abase
(v.) - to lower, demean, degrade
abate
(v.) - to lessen, to reduce in severity
abbreviate
(v.) - to shorten, reduce
abduct
(v.) - to kidnap
aberration
(n.) - a deviation from the expected course
abhor
(v.) - to hate, loathe
abide
(v.) - to put up with, tolerate
abject
(adj.) - of the most miserable or contemptible kind
abort
(v.) - to give up unfinished
abridge
(v.) - to shorten, cut down
abrogate
(v.) - to abolish, often by authority
abscond
(v.) - to sneak away and hide
abundant
(adj.) - in great numbers
accede
(v.) - to agree
accentuate
(v.) - to emphasize, to highlight
accommodating
(adj.) - obliging, helpful
accost
(v.) - to approach or confront aggressively
acumen
(n.) - keen insight
acute
(adj.) - sharp, severe
affable
(adj.) - friendly, amiable
affluent
(adj.) - rich, wealthy
aggrandize
(v.) - to increase or make greater
aggregate
(v.) - to gather, amass
aghast
(adj.) - struck by amazement or terror
agoraphobia
(n.) - an abnormal fear of open or public places
akimbo
(adj.) - with hands on hips and elbows extending outward
alacrity
(n.) - speed, readiness
algid
(adj.) - frigid, cold
allay
(v.) - to sooth, assuage
alleviate
(v.) - to relieve
aloof
(adj.) - reserved, distant
altercation
(n.) - an argument, dispute
amalgamation
(n.) - a union, a merger
ambivalent
(adj.) - having contradictory feelings
amble
(v.) - to stroll, walk
ameliorate
(v.) - to improve, to make better
amend
(v.) - to change for the better, improve
amiable
(adj.) - friendly, affable
amorous
(adj.) - relating to or showing love
amorphous
(adj.) - without shape or borders
anomaly
(n.) - something that does not fit into the normal order
antechamber
(n.) - a waiting room
anxiety
(n.) - uneasiness
aphorism
(n.) - a short saying
apocalypse
(n.) - total devastation, the end of the world
apparitional
(adj.) - ghostly, spectral
arbitrator
(n.) - one who settles controversy between two sides
ascetic
(n.) - one who practices restraint as a means of self-discipline, usually religious
assuage
(v.) - to ease, pacify
atone
(v.) - to apologize, make amends
audacious
(adj.) - excessively bold
augment
(v.) - to increase or make larger
austere
(adj.) - very bare, bleak, simple
baleful
(adj.) - harmful, threatening
bard
(n.) - a poet, often a singer as well
battery
(n.) - an assault or an array of similar things intended for use together
belligerent
(adj.) - contentious, ready to fight
benevolent
(adj.) - kind, good, caring
benign
(adj.) - non-threatening, innocuous
berate
(v.) - to scold severely
bereft
(adj.) - without, devoid of
bide
(v.) - to wait, or remain in a condition
bilk
(v.) - to cheat, to swindle
blandish
(v.) - to coax through flattery
bloated
(adj.) - swollen, bigger than desired
boisterous
(adj.) - loud, energetic
bourgeois
(adj.) - middle class
brash
(adj.) - hasty or lacking in sensitivity
brazen
(adj.) - excessively bold, brash
brumal
(adj.) - wintry, relating to winter
brusque
(adj.) - short, abrupt, dismissive
buffet
(n.) - a spread of food involving choices
buffet
(v.) - to hit or strike
burgeon
(v.) - to come forth, blossom
cacophony
(n.) - noise, discordant sound
cadence
(n.) - rhythm
cajole
(v.) - to urge, coax
callous
(adj.) - harsh, cold, unfeeling
calumny
(n.) - an attempt to defame another's reputation
camaraderie
(n.) - cheerful unity among a group
canvas
(n.) - a piece of cloth on which an artist paints
capricious
(adj.) - impulsive, unpredictable, subject to whim
captivate
(v.) - to hold the interest of, to gain the attention of
