Advanced Vocab Words - Set 9 Flashcards
Learn to understand and effectively use 100 advanced vocabulary words. Improve your test scores, or simply be more articulate in your daily life. Each word is used in context in a sample sentence and includes synonyms and a pronunciation guide.
Define:
mendacious
(men-dey-shuhs)
adj. dishonest
Phyllis is mendacious yet entertaining; she is fun to talk to at a party, but I wouldn’t believe a word she says.
Define:
consequential
(kon-suh-kwen-shuhl)
adj. important
adj. pompous, self-important
I am not prepared to accept such consequential airs from a journalist 20 years my junior.
Define:
tremulous
(trem-yuh-luhs)
adj. trembling, timid, fearful
He signed the contract with a tremulous hand.
Define:
mendicant
(men-dih-kuhnt)
n. a beggar, a supplicant
There was a large number of mendicants stalking the street.
Define:
egress
(n. ee-grehss; v. ih-grehss)
n. exit
v. to exit
It was thought that the prisoner, seeking egress from his cell before the spreading fire consumed it, had managed to slip out between the warping floorboards.
Define:
preternatural
(pree-ter-nach-er-uhl)
adj. beyond what is normal or natural
Occasionally, people with mental illnesses also exhibit preternatural abilities in mathematics or memorization.
Define:
fulminate
(fuhl-muh-neyt)
v. to verbally attack
v. to explode
The crotchety old fool fulminated about every sort of modern improvement while we listened, too stunned to interrupt him.
Define:
gull
(guhl)
v. to fool or deceive
They gulled Akiko so well that she walked right into her own surprise party without suspecting a thing.
Define:
rebus
(ree-buhss)
n. a riddle in which words are represented by pictures
Pictures of bees and eyes are commonly used in a rebus to symbolize the words “be” and “I”.
Define:
pedestrian
(puh-dess-tree-uhn)
adj. commonplace, trite, unremarkable
Timothy’s dissertation was lengthy but pedestrian.
Define:
distrait
(diss-trey)
adj. distracted as a result of anxiety
The distrait teacher kept pausing mid-sentence to look out the window.
Define:
nefarious
(nih-fair-ee-uhs)
adj. vicious, evil
The nefarious conspirators left nothing in the poor woman’s house.
Define:
factious
(fak-shuhss)
adj. inclined to make arguments, divisive, contentious
Many networks purposely select factious personalities to appear in their reality T.V. shows in the hopes that their bickering will attract viewers.
Define:
ignoble
(ig-noh-buhl)
adj. dishonorable, disgraceful
The ignoble act of profiteering at someone else’s expense is not to be condoned.
Define:
epithet
(epp-ih-thet)
n. a characterizing phrase
n. a disparaging word or phrase
Ivan the Terrible’s name was one epithet I do not envy.
Define:
anodyne
(ann-uh-dahyn)
adj. pain-relieving, soothing; bland
n. a distress-reliever
She tried to keep the conversation as anodyne as possible
Define:
jejune
(djih-djoon)
adj. uninteresting, dull
adj. immature
adj. lacking in nutrition
It may be said that her verse is jejune, but I happen to find a sage sensibility in her later poems.
Define:
conciliatory
(kuhn-sill-ee-uh-tawr-ee)
adj. agreeable; overcoming distrust or hostility
Karen’s conciliatory attitude helped her to move up in the business.
Define:
diaspora
(dahy-ass-per-uh)
n. a dispersion of people from their homeland (esp. Jews)
n. a community of dispersed people
The African diaspora throughout the world has settled into certain traditions, some of which are not actually African in origin.
Define:
welter
(well-ter)
v. to writhe, toss about; to be in turmoil
The lake weltered in the storm, tossing the boat all over.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. dishonest
mendacious
(men-dey-shuhs)
synonyms: deceptive, false, untruthful, misleading
The politician’s mendacious statements eroded public trust.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. important
adj. pompous, self-important
consequential
(kon-suh-kwen-shuhl)
synonyms: significant, considerable; egotistic, weighty, substantial
The discovery was consequential for the advancement of medical research.
His consequential air made him unpopular with his peers.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. trembling, timid, fearful
tremulous
(trem-yuh-luhs)
synonyms: quivering, cowardly, nervous, shaky, apprehensive
Her tremulous voice revealed her nervousness during the presentation.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a beggar, a supplicant
mendicant
(men-dih-kuhnt)
synonyms: panhandler, pauper, vagrant, street person
The mendicant sat by the church, asking for spare change.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. exit
v. to exit
egress
(n. ee-grehss; v. ih-grehss)
synonyms: departure, escape, withdrawal, outflow, exit
The fire alarm signaled the need for a quick egress from the building.
