GregMat (Vocab Mt.) - Group 18

abet

[adj.] to support or encourage someone to do something wrong or illegal

synm: assist

e.g. He was accused of aiding and abetting the robbery.

accessible

[adj.] clear; easy to understand

synm: comprehensible, fathomable

e.g. Students may believe that poetry is not accessible because of its metaphorical language.

acquisitive

[adj.] eager to acquire and possess things

synm: greedy, avaricious, covetous

e.g. The company has an acquisitive nature, always looking to buy out smaller businesses.

amalgamate

[v.] to merge or combine two or more things

synm: fuse, coalesce

e.g. Several companies amalgamated to form a corporate giant.

attenuate

[v.] to reduce the intensity or value of

synm: dampen, diminish, weaken, debilitate

e.g. The drug helps to attenuate the symptoms of the illness.

augment

[v.] to increase or enlarge

synm: supplement, amplify

e.g. He decided to augment his income by taking a part-time job.

aversion

[n.] a feeling of strong dislike

synm: antipathy, loathe, abhorrence

e.g. She has a deep aversion to loud noises.

blithe

[adj.] lack of concern; indifferent

synm: nonchalant, heedless

e.g. His blithe disregard for the rules got him into trouble.

contempt

[n.] the feeling that a person or a thing is worthless or inferior

synm: scorn, disregard

e.g. The judge viewed the defendant's lies with contempt.

dawdle

[v.] to waste time; be slow

[Hint: Dal-dal: being stuck in a dal-dal, hence only moving slowly]

synm: linger, dilly-dally

e.g. Stop dawdling! You'll be late for school!

deflect

[v.] to change it's original course or direction

synm: divert, deviate

e.g. His compliment was an attempt to deflect her from asking more questions.

discount

[v.] to regard something as being unimportant or incorrect

synm: disregard, overlook

e.g. He discounted the rumors as mere gossip.

dissident

[n.] one who disagrees or opposes authority

synm: dissenter, nonconformist

e.g. The dissident was arrested for speaking out against the government.

efficacious

[adj.] able to produce the intended result; effective

synm: effectual, potent, fruitful

e.g. The new software proved to be efficacious in managing our financial records.

equitable

[adj.] fair and impartial

synm: just, unbiased, egalitarian

e.g. The new policies aimed for a more equitable distribution of resources.

erratic

[adj.] unpredictable and inconsistent

synm: capricious, fickle, mercurial, volatile

e.g. Her erratic moods made it hard to predict her behavior.

industrious

[adj.] hard-working and persistent

synm: diligent, sedulous, assiduous

e.g. Sarah was the most industrious member of the team, often staying late to finish tasks.

inform

[v.] give shape or character to

synm: characterize, infuse, permeate

e.g. Her upbringing in a musical family informs her unique approach to composing songs.

irksome

[adj.] irritating; annoying; frustating

synm: vexing, exasperating, grating

e.g. The constant noise from the construction site was irksome to the residents.

manacle

[v.] (used figuratively) to restrain, limit, or secure something

{Hint: think handcuff}

synm: shackle, stifle

e.g. Fear of failure can manacle your creativity.

modest

1. [adj.] unassuming about one's abilities; not boastful

synm: humble

e.g. Despite his achievements, he remained a modest individual.

2. [adj.] limited in quantity or amount

synm: moderate

e.g. John was able to live on a modest income because of his inexpensive habits.

noxious

[adj.] harmful, poisonous, or injurious

synm: virulent, pernicious

e.g. Long-term exposure to noxious chemicals can lead to serious health problems.

pernicious

[adj.] having a harmful effect, especially in a subtle way

[Hint: sounds like Per + Noxious (harmful)]

synm: insidious, detrimental, deleterious

e.g. Social media addiction can have pernicious effects on mental health.

predicament

[n.] an unpleasant, awkward or difficult situation

synm: plight, pickle, quandary

e.g. She found herself in a predicament when she realized she'd locked her keys in the car.

proficient

[adj.] good at something; skilled

synm: competent, adept

e.g. With years of practice, she became proficient in the violin.

prolix

[adj.] using too many words; long and wordy

synm: verbose, long-winded, protracted

e.g. The author's prolix writing style made it difficult to get through the novel.

scorn

1. [n.] a feeling of intense disrespect and dislike

synm: contempt, disdain

e.g. She has nothing but scorn for the new generation of politicians.

2. [v.] to look down with disdain/contempt

synm: deride

e.g. She scorned his apology, believing it was insincere.

subordinate

1. [v.] treat as less value or importance;

synm: marginalize, devalue

e.g. The company chose to subordinate other projects to prioritize the new launch.

2. [adj.] lower in rank or authority; secondary

synm: inferior, ancillary, deputy, adjutant

e.g. The assistant manager is suterm-29bordinate to the general manager.

unseemly

[adj.] (of behavior or actions) not proper; inappropriate

{Hint: un-seemly (not-seemly = socially suitable or polite}

synm: indecorous, unbecoming, unsuitable

e.g. Wearing a swimsuit to a formal event would be considered unseemly.

veritable

[adj.] (used to emphasize something) true; genuine

synm: authentic, indisputable, legitimate

e.g. The forest was a veritable paradise for nature lovers.