unit 5 Flashcards
arbitrary (adjective)
unreasonable; based on one’s wishes or whims without regard for reason or fairness
A judge may be criticized for rulings that appear to be arbitrary and without legal precedent.
SYNONYMS: capricious, high-handed, autocratic
ANTONYMS: reasoned, rational, objective, equitable
catalyst (noun)
a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction; any agent that causes change
Enzymes are catalysts that aid in the digestion of food.
SYNONYMS: stimulus, spur, instigator
facilitate (verb)
to make easier; to assist
The Federal Reserve Board may lower interest rates in order to facilitate economic growth.
SYNONYMS: ease, smooth the way, simplify
ANTONYMS: hamper, hinder, obstruct, impede
incorrigible (adjective)
not able to be corrected; beyond control
Criminals deemed incorrigible can expect
to receive maximum sentences for their offenses against society.
SYNONYMS: unruly, intractable, incurable, inveterate
ANTONYMS: tractable, docile, curable, reparable
militant (adjective)
given to fighting; active and aggressive in support of a cause
In the struggle for civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr., advocated peaceful rather than militant protest.
SYNONYM: truculent
ANTONYMS: unassertive, peaceable, passive
militant (noun)
an activist
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a militant in the fight for woman suffrage.
paramount (adjective)
chief in importance, above all others
Voters should insist that candidates for high office address the paramount issues facing our society.
SYNONYMS: supreme, primary, dominant
ANTONYMS: secondary, subordinate, ancillary
rebut (verb)
to offer arguments or evidence that contradict an assertion; to refute
It is a defense lawyer’s job to rebut the charges made by the prosecutor.
SYNONYMS: disprove, confute, shoot holes in
ANTONYMS: confirm, corroborate, substantiate
reprimand (verb)
to scold; find fault with
A judge may need to reprimand a lawyer for repeatedly harassing a witness.
SYNONYM: reproach
ANTONYM: pat on the back
reprimand (noun)
a rebuke
An employee who frequently violates a company’s rules may receive a written reprimand.
SYNONYM: reproof
servitude (noun)
slavery, forced labor
In Les Misérables, Jean Valjean is sentenced to many years of servitude for stealing a loaf of bread.
SYNONYMS: bondage, thralldom
ANTONYM: liberty
slapdash (adjective)
careless and hasty
Landlords who routinely make slapdash repairs should be considered negligent.
SYNONYMS: cursory, perfunctory, slipshod
ANTONYMS: painstaking, thorough, in-depth
accomplice (noun)
a person who takes part in a crime
The driver of the getaway car was arrested and tried as an accomplice in the daring bank robbery.
SYNONYM: partner in crime
annihilate (verb)
to destroy completely
Throughout history, nations that are bitter enemies have sought to annihilate each other.
SYNONYMS: obliterate, decimate
ANTONYMS: foster, promote, encourage, nurture
brazen (adjective)
shameless, impudent; made of brass
Behavior considered brazen in one era may be deemed perfectly acceptable in another.
SYNONYMS: saucy, bold
ANTONYMS: deferential, respectful, self-effacing
exodus (noun)
a large-scale departure or flight
The exodus of African Americans to the industrialized northern states is known as the Great Migration.
SYNONYMS: escape, hegira
ANTONYMS: immigration, influx, arrival, entrance
latent (adjective)
hidden, present but not realized
Don’t you think it’s sad that many people use only a small fraction of their latent abilities?
SYNONYMS: dormant, inactive, undeveloped
ANTONYMS: exposed, manifest, evident
morose (adjective)
having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable
Heathcliff is the morose and vengeful protagonist in Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights.
SYNONYM: morbid
ANTONYMS: blithe, jaunty, buoyant
opaque (adjective)
not letting light through; not clear or lucid; dense, stupid
I have read that book twice, but I still find the author’s meaning completely opaque.
SYNONYMS: hazy, cloudy, foggy, murky, dull, obtuse
ANTONYMS: transparent, clear, bright, perceptive
prattle (verb)
to talk in an aimless, foolish, or simple way; to babble
Some people can prattle away on the phone for hours on end.
prattle (noun)
baby talk; babble
Over time, recognizable words become part of a toddler’s cheerful prattle.
SYNONYMS: twaddle, gibberish, piffle
stagnant (adjective)
not running or flowing; foul from standing still; inactive
It is dangerous for hikers to drink water from any source that appears to be stagnant.
SYNONYMS: still, motionless, inert, sluggish, dull
ANTONYMS: flowing, running, fresh, sweet
succumb (verb)
to give way to superior force, yield
Most dieters occasionally succumb to the lure of a high-calorie dessert.
SYNONYMS: submit, die, expire
ANTONYMS: overcome, master, conquer
