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362 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
abridge
|
condense or shorten
Because the publishers felt the public wanted a shorter version of War and Peace, the proceeded to abridge the novel. |
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abstemious
|
sparing in eating and drinking; temperate
Concerned whether her vegetarians son's abstemious diet provided him with sufficient protein, the worried mother pressed food on him. |
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abstract
|
theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational
To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he had never missed a meal. |
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abstruse
|
obscure; profound; difficult to understand
Baffled by the abstruse texts assigned in class, Dave asked Lexy to explain Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. |
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accessible
|
easy to approach; obtainable
We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot |
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acclaim
|
applaud; announce with great approval
The NBC sportscasters acclaimed every American victory in the Olympics and decried every American defeat. |
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acknowledge
|
recognize; admit
Although Iris acknowledged that the Beatles' tunes sounded pretty dated nowadays, she still preferred them to the hip-hop songs her brothers played. |
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adulation
|
flattery; admiration
The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes men. |
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adversary
|
opponent
The young wrestler struggled to defeat his adversary. |
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adversity
|
unfavorable fortune; hardship; a calamitous event
According to the humorist Mark Twain, anyone can easily learn to endure adversity, as long as it is another man's. |
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advocate
|
urge; plead for
The abolitionists advocated freedom for the slaves. |
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aesthetic
|
artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciation of the beautiful
The beauty of Tiffany's stained glass appealed to Esther's aesthetic sense |
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affable
|
easily approachable; warmly friendly
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affirmation
|
positive assertion; confirmation; solemn pledge by one who refuses to take an oath
|
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alleviate
|
relieve
|
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aloof
|
apart; reserved
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altruistic
|
unselfishly generous; concerned for others
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ambiguous
|
unclear or doubtful in meaning
|
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ambivalence
|
the state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
|
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analogous
|
comparable
|
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anarchist
|
person who seeks to overturn the established government; advocate of abolishing authority
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anecdote
|
short account of an amusing or interesting event
|
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animosity
|
active enmity
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antagonism
|
hostility; active resistance
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antidote
|
medicine to counteract a poison or disease
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antiquated
|
old-fashioned; obsolete
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apathy
|
lack of caring; indifference
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appease
|
pacify or sooth; relieve
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apprehension
|
fear
|
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arbitrary
|
capricious; randomly chosen; tyrannical
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archaic
|
antiquated
|
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arrogance
|
pride; haughtiness
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articulate
|
effective; distinct
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artifact
|
object made by human beings, either handmade or mass-produced
|
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artisan
|
manually skilled worker; craftsman, as opposed to artist
|
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ascendancy
|
controlling influence; domination
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ascetic
|
practicing self-denial; austere
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aspire
|
seek to attain; long for
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astute
|
wise; shrewd; keen
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attribute
|
ascribe; explain
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augment
|
increase; add to
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austere
|
forbiddingly stern; severely simple and unornamented
|
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authoritarian
|
subordinating the individual to the state; completely dominating another's will
|
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autonomous
|
self-governing
|
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aversion
|
firm dislike
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belie
|
contradict; give a false impression
|
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benevolent
|
generous; charitable
|
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bolster
|
support; reinforce
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braggart
|
boaster
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brevity
|
conciseness
|
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cajole
|
coax; wheedle
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calculated
|
deliberately planned; likely
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candor
|
frankness; open honesty
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capricious
|
unpredictable; fickle; fanciful
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censorious
|
critical
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censure
|
blame; criticize
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coercion
|
use of force to get someone to obey
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commemorate
|
honor the memory of
|
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compile
|
assemble; gather; accumulate
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complacency
|
self-satisfaction; smugness
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compliance
|
readiness to yield, conformity in fulfilling requirements
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composure
|
mental calmness
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comprehensive
|
thorough; inclusive
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concede
|
admit; yield
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conciliatory
|
reconciling; soothing
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concise
|
brief and compact
|
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concur
|
agree
|
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condone
|
overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
|
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conflagration
|
great fire
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confound
|
confuse; puzzle
|
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consensus
|
general agreement
|
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constraint
|
compulsion; repression of feelings
|
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contend
|
struggle; compete; assert earnestly
|
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contentious
|
quarrelsome
|
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contract
|
compress or shrink; make a pledge; catch a disease
|
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conviction
|
judgement that someone is guilty of a crime; strongly held belief
