TestNinjas

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DSAT Vocabulary Word List

• Abate (v) - to reduce in amount, degree, or severity; The headache abated after taking
medicine.

• Abhor (v) - to hate or detest; She abhors cruelty to animals.

• Abstain (v) - to refrain or hold back voluntarily; He abstained from smoking.

• Accretion (n) - a gradual buildup or growth by addition; An accretion of dust covered

the furniture.

• Acerbic (adj) - sharp, biting, or caustic in tone; She made an acerbic retort.

• Acquire (v) - to gain possession of; He acquired a taste for opera.

• Acumen (n) - keen insight or judgment; She has excellent business acumen.

• Adhere (v) - to stick fast or cleave; The stamp adhered to the envelope.

• Admonish (v) - to caution or advise against; The teacher admonished the students
not to be late.

• Affable (adj) - friendly, good-natured, and easy to talk to; He had an affable manner
that made everyone comfortable.

• Aesthetic (adj) - relating to beauty or good taste; She appreciated modernist aes-
thetics in art.

• Alleviate (v) - to relieve or make more bearable; Medication helped alleviate her pain.

• Amiable (adj) - friendly and good-natured; His amiable personality drew people to
him.

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• Ample (adj) - more than sufficient in size or scope; We had ample time to finish the
test.

• Analogous (adj) - similar or comparable in certain respects; This process is analogous

to how a cell works.

• Anomaly (n) - something that deviates from the norm; Finding the artifact was an
archaeological anomaly.

• Antipathy (n) - a deep dislike or aversion; He had an antipathy for crowds.

• Arbitrary (adj) - chosen at random, without reason; It seemed an arbitrary decision,

without rationale.

• Arrogant (adj) - having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; The arrogant dicta-

tor ignored the people’s needs.

• Aspire (v) - to strive for or ambition to achieve a goal; She aspired to become an
engineer.

• Aversion (n) - a strong feeling of dislike, distaste, or hostility; He had an aversion to

spinach since childhood.

• Banal (adj) - lacking originality, freshness, or novelty; The movie’s banal plot was
forgettable.

• Belittle (v) - to make someone or something seem unimportant; The bullies belittled
the shy student.

• Belligerent (adj) - hostile, aggressive, or pugnacious; The belligerent gang was known
for fighting.

• Benevolent (adj) - characterized by or expressing goodwill; He made a benevolent

donation to the animal shelter.

• Bolster (v) - to give vital support, reinforce, or strengthen; Extra tutoring helped
bolster the struggling math student’s skills.

• Bombastic (adj) - high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated or pretentious lan-
guage; The politician’s bombastic rhetoric failed to impress voters.

• Boon (n) - a blessing, timely benefit, or assistance; Winning the scholarship was a
boon that enabled her to attend college.

• Brevity (n) - concise expression without wasted words; Brevity is essential in a 30-
second commercial.

• Brusque (adj) - abrupt or offhand in speech or manner; rudely concise; My request

was met with a brusque refusal.

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• Byzantine (adj) - very complicated or intricate; The byzantine tax codes were impos-
sible to decipher.

• Callous (adj) - showing little sympathy for others; insensitive; He acted in a callous
way toward those less fortunate.

• Calm (adj) - free from agitation, disturbance, or tumult; absent of wind; The calm
lake reflected the serene sky.

• Candor (n) - honesty, frankness, or sincere expression; I appreciated her candor and
straightforward advice.

• Capricious (adj) - characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive; unpredictable; My

capricious toddler was happy one minute, fussy the next.

• Castigate (v) - to punish or criticize severely; The boss castigated the employee for
repeated mistakes.

• Censure (v) - blame or condemn; The senator was censured for unethical conduct.

• Character (n) - moral qualities distinctive to an individual; integrity and values; She
is known for her outstanding character and ethics.

• Circumspect (adj) - cautious or prudent, especially in speech or action; We were

circumspect in sharing details until we understood the risks involved.

• Coarse (adj) - rough, harsh, or uneven in texture; lacking refinement or elegance; His
coarse language was inappropriate at the dignified ceremony.

• Complex (adj) - composed of interconnected or complicated parts; The complex ma-

chine required an experienced mechanic.

• Concise (adj) - expressing much in few words; a concise summary of the research
findings.

• Conform (v) - to act in accordance with rules, standards, or customs; She refused to
conform by wearing the uniform.

• Conscientious (adj) - guided by or in accordance with conscience or sense of right;

governed by principle; a conscientious decision after much deliberation.

• Constant (adj) - remaining unchanged or fixed; showing loyalty or faithfulness; Wa-

ter’s boiling point is a physical constant.

• Contemplate (v) - to consider thoughtfully; She contemplated all possible outcomes

before deciding.

• Contribute (v) - to give or supply along with others; We all contributed food to the
potluck dinner.

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• Dearth (n) - scarcity or lack; There is a dearth of jobs in this struggling economy.

• Defiant (adj) - boldly resistant to authority or any opposing force; The defiant
protestors refused to disperse.

• Delicate (adj) - fragile, frail, or vulnerable; requiring gentle handling; The delicate
crystal shattered when dropped.

• Demonstrate (v) - to establish or prove by example; clear explanation; The experi-

ment demonstrated the laws of physics.

• Deride (v) - to ridicule, mock, or scornfully laugh at; The bullies derided the shy
student’s stutter.

