Vocab words (ELA II Honors practice)

Created by ZKS for those in my ELA II Honors class :)

Admonish

Verb, To warn or reprimand someone firmly

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

Adamant

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

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.

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, Occurring 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.

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.

Circumcent

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.

Disperate

Adj, Essentially different or dissimilar in kind or 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.