Vocab. 1 Flashcards
acme
the highest point; the summit; the highest level or degree attainable (synonyms: apex, peak, summit)
adulterate
to make impure (synonyms: debase, doctor, load)
acidulous
sour in taste or manner (synonyms: acerbic, acetous, biting, piquant, pungent, tart)
accretion
a gradual growth in size; an increase in amount (synonyms: accumulation, buildup)
abyss
an extremely deep hole (synonyms: chasm, void)
abstemious
moderate in appetite; practicing moderation or abstinence (synonyms: abstinent, continent, self-restraining, sober, temperate)
abstain
to choose not to do something (synonyms: forbear, refrain, withhold)
abscond
to leave secretly (synonyms: decamp, escape, flee)
abjure
to reject; to abandon formally (synonyms: forswear, recall, recant, retract, take back)
abeyance
temporary suppression or suspension (synonyms: deferral, delay, dormancy, postponement, remission)
aberrant
deviating from what is normal or expect (synonyms: abnormal, anomalous, deviant, divergent, errant, irregular)
abdicate
to give up a position, right, or power (synonyms: cede, quit, relinquish, resign, yield)
abate
to reduce in amount, degree, or severity (synonyms: ebb, lapse, let up, moderate, relent, slacken, subside, wane)
abase
to humble; to disgrace (synonyms: demean, humiliate)
advocate
to speak in favor of (synonyms: back, champion, support)
aerie
a nest built high in the air; an elevated, often secluded, dwelling (synonyms: perch, stronghold)
aesthetic
concerning the appreciation of beauty (synonyms: artistic, tasteful)
affected
phony; artificial (synonyms: insincere, pretentious, put-on)
aggrandize
to increase in power, influence, and reputation (synonyms: amplify, apotheosize, augment, dignify, elevate, enlarge, ennoble, exalt, glorify, magnify, swell, uplift)
alacrity
speed or quickness (synonyms: celerity, dispatch, haste, swiftness)
alleviate
to make more bearable (synonyms: ally, assuage, comfort, ease, lessen, lighten, mitigate, palliate, relieve)
amalgamate
to combine; to mix together (synonyms: admix, blend, coalesce, combine, commingle, commix, compound, fuse, intermingle, intermix, merge, mingle, mix, unite)
ambiguous
doubtful or uncertain; can be interpreted several ways (synonyms: cloudy, doubtful, dubious, equivocal, indeterminate, nebulous, obscure, unclear, vague)
ameliorate
to make better; to improve (synonyms: amend, better, improve, pacify, upgrade)
amortize
to diminish by installment payments (synonyms: decrease, reduce)
amulet
an ornament worn as a charm against evil spirits (synonyms: talisman)
anachronism
something out of place in time (synonyms: archaism, incongruity)
analgesia
a lessening of pain without loss of consciousness
analogous
similar or alike in some way; equivalent (synonyms: alike, comparable, corresponding, equivalent, homogeneous, parallel, similar)
anodyne
something that calms or soothes pain (synonyms: narcotic, nepenthe, opiate)
bombastic
pompous in speech and manner (synonyms: bloated, declamatory, fustian, grandiloquent, grandiose, high-flown, magniloquent, orotund, pretentious, rhetorical, self-important)
bolster
to support; to prop up (synonyms: brace, buttress, crutch, prop, stay, support, sustain, underpin, uphold)
blithe
joyful, cheerful, or without appropriate thought (synonyms: carefree, lighthearted, merry)
blight
to afflict; to destroy (synonyms: damage, plague)
bilk
to cheat; to defraud (synonyms: beat, defraud, overreach)
bifurcate
to divide into two parts (synonyms: bisect, split)
bevy
a group (synonyms: band, bunch, gang, pack, troop)
belfry
a bell tower; the room in which a bell is hung (synonyms: spire, steeple)
banal
predictable; clichéd; boring (synonyms: bland, bromidic, commonplace, fatuous, hackneyed, innocuous, insipid, jejune)
axiom
premise; postulate; self-evident truth (synonyms: adage, aphorism, apothegm, maxim, rule)
austere
severe or stern in appearance, undecorated (synonyms: bleak, dour, grim, hard, harsh, severe)
august
dignified; grandiose (synonyms: admirable, awesome, grand, majestic)
augury
a prophecy; a prediction of events (synonyms: auspice, harbinger, omen, portent, presage)
audacious
fearless and daring (synonyms: adventuresome, aggressive, assertive, bold, brave)
