 Variants: simplistically (adverb)
 Definition: oversimplified; avoiding or ignoring complexities
 Synonym: unsophisticated, naive
 Antonym: sophisticated, complicated
 His simplistic plan for economic improvement failed to account for foreign investment and the GNP.

 Variants: incredulously (adverb); incredulousness
(noun)
 Definition: unwilling or unable to believe; showing disbelief
 Synonym: skeptical
 Antonym: credulous, gullible
 The politician’s lavish promises provoked incredulous responses rather than the admiration he sought.

 Variants: ascetically (adverb)
 Definition: Reflecting self-denial (as in religious discipline); choosing minimal comforts
 Synonyms: austere, Spartan
 Antonym: self-indulgent, hedonistic
 Her modest room reflected the ascetic values she advocated.

 vicariously (adverb), vicariousness (noun)
 Definition: Experienced through someone else rather than first hand; endured as substitute for someone else; delegated
 synonym: second-hand [experience]
 antonym: actual [experience]
 Because she loved her son, she found vicarious pleasure in his tremendous successes.

 Variants: allocate (verb), allocatable (adjective); allocator (noun)
 Definition: the act of setting aside for a special purpose; designation
 Synonym: allotment, apportionment
 Antonym: abandonment
 Sentence: The mayor insisted the park district include an allocation of land in order to build a playground.
 The mayor insisted the parked district allocate land for a playground.

 Variants: admonishment (noun)
 Definition: To caution, criticize, or counsel gently against
 Synonym: chastise, reproach, rebuke
 Antonym: approve, commend, praise
 The anti-tobacco lobbyist admonished the President for his inability to quit smoking.

 presumptuously (adv.), presumptuousness (noun)
 overconfident, excessively forward, taking too much for granted
 Syn: arrogant
 Ant: humble, modest
 Darcy’s presumptuous manner understandably offends
Elizabeth Bennet.

 variants: subvert (verb), subversively (adverb)
 Definition: tending or seeking to subvert, overthrow or destroy (an established government, institution, belief, etc)
 Synonym: rebellious, disloyal
 Antonym: loyal, faithful
 Sentence: The Canadian government—indeed, the majority of Canadian citizens—believed the Nisei to be subversive operatives.

 Variants: vacuously (adverb)
 Definition: without contents, empty
 Synonym: bare, blank, devoid
 Antonym: full, abundant
 Sentence: When the class looked at her with vacuous stares, the teacher knew the lesson had failed.

 Variants: avocational (adjective)
 Definition: something a person does in addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure
 Synonym: pastime, hobby
 Antonym: job, occupation
 Sentence: Oddly enough, the math teacher’s avocation was the study of Old Norse epics.

 Variants:
 Definition: a moving force; impulse, stimulus
 Synonym: encouragement, incentive, motivation
 Antonym: hindrance, block
 Sentence: Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches were the impetus behind the civil rights movement.

 Variants: reticently (adverb), reticence (noun)
 Definition: inclined to keep one’s thoughts and feelings to oneself, secretive, quiet
 Synonym: reluctant, restrained, reserved
 Antonym: communicative, forward, unrestrained
 Sentence: The reticent student hid in the back row, unwilling to participate in the class discussion.

 Variants: physiognomic (adj), physiognomically (adv)
 Definition: The features of somebody’s face especially used as indicators of character or temperament.
 Synonym: aspect, look, visage
 Antonym: none
 Sentence: In Great Expectations, Pip is frightened by the convict, for his physiognomy is menacing.

 Variants: insipidness (noun), insipidly (adverb)
 Definition: without distinctive, interesting, or stimulating qualities
 Synonym: bland, dull
 Antonym: exhilarating
 Sentence: Cauliflower’s insipid taste requires cheese or spices to make it palatable.

 Variants: tedious (adjective), tediously (adverb)
 Definition: quality or condition of being wearisome or boring
 Synonym: dullness, monotony
 Antonym: entertainment, excitement, diversion
 Sentence: In order to take the tedium out of exercise, aerobic instructors rely on loud, exciting music.

 Variants: cajolery(noun), cajolingly(adverb)
 Definition: to persuade by flattery or promises
 Synonym: wheedle, coax, flatter
 Antonym: bully, force, repel
 Sentence: The boy cajoled her into giving him some of her cookies.