Once the meeting ended, everyone began to egress from the room.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. beyond what is normal or natural
preternatural
(pree-ter-nach-er-uhl)
synonyms: anomalous, irregular, bizarre, extraordinary, supernatural
Her preternatural ability to predict the weather amazed everyone.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to verbally attack
v. to explode
fulminate
(fuhl-muh-neyt)
synonyms: berate, condemn; blast, blow up, detonate, erupt
The critics began to fulminate against the new policy.
The faulty engine caused the car to fulminate on the highway.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to fool or deceive
gull
(guhl)
synonyms: mislead, hoodwink, dupe, trick, con
The scammer tried to gull people into giving away their personal information.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a riddle in which words are represented by pictures
rebus
(ree-buhss)
synonyms: puzzle, enigma, visual puzzle, picture puzzle
The puzzle enthusiast enjoyed solving the intricate rebus.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. commonplace, trite, unremarkable
pedestrian
(puh-dess-tree-uhn)
synonyms: everyday, dull, uninteresting, ordinary, mundane
His pedestrian speech failed to inspire the audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. distracted as a result of anxiety
distrait
(diss-trey)
synonyms: preoccupied, engrossed, scatterbrained, absent-minded, unfocused
She was so distrait from worry that she forgot her own appointment.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. vicious, evil
nefarious
(nih-fair-ee-uhs)
synonyms: atrocious, malevolent, wicked, sinful
The villain’s nefarious plot was foiled by the heroes.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. inclined to make arguments, divisive, contentious
factious
(fak-shuhss)
synonyms: conflicting, warring, belligerent, disputatious, quarrelsome
The factious members of the group constantly disagreed on trivial matters.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. dishonorable, disgraceful
ignoble
(ig-noh-buhl)
synonyms: corrupt, lewd, petty, shameful, base
His ignoble actions brought shame to his family.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a characterizing phrase
n. a disparaging word or phrase
epithet
(epp-uh-thet)
synonyms: nickname, title, designation, label, descriptor
He earned the epithet “The Brave” after his courageous deeds.
The politician was hurt by the epithet hurled at him by the crowd.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. pain-relieving, soothing; bland
n. a distress reliever
anodyne
(ann-uh-dahyn)
synonyms: curative, dull, toothless, painkiller, balm
The anodyne music helped calm her after a stressful day.
Laughter served as an anodyne for the weary workers.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. uninteresting, dull
adj. immature
adj. lacking in nutrition
jejune
(dji-djoon)
synonyms: empty, banal, childlike, sophomoric, insipid
His jejune explanation failed to capture the students’ attention.
The jejune behavior of the children disrupted the event.
The jejune diet left her feeling weak and tired.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. agreeable; overcoming distrust or hostility
conciliatory
(kuhn-sill-ee-uh-tawr-ee)
synonyms: appeasing, pacifying, reconciling, placating
His conciliatory tone helped resolve the conflict between the two sides.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a dispersion of people from their homeland (esp. Jews)
n. a community of dispersed people
diaspora
(dahy-ass-per-uh)
synonyms: dispersion, exodus, scattering, migration
The diaspora of refugees from the war-torn country was a tragic event.
The Jewish diaspora has a rich cultural history.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to writhe, toss about; to be in turmoil
welter
(well-ter)
synonyms: commotion, tumble, sway, flounder, struggle
The boat began to welter in the stormy seas, causing panic among the passengers.
Define:
ruminate
(roo-muh-neyt)
v. to meditate at length; to muse
v. to chew cud
The monk ruminated over the moral dilemma.
Define:
maudlin
(mawd-lin)
adj. overly sentimental
The teacher insisted on taking a maudlin picture with each one of her students every year.
Define:
convoke
(kuhn-vohk)
v. to convene or call together
He convoked a meeting of the nation’s top CEOs and Vice Presidents.
Define:
effluence
(eff-loo-uhns)
n. the act of flowing out
n. something that flows out
An effluence of people from the stadium crowded the streets.
Define:
eschew
(ess-choo)
v. to shun or avoid
Most vegetarians eschew fur coats as well as consuming meats.
Define:
ambulatory
(am-byuh-luh-tawr-ee)
adj. of walking, adapted for walking
The ambulatory excursion drew few people because of the poor weather.
Define:
rigmarole
(rig-muh-rohl)
n. an extremely tedious and complicated process
The rigmarole I am subjected to every time I visit the DMV would be funny were it not so depressing.
Define:
forswear
(fuhr-swair)
v. to renounce, disavow, repudiate
The young nation forswore entangling alliances.