attenuate
to reduce in force or degree; to weaken (synonyms: debilitate, devitalize, dilute, enervate, enfeeble, rarefy, sap, thin, undermine, undo, unnerve, weaken)
assuage
to make something pleasant less severe (synonyms: ally, alleviate, appease, comfort, conciliate, ease, lighten, mitigate, mollify, pacify, palliate, placate, propitiate, relieve, sooth, sweeten)
assail
to attack; to assault (synonyms: beset, storm, strike)
articulate
able to speak clearly and expressively (synonyms: eloquent, expressive, fluent, lucid, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken)
arrogate
to claim without justification; to claim for oneself without right (synonyms: appropriate, presume, take)
ardor
intense and passionate feeling (synonyms: devotion, enthusiasm, fervency, fervidity, fervidness, fervor, fire, passion, zeal, zealousness)
archaic
ancient; old-fashioned (synonyms: antediluvian, antique, bygone, dated, dowdy, fusty, obsolete, outdated, outmoded, passé, prehistoric, stale, superannuated, superseded, vintage)
arbitrate
to judge a dispute between two opposing parties (synonyms: adjudge, adjudicate, determine, intermediate, intervene, judge, moderate, referee, rule)
arbitrary
determined by chance or impulse (synonyms: changeable, erratic, indiscriminate, random, wayward)
approbation
approval and praise (synonyms: acclaim, adulation, applause, commendation, compliments, exaltation, extolment, hail, kudos, praise)
apostate
one who renounces a religious faith (synonyms: defector, deserter, traitor)
apocryphal
of questionable authority or authenticity (synonyms: disputed, doubtful, fictitious, fraudulent)
apathy
lack of interest or emotion (synonyms: coolness, disinterest, disregard, impassivity, indifference, insensibility, lassitude, lethargy, listlessness, phlegm, stolidity, unconcern, unresponsiveness)
antipathy
extreme dislike (synonyms: abhorrence, animosity, animus, antagonism, aversion, dislike, enmity, hatred, hostility, loathing, repellence, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion)
antagonize
to annoy or provoke to anger (synonyms: clash, conflict, incite, irritate, oppose, pester, provoke, vex)
anomaly
deviation from what is normal (synonyms: aberrancy, aberration, abnormality, deviance, deviation, irregularity, preternaturalness)
corroborate
to support with evidence (synonyms: authenticate, back, buttress, confirm, substantiate, validate, verify)
convoluted
intricate and complicated (synonyms: byzantine, complex, elaborate, intricate, knotty, labyrinthine, perplexing, tangled)
contumacious
rebellious (synonyms: factious, insubordinate, insurgent, mutinous, rebellious, seditious)
contrite
deeply sorrowful and repentant for a wrong (synonyms: apologetic, regretful, remorseful)
connoisseur
a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes (synonyms: authority, epicure, expert, gastronome, gourmet)
condone
to overlook, pardon, or disregard (synonyms: exculpate, excuse, pardon, remit)
collusion
a collaboration, complicity, conspiracy (synonyms: connivance, intrigue, machination)
cogent
convincing and well-reasoned (synonyms: convincing, persuasive, solid, sound, telling, valid)
coffer
a strongbox; a large chest for money (synonyms: chest, exchequer, treasury, war chest)
coalesce
to grow together to form a single whole (synonyms: amalgamate, blend, condense, consolidate, fuse, unite)
cloying
sickly sweet, excessive (synonyms: fulsome)
circumspect
cautious, aware of potential consequences (synonyms: alert, cautious, heedful, mindful, prudent, solicitous, vigilant, wary)
chicanery
deception of means of craft or guile (synonyms: artifice, conniving, craftiness, deception, deviousness, misrepresentation, pettifoggery, shadiness, sneakiness, sophistry, subterfuge, underhandedness)
chauvinist
someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs (synonyms: bigot, jingoist, partisan)
chaos
great disorder, a confused situation (synonyms: clutter, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, disorderliness, disorganization, jumble, mess, muddle, scramble, snarl, turmoil)
caustic
biting in wit (synonyms: acerbic, biting, mordant, trenchant)
catholic
universal, broad and comprehensive (synonyms: extensive, general)
