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185 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Abate |
VERB to lessen in violence or intensity
syn: subside, decrease |
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Abet |
VERB to assist or encourage, especially in wrongdoing
syn: encourage, promote, incite |
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Abhor |
VERB to detest, loathe, hate strongly
syn: despise, abominate |
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Acquit |
VERB to find not guilty of a fault or crime
syn: vindicate, absolve, exonerate |
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Acrimony |
NOUN harsh temper or bitter feeling
syn: resentment, rancor, unkindness |
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Adamant |
ADJ unyielding; firm in opinion
syn: stubborn |
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Adulation |
NOUN excessive praise or admiration
syn: flattery, adoration |
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Affable |
ADJ friendly; courteous; agreeable in manner; easy to talk to
syn: amiable, good-natured |
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Agnostic |
NOUN one who believes that the existence of God is unknown and unknowable
syn: skeptic; one with a critical or doubting attitude |
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Agrarian |
ADJ having to do with farms, farmers, or the use of land
syn: agricultural; rural; pastoral |
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Altercation |
NOUN a heated argument
syn: controversy, quarrel, contention |
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Ambivalent |
ADJ being uncertain; unable to decide between two opposing points of view
syn: indecisive |
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Amicable |
ADJ friendly; peaceable
syn: agreeable; amiable |
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Anathema |
NOUN a greatly disliked, hated person or thing; a curse, or a person cursed
syn: abomination; abhorrence |
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Apathy |
NOUN lack of interest |
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Appease |
VERB to make calm or quiet; to give in to the demands of |
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Arduous |
ADJ difficult; requiring much effort; strenuous
syn: strenuous, laborious |
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Audacity |
NOUN insolence; rude boldness |
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Augment |
VERB to enlarge; to increase in amount or intensity
syn: expand, enhance, increase |
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Austere |
ADJ severe, stern, plain
syn: rigorous |
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Avarice |
NOUN excessive greed; desire for wealth
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Avid |
ADJ eager; extremely interested
syn: voracious; keen ant: apathetic |
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Bacchanalian |
ADJ wild with drunkenness |
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Balk |
VERB to stop short and refuse to continue; to obstruct
syn: hesitate; frustrate; block ant: facilitate; abet |
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Banter |
NOUN teasing; good-natured joking
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Barrister |
NOUN lawyer |
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Bask |
VERB to lie in the sun or be exposed to warmth |
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bastion |
NOUN a strong defense; a fort |
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Bawdy |
ADJ indecent; humorously obscene
syn: risque |
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Befuddle |
VERB to confuse; to perplex
syn: bewilder; fluster ant: clarify |
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Bigot |
NOUN one who is intolerant of another's beliefs, opinions, or values
syn: intolerant, prejudiced, narrow-minded ant: tolerant, liberal, open-minded |
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Cajole |
VERB to persuade with false promises and flattery
syn: coax, wheedle, talk into ant: dissuade, deter |
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Candid |
ADJ 1. outspoken, blunt 2. informal, unposed
syn: straightforward, truthful, sincere ant: evasive, equivocal |
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Canine |
ADJ/NOUN 1. having to do with dogs 2. a dog |
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Capricious |
ADJ guided by whim rather than reason; changing one's mind suddenly
syn: fickle, erratic, inconstant ant: steadfast, undeviating |
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Castigate |
VERB to criticize or punish for the purpose of correction
syn: chastise, discipline, reprimand ant: commend, laud, praise |
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Caustic |
ADJ biting, burning, severe; sharp or sarcastic
syn: tart, corrosive, harsh ant: mild, saccharine, gentle, easy-going |
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Chaos |
NOUN complete disorder
syn: confusion, shambles ant: order, harmony |
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Charlatan |
NOUN one who pretends to have more knowledge or skill than he or she really has, especially in the field of medicine
syn: quack, impostor, fraud, fake |
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Chastise |
VERB to punish severely
syn: punish, reprove, discipline ant: reward, comfort |
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Circumspect |
ADJ careful, watchful; attentive to all points
syn: wary, judicious, prudent ant: rash, foolhardy |
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Circumvent |
VERB to get around; to beat or defeat by trickery; to prevent an occurrence
syn: thwart, balk, outwit ant: abet, facilitate, promote |
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Clandestine |
ADJ secret
syn: covert, furtive, underhanded ant: forthright, open, aboveboard |
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Clement |
ADJ 1. Merciful, lenient 2. Mild, as weather
syn: 1. forbearing, benign 2. temperate |
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Cliche |
NOUN a worn-out idea or overused expression
syn: platitude, trite phase |
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Coerce |
VERB to compel by force; to force a person to do something against his or her will
syn: compel, constrain, force |
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Collaborate |
VERB 1. to work with another toward a goal 2. to cooperate with an enemy invader
syn: 1. cooperate 2. abet |
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Comely |
ADJ attractive or handsome; pleasing to the sight
syn: becoming, attractive, handsome ant: homely, repulsive, plain |
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Complacent |
ADJ pleased with oneself or one's deeds
syn: unconcerned, conceited, contented ant: discontented, humble, disatisfied |
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Concur |
VERB to be of the same opinion; to agree with
syn: approve, assent ant: disagree, demur, dissent
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Condone |
VERB to forgive or overlook an offense by treating the wrongdoer as if he had done nothing wrong
syn: pardon, excuse, acquit ant: condemn, indict, avenge |
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Connive |
VERB
to cooperate secretly in a wrongdoing
syn: collaborate, conspire |
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Connoisseur |
NOUN an expert; a critical judge in matter of culture, food, or wine
syn: expert, virtuoso, critic ant: novice, beginner, amateur |
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Contrite |
ADJ showing a deep regret and sorrow, usually for having committed some wrongdoing
syn: repentant, remorseful, penitent ant: obdurate, shameless, unrepentant |
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Copious |
ADJ abundant; large in number of quantity
syn: profuse, bountiful, plentiful ant: meager, sparse, scanty |
