Mastered Magoosh

frivolous

adjective: not serious in content or attitude or behavior

Compared to Juliet's passionate concern for human rights, Jake's non-stop concern about football seems somewhat frivolous.

conspicuous

adjective: without any attempt at concealment; completely obvious

Synonyms : blatant , blazing

American basketball players are always conspicuous when they go abroad-not only are they American, but some are over seven feet tall.

dogmatic

adjective: highly opinionated, not accepting that your belief may not be correct

Bryan is dogmatic in his belief that the earth is flat, claiming that all pictures of a spherical earth are computer generated.

cryptic

adjective: mysterious or vague, usually intentionally

Synonyms : cabalistic , cryptical , kabbalistic , qabalistic , sibylline

Since Sarah did not want her husband to guess the Christmas present she had bought him, she only answered cryptically when he would ask her questions about it.

meticulous

adjective: marked by extreme care in treatment of details

The Japanese noodle maker was meticulous in making his noodles and would never let another person take over the task.

banal

adjective: repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

Synonyms : commonplace , hackneyed , old-hat , shopworn , stock , threadbare , timeworn , tired , trite , well-worn

The professor used such banal expression that many students in the class either fell asleep from bordeom or stayed awake to complete his sentences and humor friends.

predilection

noun: a strong liking

Synonyms : penchant , preference , taste

Monte had a predilection for the fine things in life: Cuban cigars, 200 dollar bottles of wine, and trips to the French Riviera.

volubility

noun: the quality of talking or writing easily and continuously

Synonyms : articulateness , fluency

The professor's volubility knows no bounds; he could talk through a hurricane and elaborate a point from one St. Patrick's Day to the next.

gossamer

adjective: characterized by unusual lightness and delicacy

Synonyms : ethereal

The gossamer wings of a butterfly, which allow it to fly, are also a curse, so delicate that they are often damaged.

preclude

verb: keep from happening or arising; make impossible

Synonyms : forbid , foreclose , forestall , prevent

The manager specified that all other gates be locked, to preclude the possibility of persons without tickets entering the arena undetected.

mitigate

verb: make less severe or harsh

Synonyms : extenuate , palliate

I can only spend so much time mitigating your disagreements with your wife, and at certain point, you need to do it on your own.

verb: lessen the severity of an offense

If it weren't for the mitigating circumstances, he would have certainly lost his job.

resource

noun: some saved material that can be used for a purpose (especially money, anything used to make energy such as oil, or information sources such as books)

Many of the richest countries have surprisingly few natural resources and must buy oil or gas from other countries.

Never forget to make use of the library during your studies; it's full of great resources.

concede

verb: acknowledge defeat

I concede. You win!

verb: admit (to a wrongdoing)

Synonyms : confess , profess

After a long, stern lecture from her father, Olivia conceded to having broken the window.

verb: give over; surrender or relinquish to the physical control of another

Synonyms : cede , grant , yield

The Spanish were forced to concede much of the territory they had previously conquered.

lambast

verb: criticize severely or angrily

Synonyms : bawl out , berate , call down , call on the carpet , chew out , chew up , chide , dress down , have words , jaw , lambaste , lecture , rag , rebuke , remonstrate , reprimand , reproof , scold , take to task , trounce

Showing no patience, the manager utterly lambasted the sales team that lost the big account.

platitude

noun: a trite or obvious remark

Synonyms : banality , bromide , cliche , commonplace

The professor argued that many statements regarded as wise in previous times, such as the Golden Rule, are now regarded as mere platitudes.

incisive

adjective: having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions

Synonyms : acute , discriminating , keen , knifelike , penetrating , penetrative , piercing , sharp

The lawyer had an incisive mind, able in a flash to dissect a hopelessly tangled issue and isolate the essential laws at play.

apathetic

adjective: marked by a lack of interest

Synonyms : indifferent

Mr. Thompson was so talented at teaching math that even normally apathetic students took interest.

dictatorial

adjective: expecting unquestioning obedience; characteristic of an absolute ruler

Synonyms : authoritarian , overbearing,authoritarian , autocratic , despotic , tyrannic , tyrannical

The coach was dictatorial in his approach: no players could ever argue or question his approach.

fortuitous

adjective: occurring by happy chance; having no cause or apparent cause

Synonyms : causeless , uncaused

While the real objects are vastly different sizes in space, the sun and the moon seem to have the same fortuitous size in the sky.

