Vocabulary G8
1. Allege [uh-lej] (v.) – To assert without proof or confirmation
The newspaper tabloid alleged that the movie star and the director were having creative differences.
SYNONYMS: claim, contend
ANTONYMS: prove, deny
2. Arrant [ar-uhnt] (adj.) – Thoroughgoing, out-and-out; shameless, blatant
In Shakespeare’s tragedy the audience sees clearly that Iago is an arrant scoundrel, but Othello is blind
to his treachery.
SYNONYMS: egregious, unmitigated
3. Badinage [bad-n-ahzh, bad-n-ij] (n.) – Light and playful conversation
I enjoy the delightful badinage between stars like Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in 1940s
movies.
SYNONYMS: banter, persiflage, repartee
ANTONYMS: sermon
4. Conciliate [kuhn-sil-ee-eyt] (v.) – To overcome the distrust of, win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcile,
make consistent
Because of the weakness of our army, we had to try to conciliate the enemy.
SYNONYMS: placate, mollify, propitiate
ANTONYMS: antagonize, alienate, estrange
5. Countermand (v.) – To cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first
Today’s directive clearly countermanded all previous instructions on how to exit the building.
SYNONYMS: recall, revoke
ANTONYMS: reaffirm, reassert
6. Echelon [esh-uh-lon] (n.) – On of a series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized
military unit; a steplike formation or arrangement
Although the civil servant began in the lower echelon of government service, he rose quickly through the
ranks.
SYNONYMS: level, rank
7. Exacerbate [ig-zas-er-beyt] (v.) – To make more violent, severe, bitter, or painful
Shouting and name-calling are sure to exacerbate any quarrel.
SYNONYMS: aggravate, intensity, worsen
ANTONYMS: alleviate, mitigate, ameliorate
8. Fatuous [fach-oo-uhs] (adj.) – Stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied way
In order to discredit the candidate, the columnist quoted some of his more fatuous self-serving remarks.
SYNONYMS: silly, vapid, inane, doltish, vacuous
ANTONYMS: sensible, intelligent, perceptive, bright
9. Irrefutable [ir-i-fyoo-tuh-buhl] (adj.) – Impossible to disprove; beyond argument
We were presented with such overwhelming proof that our verdict was irrefutable.
SYNONYMS: indisputable, incontrovertible, undeniable
ANTONYMS: disputable, indefensible, untenable
10. Juggernaut (n.) – A massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its path
Anyone that has experienced the juggernaut of war firsthand will not forget its destructive power
SYNONYMS: force
11. Lackadaisical [lak-uh-dey-zi-kuhl] (adj.) – Lacking spirit or interest, halfhearted
The team’s performance in the late innings was lackadaisical because they were so far ahead.
SYNONYMS: listless, indolent, indifferent, lax
ANTONYMS: energetic, vigorous, wholehearted
12. Litany [lit-n-ee] (n.) – A prayer consisting of short appeals to God recited by the leader alternating with
responses from the congregation; any repetitive chant; a long list
Whenever she talks about her childhood, she recites an interminable litany of grievances.
SYNONYMS: rigmarole, catalog, megillah
13. Macabre [muh-kahb] (adj.) – Grisly, gruesome; horrible, distressing; having death as a subject
The continuing popularity of horror movies suggests that one way to score at the box office is to exploit
the macabre.
SYNONYMS: grotesque, grim, ghoulish
14. Paucity [paw-si-tee] (n.) – An inadequate quantity, scarcity, dearth
The senate campaign was marred by a paucity of original ideas.
SYNONYMS: lack
ANTONYMS: abundance, glut, plenitude, deluge
15. Portend (v.) – To indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning of
In Shakespeare’s plays, disturbances in the heavens usually portend disaster or trouble.
SYNONYMS: bode, foretell, foreshadow, suggest
16. Raze (v.) – To tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out
The town razed the old schoolhouse to make room for a larger, more modern school complex.
