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Advanced Vocab Genius > Advanced Vocab Words - Set 6 > Flashcards

Advanced Vocab Words - Set 6 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.

1
Q

Define:

pedant

(ped-ant)

A

n. someone who shows off knowledge

n. someone who pays undue attention to rules

Dominic is a pedant who annoys everyone in the class with his long-winded questions and unnecessary quotes from the textbook.

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2
Q

Define:

penchant

(pen-chunt)

A

n. a strong preference for something

Kate had a penchant for interior decorating, so she took over the role of set designer for the play.

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3
Q

Define:

penury

(pen-yuh-ree)

A

n. extreme poverty or destitution

Having lived in penury their whole lives, the townspeople were very grateful for the donations sent by the charitable organization.

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4
Q

Define:

tangent

(tan-djunt)

A

n. a different topic

adj. touching

Halfway into her speech on global warming, she went on a tangent about materialism in modern society.

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5
Q

Define:

technocracy

(teck-knock-ruh-see)

A

n. rule by scientists

In the movie, the future is a technocracy where programmers rule the entire world.

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6
Q

Define:

tedium

(tee-dee-um)

A

n. dullness

n. the feeling of being bored

The tedium of a fixed routine made John reconsider his plans to become a teacher.

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7
Q

Define:

tenacious

(tuh-nay-shuss)

A

adj. sticking strongly to something

adj. having greater than average longevity

adj. stubborn

Despite the sudden thunderstorm, the tenacious runners continued to move towards the finish line.

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8
Q

Define:

timorous

(tim-er-us)

A

adj. easy to frighten

The timorous young man jumped at even the slightest sound.

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9
Q

Define:

tirade

(tahy-raid)

A

n. a long, angry rant

One student asked a simple question about the death penalty, causing the teacher to launch into a tirade about the topic.

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10
Q

Define:

torpid

(tore-pid)

A

adj. lacking physical or mental energy

The student was torpid and generally uninvolved in discussions, so the teacher had to speak with him about his participation.

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11
Q

Define:

torpor

(tore-per)

A

n. a state of low physical or mental energy

The doctors discovered that her torpor was a symptom of a severe illness.

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12
Q

Define:

torrid

(tore-id)

A

adj. extremely hot

adj. having intense emotion or passion

The president was accused of carrying on a secret and torrid love affair with his aide.

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13
Q

Define:

totalitarianism

(toe-tal-ih-tare-ee-un-izm)

A

n. absolute, dictatorial control by the government

After years of civil war, one party emerged triumphant and dominated the country in a return to totalitarianism.

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14
Q

Define:

tractable

(track-tuh-bul)

A

adj. easy to handle or control

adj. easily shaped

After some training, the dog became tractable enough to be sold as a pet.

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15
Q

Define:

anomalous

(uh-nom-ih-luss)

A

adj. different from the norm; aberrant

The new shampoo was a success, although there were a few anomalous cases in which it actually damaged consumers’ hair.

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16
Q

Define:

antipathy

(an-tip-uh-thee)

A

n. aversion; loathing

The couple tried to hide their antipathy toward the new neighbors so as not to seem unwelcoming.

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17
Q

Define:

approbate

(ap-ruh-behyt)

A

v. to approve

The judge approbated her right to keep the house.

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18
Q

Define:

appropriate

(uh-pro-pree-ehyt)

A

v. to take by force

v. to assign for a certain purpose

During the chaos following the president’s death, his wife appropriated the role of head of the organization.

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19
Q

Define:

arbiter

(are-bih-ter)

A

n. a person chosen to solve a dispute

One of her duties as babysitter was to act as arbiter when the children got into arguments.

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20
Q

Define:

archetype

(are-kih-tahyp)

A

n. a typical example of something

n. the original on which something else is modeled

Dante’s Divine Comedy was the archetype upon which many derivative works were based.

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21
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. someone who shows off knowledge

n. someone who pays undue attention to rules

A

pedant

(ped-ant)

synonyms: sophist, doctrinaire, know-it-all, stickler, nitpicker, formalist

His friends often described him as a pedant, constantly correcting their grammar.

The teacher was a pedant who enforced every rule strictly, leaving little room for creativity.

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22
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a strong preference for something

A

penchant

(pen-chunt)

synonyms: fondness, inclination, predilection, affinity, taste

She has a penchant for classic literature, often choosing to read novels from the 19th century.

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23
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. extreme poverty or destitution

A

penury

(pen-yuh-ree)

synonyms: squalor, deprivation, destitution, impoverishment, hardship

The charity aims to alleviate the penury faced by many families in the community.

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24
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a different topic

A

tangent

(tan-djunt)

synonyms: digression, departure, diversion, aside, deviation

During the meeting, he went off on a tangent about his vacation plans, losing track of the main agenda.

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25
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. rule by scientists

A

technocracy

(teck-knock-ruh-see)

synonyms: scientific rule, technological governance, expert management

In a technocracy, decisions are made based on scientific data and expertise rather than politics.

