abhorrence
abdicate2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
A1.
A
abdicate
abhorrence
v. to formally take over high power, office or responsibility n. horror; disgust
His kingdom was abdicated this year. Approximately 150
It was strange, but the thought of her sister marrying one
monarchists gathered in the centre of Bucharest and an
of those terrible Feltons no longer filled her with
estimated 300 more at the capital's Otopen airport on
abhorrence; far better that than bring a child into the
April 12 shouting slogans denouncing the government
world that wasn't wanted and whom her mother had
and supporting the King, who had been forced to
already thrown off for adoption.
abdicate in 1947.
acme
abscond4.
3.
Forms: abdicated; abdicating; abdicates
Forms: no plural
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abscond
acme
v. to leave quickly and secretly and hide, especially to
n. high attainment; peak of achievement
avoid prosecution
A petition cannot be heard until at least fourteen days
My wife reached her professional acme when she was
have elapsed since the petition was served on the debtor appointed CEO of one of the largest IT companies in the
and the supervisor of a voluntary arrangement unless it
UK. The great Continental stations, Paris, Stuttgart,
appears that the debtor has absconded or the court
Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest, Constantinople, have been
thinks it a proper case for an expedited hearing, or the
the beginning and ending and en route stopping-places in
debtor consents.
the wealth of literature inspired by that acme of railway
luxury, the Orient Express, the train on which James
Bond once shot a man for ordering red wine with his fish.
adamant
acrid6.
5.
Forms: absconded; absconding; absconds
Forms: no plural
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acrid
adamant
adj. describing a sharp taste or smell (e.g. odor); caustic
adj. unyielding; very firm position or opinion
in language or tone
The soup was acrid. I followed the sound of voices
She was adamant about going shopping.
coming from the bluebell wood, there was the acrid smell
of wood-smoke and an orange glow lit my way through
the wild garlic.
Forms: acrid; acrider; acridest
Forms: more adamant; most adamant; less adamant;
adroit
adept8.
7.
least adamant
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300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
adept
adroit
adj. highly skilled; proficient; expert
adj. skillful and adept in stressful conditions; deft
He was adept at finding solutions in electronic problems.
On the other hand, Stanley Morison, responsible for the
He is a media manipulator of genius, so adept at the
typographical identity of The Times in the 1930s, was not
mechanics of mass communication that he pauses mid-
an adroit penman -- he simply had an unerring eye for
sentence when he sees that my cassette recorder has
good typefaces and strong composition.
run out of tape, waiting patiently until I have inserted a
new cassette before carrying on with what he was saying
from exactly where he stopped.
agile
aesthetic10.
9.
Forms: adept; adapter; adept est
Forms: more adroit; most adroit; less adroit; least adroit
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aesthetic
agile
adj. having to do with beauty; pertaining to beautiful
adj. nimble; able to move in a quick and easy way
appearances
The school had an aesthetic appeal to it. If art is no
Children are usually more agile than adults.
longer to be considered as of a different order than life,
then the idea of aesthetic avant-gardes is questioned.
Forms: more aesthetic; most aesthetic; less aesthetic;
Forms: agile; agiler; agilest
amenable
ambidextrous12.
11.
least aesthetic
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ambidextrous
amenable
adj. equally skilled at using both hands
adj. disposed to follow (e.g. advice); accountable; follows
authority
He has been ambidextrous his whole life. Few of us are
Military training strives to create amenable individuals.
naturally ambidextrous but in terms of karate technique
apt
amiable14.
13.
this can be achieved through training.
Forms: more ambidextrous; most ambidextrous; less
Forms: more amenable; most amenable; less amenable;
ambidextrous; least ambidextrous
least amenable
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amiable
apt
adj. having a pleasant disposition; friendly; good-natured
adj. suitable or quick to learn and attentive
They are amiable people. He had not a handsome face,
The Combat Lifesaver class was full of apt pupils. In
but it was better than handsome: being extremely
British political life of the previous twenty years, latent
amiable and cheerful. He was perfectly amiable to her on anti-Jewish feeling had been apt to surface in response
the few occasions when they did meet, sometimes she
to particular events.
even felt that he liked her.
