Advanced Vocab Words - Set 3 Flashcards
Learn to understand and effectively use 100 advanced vocabulary words. Improve your test scores, or simply be more articulate in your daily life. Each word is used in context in a sample sentence and includes synonyms and a pronunciation guide.
Define:
burnish
(bur-nish)
v. to polish or make shine
n. a shiny appearance
The store owner’s son’s only job was to burnish the statues in the window every day.
Define:
buttress
(but-riss)
n. a supporting structure
v. to support or encourage
The parents decided to buttress the after-school programs that were in danger of ending by making donations.
Define:
equivocate
(i-kwiv-uh-keyt)
v. to make vague, unclear statements
The mayor equivocated when confronted about his use of public funds.
Define:
paragon
(par-uh-gon)
n. a model of excellence
The man was a paragon of virtue who had never stolen so much as a loaf of bread in his life.
Define:
cacophony
(kuh-kof-uh-nee)
n. unpleasant, discordant sounds
The orchestra’s first attempt to play together was a cacophony of jarring notes.
Define:
mawkish
(maw-kish)
adj. overly sentimental to a sickening point
The group of graduating seniors was a mawkish sight, crying and taking hundreds of pictures.
Define:
cajole
(kuh-djohl)
v. to make someone do something with flattery or promises
Mother cajoled her into driving the other children to school, promising to make her favorite dinner.
Define:
dogmatic
(dawg-matt-ik)
adj. rigidly fixed in opinion or expression in an arrogant manner
The dogmatic theorist refused to listen to any other possibilities.
Define:
calibrate
(kal-ih-brehyt)
v. to check or balance the scale of a measuring device with a standard scale
The new thermometer needed to be calibrated before it could be used.
Define:
perdition
(per-dish-uhn)
n. a state of final spiritual ruin, loss of soul, damnation
n. hell
Poor moral choices led Johnny down the road to perdition.
Define:
beseech
(bih-seech)
v. to request urgently
The dying man beseeched his family to visit him.
Define:
canny
(can-ee)
adj. careful; shrewd
John was a canny negotiator; no matter how bad his bargaining position, he would always come out on top.
Define:
seminal
(sem-uh-nl)
adj. original and influential
The seminal works of the artist developed into a new style of interpretation.
Define:
cantankerous
(can-tang-kurr-us)
adj. difficult to handle; ill-tempered
The worst part about working in customer service was having to deal with irate, cantankerous callers.
Define:
semantic
(suh-man-tick)
adj. related to the meaning of words
Susan felt that the abortion debate had become too focused on semantic arguments.
Define:
serrate
(sare-ate)
adj. having toothed edges (“serrated” is an alternate form of the adj.)
Kate used the serrate edge of the knife to cut through the tough meat.
Define:
sever
(sev-er)
v. to cut off
Unfortunately, to prevent the infection from spreading, the doctors had to sever the infected parts of the hand.
Define:
sinuous
(sin-you-us)
adj. twisting and winding
adj. not direct
The sinuous path through the mountains was probably the most dangerous route to take.
Define:
solicitude
(suh-liss-ih-tood)
n. caring about others’ well being
Though she claims not to have any feelings for Julio, she showed a great deal of solicitude when she learned of his illness.
Define:
solidarity
(sol-ih-dare-ih-tee)
n. a feeling of camaraderie with others due to shared goals
Several townspeople expressed solidarity with the union members by protesting with them.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to polish or make shine
n. a shiny appearance
burnish
(bur-nish)
synonyms: polish, brighten, shine, buff, enhance
He spent hours burnishing the silverware until it gleamed.
The marble floors had a burnish that reflected the sunlight beautifully.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a supporting structure
v. to support or encourage
buttress
(but-riss)
synonyms: prop, support; bolster, reinforce, shore up, sustain
The ancient cathedral was held up by massive stone buttresses.
