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SAT Vocab Genius > Advanced Vocab Words - Set 4 > Flashcards

Advanced Vocab Words - Set 4 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.

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SAT® Prep flashcards
1
Q

Define:

aseptic

(uh-sep-tik)

A

adj. free of pathogens or germs

adj. with little or no emotion

Doctors are always careful to use aseptic surgical equipment to prevent infection.

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2
Q

Define:

prolix

(proh-liks)

A

adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length

The prolix manuscript took days to read.

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3
Q

Define:

foolhardy

(fool-hahr-dee)

A

adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash

It was a foolhardy attempt to climb the Sears Tower that went very wrong.

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4
Q

Define:

picaresque

(pik-uh-resk)

A

adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure

Huck Finn is a picaresque hero.

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5
Q

Define:

raucous

(raw-kuhs)

A

adj. rough sounding, harsh

adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly

The raucous laughter went on long into the night.

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6
Q

Define:

providential

(prov-ih-den-shuhl)

A

adj. to occur as if from divine intervention or great time

His providential recovery, when it seemed that he would surely succumb, brought hope to many.

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7
Q

Define:

antipodal

(an-tip-uh-dl)

A

adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite

adj. on the opposite side of the earth

The couple had totally antipodal personalities, but they enjoyed each other’s company.

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8
Q

Define:

pillory

(pill-uh-ree)

A

v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning

n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held

Dan was pilloried in class for his inability to spell “potato”.

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9
Q

Define:

infelicitous

(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)

A

adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate

In Thailand, it is considered infelicitous to touch someone’s head.

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10
Q

Define:

dilatory

(dil-uh-tawr-ee)

A

adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate

adj. intended to slow progress

Courtney employed dilatory tactics in the debate in order to collect her thoughts, but the judges noticed and she was docked a point.

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11
Q

Define:

overweening

(oh-ver-wee-ning)

A

adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited; overconfident, overbearing

Ian made the overweening assumption that people would rush to help him.

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12
Q

Define:

neologism

(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)

A

n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words

“Technophile” is a neologism, just as “UFO” once was.

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13
Q

Define:

lassitude

(lass-ih-tood)

A

n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body

The extreme heat led to a general lassitude that settled on the village from May to October.

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14
Q

Define:

locution

(loh-kyoo-shuhn)

A

n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group

n. style of speaking, phraseology

The newcomers were fascinated by the Aussie’s locution.

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15
Q

Define:

jocose

(joh-kohss)

A

adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner

The jocose innkeeper could always be counted on for a bit of levity.

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16
Q

Define:

rend

(rend)

A

v. to forcibly take

v. to tear apart

The three-year-old decided she wants to play with the teddy bear, so she rended it from her infant sister’s hands.

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17
Q

Define:

stanch

(stawnch)

A

v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)

The doctor’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood eventually succeeded, and the patient’s blood pressure stabilized.

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18
Q

Define:

solder

(sod-er)

A

v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)

Harry soldered the bits of scrap metal together to make a pet door.

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19
Q

Define:

demure

(duh-myoor)

A

adj. modest, shy

Lindsay was demure and had a tough time opening up to new people.

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20
Q

Define:

insensible

(in-sen-suh-buhl)

A

adj. unconscious, unresponsive

The boxer lay insensible on the floor of the ring.

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21
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. free of pathogens or germs

adj. with little or no emotion

A

aseptic

(uh-sep-tik)

synonyms: barren, clean; withdrawn, introverted, sterile, unemotional

The hospital room was kept aseptic to prevent infections.

His aseptic demeanor made it hard to read his feelings.

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22
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length

A

prolix

(proh-liks)

synonyms: lengthy, rambling, verbose, long-winded, tedious

The professor’s prolix lecture caused several students to lose focus.

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23
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash

A

foolhardy

(fool-hahr-dee)

synonyms: daredevil, venturous, risky, audacious, imprudent

His foolhardy decision to drive through the storm led to disaster.

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24
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure

A

picaresque

(pik-uh-resk)

synonyms: roguish, satirical, adventurous, playful, whimsical

The novel’s picaresque hero was always getting into mischief.

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25
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rough sounding, harsh

adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly

A

raucous

(raw-kuhs)

synonyms: noisy, chaotic, loud, clamorous, disorderly

The raucous laughter filled the noisy bar.

The raucous crowd disrupted the concert.

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26
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. to occur as if from divine intervention

A

providential

(prov-ih-den-shuhl)

synonyms: accidental, convenient, fortunate, serendipitous, timely

Their providential meeting led to a lifelong friendship.

