Commonly Mistaken Flashcards
contentious
prone to argument, liking to argue.
Grandpa Harry was seldom invited to dinner because he was contentious and would argue for hours on end.
extant
still existing.
Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be extant generations from now.
enervate
to sap energy from; weaken.
John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he’d spent the day sightseeing.
auspicious
favorable.
Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike’s road trip became a series of mishaps.
equivocate
to speak in an evasive way; to speak vaguely with an intention to mislead or deceive.
The findings of the study were equivocal - the two researchers had divergent opinions on what the results signified.
When asked if he was busy, he equivocated a vague answer to get out of chores.
unequivocate
to state in such a way that there is no room for doubt.
To unequivocally be in love.
ambivalent
indifferent; having mixed or conflicting emotions about something.
Sam was ambivalent about studying for the GRE because it ate up a lot of his time, yet he learned many words and improved at reading comprehension.
sedulous
diligent.
A sedulous student often receives good grades.
