Vocabulary Workshop Level F Unit 1 - 10

approbation

approbation

(n.) the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval

Synonyms: sanction
Antonyms: disapproval, condemnation, exacerbate

assuage

(v.) to make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy, quench

Synonyms: mitigate, slake, allay
Antonyms: intensify, aggravate, exacerbate

coalition

(n.) a combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

Synonyms: alliance, league, federation, combine
Antonyms: splinter group

decadence

(n.) decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay; excessive self-indulgence

Synonyms: degeneration, corruption
Antonyms: rise, growth, maturation

elicit

(v.) to draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)

Synonyms: evoke, extract, educe
Antonyms: repress, quash, squelch, stifle

expostulate

(v.) to attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest reasoning

Synonyms: protest, remonstrate, complain

hackneyed

(adj.) used so often as to lack freshness or originality

Synonyms: banal, trite, commonplace, corny
Antonyms: new, fresh, novel, original

hiatus

(n.) a gap, opening, break (in the sense of having an element missing)

Synonyms: pause, lacuna
Antonyms: continuity, continuation

innuendo

(n.) a hint, indirect suggestion or reference (often in a derogatory sense)

Synonyms: insinuation, intimation
Antonym: direct statement

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a disagreement

Synonyms: intervene, mediate

jaded

(adj.) wearied, worn-out, dulled (in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)

Synonyms: sated, surfeited, cloyed
Antonyms: unspoiled, uncloyed

lurid

(adj.) causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or passionate in intensity or lack of restraint

Synonyms: gruesome, gory, grisly, baleful, ghastly
Antonyms: pleasant, attractive, appealing, wholesome

meritorious

(adj.) worthy, deserving recognition and praise

Synonyms: praiseworthy, laudable, commendable
Antonyms: blameworthy, reprehensible

petulant

(adj.) peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily irritated and upset

Synonyms: irritable, testy, waspish
Antonyms: amiable, placid

prerogative

(n.) a special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence

Synonyms: perquisite, perk

provincial

(adj.) pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the countryside; (n.) a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier from a province or colony

Synonyms: (adj.) narrow-minded, parochial, insular, naive
Antonyms: (adj.) cosmopolitan, broad-minded

simulate

(v.) to make pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of

Synonyms: pretend, affect

transcend

(v.) to rise above or beyond, exceed

Synonyms: surpass, outsrip

umbrage

(n.) shade cast by trees; foliage giving shade; an overshadowing influence or power; offense, resentment; a vague suspicion

Synonyms: irritation, pique
Antonyms: pleasure, delight, satisfaction

unctuous

(adj.) excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness, sincerity, or piety; fatty, oily; pliable

Synonyms: mealymouthed, fawning, greasy
Antonyms: gruff, blunt

ameliorate

(v.) to improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming

Synonyms: amend, better
Antonyms: worsen, aggravate, exacerbate

aplomb

(n.) poise, assurance, great confidence; perpendicularity

Synonyms: composure, self-possession, levelheadedness
Antonyms: confusion, embarrassment, abashment

bombastic

(adj.) pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to conceal a lack of ideas

Synonyms: inflated, highfalutin, pretentious
Antonyms: unadorned, simple, plain

callow

(adj.) without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise; without feathers

Synonyms: green, raw, unfledged, inexperienced
Antonyms: mature, grown-up, polished, sophisticated

drivel

(n.) saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking; (v.) to let saliva flow from the mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or fritter away foolishly

Synonyms: (n.) balderdash, tommyrot; (v) slaver

epitome

(n.) a summary, condensed account; an instance that represents a larger reality

Synonyms: abstract, digest, archetype

exhort

(v.) to urge strongly, advise earnestly

Synonyms: entreat, implore, adjure
Antonyms: discourage, advise against, deprecate

ex officio

(adj., adv.) by virtue of holding a certain office

infringe

(v.) to violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds

Synonyms: encroach, impinge, intrude
Antonyms: stay in bounds, comply

ingratiate

(v.) to make oneself agreeable and thus gain favor or acceptance by others (sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)

Synonyms: cozy up to, curry favor with
Antonyms: humiliate oneself

interloper

(n.) one who moves where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be, an intruder

Synonyms: trespasser, meddler, buttinsky

intrinsic

(adj.) belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent; originating in a bodily organ or part

Synonyms: immanent, organic
Antonyms: extrinsic, external, outward

inveigh

(v.) to make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval

Synonyms: harangue, remonstrate
Antonyms: acclaim, glorify, extol

lassitude

(n.) weariness of body or mind, lack of energy

Synonyms: fatigue, lethargy, torpor, languor
Antonyms: energy, vitality, animation, liveliness

millennium

(n.) a period of one thousand years; a period of great joy

Synonyms: chiliad, golden age
Antonyms: doomsday

occult

(adj.) mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary means; (v.) to hide, conceal; eclipse; (n.) matters involving the supernatural

Synonyms: (adj.) esoteric, abstruse, arcane
Antonyms: (adj.) mundane, common, public, exoteric

permeate

(v.) to spread through, penetrate, soak through

precipitate

(v.) to fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great height; to give distinct form to; (adj.) characterized by excessive haste; (n.) moisture; the product of an action or process

Synonyms: (v.) provoke, produce; (adj.) reckless, impetuous
Antonyms: (adj.) wary, circumspect

stringent

(adj.) strict, severe; rigorously or urgently binding or compelling; sharp or bitter to the taste

Synonyms: stern, rigorous, tough, urgent
Antonyms: lenient, mild, lax, permissive

surmise

(v.) to think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; (n.) likely idea that lacks definite proof

Synonyms: (v.) infer, gather; (n.) inference, presumption

abominate

(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for

Synonyms: loath, abhor, despise, detest
Antonyms: relish, savor, esteem

acculturation

(n.) the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend

Synonyms: adaptation

adventitious

(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

Synonyms: extrinsic, incidental, fortuitous
Antonyms: essential, intrinsic, inherent, congenital

ascribe

(v.) to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute

Synonyms: impute, credit

circuitous

(adj.) roundabout, not direct

Synonyms: indirect, meandering, winding
Antonyms: straight, direct, as the crow flies

commiserate

(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

Synonyms: feel sorry for, empathize
Antonyms: feel no sympathy for

enjoin

(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

Synonyms: bid, charge, adjure
Antonyms: allow, permit

expedite

(v.) to make easy, cause to progress faster

Synonyms: accelerate, facilitate, speed up
Antonyms: hinder, hamper, impede, obstruct

expiate

(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avert

Synonyms: redeem, make amends for, make reparation

ferment

(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence; (v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

Synonyms: (n.) commotion, turmoil, unrest
Antonyms: (n.) peace and quiet, tranquility, placidity

inadvertent

(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

Synonyms: accidental
Antonyms: deliberate, intentional

nominal

(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously

Synonyms: titular, inconsequential
Antonyms: actual, exorbitant

noncommittal

(adj.) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no

Synonyms: cagey, uninformative, playing it safe, playing it close to the vest
Antonyms: positive, definite, committed

peculate

(v.) to steal something that has been given into one's trust; to take improperly for one's own use

Synonyms: defraud, misappropriate

proclivity

(n.) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

Synonyms: penchant, propensity
Antonyms: inability, incapacity

sangfroid

(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

Synonyms: poise, self-assurance, equanimity
Antonyms: excitability, hysteria, flappability

seditious

(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

Synonyms: mutinous, rebellious, subversive
Antonyms: supportive, faithful, allegiant

tenuous

(adj.) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

Synonyms: flimsy, insubstantial, vague, hazy
Antonyms: strong, solid, substantial, valid

vitriolic

(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)

Synonyms: withering, acerbic, mordant
Antonyms: bland, saccharine, honeyed, sugary

wheedle

(v.) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

Synonyms: inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk
Antonyms: coerce, browbeat, intimidate, strong-arm

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to

SYNONYMS: genial, amicable, cordial
ANTONYMS: surly, cantankerous, dour, inhospitable

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater

SYNONYMS: augment, amplify, enhance, exalt
ANTONYMS: reduce, decrease, diminish

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion

SYNONYMS: formless, unstructured, inchoate
ANTONYMS:

archetype

(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing

SYNONYMS: model, prototype, epitome

aura

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality

SYNONYMS: ambience, atmosphere

contraband

(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited

SYNONYMS: (adj.) bootleg, unlawful
ANTONYMS: (adj.) legal, lawful, licit

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

SYNONYMS: profoundly educated, well-read
ANTONYMS: ignorant, uneducated, illiterate