Forms: more amiable; most amiable; less amiable; least
Forms: apter; aptest: less apt; least apt
ardent
aquatic16.
15.
amiable
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A
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
aquatic
ardent
adj. living, growing or practicing in or on water
adj. passionate
Divers work in an aquatic environment. Inorganic
He was an ardent student of classic literature. Max
pollution is not harmful to aquatic life to the same extent,
Weber was an ardent nationalist whose political sociology
unless it happens to be toxic; thus its consequences are
was guided by the principle of the "primacy of the
frequently less evident.
interests of the nation state", which he enunciated
vigorously in his inaugural lecture at Freiburg in 1895; but
he did not set himself to examine with any thoroughness
articulate
arrogant18.
17.
the grounds of such "primacy".
Forms: more aquatic; most aquatic; less aquatic; least
Forms: more ardent; most ardent; less ardent; least
aquatic
ardent
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arrogant
articulate
adj. overly proud
adj. able to express oneself clearly (e.g. a person)
His arrogant tones relating his accomplishments
The woman was a very articulate speaker on almost any
infuriated his peers.
subject.
Forms: more arrogant; most arrogant; less arrogant; least Forms: more articulate; most articulate; less articulate;
aural
astute20.
19.
arrogant
least articulate
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astute
aural
adj. shrewd
adj. regarding the perceptions of the ear
Policemen are often astute judges of character.
His aural abilities were great. Although the British
profession has not adopted a multi-media outlook with
the celerity that many would wish, there are plenty of
examples of public libraries with visual and aural
collections, and the counties of Wiltshire, Somerset and
Leicestershire have in recent years been offering
significant audio-visual services to teachers and schools.
austere
auspicious22.
21.
Forms: more astute; most astute; less astute; least astute Forms: more aural; most aural; less aural; least aural
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300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
auspicious
austere
adj. favorable (e. g. circumstances)
adj. harsh
The merger, when looked at carefully, was in fact
The old woman looked quite unapproachable for she had
auspicious for both parties. Although the numerous rivers a very austere look about her.
flowing from the Carpathian Mountains offered Conrad
abundant lines of defense against any Russian invasion,
it seemed to him that the sooner the Austrians attacked,
the more auspicious the prospects, since they would
auxiliary
authentic24.
23.
shortly be heavily outnumbered.
Forms: more auspicious; most auspicious; less
Forms: more austere; most austere; less austere; least
auspicious; least auspicious
austere
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authentic
auxiliary
adj. genuine
adj. helping
The boy was happy when his father bought him an
The auxiliary pump enabled the main pump to function
authentic Willy Mays baseball card for Christmas. Finally, longer with less stress.
the transvestite challenge to masculinity and sexual
difference works in terms of transgressive inversion and
reinscription, not of transcendence, or the recovery of
authentic selfhood.
Forms: more authentic; most authentic; less authentic;
Forms: more auxiliary; most auxiliary; less auxiliary; least
least authentic
auxiliary
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benevolent
barren2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
B1.
B
barren
benevolent
adj. unfruitful
adj. regarding kind or charitable acts; organizing benefits
for charities
Despite the farmer's work; he could not grow anything on He was always a generous; benevolent man. The subject
of this first version of the poem is the mainly benevolent
the barren soil.
influence of Nature in forming the imagination of the poet
bland
bizarre4.
3.
in childhood and early youth.
Forms: more barren; most barren; less barren; least
Forms: more benevolent; most benevolent; less
barren
benevolent; least benevolent
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bizarre
bland
adj. strange
adj. gentle; lacking distinctive qualities
Foreign countries often have traditions that seem bizarre
Gene felt her host should have added more spices to the
to a tourist. Huntington Castle, an early seventeenth-
food; as it was quite bland.
century mansion, is bizarre even in a country that takes
pride in the eccentric.
