| alacrity | cheerful promptness in response |
| approbative | expressing approval |
| archaic | describing a very old word, typically no longer in use |
| ascetic | denying oneself simple pleasures, typically for religious reasons |
| assertive | willing to advocate for oneself, confident |
| bamboozle | to cheat or deceive |
| belittle | to insult, put down |
| benighted | unenlightened, ignorant, un-knowing |
| Bildungsroman | delight taken in another's misfortune |
| bilk | to cheat or swindle, usually involving money |
| bombastic | describing someone whose speech is inflated and self-important |
| Bravado | a bold act meant to show off, associated with bravery but notice that 'show off' implies looking for praise |
| brunch | a late-morning meal that has elements of both breakfast and lunch |
| bustle | to move about actively |
| cryptic | intentionally vague or mysterious |
| deprecate | to expresse disapproval |
| derisory | derisive, putting down someone or something |
| didactic | trying to instruct or impart knowledge, but typically in a way that is slightly condescending (insulting) |
| Dilettante | someone who develops a superficial interest in an area of art or musci without being a true expert |
| dispatch | speed at compelting a task |
| dogmatic | claiming one's own opinion as though it were the unarguable truth |
| Draconian | extremely strict, as laws or rules |
| ebullient | highly and vigorously enthusiastic |
| eponymous | named after a person. If Taylor Swift names an album "Taylor" |
| erudite | displaying scholarly knowledge |
| feckless | uumotivated, incompetent, irresponsible |
| Gauche | clumsy and socially awkward |
| Impetuous | acting without forethought; reckless |
| In lieu of | in the place of;instead of |
| indolence | laziness |
| industrious | hard-working and dilligent (characterized by teady, earnest, and energetic effort ) |
| kudos | praise given for a job well done |
| laud | to praise for great work, typically in public |
| lionize | to treat as a celebrity |
| lucid | clear and easy to understand |
| Myriad | an immense number |
| Nemesis | one who constantly works to ensure another's downfall; |
| palindrome | a word or phrase that reads the same forward as it does backwards, radar or kayak |
| Passe | no longer in fashion |
| pedagogue | a teacher, typically a strict one |
| pedantic | overly fussy in one's concern for trivial academic knowledge |
| perjorative | describing a word or phrase that has a negative connotation |
| phlegmatic | apathetic, ( having or showing little or no interest, concern, or emotion) unemotional |
| Placid | tranquil, calm |
| Precedent | something that sets an example for how things are done in the future |
| Pretentious | acting more important than others by pretending to know more |
| Rapport | understanding and similar feelings that exist between people or groups |
| reproach | to express disappointment |
| repudiate | to reject, to renounce |
| retract | to take back a statemetn or an offer |
| revere | to respect deeply |
| ruse | a clever trick |
| Sans | typically a facetious (lighthearted), fancy way of saying "without" |
| sate | to satisfy in terms of consuming enough |
| Schadenfreude | delight taken in another's misfortune |
| sesquipedalian | a person inclined to using very long words |
| stalwart | loyal and reliable |
| Superfluous | unnessary; more than enough |
| Taciturn | quiet and reserved; brooding |
| Tantalize | to torment someone with something they want without ever giving it to them |
| tautology | a redundancy (unnecessary repetition), essentially saying that A equals A. |
| torpid | sluggish, lethargic (lack of energy) |
| turgid | describing writing that is bomabastic and puffed up |
| unlettered | illiterate (can't read nor write) |
| venerate | to respect deeply |
| Verbose | using more words than necessary |
| vivacious | lively and animated |
| voracrious | having an extremely large appetite |
| Zeitgeist | the mood or a particular time period as captured by ideas and culture |