Top Frequency List Flashcards
abolish (verb)
put an end to, destroy
abridge (verb)
reduce the length of, shorten
abstemious (adjective)
moderate, esp in eating and drinking
accent (verb)
to give importance or attention to something
accolade (noun)
anything given as a sign of respect, approval, or appreciation
acquiesce (verb)
to give in or go along with something, even if you don’t want to
affirmation (noun)
act of confirming something is true
amass (verb)
gather or collect a large amount of something
ambivalence (noun)
a state in which you can’t make a decision, having both positive and negative feelings
ambulatory (adjective)
related to moving or walking around
ameliorate (verb)
to improve or make better
amity (noun)
bond between people or countries that get along well
anchor (noun)
anything that gives or seems to give stability or security
antediluvian (adjective)
very old, old-fashioned, or primitive
ascendancy (noun)
position in which one has control or power; supremacy; domination
atrophy (noun)
weakening, loss, wasting away, break-down or growth halt of something such as a body part, plant, person, place or thing
bane (noun)
something that will kill, destroy or distress someone
bizarre (adjective)
very strange, odd
blunder (noun)
foolish mistake
bungle (noun)
a mistake or a failure
burgeon (verb)
to grow or blossom
capitulate (verb)
surrender or give in to all demands, give up, stop resisting
capricious (adjective)
impulsive or unpredictable
clemency (noun)
the act of showing mercy or kindness to an offender or enemy
coalesce (verb)
grow or join together, to unite or merge into one group
cohere (verb)
to stick together or hold together
coherent (adjective)
sticking together or easy to understand
compress (verb)
press together, or to make something more compact
confide (verb)
trust someone enough to tell your secrets, worries or thoughts
confidential (adjective)
secret, private, or shown in trust
confound (verb)
confuse someone, defeat an enemy or foil a plan
congeal (verb)
to solidify, especially by cooling, or to take shape, especially to form a satisfying whole
contaminant (noun)
substance that contaminates another substance, the air, water
converge (verb)
move or come together at the same point from different places or directions
convivial (adjective)
something or someone that is festive and good company
copious (adjective)
large amount of
corroborate (verb)
take an action to make something more certain, to validate
corrugate (verb)
shape something into parallel grooves
corrupt (adjective)
dishonest or deteriorated
cursory (adjective)
done quickly with only a small attention to detail
daunt (verb)
intimidate someone
debilitate (verb)
weaken, make sick, or destroy
deplete (verb)
to diminish or use up the supply of something
discrepancy (noun)
lack of agreement, or an instance of this; difference; inconsistency
disentangle (verb)
To clear up or resolve, to free from something that entangles, confuses
disputatious (adjective)
fond of arguing
dispute (verb)
disagree or argue
distend (verb)
stretch out, make swollen, expand
drawback (noun)
a disadvantage or negative feature, shortcoming or flaw
efface (verb)
to rub out, as from a surface; erase; wipe out, hide
effervesce (verb)
to give off gas bubbles, as carbonated beverages; bubble; foam
enhance (verb)
make something better or improve the condition of something’s cost, value, attractiveness
enigmatic (adjective)
puzzle or riddle that can’t be understood
ephemeral (adjective)
very short lifespan or lasts for a very short time
equilibrium (noun)
state of balance or a stable situation
euphonious (adjective)
having a pleasant sound; harmonious
evacuate (verb)
to make empty
evanescent (adjective)
something fleeting that passes out of sight or mind quickly
expedite (verb)
to make something happen more quickly
expeditious (adjective)
done with speed and efficiency
expendable (adjective)
someone or something that is disposable or not necessary or important
exclude (verb)
to keep out or to refuse to admit
facilitate (verb)
to make something easier
fallow (adjective)
untrained; inactive
fertile (adjective)
someone or something capable of reproducing and also is the production of many new ideas
flourish (verb)
grow well, to succeed, to make big wave-like movements
fraudulent (adjective)
deceitful, dishonest, or something done or gained by fraud (lies)
fruitful (adjective)
something productive or effective
garner (verb)
collect, find or assemble something, especially information
guile (noun)
slyness shown in a charming way
hackneyed (adjective)
cliché that has been overused or done too much
hefty (adjective)
heavy, large and powerful
hideous (adjective)
extremely ugly, terrible or unpleasant to see
hilarity (noun)
state or quality of hilarious; noisy merriment; boisterous gaiety
humane (adjective)
kind, tender and compassionate
hypocrisy (noun)
saying or feeling one thing and doing another
innocuous (adjective)
not harmful or not likely to offend
irascible (adjective)
easily angered; quick-tempered
jettison (verb)
cast something aside, abandon it or throw it away
kindle (verb)
start a fire, flame or light or to arouse or excite (interest, feelings, etc.)
