Vocabulary Flashcards
(TO) ABATE
(to) reduce/diminish
Example: Her stress over spending so much money on a house abated when the real estate broker told her about the property’s 15-year tax abatement.
ACCLAIM
praise/approval
Example: Despite critical acclaim, the TV show always ran third in the ratings.
ABERRATION
anomaly/abnormal
Example: The election of a liberal candidate in the conservative county was an aberration, made possible only by the sudden death of the conservative candidate two days before the election.
ACCORD/DISCORD
agreement/disagreement
Example: Our management is in accord with regulatory agencies about tightening standards.
ACQUISITIVENESS
a desire to acquire more, especially an excessive desire
Example: The firm did well in buying up its competitors as a means of growth, but its acquisitiveness ultimately resulted in problems related to growing too quickly.
ACREAGE
land measured in acres
Example: Our property is large, but much of the acreage is swampland not suitable for building.
(TO) ADHERE
(to) stick to (plan or belief)
Example: Employees who do not adhere to the policy will be subject to disciplinary action.
ADHERENT
a person who sticks to a belief or cause
Example: The adherents of the plan wont admit that, in the long term, such a policy would bankrupt our state.
AD-LIB
(to) do smth without preparation or planning, give an unprepared speech / freely,as needed
Example: We have ended our policy of rationing office supplies—pens may now be given to employees ad-lib.
(TO) ADAPT
(to) take and make one’s own/vote to accept
Example: To adopt a plan implies that you didn’t come up with it yourself.
ADVENT
arrival
Example: Before the advent of the Internet, people often called reference librarians to look up information for them in the library’s reference section.
ADVERSE
unfavorable/opposed
Example: A noisy environment is adverse to studying, and lack of sleep can have further adverse effects.
AGENCY
the ability to use power of influence
Example: Some global warming deniers acknowledge that the planet is heating up, but argue that human agency does not affect the climate.
(TO) AGGRAVATE
(to) make worse
Example: Allowing your band to practice in our garage has greatly aggravated my headache.
ALTOGETHER (adv)
completely/overall
Example: It was an altogether stunning new design.
AMBIVALENT
uncertain,unable to decide/want to do two contradictory things at once
Example: My wife loves the opera, but I have ambivalent feelings about it.
(TO) AMORTIZE
gradually pay off a debt/gradually write off an asset
Example: A mortgage is a common form of amortized debt—spreading the payments out over as long as 30 years is not uncommon.
ANALOGOUS
corresponding in a particular way/making a good analogy
Example: Our situation is analogous to one in a case study I read in business school. Maybe what worked for that company will work for us.
(TO) ANNEX
(to) add on
Example: The United States annexed parts of Texas and New Mexico, which belonged to Mexico.
(TO) ANNIHILATE
(to) destroy completely
Example: The approaching tornado was annihilating everything in its path.
(TO) ANNUAL
(to) make void/cancel/abolish
Example: Can we appreciate the art of a murderer? For many, the value of these paintings is annulled by the artist s crimes.
(TO) ANOINT
(to) choose someone for a particular job
Example: He anointed his eldest son as his successor.
ANTITHETICAL TO
totally opposed/opposite
Example: The crimes of our chairman are totally antithetical to what the Society for Ethical Leadership stands for.
APPLICATION
act/result of applying
Example: The attempted application of American-style democracy in Iraq may ultimately prove unsuccessful.
APPRENTICE
a person who works for someone else in order to learn smth
Example: He worked for two years as a plumber’s apprentice
ARBITER
judge/umpire/person empowered to decide matters at hand
Example: Professional mediators arbitrate disputes.
ARCHAIC
ancient/primitive
Example: The schools archaic computer system predated even floppy disks—it stored records on tape drives!
ARISTOCRACY
nobility
Example: His aristocratic manner alienated many voters.
ARTIFACT
any object made by humans, especially those from an earlier time, such as those excavated by archaeologists
Example: The archaeologists dug up countless artifacts, from simple pottery shards and coins to complex written tablets.
(TO) ASCRIBE TO
(to) give credit
Example: He ascribed his good grades to diligent studying.
(TO) ASSERT
(to) affirm/claim/state
Example: The companies have asserted that everything they did was appropriate.
ASSIMILATION
the process by which a minority group adopts the customs and way of life of a larger group
Example: The assimilation of immigrants into American culture has been a constant feature of US history.
(TO) ATTAIN
(to) achieve
Example: You need financial security in order to attain emotional well-being.
(TO) ATTRIBUTE TO
(to) give credit to
Example: Her success can be attributed to three main factors.
ATYPICAL
Not typical
Example: The sociable behaviour of lions is considered atypical of the cat family.
(TO) BACKFIRE
(to) produce an unexpected and unwanted result
Example: The company’s new efficiency measures backfired when workers protested and staged a walkout, thus stopping production completely.
BALANCE
the remaining part/leftover amount
Example: The publishing division accounted for 25% of the profits, and the film division for the balance. This means that the film division provided 75% of the profits.
BALDLY
plainly/explicitly
Example: An article in Mother Jones explained that Maine is not very diverse: “It is, to put it baldly, one of the whitest states in the union.”
(TO) BALLOON
(to) swell /(to) increase rapidly
Example: During the dot-com bubble, the university’s investments ballooned to three times’ their former value.
(TO) BEFALL
(to) happen to (used with something bad)
Example: Disaster befell the company once again when the CEO was thrown from a horse.
