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383 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abash:
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to destroy the self-confidence, poise, or self-possession of; disconcert; make ashamed or embarrassed
Similar Words: shame, discompose, embarrass |
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Abeyance:
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temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension.
"The proceeds of the estate shall be held in abeyance in an escrow account until the minor reaches age twenty-one." Similar words: remission, deferral |
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Aboriginal:
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original or earliest known; native; indigenous.
Similar words: endemic, autochthonous, primordial. |
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Abet :
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to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing.
"He plans to abet an insurrection." Similar words: help, aid, assist; promote |
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Abridge:
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to reduce or lessen in duration, scope, authority.
"Readers Digest is famous for abridging popular works of fiction" Similar words: cut down; epitomize; condense, abstract, digest |
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Abstemious:
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sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.
"There was nothing remotely abstemious about the way he lived now." Similar Words: ascetic, abstinent, temperate, nonindulgent. |
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Abdicate
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to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility. "When he realized that the revolutionaries would surely win, the king abdicated his throne."
Similar Words: resign, quit, abandon, repudiate |
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Acclimate
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to accustom or become accustomed to a new climate or environment; adapt.
"She had not yet acclimated to the high-altitude, and found that she felt unwell." |
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Accost
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to approach, esp. with a greeting, question, or remark.
"Joe accosted me in the elevator and tried to nail me down about my plans for the weekend" |
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Acquiesce
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to assent tacitly; submit or comply silently or without protest; agree; consent.
"After hours of being badgered by all three of her children, Mary finally acquiesced and agreed to let them keep the stray puppy" Similar words: accede, concur; capitulate |
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Acumen
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keen insight; shrewdness.
"Because of his mathematical acumen, Larry was able to figure out in minutes problems that took other students hours." Similar words: insight |
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Adamant
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utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings, etc.
"Though public pressure was intense, the President remained adamant about his proposal." Similar words: inflexible, rigid, uncompromising |
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Adversity
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a condition marked by misfortune, calamity, or distress.
"Adversity is the touchstone of friendship." Similar words: catastrophe, disaster; trouble, misery. |
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Affable
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pleasantly easy to approach and to talk to; friendly; cordial; warmly polite.
"His affable manner drew people to him at any social event." Similar words: civil, friendly. |
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Affinity
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a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea.
"Manny decided to change careers because he had always had an affinity for cooking." Similar words: partiality, fondness; sympathy, leaning, bent |
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Aggregate
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formed by the conjunction or collection of particulars into a whole mass or sum; total; combined.
"The three branches of the U.S. Government form an aggregate much more powerful than its individual parts." Similar words: added, complete, whole, assemble, amass, accumulate, gather. |
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Aghast
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struck with overwhelming shock or amazement; filled with sudden fright or horror.
"They stood aghast at the sight of the plane crashing." Similar words: horrified |
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Alienate
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to make indifferent or hostile.
"He has alienated his entire family." Similar words: estrange, antagonize |
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Altruism
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the principle or practice of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others.
Similar words: benevolence, generosity. |
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Ambivalence
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uncertainty or fluctuation, esp. when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
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Appease
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to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, or contentment; pacify; soothe.
Similar words: calm, placate, pacify |
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Amenable
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ready or willing to answer, act, agree, or yield; open to influence, persuasion, or advice; agreeable; submissive; tractable.
"Our father was amenable when we asked him to drive us to the farm so we could go apple picking." Similar words: manageable, docile, easy. |
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Amorphous
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lacking definite form; having no specific shape; formless.
"The effort was doomed from the start, because the reasons behind it were so amorphous and hard to pin down." Similar words: shapeless, undefined; vague, anomalous |
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Anarchy
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a state of society without government or law.
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Anathema
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a person or thing detested or loathed.
"Leaving the two parties to work things out themselves is considered anathema by our elites." Similar words: Curse |
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Animus
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strong dislike or enmity; hostile attitude; animosity.
Similar words: hate |
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Anomalous
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deviating from or inconsistent with the common order, form, or rule; irregular; abnormal.
"Once the group's social circle started to widen, Stewart became an increasingly anomalous figure." Similar words: abnormal |
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Antipathy
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a natural, basic, or habitual repugnance; aversion.
"I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but antipathy for you." Similar words: disgust, abhorrence, detestation, hatred |
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Antipodal
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diametrically opposite
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Antiquated
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continued from, resembling, or adhering to the past; old-fashioned.
Similar words: outdated, obsolete |
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Belittle
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to regard or portray as less impressive or important than appearances indicate; depreciate; disparage.
"My older brother used to belittle anything I did." Similar words: minimize, decry, deprecate, deride, scorn, dismiss. |
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Artless
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free from deceit, cunning, or craftiness; ingenuous.
"This pendant has artless charm." Similar words: naive, unsophisticated, guileless, open, frank, plain, unaffected, candid, sincere. |
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Ascetic
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a person who leads an austerely simple life, esp. one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.
"The priest lives an ascetic life devoid of television, savory foods, and other pleasures." Similar words: anchorite, recluse; cenobite. |
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Assiduous
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constant; unremitting.
"The construction workers erected the skyscraper during two years of assiduous labor." Similar words: continuous, tireless, persistent, studious, diligent, sedulous. |
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Assimilate
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to take in and incorporate as one's own; absorb.
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Auspicious
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promising success; propitious; opportune; favorable.
"The tennis player considered the sunny forecast an auspicious sign that she would win her match." Similar words: encouraging, favorable, lucky, prosperous |
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Autonomous
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self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.
" As recently as the past decade, tossing the mortarboard at graduation represented the moment of freedom from family and the start of an autonomous life." Similar words: independent, self-governing, sovereign, self-directed, self-reliant |
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Avarice
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insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.
"Avarice is more directly opposed to thrift than generosity is." Similar words: cupidity, greed |
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Axiom
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a self-evident truth that requires no proof.
"Our revolution has made me feel the full force of the axiom that history is fiction and I am convinced that chance and intrigue have produced more heroes than genius and virtue." |
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Belie
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to show to be false; contradict.
"Her jovial personality, a sly smile, and a lovely, well-coiffed appearance belie a sharp mind with the imagination to see opportunities where others may not." Similar words: refute, disprove, controvert, repudiate, confute, gainsay. |
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Canon
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a fundamental principle or general rule.
"We must proceed according to canon law." Similar Words: principle, rule |
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Bellicose
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inclined or eager to fight; aggressively hostile; belligerent; pugnacious.
Similar Words: warlike |
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Benefactor
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a person who confers a benefit; kindly helper.
Similar Words: patron, supporter, sponsor, backer, protector |
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Boisterous
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rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained.
