Magoosh Basic Vocab Flashcards
(186 cards)
1
Q
Pithy
A
(Adj)
Concise and full of meaning
2
Q
Quandary
A
(Noun)
Uncertainty and perplexity usually over making a choice between two equally unfavorable options
3
Q
Consummate
A
(Adj)
Displaying supreme mastery or skill.
(Verb)
To make perfect and complete in every way
4
Q
Renege
A
(Verb)
Fail to fulfill a promise or obligation.
Mnemonic: think of renegade, which is a deserter of a faith, cause, or allegiance to another. Both words relate to a betrayal.
5
Q
Ingenuity
A
(Noun)
The quality of being cleverly creative, imaginative, and original
6
Q
Flounder
A
(Verb)
To behave awkwardly; struggle or have difficulties
7
Q
Plodding
A
(Adj)
1) Of a movement, slow and laborious.
2) Of a person, slow-moving and unexciting; thorough and diligent but lacking in imagination or intelligence.
8
Q
Ascendancy
A
(Noun)
A state in which an individual or group has power over another
9
Q
Fete
A
(Verb)
To celebrate someone
10
Q
Obdurate
A
(Adj)
Stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or course of action.
Synonyms: obstinate, stubborn, unyielding.
11
Q
Sedulous
A
(Adj)
Of a person or action, showing great dedication and diligence.
Synonyms: assiduous, industrious, scrupulous.
12
Q
Artifice
A
(Noun)
Cunning tricks used to deceive others
13
Q
Belie
A
(Verb)
1) Of an appearance, fail to give a true notion or impression of something; disguise or contradict.
2) Fail to fulfill or justify a claim or expectation; betray.
14
Q
Temerity
A
(Noun)
Excessive confidence or daring.
Synonyms: boldness, audacity, effrontery.
15
Q
Facetious
A
(Adj)
Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant
16
Q
Construe
A
(Verb)
Interpret (a word or action) in a particular way
17
Q
Spurious
A
(Adj)
Fake or false; not being what it purports to be.
Synonyms: bogus, factitious, fictitious, fallacious.
Note: Specious, another word relating to falseness, differs slightly from the above synonyms in that it entails something that sounds plausible when in reality it’s wrong.
18
Q
Duplicity
A
(Noun)
Deceitfulness; double-dealing
19
Q
Laconic
A
(Adj)
Using very few words (of a person, speech, or style of writing)
Synonyms: pithy, terse, taciturn
20
Q
Baseless
A
(Adj)
Lack of moral principles; bad character
21
Q
Doctrinaire
A
(Adj)
Seeking to impose a doctrine without regard to practical considerations.
Synonyms: dogmatic, uncompromising, inflexible.
22
Q
Debased
A
(Adj)
Of low quality or value.
Synonyms: debauched, dissolute, immoral.
23
Q
Distill
A
(Verb)
Extract the essential meaning or most important specs of
24
Q
Sanguine
A
(Adj)
Optimistic or positive, especially in a bad or difficult situation.
Interesting tidbit (mnemonic): in medieval science and medicine, it was thought that those with a ruddy complexion, indicating predominance of blood (think of ‘sange’ in French), represented an optimistic disposition.
25
Equivocal
(Adj)
| Open to more than one interpretation; uncertain or questionable in nature; ambiguous
26
Timorous
(Adj)
Showing or suffering from nervousness, fear, or a lack of confidence.
Note: This word is NOT the same as temerity, which means excessive confidence or boldness (quite the opposite!).
27
Transitory
(Adj)
| Not permanent; temporary, transient
28
Crass
(Adj)
| Lacking sensitivity, refinement, or intelligence; stupid, blundering
29
Arbiter
(Noun)
1) Person who settles a dispute or has ultimate authority in a matter.
2) Person whose views or actions have great influence over trends in social behavior.
30
Demure
(Adj)
1) Reserved, modest.
2) Affectedly modest, reserved, or serious; coy.
31
Preclude
(Verb)
| Prevent from happening; make impossible
32
Glib
(Adj)
Of a person or words, fluent and voluble but insincere and shallow.
Synonyms: slick, pat, smooth-talking.
Character example: Nick Wilde from Zootopia.
33
Genteel
(Adj)
| Marked by refinement in taste and manners
34
Precedent
(Noun)
| An example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
35
Tawdry
(Adj)
| Tastelessly showy; cheap and shoddy
36
Perennial
(Adj)
Lasting an indefinitely long time; eternal, everlasting.
