Barron's 250 Words Flashcards
1
Q
Abject
A
Used to describe negative things and heighten the
negativity.
You might see loneliness, poverty, or sadness described as being abject.
2
Q
Abode
A
Is a place where people live.
It could be anything from a house, to a cave, to an apartment, to a van.
3
Q
Abstract
A
When something is abstract, it isn’t concrete or tangible.
It might exist as an idea only.
4
Q
Acknowledge
A
Is to notice it and
make sure it knows that it has been noticed.
5
Q
Adapt
A
Is to change to fit the situation.
6
Q
Admonition
A
Is the noun form of the word admonish.
Admonition is the scolding you might receive if you did something wrong.
7
Q
Affluent
A
Is to be very well off financially.
8
Q
Agitate
A
Means to work up or disturb.
9
Q
Aggrandize
A
Is to make it grander (bigger).
10
Q
Aggregate
A
-N. the whole, not the parts.-V. you build up the parts to create a whole.
11
Q
Alternation
A
Is simply taking turns.
Alternation, then, is simply the noun form of the verb alternate.
12
Q
Amicable
A
To be amicable with other people means to get along with them.
It is a warm word used to describe friendly, but not overly friendly.
13
Q
Analogous
A
When two things are analogous to each other, they can be compared to one another.
This will help clarify something about one of the things being compared.
14
Q
Analogy
A
Is a comparison between two items using like or as.
15
Q
Anomaly
A
Is something strange or out of the usual pattern of things.
16
Q
Antipathy
A
It is a very negative feeling toward another person or thing.
17
Q
Apparition
A
An apparition is something that suddenly appears.
Ghosts and other supernatural will be described as being apparitions.
18
Q
Arbitrary
A
This word can usually be replaced with the word random.
19
Q
Ascertain
A
Is to find it out or confirm it.
20
Q
Aspire
A
Aspiring means working toward a lofty goal.
21
Q
Autocratic
A
Is someone in charge who has all the power.
it can be used to describe someone who is acting like an autocrat.
22
Q
Automated
A
Means something has been changed to make it now automatic where as previously it was not.
23
Q
Beget
A
It means you take steps to bring that thing into existence.
It can also refer to an action that leads to something.
24
Q
Benevolent
A
To be benevolent is to be kind.
25
Bestow
To bestow something is to give it to someone.
| This is often use when giving titles and other honors.
26
Biological
Is describing something related to the study of life or related to life itself.
27
Calibrate
Is to adjust it so that it runs the way it should.
| This is especially applicable to machines that have readouts.
28
Calisthenics
Are a type of exercise that rely on body weight.
29
Capacity
The capacity of something is a measure of its ability.
30
Celestial
When something is celestial, it has to do with outer space.
31
Censure
To censure someone is to give them a formal reprimand.
| Governments hand out censures to their members for having done sm wrong.
32
Circulation
It can refer to anything moving back and forth or around in a predictable pattern.
33
Coerce
To coerce someone is to get them to do something by threat of force.
34
Cognition
Cognition is the ability to understand something.
35
Colloquial
The word colloquial almost always describes language. Colloquial language is everyday language.
36
Commercial
Has to do with the buying and selling of goods.
37
Complementary
When something is complementary, it goes well with the thing around it
38
Complimentary
Something that is provided free of charge.
| Also, a compliment is a nice thing to say about someone.
39
Conflate
We need to keep the two things separate and not assume that they are the same idea.
| Oftentimes, we are warned not to conflate things.
40
Conjure
To conjure is to bring something up.
41
Consensus
When everyone agrees, there is a consensus.
42
Consequence
Consequences are the results of an action taken.
43
Conservator
A conservator is a person whose job it is to conserve or preserve something.
| also used to just mean a general guardian.
44
Constitution
the governmental term constitution - also apply to someone’s bodily health or how something is put together.
45
Contingent
it is relying on other factors to come to be.
46
Conventional
it follows the traditional rules that are set up.
47
Convey
To convey something is to get it across.
48
Convoke
means to call a meeting.
49
Convulsion
To convulse is a physical movement.
50
Cooperatively
working in a cooperative manner.
51
Cultivate
to bring it up or to try to make it grow or exist.
52
Dawdle
to lag behind.
53
Decipher
to figure it out.
54
Deficient
When something is deficient, it isn’t enough
| it is lacking something.
55
Degrade
to break something down slowly over time.
56
Demur
to politely say no to something or avoid it.
