UWorld Vocabulary

Abate

To reduce in intensity; to lessen.

Abet

To support or encourage.

Abhor

To hate something.

Abnegate

To deny or give up the right or privilege to something.

Abscond

To escape, run away, or let go of something.

Advocate

To support or argue for a cause.

Allude

To refer to something indirectly; commonly used in literature.

Ambiguity

Something that can be understood or interpreted in more than one manner.

Analogy

A comparison of two otherwise unalike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect; widely used in literature.

Apprehend

To arrest someone; recognize the meaning of an idea or a thing.

Articulate

To explain something clearly.

Bane

Something capable of causing destruction or ruin.

Bereft

Lacking something needed, wanted, or expected; a person grieving death of a loved one.

Bias

To possess an inclined outlook towards an object or an idea.

Berate

To scold someone strongly.

Brevity

Something or event that is short in length or duration.

Corroborate

To support with evidence or authority.

Cache

A secure place that is used to store objects secretly.

Dearth

Lack or absence of something.

Capitalize

To profit from a resource or an opportunity.

Capitulate

To surrender on terms agreed upon in advance.

Credible

Something that can be trusted on the basis of logic or rationale.

Complacent

Accepting something after being self-satisfied.

Construe

To construct or interpret meaning out of a sentence or words.

Contentious

Inclined towards argument or dispute.

Covet

Want or desire.

Debunk

To expose the falseness of a fact.

Defunct

Extinct or no longer functioning.

Didactic

Something that is intended to be taught.

Delegate

A representative; to entrust work or responsibility to another person.

Dispel

To drive away something (can also be a belief system or a myth).

Doctrine

Something considered an established opinion (can be a belief or a set of moral codes).

Dogma

Something considered an established opinion (belief or set of codes).

Eclectic

Composed of elements drawn from various sources.

Embezzle

To take something dishonestly for one’s own use.

Elicit

To draw out an answer or explanation by skillful questioning.

Empirical

Something capable of being derived, verified, or disproved by observation or experiment.

Emulate

To try to be like or better than something.

Espouse

To take up and support as a cause; to marry someone.

Extort

To take something forcefully from a person.

Expedite

To speed up the process or progress of an event.

Extraneous

Alien; something that exists or comes from outside.

Equivocal

Something that is unclear or uncertain in its meaning.

Foil

A very thin sheet of metal; something or someone that serves as a contrast to another.

Fallacy

A false or mistaken idea.

Fortuitous

Fortunate or lucky.

Flagrant

So bad as to be impossible to overlook.

Grandiloquent

A lofty, extravagant, or bombastic style, especially used in literature.

Hapless

Unfortunate.

Gratuitous

Something required by the circumstance but done or provided freely.

Hegemony

The social, cultural, ideological, or economic influence exerted by a dominant group.

Heterogeneous

Something consisting of different elements from various sources.

Hubris

A heightened sense of self-pride or overconfidence.

Idiosyncrasy

A way of behaving or thinking characteristic of a person.

Impetuous

Impulsive.

Impute

To blame someone unjustly.

Incumbent

Someone who occupies a particular position or place.

Incite

To move to action; to make something happen.

Insurgent

Someone who revolts against authority or government; a rebel.

Licentious

Someone who disregards moral, ethical, or legal restraints.

Linchpin

Someone or something that holds together multiple pieces or people.

Litigate

To decide and settle in a court of law.

Maxim

Universal truth, principle, or proverb.

Multifarious

Something that has multiple variety.

Nadir

The lowest point of something.

Opine

To put forth one’s point of view about something.

Ostensible

To demonstrate or exhibit.

Ostracism

The state of being outcast or barred from a group.

Noxious

Something harmful or destructive.

Paradigm

An example showing how something is to be done; a model.

Partisan

A person strongly devoted to a cause or group.

Pejorative

A word or phrase with negative connotations.

Penchant

Persistent knack or interest in something.

Placid

Free of disturbance; calm.

Prerogative

An exclusive or special right, power, or privilege.

Prompt

Something that asks someone to act; being ready and quick to act.

Prosecute

To carry on a legal action against an accused person.

Quaint

Something marked by beauty, skillful design, or old-fashioned.

Quixotic

Impractical especially in foolish pursuit of ideals.

Refute

To deny or disregard.

Relegate

To banish or send into exile; to carry out a decision.

Requisition

To require or demand something, especially by authority.

Sanctity

The quality of being holy or sacred.

Sanguine

To be sure and certain; also a blood-red color.

Spur

Impulsive; to move to action.

Sanctuary

A safe or sacred place.

Solicit

To approach with a request or plea; to petition a judicial body.

Serendipity

The gift of finding valuable things not looked for.

Surreptitious

Done, made, or acquired by stealth and secrecy.

Tirade

A long violent angry speech.

Torpid

Someone lacking energy or enthusiasm.

Torrent

A violent or forceful flow of wind or water.

Travesty

An inferior imitation of something.

Ubiquitous

Existing or being everywhere at the same time.

Undermine

To weaken or ruin secretly or gradually.

Utilitarian

Someone who believes value lies in usefulness.

Veracity

Being true.

Vestige

A trace or mark left by something.

Vilify

To utter slanderous and abusive statements against.

Warrant

To give proof of the authenticity or truth of something.