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iconoclast
ideology
idiosyncrasy
Her tendency to bite her lip is an idiosyncrasy. idyll (n.) a written piece of
work
describing a peaceful rural scene Reading the idyll made me think of the
family farm.
igneous
When the sun shone upon it, the material took on an igneous quality.
ignoble
The king was adamant about keeping his son from wedding an ignoble serf.
ignominious
illuminate
illusive
illusory
imbue
immaculate
imminent
The storm clouds warned of the imminent downpour. immune (adj.) exempt
from or
protected against something Doesn’t everybody wish to be immune from the
common
cold?
immutable
The ties that bind alumni to their university are immutable . The man’s
immutable
schedule soon became boring. impale (v.) pierce through with, or stick on;
something
pointed The knight was impaled by the sharp lance.
impartial
impassive
Even when his father died he gave an impassive response and walked out
tearless.
impecunious
impede
impenitent
It was obvious after his impenitent remark to the press that the defendant
felt no
remorse for his crime.
imperious
imperturbable
Dagmar came to regret his impetuous actions, once he realized what he’d
done.
implacable
The baby was so implacable a warm bottle would not settle her. The two
year old was
an implacable child; he cried no matter what his parents did to comfort him.
implement
(v.; n.) to carry into effect; something used in a given activity In case of
emergency
implement the evacuation plan immediately. The rack is an implement of
torture.
implication
An implication was made that there might be trickery involved. implicit (adj.)
understood
but not plainly stated; without doubt The child’s anger was implicit.
impolitic
If you are planning to invest your money, impolitic decisions may be costly.
imprecate
impromptu
Her impromptu speech was well-received, giving her new confidence in her
ability to
speak off the cuff.
improvident
impudent
If I believe the man is a fraud I will impugn his comments. imputation (n.) to
charge, to
attribute a fault or misconduct to another The imputation of guilt was made
by the judge.
inadvertent
inarticulate
inaudible
incessant
inchoate
incidental
inclined
The man’s ear for music indicated he was inclined toward learning an
instrument.
The hillside was inclined just enough to make for a fairly serious climb.
incognito
(adj.) unidentified; disguised; concealed
incoherent
Following the accident, the woman went into shock and became incoherent
as medics
struggled to understand her.
incommodious
(adj.) inconvenient
incompetence
The alleged incompetence of the construction crew would later become the
subject of a
class-action suit.
inconclusive
The results being inconclusive, the doctors continued to look for a cause of
the illness.
incorporeal
incorrigible
incredulous
(adj.) skeptical
The incredulous look on his face led me to believe he was not convinced of
its
importance.
indecipherable
(adj.) illegible
indict
The grand jury indicted her and her husband for embezzlement and six
other lesser
counts.
indifferent
(adj.) unconcerned
indigence
The family’s indigence was evident by the run-down house they lived in.
indigenous
indignant
indolent
If we find him goofing off one more time, we won’t be able to escape the fact
that he’s
indolent.
indomitable
indubitably
indulgent
ineluctable
inept
She would rather update the budget book herself, since her assistant is so
inept.
inert
Inert gases like krypton and argon can enhance window insulation.
inevitable
infamous
infamy
The town had only 98 residents, so all it took was one bad apple to bring
infamy on the
whole place.
infer
From the broad outline he supplied it was easy to infer that the applicant
knew a great
deal about trains.
ingenious
ingenue
ingratiate
The man was hoping to ingratiate himself with his wife by buying a bouquet
of flowers
and candy.
ingratitude
(n.) ungratefulness
When she failed to send a thank-you card, her friend took it as a sign of
ingratitude .
inherent (adj.) part of the essential character; intrinsic A constant smile is
inherent in
pageant competitors. The inherent desire to do well is present throughout
the family.
inimical
The chess player directed an inimical stare at his opponent to knock him off
his game.
iniquitous
The verbal abuse towards the man was truly iniquitous. initiate (v.; n.)
begin; admit into
a group; a person who is in the process of being admitted into a group He
initiated the
dinner discussion by asking his father to borrow the car. As an initiate to
the Explorers,
George was expected to have a taste for the outdoor life.
innate
innocuous
innuendo
The student made an innuendo referring to the professor. The office was
rife with
innuendo that a takeover was in the works. inquisitive (adj.) eager to ask
questions in
order to learn An inquisitive youngster is likely to become a wise adult.
insinuate
He will insinuate his need for a vacation by saying how tired he has been
lately.
insipid
Many people left the insipid movie before it was finished. Declaring the
offerings
insipid, the critic grudgingly awarded the restaurant one star.
insolvent
The insolvent state of his bank account kept him from writing any checks.
instigate
insubordinate
insularity
intercede
The superpowers were called on to intercede in the talks between the two
warring
nations.
intermittent
Luckily, the snow was only intermittent, so the accumulation was slight. The
intermittent
blinking light was distracting. intractable (adj.) stubborn, obstinate; not
easily taught or
disciplined Every teacher in the school became frustrated with the
intractable student
and sent him to the principal’s office. An intractable pet can be very
frustrating..
intransigent
(adj.) uncompromising
intrepid
(adj.) fearless, bold
The intrepid photographer flew on some of the fiercest bombing raids of the
war.
inured
invoke
iota
irascible
The irascible teenager was known to cause fights when upset. Knowing
that the king
was irascible, the servants decided not to tell him about the broken crystal.
ironic
Is it not ironic that Americans will toss out leftover French fries while people
around the
globe continue to starve?
irrational
It would be irrational to climb Mt. Everest without some very warm clothing.
irreparable
(adj.) that which cannot be repaired or regained The damage to the house
after the
flood was irreparable. The head-on collision left the car irreparable.
irreproachable
itinerary
jaded
(adj.) worn-out
A person may become jaded if forced to work too many hours. jargon (n.)
incoherent
speech; specialized vocabulary in certain fields The conversation was
nothing but
jargon, but then the speakers were nothing but cartoon characters who
specialize in an
oddly bracing form of gibberish.
jeopardy
The campers realized they were in potential jeopardy when the bears
surrounded their
camp.
jester
The jester tried all of his tricks to get the girl to laugh. jettison (v.) to throw
overboard
goods to lighten a vehicle; to discard To raise the balloon above the storm
clouds, they
had to jettison the ballast.
jocund
The jocund atmosphere was due to the team’s victory in the playoffs.
jollity
The jollity of the crowd was seen in the cheering and laughing.
jovial
judicious
Because the elder was judicious, the tough decisions were left to him.
juncture
When the gas changed into a liquid, they sensed that they’d come to a
critical juncture
in their experimentation.
juxtapose
The author decided to juxtapose the two sentences since they each
strengthened the
meaning of the other.
ken
kindle
kinship
kith
knavery
knead
After mixing the ingredients, they kneaded the dough and set it aside to rise.
knotty
labyrinth
(n.) maze
lacerate
After a laconic introduction the program began. The people enjoyed the
public
addresses of the laconic queen. laggard (n.; adj.) a person who has fallen
behind;
moving slowly The laggard child was lost in the crowd.
Anything can happen in a swim meet: Last year’s leader can become this
year’s
laggard.
lambaste
If the boy broke the lamp his father will surely lambaste him. lambent (adj.)
traveling
gently over surface; flickering The lambent flame lit the dark room as the
breeze wafted
in. lament (v.; n.) to mourn or grieve; expression of grief or sorrow The boy
is
lamenting the loss of his pet.
Pedro’s only lament was that his wife didn’t outlive him.
languid
During her illness she was so languid she could not leave her bed.
larceny
After robbing the liquor store, she was found guilty of larceny.
lascivious
He said it was a harmless pin-up poster, but his mother called it lascivious.
lassitude
Lassitude was evident in the nurses who had been working for 24 hours
straight.
Ten days of continual work caused a feeling of lassitude for the worker.
latency
Its latency was small solace for the girl who feared that the cancer would
laud
(v.) praise
lax
She was lax in everything she did and therefore could not be trusted with
important
tasks.
lecherous
lethargic
levee
levity
The levity with which he faced the destruction hampered the rescue effort.
lewd
The student council served as a liaison between the faculty and the student
body.
liberalism (n.) believing in personal freedom (favoring reform or progress) If
you believe
in liberalism, the First Amendment is sacrosanct. libertine (n.) one who
indulges his
desires without restraint For the libertine, missing his child’s birthday was
not as
significant as missing a football game.
licentious
The people of Sodom and Gomorra were known for their licentious lifestyle.
ligneous
limber
lithe
litigate
When she found out she had been robbed, the woman was livid.
loiter
Many teenagers loiter around the mall when there is nothing else to do.
loquacious
The staff knew the meeting would be long because the administrator was in
a
loquacious mood.
lucent
The flowing garment gave the woman a lucent quality when standing in the
spotlight.
lucid
lucrative
The man’s lugubrious heart kept him from enjoying the special occasion.
luminous
lunge
The owl will lunge at its prey in order to take it off guard. lurid (adj.) glowing
through
haze; shocking, sensational A lurid sun shone upon them as they watched
the sun set
on the beach. The tabloid specialized in lurid stories about celebrities’
indiscretions.
lustrous
It was necessary to macerate the food before the elderly man could eat it.
They placed her foot in the solvent to macerate the cement she had
stepped in.
maculate (adj.; v.) spotted, blotched; hence defiled, impure (opposite:
immaculate);
magnanimity
The magnanimous store owner did not press charges once an apology was
given.
malefactor
malevolent
The man threatened his opponent with threats and malevolent words.
malicious
The malicious employee slashed her tires for revenge. malign (v.; adj.) to
speak evil of;
having an evil disposition toward others (opposite: benign)
malleable
mandate
The new manager wrote a mandate declaring that smoking was now
prohibited in the
office. manifest (v.; adj.) to show clearly; to appear; obvious, clear The
image should
manifest itself as the building when the fog lifts. When the missing
document suddenly
manifested, the search for the person that buried it began.
America’s manifest destiny was to acquire all of the land between the Pacific
and
Atlantic Oceans.
mar
(v.) damage
marauder
The marauder had been traveling for two months searching for the large
stash.
materialism (n.) the belief that everything in the universe is explained in
terms of matter;
the belief that worldly possessions are the be-all and end-all in life
Spiritualists will tell
you that materialism is only half the story. Some said that the prince’s
profligacy gave
materialism a bad name.
maudlin
Because we took a long, meandering walk, we arrived home well after dark.
They meandered through the woods for the afternoon.
melancholy
mellifluous
melodious
mendacious
The couple was swindled out of their life’s savings by the mendacious con
men.
mentor
Alan consulted his mentor when he needed critical advice. mercenary (adj.;
n.) working
or done for payment only; hired (soldier) Lila was suspicious that Joe had
jumped at the
chance only for mercenary reasons.
A mercenary was hired for a hundred dollars a month, good money in those
days even
if you had to fight a war to get it.
mercurial
The mercurial youth changed outfits six times before deciding what to wear.
meretricious (adj.) deceptive beauty - alluring by attractive appearance A
cubic zirconia
is a meretricious way of impressing others.
mesmerize
(v.) hypnotize
The swaying motion of the swing mesmerized the baby into a deep sleep.
metamorphosis
meticulous
mettle
mien
Her mien was typically one of distress, especially after the mishap.
mimicry
(n.) imitation
minatory
(adj.) threatening
minute
miscreant
miser
The miser made no donations and loved counting his money every night.
mite (n.) a
very small sum of money; very small creature The mite they pay me is
hardly worth the
aggravation. The baseball team was made up of such small children they
were
nicknamed the “Mites”.
mitigate
She tried to mitigate the loss of his pet by buying him a kitten.
modulate
He modulated the color knob on the television set until the picture was
perfect.
