Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop: Level G Unit 10

askance

(adv.) with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval

Synonyms: suspiciously

attenuate

(v.) to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value

Synonyms: thin out, dilute, water down

A: thicken, strengthen, bolster

think: you pay ATTENtion to someone starting to look thin

benign

(adj.) gentle, kind; forgiving, understanding; having a favorable or beneficial effect; not malignant

Synonyms: harmless

A: malevolent

cavil

(v.) to find fault in a petty way, carp; (n.) a trivial objection or criticism

Synonym: (v.) nitpick

charlatan

(n.) one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender, impostor, or quack

Synonym: mountebank

decimate

(v.) to kill or destroy a large part of

Synonym: devastate

foible

(n.) a weak point, failing, minor flaw

Synonyms: shortcoming

A: forte

forgo

(v.) to do without, abstain from, give up

Synonyms: refrain from

A: partake of

fraught

(adj.) full of or loaded with; accompanied by

Synonyms: charged with

A: lacking

inure

(v.) to toughen, harden; to render used to something by long subjection or exposure

Synonyms: acclimate

luminous

(adj.) emitting or reflecting light, glowing; illuminating

Synonyms: bright

A: dark

obsequious

(adj.) Marked by slavish attentiveness; excessively submissive, often for purely self-interested reasons

Synonyms: servile

A: candid

obtuse

(adj.) blunt, not coming to a point; slow or dull in understanding; measuring between 90 and 180 degrees; not causing a sharp impression

Synonyms: dull-witted

A: quick-witted

oscillate

(v.) to swing back and forth with a steady rhythm; to fluctuate or waver

Synonym: vibrate

penitent

(adj.) regretful for one's sins or mistakes. (n.) one who is sorry for wrongdoing

Synonyms: (adj.) regretful

A: remorseless

peremptory

(adj.) having the nature of a command that leaves no opportunity for debate, denial, or refusal; offensively self-assured, dictatorial; determined, resolute

Synonym: unconditional

ant: irresolute

rebuff

(v.) to snub; to repel, drive away; (n.) a curt rejection, a check

Synonyms: reject

A: welcome

reconnoiter

(v.) to engage in reconnaissance; to make a preliminary inspection

Synonym: scout

shambles

(n.) a slaughterhouse; a place of mass bloodshed; a state of complete disorder and confusion, mess

sporadic

(adj.) occurring at irregular intervals, having no set plan or order

Synonyms: intermittent

A: steady