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Crass |
ADJ coarse, stupid, tasteless
syn: crude, obtuse, graceless ant: suave, polished, refined |
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Credence |
NOUN belief or trust
syn: credit, faith ant: distrust, skepticism, doubt |
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culinary |
adj having to do with the kitchen or cooking |
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culmination |
noun attainment by anything of its highest point or degree |
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cult |
noun a fadlike devotion to a person, thing or idea; a group of people with such a devotion |
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cynical |
adj inclined to distrust or deny the goodness or sincerity of human motive |
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decorum |
noun conformity to accepted standards of conduct; proper behavior
syn: propriety, dignity, etiquette ant: impropriety, inappropriateness |
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demagogue |
noun a leader who appeals to the emotions and prejudices of people, especially to advance his own power
syn: agitator, ringleader, rabble-rouser |
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demure |
adj quiet and modest |
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deprecate |
verb to express disapproval of; to depreciate one's effort |
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destitute |
adj extremely poor; lacking necessities like food and shelter
syn: indigent ant: opulent, affluent |
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diffident |
adj lacking in self confidence; shy |
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dilemma |
noun a difficult choice; especially a choice between two equally undesirable alternatives
syn: quandary, plight |
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dilettante |
noun one who studies an art or science for mere amusement |
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disparity |
noun inequality; difference |
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divulge |
verb to tell, to reveal (as a secret) |
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docile |
adj easy to teach or manage
syn: submissive, compliant |
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dogmatic |
adj stating an opinion in an authoritative or arrogant manner
syn: arrogant |
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dole |
verb to distribute; to give out sparingly
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dolorous |
adj mournful, sad
syn: sorrowful, painful |
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dour |
adj gloomy, sullen
syn: stern, severe, forbidding |
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droll |
adj amusing in an odd way
syn: funny, wry |
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duplicity |
noun intentional deceit in speech or conduct |
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effigy |
noun an image of a person or thing; usually a crude image of a hated person |
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emaciated |
adj extremely thin, wasted away |
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Emulate |
VERB to try to be equal to or better than; to imitate |
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enamored |
verb to be in love with |
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enhance |
verb to increase the value or beauty of something |
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enigma |
noun a puzzling or seemingly inexplicable situation, person, etc
syn: riddle, secret, mystery |
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enraptured |
verb to be delighted beyond measure
syn: enchanted, charmed, entranced |
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enunciate |
verb to pronounce words clearly and distinctly |
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erudite |
adj scholarly; having or showing a wide knowledge gained from reading
syn: learned, bookish |
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ethnic |
adj of or having to do with races or classes of people and their language, culture, history, etc |
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evince |
verb to show clearly
syn: demonstrate, indicate, prove |
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evoke |
verb to call forth; to draw forth |
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exhort |
verb to use words or arguments to incite one to good deeds
syn: urge |
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exodus |
noun a departure, especially in a large group
syn: withdrawal
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expatriate |
noun one who chooses to leave his or her native country |
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expedient |
adj the best means to do something under a given set of circumstances, especially if it will bring about personal gain
syn: convenient, advantageous |
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explicit |
adj clearly stated |
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expound |
verb to explain; to set forth point by point; to interpret |
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expunge |
verb to erase |
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extol |
verb to praise highly |
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extradite |
verb to turn a prisoner over to the jurisdiction of another country of state where the crime was allegedly committed |
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extraneous |
adj not belonging; foreign; nonessential |
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extrovert |
noun one who is outgoing |
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exult |
verb to rejoice over a success or victory |
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fallacy |
noun false or mistaken idea |
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feasible |
adj reasonable; likely, capable of being carried out |
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fiasco |
noun failure |
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fickle |
adj likely to change without reason |
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fluctuate |
verb to move |
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formidable |
adj hard to overcome or deal with |
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frowzy |
adj dirty; unkempt |
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frugal |
adj not wasteful; thrifty |
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frustrate |
verb to bring to nothing; to thwart, to baffle |
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furtive |
adj done in a stealthy or secretive manner |
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gadfly |
a person who annoys other, esp by rousing them from complacency |
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galvanize |
verb to startle into sudden activity |
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gamut |
noun the whole range or extent |
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gargantuan |
adj of huge or extraordinary size and power |
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gauche |
adj lacking social grace |
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genial |
adj warm; friendly |
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grandiloquent |
adj speaking in pompous style |
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gregarious |
adj fond of the company of others, belonging to a flock |
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grimace |
noun a facial expression of fear, disapproval, or pain
verb to make such an expression |
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harangue |
noun a long noisy speech or lecture
verb to make a speech |
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harry |
verb to torment another |
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hearth |
