Vocabulary Words 9th Grade 10

adept

adj. having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
Synonyms: expert, masterful, proficient

aspire

v. have an ambitious plan or a lofty goal
Synonyms: yearn, aim for, soar

bleak

adj. unpleasantly cold and damp
Synonyms: bare, dreary, dismal, grim, cheerless, gloomy, desolate, barren

chide

v. censure severely or angrily
Synonyms: blame, scold, upbraid, reprimand, rebuke, chastise

despicable

adj. morally reprehensible
Synonyms: contemptible, low, cheap, sordid, detestable

diminutive

adj. very small
Synonyms: small, undersized, miniature, tiny, compact

emancipate

v. free from slavery or servitude
Synonyms: release, liberate, set loose, unchain, unfetter

erroneous

adj. containing or characterized by error
Synonyms: containing mistakes, mistaken, fallacious, all wrong

exploit

v. use or manipulate to one's advantage
n. a feat or deed
Synonyms: misuse, turn to advantage

extemporaneous

adj. with little or no preparation or forethought
Synonyms: spontaneous, off-the-cuff, on the spur of the moment

impair

v. make worse or less effective
Synonyms: harm, damage, injure, disable, cripple, enervate

invincible

adj. incapable of being overcome or subdued
Synonyms: unbeatable, unconquerable, indomitable, insuperable

languid

adj. lacking spirit or liveliness
Synonyms: drooping; without energy, sluggish, lazy, listless, slack, lethargic

mire

n. a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
v. to get stuck
Synonyms: swamp, bog, slough, mud

obtrusive

adj. undesirably noticeable
Synonyms: sticking out, brash, conspicuous, protruding

preamble

n. make a preliminary introduction, as to a formal document
Synonyms: opening, prologue

render

v. give or supply
v. to cause to become, perform, deliver officially, process, extract
Synonyms: present, furnish, submit, make, effect

rugged

adj. rough or very uneven (usually describes terrain)
Synonyms: irregular; servers, stern; strong; stormy, rocky, blunt, harsh, hardy, tough

skeptical

adj. marked by or given to doubt
Synonyms: suspicious, incredulous, unbelieving, slow to believe

slipshod

adj. marked by great carelessness
Synonyms: untidy, sloppy, messy, slovenly, slapdash, cursory