GRE Kaplan 500
Order by
500 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Abase(verb) | to humble; to disgrace My intention was not to abase the comedian. Synonyms: deman; humiliate |
| Abate (verb) | to reduce in about, degree, or severity As the hurricane's force abated, the winds dropped and the sea became calm. Synonyms: ebb; lapse; let up; moderate; relent; slacket; subside; wane |
| Abdicate (verb) | to give up a postion, right, or power With the angry bom clamoring outside the palace, the king abdicated his throne and fled. Synonyms: cede; quit; relinquish; resign; yield |
| Aberrant (adjective) | deviating from what is normal or expected Since he had been a steady, cheerful worker for many years, his fellow postal workers did not expect his aberrant burst of rage. Synonyms: abnormal; anomalous; deviant; divergent; errant; irregular |
| Abeyance (noun) | temporary suppression or suspension The baseball game was held in abeyance while it continued to rain. Synonyms: deferral; delay; dormancy; postponement; remission |
| Abjure (verb) | to reject; to abandon formally The spy abjured his allegiance to the United States when he defected to Russia. Synonyms: forswear; recall; recant; retract; take back |
| Abscond (verb) | to leave secretly The patron absconded from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door. Synonyms: decamp; escape; flee |
| Abstain (verb) | to choose not to do something Before the medical procedure, you must abstain from eating. Synonyms: forbear; refrain; withhold |
| Abstemious (adjective) | moderate in appetite Because Alyce is a vegetarian, she was able to eat only an abstemious meal at the Texas Steakhouse. Synonyms: abstinent; continent; self-restraining; sober; temperate |
| Abyss (noun) | an extremely deep hole The submarine dove into the abyss to chart the previously unseen depths. Synonyms: chasm; void |
| Accretion (noun) | a gradual growth in size; an increase in amount The committee's strong fund-raising efforts resulted in an accretion in scholarship money. Synonyms: accumulation; buildup |
| Acidulous (adjective) | sour in taste or manner The acidulous taste of the spoiled milk made the young boy's lips pucker. Synonyms: acerbic; acetous; biting; piquant; pungent; tart |
| Acme (noun) | the highest point; the summit; the highest level or degree attainable Just when he reached the acme of his power, the dictator was overthrown. Synonyms: apex; peak; summit |
| Adulterate (verb) | to make impure The restauranteur made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water. Synonyms: debase; doctor; load |
| Advocate (verb) | to speak in favor of The vegetarian advocated a diet containing no meat. Synonyms: back; champion; support |
| Aerie (noun) | a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded, dwelling Perched high among the trees, the eagle's aerie was filled with eggs. Synonyms: perch; stronghold |
| Aesthetic (adjective) | concerning the appreciation of beauty The aesthetic movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art. Synonyms: artistic; tasteful |
| Affected (adjective) | phony; artificial The affected hairdresser spouted French phrases, though she had never been to France. Synonyms: insincere; pretentious; put-on |
| Aggrandize (verb) | to increase in power, influence, and reputation The supervisor south to aggrandize himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own. Synonyms: amplify; apotheosize; augment; dignify; elevate; enlarge; ennoble; glorify; magnify; swell; uplift |
| Alacrity (noun) | speed or quickness The restaurant won a reputation for fine service since the wait staff responded to their clients' requests with alacrity. Synonyms: celerity; dispatch; haste; swiftness |
| Alleviate (verb) | to make more bearable Taking aspirin helps to alleviate a headache. Synonyms: allay; assuage; comfort; ease; lessen; lighten; mitigate; palliate; relieve |
| Amalgamate (verb) | to combine; to mix together Giant Industries amalgamated with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Incorporated. Synonyms: admix; blend; coalesce; combine; commingle; commix; compound; fuse; intermingle; intermix; merge; mingle; mix; unite |
| Ambiguous (adjective) | doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways The directions he gave were so ambiguous that we disagreed on which way to turn. Synonyms: cloudy; doubtful; dubious; equivocal; indeterminate; nebulous; obscure; unclear; vague |
| Ameliorate (verb) | to make better; to improve The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers. Synonyms: amend; better; improve; pacify; upgrade |
| Amortize (verb) | to diminish by installment payments While college students are notorious for accumulating credit card debt, they are not as well known for amortizing it. Synonyms: decrease; reduce |
| Amulet (noun) | an ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits Though she claimed it was not because of superstition, Vivian always wore an amulet around her neck. Synonyms: fetish; talisman |
| Anachronism (noun) | something out of place in time The play was set in the nineteenth century, but was ruined by anachronisms, like the lead actor's digital watch. Synonyms: archaism, incongruity |
| Analgesia (noun) | the lessening of pain without loss of consciousness After having her appendix removed, Tatiana welcomed the analgesia that the painkillers provided. Synonyms: numbness; stupor |
| Analogous (adjective) | similar or alike in some way; equivalent His mother argued that not going to college was analogous to throwing his life away. Synonyms: alike; comparable; corresponding; equivalent; homogeneous; parallel; similar |
| Anodyne (noun) | something that calms or soothes pain The massage was an anodyne that helped remove the knots from the lawyer's tense shoulders. Synonyms: narcotic; nepenthe; opiate |
| Anomaly (noun) | deviation from what is normal Albino animals may display too great an anomaly in their coloring to attract normally colored mates. Synonyms: aberrancy; aberration; abnormality; deviance; deviation; irregularity; preternaturalness |
| Antagonize (verb) | to annoy or provoke to anger The child discovered that he could antagonize the cat by pulling its tail. Synonyms: clash; conflict; incite; irritate; oppose; pester; provoke; vex |
| Antipathy (noun) | extreme dislike The antipathy between fans of the rival soccer teams made the game even more electrifying to watch. Synonyms: abhorrence; animosity; animus; antagonism; aversion; dislike; enmity; hatred; hostility; loathing; repellence; repugnance; repulsion; revulsion |
| Apathy (noun) | lack of interest or emotion The apathy of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so. Synonyms: coolness; disinterest; disregard; impassivity; indifference; insensibility; lassitude; lethargy; listlessness; phlegm; stolidity; unconcern; unresponsiveness |
| Apocryphal (adjective) | of questionable authority or authenticity There is no hard or authoritative evidence to support the apocryphal tales that link the Roswell, New Mexico, incident to a downed UFO. Synonyms: disputed; doubtful; fictitious; fraudulent |
| Apostate (noun) | one who renounces a religious faith So that he could divorce his wife, the king scoffed at the church doctrines and declared himself an apostate. Synonyms: defector; deserter; traitor |
| Approbation (noun) | approval and praise The approbation that Jerry Lewis received in France included a medal from the Ministry of Culture. Synonyms: acclaim; adulation; applause; commendation; compliments; exaltation; extolment; hail; kudos; praise |
| Arbitrary (adjective) | determined by chance or impulse When you lack the information to judge what to do next, you will be forced to make an arbitrary decision. Synonyms: changeable; erratic; indiscriminate; random; wayward |
| Arbitrate (verb) | to judge a dispute between two opposing parties Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to arbitrate their divorce proceedings. Synonyms: adjugate; adjudicate; determine; intermediate; intervene; judge; moderate; referee; rule |
| Archaic (adjective) | ancient; old-fashioned Her archaic Commodore computer could not run the latest software. Synonyms: ancient; antediluvian; antique; bygone; dated; dowdy; fusty; obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated; outmoded; passé; prehistoric; stale; superannuated; superseded; vintage |
| Ardor (noun) | intense and passionate feeling Bishop's ardor for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley. Synonyms: devotion; enthusiasm; fervency; fervidity; fervidness; fervor; fire; passion; zeal; zealousness |
| Arrogate (verb) | to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right Gretchen watched in astonishment as her boss arrogated the credit for her brilliant work on the project. Synonyms: appropriate; presume; take |
| Articulate (adjective) | able to speak clearly and expressively She is extremely articulate when it comes to expressing her pro-labor views; as a result, unions are among her strongest supporters. Synonyms: eloquent; expressive; fluent; lucid; silver-tongued; smooth-spoken |
| Assail (verb) | to attack; to assault The foreign army will try to assail our bases, but they will not be successful in their attack. Synonyms: beset; storm; strike |
| Assuage (verb) | to make something unpleasant less severe Like many people, Philip Larkin used alcohol to assuage his sense of meaninglessness and despair. Synonyms: allay; alleviate; appease; comfort; conciliate; ease; lighten; mitigate; mollify; pacify; palliate; placate; propitiate; relieve; soothe; sweeten |
| Attenuate (verb) | to reduce in force or degree; to weaken The Bill of Rights attenuated the traditional power of government to change laws at will. Synonyms: debilitate; devitalize; dilute; enervate; enfeeble; rarefy; sap; thin; undermine; undo; unnerve; weaken |
| Audacious (adjective) | fearless and daring The audacious peasant dared to insult the king's mother. Synonyms: adventuresome; aggressive; assertive; bold; brave; courageous; daring; dauntless; doughty; fearless; gallant; game; heroic; intrepid; mettlesome; plucky; stout; stouthearted; unafraid; undaunted; valiant; valorous; venturesome; venturous |
| Augury (noun) | a prophecy; a prediction of events Troy hoped the rainbow was an augury of good things to come. Synonyms: auspice; harbinger; omen; portent; presage |
| August (adjective) | dignified; grandiose The august view of the Grand Teton summit took my breath away. Synonyms: admirable; awesome; grand; majestic |
| Austere (adjective) | severe or stern in appearance; undecorated The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem austere to the untrained eye. Synonyms: bleak; dour; grim; hard; harsh; severe |
| Axiom (noun) | premise; postulate; self-evident truth Halle lived her life based on the axioms her grandmother had passed on to her. Synonyms: adage; aphorism; apothegm; maxim; rule |
| Banal (adjective) | predictable; clichéd; boring His conversation consisted of banal phrases like "Have a nice day" or "Another day, another dollar." Synonyms: bland; bromidic; clichéd; commonplace; fatuous; hackneyed; innocuous; insipid, jejune; musty; platitudinous; prosaic; quotidian; shopworn; stale; stereotypic; threadbare; timeworn; tired; trite; vapid; worn-out |
| Belfry (noun) | a bell tower; the room in which a bell is hung The town was shocked when a bag of money was found stashed in the old belfry of the church. Synonyms: spire; steeple |
| Bevy (noun) | a group As predicted, a bevy of teenagers surrounded the rock star's limousine. Synonyms: band; bunch; gang; pack; troop |
| Bifurcate (verb) | to divide into two parts The large corporation just released a press statement announcing its plans to bifurcate. Synonyms: bisect; split |
| Bilk (verb) | to cheat; to defraud When the greedy salesman realized that his customer spoke poor French, he bilked the tourist out of 20 euros. Synonyms: beat; defraud; overreach |
| Blight (verb) | to afflict; to destroy The farmers feared that the night's frost would blight the potato crops entirely. Synonyms: damage; plague |
| Blithe (adjective) | joyful, cheerful, or without appropriate thought Summer finally came, and the blithe students spent their days at the beach. Synonyms: carefree; lighthearted; merry |
| Bolster (verb) | to support; to prop up The presence of giant footprints bolstered the argument that Bigfoot was in the area. Synonyms: brace; buttress; crutch; prop; stay; support; sustain; underpin; uphold |