didactic

adjective: instructive (especially excessively)

Synonyms : didactical

Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Illyich is a didactic novel, instructing the reader on how to live a good life.

exacerbate

verb: make worse

Synonyms : aggravate , exasperate , worsen

Her sleeplessness exacerbated her cold--when she woke up the next day, her sinuses were completely blocked.

prescience

noun: the power to foresee the future

Synonyms : prevision

Baxter's warnings about investing in technology stocks seemed like an act of prescience after the whole market declined significantly.

superfluous

adjective: serving no useful purpose

Synonyms : otiose , pointless , purposeless , senseless , wasted

How can we hope to stay open if we don't eliminate all superfluous spending, like catered meetings and free acupucture Tuesday?

adjective: more than is needed, desired, or required

Synonyms : excess , extra , redundant , spare , supererogatory , supernumerary , surplus

The third paragraph in your essay is superfluous and can be deleted.

perfidy

noun: an act of deliberate betrayal; a breach of a trust

Synonyms : betrayal , treachery , treason,perfidiousness , treachery

The lowest circles in Dante's Inferno were for those who had practiced perfidy, and among these, the very lowest was for those, such as Judas, who had been treacherous to one of their benefactors.

gall

noun: the trait of being rude and impertinent

Synonyms : cheekiness , crust , freshness , impertinence , impudence , insolence

Even though Carly was only recently hired, she had the gall to question her boss's judgment in front of the office.

noun: feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

Synonyms : bitterness , rancor , rancour , resentment

In an act of gall, Leah sent compromising photos of her ex-boyfriend to all his co-workers and professional contacts.

inexorable

adjective: impossible to stop or prevent

Synonyms : adamant , adamantine , intransigent

The rise of the computer was an inexorable shift in technology and culture.

decorous

adjective: characterized by good taste in manners and conduct

Sally's parties are decorous affairs, and instead of the usual beer and music, there is tea and intellectual conversation.

vociferous

adjective: conspicuously and offensively loud; given to vehement outcry

Synonyms : blatant , clamant , clamorous , strident

In giving Marcia a particular vociferous response, Paul caused people at every other table in the restaurant to turn around an look at them angrily.

torpor

noun: inactivity resulting from lethargy and lack of vigor or energy

Synonyms : listlessness , torpidity , torpidness

After work, I was expecting my colleagues to be enthusiastic about the outing, but I found them in a state of complete torpor.

culminate

verb: reach the highest or most decisive point

Synonyms : climax

Beethoven's musical genius culminated in the 9th Symphony, which many consider his greatest work.

culpability

noun: a state of guilt

Synonyms : blameworthiness , culpableness

Since John had left his banana peel at the top of the stairwell, he accepted culpability for Martha's broken leg.

bucolic

adjective: relating to the pleasant aspects of the country

Synonyms : peasant , provincial

The noble families of England once owned vast expanses of beautiful, bucolic land.

reticent

adjective: reluctant to draw attention to yourself; temperamentally disinclined to talk

Synonyms : untalkative, retiring , self-effacing

When asked about her father, Helen lost her outward enthusiasm and became rather reticent.

impudent

adjective: improperly forward or bold

Synonyms : fresh , impertinent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise

In an impudent move, the defendant spoke out of order to say terribly insulting things to the judge.

aesthete

noun: one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art and nature

Synonyms : esthete

A true aesthete, Marty would spend hours at the Guggenheim Museum, staring at the same Picasso.

obscure

verb: make unclear

Synonyms : becloud , befog , cloud , fog , haze over , mist , obnubilate

On the Smith's drive through the Grand Canyon, Mr. Smith's big head obscured much of Mrs. Robinson's view, so that she only saw momentary patches of red rock.

adjective: known by only a few

Synonyms : unknown , unsung

Many of the biggest movie stars were once obscure actors who got only bit roles in long forgotten films.

