Honors Communication Skills Exam Study Guide

Vocabulary Flashcards for Honors Communication Skills Exam

Adept

Highly skilled or expert at something

Adversary

A person, group, or force that opposes or attacks; an opponent or enemy

Ambiguous

Open to more than one interpretation; unclear or inexact

Ambitious

Having a strong desire to achieve something, typically requiring hard work

Arbitrary

Based on random choice or personal preference rather than reason

Archaic

Old-fashioned or outdated; no longer in everyday use

Articulate

To express thoughts or ideas clearly and effectively

Banish

To expel or send someone away from a place, typically as punishment

Belligerent

Hostile and aggressive

Blissful

Extremely happy or full of joy

Blunder

A careless mistake

Chaos

Complete disorder and confusion

Chronology

The order in which events happen over time

Contradict

To be in conflict with

Correspond

Have a close similarity; match or agree almost exactly

Cumbersome

Large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use

Cunning

Showing skill in achieving one's goals by deceit or evasion

Deduce

To reach a conclusion using logic and reasoning

Destitute

Lacking the basic necessities of life, such as food or shelter

Devoid

Entirely lacking or free from

Diffuse

Spread out over a large area; not concentrated

Disdain

A feeling of strong dislike or lack of respect for someone or something

Proliferate

Increase rapidly in numbers; multiply

Quaint

Attractively unusual or old-fashioned

Radiant

Sending out light or heat; shining brightly

Reconcile

To restore friendly relations after a disagreement

Redundant

Unnecessarily repetitive or excessive

Solace

Comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness

Sturdy

Strongly built or capable of withstanding pressure

Timid

Showing a lack of courage or confidence; easily frightened

Tranquil

Free from disturbance; calm and peaceful

Tumultuous

Marked by loud, confused noise or disorder; chaotic

Virtuous

Having or showing high moral standards

Vivid

Producing clear, powerful, and detailed images in the mind

Waver

To be unsure or hesitant; to move back and forth

Whim

A sudden and impulsive decision or idea

Whimsical

Playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing or amusing way

Zealous

Having or showing great enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective

Ebullient

Cheerful and full of energy

Effervescent

1) Bubbling, fizzy 2) Full of energy, enthusiasm, or liveliness

Elegant

Graceful and stylish in appearance or manner

Eloquent

Fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing

Fate

The development of events beyond a person's control, often believed to be determined by a supernatural power

Fickle

Changing frequently, especially as regards one's loyalties or affections

Gimmick

A trick or device used to attract attention

Grotesque

Strange, ugly, or distorted in a way that is shocking or unnatural

Hasty

Done or acting with excessive speed or urgency; hurried

Havoc

Great destruction or chaos

Impervious

Not affected or hurt by something; unable to be penetrated

Impetuous

Acting quickly and without thought or care; impulsive

Implicit

Suggested but not directly stated

Inevitable

Certain to happen; unavoidable

Irk

To annoy, irritate, or bother someone

Linger

To stay in a place longer than necessary

Lively

Full of life, energy, or excitement

Melancholy

A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness

Mischievous

Causing trouble in a playful or harmless way

Misfortune

An unfortunate condition or event; bad luck

Notion

An idea, belief, or concept

Oaf

A stupid, uncultured, or clumsy person