Word List 20 Flashcards
incontrovertible
not open to question; indisputable
e.g. incontrovertible facts that left the jury with no choice but to convict
incorrigible
incapable of being corrected or amended
e.g. an incorrigible habit of playing practical jokes
incorruptible
not subject to decay or dissolution
incapable of being bribed or morally corrupted
venal
capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration; purchasable; especially, open to corrupt influence and especially bribery; mercenary
originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery
e.g. That judge is known for being venal and easily bought.
a venal arrangement with the police
incredulous
unwilling to admit or accept what is offered as true; not credulous; skeptical
too extraordinary and improbable to be believed; incredible
expressing incredulity
e.g. She listened to his explanation with an incredulous smile.
incriminate
to charge with or show evidence or proof of involvement in a crime or fault
e.g. In exchange for a reduced sentence, the thief agreed to incriminate his accomplice.
incubation
the period between the infection of an individual by a pathogen and the manifestation of the illness or disease it causes; incubation period
incubus
an evil spirit that lies on persons in their sleep
a frightening dream that usually awakens the sleeper; nightmare
one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare
inculcate
to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions
e.g. The teacher inculcated in her students the importance of good study habits.
incumbent
the holder of an office or ecclesiastical benefice
one that occupies a particular position or place
imposed as duty; obligatory
having the status of an incumbent
lying or resting on something else
e.g. Voters will have the chance to see the incumbent and her opponent in a series of three debates.
It is incumbent upon you to attend every staff meeting.
the team’s incumbent third baseman
recumbent
suggestive of repose; leaning, resting
representing a person lying down
e.g. The Egyptian sphinx has the body of a recumbent lion.
incur
to become liable or subject to; bring down upon oneself
e.g. incur expenses
What did he do to incur such wrath?
indebted
owing gratitude or recognition to another; beholden
owing money
e.g. thereafter forever felt indebted to the producer for giving her her lucky break
indefatigable
incapable of being fatigued; untiring
e.g. a person of indefatigable patience
an indefatigable laborer who can work from sunrise to sunset
indelible
that cannot be removed, washed away, or erased
making marks that cannot easily be removed
lasting; unforgettable, memorable
e.g. Winning the state basketball championship was our team’s most indelible experience.
an indelible pencil
indemnify
to secure against hurt, loss, or damage
to make compensation to for incurred hurt, loss, or damage
e.g. The company generously indemnifies workers who are injured on the job.
indemnity
security against hurt, loss, or damage; exemption from incurred penalties or liabilities
e.g. an agreement providing indemnity against prosecution
pay $2 million in indemnities
indent
to notch the edge of; make jagged
to bind (as an apprentice) by or as if by indentures
to force inward so as to form a depression
indenture
a contract binding one person to work for another for a given period of time
indentation
indict
to charge with a fault or offense; criticize, accuse
to charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a jury in due form of law
e.g. A grand jury could indict the mayor for fraud and embezzlement.
indigence
a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking
e.g. There are various state and federal programs to help relieve indigence.
indigenous
produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment
innate, inborn
e.g. indigenous plants/culture
indigent
suffering from extreme poverty; impoverished
e.g. The clinic provides free care for indigent patients.
indignant
feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy; filled with or marked with indignation
e.g. became indignant at the accusations
indignity
an act that offends against a person’e dignity or self-respect; insult
humiliating treatment
e.g. He remembers all the indignities he had suffer in the early years of his career.
indispensable
not subject to being set aside or neglected
e.g. Full aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth.
indoctrinate
to instruct especially in fundamentals or rudiment; teach
to imbue with a usually partisan or sectarian opinion, point of view, or principle
e.g. The goal should be to teach politics, rather than to indoctrinate students in a narrow set of political beliefs.
