Advanced Vocab Words - Set 4 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
aseptic
(uh-sep-tik)
adj. free of pathogens or germs
adj. with little or no emotion
Doctors are always careful to use aseptic surgical equipment to prevent infection.
Define
prolix
(proh-liks)
adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length
The prolix manuscript took days to read.
Define
foolhardy
(fool-hahr-dee)
adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash
It was a foolhardy attempt to climb the Sears Tower that went very wrong.
Define
picaresque
(pik-uh-resk)
adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure
Huck Finn is a picaresque hero.
Define
raucous
(raw-kuhs)
adj. rough sounding, harsh
adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly
The raucous laughter went on long into the night.
Define
providential
(prov-ih-den-shuhl)
adj. to occur as if from divine intervention or great time
His providential recovery, when it seemed that he would surely succumb, brought hope to many.
Define
antipodal
(an-tip-uh-dl)
adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite
adj. on the opposite side of the earth
The couple had totally antipodal personalities, but they enjoyed each other’s company.
Define
pillory
(pill-uh-ree)
v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning
n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held
Dan was _pillori_ed in class for his inability to spell “potato”.
Define
infelicitous
(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)
adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate
In Thailand, it is considered infelicitous to touch someone’s head.
Define
dilatory
(dil-uh-tawr-ee)
adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate
adj. intended to slow progress
Courtney employed dilatory tactics in the debate in order to collect her thoughts, but the judges noticed and she was docked a point.
Define
overweening
(oh-ver-wee-ning)
adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited; overconfident, overbearing
Ian made the overweening assumption that people would rush to help him.
Define
neologism
(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)
n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words
“Technophile” is a neologism, just as “UFO” once was.
Define
lassitude
(lass-ih-tood)
n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body
The extreme heat led to a general lassitude that settled on the village from May to October.
Define
locution
(loh-kyoo-shuhn)
n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group
n. style of speaking, phraseology
The newcomers were fascinated by the Aussie’s locution.
Define
jocose
(joh-kohss)
adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner
The jocose innkeeper could always be counted on for a bit of levity.
Define
rend
(rend)
v. to forcibly take
v. to tear apart
The three-year-old decided she wants to play with the teddy bear, so she _rend_ed it from her infant sister’s hands.
Define
stanch
(stawnch)
v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)
The doctor’s attempt to stanch the flow of blood eventually succeeded, and the patient’s blood pressure stabilized.
Define
solder
(sod-er)
v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)
Harry _solder_ed the bits of scrap metal together to make a pet door.
Define
demure
(duh-myoor)
adj. modest, shy
Lindsay was demure and had a tough time opening up to new people.
Define
insensible
(in-sen-suh-buhl)
adj. unconscious, unresponsive
The boxer lay insensible on the floor of the ring.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. free of pathogens or germs
adj. with little or no emotion
aseptic
(uh-sep-tik)
synonyms: barren, clean; withdrawn, introverted
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. wordy or prolonged; tedious in length
prolix
(proh-liks)
synonyms: lengthy, rambling
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. reckless, unwisely bold; thoughtlessly rash
foolhardy
(fool-hahr-dee)
synonyms: daredevil, venturous, risky
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. involving clever rogues in episodes of comedy or adventure
picaresque
(pik-uh-resk)
synonyms: roguish, satirical
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. rough sounding, harsh
adj. boisterous, rowdy, disorderly
raucous
(raw-kuhs)
synonyms: noisy, chaotic
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. to occur as if from divine intervention
providential
(prov-ih-den-shuhl)
synonyms: accidental, convenient, fortunate
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. diametrically opposed to, polar opposite
adj. on the opposite side of the earth
antipodal
(an-tip-uh-dl)
synonyms: opposed, contrary, counter
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to punish; to hold up for public scorning
n. a wooden framework with holes for head and hands, in which criminal offenders are held
pillory
(pill-uh-ree)
synonyms: ridicule, abuse
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unfortunate, awkward, inappropriate
infelicitous
(in-fuh-liss-ih-tuss)
synonyms: improper, ill suited
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. tending to delay, put off, or procrastinate
adj. intended to slow progress
dilatory
(dil-uh-tawr-ee)
synonyms: dallying, sluggish, tardy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. presumptuously arrogant or conceited, overconfident, overbearing
overweening
(oh-ver-wee-ning)
synonyms: brash, conceited, pompous
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the creation of new words, expressions, or usages for words
neologism
(nee-awl-uh-djiz-uhm)
synonyms: synthetic word, new phrase
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a state of listless exhaustion, weakness, or weariness of the mind or body
lassitude
(lass-ih-tood)
synonyms: lethargy, weariness, inaction
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a particular word, phrase, or style used by a person or group
n. style of speaking, phraseology
locution
(loh-kyoo-shuhn)
synonyms: phrasing, expression, lingo
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. characterized by a joking or humorous manner
jocose
(joh-kohss)
synonyms: facetious, humorous, funny
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to forcibly take
v. to tear apart
rend
(rend)
synonyms: break, divide, rip
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to cease the flow of a liquid (esp. blood)
stanch
(stawnch)
synonyms: to cease the flow of a liquid
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to weld, fuse, or join (esp. metals)
solder
(sod-er)
synonyms: fasten, braze
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. modest, shy
demure
(duh-myoor)
synonyms: reserved, bashful, coy
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. unconscious, unresponsive
insensible
(in-sen-suh-buhl)
synonyms: cold, numb, inanimate
Define
rail
(reyl)
v. to complain bitterly
The citizens _rail_ed against the injustice of the federal land grab in tersely-worded editorials and letters to the editor.
