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413 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abase
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To humble; disgrace
syn: demean, humiliate |
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Abate
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To reduce in amount, degree, or severity
syn: ebb; lapse; let up ; moderate; slacken subside; wane |
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Abdicate
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to give up a position, right, or power
syn: cede; relinquish; resign; quit; yield |
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Aberrant
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Deviating from what is normal or expected
syn: abnormal; anomalous; eviant; divergent; errant; irregular |
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Abeyance
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Temporary suppression or suspension
syn: deferral; delay; dormancy; postponement; remission |
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Abjure
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To reject; abandon formally
syn: forswear; recall; recant; retract; take back |
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Abscond
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To leave secretly
syn: decamp; escape; flee |
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Abstain
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to choose not to do something
syn: forbear; refrain; withold |
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Abstemious
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Moderate in appetite
syn: abstinent; continent; self-restraining; sober; temperate |
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Abyss
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an extremely deep hole
syn: chasm; void |
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Accretion
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a growth in size; an increase in amount
syn: accumulation; buildup |
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Acidulous
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Sour in taste or manner
syn: acerbic; acetose; biting; piquant; pungent; tart |
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Acme
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highest point; summit; the highest level or degree attainable
syn: apex; peak; summit |
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Adulterate
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to make impure
syn: debase; doctor; load |
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Advocate
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To speak in favor of
syn: back ; champion; support |
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Aerie
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a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded dwelling
syn: perch; stronghold |
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Aesthetic
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Concerning the appreciation of beauty
syn: artistic; tasteful |
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Affected
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phony, artificial
syn: insincere; pretentious; put-on |
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Aggrandize
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to increase in power, influence, and reputation
syn: amplify; augment; elevate |
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Alacrity
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promptness, cheerful readiness
syn: eagerness, swifteness |
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Alleviate
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to ease, to make more bearable
syn: lessen; lighten; mitigate; relieve |
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Amalgamation
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a merger, a uniting of elements
syn: compound; fusing |
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Ambiguous
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Doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways
syn: obscure; unclear; vague |
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Ameliorate
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to make better; to improve
syn: pacify; upgrade; make more tolerable |
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Amortize
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to diminish by installment payments
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Amulet
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Ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits
syn: fetish; talisman |
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Anachronism
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Something out of place in time
syn: archaism; incongruity |
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Analgesia
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a lessening of pain without loss of consciousness
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Analogous
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similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
syn: alike; camparable; parallel; similar |
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Anodyne
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something that calms or soothes pain
syn: opiate |
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Anomaly
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deviation from what is normal
syn: aberration; abnormality; deviation; irregularity |
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Antagonize
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To annoy or provoke to anger
syn: clash; conflict; incite; irritate; oppose; pester; provoke; vex |
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Antipathy
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extreme dislike
syn: animosity; animus; antagonism; aversion; enmity |
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Apathy
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lack of interest or emotion
syn: disinterest; disregard; indifference; insensibility |
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Apocryphal
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of questionable authority or authenticity
syn: disputed; doubtful; fictitious; fraudulent |
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Apostate
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one who renounces a religious faith
syn: defector; deserter; traitor |
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Approbation
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approval and praise
syn: acclaim; adulation; applause; commendation compliments |
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Arbitrary
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determined by chance or impulse
syn; changeable; erratic; indiscriminate; random; wayward |
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Arbitrate
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to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
syn: adjudge; adjudicate; determine; intermediate; intervene; judge; moderate; referee; rule |
