10 Honors English/Kephart
Unit 2: Dystopian Worlds
Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Period: _________
Brave New World Chapter 10-18
Vocabulary Words
For word pronunciation go to: http://www.merriam-webster.com/
1. recapitulate (pg. 146)
part of speech: verb
definition(s): to review a series of facts; to sum up
synonyms: review, summarize, sum up, go over
sample sentence: Don’t bother to recapitulate the plot of the book; instead, tell me if you liked it.
2. heinous (pg. 148)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): very wicked, offensive, hateful
synonyms: evil, odious, abominable, outrageous
antonyms: excellent, wonderful, splendid
sample sentence: A town so peaceful, quiet, and law-abiding was bound to be horrified by so heinous a
crime.
3. coquettish (pg. 150)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): affecting shyness or modesty in order to attract masculine interest
synonyms: demure, kittenish, flirtatious, girlish, flirty
antonyms: uncoy
sample sentence: The jealous woman accused her boyfriend’s coworker of being coquettish.
4. ignoble (pg. 170)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): mean, low, base
synonyms: inferior, unworthy, dishonorable, sordid
antonyms: admirable, praiseworthy, lofty, noble
sample sentence: Most people will agree that a noble purpose does not justify ignoble means.
5. wheedle (pg. 172)
part of speech: verb
definition(s): to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end
synonyms: cajole, inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk
antonyms: coerce, browbeat, intimidate, strong-arm
sample sentence: The spy used charm and flattery in order to wheedle the information from the
diplomat.
6. heretical (pg. 173)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): deviating from commonly accepted beliefs or practices
synonyms: dissentient, maverick, noncomformist, unconventional, unorthodox
antonyms: conforming, conventional, orthodox
sample sentence: The belief that women should be allowed to have careers outside the home was once
considered heretical.
7. collate (pg. 175)
part of speech: verb
definition(s): to compare critically in order to note differences, similarities , etc.; to arrange in order for
some specific purpose
synonyms: sort out, cross-check, rearrange
sample sentence: We decided to collate the recipes according to how complicated they are.
8. subversive (pg. 177)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): intended or likely to undermine or overthrow a government or other institution
synonyms: dissident, rebellious, revolutionary, insubordinate, mutinous
sample sentence: J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye was once considered a subversive piece of
literature.
9. odious (pg. 182)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
synonyms: abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, dreadful
antonyms: innocuous, inoffensive, agreeable, appealing, delightful
sample sentence: After the odious and unforgivable insult, Sarah ended the friendship.
10. adage (pg. 186)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): an old familiar saying
synonyms: aphorism, proverb, sentential, word, epigram
sample sentence: Her grandmother was a fan of reciting the old adage, “the early bird gets the worm.”
11. sanctimonious (pg. 191)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, selfrighteous, canting, holier-than-thou
antonyms: heartfelt, sincere, humble
sample sentence: Cautionary tales that take on a sanctimonious tone often achieve the opposite of the
desired result.
12. abstemious (pg. 193)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): moderate, sparing (as in eating and drinking); characterized by abstinence and selfdiscipline
synonyms: temperate, sober, moderate
antonyms: indulgent, immoderate, intemperate
sample sentence: She came from a long line of quiet, thrifty, and abstemious farming folk.
13. impudent (pg. 194)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): displaying or marked by rude boldness
synonyms: audacious, bold, brash, cocky, sassy
antonyms: meek, mousy, sky, timid, demure
sample sentence: The guest made impudent inquiries about the cost of just about everything we had in
the house.
14. sublime (pg. 204)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): causing strong feelings of admiration or wonder
synonyms; amazing, astonishing, eye-opening, prodigious, stunning
antonyms: base, degenerate, degraded, ignoble, low
sample sentence: Beethoven composed some of the most sublime symphonies in existence.
15. derision (pg. 210)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): a feeling of dislike or disrespect often shown by the use of insults
synonyms: mockery, sport, disdain, belittlement, deprecation
antonyms: applause, approval, commendation, praise
sample sentence: The team’s awful record has made it an object of derision in the league.
16. wanton (pg. 213)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society;
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
synonyms: bawdy, crude, indecent, atrocious, sadistic
antonyms: clean, decent, wholesome, benign, good-hearted
sample sentence: It was a wanton attack on unarmed civilians.
17. sacrilege (pg. 213)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): an act of great disrespect shown to God or to sacred ideas, people, or things
synonyms: defilement, desecration, irreverence, impiety
antonyms: adoration, glorification, worship
sample sentence: Spitting on the temple floor would be a great sacrilege.
18. optimum (pg. 223)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): the amount or degree of something that is most favorable to some end
synonyms: best, ideal, perfect, prime, model
sample sentence: The substances were mixed in various proportions until an optimum was reached.
19. orthodox (pg. 227)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): following or agreeing with established form, custom, or rules
synonyms: ceremonial, conventional, regular, routine, accepted
antonyms: unorthodox, freewheeling, informal, irregular, unconventional
sample sentence: Schoolteachers tended to favor poets who followed a very orthodox style of poetry.
20. sedulous (pg. 228)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): persistent; showing industry and determination
synonyms: assiduous, tireless, indefatigable
antonyms: lackadaisical, listless, indolent, otiose
sample sentence: No one could say that he was lazy, for he was a careful, sedulous copier of other
people’s work.
21. approbation (pg. 229)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): the expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval
synonyms: commendation, sanction
antonyms: disapproval, condemnation, censure
sample sentence: My broad hint that I had paid for the lessons myself brought smiles of approbation
from all the judges at the piano recital.
22. prosperity (pg. 233)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): the state of being successful usually by making money
synonyms: success, affluence, wealth, opulence, fortune
antonyms: hardship, failure
sample sentence: The 1990s was a period of prosperity for our nation.
23. superfluous (pg. 233)
part of speech: adjective
definition(s): being over what is needed
synonyms: excess, extra, redundant, surplus, gratuitous
antonyms: deficient, inadequate, insufficient, meager, sparse
sample sentence: He cleared the superfluous stuff off his desk to make more room.
24. heroism (pg. 237)
part of speech: noun
definition(s): strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger
synonyms: bravery, courageousness, heart, valor, virtue
antonyms: cowardice, spinelessness
sample sentence: I was inspired by the heroism of the firefighters who risked their lives to save the
people trapped in the burning building.
25. disconcert (pg. 250)
part of speech: verb
definition(s): to confuse; to disturb the composure of
synonyms: upset, rattle, ruffle, faze, perturb
antonyms: relax, calm, put at ease
sample sentence: They had hoped to disconcert him with an unexpected question, but he was well
prepared.
10 Honors English/Kephart
Unit 2: Dystopian Worlds
Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Period: _________
Brave New World Chapter 10-18 Vocabulary Assignment
Total: 25 points (formative assessment)
Due date: _______________________________
Prompt: Use each of the 25 words from this unit in a well-written and complete sentence regarding the plot of
Brave New World. You can write about the characters, setting, theme, or anything about the novel in your
sentences as long as you stay true to the story. In addition, be sure to follow the basic guidelines below.
Your assignment must be/contain:
 MLA heading AND header
 Typed in 12-pt Times New Roman font
 Formatted with 1-inch margins and double-spacing
 All 25 vocabulary words used CORRECTLY in a complete sentence that clearly demonstrates the
word’s meaning and correct part of speech
 All 25 words numbered AND underlined
 Well-written and free of grammatical/spelling errors
Note: You CAN include more than one word in a sentence as long as it does not take away from its usage.
Grading:
 Each vocabulary word in the assignment is worth ONE point and will be graded on definition, spelling
and part of speech. If any of these three are incorrect, the point for the word is lost.
 Grading Symbols:
D- definition incorrect or not shown clearly
PS- part of speech incorrect
SP- spelling incorrect