Medium Vocabulary Flashcards
congenial
(adj.) friendly, pleasant
insipid
(adj.) uninteresting, unexciting, boring
innocuous
(adj.) harmless
“It was an innocuous question”
enigmatic
(adj.) mysterious or puzzling
erudite
erudition
(adj.) learned, well-educated or well-read
(n.) extensive knowledge acquired from books or academic study
ingenious
(adj.) clever and inventive
reticent
reticence
(adj.) reluctant to reveal ones thoughts or feelings
(n.) an unwillingness to reveal ones thoughts or feelings
belie
(v.) to disguise, to give a false impression of, to contradict
uncanny
(adj.) strange or mysterious, esp. in a seeming natural way
venerate
venerable
(v.) regard or treat with deep respect
(adj.) worthy of respect because of age, character, position etc.
exonerate
(v.) pronounce not guilty, declare innocent
pithiness
briefness
solicitous
(adj.) concerned, caring
improvident
not having or showing foresight, spendthrift, or thoughtless
imprudent
(adj.) unwise, not sensible
boorish
boor
(adj.) (n.) rude
idiosyncrasy
idiosyncratic
(n.) unique to one person or thing
prodigious
(adj.) impressively large or great
boons
benefits
magnanimous
(adj.) generous and forgiving
brazen
(adj.) bold and shameless
dilate
(adj.) lengthen, widen
delineate
(adj.) describe, outlines
inscrutable
(adj.) impossible to understand or interpert
omniscient
(adj.) all-knowing
eschew / repudiate / refute
(v.) to reject
impertinent
(adj.) rude and disrespectful
prodigality
extravagance, wastefulness
didactic
(adj.) intended to teach
fervent, fervor
avid; passionate
“Shen is a fervent support of Man Utd”
duplicitous
duplicity
underhand
(adj.) deceptive / dishonest
judicious
enlightened
(adj.) wise, showing good judgement
divulge
(v.) to reveal, to disclose
trite
(adj.) unoriginal and overused
“Your joke is trite/hackneyed”
salient
salience
(adj.) relevant, most noticeable, most important
(n.) relevance, importance, or prominence
incessantly
(adj.) constantly, continuously, never stopping
transgression / transgressive
(n.) a violation of rule, law, or conduct
ephemeral / transitory
(adj.) short-lived / temporary
guile
(n.) innocent, naive
virtuoso
(n.) highly skilled, prodigy
chauvinism
chauvinist
(n.) a belief that your gender or country is superior to others
(adj.) biased in favor of one’s own gender; excessively patriotic
trifling
(adj.) insignificant
tempering
(n.) to make less extreme; balance out by adding something else
intractable
(adj.) very difficult; impossible to control, manage, or solve
provincial
(adj.) narrow minded and unsophisticated; small-town
nonchalant
(adj.) calm and unconcerned
confound
(v.) to confuse or frustrate, to disprove
capricious
(adj.) changing suddenly and often
“Moms mood swings are capricious”
disinterested
(adj.) impartial, unbiased
ambivalent
(adj.) having mixed or contradictory feelings
incense
(v.) to make angry
superseded
(v.) to replace
befuddle
(v.) to make confuse
implicit
(adj.) understood without being stated
impudence
rudeness
tact
(n.) sensitivity, understanding
credulous
(adj.) overly willing to believe, easily fooled
“Ian is credulous”
contemptuous
(adj.) a negative attitude towards something or someone
“The family is contemptuous towards cousin Ivan”
zealous
(adj.) enthusiastic
pious
(adj.) devoutly religious
reverant
(adj.) respectful
dissemble
(v.) to hide one’s true feelings, motives etc.
