Word List

1. ABASE to humiliate; degrade
2. ABATE to lesson; diminish
3. ABET to aid; encourage
4. ABHOR to hate
5. ABOMINATE to abhor
6. ABROGATE to abolish
7. ABSCOND to flee secretly
8. ABSOLVE to pardon
9. ABSTRUSE hard to understand; recondite
10. ACCRUE to accumulate
11. AGGRANDIZE to enlarge
12. AGILITY quickness; nimbleness
13. AGNOSTIC one who believes God is unknowable
14. AGRARIAN pertaining to farming
15. ALACRITY liveliness

2

1. ALLAY to reduce the intensity of; to calm
2. ALLEGORY narrative using figurative language
3. ALLOCATE to set aside; to apportion
4. ALLUDE to refer to indirectly
5. ALTERCATION angry dispute
6. ALTRUISM unselfish devotion
7. AMELIORATE to improve
8. AMIABLE pleasant; kind
9. AMNESTY pardon
10. ACERBITY bitterness, severity
11. ACRIMONY acerbity
12. ADAMANT immovable; unyielding
13. ADJUDICATE to decide (a case)
14. ADJUNCT assistant
15. ADMONISH to warn

3

1. ADROIT skillful
2. ADULATION praise
3. ADVOCATE to recommend
4. AESTHETIC pertaining to beauty
5. AFFABLE friendly; courteous
6. AFFINITY attraction
7. AFFLUENCE wealth
8. AFFRONT insult
9. ANACHRONISM something out of its proper time
10. ANARCHY absence of government
11. ANATHEMA ban; curse
12. ANIMOSITY hatred
13. ANOMALY irregularity; straying from the norm
14. ANTIPATHY dislike
15. ANTIPODES opposite side of the earth

4

1. ANTITHESIS direct opposite
2. APATHY indifference; lack of interest
3. APHORISM brief statement; proverb
4. APLOMB self-confidence
5. APPALL to terrify; to shock
6. ARCHAIC no longer in use
7. ARDUOUS difficult
8. ARREARS (in arrears) in debt
9. ARTICULATE (adj.) distinct; (V) to express clearly
10. ARTIFICE trickery
11. ASCENDANT rising
12. ASPERSION slanderous remark
13. ASSAY to analyze chemically; to test
14. ASSIDUITY care; diligence
15. ASSUAGE to make less severe; to calm

5

1. ASTUTE shrewd
2. ATHEIST one who denies existence of God
3. ATROPHY to waste away
4. ATTEST to confirm
5. AUDACIOUS bold
6. AUGMENT to increase
7. AUGUR to predict
8. AUGUST majestic; imposing
9. AUSPICES protection
10. AUSPICIOUS favorable
11. AUSTERITY severity
12. AUTOCRATIC arrogant
13. AUTONOMY self-government
14. AVARICE greed
15. BADGER to harass; to nag

6

1. BANAL meaningless; commonplace
2. BELLICOSE warlike
3. BENIGNANT kindly; gentle
4. BICKER to quarrel
5. BIENNIAL occurring every two years
6. BLAND mild
7. BLATANT objectionably
8. BLITHE carefree
9. BLUSTER to speak boastfully
10. BOTCH to ruin through clumsiness
11. BOURGEOIS pertaining to the middle class
12. BROACH to introduce a topic
13. BRUSQUE abrupt in manner
14. BUFFOON clown
15. BURNISH to polish

7

1. CAJOLE to coax
2. CALUMNY a false accusation; a slander
3. CAPITULATE to surrender
4. CAPRICE an impulsive change of mind
5. CAPTIOUS finding fault
6. CAPTIVATE to fascinate
7. CAREEN to swerve
8. CARP to complain constantly
9. CASTIGATE to punish
10. CATHARTIC cleansing
11. CAVIL to quibble
12. CENSURE to criticize sharply
13. CHAFF worthless matter
14. CHAGRIN embarrassment
15. CHARLATAN faker

8

1. CHIDE to scold
2. CLANDESTINE secret
3. COERCE to force
4. COGENT convincing
5. COGITATION act of reflecting; meditation
6. COGNATE related
7. COGNIZANT aware
8. COLLATE to put together in proper order
9. COLLUSION secret agreement to defraud another
10. COMMENSURATE proportionate
11. COMMODIOUS spacious
12. COMPASSION pity for distress of another
13. COMPLACENT content
14. COMPUNCTION uneasiness; remorse
15. CONCLAVE secret meeting

