100 Words Every Wayzata Graduate Should Know

Vocabulary words

Abate (verb)

to lessen in intensity or degree.

Abstain (verb)

to choose not to do something.

Acumen (noun)

keen insight; shrewdness.

Adhere (verb)

to stick to a surface; to believe in and follow a set of beliefs.

Adversity (noun)

hardship; misfortune.

Aesthetic (adjective)

concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty.

Ambivalent (adjective)

having mixed or contradictory feelings about something.

Amicable (adjective)

friendly and agreeable.

Anachronistic (adjective)

out of date; not in the correct historical period.

Assiduous (adjective)

hardworking; diligent.

Benevolent (adjective)

well-meaning and kindly.

Bolster (verb)

to support or strengthen.

Brittle (adjective)

fragile; easily broken.

Camaraderie (noun)

trust and friendship among people who spend time together.

Capitulate (verb)

to surrender or give in.

Capricious (adjective)

given to sudden changes of mood or behavior.

Censure (verb)

to express severe disapproval.

Clairvoyant (adjective)

able to perceive events in the future.

Cognizant (adjective)

being aware of or having knowledge of something.

Coherent (adjective)

logical and consistent.

Collaborate (verb)

to work jointly on an activity.

Compassion (noun)

sympathetic pity and concern for others.

Compromise (noun)

an agreement reached by mutual concessions.

Condescending (adjective)

having a superior attitude toward others.

Conformist (noun)

a person who conforms to accepted behavior.

Convergence (noun)

the process of coming together.

Corollary (noun)

a direct or natural consequence or result.

Delirious (adjective)

in a state of wild excitement or ecstasy.

Demagogue (noun)

a leader who seeks support by appealing to desires and prejudices.

Digression (noun)

a temporary departure from the main subject.

Diligent (adjective)

showing care in one's work.

Discredit (verb)

to harm the reputation of.

Disdain (verb)

to regard with scorn.

Divergent (adjective)

tending to be different or develop in different directions.

Eclipse (noun/verb)

a loss of significance, power, or prominence in relation to another.

Empathy (noun)

the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Emulate (verb)

to match or surpass by imitation.

Enervating (adjective)

causing one to feel drained of energy.

Enigma (noun)

something difficult to understand or explain.

Ephemeral (adjective)

lasting for a very short time.

Erudite (adjective)

having or showing great knowledge or learning.

Evanescent (adjective)

quickly fading or disappearing.

Exemplary (adjective)

serving as a desirable model.

Extenuating (adjective)

serving to lessen the seriousness of an offense.

Florid (adjective)

having a red or flushed complexion; elaborately intricate.

Fortuitous (adjective)

happening by a lucky chance.

Frugal (adjective)

sparing or economical with regard to money or food.

Furtive (adjective)

attempting to avoid notice or attention, often because of guilt.

Galvanize (verb)

to shock or excite someone into taking action.

Hackneyed (adjective)

lacking significance through overuse.

Haughty (adjective)

arrogantly superior and disdainful.

Hedonist (noun)

a person who pursues pleasure as a goal.

Hypothesis (noun)

a proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence.

Impetuous (adjective)

acting quickly without thought or care.

Impute (verb)

to attribute to someone.

Incendiary (adjective)

tending to stir up conflict; designed to cause fires.

Incompatible (adjective)

so opposed in character as to be unable to coexist.

Inconsequential (adjective)

not important or significant.

Inevitable (adjective)

certain to happen; unavoidable.

Integrity (noun)

honesty and strong moral principles.

Intrepid (adjective)

fearless; adventurous.

Intuitive (adjective)

based on what one feels to be true without reasoning.

Jubilation (noun)

a feeling of great happiness and triumph.

Latent (adjective)

existing but not yet developed or visible; hidden.

Lethargic (adjective)

sluggish and apathetic.

Lobbyist (noun)

a person who seeks to influence political events.

Longevity (noun)

long life.

Mundane (adjective)

lacking interest or excitement; dull.

Nonchalant (adjective)

feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed.

Novice (noun)

a person new to or inexperienced in a field.

Ominous (adjective)

giving the impression that something bad is going to happen.

Opulent (adjective)

wealthy and luxurious.

Orator (noun)

a skilled public speaker.

Ostentatious (adjective)

characterized by vulgar display; designed to impress.

Parched (adjective)

dried out with heat; extremely thirsty.

Perfidious (adjective)

deceitful and untrustworthy.

Perturbed (adjective)

greatly disturbed or anxious.

Precocious (adjective)

having developed abilities at an earlier age than usual.

Pretentious (adjective)

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance.

Procrastinate (verb)

to delay or postpone action.

Prosaic (adjective)

lacking poetic beauty; commonplace.

Prosperity (noun)

the state of being prosperous; wealth.

Provocative (adjective)

causing annoyance or strong reaction.

Prudent (adjective)

acting with care and thought for the future.

Pungent (adjective)

having a very strong taste or smell.

Querulous (adjective)

complaining in a petulant manner.

Rancorous (adjective)

characterized by bitterness or resentment.

Reclusive (adjective)

avoiding the company of others; solitary.

Reconciliation (noun)

the restoration of friendly relations.

Resilient (adjective)

able to recover quickly from difficult conditions.

Spurious (adjective)

false or fake; not genuine.

Superfluous (adjective)

unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.

Surreptitious (adjective)

kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

Tactful (adjective)

having or showing sensitivity in dealing with others.

Tenacious (adjective)

persistent, determined.

Transient (adjective/noun)

temporary or short-lived; a person who stays only temporarily.

Venerable (adjective)

accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age or wisdom.

Vindicate (verb)

to clear someone of blame or suspicion.

Wary (adjective)

feeling or showing caution about possible dangers.

Zealous (adjective)

having or showing enthusiasm or energy in pursuit of a cause.