"The candidate won the vote after giving several boisterous speeches on television." Similar Words: uproarious, obstreperous, roistering, loud, vociferous, impetuous |
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Boor
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a churlish, rude, or unmannerly person.
Similar words: lout, oaf, boob, churl, philistine, vulgarian |
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Bourgeois
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a member of the middle class.
"Many businessmen receive criticism for their bourgeois approach to life." |
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Bucolic
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of, pertaining to, or suggesting an idyllic rural life.
"Friuli might have been nothing more than a bucolic agricultural hinterland had it not the misfortune of a strategic location at the head of the Adriatic." Similar words: georgic |
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Buttress
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any prop or support.
"The column buttresses the roof above the statue." Similar words: encourage, hearten, support, inspirit, brace, back up, reinforce, shore up. |
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Cachet
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superior status; prestige.
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Callow
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immature or inexperienced.
"His knowledge of blues and jazz were at the core of the group's early repertoire as he taught the callow youngsters about the work of such giants as Meade Lux Lewis, Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell." Similar words: untried, green, raw; naive, puerile, jejune. |
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Capacious
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capable of holding much; spacious or roomy.
"The workers delighted in their new capacious office space." Similar words: ample, large. |
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Capitulate
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to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.
"The army finally capitulated after fighting a long costly battle." Similar Words: yield, acquiesce, accede, give in |
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Coda
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anything that serves as a concluding part.
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Cathartic
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a purgative.
Similar words: laxative, physic |
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catholic
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universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all.
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Coagulate
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o change from a fluid into a thickened mass; curdle; congeal.
In cheese making Rennet causes milk to coagulate into curds that become cheese. Similar words: clot, set, solidify, thicken |
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Censure
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to criticize or reproach in a harsh or vehement manner.
Similar words: reprove, rebuke, chide |
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Chagrin
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to vex by disappointment or humiliation.
"To his chagrin, the international panel of judges was largely composed of curmudgeons like him." Similar words: Shame, embarrassment. |
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Charlatan
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a person who pretends to more knowledge or skill than he or she possesses; quack.
Similar words: impostor, mountebank, fraud, fake, phony. |
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Chary
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cautious or careful; wary
Similar words: circumspect |
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Collusion
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a secret agreement, esp. for fraudulent or treacherous purposes; conspiracy.
"The collusion between the brothers was undiscovered, and the birthday party was a complete surprise" Similar words: intrigue, connivance, complicity |
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Commensurate
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proportionate; adequate.
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Commiserate
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to feel or express sorrow or sympathy for; empathize with; pity.
"I commiserate with you for your tragic loss." |
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Compensatory
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serving to compensate, as for loss, lack, or injury.
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Compliant
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complying; obeying, obliging, or yielding, esp. in a submissive way.
"The workplace is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act." |
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Conciliatory
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reconciling
"Instead of the acrimony of the past several months, there was a conciliatory mood in the room." |
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Conductive
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helping
"Distilled water is not conductive." |
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Consensus
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general agreement or concord; harmony.
"The jury was able to reach a consensus only after days of deliberation." |
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Contentious
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ending to argument or strife; quarrelsome.
"The Government expected its move to protect vulnerable workers when a business is sold or their work is passed to a new contractor to be contentious." Similar Words: disputatious, argumentative. |
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Conundrum
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Puzzle, enigma
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Covenant
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an agreement, usually formal, between two or more persons to do or not do something specified.
Similar Words: treaty, pact, convention |
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Covert
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concealed; secret; disguised.
"The CIA is known for its covert operations." Similar Words: clandestine, surreptitious, furtive. |
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Credence
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belief as to the truth of something.
"Based on the scientific data, I give credence to this hypothesis." |
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Cynical
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distrusting or disparaging the motives of others
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Dauntless
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not to be daunted or intimidated; fearless; intrepid; bold
Similar Words: undaunted, daring, indomitable, brave, courageous. |
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Dearth
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an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack.
"An eager reader, she was dismayed by the dearth of classic books at the library." Similar Words: shortage, want, paucity, insufficiency. |
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Defamation
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the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny.
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Deleterious
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harmful; injurious.
"She experienced the deleterious effects of running a marathon without stretching her muscles enough beforehand." Similar Words: pernicious, hurtful, destructive; noxious |
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Delineate
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to portray in words; describe or outline with precision.
"Federal lawmakers have proposed a bill to delineate the role of no-fishing zones in fisheries management." |
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Demur
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to make objection, esp. on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object.
"The personnel demurred at the management's new scheme." |
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Denigrate
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to speak damagingly of; criticize in a derogatory manner; sully; defame.
"Throughout the social studies controversy, the commissioner continued to denigrate public schools in the media, despite news reports showing Minnesota schools are among the top in the nation." Similar Words: malign, besmirch, slander, traduce, disparage, vilify |
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Deprecate
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to depreciate; belittle.
"Always over-modest, he deprecated his contribution to the local charity." |
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Despot
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any tyrant or oppressor.
"The despot issued a death sentence for anyone who disobeyed his laws." |
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Destitute
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without means of subsistence; lacking food, clothing, and shelter.
"The hurricane destroyed many homes and left many families destitute." Similar Words: needy, poor, indigent, necessitous, penniless, impoverished. |
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Deterrent
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serving or tending to deter.
Similar Words: restraint, curb, check, hindrance. |
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Devoid
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not possessing, untouched by, void, or destitute.
"The case has, in some respects, been not entirely devoid of interest." Similar Words: lacking, wanting, destitute, bereft, barren. |
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Devout
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devoted to divine worship or service; pious; religious.
"Celia was well read but unworldly, devout but questioning." Similar Words: worshipful; holy, saintly, intense, serious, fervent, ardent. |
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Dichotomy
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division into two parts, kinds, etc.; subdivision into halves or pairs.
"Most people, however, will not buy the false dichotomy between the welfare of the mother and child." |
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Didactic
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intended for instruction; instructive.
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Digress
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to deviate or wander away from the main topic or purpose in speaking or writing; depart from the principal line of argument, plot, study, etc.
Similar Words: ramble, stray |
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Discrete
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apart or detached from others; separate; distinct.
"The voiceover comes in discrete chunks." Similar Words: different, individual, unconnected. |
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Discretion
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the quality of being discreet, esp. with reference to one's own actions or speech; prudence or decorum.
"I leave that to your discretion." Similar Words: judgment, wisdom, discrimination, sense |
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Disingenuous
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lacking in frankness, candor, or sincerity; falsely or hypocritically ingenuous; insincere.
"But the disingenuous methods used by the pollsters render the survey's results utterly worthless." |
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Disseminate
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to scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; promulgate extensively; broadcast; disperse.
"Part of his job is to disseminate how new and existing legislation will impact on the facility." |
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Dissent
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to differ in sentiment or opinion, esp. from the majority; withhold assent; disagree.
