Useful essay vocab

endemic

adj. (esp. of a disease or social condition) found particularly in a specific area or group

Some of these problems are endemic to big US cities.

Adhere

v. To stick to or follow closely.

You must adhere to the rules if you don't want to get in trouble.

Advent

n. the arrival or creation of something 

The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.

Aggravate

v. To worsen or intensify.

Scratching the rash will only aggravate it.

Ameliorate

v. To improve or make better.

The new policy aims to ameliorate working conditions for all employees.

Antagonistic

adj. Showing hostility or opposition.

His antagonistic behavior created tension at work.

Arduous

adj. Difficult and requiring effort.

The steep hike up the mountain was arduous.

Benevolent

adj. kind, generous

Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.

Catastrophic

adj. Disastrous or causing great damage.

The catastrophic hurricane destroyed dozens of homes.

Compelling

adj. Captivating or persuasive.

The debater gave a compelling argument.

Compound

v. To intensify or combine.

The traffic was compounded by bad weather.

Concede

v. To admit or yield.

She conceded that she was wrong during the argument.

Concerning

adj. Causing worry or distress.

The news about the approaching hurricane is quite concerning.

Condition

n. The state of something.

The car I bought is in excellent condition.

Conform

v. To comply with rules or expectations.

The alternative rocker refuses to conform to societal norms.

Conscientious

adj. serious about your work and putting a lot of effort into doing it in a careful way

Greg Smith is a conscientious and dedicated worker who will be an asset to your company. Sumienny

Constant

adj. Occurring continuously.

The criminal lived in constant fear that he'd be found out.

Contingent 

adj. Dependent on something else.

Our family ski trip is contingent on the weather.

Corrosive

adj. Gradually destructive or harmful 

The corrosive chemical has ruined the paint on my car.

Decisive

adj. Conclusive or firm.

My boss's decisive leadership helped solve our company's crisis.

Deliberation

n. Careful consideration or discussion.

After much deliberation, they made their decision.

Derived

adj. Obtained or developed from a source.

The word "aqua" is derived from Latin.

Despise

v. To strongly dislike or look down upon.

The judge despises dishonesty.

Desultory

adj. Lacking a clear plan or enthusiasm.

The tired boy's desultory efforts did not impress the coach.

Deviate

v. To move away from a set path or norm.

When the new evidence was uncovered the lawyer deviated from the original plan.

Diminish

v. To decrease in size or importance.

The politician's influence has diminished over time.

Diminishing returns: a situation in which less and less is achieved despite the use of increasing amounts of effort or money:

Disastrous

adj. Causing great harm or failure.

The earthquake had disastrous consequences for the island.

Discount

v. To disregard or reduce in value.

The teacher discounted his students' concerns.

Dismiss

v. To reject or send away.

The teacher dismissed the idea to end class early.

Disparage

v. To belittle or speak negatively about.

He disparages his business competitors, saying they are all a bunch of amateurs compared to him.

Distressed

adj. Suffering from anxiety or pain.

The woman looked distressed after the doctor's call.

Dominance

n. The state of being in control or superior.

The company's dominance in the market is evident.

Dormant

adj. Inactive but capable of becoming active.

The volcano beneath Mount Fuji has been dormant for centuries.

Earnest

adj. Serious and sincere.

He felt terrible about breaking the mirror and made an earnest apology.

Elusive

adj. Hard to find or understand.

Nothing became clearer, and the answer remained elusive.

Encompass

v. To include or surround.

The project encompasses multiple disciplines.

Encourage

v. To support or inspire.

Teachers often encourage students to ask questions.

Enduring

adj. Lasting over time.

Their 50-year friendship is enduring.

Evidence

n. Information that supports a conclusion.

There is strong evidence to support the theory.

Evoke

v. to draw forth or call up

Horror movies are great at evoking fear.

Exacerbate

v. To make a problem worse.

His rude comments only exacerbated the tense situation.

Exaggerate

v. To overstate or magnify beyond the truth.

My cousin tends to exaggerate his achievements.

Exceed

v. To go beyond a limit.

The driver exceeded the speed limit by nearly 30 miles an hour.

Exemplify

v. To serve as a typical example of something.

The woman's kindness to her neighbors exemplifies true generosity.

Exhaustive

adj. Thorough and complete.

The 300-page report provided an exhaustive analysis.

Explicable

adj. Able to be explained.

Once I knew the full story, my boyfriend's actions were explicable given the circumstances.

More often you would use inexplicable

Exploit

v. To take advantage of something unfairly.

The mining company was accused of exploiting workers.

Extensive

adj. Covering a large area or scope.

The Art Institute of Chicago has an extensive Impressionist collection.