The Crucible
Vocabulary
Vengeance
Definition: (noun) punishment inflicted in
retaliation for an injury or offense
Synonym: Revenge
Antonym: Forgiveness
The vengeful young man sought to
blacken the name of his girlfriend after she
dumped him.
Heretics
Definition: Contrary to the church or
accepted standards.
Synonyms: blasphemer
Antonyms: Sacred
Sentence: His heretical statements were
offensive to many believers in the church.
Orthodox
Definition: Conforming to establish
standards.
Synonyms: Conventional; conservative
Antonyms: Unconventional,
nonconformist.
Sentence: The church was founded on a
set of orthodox rules and did not stray too
far from them.
Act II Vocabulary
Ameliorate
verb
Definition: to make better or more tolerable
Synonyms: amend, improve
Antonyms: worsen
Indignant
adjective
Definition: Feeling, characterized by, or
expressing strong displeasure at
something considered unjust, offensive,
insulting, or low
Synonyms: Offensive
Antonyms: Agreeable
Inept
Adjective
Definition: without skill or aptitude for a
particular task or assignment
Synonyms: unskillful, inappropriate
Antonyms: suited, skillful
Calamity
Noun
Definition: great misfortune or disaster,
as a flood or serious injury.
Synonyms: catastrophe, cataclysm
Antonyms: blessing, advantage
Blasphemy
noun
1. Definitions: Unholy utterance or action
concerning God or something sacred
2. The crime of assuming to oneself the
rights or qualities of God.
Synonyms: profanity, cursing, swearing;
sacrilege
Antonyms: Reverence, Godliness
Act III Vocabulary
Contempt
Noun
Definition: 1. the feeling with which
someone regards anything considered
mean, vile, or worthless; 2. disrespect to
the court
Synonyms: scorn, disdain
Antonyms: approval, respect
Other forms: contemptible (adj),
contemptuous (adj)
Pretense
Noun
Definition: pretending; a false show
Synonyms: charade, disguise
Antonyms: truthful
Other forms: pretenseless (adj)
Prodigious
Adjective
Definition: extraordinary in size, extent,
degree, force
Synonyms: monstrous
Antonyms: minor
Other forms: prodigiously (adv)
Perjury
Noun
Definition: willful giving of false testimony
under oath
Synonyms: lying
Antonyms: telling the truth
Other forms: perjure (v)
Callous
Adjective
Definition: insensitive, indifferent,
unsympathetic
Synonym: insensible
Antonym: sensitive
Other forms: callously (adv), callousness
(n)
Act IV Vocabulary
Contention
Noun
Definition: a struggling together in
opposition
Synonyms: Strife, conflict
Antonyms: Agreement
Other Forms: contentious (adj)
Righteous
Adjective
Definition: morally right or justifiable
Synonyms: good, fair, right
Antonyms: evil
Other forms: righteousness (n),
righteously (adv)
Reprieve
Noun
Definition: a temporary relief from
punishment
Synonyms: postponement, delay
Antonyms: doom, conviction
Other forms: repriever (n), reprieve (v)
Statute
Noun
Definition: an established law or rule
Synonyms: law
Antonyms: request
Other forms: n/a
Perplex
Verb
Definition: to confuse
Synonyms: mystify
Antonyms: enlighten
Other forms: perplexed (adj), perplexingly
(adv)