Comprehensive Vocabulary Study Guide: Definitions and Examples

Comprehensive Academic Vocabulary: Terms 1–100

• zenith (n.): the highest point, culminating point. Example: I was too nice to tell Nelly that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one hit of hers.

• putrid (adj.): rotten, foul. Example: Those rotten eggs smell putrid.

• impudent (adj.): casually rude, insolent, impertinent. Example: The impudent young man looked the princess up and down and told her she was hot even though she hadn’t asked him.

• indignation (n.): anger sparked by something unjust or unfair. Example: I resigned from the sorority because of my indignation at its hazing of new members.

• criteria (n.): standards by which something is judged. Example: Among Mrs. Fields’s criteria for good cookies are that they be moist and chewy.

• consumption (n.): the act of consuming. Example: Consumption of intoxicating beverages is not permitted on these premises.

• vicissitude (n.): event that occurs by chance. Example: The vicissitudes of daily life prevent me from predicting what might happen from one day to the next.

• equanimity (n.): composure. Example: Even though he had just been fired, Mr. Simms showed great equanimity by neatly packing up his desk and wishing everyone in the office well.

• vindictive (adj.): vengeful. Example: The vindictive madman seeks to exact vengeance for any insult that he perceives is directed at him, no matter how small.

• artisan (n.): a craftsman. Example: The artisan uses wood to make walking sticks.

• hardy (adj.): robust, capable of surviving through adverse conditions. Example: I too would have expected the plants to be dead by mid-November, but apparently they’re very hardy.

• corrosive (adj.): having the tendency to erode or eat away. Example: The effect of the chemical was highly corrosive.

• raze (v.): to demolish, level. Example: The old tenement house was razed to make room for the large chain store.

• colossus (n.): a gigantic statue or thing. Example: For 56 years, the ancient city of Rhodes featured a colossus standing astride its harbor.

• repulse: 1. (v.): to disgust. Example: Antisocial Annie tried to repulse people by neglecting to brush her teeth. 2. (v.): to push back. Example: With a deft movement of her wrist and a punch to the stomach, Lacy repulsed Jack’s attempt to kiss her.

• validate (v.): to confirm, support, corroborate. Example: Yoko’s chemistry lab partner was asleep during the experiment and could not validate the accuracy of her methods.

• innocuous (adj.): harmless, inoffensive. Example: In spite of their innocuous appearance, these mushrooms are actually quite poisonous.

• dynamic (adj.): actively changing. Example: The parents found it hard to keep up with the dynamic music scene with which their children had become very familiar.

• penurious (adj.): miserly, stingy. Example: Stella complained that her husband’s penurious ways made it impossible to live the lifestyle she felt she deserved.

• perfidious (adj.): disloyal, unfaithful. Example: After the official was caught selling government secrets to enemy agents, he was executed for his perfidious ways.

• atypical (adj.): not typical, unusual. Example: Screaming and crying is atypical adult behavior.

• antipathy (n.): a strong dislike, repugnance. Example: I know you love me, but because you are a liar and a thief, I feel nothing but antipathy for you.

• innate (adj.): inborn, native, inherent. Example: His incredible athletic talent is innate, he never trains, lifts weights, or practices.

• counteract (v.): to neutralize, make ineffective. Example: The antidote counteracted the effect of the poison.

• repentant (adj.): penitent, sorry. Example: The repentant Dennis apologized profusely for breaking his mother’s vase.

• bias (n.): a tendency, inclination, prejudice. Example: The judge’s hidden bias against smokers led him to make an unfair decision.

• cavort (v.): to leap about, behave boisterously. Example: The adults ate their dinners on the patio, while the children cavorted around the pool.

• austere (adj.): very bare, bleak. Example: The austere furniture inside the abandoned house made the place feel haunted.

• bereft (adj.): devoid of, without. Example: His family was bereft of food and shelter following the tornado.

• stupefy (v.): to astonish, make insensible. Example: Veronica’s audacity and ungratefulness stupefied her best friend, Heather.

• diffuse: 1. (v.): to scatter, thin out, break up. Example: He diffused the tension in the room by making in a joke. 2. (adj.): not concentrated, scattered, disorganized. Example: In her writings, she tried unsuccessfully to make others understand her diffuse thoughts.

• vivacious (adj.): lively, sprightly. Example: The vivacious clown makes all of the children laugh and giggle with his friendly antics.

• orthodox (adj.): conventional, conforming to established protocol. Example: The company’s profits dwindled because the management pursued orthodox business policies that were incompatible with new industrial trends.

• aquatic (adj.): relating to water. Example: The marine biologist studies starfish and other aquatic creatures.

• preponderance (adj.): superiority in importance or quantity. Example: Britain’s preponderance of naval might secured the nation’s role as a military power.

• fraught (adj.): (usually used with ‖with‖) filled or accompanied with. Example: Her glances in his direction were fraught with meaning, though precisely what meaning remained unclear.

• obdurate (adj.): unyielding to persuasion or moral influences. Example: The obdurate old man refused to take pity on the kittens.

• deface (v.): to ruin or injure something’s appearance. Example: The brothers used eggs and shaving cream to deface their neighbor’s mailbox.

• dormant (adj.): sleeping, temporarily inactive. Example: Though she pretended everything was fine, her anger lay dormant throughout the dinner party and exploded in screams of rage after everyone had left.

• ruminate (v.): to contemplate, reflect. Example: Terry liked to ruminate while sitting on the banks of the river, staring pensively into the water.

• transient (adj.): passing through briefly; passing into and out of existence. Example: Because virtually everyone in Palm Beach is a tourist, the population of the town is quite transient.

• affront (n.): an insult. Example: Bernardo was very touchy, and took any slight as an affront to his honor.

• manifest: 1. (adj.): easily understandable, obvious. 2. (v.): to show plainly. Example: When I wrote the wrong sum on the chalkboard, my mistake was so manifest that the entire class burst into laughter.

• cursory (adj.): brief to the point of being superficial. Example: Late for the meeting, she cast a cursory glance at the agenda.

• mollify (v.): to soften in temper. Example: The police officer mollified the angry woman by giving her a warning instead of a ticket.

• pallid (adj.): lacking color. Example: Dr. Van Helsing feared that Lucy’s pallid complexion was due to an unexplained loss of blood.

• colloquial (adj.): characteristic of informal conversation. Example: Adam’s essay on sexual response in primates was marked down because it contained too many colloquial expressions.

• grievous (adj.): injurious, hurtful; serious or grave in nature. Example: Electrocuting the inmate without being sure of his guilt would be a truly grievous mistake.

• impervious (adj.): impenetrable, incapable of being affected. Example: Because of their thick layer of fur, many seals are almost impervious to the cold.

• execrable (adj.): loathsome, detestable. Example: Her pudding is so execrable that it makes me sick.

• fortitude (n.): strength, guts. Example: Achilles’ fortitude in battle is legendary.

• connive (v.): to plot, scheme. Example: She connived to get me to give up my vacation plans.

• destitute (adj.): impoverished, utterly lacking. Example: The hurricane destroyed many homes and left many families destitute.

• platitude (n.): an uninspired remark, clich
  
  . Example: After reading over her paper, Helene concluded that what she thought were profound insights were actually just platitudes.

• covet (v.): to desire enviously. Example: I coveted Moses’s house, wife, and car.

• idolatrous (adj.): excessively worshipping one object or person. Example: Xena’s idolatrous fawning over the band—following them on tour, starting their fan club, filming their documentary—is really beginning to get on my nerves.

• malevolent (adj.): wanting harm to befall others. Example: The malevolent old man sat in the park all day, tripping unsuspecting passersby with his cane.

• pulchritude (n.): physical beauty. Example: Several of Shakespeare’s sonnets explore the pulchritude of a lovely young man.

• oscillate (v.): to sway from one side to the other. Example: My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies.

• inure (v.): to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation. Example: Twenty years in the salt mines inured the man to the discomforts of dirt and grime.

• tangential (adj.): incidental, peripheral, divergent. Example: I tried to discuss my salary, but the boss kept veering off into tangential topics.

• prosaic (adj.): plain, lacking liveliness. Example: Heather’s prosaic recital of the poem bored the audience.

• arboreal (adj.): of or relating to trees. Example: Leaves, roots, and bark are a few arboreal traits.

• incisive (adj.): clear, sharp, direct. Example: The discussion wasn’t going anywhere until her incisive comment allowed everyone to see what the true issues were.

• extant (adj.): existing, not destroyed or lost. Example: My mother’s extant love letters to my father are in the attic trunk.

• anthology (n.): a selected collection of writings, songs, etc. Example: The new anthology of Bob Dylan songs contains all his greatest hits and a few songs that you might never have heard before.

• guile (n.): deceitful, cunning, sly behavior. Example: Because of his great guile, the politician was able to survive scandal after scandal.

• surreptitious (adj.): stealthy. Example: The surreptitious CIA agents were able to get in and out of the house without anyone noticing.

• repudiate (v.): to reject, refuse to accept. Example: Kwame made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting words.

• mendacious (adj.): having a lying, false character. Example: The mendacious content of the tabloid magazines is at least entertaining.

• temperance (n.): moderation in action or thought. Example: Maintaining temperance will ensure that you are able to think rationally and objectively.

• ascribe (v.): to assign, credit, attribute to. Example: Some ascribe the invention of fireworks and dynamite to the Chinese.

• quixotic (adj.): idealistic, impractical. Example: Edward entertained a quixotic desire to fall in love at first sight in a laundromat.

• inquisitor (n.): one who inquires, especially in a hostile manner. Example: The inquisitor was instructed to knock on every door in town in order to find the fugitive.

• demagogue (n.): a leader who appeals to a people’s prejudices. Example: The demagogue strengthened his hold over his people by blaming immigrants for the lack of jobs.

• proscribe (v.): to condemn, outlaw. Example: The town council voted to proscribe the sale of alcohol on weekends.

• pinnacle (n.): the highest point. Example: Book reviewers declared that the author’s new novel was extraordinary and probably the pinnacle of Western literature.

• uncanny (adj.): of supernatural character or origin. Example: Luka had an uncanny ability to know exactly what other people were thinking.

• surmise (v.): to infer with little evidence. Example: After speaking to only one of the students, the teacher was able to surmise what had caused the fight.

• harrowing (adj.): greatly distressing, vexing. Example: The car crash was a harrowing experience, but I have a feeling that the increase in my insurance premiums will be even more upsetting.

• perfunctory (adj.): showing little interest or enthusiasm. Example: The radio broadcaster announced the news of the massacre in a surprisingly perfunctory manner.

• inviolable (adj.): secure from assault. Example: Nobody was ever able to break into Batman’s inviolable Batcave.

• inveterate (adj.): stubbornly established by habit. Example: I’m the first to admit that I’m an inveterate coffee drinker—I drink four cups a day.

• litigant (n.): someone engaged in a lawsuit. Example: When the litigants began screaming at each other, Judge Koch ordered them to be silent.

• despondent (adj.): feeling depressed, discouraged, hopeless. Example: Having failed the first math test, the despondent child saw no use in studying for the next and failed that one too.

• congruity (n.): the quality of being in agreement. Example: Bill and Veronica achieved a perfect congruity of opinion.

• confound (v.): to frustrate, confuse. Example: MacGuyver confounded the policemen pursuing him by covering his tracks.

• fa
  ade: 1. (n.): the wall of a building. Example: Meet me in front of the museum’s main fa
  ade. 2. (n.): a deceptive appearance or attitude. Example: Despite my smiling fa
  ade, I am feeling melancholy.

• coalesce (v.): to fuse into a whole. Example: Gordon’s ensemble of thrift-shop garments coalesced into a surprisingly handsome outfit.

• pellucid (adj.): easily intelligible, clear. Example: Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The Stranger.

• veneer (n.): a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, fa
  ade. Example: Thanks to her Chanel makeup, Shannen was able to maintain a veneer of perfection that hid the flaws underneath.

