Key term 1

aberrant (adj.) (noun form: aberration)

deviating from the norm

abscond (verb)

to depart clandestinely; to steal off and hide

alacrity (noun)

eager and enthusiastic willingness

anomaly (noun) (adj. form: anomalous)

deviation from the normal order, form, or rule; abnormality

approbation (noun)

an expression of approval or praise

arduous (adj.)

strenuous, taxing; requiring significant effort

assuage (verb)

to ease or lessen; to appease or pacify

audacious (adj.) (noun form: audacity)

daring and fearless; recklessly bold

austere (adj.) (noun form: austerity)

without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic

axiomatic (adj.) (noun form: axiom)

taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth

canonical (adj.) (noun form: canon)

following or in agreement with accepted, traditional standards

capricious (adj.)

inclined to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic, unpredictable

censure (verb)

to criticize severely; to officially rebuke

chicanery (noun)

trickery or subterfuge

connoisseur (noun)

an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert

convoluted (adj.)

complex or complicated

disabuse (verb)

to undeceive; to set right

discordant (adj.)

conflicting; dissonant or harsh in sound

disparate (adj.)

fundamentally distinct or dissimilar

effrontery (noun)

extreme boldness; presumptuousness

eloquent (adj.) (noun form: eloquence)

well-spoken, expressive, articulate

enervate (verb)

to weaken; to reduce in vitality

ennui (noun)

dissatisfaction and restlessness resulting from boredom or apathy

equivocate (verb) (adj. form: equivocal)

to use ambiguous language with a deceptive intent

erudite (adj.) (noun form: erudition)

very learned; scholarly

exculpate (verb)

to exonerate; to clear of blame

exigent (adj.)

urgent, pressing; requiring immediate action or attention

extemporaneous (adj.)

improvised; done without preparation

filibuster (noun)

intentional obstruction, especially using prolonged speechmaking to delay legislative action

fulminate (verb)

to loudly attack or denounce

ingenuous (adj.)

artless; frank and candid; lacking in sophistication

inured (adj.)

accustomed to accepting something undesirable

irascible (adj.)

easily angered; prone to temperamental outbursts

laud (verb) (adj. form: laudatory)

to praise highly

lucid (adj.)

clear; easily understood

magnanimity (noun) (adj. form: magnanimous)

the quality of being generously noble in mind and heart, especially in forgiving

martial (adj.)

associated with war and the armed forces

mundane (adj.)

of the world; typical of or concerned with the ordinary

nascent (adj.)

coming into being; in early developmental stages

nebulous (adj.)

vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form

neologism (noun)

a new word, expression, or usage; the creation or use of new words or senses

noxious (adj.)

harmful, injurious

obtuse (adj.)

lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression

obviate (verb)

to anticipate and make unnecessary

onerous (adj.)

troubling; burdensome

paean (noun)

a song or hymn of praise and thanksgiving

parody (noun)

a humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, especially in literature and art

perennial (adj.)

recurrent through the year or many years; happening repeatedly

perfidy (noun) (adj. form: perfidious)

intentional breach of faith; treachery

perfunctory (adj.)

cursory; done without care or interest

perspicacious (adj.) (noun form: perspicacity)

acutely perceptive; having keen discernment

prattle (verb)

to babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty and idle manner

precipitate (adj.)

acting with excessive haste or impulse

precipitate (verb)

to cause or happen before anticipated or required

predilection (noun)

a disposition in favor of something; preference

prescience (noun) (adj. form: prescient)

foreknowledge of events; knowing of events prior to their occurring

prevaricate (verb)

to deliberately avoid the truth; to mislead

qualms (noun)

misgivings; reservations; causes for hesitancy

recant (verb)

to retract, especially a previously held belief

refute (verb)

to disprove; to successfully argue against

relegate (verb)

to forcibly assign, especially to a lower place or position

reticent (adj.)

quiet; reserved; reluctant to express thoughts and feelings

solicitous (adj.)

concerned and attentive; eager

sordid (adj.)

characterized by filth, grime, or squalor; foul

sporadic (adj.)

occurring only occasionally, or in scattered instances

squander (verb)

to waste by spending or using irresponsibly

static (adj.)

not moving, active, or in motion; at rest

stupefy (verb)

to stun, baffle, or amaze

stymie (verb)

to block; to thwart

synthesis (noun) (verb form: synthesize)

the combination of parts to make a whole

torque (noun)

a force that causes rotation

tortuous (adj.)

winding, twisting; excessively complicated

truculent (adj.)

fierce and cruel; eager to fight

veracity (noun)

truthfulness; honesty

virulent (adj.)

extremely harmful or poisonous; bitterly hostile or antagonistic

voracious (adj.)

having an insatiable appetite for an activity or pursuit; ravenous

waver (verb)

to move to and fro; to sway; to be unsettled in opinion