indolent
causing little or no pain; slow to develop or heal
averse to activity, effort, or movement; habitually lazy
conducive to or encouraging laziness
showing an inclination to laziness
e.g. indolent tumors/ulcers
an indolent boy who had to be forced to help out with the chores
indolent heat
an indolent sigh
indubitable
too evident to be doubted; unquestionable
e.g. the indubitable fact that there are no more woolly mammoths or saber-toothed tigers around
induct
to put in formal possession; install
to admit as a member; introduce, initiate
lead, conduct
e.g. inducted as president of the college
inducted into a scholastic society
indurate
physically or morally hardened
to make unfeeling, stubborn, or obdurate
to make hard or hardy; inure
to establish firmly; confirm
e.g. an indurate heart that admits no love or mercy
clay that had been indurated by long exposure to the summer sun
Such a brutal upbringing could only callous his soul and indurate his heart to the suffering of others.
industrious
constantly, regularly, or habitually active or occupied; diligent
ineffable
incapable of being expressed in words; indescribable
not to be uttered; taboo
e.g. an ineffable beauty descends upon the canyon as the sun begins to set
the ineffable name of Jehovah
ineffectual
not producing the proper or intended effect; futile
not capable of performing efficiently or as expected; ineffective
e.g. An ineffectual effort to find the trail again did at least lead them to another stunning view of the canyon.
ineluctable
not to be avoided, changed, or resisted; inevitable
e.g. The ineluctable approach of winter had many worried about the cost of heating their homes.
inept
lacking in fitness or aptitude; unfit
lacking sense or reason; foolish
not suitable to the time, place, or occasion; inappropriate often to an absurd degree
e.g. inept at sports
an inept metaphor
He made an inept attempt to apologize.
inequity
injustice, unfairness; also, an instance of such
e.g. the inequities in wages paid to men and women
The inequity of the punishment led many people to believe that the defendant was being punished for his political beliefs.
inexorable
not to be persuaded, moved, or stopped; relentless
e.g. the inexorable rise of a political movement
inexplicable
incapable of being explained, interpreted, or accounted for
e.g. an inexplicable desire for ice cream at two in the morning
infantry
soldiers trained, armed, and equipped to fight on foot
a branch of an army composed of these soldiers
an infantry regiment or division
infatuate
to cause to be foolish; deprive of sound judgment
to inspire with a foolish or extravagant love or admiration
odium
the state or fact or being subjected to hatred and contempt as a result of a despicable act or blameworthy circumstance
hatred and condemnation accompanied by loathing or contempt; detestation
disrepute or infamy attached to something; opprobrium
e.g. Time did nothing to diminish the odium in which the traitor lived out his days.
infelicitous
not appropriate or well-timed
awkward, unfortunate
e.g. an infelicitous comment on the weight of the guest of honor at the banquet
infest
to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner
to live in or on as a parasite
e.g. a slum infested with crime
shark-infested water
In desperation, we called in an exterminator because the house was infested with ants.
festinate
hasty
e.g. a most festinate preparation
infirm
of poor or deteriorated vitality; especially, feeble from age
weak of mind, will, or character; irresolute, vacillating
not solid or stable; insecure
e.g. The clinic provides free care for elderly and infirm people who lack health insurance.
inflame
to excite to excessive or uncontrollable action or feeling; especially, to make angry
to make more heated or violent; intensify
to set on fire; kindle
to cause to redden or grow hot from anger or excitement
e.g. His angry speech inflamed the mob.
ideas that inflame imagination
a face inflamed with passion
conflate
to bring together; fuse
confuse
to combine (as two readings or a text) into a composite whole
e.g. Be careful not to conflate gossip with real news.