lenient (adjective)
quality of mercy or forgiveness
levity (noun)
silly or light speech or behavior, usually at an inappropriate time
levitate (verb)
to cause to rise and float in the air
listless (adjective)
someone who’s lacking in energy or vitality and does not extend physical effort
maladroit (adjective)
awkward or showing a lack of skills
mitigate (verb)
make something less severe, less harsh or less painful
mobile (adjective)
moving, able to move or is being moved
munificent (adjective)
very generous person, or a person or a gift that is more generous than necessary
myriad (adjective)
an infinite number of others or numerous diverse elements
nefarious (adjective)
known for being very evil, wicked
obscure (adjective)
hard to see in a low light or hard to understand
opaque (adjective)
not capable of having light pass through or hard to understand like a black sheet of paper
parsimony (noun)
a tendency to be over-careful in spending; unreasonable economy; stinginess
paucity (noun)
small amount or number
venturesome (adjective)
involving danger or risk; risky; hazardous
viable (adjective)
capable of living or capable of success
vibrant (adjective)
full of energy, color and life
vilify (verb)
make a comment about a person that makes him look bad
virulent (adjective)
very dangerous or harmful
whet (verb)
create or stimulate an interest or appetite for something or to sharpen the edge of a knife
zany (adjective)
silly or unusual
penury (noun)
extreme poverty or lacking basic necessities
peripheral (adjective)
something that is just outside of the main focus, outer
placate (verb)
to soothe someone who is angry or upset by giving in to their wishes
precise (adjective)
exact
premature (adjective)
occurs too early or before it is ready
premeditated (adjective)
planned, weighed, or estimated in advance
prevalent (adjective)
widespread, well known or in general use
proclivity (noun)
a tendency to do something, especially something you shouldn’t
prodigal (adjective)
spending money carelessly and foolishly
prodigious (adjective)
something very big or powerful, or something extraordinary
profuse (adjective)
gives freely or in large amounts
pulverize (verb)
crush into powder, or to demolish
rant (noun or verb)
a complaint that is often lengthy and filled with anger and emotion
recalcitrant (adjective)
having behavior that is difficult to deal with and being uncooperative with authority
recant (verb)
to publicly take back something you said or to state that you no longer believe something in which you once believed
replete (adjective)
abundantly filled, or gorged with food and drink
rescind (verb)
cancel or make something void
ruffle (verb)
to wrinkle, or to annoy or bother
rupture (noun)
an instance where something bursts or suddenly breaks
saccharine (adjective)
overly sweet or overly sentimental
salubrious (adjective)
healthy or pleasant
somber (adjective)
very dark or gloomy or mentally depressed or solemn
spurn (verb)
reject someone with contempt or bitterness
squander (verb)
spend or use wastefully or extravagantly
stymie (verb)
to block or prevent
subtle (adjective)
indirect or very small distinction when comparing two things or ideas
summon (verb)
order to meet, to bring together, to call up
sumptuous (adjective)
magnificent, costly, a high expense
surreptitious (adjective)
acting in a secret, stealthy way
tantamount (adjective)
having equal force, value, effect
tenacious (adjective)
that holds together strongly; cohesive; tough
tenacity (noun)
state of holding on to an idea or a thing very strongly
transient (adjective)
someone or something that is temporary or staying for a short amount of time
turbulence (noun)
instability, unsteadiness or disorder
