Kaplan- Top 180 Words Flashcards
Abate
To reduce in amount, degree, or severity
Abstain
To choose not to do something
Abyss
An extremely deep hole
Adulterate
To make impure
Abscond
To leave secretly
Advocate
To speak in favor of
Aesthetic
Concerning the appreciation of beauty
Alleviate
To make more bearable
Ambiguous
Doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways
Amalgamate
To combine; to mix together
Aggrandize
To increase in power, influence, and reputation
Ameliorate
To make better; to improve
Anachronism
Something out of place in time
Analogous
Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to
Anomaly
Deviation from what is normal
Antagonize
To annoy or provoke to anger
Antipathy
Extreme dislike
Apathy
Lack of interest or emotion
Arbitrate
To judge a dispute between two opposing parties
Archaic
Ancient, old-fashioned
Ardor
Intense and passionate feeling
Articulate
Able to speak clearly and expressively
Assuage
To make something unpleasant less severe
Attenuate
To reduce in force or degree; to weaken
Audacious
Fearless and daring
Austere
Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
Banal
Predictable, cliched, boring
Bolster
To support; to prop up
Bombastic
Pompous speech or writing
Cacophony
Harsh, jarring noise
Candid
Impartial and honest in speech
Capricious
Changing one’s mind quickly and often
Castigate
To punish or criticize harshly
Catalyst
Something that brings about a change in something else
Caustic
Biting in wit
Chaos
Great disorder or confusion
Chauvinist
Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
Chicanery
Deception by means of craft or guile
Cogent
Convincing and well-reasoned
Condone
To overlook, pardon, or disregard
Convoluted
Intricate and complicated
Corroborate
To provide supporting evidence
Credulous
Too trusting; gullible
Crecendo
Steadily increasing in volume or force
Decorum
Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety
Deference
Respect, courtesy
Deride
To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock
Desiccate
To dry out thoroughly
Desultory
Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected
Diatribe
An abusive, condemnatory speech
Diffident
Lacking self confidence
Dilate
To make larger; to expand
Dilatory
Intended to delay
Dilettante
Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic
Dirge
A funeral hymn or mournful speech
Disabuse
To set right; to free from error
Discern
To perceive; to recognize
Disparate
Fundamentally different; entirely unlike
Dissemble
To present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character
Dissonance
A harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds
Dogma
A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief
Dogmatic
Dictatorial in one’s opinions
Dupe
To deceive; a person who is easily deceived
Eclectic
Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources
Efficacy
Effectiveness
Elegy
A sorrowful poem or speech
Eloquent
Persuasive and moving, especially in speech
Emulate
To copy; to try to equal or excel
Enervate
To reduce in strength
Engender
To produce, cause, or bring about
Enigma
A puzzle; a mystery
Enumerate
To count, list, or itemize