Freshman Vocabulary - Fall
Lesson #1
abstinence (noun) the practice of abstaining; doing
without
ambulatory (adj.) able to walk; up and about
diatribe (noun) a better and abusive criticism
didactic (adj.) intended to instruct, guide or teach
diffident (adj.) timid, shy; lacking in confidence
garrulous (adj.) very talkative
mandatory (adj.) required; obligatory
morbid (adj.) preoccupied with gruesome or gloomy
matters; grisly; horrible
munificent (adj.) very generous in giving; lavish
scoff (verb) to show derision or mocking contempt
Lesson #2
acclaim (verb) to greet with loud approval or praise
acquiesce (verb) to agree or consent quietly without
protest, but without enthusiasm
assimilate (verb) to take in, or to be taken in by a larger
group
delirious (adj.) to be in a temporary state of extreme
mental confusion or excitement
diffusion (noun) the process of widely spreading or
scattering
diminution (noun) the act or process of diminishing or
decreasing
disdain (noun) aloof contempt or scorn; look down upon
magnanimous (adj.) noble in heart and mind; rising
above pettiness or meanness
malignant (adj.) having an evil influence; very harmful;
likely to cause death
meander (verb) to wander aimlessly and idly; ramble
Lesson #3
alleviate (verb) to make more bearable; to ease the pain
analogous (adj.) similar or parallel in certain ways
dismantle (verb) to take apart; disassemble; to strip of
furnishing or equipment
distraught (adj.) extremely troubled or agitated; worried
dormant (adj.) a sleep-like condition during which life
processes slow down; inactive
maim (verb) to disable; to cripple
meticulous (adj.) extremely to excessively careful about
details
murky (adj.) not clear; foggy, hazy; dark or gloomy
narcissism (noun) excessive admiration of one's self;
self-love
squabble (verb) to engage in a minor quarrel; to argue
noisily over a small matter
Lesson #4
animosity (noun) hatred or hostility that is shown openly
anonymity (noun) the condition of being anonymous;
unknown
bibliophile (noun) one who loves books
ebb (verb) to flow or fall back, as the tide does
effervescent (adj.) high-spirited; lively
elusive (adj.) tending to avoid; hard to capture
nemesis (noun) anyone or anything which seems to be
the cause of someone's downfall or defeat
nepotism (noun) favoritism shown by people in high
places to relatives or close friends
nonchalant (adj.) carefree and casually unconcerned or
seeming so
solicitude (noun) the state of showing care or concern
Lesson #5
antagonism (noun) the state of being opposed or hostile
to another
ardent (adj.) warm or intense in feeling; passionate
arid (adj.) having little or not rainfall; very dry
assuage (verb) to make less burdensome or less painful;
to ease, relive
embellish (verb) to decorate or improve by adding
details; dress up
engender (verb) to give rise to; to cause; to bring about
enigma (noun) someone or something that is hard to
figure out; a mystery
menagerie (noun) a collection of animals that people can
view
nostalgia (noun) a bittersweet longing for the things of
the past
obliterate (verb) to do away with completely; to destroy
Lesson #6
atrophy (verb) the wasting away of the body, it's organs
or tissue
aversion (noun) a strong dislike for; repugnance
equivocate (verb) to speak ambiguously in order to
mislead or deceive
esoteric (adj.) intended for or understood by only a small
group of people
eulogy (noun) a speech or written tribute praising a
person or thing, especially someone who has recently
died
obtrusive (adj.) intruding and offensive
officious (adj.) to be so excessively forward in offering
one's services that one becomes annoying
onomatopoeia (noun) the use or sound of a word that
imitates or resembles what it stands for or describes
overt (adj.) not concealed, not hidden; open
scrupulous (adj.) conscientious; attentive to details
Lesson #7
bedraggled (adj.) wet, limp, messy
behoove (verb) to be necessary, right or proper for
euphemism (noun) an inoffensive term substituted for
one that is offensive
evanescent (adj.) lasting only a short time; vanishing
exacerbate (verb) to increase the severity of; to
aggravate
exemplary (adj.) worthy of imitation; commendable
opaque (adj.) not letting light pass through; not
transparent; not reflecting light
opulent (adj.) having or showing great wealth; very
wealthy or rich
ornate (adj.) made with elaborate or lavish decorations
sequester (verb) to set off or apart, separate; segregate
(as a jury); to go off by oneself
Lesson #8
bequeath (verb) to leave something in a will to another