| Bombastic (adjective) | pompous in speech and manner Mussolini's speeches were mostly bombastic; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact. Synonyms: bloated; declamatory; fustian; grandiloquent; grandiose; high-flown; magniloquent; orotund; pretentious; rhetorical; self-important |
| Bonhomie (noun) | good-natured geniality; an atmosphere of good cheer The aspects of her job that Dana loved most were the flexible hours and the pleasant bonhomie in the office. Synonyms: affability; amiability; cordiality; geniality |
| Boor (noun) | a crude person; one lacking manners or taste "That udder boor ruined my recital with his constant guffawing!" wailed the pianist. Synonyms: clod; lout; oaf; vulgarian; yahoo |
| Burgeon (verb) | to grow and flourish Faulkner neither confirmed nor denied stories about himself, allowing rumor to burgeon where it would. Synonyms: bloom; flourish; prosper; thrive |
| Burnish (verb) | to polish He burnished the silver coffee pot until it shone brightly. Synonyms: buff; luster; polish; scour |
| Cabal (noun) | a secret group seeking to overturn something The boys on the street formed a cabal to keep girls out of their tree house. Synonyms: camp; circle; clan; clique; coterie; in-group; mafia; mob; ring |
| Cacophony (noun) | a harsh, jarring noise The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable cacophony as they tried to tune their instruments. Synonyms: chaos; clamor; din; discord; disharmony; noise |
| Calumny (noun) | a false and malicious accusation; misrepresentation The unscrupulous politician used calumny to bring down his opponent in the senatorial race. Synonyms: defamation; libel; slander |
| Canard (noun) | a lie The tabloid's feature story about a goat giving birth to a human child was clearly a canard. Synonyms: falsehood; falsity; fib; misrepresentation; prevarication; tale; untruth |
| Candid (adjective) | impartial and honest in speech The observations of a child can be charming since they are candid and unpretentious. Synonyms: direct; forthright; frank; honest; open; sincere; straight; straightforward; undisguised |
| Capricious (adjective) | changing one's mind quickly and often Queen Elizabeth I was quite capricious; her courtiers could never be sure which one would catch her fancy. Synonyms: arbitrary; chance; changeable; erratic; fickle; inconstant; mercurial; random; whimsical; willful |
| Cartography (noun) | the science or art of making maps Gail's interest in cartography may stem from the extensive traveling she did as a child. Synonyms: charting; surveying; topography |
| Castigate (verb) | to punish or criticize harshly Martina castigated her boyfriend for not remembering her birthday. Synonyms: admonish; chastise; chide; rebuke; reprimand; reproach; reprove; scold; tax; upbraid |
| Catalyst (noun) | something that brings about a change in something else The imposition of harsh taxes was the catalyst that finally brought on the revolution. Synonyms: accelerator; goad; impetus; impulse; incentive; motivation; spur; stimulant |
| Catholic (adjective) | universal; broad and comprehensive His catholic musical tastes include everything from opera to rap. Synonyms: extensive; general |
| Caustic (adjective) | biting in wit; severely critical or sarcastic Dorothy Parker gained her caustic reputation from her cutting, yet witty, insults. Synonyms: acerbic; biting; mordant; trenchant |
| Chaos (noun) | great disorder; a confused situation In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from chaos. Synonyms: clutter; confusion; disarrangement; disarray; disorder; disorderliness; disorganization; jumble; mess; muddle; scramble; snarl; topsy-turviness; turmoil |
| Chauvinist (noun) | someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs The attitude that men must be obeyed since they are inherently superior to women is common among male chauvinists. Synonyms: bigot; jingoist; partisan |
| Chicanery (noun) | deception by means of craft or guile Dishonest used-car salesmen often use chicanery to sell their beat-up old cars. Synonyms: artifice; conniving; craftiness; deception; deviousness; misrepresentation; pettifoggery; shadiness; sneakiness; sophistry; subterfuge; underhandedness |
| Circumspect (adjective) | cautious; aware of potential consequences She was very circumspect in her language and behavior when first introduced to her fiancé's parents. Synonyms: alert; cautious; heedful; mindful; prudent; solicitous; vigilant; wary |
| Cloying (adjective) | sickly sweet; excessive When Enid and Jay first started dating, their cloying affection toward one another often made their friends ill. Synonyms: excessive; fulsome |
| Coalesce (verb) | to grow together to from a single whole The sun and planets eventually coalesced out of a vast cloud of gas and dust. Synonyms: amalgamate; blend; condense; consolidate; fuse; unite |
| Coffer (noun) | a strongbox; a large chest for money The bulletproof glass of the coffer is what keeps the crown jewels secure. Synonyms: chest; exchequer; treasury; war chest |
| Cogent (adjective) | convincing and well-reasoned Swayed by the cogent argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant. Synonyms: convincing; persuasive; solid; sound; telling; valid |
| Collusion (noun) | a collaboration; complicity; conspiracy It came to light that the police chief and the mafia had a collusion in running the numbers racket. Synonyms: connivance; intrigue; machination |
| Condone (verb) | to overlook, pardon, or disregard Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as condoning an air of lawlessness. Synonyms: exculpate; pardon; remit |
| Connoisseur (noun) | a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes Dr. Crane was a connoisseur of fine food and wine, drinking and eating only the best. Synonyms: authority; epicure; expert; gastronome; gourmet |
| Contrite (adjective) | deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong After three residents were mugged in the lobby while the watchman was away from his post, he felt very contrite. Synonyms: apologetic; regretful; remorseful |
| Contumacious (adjective) | rebellious The contumacious teenager ran away from home when her parents told her she was grounded. Synonyms: factious; insubordinate; insurgent; mutinous; rebellious; seditious |
| Convoluted (adjective) | intricate and complicated Although many people bought the professor's book, few people could follow its convoluted ideas and theories. Synonyms: byzantine; complex; elaborate; intricate; knotty; labyrinthine; perplexing; tangled |
| Corroborate (verb) | to support with evidence All the DA needed were fingerprints to corroborate the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment. Synonyms: authentic; back; buttress; confirm; substantiate; validate; verify |
| Cosset (verb) | to pamper; to treat with great care Marta just loves to cosset her first and only grandchild. Synonyms: cater to; cuddle; dandle; fondle; love; pamper; pet; spoil |
| Coterie (noun) | an intimate group of persons with a similar purpose Angel invited a coterie of fellow stamp enthusiasts to a stamp-trading party. Synonyms: clique; set |
| Craven (adjective) | lacking courage The craven lion cringed in the corner of his cage, terrified of the mouse. Synonyms: fainthearted; spineless; timid |
| Credulous (adjective) | too trusting; gullible Although some four-year-olds believe in the Tooth Fairy, only the most credulous nine-year-olds also believe in her. Synonyms: naïve; susceptible; trusting |
| Crescendo (noun) | steady increase in volume or force The crescendo of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses. Synonyms: acme; capstone; climax; crest; culmination; meridian; peak |
| Cupidity (noun) | greed; strong desire The thief stared at the shining jewels with cupidity in his gleaming eyes. Synonyms: avarice; covetousness; rapacity |
| Curmudgeon (noun) | a cranky person, usually an old one Ernesto was a notorious curmudgeon who snapped at anyone who disturbed him for any reason. Synonyms: coot; crab; grouch |
| Debutante (noun) | a young woman making a debut in high society The debutante spent hours dressing for her very first ball, hoping to catch the eye of an eligible bachelor. Synonyms: lady; maiden |
| Declivity (noun) | a downward slope Because the village was situated on the declivity of a hill, it never flooded. Synonyms: decline; descent; grade; slant; tilt |
| Decorous (adjective) | proper; tasteful; socially correct The countess trained her daughters in the finer points of decorous behavior, hoping they would make a good impression when she presented them at Court. Synonyms: appropriate; comme il faut; courteous; polite |
| Decorum (noun) | appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the decorum appropriate for a visit to the palace. Synonyms: correctness; decency; etiquette; manners; mores; propriety; seemliness |
| Deface (verb) | to scar the appearance of; to vandalize After the wall was torn down, the students began to deface the statues of Communist leaders of the former Eastern Bloc. Synonyms: disfigure; impair; spoil |
| Deference (noun) | respect; courtesy The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost deference. Synonyms: courtesy; homage; honor; obeisance; respect; veneration |
| Deleterious (adjective) | subtly or unexpectedly harmful If only we had known the clocks were defective before putting them on the market, it wouldn't have been quite so deleterious to our reputation. Synonyms: adverse; hurtful; inimical; injurious |
| Demagogue (noun) | a leader or rabble-rouser, usually one appealing to emotion or prejudice He began his career as a demagogue, giving fiery speeches at political rallies. Synonyms: agitator; inciter; instigator |
| Demur (verb) | to express doubts or objections When scientific authorities claimed that all the planets revolved around the Earth, Galileo, with his superior understanding of the situation, was forced to demur. Synonyms: dissent; expostulate; protest; remonstrate |
| Deride (verb) | to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock The awkward child was often derided by his "cooler" peers. Synonyms: gibe; jeer; mock; ridicule; scoff; sneer; taunt |
| Desiccate (verb) | to dry out thoroughly After a few weeks lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely desiccated. Synonyms: dehydrate; dry; parch |
| Desultory (adjective) | jumping from one thing to another; disconnected Athena had a desultory academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in 3 years. Synonyms: aimless; disconnected; erratic; haphazard; indiscriminate; objectless; purposeless; random; stray; unconsidered; unplanned |
| Diaphanous (adjective) | allowing light to show through; delicate These diaphanous curtains do nothing to block out the sunlight. Synonyms: gauzy; sheer; tenuous; translucent; transparent |
| Diatribe (noun) | an abusive, condemnatory speech The trucker bellowed a diatribe at the driver who had cut him off. Synonyms: fulmination; harangue; invective; jeremiad; malediction; obloquy; tirade |
| Dictum (noun) | an authoritative statement "You have time to lean, you have time to clean," was the dictum our boss made us live by. Synonyms: adage; aphorism; apothegm; decree; edict |
| Diffident (adjective) | lacking self-confidence Steve was diffident during the job interview because of his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field. Synonyms: backward; bashful; coy; demure; modest; retiring; self-effacing; shy; timid |
| Dilate (verb) | to make larger; to expand When you enter a darkened room, the pupils of your eyes dilate so as to let in more light. Synonyms: amplify; develop; elaborate; enlarge; expand; expatiate |
| Dilatory (adjective) | intended to delay The congressman used dilatory measures to delay the passage of the bill. Synonyms: dragging; flagging; laggard; lagging; slow; slow-footed; slow-going; slow-paced; tardy |
| Dilettante (noun) | someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic Jerry's friends were such dilettantes they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week. Synonyms: amateur; dabbler; superficial; tyro |
| Dissonance (noun) | a harsh and disagreeable combination, especially of sounds Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence. Synonyms: clash; contention; discord; dissension; dissent; dissidence; friction; strife; variance |
