
melodious, musical, sweet, honeyed, resonant

Antonyms:
discordant

Examples:
- I love to listen to the mellifluous sound of YoYo-Ma’ cello
- The opera singer’s voice was rich and mellifluous.
- Frank Sinatra has become famous due to his deep, mellifluous voice.
- I was drawn to the mellifluous sound of a harp being played inside the church.

Front 64

MORASS

Back 64

1. a swamp or area of low lying wetlands that make walking difficult; 2. a difficult situation that hinders or overwhelms, 1 an area of muddy or boggy ground. 2 a complicated or confused situation.

Synonyms:
marsh, swamp, moor, mire, quagmire, bog

Antonyms:

Examples:
- The distracted driver had driven his car off the road and into a morass
- The morass of rules and regulations is delaying the start of the project.
- Sometimes I over-commit myself and end up lost in a morass of impossible deadlines.
- I am frustrated with the morass of bureaucracy that keeps me
waiting for a change in my visa status.

Front 65

DOGGEREL

Back 65

a verse of poetry or song that is uneven in measure and often poorly composed, usually for an intentional, comic effect

Synonyms:
verse, jingle

Examples:

- Lisa has the doggerel from the latest soda commercial stuck in her head.

- The doggerel in the middle of the show made the audience laugh.

- Frank’s feelings were hurt when Marc called his composition a doggerel.

Front 66

MENTOR

Back 66

(noun) 1. a well-intentioned role model, advisor, and guide to someone less
experienced, knowledgeable, or mature; 2. a person who gives another person help and advice over a period of time and often also teaches them how to do their job.
(verb) to serve as a counselor,
teacher, or guide.

Synonyms:
(n.) advisor, supporter, guide, tutor, teacher, role model, coach, (v.) guide, advise, support

Examples:

- Frank mentors young talented pianists who need someone to look up to.

- Lisa asked her Dad’s Uncle to be her mentor and guide her on her way to becoming a professional writer.

- Marc couldn’t have achieved the success he has today without the help of his mentor.

Front 67

FINESSE

Back 67

noun 1 refinement and delicacy. 2 subtle skill in handling or manipulating people or situations. 3 (in bridge) an attempt to win a trick with a card that is not a certain winner.
Verb 1 do in a subtle and delicate manner. 2 slyly attempt to avoid blame when dealing with (a situation). 3 play (a card) as a finesse.

Synonyms:
(n.) delicacy, savvy, discretion, diplomacy, adeptness, artfulness, skillfulness, grace, mastery, elegance

Antonyms:
clumsiness, indiscretion

Examples:
- Micheal Jackson had legendary finesse on the dance floor.
- Lisa had such social finesse, she was able to quickly and easily solve any problem within the company.
- Mark and his friends found themselves in a sticky situation and looked for a way to finesse out of it.
- Frank did not want to stay to he tried to finesse his way out of the party

Front 68

EXTORT

Back 68

(Verb) to extract or obtain money, information, or the like, by intimidation, force, or abuse of authority, to obtain something such as money or information from somebody by using force, threats, or other unacceptable methods

Synonyms:
blackmail, bully, fleece, gouge, cheat, coerce, force, exact

Examples:
- The girl decided to extort the secret from Lisa by threatening to
make up and spread a damaging secret of her own.
- The criminal left for Mexico after successfully extorting money from the company Managing Director.
- Frank deeply regrets that he was a school bully who was used to extorting lunch money from other school kids.
- Marc can’t expect me to pay him to be quiet; that’s extortion.

Front 69

HASTEN

Back 69

verb 1 be quick to do something; move quickly. 2 cause to happen sooner than anticipated. 1. to speed up the progress of an activity; 2. to go somewhere or do something quickly and without delay

Synonyms:
speed, quicken, accelerate, hurry, expedite, rush, hustle

Antonyms:
slow, delay

Examples:
- It was an unfortunate decision and Marc hastened to say it had nothing to do with him.
- Officials acted in haste, without understanding the situation.
- We should hasten to get to the theater so we don’t miss the beginning of the movie.
- Cathy hastened to hide her bad report card before her parents got home.
- The loss of its largest client hastened the Bank’s bankruptcy.

Front 70

GAUCHE

Back 70

(adjective)
lacking manners and proper social behavior, awkward and uncomfortable with other people, especially because young and lacking in experience. Behaving in a way that offends other people, esp. because of not knowing what is correct or not caring about their feelings.

Synonyms:
unsophisticated, uncouth, tactless, awkward, graceless, ill-mannered, uncultured, boorish

Antonyms:
sophisticated, polite, cultured, civilized

Examples:
- Joanne had grown from a gauche teenager to a self-assured young woman.
- Phil’s loud talking at the opera marked him as gauche and uncultured
- Marc’s gauche manners at the party can be explained by the fact that he
had several cocktails before he arrived.
- It was gauche to invite them just two days before the party.

Front 71

INAUGURATE

Back 71

to formally and officially put something new in place such as a
government official, a building, or a new procedure, often with a
special ceremony

Synonyms:
induct, install, ordain, commission, dedicate, launch, debut, begin, commence

Antonyms:
stop, end, terminate

Examples:
- The Mayor is going to inaugurate the new City Hall building today at noon.
- The change of government inaugurated a new era of economic prosperity.
- Representatives from every major media outlet were present at the
presidential inauguration.
- During the inauguration ceremony on the 20th of January, the US President always delivers an inaugural address.

Front 72

IMMUTABLE

Back 72

not changing or unable to be changed

Synonyms:
unchangeable, constant, unalterable, fixed, permanent, stable

Antonyms:
changeable, mutable

Examples:
- Once my parents make a decision, it is immutable and they never change their minds.
- Frank’s dad lived a long, hard life, and his views on the world are immutable at this point.
- Some people regard the rules of English grammar and punctuation as an
immutable, others view them as evolving.
- Phil despised his friends’ immutable attitude of superiority toward others.

Front 73

OPPORTUNE

Back 73

suitable for a purpose or occurring at the right time. happening at a time which is likely to give success or which is convenient

Synonyms:
appropriate, fitting, apt, auspicious, fortuitous, timely, fortunate

Antonyms:
inopportune

Examples:
- The family dinner was an opportune time for us to announce our engagement.
- Our morning meeting will provide an opportune time to discuss our strategic plan.
- Joanne is trying to find the most opportune time to ask her boss for a promotion.
- We had just cleaned the house, so it was an opportune time to have guests drop by to see us.

Front 74

NOMINAL

Back 74

1. being something in name only; 2. small or unimportant; 3.
satisfactory or according to what was planned; 4. having to do with or
being a name; 5. having to do with or being a noun

Synonyms:
so-called, honorary, titular, ostensible, small, insignificant, trifling

Antonyms:
important, real

Examples:
- Marc the nominal head of our college – the real work is done by his deputy.
- For a nominal fee Just Vocabulary offers the podcast advertisement free.
- When you pay $400 for an airline ticket, a ticketing fee of five dollars seems nominal

Front 75

FALLACY

Back 75

1. a misconception or false belief; 2. an argument that does not work because of an error in logic or the error itself

Synonyms:
misconception, error, flaw, mistake, inconsistency, falsity, sophistry

Antonyms:
truth, verity

Examples:
- The adage that warns against swimming within twenty minutes of eating is a fallacy.
- The rumor that Marc is planning a trip around the world is a fallacy; he has no such plans at this time.
- Phil’s argument is based on fallacious reasoning.
- It is a common fallacy that women are worse drivers than men.

Front 76

NETTLE

Back 76

(verb) 1. to annoy or irritate someone; 2. to sting; (noun) a stinging
plant with serrated leaves.

Synonyms:
(v.) annoy, sting, irritate, tease, vex, bother, exasperate

Antonyms:
soothe

Examples:

- If you are going to go on the hike, watch out for stinging nettle.
- If Lisa continues to nettle Phil about every little thing, Phil will not invite Lisa for his birthday party.
- Lisa’s sharp remarks nettled Marc.
- It was bad enough that Frank lost the argument, but Marc’s self-satisfied smile really nettled Frank.

PHRASE: grasp the nettle
to take action immediately in order to deal with an unpleasant situation
- I’ve been putting off tackling the problem for too long and I think it’s time to grasp the nettle.

Front 77

LATITUDE

Back 77

1.freedom from restriction, 2. the position north or south of the equator measured from 0Â to 90Â

Synonyms:
freedom, liberty, leeway

Antonyms:
restriction, restraint, constraint

Examples:
- I allow my children considerable latitude in how they spend their free
time, as long as it’s not in front of the TV.
- At these latitudes the sun does not rise at all on winter days.
- I enjoy owning my own business because it affords me considerable latitude in how I spend my time.
- John gives his children so much latitude that they usually just run amok.
- The new laws gave the police more latitude in dealing with suspected criminals

Front 78

PALATABLE

Back 78

something acceptable, especially to the sense of taste

Synonyms:
acceptable, agreeable, appetizing, delicious, enjoyable, flavorful, yummy, tempting

Antonyms:
unsavory, unappetizing, unpalatable

Examples:
- Jeremy brought a very palatable wine
- Joanne added a dash of salt to help make the dish more palatable.
- Marc’s idea wasn’t very palatable to the parties involved.
- I’m afraid the members won’t find all these changes very palatable.
- The turkey remained in the oven for way too long, making it dry and unpalatable.

Front 79

IMMINENT

Back 79

about to happen or likely to occur soon

Synonyms:
impending, threatening, menacing, looming, forthcoming, near, close

Antonyms:
far-off, unlikely, distant

Examples:
- I’m sorry to tell you that with the latest threat, you and your family
appear to be in imminent danger.
- The closing of the community center appears imminent despite the efforts of the citizens to save it.
- A rain storm was imminent.
- We were told the arrival of the storm was imminent.
- Everyone knew a fight was imminent when the group of striking workers came face-to-face with their replacements.

Front 80

MEANDER

Back 80

1. to move in a curving, twisting, or indirect route; follow a winding course. 2 wander in a leisurely or aimless way.

Synonyms:
wander, amble, stroll, roam, twist, bend, wind, curve, snake

Examples:
- Both of these rivers meander down to the ocean.
- I don’t have a definite plan for the afternoon in mind; I thought we might just meander around Table Mountain.
- On our trip, we spent a lot of time meandering about the countryside of Cape Town.
- The long, meandering driveway led to a beautiful wine estate.
- Movie critics complained that the film meanders along with no particular story line.

Front 81

FOMENT

Back 81

1. to cause trouble or stir up rebellion; 2. to promote growth or development; 3. to lessen pain by bathing in warm water

Synonyms:
stir up, promote, evoke, incite, instigate, abet

Antonyms:
repress, suppress, quell

Examples:
- I believe that the new technology will foment our industry and create positive change.
- John filed the law suit, not because he needed the money, but because
he wanted to foment trouble for his former contractor.
- Marc was afraid that his letter might foment more tension, so he didn’t send it.
- Lisa hoped that her impassioned speech would foment positive change in the community.

Front 82

FRUGAL

Back 82

1. tending to spend very little money; 2. small in expense or quantity

Synonyms:
thrifty, sparing, provident, economical, penny-pinching, conserving, prudent, scanty, meager, paltry

Antonyms:
prodigal, extravagant, wasteful, expensive, lavish

Examples:
- Marc’s frugal track record has led to a twenty-five percent decrease in frivolous spending.
- by being frugal, Lisa was able to stretch her monthly budget
- Frugality may be a road to riches.
- Phil has always been frugal with his money, and he never has any money problems.

Front 83

EFFACE

Back 83

(verb) 1. to remove, blur, or completely eliminate, especially by rubbing
off or out; 2. to act in an inconspicuous or humble manner, especially
because of shyness or modesty.

Synonyms:
erase, annul, delete, expunge, cancel

Antonyms:
add, restore

Examples:
- Don’t be self-effacing if your compliments your hard work; simply
thank him and acknowledge his compliment.
- It’s better to accept a compliment gracefully, rather than make self-effacing remarks.

Front 84

EXTRANEOUS

Back 84

(adjective) 1. not essential or important; 2. not relevant to the matter at hand; 3. coming from outside

Synonyms:
nonessential, irrelevant, immaterial, incidental, ancillary, external, exterior, foreign,

Antonyms:
relevant, inherent, germane, pertinent

Examples:
- Extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photo.
- Most of the information in Marc’s lecture notes seems to be extraneous.
- Lisa wanted a succinct summary of the conference with no extraneous information.

Front 85

JIBE

Back 85

(v.) 1. to agree with or conform to something; 2. in nautical
terminology, to shift a sail from one side of a vessel to the other;
(n.) an insulting remark intended to have a hurtful effect (also
spelled: gibe). if one statement or opinion jibes with another, it is similar to it

Synonyms:
(v.) agree, conform, accord, concur, (n.) insult, wisecrack, mockery, ridicule

Antonyms:
(v.) differ, disagree, clash, (n.) compliment

Tips: Jibe has taken on all three of those meanings.
For the meaning of “an insult or wisecrack,” jibe is also, and more
commonly, spelled with a “g”: gibe, and can also be used in the verb
form.

