Recall Set

abash

to make ashamed; to embarrass

abate

to subside; to reduce

abatement

reduction

abdicate

to step down from power

aberration

something that differs from the norm

draedful

causing fear or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious

abhor

to hate very, very much

detest

(v.) to hate, dislike very much, loathe

abhorrent

offensive to the mind

abject

miserable; pitiful

abnegate

to deny oneself things; to reject; to renounce

abortive

unsuccessful

abridge

to shorten

absolute

total; unlimited

absolve

to clear of guilt or blame

abstinent

voluntarily not doing something

abstain

to choose not to do something

abstract

theoretical; not concrete; nonrepresentational

abstruse

difficult to understand

abysmal

extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless

abyss

a deep or seemingly bottomless chasm or hole

accolade

award of merit

accost

to approach and speak to

acerbic

biting, bitter in tone or taste

acquiesce

(v.) to accept without protest; to agree or submit

acrid

harsh; like acid

acrimonious

angry and bitter

acumen

keen insight; shrewdness

acute

sharp

acuity

sharpness

adamant

stubborn

adamantine

unbreakable

adamancy

stubbornness, determination

address

to speak to

adherent

follower

admonish

to scold gently; to warn

admonition

warning

adroit

skillful

dexterous

skillful

gauche

(adj.) awkward, lacking in social graces, tactless, clumsy

sinister

evil, ominous

adulation

praise or flattery that is excessive

adulterate

to make impure; to contaminate

adverse

unfavorable

averse

opposed; unwilling

aesthetic

artistic

aesthete

Someone with appreciation for art and beauty

affable

friendly

affectation

fake behavior

affinity

sympathy; attraction; kinship; similarity

affluent

rich, wealthy

agenda

Plan of action; purpose

aggregate

sum total; a collection of separate things mixed together

Congregrate

to gather together

segregate

to separate

integrate

to unite

agnostic

one who believes that the existence of a god can be neither proven nor disproven

alacrity

a cheerful readiness; brisk and eager action

allege

to assert without proof

alleviate

to relieve, make more bearable

alloy

A mixture of two or more metals

unalloyed

pure

Allusion

an indirect reference

allude

to refer to indirectly

aloof

uninvolved; standing off; keeping one's distance

altruism

selfless concern for the well-being of others

ambience

atmosphere; mood; feeling

ambient

surrounding

ambiguous

unclear or doubtful in meaning

ambiguity

uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language

ambivalent

Having mixed feelings

ameliorate

to make better, tolerable

amenable

(adj.) willing to follow advice or authority, tractable, submissive; responsive; liable to be held responsible

amenity

a comfortable, pleasant feature

amiable

agreeable; lovable; warmly friendly

amicable

politely friendly

amnesty

official pardon

amoral

without sense of moral responsibility

amorous

Expressing love or the state of being in love

amorphous

shapeless

anachronism

something out of place in time

Analogy

comparison

anarchy

lawlessness

Monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

anecdote

a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

anguish

agonizing pain

animosity

strong dislike; bitter hostility

anomaly

deviation from what is normal

antecedent

a thing or event that existed before or logically precedes another

antipathy

strong dislike

antithesis

Direct opposite

Apartheid

racial segregation

apathy

lack of interest

Aphorism

A brief, cleverly worded statement that makes a wise observation about life.

apocalypse

a prophetic revelation, especially one concerning the end of the world

apocryphal

of doubtful authenticity

appease

(v.) to make calm, soothe; to relieve, satisfy; to yield to

appreciate

to increase in value

depreciate

to become less valuable

apprehensive

worried, anxious