carouse
(v.) - to revel, to party
cavity
(n.) - a hole
cavort
(v.) - to frolic, leap, prance
celestial
(adj.) - relating to the sky or the heavens
chastise
(v.) - to criticize, to scold
choreographed
(adj.) - arranged, as in dance
circumlocution
(n.) - indirect language
circumspect
(adj.) - cautious
clairvoyant
(adj.) - able to see things that others cannot
claustrophobia
(n.) - an abnormal fear of closed or crowded spaces
clich�
(n.) - a trite, overused expression
coalesce
(v.) - to combine into one
cogent
(adj.) - intelligent, viable
collusion
(n.) - a conspiracy, a secret agreement
colossus
(n.) - an enormous structure
comatose
(adj.) - lethargic
commendable
(adj.) - worthy of praise
commodious
(adj.) - spacious, roomy
compel
(v.) - to force
complicit
(adj.) - being an accomplice in a wrongful act
compliment
(n.) - an expression of esteem or approval
concede
(v.) - to give in, to accept
conciliatory
(adj.) - agreeable, friendly
concoct
(v.) - to make up or invent
concord
(n.) - agreement
conduit
(n.) - a pipe, passage, channel
confluence
(n.) - a convergence, a coming together
confound
(v.) - to frustrate
connotation
(n.) - a meaning or association suggested by a word beyond its definition
contusion
(n.) - bruise, injury
convalescence
(n.) - the gradual return to health after illness
copious
(adj.) - abundant, plentiful
corpulent
(adj.) - very fat
cosmopolitan
(adj.) - worldly, sophisticated
credulity
(n.) - readiness to believe
cursory
(adj.) - brief to the point of being superficial
daft
(adj.) - insane, foolish
daunting
(adj.) - intimidating
dearth
(n.) - a lack, scarcity
defame
(v.) - to destroy the reputation of
deft
(adj.) - skilled, adept
defunct
(adj.) - no longer used or existing
deleterious
(adj.) - harmful
delude
(v.) - to deceive, to mislead
deluge
(n.) - a great flood or something that overwhelms like a flood
derelict
(adj.) - run-down, abandoned
desolate
(adj.) - deserted, lifeless
despondent
(adj.) - discouraged, hopeless, depressed
destitute
(adj.) - impoverished
diaphanous
(adj.) - transparent, light, airy
dictate
(v.) - to pronounce, command, prescribe
differentiate
(v.) - to distinguish, to make different
dilapidated
(adj.) - in a state of disrepair
diligent
(adj.) - careful, showing care
diminish
(v.) - to decrease or make smaller
diminutive
(adj.) - miniature, small
discreet
(adj.) - prudent or inconspicuous
discrete
(adj.) - separate, distinct, individual
disparage
(v.) - to criticize, degrade, belittle
dissonance
(n.) - lack of harmony or agreement
divergent
(adj.) - different, deviating, contrary
diverse
(adj.) - varied
divisive
(adj.) - causing conflict, opposition
domicile
(n.) - a residence, a home
doppelganger
(n.) - a ghostly double of a living person
douse
(v.) - to drench, saturate
dutiful
(adj.) - careful to fulfill obligations
dynamic
(adj.) - characterized by continuous change or activity
elocution
(n.) - the art of public speaking
elucidate
(v.) - to clarify
empathetic
(adj.) - feeling another's pain as one's own
empathy
(n.) - the experience of another's feelings as one's own
enervate
(v.) - to weaken, make weary
enervated
(adj.) - lacking energy, weakened, exhausted
entity
(n.) - something that exists as a discrete unit
entomology
(n.) - the study of insects
envious
(adj.) - jealous
erect
(v.) - to construct, to raise
erroneous
(adj.) - mistaken, incorrect
espouse
(v.) - to support, or to marry
espy
(v.)- - catch sight of, glimpse
ethereal
