E

Question 1

eclectic

Answer 1

(adjective) drawn from many sources; varied, heterogeneous.

The Mellon family art collection is an eclectic one, including works ranging from ancient Greek sculptures to modern paintings.

eclecticism (noun)

Question 2

efficacious

Answer 2

(adjective) able to produce a desired effect.

Though thousands of people today are taking herbal supplements to treat depression, researchers have not yet proved them efficacious.

efficacy (noun)

Question 3

effrontery

Answer 3

(noun) shameless boldness.

The sports world was shocked when a professional basketball player had the effrontery to choke his head coach during a practice session.

Question 4

effusive

Answer 4

(adjective) pouring forth one’s emotions very freely.

Having won the Oscar for Best Actress, Sally Field gave an effusive acceptance speech in which she marveled, “You like me! You really like me!”

effusion (noun)

Question 5

egotism

Answer 5

(noun) excessive concern with oneself; conceit.

Robert’s egotism was so great that all he could talk about was the importance and the brilliance of his own opinions.

egotistic (adjective)

Question 6

egregious

Answer 6

(adjective) obvious, conspicuous, flagrant.

It’s hard to imagine how the editor could allow such an egregious error to appear.

Question 7

elated

Answer 7

(adjective) excited and happy; exultant.

When the New England Patriots’ last, desperate pass was dropped, the elated fans of the New York Giants began to celebrate.

elate (verb)
elation (noun)

Question 8

elliptical

Answer 8

(adjective) very terse or concise in writing or speech; difficult to understand.

Rather than speak plainly, she hinted at her meaning through a series of nods, gestures, and elliptical half sentences.

Question 9

elusive

Answer 9

(adjective) hard to capture, grasp, or understand.

Though everyone thinks they know what “justice” is, when you try to define the concept precisely, it proves to be quite elusive.

Question 10

embezzle

Answer 10

(verb) to steal money or property that has been entrusted to your care.

The church treasurer was found to have embezzled thousands of dollars by writing phony checks on the church bank account.

embezzlement (noun)

Question 11

emend

Answer 11

(verb) to correct.

Before the letter is mailed, please emend the two spelling errors.

emendation (noun)

Question 12

emigrate

Answer 12

(verb) to leave one place or country to settle elsewhere.

Millions of Irish emigrated to the New World in the wake of the great Irish famines of the 1840s.

emigrant (noun)
emigration (noun)

Question 13

eminent

Answer 13

(adjective) noteworthy, famous.

Vaclav Havel was an eminent author before he was elected president of the Czech Republic.

eminence (noun)

Question 14

emissary

Answer 14

(noun) someone who represents another.

In an effort to avoid a military showdown, former President Jimmy Carter was sent as an emissary to Korea to negotiate a settlement.

Question 15

emollient

Answer 15

(noun) something that softens or soothes.

She used a hand cream as an emollient on her dry, work-roughened hands.

emollient (adjective)

Question 16

empathy

Answer 16

(noun) imaginative sharing of the feelings, thoughts, or experiences of another.

It’s easy for a parent to have empathy for the sorrow of another parent whose child has died.

empathetic (adjective)

Question 17

empirical

Answer 17

(adjective) based on experience or personal observation.

Although many people believe in ESP, scientists have found no empirical evidence of its existence.

empiricism (noun)

Question 18

emulate

Answer 18

(verb) to imitate or copy.

The British band Oasis admitted their desire to emulate their idols, the Beatles.

emulation (noun)

Question 19

encroach

Answer 19

(verb) to go beyond acceptable limits; to trespass.

By quietly seizing more and more authority, Robert Moses continually encroached on the powers of other government leaders.

encroachment (noun)

Question 20

enervate

Answer 20

(verb) to reduce the energy or strength of someone or something.

The extended exposure to the sun along with dehydration enervated the shipwrecked crew, leaving them almost too weak to spot the passing vessel.

Question 21

engender

Answer 21

(verb) to produce, to cause.

Countless disagreements over the proper use of national forests have engendered feelings of hostility between ranchers and environmentalists.

Question 22

enhance

Answer 22

(verb) to improve in value or quality.

New kitchen appliances will enhance your house and increase the amount of money you’ll make when you sell it.

enhancement (noun)

Question 23

enmity

Answer 23

(noun) hatred, hostility, ill will.