The movie conflates documentary footage and dramatized reenactments so seamlessly and ingeniously that viewers may not know what is real and what is not.
informed
having information
based on possession of information
educated, knowledgeable
e.g. Informed sources told us of the new policy.
an informed opinion/choice
what the informed person should know
infraction
the act of infringing; violation
e.g. Speeding is only a minor infraction, but vehicular homicide is a serious felony.
refractory
resisting control or authority; stubborn, unmanageable
resistant to treatment or care; unresponsive to stimulus
immune, insusceptible
difficult to fuse, corrode, or draw out; especially, capable of enduring high temperature
e.g. Believing that rules are only for other people, he’s been refractory virtually his entire life.
refractory to infection
infringe
to encroach upon in a way that violets law or the rights of another
e.g. infringe a patent
infuse
to cause to be permeated with something
inspire, animate
e.g. infuse the team with confidence
the sense of purpose that infuses scientific research
ingenious
having or showing an unusual aptitude for discovering, inventing, or contriving
marked by originality, resourcefulness, and cleverness in conception or execution
e.g. an ingenious plot/detective/contraption
ingenue
a naive girl or young woman
the stage role of an ingenue; also, an actress playing such a role
ingenuity
- ingenious
e.g. She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs.
It will take considerable ingenuity to fix these problems.
ingenuous
showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness
lacking craft or subtlety
e.g. her ingenuous thirst for experience
ingrained
worked into the grain or fiber
forming a part of the essence or inmost being; deep-seated
e.g. ingrained distrust of all authority
ingratiate
to gain favor or favorable acceptance for by deliberate effort (usually used with with)
e.g. ingratiate themselves with the community leaders
ingratiating
capable of winning favor; pleasing
intended or adopted in order to gain favor; flattering
e.g. an ingratiating smile
inimical
being adverse often by reason of hostility or malevolence
having the disposition of an enemy; hostile
reflecting or indicating hostility; unfriendly
e.g. forces inimical to democracy
inimical factions
his father’s inimical glare
inimitable
not capable of being imitated; matchless
e.g. an inimitable performer of violin solos
inimitable style
iniquitous
very unfair or evil
e.g. zero tolerance at the academy for cheating and other iniquitous practices
iniquity
gross injustice; wickedness
a wicked act or thing; sin
e.g. The use of illegal narcotics is not only a destroyer or personal health but also an iniquity that undermines our society.
a nation still struggling with the aftereffects of the iniquity of slavery
rectitude
the quality or state of being straight
moral integrity; righteousness
the quality or state of being correct in judgment or procedure
e.g. encouraged the graduates to go on to live lives of unimpeachable rectitude and integrity
a finely honed sense of rectitude that keeps him from cheating on exams
injunction
the act or an instance of enjoining; order, admonition
a writ granted by a court of equity whereby one is required to do or to refrain from doing a specified act
e.g. In the cult there were injunctions for and against everything, as nothing was a matter of personal choice.
enjoin
to direct or impose by authoritative order or with urgent admonition
forbid, prohibit
e.g. enjoined us to be careful
He was enjoined by his conscience from telling a lie.
injurious
inflicting or tending to inflict injury; detrimental
abusive, defamatory
e.g. an injurious effect
inkling
a slight indication or suggestion; hint, clue
a slight knowledge or vague notion
e.g. He did not give the slightest inkling that he was planning to quit.
She had not the faintest inkling of what it was all about.
natality
the ratio between births and individuals in a specified population and time; birthrate
innocuous
producing no injury; harmless
not likely to give offense or to arouse strong feelings or hostility; inoffensive, insipid
e.g. a few innocuous jokes
those innocuous lies we must tell every day if society is to remain civil
innuendo
an oblique allusion; hint, insinuation; especially, a veiled or equivocal reflection on character or reputation
the use of such allusions
e.g. His reputation has been damaged by innuendos about his drinking and gambling.