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27
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite

adj. on the opposite side of the earth

A

antipodal

(an-tip-uh-dl)

synonyms: opposed, contrary, counter, opposite, divergent

Their views on politics were antipodal.

Australia and Argentina are antipodal regions.

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28
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning

n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held

A

pillory

(pill-uh-ree)

synonyms: ridicule, abuse, condemn, chastise

He was pilloried in the press for his controversial remarks.

In medieval times, criminals were placed in the pillory as punishment.

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29
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate

A

infelicitous

(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)

synonyms: improper, ill-suited, inopportune, unsuitable

His infelicitous comment ruined the otherwise pleasant dinner.

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30
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate

adj. intended to slow progress

A

dilatory

(dil-uh-tawr-ee)

synonyms: dallying, sluggish, tardy, procrastinating, lagging

Her dilatory approach to her work caused deadlines to be missed.

The dilatory tactics during the meeting frustrated the team.

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31
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited, overconfident, overbearing

A

overweening

(oh-ver-wee-ning)

synonyms: brash, conceited, pompous, hubristic, egotistical

His overweening arrogance made him unpopular among his colleagues.

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32
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words

A

neologism

(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)

synonyms: synthetic word, new phrase, coinage, innovation

The tech industry is full of neologisms that are hard to keep up with.

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33
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body

A

lassitude

(lass-ih-tood)

synonyms: lethargy, weariness, fatigue, listlessness, apathy

After the long hike, she was overcome with lassitude.

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34
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group

n. style of speaking, phraseology

A

locution

(loh-kyoo-shuhn)

synonyms: phrasing, expression, lingo, vernacular, terminology

His locution was filled with regional slang that made him hard to understand.

The speaker’s locution was elegant and engaging.

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35
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner

A

jocose

(joh-kohss)

synonyms: facetious, humorous, funny, playful, lighthearted

His jocose personality made him the life of the party.

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36
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to forcibly take

v. to tear apart

A

rend

(rend)

synonyms: break, divide, rip, tear, split

He tried to rend the book from her hands.

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37
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)

A

stanch

(stawnch)

synonyms: halt, stop, quench, check

The nurse quickly stanched the bleeding.

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38
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)

A

solder

(sod-er)

synonyms: fasten, braze, fuse, bind

He carefully soldered the broken circuit board back together.

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39
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. modest, shy

A

demure

(duh-myoor)

synonyms: reserved, bashful, coy, retiring, unassuming

She gave a demure smile when complimented.

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40
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unconscious, unresponsive

A

insensible

(in-sen-suh-buhl)

synonyms: cold, numb, inanimate, unfeeling, unaware

He was insensible after being hit on the head.

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41
Q

Define:

rail

(reyl)

A

v. to complain bitterly

The citizens railed against the injustice of the federal land grab in tersely-worded editorials and letters to the editor.

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42
Q

Define:

noisome

(noy-suhm)

A

adj. offensive or harmful

The noisome odor of the garbage nauseated Audrey.

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43
Q

Define:

mellifluous

(muh-lif-loo-uhs)

A

adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)

Lucy’s mellifluous voice was noted by her interviewer.

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44
Q

Define:

inveterate

(in-vet-er-it)

A

adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted

It was Tony’s inveterate preference to drink orange juice every morning.

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45
Q

Define:

coterie

(koh-tuh-ree)

A

n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests

The coterie of musicians began to meet on Tuesday nights and eventually established a weekly concert series.

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46
Q

Define:

impugn

(im-pyoon)

A

v. to challenge or attack one’s beliefs or motives as false

The candidate went too far when he began to impugn the character of his opponent’s husband.

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47
Q

Define:

voluble

(vol-yuh-buhl)

A

adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative

The voluble speaker talked late into the night.

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48
Q

Define:

misogynist

(mih-sodj-uh-nist)

A

n. one who hates women

The song contained several lyrics that were so offensive to women that the singer was immediately labeled a misogynist.

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49
Q

Define:

pedagogy

(ped-uh-goh-djee)

A

n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing

Training in pedagogy can’t prepare you for manic third graders.

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50
Q

Define:

ambient

(am-bee-uhnt)

A

adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment

The low ambient lighting made for a romantic dinner setting.

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51
Q

Define:

inquest

(in-kwest)

A

n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury

n. an investigation, inquiry

The police opened an inquest into the cause of death.

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52
Q

Define:

preen

(preen)

A

v. to primp, to dress up

v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal

The bird preened its feathers with its beak for a few moments before taking flight.

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53
Q

Define:

parry

(pear-ee)

A

v. to block, evade, or ward off

The politician parried the reporter’s questions with a few of her own.

