| abeyance |
Suspension
of an activity; postponement. |
| abhor |
to
loathe, detest |
| abrogate |
to
abolish or invalidate by authority |
| abscond |
to
depart secretly |
| accede |
to
express approval; agree to |
| accolade |
Embrace;
award; commendation. |
| accost |
to
approach and speak to someone |
| acrid |
harsh,
bitter |
| adage |
old
saying or proverb |
| adamant |
uncompromising,
unyielding |
| adhere |
to
cling or follow without deviation |
| admonish |
Caution;
reprove mildly; reprimand. |
| adversarial |
antagonistic,
competitive |
| aerial |
having
to do with the air |
| affable |
friendly,
easy to approach |
| aggregate |
collective
mass or sum; total |
| aggrieve |
to
afflict, distress |
| aligned |
precisely
adjusted; committed to one side |
| alleviate |
to
relieve, improve partially |
| aloof |
detached,
indifferent |
| ambiguous |
uncertain;
subject to multiple interpretations |
| ambivalence |
Uncertainty;
doubt; indecisiveness. |
| amiable |
Cordial:
of pleasant disposition; friendly. |
| amicable |
friendly,
agreeable |
| anecdote |
short,
usually funny account of an event |
| animosity |
hatred,
hostility |
| anomaly |
Abnormality;
deviation from the general rule; irregularity. |
| anonymity |
condition
of having no name or an unknown name |
| apathetic |
indifferent,
unconcerned |
| aphelion |
point
in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun |
| arbitrary |
depending
solely on individual will; inconsistent |
| arbitrator |
mediator,
negotiator |
| arduous |
extremely
difficult, laborious |
| articulate |
well
spoken, expressing oneself clearly |
| ascribe |
to
attribute to, assign |
| aspersion |
false
rumor, damaging report, slander |
| assent |
to
express agreement |
| assert |
to
affirm, arrest |
| asunder |
into
different parts |
| atrocious |
monstrous,
shockingly bad, wicked |
| atrophy |
Waste
away from lack of use; degenerate. |
| attest |
to
testify, stand as proof of, bear witness |
| audacity |
Boldness
or adventurousness; gall. |
| auxiliary |
supplementary,
reserve |
| avenge |
to
retaliate, take revenge for an injury or crime |
| avert |
to
turn (something) away; prevent, hinder |
| avow |
Affirm;
assert; declare; acknowledge. |
| awry |
crooked,
askew, amiss |
| becalm |
to
make calm or still; keep motionless by lack of wind |
| becloud |
to
confuse; darken with clouds |
| beguile |
to
deceive; mislead, charm |
| belated |
Tardy;
overdue. |
| belfry |
bell
tower, room in which a bell is hung |
| belie |
to
misrepresent; expose as false |
| bequeath |
to
give or leave through a will; to hand down |
| bestial |
beastly,
animal-like |
| bonanza |
extremely
large amount; something profitable |
| boor |
crude
person, one lacking manners or taste |
| brevity |
Briefness;
succinctness; terseness. |
| brusque |
rough
and abrupt in manner |
| callow |
Inexperienced;
immature; naive. |
| canvass |
to
examine thoroughly; conduct a poll |
| caustic |
biting,
sarcastic; able to burn |
| cede |
to
surrender possession of something |
| cession |
act
of surrendering something |
| chagrin |
shame,
embarrassment, humiliation |
| circumnavigate |
to
sail completely around |
| clamor |
Loud
noise or complaint; commotion; din. |
| clarity |
clearness;
clear understanding |
| claustrophobia |
fear
of small, confined places |
| cloister |
Convent;
monastery; religious place. |
| cloister |
to
confine, seclude |
| collusion |
collaboration,
complicity, conspiracy |
| commensurate |
Equal
in measure; of the same duration or size. |
| commission |
fee