(adj.) - heavenly, exceptionally delicate or refined
euphoric
(adj.) - elated, overjoyed
exacerbate
(v.) - to make more violent, intense
excursion
(n.) - a trip, an outing
exemplary
(adj.) - serving as an example
exigent
(adj.) - critical, urgent
existential
(adj.) - relating to existence
exorbitant
(adj.) - excessive
extol
(v.) - to praise
extravagant
(adj.) - excessive, over-the-top
fabricate
(v.) - to invent, make-up, concoct
fabulist
(n.) - a teller of fables; a liar
facile
(adj.) - easy
fallacious
(adj.) - incorrect, misleading
familial
(adj.) - relating to family
fatuous
(adj.) - silly, foolish
fecund
(adj.) - fertile, fruitful
feign
(v.) - to fake or pretend to
feral
(adj.) - savage, wild, untamed
fetter
(v.) - to restrain, chain, tie
fey
(adj.) - magical
fickle
(adj.) - characterized by changeableness, whimsical
figurative
(adj.) - symbolic
firmament
(n.) - the sky, the heavens
flabbergasted
(adj.) - astounded, stupefied
flaccid
(adj.) - limp
flattery
(n.) - compliments, sycophancy
flout
(v.) - to scorn, ignore, show contempt for
fluctuate
(v.) - to vary irregularly
flux
(n.) - a state of constant change or a flow
forage
(v.) - to rummage, scavenge, graze for food
forestall
(v.) - to delay, impede
forlorn
(adj.) - lonely, hopeless
formidable
(adj.) - arousing fear or alarm
forsake
(v.) - to abandon, forget
fortify
(v.) - to strengthen
fortitude
(n.) - strength, bravery
fortuitous
(adj.) - lucky, occurring by chance
foster
(v.) - to stimulate, promote, encourage
frenetic
(adj.) - frenzied, hectic, frantic
gape
(v.) - to open the mouth and stare stupidly
gay
(adj.) - happy, cheery, or homosexual
gluttonous
(adj.) - insatiable in appetite
goad
(v.) - to urge, to provoke into action
gourmand
(n.) - one who likes eating and drinking
grandiose
(adj.) - extraordinary, grand in scope
gregarious
(adj.) - sociable, outgoing
grotto
(n.) - a small cave or cavern
guile
(n.) - deceitful actions or behavior
hail
(v.) - to come from
hapless
(adj.) - unlucky
harmony
(n.) - agreement, often of sound
harrowing
(adj.) - agonizing, distressing
hedonist
(n.) - one whose primary pursuit is pleasure
henchman
(n.) - a trusted follower, goon
hiatus
(n.) - an interruption in continuity, a break
hiemal
(adj.) - wintry, relating to winter
hierarchy
(n.) - a ranking system of groups or individuals
histrionic
(adj.) - excessively dramatic or emotional
idolatrous
(adj.) - worshiping excessively an object or person
illusory
(adj.) - deceptive, produced by an illusion
immaculate
(adj.) - impeccably clean, spotless, pure
immutable
(adj.) - not susceptible to change
impecunious
(adj.) - excessively poor
impervious
(adj.) - unable to be penetrated, unaffected
impudent
(adj.) - rude, improper
incessant
(adj.) - without interruption
incisive
(adj.) - clear, sharp, direct
inclement
(adj.) - stormy, bad, severe
inclination
(n.) - a tendency, propensity
indictment
(n.) - accusation of wrongdoing
indignation
(n.) - anger due to an unfair situation
inextricable
(adj.) - hopelessly confused or tangled
infuse
(v.) - to inject
ingenious
(adj.) - marked by special intelligence
inimical
(adj.) - hostile, threatening
iniquity
(n.) - a wicked act, a sin
innate
(adj.) - inborn, native, inherent
innocuous
(adj.) - harmless
inquisitor
(n.) - someone who asks questions or makes an inquiry
inundate
(v.) - to flood
invariable
(adj.) - not susceptible to change
invective
(n.) - a verbal attack
inveterate
(adj.) - habitual, natural
irascible
(adj.) - easily angered