| Dirge (noun) | a funeral hymn or mournful speech Melville wrote a dirge for the funeral of James McPherson, a Union general who was killed in 1864. Synonyms: elegy; lament |
| Disabuse (verb) | to set right; to free from error Galileo's observations disabused scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the Earth. Synonyms: correct; undeceive |
| Discern (verb) | to perceive or recognize It is easy to discern the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping. Synonyms: catch; descry; detect; differentiate; discriminate; distinguish; espy; glimpse; known; separate; spot; spy; tell |
| Disparate (adjective) | fundamentally different; entirely unlike Although the twins are physically identical, their personalities are disparate. Synonyms: different; dissimilar; divergent; diverse; varient; various |
| Dissemble (verb) | to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character The villain could dissemble to the police no longer--he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the stash of stolen money. Synonyms: act; affect; assume; camouflage; cloak; counterfeit; cover up; disguise; dissimulate; fake; feign; mask; masquerade; pose; pretend; put on; sham |
| Distaff (noun) | the female branch of a family The lazy husband refused to cook dinner for his wife, joking that the duty belongs to the distaff's side. Synonyms: maternal |
| Distend (verb) | to swell, inflate, or bloat Her stomach was distended after she gorged on the six-course meal. Synonyms: broaden; bulge |
| Dither (verb) | to act confusedly or without clear purpose Ellen dithered around her apartment, uncertain how to tackle the family crisis. Synonyms: falter; hesitate; vacillate; waffle; waver |
| Diurnal (adjective) | active or occurring during the day Diurnal creatures tend to become inactive during the night. Synonyms: daylight; daytime |
| Divine (verb) | to foretell or know by inspiration The fortune-teller divined from the pattern of the tea leaves that her customer would marry five times. Synonyms: auger; foresee; intuit; predict; presage |
| Doctrinaire (adjective) | rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic The professor's manner of teaching was considered doctrinaire for such a liberal school. Synonyms: dictatorial; inflexible |
| Dogma (noun) | a firmly held opinion, especially a religious belief Linus's central dogma was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded. Synonyms: creed; doctrine; teaching; tenet |
| Dogmatic (adjective) | dictatorial in one's opinions The dictator was dogmatic, claiming he, and only he, was right. Synonyms: authoritarian; bossy; dictatorial; doctrinaire; domineering; imperious; magisterial; masterful; overbearing; peremptory |
| Droll (adjective) | amusing in a wry, subtle way Although the play couldn't be described as hilarious, it was certainly droll. Synonyms: comic; entertaining; funny; risible; witty |
| Dupe (verb) | to deceive Bugs Bunny was able to dupe Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit. Synonyms: beguile; betray; bluff; cozen; deceive; delude; fool; hoodwink; humbug; mislead; take in; trick |
| Dyspeptic (adjective) | suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable The dyspeptic young man cast a gloom over the party the minute he walked in. Synonyms: acerbic; melancholy; morose; solemn; sour |
| Ebullient (adjective) | exhilarated; full of enthusiasm and high spirits The ebullient child exhausted the baby-sitter, who lacked the energy to keep up with her. Synonyms: ardent; avid; bubbly; zestful |
| Eclectic (adjective) | selecting from or made up from a variety of sources Budapest's architecture is an eclectic mix of eastern and western styles. Synonyms: broad; catholic |
| Edify (verb) | to instruct morally and spiritually The guru was paid to edify the actress in the ways of Buddhism. Synonyms: educate; enlighten; guide; teach |
| Efficacy (noun) | effectiveness The efficacy of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections. Synonyms: dynamism; effectiveness; efficiency; force; power; productiveness; proficiency; strength; vigor |
| Effigy (noun) | a stuffed doll; a likeness of a person Protestors burned effigies of the unpopular leader. Synonyms:dummy; figure; image |
| Effrontery (noun) | impudent boldness; audacity The receptionist had the effrontery to laugh out loud when the CEO tripped over a computer wire and fell flat on his face. Synonyms: brashness; gall; nerve; presumption; temerity |
| Elegy (noun) | a sorrowful poem of speech Though the beautiful elegy is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life, and to trust in spirituality. Synonyms: dirge; lament |
| Eloquent (adjective) | persuasive and moving, especially in speech The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but because of its eloquent words. Synonyms: articulate; expressive; fluent; meaningful; significant; smooth-spoken |
| Embellish (verb) | to add ornamental or fictitious details Britt embellished her résumé, hoping to make the lowly positions she had held seem more important. Synonyms: adorn; bedeck; elaborate; embroider; enhance; exaggerate |
| Emulate (verb) | to copy; to try to equal or excel The graduate student sought to emulate his professor in every way, copying not only how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class. Synonyms: ape; imitate; simulate |
| Encomium (noun) | warm praise She wrote an encomium in praise of the outgoing president. Synonyms: citation; eulogy; panegyric; salutation; tribute |
| Endemic (adjective) | belonging to a particular area; inherent The health department determined that the outbreak was endemic to the small village, so they quarantined the inhabitants before the virus could spread. Synonyms: indigenous; local; native |
| Enervate (verb) | to reduce in strength The guerillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would enervate the regular army. Synonyms: debilitate; enfeeble; sap; weaken |
| Engender (verb) | to produce, cause, or bring about His fear and hatred of clowns was engendered when he witnessed a bank robbery carried out by five men wearing clown suits and make-up. Synonyms: beget; generate; spawn |
| Enigma (noun) | a puzzle; a mystery Speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes, the artist gained a reputation as something of an enigma. Synonyms: conundrum; perplexity |
| Enumerate (verb) | to count, list, or itemize Before making his decision, Jacob asked the waiter to enumerate the different varieties of ice cream that the restaurant carried. Synonyms: catalog; index; tabulate |
| Ephemeral (adjective) | lasting a short time The lives of mayflies seem ephemeral to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours. Synonyms: evanescent; fleeting; momentary; transient |
| Epicure (noun) | a person with refined taste in food and wine Niren is an epicure who always throws the most splendid dinner parties. Synonyms: bon vivant; connoisseur; gastronome; gastronomist; gourmand; gourmet |
| Equivocate (verb) | to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician equivocated and left all parties thinking he agreed with them. Synonyms: ambiguous; evasive; waffling |
| Erratic (adjective) | wandering and unpredictable The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of erratic turns that surprised the audience. Synonyms: capricious; inconstant; irresolute; whimsical |
| Ersatz (adjective) | fake Edda, a fashion maven, knew instantly that her friend's new Kate Spade bag was really an ersatz version purchased on the street. Synonyms: artificial; dummy; false; imitation; mock; sham; simulated; spurious; substitute |
| Erudite (adjective) | learned; scholarly; bookish The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most erudite, well-published individuals in the field. Synonyms: learned; scholastic; wise |
| Eschew (verb) | to shun; to avoid (as something wrong or distasteful) The filmmaker eschewed artificial light for her actors, resulting in a stark movie style. Synonyms: avoid; elude; escape; evade; shun; shy |
| Esoteric (adjective) | known or understood by only a few Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the esoteric world of particle physics. Synonyms: abstruse; arcane; obscure |
| Estimable (adjective) | admirable Most people consider it estimable that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India. Synonyms: admirable; commendable; creditable; honorable; laudable; meritorious; praiseworthy; respectable; venerable; worthy |
| Ethos (noun) | the beliefs or character of a group It is the Boy Scouts' ethos that one should always be prepared. Synonyms: culture; ethic; philosophy |
| Eulogy (noun) | a speech in praise of someone His best friend gave the eulogy, outlining his many achievements and talents. Synonyms: commend; extol; laud |
| Euphemism (noun) | use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one The funeral director preferred to use the euphemism "sleeping" instead of the word "dead". Synonyms: circumlocution; delicacy |
| Euphony (noun) | pleasant, harmonious sound To their loving parents, the children's orchestra performance sound like euphony, although an outside observer probably would have called a cacophony of hideous sounds. Synonyms: harmony; melody; music; sweetness |
| Exacerbate (verb) | to make worse It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn since, instead of providing relief, it will only exacerbate the problem. Synonyms: aggravate; annoy; intensify; irritate; provoke |
| Exculpate (verb) | to clear from blame; to prove innocent The legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and exculpate those who are innocent. Synonyms: absolve; acquit; clear; exonerate; vindicate |
| Exigent (adjective) | urgent; requiring immediate action The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was exigent to stop the bleeding. Synonyms: critical; imperative; needed; urgent |
| Exonerate (verb) | to clear of blame The fugitive was exonerated when another criminal confessed to committing the crime. Synonyms: absolve; acquit; clear; exculpate; vindicate |
| Explicit (adjective) | clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression The journalist wrote an explicit description of the gruesome murder. Synonyms: candid; clear-cut; definite; definitive; express; frank; specific; straightforward; unambiguous; unequivocal |
| Exponent (noun) | one who champions or advocates The vice president was an enthusiastic exponent of computer technology. Synonyms: representative; supporter |
| Expurgate (verb) | to censor Government propagandists expurgated all negative references to the dictator from the film. Synonyms: bowdlerize; cut; sanitize |
| Fallow (noun) | dormant; unused This field should lie fallow for a year so the soil does not become completely depleted. Synonyms: idle; inactive; unseeded |
| Fanatical (adjective) | acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion The stormtroopers were fanatical in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him. Synonyms: extremist; fiery; frenzied; zealous |
| Fatuous (adjective) | stupid; foolishly self-satisfied Ted's fatuous comments always embarrassed his keen-witted wife at parties. Synonyms: absurd; ludicrous; preposterous; ridiculous; silly |
| Fawn (verb) | to grovel The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis. Synonyms: bootlick; grovel; pander; toady |
| Fecund (adjective) | fertile; fruitful; productive The fecund couple yielded a total of 20 children. Synonyms: flourishing; prolific |
| Fervid (adjective) | intensely emotional; feverish The fans of Maria Callas were particularly fervid, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer. Synonyms: burning; impassioned; passionate; vehement; zealous |
| Fetid (adjective) | foul-smelling; putrid The fetid stench from the outhouse caused Francesca to wrinkle her nose in disgust. Synonyms: funky; malodorous; noisome; rank; stinky |
| Flag (verb) | to decline in vigor, strength, or interest The marathon runner slowed down as his strength flagged. Synonyms: dwindle; ebb; slacken; subside; wane |
| Florid (adjective) | excessively decorated or embellished The palace had been decorated in an excessively florid style; every surface had been carved and glided. Synonyms: baroque; elaborate; flamboyant; ornate; ostentatious; rococo |
| Foment (verb) | to arouse or incite The rebels tried to foment revolution through their attacks on the government. Synonyms: agitate; impassion; inflame; instigate; kindle |