catalyst
something that brings about change in something else (synonyms: accelerator, goad, impetus, impulse, incentive, motivation, spur, stimulant)
castigate
to punish or criticize harshly (synonyms: admonish, chastise, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, reprove, scold, tax, upbraid)
capricious
changing one’s mind quickly and often (synonyms: arbitrary, chance, changeable, erratic, fickle, inconstant, mercurial, random, whimsical, willful)
bonhomie
good-natured geniality, an atmosphere of good cheer (synonyms: affability, amiability, cordiality, geniality)
boor
a crude person, one lacking manners or taste (synonyms: clod, lout, oaf, vulgarian, yahoo)
burgeon
to grow and flourish (synonyms: bloom, prosper, thrive)
burnish
to polish (synonyms: buff, luster, polish, scour)
cabal
a secret group seeking to overturn something (synonyms: camp, circle, clan, clique, coterie, in-group, mafia, mob, ring)
cacophony
a harsh, jarring noise (synonyms: chaos, clamor, din, discord, disharmony, noise)
calumny
a false and malicious accusation, misrepresentation (synonyms: defamation, libel, slander)
canard
a lie (synonyms: falsehood, falsity, fib, misrepresentation, prevarication, tale, untruth)
candid
impartial and honest in speech (synonyms: direct, forthright, frank, honest, open, sincere, straight, straightforward, undisguised)
cartography
the science or art of making map (synonyms: charting, surveying, topography)
disparate
fundamentally different; entirely unlike (synonyms: different, dissimilar, divergent, diverse, variant, various)
discern
to perceive or recognize (synonyms: catch, descry, detect, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, epsy, glimpse, know, separate, spot, tell)
disabuse
to set right, to free from error (synonyms: correct, undeceive)
dirge
a funeral hymn or mournful speech (synonyms: elegy, lament)
dilettante
someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic (synonyms: amateur, dabbler, superficial, tyro)
dilatory
intended to delay (synonyms: dragging, flagging, laggard, lagging, slow, slow-footed, slow-going, slow-paced, tardy)
dilate
to make larger, to expand (synonyms: amplify, develop, elaborate, enlarge, expand, expatiate)
diffident
lacking self-confidence (synonyms: backward, bashful, coy, demure, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy, timid)
dictum
an authoritative statement (synonyms: adage, aphorism, apothegm, decree, edict)
diatribe
an abuse, condemnatory speech (synonyms: fulmination, harangue, invective, jeremiad, malediction, obloquy, tirade)
diaphanous
allowing light to show through, delicate (synonyms: gauzy, sheer, tenuous, translucent, transparent)
desultory
jumping from one thing to another, disconnected (synonyms: aimless, disconnected, erratic, haphazard, indiscriminate, objectless, purposeless, random, stray, unconsidered, unplanned)
desiccate
to dry out thoroughly (synonyms: dehydrate, dry, parch)
deride
to speak of or treat with contempt; to MOCK (synonyms: give, jeer, mock, ridicule, scoff, sneer, taunt)
demur
to express doubts or objections (synonyms: dissent, expostulate, protest, remonstrate)
demagogue
a leader or rabble-rouser, usually one appealing to emotion to prejudice (synonyms: agitator, inciter, instigator)
deleterious
subtly or unexpected harmful (synonyms: adverse, hurtful, inimical, injurious)
deference
respect, courtesy (synonyms: honor, obeisance, respect, reverence, veneration)
deface
to mar the appearance of, to VANDALIZE (synonyms: disfigure, impair, spoil)
decorum
appropriateness of behavior or conduct, propriety (synonyms: correctness, decency, ETIQUETTE, manners, mores, seemliness)
decorous
proper, tasteful, socially correct (synonyms: appropriate, comme il faut, courteous, polite)
declivity
a downward slope (synonyms: decline, descent, drop, grace, pitch, slant, slope, tilt)
debutante
a young woman making debut in high society (synonyms: lady, maiden)
curmudgeon
a cranky person, usually an old one (synonyms: coot, crab, grouch)
cupidity
greed, strong desire (synonyms: avarice, covetousness, rapacity)
crescendo
steady increase in volume or force (synonyms: acme, capstone, climax, crest, culmination, meridian, peak)
credulous