A trained singer knows how to modulate her voice to the desired pitches.
mollify
molten
(adj.) melted
mordant
morose
motif
(n.) theme
The motility of the car caused the driver to lunge for the brake.
mundane
Going food shopping soon became mundane, losing all of its excitement.
munificent
muse
myriad
nascent
The nascent rage of in-line skating began on the West Coast. nautical
(adj.) of the
sea; having to do with sailors, ships, or navigation The coastal New England
town had a
charming nautical influence.
nebulous
The ten page directions were a collection of nebulous words and figures.
nefarious
The nefarious criminal was the scourge of the local police force.
nefariousness
The nefariousness of the ruler was apparent when he hoarded all of the
food.
negligence
(n.) carelessness
Negligence contributed to the accident: She was traveling too fast for the icy
conditions. nemesis (n.) a person who inflicts just punishment; retribution; a
rival The
criminal was killed by his nemesis, the brother of the man he murdered.
neologism
neophyte
Critics applauded the neophyte’s success and speculated how much better
he would
get with age and experience. The neophyte dancer was overcome by the
fast tempo
and exotic rhythms.
nettle
The younger brother nettled his older sister until she slapped him.
neutral
The mother remained neutral regarding the argument between her two
children.
nexus
(n.) a connection
The nexus between the shuttle and the space station was successful.
noisome
The noisome food was the cause of their illness. The family was forced
from the home
by a noisome odor. nostalgic (adj.) longing for the past; filled with
bittersweet memories
She loved her new life, but became nostalgic when she met with her old
friends.
nostrum
The nostrum of pine leaves and water did not seem to cure the illness.
notorious (adj.)
infamous; renowned; having an unfavorable connotation Discovering that
her new
neighbor was notorious for thievery, she decided to purchase an alarm
system for her
home. The criminal had a notorious reputation.
novel
(adj.) new
It was a novel idea for the rock group to play classical music.
noxious
nugatory
nullify
Drinking alcohol excessively will nullify the positive benefits of eating well
and exercising
daily.
oaf
The waiter has been called an oaf ever since he dropped the tray.
obdurate
(adj.) stubborn
obeisance
As an obeisance, the man took off his hat as the funeral procession drove
past him.
obfuscate
objective
It’s hard to set aside your biases and be objective. The law student
decided that her
primary objective after graduation was to pass the Bar examination.
objurgate
The girls disliked those boys who objurgated the group. obligatory (adj.)
mandatory;
necessary; legally or morally binding In order to provide a reliable source of
revenue for
the government, it is obligatory for each citizen to pay taxes.
obliterate
obscure
obsequious
obsolete
(adj.) stubborn
Her father would not allow her to stay out past midnight; she thought he was
obstinate
because he would not change his mind. obtrude (v.) to force oneself or one’
s ideas
upon another; to thrust forward; to eject The inquisitive coworker obtrudes
into the
conversation often. obtuse (adj.) dull; greater than 90± but less than 180±;
slow to
understand or perceive The man was so obtuse, he even made the dog
yawn. The
textbook problem asks the reader to solve for the obtuse angle.
obviate
The invention of cars has obviated the use of horse and carriage. A cure
for the
common cold would obviate the need for shelf after shelf of cold remedies.
occult (adj.)
hidden; beyond human understanding; mystical; mysterious The occult
meaning of the
message was one of dislike for the authorities. Some spend years pursuing
the occult,
only to find themselves no closer to the answer.
odious
Having to chaperone her brother was an odious chore for the girl. odium
(n.) a hate;
the disgrace from a hateful action Odium could be felt for the man who
destroyed the
school. oligarchy (n.) form of government in which the supreme power is
placed in the
hands of a small, exclusive group.
ominous
(adj.) threatening
Seeing ominous clouds on the horizon, the street fair organizers decided to
fold up their
tent and go home.
omniscient
opalescent
(adj.) iridescent
Her new nail polish was opalescent making her finger tips look like pearls.
opaque
Not having been washed for years, the once beautiful windows of the
Victorian home
became opaque.
opprobrious
(adj.) abusive
Nobody liked working for him because he was so opprobrious. optimist (n.)
person who
hopes for the best; sees the good side He’s ever the optimist, always
seeing the glass
as half full.
opulence
A 40-room mansion on 65 wooded acres is only the most visible sign of her
opulence.
ornate
orthodox
ossify
ostensible
(adj.) apparent
The ostensible reason for choosing the girl was for her beauty.
ostentatious
Sure he’d won the lottery, but coming to work in a stretch limo seemed a bit
ostentatious .
ostracize
(v.) to exclude
The students tend to ostracize the children they dislike from their games.
oust
paean
pagan
(adj.) polytheistic
painstaking
Helga’s painstaking research paid off with a top grade on her essay.
palatial
The new palatial home contained two pools and an indoor track for jogging.
palindrome
(n.) a word or phrase which reads the same backwards and forwards Bob,
“Dad,” and
“Madam” are examples of palindromes. palliate (v.) to alleviate or ease
pain but not
cure; to make appear less serious The medication will help palliate the pain.
pallid
(adj.) pale in color
pallor
The more vivid the testimony grew, the more the witness seemed to take on
a ghostly
pallor.
palpable
The palpable decision was to discontinue the use of drugs. On a flight that
had
included a sudden 5,000-foot drop, the passengers’ relief upon landing was
palpable .
panegyric
His panegyric to his opponent stood in sharp contrast to the harsh tenor of
the
campaign.
paradigm
paraphernalia
She looked guilty since the drug paraphernalia was found in her apartment.
pariah
(n.) an outcast
The pariah of the group sat by himself under the tree. parity (n.) state of
being the
same in power, value, or rank When the younger brother was promoted to
co-president
with the elder son, it established parity between the two.
parley
parochial
parry
I dislike talking to the woman so I will attempt to parry her by ducking around
the
corner. parse (v.) to separate (a sentence) into parts and describe the
function of
each An English teacher may ask a student to parse a sentence.
