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173 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abate
|
to reduce in amount, degree, or severity
ebb moderate subside lapse relent wane let up slacken |
|
abscond
|
to leave secretly
flee decamp escape |
|
abstain
|
to choose not to do something
forbear refrain withhold |
|
abyss
|
an extremely deep hole
chasm void |
|
adulterate
|
to make impure
doctor |
|
advocate
|
to speak in favor of
advocacy: active support for back champion support |
|
aesthetic
|
concerning the appreciation of beauty
artistic tasteful |
|
aggrandize
|
to increase in power, influence, and reputation
|
|
alleviate
|
to make more bearable
allay ease mitigate assuage lessen palliate comfort lighten relieve |
|
amalgamate
|
to combine, to mix together
admix commingle fuse merge blend commix intermingle mingle combine compound intermix mix |
|
ambiguous
|
doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
cloudy equivocal obscure doubtful nebulous unclear dubious indeterminate vague |
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ameliorate
|
to make better, to improve
amend pacify better upgrade improve |
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anachronism
|
something out of place in time
archaism incongruity |
|
analogous
|
similar or alike in some; equivalent to
alike similar equivalent comparable homogeneous corresponding parallel |
|
anomaly
|
deviation from what is normal
aberrance deviance preternaturalness aberration deviation abnormaility irregularity |
|
antagonize
|
to annoy or provoke to anger
clash irritate provoke conflict oppose vex incite pester |
|
antipathy
|
extreme dislike
animosity aversion repellence animus enmity antagonism hostility |
|
apathy
|
lack of interest or emotion
coolness disinterest disregard |
|
arbitrate
|
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
adjudge determine referee adjudicate judge rule decide moderate |
|
archaic
|
ancient, old-fashioned
ancient bygone fusty outdated prehistoric superseded antediluvian dated obsolete outmoded stale vintage antique dowdy old-fashioned passe superannuated |
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ardor
|
intense and passionate feeling
devotion fervidity fire zealousness enthusiasm fervidness passion fervency pervor zeal |
|
articulate
|
able to speak clearly and expressively
eloquent lucid expressive silver-tongued fluent smooth-spoken |
|
assuage
|
to make something unpleasant less severe
allay comfort lighten pacify propitiate sweeten alleviate conciliate mitigate palliate relieve appease ease mollify placate soothe |
|
attenuate
|
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
debilitate enervate sap undo weaken devitalize enfeebled thin unnerve dilute rarefy undermine water |
|
audacious
|
fearless and daring
adventuresome bold daring fearless heroic plucky aggressive brave dauntless gallant intrepid stout assertive courageous doughty game mettlesome stouthearted unafraid valorous undaunted venturesome valiant ventrous |
|
austere
|
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
bleak hard dour harsh grim severe |
|
banal
|
predictable, cliched, boring
bland commonplace innocuous musty quotidian stereotypic tired worn-out bromidic fautuous insipid platitudinous shopworn threadbare trite cliched hackneyed jejune prosaic stale timeworn vapid |
|
bolster
|
to support, to prop up
brace support uphold buttress sustain prop underpin |
|
bombastic
|
pompous in speech and manner
bloated grandiloquent magniloquent rhetorical declamatory grandiose orotund self-important fustian high-flown pretentious |
|
cacophony
|
harsh, jarring noise
discord noise chaos clamor disharmony din |
|
candid
|
impartial and honest in speech
direct honest straight forthright open straightforward frank sincere undisguised |
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capricious
|
changing one's mind quickly and often
arbitrary erratic mercurial willful chance fickle random changeable inconstant whimsical |
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castigate
|
to punish or criticize harshly
admonish rebuke chastise reprimand chide reproach reprove upbraid scold tax |
|
catalyst
|
something that brings about a change in something else
|
|
caustic
|
biting in wit
acerbic trenchant biting mordant |
|
chaos
|
great disorder or confusion
clutter disarray disorganization muddle topsy-turviness confusion disorder jumble scramble turmoil disarrangement disorderliness mess snarl |
|
chauvinist
|
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
partisan |
|
chicanery
|
deception by means of craft or guile
artifice conniving craftiness deception pettifoggery sophistry deviousness shadiness subterfuge misrepresentation sneakiness underhandedness |
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cogent
|
convincing and well-reasoned
convincing sound persuasive telling solid valid |
|
condone
|
to overlook, pardon,or disregard
exculpate remit excuse pardon |
|
convoluted
|
