hwl vocab units 11-12

allude

(v.) to refer to casually or indirectly

• syn: suggest, insinuate, intimate

clairvoyant

(adj,) supernaturally perceptive; (n.) one who possesses extrasensory powers, seer

• syn: insightful, discerning, uncanny, visionary

• ant: blind, unseeing, myopic, dense

conclusive

(adj.) serving to settle an issue, final

• syn: decisive, convincing, definitive

• ant: unsettled, provisional, indefinite

disreputable

(adj.) not respectable, not esteemed

• syn: disgraceful, discreditable, shady

• ant: honest, aboveboard, respectable, creditable

endemic

(adj.) native or confined to a particular region or people; characteristic of or prevalent in a field

• syn: indigenous, restricted to

• ant: alien, foreign, extraneous

exemplary

(adj.) worthy of imitation, commendable; serving as a model

• syn: praiseworthy, meritorious, sterling, illustrative

• ant: infamous, notorious, scandalous, disreputable

fathom

(v.) to understand, get to the bottom of; to determine the depth of; (n.) a measure of depth in water

• syn: (v.) grasp, figure out, plumb

guile

(n.) treacherous cunning, deceit

• syn: trickery, chicanery

• ant: candor, artlessness, naiveté, plain dealing

integrity

(n.) honesty, high moral standards; an unimpaired condition, completeness, soundness

• syn: rectitude, probity

• ant: dishonesty, corruption, turpitude

itinerary

(n.) a route of travel; a record of travel; a guidebook

• syn: schedule, program

misconstrue

(v.) to interpret wrongly, mistake the meaning of

• syn: misjudge, misinterpret

obnoxious

(adj.) highly offensive, arousing strong dislike

• syn: disagreeable, repugnant, hateful, odious

• ant: agreeable, pleasing, engaging, personable

placate

(v.) to appease, soothe, pacify

• syn: satisfy, mollify allay, conciliate

• ant: vex, ink, provoke, exasperate, annoy

placid

(adj.) calm, peaceful

• syn: undisturbed, tranquil, quiet, serene

• ant: stormy, agitated, turbulent, tempestuous

potent

(adj.) powerful; highly effective

• syn: mighty, formidable, forceful

• ant: weak, inept, feckless, powerlessness, ineffective

pretext

(n.) a false reason, deceptive excuse

• syn: pretense, cover story, rationale, evasion

protrude

(v.) to stick out, thrust forth

• syn: project, bulge

reparation

(n.) a payment made for a wrong or an injury

• syn: compensation, damages, redress

stark

(adj.) harsh, unrelieved, desolate; (adv.) utterly

• syn: (adj.) sheer, downright, grim, bleak; (adv.) absolutely

• ant: (adj.) bright, cheerful, embellished, ornate

superficial

(adj.) on or near the surface; concerned with or understanding only what is on the surface, shallow

• syn: skin-deep, insubstantial, cursory, slapdash

• ant: deep, profound, thorough, exhaustive

Abjure

(v.) to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun

• syn: forswear retract, abstain from

• Ant: affirm, avow, aver, profess

Acrid

(adj.) harsh in taste or odor, sharp in manner or temper

• syn: irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic

• Ant: gentle, soothing, mild

August

(adj.) majestic, inspiring admiration and respect

• syn: stately, dignified, exalted, venerable

• Ant: humble, base, mean, lowly, abject

Callous

(Adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeeling

• syn: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned

• Ant: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted

clandestine

(adj.) secret, concealed, underhanded

• syn: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy

• Ant: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard

Compunction

(n.) remorse, regret

• syn: scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition

• Ant: shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance

conflagration

(n.) a large destructive fire

• syn: holocast, wildfire

• Ant: deluge

elated

(adj., part) in high spirits, jubilant, extremely pleased

• syn: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink

• Ant: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue

indelible

(adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable

• syn: lasting, permanent

• Ant: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral

indulgent

(adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others

• syn: permissive, tolerant, liberal

• Ant: strict, severe, hard nosed

Inveterate

(adj.) firmly established, long-standing; habitual

• syn: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool

• Ant: sporadic, intermittent, occasional

irrelevant

(adj.) not to the point, not applicable or pertinent

• syn: inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point

• Ant: pertinent, material, apropos, germane

nocturnal

(adj.) of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness

• syn: nighttime

• Ant: daytime, diurnal

platitude

(n.) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark

• syn: cliché, truism, bromide

• Ant: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot

quell

(v.) to subdue, put down forcibly

• syn: pacify, squelch, quash, crush

• Ant: incite, provoke, arouse, foment, stir up

Quiescent

(adj.) inactive; at rest

• syn: still, inert, motionless, tranquil

• Ant: active, thriving, bustling, volatile

ruminate

(v.) to meditate, think about at length

• syn: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse

tacit

(Adj.) unspoken, silent; implied, inferred

• syn: unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit

• Ant: explicit, express, specific

tangible

(adj.) capable of being touched; real, concrete

• syn: perceptible, actual, evident

• ant: immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial

trenchant

(adj.) incisive, keen; forceful, effective; cutting, caustic; distinct, clear-cut