• circumlocution (n.): indirect and wordy language. Example: The professor’s habit of speaking in circumlocutions made it difficult to follow his lectures.

• indomitable (adj.): not capable of being conquered. Example: To be honest, Jim, my indomitable nature means I could never take orders from anyone, and especially not from a jerk like you.

• hackneyed (adj.): unoriginal, trite. Example: A girl can only hear ‖I love you‖ so many times before it begins to sound hackneyed and meaningless.

• desolate (adj.): deserted, dreary, lifeless. Example: She found the desolate landscape quite a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the overcrowded city.

• induce (v.): to bring about, stimulate. Example: Who knew that our decision to boycott school lunch would induce a huge riot?

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 101–200

• battery: 1. (n.): a device that supplies power. Example: Most cars run on a combination of power from a battery and gasoline. 2. (n.): assault, beating. Example: Her husband was accused of assault and battery after he attacked a man on the sidewalk.

• ominous (adj.): foreboding or foreshadowing evil. Example: The fortuneteller’s ominous words flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley.

• etymology (n.): the history of words, their origin and development. Example: From the study of etymology, I know that the word ‖quixotic‖ derives from Don Quixote.

• lurid (adj.): ghastly, sensational. Example: Gideon’s story, in which he described a character torturing his sister’s dolls, was judged too lurid to be printed in the school’s literary magazine.

• vapid (adj.): lacking liveliness, dull. Example: The professor’s comments about the poem were surprisingly vapid and dull.

• efface (v.): to wipe out, obliterate, rub away. Example: The husband was so angry at his wife for leaving him that he effaced all evidence of her presence.

• inhibit (v.): to prevent, restrain, stop. Example: When I told you I needed the car last night, I certainly never meant to inhibit you from going out.

• facile: 1. (adj.): easy, requiring little effort. 2. (adj.): superficial, achieved with minimal thought or care, insincere. Example: This game is so facile that even a four-year-old can master it.

• propagate (v.): to multiply, spread out. Example: Rumors of Paul McCartney’s demise propagated like wildfire throughout the world.

• sycophant (n.): one who flatters for self-gain. Example: Some see the people in the cabinet as the president’s closest advisors, but others see them as sycophants.

• virtuoso (n.): one who excels in an art; a highly skilled musical performer. Example: Even though Lydia has studied piano for many years, she’s only average at it. She’s no virtuoso.

• amenable (adj.): willing, compliant. Example: Our father was amenable when we asked him to drive us to the farm so we could go apple picking.

• concede (v.): to accept as valid. Example: Andrew had to concede that what his mother said about Diana made sense.

• paradox (n.): an apparently contradictory statement that is perhaps true. Example: The diplomat refused to acknowledge the paradox that negotiating a peace treaty would demand more resources than waging war.

• implicate (v.): to involve in an incriminating way, incriminate. Example: Tom was implicated by the evidence suggesting that he had supplied the shooters with guns.

• ephemeral (adj.): short-lived, fleeting. Example: She promised she’d love me forever, but her ‖forever‖ was only ephemeral: she left me after one week.

• probity (n.): virtue, integrity. Example: Because he was never viewed as a man of great probity, no one was surprised by Mr. Samson’s immoral behavior.

• aerial (adj.): somehow related to the air. Example: We watched as the fighter planes conducted aerial maneuvers.

• cerebral (adj.): related to the intellect. Example: The books we read in this class are too cerebral — they don’t engage my emotions at all.

• tenable (adj.): able to be defended or maintained. Example: The department heads tore down the arguments in other people’s theses, but Johari’s work proved to be quite tenable.

• circumscribed (adj.): marked off, bounded. Example: The children were permitted to play tag only within a carefully circumscribed area of the lawn.

• intransigent (adj.): refusing to compromise, often on an extreme opinion. Example: The intransigent child said he would have 12 scoops of ice cream, or he would bang his head against the wall.

• anarchist (n.): one who wants to eliminate all government. Example: An anarchist, Carmine wanted to dissolve every government everywhere.

• disaffected (adj.): rebellious, resentful of authority. Example: Dismayed by Bobby’s poor behavior, the parents sent their disaffected son to a military academy.

• patent (adj.): readily seen or understood, clear. Example: The reason for Jim’s abdominal pain was made patent after the doctor performed a sonogram.

• polemic (n.): an aggressive argument against a specific opinion. Example: My brother launched into a polemic against my arguments that capitalism was an unjust economic system.

• opulent (adj.): characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation. Example: The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.

• usurp (v.): to seize by force, take possession of without right. Example: The rogue army general tried to usurp control of the government.

• circumvent (v.): to get around. Example: The school’s dress code was circumvented by the determined students, who used long coats to cover up.

• instigate (v.): to urge, goad. Example: The demagogue instigated the crowd into a fury by telling them that they had been cheated.

• disheartened (adj.): feeling a loss of spirit or morale. Example: The team was disheartened after losing in the finals of the tournament.

• pungent (adj.): having a pointed, sharp quality—often used to describe smells. Example: The pungent odor in the classroom made Joseph lose his concentration.

• coherent (adj.): logically consistent, intelligible. Example: Renee could not figure out what Monroe had seen because he was too distraught to deliver a coherent statement.

• attain (v.): to achieve, arrive at. Example: The athletes strived to attain their best times in competition.

• contravene (v.): to contradict, oppose, violate. Example: Edwidge contravened his landlady’s rule against overnight guests.

• sinuous (adj.): lithe, serpentine. Example: With the sinuous movements of her arms, the dancer mimicked the motion of a snake.

• gratuitous (adj.): uncalled for, unwarranted. Example: Every morning the guy at the donut shop gives me a gratuitous helping of ketchup packets.

• fractious (adj.): troublesome or irritable. Example: The child's fractious behavior convinced everyone it was time for bed.

• coronation (n.): the act of crowning. Example: The new king’s coronation occurred the day after his father’s death.

• engender (v.): to bring about, create, generate. Example: The victories of U.S. athletes engender a patriotic spirit among Americans.

• elicit (v.): to bring forth, draw out, evoke. Example: Although I asked several times where the exit was, I elicited no response.

• vigilant (adj.): watchful, alert. Example: The guards remained vigilant throughout the night.

• palatable (adj.): agreeable to the taste or sensibilities. Example: Despite the unpleasant smell, the exotic cheese was quite palatable.

• extraneous (adj.): irrelevant, extra, not necessary. Example: Personal political ambitions should always remain extraneous to legislative policy.

• viscous (adj.): not free flowing, syrupy. Example: The viscous syrup took three minutes to pour out of the bottle.

• solicitous (adj.): concerned, attentive. Example: Jim enjoyed the solicitous attentions of his mother.

• irreverence (n.): disrespect. Example: The irreverence displayed by the band disturbed many churchgoers.

• petulance (n.): rudeness, irritability. Example: The Nanny resigned after she could no longer tolerate the child’s petulance.

• innuendo (n.): an insinuation. Example: The politician made several innuendos about the sexual activities of his opponent.

• consolation (n.): an act of comforting. Example: Darren found Alexandra’s presence to be a consolation for his suffering.

• antediluvian (adj.): ancient. Example: The antediluvian man still believed that hot dogs cost a nickel.

• impetuous (adj.): rash; hastily done. Example: Hilda’s hasty slaying of the king was an impetuous action.

• plaudits (n.): enthusiastic approval, applause. Example: The controversial new film received plaudits from even the harshest critics.

• ascertain (v.): to perceive, learn. Example: The student ascertained that some plants can live for weeks without water.

• idiosyncratic (adj.): peculiar to one person; highly individualized. Example: Because your mistakes were highly idiosyncratic, I’m going to deny your request for a re-test.

• commodious (adj.): roomy. Example: Holden assured them that the car was quite commodious.

• incorrigible (adj.): incapable of correction, delinquent. Example: After sixty-five years of smoking, she’s incorrigible.

• caucus (n.): a meeting usually held by people working toward the same goal. Example: The ironworkers held a caucus to determine the pay increase they would request.

• implement: 1. (n.): an instrument, utensil, tool. 2. (v.): to put into effect, to institute. Example: The mayor implemented a new policy to use security cameras.

• utilitarian (adj.): relating to or aiming at usefulness. Example: The fragile vase couldn’t serve any utilitarian purpose.

• impregnable (adj.): resistant to capture or penetration. Example: The fortress proved impregnable and resisted all attacks.

• vehemently (adv.): marked by intense force or emotion. Example: The candidate vehemently opposed cutting back on Social Security funding.

• rancid (adj.): having a terrible taste or smell. Example: Rob was double-dog-dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich.

• disrepute (n.): a state of being held in low regard. Example: The officer fell into disrepute after it was learned that he had disobeyed orders.

• aggrieved (adj.): distressed, wronged, injured. Example: The foreman mercilessly overworked his aggrieved employees.

• constituent (n.): an essential part. Example: The most important constituent of her perfume is ambergris.

• extricate (v.): to disentangle. Example: I extricated myself from the family tension entirely and left the house.

• calamity (n.): an event with disastrous consequences. Example: The earthquake in San Francisco was a calamity.

• discrepancy (n.): difference, failure of things to correspond. Example: He was troubled by the discrepancy between what he paid and his receipt.

• truculent (adj.): ready to fight, cruel. Example: Why was that bouncer being so truculent?

• arrogate (v.): to take without justification. Example: The king arrogated the right to order executions to himself.

• modulate (v.): to pass from one state to another, especially in music. Example: The piece modulated between minor and major keys.

• choreography (n.): the arrangement of dances. Example: The choreography in the musical was stunning.

• exasperate (v.): to irritate, irk. Example: George’s endless complaints exasperated his roommate.

• ingenious (adj.): clever, resourceful. Example: Her ingenious use of walnuts was lauded by the garden club.

• trenchant (adj.): effective, articulate, clear-cut. Example: The directions that accompanied my new cell phone were trenchant.

• esoteric (adj.): understood by only a select few. Example: Even advanced students cannot understand the physicist’s esoteric theories.

• anecdote (n.): a short, humorous account. Example: Marlon told an anecdote about the time he got his nose stuck in a toaster.

• corroborate (v.): to support with evidence. Example: Luke’s outrageous claim was corroborated by witnesses.

• excursion (n.): a trip or outing. Example: After taking an excursion to the Bronx Zoo, I dreamed about pandas.

• covert (adj.): secretly engaged in. Example: Nerwin waged a covert campaign against his enemies.

• incarnate: 1. (adj.): existing in the flesh, embodied. 2. (v.): to give human form to. Example: In the church pageant, I play the role of greed incarnate.

• sanctimonious (adj.): giving a hypocritical appearance of piety. Example: Bertrand delivered sanctimonious lectures on the Ten Commandments while stealing cars on the side.

• tortuous (adj.): winding. Example: Driving in mountains is scary due to the narrow, tortuous roads.

• analgesic (n.): something that reduces pain. Example: Put this analgesic on the wound.

• empathy (n.): sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own. Example: I feel such empathy for my sister when she’s in pain.

• insolent (adj.): rude, arrogant, overbearing. Example: That celebrity is so insolent, making fun of his fans to their faces.

• behemoth (n.): something of tremendous power or size. Example: The new aircraft carrier is a behemoth.

• gregarious (adj.): drawn to the company of others, sociable. Example: If you’re not gregarious, why go to a singles party?

• eschew (v.): to shun, avoid. Example: George hates the color green so much that he eschews all green food.

• circuitous (adj.): roundabout. Example: The bus’s circuitous route took us through numerous suburbs.

• indigenous (adj.): originating in a region. Example: Plants that are not indigenous may choke out native vegetation.

• cogent (adj.): intellectually convincing. Example: Irene’s arguments were so cogent I could not resist them.

• expiate (v.): to make amends for, atone. Example: To expiate my selfishness, I gave all my profits to charity.

