Vocabulary G9
1. Acclamation (ak-luh-mey-shuhn) – (n) a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal note of approval
It is very rare for a presidential candidate to be nominated by acclamation from the convention floor.
SYNONYMS: ovation, cheering, plaudits
ANTONYMS: booing, hissing, jeers, catcalls
2. Bucolic (byoo-kol-ik) – (adj) characteristic of the countryside, rural; relating to shepherds and cowherds,
pastoral
The Elizabethans who wrote of shepherds in ideal country settings were imitating the Greek bucolic
poets.
SYNONYM: rustic
ANTONYMS: urban, metropolitan
3. Calumniate (kuh-luhm-nee-yet) – (v) to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously
Not only did the artist’s enemy seek to discredit her while she was alive but tried to calumniate her
memory as well.
SYNONYMS: defame, libel
ANTONYMS: flatter, whitewash, praise
4. Chary (chair-ee) – (adj) extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow (to); reserved, diffident
Since so many funds had been spent with so few results, they were chary about appropriating more
money.
SYNONYMS: wary, skittish
ANTONYMS: heedless, reckless, incautious
5. Collusion (kuh-loo-zhuhn) – (n) secret agreement or cooperation
Years later, it was discovered that senior members of the company had been in collusion with the
enemy.
SYNONYMS: conspiracy, plot, connivance, cahoots
6. Dilettante (dil-i-tahnt) – (n) a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish, trifling
way; (adj) superficial
Many people dismissed the poster artists of the 1960s as mere dilettantes with nothing serious to say
about life or art.
SYNONYMS: amateur, trifler
ANTONYM: professional
7. Imperturbable (im-per-tur-buh-buhl) – (adj) not easily excited; emotionally steady
The witness remained imperturbable throughout the grueling cross-examination.
SYNONYMS: unflappable, unexcitable, serene, unruffled
ANTONYM: excitable
8. Increment (in-kruh-muhnt) – (n) an enlargement, increase, addition
Employees were added to the work force in increments of five to save money on training costs.
SYNONYMS: accretion, gain
ANTONYMS: loss, reduction, decrease
9. Mandate – (n) an authoritative command, formal order, authorization; (v) to issue such an order
The peacekeepers were sent into the war-torn country under a UN mandate to protect minority
populations.
SYNONYM: (n) directive
ANTONYMS: (v) forbid, ban, outlaw
10. Paltry (pawl-tree) – (adj) trifling, insignificant; mean, despicable; inferior, trashy
The billionaire was so greedy that he contributed only a paltry sum of money to charity each year.
SYNONYMS: measly, meager, piddling, trivial
ANTONYMS: gigantic, immense, colossal
11. Paroxysm (par-uhk-siz-uhm) – (n) a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsion
The children greeted the clown with a paroxysm of laughter when he began making his funny faces.
SYNONYMS: fit, seizure
12. Pedantry (ped-n-tree) – (n) a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and details
The fussy music professor was distinguished more for her pedantry than her true scholarship.
SYNONYMS: nit-picking, hairsplitting, pettifoggery
13. Peregrination (per-i-gruh-ney-shuhn) – (n) the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a
foreign country
After returning from my peregrination throughout South America, I wrote a book about my experiences.
SYNONYMS: journey, wandering, odyssey
14. Redolent (red-l-uhnt) – (adj) fragrant, smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aura
My grandmother’s kitchen was always redolent with the smells of baking.
SYNONYMS: evocative, reminiscent, aromatic
ANTONYMS: unevocative, odorless
15. Refulgent (ri-fuhl-juhnt) – (adj) shining, radiant, resplendent
The swift-flowing stream beside our house was refulgent in the morning light.
SYNONYMS: luminous, splendid
ANTONYMS: dim, dark, obscure, dingy, dull, murky
16. Shibboleth (shib-uh-leth) – (n) a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of
persons from all others; a commonplace saying or truism
By the time Election Day finally rolls around, most voters are tired of hearing the same shibboleths.