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Archaic
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Ancient, old-fashioned
syn: obsolete; outdated; vintage |
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Ardor
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Intense and passionate feeling
syn: devotion; enthusiasm; fervency; fervidity; fervidness; fervor; fire; passion; zeal; zealousness |
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Arrogate
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to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right
syn: appropriate; presume; take |
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Articulate
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able to speak clearly and expressively
syn: eloquent; expressive; fluent; lucid; silver-tongued; smooth-spoken |
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Assail
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To attack, assault
syn: beset; strike; storm |
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Assuage
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to make something unpleasant less severe
syn: allay; alleviate; appease; ease; lighten; mitigate; mollify; pacify |
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Attenuate
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to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
syn: debilitate; devitalize; dilute; enervate; enfeeble; rarefy; sap; thin; undermine; undo; unnerve; water; weaken |
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Audacious
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Fearless and daring
syn: adventuresome; assertive; bold; brave; courageous; daring |
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Augury
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prophecy; prediction of events
syn: auspices; harbinger; omen; portent; presage |
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August
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dignified, grandiose
syn: admirable; awesome; grand; majestic |
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Austere
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severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
syn: bleak; dour; grim; hard; harsh; severe |
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Axiom
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premise; postulate; self-evident truth
syn: adage; apothegm; aphorisms; maxim; rule |
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Banal
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predictable; cliched, boring
syn: bland; clinched; commonplace; tired; trite; vapid; worn-out |
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Belfry
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Bell tower; room in which a bell is hung
syn: spire; steeple |
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Bevy
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group
syn: band; bunch; gang; pack; troop |
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Bifurcate
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divide into two parts
syn: bisect |
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Bilk
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to cheat, defraud
syn: beat; defraud; diddle; gyp; overreach |
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Blight
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to afflict; to destroy
syn: damage; plague |
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Blithe
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joyful, cheerful; or without appropriate thought
syn: carefree; lighthearted; merry |
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Bolster
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to support; to prop up
syn: brace; buttress; crutch; prop; stay; support; sustain; underpinning |
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Bombastic
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pompous in speech and manner
syn: bloated; declamatory; fustian; grandiloquent; grandiose; high-flown |
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Bonhomie
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good-natured geniality; atmosphere of good cheer
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Boor
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crude person, one lacking manners or taste
syn: clod; lout; oaf; vulgarian; yahoo |
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Burgeon
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to grow and flourish
syn: bloom; flourish; prosper; thrive |
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Burnish
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to polish
syn: buff; luster; polish; scour |
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Cabal
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a secret group seeking to overturn something
syn: camp; circle; clan; clique; coterie; in-group, mofia; mob; ring |
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Cacophony
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harsh, jarring noise
syn: chaos; clamor; din; discord; disharmony; noise |
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Calumny
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a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation
syn: defamation; libel; slander |
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Canard
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a lie
syn: falsehood; falsity; fib; misreprensentation; prevarication; tale; untruth |
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Candid
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impartial and hones in speech
syn: direct; forthright; grank; hones; open; sincere; straight; starighforward; undisguised |
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Capricious
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changing ones mind quickly and often
sy: arbitrary; chance; changeable; erratic; fickle; inconstant; mercurila; random; whimsical; willful |
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Cartography
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science or art of making maps
syn: charting; surveying; topography |
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Castigate
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to punish or criticize harshly
syn: admonish; chastise; chide; rebuke; reprimand; reproach; reprove; scold; tax |
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Catalyst
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something that brings about a change in something else
syn: accelerator; impetus; stimulant |
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Catholic
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universal; broad and comprehensive
syn: extensive; general |
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Caustic
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biting in wit
syn: acerbic; biting; mordant; trenchant |
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Chaos
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great disorder or confused situation
syn: confusion; disarrangement; disarray; disorder; disorderliness; disorganization; jumble; mess; muddle; scramble; snarl; turmoil |
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Chauvinist