| Ford (verb) | to cross a body of water by wading Because of the recent torrential rains, the cowboys were unable to ford the swollen river. Synonyms: traverse; wade |
| Forestall (verb) | to prevent or delay; to anticipate The landlord forestalled T.J.'s attempt to avoid paying the rent by waiting for him outside his door. Synonyms: avert; deter; hinder; obviate; preclude |
| Fortuitous (adjective) | happening by chance; fortunate It was fortuitous that he won the lotto just before he had to pay back his loans. Synonyms: chance; fortunate; haphazard; lucky; propitious; prosperous |
| Fractious (adjective) | unruly; rebellious The general had a hard time maintaining discipline among his fractious troops. Synonyms: contentious; cranky; peevish; quarrelsome |
| Frenetic (adjective) | frantic; frenzied The employee's frenetic schedule left her little time to socialize. Synonyms: corybantic; delirious; feverish; mad; rabid; wild |
| Frugality (noun) | tending to be thrifty or cheap Scrooge McDuck's frugality was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money. Synonyms: economy; parsimony; prudence; sparingness |
| Furtive (adjective) | secret; stealthy Glenn was furtive when he peered out of the corner of his eye at the stunningly beautiful model. Synonyms: clandestine; covert; shifty; surreptitious; underhand |
| Gambol (verb) | to dance or skip around playfully From her office, Amy enviously watched the playful puppies gambol around Central Park. Synonyms: caper; cavort; frisk; frolic; rollick; romp |
| Garner (verb) | to gather and store The director managed to garner financial backing from several different sources for his next project. Synonyms: acquire; amass; glean; harvest; reap |
| Garrulous (adjective) | tending to talk a lot The garrulous parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking. Synonyms: effusive; loquacious |
| Gestation (noun) | the growth process from conception to birth The longer the gestation period of an organism, the more developed the baby is at birth. Synonyms: development; gravidity; pregnancy |
| Glib (adjective) | fluent in an insincere manner; offhand; casual The slimy politician managed to continue gaining supporters because he was a glib speaker. Synonyms: easy; superficial |
| Glower (verb) | to glare or stare angrily and intensely The cranky waiter glowered at the indecisive customer. Synonyms: frown; lower; scowl |
| Gradation (noun) | a degree or stage in a process; a variation in color The paint store offers so many gradations of red that it's impossible to choose among them. Synonyms: nuance; shade; step; subtlety |
| Gregarious (adjective) | outgoing; sociable She was so gregarious that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad. Synonyms: affable; communicative; congenial; sociable |
| Grievous (adjective) | causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing Maude and Bertha sobbed loudly throughout the grievous event. Synonyms: dire; dolorous; grave; mournful |
| Grovel (verb) | to humble oneself in a demeaning way Thor groveled to ex-girlfriend, hoping she would take him back. Synonyms: bootlick; cringe; fawn; kowtow; toady |
| Guile (noun) | deceit; trickery Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to guile in an effort to trap his enemy. Synonyms: artifice; chicanery; connivery; duplicity |
| Gullible (adjective) | easily deceived The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool gullible bank customers into giving him their account information. Synonyms: credulous; exploitable; naïve |
| Hapless (adjective) | unfortunate; having bad luck I wish someone would give that poor, hapless soul some food and shelter. Synonyms: ill-fated; ill-starred; jinxed; luckless; unlucky |
| Hegemony (noun) | the domination of one state or group over its allies When Germany claimed hegemony over Russia, Stalin was outraged. Synonyms: authority; power |
| Hermetic (adjective) | tightly sealed The hermetic seal of the jar proved impossible to break. Synonyms: airtight; impervious; watertight |
| Heterogeneous (adjective) | composed of unlike parts; different; diverse The United Nations is by nature a heterogeneous body. Synonyms: assorted; miscellaneous; mixed; motley; varied |
| Hoary (adjective) | very old; whitish or gray from age The old man's hoary beard contrasted starkly to the new stubble of his teenage grandson. Synonyms: ancient; antediluvian; antique; venerable; vintage |
| Homogeneous (adjective) | of a similar kind The class was fairly homogeneous since almost all the students were journalism majors. Synonyms: consistent; standardized; uniform; unvarying |
| Husband (verb) | to manage economically; to use sparingly The cyclist paced herself at the start of the race, knowing that if she husbanded her resources she'd have the strength to break out of the pack later on. Synonyms: conserve; ration |
| Hyperbole (noun) | purposeful exaggeration for effect When the mayor claimed his town was one of the seven wonders of the world, outsiders classified his statement as a hyperbole. Synonyms: embellishment; inflation; magnification |
| Iconoclast (noun) | one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an iconoclast. Synonyms: maverick; nonconformist; rebel; revolutionary |
| Idiosyncrasy (noun) | peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity His numerous idiosyncrasies included a fondness for wearing bright green shoes with mauve socks. Synonyms: humor; oddity; quirk |
| Ignoble (adjective) | having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean The photographer was paid a princely sum for the picture of the self-proclaimed ethicist in the ignoble act of pick-pocketing. Synonyms: lowly; vulgar |
| Imbue (verb) | to infuse, dye, wet, or moisten Marcia struggled to imbue her children with decent values, a difficult task in this day and age. Synonyms: charge; freight; impregnate; permeate; pervade |
| Impasse (noun) | a blocked path; a dilemma with no solution The rock slide produced an impasse, so no one could proceed further on the road. Synonyms: cul-de-sac; deadlock; stalemate |
| Impecunious (adjective) | poor; having no money After the stock market crashed, many former millionaires found themselves impecunious. Synonyms: destitute; impoverished; indigent; needy; penniless |
| Imperturbable (adjective) | not capable of being disturbed The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she was imperturbable, even when faced with the wildest tantrums. Synonyms: composed; dispassionate; impassive; serene; stoical |
| Impervious (adjective) | impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected A good raincoat will be impervious to moisture. Synonyms: impregnable; resistant |
| Impetuous (adjective) | quick to act without thinking It is not good for an investment broker to be impetuous since much thought should be given to all the possible options. Synonyms: impulsive; precipitate; rash; reckless; spontaneous |
| Impious (adjective) | not devout in religion The nun cut herself off from her impious family after she entered the convent. Synonyms: immoral; irreverent; profane |
| Implacable (adjective) | unable to be calmed down or made peaceful His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained implacable for weeks. Synonyms: inexorable; intransigent; irreconcilable; relentless; remorseless; unforgiving; unrelenting |
| Imprecation (noun) | a curse Spouting violent imprecations, Hank searched for the person who had vandalized his truck. Synonyms: damnation |
| Impugn (verb) | to call into question; to attack verbally "How dare you impugn my motives?" protested the lawyer, on being accused of ambulance chasing. Synonyms: challenge; dispute |
| Incarnadine (adjective) | blood-red in color At his mother's mention of his baby pictures, the shy boy's cheeks turned incarnadine with embarrassment. Synonyms: reddened; ruby; ruddy |
| Inchoate (adjective) | not fully formed; disorganized The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an inchoate form in his earliest writing. Synonyms:amorphous; incoherent; incomplete; unorganized |
| Inculcate (verb) | to teach; to impress in the mind Most parents inculcate their children with their beliefs and ideas instead of allowing their children to develop their own values. Synonyms: implant; indoctrinate; instill; preach |
| Indolent (adjective) | habitually lazy or idle Her indolent ways got her fired from many jobs. Synonyms: fainéant; languid; lethargic; slothful; sluggish |
| Inexorable (adjective) | inflexible; unyielding The inexorable force of the twister swept away their house. Synonyms: adamant; obdurate; relentless |
| Ingenuous (adjective) | showing innocence or childlike simplicity She was so ingenuous that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploiting when she visited the big city. Synonyms: artless; guileless; innocent; naïve; simple; unaffected |
| Ingrate (noun) | an ungrateful person When none of her relatives thanked her for the fruitcakes she had sent them, Audrey condemned them all as ingrates. Synonyms: cad; churl |
| Ingratiate (verb) | to gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage The new intern tried to ingratiate herself with the managers so that they might consider her for a future job. Synonyms: curry favor; flatter |
| Inimical (adjective) | hostile; unfriendly Even though a cease-fire had been in place for months, the two sides were still inimical to each other. Synonyms: adverse; antagonistic; dissident; recalcitrant |
| Iniquity (noun) | a sin; an evil act "I promise to close every den of iniquity in this town!" thundered the conservative new mayor. Synonyms: enormity' immortality; injustice; vice; wickedness |
| Innocuous (adjective) | harmless Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are innocuous and pose no danger to humans. Synonyms: benign; harmless; inoffensive; insipid |
| Inquest (noun) | an investigation; an inquiry The police chief ordered an inquest to determine what went wrong. Synonyms: probe; quest; research |
| Insipid (adjective) | lacking interest or flavor The critic claimed that the painting was insipid, containing no interesting qualities at all. Synonyms: banal; bland; dull; stale; vapid |
| Insurrection (noun) | rebellion After the emperor's troops crushed the insurrection, its leaders fled the country. Synonyms: mutiny; revolt; revolution; uprising |
| Inter (verb) | to bury After giving the masses one last chance to pay their respects, the leader's body was interred. Synonyms: entomb; inhume; sepulcher; sepulture; tomb |
| Interregnum (noun) | a period between reigns When John F. Kennedy was shot, there was a brief interregnum before Lyndon B. Johnson became president. Synonyms: interval |
| Intractable (adjective) | not easily managed or manipulated Intractable for hours, the wild horse eventually allowed the rider to mount. Synonyms: stubborn; unruly |
| Intransigent (adjective) | uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled The professor was intransigent on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time. Synonyms: implacable; inexorable; irreconcilable; obdurate; obstinate; remorseless; rigid; unbending; unrelenting; unyielding |
| Intrepid (adjective) | fearless; resolutely courageous Despite freezing winds, the intrepid hiker completed his ascent. Synonyms: brave |
| Inundate (verb) | to overwhelm; to cover with water The tidal wave was inundated Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water. Synonyms: deluge; drown; engulf; flood; submerge |
| Inure (verb) | to harden; accustom Eventually, Hassad became inured to the sirens that went off every night and could sleep through them. Synonyms: condition; familiarize; habituate |
| Invective (noun) | abusive language A stream of invective poured from Mrs. Pratt's mouth as she watch the vandals smash her ceramic frog. Synonyms: denunciation; revilement; vituperation |
| Investiture (noun) | ceremony conferring authority At Napoleon's investiture, he grabbed the crown from the Pope's hands and placed it on his head himself. Synonyms: inaugural; inauguration; indiction; initiation; installation |
| Invidious (adjective) | envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will It is cruel and invidious for parents to play favorites with their children. Synonyms: discriminatory; insulting; jaundiced; resentful |