The movie relies on sexual innuendo for its humor.
endogenous
caused by factors inside the organism or system
produced or synthesized within the organism or system
e.g. suffered from endogenous depression
endogenous business cycles
an endogenous hormone
inoculate
to introduce a microorganism into
to introduce immunologically active material into
to introduce something into the mind of
e.g. inoculated the with the idea that the individual can always make a difference in this world
inordinate
exceeding reasonable limits; immoderate
e.g. an inordinate amount of time
inquisitive
given to examination or investigation
inclined to ask questions; especially, inordinately or improperly curious about the affairs of others
e.g. an inquisitive woman who tends to everybody’s business but her own
inquisition
the act of inquiring; examination
an investigation conducted with little regard to individual rights
e.g. His political enemies were conducting an inquisition into the details of his personal life.
inroad
a sudden hostile incursion; raid
an advance or penetration often at the expense of someone or something (oft. pl.)
e.g. The army is finally making inroads into enemy territory.
inscribe
to write, engrave, or print as a lasting record
to enter on a list; enroll
to dedicate to someone
to draw within a figure so as to touch in as many places as possible
e.g. inscribe the monument with the soldier’s names
a regular polygon inscribed in a circle
inscrutable
not readily investigated, interpreted, or understood; mysterious
e.g. an inscrutable smile
inscrutable motives
insensate
lacking sense or understanding; also, foolish
lacking animate awareness or sensation
lacking humane feeling; brutal
e.g. the belief that God is immanent in all things, even insensate objects
an insensate boss who refuses to allow time off for funerals
insentient
lacking perception, consciousness, or animation
e.g. the belief that the universe as we know it evolved from the random interactions of insentient particles
an insentient therapist who failed to see what the teenager’s real problem was
insidious
awaiting a chance to entrap; treacherous
harmful but enticing; seductive
having a gradual and cumulative effect; subtle
e.g. the insidious pressures of modern life
insignia
a badge of authority or honor
a distinguishing mark or sign
e.g. jackets with school’s insignia on the front
insinuate
to introduce (as an idea) gradually or in a subtle, indirect, or covert way to impart or suggest in an artful or indirect way; imply
e.g. Years were needed for an agent to insinuate himself into the terrorist organization
Are you insinuating that I won by cheating?
insipid
lacking taste or savor; tasteless
lacking in qualities that interest, stimulate, or challenge; dull, flat
e.g. insipid soup
insipid prose
insolent
insultingly contemptuous in speech or conduct; overbearing
exhibiting boldness or effrontery; impudent
e.g. an appalling insolent reply to a reasonable request
insoluble
having or admitting of no solution or explanation
e.g. the seemingly insoluble mystery concerning the identity of the people who built these ancient structures
insolvency
the fact or state of being insolvent; inability to pay debts
e.g. Unless the economy improves, many resorts in the area face insolvency.
somniferous
causing or tending to cause sleep; soporific
e.g. a somniferous enumeration of details that I could have done without
somnolent
of a kind likely to induce sleep
inclined to or heavy with sleep; drowsy
sleepy
e.g. somnolent students on a very hot day
the somnolent hum of insects in the grass
forestall
to exclude, hinder, or prevent by prior occupation or measures
to get ahead of; anticipate
e.g. His comments were meant to forestall criticism of his proposal.
instate
to set or establish in a rank or office; install
e.g. The new secretary of the treasury was instated on Monday.
instigate
to goad or urge forward; provoke
e.g. The government has instigated an investigation into the cause of the accident.
instill
to cause to enter drop by drop
to impart gradually
e.g. instill medication into the infected eye
a charismatic who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause
institute
to establish in a position or office
to organize and get established; organize
to set going; inaugurate
e.g. They have instituted new policies to increase public safety.
restitution
a restoration of something to its rightful owner
a making good of or giving an equivalent for some injury
a legal action serving to cause restoration of a previous state
e.g. the restitution of her stolen property
make restitution to the victim
abrogate
to abolish by authoritative action; annul
to treat as nonexistent
e.g. The company’s directors are accused of abrogating their responsibilities.
The Congress can abrogate old treaties that are unfair.
institutionalize
to make into an institution; give character of an institution to; especially, to incorporate into an structured and often highly formalized system
to put in the care of an institution
e.g. institutionalized housing
It will take time to institutionalize these reforms.
institutionalized alcoholics
instrumental
serving as a crucial means, agent, or tool
e.g. … was instrumental in organizing the strike.