too trusting, GULLIBLE (synonyms: naïve, susceptible, trusting)
craven
lacking courage (synonyms: fainthearted, spineless, timid)
coterie
an intimate group of persons with a similar purpose (synonyms: clique, set)
cosset
to pamper, to treat with great care (synonyms: cater to, cuddle, dandle, fondle, love, pamper, pet, spoil)
ephemeral
lasting a short time (synonyms: evanescent, fleeting, momentary, transient)
enumerate
to count, list, or itemize (synonyms: catalog, index, tabulate)
enigma
a puzzle; a mystery (synonyms: conundrum, perplexity)
engender
to produce, cause, or bring about (synonyms: beget, generate, spawn)
enervate
to reduce in strength (synonyms: debilitate, enfeeble, sap, weaken)
endemic
belonging to a particular area; inherent (synonyms: indigenous, local, native)
encomium
warm praise (synonyms: citation, panegyric, salutation, tribute)
emulate
to copy; to try to equal or excel (synonyms: imitate, simulate)
embellish
to add ornamental or fictitious details (synonyms: adorn, bedeck, elaborate, embroider, enhance, exaggerate)
eloquent
persuasive and moving, especially in speech (synonyms: articulate, expressive, fluent, meaningful, significant, smooth-spoken)
elegy
a sorrowful poem or speech (synonyms: dirge, lament)
effrontery
impudent boldness; audacity (synonyms: brashness, gall, nerve, presumption, temerity)
effigy
a stuffed doll; a likeness of a person (synonyms: dummy, figure, image)
efficacy
effectiveness (synonyms: dynamism, efficiency, force, power, productiveness, proficiency, strength, vigor)
edify
to instruct morally and spiritually (synonyms: educate, enlighten, guide, teach)
eclectic
selecting from or made up from a variety of sources (synonyms: broad, catholic)
ebullient
exhilarated; full of enthusiasm and high spirits (synonyms: ardent, avid, bubbly, zestful)
dyspeptic
suffering from indigestion; gloomy and irritable (synonyms: acerbic, melancholy, morose, solemn, sour)
dupe
to deceive (synonyms: beguile, betray, bluff, deceive, delude, fool, hoodwink, humbug, mislead, take in, trick)
droll
amusing in a wry, subtle way (synonyms: comic, entertaining, funny, risible, witty)
dogmatic
dictatorial in one’s opinion (synonyms: authoritarian, bossy, dictatorial, doctrinaire, domineering, imperious, magisterial, masterful, overbearing, peremptory)
dogma
a firmly held opinion, especially a religious belief (synonyms: creed, doctrine, teaching, tenet)
doctrinaire
rigidly devoted to theories without regard for practicality; dogmatic (synonyms: dictatorial, inflexible)
divine
to foretell or know by inspiration (synonyms: auger, foresee, intuit, predict, presage)
diurnal
active or occurring during the day (synonyms: daylight, daytime)
dither
to act confusedly or without clear purpose (synonyms: falter, hesitate, vacillate, waffle, waver)
distend
to swell, inflate, or bloat (synonyms: broaden, bulge)
distaff
the female branch of a family (synonyms: maternal)
dissonance
a harsh and disagreeable combination, especially of sounds (synonyms: clash, contention, discord, dissension, dissent, dissidence, friction, strife, variance)
dissemble
to present a false appearance; to disguise one’s real intentions or character (synonyms: act, affect, assume, camouflage, cloak, counterfeit, cover up, disguise, dissimulate, fake, feign, mask, masquerade, pose, pretend, put on, sham)
flag
to decline in vigor, strength, or interest (synonyms: dwindle, ebb, slacken, subside, wane)
fetid
foul-smelling; putrid (synonyms: funky, malodorous, noisesome, rank, stinky)
fervid
intensely emotional; feverish (synonyms: burning, impassioned, passionate, vehement, zealous)
fecund
fertile; fruitful; productive (synonyms: flourishing, prolific)
fawn
to grovel (synonyms: bootlick, pander, toady)
fatuous
stupid; foolishly self-satisfied (synonyms: absurd, ludicrous, preposterous, ridiculous, silly)
fanatical
acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion (synonyms: extremist, fiery, frenzied, zealous)
fallow
dormant; unnused (synonyms: idle, inactive, unseeded)
expurgate
to censor (synonyms: bowdlerize, cut, sanitize)
exponent
one who champions or advocates (synonyms: representative, supporter)
explicit
clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression (synonyms: candid, clear-cut, definite, definitive, express, frank, specific, straightforward, unambiguous, unequivocal)
exonerate
to clear of blame (synonyms: absolve, acquit, clear, exculpate, vindicate)
exigent
urgent; requiring immediate action (synonyms: critical, imperative, needed, urgent)
exculpate
to clear from blame; to prove innocent (synonyms: absolve, acquit, clear, exonerate, vindicate)
exacerbate
to make worse (synonyms: aggravate, annoy, intensify, irritate, provoke)
euphony
pleasant, harmonious sound (synonyms: harmony, melody, music, sweetness)
euphemism
use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one (synonyms: circumlocution, delicacy)
eulogy
a speech in praise of someone (synonyms: commendation, tribute)
ethos
the beliefs or character of a group (synonyms: culture, ethic, philosophy)
estimable
admirable (synonyms: commendable, creditable, honorable, laudable, meritorious, praiseworthy, respectable, venerable, worthy)
esoteric
known or understood only by a few (synonyms: abstruse, arcane, obscure)
eschew
to shun; to avoid (as something wrong or distasteful) (synonyms: avoid, elude, escape, evade, shun, shy)
erudite
learned; scholarly, bookish (synonyms: scholastic, wise)
ersatz
fake (synonyms: artificial, dummy, false, imitation, mock, sham, simulated, spurious, substitute)
erratic
wandering and unpredictable (synonyms: capricious, inconstant, irresolute, whimsical)
equivocate
to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead (synonyms: be ambiguous, evade, waffle)
epicure
a person with refined taste in food and wine (synonyms: bon vivant, connoisseur, gastronome, gastronomist, gourmand, gourmet)
florid
excessively decorated or embellished (synonyms: baroque, elaborate, flamboyant, ornate, ostentatious, rococo)
foment
to arouse or incite (synonyms: agitate, impassion, inflame, instigate, kindle)
ford
to cross a body of water by wading (synonyms: traverse, wade)
lament
to express sorrow; to grieve; to regret (synonyms: bewail, deplore, grieve, mourn)
laconic
using few words (synonyms: concise, curt, pithy, taciturn, terse)
lachrymose
tearful (synonyms: teary, weeping)
kudos
fame, glory, or honor (synonyms: acclaim, accolade, encomium, homage, praise)
knell
sound of a funeral bell; omen of death or failure (synonyms: chime, peal, toll)
kinetic
relating to motion; characterized by movement (synonyms: active, dynamic, mobile)
kindle
to set fire or ignite; to excite or inspire (synonyms: arouse, awaken, light, spark)
keen
having a sharp edge; intellectually sharp; perceptive (synonyms: acute, canny, quick)
juncture
a point of time, especially one where two things are joined (synonyms: confluence, convergence, crisis, crossroads, moment)
judicious
sensible; showing good judgement (synonyms: circumspect, prudent, sagacious, sapient)
gullible
easily deceived (synonyms: credulous, exploitable, naive)
guile
deceit; trickery (synonyms: artifice, chicanery, connivery, duplicity)
grovel
to humble oneself in a demeaning way (synonyms: bootlick, cringe, fawn, knowtow, toady)
grievous
causing grief or sorrow; serious and distressing (synonyms: dire, dolorous, grave, mournful)
gregarious
outgoing; sociable (synonyms: affable, communicative, congenial, sociable)
gradation
a degree or stage in a process; a variation in color (synonyms: nuance, shade, step, subtlety)
glower
to glare or stare angrily and intensely (synonyms: frown, lower, scowl)
glib
fluent in an insincere manner; offhand; casual (synonyms: easy, superficial)
gestation
the growth process from conception to birth (synonyms: development, gravidly, pregnancy)
garrulous
tending to talk a lot (synonyms: effusive, loquacious)
garner
to gather and store (synonyms: acquire, amass, glean, harvest, reap)
gambol
to dance or skip around playfully (synonyms: caper, cavort, frisk, frolic, rollick, romp)
furtive
secret; stealthy (synonyms: clandestine, covert, shifty, surreptitious, underhand)
frugality
tending to be thrifty or cheap (synonyms: economy, parsimony, prudence, sparingness)
frenetic
frantic; frenzied (synonyms: corybantic, delirious, feverish, mad, rabid, wild)
fractious
unruly; rebellious (synonyms: contentious, cranky, peevish, quarrelsome)
fortuitous
