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644 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
- 3rd side (hint)
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Abscond
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To depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
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Aberrant
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Deviating from the norm
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Alacrity
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Eager and enthusiastic willingness
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He accepted the task with alacrity.
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Anomaly
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Deviation from the normal order, form or rule; abnormality
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Approbation
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An expression of approval or praise
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Arduous
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Strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
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Assuage
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To ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
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Audacious
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Daring and fearless; recklessly bold
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Austere
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Without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
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Axiomatic
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Taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth
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canonical
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Following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
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capricious
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Inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
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censure
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To criticize severely; to officially rebuke
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chicanery
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Trickery or subterfuge
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connoisseur
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An informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
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convoluted
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Complex or complicated
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disabuse
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To undeceive; to set right
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He made it his duty to be a conduit of disabuse - they came to him for help.
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discordant
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Conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
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disparate
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Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
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effrontery
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Extreme boldness; presumptuousness
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eloquent
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Well-spoken, expressive, articulate
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enervate
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To weaken; to reduce in vitality
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ennui
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Dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
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equivocate
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To use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
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erudite
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Very learned; scholarly
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exculpate
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Exonerate; to clear of blame
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exigent
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Urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
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extemporaneous
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Improvised; done without preparation
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And so it happened, that she got up and gave the best speech of her life - extemporaneously no less.
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fulminate
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To loudly attack or denounce
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ingenuous
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Artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
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inured
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Accustomed to accepting something undesirable
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irascible
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Easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
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laud
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To praise highly
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lucid
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Clear; easily understood
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magnanimity
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The quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving
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martial
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Associated with war and the armed forces
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mundane
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Of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
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nascent
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Coming into being; in early developmental stages
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nebulous
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Vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
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neologism
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A new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
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noxious
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Harmful, injurious
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obtuse
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Lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
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obviate
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To anticipate and make unnecessary
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onerous
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Troubling; burdensome
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paean
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A song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
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parody
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A humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
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perennial
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Recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
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perfidy
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Intentional breach of faith; treachery
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Tom no longer cared for his perfunctory studies in Buddhism, and engaged in perfidy to spite his past.
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perfunctory
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Cursory; done without care or interest
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perspicacious
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Acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
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prattle
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To babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
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Precipitate (adj)
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acting with excessive haste or impulse
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Precipitate (vrb)
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To cause or happen before anticipated or required
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predilection
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A disposition in favor of something; preference
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prescience
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Foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
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prevaricate
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To deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
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qualms
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Misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
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recant
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To retract, esp. a previously held belief
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refute
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To disprove; to successfully argue against
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relegate
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To forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
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reticent
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Quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
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solicitous
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Concerned and attentive; eager
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sordid
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Characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
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sporadic
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Occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
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squander
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To waste by spending or using irresponsibly
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static
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Not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
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stupefy
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To stun, baffle, or amaze
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stymie
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To block; thwart
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synthesis
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The combination of parts to make a whole
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torque
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A force that causes rotation!
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tortuous
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Winding, twisting; excessively complicated
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truculent
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Fierce and cruel; eager to fight
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veracity
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Truthfulness, honesty
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virulent
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Extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
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voracious
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Having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
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waver
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To move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
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adroit
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quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
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abate
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To lessen in intensity or degree
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accolade
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An expression of praise
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adulation
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Excessive praise; intense adoration
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aesthetic
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Dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
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avarice
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Greed, esp. for wealth
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His father displayed such avarice in his career that he paid no attention to him.
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axiom
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A universally recognized principle
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burgeon
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To grow rapidly or flourish
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bucolic
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Rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
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cacophony
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Harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
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canon
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An established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
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castigation
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Severe criticism or punishment
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catalyst
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A substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change.
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caustic
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Burning or stinging; causing corrosion
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chary
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Wary; cautious; sparing
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cogent
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Appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
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complaisance
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The willingness to comply with the wishes of others
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contentious
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Argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
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contrite
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Regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
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culpable
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Deserving blame
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dearth
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Smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
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demur
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To question or oppose
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didactic
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Intended to teach or instruct
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discretion
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Cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
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disinterested
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Free of bias or self-interest; impartial
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dogmatic
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Expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
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ebullience
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The quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
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eclectic
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Composed of elements drawn from various sources
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elegy
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A mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
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emollient
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Soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
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empirical
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Based on observation or experiment
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enigmatic
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Mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
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ephemeral
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Brief; fleeting
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esoteric
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Intended for or understood by a small, specific group
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eulogy
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A speech honoring the dead
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exonerate
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To remove blame
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facetious
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Playful; humorous
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furtive
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Marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
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gregarious
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Sociable
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harangue
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To deliver a pompous speech or tirade
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heretical
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Violating accepted dogma or convention
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impecunious
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Lacking funds; without money
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incipient
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Beginning to come into being or to become apparent
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inveigle
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To obtain by deception or flattery
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penurious
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Penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
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pernicious
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Extremely harmful; potentially causing death
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peruse
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To examine with great care
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prodigious
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Abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
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prolific
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Producing large volumes or amounts; productive
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quaff
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To drink deeply
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redoubtable
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Awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
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satire
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A literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
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squalid
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Sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
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stoic
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Indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
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supplant
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To take the place of; supersede
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torpid
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Lethargic; sluggish; dormant
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ubiquitous
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Existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
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urbane
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Sophisticated; refined; elegant
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vilify
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To defame; to characterize harshly
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acumen
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Keen, accurate judgment or insight
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adulterate
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To reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
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amalgamate
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To combine several elements into a whole
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archaic
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Outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
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aver
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To state as a fact; to declare or assert
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"Well I do aver!"