This word has other definitions but these are the most important ones to study

diffident

adjective: showing modest reserve; lacking self-confidence

Synonyms : shy , timid , unsure

As a young girl she was diffident and reserved, but now as an adult, she is confident and assertive.

germane

adjective: relevant and appropriate

The professor wanted to tell the jury in detail about his new book, but the lawyer said it wasn't germane to the charges in the cases.

gainsay

verb: deny or contradict; speak against or oppose

Synonyms : challenge , dispute

I can't gainsay a single piece of evidence James has presented, but I still don't trust his conclusion.

mawkish

adjective: overly sentimental to the point that it is disgusting

Synonyms : bathetic , drippy , hokey , kitschy , maudlin , mushy , schmaltzy , schmalzy , sentimental , slushy , soppy , soupy

The film was incredibly mawkish, introducing highly likeable characters only to have them succumb to a devastating illnesses by the end of the movie.

glut

noun: an excessive supply

Synonyms : oversupply , surfeit

The Internet offers such a glut of news related stories that many find it difficult to know which story to read first.

verb: supply with an excess of

Synonyms : flood , oversupply

In the middle of economic crises, hiring managers find their inboxes glutted with resumes.

eschew

verb: avoid and stay away from deliberately; stay clear of

Synonyms : shun

Politicians are the masters of eschewing morals; academics are the masters of eschewing clarity.

querulous

adjective: habitually complaining

Synonyms : fretful , whiney , whiny

The querulous old woman was begining to wear down even the happier members of the staff with her ceaseless complaining.

rustic

adjective: characteristic of rural life; awkwardly simple and provincial

Synonyms : countrified , countryfied,bumpkinly , hick , unsophisticated

The vacation cabin had no electricity and no indoor plumbing, but despite these inconveniences, Nigel adored its rustic charm.

engender

verb: give rise to

Synonyms : beget , bring forth , father , generate , get , mother , sire

The restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles were so severe that they engendered deep hatred and resentment in the German people.

entrenched

adjective: fixed firmly or securely

By the time we reach 60-years old, most of our habits are so entrenched that it is difficult for us to change.

recondite

adjective: difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge

Synonyms : abstruse , deep

I found Ulysses recondite and never finished the book, waiting instead to read it with someone else so we could penetrate its meaning together.

chortle

verb: to chuckle, laugh merrily

Synonyms : chuckle , laugh softly

Walking past the bar, I could hear happy, chortling people and the blast of horns from a jazz band.

audacious

adjective: willing to be bold in social situations or to take risks

Synonyms : brave , dauntless , fearless , hardy , intrepid , unfearing

As all of the other campers cowered in their tents, Bill, armed only with a flashlight, audaciously tracked down the bear that had raided their food.

aesthetic

adjective: concerned with the appreciation of beauty

Synonyms : aesthetical , esthetic , esthetical

The director, not known for his aesthetic sensibilities, decided not to use costumes at all, and put on the play in everyday clothing.

noun: a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement.

The artist operated according to a peculiar aesthetic, not considering any photograph to be worth publishing unless it contained a marine mammal.

deferential

adjective: showing respect

Synonyms : deferent , regardful

If you ever have the chance to meet the president, stand up straight and be deferential.

egregious

adjective: standing out in negative way; shockingly bad

Synonyms : crying , flagrant , glaring , gross , rank

The dictator's abuse of human rights was so egregious that many world leaders demanded that he be tried in an international court for genocide.

restive

adjective: restless

Synonyms : edgy , high-strung , highly strung , jittery , jumpy , nervy , overstrung , uptight

The crowd grew restive as the comedian's opening jokes fell flat.

calumny

noun: making of a false statement meant to injure a person's reputation

Synonyms : calumniation , defamation , hatchet job , obloquy , aspersion , slander , denigration , traducement

With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with calumny, and the mud already waist-high.

parochial

adjective: narrowly restricted in scope or outlook

Synonyms : insular

Jasmine was sad to admit it, but her fledgling relationship with Jacob did not work out because his culinary tastes were simply too parochial; "After all," she quipped on her blog, "he considered Chef Boyardee ethnic food."

harangue

noun: a long pompous speech; a tirade

Synonyms : rant , ranting

Dinner at Billy's was more a punishment than a reward, since anyone who sat at the dinner table would have to listen to Billy's father's interminable harangues against the government.

verb: to deliver a long pompous speech or tirade

Tired of his parents haranguing him about his laziness and lack of initiative, Tyler finally moved out of home at the age of thirty-five.

qualify

verb: to be eligible for a role, status, or benefit by meeting specific requirements

Synonyms : measure up

If James had made more than $50,000 last year, then he wouldn't have qualified for the low-income scholarship.