| Irascible (adjective) | easily made angry Atilla the Hun's irascible and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives. Synonyms: cantankerous; irritable; ornery; testy |
| Itinerant (adjective) | wandering from place to place; unsettled The itinerant tomcat came back to the Johansson homestead every two months. Synonyms: nomadic; vagrant |
| Jargon (noun) | nonsensical talk; specialized language You need to master the technical jargon in order to communicate successfully with engineers. Synonyms: argot; cant; dialect; idiom; slang |
| Jettison (verb) | to discard; to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering The sinking ship jettisoned its cargo in a desperate attempt to reduce its weight. Synonyms: dump; eject |
| Jingoism (noun) | belligerent support of one's country The professor's jingoism made it difficult for the students to participate in an open political discussion. Synonyms: chauvinism; nationalism |
| Jocular (adjective) | playful; humorous The jocular old man entertained his grandchildren for hours. Synonyms: amusing; comical |
| Judicious (adjective) | sensible; showing good judgment The wise and distinguished judge was well known for having a judicious temperament. Synonyms: circumspect; prudent; sagacious; sapient |
| Juncture (noun) | a point of time, especially one where two things are joined At this juncture, I think it would be a good idea for us to take a coffee break. Synonyms: confluence; convergence; crisis; crossroads; moment |
| Keen (adjective) | having a sharp edge; intellectually sharp; perceptive With her keen intelligence, she figured out the puzzle in ten seconds flat. Synonyms: acute; canny; quick |
| Kindle (verb) | to set fire to or ignite; to excite or inspire With only damp wood to work with, Tilda had great difficulty trying to kindle the campfire. Synonyms: arouse; awaken; light; spark |
| Kinetic (adjective) | relating to motion; characterized by movement The kinetic sculpture moved back and forth, startling the museum visitors. Synonyms: active; dynamic; mobile |
| Knell (noun) | sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure When the townspeople heard the knell from the church belfry, they knew that their mayor had died. Synonyms: chime; peal; toll |
| Kudos (noun) | fame, glory, or honor The actress happily accepted kudos from the press for her stunning performance in the film. Synonyms: acclaim; accolade; encomium; homage; praise |
| Lachrymose (adjective) | tearful Marcella always became lachrymose when it was time to bid her daughter good-bye. Synonyms: teary; weeping |
| Laconic (adjective) | using few words He was the classic laconic native of Maine; he talked as if he were being charged for each word. Synonyms: concise; curt; pithy; taciturn; terse |
| Lament (verb) | to express sorrow; to grieve The children continued to lament the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise. Synonyms: bewail; deplore; grieve; mourn |
| Lampoon (verb) | to ridicule with satire The mayor hated being lampooned by the press for his efforts to improve people's politeness. Synonyms: tease |
| Languid (adjective) | lacking energy; indifferent; slow The languid cat cleaned its fur, ignoring the vicious, snarling dog chained a few feet away from it. Synonyms: lackadaisical; listless; sluggish; weak |
| Lapidary (adjective) | relating to precious stones or the art of cutting them Most lapidary work today is done with the use of motorized equipment. Synonyms: ???? |
| Larceny (noun) | theft of property The crime of stealing a wallet can be categorized as petty larceny. Synonyms: burglary; robbery; stealing |
| Largess (noun) | generous giving (a of money) to others who may seem inferior She'd always relied on her parents' largess, but after graduation she had to get a job. Synonyms: benevolence; boom; compliment; favor; present |
| Lassitude (noun) | a state of diminished energy The lack of energy that characterizes patients with anemia makes lassitude one of the primary symptoms of the disease. Synonyms: debilitation; enervation; fatigue; languor; listlessness; tiredness; weariness |
| Latent (adjective) | potentially available, but not readily apparent Latent trait testing seeks to identify skills that the test takers may have but are not aware of. Synonyms: concealed; dormant; inert; potential; quiescent |
| Laud (verb) | to give praise; to glorify Parades and fireworks were staged to laud the success of the rebels. Synonyms: acclaim; applaud; commend; compliment; exalt; extol; hail; praise |
| Lavish (adjective) | extremely generous or extravagant; giving unsparingly She was so lavish with her puppy that it soon became overweight and spoiled. Synonyms: extravagant; exuberant; luxuriant; opulent; prodigal; profuse; superabundant |
| Leery (adjective) | suspicious After being swindled once, Ruth became leery of strangers trying to sell things to her. Synonyms: distrustful; guarded; wary |
| Legerdemain (noun) | trickery The little boy thought his legerdemain was working on his mother, but she in fact knew about every hidden toy and stolen cookie. Synonyms: chicanery; conjuring |
| Lethargic (adjective) | acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner The clerk was so lethargic that, even when business was slow, he always had a long line in front of him. Synonyms: apathetic; lackadaisical; languid; listless; torpid |
| Levity (noun) | an inappropriate lack of seriousness; an overly casual atmosphere The joke added a jarring note of levity to the otherwise serious meeting. Synonyms: amusement; humor |
| Liberal (adjective) | tolerant or broad-minded; generous or lavish Cali's liberal parents trusted her and allowed her to manage her own affairs to a large extent. Synonyms: bounteous; latitudinarian; munificent; permissive; progressive |
| Libertine (noun) | a free thinker (usually used disparagingly); one without moral restraint The libertine took pleasure in gambling away his family's money. Synonyms: hedonist |
| Licentious (adjective) | immoral; unrestrained by society Religious citizens were outraged by the licentious exploits of the free-spirited artists living in town. Synonyms: lewd; wanton |
| Limpid (adjective) | clear; transparent Fernando could see all the way to the bottom through the pond's limpid water. Synonyms: lucid; pellucid; serene |
| Lionize (verb) | to treat as a celebrity After the success of his novel, the author was lionized by the press. Synonyms: feast; honor; regale |
| Lissome (adjective) | easily-flexed; limber; agile The lissome yoga instructor twisted herself into shapes that her students could only dream of. Synonyms: graceful; lithe; supple |
| Listless (adjective) | lacking energy and enthusiasm Listless and depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend, Raj spent his days moping on the couch. Synonyms: fainéant; indolent; languid; lethargic; sluggish |
| Livid (adjective) | discolored from a bruise; pale; reddened with anger André was livid when he discovered that someone had spilled grape juice all over his cashmere coat. Synonyms: ashen; black-and-blue; furious; pallid |
| Loquacious (adjective) | talkative She is naturally loquacious, which is a problem in situations where listing is more important than talking. Synonyms: effusive; garrulous; verbose |
| Lucid (adjective) | clear and easily understood The explanations were written in a simple and lucid manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned. Synonyms: clear; coherent; explicit; intelligible; limpid |
| Lugubrious (adjective) | sorrowful; mournful; dismal Irish wakes are a rousing departure from the lugubrious funeral services to which most people are accustomed. Synonyms: funereal; gloomy; melancholy; somber; woeful |
| Lumber (verb) | to move slowly and awkwardly The bear lumbered toward the garbage, drooling at the prospect of the leftovers he smelled. Synonyms: galumph; hulk; lurch; stumble |
| Luminous (adjective) | bright; brilliant; glowing The park was bathed in luminous sunshine that warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors. Synonyms: incandescent; lucent; lustrous; radiant; resplendent |
| Machination (noun) | plot or scheme Tired of his enemies' endless machinations to remove him from his throne, the kind had them executed. Synonyms: cabal; conspiracy; design; intrigue |
| Maelstrom (noun) | whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind The transportation system of the city had collapsed in the maelstrom of war. Synonyms: eddy; turbulence |
| Magnate (noun) | powerful or influential person The entertainment magnate bought two cable TV stations to add to his collection of magazines and publishing houses. Synonyms: dignitary; luminary; nabob; potentate; tycoon |
| Malediction (noun) | a curse; a wish of evil upon another The frog prince looked for a princess to kiss him and put and end to the witch's malediction. Synonyms: anathema; imprecation |
| Malinger (verb) | to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill A common way to avoid the draft was by malingering--pretending to mentally of physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the army. Synonyms: shirk; slack |
| Malleable (adjective) | capable of being shaped Gold is the most malleable of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape Synonyms: adaptable; ductile; plastic; pliable; pliant |
| Mannered (adjective) | artificial or stilled in character The portrait is an example of the mannered style that was favored in that era. Synonyms: affected; unnatural |
| Mar (verb) | to damage or deface; to spoil Telephone poles mar the natural beauty of the countryside. Synonyms: blemish; disfigure; impair; injure; scar |
| Martinet (noun) | strict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules A complete martinet, the official insisted that Pete fill out all the forms again even though he was already familiar with his case. Synonyms: dictator; stickler; tyrant |
| Maudlin (adjective) | overly sentimental The movie's treatment of the mother's death was so maudlin that, instead of making the audience cry, it made them cringe. Synonyms: bathetic; mawkish; saccharine; weepy |
| Mendacious (adjective) | dishonest So many of her stories were mendacious that I decided she must be a pathological liar. Synonyms: deceitful; false; lying; untruthful |
| Mendicant (noun) | beggar "Please, sir, can you spare a dime?" begged the mendicant as the businessman walked past. Synonyms: panhandler; pauper |
| Mercurial (adjective) | quick, shrewd, and unpredictable Her mercurial personality made it difficult to guess how she would react to the bad news. Synonyms: clever; crafty; volatile; whimsical |
| Meretricious (adjective) | gaudy; falsely attractive The casino's meretricious decor horrified the cultivated interior designer. Synonyms: flashy; insincere; loud; specious; tawdry |
| Metaphor (noun) | figure of speech comparing two different things The metaphor "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea. Synonyms: allegory; analogy; simile; symbol |
| Meticulous (adjective) | extremely careful; fastidious; painstaking To find all the clues at the crime scene, the meticulous investigators examined every inch of the area. Synonyms: finicky; fussy; picky; precise; punctilious; scrupulous |
| Militate (verb) | to operate against; work against Lenin militated against the tsar for years before he overthrew him and established the Soviet Union. Synonyms: affect; change; influence |
| Mirth (noun) | frivolity; gaiety; laughter Vera's hilarious jokes contributed to the general mirth at the dinner party. Synonyms: glee; hilarity; jollity; merriment |
| Misanthrope (noun) | a person who dislikes others The Grinch was such a misanthrope that even the sight of children singing made him angry. Synonyms: curmudgeon |
| Missive (noun) | a written note or letter Priscilla spent hours composing a romantic missive for Elvis. Synonyms: message |
| Mitigate (verb) | to soften; to lessen A judge may mitigate a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need. Synonyms: allay; alleviate; assuage; ease; lighten; moderate; mollify; palliate; temper |
| Mollify (verb) | to calm or make less severe Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would mollify them. Synonyms: appease; assuage; conciliate; pacify |
| Molt (verb) | to shed hair, skin, or an outer layer periodically The snake molted its skin and left it behind in a crumpled mass. Synonyms: cast; defoliate; desquamate |
