Part of

Word Definition
Speech

abdicate v To renounce under oath a right, position,

or responsibility.

aberration n Something that is abnormal; a departure

from the ordinary.
abhor v To detest; to hate; to loathe.

abscond v To go away suddenly; to leave secretly in

an attempt to hide or evade a person or
a thing.
absolve v To officially pardon; to forgive for an
offense.

abstruse adj Obscure; profound; hard to understand;

understood by only a few people.
abusive adj Insulting; physically or psychologically
harmful.
acquiesce v To assent; to give in without argument or
objection; to agree passively.
acquittal n A verdict by a jury that a person is not
guilty.

acumen n Mental keenness; acuity of judgement

and mind.

admonish v To warn or speak to with gentle

disapproval; to caution.

affable adj Friendly; easily approachable; warm and

considerate.
affront v To insult; intentional act of disrespect; to
intentionally hurt the feelings of another
person.

aggrandize v To make more great; to increase in

power, wealth, rank, etc.
aggravate v To make worse; to irritate.

alacrity n Cheerful promptness; eagerness to

perform a specific deed, usually without
hesitation.
ameliorate v To improve; to lessen discomfort.
amenable adj Obedient; readily managed; responsive;
dutifully complying.

amiable adj Agreeable; friendly; lovable.

amicable adj peaceful; friendly.

amnesty n A time when a criminal is exempt from

punishment; an official pardon that is
mandated by a government and usually
extended to political offenders.

anachronism n An error with the timeline; something or

someone misplaced in time.

anathema n Solemn curse; a person or something

regarded as a curse; something that is
polluted; excommunication.
apocalyptic adj Prophetic; pertaining to revelations of
disaster.

arbitrate v To act as judge; to preside over.

archaic adj Antiquated; out of date; no longer used;
of or belonging to the past.

arduous adj Hard; strenuous; labor-intensive;

difficult.

assiduous adj Diligent; hard-working; persevering;

following rules.

assuage v To ease or lessen pain; to make less

 severe.

astute adj Shrewd, wise, and keen.

attenuate v To make more thin; to weaken.

audacious adj Daring and bold.

beguile v To deceive; to deliberately tell a lie with the intent to mislead or
delude.

belittle v To criticize; to berate; to speak of as if not important.

bellicose ad Belligerent; waging war; willing and eager to fight.
j
belligerent ad Quarrelsome; engaged or eager for battle.
j

benevolent Ad Generous; charitable; characterized by a willingness to give.

besiege j Surround so as to force to give up
v
bicker v To quarrel; to argue aimlessly.

Bigotry N Intolerance towards another person's ideas or beliefs.

bicker v Argue over petty things
bland Ad uninteresting
blurt j Utter impulsively and without thinking carefully enough
V
boisterous Ad Noisy and lacking in discipline
j

brazen ad Insolent; bold, shameless

j

broach v To introduce; to moot; to begin a discussion upon.

brood v To sit on with an intent to hatch; to think deeply about; to

ponder.
bucolic ad Rustic; pastoral; crude; boorish; pertaining to rural life.
j

burlesque ad Referring to mockery of a serious matter.

j

cache n A hiding place.

cacophonous ad Harsh-sounding; without harmony or rhyme.
j

callous ad Hardened; unfeeling; having no sympathy for the sufferings of

j others; uncaring.

calumny n A false misrepresentation; slander; aspersion.

camaraderie n Close fellowship; light-hearted rapport between group members.
capricious ad Unpredictable; fickle, tending to change one's mind.
j

castigate v To correct by punishing; to criticize; to condemn in an effort to

educate.

catastrophe n A calamity; a wide-spread disaster.

catharsis v The cleansing of the body; a figurative cleansing of the

emotions or state of mind.
charlatan n A quack; a person who pretends to have knowledge about a
subject

chastise v To punish; to criticize severely; to make fun of and to humiliate;

to censure.

circumspect ad Cautious; taking action only after careful thought.

j

circumvent v To outmaneuver; to outwit; to avoid.

clandestine ad Kept or done in secret.
j

coercion v The use of force in an attempt to compel someone to do

something which otherwise they wouldn't consider or want to
do.
collusion n A secret agreement, usually for a treacherous purpose.