• rescind (v.): to take back, repeal. Example: The company rescinded its offer of employment after discovering Jane’s lies.

• analogous (adj.): similar to, so that an analogy can be drawn. Example: The bone structure of whales and fish is quite analogous.

• conformist (n.): one who behaves the same as others. Example: Julian was such a conformist he waited for his friends to act first.

• debauch (v.): to corrupt by means of sensual pleasures. Example: Good wine and cheese debauched the traveler.

• edict (n.): an order, decree. Example: The ruler issued an edict requiring everyone to bow.

• vex (v.): to confuse or annoy. Example: My little brother vexes me by poking me in the ribs.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 201–300

• frenetic (adj.): frenzied, hectic, frantic. Example: The frenetic pace of city life slows to a lull in the early morning.

• ecstatic (adj.): intensely and overpoweringly happy. Example: The couple was ecstatic when they won the lottery.

• winsome (adj.): charming, pleasing. Example: I was grateful for Chris’s winsome attitude after a long day.

• perspicacity (adj.): shrewdness, perceptiveness. Example: The detective’s perspicacity was the reason for his success.

• inexorable (adj.): incapable of being persuaded or placated. Example: Mom was inexorable and refused to let me stay out late.

• forum (n.): a medium for lecture or discussion. Example: Radio talk-shows provide a good forum for political debate.

• desiccated (adj.): dried up, dehydrated. Example: The skin of the desiccated mummy looked like old paper.

• interminable (adj.): without possibility of end. Example: Biology lectures seemed interminable just before lunch.

• heinous (adj.): shockingly wicked, repugnant. Example: The killings were made all the more heinous by the torture involved.

• sobriety (n.): sedate, calm. Example: Jason believed maintaining sobriety in times of crisis was key.

• amorphous (adj.): without definite shape or type. Example: The reasons behind it were so amorphous and hard to pin down.

• mitigate (v.): to make less violent, alleviate. Example: Warm tea would help mitigate the pain of a sore throat.

• equivocal (adj.): ambiguous, uncertain, undecided. Example: His intentions were so equivocal I didn’t know if he was being chivalrous or sleazy.

• paragon (n.): a model of excellence or perfection. Example: Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty.

• clandestine (adj.): secret. Example: Sophie went to a clandestine liaison with Joseph.

• myriad (adj.): consisting of a very great number. Example: The city presented us with myriad possibilities for fun.

• relish (v.): to enjoy. Example: Pete always relished his bedtime snack.

• prepossessing (adj.): occupying the mind to the exclusion of other thoughts or feelings. Example: His prepossessing appearance made it impossible to think of anything else.

• allay (v.): to soothe, ease. Example: The chairman tried to allay investors’ fears about the economy.

• buffet: 1. (v.): to strike with force. 2. (n.): an arrangement of food set out on a table. Example: Strong winds buffeted the ships.

• mawkish (adj.): characterized by sick sentimentality. Example: Critics viewed Dickens’s writing as mawkish.

• discern (v.): to perceive, detect. Example: She discerned from his body language that he was angry.

• mundane (adj.): concerned with the world rather than with heaven, commonplace. Example: He is concerned with the mundane issues of day-to-day life.

• munificence (n.): generosity in giving. Example: The royal family’s munificence made everyone rich.

• wallow (v.): to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless. Example: She wallows in self-pity after the breakup.

• antagonism (n.): hostility. Example: Superman and Bizarro Superman shared a mutual antagonism.

• pithy (adj.): concisely meaningful. Example: My father’s pithy statements are usually very brief.

• fallacious (adj.): incorrect, misleading. Example: Emily offered me cigarettes on the fallacious assumption that I smoked.

• illicit (adj.): forbidden, not permitted. Example: The fourth-grader learned many illicit words.

• onerous (adj.): burdensome. Example: The mortgage payments became onerous for my parents.

• pugnacious (adj.): quarrelsome, combative. Example: Aaron’s pugnacious nature led to many brawls.

• dissent: 1. (v.): to disagree. 2. (n.): the act of disagreeing. Example: The last juror voiced his dissent with the rest of the jury.

• impertinent (adj.): rude, insolent. Example: Most of your comments are so impertinent I won’t answer them.

• torpid (adj.): lethargic, dormant, lacking motion. Example: The torpid whale floated in the water for hours.

• pliable (adj.): flexible. Example: Aircraft wings are designed to be somewhat pliable.

• congenial (adj.): pleasantly agreeable. Example: His congenial manner made him popular.

• cordial (adj.): warm, affectionate. Example: His cordial greeting melted my anger.

• duress (n.): hardship, threat. Example: It was only under intense duress that he fired his gun.

• profane (adj.): lewd, indecent. Example: Jacob committed a profane act in the chapel.

• profligate (adj.): dissolute, extravagant. Example: The profligate gambler loved to spend money and cheat.

• euphoric (adj.): elated, uplifted. Example: I was euphoric when my sister had twins.

• deleterious (adj.): harmful. Example: She suffered deleterious effects from running without stretching.

• paramount (adj.): greatest in importance, rank, character. Example: It was paramount that the bomb squad disconnect the wire.

• perusal (n.): a careful examination, review. Example: The actor agreed to the role after a perusal of the script.

• animated (adj.): lively. Example: He becomes very animated when talking about drama.

• enmity (n.): ill will, hatred, hostility. Example: The enmity between Mark and Andy was obvious.

• prowess (n.): extraordinary ability. Example: The musician's prowess with the instrument was incredible.

• constrain (v.): to forcibly restrict. Example: His belief in nonviolence constrained him from taking revenge.

• assiduous (adj.): hard-working, diligent. Example: The construction workers showed assiduous labor for two years.

• complicit (adj.): being an accomplice in a wrongful act. Example: Maddie became complicit by keeping the secret.

• rail (v.): to scold, protest. Example: The professor railed against the tenure policy.

• judicious (adj.): having or exercising sound judgment. Example: The judicious king decided to compromise.

• commendation (n.): a notice of approval or recognition. Example: Jared received a commendation for his performance.

• emulate (v.): to imitate. Example: I idolize her so much that I emulate everything she does.

• precipice (n.): the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place. Example: The climber hung from a precipice.

• incumbent: 1. (n.): one who holds an office. 2. (adj.): obligatory. Example: It is incumbent upon this organization to offer aid.

• limpid (adj.): clear, transparent. Example: Mr. Johnson’s limpid writing style pleased readers.

• punitive (adj.): involving punishment. Example: Smoking results in punitive expulsion.

• lethargic (adj.): in a state of sluggishness or apathy. Example: When the employee felt lethargic, his boss fired him.

• inept (adj.): not suitable or capable, unqualified. Example: She proved how inept she was by spilling beer on a customer.

• submissive (adj.): easily yielding to authority. Example: Some cultures expect wives to be submissive.

• hedonist (n.): one who believes pleasure should be primary. Example: Murray, a hedonist, appreciated the gift of wine.

• tome (n.): a large book. Example: The anatomy book was the heaviest tome in my bag.

• presage (n.): an omen. Example: His injury aching was a presage of bad weather.

• pertinacious (adj.): stubbornly persistent. Example: His pertinacious insistence on the monster was ignored.

• maelstrom (n.): a destructive whirlpool. Example: A maelstrom caught the explorers' boat.

• demean (v.): to lower the status or stature of something. Example: She refused to demean her secretary.

• depravity (n.): wickedness. Example: Rumors of depravity made children afraid of the forest.

• pittance (n.): a very small amount, especially relating to money. Example: Josh was paid a pittance for his work.

• clairvoyant (adj.): able to perceive things that others cannot. Example: Zelda's ability to detect lies was clairvoyant.

• lenient (adj.): demonstrating tolerance or gentleness. Example: The teacher was considered excessively lenient.

• genial (adj.): friendly, affable. Example: My brother is an overall genial guy.

• notorious (adj.): widely and unfavorably known. Example: Jacob was notorious for being late.

• compound: 1. (v.): to combine. 2. (n.): combination. 3. (n.): walled area for buildings. Example: The difficulty was compounded by the panic.

• coagulate (v.): to thicken, clot. Example: The pudding had coagulated into a thick skin.

• meritorious (adj.): worthy of esteem or reward. Example: Manfred was given a medal for his meritorious actions.

• swarthy (adj.): of dark color or complexion. Example: His white skin became rather swarthy when he drank.

• diligent (adj.): showing care in doing one’s work. Example: The diligent researcher checked her measurements multiple times.

• divine (adj.): godly, exceedingly wonderful. Example: She found the chocolate cake to be divine.

• vacuous (adj.): lack of content or ideas, stupid. Example: Beyonce realized the lyrics were vacuous and added substance.

• camaraderie (n.): brotherhood, jovial unity. Example: Camaraderie among employees usually leads to success.

• torrid (adj.): giving off intense heat, passionate. Example: I did not want to witness the neighbor’s torrid affair.

• banal (adj.): dull, commonplace. Example: The presentation was rejected for being banal.

• contemporaneous (adj.): existing during the same time. Example: Jane Austen was contemporaneous with Wordsworth.

• cunning (adj.): sly, clever at being deceitful. Example: The general devised a cunning plan.

• goad (v.): to urge, spur. Example: Billy will goad Jim with insults until he punches back.

• venerable (adj.): deserving of respect because of age or achievement. Example: The venerable judge made several key rulings.

• incendiary: 1. (n.): agitating person. 2. (adj.): causing combustion. Example: Gas and lighter fluid are incendiary materials.

• prudence (n.): cautious, circumspect. Example: My father vowed to practice greater prudence with investments.

• resolve: 1. (v.): find a solution. 2. (v.): firmly decide. Example: Sarah and Emma resolved their differences.

• elude (v.): to evade, escape. Example: The robber continues to elude the police.

• chronological (adj.): arranged in order of time. Example: He arranged the photos in chronological order.

• infusion (n.): injection or permeation of one substance into another. Example: The infusion of Eastern religion created new schools of thought.

• derivative (adj.): taken directly from a source, unoriginal. Example: She felt his music was derivative and unoriginal.

• staid (adj.): sedate, serious, self-restrained. Example: The staid butler never changed his expression.

• impute (v.): to ascribe, blame. Example: The CEO imputed the typos to his lazy secretary.

• anomaly (n.): something that does not fit the normal order. Example: A rip in the space-time continuum is a spatial anomaly.

• arbiter (n.): one who resolves disputes. Example: The judge will serve as the arbiter between the couple.

• penchant (n.): a tendency, partiality, preference. Example: Jill's penchant for Mexican dishes made her parties monotonous.

• whimsical (adj.): fanciful, full of whims. Example: The whimsical girl pretended to be a princess.

• egregious (adj.): extremely bad. Example: The student was punished for his egregious behavior.

• satiate (v.): to satisfy excessively. Example: Having been satiated by far too much turkey, Liza lay on the couch.

• antiseptic (adj.): clean, sterile. Example: The antiseptic hospital was bare but clean.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 301–400

• panacea (n.): a remedy for all ills or difficulties. Example: Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease.

• decorous (adj.): socially proper, appropriate. Example: The guest displayed decorous behavior.

• desecrate (v.): to violate the sacredness of a thing or place. Example: Construction might desecrate the wilderness.

• alleviate (v.): to relieve, make more bearable. Example: This drug will alleviate the symptoms of the disease.

• requisition (n.): a demand for goods, usually by authority. Example: During the war, the government made a requisition of supplies.

• pathology (n.): a deviation from the normal. Example: The doctor had difficulty identifying the pathology.

• felicitous: 1. (adj.): well suited, apt. 2. (adj.): delightful, pleasing. Example: I spent a felicitous afternoon visiting friends.

• derelict (adj.): abandoned, run-down. Example: Children played in the derelict house.

• consign (v.): to give something over to another’s care. Example: He consigned his mother to a nursing home.

• effervescent (adj.): bubbly, lively. Example: My friend is so effervescent that she makes everyone smile.