SYNONYMS: catchphrase, password, slogan, platitude
17. Tyro – (n) a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skill
You cannot expect a mere tyro to perform like a veteran in his first season of major league play.
SYNONYM: neophyte
ANTONYMS: veteran, past master, expert
18. Unremitting – (adj) not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentless
The social laws in Edith Wharton’s novels are unremitting.
SYNONYMS: constant, incessant, unrelenting
ANTONYMS: desultory, intermittent
19. Vacillate (vas-uh-leyt) – (v) to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver
weakly in mind or will
Someone who vacillates in a crisis should not be in a position of leadership.
SYNONYMS: seesaw, fluctuate, oscillate
ANTONYM: persevere
20. Vituperative (vi-too-per-uh-tiv) – (adj) harshly abusive, severely scolding
That vituperative speech in which she blamed others for her mistakes may have cost her the election.
SYNONYMS: abusive, scurrilous, insulting
ANTONYMS: complimentary, laudatory, flattering
Vocabulary G9-1 – Complete the Sentence
1. As we waited through the long nigh for the arrival of the rescue part, we _____________
between hope and despair.
2. However long and hard the struggle, we must be _____________ in our efforts to wipe out
racism in this country.
3. She may have great musical talents, but she will get nowhere so long as she has the casual
attitude of the _____________.
4. The painting shows a restfully _____________ scene, with some cows grazing placidly in a
meadow as their shepherd dozes under a bush.
5. I had expected a decent tip from the party of the party of six that I waited on early that evening
but all I got was a(n) _____________ two bucks!
6. The scene may seem ordinary to you, but I find it _____________ with memories of happy
summers spent in these woods.
7. Since Lincoln is now considered a great national hero, it is hard to believe that he was bitterly
_____________ when he was President.
8. The contractor was suspected of having acted in _____________ with a state official to fix the
bids on certain public works contracts.
9. “The overwhelming victory I have won at the polls,” the Governor-elect said, “has given me a
clear _____________ to carry out my program.”
10. As a(n) _____________ summer sun sank slowly in the west, the skies were ablaze with color.
Vocabulary G9-2 – Complete the Sentence
11. In a series of searing orations, filled with the most _____________ language, Cicero launched
the full battery of political invective against the hapless Mark Antony.
12. Every time I sign a new lease on my apartment, my rent goes up, though the _____________
are not usually very large.
13. I thought I was unexcitable, but she is as _____________ as the granite lions in front of the
public library.
14. Even the merest _____________ in the use of firearms knows that a gun should never be
pointed at another person.
15. Since Lucy had expected no more than polite applause, she was delighted by the
_____________ she received from the audience.
16. The Pledge of Allegiance is no mere _____________ to be recited mechanically and without
understanding like some advertising jingle.
17. In my various _____________ through that vast metropolis, I ran across many curious old
buildings that the ordinary tourist never sees.
18. I have learned from long experience to be extremely _____________ about offering advice
when it has not been requested.
19. Seized by a(n) _____________ of rage, he began to beat the bars of his cell with his bare
hands.
20. It is sheer _____________ to insist upon applying the rules of formal literary composition to
everyday speech and writing.
Vocabulary G9-3 – Synonyms
1. Evocative of old memories
2. In cahoots with the competition
3. Kept up the constant pressure to surrender
4. Greeted with an overwhelming ovation
5. Bored us with his hairsplitting
6. Overcome by a fit of anger
7. Reluctantly ended her journeys
8. Seesawed in their commitments
9. Keeps repeating the tired old catchphrases
10. Slandered his rivals at every opportunity
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Vocabulary G9-4
– Synonyms
11. Labeled a mere trifler by the experts
12. An urgent directive from the President
13. A scurrilous response to the question
14. Wary of flattery and favor-seekers
15. Painted a charming rustic scene
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– Antonyms
16. Is excitable when challenged
17. A colossal amount of unpaid debts
18. Reported a steady loss in annual sales
19. Looked up at the murky dawn sky
20. An expert in the art of fencing
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