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someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
syn: biased; colored; one-sided; partial; partisan; prejudicial |
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Chicanery
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deception by means of craft or guile
syn: artifice; conniving; craftiness; deception; |
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Circumspect
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Cautious, aware of potential consequences
syn: alert; cautious; heedful; mindful; prudent; solicitous; vigilant; wary |
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Cloying
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sickly sweet; excessive
syn: excessive; fulsome |
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Coalesce
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to grow together to form a single whole
syn: amalgamate; blend; coalesce; condense; consolidate; fuse; unite |
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Coffer
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strongbox; large chest for money
syn: chest; exchequer; treasurey; war chest |
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Cogent
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convincing and well reasoned
syn: convincing; persuasive; solid; sound; telling; valid |
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Collusion
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collaboration, complicity, conspiracy
syn: connivance; intrigue; machination |
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Condone
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to overlook; pardon, to disregard
syn: exculpate, excuse; pardon; remit |
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Connoisseur
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a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes
syn: authority; epicure; expert; gastronome; gourmet |
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Contrite
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deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong
syn: apologetic; regretful; remorseful |
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Contumacious
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rebellious
syn: factious; insubordinate; insurgent; mutinous; seditious |
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Convoluted
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intricate and complicated
syn: Byzantine; complex; elaborate; intricate; knotty; layrinthine; perplexing; tangled |
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Corroborate
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to support with evidence
syn: authenticate; back; buttress; confirm; substantiate; validate |
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Cosset
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to pamper, to treat with great care
syn: cater to ; cuddle; dandle; fondle; love; pamper; pet; spoil |
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Coterie
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an intimate group of persons with a similar purpose
syn: clique; set |
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Craven
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lacking courage
syn: faint-hearted; spineless; timid |
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Credulous
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too trusting; gullible
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Crescendo
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steadily increasing in volume or force
syn: acme; climax; crest; culmen; cumination; meridian; peak |
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Cupididy
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greed; strong desire
syn: avarice; covetousness; rapacity |
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Curmudgeon
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cranky person, usually old
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Debutante
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young woman making debut in high society
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Declivity
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downward slope
syn: decline; descent; grade; slant; tilt |
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Decorous
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proper, tasteful, socially correct
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Decorum
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appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
syn: correctness; decency; etiquette; manners; seemliness |
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Deface
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to mar the appearance of, to vandalize
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Deference
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respect, courtesy
syn: homage; honor; respect; reverence |
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Deleterious
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subtly or unexpectedly harmful
syn: adverse; inimical; injurious; hurtful |
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Demagogue
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A leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
syn: agitator; inciter; instigator |
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Demure
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to express doubts or objections
syn: dissent; expostulate; kick; protest; remonstrate |
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Deride
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to speak of or treat with contempt, to mock
syn: gibe; jeer; mock; ridicule |
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Desiccate
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to dry out thoroughly
syn: dehydrate; dry; parch |
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Desultory
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jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
syn: erratic; haphazard; indiscriminate; random |
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Diaphanous
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allowing light to show through; delicate
syn: gauzy; sheer; tenuous; translucent; transparent |
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Diatribe
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an abusive, condemnatory speech
syn: fulmination; harangue; invective |
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Dictum
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authoritative statement
syn: adage; apothegm; aphorism; decree; edict |
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Diffident
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lacking self-confidence
syn: backward; bashful; coy; demure; modest; timid |
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Dilate
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To make larger; to expand
syn: amplify; develop; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate |
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Dilatory
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intended to delay, provratinating
syn: sluggish |
