Synonyms I Flashcards
Adequate (adj)
suitable; sufficient; satisfactory; enough; ample
The replacement parts for the old lawn mower were adequate.
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Adequate can also describe something that is acceptable or satisfactory, but not any better than that. You might say that a student’s grades are adequate but need improvement. This word is from Latin adaequāre”to make equal,” from the prefix ad- plus aequare “to equal.”
fickle (adj)
changeable; capricious; erratic; whimsical.
Sara is fickle and constantly changes her mind.
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Fickle comes from the Old English word ficol, for deceitful. We usually use fickle to talk about people, but it can also be used for abstract things that alternately favor you and abuse you, like the weather. If you win the lottery and then lose everything else in the world that’s important to you, fate is being fickle.
humility (n)
modesty; humbleness.
Peter’s humility makes him one of the most respected students in school.
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Humility comes from the Latin word humilis, which literally means low. If you feel humility in front of someone, you feel small in the scheme of things — that you are just a simple, insignificant person. Someone who spends his life taking care of others shows humility. Although it’s related to humiliation (which makes you feel low in a bad way), humility is usually used to talk about a lack of ego.
loathe (v)
hate; detest; scorn; disdain.
I loathe snakes of any kind.
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This word suggests a strong feeling of disgust. Near synonyms are abhor and detest. The verb loathe descends from Middle English lothen, from Old English lāthian. The related adjective loathsome means “hateful or disgusting,” and the adjective loath means “not willing to do something,” as in “I’m loath to cheat on a test, but I don’t see what choice I have.”
flamboyant (adj)
showy; flashy; ostentatious.
Wearing a checkered shirt and striped pants, the comedian made a flamboyant entrance.
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Flamboyant means showy, and though we often roll our eyes at it, it’s not a hateful thing. Liberace was flamboyant. So was Elvis. The word comes from the French flamboyer, to flame. Think of passion and pageantry all rolled into one, and you’ll have a good idea what flamboyant should mean at its best. If that doesn’t do it for you, think of a man playing a shiny white grand piano at a rock concert, wearing a white satin jump suit and 8-foot wide, fully-feathered wings. See? Flamboyant.
versatile (adj)
resourceful; ingenious; talented;
Uncle Bob is versatile and can fix just about anything.
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In E.B. White’s classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web, Charlotte the spider tells Wilbur the pig that she is versatile. “What does ‘versatile’ mean — full of eggs?” Wilbur asks. “Certainly not,” Charlotte replies. “‘Versatile’ means I can turn with ease from one thing to another.” Charlotte knew her etymology, because the word reflects its Latin root, versatilis, “turning around; revolving.” It eventually came to describe someone who is multi-talented: a singer-songwriter-actress-model would be a versatile figure in the entertainment world.
torrid (adj)
hot; scorching; burning; broiling;
The torrid temperature of the desert was unbearable.
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Torrid is an adjective that can literally describe something extremely hot — like a torrid afternoon in the desert. It also describes something that’s very energetic, or something that has an extreme emotional charge — which is why people often apply torrid to intense romantic relationships. Torrid comes from the Latin word torrere, meaning “parch or scorch.”
vicious (adj)
cruel; ferocious; fierce; violent;
The vicious dog snarled and growled.
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If you’re described as vicious, you’re someone who does brutal things on purpose, out of ill-will towards others, like beating up defenseless puppies or poisoning the drinking water for a town. You’re worse than just mean if you are vicious — in fact, you’re evil! People (and puppies) will be wise to keep their distance. Other things, like gossip, animals, or cars from horror movies can be vicious, too.
opponent (n)
adversary; foe; antagonist; competitor;
My opponent for the tennis match was the former champion.
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Someone who competes or fights against you is your opponent. If you’re arguing that chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla, the vanilla ice cream fan is your opponent. An opponent can also be someone who opposes, like an opponent of gun control laws. The Latin word opponent means setting against, and it was first used in English to describe the person who would begin a certain type of philosophical debate.
serene (adj)
tranquil; pleasant; peaceful; composed;
We spent a serene afternoon in the part.
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Related to the Latin word serenus “peaceful, calm, clear,” serene was originally used in English, as in Latin, to describe calm weather. By the mid 1600s, however, it was used figuratively to describe a calm, untroubled person as well. Though people show their emotions pretty openly today, Victorian novels are full of characters who remain serene no matter how terrible the news.