• efficacious (adj.): effective. Example: The medicine was efficacious, but I am still sniffling.

• reservoir: 1. (n.): reserves, large supply. 2. (n.): water storage body. Example: Igor had a reservoir of strength.

• defunct (adj.): no longer used or existing. Example: They turned the defunct schoolhouse into a center.

• amalgamate (v.): to bring together, unite. Example: The candidate was able to amalgamate all voters.

• ribald (adj.): coarsely, crudely humorous. Example: Most sighed at the ribald joke.

• avenge (v.): to seek revenge. Example: The victims strive to avenge themselves.

• forestall (v.): to prevent, thwart, delay. Example: I forestalled the cold by taking vitamin C.

• emend (v.): to correct or revise a written text. Example: The editor will emend the incorrect sentence.

• agile (adj.): quick, nimble. Example: The slow dogs could not catch the agile rabbit.

• appalling (adj.): inspiring shock, horror, disgust. Example: The judge found the murderer’s lack of remorse appalling.

• contusion (n.): bruise, injury. Example: The contusions on his face suggested a fight.

• chronicle: 1. (n.): a written history. 2. (v.): to write a history. Example: The library featured a chronicle of World War II.

• bard (n.): a poet, singer. Example: Shakespeare is often considered the greatest bard.

• placate (v.): to ease the anger of, soothe. Example: The man bought a lollipop to placate his son.

• artifact (n.): piece from an extinct culture. Example: Scientists searched the cave for artifacts.

• bombastic (adj.): excessively confident, pompous. Example: The singer's bombastic performance disgusted the crowd.

• insipid (adj.): dull, boring. Example: The play was so insipid I fell asleep.

• spurious (adj.): false but seemed plausible. Example: John used a spurious argument to win.

• foster (v.): to stimulate, promote. Example: The mayor started a campaign to foster good health.

• burnish (v.): to polish, shine. Example: He was asked to burnish the silverware.

• hapless (adj.): unlucky. Example: My hapless family never picks a sunny week for vacation.

• hierarchy (n.): ranked system of groups. Example: It was difficult to break into the upper ranks of the hierarchy.

• obfuscate (v.): to render incomprehensible. Example: The detective obfuscated the truth.

• evince (v.): to show, reveal. Example: His actions evince how nervous he is.

• fastidious (adj.): meticulous, demanding high standards. Example: Mark is so fastidious he can never finish a project.

• denigrate (v.): to belittle, diminish the opinion of. Example: The company's ads no longer denigrate competitors.

• rhapsodize (v.): engage in excessive enthusiasm. Example: The critic rhapsodized about the movie.

• inchoate (adj.): unformed, beginning stage. Example: The country's government is still inchoate and unstable.

• excavate (v.): to dig out and remove. Example: The treasures were excavated by archeologists.

• scathing (adj.): sharp, critical, hurtful. Example: She thought of a scathing retort.

• disseminate (v.): to spread widely. Example: The politician disseminated his ideas before the election.

• prurient (adj.): interest in sex. Example: His mother was shocked by the prurient material.

• cherish (v.): feel affection toward. Example: She continued to cherish her plaid trousers.

• exigent (adj.): urgent, critical. Example: The patient has an exigent need for medication.

• ignominious (adj.): humiliating, disgracing. Example: It was ignominious to be kicked out of the dorm.

• ardor (n.): extreme vigor, energy. Example: The soldiers conveyed their ardor with battle cries.

• permeate (v.): spread throughout, saturate. Example: The odor permeated the furniture.

• obtuse (adj.): lacking quickness of sensibility. Example: Opponents warned that the minister's obtuse approach would lead to war.

• inoculate (v.): to introduce serum for immunity, vaccinate. Example: I have been inoculated against 37 diseases.

• atone (v.): to repent, make amends. Example: He atoned for forgetting her birthday with roses.

• strenuous (adj.): requiring tremendous energy. Example: Running a marathon is a strenuous task.

• rectitude (n.): uprightness, extreme morality. Example: The priest's rectitude gave him moral authority.

• compunction (n.): distress caused by guilt. Example: He felt compunction for treating her poorly.

• toady (n.): one who flatters for favors. Example: The kids referred to the teacher’s pet as a toady.

• vilify (v.): to lower in importance, defame. Example: Stories after the scandal sought to vilify him.

• expedient (adj.): advisable, serving self-interest. Example: The governor made an expedient move by tabling the legislation.

• salutation (n.): a greeting. Example: Andrew regularly began letters with a bizarre salutation.

• transmute (v.): change form. Example: Alchemists believed they could transmute lead to gold.

• crescendo (n.): steady increase in intensity. Example: The crescendo of the instruments gave a patriotic feel.

• pathos (n.): emotion of sympathy. Example: Martha was filled with pathos upon finding the kitten.

• vestige (n.): mark or trace of something lost. Example: Is the tortilla a vestige of some form of Aztec bread?

• respite (n.): a break, rest. Example: Justin left to gain a respite from the noise.

• compliment (n.): expression of approval. Example: I blushed when she gave me a compliment.

• consonant (adj.): in harmony. Example: Their consonant voices were beautiful.

• procure (v.): to obtain, acquire. Example: The FBI was unable to procure sufficient evidence.

• arbitration (n.): act of resolving a dispute. Example: The employee sought official arbitration.

• pretense (n.): appearance intended to deceive. Example: He borrowed the car under the pretense of studying.

• deter (v.): to discourage, prevent. Example: Scaring him would not deter him from the quest.

• modicum (n.): small amount. Example: He refused to show even a modicum of sensitivity.

• wily (adj.): crafty, sly. Example: Kit and Kat were the most wily members.

• discretion (n.): reserve in speech, good judgment. Example: The doctor used discretion in how much to tell the patient.

• portent (n.): an omen. Example: The black cat was a portent of bad luck.

• restitution (n.): restoration to the owner. Example: People feel descendants should receive restitution.

• beguile (v.): to trick, deceive. Example: The thief beguiled his partners into giving up their money.

• vicarious (adj.): experiencing through another. Example: All of my friends learned through vicarious involvement in my experiences.

• clamor: 1. (n.): loud noise. 2. (v.): to loudly insist. Example: The fans clamored for him to appear.

• grandiloquence (n.): lofty, pompous language. Example: The student's grandiloquence did not sound smart.

• potentate (n.): one who has great power. Example: All observe as the potentate’s procession headed towards the capital.

• corpulence (adj.): extreme fatness. Example: Henry's corpulence did not make him less attractive to his wife.

• resilient (adj.): able to recover from misfortune. Example: The ballplayer was resilient and recovered quickly.

• anguish (n.): extreme sadness. Example: Angelos suffered terrible anguish when he learned Buffy had died.

• vociferous (adj.): loud, boisterous. Example: I’m tired of his vociferous whining.

• nominal (adj.): trifling, insignificant. Example: Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee.

• exacerbate (v.): make more violent. Example: The scary movie exacerbated my fears of the dark.

• hypocrisy (n.): pretending to believe what one does not. Example: His hypocrisy became apparent when he contradicted his promises.

• augment (v.): add to, expand. Example: He seeks to augment his knowledge by reading.

• blight: 1. (n.): a plague, disease. 2. (n.): something that destroys hope. Example: The potato blight destroyed the harvest.

• zephyr (n.): a gentle breeze. Example: If not for the zephyrs, our room would have been too hot.

• tacit (adj.): expressed without words. Example: Refusal to talk was interpreted as tacit acceptance.

• cobbler (n.): one who makes/repairs shoes. Example: I had the cobbler replace my worn leather soles.

• hallowed (adj.): revered, consecrated. Example: In the hallowed corridors of the cathedral, I felt at peace.

• dissonance (n.): lack of harmony or consistency. Example: There was a dissonance between her beliefs and actions.

• aspire (v.): to long for, aim toward. Example: The young poet aspires to publish a book.

• inane (adj.): silly and meaningless. Example: Some films are so inane the characters make no sense.

• consummate (v.): complete a deal/ceremony. Example: They consummated their agreement in the boardroom.

• quaint (adj.): charmingly old-fashioned. Example: She was delighted by the quaint bonnets.

• clemency (n.): mercy. Example: Martin could only beg Maria for clemency.

• dilatory (adj.): tending to delay. Example: The strategist's dilatory plan enabled the enemy to regroup.

• presumptuous (adj.): disrespectfully bold. Example: The presumptuous noble tried to kiss the princess.

• chide (v.): to voice disapproval. Example: Lucy chided Russell for his habits.

• laceration (n.): a cut, tear. Example: The paperboy’s skin was covered with lacerations.

• fetter (v.): to chain, restrain. Example: The dog was fettered to the parking meter.

• fickle (adj.): shifting character, inconstant. Example: The fickle gods help Achilles one day and harm him the next.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 401–500

• approbation (n.): praise. Example: The crowd welcomed the heroes with approbation.

• carp (v.): to annoy, pester. Example: The husband divorced his wife after listening to her carping voice.

• speculative (adj.): not based in fact. Example: Sadly, she was convicted on merely speculative evidence.

• catalyze (v.): to charge, inspire. Example: The speech catalyzed the nation and resuscitated the economy.

• renovate: 1. (v.): restore to original state. 2. (v.): make prettier/larger. Example: After getting renovated, the house was much more attractive.

• attribute: 1. (v.): credit, assign. 2. (n.): facet or trait. Example: Among the beetle's peculiar attributes is its thorny eyes.

• disparage (v.): criticize or speak ill of. Example: The saleswoman disparaged the competitor's products.

• iridescent (adj.): showing rainbow colors. Example: The diamond ring was iridescent in the sun.

• canny (adj.): shrewd, careful. Example: The canny runner hung at the back of the pack.

• debase (v.): lower the quality or esteem of something. Example: The raise he gave himself debased his motives for running the charity.

• epistolary (adj.): relating to or contained in letters. Example: My aunt and I have a close epistolary relationship.

• allege (v.): to assert (without proof). Example: The policeman alleged that Marshall committed the crime.

• ennui (n.): boredom, weariness. Example: I feel such ennui that I don’t even look forward to my birthday.

• refurbish (v.): to restore, clean up. Example: The old chair commanded a high price after being refurbished.

• aggrandize (v.): increase or make greater. Example: He aggrandized his personal stature by dropping famous names.

• truncate (v.): to shorten by cutting off. Example: The jockey truncated the long speech he had planned.

• bashful (adj.): shy, excessively timid. Example: Frankie told him not to be bashful about the party.

• revoke (v.): to take back. Example: His freedom of movement was revoked.

• strident (adj.): harsh, loud. Example: A strident man, he yelled at his daughter.

• capitulate (v.): to surrender. Example: The army finally capitulated after a long battle.

• maverick (n.): an independent, nonconformist person. Example: Andreas is a real maverick.

• recalcitrant (adj.): defiant, unapologetic. Example: Even when scolded, the recalcitrant girl refused to finish her beans.

• hiatus (n.): a break or gap in duration. Example: The hiatus in service should last two or three months.

• stoic (adj.): unaffected by passion or feeling. Example: Her faithfulness required her to be stoic.

• vindicate (v.): to avenge; free from allegation. Example: The attorney had no chance of vindicating the defendant.

• iniquity (n.): wickedness, sin. Example: ‖Your iniquity,‖ said the priest, ‖will be forgiven.‖

• carouse (v.): to party, celebrate. Example: We caroused all night after getting married.

• construe (v.): to interpret. Example: He construed her throwing clothes out the window as a signal to leave.

• wanton (adj.): undisciplined, lewd. Example: Her wanton demeanor made the guys excited.

• impinge: 1. (v.): impact, make impression. 2. (v.): encroach, infringe. Example: The hail impinged the roof.

• rancor (n.): deep resented bitterness. Example: I could see the rancor in her eyes.

• caustic (adj.): bitter, biting, acidic. Example: The politicians exchanged caustic insults.