parsimonious
The parsimonious individual argued that twenty-five cents was much too
expensive for
a pack of gum. parsimony (n.) to be unreasonably careful when spending
The
parsimony of the wealthy woman was uncalled for. partisan (n.; adj.)
supporter;
follower; biased; one-sided The union president is a partisan of minimum-
wage
legislation. A partisan for the incumbent mayor will not support the
challenger.
passive
paucity
(n.) scarcity
The described feast was actually a buffet with a paucity of food. pavilion
(n.) a large
tent or covered area, usually used for entertainment The wedding pavilion
was not only
beautifully decorated, but also served as welcome protection from a sudden
downpour.
peccadillo
The child was embarrassed when he was caught committing the peccadillo
of eating
chocolate before dinner.
pecuniary
pedagogue
(n.) a teacher
Seeing the way she worked with children there was no doubt she was a true
pedagogue. pedantic (adj.) emphasizing minutiae or form in scholarship or
teaching
Professor Jones’s lectures were so pedantic that his students sometimes
had a tough
time understanding the big picture. It is important to understand pedantic
terminology
before beginning a lecture.
pedestrian
pejorative
The pejorative comment deepened the dislike between the two families.
pellucid
(adj.) transparent
The pellucid material was not an adequate shield from the sun.
penchant
penitent
pensive
penurious
The penurious man had millions of dollars, but lived in a cottage to save
money.
perceptive
The perceptive detective discovered that the murder weapon was hidden in
a safe
under the floor.
percussion
perdition
(n.) ruination
The perdition of the building was caused by the strong quake. peremptory
(adj.)
barring future action; that cannot be denied, changed, etc. The peremptory
means of
defense was satisfactory to keep out the intruders.
The wildcat strike was a peremptory move on the part of the workers.
perfidious
The trust between the business associates was broken after the perfidious
actions by
one of the partners. perfunctory (adj.) done in a routine, mechanical way,
without
interest Change in career is a good cure for someone who has become
bored with their
occupation and is currently performing their duties in a perfunctory fashion.
The girl will not improve unless she changes her perfunctory attitude.
peripheral
(adj.) marginal; outer
perjury
The already sensational trial of a star athlete turned all the more so when it
turned out
that a police detective had committed perjury. Lying while on the witness
stand is
perjury.
permeable
Because the material was permeable, the water was able to drain.
pernicious
Standing oil combined with a fresh rain on the asphalt can have a
pernicious impact on
a driver’s control of the road. The pernicious fire engulfed four blocks of
homes.
perpetual
perquisite
pertinent
peruse
A vast majority of time was spent perusing the possible solution to the
dilemma.
pervade
(v.) to occupy the whole of
pervasive
The home was filled with the pervasive aroma of baking bread. pessimism
(n.) seeing
only the gloomy side; hopelessness After endless years of drought,
pessimism grew in
the hearts of even the most dedicated farmer.
petty
With all of the crime in the world, stealing bubble gum is considered petty
theft.
petulant
The long illness put the boy in a petulant mood. The tone of his voice and
the things
that he says become quite petulant when he has not gotten enough sleep.
phenomenon (n.) exceptional person; unusual occurrence Not for nothing
do they call
Yankee Stadium “The House that Ruth Built”-the Babe was a phenomenon.
The northern lights are a rare phenomenon for those not living near the
Arctic Circle.
philanthropy
After years of donating time and money to the children’s hospital, Mrs.
Elderwood was
commended for her philanthropy. phlegmatic (adj.) without emotion or
interest;
sluggish and dull The playwright had hoped his story would take
theatergoers on an
emotional roller coaster, but on opening night they just sat there,
stonefaced and
phlegmatic.
phobia
pied
pious
The religious couple believed that their pious method of worship would
bring them
eternal life.
The statues of the saints have pious symbolism. Many people think of this
land as
pious territory. pique (n.; v.) resentment at being slighted; to provoke Being
passed
over for the promotion aroused his pique. The more he piqued her, the
redder she
grew.
pithy
Columnist William Safire, a former presidential speech writer, has a way with
words that
often yields pithy comments.
pittance
The reward money was only a pittance compared to the money lost. The
little girl
received a pittance every week for keeping her room clean.
placate
The entire family attempted to placate the stubborn child. With a soothing
voice and
the promise of a juicy steak, the trainer placated the escaped lion so that
he wouldn’t
hurt anyone.
placid
plaintive
platonic
(adj.) idealistic or impractical; not amorous or sensual The platonic advice
of the doctor
was to stay away from all odors. Our relationship is platonic now, but I hope
it will
someday be otherwise.
plausible
After weeks of trying to determine what or who was raiding the chicken
coop, the farmer
came up with a plausible explanation. After scrimping and saving for a
decade, it was
now plausible to send his daughter to college.
plenary
plethora
(n.) a superabundance
plumb
polemic
(adj.) controversial
polemicist
The polemicist could debate any case skillfully. pommel (n.) the rounded,
upward-
projecting front of a saddle The woman was so nervous about being on the
horse she
would not let go of the pommel.
ponderous
As if being grainy wasn’t bad enough, the film’s ponderous story made it
tough to get
through.
portend
pragmatic
Since they were saving money to buy a new home, the pragmatic married
couple
decided not to go on an expensive vacation. A pragmatic solution to the car’
s continual
repairs would be to purchase a new car.
prate
It is not uncommon for people to prate when they become nervous about
speaking to a
superior. prattle (n.; v.) childish babble; to babble while speaking I’ve
listened to his
prattle for far too long.
The toddler does more prattling than talking. precarious (adj.) depending
upon
another; risky, uncertain The precarious plans fell through when the second
couple
changed their plans.
precept
preclude
A healthy diet and lifestyle will not preclude you from getting ill, although it
improves
your immune system.
prefatory
premise
The prosecutor claimed that the defense lawyer’s premise was shaky, and
thus his
whole argument was suspect. preponderate (adj.) to outweigh; to be
superior in
amount, weight, etc. His positive qualities are the preponderate ones over
his
occasional rudeness. presage (n.) an omen; a foreshadowing
characteristic They
considered the rainbow at their wedding a presage for a happy life. Bright
sun in the
morning was a good presage that it was going to be a good day.
prescience (n.)
knowing about something before it happens The morning of the big game I
had a
prescience that we would win.
prescriptive
prevalent
Rain is usually more prevalent than snow during April. prevaricate (v.) to
speak
equivocally or evasively, i.e., to lie The mayor’s desperate attempt to
prevaricate about
the scandal was transparent to the voters.
His mother knew no one else could have done it, but the child foolishly
prevaricated
about the stain on the rug.
pristine
The pristine lake had not been marred by pollution. She had such a
pristine look about
her, you would have thought she was an angel.
privy
(adj.) private; confidential
He was one of a handful of people privy to the news of the pending merger.
probity
(n.) honesty
The young man’s probity was reassuring to the fearful parent. problematic
(adj.) being
hard to deal with; unsolved situation The constant squeak of the door was
problematic.
The tense political struggle remains problematic.
prodigal
The actor’s prodigal lifestyle ultimately led to his undoing. Spending his
rent money on
your birthday present was more than generous, it was prodigal.
The prodigal gift by the poor woman was truly a thoughtful gesture.
prodigious
The prodigious festivities lasted until the wee hours of the morning.
profound
It was with profound regret and sorrow that the family had to leave their
homeland for a
more prosperous country. profusion (n.) great wastefulness; a large
abundance of The
profusion of the food-fight was unforgivable considering the worldwide
hunger problem.
progeny
It is through his progeny that his name shall live on. The princes were the
progeny of
royalty. program (n.) the parts of entertainment; a plan for dealing with a
matter; coded
instructions The free-form music program on Sunday nights is virtually
unique in
commercial radio.
The program for better health is to eat more vegetables and fruits. The
store’s
computer program allows sale information to prompt at the register for
certain items at
certain hours.
proliferate
prolific
(adj.) fruitful
propagate
propensity
She has a propensity to hire men over women. propinquity (n.) closeness
in time or
place; closeness of relationship The propinquity of the disasters put the
community in
chaos. The propinquity of the two stories was the basis of the teacher’s
lesson.
propitiate
prosaic
provident
It was provident, in his opinion, to wait and buy the new car when he was
financially
secure.
provincial
After living in the city for five years, he found that his family back home on
the farm was
too provincial for his cultured ways. proviso (n.) A clause stating a
condition or
stipulation The governor began the conference with a proviso stating the
disastrous
results of the flood.
provocative
In the movie Roger Rabbit, the animated Jessica Rabbit demurs when she’s
told she’s
provocative, saying that she’s only drawn that way. The U.S. considered
the invasion
of Kuwait a provocative action.
provoke
quaff
quagmire
quaint
One of the best qualities of the bed-and-breakfast was its quaint setting in
the charming
English village.
qualified
She was well qualified for the job after working the field for ten years.
qualm
His qualms about flying disappeared once the plane landed softly.
quandary
(n.) dilemma
Unable to make a firm decision, I’ve been in this quandary for weeks. When
the car
broke down the commuter was left in a quandary. quarantine (n.) isolation
of a person
or persons to prevent the spread of disease To be sure they didn’t bring
any
contagions back to Earth, the astronauts were put under quarantine when
they
returned.
quiescence
quiescent
quintessence
quirk
Our vacation went smoothly save for one quirk-a hurricane that came
barreling into the
coastline as we were preparing to head home. The plot of that movie had
so many
quirks that it became very hard to follow.
Always needing to put the left shoe on first is a peculiar quirk. quixotic
(adj.) foolishly
idealistic; romantically idealistic; extravagantly chivalrous He was popular
with the ladies
due to his quixotic charm. She had a quixotic view of the world, believing
that humans
need never suffer. rabid (adj.; n.) furious; with extreme anger; a disease
affecting
animals The insult made him rabid.
Discovering that the dog was rabid, the mail carrier knew he’d have to get a
shot.
He’s been a rabid sports fan for as long as I have known him.
raconteur
rampant
Social unrest was rampant because of the lack of food available to the
people.
rampart
rancid
rancor
Her rancor for the man was evident in her hateful expression. Sure they
had their
disagreements, but there was no rancor between them. rant (v.) to speak
in a loud,
pompous manner; rave He disputed the bill with the shipper, ranting that he
was dealing
with thieves.
rapacious
Rapacious actions were needed to take the gun from the intruder.
ratify
realm
In the realm of health care, the issue of who pays and how is never far from
the surface.
rebuff
rebuttal
(n.) refutation
recalcitrant
The boy became recalcitrant when the curfew was enforced. The
recalcitrant youth
dyed her hair purple, dropped out of school, and generally worked hard at
doing
whatever others did not want her to do.
recession
Oscar’s gum recession left him with sensitive teeth. Soaring unemployment
in the
nation’s industrial belt triggered recession. recidivism (n.) habitual or
chronic relapse of
criminal or antisocial offenses Even after intense therapy the parolee
experienced
several episodes of recidivism, and was eventually sent back to prison.
reciprocal
(adj.) mutual; having the same relationship to each other Hernando’s
membership in
the Picture of Health Fitness Center gives him reciprocal privileges at 245
health clubs
around the U.S. Although his first child was adopted, she had a reciprocal
relationship
with her father. recluse (adj.; n.) solitary; a person who lives secluded His
recluse life
seems to make him happy.
Howard Hughes, among the most famous and enigmatic figures of the 20th
century,
ultimately retreated to a life as a recluse.
recondite
rectify
(v.) correct
recumbent
(adj.) resting
recusant
refurbish
The Newsomes are refurbishing their old colonial home with the help of an
interior
designer.
refute
regal
The regal home was lavishly decorated and furnished with European
antiques.
reiterate
Rose found that she had to reiterate almost everything, leading her to fear
her
husband was going deaf.
