Power Words #1-40

English 2 honors @ TRHS

Abstruse

difficult to understand

obscure

hazy; unfamiliar; difficult to understand

lucid

easy to understand; transparent; clear-thinking

Ambiguous

unclear; vague; having several interpretations

equivocal

misleading; uncertain

explicit

absolutely clear; free from ambiguity 

Ameliorate

to make an unpleasant situation better; to improve

assuage

to make less severe; to ease

exacerbate

to make a bad situation worse

Animosity

a feeling of resentment, hostility, or enmity

rancor

bitter, long-lasting resentment

amity

friendship

Apathy

lack of interest or concern

dispassionate

not emotionally involved; objective 

zealous

filled with or motivated by enthusiastic devotion 

Apocryphal

of questionable authorship or authenticity

dubious

doubtful; questionable

authentic

having a claimed and verifiable origin or authorship

Ascetic

person who rejects physical comfort or luxuries for self-discipline

austere

plain; without luxuries 

hedonism

the belief that only pleasure is worth pursuing

Avarice

greed

cupidity

greed, especially for money

philanthropy

charitable work; generosity 

Banal

 boring; trite; insipid

pedestrian

dull; ordinary 

exotic

 intriguingly unusual, different, or beautiful 

Blatant

offensively conspicuous or undisguised

brazen

rudely bold; insolent

decorous

marked by decorum; proper

Capricious

unpredictable

impetuous

making quick decision and taking sudden action; hasty; impulsive

steadfast

not moveable; strong in belief; staunch

Circumlocution

the use of wordy and indirect language

garrulous

tiresomely talkative; rambling

succinct

short and to the point; concise

Clemency

mercy

exonerate

to free from blame; to exculpate

avenge

to take revenge for

Desecrate

to violate the sacredness; profane

sacrilege

desecration, profanation, misuse, or the theft of something sacred

venerate

respect greatly; revere

Din

jumble of loud usually discordant sounds

cacophony

harshness of sound; unharmonious

euphony

agreement of sounds 

Dogmatic

striking to widely-accepted beliefs, even when faced with contrary evidence; closed minded

categorical

being without exception or qualification; absolute

obsequious

behaving like a meek, spineless servant; subservient; sycophantic 

Elusive

hard to catch or understand; evasive

evasive

tending to avoid giving direct answers

candid

direct and frank; straightforward

Contrite

sorry; penitent

repentant

remorse or contrition for past conduct or sin

incorrigible

impossible to correct, control, or discipline

Enigmatic

 mysterious or puzzling 

conundrum

riddle or mystery 

manifest

clearly apparent to the sight or understanding

Ephemeral

temporary or short-lived

transitory

existing only briefly

perpetual

lasting for an indefinitely long period

Extricate

 to free from a trap or difficult situation; to disentangle

deliver

to set free

encumber

to weigh down or burden 

Fetid

having an offensive odor

rancid

having the disagreeable odor or taste of decomposing oils or fats; rank

aromatic

a usually pleasant odor 

fetter

to shackle or restrict the freedom of 

hinder

 to obstruct or delay the progress of 

emancipate

to free from bondage, oppression, or restraint

Impervious

incapable of being penetrated, as by water

impregnable

impossible to capture or enter by force (castle)

vulnerable

able to hurt

Incongruous

out of place

disparate

different, distinct

seemly

proper or suitable 

Innate

having a quality that arises from within rather than learned or acquired from the outside; native; inborn.

indigenous

origination and living in an area or environment

extrinsic

originating from the outside; external

Innocuous

harmless; inoffensive

feeble

lacking strength; weak

virulent

poisonous or destructive; filled with hate or anger; harsh 

Introversion

when a person’s thoughts and feelings are directed inward

diffidence

lacking self-confidence; timid

gregarious

sociable; enjoying companionship 

Languid

lacking energy or vitality ; weak

lethargic

tired; sluggish; drowsy

vivacious

full of animation and spirit; lively 

Orthodox

adhering to an accepted or established doctrine

conservative

favoring traditional rules and values tending to oppose change

liberal

favoring civil and political liberties, democratic reforms, and protection from arbitrary authority 

Plethora

over abundance; excess

superfluous

unnecessary; extra

dearth

a scare supply; lack 

Prodigal

wasteful, especially of money; extravagant

lavish

to give or bestow in abundance; shower

parsimony

stinginess; excessive frugality

Prosaic

lacking in imagination and spirit; dull

tedious

tiresomely long and dull;boring

peculiar

unusual or eccentric; odd; different from all others

Provincial

limited or restricted; parochial