Forms: more bizarre; most bizarre; less bizarre; least
Forms: bland; blander; blandest; less bland; least bland
boisterous
blatant6.
5.
bizarre
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blatant
boisterous
adj. overly loud or offensively conspicuous
adj. rambunctious; energetic
That is a blatant lie! The existence of one education and
The Wilkins didn't want the next door neighbor's son over
one health service for the whole country reduces the
because he was too boisterous for their taste. Part of his
obvious and blatant forms of inequality even if social
spare time was taken up with the marching band of the
class differences in opportunity survive substantially
university, but much of it was given to boisterous
within it.
evenings drinking and singing with his companion --
buttress
brusque8.
7.
always with a view to winning the girls' eyes and hearts.
Forms: blatant; more blatant; most blatant; less blatant;
Forms: more boisterous; most boisterous; less
least blatant
boisterous; least boisterous
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5
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B
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
brusque
buttress
adj. rudely brief
n. usually a brick or stone structure constructed for
support or reinforcement
The man had an irritatingly brusque manner to him. At
The buttress kept the old building from collapsing.
first she could meet his eyes, but what she saw confused Because of the flying buttress system, it became possible
her and she looked at the floor, color creeping into her
to construct thinner walls as time passed instead of
cheeks, reacting against the tenderness surprised in
increasing the thickness to offset the large windows and
herself with a sense of shock that made her brusque and
higher vaults.
suspicious.
Forms: brusquer; brusquest; less brusque; least brusque
Forms: plural: buttresses
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casual
callous2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
C1.
C
callous
casual
adj. cold; hard; or unfeeling
adj. nonchalant; showing little interest; lack of ceremony
She wondered how he could be so callous about
The party was to be in casual dress. If you arc prepared
something that meant so much to her.
to invest a lot of time and money in your new kitchen you
might consider making a sort of kitchen/living or family
room; a real "heart of the home" area, more casual than a
charlatan
cathode4.
3.
living room, more cozy than a working kitchen.
Forms: more callous; most callous; less callous; least
Forms: more casual; most casual; less casual; least
callous
casual
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cathode
charlatan
n. a negatively charged electrode in a storage battery or
n. a person who acts like he or she has knowledge or
cell; the positive charge or a cell supplying an electric
high skill but does not
current
A storage cell consists of one cathode and one anode in
Every year, a distinct charlatan saunters into his office. A
an electrolyte.
vivid portrait of a successful charlatan exploiting the
second-century Christians is given by Lucian in his
Peregrinus.
chronic
chic6.
5.
Forms: plural: cathodes
Forms: plural: charlatans
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chic
chronic
adj. stylish
adj. continuing over a long period of time
It is considered very chic to leave the bottom button of a
The man was beginning to believe he had chronic
sport coat unbuttoned by some. As a new graduate, she
bronchitis he's coughed for a month. The prevention of ill-
blew the chance to work for Yves Saint Laurent when she health and the successful treatment of chronic and acute
clashed with a fearsomely chic woman while visiting a
illness in older people could result if they felt more
textile company.
positive about their potential for good health in old age,
and had access to relevant information. The depression
of the late 1920s and chronic unemployment appeared to
confirm Malthusian pessimism.
Forms: chicer; chicest; less chic; least chic
Forms: more chronic; most chronic; less chronic; least
civil
civic8.
7.
chronic
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coherent
cogent10.
9.
C
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
civic
civil
adj. municipal; pertaining to citizens or township
adj. courteous
The man asked if the trial was going to be civic or
The couple promised to remain civil during their divorce.
corporate. Civic leaders from all parts of North Yorkshire
The guerrillas are embroiled in a civil war against an
including the High Sheriff, Sir Richard Storey, will be
alliance of rival Tamil groups, the Tamil National Army, in
attending the county council's civic service at Melsonby,
areas from which the Indian Peace-keeping Force has
near Richmond, tomorrow.
withdrawn.
