Equivocal
Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous
Arbitrary
Random, chance, capricious
Piquant
Striking, stimulating
Querulous
Complaining
Petulant
Childishly sulking
Meritorious
Admirable
Recreant
Cowardly
Dilatory
Causing delay
Cache
To story away
Obstreperous
Rowdy, defiant (person characteristic)
Zeal
Enthusiasm
Cogitation
Contemplation
Implacable
Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful; unforgiving
Placate
Make less angry, calm
Beneficent
Generous
Filial
Of or due from a son or daughter
Reprisal
Retaliation
Approbation
Praise
Astringent
Harsh in taste
Enervate
Weaken, lacking energy
Rapturous
Enthusiasm, ecstatic
Punctilious
Finicky
Exultant
Very happy
Onerous
Burdensome
Circuitous
Indirect
Hyperbole
Exaggeration
Anachronism
A thing belonging to a period other than in which it exists
Portents
Forewarning
Auguries
Omens
Gregarious
Highly sociable
Belied
Disguised
Sybaritic
Self-indulgent, luxurious
Specious
Falsely appearing to be true
Beguile
Charm in a deceptive way
Ingenious
Very smart or clever
Cajole
Persuade someone with flattery
ex: I hoped to cajole her into selling her house
Defraud
Rob or swindle
Esoteric
Known or understood by only a few
Rescind
Take back
Obviate
To avoid, prevent
Innocuous
Harmless
Deleterious
Causing damage
Profusion
Abundance
Vacillated
Wavered; to repeatedly change your opinions or desires
ex: I had for a time vacillated between two opinions
Languished
Weakened, deteriorating, suffer
Fidelity
Accuracy in details; faithfulness to a person
Deft
Skillful, clever
Mercurial
Unpredictable
Attrition
Gradually wearing down the strength or effectiveness of something
Propitiate
Appease, make peace with
Inundate
overwhelmed with people or things to be dealt with
Carousing
Drink excessively
Venerable
Worthy of dignity
Bacchanalian
Boisterously festive; riotously drunken
Diurnal
Active during the day; daily
Deprecate
express disapproval of
ex: he sniffed in a deprecating way
Abate
to reduce in amount, degree, severity
ex: as the force abated
Abscond
to leave secretly
ex: the patron absconded from the party
Abstain
to choose not to do something
Abyss
an extremely deep hole
Adulterate
to make impure
ex: the chef made his ketchup last longer by adulterating it with water
Advocate
to speak in favor of
Aesthetic
concerning the appreciation of beauty
Aggrandize
to increase in power, influence, and reputation
Amalgamate
to combine, to mix together
Ameliorate
to make better; improve
Analogous
similar or alike in some way
Anomaly
deviation from what is normal
Antagonize
to annoy or provoke to anger
Antipathy
extreme dislike
Apathy
lack of interest or emotion
Arbitrate
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Archaic
ancient, old-fashioned
Ardor
intense and passionate feeling
Articulate
able to speak clearly and expressively
Assuage
to make something unpleasant less severe
Attenuate
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken
Audacious
fearless and daring
Austere
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
Banal
predictable, cliched, boring
Bolster
to support; to prop up
Bombastic
pompous in speech and manner
Cacophony
harsh, jarring noise
Candid
impartial and honest in speech
Capricious
changing one's mind quickly and often
Castigate
to punish or criticize harshly
Catalyst
something that brings about a change in something else
Caustic
(1) biting in wit;
(2) corrosive, able to burn organic tissue
Chaos
great disorder or confusion
Chauvinist
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
Chicanery
deception by means of craft or guile
Cogent
convincing and well reasoned
Condone
to overlook, pardon, or disregard
Convoluted
intricate and complicated
Corroborate
to provide supporting evidence
Credulous
too trusting; gullible
Crescendo
steadily increasing volume or force
Decorum
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
Deference
respect, courtesy
Deride
to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock; ridicule
Desiccate
to dry out thoroughly
Auspicious
characterized by success, prosperous
Desultory
Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Diatribe
An abusive, condemning speech
Diffident
Lacking self-confidence
Dilate
To make larger; to expand
Dilettante
Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
Dirge
A funeral hymn or mournful speech
Disabuse
To set right; to free from error
Discern
To perceive; to recognize
Disparate
Fundamentally different; entirely unlike
Dissemble
To present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
Dissonance
A harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Dogma
A firmly held opinon, often a religious relief
Dogmatic
Dictoral in one's opinion
Dupe
To deceive; a person who is easily deceived
Eclectic
Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Efficacy
Effectiveness
Elegy
A sorrowful poem or speech
Eloquent
Persuasive and moving, especially in speech
Emulate