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26
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. dullness

n. the feeling of being bored

A

tedium

(tee-dee-um)

synonyms: monotony, boredom, routine, dullness, sameness, ennui

The tedium of the repetitive tasks made him dread going to work each day.

She could hardly mask her tedium during the lengthy lecture.

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27
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. sticking strongly to something

adj. having greater than average longevity

adj. stubborn

A

tenacious

(tuh-nay-shuss)

synonyms: adamant, persistent, determined, resolute, unyielding

The tenacious grip of the adhesive ensured that the tiles stayed firmly in place.

His tenacious attitude made it difficult for him to accept any form of criticism.

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28
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. easy to frighten

A

timorous

(tim-er-us)

synonyms: fearful, nervous, rattled, apprehensive, shy, trepidatious

Her timorous nature made her hesitant to speak in public.

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29
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a long, angry rant

A

tirade

(tahy-raid)

synonyms: abuse, outburst, berating, diatribe, rant, harangue

His tirade against the new policy left everyone in the room stunned.

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30
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. lacking physical or mental energy

A

torpid

(tore-pid)

synonyms: dormant, drained, motionless, lethargic, sluggish, inert

After the long meeting, he felt torpid and needed a break.

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31
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of low physical or mental energy

A

torpor

(tore-per)

synonyms: dormancy, apathy, stagnation, lethargy, indifference

During the heat of summer, many people experience a sense of torpor.

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32
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. extremely hot

adj. having intense emotion or passion

A

torrid

(tore-id)

synonyms: arid, blazing, impassioned, scorching, fervent, heated

The torrid sun beat down on the desert, making it unbearable to walk outside.

Her torrid love letters revealed the depth of her feelings.

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33
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. absolute, dictatorial control by the government

A

totalitarianism

(toe-tal-ih-tare-ee-un-izm)

synonyms: dictatorship, tyranny, authoritarianism, oppression, despotism, regime

In a totalitarianism, the state exerts complete control over all aspects of public and private life.

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34
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. easy to handle or control

adj. easily shaped

A

tractable

(track-tuh-bul)

synonyms: manageable, compliant, adjustable, docile, obedient, pliable

The dog was surprisingly tractable, following commands without hesitation.

The tractable material allowed the artist to create intricate designs.

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35
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. different from the norm; aberrant

A

anomalous

(uh-nom-ih-luss)

synonyms: unusual, abnormal, strange, atypical, irregular, aberrant

The anomalous results of the experiment prompted further investigation.

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36
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. aversion; loathing

A

antipathy

(an-tip-uh-thee)

synonyms: disgust, abhorrence, hostility, animosity, enmity

His antipathy toward injustice drove him to become an activist.

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37
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to approve

A

approbate

(ap-ruh-behyt)

synonyms: affirm, accept, endorse, sanction, ratify

The committee will approbate the new policy after reviewing its implications.

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38
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to take by force

v. to assign for a certain purpose

A

appropriate

(uh-pro-pree-ehyt)

synonyms: steal, embezzle; allocate, assign, misappropriate, pilfer, confiscate

The conquerors sought to appropriate the land for their own use.

The funds were appropriated for educational programs.

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39
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a person chosen to solve a dispute

A

arbiter

(are-bih-ter)

synonyms: mediator, negotiator, referee, judge, authority, adjudicator

The arbiter was respected for his fair judgment in complex cases.

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40
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a typical example of something

n. the original on which something else is modeled

A

archetype

(are-kih-tahyp)

synonyms: prototype, paradigm, model, standard, exemplar

She is considered the archetype of a successful entrepreneur.

The classic novel serves as an archetype for many modern stories.

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41
Q

Define:

ardor

(are-der)

A

n. feeling of great warmth or intensity

His sense of justice manifests itself in the ardor with which he throws himself into his legal work.

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42
Q

Define:

arduous

(ar-djew-us)

A

adj. requiring mental or physical strain

adj. demanding

The beach was practically empty, as reaching it entailed an arduous journey through a bramble thicket.

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43
Q

Define:

aria

(are-ee-uh)

A

n. a solo vocal piece in an opera

During her aria, the opera singer expressed her character’s sorrow to the audience with great skill.

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44
Q

Define:

arid

(air-id)

A

adj. extremely dry

adj. lacking spirit or vitality

The arid climate of the desert is ideal for plants that do not require much water, such as cacti.

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45
Q

Define:

sundry

(suhn-dree)

A

adj. various, miscellaneous, separate

The sundry items at the garage sale ranged from antique to almost brand new.

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46
Q

Define:

reprise

(ruh-preez)

A

n. a repetition of an action

v. to repeat or resume

The reprise of the song had the audience dancing in the aisles.

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47
Q

Define:

harrow

(hair-oh)

A

v. to distress, torment

Any talk of layoffs would always leave the entire division harrowed and unable to focus on their work.

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48
Q

Define:

sardonic

(sahr-don-ik)

A

adj. cynical, mocking

The class clown’s sardonic remark landed him in detention.

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49
Q

Define:

subterfuge

(suhb-ter-fyoodj)

A

n. a deliberate deception to avoid a consequence

Policemen who stop drunk drivers can see right through the subterfuge of hastily chewing a piece of gum.

