Conflagration (N.)
DEFINITION: A large destructive fire.
Synonyms: inferno, blaze, wildfire
a
Sentence: Ten homes were destroyed in the
conflagration that was started by an
arsonist.
Decree (N.)
DEFINITION: A law or proclamation.
Synonyms: order, doctrine, edict, rule
a
Sentence: The judge issued a decree
outlawing facial hair.
Devoid (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Lacking in; free from.
Synonyms: barren, destitute, empty
a
Sentence: Her personality is devoid of wit
and creativity, which is why she is single.
Exhilarating (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Causing feelings of
excitement.
Synonyms: stimulating, elating, thrilling
a
Sentence: We always have exhilarating
discussions in Mr. Halpin’s class.
Fluctuation (N.)
DEFINITION: A change.
Synonyms: undulation, variation, shift
a
Sentence: Not doing homework for 2 weeks
caused a dramatic fluctuation in his grade.
Indefatigable (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Unable to be tired out.
Synonyms: tireless, unflagging, unrelenting
a
Sentence: Her indefatigable spirit helped
her overcome the greatest challenges in her
life.
Rectify (V.)
DEFINITION: To make right.
Synonyms: correct, repair, amend
a
Sentence: Only an act of God could rectify
some of the problems created by man.
Remedy (N.)
DEFINITION: Something that corrects
an error or a fault.
Synonyms: solution, relief, cure
a
Sentence: A remedy for bad behavior is
stricter punishments.
Propagate (V.)
DEFINITION: To spread; to make widely
known.
Synonyms: distribute, disseminate, publicize
a
Sentence: It is your responsibility to
propagate the information about the party.
Proximity (N.)
DEFINITION: Nearness in space or time.
Synonyms: closeness, vicinity, juxtaposition
a
Sentence: Sonora’s proximity to In-n-Out
enables students to walk there for lunch.
Invigorating (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Giving strength and
vitality.
Synonyms: refreshing, stimulating,
a
exhilarating
Sentence: An afternoon nap can be
invigorating after a hard day’s work.
Monotony (N.)
DEFINITION: The quality of wearisome
constancy, routine, and lack of variety.
Synonyms: tediousness, dullness,
a
repetitiveness
Sentence: Some struggle with the
monotony of their daily lives and enjoy the
change of pace the weekend brings.
Perpetuate (V.)
DEFINITION: To cause to continue.
Synonyms: maintain, preserve, sustain, keep
a
going
Sentence: It is unfortunate that society
perpetuates stereotypes about minorities.
Deleterious (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Harmful to living things.
Synonyms: injurious, hurtful, destructive
a
Sentence: Crime has a deleterious effect on
the neighborhood’s reputation.
Enamored (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Foolish or unreasoning
fondness.
Synonyms: in love, infatuated, smitten
a
Sentence: Sophomore boys are too easily
enamored with girls.
Sedentary (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Requiring sitting or little
activity.
Synonyms: inactive, seated, motionless
a
Sentence: A sedentary lifestyle has been
linked to poor health and obesity.
Stimulating (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Inspiring enthusiasm.
Synonyms: exhilarating, invigorating, exciting
a
Sentence: A stimulating activity always
makes time go by faster.
Ungainly (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Lacking grace when
moving.
Synonyms: clumsy, awkward, uncoordinated
a
Sentence: The ungainly competitors are the
first to be eliminated on Dancing With the
Stars.
Vacillate (V.)
DEFINITION: To fluctuate between
opinions.
Synonyms: waver, be doubtful, be indecisive
a
Sentence: Many vacillate over major
decisions, like which college to attend.
Tranquility (N.)
DEFINITION: A state of peace and quiet.
Synonyms: serenity, quietude, calmness
a
Sentence: After a hectic day, we all seek
tranquility.
Frigid (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Extremely cold.
Synonyms: icy, frosty, frozen
a
Sentence: The ocean is too frigid to swim in
without a wetsuit.
Ignite (V.)
DEFINITION: Cause to start burning.
Synonyms: light, set fire to, kindle
a
Sentence: The conflagration was ignited by
a discarded cigarette.
Indisputable (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Impossible to doubt.
Synonyms: sure, certain, proven
a
Sentence: There is indisputable proof that
sophomores are too smart for their own
good!
Perusing (V.)
DEFINITION: Reading carefully with
intent to remember.
Synonyms: studying
a
Sentence: When perusing your textbook, it
is important to write down some of the
information.
Pursuing (Adj./V.)
DEFINITION: Following in an effort to
capture.
Synonyms: following, chasing, going after
a
Sentence: The police are still pursuing the
criminal.
Saturate (V.)
DEFINITION: To fill completely.
Synonyms: flood, overwhelm, soak
a
Sentence: Make sure you saturate the
sponge before washing the car.
Seclusion (N.)
DEFINITION: The quality of being
separated from others.
Synonyms: privacy, isolation, hiding
a
Sentence: The seclusion found in one’s
room can provide needed tranquility.
Amorous (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Displaying love or desire.
Synonyms: loving, fond, lovesick
a
Sentence: The amorous couple exchanged
gifts on their anniversary.
Consummate (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Accomplished or
supremely skilled.
Synonyms: masterful, supreme, perfect
a
Sentence: With plenty of practice, you can
become a consummate writer.
Conversely (Adv.)
DEFINITION: In a contrary or opposite
way.
Synonyms: On the other hand, contrarily, vice
a
versa
Sentence: All mothers are women;
conversely, not all women are mothers.
Futile (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Producing no result or
effect.
Synonyms: ineffectual, useless, pointless
a
Sentence: Convincing someone that he or
she is wrong is often futile.
Incantation (N.)
DEFINITION: A ritual recitation of
words to produce a magical effect.
Synonyms: chant, charm, spell
a
Sentence: They believed that the
incantation and special brew would raise the
dead.
Inevitably (Adv.)
DEFINITION: Impossible to avoid.
Synonyms: certainly, unavoidably, necessarily
a
Sentence: Inevitably, we will all become
worm food.
Infatuation (N.)
DEFINITION: A foolish, short-lived
passion.
Synonyms: crush, obsession
a
Sentence: Teenagers often confuse
infatuation with true love.
Interminable (Adj.)
DEFINITION: Seemingly without end.
Synonyms: endless, eternal, never-ending
a
Sentence: A long, boring speech or sermon
is often described as interminable.
Laboriously (Adv.)
DEFINITION: In a hard-working
manner.
Synonyms: arduously, strenuously, diligently
a
Sentence: They worked laboriously to dig
out the miners in Chile.
Reticence (N.)
DEFINITION: The state or quality of
being reluctant to speak.
Synonyms: silence, reserve, restraint
a
Sentence: Reticence is a quality that is
usually displayed by shy people.
Shroud (V.)
DEFINITION: To cover or hide.
Synonyms: conceal, screen, veil
a
Sentence: The early morning fog shrouds
the coast, making it difficult to see.
Synchronously (Adv.)
DEFINITION: At the same time.
Synonyms: together, concurrently, jointly
a
Sentence: The dancers moved
synchronously as they moved across the
floor.
Emerged (V.)
DEFINITION: To come out.
Synonyms: appear, arise, turn up
a
Sentence: The facts emerged when the
witness told his side of the story.