2026-2027 Saint Joesph By the Sea Incoming Freshmen Vocabulary List

All 100 vocabulary words required for all incoming freshmen to memorize at Saint Joesph by the Sea

abhor

to hate or strongly dislike

abridge

to shorten something

abscond

to leave secretly or suddenly

accessory

an additional item or something added

adherent

someone who supports an idea or belief

adjourn

to end or pause a meeting

admonish

to warn or scold firmly

adroit

skillful or clever

alacrity

cheerful eagerness or willingness

alien

strange or unfamiliar

allusion

an indirect reference

altercation

a heated argument

altruistic

caring about others without expecting anything back

ambiguous

unclear or having multiple meanings

ban

to officially forbid

berate

to scold or criticize angrily

biased

unfairly favoring one side

brazen

bold and shameless

cacophonous

having harsh, unpleasant sounds

candid

honest and straightforward

catalyst

something that causes or speeds up change

chide

to scold or mildly criticize

clemency

mercy or forgiveness

coerce

to force someone to do something

console

to comfort someone who is upset

contrite

feeling sorry for doing something wrong

conundrum

a difficult or confusing problem

conventional

traditional or usual

credible

believable or trustworthy

cubicle

a small enclosed space

demure

quiet, modest, and reserved

deplete

to use up or greatly reduce

depreciation

a decrease in value

despicable

deserving hatred or strong disapproval

despot

a cruel ruler with complete power

deteriorate

to become worse

diatribe

a long, angry criticism

diffident

shy or lacking confidence

diminutive

unusually small

divulge

to reveal secret information

dolt

a foolish or stupid person

duplicity

dishonest or deceptive behavior

elicit

to draw out a response

embroil

to involve someone in a difficult situation

enlightened

having gained knowledge or understanding

euphony

a pleasant or beautiful sound

fallow

land left unplanted

feign

to pretend or fake

fodder

food for farm animals

fortify

to strengthen or protect

garrulous

very talkative

ghastly

frightening or extremely unpleasant

hamper

to interfere with or make difficult

humane

kind and compassionate

impediment

an obstacle that makes progress difficult

impertinent

rude or disrespectful

impoverished

very poor

incessant

continuing without stopping

indigenous

native to a particular place

indolent

lazy

interim

temporary or between two periods

intricate

very detailed or complicated

languid

lacking energy; slow

loquacious

very talkative

maltreat

to treat badly or cruelly

mire

mud; to trap in a difficult situation

mirthful

happy and full of laughter

mundane

ordinary or boring

nefarious

extremely wicked or evil

pathos

a feeling of sadness or sympathy

pauper

an extremely poor person

penitent

feeling sorry for wrongdoing

perennial

lasting a long time or recurring regularly

perfidious

dishonest or disloyal

predispose

to make someone more likely to experience something

proliferate

to increase or spread rapidly

rancid

spoiled with an unpleasant smell or taste

raucous

very loud and unpleasant-sounding

rectify

to correct something

rift

a serious disagreement or division

sagacious

wise and having good judgment

sedentary

involving little physical activity

servitude

a condition of forced service or obedience

slapdash

done quickly and carelessly

slothful

lazy or unwilling to work

stagnant

not moving, developing, or changing

succinct

brief and clearly expressed

succumb

to give in or stop resisting

taunt

to mock or provoke someone

tenacious

persistent; refusing to give up

thesis

a main argument or idea

tremulous

shaking or trembling

urbane

sophisticated, polite, and socially skilled

vagrant

a person without a permanent home

vile

extremely unpleasant or evil

vulnerable

easily hurt or harmed

warp

to bend or twist out of shape

wily

clever and tricky

winsome

charming and pleasant

zenith

the highest point or level