payable to an agent; authorization |
| compelling |
having
a powerful and irresistible effect |
| compliant |
submissive
and yielding |
| compulsive |
obsessive,
fanatic |
| concerto |
musical
composition for orchestra and one or more soloists |
| condone |
to
pardon or forgive; overlook, justify, or excuse a fault |
| conflagration |
big,
destructive fire |
| consign |
to
commit, entrust |
| consolidate |
to
combine, incorporate |
| consonant |
consistent
with, in agreement with |
| Constrict |
Squeeze;
pinch; obstruct; block. |
| corroborate |
to
confirm, verify |
| countermand |
to
annul, cancel, make a contrary order |
| credible |
plausible,
believable |
| cryptic |
Enigmatic;
obscure; secret; puzzling. |
| culmination |
climax,
final stage |
| curt |
abrupt,
blunt |
| curtail |
to
shorten |
| debunk |
to
discredit, disprove |
| decathlon |
athletic
contest with 10 events |
| decorous |
proper,
tasteful, socially correct |
| decorum |
Appropriate
conduct; polite or proper behavior, protocol. |
| defile |
to
dirty, spoil; disgrace, dishonor |
| demur |
to
express doubts or objections |
| depreciate |
to
lose value gradually |
| deter |
to
discourage; prevent from happening |
| devoid |
totally
lacking |
| dilapidated |
in
disrepair, run down, neglected |
| disaffected |
Disillusioned;
dissatisfied; discontented. |
| discordant |
harsh-sounding,
badly out of tune |
| discredit |
to
dishonor or disgrace |
| discredited |
disbelieved,
discounted; disgraced, dishonored |
| discrepancy |
difference
between |
| disheveled |
untidy,
disarranged, unkempt |
| dispel |
to
drive out or scatter |
| dispense |
to
distribute, administer |
| dispense
with |
to
suspend the operation of, do without |
| disperse |
to
break up, scatter |
| dissipate |
to
scatter; to pursue pleasure to excess |
| dissociate* |
to
separate; remove from an association |
| divine |
to
foretell or know by inspiration |
| doleful |
sad,
mournful |
| dolt |
Cretin;
fool; dimwit; idiot. |
| dotard |
Senile
person. |
| doting |
excessively
fond, loving to excess |
| dyspeptic |
suffering
from indigestion; gloomy and irritable |
| ebb |
to
fade away, recede |
| eloquence |
fluent
and effective speech |
| emaciated |
skinny,
scrawny, gaunt, esp. from hunger |
| eminent |
celebrated,
distinguished; outstanding, towering |
| emotive |
appealing
to or expressing emotion |
| empathize |
Identify
with; understand. |
| encumber |
to
hinder, burden, restrict motion |
| entail |
to
involve as a necessary result, necessitate |
| enthrall |
Mesmerize;
captivate; thrill. |
| entity |
something
with its own existence or form |
| enumerate |
to
count, list, itemize |
| epicure |
Person
devoted to luxurious living; person with refined tastes. |
| epilogue |
concluding
section of a literary work |
| escapade |
Adventurous
conduct; unusual behavior. |
| espouse |
Embrace:
defend: support. |
| exhume |
to
remove from a grave; uncover a secret |
| expedient |
convenient,
efficient, practical |
| expedite |
Speed
up matters; accelerate; quicken. |
| exponent |
one
who champions or advocates |
| extol |
Praise;
laud; hail; glorify. |
| fabricate |
to
make or devise; construct |
| fabricated |
constructed,
invented; faked, falsified |
| fallible |
Faulty;
imperfect. |
| feckless |
ineffective,
careless, irresponsible |
| feign |
to
pretend, give a false impression; to invent falsely |
| feisty |
excitable,
easily drawn into quarrels |
| fetid |
Possessing
an offensive smell; malodorous: foul; gamey. |
| fitful |
intermittent,
irregular |
| flippant |
Nonchalant;