Examples:
– Marc’s sarcastic jibes during the trial got him removed from the courtroom.
- Lisa quit her job because her needs just didn’t jibe with the company’s policies.
- Before sailing on his own, Phil needed to learn how to tack and jibe.
- After awhile Joanne got used to Frank little jibes and she no longer was offended by them.
- Mary jibed constantly at the way Frank ran his business.
- Her description of the man didn’t jibe with what she told the police earlier.

Front 86

FACILITATE

Back 86

(verb) make (an action or process) easy or easier. 1. to make easier; 2. to increase the likelihood of; 3. to be of use

Synonyms:
ease, simplify, expedite, enable, assist, advance

Antonyms:
complicate

Examples:
- Lisa wanted to meet the author, and Marc facilitated an introduction.
- Frank hopes to facilitate a dialogue between the two opposing factions.
- Phil was brought on to help facilitate communication between the different departments.
- The two factories were located on the same plot to facilitate the sharing of resources.
- I see my role as that of a facilitator, enabling other people to work in the way that suits them best.
- To facilitate learning, each class is no larger than 30 students

Front 87

MOLT

Back 87

(verb) shed old feathers, hair, or skin, to make way for a new growth. To periodically lose or shed an outer covering of skin, hair, or feathers.

Synonyms:
shed

Antonyms:
grow

Examples:
- The young bird’s baby feathers molted as its adult feathers grew in.
- The deer’s winter fur molted in preparation for summer.
- a crab molts its shell as it grows larger, the snake molts its skin.
- My dead skin was molting from being overexposed to the sun.

Front 88

KUDOS

Back 88

(noun) praise and honor received for an achievement.

Synonyms:
praise, recognition, credit, glory, award, appreciation, admiration, fame

Antonyms:
criticism

Examples:
- Marc should receive kudos for a job well done.
- Being an actor has a certain amount of kudos attached to it.
- Phil really deserves kudos for that great presentation.
- Lisa has received kudos and accolades for her work with several charity organizations.

Front 89

LOATHE

Back 89

to hate someone or something, to dislike somebody or something intensely

Synonyms:
hate, abhor, detest

Antonyms:
tolerate, like, love, desire

Examples:
- Frank loathes the idea of having to go back to work tomorrow.
- Ever since their break-up, she loathes the site of him.
- Don’t take Frank out for sushi; he loathes fish!
- I loathe doing housework.

Front 90

GLUT

Back 90

(verb)(glutted, glutting) 1. to fill, usually with food; 2. to flood the market with a product; (noun) a supply greater than what is needed

Synonyms: (v.) satiate, fill, satisfy, saturate, oversupply, flood, overflow, inundate, (n.) excess,
oversupply, surplus, overabundance

Antonyms:
(v.) empty, deprive, forestall, (n.) lack, shortage, deficiency

Examples:
- If we glut the market with oil, supply will be higher than demand and prices should fall.
- The glutton lived to eat instead of eating to live.
- The current glut of graduates means that many of them will not be able to find jobs.
- The glut of desserts at the buffet was enough to give anyone a stomach ache.
- Higher mortgage rates and over-building left some markets glutted with unsold houses.

Front 91

IMMACULATE

Back 91

(adjectives)
1. perfectly clean and spotless; 2. free from error; 3. without blame or fault

Synonyms:
clean, spotless, stainless, undefiled, pristine, perfect, flawless, faultless, blameless, pure

Antonyms:
dirty, stained, soiled, imperfect, flawed, impure

Examples:
- My aunt’s kitchen was always immaculate.
- He gave an immaculate performance as the aging hero.
- Frank somehow managed to keep the white carpet immaculate
- When Lisa arrived at the party, her white dress was immaculate, but
unfortunately, Marc spilled his drink over Lisa’s immaculate dress.

Front 92

HISTRIONIC

Back 92

(adjective)
1. related to acting or actors–dramatic or theatrical; 2. melodramatic or affected, overly emotional and showy

Synonyms:
theatrical, dramatic, melodramatic, affected, sensational, insincere

Antonyms:
sincere, genuine

Examples:
- There’s no need to be so histrionic; this isn’t really that big a deal.
- Joanne has a penchant for histrionic temper fits with lots of throwing of dishes and door slamming
- Both lawyers indulged in courtroom histrionics.
- Marc gave a histrionic sigh and slumped in his chair.
- With a histrionic bow, she walked off the stage.
- Lisa is known for her histrionic outbursts, which occur whenever her
boyfriend is not paying attention to her.

Front 93

EXPANSIVE

Back 93

1.covering a wide range, scope or area; 2. able to expand; 3. with
arms stretched out and open wide; 4. happy to talk to people in a
friendly way

Synonyms:
wide, broad, spacious, extensive, expanding, outstretched, outgoing, jovial, talkative

Antonyms:
condensed, contracted, restricted, quiet, reserved

Examples:
- Frank owns a beautiful house with a wide, expansive backyard.
- as the river nears the end of its long journey to the sea it becomes quite expansive
- Marc was in an expansive mood on the night of the party.
- My daughter ran to greet me with expansive arms.
- Phil becomes quite expansive when he drinks wine, in contrast to his usually reserved nature.
- The real-estate developer had an expansive plan for the inner-city project, which would completely renovate the area.

Front 94

EXTRANEOUS

Back 94

(adjective) 1. not essential or important; 2. not relevant to the matter at hand; 3. coming from outside

Synonyms:
nonessential, irrelevant, immaterial, incidental, ancillary, external, exterior, foreign,

Antonyms:
relevant, inherent, germane, pertinent

Examples:
- Extraneous light in the camera spoiled the photo.
- Most of the information in Marc’s lecture notes seems to be extraneous.
- Lisa wanted a succinct summary of the conference with no extraneous information.

Front 95

JIBE

Back 95

(v.) 1. to agree with or conform to something; 2. in nautical
terminology, to shift a sail from one side of a vessel to the other;
(n.) an insulting remark intended to have a hurtful effect (also
spelled: gibe). if one statement or opinion jibes with another, it is similar to it

Synonyms:
(v.) agree, conform, accord, concur, (n.) insult, wisecrack, mockery, ridicule

Antonyms:
(v.) differ, disagree, clash, (n.) compliment

Tips: Jibe has taken on all three of those meanings.
For the meaning of “an insult or wisecrack,” jibe is also, and more
commonly, spelled with a “g”: gibe, and can also be used in the verb
form.

Examples:
– Marc’s sarcastic jibes during the trial got him removed from the courtroom.
- Lisa quit her job because her needs just didn’t jibe with the company’s policies.
- Before sailing on his own, Phil needed to learn how to tack and jibe.
- After awhile Joanne got used to Frank little jibes and she no longer was offended by them.
- Mary jibed constantly at the way Frank ran his business.
- Her description of the man didn’t jibe with what she told the police earlier.

Front 96

FACILITATE

Back 96

(verb) make (an action or process) easy or easier. 1. to make easier; 2. to increase the likelihood of; 3. to be of use

Synonyms:
ease, simplify, expedite, enable, assist, advance

Antonyms:
complicate

Examples:
- Lisa wanted to meet the author, and Marc facilitated an introduction.
- Frank hopes to facilitate a dialogue between the two opposing factions.
- Phil was brought on to help facilitate communication between the different departments.
- The two factories were located on the same plot to facilitate the sharing of resources.
- I see my role as that of a facilitator, enabling other people to work in the way that suits them best.
- To facilitate learning, each class is no larger than 30 students

Front 97

MOLT

Back 97

(verb) shed old feathers, hair, or skin, to make way for a new growth. To periodically lose or shed an outer covering of skin, hair, or feathers.

Synonyms:
shed

Antonyms:
grow

Examples:
- The young bird’s baby feathers molted as its adult feathers grew in.
- The deer’s winter fur molted in preparation for summer.
- a crab molts its shell as it grows larger, the snake molts its skin.
- My dead skin was molting from being overexposed to the sun.

Front 98

KUDOS

Back 98

(noun) praise and honor received for an achievement.

Synonyms:
praise, recognition, credit, glory, award, appreciation, admiration, fame

Antonyms:
criticism

Examples:
- Marc should receive kudos for a job well done.
- Being an actor has a certain amount of kudos attached to it.
- Phil really deserves kudos for that great presentation.
- Lisa has received kudos and accolades for her work with several charity organizations.

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LOATHE

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to hate someone or something, to dislike somebody or something intensely

Synonyms:
hate, abhor, detest

Antonyms:
tolerate, like, love, desire

Examples:
- Frank loathes the idea of having to go back to work tomorrow.
- Ever since their break-up, she loathes the site of him.
- Don’t take Frank out for sushi; he loathes fish!
- I loathe doing housework.

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GLUT

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(verb)(glutted, glutting) 1. to fill, usually with food; 2. to flood the market with a product; (noun) a supply greater than what is needed

Synonyms: (v.) satiate, fill, satisfy, saturate, oversupply, flood, overflow, inundate, (n.) excess,
oversupply, surplus, overabundance

Antonyms:
(v.) empty, deprive, forestall, (n.) lack, shortage, deficiency

Examples:
- If we glut the market with oil, supply will be higher than demand and prices should fall.
- The glutton lived to eat instead of eating to live.
- The current glut of graduates means that many of them will not be able to find jobs.
- The glut of desserts at the buffet was enough to give anyone a stomach ache.
- Higher mortgage rates and over-building left some markets glutted with unsold houses.

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IMMACULATE

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(adjectives)
1. perfectly clean and spotless; 2. free from error; 3. without blame or fault

Synonyms:
clean, spotless, stainless, undefiled, pristine, perfect, flawless, faultless, blameless, pure

Antonyms:
dirty, stained, soiled, imperfect, flawed, impure

Examples:
- My aunt’s kitchen was always immaculate.
- He gave an immaculate performance as the aging hero.
- Frank somehow managed to keep the white carpet immaculate
- When Lisa arrived at the party, her white dress was immaculate, but
unfortunately, Marc spilled his drink over Lisa’s immaculate dress.

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HISTRIONIC

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(adjective)
1. related to acting or actors–dramatic or theatrical; 2. melodramatic or affected, overly emotional and showy

Synonyms:
theatrical, dramatic, melodramatic, affected, sensational, insincere

Antonyms:
sincere, genuine

Examples:
- There’s no need to be so histrionic; this isn’t really that big a deal.
- Joanne has a penchant for histrionic temper fits with lots of throwing of dishes and door slamming
- Both lawyers indulged in courtroom histrionics.
- Marc gave a histrionic sigh and slumped in his chair.
- With a histrionic bow, she walked off the stage.
- Lisa is known for her histrionic outbursts, which occur whenever her
boyfriend is not paying attention to her.

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EXPANSIVE

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1.covering a wide range, scope or area; 2. able to expand; 3. with
arms stretched out and open wide; 4. happy to talk to people in a
friendly way

Synonyms:
wide, broad, spacious, extensive, expanding, outstretched, outgoing, jovial, talkative

Antonyms:
condensed, contracted, restricted, quiet, reserved

Examples:
- Frank owns a beautiful house with a wide, expansive backyard.
- as the river nears the end of its long journey to the sea it becomes quite expansive
- Marc was in an expansive mood on the night of the party.
- My daughter ran to greet me with expansive arms.
- Phil becomes quite expansive when he drinks wine, in contrast to his usually reserved nature.
- The real-estate developer had an expansive plan for the inner-city project, which would completely renovate the area.

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MERCENARY

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(adjective) motivated chiefly by the desire for gain. (noun) (pl. mercenaries) a professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army. 2. someone interested primarily in their own gain, especially financially; (adj.) greedy and interested in selfish gain

Synonyms:
(adj.) greedy, materialistic, selfish, avaricious

Antonyms:
(adj.) self-less, generous, unpaid

Examples:
- Phil has a mercenary urge to own the latest and most expensive item in home electronics.
- Marc doesn’t trust Frank’s motives — Marc thinks he is too mercenary.
- Someone with a mercenary attitude puts his own needs before others’.
- John was a mercenary who had fought for several nations.
- The rebel leaders employed mercenaries to fight for their cause.

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QUANTUM

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1. the smallest, indivisible unit of energy; 2. a measurable amount of something. quantity: a required quantity or amount, especially an amount of money paid in recompense4. particular amount: a portion or allotment

Synonyms:
smallest unit of measure

Antonyms:
largest unit of measure

Examples:
- In quantum physics, Einstein proposed that light is made up of discrete
particles and called one quantum of light a photon.
- Most people do not know what quantum physics is; it is simply the
physics of the the smallest units of matter, like atoms.
- It was a revolutionary generation of computers that was a quantum leap beyond anything on the market

- a share or portion : each man has only a quantum of compassion.

