English vocabulary october 6th

Antithesis( noun)

When two opposite ideas are put together to show contrast

Example: Love is an ideal thing, marriage is a real thing.

Juxtaposition( noun)

placing two things side-by-side to compare or show contrast

Example: A poor neighborhood next to a luxury mall show juxtaposition

Hoax( noun)

a trick or fake story made to fool people

Example: The news about aliens landing was a hoax

Vitriol( noun)

Harsh mean or cruel criticism

Example: The celebrity faced vitriol on social media after her comment

Flimflam( noun)

a silly trick, scam or nonsense

Example: The salesman’s magic hair cream was just flimflam

Precipitous ( adjective)

Very steep or happening too fast without thinking

Example : The mountain had a precipitous drop/ She made a precipitous decision to quit her job.

Elucidate ( verb)

To make something clear or explain it well Example: the teacher elucidate the math problem step-by-step

Preternatural ( adjective)

Beyond what is normal or natural unusually amazing

Example: the child had a preternatural ability to remember everything

Humdrum ( adjective)

Boring or lacking excitement

example: he left his humdrum office job to travel the world

Ubiquitous ( adjective)

Found everywhere and very common

Example: smartphones are ubiquitous in today’s society

Aberration ( noun)

Something unusual or not normal example: the warm winter was an aberration from the usual cold weather

Amiable ( adjective)

Friendly and pleasant

example: she has an amiable personality that makes everyone like her

Unabashed (adjective)

not embarrassed or ashamed

example: he was unabashed about his love for cheesy movies

Asyndeton( noun)

Leaving out “and” “or” “but” to make speech, faster or more dramatic

Example: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Polysyndeton( noun)

Using many conjunctions (and, or, but) on purpose for effect

Example: he ran and jumped and laughed

Anaphora( noun)

Repeating the same word or phrase at the start of the sentence

Example: every day, every night, in every way, I’m getting better.

Epistrophe( noun)

Repeating the same word or phrase at the end of the sentence

Example: see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil