English Midterm Vocabulary Flashcards
To expand vocabulary
Aberration
a state or condition markedly different from norm
Abject
of the most contemptible kind/ without pride or dignity/ whole hardheartedly
Accede
to agree to a demand, request, wish, or opinion
Acrimony
a rough and bitter manner
Adulation
exaggerated flattery, praise, or excessive admiration
Affinity
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
Aloof
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant in manner
Amicable
(of relations between people) having a spirit of friendliness; without serious disagreement or rancor.
Antecedent
preceding in time or order; previous or preexisting.
Antiquated
so extremely old that is seeming to belong to an earlier period
Arbitrary
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
Ascribe
attribute or credit to
Assuage
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense/provided physical relief, as from pain
Austere
extremely simple
Behemoth
for someone or thing to be very large and powerful
Benevolent
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
Buttress
make stronger and more defensible
Camaraderie
the quality of affording east familiarity and sociability
Caustic
harsh or corrosive in tone
Chide
Scold or reprimand severely or angrily
Circumlocation
an indirect way of expressing something
Cognizant
having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization
Commensurate
Corresponding in size, degree or extent
Compunction
a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
Concoct
devise or invent
Connive
from intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
Contravent
go against, as of rules and laws
Convoluted
highly complex or intricate
Culpable
deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious
Debacle
a sudden and complete disaster
Defunct
no longer in use or force; in active
Denigrate
attack the good name and reputation of someone
Derelict
in deplorable condition
Devious
turning away from a straight course
Discretion
power of making choices unconstrained by external agencies
Disparage
express a negative opinion of
Divulge
make known to the public information previously kept secret
Ebullient
joyously unrestrained
egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
emaciated
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
emollient
a substance with a soothing effect when applied to the skin
enmity
a state of deep-seated ill-will
evanescent
short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear
evince
give expression to
expiate
make amends for
fabricate
make up something artificial or untrue
fetter
restrain with shackles
foil
hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
fortuitous
lucky; occurring by happy chance
goad
stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick
harrowing
causing extreme distress
hiatus
an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
imperative
requiring attention or action
impervious
not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
inane
devoid of intelligence
incontrovertible
impossible to deny or disprove
indomitable
impossible to subdue
innuendo
an indirect and usually malicious implication
insipid
lacking interest or significance or impact
intransigent
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
kudos
an expression of approval and commendation
lavish
very generous
licentious
lacking moral discipline
malleable
capable of being shaped or bent
mercurial
liable to sudden unpredictable change
mores
the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group
myriad
a large indefinite number
noxious
injurious to physical or mental health
obfuscate
make obscure or unclear
ostracism
the act of excluding someone from society by general consent
penchant
a strong liking or preference
onerous
burdensome or difficult to endure
paucity
an insufficient quantity or number
prescient
perceiving the significance of events before they occur
pinnacle
the highest level or degree attainable
predilection
a predisposition in favor of something
plethora
extreme excess
promulgate
state or announce
pugnacious
ready and able to resort to force or violence
quagmire
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
raucous
unpleasantly loud and harsh
refract
subject to change in direction of a propagating wave
replete
deeply filled or permeated
rescind
cancel officially
respite
a pause from doing something
saccharine
overly sweet
satiate
fill to satisfaction
serendipity
good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
spurious
plausible but false
stupefy
make someone dazed or foolish
surfeit
supply or feed to the point of fullness
temerity
fearless daring
transient
lasting a very short time
trepidation
a feeling of alarm or dread
vacillate
be undecided about something
vestige
an indication that something has been present
vilify
spread negative information about
vitriolic
harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone
wrath
intense anger
abate
become less in amount or intensity
abrogate
revoke formally
accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
adamant
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
admonish
warn strongly; put on guard
affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
allay
lessen the intensity of or calm
altercation
a noisy quarrel
anachronistic
chronologically misplaced
antagonism
an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
appease
make peace with
aquatic
operating or living or growing in water
artisan
a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
avenge
take action in return for a perceived wrong
bane
something causing misery or death
blemish
a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something
brusque
rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
calumny
a false accusation of an offense
capacious
large in the amount that can be contained
chastise
scold or criticize severely
circumspect
careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
coagulate
change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
compelling
capable of arousing and holding the attention
concede
give over
conflagration
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
consign
give over to another for care or safekeeping
contentious
showing an inclination to disagree
convivial
occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
Credulity
tendency to believe readily
curtail
terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end
decry
express strong disapproval of
delineate
represented accurately or precisely
deprecate
express strong disapproval of; deplore
diffuse
spread out; not concentrated in one place
disavow
refuse to acknowledge
disrepute
the state of being held in low esteem
divisive
causing or characterized by disagreement or disunity
duplicity
the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
efficacious
giving the power to produce an intended result
embellish
make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color
emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
eschew
avoid and stay away from deliberately
exhort
urge or force in an indicated direction
extraneous
not belonging to that in which it is contained
fallacious
containing or based on incorrect reasoning
fatuous
devoid of intelligence
forestall
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
garish
tastelessly showy
grandiloquence
high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation
imperious
having or showing arrogant superiority
impinge
infringe upon
incumbent
currently holding an office
inextricable
incapable of being disentangled or untied
innocuous
not injurious to physical or mental health
pervasive
spreading or spread throughout
poignant
keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
propensity
a natural inclination
rancor
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
procure
get by special effort
regurgitate
pour or rush back
repentant
feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
sanguine
confidently optimistic and cheerful
stagnate
stand still
surreptitious
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
travesty
a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
veneer
coating consisting of a thin layer of wood
wistful
showing pensive sadness