Prep Scholar Flashcards
Abate
To diminish in intensity
Aberrant
Diverge from the standard type
Abjure
To reject or renounce
Abscond
Leave secretly, evading detection
Abstain
To voluntarily refrain from doing something
Acumen
Keen judgement and perception
Admonish
Scold or to advise firmly
Adulterate
To contaminate or make impure by introducing inferior elements
Advocate
To recommend, support, or advise
Aesthetic
Concerned with the nature of beauty and art
Affectation
Fake or artificial behavior, often meant to impress of conceal the truth
Aggrandize
Enlarge or increase, especially w/ wealth, power, and reputation
Alacrity
Promptness and eagerness
Alleviate
To relieve a problem or ease a burden
Amalgamate
To combine or mix together
Ambiguous
Unclear, open to multiple interpretations
Ambivalent
Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something or someone
Ameliorate
Improve or mitigate a situation
Amenable
Easily convinced or persuaded
Anachronism
Something old-fashioned
Or
Something in appearing in a time where it does not belong
Analogous
Comparable
Anoint
To choose for a particular office or position
Anomaly
An exception or unusual case
Antipathy
Strong dislike or hatred
Antithetical
Contrary to the very nature of
Apathy
State of total disinterested or unenthusiasm
Appease
To placate, to satisfy
Arbitrary
Seemingly chosen or designated without reason or purpose
Arcane
Secret/known only to a select group
Archaic
Old-fashioned, no longer in common usage
Arduous
Difficult, taxing, requires considerable effort
Articulate
Exhibit considerable communication skills, well-spoken
Artless
Without sacrifice
Or
Natural, untrained
Ascetic
Austere or self-denying
Assuage
To provide relief from an unpleasant feeling
Or
Satisfy a need or appetite
Astonishment
Total surprise, shock
Audacious
Very bold or presumtuous
Austere
Severe, unadorned
Avarice
Greed
Aver
To assert or allege
Banal
Boring, cliche
Belie
Give a false impression
Benign
Gentle, harmless
Biased
Prejudiced, displaying partiality
ambivalent
Having contradictory feelings
S: equivocal, uncertain, unsure, doubtful
auspicious
favorable
belligerent
Inclined to fight/hostile/aggressive
S: hostile, aggressive, threatening
capricious
unpredictable, whimsical
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.
S: fickle, inconstant, changeable, variable
corroborate
to confirm, make stronger
S: confirm, verify, endorse, ratify, authenticate
enervate
To weaken; drain the energy from.
S: exhaust, tire, fatigue, weary
ephemeral
Short-lived. lasting a very short period of time
S: transitory, transient, fleeting, passing
erudite
having or showing great knowledge or learning
S: learned, scholarly, knowledgeable, well read
esoteric
known to a select few
intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest
S: abstruse, obscure, arcane, rarefied
extant
In existence (most commonly referring to texts).
S: surviving, remaining
fastidious
nitpicky
very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail
very concerned about mattes of cleanliness
S: scrupulous, painstaking, meticulous, punctilious
inculpate
to charge with wrong-doing, accuse
S: incriminate
loquacious
tending to talk a great deal, talkative
S: talkative, garrulous, long-winded
magnanimous
Big-hearted; generous
generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person.