"This is not an argument against dissent and disagreement." Similar Words: disagreement, dissatisfaction, opposition. |
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Dissolution
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the act or process of resolving or dissolving into parts or elements.
"After the founder died, and his sons disagreed, the company fell into dissolution" Similar Words: Disintegration. |
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Distend
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to spread in all directions; expand; swell
"Years of drinking beer caused his stomach to distend." Similar Words: enlarge, bloat. |
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Divest
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to strip or deprive (someone or something), esp. of property or rights; dispossess.
"After the scandal broke, the board divested Alex of his power in the organization and asked him to step down as chairperson." |
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Divulge
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to disclose or reveal (something private, secret, or previously unknown).
"Pressured by the press, the government finally divulged the previously unknown information." Similar Words: Reveal |
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Dormant
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lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive, as in sleep; torpid.
"Because the volcano had lain dormant for two centuries, no one expected it to erupt." Similar words: quiescent |
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Effigy
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a representation or image, esp. sculptured, as on a monument.
Similar words: Likeness, mannequin |
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Effloresce
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to burst into bloom; blossom.
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Effrontery
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shameless or impudent boldness; barefaced audacity.
"Any refusal to salute the president shall be counted as an effrontery." Similar words: impertinence, impudence, insolence. |
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Elicit
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to draw or bring out or forth; educe; evoke.
"Did you elicit a response?" |
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Emancipate
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to free from restraint, influence, or the like.
"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds." Similar words: Release, liberate |
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Endemic
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natural to or characteristic of a specific people or place; native; indigenous.
"Kangaroos are endemic to Australia." |
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Ennui
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a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from satiety or lack of interest; boredom.
"There are three cures for ennui: sleep, drink and travel." Similar words: listlessness, tedium, lassitude, languor. |
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Exasperate
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to irritate or provoke to a high degree; annoy extremely.
Similar words: incense, anger, vex, inflame, infuriate. |
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Euphoria
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a feeling of happiness, confidence, or well-being sometimes exaggerated in pathological states as mania.
Similar words: Elation |
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Evanescent
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vanishing; fading away; fleeting.
"In a burst of evanescent glory, the meteor flashed across the sky." |
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Exhibitionist
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a person who behaves in ways intended to attract attention or display his or her powers, personality, etc.
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Expedite
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to speed up the progress of; hasten.
"If everyone will pitch in, it will expedite matters." Similar words: quicken, push, accelerate, hurry. |
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Extemporize
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improvise
Third, rather than confronting the basic root or source of the controversies, Soeharto was more familiar with his own style of extemporizing in the expectation that the incident would be forgotten as time went by. |
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Extol
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to praise highly; laud; eulogize.
"Violet extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet to her meat-loving brother." Similar words: glorify, exalt, celebrate. |
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Facetious
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not meant to be taken seriously or literally.
Similar words: joking, sarcastic |
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Facilitate
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to make easier or less difficult; help forward (an action, a process, etc.).
"Edwards desired not only to facilitate fertilization, but to improve upon it." |
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Fallacy
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a deceptive, misleading, or false notion, belief, etc.
Similar words: misconception, delusion, misapprehension. |
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Fathom
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to penetrate to the truth of; comprehend; understand.
"I cannot fathom why you like that crabby and mean-spirited neighbor of ours." |
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Fickle
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likely to change, esp. due to caprice, irresolution, or instability; casually changeable
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Filibuster
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an exceptionally long speech, as one lasting for a day or days, or a series of such speeches to accomplish this purpose.
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Fledgling
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young, new, or inexperienced
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Flout
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to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock
"They flouted the conventions and were asked to leave." |
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Forsake
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to quit or leave entirely; abandon; desert
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Foster
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to promote the growth or development of; further; encourage.
"Organizers hope the festival will foster better understanding of Chinese culture." Similar Words: favor, forward, advance; foment, instigate. |
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Fulminate
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to issue or pronounce with vehement denunciation, condemnation, or the like.
Similar words: denounce, menace |
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Furtive
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taken, done, used, etc., surreptitiously or by stealth; secret.
Similar words: clandestine, covert |
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Gainsay
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to deny, dispute, or contradict.
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Germane
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closely or significantly related; relevant; pertinent.
"related, applicable, apposite, appropriate, fitting, apt, suited." |
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Glib
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readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, superficially, or insincerely so
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Gratuitous
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being without apparent reason, cause, or justification.
" Similar Words: unnecessary, superfluous, redundant; causeless, unreasonable, groundless, unprovoked, unjustified. |
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Halcyon
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calm; peaceful; tranquil
Similar words: serene, placid, pacific, untroubled. |
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Hamper
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to hold back; hinder; impede.
Similar words: obstruct, encumber, trammel, clog. |
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Harangue
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a long, passionate, and vehement speech, esp. one delivered before a public gathering.
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Harry
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to harass, annoy, or prove a nuisance to by or as if by repeated attacks; worry.
"We shall harry the enemy at every turn until his morale breaks and he is at our mercy." Similar words: molest, plague, trouble |
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Hedonism
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devotion to pleasure as a way of life.
"Glenn fondly remembered his years of hedonism when all that mattered was good food, fine wine, and beautiful women." Similar words: sensualism, libertinism, debauchery, dissipation, carousal. |
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Hegemony
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leadership; predominance.
Similar Words: The two political parties battled viciously for hegemony. |
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Histrionic
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deliberately affected or self-consciously emotional; overly dramatic, in behavior or speech.
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Hyperbole
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obvious and intentional exaggeration.
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Hypocritical
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a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
"Early in life I had to choose between honest arrogance and hypocritical humility." Similar words: deceiver, dissembler, pretender, pharisee. |
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Idiosyncrasy
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a characteristic, habit, mannerism, or the like, that is peculiar to an individual.
Similar words: peculiarity, quirk. |
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Imminent
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likely to occur at any moment; impending.
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Imperative
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absolutely necessary or required; unavoidable.
"It is imperative that you have these folders organized by midday." Similar words: inescapable; indispensable, essential; exigent, compelling. |
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Implicit
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implied, rather than expressly stated
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Impolitic
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not politic, expedient, or judicious.
"Commercial shackles are generally unjust, oppressive, and impolitic." Similar words: Unwise |
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Impulsive
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actuated or swayed by emotional or involuntary impulses.
"As a child I was middle-aged and cautious compared to my impulsive father." Similar words: rash, quick, hasty. |
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Impunity
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immunity from detrimental effects, as of an action.
"The corrupt officials enjoyed complete impunity." |
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Impecunious
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having little or no money; penniless; poor.
Similar words: destitute, poverty-stricken, indignent |
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Inadvertent
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unintentional
"We check everything because an inadvertent error could be disastrous." |
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Incendiary
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tending to arouse strife, sedition, etc.; inflammatory
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Incipient
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beginning to exist or appear; in an initial stage.
