1.
adroit: skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind
2.
adulterate: to make impure, to contaminate
3.
adventitious: accidental; casual; happening by chance
4.
aegis: protection
5.
aesthetic: pertaining to beauty
6.
affectation: a phony attitude; pose
7.
affinity: an attraction to
8.
affluence: wealth; richness
9.
agape: open-mouthed, surprised, agog
10.
aggrandize: to enlarge; to expand
11.
altruism: concern for others
12.
ambiguous: open to more than one interpretation
13.
amoral: lacking a sense of right and wrong
14.
amorphous: formless; lacking shape or definition
15.
animosity: hatred
16.
antipathy: strong dislike
17.
antithesis: the direct opposite
18.
apotheosis: the finest example
19.
auspicious: signaling favorable or promising results
20.
avuncular: similar to an uncle
21.
badinage: playful, teasing talk
22.
banal: common, ordinary, lacking freshness, hackneyed
23.
baroque: overly decorated
24.
bauble: a showy but useless thing
25.
bedlam: A state or scene of uproar and confusion
26.
beguile: to deceive; to charm; to enchant
27.
besiege: to overwhelm; to surround and attack
28.
besmirch: to make dirty; to stain
29.
bestial: savage; brutal
30.
bilious: bad tempered, cross
31.
blanch: to whiten; to make pale
32.
bland: mild; tasteless; dull
33.
blandishment: flattery
34.
bombast: impressive but meaningless language
35.
bona fide: in good faith
36.
boor: a rude or impolite person
37.
bovine: cow related; cowlike
38.
bowdlerize: to remove offensive portions from a book
39.
brevity: briefness; short duration
40.
bucolic: pertaining to the countryside; rural, rustic
41.
callow: young and inexperienced
42.
carcinogen: causing cancer
43.
carnal: relating to physical appetite, especially sexual
44.
carrion: dead and rotting flesh
45.
cataclysm: a violent change
46.
cataract: a large waterfall
47.
caveat: a warning
48.
celibate: abstaining from intercourse; unmarried
49.
censure: to criticize sharply
50.
cessation: a stopping; a discontinuance
51.
chaff: worthless matter
52.
chagrin: embarrassment
53.
chimerical: imaginary; fantastic
54.
coalesce: to blend; to merge
55.
contiguous: making contact or touching at some point; side by side
56.
debacle: a complete failure; a total collapse
57.
debauchery: corruption; self-indulgence
58.
deference: respect; consideration
59.
defile: to pollute, to corrupt
60.
deign: to lower oneself before an inferior
61.
delineate: to describe; to depict
62.
demeanor: behavior; manner of conducting oneself
63.
denouement: an outcome; result
64.
deride: to ridicule; to mock
65.
despicable: contemptible, hateful
66.
dessicated: dried up
67.
desultory: wandering from subject to subject
68.
deviate: to turn aside from a course, norm, pattern, or subject
69.
diadem: a crown
70.
diaphanous: very sheer and light
71.
dichotomy: division into two parts
72.
ebullient: enthusiastic
73.
eclectic: choosing from various sources
74.
edify: improve someone morally
75.
effete: worn out; barren
76.
egregious: remarkably bad; outrageous
77.
elegy: a sad or mournful poem
78.
elicit: to draw forth; to call forth
79.
elixir: a supposed remedy for all ailments
80.
elucidate: to make clear
81.
emanate: to come forth; to send forth
82.
emendation: a correction
83.
empathy: an understanding of another's feelings
84.
empirical: based on practical experience rather than theory
85.
endemic: confined to a particular country or area
86.
enervate: weaken mentally or morally
87.
ennui: boredom; a weariness resulting from lack of interest
88.
ephermeral: lasting for a short time
89.
epitome: a typical example
90.
ergo: therefore
91.
erotic: pertaining to passionate love or sexual love
92.
eschew: avoid and stay away from deliberately
93.
extenuate: to lessen seriousness by providing partial excuses
94.
facetious: comical; jocular; flippant
95.
