Vocabulary 10th Grade English

facetious

humorous; playfully joking

ostentatious

meant to impress others; flashy

optimum

best possible; most favorable; most desirable

detriment

something that causes damage, harm, or loss

vicarious

experienced through the imagination; not experienced directly

dexterous

skillful in using the hands or body

scrupulous

careful about moral standards; conscientious

gregarious

sociable; enjoying and seeking the company of others

discretion

good judgment or tact in actions or speaking

sensory

having to do with seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting, or smelling

instigate

to bring about by moving others to action; stir up

rudimentary

fundamental; necessary to learn first

resilient

able to recover quickly from harm, illness, or misfortune

collaborate

to work together on a project; cooperate in an effort

zealot

a person totally devoted to a purpose or cause

squelch

to silence or suppress or crush

venerate

to respect deeply; to revere to respect deeply; to revere

despondent

downhearted; hopeless; overwhelmed with sadness

(in) retrospect

reviewing the past; considering past events

scoff

to make fun of; mock; to refuse to take seriously

juxtapose

to place close together, especially in order to compare or contrast

lethargy

a great lack of energy; inactivity due to laziness

ambiguous

able to be interpreted in more than one way; not clear

inane

without sense or meaning; foolish

dissident

a person opposed to established ideas or beliefs, especially in politics or religion

embellish

to decorate; beautify by adding details

subsidize

to support financially; provide a grant or contribution

squander

to spend or use wastefully or thoughtfully

inadvertent

unintentional; accidental

sporadic

happening now and then; occasional

relinquish

to surrender (something); to give (something) up

impetuous

done or acting in a hurry, with little thought; impulsive

maudlin

tearfully sentimental; overemotional

berate

to criticize or scold harshly

ubiquitous

existing or seeming to exist everywhere at the same time

zenith

the highest point or condition; peak

estrange

to make unsympathetic or unfriendly; alienate

infallible

not capable of error or failure; unable to make a mistake

euphoric

overjoyed; having an intense feeling of well-being

regress

to return to an earlier, generally worse, condition or behavior

dormant

inactive; alive, but not actively growing, as if asleep

disseminate

to spread or scatter widely; distribute

irrevocable

not able to be canceled or undone; irreversible

proliferation

a rapid spread or increase

corroborate

to support; to strengthen with further evidence; provide proof of

precipitate

to cause to happen quickly, suddenly, or sooner than expected

hoist

to lift, especially with some mechanical means, like a cable

charlatan

a fake; a person who falsely claims to have some special skill or knowledge

diverge

to branch off in different directions from the same starting point; to become different

illicit

illegal

vit, viv

life, lively

extra-

outside, beyond

chron-, chrono-

time

liber, liver

free, freedom

de-

away, separation, removal

ante-, anti-

before, preceding

voc, vok

voice, call

dorm

sleep

-ject

throw, toss

-cide

kill, killing, killer

equivocate

to be deliberately vague in order to mislead

fortuitous

happening by chance, by accident, or at random; lucky

impeccable

faultless; perfect

liaison

a person who serves as a connection between individuals or groups; a go between

predisposed

open to something beforehand

propensity

a natural preference or tendency

reprehensible

deserving of blame, criticism, or disapproval

sham

a pretense or counterfeit; something meant to deceive

solace

comfort in sorrow or misfortune; consolation

solicitous

showing or expressing concern, care, or attention

attrition

a gradual, natural decrease in number; becoming fewer in number

circumvent

to avoid by going around; to escape from, prevent, or stop through cleverness

cohesive

sticking or holding together; unified

grievous

causing grief or pain; very serious or severe

inundate

to cover, as if by flooding; overwhelm with a large number or amount

oblivious

unaware; failing to notice

reticent

quiet or uncommunicative; reluctant to speak out

robust

healthy and strong; vigorous

sanction

to authorize, allow, or approve

vociferous

noisy; expressing feelings loudly and intensely

bolster

to hold up, strengthen, or reinforce; support with a rigid object

depreciate

to fall or decrease in value or price; to lower the value of

indiscriminate

not chosen carefully; not based on careful selection

inquisitive

curious; eager to learn

nebulous

vague or unclear

relegate

to assign to a less important or less satisfying position, place, or condition

replete

plentifully supplied; well-filled

sedentary

marked by much sitting; requiring or taking little exercise

tenet

a belief or principle held to be true by an individual or group

terse

brief and clear; effectively concise

autonomy

independence; self-government

bureaucratic 

insisting on strict rules and routine, often to the point of hindering effectiveness

mandate

a group’s expressed wishes; clear signal to act; vote of confidence

ostracize

 to expel or exclude from the group

raucous 

noisy and disorderly; boisterous

recourse 

a source of help, security, or strength; something to turn to

reiterate

to state again or repeatedly

tantamount

equal in effect or value; the same as

tenacious

holding firmly; persistent; stubborn

utopia

an ideal or perfect place or state; a place achieving social or political perfection