aberrant adj.

deviating from what is normal

abeyance n. temporary suppression or suspension

abscond v. to depart secretly

abstemious adj. moderate in appetite

admonish v. to caution or reprimand

aesthetic adj. relating to beauty or art

aggregate adj. amounting to a whole; total

alacrity n. cheerful willingness; eagerness; speed

amalgamate v. to combine into a unified whole

ambiguous adj. unclear or doubtful in meaning

ambivalence n. the state of having conflicting emotional attitudes

ameliorate v. improve

anachronism n. something out of proper time

analogous adj. comparable

anomalous adj. irregular; deviating from the norm

antipathy n. dislike; hostility

apprise v. to inform

approbationn. praise; approval

appropriate v. to take possession for ones own use; confiscate

artless adj. guileless; natural

ascetic n. one who practices self denial

assiduous adj. diligent; hardworking

assuage v. to make less sever

attenuate v. to weaken

audacious adj. bold; daring

austere adj. stern; unadorned

autonomous adj. self-governing; independent

aver v. to affirm; declare to be true

*banal adj. commonplace; trite

belie v. to contradict; misrepresent; give a false impression

beneficent adj. kindly; doing good

bombastic adj. pompous; using inflated language

boorish adj. rude; insensitive

burgeon v. to flourish

burnish v. to polish

buttress v. to reinforce; support

cacophonous adj. unpleasant or harsh sounding

capricious adj. fickle

castigation n. punishment; chastisement; criticism

catalyst n. something causing change

causality adj. involving a cause

chicanery n. trickery; fraud

coagulate v. thicken; congeal

coda n. concluding part of a literary or musical composition; something that

summarizes or concludes

commensurate adj. proportional

compendium n. brief, comprehensive summary

complaisant adj. overly polite; willing to please; obliging

conciliatory adj. overcoming distrust or hostility

confound v. to baffle; perplex; mix-up

connoisseur n. a person possessing expert knowledge or training; a person of

informed or discriminating taste

contention n. assertion

contentious adj. quarrelsome; causing quarrels

conundrum n. riddle; puzzle with no solution

conventional adj. customary; commonplace

convoluted adj. twisted; complicated

craven adj. cowardly

decorum n. proper behavior

deference n. respect; regard for another's wish

delineate v. to represent or depict

denigrate v. to slur someones reputation

derivative n. something derived; unoriginal

desiccate v. to dry completely

desultory adj. random; disconnected; rambling

diatribe n. bitter verbal attack

dichotomy n. division into two usually contradictory parts

diffidence n. shyness; lack of confidence

diffuse v. to spread out

digression n. act of straying from the main point

dirge n. funeral hymn

disabuse v. to free from a misconception

discerning adj. perceptive; exhibiting keen insight and good judgement

discordant adj. not in tune

discredit v. to dishonor; disgrace; cause to be doubted

discrepancy n. difference between

discrete adj. constituting a separate thing; distinct

disingenuous adj. not candid; crafty

disinterested adj. unprejudiced; objective

disjointed adj. lacking order or coherence; dislocated