factious: causing disagreement
96.
fastidious: hard to please; fussy
97.
fatuous: silly, foolish
98.
fecund: fertile; productive
99.
ferret: to search or drive out
100.
fervent: eager; earnest
101.
fetish: an object that receives respect or devotion
102.
finesse: diplomacy; tact; artful management
103.
fiscal: pertaining to finances
104.
fissure: an opening; a groove; a split
105.
flaccid: flabby
106.
flagellate: to whip; to lash
107.
flaunt: to show off
108.
flout: to ridicule; to show contempt for
109.
foment: to stir up; to incite
110.
fop: an excessively fashion-conscious man
111.
fortuitous: happening by chance
112.
gambol: to frolic; to romp about playfully
113.
garish: tastelessly gaudy
114.
garner: to gather; to acquire
115.
garrulous: talkative
116.
germane: relevant; fitting
117.
gibe: to scoff, to ridicule
118.
gloat: to look at or think about with great satisfaction
119.
glower: to stare angrily
120.
grandiose: impressive; showy; magnificent
121.
gratuitous: unnecessary or uncalled for
122.
grotesque: absurd; distorted
123.
gumption: courage and initiative; common sense
124.
hackneyed: commonplace; overused
125.
halcyon: calm, pleasant
126.
hallow: to make holy
127.
harbinger: an omen or sign
128.
harlequin: a clown
129.
hector: to bully; to pester
130.
hedonism: pursuit of pleasure, especially of the senses
131.
hegira: flight, escape
132.
hermetic: tightly sealed
133.
heterogeneous: different; dissimilar
134.
hiatus: a pause or gap
135.
hoi polloi: common people; the masses
136.
hospice: a shelter for travelers, orphans, or the ill or destitute
137.
hubris: excessive pride or self-confidence
138.
hybrid: anything of mixed origin
139.
idiosyncrasy: a peculiar personality trait
140.
idolatry: excessive or blind adoration; worship of an object
141.
ignoble: dishonorable
142.
imminent: about to happen
143.
immolate: to kill someone as a sacrificial victim, usually by fire
144.
immutable: unchangeable, fixed
145.
impair: to weaken; to cause to become worse
146.
impale: to pierce with a sharp stake through the body
147.
impalpable: unable to be felt, intangible
148.
impecunious: without money; penniless
149.
impediment: a barrier; obstruction
150.
imperative: extremely necessary; vitally important
151.
imperious: domineering; haughty
152.
impinge: to encroach; to trespass
153.
impious: disrespectful towards God
154.
importune: to ask persistently; to beg
155.
impotent: powerless; lacking strength
156.
imprecation: a curse
157.
incendiary: causing to excite or inflame
158.
inimitable: cannot be imitated
159.
jocular: humorous, lighthearted
160.
juxtapose: to place side-by-side for comparison
161.
kinetic: pertaining to motion
162.
kismet: destiny; fate; fortune (one's lot in life)
163.
knell: a sound made by a bell, often rung slowly for a death or funeral
164.
labyrinth: a complex system of interconnecting cavities
165.
lachrymose: tearful; weepy
166.
laconic: using few words
167.
lambent: softly bright or radiant; moving lightly over a surface
168.
languid: sluggish; drooping from weakness
169.
lascivious: lustful or lewd
170.
legerdemain: sleight of hand; deception
171.
libertine: one who leads an immoral life
172.
machination: an evil design or plan
173.
macroscopic: visible to the naked eye
174.
maelstrom: whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind
175.
malapropism: a word humorously misused
176.
malfeasance: poor conduct or wrongdoing, especially on the part of a public official
177.
malleable: capable of being changed; easily shaped
178.
martinet: a strict disciplinarian; taskmaster
179.
masochist: one who enjoys his or her own pain and suffering
180.
mendacious: lying; false; deceitful
181.
meretricious: attractive in a cheap, flashy way
182.
milieu: environment; setting
183.
miscreant: a vicious person
184.
nebulous: hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused
185.
necromancy: magic, especially that practiced by a witch
186.