• Desolate (adj) - depressing, bleak, lifeless; barren; The remote desert island was
completely desolate.

• Detach (v) - to separate or disengage from association; He detached the document

from the email before forwarding.

• Diligent (adj) - characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic application; The dili-
gent student made sure to study every day.

• Disclose (v) - to make known, reveal, or uncover; The CEO disclosed the company’s
financial problems.

• Dismal (adj) - causing gloom or depression; The dismal weather matched her sad
mood.

• Disperse (v) - to spread or scatter widely; The police dispersed the rowdy crowd that
gathered in the park.

• Dubious (adj) - doubtful or suspect; of uncertain quality or outcome; She had dubious
qualifications for the job.

• Dull (adj) - boring, monotonous, lacking sharpness; The dull lecture soon put me to
sleep.

• Eclectic (adj) - deriving ideas or style from a diverse range of sources; Their home
decor had an eclectic mix of modern and antique.

• Edify (v) - to instruct, improve, or enlighten; The book was both entertaining and
edifying.

• Egalitarian (adj) - relating to or believing in equality for all people; He advocated an

egalitarian society.

• Elicit (v) - to draw forth or bring out; Skillful questioning elicited her eyewitness
account.

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• Eminent (adj) - prominent, distinguished, or noteworthy; The eminent scholar was
awarded the Nobel Prize.

• Empathy (n) - the ability to understand another’s perspective, feelings, or difficulties;

She showed genuine empathy for the grieving widow.

• Enigma (n) - something or someone puzzling, mysterious, or difficult to understand;

The coded message was an enigma they couldn’t decipher.

• Equivocal (adj) - open to more than one interpretation; purposefully vague or am-
biguous; His equivocal instructions left me confused about what to do.

• Evoke (v) - to summon or call forth; Childhood photos evoked strong memories from
long ago.

• Exact (adj) - precise, accurate, or correct in every detail; Could you give me the exact
amount needed?

• Expedient (adj) - suitable for achieving a particular end; pragmatically useful; In a

crisis, quick action may be more expedient than detailed planning.

• Explicit (adj) - clearly and directly stated, leaving no room for confusion; The teacher
was explicit that assignments must be turned in on time.

• Extol (v) - to praise highly or glorify; The eulogy extolled the deceased’s virtues and
accomplishments.

• Extricate (v) - to free or release from a difficult situation or entanglement; Firefighters

extricated the injured driver from the mangled car.

• Facilitate (v) - to make easier or help bring about; The mediator helped facilitate an
agreement.

• Fathom (v) - to understand something thoroughly; I couldn’t fathom his reason for
quitting without notice.

• Fatuous (adj) - silly, foolish, smugly ignorant; He made fatuous arguments that re-
vealed little understanding of the issue.

• Feckless (adj) - weak, ineffective, incompetent; irresponsible; His feckless leadership

led the company to ruin.

• Fervor (n) - great warmth and intensity of feeling; She spoke with fervor about her
political beliefs.

• Fickle (adj) - frequently changing, erratic; His fickle behavior left her confused.

• Flagrant (adj) - glaringly bad or offensive; a flagrant foul during the game; flagrant
disregard for the law.

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• Flimsy (adj) - thin and easily bent or damaged; lacking plausibility; She offered a
flimsy excuse for missing class.

• Flout (v) - to openly disregard rules or conventions; She flouted the school dress code
with her outfit.

• Frugal (adj) - practicing or reflecting economy in use of resources; simple, plain, cost-
efficient; They lived a frugal lifestyle and saved money where they could.

• Garrulous (adj) - excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters; My garrulous

neighbor loved chatting over the fence each morning.

• Germane (adj) - relevant and appropriate for the subject at hand; His rambling
anecdote was not germane to the discussion.

• Grave (adj) - serious; requiring consideration; The doctor had a grave expression when
giving the prognosis.

• Gregarious (adj) - sociable, seeking and enjoying the company of others; Humans are
naturally gregarious and form bonds through social contact.

• Gross (adj) - blatant, outrageous, or unambiguous; lacking refinement or dignity; His

gross exaggerations undermined his credibility.

• Guile (n) - cunning, deceitful shrewdness or treachery; She betrayed her friend out of
pure guile.

• Gullible (adj) - easily persuaded to believe something; naive, credulous; The scammer
took advantage of gullible people.

• Haughty (adj) - arrogantly superior, disdainful, looking down on others; The haughty
queen barely acknowledged the peasants.

• Hesitate (v) - to pause in uncertainty or have difficulty choosing; She hesitated before
exiting the stage, nerves getting the best of her.

• Hinder (v) - to hamper, obstruct, or delay; The snowstorm will likely hinder travel
plans.

• Hostile (adj) - having or showing ill will, animosity, opposition; The hostile crowd
shouted angrily at the politician.

• Hyperbole (n) - exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally;

Saying he was starving was hyperbole; he just wanted a snack.

• Iconoclast (n) - one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions;

The rebel was an iconoclast who challenged the status quo.

• Idolize (v) - to worship or admire intensely and often excessively; Young girls often
idolize celebrities and pop stars.

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• Illuminate (v) - to supply or brighten with light; enlighten; His lecture helped illu-
minate and explain Plato’s philosophy.