blasphemous (adj.) disrespectful and impious of God or
sacred things
fervor (noun) intensity of emotion, passion
fledgling (noun) a young, inexperienced person; a young
bird just ready to fly
forlorn (adj.) miserable; deserted; forsaken; abandoned;
in pitiful condition
occult (adj.) of or dealing with magic or the supernatural;
mysterious
parsimonious (adj.) stingy; tight with money; miserly
partisan (noun) a strong supporter of a cause
serene (adj.) peaceful and untroubled; calm
solemn (adj.) impressive; serious; grave; observed or
done according to ritual or tradition
Freshman Vocabulary - Spring
Lesson #9
blatant (adj.) unpleasantly loud; glaringly obvious or
conspicuous
bludgeon (noun) a short heavy club with one end loaded or
thicker than the other; (verb) to beat or strike with a club
bravado (noun) a shop or pretense of defiance or courage
buffoon (noun) a clown or jester; a person who is always trying
to be funny
ghastly (adj.) terrifying; dreadful; horrible to look at
gibe (noun) a derisive remark; a jeer or taunt
glutton (noun) a person who eats to excess
paucity (noun) in short supply; scarcity of ideas or objects
peerless (adj.) without equal, matchless
perceptive (adj.) having ability to see or understand what is
beneath the surface
sporadic (adj.) having no pattern or order; happening from time
to time
squalid (adj.) sordid, miserable; very poor and run-down
stoic (adj.) seemingly indifferent to pain, grief or pleasure
stupor (noun) to be in a daze; mental dullness or apathy
stymie (verb) to block or stop; to hinder
Lesson #10
cacophony (noun) a harsh, jarring sound
callous (adj.) lacking feeling, mercy, etc.; unfeeling
carp (verb) to find fault and complain constantly; to nag or fuss
gruff (adj.) stern, surly; hoarse; brusquely rude
gullible (adj.) easily fooled or tricked
haphazard (adj.) lacking any definite plan or order
heretic (noun) a person who holds opinions opposed to
established beliefs or doctrines
perfidy (noun) a deliberate breach of faith; treachery
peripheral (adj.) of, or located on the outside or edge away
from the center; outer
philistine (noun) a person with views that are regarded as
shallow or narrow-minded
succinct (adj.) clearly expressed in a few words; to the point
sullen (adj.) morose; sulky; somber
tacit (adj.) implied from one's action but not spoken or written
tactless (adj.) lacking in tact; inconsiderate of another's
feelings
unfathomable (noun) too difficult to understand; too deep to
measure
Lesson #11
capitulate (verb) to surrender
catalyst (noun) a substance that alters the rate at which a
physical or chemical reaction takes place, usually by making it
go faster
caustic (adj.) able to burn, eat away, or destroy by chemical
action; sarcastic or cutting in speech; corrosive
hierarchy (noun) a group of persons arranged in order of rank
homogeneous (adj.) having or consisting of the same parts;
similar
hypocritical (adj.) insincere, false; pretense of being better than
one is
iconoclast (noun) a person who attacks and seeks to
overthrow popular ideas
piety (noun) a pious act or thought; devotion to religious duties
and practices
placid (adj.) calm; peaceful
pompous (adj.) acting with an air of great dignity; full of high
sounding words
sumptuous (adj.) of a size or splendor suggesting great
expense
surmise (verb) to reach a conclusion on slight evidence; to
guess, presume
surreptitious (adj.) acting in a secret way; stealthy
susceptible (adj.) easily influenced or affected by; disposed to
validate (verb) to confirm or support; to verify; to make official
Lesson #12
celestial (adj.) of or related to the sky or universe; heavenly
chronic (adj.) lasting for a long time or recurring often;
continuing
clairvoyance (noun) the alleged power to see things not
present to the senses
impartial (adj.) favoring no side or party more than another;
without bias
implausible (adj.) not believable or acceptable
inadvertent (adj.) accidental, unintentional; not on purpose
ponderous (adj.) very heavy; massive; unwieldy because of
weight
pretentious (adj.) making an exaggerated show of dignity or
self importance; extravagantly showy
prodigious (adj.) wonderful; amazing; of great size, power or
extent; huge
profusion (noun) great in quantity or amount; abundance
sycophant (noun) someone who attempts to win favor through
flattery of a superior; a "yes man"
tawdry (adj.) cheap and gaudy; showy; sleazy
vanguard (noun) the front or leading position in an army or
movement
vicarious (adj.) imagined participation in another's experience
