Vocabulary List with Definitions

Abrupt

Sudden and unexpected.

Abysmal

extremely bad.

Ameliorate

To improve or make better.

Austere

extremely plain.

Calibrate

To adjust for precision.

Candid

direct, blunt.

Conflated

Combined in a misleading way.

Conspicuous

Easily noticed or standing out.

Contentious

Causing disagreement or debate.

Contingent

Dependent on something else.

Contrived

Artificial or overly planned.

Cordially

In a warm or friendly manner.

Corroborate

to provide evidence for; to back up (a claim).

Defunct

No longer existing or functional.

Demarcate

To set boundaries or distinguish.

Desultory

Lacking a clear plan or enthusiasm.

Devise

to come up with (a plan).

Diminish

To decrease in size or importance.

Disconcerting

Causing discomfort or confusion.

Discretion

The ability to make responsible choices.

Disparage

To belittle or speak negatively about.

Disparate

Essentially different or unconnected.

Dormant

Inactive but capable of becoming active.

Dynamic

Constantly changing or energetic.

Exhaustive

Thorough and complete.

Explicable

Able to be explained.

Extraneous

Unrelated or unnecessary.

Haphazard

Lacking organization or planning.

Homogeneous

Uniform or similar throughout.

Imminent

About to happen soon.

Impartial

Fair and not biased.

Impending

Approaching or about to happen.

Implicit

Implied rather than stated directly.

Inadvertently

Unintentionally or by accident.

Inconspicuous

Not being easily seen or noticed.

Inhibit

To hinder or restrain.

Innocuous

Harmless or inoffensive.

Latent

Present but not active.

Misanthropic

Disliking people or society.

Notional

Existing only in theory.

Novel

New or original.

Offhand

Done without preparation or thought.

Omnipotent

almighty and all powerful.

Onset

the beginning or early stages.

Oust

to remove or force out of (usu. a position or office).

Overtly

Openly and clearly.

Paucity

A scarcity or lack.

Postulate

To assume or propose a theory.

Pragmatic

Practical and realistic.

Precarious

Uncertain or unstable.

Preclude

To prevent from happening.

Predatory

Exploiting others for personal gain.

Premeditated

Planned beforehand.

Presume

To assume something to be true.

Profusion

A large quantity of something.

Proponent

A supporter of a cause or idea.

Prudently

In a wise or careful manner.

Ramify

to split into two or more branches.

Recalcitrant

Stubbornly resistant to authority.

Recant

To take back a previous statement.

Receptive

Open to new ideas.

Renounce

To give up or reject formally.

Reprieve

A temporary relief or delay.

Repudiate

Retaliate

v. To respond to an attack.

Rudimentary

adj. Basic or simple.

Sanction

v. To authorize or approve.

Sanguine

adj. Optimistic or hopeful.

Scrutinize

v. To examine closely.

Spurious

adj. False or deceptive.

Stymie

v. To hinder or block.

Substantial

adj. Large or important.

Supplement

v. To add to something.

Tentative

adj. Uncertain or not fully decided.

Tenuous

adj. Weak or insubstantial.

Ubiquitous

adj. Present everywhere.

Variable

adj. Likely to change.

Verisimilitude

n. The appearance of being true or real.

Veritable

adj. Used to emphasize truth.

Vigilance

n. The action of keeping careful watch.

Waive

v. To give up a right or claim voluntarily.

Warranted

adj. Justified or necessary.

Adversarial

adj. relating to hostile opposition.

Ambiguous

adj. unclear or vague in meaning.

Ambivalence

n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options.

Artificial

adj. something made; not occurring naturally.

Avenue

n. an intangible path or approach to something.

Bolster

v. to support, strengthen, or fortify.

Brevity

n. the quality of being brief or terse.

Candor

n. the trait of being honest and frank.

Conducive

adj. able to bring about or be suitable for.

Contend

v. to maintain or assert (an opinion).

Conviction

n. a firm belief in something.

Deference

n. respect; regard.

Deficient

adj. not enough in degree or amount.

Demur

v. to object to.

Dismay

v. to fill with woe or apprehension.

Dominion

n. power and authority (usu. over a territory).

Dreary

adj. sad, gloomy, dull.

Emit

v. to discharge, give forth, or release.