10th Honors Vocab (Semester 2) [Part 3]

Acrimonious

scathing, stinging, or bitter in nature, speech, or behavior; an [term] personality can be sharp orbiting. an [term] person is not pleasant to be around; someone who is [term] isn't just angry or rude; they convey things in a very bitter manner - their words are harsh and insulting in a way that can really cut you to the core and sting; able to pick out just the right words to hurt your feelings.

**Connotation is negative.**

Sulky

silent and aloof in a sullen or offended manner; typically seem downtrodden and depressed; they're unpleasant to be around because they drag the mood down, and it may seem that everything you say offends them; likely going to be pessimistic and may be irritated by upbeat, positive individuals.

**Connotation is slight negative(?)**

Vacuous

lacking in ideas or intelligence; inane; stupid; general definition for [term] is empty/without contents - in terms of a character trait, it refers to intelligence: a [term] person's head is empty.

**Connotation is negative; used as an insult.**

Sagacious

having or showing keen mental discernment, good judgment, and practical sense; wise and, therefore, a good person to go to for advice; implies great practical and worldly knowledge rather than extensive book learning; well-respected by others; young person won't be [term] as they probably haven't had much significant life experience.

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Pensive

often engaged in deep or serious thought; very contemplative and is usually thinking deeply about things; doesn't carry the same complimentary implications as [term 4] as it can beget either positive or negative effects.

**Connotation is usually positive, but can differ depending on usage.**

Supercilious

haughtily disdainful or contemptuous; behaving or looking as though one thinks one is superior toothers; thinks they're superior to others and lets everyone else know; probably think very few people are on their level, and they probably treat those who aren't poorly.

**Connotation is negative.**

Quarrelsome

argumentative; contentious; inclined to hostility; individuals are often short-tempered and are likely to react rashly and perhaps violently and quick to engage in disputes and do not avoid confrontation.

**Connotation is negative.**

Taciturn

inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation; individuals don't say much; pretty straightforward in definition, but what varies from character to character is the reason behind their silence (shy, disinterested, etc.)

**Connotation is neutral.**

Valorous

boldness in facing great danger, especially in battle; implies great bravery, specifically in feats that are PHYSICAL innature (you wouldn't use it for mental strength.)

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Tyrannical

unjustly cruel, harsh, or severe; oppressive; implies extreme cruelty; saying someone is [term] is far worse than saying they're mean; MUST be in a position of power in order to be considered [term] by using that position to subject people to harsh and unfair rules and punishment.

**Connotation is negative.**

Apprehensive

uneasy or fearful about something that might happen; perceived some sort of threat that is provoking feelings of anxiety or tension; the feeling you have when the author hasn't explicitly said so, but you just know something bad is about to happen, and you're hesitant to turn the page or keep watching; specific kind of suspense

**Connotation is neutral(?)**

Belittled

made to feel less impressive or important than one would otherwise; disparaged or criticized; if someone has made you feel [term], they've managed to provoke feelings of insecurity and possibly shame in you; you feel [term] when you've been verbally attacked and feel vulnerable, like you are less of a person than your attacker. NOT a pleasant way to feel.

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Blithe

joyous or merry, especially in a carefree way; if you have a [term] attitude, you are feeling pretty dang good; the things and people that we feel this way about are precious to us, and they evoke feelings of lighthearted contentment, as if weights are being lifted off of our shoulders.

**Connotation is positive(??)**

Frank

direct and unreserved in speech; straightforward; sincere; open, honest, and candid, you're not embellishing anything or trying to make things seem better or different than they are; you're just telling it like it is.

**Connotation is neutral.**

Jocular

feeling good-humored, as a result of joking; cheerful feeling you get from laughing at jokes; you're just having a good time, laughing with friends, you're feeling [term.]

**Connotation is positive(?)**

Mocking

mimicking or imitating with the purpose of ridiculing, deriding, or minimizing; aiming to make the subject seem silly or ridiculous; speaker is placing themselves in a position of superiority - after all, you wouldn't [term] someone you respect; you would save that for someone whom you feel is beneath you

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Portentous

ominously significant; serious and disquieting, as if something severe is about to happen; speaking in [term] tone, you're hinting that something - and in likelihood, something bad - is going to happen; trying to appeal to your audience's perceptive abilities to catch on to hints and notice subtle details that foreshadow something negative to come.