• Illusion (n) - something that deceives or misleads intellectually; The magician created
illusions that seemed to defy physics.

• Illustrate (v) - to clarify or explain through use of examples, analogies, pictures; The
textbook illustrations made the topic clearer.

• Immutable (adj) - unchanging; unable to be changed or transformed; The laws of

mathematics are immutable, fixed pillars of logic.

• Impartial (adj) - treating all sides equally; unbiased, objective; As a judge, she prided
herself on being impartial.

• Impede (v) - to interfere with, slow the progress of, or obstruct; The fallen tree
impeded traffic for hours.

• Impending (adj) - about to happen, imminent, approaching; We prepared for the

impending storm.

• Implicit (adj) - implied but not expressly stated; There was an implicit threat that
loomed without being uttered.

• Impulsive (adj) - acting on sudden desires or whims; prone to act on instinct rather
than thought; Buying the expensive luxury car was an impulsive decision she later
regretted.

• Inadvertent (adj) - unintentional; not resulting from or due to a particular cause; His
insult was inadvertent; he didn’t realize his remark would offend.

• Incisive (adj) - showing keen discernment, sharpness of mind; Her incisive critiques
greatly improved the manuscript.

• Incoherent (adj) - lacking logical or meaningful connection; disjointed; scrambled;

His incoherent ramblings made little sense to the rest of us.

• Incongruous (adj) - inconsistent; not harmonious; The bright pink couch was incon-
gruous with the room’s subdued color scheme.

• Incorrigible (adj) - incapable of being corrected or reformed; naughty; mischievous;

The incorrigible bully would not change his ways despite intervention.

• Incredulous (adj) - unable or unwilling to believe something; She was incredulous

that she won the lottery against such odds.

• Indelible (adj) - making marks that cannot be erased, washed away, or removed;
Childhood memories of summers at the lake were indelible, never fading with time.

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• Indifference (n) - lack of interest, concern, or sympathy; His indifference towards her
was obvious by his disengaged manner.

• Indignant (adj) - angrily offended due to perceived unfair treatment; I was indignant
after being accused without cause.

• Indisputable (adj) - impossible to question or doubt; unquestionable; The evidence

was indisputable that he was guilty of the crime.

• Inert (adj) - lacking power to move, lifeless, inactive; The car remained inert after the
battery died.

• Inevitable (adj) - impossible to avoid; certain to eventually happen; Death is the

inevitable conclusion of life.

• Innocuous (adj) - harmless, causing no damage or offense; The comments in her

speech were innocuous enough not to provoke much reaction.

• Insidious (adj) - stealthily and harmfully treacherous or deceitful; Cancer can be an

insidious disease, quietly spreading before detection.

• Integrity (n) - firm adherence to moral principles; honesty, incorruptibility; Known

for his integrity, they trusted he would do what was right.

• Intense (adj) - possessing or displaying great concentration, zeal, or feeling; She spoke
with intense passion that swayed the crowd.

• Intermittent (adj) - occurring at irregular intervals; on and off; starting and stopping;
The intermittent windshield wipers cleared the rain from the glass.

• Intrinsic (adj) - belonging naturally to someone or something; innate, inherent; Learn-

ing is an intrinsic reward of teaching.

• Intuition (n) - immediate insight or understanding without conscious reasoning; He

relied on intuition to make split-second decisions under pressure.

• Inundate (v) - to overwhelm as if with a flood; My desk was inundated with paper-
work.

• Inventive (adj) - imaginative, creative, able to think of new things or solve problems
uniquely; Her inventive recipes were a big hit on her cooking blog.

• Inverted (adj) - turned inside out or upside down; reversed in position or order; The
plane flew upside down in an inverted loop.

• Irrelevant (adj) - not applicable or related to the subject at hand; His rambling story
was irrelevant to the topic being discussed.

• Irreverent (adj) - showing lack of due respect or veneration; The student’s irreverent
remarks during chapel earned him a detention.

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• Judicious (adj) - showing sound judgment; wise and prudent; After judicious thought,
she made the right choice.

• Keen (adj) - eagerly enthusiastic; intensely sensitive or perceptive; He had a keen

interest in astronomy and could name many constellations.

• Kinetic (adj) - relating to or resulting from motion; kinetic or dynamic

• Knowledgeable (adj) - possessing expertise or extensive information; My attorney is

very knowledgeable about tax law.

• Laconic (adj) - using few words; terse, succinct; His laconic reply gave little informa-
tion.

• Lament (v) - to mourn or express grief over, usually due to loss; She lamented over a
faded photo from her childhood.

• Languid (adj) - lacking energy, vitality or strength; lazy and relaxed; Moving with
languid grace, the cat stretched in a patch of sunlight.

• Lucid (adj) - clear, easy to perceive or understand; expressing oneself intelligibly and
rationally; After a good night’s rest, she awoke feeling lucid and refreshed.

• Magnanimous (adj) - kind, forgiving, noble in spirit; extraordinarily generous; The

magnanimous victor helped his opponent to his feet.

• Malicious (adj) - intentionally harmful, spiteful, or evil; spreading pernicious gossip

for the sake of malice.

• Malleable (adj) - capable of being shaped or formed; adaptable, moldable; Gold is an

extremely malleable metal that can be hammered into thin sheets.

