12th Grade Vocabulary

Anachronistic

• Belonging to a period other than that being portrayed; outdated.

Abbreviate

• To shorten a word, phrase, or text.

Abdicate

• To give up a position, right, or power, especially the throne.

Abstinence

• Voluntary restraint from indulging an appetite or desire, often for health or religious reasons.

Adulation

• Excessive praise or flattery.

Adversity

• Difficulties or misfortune.

Aesthetic

• Relating to beauty or artistic appreciation.

Amicable

• Friendly; peaceable.

Anecdote

• A brief, interesting story about a real incident or person.

Anonymous

• Not named or identified; having an unknown or unacknowledged name.

Antagonist

• A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.

Arid

• Extremely dry or lacking in moisture.

Assiduous

• Showing great care, attention, and effort; diligent.

Asylum

• Protection granted to someone fleeing persecution; or an institution offering shelter.

Benevolent

• Well-meaning; kindly.

Camaraderie

• Mutual trust and friendship among people spending time together.

Censure

• To express strong disapproval; or the expression of that disapproval.

Circuitous

• Indirect or roundabout.

Clairvoyant

• Having the ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.

Collaborate

• To work jointly on an activity, especially to produce with others.

Compassion

• Sympathetic concern for the troubles or suffering of others.

Compromise

• An agreement reached by mutual concession; or to settle differences by mutual adjustment.

Condescending

• Showing a patronizing superiority.

Conditional

• Subject to one or more conditions being met.

Conformist

• Someone who matches their behavior and ideas to group norms.

Congregation

• A gathering of people, especially for religious worship.

Convergence

• The process or state of converging; coming together.

Deleterious

• Harmful to health or well-being.

Demagogue

• A political leader who appeals to emotions and prejudices rather than rational argument.

Digression

• A temporary departure from the main subject in speaking or writing.

Diligent

• Showing steady, careful, and persistent effort.

Discredit

• To harm the reputation of; to disgrace.

Disdain

• The feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one’s respect or concern.

Divergent

• Moving or extending in different directions from a common point.

Empathy

• The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.

Emulate

• To imitate with the intent to equal or surpass.

Enervating

• Causing one to feel drained of energy; weakening.

Enhance

• To improve or augment

Ephemeral

• Lasting for a very short time.

Evanescent

• Quickly fading or disappearing.

Exasperation

• A feeling of intense irritation or annoyance.

Exemplary

• Serving as a desirable model; representing the best.

Extenuating

• Making a mistake or offense seem less serious due to special circumstances.

Florid

• Having a red or flushed complexion; or elaborately intricate.

Fortuitous

• Happening by accident or chance rather than design.

Frugal

• Sparing or economical with regard to money or food.

Hackneyed

• Lacking significance due to overuse; cliché.

Haughty

• Arrogantly superior and disdainful.

Hedonist

• A person who believes the pursuit of pleasure is the highest goal.

Hypothesis

• A supposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any assumption of its truth.

Impetuous

• Acting quickly and without thought or care.

Impute

• To attribute (responsibility or fault) to someone.

Incompatible

• Two things so different they cannot exist together.

Inconsequential

• Not important or significant.

Inevitable

• Certain to happen; unavoidable.

Integrity

• The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

Intrepid

• Fearless; adventurous.

Intuitive

• Using or based on what one feels to be true without conscious reasoning.

Jubilation

• A feeling of great happiness and triumph.

Lobbyist

• Someone who tries to influence government or public officials on a specific issue.

Longevity

• Long life or existence; duration.

Mundane

• Ordinary, commonplace, or unexciting.

Nonchalant

• Appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety.

Novice

• Someone new to a field or activity; a beginner.

Opulent

• Rich, luxurious, or lavish.

Orator

• A skilled public speaker.

Ostentatious

• Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display to impress others.

Parched

• Dried out with heat; extremely thirsty.

Perfidious

• Deceitful and untrustworthy.

Precocious

• Having developed abilities at an unusually early age.

Pretentious

• Attempting to impress by affecting greater importance than is actually possessed.

Procrastinate

• To delay or postpone action.

Prosaic

• Lacking poetic beauty; unimaginative; dull.

Prosperity

• The state of being successful and wealthy.

Provocative

• Causing anger or another strong reaction, especially deliberately.

Prudent

• Acting with or showing care and thought for the future.

Querulous

• Complaining in a petulant or whining manner.

Rancorous

• Characterized by bitterness or resentment.

Reclusive

• Avoiding the company of other people; solitary.

Reconciliation

• Restoration of friendly relations; harmony.

Renovation

• The act of renewing or repairing.

Resilient

• Able to recover quickly from difficulties.

Restrained

• Characterized by reserve or moderation; controlled.

Reverence

• Deep respect for someone or something.

Sagacity

• The quality of being wise; shrewdness.

Scrutinize

• Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Spontaneity

• Spontaneous behavior or action.

Spurious

• Not being what it purports to be; false or fake.

Submissive

• Ready to conform to the authority or will of others.

Substantiate

• Provide evidence to support or prove the truth.

Superficial

• Existing or occurring at or on the surface; shallow.

Superfluous

• Unnecessary, especially through being more than enough.

Suppress

• To forcibly put an end to; to prevent the development of.

Surreptitious

• Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of.

Tactful

• Having or showing sensitivity in dealing with others or difficult issues.

Tenacious

• Tending to keep a firm hold; persistent.

Transient

• Lasting only for a short time; impermanent.

Venerable

• Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age.

Vindicate

• Clear (someone) of blame or suspicion.

Wary

• Feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems.

Zealot

• A person who is fanatical and uncompromising in pursuit of their ideals.