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54
Q

Define:

guy

(gahy)

A

n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace

I was nervous that the guy for the pulley would snap.

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55
Q

Define:

sallow

(sal-oh)

A

adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion

There was a large number of sallow-looking patients in the doctor’s office.

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56
Q

Define:

plangent

(plan-djuhnt)

A

adj. pounding, thundering, resounding

The plangent honking of geese flying overhead jolted me awake.

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57
Q

Define:

peripatetic

(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)

A

adj. itinerant, nomadic

A peripatetic existence can take its toll on your relationships with the ones you love.

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58
Q

Define:

rue

(roo)

A

v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse

I rued the day I ever let her go.

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59
Q

Define:

macerate

(mass-uh-reyt)

A

v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose

v. to emaciate; to starve

Now, we will macerate the rest of the melon in hot water so we can use it to flavor the cream.

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60
Q

Define:

callow

(kal-oh)

A

adj. lacking maturity or experience

A callow young man was tormenting the elderly in the park.

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61
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to complain bitterly

A

rail

(reyl)

synonyms: berate, abuse, complain, rant, criticize

She railed against the unfair treatment she received.

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62
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. offensive or harmful

A

noisome

(noy-suhm)

synonyms: repulsive, dangerous, foul, malodorous

The noisome fumes made it difficult to breathe.

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63
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)

A

mellifluous

(muh-lif-loo-uhs)

synonyms: euphonic, harmonic, mellow, pleasing, smooth, soothing

Her mellifluous voice captivated the audience.

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64
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted

A

inveterate

(in-vet-er-it)

synonyms: chronic, habitual, ingrained, persistent, entrenched

He was an inveterate smoker despite numerous attempts to quit.

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65
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests

A

coterie

(koh-tuh-ree)

synonyms: clique, crowd, collective, group, association

She belonged to an elite coterie of art collectors.

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66
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to challenge or attack ones beliefs or motives as false

A

impugn

(im-pyoon)

synonyms: criticize, challenge, dispute, question

He impugned her integrity during the heated debate.

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67
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative

A

voluble

(vol-yuh-buhl)

synonyms: articulate, chatty, conversational, talkative, garrulous

The voluble speaker entertained the crowd for hours.

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68
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one who hates women

A

misogynist

(mih-sodj-uh-nist)

synonyms: sexist, chauvinist, woman-hater, male chauvinist

The misogynist was known for his discriminatory views.

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69
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing

A

pedagogy

(ped-uh-goh-djee)

synonyms: education, apprenticeship, discipline, instruction, teaching

She excelled in pedagogy, making complex subjects accessible to students.

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70
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment

A

ambient

(am-bee-uhnt)

synonyms: environment, atmosphere, surrounding, environmental

The ambient noise of the city made it hard to concentrate.

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71
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury.

n. an investigation, inquiry

A

inquest

(in-kwest)

synonyms: a judicial inquiry, an official review before a panel, investigation, examination

The court held an inquest into the cause of the accident.

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72
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to primp, to dress up

v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal

A

preen

(preen)

synonyms: beautify, groom, brush, doll up, tidy, arrange

She spent hours preening before the big event.

The bird preened its feathers in the sunlight.

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73
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to block, evade, or ward off

A

parry

(pear-ee)

synonyms: block, dodge, circumvent, deflect, counter

He skillfully parried his opponent’s attack.

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74
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace

A

guy

(gahy)

synonyms: cable, wire, rope, support, line

The tent was secured with a guy to withstand the wind.

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75
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion

A

sallow

(sal-oh)

synonyms: pale, unhealthy-looking, jaundiced, sickly, wan

Her sallow complexion was a sign of her illness.

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76
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. pounding, thundering, resounding

A

plangent

(plan-djuhnt)

synonyms: booming, loud, roaring, mournful, melancholy

The plangent roar of the waves echoed through the cliffs.

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77
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. itinerant, nomadic

A

peripatetic

(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)

synonyms: migrant, vagrant, wandering, traveling, roving

His peripatetic lifestyle took him all over the world.

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78
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse

A

rue

(roo)

synonyms: feel remorse, grieve for, lament, repent

He rued the day he made that fateful decision.

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79
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose

v. to emaciate; to starve

A

macerate

(mass-uh-reyt)

synonyms: soak, dissolve, break down, soften

The fruit was left to macerate in the wine overnight.

The harsh conditions caused the prisoners to macerate.

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80
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking maturity or experience

A

callow

(kal-oh)

synonyms: immature, foolish, green, inexperienced

The callow youth made many naive mistakes.

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81
Q

Define:

wistful

(wist-fuhl)

A

adj. yearning, longing, or melancholy

The child stared wistfully out the window for days, waiting for her dog to return.

