| Term | Definition |
|---|
| abstruse | extremely difficult to understand (syn) esoteric, arcane, recondite, occult (ant) simple, straightforward |
| affront | an openb or intentional insult; a slight; to insult to one's face; to face in defiance, confront (syn) offense, offend (ant) compliment, praise |
| canard | a false rumor, fabricated story, hoax |
| captious | excessively ready to find fault; given to petty criticism; intended to trap, confuse, or show (syn) faultfinding, nit-picking, carping (ant) uncritical |
| cognizant | aware, knowledgable, informed; having jurisdiction (syn) conscious, acquainted (ant) unaware, unconcious, oblivious |
| contrite | regretful for some misdeed or sin; plagued by a sense of giult; thoroughly penitent (syn) remorseful, rueful (ant) unrepentant, unapologetic, impenitent |
| cynosure | center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct, focus |
| decorous | well behaved, dignified, socially proper (syn) seemly, becoming, tasteful (ant) unseemly, unbecoming, improper, tasteless |
| deign | to think it appropriate or suitable to one's dignity to do something; to condescend (syn) deem, stoop |
| desiccated | thoroughly dried out; divested of spirit or vitality; arid and uninteresting (syn) dehydrated, shriveled, parched (ant) sodden, soggy, waterlogged, drenched |
| efficacy | the power to produce a desird result (syn) effectiveness, potency, reliability (ant) ineffectiveness, impotence |
| engender | to bring into existence, give rise to, produce; to come into existence, assume form (syn) beget, generate, cause, form (ant) stop, deter |
| ethereal | light, airy, delicate; highly refined; suggesting what is heavenly (syn) heavenly, celestial, gossamer (ant) infernal, hellish, thick, heavy |
| facade | the front or face of a building; a surface appearance (syn) exterior, surface, mask, pretense (ant0 interior |
| ghoulish | revolting in an unnatural or morbid way; suggestive of someone who robs graves or otherwise preys on the dead, fiendish, barbarous, monstrous |
| incongruous | not in keeping, unsuitable, incompatible (syn) dischordant, jarring (ant) compatible, harmonious, consistent |
| machination | crafty, scheming, or underhanded action designed to accomplish some end (syn) plot, scheme, maneuver |
| mesmerize | to hynotize, entrance; to fascinate, enthrall, bewitch |
| opprobrium | disgrace arising from shameful conduct; comtempt, reproach (syn) infamy, dishonor, odium, shame (ant) acclaim, honor, glory, renown |
| putative | generally regarded as such; reputed; hypothesized, inferred (syn) supposed, presumed (ant) known, corroborated, confirmed |
Combine with other sets
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace