Advanced Vocab Words - Set 7 Flashcards
Learn to understand and effectively use 100 advanced vocabulary words. Improve your test scores, or simply be more articulate in your daily life. Each word is used in context in a sample sentence and includes synonyms and a pronunciation guide.
Define
dissociate
(dih-soh-see-ate)
v. to consider as separate
v. to break away
When news of the company’s fraud broke out, former affiliates tried to dissociate themselves from the partnership.
Define
dissonant
(diss-ih-nunt)
adj. not in agreement; discordant
adj. unpleasant or harsh sounding
The first song the group performed surprised the audience with its dissonant chords and unusual length.
Define
distend
(dih-stend)
v. to swell or widen
The children watched in fascination as the frog _distend_ed its throat and croaked.
Define
distill
(dih-still)
v. to make pure
v. to take out from
The essence of the substance was _distill_ed through a complicated process.
Define
divest
(dahy-vest)
v. to deprive or dispossess
v. to dispose of assets
He was _divest_ed of his privileges and title after breaking the club’s most important rule.
Define
doctrinaire
(dock-truh-nair)
adj. following theory without regard for practical reality
The new president’s doctrinaire attitude towards economics led him to go through with some harmful policies.
Define
elate
(ee-late)
v. to fill with optimism or excitement
Activists were _elate_d to hear about the passage of the civil rights legislation.
Define
elegy
(ell-ih-djee)
n. a mournful poem or song
At her father’s funeral, Linda chose to read an elegy by his favorite poet, Keats.
Define
elucidate
(ih-loo-sih-dehyt)
v. to make easier to understand
The company introduced simplified diagrams on its packaging to elucidate its new environmentally-friendly manufacturing process.
Define
emaciate
(ih-mehy-shee-ehyt)
v. to make or become thin
He emerged from the prisoner camp _emaciate_d by months of inadequate rations.
Define
emollient
(ih-mole-yunt)
adj. having the effect of softening
The cream was popular for its moisturizing and emollient properties.
Define
venal
(veen-l)
adj. capable of being bought or bribed; mercenary; corruptible
Naturally, the case was declared a mistrial when its venal judge was shown to have sought bribes from both the prosecution and the defense.
Define
doggerel
(daw-ger-uhl)
n. trivial, poorly constructed verse
adj. comic, burlesque; loose and irregular
The doggerel found in some publications is often a result of lazy editing.
Define
manse
(manss)
n. a clergyman’s house
n. a mansion
The architect just finished the plans for the minister’s new manse.
Define
nexus
(nek-suhss)
n. a connected series; a tie or link
n. the center or focus
The detective pursued several corrupt police officials and so uncovered the nexus of the city’s violent crime.
Define
promulgate
(prom-uhl-geyt)
v. to make openly known; to officially announce
The governor _promulgate_d the new building code by special courier to each of the state’s municipalities.
Define
dross
(drawss)
n. rubbish, waste, or foreign matter; impurity
Fred dismissed the criticisms of his portfolio, pointing out that the gold had far outweighed the dross through his long career.
Define
demur
(duh-mur)
v. to take exception; to object
n. an objection
Though he was essentially in favor of freedom of speech, he _demur_red at certain types of hate speech.
Define
felicitous
(fih-liss-ih-tuss)
adj. appropriate, suitable (as of a comment); well-chosen
Though Zhang and Eric are nothing alike, their complementary strengths made for a felicitous pairing as lab partners.
Define
veritable
(ver-ih-tuh-buhl)
adj. authentic, real, true
In such a moderate district, winning more than 60 percent of the vote is a veritable landslide.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to consider as separate
v. to break away
dissociate
(dih-soh-see-ate)
synonyms: separate, detach
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. not in agreement; discordant
adj. unpleasant or harsh sounding
dissonant
(diss-ih-nunt)
synonyms: discordant, clashing
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to swell or widen
distend
(dih-stend)
synonyms: bulge, swell, bloat
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make pure
v. to take out from
distill
(dih-still)
synonyms: boil down, condense, extract
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to deprive or dispossess
v. to dispose of assets
divest
(dahy-vest)
synonyms: release, give up possession, rid
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. following theory without regard for practical reality
doctrinaire
(dock-truh-nair)
synonyms: dogmatic, unrealistic
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to fill with optimism or excitement
elate
(ee-late)
synonyms: uplift, exalt, to make very proud or happy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a mournful poem or song
elegy
(ell-ih-djee)
synonyms: death song, lament
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make easier to understand
elucidate
(ih-loo-sih-dehyt)
synonyms: clarify, simplify, expose
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make or become thin
emaciate
(ih-mehy-shee-ehyt)
synonyms: decrease, starve, weaken
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. having the effect of softening
emollient
(ih-mole-yunt)
synonyms: relaxing, relieving
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. capable of being bought or bribed; mercenary
venal
(veen-l)
synonyms: dishonest, corruptible
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. trivial, poorly constructed verse
doggerel
(daw-ger-uhl)
synonyms: awkward, droll
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a clergyman’s house
n. a mansion
manse
(manss)
synonyms: dwelling, house, residence
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a connected series; a tie or link
n. the center or focus
nexus
(nek-suhss)
synonyms: web, union; core
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to make openly known; to officially announce
promulgate
(prom-uhl-geyt)
synonyms: advertise, broadcast, declare
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. slag, waste, or foreign matter; impurity
dross
(drawss)
synonyms: dregs, scum
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to take exception; to object
n. an objection
demur
(duh-mur)
synonyms: disagree, challenge, oppose
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. appropriate, suitable (as of a comment); well-chosen
felicitous
(fih-liss-ih-tuss)
synonyms: apt, fitting, favorable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. authentic, real, true
veritable
(ver-ih-tuh-buhl)
synonyms: bona fide, genuine
Define
impassive
(im-pass-iv)
adj. showing no emotion; stoic; unmoved
Who could remain impassive after such a heart-wrenching story?