Define
noisome
(noy-suhm)
adj. offensive or harmful
The noisome odor of the garbage nauseated Audrey.
Define
mellifluous
(muh-lif-loo-uhs)
adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)
Lucy’s mellifluous voice was noted by her interviewer.
Define
inveterate
(in-vet-er-it)
adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted
It was Tony’s inveterate preference to drink orange juice every morning.
Define
coterie
(koh-tuh-ree)
n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests
The coterie of musicians began to meet on Tuesday nights and eventually established a weekly concert series.
Define
impugn
(im-pyoon)
v. to challenge or attack one’s beliefs or motives as false
The candidate went too far when he began to impugn the character of his opponent’s husband.
Define
voluble
(vol-yuh-buhl)
adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative
The voluble speaker talked late into the night.
Define
misogynist
(mih-sodj-uh-nist)
n. one who hates women
The song contained several lyrics that were so offensive to women that the singer was immediately labeled a misogynist.
Define
pedagogy
(ped-uh-goh-djee)
n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing
Training in pedagogy can’t prepare you for manic third graders.
Define
ambient
(am-bee-uhnt)
adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment
The low ambient lighting made for a romantic dinner setting.
Define
inquest
(in-kwest)
n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury
n. an investigation, inquiry
The police opened an inquest into the cause of death.
Define
preen
(preen)
v. to primp, to dress up
v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal
The bird _preen_ed its feathers with its beak for a few moments before taking flight.
Define
parry
(pear-ee)
v. to block, evade, or ward off
The politician _parri_ed the reporter’s questions with a few of her own.
Define
guy
(gahy)
n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace
I was nervous that the guy for the pulley would snap.
Define
sallow
(sal-oh)
adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion
There was a large number of sallow-looking patients in the doctor’s office.
Define
plangent
(plan-djuhnt)
adj. pounding, thundering, resounding
The plangent honking of geese flying overhead jolted me awake.
Define
peripatetic
(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)
adj. itinerant, nomadic
A peripatetic existence can take its toll on your relationships with the ones you love.
Define
rue
(roo)
v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse
I _rue_d the day I ever let her go.
Define
macerate
(mass-uh-reyt)
v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose
v. to emaciate; to starve
Now, we will macerate the rest of the melon in hot water so we can use it to flavor the cream.
Define
callow
(kal-oh)
adj. lacking maturity or experience
A callow young man was tormenting the elderly in the park.
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to complain bitterly
rail
(reyl)
synonyms: berate, abuse, complain
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. offensive or harmful
noisome
(noy-suhm)
synonyms: repulsive, dangerous
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. sweetly flowing (esp. of words or sounds)
mellifluous
(muh-lif-loo-uhs)
synonyms: euphonic, harmonic, mellow, pleasing
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. established, habitual, deep-rooted
inveterate
(in-vet-er-it)
synonyms: chronic, habitual, ingrained
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a small or exclusive group of people with common interests
coterie
(koh-tuh-ree)
synonyms: clique, crowd, collective
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to challenge or attack ones beliefs or motives as false
impugn
(im-pyoon)
synonyms: criticize, challenge
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. able to speak easily and in quantity, glib, talkative
voluble
(vol-yuh-buhl)
synonyms: articulate, chatty, conversational
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. one who hates women
misogynist
(mih-sodj-uh-nist)
synonyms: sexist, chauvinist
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. the art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing
pedagogy
(ped-uh-goh-djee)
synonyms: education, apprenticeship, discipline
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. relating to the immediate surroundings; surrounding environment
ambient
(am-bee-uhnt)
synonyms: environment, atmosphere
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. a judicial inquiry of some matter held before a jury.
n. an investigation, inquiry
inquest
(in-kwest)
synonyms: a judicial inquiry, an official review before a panel
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to primp, to dress up
v. to clean fur or feathers of an animal
preen
(preen)
synonyms: beautify, groom, brush, doll up
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to block, evade, or ward off
parry
(pear-ee)
synonyms: block, dodge, circumvent
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
n. rope or cord attached to something as a brace
guy
(gahy)
synonyms: cable, wire, rope
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. of a sickly yellowish hue or complexion
sallow
(sal-oh)
synonyms: pale, unhealthy-looking, jaundiced
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. pounding, thundering, resounding
plangent
(plan-djuhnt)
synonyms: booming, loud, roaring
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. itinerant, nomadic
peripatetic
(per-uh-puh-tet-ik)
synonyms: migrant, vagrant, wandering
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to regret; to feel or experience remorse
rue
(roo)
synonyms: feel remorse, grieve for
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
v. to soften by steeping in a liquid, or decompose
v. to emaciate; to starve
macerate
(mass-uh-reyt)
synonyms: soak, dissolve
Which of your vocabulary words means the following?
adj. lacking maturity or experience
callow
(kal-oh)
synonyms: immature, foolish