Vocabulary Flashcards for Exam Review

This set of flashcards covers a wide range of vocabulary terms and their definitions, useful for exam preparation.

Harbingers

Indicators; bringers of warnings; signs of things to come.

Hasten

Hurry; accelerate; to move or act quickly.

Haughtiness

Arrogance; pride; an attitude of superiority and disdain.

Headstrong

Stubborn; willful; determined to do what one wants regardless of advice.

Hedonism

Self-indulgence; pleasure-seeking; the pursuit of pleasure as the highest good.

Hedonist

A pleasure seeker; someone devoted to sensual enjoyment.

Heed

Listen to; to pay attention to or take notice of.

Heresy

Against orthodox opinion; beliefs that contradict established religious doctrine.

Hiatus

Interruption; a break or gap in continuity.

Hidebound

Rigid in opinions; narrow-minded and inflexible.

Hinder

Obstruct; to create difficulties or delays.

Histrionic

Theatrical; exaggerated; overly dramatic behavior.

Hone

Sharpen; increase; to refine or perfect.

Hyperbole

Grossly exaggerated speech; extreme overstatement for effect.

Hypochondriac

A person obsessed with health; someone who constantly worries about having imaginary illnesses.

Hypocritical

Insincere; saying one thing but doing another; pretending to have virtues one doesn't possess.

Iconoclast

Person who opposes orthodoxy; someone who challenges traditional beliefs or institutions.

Idiosyncrasy

A personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual; an unusual characteristic.

Ignominious

Shameful; deserving or causing public disgrace.

Ignominy

Shame; public disgrace or dishonor.

Kindle

To start a fire; to ignite or arouse.

Knotty

Complex; difficult to solve; full of complications.

Labyrinth

A maze; a complex network of paths or passages.

Labyrinthine

Complicated; highly convoluted; resembling a maze in complexity.

Lachrymose

Tearful; sad; inclined to cry or causing tears.

Lackluster

Dull; monotonous; bland; lacking brightness or interest.

Laconic

Using few words; brief; to the point; concise in speech.

Lamentation

Expression of regret or sorrow; an act of mourning or grieving.

Lampoon

Ridicule; spoof; to publicly mock or satirize.

Lance

Spear; spike; javelin; a long weapon with a pointed head.

Languid

Tired; slow; lacking energy or vitality.

Languish

Decay; fade away; get weaker; to lose strength or vitality.

Larceny

Theft; robbery; stealing; the unlawful taking of property.

Largess

Generosity; the generous giving of gifts or money.

Lavish

On a grand scale; wasteful; abundant or elaborate, often excessively so.

Legion

In large numbers; a vast multitude.

Lethargic

Tired; without energy; sluggish and lacking enthusiasm.

Levity

Flippancy; joking about serious matters; lack of appropriate seriousness.

Libertarian

Someone who opposes tyranny; a person who values individual freedom.

Liniment

Soothing lotion; a liquid medication rubbed on the skin to relieve pain.

Lithe

Flexible; supple; moving with ease and grace.

Noxious

Harmful; poisonous; lethal; dangerous to health.

Nuance

Something subtle; a fine shade of meaning; a slight difference in expression or meaning.

Nullify

To counter; to make unimportant; to render void or invalid.

Nuzzle

Cuddle; snuggle; to nestle or rub gently against.

Obdurate

Stubborn; refusing to change one's opinion despite persuasion.

Obfuscate

Deliberately make something difficult to understand; to confuse or obscure.

Objective

Unbiased; not subjective; based on facts rather than feelings.

Oblique

Indirect; slanting; not straightforward in approach.

Obliterate

Destroy; demolish; eradicate; to wipe out completely.

Oblivious

Totally unaware; lacking conscious knowledge of something.

Obscure

Difficult to understand; partially hidden; not clear or well-known.

Obscured

Hidden; covered; buried; made difficult to see.

Obsequious

Servile; submissive; excessively eager to please.

Obsession

A dominating concern; an idea or thought that continually occupies the mind.

Obsolete

No longer valid; outdated and no longer in use.

Obstreperous

Noisy and boisterous; difficult to control; unruly.

Obtuse

Mentally dull; slow to understand.

Obviate

Avoid; make unnecessary; to prevent or eliminate the need for something.

Officious

Domineering; intrusive; meddlesome; asserting authority in an annoying way.

Ogle

Stare at; observe in an obvious manner; to look at with desire or interest.

Olfactory

Concerned with the sense of smell; relating to the ability to smell.

Ominous

Threatening; giving an impression that something bad will happen.

Omnipotent

All-powerful; having unlimited power.

Omniscient

All-knowing; having complete knowledge.

Placid

Calm; peaceful; undisturbed and tranquil.

Plagiarism

Taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas; presenting others' work as your own.

Plaintiff

Petitioner (in court of law); the person who brings a lawsuit.

Plaudit

Statement giving strong praise; an expression of enthusiastic approval.

Plausible

Can be believed; reasonable; seeming likely to be true.

Plethora

An excess; an overabundance of something.

Pliable

Flexible; not stubborn; easily bent or influenced.

Plumage

Feathers of a bird; the covering of feathers on a bird.

Plummet

Fall suddenly and steeply; to drop rapidly.

Podium

Raised platform; small platform for a speaker or conductor.

Poignant

Deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions; touching.

Poised

Calm; collected; self-possessed; showing composure.

Polemical

Causing debate or argument; controversial.

Ponderous

Weighty; slow and heavy; awkward because of weight or dullness.

Pontificate

Speak pompously or dogmatically; to express opinions in an arrogant manner.

Portend

Foretell; to be a sign that something is going to happen.

Portent

A warning sign; omen; an indication of future events.

Poseur

Someone who puts on an act; a person who pretends to be what they're not.

Posthumous

After death; occurring or published after someone's death.

Postulate

Hypothesize; propose; to suggest or assume something as a basis for reasoning.

Potable

Suitable for drinking; safe to drink.

Potent

Powerful; compelling; strong; having great influence or effect.

Pragmatic

Practical; dealing with things in a realistic way.

Pragmatist

Practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness rather than theory.

Remuneration

Payment for work done; compensation for services.

Renown

Fame; the state of being well-known and celebrated.

Replete

Full; completely filled or supplied with.

Reprehensible

Shameful; very bad; deserving strong criticism.

Reprieve

A break or respite; postponement of a sentence; temporary relief.

Repudiate

Shun; eschew; to refuse to accept or reject with denial.

Rescind

Retract; repeal; to cancel or revoke an order or decision.

Resignation

Acceptance of fate; submitting to something undesirable but inevitable.

Resolution

Determination; firmness of purpose.

Respite

A break; intermission; a short period of rest or relief.

Resplendent

Shining; glowing; dazzlingly beautiful.