• ornate (adj.): highly elaborate, decorated. Example: The ornate styling could not compensate for the quality.

• prescient (adj.): have foreknowledge of events. Example: Ray went in search of the hermit who was rumored to be prescient.

• diaphanous (adj.): light, airy, transparent. Example: Sunlight poured in through the diaphanous curtains.

• compress (v.): apply pressure, squeeze together. Example: Lynn compressed her lips into a frown.

• timorous (adj.): timid, fearful. Example: Tallulah always broke into tears when dealing with the unknown.

• aloof (adj.): reserved, distant. Example: The scientist could sometimes seem aloof.

• enfranchise (v.): to grant the vote to. Example: The Nineteenth Amendment enfranchised women.

• noisome (adj.): unpleasant, offensive (usually smell). Example: Nobody would enter until the noisome leavings were taken away.

• dissuade (v.): to persuade someone not to do something. Example: She tried to dissuade him from going out on winter nights.

• infamy (n.): notoriety, extreme ill repute. Example: The infamy of his crime will not lessen.

• rebuke (v.): to scold, criticize. Example: The cops rebuked her for disturbing the peace.

• sedentary (adj.): sitting, settled. Example: The sedentary cat did little but loll in the sun.

• rife (adj.): abundant. Example: The novelist's writing was rife with spelling errors.

• cadence (n.): rhythm, progression of sound. Example: The pianist emphasized the cadence of the sonata.

• disdain: 1. (v.): to scorn. 2. (n.): low esteem. Example: She held Lawrence in disdain after learning of his actions.

• ambiguous (adj.): uncertain, variably interpretable. Example: His actual reasons for marrying were ambiguous.

• tremulous (adj.): fearful. Example: I feel tremulous when walking through a graveyard.

• ambivalent (adj.): having opposing feelings. Example: My feelings are ambivalent; he is a loyal friend but a cruel thief.

• parsimony (n.): frugality, stinginess. Example: Many believed her wealth resulted from her parsimony.

• brazen (adj.): excessively bold, brash. Example: Critics condemned her brazen attempt to plagiarize.

• relegate: 1. (v.): assign to proper place. 2. (v.): assign to inferior place. Example: The waiter was relegated to the least lucrative shift.

• ostentatious (adj.): showy, glitzy. Example: The tour focused on the ostentatious decorations.

• confection (n.): a sweet food. Example: We purchased a delicious confection from the court.

• confidant (n.): person entrusted with secrets. Example: She became my chief confidant.

• conflagration (n.): great fire. Example: The conflagration consumed the building.

• confluence (n.): a gathering together. Example: A confluence of factors made it the perfect night.

• stagnate (v.): become/remain inactive. Example: Without advancement, the waiter's career stagnated.

• compelling (adj.): forceful, demanding attention. Example: The speech was so compelling she accepted the proposal.

• magnanimous (adj.): noble, generous. Example: She was magnanimous enough to continue letting me use her dishes.

• conciliatory (adj.): friendly, agreeable. Example: I took the invitation as a conciliatory gesture.

• condolence (n.): expression of sympathy in sorrow. Example: Brian offered his condolences on the loss of the cat.

• unctuous (adj.): greasy, smooth in appearance. Example: The unctuous receptionist seemed untrustworthy.

• elaborate (adj.): complex, detailed, intricate. Example: He develops such an elaborate game plan.

• defer (v.): to postpone; yield to wisdom. Example: Ron deferred to Diane concerning musical instruments.

• hegemony (n.): domination over others. Example: Britain's hegemony over its colonies was threatened.

• expunge (v.): to obliterate, eradicate. Example: Paul tried to expunge the incriminating evidence.

• ethereal (adj.): heavenly, exceptionally delicate. Example: In her silk gown, she looked ethereal.

• eclectic (adj.): consisting of diverse elements. Example: The bar attracts an eclectic crowd.

• palliate (v.): to reduce the severity of. Example: The doctor hoped the medication would palliate the discomfort.

• debacle (n.): a disastrous failure, disruption. Example: The fireworks show turned into a debacle.

• wrath (n.): vengeful anger, punishment. Example: You don't want to incur her wrath.

• sagacity (n.): shrewdness, soundness of perspective. Example: With sagacity, the old man predicted the plan.

• multifarious (adj.): having great diversity. Example: The knife has multifarious functions.

• preclude (v.): to prevent. Example: The guard dog precluded anyone from entering.

• apprehend: 1. (v.): seize, arrest. 2. (v.): perceive, understand. Example: The criminal was apprehended at the scene.

• capacious (adj.): very spacious. Example: The workers delighted in their new capacious office.

• concomitant (adj.): accompanying in a subordinate fashion. Example: His dislike of work carried a concomitant lack of funds.

• lavish: 1. (adj.): given without limits. 2. (v.): to give without limits. Example: The performer appreciated the lavish praise.

• plethora (n.): an abundance. Example: The banquet included a plethora of oysters.

• legerdemain (n.): deception, slight-of-hand. Example: Claiming the plants were fake was a bit of legerdemain.

• nebulous (adj.): vaguely defined, cloudy. Example: Who was in charge was a nebulous matter.

• solvent: 1. (n.): substance that dissolves others. 2. (adj.): able to pay debts. Example: Upon receiving the check, she found herself solvent.

• nascent (adj.): in the process of coming into existence. Example: My paper was in its nascent form on the due morning.

• ameliorate (v.): to improve. Example: The situation was ameliorated when Sam proposed a solution.

• impassive (adj.): stoic, not susceptible to suffering. Example: Stop being so impassive; cry if you need to.

• anathema (n.): a cursed person. Example: He is an anathema to me.

• dialect (n.): variation of a language. Example: In remote regions, they spoke a dialect.

• exhort (v.): to urge, prod. Example: Henry exhorted his colleagues to join the protest.

• primeval (adj.): original, ancient. Example: Primeval ancestors of modern man were studied.

• garrulous (adj.): talkative, wordy. Example: Some talk show hosts are so garrulous guests can't speak.

• pervasive (adj.): tendency to spread throughout. Example: I recognized the pervasive odor of cigar smoke.

• arbitrary (adj.): based on seemingly random factors. Example: The decision to choose one college over another was arbitrary.

• culmination (n.): the climax of a progression. Example: The culmination of the argument was a divorce.

• garish (adj.): gaudy, in bad taste. Example: She covers her home in garish gold lam
  .

• odious (adj.): instilling hatred. Example: Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the litter box.

• officious (adj.): offering unwanted services. Example: Brenda resented his officious behavior.

• fortitious (adj.): happening by chance, lucky. Example: Having a fortuitous encounter with him at the post office helped.

• deft (adj.): skillful, capable. Example: Marcus was a deft bread maker.

• trepidation (n.): fear, apprehension. Example: Feeling great trepidation, she refused to jump in the pool.

• antiquated (adj.): old, out of date. Example: That antiquated car has no modern features.

• fervent (adj.): ardent, passionate. Example: Fervent protestors chained themselves to the building.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 501–600

• knell (n.): solemn bell sound indicating death. Example: The funeral knell made the day even more grim.

• replete (adj.): full, abundant. Example: The unedited version was replete with naughty words.

• ruse (n.): a trick. Example: Oliver concocted an elaborate ruse for sneaking out.

• reprehensible (adj.): deserving rebuke. Example: Her reprehensible attempt to dump her boyfriend led to tears.

• beseech (v.): to beg, plead. Example: The servant beseeched the king for food.

• maxim (n.): common saying of principle. Example: Manners’s etiquette maxims are both entertaining and instructional.

• terrestrial (adj.): relating to the land. Example: Elephants are terrestrial animals.

• assess (v.): to evaluate. Example: A crew arrived to assess the damage.

• convention: 1. (n.): assembly. 2. (n.): rule, custom. Example: The ranchers have a convention of taking off boots before entering.

• sensual (adj.): involving sensory gratification. Example: The guest announced himself as a sensual person.

• irascible (adj.): easily angered. Example: At the smallest provocation, my irascible cat scratches.

• diminutive (adj.): small or miniature. Example: The tall bullies picked on the diminutive child.

• cleave: 1. (v.): divide into parts. 2. (v.): stick together firmly. Example: The political party cleaved into factions.

• fathom (v.): to understand. Example: I cannot fathom why you like that neighbor.

• espouse (v.): take up as a cause, support. Example: I love animals so much I espouse animal rights.

• proclivity (n.): strong inclination. Example: Harold's childhood proclivity grew into a desire to become a surgeon.

• elucidate (v.): to clarify, explain. Example: I asked Janine to elucidate her feelings.

• iconoclast (n.): one who attacks common beliefs. Example: Jane is an iconoclast rather than an activist.

• cupidity (n.): greed, strong desire. Example: His cupidity made him enter the abandoned mine.

• semaphore (n.): visual signal. Example: Anne and Diana communicated with a semaphore involving candles.

• tedious (adj.): dull, boring. Example: The history professor's lecture became increasingly tedious.

• reprove (v.): to scold, rebuke. Example: Lara reproved her son for touching the pie.

• coup: 1. (n.): brilliant unexpected act. 2. (n.): overthrow of government. Example: Alexander pulled off an amazing coup when he got a date with Cynthia.

• allocate (v.): to distribute, set aside. Example: The Mayor allocated 30 percent of funds for schools.

• punctilious (adj.): eager to follow rules. Example: Punctilious Bobby insisted that his peers follow the rules.

• defamatory (adj.): harmful toward reputation. Example: Defamatory gossip made the public less willing to see the movie.

• combustion (n.): act of burning. Example: Unexpected combustion of the evidence forced the judge to dismiss the case.

• dispel (v.): to drive away. Example: She entered the office, dispelling the rumor she was fired.

• affable (adj.): friendly, amiable. Example: People like around George because he is affable.

• affinity (n.): spontaneous feeling of closeness. Example: He felt an incredible affinity for Kramer the first time they met.

• affluent (adj.): rich, wealthy. Example: Mrs. Grebelski was affluent, owning a house and three cars.

• duplicity (n.): crafty dishonesty. Example: His duplicity involved convincing employees to lower their salaries while he stole the money.

• penitent (adj.): remorseful, regretful. Example: The jury might have been more lenient if the criminal appeared penitent.

• audible (adj.): able to be heard. Example: The missing person's shouts were not audible.

• intrepid (adj.): brave in the face of danger. Example: After scaling the volcano, the explorer was praised for his intrepid attitude.

• tranquil (adj.): calm. Example: There is a time of night when everything is tranquil.

• didactic: 1. (adj.): intended to instruct. 2. (adj.): overly moralistic. Example: She wrote up a didactic document for handling customers.

• diffident (adj.): shy, quiet, modest. Example: The diffident youth did not speak for fear of seeming presumptuous.

• bane (n.): a burden. Example: Advanced physics is the bane of many student lives.

• bourgeois (n.): middle-class person. Example: Many businessmen receive criticism for their bourgeois approach.

• penultimate (adj.): next to last. Example: Having smoked the penultimate cigarette, she resolved to quit.

• bilk (v.): cheat, defraud. Example: The firm bilked several clients out of thousands.

• exculpate (v.): free from guilt/blame. Example: The discovery of the ring exculpated me.

• nadir (n.): the lowest point. Example: The nadir of my day was when I spilled spaghetti on my head.

• arcane (adj.): obscure, secret. Example: The professor is an expert in arcane literature.

• medley (n.): mixture of differing things. Example: Her wardrobe contained an astonishing medley of colors.

• promulgate (v.): to proclaim, make known. Example: The professor promulgated his theory to the students.

• inarticulate (adj.): incapable of expressing self clearly. Example: The lecturer was completely inarticulate.

• larceny (n.): obtaining property by theft. Example: When my car was missing, I was a victim of larceny.

• compensate (v.): make payment for something. Example: He bought her a dress to compensate for the one he ruined.

• injunction (n.): order of official warning. Example: The mayor issued an injunction against buying toilet paper.

• plenitude (n.): an abundance. Example: I was overwhelmed by the plenitude of tomatoes.

• gluttony (n.): overindulgence in food. Example: How can someone call fried chicken gluttony a sin?

• nurture (v.): assist development of. Example: Javier was able to nurture the plant back to life.

• erudite (adj.): learned. Example: My Latin teacher is an erudite scholar.

• disclose (v.): to reveal. Example: The CEO disclosed that the company would fire employees.

• discomfit (v.): to thwart, baffle. Example: The sudden misery of the children discomfited the teacher.

• chastise (v.): to criticize severely. Example: After being chastised for mimicking, she changed her style.

• aisle (n.): passageway between rows. Example: We walked down the aisle to our seats.

• soluble (adj.): able to dissolve. Example: The plot revolved around a water-soluble poison.

• partisan (n.): a follower, adherent. Example: The king did not believe the rival could round up enough partisans.

• debunk (v.): to expose falseness. Example: He debunked her claim by defeating her in matches.

• amicable (adj.): friendly. Example: They got divorced amicably.

• sovereign (adj.): having absolute authority. Example: The sovereign queen ordered the traitor killed.

• upbraid (v.): to criticize severely. Example: She did not want Lisa to upbraid her regarding the rent.

• collusion (n.): secret agreement, conspiracy. Example: Three students worked in collusion to steal the exam.

• pejorative (adj.): derogatory, uncomplimentary. Example: The scandal was caused by a pejorative statement.

• blandish (v.): coax by flattery. Example: Her assistant tried to blandish her into accepting the deal.

• parody (n.): satirical imitation. Example: The teacher found the student acting out a parody of his style.

• pragmatic (adj.): practical. Example: Increased security was a pragmatic necessity.

• luminous (adj.): brightly shining. Example: The luminous moon graced the maiden's shoulders.

• impecunious (adj.): poor. Example: The girl complained that he was too impecunious for a date.

• vituperate (v.): to berate. Example: Jack ran away to avoid being vituperated.

• resplendent (adj.): shiny, glowing. Example: The partygoers were resplendent in diamonds.

• congeal (v.): thicken into solid. Example: The sauce congealed into a thick paste.

• assuage (v.): to ease, pacify. Example: The mother held the baby to assuage its fears.

• lucid (adj.): clear, understandable. Example: Her essay was so lucid I only read it once.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 601–700

• delegate (v.): hand over responsibility. Example: The dean delegated the task to a committee.

• reprieve (n.): temporary delay of punishment. Example: The governor granted hundreds of reprieves.

• indefatigable (adj.): incapable of defeat. Example: The runner was indefatigable after 62 miles.

• venerate (v.): regard with respect. Example: The tribute sought to venerate his music.

• utopia (n.): imaginary place of perfection. Example: Everyone wants a utopia.

• heterogeneous (adj.): varied, diverse. Example: I buy the swirled type of ice cream because it's heterogeneous.

• vocation (n.): professional work. Example: She devoted herself to a new vocation: social work.

• tractable (adj.): easily controlled. Example: The horse was so tractable Myra didn't need a bridle.

• amorous (adj.): showing love/sexual love. Example: Albert felt amorous whenever he saw the red dress.

• daunting (adj.): intimidating. Example: He delayed the daunting act of asking for a promotion.

• agnostic (adj.): believing God is unproven. Example: Joey's parents are religious, but he is agnostic.

• embezzle (v.): steal money from records. Example: The accountant was fired for embezzling $10,000.

• nondescript (adj.): lacking distinctive character. Example: The movie star looked nondescript in person.

• conduit (n.): pipe/channel. Example: Water flowed through the conduit.

• arid (adj.): excessively dry. Example: Cacti grow successfully in arid environments.

• dour (adj.): stern, joyless. Example: Children feared their dour neighbor.

• latent (adj.): hidden but capable of being exposed. Example: Dreams represent latent paranoia.

• disperse (v.): to scatter. Example: The crowd dispersed when it rained.

• demarcation (n.): marking boundaries. Example: Cultures have different demarcations of good and evil.

• epitome (n.): perfect example. Example: My mother is the epitome of good taste.

• contrite (adj.): penitent, eager for forgiveness. Example: Blake's contrite behavior made it impossible to stay angry.

• intractable (adj.): difficult to manipulate. Example: There was no end in sight to the intractable conflict.

• largess (n.): generous gift-giving. Example: My boss demonstrated great largess with a new car.

• propensity (n.): inclination, preference. Example: Dermit has a propensity for bungee jumping.

• remedial (adj.): intended to repair knowledge gaps. Example: Alex enrolled in remedial English.

• laconic (adj.): terse in speech. Example: His laconic style won him many followers.

• brusque (adj.): short, abrupt, dismissive. Example: The captain's brusque manner offended many.

• stolid (adj.): unemotional. Example: Charles’s stolid reaction to the funeral was surprising.

• precocious (adj.): advanced for age. Example: Derek was academically precocious.

• morose (adj.): gloomy or sullen. Example: Jason's morose nature made him unpleasant.

• variegated (adj.): diversified, distinctly marked. Example: Each wire was variegated by color.

• ostensible (adj.): appearing as such. Example: His ostensible reason for driving was the cost of flights.

• incessant (adj.): unending. Example: The incessant rain kept us indoors.

• sensuous (adj.): involving sensory gratification. Example: Drinking Coke was a sensuous experience.

• reclusive (adj.): solitary, shunning society. Example: Reclusive authors do not relish attention.

• negligent (adj.): habitually careless. Example: I was called a negligent fool for leaving the door unlocked.

• distend (v.): to swell out. Example: Beer caused his stomach to distend.

• dispatch (v.): send off for a duty. Example: He dispatched his assistant to fetch wood.

• vitriolic (adj.): having a caustic quality. Example: She spews vitriolic insults when angry.

• repose (v.): to rest, lie down. Example: The cat reposed in the sun.

• ascetic (adj.): practicing discipline, usually religious. Example: The priest lives an ascetic life.

• cacophony (n.): tremendous disharmonious noise. Example: The elementary orchestra created a cacophony.

• agriculture (n.): farming. Example: Developing agriculture was a huge step for civilization.

• appropriate (v.): to take, make use of. Example: The government appropriated the land without justification.

• sublime (adj.): lofty, grand, exalted. Example: He pondered his once sublime existence.

• scurrilous (adj.): vulgar, coarse. Example: He could not believe the scurrilous accusation.

• verbose (adj.): wordy. Example: It took the verbose teacher two hours to explain the topic.

• tantamount (adj.): equivalent in significance. Example: Fearing your opponent is tantamount to losing.

• candor (n.): honesty, frankness. Example: We were surprised by the candor of the speech.

• elegy (n.): speech in honor of the dead. Example: The widow gave a moving elegy.

• anesthesia (n.): loss of sensation. Example: He suffered anesthesia in his legs after the injury.

• juxtaposition (n.): placing things together for comparison. Example: The designer admired the juxtaposition of the couch and table.

• anachronistic (adj.): out of chronological order. Example: Putting pyramids after the Titanic is anachronistic.

• astute (adj.): very clever, crafty. Example: Much of his success results from astute answers.

• contentious (adj.): tendency to quarrel. Example: George's contentious personality made him unpopular.

• culpable (adj.): deserving blame. Example: He was culpable of the crime and sentenced.

• extol (v.): to praise, revere. Example: Violet extolled the virtues of a vegetarian diet.

• fetid (adj.): having a foul odor. Example: The fetid smell in the fridge indicated spoiled milk.

• manifold (adj.): diverse, varied. Example: The work allows for manifold interpretations.

• vacillate (v.): to fluctuate, hesitate. Example: My boss kept vacillating between distinct options.

• blemish (n.): an imperfection. Example: The dealer lowered the price because of the blemishes.

• collateral: 1. (adj.): secondary. 2. (n.): debt security. Example: Jacob left his watch as collateral for the loan.

• impeccable (adj.): exemplary, flawless. Example: If your grades were as impeccable as your sister's, you'd get a car.

• exorbitant (adj.): excessive. Example: Her exorbitant praise made me squirm.

• mores (n.): moral attitudes/fixed customs. Example: Mores change over time; what was tolerated in 1975 is not today.

• dissemble (v.): to conceal, fake. Example: She dissembled her intentions to sell the collection.

• indolent (adj.): lazy. Example: Why reward my indolent children?

• succinct (adj.): marked by compact precision. Example: The governor's succinct speech energized the crowd.

• superfluous (adj.): exceeding what is necessary. Example: Her flattery of others was superfluous.

• divisive (adj.): causing dissent. Example: Her divisive tactics turned friends against each other.

• laudatory (adj.): expressing admiration. Example: Such laudatory comments are unusual from him.

• archaic (adj.): of an earlier period. Example: An archaic dialect is still spoken in Mongolian regions.

• rash (adj.): hasty, incautious. Example: It is best to think thoroughly rather than make rash decisions.

• immutable (adj.): not changeable. Example: Laws of physics are immutable.

• umbrage (n.): resentment, offense. Example: I took umbrage at the insult.

• sacrosanct (adj.): holy, not to be criticized. Example: The Constitution is thought of as a sacrosanct document.

• fabricate (v.): to make up. Example: I fabricated an excuse for being late.

• incontrovertible (adj.): indisputable. Example: Tina attempted to disprove incontrovertible laws.

• atrophy (v.): to wither away. Example: Muscles will atrophy if they do not receive blood.

• salient (adj.): significant, conspicuous. Example: One salient difference is her height.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 701–800

• frugal (adj.): thrifty, economical. Example: Richard is so frugal his diet consists only of cheap catfish.

• novice (n.): beginner without training. Example: Since we were all novices, we began with basics.

• kudos (n.): praise for achievement. Example: Reviewers gave the singer kudos.

• docile (adj.): easily taught or trained. Example: She taught the docile puppy tricks.

• subjugate (v.): bring under control. Example: The force subjugated the natives.

• altercation (n.): a dispute, fight. Example: The blame shifted between them, leading to an altercation.

• scrupulous (adj.): painstaking, careful. Example: Sam cut the snowflake with scrupulous care.

• insatiable (adj.): incapable of being satisfied. Example: My insatiable appetite for melons is a winter problem.

• amiable (adj.): friendly. Example: Harry got along with about everyone.

• cultivate (v.): nurture, improve. Example: She cultivated her interest in novels at the library.

• alias (n.): a false name. Example: He snuck past guardians using an alias.

• immerse (v.): to absorb, deeply involve. Example: Nancy immersed herself in her work.

• redoubtable: 1. (adj.): formidable. 2. (adj.): commanding respect. Example: The fortress looked redoubtable.

• convoluted (adj.): intricate, complicated. Example: Grace's story was too convoluted to follow.

• comprehensive (adj.): including everything. Example: She sent me a comprehensive list of ingredients.

• mutable (adj.): able to change. Example: Fashion is so mutable what is trendy today won't be tomorrow.

• paradigm (n.): perfect pattern/example. Example: The SUV became the paradigm for others.

• assail (v.): to attack. Example: At dawn, planes assailed the boats.

• enervate (v.): to weaken, exhaust. Example: Writing sentences enervates me.

• turgid (adj.): swollen, excessively embellished. Example: The writer did not realize we hated his turgid prose.

• plausible (adj.): believable, reasonable. Example: He came up with a plausible theory.

• conundrum (n.): puzzle, problem. Example: Interpreting her behavior was a conundrum.

• potable (adj.): suitable for drinking. Example: Ships must carry potable water.

• alacrity (n.): eagerness, speed. Example: He set the table with alacrity.

• complacency (n.): self-satisfied ignorance. Example: He tried to shock friends out of their complacency.

• surrogate (n.): acting in place of another. Example: The surrogate carried the child to term.

