Abate
To Reduce in amount, degree, or severity || -As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm
Abscond
To leave secretly || -The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door
Abstain
To choose not to do something || -She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray
Abyss
An extremely deep hole || -The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart unseen waters
Adulterate
To make impure || -The restaurateur made his ketchup last longer by ADULTERATING it with water
Advocate
To speak in favor of || -The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat
Aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty || -Followers of the AESTHETIC movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art
Aggrandize
To increase in power, influence, & reputation || -The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE himself by claiming that the achievements of his staff were actually his own
Alleviate
To make more bearable || -Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache
Amalgamate
To Combine; To mix together || -Giant industries AMALGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega Products Inc
Ambiguous
Doubtful or Uncertain; Able to be interpreted several ways
Ameliorate
To make better; To Improve || -The Dr. was able to AMELIORATE the patients suffering using painkillers
Anachronism
Something out of place in time || -The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases like groovy & far out that had not been popular for years
Analogous
Similar or alike in some way; Equivalent to || -In a famous argument for the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanical timepiece, the creation of a divinely intelligent "clockmaker
Anomaly
Deviation from what is normal || -Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates
Antagonize
To annoy or provoke to anger || -The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail
Antipathy
Extreme dislike || -The ANTIPATHY between the French & English regularly erupted into open warfare
Apathy
Lack of interest or emotion
Arbitrate
To judge a dispute between two opposing parties || -Since the couple could not come to agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings
Archaic
Ancient, old-fashioned
Ardor
Intense & passionate feeling || -Bishops ARDOR for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley
Articulate
Able to speak clearly & expressively
Assuage
To make something unpleasant less severe || -Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache
Attenuate
To reduce in force or degree; To Weaken || -The bill of rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of government to change laws at will
Audacious
Fearless & Daring || -Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving
Austere
Severe or stern in appearance; Undecorated || -The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seen AUSTERE to the untrained eye
Banal
Predictable, Clich�d, Boring || -He used BANAL phrases like "Have a nice day, or another day, another dollar
Bolster
To support; To prop up || -The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Bigfoot was in the area
Bombastic
Pompous in speech & manner || -The dictators speeches were mostly BOMBASTIC
Cacophony
Harsh, jarring noise
Candid
Impartial & honest in speech || -The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID & unpretentious
Capricious
Changing ones mind quickly & often || -Queen was quite CAPRICIOUS
Castigate
To punish or criticize harshly || -The authorities CASTIGATE perpetrators
Catalyst
Something that brings about a change in something else || -The imposition of harsh taxes was the CATALYST that finally brought on the revolution
Caustic
Biting in wit
Chaos
Great disorder or confusion
Chauvinist
Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which they belong
Chicanery
Deception by means of craft or guile || -Dishonest used car salesman often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars
Cogent
Convincing & well reasoned || -Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice to acquit the defendant
Condone
To overlook, pardon, or disregard || -Some theorists believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness
Convoluted
Intricate & complicated
Corroborate
To provide supporting evidence || -Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony
Credulous
Too trusting; Gullible
Crescendo
Steadily increasing volume or force || -The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable...
Decorum
Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; Propriety || -The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM...
Deference
Respect, courtesy || -The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE
Deride
To speak of or treat with contempt; To mock || -The awkward child was often DERIDED by his cooler peers
Desiccate
To dry out thoroughly || -After a few weeks of lying on the deserts sand, the cow's carcass became completely DESICCATE
Desultory
Jumping from one thing to another; Disconnected || -Mary had a DESULTORY academic record
Diatribe
An abusive, condemnatory speech
Diffident
Lacking self-confidence || -Steve's diffident manner during the interview stemmed from his nervous nature...
Dilate
To make larger; To expand
Dilatory
Intended to delay || -The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill
Dilettante
Someone with an amateurish & superficial interest in a topic || -Jerry's friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs & hobbies every week
Dirge
A funeral hymn or mournful speech
Disabuse
To set right; To free from error || -Galileo's observations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the sun revolved around the earth
Discern
To perceive; To recognize
Disparate
Fundamentally different; Entirely unlike || -Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities were DISPARATE
Dissemble
To present a false appearance; To disguise ones real intentions or character || -The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer...
Dissonance
A harsh & disagreeable combination, often sounds || -Cognitive dissonance is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence
Dogma
A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
Dogmatic
Dictatorial in ones opinion
Dupe
To deceive; A person who is easily deceived || -Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit
Eclectic
Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Efficacy
Effectiveness
Elegy
A sorrowful poem or speech || -Although Thomas Grays ELEGY is about death & loss, it urges readers to endure this life, & trust in spirituality
Eloquent
Persuasive & moving, especially in speech
Emulate
To copy; To try to equal or excel
Enervate
To reduce in strength || -The guerrillas hoped that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army
Engender
To produce, cause, or bring about || -His fear & hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown
Enigma
A puzzle; A mystery
Enumerate
To count, list, or itemize || -Moses returned from the MT with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED
Ephemeral
Lasting a short time || -The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies average life span is a matter of hours
Equivocate
To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead || -When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED & left all parties thinking he agreed with them
Erratic
Wandering & unpredictable
Erudite
Learned, scholarly, bookish || -The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUIDTE, well-published individuals in the field
Esoteric
Known or understood by only a few || -Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world of particle physics
Estimable
Admirable || -Most people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India
Eulogy
Speech in praise of someone
Euphemism
Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one || -The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHIMISM "sleeping" instead of the word "dead
Exacerbate
To make worse
Exculpate
To clear from blame; Prove innocent || -The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty & to EXCULPATE those who are innocent
Exigent
Urgent; Requiring immediate action || -The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding
Exonerate
To clear of blame || -The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to the crime
Explicit
Clearly stated or shown; Forthright in expression
Fanatical
Acting excessively enthusiastic; Filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
Fawn
To grovel
Fervid
Intensely emotional; Feverish || -The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of her
Florid
Excessively decorated or embellished || -The place had been decorated in an excessively FLORID style
Foment
To arouse or incite || -The protestors tried to FOMENT feeling against the war through their speeches & demonstrations
Frugality
A tendency to be thrifty or cheap
Garrulous
Tending to talk a lot || -The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking
Gregarious
Outgoing, sociable || -She was so GREGARIOUS that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad
Guile
Deceit or trickery || -Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE to trap him
Gullible
Easily deceived
Homogenous
Of a similar kind || -The class was fairly HOMOGENOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors
Iconoclast
One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions || -His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST
Imperturbable
Not capable of being disturbed || -The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed IMPERTURBABLE
Impervious
Impossible to penetrate; Incapable of being affected
Impetuous
Quick to act without thinking || -It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS
Implacable
Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful || -His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained IMPLACABLE for weeks
Inchoate
Not fully formed; Disorganized || -The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing
Ingenuous
Showing innocence or childlike simplicity
Inimical
Hostile, unfriendly
Innocuous
Harmless || -Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS & pose no danger to humans
Insipid
Lacking interest or flavor || -The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all
Intransigent
Uncompromising; Refusing to be reconciled || -The professor was INTRASIGNENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time
Inundate
To overwhelm; To cover with waiter || -The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis
Irascible
Easily made angry || -Attila the Hun's IRASCIBLE & violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives
Laconic
Using few words || -She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible
Lament
to express sorrow; to grieve || -The children continued to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise
Laud
To give praise; To glorify || -Parades & fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels
Lavish
To give unsparingly(verb); Extremely generous or extravagant(adjective) || -She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became fat
Lethargic
Acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
Loquacious
Talkative || -She was naturally LOQUACIOUS
Lucid
Clear & easily understood
Luminous
Bright, brilliant, glowing
Malinger
To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
Malleable
Capable of being shaped
Metaphor
A figure of speech comparing two different things; A symbol
Meticulous
Extremely careful about details
Misanthrope
A person who dislikes others || -The character Scrooge is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry
Mitigate
To soften; To lessen
Mollify
To calm or make less severe || -Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them
Monotony
Lack of variation
Naive
Lacking sophistication or experience
Obdurate
Hardened in feeling; Resistant to persuasion || -The President was completely OBDURATE on the issue, & no amount of persuasion would change his mind
Obsequious
Overly submissive & eager to please || -The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisors tie & agree with him on every issue
Obstinate
Stubborn, unyielding || -The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked
Obviate
To prevent; To make unnecessary || -The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge
Occlude
To stop up; To prevent the passage of
Onerous
Troublesome & oppressive; Burdensome || -The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it
Opaque
Impossible to see through; Preventing the passage of light
Opprobrium
Public disgrace || -After the scheme to embezzle the elderly was made public, the treasurer resigned in utter OPPROBRIUM
Ostentation
Excessive showiness
Paradox
A contradiction or dilemma
Paragon
Model of excellence or perfection || -She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be
Pedant
Someone who shows off learning || -The graduate instructors tedious & excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT
Perfidious
Willing to betray ones trust || -The actress's PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets
Perfunctory
Done in a routing way; Indifferent || -The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction & gave the customer a PERFUNCTORY smile
Permeate
To penetrate
Philanthropy
Charity; A desire or effort to promote goodness
Placate
To soothe or pacify
Plastic
Able to be molded, altered, or bent
Plethora
Excess
Pragmatic
Practical as opposed to idealistic
Precipitate
To throw violently or bring about abruptly; Lacking deliberation
Prevaricate
To lie or deviate from the truth || -Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic made him late
Pristine
Fresh & clean; Uncorrupted
Prodigal
Lavish, wasteful || -The PRODIGAL son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure
Proliferate
To increase in number quickly
Propitiate
To conciliate; To appease || -The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members
Propriety
Correct behavior; Obedience to rules & customs
Prudence
Wisdom, caution, or restraint || -The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies
Pungent
Sharp & irritating to the senses
Quiescent
Motionless || -Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months
Rarefy
To make thinner or sparser || -Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of the mountains is too thin to breathe
Repudiate
To reject the validity of || -The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED ...
Reticent
Silent, reserved || -Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan Didion often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting
Rhetoric
Effective writing or speaking || -Lincoln's talent for RHETORIC was evident in his speech
Satiate
To satisfy fully or overindulge
Soporific
Causing sleep or lethargy || -The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater
Specious
Deceptively attractive; Seemingly plausible but fallacious || -The students SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise
Stigma
A mark of shame or discredit
Stolid
Unemotional; Lacking sensitivity || -The prisoner appeared STOLID & unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence
Sublime
Lofty or grand || -The music was so SUBLIME...
Tacit
Done without using words || -Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that TACIT agreement had been made
Taciturn
Silent, not talkative || -The clerk's TACITURN nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob
Tirade
Long, harsh speech or verbal attack || -Observers were shocked at the managers TIRADE over such a minor mistake
Torpor
Extreme mental & physical sluggishness || -After surgery, the patient experienced TURPOR until the anesthesia wore off
Transitory
Temporary, lasting a brief time || -The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life
Vacillate
To sway physically; to be indecisive || -The customer held up the line as he VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road
Venerate
To respect deeply || -In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders
Veracity
Filled with truth & accuracy || -She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events
Verbose
Wordy || -The professor's answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the question was
Vex
To annoy
Volatile
Easily aroused or changeable; Lively or explosive
Waver
To fluctuate between choices
Whimsical
Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; Unpredictable || -The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters...
Zeal
Passion, excitement || -She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members