affable
(adj.) courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to S: genial amicable, agreeable, cordial A: surly cantankerous, dour, inhospitable
aggrandize
(v.) to increase in greatness, power, or wealth; to build up or intensify; to make appear greater S: augment, amplify, enhance, exalt A: reduce, decrease, diminish
amorphous
(adj.) shapeless, without definite form; of no particular type or character; without organization, unity, or cohesion S: formless, unstructured, nebulous, inchoate A: definite, well-defined, clear-cut
archetype
(n.) an original model on which something was patterned or replicated; the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing S: model, prototype, epitome
aura
(n.) that which surrounds (as an atmosphere); a distinctive air or personal quality S: ambience, atmosphere
contraband
(n.) illegal traffic, smuggled goods; (adj.) illegal, prohibited S: (adj.) illicit, bootleg, unlawful A: (adj.) legal, lawful, licit
erudite
(adj.) schoalary, learned, bookish, pedantic S: profoundly educated, well-read A: ignorant, uneducated, illeterate
gossamer
(adj.) thin, light, delicate, insubstantial; (n.) a very thin, light cloth S: (adj.) filmy, diaphanous, sheer, airy, feathery, gauzy A: (adj.) thick, dense, solid, massive
inscrutable
(adj.) incapable of being understood; impossible to see through physically S: impenetrable, incomprehensible, enigmatic A: comprehensible, intelligible, penetrable
insular
(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island; narrow or isolated in outlook or experience S: narrow-minded, parochial, provincial A: catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal
irrevocable
(adj.) incapable of being changed or called back S: irreversible, unrecallable, unalterable A: reversible, changeable
propensity
(n.) a natural inclination or predilection toward S: natural bent, proclivity, penchant A: natural incapacity or inability
querulous
(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful S: petulant, touchy, cranky, irritable A: uncomplaining, stoical, serene, placid
remonstrate
(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest against, object to S: reason against, expostulate
repudiate
(v.) to disown, reject, or deny the validity of S: disavow, abjure, renounce A: avow affirm, aver, avouch
resilient
(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form; able to recover quickly S: springy, elastic, buoyant, bouncy A: rigid, stiff, inflexible, unyielding
reverberate
(v.) to re-echo, resound; to reflect or be reflected repeatedly S: rumble, thunder, boom echo
scurrilous
(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar or low (especially in language), foul-mouthed S: obscene, filthy, abusive, vituperative A: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified
sedulous
(adj.) persistent, showing industry and determination S: assiduous, tireless, indefatigable A: lackadaisical, listless, indolent, otiose
sleazy
(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable S: inferior, cheesy, tawdry, tatty A: superior, first-rate, quality, sturdy