The evidence presented in court buttressed his claims of innocence.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make vague, unclear statements
equivocate
(i-kwiv-uh-keyt)
synonyms: evade, sidestep, hedge, prevaricate, obscure
When asked about his plans, he began to equivocate, avoiding a direct answer.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a model of excellence
paragon
(par-uh-gon)
synonyms: archetype, ideal, exemplar, standard, model
She was considered a paragon of virtue and kindness by everyone who knew her.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. unpleasant, discordant sounds
cacophony
(kuh-kof-uh-nee)
synonyms: noise, clamor, din, racket, uproar
The cacophony of traffic and construction made it impossible to concentrate.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. overly sentimental to a sickening point
mawkish
(maw-kish)
synonyms: emotional, mushy, sentimental, sappy, overemotional
The movie’s mawkish love scenes were so exaggerated that they felt insincere.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make someone do something with flattery or promises
cajole
(kuh-djohl)
synonyms: coax, persuade, wheedle, sweet-talk, entice, manipulate
He managed to cajole his friend into lending him the car for the weekend.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. rigidly fixed in opinion or expression in an arrogant manner
dogmatic
(dawg-matt-ik)
synonyms: arrogant, bullheaded, authoritarian, opinionated, inflexible, doctrinaire
Her dogmatic stance on the issue left no room for discussion or compromise.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to check or balance the scale of a measuring device with a standard scale
calibrate
(kal-ih-brehyt)
synonyms: align, balance, fix, adjust, standardize, regulate
Before starting the experiment, the scientist calibrated the instruments to ensure accuracy.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a state of final spiritual ruin, loss of soul, damnation
n. hell
perdition
(per-dish-uhn)
synonyms: hell, damnation, corruption, underworld, eternal torment, abyss
The villain’s actions led him down a path of perdition, doomed to eternal suffering.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to request urgently
beseech
(bih-seech)
synonyms: beg, appeal, plead, implore, urge, solicit
The villagers beseeched the king for help in their time of need.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. careful; shrewd
canny
(can-ee)
synonyms: acute, cunning, astute, perceptive, shrewd
Her canny negotiation skills helped her secure a great deal on the contract.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. original and influential
seminal
(sem-uh-nl)
synonyms: landmark, fundamental, fertile, groundbreaking, pioneering, innovative
His seminal work in physics changed the way scientists understood the universe.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. difficult to handle; ill-tempered
cantankerous
(can-tang-kurr-us)
synonyms: crabby, cranky, aggressive, irritable, quarrelsome, testy
The cantankerous old man yelled at anyone who crossed his lawn.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. related to the meaning of words
semantic
(suh-man-tick)
synonyms: linguistic, verbal, meaning-related, lexical, interpretive
The argument boiled down to a semantic difference in how they interpreted the contract.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. having toothed edges
serrate
(sare-ate)
synonyms: a toothed edge or blade, notched, jagged, indented
The serrate edge of the knife made it easier to cut through tough materials.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to cut off
sever
(sev-er)
synonyms: carve, disconnect, break off, cut, split, detach
The company had to sever ties with the contractor after the project went over budget.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. twisting and winding
adj. not direct
sinuous
(sin-you-us)
synonyms: curved, circuitous, meandering, twisting, serpentine, indirect
The sinuous path through the mountains made for a challenging hike.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. caring about others’ well being
solicitude
(suh-liss-ih-tood)
synonyms: consideration, watchfulness, care, concern, attentiveness
Her solicitude for her elderly neighbors was evident in the way she checked on them daily.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a feeling of camaraderie with others due to shared goals
solidarity
(sol-ih-dare-ih-tee)
synonyms: alliance, sympathy, unity, togetherness, support
The workers showed solidarity during the strike, united in their demands for better conditions.
Define:
soluble
(sol-yuh-bull)
adj. capable of being dissolved in a liquid
adj. capable of being solved
Certain medicines are soluble in water so they can be taken with ease.
Define:
solvent
(sol-vunt)
adj. able to meet financial obligations
n. a substance that can dissolve other substances
To remain solvent, the business was forced to sell its overseas operations.
Define:
soporific
(sop-uh-riff-ik)
adj. able to cause sleepiness
n. a substance that causes sleepiness
Bill’s new cold medication has soporific side effects that interfere with his ability to drive.
Define:
emulate
(em-yuh-lehyt)
v. to try to imitate or exceed another’s actions
Nancy wanted to emulate her older sister and so began to study more often.
Define:
enamor
(ih-nam-er)
v. to make infatuated; to cause to love
He was so enamored of her that he thought about her every day.
Define:
endemic
(in-dem-ik)
adj. originating in, native to, particular to
There are some deadly diseases that are endemic to the tropics.
Define:
endow
(in-dow)
v. to give (esp. an inheritance or genetic trait)
Christine’s mother endowed her with beautiful green eyes.
Define:
dour
(doo-er)
adj. harsh; gloomy, forbidding
adj. stern, humorless
The old headmaster never had anything but a dour expression to offer.
Define:
enervate
(in-er-vehyt)
v. to make weaker
The heat enervated the soccer players’ strength with each passing minute, and by halftime most were in no condition to continue playing.
Define:
insouciant
(in-soo-see-uhnt)
adj. unconcerned, nonchalant, lighthearted
Michael’s insouciant attitude towards schoolwork led to poor test grades.
