Words I like Flashcards
(136 cards)
1
Q
accolade
A
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
2
Q
acrimony
A
a rough and bitter manner
3
Q
anomaly
A
deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
4
Q
avant-garde
A
radically new or original
5
Q
bonhomie
A
a disposition to be friendly and approachable
6
Q
boondoggle
A
work of little or no value done merely to look busy
You might think my mission to learn more long words is a complete boondoggle, but it’s actually extremely interesting.
7
Q
brusque
A
rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner
8
Q
cacophony
A
loud confusing disagreeable sounds
9
Q
capricious
A
determined by chance or impulse rather than by necessity
10
Q
carte blanche
A
complete freedom or authority to act
11
Q
cloying
A
overly sweet
12
Q
dichotomy
A
a classification into two opposed parts or subclasses
13
Q
dilettante
A
an amateur engaging in an activity without serious intention
14
Q
elan
A
enthusiastic and assured vigor and liveliness
15
Q
ennui
A
the feeling of being bored by something tedious
16
Q
ephemeral
A
lasting a very short time
(an ephemeral love story)
17
Q
equanimity
A
steadiness of mind under stress
18
Q
equivocate
A
be deliberately ambiguous or unclear
19
Q
ersatz
A
artificial and inferior
20
Q
esoteric
A
understandable only by an enlightened inner circle
21
Q
euphemism
A
an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
22
Q
facetious
A
cleverly amusing in tone, treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour
23
Q
fastidious
A
giving careful attention to detail
24
Q
faux pas
A
a socially awkward or tactless act
25
finagle
achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods
26
glib
artfully persuasive in speech, fluent but insincere
27
gregarious
temperamentally seeking and enjoying the company of others
28
harbinger
something indicating the approach of something or someone
29
hedonist
someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures
30
idiosyncratic
peculiar to the individual
31
idyllic
charmingly simple and serene
32
lurid
glaringly vivid and graphic; marked by sensationalism
33
machiavellian
of or relating to amoral or conniving political principles
34
malaise
a feeling of mild sickness or depression
35
malinger
avoid responsibilities and duties, often by faking illness
36
misnomer
an incorrect or unsuitable name
37
non sequitur
a reply that has no relevance to what preceded it
38
ostentatious
intended to attract notice and impress others
(an ostentatious outfit?)
39
ostracise
expel from a community or group
40
panacea
hypothetical remedy for all ills or diseases
41
peevish
easily irritated or annoyed
42
perfunctory
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
43
philistine
a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits
44
picayune
small and of little importance
45
precocious
characterized by exceptionally early development
46
propriety
correct behavior
47
quid pro quo
something given in exchange for something else
48
quintessential
representing the perfect example of a class or quality
49
scintillating
having brief brilliant points or flashes of light
50
suave
having a sophisticated charm
51
supercilious
having or showing arrogant superiority
52
sycophant
a person who tries to please someone to gain an advantage
53
tete-a-tete
a private conversation between two people
54
tirade
a speech of violent denunciation
55
tryst
a secret rendezvous, especially a romantic one or a secret agreement
56
ubiquitous
being present everywhere at once
57
untenable
incapable of being defended or justified
58
verbose
using or containing too many words
59
Sesquipedalian
Pronounced: Sess-kwi-peh-day-leean
Means: Loving of long words
60
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobic
Pronounced: Hippoh-poh-toh-mon-stroh-sess-kwi-ped-ah-lee-oh-foe-bik
Someone with a fear of long words
61
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Pronounced: flok-sih-naw-kinih-hillih-pillih-fik-ay-shun
The act of deciding that something is worthless.
Sentence to use it in: I am very offended by my friend's floccinaucinihilipilification of my amazing new vocabulary.
62
Discombobulate
Pronounced: Dis-com-bob-bew-late
To confuse (someone)
Sentence to use it in: Do you want to learn some more long words too or are you too discombobulated after reading this article?
63
Demure
Reserved, modest, shy
64
Eloquence
Ability to beautifully express oneself
65
Felicity
Happiness
66
Ineffable
Difficult to accurately describe
67
Melancholy
A feeling a pensive sadness
68
Mellifluous
Beautifully sounding
69
Nefarious
Wicked, evil
70
Opulence
Luxury, abundance
71
Propinquity
Another word for proximity
72
Sanguine
Optimistic and positive
73
Scintilla
A trace or spark of something
74
Serendipity
A chain of events that occurs in a favorable way
75
Sibilant
Making a hissing sound
76
Sonorous
A deep and full sound
77
Sumptuous
Rich, luxurious
78
Surreptitious
Clandestine
79
Tacit
understood or implied without being stated
80
Ambiguity
the quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness
81
Sumptuously
Of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish
82
Arcane
secret, mysterious, understood only by a few
83
Arcane
secret, mysterious, understood only by a few
84
Sanguine
optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation
85
Askance
with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval.
