Direct Hits: Toughest VocabawW Flashcards
Lambaste
Denounce; strongly criticize
Quiescent
Marked by inactivity; in a state of quiet repose
Provisional
Tentative; temporary; for the time being
Lurid
Sensational; shocking; ghastly
Pugnacious
Defiantly aggressive; eager to fight
Belligerent
Defiantly aggressive; eager to fight
Truculent
Defiantly aggressive; eager to fight
Propitiate
To appease; to conciliate; to regain the favor of or goodwill of
Élan
A vigorous spirit; great enthusiasm
Perfunctory
In a spiritless, mechanical and routine manner
Aplomb
Self-assurance; confident composure; admirable poise under pressure
Opaque
Hard to understand; impenetrably dense and obscure
Craven
Cowardly; CONTEMPTIBLY faint-hearted; BASE
Venal
Corrupt; dishonest; open to bribery
Licentious
Immoral; DISSOLUTE; DEBAUCHED
Noxious
Harmful; injurious to physical, mental or moral health; PERNICIOUS
Extraneous
Unnecessary; extra
Superfluous
Unnecessary; extra
Duplicitous
Deliberately deceptive in behavior or speech
Profligate
Wasteful; SQUANDERING in time and money by living for the moment
Epiphany
A sudden realization; an insightful moment
Insidious
Causing harm in a SUBTLE or stealthy manner; INJURIOUS
Inane
Empty; lacking in serious purpose; VAPID
Vacuous
Empty; lacking in serious purpose; VAPID
Presage
Something that FORESHADOWS a future event; an omen; a PROGNOSTIC
Portent
Something that FORESHADOWS a future event; an omen; a PROGNOSTIC
Harbinger
Something that FORESHADOWS a future event; an omen; a PROGNOSTIC
Beleaguer
To beset; to surround with problems
Burgeon
To grow rapidly; to expand
Imperious
Domineering and arrogant; haughty
Querulous
Peevish; irritable; whining or complaining in a childlike way
Petulant
Peevish; irritable; whining or complaining in a childlike way
Complaisant
Agreeable; marked by a pleasing personality; AFFABLE; AMIABLE
Obsequious
Behaving in a SERVILE or SUBSERVIENT manner; SYCOPHANTIC; overly obedient; submissive
Fawning
Behaving in a SERVILE or SUBSERVIENT manner; SYCOPHANTIC; overly obedient; submissive
Intransigent
Very stubborn; OBSTINATE; unyieldingly persistent; inflexible; INTRACTABLE
Obdurate
Very stubborn; OBSTINATE; unyieldingly persistent; inflexible; INTRACTABLE
Reminiscent
Having a strong specific smell; bringing to mind; suggestive of
Redolent
Having a strong specific smell; bringing to mind; suggestive of
Chicanery
Deception by SUBTERFUGE; deliberate trickery and ARTIFICE
Conundrum
A difficult problem; a dilemma with no easy solution
Slight
To treat in a disparaging manner; to deliberately ignore; to disrespect
Capitulate
To surrender; to comply without protest
Disheartening
Very discouraging; dismaying; dispiriting
Apocryphal
Of doubtful authenticity; false; SPURIOUS
Magisterial
Learned and authoritative
Pliable
Flexible; easily shaped, especially by outside influences or forces
Malleable
Flexible; easily shaped, especially by outside influences or forces
Plastic
Flexible; easily shaped, especially by outside influences or forces
Chagrin
The feeling of distress caused by humiliation, failure, or embarrassment
Obstreperous
Noisily and stubbornly defiant; unruly; boisterous
Idyllic
Charmingly simple and carefree
Dilapidated
In a state of disrepair; broken-down; in deplorable condition
Improvise
To lecture or speak without notes in an IMPROMPTU way
Extemporize
