Hardcore Vocabulary

A abrogate
abstruse
v.
adj.
to abolish, repeal, or nullify
difficult to understand
abysmal adj. extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless
accolade n. an award or honor
acerbic adj. bitter, sour, severe
acumen n. keenness of judgment, mental sharpness
afford v. to permit or allow, to enable
aggregate n., adj. collection of things mixed together; the sum total
allocate v. to distribute, assign, or allot
aloof adj. standoffish, uninvolved, keeping one’s distance
ameliorate v. to make better or more tolerable
anachronistic adj. out of place in time or history
anathema n. something or someone loathed or detested
ancillary adj. subordinate; providing assistance
annul v. to make void, usu. refers to marriage
anomaly n. an aberration, deviation, or irregularity
anthropology n. the study of human cultures
antithetical adj. in opposition, contrary to
apostate n. one who deserts his or her professed principles or faith
apotheosis n. elevation to divine status; the perfect example of something
appropriate v. to take without permission; to set aside for a particular use
archetype n. an original model or pattern
ardent adj. passionate
arsenal n. a storehouse of weapons
ascertain v. to determine with certainty; to find out definitely
ascetic adj. hermit-like; practicing self-denial
assuage v. to soothe, pacify, or relieve
attrition n. gradual wearing away, a natural or expected decrease in size or number
augury n. an omen, esp. a good omen
auspices n protection, support; sponsorship
avarice n. greed
avuncular adj. kind, helpful, generous, like a nice uncle

B barometer
beguile
n.
v.
an instrument that measures atmospheric pressure
to delude by guile or craft; to mislead, divert
behest n. a command or order
beleaguer v. to surround, besiege, or harass
belie v. to give a false impression; to contradict
bellicose adj. warlike, belligerent
bequest n. something left to someone in a will
blithe adj. carefree, cheerful
broach v. to open up a subject, often a delicate one, for discussion
burgeon v. to expand; to flourish
buttress n. a support for a building or structure
C cabal
cajole
n.
v.
a group of conspirators; the acts of such a group; a clique
to persuade
calipers n. a pinching instrument used for measuring distances
canon n. a rule or law, especially a religious one; a body of rules or laws; an
authoritative list; the set of works by an author
cantankerous adj. ill-natured, contentious
canvass v. to campaign; to seek or solicit orders, votes, etc.
capacitor n. a device which stores energy
capitulate v. to surrender, give up, or give in
captious adj. ill-natured, quarrelsome
carp v. to complain or find fault with someone
cartography n. the study and creation of maps
castigate v. to criticize severely, to chastise
catalyst n. anything that makes something happen without being directly involved
catharsis n. purification that brings emotional relief or renewal
cavil v. to quibble; to raise trivial objections
censure v. to condemn severely for doing something bad
chagrin n. humiliation; embarrassed disappointment
chicanery n. trickery, deceitfulness, artifice, especially legal or political
chimerical adj. imaginary, given to fantasy
choleric adj. hot-tempered, quick to anger
circumvent v. to go around
closefisted adj. stingy; not willing to spend money
coalesce v. to come together as one, to fuse, to unite
cogitate v. to ponder; to meditate; to think carefully about
colloquial adj. ordinary, informal speech
conscript v. enlisted, drafted, or enrolled, usu. refers to mandatory military service
corroborate v. to confirm, back up with evidence
coterie n. a group of close associates; a circle of friends or associates
coy adj. shy, reluctant to make a commitment
craven adj. cowardly, afraid
curmudgeon n. a greedy, irascible, crotchety old person

D dearth
debacle
n.
n.
a shortage or scarcity of something
a big disaster
deft adj. very skillful
dehydrate v. to remove water
demagogue n. a leader of the people, but more a rabble rouser
demography n. the statistical study of the characteristics of populations
desalinate v. to remove salt from something
desiccate v. to dry out
diplomatic adj. tactful; good at negotiating
discomfit v. to frustrate, to confuse
dither v. to vacillate between choices; to tremble with excitement
diurnal adj. occurring every day; occurring during the daytime
divisive adj. creating conflict and disagreement
draconian adj. severe, harsh, cruel

