A/Anq
not, without
Ab
off, away from, apart, down
Able/Ible
capable of, worthy of
Ac/Acr
sharp, bitter, sour
Act/Ag
to do, to drive, to force, to lead
Acou
hearing
Ad
to, toward, near
al/ali/alter
other, another
Am
love
ambi, amphi
both, on both sides, around
Ambl/Ambul
to walk, to go
Anim
of the life, mind, soul, breath
Annui/Enni
year
Ant/Ante
before
Anthro/Andr
man, human
Anti
against, opposite
Apo
away
Aqua/Aque
water
Arch/Archi/Archy
chief, principal, ruler
Ard
to burn
Auto
self
Be
about, to make, to surround, to affect (often used to transform words into transitive verbs)
Bel/Bell
beautiful
Bell
war
Ben/bene
good
Bi/Bin
two
Bon/Boun
good, generous
Brev/Brid
short, small
Burs
purse, money
Cad/Cid
to fall, to happen by chance
Cant/cent/chant
to sing
Cap/cip/cept
to take, to get
Cap/capit/cipit
head, headlong
Card/cord/cour
heart
carn
flesh
cast/chast
to cut
caus/caut
to burn
ced/ceed/cess
to go, to yield, to stop
celer
speed
cent
hundred, hundredth
centr
center
cern/cert/cret/crim/crit
to separate, to judge, to distinguish, to decide
chrom
color
chron
time
circu/circum
around
cis
to cut
cla/clo/clu
to shut, to close
claim/clam
to shout, to cry out
cli
to lean toward
co/col/com/con
with, together
cogn/conn
to know
contra/contro/counter
against
corp/cors
body
cosm
order, universe, world
cour/cur
running, a course
cre/cresc/cret
to grow
cred
to believe, to trust
crypt
hidden
cub/cumb
to lie down
culp
fault, blame
dac/doc
to teach
de
away, off, down, completely, reversal
dele
to erase
dem
people
dext
right hand, right side, deft
di
day
di/dia
in two, through, across
di/dif/dis
away from, apart, reversal, not
dic/dict/dit
to say, to tell, to use words
dign
worth, worthy
dog/dox
opinion
dol
to suffer, to pain, to grieve
don/dot/dow
to give
dorm
to sleep
dors
back
dub
to doubt
duc/duct
to lead
dulc
sweet
dur
hard, lasting
dys
faulty, abnormal
e/ex
out, out of, from, former, completely
ego
self
em/en
in, into
epi
upon
equ
equal, even
err
wander
esce
becoming
eu
good, well
extra
outside, beyond
fab/fam
to speak
fac/fic/fig/fait/feit/fy
to do, to make
fal
to err, to deceive
fatu
foolish
fer
to bring, to carry, to bear
ferv
to boil, to bubble
fi/fid
faith, trust
fin
end
flagr/flam
to burn
flect/flex
bend, turn
flu/flux
flow
fore
before
fort
chance
fort
strength
fra/frac/frag/fring
to break
fug
to flee, to fly
fulg
to shine
fum
to smoke
fus
pour
gen
birth, creation, race, kind
gni/gno
to know
grad/gress
to step
gram/graph
write, draw
grat
pleasing
greg
flock
hap
by chance
hemi
half
her/hes
to stick
hetero
different, other
hol
whole
hom
same
hum
earth
hypo
under, beneath, less than
icon
image, idol
idio
one's own
in/im
not, without
in/im
into, in
inter
between, among
intra
within, inside
it/iter
way, journey
ject
to throw, to throw down
joc
joke
join, jug, junct
to meet, to join
jour
day
jud
to judge
jur
law, to swear
juv
young
lang/ling
tongue
laud
praise, honor
lav/lau/lu
to wash
lax/leas/les
loose
lec/led/lex
to read, to speak
lect/leg
to select, to choose
lev
to lift, to rise, light (weight)
li/lig
tie, bind
liber
free
lith
stone
loc/log/loqu
word, speech, thought
luc/lum/lus
light (brightness)
lud/lus
to play
macro
great, long
mag/maj/max
big, great
mal/male
bad, ill, evil, wrong
man/manu
hand
mand/mend
to command, to order, to entrust
