Complex Vocabulary - Language Flashcards
aberration
something that differs from the norm
abhor
hate/detest
acquiesce
to agree without protesting
alacrity
eagerness
amiable
friendly
appease
to calm, satisfy
arcane
obscure, secret, old
avarice
excessive greed
brazen
excessively bold
brusque
short, abrupt
cajole
to urge
callous
harsh, cold, unfeeling
candour
honesty, frankness
chide
to voice disapproval
circumspect
cautious
clandestine
secret
coerce
to make someone do something
coherent
logically consistent
complacency
self-satisfied, ignorant
confidant
a person entrusted with secrets
connive
to plot, scheme
cumulative
increasing, adding upon itself
cynical
believing the worst
debase
to lower the quality or esteem of something
decry
to criticise openly
deferential
showing respect for another’s authority
demure
quiet, modest
deride
to laugh at mockingly
despot
one who has total power
diligent
showing care in one’s work
elated
overjoyed, thrilled
eloquent
expressive, articulate
embezzle
to steal money by falsifying records
empathy
sensitivity to another’s feelings
enmity
ill will, hatred
erudite
learned
extol
to praise, revere
fabricate
to come up with something
feral
wild, savage
forsake
to renounce
fractious
troublesome or irritable
furtive
secretive, sly
gluttony
overindulgence
gratuitous
uncalled for
haughty
disdainfully proud
hypocrisy
pretending to believe or do something you don’t
impeccable
exemplary
impertinent
rude
implacable
incapable of being appeased or mitigated
implicit
implied
impudent
casually rude
incisive
clear, sharp, direct
indolent
lazy
inept
not suitable, unqualified
infamy
notoriety, extreme ill reputation
innate
inborn, native
insatiable
incapable of being satisfied
insular
separated and narrow-minded
intrepid
brave in the face of danger
inveterate
stubbornly established
jubilant
extremely joyful
lithe
graceful, flexible, supple
lurid
shocking, ghastly
maverick
an independent, nonconformist person
maxim
a common saying expressing a principle of conduct
meticulous
extremely careful with details
modicum
a small amount of something
morose
gloomy or sullen
myriad
very large amount, difficult to comprehend how many
nadir
the lowest point of something
nominal
trifling, insignifcant
novice
beginner
nuance
a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression
oblivious
excessively compliant
obtuse
lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect
panacea
a remedy for all ills or difficulties
parody
satricial immitation
penchant
a tendency, partiality, preference
perusal
a careful review
plethora
an abundance
predilection
a preference or inclination for something
quaint
charming, old fashioned
rash
hasty, incautious
refurbish
to restore, clean up
repudiate
to reject, refuse to accept
rife
abundant
salient
significant, conspicuous
serendipity
luck, finding good things without looking for them
staid
sedate, serious, self-restrained
superfluous
exceeding what is necessary
sycophant
one who flatters for self-gain
taciturn
not inclined to talk
truculent
ready to fight, cruel
umbrage
resentment, offence
venerable
deserving of respect
vociferous
loud, boisterous
wanton
undisciplined, lewd, lustful
zenith
the highest point or peak of something
jargon
words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group and are difficult to understand
to plead
to ask for something in a strong and emotional way
to condemn
to say very strongly that you think something is bad
inquiry
an official process to discover the facts about something bad that has happened
eccentric
behaving in a strange and unusual way
monotonous
repetitive and boring
ambivalent
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas
bespoke
custom-made or tailored to a specific customer
comprehensive
including everything and being very thorough
confluence
things or people coming together
conundrum
a confusing and difficult problem
deviate
to go off course from the usual path
diminutive
extremely small or tiny
efficacious
effective or successful in the production of a desired outcome
equanimity
mental or emotional instability
fiasco
disaster or complicated situation
granular
made up of small details
pernicious
having a harmful effect
perspicacious
having a keen insight
pragmatic
dealing with things in a sensible or practical way
antithesis
direct contrast or opposition
banal
lacking originality or clichéd
brevity
concise exact use of words, briefness
candor
openness and honesty in expressing one’s thoughts
caveat
a warning or cautionary statement
cultivate
to nurture, or help develop/grow
didactic
intending to teach a moral lesson
digress
to deviate from a point
egregious
outstandingly bad
equitable
fair and impartial
opportune
well-timed, suitable or advantageous
proverbial
widely known and commonly referred to
qualitative
concerned with qualities or characteristics rather than sizes, measures or calculations
quintessential
representing the typical example of something
substantiate
to provide evidence or support for a claim or argument
aplomb
self-confidence
besotted
infatuated
disillusioned
disappointed or disenchanted due to unmet expectations or beliefs
effervescent
bubbly, vivacious or enthusiastic
engimatic
mysterious and diffcult to understand
ephermeral
lasting for a very short time
felicitous
well-suited, appropriate
idiosyncratic
peculiar or unique
incandescent
emitting a bright and glowing light
mellifluous
sweet-sounding
nefarious
wicked, evil or villainous
opulent
luxurious
petrichor
the pleasant smell that acompanies the first rain after a dry spell
predilection
a preference for something.
resplendent
dazzlingly impressive
scintillating
sparkling, lively or brilliantly clear
serendipity
the occurence of pleasant or valuable discoveries by chance
ubiquitous
present or found everywhere
unequivocal
in a way without room for doubt
whimsical
playful or quaint