intricate and complicated
byzantine intricate perplexing complex knotty tangled elaborate labyrinthine |
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corroborate
|
to provide supporting evidence
authenticate buttress validate back confirm verify bear out substantiate |
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credulous
|
too trusting; gullible
naive susceptible trusting |
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crescendo
|
steadily increasing in volume or force
|
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decorum
|
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
correctness manners seemliness decenecy mores etiquette propriety |
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dilatory
|
intended to delay
dragging lagging slow-going flagging slow slow-paced laggard slow-footed tardy |
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dilettante
|
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
amateur tyro dabbler superficial |
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dirge
|
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
elegy lament |
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disabuse
|
to set right; to free from error
correct undeceive |
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discern
|
to perceive; to recognize
catch differentiate espy separate tell descry discriminate glimpse spot detect distinguis know spy |
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disparate
|
fundamentally different; entirely unalike
different diverse dissimilar variant divergent various |
|
dissemble
|
to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
act camouflage cover up fake masquerade put on affect cloak disguise feign pose sham assume counterfeit dissimulate mask pretend simulate |
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dissonance
|
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
clash dissension friction contention dissent strift discord dissidence variance |
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dogma
|
a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
creed tenet doctrine teaching |
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dogmatic
|
dictatorial in one's opinions
authoritarian doctrinaire magisterial peremptory bossy domineering masterful dictatorial imperious overbearing |
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dupe
|
to deceive; a person who is easily deceived
beguile cozen fool mislead betray deceive hoodwink take in bluff delude humbug trick |
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eclectic
|
selecting from or made up of a variety of sources
selective catholic broad |
|
efficacy
|
effectiveness
dynamism force proficiency effectiveness power strength efficiency productiveness vigor |
|
elegy
|
a sorrowful poem or speech
dirge lament |
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eloquent
|
persuasive and moving, especially in speech
articulate meaningful expressive significant fluent smooth-spoken |
|
emulate
|
to copy; to try to equal or excel
ape imitate simulate |
|
enervate
|
to reduce in strength
debilitate weaken enfeeble sap |
|
engender
|
to produce, cause, or bring about
beget proliferate generate reproduce procreate spawn |
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enigma
|
a puzzle; a mystery
conundrum perplexity |
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enumerate
|
to count, list, or itemize
catalog index tabulate |
|
ephemeral
|
lasting a short time
evanescent transient fleeting momentary |
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equivocate
|
to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
ambiguous evasive waffling |
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erratic
|
wandering and unpredictable
capricious whimsical inconstant irresolute |
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erudite
|
learned, scholarly, bookish
scholastic learned wise |
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esoteric
|
known or understood by only a few
abstruse arcane obscure |
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estimable
|
admirable
honorable praiseworthy worthy commendable laudable respectable creditable meritorious venerable |
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eulogy
|
speech in praise of someone
commend extol laud |
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euphemism
|
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful on
circumlocution whitewash |
|
exacerbate
|
to make worse
annoy irritate aggravate provoke intensify |
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exculpate
|
to clear from blame; prove innocent
absolve exonerate acquit vindicate clear |
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exigent
|
urgen, requiring immediate action
critical urgent imperative needed |
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exonerate
|
to clear of blame
absolve exculpate acquit vindicate clear |
