1. The Wright brothers’ desire to fly was
never attenuated though they faced several
failures.
• Attenuate - verb
• Parts: at (to); tenu (thin); ate (make cause)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: to reduce in force, value, or amount; to lessen
the density of; to make less virulent; to become thin,
weak, or fine.
• Synonyms: impair, weaken, reduce, diminish, debilitate
• Antonyms: strengthen, fortify, improve
• Variant forms: attenuation(n); attenuated (adj)
• Context Phrase:
2. I would never purchase a used car from
a dealer whose motto is “Caveat emptor.”
• Caveat emptor - noun
• Parts: cavere (to beware); emp (buy); or (one who)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: The principle that a person who buys
something does so at his or her own risk.
• Synonyms: na
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: a caveat is a warning of specific conditions
• Context Phrase:
3. The neonatal surgeon said that only a
heart transplant could correct the
congenital defect.
• Congenital (adj)
• Parts: con (together, with); gen (birth); al (pertaining to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Existing from birth but not hereditary, such
as a disease or physical deformity; Having a particular
trait from birth or by firmly established habit
• Synonyms: inborn, innate, inherent
• Antonyms: acquired, learned
• Variant forms: congenitally (adv)
• Context Phrase:
4.The debacle of the company obliterated
the life savings of most workers and
stockholders.
• Debacle _ noun
• Parts: de (down, from); bacler (to bar)- literally to unbar
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: A sudden, disastrous collapse, downfall, or
defeat; a total, even ludicrous, failure
• Synonyms: rout, fiasco, disaster, catastrophe
• Antonyms: success, achievement, triumph, victory
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
5. I could not discern any difference in
quality, so I bought the less expensive
leather coat.
• Discern - verb
• Parts: dis (apart, away); cern (separate)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: to perceive something obscure or concealed;
to recognize or comprehend mentally; to perceive as
separate and distinct; to perceive differences
• Synonyms: detect, discriminate, discover, distinguish
• Antonyms: overlook, disregard, slight, neglect
• Variant forms:discernible(adj);discernibly(adv) discernment(n)
• Context Phrase:
6. He hopes that the acquittal will finally
exonerate him and that life will be normal
again.
• Exonerate - verb
• Parts: ex(out, from); onus (burden); ate (make, cause)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: to free from blame; to free from a burden; to
free from responsibility, obligation, or task
• Synonyms: vindicate, absolve, exculpate
• Antonyms: charge, condemn, blame, indict, accuse
• Variant forms: exonerative (adj); exoneration(n)
• Context Phrase:
7. If you expedite your tax refunds, you
may choose to file your taxes
electronically.
• Expedite _ verb
• Parts: ex (out); ped (foot) “to free the feet)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: to make an action or process happen sooner
or be accomplished more quickly; to perform quickly
and efficiently.
• Synonyms:facilitate, hasten, dispatch, enable
• Antonyms:delay, hinder, obstruct
• Variant forms:expedient (adj/n.) expediency (n)
• Context Phrase:
8. Some people think history will focus on President
Nixon’s ignominy associated with the Watergate
scandal; others think it will celebrate his
accomplishments in foreign affairs.
• Ignominy - (n)
• Parts: ig(not); nomen (name); y (result of) Having a bad name
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Public shame or disgrace; Great personal
dishonor or humiliation; Shameful or disgraceful action,
conduct, or character.
• Synonyms: infamy, dishonor, notoriety, shame,disgrace
• Antonyms: dignity, honor, admiration, virtue, eminence
• Variant forms: ignominious (adj); ignominiously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
9.Indubitable DNA evidence usually
makes it easier for a jury to reach a guilty
verdict.
• Indubitable - (adj)
• Parts: in (not); dubitabilis (doubt); al (related to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Too apparent to be doubted
• Synonyms: unquestionable, certain, unmistakable,
• Antonyms: doubtful, equivocal, dubious, questionable
• Variant forms: indubitably (adv)
• Context Phrase:
10. The policeman risked his own life by
interposing himself between the robber and
his hostages.
• Interpose - verb
• Parts: inter (between, among) pos (put, place)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: To place or insert between one thing and
another; to intervene between parties; to inject a
comment during conversation, to exert influence
• Synonyms: insert, interfere, intervene, interject
• Antonyms: ignore, abstain, refrain, withdraw
• Variant forms: interposition (n)
• Context Phrase:
11. The substitute declared that she would
never again work with that obstreperous
class.