82
Q

Define:

corroborate

(kuh-rob-uh-rehyt)

A

v. to confirm or validate

The mailman corroborated the alleged thief’s story, confirming that he had merely been passing by when the robbery occurred.

83
Q

Define:

couch

(couch)

A

v. to express in indirect terms; to frame in a certain way

Her criticism was couched in flattering terms so that her coworker wouldn’t take offense.

84
Q

Define:

innervate

(ih-nur-veyt)

A

v. to give nervous energy to; to supply with nerves

The team was innervated by the coach’s pep talk and approached the second half with renewed energy.

85
Q

Define:

impecunious

(im-puh-kyoo-nee-us)

A

adj. poor; without any money

A graduate student generally leads an impecunious existence.

86
Q

Define:

grovel

(gruhv-uhl)

A

v. to behave in a servile manner to receive forgiveness or a favor

v. to kneel with one’s head down

The servants groveled at the king’s throne.

87
Q

Define:

epicurean

(ep-ih-kyoo-ree-uhn)

A

adj. characterized by luxury (esp. in terms of food and drink) or by a propensity for indulging in luxury

The cruise was marketed as an epicurean adventure through the cuisines of four Caribbean nations.

88
Q

Define:

hirsute

(hur-soot)

A

adj. hairy, shaggy

A hirsute sheepdog won the Dog Showing Contest.

89
Q

Define:

countenance

(koun-tuh-nunce)

A

n. appearance of a person’s face

v. to permit, to allow

Many people thought she was friendly because of her kindly countenance.

90
Q

Define:

scurvy

(skur-vee)

A

adj. not admirable, despicable

The scurvy pirate secured his escape by throwing gun powder into the eyes of his pursuers.

91
Q

Define:

covert

(koe-vert)

A

adj. hidden; secret

The government’s covert operations were laid bare by the shocking article.

92
Q

Define:

craven

(kray-vun)

A

adj. cowardly

The craven man ran away at the first sign of danger.

93
Q

Define:

eugenics

(yoo-djen-iks)

A

n. the study of heredity improvements by genetic control

Nazi Germany is known to have carried out many eugenics experiments that provoked outrage once they came to light.

94
Q

Define:

credence

(creed-enss)

A

n. belief that something is true

n. plausibility

She gave credence to the rumors when she failed to deny them.

95
Q

Define:

execrate

(ek-si-kreyt)

A

v. to declare to be hateful or abhorrent; denounce

v. to loathe

v. to curse

The rival teams appeared on the news to execrate one another.

96
Q

Define:

sempiternal

(sem-pih-tur-nl)

A

adj. eternal, infinite

Nothing in life is sempiternal, alas.

97
Q

Define:

credulous

(kredj-uh-luss)

A

adj. easily convinced that something is true

His lies were so ridiculous that only the most credulous child would have believed them.

98
Q

Define:

plumb

(pluhm)

A

v. to measure the depth

v. to examine critically

I think she is the only architect working today who has the courage to truly plumb the possibilities of recycled construction materials.

99
Q

Define:

culpable

(kull-puh-bull)

A

adj. deserving of blame or punishment

He confessed that he was culpable for the crime and faced the consequences.

100
Q

Define:

debase

(dih-base)

A

v. to corrupt or lower the value of

Many argue that modern society has been debased by materialism.

101
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. yearning, longing, or melancholy

A

wistful

(wist-fuhl)

synonyms: forlorn, reflective, pensive, melancholic

She gave a wistful glance at the old photographs, remembering better times.

102
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to confirm or validate

A

corroborate

(kuh-rob-uh-rehyt)

synonyms: affirm, validate, give further supporting evidence, verify, support

The witness’s testimony corroborated the alibi of the defendant.

103
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to express in indirect terms; to frame in a certain way

A

couch

(couch)

synonyms: formulate, phrase, surround, present, articulate

She couched her criticism in more diplomatic language to avoid offense.

104
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give nervous energy to; to supply with nerves

A

innervate

(ih-nur-veyt)

synonyms: invigorate, evoke, energize, stimulate

The motivational speech innervated the team before the big game.

105
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. poor; without any money

A

impecunious

(im-puh-kyoo-nee-us)

synonyms: destitute, impoverished, broke, needy

He was impecunious after years of struggling to find steady work.

106
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to behave in a servile manner

v. to indulge in unworthy pursuits

A

grovel

(gruhv-uhl)

synonyms: beg, serve, fawn, abase

He had to grovel for forgiveness after making a serious mistake.

They groveled to win favor with the influential leader.

