Freshmen & Sophomores English Vocabulary Lists

dissent

a difference of opinion

dissipate

cause to separate and go in different directions

divulge

make known to the public information previously kept secret

dogmatic

pertaining to a code of beliefs accepted as authoritative

eclectic

selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas

eclipse

the phenomenon when one celestial body obscures another

Disinterested

unaffected by concern for one's own welfare

Disparage

express a negative opinion of

Disparate

fundamentally different or distinct in quality or kind

Dispatch

the act of sending off something

Dispel

cause to separate and go in different directions

Disperse

move away from each other

Digression

a message that departs from the main subject

Discernible

perceptible by the senses or intellect

Disclose

make secret or new information known

Discord

lack of agreement or harmony

Discrepancy

a difference between conflicting facts, claims, or opinions

Disgruntled

in a state of sulky dissatisfaction

Deplore

express strong disapproval of

Derision

the act of treating with contempt

Derivative

not original; secondary

Deterrent

something immaterial that interferes with action or progress

Didactic

instructive, especially excessively

Diffident

showing modest reserve

Decry

express strong disapproval of

Defamation

an abusive attack on a person's character or good name

Deference

courteous regard for people's feelings, humble submission and respect

Degenerate

grow worse

Demean

reduce in worth or character, usually verbally

Denounce

speak out against

Corrosion

erosion by chemical action

Curtail

terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end

Dawdle

hang or fall in movement, progress, development, etc.

Dearth

an insufficient quantity or number

Debilitate

make weak

Decorous

characterized by propriety, dignity, and good taste

Conscientious

characterized by extreme care and great effort

Consistency

uniformity or stability in arrangement, behavior, or quality

Consolidation

combining into a solid mass

Contentious

showing an inclination to disagree

Quarrelsome

something regarded as a normative example

Convoluted

highly complex or intricate

Coalesce

fuse or cause to come together

Compliance

the act of submitting, usually surrendering power to another

Component

one of the individual parts making up a larger entity

Condone

excuse, overlook, or make allowances for

Conformity

compliance with accepted standards, rules, or norms

Congenial

suitable to your needs; someone with a pleasant personality; often with similar interests

Examine

examine in detail to show meaning, and to identify elements and the relationship between them

Assess

make an informed judgement

Compare

identify/comment on similarities and/or differences

Consider

review and respond to given information

Contrast

identify/comment on differences

Demonstrate

show how or give an example

Describe

state the points of a topic/give characteristics and main features

Develop

take forward to a more advanced stage or build upon given information

Discuss

write about issue(s) or topic(s) in depth in a structured way

Evaluate

judge or calculate the quality, importance, amount or value of something

Examine

investigate closely, in detail

Explain

set out purposes or reasons / make the relationships between things evident / provide why and/or how and support with relevant evidence

Give

produce an answer from a given source or recall/memory

Identify

name/select/recognise

Justify

support a case with evidence/argument

State

express in clear terms

Suggest

apply knowledge and understanding to situations where there is a range of valid responses in order to make proposals

Summarise

select and present the main points, without detail

Command words

Terms that indicate how you are expected to respond to a question.

Qualifier

A word or phrase used to limit the meaning of a word; it maximises or minimises the value of the word.

Oxford comma

The comma before 'and' in a list, which is optional but helps avoid confusion.

Introductory elements

Phrases that set the stage for the main part of a sentence, often followed by a comma.

Independent clauses

Clauses that can stand alone as sentences and are connected by conjunctions.

Compound adjective

An adjective formed by connecting two or more words with a hyphen.

Hyphen

A punctuation mark used to connect words or parts of words.

Punctuating dialogue

The rules for correctly using punctuation in spoken text.

Attribution

The part of dialogue that indicates who is speaking, usually following the quote.