ELA Vocab 4-6

Affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to
SYNONYMS: genial, amicable, cordial
ANTONYMS: surly, cantankerous, dour, inhospitable

Aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater
SYNONYMS: augment, amplify, enhance, exalt
ANTONYMS: reduce, decrease, diminish

Amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion
SYNONYMS: formless, unstructured, inchoate

Archetype

(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing
SYNONYMS: model, prototype, epitome

Aura

(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality
SYNONYMS: ambience, atmosphere

Contraband

(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited
SYNONYMS: (adj.) bootleg, unlawful
ANTONYMS: (adj.) legal, lawful, licit

Erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic
SYNONYMS: profoundly educated, well-read
ANTONYMS: ignorant, uneducated, illiterate

Inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically
SYNONYMS: impenetrable, incomprehensible, enigmatic
ANTONYMS: comprehensible, intelligible, penetrable

Insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience
SYNONYMS: narrow-minded, parochial, provincial
ANTONYMS: catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal

Irrevocable

(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back
SYNONYMS: unrecallable, unalterable
ANTONYMS: reversible, changeable

Propensity

(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward
SYNONYMS: natural bent, proclivity, penchant
ANTONYMS: natural incapacity or inability

Querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful
SYNONYMS: petulant, irritable
ANTONYMS: uncomplaining, stoical

Remonstrate

v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to
SYNONYMS: reason against, expostulate

Repudiate

(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of
SYNONYMS: disavow, renounce
ANTONYMS: avow, affirm, aver

Resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly
SYNONYMS: springy, elastic
ANTONYMS: rigid, stiff, inflexible

Reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly
SYNONYMS: rumble, thunder, boom, echo

Scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed
SYNONYMS: obscene, filthy, abusive, vituperative
ANTONYMS: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified

Sedulous

(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination
SYNONYMS: assiduous, indefatigable
ANTONYMS: indolent, listless

Sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable
SYNONYMS: inferior, cheezy
ANTONYMS: superior, first-rate

Amnesty

(n.) a general pardon for an offense against a government; in general, any act of forgiveness or absolution
SYNONYM: reprieve

Autonomy

(n.) self-government, political control
SYNONYM: home rule
ANTONYMS: dependence, subjection

Blazon

(adj.) self-evident, expressing a universally accepted principle
SYNONYM: taken for granted
ANTONYMS: questionable, dubious

Caveat

(n.) a warning or caution to prevent misunderstanding or discourage behavior
SYNONYMS: admonition, word to the wise

Equitable

(adj.) fair, just, embodying principles of justice
SYNONYMS: right, reasonable, evenhanded
ANTONYMS: unjust, unfair, one-sided, disproportionate

Filch

(v.) to steal, especially in a sneaky way and in petty amounts
SYNONYMS: pilfer, purloin, swipe

Flout

(v.) to mock, treat with contempt
SYNONYMS: sneer at, snicker at, scorn
ANTONYMS: obey, honor

Fractious

(adj.) tending to be troublesome; unruly, quarrelsome, contrary; unpredictable
SYNONYMS: refractory, recalcitrant peevish
ANTONYMS: docile, tractable, cooperative

Salutary

(adj.) beneficial, helpful; healthful, wholesome
SYNONYMS: salubrious, curative
ANTONYMS: detrimental, deleterious

Scathing

(adj.) bitterly severe, withering; causing great harm
SYNONYMS: searing, harsh, savage
ANTONYMS: bland, mild

Scourge

(v.) to whip, punish severely; (n.) a cause of affliction or suffering; a source or severe punishment or criticism
SYNONYMS: (v.) flog, beat; (n.) bane, plague, pestilence
ANTONYMS: (n.) godsend, boon, blessing

Straitlaced

(adj.) funereal, typical of the tomb; extremely gloomy or dismal
SYNONYMS: lugubrious, mortuary

Transient

(adj.) lasting only a short time, fleeting; (n.) one who stays only a short time
SYNONYMS: (adj.) impermanent, ephemeral, evanescent
ANTONYMS: (adj.) permanent, imperishable, immortal

Unwieldy

(adj.) not easily carried, handled, or managed because of size or complexity
SYNONYMS: bulky, clumsy, impractical
ANTONYMS: manageable, easy to handle

Vapid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, tiresome; lacking in sharpness, flavor, liveliness, or force
SYNONYMS: lifeless, colorless
ANTONYMS: zesty, spicy, colorful

Anomalous

(adj.) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
Synonyms: exceptional, atypical, unusual, aberrant
Antonyms: normal, regular, customary, typical, ordinary

Brusque

(adj.) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities.Synonyms: tactless, ungracious
Antonyms: tactful, diplomatic

Cajole

(v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises
Synonyms: wheedle, Inveigle
Antonyms: coerce, force

Castigate

(v.) to punish severely; to criticize severely
Synonyms: chastise, censure
Antonyms: honor, praise, laud

Contrive

(v.) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan
Synonyms: think up, concoct

Heinous

(adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful
Synonyms: evil, odious, outrageous
Antonyms: excellent, wonderful, splendid

Immutable

(adj.) not subject to change, constant
Synonyms: unchangeable, unalterable, fixed, invariable
Antonyms: changeable, inconstant, variable, fickle

Insurgent

(n.) one who rebels or rises against authority
(adj.) Rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on
Synonyms: (adj.) revolutionary, rebellious, mutinous
Antonyms: (adj.) loyalist, loyal, faithful

Sinecure

(n.) A position requiring little or no work; an easy job
Synonyms: "no-show" job, cushy job, "plum"

Surreptitious

(adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud
Synonyms: furtive, covert, clandestine, concealed
Antonyms: open, frank, aboveboard, overt

Transgress

(v.) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law
Synonyms: overstep, trespass
Antonyms: obey, toe the line

Vicarious

(v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another
Synonyms: transform, convert
Antonyms: maintain pre