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth

SYNONYMS: (adj.) filmy, diaphanous, sheer, airy, feathery, gauzy
ANTONYMS: (adj.) dense, solid, massive

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically

SYNONYMS: impenetrable, incomprehensible, enigmatic
ANTONYMS: comprehensible, intelligible, penetrable

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience

SYNONYMS: narrow-minded, parochial, provincial
ANTONYMS: catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal

irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back

SYNONYMS: unrecallable, unalterable
ANTONYMS: reversible, changeable

propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward

The young boy has a propensity for tantrums. Whenever something doesn't go his way, he has a major meltdown.

SYNONYMS: natural bent, proclivity, penchant
ANTONYMS: natural incapacity or inability

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

SYNONYMS: petulant, irritable
ANTONYMS: uncomplaining, stoical

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to

SYNONYMS: reason against, expostulate

repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

SYNONYMS: disavow, renounce
ANTONYMS: avow, affirm, aver

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly

SYNONYMS: springy, elastic
ANTONYMS: rigid, stiff, inflexable

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

SYNONYMS: rumble, thunder, boom, echo

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed

SYNONYMS: obscene, filthy, abusive, vituperative
ANTONYMS: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified

sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination

SYNONYMS: assiduous, indefatigable
ANTONYMS: indolent, listless

sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable

SYNONYMS: inferior, cheezy
ANTONYMS: superior, first-rate

amnesty

(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution

SYNONYM: reprieve

autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control

SYNONYM: home rule
ANTONYMS: dependence, subjection

axiomatic

(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle

SYNONYM: taken for granted
ANTONYMS: questionable, dubious

blazon

(v.) to adorn or embellish; to display conspicuously; to publish or proclaim widely

SYNONYMS: broadcast, trumpet
ANTONYMS: hide, conceal, bury

caveat

(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior

SYNONYMS: admonition, word to the wise

equitable

(adj.) fair, just, embodying principles of justice

SYNONYMS: right, reasonable, evenhanded
ANTONYMS: unjust, unfair, one-sided, disproportionate

extricate

(v.) to free from entanglements or difficulties; to remove with effort

SYNONYMS: disentangle, extract
ANTONYMS: enmesh, entangle

filch

(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts

SYNONYMS: pilfer, purloin, swipe

flout

(v.) to mock, treat with contempt

SYNONYMS: sneer at, snicker at, scorn
ANTONYMS: obey, honor

fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable

SYNONYMS: refractory, recalcitrant peevish
ANTONYMS: docile, tractable, cooperative

precept

(n.) a rule of conduct or action

SYNONYMS: principle, maxim

salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome

SYNONYMS: salubrious, curative
ANTONYMS: detrimental, deleterious

scathing

(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm

SYNONYMS: searing, harsh, savage
ANTONYMS: bland, mild

scourge

(v.) to whip, punish severely; (n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source or severe punishment or criticism

SYNONYMS: (v.) flog, beat; (n.) bane, plague, pestilence
ANTONYMS: (n.) godsend, boon, blessing

sepulchral

(adj.) funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal

SYNONYMS: lugubrious, mortuary

soporific

(adj.) tending to cause sleep, relating to sleepiness or lethargy; (n.) something that induces sleep

SYNONYMS: (n.) narcotic, anesthetic
ANTONYMS: (adj.) stimulating; (n.) stimulant, stimulus

straitlaced

(adj.) extremely strict in regard to moral standards and conduct; prudish, puritanical

SYNONYMS: highly conventional, overly strict, stuffy
ANTONYMS: lax, loose, indulgent, permissive, dissolute

transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time

SYNONYMS: (adj.) impermanent, ephemeral, evanescent
ANTONYMS: (adj.) permanent, imperishable, immortal

unwieldy

(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity

SYNONYMS: bulky, clumsy, impractical
ANTONYMS: manageable, easy to handle

vapid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force

SYNONYMS: lifeless, colorless
ANTONYMS: zesty, spicy, colorful