Verbal Challenge Deck 15 Flashcards
Malleable
Able to be shaped; adaptable
Example: Children are more malleable than adults and adapt to new environments more readily.
Eclectic
Drawing from diverse sources and systems
Example: His eclectic record collection include everything from Bach cantatas to “punk” rock.
Reticent
Restrained in speech; unwilling to talk
Example: People are reticent to confess such anxieties, for fear of appearing weak.
Evasive
Avoiding direct confrontation
Example: She admitted that she had been there but was evasive about her reasons.
Fallacious
Untrue, misleading; containing a mistake in logic
Example: Her arguments were transparently fallacious.
Debilitate
To weaken, to enfeeble
Example: Constant excesses will debilitate even the strongest structure.
Rescind
To cancel formally or take back
Example: They rescinded their offer of aid when they became disillusioned with the project.
Dubious
Doubtful
Example: He had the dubious distinction of being absent more than any other student.
Dearth
Scarcity or lack of something
Example: A dearth of water can create a desert in a few years.
Vapid
Tasteless, dull, flat
Example: Their conversation was so vapid and predictable that I lost interest talking to them.
Squalid
Wretched(very unhappy); miserable, filthy
Example: The squalid shantytown was infested with rats and fleas.
Elusive
Hard to define or grasp
Example: Because the problem is so complex, a definitive answer seems elusive.
Ambiguous
Having more than one possible meaning; unclear
Example: The ambiguous wording of some legislative acts requires clarification by the courts.
Apathy
Lack of interest or emotion
Example: Voter apathy allows a few politically concerned people to influence elections out of proportion to their numbers.
Malign
Evil, malicious, very harmful
Example: Malign comments are often motivated by jealousy.