**Connotation is negative.**

Reverent

feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by deep respect; originally used only in religious contexts, but now it works when people are just acting like they're in a religious setting (even if the object of their worship is a sports star or political pundit); people may speak in a [term] tone to or about people they respect deeply or in regard to objects/interests that are important to them like antique cars, college football teams, and giant TV screens.

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Vehement

zealous; ardent; impassioned; commonly used for intense emotions or beliefs; describes anextremely strong, powerful, or intense emotion or force; for example, are [term] opposed to politicians they didn't vote for, other people spoiling the endings of movies or books, or someone else taking the last piece of chocolate.

**Connotation is not neutral, but not negative or positive.**

Wistful

pensive, in a melancholy, yearning, or longing way; if someone is speaking in a [term] tone, they are pining for something (or someone) that they can't have, either because it's out of their reach, or because it's in the past; (ex: elderly looking back at their youth typically speak in this tone, or someone going on and on about the person they have a crush on but who doesn't want them back is probably speaking with this tone.)

**Connotation is complex:

+ speaker clearly has positive feelings toward the subject,

- indicates inaccessibility

Caustic

severely critical or sarcastic, sarcasm that is meant to cut deep. [term 1] is a strong synonym.

**Connotation is extremely negative.**

Ebullient

overflowing with fervor, enthusiasm, or excitement; high-spirited. MUCH more extreme than happy.

**Connotation is positive(?)**

Elegiac

expressing sorrow or lamentation; mournful or melancholy, especially toward the dead. usually refers to something or someone that's gone: a person who's died, or a time in the past.

**Connotation is neutral(?)**

Empathetic

able to feel and identify with the feelings, thoughts, experiences, or attitudes of others

**Connotation is USUALLY positive.**

Facetious

not meant to be taken seriously or literally; cleverly humorous. Not to be confused with sarcasm.

**Connotation is more positive than sarcasm.**

Incredulous

disinclined or indisposed to believe; skeptical. You can't or won't believe something. Incredible describes something you can’t believe because it’s so amazing; [term] describes how you feel when you can’t believes something because it’s so wrong.

**Connotation is neutral(??)**

Indignant

feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base. you’re angry because you don’t think you deserve the treatment you’ve received.

**Connotation is negative.**

Provocative

stirring, stimulating, irritating, or vexing. It provokes a reaction.

**Connotation is typically neutral, but they usually use this to refer to things that make us uncomfortable.**

Resigned

characterized by submissive acceptance. showing acceptance that something unpleasant will happen or will not change. hopelessly giving up.

**Connotation is more negative(??)**

Sentimental

expressive of or appealing to tender emotions, like love, pity, or nostalgia. deep attachment to whatever the subject is.

**Connotation is generally positive, but can be heart wrenching depending on the subject.**

Abhorrent

horrifying and offensive to the mind. something so vile and loathsome that you can only react to it inhorror.

synonyms include: detestable, obscene, repugnant, repulsive, and offensive.

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Abject

completely without pride or dignity; self-abasing. absolutely miserable, the most unfortunate, with utter humiliation.

**Connotation is EXTREMELY negative.**

Credulous

showing a lack of judgment or experience. can also imply that a person is naive and simple.

synonym: gullible

**Connotation is neutral(?), but is usually not used as a compliment.**

Despondent

without or almost without hope.

**Connotation is slightly negative(?)**

Ethereal

characterized by lightness and insubstantiality; as impalpable or intangible as air. airy and insubstantial, such as a (non-frightening) ghostly figure at the top of the stairs, or, something delicate and light, like a singer’s voice.

**Connotation is positive(?)**

Haughty

having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy. arrogant and full of pride. big attitude and act like you're better than other people. disdainful, overbearing, prideful, swaggering, and obnoxious.

**Connotation is negative.**

Imperious

characterized by a commanding superiority. would give orders in a way that shows they feel superior or more important than other people.

near synonyms: arrogant, overbearing, and domineering

Scrupulous

characterized by extreme care and great effort. paying friends back for money borrowed right away is an example.

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Scrupulous (2)

having scruples, arising from a sense of right and wrong; principled. hesitate or be reluctant to do something that one thinks may be wrong.

