Key Terms Group 2 Flashcards
Abate
To make or become less in degree, intensity, or amount
Synonyms: decrease, diminish, reduce
Accolade
an award or other expression of honor or praise
Synonyms: award, honor
Adulation
excessive admiration, praise, or devotion; flattery
Synonyms: devotion, fawning, flattery, worship
Aesthetic
having to do with beauty or the arts
Synonym: artistic
Ameliorate
to get or make better
Synonyms: alleviate, improve, relieve
Ascetic
strictly self-denying, often for spiritual purposes
Synonyms: austere, disciplined, strict
Avarice
a greed for wealth that cannot be satisfied
Synonyms: covetousness, greed, rapacity
Burgeon
to sprout, bloom, and grow
Synonyms: blossom, flourish
Bucolic
having to do with shepherds or rural life
Synonyms: pastoral, rural, rustic
Cacophony
harsh, discordant sound
Synonyms: discord, noise
Canon
a body of fundamental rules or standards; a set
of sacred texts or other comprehensive list of
texts
Synonyms: dogma, law, principle
Castigation
severe criticism or punishment
Synonyms: chastisement, discipline, invective
Catalyst
an agent that causes or speeds up a change
or activity; literally, a substance that causes or
speeds up a chemical reaction
Caustic
burning or stinging; causing corrosion
Chary
cautious
Cogent
very convincing and appealing to reason; relevant
Synonyms: apt, compelling, persuasive, telling
Complaisance
inclined to please
Synonyms: agreeable, gracious, obliging
Contentious
controversial; tending toward disputes or controversy
Synonyms: argumentative, contentious
Contrite
feeling or showing sorrow for wrongdoing
Synonyms: apologetic, penitent, remorseful, sorry
Culpable
deserving blame
Synonyms: blameworthy, guilty, liable
Dearth
a shortage, an inadequate supply
Synonyms: deficiency, lack, scarcity
Demur
to express disagreement, object
Synonyms: oppose, refuse
Didactic
tending or intended to inform or teach
Synonyms: academic, instructive, pendantic
Discretion
cautious reserve in speech; ability to make responsible decisions
Disinterested
not personally engaged, without emotional interest
Dogmatic
fanatic about a doctrine or theory
Synonyms: dogmatic, fanatical, impractical, inflexible
Ebullience
lively, enthusiastic
Synonyms: buoyant, high-spirited, vivacious
Eclectic
choosing from a variety of sources; composed of a variety of styles, methods, or ideas
Synonyms: assorted, diverse, varied
Elegy
a poem or song expressing sorrow at the loss of one who has died
Synonyms: lament, requiem
Emollient
having the power to soothe or make soft and supple
Synonyms: healing, soothing; lotion, salve
Empirical
based on observation or experience without resorting to theory
Synonyms: experimental, observed, practical
Enigmatic
puzzling, mysterious
Synonyms: ambiguous, perplexing
Ephemeral
lasting a short time
Synonyms: brief, fleeting, momentary, passing
Esoteric
known only by the initiated
Synonyms: arcane, hidden, occult
Eulogy
a speech or piece of writing given in honor of someone who has died
Synonyms: tribute
Exonerate
to clear from blame; to relieve of a responsibility
Synonyms: absolve, exonerate, vindicate; discharge, liberate
Facetious
not serious, inappropriately jokey
Synonyms: amusing, frivolous, humorous
Fallacy
a deceptive or mistaken idea or belief
Synonyms: delusion, error, misconception
Furtive
done secretly or in an underhanded way
Synonyms: cunning, sly, stealthy
Gregarious
tending to be social
Synonyms: convivial, friendly, outgoing
Harangue
a rant
Synonyms: diatribe, jeremiad, tirade
Heretical
departing from accepted beliefs, characterized by heresy
Synonyms: dissident, unorthodox
Hyperbole
composed of parts that are all alike;
extravagant and intentional exaggeration
Synonyms: embellishment, hype, overstatement
Impecunious
having little or no money
Synonyms: destitute, impoverished, penniless,
poor
Incipent
Beginning to come into being or to become apparent
Inert
having no power to act or move
Synonyms: dormant, inactive, motionless
Innocuous
harmless, unlikely to offend
Synonyms: innocent, inoffensive, unobjectionable
Instansigent
refusing to compromise
Inveigle
to obtain by deception or flattery
Morose
gloomy or sullen in mood or temperament
Synonyms: dour, melancholy, pessimistic
Odious
causing or deserving of hatred
Synonyms: detestable, disgusting, loathsome,
offensive, repugnant
Opaque
blocking light, dark; difficult to understand
Synonyms: cloudy, impenetrable, murky; concealed, incomprehensible, obscure, unclear
Oscillation
to swing back and forth; to vary in opinions,
beliefs, or conditions
Synonyms: fluctuate, vacillate
Penurious
penny-pinching , excessively thrifty, ungenerous
Pernicious
destructive or deadly
Synonyms: detrimental, harmful, injurious,
noxious, ruinous
Persue
To examine with great care
Pious
characterized by religious devotion or by conspicuous and hypocritical virtue
Synonyms: devout, religious, reverent,
righteous, sanctimonious, scrupulous
Precursor
that which precedes or anticipates another
Synonyms: forerunner, predecessor
Preen
to groom, to dress smartly; to congratulate oneself for an accomplishment
Synonym: primp
Prodigious
inspiring wonder; extraordinary in size or degree
Synonyms: exceptional, extraordinary,
fabulous, marvelous; huge, enormous
Prolific
abundantly productive, fertile
Synonyms: bountiful, fruitful, teeming
Putrefy
to rot
Synonyms: decay, spoil, stink
Quaff
to drink deeply with great enjoyment
Synonyms: down, imbibe
Quiescence
stillness; motionlessness; quality of being a rest
Redoubtable
inspiring fear or respect
Synonyms: awesome, eminent, formidable,
illustrious
Sanction
to approve, give permission
Synonyms: allow, authorize, endorse
Satire
the use of irony or ridicule to expose human
folly
Synonyms: irony, mockery, parody
Squalid
filthy from neglect or poverty
Synonyms: disgusting, miserable, sordid
Stoic
not showing feeling
Synonyms: dispassionate, indifferent,
philosophic, self-controlled
Supplant
to take the place of, especially by force, through treachery, or through superiority
Synonyms: overthrow, succeed, supersede,
undermine, uproot
Torpid
lethargic; sluggish; dormant
Ubiquitous
existing everywhere at once
Synonyms: omnipresent, pervasive, widespread
Urbane
polite, polished, or elegant in manner
Synonyms: civilized, cultured, elegant, refined,
sophisticated
Vilify
to slander
Synonyms: attack, censure, defame, denigrate,
disparage
Viscous
