CP ENGLISH 11
Instructor: Miss Diana Miller
VOCABULARY LIST
First Semester
1. abate- To become less in intensity; to subside, slacken, wane, or decrease
2. abhor- To hate or loathe; to dislike strongly, even to fear; to reject
3. abominate- To have an intense dislike or hatred for
4. acculturation – The modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or
society by contact with those of another; the resultant blend
5. adulation – Praise, flattery, even worship
6. adventitious- Resulting from chance rather than an inherent cause or character; accidental, not
essential; acquired, not congenital
7. affable- Easy to get along with; genial, friendly, warm
8. ameliorate- To improve, make better, correct a flaw or shortcoming
9. anathema – Someone or something denounced in a strongly disapproving way
10. aphorism- Short statement of principle, belief, adage, proverb
11. aplomb- Poise, assurance, great self-confidence
12. approbation- The expression of approval or favorable opinion, praise; official approval or
sanction
13. arduous – Demanding, difficult, and hard to achieve; strenuous, hard
14. ascribe- To assign or refer to, attribute
15. assuage- To make easier or milder, relieve; to quiet, calm; to put an end to, appease, satisfy,
quench
16. augment – To increase; to make something greater or larger
17. banal- Stale from overuse; trite, insipid, commonplace
18. blasphemy- Profanity, as a lack of respect for God; swearing about something sacred
19. bombastic- Pompous or overblown in language; full of high-sounding words intended to
conceal a lack of ideas
20. coalition- A combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose
21. callow- Without experience; immature, not fully developed; lacking sophistication and poise
22. circuitous- Roundabout, not direct
23. commiserate- To sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress
24. consternation- Worry or concern; dismay or astonishment
25. credence- Believing acceptance; credentials
26. culpable- Guilty; at fault
27. cynic- A person who thinks others act only in self-interest
28. decadence- Decline, decay, or deterioration; a condition or period of decline or decay;
excessive self-indulgence
29. diffident- Lacking self-confidence; unassertive and shy
30. dogmatic- Strongly opinionated; dictatorial
31. drivel – Saliva or mucus flowing from the mouth or nose; foolish, aimless talk or thinking;
nonsense; to let saliva flow from mouth; to utter nonsense or childish twaddle; to waste or
fritter away foolishly
32. droll- Humorous; distinct in an appealing way
33. elicit- To draw forth, bring out from some source (such as another person)
34. epitome- a summary condensed account; an insistence that represents a larger reality; a person
or thing that typifies a whole class
35. exhort- To urge strongly, advise earnestly
36. expunge- To obliterate, erase, efface totally; to destroy
37. expostulate- To attempt to dissuade someone from some course or decision by earnest
reasoning
38. facetious- Humorous, but sometimes awkwardly so; witty
39. fastidious- Demanding the utmost, persnickety; showing meticulous workmanship or care
40. formidable- Arousing fear or worry; fostering respect or awe
41. gregarious- Fond of groups; sociable, convivial
42. hackneyed- Used so often as to lack freshness or originality
43. haughty- Unbecomingly proud, disdainful
44. hiatus- A gap, opening, break ( in the sense of having an element missing)
45. hyperbole- Wild exaggeration, often deliberate
46. ignominy- Profound disgrace or humiliation; dishonor; infamy
47. impasse- Point at which no way out can be seen; a dead end; deadlock
48. impetus- The stimulus that gets something going; impulse, incentive
49. impunity- Freedom from punishment or penalty
50. indifferent- Neutral or unbiased; impartial; sometimes apathetic
51. infringe- To violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
52. innuendo- A hint, indirect suggestion, or reference (often in a derogatory sense)
53. insidious- Alluring but dangerous; treacherous or deceitfully damaging
54. intercede- To plead on behalf of someone else; to serve as a third party or go-between in a
disagreement
55. infringe- To violate, trespass, go beyond recognized bounds
56. ingratiate- To make oneself agreeable and thus gain favorable acceptance by others
(sometimes used in a critical or derogatory sense)
57. interloper- An intruder, one who moves in where he or she is not wanted or has no right to be
58. intrinsic- Belonging to someone or something by its very nature, essential, inherent
59. inveigh- To make a violent attack in words, express strong disapproval
60. jaded- Wearied, worn-out, dulled ( in the sense of being satiated by excessive indulgence)
61. jaunty- Lively and cheerful in manner; sprightly
62. jocular- Naturally cheerful and playful; witty
63. judicious- Showing sound judgment; wise, discreet
64. juxtapose- To arrange side by side, one thing next to another
65. karma- Destiny, the belief a person’s deeds in life determine his/her fate
66. latent- Hidden or submerged, waiting to be aroused; dormant, quiescent
67. lassitude- Weariness of body or mind, lack of energy overcome by
68. lurid- Causing shock, horror, or revulsion; sensational; pale or sallow in color; terrible or
passionate in intensity or lack of restraint
69. magnanimous- Noble and generous in victory as well as defeat; forgiving
70. malevolent- Exuding evil or intense hatred
71. meritorious- Worthy, deserving recognition and praise
72. millennium- A period of one thousand years; a period great joy, prosperity, or peace
73. nefarious- Noticeably wicked, evil; vicious petulant- peevish, annoyed by trifles, easily
irritated and upset
74. nocturnal- Referring to night
75. occult- Mysterious, magical, supernatural; secret, hidden from view; not detectable by ordinary
means; to hide conceal; eclipse; matters involving to the supernatural
76. ominous- Promising or foreshadowing something bad; inauspicious, portentous
77. opulence- Wealth
78. ostentatious- Noticeably showy in display, pretentious
79. petulant- disapproving : having or showing the attitude of people who become angry and
annoyed when they do not get what they want
80. permeate- To spread through, penetrate, soak through
81. philanthropy- Monetary or volunteer promotion of mankind’s welfare; generous giving of self
or resources
82. plebeian- Of the common folk, the masses
83. precipitate- To fall as moisture; to cause or bring about suddenly; to hurl down from a great
height; to give distinct form to
84. prerogative- A special right or privilege; a special quality showing excellence
85. provincial- Pertaining to an outlying area; local; narrow in mind or outlook, countrified in the
sense of being limited and backward; of a simple, plain design that originated in the
countryside; a person with a narrow point of view; a person from an outlying area; a soldier
from a province or colony
86. simulate- To make a pretense of, imitate; to show the outer signs of
87. stringent- Strict, severe; rigorously binding or compelling
88. surmise- To think or believe without certain supporting evidence; to conjecture or guess; an
idea or thought that seems likely but lacks definite proof
89. transcend- To rise above or beyond, exceed
90. umbrage- Foliage giving shade; shade cast by trees; an overshadowing influence or power;
offense, resentment; a vague suspicion
91. unctuous- Excessively smooth or smug; trying too hard to give an impression of earnestness,
sincerity, or piety