107
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. characterized by luxury (esp. in terms of food and drink) or by a propensity for indulging in luxury

A

epicurean

(ep-ih-kyoo-ree-uhn)

synonyms: gluttonous, libertine, luxurious, indulgent

The epicurean feast featured the finest wines and gourmet dishes.

108
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. hairy, shaggy

A

hirsute

(hur-soot)

synonyms: furry, woolly, fuzzy, hairy

The hirsute dog left fur all over the furniture.

109
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. appearance of a person’s face

v. to permit, to allow

A

countenance

(koun-tuh-nunce)

synonyms: aspect, demeanor, expression; face, approval

His serious countenance made him look older than his years.

The manager countenanced the team’s request for a day off.

110
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. not admirable, despicable

A

scurvy

(skur-vee)

synonyms: abominable, low-down, despicable, contemptible

His scurvy behavior left him with few friends.

111
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. hidden; secret

n. a covered place for hiding

A

covert

(koe-vert)

synonyms: cloaked, secret, sly, concealed, hidden

The agent’s covert operation was unknown to most of his colleagues.

The fox darted into the covert to avoid the hunters.

112
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. cowardly

A

craven

(kray-vun)

synonyms: weak, timid, fearful, spineless, cowardly

His craven refusal to stand up for his beliefs cost him his reputation.

113
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the study of heredity improvements by genetic control

A

eugenics

(yoo-djen-iks)

synonyms: genetic enhancement, genetic manipulation, biogenetics

The controversial theory of eugenics has raised ethical concerns over the years.

114
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. belief that something is true

n. plausibility

A

credence

(creed-enss)

synonyms: credulity, confidence, possibility, faith, trust

The scientist’s findings lent credence to the new theory.

Her story had enough credence to be considered seriously.

115
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to declare to be hateful or abhorrent; denounce

v. to loathe

v. to curse

A

execrate

(ek-si-kreyt)

synonyms: accurse, condemn; hate, detest, revile

The dictator was execrated by the people for his brutal regime.

She execrated the idea of injustice.

116
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. eternal, infinite

A

sempiternal

(sem-pih-tur-nl)

synonyms: ageless, constant, everlasting, timeless

The stars in the sky seem sempiternal, twinkling throughout the ages.

117
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. easily convinced that something is true

A

credulous

(kredj-uh-luss)

synonyms: gullible, too trusting, naive, unsuspecting

The credulous child believed every story his older brother told him.

118
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to measure the depth

v. to examine critically

A

plumb

(pluhm)

synonyms: probe, gauge; assess, study, explore

They used a rope to plumb the depths of the ocean.

The professor plumbed the complexities of the argument during the lecture.

119
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. deserving of blame or punishment

A

culpable

(kull-puh-bull)

synonyms: guilty, liable, responsible, accountable

He was found culpable for the accident and faced legal consequences.

120
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. to corrupt or lower the value of

A

debase

(dih-base)

synonyms: degrade, cheapen, diminish, tarnish

The scandal debased the reputation of the company.

121
Q

Define:

decadent

(deck-ih-dunt)

A

adj. in a state of decline

adj. self-indulgent

Louis XIV was known for his decadent displays of wealth and power.

122
Q

Define:

decorous

(dek-core-us)

A

adj. conforming to what is acceptable to society

adj. marked by propriety and etiquette

One must always behave in a decorous manner at formal events.

123
Q

Define:

decry

(dih-cry)

A

v. to strongly disapprove of

The preacher decried society’s indifference towards the poor.

124
Q

Define:

artless

(art-liss)

A

adj. simple and natural

adj. unable to mask true feelings

adj. without artistic merit; crudely made

She had an artless grace about her that endeared her to strangers.

125
Q

Define:

ascetic

(uh-set-ik)

A

adj. relating to self-denial

n. a person who practices self-denial

The ascetic monks rejected modern comforts such as electricity.

126
Q

Define:

ascendant

(uh-sen-dent)

A

adj. rising

adj. most powerful

n. a position of being dominant or in control

In this game, newcomers are ascendant because of their youth.

127
Q

Define:

ascribe

(uh-scribe)

A

v. to attribute or assign to a cause

Her success was ascribed to the hours she had spent studying.

128
Q

Define:

assiduous

(uh-sidj-oo-us)

A

adj. making careful and persistent effort

John was an assiduous student who always tried his best.

129
Q

Define:

assuage

(uh-swaydj)

A

v. to relieve

Her anger was assuaged by her friend’s soothing words.

130
Q

Define:

astute

(uh-stewt)

A

adj. having practical intelligence and good judgment

An astute teacher always checks for plagiarism.

131
Q

Define:

suppliant

(suhp-lee-uhnt)

A

adj. asking humbly, beseeching

n. a person who requests or begs

The boy was peering into the pet store window with the look of a suppliant on his face.