(TO) BELIE
(to) contradict/misrepresent
Example: The data belie the accepted theory—either we’ve made a mistake, or we have an amazing new discovery on our hands!
BENEVOLENT
expressing goodwill
Example: I grew up happily under the benevolent influence of my Uncle Walt.
BENIGN
harmless/kind or beneficial
Example: He was relieved when the biopsy results came back, informing him that the growth was benign.
BLIGHT
disease that kills plants rapidly/any cause of decay or destruction
Example: Many potato farmers have fallen into poverty as a result of blight killing their crops.
Example: Gang violence is a blight on our school system, causing innocent students to fear even attending classes. In fact, violence has blighted our town.
(TO) BLUNT
(to) dull/weaken/ make less effective
Example: The new therapy has severe side effects, but they can be blunted somewhat with anti-nausea medication and painkillers.
(TO) BLUR
(to) make blurry, unclear, indistinct
Example: In Japan, company titles are taken very seriously and roles are sharply defined, whereas in the U.S.—especially in smaller firms—roles are often blurred as everyone is expected to pitch in on a variety of projects.
BOGUS
fake, fraudulent
Example: The back of this bodybuilding magazine is just full of ads for bogus products—this one promises 22-inch biceps just from wearing magnetic armbands!
(TO) BOLSTER
(to) strengthen, support
Example: Many people use alcohol to bolster their confidence before approaching an attractive person in a bar.
(TO) BROOK
(to) suffer, tolerate
Example: The dictator will not brook dissent.
BUFFER
Something that separates two groups, people, etc., who potentially do not get along
BUREAUCRACY
1) government characterized by many bureaus and petty administrators
2) excessive, seemingly meaningless requirements.
BYGONE
past, former; that which is in the past
Example: At the nursing home, the time to reminisce about bygone days was pretty much all the time.
BYPASS
avoid, go around; ignore
CANON
body of accepted rules, standards
CHANCY
risky, not having a certain outcome
(TO) CHANNEL
(to) direct or guide along a particular course
Example: You might channel your energy towards productive purposes.
CHECKED (HELD IN CHECK)
restrained, held back
Example: Once the economy took a turn for the worse, the investors began to hold spending in check.
Example: The situation isn’t so simple—while the warlords are surely criminals o f the worst degree, they are the only force checking the power of the dictator.
CHRONOLOGICAL
arranged in or relating to time order
Example: Joey, I’m afraid you’ve done the assignment wrong—the point of making a timeline is to put the information in chronological order. You’ve made an alphabetical-order-line instead!
CLAMOR
noisy uproar or protest, as from a crowd; a loud, continuous noise
Example: As soon as a scent o f scandal emerged, the press was clamoring for details.
Example: The mayor couldn’t even make herself heard over the clamor of the protestors.
CLAN
traditional social unit or division of a tribe consisting of a number of families derived from a
common ancestor.
(TO) CLOAK IN
(to) cover, conceal
Example: Apple’s new products are often cloaked in mystery before they are released; before the launch of the iPad, even tech reviewers had little idea what the new device would be.
(TO) COALESCE
(to) come together, unite; fuse together
Example: East and West Germany coalesced into a single country in 1990.
COERCION
force; use o f pressure, threats, etc. to force someone to do something
COEXISTENCE
existing at the same time or in the same place
Example: The goal of the Camp David Accords was the coexistence of Israel and Egypt.
COGENT
logical
(TO) COLLUDE
(to) conspire; cooperate for illegal or fraudulent purposes
Example: After two competing software companies doubled their prices on the same day, leaving consumers no lower-priced alternative, the federal government investigated the companies for collusion.
COMPLIANT
obeying; following the requirements
Example: Those who are not compliant with the regulations will be put on probation and possibly expelled.
(TO) COMPROMISE
(to) reduce the quality or value of something
Example: It is unacceptable that safety is being compromised in the name of profits.
(TO) CONCEDE
(to) give in, yield;
Example: The negotiations were pointless, with each side’s representatives instructed by their home countries to make no concessions whatsoever.
(TO) CONDONE
(to) overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless
Example: While underage drinking is illegal, at many universities, it is tacitly condoned by administrations that neglect to enforce anti-drinking policies.
(TO) CONFER
(to) consult; bestow
Example: Excuse me for a moment to make a call— I can’t buy this car until I confer with my spouse.
Example: A Ph.D. confers upon a person the right to be addressed as “Doctor” as well as eligibility to pursue tenure-track professorship.
CONSEQUENTLY
as a result, therefore
Example: The new medicine is not only a failure, but a dangerous one; consequently, drug trials were halted immediately.
CONSIDERABLE
large, significant
CONSIDERATIONS
factors to be considered in making a decision
Example: The book began with a thorough consideration of the history of the debate.
(TO) CONSOLIDATE
(to) unite, combine, solidify, make coherent
Example: As group leader, Muriel will consolidate all of our research into a single report.
CONTEMPLATIVE
contemplating, thoughtful, meditative
(TO) CONTEND
(to) assert; compete
Example: I contend that a novel should tell a story and tell it well.
Example: The top tennis players in the world are contending for this title.
(TO) CONTEXTUALIZE
(to) place in context, such as by giving the background or circumstances
Example: Virginia Woolf’s feminism is hard to truly understand unless contextualized within the mores of the highly restrained, upper-class English society of her time.