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bombastic
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Synonyms: pompous, grandiloquent, turgid, florid, grandiose. Bombastic, flowery, pretentious, verbose all describe a use or a user of language more elaborate than is justified by or appropriate to the content being expressed. Bombastic suggests language with a theatricality or staginess of style far too powerful or declamatory for the meaning or sentiment being expressed.
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a bombastic sermon on the evils of cardplaying
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diatribe
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A harsh denunciation (noun)
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dissemble
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To disguise or conceal; to mislead
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Think resemble, but dis-resemble.
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endemic
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Characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, or people
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evanescent
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Tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
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fervent
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Greatly emotional or zealous
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germane
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Relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
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hackneyed
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Rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
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halcyon
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Calm and peaceful
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hedonism
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Devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasures of the senses
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hegemony
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The consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
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iconoclast
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One who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
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idolatrous
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Given to intense or excessive devotion to something
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impassive
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Revealing no emotion
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imperturbable
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Marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
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implacable
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Not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
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impunity
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Immunity from punishment or penalty
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inchoate
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In an initial stage; not fully formed
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infelicitous
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Unfortunate; inappropriate
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insipid
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Without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
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loquacious
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Extremely talkative
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luminous
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Characterized by brightness and the emission of light
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malevolent
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Having or showing often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
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mendacity
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The condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
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misanthrope
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One who hates all other humans
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mitigate
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To make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
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obdurate
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Unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
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obsequious
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Exhibiting a fawning attentiveness; boot-licking
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opprobrium
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Disgrace; contempt; scorn
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pedagogy
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The profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
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pedantic
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Overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one’s knowledge
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penury
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Poverty; destitution
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pirate
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To illegally use or reproduce
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pith
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The essential or central part
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pithy
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Precise and brief; curt (slightly negative connotations)
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I have no use for your pithy remarks!
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placate
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To appease; to calm by making concessions
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platitude
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A superficial remark; esp. one offered as meaningful
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polemical
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Controversial; argumentative
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prodigal
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Recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
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proliferate
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To grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
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queries
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Questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
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querulous
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Prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
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rancorous
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Characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
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recalcitrant
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Obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
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repudiate
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To refuse to have anything to do with; disown
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rescind
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To repeal; to retract
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rhetoric
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The art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
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salubrious
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Promoting health or well-being
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solvent
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Able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
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specious
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Seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
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spurious
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Lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
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subpoena
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A court order requiring appearance and/or testimony
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succinct
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Brief; concise
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superfluous
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Exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
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surfeit
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An overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
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Food in the United States is surfeit.
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tenacity
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Persistent determination
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tenuous
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Having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
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tirade
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A long and extremely critical speech
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acerbic
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Having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
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aggrandize
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To increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
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anachronism
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Something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
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contiguous
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Sharing a border; touching; adjacent
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credulous
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Tending to believe too readily; gullible
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derision
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Scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
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desiccate
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To dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
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dilettante
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One with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
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disparage
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To slight or belittle
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divulge
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To disclose something secret
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fawn
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To flatter or praise excessively
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flout
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To show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
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garrulous
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Pointlessly talkative, talking too much
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glib
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Marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
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hubris
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Overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
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immutable
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Not capable of change
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impetuous
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Hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
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inimical
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Damaging; harmful; injurious
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intractable
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Not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
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intrepid
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Steadfast and courageous
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laconic
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Using few words; terse
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terse
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Abrupt in manner often to the point of rudeness.
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maverick
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An independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
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mercurial
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Characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
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mollify
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To calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
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neophyte
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A recent convert; a beginner; novice
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I am no longer a neophyte of psychology.
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obfuscate
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To deliberately obscure; to make confusing
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ostentatious
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Characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
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pervade
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To permeate throughout
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phlegmatic
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Calm; sluggish; unemotional
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plethora
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An overabundance; a surplus
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pragmatic
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Practical rather than idealistic
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His research was not very pragmatic, and as a result he was not awarded the grant.