jubilant
(adj.) - joyful, happy
judicious
(adj.) - of sound judgment
juvenile
(adj.) - young or immature
juxtapose
(v.) - to put next to each other
labyrinthine
(adj.) - intricate, maze-like
laceration
(n.) - a cut, a rip
lachrymose
(adj.) - tearful
latent
(adj.) - present but hidden
laud
(v.) - to applaud or praise
laudatory
(adj.) - admiring, praising
lavish
(adj.) - extravagant
lethargic
(adj.) - sluggish, weary, apathetic
lewd
(adj.) - vulgar, offensive, rude
libel
(n.) - a statement that gives an unjust or unfavorable representation of a person or thing
licentious
(adj.) - amoral, lawless, lewd
limber
(adj.) - bending or flexing readily, pliable
limpid
(adj.) - clear, easily understood
linchpin
(n.) - something that holds separate things together
lithe
(adj.) - graceful, flexible, supple
loquacious
(adj.) - talkative
lull
(n.) - a relatively calm interval, as in a storm
luminescence
(n.) - light from non-thermal sources
magnanimous
(adj.) - generous, noble
malaise
(n.) - vague feeling of discomfort
malevolent
(adj.) - having intent to harm others
malicious
(adj.) - malevolent, harmful
malign
(v.) - to slander, to smear, to libel, to defame, to speak evil of
malleable
(adj.) - easily shaped or formed
mandatory
(adj.) - required, not optional
manifest
(v.) - to show clearly
manifold
(adj.) - many
masticate
(v.) - to chew
matrimony
(n.) - marriage
maudlin
(adj.) - sentimental
maxim
(n.) - a common saying of advice or virtue
meager
(adj.) - lacking in quality stature
mediate
(v.) - to intervene, to arbitrate, to sort out
melodramatic
(adj.) - exaggeratedly emotional or sentimental; histrionic
mendacious
(adj.) - inclined to lie or mislead
mercurial
(adj.) - quick and changeable in temperament
meritorious
(adj.) - deserving of praise or merit
metamorphosis
(n.) - a change of form, shape, substance
mimic
(v.) - to imitate, to copy
misogyny
(n.) - hatred of women
modicum
(n.) - a small amount of something
mollify
(v.) - to soften in temper
monogamy
(n.) - having only one spouse at a time
mores
(n.) - moral attitudes
morose
(adj.) - gloomy or sullen
munificent
(adj.) - generous, benevolent
mutability
(n.) - capability of change
myopic
(adj.) - short-sighted
myriad
(adj.) - consisting of a very great number
narrate
(v.) - to tell a story
nebulous
(adj.) - indistinct, hazy
nefarious
(adj.) - horribly villainous
neologism
(n.) - the creation of new words, or a new word
neonate
(n.) - a newborn baby
noisome
(adj.) - foul, offensive, particularly to the sense of smell
notoriety
(n.) - infamy, known in bad regard
novel
(adj.) - strikingly new, unusual, or different
noxious
(adj.) - harmful, toxic
obdurate
(adj.) - unyielding to persuasion or moral influences
obfuscate
(v.) - to render incomprehensible
obsequious
(adj.) - excessively compliant or submissive
odious
(adj.) - meriting strong displeasure
officious
(adj.) - offering unwanted help or service
olfactory
(adj.) - relating to the sense of smell
ominous
(adj.) - foreboding or foreshadowing evil, portentous
oration
(n.) - a dignified and formal speech
ostracize
(v.) - to exclude from a community
pacify
(v.) - to sooth, ease
paragon
(n.) - model of perfection
pariah
(n.) - an outcast
parody
(n.) - a satirical imitation
patent
(adj.) - clear, apparent
pedagogue
(n.) - a schoolteacher
pellucid
(adj.) - clear
penchant
(n.) - a tendency, partiality, preference
peregrinate
(v.) - to travel from place to place on foot
perfunctory
(adj.) - showing little enthusiasm, done as duty