subvert
(v.) to weaken or make less effective
respite
(n.) a short period of rest or relief from something unpleasant
cacophony
cacophonous
(n.) a harsh mix of sound
(adj.) involving a harsh mix of sound
estrange
(v.) to make no longer friendly, close, associated
“He became estranged from his father”
incendiary
(adj.) causing fire; stirring up conflict or anger
largesse
(n.) generous giving of money or gifts
equivocal
(adj.) vague, uncertain
whim
(adj.) impulse, urge, notion
artifice
(n.) a clever trick or clever means to an end, cunning
”Niece Elora is artifice”
imperious
(adj.) controlling
“I have an imperious mother”
audacious
(adj.) bold and daring
bemuse
(v.) to make confused
insular
(adj.) interested in only one’s country or group; isolated
“Many regard the US as insular for its use of the Metric system”
indolent
(adj.) lazy
laud / laudable / laudatory
meritorious
praise worthy
tenable
(adj.) justifiable
Antithesis
Antithetical
(N.) a direct opposite
(Adj.) directly opposed; incompatible
Conjecture
(n.) an opinion based on incomplete evidence
“Moms conjecture is unfounded”
Indiscriminate
(Adj.) not done or chosen in a careful way, unrestrained or at random
Abdicate
(V.) to give up a position of power
“King Edward abdicated the throne”
Incongruous
Incongruity
(adj.) out of place, incompatible
(n.) incompatibility
Elucidate
(v.) to clarify, to explain
pedantic
pedant
(adj.) nitpicky
plodding
(adj.) slow and boring
treacherous
treachery
(adj.) betrayal
dupe
(v.) to fool
goad
(v.) to urge or provoke
disingenuous
(adj.) not honest/sincere
belittle
(v.) to make somebody or something seem small or unimportant; put down
conflate
conflation
(v.) to mistake one thing for another
(n.) to combine separate things into one
dichotomy
(n.) a difference between two opposite things
adroit
(adj.) clever, skillful
maladroit
(adj.) unskilled
extol
(v.) to praise highly
lucid
(adj.) easy to understand
cursory
(adj.) without attention to detail
nominal
(adj.) very small, insignificant
tacit
(adj.) understood without being stated, unspoken
languish
(v.) to be or become weak
lackadaisical
(adj.) lazy and unenthusiastic, half-hearted
dynamism
dynamic
(n.) energy and activity
(adj.) strongly energetic
prowess
(n.) great skill or ability
commensurate
(adj.) corresponding in amount or extent, proportionate
beneficent
(adj.) doing good or causing good to be done
inordinate
(adj.) excessive, unusually or disproportionally large
cloister
cloister
cloistered
(v.) to seclude
(n.) a convent or monastery, a secluded place or state
(adj.) secluded, sheltered
dearth
(n.) a lack of something
cogent
(adj.) clear and convincing
proclivity
(n.) a tendency
deify
(v.) to treat as a god
ephemeral
(adj.) lasting for a very short time
expeditious
(adj.) speedy and efficient
platitudes
overused statements, cliches
omnipresent
(adj.) present everywhere
outmoded
(adj. ) outdated
circumspect
(adj.) cautious
convivial
(adj.) friendly
clandestine
(adj). Hidden or done in secret
surreptitious
(adj.) done secretly
preclude
(v.) to prevent something from happening
supplant
(v.) to replace
supersede
(v.) to replace
judicious
(adj.) showing good judgement
irresolute
(adj.) indecisive
acrimonious
acrimony
(adj.) bitterly angry
(n.) anger and bitterness
exacting
(adj.) demanding
exasperating
very frustrating
exhilarating
exciting, thrilling
instructive
useful, informative
dirge
(n.) mournful songs
wooing
seeking the favor of
vociferous
(adj.) loud and forceful
anomaly
anomalous
(n.) something unusual or unexpected
(adj. ) unusual
interloper
(n.) a person who inserts oneself into a situation in which she is unwelcome; an intruder
contrite
contrition
(adj .) remorseful
(n. ) remorse and regret
fads
short-lived trends
eclectic
(adj.) including elements from a variety of sources, composed of many things
ascension
ascend
(n.) to rise to power