(TO) CONTRACT
(to) shrink
CONVENTIONAL
traditional, customary
Example: Her family was
surprised that she had eschewed the conventional wedding ceremony in favor o f a bohemian ceremony on the beach
(TO) CONVERGE
(to) move towards one another or towards a point; unite
Example: I know we’re driving in to the wedding from different states, but our routes ought to converge
when each of us hits 1-95— maybe we could converge at a Cracker Barrel for lunch!
CONVERSELY
in an opposite way; on the other hand
Example: I am not here to argue that lack of education causes poverty. Conversely, I am here to argue that poverty causes lack of education.
CONVOLUTED
twisted; very complicated
Example: Your argument is so convoluted that I’m not even able to understand it enough to start critiquing it.
COPIOUS
plentiful, bountiful
Example: Although she took copious notes in class, she found that she was missing a big picture that would have tied all the information together.
CORRESPONDING
accompanying; having the same or almost the same relationship
Example: Our profit-sharing plan means that increases in profit will be matched by corresponding increases in employee compensation.
(TO) CORROBORATE
(to) support, add evidence to
Example: You’re telling me you were thirty miles away riding a roller coaster when the school was vandalized?
I have a hard time believing that—is there anyone who can corroborate your story?
(TO) COUNTENANCE
(to) approve, tolerate
Example: I saw you cheating off my paper, and I cant countenance cheating—either you turn yourself in or I’ll report you.
COUNTERINTUITIVE
against what a person would intuitively expect
Example: Although it seems counterintuitive, for some extreme dieters, eating more can actually help them to lose weight, since the body is reassured that it is not facing a period o f prolonged starvation.
COUNTERPOINT
contrasting item, opposite; a complement; the use of contrast or interplay in a work of art.
Example: The plays lighthearted, witty narrator provides a welcome counterpoint to the seriousness and grief expressed by the other characters.
Example: The hot peppers work in counterpoint to an otherwise sweet dish.
COUNTERPRODUCTIVE
defeating the purpose; preventing the intended goal
Example: The candidate’s attempt to win swing votes in Ohio was actually counterproductive—following his speech in Toledo, his poll numbers actually went down 5%.
CREDIBILITY
believability, trustworthiness
Example: Many famous “experts” with “Dr.” before their names are not medical doctors at all. Any television “doctor” who turns out to have a Ph.D. in botany, for instance, ought to suffer a serious drop in credibility.
(TO) CULMINATE
(to) reach the highest point or final stage
Example: A Ph.D. program generally culminates in a written dissertation and its defense to a committee
(TO) CURTAIL
(to) cut short, reduce
CYNICAL
Thinking the worst of others’ motivations; bitterly pessimistic
Example: Listening to politicians for too long can make you cynical.
(TO) DEBASE
(to) degrade; lower in quality, value, rank, etc.; lower in moral quality
Example: Members o f the mainstream church argued that the fringe sect was practicing a debased version of the religion, twisting around its precepts and missing the point.
Example: You have debased yourself by accepting bribes.
DEBILITATING
weakening, disabling
Example: Strokes are a common debilitating condition of old age.
(TO) DEBUNK
(to) expose, ridicule, or disprove false or exaggerated claims
Example: Galileo spent his last years under house arrest for debunking the widely held idea that the Sun revolved around the Earth.
Example: The show MythBusters debunks pseudoscientific claims.
(TO) DECRY
(to) condemn openly, criticize
Example: The activist decried the destruction of the animals’ habitat.
(TO) DEEM
(to) judge, consider
Example: “You can take the black belt exam when I deem you ready, and not a moment before,” said the karate instructor.
(TO) DEFLECT
(to) cause to curve; turn aside, especially from a straight course; avoid
Example: The purpose of a shield is to deflect arrows or bullets from an enemy.
Example: Every time he was asked a difficult question, Senator Warrington deflected by changing the topic, saying he’d answer later, or even— insincerely, it seemed—calling for a moment of prayer
(TO) DELIMIT
(to) fix, mark, or define the boundaries of
Example: The role o f an executive coach is delimited by our code of conduct—we may not counsel people for psychological conditions, for instance.
(TO) DENOTE
(to) be a name or symbol for, represent smth
Example: His angry tone denoted extreme displeasure.
(TO) DERIDE
(to) mock, scoff at, laugh at contemptuously
Example: The manager really thought that deriding his employees as “stupid” or “lazy” would motivate them to work harder; instead, it motivated them to hide his office supplies as an act of revenge.
DETERRENT
something that restrains or discourages
Example: Some argue that the death penalty is a deterrent to crime—that is, the point is not just to punish the guilty, but to frighten other prospective criminals.
DICHOTOMY
Division into two parts or into two contradictory groups
Example: There is a dichotomy in the sciences between theoretical or “pure” sciences such as physics and chemistry, and the life sciences, which often deal more with classifying than with theorizing.
DISCLOSURE
revealing, exposing the truth, something that has been revealed
Example: Any public disclosure of this information would be very damaging to the company
(TO) DISCOUNT
(to) ignore information because it is considered untrustworthy, underestimate
Example: After staying up all night to finish the presentation, he was understandably unhappy that his boss discounted his contribution, implying that she had done most of the work herself.
(TO) DISCREDIT
(to) injure the reputation of, destroy credibility of or confidence in
Example: Congresswoman Huffman’s opponent tried to use her friendship with a certain radical extremist to discredit her, even though the Congresswoman hadn’t seen this so-called “extremist” since sixth-grade summer camp.