 Variants: none
 Definition: not impressed or worried by something, usually because of previous experience
 Synonym: unconcerned, nonchalant
 Antonym: uptight, worried
 Sentence: Paris Hilton’s blasé attitude towards spending money is typical of the very wealthy: they do not have to worry about paying bills.

 Variants: indolence (n), indolently (adv)
 Definition: Lethargic and not showing any interest.
Also describes a disease that is slow to develop and causes no pain.
 Synonym: sluggish, apathetic, lazy
 Antonym: industrious, productive
 Sentence: It is difficult to move from summer’s indolence to the necessary productivity of the school year.

 Variants: choler (noun)*, cholerically (adverb)
 *NOT cholera—that’s a disease!
 Definition: showing or tending to show anger or irritation
 Synonym: bad-tempered, irascible
 Antonym: phlegmatic, impassive
 Sentence: Ivan Ilyich’s choleric manner intimidates his family.

 Variants: phlegmatically (adverb)
 Definition: unemotional, difficult to excite to action or display of emotion
 synonym: indifferent, undemonstrative
 antonym: energetic, lively
 Sentence: Obasan’s phlegmatic approach to life irritates the crusading Emily.

 Variants: none
 Definition: predicament from which there is no escape; impassible road or way
 Synonym: stalemate, deadlock
 Antonym: progress
 Sentence: After days of deliberation, the jury reached an impasse, necessitating a new trial.

 Variants: adulate (verb)
 Definition: excessive flattery or adoration
 Synonym: obsequiousness, sycophancy
 Antonym: insult, offense
 Sentence: Robert Pattinson is the object of young girls’ adulation.

 Variants: censure (transitive verb)
 Definition: judgment involving condemnation
 Synonym: rebuke, reproach
 Antonym: honor, acclamation
 Sentence: Following the lawyer’s emotional outburst, the judge had no choice but to censure him.

 Variants: dissimulate (verb), dissimulative (adjective), dissimulator (noun)
 Definition: act of deceiving/concealing true feelings and intentions
 synonym: deception, deceit, disguise, dissembling
 antonym: frankness, honesty, truthfulness
 Sentence: As he becomes more desperately ill, Ivan
Ilyich finds dissimulation more difficult, and his family is frightened by the anger he reveals.

 variants: droller, drollest (more adjectives), drolly
(adverb)
 definition: humorous, amusing in an odd way
 synonym: amusing, clownish, comical
 antonym: serious
 sentence: The professor entertained the class with his droll impersonations of literary characters.

 variants: expectoration (noun), expectorant (noun)
 definition: to expel matter, esp. phlegm
 synonym: flush out, eject
 antonym: inject, inhale, consume
 sentence: The doctor instructed the patient to expectorate regularly to speed healing.

 variants: surfeiter (I have never seen this!)
 definition: too great an amount or supply; excess; overindulgence, esp. in food or drink
 synonym: satiate, excess, surplus
 antonym: deficit, insufficiency
 sentence: In the child’s opinion, his plate held a surfeit of vegetables.

 variants: corroboration, corroborative, corroborant
 definition: to make more certain the validity of, confirm, support
 synonym: confirm, support, substantiate
 antonym: contradict
 Sentence: To corroborate the rumor about Malfoy, the trio made a Polyjuice potion.

 variants: moroseness, morosely
 definition: ill-tempered, gloomy, sullen
 synonym: glum, gloomy, depressed
 antonym: happy, cheerful
 sentence: The students were morose when the teacher returned their tests.

 variants: auspiciously (adv), auspiciousness (n)
 definition: favored by fortune
 synonym: fortunate, prosperous
 antonym: ominous, unfortunate
 Sentence: The couple was married on 09/09/09, as they believed the date to be an auspicious one.

 variants: vigilant (adjective) vigilantly (adverb)
 definition: keenly watchful to detect danger; wary
 synonym: observant, attentive
 antonym: negligent, careless
 Sentence: The watchmen needed to remain vigilant to protect their camp from any surprise attacks.

 variants: none
 definition: that which one turns to for help in desperation
 synonym: refuge, resort
 antonym:
 sentence: Is Sonia’s only recourse prostitution, and is
Raskolnikov’s only recourse confession?

