Vocabulary

  1. Approbation
    the expression of approval/favorable opinion, praise; approval

    ANT: disapproval, condemnation, censure
  2. Assauge
    to make easier/milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; appease, satisfy, quench

    ANT: intensify, aggravate, exacerbate
  3. Coalition
    • combination, union, or merger for some purpose
    • ANT: splinter a group
  4. Decadence
    • decline, decay, deterioration; condition/period of a decline, decay; excessive self indulgence
    • ANT: rise, growth, maturation
  5. Elicit
    • to draw forth, to bring out from a source
    • ANT: repress, stifle, quash, squelch
  6. Expostulate
    • to attempt to dissaude someone from decision by earnest reasoning
    • SYN: protest, complain, remonstrate
  7. Hackneyed
    • used so often as to lack freshness or originality
    • ANT: new, fresh, novel, original
  8. Hiatus
    • gap, opening, break (something missing)
    • ANT: continuity, continuation
  9. Innuendo
    • hint, suggestion, reference
    • ANT: direct statement
  10. Intercede
    to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement
  11. Jaded
    • wearied, worn out, dulled
    • ant: unspoiled, uncloyed
  12. Lurid
    • causing shock, horror, revulsion; sensational, pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity/lack of restraint
    • ANT: pleasant, attractive
  13. Meritorious
    • worthy, deserving recognition or praise
    • SYN: praiseworthy, laudable
    • ANT: reprehensible, discreditable, blame worthy
  14. Petulant
    • peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset
    • ANT: even tempered, placid, serene, amiable
  15. Prerogative
    special right, privilege, special quality, showing excellence
  16. Provincial
    • pertaining to an outlying area; local, narrow in mind or outlook; countried in the sense of being limited, backward
    • ANT: cosmopolitan, catholic, broad minded
  17. Simulate
    • to make a pretense of; imitate
    • SYN: feign, pretend, affect
  18. Transcend
    • to rise above/beyond, exceed
    • SYN: surpass, outstrip
  19. Umbrage
    shade cast by trees, foliage giving shade, overshadowing influence/power, resentment, vague suspicion
  20. Unctuous
    • excessively smooth, smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity or peity; fatty, oily, pliable.
    • SYN: mealymouthed, servile, fawning, greasy
    • ANT: gruff, blunt
  21. Ameliorate
    • to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
    • SYN: amend, better
    • ANT: Worsen, aggravate, exacerbate
  22. aplomb
    • poise, assurance, great self-confidence; perpendicularity
    • ANT: confusion, embarassment
  23. Bombastic
    • pompous or overblown in language, full of highsounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas.
    • SYN: inflated, highfalutin, pretentious
    • ANT: unadorned, simple, plain
  24. Callow
    without exerience; imature, not fully developed, lacking sophistication and poise. without feathers
  25. inveigh
    • to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
    • SYN: rail, harangue, fulminate
    • ANT: acclaim, glorify, extol
  26. lassitude
    • weariness of body/mind, lack of energy
    • ANT: energy, vitality, animation
  27. millenium
    a period of 1000 years
  28. occult
    • mysterious, magical, supernatural, secret, hidden from view
    • ANT: mundane, common, public
  29. permeate
    to spread through, penetrate, soak through
  30. precipitate
    • to fall as moisture, to cause or bring about suddenly
    • ANT: wary, cautious, cirmcumspect
  31. stringent
    • strict, severe, rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp/bitter in taste
    • ANT: lenient, mild, lax
  32. surmise
    to think/believe, any evidence; to guess
  33. drivel
    • saliva/mucus from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk/thinking utter nonsense. to waste/fritter away
    • SYN: balderdash, hogwash, tommyrot
  34. epitome
    • a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality
    • SYN: abstract, digest, model, archetype
  35. exhort
    • to urge strongly, advise earnestly
    • ANT: discourage, advise against, deprecate
  36. ex officio
    by virtue of holding a certain office
  37. infringe
    • to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
    • ANT: stay in bounds
  38. ingratiate
    to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used critically/derogatorily)
  39. interloper
    one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be; intruder
  40. intrinsic
    belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily agent
  41. expiate
    • to make ammends, make up for; to avert
    • SYN: redeem, atone
  42. ferment
    • a state of great excitement, agitation or turbulence to be in or work into such state; to produce alcohol by chem. action.
