Common Words 3 Flashcards
(39 cards)
jingoism
fanatical patriotism
Synonyms : chauvinism , superpatriotism , ultranationalism
North Korea maintains intense control over its population through a combination of jingoism and cult of personality.
insidious
working in a subtle but destructive way
Synonyms : pernicious , subtle
Plaque is insidious: we cannot see it, but each day it eats away at our enamel, causing cavities and other dental problems.
jubilant
full of high-spirited delight because of triumph or success
Synonyms : exultant , exulting , prideful , rejoicing , triumphal , triumphant,elated , gleeful , joyful
My hardwork paid off, and I was jubilant to receive a perfect score on the GRE
immutable
which cannot be changed
Synonyms : changeless
Taxes are one of the immutable laws of the land, so there is no use arguing about paying them
avaricious
greedy / rapacious / mercenary / covetous / grabby / grasping / prehensile
Since avaricious desire is similar to gluttony or lust–sins of excess-it was listed as one of the seven deadly sins by the Catholic church.
languid
not inclined towards physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed
Synonyms : dreamy , lackadaisical , languorous
As the sun beat down and the temperature climbed higher, we spent a languid week lying around the house.
refractory
stubbornly resistant to authority or control
Synonyms : fractious , recalcitrant
Used to studious high school students, Martha was unprepared for the refractory Kindergartners who neither sat still nor listened to a single word she said
ephemeral
short lived
treacherous
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
Synonyms : unreliable
The bridge built from twine and vine is treacherous to walk across, and so I think I will stay put right here.
mollify
to make someone angry less angry; placate
Synonyms : season , temper
In the morning, Harriat was unable to mollify Harry, if he happened to become angry, unless he had his cup of coffee.
ameliorate
make something bad better
Synonyms : amend , better , improve , meliorate
“Three Cups of Tea” tells the story of a western man who hopes to ameliorate poverty and the lack of education in Afghanistan.
subsume
contain or include
The rogue wave quickly subsumed the pier and boardwalk, destroying everything in its path.
verb: consider (an instance of something) as part of a general rule or principle
Synonyms : colligate
Don Quixote of La Mancha subsumes all other modern novels, demonstrating modern literary devices and predating even the idea of a postmodern, metanarrative.
incongruous
jarring
lacking in harmony or compatibility or appropriateness
out of place
The vast economic inequality of modern society is incongruous with America’s ideals.
rudimentary
being in the earliest stages of development; being or involving basic facts or principles
Synonyms : fundamental , underlying
I would love to be able to present a fully polished proposal to the board, but right now, our plans for the product are still in the most rudimentary stages.
disaffected
discontented as toward authority
Synonyms : ill-affected , malcontent , rebellious
After watching his superior take rations from the soldiers, he quickly became disaffected and rebelled.
spurious
having a deceiving nature
specious
plausible but false
Synonyms : specious
When listening to a politician speak, it is hard to distinguish the spurious claims from the authentic ones.
quotidian
found in the ordinary course of events
Synonyms : everyday , mundane , routine , unremarkable , workaday
Phil gets so involved thinking about Aristotle’s arguments that he totally forgets quotidian concerns, such as exercising and eating regularly.
unequivocal
admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; having only one meaning or interpretation and leading to only one conclusion
Synonyms : unambiguous , univocal
The President’s first statement on the subject was vague and open to competing interpretations, so when he spoke to Congress about the same subject later, he was careful to make his position completely unequivocal.
guileless
free of deceit
Synonyms : transparent
At first I thought my niece was guileless, but I then found myself buying her ice cream every time we passed a shop.
travesty
an absurd presentation of something; a mockery
Synonyms : farce, farce comedy, burlesque, charade, lampoon, mockery , parody , pasquinade , put-on, send up, spoof, takeoff
What I expected to be an intelligent, nuanced historical documentary turned out to be a poorly-produced travesty of the form.
elucidate
make clearer and easier to understand
Synonyms : clear, clear up, crystalise, crystalize, crystallise, crystallize, enlighten, illuminate, shed light on, sort out, straighten out
Youtube is great place to learn just about anything-an expert elucidates finer points so that even a complete novice can learn.
forlorn
marked by or showing hopelessness
After her third pet dog died, Marcia was simply forlorn: this time even the possibility of buying a new dog no longer held any joy.
apathy
an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
Synonyms : indifference , numbness , spiritlessness
Widespread apathy among voters led to a very small turnout on election day.
circumvent
cleverly find a way out of one’s duties or obligations
Synonyms : dodge , duck , elude , evade , fudge , hedge , parry , put off , sidestep , skirt
One way of circumventing the GRE is to apply to a grad school that does not require GRE scores