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cordial
|
gracious; heartfelt
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corroborate
|
confirm; support
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credulity
|
belief on slight evidence; gullibility; naivete
|
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criterion
|
standard used in judging
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cryptic
|
mysterious; hidden; secret
|
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cursory
|
casual; hastily done
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curtail
|
shorten; reduce
|
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decorum
|
propriety; orderliness and good taste in manners
|
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deference
|
courteous regard for another's wish
|
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degradation
|
humiliation; debasement; degeneration
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delineate
|
portray; depict; sketch
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denounce
|
condemn; criticize
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deplore
|
regret; disapprove of
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depravity
|
extreme corruption; wickedness
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deprecate
|
express disapproval of; protest against; belittle
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deride
|
ridicule; make fun of
|
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derivative
|
unoriginal; derived from another source
|
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despondent
|
depressed; gloomy
|
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detached
|
emotionally removed; calm and objective; physically unconnected
|
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deterrent
|
something that discourages; hindrance
|
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detrimental
|
harmful; damaging
|
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devious
|
roundabout; erratic; not straightforward
|
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devise
|
think up; invent; plan
|
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diffuse
|
wordy; rambling; spread out (like a gas)
|
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digression
|
wandering away from the subject
|
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diligence
|
steadiness of effort; persistent hard work
|
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diminution
|
lessening; reduction in size
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discerning
|
mentally quick and observant; having insight
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disclose
|
reveal
|
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discordant
|
not harmonious; conflicting
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discount
|
disregard; dismiss
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discrepancy
|
lack of consistency; difference
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discriminating
|
able to see differences; prejudiced
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disdain
|
view with scorn or contempt
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disinclination
|
unwillingness
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dismiss
|
put away from consideration; reject
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disparage
|
belittle
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disparity
|
difference; condition of inequality
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disperse
|
scatter
|
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disputatious
|
argumentative; fond of arguing
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disseminate
|
distribute; spread; scatter
|
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dissent
|
disagree
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divergent
|
differing; deviating
|
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doctrine
|
teachings, in general; particular principle (religious, legal, etc.) taught
|
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document
|
provide written evidence
|
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dogmatic
|
opinionated; arbitrary; doctrinal
|
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dubious
|
questionable; filled with doubt
|
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duplicity
|
double-dealing; hypocrisy
|
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eclectic
|
composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
|
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egoism
|
excessive interest in one's self; belief that one should be interested in one's self rather than in others
|
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elated
|
overjoyed; in high spirits
|
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eloquence
|
expressiveness; persuasive speech
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elusive
|
evasive; baffling; hard to grasp
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embellish
|
adorn; ornament
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emulate
|
imitate; rival
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endorse
|
approve; support
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enhance
|
increase; improve
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enigma
|
puzzle; mystery
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enmity
|
ill will; hatred
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ephemeral
|
short-lived; fleeting
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equivocal
|
ambiguous; intentionally misleading
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erroneous
|
mistaken; wrong
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erudite
|
learned; scholarly
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esoteric
|
hard to understand; known only to the chosen few
|
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eulogy
|
expression of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death
|
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euphemism
|
mild expression in place of an unpleasant one
|
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exacerbate
|
worsen; embitter
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exalt
|
raise in rank or dignity; praise
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execute
|
put into effect; carry out
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exemplary
|
serving as a model; outstanding
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exemplify
|
serve as an example of; embody
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exhaustive
|
thorough; comprehensive
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exhilarating
|
invigorating and refreshing; cheering
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exonerate
|
acquit; exculpate; make free from blame
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expedient
|
suitable; practical; politic
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expedite
|
hasten
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explicit
|
totally clear; definite; outspoken
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exploit
|
make use of, sometimes unjustly
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extol
|
praise; glorify
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extraneous
|
not essential; superfluous
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extricate
|
free; disentangle
|
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exuberance
|
overflowing abundance; joyful enthusiasm; flamboyance; lavishness
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facilitate
|
help bring about; make less difficult
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fallacious
|
false; misleading
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fanaticism
|
excessive zeal; extreme devotion to a belief or cause
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fastidious
|
difficult to please; squeamish
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feasible
|
practical
|
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fervor
|
glowing ardor; intensity of feeling
