english midterm vocabulary

acquisitve

concerned with acquiring wealth or property

synonyms: greeting, grasping

belabor

to work excessively

synonyms: overwork

coherent

making a logical whole

synonyms: connected, consistent, cohesive

congeal

to change from liquid to solid

synonyms: harden, coagulate, solidify

emulate

to imitate
synonym: copy, mimic, measure up to

eschew

to avoid

synonyms: abstain from, forgo, shun

germane

relevant, appropriate, fitting

synonyms: pertinent

substantiate

to establish by evidence

synonyms: verify, validate, authenticate

taciturn

silent or quiet

synonyms: uncommunicative, laconic

accost

to approach and speak to first

synonyms: buttonhole, approach, confront

avid

intensely eager

synonyms: keen, enthusiastic, grasping

celerity

swiftness

synonyms: promptness, alacrity, speed

halcyon

peaceful; calm; prosperous

synonyms: tranquil, serene, placid, palmy

maelstrom

a whirlpool of great violence

synonyms: vortex, chaos, turbulence, tumult

overt

open; not hidden

synonyms: clear, obvious, manifest, patent

talisman

an object that serves as a charm

synonyms: amulet, charm

undulate

to move in waves or with a wavelike motion

articulate

to pronounce clearly; express clearly

synonyms: pronounce, elucidate; eloquent

decry

to condemn

synonyms: : denounce, censure, devalue

dissemble

to disguise or conceal

synonyms: dissimulate, mask, feign

distaught

very agitated or upset

synonyms: frantic, distracted

exhume

to remove from a grave; to bring out into the open

synonyms: disinter, unearth, uncover

murky

dark and gloomy; obscure

synonyms: dim, cloudy, unclear

nefarious

wicked; depraved

synonyms: iniquitous, reprehensible

piquant

spicy

synonyms: : tangy, zestful

verbiage

language that is wordy or inflated

synonyms: verbosity, prolixity, diction, jargon

atrophy

the wasting away of a body organ or tissue

synonyms: degeneration, deterioration, wither

bastion

a stronghold

synonyms: citadel, rampart, bulwark, parapet

disarray

disorder or confusion

synonyms: disorganization, dishevel, mess up

flotsam

floating debris

synonyms: floating wreckage

glean

to gather bit by bit

synonyms: collect, cull, pick up

incarcerate

to imprison

synonyms: intern, immure

incumbent

obligatory; one who holds office

synonyms: mandatory, necessary

jocular

humorous

synonyms: waggish, facetious, droll, witty

loudicrous

ridiculous, laughable

synonyms:

nettle

to arouse displeasure

synonyms: peeve, annoy, incense, gall, irk

pusillanimous

cowardly

synonyms: craven, lily-livered

recumbent

lying down

synonyms: prone, prostrate, supine, inactive

stratagem

a scheme to outwit an opponent

synonyms: ruse, trick, ploy, subterfuge