9

1. CONCOMITANT accompanying
2. CONDOLENCE expression of sympathy
3. CONGENITAL existing at birth but not inherited
4. CONGRUENT agreeing
5. CONJECTURE to guess; to suppose
6. CONNOTE to suggest; to imply
7. CONSTERNATION sudden confusion; panic
8. CONSTRICT to constrain; bind
9. CONTIGUOUS adjacent; touching
10. CONTINGENT conditional; dependent; possible but not certain
11. CONTUMELY rudeness
12. CONUNDRUM riddle
13. CONVIVIAL sociable; jovial
14. CONVOKE to call together
15. COPIOUS abundant

10

1. COROLLARY inference; result
2. CORPULENT fat
3. CORROBORATE to strengthen; to confirm
4. COVERT concealed; secret
5. COWER to cringe in fear
6. CREDIBLE believable
7. CULPABLE deserving blame
8. CURSORY superficial
9. DANK chilly and wet
10. DAUNT to discourage
11. DEBASE to lower in rank
12. DEBAUCH to corrupt
13. DEBILITY weakness
14. DECREPIT weakened by age
15. DEFERENCE respect

11

1. DELETERIOUS harmful
2. DELINEATE to describe
3. DEMEANOR behavior
4. DEMURE shy
5. DEPLORE to regret
6. DEPRAVED sinful
7. DEPRECATE to disapprove of
8. DERISION ridicule
9. DESIST (desist from) to stop doing something
10. DESULTORY disconnected; rambling
11. DICHOTOMY division into two parts
12. DIDACTIC instructive
13. DIFFIDENT lacking confidence
14. DIGRESS to stray from the main subject
15. DILEMMA difficult situation

12

1. DILIGENT industrious
2. DISCONCERT to disturb
3. DISCONSOLATE without hope
4. DISDAIN to scorn
5. DISPARAGE to belittle
6. DISPARITY difference
7. DISSEMINATE to spread widely
8. DISSIDENT disagreeing
9. DIVEST to deprive
10. DOCILE easy to handle; submissive
11. DOGGEREL poorly written verse
12. DOGMATIC dictatorial
13. DOLOROUS mournful
14. DOLT stupid person
15. DORMANT asleep; temporarily inactive

13

1. DOUR gloomy
2. DUCTILE easily molded
3. DULCET pleasing to the ear; melodious
4. DUPLICITY deception
5. DURESS constraint
6. EBULLIENT enthusiastic
7. ECLECTIC selecting the best from various sources

8. ECSTATIC extremely happy
9. EFFERVESCENT bubbling; vivacious
10. EFFRONTERY impudence
11. EGREGIOUS outrageous
12. EMACIATE to make thin
13. EMULATE to try to equal or excel
14. ENERVATE to weaken
15. ENNUI boredom

14

1. ENSCONCE to place securely; to conceal
2. ENTITY something that exists independently
3. EQUANIMITY calmness
4. EQUIVOCATE to mislead by using ambiguous language
5. ERUDITE very learned
6. ESCHEW to avoid
7. ESOTERIC for a select few
8. ETHEREAL airy; delicate
9. EULOGY praise for a dead person
10. EXPIATE to atone for
11. EXTANT in existence
12. EXTOL to praise highly
13. EXTRADITE to surrender a prisoner to another authority
14. EXTRANEOUS not belonging
15. EXTRICATE to free

15

1. FABRICATE to construct; to devise (a deception)
2. FACADE front part of a building; false front
3. FACETIOUS humorous; flippant
4. FACILE easy
5. FACTITIOUS artificial
6. FASTIDIOUS hard to please
7. FATUOUS foolish
8. FEASIBLE capable of being accomplished; possible
9. FELICITY great happiness
10. FERVENT emotional; ardent
11. FLAGRANT notorious; shocking
12. FLAMBOYANT showy
13. FLAUNT to show off
14. FOIBLE minor weakness
15 FRUGAL thrifty

16

1. FURTIVE stealthy; foxy
2. GAMUT entire range
3. GARRULOUS talkative
4. GLIB fluent; smooth
5. GREGARIOUS sociable
6. HEINOUS hateful; abominable
7. ICONOCLAST destroyer of images
8. IGNOMINIOUS shameful
9. IMMUTABLE unchangeable
10. IMPALPABLE vague; not understandable
11. IMPECUNIOUS penniless; poor
12. INDIGENT poor
13. INDOLENT lazy
14. INEXORABLE unyielding
15. INHERENT inborn

17

1. INIQUITOUS unjust
2. INNATE inherent
3. INNOCUOUS harmless
4. INSIDIOUS treacherous
5. INSIPID dull
6. INTREPID fearless
7. INTRINSIC essential
8. INVEIGLE to entice
9. INVIDIOUS causing ill will; offensive
10. IRASCIBLE easily angered
11. JOCOSE joking; humorous
12. JUXTAPOSE to place side by side
13. LACONIC using few words; concise
14. LANGUID lacking in spirit or interest
15. LATENT hidden; dormant

18

1. LETHARGIC sluggish
2. LITHE bending easily; flexible
3. LITIGATION lawsuit
4. LOQUACIOUS talkative
5. LUCID shining; easily understood
6. LUDICROUS ridiculous
7. LUGUBRIOUS mournful
8. MACHIAVELLIAN crafty; cunning
9. MAGNANIMOUS generous; noble
10. MALEVOLENT wishing evil; malicious
11. MALIGN to slander
12. MALINGER to pretend sickness
13. MAUDLIN tearfully sentimental
14. MAXIM short statement of a general truth
15. MENDACIOUS untruthful

19

1. MENIAL servile; low
2. MERETRICIOUS showily attractive; tawdry
3. METAMORPHOSIS change of form
4. METAPHYSICS philosophy that is subtle and hard to understand
5. METE to allot
6. MICROCOSM world in miniature
7. MISANTHROPE hater of mankind
8. MOLLIFY to appease
9. MORIBUND dying
10. MUNDANE worldly; earthly
11. MYRIAD very great number
12. NARCISSISTIC self-love
13. NEBULOUS vague; indistinct
14. NEFARIOUS extremely wicked
15. NEOPHYTE beginner; convert

20

1. NIGGARDLY stingy
2. NURTURE to feed; to bring up
3. OBDURATE stubborn
4. OBEISANCE show of respect
5. OBSCURE not clear
6. OBSEQUIOUS overly submissive
7. OBSTREPEROUS noisy; boisterous
8. OBTUSE stupid
9. OBVIATE to prevent
10. ODIOUS hateful; disgusting
11. OFFICIOUS meddlesome
12. OMINOUS threatening
13. OPPROBRIOUS shameful
14. OPULENCE wealth
15. OSTENTATIOUS pretentious

21

1. OSTRACIZE to banish
2. OVERT not concealed
3. PALATABLE tasty
4. PALPABLE obvious
5. PANACEA cure-all
6. PARADOX seemingly absurd statement that is nevertheless true
7. PARAGON model of excellence
8. PARITY equality
9. PARODY humorous imitation
10. PARSIMONY stinginess
11. PECUNIARY monetary; financial
12. PEDANT one who possesses mere book learning; narrow-minded teacher
13. PERDITION hell
14. PEREMPTORY dictatorial; unconditional
15. PERENNIAL continual; enduring

22

1. PERFIDIOUS treacherous
2. PERFUNCTORY mechanical ; indifferent
3. PERNICIOUS destructive
4. PERPETUATE to cause to continue
5. PERSPECTIVE relation of parts to one another and to the whole
6. PERT bold; saucy
7. PERUSE to read with thoroughness
8. PERVADE to go or spread throughout
9. PETULANCE impatient irritation
10. PHILISTINE lacking in culture; commonplace
11. PHLEGMATIC sluggish
12. PIQUANT stimulating to the taste; exciting interest
13. PIQUE to irritate
14. PITHY terse
15. PLACATE to pacify

23

1. PLACID calm
2. PLAGIARISM claiming another's work as one's own
3. PLATONIC purely spiritual; not sensual
4. POIGNANT piercing
5. PORTEND to warn; to foreshadow
6. POSTERITY succeeding generations
7. POTPOURRI mixture
8. PRAGMATIC practical
9. PRATE to talk much and to little purpose
10. PRECLUDE to shut out
11. PREDILECTION preference
12. PREROGATIVE privilege
13. PRISTINE pert. to earliest period; unspoiled
14. PROCRASTINATE to delay
15. PRODIGIOUS extraordinary in size; force, etc.

24

1. PROFLIGATE shamelessly immoral; extremely wasteful
2. PROFUSE overabundant
3. PROGENY descendants
4. PROGNOSTICATE to forecast
5. PROLETARIAN worker; citizen of lowest class
6. PROMONTORY peak of high land jutting out over water
7. PROPENSITY tendency
8. PROPINQUITY nearness
9. PROPITIOUS favorable
10. PROSAIC commonplace; dull

25

1. PROSODY study of poetic meters and versification
2. PROTOTYPE original or model
3. PSEUDONYM assumed name to conceal identity
4. PSYCHE soul; spirit; mind
5. PULCHRITUDE beauty
6. PUNDIT learned man
7. PUNGENT sharply penetrating
8. PURLOIN to steal
9. PURPORT to give the appearance of
10. QUALM misgiving
11. QUERULOUS complaining
12. RANCOR hatred
13. REBUKE to reprimand; to blame
14. RECALCITRANT not obedient
15. RECIPROCAL interchangeable

26

1. RECONDITE concealed; profound
2. RECONNOITER to survey a region
3. RECTITUDE honesty
4. REDOLENT fragrant
5. REMONSTRATE to protest
6. REMUNERATION compensation
7. REPRISAL retaliation
8. REPROACH blame
9. REPROBATE villain
10. RESPITE delay
11. RETICENCE silence
12. RETRIBUTION retaliation; revenge
13. REVILE to abuse; to slander
14. RIBALD indecent; vulgar
15. ROBUST brawny; vigorous

27

1. ROTUND round
2. RUDIMENTARY elementary; undeveloped
3. SAGACITY wisdom
4. SALACIOUS lewd; obscene
5. SALIENT important; conspicuous
6. SALUBRIOUS wholesome
7. SANGUINE optimistic
8. SAPIENT wise
9. SARDONIC derisive; sneering
10. SATURNINE gloomy; very serious
11. SCATHING bitterly severe
12. SCHISM split; discord
13. SCINTILLATE sparkle
14. SCOFF ridicule
15. SCRUTINIZE to examine closely

28

1. SCURRILOUS abusive; coarse
2. SECULAR wordly; nonreligious
3. SEDENTARY inactive
4. SEDITION rebellion
5. SEDULOUS industrious
6. SEETHE to boil; to be disturbed
7. SHUNT to turn aside
8. SKEPTIC one who doubts
9. SLOTHFUL idle; lazy
10. SOLILOQUY talking when alone
11. SOMBER dark; gloomy
12. SOMNOLENT drowsy; sleepy
13. SONOROUS loud; resonant
14. SORDID vile; dirty
15. SPECIOUS misleading

29

1. SPORADIC infrequent; irregular
2. SPURIOUS counterfeit; false
3. STAID sedate; serious
4. STILTED pompous
5. STOICISM repression of emotion
6. STOLID having little emotion; impassive
7. STRIDENT harsh-sounding
8. SUBJUGATE to conquer
9. SUBSERVIENT inferior; humble
10. SUCCINCT concise
11. SUCCOR to aid
12. SUCCULENT full of juice
13. SUPERCILIOUS haughty; arrogant
14. SUPERSEDE to replace
15. SUPPLE flexible

30

1. SURREPTITIOUS acting in a secret, stealthy way
2. SURVEILANCE supervision
3. SUSTENANCE nourishment
4. SYCOPHANT flatterer; parasite
5. TACIT silent
6. TACITURN almost always silent
7. TANGIBLE capable of being touched; perceptible
8. TANTAMOUNT equivalent
9. TAWNY yellowish-brown
10. TEMERITY foolish boldness
11. TEMPORAL lasting only for a certain time; temporary
12. TENACITY persistence
13. TENUOUS slender; flimsy
14. TERSE brief
15. TIRADE long, vehement speech

31

1. TORRID very hot; scorching
2. TRANSITORY lasting but a short time
3. TRAVESTY ludicrous treatment of a serious subject
4. TREMULOUS quivering
5. TRIBULATION trouble
6. TRUCULENT cruel
7. TRYST meeting
8. TURBID muddy
9. TURGID swollen
10. UBIQUITOUS occurring everywhere
11. UNCTUOUS oily; excessively suave
12. UNMITIGATED not lessened; absolute
13. UPBRAID to scold
14. URBANE refined
15. USURY excessive rate of interest

32

1. VACILLATE to sway to an fro; to show indecision
2. VENIAL excusable
3. VENERATE to respect greatly
4. VERBOSITY wordiness
5. VERITY truth
6. VERNACULAR pertaining to common language of a land
7. VICARIOUS substitute
8. VICISSITUDE change; variation
9. VINDICATE to justify
10. VITUPERATE to scold
11. VOCIFEROUS shouting
12. VOLATILE evaporating rapidly; flighty
13. VOLITION act of determination
14. VORACIOUS very greedy
15. ZEALOT fanatic

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