permeate
(v.) - to spread out, to pervade
persevere
(v.) - to persist, remain constant
pertinacious
(adj.) - stubbornly persistent, holding to a belief or position
peruse
(v.) - to examine carefully
pervasive
(adj.) - to spread throughout
petulance
(n.) - irritability, impoliteness
physiognomy
(n.) - the art of judging human character from facial features
pique
(v.) - to provoke or to cause indignation
pithy
(adj.) - succinctly meaningful
pittance
(n.)- - very small amount
placate
(v.) - to soothe, appease
placid
(adj.) - calm, tranquil
plethora
(n.) - a great number, an abundance
pliable
(adj.) - flexible, bendable
poach
(v.) - to hunt or fish illegally
poised
(adj.) - balanced, readied
polygamy
(n.) - having more than one spouse at a time
portentous
(adj.) - foreboding or foreshadowing evil, ominous
portly
(adj.) - fat, chubby, round
precarious
(adj.) - dangerously lacking in security or stability
predestination
(n.) - the concept of destiny or fate
premonition
(n.) - a presentiment of the future
preponderance
(n.) - a great amount or frequency
presage
(n.) - an omen
prestidigitation
(n.) - a sleight of hand
presumptuous
(adj.) - disrespectfully bold
profane
(adj.) - indecent, blasphemous
profuse
(adj.) - abundant, lavish, prolific
propensity
(n.) - an inclination, preference
propriety
(n.) - decency, state of being proper
protean
(adj.) - readily taking on various shapes or forms
prudent
(adj.) - cautious, careful
puerile
(adj.) - immature
pugnacious
(adj.) - belligerent
pulchritude
(n.) - physical beauty
punctilious
(adj.) - eager to follow rules
pungent
(adj.) - having a sharp, strong quality especially related to smell
purport
(v.) - to present an intention that is often FALSE
putrid
(adj.) - rotten, rancid, foul
quaint
(adj.) - old-fashioned
quid
pro - (n., latin) - a mutually beneficial exchange
quotidian
(adj.) - daily, everyday
radiant
(adj.) - bright, beaming
rancid
(adj.) - rotten, spoiled, disgusting in smell or taste
ratiocinate
(v.) - to think, contemplate
raze
(v.) - to demolish
recalcitrant
(adj.) - defiant
recalibrate
(v.) - to readjust or make corrections to
recapitulate
(v.) - to repeat, reiterate
rectify
(v.) - to set right, correct
redact
(v.) - to revise, edit
redoubtable
(adj.) - formidable, commanding respect
redress
(v.) - to set right or remedy
reel
(v.) - to be thrown off balance or feel dizzy
refrain
(v.) - to hold oneself back, forbear
reiterate
(v.) - to repeat
relish
(v.) - to take zestful pleasure in, enjoy the flavor of
remiss
(adj.) - negligent, exhibiting carelessness
render
(v.) - to say, or to make
renovate
(v.) - to restore, return to original state
repose
(n.) - rest, sleep
reprehensible
(adj.) - deserving criticism
repudiate
(v.) - to reject, turn down
repulse
(v.) - to cause disgust or distaste, or to drive back, repel
requisition
(n.) - a demand for goods, often by an authority
restitution
(n.) - compensation, reimbursement
retaliation
(n.) - revenge, punishment
retract
(v.) - withdraw
retribution
(n.) - vengeance, revenge, payback
revel
(v.) - to enjoy
rife
(adj.) - abundant
ruddy
(adj.) - having a healthy, reddish color
ruse
(n.) - a trick
rustic
(adj.) - relating to country life
saccharine
(adj.) - overly sweet
sacrosanct
(adj.) - sacred, holy
sagacious
(adj.) - shrewd, showing sound judgment
salient
(adj.) - significant, conspicuous
salutation
(n.) - a greeting
sanguine
(adj.) - cheery, optimistic, hopeful
sate
(v.) - to satisfy (an appetite) fully.
