Vocab List 8 Flashcards
(20 cards)
Conundrum
(noun)- a confusing or difficult problem
He could not get past the conundrum of getting his dad to let him go out on a weeknight.
Contrite
(adj.)- feeling or showing regret for bad behavior
Being contrite is not enough to spare you an arrest if you’re caught shoplifting.
Convoluted
(adj.)- very complicated and difficult to understand
A convoluted explanation that left the listeners even more confused than they were before
Decorum
(noun)- correct or proper behavior that shows respect and good manners
High standards of decorum are expected when attending a fancy dinner.
Deride
(verb)- to talk or write about (someone or something) in a very critical or insulting way
Critics derided the film, saying that the acting was horrible, and the plot was unoriginal.
Diatribe
(noun)- an angry and usually long speech or piece of writing that strongly criticizes someone or something
A bitter diatribe about how unfair the tax system is.
Disingenuous
(adj.)-not truly honest or sincere
He soon learned that his seemingly loyal girlfriend was actually a disingenuous fake.
Disparage
(verb)- to describe (someone or something) as unimportant, weak, bad, etc.
Voters don’t like political advertisements in which opponents disparage one another.
Dupe
(verb)- to deceive or trick (someone) into believing or doing something
The boy duped his younger sister into giving him all her candy.
Enervate
(verb)- to make (someone or something) very weak or tired
The volleyball tournament enervated the team after they played six matches in a row.
Flout
(verb)- to break or ignore (a law, rule, etc.) without hiding what you are doing or showing fear or shame
An able-bodied motorist openly flouted the law and parked in a space reserved for the disabled.
Gregarious
gregarious (adj.)- enjoying the company of other people
She is outgoing and gregarious.
Harangue
(noun)- a forceful or angry speech
He delivered a long harangue about the evils of popular culture.
Immutable
(adj.)- unable to be changed
One of the immutable laws of television is that low ratings inevitably lead to cancellation.
Indigence
(noun)- a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and comforts of life are wholly lacking
The Red Cross helps relieve indigence in 3 world countries.
Insipid
(adj.)- not interesting or exciting : dull or boring
The boy lazily dozed through his insipid English class.
Inundate
(verb)- to cause (someone or something) to receive or take in a large amount of things at the same time
The teacher felt overwhelmed as her students inundated her with endless questions.
Magnanimous
(adj.)- having or showing a generous and kind nature
She was too magnanimous to resent all the kids who had bullied her.
Meticulous
(adj.)- very careful about doing something in an extremely accurate and exact way
I am very meticulous about making my own vocab lists, and I only trust myself to do it the exact way I want it done.
Neophyte
(noun)- a person who has just started learning or doing something
I am a neophyte when it comes to bowling, so I still use bumpers and take beginner lessons.