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explicit
|
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
candid unequivocal frank straightforward |
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fanatical
|
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
extremist zealous fiery frenzied |
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fawn
|
to grovel
bootlick pander grovel toady |
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fervid
|
intensely emotional; feverish
burning vehement impassioned passionate zealous |
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florid
|
excessively decorate or embellished
baroque elaborate flamboyant ornate ostentatious rococo |
|
foment
|
to arouse or incite
agitate instigate impassion kindle inflame |
|
frugality
|
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
economical sparing parsimony prudence |
|
garrulous
|
tending to talk a lot
effusive loquacious |
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gregarious
|
outgoing, sociable
affable sociable congenial communicative |
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guile
|
deceit or trickery
artifice duplicity chicanery connivery |
|
gullible
|
easily deceived
credulous exploitable naive |
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homogenous
|
of a similar kind
consistene unvarying standardized uniform |
|
iconoclast
|
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
maverick revolutionary nonconformist rebel |
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imperturbable
|
not capable of being disturbed
composed serene dispassionate stoical impassive |
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impervious
|
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
resistant impregnable |
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impetuous
|
quick to act without thinking
impulsive reckless precipitate spontaneous rash |
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implacable
|
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
inexorable relentless unrelenting intransigent remorseless irreconcilable unforgiving |
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inchoate
|
not fully formed; disorganized
amorphous unorganized incoherent incomplete |
|
ingenuous
|
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
artless naive guileless simple innocent unaffected |
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inimical
|
hostile, unfriendly
adverse recalcitrant antagonistic dissident |
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innocuous
|
harmless
benign inoffensive |
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insipid
|
lacking interest or flavor
banal stale bland vapid dull |
|
intransigent
|
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
implacable obdurate rigid unyielding inexorable obstinate unbending irreconcilable remorseless unrelenting |
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innundate
|
to overwhelm; to cover with water
deluge flood drown submerge engulf |
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irascible
|
easily made angry
cantankerous irritable testy ornery |
|
laconic
|
using few words
concise terse curt taciturn pithy |
|
lament
|
to express sorrow; to grieve
bewail mourn deplore grieve |
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laud
|
to give praise; to glorify
acclaim compliment hail applaud exalt praise commend extol |
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lavish
|
to give unsparingly; extremely generous or extravagant
bestow extravagant prodigal ocnfer opulent luxuriant exuberant profuse superabundant |
|
lethargic
|
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
apathetic listless languid torpid lackadaisical |
|
loquacious
|
talkative
effusive garrulous verbose |
|
lucid
|
clear and easily understood
clear intelligible coherent impid explicit |
|
luminous
|
bright, brilliant, glowing
incandescent radiant lucent respendlent lustrous |
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malinger
|
to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
shirk slack |
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malleable
|
capable of being shaped
adaptable pliable ductile pliant plastic |
|
metaphor
|
a figure of speech comparing to different things; a symbol
analogy comparison |
|
meticulous
|
extremely careful about details
conscientious precise scrupulous |
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misanthrope
|
a person who dislikes others
|
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mitigate
|
to soften; to lessen
allay ease mollify alleviate lighten palliate assuage moderate temper |
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mollify
|
to calm or make less severe
appeae pacify assuage conciliate |
|
monotony
|
lack of variation
drone tedium |
|
naive
|
lacking sophistication or experience
artless ingenuous credulous simple guileless unaffected |
|
obdurate
|
overly submissive and eager to please
