| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abandon | total lack of inhibition |
| abase | to humble; disgrace |
| abdicate | to give up a position, right, or power |
| aberration | something different from the usual |
| abet | to aid; act as accomplice |
| abhor | to loathe, detest |
| abject | miserable, pitiful |
| abolitionist | one who opposes the practice of slavery |
| abortive | interrupted while incomplete |
| abridge | to condense, shorten |
| abrogate | to put an end to, abolish by authority |
| abscond | to depart secretly |
| absolve | to forgive, free from blame |
| abstain | to choose not to do something |
| accolade | parise, distinction |
| accrue | to accumulate, grow by additions |
| acerbic | bitter,sharp in taste or temper |
| acme | highest point; summit |
| acquiesce | to agree; comply quietly |
| acrid | harsh, bitter |
| acrimony | bitterness, animosity |
| acuity | sharpness |
| acumen | sharpness of insight |
| adage | old saying or proverb |
| adamant | uncompromising, unyielding |
| adapt | to accommodate; adjust |
| adhere | to cling or follow without deviation |
| adjacent | next to |
| admonish | to caution or reprimand |
| adroit | skillful, accomplished, highly competent |
| adulation | high praise |
| adumbrate | to sketch, outline in a shadowy way |
| adversarial | antagonistic, competitive |
| aerie | nook or nest built high in the air |
| aesthetic | pertaining to beauty or art |
| affable | friendly, easy to approach |
| affected (adj.) | pretentious, phony |
| affluent | rich, abundant |
| affront(n.) | peronal offense, insult |
| agenda | plan, schedule |
| agile | well coordinated, nimble |
| agitation | commotion, excitement, uneasiness |
| agrarian | relating to farming or rural matters |
| alacrity | cheerrul willingness, eagerness; speed |
| alias | assumed name |
| alienated | distance, estranged |
| allegory | symbolic representation |
| alleviate | to relieve, improve partially |
| allure (v.) | to entice by charm; attract |
| allusion | indirect reference |
| aloof | detached, indifferent |
| altruism | unselfish concern for other's welfare |
| ambiguous | uncertain; subject to multiple interpretations |
| ambivalence | attitude of uncertainty, conflicting emotions |
| ameliorate | to make better, improve |
| amenable | agreeable, cooperative |
| amend | to imrove or correct flaws in |
| amenity | pleasantness; something increasing comfort |
| amiable | friendly, pleasant, likable |
| amicable | friendly, agreeable |
| amoral | unprinciple, unethical |
| amorphous | having no definite form |
| amphibian | creature equally at home on land or in water |
| ample | abundant, plentiful |
| amulet | ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits |
| anachronistic | outdated |
| anarchy | absence of government or law; chaos |
| animation | enthusiasm, excitement |
| animosity | hatred, hostility |
| annul | to cancel, nullify, declare void, or make legally invalid |
| anomaly | irregularity or deviation from the norm |
| anonymity | condition of having no name or an unknown name |
| antagonist | foe, opponent, adversary |
| antecedent (adj.) | coming before in place or time |
| anthology | collection of literary works |
| antipathy | dislike, hostility; extreme opposition or aversion |
| antiquated | outdated, obsolete |
| antiquity | ancient times, the quality of being old |
| antithesis | exact opposite or direct contrast |
| apathy | lack of feeling or emotion |
| aphorism | old saying or short, pithy statement |
| apocryphal | not genuine; fictional |
| appease | to satisfy, placate, calm, pacify |
| approbation | praise, official approval |
| appropriate (v.) | to take possession of |
| arable | suitable for cultivation |
| arbitrary | depending solely on individual will; inconsistent |
| arboreal | relating to trees; living in trees |
| arcane | secret, obscure, known only to a few |
| archaic | antiquated, from an earlier time; outdated |
| archipelago | large group of islands |
| ardent | passionate, enthusiastic, fervent |
| arduous | extremely difficult, laborious |
| arid | extremely dry or deathly boring |
| arsenal | ammunition storehouse |
| articulate (adj.) | well spoken, expressing oneself clearly |
| artisan | craftsperson; expert |
| ascend | to rise or climb |
| ascetic | self denying, abstinent, austere |
| ashen | resembling ashes; pale |
| askew | crooked, tilted |
| asperson | false rumor, damaging report, slander |
| aspire | to have great hopes; to aim at a goal |
| assail | to atack, assault |
| assiduous | diligent, persistent, hard-working |
| assuage | to make less severe, ease, relieve |
| astrigent | harsh, severe, stern |
| astute | having good judgement |
| atone | to make amends for a wrong |
