8th Grade Vocabulary

abet

assist or encourage, usually in some wrongdoing

accord

an official agreement or treaty

adept

having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude

advocate

a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy

allot

give out

aloof

not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant

amiss

not quite right; inappropriate or out of place

analogy

drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity

anarchy

a state of lawlessness and disorder

antic

grotesque or bizarre

apprehensive

anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

ardent

enthusiastic or passionate

articulate

express or state clearly

assail

attack someone physically or emotionally

assimilate

make alike

atrocity

an act of shocking cruelty

attribute

a quality belonging to or characteristic of an entity

audacious

showing an impudent lack of respect

augment

enlarge or increase

avail

be of use to, be useful to

avid

having or showing a keen interest in or enthusiasm for something

awry

away from the appropriate, planned, or expected course; amiss

balmy

mild and pleasant weather

banter

the playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks

barter

exchange goods without involving money

benign

Gentle, kindly; not harmful in effect

bizarre

very unusual

bonanza

a large amount of something desirable

bountiful

large in quantity, abundant

cache

a hidden storage space

capacious

having a lot of space inside; roomy

chastise

scold

citadel

a stronghold for shelter during a battle

cite

make reference to

clad

clothed

commemorate

call to remembrance

component

one of the individual parts making up a larger entity

confiscate

take or seize (someone's property) with authority

connoisseur

an expert able to appreciate a field

conscientious

(of a person) wishing to do what is right, especially to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly

conservative

holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation

contagious

capable of being transmitted by infection

conventional

based on or in accordance with what is generally done or believed

convey

make (an idea, impression, or feeling) known or understandable to someone

culminate

end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage

deface

mar or spoil the appearance of

deplore

express strong disapproval of

desist

choose not to consume; cease

desolate

providing no shelter or sustenance; empty

deter

turn away from by persuasion

dialect

the usage or vocabulary characteristic of a group of people

dire

fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless

discern

perceive or recognize (something)

disdain

lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

disgruntled

in a state of sulky dissatisfaction

dispatch

the act of sending off something

disposition

your usual mood

doctrine

a belief accepted as authoritative by some group or school

dub

give an unofficial name or nickname to (someone or something)

eccentric

(of a person or their behavior) unconventional and slightly strange

embargo

a government order imposing a trade barrier

encroach

intrude on (a person's territory or a thing considered to be a right)

enigma

something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained

epoch

a period of time in history or a person's life, typically one marked by notable events or particular characteristics

eventful

full of events or incidents

excerpt

a passage selected from a larger work

exemplify

be characteristic of

fallacy

a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument

fastidious

very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

feasible

capable of being done with means at hand

fend

try to manage without help

flair

a special or instinctive aptitude or ability for doing something well; stylishness and originality

flustered

make (someone) agitated or confused

foreboding

a feeling of evil to come

forfeit

lose the right to or lose by some error, offense, or crime

formidable

extremely impressive in strength or excellence

foster

encourage or promote the development of (something, typically something regarded as good)

gaunt

very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold

gingerly

in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy

glut

supply with an excess of

grapple

come to terms with; engage in a close fight or struggle without weapons; wrestle

grope

feel about uncertainly or blindly

haggard

looking exhausted and unwell, especially from fatigue, worry, or suffering

hindrance

a thing that provides resistance, delay, or obstruction to something or someone

imperative

of vital importance; crucial

instill

impart gradually

intervene

come between so as to prevent or alter a result or course of events

inventive

(of a person) having the ability to create or design new things or to think originally

irascible

having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

languish

(of a person or other living thing) lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble

loll

sit, lie, or stand in a lazy, relaxed way

lucrative

producing a sizeable profit

luminous

softly bright or radiant

mien

a person's appearance, manner, or demeanor

muse

reflect deeply on a subject

muster

gather or bring together

onslaught

an offensive against an enemy

ornate

marked by complexity and richness of detail

ovation

enthusiastic recognition

overt

open and observable; not secret or hidden