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The Outsiders – Vocabulary Study Chart
Vocabulary Word
& Part of Speech
Synonym
Antonym
Context Sentence
and/or Example
Asset (n.)
A quality or thing that can be
used to an advantage
Benefit
Help
Credit
Distinction
Advantage
Hindrance
disadvantage
Not like the Socs, who jump
greasers and wreck houses
and throw beer blasts for
kicks, and get editorials in the
paper for being a public
disgrace one day and an asset
to society the next.
Unfathomable (adj.)
Impossible to understand
Incomprehensible
Explainable
Comprehensible
He liked fights, blondes, and
for some unfathomable
reason, school.
Rivalry (n.)
Competition
Competition
Duel
Contest
Struggle
Harmony
Peace
Agreement
Oh, there are a few named
gangs around, like the River
Kings and the Tiber Street
Tigers, but here in the
Southwest there’s no gang
rivalry.
Gingerly (adv.)
Very cautious or careful
Cautiously
Carefully
Reluctantly
Timidly
Carelessly
I touched my cheek gingerly.
Sagely (adv.)
Very wisely
Knowingly
Scholarly
Intelligently
Foolishly
Stupidly
Two-Bit nodded sagely.
Roguish (adj.)
Playfully mischievous
Sneaky
Tricky
Playful
Sly
Honest
Dally grinned roguishly.
Incredulous (adj.)
Feeling or showing an
inability to believe something
Doubtful
Skeptical
Suspicious
Believing
Certain
Definite
She gave him an incredulous
look; and then she threw her
Coke in his face.
Johnny lay the gun down
gingerly.
Picture It
Vocabulary Word
& Part of Speech
Synonym
Antonym
Context Sentence
and/or Example
Nonchalantly (adv.)
Confident and easy manner
Casually
Indifferently
Coolly
Deliberately
Carefully
“Okay,” I said nonchalantly.
Aloof (adj.)
At a distance, especially in
feeling or interest; apart
Standoffish
Interested
Compassionate
Socs were always behind a
wall of aloofness, careful not
to let their real selves show
through.
Elite (adj.)
Representing the most or
select; the best
superior
Inferior
ordinary
“And,” Two-Bit added grimly,
“a few other of the socially
elite checkered-shirt set.”
Apprehensive (adj.)
Uneasy or fearful about
something that might
happen; nervous
Nervous
Anxious
Uneasy
Calm
Certain
Confident
He was pretty well crocked,
which made me
apprehensive.
Sheepish (adj.)
Embarrassed or bashful as by
having done something
wrong or foolish
Embarrassed
Unembarrassed
I managed to look sheepish.
Premonition (n.)
A forewarning; foreboding;
anticipation of a future event
Bad feeling
knowledge
But this church gave me a
kind of creepy feeling…a
premonition.
Cunning (adj.)(
Showing a sly manner as in
deceiving or craftiness
Sly
Unclever
Unintelligent
Dally – wild, cunning
Dally…
Ornery (adj.)
Unpleasant in disposition or
temper; stubborn
Stubborn
Friendly
Agreeable
Pleasant
Mickey Mouse was a darkgold buckskin, sassy and
ornery.
Picture It
Vocabulary Word
& Part of Speech
Synonym
Antonym
Context Sentence
and/or Example
Gallantly (adj.)
Brave, spirited, noble-minded
Bravely
Courageously
Fearfully
timidly
Two-Bit gallantly offered to
walk them home.
Imploringly (adv.)
To beg urgently for aid or
mercy
Urge
Refuse
I looked at Johnny
imploringly.
Sullenly (adv.)
Gloomy; dismal
Dismally
Joyously
I leaned back next to him
sullenly.
Subside (v.)
To become quiet, less active
or less violent
Decrease
Diminish
Increase
Expand
Then leaf subsides to leaf…
Elude (v.)
To escapes the
understanding, perception or
appreciation of something
Escape
Attracted
I was trying to find the
meaning the poet had in
mind, but it eluded me.