57
Desolation
Total abandonment, emptiness, and destruction. - when everything of value and everything alive is destroyed.
58
Despoil
the act of taking away anything of value.
59
Deter
to stop them from doing something.
60
Disenfranchise
to take away someone’s right to vote, or prevent them from using it.
61
Disparity
an inequality or a difference between two things.
62
Disseminate
to pass out or to ensure the spread of something (quite often information).
63
Dissimilar
Things that are dissimilar are not the same (not similar).
64
Diverge
When two things move apart, they diverge.
| Opposite of when two things come together, which is when they converge.
65
Doctrine
a sincerely held belief, often of the religious variety, but also political or other beliefs as well.
66
Doldrums
is often used to describe a time in which nothing happens - It is also used in sailing to describe an area of water that is not moving in which a sail boat would be trapped.
| Doldrums are never a good thing - negative mental states.
67
Domestic
it is related to the home.
68
Dominion
control or authority over someone or something.
69
Dubious
to be doubtful and uncertain.
70
Earnest
When someone is earnest, they are showing that they are serious.
71
Eddy
when water or air moves swiftly in a circular motion.
72
Effectual
means that the desired result has been achieved through that action.
73
Efficacy
The efficacy of something is how effective that thing is.
74
Efficient
it is done in the most direct way possible using the least amount of time and resources to get the best result.
75
Embellish
to add details or flair to something
| either verbally or physically.
76
Emit
to give off.
77
Empathize
When you empathize with someone, you feel what they’re feeling.
78
Endearing
they create warm feelings toward themselves.
79
Endeavor
to try something. It can also be used as a noun, meaning “a try.”
80
Endow
to give- used to describe massive donations given to charities upon the death- rights given to people just because of their birth or citizenship.
81
Enhance
is to make it better or clearer.
82
Enterprise
When you set out to do something, the process of doing it is an enterprise.
| This word often refers to big or difficult tasks.
83
Entice
to convince them to do something through the promise of reward (as opposed to coerce, which is through promise of harm)
84
Entrenched
to be dug in, to refuse to move, especially when it comes to thoughts and ideas.
85
Ephemeral
is very short-lived. It is fleeting and quickly gone.
86
Evince
a verb meaning to show one’s feelings.
87
Expenditure
a spending of money or other resources.
88
Explanatory
it explains something.
89
Extensive
it is widespread or far-reaching. You might also say it is thorough.
90
Feature
part of an item that is designed for a specific use.
91
Feeble
to be weak.
92
Fetter
to hold someone or something back from what they want to do or accomplish.
93
Finite
it has a definitive beginning and ending
| it’s the opposite of infinite.
94
Fiscal
When people describe things as fiscal, they are talking about money and the economy.
95
Florid
red or flushed (face usually).
96
Former
refers to the one before or in the past.
97
Forum
location or a meeting where people can talk about their thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
98
Frantic
desperate.
99
Frequent
often.
100
Fundamental
Fundamentals are basics.
101
Germinate
to take something with potential and make it start to grow.
102
Glom
to attach to something (often in a blob-like manner).
103
Glut
a ridiculous abundance of something.
104
Grievance
a complaint - something that makes you sad.
105
Haggle
is the process two people go through as they exchange offers back and forth while trying to make a deal.
106
Ignominious
undignified- it will likely cause the person experiencing it to feel shame or embarrassment.
107
Illegible
unable to be read or understood.
108
Immured
they are held against their will in some way, often enclosed.
109
Impel
to push or force someone to do something in some way.
110
Inapplicable
When something doesn’t apply in a given situation, it is inapplicable.
111
Incomprehensible
unable to be comprehended or understood.
112
Incontestable
unable to be contested - you can’t dispute it or go against it.
113
Incorporate
to fully include something.
114
Incredulous
when Incredulous, you don’t really believe it, or you have doubts about it.
115
Indifference
that feeling of not feeling strongly about something one way or the other.
116
Indistinguishable
they can’t be told apart from one another.
| There are no distinguishing features.
117
Ineffective
it doesn’t work- It doesn’t have the effect it should.
118
Inefficacious
not having the desired effect.
119
Inexorable
It can’t be avoided or stopped- it will occur no matter what.
120
Ingenious
ingenious and genius mean the same thing.
121
Innumerable
unable to be counted.
122
Institution
an organization that has been created to fulfill a purpose.
123
Insurrection
a revolt or an uprising.
124
Integrate
To integrate two or more things is to mix them together.