S: generous, charitable, benevolent
mercurial
(of a person) subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind
S: volatile, capricious, tempermental
pragmatic
dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations
S: practical, matter of fact, realistic
prolific
(of a plant, animal, or person) producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring
or present in large numbers or quantities
S: productive, creative, plentiful, abundant
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily
S: reserved, withdrawn, introverted
sanguine
optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation
S: optimistic, hopeful, positive
soporific
tending to induce drowsiness or sleep
S: sleeping pill, sleeping inducing
aberration
departure from what is normal, usual, expected
S: deviation, divergence, anomaly
abreast
up to date with the latest news, ideas or information
S: in touch with, plugged into
abstain
restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something
S: refrain, hold back
abyss
deep or seemingly bottomless chasm
S: gorge, ravine, void
adept
very skilled or proficient at something
S: expect, proficient, accomplished
agog
very eager or curious to hear or see something
S: excited, impatient, in suspense
allure
the quality of being powerfully and mysteriously attractive or fascinating
S: attraction, lure, draw
altruism
the belief in or practice of selfless concern for the well-being of others
S: selflessness, compassion, goodwill
ambivalent
having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone
S: equivocal, uncertain, unsure
annul
declare invalid
S: repeal, reverse, rescind
apathy
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
S: indifference, passivity, ennui
arbitrary
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system
S: capricious, random, chance
arbiter
person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a manner
S: authority, judge, controller
artless
without guile or deception
S: candid, direct, forthright
audacious
showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks
S: bold, daring, fearless
austere
having an extreme plain and simple style or appearance
S: unadorned, subdued, stark
blight
a thing that spoils or damages something
S: affliction, scourge, bane
blithe
showing a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper
S: indifferent, unconcerned, blase
blowhard
a person who blusters and boasts in an unpleasant way
S: boaster, bragger, show-off
bolster
support or strengthen
S: reinforce, prop up, boost
bombastic
high sounding but with little meaning; inflated
S: pompous
boycott
a punitive ban that forbids relations with certain groups
S: veto, shunning, rejection
burlesque
a variety show
S: skit, farce, striptease
cacophony
a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
S: racket, noise, clamor
chronic
of a problem, long lasting and difficult to eradicate
S: constant, continuing, persistent
coda
a concluding event, remark or section
confound
prove wrong
S: contradict, counter, go against
deign
do something that one considers to be beneath one’s dignity
S: come down from one’s high horse
disingenuous
not candid or sincere
S: dishonest, deceitful, duplicitous
docile
ready to accept control or instructions, submissive
S: compliant, obedient, pliant
dote
be extremely and uncritically fond of
S: adore, love dearly, be devoted to
endow
provide with a quality, ability or asset
S: equip, bless, give
ephemeral
lasting a very short time
fleeting, passing, short-lived
ethos
characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community
S: character, atmosphere, climate
facetious
treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor
S: flippant, glib
brazen
bold and without shame
S: bold, shameless, forward
bucolic
relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life
S: rustic, rural, pastoral, country
burgeon
begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish
S: expand, grow rapidly
cacophony
a harsh discordant mixture of sounds
S: noise, racket, discord
calumny
the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander
S: slander, character assassination
candid
truthful and straightforward; frank
S: frank, outspoken, forthright, blunt
canon
a general law, rule, principle, or criterion by which something is judged
S: principle, rule, law, tenet, precept
capricious
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior
S: mercurial, unpredictable, whimsical
castigate
reprimand
S: scold, chastise, rebuke
chauvanist
a person displaying aggressive or exaggerated patriotism
OR
showing or relating to excessive or prejudiced loyalty or support for a particular group or cause
chicanery
the use of trickery to achieve a political, financial, or legal purpose
S: trickery, deception, deceit, duplicity, dishonesty
coalesce
come together
cogent
(of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing
S: convincing, compelling, strong, forceful, powerful
commensurate
corresponding in size or degree; in proportion
S: equivalent, equal, corresponding, comparable
condone
approve or allow
confound
cause surprise or confusion in (someone), especially by acting against their expectations
mix up (something) with something else so that the individual elements become difficult to distinguish
S: astonish, dumbfound, stagger, surprise, startle
consequential
following as a result or effect
S: resulting, ensuing, following
important, significant
construe
interpret, understand, read, see, take
consumption
the using up of a resource
S: use, utilize, expend, depletion
contend
struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger)
assert something as a position in an argument
S: face, assert, maintain
contentious
causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
S: controversial, disputable, debatable
contrite
feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt
S: remorseful, repentant, penitent, regretful
covet
yearn to possess or have (something)
S: desire, crave
craven
contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly
S: cowardly, faint-hearted
credence
belief in or acceptance of something as true
S: acceptance, belief, faith, trust, confidence
credulous
having or showing too great a readiness to believe things
S: gullible, naive, impressionable, trusting
decorum
etiquette, good behavior
deference
(think like “I’ll defer to you”)
humble submission, respect
deftness
n skillful performance or ability without difficulty
S: adeptness, adroitness, facility, quickness
demur
object/raise concerns
denigrate
criticize unfairly
disparage, belittle, diminish
deride
mock, ridicule
desiccate
remove the moisture from (something); cause to become completely dry
S: dried, dehydrated, powdered
desultory
lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
S: casual, halfhearted, lukewarm, cursory, superficial
detachment
state of being objective/aloof
S: objectivity, disinterest, indifference
didactic
intended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive
S: instrutive, instructional
dilettante
a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge
S: amateur, nonprofessional
dirge
a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite
S: lament
disabuse
persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken
S: disillusion, undeceive, correct
disparage
regard or represent as being of little worth
S: belittle, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, downgrade
disparate
essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison
S: contrasting, different, differing, dissimilar
dispassionate
unemotional, unsentimental, emotionless
dissemble
conceal true motives
S: disguise, pretend, deceive, feign, dissimulate
dissonance
lack of harmony among musical notes
S: discordance, harshness, cacophony
dogma
a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true
S: teaching, belief, conviction, tenet, principle, ethic
dupe
to deceive or fool
ebullient
cheerful and full of energy
S: exuberant, buoyant, cheerful
eclectic
composed of a variety of styles
S: wide-ranging, broad
elegy
a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead
S: lament, dirge
lament
passionate expression of grief or sorrow
S: wail, moan, dirge
eminent
(of a person) famous and respected within a particular sphere or profession
S: distinguished, renowned, esteemed
empirical
based on evidence
enervate
drained of energy
S: exhaust, tire, fatigue, wear out
engender
cause or give rise to
ephemeral
short lived, transient
equable
(of a person) not easily disturbed or angered; calm and even-tempered
S: calm, composed, even-tempered
equivocate
use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
erudite
having or showing great knowledge or learning
S: learned, scholarly, knowledgeable, well read
estimable
worthy of great respect
exacting
demanding, precise, grueling
exculpate
show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing
S: exonerate, vindicate
exigent
urgent or pressing
expatiate
speak or write at length or in detail.
explicate
analyze and develop (an idea or principle) in detail
S: explain, clarify
exposition
explanation OR exhibition
extraneous
irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with
S: irrelevant, immaterial, beside the point
extrapolate
estimate based on the facts
facetious
flippant
facilitate
make easier or simpler
fallacious
based on a mistaken belief
S: erroneous, false, untrue
fastidious
very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail
S: scrupulous, punctilious, painstaking, meticulous
foment
instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)
S: instigate, incite, provoke, agitate
forestall
hold off or try to prevent
S: prevent
fortuitous
happening by lucky chance, fortunate
S: chance, unexpected, unanticipated
galvanize
shock or excite (someone) into taking action
S: jolt, shock, startle
gainsay
deny or contradict or dispute
germane
relevant to a subject under consideration
S: relevant, pertinent, applicable
glib
(of words or the person speaking them) fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow
S: slick, smooth-talking
guile
sly or cunning intelligence
S: cunning, art, craft
hackneyed
overused, overdone, worn out
typically speaking of a phrase or idea
harangue
diatribe, rant
hedonism
pursuit of pleasure
hyperbole
obvious exaggeration for effect
iconoclast
a person who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions
S: critic, sceptic, questioner, heretic
ideological
based on or relating to a system of ideas and ideals, especially concerning economic or political theory and policy
imminent
about to happen
S: impending, close, approaching
immutable
unchanging over time or unable to be changed
S: unchangeable, fixed, set, rigid
impair
damage, diminish, hard, reduce, weaken, lessen
impediment
hindrance, obstruction, obstacle, barrier, handicap
imperturbable
unable to be upset or excited; calm
S: self-possessed, composed, collected, calm, cool
implacable
unappeasable, unforgiving
implicit
implied, indirect, inferred, understood
imprudence
bad judgement
impudent
not showing due respect for another person; impertinent
S: impertinent, insolent, cheeky, audacious