| atrocious | monstrous, shockingly bad |
| attain | to accomplish, gain |
| attenuate | to make thin or slender; weaken |
| audacious | bold daring, fearless |
| audible | capable of being heard |
| augment | to expand, extend |
| august | dignified, awe inspiring, venerable |
| auspicious | having favorable prospects, promising |
| austere | stern, strict, unadorned |
| authoritarian | extemely strict, bossy |
| autocrat | dictator |
| avarice | greed |
| avenge | to retaliate, take revenge for an injury or crime |
| aver | to declare to be true, affirm |
| aversion | intense dislike |
| avert | to turn (something) away; prevent, hinder |
| aviary | large enclosure housing birds |
| awry | crooked, askew, amiss |
| baleful | harmful |
| ballad | folk song, narrative poem |
| balm | soothing, healing influence |
| banal | trite, overly common |
| bane | something causing death, destruction, or ruin |
| banter | playful conversation |
| bastion | fortification, stronghold |
| bay (v.) | to bark, especially in a deep, prolonged way |
| beguile | to deceive, mislead; charm |
| behemoth | huge creature |
| belabor | to insist repeatedly or harp on |
| belie | to mispresent; expose as false |
| belligerent | hostile, tending to fight |
| benefactor | someone giving aid or money |
| beneficient | kindly, charitable; doing good deeds; producing good effects |
| benighted | unenlightened |
| benign | kindly, gentle, or harmless |
| bequeth | to give or leave through a will; to hand down |
| berate | to scold harshly |
| beseech | to beg, plead, implore |
| bestial | beastly, animal-like |
| bias | prejudice, slant |
| bibliography | list of books |
| bisect | to cut into two (usually equal) parts |
| blanch | to pale; take the color out of |
| blandish | to coax with flattery |
| blasphemous | cursing, profane, irreverent |
| blatant | glaring, obvious, showy |
| blight (v.) | to afflict, destroy |
| boisterous | rowdy, loud, unrestrained |
| bombastic | using high-sounding but meaningless language |
| boor | crude person, one lacking manners or taste |
| botanist | scientist who studies plants |
| bovine | cowlike; relating to cows |
| brazen | bold, shameless, impudent; of or like barss |
| broach (v.) | to mention or suggest for the first time |
| burgeon | to sprout or flourish |
| burnish | to polish, make smooth and bright |
| buttress (v.) | to reinforce or support |
| cacophony | jarring, unpleasant noise |
| cajole | to flatter, coax, persuade |
| callous | thick-skinned, insensitive |
| callow | immature, lacking sophistication |
| candor | honesty of expression |
| canny | smart; founded on common sense |
| capitulate | to submit completely, surrender |
| capricious | impulsive, whimisical, without much thought |
| caricature | exagerrated portrait, cartoon |
| cartography | science or art of making maps |
| castigate | to punish, chastise, criticize severly |
| catalyst | something causing change without being changed |
| catholic | universal; broad and comprehensive |
| caucus | smaller group within an organization; a meeting of such a group |
| caustic | biting, sarcastic; able to burn |
| cede | to surrender possession of something |
| censorious | severly critical |
| cessation | temporary or complete halt |
| chagrin | shame, embarrassment, humiliation |
| champion (v.) | to defend or support |
| chaotic | extremely disorderly |
| charlatan | quack, fake |
| chary | watchful, cautious, extremely shy |
| chastise | to punish, discipline, scold |
| chide | to scold, express disapproval |
| chromatic | relating to color |
| circuitous | roundabout |
| circumference | boundary or distance around a circle or sphere |
| circumscribe | to encircle; set limits on, confine |
| circumspect | cautious, wary |
| citadel | fortress or stronghold |
| civil | polite; relating to citizens |
| clairvoyant (adj.) | having ESP, psychic |
| clamor | to make a noisy outcry; a noisy outcry |
| clandestine | secretive |
| clemency | merciful leniency |
| cloister (v.) | to confine, seclude |
| coalesce | to grow together or cause to unite as one |
| coddle | to baby, treat indulgently |
| coerce | to compel by force or intimidation |
| cogent | logically forceful, compelling, convincing |
| coherent | intelligible, lucid, understandable |
| collateral | accompanying |
| colloquial | characteristic of informal speech |
| collusion | collaboration, complicity, conspiracy |
| commensurate | proportional |
| commodious | roomy, spacious |
| communicable | transmittable |
| commute | to change a penalty to a less severe one |
| compensate | to repay or reimburse |
| complacent | self-satisfied, smug |
| complement | to complete, perfect |
| compliant | submissive and yielding |
| complicity | knowing partnership in wrongdoing |