verb: to make less severe; to limit (a statement)

Synonyms : restrict

Chris qualified his love for San Francisco, adding that he didn't like the weather as much as the weather in Los Angeles.

venerate

verb: to respect deeply

Synonyms : fear , revere , reverence

The professor, despite his sleep-inducing lectures, was venerated amongst his colleagues, publishing more papers yearly than all of his peers combined.

maintain

verb: to assert

Synonyms : defend

The scientist maintained that the extinction of dinosaurs was most likely brought about by a drastic change in climate.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

amenable

adjective: easily persuaded

Synonyms : conformable , tractable

Even though she did not like the outdoors, Shirley was generally amenable and so her brother was able to persuade her to go camping.

belie

verb: to give a false representation to; misrepresent

Synonyms : contradict , negate

The smile on her face belies the pain she must feel after the death of her husband.

relevant

adjective: closely connected to the topic and therefore important

I think Professor McGarry can give you some relevant books to help you write that essay.

iconoclast

noun: somebody who attacks cherished beliefs or institutions

Lady Gaga, in challenging what it means to be clothed, is an iconoclast for wearing a "meat dress" to a prominent awards show.

undermine

adjective: to weaken (usually paired with an abstract term)

The student undermined the teacher's authority by questioning the teacher's judgment on numerous occasions.

disinterested

adjective: unbiased; neutral

The potential juror knew the defendant, and therefore could not serve on the jury, which must consist only of disinterested members.

involved

adjective: complicated, and difficult to comprehend

Synonyms : byzantine , convoluted , knotty , tangled , tortuous

The physics lecture became so involved that the undergraduate's eyes glazed over.

wanting

adjective: lacking

Synonyms : deficient , lacking

She did not think her vocabulary was wanting, yet there were so many words that inevitably she found a few she didn't know.

galvanize

verb: to excite or inspire (someone) to action

Synonyms : galvanise , startle

At mile 23 of his first marathon, Kyle had all but given up, until he noticed his friends and family holding a banner that read, "Go Kyle"; galvanized, he broke into a gallop, finishing the last three miles in less than 20 minutes.

equivocal

adjective: confusing or ambiguous

The findings of the study were equivocal - the two researchers had different opinions on what the results signified.

acrimony

noun: bitterness and ill will

Synonyms : acerbity , bitterness , jaundice , tartness , thorniness

The acrimonious dispute between the president and vice-president sent a clear signal to voters: the health of the current administration was imperiled.

impertinent

adjective: being disrespectful; improperly forward or bold

Synonyms : fresh , impudent , overbold , sassy , saucy , smart , wise

Dexter, distraught over losing his pet dachshund, Madeline, found the police officer's questions impertinent - after all, he thought, did she have to pry into such details as to what Madeline's favorite snack was?

(adj) not pertinent to the matter under consideration

Synonyms : extraneous , immaterial , orthogonal

anomalous

adjective: not normal

According to those who do not believe in climate change, the extreme weather over the last five years is simply anomalous - daily temperatures should return to their old averages, they believe.

frugal

adjective: not spending much money (but spending wisely)

Synonyms : economical , scotch , sparing , stinting

Monte was no miser, but was simply frugal, wisely spending the little that he earned.

intimate

verb: to suggest something subtly

Synonyms : adumbrate , insinuate

At first Manfred's teachers intimated to his parents that he was not suited to skip a grade; when his parents protested, teachers explicitly told them that, notwithstanding the boy's precocity, he was simply too immature to jump to the 6th grade.

This word has other definitions but this is the most important one to study

vindicate

verb: to clear of accusation, blame, suspicion, or doubt with supporting arguments or proof

Synonyms : justify

Even seven Tour de France wins cannot vindicate Lance Armstrong in the eyes of the public--that the athlete used performance enhancing drugs invalidates all those wins.

aberration

noun: a deviation from what is normal or expected

Synonyms : aberrance , aberrancy , deviance

Aberrations in climate have become the norm: rarely a week goes by without some meteorological phenomenon making headlines.

enervate

verb: to sap energy from

Synonyms : faze , unnerve , unsettle

John preferred to avoid equatorial countries; the intense sun would always leave him enervated after he'd spent the day sightseeing.

censure

verb: to express strong disapproval

Synonyms : animadversion

After being caught in bed with a mistress, the mayor was quickly censured by the city council.