commiserate v To feel or express sympathy for; to express sorrow.

complacency n A sense of self-satisfaction; smugness.

compunction n Remorse; uneasiness caused by guilt.

conciliatory ad Tending to reconcile; soothing; calming.

j

concoct v To make up; to create and to prepare.

condone v To overlook; forgive; give tacit approval; to excuse or to
otherwise ignore.
conducive ad Contributing to a cause or idea; helpful.
j
coterie n A group of people with a common purpose and who meet
socially on a regular basis; a clique.
covert ad Clandestine; secret.
j

culmination n The highest point; the climax.

cumber v To weigh down or to burden; to get in the way; to hamper.

cumbersome ad Burdensome; heavy; awkward.
j

cynosure n An object of general attention; the thing that is at the center of

 attention.
dabble v To work in a non-committed fashion; to action in a frivolous
manner.

debacle n A disaster; a breakup; an unsuspecting calamity.

debilitate v To weaken and to make less effective or functional.

debonair ad Charmingly dressed; having the intent to please.
j

decadence n Decay; a state of deterioration or decline.

decimate v To kill; to destroy a large part of.

decrepit ad Dilapidated; weak; wanting.

j
decry v To express strong disapproval of; to condemn.
delectable ad Pleasing to the senses; very pleasant; tasty.
j
deleterious ad Causing harm.
j

demagogue n A fanatic; somebody who arises the emotions of a group of

people so as to attain political prowess; a leader who incites
rebellion.

demure ad Grave; quiet; shy and reserved.

j
denigrate v To defame; to provide a negative opinion of.

denouement n An outcome or solution; the unraveling of a plot; the final

resolution.
despondent ad Without any chance of a better future; gloomy, having no hope.
j

deterrent n Anything that discourages or deters; something that prevents

further action or interferes with progress.

diction n The specific choice and use of words in speech or writing;

exceptional clarity in speech and writing.
didactic ad Intended to teach a moral lesson; teaching; instructional.
j

diffidence n Shyness; lack of self-confidence.

dilapidated ad Falling to pieces; in a bad condition; ruined; neglected.

 j

disdain v To loon look on with contempt or to consider unworthy.

drugery n Hard unpleasant work, usually labor- intensive; menial work.
emaciated ad Thin and wasted, usually because of a lack of food.
j

embezzle v To use in a wrong way for one's own benefit; to steal and to use
inappropriately.
ennui n Boredom; listlessness; dissatisfaction because of a lack of
interest.

entourage n A group of people who travel together in support of a single

purpose; a group of attendants.

ephemeral ad Short-lived; fleeting; about to expire.

j

epicurean ad Related or devoted to pleasure; pertaining to sensuous

j enjoyment.

equitable ad Fair; impartial; honest; unprejudiced.

j
equivocal ad Having a double or doubtful meaning; suspicious; uncertain.
j
esoteric ad Hard to understand; known only to a few chosen individuals.
j

eulogy n An expression of praise, often at the time of a person's death.

euphemism n A mellow, mild expression that is used in place of an unpleasant
one.

exacerbate v To make worse; to aggrevate; to enbitter or infuriate.

exasperate v To make worse; to annoy; to irritate.

exhaustive ad Complete; covering all aspects.
j
exhilarating ad Invigorating; refreshing and exciting.
j

exonerate v To acquit; to free from blame; to release from guilt.

exorbitant ad Excessive; abundant; exceeding reasonable bounds; above and
j beyond what is needed.
exorcise v To drive out (usually referring to evil spirits); to purge.

expedient ad Likely to be useful; worthwhile; advantageous.

j
expedite v To hasten; to make go faster; to expedite.

facetious ad Joking; not serious; humorous and playful.

j
facile ad Easily accomplished; effortless.
j

farce n A broad comedy; a mockery; a humorous play composed of silly

events.

fastidious ad Fussy; overly picky and particular; difficult to please.

j
flagrant ad Conspicuously wicked; blatant; outrageous.
j

flippant ad Lacking respect; without seriousness.