"The king strengthened his palace guard and doubled his army because he feared incipient revolution." Similar words: beginning, nascent, developing. |
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Incontrovertible
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not controvertible; not open to question or dispute; indisputable.
"Only stubborn Tina would attempt to disprove the incontrovertible laws of physics." Similar words: incontestable, undeniable, unquestionable. |
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Incorrigible
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not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform.
"The judge determined that Millard was an incorrigible criminal who should spend his life in prison." Similar words: reformable |
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Indifferent
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without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic.
"It is easier to write an indifferent poem than to understand a good one." |
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Indomitable
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that cannot be subdued or overcome, as persons, will, or courage; unconquerable.
"Napoleon Bonaparte was indomitable until The Battle of Waterloo." Similar words: Invincible |
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Ineffable
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incapable of being expressed or described in words
"It is said that the experience of playing with a dolphin is ineffable and can only be understood through direct encounter." Similar words: Inexpressible |
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Inert
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having no inherent power of action, motion, or resistance.
"According to many environmental groups, the inert ingredients in pesticides can be more toxic than the active ingredient." Similar words: Inactive, immobile, unmoving, lifeless, motionless |
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Inherent
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existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute.
"The inherent unfairness in this archaic system holds the potential for greater instability." Similar words: innate, inborn, native, inbred, ingrained. |
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Inhibit
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to restrain, hinder, arrest, or check
"Being in the presence of someone who acts as though he knows everything can inhibit others from putting forth their ideas." Similar words:repress, discourage, obstruct |
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Insatiable
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not satiable; incapable of being satisfied or appeased.
"My insatiable appetite for melons can be a real problem in the winter." Similar words: gluttonous, voracious, unquenchable, bottomless. |
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Insidious
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awaiting a chance to entrap.
Similar words: treacherous |
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Insufferable
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not to be endured.
Similar words: unbearable, intolerable |
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Insular
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characteristic of an isolated people; especially : being, having, or reflecting a narrow provincial viewpoint.
Similar words: narrow-minded |
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Intangible
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incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things; impalpable.
"Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible." |
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Internecine
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mutually destructive.
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Intractable
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not easily controlled or directed; not docile or manageable; stubborn; obstinate.
"There was no end in sight to the intractable conflict between the warring countries." Similar words: perverse, headstrong, dogged, obdurate, stony, willful, froward. |
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Intrepid
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resolutely fearless; dauntless.
Similar words: brave, courageous, bold. |
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inure
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to accustom to hardship, difficulty, pain, etc.; toughen or harden; habituate.
"Twenty years in the salt mines inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime." |
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Invective
|
vehement or violent denunciation, censure, or reproach.
"When Sylvia referred to the president as a fear-slurping demon, Janis took the opportunity to try and explain how her constant use of invective made people write her off as an lunatic" Similar words: contumely, scorn. |
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Inveigle
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to entice, lure, or ensnare by flattery or artful talk or inducements.
Similar words: induce, beguile, persuade |
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Irresolute
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not resolute; doubtful; infirm of purpose; vacillating.
Similar words: hesitant, uncertain |
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Itinerary
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a detailed plan for a journey, esp. a list of places to visit; plan of travel.
"She created an itinerary that included only opera performances and visits to museums." Similar words: route |
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Judicious
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using or showing judgment as to action or practical expediency; discreet, prudent, or politic.
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levity
|
lightness of mind, character, or behavior; lack of appropriate seriousness or earnestness.
"Behind the levity, Bedford knows that the London Marathon needs to nurture a British runner who can make an impression on the race to sustain media interest." Similar words: frivolity, flippancy, triviality, giddiness. |
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lurid
|
gruesome; horrible; revolting.
"Some paperback novels have lurid covers." Similar words: ghastly |
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Machiavellian
|
politically crafty, cunning.
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magnanimous
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generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness.
"When Henry apologized for being disrespectful, Mr. Lewis was magnanimous and told him there were no hard feelings." Similar words: generous, kindhearted. |
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magnate
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a person of great influence, importance, or standing in a particular enterprise, field of business, etc.
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malevolence
|
the quality, state, or feeling of being malevolent; ill will; malice; hatred.
Similar words: maliciousness, spite, spitefulness, grudge, venom. |
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Miscreant
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a vicious or depraved person; villain.
Similar words: evildoer |
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Mundane
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common; ordinary; banal; unimaginative.
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Nadir
|
the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair.
"My day was boring, but the nadir came when I accidentally spilled a bowl of spaghetti on my head." |
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Narcissism
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inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.
Similar words: self-centeredness, smugness, egocentrism. |
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Nascent
|
beginning to exist or develop.
"Unfortunately, my brilliant paper was only in its nascent form on the morning that it was due." Similar words: incipient |
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Neologism
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a new word, meaning, usage, or phrase.
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Nonplus
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to render utterly perplexed; puzzle completely.
Similar words: perplex, confuse, confound, disconcert. |
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Noxious
|
harmful or injurious to health or physical well-being.
Similar words: hurtful, unwholesome, unhealthy, nocuous, detrimental, deleterious, toxic. |
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Obfuscate
|
to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy.
"All his talking about how good it was to be home again only served to obfuscate his real motive, which was to borrow money." Similar words: muddle, perplex. |
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Obtuse
|
not quick or alert in perception, feeling, or intellect; not sensitive or observant; dull.
"The finer points of his presentation were not appreciated by several obtuse board members." Similar words: unfeeling, tactless, insensitive; blind, imperceptive, unobservant; gauche, boorish; slow, dim, stupid. |
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Odious
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deserving or causing hatred; hateful; detestable.
"Scrubbing the toilet is an odious task." Similar words: abominable, objectionable, despicable, execrable. |
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Officious
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objectionably aggressive in offering one's unrequested and unwanted services, help, or advice; meddlesome.
" The officious salesperson was so overbearing and intrusive, refusing to leave us alone for even a moment, that we finally walked out of the store without buying anything" Similar words: interfering, meddling forward, obtrusive. |
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Omnipotent
|
almighty or infinite in power, as God.
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Penury
|
extreme poverty; destitution.
"The hardship, penury and hunger of the early 1930s is etched in the collective memory of older Americans." |
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Paean
|
any song of praise, joy, or triumph.
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Parody
|
to imitate (a composition, author, etc.) for purposes of ridicule or satire.
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Parsimonious
|
frugal or stingy.
"The parsimonious old man refused to help his grandchild with her education, but died with over a million dollars in the bank" Similar words: miserly, illiberal, mean, penurious; avaricious, covetous. |
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paucity
|
smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness.
