-
abate
to reduce in amount, degree or severity
-
abscond
to leave secretly
-
abstain
to choose not to do something
-
abyss
an extremely deep hole
-
adulterate
to make impure
-
-
aesthetic
concerning the appreciation of beauty
-
aggrandize
to increase in power, influence, and reputation
-
alleviate
to make more bearable
-
amalgamate
to combine; to mix together
-
ambiguous
doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
-
ameliorate
to make better, to improve
-
anachronism
something out of place in time
-
analogous
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
-
anomaly
deviation from what is normal
-
antagonize
to annoy or provoke to anger
-
antipathy
extreme dislike
-
apathy
lack of interest or emotion
-
arbitrate
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
-
archaic
ancient, old fashioned
-
ardor
intense and passionate feeling
-
articulate
able to speak clearly and expressively
-
assuage
to make something unpleasant less severe
-
attenuate
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
-
audacious
fearless and daring
-
austere
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
-
banal
predictable, cliched, boring
-
bolster
to support, to prop up
-
bombastic
pompous in speech and manner
-
cacophany
harsh, jarring noise
-
candid
impartial and honest in speech
-
capricious
changing one's mind quickly and often
-
castigate
to punish or criticize harshly
-
catalyst
something that brings about a change in something else
-
-
chaos
great disorder or confusion
-
chauvinist
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
-
chicanery
deception by means of craft or guile
-
cogent
convincing and well reasoned
-
condone
to overlook, pardon, or disregard
-
convoluted
intricate and complicated
-
corroborate
to provide supporting evidence
-
credulous
too trusting; gullible
-
crescendo
steadily increasing volume or force
-
decorum
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
-
deference
respect, courtesy
-
deride
to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
-
desiccate
to dry out thoroughly
-
desultory
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
-
diatribe
an abusive, condemnatory speech
-
diffident
lacking self-confidence
-
dilate
to make larger; to expand
-
dilatory
intended to delay
-
dilettante
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
-
dirge
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
-
disabuse
to set right; to free from error
-
discern
to perceive; to recognize
-
disparate
fundamentally different; entirely unlike
-
dissemble
to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
-
dissonance
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
-
dogma
a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
-
dogmatic
dictatorial in one's opinions
-
dupe
to deceive a person who is easily decieved
-
eclectic
selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
-
-
elegy
a sorrowful poem or speech
-
eloquent
persuasive and moving, especially in speech
-
emulate
to copy; to try to equal or excel
-
enervate
to reduce in strength
-
engender
to produce, cause, or bring about
-
enigma
a puzzle; a mystery
-
enumerate
to count, list, or itemize
-
ephemeral
to count, list, or itemize
-
equivocate
to use expressions or double meaning in order to mislead
-
erratic
wandering and unpredicatble
-
erudite
learned, scholarly, bookish
-
esoteric
known or understood by only a few
-
-
eulogy
speech in praise of someone
-
euphemism
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
-
-
exculpate
to clear from blame; prove innocent
-
exigent
urgent, requiring immediate action
-
exonerate
to clear of blame
-
explicit
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
-
fanatical
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
-
-
fervid
intensely emotional; feverish
-
florid
excessively decorated or embellished
-
foment
to arouse or incite
-
frugality
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
-
garrulous
tending to talk a lot
-
gregarious
outgoing, sociable
-
-
-
homogenous
or a similar kind
-
iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
-
imperturbable
not capable of being disturbed
-
impervious
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
-
impetuous
quick to act without thinking
-
implacable
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful
-
inchoate
not fully formed; disorganized
-
ingenuous
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
-
inimical
hostile, unfriendly
-
-
insipid
lacking interest or flavor
-
intransigent
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
-
inundate
to overwhelm; to cover with water
-
irascible
easily made angry
-
-
lament
to express sorrow; to grieve
-
laud
to give praise; to glorify
-
lavish
to give unsparingly (v); extremely generous or extravgent (adj)
-
lethargic
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
-
-
lucid
clear and easily understood
-
luminous
bright, brilliant, glowing
-
malinger
to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
-
malleable
capable of being shaped
-
metaphor
a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
-
meticulous
extremely careful about details
-
misanthrope
a person who dislikes other
-
mitigate
to soften; to lessen
-
mollify
to calm or make less severe
-
monotony
lack of variation
-
naive
lacking sophistication or experience
-
obdurate
hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
-
obsequious
overly submissive and eager to please
-
obviate
to prevent; to make unnecessary
-
obstinate
stubborn, unyielding
-
occlude
to stop up; to prevent the passage of
-
onerous
troublesome and oppressive; burdensome
-
opaque
impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
-
opprobrium
public disgrace
-
ostentation
excessive showiness
-
paradox
a contradiction or dilemma
-
paragon
model of excellence or perfection
-
pedant
someone who shows off learning
-
perfidious
willing to betray one's trust
-
perfunctory
done in a routine way; indifferent
-
-
philanthropy
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
-
placate
to soothe or pacify
-
plastic
able to be molded, altered, or bent
-
-
pragmatic
practical as opposed to idealistic
-
precipitate
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
-
prevaricate
to lie or deviate from the truth
-
pristine
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
-
prodigal
lavish, wasteful
-
proliferate
to increase in number quickly
-
propriate
to conciliate; to appease
-
propriety
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
-
propriety
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
-
prudence
wisdom, caution, or restraint
-
pungent
sharp and irritating to the senses
-
-
rarefy
to make thinner or sparser
-
repudiate
to reject the validity of
-
reticent
silent, reserved
-
rhetoric
effective writing or speaking
-
satiate
to satisfy fully or overindulge
-
soporific
causing sleep or lethargy
-
specious
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
-
stigma
a mark of shame or discredit
-
stolid
unemotional; lacking sensitivity
-
-
tacit
done without using words
-
taciturn
silent, not talkative
-
tirade
long, harsh speech or verbal attack
-
torpor
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
-
transitory
temporary, lasting a brief time
-
vacillate
to sway physically; to be indcisive
-
venerate
to respect deeply
-
veracity
filled with truth and accuracy
-
-
-
volatile
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
-
waver
to fluctuate between choices
-
whimsical
acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
-
|
|
