Vocabulary List 1 – Useful Words
1. ambiguous – adjective
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Definition: 1. open to or having several possible meanings or interpretations; 2. of doubtful or uncertain
nature; difficult to comprehend.
Synonyms: equivocal, enigmatic, cryptic
Antonyms: explicit, certain, clear, precise, unambiguous
Example Sentence: They were disappointed: the president’s choices - and his intentions - remain
frustratingly ambiguous.
2. amiable – adjective
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Definition: 1. having or showing pleasant, good-natured personal qualities; 2. agreeable; willing to
accept the wishes, decisions, or suggestions of another.
Synonyms: affable, friendly, sociable, gracious, amicable
Antonyms: rude, unfriendly, hostile
Example Sentence: The governor’s kind, amiable personality is still conveyed, even if you don’t agree
with his politics.
3. articulate – verb
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Definition: 1. uttered clearly in distinct syllables; 2. capable of speech; not speechless; 3. using
language easily and fluently; having facility with words; 4. expressed, formulated, or presented with
clarity and effectiveness; 5. made clear, distinct, and precise in relation to other parts.
Synonyms: expressive
Antonyms: inarticulate, unintelligible
Example Sentence: President Obama’s speeches are inspiring and emotional, yet remain articulate,
clear, and on point.
4. assessment – noun
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Definition: the act of estimating or judging the value, character, etc. of something
Synonyms: appraisal, evaluation
Example Sentence: The doctors compiled an assessment of the effects of mental illness on the
patient’s families.
5. attribute – verb
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Definition: 1. to regard as resulting from a specified cause; 2. to consider as a quality or characteristic
of the person, thing, group, etc.
Synonyms: associate
Example Sentence: 1. She attributed his bad temper to ill health. 2. He attributed intelligence to his
colleagues.
6. comprehensive – adjective
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Definition: of a large or broad scope of content; covering or involving much;
Synonyms: inclusive, broad, wide, extensive, full
Example Sentence: We offer a high-quality, comprehensive program of benefits, which represent an
important component of total compensation.
7. consumer – noun
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Definition: a person or organization that uses a commodity or service
Synonyms: buyer, customer, user, purchaser, shopper
Antonyms: producer, marketer, merchandiser
Example Sentence: Even as consumer spending increases modestly, those dollars are buying fewer
goods and services.
8. defective – adjective
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Definition: having a flaw
Synonyms: faulty, imperfect, incomplete, deficient
Antonyms: perfect, complete
Example Sentence: The customer service representative told me my phone was defective and that of
course it was not the network.
9. digress – verb
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Definition: 1. to deviate or wander away from the main topic or purpose in speaking or writing; 2. depart
from the principal line of argument, plot, study, etc.
Synonyms: ramble, stray, deviate
Example Sentence: Let me digress into a short technical discussion of how this incredible error took
place.
10. domestic – adjective
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Definition: 1. of or pertaining to one’s own or a particular country as apart from other countries; 2.
indigenous to or produced or made within one’s own country
Synonyms: local, municipal, national, public, interior
Antonyms: foreign
Example Sentence: Companies, both foreign and domestic, employ tax professional and devote
considerable resources to managing their tax affairs.
11. efficiency – noun
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Definition: 1. the state of functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort;
competency in performance; 2. accomplishment of or ability to accomplish a job with a minimum
expenditure of time and effort
Synonyms: adequacy, competency, proficiency
Antonyms: inability, incompetence, ineffectiveness
Example Sentence: With unlimited government money, there is no need for efficiency.
12. exceptional – adjective
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Definition: 1. forming an exception or rare instance; 2. having much more than average intelligence,
ability, or skill.
Synonyms: exceeding, prodigious, surpassing, especial, olympian, uncommon, singular, strange,
unnatural, aberrant, anomalous
Antonyms: average
Example Sentence: 1. This ancient jewelry is of exceptional charm and sophistication. 2. The student’s
exceptional math skills surpass those of his teacher.