• cognizant (adj.): aware, mindful. Example: He was cognizant that drinking impairs judgment.

• cloying (adj.): sickeningly sweet. Example: She found his constant compliments cloying.

• berate (v.): to scold vehemently. Example: The boss berated employees for missing the deadline.

• recapitulate (v.): sum up, repeat. Example: The teacher recapitulated the semester's material.

• antithesis (n.): absolute opposite. Example: Your values are the antithesis of mine.

• arable (adj.): suitable for growth. Example: The farmer purchased arable land for corn.

• increment (n.): enlargment, increase. Example: The workmen built the wall longer, increment by increment.

• rapport (n.): mutual understanding/harmony. Example: They felt an instant rapport when they met.

• encore (n.): demand for repeat performance. Example: Fans yelled for an encore.

• calibrate (v.): to set, standardize. Example: The mechanic calibrated the car transmission.

• audacious (adj.): excessively bold. Example: The fan made an audacious attempt to offer a bribe.

• effulgent (adj.): radiant, splendorous. Example: The palace was effulgent.

• antecedent (n.): something that came before. Example: Tradition had its antecedent in Ancient Greece culture.

• gourmand (n.): someone fond of eating/drinking. Example: My parents have become real gourmands in old age.

• refract (v.): to distort, change. Example: Light was refracted through the prism.

• cumulative (adj.): building upon itself. Example: The cumulative effect of the sun was a deep tan.

• turpitude (n.): depravity, moral corruption. Example: His chivalry contrasted with his turpitude at the tavern.

• taciturn (adj.): not inclined to talk. Example: Her brother is quite taciturn.

• compliant (adj.): ready to adapt to wishes. Example: Ted was absolutely compliant with what to do.

• obsolete (adj.): no longer used. Example: Eight-track players are now entirely obsolete.

• inundate (v.): to flood with abundance. Example: Fans are sure to inundate the star with mail.

• seminal (adj.): original, important, creating a field. Example: Stephen Greenblatt's essays proved to be seminal.

• predilection (n.): preference for something. Example: Francois has a predilection for eggs with ketchup.

• serene (adj.): calm, untroubled. Example: Louise puzzled over the woman's serene smile.

• annex: 1. (v.): incorporate territory. 2. (n.): attached room. Example: After the battle, the Russians annexed Poland.

• stingy (adj.): not generous. Example: Scrooge's stingy habits did not fit with the spirit.

• regurgitate: 1. (v.): vomit. 2. (v.): throw back exactly. Example: Chuck regurgitated his dinner.

• nocturnal (adj.): relating to night. Example: Jackie was a nocturnal person; she studied until dawn.

• philanthropic (adj.): charitable, giving. Example: Donating a fortune to house the homeless was a philanthropic act.

• disgruntled (adj.): upset, content. Example: The grounded child remained disgruntled for a week.

• reputable (adj.): of good reputation. Example: After the review, sales of the novel took off.

• copious (adj.): profuse, abundant. Example: Copious amounts of Snapple were imbibed.

• forlorn (adj.): lonely, abandoned. Example: My family left me home feeling feverish and forlorn.

• licentious (adj.): lacking moral restraints. Example: Marilee is fascinated by the licentious private lives of politicians.

• cosmopolitan (adj.): sophisticated, worldly. Example: Lloyd's upbringing was cosmopolitan.

• asylum: 1. (n.): sanctuary. 2. (n.): institution for the insane. Example: The forest served as an asylum.

• embellish: 1. (v.): decorate. 2. (v.): enhance. Example: My mom embellished the room with curtains.

• captivate (v.): get/hold attention. Example: The fireworks captivated the boy.

• linchpin (n.): something that holds parts together. Example: The hair from the defendant was the linchpin of the case.

• phlegmatic (adj.): uninterested, unresponsive. Example: Monique feared the dog's phlegmatic response.

• deprecate (v.): to belittle, depreciate. Example: He deprecated his contribution to the charity.

• protean (adj.): able to change shape/variety. Example: Among his protean talents was touching his nose with his tongue.

• salve (n.): soothing balm. Example: He applied a salve to the sunburn.

• archetypal (adj.): most representative example. Example: Washington was the archetypal politician.

• balk (v.): to stop/block abruptly. Example: The boss balked at the request for a raise.

• dissipate: 1. (v.): disappear. 2. (v.): waste. Example: The sun dissipated the haze.

• reproach (v.): to scold, disapprove. Example: Brian reproached the customer regarding the video.

• puerile (adj.): juvenile, immature. Example: The lawyer made a puerile attempt to object.

• oblivious (adj.): lacking awareness. Example: My father was oblivious to the burning smell.

• condone (v.): pardon, deliberately overlook. Example: He refused to condone his brother's crime.

• delineate (v.): describe, outline. Example: She delineated her reasons for canceling.

• nonchalant (adj.): lack of concern. Example: Marsha acted in a nonchalant manner despite her anger.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 801–900

• nomadic (adj.): wandering from place to place. Example: Jose led a nomadic life after college.

• malleable (adj.): capable of being shaped. Example: His political opinions were so malleable that anyone could change them.

• eloquent (adj.): expressive, articulate. Example: The priest gave an eloquent sermon.

• enamor (v.): fill with love, fascinate. Example: I grew enamored of that boy when he quoted poetry.

• commensurate (adj.): corresponding in size. Example: He prepared a sandwich commensurate with his appetite.

• solipsistic (adj.): believing oneself is all that exists. Example: Her solipsistic attitude ignored the plight of the homeless.

• verdant (adj.): green in tint. Example: The trees looked emerald and verdant.

• quotidian (adj.): daily. Example: Her quotidian routines include two cups of coffee.

• exonerate (v.): free from guilt, exculpate. Example: The confession exonerated the man.

• apathetic (adj.): lacking concern, emotion. Example: Bruno was apathetic about the new regime.

• meager (adj.): deficient in size or quality. Example: The meager portion did not satisfy him.

• noxious (adj.): harmful, unwholesome. Example: Noxious weeds were destroying habitats.

• somnolent (adj.): sleepy, drowsy. Example: The somnolent student kept falling asleep.

• dubious (adj.): doubtful, uncertain. Example: She found his praise dubious since he wanted a raise.

• renown (n.): honor, acclaim. Example: The writer earned international renown.

• anonymous (adj.): unknown, unrecognized. Example: Mary received a poem from an anonymous admirer.

• prescribe (v.): lay down a rule. Example: The duke prescribed higher taxes for the peasants.

• retract (v.): withdraw. Example: The publicist hurriedly retracted the statement.

• oblique (adj.): diverging from a straight line. Example: Martin's oblique language confused listeners.

• mercurial (adj.): characterized by rapid change. Example: The mercurial genius was impossible to live with.

• callous (adj.): harsh, cold, unfeeling. Example: The murderer's callous lack of remorse shocked the jury.

• emote (v.): to express emotion. Example: The director told the actor he had to emote.

• zealous (adj.): fervent, eager pursuit. Example: He was very zealous about his promotion.

• eminent: 1. (adj.): distinguished, famous. 2. (adj.): conspicuous. Example: Mr. Phillips is an eminent scholar.

• ingenuous (adj.): not devious, innocent. Example: His speeches seem ingenuous and from the heart.

• saccharine (adj.): sickeningly sweet. Example: Tom's saccharine manner actually repelled classmates.

• deride (v.): laugh at mockingly. Example: Bullies derided the student's accent.

• quell (v.): control potentially explosive situation. Example: The leader deftly quelled the rebellion.

• neophyte (n.): young or inexperienced. Example: As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher.

• cajole (v.): urge, coax. Example: Friends cajoled him into the bachelor party.

• consecrate (v.): dedicate to holy purpose. Example: Arvin consecrated the bedroom as a shrine.

• restive (adj.): resistant, stubborn. Example: The restive audience pelted the band with mud.

• evanescent (adj.): fleeting, momentary. Example: My joy was evanescent when I realized the long hours.

• deplore (v.): feel sorrow/disapproval. Example: We all deplored the working conditions.

• propriety (n.): quality of being proper. Example: Parents believed the mini-skirt lacked propriety.

• boisterous (adj.): loud and full of energy. Example: The candidate gave several boisterous speeches.

• pernicious (adj.): extremely destructive. Example: The new government feared the pernicious influence.

• obstreperous (adj.): noisy, unruly. Example: Billy's obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave.

• interlocutor (n.): participant in dialogue. Example: The prime minister acted as an interlocutor.

• circumspect (adj.): cautious. Example: It would have been circumspect not to specify a time.

• imperious (adj.): commanding, domineering. Example: Her imperious nature led me to dislike her.

• aggregate: 1. (n.): whole or total. 2. (v.): gather into a mass. Example: The three branches form an aggregate.

• ineffable (adj.): unspeakable, incapable of word expression. Example: The experience was ineffable.

• servile (adj.): subservient. Example: The servile porter bowed before guests.

• remiss (adj.): negligent, failing care. Example: The guard was remiss in his duties.

• curtail (v.): to lessen, reduce. Example: He had to curtail his spending after losing the job.

• calumny (n.): attempt to spoil reputation with lies. Example: The calumny ended up ruining the election prospects.

• liability: 1. (n.): legally responsible thing. 2. (n.): handicap, burden. Example: The tower was a liability for the carnival.

• quandary (n.): perplexed state. Example: Carlos found himself in a quandary over the flavors.

• congregation (n.): people gathering (religious). Example: The priest spoke to his congregation.

• dearth (n.): lack, scarcity. Example: She was dismayed by the dearth of classic books.

• undulate (v.): move in waves. Example: The placid ocean began to undulate.

• catalog: 1. (v.): to list. 2. (n.): collection. Example: The judge cataloged the injuries.

• exalt (v.): to glorify, praise. Example: Michael Jordan is the figure we exalt.

• enthrall (v.): charm, hold spellbound. Example: Stories of sharks enthralled the son.

• sophomoric (adj.): immature, uninformed. Example: The senior rolled her eyes at the sophomoric humor.

• surfeit (n.): overabundant supply. Example: Beth felt sick after partaking in the surfeit of tacos.

• palette (adj.): range of colors/qualities. Example: The palette of colors used was equal to the range of emotions.

• haughty (adj.): disdainfully proud. Example: Her haughty dismissal will backfire.

• innovate (v.): do something unprecedented. Example: The company knew it needed to innovate.

• obsequious (adj.): excessively compliant. Example: Mark obeyed in an obsequious manner.

• implicit (adj.): understood but not obvious. Example: The message was implicit in her instruction.

• anxiety (n.): intense uneasiness. Example: He felt anxiety when he heard about the crash.

• credulity (n.): readiness to believe. Example: His credulity made him a target for con men.

• apocryphal (adj.): fictitious, false. Example: The stories of my demise were apocryphal.

• feral (adj.): wild, savage. Example: That beast looks feral.

• propitious (adj.): favorable. Example: The clouds suggested the weather was not propitious for sailing.

• entail (v.): to include as necessary step. Example: Building a fence entails tearing down the old one.

• curt (adj.): abruptly rudely short. Example: Her curt reply meant she was upset.

• ebullient (adj.): lively, enthusiastic. Example: She became ebullient upon being accepted.

• concise (adj.): brief and direct. Example: His instructions were nothing if not concise.

• serendipity (n.): luck, finding good things. Example: Paula found $20 in an act of serendipity.

• malediction (n.): a curse. Example: He screamed maledictions against the police.

• frivolous (adj.): of little importance. Example: Anxiety about a zit will seem frivolous someday.

• harangue: 1. (n.): ranting speech. 2. (v.): give such speech. Example: Everyone heard the teacher's harangue about gum.

• elated (adj.): overjoyed, thrilled. Example: When she won the lottery, she was elated.

• forsake (v.): give up, renounce. Example: My resolution is to forsake drinking.

• deliberate (adj.): intentional. Example: Her actions to resolve the dispute were deliberate.

