Assent (v.)
“There was a murmur of assent.”
Assent (v.): To express agreement
Synonyms: Acceptance, approval
Antonyms: Disagreement, rejection
Bravado (n.)
“Ralph surprised himself by the
bravado of its intention.”
Bravado (n.): A pretentious,
swaggering display of courage
Synonyms: Boasting, bragging
Antonyms: Cowardice, fear
Cessation (n.)
“Piggy, reassured by the cessation
of violence, stood up carefully.”
Cessation (n.): The stopping of
something
Synonyms: Break, cease
Antonyms: Beginning, commencement
Contrite (adj.)
“The leaves came apart and
fluttered down. Simon’s contrite
face appeared…”
Contrite (adj.): Extremely
apologetic; remorseful
Synonyms: Sorrowful, regretful
Antonyms: Hurtful, mean
Demure (adj.)
“Ages ago they had
stood in two
demure rows…”
Demure (adj.):
Characterized by
shyness or
modesty; reserved
Synonyms: Bashful,
humble
Antonyms: Aggressive,
bold
Discursive (adj.)
“The assembly shredded away
and became a discursive and
random scatter…”
Discursive (adj.): Rambling; moving
from one topic to another randomly
Synonyms: Long-winded, wandering
Antonyms: Abbreviated, brief
Essayed (v.)
“He wagged his spear and
essayed fierceness.”
Essayed (v.): Attempted
Synonyms: Endeavor, seek
Antonyms: Forget, neglect
Fervor (n.)
“If Jack was astonished by their
fervor he did not show it.”
Fervor (n.): Great intensity of
feeling or belief
Synonyms: Eagerness, passion
Antonyms: Apathy, coolness
Furtive (adj.)
“There was a slight, furtive boy
whom no one knew…”
Furtive (adj.): Secret in an
underhanded way; stealthy
Synonyms: Cunning, hidden
Antonyms: Honest, open
Impervious (adj.)
“So they sat, the rocking, tapping,
impervious Roger…”
Impervious (adj.):
Incapable of being
damaged or
penetrated
Synonyms: Immune,
unaffected
Antonyms: Exposed, open
Inimical (adj.)
“This would rouse those striped
and inimical creatures from their
feasting by the fire.”
Inimical (adj.): Hostile; antagonistic
Synonyms: Harmful, unfriendly
Antonyms: Friendly, hospitable
Inscrutable
(adj.)
“Jack lifted his head and stared at
the inscrutable masses of creeper
that lay across the trail.”
Inscrutable (adj.): Difficult to
understand; mysterious
Synonyms: Ambiguous, unexplainable
Antonyms: Clear, obvious
Specious
(adj.)
“Ralph had been deceived before
now by the specious appearance of
depth in a beach pool…”
Specious (adj.): Pleasing to the eye,
but deceptive; superficial
Synonyms: Inaccurate, untrue
Antonyms: Real, true
Tacit
(adj.)
“Jack nodded, and by tacit consent
they left the shelter…”
Tacit (adj.): Understood, silent, not
spoken; implicit
Synonyms: Assumed, suggested
Antonyms: Explicit, specific
Ungainly (adj.)
“The figure… trod with ungainly
feet the tops of the high trees…”
Ungainly (adj.): Not graceful;
clumsy
Synonyms: Gawky, awkward
Antonyms: Elegant, graceful
Academic Vocabulary Words
Benefit (n. or v.): A good or helpful result or effect
Concept (n.): An idea of what something is or how it
works
Consist (v.): To be composed or made up of
Context (n.): The interrelated conditions in which
something exists or occurs
Constitute (v.): To make up or form something