Vocab

dichotomy

n.

There is often a dichotomy between what politicians say and what they do.

a contrast between two opposite things

contradistinction

n.

Art Spiegelman explained in MetaMaus, “The cats have the most human faces, while the mice have the most abstract and least physiologically human representation. The reader must reinterpret those signs that seem to be in contradistinction to the story being told.”

a distinction made by contrasting the different qualities of two things

juxtaposition

n.

The juxtaposition of Cinderella and her step-sibling highlights their respective traits.

the contrast between two things that are placed side by side

groundbreaking

adj.

Maus was praised for its groundbreaking portrayal of the Holocaust.

innovative

passerby

n.

She handed out flyers to passersby to raise awareness about a food drive.

a person passing something

infighting

n.

Constant infighting for political power has robbed the current ruling party of its effectiveness.

hidden conflict or competitiveness within an organization

nuance

n.

He struggled to identify the nuances that distinguish C++ from C.

a subtle difference

myriad

n.

In Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns, protagonists Mariam and Laila face a myriad of adversities and tragedies as they navigate three decades of Afghan history.

a large number

imperative
adj.

It’s imperative to address the issue of civil rights to ensure equality for all.

crucial

surmount

v.

Sisyphus was able to surmount his fate by scorning the gods.

overcome

expedite

v.

We're trying to expedite the process of reviewing applications.

make something happen more quickly

unflinching

adj.

Anne Frank’s diary stands out for its unflinching authenticity in its depiction of Anne’s teenage struggles.

fearless and unhesitant

reprieve

v.

He was sentenced to death but then reprieved.

cancel or postpone punishment

condemn

v.

News reporters asked mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani if he condemned the slogan, “globalize the intifada.”

publicly disapprove

endorse

v.

Consumers care if celebrities endorse a product.

publicly approve

solidarity

v.

Factory workers voiced solidarity with the striking students.

agreement among individuals with a common interest

evoke

v.

The well-thumbed photo albums evoked nostalgia and memories of happier days.

bring to mind

poignant

adj.

In S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders, Dally’s poignant journey reveals that his goodness lies in his intentions although his outward actions seem remorseless to society.

evoking sadness or regret

indelible

adj.

Learning through hands-on experiences leaves a more indelible impression.

not able to be forgotten or removed

susceptible

adj.

Some plants are more susceptible to frost damage than others.

likely to be influenced or harmed by

cornerstone

adj.

The thesis is the cornerstone of the essay.

foundation

denote

v.

Red eyes denote strain and fatigue.

indicate

ambiguity

n.

The ambiguity of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” creates layers of meaning within the seemingly peaceful poem.

the quality of having multiple interpretations

dovetail

v.

Parents often wish to be able to dovetail their career and family commitments.

fit together conveniently

despicable

adj.

It was despicable of her to lie to her friend.

deserving hatred

contempt

n.

He showed his contempt for his job by doing it very badly.

the feeling that something is worthless or deserving hatred

scorn

n.

Sisyphus surmounted his fate through his scorn for the gods.

the feeling that something is worthless or deserving hatred

remorseless

adj.

The remorseless liquidation of the Jewish ghetto is a major plot point in Maus.

without regret or guilt

Relentless

adj.

The government was relentless in its aim to improve its national standards for education.

never ending

Incessant

adj.

They are like children with their incessant questions.

never ending

perpetual

adj.

In Haroun and the Sea of Stories, Perpetual Darkness refers to the permanently shadowed side of the moon Kahani.

never ending or changing

eternal

adj.

In Life of Pi, the titular character ponders the eternal truths of life and faith.

lasting forever

amorphous

adj.

The bad news has left us with an amorphous sense of dread.

shapeless

commence

v.

The factory will commence operations this autumn.

start

cease

v.

The factory will cease operations this winter.

end

sustenance

n.

Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought.

n.

The village depends on the sea for sustenance.

nourishment

the sustaining of something alive or in existence

culprit

n.

Lack of exercise and poor diet are the main culprits in heart disease

something responsible for something bad

secluded

adj.

The writer sought a secluded cabin in the woods to focus on her novel.

not visited by many people

suffuse

v.

Love is the emotion that suffuses the pages of Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns.

gradually spread through

imbue

v.

One visit to a sick relative in a hospital might be enough to imbue a child with a lifelong ambition to become a doctor.

inspire or fill with (a feeling or quality)

innate

adj.

He was captured by the innate beauty of the countryside.

natural

gallant
adj.
In The Outsiders, Johnny describes Dally as gallant.

brave and heroic

conspicuous

adj.

The most conspicuous feature of the peacock is its tail.

noticeable

overshadow

v.