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Dilettante
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someone with amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
syn: amateur; dabbler; rookie |
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Dirge
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a funeral hymn or mournful speech
syn: elegy; lament |
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Disabuse
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to set right; to free from error
syn: correct; dismiss; undeceive |
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Discern
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to perceive, to recognize
syn: differentiate; discriminate; distinguish |
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Disparate
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fundamentally different; entirely unlike
syn: different; dissimilar; divergent; diverse; variant; various |
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Dissemble
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To present a false appearance, to disguise one's real intentions or character
syn: camouflage; cloak; feigh |
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Dissonance
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a harsh and disagreeable combination, especially in sound
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Distaff
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the female branch of the family
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Distend
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to swell, inflate, bloat
syn: broaden; bulge |
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Dither
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to act confusedly or without clear purpose
syn: falter; hesitate; vacillate; waffle; waver |
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Diurnal
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existing during the day
syn: daylight, daytime |
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Divine
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to foretell or know by inspiration
syn: auger; foresee; intuit; predict; presage |
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Doctrinaire
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rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic
syn: dictatorial; inflexible |
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Dogma
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a firmly held opinion, especially a religious belief
syn: creed; doctrine; tenet |
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Dogmatic
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dictatorial in one's opinions
n: authoritarian; bossy; dictatorial; doctrinaire; domineering; imperious |
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Droll
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amusing in a wry, subtle way
syn: comic; entertaining; funny; risible; witty |
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Dupe
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to deceive
syn: beguile; betray; bluff; cozen; deceive; delude; fool hoodwink; mislead |
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Dyspeptic
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suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable
syn: acerb; melancholy; morose; solemn; sour |
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Ebullient
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exhilarated, full of enthusiasm and high spirits
syn: ardent; avid; bubbly; zestful |
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Eclectic
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selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Syn: broad; catholic; selective |
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Edify
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to instruct morally and spiritually
syn: educate; enlighten; guide; teach |
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Efficacy
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effectiveness
syn: dynamism; effectiveness; efficiency; force; power; productiveness; proficiency; strength; vigor |
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Effigy
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stuffed doll; likeness of a person
syn: dummy; figure; image |
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Effrontery
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impudent boldness; audacity
syn: brashness; gall; nerve; presumption; temerity |
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Elegy
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a sorrowful poem or speech
syn: dirge; lament |
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Eloquent
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persuasive and moving, especially in speech
syn: articulate; expressive; fluent; meaningful; significant; smooth-spoken |
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Embellish
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to add ornamental or fictitious details
syn: adorn; bedeck; elaborate; embroider; enhance; exaggerate |
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Emulate
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to copy, to try to equal or excel
syn: ape; imitate; simulate |
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Encomium
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warm praise
syn: citation; eulogy; panegyric; salutation; tribute |
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Endemic
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belonging to a particular area; inherent
syn: indigenous; local; native |
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Enervate
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to reduce in strength
syn: debilitate; enfeeble; sap; weaken |
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Engender
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to produce, cause, or bring about
syn: beget; generate; procreate; proliferate; reproduce; spawn |
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Enigma
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a puzzle; a mystery
syn: conundrum; perplexity |
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Enumerate
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to count; list, itemize
syn: catalog; index; tabulate |
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Ephemeral
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lasting a short time
syn: evanescent; fleeting; momentary; transient |
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Epicure
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person with refined taste in food or wine
syn: bon vivant; connoisseur; gastronome; gastronomer; gastronomist; gourmand; gourmet |
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Equivocate
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to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
syn: hedge; waffle |
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Erratic
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wandering and unpredictable
syn: capricious; inconstant; irresolute; whimsical |
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Ersatz
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fake, artificial
