Common words 1 and 2 (100)

laconic

adjective: (describes a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words

While Martha always swooned over the hunky, *** types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative—and not very hunky.

intimate

verb: to suggest something subtly

At first Manfred’s teachers *** to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy’s precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade.

parsimonious

adjective: extremely frugal; miserly

Katie is so *** that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them.

artful

adjective: exhibiting artistic skill

Picasso is generally considered the most * member of the Cubist movement.

adjective: clever in a cunning way

Bernie Madoff's *** Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.

aberration

noun: a deviation from what is normal or expected

*** in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines.

ingenuous

adjective: to be naïve and innocent

Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an *** girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.

galvanize

verb: to excite or inspire (someone) to action

At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read, “Go Kyle”; ***, he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.

ambiguous

adjective: open to more than one interpretation

The coach told his team, “Move towards that side of the field”; because he did not point, his directions were ***, and the team had no idea to which side he was referring.

prevaricate

verb: to speak in an evasive way

The cynic quipped, “There is not much variance in politicians; they all seem to ***”.

castigate

verb: to reprimand harshly

Drill sergeants are known to *** new recruits so mercilessly that the latter often break down during their first week in training.

censure

verb: to express strong disapproval

After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly *** by the city council.

involved

adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend

The physics lecture became so *** that the undergraduate’s eyes glazed over.

restive

adjective: restless

The crowd grew *** as the comedian’s opening jokes fell flat.

frugal

adjective: not spending much money (but spending wisely)

Monte was no miser, but was simply ***, wisely spending the little that he earned.

commensurate

adjective: to be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount

The convicted felon’s life sentence was *** with the heinousness of his crime.

maintain

verb: to assert

The scientist *** that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

calumny

noun: making of a false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation

With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with ***, and the mud already waist-high.

acrimony

noun: bitterness and ill will

The *** between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold

Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer’s questions ***—after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline’s favorite snack was?

ambivalent

adjective: mixed or conflicting emotions about something

Sam was *** about studying for the exam because doing so ate up a lot of his time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills.

disinterested

adjective: unbiased; neutral

The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of *** members.

iconoclast

noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an *** for wearing a "meat dress" to a prominent awards show.

equivocal

adjective: confusing or ambiguous

The findings of the study were ***— the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified.

extant

adjective: still in existence (usually refers to documents).

Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be *** generations from now.

innocuous

adjective: harmless and doesn’t produce any ill effects

Everyone found Nancy’s banter *** —except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

amenable

adjective: easily persuaded

Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally *** and so her brother was able to persuade her to go camping.

vindicate

verb: to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof

Even seven Tour de France wins cannot *** Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the public--that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.

anomalous

adjective: not normal

According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over the last five years is simply *** — daily temperatures should return to their old averages, they believe.

enervate

verb: to sap energy from

John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him *** after he’d spent the day sightseeing

gregarious

adjective: to be likely to socialize with others

Often we think that great leaders are those who are ***, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted.

parochial

adjective: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook

Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work out because his culinary tastes were simply too ***; "After all," she quipped on her blog, "he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food."

harangue

noun: a long pompous speech; a tirade

Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable *** against the government.

verb: to deliver a long pompous speech or tirade

Tired of his parents *** him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.

undermine

verb: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term)

The student *** the teacher’s authority by questioning the teacher’s judgment on numerous occasions.

belie

verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent

The smile on her face *** the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

venerate

verb: to respect deeply

The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was *** amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.

chastise

verb: to reprimand harshly

Though *** for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother’s harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.

amorphous

adjective: shapeless

His study plan for the GRE was at best ***; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books.

qualify

verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement)

Chris *** his love for San Francisco, adding he didn't like the weather there as much as he liked the weather in Los Angeles.

upbraid

verb: to reproach; to scold

Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop"—in the end he had to *** the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

prodigal

adjective: rashly or wastefully extravagant

Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to *** seem to be the exception—most live decadent lives.

egregious

adjective: standing out in a negative way; shockingly bad

The dictator’s abuse of human rights was so *** that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide.

demur

verb: to object or show reluctance

Wallace disliked the cold, so he *** when his friends suggested they go skiing in the Alps

auspicious

adjective: favorable, the opposite of sinister

Despite an *** beginning, Mike’s road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

amalgam

noun: a mixture of multiple things

The band’s music was an *** of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three styles with surprising results.

wanting

adjective: lacking

She did not think her vocabulary was ***, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn't know.

betray

verb: to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally

With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip ***ing his intense emotions.

profligate

adjective: spending resources recklessly or wastefully

The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so *** as to line all the walls of his apartment with pure silk.

noun: someone who spends resources recklessly or wastefully

Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright ***s who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.

venality

noun: the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption

Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to ***, as many of the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.

mercurial

adjective: (of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood

The fact that Ella’s moods were as *** as the weather was problematic for her relationships—it didn’t help that she lived in Chicago.

veracious

adjective: truthful

While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be ***, history has shown that such a hope is naive.

eschew

verb: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of

Politicians are the masters of ***ing morals; academics are the masters of ***ing clarity.

mawkish

adjective: overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting

The film was incredibly ***, introducing highly likeable characters only to have them succumb to a devastating illness by the end of the movie.

