HSPT VOCAB

abbreviate

to make briefer, to shorten

abrasive

irritating, grinding, rough

abridge

to shorten, to reduce

absolve

to free from guilt, to exonerate

abstain

to refrain, to hold back

accentuate

to emphasize, to stress

acrimonious

biting, harsh, caustic

adaptable

able to be changed to be suitable for a new purpose

adulation

extreme admiration

adversary

an enemy or opponent

adversity

misfortune

aesthetic

relating to art or beauty

affected

false, artificial

aggressive

forceful, energetic, and attacking

alacrity

promptness, speed

allege

to state without proof

alleviate

to make lighter or more bearable

ambiguous

having two or more possible meanings

ambivalent

having two or more contradictory feelings or attitudes; uncertain

amiable

have likable, agreeable, friendly

amicable

friendly, peaceable

amplify

to enlarge, expand, or increase

anachronistic

out of the proper time

anarchy

absence of law or order

anomaly

something different or irregular

antagonism

hostility, conflict, opposition

antiseptic

fighting infection; extremely clean

apathy

lack of interest, concern, or emotion

arable

able to be cultivated for growing crops

arbiter

someone able to settle disputes; a judge or referee

arbitrary

based on random or merely personal preference

arcane

little-known, mysterious, obscure

ardor

a strong feeling of passion, energy, or zeal

arid

very dry; boring and meaningless

ascetic

practicing strict self-discipline for moral or spiritual reasons

assiduous

working with care, attention, and diligence

astute

observant, intelligent, and shrewd

atypical

not typical; unusual

audacious

bold, daring, adventurous

audible

able to be heard

auspicious

promising good fortune; propitious

authoritarian

favoring or demanding blind obedience to leaders

belated

delayed past the proper time

belie

to present a false or contradictory appearance

benevolent

wishing or doing good

berate

to scold or criticize harshly

bereft

lacking or deprived of something

bombastic

inflated or pompous in style

bourgeois

middle class or reflecting middle-class values

buttress

something that supports or strengthens; a projecting structure of masonry or wood

camaraderie

a spirit of friendship

candor

openness, honesty, frankness

capricious

unpredictable, whimsical

carniverous

meat-eating

carping

unfairly or excessively critical; querulous

catalytic

brining about, causing, or producing some result

caustic

burning, corrosive

censure

blame, condemntation

chaos

disorder, confusion, chance

circuitous

winding or indirect

circumlocution

speaking in a roundabout way

circumscribe

to define by a limit or boundary

circumvent

to get around

clandestine

secret, surrepticious

cloying

overly sweet or sentimental

cogent

forceful and convincing

cognizant

aware, mindful

coheisve

sticking together, unified

collaborate

to work together

colloquial

informal in language; conversational

competent

having the skill and knowledge needed for a particular task; capable

complacent

smug, self-satisfied

compsure

calm, self-assurance

conciliatory

seeking agreement, compromise, or reconciliation

concise

expressed briefly and simply; succint

condescending

having an attitude of superiority toward another; patronizing

condolence

pity for someone else's sorrow or loss; sympathy

confidant

someone entrusted with another's secrets

conformity

agreement with or adherence to custom or rule

consensus

general agreement among a group

consolation

relief or comfort in sorrow or suffering

consternation

shock, amazement, dismay

consummate

to complete, finish, or perfect

contaminate

to make impure

contemporary

modern, current; from the same time

contrite

sorry for past misdeeds

conundrum

a riddle, puzzle, or problem

convergence

the act of coming together in unity or similarity

convoluted

twisting, complicated, intricate

corroborating

supporting with evidence; confirming

corrosive

eating away, gnawing, or destroying

credulity

willingness to believe, even with little evidence

criterion

a standard of measurement or judgement

critique

a critical evaluation

culpable

deserving blame, guilty

cumulative

made up of successive additions

curtail

to shorten

debased

lowered in quality, character, or esteem

debunk

to expose as false or worthless

decorous

having good taste; proper, appropriate