English 10 Vocab

banal

(adj.) boring, ordinary

enervate

(v.) to weaken

insipid

(adj.) dull, uninteresting, vapid

mundane

(adj.) everyday, usual, dull

philistine

(adj.) describes one who is unsophisticated, opposed to culture and arts

ponderous

(adj.) difficult because it is boring or overly serious

prosaic

(adj.) commonplace, dull

soporific

(adj.) causing one to fall asleep

stoic

(adj.) stone-faced, not showing emotion

vilify

(v.) to speak or write about one in a highly critical way

dilatory

(adj.) slow to act, with delay

indolence

(n.) laziness

lethargy

(n.) sluggishness, laziness

listless

(adj.) lazy, slow

phlegmatic

(adj.) unemotional, calm

sedentary

(adj.) not moving

squalid

(adj.) extremely dirty, especially the result of poverty or neglect

stupor

(n.) daze, near unconscious state

torpid

(adj.) mentally or physically inactive

trite

(adj.) overused and meaningless language

adage

(n.) A wise old saying

brusque

(adj.) Rude and abrupt

germane

(adj.) Relevant to the topic at hand

incumbent

(adj.) Necessary or obligatory as a duty or responsibility

innate

(adj.) inborn

inherent

(adj.) Within, as an essential characteristic or element

intuitive

(adj.) Instinctive

inveterate

(adj.) Habitual, long-standing habit or activity

preternatural

(adj.) Beyond what is normal or natural, great skill or quality

didactic

(adj.) Instructional

boisterous

(adj.) loud, full of energy

bombastic

(adj.) arrogant, overblown in style

clamor

(n. & v.) loud noise

effusive

(adj.) excessively praising

garrulous

(adj.) given to excessive, often trivial talk

loquacious

(adj.) talkative

raucous

(adj.) loud and rowdy

sonorous

(adj.) producing a full, deep, or rich sound

vociferous

(adj.) very intense speech; full of feeling, in regards to speech

ambiguous

(adj.) unclear, having more than one meaning

apathy

(n.) indifference, lack of feeling

capricious

(adj.) fickle, subject to whims

laconic

(adj.) using or marked by few words

reticent

(adj.) reluctant to speak

sycophantic

(adj.) flattering in a self-seeking or servile way

conundrum

(n.) confusing or difficult problem

conundrum

(n.) confusing or difficult problem

cryptic

(adj.) secretive; difficult to understand

cryptic

(adj.) secretive; difficult to understand

dolt

(n.) idiot

dolt

(n.) idiot

dubious

(adj.) doubtful; suspect

dubious

(adj.) doubtful; suspect

impenetrable

(adj.) unable to be understood

impenetrable

(adj.) unable to be understood

naive

(adj.) unsophisticated; inexperienced

naive

(adj.) unsophisticated; inexperienced

nebulous

(adj.) unclear; vague

nebulous

(adj.) unclear; vague

quandary

(n.) tricky situation

affable

(adj.) pleasantly easy to talk to; showing warmth and friendliness

amiable

(adj.) characterized by goodwill; friendly

camaraderie

(n.) friendship; good-fellowship

convivial

(adj.) fond of feasting, drinking, and companionship

cordial

(adj.) courteous; gracious

genial

(adj.) sympathetically cheerful

gregarious

(adj.) sociable; fond of the company of others

adversary

(n.) an opponent or foe (an enemy who fights continuously and relentlessly)

alienation

(n.) removal or isolation from a group

antagonist

(n.) an opponent (one who, in hostile spirit, opposes another)

aesthete

(n.) a lover of beauty or art

anachronism

(n.) a person or object that is chronologically out of place

audacity

(n.) boldness, with confident disregard for personal safety

beguile

(v.) to influence by cunning; to charm or divert

clandestine

(adj.) secretive

epicure

(n.) a person who cultivates a refined taste in food, art, music, etc.

furtive

(adj.) sneaky; stealthy

hedonist

(n.) lover of pleasure

intrepid

(adj.) fearless

maverick

(n.) one who takes a stand; one who goes against the rules

adulterated

(adj.) corrupted; contaminated

cantankerous

(adj.) ill-tempered; grouchy

caustic

(adj.) severely critical or sarcastic

garish

(adj.) flashy; glaring

incisive

(adj.) cutting; penetrating, especially a remark or comment

insolent

(adj.) rude; insulting

malfeasance

(n.) misconduct; wrongdoing

patronizing

(adj.) condescending

pedantic

(adj.) shows off one's learning ostentatiously

pernicious

(adj.) exceedingly harmful, especially in a gradual or subtle way

quandary

(n.) tricky situation

tenuous

(adj.) flimsy; weak; insubstantial

tenuous

(adj.) flimsy; weak; insubstantial

dogged

(adj.) persistent

dogged

(adj.) persistent

dogmatic

(adj.) characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproven principles

dogmatic

(adj.) characterized by an authoritative, arrogant assertion of unproven principles

immutable

(adj.) unchangeable

immutable

(adj.) unchangeable

impervious

(adj.) unable to be penetrated