Amenable (adj.): agreeable, responsible to authority, pleasant, willing to give in to the wishes of another

-- Jack was such a classy guy, always amenable to any reasonable solution to a problem.

Amplify (v.): to make larger, louder, or more powerful

-- The music was amplified to the point where the guests couldn’t hear themselves speak.

Certify (v.): to confirm formally; verify

-- The valuable papers arrived by certified mail.

Chasm (n.): a deep opening in the earth’s surface; a gorge; differences of opinion, interests, loyalties

-- We crossed the huge chasm on a flimsy rope bridge.

Decree (n.): an order having the force of law

The decree by the city council that all dogs must be on a leash set off a butter conflict among dog owners.

Deduce (v.): to come to a conclusion by reasoning from the evidence

-- The detective deduced that the killer’s weapon was a knife based on the wounds left on the victim.

Engulf (v.): to surround or enclose completely

-- The hurricane completely engulfed the town in a surge of wind and water

Enrage (v.): to put in a rage; infuriate, anger

-- What enrages my wife is when I forget to wipe my feet before coming into the house.

Lament (v.): to express sorrow or regret; to mourn

-- There must have been thousands of people at the funeral to lament the death of Princess Diana

Languish (v): to become weak or feeble; sag with loss of strength

-- It was so hot in the theater, Charlotte soon began to languish.

Noisome (adj.): stinking; offensive; disgusting

-- The comedian’s act was absolutely noisome; all of his jokes depended entirely on four-letter words.

Noxious (adj.): physically or mentally destructive, or harmful to human beings

-- The noxious pollutants discharged into the bay by the paper mill killed all the marine life.

Periphery (n.): the outermost part within a boundary, the outside edge

-- On the periphery of any argument, Jasmine will listen but rarely ever speak.

Permeate (v.): to flow or spread through; penetrate

-- Before the explosion, witnesses said the smell of gasoline permeated the flight cabin.

Reminisce (v.): the act or practice of recalling the past

-- The reminiscent qualities in his art brought back fond memories of Paris in the 19th century.

Remorse (n.): a strong feeling of sadness or guilt for having done something wrong

-- John refused to fell any remorse for doing what he considered the right thing to do.

Somber (adj.): depressing, gloomy, dark

-- The somber weather forecast spoiled our weekend plans to go to the beach.

Sonorous (adj.): producing sound, especially deep and rich, resonant

-- The sonorous drums from the band could be heard from outside the stadium.

Unbridled (adj.): violent, unbounded, unrestrained

-- Andrea’s unbridled passion for dancing was evident in every performance she gave.

Veer (v.): to change direction

-- Arthur never veered from the path of honor and dignity.