"Gilbert lamented the paucity of twentieth century literature courses available at the college." |
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pedagogical
|
pertaining to teaching
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penchant
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a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something.
"Hagen's penchant for cooking was legendary." |
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Pernicious
|
causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful.
Similar words: harmful, detrimental, deleterious, destructive, damaging, baneful, noxious, malicious. |
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Perpetuity
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endless or indefinitely long duration or existence; eternity.
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Perspicacious
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having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning.
Similar words: perceptive, acute, shrewd, penetrating. |
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Piety
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the quality or state of being pious.
Similar words: godliness, devotion, devoutness, sanctity, holiness. |
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Pious
|
having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.
Similar words: devout, godly, reverent, holy. |
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Platitude
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a flat, dull, or trite remark, esp. one uttered as if it were fresh or profound.
Similar words: cliché, truism. |
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Platonic
|
nonsexual
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Polemic
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a controversial argument, as one against some opinion, doctrine, etc.
"In 1929, Virginia Woolf delivered a passionate polemic about the odds facing a woman born with a great gift for writing." |
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Posthumous
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arising, occurring, or continuing after one's death.
"His memoirs were his posthumous revenge on enemies he dared not take on alive" |
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Precarious
|
exposed to or involving danger; dangerous; perilous; risky.
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Precursor
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a person or thing that precedes, as in a job, a method, etc.; predecessor.
Similar words: forerunner. |
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Preponderance
|
the fact or quality of being preponderant; superiority in weight, power, numbers, etc.
"It was the end of the old Labour Alignment's preponderance in government." Similar words: predominance, majority, mass, bulk |
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Pretentious
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characterized by assumption of dignity or importance.
Similar words: Pompous, affected, inflated |
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Pretext
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something that is put forward to conceal a true purpose or object; an ostensible reason; excuse
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Presumptuous
|
full of, characterized by, or showing presumption or readiness to presume in conduct or thought.
"The princess grew angry after the presumptuous noble tried to kiss her, even though he was far below her in social status." Similar words: impertinent, audacious; fresh; arrogant, assuming. |
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Problematic
|
of the nature of a problem; doubtful; uncertain; questionable.
"Everything that one thinks about a lot becomes problematic." Similar words: unsure, indeterminate, unsettled, dubious, ambiguous. |
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Prodigious
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extraordinary in size, amount, extent, degree, force, etc.
wonderful or marvelous "Now the argument level on the shop floor of biblical scholarship is prodigious." Similar words: enormous, immense, huge, gigantic, tremendous, amazing, stupendous, astounding, wondrous, miraculous. |
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Prodigy
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a person, esp. a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability.
"Lewis was a child prodigy, who played a violin solo in Carnegie Hall at the age of nine." |
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Profligate
|
utterly and shamelessly immoral or dissipated; thoroughly dissolute.
recklessly prodigal or extravagant. "The profligate young heir embarked on a life of depravity and riotous spending that soon eroded both his health and his fortune." |
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Profound
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penetrating or entering deeply into subjects of thought or knowledge; having deep insight or understanding.
"The most profound statements are often said in silence." Similar words: deep, sagacious. |
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Profusion
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abundance; abundant quantity.
"His hair, in great profusion, streamed down over his shoulders." Similar words: copiousness, bounty. |
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Propensity
|
a natural inclination or tendency:
Similar words: bent, leaning, disposition, penchant, proclivity. |
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Proportionate
|
Similar words:
according, accordant, consonant, harmonious, balanced, commensurate. |
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Prosaic
|
commonplace or dull; matter-of-fact or unimaginative.
"His account of the incident was so prosaic that I nodded off while reading it." Similar words: ordinary, everyday; vapid, humdrum, tedious, tiresome, uninteresting, uninspired, flat. |
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Proscribe
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to denounce or condemn (a thing) as dangerous or harmful; prohibit.
"The town council voted to proscribe the sale of alcohol on weekends." Similar words: censure, disapprove, repudiate. |
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Protuberance
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a protuberant part or thing; projection or bulge.
Similar words: protrusion, swelling. |
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Pundit
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a learned person, expert, or authority.
Similar: sage, guru, savant. |
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Qualms
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a sudden feeling of apprehensive uneasiness; misgiving.
"Willy also knew that the world was out to get him, but unlike his mother he had no qualms about fighting back." |
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Quash
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to put down or suppress completely; quell; subdue.
"The army quashed the rebellion." Similar words: crush, squash, quench, repress. |
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Querulous
|
full of complaints; complaining.
"The querulous old man had few friends, because no one wanted to listen to his constant complaints." Similar words: petulant, testy; caviling, carping, discontented. |
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Quixotic
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extravagantly chivalrous or romantic; visionary, impractical, or impracticable.
"Edward entertained a quixotic desire to fall in love at first sight in a laundromat." Similar words: fanciful, fantastic, imaginary. |
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Raconteur
|
a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.
"The two of them turn to each other and raise an eyebrow each, their signal to slip into alternating raconteuring." |
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Recalcitrant
|
resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.
" Even when scolded, the recalcitrant young girl simply stomped her foot and refused to finish her lima beans." Similar words: stubborn, resistant, rebellious, opposed. |
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Recant
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to withdraw or disavow (a statement, opinion, etc.), esp. formally; retract.
"Mario admitted to masterminding the prank, but the following day, he recanted." Similar words: revoke, recall, rescind, deny. |
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Redoubtable
|
that is to be feared; formidable.
"The fortress looked redoubtable set against a stormy sky." Similar words: steadfast. |
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Refractory
|
hard or impossible to manage; stubbornly disobedient.
"Many of the vague and refractory cases of neck and shoulder pain and of migraine may be due to cervical disc disease." Similar words: obstinate, perverse, mulish, headstrong, intractable, disobedient, recalcitrant, ungovernable. |
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Relegate
|
to send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition.
"At the astrology conference, Simon was relegated to the Scorpio room." |
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Renege
|
to go back on one's word, to break a promise.
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Renounce
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to give up or put aside voluntarily.
"When a king abdicates, he renounces all claims to the throne." Similar words: forsake, forgo, forswear, leave, quit. |
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Reprehensible
|
deserving of reproof, rebuke, or censure; blameworthy.
Similar words: Culpable |
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Reproach
|
to find fault with (a person, group, etc.); blame; censure.
"Brian reproached the customer for failing to rewind the video he had rented." Similar words: rebuke, scold, reprove |
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Reprobate
|
a depraved, unprincipled, or wicked person.
"FRSC warned that such persons would be booked as reprobate offenders, adding that they risked being jailed." Similar words: tramp, scoundrel, wastrel, miscreant, wretch, rascal, cad, rogue. |
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Requisite
|
required or necessary for a particular purpose, position, etc.; indispensable.