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Scurrilous

using or given to coarse language, or vulgar and evil. meant to offend. [term] rumors can give you a bad rep, and [term] stories sell tabloid magazines.

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Vituperative

marked by harshly abusive criticism. criticism that's so sharp it hurts; it is harsh, scathing, even abusive. gives sense of "go away and never come back."

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Blasphemous

uttering, containing, or exhibiting impious action concerning sacred things; irreverent; profane.

**Connotation is HIGHLY negative.**

Note: This word also contains a religious connotation, but can also apply to things held sacred.

Capricious

subject to, led by, or indicative of a sudden, odd notion or unpredictable change; erratic; constantly changing their mind.

**Connotation is mildly negative.**

Indulgent

characterized by submitting to an inclination or desire; lenient or permissive; basically letting your Id shine through

**Connotation is tricky:**

+ It can bring great pleasure

- Suggest lack of constraint

- Too much is damaging

Antonym of abstemious

Innocuous

not harmful or injurious; harmless; unlikely to harm or offend.

**Connotation is mildly positive.**

Inscrutable

incapable of being investigated, analyzed, or scrutinized; impenetrable; not easily understood; mysterious

**Connotation is neutral.**

Insidious

intended to entrap or beguile; stealthily treacherous or deceitful. It is typically sneaky and involves some degree of betrayal; sneaky quality that makes it so dangerous.

**Connotation is HIGHLY negative.**

Serene

calm, peaceful, or tranquil; unruffled; at ease

**Connotation is positive.**

Vitriolic

very caustic or scathing; intensely and bitingly critical; intended to be noticed. Someone who speaks to you in this tone WANT to get under your skin.

**Connotation is negative(?)**

Wanton

done, shown, or used maliciously or unjustifiably

All definitions of the word suggest a lack of moral soundness and a tendency to blindly fulfill personal satisfaction without consideration of consequence; lack of sound judgment and restraint

**Connotation is negative.**

Wanton (2)

without regard for what is right, just, humane

All definitions of the word suggest a lack of moral soundness and a tendency to blindly fulfill personal satisfaction without consideration of consequence; lack of sound judgment and restraint

**Connotation is negative.**

Wanton (3)

sexually lawless or unrestrained

All definitions of the word suggest a lack of moral soundness and a tendency to blindly fulfill personal satisfaction without consideration of consequence; lack of sound judgment and restraint

**Connotation is negative.**

Zealous

full of or characterized by eager desire; ardently active, devoted, or diligent; EXTREMELY enthusiastic about something or someone; BEYOND being just "excited" about something; comes off as a little crazy

**Connotation of "obsession."**

Impotent

lacking power or ability, physically and/or mentally.

**Connotation is negative.**

Fatalistic

characteristic of the belief that all events are predetermined and therefore inevitable

**Connotation is negative.**

Reticent

not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily; withdrawn or introverted

can refer to someone who is restrained and proper, but it can also refer to someone who doesn’t want to draw attention to herself or who prefers seclusion to other people.

**Connotation is neutral.**

Ignominious

deserving or causing public disgrace or shame; embarrassing

Example: losing a soccer game but you are lying face down in a puddle of mud and the world is making fun of you

**Connotation is negative:**

Often attached to 'defeat'

Doting

extremely and uncritically fond of someone; adoring; only seeing one's good points and completely disregarding their faults

**Connotation is positive, but be careful**

someone who is [term] may overlook negative things about you to shower you with affection that you don’t necessarily deserve.

Venerable

accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character; to be admired and respected because of your status or age—achieving great things or just by living long enough.

**Connotation is highly positive.**

Paradoxical

seemingly absurd or self-contradictory; something with two meanings that don’t make sense together

Greek: "contrary opinion"

**Connotation is neutral(??)**

Morbid

characterized by an abnormal or unhealthy interest in disturbing and unpleasant subjects;

Example: anyone who spends too much time thinking about subjects like death or disease

Can ALSO be used to describe other nouns, not just people.

**Connotation is negative(??)**

Indefatigable

persisting tirelessly; unwearied or unwavering; can go on and on and on without tiring; seems like they can go on forever

**Connotation is neutral(???)**

Tawdry

showy, but cheap and of poor quality; tasteless; gaudy, flashy; tacky; hints at desperation and immorality

**Connotation is pretty negative.**