• Obstreperous - adj.
• Parts: ob (against); streper (to make noise); ous (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition:Noisy and difficult to control
• Synonyms: boisterous, rowdy, disorderly, rambunctious
• Antonyms: cooperative, docile, quiet, submissive
• Variant forms:obstreperously (adv); obstreperousness (n)
• Context Phrase:
12. Money is not a panacea, but it can
certainly help to improve many situations.
• panacea – (n.)
• Parts:mal pan (all, entire); akos (remedy)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: A solution or remedy for all difficulties or
diseases: a universal remedy
• Synonyms: curative, remedy
• Antonyms:na
• Variant forms: panacean (adj)
• Context Phrase:
13.The perfidious soldier disappointed his
commanders by attacking their quarters.
• perfidious – (adj.)
• Parts:per(through, thoroughly); fid (faith)ous(full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Deceitful and untrustworthy; characterized
by the deliberate violation of faith or trust
• Synonyms: treacherous, disloyal, faithless, traitorous
• Antonyms: loyal,faithful, true, trustworthy
• Variant forms: perfidy(n); perfidiously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
14. The family accepted the posthumous
honors their father had earned during the
war.
• Posthumous – adj.
• Parts:post (after); hum (ground, earth); ous (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Occurring, awarded, or appearing after the
death of the originator; Born after the death of one’s
father; Published after the death of the author
• Synonyms: na
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: posthumously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
15. Does the media contribute to the
unhealthy and promiscuous behavior of
Americans?
• promiscuous - adj
• Parts: pro (forth, forward)’ misc (mix); ous (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Lacking standards of selection; having
frequent and diverse sexual relationships, especially
transient ones
• Synonyms: immoral, indiscriminate, casual, uninhibited
• Antonyms: moral, reserved, planned, deliberate, careful
• Variant forms:promiscuity (n); promiscuously (adv)
• Context Phrase:
16. Though the Kennedy family faced
numerous tragedies, they remained
resilient in their faith.
• resilient – (adj.)
• Parts: re (back, again); sal (jump, leap); ent (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: having the ability to recover quickly from
illness, change, or misfortune; Able to recoil or spring
back into shape after bending, stretching or compressing
• Synonyms:buoyant, flexible,supple, strong, determined
• Antonyms: rigid, stiff, tense, inflexible, unbending
• Variant forms: resilience (n), resiliency (n)
• Context Phrase:
17.The peaceful protest became
sanguinary when the dictator authorized
military force to stop it.
• sanguinary – (adj.)
• Parts: sangui (blood); ary (pertaining to)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Accompanied by carnage, consisting of
blood, bloodthirsty
• Synonyms: bloody, bloodstained, brutal, savage
• Antonyms: civilized, humane
• Variant forms: na
• Context Phrase:
18. Some teenagers complain that supercilious
sales associates in stores with expensive
merchandise do not regard them as serious
customers and do not offer assistance.
• superciloius - (adj.)
• Parts: super (above); cil (eyebrow): ous (full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Behaving or looking as though one thinks he
or she is superior to others.
• Synonyms: snooty, haughty, scornful, snobbish
• Antonyms: humble, simple, modest, respectful
• Variant forms: superciliously(adv); superciliousness(n)
• Context Phrase:
19. To attract readers’ attention, magazines
such as People frequently feature the
tempestuous relationships of celebrities.
• tempestuous– (adj)
• Parts: temp (time>weather>storm); ous(full of)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: Characterized by strong and turbulent or
conflicting emotions
• Synonyms: stormy, passionate, tumultuous, wild
• Antonyms: calm, peaceful, tranquil, harmonious
• Variant forms:tempestuously (adv); tempestuousness (n)
• Context Phrase:
20. People are not perfect; therefore, the
society they create can never be a utopia.
• utopia – (n.)
• Parts: ou (not); topos (place)
• Educated Guess:
• Definition: An ideal, perfect place, especially in its
socio-political aspects; imaginary place or state of things
in which everything is perfect
• Synonyms: paradise, perfection, Shangri-la, bliss
• Antonyms: na
• Variant forms: utopian (adj)
• Context Phrase: