acuity
(n) sharpness (particularly of the mind or senses)
syn: keenness, acuteness
ant: dullness, obtuseness
delineate
(v) to portray, sketch, or describe in accurate and vivid detail; to represent pictorially
syn: depict, picture, render
depraved
(adj) marked by evil and corruption, devoid of moral principles
syn: perverted, degenerate, vicious, corrupt
ant: moral, virtuous, upright, uncorrupted
enervate
(v) to weaken or lessen the mental, moral, or physical vigor of; enfeeble, hamstring
syn: impair, cripple, paralyze
ant: invigorate, strengthen, buttress
esoteric
(adj) intended for or understood by only a select few, private, secret
syn: occult, cryptic, arcane, recondite
ant: accessible, comprehensible, intelligible
fecund
(adj) fruitful in offspring or vegetation; intellectually productive
syn: fertile, teeming, prolific
ant: infertile, barren, unproductive
fiat
(n) an arbitrary order or decree; a command or act of will or consciousness
syn: edict, dictum, ukase
figment
(n) a fabrication of the mind; an arbitrary notion
syn: creation, invention, fancy
garner
(v) to acquire as the result of effort; to gather and store away, as for future use
syn: collect, accumulate, accrue
ant: scatter, squander, waste, dissipate
hallow
(v) to set apart as holy or sacred, sanctify, consecrate; to honor greatly, revere
syn: venerate, bless
ant: desecrate, defile, profane
idiosyncrasy
(n) a peculiarity that servers to distinguish or identify
syn: eccentricity, quirk, mannerism
ignominy
(n) shame and disgrace
syn: dishonor, humiliation, disrepute, odium
ant: honor, glory, acclaim
mundane
(adj) earthly, worldly, relating to practical and material affairs; concerned with what is ordinary
syn: prosaic, humdrum, routine, sublunary
ant: heavenly, unworldly, spiritual, transcendental
nuance
(n) a subtle or slight variation (as in color, meaning, quality), delicate gradation or shade of difference
syn: shade, nicety, refinement
overweening
(adj) conceited, presumptuous; excessive, immoderate
syn: arrogant, unbridled, inflated
ant: restrained, understated, modest, meek
penchant
(n) a strong attraction or inclination
syn: proclivity, propensity, predilection
ant: disinclination, aversion
reputed
(adj) according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance and good reputation
syn: putative, reputable, supposed
sophistry
(n) reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsound; a fallacy
syn: specious, magnificent
sumptuous
(adj) costly, rich, magnificent
syn: lavish, munificent, opulent, splendid
ant: skimpy, meager, stingy, niggardly, spartan
ubiquitous
(adj) present or existing everywhere
syn: omnipresent, pervasive, universal
ant: restricted, limited, rare, scarce