It is easy to let this feeling of tragedy overshadow Dally’s story in The Outsiders.

appear more important or more noticeable than

inherent

adj.

Bravery is an inherent characteristic of the archetypal hero.

natural

dispute
n.

The ongoing territorial dispute between Palestine and Israel is an important issue.

disagreement or debate

quintessential

adj.

Dally was the quintessential tough guy—impassive, invincible, and tragic.

typical

immutable

adj.

It is an immutable American belief that the wilderness can mend the broken soul.

unchangeable

adamant

adj.

After Johnny’s death, Dally was adamant about killing himself.

refusing to change one’s mind

deliberate

adj.

Dally’s character arc culminated in a deliberate suicide.

intentional

impassive

adj.

Dally remained impassive throughout the novel, though his bond with Johnny revealed his true character.

not showing emotions

distinct

adj.

While Dr. Jekyll is distinct from Mr. Hyde, the reader must remember that they are two sides of the same person, representing good and evil.

unique

instill

v.

He strives to instill a sense of rightness in today’s youth.

pass on gradually

intrinsic

adj.

Both heroic traits and tragic flaws are intrinsic to tragic heroes.

belonging naturally

impersonal

adj.

We discussed the weather and other impersonal topics.

not involving personal feelings

liberal

adj.

He has liberal views on social issues.

open-minded

daunting

adj.

It was quite daunting to address a meeting of several hundred people.

intimidating

prospect

n.

There is no prospect of the strike ending soon.

the likelihood of some future event occurring

fortitude

n.

In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Mariam and Laila overcame adversities with great fortitude.

courage in adversity

adversity

n.

The adversities faced by characters shapes their growth.

difficulty

futile

adj.

According to Camus, searching for the meaning of life is futile because the universe does not provide any inherent meaning.

pointless

succinctly

adv.

The image of a road succinctly conveys the valuable idea that the study of card magic is a journey, not a quick fix.

concisely and clearly

precedence

n.

One’s family life takes precedence over one’s work commitments.

priority

omnipresent

adj.

In 1984, Big Brother is portrayed as the omnipresent leader of Oceania.

present everywhere at once

ubiquitous

adj.

Sugar is ubiquitous in the American diet.

common

premonition

n.

She had a sudden premonition of imminent danger.

a feeling that something bad is about to happen

apprehension

n.

He picked up the phone with apprehension.

anxiety that something bad will happen

imminent

adj.

The suitcases lined up by the door indicated an imminent departure.

about to happen

empirical

adj.

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl provides empirical evidence based on his experiences as a prisoner during the Holocaust to support that meaning in life is necessary to overcome suffering.

based on observation or experience

overcast

adj.

“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.”

cloudy

replenish

v.

The housekeeper replenishes any toiletries that guests have used.

restock

meekly

adv.

I meekly nodded my head, now fully aware of how I was leaning on Vince.

gently and submissively

underlying

adj.

The joke did not obscure the underlying seriousness of her point.

significant but not obvious

rueful

adj.

Dally’s friends looked rueful as they watched the policemen shoot him to death under the streetlight.

sad or regretful

virtually

adv.

Virtually every Greaser has long, slick hair.

nearly

predominantly

adv.

S.T.E.M. careers were once predominantly male.

mainly

anesthetize

v.

Johnny and Dally’s deaths were a tragedy of a magnitude that anesthetizes the mind.

deprive of feeling or awareness

lucrative

adj.

Tobacco was the most lucrative product of the tidewater region in the southern colonies.

profitable

inadvertently

adv.

He inadvertently deleted the CSS file.

accidently

immortalize

v.

George Washington is immortalized in every American Revolution textbook.

memorialize

intuition

n.

Transcendentalists like Thoreau believed that knowledge comes from intuition and experience.

instinct

refine

v.

Athletes refine their technique during practices.

improve by making small changes

enhance

v.

Technology is a tool that enhances what you do.

make something better

prestigious

adj.

After earning straight As, she had her choice among prestigious universities.

respected

calamity

n.

Anne Frank faced the calamity of war with resilience.

catastrophe

convey

v.

The gun conveys Rasheed’s potential for violence.

make known

reluctant

adj.

He was reluctant to participate in the argument.

hesitant

deprive

v.

They're depriving him of a chance to succeed.

take away

amenity

n.

The house was equipped with modern amenities including a flushing toilet, light bulbs, and a microwave.

a desirable feature

moonscape n.

The once-barren moonscape around Mount St. Helens has experienced significant regrowth.

a landscape like the moon

unsolicited adj.
Unsolicited advice is rarely appreciated.

not asked for