Advanced Vocabulary: Definitions and Usage of Key Words

Aberration

A departure from what is normal or expected

Accentuate

To emphasize or highlight

Affecting

Moving or emotionally touching

Ambivalent

Having mixed or contradictory feelings

Ameliorate

To make better or improve

Amorphous

Without a clear shape or form

Apathy

Lack of interest or concern

Appraising

Evaluating or judging worth

Arduous

Very difficult or strenuous

Augment

To increase or make larger

Austere

Strict, plain, or without luxury

Banal

Lacking originality; boring

Behold

To see or observe

Bemused

Confused or puzzled

Benevolent

Kind and generous

Biased

Showing unfair preference

Blender

A machine for mixing or pureeing

Buttress

To support or strengthen

Cacophony

Harsh, jarring noise

Calibrate

To adjust for accuracy

Coalesce

To come together or unite

Coarse

Rough in texture or manner

Coincided

Happened at the same time

Coincidental

Happening by chance

Concede

To admit or acknowledge

Consensus

General agreement

Considerate

Thoughtful of others

Constrict

To make narrower or tighter

Contentious

Likely to cause arguments

Convening

Gathering for a meeting

Conventional

Traditional; standard

Copious

Abundant; plentiful

Corollary

A natural consequence or result

Corroborate

To confirm or support evidence

Counterproductive

Having the opposite effect intended

Cynical

Distrustful of others' motives

Decried

Strongly criticized

Deliberation

Careful consideration

Detract

To take away from value

Discrepancy

A difference or inconsistency

Disperse

To scatter in different directions

Dispute

A disagreement or argument

Dogmatic

Stubbornly opinionated

Engender

To cause or give rise to

Entail

To involve or require

Ephemeral

Lasting for a short time

Equitable

Fair and just

Equivocal

Unclear or ambiguous

Erratic

Irregular; unpredictable

Esoteric

Understood by only a few

Evince

To show clearly

Exhaustive

Thorough and complete

Exorbitant

Excessively high or extreme

Heterodox

Going against accepted beliefs

Homogeneous

Of the same kind or nature

Idealize

To view as perfect

Idiosyncratic

Peculiar to an individual

Implicit

Implied, not directly stated

Imposing

Impressive in appearance

Incongruous

Out of place; inconsistent

Inconsequential

Unimportant

Indistinct

Not clear or sharply defined

Individualistic

Independent; self-reliant

Induce

To cause or persuade

Indulgently

Allowing oneself too much pleasure

Ineffable

Beyond expression in words

Ineffectual

Not producing results

Ineluctable

Unavoidable

Inept

Clumsy; lacking skill

Inestimable

Too great to be measured

Infinitesimal

Extremely small

Ingenious

Clever or inventive

Innocuous

Harmless

Insuperable

Impossible to overcome

Interdependent

Mutually reliant

Irrefutable

Impossible to disprove

Juxtapose

To place side by side for contrast

Lament

To mourn or express sorrow

Legitimacy

Lawfulness or authenticity

Lethargic

Sluggish or lacking energy

Lobbying

Trying to influence officials

Manifestations

Visible signs or displays

Meticulous

Extremely careful and precise

Misconstrued

Misunderstood or misinterpreted

Mitigate

To lessen or reduce severity

Momentous

Very important or significant

Monetizing

Turning into money or profit

Municipal

Relating to a city or town

Myriad

A countless number

Nebulous

Vague or unclear

Nonchalant

Calm and unconcerned

Nuance

Subtle difference

Obfuscate

To make unclear or confusing

Obscure

Hard to understand; hidden

Occupy

To take up space or engage

Orthodox

Traditional; accepted as correct

Ostentatious

Showy or pretentious display

Outsized

Exceptionally large

Overlooked

Not noticed or ignored

Palpable

Able to be felt; obvious