| compunction | feeling of uneasiness caused by guilt or regret |
| concave | curving inward |
| concede | to yield, admit |
| conciliatory | overcoming distrust or hostility |
| concur | to agree |
| condone | to pardon or forgive; overlook, justify or excuse a fault |
| conduit | tube, pipe, or similar passage |
| conflagration | big, destructive fire |
| confound | to baffle, perplex |
| congeal | to become thick or solid, as a liquid freezing |
| congenial | similar in tastes and habits |
| conglomerate | collected group of varied things |
| conjecture | speculation, prediction |
| conscientious | governed by conscience; careful and thorough |
| consecrate | to declare sacred; dedicate to a goal |
| consensus | unanimity, agreement of opinion or attitude |
| consolation | something providing comfort or solace for a loss or hardship |
| consolidate | to combine, incorporate |
| constrained | forced, compelled; confined, restrained |
| construe | to explain or interpret |
| contentious | quarrrelsome, disagreeable, belligerent |
| continence | self-control, self-restraint |
| contravene | to contradict, deny, act contrary to |
| contrite | deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong |
| conundrum | riddle, puzzle or problem with no solution |
| convalescence | gradual recovery after an illness |
| convene | to meet, come together, assemble |
| conventional | typical, customary, commonplace |
| convex | curved outward |
| convoluted | twisted, complicated, involved |
| copious | abundant, plentiful |
| corroborate | to confirm, verify |
| cosmetic (adj.) | relating to beauty; affecting the surface of something |
| cosmopolitan | sophisticated, free from local prejudices |
| coterie | small group of persons with a similar purpose |
| covert | hidden; secret |
| covet | to desire strongly something possessed by another |
| crass | crude, unrefined |
| craven | cowardly |
| credence | acceptance of something as true or real |
| credulous | gullible,trusting |
| creed | statement of belief or principle |
| cryptic | puzzling |
| cuisine | characteristic style of cooking |
| culmination | climax, final stage |
| culpable | guilty, greed |
| curmudgeon | cranky person |
| cursory | hastily done, superficial |
| curt | abrupt, blunt |
| curtail | to shorten |
| cnyic | person who distrusts the motives of others |
| daunt | to discourage, intimidate |
| dearth | lack, scarcity, insufficiency |
| debase | to degrade or lower in quality or stature |
| debilitate | to weaken, enfeeble |
| debunk | to discredit, disprove |
| deciduous | falling off or shed seasonally; short-lived, temporary |
| decorum | proper behavior, etiquette |
| decry | to belittle, openly condemn |
| deface | to mar the appearance of, vandalize |
| defamatory | slanderous, injurious to the reputation |
| deferential | respectful and polite in a submissive way |
| deflation | decrease, depreciation |
| defunct | no longer existing, extinct |
| delectable | appetizing, delicious |
| delegate (v.) | to give powers to another |
| deleterious | harmful, destructive, detrimental |
| deluge | flood |
| demagogue | leader, rabble-rouser, usually using appeals to emotion or prejudice |
| demean | to degrade, humiliate, humble |
| demographics | data relating to study of human population |
| demote | to reduce to a lower grade or rank |
| demur | to express doubts or objections |
| denigrate | to slur someone's reputation |
| deplete | to use up, exhaust |
| deplore | to express or feel disapproval of; regret strongly |
| deploy | to spread out strategically over an area |
| depravity | sinfulness, moral corruption |
| deprecate | to belittle, disparage |
| depreciate | to lose value gradually |
| deride | to mock, ridicule, make fun of |
| derivative | copied or adapted; not original |
| dessicate | to dry completely, dehydrate |
| desist | to stop doing something |
| despondent | feeling discouraged and dejected |
| despot | tyrannical ruler |
| desultory | at random, rambling, unmethodical |
| deter | to discourage; prevent from happening |
| deviate | to stray, wander |
| dexterous | skilled physically or mentally |
| dialect | regional style of speaking |
| deaphanous | allowing light to show through, delicate |
| diatribe | bitter verbal attack |
| dictum | authoritative statement; popular saying |
| didactic | excessively instructive |
| diffidence | shyness, lack of confidence |
| diffuse | widely spread out |
| digress | to turn aside; to stray from the main point |
| dilapidated | in disrepair, rundown, neglected |
| dilate | to enlarge, swell, extend |
| dilatory | slow, tending to delay |
| diplomacy | discretion, tact |
| dirge | funeral hymn |
| disarray | clutter, disorder |
