Level G, Unit 8: Choosing the Right Word, Completing the Sentence, Synonyms/Antonyms, Vocabulary in Context

On the western front in August 1914, the French army steeled itself against the oncoming (badinage, juggernaut) that was the German Second Army

juggernaut

not surprisingly, the committee's final report was an incongruous mixture of the astute and the (irrefutable, fatuous)

fatuous

by (portending, sloughing) off the artificiality of her first book, the novelist arrived at a style that was simple, genuine, and highly effective

sloughing

what possible purpose will be served by setting up yet another hamburger stand in an area already (saturated, sloughed) with fast food shops?

saturated

our excitement at visiting the world famous ruins was dampened by the (lackadaisical, arrant) attitude of the bored and listless guide

lackadaisical

the authority of the student council is not absolute because the principal can (countermand, exacerbate) any of its decisions

countermand

it is a good deal easier to (raze, allege) an old building than it is to destroy a time-honored social institution

raze

I never ask anyone "How are you?" anymore because i am afraid i will be treated to an endless (litany, badinage) of symptoms and ailments

litany

his debating technique is rooted in the firm belief that anything bellowed in a loud voice is absolutely (saturnine, irrefutable)

irrefutable

the views of the two parties involved in this dispute are so diametrically opposed that it will be almost impossible to (conciliate, saturate) them

conciliate

only a(n) (arrant, macabre) knave would be capable of devising such an incredibly underhanded and treacherous scheme

arrant

in earlier times, people whose views conflicted with "received opinion" often had to (recant, portend) their ideas or face the consequences

recant

Stephen King's book Danse (Macabre, Lackadaisical) surveys popular and obscure horror fiction of the 20th century

Macabre

over the years, hard work and unstinting devotion to duty have raised me from one (echelon, paucity) of company management to the next

echelon

she excused herself from lending me the money i so desperately needed by (conciliating, alleging) that she had financial troubles of her own

alleging

by denying your guilt without offering any explanation of your actions, you will only (recant, exacerbate) an already bad situation

exacerbate

economists believed that the drop in automobile sales and steep production (countermands, portends) serious problems for business in the future

portends

his attempts at casual (badinage, echelon) did not conceal the fact that he was acutely embarrassed by his blunder

badinage

we have many capable and well meaning people in our organization, but it seems to me that there is a (paucity, juggernaut) of real leadership

paucity

someone with such a (fatuous, saturnine) outlook on life doesn't make an agreeable traveling companion, especially on a long journey

saturnine

with incredible unconcern, the nobles of Europe immersed themselves in social frivolities as the fearful (juggernaut, litany) of World War I steamrolled ineluctable toward them

juggernaut

ever a bit of a melancholic, Mr. Smithers sank into (litany, slough) in the wintertime

slough

the defense attorney succeeded in portraying the genial witness as a(n) (arrant, saturnine) liar whose testimony was never credible.

arrant

the dog's owner (exacerbated, razed) the situation when he flagrantly encouraged the terrier to romp in the neighbor's petunias.

exacerbated

a plunge in atmospheric pressure (conciliates, portends) an oncoming storm

portends

The breaking news story concerned corruption among the highest ____ of politics.

echelons

We object to the policy of ____ historic old buildings to make way for unsightly parking lots.

razing

Ms. Ryan's warning to the class to "review thoroughly" seemed to me to ____ an usually difficult examination.

portend

The seriousness of the matter under discussion left no room for the type of lighthearted ____ encountered in the locker room.

badinage

At first I thought it would be easy to shoot holes in their case, but I soon realized that their arguments were practically____.

irrefutable

As a snake ____ off its old skin, so he hoped to rid himself of his weaknesses and develop a new and better personality.

sloughs

Though some "home remedies" appear to alleviate the symptoms of a disease, they may in fact ____ the condition.

exacerbate

After he made that absurd remark, a(n) ____ grin of self-congratulation spread like syrup across his face.

fatuous

The men now being held in police custody are ____ to have robbed eight supermarkets over the last year.

alleged

Only someone with a truly ____ sense of humor would decide to use a hearse as the family car or a coffin as a bed.

macabre

My shirt became so ____ with perspiration on that beastly day that I had to change it more than once during the match.

saturated

You are not going to do well in your job if you continue to work in such a(n) ____ and desultory manner.

lackadaisical

No sooner had the feckless tsar decreed a general mobilization than he ____ his order, only to reissue it a short time later.

countermanded

Her friendly manner and disarming smile helped to ____ those who opposed her views on the proposal.

conciliate

The enemy's lines cumpled before the mighty ____ of our attack like so much wheat before a harvester.

juggernaut

"I find it terribly depressing to be around people whose dispositions are so ____ and misanthropic, " I remarked

saturnine

His four disastrous years in office were marked by a plenitude of promises and a(n) ____ of performance

paucity

The service in honor of the miners trapped in the underground collapse included prayers and ____.

litanies

However much it may cost me, I will never ____ the principles to which I have devoted my life.

recant

"It seems to me that such ____ hypocrisy is indicative of a thoroughly opportunistic approach to running for office, " I said sadly.

arrant

sullen (synonym)

saturnine

claimed (synonym)

alleged

foreshadows (synonym)

portends

permeates (synonym)

saturates

aggravate (synonym)

exacerbate

rigmarole (synonym)

litany

listless (synonym)

lackadaisical

levels (synonym)

echelons

placate (synonym)

conciliate

grotesque (synonym)

macabre

abundance (antonym)

paucity

lighthearted (antonym)

saturnine

sensible (antonym)

fatuous

reaffirmed (antonym)

countermanded

deny (antonym)

allege

Someone who is lackadaisical is NOT

vigorous

To conciliate is to

appease

To recant is to

renounce

Something countermanded is

recalled

Something that is saturated is

soaked completely