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flagrant
|
conspicuously wicked; blatant
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frivolous
|
lacking in seriousness; self-indulgently carefree; relatively unimportant
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frugality
|
thrift; economy
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furtive
|
stealthy; sneaky
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garrulous
|
loquacious; wordy; talkative
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glutton
|
someone who eats too much
|
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gratify
|
please
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gratuitous
|
given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for
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gravity
|
seriousness
|
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gregarious
|
sociable
|
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guile
|
deceit; duplicity
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gullible
|
easily deceived
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hamper
|
obstruct
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hardy
|
sturdy; robust; able to stand inclement weather
|
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haughtiness
|
pride; arrogance
|
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hedonist
|
one who believes that pleasure is the sole aim in life
|
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heresy
|
opinion contrary to popular belief; opinion contrary to accepted religion
|
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hierarchy
|
arrangements by rank or standing; authoritarian body divided into ranks
|
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homogeneous
|
of the same kind
|
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hypocritical
|
pretending to be virtuous; deceiving
|
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hypothetical
|
based on assumptions or hypotheses; supposed
|
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idiosyncrasy
|
individual trait, usually odd in nature; eccentricity
|
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illusory
|
deceptive; not real
|
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immutable
|
unchangeable
|
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impair
|
injure; hurt
|
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impeccable
|
faultless
|
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impede
|
hinder; block; delay
|
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implausible
|
unlikely; unbelievable
|
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implement
|
put into effect; supply with tools
|
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impudence
|
impertinence; insolence; lack of modesty, shameless
|
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inadvertent
|
unintentional; by oversight; careless
|
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inane
|
silly; senseless
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incisive
|
cutting; sharp
|
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incite
|
arouse to action; goad; motivate; induce to exist
|
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inclusive
|
tending to include all
|
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incongruous
|
not fitting; absurd
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inconsequential
|
insignificant; unimportant
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incorrigible
|
not correctable
|
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indict
|
charge
|
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indifferent
|
unmoved or unconcerned by; mediocre
|
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indiscriminate
|
choosing at random; confused
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induce
|
persuade; bring about
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inert
|
inactive; lacking power to move
|
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ingenious
|
clever; resourceful
|
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inherent
|
firmly established by nature or habit
|
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innate
|
inborn
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innocuous
|
harmless
|
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innovation
|
change; introduction of something new
|
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insipid
|
lacking in flavor; dull
|
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instigate
|
urge; start; provoke
|
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insularity
|
narrow-mindedness; isolation
|
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integrity
|
uprightness; wholeness
|
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intervene
|
come between
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intimidate
|
frighten
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intrepid
|
fearless
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inundate
|
overwhelm; flood; submerge
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invert
|
turn upside down or inside out
|
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ironic
|
resulting in an unexpected and contrary outcome
|
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lament
|
grieve; express sorrow
|
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laud
|
praise
|
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lavish
|
generous; openhanded; extravagant; wasteful
|
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lethargic
|
drowsy; dull
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levity
|
lack of seriousness; lightness
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linger
|
loiter or dawdle; continue or persist
|
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listless
|
lacking in spirit or energy
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lofty
|
very high
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malicious
|
hateful; spiteful
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marred
|
damaged; disfigured
|
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materialism
|
preoccupation with physical comforts and things
|
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methodical
|
systematic
|
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meticulous
|
excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous
|
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miserly
|
stingy; mean
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mitigate
|
appease; moderate
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morose
|
ill-humored; sullen; melancholy
|
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mundane
|
worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday
|
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negate
|
cancel out; nullify; deny
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nonchalance
|
indifference; lack of concern; composure
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notoriety
|
disrepute; ill fame
|
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novelty
|
something new; newness
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nurture
|
nourish; educate; foster
|
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obliterate
|
destroy completely
|
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oblivion
|
obscurity; forgetfulness
|
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obscure
|
darken; make unclear
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obstinate
|
stubborn; hard to control or treat
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ominous
|
threatening
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opaque
|
dark; not transparent
|
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opportunist
|
individual who sacrifices principles for expediency by taking advantage of circumstances
|
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optimist
|
person who looks on the good side
|
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opulence
|
extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance
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orator
|
public speaker
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ostentatious
|
