Vocab Words All Flashcards
having mixed feelings about someone or something; being unable to choose between two
ambivalent (adj.)
an over-the-top, false display of courage or confidence
bravado (n.)
to reach the highest point, highest development, or final stage
culminate (v.)
a complete collapse or failure; sudden downfall
debacle (n.)
to make worse by increasing the severity of
exacerbate (v.)
to make easier or smoother; to help along
facilitate (v.)
cleverness and craftiness to achieve an objective
guile (n.)
treating others warmly and generously
hospitable (adj.)
totally flood cover or overwhelm, usually with water (or often with feelings/emotion
inundate (v.)
to place next to one another, sometimes for a unique or noticeable effect
juxtapose (v.)
praise honor or congratulations that is given or received
kudos (n.)
to praise, to extol, to command
laud (v.)
demonstrating precise attention and care to details; painstaking
meticulous (adj.)
extremely wicked, evil, or villainous
nefarious (adj.)
foreshadowing bad or threatening thing/events
ominous (adj.)
directly relating to the subject or matter at hand; relevant
pertinent (adj.)
a trusting and harmonious connection or relationship; good chemistry with another person
rapport (n.)
to examine carefully and meticulously
scrutinize (v.)
aggressively hostile and disagreeable; belligerent
truculent (adj.)
existing or being everywhere, seemingly at the same time; omnipresent
ubiquitous (adj.)
empty; not having any contents; extremely lacking in intelligence
vacuous (adj.)
extreme anger; intense rage
wrath (n.)
to have a longing and strong desire; to long for
yearn (v.)
the highest point of something; acme; apex; peak; pinnacle; summit
zenith (n.)
indicating good fortune promise or success; propitious (ant. ominous)
auspicious (adj.)
characterized by good will kindness and helpfulness; charitable (related: benign, magnanimous)
benevolent (adj.)
self satisfied to the point of not caring what happens; agreeable to circumstances that are often unsatisfying overall
complacent (adj.)
an inadequate supply; a lack; a scarcity; a paucity; a modicum
dearth (n.)
a puzzling or mysterious or inexplicable situation or person
enigma (n.)
not capable of producing the desired result or any result; ineffective; useless
futile (adj.)
excessively talkative in a rambling manner, especially about nonsense (related: loquatious; verbose)
garrulous (adj.)
to cause delay or interruption; to prevent from doing; to impede
hinder (v.)
functioning poorly or inadequately; weakened
impaired (adj.)
to put at risk or endanger
jeopardize (adj.)
to be weak and/or without any spirit/energy
languish (v.)
causing harm of suffering; having hatred or ill will
malignant (adj.)
an extremely self-centered and vain person who believes he/she is always right
narcissist (n.)
overly bizarre or odd (especially concerning ideas or appearance)
outlandish (adj.)
a natural tendency or inclination
propensity (n.)
capturing the perfect embodiment or essence of something
quintessential (adj.)
to prove to be false or erroneous
refute (v.)
a very wise person (n.); wise, prudent (adj.)
sage (n./adj.)
the quality of holding firm with unrelenting energy and perseverance
tenacity (n.)
unharmed, uninjured after a potentially harmful event
unscathed (adj.)
moral value or righteousness
virtue (n.)
to relinquish a known right or claim
waive (v.)
a dislike, hostility, or fear towards foreign cultures
xenophobia (n.)
greath eagerness and enthusiasm; fervor
zeal (n.)
rough; harsh; disagreeable
abrasive (adj.)
briefness; characterized by keeping things short and to the point
brevity (n.)
to go around, bypass, or avoid
circumvent (v.)
empty and barren, providing no shelter or resources
desolate (adj.)
a person or thing that possesses the features that best represent a whole group or quality
epitome (n.)
a person’s area of strength; a strong suit
forte (n.)
strength, especially mental strength, in the face of adversity or danger
fortitude (n.)
overly large or important as a means of showing off; more complicated than necessary
grandiose (adj.)
made of parts that are all the same kind; not heterogeneous
homogeneous (adj.)
invulnerable to fear and intimidation
intrepid (adj.)
characterized by joyous humor and good spirits; merry; convivial
jovial (adj.)
sharp, perceptive; enthusiastic
keen (adj.)
the vocabulary of a particular language, group, profession, field, or region
lexicon (n.)
a large, powerful whirlpool; a chaotic, disordered state of things
maelstrom (n.)
the lowest point, often in terms of despair, misery, or adversity
nadir (n.)
to exclude or banish from a group, typically by the general consent of the group
ostracize (v.)
a smallness in quantity; a scarcity; a dearth
paucity (n.)
to regard with great respect, awe, and honor; to venerate
revere (v.)
favorable discovery made accidentally
serendipity (n.)
slow, dull, and lethargic; sluggish
torpid (adj.)
not following or responding to rules, and usually doing so in a truculent and obnoxious manner
unruly (adj.)
very harmful; poisonous; malignant to health
virulent (adj.)
to demonstrate reason, cause, or justification for
warrant (v.)
to give way to; to give up or surrender; to produce a result
yield (v.)
full of energy and/or flavor; keen for action and enjoyment
zesty (adj.)
to act in opposition to; to act with hostility towards
antagonize (v.)
to scold, to admonish
berate (v.)
to confirm, verify, or make more certain
corroborate (v.)
to seriously decrease the supply of
deplete (v.)
to use for profit, often for selfish reasons
exploit (v.)
to fake or pretend
feign (v.)
sociable, friendly, convivial; enjoying the company of others
gregarious (adj.)
overly dramatic and emotional in behavior or speech; having to do with acting/actors
histrionic (adj.)
disgraceful, shameful, dishonorable
ignominious (adj.)
characterized by joking around or jesting
jocular (adj.)
very clear; brought into light
lucid (adj.)
extremely gloomy, sullen, or sad
morose (adj.)
a slight, subtle, or delicate difference
nuance (n.)
a long journey that involves many adventures
odyssey (n.)
something that contradicts itself
paradox (n.)
a state of uncertainty about what to do; a dilemma
quandary (n.)
results or effects that are typically negative; consequences
ramifications (n.)
a position at which no action can be taken or no progress can be made; a deadlock
stalemate (n.)
to rise above or go beyond; to surpass; to greatly exceed or excel
transcend (v.)
to forcibly take and hold a position of authority
usurp (v.)
extremely enthusiastic; zealous; insistent; passionate sometimes to the point of anger
vehement (adj.)
a sudden desire
whim (n.)
the movement or position of a craft in a horizontal direction
yaw (n.)
the spirit, culture, and feel of a particular era
zeitgeist (n.)