inadvertent
not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning
S: unintentional, unintended, accidental
Inchoate
rudimentary, in the beginning stages
inconclusive
not leading to a firm conclusion; not ending doubt or dispute
S: indecisive, proving nothing,
indebted
owing money, beholden, obliged
indolent
wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy
S: lazy, idle, slothful, loafing, work-shy
ingenuous
innocent, unsuspecting
S: naive, innocent, simple, childlike, trusting
inimical
harmful or hostile
innocuous
harmless, safe
inscrutable
enigmatic, unreadable, impossible to understand
insipid
lacking flavor, lacking interest
S: tasteless, flavorless, unflavored, bland
insular
narrow-minded, limited, blinkered, restricted
intermediary
mediator, go-between, negotiator
intractable
unmanageable, stubborn
intransigent
unwilling or refusing to change one’s views or to agree about something
S: uncompromising, inflexible, unbending, unyielding
intrepid
bold and adventurous
S: fearless, unafraid, undaunted
inveterate
having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change
S: ingrained, deep-seated, entrenched
invulnerable
impossible to harm or damage
S: impervious, immune, insensitive, indestructable
irascible
having or showing a tendency to be easily angered
S: irritable, quick-tempered
irresolute
showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain
S: indecisive, hesitant, tentative, nervous
laconic
(of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words
S: brief, terse, concise, succinct
laud
praise (a person or their achievements) highly, especially in a public context
S: praise, extol, hail, applaud
litigation
the process of taking legal action
S: legal action, lawsuit
loquacious
tending to talk a great deal; talkative
S: talkative, garrulous, wordy
lucid
expressed clearly; easy to understand
S: intelligible, comprehensible, cogent, coherent
luminous
full of or shedding light; bright or shining, especially in the dark
S: shining, bright, radiant, dazzling
magnanimity
generosity, charity, benevolence
maladroit
clumsy, awkward
malign
evil in nature or effect; malevolent
S: harmful, evil, bad, hostile
maverick
an unorthodox or independent-minded person
S: individualist, nonconformist
mendacity
untruthfulness, lying, dishonesty
misanthrope
person who hates humanity
mollify
appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)
S: appease, placate, conciliate
munificent
generous, bountiful
nascent
(especially of a process or organization) just coming into existence and beginning to display signs of future potential
S: developing, budding, growing, embryonic
nonplussed
(of a person) surprised and confused so much that they are unsure how to react
S: confused, bewildered, bemused, puzzled
obdurate
stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action
S: stubborn, obstinate, unyielding, unbending, inflexible
obscure
unclear, uncertain, unknown
abstruse
difficult to understand; obscure
S: obscure, arcane, esoteric
obsequious
obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
S: servile, ingratiating, unctuous, sycophantic, toadying, fawning
obstinate
stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so
S: stubborn, headstrong, willful, unyielding, inflexible, unbending
obviate
remove (a need or difficulty)
S: preclude, prevent, remove, get rid of, do away with, get round
occlude
stop, close up, or obstruct (an opening, orifice, or passage).
S: block, stop, obstruct
occult
supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena
S: magic, black magic
olfactory
relating to the sense of smell.
omniscience
state of knowing everything
onerous
difficult or burdensome
S: burdensome, heavy, inconvenient, troublesome, awkward, crushing
opaque
not able to be seen through; not transparent
S: nontransparent, cloudy, filmy, blurred, smeared, hazy
opportunism
the taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle
S: expediency, exploitation, taking advantage
opprobrium
harsh criticism or censure
S: vilification, abuse, vituperation, condemnation, criticism, censure
ostentatious
overly showy in a way that is gaudy or vulgar
S: showy, prententious, conspicuous, obstruive, flamboyant, gaudy
outstrip
move faster than and overtake (someone else)
S: outrun, outdistance, outpace, surpass, exceed
overshadow
shade, darken, conceal, obscure, obliterate, eclipse
painstaking
attentive to detail, meticulous
patent
blantant, obvious, clear, plain, evident, apparent, manifest
paucity
the presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity
S: scarcity, dearth, shortage, rarity, sparseness
pedantic
scrupulous, precise, exact, perfectionist
pedestrian
boring, monotonous, run of the mill
perfidy
deceitfulness; untrustworthiness
S: treachery, duplicity, deceit, disloyalty
perfunctory
(of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection
S: quick, brief, hasty, desultory, cursory
peripheral
relating to or situated on the edge or periphery of something
S: outlying, outer, outermost, fringe, border
permeate
spread throughout (something); pervade
S: pervade, fill, imbue
pervasive
(especially of an unwelcome influence or physical effect) spreading widely throughout an area or a group of people
S: prevalent, penetrating, pervading
phlegmatic
(of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition
S: calm, composed, cool, coolheaded
placate
make (someone) less angry or hostile
S: pacify, calm, appear, mollify, soothe
platitude
a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
S: cliche, trust, commonplace, banality, bromide