DISCREPANCY
difference, inconsistency
Example: When there is a discrepancy between a store’s receipts and the amount of money in the register, the cashier’s behavior is generally called into question.
DISCRETE
separate, distinct, detached
Example: Be sure to use quotation marks and citations as appropriate in your paper in order to keep your ideas discrete from those of the experts you are quoting.
DISCRIMINATING
judicious, discerning, having good judgment or insight
Example: He is a man of discriminating tastes—all his suits are handmade in Italy, and I once saw him send back an entree when he complained that black truffle oil had been substituted for white. The chef was astounded that he could tell.
Example: You can tell a real Prada bag by the discriminating mark on the inside.
DISINTERESTED
unbiased, impartial
Example: Let’s settle this argument once and for all! We’ll get a disinterested observer to judge who can sing the highest note!
DISPARATE
distinct, different
Example: He chose the college for two disparate reasons: the strength of the computer science program, and the excellence of the hip-hop dance squad.
(TO) DISPERSE
(to) Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
Example: Because the demonstrators didn’t have a permit, the police showed up with megaphones,
demanding loudly that the crowd disperse.
(TO) DISPERSE
(to) Scatter, spread widely, cause to vanish
Example: Because the demonstrators didn’t have a permit, the police showed up with megaphones, demanding loudly that the crowd disperse.
(TO) DISMISS
(to) put aside, reject
To dismiss biases in science is to rule out possible prejudices that
could have influenced results.
Example: “Before I dismiss class,” said the teacher, “I want to remind you o f the importance of dismissing biases in your research by ruling out or adjusting for factors other than the variable you are testing that may have led to your results.”
(TO) DISSEMINATE
(to) scatter, spread about, broadcast
Example: In the 1760s, revolutionary ideas were disseminated via pamphlets such as Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense.”
(TO) DIVEST
(to) Deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc., or of clothing or gear; to sell off holdings (opposite of
invest)
Example: When she found out that the most profitable stock in her portfolio was that of a company that tested products on animals, she immediately divested by telling her broker to sell the stock.
Example: Once his deception was exposed, he was divested of his position on the Board.
(TO) DOVETAIL
(to) join. fit together
Example: When the neuroscientist married an exercise physiologist, neither thought they’d end up working
together, but when Dr. Marion Ansel received a grant to study how exercise improves brain function and Dr. Jim Ansel was assigned to her team, the two found that their careers dovetailed nicely.
DUBIOUS
doubtful, questionable, suspect
Example: This applicant’s resume is filled with dubious qualifications—this is a marketing position, and this resume is mostly about whitewater rafting.
ECHELON
a level, rank, or grade; the people at that level
Example: Obtaining a job on Wall Street doesn’t guarantee access to the upper echelon o f executives, where multi-million dollar bonuses are the norm.
ECLECTIC
Selecting the best of everything or from many diverse sources
Example: Eclectic taste is helpful in being a DJ—crowds love to hear the latest hip-hop mixed with ‘80s classics and other unexpected genres of music.
(TO) ECLIPSE
(to) cover up, darken, or make less important
Example: Billy Ray Cyrus, who had a hit song, “Achy Breaky Heart,” in the ‘90s, has long since found his fame eclipsed by that of his daughter, Miley.
EFFECTIVELY
in effect, but not officially
Example: He went on a two-week vacation without asking for time off or even telling anyone he was leaving, thus effectively resigning from his position.
EFFICACY
the quality o f being able to produce the intended effect (frequently used in reference to medicines)
Example: Extensive trials will be necessary to determine whether the drug’s efficacy outweighs the side effects.
EGALITARIAN
related to belief in the equality of all people
Example: It is very rare that someone turns down an offer to be knighted by the Queen of England; however, he was egalitarian enough to feel uncomfortable with the entire idea o f titles and royalty.
EGREGIOUS
Extraordinarily or conspicuously bad
Example: Your conduct is an egregious violation of our Honor Code—not only did you steal your roommate s paper off his computer and turn it in as your own, you also sold his work to a plagiarism website so other cheaters could purchase it!
EMINENT
Prominent, distinguished, of high rank
Example: The commission consisted of fifteen eminent political figures.
(TO) EMPHASIZE
(to) give attention to
Example: She emphasized the importance of good nutrition.
EMPIRICAL
coming from, based on, or able to be verified by experience or experimentation; not
purely based on theory
Example: The Ancient Greeks philosophized about the nature of matter (concluding, for instance, that everything was made o f earth, water, air, and fire) without any empirical evidence— that is, the very idea of conducting experiments hadn’t been invented yet.
(TO) EMULATE
(to) copy in an attempt to equal or be better than
Example: The ardent Star Trek fan emulated Captain Kirk in every way possible—his brash and confident leadership might have gotten him somewhere, but the women he tried to impress weren’t so impressed.
ENIGMA
puzzle, mystery, riddle; mysterious or contradictory person
Example: The enormous rock sculptures in Stonehenge, Scotland, are truly an enigma—were they created as part of a religious observance, in deference to a great ruler, or for some other reason?
(TO) ENJOY
(to) benefit from
Example: The college has long enjoyed the support of wealthy alumni.
(TO) ENSURE
(to) guarantee smth
Example: If you go past this security checkpoint, I cannot ensure your safety.
(TO) ENUMERATE
(to) count or list; specify one-by-one
Example: The Bill of Rights enumerates the basic rights held by every citizen of the United States.
