Barron's 333 List 1

Question 1

Alacrity

Answer 1

Eagerness, willingness, cheerful to do something,

Question 2

Ameliorate

Answer 2

v.
To improve, Make better/less painful

the reform did much to ameliorate living standards

Question 3

Austere

Answer 3

Severe, strict, non-luxurious

Question 4

Diatribe

Answer 4

Rant, long angry speech

Question 5

Exacerbate

Answer 5

To make worse

Question 6

Garrulous

Answer 6

Talkative, specially on trivial matters

Question 7

Inchoate

Answer 7

Incomplete, under-developed, rudimentary

Question 8

Irascible

Answer 8

adj.
Easily provoked, irritable, short tempered

an irascible and difficult man

Question 9

Laconic

Answer 9

Using very few words, Concise

Question 10

Obsequious

Answer 10

adj. Overly obedient, flattering

they were served by obsequious waiters

Question 11

Perfunctory

Answer 11

adj.
Lacking interest/care, Performing routine tasks without taking interests

he gave a perfunctory nod

Question 12

Phlegmatic

Answer 12

Calm, unemotional even in difficult situation

Question 13

Prevaricate

Answer 13

Fabricate the truth, lie, hide the truth

Question 14

Reticent

Answer 14

adj.
Reserved, restrained, not willing to talk about things
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily.

she was extremely reticent about her personal affairs

Question 15

Aesthetic

Answer 15

adj.

Artistic, attractive

Question 16

Ascetic

Answer 16

adj.
Self denial for discipline, austere in appearance, manner

He lived an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labour

Question 17

Banal

Answer 17

Boring, ordinary

Question 18

Dupe

Answer 18

Trick, cheat someone

Question 19

Eclectic

Answer 19

adj.
Diverse, heterogeneous, choosing from various sources
deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

universities offering an eclectic mix of courses

Question 20

Emulate

Answer 20

Simulate, Imitate