E ebullient
effigy
adj.
n.
bubbling with excitement, exuberant
a likeness of a person, usu. one used to express hatred for that person
elliptical adj. oval, missing a word or words, obscure
endemic adj. native, restricted to a particular region or area, indigenous
ephemeral adj. lasting a very short time
equine adj. relating to horses, horselike
 equivocal n. ambiguous, intentionally confusing, capable of being interpreted many ways
ersatz adj. serving as a substitute, synthetic, artificial
ethereal adj. heavenly, light, insubstantial
etymology n. the study of words and their meanings
euphonious adj. pleasant sounding, opposite of cacophonous; melodious
evanescent n. fleeting, vanishing, happening only for the briefest period
evince v. to demonstrate convincingly; to prove
execrate v. to curse, denounce
exhume v. to unbury; to dig out of the ground
exonerate v. to free completely from blame
expeditious adj. prompt, speedy (to expedite, v.)
expiate v. to make amends, to atone
expunge v. to erase, obliterate, to blot out

fecund adj. fertile, productive

F fervent adj. having intense feeling, enthusiastic; fervid
feign v. to pretend; to make a false representation of something
flaccid adj. soft and limp
flout v. to disregard something or someone out of disrespect
ford n., v. the shallow part of a river; to cross a river at the shallow part
forensics n. the art or study of argumentation and formal debate
fortuitous adj. accidental, occurring by chance
fracas n. a big fight
furrow n., v. a narrow groove made in the ground; to make wrinkles in the face

G gaffe
galvanize
n.
v.
a social blunder, an embarrassing mistake, a faux pas
to startle into sudden activity; to revitalize
gastronomy n. the art of eating well
germane adj. relevant, applicable, pertinent
glower v. to look or stare with sullen dislike or anger
goldbrick v. n. to swindle, to sell something worthless as if it were valuable
grandiloquent adj. using a lot of big, fancy words to sound impressive
glut n. surplus, overabundance

H halcyon
hedonism
adj.
n.
peaceful, serene; carefree
the pursuit of pleasure as a way of life
hegemony n. leadership, especially of one nation over another
hermetic adj. airtight, impervious to external influence
homily n. a sermon
hubris n. excessive pride
humanist n. one who has great concern for human welfare, values, and dignity;
a student of the classics
hybrid n. formed, bred, or composed from different elements
hypodermic adj. beneath the skin

I idiosyncratic
ignominy
adj.
n.
quirky, peculiar, eccentric
shame, disrepute, disgrace
importune v. to beg, urge, or insist persistently
inane adj. silly, senseless
incantation n. a chant
incarnate adj. in the flesh
incensed adj. very angry
inchoate adj. incomplete, only partially formed
indignant adj. angry or insulted, especially as a result of something unjust or unworthy
 ineffable adj. incapable of being expressed or described
inexorable adj. relentless, inevitable, unavoidable
inoculate v. to protect against disease
insouciant adj. nonchalant, lighthearted, carefree
irascible adj. easily angered or provoked, irritable

jaunt n. a short pleasure trip

J jejune
jettison
adj.
v.
lacking maturity or significance; irrelevant
to throw or cast off
jingoist n. a bellicose chauvinist, a warmongering nationalist

karma n. good or bad emanations from something; good or bad “vibes”

K kudos n. honor, glory, acclaim, compliment

lambaste v. to assault violently with words

L laudatory adj. praising
lax adj. not strict; careless or negligent
lexicon n. a glossary or dictionary
limpid adj. transparent; clear; lucid
liniment n. a medicinal liquid or salve for rubbing on the skin
liquidate v. to get rid of; to settle a debt
lugubrious adj. exaggeratedly mournful
luminary n. a person who has attained eminence in his/her field

maudlin adj. silly and overly sentimental

M mellifluous
mendacious
adj.
adj.
flowing sweetly, usu. refers to sounds or voices
lying, dishonest
meritorious adj. deserving praise or reward
mirth n. amusement or laughter
misanthrope n. one who hates people
moribund adj. dying

narcissism n. excessive love of one’s body or oneself

N nebulous adj. vague, hazy, indistinct
neologism n. a new word or phrase, a new usage of a word
neophyte n. a novice or beginner
noisome adj. offensive or disgusting; stinking, noxious
noxious adj. harmful, offensive
nuance n. a subtle difference or distinction
numerology n. the study of numbers for the purposes of predicting the future