j

flounder v To falter; to proceed clumsily or haphazardly.

foolhardy ad Reckless and daring; without logic; risky.
j

fortuitous ad Accidental; having happened by chance.

j

fractious ad Complaining; bad-tempered; readily angered; peevish; irritable;

j quarrelsome.

frivolous ad Not serious; flippant; carefree.

j
fruition n The bearing of fruit; fulfillment; the attainment of something
that is or has been desired for a long time.

gaffe n A social blunder; a mistake.

genesis n The beginning; the origin of something.

germane ad Pertinent; bearing upon the case at hand; appropriate; related to

j the subject at hand.

glutton n A person who eats too much food.

gory ad Bloody; stained by blood; extremely violent.
j

gourmet n A connoisseur of food and drink.

gregarious ad Sociable; tending to aggregate and form groups; willing to
j communicate.

grimace n A facial expression that relays a feeling of pain, disgust, or

anguish.

gullible ad Easily deceived; easily conned.

j

gusto n Eager enjoyment; zest; enthusiasm.

haggard ad Exhausted; worn away; wasted away.

j

halcyon n The calm and peaceful before or after a storm.

harangue n A long passionate speech.
iconoclast n A person who attacks or denounces popular beliefs.
idiosyncrasy n A personal mannerism or odd way of doing something.

ignominious ad Deserving disgrace; shameful; dishonorable.

j
imbroglio n An embarrassing incident; a complication that gives rise of
arguing or a misunderstanding.
immaculate ad Perfect; spotless; flawless; perfect; absolutely clean; divine; of
j a higher order.

impeccable ad Perfect; faultless; ideal.

j

impertinent ad Impudent; insolent; not pertinent.

j

impervious ad Impenetrable; incapable of being hurt; resilient; strong.

j

impetuous ad Violent; characterized by harsh, abrupt action or motion; hasty;

j rash; impulsive.

implacable ad Not able to be pacified; hysterical; impossible to please;

j relentless.

implicate v To show involvement; to incriminate.

implicit ad Implied; not clearly expressed; hidden.
j
incarcerate v To imprison.

incendiary ad Causing fire.

j

incessant ad Repeating; never ending; constant.

j

incinerate na To burn completely; to burn into ashes.

v

inclement ad Stormy; severe; unkind; rough; unmerciful.

j

incongruous ad Out of place; not in harmony; not in agreement.

j

incorrigible ad Uncorrectable; deviant; not following orders.

j

incredulous ad Skeptical; unwilling to believe.

 j

incriminate v To accuse someone of a crime; to give evidence against; prove

or convince to be guilty.

inculcate v To fix firmly by repetition; to instill; to ingrain by repeated

learning or memorization.
incumbent v Obligatory; imposed as an obligation.
incumbents n Those who already hold a political position and who are running
to be re-elected.

indefatigable ad Tireless; untiring; showing no sign of exhaustion.

j
indelible ad Not able to be erased; impossible to be changed or washed
j away.
indemnity n Protection against loss or damage; payment for loss or damage.

indolent ad Lazy; easygoing; idle; non-active.

j
ingenious ad Clever; resourceful; marked by inventive skill.
j

ingenuous ad Naive and trusting; young; artless; unsophisticated; candid.

j

inimical ad Hostile; unfavorable; harmful; antagonistic.

j

inkling n A hint; an inclination; an itch.

innate ad Natural; not due to conditioning or lecturing.
j
innocuous ad Causing no harm; sterile; dull.
j
innuendo n A hint; an indirect -- often derogatory -- insinuation.

inopportune ad Untimely; occurring at an inappropriate point; poorly chosen.

j
inordinate ad Excessive; not able to be enumerated; beyond limits.
j

insatiable ad Not able to be satisfied; not able to be quenched.

j

insidious ad Treacherous and stealthy; sly; intending to entrap.

j

insinuate v To hint; to refer to indirectly; to imply; to suggest.

insolence n Gross disrespect; haughtiness.
insolvent ad Bankrupt; without money; lacking money to pay.
j
insomnia n Wakefulness; inability to fall and stay sleep.
insouciance n The state of being light-hearted; a condition on nonchalance.
insouciant ad Unconcerned; without anxiety; indifferent.
j
instigate v To start; urge on; incite.