Forms: more civic; most civic; less civic; least civic
Forms: more civil; most civil; less civic; least civic
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cogent
coherent
adj. convincing (e.g. argument)
adj. clearly holding together
The lawyer made a cogent argument to the judge that he
Despite the fact she had much to drink she was still able
was correct in his procedure. Physical demonstrations
to speak in a coherent manner. Partnerships were based
and protests, designed to secure much more widespread on the assumption that reasonable people working in a
media coverage for a cause than is ever available for a
multitude of organizations could devise an agreed
cogent argument, are an increasingly frequent means of
strategy for parts of urban Britain: local and central
political communication and the House of Commons has
government would work in harness and would
not been exempt.
incorporate other interests -- the police, the business
community, voluntary groups, and so on, into a coherent
colossal
colloquial12.
11.
administrative whole.
Forms: more cogent; most cogent; less cogent; least
Forms: more coherent; most coherent; less coherent;
cogent
least coherent
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colloquial
colossal
adj. conversational
adj. huge
He had spent years honing his colloquial skills. It may be
The whale was colossal. The very year when Mary
that when we express our opinions, we only have
offered her kingdom to France saw the death of the Holy
available to us ready-made sets of ideas, "discourses",
Roman Emperor Charles V, that colossal and most
other people's words which we choose from, string
admired figure of the sixteenth century, who had
together in different ways and think (mistakenly) to be our achieved the impossible by holding together an
own; these include 'expert' ideas and the colloquial,
inheritance which sprawled across Europe.
common-sense versions of them absorbed by ordinary
complacent
compatible14.
13.
people in one way or another.
Forms: more colloquial; most colloquial; less colloquial;
Forms: more colossal; most colossal; less colossal; least
least colloquial
colossal
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C
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
compatible
complacent
adj. capable of getting along together
adj. satisfied with oneself
On their first date; they found each other quite
The man was complacent when it came to his job. I think
compatible. Unix International said last week that it has
it's really quite heartening to see so many aspects that
finalised its systems and network management
the City Council are already taking notice of, and really
requirements, focused on a single object-based model,
are already putting it into their policies to view the
copious
concise16.
15.
making them compatible and interoperable with the Open environment as something precious, something we've got
Software Foundation's Distributed Management
to look after, but you're warning us not to be too
Environment (DME).
complacent aren't you?
Forms: more compatible; most compatible; less colossal;
Forms: more complacent; most complacent; less
least colossal
complacent; least complacent
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concise
copious
adj. brief but complete
adj. plentiful; large in supply
The teacher wanted his students to be concise in their
The water came over the dam in copious amounts. There
writing style.
is no need to write copious notes that repeat what is
clearly and carefully published in print. We expect you to
take copious notes at the conference so you can report
crafty
countenance18.
17.
back to us with what you learned.
Forms: more concise; most concise; less concise; least
Forms: more copious; most copious; less copious; least
concise
copious
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countenance
crafty
n. appearance especially facial expressions; the face and adj. sly
its features
His countenance showed fear. She was a tall, muscly
The policemen wasn't sure he would catch the burglar;
woman, of handsome countenance, her faded blonde
for the criminal had proved quite crafty.
hair held up with an array of jewelled combs.
credulous
credible20.
cursory
cumbersome22.
21.
19.
Forms: plural: countenances
Forms: crafty; craftier; craftiest; less crafty; least crafty
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credible
credulous
adj. believable
adj. given to believing anything too easily
The man was proved not to be guilty due to a credible
The man would not be a good detective, he was much
alibi.
too credulous in character.
