The Economist Vocab

Question 1

Malefic

Answer 1

Malign

Question 2

Copulate

Answer 2

connected; joined.

Question 3

Sully

Answer 3

to soil, stain, or tarnish

Question 4

Caper

Answer 4

to leap or skip about in a sprightly manner; prance; frisk; gambol.

Question 5

Apotheosis

Answer 5

ideal example; epitome

Question 6

Arcane

Answer 6

known or understood by very few; mysterious; secret; obscure; esoteric: She knew a lot about Sanskrit grammar and other arcane matters.

Question 7

Inordinate

Answer 7

not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive: He drank an inordinate amount of wine.

Question 8

Petulant

Answer 8

moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance: a petulant toss of the head.

Question 9

Pestilent

Answer 9

producing or tending to produce infectious or contagious, often epidemic, disease; pestilential.

Question 10

Stasis

Answer 10

the state of equilibrium or inactivity caused by opposing equal forces.

Question 11

Coalesce

Answer 11

to grow together or into one body: The two lakes coalesced into one.

Question 12

Sloes

Answer 12

To swing around

Question 13

Genial

Answer 13

Cordial

Question 14

Affront

Answer 14

Personally offensive

Question 15

Fetid

Answer 15

Rancid

Question 16

Acquiescence

Answer 16

Acceptance

Question 17

Verdant

Answer 17

Blooming; flourishing

Question 18

Baleful

Answer 18

Calamitous

Question 19

Tepid

Answer 19

Lukewarm

Question 20

Bellicose

Answer 20

Belligerent

Question 21

Jingoism

Answer 21

the spirit, policy, or practice of jingoes; bellicose chauvinism

Question 22

chauvinism

Answer 22

biased devotion to any group, attitude

Question 23

Accede

Answer 23

Accept

Question 24

Ire

Answer 24

Anger

Question 25

Acerbic

Answer 25

Acidic

Question 26

Doyen

Answer 26

Senior member

Question 27

Assuage

Answer 27

Alleviate

Question 28

Sisyphean

Answer 28

endless and unavailing, as labor or a task.

Question 29

Imbue

Answer 29

Saturate

Question 30

Caprice

Answer 30

Sudden change of behavior

Question 31

Ambivalent

Answer 31

Conflicting feelings

Question 32

Inevitable

Answer 32

Ineluctable

Question 33

Sated

Answer 33

To satisfy fully

Question 34

Polyglot

Answer 34

Speaks multiple languages

Question 35

Churlish

Answer 35

Rude, ill-mannered

Question 36

Hack

Answer 36

Someone who writes hackneyed novels

Question 37

Pejorative

Answer 37

Belittling

Question 38

Bodacious

Answer 38

Outstanding; audacious

Question 39

Semblance

Answer 39

outward aspect or appearance

Question 40

Dissembler

Answer 40

false or misleading appearance

Question 41

Aplomb

Answer 41

Assurance

Question 42

Whit

Answer 42

very tiny bit

Question 43

Maverick

Answer 43

innovative idea person

Question 44

Panegyrist

Answer 44

someone who praises highly

Question 45

Notwithstanding

Answer 45

despite

Question 46

Exaltation

Answer 46

adoration

Question 47

Coy

Answer 47

Shy

Question 48

Pauper

Answer 48

Poor

Question 49

Miser

Answer 49

dislikes spending

Question 50

Parsimonious

Answer 50

dislikes spending

Question 51

Curmudgeon

Answer 51

grumpy

Question 52

Unseemly

Answer 52

not appropriate

Question 53

Brusque

Answer 53

Rude

Question 54

Steadfast

Answer 54

loyal

Question 55

Perfunctory

Answer 55

blah / not thorough

Question 56

Edifice

Answer 56

building

Question 57

Eyesore

Answer 57

Ugly

Question 58

dissimilitude

Answer 58

Unlikeness

Question 59

Diffident

Answer 59

restrained or reserved in manner

Question 60

Piquant

Answer 60

agreeably pungent or sharp in taste or flavor

Question 61

Glum

Answer 61

Dejected

Question 62

Nostrum

Answer 62

Ineffective medication

Question 63

Vindicate

Answer 63

to afford justification for; justify: Subsequent events vindicated his policy.