insubordination n Disobedience.

insurgent ad Full of rebellion; willing and able to bear arms for a certain
j cause.
insurmountable ad Something that cannot be beaten; overwhelming; unstoppable.
j

insurrection n A rebellion; an uprising; a revolt.

interloper n An intruder; somebody who constantly gets in the way and who
interferes.

intermittent ad Periodic; stopping and starting at intervals.

j
internecine ad Mutually destructive.
j

intractable ad Unruly; unable to be contained; difficult to manage.

j
intrepid ad Fearless; brave; bold and courageous.
j
intrinsic ad Essential; inherent; an integral part of the whole; built-in.
j
inundate v To flood; to overcome; to submerge.
inured ad Accustomed to; adapted to; hardened.
j
invalidate v To make obsolete; to destroy.
invective n Abuse; belittlement; severe scolding.

invoke v To call into use; to begin; to ask for or to conjure up.

irreproachable ad That which cannot be blamed; impeccable; without fault.

j
irretrievable ad Something that cannot be recovered; not able to be reclaimed.
j
irreverence n Lack of proper respect.
irrevocable ad Final; something that cannot be changed or undone.
j

itinerant ad Moving around; wandering; traveling from place to place as part

j of a duty or a job.
jabber v To talk rapidly and unintelligibly; to be overly excited.
jaded ad Bruised; worn out; tarnished; fatigued.
j

jaunty ad Cheerful and pleasant; lively; bold; dashful; energetic and happy.
j

jeopardize v To endanger; to place into imperil.

jilted ad Rejected; cast aside; shunned.

j
jocular ad Meant as a joke; said or done playfully or for entertainment.
j
jocund ad Merry; happy.
j
jostle v To shove; to bump; to push against someone; to rattle.

juggernaut n Irresistible crushing force; an large overpowering object.

junket n A pleasure trip taken at public expense by an official.

junta n A group of people joined in political intrigue; military officers
who rule a country after a successful coupe.

kleptomaniac n Person who steals or has a desire to steal compulsively.

knave n A rogue; an person who cannot be trusted.

labyrinth n a maze; a complicated system of paths or tunnels through which

there are only a few or a single path that does not lead in dead
ends.

laceration n A gaping wound; a torn, ragged cut or abrasion.

lackadaisical ad Lacking interest or effort; without zest or drive; halfhearted.

j
laconic ad Brief and to the point; using few words.
j

laggard n Somebody that is slow or sluggish; a straggler; somebody who

is always behind or at the rear.
languid ad Lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish.
j
languor n The lack of physical energy; the condition of being without
mental energy.
largess n A boon; an advantage; a blessing.

lassitude ad Languor; weariness; listlessness; a sense of lack of interest.

j

latitude n Freedom from limitations, expectations, and or regulations.

leery ad Suspicious; overly cautious.

j
leeway n Margin; latitude; room for movement.

libel n A false and malicious statement or publication that is intended

to damage the reputation of a person; a written defamatory
statement.

limbo ad An state of uncertainty.

j

lineage n Ancestry; a record of or pertaining specifically to those past

relatives that are directly related.

lionize v To treat as nobility; to treat extremely kindly.

liquidate v To settle accounts; to pay off; to kill off; to get rid of; to abolish.
listless ad Languid; lifeless; without spirit or without energy.
j

lithe ad Bendable; flexible; something that can be easily twisted.

j
livid ad Enraged; extremely angry; furious.
j

lopsided ad Heavier or tending towards one side; not even.

j
loquacious ad Overly talkative; garrulous.
j

lucid ad Easily understood; clear.

j

lucre n Money; monetary profit.

ludicrous ad Laughable; ridiculous; trifling and grossly nonsensical.

j
lugubrious ad Sorrowful; excessively sad; gloomy.
j

lurch v To stagger; to move with an irregular swinging motion.

lurid ad Wild; sensational.
j
lurk v To lie in waiting, ready to pounce or attack; to slink.

luxuriant ad Abundant; excessively showy; rich and wonderful.

j