EQUITABLE
fair, equal
Example: As the university president was a heavily biased towards the sciences, faculty in the liberal arts felt they had to fight to get an equitable share of funding for their departments.
EQUIVALENCE
the state of being equal or essentially equal
(TO) EQUIVOCATE
(to) use unclear language to deceive or avoid committing to a position
Example: Not wanting to lose supporters, the politician equivocated on the issue, tossing out buzzwords related to each side while also claiming more study was needed.
ERRATIC
inconsistent, wandering
Example: When someone engages in erratic behavior, family members often suspect drugs or mental illness. However, sometimes the person is just building a top-secret invention in the garage!
ERRONEOUS
mistaken, in error
Example: Hilda was completely unable to assemble her new desk chair after the instructions erroneously instructed her to screw the left armrest onto a small lever on the bottom o f the seat.
ERSTWHILE
former, previous
Example: A novelist and erstwhile insurance salesman, he told us his story of the long road to literary success, before he was able to quit his day job.
(TO) ESCAPE VELOCITY
the minimum velocity that an object must attain in order to completely escape a gravitational field
ESTIMABLE
worthy of esteem, admirable; able to be estimated
Example: As the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review, Barack Obama presented an estimable resume when he ran for president in 2008.
Example: Riding a roller coaster is safer than driving on the highway, but there is still an estimable risk.
ETHOS
the character, personality, or moral values specific to a person, group, time period
Example: At the prep school, the young man happily settled into an ethos of hard work and rigorous athletic competition.
(TO) EXACERBATE
(to) make worse, violent, severe
Example: Allowing your band to practice in our garage has greatly exacerbated my headache.
EXACTING
very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention
Example: The boxing coach was exacting, analyzing Joeys footwork down to the millimeter and forcing him to repeat movements hundreds of times until they were correct.
(TO) EXECUTE
(to) put into effect, do, perform (to execute a process). Execute can also mean enforce, make legal, carry out the terms of a legal agreement. To execute a will is to sign it in the presence of witnesses. To execute the terms o f a contract is to fulfill an obligation written in the contract.
EXHAUSTIVE
comprehensive, tending to exhaust
Example: The consultant s report was an exhaustive treatment of all possible options and their likely consequences. In fact, it was so exhaustive that the manager joked that he would need to hire another consultant to read the first consultant s report.
EXPANSIONIST
wanting to expand, such as by conquering other countries
EXPEDIENT
suitable, proper
Example: When invited to a wedding you cannot attend, it is expedient to send a gift.
EXPLICIT
direct, clear, fully revealed
Example: The goal of my motivational talk is to make explicit the connection between staying in school and avoiding a life of crime.
EXTRANEOUS
irrelevant; foreign
Example: This essay would be stronger if you removed extraneous information; this paragraph about the authors life doesn’t happen to be relevant to your thesis.
Example: Maize, which originated in the New World, is extraneous to Europe.
(TO) EXTRAPOLATE
(to) predict by projecting past experience
Example: No, I’ve never been to Bryn Mawr, but I’ve visited several small, private womens colleges in the Northeast, so I think I can extrapolate.
(TO) FAILIATE
(to) make easier, help the progress of
Example: As a midwife, my goal is simply to facilitate a natural process.
FACTION
a group (especially an exclusive group with strong beliefs, self-interest, bias, etc.) within a larger organization. This word is usually meant in a negative way
Example: The opposition movement was once large enough to have a chance at succeeding, but it has since broken into numerous, squabbling factions, each too small to have much impact.
FACULTY
an ability, often a mental ability
Example: A stroke can often deprive a person of important mental faculties.
FADING
declining
Example: In the face o f fading public support for national health care, the Senator withdrew his support for the bill.
FASHION
manner; way
Example: The watchmaker works in a meticulous fashion, paying incredible attention to detail.
(TO) FATHOM
(to) understand deeply
Example: I cannot even remotely fathom how you interpreted an invitation to sleep on my couch as permission to take my car on a six-hour joyride!
FINDING
the findings refers to a discovery, report, result of an experiment
Example: When the attorneys received the results of the DNA report, they were shocked by the finding that John Doe could not have committed the crime.
FISHY
suspicious, unlikely, questionable
FLEDGLING
New; inexperienced
Example: The Society o f Engineers is available for career day presentations in elementary schools, where we hope to encourage fledgling talents in the applied sciences.
FLEETING
passing quickly, transitory
Example: I had assumed our summer romance would be fleeting, so I was very surprised when you proposed marriage!
(TO) FORESHADOW
(to) indicate; suggest beforehand
Example: Low unemployment may foreshadow wage and price increases.
(TO) FORESTALL
(to) delay, hinder
Example: Our research has been forestalled by a lack of funding; were all just biding our time while we wait for the university to approve our grant proposal.
GLACIAL
slow, unsympathetic
Example: Progress happened, but at a glacial pace everyone found frustrating.
Example: He had wanted to appear on the reality singing competition his whole young life, but he was not encouraged by the judges’ glacial response to his audition.
GRAFT
the act of acquiring money or other benefits through illegal means, especially
by abusing one’s power
Example: It’s not cool for your boss to pressure you into buying Girl Scout cookies from his daughter. If
she were selling something larger, we’d call that graft.
(TO) GRANDSTAND
(to) perform showily in an attempt to impress onlookers
Example: I was really passionate about the candidate when he spoke at our school, but now that I think
about it, he was just grandstanding. I mean, who could disagree that young people are the
future? And doing a cheer for the environment doesn’t actually signify a commitment to changing
any public policies about it.
