vocabs
Pronounced
Unilateral — done, decided, or undertaken by one person, group, or country without the agreement of others.
Procure — to obtain or acquire something, especially with effort or through official means.
Snappy — quick and efficient; stylish and attractive; or short and irritable in tone (depending on context).
Defect (noun) — a flaw or imperfection. (verb) — to abandon one side, country, or organization to join another.
Bandwagon — a popular trend or movement that many people join because it is already successful. (e.g., “jump on the bandwagon”)
Objective — not influenced by other people’s opinion.
Shine a light on (something) — to draw attention to or reveal something that was previously overlooked or hidden. (phrase)
Mirage — an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions; figuratively, something that appears real or attainable but is actually false or illusory.
Contrition — sincere remorse or guilt for having done something wrong.
Go up someone’s high side — an idiom meaning to angrily criticize, confront, or scold someone. (phrase)
Dog that caught the car — an idiom describing someone who desperately pursued a goal but, once they achieved it, didn’t know what to do next or couldn’t handle the consequences. (phrase)
Lather — a foamy substance made by soap; to cover with soap or foam.
Get in a lather/ work oneself into a lather — (anxious, guilt, tense) (phrase)
Wound up — emotionally tense.
Hidden in plain sight — clearly visible but overlooked because no one notices it. (phrase)
Confide — to share private or personal information with someone you trust.
Spry — active, energetic, and agile, especially despite old age.
Reprimand — to scold or officially express disapproval; a formal scolding.
Frisk — to pat someone down to search for weapons or contraband.
Conflagration — a large, destructive fire; figuratively, a widespread conflict.
Formidable — inspiring respect or fear because of great strength, skill, or difficulty.
Incumbent — the current holder of an office, position, or responsibility.
Exonerate — to officially clear someone of blame or guilt.
Ensnare — to trap or entangle someone, physically or figuratively.
Indulge — to allow oneself or someone else to enjoy something, especially excessively.
Theocracy — a system of government ruled by religious leaders or based on religious law.
Ravish — (literary) to delight or captivate greatly; (archaic/legal) to rape.
Broach — to introduce or bring up a topic, especially a difficult or sensitive one.
Statesman — a respected and experienced political leader known for wisdom and integrity.
Purgatory — (Christian theology) a state of purification before heaven; figuratively, a state of prolonged suffering or waiting.
Ambush — a surprise attack from a concealed position; to attack or confront unexpectedly.
Brisk — quick, energetic, and lively; (of weather) pleasantly cool and fresh; (of business) active and busy.
Entice — to attract or tempt someone with something appealing.
Slick — smooth, polished, or cleverly persuasive (sometimes excessively so).
Malaise — a general feeling of discomfort, uneasiness, or lack of enthusiasm.
Whiff — a slight smell or a small trace of something; also a complete miss.
Slouch — to sit or stand with poor posture; “no slouch” means someone is quite capable.
Docile — calm, obedient, and easy to control.
Condemnation — strong disapproval or criticism.
Premeditated — planned or thought out in advance.
Hoist — to lift or raise something, especially something heavy.
Pragmatic — practical and realistic rather than idealistic.
Constitutional — relating to a constitution or legal system; or relating to one’s physical health.
Take a hike — to tell someone to go away (often rudely). (phrase)
Efficacy — the ability to produce the intended result.
Collate — to collect, organize, and compare information or documents.
Homicidal — having the intent or tendency to kill another person.
Pull the rug out from under someone — to suddenly remove support or undermine someone unexpectedly. (phrase)
Lubricate — to reduce friction; figuratively, to make a process run more smoothly.
Assent — to express agreement or approval.
Eloquent — fluent, persuasive, and expressive in speaking or writing.
Cognizant (of) — aware or conscious of something.
Through the roof — extremely high or increasing dramatically. (phrase)
Scapegoat — someone unfairly blamed for the mistakes of others.
Keep out of someone’s hair — to avoid bothering or interfering with someone. (phrase)
Keep something under your hat — to keep something secret. (phrase)
Rise to the occasion — to perform well when faced with a challenge. (phrase)
Rise above it — to behave maturely and not let negativity or insults affect you. (phrase)
Substantive — meaningful and important; dealing with the actual issue rather than something superficial.
Ceremonial — symbolic or formal rather than functional or practical.
Take it up a notch — increase the level of intensity, quality, or effort. (phrase)
Hasty — done too quickly and without enough thought.
Usher in — introduce or mark the beginning of something new. (phrase)
Reinvigorate — give new energy or enthusiasm to something.
Wound up — (1) tense or anxious; (2) eventually ended up.
Read someone in — give someone the necessary background information, especially about a confidential matter. (phrase)
Avert — prevent something bad from happening.
Thrust someone into — suddenly force someone into a difficult situation or role. (phrase)
Impervious to — unaffected by or not responsive to something.
