disdain
(v) to look upon with scorn; to refuse scornfully; (n) a feeling of contempt
divergent
(adj) going in different directions; different from each other; departing from conversation, deviant
empathy
(n) identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives
emulate
(v) to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model
enervating
(adj) weakening, tiring
enhance
(v) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of
ephemeral
(adj) lasting only a short time, short-lived, transient
evanescent
(adj) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy
exasperation
(n) irritation, frustration
exemplary
(adj) worthy of imitation, commendable; serving as a model
extenuating
(adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors
florid
(adj) highly colored, reddish; excessively ornate, showy
fortuitous
(adj) accidental, occurring by a happy chance
frugal
(adj.) economical, avoiding waste and luxury; scanty, poor, meager, thrifty
hackneyed
(adj) used so often as to lack freshness or originality; cliched
haughty
(adj) arrogant, excessively proud and vain; condescending
hedonist
(n) a person who believes that pleasure is the chief goal of life
hypothesis
(n) a testable prediction, often implied by a theory
impetuous
(adj) inclined to act without thinking; hasty
relevant
closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand
omit
leave out or exclude (someone or something), either intentionally or forgetfully
redundant
not or no longer needed or useful
precede
1. come before (something) in time; 2. come before in order or position
proportional
corresponding in size or amount to something else
sustainable
1. able to be maintained at a certain rate or level; 2. conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources
adhere
1. to stick completely to a surface or substance
2. to believe in and follow the practices of
aloof
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant
ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation; having a double meaning
analyze
to examine in detail, typically for purposes of explanation and interpretation
anecdote
a short and amusing story about a real incident or person
antagonize
to cause someone to become hostile
anticipate
to regard as probable; expect or predict
apprehensive
anxious or fearful that something bad will happen
arcane
mysterious or secret
assert
to state a fact or belief confidently and forcefully
assess
to evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of
attribute
to regard something as being caused by someone or something
bear
to endure an ordeal or difficulty
befall
(of something bad) happen to someone
burgeon
to begin to grow or increase rapidly; to flourish
coherent
1. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent
2. united as or forming a whole
compassion
concern for the suffering or misfortune of others
compensate (for)
to make up for something unwelcome or unpleasant by exerting an opposite force or effect
complement
a thing that completes or brings to perfection a larger whole
compose
1. write or create; 2. constitute, make up
condescending
having or showing a feeling of superiority
consecutive
following continuously; in unbroken or logical sequence
contour
an outline, especially one representing or bounding the shape or form of something
contract
to decrease in size, number, or range
contradict
1. to deny the truth of (a statement), especially by asserting the opposite
2. to assert the opposite of a statement made by (someone)
3. to be in conflict with
correlate
to have a mutual relationship or connection, in which one thing affects or depends on another
corrollary
a direct or natural consequence or result
critical
1. expressing adverse or disapproving comments or judgments
2. expressing or involving an analysis of the merits and faults of a work of literature, music, or art
3. involving the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment
cumbersome
1. large or heavy and, therefore, difficult to carry or use
2. slow or complicated and, therefore, inefficient
deficit
the amount by which something is too small
demean
to cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for someone or something
depict
1. to show or represent by a drawing, painting, or other art form
2. to portray in words; to describe
determine
1. to cause (something) to occur in a particular way; to be the decisive factor in
2. to ascertain or establish exactly, typically as a result of
research or calculation
devoid
entirely lacking or free from
differentiate
1. to recognize or ascertain what makes (someone or something) different
2. (differentiate between) to identify differences between
(two or more things or people)
3. to make (someone or something) appear different or distinct
4. to make or become differen
diffuse
spread out over a large area; not concentrated
digress
to leave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing
diminish
to make or become less
discrepancy
a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts
(dis)inclined
willing or positive about an action, belief, or attitude (disinclined: unwilling or negative about something)
dismay
consternation and distress, typically that caused by something unexpected
disposition
1. a person's inherent qualities of mind and character
2. an inclination or tendency
dynamic
characterized by constant change, activity, or progress
eclipse
a loss of significance, power, or prominence in relation to another person or thing
emerge
to become apparent, important, or prominent
eminent
famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession
engage
1. to occupy, attract, or involve (someone's interest or attention)
2. (engage someone in) to cause someone to become involved in (a conversation or discussion)
3. (engage in) to participate or become involved in
engross
to absorb all the attention or interest of
ethereal
extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world
evolve
to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form
exploit
1. to make full use of and derive benefit from
2. to use a situation or person in an unfair or selfish way
facilitate
to make an action or process easy or easier
fleeting
lasting for a very short time
glaring
extremely obvious or conspicuous
hardship
severe suffering or deprivation
hurtle
to move or cause to move at a great speed, typically in an
uncontrolled manner
immerse
1. to involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest
2. to dip or submerge in a liquid
imminent
about to happen
(im)mobile
able to move or be moved freely or easily (or not able to be moved)
impervious
unable to be affected by
incendiary
1. tending to stir up conflict
2. designed to cause fires
incompetent
not having or showing the necessary skills to do something
successfully
(in)conceivable
capable of being imagined or grasped mentally (or not capable of being imagined)
(in)dissoluble
able to be dissolved, loosened, or disconnected (or, solid, not able to be broken apart)
inevitable
certain to happen; unavoidable
infer
to deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from clear statements
integrate
to combine one thing with another so that they become a whole
intuition
the ability to understand something immediately, a 'gut feeling'
Exasperate
irritate intensely
Camaraderie
mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together.
Dingy
dirty, dull, or shabby
Ostensible
(adj.) appearing as such, seemingly
Chide
(v.) to blame; scold
Invective
abusive language
Commiserate
(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
Placate
To soothe or pacify