    • SYN: commotion, turmoil, unrest
    • ANT: peace, quiet, tranquility
  43. inadvertent
    resulting from/marked by no attention, accidental
  44. nominal
    • existing in name only, not real, too small to be considered
    • SYN: titular, taken, trifling
    • ANT: real, actual, exorbitant
  45. noncommital
    • not decisive/definite, unwilling to take a clear position
    • SYN: cagey
  46. peculate
    • to steal something that has been given into one's trust
    • SYN: embezzle, defraud
  47. proclivity
    • natural/ habitual inclination or tendency
    • SYN: natural bent, penchant
  48. sangfroid
    • compusure/coolness
    • SYN: poise, self assurance
    • ANT: excitability, hysteria
  49. abominate
    • to have an intense dislike or hatred for
    • SYN: loathe, abhor, despise, detest
    • ANT: relish, savor, cherish
  50. acculturation
    • modification of social patterns, traits, or structures of one group/society by contact with another
    • SYN: adaptation
  51. adventitious
    • resulting from chance rahter than an inherent cause; accidental, not essential (medicine=acquired)
    • SYN: extrinsic, incidental, fortutous
    • ANT: essential, intrinsic
  52. ascribe
    • to assign/refer to; attribute
    • SYN: impute, credit, attribute
  53. circuitous
    • roundabout; not direct
    • ANT: straight, direct
  54. commiserate
    • sympathize with, have pity for, sharing feeling of distress
    • SYN: empathize
  55. enjoin
    • to direct/order/prescrive course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit
    • SYN: bid, charge, command
    • ANT: allow, permit
  56. expediate
    • to make easy, cause to progress faster
    • SYN: accelerate, facilitate, speed up
    • ANT: hinder, hamper, obstruct
  57. seditous
    • resistant to lawful authority; having purpose of overthrowing an established government
    • SYN: mutinous, rebellious
    • ANT: supportive, loyal, faithful
  58. tenuous
    thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity/sharpness; of slight importance, poorly supported
  59. vitriolic
    bitter, sarcastic, caustic or biting
  60. wheedle
    • to use coaxing/flattery to gain some desired end
    • SYN: cajole, sweet talk
    • ANT: coerce, intimidate
  61. affable
    • courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
    • SYN: genial, amicable, cordial
    • ANT: surly, cantankerous
  62. aggrandize
    • to increase in greatness, power or wealth; to build up or intensify, to make appear greater
    • ANT: reduce, decrease
  63. amorphous
    • shapeless with no definite form, of no particular type or character; without organization, unity or cohesion
    • SYN:formless, unstructured
    • ANT: definite, well defined
  64. aura
    • that which surrounds (as an atmosphere)l a distinctive air or personal quality
    • SYN: ambience, atmosphere
  65. contraband
    • illegal traffic, smuggled goods, illegal, prohibited
    • SYN: illicit, bootleg, unlawful
    • ANT: legal, lawful, licit
  66. erudite
    • scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
    • ANT: ignorant, uneducated, illiterate
  67. gossamer
    • thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; very thin, light cloth
    • ANT: thick, dense, solid, massive
  68. infer
    to find out by reasoning; to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought; to hint, suggest, imply
  69. inscrutable
    • incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
    • SYN: impenetrable, incomprehensible
    • ANT: comprehensible, intelligible, penetrable
  70. insular
    • relating to, characteristic of, or suited on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook/experience
    • SYN: narrowminded, parochial, provincial
    • ANT:catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal
  71. irrevocable
    • incapable of being changed or called back
    • SYN: irreversible, unchangeable
    • ANT: reversible, changeable
  72. propensity
    • a natural inclination or predilection toward
    • SYN: natural bent, proclivity, penchant
    • ANT: natural incapacity, inability
  73. querolous
    • peevish, complaining, fretful
    • SYN: petulant, touchy, cranky, irritable
    • ANT: uncomplaining, stoic, serene
  74. remonstrate
    • to argue/plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
    • SYN: reason against, expostulate
  75. repudiate
    • to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
    • SYN: disavow, abjure, renounce
    • ANT: avow, affirm, avouch
  76. resilient
    • able to return to an original shape or form, able to recover quickly
    • SYN: springy, elastic, buoyant, bouncy
    • ANT: rigid, stiff, inflexible
  77. reverberate
