Word Smart 6th Edition

abash

to make ashamed; to embarrass

abate

to reduce

abdicate

to give up a position, right, or power

aberration

something not typical

abhor

to hate

abject

hopeless

abnegate

to deny, renounce

abortive

unsuccessful

abridge

to shorten

banal

unoriginal

bane

poison; torment; cause of harm

bastion

stronghold; fortress; fortified place

beget

to give birth to; to create

belabor

to go over repeatedly or to an absurd extent

beleaguer

to surround; to harass

belie

contradict; give a false impression

belittle

to make seem less important

belligerent

hostile and aggressive

bemused

confused

cacophony

A harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

cadence

Rhythmic rise and fall

cajole

to persuade something to do something they don't want to do

callow

immature

candor

truthfulness; sincere honesty

Capitalism

An economic system based on private ownership of capital

capitulate

to surrender

daunt

to intimidate, to dismay

dearth

a lack, scarcity

debacle

violent breakdown; sudden overthrow

debauchery

wild living; excessive intemperance

debilitate

to weaken

decadent

decaying or decayed, especially in terms of morals

decimate

to kill or destroy a large part of

decorous

proper; in good taste

deduce

to draw a conclusion from evidence

defame

to libel or slander; take away a good name

ebullient

boiling; bubbling with excitement; exuberant

eccentric

kooky; irregular

eclectic

selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

edify

to enlighten

efface

to erase

fabrication

to lie

facetious

humorous

facile

fluent; skillful

faction

A group or clique within a larger group, party, or government

farcical

absurd; ludicrous

garrulous

talkative

gauche

unskillful; awkward

genre

a major category or type of literature

genteel

refined; polite; aristocratic; affecting refinement

gesticulate

to make gestures, especially when speaking

glut

an oversupply

grandiloquence

using lots of fancy words to sound impressive

hackneyed

overused, cliched

hapless

unlucky

Harbringer

a signal of

hedonism

pursuit of pleasure

hegemony

leadership, especially of one nation over another

Heresy

any belief strongly opposed to established beliefs

hermetic

impervious to external influence

iconoclast

one who attacks common beliefs or institutions

Ideology

a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.

idiosyncrasy

a peculiar personality trait

idyliic

naturally peaceful

ignominy

deep disgrace

illicit

illegal

immigrate

to move permanently to a new country

imminent

about to happen

judicious

exercising sound judgment

juxtapose

to place side by side

kinetic

energy of motion

labyrinth

a maze

laconic

using few words

lament

to mourn

lampoon

to mock; to parody

languish

to become weak

largess

generous giving

latent

hidden, present but not realized

laud

to praise highly

legacy

something handed down from the past

lethargy

lack of energy; sluggishness

levity

lack of seriousness

machination

an evil design or plan

magnanimous

forgiving

magnate

rich powerful person

malaise

A sense of unease; depression

malfeasance

an illegal act

malignant

harmful

malinger

To pretend to be sick in order to avoid something

malleable

easy to shape or bend

mandate

an authoritative command

narcissism

excessive love of one's body or oneself

nebulous

vague

nefarious

extremely wicked

neologism

new word or expression

nepotism

favoritism to relatives and friends

nihilism

the total rejection of religious or moral beliefs

nominal

existing in name only; insignificantly small

nostalgia

a longing for something past; homesickness

notorious

famous for something bad