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SOLACE

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noun comfort or consolation in a time of distress, sadness, grief, or disappointment;
2.the act of consoling or giving relief; (v.) to console or give
strength to someone. help and comfort when you are feeling sad or worried

Synonyms:
(n.) comfort, consolation, (v.) console, cheer, relieve, soothe, assuage

Antonyms:
(n.) grief, sadness, irritation, (v.) trouble, sadden, irritate

Examples:
- The tax rebate checks provided solace to many cash-strapped families.
- I find it helps to seek solace in the company of family and friends during times of crisis.
- The vacation house provides us great solace from our hectic lives.
- The two-week severance package provided little solace to the laid-off workers.
- When his wife left him, Frank found solace in the bottle. (drank alcohol)
- Music was a great solace to me during this period.
- Lisa found solace in her memories of her grandmother.

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OVERWROUGHT

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1. extremely upset, nervous, or agitated; 2. excessively elaborate or overly decorated.

Synonyms:
agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical, ornate, gaudy, rococo, flamboyant

Antonyms:
calm, relaxed, tranquil, simple

Tips: Overwrought is a more complicated way of
saying “agitated, frantic, nervous, frenzied, hysterical” or “ornate,
gaudy, rococo, and flamboyant.” Overwrought is not a commonly used
word, but it is commonly tested on the GRE exam.

Examples:
- Joanna was overwrought when her dogs got out of the apartment and were lost for several hours.
- After Caroline won the lottery, she decorated her home in such an overwrought manner, it was ghastly.
- Everyone in the office was overwrought with the thought that the company might go out of business.
- My friend was overwrought when her baby fell down the stairs.
- Maria was so tired and overwrought that she burst into tears.

- Marc was in an overwrought state/condition for weeks after the accident.

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PERSONABLE

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having a nice, polite, and pleasant appearance and personality

Synonyms:
attractive, friendly, charming, easygoing, likeable, sociable

Antonyms:
unattractive, unfriendly, unpleasant

Examples:
- Marc didn’t mind working late with Judy because she was so personable and easygoing.
- Frank was blessed with the most personable in-laws
- Lisa is intelligent, hard-working and personable.
- Many people liked the president’s personable style and down-home wit.
- It is often said that people who are more personable have an easier time finding a good job.

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FOOLHARDY

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bold or courageous without regard or awareness of danger

Synonyms:
bold, reckless, foolish, rash, heedless, impetuous, overconfident

Antonyms:
careful, prudent, cautious, sensible

Examples:
Frank made a foolhardy attempt to climb the tree to recover his kite.
- It was foolhardy of Marc to approach the dog without knowing whether it was friendly or not.
- Sailing the Atlantic in such a tiny boat wasn’t so much brave as foolhardy.
- It would be foolhardy to try and predict the outcome of the talks at this stage.
- I’m known for being careful, not foolhardy, in my decisions.
- Phil’s very lucky that his foolhardy actions haven’t caused him more trouble.

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EXTOL

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to praise highly and lift someone or something up with great admiration. to praise somebody or something with great enthusiasm and admiration

Synonyms:
glorify, hail, exalt, acclaim, magnify, commend, praise

Antonyms:
condemn, criticize, decry, disparage

Tips: Extol is derived from the Latin extollere,
“to lift up.” Extol is a good, intellectual term to indicate high
priase. For example, “He has been extolling your virtues,” instead of
“He has said great things about you.”

Examples:
- The golfers extolled the benefits of membership at their country club.
- When her professor extolled her scientific prowess, Julie became convinced of her destiny with greatness.
- Frank extols the benefits of raw eggs in the morning to all his gym-buddies.
- His book extolling the benefits of vegetarianism sold thousands of copies.
- Janine is forever extolling the virtues of her children.
- Marc often extols the virtues of his students.
- The running mate’s campaign literature extolled his military record

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HYBRID

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(n.) 1. something made of different parts or elements; 2. a plant
formed by cross breeding two different types of plants; 3. an animal
resulting from the breeding of two different species; 4. a word formed
from two different languages; 5. a car that runs on a combination of
two types of fuel such as gasoline and electricity; (adj.) 1. made up
of two elements; 2. bred from two different species. A hybrid is also anything that is a mixture of two or more things:

Synonyms:
crossbreed, cross, mix, compound, mixture, amalgam, combination, mongrel

Tips: An example of a hybrid animal is the mule,
which descends from the combination of the horse and the donkey. A
hybrid can be any two things combined together to form a new thing.

Examples:
- The architecture is a hybrid of classical and modern styles.
- The garden strawberry is a large-fruited hybrid.
- The band Linkin Park called their first album “Hybrid Theory” because it was a mix of rap and rock.
- Many of the plants in her garden are hybrids, which makes them not only
uniquely beautiful but also heartier than average.
- The hybrid car runs on both gas and electricity.

- Both of the ideas were so good that we decided to create a hybrid
solution incorporating both ideas.

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GERMANE

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adjective relevant to a subject under consideration.
relevant and appropriate to a given matter

Synonyms:
relevant, fitting, pertinent, applicable

Antonyms:
irrelevant, unsuitable

Examples:
As long as Martin’s ideas were germane to the business at hand, he was allowed to expound on them.
Attorneys’ comments must remain germane to the case being tried.
- Bill, what are you talking about? Your questions are not even germane to this conversation.
- That particular research isnât germane to this proposal; weâll have to find data thatâs more applicable.
- Lisa’s remarks could not have been more germane to the discussion.

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MENDACIOUS

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1. likely to give false information or tell lies; 2. untrue, false, or intentionally misleading

Synonyms:
spurious, lying, dishonest, false, fallacious, duplicitous, deceitful, deceptive

Antonyms:
truthful, honest

Examples:
- The newspaper has the reputation of routinely publishing mendacious stories about celebrities.
- Some of Marc’s statements are misleading and some downright mendacious.
- Marc’s mendacity is astounding–he’ll lie about anything!
- Politicians are often accused of mendacity.
- Lisa’s mendacious story didn’t fool Frank.

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IMPIETY

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noun 1. lack of religious respect: a lack of due reverence for God or religion2. ungodly act: an act that shows a lack of religious respect or devotion3. lack of respect: a lack of respect or dutifulness

Synonyms:
irreverence, godlessness, sacrilege, blasphemy

Antonyms:
reverence, respect, devotion

Tips: Impiety is the negative of piety which comes
from Latin pietas, from pius, âdevout.â Add the negative im-, “not” to
piety, and impiety becomes disrespect of religion, or simply
disrespect. Sometimes impiety can refer to a lack of respect or
reverence for something other than religion. Impiety comes from the
same Latin origin as pious and impious. Impious is the adjective form
of impiety and is used to describe the actions of someone who is not
respectful of religion.

Examples:
- The church accused Galileo Galilei of impiety and had all his writings burned.
- Lisa’s impiety caused her to be ostracized by members of the church.
- My parents thought it was impious of me to wear ripped jeans and a dirty shirt to church.

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FLORID

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1. having an unhealthily glowing pink or red complexion; 2. elaborate and overly complicated in wording and general style

Examples:
- Lisa bought a florid, gilded mirror that took up most of the wall
- The prime minister gave a florid welcome speech to the visiting queen
- My fair skin became florid after a day of surfing in the ocean.
- My boss wants this presentation to get right to the point, so let’s remove all of the florid language and just say it like it is.

Synonyms:
ruddy, sanguine, reddish, rose, showy, flowery, flamboyant, ornate, embellished, overblown

Antonyms:
simple, uncomplicated

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EXOTIC

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1.strikingly different:strikingly unusual and often very colorful and exciting or suggesting distant countries and unfamiliar cultures. 2. from elsewhere:introduced from another place or region

Examples:
- Liz and I wanted to go somewhere exotic for my next vacation, so we chose Hawaii.
- Frank had a taste for exotic foods and he enjoyed eating at ethnic restaurants.
- Marc would like to have some exotic pets like snakes or tropical birds
- Lisa’s sister became a top model thanks to her exotic look.

Synonyms:
foreign, uncommon, unusual, tropical, curious, rare

Antonyms:
common, native

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IMPERTINENT

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1. brash, especially in showing disrespect to a superior or to someone
older; 2. not relevant, not pertinent to the discussion or issue at hand.

Synonyms: insolent, rude, impudent, impolite,
brash, brazen, audacious, irrelevant, extraneous, foreign, immaterial,
inapplicable, inapposite, irrelative

Antonyms:
pertinent, respectful, polite, relevant, applicable

Examples:
- Marc was impertinent when he asked if she was married.
- The impertinent little boy was bossing his babysitter around, telling
her where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do.
- Lisa even had the impertinence to lecture her boss on how to market the new product.

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HOMAGE

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something done to show respect and deference–a show of reverence

Synonyms:
honor, deference, reverence, adulation, loyalty, respect, admiration, allegiance, honor

Antonyms:
disrespect

Examples:
- In 2009 a lot of scientists will pay homage to Charles Darwin for his achievements in his field of research 200 years ago.
- Micheal paid homage to his ancestors by maintaining as many of his family’s traditions as he could.
- The actor was given a star on the Hollywood walk of fame in homage to
his celebrity and his many achievements.
- When Ronald Reagan died, thousands of people all over the world came to pay him homage.

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LUSTROUS

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shining or gleaming

Synonyms:
shining, glowing, gleaming, bright, glossy, luminous, radiant, burnished, brilliant

Antonyms:
dull

Examples:
- My girlfriend has a conditioner that gives her hair a lustrous glow.
- Phoebe gave Joey an endearing smile and tossed her long, lustrous hair.
- Using our brand of furniture polish will give your tables a lustrous glow.
- The supporting actress gave a truly lustrous performance and stole the show from the star.
- Each night, Lisa brushed her long hair until it was soft and lustrous.

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INSUBORDINATE

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(n.) a person who does not submit to authority or follow orders; (adj.) not submitting to authority, disobedient or rebellious:refusing to obey orders or submit to authority

Synonyms:
(adj.) defiant, disobedient, disorderly, rebellious, antagonistic, insurgent

Antonyms:
(adj.) subordinate, complaisant, harmonious, agreeable

Examples:
- Because the marine never followed his captain’s orders, he was considered an insubordinate.
- Joanne defended her insubordinate behavior by exposing corruption in high places
- When Lisa’s boss told him to file the report, she decided to be insubordinate and not follow the order.
- Military personnel who do not follow orders could be charged with insubordination.
- Mark had a life-long history of being insubordinate toward his
employers, and therefore, had a difficult time finding work when he was
fired.

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OSCILLATE

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(verb) 1. to move from side to side; 2. to be undecided and waver back and forth about a decision or opinion. to move repeatedly from side to side or up and down between two points, or to vary between two feelings or opinions

Synonyms:
swing, undulate, sway, change, pendulate, waver, fluctuate, teeter, vacillate, alternate

Antonyms:
remain, stay, settle

Examples:
- Thanks to the oscillating fan in the office, my and my colleagues stayed cool.
- Lisa’s emotions oscillated between love and hate.
- The needle on the dial of the old car oscillated between ‘full’ and ‘empty’.
- Marc won’t oscillate on his decision; he’s going to stand firm.

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MYOPIC

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(adjective)
1. being nearsighted–having myopia; 2. lacking foresight or understanding, unable to understand a situation or the way actions will affect it in the future.

MYOPIA = noun 1 short-sightedness. 2 lack of foresight or intellectual insight

Synonyms:
nearsighted, short-sighted, narrow-minded, closed-minded

Antonyms:
provident

Examples:
- While baseball managers sometimes see less successful teams as being
capable of developing future talent, fans tend to be more myopic,
wanting to win now.
- The myopic child was reluctant to participate in school because she could not clearly see the blackboard.
- The Prime-Minister had a very myopic vision for the country, which neglected to address
future problems like Social Security and Health care.
- Joanne’s myopic and unimaginative thinking would never produce any great ideas.
- The Dutch government myopic refusal to act now will undoubtedly cause problems in the future. (unable to understand a situation or the way actions will affect it in the future:)

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PARADOX

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(noun)
1. a situation or statement which seems difficult to
understand because it contains two opposite facts or characteristics;
2. a statement or idea that contradicts itself; 3. a person who has
qualities that are contradictory; 4. something that conflicts with
common opinion or belief

Synonyms:
contradiction, inconsistency, incongruity, reversal, puzzle, dilemma, oxymoron

Antonyms:
consistency, congruity, coherence, agreement

Examples:
- It seems a paradox that exercise promotes energy, while remaining inactive drains it.
- It is a paradox that technology increases communication, yet can tend
to make people feel isolated.
- It seems paradoxical to me, but if you drink a cup of hot tea it seems to cool you down.
- The old paradox of fighting a war for peace.
- It’s a curious paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.

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PALLOR

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noun an unhealthy pale appearance.
an unnatural color of pale, where the person looks sick or unhealthy (adjective = PALLID = very pale, in a way that looks unattractive and unhealthy)

Synonyms:
paleness

Antonyms:
tan, glow

Examples:
- Next to Marc’s tanned face, Joanne’s seemed pallid and unhealthy.
- Actually the deathly pallor of Joanne’s skin was frightening.
- We knew Joanne was sick as soon as we saw the pallor of her face.
- This is a pallid production of what should be a great ballet.