    • to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
    • SYN: rumble, thunder, boom, echo
  78. scurrilous
    • coarsely abusive, vulgar or low; foul mouthed
    • SYN: obscene, filthy, abusive,
    • ANT: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified
  79. sedulous
    • persistant, showing industry and determination
    • SYN: assiduous, tireless, indefatigable
    • ANT: lackadaisical, listless, indolent
  80. sleazy
    • thin/flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low/mean/disreputable
    • SYN: inferior, cheesy, tawdry
    • ANT: superior, first rate, quality
  81. amnesty
    a general pardon for an offense against a government; any act of forgiveness or absolution
  82. autonomy
    • self government, political control
    • SYN: home rule
    • ANT: dependence, subjection
  83. Axiomatic
    • self evident, expressing a universally accepted principle/rule
    • SYN: taken for granted
    • ANT: questionable, dubious, controversial
  84. blazon
    • to adorn/embellish; display conspiculousy; publish/proclaim widely
    • ANT: to hide, conceal, bury
  85. caveat
    • warning/caution to prevent misunderstanding/ discourage behavior
    • SYN: admonition, word to the wise
  86. equitable
    • fair, just, embodying principles of justice
    • SYN: right, reasonable, evenhanded
    • ANT: unjust, unfair
  87. extricate
    • to free from entanglements, to remove with effort
    • SYN: disentangle, extract
    • ANT: entangle
  88. filch
    • to steal; sneakily and in petty amounts
    • SYN: pilfer, purloin
  89. flout
    • to moc, treat with contempt
    • SYN: scoff at, scorn, sneer at
    • ANT: obey, honor, revere
  90. fractious
    • tending to be troublesome, unruly, contrary; unpredictable
    • SYN: refractory, recalcitrant
    • ANT: docile, tractable
  91. precept
    • rule of conduct or action
    • SYN: principle
  92. salutary
    • beneficial, helpful, healthful
    • SYN: salubrious, curative
    • ANT: detrimental
  93. scathing
    • bitterly severe, withering, causing great harem
    • SYN: searing, harsh, ferocious
    • ANT: bland,mild
  94. scourge
    • to whip, punish severely; a cause of afflication/ suffering, source of severe punishment, criticism
    • SYN: flog, beat, bane, plague
  95. sepulchral
    • funereal, typical of a tomb, gloomy or dismal
    • SYN: doleful, lugubrious, mortuary
  96. soporific
    • tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness/lethargy
    • SYN: narcotic, anesthetic
  97. straitlaced
    • extremely strict in morals
    • SYN: conventional, stuffy
    • ANT: lax, loose
  98. Transient
    • lasting only a short time
    • SYN: impermanent, ephemeral
  99. unwieldy
    • not easily carried
    • SYN: cumbersome, bulky, clumsy
  100. vapid
    dull, uninteresting, tiresome
  101. disabuse
    • to free from error/deception; set right in ideas/thinking
    • SYN:undecieve, enlighten
    • ANT: decieve delude
  102. ennui
    • weariness/dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest; boredom
    • SYN: languor, listlestness
    • ANT: enthusiasm, liveliness
  103. fetter
    • chain/shackle placed on feet; anything that confines/ restrains, to render helpless/ impotent
    • ANT: free, liberate
  104. heinous
    • wicked, offensive
    • SYN: evil, odious, abominable
    • ANT: excellent, splendid
  105. immutable
    • not changeable, constant
    • ANT: variable, fickle
  106. insurgent
    • a rebel against authority, rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority
    • SYN: revolutionary, rebellious
    • ANT: loyalist, faithful
  107. megalomania
    • delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent
    • SYN: delusions of granduer
    • ANT:humility
  108. sinecure
    • easy job; job requiring little work
    • SYN: "noshow" job
  109. surreptitious
    • stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation, made/accomplished by fraud
    • SYN: furtive, covert, clandestine
  110. transgress
    • to go beyond a limit or boundary, to sin, violate a law
    • SYN: overstep, exceed
    • ANT: obey
  111. transmute
    • to change from one nature, substance or form to another
    • SYN: transform, convert, metamorph
    • ANT: preserve
  112. vicarious
    • performed, suffered, otherwise experienced by one person in place of another
    • SYN: surrogate, substitute, secondhand
    • ANT: real, actual
  113. austere
    • severe or stern in manner, without adornment or luxury, simple, plain, harsh/sour flavored
    • ANT: mild, indulgent, luxurious
  114. beneficent
    • performing acts of kindness/charity, doing good
    • SYN: humanitarian, charitable
    • ITS AN ADJ.