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presumptuous
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Overstepping due bounds; taking liberites
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pristine
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Pure; uncorrupted; clean
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probity
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Adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
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A career in politics should be marked with probity, but alas...
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proclivity
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A natural predisposition or inclination
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profligate
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Excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
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propensity
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A natural inclination or tendency, penchant
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prosaic
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Dull; lacking in spirit or imagination
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quixotic
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Foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
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quotidian
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Occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
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rarefy
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To make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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recondite
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Hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
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refulgent
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Radiant; shiny; brilliant
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OOOOOOO!!!! Refulgent keys! YAY!
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renege
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To fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
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sedulous
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Diligent; persistent; hard-working
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shard
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A piece of broken pottery or glass
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soporific
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Causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
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spendthrift
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One who spends money wastefully
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tacit
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Implied; not explicitly stated
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Stupid freakin tacit physics problems! --Me
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tout
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To publicly praise or promote
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trenchant
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Sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
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unfeigned
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Genuine; not false or hypocritical
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untenable
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Indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
|
|
|
|
vacillate
|
To waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
|
|
|
|
variegated
|
Multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
|
|
|
|
vexation
|
Annoyance; irritations (verb: vex)
|
|
|
|
vigilant
|
Alertly watchful
|
|
|
|
vituperate
|
To use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
|
|
|
|
alloy
|
To commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior
|
|
|
|
appropriate
|
To take for one’s own use
|
|
|
|
Arrest
|
To suspend
|
|
|
|
ignominious
|
deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
|
"Never return to this household, you ignominious fool!" his father yelled as he ran out the door, never to return again. [That's not half bad, maybe I should write a book...]
|
|
|
guile
|
shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
|
"...and don't forget Roland's guile" [Roland is a character called the gunslinger and is very serious, quiet, and good at manipulating those around him]
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|
|
sagacious
|
perspicacious
|
|
|
|
Gambit
|
an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker
|
|
|
|
Belie
|
misrepresent: represent falsely
|
|
|
|
Truculent
|
defiantly aggressive
|
|
|
|
Diffident
|
showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence
|
|
|
|
countenance
|
Verb form - to sanction: formal and explicit approval. Appearance.
|
A sad countenance. The college administration will not countenance cheating.
|
|
|
Salutary
|
beneficial: tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
|
|
|
|
prosaic
|
commonplace: not challenging; dull and lacking excitement
|
|
|
|
extolled
|
laud: praise, glorify, or honor
|
|
|
|
Excoriate
|
condemn: express strong disapproval of
|
|
|
|
Banal
|
repeated too often; over familiar through overuse (cliché)
|
|
|
|
promulgate
|
formally made public
|
The president was not about to promulgate his secret affair.
|
|
|
censure
|
reprimand: rebuke formally
|
|
|
|
Catholic
|
universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all
|
|
|
|
quotidian
|
ordinary; commonplace
|
|
|
|
obstreperous
|
resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly
|
|
|
|
disingenuous
|
Insincere
|
|
|
|
gainsay
|
to deny, dispute, or contradict
|
"I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay, nor resist (King James Bible, Luke 21:15
|
|
|
taciturn
|
habitually reserved and uncommunicative
|
|
|
|
acquiescent
|
willing to carry out the orders or wishes of another without protest
|
|
|
|
cadge
|
to get something by taking advantage of someone
|
|
|
|
depredation
|
the act of preying upon or plundering
|
|
|
|
noisome
|
harmful, offensive, destructive
|
|
|
|
panegyric
|
a writing or speech in praise of a person or thing
|
ENCOMIUM implies enthusiasm and warmth in praising a person or a thing <received encomiums from literary critics>. EULOGY applies to a prepared speech or writing extolling the virtues and services of a person <delivered the eulogy at the funeral service>. PANEGYRIC suggests an elaborate often poetic compliment <her lyrical memoir was a panegyric to her mentor>.
|
|
|
prodigal
|
Rashly wasteful
|
|
|
|
reproof
|
the act of censuring, scolding, or rebuking
|
|
|
|
tractable
|
ability to be easily managed or controlled
|
|
|
|
turpitude
|
depravity; baseness
|
|
|
|
acarpous
|
producing no fruit
|
|
|
|
Agog
|
Eager / excited
|
kids all agog over new toy
|
|
|
apotheosis
|
the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god; deification
|
Many observers have tried to attribute Warhol's current apotheosis to the subversive power of artistic vision" (Michiko Kakutani).
