ISEE Vocab Prep I-K

iconoclast (n.) one who attacks common beliefs or institutions (Jane goes to one protest after another, but she seems to be an iconoclast rather than an activist with a progressive agenda.)

idolatrous (adj.) excessively worshipping one object or person (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.) 

ignominious (adj.) humiliating, disgracing (It was really ignominious to be kicked out of the dorm for having an illegal gas stove in my room.) 

illicit (adj.) forbidden, not permitted (The fourth-grader learned many illicit words from a pamphlet that was being passed around school.)

impecunious (adj.) poor (“I fear he’s too impecunious to take me out tonight,” the bratty girl whined.)

impertinent (adj.)rude, insolent (Most of your comments are so impertinent that I don’t wish to dignify them with an answer.)

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

impinge 1. (v.) to impact, affect, make an impression (The hail impinged the roof, leaving large dents.) 2. (v.) to encroach, infringe (I apologize for impinging upon you like this, but I really need to use your bathroom. Now.)

impregnable (adj.) resistant to capture or penetration (Though the invaders used battering rams, catapults, and rain dances, the fortress proved impregnable and resisted all attacks.)

impute (v.) to ascribe, blame (The CEO imputed the many typos in the letter to his lazy secretary.) 

inane (adj.) silly and meaningless (Some films are so inane that the psychology of the characters makes absolutely no sense.)

incarnate 1. (adj.) existing in the flesh, embodied (In the church pageant, I play the role of greed incarnate.) 2. (v.) to give human form to (The alien evaded detection by incarnating himself in a human form.)

incessant (adj.) unending (We wanted to go outside and play, but the incessant rain kept us indoors for two days.) 

inchoate (adj.) unformed or formless, in a beginning stage (The country’s government is still inchoate and, because it has no great tradition, quite unstable.)

incorrigible (adj.) incapable of correction, delinquent (You can buy Grandma nicotine gum all you want, but I think that after sixty-five years of smoking she’s incorrigible.)

indefatigable (adj.)incapable of defeat, failure, decay (Even after traveling 62 miles, the indefatigable runner kept on moving.)

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

inimical (adj.) hostile, enemy like (I don’t see how I could ever work for a company that was so cold and inimical to me during my interviews.)

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

innuendo (n.) an insinuation (During the debate, the politician made several innuendos about the sexual activities of his opponent.)

inoculate (v.) to introduce a microorganism, serum, or vaccine into an organism in order to increase immunity to illness; to vaccinate (I’ve feared needles ever since I was inoculated against 37 diseases at age one; but I have also never been sick.)

insidious (adj.) appealing but imperceptibly harmful, seductive (Lisa’s insidious chocolate cake tastes so good but makes you feel so sick later on!)

insular (adj.) separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off (Because of the sensitive nature of their jobs, those who work for the CIA must remain insular and generally only spend time with each other.)

intimation (n.) an indirect suggestion (Mr. Brinford’s intimation that he would soon pass away occurred when he began to discuss how to distribute his belongings among his children.)

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

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

invective (n.) an angry verbal attack (My mother’s irrational invective against the way I dress only made me decide to dye my hair green.)

irascible (adj.) easily angered (At the smallest provocation, my irascible cat will begin scratching and clawing.)

iridescent (adj.) showing rainbow colors (The bride’s large diamond ring was iridescent in the afternoon sun.)

knell (n.) the solemn sound of a bell, often indicating a death (Echoing throughout our village, the funeral knell made the stormy day even more grim.)