Mnemonic: think of the character Tulip from Infinity Train. She is named after a flower that is perennial, and she happens to be on a strange train that seems to run forever.
37
Smattering
(Noun)
| A slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something
38
Assail
(Verb)
1) Attack in speech or writing.
2) Of an unpleasant feeling or physical sensation, come upon someone suddenly and strongly; trouble, disturb.
Synonyms: besiege, belabor, assault.
Mnemonic: think of Seo from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun. She is known for her brash personality as seen when she attacks in basketball and offends everybody relentlessly.
39
Irresolute
(Adj)
| Uncertain how to act or respond
40
Buck
(Verb)
| Resist
41
Hamstrung
(Verb)
| Made ineffective or powerless; handicap, restrict
42
Fickle
(Adj)
Liable to sudden unpredictable change, especially in affections or attachments.
Mnemonic: think of jiggle (rhymes with this), which is the movement of a jello causing it to slightly CHANGE shape.
43
Urbane
(Adj)
1) Showing a high degree of refinement and the assurance that comes from wide social experience.
2) Notably polite and polished in manner.
Synonyms: debonair, smooth, sophisticated, suave, svelte.
44
Credence
(Noun)
| Belief in something
45
Rankle
(Verb)
| Gnaw into; make resentful or angry
46
Placid
(Adj)
| Not easily irritated
47
Devolve
(Verb)
1) Pass on or delegate to another.
2) Grow worse.
48
Unseemly
(Adj)
| Not in keeping with accepted standards of what is right or proper in polite society
49
Credulity
(Noun)
| Tendency to believe readily
50
Exasperate
(Verb)
To irritate intensely.
Mnemonic: similar to ASPiration, which is the action of drawing a breath. Ex- which means "out of." Thus, together it creates an image of someone huffing and sighing impatiently due to irritation.
51
Tact
(Noun)
| Consideration in dealing with others and avoiding giving offense
52
Eke
(Verb)
1) To live off meager resources; to scrape by.
2) To get with great difficulty (usually used with “out” in this context).
53
Travail
(Noun)
| Use of physical or mental energy; hard work; agony or anguish
54
Presumption
(Noun)
1) Overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.
Synonyms: brazen, audacious, overconfident.
2) An assumption that is taken for granted.
55
Connive
(Verb)
| Taking part in immoral and unethical plots
56
Foible
(Noun)
A behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual; a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone’s character.
Synonyms: shortcoming, quirk, idiosyncrasy.
57
Fortitude
(Noun)
1) Courage in pain or adversity; mental power of endurance.
2) Strength or force; power to attack or resist attack.
58
Foment
(Verb)
To instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action); to promote the growth or development of
59
Clemency
(Noun)
| Leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice; mercy
60
Piquant
(Adj)
1) Having an agreeably pungent or stimulating taste, especially spicy.
2) Engagingly provocative or pleasantly stimulating to the mind (usually used to describe a behavior).
Antonym: insipid
61
Behoove
(Verb)
1) It is a duty or responsibility for someone to do something; it is incumbent on.
2) It is appropriate or suitable; it befits
62
Insipid
(Adj)
1) Lacking flavor.
Synonyms: tasteless, unpalatable, bland.
2) Lacking vigor or interest.
Synonyms: humdrum, prosaic, vapid, boring, anemic, lackluster.
Antonym: piquant
63
Antedate
(Verb)
1) To precede in time; come before something in date.
2) Indicate or discover that a document, event, or word should be assigned to an earlier date.
64
Redress
(Noun and verb)
A remedy or compensation for a wrong or grievance; to remedy or set right an undesirable or unfair situation.
Common usage: “redress the balance” means “take action to restore equality in a situation.”
Synonyms: amend, rectify
65
Rakish
(Adj)
Having or showing a dashing, jaunty, or slightly disreputable quality or appearance.
Synonyms: debonair, devil-may-care, dapper, raffish, louche.
66
Ascribe
(Verb)
To attribute something to a cause; regard a quality as belonging to.
Synonyms: impute, attribute.
67
Begrudge
(Verb)
1) Envy someone for the possession or enjoyment of something.
2) To give reluctantly or resentfully.
68
Cavalier
(Adj)
| Showing a lack of proper concern; offhand, insouciant
69
Wanton
(Adj) Of a cruel or violent action, deliberate and unprovoked.
Synonyms: malicious, unjustified, spiteful.