125
Intend
It’s what you mean to do, not what you actually do.
126
Intermittent
off and on at a set interval.
127
Intuitive
it is easy to use and figure out without directions.
128
Inherent
When something is inherent, it wasn’t learned or created- it is naturally occurring.
129
Insolent
shows a general bad attitude, lack of respect, and overall grumpiness.
130
Intolerable
you simply can’t put up with (or tolerate) it.
131
Invasive
it invades something or goes somewhere it isn’t wanted.
132
Inversion
To invert something is to turn it upside down.
133
Irk
When something irks you, it annoys you, but not in a major way.
134
Labyrinth
a maze.
135
Laden
to be weighed down with something physically.
136
Latter
Latter is the second or last.
| Latter is the opposite of former.
137
Liaison
a close connection or relationship - a person who facilitates understanding between parties.
138
Magnitude
The magnitude of something is how big it is.
139
Malice
used to describe the feeling of one person wishing to do something harmful to another person.
140
Malign
To malign someone is to say terrible things about them.
141
Manifest
(n). it is a complete list - (v). to make appear or to make clear - (a). obvious or clear.
142
Manipulate
To manipulate something or someone is to change them to your liking.
143
Mantra
something that people repeat over and over to themselves in the hopes that it becomes true or as a means toward achieving a goal.
144
Marginalize
the action of making something less, often when it shouldn’t be.
145
Meander
to wander in a non-straight line and with little or no haste or purpose.
146
Mechanization
something that used to be done by hand is now done by a machine.
147
Meddle
to tamper with something, often human situations or emotions.
148
Metastasize
When something metastasizes, it is spreading.
149
Mire
is to stick something down. When something is mired, it can’t be freed, but is stuck in a sticky situation.
150
Monotony
the same thing over and over again.
151
Motivation
what drives you.
152
Mundane
Something that is mundane is boring and normal.
153
Mutable
Mutable describes something that is easy to or likely to change.
154
Mystify
to confuse.
155
Net
what remains from the whole after certain deductions are made.
156
Notation
It’s something you write to help you remember something or to convey information to another person.
157
Nuance
a subtle difference in the meaning or expression of something.
158
Null
means nothing- it’s just another way of saying zero.
159
Obliterate
to completely and utterly destroy it beyond recognition.
160
Obstinate
same as stubborn. It means refusing to give up even when wrong or faced with insurmountable forces against you.
161
Oscillate
to move back and forth in a predictable pattern at a set speed.
162
Onerous
difficult to do, usually taking a lot of unpleasant work to complete.
163
Panacea
a fix-all solution.
164
Parasitic
attaches to something else and feeds off of it without giving anything back.
165
Parity
is equalness or being equal.
| It is the opposite of disparity, which is inequality.
166
Paradox
something that contradicts itself or sets up an impossible train of thought that never ends but always circles back on itself.
167
Partake
the same as to participate.
168
Paternal
to act in a fatherly way. Paternal can also be used to describe things relating to fathers.
169
Permeate
to soak through something, invading and saturating every part of it and leaving nothing untouched.
170
Permutation
has to do with all the different ways a set of items can be arranged in different orders.
171
Perpetual
Something that is never-ending.
172
Perspective
how you see things both literally
173
Perturb
to disturb, but in an emotional way.
174
Pervading
the spread through and be perceived in every part of.
| (especially of a smell)
175
Phenomena
something that is known to exist or occur, the cause of which is often not clear.
176
Pittance
a pitiably small amount, not really enough to do anything with.
177
Plasticity
its ability to change and be molded.
178
Plenipotentiary
a person who has been given the authority to act on behalf of their country in foreign countries.
179
Posterity
future of humankind: all of the people who will come in the future.
180
Postulate
to guess or to present an idea that is not proven.
181
Potent
very strong. Not physically, but of a high concentration.
182
Prattle
to talk on and on while saying little of value.
183
Predecessor
The predecessor to something or someone is what came before.
184
Preposterous
Something that is preposterous is so ridiculous as to be laughable.
185
Primitive
very basic and not technologically advanced.
186
Pristine
Something that is pristine is untouched and perfect.
| It is completely unmarred in any way
187
Proliferate
To proliferate is to grow, spread, and reproduce.
| often at a high rate of speed.
188
Promulgate
To promulgate an idea is to spread it around.
189
Province
A province is a geographical area under a government.
190
Proxy
A proxy is a substitute.
191
Psychological
Things that are psychological have to do with the inner workings of our minds, which affect our feelings, emotions, and actions.
192
Quarrel
to argue with someone. A quarrel is an argument.
193
Rapacious
Someone who is rapacious is unable to be satisfied.
| They are very greedy and always looking to gain more of what they want.
194
Receptive
A person who is receptive is open to receiving things, quite often ideas.
195
Redress
to fix or make a situation right where someone has been wronged.
196
Reluctant
to act on the feeling of not wanting to do something.
197
Remonstrate
to object to something strongly or to speak out against something strongly.
198
Repression
the act of holding something down or back, especially ideas and movements.
199
Reverence
showing great respect or a deep appreciation for something.
200
Rhetoric
way in which people speak and argue to convey their points
201
Sanction
refers to officially approving or allowing something to happen - can also be negative, a penalty for something done that is bad.
202
Scuttling
a very specific type of movement. It’s moving very quickly with tiny (often not smooth) steps.
203
Scenario
the setup for a work of fiction, a book, movie, or play.
204
Seamless
When something is seamless, it is very smooth.
| This word is often used as a synonym for flawless.
205
Sentiment
is how you feel or what you say about something that has occurred.
206
Sentinel
a soldier whose job it is to keep watch over something.
207
Sequence
the order that things are in or the order that they should be in.
208
Shingled
Something described as shingled would have the same layered look as the shingles on a roof.
209
Skeptic
A skeptic is someone who is skeptical, or doubtful, of something.
210
Sluggish
When described as sluggish, things are slow or moving like a slug.
211
Squalid
When described as squalid, things are run down, dirty, and often infested with vermin.
212
Squelch
the sound that might be made if you tried to pull your foot out of thick mud or if you stepped on a slug.
213
Stagnate
to stop moving forward.
| This is generally not physical movement.
214
Stewardship
the noun form of the act of taking care of something.
215
Stupefied
to be made temporarily stupid.
216
Subjugate
To subjugate a person is to put them under your total control.
217
Subordinate
Someone who is subordinate is lower in status, usually in a workplace.
218
Subsequent
Something that is subsequent comes after something else.
219
Substantial
When something is substantial, it is not insignificant, but almost the opposite.
220
Sufficient
When something is described as sufficient, it means that it is enough.
221
Supplemental
Something that is supplemental adds something unnecessary, but helpful, to something else.
222
Sustenance
Sustenance is what sustains a person.
| Generally, this is used as a fancy word for food.
223
Swayed
to move slightly back and forth - This term can be used figuratively as well as literally, you may have swayed your opponent, their opinions moved slightly.
224
Symmetric
Something that is symmetric is the same on both sides.
225
Synthetic
Something that is synthetic is made artificially, not naturally.
226
Sullen
to be grumpy and unenthusiastic.
227
Tactile
has to do with the sense of touch.
228
Tangible
can be seen and touched
229
Tedious
Something that is tedious is repetitive and boring.
| It takes a long time and doesn’t engage the mind.
230
Tout
to aggressively try to sell something, to sing its praises to get someone to buy it.
231
Transaction
has something to do with the purchase or exchange of goods or services.
232
Transit
to move from one place to another. (n) can also refer to a network of public busses, trains, and streetcars.
233
Traipsing
When one is traipsing, they are coming and going or moving in a carefree manner.
234
Tributary
a stream or river upstream that feeds into a bigger river.
235
Ubiquitous
When something is ubiquitous, it is found everywhere. It is common.
236
Unassuming
When something or someone is unassuming, they are unthreatening and down to earth.
237
Unrequited
When feelings are unrequited, they are not returned in kind.
| This word is often used to describe one-sided love.
238
Unseemly
Something that is unseemly might otherwise be described as inappropriate for the situation.
239
Unstinting
is given without pause or second thought.
240
Unveil
to reveal.
241
Usurp
to overthrow. This word is often used to discuss overthrowing governments and other authorities.
242
Validate
to say that it is valid, true, or accurate.
243
Vantage
a spot with a good view to see what needs to be seen.
244
Verifiable
is able to be verified, or proven correct.
245
Vernacular
the common or slang terms that people in a given community use.
246
Versatile
Something that is versatile can be used in many different ways.
247
Vestigial
Something that is vestigial is a small left-behind part of something much bigger.
248
Virtuous
Something that is virtuous has virtue, or a high sense of morality.
249
Wayside
the side of the road.
250
Yearning
to want something with all your heart. To crave it at the expense of all else.