132
Q

Define:

atrophy

(at-ruh-fee)

A

n. deterioration (esp. due to inactivity)

v. to deteriorate, to waste away (esp. due to inactivity)

The paralyzed patient began to show signs of atrophy in his leg muscles.

133
Q

Define:

anosmia

(an-oz-mee-uh)

A

n. loss of the sense of smell

Melissa has been afflicted with anosmia since birth; she likes to say that sometimes it is a curse, and sometimes a blessing.

134
Q

Define:

austere

(aw-steer)

A

adj. severe, strict, or very plain

The austere room was anything but inviting.

135
Q

Define:

autonomous

(aw-tawn-ih-muss)

A

adj. independent

The revolutionaries are fighting to make their country autonomous.

136
Q

Define:

rapacious

(ruh-pey-shuhs)

A

adj. voracious, greedy, plundering

The Vikings were rapacious warriors.

137
Q

Define:

avarice

(av-uh-riss)

A

n. insatiable greed

The rich man’s avarice led him to buy up most of the neighborhood.

138
Q

Define:

unflappable

(uhn-flap-uh-buhl)

A

adj. not easily upset or excited (e.g., in a crisis)

The unflappable hero maintained his level-headed mentality during the disaster.

139
Q

Define:

aver

(uh-vurr)

A

v. to declare as true

When interviewed, Susan’s friends all averred that she was a trustworthy person.

140
Q

Define:

emasculate

(uh-mass-kyuh-leyt)

A

v. to castrate or make effeminate

v. to weaken

Wearing the frilly pink shirt made him feel emasculated.

141
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. in a state of decline

adj. self-indulgent

A

decadent

(deck-ih-dunt)

synonyms: decaying, hedonistic, luxurious, indulgent

The once-vibrant city now appeared decadent, with crumbling buildings and empty streets.

The decadent lifestyle of the wealthy left them morally bankrupt.

142
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. conforming to what is acceptable to society

adj. marked by propriety and etiquette

A

decorous

(dek-core-us)

synonyms: acceptable, befitting; civil, courtly, seemly, proper, respectable

Her decorous behavior at the formal event impressed the guests.

The decorous conversation at dinner was a refreshing change from their usual banter.

143
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. to strongly disapprove of

A

decry

(dih-cry)

synonyms: denounce, deplore, condemn, criticize, vilify

The politician decried the corruption in the system.

144
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. simple and natural

adj. unable to mask true feelings

adj. without artistic merit; crudely made

A

artless

(art-liss)

synonyms: genuine, pure; naive, straightforward; awkward, amateurish, unpretentious, unrefined

Her artless charm made her instantly likable.

His artless honesty was refreshing, as he spoke from the heart.

145
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to self-denial; and

n. a person who practices self-denial

A

ascetic

(uh-set-ik)

synonyms: abstinent, restrained, austere, self-disciplined, rigorous

His ascetic lifestyle was characterized by minimal possessions and strict routines.

The ascetic devoted his life to meditation and reflection, seeking enlightenment through simplicity.

146
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rising

adj. most powerful

n. a position of being dominant or in control

A

ascendant

(uh-sen-dent)

synonyms: ruling, superior, dominant, rising, prevailing

The ascendant sun signaled the start of a new day.

The nation enjoyed a period of ascendant power on the global stage.

147
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to attribute or assign to a cause

A

ascribe

(uh-scribe)

synonyms: assign, appoint, accredit, attribute, impute

He ascribed his success to hard work and determination.

148
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. making careful and persistent effort

A

assiduous

(uh-sidj-oo-us)

synonyms: hardworking, attentive, diligent, tireless, indefatigable, meticulous

Her assiduous attention to detail ensured the project was flawless.

149
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to relieve

A

assuage

(uh-swaydj)

synonyms: soothe, alleviate, ease, calm, pacify

He tried to assuage her guilt with comforting words.

150
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having practical intelligence and good judgment

A

astute

(uh-stewt)

synonyms: adroit, perspicacious, sagacious, shrewd, insightful, perceptive, clever

Her astute observations helped the team solve the problem quickly.

151
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. asking humbly, beseeching

n. a person who requests or begs

A

suppliant

(suhp-lee-uhnt)

synonyms: begging; beggar, seeker, humble, beseeching, pleading, imploring

The suppliant tone of her voice revealed her deep desire for help.

As a suppliant, he approached the council for assistance in his plight.

152
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. deterioration (esp. due to inactivity)

v. to deteriorate, to waste away (esp. due to inactivity)

A

atrophy

(at-ruh-fee)

synonyms: disintegration; to disintegrate, decline, degeneration, waste, diminish

Muscle atrophy can occur when a person is bedridden for an extended period.