GUESSWORK
a set of guesses or estimates; work based on guesses or estimates
Example: She had to rely on pure guesswork in deciding how much food to order.
GUILE
cunning
Example: The game o f poker is all about guile, manipulating your own body language and patter to lead
other players to erroneous conclusions about the cards you’re holding.
HALLMARK
a mark of indication of quality, purity, genuineness
Example: Fast-paced rhymes, an angry tenor, and personal attacks on celebrities are hallmarks of Eminem’s
music.
(TO) HANDPICK
(to) pick by hand, to personally select
Example: The retiring CEO handpicked his successor.
(HARDY)
bold, brave, capable of withstanding hardship
Example: While the entire family enjoyed the trip to South America, only the hardier members even
attempted to hike to the top o f Ecuador’s tallest volcano.
(TO) HEARKEN & HARK
(to) pay attention to
hearken back or hark back means to turn
back to something earlier or return to a source
Example: The simple lifestyle and anachronistic dress of the Amish hearken back to an earlier era.
Example: The nation’s first change of leadership in decades is causing the people to hearken closely to
what is happening in government.
(TO) HEDGE
(to) avoid commitment by leaving provisions for withdrawal
Example: When the professor called on him to take a stand on the issue, he hedged for fear of offending
her: “Well, there are valid points on both sides,” he said.
HEGEMONY
domination, authority; influence by a one country over others socially, culturally, economically
Example: The discovery o f oil by a previously poor nation disrupted the larger, richer nation’s hegemony
in the region—suddenly, the hegemon had a competitor.
HETEROGENEOUS
different in type
Example: Rather than build the wall with plain brick, we used a heterogeneous mixture of stones—they
are not only different colors, but a variety of sizes as well.
HIERARCHY
a ranked series; a classification of people according to rank, ability, etc
Example: The Eco-Action Coalition was led by a strict hierarchy — members followed orders from district
leaders, district leaders from regional leaders, and regional leaders from the national head.
HOLDINGS
property, such as land, capital, and stock
Example: The company liquidated its holdings. (the company sold off everything)
HOST
a large amount
Example: They cared for wounded soldiers and performed a host of other duties.
HYPERBOLE
deliberate exaggeration for effect
Example: Oh, come on. Saying “That movie was so bad it made me puke” was surely hyperbole. I
strongly doubt that you actually vomited during or following The Back-up Plan.
ICONOCLAST
attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions
Example: A lifelong iconoclast, Ayn Rand wrote a controversial book entitled The Virtue of Selfishness.
IMMINENT
ready to occur, impending
Example: In the face o f imminent war, the nation looked to Franklin D. Roosevelt for reassurance.
(TO) IMPAIR
(to) make worse, weaken
Example: Playing in a rock band without earplugs will almost certainly impair your hearing over time.
IMPARTIAL
unbiased, fair
Example: Judge Gonzales removed himself from the case because, having a personal connection to the school where the shooting took place, he did not think he could be appropriately impartial
IMPASSE
deadlock
Example: If the union wont budge on its demands and the transit authority wont raise salaries, then we are at an impasse.
(TO) IMPEDE
(to) hold back, obstruct the progress of
Example: I didn’t realize business school would be entirely group work—sadly, there’s always at least one person in every group who impedes the group’s progress more than helps it.
(TO) IMPINGE ON
(to) trespass on, violate
Example: The government’s spending limits will seriously impinge on the education budget.
Example: Civil liberties experts argued that a school systems regulating what its students do on Facebook outside of school is an impingement of their right to free speech.
(TO) IMPLODE
(to) collapse, break down
Example: The startup struggled for years before it simply imploded—the management team broke into factions, all the clients were scared off, and employees who hadn’t been paid in weeks began taking the office computers home with them in retribution.
(TO) IMPLY
(to) hint at, suggest
Example: I’m not implying anything about your cooking, but could we eat out tonight?
(TO) IMPUTE
(to) credit, attribute; lay blame or responsibility for
Example: The ineffectual CEO was nevertheless a master of public relations—he made sure that all successes were imputed to him, and all of the failures were imputed to others.
INADVERTENTLY
accidentally, carelessly, as a side effect
Example: In attempting to perfect his science project, he inadvertently blew a fuse and plunged his family’s home into darkness.
INASMUCH
since, because
(inasmuch as)
Example: Inasmuch as a whale is not a fish, it will not be covered in this biology course specifically about fish.
INCIDENTALLY
accidentally, by the way
Example: The environmental protection law was incidentally injurious to the rubber industry.
Example: I think we should move forward with the new office. Incidentally, there’s a great Mexican restaurant opening up right across the street from it!
(TO) INCINERATE
(to) burn, reduce to ashes
Example: The company is accused of incinerating hazardous waste without a license.
INCONSEQUENTIAL
insignificant, unimportant
Example: You wrote a bestselling book and got a stellar review in the New York Times—whatever your cousin has to say about it is simply inconsequential.
(TO) INCORPORATE
(to) combine, unite, form a legal corporation
Example: When a business incorporates, it becomes a separate legal entity—for instance, the business can declare bankruptcy without the owners doing so.
INDETERMINATE
not fixed, not determined, indefinite
Example: The results of the drug trial were indeterminate; further trials will be needed to ascertain whether the drug can be released.
Example: The lottery can have an indeterminate number of winners— the prize is simply divided among them.
