Weekly words

Exacerbate

To make a problem or situation worse.

Ostracize

To exclude or reject someone from a group or society.

Innocuous

Not harmful or offensive.

Euphemism

A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt.

Objective

Not influenced by personal feelings or opinions.

Subjective

Based on personal feelings or opinions.

Gallant

Brave and heroic.

Admonished

To warn or reprimand someone firmly.

Impending

About to happen; imminent.

Copious

Abundant in supply or quantity.

Imperative

Of vital importance; crucial.

Pivotal

Of crucial importance in relation to the development or success of something else.

Voracious

Wanting or devouring great quantities of food.

Awry

Away from the appropriate, planned, or expected course; amiss.

Banter

Playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.

Muster

Assemble or gather together.

Belittle

Make someone or something seem less impressive or important.

Instigate

Bring about or initiate an action or event.

Chronic

Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.

Rebuff

Reject in an abrupt or ungracious manner.

Steadfast

Resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.

Catalyst

A person or thing that precipitates an event or change.

Facetious

Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor.

Serene

Calm, peaceful, and untroubled.

Trepidation

A feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen.

Animosity

Strong hostility or antagonism.

Lethargic

Feeling a lack of energy or enthusiasm.

Commiserate

Express or feel sympathy or pity; sympathize.

Forlorn

Pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.

Profound

Very great or intense; having or showing great knowledge or insight.

Affinity

A spontaneous or natural liking or sympathy for someone or something.

Ebb

To gradually lessen or reduce.

Foreboding

A feeling that something bad will happen; fearful apprehension.

Reiterate

Say something again or a number of times, typically for emphasis or clarity.

Meticulous

Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.

Frivolous

Not having any serious purpose or value.

Acquiesce

Accept something reluctantly but without protest.

Obsolete

No longer produced or used; out of date.

Remorse

Deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.

Delve

Reach inside a receptacle and search for something.

Engross

Absorb all the attention or interest of.

Indifferent

Having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.

Scrutinize

Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Tedious

Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.

Assert

State a fact or belief confidently and forcefully.

Stance

A way of standing or positioning oneself.

Waver

Shake with a quivering motion; be undecided between two opinions or courses of action.

Pragmatic

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

Pertinent

Relevant or applicable to a particular matter; apposite.

Colloquial

Used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.

Fervor

Intense and passionate feeling.

Proclaim

Announce officially or publicly.

Aloof

Not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant.

Mitigate

Make less severe, serious, or painful.

Falter

Start to lose strength or momentum.

Negate

Nullify; make ineffective.

Bolster

Support or strengthen; prop up.

Haughty

Arrogantly superior and disdainful.

Elusive

Difficult to find, catch, or achieve.

Scapegoat

A person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others.

Ambivalent

Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone.

Perturbed

Anxious or unsettled; upset.

Qualm

An uneasy feeling of doubt, worry, or fear, especially about one's own conduct.

Alleviate

Make (suffering, deficiency, or a problem) less severe.

Veritable

Used for emphasis, often to qualify a