Define:
evince
(ih-vins)
v. to clearly prove something, to indicate
Her choice not to enter into an argument with him evinced her maturity.
Define:
enfranchise
(in-fran-chahyz)
v. to give rights of citizenship, esp. the right to vote
When women were finally enfranchised, spontaneous celebrations occurred throughout the country.
Define:
filigree
(fil-ih-gree)
n. an ornamental work, esp. delicate and lacelike
v. to adorn
The wine glass was filigreed with a delicate pattern of grape vines.
Define:
engender
(in-djen-dur)
v. to cause, to lead to
The poor ventilation in the factory engendered health problems amongst the workers.
Define:
apocryphal
(uh-pok-ruh-fuhl)
adj. of dubious origin; of doubtful authenticity
I believe all stories of alien abduction are apocryphal.
Define:
enmity
(en-mih-tee)
n. strong mutual hatred
Great enmity has existed between the two tribes for centuries, leading to untold bloodshed.
Define:
aesthete
(es-theet)
n. one with artistic sensibilities
The aesthete was able to knowledgeably interpret the painting.
Define:
estimable
(es-tuh-muh-buhl)
adj. formidable, worthy
The team knew within the first few minutes that they faced an estimable opponent.
Define:
revile
(ruh-vahyl)
v. to criticize with harsh or abusive language
Film critics reviled the studio for gutting the director’s artistic vision and replacing it with meaningless action sequences.
Define:
indefatigable
(in-duh-fat-ih-guh-buhl)
adj. incapable of becoming exhausted; tireless; dogged
The marathon runner was seemingly indefatigable, keeping up his brisk pace while competitors fell behind one after the other.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. capable of being dissolved in a liquid
adj. capable of being solved
soluble
(sol-yuh-bull)
synonyms: dispersable, dissolvable; solvable, liquid, mixable, meltable
The sugar is soluble in water.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. able to meet financial obligations
n. a substance that can dissolve other substances within itself
solvent
(sol-vunt)
synonyms: financially stable, viable; dissolver, liquid, cleanser, agent
The company is solvent after restructuring.
Water is a universal solvent.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. able to cause sleepiness
n. a substance that causes sleepiness
soporific
(sop-uh-rif-ik)
synonyms: anesthetic, narcotic, sedative, sleep-inducing, tranquilizing, calming
The lecture was soporific.
The medication had a soporific effect.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to try to imitate or exceed another’s actions
emulate
(em-yuh-lehyt)
synonyms: copy, mimic, imitate, rival, follow
She tries to emulate her mentor’s success.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make infatuated; to cause to love
enamor
(ih-nam-er)
synonyms: fascinate, captivate, infatuate, allure, enchant
He was enamored with her charm.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. originating in, native to, particular to
endemic
(in-dem-ik)
synonyms: local, regional, native, indigenous, specific
This species is endemic to the island.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to give (esp. an inheritance or genetic trait)
endow
(in-dow)
synonyms: provide, impart, bestow, grant, furnish
Her grandmother endowed her with a trust fund.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. harsh; gloomy, forbidding
adj. stern, humorless
dour
(doo-er)
synonyms: uninviting, severe, sullen, grim, austere
His dour demeanor intimidated the staff.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make weaker
enervate
(in-er-vehyt)
synonyms: tire, exhaust, debilitate, sap, weaken
The heat enervated the athletes.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unconcerned, nonchalant, lighthearted
insouciant
(in-soo-see-uhnt)
synonyms: carefree, unworried, indifferent, casual, relaxed
Her insouciant attitude was refreshing.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to clearly prove something, to indicate
evince
(ih-vins)
synonyms: declare, demonstrate, reveal, show, manifest
He evinced great interest in the project.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to give rights of citizenship, esp. the right to vote
enfranchise
(in-fran-chahyz)
synonyms: empower, naturalize, liberate, grant rights, enfranchisement
Women were enfranchised in the early 20th century.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an ornamental work, esp. delicate and lacelike
v. to adorn
filigree
(fil-ih-gree)
synonyms: decoration, ornamentation; decorate, embellishment, lacework
The jewelry was adorned with gold filigree.