| Monastic (adjective) | extremely plain or secluded, as in a monastery The philosopher retired to his monastic lodgings to contemplate life free from any worldly distraction. Synonyms: austere; contemplative; disciplined; regimented; self-abnegating |
| Monotony (noun) | no variation; tediously the same The monotony of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy. Synonyms: drone; tedium |
| Mores (noun) | fixed customers or manners; moral attitudes In keeping with the mores of ancient Roman society, Nero held a celebration every weekend. Synonyms: conventions; practices |
| Multifarious (adjective) | diverse Ken opened the hotel room window, letting in the multifarious noises of the great city. Synonyms: assorted; heterogeneous; indiscriminate; legion; motley; multifold; multiform; multiplex; populous; varied |
| Myopic (adjective) | lacking foresight; having a narrow view or short-range perspective Not wantint to spend a lot of money up front, the myopic business owner would likely suffer the consequences later. Synonyms: short-sighted; unthinking |
| Nadir (noun) | lowest point As Joey waited in line to audition for the diaper commercial, he realized he had reached the nadir of his acting career. Synonyms: bottom; depth; pit |
| Naïve (adjective) | lacking sophistication or experience Inexperienced writers often are naïve and assume that big words make them sound smarter. Synonyms: artless; credulous; guileless; ingenuous; simple; unaffected; unsophisticated |
| Nascent (adjective) | starting to develop; coming into existence The advertising campaign was still in a nascent stage, and nothing had been finalized yet. Synonyms: embryonic; emerging; inchoate; incipient |
| Neologism (noun) | new word or expression Aunt Mabel simply does not understand today's youth; she is perplexed by their clothing, music and neologisms. Synonyms: slang; coinage |
| Neophyte (noun) | novice; beginner A relative neophyte at bowling, Rudolfo rolled all of his balls into the gutter. Synonyms: apprentice; greenhorn; tyro |
| Nettle (verb) | to irritate I don't particularly like having blue hair--I just do it to nettle my parents. Synonyms: annoy; vex |
| Noisome (adjective) | stinking; putrid A dead mouse trapped in your walls produces a noisome odor. Synonyms: disgusting; foul; malodorous |
| Nominal (adjective) | existing in name only; negligible A nominal but far from devoted member of the high school yearbook committee, she rarely attends meetings. Synonyms: minimal; titular |
| Nuance (noun) | a subtle expression of meaning or quality The scholars argued for hours over tiny nuances in the interpretation of the last line of the poem. Synonyms: gradation; subtlety; tone |
| Numismatics (noun) | coin collecting Tomas's passion for numismatics had resulted in an impressive collection of coins from all over the world. |
| Obdurate (adjective) | hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion The president was completely obdurate on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind. Synonyms: inflexible; intransigent; recalcitrant; tenacious; unyielding |
| Oblique (adjective) | indirect or evasive; misleading or devious Usually open and friendly, Reynaldo has been behaving in a curiously oblique manner lately. Synonyms: glancing; slanted; tangential |
| Obsequious (adjective) | overly submissive and eager to please The obsequious new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue. Synonyms: compliant; deferential ;servile; subservient |
| Obstinate (adjective) | stubborn; unyielding The obstinate child could not be made to eat any food that he perceived to be "yucky." Synonyms: intransigent; mulish; persistent; pertinacious; stubborn; tenacious |
| Obviate (verb) | to prevent; to make unnecessary The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which obviated the need for a bridge. Synonyms: forestall; preclude; prohibit |
| Occlude (verb) | to stop up; to prevent the passage of A shadow is thrown across the Earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is occluded by the moon. Synonyms: barricade; block; close; obstruct |
| Officious (adjective) | too helpful; meddlesome While planning her wedding, Maya discovered just how officious her future mother-in-law could be. Synonyms: eager; intrusive; unwanted |
| Onerous (adjective) | troublesome and oppressive; burdensome The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved onerous to the team in charge of it. Synonyms: arduous; backbreaking; burdensome; cumbersome; difficult; exacting; formidable; hard; laborious; oppressive; rigorous; taxing; trying |
| Opaque (adjective) | impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light The heavy build-up of dirt and grime on the windows made them almost opaque. Synonyms: blurred; cloudy; nontransparent |
| Opine (verb) | to express an opinion At the "Let's Chat Talk Show," the audience member opined that the guest was in the wrong. Synonyms: point out; voice |
| Opprobrium (noun) | public disgrace After the scheme to defraud the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter opprobrium. Synonyms: discredit; disgrace; dishonor; disrepute; ignominy; infamy; obloquy; shame |
| Orotund (adjective) | pompous Roberto soon grew tired of his date's orotund babble about her new job, and decided their first date would probably be their last. Synonyms: aureate; bombastic; declamatory; euphuistic; flowery; grandiloquent; magniloquent; oratorical; overblown; sonorous |
| Ossify (verb) | to change into bone; to become hardened or set in a rigidly conventional pattern The forensics expert ascertained the body's age based on the degree to which the facial structure had ossified. Synonyms: fossilize; harden |
| Ostensible (adjective) | apparent The ostensible reason for his visit was to borrow a book, but he secretly wanted to chat with the lovely Wanda. Synonyms: represented; supposed; surface |
| Ostentation (noun) | excessive showiness The ostentation of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles. Synonyms: conspicuousness; flashiness; pretentiousness; showiness |
| Overwrought (adjective) | agitated; overdone The lawyer's overwrought voice on the phone made her clients worry about the outcome of their case. Synonyms: elaborate; excited; nervous; ornate |
| Palatial (adjective) | relating to a palace; magnificent After living in a cramped studio apartment for years, Siobhan thought the modest one bedroom looked downright palatial. Synonyms: grand; stately |
| Palliate (verb) | to make less serious; to ease The alleged crime was so vicious that the defense lawyer could not palliate it for the jury. Synonyms: alleviate; assuage; extenuate; mitigate |
| Pallid (adjective) | lacking color or liveliness The old drugstore's pallid window could not compete with the new megastore's extravagant display next door. Synonyms: ashen; blanched; ghostly; pale; wan |
| Panache (noun) | flamboyance or dash in style and action; verve Leah has such panache when planning parties, even when they're last-minute affairs. Synonyms: flair |
| Panegyric (noun) | elaborate praise; formal hymn of praise The director's panegyric for the donor who kept his charity going was heart-warming. Synonyms: compliment; homage |
| Panoply (noun) | impressive array Her résumé indicates a panoply of skills and accomplishments. Synonyms: array; display; fanfare; parade; pomp; shine; show |
| Paradox (noun) | a contradiction or dilemma It is a paradox that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it. Synonyms: ambiguity; incongruity |
| Paragon (noun) | model of excellence or perfection He is the paragon of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just. Synonyms: apotheosis; ideal; quintessence; standard |
| Pare (verb) | to trim off excess; to reduce The cook's hands were sore after the pared hundreds of potatoes for the banquet. Synonyms: clip; peel |
| Pariah (noun) | an outcast Once he betrayed those in his community, he was banished and lived the life of a pariah. Synonyms: castaway; derelict; leper; offscouring; untouchable |
| Parley (noun) | discussion, usually between enemies The parley between the rival cheerleading teams resulted in neither side admitting that they copied the other's dance moves. Synonyms: debate; dialogue; negotiations; talks |
| Parry (verb) | to ward off or deflect, especially by a quick-witted answer Kari Parried every question the army officers fired at her, much to their frustration. Synonyms: avoid; evade; repel |
| Pastiche (noun) | a piece of literature or music imitating other works The playwright's clever pastiche of the well-known children's story had the audience rolling in the aisles. Synonyms: medley; spoof |
| Pathogenic (adjective) | causing disease Bina's research on the origins of pathogenic microorganisms should help stop the spread of disease. Synonyms: infecting; noxious |
| Peccadillo (noun) | a minor sin or offense Gabriel tends to harp on his brother's peccadilloes and never lets him live them down. Synonyms: failing; fault; lapse; misstep |
| Pedant (noun) | someone who shows off learning The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a pedant. Synonyms: doctrinaire; nit-picker; pedagogue; scholar; schoolmaster; sophist |
| Pejorative (noun) | having bad connotations; disparaging The teacher scolded Mark for his unduly pejorative comments about his classmate's presentation. Synonyms: belittling; dismissive; insulting |
| Penury (noun) | an oppressive lack of resources (as money); severe poverty Once a famous actor, he eventually died in penury and anonymity. Synonyms: destitution; impoverishment |
| Peregrinate (verb) | to wander from place to place; to travel, especially on foot Shivani enjoyed peregrinating the expansive grounds of Central park. Synonyms: journey; traverse; trek |
| Perfidious (adjective) | willing to betray someone's trust The actress's perfidious companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist. Synonyms: disloyal; faithless; traitorous; treacherous |
| Perfunctory (adjective) | done in a routine way; indifferent The machine-like teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a perfunctory smile. Synonyms: apathetic; automatic; mechanical |
| Peripatetic (adjective) | wandering from place to place, especially on foot Eleana's peripatetic meanderings took her all over the countryside in the summer months. Synonyms: itinerant; nomadic; wayfaring |
| Permeate (verb) | to penetrate The miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to permeate stains and dissolve them in minutes! Synonyms: imbue; infuse; pervade; suffuse |
| Perspicacious (adjective) | shrewd, astute, or keen-witted Instructor Poirot used his perspicacious mind to solve mysteries. Synonyms: insightful; intelligent; sagacious |
| Pervade (verb) | to be present throughout; to permeate Four spices--cumin, turmeric, coriander, and cayenne--pervade almost every Indian dish, and give the cuisine its distinctive flavor. Synonyms: imbue; infuse; penetrate; permeate; suffuse |
| Phalanx (noun) | a compact or close-knit body of people, animals, or things A phalanx of guards stood outside the prime minister's home day and night. Synonyms: legion; mass |
| Philanthropy (noun) | charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness The Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the philanthropy of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum. Synonyms: altruism; humanitarianism |
| Philistine (noun) | a person who is guided by materialism and is disdainful of intellectual or artistic values The philistine never even glanced at the rare violin in his collection but instead kept an eye on its value and sold it at a profit. Synonyms: boor; bourgeois; capitalist; materialist; vulgarian |
| Phlegmatic (adjective) | calm and unemotional in temperament Although the bomb could go off at any moment, the phlegmatic demolition expert remained calm and unafraid. Synonyms: apathetic; calm; emotionless; impassive; indifferent; passionless; unemotional |
| Pithy (adjective) | profound or substantial yet concise, succinct, and to the point Martha's pithy comments during the interview must have been impressive because she got the job. Synonyms: brief; compact; laconic; terse |
| Placate (verb) | to soothe or pacify The burlar tried to placate the snarling dog by referring to it as a "nice doggy" and offering it a treat. Synonyms: appease; conciliate; mollify |
| Plastic (adjective) | able to molded, altered, or bent The new material was very plastic and could be formed into products of vastly different shape. Synonyms: adaptable; ductile; malleable; pliant |