• Manifest (v) - to show or demonstrate something clearly; to reveal or display; Her

sadness over the breakup was manifest by her tear-streaked face.

• Meticulous (adj) - characterized by great attention to detail; very careful and precise;
The meticulous craftsman produced flawless work.

• Misconstrue (v) - to interpret something erroneously; take in a wrong sense; She

misconstrued the honking horn to be meant as an insult.

• Modest (adj) - humble, unassuming, not boastful; moderate in size or amount; She
had a modest upbringing but achieved wild success.

• Mundane (adj) - ordinary, everyday, unexciting; routine; Paying bills and cleaning
are mundane household chores.

• Nebulous (adj) - vague, cloudy, lacking clearly defined form; The future was nebulous,
and no one knew exactly what to expect.

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• Notoriety (n) - the condition of being famous or well-known, typically for negative
reasons; The criminal loved the notoriety that came with his heists.

• Novel (adj) - refreshingly new or different; The novel gadget seemed like something
from the distant future.

• Nuance (n) - a subtle difference or distinction in expression or meaning; There were

subtle nuances in meaning between those two words that most people missed.

• Oblivious (adj) - unaware; unconscious; having no memory; She was oblivious to the
gossip swirling around her as she hummed a happy tune.

• Obsolete (adj) - no longer used, out of date; Replaced by email, fax machines are now
obsolete.

• Obstinate (adj) - stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action;

Despite repeated warnings, he was obstinate about changing his risky ways.

• Ominous (adj) - threatening or foreshadowing evil, misfortune, or trouble; Dark clouds

loomed ominously on the horizon before the violent storm struck.

• Onerous (adj) - involving heavy effort, burden, or hardship; The onerous chore of
clearing the snowy driveway took several grueling hours.

• Opaque (adj) - impenetrable by light; not reflecting light; Heavy fog made driving
conditions opaque, obscuring all visibility.

• Opaque (adj) - not transparent; impossible to see through; This ceramic vase has an
opaque milky glaze over the outside.

• Opulent (adj) - characterized by extravagant luxury and sumptuousness; The opulent

mansion had every expensive amenity imaginable.

• Ostracize (v) - to exclude or banish from a group or society; The mean girls ostracized
the new student, ignoring and shunning her.

• Overt (adj) - done or shown openly, plainly apparent; not hidden; His overt stare
made his attraction to her obvious.

• Palliate (v) - to lessen the severity of; moderate; His medication helped palliate, but
not eliminate, his chronic pain.

• Paltry (adj) - insignificant or inadequate; The paltry sum barely covered expenses.

• Paradox (n) - a statement seeming to contradict itself but that may nonetheless be
true; The phrase ”less is more” initially seems paradoxical but contains some truth.

• Pensive (adj) - deeply, seriously thoughtful; lost in thought; She grew pensive and
withdrew into silent contemplation.

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• Perceive (v) - to become aware of through the senses; I faintly perceived the floral
scent through the strong odor of coffee.

• Perfunctory (adj) - routine, mechanical, done without care; His perfunctory hand-
shake revealed his apathy toward meeting me.

• Perilous (adj) - extremely hazardous or dangerous; We wisely turned back from the
perilous mountain path.

• Permeate (v) - to spread throughout or penetrate something; The odor of garlic

permeated the entire kitchen.

• Perpetual (adj) - uninterrupted, ceaseless, eternal; The perpetual tide ebbs and flows
without pause.

• Persevere (v) - to persist despite obstacles or adversity; She persevered through

injuries to achieve her Olympic dream.

• Perspicacious (adj) - acutely perceptive or discerning; penetrating; The detective

was known for his perspicacious observations at crime scenes.

• Pertinent (adj) - directly and significantly related to the matter at hand; His pertinent
insights shed new light on the issue being discussed.

• Peruse (v) - to read or examine, typically with thoroughness or care; I perused the
document carefully before signing it.

• Petulant (adj) - rudely impatient, irritable; childishly sulky or bad-tempered; The

petulant toddler threw a tantrum when refused candy before dinner.

• Phenomenon (n) - an observable fact or event; something extraordinary or remark-

able; A meteor shower is a natural phenomenon.

• Philosophical (adj) - relating to philosophy; calm, stoic, guided by reason; He faced

hardship with a philosophical attitude, trying to understand life’s deeper purpose.

• Placate (v) - to make less hostile or angry, typically by showing willingness to negotiate
or compromise; The management tried to placate the dissatisfied workers by promising
better conditions.

• Placid (adj) - free from disturbance or tumult; calm, peaceful, undisturbed; The placid
lake reflected the serene sky flawlessly.

• Plausible (adj) - seemingly or apparently valid, likely, or acceptable; believable; She

offered a plausible excuse for missing the appointment.

• Plight (n) - a bad or unfortunate situation; Her financial plight gradually worsened
until she lost her house.

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• Ponder (v) - to consider or reflect on something carefully and thoroughly; He pondered
the implications of his momentous decision for days.

• Practical (adj) - sensible, realistic, concerned with actual usage; Her idea offered a
practical solution that could be easily implemented.

• Pragmatic (adj) - practical, down-to-earth, oriented toward results; We took a prag-

matic approach focused on finding solutions that would actually work.

• Precarious (adj) - dangerously lacking stability or certainty; dependent on chance;

The vase was in a precarious position on the tilting table.