|
|
|
abjure
|
To promise or swear to give up
|
|
|
|
abrogate
|
To repeal or annul by authority
|
|
|
|
accretion
|
The growing of separate things into one
|
|
|
|
admonitory
|
Containing warning
|
|
|
|
ameliorate
|
To improve; make better
|
|
|
|
aplomb
|
Self-confidence
|
|
|
|
Argot
|
Jargon / slang
|
|
|
|
arrant
|
In the highest degree
|
|
|
|
asperity
|
roughness harshness ill temper irritability
|
|
|
|
assuage
|
To make pain/desire less
|
|
|
|
augury
|
An omen or a sign
|
|
|
|
august
|
Majestic; venerable
|
|
|
|
Balk
|
hindrance: something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
|
|
|
|
supercilious
|
disdainful: having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
|
The door-to-door holy-roller's supercilious air was infuriating.
|
|
|
sycophantic
|
Obsequious – bootlicking
|
|
|
|
Circumspect
|
heedful of potential consequences;
|
|
|
|
evince
|
To give expression to
|
|
|
|
reliquary
|
A container for the preservation of the relics of a saint
|
|
|
|
contravene
|
To contradict
|
|
|
|
transgression
|
the action of going beyond or overstepping some boundary or limit
|
|
|
|
contumacious
|
stubbornly disobedient, rebellious
|
Teenagers are sometimes quite contumacious.
|
|
|
abstruse
|
difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
|
|
|
|
supernumerary
|
a person serving no apparent function; a minor actor in crowd scenes
|
|
|
|
despoil
|
plunder: steal goods; take as spoils;
|
|
|
|
austere
|
Severely simple
|
|
|
|
misapprehension
|
mistake: an understanding of something that is not correct;
|
|
|
|
vitriol
|
subject to bitter verbal abuse
|
|
|
|
polemic
|
polemicist: a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology); a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); of or involving dispute or controversy
|
"The worst offense that can be committed by a polemic is to stigmatize those who hold a contrary opinion as bad and immoral men." [John Stuart Mill, 1806-73]
|
|
|
proclivity
|
A natural inclination
|
|
|
|
Abscond
|
To depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide
|
|
|
|
Aberrant
|
Deviating from the norm
|
|
|
|
Alacrity
|
Eager and enthusiastic willingness
|
|
|
|
Anomaly
|
Deviation from the normal order, form or rule; abnormality
|
|
|
|
Approbation
|
An expression of approval or praise
|
|
|
|
Arduous
|
Strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort
|
|
|
|
Assuage
|
To ease or lessen; to appease or pacify
|
|
|
|
Audacious
|
Daring and fearless; recklessly bold
|
|
|
|
Austere
|
Without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic
|
|
|
|
Axiomatic
|
Taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth
|
|
|
|
canonical
|
Following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards
|
|
|
|
capricious
|
Inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable
|
|
|
|
censure
|
To criticize severely; to officially rebuke
|
|
|
|
chicanery
|
Trickery or subterfuge
|
|
|
|
connoisseur
|
An informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert
|
|
|
|
convoluted
|
Complex or complicated
|
|
|
|
disabuse
|
To undeceive; to set right
|
|
|
|
discordant
|
Conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound
|
|
|
|
disparate
|
Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar
|
|
|
|
effrontery
|
Extreme boldness; presumptuousness
|
|
|
|
eloquent
|
Well-spoken, expressive, articulate
|
|
|
|
enervate
|
To weaken; to reduce in vitality
|
|
|
|
ennui
|
Dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy
|
|
|
|
equivocate
|
To use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent
|
|
|
|
erudite
|
Very learned; scholarly
|
|
|
|
exculpate
|
Exonerate; to clear of blame
|
|
|
|
exigent
|
Urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention
|
|
|
|
extemporaneous
|
Improvised; done without preparation
|
|
|
|
fulminate
|
To loudly attack or denounce
|
|
|
|
ingenuous
|
Artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication
|
|
|
|
inured
|
Accustomed to accepting something undesirable
|
|
|
|
irascible
|
Easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts
|
|
|
|
laud
|
To praise highly
|
|
|
|
lucid
|
Clear; easily understood
|
|
|
|
magnanimity
|
The quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, esp. in forgiving
|
|
|
|
martial
|
Associated with war and the armed forces
|
|
|
|
mundane
|
Of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary
|
|
|
|
nascent
|
Coming into being; in early developmental stages
|
|
|
|
nebulous
|
Vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
|
|
|
|
neologism
|
A new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses
|
|
|
|
noxious
|
Harmful, injurious
|
|
|
|
obtuse
|
Lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
|
|
|
|
obviate
|
To anticipate and make unnecessary
|
|
|
|
onerous
|
Troubling; burdensome
|
|
|
|
paean
|
A song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving
|
|
|
|
parody
|
A humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, esp. in literature and art
|
|
|
|
perennial
|
Recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly
|
|
|
|
perfidy
|
Intentional breach of faith; treachery
|
|
|
|
perfunctory
|
Cursory; done without care or interest
|
|
|
|
perspicacious
|
Acutely perceptive; having keen discernment
|
|
|
|
prattle
|
To babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner
|
|
|
|
Precipitate (adj)
|
acting with excessive haste or impulse
|
|
|
|
Precipitate (vrb)
|
To cause or happen before anticipated or required
|
|
|
|
predilection
|
A disposition in favor of something; preference
|
|
|
|
prescience
|
Foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring
|
|
|
|
prevaricate
|
To deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead
|
|
|
|
qualms
|
Misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy
|
|
|
|
recant
|
To retract, esp. a previously held belief
|
|
|
|
refute
|
To disprove; to successfully argue against
|
|
|
|
relegate
|
To forcibly assign, esp. to a lower place or position
|
|
|
|
reticent
|
Quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings
|
|
|
|
solicitous
|
Concerned and attentive; eager
|
|
|
|
sordid
|
Characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul
|
|
|
|
sporadic
|
Occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances
|
|
|
|
squander
|
To waste by spending or using irresponsibly
|
|
|
|
static
|
Not moving, active, or in motion; at rest
|
|
|
|
stupefy
|
To stun, baffle, or amaze
|
|
|
|
stymie
|
To block; thwart
|
|
|
|
synthesis
|
The combination of parts to make a whole
|
|
|
|
torque
|
A force that causes rotation!