Define:
gastronomy
(gahss-trawn-uh-mee)
n. the science of good eating or cooking
n. cooking particular to a region
Jim was studying Japanese gastronomy along with his mandatory classes.
Define:
jibe
(jahyb)
v. to be in accord; to agree; to suddenly shift from one side to another
His story jibed with mine.
Define:
stentorian
(sten-tawr-ee-uhn)
adj. extremely loud and powerful
Even without a microphone, the principal’s stentorian voice filled the auditorium and commanded everyone’s attention.
Define:
lachrymose
(lak-rih-mowss)
adj. sad, tearful
The opera’s lachrymose final scene has tested the dramatic range of generations of sopranos.
Define:
abrogate
(ab-ruh-geyt)
v. to abolish or annul by authority
The court ruling abrogated his rights to any profits.
Define:
bemuse
(bih-myooz)
v. to puzzle or confuse
The bemused expression on his face was priceless.
Define:
expurgate
(ek-spurr-gehyt)
v. to censor, esp. obscenity
The expurgated version of the album had a more family-friendly rating.
Define:
tumid
(too-mid)
adj. swollen
The river banks were tumid from the spring rain.
Define:
natty
(nah-tee)
adj. trim, neat, or tidy
She was a natty dresser, with never a seam out of place.
Define:
sentinel
(sehn-tih-null)
n. one who keeps guard
v. to watch over
The sentinel at the city gates watched over the city.
Define:
winsome
(win-suhm)
adj. charming, happy, engaging
Mei’s winsome smile won her many friends.
Define:
reconnoiter
(ree-kuh-noy-ter)
v. to engage in reconnaissance, to make a preliminary inspection of
We sent him to reconnoiter the party before we arrived, in case it turned out to be a dud.
Define:
malfeasance
(mal-fee-zuhnss)
n. misconduct or wrongdoing (esp. by a public official)
Joel was studying malfeasance in the Panamanian government.
Define:
halcyon
(hal-see-uhn)
adj. calm and peaceful, prosperous
The halcyon days of summer are here again.
Define:
plenipotentiary
(plen-ih-poh-ten-shee-air-ee)
adj. representing a country or other body with complete authority to act as its proxy
The ambassador is plenipotentiary; he does not need to consult with his home country to sign accords on its behalf.
Define:
filch
(filch)
v. to steal, esp. something unimportant
The girl was caught filching chalk from all the classrooms but would not say why she had done it.
Define:
fastness
(fast-niss)
n. a safe, fortified place
The guerrillas retreated to their mountain fastness in order to regroup and consolidate their battered forces.
Define:
bellwether
(bell-weth-ur)
n. an indicator, esp. one that predicts future outcomes
The Midwest is considered a bellwether for the political tide of the nation, since trends often become apparent there sooner than in other states.
Define:
camarilla
(kam-uh-rill-uh)
n. a group of counselors to a leader, esp. ones who plot or connive
The dictator was obsessed with the possibility of foreign attack, but it was his own disgruntled camarilla of aides who did him in in the end.
Define:
interregnum
(in-tur-reg-num)
n. the interval of time between the reign of a ruler and that of his successor; the time between two leaders’ tenures
The interregnum that followed the king’s deposition ended only when one of the warlords grew strong enough to control the entire nation.
Define:
malinger
(muh-ling-gur)
v. to pretend to be sick
Souheila was known to malinger on test days, so her father insisted on taking her temperature before he would let her stay home from school.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to meditate at length; to muse
v. to chew cud
ruminate
(roo-muh-neyt)
synonyms: think, ponder; chew, gnaw; contemplate, reflect
He liked to ruminate on life’s mysteries during his evening walks.
The cows ruminate peacefully in the field after grazing.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. overly sentimental
maudlin
(mawd-lin)
synonyms: overemotional, gushing, mushy; emotional, effusive
After a few drinks, he became maudlin and started sharing old stories.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to convene or call together
convoke
(kuhn-vohk)
synonyms: assemble, gather, summon; mobilize, convene
The board decided to convoke an emergency meeting to address the issue.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the act of flowing out
n. something that flows out
effluence
(eff-loo-uhns)
synonyms: outpouring, discharge, gushing; emanation, flux
The effluence of water from the dam was carefully regulated.
