Words 676 - 700

Question 1

nominal

Answer 1

existing in name only

adjective

Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee.

Question 2

nonchalant

Answer 2

having an air of easy indifference

adjective

Although deep down she was very angry, Marsha acted in a nonchalant manner when she found out that her best friend had used her clothing without asking.

Question 3

nondescript

Answer 3

lacking distinctive qualities

adjective

I was surprised when I saw the movie star in person because she looked nondescript.

Question 4

notorious

Answer 4

unfavorably known

adjective

Jacob was notorious for always arriving late at parties.

Question 5

novice

Answer 5

beginner, tyro

noun

Because we were all novices at yoga, our instructor decided to begin with the basics.

Question 6

noxious

Answer 6

physically harmful to living beings

adjective

Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects’ natural habitats.

Question 7

nuance

Answer 7

a subtle distinction

noun

The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the professor was able to point them out.

Question 8

nurture

Answer 8

to further the development of

verb

Although Serena had never watered the plant, which was about to die, Javier was able to nurture it back to life.

Question 9

obdurate

Answer 9

resistant to persuasion

adjective

The obdurate old man refused to take pity on the kittens.

Question 10

obfuscate

Answer 10

to make obscure

verb

The detective did want to answer the newspaperman’s questions, so he obfuscated the truth.

Question 11

oblique

Answer 11

not straightforward

adjective

Martin’s oblique language confused those who listened to him.

Question 12

oblivious

Answer 12

lacking mindful attention

adjective

Oblivious to the burning smell emanating from the kitchen, my father did not notice that the rolls in the oven were burned until much too late.

Question 13

obscure

Answer 13

not readily understood

adjective

Because he was standing in the shadows, his features were obscure.

Question 14

obsequious

Answer 14

exhibiting a fawning attentiveness

adjective

Mark acted like Janet’s servant, obeying her every request in an obsequious manner.

Question 15

obsolete

Answer 15

no longer in use

adjective

With the inventions of tape decks and CDs, which both have better sound and are easier to use, eight-track players are now entirely obsolete.

Question 16

obstinate

Answer 16

stubbornly adhering to an opinion in spite of reason

adjective

The obstinate child refused to leave the store until his mother bought him a candy bar.

Question 17

obstreperous

Answer 17

marked by aggressive noisiness

adjective

Billy’s obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave the reading room.

Question 18

obtuse

Answer 18

lacking sharpness of intellect

adjective

Political opponents warned that the prime minister’s obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.

Question 19

odious

Answer 19

arousing hatred

adjective

Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat’s litter box.

Question 20

officious

Answer 20

volunteering one’s services where they are neither asked nor needed

adjective

Brenda resented Allan’s officious behavior when he selected colors that might best improve her artwork.

Question 21

ominous

Answer 21

foreshadowing evil

adjective

The fortuneteller’s ominous words flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley.

Question 22

onerous

Answer 22

imposing a burden

adjective

My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the onerous mortgage payments.

Question 23

opulent

Answer 23

characterized by abundance

adjective

The opulent furnishings of the dictator’s private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.

Question 24

oration

Answer 24

an elaborate discourse delivered in a formal manner

noun

The prime minister was visibly shaken when the unruly parliament interrupted his oration about failed domestic policies.

Question 25

ornate

Answer 25

elaborately decorated

adjective

The ornate styling of the new model of luxury car could not compensate for the poor quality of its motor.