plummet
fall quickly and far
S: plunge, hurtle, nosedive, drop, crash
polarize
v. to cause a sharp division between two groups
polemical
relating to or involving strongly critical, controversial, or disputatious writing or speech
S: critical, hostile, bitter, vitriolic, venomous
precarious
not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse
S: uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, undependable
preceded
went before, previous, prior, former, precursory
precipitate
to cause
or
hastily and not-well considered
precursor
a person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner
S: forerunner, predecessor, forefather, antecedent
prescient
knowing things before they happen
S: prophetic, predictive, visionary, clairvoyant, far-seeing
presumptuous
(of a person or their behavior) failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate
S: brazen, overconfident, arrogant, egotistical, bold
prevail
prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious
S: win, triumph, be the case, obtain, persuade
prevaricate
speak or act in an evasive way
S: beat about the bush, hedge, fence, shuffle
probity
integrity, honor, decency, strong moral principles, rectitude
prodigal
spending money or resources freely and recklessly
S: wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, improvident, imprudent
prodigious
remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree
S: enormous, huge, colossal, immense, vast, great, massive
profligate
recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources
S: extravagant, wasteful, improvident
proliferate
increase rapidly in numbers; multiply
S: multiply, increase rapidly, become more numerous
propitiate
win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
S: appease, placate, mollify, pacify, conciliate
propriety
appropriateness, manners, decorum
S: decorum, respectability, decency, correctness, rightness, correctness
prospective
potential, possible, probable, likely, future, eventual
recondite
little known, abstruse
S: obscure, arcane, abstruse, esoteric
refute
rebut or disprove
relentless
oppressively constant; incessant
S: persistet, continuing, constant, nonstop
reproach
scold or express criticism
repudiate
renounce or disown
S: reject, renounce, abandon, give up, deny, refute
rescind
take back, retract, revoke, repeal, reverse
reticent
not revealing one’s thoughts or feelings readily
S: reserved, withdrawn, introversted, restrained, inhibited, diffident, shy
reverent
feeling or showing deep and solemn respect
S: respectful, worshipping, adoring, loving
rhetoric
the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the use of figures of speech and other compositional techniques
S: oratory, eloquence, expression, bombast, magniloquence
salubrious
health promoting
sanction
give official permission OR impose a penalty
sedulous
dedicated, careful, diligent, meticulous, thorough, assiduous
solicitous
considerate, attentive
soporific
makes sleepy
specious
superficially plausible, but actually wrong
spurious
not being what it purports to be; false or fake
S: bogus, fake, specious, false, factitious, counterfeit
stolid
calm and dependable
S: impassive, phlegmatic, unemotional, placid, calm
substantiate
to corroborate or give evidence of something
S: prove, support, show to be true, give substance to
subversive
meant to undercut established institutions
S: disruptive, inflammatory, insurgent
supine
(of a person) lying face upward
S: weak, spineless, enervated, docile, flat on one’s back, prone
sycophant
a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage
S: toady, creep, crawler, fawner, flattered, flunkey
tacit
unspoken, implicit
S: understood, implied, inferred, hinted, suggested
taciturn
(of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little
S: untalkative, reticent, uncommunicative, quiet, unforthcoming
temperance
moderation, restraint
S: abstinence, sobreity, prohibition
tenuous
very weak or slight
S: slight, insubstrantial, flimsy, negligible, weak, fragile, shaky
timorous
showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence
S: fearful, apprehensive, faint-hearted
tirade
a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation
S: diatribe, invective, polemic, denunciation, rant, broadside, attack
torpor
a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy
S: lethargy, inactivity
tortuous
full of twists and turns OR lengthy and complex
S: twisting, winding, curving, convoluted, roundabout, circuitous, indirect
tractable
easily influenced and managed
S: controllable, manageable, malleable, yielding, amenable
transient
passes quickly, short lived
ubiquitous
ever-present, universal
S: omnipresent, everywhere, all-over
unadorned
plain, unembellished
S: undecorated, unvarnished, unornamented
untenable
(especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection
S: indefensible, unarguable, insupportable
venality
state of being capable of being bribed
veracity
truth and factual accuracy
S: truthfulness, accuracy, correctness, exactness
verbose
using or expressed in more words than are needed
S: wordy, loquacious, garrulous, talkative, voluble, expansive
whimsical
playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way
acting or behaving in a capricious manner
S: fanciful, playful, mischevious, waggish, quaint, volatile, capricious, impulsive
zeal
great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective
S: passion, ardor, love, fervor, fire
capricious
given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior
S: fickle, inconstant, changeable, unstable, mercurial