• Precedent (n) - an act that establishes a model or guide for subsequent situations;
The legal precedent influenced similar cases for years.

• Precise (adj) - marked by exactness and accuracy; Could you be more precise about
the time you arrived?

• Preclude (v) - to prevent from happening; exclude; Circumstances precluded her from
accepting the job offer.

• Predilection (n) - a preference, partiality, prepossession; His predilection for the color
blue was evident in his wardrobe.

• Preeminent (adj) - superior in achievement or standing; foremost; She is the preem-

inent expert in her scientific field.

• Premeditate (v) - to plan or plot in advance; The robbery was premeditated, not
spontaneous.

• Premise (n) - a proposition upon which an argument, theory, or calculation is based;

The conclusions relied on a false premise.

• Presumptuous (adj) - overstepping due bounds; taking liberties; I felt it was pre-
sumptuous of him to assume we were friends.

• Pretense (n) - a false display, a claim not supported by fact; His anger was just a
pretense to cover his sadness and hurt.

• Prevalent (adj) - widespread, common, predominant; Flu was prevalent that winter,
affecting thousands in the city.

• Principled (adj) - guided by moral values; She was a principled leader who always
tried to do what was right.

• Prodigious (adj) - abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary; Gustav had

prodigious strength despite his small frame.

• Profanity (n) - speech that condemns or demeans that which is sacred or divine; foul,
offensive language; The unruly student shouted profanity across the playground.

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• Profound (adj) - showing deep knowledge and insight; His speech shared profound
wisdom from decades of experience.

• Prolific (adj) - abundantly productive; immensely creative; The prolific composer

created hundreds of musical works in his lifetime.

• Prolong (v) - to lengthen in duration, scope, or extent; They prolonged their vacation
a few extra days.

• Prominent (adj) - widely known and esteemed; conspicuous, important; The promi-
nent landmark could be seen across the countryside.

• Promulgate (v) - to proclaim or put a law or policy into action or force; The president
promulgated a controversial new initiative.

• Prudent (adj) - wisely careful and sensible, marked by sound judgment; It would be
more prudent to save for retirement than splurge on a fancy car.

• Pungent (adj) - sharply affecting the senses, stinging; having a penetrating quality;
The pungent onion made my eyes water as I chopped it.

• Quandary (n) - a state of perplexity, uncertainty what to do; I faced an ethical

quandary between competing loyalties.

• Query (n) - a question, inquiry; Her gracious query made me feel welcome at the
event.

• Quibble (v) - to argue or complain about trivial matters; He has a tendency to quibble
over minor details.

• Quiescent (adj) - at rest, dormant, temporarily inactive; The volcanoes were quiescent
for centuries before unexpectedly erupting.

• Quixotic (adj) - idealistic without regard to practicality; impractical or unrealistic;

His quixotic plan had little chance of succeeding in the real world.

• Quotidian (adj) - everyday, mundane, commonplace; Making my morning coffee was

part of my quotidian routine.

• Rancid (adj) - having a harsh or unpleasant smell or taste, often due to decay; The
rancid milk was spoiled and inedible.

• Rarefied (adj) - refined; relating to a select group; The rarefied intellectual discussion
was beyond me.

• Rash (adj) - acting hastily without deliberation; abrupt decision making; It was rash
of him to quit his job without another one lined up.

• Rebuff (v) - to reject bluntly; snub; She rebuffed his flirtatious advances.

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• Rebuttal (n) - a refutation or contradiction in argument; My opponent offered a
lengthy rebuttal to each of my points.

• Recalcitrant (adj) - obstinately defiant; stubbornly resistant to authority; The recal-

citrant child flatly refused to obey her parents’ rules.

• Recant (v) - to retract a previous statement; take back as erroneous; Under question-
ing, she recanted her earlier testimony.

• Recluse (n) - a person who lives a solitary life, avoiding other people; a loner; After
his wife passed away, the recluse rarely spoke to anyone.

• Reconcile (v) - to make consistent or compatible; settle; I tried to reconcile the

contradictory statements.

• Refute (v) - to prove a claim false or erroneous; New evidence has refuted the old
assumptions.

• Regal (adj) - royal; fit for a king; dignified and majestic; She exuded regal poise and
confidence.

• Relegate (v) - to assign to an unimportant position; The actor was relegated to minor
supporting roles after starring in films.

• Relish (v) - to savor or delight in; I relished every moment of the long-awaited vacation.

• Reluctant (adj) - unwilling, hesitant; not eager; She was reluctant to move across the
country, leaving her home and friends.

• Reminisce (v) - to recall and talk about past experiences or events; Grandpa loved
reminiscing about the old days.

• Remorse (n) - deep regret or guilt for doing wrong; He felt remorse for his unkind
words.

• Render (v) - to provide, deliver, or represent; I will render assistance any way I can.

• Renege (v) - to fail to honor a commitment or promise; She reneged on her offer to
help with the bake sale.

• Renown (n) - fame, celebrated reputation; cities of great renown that attract many
tourists.

• Reprehensible (adj) - deserving severe condemnation, completely unacceptable; So-

ciety considered racism utterly reprehensible.

• Reproach (v) - to express disapproval or disappointment of someone or something;

to criticize or rebuke; No parent likes to receive reproach from a teacher about their
child.

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• Reprobate (n) - an unprincipled, wicked person; That reprobate was nothing but
trouble and should be avoided.