happening by chance; fortunate (synonyms: chance, fortunate, haphazard, lucky, propitious, prosperous)
forestall
to prevent or delay; to anticipate (synonyms: avert, deter, hinder, obviate, preclude)
jingoism
belligerent support of one’s country (synonyms: chauvinism, nationalism)
jocular
playful; humorous (synonyms: amusing, comical)
jettison
to discard; to get rid of as unnecessary or encumbering (synonyms: dump, eject)
jargon
nonsensical talk; specialized language (synonyms: argot, cant, dialect, idiom, slang)
itinerant
wandering from place to place; unsettled (synonyms: nomadic, vagrant)
irascible
easily made angry (synonyms: cantankerous, irritable, ornery, testy)
invidious
envious, obnoxious, or offensive; likely to promote ill-will (synonyms: discriminatory, insulting, jaundiced, resentful)
investiture
ceremony conferring authority (synonyms: inaugural, inauguration, induction, initiation, installation)
invective
abusive language (synonyms: denunciation, revilement, vituperation)
insure
to harden; accustom (synonyms: condition, familiarize, habituate)
inundate
to overwhelm; to cover with water (synonyms: deluge, drown, engulf, flood, submerge)
intrepid
fearless; resolutely courageous (synonyms: brave)
intransigent
uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled (synonyms: implacable, inexorable, irreconcilable, obdurate, obstinate, remorseless, rigid, unbending, unrelenting, unyielding)
intractable
not easily managed or manipulated (synonyms: stubborn, unruly)
interregnum
a period between reigns (synonyms: interval)
inter
to bury (synonyms: entomb, inhume)
insurrection
rebellion (synonyms: mutiny, revolt, revolution, uprising)
insipid
lacking interest or flavor (synonyms: banal, bland, dull, stale, vapid)
inquest
an investigation; an inquiry (synonyms: probe, quest, research)
innocuous
harmless (synonyms: benign, inoffensive, insipid)
iniquity
a sin; an evil act (synonyms: enormity, immorality, injustice, vice, wickedness)
inimical
hostile; unfriendly (synonyms: adverse, antagonistic, dissident, recalcitrant)
ingratiate
to gain favor with another by deliberate effort; to seek to please somebody so as to gain an advantage (synonyms: curry favor, flatter)
ingrate
an ungrateful person (synonyms: cad, churl)
ingenuous
showing innocence or childlike simplicity (synonyms: artless, guileless, innocent, naive, simple, unaffected)
inexorable
inflexible; unyielding (synonyms: adamant, obdurate, relentless)
indolent
habitually lazy or idle (synonyms: faineant, languid, lethargic, slothful, sluggish)
inculcate
to teach; to impress in the mind (synonyms: implant, indoctrinate, instill, preach)
inchoate
not fully formed; disorganized (synonyms: amorphous, incoherent, incomplete, unorganized)
incarnadine
blood-red in color (synonyms: reddened, ruby, ruddy)
impugn
to call into question; to attack verbally (synonyms: challenge, dispute)
imprecation
a curse (synonyms: damnation)
implacable
unable to be calmed down or made peaceful (synonyms: inexorable, intransigent, irreconcilable, relentless, remorseless, unforgiving, unrelenting)
impious
not devout in religion (synonyms: immoral, irreverent, profane)
impetuous
quick to act without thinking (synonyms: impulsive, precipitate, rash, reckless, spontaneous)
impervious
impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected (synonyms: impregnable, resistant)
imperturbable
not capable of being disturbed (synonyms: composed, dispassionate, impassive, serene, stoical)
impecunious
poor; having no money (synonyms: destitute, impoverished, indigent, needy, penniless)
impasse
a blocked path; a dilemma with no solution (synonyms: cul-de-sac, deadlock, stalemate)
imbue
to infuse, dye, wet, or moisten (synonyms: charge, freight, impregnate, permeate, pervade)
ignoble
having low moral standards; not noble in character; mean (synonyms: lowly, vulgar)
idiosyncrasy
peculiarity of temperament; eccentricity (synonyms: humor, oddity, quirk)
iconoclast
one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions (synonyms: maverick, nonconformist, rebel, revolutionary)
hyperbole
purposeful exaggeration for effect (synonyms: embellishment, inflation, magnification)
husband
to manage economically; to use sparingly (synonyms: conserve, ration)
