First 50

Abate	v. to become less active, less intense, or less in amount	As I began my speech, my feelings of nervousness quickly abated.
Abstract	adj. existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality	Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting.
Abysmal	adj. extremely bad	I got an abysmal grade on my research paper!
Accordingly	adv. in accordance with	All students must behave accordingly.
Acquisition	n. the act of gaining a skill or possession of something	Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults.
Adapt	v. to make suit a new purpose v. to accommodate oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation	The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans. Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments.
Adept	adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area)	Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin.
Adequate	adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose	Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good fit.
Advent	n. the arrival or creation of something (usu. historic)	The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.
Adversarial	adj. relating to hostile opposition	An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life.
Advocate	n. someone who promotes or defends something v. to defend or promote something (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)	I am an advocate for free higher education. Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices.
Aesthetic	adj. relating to beauty or refined taste	The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were a character in a fairy tale.
Afford	v. to be able to buy v. to be able to spare	He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car. I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!
Agitate	v. to promote something (usu. a cause)	They’re agitating for better health care.
Allow	v. to permit or consent to	US law allows citizens to speak freely.
Allude	v. to make a secretive mention of something	She alluded to the problem at hand but didn’t say anything more about it.
Altercation	n. a noisy argument or confrontation	Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar.
Ambiguous	adj. unclear or vague in meaning	Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted.
Ambitious	adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement	Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday.
Ambivalence	n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options	His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract.
Analogous	adj. similar but not identical	Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions.
Annihilate	v. to destroy or cause devastating destruction	The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels.
Anomaly	n. something different from the norm	This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.
Anticipate	v. assume to be likely to happen	The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be.
Antipathy	n. a strong feeling of dislike	Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever he entered the classroom.
Apex	n. the highest point of something	The spring play was the apex of our school year.
Apprehension	n. fearful expectation of something	Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train.
Articulate	v. to clearly express in words	She articulated her opinion on the price of the house.
Artificial	adj. something made; not occurring naturally	Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity.
Assertion	n. a strong declaration	His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh.
Austere	adj. extremely plain adj. stern and forbidding adj. relating to self-denial	He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods. My boss had an austere expression on her face. An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody.
Authenticity	n. the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived	The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story.
Avenue	n. an intangible path or approach to something	The company has decided to pursue other avenues.
Avid	adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about something	Gerald is an avid soccer fan.
Basic	adj. relating to the foundation or basis of something	You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on to the advanced level.
Bear	v. to have as a characteristic v. to have (a child) v. to bring forth v. to put up with	She bears a strong resemblance to your mother. Judy will bear her first child later this year. My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year. I can’t bear her complaining any longer!
Benevolent	adj. kind, generous	Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.
Bias	n. a preconception that prevents objectivity	It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime.
Bittersweet	adj. tinged with a feeling of sadness	The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet.
Bolster	v. to support, strengthen, or fortify	If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch.
Boost	n. an increase or growth v. to increase or make grow	The boost in profits was a welcome change. In order to boost profits, you need to cater to your customers.
Brawl	n. an intense, loud fight v. to fight loudly and disruptively	A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating. The two students brawled for an hour.
Brevity	n. the quality of being brief or terse	The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic.
Candid	adj. direct, blunt	Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor.
Candor	n. the trait of being honest and frank	I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up.
Capitalize	v. to use to your advantage	I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register.
Capture	v. to trap or take possession of v. to successfully represent or imitate v. to captivate, mesmerize v. to catch or seize	The spy was captured by the enemy. Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality of life. I was captured by her beauty. The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident.
Civic	adj. relating to the city or citizens	Voting is a civic duty.
Clinical	adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting)	Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively.
Clout	n. special advantage or power	Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout.
Coarse	adj. indicating a rough texture adj. lacking refinement or sophistication	The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it had never been washed. The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty.
Coincide	v. to happen at the same time	It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with my finals.
Commission	n. the use of payment to request something (e.g., a service or product)	This painting was commissioned by a rich merchant in 1589.
Comparable	adj. able to be compared	This novel is comparable to Huckleberry Finn.
Competent	adj. sufficiently qualified	We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our company.
Complacent	adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve	Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he was complacent with his life as a poet.
Complement	v. to make perfect or complete	This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese.
Concede	v. to be forced to agree or surrender v. to admit to a transgression	With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded. Dan conceded to pranking his sister.
Conceive	v. to imagine or come up with	The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s.
Condone	v. to overlook, approve, or allow	She couldn't condone her daughter's rebellious behavior.
Conducive	adj. able to bring about or be suitable for	The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying.
Conduct	v. to control or manage v. to behave a certain way	The group conducted their research abroad last year. Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly.
Confide	v. to share something secretive with someone	She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend.
Confine	v. to put limits on; to restrict	We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain.
Consensus	n. overall agreement	After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to a consensus.
Constitute	v. to form or compose (part of) something	The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement.
Contemplate	v. to think deeply about	She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student.
Contend	v. to maintain or assert (an opinion)	The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists.
Contradict	v. to be in contrast with	The camera footage contradicts his alibi.
Controversial	adj. highly debatable and causing contention	Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place.
Conventional	adj. abiding by accepted standards	She lives a conventional life in the suburbs.
Convey	v. to pass on or transfer (information)	I have trouble conveying my thoughts in French.
Conviction	n. a firm belief in something	Her religious convictions prevent her from eating meat.
Corroborate	v. to provide evidence for; to back up (a claim)	The note signed by her father corroborates her claim that she was absent from class that day.
Counteract	v. to work in opposition to	This ingredient seems to counteract the other ones.
Counterargument	n. an argument used to criticize or dismantle another argument	Make sure to include a counterargument in your essay so that you can show you’ve considered the topic from all perspectives.
Counterproductive	adj. hindering the achievement of a goal	Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was ultimately counterproductive: it took us twice as long to get to the train station.
Culmination	n. the final act or climax	The culmination of the performance was unforgettable.
Cultivate	v. to foster the growth of	Teachers don’t just pass on new information to students—they cultivate their academic potential.