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50
Q

Define:

axiom

(ack-see-um)

A

n. a generally accepted truth

In math class, we learned about the different axioms we could use to develop geometric proofs.

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51
Q

Define:

controvert

(kon-truh-vurt)

A

v. to deny the truth of

Recent experiments seem to controvert the predictions of previous theories.

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52
Q

Define:

progeny

(prodj-uh-nee)

A

n. one born or derived from another; an offspring or descendent

n. a product of creative effort

That family claims to be the progeny of the king of France, but they refuse to submit to a DNA test to prove their bloodline.

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53
Q

Define:

potentate

(poht-n-teyt)

A

n. one with absolute power to rule; a monarch

While the potentate sipped wine, the peasants toiled in the field.

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54
Q

Define:

cardinal

(kahr-dn-uhl)

A

adj. of paramount importance

adj. dark red

At the graduation speech, the valedictorian gave them cardinal rules to live by.

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55
Q

Define:

hidebound

(hahyd-bound)

A

adj. rigid, dry, unmoving

The hidebound rules of organized religion have never appealed to me much.

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56
Q

Define:

chary

(chair-ee)

A

adj. very cautious; not giving or spending freely

adj. shy

Joe was chary of his praise for his daughters, but when he did congratulate them, they beamed.

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57
Q

Define:

arabesque

(air-uh-besk)

A

n. a complex, ornate design

The kimono was trimmed with an arabesque of tiny yellow curlicues.

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58
Q

Define:

rapturous

(rap-cher-uhs)

A

adj. expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm

The presidential decree was greeted with rapturous applause.

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59
Q

Define:

amalgamate

(uh-mal-guh-meyt)

A

v. to combine several elements into a whole; to blend

Our county will amalgamate with the neighboring county in order to cut administrative costs.

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60
Q

Define:

prattle

(prat-uhl)

A

v. to babble or speak foolishly

The confused student prattled for a few minutes before sitting back down.

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61
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. feeling of great warmth or intensity

A

ardor

(are-der)

synonyms: admiration, passion, fervor, zeal, enthusiasm

His ardor for the project inspired everyone on the team.

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62
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. requiring mental or physical strain

adj. demanding

A

arduous

(ar-djew-us)

synonyms: burdensome, exhausting, laborious, strenuous, grueling

The hike was arduous, demanding both stamina and determination.

She faced an arduous task in completing the report by the deadline.

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63
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a solo vocal piece in an opera

A

aria

(are-ee-uh)

synonyms: descant, hymn, song, melody, solo, duet

The soprano’s aria captivated the audience with its emotional depth.

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64
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. extremely dry

adj. lacking spirit or vitality

A

arid

(air-id)

synonyms: dry, barren, desiccated, parched, lifeless

The arid landscape made it difficult for plants to survive.

The presentation was so arid that many attendees struggled to stay awake.

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65
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. various, miscellaneous, separate

A

sundry

(suhn-dree)

synonyms: assorted, different, diverse, varied, disparate

The shop sells sundry items, from books to kitchenware.

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66
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a repetition of an action

n. to repeat or resume

A

reprise

(ruh-preez)

synonyms: recurrence, repetition, return, reiteration, revival, comeback

The reprise of the song brought back fond memories for the audience.

The composer decided to include a reprise of the main theme in the final act.

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67
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to distress, torment

A

harrow

(hair-oh)

synonyms: depredate, harass, torment, afflict, trouble

The memories of the event continued to harrow him for years.

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68
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. cynical, mocking

A

sardonic

(sahr-don-ik)

synonyms: derisive, scornful, sarcastic, biting, contemptuous

His sardonic humor often left others feeling uncomfortable.

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69
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a deliberate deception to avoid a consequence

A

subterfuge

(suhb-ter-fyoodj)

synonyms: cheating, dishonesty, dissimulation, deceit, trickery, evasion

She used subterfuge to evade the question and shift the conversation.

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70
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a generally accepted truth

A

axiom

(ack-see-um)

synonyms: principle, fundamental, maxim, truth, postulate

It is an axiom that hard work leads to success.

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71
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to deny the truth of

A

controvert

(kon-truh-vurt)

synonyms: oppose, argue, deny, dispute, refute, challenge, contradict

Many experts tried to controvert the claim with counter-evidence.

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72
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one born or derived from another; an offspring or descendent

n. a product of creative effort

A

progeny

(prodj-uh-nee)

synonyms: offspring, children, lineage, result, descendant, heir, output

The progeny of the famous scientist continue to make significant contributions to research.

His latest painting was the progeny of years of artistic development.

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73
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one with absolute power to rule; a monarch

A

potentate

(poht-n-teyt)

synonyms: autocrat, chief, leader, sovereign, ruler, despot

The potentate of the small kingdom wielded immense influence over his subjects.

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74
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of paramount importance

adj. dark red

A

cardinal

(kahr-dn-uhl)

synonyms: important, key, crucial, vital, burgundy

Safety is a cardinal rule when operating heavy machinery.

