8th Grade Vocabulary

undulate

v. to move in waves; fluctuate

impervious

adj. impenetrable; incapable of being injured, impaired, or affecte

incredulous

adj. disbelieving; cannot accept as true

deride

v. to mock; to laugh in scorn at

magisterial

adj. commanding; dignified or assured manner or aspect

ubiquitous

adj. seems to be everywhere at the same time

litany

n. long list of things, often complaints or problems

revelatory

adj. reveals or shows something new, surprising, or important

assent

v. to agree to something

ebullient

adj. full of energy, excitement, or enthusiasm

blithe

adj. carefree and unconcerned [often: lacking due thought or consideration]

intrinsic

adj. belonging to a thing by its very nature

resignation

n. an accepting, unresisting attitude; a willingness to accept defeat

hyperbole

n. obvious and intentional exaggeration

idyllic

adj. peaceful, happy, and perfect, almost like a dream

opaque

adj. not transparent; hard to understand

transient

adj. lasting only a short time; not permanent

respite

n. a short break or rest from something hard, tiring, or unpleasant

gregarious

adj. sociable; someone who likes being around people and enjoys company

precocious

adj. showing skills or abilities at an earlier age than usual

disseminate

v. to spread information widely

quintessential

adj. the perfect or model example of something

subjugation

n. bringing someone or something under control by force

exacerbate

v. to make worse

cosmopolitan

adj. comfortable and familiar with different cultures and people; worldly

reticent

adj. quiet and reserved; also: reluctant

paradox

n. a statement that seems to say two opposite things but that may be true

fatalistic

adj. believing outcomes are determined in advance and can't be changed

dissipate

v. to disperse; to scatter in various directions; dispel

calamity

n. a disastrous event marked by great loss and lasting distress and suffering

delineate

v. to clearly describe or portray something

specious

adj. seems correct or true, but actually wrong or false

tenuous

adj. having little substance or strength; flimsy, weak, unlikely to last

enumerate

v. to mention separately as if in counting; name one by one; specify, as in a list

civility

n. courtesy; politeness

acrid

adj. bitter and unpleasant in taste or smell

suffice

v. to be enough, in either quality or quantity

brazen

adj. bold and without shame

cursory

adj. something done quickly with little attention to detail; hasty

obsequious

adj. excessively submissive; overly obedient

immaculate

adj. pure; free from moral blemish or impurity; spotlessly clean

lucid

adj. clear, easily understood

capricious

adj. marked by sudden and unpredictable change; erratic

degrade

v. to lower or reduce in character or quality

pallor

n. unusual or extreme paleness, as from fear, ill health, or death

primeval

adj. primitive; of the earliest times

defer

v. to put off, to delay, to redirect

taciturn

adj. quiet, reserved

peruse

v. to read through; to look around

belligerent

adj. of warlike character; aggressively hostile