N Flashcards
Nervous narwhals noisily nibble neon nachos.
nadir
(n.)
the lowest point of something
(My day was boring, but the nadir came when I accidentally spilled a bowl of spaghetti on my head.)
nascent
(adj.)
in the process of being born or coming into existence
(Unfortunately, my brilliant paper was only in its nascent form on the morning that it was due.)
nebulous
(adj.)
vaguely defined, cloudy
(The transition between governments meant that who was actually in charge was a nebulous matter.)
nefarious
(adj.)
heinously villainous
(Although Dr. Meanman’s nefarious plot to melt the polar icecaps was terrifying, it was so impractical that nobody really worried about it.)
neligent
(adj.)
habitually careless, neglectful
(Jessie’s grandfather called me a negligent fool after I left the door to his apartment unlocked even though there had been a recent string of robberies.)
neophyte
(n.)
someone who is young or inexperienced
(As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel.)
nocturnal
(adj.)
relating to or occurring during the night
(Jackie was a nocturnal person; she would study until dawn and sleep until the evening.)
noisome
(adj.)
unpleasant, offensive, especially to the sense of smell
(Nobody would enter the stalls until the horse’s noisome leavings were taken away.)
nomadic
(adj.)
wandering from place to place
(In the first six months after college, Jose led a nomadic life, living in New York, California, and Idaho.)
nominal
(adj.)
trifling, insignificant
(Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee.)
nonchalant
(adj.)
having a lack of concern, indifference
(Although deep down she was very angry, Marsha acted in a nonchalant manner when she found out that her best friend had used her clothing without asking.)
nondescript
(adj.)
lacking a distinctive character
(I was surprised when I saw the movie star in person because she looked nondescript.)
notorious
(adj.)
widely and unfavorably known
(Jacob was notorious for always arriving late at parties.)
novice
(n.)
a beginner, someone without training or experience
(Because we were all novices at yoga, our instructor decided to begin with the basics.)
noxious
(adj.)
harmful, unwholesome
(Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects’ natural habitats.)
nuance
(n.)
a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression
(The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the professor was able to point them out.)
nurture
(v.)
to assist the development of
(Although Serena had never watered the plant, which was about to die, Javier was able to nurture it back to life.)