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LEGACY

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1. money or property left through a will; 2. something handed down from one person or generation to another. 1.bequest made in will:money or property that is left to somebody in a will. 2.something from past:something that is handed down or remains from a previous generation or time.

Synonyms:
grant, bequest, gift, bestowal, heritage, inheritance

Examples:
- The company founders left a legacy of competitive spirit that lives on in this corporation.
- Since my old neighbour had no immediate family, he left a large legacy to his favorite charity.
- The Greeks have a rich legacy of philosophical works.
- The war has left a legacy of hatred.

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IMPERVIOUS

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1. not affected by outside influence, remaining unaffected by other’s
opinions, arguments, suggestions, etc.; 2. unable to be penetrated or
not allowing passage into or through something; 3. unable to be injured
or damaged.
1. not responsive: remaining unmoved and unaffected by other people’s opinions, arguments, or suggestions

Synonyms:
impenetrable, impermeable, resistant, unaffected, invulnerable, unmoved

Antonyms:
responsive, vulnerable, penetrable

Examples:
- Frank seemed impervious to pain as he hiked down Tablemountain with a sprained ankle.
- Marc seemed to be impervious to the criticism made against him and
continued with his same modus operendi.
- My thermal blanket forms an impervious shield from the cold and enables me to sleep warmly through the night.
- The CEO was impervious to the growing resentment among the staff.
- Granite is almost impervious to acid rain damage.

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HIERARCHY

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1. an organization of a group of people or things, arranged
according to rank or importance; 2. the people who determine and run a
hierarchy ranking system, especially in the clergy

Synonyms:
ranking, order, level, regime, ministry, administration, office

Examples:
- Marc hopes to rise through the hierarchy quickly and become a manager at a young age.
- If you want to get a permit, you will have to appeal to the appropriate department in the hierarchy.
- My boss always said: if you put honesty first in your hierarchy of values, you can never go wrong in life.
- Some monkeys have a very complex social hierarchy.
- The Dutch politician rose quickly through the political hierarchy to become a minister.

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KINDLE

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1. to start a fire; 2. to excite or arouse

Synonyms:
ignite, flame, blaze, light, flare, awaken, arouse, excite

Antonyms:
deaden, inhibit, extinguish

Examples:
- Al Gore made a movie to kindle awareness about global warming.
- Two years after their divorce, Mark tried to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife.
- Traveling to the Galapagos islands as a teenager kindled my interest in become a marine biologist.
- Lisa’s imagination was kindled by the exciting stories her grandmother told her.

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FACETIOUS

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humerous in a sarcastic way. not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be amusing or to appear clever. not seriously meaning what you say, usually in an attempt to be humorous or to trick someone

Synonyms:
humorous, clever, sarcastic, ironic, witty, silly, jocose

Antonyms:
serious, matter-of-fact, lugubrious

Examples:
- Marc told me he didnât like the movie at all, so he must have been facetious when he recommended it to his friends.
- Lisa’s facetious remarks made it clear that she wasnât taking the meeting seriously.
- I make so much money that we never have to worry – I’m being facetious.
- Sometimes John makes jokes with such a serious expression on his face, I can’t tell whether he’s being serious or facetious.
- “We could spend all our income on health care,” she said facetiously.

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GARISH

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gaudy, flashy, showy, or brightly and vividly colored

Synonyms:
gaudy, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, showy, flashy, flamboyant, ornate

Antonyms:
elegant, tasteful, muted, simple, plain, modest

Examples:
- Looking back at old photos, the woman laughed at the garish pink and
orange gown she had worn to her high school prom.
- Frank arrived in a garish, electric blue, 24-person limousine.
- Little Richard is known for wearing garish capes and clothes that make
him stick out, even in a crowd of celebrities.
- I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I had a pair of garish, neon green jeans in high school.
- Jeremy wore a pair of garish Bermuda shorts.
- The coffee shop, painted a garish pink, is a landmark in the neighborhood.
- the wedding guestÊs thick makeup was garish and unnecessary.

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ODIOUS

Back 131

provoking hatred, contempt, or disgust

Synonyms:
hateful, contemptible, detestable, loathsome, vile, disgusting, repulsive, offensive

Antonyms:
lovable

Examples:
- The man committed an odious crime for which he should be severely punished.
- There are few things as odious to him as racism.
- The smell was odious, I couldn’t stand it.
- Marc made an odious and unforgivable insult

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PALATIAL

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luxurious and/or grand, like a palace. This adjective describes a house that is very large and splendid

Synonyms:
grand, deluxe, impressive, regal, rich, luxurious, plush, opulent, stately, imposing

Examples:
- The Karel V hotel is known for its palatial elegance.
- The palatial, 130-room mansion is the most expensive home in the city.
- I don’t need a palatial home in an exclusive neighborhood; a little
beach cottage is enough to make me happy.
- Martin recently bought a palatial new apartment in New York.

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EGOCENTRIC

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selfish, self-centered, and concerned only with personal needs rather than the needs of others

Synonyms:
selfish, self-centered, egotistic

Antonyms:
selfless

Examples:
- At SyncMyMail.com we work like a team: that kind of egocentric attitude will not be accepted!
- Lisa was vain and egocentric, always putting herself first.
- The tycoon billionaire is so egocentric, he places his name on everything.
- Babies are entirely egocentric, concerned only with when they’ll next be fed.

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MUNDANE

Back 134

1. ordinary or commonplace; 2. relating to or of the world

Synonyms:
ordinary, commonplace, banal, everyday, dull, earthly

Antonyms:
unusual, rare, extraordinary, heavenly

Examples:
- Marc’s life consisted only of the same, mundane routing, until Marc started taking sailing lessons. Marc is now planning to sail around the world.
- Despite the fact that his office cubicle was rather mundane, Paul
enjoyed having his own semi-private space in which to work.
- Many people were shocked to hear that the lead singer rock and roll band actually lived a very mundane lifestyle, off stage.
- Mary doesn’t like to waste her time worrying about mundane affairs like
politics; she prefer to study religion and more spiritual matters.
- Mundane matters such as paying bills and shopping for food do not interest her.

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POSTERITY

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Definition:
1. generations to come in the future; 2. all of a person’s descendants

Synonyms:
offspring, future generations, descendants, progeny

Antonyms:
ancestors

Examples:
- The President’s most fundamental duty is to create and preserve freedom
for us and our posterity.
- My grandma is documented all her philosophical ideas for posterity.
- These recollections of the war were recorded for posterity.
- The popular singer songwriter wrote his memoir for posterity.
- The museum guaranteed that every attempt is being made to ensure that Van Gogh’s paintings are preserved for posterity.

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REMISS

Back 136

careless or negligent about an expected duty, not doing a duty well enough:

Synonyms:
culpable, delinquent, heedless, negligent, slack, careless

Antonyms:
responsible, dutiful, diligent, attentive

Examples:
- Frank’s character is marked by carelessness. The other day Frank was remiss in not informing Marc about his Dad’s message.
- Lisa was remiss in the overuse of John’s credit card for recreational purposes.
- It was remiss of me not to pay my bills on time, and now I’m stuck with late payment fees.
- It was remiss of you to miss your deadline.
- You have been remiss in your duties.
- It was remiss of me to forget to give you the message.
- I would be remiss if I didn’t mention it.

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OFFICIOUS

Back 137

1.meddlesome and interfering:characteristic of somebody who is eager to give unwanted help or advice. 2.unofficial or informal, especially in political or diplomatic dealings. 1. interfering and being in the way;

Synonyms:
meddlesome, interfering, intrusive, self-important, unofficial, informal, casual

Antonyms:
shy, helpful

Examples:
- The ministers met in an officious setting, keeping things casual, since it was Sunday.
- Lisa is really trying to impress her boss. Unfortunately, her boss thought Lisa was more officious than efficient.
- Joanne said she wanted to help Marc prepare the meal, but she just made an officious nuisance of herself.

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PARADIGM

Back 138

1. a model or a representative example; 2. in science, a theoretical framework. 3. a very clear or typical example used as a model.

Synonyms:
model, example, pattern, archetype, prototype

Antonyms:
anomaly

Examples:
- Marc is a teacher and he kept the student’s essay as a paradigm for future students to emulate.
- The billionaire’s ruthless accumulation of wealth stands as a paradigm of greed in the business world .
- The move from Newtonian physics to Einstein’s relativism represented a
major paradigm shift in physics.
- In order to compete in today’s economy, many companies will require a paradigm shift in the way they do business.

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FORTHRIGHT

Back 139

Honest, direct, and not evasive in expressing one’s thoughts or feeling.

Synonyms:
direct, honest, sincere, straightforward, frank, candid

Antonyms:
indirect, dishonest, deceitful, insincere

Examples:
- When giving a performance review, Frank has to be forthright, so Frank often
provides his employees with constructive criticism.
- Marc’s forthright manner can be mistaken for rudeness.
- Lisa admires his forthright way of dealing with people.
- She’s pretty forthright about her opinions.

Front 140

ELICIT

Back 140

1. to draw out; 2. to call forth, to obtain or produce something, especially information or a reaction

Synonyms:
educe, evoke, draw out, extract, exact, obtain

Antonyms:
suppress, cover, hide

Examples:
- Marc’s accouncement that his lessons were canceled for the day elicited applause from nearly all the students.
- Jim was giving Liz the silent treatment, and she could not elicit a
response from him to any of her questions.
- She tried to elicit sympathy by breaking down in tears during the meeting.
- Geert Wilders attack on the rights of immigrants elicited cries of outrage from some left-wing politicians.

Front 141

LABYRINTH

Back 141

1. a complex network of pathways through which it is difficult to navigate; 2. something really intricate

Synonyms:
maze, coil, complexity, puzzle, problem, riddle, tangle

Antonyms:
simplicity, ease, clarity

Examples:
- With all the construction detours, she felt like she was driving through a labyrinth.
- The office cubicles were so close and dense they created a labyrinth,
which made it difficult for guests to find their way out of the
building.
- Navigating his crazy work and social schedule has become quite a labyrinth.
- The freeway system in Los Angeles can seem like a labyrinth to those who aren’t familiar with it.

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IMPERTURBABLE

Back 142

not easily perturbed or upset–calm and steady, always staying calm and controlled, even in difficult situations that would cause anxiety to others. Staying calm and controlled despite problems or difficulties.

Synonyms:
calm, cool, even, unflappable, impassive

Antonyms:
agitated, upset, perturbed

Examples:
- Marc is really a patient teacher, as he seemed imperturbable despite his student’s constant complaining.
- Lisa always seemed imperturbable, even in the most stressful situations.
- Firefighters always have to remain imperturbable, even in the face of danger.
- He was imperturbable in a crisis.

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NUANCE

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1. a subtle difference, distinction or variation in something; 2. a subtle quality

Synonyms:
subtlety, suggestion, hint, trace, refinement

Examples:
- Lisa is allergic to strawberries, and even a nuance of strawberry flavor will cause her to have a reaction.
- If you don’t understand the nuances of the author’s language, you may not fully appreciate his book.
- The actress is so highly acclaimed because she is able to convey the slightest nuance of emotion with only her eyes.
- The painter has managed to capture every nuance of the woman’s expression.
- Linguists explore the nuances of language.

Front 144

MALADROIT

Back 144

inefficient or ineffective; clumsy.1. awkward or clumsy–not adroit or adept; 2. lacking tact and being insensitive in speech or behavior. Awkward in movement or unskilled in behaviour or action:

Synonyms:
inept, clumsy, awkward, inelegant, graceless, tactless

Antonyms:
adroit, adept, skillful, graceful

Examples:
- Phil’s maladroit behavior at the office party was just one of many reasons
why he was passed over for the promotion.
- Being a newcomer to soccer, Marc proved rather maladroit and missed every ball.
- Phil is not used to going to parties, so he is often maladroit in social situations.
- Bob’s maladroit dancing caused him to step on his partner’s feet several times.

Front 145

INEPT

Back 145

1. characterized by a lack of perceptiveness, judgment, or finesse; 2. generally incompetent; 3. unsuitable or out of place

Synonyms:
incompetent, foolish, ineffective, clumsy, awkward, unfit, inappropriate

Antonyms:
competent, adroit, effective, graceful, adept

Examples:
- Marc wondered why Phil was still employed at Deloitte, since he was totally
inept at record-keeping and several other key job duties.
- Due to Phil’s inept handling of the account, the client decided to look for a new accountant.
- When it comes to rugby, I have to admit that I’m pretty much inept.
- Marc was socially inept and uncomfortable in the presence of women.

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VIRTUOSO

Back 146

(noun) a person who is very skilled at something, especially within the arts; (adjective) relating to or said of a virtuoso

Synonyms:
(noun) genius, maestro, master, prodigy, (adjectvice) remarkable, outstanding, superior

Antonyms:
(noun) amateur, second-stringer, (adjective) average, common.