"You must submit the requisite forms by Monday in order to be considered for the position." |
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Rescind
|
to abrogate; annul; revoke; repeal.
"The agency will rescind the policy because many people are dissatisfied with it." Similar words: nullify; retract, withdraw. |
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Resolute
|
firmly resolved or determined; set in purpose or opinion.
Similar words: firm, steadfast, fixed. |
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Retribution
|
requital according to merits or deserts, esp. for evil.
Similar words: repayment, recompense, reprisal |
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Reverent
|
feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by reverence; deeply respectful.
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Rhapsody
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an ecstatic expression of feeling or enthusiasm.
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Sanctimonious
|
making a hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness,
"Some men look at constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them like the ark of the covenant, too sacred to be touched." |
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Sanction
|
authoritative permission or approval, as for an action.
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Sanguinary
|
full of or characterized by bloodshed; bloody.
"The charge of gratuitousness was, in Alistair's view, safely anticipated by Brad's valediction to her remains, in which sanguinary revenge on the Nebulans was both prefigured and legitimized." Similar words: gory, murderous. |
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Satire
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the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly.
Similar words: ridicule |
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Schism
|
division or disunion, esp. into mutually opposed parties.
Similar words: Rift |
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Secular
|
of or pertaining to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred; temporal.
Similar words: worldly, nonreligious |
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Sedulous
|
diligent in application or attention; persevering; assiduous.
Similar words: constant, untiring, tireless. |
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Severance
|
a breaking off, as of a friendship.
Similar words: division |
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Skeptical
|
having doubt.
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Solicitous
|
anxious or concerned (usually fol. by about, for, etc., or a clause).
Similar words: mindful, regardful, attentive, considerate. |
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Solvent
|
able to pay all just debts.
Similar words: financially sound. |
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Sophistry
|
a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.
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Spurious
|
not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; counterfeit.
"When his wife died, he became the victim of spurious rumors, and it took him years to clear his name." Similar words: false, sham, bogus, mock, feigned, phony; meretricious, deceitful. |
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Squander
|
to spend or use (money, time, etc.) extravagantly or wastefully (often fol. by away).
"Pearl got a small inheritance from her father, but squandered it within two years on vacations and expensive clothes." Similar words: waste, dissipate, lavish. |
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Stolid
|
not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional; impassive.
Similar words: apathetic, lethargic, phlegmatic. |
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Stupefy
|
to put into a state of little or no sensibility; benumb the faculties of; put into a stupor.
Similar words: deaden, dumbfound. |
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Stymie
|
to hinder, block, or thwart.
Similar words: stump, mystify, frustrate, confound. |
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Sullen
|
persistently and silently ill-humored; morose.
"sulky, moody, sour, bad-tempered." |
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Supercilious
|
haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.
Similar words: arrogant, scornful. |
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Surfeit
|
excess; an excessive amount.
Similar words: superabundance, superfluity. |
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Synthesis
|
the combining of the constituent elements of separate material or abstract entities into a single or unified entity.
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Temerity
|
reckless boldness; rashness.
"Tom and Huck entered the scary cave armed with nothing but their own temerity." Similar words: audacity, effrontery, foolhardiness. |
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tenuous
|
lacking a sound basis, as reasoning; unsubstantiated; weak.
"Your argument is very tenuous, since it relies so much on speculation and hearsay." |
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Terse
|
neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language.
"He gave a terse, one-word answer." Similar words: succinct, compact, neat, concentrated |
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Tractable
|
easily managed or controlled; docile; yielding.
Similar words: manageable, willing, governable. |
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Trenchant
|
incisive or keen, as language or a person; caustic; cutting.
Similar words: sharp, biting, acute, penetrating, |
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Truculent
|
fierce; cruel; savagely brutal.
Similar words: bellicose combative, contentious, hostile, militant, pugnacious, quarrelsome |
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Ubiquitous
|
existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent.
"His name was Lenny Wilkens, and he was as ubiquitous that day as he was inscrutable." Similar words: omnipresent, everywhere, pervasive, universal |
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Ulterior
|
being beyond what is seen or avowed; intentionally kept concealed.
Similar words: hidden, covert, undisclosed, undivulged. |
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untenable
|
incapable of being defended, as an argument, thesis, etc.
"Among the converts affected was the English evolutionary biologist St. George Mivart, who was ultimately excommunicated for his assertion that the Catholic doctrine of hell was untenable." Similar words: baseless, groundless, unsound, weak, questionable. |
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untoward
|
unfavorable or unfortunate
Similar words: perverse, adverse, disadvantageous, negative, unadvantageous, unsatisfactory, hapless, ill-fated |
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urbane
|
having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities.
"When my mother met my father in the corridors of a New York hospital where he was doing his residency, she thought him cultured and urbane and fell swiftly in love." Similar words: suave, refined, worldly, cosmopolitan. |
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vernacular
|
using plain, everyday, ordinary language.
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viable
|
capable of living.
"No truly viable social or economic benefits can be derived from such legal savagery." |
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vilify
|
to speak ill of; defame; slander.
"After the Watergate scandal, almost any story written about President Nixon sought to vilify him and criticize his behavior." Similar words: depreciate, disparage, calumniate, malign, abuse, asperse, blacken. |
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virulent
|
actively poisonous; intensely noxious.
Similar words: venomous, deadly, poison. |
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vitriolic
|
very caustic; scathing.
Similar words: bitter acid. |
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vituperative
|
verbal abuse or castigation; violent denunciation or condemnation.
Similar words: censure, vilification, spite, scolding, defamation, aspersion. |
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vivacious
|
lively; animated; gay.
"The vivacious clown makes all of the children laugh and giggle with his friendly antics." Similar words: spirited, brisk, pert. |
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Voluminous
|
of ample size, extent, or fullness; of great volume, size, or extent.
Similar words: bulky, extensive, copious, ample. |
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Voracious
|
craving or consuming large quantities of food.
Similar words: edacious, gluttonous, hoggish, piggish, ravenous, famished, hungry. |
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Xenophobia
|
an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange.
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Zealot
|
an excessively zealous person; fanatic.
Similar words: extremist, crank, bigot, votary. |
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Prevaricate
|
to speak falsely or misleadingly; deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression; lie.
Similar words: evade, shift. |
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Probity
|
integrity and uprightness; honesty.
Similar words: rectitude. |
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Prodigal
|
wastefully or recklessly extravagant.
"How can he be so prodigal with money on such a tight budget?" Similar words: profligate |
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Prolific
|
profusely productive or fruitful.
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Propriety
|
conformity to established standards of good or proper behavior or manners.
Similar words: decency, modesty, decorum. |
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Pungent
|
sharply affecting the organs of taste or smell, as if by a penetrating power; biting; acrid.
