Vocabulary Unit 6
Mrs. Williams
English 9
atone (v.) to make up for
• Synonyms: expiate,
make amends for
• EX
– At one time or another,
everyone has done
something he or she
needs to atone for.
credible (adj.) believable
• Synonyms: plausible,
acceptable, likely
• Antonyms:
unbelievable,
implausible, improbable
• EX
– Do you have a credible
explanation for not
completing your
assignment on time?
defray (v.) to pay for
• Synonyms: settle, bear
the cost, foot the bill
• EX
– Corporate sponsors
helped to defray the cost
of the charity’s annual
telethon.
diligent (adj.) hardworking,
industrious, not lazy
• Synonyms: assiduous,
sedulous
• Antonyms: lazy,
indolent, cursory,
perfunctory
• EX
– Diligent employees are
likely to be well
rewarded for their
dedication and hard
work.
doleful (adj.) sad; dreary
• Synonyms: sorrowful,
mournful, melancholy,
dolorous
• Antonyms: cheerful,
blithe, jaunty, buoyant
• EX
– One look at the players’
doleful faces told me the
team had lost the
championship game.
hamper (v.) to hold back
• Synonyms: hinder,
obstruct, impede,
inhibit
• Antonyms: facilitate,
ease, smooth the way
• EX
– Poor grades will hamper
you in your effort to get
a college education.
incessant (adj.) never stopping, going
on all the time
• Synonyms: ceaseless,
constant, uninterrupted
• Antonyms: occasional,
sporadic, intermittent
• EX
– The loud and incessant
chatter of the people at
the next table made it
hard for us to hear each
other.
intricate (adj.) complicated; difficult to
understand
• Synonyms: complex,
convoluted
• Antonyms: simple,
uninvolved,
uncomplicated
• EX
– Our teacher took us
through the intricate
solution to the equation
step by step.
lucid (adj.) easy to understand, clear;
rational, sane
• Synonyms: limpid,
intelligible
• Antonyms: murky,
muddy, obscure,
unintelligible
• EX
– The ability to speak in a
lucid and persuasive
fashion is a great asset
to a politician.
posthumous (adj.) occurring or
published after death
• Synonyms: postmortem
• Antonyms: prenatal
• EX
– Many artists and writers
have been ignored
during their lifetimes
only to achieve
posthumous fame.
sardonic (adj.) grimly or scornfully
mocking, bitterly sarcastic
• Synonyms: caustic,
mordant, acerbic, wry
• Antonyms: bland, mild,
saccharine, goodnatured
• EX
– Great satirists save their
most sardonic wit for
the greedy, the corrupt,
and the hypocritical.
superfluous (adj.) exceeding what is
sufficient or required, excess
• Synonyms: surplus,
supererogatory
• Antonyms: necessary,
essential, vital,
indispensable
• EX
– Neat and well-organized
people know how to
eliminate all superfluous
clutter.
supplant (v.) to take the place of,
supersede
• Synonyms: replace,
displace, oust
• EX
– Computers rapidly
supplanted typewriters
in the workplace, just as
photocopiers replaced
carbon paper.
taunt (v.) to jeer at, mock; (n.) an
insulting or mocking remark
• Synonyms: (v.) ridicule,
deride; (n.) derision
• Antonyms: (v.) cheer,
applaud, acclaim
• EX
– It is not at all unusual for
brothers and sisters to
tease and taunt one
another good-naturedly.
– For umpires and referees,
the taunts of angry fans
are just part of the job.
tenacious (adj.) holding fast; holding
together firmly; persistent
• Synonyms: obstinate,
stubborn, dogged
• Antonyms: yielding,
weak, gentle, lax, slack
• EX
– Athletes must be
tenacious in the pursuit
of excellence if they
hope to become Olympic
champions.