The cardinal dress added a vibrant touch to the festive decorations.

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75
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. rigid, dry, unmoving

A

hidebound

(hahyd-bound)

synonyms: fixed, immovable, strict, inflexible, unyielding, conservative

The hidebound policies of the organization stifled innovation.

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76
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. very cautious; not giving or spending freely

adj. shy

A

chary

(chair-ee)

synonyms: stingy, cautious; abashed, modest, hesitant, wary

She was chary about lending money to friends after a bad experience.

His chary demeanor made it difficult for him to join in on group discussions.

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77
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a complex, ornate design

A

arabesque

(air-uh-besk)

synonyms: design, frill, adornment, flourish, ornamentation, embellishment, motif

The arabesque patterns on the wall added elegance to the room.

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78
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. expressing great pleasure or enthusiasm

A

rapturous

(rap-cher-uhs)

synonyms: delighted, happy, ecstatic, euphoric, exuberant

The audience gave a rapturous applause at the end of the performance.

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79
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to combine several elements into a whole; to blend

A

amalgamate

(uh-mal-guh-meyt)

synonyms: integrate, combine, merge, fuse, consolidate

The two companies decided to amalgamate their resources to improve efficiency.

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80
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to babble or speak foolishly

A

prattle

(prat-uhl)

synonyms: chatter, gab, gush, babble, jabber, blather

The children prattled on about their day, oblivious to the time.

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81
Q

Define:

simian

(sim-ee-uhn)

A

adj. relating to apes

Humans have many simian characteristics.

82
Q

Define:

precipice

(press-uh-piss)

A

n. a steep rock or cliff face

The climber faced the largest precipice of his career.

83
Q

Define:

augury

(aw-gyuh-ree)

A

n. divination

n. an omen, portent

Augury is often performed by observing a crystal ball.

84
Q

Define:

picayune

(pik-ee-yoon)

A

adj. of little value, paltry, petty

n. something of little value

His craftsmanship wasn’t worth a picayune.

85
Q

Define:

anthropomorphic

(an-thruh-puh-mawr-fik)

A

adj. having human characteristics

Many people believe that aliens will be anthropomorphic, but there is no evidence to support that.

86
Q

Define:

ramify

(ram-uh-fahy)

A

v. to be divided, to branch out

The dispute ramified as more factions got involved.

87
Q

Define:

upbraid

(uhp-breyd)

A

v. to scold sharply, reprimand, or blame

Mom upbraided me for not doing the dishes last night.

88
Q

Define:

banality

(buh-nal-ih-tee)

A

n. triviality

n. something overused and trite

The once-funny joke had become a banality in the camp.

89
Q

Define:

base

(behyss)

A

adj. immoral

adj. made of low quality materials

The young man was criticized by his parents for his base, degrading lifestyle.

90
Q

Define:

sodden

(sod-n)

A

adj. thoroughly soaked, saturated

My clothes were sodden from the rainstorm.

91
Q

Define:

stolid

(stawl-id)

A

adj. stoic, emotionless

People in old-time photographs tend to have stolid expressions.

92
Q

Define:

phthisis

(thigh-sis)

A

n. a disease characterized by body-part atrophy (especially of the lungs)

His phthisis was interfering with work more every day.

93
Q

Define:

vintner

(vint-ner)

A

n. one who makes or sells wine

In Italy there are a great number of vintners.

94
Q

Define:

salient

(sehy-lee-uhnt)

A

adj. prominent or conspicuous

The cover of the study guide listed its salient features, such as diagnostic and practice exams.

95
Q

Define:

haughty

(haw-tee)

A

adj. arrogant, snobbish

I prefer the company of one or two good friends to a party full of haughty, self-absorbed socialites.

96
Q

Define:

blanch

(blanch)

A

v. to whiten or turn pale

During the biology dissection, Jennifer blanched and ran out of the room.

97
Q

Define:

inimitable

(in-im-ih-tuh-buhl)

A

adj. incapable of being imitated or duplicated

The Broadway debut was a spellbinding performance thanks mainly to the inimitable stamina of the female lead.

98
Q

Define:

accretion

(uh-kree-shuhn)

A

n. growth; increase by successive or gradual addition

The accretion of dirt has changed the floor’s color.

99
Q

Define:

trenchant

(tren-chuhnt)

A

adj. forceful and effective

adj. extremely perceptive

The experienced CEO offered trenchant criticisms of the young company.

100
Q

Define:

turgid

(tur-djid)

A

adj. swollen or distended

adj. excessively ornate; grandiloquent

Marcy’s turgid leg was enough to concern her parents.

101
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. relating to apes

A

simian

(sim-ee-uhn)

synonyms: ape-like, primate, anthropoid

The simian characteristics of the monkey were evident in its agile movements.

102
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a steep rock or cliff face

A

precipice

(press-uh-piss)

synonyms: crag, bluff, cliff, ledge, escarpment

The climbers stood at the edge of the precipice, gazing down at the valley below.

103
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. divination

n. an omen, portent

A

augury

(aw-gyuh-ree)

synonyms: fortunetelling, forewarning, omen, prophecy

The ancient practice of augury involved interpreting the flight patterns of birds.