compliant subservient deferential servile |
|
obsequious
|
overly submissive and eager to please
compliant subservient deferential servile |
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obstinate
|
stubborn, unyielding
intransigent pertinacious mulish stubborn persistent tenacious |
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obviate
|
to prevent; to make unnecessary
forestall preclude prohibit |
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occlude
|
to stop up; to prevent the passage of
barricade obstruct block close |
|
onerous
|
troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
arduous cumbersome formidable oppressive trying backbreaking difficult hard rigorous burdensome exacting laborious taxing |
|
opaque
|
impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
obscure |
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opprobium
|
public disgrace
discredit disrepute obloquy disgrade ignominy shame dishonor infamy |
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ostentation
|
excessive showiness
conspicuousness showiness flashiness pretentiousness |
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paradox
|
a contradiction or dilemma
incongruity ambiguity |
|
paragon
|
model of excellence or perfection
apotheosis ideal standard quintessence |
|
pedant
|
someone who shows off learning
|
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perfidious
|
willing to betray one's trust
disloyal traitorous faithless treacherous |
|
perfunctory
|
done in a routine way; indifferent
apathetic automatic mechanical |
|
permeate
|
to penetrate
imbue infuse suffuse |
|
philanthropy
|
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
humanitarianism altruism |
|
placate
|
to soothe or pacify
appease conciliate mollify |
|
plastic
|
able to be molded, altered, or bent
adaptable pliant ductile malleable |
|
plethora
|
excess
glut surfeit overabundance superfluity |
|
pragmatic
|
practical as opposed to idealistic
realistic rational |
|
precipitate
|
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberationg
abrupt hurried impulsive reckless hasty ill-considered prompt sudden headlong impetuous rash |
|
prevaricate
|
to lie or deviate from the truth
equivocate lie perjure |
|
pristine
|
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
innocent undamanged |
|
prodigal
|
lavish, wasteful
extravagant spendthrift lavish wasteful profligate |
|
proliferate
|
to increase in number quickly
breed propagate multiply reproduce procreate spawn |
|
propitiate
|
to conciliate; to appease
appease pacify conciliate placate mollify |
|
propriety
|
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
decency seemliness decorum modesty |
|
prudence
|
wisdom, caution, or restraint
astuteness frugality thrift circumspection judiciousness discretion providence |
|
pungent
|
sharp and irritating to the senses
acrid poignant caustic stinging piquant |
|
quiescent
|
motionless
latent dormant |
|
rarefy
|
to make thinner or sparser
attenuate thin |
|
repudiate
|
to reject the validity of
deny disown disavow renounce disclaim |
|
reticent
|
silent, reserved
cool standoffish introverted taciturn laconic undemonstrative |
|
rhetoric
|
effective writing or speaking
eloquence oratory |
|
satiate
|
to satisfy fully or overindulge
cloy surfeit glut gorge |
|
soporific
|
causing sleep or lethargy
hypnotic somnolent narcotic slumberous |
|
specious
|
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
illusory spurious ostensible sophistical plausible |
|
stigma
|
a mark of shame or discredit
blemish stain blot taint opprobrium |
|
stolid
|
emotional; lacking sensitivity
apathetica phlegmatic impassive stoical indifferent unconcerned |
|
sublime
|
lofty or grand
august grand noble superb exalted magnificent regal glorious majestic resplendent |
|
tacit
|
done without using words
implicit unsaid implied unuttered undeclared |
|
taciturn
|
silent, not talkative
laconic reticent |
|
tirade
|
long, harsh speech or verbal attack
diatribe obloquy fulmination revilement harangue vilification |
|
torpor
|
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
apathy languor |
|
transitory
|
temporary; lasting a brief time
ephemeral impermanent evanescent momentary fleeting |
|
vacillate
|
to sway physically; to be indecisive
dither oscillate falter waver fluctuate |
|
venerate
|
to respect deeply
adore revere honor idolize |
|
veracity
|
filled with truth and accuracy
candor probity exactitude fidelity |
|
verbose
|
wordy
long-winded superfluous loquacious prolix |
|
vex
|
to annoy
exasperate peeve bother irk provoke chafe nettle |
|
volatile
|
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
capricious inconsistent temperamental erratic inconstant fickle mercurial |
|
waver
|
to fluctuate between choices
dither oscillate falter vacillate fluctuate |
|
whimsical
|
acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
capricious flippant erratic frivolous |
|
zeal
|
passion, excitement
ardency passion fervor fire |