Core

Question 1

Ambivalent

Answer 1

Having mixed or opposing feelings at the same time

Question 2

ROOTS: Ambi
WORDS: ambidextrous, ambiguous

Answer 2

Ambi - both
Ambidextrous- able to use both hands with = ease, skillful, versatile
Ambiguous- having two or more possible meanings, doubtful, dubious, EQUIVOCAL

Question 3

Anomaly; anomalous

Answer 3

Deviation from the norm or what is expected; atypical

Question 4

Snide

Answer 4

SARDONIC

Sarcastic, mocking, derisive,taunting, stinging

Question 5

Paucity

Answer 5

DEARTH

A scarcity or shortage of something

Question 6

Prattle

Answer 6

To speak in a foolish manner; to babble incessantly

Question 7

Wry, droll

Answer 7

Dry; humorous with a clever twist and a touch of irony.

JOCULAR is a different kind of humorous, more like a funny bone kind of joke.

Question 8

Unconventional, unorthodox

Answer 8

Not ordinary or typical; characterized by avoiding customary conventions and behaviors

Question 9

Fastidious

Answer 9

METICULOUS, PAINSTAKINGLY

Extremely careful; very exacting

Question 10

Audacious

Answer 10

Fearlessly, often recklessly daring; very bold

Question 11

Nonchalant

Answer 11

Indifferent, apathetic, marked by a lack of interest or concern

Question 12

Diffident, self-effacing

Answer 12

Hesitant due to a lack of self-confidence; unassertive; shy; retiring

Question 13

Pragmatic

Answer 13

Practical; sensible; NOT idealistic or romantic

Question 14

Evocation

Answer 14

An imaginative re-creation of something; a calling forth

Question 15

LATIN ROOT: Voc, vok

WORDS: vocation, evocation, evoke, revoke, invoke, provoke, convocation, vociferous, equivocate, irrevocable

Answer 15

call
vocation: your calling, your profession
Evocation: a second calling, hobby
Evoke: to call forth, esp from the past
Revoke: to call back, to rescind, to repeal
Invoke: to call upon
Provoke: to call forth
Convocation: a calling together, gathering
Vociferous: making an outcry, clamorous
Equivocate: to use ambiguous expressions, to mislead
Irrevocable: incapable of being recalled or altered

Question 16

Presumptuous

Answer 16

Taking liberties; brashly overstepping one’s place; impertinently bold; displaying effrontery

Question 17

Recalcitrant, obstinate, obdurate, refractory

Answer 17

Stubbornly resistant and defiant; disobedient

Question 18

Boon/bane

Answer 18

A timely benefit, blessing/a source o f harm and ruin

Question 19

Clandestine, surreptitious

Answer 19

Secret, covert, not open, not ABOVEBOARD

Question 20

Affable, amiable, genial, gregarious

Answer 20

Agreeable, marked by a pleasing personality, warm and friendly

Question 21

LATIN ROOT: AMI

WORDS: amicable, amity

Answer 21

Friend

Amity: friendship, harmony
Amicable: peaceable, harmonious

Question 22

Austere/austerity

Answer 22

Having no adornment or ornamentation, bare, not ORNATE/ great self denial, economy, discipline; lack of adornment

Question 23

Altruism

Answer 23

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others

Question 24

Ambiguity/ambiguous

Answer 24

The quality or state of having more than one possible meaning; doubtful; EQUIVOCAL/unclear; uncertain; open to more than one interpretation; not definitive; DUBIOUS

Question 25

upbraid, reproach, castigate

Answer 25

To express disapproval, to scold, to rebuke, to CENSURE

Question 26

Nostalgia

Answer 26

A WISTFUL sentimental longing for a place or time in the past

Question 27

Conjecture

Answer 27

An inference based upon guesswork; a SUPPOSITION

Question 28

Obsolete, archaic, antiquated

Answer 28

No longer in use; outmoded in design or style

Question 29

Auspicious, propitious

Answer 29

Very favorable

Question 30

Gaffe

Answer 30

A blunder; a faux pas; a clumsy social or diplomatic error

Question 31

Impasse

Answer 31

A deadlock; stalemate; failure to reach an agreement

Question 32

Anachronism

Answer 32

The false assignment of an event, person, scene, or language to a time when the event, person, scene, or word did not exist

Question 33

ROOT: Chrono WORDS: Chronology, chronic, synchronic, synchronicity, synchronize, chronicle, chronicler

Answer 33

Time | You should know the words

Question 34

Belie

Answer 34

To contradict, to prove false, used of appearances that are misrepresentative

Question 35

Mitigate, mollify, assuage

Answer 35

Alleviate, to relieve, to lessen, to ease

Question 36

Covet/Covetous

Answer 36

To strongly desire; to crave/grasping, greedy, eager to obtain something; AVARICIOUS

Question 37

Antithesis/antithetical

Answer 37

The direct or exact opposite; extreme contrast; ANTIPODE/exactly opposite; ANTIPODAL

Question 38

Prototype

Answer 38

An original model; an initial design

Question 39

Aloof

Answer 39

Detached, distant physically or emotionally, reserved, standing near but apart

Question 40

Trite, banal, platitudinous, insipid

Answer 40

Unoriginal, commonplace, overused, CLICHED

Question 41

Antecedent

Answer 41

A preceding event, a forerunner, a precursor

Question 42

ROOT: ante

Answer 42

Before

Question 43

Plausible/implausible

Answer 43

Believable, credible/unbelievable, incredible

Question 44

Prudent

Answer 44

Careful, cautious, sensible

Question 45

Aesthetic

Answer 45

Beautiful stuff

Question 46

Paradox

Answer 46

A seemingly contradictory statement that nonetheless expresses a truth

Question 47

Enigmatic, inscrutable

Answer 47

Mysterious, puzzling, unfathomable, baffling

Question 48

Acquiesce

Answer 48

To comply, to agree, to give in

Question 49

Autonomy/autonomous

Answer 49

Independence,self-governance/acting independently, or having the freedom to do so; not controlled by others

Question 50

Futile

Answer 50

Completely useless, doomed to failure, in vain

Question 51

Endemic

Answer 51

Indigenous

Question 52

Dem, demo

Answer 52

The people

Question 53

Ubiquitous

Answer 53

Prevalent, characterized by being everywhere, omnipresent, widespread, PERVASIVE

Question 54

Fortitude

Answer 54

Strength of mind that allows one to endure pain or adversity with courage