Seeing a black cat was considered an augury of bad luck.

104
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. of little value, paltry, petty

n. something of little value

A

picayune

(pik-ee-yoon)

synonyms: diminutive, frivolous; a trifle, insignificant, trivial

His picayune complaints about the weather were tiresome.

She dismissed the picayune details, focusing instead on the bigger picture.

105
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having human characteristics

A

anthropomorphic

(an-thruh-puh-mawr-fik)

synonyms: humanlike, personified, anthropoidal

The anthropomorphic characters in the cartoon made the story more relatable.

106
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to be divided, to branch out

A

ramify

(ram-uh-fahy)

synonyms: diverge, diversify, fork, split, extend

The organization began to ramify into various departments to better serve its members.

107
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to scold sharply, reprimand or blame

A

upbraid

(uhp-breyd)

synonyms: berate, criticize, reprimand, reproach, chastise

The manager did not hesitate to upbraid the team for missing the deadline.

108
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. triviality

n. something overused and trite

A

banality

(buh-nal-ih-tee)

synonyms: cliché, quotidian, sameness, monotony

The film suffered from banality, offering nothing new to the genre.

The speech was filled with banality that failed to inspire the audience.

109
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. immoral

adj. made of low quality materials

A

base

(behyss)

synonyms: vulgar, low; shoddy, cheap, inferior, contemptible

His base actions shocked everyone who knew him as a moral person.

The furniture was so base that it fell apart after just a few months.

110
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. thoroughly soaked, saturated

A

sodden

(sod-n)

synonyms: soaked, soggy, wet, drenched, saturated

The sodden ground made it difficult to walk without slipping.

111
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. stoic, emotionless

A

stolid

(stawl-id)

synonyms: apathetic, indifferent, impassive, unemotional, phlegmatic

His stolid demeanor made it hard for others to read his feelings.

112
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a disease characterized by body-part atrophy (especially of the lungs)

A

phthisis

(thigh-sis)

synonyms: infection, decay, tuberculosis, wasting disease

Phthisis was once a common cause of death before the advent of antibiotics.

113
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. one who makes or sells wine

A

vintner

(vint-ner)

synonyms: winemaker, wine merchant, brewer, oenologist

The vintner proudly showcased his finest bottles at the annual wine festival.

114
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. prominent or conspicuous

A

salient

(sehy-lee-uhnt)

synonyms: noticeable, important, pertinent, obtrusive, striking, remarkable

Her salient features made her stand out in the crowd.

115
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. arrogant, insolent

A

haughty

(haw-tee)

synonyms: egotistic, conceited, snobbish, disdainful, supercilious

His haughty attitude alienated many of his colleagues.

116
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to whiten or turn pale

A

blanch

(blanch)

synonyms: discolor, fade, wash out, lighten, pale, whiten

She began to blanch at the thought of giving a speech in front of the audience.

117
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. incapable of being imitated or duplicated

A

inimitable

(in-im-ih-tuh-buhl)

synonyms: unique, matchless, peerless, singular, distinctive, incomparable

Her inimitable style made her a fashion icon.

118
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. growth; increase by successive or gradual addition

A

accretion

(uh-kree-shuhn)

synonyms: increase, build-up, growth, accumulation, expansion

The accretion of knowledge over the years has made him an expert in his field.

119
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. forceful and effective

adj. extremely perceptive

A

trenchant

(tren-chuhnt)

synonyms: sharp, observant, incisive, keen, astute

His trenchant remarks during the debate swayed many opinions.

She had a trenchant understanding of the complex issues at hand.

120
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. swollen or distended

adj. excessively ornate; grandiloquent

A

turgid

(tur-djid)

synonyms: bloated, enlarged, grandiose, pompous, verbose, inflated

The turgid river overflowed its banks after the heavy rainfall.

His turgid prose made the otherwise simple story difficult to read.

121
Q

Define:

belabor

(buh-lehy-burr)

A

v. to speak or worry about something at length

v. to attack

She was known to belabor the point when it came to environmentalism, so we tried not to bring it up.

122
Q

Define:

belie

(buh-lahy)

A

v. to give a false impression

v. to reveal as untrue

She greeted us with a smile, but the redness of her eyes belied her cheerful attitude.

123
Q

Define:

benign

(buh-nahyn)

A

adj. pleasant

adj. not harmful, especially to health

The doctor’s benign manner endeared him to patients.

124
Q

Define:

bent

(bent)

A

n. a natural talent

n. an inclination or interest

Lisa had a true bent for working with animals, so people often told her to consider a career as a veterinarian.

125
Q

Define:

berate

(bih-rate)

A

v. to scold or criticize angrily

Jane’s boss was so mean that he berated her for even the smallest mistakes.

126
Q

Define:

blithe

(blahyth)

A

adj. carefree and happy

When he lost his job, John struggled to maintain his blithe and optimistic attitude toward life.

127
Q

Define:

capacious

(kuh-pay-shuss)

A

adj. having a lot of room

The capacious living room often impressed their guests.

