ISEE vocab flashcards

Abase

humiliate; or lower in rank

Adulterate

make impure or weaken quality of

Ancillary

providing support to a primary function

Assuage

lessen the intensity of something

Boisterous

noisy, cheerful, and rowdy

Circumspect

carefully considers all options

Contravene

oppose or act against

Deficient

lacking in quality or element

Disparate

made up of different parts

Emancipate

free from restraint or bondage

Espionage

practice of spying or using spies

Feasible

able to be done or carried out

Glib

nonchalant to the point of insincerity

Hubris

exaggerated pride or self‐confidence

Impugn

attack as false by words or argument

Ingratiate

gain favor with through effort

Irrelevant

not significant or necessary

Listless

lacking energy or interest

Mettle

vigor and strength of temperament

Numinous

holy, spiritual, or supernatural

Panegyric

formal or elaborate praise

Philanthropy

goodwill towards humanity

Prestigious

inspiring respect and admiration

Putrefy

decay or rot and produce a smell

Replete

fully equipped or filled

Sardonic

grimly mocking or cynical

Squalor

dirtiness due to poverty or neglect

Surpass

become better than something

Treatise

systematic written work on a subject

Verbose

filled with more words than needed

Abate

become less in amount or degree

Adversary

opponent in conflict or contest

Anecdote

short story on a real occurrence

Astute

clever and perceptive

Bolster

support or strengthen

Circumstantial

full but inconclusive proof

Contrite

feeling or showing remorse

Dissonance

lack of harmony or agreement

Disparate

made up of different parts

Emasculate

deprive of strength or spirit

Esteem

respect and admiration

Fecund

fertile or productive

Gluttonous

excessively greedy in consumption

Hyperbole

exaggerated statement

Impunity

free from harm or punishment

Inimical

harmful or destructive

Irremediable

not able to be cured

Lithe

easily flexible or graceful

Migrate

move from one habitat to another

Nymph

spirit of nature; or a fairy

Pantomime

express meaning through gesture

Phlegmatic

unexcitable or unemotional

Presumptuous

failure to observe propriety

Quagmire

difficult situation or predicament

Reprehensible

deserving criticism or condemnation

Sate

satisfy until full (such as with food)

Squander

wastefully use something

Surreal

bizarre or unbelievable

Trenchant

sharply perceptive or caustic

Verboten

forbidden usually by an authority

Abdicate

give up powers or duties

Adversity

hardship and suffering

Alacrity

brisk and cheerful readiness

Animosity

hostility towards something

Asylum

protection or shelter from harm

Bombastic

sounds impressive but means little

Conundrum

confusing and difficult problem

Delectable

delicious or delightful

Distraught

deeply upset and agitated

Embed

fix firmly into something

Estrange

alienate someone from a relationship

Feign

pretend to be affected by a thing

Goad

provoke or annoy someone to act

Hypocritical

engaging in same act one condemns

Inane

silly, foolish, or stupid

Iniquitous

grossly unfair and morally wrong

Itinerant

moving from place to place

Liturgy

ritual, worship, or observance

Mince

moderate for the sake of politeness

Obdurate

stubborn and unbending

Parable

short story illustrating a moral

Pretentious

acting better than one actually is

Punctilious

showing great attention to detail

Quail

shrink back in fear from something

Reprimand

officially scold or admonish

Satire

expose foolishness through mockery

Squelch

crush, put down, silence, or inhibit

Surreptitious

kept secret due to inappropriateness

Trepidation

feeling of fear or agitation

Verdant

green or rich with vegetation

Aberration

not normal and unwelcome

Advocate

publically support something

Annihilate

destroy utterly or obliterate

Atheist

does not believe in a higher power

Boor

unrefined, ill‐mannered person

Clamor

shout loudly and insistently

Convalesce

recover health and strength

Deleterious

causing harm or damage

Dither

be indecisive about something

Embellish

make interesting by adding details