showy; pretentious; trying to attract attention
|
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pacifist
|
one opposed to force; anti-militarist
|
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partisan
|
one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party
|
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peripheral
|
marginal; outer
|
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perpetuate
|
make something last; preserve from extinction
|
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pervasive
|
pervading; spread throughout every part
|
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pessimism
|
belief that life is basically bad or evil; gloominess
|
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phenomena
|
observable facts; subjects of scientific investigation
|
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philanthropist
|
lover of mankind; doer of good
|
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piety
|
religious devotion; godliness
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placate
|
pacify; conciliate
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ponderous
|
weighty; unwieldy
|
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pragmatic
|
practical (as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
|
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preclude
|
make impossible; eliminate
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precocious
|
advanced in development
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predator
|
creature that seizes and devours another animal; person who robs or exploits others
|
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predecessor
|
former occupant of a post
|
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presumptuous
|
overconfident; impertinently bold; taking liberties
|
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pretentious
|
ostentatious; pompous; making unjustified claims; overly ambitious
|
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prevalent
|
widespread; generally accepted
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prodigal
|
wasteful; reckless with money
|
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profane
|
violate; desecrate; treat unworthily
|
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profound
|
deep; not superficial; complete
|
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profusion
|
overabundance; lavish expenditure; excess
|
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proliferation
|
rapid growth; spread; multiplication
|
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prolific
|
abundantly fruitful
|
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provincial
|
pertaining to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
|
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proximity
|
nearness
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prudent
|
cautious; careful
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qualified
|
limited; restricted
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quandary
|
dilemma
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ramble
|
wander aimlessly (physically or mentally)
|
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rancor
|
bitterness; hatred
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ratify
|
approve formally; confirm; verify
|
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rebuttal
|
refutation; response with contrary evidence
|
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recluse
|
hermit; loner
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recount
|
narrate or tell; count over again
|
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rectify
|
set right; correct
|
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redundant
|
superfluous; repetitious; excessively wordy
|
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refute
|
disprove
|
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relegate
|
banish to an inferior position; delegate; assign
|
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remorse
|
guilt; self-reproach
|
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renounce
|
abandon; disown; repudiate
|
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repel
|
drive away; disgust
|
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reprehensible
|
deserving blame
|
|
reprimand
|
reprove severely; rebuke
|
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reprove
|
censure; rebuke
|
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repudiate
|
disown; disavow
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reserve
|
self-control; formal but distant manner
|
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resigned
|
accepting one's fate; unresisting; patiently submissive
|
|
resolution
|
determination; resolve
|
|
resolve
|
determination; firmness of purpose
|
|
restraint
|
moderation of self-control; controlling force; restriction
|
|
reticence
|
reserve; uncommunicativeness; inclination to silence
|
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retract
|
withdraw; take back
|
|
reverent
|
respectful; worshipful
|
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rhetorical
|
pertaining to effective communication; insincere in language
|
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rigor
|
severity
|
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robust
|
vigorous; strong
|
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sage
|
person celebrated for wisdom
|
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sanction
|
approve; ratify
|
|
satirical
|
mocking
|
|
scanty
|
meager; insufficient
|
|
scrupulous
|
conscientious; extremely thorough
|
|
scrutinize
|
examine closely and critically
|
|
seclusion
|
isolation; solitude
|
|
servile
|
slavish; cringing
|
|
skeptic
|
doubter; person who suspends judgment until the evidence supporting a point of view has been examined
|
|
sluggish
|
slow; lazy; lethargic
|
|
somber
|
gloomy; depressing; dark; drab
|
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sporadic
|
occurring irregularly
|
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squander
|
waste
|
|
stagnant
|
motionless; stale; dull
|
|
static
|
unchanging; lacking development
|
|
submissive
|
yielding; timid
|
|
subordinate
|
occupying a lower rank; inferior; submissive
|
|
subside
|
settle down; descend; grow quiet
|
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substantiate
|
establish by evidence; verify; support
|
|
succinct
|
brief; tense; compact
|
|
superficial
|
trivial; shallow
|
|
superfluous
|
unnecessary; excessive; overabundant
|
|
susceptible
|
impressionable; easily influenced; having little resistance, as to a disease; receptive to
|
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sustain
|
experience; support; nourish
|
|
sycophant
|
servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man
|
|
taciturn
|
habitually silent; talking little
|
|
temper
|
moderate; tone down or restrain; toughen (steel)
|
|
tentative
|
hesitant; not fully worked out or developed; experimental; not definite or positive
|
|
terse
|
concise; abrupt; pithy
|
|
thrive
|
prosper; flourish
|
|
tranquility
|
calmness; peace
|
|
transient
|
momentary; temporary; staying for a short time
|
|
trite
|
hackneyed; commonplace
|
|
turbulence
|
state of violent agitation
|
|
turmoil
|
great commotion and confusion
|
|
undermine
|
weaken; sap
|
|
uniformity
|
sameness; monotony
|
|
unwarranted
|
unjustified; groundless; undeserved
|
|
usurp
|
seize another power or rank
|
|
vacillate
|
waver; fluctuate
|
|
venerate
|
revere
|
|
verbose
|
wordy
|
|
vigor
|
active strength
|
|
vilify
|
slander
|
|
vindicate
|
clear from blame; exonerate; justify or support
|
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virtuoso
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highly skilled artist
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volatile
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changeable; explosive; evaporating rapidly
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whimsical
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capricious; fanciful
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zealot
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fanatic; person who shows excessive zeal
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