128
Q

Define:

capitulate

(kuh-pitch-ih-lehyt)

A

v. to surrender; to give in

The mother capitulated after hours of tantrums and finally bought her son the toy.

129
Q

Define:

caprice

(kuh-prees)

A

n. a sudden desire

Her decision to come along on the trip was a mere caprice; she had never expressed a desire to come before then.

130
Q

Define:

carp

(karp)

A

v. to raise trivial objections

n. a type of fish

She hated when her coworkers carped about the minimal work they had to do.

131
Q

Define:

cascade

(kass-kehyd)

A

n. a waterfall

n. something that falls or progresses like a waterfall

I knew the wire was badly damaged when a cascade of sparks fell the moment I touched it.

132
Q

Define:

castigate

(kast-ih-gehyt)

A

v. to give harsh criticism

v. to punish harshly

His parents castigated him for his bad grades by taking away his car keys.

133
Q

Define:

caustic

(kaw-stick)

A

adj. capable of corroding

adj. harsh or sarcastic in tone

The comedian was known for his caustic jokes about political scandals.

134
Q

Define:

censure

(sen-shur)

A

n. strong disapproval, esp. official disapproval

v. to condemn

The professor was censured by the administration for his controversial and politically incorrect lectures.

135
Q

Define:

chauvinism

(show-vuh-niz-um)

A

n. fanatical patriotism

n. prejudiced support of one’s own group, sex, or cause

My father’s chauvinism was characterized by a rather dim view of other races.

136
Q

Define:

chimera

(kahy-mere-uh)

A

n. a creature possessing the body parts of different animals

n. a fanciful mental illusion

The ability to make easy money is a chimera; it only works until the next economic downturn.

137
Q

Define:

collusion

(kuh-loo-zhun)

A

n. a conspiracy or secret plot

Acting in collusion with several high officials, the rebels completed the government takeover successfully.

138
Q

Define:

complacent

(kum-plehy-sunt)

A

adj. satisfied and thus not wanting to improve

Kate became complacent after years of success as a model and so was unprepared when younger women challenged her position at the top.

139
Q

Define:

complaisant

(kum-plehy-sunt)

A

adj. eager to please

Although usually argumentative, Paul is surprisingly complaisant with his girlfriend.

140
Q

Define:

concise

(kun-sayhs)

A

adj. brief; able to express a lot in few words

Before the show, the director gave a concise introduction that explained his reasons for getting involved in the production.

141
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to speak or worry about something at length

v. to attack

A

belabor

(buh-lehy-burr)

synonyms: dwell on, repeat; invade, assail, harp on, reiterate, bombard

He tends to belabor his point, making discussions unnecessarily long.

The critic did not hesitate to belabor the flaws in the new film.

142
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give a false impression

v. to reveal as untrue

A

belie

(buh-lahy)

synonyms: falsify, garble, distort; disprove, contradict, refute

Her smile seemed to belie her true feelings of sadness.

The evidence will belie the claims made during the trial.

143
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. pleasant

adj. not harmful, especially to health

A

benign

(buh-nahyn)

synonyms: amiable, friendly, gentle; harmless, innocuous

The benign atmosphere of the garden made it a perfect spot for relaxation.

The doctor assured her that the tumor was benign.

144
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a natural talent

n. an inclination or interest

A

bent

(bent)

synonyms: ability, gift; propensity, intent, talent, inclination

She has a bent for music, playing multiple instruments with ease.

His bent toward science led him to pursue a career in biology.

145
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to scold or criticize angrily

A

berate

(bih-rate)

synonyms: abuse, discipline, rebuke, reprimand, chastise

The coach berated the players for their lack of effort during the game.

146
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. carefree and happy

A

blithe

(blahyth)

synonyms: animated, buoyant, cheerful, lighthearted, carefree, jovial

Her blithe spirit brought joy to everyone around her.

147
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having a lot of room

A

capacious

(kuh-pay-shuss)

synonyms: spacious, roomy, expansive, ample, extensive, vast

The capacious trunk of the car easily accommodated all the luggage.

148
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to surrender; to give in

A

capitulate

(kuh-pitch-ih-lehyt)

synonyms: bow, concede, succumb, yield, relent, surrender

After weeks of negotiations, the company decided to capitulate to the union’s demands.

149
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a sudden desire

A

caprice

(kuh-prees)

synonyms: fancy, impulse, whim, inclination, whimsy

His decision to travel was a caprice, inspired by a spontaneous thought.

150
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to raise trivial objections

n. a kind of fish

A

carp

(karp)

synonyms: nag, bother, complain, criticize, quibble

She began to carp about the details of the plan, which frustrated the team.

The carp swam gracefully in the pond.

151
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a waterfall

n. something that falls or progresses like a waterfall

A

cascade

(kass-kehyd)

synonyms: chute, downpour, flood, fall, rush, waterfall

The cascade of water tumbled down the rocky cliff, creating a beautiful sight.

The project had a cascade of delays that pushed the deadline further back.