(v.) to rise
bellicose
(adj. ) aggressive and combative
officious
(adj.) bossy and intrusive
infalliable
incapable of error
secular
(adj.) not religious or spiritual
indefensible
(adj.) unacceptable
chivalrous
(adj.) courteous and honorable
baroque
(adj.) overly detailed
consummate
(adj.) of the highest degree, skilled
precipitous
(adj.) sudden and steep, of a decline
indiscernible
(adj.) not noticeable
schism
(n.) a split or division because of disagreement
surmount
overcome
abject
(adj.) extreme
misapprehension
misunderstanding
abstract
theoretical, conceptual
profundity
wisdom, intelligence
gainsay
deny, contradict
pariah
(n.) a person who is despised and rejected by others; an outcast
abate
(v.) to decrease in strength or intensity, esp. sounding negative
coy
(adj.) shy; reluctant to reveal information
wanting
lacking
debarred
excluded, prohibited
urbane
(adj.) well mannered and confident, polished and polite
berate
angrily scold
quandary
(n.) a state of uncertainty or confusion; a difficult situation
sycophant
(n.) a suck up
discrete
(adj.) separate and distinct
dissident
(n.) someone who disagrees with the establishment, esp. in politics or religion
coalesce
(v.) to come together to form a single whole
concision
briefness
supple
(adj.). bending and moving easily and gracefully, flexible
transfix
fascinating, holding the attention of
disavow
(v.) to deny responsibility for, support for, or connection with
egalitarian
(adj.) relating to the belief that all people deserve equal rights
trailblazing
innovative, new and original
inadvertent
(adj.) unintentional
multifarious
(adj.) diverse, varied
scintillating
(adj.) lively, stimulating, witty
attenuate
(v.) to weaken, to reduce
antipathy
(n.) strong dislike
dispassionate
(adj.) not influenced by emotions or personal involvement, calm and impartial
dogmatic
dogma
(adj.) inflexible in opinions
(n.) a set of established beliefs
foolhardy
(adj.) foolishly bold or adventurous, reckless
imperceptible
(adj.) too small to perceive, unnoticeable
stopgap
(n.) a temporary measure or solution
clamorous
clamor
(adj. ) loud and noisy
(v.) to loudly call for something to happen
exorbitant
(adj.) unreasonably high (of a price, demands, etc.)
precocious
(adj.) mature or advanced for one’s age
forestall
(v.) to prevent by taking action beforehand
indelible
(adj.) permanent, unforgettable
impassive
(adj.). not feeling or showing emotion
redouble
(v.) to intensify
satire
satirize
satirical
(adj.) mocking, criticizing
fallacious
fallacy
mistaken
surmise
(v.) to suppose something is true without strong evidence
deride
(v.) mocked
aggrandize
(v.) highly praised
munificent
generous, philanthropic
fitfully
sporadically
recrudescence
reappear, to come back in time
imperturbable
calm, cool
patent
(adj.) obvious
unadorned
plain, undercoated
debased
(adj.) reduce in quality or value
makeshift
(adj.) temporary measure
unpropitious
unfavorable
lurid
Shocking
poignant
(adj.) evoking tender sadness, touching
lionize
(v.) to give approval
hyperbole
hyperbolic
exaggeration
stinting
stint
stingy
bombastic
Impressive sounding but meaningless
unflappable
calm
titillate
(v.) to interest or excite
mesmerize
to completely hold the attention of
stoic
(adj.) showing no emotion
penniless
poor
destitute
poor
discreet
secretly, not easily noticed
salable
(adj.) able to be sold
rhetoric
rhetorical
(n.) ability to persuade
abstentation
non-participation
truncate
(v.) to cut short
punctuated
occurs at intervals throughout
intersperse
diversify with other things at intervals
colloquial
conversational, not formal
stilted
stiff, unnatural
profuse
profusion
in very large amounts
unremitting
(adj.) never stopping or weakening
intrepid
(adj.) fearless, bold and brave
assailed
attacked
spurious
false
ironclad
impossible to break or challenge (of a guarantee, argument, rule etc.)
