Verbal Groups 5-9

Aloof

Not warm or friendly; impersonal

Clangor

A disturbingly loud noise

Conventional

Adhering to standard practice or accepted procedure

Debunk

Prove a belief or idea false

Diminutive

Exceptionally small in size or nature

Discernible

Able to be recognized or understood

Enigmatic

Difficult to understand; mysterious

Estranged

Emotionally distanced from someone

Extravagant

Excessive, especially in terms of cost

Fanciful

Highly imaginative; unrealistic

Frivolous

Lacking in seriousness or importance

Heterogeneous

Composed of varying diverse elements

Imperious

Having an arrogant or domineering manner

Impertinent

Disrespectful or inappropriate; unrelated to something

Invasive

Infringing on other’s privacy; harmful

Efficacious

Producing the intended result; effective

Derisive

Mocking or showing contempt

Propriety

Proper behavior; correctness of conduct

Imprudence

Lack of good judgement; rashness

Lionized

Treated as a celebrity; greatly admired

Fallacious

Based on a false idea; misleading

Timorous

Shy; lacking courage; fearful

Venality

Corruption; willingness to be bribed

Irresolute

Uncertain or lacking determination

Laudable

Worthy of admiration or praise

Lax

Not diligent or careful; casual

Marginalized

Treat someone or something as insignificant

Panache

A stylish and confident manner

Plodding

Moving slowly or laboriously

Prosaic

Straightforward and unimaginative

Remedial

Serving to correct or cure something

Restive

Demonstrating difficulty in staying still; feeling bored, dissatisfied, or impatient

Sporadic

Happening occasionally and irregularly

Stigmatize

Label or mark as disgraceful

Undermine

Weaken or sabotage, often subtly

Utterly

Completely and without exception

Weary

Feeling tired or exhausted

Zealous

Marked by fervent partisanship; intensely passionate

Accentuate

Give emphasis or draw attention

Conjectural

Pertaining to a guess made with limited data

Convivial

Demonstrating fondness for festivities

Decadent

Displaying excessive indulgence

Egregious

Remarkably bad or shocking

Evanescent

Vanishing or fading away quickly

Flamboyant

Characterized by a showy or audacious display

Forestall

Prevent something by taking strategic action in advance

Gainsay

Deny or refute an assertion or argument

Galvanize

Inspire or stir up to heightened activity

Indiscriminate

Lacking selectivity or judgement

Innocuous

Harmless, having no ill effect

Momentary

Lasting for a brief moment or interval

Mundane

Commonplace or ordinary

Nettlesome

Causing irritation or annoyance

Nullify

To render ineffective, cancel out, or invalidate

Obviate

Sidestep or bypass a potential problem

Omnipresent

Existing or seeming to exist everywhere at once

Oust

Displace or eject from a position or place

Palpable

Tangible, perceptible, or clearly noticeable

Perfidy

Act of betrayal or unfaithfulness

Profuse

Abundant, occurring in large amounts

Pugnacious

Quick to engage in a conflict; combative

Sagacious

Demonstrating wisdom or sound judgement

Sanguine

Optimistic, particularly in a difficult situation

Scant

Hardly sufficient, meager, or minimal

Skullduggery

Sneaky or dishonest actions

Trivial

Of minor significance or value

Utilitarian

Emphasizing functionality over aesthetics

Vapid

Uninteresting, lacking flavor or spark

Appease

Satisfy or calm someone down

Arbitrary

Determined by chance, not reason

Archaic

Very old or old fashioned

Clamorous

Characterized by a loud noise

Dearth

Lack of something in a particular area

Explicable

Able to be explained or understood

Hyperbole

Exaggeration to make a point or be funny

Immutable

Not capable of being changed

Indefatigable

Never giving up; excessively energetic or eager

Indolent

Habitually lazy; averse to activity

Insular

Limited in outlook or experience; narrow

Intrepid

Resolutely fearless; brave

Irreverent

Lacking proper respect or seriousness

Loathe

Dislike greatly, often with disgust

Malign (verb)

Vilify or smear

Malign (adjective, malignant)

Evil and harmful

Malleable

Changeable or flexible

Neophyte

An amateur or novice in a field

Plastic

Capable of being molded or modeled

Platitude

A trite or banal remark or statement; cliche

Prescient

Possessing foresight of upcoming events

Pristine

In its original, unspoiled state

Reproach

Express criticism towards; reprimand

Robust

Able to withstand adverse conditions

Salubrious

Promoting health or well being

Sanction

To authorize or permit; to penalize or punish

Sedulous

Paying attention to details; diligent

Soporific

Causing sleep or lethargy

Stern

Hard, harsh, or severe in manner

Tendentious

Showing a definite bias or purpose

Admonish

Sternly counsel against something

Aesthetic

Pertaining to beauty; elegant