A

Question 1

abbreviate

Answer 1

(verb) to make briefer, to shorten.

Because time was running out, the speaker had to abbreviate his remarks.

abbreviation (noun)

Question 2

abrasive

Answer 2

(adjective) irritating, grinding, rough.

The manager’s rude, abrasive way of criticizing the workers was bad for morale.

abrasion (noun)

Question 3

abridge

Answer 3

(verb) to shorten, to reduce.

The Bill of Rights is designed to prevent Congress from abridging the rights of Americans.

abridgment (noun)

Question 4

absolve

Answer 4

(verb) to free from guilt, to exonerate.

The criminal jury absolved Mr. Callahan of the murder of his neighbor.

absolution (noun)

Question 5

abstain

Answer 5

(verb) to refrain, to hold back.

After his heart attack, William was warned by his doctor to abstain from smoking, drinking, and overeating.

abstinence ( noun)
abstemious (adjective)

Question 6

accentuate

Answer 6

(verb) to emphasize, to stress.

The overcast skies and chill winds only accentuate our gloomy mood.

accentuation (noun)

Question 7

acrimonious

Answer 7

(adjective) biting, harsh, caustic.

The election campaign became acrimonious, as the candidates traded insults and accusations.

acrimony (noun)

Question 8

adaptable

Answer 8

(adjective) able to be changed to be suitable for a new purpose.

Some scientists say that the mammals outlived the dinosaurs because they were more adaptable to a changing climate.

adapt (verb)
adaptation (noun)

Question 9

adulation

Answer 9

(noun) extreme admiration.

Few young actors have received greater adulation than did Marlon Brando after his performance in A Streetcar Named Desire.

adulate (verb)
adulatory (adjective)

Question 10

adversary

Answer 10

(noun) an enemy or opponent.

When the former Soviet Union became an American ally, the United States lost a major adversary.

adversarial (adjective)

Question 11

adversity

Answer 11

(noun) misfortune.

It’s easy to be patient and generous when things are going well; a person’s true character is revealed under adversity.

adverse (adjective)

Question 12

aesthetic

Answer 12

(adjective) relating to art or beauty.

Mapplethorpe’s photos may be attacked on moral grounds, but no one questions their aesthetic value-they are beautiful.

aestheticism (noun)

Question 13

affected

Answer 13

(adjective) false, artificial.

At one time, Japanese women were taught to speak in an affected high-pitched voice, which was thought girlishly attractive.

affect (verb)
affectation (noun)

Question 14

aggressive

Answer 14

(adjective) forceful, energetic, and attacking.

Some believe that a football player needs a more aggressive style of play than a soccer player.

aggression (noun)

Question 15

alacrity

Answer 15

(noun) promptness, speed.

Thrilled with the job offer, he accepted with alacrity-“Before they can change their minds!” he thought.

alacritous (adjective)

Question 16

allege

Answer 16

(verb) to state without proof.

Some have alleged that Foster was murdered, but all the evidence points to suicide.

allegation (noun)

Question 17

alleviate

Answer 17

(verb) to make lighter or more bearable.

Although no cure for AIDS has been found, doctors are able to alleviate the suffering of those with the disease.

alleviation (noun)

Question 18

ambiguous

Answer 18

(adjective) having two or more possible meanings.

The phrase, “Let’s table that discussion” is ambiguous; some think it means, “Let’s discuss it now,” while others think it means, “Let’s save it for later.”

ambiguity (noun)

Question 19

ambivalent

Answer 19

(adjective) having two or more contradictory feelings or attitudes; uncertain.

She was ambivalent toward her impending marriage; at times she was eager to go ahead, while at other times she wanted to call it off.

ambivalence (noun)

Question 20

amiable

Answer 20

(adjective) likable, agreeable, friendly.

He was an amiable lab partner, always smiling, on time, and ready to work.

amiability (noun)

Question 21

amicable

Answer 21

(adjective) friendly, peaceable.

Although they agreed to divorce, their settlement was amicable and they remained friends afterward.

Question 22

amplify

Answer 22

(verb) to enlarge, expand, or increase.

