Word Meaning aberrant deviating from what is normal or expected abeyance a state of temporary inactivity abstemious practicing self-denial in eating or drinking aesthetic concerned with the appreciation of beauty alacrity briskness; eagerness alleviate make easier or milder amalgamate combine or merge into a single whole ambiguous open to more than one interpretation ambivalent having mixed feelings or contradictory attitudes ameliorate make (something bad) better anachronism something that is out of place or time analogous similar or comparable anarchy absence of government or authority anomalous deviating from what is normal or expected antipathy a strong dislike or aversion apathy lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern apprise inform someone of something approbation approval or praise appropriate suitable or proper for a particular purpose arcane secret or mysterious arduous requiring great exertion; difficult artless without guile or deceit ascetic practicing severe self-discipline and abstinence aspersion a false accusation or charge assiduous showing great care and persistence attenuate make thinner or weaker audacious boldly disrespectful or impudent austere severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance aver state confidently banal trivial, commonplace, or dull belie contradict or fail to represent accurately beneficent doing good; kind or generous bombastic pompous and inflated in style; grandiloquent boorish rude or ill-mannered burgeon begin to grow rapidly or flourish burnish polish something until it is shiny buttress support or strengthen cacophonous harsh-sounding; discordant cant insincere or hypocritical speech capricious given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior castigation severe criticism catalyst a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being affected causality the relationship between cause and effect catalyst a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being affected casualty a person injured or killed in a war or accident chicanery trickery; deception 1 commensurate corresponding in size or degree compendium a concise but comprehensive account of a particular subject complaisant willing to please others; agreeable concomitant occurring or existing together with something else confound confuse or bewilder conundrum a puzzling question, especially one that has no easy answer conventional based on or in accordance with what is generally accepted or done convoluted complex and difficult to understand cosmology the study of the universe as a whole craven cowardly credence belief or trust decorum behavior that is appropriate or polite in a particular situation deference respectful submission or obedience delineate describe or portray (something) precisely demotic relating to or characteristic of ordinary people demur object to or disagree with something denigrate criticize harshly or unfairly denouement the outcome of a story; the final resolution derivative copied from or based on something else desiccate dry thoroughly desultory lacking a plan or purpose; aimless diatribe a forceful and bitter attack against someone or something dichotomy a division or contrast between two things diffidence modesty; shyness diffuse spread or scatter widely disabuse free someone from a false belief or misconception discordant not in harmony or agreement discrepancy a difference or inconsistency discrete separate and distinct disingenuous not sincere; hypocritical disinterested not having a personal interest or involvement in something dismiss order someone to leave disparage speak or write about (someone or something) in a disrespectful way disparate very different; dissimilar dissemble conceal one's true feelings or motives disseminate spread or disperse (something, especially information) widely dissolution the action of dissolving or being dissolved dissonance a lack of harmony or agreement doctrinaire rigidly adhering to a particular doctrine or set of beliefs dogmatic inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertible truths eclectic deriving ideas from or combining elements of various sources effete weak; lacking vitality efficacy the power to produce a desired effect effrontery impudence; audacity elegy a poem or song expressing mourning elicit draw out or bring forth (information or a response) embellish decorate or adorn something 2 empirical based on observation or experiment rather than theory or pure logic emulate imitate; copy endemic native to or characteristic of a particular place or people enervate weaken ephemeral lasting for a very short time equanimity a state of mental calmness equivocate use ambiguous language to avoid committing oneself erudite having or showing great knowledge esoteric intended for or understood by only a small number of people exacerbate make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse exacting demanding much effort; difficult execrable extremely bad or unpleasant exigency a pressing need or demand existential relating to or concerned with existence or the meaning of life extant still in existence extraneous not relevant or essential extrapolation the action of estimating or concluding something from known data facetious treating serious matters with inappropriate humor fallacious logically unsound; false or mistaken fatuous silly and pointless felicitous appropriate; suitable fledgling a young bird that has recently left the nest; a person or organization that is inexperienced foment stir up or incite (trouble or violence) forestall prevent (something) by taking action in advance fractious irritable or quarrelsome frugality the quality of being thrifty; using money carefully fulminate express vehement protest or condemnation gainsay deny or contradict garrulous excessively talkative grandiloquent pompous and impressive gregarious fond of company; sociable guileless innocent and honest gullible easily persuaded to believe