English Midterm Vocabulary Flashcards
To expand vocabulary (169 cards)
1
Q
Aberration
A
a state or condition markedly different from norm
2
Q
Abject
A
of the most contemptible kind/ without pride or dignity/ whole hardheartedly
3
Q
Accede
A
to agree to a demand, request, wish, or opinion
4
Q
Acrimony
A
a rough and bitter manner
5
Q
Adulation
A
exaggerated flattery, praise, or excessive admiration
6
Q
Affinity
A
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
7
Q
Aloof
A
not friendly or forthcoming; cool and distant in manner
8
Q
Amicable
A
(of relations between people) having a spirit of friendliness; without serious disagreement or rancor.
9
Q
Antecedent
A
preceding in time or order; previous or preexisting.
10
Q
Antiquated
A
so extremely old that is seeming to belong to an earlier period
11
Q
Arbitrary
A
based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system.
12
Q
Ascribe
A
attribute or credit to
13
Q
Assuage
A
make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense/provided physical relief, as from pain
14
Q
Austere
A
extremely simple
15
Q
Behemoth
A
for someone or thing to be very large and powerful
16
Q
Benevolent
A
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding
17
Q
Buttress
A
make stronger and more defensible
18
Q
Camaraderie
A
the quality of affording east familiarity and sociability
19
Q
Caustic
A
harsh or corrosive in tone
20
Q
Chide
A
Scold or reprimand severely or angrily
21
Q
Circumlocation
A
an indirect way of expressing something
22
Q
Cognizant
A
having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization
23
Q
Commensurate
A
Corresponding in size, degree or extent
24
Q
Compunction
A
a feeling of deep regret, usually for some misdeed
25
Concoct
devise or invent
26
Connive
from intrigues (for) in an underhand manner
27
Contravent
go against, as of rules and laws
28
Convoluted
highly complex or intricate
29
Culpable
deserving blame or censure as being wrong or injurious
30
Debacle
a sudden and complete disaster
31
Defunct
no longer in use or force; in active
32
Denigrate
attack the good name and reputation of someone
33
Derelict
in deplorable condition
34
Devious
turning away from a straight course
35
Discretion
power of making choices unconstrained by external agencies
36
Disparage
express a negative opinion of
37
Divulge
make known to the public information previously kept secret
38
Ebullient
joyously unrestrained
39
egregious
conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
40
emaciated
very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold
41
emollient
a substance with a soothing effect when applied to the skin
42
enmity
a state of deep-seated ill-will
43
evanescent
short-lived; tending to vanish or disappear
44
evince
give expression to
45
expiate
make amends for
46
fabricate
make up something artificial or untrue
47
fetter
restrain with shackles
48
foil
hinder or prevent, as an effort, plan, or desire
49
fortuitous
lucky; occurring by happy chance
50
goad
stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick
51
harrowing
causing extreme distress
52
hiatus
an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
53
imperative
requiring attention or action
54
impervious
not admitting of passage or capable of being affected
55
inane
devoid of intelligence
56
incontrovertible
impossible to deny or disprove
57
indomitable
impossible to subdue
58
innuendo
an indirect and usually malicious implication
59
insipid
lacking interest or significance or impact
60
intransigent
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
61
kudos
an expression of approval and commendation
62
lavish
very generous
63
licentious
lacking moral discipline
64
malleable
capable of being shaped or bent
65
mercurial
liable to sudden unpredictable change
66
mores
the conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group
67
myriad
a large indefinite number
68
noxious
injurious to physical or mental health
69
obfuscate
make obscure or unclear
70
ostracism
the act of excluding someone from society by general consent
70
penchant
a strong liking or preference
70
onerous
burdensome or difficult to endure
71
paucity
an insufficient quantity or number
72
prescient
perceiving the significance of events before they occur
72
pinnacle
the highest level or degree attainable
73
predilection
a predisposition in favor of something
74
plethora
extreme excess
75
promulgate
state or announce
76
pugnacious
ready and able to resort to force or violence
77
quagmire
a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
78
raucous
unpleasantly loud and harsh
79
refract
subject to change in direction of a propagating wave
80
replete
deeply filled or permeated
81
rescind
cancel officially
82
respite
a pause from doing something
83
saccharine
overly sweet
84
satiate
fill to satisfaction
85
serendipity
good luck in making unexpected and fortunate discoveries
86
spurious
plausible but false
87
stupefy
make someone dazed or foolish
88
surfeit
supply or feed to the point of fullness
89
temerity
fearless daring
90
transient
lasting a very short time
91
trepidation
a feeling of alarm or dread
92
vacillate
be undecided about something
93
vestige
an indication that something has been present
94
vilify
spread negative information about
95
vitriolic
harsh, bitter, or malicious in tone
95
wrath
intense anger
96
abate
become less in amount or intensity
97
abrogate
revoke formally
98
accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
99
adamant
impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, or reason
100
admonish
warn strongly; put on guard
101
affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
102
allay
lessen the intensity of or calm
103
altercation
a noisy quarrel
104
anachronistic
chronologically misplaced
105
antagonism
an actively expressed feeling of dislike and hostility
106
appease
make peace with
107
aquatic
operating or living or growing in water
108
artisan
a skilled worker who practices some trade or handicraft
109
assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
110
avenge
take action in return for a perceived wrong
111
bane
something causing misery or death
112
blemish
a mark or flaw that spoils the appearance of something
113
brusque
rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
114
calumny
a false accusation of an offense
115
capacious
large in the amount that can be contained
116
chastise
scold or criticize severely
117
circumspect
careful to consider potential consequences and avoid risk
118
coagulate
change from a liquid to a thickened or solid state
119
compelling
capable of arousing and holding the attention
120
concede
give over
121
conflagration
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
122
consign
give over to another for care or safekeeping
123
contentious
showing an inclination to disagree
124
convivial
occupied with or fond of the pleasures of good company
125
Credulity
tendency to believe readily
126
curtail
terminate or abbreviate before its intended or proper end
127
decry
express strong disapproval of
128
delineate
represented accurately or precisely
129
deprecate
express strong disapproval of; deplore
130
diffuse
spread out; not concentrated in one place
131
disavow
refuse to acknowledge
132
disrepute
the state of being held in low esteem
133
divisive
causing or characterized by disagreement or disunity
134
duplicity
the act of deceiving or acting in bad faith
135
efficacious
giving the power to produce an intended result
136
embellish
make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color
137
emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating
138
ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day
139
eschew
avoid and stay away from deliberately
140
exhort
urge or force in an indicated direction
141
extraneous
not belonging to that in which it is contained
142
fallacious
containing or based on incorrect reasoning
143
fatuous
devoid of intelligence
144
forestall
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
145
garish
tastelessly showy
146
grandiloquence
high-flown style; excessive use of verbal ornamentation
147
imperious
having or showing arrogant superiority
148
impinge
infringe upon
149
incumbent
currently holding an office
150
inextricable
incapable of being disentangled or untied
151
innocuous
not injurious to physical or mental health
152
pervasive
spreading or spread throughout
153
poignant
keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
154
propensity
a natural inclination
155
rancor
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
156
procure
get by special effort
157
regurgitate
pour or rush back
158
repentant
feeling or expressing remorse for misdeeds
159
sanguine
confidently optimistic and cheerful
160
stagnate
stand still
161
surreptitious
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
162
travesty
a composition that imitates or misrepresents a style
163
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
164
veneer
coating consisting of a thin layer of wood
165
wistful
showing pensive sadness