Forms: credible; more credible; most credible; less
Forms: more credulous; most credulous; less credulous;
credible; least credible
least credulous
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C
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
cumbersome
cursory
adj. bulky
adj. done quickly but only on the surface (e.g. an
examination)
It was hard to fit the cumbersome couch through the front The man was cursory in his installation of the electrical
system. We're going to need more than cursory research
door.
to provide the client with a detailed report on the new
curt
23.
situation.
Forms: cumbersome; more cumbersome; most
Forms: cursory; more cursory; most cursory; less
cumbersome; less cumbersome; least cumbersome
cumbersome; least cumbersome
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curt
adj. rudely brief
The military is made up of many curt individuals;
according to some. Scientists who have been preparing
commissioned material for publication in Western
journals and books are having their manuscripts frozen,
often without notification and, at best, with a curt note
from the publishers.
Forms: curt; curter; curtest; less curt; least curt
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deft
defame2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
D1.
D
defame
deft
v. to attack a name or reputation through libel or
adj. skillful
delve
defunct4.
3.
slanderous acts
He tried to defame the family's name. I think that a case
The magician was quite deft at his performance. Forget
might arise in which the reputation of a local authority
all preconceptions of a wise-cracking booby whose
might be damaged, so as to impair its function for the
lifestyle resembles a cross between Hugh Hefner and
public good, in which no private individual was defamed;
Ghostbusters -- here is the first Bond book (no sequel
and in which the public interest would be served by the
was planned) that supports with expert plotting, deft
taking of proceedings for libel by the local authority in
characterization and breathtaking cruelty Fleming's claim
order to determine the falsity of the charge.
to be a major exponent of the spy novel genre.
Forms: defamed; defaming; defames
Forms: defter; deftest; less deft; least deft
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defunct
delve
adj. dead
v. to investigate
The generator was defunct again. It would be unfair and
He decided to delve into the matter further. Palaeography
inaccurate to suggest that PageMaker was the first
is a very inexact science, and should the researcher wish
desktop publishing program, that honour probably goes
to delve a little deeper an excellent starting point is The
to the now defunct Studio Software's DO-it which actually Handwriting of English Documents by H.C.
ran on a PC rather than a Macintosh and, of course,
there had been electronic publishing systems based on
workstations and mainframes available for several years.
Forms: more defunct; most defunct; less defunct; least
Forms: delved; delving; delves
deplete
demure6.
5.
defunct
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demure
deplete
adj. overly modest
v. to use up
The woman was demure when complimented in public.
If we deplete the rainforest for more farm land; eventually
Dinner was an unvarying weekly round in which boiled
there will be none left.
beef and mutton figured largely, and it was little
compensation to several hundred hungry schoolboys that
they took their meals in the school's magnificent hall,
overlooked by the demure and decorative paintings of
Antonio Verrio.
Forms: more demure; most demure; less demure; least
Forms: depleted; depleting; depletes
deprive
deplore8.
7.
demure
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D
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
deplore
deprive
v. to be sorry about
v. to keep someone from having or getting something
He will deplore his decision someday. In many parts of
Boot camp will deprive someone of his or her freedom for
the country, leading Tories were not far behind the Whigs a short time. Whatever the nature of protection provided
in sending in loyal addresses deploring the threat which
by registration, it is also a wise precaution for a chargee
the rebellion posed to their religion and liberties.
to deprive a company of the title deeds to its properties --;
this is another advantage of having trustees who can take
possession of the deeds.
derogatory
derive10.
9.
Forms: deplored; deploring; deplores
Forms: deprived; depriving; deprives
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derive
derogatory
v. to obtain from a source; to reason; to infer; to deduce
adj. belittling
He derived the solution by looking at all of the facts. A
The derogatory marks about his campaign were
subject as vulnerable within the curriculum as art
beginning to anger the politician.
education needs to be seen by pupils, teachers,
headteachers and administrators to be functioning in a
healthy state and that judgment is likely to be made in
terms derived from educational theory and include the
results of assessment procedures and examination
performance whether art teachers consent or not.