Long-standing enmity, like that between the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, is difficult to overcome.

Question 24

enthrall

Answer 24

(verb) to enchant or charm.

The Swedish singer Jenny Lind enthralled American audiences in the nineteenth century with her beauty and talent.

Question 25

ephemeral

Answer 25

(adjective) quickly disappearing; transient.

Stardom in pop music is ephemeral; many of the top acts of ten years ago are forgotten today.

Question 26

equanimity

Answer 26

(noun) calmness of mind, especially under stress.

FDR had the gift of facing the great crises of his presidency - the Depression and the Second World War - with equanimity and even humor.

Question 27

eradicate

Answer 27

(verb) to destroy completely.

American society has failed to eradicate racism, although some of its worst effects have been reduced.

Question 28

espouse

Answer 28

(verb) to take up as a cause; to adopt.

No politician in America today will openly espouse racism, although some behave and speak in racially prejudiced ways.

Question 29

euphoric

Answer 29

(adjective) a feeling of extreme happiness and well- being; elation.

One often feels euphoric during the earliest days of a new love affair.

euphoria (noun)

Question 30

evanescent

Answer 30

(adjective) vanishing like a vapor; fragile and transient.

As she walked by, the evanescent fragrance of her perfume reached me for just an instant.

Question 31

exacerbate

Answer 31

(verb) to make worse or more severe.

The roads in our town already have too much traffic; building a new shopping mall will exacerbate the problem.

Question 32

exasperate

Answer 32

(verb) to irritate or annoy.

Because she was trying to study, Sharon was exasperated by the yelling of her neighbors’ children.

Question 33

exculpate

Answer 33

(verb) to free from blame or guilt.

When someone else confessed to the crime, the previous suspect was exculpated.

exculpation (noun)
exculpatory (adjective)

Question 34

exemplary

Answer 34

(adjective) worthy to serve as a model.

The Baldrige Award is given to a company with exemplary standards of excellence in products and service.

exemplar (noun)
exemplify (verb)

Question 35

exonerate

Answer 35

(verb) to free from blame.

Although the truck driver was suspected at first of being involved in the bombing, later evidence exonerated him.

exoneration (noun)
exonerative (adjective)

Question 36

expansive

Answer 36

(adjective) broad and large; speaking openly and freely.

The LBJ Ranch is located on an expansive tract of land in Texas. Over dinner, she became expansive in describing her dreams for the future.

Question 37

expedite

Answer 37

(verb) to carry out promptly.

As the flood waters rose, the governor ordered state agencies to expedite their rescue efforts.

Question 38

expertise

Answer 38

(noun) skill, mastery.

The software company was eager to hire new graduates with programming expertise.

Question 39

expiate

Answer 39

(verb) to atone for.

The president’s apology to the survivors of the notorious Tuskegee experiments was his attempt to expiate the nation’s guilt over their mistreatment.

expiation (noun)

Question 40

expropriate

Answer 40

(verb) to seize ownership of.

When the Communists came to power in China, they expropriated most businesses and turned them over to government-appointed managers.

expropriation (noun)

Question 41

extant

Answer 41

(adjective) currently in existence.

Of the seven ancient Wonders of the World, only the pyramids of Egypt are still extant.

Question 42

extenuate

Answer 42

(verb) to make less serious.

Jeanine’s guilt is extenuated by the fact that she was only twelve when she committed the theft.

extenuating (adjective)
extenuation (noun)

Question 43

extol

Answer 43

(verb) to greatly praise.

At the party convention, speaker after speaker rose to extol their candidate for the presidency.

Question 44

extricate

Answer 44

(verb) to free from a difficult or complicated situation.

Much of the humor in the TV show I Love Lucy comes in watching Lucy try to extricate herself from the problems she creates by fibbing or trickery.

extricable (adjective)

Question 45

extrinsic

Answer 45

(adjective) not an innate part or aspect of something; external.

The high price of old baseball cards is due to extrinsic factors, such as the nostalgia felt by baseball fans for the stars of their youth, rather than the inherent beauty or value of the cards themselves.

Question 46

exuberant

Answer 46

(adjective) wildly joyous and enthusiastic.

As the final seconds of the game ticked away, the fans of the winning team began an exuberant celebration.

exuberance (noun)