vocab hit parade

adhere

to believe in and follow the practices of

advocate

to publicly recommend/support

allude

to suggest/call attention to directly, to hint

ambivalence

having mixed feelings/contradictory ides about something/someone

analogous

comparable in certain aspects, typically in a way which makes clearer the nature of the things compared

anecdote

a short amusing/interesting story about a real incident/person

apprehensive

anxious/fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

arbitrary

based on random choice or personal whim

assert

to state a fact/belief confidently

bias

prejudice in favor/against one thing, person, or a group compared with another, usually considered unfair

bolster

to support/strengthen

brevity

concise and exact use of words in writing/speech

buttress

to increase the strength of, reinforce

capitalize

to attempt to gain an advantage from opportuntiy/situation

circumvent

to find a way around

cohesion

the action of forming a united whole

compelling

evoking interest/attention

concede

to admit that something is true/valid after first denying/resisting it

congenial

pleasant, friendly, agreeable

consensus

general agreement

converge

to come together to form a new whole

corroborate

to confirm/give support to a statement, theory, or finding

culpable

guilty/worth of blame

curtail

to reduce in extent/quality

decisive

settling an issue, producing a definite result

deduce

to arrive at a conclusion through reasoning

deference

humble submission and respect

degrade

to treat/regard someone with disrespect

denounce

to publicly declare to be wrong/evil

derive

to obtain from a specific source

disconcerning

causing one to feel unsettled/worried

dispute

to engage in an argument or cast doubt upon

divergent

to be different/develop in different directions

dormant

normal physical functions are suspended/slowed down for a period of time; might wake back up

elicit

to draw out a response/fact from someone

eloquent

fluent/persuasive in speaking or writing

epitome

to be the perfect example of

equity

the quality of being fair/impartial

erratic

irregular in pattern or movement

evince

to reveal the presence of a quality/feeling

evoke

to bring/recall to the conscious mind

exert

to make a physical/mental effort

explicit

stated clearly and in detail, leaving no doubt for confusion or doubt

foster

to encourage or promote the development of

imminent

about to happen

impede

to delay or prevent someone or something by obstructing; to hinder

implicit

implied but not plainly expressed

impose

to force a rule or punishment to be accepted or obeyed

indecipherable

not able to be read or understood

indifference

lack of interest, concern, or sympathy

induce

to succeed at influencing or persuading someone to do something

inevitable

certain to happen; unavoidable

invoke

to cite/appeal to someone or something as an authority for an action or in support of an argument

ironic

happening in the opposite way from what is expected, causes amusement

jarring

inconsistent in a striking/shocking way

juxtapose

to place close together for contrasting effect

latent

existing but not yet developed or manifest

mandate

to order something to be done or someone behave in a certain way

meticulous

showing great attention to detail, very careful/precise

mitigate

to make less serious, severe, painful

novel

new/unusual in an interesting way

nuanced

characterized by slight degrees of meaning or expression

obscure

not discovered or known about; uncertain

obsolete

no longer produce or used

obstruct

to block or deliberately make something difficult

oppressive

unjustly inflicting hardship and constraint, weighing significantly on mind/spirit

outsized

exceptionally large

palpable

easily noticeable

pervasive

spreading widely throughout an area/group of people in an unpleasant way

pragmatic

dealing with things in a sensible or realistic manner; practical

preclude

to make impossible

prevalence

the fact/condition of being prevalent; commonness

profound

having/showing great knowledge or insight

prominent

important, famous

proponent

a person who argues for a theory, proposal, or concept

provoke

to stimulate/give rise to a reaction or emotion

reciprocate

to respond to a gesture or action by making a corresponding one

reconcile

to restore friendly relations between

refute

to prove a statement/theory to be wrong or false

renounce

to formally declare one abandonment of a claim, right, or possession

repression

the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling, quality, etc

repudiate

to refuse/accept to be associated with

resilient

able to withstand/recover quickly from difficult conditions

retain

to continue to have something; keep possession of

skeptical

not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations

speculate

to form a theory or conjecture about a subject without confirm evidence

strenuous

requiring or expending great effort

substantiate

to provide evidence to support/prove the truth of

subsumed

included or absorbed into something else

subtle

so delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze or describe

supplement

something that completes/enhances something else when added to it

tenuous

weak/slight

undermine

to lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability of a person/idea

underscore

to emphasize or draw attention to

unobtrusive

not conspicuous or attracting attention

validate

to check/prove the validity or accuracy of something

verisimilitude

the appearance of being true or real

vexation

the state of being annoyed, frustrated, or worried

viable

capable of working successfully, feasible

vindicate

to clear someone of blame/suspicion