She filigreed the edges of her project.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to cause, to lead to
engender
(in-djen-dur)
synonyms: develop, generate, bring about, produce, create, instigate
The policy engendered debate.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. of dubious origin; of doubtful authenticity
apocryphal
(uh-pok-ruh-fuhl)
synonyms: fictitious, doubtful, unverified, questionable, spurious
The story of his victory seems apocryphal.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. strong mutual hatred
enmity
(en-mih-tee)
synonyms: animosity, antagonism, hostility, hatred, bitterness
There was clear enmity between the rivals.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. one with artistic sensibilities
aesthete
(es-theet)
synonyms: artist, connoisseur, art lover, creative, visionary
As an aesthete, she appreciated fine art.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. formidable, worthy
estimable
(es-tuh-muh-buhl)
synonyms: admirable, honored, commendable, worthy, respectable
Her estimable work earned her many accolades.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to criticize with harsh or abusive language
revile
(ruh-vahyl)
synonyms: scold, criticize, abuse, denounce, vilify, berate
The critics reviled the film for its poor acting.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. incapable of becoming exhausted; tireless; dogged
indefatigable
(in-duh-fat-ih-guh-buhl)
synonyms: untiring, active, persevering, unflagging, relentless, unwearied
Her indefatigable energy amazed everyone.
Define:
ensemble
(on-som-bul)
n. a whole group formed by separate parts
The band was an ensemble of classical violinists, guitarists, and a jazz pianist.
Define:
effervescent
(eff-er-vess-uhnt)
adj. emitting small bubbles
adj. lively, showing high spirits, vivacious
Stacy’s effervescent mind captivated everyone she met.
Define:
enthrall
(in-thrawl)
v. to captivate
v. to enslave
The singer’s voice enthralled the judges, who immediately awarded her first place in the contest.
Define:
entreat
(in-treet)
v. to plead
The rejected boy entreated the girl to give him a second chance.
Define:
extirpate
(ek-ster-peyt)
v. to destroy, annihilate totally
v. to cut out by the roots
Modern thinkers have proposed to extirpate religion from all political discourse.
Define:
enumerate
(ih-new-muh-rate)
v. to list items individually
Shocked by her decision, I asked her to enumerate her reasons for firing him.
Define:
internecine
(in-ter-neh-seen)
adj. mutually destructive
adj. characterized by bloodshed and carnage
adj. relating to intra-group struggle
That country’s internecine struggle was only put to rest after many innocent people lost their lives.
Define:
ephemeral
(uh-fem-er-ul)
adj. lasting only a short while
Our joy at being let out for the weekend was only ephemeral, for we soon realized that we had a lot of studying to do for Monday.
Define:
variegated
(vair-ee-uh-gehyt-id)
adj. multicolored
adj. varied
The variegated leaves were a sure sign that autumn had arrived.
Define:
venerate
(ven-uh-rehyt)
v. to respect deeply and honor
The children venerated their grandfather and sought not to disappoint him.
Define:
veracity
(vur-rass-ih-tee)
n. truthfulness
In order to have her article published, Susan needed to prove the veracity of her claims.
Define:
verbiage
(ver-bee-idge)
n. an overabundance of words
n. one’s manner of speaking
The elderly speaker’s verbiage tended toward the formal.
Define:
vestige
(ves-tidge)
n. a small remnant
That abandoned well is a vestige of the manor that once stood here.
Define:
vex
(vex)
v. to annoy or bother
v. to confound
v. to talk about extensively
It was when they were allowed to horse around the house that the children vexed her the most.
Define:
vigilant
(vidge-ih-lunt)
adj. watchful
Our new dog is very vigilant when it comes to guarding the house.
Define:
vigor
(vig-er)
n. energy, vitality
n. strength; forcefulness
After she broke her hip dancing, Kate realized that she had lost the youthful vigor she once had.
Define:
virtuoso
(vur-chew-owe-so)
n. a highly-skilled artist
Even at a young age, it was clear that Beethoven was a virtuoso in the making.
Define:
viscous
(viss-kuss)
adj. thick and syrup-like
They slathered a viscous glue over the pieces to make sure they would stick.
Define:
vituperate
(vahy-too-puh-rehyt)
v. to scold
The old man vituperated the neighborhood boys who were trespassing on his lawn.
