Search Vocabulary – Schreiner
Book F, Unit # 12
Word List
1. absolve(d) – (v) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt
2. caricature – (n) a representation (especially a drawing) in which the subject’s characteristic
features are deliberately exaggerated; (v) to present someone or something in a deliberately
distorted way
3. clangor – (n) a loud ringing sound; (v) to make a loud ringing noise
4. contiguous – (adj) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time
5. cupidity – (n) an eager desire for something; greed
6. deleterious – (adj) harmful, injurious
7. enhance – (v) to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of
8. enthrall(ed) – (v) to enslave; to imprison; to captivate, charm, hold spellbound
9. extenuate – (v)to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial
excuses
10. exude – (v) to ooze out; to discharge through the pores; to emanate (as a quality or a
personal impression)
11. implicit – (adj) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations,
unquestioning; potentially contained in
12. incisive – (adj) sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)
13. ostentatious – (adj) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy
14. paragon – (n) a model of excellence or perfection
15. paraphrase – (v) to restate in other words; (n) a statement that presents a given idea in new
language
16. politic – (adj) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient
17. preeminent – (adj) superior, outstanding; prominent
18. prosaic – (adj) dull, ordinary, lacking in distinction and originality; characteristic of prose,
not poetic
19. redundant – (adj) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush
20. sanctimonious – (adj) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or
pious
21. scintillating – (adj) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or
personal qualities)
22. winsome – (adj) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and
innocence)
Vocabulary Assignment Book F, Unit # 12
Filling in the Blanks
Choose the word from this unit that best completes each sentence.
1. She did her work so quietly that it took us time to realize that she was a veritable ___________ of
efficiency and diligence.
2. Of all the noteworthy civil rights leaders this nation has produced, none is as _________ as Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
3. To characterize the literary style of Edgar Allan Poe as “unique and one of a kind” is certainly
______________.
4. In most contracts there are _________________ duties and obligations that must be fulfilled even
though they aren’t expressed in so many words.
5. Marie is not particularly pretty, but her engaging personality and charming manner make her quite
________________.
6. Since I could not bring to mind the exact words of the speech I had tried to memorize, I delivered
a(n) ________________ of it.
7. Until he rose to speak, the meeting had been dull, but he immediately enlivened it with his
________ wit.
8. Her new hairstyle, which softly frames the delicate features of her face, greatly ___________ her
beauty.
9. The fact that he had hungry children at home does not justify what he did, but it does __________
his crime.
10. Since we had been told that the new TV series was original and witty, we were disappointed by the
obvious and ______________ situation comedy that unfolded on our screen.
11. We resented his ________________ self-assurance that he was morally superior to everyone else.
12. Detective stories seem to __________________ her to such a degree that she reads virtually nothing
else.
13. His normal desire for financial security was eventually distorted into a boundless __________.
14. “Evening dress is far too ______________ for such an informal occasion,” I thought to myself as I
tried to decide what to wear that evening.
15. The _______________ of the fire bells as they echoed through the night filled our hearts with
terror.
16. There are some situations in life when it is ________________ to remain quiet and wait for a better
opportunity to assert yourself.
17. His long nose and prominent teeth give the candidate the kind of face that cartoonists love to
_____________.
18. The jury may have found him not guilty, but the “court of public opinion” will never
___________________ him of responsibility for the crime.
19. We observed that the trunk of the rubber tree was ________________ a sticky substance.
20. How can anyone be so foolish as to develop a smoking habit when it has been proven that cigarettes
are ________________ to health?
21. With that one _________________ comment, she brought an end to all the aimless talk and
directed our attention to the real problem facing us.
22. Since the gym is __________________ to the library, it is easy for me to shift from academic to
athletic activities.
23. It would seem to be __________________ for us not to make a public announcement of our
candidacy until you are confident of the party’s support.
24. With my ___________________ mind, how can I hope to grasp all the brilliant and subtle insights
of your argument?
25. His highly technical discussion will have to be _________________ if it is to be understood by most
readers.
Synonyms
Choose the words from this unit that are most nearly the same in meaning as the groups of
expressions.
1. to reword, rephrase; a rendition, version
_________________________ 1
2. tactful, diplomatic, judicious, circumspect
_________________________ 2
3. to improve, magnify, heighten, elevate
_________________________ 3
4. to perspire, secrete; to emit; to exhibit
_________________________ 4
5. winning, engaging, delightful, prepossessing
_________________________ 5
6. an exemplar, pattern, paradigm, model, good example
_________________________ 6
7. unnecessary, ;superfluous; verbose, prolix; superabundant _________________________7
8. inferred, tacit, unspoken; unconditional
_________________________ 8
9. stimulating; witty, glittering, flashing
_________________________ 9
10. peerless, distinguished, unequaled
_________________________10
11. commonplace, matter-of-fact, pedestrian
_________________________11
12. acute, cutting, perceptive, trenchant
_________________________12
13. to acquit, exonerate, vindicate, excuse, pardon
_________________________13
14. adjacent, adjoining, next door to
_________________________14
15. a cartoon, burlesque, parody; to lampoon
_________________________15
16. self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou
_________________________16
17. to fascinate, enchant, attract, bewitch
_________________________17
18. to moderate, mitigate, diminish, downplay
_________________________18
19. flashy, overdone, affected, flamboyant
_________________________19
20. detrimental, injurious, destructive, pernicious
_________________________20
21. a din, clamor, racket
_________________________21
22. avarice, rapacity; a craving, lust
_________________________22
Antonyms
Choose the words from this unit that are most nearly the opposite in meaning as the groups of
expressions.