obeisance n. deep reverence; a bow or curtsy

O obfuscate v. to darken or confuse
obsequious adj. fawning, subservient, servile, excessively deferential
odometer n. instrument that measures how many miles one has traveled
olfactory adj. pertaining to the sense of smell
oligarchy n. government by only a very few people

palliative adj. making something less severe without getting rid of the problem
P paltry
panacea
adj.
n.
insignificant, worthless
something that cures everything
panache n. flair, verve; dashing elegance
paragon n. a model of excellence
peccadillo n. a minor offense or error
 pedantic adj. boringly scholarly or academic
penurious adj. extremely stingy, poor, or miserly
perfidy n. treachery
perfunctory adj. unenthusiastic, careless
pernicious adj. deadly, extremely evil
perquisite n. a privilege that goes along with a job, a “perk”
philistine n. a smugly ignorant person with no intellectual or artistic appreciation
piquant adj. pleasantly sharp in flavor; interestingly provocative or stimulating
pique v. to excite; to arouse an emotion or provoke to action
plebeian adj. common, vulgar, low class
polemic n. a powerful argument often made to attack or refute a controversial issue
portent n. an omen, a sign of something coming
potentate n. a person who possesses great power
predilection n. a natural preference for something
preempt v. to seize something by prior right
prescient adj. having knowledge of things before they exist or happen
priggish adj. very fussy, self-righteous, high-maintenance, usu. refers to people
profligate adj. extravagantly wasteful; wildly immoral
prolific adj. abundantly productive, fruitful, or fertile
promulgate v. to publicly or formally declare something
pulchritude n. physical beauty

Q queue
quiescent
n., v.
adj.
a line; to line up
motionless; at rest; still
quintessential adj. being the most perfect example of
quixotic adj. idealistic to a foolish or impractical degree, like Don Quixote
quotidian adj. daily; everyday; ordinary

R raze
rebuke
v.
v.
to completely destroy or level something
to criticize sharply
recapitulate v. to review or summarize
recidivism n. the act of repeating an offense
redolent adj. fragrant
renege v. to go back on a bet or promise
retrenchment n. cutting down or off, reduction
rhetoric n. the study or art of using language well; using undue exaggeration

S sacrosanct
sanguine
adj.
adj.
sacred, held to be inviolable
cheerful, optimistic, hopeful
sardonic adj. mocking, scornful
saturnine adj. gloomy or taciturn
scrupulous adj. strict, careful, hesitant for ethical reasons
semantic n. pertaining to the meaning of words or symbols
semaphore n. a system of signaling, usually through the use of flags
serendipity n. accidental good fortune, discovering good things without looking for them
skinflint n. a mean, penny-pinching person
smidgen n. a very small amount
somber adj. depressing, dismal, gloomy
specious adj. deceptively plausible or attractive; misleading; like an answer choice Joe
Bloggs would fall for.
stand n. a group of trees
sublime adj. of great intellectual, moral, or spiritual value
subsidy n. a gift of money
subterfuge n. deceptive strategy used to conceal, escape ,or evade
 supercilious adj. haughty, patronizing
supplicate v. to ask or beg humbly

tenable adj. valid, capable of being argued successfully

T threadbare
truculent
adj.
adj.
falling apart, meager, poor, old
fierce, cruel, savagely brutal
turbid n. unclear or opaque; lacking clarity or purity

uncanny adj. extraordinary, mysterious, uncomfortably strange

U unilateral adj. involving one side only; done on behalf of one side only
usury n. the practice of lending money at a high rate of interest

vacuous adj. empty of content; lacking in ideas or intelligence

V vapid
verdant
adj.
adj.
dull, spiritless
covered with green plants; leafy; inexperienced
vernacular n. everyday speech, slang, idiom
vestige n. a remaining bit of something, a last trace

wane v. to decrease in strength or intensity; to fade away; to decline in power

W wanton
wizened
adj.
adj.
malicious, unjustifiable, unprovoked, egregious
shriveled; withered; shrunken

X xenophobe n. one who greatly fears or dislikes foreigners

Y yeomanly adj. dependable, hard-working

zeitgeist n. the mood or spirit of the times

Z zenith n. the highest point; peak; pinnacle