Examples:
- The world’s greatest pianist treated us to a virtuoso display of his abundant talent.
- It was a virtuoso ballet performance, for which the ballerina received a standing ovation.
- Because he practiced the magic trick for months, Phil had the technique of a virtuoso.
- The pianist Gustavo Romero is considered a virtuoso, and his talent is acclaimed throughout the world.

Front 147

OSSIFY

Back 147

1. to be made into bone; 2. to become rigid and inflexible.

Synonyms:
harden, congeal, fossilize, stiffen, solidify, petrify

Antonyms:
soften, liquefy

Examples:
- Marc a creature-of-habit and he will never deviate from his ossified routine.
- Joanne’s dad died last week, when she the bad news, her face ossified and became emotionless.
- To create a perfect meringue, one needs to beat the egg whites until they ossify.

Front 148

PROCURE

Back 148

1. to obtain something by special effort; 2. to bring about. to obtain something, especially after an effort

Synonyms:
acquire, buy, find, obtain, gather, accumulate, persuade, bring about, cause, effect

Antonyms:
lose, scatter, disperse

Examples:
- Fans were lined up for miles to procure an autograph from Bono.
- Lisa wanted to invite Bono to the charity event and Lisa somehow managed to procure his telephone number.
- When Frank couldn’t find a the Mac he wanted in the Apple store, he procured the new MacBookPro directly from the distributors.
- Joannes tries to procure a friendly environment in her workplace by
always leaving her office door open.

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STATIC

Back 149

(adj.) 1. staying in one place; 2. not changing or moving; 3. referring
to static electricity, which is an excessive amount of positive and
negative charges on the surface of an object; (n.) 1. crackling noise
like that of a radio; 2. criticism or interference

Synonyms:
(adj.) changeless, motionless, immobile, stuck, unmoving, charged, (n.) noise, interference, criticism

Antonyms:
moving, changing

Examples:
- Joanne’s life has been so static the last couple of years, she really seems to be stuck in a rut.
- Because Lisa’s car’s antenna was broken, she could only receive static on her radio.
- The executive knew the company couldn’t afford to remain static.
- Cathy received a lot of static for the column she wrote for the magazine, but she stuck to her view and refused to write a retraction.

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RENOVATE

Back 150

1. to restore to a good condition and change for the better,
usually a building, through construction; 2. to give new life to
something

Synonyms:
restore, repair, overhaul, recondion, refit, renew, remodel, rejuvenate, revive

Antonyms:
age, destroy

Examples:
- Because of the financial crisis, Frank decided to sell his house so he renovated the outside of the house to make it more appealing to potential buyers.
- The building’s renovations are taking much longer than anticipated, but
it will be worth the effort in the long run.
- It took several years to renovate the old castle to its former beauty.
- Marc wanted to go to the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam but the museum was closed for renovation.

Front 151

TRAVESTY

Back 151

(noun) a false or exaggerated representation of something; 2. something that imitates something else, usually in a grotesque or distorted manner, and meant as a parody. something which fails to represent the values and qualities that it is intended to represent, in a way that is shocking or offensive:

Synonyms: spoof, distortion, farce, mockery, parody, sham, ridicule, lampoon

Antonyms: copy, accuracy

Examples:
- It would be a travesty of justice to put a man in jail for a crime he did not commit.
- It is a travesty when successful entrepreneurs are also on welfare.
- Lisa’s rendition of “Annie” was a travesty and didn’t do the play justice.
- Frank’s presentation was a travesty, and nobody took him seriously.
- The justice process was rigged from the start and the police chief called the judge’s ruling a travesty of justice.

Front 152

HOARD

Back 152

(v.) to gather and store a large quantity of something; to collect large amounts of something and keep it in a safe, often secret, place. to collect (a large supply of something), more than you need now, often because you think you will not be able to get it later
(n.) a store of something hidden for future use

Synonyms: (v.) stash, store, stockpile, amass, accumulate, (n.) stash, cache, stockpile

Antonyms: use, throw out

Examples:
- We had to hoard canned food and water in preparation of a natural disaster.
- Marc uttered the trite remark: you shouldn’t hoard your money, because you can’t take it to the grave with you.
- Lisa has a hoard of beautiful jewelry that she never even wears.
- We found a huge hoard of tinned food in the basement.
- Joanne was upset when Marc put her entire hoard of empty yogurt containers in the recycling bin

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ELLIPSIS

Back 153

(noun) 1. the leaving out of words in a sentence, especially when their presence or meaning is easily implied; 2. marks, usually three dots (â) that indicate the intentional omission of words from a sentence or text

Synonyms: omission

Antonyms: addition

Examples:
- Marc warned his students against using too many ellipses in their papers because it might seem like they were manipulating their sources rather than using them correctly.
- There is an ellipsis in the sentence “I have four cats and my best friends has two,” because “cats” is left off after the word “two.”
- The accidental ellipsis in Lisa’s project report caused some confusion for the board of directors.

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FASTIDIOUS

Back 154

(adjective) 1. possessing or displaying meticulous attention to detail, needing everything to be correct and perfect; giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to be correct and perfect:
2. having a strong dislike of anything dirty or unpleasant. extremely sensitive or delicate in matters of food, manners, dress, or personal hygiene, and easily disgusted by lack on cleanliness.
3. hard to please

Synonyms: particular, meticulous, persnickety, dainty, finicky, exacting, squeamish, precious, fussy

Antonyms: indifferent, uncouth, uncritical, undemanding, accepting, laid back

Examples:
- Lisa’s fastidious attention to detail made her an excellent writer.
- Marc and Frank are too fastidious to eat in a fast-food restaurant.
- Phil is very fastidious about how a suitcase should be packed.
- Phil is lucky because he has a fastidious girlfriend who organizes his closet and keeps the house sparkling clean.

Front 155

PRECEDENT

Back 155

(noun) 1. an action or decision from the past, that can be used as an example for future, similar circumstances; 2. an established custom or practice; 3. a law established by following previous legal decisions; (adjective) preceding in time, order, or significance

Synonyms: (n.) example, instance, model, pattern, paradigm, precursor, prototype, guideline; (adj.) prior, preceding, foregoing

Antonyms: (adj.) following, descendent

Examples:
- The lawyer cited several precedents when making his case.
- In an unprecedented move, the judge declared the man insane.
- Would it be breaking with precedent for the bride to make a speech?
- Some politicians fear that agreeing to the concession would set a dangerous precedent
- With the current credit crisis we need to come up with new untested solutions, the past is not much of a precedent.

Front 156

REPUDIATE

Back 156

(verb) 1. to refuse to recognize the truth or validity of something; 2. to reject something as untrue or unjust; 3. to formally disapprove of something; 4. to formally separate yourself from something or someone; 5. to refuse to pay a debt

Synonyms: reject, abjure, deny, renounce, abandon, disavow, divorce, forsake, negate, disclaim, disdain, abdicate, disregard

Antonyms: recognize, acknowledge, adopt, own, embrace, accept

Examples:
- Lisa repudiated her former opinion when she realized she was misled.
- Joanne repudiated the accusations against her and filed a counter suit in response to the charges.
- Frank decided to repudiate the debt because he was financially irresponsible and wasn’t concerned with his credit standing.
- Marc vigorously repudiated the charge that he had lied on his rÃsumÃ

Front 157

MAUDLIN

Back 157

overly emotional, sentimental, and often tearful. feeling sad and having a lot of pity for yourself, especially after you have drunk a lot of alcohol

Synonyms: sentimental, sappy, tearful, overemotional, gushing

Antonyms: serious, matter-of-fact

Examples:
- Cathy was embarrassed by the maudlin show of affection drunk Phil put on.
- Some people are angry drunks, while others become sappy and maudlin.
- The teenager’s maudlin expressions of sorrow over the breakup with her first boyfriend were highly dramatic.
- That movie was so maudlin that I would be rich if I had a dollar for every time the characters cried.

Front 158

QUARANTINE

Back 158

(noun) isolation, especially in order to prevent an illness or disease from spreading; (verb) to isolate in order to prevent an illness or disease from spreading

Synonyms: (n.) detention, confinement, incarceration, isolation, (v.) isolate, confine, seclude

Antonyms: (n.) freedom, liberation, release

Examples:
- After the disease was discovered, the sick cows were quarantined for three month.
- When Marc returned from Africa he was very ill. As a precautionary measure, he was put on a ten-day quarantine.
- As it turned out Marc was quarantined with mumps, which is highly contagious.

Front 159

EMANATE

Back 159

(verb) 1. to come from or out of; 2. to send out or give out something, to express a quality or feeling through the way that you look and behave. emanate from/through sth/sb phrasal verb FORMAL
to come out of or be produced by something or someone:

Synonyms: emit, radiate, exude, emerge, flow, issue

Antonyms: withhold

Examples:
- The smell of Lisa’s perfume emanates from her bedroom even when she isn’t home.
- Most of the voters voted for the young leader because charisma just emanated from him.
- The sun’s rays emanate heat and energy for life.
- Love and happiness emanate from the newlywed couple.
- Angry voices emanated from the next room.
- Her face emanated sadness.

Front 160

FLAMBOYANT

Back 160

(adjective) 1. obviously elaborate and/or brightly colored, with the intention to be noticed; very confident in behaviour, or intended to be noticed, especially by being brightly coloured:
2. showy in appearance

Synonyms: showy, dashing, theatrical, resplendent, fancy, baroque, ornate, elaborate, brightly-colored

Antonyms: dull, humble

Examples:
- The flamboyant scientist felt dreadfully bored unless he was out impressing or shocking other famous people.
- I have never been in Las Vegas, but Marc told me that the shows there are famous for their flamboyant costumes.
- Elton John and Liberachi were both known for wearing flamboyant costumes while performing.
- Frank’s diamond earrings, big, gold necklace chain and his Rolex watch seemed an overkill and too flamboyant.
- Her flamboyance annoys some people but delights others.
- The writer’s flamboyant lifestyle was well known.
- His clothes were rather flamboyant for such a serious occasion.
- Las Vegas dancers wearing flamboyant headdresses

Front 161

RABBLE

Back 161

(noun) 1. a mob of people; a large noisy uncontrolled group of people: 2. lowest class of people. 3 Rabble-Rouser = a person who makes speeches that make people excited or angry, especially in a way that causes them to act as the person wants them to:

Synonyms: mob, crowd, cluster, masses, riffraff, clan

Antonyms: royalty, high-society

Examples:
- Paul thought of himself as a peacemaker, but the police labeled him a rabble-rouser.
- The minister was threatened by an angry, disorderly rabble formed outside the government building.
- The young prince was told he could not wear sneakers because they were strictly for the rabble.
- Johnson was unpopular with the management because he was a well-known rabble-rouser.
- Her speech stirred the emotions of the rabble.

Front 162

GENTEEL

Back 162

1. refined and polite in manner and of higher class; polite and correct in manner, or trying to be polite and correct in order to appear to be of a high social class.

Synonyms: cultivated, cultured, elegant, polished, refined, urbane, well-bred, pretentious, affected, highfalutin

Antonyms: unrefined, uncultured, unsophisticated, impolite, natural, unpretentious

Examples:
- Marc, Lisa, Frank and Phil, they all went to a fancy restaurant. Everybody except Marc had genteel table manners.
- Phil is a genteel host who knows how to throw an elegant party.
- The CEO of the company had a genteel demeanor that exuded class and sophistication.
- But Lisa was impressed with Marc’s genteel gesture of holding the door for the group of ladies leaving the restaurant

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HARMONIOUS

Back 163

(adjective)
1. musically pleasing; 2. blending or combining well; 3. sharing mutual opinions, beliefs, actions, or friendship

Synonyms: harmonic, musical, consonant, concordant, congruous, agreeable, compatible

Antonyms: discordant, dissonant, disagreeable, incompatible

Examples:
- Marc love to go to the concert hall. He finds the harmonious sounds of the symphony very relaxing.
- The two friends maintained a harmonious relationship, with very little discord over the years.
- We have a wonderful and harmonious relationship with our neighbors–everyone works together to keep an eye on the kids and keep the neighborhood safe.
- John Lennon imagined a world where we all live in perfect harmony.
- We need to harmonize the different approaches into a unified plan.

Front 164

IMPLACABLE

Back 164

impossible to comfort, calm, or satisfy/ unable to be changed, satisfied, or stopped . describes (someone who has) strong opinions or feelings which are impossible to change:

Synonyms: relentless, ruthless, unyielding, intractable, inexorable, unappeasable

Antonyms: placable, forgiving, flexible, movable

Examples:
- Unfortunately I could not reach a compromise with the implacable client.
- The executives in charge of the layoffs were implacable.
- It was an implacable ice storm, and I thought it would never end.
- The child was implacable and cried for hours, despite the babysitter’s best efforts to calm her.
- an implacable judge who always hands down the maximum sentence allowed by law.
- an implacable man who was determined to avenge the murder of his brother

Front 165

INANE

Back 165

1. not important or relevant–silly; 2. insubstantial or empty

Synonyms: stupid, empty, insubstantial, silly, mindless, illogical, ridiculous, foolish, pointless

Antonyms: logical, reasonable, important

Examples:
- Joanne loves to watch those inane reality shows every night.
- At the party, I somehow got trapped in an inane conversation about the weather.
- His speech was full of inanities that were meant to be funny.
- I was amazed at the inanity of some of her comments.
- Marc loved to pull inane pranks on his friends.
- Frank’s inane ideas had nothing to do with the meeting, and he wasted everyoneâs time with his foolishness.

