unit 6 Flashcards
atone (verb)
to make up for
At one time or another, everyone has done something for which he or she needs to _____.
SYNONYM: expiate
credible (adjective)
believable
Do you have a ______ explanation for not completing your assignment on time?
SYNONYMS: plausible, acceptable, likely
ANTONYMS: unbelievable, implausible, improbable
doleful (adjective)
sad; dreary
One look at the players’ _____ faces told me that the team had lost the championship game.
SYNONYMS: sorrowful, mournful, dolorous
ANTONYMS: blithe, jaunty, buoyant
hamper (verb)
to hold back
Poor grades will ______ you in your effort to get a college education.
SYNONYMS: hinder, obstruct, impede, inhibit
ANTONYMS: facilitate, ease, smooth the way
impoverished (adjective)
poor, in a state of poverty; depleted
After World War II, ______ European countries received U.S. aid under the Marshall Plan.
SYNONYMS: poverty-stricken, destitute, indigent
ANTONYMS: rich, wealthy, affluent, prosperous
lucid (adjective)
easy to understand, clear; rational, sane
The ability to speak in a _____ and persuasive fashion is a great asset to a politician.
SYNONYMS: limpid, intelligible
ANTONYMS: murky, muddy, obscure, unintelligible
posthumous (adjective)
occurring or published after death
Many artists and writers have been ignored during their lifetimes only to achieve _______ fame.
ANTONYM: prenatal
sardonic (adjective)
grimly or scornfully mocking, bitterly sarcastic
Great satirists save their most ______ wit for the greedy, the corrupt, and the hypocritical.
SYNONYMS: mordant, acerbic, wry
ANTONYMS: bland, saccharine, good-natured
supplant (verb)
to take the place of, supersede
Computers rapidly ______ typewriters in the workplace, just as photocopiers replaced carbon paper.
SYNONYMS: replace, displace, oust
tenacious (adjective)
holding fast; holding together firmly; persistent
Athletes must be ______ in the pursuit of excellence if they hope to become Olympic champions.
SYNONYMS: obstinate, stubborn, dogged
ANTONYMS: yielding, weak, gentle, slack
bondage (noun)
slavery; any state of being bound or held down
Many people escaped the cruel ______ of slavery with the help of the Underground Railroad.
SYNONYMS: servitude, subjection, dependence
ANTONYMS: freedom, liberty, independence
defray (verb)
to pay for
Corporate sponsors helped to _______ the cost of the charity’s annual telethon.
SYNONYMS: bear the cost, foot the bill
diligent (adjective)
hardworking, industrious, not lazy
______ employees are likely to be well rewarded for their dedication and hard work.
SYNONYMS: assiduous, sedulous
ANTONYMS: lazy, indolent, cursory, perfunctory
ghastly (adjective)
frightful, horrible; deathly pale
Some people are almost afraid to go to sleep because they suffer from _______ recurring nightmares.
SYNONYMS: dreadful, appalling, grisly
ANTONYMS: pleasant, agreeable, attractive
hew (verb)
to shape or cut down with an ax; to hold to
Even in a crisis, we must _______ to this nation’s principles of liberty, equality, and justice.
SYNONYMS: chop, hack, fell, adhere, conform