• Repudiate (v) - to refuse to accept or support; reject as untrue or unjustified; He

officially repudiated the rumor and cleared up the misconception.

• Reservations (n) - doubts, hesitations, qualifications; I had some reservations about

attending the conference.

• Resilient (adj) - able to recover from adversity; flexible; The resilient tree could endure
high winds, bending without breaking.

• Resolution (n) - firm determination; resolve; My New Year’s resolution is to exercise

daily.

• Restrained (adj) - controlled; reserved; not showy; She gave a restrained but moving
performance.

• Retribution (n) - deserved punishment for wrongdoing; He avoided jail, but retribu-
tion finally caught up to him.

• Reverent (adj) - feeling or displaying a sense of awe and respect; She had a reverent
admiration of nature’s power and beauty.

• Rhetoric (n) - language intended to persuade or impress; Though high-sounding,

much political rhetoric is vague and empty.

• Rigorous (adj) - extremely demanding; violently harsh; highly disciplined; Military

training is rigorous both physically and mentally.

• Robust (adj) - healthy, strong, and full of energy; able to withstand hardship; My
grandfather remained robust into old age despite medical issues.

• Rudimentary (adj) - related to basic principles; elementary; of primitive simplicity;

As a novice, he had only a rudimentary grasp of carpentry skills.

• Rue (v) - to feel regret, remorse, or repentance over; He rued the mistake that cost
him his job.

• Ruthless (adj) - having no pity; merciless, cruel; The ruthless conqueror showed no
mercy to those defeated.

• Sacrilegious (adj) - violating or misusing what is regarded as sacred; The artwork

was considered sacrilegious for its irreverent depiction of religious figures.

• Sagacious (adj) - having keen discernment and good judgment; perceptive; My saga-
cious grandmother gave insightful advice on life.

• Sanction (n) - authoritative permission or approval; officially authorized; The gov-

ernment put sanctions on trade with certain nations.

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• Sarcasm (n) - harsh or ironic language intended to mock or convey contempt; Her
sarcasm made it clear she disagreed with the plan.

• Sardonic (adj) - scornfully mocking or cynical; contemptuously bitter; He made a

sardonic remark that hurt more than amused me.

• Satiate (v) - to satisfy fully; The lavish buffet left us satiated, unable to take another
bite.

• Saturate (v) - to completely fill the gaps or pores of; thoroughly soak; The sponge
was saturated with water after being immersed so long.

• Scant (adj) - barely sufficient; meager; lacking in quantity; I arrived with scant minutes
to catch my departing train.

• Scathing (adj) - severely critical; harshly condemnatory; Her scathing review showed
no mercy, tearing apart the flawed novel.

• Skeptic (n) - one who questions facts or suspended judgment; doubter; I remained
skeptical of his claims until I verified them myself.

• Slander (n) - defamation; false statements harming a reputation; She sued over the
slanderous accusations against her good character.

• Sober (adj) - marked by serious thoughtfulness; solemnly thoughtful; She maintained

a sober attitude despite the celebratory mood.

• Sobering (adj) - causing one to become serious or thoughtful; solemnizing; The statis-
tics were sobering, making us reflect on what matters most.

• Solicit (v) - to try to obtain by entreaty, earnest or respectful request; He solicited

donations from the wealthy philanthropist.

• Solitary (adj) - alone or remote from others; secluded; reclusive; The solitary old
hermit lived alone in the woods by choice.

• Somber (adj) - gloomy; depressing; The somber rainy day matched her melancholy
mood.

• Soothe (v) - to calm or comfort; Her voice soothed the crying baby.

• Sophisticated (adj) - refined; complex; having acquired worldly knowledge or refine-

ment; She acted sophisticated in her designer clothes and pearls.

• Sordid (adj) - vile, base; marked by immorality and squalor; He described sordid
details from a childhood spent neglected and deprived.

• Spasmodic (adj) - occurring in brief, irregular, convulsive bursts; My spasmodic

hiccups made it hard to speak smoothly.

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• Specious (adj) - deceptively plausible or attractive but actually wrong; He argued
that the specious reasoning sounded good but lacked substance.

• Spew (v) - to eject or discharge in a gushing stream; The volcano spewed hot lava
down its slopes.

• Sporadic (adj) - occurring at irregular intervals; not constant; only occasional; Power
outages were sporadic, but we never knew when to expect one.

• Staid (adj) - sedate, sober, characterized by dignity and propriety; The staid professor
conducted class with utmost seriousness.

• Stalwart (adj) - steadfast, loyal, unwavering; The stalwart fans supported their team
through years of defeat.

• Stigma (n) - mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain on one’s reputation; Unfair stigma
still surrounds certain conditions that need better awareness.

• Stint (v) - to restrict; The miserly man stinted himself of even basic comforts.

• Stoic (adj) - unaffected by passion or feeling; He faced tragedy with stoic acceptance
and grace.

• Stolid (adj) - expressing little or no sensibility; impassive; She remained stolid and
composed even under immense pressure.

• Strenuous (adj) - requiring tremendous energy or stamina; difficult; arduous; marathon

training is strenuous work.

• Strife (n) - bitter conflict or rivalry; They sought to settle their strife peacefully before
it escalated further.

• Stringent (adj) - imposed strictly; harsh; having a precise standard; Stringent security
made entering difficult.

• Stunted (adj) - suffering arrested development; hampered growth; The sapling’s

stunted growth made it spindly and weak.

• Stymie (v) - to block, thwart; Confusion will stymie their efforts to move forward on
the project.

• Suave (adj) - smoothly and effortlessly polished; charmingly tactful; He had a suave
manner that put everyone at ease in conversation.

• Subjective (adj) - based on personal impressions or feelings; The review offered only
subjective criticism rather than objective analysis.

• Sublime (adj) - awe-inspiring; exalted; supremely excellent; The sublime sunset over
the Grand Canyon left us breathless.

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• Subpoena (n) - writ commanding a person to appear in court under penalty for
failure; She was subpoenaed to testify at the criminal trial.

• Subside (v) - to decrease in amount or intensity; The fever subsided after a few days.

• Substantiate (v) - to provide evidence or proof in support of a claim; Can you sub-
stantiate your alibi that you were elsewhere that night?

• Subtle (adj) - delicate, elusive, or quiet; I couldn’t quite grasp the subtle distinction
he was making.

• Succinct (adj) - brief and to the point; concise; Please give a succinct summary of
the key events.

• Sullen (adj) - gloomily silent or withdrawn; She grew sullen and uncommunicative as
the night wore on.

• Sumptuous (adj) - richly splendid or magnificent; luxurious; We dined on a sumptu-

ous feast of lobster and chocolate cake.

• Superficial (adj) - concerning only the obvious or apparent qualities, not the true or
inner nature; His analysis was superficial, not considering deeper causes.

• Supposition (n) - an uncertain belief; something theoretically assumed to be true; I

made the supposition he would arrive on time, but I was wrong.

• Surly (adj) - rudely unfriendly or impatient; The surly cashier was clearly in a bad
mood.

• Susceptible (adj) - capable of being influenced or affected; Everyone is susceptible to

catching the flu virus.

• Sustain (v) - to supply necessities or nourishment; to experience or suffer; Sustained

by faith, she sustained the loss of her home.

• Sweltering (adj) - intensely hot, stifling; We sweltered in the sweltering heat without
air conditioning.

• Sycophant (n) - one who flatters for self-gain; one who seeks favor through flattery;
The celebrity was surrounded by sycophants hoping to ride her coattails.

• Synthesis (n) - combining parts to form a whole; the end result of assembling elements;
The class presentation was a synthesis of research from various sources.

• Tacit (adj) - implied or indicated but not directly expressed; Her tacit disapproval
was obvious though she didn’t criticize out loud.

• Tactile (adj) - perceptible by touch; relating to the sense of touch; The tactile exhibit
let blind visitors feel the sculptures.

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• Taint (v) - to contaminate, corrupt, or infect with evil or undesirable elements; The
scandal tainted his reputation, ending his career.

• Tangential (adj) - only superficially related to the matter at hand; digressing; His
tangential anecdotes distracted from the core topic.

• Tenuous (adj) - having little substance or strength; flimsy; weak; His tenuous link
between the suspects was not convincing evidence.

• Tepid (adj) - only moderately warm; lacking in enthusiasm or conviction; She gave
only a tenuous endorsement of the plans.

• Terse (adj) - brief, concise, pithily expressive; His terse reply made me wonder if I
had offended him.

• Testimony (n) - a solemn statement of truth or fact; I was asked to provide testimony
describing the night’s events.

• Thrifty (adj) - careful and prudent in use of resources; economical; wise in savings
and spendings; She led a thrifty lifestyle that allowed an early retirement.

• Timid (adj) - showing a lack of courage or confidence; shy; She was too timid to try
out for the talent show despite her beautiful voice.

• Tirade (n) - extended angry speech; The customer launched into a lengthy tirade over
the poor service.

• Torpid (adj) - mentally or physically inert; apathetic; lethargic; The torpid man just
sat staring into space all afternoon.

• Tortuous (adj) - extremely twisted or winding; Excessively lengthy and complex; We

drove down a tortuous mountain road hemmed by steep ravines.

• Toxic (adj) - poisonous; causing serious harm or death; The toxic chemicals contami-
nated the town’s water supply.

• Tranquil (adj) - free from commotion or tumult; calm; peaceful; The tranquil lagoon
reflected the serene sky.

• Transient (adj) - fleeting, passing quickly; impermanent; Transient shelter offered just
temporary refuge, not a permanent home.

• Transgress (v) - to violate a law, command, or moral code; go beyond proper bounds;
He transgressed societal norms with his inappropriate behavior.

• Travesty (n) - a gross distortion or misrepresentation; a mockery or parody; The

unfair trial was a travesty rather than true justice.

• Tremulous (adj) - timid or fearful; marked by trembling or quivering; She spoke in a

tremulous voice, anxious addressing the large crowd.

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• Trenchant (adj) - forceful, effective, sharply perceptive; incisive; His trenchant cri-
tique exposed the film’s failings.

• Tribulation (n) - great suffering or distress; a cause of suffering or trouble; Losing

her home was a tribulation she wasn’t sure she could endure.

• Trite (adj) - not new or original; overused and clichéd; The trite phrases sounded
meaningless to the reader.

• Trivial (adj) - of negligible importance or value; insignificant; Don’t trivialize her

feelings by dismissing her concerns as silly.