Front 166

VIVID

Back 166

(adjective) 1. bright or intense in color; brightly colored or (of descriptions or memories) producing clear, powerful, and detailed images in the mind 2. very clear and fresh when perceived by the eye or the mind; 3. capable of evoking strong and distinct images; 4. lively and animated

Synonyms: bright, intense, colorful, dazzling, rich, clear, graphic, realistic, fresh, lively, spirited, animated

Antonyms: dull, muddy, weak

Examples:
- Marc has no memory of most of his childhood, but Lisa still has vivid memories of her childhood.
- Lisa recounted the events of her childhood with vivid detail.
- The colors of Joanne’s dress were quite vivid against her pale skin.
- Marc’s vivid imagination will serve him well in a creative field.

Front 167

LOLL

Back 167

(verb) 1. to recline in a relaxed and lazy position; 2. to hang loosely. to lie, sit or hang down in a relaxed informal or uncontrolled way

Synonyms: lounge, sprawl, loaf, loiter, languish, recline, droop, hang

Antonyms: stand, move

Examples:
- We decided to just loll about rather than doing any sort of formal activity.
- To my best friend, vacations are meant for lolling about the pool and relaxing.
- When my dog stopped playing ball and laid down in the shade with his tongue lolling out, I knew it was time to head home.
- Marc was tired of the week and spent Sunday afternoon lolling and reading in his hammock.

Front 168

INEFFABLE

Back 168

(adjective) not able to be described in words. causing so much emotion, especially pleasure, that it cannot be describe

Synonyms: indescribable, inexpressible, unspeakable, incredible, unutterable, sacred

Antonyms: describable, expressible

Examples:
- The performance was so moving, it could only be described as ineffable.
- After her team won the championship, she experienced ineffable happiness.
- David Attenborough’s Planet Earth shows the ineffable beauty of our planet.
- In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh was so sacred his name was ineffable.
- Lisa couldn’t really describe to Marc how she feel about her mistake; her emotions were ineffable.

Front 169

RESOURCEFUL

Back 169

(adjective) 1. able to deal effectively with different situations; 2. having the necessary resources to adapt to different situations and effectively solve problems

Synonyms: adroit, imaginative, inventive, clever, enterprising, skilled

Antonyms: dim-witted, unimaginative

Examples:
- The company hired Phil because he’s very resourceful and adept at problem solving.
- Phil’s boss was very impressed by the way he resourcefully handled a difficult situation and made it work to company’s advantage.
- Children can be very resourceful at creating new games when left to their own imagination.

Front 170

POTABLE

Back 170

(adjective) suitable for drinking; (noun) a liquid, especially alcohol, that is suitable for drinking

Synonyms: (adj.) drinkable, useable, pure, fresh, uncontaminated, (n.) liquid, beverage, liquor, potion, brew

Antonyms: (adj.) impotable, polluted, unclean

Examples:
- After the earthquake, the tap water was not potable.
- There were too many potables to choose from at the bar, and she couldn’t make a choice.
- The wine was too old to be potable anymore.
- The mountaineer survived 6 days on a mountain and three daysr without any potable water.
- around here, the only potable water comes from wells

Front 171

SPURIOUS

Back 171

(adjective) 1. not valid or genuine; 2. different than what is claimed and intended to deceive, based on false reasoning or information that is not true, and therefore not to be trusted

Synonyms: counterfeit, fake, phony, meretricious, substitute, artificial, imitation, illegitimate, unauthentic, deceptive, mendacious

Antonyms: genuine, authentic, true

Examples:
- Phil made false and spurious accusations against Paul in order to damage his reputation.
- Lisa thought she had discovered an authentic Rembrandt, but it turned out to be a spurious painting.
- Some of the arguments against the case of global warming are questionable and others downright spurious.

Front 172

REPULSE

Back 172

(verb) 1. to drive back or repel; 2. to cause aversion or disgust; 3. to reject an approach

Synonyms: repel, reject, rebuff, shun, stop, refuse, disgust

Antonyms: captivate, welcome

Examples:
- Now that Lisa is single again, she started dating. But on her last date she was repulsed by her date’s rude and disgusting behavior.
- Since Joanne is a vegetarian, she feels repulsion when she sees other people eating meat.
- The latest movie contains a repulsive scenes

Front 173

EXPEDITE

Back 173

(verb) 1. to hasten the action or speed up the progress of something; to cause (something) to be done or progress more quickly. 2. to deal with something quickly and efficiently

Synonyms: hasten, accelerate, assist, facilitate, advance

Antonyms: slow, stifle

Examples:
- I am really getting desperate – come on guys – is there any way that we can expedite this process so we can meet our deadline?
- Marc, you are going to expedite this paperwork in order to move things along more quickly.
- Ok, Martin please expedite this shipment so the customer can receive it by tomorrow morning.
- There was no way to expedite the long wait at the post office.

Front 174

HAPLESS

Back 174

(adjective) without luck, unfortunate, having, prone to, or marked by bad luck

Synonyms: unlucky, unfortunate

Antonyms: lucky, fortunate


Examples:
- The hapless wanderer could find no resting place and suffered another night in the bitter cold.
- The hapless refugees were driven from their homes, families, and way of life.
- Angela’s parents were the hapless victims of a fire, just after our insurance policy expired.
- Because of the financial crisis, the hapless employees lost their pension and in some cases, their entire retirement.
- Many children are hapless victims of this war.

Front 175

PREEN

Back 175

(verb) 1 (of a bird) tidy and clean its feathers with its beak. 2 devote effort to making oneself look attractive. 3 (preen oneself) congratulate or pride oneself. 1. to dress or adorn oneself with great care; 2. what birds do when
they clean their feathers with their beaks; 3. what cats do when they
groom themselves; 4. to feel and/or act very self-satisfied and
self-congratulatory. to feel very proud or satisfied with yourself because of an action or quality:

Synonyms:
groom, primp, dress, adorn, spruce, gloat, self-congratulating

Examples:
- My boss thinks that people who preen themselves on a job well done are annoyingly self-satisfied and smug.
- My cat sat on the windowsill preening herself for hours.
- Bill sometimes preens himself on his ability to effectively deal with clients and co-workers.
- The girls preened all day in preparation for prom night.
- The government is publicly preening itself on the latest trade figures.

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SACCHARINE

Back 176

(adjective) 1 excessively sweet or sentimental. 2 too pleasant or charming, with too much feeling to be believed

Synonyms:
ingratiating, sweet, sugary, syrupy, sugar-coated, oversentimental, cloying

Antonyms:
sour, bitter

Examples:
- The actresses’ speech at the Oscars was so saccharine, I could hardly stomach it.
- My girlfriend loved the movie but I thought it was ruined by its saccharine-sweet ending.
- Frank was always very nice, but his sweetness sometimes bordered on saccharine.
- The movie was funny, but it had a saccharine ending in which everyone lives happily ever after

Front 177

REDOLENT

Back 177

1. exuding a fragrance with qualities that remind you of something else; 2. suggesting or reminiscent of another time or place.
1. suggesting: suggestive or reminiscent of something
2. having particular smell: with a particular scent or odor
3. aromatic: with a strong pleasant aroma

Synonyms:
aromatic, odorous, fragrant, smelling, evocative, reminiscent, mindful

Examples:
- Angela’s perfume is redolent of our time together in Paris.
- The desert air is much more redolent after a rain.
- The studio of the yoga teacher was redolent with the smell of incense.

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PROSTRATE

Back 178

(adj.) 1. lying down, often on one’s face, either out of respect and
submissiveness; 2. lying down in a horizontal position due to illness
or lack of energy; 3. physically exhausted or emotionally overwhelmed;
(v.) 1. to lie down or throw oneself on the ground, especially in a
worshipful manner; 2. to exhaust, either physically or emotionally

Synonyms:
(adj.) prone, flat, reclining, exhausted, spent, overwhelmed, (v.) grovel, bow, lay, exhaust, overcome

Antonyms:
(adj.) upright, standing

Examples:
- After a long day of yard work, I was prostrate on the couch for several hours.
- My sick grandma was prostrate in her hospital bed.
- When the emperor walked in, all of his servants fell down to the ground prostrate.
- She lay there prostrate and lifeless.

Front 179

PERIPHERAL

Back 179

1. on the outer edges of something; 2. related to an issue, but not of major importance to it

Synonyms:
outer, marginal, borderline, exterior, side, irrelevant, minor, insignificant

Antonyms:
inner, central, significant

Examples:
- Bill has a tunnel vision and he can only see clearly when looking straight
ahead; he has lost his peripheral vision.
- Whenever John is watching his favorite TV show Lost, everything else is of peripheral interest.
- He’s planning on building a guest house on the periphery of his property.
- Let’s stop talking about peripheral subjects and let’s focus on the key issues instead.

Front 180

NONDESCRIPT

Back 180

(adjective) lacking distinctive or interesting characteristics. dull, uninteresting, or without any distinguishing characteristics

Synonyms:
dull, drab, unremarkable, indistinguishable, uninteresting, common, ordinary, vague

Antonyms:
vivid, interesting, unique

Examples:
- It was my first job interview – so I chose to wear a fairly nondescript, black suit.

- The newspaper article was largely nondescript and gave only perfunctory information.
- Nobody remembered my friend John, I think it’s because he is such an ordinary, nondescript guy.

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INELUCTABLE

Back 181

describes something impossible to avoid or escape

Synonyms:
inescapable, unavoidable, inevitable, certain, destined, imminent

Antonyms:
avoidable, escapable, uncertain

Examples:
- Although Phoebe was sad about the break-up, she knew the ineluctable passage of time would heal her pain.
- The phrase “what goes up must come down” describes the ineluctable law of gravity.
- One often hears that the only things in life that are ineluctable are death and taxes.

Front 182

GALVANIZE

Back 182

(verb)
1. to stimulate a person or group into action; 2. to stimulate a part of the body with an electric shock; 3. to coat iron or steel with zinc for protection from rust and corrosion

Synonyms:
rouse, stimulate, provoke, excite, coat, protect, charge

Antonyms:
quiet, still

Examples:
- The company SyncMyMail.com was galvanized to action when they found out their biggest competitor was also making a bid for the job.
- The politician hoped his speech would galvanize those who were still undecided to vote for him.
- CPR is more effective when an AED machine is available to galvanize the heart.
- The prospect of guests always galvanizes Angela to start cleaning the house.

Front 183

EXTROVERT

Back 183

a gregarious and uninhibited person who thrives and gets their energy from socializing

Synonyms:
character, sociable person

Antonyms:
introvert, loner

Examples:
- Cheerleading was the perfect outlet for Angela’s extroverted nature.
- If you want to be in sales, you have to be an extrovert and like being around people.
- His brother is shy and introverted, while he is much more of a social extrovert.

Front 184

FIDELITY

Back 184

(noun) 1. faithfulness to vow, duties, obligations, or observances; 2.
truthfulness and accuracy in reporting details or facts; 3. degree to
which electronic engineering accurately reproduces the sound or image
of its input signal

Synonyms: allegiance, faithfulness, loyalty,
devotedness, devotion, staunchness, adherence, constancy,

Antonyms:
infidelity, disloyalty, inaccuracy

Examples:
- In some cases, analog recordings are of higher fidelity than digital.
- It was Marc’s infidelity that ultimately ended their marriage.
- One of the things I admired most about Frank was his adoration and fidelity toward his wife.

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OASIS

Back 185

(noun)
1. a fertile spot in a desert or barren place; 2. a place of shelter or sanctuary

Synonyms:
refuge, sanctuary, haven

Antonyms:
prison

Examples:
- My weekly yoga class is an oasis away from my daily stress.
- Many weary travelers have stopped by the desert oasis to rest and have a drink of water.
- I don’t like to have parties because my home is my oasis away from the chaos of the world.

Front 186

IMPAIR

Back 186

to worsen something or to make it less effective

Synonyms:
weaken, damage, injure, deteriorate, reduce, lessen, diminish

Antonyms:
improve

Examples:
- Everyone knows that too much alcohol can impair a person’s driving ability.
- My uncle is hearing-impaired, but he is excellent at reading lips.
- Without glasses, his vision is seriously impaired.
- A strained wrist will dramatically impair your ability to play tennis.

Front 187

HARBOR

Back 187

(n.) 1. a safe, protected area; 2. a port for ships; (v.) 1. to
provide shelter to a person or to a ship; 2. to hold in or think
privately about

Synonyms:
(n.) port, refuge, shelter, sanctuary, haven, anchorage, marina, (v.) shelter, hold, protect

Antonyms:
expose

Examples:
- The ships in the harbor were not affected by the stormy waves further out to sea.
- I hope Paul harbors no anger against me for my long delay in responding to his e-mail.
- I could tell that all of the ladies harbored a little animosity toward the prettiest girl at the party.