Define:
vivacious
(vih-vey-shuss)
adj. energetic; full of life
At ninety years old, Melinda was known for being particularly vivacious for her age.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a whole group formed by separate parts
ensemble
(on-som-bull)
synonyms: band, collection, organization, group, assembly, team
The ensemble performed flawlessly, each musician contributing to the harmonious piece.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. emitting small bubbles
adj. lively, showing high spirits, vivacious
effervescent
(eff-er-vess-uhnt)
synonyms: airy, foaming; spirited, bubbly, fizzy, vivacious, exuberant
Her effervescent personality lit up the room.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to captivate
v. to enslave
enthrall
(in-thrawl)
synonyms: absorb, enrapture, beckon, beguile, charm, fascinate, grip
The magician’s tricks enthralled the audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to plead
entreat
(in-treet)
synonyms: beg, request, implore, beseech, appeal
She entreated him to stay for the evening.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to destroy, annihilate totally
v. to cut out by the roots
extirpate
(ek-ster-peyt)
synonyms: destroy, annihilate; remove, uproot, eradicate, eliminate, abolish
They worked to extirpate the invasive species.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to list items individually
enumerate
(ih-new-muh-rate)
synonyms: count, list to review, itemize, catalog, specify
She enumerated the reasons for her decision.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. mutually destructive
adj. characterized by bloodshed and carnage
adj. relating to intra-group struggle
internecine
(in-ter-neh-seen)
synonyms: civil, fratricidal, deadly, bloody, catastrophic, self-destructive, destructive
The internecine conflict devastated the entire region.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. lasting a very short time
ephemeral
(uh-fem-er-ul)
synonyms: momentary, passing, fleeting, transient, brief
The sunset’s beauty was ephemeral but unforgettable.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. appearing to have different colors
adj. varied
variegated
(vair-ee-uh-gehyt-id)
synonyms: diverse, kaleidoscopic, multicolored, assorted, mixed
The artist used a variegated palette for the mural.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to respect deeply and honor
venerate
(ven-uh-rehyt)
synonyms: admire, esteem, revere, honor, regard
They venerate their elders with great ceremony.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. truthfulness
veracity
(vur-rass-ih-tee)
synonyms: certainty, truth, fact, accuracy, honesty, integrity
His veracity was never in question.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an overabundance of words
n. one’s manner of speaking
verbiage
(ver-bee-idge)
synonyms: wordiness, verbosity; delivery, excessive language, phrasing
The report was filled with unnecessary verbiage.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a small remnant
vestige
(ves-tidge)
synonyms: remainder, hint, trace, fragment, relic
Only a vestige of the ancient building remained.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to annoy or bother
v. to confound
v. to talk about extensively
vex
(vex)
synonyms: distress, agitate; confuse, irritate, bother, perplex
His constant questions began to vex her.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. watchful
vigilant
(vidge-ih-lunt)
synonyms: attentive, aware, on the lookout, alert, observant, cautious
The security guard remained vigilant throughout the night.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. energy, vitality
n. strength; forcefulness
vigor
(vig-er)
synonyms: power, intensity, strength, vitality, robustness
She tackled the project with great vigor.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a highly-skilled artist
virtuoso
(vur-chew-owe-so)
synonyms: ace, artist, professional, maestro, genius, expert
The pianist was a virtuoso, admired worldwide.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. thick and syrup-like
viscous
(viss-kuss)
synonyms: slow-flowing, syrupy, thick, glutinous, sticky
The viscous honey slowly dripped from the spoon.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to scold
vituperate
(vahy-too-puh-rehyt)
synonyms: abuse, berate, yell at, criticize, reprimand, condemn
The coach began to vituperate the team for their poor performance.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. energetic; full of life
vivacious
(vih-vey-shuss)
synonyms: lively, spirited, animated, exuberant, effervescent
Her vivacious spirit made her the life of the party.
Define:
meticulous
(muh-tick-yuh-luss)
adj. paying great attention to detail
He was a meticulous sculptor, sometimes spending hours perfecting a single fingernail on one of his figures.
Define:
mimicry
(mim-ih-kree)
n. a close imitation of something else
Mimicry is common in the animal kingdom, such as when harmless species assume the aspect of poisonous ones to avoid being eaten.
Define:
minuet
(min-you-et)
n. a slow, stately, pattern dance in 3/4 time
n. the music to accompany the dance of the same name
A minuet is always danced with three beats per measure.
Define:
minute
(my-newt)
adj. tiny
adj. attentive to the smallest details
The chances of such a slow horse actually winning the race are minute.
Define:
mirth
(murth)
n. glee; joy
The house was always full of happy laughter and other signs of mirth.
Define:
dissipated
(dis-uh-pey-tid)
adj. indulging in excessive devotion to pleasure; debauched, dissolute; wasted, squandered; to cause to disappear, disperse
His life quickly became dissipated and unstructured after he won the lottery.
Define:
misanthrope
(miss-un-throwp)
n. hater of humanity
The old man was a notorious misanthrope who loathed even his own children.
Define:
invidious
(in-vid-ee-uhs)
adj. offensive, provoking resentment or ill-will
The teacher’s invidious practice of playing favorites led to several parent conferences.