INDICATIVE
indicating, suggestive of
(indicative of)
Example: Your symptoms are indicative of the common cold.
(TO) INDUCE
(to) persuade or influence (a person to do something
Example: They induced her to take the job by offering her a bonus.
INERT
inactive
Example: All o f the missiles at the military museum are inert—they’re not going blow up.
Example: When she saw her fathers inert body on the floor, she thought the worst, but fortunately, he was just practicing very slow yoga.
INEVITABLE
not able to be avoided or escaped
Example: Benjamin Franklin famously said that only two things in life are inevitable: “death and taxes.”
INEXPLICABLE
not able to be explained
Example: For some inexplicable reason, he’s decided to cancel the project.
INEXTRICABLY
in a way such that one cannot untangle or escape something
Example: There’s an inextricable bond between twins.
(TO) INFER
(to) conclude from evidence or premises
Example: He inferred that she was not interested in a relationship from what she said in her letter.
(TO) INFORM
(to) inspire, give substance, essence
Example: Her work as an art historian is informed by a background in drama; where others see a static tableau, she sees a protagonist, a conflict, a denouement.
INGENUITY
inventive skill, imagination, cleverness
Example: Drug smugglers constantly use their ingenuity to find new ways of getting drugs into a country.
INGRAINED
deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence
Example: Religious observance had been ingrained in him since birth; he could not remember a time when he didn’t pray five times a day.
INHERENT
essential quality
Example: New research seems to support the idea that humans have an inherent sense o f justice—even babies become upset at puppet shows depicting unfairness.
INITIAL
first, at the beginning
Example: She failed her driving test on the initial try, but passed the next time.
Example: (initial deposit might be the money you put down to open a new bank)
INORDINATE
excessive, not within proper limits
Example: Students taking practice computer-adaptive tests at home often take an inordinate number of breaks— remember, on the real thing, you cant stop just because you’re tired or hungry.
INSTRUMENTAL
important in causing something to happen
Example: As secretary of state, he was instrumental in the creation of NATO.
INSULAR
detached, standing alone; narrow-minded
Example: The young actress couldn’t wait to escape the insularity of her small town, where life revolved around high school football and Taco Bell was considered exotic international cuisine.
INTERPLAY
interaction, reciprocal relationship or influence
Example: Bilingual readers will enjoy the interplay of English and Spanish in many of the poems in this anthology of the work o f Mexican-American poets.
INTRACTABLE
difficult to control, manage
Example: That student is positively intractable! Last week, we talked about the importance of staying in your seat during the lesson—this week, she not only got up mid-class, but she actually scrambled on top of a bookcase and refused to come down!
Example: Back injuries often result in intractable pain; despite treatment, patients never feel fully cured.
INTERPID
fearless, brave
Example: Intrepid explorers Lewis and Clark led the first U.S. expedition to the West Coast, facing bitter winters and rough terrain.
INTRINSIC
belonging to the essential nature of a thing
Example: Despite all this high-tech safety equipment, skydiving is an intrinsically dangerous proposition.
Example: Communication is intrinsic to a healthy relationship.
(TO) INUNDATE
(to) flood, overwhelm
Example: As the city was inundated with water, the mayor feared that many evacuees would have nowhere to go.
Example: I can t go out—I am inundated with homework!
INVALUABLE
priceless; so valuable that the value cannot be measured
Example: The new job will provide you with invaluable experience.
INVESTITURE
formally giving someone a right or title
Example: The former dean had her academic robes dry cleaned in preparation for her investiture as university president.
INVOLVED
complicated, intricate; confused
Example: The story is quite involved—are you sure you have time for it?
INVULNERABLE
immune to attack; not vulnerable; impossible to damage, injure
Example: The command bunker is virtually invulnerable, even to a nuclear attack.
(TO) JETTISON
(to) discard, cast off; throw items overboard in order to lighten a ship in an emergency
Example: We got so tired while hiking the Appalachian Trail that we jettisoned some o f our fancy camping supplies just so we could keep going.
Example: Sadly, when school budgets are slashed, the first thing jettisoned is usually an art or music program.
JUMBO
unusually large, supersized
JUNCTURE
critical point in time, such as a crisis or a time when a decision is necessary
Example: We are at a critical juncture in the history of this organization: either we can remain a nonprofit, or we can register as a political action committee and try to expand our influence.
(TO) JUXTAPOSE
(to) place side-by-side (either physically or in a metaphorical way, such as to make a comparison)
Example: The exhibition juxtaposes Picasso’s early drawings with some of his later works.
LACKLUSTER
not shiny; dull, mediocre; lacking brilliance or vitality
Example: Many young people today are so accustomed to being praised by parents and adults that they are shocked when a lackluster effort in the workplace receives the indifference or mild disapproval it deserves.
LANDMARK
object (such as a building) that stands out and can be used to navigate by; a very important place, event
Example: The Civil Rights Act o f 1964 was a landmark in the battle for equality.
Example: In Lebanon, many roads are unmarked, and people navigate by landmarks—for instance, “third house down from the water tower.”
LATENT
potential; existing but not visible or active
Example: Certain experts believe that some people have a genetic propensity for addiction; however, if
such a person never comes into contact with drugs, the propensity for addiction can remain
latent for life.
LAX
not strict; careless, loose, slack
Example: My parents were really lax about homework—they never checked to see if I did it or not.
LAYPERSON/LAYPEOPLE
regular people, non-specialists
Example: The doctor s books were so successful because he was able to explain complicated medical concepts
in colloquial language for the layperson.