To copy; to try to equal or excel
Engender
To produce, cause, or bring about
Enigma
A puzzle, a mystery
Enumerate
To count, list, or itemize
Ephemeral
Lasting a short time
Equivocate
To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
Erratic
wandering and unpredictable
Erudite
learned, scholarly, bookish
Estimable
admirable
Eulogy
speech in praise of someone
Euphemism
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
Exacerbate
to make worse
Exculpate
to clear from blame; prove innocent
Exigent
urgent; requiring immediate action
Exonerate
to clear of blame
Explicit
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
Fanatical
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
Fawn
to grovel
Fervid
intensely emotional
Florid
excessively decorated or embellished
Foment
to arouse or incite; cause of growth and development
Frugality
a tendency to be thrifty or cheap
Garrulous
tending to talk alot
Guile
deceit or trickery
Gullible
easily deceived
Homogenous
of a similar kind
Iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions
Imperturbate
not capable of being disturbed
Impervious
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
Impetuous
quick to act without thinking
Inchoate
undeveloped/beginning; not fully formed; disorganized
Ingenuous
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
Inimical
hostile, unfriendly
Insipid
lacking interest or flavor
Intransigent
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled
Inundate
to overwhelm
Irascible
easily made angry
Laconic
using few words
Lament
to express sorrow; to grieve
Laud
to give praise; to glorify
Lavish
(v) to give unsparingly; (adj) extremely generous or extravagant
Lethargic
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
Loquacious
talkative
Lucid
clear and 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
Mitigate
to soften; to lessen
Mollify
to calm or make less severe
Monotony
lack of variation
Naive
lacking sophistication or experience
Obdurate
hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
Obsequious
overly submissive and eager to please
Obstinate
stubborn; unyielding
Occlude
to stop up; to prevent the passage of
Opaque
impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light
Opprobrium
harsh criticism
Ostentation
excessive showiness
Surfeit
an excessive amount of something
Paucity
the presence of something in small or insufficient amount
Remunerate
pay (someone) for services rendered or work done
Indemnified
compensate someone for harm or loss
Brusque
abrupt in speech or manner; blunt
Curtail
reduce in quantity; deprive someone of something
Lampoon
(v) to publicly criticize using sarcasm or irony;
(n) a speech criticizing someone or something
Divest
deprive of power or rights; to rid oneself of investments or business that one no longer wants
Alloy
mix metals; debase something by adding something inferior
Gourmand
a person who enjoys eating and often eats too much
Oenophile
a connoisseur of wine
Epicure
a person who takes particular pleasure in fine food or drink
Acquiesce
to accept something reluctantly but without protest
Epigram
a short poem having a witty ending; a saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever way
Enigmatic
difficult to interpret or understand; mysterious
Resolute
determined, unwavering, single-minded
Oblique
slanting, diagonal
Hedonistic
engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; self-indulgent
Autodidactic
a self-taught person
Abstruse
difficult to understand; obtuse
Repudiate
refuse to accept or be associated with; deny the truth or validity of
Vehement
showing strong feeling; passionate or intense
Meager
lacking in quality or quantity; weak or thin
Blithe
happy, cheerful, untroubled
Abstemious
not self-indulgent especially when eating or drinking; modest; restrained
Tawdry
showy but cheap or of poor quality; gaudy
Meretricious
apparently attractive but in reality having no value; worthless, trashy
Reprieve
to cancel or postpone a punishment
Respite
a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant
Amble
walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace
Ensconce
establish or settle in a comfortable, safe, or secret place
Reputed
be generally said or believed to do something or have particular characteristics; allegedly
Recompense
(v) make amends to someone for loss or harm suffered;
(n) compensation given for loss or harm suffered
Absolution
formal release from guilt, obligation, or punishment
Opprobrious
expressing scorn or criticism
Calumny
a false and slanderous statement
Plaudits
praise; the applause of an audience
Reprehensible
deserving censor or condemnation; deplorable, shameful
Harbinger
a person or thing that announces the approach of another; sign, omen
Tacit
understood or implied without being stated; implicit
Conciliator
a person who acts as a mediator between two disputing people or groups
Abrogate
repeal or do away with; evade
Sanctify
set apart or declare holy; free from sin