 variants: equivocalness (n), equivocally (adv), equivocation (n)
 definition: allowing the possibility of multiple meanings, susceptible to double interpretations
 synonym: ambiguous, dubious, questionable, suspicious
 antonym: unquestionable, definite, clear
 sentence: Svidrigailov’s conversation is equivocal;
Raskolnikov cannot figure out his true intentions.

 variants: dubiously (adverb), dubiousness (noun)
 definition: full of doubt or uncertainty
 synonym: doubtful, questionable, unsure
 antonym: certain, definite, sure, trustworthy
 sentence: He enjoyed the dubious distinction of having the lowest GPA of the graduating class.

 variants: corporeality (noun); corporeally (adverb)
 definition: the physical body; material or physical rather than spiritual
 synonym: bodily, physical
 antonym: mental, spiritual
 sentence: The doctor examined the corporeal remains for clues to its identity.

 variants: chastener (n)
 definition: to punish in order to correct or make better; chastise; subdue; refine as to make purer
 synonym: punish, discipline, correct
 antonym: commend, praise
 Sentence: The sadistic headmaster chastened errant students with a leather strap.

 variants: resolutely (adverb), resoluteness (noun)
 definition: having or showing a fixed, firm purpose; determined; unwavering
 synonym: faithful, unyielding
 antonym: uncertain, unsure
 sentence: The Second Apparition advises Macbeth to be “bloody, bold and resolute” for only a man not of woman born can harm him.

 variants: languidness (n), languidly (adv)
 definition: without vigor or vitality; without spirit or interest
 synonym: weak; listless; indifferent; sluggish
 antonym: energetic, lively
 sentence: His languid movements annoyed the movie director, who envisioned a violent, wild scene.

 variants: dissolutely(adverb), dissoluteness (noun)
 definition: dissipated and immoral; debauched
 synonym: debauched, depraved, degenerate
 antonym: decent, upright, moral
 sentence: Svidrigailov’s reputation for dissolute behavior disgusts Dunya.

 variants: extoller (n); extolment (n)
 definition: to praise highly; laud
 synonym: praise, laud, acclaim
 antonym: disparage, denigrate
 sentence: Many journalists extol the virtues of our
President.

 variants: amorousness (n), amorously (adv)
 definition: full of love, showing love or sexual desire
 synonym: passionate, ardent
 antonym: detached, unloving
 sentence: The amorous behavior displayed in high school hallways is often disturbing.

 variants: [from scruple] scrupulously (adv), scrupulousness (n);
 definition: extremely careful to do the precisely right, proper or correct thing in every last detail; obsessively hesitant in deciding what is morally right
 synonym: careful, conscientious, meticulous
 antonym: careless, rash
 sentence: The scrupulous student double-checked all his essay’s quotations to avoid plagiarism.

 variants: ponderously (adverb), ponderousness (noun)
 definition: very heavy; unwieldy because of weight
 synonym: heavy, weighty, dull and labored
 antonym: light
 sentence: Marley’s Ghost tells Ebenezer Scrooge that the chain Scrooge bears is a ponderous one.

 related: brief (adjective), briefly (adverb)
 definition: the quality of being brief or concise
 synonym: conciseness, terseness
 antonym: length
 sentence: “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

 variants: deport (verb)
 definition: the manner of conducting or bearing oneself
 synonym: manner, bearing, posture, behavior
 antonym: none
 sentence: Because she was a mature 12 year old, the girl’s deportment did not accurately reflect her age.

 variants: prodigally (adverb), prodigality (noun)
 definition: exceedingly, recklessly wasteful
 synonym: wasteful, extravagant
 antonym: cautious, thrifty
 sentence: The prodigal shopper saved no money for the gas she desperately needed for her return home.

 related: intercede (verb), intercessional (adjective)
 definition: the act of interceding, pleading or prayer on behalf of another
 synonym: intervention, mediation
 antonym: none
 sentence: The marriage counselor’s intercession was necessary for the fighting couple.

 variants: solicitously (adverb), solicitude (noun)
 definition: showing care, attention or concern
 synonym: attentive, considerate
 antonym: uncaring, unconcerned
 sentence: Although it was second semester senior year, she maintained a solicitous attitude towards her grades.

 variants:
 definition: of the earliest times or ages
 synonym: primordial, primal, primitive
 antonym: modern
 sentence: Sally walked in the primeval forest, where ancient groves awed her.