Define
hermetic
(hur-met-ik)
adj. airtight, impervious to outside influence; isolated
The tomb’s hermetic seal had never been opened.
Define
fracas
(frey-kuhs)
n. a noisy fight or quarrel
In the middle of the day, a fracas between two cab drivers erupted in the street.
Define
eminence
(em-ih-nunce)
n. a place of high rank
Late in her career, Aida was finally recognized for achieving eminence in filmmaking.
Define
epigram
(ep-ih-gram)
n. a witty saying
The comedian became famous for his instantly recognizable _epigram_s and one-liners.
Define:
epitome
(uh-pit-uh-mee)
n. a particularly worthy example of a class or type
The salon’s customers praised his work as the epitome of high-class hairstyling.
Define
equanimity
(ek-wuh-nim-ih-tee)
n. steadiness of mind
A good leader maintains her equanimity even during a crisis.
Define
equivocal
(uh-kwiv-uh-kul)
adj. uncertain or open to interpretation
The doctor’s conclusion was rather equivocal, so I asked for a second opinion.
Define
erudite
(air-ya-dahyt)
adj. having profound knowledge or wisdom
The erudite professor was extremely knowledgeable but difficult to understand in lectures.
Define
espouse
(uh-spouz)
v. to give or take in matrimony
v. to take up or adopt (e.g., a cause)
Although she claims to be nonconformist, Becky merely _espouse_s the same beliefs she has read about in various books and websites.
Define
eradicate
(ih-rad-ih-kehyt)
v. to eliminate completely
The poison succeeded in _eradicat_ing all of the insects that had invaded the house.
Define
estrange
(ih-strange)
v. to arouse hostility in
v. to remove from a group or relationship
A particularly mean-spirited remark from her stepmother finally _estrange_d Maggie from her family, and she has not been home since.
Define
evanescent
(ev-ih-ness-unt)
adj. tending to vanish
The evanescent beauty of cherry blossoms may have inspired the respect for short-lived pleasures evident in the Japanese psyche.
Define
extrinsic
(ik-strin-zik)
adj. originating from the outside
The parents’ cheers were useful for extrinsic motivation, but the coach told the team that the drive to win must come from inside themselves.
Define
exult
(ig-zult)
v. to express joy or elation
The winning candidate’s campaign team began to exult the moment they heard the news.
Define
facetious
(fuh-see-shuss)
adj. humorous with a sarcastic tone
The student’s facetious comments were seen as disrespectful by his professor.
Define
facile
(fass-ul)
adj. done with ease
adj. shallow, uncomplicated
Though facile references to cooperation may inspire some workers, others remain unconvinced until their higher-ups go into specifics.
Define
rectitude
(rek-tih-tood)
n. moral righteousness
n. the quality of being right
The priest praised him for his rectitude in the face of temptation.
Define
crucible
(kroo-suh-buhl)
n. a metal container made of heat resistant material
n. a severe test
n. a place or time characterized by powerful forces
He was cast into the crucible of depression by his daughter’s diagnosis.
Define
ingenue
(an-je-noo)
n. a naive, innocent young woman
Do you take me for an ingenue who has never been to the city?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. showing no emotion; stoic; unmoved
impassive
(im-pass-iv)
synonyms: apathetic, unfeeling
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. airtight, impervious to outside influence; isolated
hermetic
(hur-met-ik)
synonyms: impervious, shut, sealed
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a noisy fight or quarrel
fracas
(frey-kuhs)
synonyms: disturbance, fight, brawl
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a place of high rank
eminence
(em-ih-nunce)
synonyms: importance, authority
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a witty saying
epigram
(ep-ih-gram)
synonyms: quirk, joke
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a particularly worthy example of a class or type
epitome
(uh-pit-uh-mee)
synonyms: ideal, model
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. steadiness of mind
equanimity
(ek-wuh-nim-ih-tee)
synonyms: composure, poise
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. uncertain or open to interpretation
equivocal
(uh-kwiv-uh-kul)
synonyms: doubtful, questionable
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. having profound knowledge or wisdom
erudite
(air-ya-dahyt)
synonyms: educated, cultured, savvy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to give or take in matrimony
v. to take up or adopt (e.g., a cause)
espouse
(uh-spouz)
synonyms: marry, engage; support, defend
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to eliminate completely
eradicate
(ih-rad-ih-kehyt)
synonyms: destroy, annihilate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to arouse hostility in
v. to remove oneself from a group or relationship
estrange
(ih-strange)
synonyms: antagonize, disaffect; separate, disconnect
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. tending to vanish
evanescent
(ev-ih-ness-unt)
synonyms: transient, disappearing, vanishing
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. originating from the outside
extrinsic
(ik-strin-zik)
synonyms: foreign, acquired, alien, outward
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to express joy or elation
exult
(ig-zult)
synonyms: delight, jubilate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. humorous with a sarcastic tone
facetious
(fuh-see-shuss)
synonyms: ironic, not serious
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. done with ease
adj. shallow, uncomplicated
facile
(fass-ul)
synonyms: effortless; simplistic
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. moral righteousness
n. the quality of being right
rectitude
(rek-tih-tood)
synonyms: decency, integrity; correctness
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a metal container made of heat resistant material
n. a severe test
n. a place or time characterized by powerful forces
crucible
(kroo-suh-buhl)
synonyms: vessel; calamity, trial
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a naive, innocent young woman
ingenue
(an-zhuh-noo)
synonyms: amateur, learner