| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abhor | to hate, loathe, or detest |
| censure | to condemn in a stern fashion |
| Chastise | to scold or criticize severely |
| Coerce | to force someone against his or her will, either by means of physical force or through some kind of threat |
| Efface | to erase away or wear away. |
| Inundate | To flood or overwhelm |
| Patronize | To talk down to or treat in a condesending way |
| Repudiate | To reject, disown, or disclaim |
| Vacillate | To move back and forth between two opinions or choices; to be unable to make decision |
| Acquiesce | To give in, or agree, peaceably in a reluctant way |
| Ameliorate | To make something better; to improve a bad situation |
| Benevolent | Showing goodwill; being kindhearted |
| eminent | distinguished; highly respected and well-known |
| Esteem | The high opinion in which someone is held |
| Facilitate | To make easier, to smooth the way |
| Magnanimous | Generous; big-hearted and noble |
| Prolific | Producing a great deal; fertile, productive, fruitful |
| Scrupulous | Thorough or ethical |
| Serene | Calm, peaceful |
| Amorphous | Without form, shape, or definition; sometimes also without character |
| Ambiguous | Unclear, vague, having several different possible interpretations |
| Arbitrary | According to choice or impulse; without a rational reason |
| Austere | Stern, plain, severe, self-denying; without luxuries |
| Banal | boring, ordinary, dull |
| capricious | Unpredictable, unsteady; changing on a whim |
| Chronic | Long-standing, frequent; constantly recurring |
| Dubious | Doubtful, questionable |
| Egregious | Outstanding in a bad way; noticeably bad or foolish |
| Novel | New, original |
| Reticent | Quiet, restainted; reluctant to speak |
| Wanton | Reckless and unrestrained |
| Anachronism | Something that is out of place in time |
| Anomaly | Something that doesn't fit in with the norm or within a particular group |
| Criteria | Standards used to make a judgment |
| Exacerbate | To make (a problem or condition) worse |
| Expedient | Practical; done to gain advantage |
| Intrepid | Brave, daring |
| Juxtapose | To place two things side by side, usually in order to compare them |
| Negligence | Neglect, carelessness |
| Propensity | Strong natural tendency, preference |
| Proponent | Advocate |
| Quixotic | Overly idealistic; romantic and impractical |
| Brevity | Briefness |
| Circumscribe | Restrict |
| Circumspect | Cautious |
| Coherent | Arranged logically, fitting together well; clear |
| Explicit | Said clearly and fully, without question |
| Imminent | About to take place; happening soon |
| Immutable | unchangeable; used to describe something that cannot be changed |
| Minuscule | Tiny, very small |
| Scrutinize | To look at very closely; to study carefully |
| Cacophony | A loud, harsh noise made up of sounds that don't blend very well |
| Chicanery | Trickery, deceit |
| Decadence | Moral decay or decline |
| Euphemism | A pleasant or neutral word or expression used instead of an unpleasant, offensive, or obscene word or expression |
| Evade | To escape or avoid |
| Impunity | Exemption; the ability to do something without punishment |
| Nonchalant | Casual, unconcerned |
| Pessimistic | Feeling gloomy or negative |
| Temerity | Recklessness, foolish boldness |
| Trepidation | Fear, anxiety |
| Demagogue | A leader who tells people what they want to hear and plays on people's prejudices |
| Harangue | Long, lecturing speech |
| Hyperbole | Wild Exaggeration |
| Infamy | Evil reputation |
| Insidious | Dangerous, slow, and subtle in its effect |
| Jargon | Specialized language |
| Malign | To say evil, harmful things about someone |
| Rhetoric | Speech that is persuasive but often insincere or meaningless in content |
| Sanction | Authorize, endorse, approve, allow |
| Supercilious | Above it all; having a sense of superiority |
| Virulent | Infectious, dangerous |
| Zealous | Enthusiastic and dedicated, sometimes overly so |
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