frivolous, superficial; light. |
| fluctuate |
to
alternate, waver |
| foreboding |
dark
sense of evil to come |
| foreclose |
to
rule out; to seize debtor's property for lack of payments |
| fragmentation |
division,
separation into parts, disorganization |
| fulsome |
Loathsome;
excessive. |
| garble |
Confuse;
scramble; distort. |
| gargantuan |
giant,
tremendous |
| girth |
distance
around something |
| glib |
fluent
in an insincere manner; offhand, casual |
| grovel |
Act
in a servile way; cringe; kneel. |
| gullible |
easily
deceived |
| hamper |
Hinder;
frustrate; impede. |
| hedge |
Enclose;
surround; fence. |
| hilarity |
Boisterous
merriment; enjoyment. |
| hindsight |
perception
of events after they happen |
| holistic |
emphasizing
importance of the whole and interdependence of its parts |
| hydrate |
to
add water to |
| hygienic |
clean,
sanitary |
| hyperventilate |
to
breathe abnormally fast |
| hypothetical |
theoretical,
speculative |
| illicit |
illegal,
improper |
| illustrious |
famous,
renowned |
| immaculate |
spotless;
free from error |
| immerse |
to
bathe, dip; to engross, preoccupy |
| impeccable |
flawless,
without fault |
| implausible |
improbable,
inconceivable |
| implicate |
to
involve in a crime, incriminate |
| impose |
to
inflict, force upon |
| inane |
foolish,
silly, lacking significance |
| inaudible |
Faint;
soft; hard to hear. |
| inception |
beginning |
| incessant |
continuous,
never ceasing |
| incumbent |
holding
a specified office, often political |
| indefensible |
inexcusable,
unforgivable |
| indicative |
showing
or point out, suggestive of |
| indigent |
very
poor |
| indulge |
to
give in to a craving or desire |
| infatuated |
strongly
or foolishly attached to, inspired with foolish passion,
overly in love |
| ingenuous |
Genuine;
open; candid; frank. |
| ingrate |
ungrateful
person |
| injunction |
command,
order |
| innuendo |
indirect
and subtle criticism, insinuation |
| insinuate |
to
suggest, say indirectly, imply |
| inter |
to
bury |
| intercede |
Intervene;
negotiate. |
| interloper |
trespasser;
meddler in others' affairs |
| interrogate |
to
question formally |
| introvert |
someone
given to self-analysis |
| intuitive |
instinctive,
untaught |
| invoke |
to
call upon, request help |
| itinerant |
wandering
from place to place, unsettled |
| itinerary |
route
of a traveler's journey |
| jubilee |
special
anniversary |
| judicious |
Logical;
reasonable; clever. |
| laceration |
cut
or wound |
| laconic |
Concise;
terse; curt. |
| languid |
lacking
energy, indifferent, slow |
| languish |
Decline;
diminish; weaken. |
| latent |
present
but hidden; potential |
| laudable |
Commendable;
admirable; exemplary. |
| levity |
Lightness;
frivolity. |
| liberal |
tolerant,
broad-minded, generous, lavish |
| linguistics |
study
of language |
| ludicrous |
Outlandish;
silly; ridiculous. |
| lurid |
Shockingly
vivid; horrifying; sensational. |
| lurk |
to
prowl, sneak |
| magnitude |
extent,
greatness of size |
| malcontent |
discontented
person, one who holds a grudge |
| malnutrition |
undernourishment |
| manifest |
obvious |
| manifold |
diverse,
varied, comprised of many parts |
| marginal |
barely
sufficient |
| meander |
Twist;
bend; zigzag. |
| meddler |
person
interfering in other's affairs |
| mentor |
experienced
teacher and wise advisor |
| mercenary |
motivated
only by greed |
| mercenary |
soldier
for hire in foreign countries |
| meticulous |
Precise;
scrupulous; particular. |
| minuscule |
very
small |
| mire |
Mud;
slime; muck. |
| misapprehend |
to
