vocab 1-3

Acquisitive (definition)

adj. able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

Acquisitive (synonyms)

Greedy, avaricious, retentive

Acquisitive (antonyms)

Altruistic

Arrogate (definition)

verb. to claim or take without right

Arrogate (synonyms)

Expropriate, commandeer

Arrogate (antonyms)

Renounce, abdicate, abandon

Banal (definition)

Adj. Hackneyed, trite, commonplace

Banal (synonyms)

Stale, insipid

Banal (antonyms)

Fresh, original, new

Belabor (definition)

V. To work on excessively; to thrash soundly

Belabor (synonyms)

Overwork

Carping (definition)

Adj. tending to find fault, petty, nagging criticism.

Carping (synonyms)

Nit-picking, caviling

Carping (antonyms)

Approving, uncritical

Coherent (definition)

Adj. holding or sticking together; making a logical whole, comprehensible

Coherent (synonyms)

Connected, unified, consistent, cohesive

Coherent (antonyms)

Muddled, chaotic, disjointed

Congeal (definition)

Verb. To change from liquid to solid, thicken; to make flexible or rigid

Congeal (synonyms)

Harden, jell, solidify

Congeal (antonym)

Liquefy

Emulate (definition)

V. To imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

Emulate (synonyms)

Copy, mimic, rival, match, measure up to

Encomium (definition)

n. Formal expression of praise, a lavish tribute

Encomium (synonyms)

Panegyric, eulogy

Encomium (antonyms)

Condemnation, castigation, criticism

Eschew (definition)

v. To avoid, shun, keep away from

Eschew (synonyms)

abstain from, steer clear, forgo

Eschew (antonyms)

embrace, adopt

Germane (definition)

adj. relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

Germane (synonym)

pertinent

Germane (antonym)

irrelevant, extraneous, inappropriate

Insatiable (definition)

adj. so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

Insatiable (synonym)

unquenchable, ravenous

intransigent (definition)

adj. refusing to compromise, irreconcilable

intransigent (synonyms)

uncompromising, unyielding, obdurate

intransigent (antonyms)

lukewarm, halfhearted, yielding

invidious (definition)

adj. offensive, hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

invidious (synonyms)

malicious, spiteful, prejudicial, pejorative

invidious (antonyms)

flattering, ameliorative

largesse (definition)

n. generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

largesse (synonyms)

liberality, bounty

largesse (antonyms)

stinginess, miserliness

reconnaissance (definition)

n. a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

reconnaissance (synonym)

exploration

substantiate (definition)

(v.) to establish by evidence, prove; to give concrete or substantial form to

substantiate (synonym)

confirm, validate, authenticate

substantiate (antonym)

refute, disprove, invalidate

taciturn (definition)

adj. habitually silent or quiet, inclined to talk very little

taciturn (synonyms)

tight-lipped, uncommunicative, laconic

taciturn (antonyms)

garrulous, loquacious, prolix, verbose

temporize (definition)

v. to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision; to compromise

temporize (synonyms)

dillydally, procrastinate

tenable (definition)

adj. capable of being held or defended

tenable (synonyms)

defensible, justifiable, maintainable

tenable (antonyms)

indefensible, unjustifiable

accost (definition)

v. to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

accost (synonyms)

buttonhole, approach

accost (antonyms)

avoid, shun

animadversion (definition)

n. a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

animadversion (synonyms)

rebuke, reproof

animadversion (antonyms)

praise, compliment

avid (definition)

adj. desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

avid (synonym)

keen, enthusiastic, grasping

avid (antonyms)

reluctant, indifferent, unenthusiastic

brackish (definition)

adj. having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

brackish (synonym)

saline

brackish (antonym)

clear, sweet

celerity (definition)

n. swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

celerity (synonym)

promptness, speed

celerity (antonym)

slowness, sluggishness, dilatoriness

devious (definition)

adj. straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

devious (synonym)

roundabout, indirect, tricky, sly, artful

devious (antonym)

direct, straightforward, open, aboveboard

gambit (definition)

n. in chess, an opening move that involves risk or sacrifice of a minor piece in order to gain a later advantage; any opening move of this type

gambit (synonym)

ploy, ruse, maneuver

halcyon (definitions)

- n. a legendary bird identified with the king fisher;

- adj. of or relating to the halcyon; calm, peaceful; happy, golden, prosperous, affluent

halcyon (synonyms)

tranquil, placid, palmy

halcyon (antonyms)

turbulent, tumultuous

histrionic (definition)

adj. pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

histrionic (synonym)

affected, stagy

histrionic (antonym)

muted, untheatrical, subdued

incendiary (definitions)

- adj. deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion

- n. one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes strife

incendiary (synonyms)

inflammatory, provocative, firebrand

incendiary (antonyms)

soothing, quieting, peacemaker

maelstrom (definition)

n. a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

maelstrom (synonyms)

chaos, turbulence, tumult

myopic (definition)

adj. nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight or discernment

myopic (synonym)

shortsighted

myopic (antonym)

farsighted

overt (definition)

adj. open, not hidden, expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

overt (synonym)

clear, obvious, manifest, patent

overt (antonyms)

clandestine, covert, concealed

pejorative (definition)

adj. tending to make worse; expressing disapproval or disparagement, derogatory, deprecatory, belittling

pejorative (antonym)

complimentary, ameliorative

propriety (definition)

- n. the state of being proper, appropriateness

- pl. standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

propriety (synonym)

fitness, correctness

propriety (antonym)

unseemliness, inappropriateness