To lecture or speak without notes in an IMPROMPTU way
Myriad
Many; numerous
Ungainly
Awkward; clumsy; NOT graceful
Dilatory
Habitually late; tardy
Vituperative
Characterized by verbal abuse and bitter criticism
Discordant
Not in harmony; incompatible; at variance with; as in a detail that doesn’t fit a pattern
Perfidy
Deliberate breach of faith or trust; disloyalty
Perfidious
Treacherous; traitorous; deceitful; faithless
Proliferate
To increase rapidly
Resolute
Very determined; unwavering
Indomitable,
Very determined; unwavering
Moribund
Approaching death; about to become OBSOLETE
Nuance
A SUBTLE shade of meaning or feeling a degree of difference
Facetious
Treating serious matters with lighthearted humor or lack of respect
Flippant
Treating serious matters with lighthearted humor or lack of respect
Credulous
Easily convinced; tending to believe too readily; GULLIBLE
Incredulous
Disbelieving, SKEPTICAL
Florid
Flowery in style; very ORNATE
Scathing
Expressing strong disapproval; condemning; loudly DECRYING
Excoriating
Expressing strong disapproval; condemning; loudly DECRYING
Interloper
An intruder; a gatecrasher
Cerebral
Intellectual rather than emotional
Visceral
Instinctive rather than rational
Confounded
Utterly PERPLEXED; completely puzzled; totally bewildered
Nonplussed
Utterly PERPLEXED; completely puzzled; totally bewildered
Ignonimous
Humiliating; shameful; disgraceful
Euphony
Soothing or pleasant sounds; harmony
Cacophany
Harsh, clashing, jarring, grating sounds; disharmony
Vacillate
To WAVER; to hesitate; to swing back and forth; to be indecisive
Timorous
Showing nervousness or fear
Narcissist
A person with a psychological condition characterized by self-preoccupation, lack of EMPATHY, vanity, and a feeling of self-entitlement
Impudent
Boldly insulting; brash; rude
Insolent
Boldly insulting; brash; rude
Idiosyncrasy
A trait or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual
Captious
Highly critical; fault-finding
Censorious
Highly critical; fault-finding
Consternation
A state of great dismay and confusion
Didactic
Tending to give instruction or advice; inclined to teach or lecture others too much; containing a political or moral lesson
Elucidate
To make clear or plan, especially by explanation
Effusive
Expressing excessive emotion in an unrestrained manner; gushing
Prolific
Very productive
Furor
A general commotion; an uproar
Paranoia
A tendency toward excessive or irrational suspiciousness; irrational fear; delusions of persecution
Peripheral
Of secondary importance; NOT central; on the perimeter
Marginal
Of secondary importance; NOT central; on the perimeter
Obfuscate
To deliberately confuse; to make something so confusing that it is hard to understand
Flummoxed
Confused or perplexed; utterly dumbfounded
Spate
A large number or amount
Ineffable
Too overwhelming to be put into words; indescribable; inexpressible
Overwrought
Excessively dramatic or MELODRAMATIC; theatrical; overacted
Histrionic
Excessively dramatic or MELODRAMATIC; theatrical; overacted
Placate
To soothe or calm; to appease
Eschew
To avoid; to shun; to stay clear of
Stopgap
A temporary solution designed to meet an urgent need
Flotsam
The floating wreckage of a ship; debris
Jetsam
Part of a ship, its cargo or equipment that is purposefully thrown overboard or JETTISONED to lighten the load in an emergency and that sinks or is washed up on shore.