Mnemonic: rearrange the letters of the word to “no want,” which can be thought of as no warrant on some bad action.
70
Finagle
(Verb)
Obtain something by devious or dishonest means.
Mnemonic: think of how similarly it sounds to "find an angle," which is finding a way out of something, implying a trick or mischief.
71
Veneer
(Noun and verb)
An attractive appearance that disguises someone or something’s true nature or feelings.
Synonyms: facade, semblance.
72
Preempt
(Verb)
1) Take action in order to prevent an anticipated event from happening or to prevent someone from doing something; forestall.
2) To acquire or appropriate in advance.
73
Sordid
(Adj)
Involving ignoble actions and motives; arousing moral distaste and contempt; foul and run-down and repulsive —> similar to boorish?
74
Dispatch
(Noun)
The property of being prompt and efficient.
(Verb)
To dispose of rapidly and without delay and efficiently.
75
Creditable
(Adj)
| Deserving of praise but not that amazing
76
Snub
(Verb)
| To rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully; slight or insult
77
Provisional
(Adj)
| Under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon
78
Champion
(Verb)
To fight for a cause.
Synonyms: defend, protect, advocate, uphold, support.
79
Staid (pronounced like "stayed")
(Adj)
Characterized by dignity and propriety; sedate, respectable, and unadventurous.
Mnemonic: think of a noble STEED, which sounds similar to staid. Both evoke sophisticatication and propriety.
80
Perquisite
(Adj)
A right reserved exclusively by a particular person or group (especially a hereditary or official right).
Mnemonic: perk is an abbreviated version of this word.
81
Balk
(Verb and noun)
1) Refuse to comply; to hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking.
2) To check or stop by or as if by an obstacle; block.
Synonyms: eschew, resist, thwart, foil, frustrate.
82
Relegate
(Verb)
| Assign to a lower position
83
Discreet
(Adj)
Careful to protect one's speech or actions in order to avoid offense or draw attention.
Note: this is a different word from discrete, which means disparate/separate.
84
Exposition
(Noun)
| A comprehensive description or explanation of an idea or theory
85
Consequence
(Noun)
1) Importance or relevance.
2) Result of an action.
86
Vestigial
(Adj)
Forming a very small amount of something that was once much larger or more noticeable. In biology, it is used to refer to an organ or part of the body that no longer serves a function and has degenerated.
Synonyms: remaining, residual.
87
Apologist
(Noun)
| A person who offers an argument in defense of something controversial
88
Admonish
(Verb)
| Warn or reprimand someone firmly; advise or urge someone earnestly
89
Amenable
(Adj)
| Open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled
90
Aphoristic
(Adj)
| Something that is concise and instructive of a general truth or principle
91
Avail
(Noun or Verb)
1) Help or benefit.
2) Use or take advantage of an opportunity or resource.
92
Avatar
(Noun)
| A physical embodiment of an idea or concept; a personification
93
Avuncular
(Adj)
| Relating to an uncle; kind and friendly toward a younger or less experienced person
94
Axiomatic
(Adj)
| Self-evident or unquestionable
95
Base
(Adj)
| Lacking higher values; ignoble, degrading
96
Chagrin
(Noun)
| Distress or embarrassment of having failed or been humiliated
97
Check
(Verb)
| Stop or slow down the progress of (something undesirable)
98
Connoisseur
(Noun)
| An expert judge who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts, cuisine, and matters of taste
99
Contrarian
(Adj or noun)
A person who habitually takes a view opposite to that held by the majority
Aka a hipster :P
100
Corroborate
(Verb)
| Confirm or give support to (a statement, theory, or finding)
101
Dearth
(Noun)
A scarcity or lack of something.
Mnemonic: think of Dirk (similar sound to this word) Gently, who is a holistic detective that bases his investigations no whims or a lack of complete information.
102
Delineate
(Verb)
| Describe in detail
103
Dispensation
(Noun)
1) An exemption from a rule or obligation; exoneration.
2) A system of order, government, or organization of a nation, especially existing at a particular time.
3) The act of distributing or supplying something.
104
Disseminate
(Verb)
| Cause to be widely known
105
Dissipation
(Noun)
1) Wasteful spending of money, energy, or resources; squandering.
2) Debauched living; decadence, dissolution, profligacy.
106
Entail
(Verb)
| Involve something as a necessary or inevitable part or consequence
107
Ephemeral
(Adj)
Lasting a short time; transitory.
