testmasters vocab 1-50

Question 1

abashed

Answer 1

embarrassed; disconcerted

Question 2

abated

Answer 2

decreased; stopped

Question 3

abstemious

Answer 3

not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking; restrained

Question 4

acclaim

Answer 4

to praise enthusiastically and often publicly; applaud

Question 5

acerbic

Answer 5

(especially of a comment or style of speaking) sharp and forthright; caustic; bitter; sardonic

Question 6

acolyte

Answer 6

a novice; a neophyte; someone who follows and admires a leader; a follower

Question 7

acrimonious

Answer 7

(typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter

Question 8

acumen

Answer 8

the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain; e.g. “business acumen”, “If you have acumen, you are very sharp at what you do. You hope your accountant and your surgeon are both known for their acumen.”

Question 9

adamant

Answer 9

impervious to pleas, appeals, or reason; stubbornly unyielding

Question 10

adept

Answer 10

skilled; proficient; accomplished

Question 11

adhere/adherence

Answer 11

to carry out a plan, a scheme, or an operation without deviation

Question 12

adroit

Answer 12

dexterous; deft; skillful and deft under pressing conditions

Question 13

advocate

Answer 13

to speak, plead, or argue in favor of

Question 14

aeon

Answer 14

an indefinitely long period of time; an age

Question 15

affability

Answer 15

sociability; friendliness; a readiness to chat

Question 16

affectation/affected

Answer 16

behavior that is assumed rather than natural; artificiality

Question 17

agent

Answer 17

an entity that exerts some force or effect or is responsible for events or results

Question 18

agrarian/agrarianism

Answer 18

of or relating to farms and farming; a person who advocates a redistribution of landed property, especially as part of a social movement; a social or political movement designed to bring about land reforms or to improve the economic status of the farmer

Question 19

aloof

Answer 19

distant physically or emotionally; reserved and remote

Question 20

altruistic/altruism

Answer 20

unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness

Question 21

amalgam

Answer 21

a combination of diverse elements; a mixture

Question 22

amalgamate

Answer 22

to combine into a unified or integrated whole; unite

Question 23

ambiguous

Answer 23

open to more than one interpretation

Question 24

ambivalent

Answer 24

having opposing attitudes or feelings, such as love and hate, toward a person, an object, or an idea

Question 25

ameliorate

Answer 25

to make or become better; improve

Question 26

analogy

Answer 26

a comparison of two things that shows that they are alike in some way

Question 27

anecdote

Answer 27

a short account of an interesting or humorous incident

Question 28

anguished

Answer 28

extreme anxiety or emotional torment

Question 29

animus

Answer 29

a feeling of animosity; ill will; bitterness

Question 30

anomalies/anomalous

Answer 30

a deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule; an exception

Question 31

antagonized

Answer 31

provoked hostility; to cause to act angrily

Question 32

antecendent

Answer 32

one that precedes another

Question 33

antediluvian

Answer 33

extremely old and antiquated

Question 34

anxious

Answer 34

experiencing worry, unease, and nervousness

Question 35

apathy

Answer 35

indifference

Question 36

aplomb

Answer 36

self-confidence or assurance, especially when in a demanding situation

Question 37

apoplectic

Answer 37

extremely angry; furious

Question 38

apropos

Answer 38

at an appropriate time; opportunely

Question 39

apt

Answer 39

fitting; having a tendency to do something

Question 40

archaic

Answer 40

of, relating to, or characteristic of a much earlier, often more primitive period

Question 41

arduous

Answer 41

demanding great effort or labor; difficult

Question 42

arrest

Answer 42

to stop or curtail

Question 43

articulate

Answer 43

to express oneself easily in clear and effective language

Question 44

assiduous/assiduity

Answer 44

hardworking

Question 45

assuage

Answer 45

to satisfy or appease; to pacify or calm

Question 46

astute

Answer 46

having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one’s advantage; e.g. “an astute businessman”, “Someone good at solving difficult puzzles is an example of astute.”, “You have always been an astute observer of human behavior, which is why I trust you when you have a good feeling about someone.”

Question 47

atypical

Answer 47

not conforming to a type, group, or class; unusual or irregular

Question 48

auspicious

Answer 48

favorable; giving or being a sign of future success

Question 49

authenticity

Answer 49

the quality or condition of being authentic, trustworthy, or genuine

Question 50

autodidact

Answer 50

a self-taught person