Vocabulary G6
1. Abject [ab-jekt] (adj.) – degraded; base, contemptible; cringing, servile; complete and unrelieved
In the American dream, those who work hard can escape lives of abject poverty.
SYNONYMS: wretched, miserable, ignoble, sheer, utter
ANTONYMS: lofty, noble, exalted
2. Agnostic [ag-nos-tik] (n.) – one who believes that nothing can be known about God; a skeptic; (adj.) without faith,
skeptical
Although he was a confirmed agnostic he supported the rights of others to practice their religion.
Her agnostic tendencies made it difficult for her to subscribe to any set of religious beliefs.
SYNONYMS: (n.) doubter
ANTONYMS: (n.) believer
3. Complicity [kuhm-plis-i-tee] (n.) – Involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice
If you know a crime is going to be committed but do nothing to prevent it, you may be accused of complicity.
SYNONYMS: connivance, collusion
ANTONYMS: noninvolvement, innocence
4. Derelict [der-uh-likt] (n.) – Someone or something that is abandoned or neglected; (adj.) left abandoned; neglectful of
duty
The family complained about the unsightly collection of derelict cars in their neighborhood.
SYNONYMS: (n.) vagrant; (adj.) remiss, delinquent
ANTONYMS: (adj.) punctilious, conscientious, scrupulous
5. Diatribe [dahy-uh-trahyb] (n.) – A bitter and prolonged verbal attack
The senator’s speech was more of a diatribe than a reasoned address.
SYNONYMS: harangue, tirade
ANTONYMS: panegyric, encomium, eulogy
6. Effigy [ef-i-jee] (n.) – A crude image of a despised person
The night before the battle, the troops burned the despised enemy in effigy.
SYNONYMS: figure, figurine, likeness
7. Equity [ek-wi-tee] (n.) – The state or quality of being just, fair, or impartial; fair and equal treatment; something that is
fair; the money value of a property above and beyond any mortgage or other claim
Prompted by consideration of equity, the father decided to divide his estate equally among his kids.
SYNONYMS: justice, fairness, impartiality
ANTONYMS: injustice, unfairness, bias, prejudice
8. Inane [ih-neyn] (adj.) – Silly, empty of meaning or value
The politician made an inane reply to the interviewer’s probing question.
SYNONYMS: vapid, idiotic, moronic, fatuous
ANTONYMS: sensible, meaningful, profound
9. Indictment [in-dahyt-muhnt] (n.) – The act of accusing; a formal accusation
The Grand Jury delivered the indictment for murder after deliberating for two weeks.
SYNONYMS: charge, accusation
10. Indubitable [in-doo-bi-tuh-buhl, -dyoo-] (adj..) – Certain, not to be doubted or denied
You cannot argue with indubitable truths.
SYNONYMS: unquestionable, indisputable
ANTONYMS: questionable, debatable, dubious
11. Intermittent [in-ter-mit-nt] (adj.) – Stopping and beginning again, sporadic
The pulled muscle in her back gave her intermittent pains for about a week.
SYNONYMS: fitful, spasmodic, random
ANTONYMS: continuous, uninterrupted
12. Moot (adj.) – Open to discussion and debate, unresolved; (v.) to bring up for discussion; (n.) deliberate assembly; a
hypothetical law case argued by law students (moot count)
The class agreed that the question of whether Jefferson should have retaliated sooner against the Barbary Pirates
was a moot point.
The committee members decided to moot the issue to the full Congress at the earliest opportunity.
The law student prepared for the moot court.
SYNONYMS: (adj.) debatable, questionable (v.) broach
ANTONYMS: (adj.) undebatable, indisputable, self-evident
13. Motif [moh-teef] (n.) – A principal idea, feature, theme, or element; repeated or dominant figure in a design
The collector admired the unusual Asian motif that was woven into the fabric of the tapestry.
14. Neophyte [nee-uh-fahyt] (n.) – A new convert, beginner, novice
In comparison to an experienced wilderness hiker, he is a mere neophyte in the woods.
SYNONYMS: tenderfoot, tyro, rookie
ANTONYMS: veteran, past master, expert, pro
15. Perspicacity [pur-spi-kas-i-tee] (n.) – keenness in observing and understanding
The birdwatcher scans the surrounding trees and fields with the same perspicacity as a hawk.