Uncertain as to whether they understood, the students asked the teacher to amplify his explanation.

amplification (noun)

Question 23

anachronistic

Answer 23

(adjective) out of the proper time.

The reference, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar to “the clock striking twelve” is anachronistic, since there were no striking timepieces in ancient Rome.

anachronism (noun)

Question 24

anarchy

Answer 24

(noun) absence of law or order.

For several months after the Nazi government was destroyed, there was no effective government in parts of Germany, and anarchy ruled.

anarchic (adjective)

Question 25

anomaly

Answer 25

(noun) something different or irregular.

The tiny planet Pluto, orbiting next to the giants Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, has long appeared to be an anomaly.

anomalous (adjective)

Question 26

antagonism

Answer 26

(noun) hostility, conflict, opposition.

As more and more reporters investigated the Watergate scandal, antagonism between Nixon and the press increased.

antagonistic (adjective)
antagonize (verb)

Question 27

antiseptic

Answer 27

(adjective) fighting infection; extremely clean.

A wound should be washed with an antiseptic solution. The all-white offices were bare and almost antiseptic in their starkness.

Question 28

apathy

Answer 28

(noun) lack of interest, concern, or emotion.

Tom’s apathy toward his job could be seen in his lateness, his sloppy work, and his overall poor attitude.

apathetic (adjective)

Question 29

arable

Answer 29

(adjective) able to be cultivated for growing crops.

Rocky New England has relatively little arable farmland.

Question 30

arbiter

Answer 30

(noun) someone able to settle disputes; a judge or referee.

The public is the ultimate arbiter of commercial value; it decides what sells and what doesn’t.

Question 31

arbitrary

Answer 31

(adjective) based on random or merely personal preference.

Both computers cost the same and had the same features, so in the end I made an arbitrary decision about which one to buy.

Question 32

arcane

Answer 32

(adjective) little-known, mysterious, obscure.

Eliot’s Waste Land is filled with arcane lore, including quotations in Latin, Greek, French, German, and Sanskrit.

arcana (noun, plural)

Question 33

ardor

Answer 33

(noun) a strong feeling of passion, energy, or zeal.

The young revolutionary proclaimed his convictions with an ardor that excited the crowd.

ardent (adjective)

Question 34

arid

Answer 34

(adjective) very dry; boring and meaningless.

The arid climate of Arizona makes farming difficult. Some find the law a fascinating topic, but for me it is an arid discipline.

aridity (noun)

Question 35

ascetic

Answer 35

(adjective) practicing strict self-discipline for moral or spiritual reasons.

The so-called Desert Fathers were hermits who lived an ascetic life of fasting, study, and prayer.

asceticism (verb)

Question 36

assiduous

Answer 36

(adjective) working with care, attention, and diligence.

Although Karen is not a naturally gifted math student, by assiduous study she managed to earn an A in trigonometry.

assiduity (noun)

Question 37

astute

Answer 37

(adjective) observant, intelligent, and shrewd.

Safire’s years of experience in Washington and his personal acquaintance with many political insiders made him an astute commentator on politics.

Question 38

atypical

Answer 38

(adjective) not typical; unusual.

In The Razor’s Edge, Bill Murray, best known as a comic actor, gave an atypical dramatic performance.

Question 39

audacious

Answer 39

(adjective) bold, daring, adventurous.

Her plan to cross the Atlantic single-handed in a 12-foot sailboat was audacious, if not reckless.

audacity (noun)

Question 40

audible

Answer 40

(adjective) able to be heard.

Although she whispered, her voice was picked up by the microphone, and her words were audible throughout the theater.

audibility (noun)

Question 41

auspicious

Answer 41

(adjective) promising good fortune; propitious.

The news that a team of British climbers had reached the summit of Everest seemed an auspicious sign for the reign of newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II.

Question 42

authoritarian

Answer 42

(adjective) favoring or demanding blind obedience to leaders.

Despite Americans’ belief in democracy, the American government has supported authoritarian regimes in other countries.

authoritarianism (noun)