|
|
|
|
tortuous
|
Winding, twisting; excessively complicated
|
|
|
|
truculent
|
Fierce and cruel; eager to fight
|
|
|
|
veracity
|
Truthfulness, honesty
|
|
|
|
virulent
|
Extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic
|
|
|
|
voracious
|
Having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous
|
|
|
|
waver
|
To move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion
|
|
|
|
adroit
|
quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
|
|
|
|
abate
|
To lessen in intensity or degree
|
|
|
|
accolade
|
An expression of praise
|
|
|
|
adulation
|
Excessive praise; intense adoration
|
|
|
|
aesthetic
|
Dealing with, appreciative of, or responsive to art or the beautiful
|
|
|
|
avarice
|
Gree, esp. for wealth
|
|
|
|
axiom
|
A universally recognized principle
|
|
|
|
burgeon
|
To grow rapidly or flourish
|
|
|
|
bucolic
|
Rustic and pastoral; characteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants
|
|
|
|
cacophony
|
Harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance
|
|
|
|
canon
|
An established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature
|
|
|
|
castigation
|
Severe criticism or punishment
|
|
|
|
catalyst
|
A substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change.
|
|
|
|
caustic
|
Burning or stinging; causing corrosion
|
|
|
|
chary
|
Wary; cautious; sparing
|
|
|
|
cogent
|
Appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing
|
|
|
|
complaisance
|
The willingness to comply with the wishes of others
|
|
|
|
contentious
|
Argumentative; quarrelsome; causing controversy or disagreement
|
|
|
|
contrite
|
Regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness
|
The criminal's face was almost mournful with contrition.
|
|
|
culpable
|
Deserving blame
|
|
|
|
dearth
|
Smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack
|
|
|
|
demur
|
To question or oppose
|
|
|
|
didactic
|
Intended to teach or instruct
|
|
|
|
discretion
|
Cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
|
|
|
|
disinterested
|
Free of bias or self-interest; impartial
|
|
|
|
dogmatic
|
Expressing a rigid opinion based on unproved or improvable principles
|
|
|
|
ebullience
|
The quality of lively or enthusiastic expression of thoughts and feelings
|
|
|
|
eclectic
|
Composed of elements drawn from various sources
|
|
|
|
elegy
|
A mournful poem, esp. one lamenting the dead
|
|
|
|
emollient
|
Soothing, esp. to the skin; making less harsh; mollifying; an agent that softens or smoothes the skin
|
|
|
|
empirical
|
Based on observation or experiment
|
|
|
|
enigmatic
|
Mysterious; obscure; difficult to understand
|
|
|
|
ephemeral
|
Brief; fleeting
|
|
|
|
esoteric
|
Intended for or understood by a small, specific group
|
|
|
|
eulogy
|
A speech honoring the dead
|
|
|
|
exonerate
|
To remove blame
|
|
|
|
facetious
|
Playful; humorous
|
|
|
|
furtive
|
Marked by stealth; covert; surreptitious
|
|
|
|
gregarious
|
Sociable
|
|
|
|
harangue
|
To deliver a pompous speech or tirade
|
|
|
|
heretical
|
Violating accepted dogma or convention
|
|
|
|
impecunious
|
Lacking funds; without money; Syn. indigent, needy, penniless, impoverished, poverty-stricken, destitute
ANTONYM: Pecunious |
The house was obvious in it's impecuniosity - rusty nails sticking out of walls, plaster falling from the ceiling, and spiders in every corner.
|
|
|
incipient
|
Beginning to come into being or to become apparent
|
|
|
|
inveigle
|
To obtain by deception or flattery
|
He inveigled a free pass to museum.
