sophomore summer reading (made by me)

Abate

To become less intense/widespread (usually of something that’s hostile)

Accede

Agree to a demand, request, or treaty

Alienate

Cause to feel isolated or estranged

Altruistic

Showing a selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish

Analogous

Comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes the nature of the things compares more clearer

Apathy

Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

Apropos

With reference to; concerning

Assiduous

Showing great care and perseverance

Autocratic

Relating to a ruler with absolute power

Aversion

A strong dislike

Banal

Lacking in originality; dull and ordinary often to the point of being boring

Benign

Gentle and kindly; (of a disease) not harmful in effect

Besiege

To surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it or force it to surrender

Bovine

Relating to or affecting cattle

Callous

Showing or having a cruel and insensitive disregard for others

Caustic

Able to burn by chemical action (corrosive); sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way

Coalesce

To come together to form one mass or whole; unite

Comprise

To consist of/make up

Covet

Yearn or possess to have

Dour

Stern or gloomy in manner or appearance

Foil

To prevent (something considered wrong or undesirable) from succeeding

Frugal

Sparing with regard to money or food

Garrulous

Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters

Harass

Subject to aggressive pressure; to bother or intimidate

Idiosyncrasy

A behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual; a quirk

Idle

Lazy; avoiding work

Imperative

Crucial; giving an authoritative command

Perfunctory

(Of an action or gesture) carried out with minimal effort

Incredulous

Unwilling to believe something

Infallible

Incapable of making mistakes or being wrong

Ingenuous

(Of a person or action) innocent and unsuspecting

Ironic

Using or characterized by irony— when events or words are the opposite of what is expected

Lethargic

Affected by a lacking of energy; sluggish and unenthusiastic

Levity

Humor in times of a serious matter

Loiter

To stand or wait around idly without apparent purpose

Malignant

Something dangerous, harmful, or cancerous in a medical context

Manifest

Clear or obvious; to display; to make a thought or desire a tangible reality

Meticulous

Showing great attention to detail

Mitigate

To make less severe, serious, or painful

Nominal

Existing in name only

Nonchalant

Appearing or feeling casually calm and relaxed

Propriety

The state or quality of following accepted standards of behavior or morals; proper

Bequeath

To leave something (a personal estate or one’s body) to a person by a will

Nullify

Make legally null and void; invalidate

Obstinate

Stubbornly refusing to chage one’s opinion or action

Obtuse

Annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand.

Officious

Assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering or arrogant way

Petty

Of little importance; trivial

Pilferage

The action of stealing things with little value

Precedent

An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances

Priority

The fact or condition of being treated as more important

Proportionate

Corresponding in size or amount to something else; proportional

Prudent

Showing care and thought for the future

Pungent

Having a sharply strong taste or smell

Reprehensible

Deserving of blame or strong criticism

Repudiate

Refuse to accept or be associated with

Saturnine

Slow and gloomy (of a person)

Scrupulous

Diligent and extremely attentive to details

Smug

Having or showing an excessive pride in oneself

Sophomoric

Relating to or characteristic of a sophomore; juvenile and immature

Strident

Loud and harsh

Supplant

To replace

Surreptitious

A kept secret, especially since it would not be approved of

Taciturn

Reserved and untalkative

Tedium

The state of being tedious— monotonous and dull

Feasible

Possible to do anything easily or conveniently; practical

Jeopardy

Danger of loss or failure

Retrogress

To go back to an earlier state, usually a worse one

Tenacious

Tending to keep a firm hold of something

Vex

To annoy, trouble, or worry someone

Virulent

(Of a disease or poison) extremely severe or harmful; hostile

Voracious

Wanting or devouring large quantities of food

Waive

Refrain from insisting on or using; give up or renounce

Whimsical

Playfully fanciful in an amusing way; characterized by whims— odd ideas that occur to you suddenly

Wretched

In a very unhappy or unfortunate state