HESI a2 Vocabulary

abrasive (adj)

irritating; rude or unfriendly

abstain (v)

to voluntarily refrain from something

accountable (adj)

answerable; responsible for one's actions

acute (adj)

severe or intense; sharp

adhere (v)

to hold fast or stick together

adjacent (adj)

close to; nearby

adverse (adj)

undesired, possibly harmful

alleviate (v)

to make less severe; to relieve

ambiguous (adj)

of uncertain meaning; having more than one possible interpretation

ambulate (v)

to walk

analogous (adj)

comparable, similar

anemic (adj)

weak; lifeless

anomaly (n)

something abnormal or unusual

apathy (n)

lack of concern or interest

articulate (v)

to speak clearly; to put into words

assert (v)

to state something strongly

atrophy (v)

to gradually weaken due to lack of use or neglect

audible (adj)

able to be heard

benevolent (adj)

kind-hearted; generous

benign (adj)

harmless; gentle

bilateral (adj)

present on two sides

bore (v)

to make a hole by digging or drilling

cavity (n)

an opening or empty area

cerebral (adj)

intelligent; relating to the brain or the mind

chronic (adj)

lasting or recurring over a long period of time

coherent (adj)

easy to understand; reasonable

compensate (v)

to make up for a fault or deficiency; to pay for something

comprehend (v)

to understand

concave (adj)

rounded inward

concise (adj)

brief, to the point

congenital (adj)

making up an essential part of a person's character; natural

conspicuous (adj)

obvious; very noticeable

constricted (adj)

limited or reduced

contingent (adj)

dependent

copious (adj)

great in amount or number; heavy

cursory (adj)

quick, perfunctory, not thorough

debacle (n)

total failure; disaster

deficit (n)

a deficiency or lack of something

depleted (adj)

reduced; weakened or worn out

deteriorate (v)

to decline or worsen

diffuse (adj)

spread over a large area; generalized

dilute (v)

to weaken or lessen

discrete (adj)

distinct, separate

distend (v)

to enlarge or expand

docile (adj)

easily controlled; agreeable

dormant (adj)

inactive; sleeping

elicit (v)

to cause a reaction; to draw out a response or emotion from someone

emit (v)

to make a sound; to release something into the air

enhance (v)

to increase or improve

equilibrium (n)

a state of balance

evasive (adj)

seeking to avoid or escape a situation

evolve (v)

to develop gradually

exacerbate (v)

to make worse or more severe

fatal (adj)

resulting in death; causing failure or ruin

fatigue (n)

extreme tiredness; exhaustion

febrile (adj)

extremely excited or active

flaccid (adj)

weak or soft

formidable (adj)

causing fear or awe

fortify (v)

to strengthen or build up

futile (adj)

ineffective; useless

gratuitous (adj)

beyond what is necessary or appropriate

impair (v)

to make weaker; to harm or damage

impede (v)

to slow something down; to interfere with something

impending (adj)

occurring in the near future; about to happen

implied (v)

suggested without explicitly stating

inferred (v)

reached an opinion through reasoning

infirm (adj)

lacking strength; sick

inflame (v)

to cause intense excitement or anger

infuse (v)

to put into; to fill with something

ingest (v)

to consume or absorb information

innate (adj)

natural; existing from birth

insidious (adj)

gradually and secretly causing harm

instill (v)

to add something gradually

insulate (v)

to protect from harm by separating or isolating something

intact (adj)

complete; without any damage or harm

intermittent (adj)

stopping and starting over time

invasive (adj)

interfering, nosy

kinetic (adj)

energetic; lively

latent (adj)

present; but not active or visible; undeveloped

lethargic (adj)

sluggish; lacking energy

malleable (adj)

easily changed; flexible

melancholy (n)

a state of sadness or depression

meticulous (adj)

thorough; careful to notice small details

migrate (v)

to move or transfer

mitigate (v)

to relieve or make something less severe or painful

myopic (adj)

short-sighted

myriad (adj)

great in number; countless

nebulous (adj)

unclear; uncertain

negligible (adj)

small, slight, or unimportant

obscure (adj)

difficult to see or understand; mysterious

obtuse (adj)

slow to understand; lacking sharpness

occluded (adj)

closed or obstructed

opaque (adj)

difficult to see through or understand

overt (adj)

obvious or easily observed

pacify (v)

to soothe or calm

palpable (adj)

easily felt or perceived

perpetual (adj)

constant; lasting forever

plethora (n)

a large amount of

potent (adj)

producing a strong effect

precipitous (adj)

very steep; rapid