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180 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
ABATE |
to reduce in amount, degree, or severity |
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ABSCOND |
to leave secretly |
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ABSTAIN |
to choose not to do something |
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ABYSS |
an extremely deep hole |
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ADULTERATE |
to make impure |
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ADVOCATE |
to speak in favor of |
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AESTHETIC |
concerning the appreciation of beauty |
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AGGRANDIZE |
to increase in power, influence, and reputation |
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ALLEVIATE |
to make more bearable |
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AMALGAMATE |
to combine; to mix together |
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AMBIGUOUS |
doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways |
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AMELIORATE |
to make better; to improve |
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ANACHRONISM |
something out of place in time |
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ANALOGOUS |
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to |
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ANOMALY |
deviation from what is normal |
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ANTOGONIZE |
to annoy or provoke to anger |
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ANTIPATHY |
extreme dislike |
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APATHY |
lack of interest of emotion |
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ARBITRATE |
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties |
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ARCHAIC |
ancient, old fashioned |
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ARDOR |
intense and passionate feeling |
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ARTICULATE |
able to speak clearly and expressively |
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ASSUAGE |
to make something unpleasant less severe |
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ATTENUATE |
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken |
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AUDACIOUS |
fearless and daring |
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AUSTERE |
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated |
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BANAL |
predictable, cliched, boring |
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BOLSTER |
to support; to prop up |
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BOMBASTIC |
pompous in speech and manner |
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CACOPHONY |
harsh, jarring noise |
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CANDID |
impartial and honest in speech |
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CAPRICIOUS |
changing one's mind quickly and often |
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CASTIGATE |
to punish or criticize harshly |
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CATALYST |
something that brings about a change in something else |
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CAUSTIC |
biting in wit |
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CHAOS |
great disorder or confusion |
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CHAUVINIST |
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs |
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CHICANERY |
deception by means of craft or guile |
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COGENT |
convincing and well reasoned |
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CONDONE |
to overlook, pardon, or disregard |
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CONVOLUTED |
intricate and complicated |
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CORROBORATE |
to provide supporting evidence |
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CREDULOUS
|
too trusting; gullible
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CRESCENDO |
steadily increasing volume or force |
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DECORUM |
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety |
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DEFERENCE |
respect, courtesy |
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DERIDE |
to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock |
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DESICCATE |
to dry out thoroughly |
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DESULTORY |
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected |
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DIATRIBE |
an abusive, condemnatory speech
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DIFFIDENT |
lacking self-confidence |
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DILATE |
to make larger; to expand |
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DILATORY |
intended to delay |
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DILETTANTE |
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic |
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DIRGE |
a funeral hymn or mournful speech |
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DISABUSE |
to set right; to free from error |
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DISCERN |
to perceive; to recognize |
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DISPARATE |
fundamentally different; entirely unlike |
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DISSEMBLE |
to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character |
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DISSONANCE |
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds |
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DOGMA |
a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief |
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DOGMATIC |
dictatorial in one's opinions |
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DUPE |
to deceive; a person who is easily deceived |
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ECLECTIC |
selecting from or made up from a variety of sources |
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EFFICACY |
effectiveness |
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ELEGY |
a sorrowful poem or speech |
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ELOQUENT |
persuasive and moving, especially in speech |
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EMULATE |
to copy; to try to equal or excel |
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ENERVATE |
to reduce in strength |
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ENGENDER |
to produce, cause, or bring about |
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ENIGMA |
a puzzle; a mystery |
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ENUMERATE |
to count, list, or itemize |
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EPHEMERAL |
lasting a short time |
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EQUIVOCATE |
to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead |
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ERRATIC |
wandering and unpredictable |
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ERUDITE |
learned, scholarly, bookish |
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ESOTERIC |
known or understood by only a few |
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ESTIMABLE |
admirable |
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EULOGY |
speech in prais of someone |
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EUPHEMISM |
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one |
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EXACERBATE |
to make worse |
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EXCULPATE |
to clear from blame; prove innocent |
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EXIGENT |
urgent; requiring immediate action |
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EXONERATE |
to clear of blame |
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EXPLICIT |
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression |
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FANATICAL |
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion |
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FAWN |
to grovel |
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FERVID |
intensely emotional; feverish |
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FLORID |
