Word Map Index
Literary Words:
Academic Word List:
Amorphous
Serene
Prodigious
Sublime
Clamor
Condescend
Profound
Manifest
Coerce
Dearth
Languor
Process
Analysis
Ironic
Generate
Analysis:
a= not
asexual
asymmetrical
amorphous
morph= form
endomorph
ectomorph
mesomorph
morphology
to morph into
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
Example:
Non-example:
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
shapeless
formless
half-formed
blob-like
undefined
nebulous
vague
unstructured
Forms: amorphously (adverb)
Unrelated sound-alike:
amor (love)
Use: The ice cream, half melted,
formed an amorphous heap on
the floor. (adjective)
Forms: serenity (Noun)
serenely (Adverb)
History (Etymology):
from the Greek xeros: dry
serene
Use: The nurse’s
serene eyes
and gentle manner
created a
surprisingly
soothing
atmosphere in the
emergency room.
Example:
Non-example:
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Stormy
Tumultuous
Violent
Out-of-control
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Calm
Tranquil
Unruffled
Mild
Mellow
Peaceful
From Walden
by Henry David Thoreau:
“My serenity is rippled
but not ruffled.”
“serene and celestial
atmosphere”
“vision of serenity and
purity”
“His roof is the overhanging sky which
reflects his serenity.”
Forms: prodigiousness
Close Relatives:
Prodigy: an exceptionally talented or
brilliant child
Produce, productive
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Meager
Paltry
Insufficient
Unimpressive
prodigious
Use: We celebrate
Thanksgiving to give
thanks for the
prodigious harvest
of our homeland.
From Gulliver’s Travels
by Jonathan Swift:
Unrelated sound-alike:
prodigal (extravagant)
Example:
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Abundant
Bountiful
Overflowing
Extravagant
Lavish
Productive
Dazzling
Non-example:
“…prodigious speed”
“…prodigious strength”
From Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen:
“I like then prodigiously.”
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Mundane
Ordinary
Unremarkable
Uninspiring
Ridiculous
Use: When I entered the
Sistine Chapel, I was awed
its sublime beauty.
sublime
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Heavenly
Transcendent
Majestic
Superb
Remarkable
Awesome
Awe-inspiring
Divine
Exalted
Grand
From Frankenstein
by Mary Wollenscraft Shelley:
“…the sublime shape of the mountains”
“…the transcendent vision of sublime
beauty”
Example:
Non-example:
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Quiet
Serenity
Tranquility
clamor
Use: On Black Friday,
crowds line up hours before
the mall opens, clamoring
for bargains.
Noise
Racket
Hubbub
Outcry
Fuss
Collocation:
When used as a verb:
clamor for
Forms: clamored, clamoring; clamorous
From One Writer’s Beginnings
by Eudora Welty:
Example:
Non-example:
“ From the first, I was clamorous to learn.”
From Macbeth by William Shakespeare:
“We shall make our griefs and clamors roar
upon his death.”
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Mild
Blunt
Subtle
acute
Use:
Acute pain in a tooth may
mean that you need a root
canal treatment.
Sharp
Intense
Piercing
Math connection:
acute angle (less than
90 degrees)
Forms: acuteness, acuity; acutely;
From Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen:
Example:
Non-example:
“ Her head ached acutely.”
From Animal Farm by George Orwell
“Every mouthful of food was an acute
pleasure.”
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Respect
Defer to
Level with
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
condescend
Talk “down” to
Deign
Scorn
Snub
Disrespect
Patronize
“have an attitude”
Use:
I resented the teacher
because whenever I asked
a question, rolled her eyes
and answered in a
condescending way that
Forms: condescension; condescended, condescending
humiliated me.
From Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte:
Example:
Non-example:
“ She was forced to condescend to our
company.”
From To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
“Jem condescended to take me to school on
the first day.”
Antonyms or
Forms: profoundly (adverb)
near-antonyms
Shallow
Superficial
Analysis:
Pro = forward (procedure, protect, produce) Frivolous
Fundus: bottom
(fundamental)
profound
From Heart of Darkness
by Joseph Conrad
Noun Associations: :
abyss
chasm
Adjective Associations:
philosophical
reflective
intense
awe-inspiring
Example:
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Deep
Bottomless
Meaningful
Unfathomable
profound stillness
profound darkness
profound thinker
profound void
profound anguish
profound glance
profound anguish
Non-example:
Use: Although the movie was
funny, it expressed profound ideas
about the meaningless of war.
