Reading Vocab

Adept

Adj, Very skilled or proficient at something

Adhere

Verb, To stick firmly to a surface or to follow a set of rules or beliefs

Admonish

Verb, To warn or reprimand someone firmly

Affable

Adj, Friendly, good-natured, or easy to talk to

Affirm

Verb, To state as a fact; to declare strongly

Agitate

Verb, To stir or disturb emotionally or physically

Alternating

Adj, Occuring in turns or rotation; switching back and forth between different states or actions

Ambiguous

Adj, Open to more than one interpretation; unclear

Ambivalent

Adj, Having mixed or contradictory feelings about something

Amiable

Adj, Having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner

Abhor

Verb, To regard with disgust and hatred

Abrasive

Adj, Showing little concern for others; harsh

Abrupt

Adj, Sudden or unexpected; brief and curt in manner

Absolve

Verb, To free someone from blame, guilt, or responsibility

Abstain

Verb, To restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something

Abundance

Noun, A large quantity of something; more than enough

Abundant

Adj, Existing or available in large quantities

Accentuate

Verb, To emphasize or highlight

Accessible

Adj, Easy to approach or reach; capable of being used or understood

Adament

Adj, Refusing to be persuaded or change one’s mind

Animosity

Noun, Strong hostility or dislike

Ardent

Adj, Enthusiastic or passionate

Articulate

Verb, To express an idea or feeling clearly

Ascertain

Verb, To find out for certain

Assert

Verb, To state or declare something confidently or forcefully

Audacious

Adj, Bold, daring, or showing a lack of respect

Augment

Verb, To make something greater by adding to it

Austere

Adj, Severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance

Benevolent

Adj, Well-meaning and kind

Bolster

Verb, To support or strengthen

Bombastic

Adj, High-sounding but with little meaning; inflated

Brash

Adj, Self-assertive in a rude or overbearing way

Buttress

Noun/Verb, A structure built to support or reinforce a wall or building; to support or strengthen something

Candid

Adj, Truthful and straightforward

Capitulate

Verb, To cease to resist an opponent or surrender

Circumvent

Verb, To find a way around an obstacle or restriction; to avoid by cleverness

Coerce

Verb, To persuade someone forcefully to do something

Cognizant

Adj, Having knowledge or awareness

Commercialize

Verb, To manage or exploit something for financial gain; to turn into a commercial product or activity

Concede

Verb, To admit or acknowledge something, often reluctantly or after initial resistance

Concise

Adj, Brief but comprehensive

Contoured

Adj, Shaped or formed into a particular outline, especially one that is smooth or curved

Contrive

Verb, To plan or devise something, often in a clever or creative manner

Convoluted

Adj, Extremely complex and difficult to follow

Copious

Adj, Abundant in supply or quantity

Cultivate

Verb, To grow or nurture something, especially crops or skills

Daunt

Verb, To make someone feel intimidated or apprehensive

Debilitate

Verb, To weaken or make something less effective

Deft

Adj, Neatly skillful and quick in one’s movements

Deliberate

Adj, Done consciously and intentionally

Depict

Verb, To represent or portray something through words, pictures, or other forms

Discern

Verb, To recognize or perceive something clearly, especially with effort

Disconcerting

Adj, Causing discomfort or confusion; unsettling

Discreet

Adj, Careful in one’s speech or actions to avoid causing offense or revealing private information

Disorienting

Adj, Causing confusion or loss of direction, especially in space or time

Disparate

Adj, Essentially different or dissimilar in kind of quality

Diverge

Verb, To separate or move in different directions from a common point

Docile

Adj, Ready to accept control or instruction; submissive

Domesticate

Verb, To tame or train an animal or plant to live and reproduce in a human-controlled environment

Elaborate

Verb/Adj, To develop or present something in great detail, involving many careful parts