| disburse | to pay out |
| discern | to perceive something obscure |
| disconcerting | bewildering, perplexing, slightly disturbing |
| discordant | harsh-sounding, badly out of tune |
| discredit | to dishonor or disgrace |
| discrepancy | difference between |
| disdain | to regard with scorn and contempt |
| disgorge | to vomit, discharge violently |
| disheveled | untidy, disarranged, unkempt |
| disparge | to belittle, speak disrespectfully about |
| disparate | dissimilar, different in kind |
| dispassionate | free from emotion; impartial, unbiased |
| dispel | to drive out or scatter |
| dispense | to distribute, administer |
| disperse | to break up, scatter |
| dispirit | to dishearten, make dejected |
| disrepute | disgrace, dishonor |
| dissemble | to pretend, disguise one's motives |
| disseminate | to spread far and wide |
| dissipate | to scatter; to pursue pleasure to excess |
| dissuade | to persuade someone to alter original intentions |
| distraught | very worried and distressed |
| dither | to move or act confusedly or without clear purpose |
| diurnal | daily |
| divine(v.) | to foretell or know by inspiration |
| divisive | creating disunity or conflict |
| docile | tame, willing to be taught |
| doctrinaire | rigidly devoted to theories |
| dogmatic | rigidly fixed in opinion, opinionated |
| doleful | sad, mournful |
| dormant | at rest, inactive, in suspended animation |
| doting | excessively fond, loving to excess |
| dour | sullen and gloomy; stern and severe |
| drivel | stupid talk; slobber |
| droll | amusing in a wry, subtle way |
| dulcet | pleasant sounding, soothing to the ear |
| dupe | to deceive, trick; a fool or pawn |
| duplicity | deception, dishonesty, double-dealing |
| dyspeptic | suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable |
| ebb | to fade away, recede |
| ebullient | exhilarated, full of enthusiasm and high spirits |
| eclectic | selecting from various sources |
| estatic | joyful |
| edict | law, command, official public order |
| edifice | building |
| edify | to instruct morally and spiritually |
| efface | to erase or make illegible |
| effervescent | bubbly, lively |
| effigy | stuffed doll; likeness of a person |
| effrontery | impudent boldness; audacity |
| effulgent | brilliantly shining |
| effusive | expressing emotion without restraint |
| egocentric | acting as if things are centered around oneself |
| egregious | conspicuously bad |
| elation | exhilaration, joy |
| elegy | mournful person |
| elicit | to draw out, provoke |
| eloquence | fluent and effective speech |
| emaciated | skinny, scrawny, gaunt, especially from hunger |
| emancipate | to set free, liberate |
| embellish | to ornament; make attractive with decoration or details; add details to a statement |
| embezzle | to steal money in violation of a trust |
| eminent | celebrated, distinguished; outstanding, towering |
| emollient | having soothing qualitites, especially for skin |
| empathy | identification with another's feelings |
| emulate | to copy, imitate |
| endemic | belonging to a particular area, inherent |
| enervate | to weaken, sap strength from |
| engender | to produce, cause, bring about |
| enigmatic | puzzling, inexplicable |
| enjoin | to urge, order, command; forbid or prohibit, as by judicial order |
| enmity | hostility, antagonism, ill-will |
| ennui | boredom, lack of interest and energy |
| enormity | state of being gigantic or terrible |
| ensconce | to settle comfortable into a place |
| enthrall | to captivate, enchant, enslave |
| entreat | to plead, beg |
| enunciate | to pronounce clearly |
| ephemeral | momentary, transient, fleeting |
| epicure | person with refined taste in food and wine |
| epigram | short, witty saying or poem |
| epilogue | concluding section of a literay work |
| epitome | representative of an entire group; summary |
| equanimity | calmness, composure |
| equine | relating to horses |
| equivocal | ambiguous, open to more than one interpretation |
| equivocate | to use vague or ambiguous language intentionally |
| eradicate | to erase or wipe out |
| errant | straying, mistaken, roving |
| erudite | learned, scholarly |
| eschew | to abstain from, avoid |
| esoteric | understood by only a learned few |
| espouse | to support or advocate; to marry |
| estrange | to alienate, keep at a distance |
| ethereal | not earthly, spiritual, delicate |
| eulogy | high praise, often in a public speech |
| euphemism | use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distastful one |
| euphony | pleasant, harmonious sound |
| euphoria | feeling of well-being or happiness |
| evade | to avoid, dodge |
| evanescent | momentary, transitory, short-lived |
| evict | to put out or force out |