Analysis:
Mani: hand (manufacture, manual
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
Covert
Occult
Discrete
Clandestine
Imperceptible
subtle
Forms: manifestation (noun)
manifesting, manifested (verbs)manifest
Alternate use:
Manifest (noun): a list of
items being transported on
a truck; a passenger list on
an airplane
Historical associations:
Manifest Destiny
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Obvious
Apparent
Overt
Evident
Visible
Perceptible
Slang: up front; out there
Slang opposite: on the down-low
Use: The signs of her illness
manifested as fatigue, paleness,
and unexplainable weight loss.
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
force
compel
Degrees:
encourage, request, invite…persuade…urge…bully… demand… mandate…coerce
Slang:
strong-arm
muscle
arm-twist
Analysis:
co= with
erc/erg= work (ergonomic)
coerce
Situations: torture,
rape, arrest,
blackmail, extortion
Example:
Non-example:
Forms: coersion (noun);
coersive (adjective)
Movie quote: “In the end,
he made him an offer he
couldn’t refuse: Either Johnny’s
signature or his brains would
be on the contract.” Godfather I
Common association: coerce a
Confession out of a suspect
Use: John Proctor would not be coerced into
signing his name to a false confession that he
had practiced witchcraft. (verb)
Antonyms:
plethora
glut
bumper crop
flood
overflow
excess
related adjectives:
sparse, meager, paltry
dearth
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
scarcity
paucity
lack
insufficiency
sparseness
shortfall
Collocation: dearth of
Situations: famine,
poverty,
emptiness, drought
Example:
Non-example:
Use: Because of a dearth of jobs,
many Americans are unemployed
in 2010.
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
vigor
energy
get-up-and-go
zip
Forms: languid, languorous
Associations: :
an afternoon nap
sleeping till noon
slowness
Example:
:
languor
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
laziness
lassitude
lethargy
stillness
indolence
torpor
weariness
Non-example
Use: from Uncle Tom’s Cabin
by Harriet Beecher Stowe
She opened her eyes in
a state of dreamy, delicious
languor.
Example:
Use: How ironic that the day she expected to get
engaged was the day that her boyfriend broke
up with her!
A fireman’s house burns down
You say: “I never get sick,” and
then you get sick
irony
You are happy. Then, you win
the lottery. Because of your
winnings, you are
unhappy.
You unwittingly marry a relative
(separated at birth)
What you think is the worst day
of your life, turns out to be the best
Breaking up on Valentine’s Day
Song:
Alannis Morissette
“Isn’t it Ironic?”
Antonyms:
Expected outcome
Normalcy
Ordinariness
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Satire
Paradox
Incongruity
Coincidence
Forms:
Irony
Ironic
ironical
Ironically
Kinds of:
Dramatic irony
Situational irony
Verbal irony
Example Non-example
Forms: processes, processed, processing
procedure, proceed, procedural
procession, processional
Associations: :
how a bill becomes a law
digestion
building something
process
Antonyms or
near-antonyms
chaos
randomness
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
method
steps
course of action
development
manner
means
Collocation:
in the process of
steps in the process
Example:
Non-example:
Use: It may take up to two weeks to process
your application because we use a
careful, detailed process of screening.
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
Analysis: (Greek)
ana= up, against, back
analysis
lys= loosen
Similar words:
catalyst: agent of change
synthesis: a new
combination
Example:
Non-Example:
breakdown
investigation
examination
Antonyms or near-antonyms:
summary
overview
opinion
Forms: analyze; analytical;
analytically
pl.: analyses
Use: An analysis of the data
reveals that although several
key economic indicators show
overall improvement, unemployment
remains high, especially in states that
rely on manufacturing.
Antonyms or near-antonyms:
die
degenerate
extinguish
fade
Etymology: (Latin
Gen: beginning; origin
Forms:
generation; generated;
generating; generational;
generative
generate
Relatives:
genesis
general
generator
genocide
gene; genetic
genre
genuine
genius
Example
Non-Example:
Synonyms or
near-synonyms
create
begin
form
formulate
produce
propagate
procreate
reproduce
evolve
originate
engender
promote
Use: The first stage of the writing
process is brainstorming, in which
generate as many ideas as possible.