despot
despotic
repressive, all-controlling
misnomer
(n.) a wrong or inaccurate name
remedial
intended as a remedy or cure
itinerant
(adj.) traveling form place to place
mollify
to soothe, to clam down
levity
humor and lightheartedness
pretension
claim, aspiration, assertion
blemish
Imperfection, fault, flaw
kindred
related, connected
blighted
wrecked, spoiled
erstwhile
former
onetime
former
surrogate
substitute, deputy
proxy
deputy, delegate
florid
(adj.) overly elaborate
defamatory
damaging the good reputation of someone, defaming
calumnies
false and defamatory, slanderous
inveigle
persuade, convince
recapitulate
summarize., repeat, reiterate
vanquish
conquer, overcome
construe
interpret, understand
collude
to go along with
jettison
abandon, reject, drop
salubrious
healthy, beneficial
clangorous
relates to the continuous loud noise of something, especially something made of metal
indictment
charge, accusation
penchant
Iiking, fondness
extant
surviving, remaining
juxtaposition
comparison, contrast
adulator
kiss ass
acerbic
sarcastic, sharp
expurgate
censored
foibles
weakness
make light of
downplay
abreast
alongside, side by side
pastoral
of the countryside, rural
perspicacity
shrewdness, cleverness
callousness
insensitive
facetious
silly
baseness
bad character
apposite
appropriate
indefatigable
tireless
preeminence
superiority, supremacy
beguile
charm or enchant (someone), often in a deceptive way
shirk
neglect
undertake
take on responsibility
calamitous
catastrophic
snare
a trap, to catch
beholden
indebted to
interminable
endless, never ending
conscience
standards, morals
posturing
an attitude that is meant to impress or mislead
evocation
act of bringing or recalling a feeling, memory, or image
modulate
regulate, adjust
assimilate
take in and understand fully (information or ideas)
Metamorphoses
to change into a different physical form especially by supernatural means
covet
(V.) desire, crave, want
congruent
in agreement
aberration
Deviation
transmute
To change, to modify
encumbering
hindering
espouse
to embrace
contravene
to oppose
errant
guilty
allusive
indirect, not clear
stinting
to scrimp on, to restrict
engenders
causes
impropriety
misconduct
reproaches
disappointment, disapproval
inure
accustom someone to something, especially something unpleasant
these children have been inured to violence
histrionics
tantrums, drama
heretical
unorthodox
introspection
soul searching, self analysis
depraved
corrupt
unjust
biased
iniquitous
sinful, grossly unfair and morally wrong
impiety
sinfulness
preemptive
to prevent
exalted
elevated
precursor
predecessor, forerunner
intemperance
lack of moderation, over-indulgence
anamolous
not normal
vogue
fashionable
restitution
return, recovery, restoration
axiomatic
undeniable, unquestionable
otherworldly
imaginary
precedents
models, examples
unexceptionable
having nothing that anyone could criticize or disapprove of
decry, decried
condemn, criticize
allusion
reference to, mention of
recourse
option, alternative
intransigent
uncompromising, inflexible
morphology
a particular form, shape, or structure
fatuous
silly
idolatry
idol worship
rancorous
bitter, spiteful, hateful
innate
existing
utopian
idealistic, in a perfect world
perpetuate
conserve
ossified
have become fixed or rigid in attitude or position
diminutarion
curtailment, reduction
indignation
resentment, unhappiness
protracted
prolonged
placid
calm
stalwart
dedicated, loyal
impenetrable
impossible to understand
intangible
not able to be touched; not having physical presence
irrefutable
undeniable
illusory
not real
surreptitiously
secretly
veracity
truthfulness
underhanded
secretive and dishonest
predispose
incline towards
propitious
favorable
salvage
saved from being destroyed
discursiveness
long winded, wordy
blunders
careless mistakes
hackneyed
(adj.) unoriginal and overused
“Your joke is trite/hackneyed”
wariness
showing caution
wariness
showing caution
cloy
sentimental
understated
subtle, not showy
unpalatable
not pleasing
tedious
boring, dull