homogeneous
of a similar kind (synonyms: consistent, standardized, uniform, unvarying)
hoary
very old; whitish or gray from age (synonyms: ancient, antediluvian, antique, venerable, vintage)
heterogenous
composed of unlike parts; different; diverse (synonyms: assorted, miscellaneous, mixed, motley, varied)
hermetic
tightly sealed (synonyms: airtight, impervious, watertight)
hegemony
the domination of one state or group over its allies (synonyms: authority, power)
hapless
unfortunate; having bad luck (synonyms: ill-fated, ill-starred, jinxed, luckless, unlucky)
legerdemain
trickery (synonyms: chicanery, conjuring)
leery
suspicious (synonyms: distrustful, guarded, wary)
lavish
extremely generous or extravagant; giving unsparingly (synonyms: extravagant, exuberant, luxuriant, opulent, prodigal, profuse, superabundant)
laud
to give praise; to glorify (synonyms: acclaim, applaud, commend, compliment, exalt, extol, hail, praise)
latent
potentially available, but not readily apparent (synonyms: concealed, dormant, inert, potential, quiescent)
lassitude
a state of diminished energy (synonyms: debilitation, enervation, fatigue, languor, listlessness, tiredness, weariness)
largess
generous giving (as of money) to others who may seem inferior (synonyms: benevolence, boon, compliment, favor, present)
larceny
theft of property (synonyms: burglary, robbery, stealing)
lapidary
relating to precious stones or the art of cutting them
languid
lacking energy; indifferent; slow (synonyms: lackadaisical, listless, sluggish, weak)
lampoon
to ridicule with satire (synonyms: tease)
metaphor
figure of speech comparing two different things (synonyms: allegory, analogy, simile, symbol)
meretricious
gaudy; falsely attractive (synonyms: flashy, insincere, loud, specious, tawdry)
mercurial
quick, shrewd, unpredictable (synonyms: clever, crafty, volatile, whimsical)
mendicant
beggar (synonyms: panhandler, pauper)
mendacious
dishonest (synonyms: deceitful, false, lying, untruthful)
maudlin
overly sentimental (synonyms: bathetic, mawkish, saccharine, weepy)
martinet
strict disciplinarian; one who rigidly follows rules (synonyms: dictator, stickler, tyrant)
mar
to damage or deface; to spoil (synonyms: blemish, disfigure, impair, injure, scar)
mannered
artificial or stilted in character (synonyms: affected, unnatural)
malleable
capable of being shaped (synonyms: adaptable, ductile, plastic, pliable, pliant)
malinger
to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill (synonyms: shirk, slack)
malediction
a curse; a wish of evil upon another (synonyms: anathema, imprecation)
magnate
powerful or influential person (synonyms: dignitary, luminary, nabob, potentate, tycoon)
maelstrom
whirlpool; turmoil; agitated state of mind (synonyms: eddy, turbulence)
machination
plot or scheme (synonyms: cabal, conspiracy, design, intrigue)
luminous
bright; brilliant; glowing (synonyms: incandescent, lucent, lustrous, radiant, resplendent)
lumber
to move slowly and awkwardly (synonyms: galumph, hulk lurch, stumble)
lugubrious
sorrowful; mournful; dismal (synonyms: funereal, gloomy, melancholy, somber, woeful)
lucid
clear and easily understood (synonyms: clear, coherent, explicit, intelligible, limpid)
loquacious
talkative (synonyms: effusive, garrulous, verbose)
livid
discolored from a bruise; pale; reddened with anger (synonyms: ashen, black-and-blue, furious, pallid)
listless
lacking energy and enthusiasm (synonyms: faineant, indolent, languid, lethargic, sluggish)
lissome
easily flexed; limber; agile (synonyms: graceful, lithe, supple)
lionize
to treat as a celebrity (synonyms: feast, honor, regale)
limpid
clear; transparent (synonyms: lucid, pellucid, serene)
licentious
immoral; unrestrained by society (synonyms: lewd, wantom)
libertine
a free thinker (usually used disparagingly); one without moral restraint (synonyms: hedonist)
liberal
tolerant or broad-minded; generous or lavish (synonyms: bounteous, latitudinarian, munificent, permissive, progressive)
levity
an inappropriate lack of seriousness; an overly casual atmosphere (synonyms: amusement, humor)
lethargic
acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner (synonyms: apathetic, lackadaisical, languid, listless, torpid)