152
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to give harsh criticism to

v. to punish harshly

A

castigate

(kast-ih-gehyt)

synonyms: criticize, berate; punish, batter, scold, reprimand, chastise

The teacher did not hesitate to castigate the student for his poor behavior.

She felt it was unfair to castigate him for a mistake everyone else had made.

153
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. capable of corroding

adj. harsh or sarcastic in tone

A

caustic

(kaw-stick)

synonyms: abrasive, erosive; ironic, bitter, scathing, sardonic

The caustic chemical burned through the metal container.

His caustic remarks often left others feeling hurt and offended.

154
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. strong disapproval, esp. official disapproval

v. to condemn

A

censure

(sen-shur)

synonyms: criticism; blame, chide, incriminate, rebuke, reprimand

The senator faced censure for his inappropriate comments.

The board decided to censure the employee for violating company policies.

155
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. fanatical patriotism; and

n. prejudiced support of one’s own group, sex, or cause

A

chauvinism

(show-vuh-niz-um)

synonyms: jingoism, ethnocentricity, nationalism, partisanship

His chauvinism was evident in his dismissive attitude toward other cultures.

156
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a creature possessing the body parts of different animals

n. a fanciful mental illusion

A

chimera

(kahy-mere-uh)

synonyms: dream, fantasy, illusion, mirage, fabrication

The mythological chimera was said to breathe fire and have the body of a lion.

Her dream of becoming a famous artist was a chimera she held onto for years.

157
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a conspiracy or secret plot

A

collusion

(kuh-loo-zhun)

synonyms: pact, trick, connivance, conspiracy, collaboration, secret agreement

The two companies were accused of collusion to fix prices in the market.

158
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. satisfied and thus not wanting to improve

A

complacent

(kum-plehy-sunt)

synonyms: self-assured, unconcerned, gratified, content, smug, indifferent

His complacent attitude toward his grades prevented him from striving for better.

159
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. eager to please

A

complaisant

(kum-plehy-sunt)

synonyms: obliging, compliant, accommodating, agreeable, helpful

The complaisant assistant went out of her way to ensure her boss’s satisfaction.

160
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. brief; able to express a lot in few words

A

concise

(kun-sahys)

synonyms: short, succinct, terse, to the point, compact

The report was concise, highlighting only the most important information.

161
Q

Define:

conjecture

(kun-jeck-chur)

A

n. inference based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence

The scientist’s paper was criticized by his peers for being based purely on conjecture.

162
Q

Define:

consternation

(kon-stur-nehy-shun)

A

n. a state of confused terror or apprehension

A feeling of consternation filled the room as the teacher began to hand back papers immediately after the students had handed them in.

163
Q

Define:

consummate

(v. kon-suh-meyt; adj. kon-suh-muht)

A

v. to make complete or perfect

adj. perfect in every aspect

The team’s victory was consummated by a spontaneous celebration on the field.

164
Q

Define:

contention

(kun-ten-shun)

A

n. a point or argument in a debate

n. a competition

The ceasefire is holding, but a few points of contention must still be resolved before a final peace can be reached.

165
Q

Define:

contrite

(kun-trahyt)

A

adj. full of remorse

The letter explained that he was truly contrite and wanted to apologize in person.

166
Q

Define:

convalesce

(kon-vuh-less)

A

v. to recover

After the accident, Tom was told to convalesce for at least two weeks.

167
Q

Define:

deleterious

(dell-uh-teer-ee-us)

A

adj. causing harm or damage

It is now common knowledge that smoking is deleterious to one’s health.

168
Q

Define:

demagogue

(dem-uh-gog)

A

n. a speaker who targets his or her audience’s emotions or prejudices

The candidate’s opponent accused him of being a demagogue and relying upon the public’s fear of change.

169
Q

Define:

denigrate

(den-ih-grehyt)

A

v. to attack the reputation of

The columnist denigrated the baseball coach for his string of high-profile losses.

170
Q

Define:

denote

(dih-noht)

A

v. to mark or indicate

The red text on her report card denoted which classes she was failing.

171
Q

Define:

desiccate

(dess-ih-kehyt)

A

v. to cause to lose moisture

Mary had her wart removed at the doctor’s office by desiccating it.

172
Q

Define:

despond

(dih-spond)

A

v. to become dejected

His campaign team desponded when they heard the official results of the election.

173
Q

Define:

desultory

(dess-uhl-tore-ee)

A

adj. having no plan or purpose; random

The desultory thoughts running through Mick’s mind prevented him from concentrating on the essay he had to write.

174
Q

Define:

diatribe

(die-uh-trahyb)

A

n. a harsh rant or critical review

After hours of waiting with me in the lobby, my mother began her usual diatribe on the various failings of airport management.

175
Q

Define:

discrete

(diss-kreet)

A

adj. distinctly separate

The U.S. government has three discrete branches: the judiciary, the legislature, and the executive.

176
Q

Define:

disparage

(dih-spare-idj)

A

v. to express a negative opinion of

She disparaged her friend behind his back, yet praised him to his face.

177
Q

Define:

disparate

(diss-puh-rit)

A

adj. completely different

The two had such disparate opinions on the topic that it seemed impossible for them to work together effectively.

