English II
2nd Quarter
Vocabulary
Quarter 2 List 4
 Accolades - discretion
Accolades (Noun)
DEFINITION: Praises or awards.
Synonyms: honors, recognition, tributes
Sentence: The soldier received accolades
for his service in the military. OR The chef
received accolades for his fine cuisine.
Amendment (Noun)
DEFINITION: A correction or change.
Related words: amend
Synonyms: adjustment, addition, alteration
Sentence: We are sometimes asked to vote
on an amendment to the law. OR The first 10
amendments to the Constitution are known
as The Bill of Rights.
Annihilate (Verb)
DEFINITION: To destroy completely.
Related words: annihilation
Synonyms: wipe out, erase, obliterate
Sentence: The plan is to annihilate the
world of terrorism. OR The strong medicine
will annihilate the virus.
Assured (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Made certain.
Related words: assure, assurance, reassure
Synonyms: guaranteed, confirmed, clinched
Sentence: The victory is assured now that
everyone is healthy. OR He assured us that
our identities would be withheld.
Captivated (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Filled with wonder or delight.
Synonyms: charmed, enthralled, beguiled
Sentence: The captivated audience watched
the performance from the edge of their seats.
OR Her gaze held him captivated for hours.
Complex (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Not easy.
Related words: complexity
Synonyms: difficult, hard, complicated
Sentence: The further along you go in Math,
the more complex the problems become.
Conflict (Noun)
DEFINITION: A struggle or problem.
Related word: conflicting
Synonyms: battle, fight, dispute
Sentence: War is a conflict that causes
great losses on both sides.
Context (Noun)
 DEFINITION: The set of circumstances
that surround a situation

An example of context is the words
that surround the word "read" that help the reader determine the tense of the word.
An example of context is the history surrounding the story of Shakespeare's King Henry IV.
Synonyms: setting, condition, background
Sentence: Most literature allow readers an
insight to the context of daily life of a culture
or time period.
Decipher (Verb)
DEFINITION: To determine the meaning of
something.
Synonyms: decode, solve, understand, figure
out
Sentence: He was unable to decipher the
code before the bomb went off.
Decline (Noun)
DEFINITION: A change toward something
smaller or lower. Examples: the decline of the Roman Empire…a terminally
ill person’s declining health
Synonyms: decrease, erosion, lessening
Sentence: The decline in morale can be
blamed on the new manager.
Discretion (Noun)
DEFINITION: The quality of having or
showing good judgment.
Related words: discreet, discreetly
Synonyms: discreetness, sensibleness,
common sense
Sentence: Use great discretion when
dealing with unfamiliar situations or people.
List 5 enable - incentive
Enable (Verb)
DEFINITION: To make possible.
Synonyms: allow, permit, empower
Sentence: Being able to speak many
languages enables a person to communicate
within a global community.
Enforcement (Noun)
DEFINITION: The act of ensuring obedience.
Synonyms: administration, insistence,
carrying out
Sentence: A decline in the number of police
officers makes law enforcement more
difficult.
Enhanced (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Increased or intensified in
quality.
Synonyms: improved, intensified, deepened
Sentence: Her enhanced beauty was a
result of more sleep and less makeup.
Evolution (Noun)
DEFINITION: A process in which something
passes by degrees to a different stage.
Synonyms: development, growth,
advancement
Sentence: Some believe the evolution of man is
an on-going process that began thousands of years
ago. OR Beyonce’s evolution from an ordinary girl to
a diva took place during her teen years.
Exceed (verb)
DEFINITION: to be greater than a number or
amount, or to go past an allowed limit
Synonyms: Outperform, beat, surpass
Sentence: The final cost should not exceed
$5000.
The success of our campaign has exceeded our
wildest expectations.
Expertise (Noun)
DEFINITION: a high level of knowledge or
skill
Sentence: We admired the expertise with
which he prepared the meal.
I have no expertise in sewing/sewing expertise.
Exposure (Noun)
DEFINITION: uncovering; putting in view or
danger
Synonyms: showing, risk, airing, display
Sentence: You should always limit your exposure to
the sun.
Even a brief exposure to radiation is very dangerous.
External (adjective)
DEFINITION: of, on, for or coming from the
outside
Synonyms: Outer, exterior, visible
Sentence:
Female kangaroos carry their young in pouches
that are external to their bodies.
This cream is for external use only.
Forsake (verb)
DEFINITION: to leave someone forever,
especially when they need you
Synonyms: Betray, leave
Sentence: Do not forsake me!
She refused to forsake her beliefs, even when
threatened with death.
Illuminate (Verb)
DEFINITION: to light something and make it
brighter OR to explain and show more clearly
something that is difficult to understand
Synonyms: clarify, explain, brighten
Sentence: The streets were illuminated with
strings of colored lights.
Incentive (noun)
DEFINITION: something which encourages
a person to do something
Synonyms: motivation, drive, reward
Sentence: Tax incentives have been very effective in
encouraging people to save and invest more of their
income.
Bonus payments provide an incentive to work harder.
List 6 incorporate - procure
Incorporate (verb)
DEFINITION: to include something as part
of something larger
Synonyms: Include, integrate
Sentence: Suggestions from the survey have
been incorporated into/in the final design.
This aircraft incorporates several new safety
features .
Inhibition (Noun)
DEFINITION: a feeling of embarrassment or
worry that prevents you from saying or doing
what you want
Synonyms: Embarrassment, self-consciousness
Sentence:
She was determined to shed her inhibitions and
have a good time.
Input (noun)
DEFINITION:something such as energy,
money or information that is put into a system,
organization or machine so that it can operate
Synonyms: Contribution, effort
Sentence: I didn't have much input into the
project .
The power input will come largely from
hydroelectricity.
Interval (Noun)
DEFINITION: a period between two events or
times, or the space between two points
Synonyms: Gap, distance
Sentence: We see each other at regular
intervals - usually about once a month.
Intricate (adjective)
DEFINITION: having a lot of small parts or
details that are arranged in a complicated way
Synonyms: Complicated, elaborate, complex
Sentence: The watch mechanism is extremely
intricate and very difficult to repair.
Police officers uncovered an intricate web of
deceit.
Martyr (noun)
DEFINITION: a person who suffers very much
or is killed because of their political or religious
beliefs, and is often admired because of it
Synonyms: sufferer, victim
She fought against racism all her
life and died a martyr to the cause.
Sentence:
Merits (Noun)
DEFINITION: the quality of being good and
deserving praise
Synonyms: value, advantage
Sentence:
Her book has the merits of being both
informative and readable.
We discussed the merits of herbal tea.
Mired (verb/adj.)
DEFINITION: to be involved in a difficult
situation, especially for a long period of time
Synonyms: stalled, stuck, delayed
Sentence: The peace talks are mired in
bureaucracy.
Paradigm (Noun)
DEFINITION: a model of something, or a very
clear and typical example of something.
Synonyms: model, way of thinking
Sentence: Some educators are hoping to
produce a change in the current cultural
paradigm.
Presumption (noun)
DEFINITION: A belief that something is true
without having any proof.
Synonyms: assumption, guess
Sentence: The presumption of innocence is
central to the justice system.
There is no scientific evidence to support such
presumptions.
Procure (verb)
DEFINITION: to get something, especially
after an effort
Synonyms: get, obtain, acquire
She's managed somehow to
procure his telephone number.
Sentence:
List 7 punitive - visual
Punitive (Adjective)
DEFINITION: intended as a punishment
Synonyms: disciplinary, corrective
Sentence: Detention is meant to be
punitive, not fun.
Recovery (noun)
DEFINITION: the process of getting back
something lost, especially health, ability,
possessions, etc.
Synonyms: revival, healing, improvement
Sentence: Mira made a speedy recovery from
the operation.
At last the economy is showing signs of
recovery.
Refraction (Noun)
DEFINITION: When water or glass, etc.
refracts light or sound, etc., it causes it to
change direction or to separate when it travels
through it
Synonyms: distortion, deflection
Sentence: The glass prism refracted the white
light into the colors of the rainbow.
Resplendent (adj.)
DEFINITION: having a very bright or splendid
appearance.
Synonyms: dazzling, splendid, stunning,
brilliant
Sentence: I saw Anna at the other end of the
room, resplendent in a red sequined cocktail
dress.
Revered (adj.)
DEFINITION: to greatly respect and admire
someone or something
Synonyms: admired, respected, venerated
Sentence: Nelson Mandela is revered for his
brave fight against apartheid.
Solace (Noun)
DEFINITION: help and comfort when you are
feeling sad or worried
Synonyms: comfort, support
When his wife left him, he found
solace in friends.
Music was a great solace to me.
Sentence:
Vantage (noun)
DEFINITION: a particular personal way of
thinking or set of opinions OR a place,
especially a high place, which provides a good
clear view of an area
Synonyms: angle, perspective
Sentence: From our lofty vantage point, we
could see the city spread out below us.
Uniform (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Always the same; showing a
single form or character in all occurrences.
Synonyms: unvarying, homogeneous,
undifferentiated, consistent, identical
Sentence: Military personnel are expected
to be uniform in dress and behavior. OR
Gatby’s mannersisms are not uniform; they
change depending upon whom he is with.
Vehicle (Noun)
DEFINITION: A medium or device through
which something is transmitted, expressed, or
accomplished.
Synonyms: medium, means, channel,
mechanism
Sentence: She uses her artwork as a
vehicle to express her political beliefs. OR
Tonight’s performance is a vehicle for her to
display her talents.
Virtually (Adv.)
DEFINITION: Slightly short of or not quite
accomplished.
Synonyms: almost, nearly, about, practically
Sentence: Virtually everyone signed the
contract. OR After 12 hours, the job is
virtually done.
Widespread (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Widely circulated or spread out.
Synonyms: common, popular, sweeping,
broad, extensive
Sentence: There have been widespread
layoffs in the last two years. OR There is
widespread fear of the effects of global
warming.
Visual (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Of or relating to sight; capable
of being seen.
Synonyms: optical, observable, visible
Sentence: Most people are visual learners,
not auditory. OR There was no visual
evidence to support his argument.