medi
middle
mega
large, great
micro
small
min
small
min
to project, to hang over
mis
bad, wrong, to hate
mis/mit
to send
misc
mixed
mob/mom/mot/mov
to move
moll
soft
mon/mono
one
mon/monit
to remind, to warn
mor/mort
death
morph
shape
mult
many
mut
to change
nat/nas/nai/gna
birth
nau/nav
ship, sailor
nihil
nothing, none
noc/nox
to harm
noct/nox
night
nom
rule, order
nom/nym/noun/nown
name
non
not
nounc/nunc
to announce
nov/neo/nou
new
nothing
ob
toward, to, against, over
omni
all
oner
to burden
oss/oste
bone
pac/peac
peace
palp
to feel
pan/pant
all, everyone
par
equal
para
next to, beside
pas/pat/path
feeling, suffering, disease
pau/po/pov/pu
few, little, poor
ped/pod
foot
pel
to drive, to push
pen/pun
to pay, to compensate
pen/pene
almost
pend, pens
to hang, to weigh, to pay
per
completely
peri
around
pet/pit
to go, to seek, to strive
phil
love
phob
fear
phon
sound
photo
light
plac
to please
ple/plen
to fill, full
plex/plic/ply
to fold, twist, tangle, or bend
poly
many
pon/pos/pound
to put, place
port
to carry
post
behind, after
pot
to drink
pre
before, in front of
prehend/prise
to take, to get, to seize
pri/prim
first
pro
in front, before, much, for
prob
to prove, to test
prop/prox
near
prot/proto
first
pseud/pseudo
false
pug
to fight
punc/pung/poign
to point, to prick, to pierce
pyr
fire
quad/quar/quat
four
que/quis
to seek
quie/quit
quiet, rest
quin/quint
five
raci/radi
root
rami
branch
re
back, again
rect
straight, right
reg
king, rule
retro
backward
rid/ris
to laugh
rog
to ask
rub/rud
red
rud
crude
sacr/sanct
holy
sag/sap/sav
taste, thinking, discerning
sal/sil/sault/sult
to leap, to jump
sal
salt
salu
health
salv
to save
san
healthy
sang
blood
sat
enough
sci
to know
scribe/script
to write
se
apart
sec/sequ/sue/sui
to follow
sed/sess/sid
to sit, to settle
sem
seed, to sow
semi
half
sen
old
sens/sent
to feel, to be aware
sin/sinu
bend, fold, curve
sol
alone
sol
to loosen, to free
sol
sun
somn
to sleep
soph
wisdom
sourc/surg/surrect
to rise
spec/spic
look, see
spir
to breathe
sta/sti
to stand, to be in place
strict/string/stran
to tighten, to bind
sua
sweet, pleasing, to urge
sub/sup
below, under
summ
highest, total
super/sur
over, above
sym/syn
together
tac/tic
to be silent
tact/tag/tam/tang
to touch
tain/ten/tent/tin
to hold
tend/tens/tent/tenu
to stretch, to thin
test
to bear witness
theo
god
therm
heat
tor/torq/tort
to twist
torp
stiff, numb
tox
poison
tract
to drag, to pull, to draw
trans
across, beyond
ult
last, beyond
umbr
shadow
un
not
und
wave
uni/un
one
urb
city
us/ut
to use
vail/val
strength, use, worth
ven/vent
to come or to move toward
ver
truth
verb
word
verd
green
vers/vert
to turn
vi
life
vid/vis
to see
vil
base, mean
viru
poison
voc/vok
call, word
vol
wish
volu/volv
roll, turn
vor
to eat
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 the previously unseen depths.)
ADULTERATE
to make impure
(The chef 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 and reputation
(The supervisor sought to AGGRANDIZE herself by claiming that the achievements of her staff were actually her own.)
ALLEVIATE
to make more bearable
(Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache.)
AMALGAMATE
to combine; mix together
(Giant Industries ALMAGAMATED with Mega Products to form Giant-Mega: Product Incorporated.)
