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Abate (v)

to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

Abhor (v)

to hate or detest

Abstain (v)

to refrain or hold back voluntarily

Accretion (n)

a gradual buildup or growth by addition

Acerbic (adj)

sharp, biting, or caustic in tone

Acquire (v)

to gain possession of

Acumen (n)

keen insight or judgment

Adhere (v)

to stick fast or cleave

Admonish (v)

to caution or advise against

Affable (adj)

friendly, good-natured, and easy to talk to

Aesthetic (adj)

relating to beauty or good taste

Alleviate (v)

to relieve or make more bearable

Amiable (adj)

friendly and good-natured

Ample (adj)

more than sufficient in size or scope

Analogous (adj)

similar or comparable in certain respects

Anomaly (n)

something that deviates from the norm

Antipathy (n)

a deep dislike or aversion

Arbitrary (adj)

chosen at random, without reason

Arrogant (adj)

having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

Aspire (v)

to strive for or ambition to achieve a goal

Aversion (n)

a strong feeling of dislike, distaste, or hostility

Banal (adj)

lacking originality, freshness, or novelty

Belittle (v)

to make someone or something seem unimportant

Belligerent (adj)

hostile, aggressive, or pugnacious

Benevolent (adj)

characterized by or expressing goodwill

Bolster (v)

to give vital support, reinforce, or strengthen

Bombastic (adj)

high-sounding but with little meaning; inflated or pretentious language

Boon (n)

a blessing, timely benefit, or assistance; e.g., Winning the scholarship was a boon that enabled her to attend college.

Brevity (n)

concise expression without wasted words; e.g., Brevity is essential in a 30-second commercial.

Brusque (adj)

abrupt or offhand in speech or manner; rudely concise; e.g., My request was met with a brusque refusal.

Byzantine (adj)

very complicated or intricate; e.g., The byzantine tax codes were impossible to decipher.

Callous (adj)

showing little sympathy for others; insensitive; e.g., He acted in a callous way toward those less fortunate.

Calm (adj)

free from agitation, disturbance, or tumult; absent of wind; e.g., The calm lake reflected the serene sky.

Candor (n)

honesty, frankness, or sincere expression; e.g., I appreciated her candor and straightforward advice.

Capricious (adj)

characterized by or subject to whim; impulsive; unpredictable; e.g., My capricious toddler was happy one minute, fussy the next.

Castigate (v)

to punish or criticize severely; e.g., The boss castigated the employee for repeated mistakes.

Censure (v)

blame or condemn; e.g., The senator was censured for unethical conduct.

Character (n)

moral qualities distinctive to an individual; integrity and values; e.g., She is known for her outstanding character and ethics.

Circumspect (adj)

cautious or prudent, especially in speech or action; e.g., We were circumspect in sharing details until we understood the risks involved.

Coarse (adj)

rough, harsh, or uneven in texture; lacking refinement or elegance; e.g., His coarse language was inappropriate at the dignified ceremony.

Complex (adj)

composed of interconnected or complicated parts; e.g., The complex machine required an experienced mechanic.

Concise (adj)

expressing much in few words; e.g., a concise summary of the research findings.

Conform (v)

to act in accordance with rules, standards, or customs; e.g., She refused to conform by wearing the uniform.

Conscientious (adj)

guided by or in accordance with conscience or sense of right; governed by principle; e.g., a conscientious decision after much deliberation.

Constant (adj)

remaining unchanged or fixed; showing loyalty or faithfulness; e.g., Water’s boiling point is a physical constant.

Contemplate (v)

to consider thoughtfully; e.g., She contemplated all possible outcomes before deciding.

Contribute (v)

to give or supply along with others; e.g., We all contributed food to the potluck dinner.

Dearth (n)

scarcity or lack; e.g., There is a dearth of jobs in this struggling economy.

Defiant (adj)

boldly resistant to authority or any opposing force; e.g., The defiant protestors refused to disperse.

Delicate (adj)

fragile, frail, or vulnerable; requiring gentle handling; e.g., The delicate crystal shattered when dropped.

Demonstrate (v)

to establish or prove by example; clear explanation; e.g., The experiment demonstrated the laws of physics.

Deride (v)

to ridicule, mock, or scornfully laugh at; e.g., The bullies derided the shy student’s stutter.

Desolate (adj)

depressing, bleak, lifeless; barren; e.g., The remote desert island was completely desolate.

Detach (v)

to separate or disengage from association; e.g., He detached the document from the email before forwarding.

Diligent (adj)

characterized by steady, earnest, and energetic application; e.g., The diligent student made sure to study every day.

Disclose (v)

to make known, reveal, or uncover; e.g., The CEO disclosed the company’s financial problems.

Dismal (adj)

causing gloom or depression; e.g., The dismal weather matched her sad mood.

Disperse (v)

to spread or scatter widely; e.g., The police dispersed the rowdy crowd that gathered in the park.