Front 188

FOIL

Back 188

(verb) (v.) 1. to hinder someone’s efforts or thwart a plan; 2. to enhance
something by using contrast;
(n.) 1. something that serves as a useful contrast to something else;
2. thin, flexible metal, often aluminum

Synonyms:
(v.) thwart, prevent, hinder, baffle, prohibit, frustrate, counter, balk, (n.) contrast, antithesis, background

Antonyms:
(v.) help, aid, expedite

Examples:
Lisa will not let negative people foil her plans for happiness.
Arnold became a hero the day he foiled the heist.
Marc’s plan to disrupt our slumber party was foiled when Joanne caught him with his squirt gun.

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PROBITY

Back 189

(noun) unquestionable integrity and honesty

Synonyms:
integrity, honor, honesty, goodness, morality, virtue, trustworthiness

Antonyms:
immorality, dishonesty

Examples:
- The president’s probity came into question during the scandal.
- Nuns live lives of honesty and moral probity.
- The company believed its management should be held to the highest standards of probity.
- I would never doubt Angela’s probity; any secret you tell her is safe.

Front 190

PATHOLOGY

Back 190

(noun) 1. the scientific study of diseases; 2. a deviation from a healthy and normal condition

Synonyms:
study of disease

Examples:
- Ask Angela about the disease that’s killing your roses; she specialized in plant pathology in college.
- Don’t believe him; he’s a pathological liar.
- I decided to specialize in pathology during my medical studies because I’m fascinated with finding cures for disease.

Front 191

RIVETING

Back 191

arousing and holding the attention of

Synonyms:
fascinating, enthralling, spellbinding, captivating

Antonyms:
boring, dull, uninteresting, common

Examples:
- I found the movie riveting and was on the edge of my seat the whole time.
- I was riveted to the television as news of the events unfolded.
- Marc’s lectures were less than riveting, and several students decided to drop the class.
- The maffia trial has riveted the nation.

Front 192

PURVEY

Back 192

(verb) 1. to provide goods and services, especially as a business; 2. to circulate gossip or information

Synonyms:
supply, provide, furnish, equip, stock, store, transfer, inform, circulate

Antonyms:
hinder, impede, limit

Examples:
- The Italian government purveyed blankets and water to the earthquake victims.
- Lisa considered herself a purveyor of news and opinion.
- This company has purveyed clothing to the armed forces for generations.
- The president’s speech was intended to purvey a message of optimism.

Front 193

TEMPERATE

Back 193

moderate or mild, not extreme, especially said of climate and behavior

Synonyms:
calm, agreeable, constant, mild, moderate, even-tempered, reasonable, steady, stable, dispassionate

Antonyms:
extreme, immoderate, severe, unrestrained, excessive

Examples:
- I moved from the Netherlands to Cape Town because of its temperate climate.
- Lisa describes herself as having a temperate personality, but most of
her friends think she is a little moody.
- It is not a bad idea to exercise temperance when drinking alcohol.
- Her response to the news was temperate, though I expected her to be more excited.

Front 194

MORATORIUM

Back 194

(noun) suspension of activity for an agreed amount of time.

Synonyms:
suspension, freeze, halt, pause, stop, standstill

Antonyms:
beginning, commencement, continuation

Examples:
- The Financial Director issued a spending moratorium until the company received a second round of funding.
- It’s been four years now since John self-imposed a moratorium on flying, and he still refuses to step foot in a plane.
- I am all in favor for a five-year worldwide moratorium on nuclear weapons testing.
- Norway is proposing a five-year moratorium on whale-hunting.

Front 195

TREPIDATION

Back 195

a feeling of fear or dread about the future

Synonyms:
alarm, fear, agitation, perturbation, uneasiness, consternation, dread

Antonyms:
ease, calm

Examples:
- Francis’s trepidation about having to deliver a speech to the company board
was evident on her face as a small bead of sweat ran down her forehead.

- Bill’s trepidation about being fired seemed unwarranted, since he was a top performer for the company.
- It was John’s trepidation about flying that caused him to cancel her European vacation.
- I have some trepidation about starting a new job, but once I get past my fear, I’m sure everything will be fine.

Front 196

WAX

Back 196

1. to grow larger or more intense; 2. to take on a state or quality

Synonyms:
grow, increase, expand, broaden, intensify, become

Antonyms:
wane

Examples:
- I sat on the shore and watched the waves wax and wane.
- My friend started to wax philosophical after a couple glasses of wine.
- As the moon waxes toward its full state, it becomes rounder each day.
- Milton Friedman waxed eloquent on the subject of free enterprise.
- I am always captivated to see Carl Sagan waxed eloquent about the Cosmos. The Cosmos is all that has ever been, all that is, and all that ever will be.

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PROVISIONAL

Back 197

1. under terms that have not been finalized; 2. for the time-being only

Synonyms:
conditional, temporary, transitional

Antonyms:
permanent, conclusive, concrete

Examples:
- After days of negotiations, the union finally reached a provisional agreement with management.
- Even though it was a provisional contract, Lisa was still happy to be hired by the school district.
- When John arrived for the conference he was provided with a provisional meeting agenda.
- Frank was provisionally accepted at Stanford.

Front 198

HAVEN

Back 198

(noun) . safe place, refuge or shelter; 2. an ideal spot for something.

Synonyms:
refuge, shelter, sanctuary, haven, anchorage, port, marina

Examples:
- The new, beach-front hotel was a perfect haven for tourists.
- We hoped desperately to find a cave, as a haven from the blizzard
- South Africa was not a safe havens for refugees from Zimbabwe.
- As long as the UN soldiers were present, the city was regarded as a safe haven for the refugees.

Front 199

MOLLYCODDLE

Back 199

(verb, noun)
(v.) to treat with extra care or indulgence; (n.) someone spoiled and overprotected, especially a boy, INFORMAL MAINLY DISAPPROVING to give someone too much care or protection. a person without strength of character

Synonyms:
(v.) spoil, pamper, coddle, baby, overprotect

Examples:
- If you mollycoddle your children they won’t grow up to be responsible, self-sufficient adults.
- Lisa was so mollycoddled as a child, she grew up to be a selfish adult.
- Joanne broke up with Phil because he was too much of a mollycoddle and
needed to talk to his mother every day.
- I can work independently, and I don’t need to be mollycoddled.

Front 200

SLUGGARD

Back 200

(noun)
a slothful, lazy person, somebody who avoids work or physical exertion
(archaic)

Synonyms:
slouch, loafer, laggard

Antonyms:
go-getter, dynamo

Examples:
- I was a sluggard all day Sunday and did nothing but lay around watching TV.
- Frank’s a sluggard who can’t hold down a steady job because he’s always missing work.
- On the weekends, Marc prefers to be a sluggard, since he works so hard during the week.
- John was fired because he was a sluggard who took too long to finish his tasks.

Front 201

PLUMB

Back 201

(verb, adjective, adverb, noun)
(v.) 1. to measure the depth of something; 2. to fully understand
something; 3. to experience something to the fullest; 4. to make
something vertical; (adj.) 1. completely vertical;

Synonyms: (v.) measure, gauge, examine, probe,
fathom, explore, sound, (adj.) vertical, perpendicular, total,
complete, full, deep, utter, absolute, (adv.) vertically, exactly,
directly, fully, completely, (n.) weight, sinker

Antonyms:
(adj.) horizontal, imprecise, inexact, incomplete, (adv.) horizontally, indirectly

Examples:
- They plumbed the uncharted ocean floor near the islands to make sure it
was deep enough for the freighter to pass.
- When hanging a door, you need to make sure that it is both level and
plumb or it will not shut completely.
- I have to plumb the depths of my patience each time I hear Lisa’s annoying voice.
- I’m so sorry; I plumb forgot to attend your bacherlor’s party.

Front 202

OBVIATE

Back 202

(verb) 1. to prevent or overcome a problem by anticipating the problem in advance; 2. to make something unnecessary, to remove a difficulty, especially so that action to deal with it becomes unnecessary

Synonyms:
remove, prevent, hinder, forestall, preclude, avert

Antonyms:
cause, allow

Examples:
- Your company should consider me for the position because I’m known for
obviating potential losses of revenue for firms like yours.
- Is there any way to obviate this potential crisis?
- Regular tooth-brushing should obviate the need for frequent trips to the dentist
- A peaceful solution would obviate the need to use military force.
- Addressing any potential problems before they occur will obviate the need for later crisis management.

Front 203

RATIONALIZE

Back 203

(verb) 1. to defend or make excuses for something; 2. apply reason or logic to something.
to give the reason for or cause of. to try to find reasons to explain your behaviour, decisions, etc:

Synonyms:
justify, excuse, reason, think, clarify, explain.

Antonyms:
complicate, puzzle, confuse

Examples:
- We rationalized the production system so that one operator could control all three machines.
- The recession is forcing the company to rationalize.
- Lisa didn’t understand how anyone could rationalize such an extravagant purchase.
- You can rationalize your way out of anything.
- Phil tried to rationalize George’s behavior, but it was completely illogical and unjustifiable.

Front 204

PREVARICATE

Back 204

(verb) be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information, get out of telling truth:to
avoid giving a direct and honest answer or opinion, or a clear and
truthful account of a situation, especially by quibbling or being
deliberately ambiguous or misleading

Synonyms:
equivocate, deceive, distort, evade, fabricate, falsify, mislead, stretch, misrepresent, lie

Antonyms:
tell the truth, be honest

Examples:
- Even under oath, George continued to prevaricate about what exactly had happened.
- I knew that when I confronted Lisa she would prevaricate about who started the rumor.
- The lawyer accused George of prevaricating even though he tried hard to look honest and candid.

Front 205

REITERATE

Back 205

(verb) to say, state, or perform again, sometimes with a wearying effect

Synonyms:
repeat, restate, recapitulate, rephrase, rehash

Examples:
- Even though Marc knew his students heard him the first time, he reiterated the importance of making our deadline.
- Let me reiterate the fact that our companyâs success is dependent on winning this account.
- Joanne reiterated that she had never seen him before.
- He reiterated his view that it was time to withdraw from Southeast Asia.

Front 206

ROBUST

Back 206

(adjective)
1. healthy, strong, and energetic; 2. built to be sturdy and durable;
3. requiring physical strength and endurance; 4. boisterous in manner;
5. hearty, full-flavored; 6. crude or rough

Synonyms:
healthy, strong, energetic, sturdy, solid, vigorous, hearty, rugged, full-bodied, flavorful, rude, rough

Antonyms:
frail, weak, feeble, tasteless

Examples:
- Some people say that the host of JustVocabulary is a handsome, robust young man.
- Shell has been enjoying robust growth for the past
three quarters.
- Iâm never fully awake until Iâve had a cup of robust, fresh-brewed cup of Joe.
- Some of his colleagues felt Marc could have defended himself more robustly.
If you do something robustly, you do it in a determined way:

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PROSAIC

Back 207

(adjective)
without interest, variety, or imagination–dull

Synonyms:
boring, commonplace, ordinary, monotonous, insipid, mundane, simple, dull, vapid, banal

Antonyms:
exciting, fascinating, interesting, stimulating

Examples:
- Iâm surprised you enjoyed that book so much; I found it to be prosaic and unimaginative.
- John’s job is not as glamorous as it seems; he has many prosaic
responsibilities like filling out expense reports and other mundane
paperwork.

- Lisa’s summer job at the TV station dealt with the much more prosaic business of cleaning the floors

- Joanne gave me some prosaic advice on how to remove common stains from clothing

Front 208

PRECURSOR

Back 208

(noun) 1. something which happened or existed before; 2. an indication that
someone or something is approaching; 3. in chemistry, a substance from
which another is formed

Synonyms:
forerunner, predecessor, originator, messenger, trailblazer, ancestor, founder, prototype

Antonyms:
follower

Examples:
- The precursor to SyncMyMail’s current network infrastructure was slow and bulky.
- Microsoft’s business model is much more streamlined and efficient, compared to its precursor.
- During a precursory inspection of the house, I failed to notice many or its problems.
- Biological research has often been a precursor to medical breakthroughs which benefit patients.

Front 209

INFLUX

Back 209

(noun)
1. a sudden or ongoing arrival of many things or of a lot of people; 2. an inward flow or movement

Synonyms:
inflow, inundation, flood

Antonyms:
outflow

Examples:
- The sudden influx of new clients meant lots of overtime for the employees.
- The publication had an influx of letters to the editor after it published the controversial story.
- Weâve had an influx of resumes in response to our job posting.
- South Africa is expecting an influx of several thousand refugees over the next few days.
- South Africa’s border patrol has been increased to curb the influx of illegal immigrants.

