12 - 17 Flashcards
(180 cards)
1
Q
Abstinence
A
self‐restraint from an indulgence
2
Q
Acerbic
A
bitingly bitter in tone or taste
3
Q
Aggrandize
A
magnify reputation beyond truth
4
Q
Apex
A
highest point or level
5
Q
Austere
A
severe or strict in behavior
6
Q
Bucolic
A
pleasantly rural or rustic
7
Q
Coerce
A
forcefully persuade someone to action
8
Q
Depraved
A
wicked or perverted
9
Q
Dowdy
A
unfashionable in appearance
10
Q
Encomium
A
speech or piece of high praise
11
Q
Excommunicate
A
exile or expel from a group
12
Q
Flippant
A
not serious or respectful
13
Q
Guileless
A
innocent and trusting
14
Q
Illiterate
A
ignorant, or unable to read or write
15
Q
Incoherent
A
expressed in a confusing way
16
Q
Insipid
A
boring, or lacking flavor or interest
17
Q
Juxtapose
A
place together for contrasting effect
18
Q
Mawkish
A
sentimental in a feeble way
19
Q
Moniker
A
personal name or nickname
20
Q
Obtuse
A
annoyingly stupid or insensitive
21
Q
Pathetic
A
miserably inadequate
22
Q
Platitude
A
commonplace remark or cliché
23
Q
Profuse
A
exuberantly plentiful
24
Q
Quip
A
make a witty remark or joke
25
Resilient
tough or flexible in difficult times
26
Scrutinize
examine closely and thoroughly
27
Strenuous
difficult, tough, or exhausting
28
Tantamount
equivalent to or as good as something
29
Turbulence
violent or unsteady movement
30
Vilify
speak or write ill of someone
31
Abstruse
obscure or difficult to understand
32
Aggregate
form or group into something
33
Aphorism
short saying of a general truth
34
Autonomous
self‐governing or independent
35
Burgeon
flourish; or grow or increase rapidly
36
Collaborate
work jointly on an activity
37
Courageous
not deterred by danger or pain
38
Deprecate
express disapproval of
39
Dramatize
exaggerate importance of
40
Endeavor
try hard to do or achieve something
41
Executor
one who makes something happen
42
Florid
red‐faced; intricate or elaborate
43
Guise
costume meant to conceal identity
44
Illumine
light up; or enlighten someone
45
Incompetent
incapable of doing something
46
Insolence
disrespectful and rude behavior
47
Knack
acquired or natural skill at something
48
Macabre
gruesome and horrifying
49
Moratorium
temporary halt to something
50
Obviate
make unnecessary or prevent
51
Pathos
appealing to one’s pity or emotion
52
Plebian
common or lacking in refinement
53
Progenitor
an ancestor or parent
54
Raconteur
amusing and skillful storyteller
55
Resolved
fully determined to do something
56
Secede
withdraw formally from membership
57
Strident
loud and harsh or grating
58
Taper
gradually lessen or reduce something
59
Turmoil
great disorder or confusion
60
Virtuoso
highly skilled person
61
Abundant
existing in large quantities
62
Agile
able to move quickly and easily
63
Aplomb
self‐confidence or poise
64
Avarice
extreme greed for material gain
65
Bygone
gone by or in the past
66
Collate
collect and combine in order
67
Covert
secret or not openly displayed
68
Derelict
in poor condition due to neglect
69
Drivel
silly nonsense or gibberish
70
Endow
gift a quality, ability, or asset
71
Exodus
mass departure of people
72
Flounder
struggle helplessly or be confused
73
Gullible
easily persuaded to believe
74
Imbecile
a stupid or idiotic person
75
Incongruous
not in harmony with something
76
Insolvent
unable to pay debts owed
77
Labyrinth
maze; confusing arrangement
78
Magnanimous
very generous or forgiving
79
Morose
gloomy and ill‐tempered
80
Occlude
stop, close up, or obstruct
81
Patronize
talk down to with fake kindness
82
Plethora
large or excessive amount
83
Progeny
descendent or offspring
84
Radiate
clearly show a feeling or quality
85
Respite
short period of rest from difficulty
86
Sedate
calm, unhurried, and dignified
87
Stymie
prevent or hinder progress of
88
Tedious
boring, tiresome, or monotonous
89
Turpitude
wickedness or depravity
90
Virtuous
righteous, moral, or ethical
91
Abysmal