Similar words: hot, peppery, piquant, sharp |
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Repudiate
|
to reject as having no authority or binding force.
Similar words: disavow, renounce, discard, disclaim |
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Reticent
|
disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved.
"Jo was reticent to discuss her love life with her mother." Similar words: taciturn, quiet, uncommunicative. |
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Rhetoric
|
(in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display; bombast.
Similar words: declamation, elocution, balderdash, bombast, grandiloquence |
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Satiate
|
to supply with anything to excess, so as to disgust or weary; surfeit.
"Nothing seemed to satiate her desire for knowledge." Similar words: glut, stuff, gorge. |
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Specious
|
apparently good or right though lacking real merit; superficially pleasing or plausible.
"This idea that we must see through what we have started is specious, however good it may sound." Similar words: false, illogical, invalid, sophistic, spurious, unsound, counterfactual |
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Stolid
|
not easily stirred or moved mentally; unemotional; impassive.
Similar words: apathetic, lethargic, phlegmatic. |
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Tacit
|
understood without being openly expressed; implied.
Similar words: unexpressed, unspoken, unsaid, implicit. |
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Torpid
|
inactive or sluggish, slow; dull; apathetic; lethargic.
"Honest poverty and a conscience torpid through virtuous inaction are more to me than corner lots and praise." |
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Vacillate
|
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
"I prefer a definite answer, but my boss kept vacillating between the distinct options available to us." Similar words: hesitant |
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Venerable
|
commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character.
"A sense of absurdity interferes with my efforts to appear venerable." |
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Veracity
|
habitual observance of truth in speech or statement; truthfulness.
"With several agencies regulating the reports, it was difficult for Latifah to argue against its veracity." Similar words: honesty, integrity, credibility. |
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Verbose
|
characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy.
"It took the verbose teacher two hours to explain the topic, while it should have taken only fifteen minutes." Similar words: prolix; tedious, inflated, turgid; voluble, talkative, loquacious. |
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Vex
|
to irritate; annoy; provoke.
"Billy's professor was vexed by his continued failure to improve his grades." Similar words: anger, irk, fret, nettle. |
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Volatile
|
changeable; mercurial; flighty.
Similar words: unsettled, unstable |
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Homogeneous
|
composed of parts or elements that are all of the same kind; not heterogeneous.
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Iconoclast
|
a person who attacks cherished beliefs, traditional institutions, etc., as being based on error or superstition.
"Jane goes to one protest after another, but she seems to be an iconoclast rather than an activist with a progressive agenda." Similar words: nonconformist, rebel, dissenter, radical. |
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Imperturbable
|
incapable of being upset or agitated; not easily excited; calm.
"Instead his strength, his magnetism, lie in an almost imperturbable inner peace about life and death." Similar words: composed, collected, impassive, cool, unmoved. |
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Impervious
|
not permitting penetration or passage; impenetrable.
"The rickety roof was impervious to the elements after we sealed it with tar." |
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Impetuous
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of, pertaining to, or characterized by sudden or rash action, emotion, etc.; impulsive.
"Such impetuous schemes and boldness are at first sight alluring, but are difficult to handle, and in the result disastrous." |
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Inimical
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unfriendly; hostile.
"Trade restrictions would be inimical to good relations between their countries." Similar words: adverse |
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Insipid
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without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities; vapid.
"The play was so insipid, I fell asleep halfway through." Similar words: flat, dull, uninteresting. |
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Inundate
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to flood; cover or overspread with water; deluge.
"When the volcano exploded, the river changed course, and the basin was inundated with water." Similar words: deluge, drown, engulf, flush, overflow, overwhelm, submerge |
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Laconic
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using few words; expressing much in few words; concise.
Similar words: brief, pithy, terse; succinct. |
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Lassitude
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weariness of body or mind from strain, oppressive climate, etc.; lack of energy; listlessness; languor.
"Although Emily was back on her feet and even doing a little work, there remained about her an air of lassitude that had her family concerned." |
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Laudatory
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containing or expressing praise.
"Such laudatory comments are unusual from someone who is usually so reserved in his opinions." Similar words: adulatory, complimentary, commendatory. |
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Lucid
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easily understood; completely intelligible or comprehensible.
"Only the most lucid can see their love as comedy." Similar words: plain, understandable, evident, obvious. |
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Malinger
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to pretend illness, esp. in order to shirk one's duty, avoid work, etc.
"It is not uncommon on exam days for several students to malinger rather than prepare themselves." |
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Malleable
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adaptable or tractable.
"My opinion on the subject is malleable." Similar words: impressionable, moldable, flexible, pliable. |
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Misanthrope
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a hater of humankind.
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Mitigate
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to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.
"When I had an awful sore throat, only warm tea would mitigate the pain." Similar words: allay, alleviate, assuage, comfort, ease, lessen, lighten |
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Obviate
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to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary.
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Onerous
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burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship.
"Also, the government could set rules onerous enough to ground the fledgling industry." Similar words: heavy, crushing, grievous; irksome, galling. |
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Opprobrium
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the disgrace or the reproach incurred by conduct considered outrageously shameful; infamy.
"Don't give him a term of opprobrium." |
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Oscillate
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to vary or vacillate between differing beliefs, opinions, conditions, etc.
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Paragon
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a model or pattern of excellence or of a particular excellence.
"The mythical Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty." Similar words: ideal, standard; nonesuch, nonpareil. |
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Pedantic
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ostentatious in one's learning.
Similar words: bookish. |
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Pervade
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o become spread throughout all parts of.
Similar words: diffuse, fill, permate. |
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Philanthropic
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of, pertaining to, engaged in, or characterized by philanthropy; benevolent.
Similar words: altruistic, charitable, eleemosynary, beneficent, benignant |
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Plethora
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overabundance; excess.
"She has quite a plethora of opera scores in her library." Similar words: excessiveness, exorbitance, extravagance |
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Precursor
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a person or thing that precedes, as in a job, a method, etc.; predecessor.
Similar words: forerunner. |
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Condone
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to disregard or overlook (something illegal, objectionable, or the like).
"It's one thing to forgive adultery; it's another thing to condone it." Similar words: excuse, pardon, remit |
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Connoisseur
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a person who is especially competent to pass critical judgments in an art, particularly one of the fine arts, or in matters of taste.
"Though the clown is often deadpan, he is a connoisseur of laughter." Similar words: critic, aesthete, expert, gourmet. |
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Convoluted
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twisted; coiled, complicated; intricately involved.
"He gave a convoluted explanation that amounted to little more than a weak excuse for his absence." |
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Credulous
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willing to believe or trust too readily, esp. without proper or adequate evidence; gullible.
"Sally was credulous in believing Johnny's joke, which was obviously said with sarcasm." Similar words: believing, trustful, unsuspecting. |
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Deference
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respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.