Incapacitated — unable to function because of illness or injury.
Stand-up guy — an honest, reliable, and trustworthy man.
Take on a life of its own — develop independently and become difficult to control. (phrase)
Liaise (with) — communicate and coordinate with another person or group.
Belligerent — hostile and aggressive.
Optics — the way a situation or decision appears to other people.
Misconstrue — misunderstand or interpret incorrectly.
Debacle — a complete and embarrassing failure.
Corroborate — confirm or support with additional evidence.
Have legs — have the potential to continue, succeed, or remain important. (phrase)
Get a rise out of someone — deliberately provoke an emotional reaction. (phrase)
Clandestine — secret or concealed, especially for an improper purpose.
Unvarnished — honest and direct, without making something sound better than it is.
In tandem — together and in coordination. (phrase)
Renege (on) — fail to keep a promise or agreement.
Inexplicable — impossible or very difficult to explain.
Regime — a government or an established system of rules or management.
Ravenous — extremely hungry.
Relentless — continuing without stopping or weakening.
Spitballing — informally suggesting ideas without committing to them.
Fortitude — courage and strength in dealing with difficulties.
Moratorium — a temporary pause or suspension of an activity or policy.
Bluster — loud, forceful talk intended to intimidate but often lacking substance.
Strenuous — requiring great physical or mental effort.
Debilitated — weakened and unable to function normally.
Connotation — implication of a word.
Scrutiny — critical observation or examination.
Loaded vs Packed with something — loaded is more about emphasis on the overflow of something, packed refers to countable items.
Ubiquitous — existing everywhere.
Modulate — adjust/change gradually.
Habituate — get into a habit.
Desensitize to — become insensitive about.
Loom — appear in a large or threatening way.
Surgical — done with absolute accuracy.
Go under — fail/collapse (business), sink. (phrase)
Come to terms with — realize & embrace something. (phrase)
Biopic — a biography movie.
Resonate with — empathize with. (phrase)
Commodity — an asset.
Covet — strongly desire.
Apprenticeship — training.
Cathartic — emotionally relieving.
Brush up — practice, improve. (phrase)
Got off on the wrong foot — started poorly. (phrase)
Keep someone on a short leash — closely monitor/control someone. (phrase)
Coy — playfully shy.
Grind — hard work.
Brush off — ignored, criticized. (phrase)
Partiality — favoritism/bias.
Monotonic — linear.
Duplicity — deceit/double-dealing.
Ordain — officially appoint/decree.
Revelatory — revealing something important.
Pervasive — spread widely to the point it is noticeable or inescapable.
Smear — spread a sticky substance over a surface / spread rumors.
Upstart — an overly ambitious newcomer.
Cut both ways — having both positive and negative implications. (phrase)
Underdog — a weaker/disadvantaged competitor.
Relentless — never stopping/intense.
Plead — beg/argue emotionally.
Feeble — weak/frail.
Chomp — chew noisily.
Invariants — fundamental properties/conditions that don’t change.
Salient — most noticeable/important.
Nomadic — constantly moving place to place.
Pensive — deeply thoughtful.
Decoy — distraction/trap.
Misconstrued — misunderstood incorrectly.
Gruelling — extremely exhausting.
Send into a tailspin — cause chaos/panic/rapid decline. (phrase)
Incite — to stir up or provoke.
Allege — claim without full proof.
Mural — a large wall painting.
Take the high road — act morally despite conflict. (phrase)
Rumble — deep low sound; hidden conflict.
Fawn over — excessively flatter/adore. (phrase)
Stunted — prevented from fully developing.
Crux of the problem — core/main issue. (phrase)
Short with you — rude/impatient in speech. (phrase)
Tizzy — a nervous/agitated state.
Agitate — disturb/stir up.
Old wives’ tale — a false traditional belief. (phrase)
Slink off — leave quietly in shame. (phrase)
Pushover — an easily manipulated person.
Sling — throw casually.
Seldom — rarely.
Superimpose — place over another image/idea.
Overlay — cover with another layer.
Project onto — attribute your feelings to others. (phrase)
Conflate — combine things incorrectly.
Punch down — mock people with less power/status. (phrase)
In hindsight — looking back afterward. (phrase)
Be in someone’s face — invade aggressively/confront directly. (phrase)
Abrasive — harsh/rude in manner.
Connotation — implied/emotional meaning.
Denotation — literal definition.
Whimsical — playful/quirky.
Enamor — make someone love/adore.
Byproduct — a secondary result.
Convoluted — overly complicated.
Manifest — show clearly; obvious.
Derail — disrupt/prevent progress.
Pertain — relate to.
Conglomerate — a large corporation made of many businesses.
Frantic — panicked/rushed.
Subside — become less intense.