predilection

noun: a strong liking

Monte had a *** for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and trips to the French Riviera.

mitigate

verb: make less severe or harsh

I can only spend so much time ***ting your disagreements with your wife, and at certain point, you need to do it on your own.

verb: lessen the severity of an offense

If it weren't for the ***ting circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.

preclude

verb: keep from happening or arising; make impossible

The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to *** the possibility of persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.

platitude

noun: a trite or obvious remark

The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere ***s.

impudent

adjective: improperly forward or bold

In an *** move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things to the judge.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily, often in a breathy, muffled way

Walking into the cafe, I could hear happy, ***ling people and smell the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans

gossamer

adjective: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy

The *** wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate that they are often damaged.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that one's own beliefs may not be correct

Bryan is *** in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.

banal

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

The professor used such *** expression that many students in the class either fell asleep from boredom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends.

torpor

noun: inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy

After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I found them in a state of complete ***.

incisive

adjective: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

The lawyer had an *** mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue and isolate the essential laws at play.

engender

verb: give rise to

The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they ***ed deep hatred and resentment in the German people.

perfidy

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust

Sure, he was the best salesman in the company; but Michael had abused the trust of the firm, sharing product secrets with a competitor, and for such *** he was terminated.

frivolous

adjective: not serious in content or attitude or behavior

Compared to Juliet's passionate concern for human rights, Jake's non-stop concern about football seems somewhat ***.

superfluous

adjective: serving no useful purpose

How can we hope to stay open if we don't eliminate all *** spending, like catered meetings and free acupuncture Tuesday?

adjective: more than is needed, desired, or required

The third paragraph in your essay is *** and can be deleted.

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country

The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, *** land.

concede

verb: acknowledge defeat

I ***. You win!

verb: admit (to a wrongdoing)

After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia ***ed to having broken the window.

verb: give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

The Spanish were forced to *** much of the territory they had previously conquered.

diffident

adjective: showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence

As a young girl she was *** and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident and assertive.

conspicuous

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

Among the tall trees and flower fields, the building seemed out of place with its ***, cold concrete and angular steel exterior.

culminate

verb: reach the highest or most decisive point

Beethoven's musical genius *** in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.

querulous

adjective: habitually complaining

The *** old woman was beginning to wear down even the happier members of the staff with her ceaseless complaining.

culpability

noun: a state of guilt

Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted *** for Martha's broken leg.

dictatorial

adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler

The coach was *** in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.

inexorable

adjective: impossible to stop or prevent

The rise of the computer was an *** shift in technology and culture.

rustic

adjective: characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial

The vacation cabin had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences, Nigel adored its *** charm.

meticulous

adjective: marked by extreme care in treatment of details

The Japanese noodle maker was *** in making his noodles and would never let another person take over the task.

decorous

adjective: characterized by good taste in manners and conduct

Sally's parties are*** affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is tea and intellectual conversation.

vociferous

adjective: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry

In giving Marcia a particular *** response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around and look at them angrily.

audacious

adjective: willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks

As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight, *** tracked down the bear that had raided their food.

didactic

adjective: instructive (especially excessively)

Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is a *** novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.

aesthetic

adjective: concerned with the appreciation of beauty

The director, not known for his *** sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at all, and put on the play in everyday clothing.

noun: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.

The artist operated according to a peculiar ***, not considering any photograph to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.

cryptic

adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally

Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered ***ally when he would ask her questions about it.

prescience

noun: the power to foresee the future

Baxter's warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of *** after the whole market declined significantly.

lambast

verb: criticize severely or angrily

Showing no patience, the manager utterly *** the sales team that lost the big account.

germane

adjective: relevant and appropriate

The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't *** to the charges in the cases.

glut

noun: an excessive supply

The Internet offers such a *** of news related stories that many find it difficult to know which story to read first.

verb: supply with an excess of

In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes *** with resumes.

obscure

verb: make unclear

On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head *** much of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock.

adjective: known by only a few

Many of the biggest movie stars were once *** actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films.

This word has other definitions, but these are the most important ones to study

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause

Missing my train turned out to be quite *** since I ran into a childhood friend on the next train and we were able to reconnect after so many years.

reticent

adjective: disinclined to talk, not revealing one's thoughts

When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather ***.

recondite

adjective: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

I found Ulysses *** and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.

deferential

adjective: showing respect

If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be ***.

apathetic

adjective: marked by a lack of interest

Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally *** students took interest.

volubility

noun: the quality of talking or writing easily and continuously

The professor's *** knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's Day to the next.

gainsay

verb: deny or contradict; speak against or oppose

I can't *** a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don't trust his conclusion.

aesthete

noun: one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature

A true ***, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at the same Picasso.

exacerbate

verb: make worse

Her sleeplessness ***d her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.

entrenched

adjective: fixed firmly or securely

By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so *** that it is difficult for us to change.

gall

noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent

The speeding car had the *** to switch five lanes at once, run through a red light, and then cut off a police car before finally coming to a stop in front of a sea of flashing red lights.

noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

In an act of ***, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.

verb: to strongly bother, vex, annoy, exasperate

I try to look for the best in Gwendolyn, but her bad attitude really *** me