AMBIGUOUS
doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
(The directions she gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.)
AMELIORATE
to make better; to improve
(The doctor was able to ameliorate the patient's suffering using painkillers.)
ANACHRONISM
something out of place in time
(The aged hippe used ANACHRONISTIC phrases, like "groovy" and "far out," that had not been popular for years.)
ANALAGOUS
similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
( In the Newtonian construct for explaining the existence of God, the universe is ANALOGOUS to a mechanica I 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 and English regularly erupted into open warfare.
APATHY
lack of interest or emotion
(The APATHY of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so )
ARBITRATE
to judge a dispute between 2 opposing parties
(Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings )
ARCHAIC
ancient, old-fashioned
( Her ARCHAIC Commodore computer could not run the latest software )
ARDOR
intense and passionate feeling
( Bishops ARDOR for the lands, when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley)
ARTICULATE
able to speak clearly and expressively
(She is such an ARTICULATE defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters )
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 traditionqt power of governments to change laws at will )
AUDACIOUS
fearless and daring
( Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving )
AUSTERE
severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
(The lack of decoration makes military barracks seem AUSTERE to the civilian eye.)
BANAL
predictable, cliched, boring
( He used BANAL phrases like "have a nice day and "another day, another dollar.' )
BOLSTER
to support; to prop up
(The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Sasquatch was in the area )
BOMBASTIC
pompous in speech and manner
(khoa tr??ng)
(The ranting of the radio talk-show host was mostly BOMBASTIC; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact )
CACOPHONY
harsh, jarring noise
( The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instruments )
CANDID
impartial and honest in speech
(The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious )
CAPRICIOUS
changing one's mind quickly and often
(Queen Elizabeth I was quite CAPRICIOUS; her courtiers could never be sure which of their number would catch her fancy)
CASTIGATE
to punish or criticize harshly
( Many Americans are amazed at how harshly the authorities in Singapore CASTIGATE perpetrators of what would be considered minor crimes in the United States )
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 or sarcastic in a bitter way.
(Dorothy Parker gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever insults. it could also be a burning substance)
CHAOS
great disorder or confusion
( In many religious traditions, God created an ordered universe from CHAOS )
CHAUVINIST
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
(The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINISTS)
CHICANERY
deception by means of craft or guile
(Dishonest used car salespeople often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.)
COGENT
convincing and well-reasoned
(Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but 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 and complicated
( Although many people bought A Brief History of Time, few coud follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories )
CORROBORATE
to provide supporting evidence
(Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.)
CREDULOUS
too trusting; gullible
(Although some four-year-olds believe in the Easter Bunny, only the most CREDULOUS nine-year-olds still believe in him.)
CRESCENDO
steadily increasing volume or force
( The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses )
DECORUM
appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
(The countess complained that the vulgar peasants lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a visit to the palace.)
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 akward child was often DERIDED by his "cooler" peers.)
DESSICATE
to dry out thoroughly
(After a few weeks of lying on the desert's sands, the cow's carcass became completely DESICCATED.)
DESULTORY
jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
(Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.)
DIATRIBE
an abusive, condemnatory speech
(The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the driver who had cut him off.)
DIFFIDENT
lacking self-confidence
(Steve's DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.)
DILATE
to make larger; to expand
( When you enter a darkened room, the pupils your eyes DILATE to let in more light )
DILATORY
intended to delay
(The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.)
DILETTANTE
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
(Jerry's friends were such DILETTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.)
DIRGE
a funeral hymn or mournful speech
(Leslie delivered a DIRGE for Grady.)
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
( It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping )
DISPARATE
fundamentally different; entirely unlike
(Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are DISPARATE.)
DISSEMBLE
to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character
(The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer-he admitted the deed and tore up the floor the reveal the body of the old man.)
DISSONANCE
a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of 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
(Linus's central DOGMA was that children who believed in the Great Pumpkin would be rewarded.)