Define:
misconstrue
(miss-kun-strew)
v. to misunderstand
Eva has a habit of misconstruing compliments, reading amorous designs into the most innocent remarks.
Define:
remit
(rih-mit)
v. to transmit payment
v. to refrain from exacting
v. to pardon
v. to desist, postpone or give up
The transaction was completed after the buyer remitted the money.
Define:
mitigate
(mit-ih-gate)
v. to make smaller or less problematic
The hurricane’s effect was mitigated by the quick response from the national guard.
Define:
opprobrium
(uh-proh-bree-uhm)
n. the disgrace felt by someone who has acted in an outrageously shameful manner
Oedipus Rex experienced great opprobrium after learning the true extent of his crimes.
Define:
mollify
(mohl-ih-fahy)
v. to decrease the strength of, pacify, placate
v. to make softer, less severe
His rage was mollified by his wife’s soothing words.
Define:
momentum
(moh-men-tum)
n. strength built up by continued movement or development
The protest gained momentum as it passed through the city and gained new supporters.
Define:
prodigious
(pruh-didj-us)
adj. having great power or size
adj. extreme
The building of the new dam is a prodigious project requiring thousands of men and millions of dollars.
Define:
asperity
(uh-sper-ih-tee)
n. severity, rigor
n. acrimony, irritability
The asperity of a northern winter can lead to depression.
Define:
profligate
(prof-lih-git)
adj. immoral
adj. recklessly extravagant
She criticized her spoiled son for his profligate lifestyle.
Define
profuse
(pruh-fewss)
adj. abundant
adj. freely giving or spending
Horrified by the consequences of her actions, Joyce offered profuse apologies to her friends.
Define:
hapless
(hap-liss)
adj. unlucky, unfortunate, luckless
The hapless, accident-prone child managed to break his leg for the third time.
Define:
prognostic
(prog-noss-tick)
n. a prediction
adj. indicating future events
Climate scientists presented a chilling prognostic of what will happen to our planet in the near future.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. paying great attention to detail
meticulous
(muh-tick-yuh-luss)
synonyms: perfectionist, painstaking, thorough, precise, careful
She was meticulous in her research, ensuring no errors were made.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a close imitation of something else
mimicry
(mim-ih-kree)
synonyms: mime, imitation, replication, impersonation, echo
The actor’s mimicry of famous politicians was spot on.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a slow, stately, pattern dance in 3/4 time
n. the music to accompany the dance of the same name
minuet
(min-you-et)
synonyms: dance, waltz; music, piece, suite, melody, rhythm
They danced a graceful minuet at the formal ball.
The orchestra played a classical minuet to set the mood.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. tiny
adj. attentive to the smallest details
minute
(my-newt)
synonyms: very small, miniature; exact, precise, diminutive, tiny, minuscule
The minute details in the painting were barely visible.
Her minute observations caught every flaw in the design.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. glee; joy
mirth
(murth)
synonyms: cheer, amusement, happiness, delight, joyfulness
The party was filled with mirth and laughter.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. devoted to the pursuit of pleasure; hedonistic
dissipated
(dis-uh-pey-tid)
synonyms: self-indulgent, spoiled, debauched, luxurious, extravagant, libertine
His dissipated lifestyle left him broke and alone.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. hater of humanity
misanthrope
(miss-un-throwp)
synonyms: cynic, curmudgeon, recluse, hermit, introvert
The old misanthrope avoided social interactions at all costs.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. offensive, provoke resentment or ill-will
invidious
(in-vid-ee-uhs)
synonyms: abominable, repugnant, resentful, hateful, envious
Her invidious comments stirred up anger among her colleagues.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to misunderstand
misconstrue
(miss-kun-strew)
synonyms: distort, mistake, misread, misinterpret, misconceive, confuse
He misconstrued her friendly gesture as romantic interest.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to transmit payment
v. to refrain from exacting
v. to pardon
v. to desist, postpone or give up
remit
(rih-mit)
synonyms: transfer; stop, postpone; alleviate, pardon, send, deliver, forgive
He remitted the funds to the company by wire transfer.
The court decided to remit her sentence.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make smaller or less problematic
mitigate
(mit-ih-gate)
synonyms: diminish, lighten, alleviate, reduce, lessen
The government tried to mitigate the impact of the economic downturn.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the disgrace felt by someone who has acted in an outrageously shameful manner, contempt
opprobrium
(uh-proh-bree-uhm)
synonyms: dishonor, infamy, humiliation, disgrace, shame, scorn
The public opprobrium over his misconduct led to his resignation.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to decrease the strength of
v. to make softer
mollify
(mohl-ih-fahy)
synonyms: disarm, smooth over, soften, calm, appease, soothe
She tried to mollify his anger with a sincere apology.