If you did not hear me the first time, I will reiterate the directions for you.
relegate
relevant
Asking applicants about their general health is relevant since much of the
job requires
physical strength.
relinquish
House Speaker Jim Wright had to relinquish his position after an ethics
investigation
undermined his authority.
remonstrate
remorse
The prosecutor argued that the defendant had shown no remorse for his
actions.
renascence
(n.) a new life; rebirth
The renascence of the band resulted in a new recording contract. rend (v.)
to rip or
pull from; to split with violence; to disturb with a sharp noise The kidnapper
rent the
newborn baby from the arms of its mother as she was leaving the hospital.
A freakish water spout rent the fishing boat in half. Every morning, the 5:47
local out of
New Brunswick rends the dawn’s silence with its air horn.
render
The Yorkville First Aid Squad was first on the scene to render assistance.
renegade
(n.) a person who abandons something, as a religion, cause or movement;
a traitor
Benedict Arnold remains one of the most notorious renegades in American
history.
repast
replete
replica
reprehend
Finding the need to reprehend the student’s actions, she gave her
detention. reproach
(v.) to blame and thus make feel ashamed; to rebuke The major
reproached his troops
for not following orders.
reprobate
reproof
(n.) a rebuke
For all his hard work, all he got was a reproof of his efforts. repudiate (v.)
to disown; to
deny support for; reject; cancel The man will repudiate all claims that he
was involved in
the deal. Although his party supported the bill, this senator repudiated it.
repugnant
The repugnant actions of the man made others lose trust in him.
resignation
He submitted his resignation because he found a new job. You could see
the
resignation on his face: Things just weren’t working out as he’d expected.
resilient
(adj.) flexible; capable of withstanding stress The elderly man attributed his
resilient
health to a good diet and frequent exercise.
resolution
resonant
respite
The team was given a respite from the long practice schedule.
resplendent
resurgent
The reticent girl played with her building blocks while the other children
played tag.
retract
retroaction
The retroaction of the car sent those standing behind it fleeing. The bill’s
retroaction
stood to save taxpayers an average of $500 a head. reverent (adj.)
respectful; feeling
or showing deep love, respect, or awe The congregation was very reverent
of its
spiritual leader. reverie (n.) the condition of being unaware of one’s
surroundings,
trance; dreamy thinking or imagining, especially of agreeable things As their
anniversary neared, Lisa fell into a reverie as she recalled all the good
times she and
Roscoe had had.
revile
ribald
rigor
(n.) severity
She criticized the planning board’s vote with rigor.
rivet
She could not look away from the morbid scene; she was riveted to it.
roseate
(adj.) rose-colored
rout
(n.; v.) a noisy or disorderly crowd; a retreat or terrible defeat; to dig up The
rout kept
the police busy all morning with crowd control. The Scarlet Knights beat the
Fighting
Irish in a rout, 56-14.
rudimentary
(adj.) elementary
ruffian
ruminate
rummage
sagacious
(adj.) wise
Many of her friends came to her with their problems because she gave
sagacious
advice.
salient
What’s salient about the report is its documentation of utter despair in the
heartland of
the richest nation on Earth. His most salient feature is his nose.
salubrious
salutatory
Two messengers were sent to the new neighbors with a salutatory letter.
salvage
The family tried to salvage their belongings after their home was destroyed
by a
tornado. sanction (v.; n.) an act of giving authoritative permission; to give
encouragement; a blockade The government has sanctioned the meetings
as a worthy
cause. He did more than tolerate her actions, he sanctioned them. Before
committing
troops to war, the president wanted to give the sanctions a chance to work.
sanguine
sapid
sarcasm
(n.) ironic; bitter humor designed to wound
The teacher did not appreciate the student’s sarcasm and gave him
detention.
sardonic
H.L. Mencken was known for his sardonic writings on political figures. satire
(n.) a novel
or play that uses humor or irony to expose folly The new play was a satire
that exposed
the President’s inability to lead the country.
saturate
She saturated the sponge with soapy water before she began washing the
car.
saturnine
saunter
savant
scanty
The malnutrition was caused by the scanty amount of healthy food eaten
each day.
schism
When the group could not decide on a plan of action, a schism occurred.
scourge
After finding a purse with valuable items inside, the scrupulous Mr.
scrutinize
After allowing his son to borrow the family car, the father scrutinized every
section for
dents.
scurrilous
(adj.) vulgarity
sectarian
A sectarian precluded him from listening to the other side. sedentary (adj.)
characterized by sitting; remaining in one locality The sedentary child had
not moved
after two hours. The old woman who never left her home town has led a
sedentary life.
sedition
(n.) a revolt
The sedition by the guards ended with their being executed for treason.
sedulous
seethe
sequester
serrated
While camping, the family used a serrated band saw to cut firewood.
servile
He knew they both possessed equal abilities, and yet he was always treated
as a
servile underling.
The servile nurse did everything the doctor told her to do.
shady
shoal
shoddy
The state’s attorney said many homes, as they were built with shoddy
materials, were
bound to just blow apart even in winds of 60 or 70 miles per hour.
sinuous
Sinuous mountain roads at night present extra danger at night when it’s
harder to see
the road’s edge.
skeptic
(n.) doubter
Even after seeing evidence that his competitor’s new engine worked, the
engineer
remained a skeptic that it was marketable.
skulk
(v.) to move secretly, implies sinister
The thief skulked around the neighborhood hoping to find his next target.
The woman attempted to skulk away from cleaning the house by hiring a
cleaning
service.
slander
Orville said he’d been slandered, and he asked the court who would-or
could- give him
his name back.
sloth
slothful
(adj.) lazy
slovenly
(adv.) sloppy
His mother-in-law did not approve of his slovenly manner. sodden (adj.)
soggy; dull in
action as if from alcohol The flowers were sodden after the rain.
sojourn
The family will sojourn at their summer home. The guest remained only for
a sojourn;
she was going to leave in the afternoon.
solace
When her father passed away, she found solace amongst her friends and
family.
solemnity (n.) a deep, reverent feeling often associated with religious
occasions The
church service was full of solemnity.