auspicious

adjective: favorable, the opposite of sinister

Despite an auspicious beginning, Mike's road trip became a series of mishaps, and he was soon stranded and penniless, leaning against his wrecked automobile.

amorphous

adjective: shapeless

Synonyms : formless , shapeless , unstructured

His study plan for the GRE was at best amorphous; he would do questions from random pages in any one of seven test prep books.

ambiguous

adjective: open to more than one interpretation

Synonyms : equivocal

The coach told his team, "Move towards that side of the field"; because he did not point, his directions were ambiguous, and the team had no idea to which side he was referring.

profligate

adjective: spending resources recklessly or wastefully

Synonyms : extravagant , prodigal , spendthrift

The composer Wagner, while living on a limited salary, was so profligate as to line all the walls of his apartment with pure silk.

noun: someone who spends resources recklessly or wastefully

Most lottery winners go from being conservative, frugal types to outright profligates who blow millions on fast cars, lavish homes, and giant yachts.

chastise

verb: to reprimand harshly

Synonyms : castigate , chasten , correct , objurgate

Though chastised for eating the snacks for the party, Lawrence shrugged off his mother's harsh words, and continued to plow through jars of cookies and boxes of donuts.

ingenuous

adjective: to be naïve and innocent

Synonyms : innocent

Two-years in Manhattan had changed Jenna from an ingenuous girl from the suburbs to a jaded urbanite, unlikely to fall for any ruse, regardless of how elaborate.

gregarious

adjective: to be likely to socialize with others

Often we think that great leaders are those who are gregarious, always in the middle of a large group of people; yet, as Mahatma Gandhi and many others have shown us, leaders can also be introverted.

betray

verb: to reveal or make known something, usually unintentionally

Synonyms : bewray

With the gold medal at stake, the gymnast awaited his turn, his quivering lip betraying his intense emotions.

parsimonious

adjective: extremely frugal; miserly

Synonyms : penurious

Katie is so parsimonious that she only buys a pair of socks if all of her other socks have holes in them.

mercurial

adjective: (of a person) prone to unexpected and unpredictable changes in mood

Synonyms : erratic , fickle , quicksilver

The fact that Ella's moods were as mercurial as the weather was problematic for her relationships - it didn't help that she lived in Chicago.

upbraid

verb: to reproach; to scold

Bob took a risk walking into the "Students Barbershop" - in the end he had to upbraid the apparently drunk barber for giving him an uneven bowl cut.

innocuous

adjective: harmless and doesn't produce any ill effects

Synonyms : innocent

Everyone found Nancy's banter innocuous - except for Mike, who felt like she was intentionally picking on him.

amalgam

noun: a mixture of multiple things

The band's music was an amalgam of hip-hop, flamenco and jazz, blending the three styles with surprising results.

demur

verb: to object or show reluctance

Wallace disliked the cold, so he demurred when his friends suggested they going skiing in the Alps.

prodigal

adjective: rashly or wastefully extravagant

Synonyms : extravagant , profligate , spendthrift

Successful professional athletes who do not fall prey to prodigality seem to be the exception - most live decadent lives.

laconic

adjective: one who says very few words

Synonyms : crisp , curt , terse

While Martha always swooned over the hunky, laconic types in romantic comedies, her boyfriends inevitably were very talkative - and not very hunky.

commensurate

adjective: to be in proportion or corresponding in degree or amount

The convicted felon's life sentence was commensurate to the heinousness of his crime.

venality

noun: the condition of being susceptible to bribes or corruption

Even some of the most sacred sporting events are not immune to venality, as many of the officials have received substantial bribes to make biased calls.

ambivalent

adjective: mixed or conflicting emotions about something

Sam was ambivalent about studying for the exam because doing so ate up a lot of his time, yet he was able to improve his analytical skills.

extant

adjective: still in existence (usually refers to documents).

Despite many bookstores closing, experts predict that some form of book dealing will still be extant generations from now.

veracious

adjective: truthful

Synonyms : right

While we elect our leaders in the hope that every word they speak will be veracious, history has shown that such a hope is naive.

artful

adjective: exhibiting artistic skill

Picasso is generally considered the most artful member of the Cubist movement.

adjective: clever in a cunning way

Bernie Madoff's artful Ponzi scheme stole billions of dollars from investors and is considered the largest financial fraud in U.S. history.