| Plebeian (adjective) | crude or coarse; characteristic of commoners After five weeks of rigorous studying, the graduate settled in for a weekend of plebeian socializing and television watching. Synonyms: conventional; unrefined |
| Plethora (noun) | excess Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a plethora of excuses. Synonyms: glut; overabundance; superfluity; surfeit |
| Plucky (adjective) | courageous; spunky The plucky young nurse dove into the foxhole, determined to help the wounded soldier. Synonyms: brave; bold; gusty |
| Polemic (noun) | controversy; argument; verbal attack The candidate's polemic against his opponent was vicious and small-minded rather than convincing and well-reasoned. Synonyms: denunciation; refutation |
| Politic (adjective) | shrewd and practical in managing or dealing with things; diplomatic She was wise to curb her tongue and was able to explain her problem to the judge in a respectful and politic manner. Synonyms: tactful |
| Polyglot (noun) | a speaker of many languages Ling's extensive travels have helped her to become a true polyglot. Synonyms: linguist |
| Posit (verb) | to assume as real or conceded; to propose as an explanation Before proving the math formula, we need to posit that x and y were real numbers. Synonyms: suggest |
| Potentate (noun) | a monarch or ruler with great power Alex was much kinder before he assumed the role of potentate. Synonyms: dominator; leader |
| Pragmatic (adjective) | practical, as opposed to idealistic While idealistic gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, pragmatic gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them. Synonyms: rational; realistic |
| Prattle (noun) | meaningless, foolish talk Her husband's mindless prattle drove Heidi insane; sometimes she wished he would just shut up. Synonyms: babble; blather; chatter; drivel; gibberish |
| Precipitate (adjective) | thrown violently or brought about abruptly; lacking deliberation Theirs was a precipitate marriage--they had only known each other for two weeks before they wed. Synonyms: abrupt; hasty; headlong; hurried; ill-considered; impetuous; impulsive; prompt; rash; reckless; sudden |
| Précis (noun) | short summary of facts Farah wrote a précis of her thesis on the epic poem to share with the class. Synonyms: summary |
| Prescient (adjective) | having foresight Jonah's decision to sell the apartment seemed to be a prescient one, as its value soon dropped by half. Synonyms: augural; divinatory; mantic; oracular; premonitory |
| Prevaricate (verb) | to lie or deviate from the truth Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee prevaricated and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time. Synonyms: equivocate; lie; perjure |
| Pristine (adjective) | fresh and clean; uncorrupted Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still pristine when researchers arrived. Synonyms: innocent; undamaged |
| Probity (noun) | complete honesty and integrity George Washington's reputation for probity is illustrated in the legend about his inability to lie after he chopped down the cherry tree. Synonyms: integrity; morality; rectitude; uprightness; virtue |
| Proclivity (noun) | a natural inclination or predisposition Her childhood love of acting, singing, and adoration indicated a proclivity for the theater in later life. Synonyms: bias; leaning; partiality; penchant; predilection; predisposition; prejudice; propensity |
| Prodigal (adjective) | lavish; wasteful The prodigal son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure. Synonyms: extravagant; lavish; profligate; spendthrift; wasteful |
| Profligate (adjective) | corrupt; degenerate Some historians claim that it was the Romans' decadent, profligate behavior that led to the decline of the decline of the Roman Empire. Synonyms: dissolute; extravagant; improvident; prodigal; wasteful |
| Proliferate (verb) | to increase in number quickly Although he only kept two guinea pigs initially, they proliferated to such an extent that he soon had dozens. Synonyms: breed; multiply; procreate; propagate; reproduce; spawn |
| Propitiate (verb) | to conciliate; to appease Because their gods were angry and vengeful, the Vikings propitiated them with many sacrifices. Synonyms: appease; conciliate; mollify; pacify; placate |
| Propriety (noun) | the quality of behaving in a proper manner; obeying rules and customers The aristocracy maintained a high level of propriety, adhering to even the most minor social rules. Synonyms: appropriateness; decency; decorum; modesty |
| Prudence (noun) | wisdom, caution, or restraint The college student exhibited prudence by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her résumé. Synonyms: astuteness; circumspection; discretion; frugality; judiciousness; providence; thrift |
| Puerile (adjective) | childish, immature, or silly Olivia's boyfriend's puerile antics are really annoying; sometimes he acts like a five-year-old! Synonyms: infantile; jejune; juvenile |
| Pugilism (noun) | boxing Pugilism has been defended as a positive outlet for aggressive impulses. Synonyms: fighting; sparring |
| Pulchritude (noun) | beauty The mortals gazed in admiration at Venus, stunned by her incredible pulchritude. Synonyms: comeliness; gorgeousness; handsomeness; loveliness; prettiness |
| Pungent (adjective) | sharp and irritating to the senses The smoke from the burning tires was extremely pungent. Synonyms: acrid; caustic; piquant; poignant; stinging |
| Pusillanimous (adjective) | cowardly; without courage The pusillanimous man would not enter the yard where the miniature poodle was barking. Synonyms: cowardly; timid |
| Querulous (adjective) | inclined to complain; irritable Curtis's complaint letter received prompt attention after the company labeled him as a querulous potential troublemaker. Synonyms: peevish; puling; sniveling; whiny |
| Quiescent (adjective) | motionless Many animals are quiescent over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy. Synonyms: dormant; latent |
| Quixotic (adjective) | overly idealistic; impractical The practical Danuta was skeptical of her roommate's quixotic plans to build a roller coaster in their yard. Synonyms: capricious; impulsive; romantic; unrealistic |
| Quotidian (adjective) | occurring daily; commonplace The sight of people singing on the street is so quotidian in New York that passersby rarely react to it. Synonyms: everyday; normal; usual |
| Raconteur (noun) | a witty, skillful storyteller The raconteur kept all the passengers entertained with his stories during the six-hour flight. Synonyms: anecdotal; monologist |
| Rarefy (verb) | to become thinner or sparser Since the atmosphere rarefies as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe. Synonyms: attenuate; thin |
| Redress (noun) | relief from wrong or injury Seeking redress for the injuries she had received in the accident, Doreen sued the driver of the truck that had hit her. Synonyms: amends; indemnity; quittance; reparation; restitution |
| Rejoinder (noun) | response Patrick tried desperately to think of a clever rejoinder to Marianna's joke, but he couldn't. Synonyms: retort; risposte |
| Repast (noun) | meal or mealtime Ravi prepared a delicious repast of chicken tikka and naan. Synonyms: banquet; feast |
| Replete (adjective) | abundantly supplied; complete The gigantic supermarket was replete with consumer products of every kind. Synonyms: abounding; full |
| Repose (noun) | relaxation; leisure After working hard every day in the busy city, Mike finds his response on weekends playing golf with friends. Synonyms: calmness; tranquility |
| Repudiate (verb) | to reject the validity of The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was repudiated by other known relatives. Synonyms: deny; disavow; disclaim; disown; renounce |
| Requite (verb) | to return or repay Thanks for offering to lend me $1,000, but I know I'll never be able to requite your generosity. Synonyms: compensate; reciprocate |
| Restive (adjective) | impatient, uneasy, or restless The passengers became restive after having to wait in line for hours and began to shout complaints at the airline staff. Synonyms: agitated; anxious; fretful |
| Reticent (adjective) | silent; reserved Physically small and verbally reticent, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those she was reporting upon. Synonyms: cool; introverted; laconic; standoffish; taciturn; undemonstrative |
| Rhetoric (noun) | effective writing or speaking Lincoln's talent for rhetoric was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address. Synonyms: eloquence; oratory |
| Ribald (adjective) | humorous in a vulgar way The court jester's ribald brand of humor delighted the rather uncouth king. Synonyms: coarse; gross; indelicate; lewd; obscene |
| Rococo (adjective) | very highly ornamented; relating to an 18th century artistic style of elaborate ornamentation The ornate furniture in the house reminded Tatiana of the rococo style. Synonyms: intricate; ornate |
| Rustic (adjective) | rural The rustic cabin was an ideal setting for a vacation in the country. Synonyms: bucolic; pastoral |
| Sacrosanct (adjective) | extremely sacred; beyond criticism Many people considered Mother Teresa to be sacrosanct and would not tolerate any criticism of her. Synonyms: holy; inviolable; off-limits |
| Sagacious (adjective) | shrewd; wise Owls have a reputation for being sagacious, perhaps because of their big eyes, which resemble glasses. Synonyms: astute; judicious; perspicacious; sage; wise |
| Salient (adjective) | prominent; of notable significance His most salient characteristic is his tendency to dominate every conversation. Synonyms: marked; noticeable; outstanding |
| Salubrious (adjective) | healthful Run-down and sickly, Rita hoped that the fresh mountain air would have a salubrious effect on her health. Synonyms: bracing; curative; medicinal; therapeutic; tonic |
| Sanguine (adjective) | ruddy; cheerfully optimistic A sanguine person things the glass is half full, whereas a depressed person thinks it's half empty. Synonyms: confident; hopeful; positive; rosy; rubicund |
| Sardonic (adjective) | cynical; scornfully mocking Isabella was offended by the sardonic way in which her date made fun of her ideas and opinions. Synonyms: acerbic; caustic; sarcastic; satirical; snide |
| Satiate (verb) | to satisfy fully or overindulge His desire for power was so great that nothing less than complete control of the country could satiate it. Synonyms: cloy; glut; gorge; surfeit |
| Scintilla (noun) | trace amount This poison is so powerful that no more than a scintilla of it is needed to kill a horse. Synonyms: atom; iota; mote; spark; speck |
| Sedition (noun) | behavior that promotes rebellion or civil disorder against the state Li was arrested for sedition after he gave a fiery speech in the main square. Synonyms: conspiracy; insurrection |
| Sentient (adjective) | aware; conscious; able to perceive The anesthetic didn't work, and I was still sentient when the dentist started drilling! Synonyms: feeling; intelligent; thinking |
| Seraphic (adjective) | angelic; sweet Selena's seraphic appearance belied her nasty, bitter personality. Synonyms: cherubic; heavenly |
| Sinecure (noun) | a well-paying job or office that requires little or no work The corrupt mayor made sure to set up all his relatives in sinecures within the administration. Synonyms: easy pickings (?) |
| Slake (verb) | to calm down or moderate In order to slake his curiosity, Bryan finally took a tour backstage at the theater. Synonyms: moderate; quench; satisfy |
| Sobriquet (noun) | nickname One of Ronald Reagan's sobriquets was "The Gipper." Synonyms: alias; pseudonym |
| Solecism (noun) | grammatical mistake "A ain't going with you," she said, obviously unaware of her solecism. Synonyms: blooper; faux pas; vulgarism |
| Soporific (adjective) | causing sleep or lethargy The movie proved to be so soporific that soon loud snores were heard throughout the cinema. Synonyms: hypnotic; narcotic; slumberous; somnolent |
| Spartan (adjective) | highly self-disciplined; frugal; austere When he was in training, the athlete preferred to live in a spartan room, so he could shut out all distractions. Synonyms: restrained; simple |