"The children treated their elders with deference." Similar words: acquiescence, amenability, compliance, submission |
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Desiccate
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to dry thoroughly; dry up.
"Desiccated by years of hot winds, the once lush land became desert." Similar words: dehydrate. |
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Desultory
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lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful.
"She made a desultory attempt at conversation." |
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Diatribe
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a bitter, sharply abusive denunciation, attack, or criticism.
"The political science professor explained that an argumentative paper is not a diatribe." Similar words: tirade, harangue. |
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Diffident
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lacking confidence in one's own ability, worth, or fitness; timid; shy.
"While eating dinner with the adults, the diffident youth did not speak for fear of seeming presumptuous." Similar words: self-conscious, self-effacing, abashed, embarrassed, modest, unassuming, unconfident. |
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Disabuse
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o free (a person) from deception or error.
"It won't take them long to disabuse the newcomer of any notions of superiority." |
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Discerning
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showing good or outstanding judgment and understanding.
"Dr. Chen had difficulty discerning any meaning from the mysterious documents" Similar words: perceptive, keen, sharp, discriminating. |
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Disparate
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distinct in kind; essentially different; dissimilar.
"Having widely varying interests, the students had disparate responses toward the novel." Similar words: separate, divergent, incommensurable, unlike. |
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Dissonance
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inharmonious or harsh sound; discord; cacophony.
"Atomic Age angst is certainly palpable in this music with its crashing chordal dissonance, squealing high winds, driving percussion and massed brass attacks." |
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Dogmatic
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asserting opinions in a doctrinaire or arrogant manner; opinionated.
"His dogmatic claim that men were better than women at fixing appliances angered everyone." Similar words: arbitrary, imperious, dictatorial. |
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Eclectic
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selecting or choosing from various sources.
"That bar attracts an eclectic crowd: lawyers, artists, circus clowns, and investment bankers." |
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Efficacy
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capacity for producing a desired result or effect; effectiveness.
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Eloquent
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having or exercising the power of fluent, forceful, and appropriate speech.
"The priest gave such an eloquent sermon that most churchgoers were crying." Similar words: fluent, articulate, expressive |
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Embellish
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to enhance (a statement or narrative) with fictitious additions.
Similar words: exaggerate |
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Enervate
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to deprive of force or strength; destroy the vigor of; weaken.
"Enervated by the extreme heat, the garden club spent the afternoon sipping lemonade instead of weeding." Similar words: enfeeble, debilitate, sap, exhaust. |
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Engender
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to produce, cause, or give rise to.
"During the Olympics, the victories of U.S. athletes engender a patriotic spirit among Americans." Similar words: beget, occasion, excite, stir up, create, generate, breed. |
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Enumerate
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to mention separately as if in counting; name one by one; specify, as in a list.
Similar words: recapitulate, recount. |
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Esoteric
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understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite.
"The writing in this manual is very esoteric, I need a degree in engineering just to understand it!" Similar words: abstruse, arcane, cryptic, enigmatic. Similar words: |
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Euphemism
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the substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for one thought to be offensive, harsh, or blunt.
"To use a Southern euphemism, our space program has been snake-bit." Similar words: genteel expression |
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Exacerbate
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to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
Similar words: intensify, inflame, worsen. |
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Exonerate
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to clear, as of an accusation; free from guilt or blame; exculpate.
"I know Eli did not commit the robbery, and I expect the court to exonerate him." Similar words: vindicate |
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Fervor
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great warmth and earnestness of feeling.
"A convert often embraces his new religion with great fervor." Similar words: ardor, passion, zeal. |
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Foment
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to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of.
"The guerrillas are fomenting revolution all over Latin America." Similar words: incite, provoke, arouse, inflame, excite, stir up; encourage, stimulate. |
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Fortuitous
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lucky; fortunate.
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Frugal
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economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful.
"They had little to bolster their youngest children as they began married life, so the wedding party was modestly dressed, and the luncheon afterward frugal." Similar words: thrifty, chary, provident, careful |
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Gregarious
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fond of the company of others; sociable.
"The glasses he wore for astigmatism gave him a deceptively clerkish appearance, for he had an ebullient, gregarious personality, a hot temper, and an outsized imagination." Similar words: social, genial, outgoing, convivial, companionable, friendly, extroverted. |
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Aberrant
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deviating from the ordinary, usual, or normal type; exceptional; abnormal.
Similar words: divergent, unusual. |
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Abet
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to encourage, support, or countenance by aid or approval, usually in wrongdoing.
"He plans to abet an insurrection." Similar words: help, aid, assist; promote. |
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Adulterate
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To make impure by adding extraneous, improper, or inferior ingredients.
"In some countries people have become ill from using adulterated cooking oil." Similar words: contaminate, corrupt |
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Aesthetic
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pertaining to a sense of the beautiful.
"We hired Susan as our interior decorator because she has such a fine aesthetic sense." |
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Alleviate
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to make easier to endure; lessen; mitigate.
"The cold medicine worked quickly to alleviate my symptoms." Similar words: lighten, diminish, abate, relieve, assuage. |
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Amalgamation
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mixture
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Ambiguous
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open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; equivocal.
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Anachronistic
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out of historical order
"If you know where to look in the movie, you can spot an anachronistic wrist watch on one of the Roman soldiers." |
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Analogous
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having analogy; corresponding in some particular.
Similar words: similar, alike, like, comparable, akin. |
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Apathy
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absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement.
"Apathy was my only reaction to the choices of table linens." Similar words: Indifference |
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Approbation
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approval; commendation.
"The crowd welcomed the heroes with approbation." |
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Audacity
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boldness or daring, esp. with confident or arrogant disregard for personal safety, conventional thought, or other restrictions.
"The brash private had the audacity to criticize the general." Similar word: nerve, spunk, grit, temerity, foolhardiness. |
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Austere
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severe in manner or appearance; uncompromising; strict; forbidding.
"The austere furniture inside the abandoned house made the place feel haunted." Similar words: harsh, Spartan, bleak. |
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Banal
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devoid of freshness or originality; hackneyed; trite.
"The client rejected our proposal because they found our presentation banal and unimpressive." |
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Capacious
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capable of holding much; spacious or roomy.
"The workers delighted in their new capacious office space." Similar words: ample, large. |
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Castigate
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to criticize or reprimand severely.
Similar words: scold, reprove. |
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Caustic
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severely critical or sarcastic.
"Environmental and safety regulations for the chrome business are tough because of caustic chemicals involved." Similar words: biting, mordant, bitter, scathing, acid. |
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Cogent
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convincing or believable by virtue of forcible, clear, or incisive presentation; telling.
"The professor considered her points to be cogent, though she presented them in an acerbic manner." Similar words: well-put |
