Advanced Vocabulary: Definitions and Synonyms for Students

abase

To lower in rank, prestige, or dignity

abasement

The act of humiliating or lowering

abjure

To formally renounce

abrasive

Harsh or rough in manner

abrogate

To abolish officially

absolution

Formal forgiveness of guilt

abstain

To refrain from doing something

abstemious

Moderate in eating or drinking

accede

To agree to a request

acclaim

Enthusiastic praise

accompany

To go along with

acerbic

Sharp or bitter in tone

acquiesce

To accept reluctantly

acrid

Sharp and irritating in smell or taste

acrimony

Bitterness of feeling

acuity

Sharpness of perception

acumen

Keen judgment

adamant

Refusing to change one's mind

adroit

Skillful and clever

adulation

Excessive admiration

adumbrate

To foreshadow

affable

Friendly and pleasant

alacrity

Eager willingness

allay

To reduce or relieve

alleviate

To make less severe

altruism

Selfless concern for others

amalgam

A mixture of different elements

ambivalence

Mixed feelings

ameliorate

To improve

amenable

Open to suggestion

amiable

Friendly and agreeable

anachronistic

Out of its proper time period

anathema

Something greatly disliked

anecdote

A short personal story

animosity

Strong hostility

anomalous

Abnormal or unusual

antipathy

Strong dislike

apathetic

Showing little interest

apprehensive

Anxious about the future

approbation

Approval or praise

arboreal

Related to trees

arcane

Known by only a few

arrogate

To claim without justification

ascertain

To determine with certainty

ascetic

Practicing self-denial

aspersion

A damaging remark

assail

To attack verbally or physically

assiduous

Hardworking and persistent

assimilate

To absorb into a group

assuage

To ease or lessen

astute

Very perceptive

atrophy

To waste away

atypical

Not typical

augment

To increase

aural

Related to hearing

auspicious

Favorable and promising

austere

Severe and simple

autonomy

Self-government

aversion

A strong dislike

befall

To happen to

belie

To misrepresent

belligerent

Hostile and aggressive

benevolent

Kind and charitable

benign

Harmless and gentle

bigot

A prejudiced person

bilk

To cheat

blandish

To flatter

blasphemy

Disrespect toward something sacred

blithe

Casually unconcerned

bolster

To support or strengthen

bombastic

Pompous and inflated

boon

A benefit or blessing

boorish

Rude and insensitive

bourgeois

Middle-class and conventional

braggart

A boastful person

brawny

Muscular and strong

brevity

Shortness in speech

bristle

To react with anger

broach

To bring up a topic

brusque

Abrupt and curt

buffet

To strike repeatedly

bulwark

A strong defense

buoyant

Able to float; cheerful

bureaucracy

A system of administration

burgeon

To grow rapidly

burnish

To polish

buttress

To support

byzantine

Excessively complicated

cacophony

Harsh mixture of sounds

cajole

To persuade through flattery

callous

Emotionally insensitive

callow

Immature and inexperienced

calumny

A false and harmful statement

candid

Honest and direct

cantankerous

Bad-tempered and argumentative

capricious

Impulsive and unpredictable

castigate

To criticize severely

cathartic

Emotionally cleansing

caustic

Sarcastically cutting

censure

Strong disapproval