 related: deprecatingly (adverb), deprecation (noun)
 definition: to feel and express disapproval of
 synonym: denounce, denigrate
 antonym: approve, praise
 sentence: The staunch Republican deprecated the policies of the Democratic Congress.

 variants: capitulation (noun)
 definition: to surrender, especially on conditions agreed upon
 synonym: acquiesce, submit, yield
 antonym: stand firm, remain resolute
 sentence: The class proposed watching a movie, and the exhausted teacher willingly capitulated.

 variants: sardonically (adverb)
 definition: bitterly ironic, derisively mocking
 synonym: scornful, satirical, caustic
 antonym: respectful
 sentence: Despite his thirst for knowledge, the tough teenager maintained a sardonic attitude towards school when he was with his friends.

 related: furtively (adverb), furtiveness (noun)
 definition: done by stealth
 synonym: secretive, sly, surreptitious
 antonym: open, direct
 sentence: Modestly lowering her eyes, the girl continued to shoot furtive glances towards the handsome new student.

 variants: ethereally (adverb); etherealize (verb)
 definition: light, delicate; heavenly
 synonym: unearthly, airy
 antonym: earthly, substantial
 sentence: The singer’s ethereal voice made me think of heaven.

 variants: confounded (adjective)
 definition: to mix up or lump together indiscriminately; to make feel confused; to damn: used as a mild oath
 synonym: puzzle, confuse
 antonym: clarify
 sentence: The rapid-fire delivery of the lecture confounded all the students.

 related: wryly (adverb), wryness (noun)
 definition: made by twisting or distorting the features
(a wry face); dry, ironic (as in humor)
 synonym: ironic, cynical
 antonym: straight-forward
 sentence: Her wry expression signaled her amusement with the awkward situation.
 sentence: Taking his words at face value, the audience misunderstood his wry remarks.

 variants: veraciously (adverb); veracious (adjective)
 definition: habitual truthfulness; honesty
 synonym: truth
 antonym: dishonesty, false
 sentence: The man’s known veracity made him a reliable witness.

 variants: magnanimously (adverb), magnanimity
(noun)
 definition: noble in mind, generous in overlooking injury or insult
 synonym: generous, high-minded
 antonym: petty, small-minded
 sentence: Sonya’s magnanimous behavior endears her to all who know her.

 related: felicitous (adjective), felicitously (adverb)
 definition: happiness, bliss; quality or knack of appropriate, pleasing expression in writing, speaking, painting, etc.
 synonym: joy; aptness
 antonym: sorrow; inappropriateness
 sentence: Her felicitous responses to the interviewers secured the job for her.

 variants: nuanced (adjective)
 definition: a slight or delicate variation in tone, color, meaning
 synonym: shade of difference, hint
 antonym: one-dimensional
 sentence: The nuances of literature are often only appreciated by those who read widely.

 variants:
 definition: disease, illness (often used figuratively)
 synonym: sickness, problem
 antonym: health
 sentence: Ivan Ilyich’s malady is his unhealthy obsession with social standing.

 related: corpulence (noun), corpulently (adverb)
 definition: fat and fleshy
 synonym: obese
 antonym: slim
 sentence: Mitch urged his corpulent teacher to be a contestant on The Biggest Loser.

 variants: brazenly (adverb); brazenness (noun)
 definition: showing no shame; like brass in color or other qualities
 synonym: impudent, shameless
 antonym: timid, diffident
 sentence: “She made brazen overtures to a man who hadn’t a friend in this town, until she came here!”

 variants: exoneration (noun); exonerative (adjective)
 definition: to relieve of (a duty, an obligation); to free from a charge or the imputation of guilt
 synonym: absolve, vindicate
 antonym: condemn, blame
 sentence: Having seen no persuasive evidence, the jury exonerated the suspect.

 related: inscrutability (noun), inscrutably (adverb)
 definition: not easily understood; unfathomable
 synonym: mysterious, enigmatic
 antonym: easily understood, transparent
 sentence: Her inscrutable expression baffled her husband, who could not figure out the appropriate response.

 variants: inundation (noun)
 definition: to flood; to overwhelm someone with a huge quantity of duties, chores, responsibilities, etc.
 synonym: flood, deluge, overwhelm
 antonym:
 sentence: Following his election, Obama’s campaign headquarters was inundated with job applications.