Unit 1 Academic Vocabulary

Flashcards covering Core Academic Vocabulary, Expanded Vocabulary, Mastery Vocabulary, Secondary Definitions, and Confusers from Unit 1.

ambivalent

Having or showing mixed feelings about someone or something.

bolster

To improve something or make it stronger; to support.

complacent

Overly satisfied with oneself.

conclusive

Proving something beyond doubt.

convey

(1) To make ideas, feelings, etc. known to someone. (2) To take, carry, or transport someone or something from one place to another.

decorum

Polite behavior.

disparage

To speak in a disapproving or slighting manner.

eccentric

(Of people or their behavior) unusual; unconventional; odd.

evoke

To bring an image, a feeling, a memory, etc. into one's mind.

exhaustive

Including everything possible; very thorough or complete.

homogeneous

Composed of parts that are all of the same type.

indifferent

Uncaring; having no particular concern.

oblivious

Lacking awareness.

obscure

(1) Hard to see or understand. (2) Not well known.

pessimism

A tendency to take the gloomiest view of a situation.

rebut

To show that a statement or criticism is false; to provide opposing arguments.

rhetoric

Persuasive or artful use of language.

transcend

To be or go beyond the usual limits of something.

undermine

(1) To make something, especially someone's confidence or authority, gradually weaker or less effective. (2) To make something weaker at the base, for example by digging under it.

underscore

To emphasize.

agreeable

(1) Pleasant and easy to like. (2) Willing to do something or allow something.

arbitrate

To officially settle an argument or a disagreement between two people or groups.

belligerent

Unfriendly and aggressive; warlike.

console

To comfort or sympathize with someone who is unhappy or disappointed.

debunk

To show that an idea, a belief, etc. is false.

dire

Very serious or bad.

elate

To fill with happiness, excitement, or pride.

equanimity

A calm state of mind, especially maintained in difficult situations.

faction

A small group within a larger one whose goals or beliefs differ from those of the larger group.

fluent

(1) Able to speak, read or write a language, especially a foreign language, easily and well. (2) Done in a smooth and skillful way.

grievance

Something that appears unfair and about which one complains or protests.

heyday

The time when someone or something had most power or success, or was most popular.

immerse

(1) To cover someone or something completely with a liquid. (2) To become or make someone completely involved in something.

luminous

(1) Full of or giving out light. (2) Inspiring and easily understood.

mitigate

To make less harmful, serious, or severe.

nuance

A very slight difference in meaning, sound, color, or emotion.

opulent

Having or showing extreme wealth.

peremptory

Expecting to be obeyed immediately and without question or refusal.

pernicious

Having a harmful effect, especially in a way that is gradual and not easily noticed.

pompous

Showing an attitude that one is more important than other people, especially by using long and formal words.

preclude

To prevent; to make impossible.

protagonist

The main character in a play, movie or book.

reciprocate

To return the same feelings or behavior that was previously shown.

retract

To take back or withdraw.

sporadic

Happening only occasionally or at intervals that are not regular.

sublime

(1) Of the best or most excellent kind; inspiring awe. (2) Extreme, especially in a way that shows one is not aware of one's actions.

taint

To damage or spoil the quality of something or the opinion that people have of someone or something.

ubiquitous

Seeming to be everywhere or in several places at the same time; very common.

vice

Immoral or wicked behavior.

whimsical

Unusual and not serious in a way that is either amusing or annoying.

abject

(1) Terrible and without hope. (2) Without any pride or respect.

amoral

Not following any moral rules and not caring about right and wrong.

attire

Clothes.

bona fide

Genuine, real, or legal; not false.

brash

Confident in an aggressive way.

chide

To criticize or blame someone because he or she has done something wrong; to scold.

conflate

To put two or more things together to make one new thing.

cumbersome

(1) Large and heavy; difficult to carry. (2) Long or slow and complicated.

discursive

Moving from one point to another without any strict structure; rambling.

egregious

Extremely bad.

exegesis

Critical explanation or analysis, especially of a text.

exhort

To try hard to persuade someone to do something.

foolhardy

Taking unnecessary risks.

havoc

A situation in which there is great damage, destruction, or confusion.

hubris

Excessive pride or self-confidence.

innuendo

An indirect remark about someone or something, usually suggesting something bad or rude; the use of remarks like this.

interloper

A person who is present in a place or a situation where they do not belong.

levy

To impose or collect something, especially taxes.

mosaic

(1) A picture or pattern made by placing together small pieces of glass, stone, etc. of different colors. (2) A combination of diverse elements forming a generally cohesive whole.

oscillate

(1) To keep changing from one feeling, behavior, or position to another, and back again. (2) To change in strength or direction at regular intervals.

pertain

To be connected; to relate.

predicament

A difficult or unpleasant situation, especially one where it is difficult to know what to do.

puerile

Silly; suitable for a child rather than an adult.

redolent

(1) Smelling strongly of. (2) Arousing thoughts of.

sacrosanct

That is considered to be too important to change or question.

skittish

Easily excited or frightened and therefore difficult to control.

stymie

To prevent someone from doing something planned or desired; to prevent something from happening.

trenchant

Expressed strongly, effectively, and clearly.

unscathed

Not hurt.

whet

To increase one's desire for or interest in something; to sharpen.

abandon (noun)

Freedom from worry or inhibition.

become (verb)

(1) To make appear attractive. (2) To be suitable for.

couch (verb)

To phrase in a particular way.

exercise (verb)

(1) To carry out the functions of. (2) To make upset or angry.

qualify (verb)

To modify a previous statement by making the meaning weaker or less general.

reservation (noun)

A feeling of doubt about a plan or an idea.

singular (adjective)

Of an exceptionally high standard; remarkable.

skirt (verb)

To be on or pass around the edge of something.

temper (verb)

To make the effects of something less severe by balancing it with something else.

trying (adjective)

Annoying or difficult to deal with.

allude

To refer to indirectly.

elude

(1) To avoid or escape from someone or something, especially in a clever way. (2) To escape the understanding or memory of someone.

discrete

Independent of other things of the same type; separate.

discreet

Careful in what one says or does, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing embarrassment; cautious.

exacerbate

To make something worse, especially a disease or problem.

exasperate

To annoy or irritate someone very much.

eminent

Famous and respected, especially in a particular profession.

imminent

Likely to happen very soon.

tacit

Suggested indirectly or understood, rather than said in words.

taciturn

Tending not to say very much, in a way that seems unfriendly.