something false harangue a lengthy and aggressive speech heterodox not conforming to orthodox opinions or doctrines histrionic exaggeratedly dramatic or theatrical homily a sermon or serious talk on a moral or religious topic homogeneous of the same kind; similar hyperbole exaggerated statements, often used to emphasize a point iconoclastic attacking or destroying cherished beliefs or institutions ideological relating to or based on a system of ideas or beliefs idolatry the worship of idols; excessive devotion to something or someone igneous formed by the cooling and solidification of molten rock immutable unable to be changed maverick an unconventional or independent-minded person mendacious telling lies; untruthful meretricious attractive in a cheap and showy way 3 metamorphosis a transformation or change of form metaphysical relating to the nature of reality and existence misanthrope a person who dislikes humankind misogynist a person who hates or dislikes women mitigate make (something bad) less severe mollify appease or placate (someone) morose sullen and ill-tempered mundane ordinary; commonplace neophyte a person who is new to a subject or activity obdurate stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action obsequious excessively submissive or obedient obviate avoid or prevent (a problem or difficulty) occlude block or close up (an opening) opprobrium public disgrace or condemnation oscillate move back and forth with a regular rhythm ostentatious showy and pretentious paragon a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality partisan a strong supporter of a cause, party, or person pathological relating to or caused by disease paucity a scarcity or lack of something pedantic excessively concerned with minor details and rules pellucid clear; transparent penury extreme poverty perfidious treacherous; untrustworthy perfunctory carried out in a routine way, without much care or interest permeable able to be passed through pervasive spreading widely throughout an area or group of people phlegmatic having an unemotional and calm disposition piety devotion to religious duties placate make someone less angry or hostile plasticity the quality of being easily shaped or molded platitude a remark made as if it were original but is trite plethora a large quantity of something, especially more than is needed pragmatic dealing with things sensibly and realistically precarious dependent on chance; uncertain precipitate cause (something) to happen suddenly or unexpectedly precursor a person or thing that comes before another presumptuous having or showing an excessive sense of self-importance prevaricate speak falsely or misleadingly pristine clean and fresh, as if new probity honesty and integrity problematic causing difficulty; troublesome prodigal spending money or resources recklessly profound having or showing great depth of feeling or thought proliferate increase rapidly in number or amount propensity a natural inclination or tendency propriety the state of being correct or appropriate 4 proscribe forbid or prohibit qualified having the necessary abilities or qualifications quiescent in a state of rest or inactivity rarefied thin; not dense recalcitrant stubbornly resistant to authority or control recant say that one no longer holds (an opinion, belief, etc.) recondite difficult to understand; abstruse refractory stubbornly resistant to treatment or control refute prove to be wrong relegate assign (someone) to a lower position or rank reproach express disapproval of or criticism of (someone) reprobate a person who is morally depraved repudiate reject (something) as false, unfounded, or unacceptable rescind revoke or cancel (an order, agreement, or decision) resolute determined; firmly resolved resolved determined; firmly decided reticent not revealing one's thoughts or feelings easily reverence deep respect and admiration sage a wise person salubrious healthful; beneficial salutary producing a beneficial effect sanction a formal or official permission or approval sartorial relating to clothing or fashion satiate satisfy to the full; quench sensual relating to or concerned with the senses sensuous relating to or affecting the senses sentient able to perceive or feel things skeptic a person who is inclined to doubt accepted opinions solicitous showing great care or concern soporific tending to induce sleep specious seeming right or reasonable but actually wrong sporadic occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous stigma a mark of disgrace or shame stipulate demand or specify (a condition or requirement) as part of an agreement stolid calm and unemotional striated marked with long, narrow lines or grooves substantiate prove to be true or correct subsume include or absorb (something) within something else supersede take the place of (something older or less important) supposition an assumption or guess tacit understood or implied without being stated directly taciturn reserved or uncommunicative in speech tangential only slightly relevant; going off the main point tenuous thin; flimsy; not strong tirade a long, angry speech torpor a state of physical or mental inactivity tortuous having many twists and turns; winding 5 tractable easy to control or manage transgression an act that goes against or breaks a law or rule truculence aggressiveness; fierceness turgid swollen; inflated untenable not able to be defended or justified vacillate alternate between different opinions or actions vapid lacking interest, originality, or intelligence venerate regard with great respect or reverence veracious truthful verbose using more words than are necessary viable feasible; capable of working viscous thick and sticky vitiate spoil or impair the quality or effectiveness of vituperative bitterly critical; abusive volatile liable to change rapidly or unexpectedly whimsical playful, lighthearted, and fanciful zealot a person who is fanatically devoted to a cause 6