| exacerbate | to aggravate, intensify the bad qualities of |
| exasperation | irritation |
| excerpt (n.) | selection from a book or play |
| excruciating | agonizing, intensely painful |
| exculpate | to clear of blame or fault, vindicate |
| execrable | utterly detestable, abhorrent |
| exhilaration | state of being energetic or filled with happiness |
| exhort | to urge or incite by strong appeals |
| exonerate | to clear or blame, absolve |
| exorbitant | extravagant, greater than reasonable |
| expedient (adj.) | convenient, efficient, practical |
| expiate | to atone for, make amends for |
| explicit | clearly defined, specific; forthright in expression |
| exponent | one who champions or advocates |
| expound | to elaborate; to expand or increase |
| expunge | to erase, eliminate completely |
| expurgate | to censor |
| extemporaneous | unrehearsed, on the spur of the moment |
| extenuate | to lessen the seriousness, strength, or effect of |
| extol | to praise |
| extricate | to free from, disentangle |
| extrinsic | not inherent or essential, coming from without |
| exuberant | lively, happy, and full of good spirits |
| exude | to give off, ooze |
| exult | to rejoice |
| fabricate | to make or devise; constuct |
| facade | face, front; mask, superficial appearance |
| facile | very easy |
| fallacious | wrong, unsound, illogical |
| fallow | uncultivated, unused |
| fanaticism | extreme devotion to a cause |
| farcical | absurd, ludicrous |
| fastidious | careful with details |
| fathom (v.) | to measure the depth of, gauge |
| fatuous | stupid, foolishly self-satisfied |
| fawn (v.) | to flatter excessively, seek the favor of |
| faze | to bother, upset or disconcert |
| feckless | ineffective, careless, irresponsible |
| feign | to pretend, give a false impression; to invent falsely |
| felicitous | suitable, appropriate; well-spoken |
| fell (v.) | to chop, cut down |
| fervid | passionate, intense, zealous |
| fetid | foul-smelling, putrid |
| fiasco | disaster, utter failure |
| fidelity | loyalty |
| finicky | fussy, difficult to please |
| flaccid | limp, flabby, weak |
| flagrant | outrageous, shameless |
| flamboyant | flashy, garish; exciting, dazzling |
| flaunt | to show off |
| flora | plants |
| florid | gaudy, extremely ornate; ruddy, flushed |
| flounder | to falter, waver; to muddle, struggle |
| flout | to treat contemptuously; scorn |
| fluctuate | to alternate, waver |
| foible | minor weakness or character flaw |
| foil (v.) | to defeat, frustrate |
| foment | to arouse or incite |
| ford (v.) | to cross a body of water at a shallow place |
| foreboding | dark sense of evil to come |
| forestall | to prevent, delay; anticipate |
| forethought | anticipation, foresight |
| forgo | to go without, refrain from |
| forlorn | dreary, deserted; unhappy; hopeless, despairing |
| forswear | to repudiate, renounce, disclaim, reject |
| forte | strong point, something a person does well |
| fortuitous | happening by luck, fortunate |
| foster | to nourish, cultivate, promote |
| founder (v.) | to fall helplessly; sink; fail |
| fracas | noisy dispute |
| fractious | unruly, rebellious |
| fraudulent | deceitful, dishonest, unethical |
| fraught | full of, accompanied by |
| frenetic | wildly frantic, frenzied, hectic |
| fulsome | sickeningly excessive; repulsive |
| funereal | mournful, appropriate to a funeral |
| furtive | secret, stealthy |
| gargantuan | giant, tremendous |
| garner | to gather and store |
| garrulous | very talkative |
| gaunt | thin and bony |
| genre | type, class, category |
| germinate | to begin to grow (as with a seed or idea) |
| gestation | growth process from conception to birth |
| gibe | to make heckling, taunting remarks |
| girth | distance around something |
| glib | fluent in an insincer manner; offhand, casual |
| gluttony | eating and drinking to excess |
| goad | to prod or urge |
| grandiloquence | pompous talk, fancy but meaningless language |
| grandiose | magnificent and imposing; exaggerated and pretentious |
| gratis | free, costing nothing |
| gratuitous | free, voluntary; unnecessary and unjustified |
| gregarious | outgoing, sociable |
| grievous | causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing |
| grimace | facial expression showing pain or disgust |
| grovel | to humble oneself in a demeaning way |
| guile | trickery, deception |
| gullible | easily deceived |
| gustatory | relating to sense of taste |
| habitat | dwelling place |
| hackneyed | worn out by overuse |
| hapless | unfortunate, having bad luck |
| harbinger | precursor, sign of something to come |
| hardy | robust, vigorous |
| haughty | arrogant and condescending |
| hedonism | pursuit of pleasure as a goal |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace