Sadlier Level F, Unit 7

austere

austere

(adj.) severe or stern in manner; without adornment or luxury, simple, plain; harsh or sour in flavor

SYNONYMS: forbidding, rigorous, puritanical, ascetic, unadorned, subdued ANTONYMS: mild, indulgent, luxurious, flamboyant

beneficent

(adj.) performing acts of kindness or charity; conferring benefits, doing good

SYNONYMS: humanitarian, magnanimous, charitable ANTONYMS: selfish, cruel, harmful, deleterious

cadaverous

(adj.) pale, gaunt, resembling a corpse

SYNONYMS: corpse-like, wasted, haggard, emaciated, ghastly ANTONYMS: robust, portly, rosy, the picture of health

concoct

(v.) to prepare by combining ingredients, make up (as a dish); to devise, invent, fabricate

SYNONYMS: create, fashion, rustle up

crass

(adj.) coarse, unfeeling; stupid

SYNONYMS: crude, vulgar, tasteless, oafish, obtuse ANTONYMS: refined, elegant, tasteful, polished, brilliant

debase

(v.) to lower in character, quality, or value; to degrade, adulterate; to cause to deteriorate

SYNONYMS: cheapen, corrupt, demean, depreciate ANTONYMS: elevate, uplift, improve, enhance

desecrate

(v.) to commit sacrilege upon, treat irreverently; to contaminate, pollute

SYNONYMS: profane, defile, violate ANTONYMS: revere, honor, venerate, consecrate

disconcert

(v.) to confuse; to disturb the composure of

SYNONYMS: upset, rattle, ruffle, faze, perturb ANTONYMS: relax, calm, put at ease

grandiose

(adj.) grand in an impressive or stately way; marked by pompous affectation or grandeur, absurdly exaggerated

SYNONYMS: majestic, bombastic, highfalutin ANTONYMS: simple, modest, unaffected, humble

inconsequential

(adj.) trifling, unimportant

SYNONYMS: trivial, negligible, petty, paltry ANTONYMS: important, essential, crucial, vital

infraction

(n.) a breaking of a law or obligation

SYNONYMS: violation, transgression, breach, offense

mitigate

(v.) to make milder or softer, to moderate in force or intensity

SYNONYMS: lessen, relieve, alleviate, diminish ANTONYMS: aggravate, intensify, irritate, exacberate

pillage

(v.) to rob of goods by open force (as in war), plunder; (n) the act of looting, booty

SYNONYMS: (v) ravage, sack, loot (n) booty

prate

(v.) to talk a great deal in a foolish or aimless fashion

SYNONYMS: chatter, prattle, blab, blabber, palaver ANTONYMS: come to the point, not waste words

punctilious

(adj.) very careful and exact, attentive to fine points of etiquette or propriety

SYNONYMS: precise, scrupulous, exacting, fussy, finicky ANTONYMS: careless, negligent, lax, perfunctory

redoubtable

(adj.) inspiring fear or awe; illustrious, eminent

SYNONYMS: formidable, fearsome, awesome, august ANTONYMS: laughable, risible, contemptible

reprove

(v.) to find fault with, scold, rebuke

SYNONYMS: chide, chastise, upbraid, reproach ANTONYMS: praise, commend, laud, pat on the back

restitution

(n.) the act of restoring someone or something to the rightful owner or to a former state or position; making good on a loss or damage

SYNONYMS: compensation, reimbursement, redress, restoration

stalwart

(adj.) strong and sturdy; brave; resolute; (n.) a brave, strong, person; a strong supporter; one who takes an uncompromising position

SYNONYMS: (adj.) sturdy, stout, intrepid, valiant (n.) mainstay ANTONYMS: (adj.) weak, infirm, irresolute, vacillating

vulnerable

(adj.) open to attack; capable of being wounded or damaged; unprotected

SYNONYMS: defenseless, exposed, unguarded ANTONYMS: invincible, protected, safe, secure