Forms: derived; deriving; derives
Forms: more derogatory; most derogatory; less
despise
desolate12.
11.
derogatory; least derogatory
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desolate
despise
adj. lonely; sometimes barren
v. to scorn; to hate
The desolate lands of the desert seem to go on for an
"I despise you!" said the fed-up woman.
eternity. The railway in Glen Spean is the popular West
Highland line between Glasgow and Fort William, a
triumph of railway engineering through difficult terrain and
completed only after incredible hardships and repeated
problems in laying the line across the bogs of the
desolate Moor of Rannoch.
Forms: desolate; more desolate; most desolate; less
Forms: despised; despising; despises
destitute
despondent14.
13.
desolate; least desolate
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D
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
despondent
destitute
adj. depressed
adj. poverty-stricken
Sergeant Meeks was worried about his troops being so
Many people found themselves destitute during the Great
despondent.
Depression. The charity, run by Pat Kerr, cares for
destitute and deprived children, rescuing them from the
unending poverty that is the lot for many people in these
Third World countries and from broken and inadequate
detect
detain16.
15.
homes.
Forms: more despondent; most despondent; less
Forms: more destitute; most destitute; less destitute;
despondent; least despondent
least destitute
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detain
detect
v. to delay temporarily
v. to uncover something that is not obvious
The police may detain a person before that person's trial. The police use dogs to detect drugs in vehicles.
detergent
deter18.
17.
Forms: detained; detaining; detains
Forms: detected; detecting; detects
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deter
detergent
v. to keep someone from doing something
n. cleaning product or agent
France tried to deter America from going to war with Iraq. Having a good detergent is necessary when your clothes
are stained by oil. When originally introduced it was
thought that the availability of a detergent with inherent
bactericidal characteristics would solve many of the
problems associated with both cleaning and disinfection.
detract
detest20.
devoid
devious22.
21.
19.
Forms: deterred; deterring; deters
Forms: plural: detergents
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detest
detract
v. to hate strongly
v. to take away from
I detest politicians and their lying, said the college
Bad make-up will detract from a woman's beauty. There
student. I don't like not having enough money and I don't
are plenty of occasions when the High Court exercises a
like not having enough sex and I detest the way the
supervisory jurisdiction over tribunals or bodies whose
children dress and I detest going to your mother's every
procedures allow for a more relaxed approach to the
week and I loathe the way you clench your teeth and I
rules of evidence, but this does not detract from the fact
loathe the way you never help and I hate the way you
that the High Court is performing the functions of the High
never ask but I love you.
Court when it exercises this jurisdiction.
Forms: detested; detesting; detests
Forms: detracted; detracting; detracts
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D
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
devious
devoid
adj. indirect; sly
adj. completely free of (e.g. feeling)
No one could trust Ted. He seemed too devious about
The man was devoid of thoughts as he watched
everything he did. Some researchers had become so
television. China was so remote from Europe that when
daunted by the devious nature of the virus, which can
silk first became available for the wealthier classes in
hide within the cells of the body, that they felt a vaccine
Imperial Rome no one knew where it came from, but the
would be impossible.
fact that it reached Rome shows that these two
civilizations were not totally devoid of contact with each
devout
devour24.
23.
other.
Forms: more devious; most devious; less devious; least
Forms: more devoid; most devoid: less devoid; least
devious
devoid
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
devour
devout
v. to eat up greedily
adj. very religious
I am so hungry I could devour a whole cow.
The parents had been devout Catholics all their lives.
Forms: devoured; devouring; devours
Forms: more devout; most devout; less devout; least
digress
diffident26.
25.
devout
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
diffident
digress
adj. shy
v. to depart from the subject under consideration
He seemed overly diffident to his boss at his promotion
His difference of opinion caused the politician to digress
party. He was diffident, seemingly vague, declaring a lack from his party and its platform.
of knowledge and ignorance of education and of
teaching, and that he knew only what he had learned
through his own work as a painter.
