Vocab List

abbreviate

to shorten

abstinence

the act of refraining from pleasurable activity

adulation

high praise

adversity

misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events

aesthetic

pertaining to beauty or the arts

amicable

friendly, agreeable

anachronistic

out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period

anecdote

short, usually funny account of an event

anonymous

nameless, without a disclosed identity

antagonist

foe, opponent

arid

extremely dry or deathly boring

assiduous

persistent, hard-working

asylum

sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge

benevolent

friendly and helpful

camaraderie

trust, sociability amongst friends

censure

to criticize harshly

circuitous

indirect, taking the longest route

clairvoyant

exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future

collaborate

to cooperate, work together

compassion

sympathy, helpfulness or mercy

compromise

to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides

condescending

possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing

conditional

depending on a condition e.g., in a contract

conformist

person who complies with accepted rules and customs

congregation

crowd of people, an assembly

convergence

the state of separate elements joining or coming together

deleterious

harmful, destructive, detrimental

demagogue

leader, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice

digression

the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument

diligent

careful and hard working

discredit

to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace

disdain

to regard with scorn or contempt

divergent

separating, moving in different directions from a particular point

empathy

identification with the feeling of others

emulate

to imitate, follow an example

enervating

weakening, tiring

enhance

to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity

ephemeral

momentary, transient, fleeting

evanescent

quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image

exasperation

irritation, frustration

exemplary

outstanding, an example to others

extenuating

excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime

florid

red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate

fortuitous

happening by luck, fortunate

frugal

thrifty, cheap

hackneyed

cliched, worn out by overuse

haughty

arrogant and condescending

hedonist

person who pursues pleasure as a goal

hypothesis

assumption, theory requiring proof

impetuous

rash, impulsive, acting without thinking

impute

to attribute an action to a particular person or group

incompatible

opposed in nature, not able to live or work together

inconsequential

unimportant, trivial

inevitable

certain, unavoidable

integrity

decency, honesty, wholeness

intrepid

fearless, adventurous

intuitive

instinctive, untaught

jubilation

joy, celebration, exultation

lobbyist

person who seeks to influence political events

longevity

long life

mundane

ordinary, commonplace

nonchalant

calm, casual, seeming unexcited

novice

apprentice, beginner

opulent

wealthy

orator

lecturer, speaker

ostentatious

showy, displaying wealth

parched

dried up, shriveled

perfidious

faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy

precocious

unusually advanced or talented at an early age

pretentious

pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured

procrastinate

to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off

prosaic

relating to prose; dull, commonplace

prosperity

wealth or success

provocative

tending to provoke a response

prudent

careful, cautious

querulous

complaining, irritable

rancorous

bitter, hateful

reclusive

preferring to live in isolation

reconciliation

the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute

renovation

repair, making something new again

resilient

quick to recover, bounce back

restrained

controlled, repressed, restricted

reverence

worship, profound respect

sagacity

wisdom

scrutinize

to observe carefully

spontaneity

impulsive action, unplanned events

spurious

lacking authenticity, false

submissive

tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others

substantiate

to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence

subtle

hard to detect or describe; perceptive

superficial

shallow, lacking in depth

superfluous

extra, more than enough, redundant

suppress

to end an activity

surreptitious

secret, stealthy

tactful

considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others

tenacious

determined, keeping a firm grip on

transient

temporary, short-lived, fleeting

venerable

respected because of age

vindicate

to clear from blame or suspicion

wary

careful, cautious