| Specious (adjective) | deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious The student's specious excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise when his teacher called his home. Synonyms: illusory; ostensible; plausible; sophistic; spurious |
| Sportive (adjective) | frolicsome; playful The lakeside vacation meant more sportive opportunities for the kids than the wine tour through France. Synonyms: frisky; merry |
| Stasis (noun) | a state of static balance or equilibrium; stagnation The rusty, ivy-covered World War II tank had obviously been in stasis for years. Synonyms: inertia; standstill |
| Stentorian (adjective) | extremely loud Cullen couldn't hear her speaking over the stentorian din of the game on TV. Synonyms: clamorous; noisy |
| Stigma (noun) | a mark of shame or discredit In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public stigma for her adultery. Synonyms: blemish; blot; opprobrium; stain; taint |
| Stolid (adjective) | unemotional; lacking sensitivity The prisoner appeared stolid and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence. Synonyms: apathetic; impassive; indifferent; phlegmatic; stoic; unconcerned |
| Stratagem (noun) | trick designed to deceive an enemy The Trojan Horse must be one of the most successful military stratagems used in all of history. Synonyms: artifice; feint; maneuver; ruse; wile |
| Sublime (adjective) | lofty or grand The music was so sublime that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place. Synonyms: august; exalted; glorious; grand; magnificent; majestic; noble; resplendent; superb |
| Sully (verb) | to tarnish; to taint With the help of a public relations firm, he was able to restore his sullied reputation. Synonyms: besmirch; defile |
| Supplant (verb) | to replace (another) by force; to take the place of The overthrow of the government meant a new leader to supplant the the tyrannical former one. Synonyms: displace; supersede |
| Surfeit (noun) | excessive amount Because of the surfeit of pigs, pork prices have never been lower. Synonyms: glut; plethora; repletion; superfluity; surplus |
| Surly (adjective) | rude and bad-tempered When asked to clean the windshield, the surly gas station attendant tossed a dirty rag at the customer and walked away. Synonyms: gruff; grumpy; testy |
| Sybarite (noun) | a person devoted to pleasure and luxury A confirmed sybarite, the nobleman fainted at the thought of having to leave his palace and live in a small cottage. Synonyms: hedonist; sensualist |
| Sycophant (noun) | a self-serving flatterer; a yes-man Dreading criticism, the actor surrounded himself with admirers and sycophants. Synonyms: bootlicker; fawner; lickspittle; toady |
| Symbiosis (noun) | cooperation; mutual helpfulness The rhino and the tick-eating bird live in symbiosis; the rhino gives the bird food in the form of ticks, and the bird rids the rhino of parasites. Synonyms: association; interdependence |
| Syncopation (noun) | temporary irregularity in musical rhythm A jazz enthusiast will appreciate the use of syncopation in that musical genre. |
| Tacit (adjective) | done without using words Although not a word was said, everyone in the room knew that a tacit agreement had been made about what course of action to take. Synonyms: implicit; implied; undeclared; unsaid; unuttered |
| Taciturn (adjective) | silent; not talkative The clerk's taciturn nature earned him the nickname Silent Bob. Synonyms: laconic; reticent |
| Talon (noun) | claw of an animal, especially a bird of prey A vulture holds its prey in its talons while it dismembers it with its beak. Synonyms: claw; nail |
| Tangential (adjective) | digressing; diverting Your argument is interesting, but it's tangential to the matter at hand, so I suggest we get back to the point. Synonyms: digressive; extraneous; inconsequential; irrelevant; peripheral |
| Tawdry (adjective) | gaudy, cheap, or showy The performer changed into her tawdry, spangled costume and stepped out onto the stage to do her show. Synonyms: flashy; loud; meretricious |
| Terrestrial (adjective) | earthly; down-to-earth; commonplace Many "extraterrestrial" objects turn out to be terrestrial in origin, as when flying saucers turn out to be normal airplanes. Synonyms: earthbound; mundane; sublunary; tellurian; terrene |
| Tirade (noun) | a long, harsh speech or verbal attack Observers were shocked at the manager's tirade over such a minor mistake. Synonyms: diatribe; fulmination; harangue; obloquy; revilement; vilification |
| Toady (noun) | one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors The kind was surrounded by toadies who rushed to agree with whatever outrageous thing he said. Synonyms: parasite; sycophant |
| Tome (noun) | a book, usually a large and academic one The teacher was forced to refer to various tomes to find the answer to the advanced student's question. Synonyms: codex; volume |
| Torpor (noun) | extreme mental and physical sluggishness After surgery, the patient's torpor lasted several hours until the anestesia wore off. Synonyms: apathy; languor |
| Transitory (adjective) | temporary; lasting a brief time The reporter's homes were transitory; she stayed in one place only long enough to cover the current story. Synonyms: ephemeral; evanescent; fleeting; impermanent; momentary |
| Trenchant (adjective) | acute, sharp, or incisive; forceful; effective Tyrone's trenchant observations in class made him the professor's favorite student. Synonyms: bitting; caustic; cutting; keen |
| Turgid (adjective) | swollen as from a fluid; bloated In the process of osmosis, water passes through the walls of turgid cells, ensuring that they never contain too much water. Synonyms: distended |
| Tyro (noun) | beginner; novice An obvious tyro at salsa, Millicent received no invitations to dance. Synonyms: apprentice; fledgling; greenhorn; neophyte; tenderfoot |
| Umbrage (noun) | offense; resentment The businessman took umbrage at the security guard's accusation that he had shoplifted a packet of gum. Synonyms: asperity; dudgeon; ire; pique; rancor |
| Unconscionable (adjective) | unscrupulous; shockingly unfair or unjust After she promised me the project, the fact that she gave it to someone else is unconscionable. Synonyms: dishonorable; indefensible |
| Unequivocal (adjective) | absolute; certain The jury's verdict was unequivocal: the organized crime boss would be locked up for life. Synonyms: categorical; clear; explicit; express; unambiguous |
| Upbraid (verb) | to scold sharply The teacher upbraided the student for scrawling graffiti all over the walls of the school. Synonyms: berate; chide; rebuke; reproach; tax |
| Usury (noun) | the practice of lending money at exorbitant rates The moneylender was convicted of usury when it was discovered that he charged 50 percent interest on all his loans. |
| Vacillate (verb) | to physically sway; to be indecisive The customer held up the line as he vacillated between ordering chocolate-chip or rocky-road ice cream. Synonyms: dither; falter; fluctuate; oscillate; waver |
| Variegated (adjective) | varied; marked with different colors The variegated foliage of the jungle allows it to support thousands of different animal species. Synonyms: diversified |
| Venerable (adjective) | respected because of age All of the villagers sought the venerable old woman's advice whenever they had a problem. Synonyms: distinguished; elderly; respectable |
| Venerate (verb) | to respect deeply In a traditional Confucian society, the young venerate their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience. Synonyms: adore; honor; idolize; revere |
| Veracity (noun) | filled with truth and accuracy She had a reputation for veracity, so everyone trusted her description of events. Synonyms: candor; exactitude; fidelity; probity |
| Verbose (adjective) | wordy The professor's answer was so verbose that his student forgot what the original question had been. Synonyms: long-winded; loquacious; prolix; superfluous |
| Verdant (adjective) | green with vegetation; inexperienced He wandered deep into the verdant woods in search of mushrooms and other edible flora. Synonyms: grassy; leafy; wooded |
| Vernal (adjective) | related to spring; fresh Bea basked in the balmy vernal breezes, happy that winter was coming to an end. Synonyms: springlike; youthful |
| Vestige (noun) | a trace; a remnant Vestige of the former tenant still remained in the apartment, though he hadn't lived there for years. Synonyms: relic; remains; sign |
| Vex (verb) | to annoy, irritate, puzzle or confuse The old man who loved his peace and quiet was vexed by his neighbor's loud music. Synonyms: annoy; bother; chafe; exasperate; irk; nettle; peeve; provoke |
| Vicissitude (noun) | a change or variation Investors must be prepared for vicissitudes of the stock market. Synonyms: inconstancy; mutability |
| Vim (noun) | vitality and energy The vim with which she worked so early in the day explained why she was so productive. Synonyms: force; power |
| Viscous (adjective) | think and adhesive, like a slow-flowing fluid Most viscous liquids, like oil or honey, become even thicker as they are cooled down. Synonyms: gelatinous; glutinous; thick |
| Vituperate (verb) | to abuse verbally; to berate Vituperating someone is never a constructive way to effect change. Synonyms: castigate; reproach; scold |
| Volatile (adjective) | easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive His volatile personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything. Synonyms: capricious; erratic; fickle; inconsistent; inconstant; mercurial; temperamental |
| Voluble (adjective) | talkative; speaking easily; glib The voluble man and his reserved wife proved the old saying that opposites attract. Synonyms: loquacious; verbose |
| Wan (adjective) | sickly pale The sick child had a wan face, in contrast to her rosy-cheeked sister. Synonyms: ashen; sickly |
| Wanton (adjective) | undisciplined; unrestrained; reckless The townspeople were outraged by the wanton display of disrespect when they discovered the statute of the town founder covered in graffiti. Synonyms: capricious; lewd; licentious |
| Waver (verb) | to fluctuate between choices If you waver too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice. Synonyms: dither; falter; fluctuate; oscillate; vacillate |
| Whimsical (adjective) | lightly acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable The ballet was whimsical, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets. Synonyms: capricious; erratic; flippant; frivolous |
| Wily (adjective) | clever; deceptive Yet again, the wily coyote managed to elude the ranchers who wanted to capture it. Synonyms: crafty; cunning; tricky |
| Winsome (adjective) | charming; happily engaging Lenore gave the doorman a winsome smile, and he let her pass to the front of the line. Synonyms: attractive; delightful |
| Wizened (adjective) | shriveled; withered; wrinkled The wizened old man was told that the plastic surgery necessary to make him look young again would cost more money than he could imagine. Synonyms: atrophied; desiccated; gnarled; wasted |
| Wraith (noun) | a ghost or specter; a ghost of a living person seen just before his or her death Gideon thought he saw a wraith late one night as he sat vigil outside his great uncle's bedroom door. Synonyms: apparition; bogeyman; phantasm; shade; spirit |
| Xenophobia (noun) | a fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers Countries in which xenophobia is prevalent often have more restrictive immigration policies than countries that are more open to foreign influences. Synonyms: bigotry; chauvinism; prejudice |
| Yoke (verb) | to join together As soon as the farmer had yoked his oxen together, he began to plow the fields. Synonyms: bind; harness; pair |
| Zeal (noun) | passion; excitement She brought her typical zeal to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members. Synonyms: ardency; fervor; fire; passion |
| Zealot (noun) | someone passionately devoted to a cause The religious zealot had no time for those who failed to share his strong beliefs. Synonyms: enthusiastic; fanatic; militant; radical |
| Zenith (noun) | the point of culmination; peak The diva considered her appearance at the Metropolitan Opera to be the zenith of her career. Synonyms: acme; pinnacle |
| Zephyr (noun) | a gentle breeze; something airy or unsubstantial The zephyr from the ocean made the intense heat on the beach bearable for the sunbathers. Synonyms: breath; draft |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.