DOGMATIC
dictatorial in one's opinions
( The dictator was DOGMATIC-he, and only he was right )
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
(Budapest's architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of Eastern and Western styles)
EFFICACY
effectiveness
(The EFFICACY of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered
)
ELEGY
a sorrowful speech or poem
( Although Thomas Gray�s "ELEGY Written in a Country Churchyard" is about death and loss it urges its readers to endure this life and to trust in spirituality
)
ELOQUENT
persuasive and moving, especially in speech
(The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its ELOQUENT words )
EMULATE
to copy; to try to equal or excel
( The graduate student sought to EMULATE his professor in every way, copying not on LY how she taught but also how she conducted herself outside of class
)
ENERVATE
to reduce in strength
(The guerillas hopes that a series of surprise attacks would ENERVATE the regular army.)
ENGENDER
to produce, cause, or bring about
(His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown.)
ENIGMA
a puzzle; a mystery
( speaking in riddles and dressed in old robes Speaking m riddles and dressed in old robes the artist gained a reputation as something of an ENIGMA )
ENUMERATE
to count, list, or itemize
(Moses returned from the mountain 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.)
EQUIVOCAL
open to more than one interpretation; misleading
(Asked a pointed question, the politician nevertheless gave an equivocal answer.)
EQUIVOCATE
to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead
(When faced with criticisms of her policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking she agreed with them.)
ERRATIC
wandering and unpredictable
ERUDITE
learned, scholarly, bookish
(The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUDITE, 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
(His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievements and talents )
EUPHEMISM
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one
(The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM "sleeping" instead of the word "dead.")
EXACERBATE
to make worse
( It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only EXACERBATE the problem)
EXCULPATE
to clear from blame; prove innocent
(The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and 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 bleeding.)
EXONERATE
to clear of blame
(The fugitive was EXONERATED when anotl)er criminal confessed to committing the crime )
EXPLICIT
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression
(he owners of the house left a list of EXPLICIT instructions detailing their house sitter's duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants
)
FANATICAL
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion
( The stormtroopers were FANATICAL in their devotion to the emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him )
FAWN
to grovel or serve
(The understudy fawned over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.)
FERVID
intensely emotional; feverish
( The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID. doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer
)
FLORID
excessively decorated or embellished
(The palace had been decorated in a FLORID style; every surface had been carved and guided.)
FOMENT
to arouse or incite
(The protestors tried to FOMENT feeling against the war through their speeches and 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 on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy.)
GULLIBLE
easily deceived
(The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information)
HOMOGENOUS
of a similar kind
(The class was fairly HOMOGENEOUS, since almost all of the students were senior ournalism 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, even when faced with the wildest tantrums.)
IMPERVIOUS
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected
(A good raincoat will be IMPERVIOUS to moisture).
IMPETUOUS
quick to act without thinking
(It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS, since much thought should be given to all possible options.)
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 INCHOATE form in his earliest writing.)
INGENUOUS
showing innocence or childlike simplicity
(She was so INGENUOUS that her friends feared that her innocence and trustfulness would be exploited when she visited the big city.)
INIMICAL
hostile, unfriendly
(Even though the children had grown up together, they were INIMICAL to each other at school.)
INNOCUOUS
harmless
(Some snakes are poisonous, but most species are INNOCUOUS and 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 INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignement in at the same time.)
INUNDATE
to overwhelm; to cover with water
(The tidal wave INUNDATED Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.)
IRASCIBLE
easily made angry
(Attila the Hun's IRASCIBLE and 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
LAUD
to give praise; to glorify
(Parades and fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels.)
LAVISH
to give unsparingly; extremely generous or extravagant
(She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became overweight and spoiled )
LETHARGIC
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner
(The clerk was so LETHARGIC that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him)
LOQUACIOUS
talkative
( She was naturally LOQUACIOUS, which was a problem in situations in which listening� was more important than talking
)
LUCID
clear and easily understood
(The explanations were written in a simple and LUCID manner so that students were immediately able to apply what they learned
)
LUMINOUS
bright, brilliant, glowing
(The park was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors )
MALINGER
to evase responsibility by pretending to be ill
(A common way to avoid the draft was by MALINGERING-pretending to be mentally or physically ill so as to avoid being taken by the Army.)
