Vocabulary List - Word Set 1

This flashcard set covers the vocabulary terms and meanings found in the provided transcript page.

provocative

exciting; attracting attention

advocate

to speak in favor of; to support

arrogant

feeling superior to others; snooty

contempt

reproachful disdain

skeptical

doubting (opposite of gullible)

innovate

to be creative; to introduce something new

profound

deep; insightful (the opposite of superficial)

digress

to go off the subject

tenacious

tough; hard to defeat

nostalgia

a sentimental longing for the past; homesickness

denounce

to speak out against; to condemn

pragmatic

practical; down-to-earth; based on experience rather than theory

rigorous

strict; harsh; severe

inevitable

unavoidable; bound to happen

superficial

on the surface only; shallow; not thorough

aesthetic

having to do with artistic beauty; artistic

disparage

to belittle; to say uncomplimentary things about, usually in a somewhat indirect way

elaborate

detailed; careful; thorough

ambivalent

undecided; blowing hot and cold

esoteric

hard to understand; understood by only a select few; peculiar

subtle

not obvious; able to make fine distinctions; ingenious; crafty

indifferent

not caring one way or the other; mediocre; lacking a preference; neutral

futile

hopeless; without effect

resignation

reluctant acceptance of a bad situation (secondary meaning)

negligence

carelessness

contrite

deeply apologetic; remorseful

objective

without bias (as opposed to subjective)

disdain

arrogant scorn; contempt

reticent

restrained; uncommunicative

mitigate

to lessen the severity of something

refute

to disprove; to prove to be false

brevity

briefness