If not exercised regularly, the muscles will begin to atrophy.

153
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. loss of the sense of smell

A

anosmia

(an-oz-mee-uh)

synonyms: without smell, smell loss, olfactory loss

She was diagnosed with anosmia after a severe illness.

154
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. severe, strict, or very plain

A

austere

(aw-steer)

synonyms: bare, stark, simple, stern, harsh, unadorned

The austere decor of the room matched her minimalist lifestyle.

155
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. independent

A

autonomous

(aw-tawn-ih-muss)

synonyms: self-determining, independent, self-governing, sovereign, free, self-sufficient

The island nation remained autonomous despite political pressures.

156
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. voracious, greedy, plundering

A

rapacious

(ruh-pey-shuhs)

synonyms: marauding, ravenous, avaricious, greedy, insatiable

The rapacious invaders took everything of value from the village.

157
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. insatiable greed

A

avarice

(av-uh-riss)

synonyms: selfishness, ambition, greed, covetousness, insatiability, materialism

His avarice led him to exploit his employees without remorse.

158
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. not easily upset or excited (e.g., in a crisis)

A

unflappable

(uhn-flap-uh-buhl)

synonyms: calm, collected, composed, steady, imperturbable

Even in the face of disaster, he remained unflappable and calm.

159
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to declare as true

A

aver

(uh-vurr)

synonyms: affirm, assert, declare, state

She averred her innocence during the trial.

160
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to castrate or make effeminate

v. to weaken

A

emasculate

(uh-mass-kyuh-leyt)

synonyms: desexualize, neuter; devitalize, weaken, undermine, debilitate, enfeeble

The harsh criticism seemed to emasculate his confidence in the project.

Excessive regulations can emasculate the effectiveness of a program.

161
Q

Define:

dormant

(door-munt)

A

adj. inactive for a period of time

The dormant volcano erupted unexpectedly, injuring many.

162
Q

Define:

recumbent

(rih-kuhm-buhnt)

A

adj. leaning, lying down

He sat recumbent on the picnic blanket.

163
Q

Define:

dote

(dote)

A

v. to show excessive affection

Her parents were strict but her grandparents always doted on her and showered her with gifts.

164
Q

Define:

frangible

(fran-djuh-buhl)

A

adj. fragile; easily broken

The frangible statue was accidently pushed over and shattered.

165
Q

Define:

dupe

(dewp)

A

n. a person who is easily tricked

v. to deceive

The lying politician made those who had voted for him seem like dupes.

166
Q

Define:

magnanimous

(mag-nan-uh-muhss)

A

adj. noble in spirit, generous in forgiving others

Susan’s magnanimous personality made her many life-long friends.

167
Q

Define:

ebb

(eb)

A

v. to decrease or recede

n. a decline

n. the outward flow of the tide

Her affection for him began to ebb a few days after the hasty wedding.

168
Q

Define:

wizen

(wiz-uhn)

A

adj. shriveled, wrinkled, or withered, as of with old age

A wizened old man was walking through the park.

169
Q

Define:

countermand

(koun-ter-mand)

A

v. to annul, cancel, make a contrary order

The general countermanded his previous order to retreat, telling the men to march straight into battle.

170
Q

Define:

ebullient

(ih-buhl-yunt)

A

adj. very excited; joyously enthusiastic

Linda was ebullient when she made it into the semifinals.

171
Q

Define::

apogee

(ap-uh-djee)

A

n. the highest point, zenith

The apogee of the roller coaster terrified even the most seasoned riders.

172
Q

Define:

ecclesiastical

(ih-klee-zee-ass-tih-kuhl)

A

adj. relating to the church

Mary decided to take up her ecclesiastical concerns with the local priest.

173
Q

Define:

eclectic

(ih-klek-tik)

A

adj. composed of parts from many different sources

The girl’s fashion sense was an eclectic mix of conservative Victorian and colorful modern styles.

174
Q

Define:

edify

(ed-ih-fahy)

A

v. to educate, instruct, or benefit, especially morally or spiritually; uplift

John attempted to edify the impolite young man.

175
Q

Define:

efficacious

(eff-ih-kay-shuss)

A

adj. producing or able to produce a desired result

The woman insisted that her herbal medicines would be the most efficacious remedy for the young patient.

176
Q

Define:

puerile

(pyoo-er-ill)

A

adj. childish, immature

The comedian had a puerile sense of humor, invoking the bathroom in practically every joke.

177
Q

Define:

effrontery

(ih-frun-tuh-ree)

A

n. unjustified arrogance or boldness

Although my sister had not invited me to her party, she had the effrontery to ask me for help setting up.