The doctor mollified the patient’s concerns with comforting words.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. strength built up by continued movement or development
momentum
(moh-men-tum)
synonyms: drive, energy, propulsion, force, impetus, power
The project gained momentum after the initial success.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. having great power or size
adj. extreme
prodigious
(pruh-didj-us)
synonyms: massive, colossal, monumental, extraordinary, enormous, immense, vast
The prodigious mountain loomed over the valley.
Her prodigious talent earned her widespread recognition.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. severity, rigor
n. acrimony, irritability
asperity
(uh-sper-ih-tee)
synonyms: harshness, bad temper, bitterness, severity, sharpness
The asperity of his tone made everyone uneasy.
His asperity during meetings was hard to tolerate.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. immoral
adj. recklessly extravagant
profligate
(prof-lih-git)
synonyms: corrupt, degenerate; immoderate, lavish, wasteful, extravagant, dissipated
His profligate behavior led to his downfall.
She lived a profligate lifestyle, spending money on luxury items.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. abundant
adj. freely giving or spending
profuse
(pruh-fewss)
synonyms: excessive, extravagant, plentiful, copious, lavish, abundant
She expressed profuse gratitude to everyone who helped.
The garden was profuse with blooming flowers.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unlucky, unfortunate, luckless
hapless
(hap-liss)
synonyms: luckless, jinxed, unfortunate, ill-fated, doomed
The hapless traveler missed his flight and lost his luggage.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a prediction
adj. indicating future events
prognostic
(prog-noss-tick)
synonyms: omen, foreboding, warning, prophecy, forecast, prediction, portent
The dark clouds were a prognostic of the upcoming storm.
The patient’s symptoms were prognostic of a more serious condition.
Define:
proliferate
(pruh-lif-er-ehyt)
v. to grow and spread quickly
Tensions in the area proliferated after the civilian casualties.
Define:
puissant
(pyoo-uh-suhnt)
adj. powerful, mighty
A puissant leader can secure the success of an entire team.
Define:
prone
(prone)
adj. lying face or front downward
adj. tending to behave or act a certain way
Lucy was prone to cheat on tests, so the teachers placed her in a separate room.
Define:
propitiate
(proh-pish-ee-ehyt)
v. to appease
The custom was to propitiate the angry gods with a sacrifice.
Define:
ineffable
(in-eff-uh-buhl)
adj. incapable of being described in words
After a long day you can find ineffable pleasure in a hot bath.
Define:
propitious
(pruh-pish-us)
adj. favorable
The rainy weather was not propitious for the picnic they had planned.
Define:
propound
(pruh-pound)
v. to propose or offer for consideration
To make her point about the dangers of sunburns, Kate _propound_ed various theories about skin cancer and its links to ultraviolet radiation.
Define:
propriety
(pruh-pry-ih-tee)
n. proper behavior
A model housewife, Mary valued propriety and manners over everything else.
Define:
precipitate
(prih-sip-ih-teyt)
adj. acting with haste or on impulse
v. to cause or hasten an event
The officer took precipitate action and wound up making the situation even worse.
Define:
prosaic
(pro-zay-ik)
adj. common; unimaginative
Kate’s realistic paintings of household objects were criticized as being too prosaic.
Define:
prudent
(proo-dent)
adj. practical; careful
His assistant was particularly prudent when it came to keeping the company’s secrets.
Define:
advert
(ad-vurt)
v. to call or direct attention towards
As soon as Jim saw the unsafe guardrail, he adverted everyone to the problem.
Define:
excoriate
(ik-skawr-ee-eyt)
v. to condemn scathingly
After the student’s repetitive acts of bullying, the principal _excoriate_d him.
Define:
insipid
(in-sip-id)
adj. bland, trite
The film’s insipid plot, like that of hundreds of others, centered on American agents thwarting a Russian spy ring.
Define:
sublimate
(suhb-luh-meyt)
v. to change state of matter between solid and gaseous form without passing through a liquid stage
v. to modify the expression of an instinctual impulse in a socially acceptable manner
Dry ice sublimates directly from its solid ice form to the gas you see rising off of it.
Define:
expatiate
(ik-spey-shee-eyt)
v. to discuss or write about at great length
Margie expatiated about her misfortunes until early in the morning.
Define:
precipitous
(prih-sip-ih-tuhs)
adj. dangerously high or steep
adj. done hastily and without care
The economy suffered a precipitous decline in exports.
