Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 6

anomalous

(adj.) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual

SYN: exceptional, unusual, aberrant

ANT: normal, regular, customary, typical, ordinary

aspersion

(n.) a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming

SYN: innuendo, calumny

ANT: endorsement, praise

bizarre

(adj.) extremely strange, unusual, atypical

SYN: grotesque, fantastic, outlandish

ANT: normal, typical, ordinary, expected

brusque

(adj.) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities

SYN: tactless, ungracious

ANT: tactful, diplomatic

cajole

(v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises

SYN: wheedle, inveigle

ANT: coerce, force

castigate

(v.) to punish severely; to criticize severely

SYN: chastise, censure

ANT: horror, praise, laud

contrive

(v.) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

SYN: think up, fabricate, concoct

demagogue

(n.) a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

SYN: rabble-rouser, firebrand

disabuse

(v.) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

SYN: undeceive, enlighten

ANT: deceive, delude, pull wool under one’s eyes

ennui

(n.) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom

SYN: languor, world-weariness, listlessness

ANT: enthusiasm, liveliness, excitement, intensity

fetter

(n.) a chain or shackle placed on the feet (often used in plural); anything that confines or restrains; (v.) to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

SYN: bond, restraint; (v.) bind, hamper

ANT: free, liberate, emancipate

heinous

(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful

SYN: evil, odious, outrageous

ANT: excellent, wonderful, splendid

immutable

(adj.) not subject to change, constant

SYN: unchangeable, unalterable, fixed, invariable

ANT: changeable, inconstant, variable, fickle

insurgent

(n.) one who rebels or rises against authority; (adj.) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

SYN: revolutionary, rebellious, mutinous

ANT: loyalist, loyal, faithful

megalomania

(n.) a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far in excess of reality

SYN: delusions of grandeur

ANT: modesty, self-debasement

sinecure

(n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job

SYN: no show job, cushy job, plum

surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

SYN: furtive, covert, clandestine, concealed

ANT: open, frank, above board, overt

transgress

(v.) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law

SYN: overstep, trespass

ANT: obey, toe the line

transmute

(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another

SYN: transform, convert

ANT: preserve, maintain

vicarious

(adj.) performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another

SYN: surrogate, secondhand

ANT: actual, firsthand