Undulates
move with a smooth wavelike motion; have a wavy form or outline
Quail
feel or show fear or apprehension
Trundled
moving slowly or heavily (noun or verb)
Forsake
abandon; renounce or give up
Entreaty
an earnest or humble request
Harangue
(n) a lengthy and aggressive speech;
(v) to lecture at length in an aggressive and critical manner
Bilk
obtain or hold money from by deceit or without justification
Pentagram
a five-starred figure
Bigot
a person who is intolerant of those holding opposing opinions
Xenophile
a person attracted to foreign peoples, manners, or cultures
Fastidious
very concerned about details
Rambunctious
uncontrollably boisterous
Happenstance
coincidence
Consternation
feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected
Trepidation
a feeling of fear or agitation at something that may happen
Macabre
disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death or injury; gruesome, grotesque
Impassive
not feeling or showing emotion
Fanaticism
being fanatical--excited or zealous
Jingoism
extreme patriotism, especially in the form of aggressive or war-like policy
Partisan
(n) a strong supporter of a party, cause, or person;
(adj) prejudiced in favor of a particular cause
Pervasive
(especially of an unwelcome influence or physical effect) spreading wildly throughout an area or group of people; widespread; omnipresent
Irreverent
showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously; disrespectful; scornful
Vainglorious
excessively proud of oneself or one's achievements; overly vain
Effervescent
vivacious, enthusiastic; (of a liquid) bubbly, fizzy
Arcane
understood by few; mysterious or secret
Heresy
belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religion
Reverence
deep respect for someone or something
Reticent
not revealing one's thoughts or emotions readily
Phlegmatic
having an unemotional or stolidly calm disposition; not easily excited or angered
Fickle
changing often
Prolix
(adj) (in speech or in writing) using or containing too many words
Bucolic
relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
Halcyon
denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful
Turbulent
characterized by conflict, disorder, or confusion
Whet
(v) to sharpen the blade of;
(n) a thing that stimulates appetite or desire
Curb
restrain or keep in check
Veracious
speaking or representing the truth
Obliging
willing to do a service or kindness
Cursory
hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed
Rueful
showing regret
Agnostic
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God ; skepticism
Chaff
worthless things, trash, garbage
Chafe
to make a part of the body sore by rubbing against it
Pious
devoutly religious
Prescient
having or showing knowledge of events before they take place; prophetic
Perceptive
insightful, intuitive
Onus
burden
Pejorative
expressing contempt or disapproval
Penurious
extremely poor
Elusive
difficult to find, catch, or achieve
Sublime
of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe
Farce
a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically include crude characterization
Indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy
Preen
(v) congratulate or pride oneself; devote effort to make oneself look attractive
Reticence
the quality of being reticent; reserved; not readily showing one's emotions
Morose
gloomy, sullen and ill-tempered
Magnanimous
very generous or forgiving, especially towards a rival
Unrepentant
showing no regret for one's wrong doing
Penitent
feeling or showing sorrow for having done wrong
Impecunious
having little or no money
Adversary
one's opponent, rival
Countenance
a person's face or facial expression
Browbeat
intimidate someone, typically into doing something
Opulent
ostentatiously rich, wealthy
Requiem
an act or token of remembrance; a mass or musical composition for the souls of the dead
Limerick
a humorous verse of three long and two short lines--a poem
Itinerant
traveling from place to place
Moribund
at the point of death
Assail
make a concerted or violent attack on
Quibble
to argue small things
Commensurate
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion
Shoddy
badly made or done, inferior, imitative
Eschew
deliberately avoid using
Beset
to trouble or threat persistently
Impugned
dispute the truth; to challenge
Servility
an excessive willingness to serve or please others
Gall
bitterness of spirit; disrespect
Vigil
a period of keeping awake during the time usually spent asleep, especially to keep watch or pray; the eve of a festival or holy day
Levity
humor; especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor
Hubris
excessive pride or self confidence
Lugubrious
looking or sounding sad or dismal
Contentious
likely to cause an argument; controversial
Horticulture
the art or practice of garden cultivation and management
Craven
a cowardly person
Pusillanimous
lacking courage; timid
Hectoring
