King/ Baldwin vocab words

cognizant

cognizant

(adj.) aware, having knowledge of something. 

• SYN. apprised, conscious, conversant with, familiar with.

• ANT. oblivious, clueless.

constitute

(v.) to be a part of or combine to form a whole; to be equivalent to; to endow legal form to an organization. Example sentence. An apologetic conference call, combined with strategic firings of a few managers, ___________ the whole of the company’s response to the disastrous rollout of their new product line.

• SYN. consist of; add up to; embody; be regarded as. 

corrode

1. (v.) to destroy, damage, or weaken gradually (such as by chemical action). 

   • SYN. deteriorate, wear away, disintegrate, erode; rust, tarnish,

delve

(v.) to research or carefully examine something; to reach inside to search for something. 

• SYN. investigate, inquire, probe; rummage, hunt through, root around.

devotee

1. (n.) a strong believer; a person very enthusiastic about something. 

   • SYN. follower, adherent, zealot, defender; enthusiast, aficionado, fanatic. 

   • ANT. detractor, critic, attacker, censurer.

gadfly

(n.) a person (often perceived as irritating) who provokes action through persistent criticism; (also, a fly that bites livestock).

gainsay

(v.) to deny (a fact or statement), oppose, or speak against.  

• SYN. dispute, contradict, refute, rebut. 

• ANT. confirm, buttress, validate.

impunity

1. (n.) freedom from negative consequences; exemption from punishment. 

   • SYN. nonliability, indemnity, reprieve. 

   • ANT. accountability, responsibility. 

laxity

(n.) lack of care or strictness; looseness. 

• SYN. slackness, negligence, remissness. 

• ANT. stricture, attentiveness, vigilance. 

moratorium

1. (n.) a temporary prohibition on an activity or practice. 

   • SYN. ban, embargo, freeze, stoppage. 

mores

1. (n.) the values, customs and characteristics of a community or society. Note: always used as a plural.

   • SYN. conventions, way of life, traditions, customary ways.

paternalistic

(adj.) relating to the restriction of the responsibilities and liberties of dependents and subordinates, supposedly for the sake of protecting said dependents and subordinates.

precipitate

1. (v.) to cause an event or condition (esp. a negative one) to happen suddenly or prematurely; (adj.) done or occurring suddenly or unexpectedly; (n.) a substance that is the product of a chemical reaction. 

   • SYN. (v.) trigger, spark, provoke, instigate; (adj.) rash, hasty, heedless, impulsive.

relegate

1. (v.) to dismiss or consign to a lower status. 

   • SYN. downgrade, demote, banish. 

   • ANT. upgrade, promote.

sanctimonious

1. (adj.) (usually derogatory) portraying oneself as morally superior to others. 

   • SYN. self-righteous, moralizing, holier-than-thou.

scintillating

1. (adj.) sparkly, emitting flashes of light. 

   • SYN. shiny, glimmering, gleaming, luminescent.

stagnate

1. (v.) to cease to flow or move (esp. of water or air); (of a negative condition or state of affairs) to remain unchanged or unimproved. 

   • SYN. become stale or foul, fester, putrefy.

status quo

(n.) the existing state of affairs, esp. in relation to political or social issues. (From Latin, literally, the state in which.)

truculent

1. (adj.) defiant, aggressive, quick to argue. 

   • SYN. antagonistic, belligerent, pugnacious, combative. 

   • ANT. amiable, cooperative, compliant.

unassailable

1. (adj.) unable to be questioned, undermined, attacked, or defeated. 

   • SYN. indisputable, undeniable, incontrovertible, beyond question. 

unfettered

1. (adj.) unrestrained or uninhibited. 

   • SYN. free, unrestricted, unbridled, unconstrained, unchecked. 

   • ANT. restricted, limited, regulated.

vitriolic

1. (adj.) characterized by bitter criticism or malice. 

   • SYN. acrimonious, rancorous, caustic, spiteful. 

   • ANT. kind, pleasant, supportive.