Adj. Section 5 Flashcards
sketchy
like a sketch; not thorough or detailed; imperfect, incomplete, slight, or superficial
sketchy information, reports
Some suspected that the models used to justify the flight ban were based on sketchy data and incomplete science.
sluggish
slow-moving or inactive; indisposed to action or exertion; lacking in energy; lazy; indolent
sluggish traffic; a sluggish economy; the sluggish black water of the canal; he felt very heavy and sluggish after the meal; the growth of the export market has helped to compensate for sluggish demand at home
smug
contentedly confident of one’s ability, superiority, or correctness; complacent
a smug expression, face, smile
She deserved her promotion, but I wish she was not so damned smug about it.
“Too much good fortune can make you smug and unaware,” thought Rachel Field, the children’s author. What she means is that successes are appreciated much more when they don’t come so often that you begin to feel entitled to them.
solvent
As an adjective, solvent describes someone who’s got cash on hand; able to pay one’s debts
As a noun, solvent is either a certain kind of chemical or an idea that solves a problem; having the power of dissolving
Many insurance companies are under pressure to increase premiums to stay solvent.
As for Social Security, its massive retirement program will remain solvent until 2034.
somatic
of the body, especially as distinct from the mind; bodily; physical
a somatic disorder that was once thought to be “all in the patient’s head”; All species make tradeoffs between reproductive and somatic investment.
You may be tired of hearing your great-grandfather’s somatic complaints, but give him a break - his body has been working for 80 years!
somber
shadowy; dimly lighted; gloomy, depressing, or dismal; dark or dull in color or tone
a somber sky; a man of somber character; a somber atmosphere, voice, face; the funeral was a somber occasion; I left them in a somber mood; he wore a somber black suit
sparing
scanty; limited
be sparing with the butter as we do not have much left; he is sparing with/in his praise(= praises people very little)
She was always careful in her dress and sparing of new clothes.
sparse
thinly scattered or distributed; scanty; meager
Higher up the mountain, houses became sparse.
Thinning hair is sparse, as is the population of an endangered species. Or a small and scattered crowd for an unpopular band.
specious
apparently good or right though lacking real merit; plausible, but actually wrong; pleasing to the eye but deceptive.
a specious claim; specious allegations, promises
An argument that seems correct only if you do not think about it very carefully is an example of a specious argument.
The argument that companies need yet more tax relief so they can create more jobs is a specious one.
spectacular
beautiful in a dramatic and eye-catching way
a spectacular view; he scored a spectacular goal in the second half; there was a spectacular sunset last night; we’ve had spectacular success with the product
sporadic
occasional; occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated
sporadic gunfire; a sporadic electricity supply
There have been sporadic attacks by both Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza amid a relative lull in the violence of recent weeks.
refer to something that happens or appears often, but not constantly or regularly. The mailman comes every day but the plumber visits are sporadic––he comes as needed
spurious
not genuine, authentic, or true; not from the claimed, pretended, or proper source; not being what it purports to be; counterfeit
The quote may be spurious, but it contains a grain of truth.
A spurious claim is one that’s not backed up by the facts. A spurious argument relies on faulty reasoning — and maybe some lies.
stalwart
strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust; loyal, reliable, and hardworking; a description for someone who is loyal and strong or for something that is reliable and sturdy
she has been a stalwart supporter of the party for many years
Stalwart can describe someone who’s able to keep on going even when things get hard, like a marathon runner who doesn’t slow down, even after spraining an ankle, or your friend who remains a devoted fan of an actor she’s admired since childhood, even if that was the last time the guy made a decent movie.
stark
sheer, utter, downright, or complete: he gave a stark denial to the rumor
harsh, grim, or desolate, as a view, place: a stark landscape; The stark nighttime scenery immediately establishes a noir atmosphere.
stiff or rigid in substance, muscles: there the dead man lay, stark and stiff
An example of something that would be described as stark is a state of absolute poverty or a plain white room with no ornamentation.
startling
creating sudden alarm, surprise, or wonder; astonishing; so unexpected that it shocks or surprises you
a startling scandal; starting news; nobody made any response to his startling suggestion
A surprise party, if it’s planned right, is startling, and it can be startling the first time you meet your best friend’s identical twin sister. Alarm clocks, smoke alarms, and barking dogs can all be equally startling.
steep
(of a slope, flight of stairs, angle, ascent, etc.) rising or falling sharply; nearly perpendicular
a steep dive; an impassably steep mountain; a steep fall in market value
excessively demanding or ambitious: a steep demand, task
stereotyped
reproduced in or by stereotype plates; fixed or settled in form; hackneyed; conventional
stereotyped ways of doing business
The wines may even gradually change the country’s image abroad, by displacing stereotyped ideas about macho beer drinkers.
sterile
free from living germs or microorganisms: sterile bandages, water, needles
incapable of producing offspring; barren: he was sterile due to a childhood illness; An empty, white room with nothing in it is sterile; her sterile little office in the city; they wasted months in sterile legal debate
stern
firm, strict, or uncompromising; rigorous or austere
Only the stern spirits of yours can overcome the difficulties.
Journalists received a stern warning not to go anywhere near the battleship.
The president is facing the sternest test of his authority since he came to power five years ago.
stoic
Being stoic is being calm and almost without any emotion. When you’re stoic, you don’t show what you’re feeling and you also accept whatever is happening.
We knew she must be in pain, despite her stoic attitude.
He showed a stoic resignation towards his fate.
Local people were stoical about the damage caused by the hurricane.
striking
attracting attention by reason of being unusual, extreme, or prominent; attractive; impressive
He is quite good-looking, but he is not as striking as his brother.
noticeable; conspicuous
She bears a striking resemblance to her mother.
There is a striking contrast between what he does and what he says he does.
There are striking similarities between the two cases.
sturdy
the definition of sturdy is something that will not break, a strong person or something that is well-constructed; strongly built; stalwart; robust
sturdy walking boots; a sturdy table; they put up a sturdy defense of their proposal
Your grandmother is pushing 80, but she is still pretty sturdy if she can beat you at tennis.
Hopefully, you and your siblings have a sturdy relationship, so you can withstand all the bickering over who gets to ride shotgun in the car.
submissive
unresistingly or humbly obedient
His mother was a meek and submissive woman.
He was looking for a quiet, submissive wife who would obey his every word.
subtle
difficult to perceive or understand: there are subtle differences between the two versions; she has been dropping subtle hints about what she’d like as a present
fine or delicate in meaning or intent: the fragrance is a subtle blend of jasmine and sandalwood
requiring mental acuteness, penetration: a subtle plan; a subtle use of lighting in the play; I decided to try a more subtle approach; the job required a subtle mind