neologism: a new word or expression
187.
nihilism: a total rejection of established laws
188.
nirvana: a condition of great peace or happiness
189.
non sequitur: something that does not logically follow
190.
nonentity: a person or thing of little importance
191.
nubile: suitable for marriage in age and physical development, referring to a female
192.
obdurate: stubborn, unyielding
193.
obfuscate: to confuse; to bewilder
194.
obloquy: state of disgrace resulting from public abuse
195.
obsequious: excessively submissive or overly attentive
196.
obviate: to prevent; to get around
197.
offal: garbage; waste parts
198.
olfactory: pertaining to smell
199.
onerous: burdensome
200.
onus: a burden, responsibility, obligation
201.
optimum: best; most favorable; ideal
202.
opulent: wealthy, luxurious; ample; grandiose
203.
orifice: mouth; opening
204.
orthography: correct spelling
205.
paleontology: a science dealing with prehistoric life through the study of fossils
206.
palliate: to ease, to lessen, to soothe
207.
panache: self-confidence; a showy manner
208.
pandemic: general; widespread
209.
panegyric: an expression of praise
210.
paradigm: a model; an example
211.
parochial: local; narrow; limited
212.
parody: a composition that imitates somebody's style in a humorous way
213.
paroxysm: a sudden outburst; a fit
214.
patent: evident or obvious
215.
peccadillo: a minor offense
216.
pecuniary: pertaining to money; financial
217.
pedantic: tending to show off one's learning
218.
pedestrian: ordinary
219.
pejorative: having a negative effect; insulting
220.
perdition: damnation; ruin; hell
221.
perfunctory: cursory; done without care or interest
222.
perspicacity: keenness in observing and understanding
223.
peruse: to read carefully
224.
platonic: marked by the absence of romantic or physical attraction
225.
potificate: speak in a pretentiously dignified or dogmatic way
226.
proletariat: working class or lower class; blue collar
227.
prurient: giving into lust or having lewd thoughts
228.
quagmire: a swamp; a difficult or inextricable situation
229.
quandary: a puzzling situation; a dilemma
230.
quasi-: resembling but not actually being; seemingly but not actually or completely
231.
querulous: complaining; grumbling
232.
quiddity: an essential quality
233.
raiment: clothing; garments
234.
rakish: dashingly stylish and confident
235.
ratiocinate: to reason; to think
236.
rationalize: to make an excuse for
237.
rebuke: to scold; to blame
238.
recant: to withdraw or disavow a statement or opinion
239.
recapitulate: summarize
240.
recoil: to retreat; to draw back
241.
recondite: difficult to understand; profound
242.
recreant: a coward; a traitor
243.
rectify: to correct; to make right
244.
redolent: having a pleasant odor; suggestive or evocative
245.
redundant: repetitious; using more words than needed
246.
refractory: unmanageable or difficult to control
247.
regale: to delight with something pleasing or amusing
248.
regress: to move in a backward direction
249.
sacrosanct: extremely holy
250.
sadistic: deriving pleasure from inflicting pain on others
251.
sagacious: wise
252.
salacious: obscene; lusty
253.
salient: significant; conspicuous; standing out from the rest
254.
salutary: healthful; wholesome
255.
sang-froid: calmness; composure or cool self-possession
256.
sanguine: confidently optimistic and cheerful
257.
sapient: wise; full of knowledge
258.
saturnine: gloomy; sluggish
259.
savant: a person of extensive learning; an eminent scholar
260.
scintillate: to sparkle; to twinkle; to sparkle intellectually
261.
scurrilous: coarsely abusive; vulgar
262.
sedition: rebellion or resistance against the government
263.
sedulous: diligent
264.
sentient: conscious; capable of feeling or perceiving
265.
shard: a fragment
266.
shibboleth: a word or pronunciation that distinguishes someone as of a particular group
267.
sibilant: a hissing sound
268.
specious: deceptive or misleading
269.
tenacious: strongly held; not easy to separate
270.
vociferous: marked by noise; loud