MALLEABLE
capable of being shaped
(Gold is the most MALLEABLE of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.)
METAPHOR
a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol
(The METAPHOR "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea )
METICULOUS
extremely careful about details
MISANTHROPE
a person who dislikes others
(The character Scrooge in A Christmas Carol is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.)
MITIGATE
to soften; to lessen
(A judge may MITIGATE a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.)
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
(The MONOTONY of the sound of the dripping faucet almost drove the research assistant crazy
)
NAIVE
lacking sophistication or experience
( Having never traveled before, the elementary school students were more NAIVE than their high school counterparts on the field trip)
OBDURATE
hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion
(The president was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change his mind.)
OBSEQUIOUS
overly submissive and eager to please
(The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment her supervisor's tie and 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 unecessary
(The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.)
OCCLUDE
to stop, to prevent the passage of
(A shadow is thrown across the earth's surface during a solar ecllpse, when the light from the is OCCLUDED by the moon)
ONEROUS
toublesome and oppressive; burdensome
(The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it provded 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
(The OSTENTATION of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.)
PARADOX
a contradiction or dilemma
(It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it
)
PARAGON
model of excellence or perfection
(She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be: honest, intelligent, hardworking, and just.)
PEDANT
someone who shows off learning
(The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT.)
PERFIDIOUS
willing to betray one's trust
(The actress's PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to gossip to the columnist.)
PERFUNCTORY
done in a routine way; indifferent
(The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and PERFUNCTORY smile)
PERMEATE
to penetrate
(This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to PERMEATE stains and dissolve them in minutes!)
PHILANTHROPY
charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness
(New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum
)
PLACATE
to soothe or pacify
The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by saying "Nice doggy," and offering it a treat.
PLASTIC
able to be molded, altered, or bent
( The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shapes )
PLETHORA
excess
( Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a PLETHORA of excuses )
PRAGMATIC
practical as opposed to idealistic
(While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, PRAGMATIC gamblers realize that the odds are havily stacked against them.)
PRECIPITATE
to throw violently or bring about abruptly; lacking deliberation
(Upon learning that the couple married after knowing each other only two months, friends and family members expected such a PRECIPITATE marriage to end in divorce.)
PREVARICATE
to lie or deviate from the truth
(Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.)
PRISTINE
fresh and clean; uncorrupted
(Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was still PRISTINE when researchers arrived )
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
(Although she only kept two guinea pigs-- - - - - --- initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that she soon had dozens )
PROPITIATE
to appease
(The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.)
PROPRIETY
correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs
PRUDENCE
wisdom, caution, or restraint
(The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume.)
PUNGENT
sharp and irritating to the senses
(The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT
)
QUIESCENT
motionless
(Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.)
RAREFY
to make thinner or sparser
(Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.)
REPUDIATE
to reject the validity of
(The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them.)
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
SATIATE
to satisfy or overindulge
SOPORIFIC
causing sleep or lethargy
(The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theatre.)
SPECIOUS
deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious
(The student's SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home.)
STIGMA
a mark of shame or discredit
(In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to wear the letter A on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery.)
STOLID
unemotional; lacking sensitivity
(The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence.)
SUBLIME
lofty or grand
(The music was so SUBLIME that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.)
TACIT
done without using words
(Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a TACIT agreement had been made about which course of action to take.)
TACITURN
silent, not talkative
(The clerk's TACITURN nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob.")
TIRADE
long, harsh speech or verbal attack
TORPOR
extreme mental and physical sluggishness
(After surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off.)
TRANSITORY
temporary, lasting a brief time
(The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.)
VACILLATE
to sway physically; to be indecisive
VENERATE
to respect deeply
(In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience.)
VERACITY
truthfulness; accuracy
(She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events.)
VERBOSE
wordy
VEX
to annoy
(The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor's loud music.)