talk to someone in a bullying way; harass; browbeat
Assiduous
showing great care or perseverance
Ascetic
practice of severe discipline and abstention; abstinent; solidarity
Avarice
extreme greed for wealth or material gain; greed; materialism
Prognosticated
fortell or prophesy
Whimsical
playfully quaint in an amusing way; playful; fickle
Despondent
very sad and without hope
Acrimonious
angry or bitter (typically in a speech)
Doleful
very sad
Pugnacious
eager to quarrel or fight
Bellicose
demonstrating aggression or willingness to fight
Depraved
morally corrupt; wicked
Acrid
bitter; caustic ...either taste or behavior
Subterfuge
deceit used in order to achieve one's goal
Disquiet
feelings of anxiety or worry; uneasiness
Forestall
prevent or obstruct by taking action ahead of time
Dissident
a person who opposes official policy
Inane
silly, stupid
Insidious
proceeding a gradual, subtle way but with harmful effects
Invidious
unfairly discriminating; unjust
Ethereal
extremely delicate and light in a way that seems too perfect for this world; heavenly
Stipulates
demand or specify as part of an argument or agreement
Puerile
childishly silly or trivial
Ruminate
think deeply about something
Culminate
reach a climax or point of highest development
Turgid
swollen and distended; inflated, overblown, pretentious
Grandiose
excessively grand, overambitious
Disparage
regarded or represented as being of little worth; unimportant
Requisite
a thing that is necessary for the achievement of a specific end
Derogatory
showing a critical or disrespectful attitude; demeaning
Antediluvian
ridiculously old fashioned
Cadge
to persuade someone to give you something for free
Leviathan
sea monster
Behemoth
giant thing that should be avoided
Upbraiding
find fault with; scold
Variegated
marked by variety; many-colored; multicolored
Ubiquitous
found everywhere
Nefarious
wicked or criminal
Polarized
to divide or cause to divide into two sharply contrasting groups
Precocious
showing qualities of an adult as a child
Affront
an action or remark that causes outrage or offense
Dissolution
termination
Candor
the quality of being open and honest
Dogged
determined; tenacious
Irresolute
uncertain; indecisive
Acumen
the ability to make good judgements and quick decisions; sharp, clever
Pulchritude
physical beauty
Virility
qualities usually found attractive in men
Emollient
making soft
Paradox
a contradiction or dilema
Paragon
model of excellence or perfection
Pedant
someone who shows off learning
Perfidious
willing to betray one's trust
Perfunctory
done in a routine way; indifferent
Permeate
to penetrate
Philanthropy
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
Plastic
able to be molded, altered, or bent
Pragmatic
practical as opposed to idealistic
Precipitate
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
Prevaricate
to lie or deviate from the truth
Pristine
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
Prodigal
lavish, wasteful
Proliferate
to increase in number quickly
Propriety
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
Prudence
wisdom, caution, or restraint
Pungent
sharp and irritating to the senses
Quiescent
motionless
Rarefy
to make thinner or sparser
Reticent
silent, reserved
Rhetoric
effective writing or speaking
Satiate
to satisfy fully or overindulge
Soporific
causing sleep or lethargy
Stigma
a mark of shame or discredit
Stolid
unemotional; lacking sensitivity
Taciturn
silent, not talkative
Tirade
long, harsh speech or verbal attack
Torpor
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
Transitory
temporary, lasting a brief time
Veracity
truthfulness; accuracy
Verbose
wordy
Vex
to annoy
Volatile
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
Waver
to fluctuate between choices
Fetid
having an offensive odor
Brazen
shameless
Forlorn
sad, lonely
Languid
lazy
Iniquitous
unjust
Addle
to confuse
Revile
to denounce; to criticize
Indelible
permanent
Trifling
unimportant
Confounding
confusing
Sinecure
a position requiring no work
Primeval
ancient
Dispassion
lack of concern
Imbibe
consume by eating or drinking
Felicitous
appropriately and pleasingly expressed
Stentorian
powerful of sound
Derision
harsh criticism
Aplomb
self-assurance
Excoriate
to denounce
Extol
praise
Imbroglio
confusion
Kismet
luck
Prodigious
great in size
Emaciated
made thin by starvation
Tepid
lack of enthusiasm
Resurgence
renewal
Malapropism
absurd misuse of words
Obfuscation
make more difficult to understand
Elucidation
easy to understand
Democratize
make available to all people
Mellifluous
having a smooth flowing sound
Euphony
pleasing or sweet sound
Ignominious
causing disgrace or shame
Apocryphal
well known but probably not true
Augment
add to
Obloquy
disgrace
Diaphanous
see-through
Pernicious
harmful
Endemic
inherent; regularly found in a particular area or group of people
Hegemony
influence
Plucky
brave
Ribald
vulgar
Laudatory
worthy of praise
Conciliatory
intending to placate
Myopic
short-sighted