Question 64

Vendetta

Answer 64

Feud

Question 65

Immutable

Answer 65

Unchangeable

Question 66

Morass

Answer 66

Mess; bog

Question 67

Colossus

Answer 67

Giant thing

Question 68

Albeit

Answer 68

Although

Question 69

Sycophantic

Answer 69

Obsequious

Question 70

Peripheral

Answer 70

Minor; outside; beside the point

Question 71

Indulgent

Answer 71

Favorable

Question 72

Confounded

Answer 72

Confused

Question 73

Logorrhea

Answer 73

Outpouring of words

Question 74

Wherewithal

Answer 74

Money; means

Question 75

Onerous

Answer 75

Burdensome

Question 76

Carousing

Answer 76

To party; engage in merriment or revelry

Question 77

Merriment

Answer 77

Revelry; reveling; boisterous festivit

Question 78

Debonair

Answer 78

courteous, gracious, and having a sophisticated charm

Question 79

Docile

Answer 79

Easily managed

Question 80

Sullen

Answer 80

Showing irritable or gloomy temperament

Question 81

Impervious

Answer 81

Impenetrable

Question 82

Triumvirate

Answer 82

Set of 3

Question 83

Inimitable

Answer 83

incapable of being imitated or copied

Question 84

Inimical

Answer 84

Unfavorable

Question 85

Loquacious

Answer 85

Talkative

Question 86

Taciturn

Answer 86

Withdrawn

Question 87

Formidable

Answer 87

Respectworthy

Question 88

Spartan

Answer 88

Austere

Question 89

Martial

Answer 89

Related to war

Question 90

Salutary

Answer 90

Beneficial; helpful; healthy

Question 91

Protean

Answer 91

Versatile

Question 92

Tacit

Answer 92

understood without being openly expressed; implied: tacit approval. silent; saying nothing: a tacit partner. unvoiced or unspoken: a tacit prayer.

Question 93

Contentious

Answer 93

causing, involving, or characterized by argument or controversy

Question 94

Apoplectic

Answer 94

Sudden loss of body function

Question 95

Truculent

Answer 95

fierce; cruel; savagely brutal.

Question 96

Pomp

Answer 96

Ostentatious display

Question 97

Deft

Answer 97

Skillful

Question 98

Deft

Answer 98

Skillful

Question 99

Evocative

Answer 99

Tending to evoke

Question 100

inauspicious

Answer 100

Unfavorable

Question 101

Prevarication

Answer 101

Equivocation

Question 102

Belies

Answer 102

Falsely represents

Question 103

Foil

Answer 103

Opposite

Question 104

Staid

Answer 104

Dull; boring

Question 105

Probity

Answer 105

Honesty

Question 106

Graft

Answer 106

Venality; corruption

Question 107

Retiring

Answer 107

Reserved

Question 108

Diminution

Answer 108

Reduce size

Question 109

Stultified

Answer 109

Limited in growth; hampered

Question 110

Assuaged

Answer 110

Placated

Question 111

Spurned

Answer 111

Rejected; snubbed

Question 112

Galvanized

Answer 112

Motivated

Question 113

Ponderously

Answer 113

Moving with great difficulty

Question 114

Cumbrously

Answer 114

Clumsiness; unwieldiness

Question 115

Brio

Answer 115

Liveliness; vigorous

Question 116

Forthright

Answer 116

Honest

Question 117

Brash

Answer 117

Rude

Question 118

Untenable

Answer 118

Incapable of being defended

Question 119

Unimpeachable

Answer 119

Cannot be criticized

Question 120

Feckless

Answer 120

Lazy

Question 121

Apogee

Answer 121

Zenith

Question 122

Celerity

Answer 122

Swiftness

Question 123

Semblance

Answer 123

To resemble

Question 124

Nadir

Answer 124

Bottom; trough

Question 125

Unwittingly

Answer 125

Inadvertently

Question 126

Intransigent

Answer 126

Unyielding