vicissitude (noun) a sudden or unexpected change in one's life
Lesson #13
colloquial (adj.) used in or suitable to spoken language or to
writing that seeks the effect of speech; conversational
commiserate (verb) to feel or to express sorrow; to sympathize
compatible (adj.) able to live or perform in agreement with
others
incipient (adj.) in an initial or early stage of development
incontrovertible (adj.) not capable of being disputed or
disproved
incorrigible (adj.) not capable of being corrected or reformed
prolific (adj.) producing offspring or fruits in great abundance;
turning out many products of the mind
pugnacious (adj.) eager to fight; quarrelsome
querulous (adj.) given to complaining
tedious (adj.) something tiresome because of the slowness or
length of it
tentative (adj.) not definite or permanent; indicating hesitancy
or uncertainty
thwart (verb) to prevent something from taking place; to block,
hinder
vilify (verb) to use abusive or slanderous language about or of;
to defame
virtuoso (noun) a musical performer of exceptional excellence
vulnerable (adj.) open to danger or to attack; easily hurt or
influenced
Lesson #14
conciliatory (adj.) having the effect of soothing anger or distrust
criterion (noun) a rule or standard on which judgments can be
based
cryptic (adj.) mysterious; puzzling; having a hidden or
ambiguous meaning
ingratiate (verb) act in a way to make oneself
agreeable/acceptable to others
insipid (adj.) lacking flavor; bland; dull
lackluster (adj.) lacking brightness; dull; lacking energy or
vitality
quell (verb) to calm down; to put down or suppress; to put an
end to
quibble (noun) a minor criticism or objection
quip (noun) a clever or witty remark; a sarcastic reply
tirade (noun) a long, angry, or vehement speech
trepidation (noun) a state of alarm or dread; fearful uncertainty
turbulent (adj.) marked by unrest or disturbance; wild disorder
urbane (adj.) suave; having the refined manners of polite
society
volatile (adj.) changing quickly; fickle; unstable; explosive
volition (noun) the power of being able to choose
Lesson #15
cursory (adj.) hasty and superficial; not thorough
dearth (noun) a lack or scarcity of supplies
debilitate (verb) to make feeble; to weaken
languid (adj.) lazily; slowed or relaxed
lassitude (noun) a condition of listless weakness
lavish (adj.) characterized by excessive or imprudent spending
raze (verb) to destroy or tear down completely
rebuff (verb) to refuse bluntly; to snub recluse (noun) a person
recluse (noun) a person who lives a secluded, solitary life
unassailable (adj.) not able to be attacked and conquered
ungainly (adj.) awkward, clumsy
voluminous (adj.) having great volume or size
voracious (adj.) very eager; greedy for food
wanton (adj.) recklessly or arrogantly ignoring justice decency,
morality, etc.
wrath (noun) intense anger; rage; fury
Lesson #16
denunciation (noun) the act of denouncing or openly
condemning a person or thing
derogatory (adj.) disparaging; belittling
deter (verb) to prevent or discourage from doing something
loathe (verb) to regard with intense dislike, disgust, or hatred;
to detest
loquacious (adj.) very talkative
luscious (adj.) very appealing to the senses
refurbish (verb) to brighten or to freshen up
relic (noun) an old object of historic or religious significance
repudiate (verb) disavow; to reject as untrue; to deny
residual (adj.) left over, as at the end of a process; remaining
unbridled (adj.) unrestrained, uncontrolled
uncouth (adj.) not refined; crude or boorish
unscathed (adj.) not harmed or injured
zealot (noun) a person who is intensely or fanatically devoted
to a cause
zenith (noun) the highest point; the peak
Lesson #17
aberration (noun) an act or condition deviating from what is
normal or typical
devious (adj.) in an underhanded manner; not in a straight
path; round about
devoid (adj.) completely lacking ; being without
felicity (noun) great happiness; a pleasing manner
ferment (noun) a state of unrest, agitation
haggard (adj.) appearing worn and exhausted because of
worry or suffering
laudable (adj.) deserving praise; praiseworthy
lucid (adj.) easily understood; clear to the mind
malicious (adj.) having malice, spiteful; intentionally harmful
resilient (adj.) springing back to original shape; recovering its
strength, spirit
reticent (adj.) hesitant or disinclined to speak out; reserved
sagacious (adj.) shrewd and wise
ultimatum (noun) a final demand or offer
usurer (noun) person who lends money at excessively high
interest rates
utopia (noun) any society thought, or designed, to be perfect