syn: false; imitation |
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Erudite
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learned, scholarly, bookish
syn: learned; scholastic; wise |
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Eschew
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to shun, to avoid (as something wrong or distasteful)
syn: avoid; elude; escape; evade |
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Esoteric
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known or undersotod only by a few
syn: abstruse; arcane; obscure |
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Estimable
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admirable
syn: admirable; commendable; creditable; honorable; laudable; meritorious; praiseworthy; respectable; venerable; worthy |
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Ethos
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beliefs of character of a group
syn: culture; ethic; philosophy |
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Eulogy
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speech in praise of someone
syn: encomium; elegy; panegryic |
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Euphemism
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use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
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Euphony
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pleasant, harmonious sound
syn: harmony; melody; music; sweetness |
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Exacerbate
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to make worse
syn: aggravate; annoy; intensify; irratate; provoke |
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Exculpate
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to clear from blame, to prove innocent
syn: absolve; acquit; clear; exonerate; vindicate |
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Exigent
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urgent; requiring immediate action
syn: critical; imperative; needed; urgent |
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Exonerate
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to clear of blame
syn: absolve; acquit; clear; exculpate; vindicate |
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Explicit
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clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
syn: candid; clear-cut; definite; definitive; express; frank; specific; straightforward; unambiguous; unequivocal |
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Exponent
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one who champions or advocates
syn: representative; supporter |
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Expurgate
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to censor
syn: cut; sanitize |
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Fallow
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Dormant, unused
syn: idle; inactive; unseeded |
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Fanatical
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acting excessively enthusiastic, filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
syn: extremist; fiery; frenzied; zealous |
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Fatuous
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stupid; foolishly self-satisfied
syn: absurd; ludicrous; preposterous; ridiculous; silly |
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Fawn
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to grovel
syn: bootlick; grovel; pander; toady |
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Fecund
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fertile, fruitful, productive
syn: flourishing; prolific |
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Fervid
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intensely emotional, feverish
syn: burning; impassioned; passionate; vehement; zealous |
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Fetid
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foul smelling, putrid
syn: funky; malodorous; noisome; rank; stinky |
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Flag
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to decline in vigor, strength, or interest
syn: dwindle; ebb; slacken; subside; wane |
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Florid
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excessively decorated or embellished
syn: Baroque; elaborate; flamboyant; ornate; ostenatatious; Rococo |
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Foment
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to arouse or incite
syn: agitate; impassion; inflame; instigate; kindle |
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Ford
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to cross a body of water by wading
syn: traverse; wade |
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Forestall
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to prevent, delay; anticipate
syn: avert; deter; hinder; obviate; preclude |
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Fortuitous
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happening by chance, fortunate
syn: chance; fortunate; haphazard; lucky; propitious; prosperous |
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Fractious
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unruly, rebellious
syn: contentious; cranky; peevish; quarrelsome |
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Frenetic
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frantic, frenzied
syn: corybantic; delirious; feverish; mad; rabid; wild |
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Frugality
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tendency to be thrifty or cheap
syn: cheapness; economy; parsimony |
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Furtive
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secret; stealthy
syn: clandestine; covert; shifty; surreptitious; underhand |
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Gambol
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to dance or skip around playfully
syn: caper; cavort; frisk; frolic; rollick; romp |
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Garner
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to gather and store
syn: amass; acquire; glean; harvest; reap |
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Garrulous
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tending to talk alot
syn: effusive; loquacious |
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Gestation
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growth process from conception to birth
syn: development; gravidity; pregnancy |
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Glib
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fluent in an insincere manner; offhand, casual
syn: easy; superficial |
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Glower
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to glare; stare angrily and intensely
syn: frown; lower; scowl |
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Gradation
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process occurring by regular degrees or stages; variation in color
syn: nuance; shade; step; subtlety |