extremely bad or appalling
92
Ailment
an illness, typically a minor one
93
Apogee
highest point of development
94
Averse
having a strong dislike of a thing
95
Cacophony
sound that is displeasing to hear
96
Colloquial
used in everyday conversation
97
Craven
cowardly or lacking in courage
98
Deride
ridicule or express contempt for
99
Droll
unusual in a way that is amusing
100
Enervate
weaken or drain energy from
101
Exonerate
free from blame or wrongdoing
102
Flout
openly disobey or disregard
103
Gumption
initiative or resourcefulness
104
Imbibe
drink, absorb, or assimilate
105
Inconsequential
not important or significant
106
Instill
gradually establish in someone’s mind
107
Lackadaisical
carelessly lazy and unenthusiastic
108
Maladroit
unskillful, clumsy, or ineffective
109
Mortify
embarrass, shame, or humiliate
110
Odious
arousing or deserving hatred
111
Peccadillo
small, relatively unimportant sin
112
Pliable
easily bent or influenced
113
Prohibit
formally forbid something
114
Ramble
confusingly talk or write at length
115
Reticent
not expressive of feeling or thought
116
Sedentary
stationary or somewhat inactive
117
Subdue
overcome, quieten, or conquer
118
Temerity
excessive boldness or confidence
119
Tyrannical
cruelly exercising power
120
Virulent
extremely harmful or bitterly hostile
121
Abyss
deep and almost bottomless chasm
122
Alienate
isolate, cut off, or divide
123
Apologist
one who defends something
124
Avert
prevent, ward off, or turn away
125
Cadge
beg or get by begging
126
Combative
ready or eager to fight
127
Credulous
too trusting or gullible
128
Derive
obtain something or arise from
129
Dubious
doubtful or untrustworthy
130
Engender
cause, bring about, or provoke
131
Exorbitant
unreasonably high (usually price)
132
Foregone
having completed or gone before
133
Hackneyed
unoriginal or overused
134
Immaterial
unimportant or irrelevant
135
Inconspicuous
not clearly visible; unremarkable
136
Insurgency
organized rebellion
137
Lackluster
uninspired or uninspiring
138
Malady
disease, ailment, or disorder
139
Mousy
nervous, shy, or timid
140
Officious
meddlesome and opinionated
141
Pedantic
too concerned with details and rules
142
Plucky
brave, courageous, or bold
143
Proletariat
workers or the working class
144
Rambunctious
uncontrollably rowdy or energetic
145
Retribution
punishment or vengeance
146
Sedition
action inciting others to rebel
147
Subjugate
bring under control or conquer
148
Tenable
defensible against attack or objection
149
Tyro
beginner, novice, or newcomer
150
Viscous
thick, sticky, and syrupy
151
Accede
agree to a demand, request, or treaty
152
Allay
diminish or put fear at rest
153
Appalling
awful, terrible, or frightful
154
Avid
eager or enthusiastic
155
Cagey
wary, cautious, and tight‐lipped
156
Compendium
detailed collection of something
157
Crestfallen
sad and disappointed
158
Desecrate
violate; treat with violent disrespect
159
Duress
threats or violence to force action
160
Engross
completely hold one’s attention
161
Exorcise
drive out evil or evil spirits
162
Formulate
carefully create or develop something
163
Hamper
hinder, delay, or interfere with
164
Immigrate
come to live in a foreign country
165
Incontrovertible
not able to be denied or disputed
166
Intact
complete or not damaged
167
Laconic
using very few words
168
Malevolent
having a wish to do evil to others
169
Muddle
cause confusion or disorder
170
Ominous
suggesting a bad thing will happen
171
Penitent
having or showing sorrow and regret
172
Plutocrat
one whose power comes from wealth
173
Proliferate
increase rapidly in numbers
174
Rancor
longstanding and bitter resentment
175
Revamp
give new and improved form
176
Seedy
sleazy, shabby, and disreputable
177
Submissive
ready to obey the will of others
178
Tenacious
determined and persistent
179
Ubiquitous
present or found everywhere
180
Visionary
creative, inventive, or imaginative
