krieger’s essential 500 words

Question 1

aesthetic

Answer 1

related to beauty or taste

Question 2

conventional

Answer 2

customary, conforming to established practices

Question 3

mitigate

Answer 3

to lessen, relieve

Question 4

pragmatic

Answer 4

practical, realistic

Question 5

altruistic

Answer 5

unselfish, concerned for the welfare of others

Question 6

diffident

Answer 6

timid, reserved, self-effacing

Question 7

frank

Answer 7

open and honest

Question 8

revere

Answer 8

to respect, venerate

Question 9

subtle

Answer 9

gradual, not obvious

Question 10

reticent

Answer 10

reluctant to discuss one’s thoughts

Question 11

antithetical

Answer 11

polar opposites

Question 12

prescient

Answer 12

perceiving the significance of events before they occur

Question 13

nostalgia

Answer 13

bittersweet longing for the past

Question 14

beguile

Answer 14

to trick with deception or irresistible charm

Question 15

ominous

Answer 15

menacing and threatening, foreshadowing bad things

Question 16

succinct

Answer 16

brief and to the point

Question 17

discerning

Answer 17

able to distinguish and perceive subtle things

Question 18

belie

Answer 18

to give a false impression, misrepresent

Question 19

anomaly

Answer 19

deviation from the regular pattern

Question 20

peremptory

Answer 20

arbitrary (order), not allowing discussion or refusal

Question 21

anecdote

Answer 21

short story that illustrates a point

Question 22

vignette

Answer 22

brief literary sketch (a few paragraphs long)

Question 23

personification

Answer 23

when inanimate objects are assigned human traits

Question 24

paradox

Answer 24

contradictory statement that may nonetheless be true

Question 25

verbal irony

Answer 25

saying one thing but meaning the opposite

Question 26

situational irony

Answer 26

when what occurs is different from what is expected

Question 27

satire

Answer 27

wit or irony to make fun of something

Question 28

analogous

Answer 28

parallel to another thing

Question 29

lampoon

Answer 29

to ridicule

Question 30

eulogize

Answer 30

to praise eloquently

Question 31

euphemism

Answer 31

less offensive substitute for a word or idea

Question 32

qualify

Answer 32

to limit, modify, restrict

Question 33

concede

Answer 33

to acknowledge or admit

Question 34

rebut

Answer 34

to attempt to prove that a theory is false

Question 35

refute

Answer 35

to disprove an accusation or theory

Question 36

undermine

Answer 36

to weaken an argument

Question 37

underscore

Answer 37

to emphasize, draw attention to

Question 38

coherent

Answer 38

orderly, logical, clear

Question 39

bias

Answer 39

mental tendency, unfair preference

Question 40

criterion

Answer 40

standard of judgment

Question 41

conjecture

Answer 41

hypothesis formed from incomplete evidence

Question 42

sanguine

Answer 42

optimistic, cheerful

Question 43

exuberant

Answer 43

happy, enthusiastic

Question 44

didactic

Answer 44

intended to teach or enlighten

Question 45

emphatic

Answer 45

forceful, unambiguous

Question 46

earnest

Answer 46

sincere, serious

Question 47

fervent

Answer 47

ardent, passionate

Question 48

jovial

Answer 48

merry, joyful

Question 49

exhilarated

Answer 49

excited, thrilled

Question 50

indignant

Answer 50

outraged at a perceived injustice

Question 51

sardonic

Answer 51

mocking, derisive

Question 52

flippant

Answer 52

casually disrespectful

Question 53

skeptical

Answer 53

doubtful, distrustful

Question 54

nonchalant

Answer 54

unexcited, indifferent

Question 55

disdain

Answer 55

contempt

Question 56

vehement

Answer 56

strong, emphatic

Question 57

caustic

Answer 57

critical, harsh in tone

Question 58

wary

Answer 58

cautious, alert to danger or deception

Question 59

pompous

Answer 59

excessive, pretentious

Question 60

ambivalent

Answer 60

having mixed feelings

Question 61

wistful

Answer 61

sadly thoughtful, reflective

Question 62

whimsical

Answer 62

fanciful, playful

Question 63

evenhanded

Answer 63

impartial, fair

Question 64

prudent

Answer 64

cautious, sensible

Question 65

hedonist

Answer 65

person devoted to pleasure

Question 66

reprobate

Answer 66

depraved and unprincipled person

Question 67

interloper

Answer 67

intruder, trespasser

Question 68

acolyte

Answer 68

devoted fan or follower

Question 69

iconoclast

Answer 69

person who attacks tradition and established ideas

Question 70

mentor

Answer 70

wise and trusted advisor

Question 71

benefactor

Answer 71

person who helps others

Question 72

innovator

Answer 72

person who invents new things or ideas

Question 73

proponent

Answer 73

person who fights for an idea or movement

Question 74

sage

Answer 74

person renowned for wisdom

Question 75

philanthropist

Answer 75

person who donates money altruistically

Question 76

misanthrope

Answer 76

hater of humankind, distrustful and cynical

Question 77

connoisseur

Answer 77

tasteful judge

Question 78

neophyte

Answer 78

a novice, beginner

Question 79

dilettante

Answer 79

a dabbler

Question 80

demagogue

Answer 80

leader who inflames popular fears and passions

Question 81

pundit

Answer 81

person who offers knowledgeable, informed opinions

Question 82

heretic

Answer 82

person who opposes accepted beliefs

Question 83

progenitor

Answer 83

person who paves the way for an new artistic trend, predecessor

Question 84

zealot

Answer 84

person who pursues an ideal fanatically

Question 85

deleterious

Answer 85

destructive, dangerous

Question 86

demise

Answer 86

end of existence, death

Question 87

despondent

Answer 87

disheartened, hopeless

Question 88

exonerate

Answer 88

to free from blame, exculpate

Question 89

exorbitant

Answer 89

excessively high (of a price)

Question 90

reciprocate

Answer 90

to return in kind or degree

Question 91

resilient

Answer 91

able to bounce back from adversity

Question 92

resurgence

Answer 92

rising again, reviving

Question 93

malaise

Answer 93

vague feeling of unease

Question 94

malicious

Answer 94

bad, desiring to cause harm

Question 95

uncouth

Answer 95

having bad manners or behaviour

Question 96

unfettered

Answer 96

unrestrained, free and open

Question 97

uncorroborated

Answer 97

unsubstantiated, unsupported

Question 98

unnerved

Answer 98

intimidated, disheartened

Question 99

undaunted

Answer 99

intrepid, indomitable

Question 100

unaffected

Answer 100

emotionally unmoved

Question 101

unscrupulous

Answer 101

unprincipled, dishonorable

Question 102

unpretentious

Answer 102

modest and natural

Question 103

myriad

Answer 103

many

Question 104

narcissistic

Answer 104

overly self-absorbed

Question 105

moribund

Answer 105

dying, becoming obsolete

Question 106

voluptuous

Answer 106

sensually delightful

Question 107

protean

Answer 107

variable, versatile

Question 108

sophistry

Answer 108

subtly deceptive argument

Question 109

laconic

Answer 109

of few words

Question 110

trivial

Answer 110

trifling, of little importance

Question 111

quixotic

Answer 111

idealistic, impractical

Question 112

hubris

Answer 112

overbearing pride, arrogance