VOLATILE
easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive
WAVER
to fluctuate between choices
WHIMSICAL
acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable
ZEAL
passion, excitement
Abbreviated Communication
abridge, compendium, cursory, curtail, syllabus, synopsis, terse
Act Quickly
apace, abrupt, headlong, impetuous, precipitate
Assist
abet, advocate, ancillary, bolster, corroborate, countenance, espouse, mainstay, munificent, proponent, stalwart, sustenance
Bad Mood
bilious, dudgeon, irascible, pettish, petulant, pique, querulous, umbrage, waspish
Beginner/Amateur
dilettante, fledgling, neophyte, novitiate, proselyte, tyro
Beginning/Young
burgeoning, callow, engender, inchoate, incipient, nascent
Biting (as in wit or temperament)
acerbic, acidulous, acrimonious, asperity, caustic, mordacious, mordant, trenchant
Bold
audacious, courageous, dauntless
Boring
banal, hackneyed, insipid, mundane, pedestrian, platitude, prosaic, quotidian, trite
Carousal (wild celebration, binge, spree)
bacchanalian, debauchery, depraved, dissipated, iniquity, libertine, libidinous, licentious, reprobate, ribald, salacious, sordid, turpitude
Changing Quickly
capricious, mercurial, volatile
Copy
counterpart, emulate, facsimile, factitious, paradigm, precursor, quintessence, simulated, vicarious
Criticize/Criticism
aspersion, belittle, berate, calumny, castigate, decry, defamation, denounce, deride/derisive, diatribe, disparage, excoriate, gainsay, harangue, impugn, inveigh, lambaste, objurgate, obloquy, opprobrium, pillory, rebuke, remonstrate, reprehend, reprove,
Death/Mourning
bereave, cadaver, defunct, demise, dolorous, elegy, knell, lament, macabre, moribund, obsequies, sepulchral, wraith
Denying of Self
abnegate, abstain, ascetic, spartan, stoic, temperate
Dictatorial
authoritarian, despotic, dogmatic, hegemonic, imperious, peremptory, tyrannical
Difficult to Understand
abstruse, ambiguous, arcane, bemusing, cryptic, enigmatic, esoteric, inscrutable, obscure, opaque, paradoxical, perplexing, recondite, turbid
Disgusting/Offensive
defile, fetid, invidious, noisome, odious, putrid, rebarbative
Easy to Understand
articulate, cogent, eloquent, evident, limpid, lucid, pellucid
Eccentric/Dissimilar (Unusual; dis=opposite of)
aberrant, anachronism, anomalous, discrete, eclectic, esoteric, iconoclast
Embarrass
abash, chagrin, compunction, contrition, diffidence, expiate, foible, gaucherie, rue
Equal
equitable, equity, tantamount
Falsehood
apocryphal, canard, chicanery, dissemble, duplicity, equivocate, erroneous, ersatz, fallacious, feigned, guile, mendacious/mendacity, perfidy, prevaricate, specious, spurious
Family
conjugal, con-sanguine, distaff, endogamous, filial, fratricide, progenitor, scion, sorority
Favoring/Not Impartial
ardent/ardor, doctrinaire, fervid, partisan, tendentious, zealot
Forgive/Make Amends
absolve, acquit, exculpate, exonerate, expiate, palliate, redress, vindicate
Funny
chortle, droll, facetious, flippant, gibe, jocular, levity, ludicrous, raillery, riposte, simper
Gaps/Openings
abatement, aperture, fissure, hiatus, interregnum, interstice, lull, orifice, rent, respite, rift
Generous/Kind
altruistic, beneficent, clement, largess, magnanimous, munificent, philanthropic, unstinting
Greedy
avaricious, covetous, mercenary, miserly, penurious, rapacious, venal
Hard-Hearted
asperity, baleful, dour, fell, malevolent, mordant, sardonic, scathing, truculent, vitriolic, vituperation
Harmful
baleful, baneful, deleterious, inimical, injurious, insidious, minatory, perfidious, pernicious
Harsh-Sounding
cacophony, din, dissonant, raucous, strident
Hatred
abhorrence, anathema, antagonism, antipathy, detestation, enmity, loathing, malice, odium, rancor
Healthy
beneficial, salubrious, salutary
Hesitate
dither, oscillate, teeter, vacillate, waver
