High School Level Vocab (J-S)

jaded (adjective)

tired or lacking energy and enthusiasm

Joggle (verb)

to shake in a jerky manner

jollity (noun)

the state of being happy

juxtapose (verb)

to place contrasting things together to create an interesting effect

kinesiology (noun)

the study of mechanics and anatomy referring to human movement

lachrymose (adjective)

mournful and tear causing

lackadaisical (adjective)

showing a lack of interest or enthusiasm

laconic (adjective)

using few words to talk about something

lampoon (noun)

a cartoon or writing piece meant to poke fun at someone or something (synonym of satire)

laud (verb)

to highly praise

leery (adjective)

showing a lack of trust in something

lethargy (noun)

a lack of interest and a lack of energy

limber (adjective)

bends with ease; very flexible

limpid (adjective)

serene, untroubled, and perfectly clear

litigant (noun)

someone involved in a lawsuit

lugubrious (adjective)

filled with sadness; sometimes in an insincere and exaggerated way

magnanimous (adjective)

very generous and caring, usually to someone with less power or wealth

malleable (adjective)

very flexible and easy to bend; easily convinced (when referring to a living thing)

misgiving (noun)

a feeling of doubt or apprehension

milliner (noun)

someone who makes or sells hats

mollify (verb)

to make feel better or soothe

mendacious (adjective)

lying; not being truthful

modicum (noun)

a small quality of something

mordant (adjective)

sarcastic and nasty in a biting way

nadir (noun)

the lowest point of something

nascent (adjective)

emerging and new with lots of potential

neologism (noun)

a new word or phrase

neophyte (noun)

someone who is new to something

nexus (noun)

a connection between multiple things

nonplussed (adjective)

confused and perplexed

obtuse (adjective)

stupid; thick headed

odious (adjective)

offensive or mean

onerous (adjective)

burdensome and difficult

orifice (noun)

a small hole or opening, usually referring to one in the body

oscillate (verb)

to swing back and forth

ostensible (adjective)

seeming like one thing but often being a result of something else

paragon (noun)

a model or example (synonym of paradigm)

pathos (adjective)

a feeling of sympathy or pity

pedagogue (noun)

a boring and dry teacher

pedestrian (adjective)

commonplace; ordinary

penchant (noun)

a strong inclination towards something

pensive (adjective)

thinking deeply, often in a sad way

perfunctory (adjective)

done in a routine way with little effort or thought

permeate (verb)

to flow through or spread

perspicacious (adjective)

understanding; getting a good perspective on something

placate (verb)

to appease or calm (synonym of pacify)

placid (adjective)

calm and composed (synonym of equable)

plaintive (adjective)

sad (synonym of lachrymose)

politic (adjective)

clever and nimble-minded

postulate (verb)

to assume or claim, usually when lacking evidence

pragmatic (adjective)

practical and not nonsensical

precocious (adjective)

having developed really early

presage (verb)

to warn or indicate

proliferate (verb)

to rapidly spread and increase

qualm (noun)

a doubt or an uneasy feeling

quixotic (adjective)

having the foolish and impractical qualities of Don Quixote

quorum (noun)

the minimum number of people that must be at a meeting in order for it to be official

recapitulate (verb)

to repeat in a more concise way (long version or recap)

reciprocal (adjective)

mutual; agreed between two entities

recondite (adjective)

obscure or concealed

rectify (verb)

to correct or fix

recumbent (adjective)

lying down

redress (verb)

to remedy or fix (synonym of rectify)

refute (verb)

to disprove or disagree with

retrograde (adjective)

moving backwards into a worse place

sedition (noun)

language that incites rebellion or a revolution

shiftless (adjective)

lazy, unmotivated or incompetent

stinkhorn (noun)

a brown capped mushroom whose spores are spread by insects

stipulate (verb)

to specify or clarify

subvert (verb)

to undermine or overthrow

superflous (adjective)

extra; unnecessary

superlative (adjective)

more than others; the most

supersede (verb)

to replace, usually resulting in better success