Vocabulary
Group #4
Commotion (n.)
Definition: Noisy
activity
 Synonym: bedlam
 Antonym: silence
 Sentence: The
commotion in the
library drew in an
even bigger crowd.
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Concoction (n.)
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Definition: A mixture of
ingredients; putting
several things together
Synonym: potion
Antonym: separation
Sentence: The witch
brewed a nasty
concoction. “A frog’s
eye, two drops of
black widow’s poison,
and a hint of blood,”
she sang.
Conspicuous (adj.)
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Definition: Easily
seen; something
obvious; attract
attention
Synonym: visible
Antonym: blocked
Sentence: The shiny
conspicuous pebble
was in fact gold!
Contortion (n.)
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Definition: A sharp
twist or bend in, or of,
something or
someone
Synonym:
deformation
Antonym:
smoothness
Sentence: The twigs’
contortion looks like
a twisted knife.
Imperious (adj.)
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Definition: Arrogant;
thinking you are
above it all
Synonym: conceited
Antonym: shy
Sentence: The
imperious dictator’s
ignorance and
arrogance was his
downfall.
Jabber (v.)
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Definition: To talk
rapidly making no
sense; chattering
Synonym: blabber
Antonym: sense
Sentence: The
woman would just
not stop jabbering
with her insipid talk of
shoes and clothing.
Jargon (n.)
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http://www.govloop.com/pro
files/blogs/keeping-thejargon-out-publiccommunication
Definition: Specialized
language of a
profession or group
Synonym: slang
Antonym: standard
Sentence: My father is
a congressman so
often he talks political
jargon at our dinner
table leaving the rest
of us feeling confused.
Jostle (v.)
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Definition: To roughly
bump into a person
or thing
Synonym: shove
Antonym: avoid
Sentence: The man
was careful not to be
jostled while he was
carrying his
expensive china.
Scurry (v.)
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Definition: To move
briskly; to scamper
Synonym: (to) dart
Antonym: stroll
Sentence: The
mouse quickly
scurried across the
floor frightening the
little child that was
with us in the
haunted house.
Serenity (n.)
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Definition: The quality
of being calm,
peaceful or
untroubled
Synonym: tranquility
Antonym: bedlam
Sentence: The
serenity in the plane
was broken as the
baby once again
began crying.
Sociable (adj.)
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Definition: Enjoying
the company of
others
Synonym: affable
Antonym: reclusive
Sentence: The man’s
sociable personality
faded after his best
friend passed away.
Somber (adj.)
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Definition: very
serious or sad
Synonym: lugubrious
Antonym: happy
Sentence: The man’s
somber attitude was
too serious for many
people’s liking.
HONORS WORDS
Mnemonic (adj.)
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Definition: Memory
assistance
Synonym: reminder
Antonym: unhelpful
Sentence: My favorite
mnemonic device is:
My Very Earnest
Mother Just Served Us
Nine Pizzas. It helps me
remember the planets
of the solar system.
Narcissism (n.)
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Definition: Egoism,
egocentrism (selfcentered
Synonym: arrogant
Antonym: kowtow
Sentence: Joel’s
narcissism gets in his
own way; nobody
likes him so he ends
up having no friends.
Amethyst (n.)
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Definition: A clear
purple or bluish violet
variety crystallized
quartz
Synonym: mauve
Antonym: transparent
Sentence: Since my
birthstone is Amethyst,
my favorite color is
purple.
Somnambulate (v.)
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Definition: to walk while
sleeping
Synonym: sleepwalking
Antonym: awake
Sentence: Once at a
sleepover, I began to
somnambulate and
walked over to the
wall, bumped myself
into it 3 times, and
landed face first into
my sleeping bag.
Venerate (v.)
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Definition: To honor with
a ritual act of devotion
Synonym: please
Antonym: to anger
Sentence: There are
many ways to venerate
gods, but whenever the
gods got angered,
people would throw
teenage girls into
volcanoes. Oh how
times have changed.