13. feasible – adjective
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Definition: capable of being done, effected, or accomplished; a feasible plan
Synonyms: possible, appropriate
Example Sentence: Raising cash from their investments through initial public offerings is no longer a
feasible exit route.
14. formulate – verb
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Definition: To express in precise form; to devise or develop, as a method to express in a formula.
Synonyms: articulate, frame, compose, define, specify
Example Sentence: 1. The committee will outline a situation and ask you to formulate a plan that deals
with the problem. 2. Students gain the information necessary to formulate their own opinions on oceanrelated environmental issues.
15. illustrate – verb
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Definition: 1. to furnish (a book, magazine, etc.) with drawings, pictures, or other artwork intended for
explanation, elucidation, or adornment; 2. to make clear or intelligible, as by examples or analogies;
exemplify.
Synonyms: illuminate, delineate, emphasize
Example Sentence: 1. Equally important, it also served to illustrate that the effect of staring-eyes
carries across a range of social behaviors. 2. The point is that jokes can illustrate humor but not explain
it.
16. incentive – noun
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Definition: something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for
increased productivity
Synonyms: encouragement, incitement, allurement
Antonyms: hindrance, block,
Example Sentence: They have comfortable conditions at work and see no incentive to get another job.
17. inconsistent – adjective
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Definition: 1. lacking agreement as one thing with another or two or more thing in relation to each other;
2. lacking harmony between different parts or elements
Synonyms: at odds, contrary, incompatible,
Antonyms: consistent, consonant, regular, steady, unchanging
Example Sentence: The financial report is inconsistent with previously stated facts.
18. inflation – noun
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Definition: a persistent, substantial rise in the general level of prices related to an increase in the
volume of money and resulting in the loss of value of currency
Synonyms: gain, rise, boom
Antonyms: deflation
Example Sentence: Some investors are using commodities like gold to hedge against higher than
expected inflation.
19. jeopardize – verb
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Definition: to put at risk
Synonyms: imperil, endanger, chance, risk
Antonyms: secure, guard, protect
Example Sentence: She hoped this fact wouldn’t jeopardize my interest in the job offer.
20. pragmatic – adjective
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Definition: pertaining to a practical point of view or usable considerations.
Synonyms: efficient, practical, realistic
Example Sentence: 1. Our politicians have to be pragmatic and vote for what is good for their sponsors,
rather than what is needed for the electorate. 2. Instead, it was a pragmatic acknowledgement of the
reality of the impact healthcare has on human beings.
21. precaution – noun
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Definition: 1. disposed to be silent or not to speak freely; reserved; 2. inclined to keep one’s thoughts,
feelings, and personal affairs to oneself
Synonyms: reluctant or restrained, taciturn, quiet, uncommunicative
Antonyms: talkative, voluble
Example Sentence: Public policy makers are slow or reticent to create policies that reduce or eliminate
smoking in public places.
22. prestige – noun
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Definition: reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes.
Synonyms: weight, importance
Antonyms: disrepute
Example Sentence: It’s sad to learn that people just work for the money and prestige.
23. prohibit – verb
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Definition: 1. to forbid an action, activity, etc. by authority or law; 2. to prevent, hinder, or forbid the
action of a person.
Synonyms: interdict, forbid, obstruct
Antonyms: permit
Example Sentence: The drug is still manufactured and distributed where laws do not prohibit it.
24. prudent – adjective
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Definition: 1. wise or judicious in practical affairs; sagacious; discreet or circumspect; sober. 2.
careful in providing for the future.
Synonyms: sensible, economical, thrifty, frugal
Antonyms: careless, imprudent, unwise
Example Sentence: Moderate rationing might be a prudent way to control costs.
25. speculate – verb
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Definition: 1. to engage in any business transaction involving considerable risk or the chance of large
gains, especially to buy and sell commodities, stocks, etc. in the expectation of a quick or very large
profit; 2. to engage in thought or reflection
Synonyms: conjecture, guess, surmise, supposed, theorize
Antonyms: ignore, neglect; doubt
Example Sentence: They had spent years lending stocks to hedge funds so they could speculate
against overvalued companies.