satiate
(v.) - to satisfy excessively
savor
(v.) - to appreciate fully, enjoy
scathing
(adj.) - hurtful, critical
scourge
(n.) - a plague
scurrilous
(adj.) - crude, vulgar
sedate
(v.) - to calm, soothe
sedentary
(adj.) - sitting
seer
(n.) - a fortune teller
seminal
(adj.) - original, ground-breaking
serendipity
(n.) - the act of finding things not sought, luck
slander
(n.) - a FALSE statement to damage the reputation of another
sobriety
(n.) - moderation from excess, calm, tranquility
somnolent
(adj.) - sleepy
soothsayer
(n.) - a fortune teller
sordid
(adj.) - dirty
spectral
(adj.) - ghostly
spurious
(adj.) - FALSE but intended to seem believable or possible
stagnant
(adj.) - still, not flowing
stagnate
(v.) - to be idle, to be still
static
(adj.) - not moving, being at rest
steadfast
(adj.) - fixed or unchanging
strenuous
(adj.) - requiring tremendous strength or energy
strife
(n.) - conflict
stupefy
(v.) - to astound
submissive
(adj.) - easily yielding to authority
subsist
(v.) - to live, exist
succinct
(adj.) - marked by compact precision
suffice
(v.) - to meet needs
supplant
(v.) - to displace and substitute for another
surfeit
(n.) - an excess, a surplus, an overabundance
surmise
(v.) - to guess, infer, suppose
surreptitious
(adj.) - done in a secret, or stealthy way
swarthy
(adj.) - of dark color or complexion
sybarite
(n.) - someone devoted to pleasure and luxury, a voluptuary
sycophant
(n.) - a self-serving flatterer
sympathetic
(adj.) - compassionate
sympathy
(n.) - an expression of pity for another, compassion
synopsis
(n.) - a summary
taciturn
(adj.) - not inclined to talk
tantamount
(adj.) - equivalent in value or significance
tedious
(adj.) - boring, dull
telepathic
(adj.) - capable of reading minds
tenuous
(adj.) - having little substance or strength
terrestrial
(adj.) - relating to the land
terse
(adj.) - abrupt, short, brief
timorous
(adj.) - fearful, timid
tome
(n.) - a large book
toothsome
(adj.) - delicious, luscious
torpid
(adj.) - lazy, lethargic, moving slowly
torrid
(adj.) - giving off intense heat, passionate
tortuous
(adj.) - winding, twisted
tragedy
(n.) - a disastrous event, or a work of art in which the hero meets a terrible fate
tranquil
(adj.) - calm, serene, peaceful
travesty
(n.) - a grossly inferior imitation
trek
(v.) - to walk, travel by foot
trite
(adj.) - overused, hackneyed
truculent
(adj.) - eager to fight, violent
ubiquitous
(adj.) - existing everywhere, widespread
ultimate
(n.) - the last part, or a fundamental element
umbrage
(n.) - anger, offense, resentment
uncanny
(adj.) - of supernatural character or origin
undulate
(v.) - to move in a smooth wavelike motion
uniform
(adj.) - unvarying, conforming to one principle
unilateral
(adj.) - having only one side
unique
(adj.) - being the only one of its kind
upbraid
(v.) - to criticize, scold, reproach
vacillate
(v.) - to sway from one side to another
variance
(n.) - a difference between what is expected and what actually occurs
variegate
(v.) - to diversify
vast
(adj.) - enormous, immense
veneer
(n.) - a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, fa�ade
veracious
(adj.) - honest, truthful
verbose
(adj.) - wordy
vicarious
(adj.) - experienced through another's actions
vicissitudes
(n.) - the unexpected changes and shifts often encountered in one's life
vigor
(n.) - vitality and energy, vim.
vim
(n.) - and energy, vigor.
vivacious
(adj.) - lively, spirited, full of life
vocation
(n.) - one's work or professional calling
volition
(n.) - a conscious choice or decision
voluminous
(adj.) - large, ample
voluptuary
(n.) - someone devoted to sensory pleasure and luxury, a sybarite
wane
(v.) - to decrease gradually in size or degree
wax
(v.) - to increase gradually in size or degree
weather
(v.) - to withstand or survive a situation
whet
(v.) - to make more keen, stimulate
winsome
(adj.) - charming, attractive
Zeitgeist
(n.) - the spirit of the time