Short Stories Flashcards
(17 cards)
Finesse
Skill and cleverness shown by how someone handles a situation
Noun
“She had such finesse during the interview that they hired her immediately.”
Synonyms: refinement, delicacy
Incessant
Non-stop, without ending
(Adjective)
“Her incessant talking annoyed me so much I got up and walked away.”
Synonyms: endless, constant
Incessantly
Endlessly, constantly, describing something that won’t stop
(Adverb)
“She runs incessantly when she trains for the marathon”
Odious
Describes something deserving hatred
(Adj.)
“The odious crime of the Holocaust still shocks the world.”
Synonyms: Abominable, detestable
Nocturnal
Describes something that is active at night
Adj.
Palpable
Able to be touched or felt
(Adj)
“I felt a palpable sense of relief”
Synonyms: tangible, perceptible
Tangible
Describes something that has substance or reality; capable of being touched or precisely identified (more than palpable)
(Adj)
“Although I had no tangible evidence, I was certain someone had snooped through my locker”
Synonyms: palpable, touchable
Disarming
Describes something that removes feelings of unfriendliness or mistrust.
(Adj)
“The con artist’s disarming smile made us trust him”
Synonyms: endearing, sweet
Analytical
Describes something that is skilled in breaking a whole into its parts and examining their relationship.
(Adj)
“The lawyer presented an analytical argument for the defendant’s innocence.”
Synonyms: logical
Futile
Describes something that has no result or effect
(Adj)
“Even though we prepared for the hurricane, our efforts were futile because the Windows broke.”
Synonyms: fruitless, ineffective
Condone
To forgive, overlook, or allow an offense (something bad)
(Verb)
“We do not condone bullying of any kind; it is considered a serious offense.”
Synonyms: disregard
Preclude
To prevent or make impossible beforehand
(Verb)
Synonyms: prevent
Retribution
Punishment for doing something wrong
(Noun)
“Jake’s car had been totalled in the accident, and he wanted retribution, so he took the other driver to court.”
Synonyms: vengeance, payback
Avenge
To get revenge by punishing the wrongdoer
(Verb)
“The brothers vowed to avenge their father by capturing his killer.”
Synonyms: retaliate, redress
Avenger
Someone who avenges a wrong
(Noun)
“The avengers fight criminals.”
Connoisseur
A person who has high level of knowledge or skill in a field.
(Noun)
“she goes to a different expensive restaurant each weekend because she is a connoisseur of fine foods”
Synonyms: enthusiast, aficionado
Accost
To approach and speak to in a challenging or aggressive way
(Verb)
“He was accosted by 3 gang members on the subway”