  115. cadaverous
    pale, guant, resembling a corpse
  116. concoct
    • to prepare by combining ingredients, make up, devise, fabricate
    • SYN: create, fashion
  117. crass
    • coarse, infeeling, stupid
    • SYN: crude, vulgar, tasteless, oafish
    • ANT: refined, elegant, tasteful
  118. debase
    • (ruining)
    • to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulturate; to cause to deteriorate
    • SYN: cheapen, corrupt, demean
    • ANT: elevate, uplift, improve
  119. desecrate
    • to commit sacrilege upon; treat irreverently, to contaminate, pollute
    • SYN: profane, defile, violate
    • ANT: revere, honor, venerate
    • (used religiously)
  120. disconcert
    • to confuse; disturb composure
    • SYN: upset, rattle, ruffle, perturb
    • ANT: relax, calm
  121. grandiose
    • grand in an impressive/stately way; marked by pompous affection or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated
    • ANT: humble
  122. inconsequential
    trifling, unimportant
  123. infraction
    • a breaking of law or obligation
    • SYN: breach, transgression
  124. mitigate
    • to make milder/softer, moderate in force/intensity
    • SYN: lessen, alleviate, diminish
    • ANT: aggravate, intensify
  125. pillage
    • to rob of goods by open force, plunder; the act of looting booty
    • SYN: ravage, sack, loot
  126. prate
    • to talk a great deal in a foolish/aimless fashion
    • SYN: chatter, blab
    • ANT: to the point
  127. punctilious
    • very careful and exact, attentive to the fine pts of etiquette
    • SYN: precise, scrupulous
    • ANT: lax, perfunctory
  128. redoubtable
    inspring fear/awe, illustrious, eminent
  129. reprove
    • to find fault with, scold, rebuke
    • SYN: chastise, chide
  130. restitution
    • to act of restoring someone/something to the rightful owner or former state; making good on a damage
    • SYN: compensation, reimbursement
  131. stalwart
    • strong/sturdy, brave, resolute; a brave strong person, strong supporter, one who takes an uncompromising position
    • SYN: sturdy, stout, intrepid
    • ANT: weak, vacillating
  132. vulnerable
    open to attack, capable of being wounded or damaged, unprotected
  133. anomalous
    abnormal, irregular, departin from the usual
  134. aspersion
    • damaging/derogatory statement, act of slandering/defaming
    • SYN: innuendo
    • ANT: endorsement, testimonial
  135. bizarre
    • extremely strange, unusal, atypical
    • SYN: grotesque, fantastic
    • ANT: normal, typical
  136. brusque
    • abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
    • ANT: gracious, tactful
  137. cajole
    • to coax, persuade through flattery/artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts
    • SYN: wheedle, inveigh
    • ANT: coerce, force
  138. castigate
    • to punish severely, criticize
    • SYN: chastise, rebuke
    • ANT: reward, honor
  139. contrive
    • to plan with ingenuity, to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
    • SYN: concoct, devise
  140. demagogue
    • leader who eploits popular predjudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power
    • SYN: firebrand
  141. intemperate
    • immoderate, lacking in self control, inclement
    • SYN: excessive, extreme, unrestrained
    • ANT: moderate, restrained, and collected
  142. ignoble
    • mean, low, base
    • SYN: inferior, unworthy, dishonorable
  143. gauntlet
    • an armored/protective glove, a challenge; 2 lines of men armed with weapons; an ordeal
    • SYN: dare, provocation
  144. impugn
    • to call into question; to attack as false
    • SYN: challenge, deny, dispute
    • ANT: confirm, prove, validate
  145. hypothetical
    • based on an assumption or guess; use as a provisional or tentative idea to guide or direct investigation
    • SYN: assumed, supposed, conjecture
    • ANT: actual, real, tested
  146. expurgate
    to remove objectionable passages/words; from a written test
  147. odium
    • hatred, contempt, disgrace or infamy resulting from hateful conduct
    • SYN: abhorrence
    • ANT: esteem, admiration, approbation
  148. bovine
    • resembling a cow or ox; sluggish, unresponsive
    • SYN: stolid, dull, slow, stupid
    • ANT: alert, sharp
  149. squeamish
    inclined to nausea; easily shocked/upset, excessively fastidious, refined
  150. dissipate
    • to cause to disappear, scatter, dispel, squander, spend foolishly
    • ANT: gather, collect
  151. acrimonious
    • stinging, bitter in temper or tone
    • SYN: biting, caustic, peevish
    • ANT: gentle, warm, mild
  152. consternation
    • dismay, confusion
    • SYN: shock, amazement, bewilderment
    • ANT: calm, aplomb
  153. disavow
    • to deny responsibility for or connection with
    • SYN: disown, disclaim, retract
    • ANT: acknowledge, admit
  154. dissension
    • disagreement, sharp difference of opinion
    • SYN: strife, discord
    • ANT: accord, harmony
  155. susceptible
    vulnerable
  156. subservient
    subordinate in capacity or role; submissively obiedient
  157. relegate
    • to place in a lower position to assign, refer, turn over-banish
    • SYN: transfer, consign, demote
  158. corpulent
    fat; having a large, bulky, body
  159. dispassionate
    • impartial, calm, free from emotion
    • SYN: unbiased, cool, detached
    • ANT: engaged, committed
  160. perfidy
    faithlessness, treachery
Author
dudley18
ID
57128
Card Set
Vocabulary
Description
vocab
Updated