• consensus (n.): agreement of opinion. Example: The jury reached a consensus.

• languid (adj.): sluggish from fatigue. Example: The heat made everyone languid.

• expurgate (v.): remove offensive parts. Example: Editors expurgated disparaging comments from the text.

• meticulous (adj.): extremely careful with details. Example: The needlework was a product of meticulous handiwork.

• querulous (adj.): whiny, complaining. Example: If deprived of his pacifier, he becomes querulous.

• tenuous (adj.): little substance/strength. Example: Your argument is tenuous and relies on hearsay.

• disparate (adj.): sharply differing. Example: The students had disparate responses.

• trite (adj.): not original, overused. Example: His observations were trite and similar to talk shows.

• pariah (n.): an outcast. Example: Professor Hurley was made a pariah.

• bequeath (v.): pass on, give. Example: Jon's father bequeathed his estate.

• despot (n.): powerful brutal ruler. Example: The despot issued a death sentence for disobedience.

• fecund (adj.): fruitful, fertile. Example: The fecund tree bore enough apples.

• decry (v.): to criticize openly. Example: The clerk decried the policy of late fees.

• capricious (adj.): subject to whim, fickle. Example: Her capricious tendencies made focus difficult.

• invective (n.): angry verbal attack. Example: My mother's irrational invective made me dye my hair green.

• concoct (v.): fabricate, make up. Example: She concocted a ridiculous story.

• revere (v.): esteem, show resonance. Example: The doctor became universally revered.

• complement (v.): complete, make perfect. Example: The scarf complements her blouse.

• encumber (v.): weigh down, burden. Example: My friend was encumbered by her luggage.

• auspicious (adj.): favorable. Example: The tennis player saw the forecast as an auspicious sign.

• obstinate (adj.): not yielding easily. Example: The obstinate child refused to leave.

• pert (adj.): flippant, bold. Example: They forgave Sandra's pert humor.

• enigmatic (adj.): mystifying, cryptic. Example: The man in dark glasses is enigmatic.

• perplex (v.): to confuse. Example: Brad was perplexed by her distant manner.

• appraise (v.): assess worth or value. Example: A realtor came to appraise the house.

• devious (adj.): not straightforward. Example: The devious girl blamed the broken vase on the cat.

• scintillating (adj.): sparkling. Example: Rhinestones were scintillating.

• reprobate (adj.): evil, unprincipled. Example: The reprobate criminal sat in his cell.

• travesty (n.): grossly inferior imitation. Example: The rendition of the musical was a travesty.

• insidious (adj.): appealing but harmful. Example: The insidious cake made you feel sick later.

• inclination (n.): tendency, propensity. Example: Sarah has an inclination for foreign films.

• emaciated (adj.): very thin, enfeebled. Example: She eats barely anything and looks emaciated.

• benevolent (adj.): marked by goodness. Example: Officers should be commended for their benevolent service.

• avarice (n.): excessive greed. Example: The banker's avarice led him to amass a fortune.

• paucity (adj.): small in quantity. Example: Gilbert lamented the paucity of literature courses.

• aesthetic (adj.): artistic, beauty-related. Example: We hired her for her fine aesthetic sense.

• poignant (adj.): deeply affecting, moving. Example: The poignant final chapter made her cry.

• deferential (adj.): showing respect for authority. Example: His deferential attitude made her confident.

• defile (v.): make unclean, impure. Example: She defiled the calm with her banjo.

Academic Vocabulary: Terms 901–926

• dogmatic (adj.): aggressively certain about unproved principles. Example: His dogmatic claim about fixing appliances angered everyone.

• transgress (v.): to violate, go over limit. Example: The criminal's actions transgressed decency.

• irrevocable (adj.): incapable of being taken back. Example: The Bill of Rights is an irrevocable part of the law.

• sanguine (adj.): optimistic, cheery. Example: Polly reacted to any bad news with a sanguine smile.

• appease (v.): to calm, satisfy. Example: The mother gave the child candy to appease him.

• insular (adj.): narrow-minded, closed off. Example: CIA workers must remain insular.

• wizened (adj.): dry, shrunken, wrinkled. Example: Agatha's grandmother had a wizened countenance.

• benign (adj.): favorable, not threatening. Example: Tests determined her tumor to be benign.

• reconcile: 1. (v.): return to harmony. 2. (v.): make consistent with existing ideas. Example: The neighbors finally reconciled over a casserole.

• wane (v.): decrease in size, dwindle. Example: His influence was beginning to wane.

• emollient (adj.): soothing. Example: This emollient cream makes my skin smooth.

• imperative: 1. (adj.): necessary, pressing. 2. (n.): a rule/command. Example: It is imperative you organize these folders.

• privation (n.): lacking basics. Example: The drought only increased the people's privation.

• morass (n.): swampy bog; something that traps/confuses. Example: She could not get out of her financial morass.

• aversion (n.): particular dislike. Example: Ben has an aversion to cold climates.

• yoke (v.): to join, link. Example: We yoked together the logs with string.

• hypothetical (adj.): supposed true but unproven. Example: Success in humans is still hypothetical.

• ballad (n.): a love song. Example: Her boyfriend played her a ballad on the guitar.

• demure (adj.): quiet, modest, reserved. Example: She remained demure despite the party insanity.

• disavow (v.): deny knowledge of or responsibility. Example: She disavowed involvement in the scandal.

• obscure (adj.): unclear, hidden. Example: His features were obscure in the shadows.

• resolute (adj.): firm, determined. Example: With a resolute glint, she announced she'd go to New York.

• nefarious (adj.): heinously villainous. Example: His nefarious plot to melt the icecaps was terrifying.

• quagmire (n.): a difficult situation. Example: We'd like to avoid another military quagmire.

• concord (n.): harmonious agreement. Example: They ended the evening in perfect concord.

• temerity (n.): audacity, recklessness. Example: They entered the cave with only their own temerity.

• intimation (n.): indirect suggestion. Example: His intimation occurred when he discussed distributing belongings.

• tirade (n.): long speech with harsh language. Example: Her boyfriend went on a long tirade about punctuality.

• divulge (v.): to reveal secret. Example: The government divulged previously unknown info.

• discursive (adj.): rambling, lacking order. Example: The professor's discursive lectures covered every subject.

• maudlin (adj.): weakly sentimental. Example: I find romantic comedies maudlin and shallow.

• empirical: 1. (adj.): based on observation. 2. (adj.): provable by experiment. Example: The scientist gathered empirical data.

• moderate: 1. (adj.): not extreme. 2. (n.): one with moderate opinions. Example: He sided with the moderates.

• forage (v.): graze, rummage for food. Example: We foraged for berries after getting lost.

• forbearance (n.): patience, restraint. Example: The doctor showed great forbearance with the patient.

• implacable (adj.): incapable of being appeased. Example: Once you shun her cooking, she is implacable.

• revel (v.): to enjoy intensely. Example: Theodore reveled in his status as Big Man on Campus.

• interject (v.): to insert between things. Example: The driver interjected his opinion.

• dither (v.): to be indecisive. Example: He dithered about which party to attend.

• buttress: 1. (v.): support, hold up. 2. (n.): something offering support. Example: The column buttresses the roof.

• nuance (n.): slight variation in meaning. Example: Nuances of the poem were explained by the professor.

• refute (v.): to prove wrong. Example: Maria refuted the argument.

• lithe (adj.): graceful, flexible. Example: Her control of her lithe body was impressive.

• foil (v.): thwart, frustrate. Example: The inspector foiled the thieves.

• indigent (adj.): very poor. Example: I'd rather donate money to help the indigent population.

• pillage (v.): seize or plunder. Example: Soldiers pillaged the homes along the border.

• exult (v.): to rejoice. Example: Mary exulted by dancing when she won.

• annul (v.): make void or invalid. Example: Congress sought to annul the law.

• aspersion (n.): a curse, ill-will. Example: Politicians cast aspersions on each other.

• integral (adj.): necessary for completeness. Example: Flour is an integral ingredient.

• profuse (adj.): plentiful, abundant. Example: Fans were profuse in their cheers.

• effrontery (n.): impudence, nerve. Example: My mother scolded me for my effrontery.

• boon (n.): gift or blessing. Example: Good weather was a boon for businesses.

• placid (adj.): calm, peaceful. Example: The lake surface was as smooth as glass.

• veracity (n.): truthfulness, accuracy. Example: Agencies regulated the reports on veracity.

• grandiose (adj.): exaggerated scale. Example: Margaret planned a grandiose party with elephants.

• chaos (n.): absolute disorder. Example: His departure plunged the room into chaos.

• metamorphosis (n.): change of form. Example: Winnifred underwent a metamorphosis from waif to athlete.

• convivial (adj.): characterized by feasting/merriment. Example: The convivial atmosphere put me at ease.

• fatuous (adj.): silly, foolish. Example: He only writes fatuous limericks.

• convene (v.): to call together. Example: Jason convened the family for discussion.

• canvas: 1. (n.): artist cloth. 2. (v.): cover/inspect. Example: We canvassed the neighborhood looking for clues.

• ubiquitous (adj.): widespread, existing everywhere. Example: Technology is ubiquitous here.

• coerce (v.): force somebody with threat. Example: He was coerced into signing the contract.

• mandate (n.): authoritative command. Example: God mandates that no one shall steal.

• insinuate (v.): suggest indirectly. Example: Stop insinuating my grade is due to something else.

• furtive (adj.): secretive, sly. Example: Her hiding spot was not as furtive as she thought.

• insurgent (n.): one who rebels. Example: The insurgent defaced classrooms.

• reciprocate (v.): to give in return. Example: When Steve gave her a gift, she reciprocated with a kiss.

• ostracism (n.): exclusion from a group. Example: Beth risked ostracism for her behavior.

• pacific (adj.): soothing. Example: The professor's pacific demeanor helped the class.

• libertarian (adj.): advocating liberty principles. Example: Subjects overthrew the monarch for a libertarian ruler.

• amenity (n.): item for comfort. Example: Gates's house is stocked with amenities.

• dirge (n.): mournful song. Example: Pipers played a dirge at the cemetery.

• oration (n.): formal speech. Example: The minister was shaken by the interruption of his oration.

• jubilant (adj.): extremely joyful. Example: The crowd was jubilant after the rescue.

• raucous (adj.): loud, boisterous. Example: Neighbors called the cops when the party got too raucous.

• inimical (adj.): hostile, enemy-like. Example: I could never work for a company so inimical to me.

• wistful (adj.): full of yearning. Example: Edda sat around wistful after her pet died.

• censure: 1. (n.): harsh criticism. 2. (v.): to rebuke formally. Example: The teenager could not put up with her mother's censure.

• renunciation (n.): to reject. Example: Her renunciation of meat resulted in weight loss.

• discordant (adj.): not in harmony. Example: Sobs were a discordant sound amid the laughter.

• inextricable (adj.): hopelessly tangled. Example: I have no way of solving this inextricable problem.

• clergy (n.): Christian holy orders. Example: The clergy regarded the rectory as dusty.

• denounce (v.): to criticize publicly. Example: The senator denounced her opponent.

Questions & Discussion

• Q: Are there criteria for a good cookie?

• A: According to Mrs. Fields, the criteria for good cookies are that they be moist and chewy.

• Q: How does one determine if something is anachronistic?

• A: Anachronism refers to things being out of correct chronological order, such as claiming the Pyramids were built after the Titanic sank.

• Q: What is the significance of the word quixotic?

• A: It refers to being idealistic or impractical, and etymologically derives from the character Don Quixote.

• Q: Can you explain the difference between a fa
  ade and a veneer?

• A: A fa
  ade can be a building wall or a deceptive appearance; a veneer is a superficial and deceptively attractive appearance used to hide flaws.

• Q: How should a leader handle an unruly parliament during an oration?

• A: The transcript notes a prime minister was visibly shaken when an unruly parliament interrupted his oration regarding domestic policies.