dismiss v. put away from consideration; reject

disparage v. to belittle

disparate adj. dissimilar

dissemble v.to pretend; disguise ones motive

disseminate v. to spread; scatter; disperse

dissolution n. disintegration; debauchery

dissonance n. discord; lack of harmony

distend v. to expand; swell out

distill v. extract the essential elements

doctrinaire adj. relating to a person who cannot compromise about points of a

theory or doctrine; dogmatic; unyielding

dogmatic adj. stating opinions without proof

dupe v. to deceive; trick

ebullient adj. exhilarated; enthusiastic

eclectic adj. selecting from various sources

efficacy n. efficiency; effectiveness

effrontery n. shameless boldness; presumptuousness

elegy n. a poem or song expressing lamentation

elicit v. to provoke; draw out

embellish v. to adorn; decorate; enhance; make more attractive by adding

details

empirical adj. derived from observation or experiment

emulate v. to imitate; copy

endemic adj. inherent; belonging to an area

enervate v. to weaken

engender v. to cause; produce

ephemeral adj. short-lived; fleeting

equanimity n. composure; calmness

equivocate v. to intentionally use vague language

erudite adj. learned; scholarly

esoteric adj. hard to understand; known only to a few

eulogy n. a high praise, especially of a person who has recently died

euphemism n. use of agreeable or inoffensive language in place of unpleasant or

offensive language

exacerbate v. to aggravate; make worse

exculpate v. to clear of blame; vindicate

exigency n. crisis; urgent requirements

extraneous adj. not essential

facetious adj. humorous

facilitate v. to make less difficult

fallacious adj. based on a false idea or fact; misleading

fatuous adj. foolishly self-satisfied

fawning adj. seeking favor by flattery

felicitous adj. suitably expressed; appropriate; well-chosen

flag v. to droop; grow weak

fledgling n. beginner; novice

flout v. to treat scornfully

foment v. to incite; arouse

forestall v. to prevent; delay

frugality n. thrift

*gainsay v. to deny; dispute; oppose

garrulous adj. very talkative; wordy

goad v. to prod; urge on

gouge v. to tear out; scoop out; overcharge

grandiloquent adj. pompous; bombastic

gregarious adj. sociable

guileless adj. free of cunning or deceit; artless

gullible adj. easily deceived

harangue n. long pompous speech; tirade

homogeneous adj. composed of identical parts; uniform in composition

hyperbole n. purposeful exaggeration for effect

iconoclastic adj. attacking cherished traditions

idolatry n. idol worship; blind or excessive devotion

immutable adj. unchangeable

impair v. to damage; injure

impassive adj. showing no emotion

impede v. to hinder; block

impermeable adj. impossible to penetrate

imperturbable adj. not easily disturbed

impervious adj. impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected

implacable adj. inflexible; incapable of being pleased

implicit adj. implied; understood but not stated

implode v. to collapse inward violenty

inadvertently adv. carelessly; unintentionally

inchoate adj. imperfectly formed or formulated

incongruity n. state of not fitting

inconsequential adj. insignificant; unimportant

incorporate v. to introduce something into another thing already in existence;