Dubious (adj)

doubtful or suspect; of uncertain quality or outcome; e.g., She had dubious qualifications for the job.

Dull (adj)

boring, monotonous, lacking sharpness; e.g., The dull lecture soon put me to sleep.

Eclectic (adj)

deriving ideas or style from a diverse range of sources; e.g., Their home decor had an eclectic mix of modern and antique.

Edify (v)

to instruct, improve, or enlighten; e.g., The book was both entertaining and edifying.

Egalitarian (adj)

relating to or believing in equality for all people; e.g., He advocated an egalitarian society.

Elicit (v)

to draw forth or bring out; e.g., Skillful questioning elicited her eyewitness account.

Eminent (adj)

prominent, distinguished, or noteworthy; e.g., The eminent scholar was awarded the Nobel Prize.

Empathy (n)

the ability to understand another’s perspective, feelings, or difficulties; e.g., She showed genuine empathy for the grieving widow.

Enigma (n)

something or someone puzzling, mysterious, or difficult to understand; e.g., The coded message was an enigma they couldn’t decipher.

Equivocal (adj)

open to more than one interpretation; purposefully vague or ambiguous; e.g., His equivocal instructions left me confused about what to do.

Evoke (v)

to summon or call forth; e.g., Childhood photos evoked strong memories from long ago.

Exact (adj)

precise, accurate, or correct in every detail; e.g., Could you give me the exact amount needed?

Expedient (adj)

suitable for achieving a particular end; pragmatically useful; e.g., In a crisis, quick action may be more expedient than detailed planning.

Explicit (adj)

clearly and directly stated, leaving no room for confusion; e.g., The teacher was explicit that assignments must be turned in on time.

Extol (v)

to praise highly or glorify; e.g., The eulogy extolled the deceased’s virtues and accomplishments.

Extricate (v)

to free or release from a difficult situation or entanglement; e.g., Firefighters extricated the injured driver from the mangled car.

Facilitate (v)

to make easier or help bring about; e.g., The mediator helped facilitate an agreement.

Fathom (v)

to understand something thoroughly; e.g., I couldn’t fathom his reason for quitting without notice.

Fatuous (adj)

silly, foolish, smugly ignorant; e.g., He made fatuous arguments that revealed little understanding of the issue.

Feckless (adj)

weak, ineffective, incompetent; irresponsible; e.g., His feckless leadership led the company to ruin.

Fervor (n)

great warmth and intensity of feeling; e.g., She spoke with fervor about her political beliefs.

Fickle (adj)

frequently changing, erratic; e.g., His fickle behavior left her confused.

Flagrant (adj)

glaringly bad or offensive; e.g., a flagrant foul during the game; flagrant disregard for the law.

Flimsy (adj)

thin and easily bent or damaged; lacking plausibility; e.g., She offered a flimsy excuse for missing class.

Flout (v)

to openly disregard rules or conventions; e.g., She flouted the school dress code with her outfit.

Frugal (adj)

practicing or reflecting economy in use of resources; e.g., They lived a frugal lifestyle and saved money where they could.

Garrulous (adj)

excessively talkative, especially about trivial matters; e.g., My garrulous neighbor loved chatting over the fence each morning.

Germane (adj)

relevant and appropriate for the subject at hand; e.g., His rambling anecdote was not germane to the discussion.

Grave (adj)

serious; requiring consideration; e.g., The doctor had a grave expression when giving the prognosis.

Gregarious (adj)

sociable, seeking and enjoying the company of others; e.g., Humans are naturally gregarious and form bonds through social contact.

Gross (adj)

blatant, outrageous, or unambiguous; lacking refinement or dignity; e.g., His gross exaggerations undermined his credibility.

Guile (n)

cunning, deceitful shrewdness or treachery; e.g., She betrayed her friend out of pure guile.

Gullible (adj)

easily persuaded to believe something; naive, credulous; e.g., The scammer took advantage of gullible people.

Haughty (adj)

arrogantly superior, disdainful, looking down on others; e.g., The haughty queen barely acknowledged the peasants.

Hesitate (v)

to pause in uncertainty or have difficulty choosing; e.g., She hesitated before exiting the stage, nerves getting the best of her.

Hinder (v)

to hamper, obstruct, or delay; e.g., The snowstorm will likely hinder travel plans.

Hostile (adj)

having or showing ill will, animosity, opposition; e.g., The hostile crowd shouted angrily at the politician.

Hyperbole (n)

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally; e.g., Saying he was starving was hyperbole; he just wanted a snack.

Iconoclast (n)

one who attacks or undermines traditional conventions or institutions; e.g., The rebel was an iconoclast who challenged the status quo.

Idolize (v)

to worship or admire intensely and often excessively; e.g., Young girls often idolize celebrities and pop stars.

Illuminate (v)

to supply or brighten with light; enlighten; e.g., His lecture helped illuminate and explain Plato’s philosophy.

Illusion (n)

something that deceives or misleads intellectually; e.g., The magician created illusions that seemed to defy physics.