Define:
necromancy
(nek-ruh-man-see)
n. the practice of communicating with the spirits of the dead
n. black magic, black arts, or sorcery
Aunt Pam claimed that necromancy was a way you could speak to your ancestors.
Define:
truculent
(truhk-yuh-luhnt)
adj. cruel, ferocious, savage, brutal
The truculent dictator did not care about the well-being of his people.
Define:
depravity
(dih-prav-ih-tee)
n. moral corruption or degradation
The various depravities of modern society include an unhealthy obsession with the lives and deaths of celebrities.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to grow and spread quickly
proliferate
(pruh-lif-er-ehyt)
synonyms: expand, develop, increase, multiply, escalate
Rumors about the incident began to proliferate online.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. powerful, mighty
puissant
(pyoo-uh-suhnt)
synonyms: strong, formidable, influential, potent, robust
The king was a puissant ruler, feared by his enemies.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. lying face or front downward
adj. tending to behave or act a certain way
prone
(prone)
synonyms: face down, flat, horizontal; likely, susceptible, vulnerable, inclined
He lay prone on the grass, staring at the sky.
She is prone to anxiety in stressful situations.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to appease
propitiate
(proh-pish-ee-ehyt)
synonyms: assuage, satisfy, pacify, placate, mollify
He tried to propitiate the angry crowd with a public apology.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. incapable of being described in words
ineffable
(in-eff-uh-buhl)
synonyms: beyond words, indescribable, unutterable, sublime, inexpressible
The beauty of the sunset was ineffable.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. favorable
propitious
(pruh-pish-us)
synonyms: good, beneficial, auspicious, advantageous, timely
The clear skies were a propitious sign for the outdoor event.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to propose or offer for consideration
propound
(pruh-pound)
synonyms: counsel, advise, set forth, present, suggest, introduce
She propounded a new solution to the problem.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. proper behavior
propriety
(pruh-pry-ih-tee)
synonyms: correctness, accordance, courtesy, decorum, etiquette, appropriateness
He always acted with propriety during formal meetings.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. acting with haste or on impulse
v. to cause or hasten an event
precipitate
(prih-sip-ih-teyt)
synonyms: expedite, advance, hasten, provoke, trigger
His precipitate decision led to unforeseen consequences.
The sudden rain precipitated a halt to the outdoor concert.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. common; unimaginative
prosaic
(pro-zay-ik)
synonyms: everyday, drab, dull, mundane, ordinary, uninspired
Her speech was filled with prosaic statements, lacking creativity.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. practical; careful
prudent
(proo-dent)
synonyms: canny, sagacious, wise, judicious, sensible
It was a prudent decision to save money for emergencies.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to call or direct attention towards
advert
(ad-vurt)
synonyms: observe, attend, point to, refer, indicate, highlight
The article adverted to the growing environmental issues.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to condemn scathingly
excoriate
(ik-skawr-ee-eyt)
synonyms: berate, scathe, chastise, denounce, revile, attack
The critics excoriated the movie for its poor script.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. bland, trite
insipid
(in-sip-id)
synonyms: dull, uninteresting, vapid, flavorless, boring
The insipid conversation bored everyone at the table.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to change state of matter between solid and gaseous form without passing through a liquid stage
v. to modify the expression of an instinctual impulse in a socially acceptable manner
sublimate
(suhb-luh-meyt)
synonyms: refine, transfer, redirect, transform, channel, convert
Dry ice sublimates directly into gas.
He sublimated his anger into intense physical exercise.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to discuss or write about at great length
expatiate
(ik-spey-shee-eyt)
synonyms: elaborate, expound, discuss, detail, elaborate upon
She loved to expatiate on her travels through Europe.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. dangerously high or steep
adj. done hastily and without care
precipitous
(prih-sip-ih-tuhs)
synonyms: steep, arduous, high; impulsive, abrupt, sudden, reckless
The hikers carefully navigated the precipitous cliffs.
His precipitous actions led to unfortunate consequences.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the practice of allegedly communicating with the spirits of the dead
n. black magic, black arts, or sorcery
necromancy
(nek-ruh-man-see)
synonyms: sorcery, occultism, wizardry, enchantment, divination
The villagers feared the old woman practiced necromancy.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. cruel, ferocious, savage, brutal
truculent
(truhk-yuh-luhnt)
synonyms: abusive, aggressive, hostile, fierce, belligerent, combative
His truculent attitude made him difficult to work with.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. moral corruption or degradation
depravity
(dih-prav-ih-tee)
synonyms: immorality, criminality, wickedness, vice, corruption
The dictator’s depravity shocked the entire nation.