|
|
|
penurious
|
Penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
|
|
|
|
pernicious
|
Extremely harmful; potentially causing death
|
Radio and television coverage of politics doesn't see its role as a mission to explain, but to destroy, in a pernicious culture in which journalists pit themselves against politicians.
|
|
|
peruse
|
To examine with great care
|
|
|
|
prodigious
|
Abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
|
|
|
|
prolific
|
Producing large volumes or amounts; productive
|
|
|
|
quaff
|
To drink deeply
|
|
|
|
redoubtable
|
Awe-inspiring; worthy of honor
|
He was expecting great things after writing his redoubtable thesis.
|
|
|
satire
|
A literary work that ridicules or criticizes a human vice through humor or derision
|
|
|
|
squalid
|
Sordid; wretched and dirty as from neglect
|
|
|
|
stoic
|
Indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; steadfast
|
|
|
|
supplant
|
To take the place of; supersede
|
|
|
|
torpid
|
Lethargic; sluggish; dormant
|
|
|
|
ubiquitous
|
Existing everywhere at the same time; constantly encountered; widespread
|
|
|
|
urbane
|
Sophisticated; refined; elegant
|
|
|
|
vilify
|
To defame; to characterize harshly
|
|
|
|
acumen
|
Keen, accurate judgment or insight
|
|
|
|
adulterate
|
To reduce purity by combining with inferior ingredients
|
|
|
|
amalgamate
|
To combine several elements into a whole
|
|
|
|
archaic
|
Outdated; associated with an earlier, perhaps more primitive, time
|
|
|
|
aver
|
To state as a fact; to declare or assert
|
|
|
|
bombastic
|
Pompous; grandiloquent
|
|
|
|
diatribe
|
A harsh denunciation (noun)
|
|
|
|
dissemble
|
To disguise or conceal; to mislead
|
|
|
|
endemic
|
Characteristic of or often found in a particular locality, region, or people
|
|
|
|
evanescent
|
Tending to disappear like vapor; vanishing
|
|
|
|
fervent
|
Greatly emotional or zealous
|
|
|
|
germane
|
Relevant to the subject at hand; appropriate in subject matter
|
|
|
|
hackneyed
|
Rendered trite or commonplace by frequent usage
|
|
|
|
halcyon
|
Calm and peaceful
|
|
|
|
hedonism
|
Devotion to pleasurable pursuits, esp. to the pleasures of the senses
|
|
|
|
hegemony
|
The consistent dominance of one state or ideology over others
|
|
|
|
iconoclast
|
One who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions
|
|
|
|
idolatrous
|
Given to intense or excessive devotion to something
|
|
|
|
impassive
|
Revealing no emotion
|
|
|
|
imperturbable
|
Marked by extreme calm, impassivity and steadiness
|
|
|
|
implacable
|
Not capable of being appeased or significantly changed
|
|
|
|
impunity
|
Immunity from punishment or penalty
|
|
|
|
inchoate
|
In an initial stage; not fully formed
|
|
|
|
infelicitous
|
Unfortunate; inappropriate
|
|
|
|
insipid
|
Without taste or flavor; lacking in spirit; bland
|
|
|
|
loquacious
|
Extremely talkative
|
|
|
|
luminous
|
Characterized by brightness and the emission of light
|
|
|
|
malevolent
|
Having or showing often vicious ill will, spite, or hatred
|
|
|
|
mendacity
|
The condition of being untruthful; dishonesty
|
|
|
|
misanthrope
|
One who hates all other humans
|
|
|
|
mitigate
|
To make or become less severe or intense; to moderate
|
|
|
|
obdurate
|
Unyielding; hardhearted; intractable
|
obdurate in his refusal to grant clemency
|
|
|
obsequious
|
Exhibiting a fawning attentiveness; boot-licking
|
|
|
|
opprobrium
|
Disgrace; contempt; scorn
|
|
|
|
pedagogy
|
The profession or principles of teaching, or instructing
|
|
|
|
pedantic
|
Overly concerned with the trivial details of learning or education; show-offish about one’s knowledge
|
|
|
|
penury
|
Poverty; destitution
|
|
|
|
pirate
|
To illegally use or reproduce
|
|
|
|
pith
|
The essential or central part; force or energy
|
The pith of the fruit glowed mysteriously.
|
|
|
pithy
|
Precise and brief
|
|
|
|
placate
|
To appease; to calm by making concessions
|
He placated her fears by saying he would hold her hand on the roller coaster.
|
|
|
platitude
|
A superficial remark; esp. one offered as meaningful
|
|
|
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polemical
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Controversial; argumentative
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Democrats and republicans at first seem polemical, but in fact they are both on the side of money.