Doggedly (adv.)
Persistent in effort
Persistently
Casually
“My parent,” Johnny
repeated doggedly, “did they
ask about me?”
Wistfully (adv.)
Longing; yearning
Longingly
Happily
“Gee,” Johnny said wistfully,
“it sure will be good to get
into a car again.”
Brawn (n.)
Muscular strength, strong
Strength
Weakness
Frailness
Steve made the mistake of
referring to Darry as “all
brawn and no brain”.
Recurring (v.)
To occur again, as an event,
experience, etc.
Persist
reappear
Halt
Stop
Soda began sleeping with me,
and it stopped recurring so
often.
Picture It
Vocabulary Word
& Part of Speech
Synonym
Antonym
Context Sentence
and/or Example
Aghast (adj.)
Struck with overwhelming
shock or amazement; filled
with sudden fright or horror
Surprised
Shocked
Unsurprised
“Work?” Two-Bit was aghast.
Exploit (n.)
A striking or notable deed;
feat; spirited or heroic act
Accomplishment
failure
Two-Bit was telling me about
one of his many exploits
while we did the dishes.
Faltered (v.)
To move unsteadily; stumble
Hesitate
Wobble
Stabilize
Remain
“I won’t be able to walk
again,” Johnny started, then
faltered.
Divert (v.)
To turn aside from a path or
course; to distract
Alter
Deflect
Be direct
Maintain
It was the reward of 2 hours
of walking aimlessly around a
hardware store to divert
suspicion.
Genuine (adj.)
Authentic; real
Real
Authentic
Fake
Darry spun around to face
me, genuine fear on his face.
Leery (adj.)
Wary; suspicious
Careful
Cautious
Distrustful
Skeptical
Believing
Careless
Certain
We mostly stuck with our
own outfits, so I was a little
leery of going over to him.
Stupor (n.)
Suspension of sensibility;
daze; usually caused by
intoxicants
Trance
Daze
Consciousness
Awareness
I started the long walk home
in a stupor.
Conformity (n.)
Action in accord with
prevailing social standards
Allegiance
Submission
Obedience
Difference
Resistance
Two-Bit fought for
conformity.
Picture It
Vocabulary Word
& Part of Speech
Synonym
Antonym
Context Sentence
and/or Example
Delirious (adj.)
Describes a state of either
violent excitement or
emotion; wild with
excitement
Crazed
Insane
Rational
Reasonable
Sane
Today’s Tuesday, and you’ve
been asleep and delirious
since Saturday night.
Dumbfounded (adj.)
Speechless with amazement
or confusion
Stunned
Flabbergasted
Unsurprised
“Gosh, mister, I’m sorry,” I
said dumbfounded.
Indignantly (adv.)
Expressing strong displeasure
at something considered
unjust or offensive
Furiously
Disapprovingly
Happily
Approvingly
Soda looked back at him
indignantly.
Vaguely (adv.)
Not clearly stated or
expressed
Obscurely
Clearly
One day I started flipping
through one of Soda’s old
yearbooks and came across a
picture that seemed vaguely
familiar.
Idolized (v.)
To regard with devotion
Admired
Hate
Did he have a kid brother
who idolized him the way
that Johnny idolized Dally?
Liable (adj.)
Likely or susceptible
Bound
Obligated
Freed
Excused
If the judge decides Darry
isn’t a good guardian or
something, I’m liable to get
stuck in a home somewhere.
Acquitted (v.)
To release from an obligation
Clear
Exonerate
Vindicate
Accuse
Charge
condemn
Then he said I was acquitted
and the whole case was
closed.
Vacuum (n.)
A state of emptiness; void
void
Fullness
You’re living in a vacuum,
Pony, and you’re going to
have to cut it out.
Vast (adj.)
Immense
Boundless
Ending
It was too vast a problem to
be just a personal thing.
Picture It