Core Vocabulary and Argumentation Terms

ADVANCE

to put forward a claim

ASSERT

to put forward an argument or state that something is true

CONJECTURE

n., hypothesis; v., hypothesize

(PRE)SUPPOSITION

an idea assumed beforehand about a subject

SURMISE

to assume; draw a conclusion without strong evidence

BOLSTER

to provide support for an argument

BUTTRESS

to provide support for an argument

SUBSTANTIATE

to provide evidence to support or prove a claim

CORROBORATE

to confirm or support a claim

VALIDATE

to prove the accuracy of a claim

CONCEDE

to admit that an opposing claim is true or valid

ACKNOWLEDGE

to accept or admit the validity of a claim

REBUT

to offer an argument against a claim believed to be false

REFUTE

to prove that a claim is false

GRAPPLE WITH

to try to deal with or understand a difficult problem

RUMINATE ABOUT

to think deeply about; turn something over in one's mind

INFER

to deduce or conclude from evidence and reasoning

PROPONENT

person who supports a claim or course of action

DETRACTOR

person who criticizes a claim or course of action

SKEPTIC

person who questions or doubts a claim

ACCENTUATE

to make more noticeable or prominent

ACCLAIM

enthusiastic and public praise

ADAPTATION

a change made to accommodate new circumstances

ADVANTAGEOUS

creating favorable circumstances

AESTHETIC

related to the study or appreciation of beauty

ABRUPT

sudden or unexpected

ADAMANT

extremely stubborn; fixed in one's viewpoint

ABUNDANT

plentiful

AFFECTING

touching the emotions; moving

AFFINITY

a strong attraction or liking

AMBIGUOUS

unclear; open to more than one interpretation

AMBIVALENCE

having mixed feelings

AMELIORATE

to make better; improve

AMORPHOUS

shapeless; synonym for 'nebulous'

ANALOGY

a comparison intended to provide clarification

ANIMOSITY

strong feelings of dislike or hatred

ANNOTATE

to make notes to help explain or clarify

ANOMALY

deviation from the norm; atypical

ANTITHETICAL

characterized by extreme contrast

APPEASE

to make peace by giving into demands

APPRAISE

to assess the value or quality of something

APPROXIMATE

close but not completely accurate

AUGMENT

to increase

AUSTERE

very plain, without decoration

CATALYZE

to cause or speed up a reaction

CATASTROPHIC

utterly disastrous

CEASE

to stop, halt

CIRCUMVENT

to find a way around; avoid

CITE

to quote or reference from a work to support an argument

COALESCE

to come together to form a single mass

COARSENESS

roughness, harshness

COLLABORATION

the act of working with another person or people

COMMONPLACE

common, ordinary

COMPRISE

to include, contain

CONFINE

to restrict within a limited area

CONFOUND

to utterly confuse, baffle

CONSENSUS

general agreement

CONSPICUOUS

clearly visible; noticeable

CONSUMPTION

the process of eating or using