86
Meticulous
showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.
87
Galvanised
shock or excite
88
Poignant
evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret. "a poignant reminder of the passing of time"
89
Miscellaneous
various
90
Pragmatic
practical, dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
"a pragmatic approach to business ethics"
91
Vie
compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something: the athletes were vying for a place in the British team.
92
Penultimate
next to last (the penultimate episode)
93
Diminutive
tiny or little
94
Confluence
use this word when discussing a meeting of minds, a group of ideas, or a coming together of diverse people for a gathering. A conference may include a confluence of ideas, for example.
95
inebriation
a state of drunkenness or intoxication.
96
Balter
to dance artlessly, without particular skill or grace but usually with enjoyment
97
odious
extremely unpleasant; repulsive: a pretty odious character | odious hypocrisy
98
nefarious
wicked or criminal: the nefarious activities of the organised-crime syndicates laborious
99
Tantamount
equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as (tantamount to a lie)
100
consternation
a feeling of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected: to her consternation her car wouldn't start.
101
conglomerate
1 a thing consisting of a number of different and distinct parts or items that are grouped together: the Earth is a specialized conglomerate of organisms.
* a large corporation formed by the merging of separate and diverse firms: a media conglomerate.
102
insidious
proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects: sexual harassment is a serious and insidious problem.
103
mercurial
subject to sudden or unpredictable changes of mood or mind: his mercurial temperament.
104
insipid
lacking flavour; weak or tasteless: mugs of insipid coffee.
* lacking vigour or interest: many artists continued to churn out insipid, shallow works.
105
modicum
a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable: his statement had a modicum of truth.
106
rheumy
(of a person's eyes) watery: she was small and wizened, with rheumy eyes and bad teeth.
107
platitude
a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful: he masks his disdain for her with platitudes about how she should believe in herself more
108
Pithy
Fancy word for a brief comment of substance
Try: Pithy when you want to talk about how your friend replied to her Tinder prospect with a brief, clever, and forceful remark. Her response to the dude’s Tinder pick-up line wasn’t terse—it was pithy!
109
Despondent
Fancy word for hopeless
Try: Despondent. If the past couple of years have taken a toll on you, go with a fancier word to indicate your hopelessness. Reserve depressed for a medical diagnosis and instead use despondent to articulate extreme dejection and hopelessness.
110
flagrant
conspicuously or obviously offensive
111
depleted
reduced, drained, emptied (also tired)
112
complacency
Feeling smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s accomplishments
113
impunity
exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of one’s actions
114
truculent
defiant, aggressive, antagonising
115
facsimile
an exact copy, especially of written or printed material; copy, reproduction, carbon copy
116
captious
tending to find fault or raise petty objection; critical (a captious teacher)
117
noxious
harmful, poisonous or very unpleasant (they were overcome by the noxious fumes)
118
amenable
open and responsive to suggestion; easily persuaded or controlled; susceptible
119
rapture
a feeling of intense pleasure or joy, intense pleasure or enthusiasm about something
120
volubility
the quality of talking fluently, readily or incessantly; talkativeness
121
alacrity
brisk and cheerful readiness (she accepted the invitation with alacrity)
122
expedient
(of an action) convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral (either side could break the agreement if it were expedient to do so)
123
endorse
declare one’s public approval or support of, recommend (a product) in advertisement
124
belligerent
hostile or agressive
125
altruistic
showing a disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others; unselfish
126
unilaterally
used to indicate that something is done by only one person, group, or country involved in a situation, without the agreement of others.
127
oscillated
move or swing back and forth in a regular rhythm.
128
vacillate
waver between different opinions
129
divisive
tending to cause disagreement or hostility between people
130
ascendancy
occupation of a position of dominant power or influence
131
vagary
an unexpected and inexplicable change in a situation or in someone’s behaviour
132
unconscionable
unethical, amoral, indefensible
133
tenuous
very weak or slight/ very slender or fine; insubstantial
134
supine
flat on one’s back, prone, 2. weak, spineless, yeilding
135
insensate
lacking physical sensation, 2. lacking sympathy or compassion; unfeeling, 3. completely lacking sense or reason
136