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prodigal
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Recklessly wasteful; extravagant; profuse; lavish
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synonyms PROFUSE, LAVISH, PRODIGAL, LUXURIANT, LUSH, EXUBERANT mean giving or given out in great abundance. PROFUSE implies pouring forth without restraint <profuse apologies>. LAVISH suggests an unstinted or unmeasured profusion <a lavish party>. PRODIGAL implies reckless or wasteful lavishness threatening to lead to early exhaustion of resources <prodigal spending
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proliferate
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To grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
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queries
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Questions; inquiries; doubts in the mind; reservations
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querulous
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Prone to complaining or grumbling; peevish
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rancorous
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Characterized by bitter, long-lasting resentment
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recalcitrant
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Obstinately defiant of authority; difficult to manage
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the University suspended the most recalcitrant demonstrators"
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repudiate
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To refuse to have anything to do with; disown
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rescind
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To repeal; to retract
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rhetoric
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The art or study of effective use of language for communication and persuasion
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salubrious
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Promoting health or well-being
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solvent
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Able to meet financial obligations; able to dissolve another substance
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specious
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Seeming true, but actually being fallacious; misleadingly attractive; plausible but false
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spurious
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Lacking authenticity or validity; false; counterfeit
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subpoena
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A court order requiring appearance and/or testimony
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succinct
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Brief; concise
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superfluous
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Exceeding what is sufficient or necessary
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surfeit
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An overabundant supply; excess; to feed or supply to excess
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Etymology: Middle English surfet, from Anglo-French, from surfaire to overdo, from sur- + faire to do, from Latin facere
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tenacity
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Persistent determination
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tenuous
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Having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak
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tirade
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A long and extremely critical speech
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acerbic
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Having a sour or bitter taste or character; sharp; biting
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aggrandize
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To increase in intensity, power, influence or prestige
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anachronism
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Something or someone out of place in terms of historical or chronological context
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contiguous
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Sharing a border; touching; adjacent
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credulous
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Tending to believe too readily; gullible
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derision
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Scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment
An object of ridicule; laughingstock |
Her derision to being asked out was obvious; the poor man could see the laughter in her eyes.
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desiccate
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To dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull
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dilettante
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One with an amateurish or superficial interest in the arts or a branch of knowledge
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disparage
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To slight or belittle
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divulge
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To disclose something secret
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fawn
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To flatter or praise excessively
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flout
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To show contempt for, as in a rule or convention
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"The proper pronunciation," the blonde said, flouting her refined upbringing, "is pree feeks"
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garrulous
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Pointlessly talkative, talking too much
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glib
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Marked by ease or informality; nonchalant; lacking in depth; superficial
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She was easy to be around with her glib remarks, and what she lacked in depth she made up for in charisma.
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hubris
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Overbearing presumption or pride; arrogance
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immutable
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Not capable of change
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impetuous
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Hastily or rashly energetic; impulsive and vehement
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Impetuous early birds piss me off.
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inimical
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Damaging; harmful; injurious
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forces inimical to democracy>
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intractable
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Not easily managed or directed; stubborn; obstinate
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intrepid
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Steadfast and courageous
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laconic
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Using few words; terse
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terse
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Abrupt in manner often to the point of rudeness.
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maverick
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An independent individual who does not go along with a group or party
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mercurial
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Characterized by rapid and unpredictable change in mood
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mollify
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To calm or soothe; to reduce in emotional intensity
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neophyte
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A recent convert; a beginner; novice
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obfuscate
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To deliberately obscure; to make confusing
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ostentatious
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Characterized by or given to pretentious display; showy
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pervade
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To permeate throughout
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phlegmatic
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Calm; sluggish; unemotional
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plethora
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An overabundance; a surplus
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pragmatic
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Practical rather than idealistic
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presumptuous
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Overstepping due bounds; taking liberites
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pristine
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Pure; uncorrupted; clean
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probity
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Adherence to highest principles; complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness
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proclivity
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A natural predisposition or inclination
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profligate
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Excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
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propensity
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A natural inclination or tendency, penchant
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prosaic
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Dull; lacking in spirit or imagination; characteristic of prose - Synonyms: ordinary, everyday, vapid, humdrum, tedious, tiresome, uninteresting
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Albert Einstein was anything but prosaic.