noun a fireplace |
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heinous |
adj hatefully or shockingly evil |
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heresy |
noun a religious belief opposed to the established doctrine |
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hoax |
noun a practical joke |
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hue |
noun that quality which makes one color differ from other colors; a particular shade or tint of a given color |
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humility |
noun absence of vanity |
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hurtle |
verb to dash; to move swiftly and with great force |
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hyperbole |
noun extreme exaggeration for effect and not meant to be taken literally |
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hypercritical |
adj overly critical; too severe in judgement |
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ignominy |
noun public shame, disgrace, or dishonor |
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impeccable |
adj faultless; without sin or blemish |
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implacable |
adj cannot be appeased or pacified |
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inane |
adj without sense or meaning; silly; empty |
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incarcerate |
verb to put into prison; to confine |
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incisive |
adj sharp; keen; penetrating |
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incognito |
adj hiding one's name, rank, position; disguised |
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indiscreet |
adj not wise or judicious; imprudent, as in speech or action |
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inert
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adj
having no power to act or move; inactive |
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inexorable
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adj
cannot be moved or influenced by persuasion or entreaty; unrelenting |
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inscrutable
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adj
cannot be easily understood; mysterious |
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insipid
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adj
without flavor; tasteless; dull; lifeless |
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intrepid
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adj
without fear; brave |
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irascible
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adj
easily angered |
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jaundiced
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adj
prejudiced, cynical |
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jaunty
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adj
fashionable, stylish, carefree |
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jettison
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verb
to throw goods overboard |
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jingoism
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noun
extreme patriotism; favoring an aggressive, warlike foreign policy |
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jocose
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adj
joking, humorous |
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juggernaut
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noun
a terrible destructive or irresistible force |
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latent
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adj
present, but not active; hidden |
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laudable
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adj
worthy of praise, commendable |
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lethargy
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noun
lack of energy; drowsiness, disinterest |
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levity
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noun
lightness or gaiety of disposition; lack of seriousness |
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lexicon
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noun
a dictionary; a special vocabulary |
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libation
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noun
an alcoholic drink |
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liege
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noun
a lord, master, or sovereign |
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magnanimous
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adj
noble; generous in forgiving; free from petty feeling or acts |
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martial
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adj
having to do with marriage |
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mercenary
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noun
one who works for only money, especially a hired soldier |
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meticulous
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adj
extremely careful about small details |
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motley
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adj
made up of different, dissimilar parts; being of many colors |
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mundane
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adj
of this world and not of heaven; common, worldly; not spiritual |
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murky
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adj
gloomy, dark, cloudy |
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myriad
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adj
a very large number; of a highly varied nature |
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naive
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adj
simple in nature; not affected; innocent simplicity; childlike |
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nocturnal
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adj
having to do with the night; occurring at night |
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novice
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nouna beginner; one who is new or inexperienced
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noxious |
adj harmful to the health |
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nuance |
noun a delicate variation in tone, color, meaning, expression |
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obese |
adj extremely fat |
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obstreperous |
adj boisterous; unruly |
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odium |
noun hatred; the state of being hated |
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officious |
adj offering unnecessary and unwanted advice or service |
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ominous |
adj threatening; predicting evil |
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omniscient |
adj having unlimited knowledge; knowing everything |
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ostensible |
adj apparent; pretended; professed |
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ostracize |
verb to banish |
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pandemonium |
noun a wild disorder, noise or confusion |
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parsimonious |
adj too economical; stingy |
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penitent |
adj expressing sorry for having sinned or done wrong |
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pernicious |
adj causing injury; evil or wicked |
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pertinent |
adj having to do with what is being considered |