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Gregarious
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outgoing, sociable
syn: affable; communicative; congenial; sociable |
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Grievous
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causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing
syn: dire; dolorous; grave; mournful |
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Grovel
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to humble oneself in a demeaning way
syn: bootlick; cringe; fawn; kowtow; toady |
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Guile
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deceit, trickery
syn: artifice; chicanery; connivery; duplicity |
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Gullible
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easily deceived
syn: credulous; exploitable; nieve |
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Hapless
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unfortunate, having bad luck
syn: ill-fated; ill-starred; jinxed; luckless; unlucky |
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Hegemony
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the domination of one state or group over its allies
syn: authority; power |
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Hermetic
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tightly sealed
syn: airtight; impervious; watertight |
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Heterogeneous
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composed of unlike parts, different, diverse
syn: assorted; miscellaneous; mixed; motley; varied |
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Hoary
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very old; whitish or gray from age
syn: ancient; antediluvian; antique; venerable; vintage |
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Homogenous
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of a similar kind
syn: consistent; standardized; uniform; unvarying |
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Husband
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to manage economically; to use sparingly
syn: conserve |
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Hyperbole
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purposeful exaggeration for effect
syn: embellishment; inflation; magnification |
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Iconoclast
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one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
syn: maverick; nonconformist; rebel; revolutionary |
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Idiosyncracy
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peculiarity of temperament, eccentricity
syn: humor; oddity; quirk |
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Ignoble
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having low moral standards, not noble in character; mean
syn: lowly; vulgar |
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Imbue
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to infuse; dye, wet, moisten
syn: charge; freight; impregnate; permeate; pervade |
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Impasse
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blocked path; dilemma with no solution
syn: cul-de-sac; deadlock; stalemate |
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Impecunious
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poor; having no money
syn: destitute; impoverished; indigent; needy; penniless |
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Imperturbable
|
not capable of being disturbed
syn: composed; dispassionate; impassive; serene; stoical |
|
|
Impervious
|
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
syn: impregnable; resistant |
|
|
Impetuous
|
quick to act without thinking
syn: impulsive; precipitate; rash; reckless; spontaneous |
|
|
Impious
|
not devout in religion
syn: immoral; irreverent; profane |
|
|
Implacable
|
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
syn: inexorable; intransigent; irreconcilable; relentless; remorseless; unforgiving; unrelenting |
|
|
Inprecation
|
a curse
syn: damnation |
|
|
Impugn
|
to call into question; to attack verbally
syn: challenge; dispute |
|
|
Incarnadine
|
blood red in color
syn: reddened; ruby; ruddy |
|
|
Inchoate
|
not fully formed, disorganized
syn: amorphous; incoherent; incomplete; unorganized |
|
|
Inculcate
|
to teach, impress upon the mind
syn: implant; indoctrinate; instill; preach |
|
|
Indolent
|
habitually lazy, idle
syn: lethargic; slothful; sluggish |
|
|
Inexorable
|
inflexible, unyielding
syn: adamant; obdurate relentless |
|
|
Ingenuous
|
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
syn: artless; guileless; innocent; naive; simple; unaffected |
|
|
Ingrate
|
ungrateful person
syn: cad; churl |
|
|
Ingratiate
|
to gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage
syn: curry favor; flatter |
|
|
Inimical
|
hostile, unfriendly
syn: adverse; antagonistic; dissident; recalcitrant |
|
|
Iniquity
|
sin, evil act
syn: enormity; immorality; injustice; vice; wickedness |
|
|
Innocuous
|
harmless
syn: benign; harmless; inoffensive; insipid |
|
|
Inquest
|
an investigation, an inquiry
syn: probe; quest; research |
|
|
Insipid
|
lacking interest or flavor
syn: banal; bland; dull; stale; vapid |
|
|
Insurrection
|
rebellion
syn: mutiny; revolt; revolution; uprising |
|
|
Inter
|
to bury
syn: entomb; inhume; sepulchre; tomb |
|
|
Interregnum
|
interval between reigns
|
|
|
Intractable
|
not easily managed or manipulated
syn: stubborn; unruly |
|
|
Intransigent
|
uncompromising, refusing to be reconciled
syn: implacable; inexorable; irreconcilable; obdurate; obstinate; remoresless; rigid; unbending; unrelenting; unyielding |
|
|
Intrepid
|
fearless, resolutely courageous
syn: brave |
|
|
Inundate
|
to overwhilm; to cover with water
syn: deluge; drown; engulf; flood; submerge |
|
|
Inure
|
to harden; accustom, become used to
syn: condition; familiarize; habituate |
|
|
Invective
|
abusive language
syn: denunciation; revilement; vituperation |
|
|
Investiture
|
ceremony conferring authority
syn: inaugural; inauguration; induction; initation; installation |
|
|
Invidious
|
envious, obnoxious, offensive; likely to promote ill-will
syn: discriminatory; insulting; jaundiced; resentful |
|
|
Irascible
|
easily made angry
syn: cantankerous; irritable; ornery; testy |
|
|
Ininterant
|
wandering from place to place; unsettled
syn: nomadic; vagrant |
|
|
Jargon
|
nonsensical talk; specialized lauguage
syn: argot; cant; dialect; idiom; slang |
|
|
Jettison
|
to discard, to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering
syn: dump; eject |
|
|
Jingoism
|
belligerent support of one's country
syn: chauvinism; nationalism |
|
|
Jocular
|
playful, humorous
syn: amusing; comical |
|
|
Interregnum
|
interval between reigns
|
|
|
Intractable
|
not easily managed or manipulated
syn: stubborn; unruly |
|
|
Intransigent
|
uncompromising, refusing to be reconciled
syn: implacable; inexorable; irreconcilable; obdurate; obstinate; remoresless; rigid; unbending; unrelenting; unyielding |
|
|
Intrepid
|
fearless, resolutely courageous
syn: brave |
|
|
Inundate
|
to overwhilm; to cover with water
syn: deluge; drown; engulf; flood; submerge |
|
|
Inure
|