Mnemonic: the mayfly (Ephemeroptera) hatches, mates, and dies all within the span of a few hours.
108
Equivocation
(Noun)
| Ambiguity; intentional vagueness and misleading speech; susceptible to double meaning.
109
Exhort
(Verb)
| To strongly urge on; to give warnings or advice; encourage
110
Expansive
(Adj)
1) Covering a wide area in terms of space or scope; extensive or wide-ranging.
2) Of a person or manner, communicative and prone to talking in a sociable manner; gregarious, forthcoming.
111
Fanciful
(Adj)
overimaginative and unrealisic; existing only in the imagination or fancy; designed to be exotically ornamental rather than practical
112
Fastidious
(Adj)
Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail.
Synonyms: picky, finicky, meticulous.
113
Folly
(Noun)
1) Lack of good sense; weakness of judgement or character; foolishness.
2) Morally bad conduct; wickedness, wantonness.
3) A costly structure or undertaking left unfinished for want of means; too expensive to be properly maintained.
114
Garrulous
(Adj)
| Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters
115
Grandiose
(Adj)
1) Impressive from inherent grandeur; vulgarly showy or flaunting; grandiloquent.
2) Large and impressive in size, scope, or extent.
116
Gratuitous
(Adj)
| Unwarranted or unnecessary
117
Gregarious
(Adj)
| Fond of company; sociable
118
Gusto
(Noun)
| Appreciative taste or enjoyment; zest, enthusiasm
119
Heterodox
(Adj) Unorthodox.
Etymology: “hetero” means “other” or “different” + “Dox” means “opinion.” For orthodox, “ortho” is “straight” or “correct”, thus meaning “straight opinion.”
120
Hubris
(Noun)
| Exaggerated pride or self-confidence
121
Iconoclastic
(Adj)
| Characterized by an attack on cherished beliefs or institutions; non-conformist, heretical
122
Illustrious
(Adj)
| Well-known, respected, and admired for past achievements
123
Impasse
(Noun)
| A situation in which no progress is possible, especially because of disagreement; deadlock
124
Implacable
(Adj)
| Incapable of making less angry or hostile
125
Inadvertently
(Adverb)
| Unintentionally or accidentally
126
Ingratiate
(Verb)
| Bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them
127
Intimation
(Noun)
| An indirect suggestion
128
Intrigue
(Noun)
Secret or underhand plotting or scheming; maze.
(Verb)
To entangle; to practice clandestine plots.
129
Languish
(Verb)
1) Of a person or other living thing, to lose or lack vitality; grow weak or feeble.
2) Suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation; rot, decay.
130
Languorous
(Adj)
| Characterized by tiredness or inactivity, especially of a pleasurable kind; characterized by an oppressive stillness.
131
Machinations
(Noun)
| Scheming or crafty actions to accomplish some usually evil end
132
Mercurial
(Adj)
| Subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind; volatile, capricious, fickle
133
Mutinous
(Adj)
| Unruly and likely to rebel
134
Myopic
(Adj)
1) Near-sighted.
2) Lacking imagination, foresight, or intellectual insight.
135
Noxious
(Adj)
| Harmful, pernicious
136
Opacity
(Noun)
| Darkness or obscurity; want of clearness; inaccessible to understanding.
137
Openhanded
(Adj)
| Generous
138
Opulent
(Adj)
| Rich and superior in quality
139
Parse
(Verb)
| Analyze into parts; to examine or analyze minutely
140
Paucity
(Noun)
| Scarcity or dearth
141
Penitent
(Adj)
| Showing sorrow and regret for doing something wrong; repentant, contrite
142
Perspicacity
(Noun)
Keenness of mental perception and understanding.
Synonyms: astuteness, discernment, penetration, shrewdness.
Character examples: Sherlock Holmes; House, M.D.
143
Philistine
(Adj or noun)
| Smug and ignorant or hostile and indifferent towards artistic and cultural values
144
Plaintive
(Adj)
Sorrowful; sounding sad and mournful.
Mnemonic: think of the word "pain" in plaintive.
145
Platitude
(Noun)
A remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used so often that it is not interesting or thoughtful; cliche, bromide
146
Precipitous
(Adj)
1) Dangerously high or steep.
2) Of a change to a worse situation or condition, sudden and dramatic.
3) Of an action, done suddenly and without careful consideration; hasty.