misunderstand, fail to know |
| munitions |
ammunition |
| narrative |
account,
story |
| nocturnal |
pertaining
to night; active at night |
| nomadic |
moving
from place to place |
| notoriety |
unfavorable
fame |
| nullify |
to
make legally invalid; to counteract the effect of |
| oblique |
indirect,
evasive; misleading, devious |
| obsessive |
preoccupying,
all-consuming |
| obsolete |
no
longer in use |
| obtuse |
insensitive,
stupid, dull |
| opaque |
Impenetrable
by light; dull; dark; obscure. |
| opportune |
appropriate,
fitting |
| opportunist |
one
who takes advantage of circumstances |
| optimum |
Peak
or prime; ideal. |
| orb |
sperical
body; eye |
| orchestrate |
to
arrange music for performance; to coordinate, organize |
| overwrought |
agitated,
overdone |
| pacific |
calm,
peaceful |
| pacifist |
one
opposed to war |
| pacify |
to
restore calm, bring peace |
| pall |
to
lose strength or interest |
| pall
(n) |
covering
that darkens or obscures; coffin |
| paltry |
Minor;
petty; insignificant. |
| panorama |
broad
view; comprehensive picture |
| paradox |
contradiction,
incongruity; dilemma, puzzle |
| paradoxical |
self-contradictory
but true |
| paragon |
Model
or standard of excellence. |
| paramount |
supreme,
dominant, primary |
| pathos |
pity,
compassion |
| patrician |
aristocrat |
| pauper |
very
poor person |
| pedestrian |
commonplace |
| pediatrician |
doctor
specializing in children and their ailments |
| peerless |
unequaled |
| peevish |
Irritable;
grouchy; ill-tempered. |
| penance |
voluntary
suffering to repent for a wrong |
| perennial |
present
throughout the years; persistent |
| perpetual |
endless,
lasting |
| pertinent |
applicable,
appropriate |
| phobia |
exaggerated,
illogical fear |
| phonetics |
study
of speech sounds |
| piety |
devoutness |
| pilfer |
to
steal |
| platitude |
1.
Triteness. 2. Cliché; trivial remark. |
| plaudit |
Enthusiastic
expression. |
| poignant |
Intense;
powerful; biting; piercing. |
| porous |
Permeable;
absorbent; having holes. |
| pragmatic |
practical;
moved by facts rather than abstract ideals |
| prattle |
Gab;
babble. |
| prattle |
meaningless,
foolish talk |
| precarious |
uncertain |
| precipice |
edge,
steep overhang |
| precipitate |
to
throw down from a height; to cause to happen |
| precision |
state
of being precise |
| precocious |
Showing
premature development. |
| preposterous |
absurd,
illogical |
| primeval |
Belonging
to a primitive age. |
| primordial |
Belonging
to a primitive age; first in time. |
| pristine |
untouched,
uncorrupted |
| procrastinate |
Postpone;
stall; defer. |
| procrastinator |
one
who continually and unjustifiably postpones |
| prognosis |
prediction
of disease outcome; any prediction |
| proponent |
advocate,
defender, supporter |
| prostrate |
lying
face downward, lying flat on ground |
| protocol |
ceremony
and manners observed by diplomats |
| prude |
one
who is excessively proper or modest |
| pugnacity |
Eagerness
to fight; belligerence. |
| pulverize |
Grind;
crush; smash. |
| punitive |
having
to do with punishment |
| purge |
to
cleanse or free from impurities |
| quell |
to
crush or subdue |
| rail |
to
scold with bitter or abusive language |
| rapport |
relationship
of trust and respect |
| rapt |
deeply
absorbed |
| reactionary |
Opposing
progress; characterized by reaction. |
| rebuff |
blunt
rejection |
| reconciliation |
Settlement
or resolution. |
| recount |
to
describe facts or events |
| reflection |
image,
likeness; opinion, thought, impression |
| regress |
to