Forms: more diffident; most diffident; less diffident; least
Forms: digressed; digressing; digresses
disburse
dilute28.
27.
diffident
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
dilute
disburse
v. to weaken by adding something less strong to the
v. to pay out; to give away, usually funds
disdain
discern30.
29.
original (e.g. a mixture)
Bartenders often dilute drinks with water to save money
A judgment against the defendant will cause him to
on ingredients.
disperse the last of his savings to the other party.
Forms: diluted; diluting; dilutes
Forms: disbursed; disbursing; disburses
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14
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D
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
discern
disdain
v. to make out clearly (e.g. a pattern)
v. to look down on with scorn
It is sometimes hard to discern why people do what they
The woman gave him a look of disdain when he asked
do. As they stood there looking east they were able to
her for a date. Often disdaining to wear a left-hand glove,
discern a small buzzing winged shape heading towards
he tore into the bowling to such effect that he scored
them over the immense Capability Brown park.
around 62 runs per hour, a rate beaten by no "proper"
batsman in cricket history except Jessop.
dismay
disintegrate32.
31.
Forms: discerned; discerning; discerns
Forms: disdained; disdaining; disdains
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
disintegrate
dismay
v. to fall apart
v. to dishearten
Oil can cause rubber to disintegrate. More shamefully,
He looked at her in dismay when she said she would
some owners of newly acquired imposing homes delight
leave him for the fireman down the street. Since the war
in "libraries" which, seen in the gloom or at a distance,
began, Russian military commanders, including senior
bestow a pretty glow of opulence and erudition but which, serving officers, have been expressing dismay at seeing
at close quarters, disintegrate into a heterogeneous
Iraq's army, most of whose tanks and aircraft they
muddle of worthless books, sometimes bought in bulk.
supplied, pounded so relentlessly and effectively.
Equally important for vulnerable areas is the availability of
safety glass -- toughened or laminated: toughened glass - resists some impact, and shatters into harmless
fragments when broken; laminated glass is much more
difficult to break, and is held together by clear plastic film
between the layers of glass, so won't disintegrate.
disperse
dispel34.
33.
Forms: disintegrated; disintegrating; disintegrates
Forms: dismayed; dismaying; dismays
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
dispel
disperse
v. to drive away
v. to scatter; to spread around
The king can dispel unwanted groups whenever he sees
The farmer will disperse his seed on two of his fields
fit. By the end of a week she was little more than a living
today.
skeleton: her hand lay all day long in Jennifer's, and from
time to time she would open her eyes, staring pathetically
up, with a mute pleading in her expression that no words
of comfort or whispered prayers could dispel.
dissect
disrupt36.
35.
Forms: dispelled; dispelling; dispels
Forms: dispersed; dispersing; disperses
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15
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D
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
disrupt
dissect
v. to break up
v. to cut or take apart, especially in biology or anatomy
A loud drunk can disrupt any social gathering. The
The students are expected to dissect a frog in science
crowds, eventually numbering in the thousands, evolved
class.
into a spontaneous anti-war demonstration and headed
across town, disrupting traffic while shouting "No blood
for oil" and finally rallying at the United Nations building.
diverge
distort38.
37.
Forms: disrupted; disrupting; disrupts
Forms: dissected; dissecting; dissects
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
distort
diverge
v. to present incorrectly (e.g. facts)
v. to go in different directions
The newspaper is known to distort facts people that
I decided to diverge from the group because they wanted
advertise in their paper. Much of the anxiety among
to go shopping instead of go swimming.
Members, particularly the opponents of televising, arose
from fears that the broadcasters would not preserve a
proper balance in their selection of matter to be covered
and that they would, in their desire to present newsworthy
stories, distort the public presentation of the House.
divulge
divert40.
