Key Vocabulary for Critical Thinking and Analysis in Academic Contexts

Ambiguous

open to more than one interpretation; unclear.

Arbitrary

based on random choice rather than reason or system.

Cognizant

aware or informed about something.

Conducive

making a situation more likely or possible.

Connotation

the implied or emotional meaning of a word beyond its dictionary definition.

Corroborate

to support or confirm with evidence.

Deference

respectful submission or yielding to another's opinion.

Disparate

fundamentally different or distinct.

Elicit

to draw out or evoke a response or reaction.

Empirical

based on observation or experience rather than theory.

Equivocate

to speak ambiguously, often to avoid commitment.

Facetious

treating serious issues with deliberate or inappropriate humor.

Idiosyncrasy

a characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual.

Juxtapose

to place side by side for comparison or contrast.

Mitigate

to make less severe or painful.

Paradigm

a typical example or model; a framework of understanding.

Pragmatic

dealing with things sensibly and realistically.

Salient

most noticeable or important.

Ubiquitous

present or found everywhere.

Viable

capable of working successfully; feasible.