to harden; accustom, become used to
syn: condition; familiarize; habituate |
|
|
Invective
|
abusive language
syn: denunciation; revilement; vituperation |
|
|
Investiture
|
ceremony conferring authority
syn: inaugural; inauguration; induction; initation; installation |
|
|
Invidious
|
envious, obnoxious, offensive; likely to promote ill-will
syn: discriminatory; insulting; jaundiced; resentful |
|
|
Irascible
|
easily made angry
syn: cantankerous; irritable; ornery; testy |
|
|
Ininterant
|
wandering from place to place; unsettled
syn: nomadic; vagrant |
|
|
Jargon
|
nonsensical talk; specialized lauguage
syn: argot; cant; dialect; idiom; slang |
|
|
Jettison
|
to discard, to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering
syn: dump; eject |
|
|
Jingoism
|
belligerent support of one's country
syn: chauvinism; nationalism |
|
|
Jocular
|
playful, humorous
syn: amusing; comical |
|
|
Juncture
|
point of time, especially where two things are joined
syn: confluence; convergence; crisis; crossroads; moment |
|
|
Keen
|
having a sharp edge; intellectually sharp, perceptive
syn: acute; canny; quick |
|
|
Kindle
|
to set fire to or ignite; excite or inspire
syn: arouse; awaken; light; spark |
|
|
Kinetic
|
relating to motions; characterized by movement
syn: active; dynamic; mobile |
|
|
Knell
|
sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure
syn: chime; peal; toll |
|
|
Kudos
|
fame, glory, honor
syn: acclaim; accolade; encomium; homage; praise |
|
|
Lachrymose
|
tearful
syn: teary; weepy |
|
|
Laconic
|
using few words
syn: concise; curt; pithy; taciturn; terse |
|
|
Lament
|
to express sorrow
syn: bewail; deplore; grieve; mourn |
|
|
Lampoon
|
to ridicule with satire
syn: tease |
|
|
Languid
|
lacking energy; slow; indifferent
syn: lackadaisical; listless; sluggish; weak; faineant |
|
|
Lapidary
|
relating to precious stones or the are of cutting them
|
|
|
Larceny
|
theft of property
syn: burglary; robbery; stealing |
|
|
Largess
|
generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior
syn: benevolence; boon; compliment; favor; present |
|
|
Lassitude
|
a state of diminshed energy
syn: debilitation; enervation; fatigue; languor; listlessness; tiredness; weariness |
|
|
Latent
|
potential that is not readily apparent
sym: concealed; dormant; inert; potential; quiescent |
|
|
Laud
|
to give praise; to glorify
syn: acclaim; applaud; commend; compliment; exalt; extol; hail; praise |
|
|
Lavish
|
extremely generous or extravagant
syn: extravagant; exuberant; luxuriant; opulent; prodigal; profuse; superabundant |
|
|
Leery
|
suspicious
syn: distrustful; guarded; wary |
|
|
Legerdemain
|
trickery
syn: chicanery; conjuring |
|
|
Lethargic
|
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
syn: apathetic; lackadaisical; languid; listless; torpid |
|
|
Levity
|
an inappropriate lack of seriousness, overly casual
syn: amusement; humor |
|
|
Liberal
|
tolerant, broad-minded; generous, lavish
syn: bounteous; latiudinarian; munificent; permissive; progressive |
|
|
Libertine
|
a free thinker, usually used disparagingly; one without moral restraint
syn: hedonist |
|
|
Licentious
|
immoral; unrestrained by society
syn: lewd; wanton |
|
|
Limpid
|
clear, transparent
syn: lucid; pellucid; serene |
|
|
Lionize
|
to treat as a celebrity
syn: feast; honor; ply; regale |
|
|
Lissome
|
easily flexed; limber, agile
syn: graceful; lithe; supple |
|
|
Listless
|
lacking energy and enthusiasm
syn: faineant; indolent; languid; lethargic; sluggish |
|
|
Livid
|
discolored from a bruise; pale; reddened with anger
syn: ashen; black and blue; furious; pallid |
|
|
Loquacious
|
talkative
syn: effusive; garrulous; verbose |
|
|
Lucid
|
clear and easily understood
syn: clear; coherent; explicit; intelligible; limpid |
|
|
Lugubrious
|
sorrowful, mournful; dismal
syn: funereal; gloomy; melancholy; somber; woeful |
|
|
Lumber
|
to move slowly and awkwardly
syn: galumph; hulk; lurch; stumble |
|
|
Luminous
|
bright, brilliant, glowing
syn: incandescent; lustrous; radiant; resplendent |
|
|
Machination
|
plot or scheme
syn: cabal; conspiracy; design; intrigue |
|
|
Maelstrom
|
whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind
syn: charybdis; eddy; turbulence |
|
|
Magnate
|
powerful or influential person
syn: dignitary; luminary; nabob; potentate; tycoon |
|
|
Malediction
|
A curse; a wish of evil upon another
syn: anathema; imprecation |
|
|
Malinger
|
to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
syn: shirk; slack |
|
|
Malleable
|
capable of being shaped
syn: adaptable; ductile; plastiv; pliable; pliant |
|
|
Mannered
|
artificial or stilted in character
syn: affected; unnatrual |
|
|
Mar
|
to damage, deface; spoil
syn: blemish; disfigure; impair; injure; scar |
|
|
Martinet
|
srict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules
syn: dictator; stickler; tyrant |
|
|
Maudlin
|
overly sentimental
syn: bathetic; mawksh; saccharine; weepy |
|
|
Mendacious
|
dishonest
syn: deceitful; false; lying; untruthful |
|
|
Mendicant
|
beggar
syn: panhandler; pauper |
|
|
Mercurial
|
quick, shrewd, and unpredictable
syn: clever; crafty; volatile; whimsical |
|
|
Meretricious
|
gaudy; falsely attractive
syn: flashy; insincere; loud; specious; tawdry |
|
|
Metaphor
|
figure of speech comparing two different things
syn: allegory; analogy; simile; symbol |
|
|
Meticulous
|
extremely careful, fastidious, painstaking
syn: finicky; fussy; picky; precise; punctilious; scrupulous |
|
|
Militate
|
to operate against, work against
syn: influence; affect; change |
|
|
Mirth
|
frivolity, gaity, laughter
syn: glee; hilarity; jollity; merriment |
|
|
Misanthrope
|
a person who dislikes others
syn: curmudgeon |
|
|
Missive
|
a written note or letter
syn: message |
|
|
Mitigate
|
to soften, to lessen
syn: allay; alleviate; assuage; ease; lighten; moderate; mollify; palliate; temper |
|
|
Mollify
|
to calm or make less severe
syn: appease; assuage; conciliate; pacify |
|
|
Molt
|
to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically
syn: cast; defoliate; desquamate |
|
|
Monastic
|
extremely plain or secluded, as in a monestary
syn: austere; contemplative; disciplined; regimented; self-abnegating |
|
|
Monotony
|
no variation, tediously the same
syn: drone; tedium |
|
|
Mores
|
fixed customs or manners; moral attitudes
syn: convections; practices |
|
|
Multifarious
|
diverse
syn: assorted; indiscriminate; hetergenous; legion; motley; multifold; multiform; multiplex; multicarious; populous; varied |
|
|
Myopic
|
lacking foresight, having a narrow view or long range perspective
syn: short-sighted; unthinking |
|
|
Nadir
|
lowest point
syn: bottom; depth; pit |
|
|
Naive
|
lacking sophistication or experience
syn: artless; credulous; guileless; ingenuous; simple; unaffected; unsophisticated |
|
|
Nascent
|
startig to develop, coming into existence
syn: embryonic; emerging; inchoate; incipient |
|
|
Neologism
|
new word or expression
syn: slang; slip of the tongue |
|
|
Neophyte
|
novice, beginner
syn: apprentice; greenforn; tyro |
|
|
Nettle
|
to irritate
syn: annoy; vex |
|
|
Noisome
|
stinking, putrid
syn: disgusting; foul; malodorous |
|
|
Nominal
|
existing in name only; negligible
syn: minimal; titular |
|
|
Nuance
|
a subtle expression of meaning or quality
syn: gradation; sublety; tone |
|
|
Numismatics
|
coin collecting
|
|
|
Obdurate
|
hardened in feeling, resistant to persuasion
syn: inflexible; intransigent; recalcitrant; tenacious; unyielding |
|
|
Oblique
|