The solemnity of the funeral procession stood in stark contrast to the young
children
splashing with delight in a nearby pool.
solicit
The jobless man solicited employment from many factories before he was
able to find
work. soliloquy (n.) a talk one has with oneself (esp. on stage) Imagine T.S.
Eliot’s
poem The Waste Land performed on stage as a kind of soliloquy!
The soliloquy by the man standing alone on the cliff sent a message of
regret.
solubility (n.) that can be solved; that can be dissolved The solubility of
sugar causes it
to disappear when put in water.
somber
soporific
The soporific medication should not be taken when you need to drive.
sordid
The sordid gutters needed to be cleaned after the long, rainy autumn. The
criminals
thought patterns were so sordid that he was not granted parole.
sovereign
(adj.) superior
The power was given to the sovereign warrior. specious (adj.) plausible,
but deceptive;
apparently, but not actually, true The jury forewoman said the jury saw
through the
defense lawyer’s specious argument and convicted his client on the weight
of the
evidence.
spelunker
The spelunker made a startling discovery in the old mine. spendthrift (n.) a
person who
spends money extravagantly The spendthrift bought two new necklaces and
three pairs
of shoes.
splenetic
spurious
Spurious claims by the importer hid the fact that prison labor had been
used in the
garments’ fabrication.
spurn
The woman spurned the advances of her suitor, saying she wasn’t ready
for a
commitment.
squalid
stagnant
staid
stamina
(n.) endurance
Anybody who can finish the New York Marathon has lots of stamina.
stanch
static
The view while riding in the train across the endless, flat landscape
remained static for
days.
The static water of the lake reflected the image of the trees.
steadfast
(adj.) loyal
The secret service agents are steadfast to their oath to protect the
president.
stigma
stigmatize
stipend
She receives a monthly stipend for her help with the project. The bank will
pay the
woman a stipend of a hundred dollars a week. stoic (adj.) detached;
unruffled; calm;
austere indifference to joy, grief, pleasure, or pain The soldier had been in
week after
week of fierce battle; nonetheless, he remained stoic.
stoke
With the last embers dying, he stoked the fire one more time.
stolid
With a stolid expression, the man walked away from the confrontation.
striated
strident
Her strident voice hampered her chances of getting the announcer position.
stupor
stymie
suave
She was a suave negotiator, always getting what she wanted without
anyone feeling
they’d lost anything.
subjugate
The bully will attempt to subjugate the remainder of the class. The royal
family
subjugated the peasants, making them perform hard labor.
subliminal
subsume
With great subtlety we slipped away from the boring party. succinct (adj.)
clearly
stated; characterized by conciseness The speech was succinct yet
emotional.
Usually, the most succinct definition is the right one. Articles in USA Today
are so
succinct that some observers nicknamed the newspaper “McPaper.”
succor
Succor was given to the fire victim in the form of clothes and temporary
shelter.
succumb
suffuse
(v.) to overspread
The rain will suffuse the spilled sand around the patio.
sumptuous
sunder
The Civil War threatened to sunder the United States. Management seeks
to sunder
the workers’ connections to the union. sundry (adj.) various;
miscellaneous; separate;
distinct This store sells many sundry novelty items.
superfluous
Only the first sentence is necessary; all of these details are superfluous.
After they
finished their seven-course meal, a large dessert seemed superfluous.
superlative
supplant
suppliant
Her suppliant request of wanting to know the name of the man was met with
a laugh.
suppress
The illegal aliens were suppressed by the border patrol. surfeit (v.; n.)
excessively
indulging; overindulgence The teenagers were warned not to surfeit at the
party. The
result of her surfeit was a week of regret.
surmise
He surmised how the play would end before the second act began.
surpass
After recovering from a serious illness, the boy surpassed the doctor’s
expectations by
leaving the hospital two days early.
surreptitious
susceptible
swathe
sycophant
(n.) flatterer
Rodolfo honed his skills as a sycophant, hoping it would get him into Sylvia’
s good
graces.
symmetry
synthetic
table
tacit
The National Security Agency aide argued, in effect, that he had received
the president’
s tacit approval for the arms-for-hostages deal. taciturn (adj.) inclined to
silence;
speaking little; dour, stern The man was so taciturn it was forgotten that he
was there.
tantalize
tarry
taut
(adj.) stretched tightly
They knew a fish was biting, because the line suddenly became taut.
tawdry
tedious
Cleaning the house is a tedious chore for some people. With so many new
safety
precautions instituted, flying has become a tedious affair. teem (v.) to be
stocked to
overflowing; to pour out; to empty The new plant seemed to be teeming with
insects. It
is healthier to teem the grease from the broth before serving it.
temerity
(n.) foolhardiness
The craftsman tempered the steel before being able to twist it to form a
table leg.
temperament
tenacious
With a tenacious grip, the man was finally able to pull the nail from the wall.
tenet
tensile
tentative
Not knowing if he’d be able to get the days off, Al went ahead anyway and
made
tentative vacation plans with his pal.
tenuous
The hurricane force winds ripped the tenuous branches from the tree. The
spectators
panicked as they watched the cement block dangle from one tenuous piece
of twine.
tepid (adj.) lacking warmth, interest, enthusiasm; lukewarm The tepid bath
water was
perfect for relaxing after a long day.
termagant
terrestrial
terse
She believed in getting to the point, so she always gave terse answers.
The terse
speech contained only the essential comments. tether (n.) the range or
limit of one’s
abilities; rope or chain used to keep a boat from drifting or an animal from
wandering
My tether of playing basketball is shooting air balls. The bulldog was
tethered to his
doghouse.
thrall
(n.) a slave
The worker was treated like a thrall, having to work many hours of overtime.
thrifty
Being thrifty, the woman would not purchase the item without a coupon.
