RhetComp Vocab 1 Begin

Vocabulary

Acrimonious

Biting, harsh, caustic; example: 'The election campaign became acrimonious, as the candidates traded insults and accusations.'

Affected

False, artificial; example: 'At one time, Japanese women were taught to speak in an affected high-pitched voice which was thought girlishly attractive.'

Aesthetic

Relating to art or beauty; example: 'Mapplethorpe’s photos may be attacked on moral grounds, but no one questions their aesthetic value--they are regarded as beautiful.'

Clandestine

Secret; surreptitious; example: 'As a member of the underground, Balas took part in clandestine meetings to discuss ways of sabotaging the Nazi forces.'

Desolate

Empty, lifeless and deserted; hopeless and gloomy; example: 'Robinson Crusoe was shipwrecked and had to learn to survive alone on a desolate island.'

Juxtapose

To place side by side; example: 'It was strange to see the old-time actor Charlton Heston and rock icon Bob Dylan juxtaposed on the awards ceremony.'

Frenetic

Chaotic; frantic; example: 'The floor of the stock exchange, filled with traders shouting and gesturing, is a scene of frenetic activity.'

Malleable

Able to be changed, shaped, or formed by outside pressures; example: 'Gold is a very useful metal because it is so malleable.'

Onerous

Heavy, burdensome; example: 'The hero Hercules was ordered to clean the Augean Stables, one of several onerous tasks known as the “Labors of Hercules”.'

Scapegoat

Someone who bears the blame for others’ acts; one hated for no apparent reason; example: 'Many fans made Buckner the scapegoat, booing him mercilessly.'