Vocabulary List with Definitions

lull

make calm or still

lurid

glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism

luxuriant

produced or growing in extreme abundance

magnanimity

nobility and generosity of spirit

malleable

capable of being shaped or bent

marred

blemished by injury or rough wear

maudlin

very sentimental or emotional

melancholy

a constitutional tendency to be gloomy and depressed

mercenary

a person hired to fight for another country than their own

mercurial

liable to sudden unpredictable change

mitigate

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

modicum

a small or moderate or token amount

morose

showing a brooding ill humor

motley

consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds

multifarious

having many aspects

nebulous

lacking definite form or limits

nefarious

extremely wicked

neophyte

a participant with no experience with an activity

notoriety

the state of being known for some unfavorable act or quality

noxious

injurious to physical or mental health

nuance

a subtle difference in meaning or opinion or attitude

obdurate

stubbornly persistent in wrongdoing

officious

intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner

onerous

burdensome or difficult to endure

oracle

a shrine where a prophet is consulted

orthodox

adhering to what is commonly accepted

ostensible

appearing as such but not necessarily so

pacifist

someone opposed to violence as a means of settling disputes

palliate

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

paradigm

a standard or typical example

parch

cause to wither from exposure to heat

parody

a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style

partisan

a fervent and even militant proponent of something

patronize

provide support for

paucity

an insufficient quantity or number

pedant

a person who is preoccupied with rules and learning

peevish

easily irritated or annoyed

penchant

a strong liking or preference

penurious

excessively unwilling to spend

perfunctory

hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough

peripheral

on or near an edge or constituting an outer boundary

petulant

easily irritated or annoyed

philanthropist

someone who makes charitable donations

pious

having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity

placate

cause to be more favorably inclined

plausible

apparently reasonable, valid, or truthful

plethora

extreme excess

pliable

capable of being shaped or bent or drawn out

polemical

of or involving dispute or controversy

precarious

not secure; beset with difficulties

panacea

A hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases

preclude

make impossible, especially beforehand

precocious

characterized by exceptionally early development

presumptuous

going beyond what is appropriate, permitted, or courteous

pretext

a fictitious reason that conceals the real reason

prevaricator

a person who has lied or who lies repeatedly

prodigious

great in size, force, extent, or degree

profuse

produced or growing in extreme abundance

prolific

intellectually productive

prosaic

lacking wit or imagination

provincial

associated with an administrative district of a nation

punctilious

marked by precise accordance with details

pundit

an expert who publicly gives opinions via mass media

quixotic

not sensible about practical matters

rampant

occurring or increasing in an unrestrained way

ramshackle

in poor or broken-down condition

rancor

a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

rapport

a relationship of mutual understanding between people

ravenous

extremely hungry

raze

tear down so as to make flat with the ground

recalcitrant

stubbornly resistant to authority or control

recant

formally reject or disavow a formerly held belief

formally reject

or disavow a formerly held belief

recessive

of or pertaining to a recession

redolent

having a strong pleasant odor

renounce

turn away from; give up

reprehensible

bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure

repudiate

refuse to acknowledge, ratify, or recognize as valid

repugnant

offensive to the mind

rescind

cancel officially

reticent

reluctant to draw attention to yourself

reverent

feeling or showing profound respect or veneration

rhetorical

relating to using language effectively

rouse

cause to become awake or conscious

sage

a mentor in spiritual and philosophical topics

sanctimonious

excessively or hypocritically pious

sanction

official permission or approval

sanguine

confidently optimistic and cheerful

satiate

fill to satisfaction

satire

witty language used to convey insults or scorn

scathing

marked by harshly abusive criticism

scintillating

having brief brilliant points or flashes of light

scope

the state of the environment in which a situation exists

scrupulous

characterized by extreme care and great effort

serendipity

good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries

servile

submissive or fawning in attitude or behavior

shroud

burial garment in which a corpse is wrapped

slipshod

marked by great carelessness

solace

comfort offered to one who is disappointed or miserable

sophistry

a deliberately invalid argument in the hope of deceiving