• Turbulent (adj) - characterized by unrest, disorder, or tumult; rough, agitated; Tur-

bulent winds shook the trees and scattered debris down the streets.

• Turmoil (n) - a state of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion; Inner turmoil

left her uncertain which path to take.

• Undermine (v) - to weaken or subvert by stealth or deceit; undercut; The spies

undermined the government by spreading false propaganda.

• Understated (adj) - restrained, subtle, not obvious or bold; preferring simplicity; She
has an understated beauty that is elegant and refined.

• Undulate (v) - to move in waves or with a smooth wavelike motion; The flag undulated
in the gentle breeze.

• Unearth (v) - to bring to light; uncover through searching; The archeologists un-
earthed ancient pottery and tools at the site.

• Unfeigned (adj) - genuine, not false or hypocritical; sincere; My unfeigned sympathy

goes out to you during this difficult time.

• Unified (adj) - working together in coordinated harmony; The crew presented a unified
front despite internal disputes.

• Unkempt (adj) - disheveled; uncared for in appearance; messy; His unkempt hair and
rumpled clothes gave a sloppy impression.

• Unnerve (v) - to make nervous or anxious; shake courage; The ominous sounds in the
house unnerved me.

• Unprecedented (adj) - without previous instance; unparalleled; unprecedented suc-

cess with her first album.

• Unruly (adj) - resistant to control or discipline; uncontrollable; The unruly crowd

grew rowdy after hours of waiting in line.

• Unwieldy (adj) - difficult to carry or manage because of size or shape; The antique
armoire was so unwieldy they couldn’t fit it through the door.

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• Upbraid (v) - to criticize or scold severely; He upbraided me for being thoughtless
and lazy.

• Urbane (adj) - sophisticated; refined; elegant; The urbane socialite knew how to
navigate high society gatherings.

• Usurp (v) - to seize power or take control without right; The general usurped authority
in a military coup.

• Utilitarian (adj) - designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive; The
utilitarian water bottle was dented but still worked fine.

• Utter (adj) - complete or absolute; We were left in utter darkness when the power
went out.

• Vacillate (v) - to waver between different courses of action; fluctuate; I vacillated

about which college to attend right up until the deadline.

• Vague (adj) - not clearly defined; lacking preciseness; Her description of the suspect
was too vague to help identify him.

• Vain (adj) - excessively proud of oneself; conceited; She is vain about her appearance
and constantly looks in the mirror.

• Valiant (adj) - possessing or acting with bravery or boldness; He made a valiant effort
to finish despite injury.

• Valor (n) - boldness or bravery in the face of danger; The medal honored the pilot’s
valor in battle.

• Vanquish (v) - to conquer, defeat, or subdue an enemy or opposition force; The

champion vanquished all challengers to retain his title.

• Vapid (adj) - offering nothing stimulating or challenging; dull; His vapid lecture put
me right to sleep.

• Venerate (v) - to regard with reverential respect or admiration; Many venerate the
saint for his good works helping the poor.

• Verbose (adj) - using more words than necessary; wordy; The professor’s verbose
lectures were packed with tangents and repetitiveness.

• Vexation (n) - annoyance or irritation; a cause of irritation; Getting stuck in traffic

is a daily vexation of my commute.

• Viable (adj) - capable of working or being successfully implemented; a viable plan

with a high chance of succeeding.

• Vicious (adj) - deliberately cruel or violent; The vicious criminal showed no remorse.

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• Vigilant (adj) - alertly watchful; carefully observant; vigilant against threats to their
security.

• Vigorous (adj) - robust, full of healthy energy; forceful, intense; She maintained a
vigorous workout routine into old age.

• Vile (adj) - loathsome; highly offensive or disgusting; They faced vile slurs from the
unruly crowd.

• Virtuous (adj) - morally excellent; righteous; She is a virtuous person, always trying
to do good.

• Viscous (adj) - thick or sticky, having high resistance to flow; Molasses has a viscous
texture.

• Vital (adj) - absolutely essential; critically important; Funding for the project is vital
to move forward.

• Vivid (adj) - producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind; She gave
a vivid depiction of life growing up poor.

• Volatile (adj) - readily changing to a vapor; changeable, unstable; fickle; Gasoline is

a volatile, flammable liquid.

• Waffle (v) - to shift back and forth between opinions; equivocate; She kept waffling
on where to eat, unable to make a choice.

• Wan (adj) - pale, sickly, weak; lacking color or vitality; After weeks in bed sick, she
was wan and drawn.

• Wary (adj) - cautiously watchful; prudent; wary of strangers and slow to trust.

• Whimsical (adj) - quirkily playful; fanciful; whimsical art full of strange creatures
and imaginary worlds.

• Wither (v) - to shrivel or decay; plants withering without water; My enthusiasm

withered under his hostile criticism.

• Wry (adj) - using clever, sly, understated humor; She made wry jokes that hinted at
her true feelings.

• Zeal (n) - eager enthusiasm; fervor; She attacked the project with zeal despite obsta-
cles.

• Zealous (adj) - passionately devoted; fervent; evangelical zeal motivated the group.

• Zenith (n) - peak; highest point; climax; He reached the zenith of his acting career
after the Oscar win.

• Zephyr (n) - gentle, mild breeze; The light zephyr barely rustled the leaves.

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