Trapezius — upper back/neck muscle.
Collarbone — bone across the upper chest.
Clavicle — medical term for collarbone.
Temperamental — moody/unpredictable.
Vestibular system — body system controlling balance.
Affinity — natural liking/connection.
Under the breath — quietly/muttered. (phrase)
Work one’s way into — gradually gain entry/access. (phrase)
Spin the wheels — make effort without progress. (phrase)
Underway — currently happening.
Obstinate — stubborn.
Culmination — highest/final point.
Antitrust — laws preventing monopolies.
Periphery — outer edge.
Precarious — unstable/risky.
Attribution — assigning cause/credit.
Pedigree — lineage/background/reputation.
Vengeance — revenge.
Retaliate — strike back/revenge.
Cunning — clever in a sneaky way.
Scheming — secretly planning manipulatively.
Sly — secretly clever/deceptive.
Exacerbate — to make worse.
Adolescent — teenager; immature stage.
Formidable — intimidatingly strong/impressive.
Intermittent — happening occasionally.
Volition — free will/choice.
Consoling — comforting.
Mysticism — belief in spiritual mystery/powers.
Perfunctory — done with little care/effort.
Inaugurate — to officially begin/start.
Fugitive — a person escaping law.
Coherent — logical/clear.
Earnest — sincere/serious.
Impoverish — make poor/weaken.
Affable — friendly/easy to talk to.
Annuity — fixed yearly payment/income.
Perpetual — endless/continuous.
Indecorous — improper/impolite.
Renege — go back on a promise.
Liberality — generosity/open-mindedness.
Reproach — express disappointment/disapproval.
Asunder — apart/separated.
Disposition — natural temperament/tendency.
Rapturous — extremely joyful/excited.
Approbation — approval/praise.
Insinuation — indirect suggestion, often negative.
Acquiescence — reluctant agreement.
Vicinity — nearby area.
Prudent — wise/cautious.
Propensity — natural tendency.
Protégé — a person mentored by someone experienced.
Saucy — bold/disrespectfully playful.
Contemptuous — showing disrespect/disdain.
Commendation — praise/official recognition.
Insipid — dull/lacking flavor or interest.
Artful — skillfully clever.
Curricle — a light two-wheeled carriage.
Discourse — formal discussion.
Propriety — proper behavior.
Conspicuous — easily noticed.
Conscious — aware/awake.
Fastidious — very detail-oriented/picky.
Affront — insult/offense.
Procure — obtain/acquire.
Contrivance — a clever device/artificial scheme.
Archness — playful sarcasm/slyness.
Affectedly — unnaturally/artificially.
Defy — resist/openly challenge.
Solicitude — concern/care.
Meritorious — deserving praise/reward.
Self-command — emotional self-control.
Impertinent — rude/disrespectful.
Pertinent — relevant.
Deference — respectful submission.
Assiduity — persistent diligence.
Rectitude — moral correctness.
Perturbation — anxiety/disturbance.
Conjecture — guess/theory without proof.
Restorative — healing/refreshing.
Evasive — avoiding direct answers.
Rapture — intense joy.
Prospect — possibility/outlook.
Alacrity — cheerful readiness.
Recollect — remember.
Civility — politeness.
Unanimous — fully agreed.
Hitherto — until now.
Thither — to that place.
Lightly — gently/not seriously.
Shew — old spelling of “show.”
Diffuse — spread out.
Allude — indirectly refer to.
Fortitude — courage during hardship.
Surpass — exceed/do better than.
Vindication — proof that someone was right.
Reap — gain/harvest.
Indignation — anger at unfairness.
Clamorous — loud/demanding attention.
Condolence — expression of sympathy after loss.
Reprimand — formal scolding.
Sterling — excellent/high-quality.
Insignificant — unimportant.
Adorn — decorate.
Duly — properly/at the correct time.
Insurmountable — impossible to overcome.
Intrinsic — essential/inherent.
Uncordial — unfriendly/cold.
Cordial — warm/friendly.
Exult — celebrate triumphantly.
Rejoice — feel/show joy.
Satirical — using humor to criticize.
Signify — mean/indicate.
Administer — manage/give out.
Despise — strongly hate/look down on.
Idle — inactive/lazy.
Hussy — disrespectful term for an immoral woman.
Abode — home/residence.
Conservation — protection/preservation.
Unorthodox — unconventional.
Amiable — pleasant/friendly.
Instigate — provoke/start.
Receptive to — open/willing to accept. (phrase)
Negligence — carelessness.
Contend — argue/compete.
Insolence — rude disrespect.
Bewitching — enchanting/attractive.
Diminutive — very small/tiny.
Reparation — compensation for damage.
Embankment — raised bank of earth beside river/road.
Fling — throw forcefully.
Unrelenting — never easing/stopping.