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HOSPITABLE

Back 210

(adjective) 1. welcoming and kind to guests; 2. pleasant and favorable; 3. open-minded and receptive

Synonyms:
welcoming, accommodating, cordial, generous, open, accessible, receptive

Antonyms:
inhospitable, hostile

Examples:
- Many plants grow in the region’s hospitable climate.
- It’s difficult to think of a less hospitable environment than the surface of the Moon.
- My aunt was extremely hospitable. When I showed up at her door with my friends, she invited us to stay for dinner

Front 211

NONCHALANT

Back 211

(adjective) casual and unconcerned

Synonyms: casual, blasé, indifferent, unconcerned, unflappable, apathetic

Antonyms: worried, concerned

Examples:
- Surprisingly, when John was told he won the contest, he was very nonchalant, and didn’t seem that excited.
- Even though Marc was nervous when he asked her out, he tried to appear nonchalant about it.
- Once on a safari we found 10 lions walking nonchalantly across an open field.

Front 212

MERCURIAL

Back 212

(adjective) 1. containing or being somehow related to mercury; 2. having a temperamental, active, or unpredictable personality; 3. quick, lively, and shrewd, like the god Mercury

Synonyms: erratic, changeable, fickle, volatile, unpredictable, fluctuating, temperamental, moody, lively, quick

Antonyms: constant, invariable, steady, stable, even

Examples:
- I wanted a mercurial thermometer but I got a digital one.
- The comedian relied on his mercurial wit, not rehearsed jokes, to entertain his audience.
- Lisa is a bit unpredictable with her mercurial mood swings.
- His mood is so mercurial that we never know how heʼs going to react to anything

Front 213

FOSTER

Back 213

(verb) 1. to nurture and rear a child, as a temporary guardian; 2. to encourage the development or interest of ideas or activities, to encourage the development or growth of (ideas or feelings)

Synonyms: cherish, nourish, harbor, raise, nurture, champion, encourage, advance, uphold, stimulate
Antonyms: squelch, discourage

Examples:
- We try to foster an environment of open communication within this department.
- He is fostering a plan to help turn this company around.
- Lisa’s niece was taken into care by the local council and placed with a foster family.
- My parents always tried to foster an interest in classical music in me.
- I try to foster an appreciation for classical music in my students.

Front 214

OBSOLETE

Back 214

(adjective) no longer used, usually because it has been replaced with something better

Synonyms: outdated, discarded, unfashionable, old-fashioned, archaic, extinct, unused, antiquated
Antonyms: current, modern, fresh, up-to-date

Examples:
- Horse-drawn wagons became obsolete once the car was invented.
- Although much of today’s communication and correspondence takes place online, the postal service is not quite obsolete.
- Mobile phone technology is developing so quickly that many customers are concerned about obsolescence.
- Typewriters have been rendered obsolete by computers.

Front 215

PRESAGE

Back 215

(v.) to predict that something will happen, especially something unpleasant; (n.) 1. a warning or sign of a future event; 2. a bad or uneasy feeling of something to come.

Examples:
- The October snow was a presage to a very hard winter.
- A sluggish stock market usually presages an economic recession
- Other than some shortness of breath, he didn't have any of the signs that usually presage a heart attack.

Synonyms: (v.) foreshadow, foretell, predict, portend,
(n.) indication, prediction, forecast, omen,

Front 216

TRUDGE

Back 216

(n.) a long, strenuous walk; (v.) to walk in a heavy-footed, slow manner

Examples:
- Because of the heavy snow Marc has to trudge through the snow to get to his car.
- Even though the task was hard, Frank decided to trudge forward rather than give up.
- The beautiful view from the Mount Everest was well worth the trudge to get there.

Synonyms: walk, lumber, march, plod, tramp,

Antonyms: glide, float

Front 217

INEXORABLE

Back 217

1. unstoppable: impossible to stop
2. adamant and pitiless: not moved by anyone's attempts to plead or persuade

Examples:
- Because the German soccer team still had not been defeated, its climb to the top seemed inexorable.
- Frank was inexorable in his determination to play Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
- The Managing Director was inexorable in his plan to overtake the biggest competitor.

Synonyms: unyielding, adamant, obstinate, hard-nosed, relentless, stubborn, unstoppable

Antonyms: yielding, submissive, docile

Front 218

JOCUND

Back 218

jolly: cheerful and full of good humor.

Synonyms: cheerful, happy, merry, gleeful, jolly, carefree, animated, jovial, spirited

Antonyms: miserable, sad, depressed

Examples:
- Jeremy performed a jocund dance at the festival.
- Frank's jocund personality always cheered people up.
- The jocund atmosphere and good moods all around the room made for a great wedding.

Front 219

VENEER

Back 219

(noun) 1. deceptive appearance: a superficial appearance or show put on to please or impress others. 2. a thin layer of a material bonded to the surface of a less attractive or inferior material.

Example:
- The Godfather managed to hide his corrupt dealings under a veneer of respectability.
- The wardrobe is made of chipboard with a pine veneer.
- Frank had a veneer of sophistication but was really just a bully.

Synonyms: surface, lamination, layer, facade, front, false front.

Front 220

GOSSAMER

Back 220

(adjective) 1. (noun) a fine film of cobwebs, often seen floating in the air or covered with dew on the ground. 2. delicate fabric: a delicate, sheer fabric or gauze. 3. something sheer and delicate: something delicate, sheer, and filmy.

Example:
- Lisa's dress swirled like gossamer
- In the light from the table lamp, Joanne's hair was blond gossamer.
- I didn't see the gossamer spider webs until the sun hit them just right.

Synonyms: Gauzy, fine, sheer, translucent.

Front 221

TRENCHANT

Back 221

1. expressed in a forceful, direct, and effective way; 2. deliberately hurtful.

Examples:
- With trenchant criticism, the minister said that his opponent lacked morality.
- There were boos and hisses during the Marc's speech, but the most trenchant comment came from his colleague, "you suck."
- Lisa wrote a trenchant and powerful essay about World War II.

Synonyms: sarcastic, biting, clear, critical, forceful, incisive, powerful,

Antonyms: indirect, flattering

Front 222

LANGUID

Back 222

1. lacking energy and spirit; 2. slow moving

EXAMPLE:
- During the hot and languid African summer I spent numerous hours sitting leisurely by the pool.
- It was clear by his languid demeanor that Frank was no longer interested in his girlfriend.
- Marc had been languid for several months, and his waistline showed it.

Synonyms: sluggish, listless, lethargic, lazy, lackadaisical, inactive,

Antonyms: active, spirited, energetic, lively

Front 223

HALCYON

Back 223

1. tranquil and free from disturbance or care 2. happy and carefree; (n.) 1. a mythical bird thought to have brought calm to the seas;

Examples:
- Lisa recalled the halcyon days of her youth.
- The sea went from stormy and turbulent to calm and halcyon.
- I love the lake when it is serene and halcyon.

Synonyms: peaceful, placid, calm, tranquil, serene, balmy, golden,

Antonyms: turbulent, hectic, unhappy

Front 224

JETTISON

Back 224

JETTISON = 1. to discard or abandon something such as an idea or project. 2. to throw something from a ship, aircraft, or vehicle.

Examples:
- As ratings dropped, the station jettisoned educational podcasts.

- Seawater filled the Titanic so rapidly that Leonardo began to frantically jettison unnecessary items.
- Microsoft was forced to jettison some of their ideas when it became clear that their plans were too elaborate.

Synonyms: abandon, cast off, discard, expel, unload, eliminate
Antonyms: keep, retain

Front 225

INSOLENT

Back 225

INSOLENT = 1. disrespectful and rude; 2. unrestrained by convention

Examples:
- The insolent child always talked back to his mother.

- The lawyer's insolent behavior got him thrown out of the courtroom.
- That kind of insolence will not be tolerated in my classroom.

Synonyms: impolite, rude, disrespectful, brazen, insulting, arrogant.
Antonyms: respectful, considerate, polite

Front 226

REVIVE

Back 226

1. to bring back to life; 2. to give new life or energy to something; 3. to restore and renew.

Example:
- A hot shower and a cup of tea will revive you.
- Traditional skills are being revived by local craftsmen.
- The paramedics revived the unconscious man after several minutes.

Synonyms: restore, renew, rejuvenate, revitalize, refresh, resurrect,

Antonyms: extinguish, kill

Front 227

PONTIFICATE

Back 227

speak pompously: to speak about something in a knowing and self-important way, especially when not qualified to do so.
To speak about something in as if you are the authoritative expert on the subject.

Example:
- Experts get on the tube and pontificate about the economy.
- I think it should be illegal for non-parents to pontificate on/about parenting.
- I have a feeling he's going to get up and pontificate about the subject as if he's the foremost authority.

Synonyms: expound, expatiate, preach

Antonyms: ask, deliberate

Front 228

VIRTUOUS

Back 228

with moral integrity: having or showing moral goodness or righteousness. A good moral quality in a person, or the general quality of goodness in a person

Example:
- I've been up working since six o'clock this morning so I'm feeling very virtuous.
- He described them as a virtuous and hard-working people.
- I'm convinced he only does that charity work so that he can feel virtuous.

Synonyms: moral, ethical, honest, conscientious, scrupulous, principled, upstanding,

Antonyms: virtueless, immoral, unethical, dishonest

Front 229

STRIDENT

Back 229

1. harshly loud, grating, and offensive; 2. loudly, strongly, or urgently expressed.

Synonyms: harsh, grating, shrill, noisy, loud, vulgar, bold

Antonyms: respectful, quiet, reserved
Example:
- People are put off by his strident voice.
- The strident committee member openly complained during the meeting.
- Whenever Lisa drinks too much, her voice becomes strident.

Front 230

DRAWL

Back 230

a way of speaking in which the speaker draws out the vowel sounds and pronounces words slowly

Examples:
- Frank drawled when he spoke, so that all his words ran together as one.
- I find his Texas drawl to be rather charming.
Synonyms: accent

Antonyms: enunciation

Front 231

VOCIFEROUS

Back 231

shouting noisily: shouting in a noisy and determined way

Examples:
- The vociferous coach yelled at the players throughout the entire game.
- Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech, and vociferous demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly.

Synonyms: loud, boisterous, clamorous, noisy, shrill, vocal

Antonyms: quiet, silent

Front 232

INVETERATE

Back 232

1. fixed in a habit or practice, especially a bad one.
2. firmly established and of long standing.

Examples:
- Frank was an inveterate smoker and there was little hope of him being able to quit.
- Even after retiring from the army, he was unable to discontinue his inveterate visual scanning of a room.
- Tracy is known as an inveterate liar, so beware of believing her.

Synonyms: habitual, confirmed, chronic, abiding, protracted, customary

Antonyms: intermittent, temporary, occasional

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FATUOUS

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showing a lack of intelligence or thought combined with complacency.

Examples:
- My hopes of manning a space shuttle are fatuous, I am scared of heights.
- I couldn't believe Mugabe's fatuous statement to the press.
- Phil is not very smart and is known for making fatuous comments before thinking them through.

Synonyms: asinine, imbecile, ludicrous, moronic, vacuous, delusive, stupid, foolish, unreal

Antonyms: brilliant, intelligent, smart, wise, knowing

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HARANGUE

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HARANGUE = (n.) a forceful, public criticism made in a speech or sometimes in writing; (v.) to criticize or question somebody, or try to persuade somebody to do something in a forceful angry way

Examples:
- Frank's lawyer made comments, which were marked by a vicious harangue against the defendant.
- Joanne's parents will sometimes come up to her room and harangue her for playing her music too loud.
- Marc delivered a long harangue to his students.

Synonyms: diatribe, rant, tirade, attack, criticism, invective, lecture, peroration

Antonyms: encomium

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PLUCK

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PLUCK = courage and determination

Examples:
- Lisa's got a lot of pluck to stand up for herself like that.
- My grandfather is 85 but he has a lot of pluck.
- Phil never shown a lot of pluck and routinely lets people walk all over him.

Synonyms: courage, spirit, heart, mettle, moxie, determination, fortitude, bravery

Antonyms: cowardice, indifference

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INSULAR

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INSULAR = 1. not interested in new or foreign ideas; 2. originating on an island; 3. alone, like an island

Examples:
- Marc's insular attitude toward foreign cultures restricted his desire to travel.
- My sister was quite happy to grow up in her insular environment, but once she got older, she was ready to break free and explore the world.
- Many older people cling to insular beliefs without ever considering other people's opinions.

Synonyms: narrow-minded, provincial, confined, conservative,

Antonyms: broad-minded, open, welcoming

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RESPITE

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RESPITE = 1. a pause from doing something, often for relaxation; 2. a usually short interruption of relief in the intensity or amount of something, especially harm or discomfort; 3. a temporary suspension of a punishment.

Examples:
- We needed a few moments of respite in the shade during our strenuous marathon.
- Lisa worked in the garden all day, with only five minutes of respite for a drink of water.
- The end of the difficult project was in sight, and I looked forward to some respite.

Synonyms: pause, reprieve, rest, recess, interruption, lull, letup, cessation, deliverance, hiatus, suspension

Antonyms: continuation