excessively decorated or embellished |
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FOMENT |
to arouse or incite |
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FRUGALITY |
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap |
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GARRULOUS |
tending to talk a lot |
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GREGARIOUS |
outgoing, sociable |
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GUILE |
deceit or trickery |
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GULLIBLE |
easily deceived |
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HOMOGENOUS |
of a similar kind |
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ICONOCLAST |
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions |
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IMPERTURBABLE |
not capable of being disturbed |
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IMPERVIOUS |
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected |
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IMPETUOUS |
quick to act without thinking |
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IMPLACABLE |
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful |
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INCHOATE |
not fully formed; disorganized |
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INGENOUS |
showing innocence or childlike simplicity |
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INIMICAL |
hostile, unfriendly |
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INNOCUOUS |
harmless |
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INSIPID |
lacking interest or flavor |
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INTRANSIGENT |
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled |
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INUNDATE |
to overwhelm; to cover with water |
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IRASCIBLE |
easily made angry |
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LACONIC |
using few words |
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LAMENT |
to express sorrow; to grieve |
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LAUD |
to give praise; to glorify |
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LAVISH |
to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.) |
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LETHARGIC |
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner |
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LOQUACIOUS |
talkative |
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LUCID |
clear and easily understood |
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LUMINOUS |
bright, brilliant, glowing |
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MALINGER |
to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill |
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MALLEABLE |
capable of being shaped |
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METAPHOR |
a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol |
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METICULOUS |
extremely careful about details |
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MISANTHROPE |
a person who dislikes others |
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MITIGATE |
to soften; to lessen |
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MOLLIFY |
to calm or make less severe |
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MONOTONY |
lack of variation |
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NAIVE |
lacking sophistication or experience |
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OBDURATE |
hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion |
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OBSEQUIOUS |
overly submissive and eager to please |
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OBSTINATE |
stubborn, unyielding |
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OBVIATE |
to prevent; to make unnecessary |
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OCCLUDE |
to stop up; to prevent the passage of |
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ONEROUS
|
troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
|
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OPAQUE |
impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light |
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OPPROBRIUM |
public disgrace |
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OSTENTATION |
excessive showiness |
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PARADOX |
a contradiction or dilemma |
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PARAGON |
model of excellence or perfection |
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PEDANT |
someone who shows off learning |
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PERFIDIOUS |
willing to betray one's trust |
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PERFUNCTORY |
done in a routine way; indifferent |
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PERMEATE |
to penetrate |
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PHILANTHROPY |
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness |
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PLACATE |
to soothe or pacify |
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PLASTIC |
able to be molded, altered, or bent |
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PLETHORA |
excess |
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PRAGMATIC |
practical as opposed to idealistic |
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PRECIPITATE |
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation |
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PREVARICATE
|
to lie or deviate from the truth |
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PRISTINE |
fresh and clean; uncorrupted |
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PRODIGAL |
lavish, wasteful |
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PROLIFERATE |
to increase in number quickly |
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PROPITIATE |
to conciliate; to appease |
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PROPRIETY |
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs |
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PRUDENCE |
wisdom, caution, or restraint |
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PUNGENT |
sharp and irritating to the senses |
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QUIESCENT |
motionless |
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REREFY |
to make thinner or sparser |
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REPUDIATE |
to reject the validity of |
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RETICENT |
silent, reserved |
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RHETORIC |
effective writing or speaking |
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SATIATE |
to satisfy fully or overindulge |
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SOPORIFIC
|
causing sleep or lethargy |
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SPECIOUS |
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious |
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STIGMA |
a mark of shame or discredit |
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STOLID |
unemotional; lacking sensitivity |
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SUBLIME |
lofty or grand |
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TACIT |
done without using words |
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TACITURN |
silent, not talkative |
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TIRADE |
long, harsh speech or verbal attack |
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TORPOR |
extreme mental and physical sluggishness |
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TRANSITORY |
temporary, lasting a brief time |
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VACILLATE |
to sway physically; to be indecisive |
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VENERATE |
to respect deeply |
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VERACITY |
filled with truth and accuracy |
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VERBOSE |
wordy |
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VEX |
to annoy |
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VOLATILE |
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive |
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WAVER |
to fluctuate between choices |
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WHIMSICAL |
acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable |
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ZEAL |
passion, excitement |