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