The thrifty couple saved money by taking the bus to work.
throe
A particularly violent throe knocked her off her feet. The wounded soldier
squirmed in
throes of agony. thwart (v.) prevent from accomplishing a purpose;
frustrate Their
attempt to take over the country was thwarted by the palace guard. timbre
(n.) the
quality of sound which distinguishes one from another The timbre of guitar
music is
different from that of piano music.
timorous
torpid
The old, torpid dog spent most of his time sleeping. tortuous (adj.) full of
twists and
turns; not straight forward; possibly deceitful The suspect confessed after
becoming
confused by the tortuous questioning of the captain.
toxic
(adj.) poisonous
It’s best to store cleansing solutions out of children’s reach because of their
toxic
contents. tractable (adj.) easily managed (opposite: intractable) The boat
was so
lightweight it was tractable by one person.
traduce
tranquillity
The tranquillity of the tropical island was reflected in its calm blue waters
and warm
sunny climate.
transmutation
transmute
(v.) to transform
transpire
traumatic
travail
The farmer was tired after the travail of plowing the fields.
trek
They had to trek through the dense forest to reach the nearest village.
trenchant
Without a trenchant tool, they would have to break the branches rather
than cut them.
trepidation
With great trepidation, the boy entered the water for the first time.
tribunal
tribute
trite
The committee was looking for something new, not the same trite ideas.
trivial
Although her mother felt otherwise, she considered her dish washing chore
trivial.
troth
truculent
Truculent fighting broke out in the war-torn country. The truculent beast
approached
the crowd with wild eyes and sharpened claws.
truncate
With the football game running over, the show scheduled to follow it had to
be
truncated.
tumid
The tumid river washed away the homes built on the shore.
The tumid balloon floated, but the empty one did not.
tumult
The tumult was caused by two boys wanting the same toy.
The turbid green waters of the lake prevented them from seeing the
bottom.
turbulence (n.) condition of being physically agitated; disturbance Everyone
on the
plane had to fasten their seat belts as the plane entered an area of
turbulence.
turmoil
Before the country recovered after the war, they experienced a time of
great turmoil.
turpitude
(n.) vileness
The turpitude of the action caused a rage among the people. tutelage (n.)
the
condition of being under a guardian or a tutor Being under the tutelage of a
master
musician is a great honor.
tycoon
tyranny
The people were upset because they had no voice in the government that
the king ran
as a tyranny.
ubiquitous
ulterior
She was usually very selfish, so when she came bearing gifts he suspected
that she
had ulterior motives.
My ulterior concerns are more important than my immediate ones. The man’
s ulterior
motive was to spy on the lab, though he said he wanted a job.
umbrage
(n.) offense or resentment
unalloyed
uncanny
uncouth
undermine
unequivocal
The 50-0 vote against the bill was an unequivocal statement against the
measure.
unfeigned
Her unfeigned reaction of surprise meant she had not expected the party.
ungainly
The ungainly man knocked over the plant stand. uniform (adj.) never
changing, always
with the same standard The marching band moved in uniform across the
field. Patrons
of fast-food chains say they like the idea of a uniform menu wherever they
go.
unique
The jeweler assured him that the dubloon was unique, as it was part of the
long lost
treasure of the Atocha. universal (adj.) concerning everyone; existing
everywhere
Pollution does not affect just one country or state- it’s a universal problem.
unobtrusive
(adj.) out of the way; remaining quietly in the background The shy man
found an
unobtrusive seat in the far corner of the room. It was easy to miss the
unobtrusive
plaque above the fireplace.
unprecedented
unpretentious
untoward
unwonted
(adj.) rare
The unwonted raise would be the only one received for a few years. The
changed
migratory habits of the Canada geese, though unwonted, is unwanted
because of the
mess they make.
upshot
The upshot of the debate was that the bill would be released to the floor.
urbane
The gala concert and dinner dance was attended by the most urbane
individuals.
The English businessman was described by his peers as witty and urbane.
usurpation
(n.) art of taking something for oneself; seizure During the war, the
usurpation of the
country forced an entirely new culture on the natives. usury (n.) the lending
of money
with an excessively high interest rate An interest rate 30 points above the
prime rate
would be considered usury in the United States.
Loan sharks frequently practice usury, but their debtors usually have little
choice but to
keep quiet and pay up. utopia (n.) imaginary land with perfect social and
political
systems Voltaire wrote of a utopia where the streets were paved with gold.
waft
waive
I will waive my rights to have a lawyer present because I don’t think I need
one.
wan
wane
After time, interest in the show will wane and it will no longer be as popular.
The full moon waned until it was nothing but a sliver in the sky. wanton
(adj.)
unmanageable; unjustifiably malicious My wanton hunger must be satiated.
It is hard to lose weight when one has a wanton desire for sweets.
warrant
The police official warranted the arrest of the suspect once enough proof
had been
found.
welter
wheedle
The crook may attempt to wheedle the money from the bank.
whet
whimsical
Strolling down Disney World’s Main Street is bound to put child and grown-
up alike in a
whimsical mood.
wily
winsome
His winsome words moved the crowd to love him even more.
wither
The plant withered slowly since it received little light and little water.
wizened
The wizened face of the old man was covered by his hat.
wooden
The wooden expression of the man made him look like a statue.
workaday
(adj.) commonplace
The workaday meal was not exciting to the world class chef.
wrath
Do not trespass on his property or you will have to deal with his wrath.
wreak
The dragon will wreak havoc upon the countryside. wrest (v.) to pull or
force away by a
violent twisting The warriors wrest the power from the king. wretched (adj.)
miserable or
unhappy; causing distress Brought up in an orphanage, Annie led a
wretched
existence. The continual rain made for a wretched vacation.
wry
xenophobia
yoke
The jockey led her horse by the yoke around its neck and face.
yore
When he sees his childhood friends, they speak about the days of yore.
zealot
The zealot followed whatever rules the cult leader set. zenith (n.) point
directly
overhead in the sky; highest point The astronomer pointed her telescope
straight up
toward the zenith. The Broncos seemed to be at the zenith of their power
just as their
rivals on the turf were flagging.
zephyr
(n.) a gentle wind; breeze