SYNONYMS: acuity, acumen, discernment
ANTONYMS: dullness, obtuseness
16. Plenary [plee-nuh-ree, plen-uh-] (adj.) – Complete in all aspects or essentials; absolute; attended by all qualified
members
Because of its importance, the case was presented at a plenary session of the Superior Court.
SYNONYMS: unlimited, unrestricted
ANTONYMS: limited, restricted, incomplete
17. Surveillance [ser-vey-luhns] (n.) – A watch kept over a person; careful, close, and disciplined observation
The police kept the suspect under strict surveillance after she was released from jail.
SYNONYMS: observation, scrutiny, monitoring
18. Sylvan [sil-vuhn] (adj.) – Pertaining to or characteristic of forests; living or located in a forest; wooded, woody
Once upon a time, Hansel and Gretel walked down a sylvan path, leaving breadcrumbs in their wake.
SYNONYMS: forested, arcadian
19. Testy [tes-tee] (adj.) – Easily irritated; characterized by impatience and exasperation
The lawyer’s testy remarks during cross-examination probably affected her credibility with the jury.
SYNONYMS: irritable, peevish, waspish, petulant
ANTONYMS: even-tempered, imperturbable, unexcitable
20. Travesty [trav-uh-stee] (n.) – A grotesque or grossly inferior imitation; a disguise, especially the clothing of the
opposite sex; (v.) to ridicule by imitating in a broad or burlesque fashion.
Instead of modernizing Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” they made a travesty of it.
The Restoration dramatists travesty the snobbery of the upper classes in their satirical comedies.
SYNONYMS: (n.) burlesque, parody, caricature, farce
Vocabulary G6-1 – Complete the Sentence
1. Though some writers have emphasized Jefferson’s human weaknesses, his greatness is also a(n)
_________________ part of the historic record.
2. Since he neither affirms nor denies the existence of God, I’d classify him as a(n) _________________
rather than an atheist.
3. During the emergency, the mayor assumed _________________ authority and did whatever was needed
to provide essential services.
4. It was such a(n) _________________ remark that I couldn’t keep from laughing.
5. “Simple _________________ demands that we distribute the tax burden as fairly as possible,” the
Senator remarked.
6. How can you call that a(n) _________________ question when it is quite clearly a matter of right and
wrong?
7. I would be _________________ in my duty to you if I did not warn you against the dangers of smoking.
8. Since the accused was never really given a chance to defend himself, his so-called “trial” was nothing
but a(n) _________________ of justice.
9. The overthrown dictator was hanged in _________________ before a huge crowd in the town square.
10. Those who saw the young woman being assaulted and did nothing to help her were guilty of
_________________ in the crime.
Vocabulary G6-2 – Complete the Sentence
11. At the slightest sound of thunder, my dog Rover dives under the bed in a state of _________________
terror.
12. In her garland of leaves and acorns, the child looked like some _________________ spirit from an
Arthurian myth.
13. Throughout the period that the spy thought he had gone undetected, he was actually under close
_________________ by the CIA.
14. For years, we carried on a(n) _________________ correspondence, sometimes allowing months to pass
before writing again.
15. Every time we did something to anger him, he delivered a(n) _________________ lambasting our
“hopeless irresponsibility.”
16. In Wagner’s operas, brief musical _________________ associated with the characters or their actions
recur again and again.
17. The fact that so many released prisoners return to a life of crime is in itself a terrifying
_________________ of our penal system.
18. How could a mere _________________ in the teaching profession question the judgment of so
experienced an educator?
19. I’d say that the phrase “having a short fuse” aptly describes my boss’s decidedly _________________
disposition.
20. The _________________ of her analysis not only clarified the nature of the problem but also suggested
its most promising solution.
Vocabulary G6-2 – Synonyms
1. A crude likeness
2. A familiar theme in her poetry
3. Put under scrutiny
4. A mere parody of fair play
5. The forested slopes of the Rockies
6. Announced the formal charge to the press
7. Admired for his uncommon acuity
8. Was given unlimited power to govern
9. Indoctrinated the rookie
10. A doubter in every aspect
Vocabulary G6-4 –
Synonyms
11. Remiss in discharging her duties
12. Guilty of collusion
13. Could not contain her own tirade
14. The vapid chatter of critics
15. A debatable issue
Antonyms
16. The continuous flow of water
17. A history of injustice
18. The dubious strength of the foundation
19. Calmed the even-tempered child
20. Her lofty plea for understanding
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