HIGH-UTILITY ACADEMIC WORDS AND PHRASES

abolish

to officially put an end to

abrupt

sudden or curt

agitation

anxiety; the fast stirring of a liquid

alteration

change from a previous norm

ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation; unclear

ambivalent

having mixed feelings

arcane

difficult to understand

aromatic

having a pleasant smell

assumption

an idea accepted as fact without proof

begrudging

to envy; to give relcutantly

belligerent

war-like, inclined to fight

bias

inclination for or against a group of people or a particular outcome

characterize

describe distinctive features; to be typical of

condescension

disdain; make someone feel unworthy

consequently

as a result

conserve

protect

contentious

controversial

conventional

aligned with general beliefs

convey

express

corroborate

confirm; support

corrupt

dishonest for personal gain

counterargument

an argument opposing an idea set forth elsewhere

curtail

cut short

deplete

use up

dismay

disappointment and distress

ebullient

highly enthusiastic

eloquent

well-spoken

emerging

beginning; new

empathetic

feeling sympathy

engagement

participation; an appointment

enigmatic

mysterious

entrenched

solidly established

enumerate

to list

ephemeral

short-lived

equivocal

vague

estoeric

known only to a select group

exertion

effort

exhilarating

wildly exciting

exonerate

free from blame

fastidious

nit-picky, fussing over details

fluctuate

to change irregularly

foreshadow

to allude to coming events

fundamentally

centrally

garner

gather

garrulous

talkative

gregarious

flocking, sociable

hasten

to do something quickly

hypothetical

based on a hypothesis, theoretical

imperative

absolutely necessary

indifferent

expressing no opinions on a matter

indigenous

native to a certain area

indiscriminate

without consideration

indispensable

vital

indistinct

unclear

infrastructure

the organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or project

keen

eager; incisive; to wail

magnanimous

kind-hearted, likely to forgive

malevolence

hostility

melodramatic

exaggerated

menacing

inspiring fear

modification

change

naive

innocent; likely to believe anything

neglect

fail to care for

null

invalid; related to zero

obsolete

no longer useful

omnipotence

having unlimited power

opaque

not transparent

oppress

to keep in a state of hardship

ornate

highly decorated

pantheon

the group of gods of a people

pending

awaiting decision

preclude

to prevent from happening

profuse

excessive

regression

return to an earlier state

reinforce

strengthen; back up

render

to provide; to make

renounce

to declare the abandonment of something formally

repeal

to revoke

repose

rest

reproach

express disapproval

restorative

possessing characteristics that allow it to return health or well-being

reticent

not saying much

revere

respect deeply

sampling

a representative group

scope

the extent to which something is relevant

secession

formally withdrawing from membership

selfless

unselfish

simulate

imitate

soporific

causing sleep

spawn

produce, often in terms of offspring

spectacle

a visually impressive performance

stimulate

build interest in

subsequent

following

suffrage

the right to vote

supremacy

predominance; the state of being in control of all others

synchronized

occurring at the same time

tenacious

not giving in easily

undermine

make less effective

urbane

refined, of the city

venerable

deserving of respect