indirect, evasive; misleading, devious
syn: glancing; slanted; tangential |
|
|
Obsequious
|
overly submissive and eager to please
syn: compliant; deferential; servile; subservient |
|
|
Obstinate
|
stubborn; unyielding
syn: intransigent; mulish; persistent; perinacious; stubborn; tenacious |
|
|
Obviate
|
to prevent; to make unnecessary
syn: forestall; preclude; prohibit |
|
|
Occlude
|
to stop up, prevent the passage of
syn: barricade; block; close; obstruct |
|
|
Officious
|
too helpful, meddlesome
syn: eager; intrusive; unwanted |
|
|
Onerous
|
troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
syn: arduous; backbreaking; burdensome; cumbersome; difficult; exacting; formidable; hard; laborious; oppressive; rigorous; taxing; trying |
|
|
Opaque
|
impossible to see through, preventing the passage of light
syn: obscure |
|
|
Opine
|
to express an opinion
syn: point out; voice |
|
|
Opprobrium
|
public disgrace
syn: discredit; disgrace; dishonor; disrepute; ignominy; infamy; obloquy; shame |
|
|
Orotund
|
pompous
syn: aureate; bombastic; euphuistic; flowery; grandiloquent; magniloquent; oratrical; overblown; sonorous |
|
|
Ossify
|
to change into bone; to become hardened or set in a rigidly conventional pattern
|
|
|
Ostensible
|
apparent
syn: represented; supposed; surface |
|
|
Ostentation
|
excessive showiness
syn: conspicuousness; flashiness; pretentiousness; showiness |
|
|
Overwrought
|
agitated, overdone
syn: elaborate; excited; nervous; ornate |
|
|
Palatial
|
relating to a palace; magnificent
syn: grand; stately |
|
|
Palliate
|
to make less serious; ease
syn: alleviate; assuage; extenuate; mitigate |
|
|
Pallid
|
lacking color or liveliness
syn: ahsen; blanched; ghostly; pale; wan |
|
|
Panache
|
flamboyance or dash in style and action; verve
syn: flair |
|
|
Panegyric
|
elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise
syn: compliment; homage |
|
|
Panoply
|
impressive array
syn: array; display; range |
|
|
Paradox
|
a contradiction or dilemma
syn: ambiguity; incongruity |
|
|
Paragon
|
model of excellence or perfection
syn: apotheosis; ideal; quintessence; standard |
|
|
Pare
|
to trim off excess, reduce
syn: clip; peel |
|
|
Pariah
|
an outcast
syn: castaway; derelict; leper; offscouring; untouchable |
|
|
Parley
|
discussion, usually between enemies
syn: debate; dialogue; negotiations; talks; like in pirate movies |
|
|
Parry
|
to ward off or deflect, especially by a quick-witted answer
syn: avoid; evade; repel |
|
|
Pastiche
|
piece of literature or music imitating other works
syn: medley; spoof |
|
|
Pathogenic
|
causing disease
syn: infecting; noxious |
|
|
Peccadillo
|
minor sin or offense
syn: failing; fault; lapse; misstep |
|
|
Pedant
|
someone who shows off learning
syn: doctrinaire; nit-picker; pedagogue; scholar; schoolmaster; sophist |
|
|
Pejorative
|
having bad connotations; diparaging
syn: belittling; dismissive; insulting |
|
|
Penury
|
an oppressive lack of resources (as money); severe poverty
syn: destitution; impoverishment |
|
|
Peregrinate
|
to wander from place to place; to travel, especially on foot
syn: journey; traverse; trek |
|
|
Perfidious
|
willing to betray one's trust
syn: disloyal; faithless; traitorous; treacherous |
|
|
Perfunctory
|
done in a routine way; indifferent
syn: apathetic; automatic; mechanical |
|
|
Peripatetic
|
wandering from place to place, especially on foot
syn: intinerant; nomadic; wayfaring |
|
|
Permeate
|
to penetrate
syn: imbue; infuse; pervade; suffuse |
|
|
Perspicacious
|
shrewd, astute, keen-witted
syn: insightful; intelligent; sagacious |
|
|
Pervade
|
to present throughout; to permeate
syn: imbue; infuse; penetrate; permeate; suffuse |
|
|
Phalanx
|
a compact or close-knit body of people, animals, or things
syn: legion; mass |
|
|
Philanthropy
|
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
syn: altruism; humanitarianism |
|
|
Philistine
|
a person who is guided by materialism and is disdainful of intellectual or artistic
syn: boor; bourgeois; capitalist; clown; lout; materialist; vulgarian |
|
|
Phlegmatic
|
calm and unemotional in temperament
syn: apathetic; calm; emotionless; impassive; indifferent; passionless; unemotional |
|
|
Pithy
|
profound, substantial; consise, succinct, to the point
syn: brief; compact; laconic; terse |
|
|
Placate
|
to soothe or pacify
syn: appease; conciliate; mollify The burglar tried to placate the snarling dog by referring to it as a 'nice doggy' and offering it a treat. |
|
|
Plastic
|
able to me molded, altered, or bent
syn: adaptable; ductile; malleable; pliant The new material was very plastic and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes. |
|
|
Plebeian
|
crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners
syn: conventional; unrefined After five weeks of rigorous studying, the graduate settled in for a weekend of plebeian socializing and television watching. |
|
|
Plethora
|
excess
syn: glut; overabundance; superfluity; surfeit Assuming that more was better, the degendant offered the judge a plethora of excuses. |
|
|
Plucky
|
courageous, spunky
syn: bold; brave; gutsy The plucky young nurse dove into the foxhole, determined to help the wounded soldier. |
|
|
Polemic
|
controversy, argument; verbal attack
syn: denunciation; refutation The candidate's polemic against his opponent was vicious and small-minded rather than convincing and well-reasoned. |
|
|
Politic
|
shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic
syn: tactful |
|
|
Polygot
|
a speaker of many languages
|
|
|
Posit
|
to assume as real or conceded; propose as an explanation
syn: suggest |
|
|
Potentate
|
a monarch or ruler with great power
syn: dominator; leader |
|
|
Pragmatic
|
practical, as opposed to idealistic
syn: rational; realistic |
|
|
Prattle
|
meaningless, foolish talk
syn: babble; blather; chatter; drivel; gibberish |
|
|
Precipitate
|
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
syn: hurl; rush |
|
|
Precis
|
short summary of facts
syn: summation |
|
|
Prescient
|
having foresight
syn: augural; mantic; oracular; premonitory |
|
|
Prevaricate
|
to lie or deviate from the truth
syn: lie; pejure |
|
|
Pristine
|
fresh and clean, uncorrupted
|
|
|
Probity
|
complete honesty and integrity
syn: integrity; morality; rectitide; uprightness; virtue |
|
|
Proclivity
|
a natural inclination or predisposition
syn: bias; leaning; partiality; penchant; predilection; predisposition; prejudice; propensity |
|
|
Prodigal
|
lavish; wasteful
syn: extravagant; lavish; profligate; spendthrift; wasteful |
|
|
Profligate
|
corrupt, degenerate
syn: extravagant; improvident; prodigal; wasteful |
|
|
Proliferate
|
to increase in number quickly
syn: breed; multiply; procreate; propagate; reproduce; spawn |
|
|
Propitiate
|
to conciliate; to appease
syn: appeases; conciliate; mollify; pacify; placate |
|
|
Propriety
|
the quality of behaving in a proper manner, obeying rules and customs
syn: appropriateness; decency; decorum; modesty |
|
|
Prudence
|
wisdom, caution or restraint
syn: astuteness; circumspection; discretion; frugality; judiciousness; providence; thrift |
|
|
Puerile
|
childish, immature, silly
syn: infantile; jujune; juvenile |
|
|
Pugilism
|
boxing
syn: fighting; sparring |
|
|
Pulchritude
|
beauty
syn: comeliness; gorgeousness; handsomeness; loveliness; prettiness |
|
|
Pungent
|
sharp and irritating to the senses
syn: acrid; caustic; piquant; poignant; stinging |
|
|
Pusillanimous
|
cowardly, without courage
syn: cowardly; timid |