Surly
Ill-tempered; rude; lacking civility
Sullen
Ill-tempered; rude; lacking civility
Churlish
Ill-tempered; rude; lacking civility
Restitution
The act of making good or compensating for a loss, damage or injury
Disquieting
Disturbing; upsetting; vexing; causing unease; worrisome
Ornate
Characterized by elaborate and expensive decorations; LAVISH
Repugnant
Detestable; repulsive; extremely bad
Odious
Detestable; repulsive; extremely bad
Execrable
Detestable; repulsive; extremely bad
Discerning
Insightful, perceptive
Prescient
Insightful, perceptive
Perspicacious
Insightful, perceptive
Eclectic
Choosing or using a variety of sources
Hiatus
An interruption in time or continuity; a break
Vertiginous
Characterized by or suffering from dizziness; having VERTIGO
Esoteric, Arcane
Characterized by knowledge that is known only to a small group of specialists; obscure; RECONDITE; ABSTRUSE
Supercilious
Showing haughty DISDAIN or arrogant superiority
Blithe
Joyous; sprightly; mirthful; light; vivacious
Underwrite
To assume financial responsibility for
Discomfited
Uneasy; in a state of embarassment
Taciturn
Habitually quiet; uncommunicative
Sinecure
An office or position that provides an income for little or no work
Cosmopolitan
Worldly; sophisticated; open-minded and aware of the big picture
Insular
Limited in perspective; narrow; restricted in scope and outlook
Parochial
Limited in perspective; narrow; restricted in scope and outlook
Provincial
Limited in perspective; narrow; restricted in scope and outlook
Lugubrious
Sad, mournful, MELANCHOLIC
Fecund
Intellectually productive or inventive; fertile
Ostentatious
Showy, intended to attract notice, PRETENTIOUS
Guile
Treacherous cunning; skillful deceit; DUPLICITY
Sanguine
Cheerfully confident; optimistic
Scintillating
Sparkling; shining; brilliantly clever
Pristine
Remaining in a pure state; uncorrupted by civilization
Rampant
Unrestrained, unchecked
Pernicious
Highly INJURIOUS; destructive; deadly
Oblivious
Lacking conscious awareness; unmindful; unaware
Refractory
RECALCITRANT; OBSTINATELY resistant to authority; hard to manage
Voluble
Annoyingly talkative; speaking INCESSANTLY; babbling
Loquacious
Annoyingly talkative; speaking INCESSANTLY; babbling
Verbose
Annoyingly talkative; speaking INCESSANTLY; babbling
Garrulous
Annoyingly talkative; speaking INCESSANTLY; babbling
Convivial
Sociable; fond of feasting, drinking and good company
Curt
Abrupt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt
Brusque
Abrupt in manner or speech; discourteously blunt
Tepid
Lukewarm; mild; half-hearted
Protean
Readily taking on varied forms and meanings
Solicitous
Showing great care and concern; attentive
Ingenuous
Free from deviousness, innocent, NAìVE; GUILELESS; sincere
Disingenuous
INSINCERE; NOT CANDID; NOT straightforward; calculating; OBLIQUE
Revere
To regard with great respect; to hold in high esteem
Venerate
To regard with great respect; to hold in high esteem
Contentious
Quarrelsome; argumentative; likely to provoke a controversy; DISPUTATIOUS
Preclude
To make impossible; to rule out; to prevent
Penitence
Feelings of sincere and deep regret
Remorse
Feelings of sincere and deep regret
Contrition
Feelings of sincere and deep regret
Compunction
Feelings of sincere and deep regret
Demography
The study of the characteristics of human populations
Axiom
A statement that is universally accepted as true; a MAXIM
Aphorism
A statement that is universally accepted as true; a MAXIM
Juxtapose
To place side by side or in close PROXIMITY (nearness)
Juxtaposition
The position of being close together or side by side
Bombastic
POMPOUS of PRETENTIOUS in speech or writing; OSTENTATIOUSLY lofty in style
Forbearance
Abstaining from the enforcement of a right; the act of refraining from acting on a desire or impulse
Unfettered
Free of restraint of any kind; liberated
Prescribe
To require; to order; to direct
Proscribe
To forbid; to prohibit; to outlaw
Sophomoric
Childishly foolish; inexperienced; immature
Callow
Childishly foolish; inexperienced; immature
Puerile
Childishly foolish; inexperienced; immature
Pellucid
Clear, transparent, DIAPHANOUS, LIMPID
Pugilist
A boxer, one who fights with his fists
Impugn
To fight against, attack, challenge the motives of