combine

indeterminate adj, uncertain; indefinite

indigence n. poverty

indolent adj. habitually lazy; idle

inert adj. unable to move; sluggish

ingenuous adj. naive and trusting; lacking sophistication

inherent adj. firmly established by nature or habit

innocuous adj. harmless

insensible adj. unconscious; unresponsive

insinuate v. to suggest; say indirectly; imply

insipid adj. lacking in flavor; dull

insularity n. narrow-mindedness; isolation

intractable adj. not easily managed

intransigence n. stubbornness; refusal to compromise

inundate v. to cover with water; to overwhelm

inured v. hardened; accustomed; used to

invective n. verbal abuse

irascible adj. easily angered

irresolute adj. unsure of how to act; weak

laconic adj. using few words

lassitude n. lethargy; sluggishness

laud v. to praise

lethargic adj. inactive

levee n. an embankment that prevents a river from overflowing

levity n. light manner or attitude

log n. record of a voyage or daily activities

loquacious adj. talkative

lucid adj. bright; clear; intelligible

magnanimity n. generosity; nobility

malinger v. to feign illness to escape duty

malleable adj. capable of being shaped by pounding; impressionable

maverick n. dissenter

mendacious adj. dishonest

metamorphosis n. change; transformation

meticulous adj. very careful; fastidious

misanthrope n. one who hates humanity

mitigate v. to cause to become less harsh, severe, or painful; alleviate

mollify v. soothe

mundane adj. worldly as opposed to spiritual; concerned with the ordinary

morose adj. ill-humored; sullen

negate v. to cancel out; nullify

neophyte n. novice; beginner

obdurate adj. stubborn

obsequious adj. overly submissive

obviate v. to make unnecessary; to anticipate and prevent

occlude v. to shut; block

officious adj. too helpful; meddlesome

onerous adj. burdensome

opprobrium n. disgrace; contempt

oscillate v. to move back and forth

ostentatious adj. showy; trying to attract attention; pretentious

paragon n. model of excellence or perfection

partisan adj. one-sided;committed to a party, group, or cause; prejudiced

pathological adj. departing from normal condition

paucity n. scarcity

pedantic adj. showing off learning

penchant n. inclination

penury n. extreme poverty

perennial adj. present throughout the years; persistent

perfidious adj. faithless; disloyal; untrustworthy

perfunctory adj. superficial; not thorough; performed really as a duty

permeable adj. penetrable

pervasive adj. spread throughout every part

phlegmatic calm in temperament; sluggish

piety n. devoutness

placate v. to lessen another's anger; to pacify

plasticity n. condition of being able to be shaped or formed; pliability

platitude n. stale, overused expression

plethora n. excess; overabundance

plummet v. to fall; plunge

pragmatic adj. practical

precarious adj. uncertain

precipitate v. to cause to happen; to throw down from a height

adj. rash; hasty; sudden

precursor n. forerunner; predecessor

presumptuous adj. rude; improperly bold

prevaricate v. to quibble, evade the truth

pristine adj. untouched; uncorrupted

probity n. honesty; high-mindedness

problematic adj. posing a problem; doubtful; unsettled

prodigal adj. wasteful; extravagant; lavish

proliferate v. to increase rapidly

propensity n. inclination; tendency

propitiate v. to win over; appease

propriety n. correct conduct; fitness

proscribe v. to condemn; forbid; outlaw

pungent adj. strong or sharp in smell and taste; penetrating; caustic

qualified adj. limited; restricted

quibble v. to argue over insignificant and irrelevant details

quiescent adj. inactive; still

rarefied adj. refined

recalcitrant adj. resisting authority or control

recant v. to retract a statement or opinion

recondite adj. abstruse; profound

refractory adj. stubborn; unmanageable;resisting ordinary methods of

treatment

refute v. to contradict; to disprove

relegate v. to confine to an inferior position

reproach v. to find fault with; to blame

reprobate n. morally unprincipled person

repudiate v. reject as having no authority

rescind v. to cancel

resolution n. determination; resolve

reticent adj. not speaking freely; reserved; reluctant

reverent adj. expressing deep respect; worshipful

sage adj. wise

salubrious adj. healthful

sanction v. to approve; ratify; permit

satiate v. to satisfy

saturate v. to soak thoroughly; imbue throughout

secrete v. to produce and release substance into organism

shard n. a piece of broken glass or pottery

skeptic n. one who doubts

solicitous adj. attentive; eager; concerned

soporific adj. sleep producing

specious adj. seeming to be logical and sound, but not really so

spectrum n. band of colors produced when sunlight passes through a prism; a

broad range of related ideas or objects

sporadic adj. irregular

stigma n. mark of disgrace or inferiority

stint v. to be sparing

n. period of time spent doing something

stipulate v. to specify as an essential condition

stolid adj. having or showing little emotion

striated adj. marked with thin narrow grooves or channels

strut v. to swagger; display to impress others

subpoena n. notice ordering someone to appear in court

substantiate v. to support with proof or evidence

supersede v. to replace, especially to displace as inferior or antiquated

supposition n. the act of assuming to be true or real

tacit adj. silently understood; implied

tangential adj. peripheral; digressing

tenuous adj. weak; insubstantial

tirade n. long, violent speech, verbal assualt

torpor n. lethargy; dormancy; sluggishness

tortuous adj. having many twists and turns; highly complex

tractable adj. obedient; yielding

transgression n. act of of trespassing or violating a law or rule

truculence n. aggressiveness; ferocity

vacillate v. to waver; oscillate

venerate v. to adore; honor; respect

veracious adj. truthful; accurate

verbose adj. wordy

viable adj. practicable; capable of developing

viscous adj. thick, syrupy, and sticky

vituperative adj. using or containing harsh, abusive censure

v. vituberate

volatile adj. tending to vary frequently; fickle

warranted adj. justified

wary adj. careful; cautious

welterv. to wallow or roll; toss about; be in turmoil

whimsical adj. fanciful; unpredictable

zealot n. one who is fanatically devoted to a cause