147
Premise
(Noun)
A previous statement or proposition from which another is inferred or follows as a conclusion.
(Verb)
Base an argument, theory, or undertaking on.
148
Primacy
(Noun)
| The state of being first in importance
149
Prohibitive
(Adj)
| Costly to the extreme; beyond budget; tending to discourage (esp. of prices)
150
Restive
(Adj)
Unable to keep still or silent and becoming increasingly difficult to control, especially because of dissatisfaction, impatience, or boredom; skittish
151
Retroactive
(Adj)
| Especially of legislation, taking effect from a date in the past
152
Revile
(Verb)
| Criticize in an abusive or angrily insulting manner
153
Scruple
(Noun)
| A feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to morality or propriety of a course of action
154
Sedate
(Adj)
Undisturbed by passion.
Synonyms: quiet, composed, placid, tranquil.
(Verb)
To calm or compose.
155
Sedulous
(Adj)
| Showing dedication and diligence; thorough
156
Smattering
(Noun)
| A slight or superficial understanding of a subject; a small amount of something
157
Spartan
(Adj)
| Austere; showing indifference to comfort of luxury associated with ancient Sparta
158
Stigmatize
(Verb)
| Describe or regard as disgraceful; condemn, disparage
159
Subsist
(Verb)
| Maintain or support oneself, especially at a minimal level
160
Subterfuge
(Noun)
1) Something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity.
2) Deceit used in order to achieve one's goal.
Synonyms: chicanery, deception, intrigue, trickery.
Etymology: Latin prefix “subter-” means “secretly” which comes from the adverb “subter-“ meaning “underneath.” The “fuge” comes from the Latin verb “fugere” which means “to flee” (think of refuge or fugitive).
161
Subvert
(Verb)
Undermine the power and authority of.
Synonyms: overthrow, overturn, destroy.
Mnemonic: break down the word into "sub" which means "from below" and "vert" which means "to turn."
162
Supercilious
(Adj)
| Haughty and disdainful; looking down on others
163
Superfluity
(Noun)
| An unnecessarily or excessively large amount; state of being superfluous; surplus
164
Supplant
(Verb)
| To replace someone or something that doesn't fill a role anymore
165
Surmise
(Verb)
| Suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it; guess, conjecture
166
Taciturn
(Adj)
Habitually reserved and uncommunicative; reticent.
Note: similar to tacit, which means implied or silently indicated.
167
Tactless
(Adj)
| Having or showing a lack of adroitness and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues; inconsiderate
168
Telling
(Adj)
| Having a striking or revealing effect; significant (connotes some surprise?)
169
Tractable
(Adj)
1) Of a person, easy to control or influence.
2) Of a situation or problem, easy to deal with.
170
Transcendent
(Adj)
| Transcending the universe of matter, not cosmic; a reality above the categories.
171
Transitory
(Adj)
| Lasting a very short time; transient, ephemeral
172
Transmute
(Verb)
Change in form, nature, or substance; alter, transfigure
Pop culture examples: transmutation in Full Metal Alchemist, transfiguration in Harry Potter.
173
Travail
(Noun)
| Use of physical or mental energy; hard work; agony or anguish; tribulation
174
Unassuming
(Adj)
| Not bold or forward; not arrogant; modest, retiring (to be shy and to be inclined to retract from company)
175
Undermine
(Verb)
1) Erode the base or foundation of (a rock formation).
2) Lessen the effectiveness, power, or ability, especially gradually or insidiously; compromise, diminish.
176
Understated
(Adj)
| Presented or expressed in a subtle and effective way
177
Unforthcoming
(Adj)
| Uncooperative, not willing to give up information; retiring
178
Unqualified
(Adj)
1) Without reservation or limitation; complete, absolute.
2) Not fit; not having requisite qualifications.
179
Unseemly
Of a behavior or actions, not proper or appropriate
180
Unsolicited
(Adj)
| Not asked for; given or done voluntarily
181
Vet
(Verb)
| Make a careful and critical examination; investigate thoroughly
182
Vilify
(Verb)
| Speak or write about in an abusively disparaging manner
183
Vindicate
(Verb)
1) Clear someone of blame or suspicion; absolve.
2) Show or prove to be right; justify.
184
Volubility
(Noun)
| The quality of being able to speak or write continuously and easily
185
Wily
(Adj)
| Crafty, sly, cunning
186
Winsome
(Adj)
| Charming in a child-like or naive way; attractive or appealing in appearance or character