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quixotic
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Foolishly impractical; marked by lofty romantic ideals
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quotidian
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Occurring or recurring daily; commonplace
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rarefy
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To make or become thin, less dense; to refine
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recondite
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Hidden; concealed; difficult to understand; obscure
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refulgent
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Radiant; shiny; brilliant
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renege
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To fail to honor a commitment; to go back on a promise
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sedulous
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Diligent; persistent; hard-working
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shard
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A piece of broken pottery or glass
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soporific
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Causing drowsiness; tending to induce sleep
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spendthrift
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One who spends money wastefully
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tacit
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Implied; not explicitly stated
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tout
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To publicly praise or promote
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trenchant
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Sharply perceptive; keen; penetrating
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Picture [soldier in a 'trench' 'acutely aware' of his surroundings and what the enemies position is]
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unfeigned
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Genuine; not false or hypocritical
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untenable
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Indefensible; not viable; uninhabitable
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vacillate
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To waver indecisively between one course of action or opinion and another; waver
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variegated
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Multicolored; characterized by a variety of patches of different color
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vexation
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Annoyance; irritations (verb: vex)
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vigilant
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Alertly watchful
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vituperate
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To use harsh, condemnatory language; to abuse or censure severely or abusively; berate
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alloy
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To commingle; to debase by mixing with something inferior
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appropriate
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To take for one’s own use
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Arrest
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To suspend
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ignominious
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deserving or bringing disgrace or shame
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guile
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shrewdness as demonstrated by being skilled in deception
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sagacious
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perspicacious
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Gambit
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an opening remark intended to secure an advantage for the speaker
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Belie
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misrepresent: represent falsely
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Truculent
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defiantly aggressive
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Diffident
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showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence
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countenance
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sanction: formal and explicit approval
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Salutary
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beneficial: tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health
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prosaic
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commonplace: not challenging; dull and lacking excitement
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extolled
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laud: praise, glorify, or honor
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Excoriate
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condemn: express strong disapproval of
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He was excoriated for his mistakes
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Banal
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repeated too often; over familiar through overuse (cliché)
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promulgate
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formally made public
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censure
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reprimand: rebuke formally
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Catholic
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universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all
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quotidian
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ordinary; commonplace
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Think quot = quote of the DAY (each day = common)
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obstreperous
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resisting control or restraint in a difficult manner; unruly
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synonyms VOCIFEROUS, CLAMOROUS, BLATANT, STRIDENT, BOISTEROUS, OBSTREPEROUS mean so loud or insistent as to compel attention. VOCIFEROUS implies a vehement shouting or calling out <vociferous cries of protest and outrage>. CLAMOROUS may imply insistency as well as vociferousness in demanding or protesting <clamorous demands for prison reforms>. BLATANT implies an offensive bellowing or insensitive loudness <blatant rock music> <a blatant clamor for impeachment>. STRIDENT suggests harsh and discordant noise <heard the strident cry of the crow>. BOISTEROUS suggests a noisiness and turbulence due to high spirits <a boisterous crowd of party goers>. OBSTREPEROUS suggests unruly and aggressive noisiness and resistance to restraint <the obstreperous demonstrators were removed from the hall.
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disingenuous
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Insincere
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gainsay
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to deny, dispute, or contradict
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taciturn
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habitually reserved and uncommunicative
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the taciturn boy had a hard time making friends
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acquiescent
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willing to carry out the orders or wishes of another without protest
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cadge
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to get something by taking advantage of someone
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depredation
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the act of preying upon or plundering
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noisome
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harmful, offensive, destructive
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panegyric
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a writing or speech in praise of a person or thing
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prodigal
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Rashly wasteful
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reproof
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the act of censuring, scolding, or rebuking
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tractable
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ability to be easily managed or controlled
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Etymology: Latin tractabilis, from tractare to handle, treat
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turpitude
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depravity; baseness
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acarpous
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producing no fruit
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Agog
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Eager / excited
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apotheosis
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deification
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abjure
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To promise or swear to give up
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abrogate
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To repeal or annul by authority; treat as non-existant
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abrogating their responsibilities
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accretion
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The growing of separate things into one
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admonitory
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Containing warning
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ameliorate
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To improve; make better
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aplomb
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Self-confidence
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Argot
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Jargon / slang
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arrant
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In the highest degree
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asperity
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roughness; harshness; ill temper; irritability
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His speech was marked with asperity because his ex-wife came uninvited to the party.
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assuage
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To make pain/desire less
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augury
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An omen or a sign
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august
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Majestic; venerable
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Balk
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hindrance: something immaterial that interferes with or delays action or progress
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Picture (Blazing saddles: the toll-booth gag)
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supercilious
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disdainful: having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy
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sycophantic
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Obsequious – bootlicking
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Circumspect
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heedful of potential consequences;
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evince
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To give expression to
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reliquary
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A container for the preservation of the relics of a saint
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contravene
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To contradict
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transgression
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the action of going beyond or overstepping some boundary or limit
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contumacious
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stubbornly disobedient, rebellious
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abstruse
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difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
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supernumerary
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a person serving no apparent function; a minor actor in crowd scenes
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despoil
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plunder: steal goods; take as spoils;
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austere
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Severely simple
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misapprehension
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mistake: an understanding of something that is not correct;
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vitriol
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subject to bitter verbal abuse
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polemic
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polemicist: a writer who argues in opposition to others (especially in theology); a controversy (especially over a belief or dogma); of or involving dispute or controversy
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proclivity
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A natural inclination
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