General - November 2026

Lathe of Heaven

paean

A song, poem, or expression of triumphant praise, thanksgiving, or exultation.

Example: The crowd erupted into a jubilant _________ celebrating the team's historic championship victory.

diurnal

Active during daylight hours or occurring every single day rather than at night.

Example: Unlike nocturnal owls that hunt by moonlight, hawks are strictly _________ birds of prey.

jounced

Moved or jolted up and down in a rough, bumpy, and jarring manner.

Example: The passengers held onto their hats as the old wagon _________ over the rutted dirt trail.

vestigial*

Remaining as a small, nonfunctional remnant of an anatomical structure that was fully developed in earlier evolutionary ancestors.

Example: Tiny internal hip bones in modern baleen whales are considered _________ structures left from four-legged ancestors.

palmy days

A past era of remarkable prosperity, triumph, happiness, or good fortune.

Example: Flipping through scrapbooks of sold-out performances, the retired singer reminisced about the _________ of her stage career.

vapid

Lacking liveliness, depth, spirit, or flavor; dull, empty, and uninspiring.

Example: Bored by the _________ chit-chat at the party, she excused herself to read a book in the study.

tremulously

In a shaking, quivering, or trembling manner, often due to nervousness, fear, or weakness.

Example: Her voice shook and she _________ raised her hand to address the intimidating panel of judges.

hermetic*

Sealed completely so as to be airtight; completely protected from external contamination or outside influences.

Example: The ancient parchment scroll was preserved inside a _________ glass chamber to keep moisture from ruining it.

impelled

Urged forward, driven, or compelled to take action by an internal desire or external force.

Example: A deep sense of duty and empathy _________ the firefighter to charge straight into the blazing home.

pique

A temporary feeling of irritation, resentment, or wounded pride resulting from an insult or slight.

Example: In a sudden burst of wounded _________, he packed his bags and stormed out after his idea was dismissed.

umbrage

A feeling of offense, annoyance, or resentment taken at a perceived slight or derogatory remark.

Example: The master chef took serious _________ when a diner asked for ketchup before even tasting the dish.

ennui

A profound feeling of weariness, boredom, and dissatisfaction stemming from a lack of occupation or excitement.

Example: Trapped indoors during a week of torrential rain, the teenagers succumbed to listless _________.

sibilant

Characterized by, sounding like, or producing a hissing sound, particularly like that of the letters 's' or 'sh'.

Example: The radiator let out a loud, _________ hiss as high-pressure steam rushed through the pipes.

lamentation

A passionate, vocal expression of profound grief, deep sorrow, or mourning.

Example: The streets were filled with bitter wailing and _________ after the earthquake shattered the village.

ovoid*

Shaped like an egg; having an elliptical, rounded, three-dimensional outline.

Example: The river stone had been tumbled by currents until it formed a smooth, perfectly _________ pebble.

livid

Extremely angry and infuriated; or discolored with a dark, bruised, bluish-gray hue.

Example: The store owner was absolutely _________ when he discovered the back door forced open and the register emptied.

shopworn*

Faded, soiled, or worn out from being displayed on a store rack for too long; stale and overused.

Example: The clearance rack held discounted coats with frayed cuffs that looked distinctly _________.

beguile

To charm, captivate, or enchant someone, often through pleasant deceit or mesmerizing flattery.

Example: The smooth-talking con artist managed to _________ several investors out of their life savings.

maundered

Talked or wandered in a rambling, incoherent, and aimless fashion.

Example: Instead of sticking to the syllabus, the lecturer _________ through disconnected memories for an hour.

confluent*

Flowing together, converging, or uniting into a single body, channel, or stream.

Example: Where the two _________ rivers joined forces at the foot of the gorge, a massive whirlpool appeared.

obstinacy

The stubborn quality of refusing to alter one's opinion, course, or purpose despite sound arguments or appeals.

Example: Despite clear evidence that the trail was washed out ahead, his pure _________ made him keep marching forward.

tepidly

With little enthusiasm, uninspired warmth, or lukewarm interest.

Example: The board responded _________ to the proposal, offering only a few polite, half-hearted nods.

russet*

A warm, earthy reddish-brown or yellowish-brown color, often associated with autumn foliage or coarse cloth.

Example: In late October, the green mountainsides gave way to brilliant canopies of gold and rich _________.

wrack

Total destruction, devastation, or ruin; also seaweed cast ashore by waves.

Example: Left abandoned after the war, the magnificent coastal citadel slowly fell to _________ and ruin.

malaise

A vague, general feeling of discomfort, illness, uneasiness, or dissatisfaction whose precise source is hard to identify.

Example: Following the sudden shutdown of the town's main factory, an undeniable social _________ settled over the community.

balkiness

The tendency to be stubbornly uncooperative, resistant, or unwilling to proceed.

Example: The donkey's sudden _________ stopped the mountain expedition dead in its tracks at the wooden bridge.

surcease

A temporary pause, cessation, or relief from pain, suffering, or intense effort.

Example: Weary from months of relentless grief, the poet desperately sought _________ from his agonizing memories.

nil

Zero; none; nothing at all.

Example: Since no one purchased raffle tickets before the drawing, the total funds collected were _________.

pedant

A person who is excessively and tiresomely concerned with minor book rules, formal trivia, or displaying obscure knowledge.

Example: No one enjoyed conversational debates with the office _________, who paused every discussion to correct minor punctuation.

polarity*

The state or condition of possessing two opposite, diametrically opposed forces, poles, or tendencies.

Example: The tense town hall meeting demonstrated the sharp _________ between developers and environmentalists.

indubitably

Without question, uncertainty, or doubt; unequivocally and certainly.

Example: Supported by conclusive DNA matching and video evidence, the recovered artifact was _________ genuine.

desiderata

Things that are considered essential, highly needed, or intensely desired.

Example: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and health benefits were top _________ on her employment wishlist.

otiose

Serving no practical purpose; completely futile, useless, or ineffective.

Example: Because the software automatically sorted every incoming invoice, manually logging receipts had become _________.

perforce

By force of circumstance; unavoidably or by necessity.

Example: With all local mountain passes blocked by heavy snowdrifts, the hikers were _________ obliged to turn back.

tenebrous*

Dark, murky, shadowy, and enveloped in deep gloom.

Example: Holding their flickering torches high, the spelunkers stepped cautiously into the _________ caverns beneath the cliff.

recalcitrant

Stubbornly resisting authority, supervision, discipline, or control; defiantly obstinate.

Example: The coach suspended the _________ athlete after he openly defied team rules and missed mandatory practices.

presentiment

An intuitive premonition or inner feeling that something foreboding or unfortunate is about to happen.

Example: As an eerie chill swept across the deck of the ship, the captain experienced a grim _________ of danger.

docile

Gentle, easily trained, managed, or guided; submissive and ready to accept instruction.

Example: With gentle encouragement and daily training, the once-feral kitten turned into a remarkably _________ lap cat.

fugue (music)*

A polyphonic musical composition built on an initial melodic theme that is stated by one voice and developed through interweaving counterpoint by other voices.

Example: The cathedral organ resonated as the performer introduced the main motif of a complex Bach _________, weaving independent melodies together.