English Language Arts Vocab Practice

admonish

to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty

breach

an opening, gap, rupture, rift; a violation or infraction

brigand

a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman

circumspect

careful, cautious

commandeer

to seize for military or official use

cumbersome

clumsy, hard to handle; slow-moving

deadlock

a standstill resulting from the opposition of two equal forces or factions

debris

scattered fragments, wreckage

diffuse

to spread or scatter freely or widely; wordy, long-winded, or unfocused

dilemma

a difficult or perplexing situation or problem

efface

to wipe out; to keep oneself from being noticed

muddle

to make a mess of; to get by; a hopeless mess

opinionated

stubborn and often unreasonable in holding to one’s own ideas, having a closed mind

perennial

lasting for a long time, persistent; a plant that lives for many years

predispose

to incline to beforehand

relinquish

to let go, give up

salvage

to save from fire or shipwreck; property thus saved

spasmodic

sudden and violent but brief; fitful; intermittent

spurious

not genuine, not true, not valid

unbridled

uncontrolled, lacking in restraint

The librarian had to __ the noisy students several times before they settled down.

admonish

Because of a serious __ of the rules, two players were ejected from the game.

breach

Ancient caravans passing through desolate areas were sometimes attacked by __.

brigands

It is important for a diplomat to behave in a manner that is both discreet and __.

circumspect

Under certain circumstances, the government has the right to __ private property.

commandeer

The bus was filled with holiday shoppers carrying large and __ packages.

cumbersome

After fifteen innings, the score remained a frustrating 3-to-3 __.

deadlock

After the storm, the beach was littered with driftwood and other __.

debris

The scent of lilacs slowly __ through the open window.

diffused

During the crisis, the President found himself caught in a painful __.

dilemma

Time had __ almost all signs of the struggle that took place on the battlefield.

effaced

Too much stress and too little sleep will __ a person's ability to concentrate.

muddle

My boss is too __ to listen to any suggestions that differ from her own.

opinionated

Pizza is a __ favorite of young and old alike in the United States.

perennial

My genetic makeup seems to __ me to colds and sore throats.

predispose

Severe illness forced me to __ my role in the school play.

relinquish

Fortunately, we were able to __ a few things from the fire.

salvage

__ flashes of lightning were accompanied by torrential rain.

Spasmodic

Manufacturers who make __ claims for their products may face fines.

spurious

Sometimes the __ enthusiasm of sports fans can get a little out of hand.

unbridled