The effluence from the factory was polluting the nearby river.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to shun or avoid
eschew
(ess-choo)
synonyms: abandon, abstain; evade, steer clear of
He made a conscious effort to eschew unhealthy foods.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. of walking, adapted for walking
ambulatory
(am-byuh-luh-tawr-ee)
synonyms: roaming, afoot, vagrant; mobile, peripatetic
After surgery, she was finally ambulatory and could move around the ward.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an extremely tedious and complicated process
rigmarole
(rig-muh-rohl)
synonyms: red tape, tedium; hassle, nonsense
The rigmarole of applying for the visa was exhausting and time-consuming.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to renounce, disavow, repudiate
forswear
(fuhr-swair)
synonyms: abandon, deny, reject; repudiate, disown
He decided to forswear his bad habits and start fresh.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the science of good eating or cooking
n. cooking particular to a region
gastronomy
(gahss-strawn-uh-mee)
synonyms: cooking, culinary science; cuisine, gastronomy
She studied gastronomy in Paris to perfect her culinary skills.
Italian gastronomy is known for its emphasis on fresh ingredients and simple flavors.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to be in accord; to agree; to suddenly shift from one side to another
jibe
(jahyb)
synonyms: agree, correspond; conform, align
His views didn’t jibe with the rest of the team’s opinion.
The boat began to jibe, and the crew adjusted the sails accordingly.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. extremely loud and powerful
stentorian
(sten-tawr-ee-uhn)
synonyms: blaring, booming; thunderous, deafening
The sergeant’s stentorian voice could be heard across the training ground.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. sad, tearful
lachrymose
(lak-rih-mowss)
synonyms: tearful, weepy, mournful; sorrowful, melancholy
The lachrymose movie left the entire audience in tears.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to abolish or annul by authority
abrogate
(ab-ruh-geyt)
synonyms: cancel, dissolve, negate; repeal, invalidate
The government decided to abrogate the outdated law.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to puzzle or confuse
bemuse
(bih-myooz)
synonyms: addle, bewilder, perplex; confuse, baffle
The strange behavior of the character in the film bemused the audience.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to censor, esp. obscenity
expurgate
(ek-spurr-gehyt)
synonyms: clean up, screen, whitewash; sanitize, purge
The editor had to expurgate several inappropriate scenes from the book before publication.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. swollen
tumid
(too-mid)
synonyms: bloated, enlarged; distended, puffed
His ankle was tumid after twisting it during the hike.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. trim, neat, or tidy
natty
(nah-tee)
synonyms: classy, clean; stylish, dapper
He arrived at the event looking natty in a perfectly tailored suit.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. one who keeps guard
v. to watch over
sentinel
(sehn-tih-null)
synonyms: watchman, guard, lookout; sentry, patrol
The sentinel stood watch at the entrance of the castle.
Soldiers were sent to sentinel the border during the night.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. charming, happy, engaging
winsome
(win-suhm)
synonyms: alluring, appealing, pleasing; delightful, captivating
Her winsome smile instantly put everyone at ease.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to engage in reconnaissance, to make a preliminary inspection of
reconnoiter
(ree-kuh-noy-ter)
synonyms: examine, inspect, scout; survey, explore
The scouts were sent ahead to reconnoiter the area before the main force arrived.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. misconduct or wrongdoing (esp. by a public official)
malfeasance
(mal-fee-zuhnss)
synonyms: impropriety, delinquency; misconduct, wrongdoing
The mayor was accused of malfeasance in the handling of public funds.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. calm and peaceful, prosperous
halcyon
(hal-see-uhn)
synonyms: gentle, happy, harmonious; tranquil, idyllic
The halcyon days of summer were filled with relaxation and joy.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. representing a country or other body with complete authority to act as its proxy
plenipotentiary
(plen-ih-poh-ten-shee-air-ee)
synonyms: authoritative, competent to represent; empowered, authorized
The plenipotentiary ambassador negotiated the terms of the treaty.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to steal, esp. something unimportant
filch
(filch)
synonyms: take, pilfer; swipe, snatch
He was caught trying to filch a candy bar from the store.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a safe, fortified place
fastness
(fast-niss)
synonyms: stronghold, bunker; fortress, citadel
The rebels retreated to their mountain fastness after the attack.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. an indicator, esp. one that predicts future outcomes
bellwether
(bell-weth-ur)
synonyms: prognosticator, sign; leader, trendsetter
The rising prices in real estate are often seen as a bellwether for economic trends.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a group of counselors to a leader, esp. ones who plot or connive
camarilla
(kam-uh-rill-uh)
synonyms: conspiracy, cabal; faction, clique
The king’s camarilla controlled many of the decisions behind the scenes.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the interval of time between the reign of a ruler and that of his successor; the time between two leaders’ tenures
interregnum
(in-tur-reg-num)
synonyms: hiatus, interruption; gap, pause
During the interregnum, the country faced uncertainty and political turmoil.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to pretend to be sick
malinger
(muh-ling-gur)
synonyms: evade, play hooky; shirk, dodge
He tried to malinger to avoid going to work on Monday.