178
Q

Define:

dispassionate

(diss-pash-ih-nut)

A

adj. unbiased; objective

A dispassionate judge will favor neither the prosecution nor the defense.

179
Q

Define:

disposed

(diss-pohzd)

A

adj. having a tendency or partiality to

Kate was particularly stubborn when she was angry and was not disposed to listen to reason.

180
Q

Define:

tendentious

(ten-den-chuss)

A

adj. exhibiting a trend; having an ulterior motive or bias

Wendy’s tendentious assessment of the war mentions only its positive effects, skipping over the negative points.

181
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. inference based on inconclusive or incomplete evidence

A

conjecture

(kun-jeck-chur)

synonyms: assumption, guess, presumption, hypothesis, speculation, inference

His conjecture about the missing documents turned out to be correct.

182
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a state of confused terror or apprehension

A

consternation

(kon-stur-nehy-shun)

synonyms: dismay, distress, panic, alarm, fear, anxiety

The sudden news of the layoffs caused consternation among the employees.

183
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to make complete or perfect
adj. perfect in every aspect

A

consummate

(v. kon-suh-meyt; adj. kon-suh-muht)

synonyms: fulfill, finish, achieve; flawless, complete, ideal, supreme

The artist hoped to consummate his vision with this final piece.

Her performance was consummate, leaving the audience in awe.

184
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a point or argument in a debate

n. a competition

A

contention

(kun-ten-shun)

synonyms: allegation, claim; altercation, contest, dispute, rivalry

His contention that the policy would benefit the economy was met with skepticism.

The two teams were in contention for the championship title.

185
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. full of remorse

A

contrite

(kun-trahyt)

synonyms: regretful, atoning, remorseful, penitent, apologetic, repentant

She felt contrite after realizing the hurt she had caused her friend.

186
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to recover

A

convalesce

(kon-vuh-less)

synonyms: grow strong, rest, recharge physically, recuperate, heal, regain strength

After her surgery, she needed several weeks to convalesce.

187
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. causing harm or damage

A

deleterious

(dell-uh-teer-ee-us)

synonyms: destructive, injurious, hurtful, harmful, detrimental, dangerous

The chemicals in the product were found to have deleterious effects on health.

188
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a speaker who targets his or her audience’s emotions or prejudices

A

demagogue

(dem-uh-gog)

synonyms: agitator, rabble-rouser, firebrand, instigator, provocateur

The politician was criticized as a demagogue for exploiting public fears.

189
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to attack the reputation of

A

denigrate

(den-ih-grehyt)

synonyms: malign, slander, defame, disparage, belittle, vilify

The article aimed to denigrate her achievements and undermine her credibility.

190
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to mark or indicate

A

denote

(dih-noht)

synonyms: assign, signify, represent, indicate, express

The red color on the map denotes areas of high risk.

191
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to cause to lose moisture

A

desiccate

(dess-ih-kehyt)

synonyms: dehydrate, dry out, evaporate, parch, wither

The hot sun will desiccate the soil if it is not watered regularly.

192
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to become dejected

A

despond

(dih-spond)

synonyms: despair, dishearten, surrender, dismay, lose hope, falter

After hearing the bad news, she began to despond and lost her motivation.

193
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having no plan or purpose; random

A

desultory

(dess-uhl-tore-ee)

synonyms: aimless, erratic, random, haphazard, disconnected

His desultory remarks during the meeting left everyone confused about his position.

194
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

n. a harsh rant or critical review

A

diatribe

(die-uh-trahyb)

synonyms: criticism, tirade, harangue, invective, polemic

The critic’s diatribe against the film was scathing and left no stone unturned.

195
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. distinctly separate

A

discrete

(diss-kreet)

synonyms: detached, disconnected, separate, distinct, individual, isolated

The data was divided into discrete categories for easier analysis.

196
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

v. to express a negative opinion of

A

disparage

(dih-spare-idj)

synonyms: insult, belittle, denigrate, demean, criticize

She felt hurt when her colleague chose to disparage her efforts publicly.

197
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. completely different

A

disparate

(diss-puh-rit)

synonyms: contrary, unlike, various, distinct, diverse, heterogeneous

The two proposals were so disparate that it was hard to compare them.

198
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. unbiased; objective

A

dispassionate

(diss-pash-ih-nut)

synonyms: unbiased, fair, not affected by emotion, impartial, unemotional, level-headed

As a dispassionate observer, he was able to provide fair feedback.

199
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. having a tendency or partiality to

A

disposed

(diss-pohzd)

synonyms: inclined, prone to, willing, apt, susceptible

He seemed disposed to agree with the majority opinion.

200
Q

Which of your vocabulary words means the following?

adj. exhibiting a trend

adj. having an ulterior motive or bias

A

tendentious

(ten-den-chuss)

synonyms: biased, calculated, partisan, slanted, prejudiced

The article had a tendentious slant, clearly favoring one political party.

His tendentious comments during the discussion revealed his hidden agenda.

Advanced Vocab Genius (10 decks)

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