Eng. 2 1-50 of 100 Words Every Sophomore Should Know

Vociferous

(adj.) talkative; making an outcry

Adamant

(adj.) stubborn; inflexible; unyielding; unshakable; insistent

Ambiance

(noun) mood or feeling of a place; atmosphere of a place

Ambivalent

(adj.) uncertain; conflicting; having mixed or contradictory feelings

Cacophony

(noun) jarring, discordant sound; harsh, unpleasant sound

Bemused

(adj.) puzzled, confused, bewildered; deep in thought

Blas�

(adj.) bored and unimpressed because you've seen it so often before

Candor

(noun) bluntness; complete honesty; frankness of expression

Capricious

(adj.) given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

Sycophant

(noun) person who tries to win favor by flattering people of influence

Catch-22

(noun) a situation that is impossible to attain under the circumstances

Cavalier

(adj.)having feelings of superiority; haughty; disdainful; carefree

Copious

(adj.) ample, abundant; yielding something abundantly

Cumbersome

(adj.) unwieldy or burdensome; hard to carry

Discombobulate

(trans. verb) to throw into a state of confusion; to baffle; to bewilder; to upset

Docile

(adj.) easily managed or taught; willing; easy going; submissive

Egocentric

(adj.) self-centered

Elusive

(adj.) hard to find, capture, define, or comprehend

Empathize

(verb) to identify with and understand another's feelings or situation

Enigma

(noun) one that is puzzling, ambiguous, inexplicable

Esoteric

(adj.) unique; intended for only a few

Taciturn

(adj) habitually untalkative or silent; quiet

Garner

(verb) acquire

Gregarious

(adj) seeking and enjoying the company of others; sociable

Haggard

(adj) appearing worn and gaunt

Haughty

(adj) scornfully and condescendingly proud

Heinous

(adj) grossly wicked or abominable; unthinkable

Fastidious

(adj) attentive to detail; difficult to please; having high standards

Imperative

(adj) pressing; urgent

Impetuous

(adj) impulsive; marked by sudden and forceful energy

Abstract

(adj) considered apart from concrete existence; difficult to understand

Conflagration

(noun) large destructive fire

Alleviate

(trans. verb) to make more bearable

Aloof

(adj) distant or reserved in social relations

Altruistic

(adj) unselfish; concerned for the welfare of others

Affable

(adj) friendly and good-natured

Cantankerous

(adj) fussy, cranky, ill-tempered, quarrelsome

Amiable

(adj) easy and pleasant to speak to

Precarious

(adj) dangerously lacking in stability; subject to chance

Cordial

(adj) warm and sincere

animosity

(noun) strong hostility

Philanthropic

(adj) seeking to promote the welfare of others, especially by donating money to good causes; generous and benevolent

Prodigal

(adj) characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure

Avarice

(noun) excessive or insatiable desire for wealth or gain; greediness

Frugal

(adj) characterized by or reflecting economy or thriftiness in the use of resources

Obsequious

(adj) marked by or exhibiting a fawning or affectionate attentiveness

Dogged

(adj) marked by stubborn determination

Indolent

(adj) wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy; causing little or no pain

Sedentary

(adj) tending to spend much time seated; not physically active

Pretentious

(adj) making usually unjustified or excessive claims, expressive of unwarranted or exaggerated importance, worth, or stature