SYNONYMS: pull down, demolish, shave off
ANTONYMS: build, construct, raise, erect
17. Recant (v.) – To withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed, renounce,
retract
On the stand, the defendant recanted the guilty admissions she had made in her confession to the police.
SYNONYMS: repudiate, disavow
ANTONYMS: reaffirm, reassert
18. Saturate [sach-uh-reyt] (v.) – To soak thoroughly, fill to capacity; to satisfy full
A sponge that is saturated with water swells up but does not drip.
SYNONYMS: permeate, drench, flood, imbue
ANTONYMS: drain
19. Saturnine [sat-er-nahyn] (adj.) – Of a gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in mood
Ebenezer Scrooge, the main character of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, has a decidedly saturnine
temperament.
SYNONYMS: sullen, morose
ANTONYMS: lighthearted, cheerful, vivacious
20. Slough [sluhf] (v.) – To cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessary; to plod
through as if through mud; (n.) a mire; a state of depression
At New Year’s time, many people resolve to slough off bad habits and start living better, healthier lives.
The advancing line of tanks became bogged down in a slough.
SYNONYMS: (v.) shed, slog
ANTONYMS: (v.) take on, acquire, assume
Vocabulary G8-1 – Complete the Sentence
1. However much it may cost me, I will never _________________ the principles to which I have devoted
my life.
2. No sooner had the feckless tsar ordered a mobilization than he _________________ his order, only to
reissue it later.
3. Though some “home remedies” appear to ease the symptoms of diseases, they may actually
_________________ the condition.
4. Ms. Ryan’s warnings to “review thoroughly seemed to _________________ an unusually difficult test.
5. The men being held in police custody are _________________ to have robbed eight stores in the last
year.
6. As a snake _________________ off its old skin, he hoped to rid himself of his weaknesses and develop
a better personality.
7. My shirt became so _________________ with sweat on that hot day that I had to change it more than
once during the match.
8. After he made that absurd remark, a(n) _________________ grin of self-congratulation spread across
his face.
9. “I find it depressing to be around people whose dispositions are so _________________ and
misanthropic,” I remarked.
10. The breaking news story concerned corruption among the highest _________________ of politics.
Vocabulary G8-2 – Complete the Sentence
11. Her friendly manner and disarming smile helped to _________________ those who opposed her views on
the proposal.
12. The service in honor of the miners trapped in the collapse included prayers and _________________.
13. We object to the policy of _________________ historic buildings to make way for parking lots.
14. You are not going to do well in your job if you continue to work in such a _________________ manner.
15. The enemy’s lines crumpled before the mighty _________________ of our attack.
16. Only someone with a truly _______________________ sense of humor would decide to use a hearse as a
family car or a coffin as a bed.
17. “It seems to me that such _______________________ hypocrisy is indicative of a thoroughly opportunistic
approach to running for office,” I said sadly.
18. The seriousness of the matter under discussion left no room for the type of lighthearted
_______________________ encountered in the locker room.
19. At first I thought it would be easy to shoot holes in their case, but I soon realized that their arguments were
practically _______________________.
20. His four disastrous years in office were marked by a plentitude of promises and a(n)
_______________________ of performance.
Vocabulary G8-3 – Synonyms
1. The indisputable evidence
2. The banter of the morning talk show hosts
3. The egregious corruption of the officials
4. Claimed that a crime had been committed
5. Foreshadows dangers to come
6. An idea that permeates through society
7. Will aggravate tensions between rivals
8. A long rigmarole of questions and answers
9. A listless response from voters
10. The upper levels of power
Vocabulary G8-4 –
Synonyms
11. Tried to placate both sides in the dispute
12. Revoked the outgoing President’s orders
13. Wore a very grotesque mask
14. Crushed by the force of progress
15. Slog through the seemingly endless flies
Antonyms
16. A growing abundance of cheap labor
17. Given to lighthearted predictions
18. Known for his sensible opinions
19. Has reaffirmed her support
20. Constructed a shopping district
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