move backward; revert to an earlier form or state |
| relegate |
to
assign to a class, esp. an inferior one |
| renegade |
traitor,
person abandoning a cause |
| renege |
to
go back on one's word |
| renounce |
to
give up or reject a right, title, person, etc. |
| repentant |
apologetic,
guilty, remorseful |
| repress |
to
restrain or hold in |
| requiem |
hymns
or religious service for the dead |
| resolve |
to
conclude, determine |
| resolve |
determination,
firmness of purpose |
| resuscitate |
to
revive, bring back to life |
| retiring |
shy,
modest, reserved |
| retract |
to
draw in or take back |
| retrench |
to
regroup, reorganize |
| retrieve |
to
bring, fetch; reclaim |
| revere |
to
worship, regard with awe |
| revert |
to
backslide, regress |
| revulsion |
strong
feeling of repugnance or dislike |
| rife |
widespread,
prevalent; abundant |
| rostrum |
stage
for public speaking |
| rudiment |
Beginning;
foundation or source. |
| ruffian |
Brutal
person; cruel and sadistic person. |
| ruminate |
Contemplate;
think about. |
| salutation |
greeting |
| saunter |
to
amble; walk in a leisurely manner |
| scabbard |
sheath
for sword or dagger |
| secluded |
isolated
and remote |
| serenity |
calm,
peacefulness |
| serpentine |
serpent-like;
twisting, winding |
| simper |
to
smirk, smile foolishly |
| singe |
to
burn slightly, scorch |
| skeptical |
doubtful,
questioning |
| slough |
to
discard or shed |
| snippet |
tiny
part, tidbit |
| sobriety |
seriousness |
| sodden |
thoroughly
soaked; saturated |
| sojourn |
visit,
stay |
| solace |
comfort
in distress; consolation |
| solidarity |
unity
based on common aims or interests |
| somber |
dark
and gloomy; melancholy, dismal |
| sovereign |
having
supreme power |
| speculation |
contemplation;
act of taking business risks for financial gains |
| speculative |
involving
assumption; uncertain; theoretical |
| staid |
self-restrained
to the point of dullness |
| stratify |
to
arrange into layers |
| stricture |
something
that restrains; negative criticism |
| stylize |
to
fashion, formalize |
| stymie |
to
block or thwart |
| subdued |
suppressed,
stifled |
| subjugate |
to
conquer, subdue; enslave |
| subterranean |
hidden,
secret; underground |
| subvert |
to
undermine or corrupt |
| sufferable |
bearable |
| superficial |
shallow
and phony |
| supplant |
replace,
substitute |
| surmise |
to
make an educated guess |
| syllabus |
outline
of a course |
| symposium |
meeting
with short presentations on related topics |
| taciturn |
Reserved;
shy: uncommunicative. |
| tangible |
able
to be sensed, perceptible, measurable |
| tantamount |
Indistinguishable;
equivalent. |
| taxonomy |
science
of classification |
| tenable |
defensible,
reasonable |
| terminal |
concluding,
final; fatal |
| testament |
statement
of belief; will |
| testimonial |
statement
testifying to a truth; something given in tribute to a
person's achievement |
| theoretical |
abstract |
| therapeutic |
medicinal |
| thesaurus |
book
of synonyms and antonyms |
| timorous |
timid,
shy, full of apprehension |
| translucent |
partially
transparent |
| transpire |
to
happen, occur; become known |
| travesty |
parody,
exaggerated imitation, caricature |
| trifling |
of
slight worth, trivial, insignificant |
| upshot |
Final
result; conclusion; end. |
| urbane |
courteous,
refined, suave |
| utopia |
perfect
place |
| variegated |
Multicolored;
polychromatic; varied. |
| versatile |
adaptable,
all-purpose |
| vie |
to
compete, contend |
| vignette |
decorative
design; short literary composition |