178
Q

Define:

effusive

(ih-few-siv)

A

adj. related to excessive or unchecked emotion; expressing feelings of gratitude

Susan’s effusive praise of Ramon’s new car made him think that perhaps she didn’t really like it.

179
Q

Define:

tortuous

(tawr-choo-uhs)

A

adj. winding, excessively complicated

The philosopher made a tortuous argument that not many of his students followed.

180
Q

Define:

debauchery

(dih-baw-chuh-ree)

A

n. extreme sensual indulgence

The debauchery in the movie was enough to make me blush.

181
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. inactive for a period of time

A

dormant

(door-munt)

synonyms: inactive, sleeping, inoperative, latent, idle, resting

The volcano has been dormant for centuries.

182
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. leaning, lying down

A

recumbent

(rih-kuhm-buhnt)

synonyms: sprawling, reclining, horizontal, prone

He remained recumbent on the couch, watching TV.

183
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to show excessive affection

A

dote

(dote)

synonyms: favor, cherish, adore, pamper

She couldn’t help but dote on her new puppy.

184
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. fragile; easily broken

A

frangible

(fran-djuh-buhl)

synonyms: brittle, flimsy, delicate, breakable

The frangible glass shattered upon impact.

185
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a person who is easily tricked

v. to deceive

A

dupe

(dewp)

synonyms: chump, sucker, victim, fool, gull

He was such a dupe, falling for every scam.

The con artist duped him into giving away his money.

186
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. noble in spirit, generous in forgiving others

A

magnanimous

(mag-nan-uh-muhss)

synonyms: big-hearted, forgiving, generous, altruistic

Her magnanimous gesture of forgiveness surprised everyone.

187
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to decrease or recede

n. a decline

n. the outward flow of the tide

A

ebb

(eb)

synonyms: subside; regression, decline, diminution, retreat

As the excitement began to ebb, the crowd slowly dispersed.

The ebb of support left the candidate discouraged.

188
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to shrivel, wrinkle, or wither, as of old age

A

wizen

(wiz-uhn)

synonyms: sag, crinkle, dry up, fade, shrivel

The once vibrant flowers began to wizen in the heat.

189
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to annul or cancel; to give a contrary order

A

countermand

(koun-ter-mand)

synonyms: override, recall, revoke, rescind, retract

The general countermanded the earlier attack order.

190
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. very excited; joyously enthusiastic

A

ebullient

(ih-buhl-yunt)

synonyms: bouncy, chipper, effervescent, exuberant, lively

The ebullient crowd cheered loudly for their team.

191
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. the highest point, zenith

A

apogee

(ap-uh-djee)

synonyms: pinnacle, apex, summit, peak

The astronaut reached the apogee of his career with the moon landing.

192
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to the church

A

ecclesiastical

(ih-klee-zee-ass-tih-kuhl)

synonyms: clerical, parochial, religious, spiritual

The ecclesiastical leaders gathered for the annual conference.

193
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. composed of parts from many different sources

A

eclectic

(ih-klek-tik)

synonyms: heterogeneous, multifarious, varied, diverse

Her music taste is quite eclectic, ranging from classical to punk rock.

194
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to educate, instruct, or benefit, especially morally or spiritually; uplift

A

edify

(ed-ih-fahy)

synonyms: enlighten, teach, uplift, inspire

The speaker’s words were meant to edify the audience.

195
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. producing or able to produce a desired result

A

efficacious

(eff-ih-kay-shuss)

synonyms: efficient, capable, effective, potent

The treatment was efficacious in curing the disease.

196
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. childish, immature

A

puerile

(pyoo-er-ill)

synonyms: babyish, callow, infantile, naive, juvenile

His puerile jokes irritated everyone at the meeting.

197
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. unjustified arrogance or boldness

A

effrontery

(ih-frun-tuh-ree)

synonyms: audacity, impudence, brashness, insolence

He had the effrontery to insult the host at the dinner party.

198
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. related to excessive or unchecked emotion; expressing feelings of gratitude

A

effusive

(ih-few-siv)

synonyms: overdone, extravagant, gushing, unrestrained

Her effusive praise made everyone in the room uncomfortable.

199
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. winding, excessively complicated

A

tortuous

(tawr-choo-uhs)

synonyms: ambiguous, convoluted, indirect, circuitous, twisted

The legal contract was so tortuous that no one could understand it.

200
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. extreme sensual indulgence

A

debauchery

(dih-baw-chuh-ree)

synonyms: depravity, lechery, lewdness, dissipation, excess

The party was known for its debauchery and excess.

SAT Vocab Genius (8 decks)

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