ISEE Upper Synonyms Vocabulary

A complete list of 183 synonyms and vocabulary terms for the ISEE Upper level exam, including parts of speech and formal definitions.

abate

(v) to lessen or reduce in intensity

aberration

(n) a departure from what is normal

abstain

(v) to hold back from doing something

adverse

(adj) harmful or unfavorable

advocate

(v) to publicly support a cause

aesthetic

(adj) relating to beauty or art

affable

(adj) friendly and easy to talk to

alleviate

(v) to make suffering less severe

aloof

(adj) distant and reserved

ambiguous

(adj) unclear; open to more than one meaning

ambivalent

(adj) having mixed feelings

amiable

(adj) good-natured and pleasant

anecdote

(n) a short, personal story

animosity

(n) strong hostility

apathy

(n) lack of interest or concern

arduous

(adj) difficult and tiring

articulate

(adj) able to express ideas clearly

astute

(adj) sharp and clever in judgment

audacious

(adj) boldly daring

austere

(adj) stern, or plain and simple

benevolent

(adj) kind and generous

benign

(adj) gentle and harmless

bolster

(v) to support or strengthen

brevity

(n) the quality of being brief

candid

(adj) honest and direct

capricious

(adj) given to sudden, unpredictable changes

censure

(v) to criticize harshly and formally

coerce

(v) to force through pressure or threats

cohesive

(adj) united and working well together

commend

(v) to praise formally

compelling

(adj) convincing; holding attention

complacent

(adj) smugly self-satisfied

concede

(v) to admit something is true

condone

(v) to accept or overlook wrongdoing

conform

(v) to follow rules or standards

conspicuous

(adj) clearly visible; obvious

contempt

(n) a feeling that something is worthless

copious

(adj) present in large amounts

corroborate

(v) to confirm or support with evidence

cryptic

(adj) mysterious or hard to understand

cursory

(adj) hasty and not thorough

daunting

(adj) intimidating; discouraging

dearth

(n) a scarcity or lack

debunk

(v) to expose as false

deference

(n) respectful submission to another

deleterious

(adj) causing harm

deride

(v) to mock or ridicule

despondent

(adj) in low spirits from loss of hope

deter

(v) to discourage from acting

didactic

(adj) intended to teach

diligent

(adj) hardworking and careful

diminish

(v) to make or become smaller

discern

(v) to perceive or recognize

disdain

(n) scorn; a feeling of superiority

disparage

(v) to belittle or speak of poorly

disparate

(adj) essentially different; distinct

dogmatic

(adj) asserting opinions as if they were facts

dubious

(adj) doubtful or questionable

eclectic

(adj) drawn from many sources

elated

(adj) extremely happy

eloquent

(adj) fluent and persuasive in speech

elusive

(adj) hard to catch, find, or define

embellish

(v) to decorate or exaggerate

eminent

(adj) famous and respected

empathy

(n) the ability to share others’ feelings

endorse

(v) to publicly approve or support

enervate

(v) to weaken or drain of energy

enigma

(n) a puzzling person or thing

ephemeral

(adj) lasting a very short time

equivocal

(adj) ambiguous; open to interpretation

erudite

(adj) having great knowledge; scholarly

exacerbate

(v) to make worse

exemplary

(adj) outstanding; serving as a model

exonerate

(v) to clear from blame

exuberant

(adj) full of energy and excitement

fabricate

(v) to invent or make up

facilitate

(v) to make easier

fallacy

(n) a mistaken belief

fastidious

(adj) very attentive to detail; hard to please

feasible

(adj) capable of being done

fervent

(adj) intensely passionate

fickle

(adj) frequently changing; not loyal

flourish

(v) to grow or develop well

formidable

(adj) impressive and intimidating

frugal

(adj) careful with money; thrifty

futile

(adj) pointless; incapable of success

garrulous

(adj) excessively talkative

gregarious

(adj) sociable; fond of company

hackneyed

(adj) overused and unoriginal

hamper

(v) to hinder or slow down

haughty

(adj) arrogantly superior

hypothetical

(adj) based on a supposition, not fact

immutable

(adj) unchanging over time

impartial

(adj) fair; not favoring one side

impede

(v) to obstruct or delay

impertinent

(adj) rude; not showing respect

implicit

(adj) implied though not stated

inadvertent

(adj) unintentional; accidental

incessant

(adj) never stopping

incite

(v) to stir up or provoke