1. unwise, injudicious, imprudent, rash
2. to diminish, reduce, lessen, degrade
3. modest, plain, simple, demure, retiring
4. unattractive, unappealing, repulsive
5. remarkable, distinctive; poetic, inspired
6. succinct, terse, laconic; scarce, inadequate
7. to intensify, aggravate, worsen, exacerbate
8. dull, boring, insipid, flat, tame, vapid
9. to condemn, convict, incriminate, inculpate
10. helpful, beneficial; harmless, innocuous
11. contentment, satiation, gratification
12. explicit, express, stated, revealed
13. to bore to tears; to repel, put someone off
14. to repeat verbatim, duplicate, quote
15. heartfelt, sincere, humble
16. silence, stillness, peace and quiet
17. detached, apart, distant, remote
18. to absorb, soak up, assimilate
19. unknown, obscure, undistinguished, anonymous
_________________________ 1
_________________________ 2
_________________________ 3
_________________________ 4
_________________________ 5
_________________________ 6
_________________________ 7
_________________________ 8
_________________________ 9
_________________________10
_________________________11
_________________________12
_________________________13
_________________________14
_________________________15
_________________________16
_________________________17
_________________________18
_________________________19
Choosing the Right Word
Encircle the boldface word that more satisfactorily completes each sentence.
1. It is hardly (politic, clangorous) for someone who hopes to win a popularity contest to go about
making such brutally frank remarks.
2. He is so pleased with every aspect of himself that he seems almost to (exude, extenuate) selfsatisfaction.
3. A good coat of paint and some attention to the lawn would greatly (enhance, absolve) the appearance of
our bungalow.
4. My parents set up my older brother as such a (caricature, paragon) that I despaired of ever being able
to follow in his footsteps.
5. She tried to convince my that the proposed advertisement would be “dynamic” and a “real-eye-catcher,”
but I found it utterly (politic, prosaic).
6. Laura delivered her lines with such artistry and verve that she made the rather commonplace dialogue
seem (scintillating, deleterious).
7. When he demanded that I immediately “return back” the money I owed him, I found him not merely
unpleasant but (redundant, winsome).
8. Words about “tolerance” are empty and (sanctimonious, contiguous) when they come from one who
has shown no concern about civil liberties.
9. Isn’t it rather (ostentatious, redundant) to wear a Phi Beta Kappa key on a chain around your neck?
10. In the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Lincoln asked a few (incisive, prosaic) questions that showed up the
fatal weaknesses in his opponent’s position.
11. I realized I was being kept awake not by the (paragon, clangor) of the city traffic but by a gnawing fear
that I had done the wrong thing.
12. I will try to tell the story in a balanced way, without either exaggerating or (extenuating, exuding) his
responsibility for those sad events.
13. As long as we are (enthralled, extenuated) by the idea that it is possible to get something for nothing,
we will not be able to come up with a sound economic program.
14. It has often been said that Dickens’ most memorable characters are really (caricatures, paragons) of
familiar types, rather than accurate portraits of human beings.
15. The aspiring salesperson stood in front of the mirror for hours, practicing a (winsome, redundant)
smile.
16. Is it logical to conclude that because this substance has had a (prosaic, deleterious) effect on some test
animals, it is not at all safe for human consumption?
17. He was the type of officer who expected (prosaic, implicit) obedience from the troops he commanded.
When he gave an order, he assumed it would be carried out.
18. We rented a house fairly close to that of my parents, but I made sure that the two buildings were not
(contiguous, preeminent).
19. The Gettysburg Address is so concise, so lucid, and so beautiful, that it would be folly to attempt to
(paraphrase, exude) it.
20. What we do now to remedy the evils in our society will determine whether or not we are to be
(absolved, paraphrased) of blame for the injustice of the past.
21. The rumors of “easy money” and “lush profits” to be made in the stock market aroused the (clangor,
cupidity) of many small investors.
22. Dr. Morehouse combines, to a (preeminent, contiguous) degree, the skills of a great surgeon and the
warm sympathy of a sensitive human being.
23. “In seeking to discredit me,” I replied, “my opponent has deliberately (caricatured, paraphrased) my
ideas, making them seem simplistic and unrealistic.
24. As he spoke to his followers, he seemed to (exude, absolve) an aura of hatred and fanaticism that we
found utterly chilling.