(TO) LEVY
(to) collect tax from, wage war on
Example: When England levied yet another tax on the colonists, the colonists were pushed one further
step towards levying war. Soon, the worried British began to levy troops.
(TO) LIFT
(to) remove (such as a restriction); improve or lighten (such as a person’s mood)
Example: If the city government lifts the water rationing restrictions, we’ll be able to hold a car wash.
LIKEWISE
also, in addition to; similarly, in the same way
Example: Chip was baffled by all the silverware set before him, so when his host began eating salad with
the smallest, leftmost fork, Chip did likewise.
(TO) LOG
(to) keep a record of, write down
Example: Lawyers who bill by the hour have to be sure to log all the time they spend on every clients
case.
MACHINATIONS
crafty schemes or plots
Example: It s cute to think that teen idols became famous because their talent was simply so great that
the music industry reached out to them, but usually, any teen idol is the product o f intense
coaching and parental machinations.
MAGNATE
very important or influential person, especially in business
Example: Many students pursue MBAs in hopes of becoming wealthy and powerful magnates; some students
never quite make it there, instead spending their careers staring at spreadsheets and taking
orders from magnates.
MAKESHIFT
improvised, relating to a temporary substitute
Example: Lost in the woods for over 24 hours, the children were eventually found sleeping under a
makeshift tent made from branches and old plastic bags.
MALLEABLE
able to be bent, shaped, or adapted (also mean physically
bendable, or metaphorically bendable, as in “easily influenced or shaped by others.”)
Example: The more malleable the material, the easier it is to bend into jewelry—and the easier it is to
damage that jewelry.
Example: My mother is a little too malleable—she said she liked all the things her first husband liked,
and now she says she likes all the things her second husband likes.
MANIFEST
obvious, apparent, perceptible to the eye (adj.) or to become obvious, apparent
Example: Lupus is difficult to diagnose, but sometimes manifests as muscular weakness or joint pain.
(TO) MAX OUT
(to) take to the limit (in a good or a bad way)
Example: The air conditioner was maxed out, but it still felt hot in the car.
MAXIM
a general truth or fundamental principle
Example: My favorite maxim is “Seize the day!”
MERCURIAL
quickly and unpredictably changing moods; fickle, flighty
Example: Its tough being married to someone so mercurial. I do pretty much the same thing every
day—some days, she thinks Ym great, and other days, the exact same behaviors make her inexplicably
angry.
MIRED
stuck, entangled
Example: Mired in her predecessor s mess and mistakes, the new CEO found it difficult to take the company
in a new direction.
MODEST
humble; simple rather than showy; decent
Example: The reporter was surprised that the celebrity lived in such a modest house, one that looked
just like every other plain, two-story house on the block.
MORES
customs, manners, or morals of a particular group
Example: An American in Saudi Arabia should study the culture beforehand so as to avoid violating conservative
cultural mores.
NARRATIVE
story, report
NONTRIVIAL
important
Example: The chief o f staff told the assembled doctors, “We all make mistakes. But this mistake was
nontrivial, and there is going to be an investigation.”
NOSTALGIA
longing for the past
Example: The retail store Urban Outfitters uses nostalgia as a marketing strategy, branding many products
with cartoon characters popular 10-20 years ago. Sure enough, many adult women do
want to buy Jem or Spongebob t-shirts and lip balm.
NUANCES
subtle differences in tone, meaning, expression
Example: People with certain cognitive disabilities cannot understand the nuances of non-literal speech.
For instance, “You can come if you want to, but it’s really going to be mostly family” really
means that you shouldn’t try to come.
OFFHAND
casual, informal; done without preparation or forethought, brusque
Example: I was pretty happy with my salary until my coworker Deena mentioned offiiandedly that she
was thinking about buying a house now that she made six figures.
(TO) OFFSET/ OFFSET
(to) counteract, compensate for, compensation
Example: Property taxes did go up this year, but we didn’t really suffer because the hit to our finances
was offset by a reduction in fees paid to our homeowners association.
OLIGARCHY
government by the few, especially by a class or a small group or clique
(TO) OMIT
(to) remove, delete, take out
Example: I’d be upset if my name were omitted from the list of contributors.
OPTIMAL
best, most desirable or favorable
(TO) OUTSTRIP
(to) surpass, exceed
Example: Our sales figures this quarter have outstripped those of any other quarter in the company’s history.
(TO) REVAMP
(to) renovate, redo, revise
Example: I have my whole room decorated in Twilight: Eclipse paraphernalia. When Breaking Dawn
comes out, I will surely have to revamp my decor.
PARADIGM
model or pattern; worldview; set of shared assumptions, values
Example: Far from being atypically bawdy, this limerick is a paradigm of the form—nearly all o f them
rely on off-color jokes.
PARADOX
contradiction
Example: Kayla was always bothering the youth minister with her paradoxes, such as “If God is all-powerfiil,
can He make a burrito so big He can’t eat it?”
PARAGON
model of excellence, perfect example
Example: Unlike his sister, he was a paragon o f responsibility, taking in her three children when she
went to jail, and even switching jobs so he could be there to pick them up from school.
PARTIAL
Biased, prejudiced, favoring one over others; having a special liking for something or someone
Example: Although I grew up in New York, I’ve always been partial to country music.
Example: His lawyers are appealing on the grounds that the judge was partial to the plaintiff, even playing
golf with the plaintiff during the trial.