Hostile
antithetic, churlish, curmudgeon, irascible, malevolent, misanthropic, truculent, vindictive
Innocent/Inexperienced
credulous, gullible, ingenuous, naive, novitiate, tyro
Insincere
disingenuous, dissemble, fulsome, ostensible, unctuous
Investigate
appraise, ascertain, assay, descry, peruse
Lazy/Sluggish
indolent, inert, lackadaisical, languid, lassitude, lethargic, phlegmatic, quiescent, slothful, torpid
Luck
Amulet, Auspicious, Fortuitous, Kismet, Optimum, Portentous, Propitiate, Propitious, Providential, Serendipity, Talisman
Nag
admonish, cavil, belabor, enjoin, exhort, harangue, hector, martinet, remonstrate, reproof
Nasty
fetid, noisome, noxious
Not a Straight Line
askance, awry, careen, carom, circuitous, circumvent, gyrate, labyrinth, meander, oblique, serrated, sidle, sinuous, undulating, vortex
Overblown/Wordy
bombastic, circumlocution, garrulous, grandiloquent, loquacious, periphrastic, prolix, rhetoric, turgid, verbose
Pacify/Satisfy
ameliorate, appease, assuage, defer, mitigate, mollify, placate, propitiate, satiate, slake, soothe
Pleasant-Sounding
euphonious, harmonious, melodious, sonorous
Poor
destitute, esurient, impecunious, indigent
Praise
acclaim, accolade, aggrandize, encomium, eulogize, extol, fawn, laud/laudatory, venerate/veneration
Predict
augur, auspice, fey, harbinger, portentous, precursor, presage, prescient, prognosticate
Prevent/Obstruct
discomfort, encumber, fetter, forfend, hinder, impede, inhibit, occlude
Smart/Learned
astute, canny, erudite, perspicacious
Sorrow
disconsolate, doleful, dolor, elegiac, forlorn, lament, lugubrious, melancholy, morose, plaintive, threnody
Stubborn
implacable, inexorable, intractable, intransigent, obdurate, obstinate, recalcitrant, refractory, renitent, untoward, vexing
Terse (brief, short)
compendious, curt, laconic, pithy, succinct, taciturn
Time/Order/Duration
anachronism, antecede, antedate, anterior, archaic, diurnal, eon, ephemeral, epoch, fortnight, millennium, penultimate, synchronous, temporal
Timid/Timidity
craven, diffident, pusillanimous, recreant, timorous, trepidation
Truth
candor/candid, fealty, frankness, indisputable, indubitable, legitimate, probity, sincere, veracious, verity
Unusual
aberration, anomaly, iconoclast, idiosyncrasy
Walking About
ambulatory, itinerant, meander, peripatetic
Wandering
discursive, expatiate, forage, itinerant, peregrination, peripatetic, sojourn
Weaken
adulterate, enervate, exacerbate, inhibit, obviate, stultify, undermine, vitiate
Wisdom
adage, aphorism, apothegm, axiom, bromide, dictum, epigram, platitude, sententious, truism
Withdrawal/Retreat
abeyance, abjure, abnegation, abortive, abrogate, decamp, demur, recant, recidivism, remission, renege, rescind, retrograde
already
by this or that time, previously
all ready
completely prepared
altogether
entirely, completely
(Altogether is an adverb, which means is it a word that modifies a verb, adjective or other adverb. Eg. I am altogether too tired to go out this evening. (I am completely tired.))
all together
in the same place or group.
(eg. they arrived all together. remember all = everything)
capital
a city containing the seat of government; the wealth or funds owned by a business or individual; resources
capitol
the building in which a legislative body meets
coarse
rough, not smooth, lacking refinement
course
path, series of classes or studies
lead
to act as a leader, to go first, or to take a superior postion
led
past tense of "lead
lead
a metal
loose
free, to set free, not tight
lose
to become without
passed
the past tense of pass, a euphemism for someone dying
past
time no longer existing; elapsed in time
principal
the head of a school, main or important
principle
a fundamental law or truth
stationary
fixed, not moving
stationery
paper used for letter writing; writing materials