39.
Forms: distorted; distorting; distorts
Forms: diverged; diverging; diverges
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
divert
divulge
v. to turn from a course (e.g. a stream)
v. to reveal
A dam, if placed properly, can divert a river to a desired
He couldn't make the man divulge any more information.
destination.
Our manager replied that it was not company policy to
divulge personal details of employees and that if she
wanted to take it further, she should write in.
don
41.
Forms: diverted; diverting; diverts
Forms: divulged; divulging; divulges
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
don
v. to put on (e.g. clothing); to wear something
Don your protective suits, said the commander. Tim
donned the Father Christmas outfit to join in the festive
fun and give everyone another teaser.
Forms: donned; donning; dons
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16
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effect
efface2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
E1.
E
efface
effect
v. to blot out; to erase; to remove
v. to bring about; to cause; to influence someone or
elate
eject4.
3.
something
The official decided to efface the evidence.
He was not sure what the effect of his actions would be.
Forms: effaced; effacing; effaces
Forms: effected; effecting; effects
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
eject
elate
v. to throw out; to remove from something
v. to make happy; to cause good feelings
The litterbug decided; once again; to eject the trash from
He tried to elate her spirits but it was to no avail. The
his vehicle onto the side of the road.
poem's language has also advanced from the darkness
and dullness in which it began to a more pleasant and
brighter world with words like, "white", "light" and "elate",
bringing forth a totally new mood.
evoke
enamored6.
5.
Forms: ejected; ejecting; ejects
Forms: elated; elating; elates
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
enamored
evoke
adj. inspired through love; captivated by someone or
v. to bring out; to summon; to recall to memory; to create
something
new thoughts
He was enamored with the beautiful mountainous
The scenery evoked old memories. A desire that Tony
surroundings.
had never evoked in her floated through her veins like
liquid fire, and she found herself responding eagerly,
wantonly, to his caresses.
Forms: more enamored; most enamored; less enamored; Forms: evoked; evoking; evokes
least enamored
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17
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famish
fallible2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
F1.
F
fallible
famish
adj. likely to error; describing the chance of making a
v. to starve; to endure severe hunger; to starve to death
mistake
His fallible nature is not what the police department is
Famished people exist all over the world. "The hotel bar
looking for.
was closed and we were all famished so it seemed like a
good idea to trek down to the local pub to search out a
few sarnies", says Mike.
Forms: more fallible; most fallible; less fallible; least
Forms: famished; famishing; famishes
fallible
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18
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ghastly
germane2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
G1.
G
germane
ghastly
adj. having an important part of the issue at hand;
adj. frightful (e.g. appearance); unpleasant
pertinent
The germane topic was all they wanted to discuss. If the
The sick man had a ghastly appearance; as if he had
public were schooled to discriminate between the
come straight out of a horror movie.
germane and the irrelevant, the authentic and the phony,
and the reality and the appearance, nine-tenths at least
glib
gigantic4.
3.
of the advertising industry would be out of work.
Forms: more germane; most germane; less germane;
Forms: more ghastly; most ghastly; less ghastly; least
least germane
ghastly
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
gigantic
glib
adj. huge
adj. fluent but insincere; smooth
The whale they had caught was gigantic. The kind of
The politician was glib about his goals he would achieve
non-randomness that we see in living systems, on the
while in office.
other hand, is equivalent to a gigantic combination lock
with an almost uncountable number of dials.
Forms: more gigantic; most gigantic; less gigantic; least
Forms: glibber; glibbest; less glib; least glib
gory
glum6.
5.
gigantic
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
glum
gory
adj. gloomy
adj. bloody; disgusting
The baseball player was glum after the game was
The battlefield was gory in appearance. In my first week
canceled. Try coping with a party of underprivileged
at work there occurred an extremely gory accident at the
schoolchildren from a housing estate in Manchester with
College crossing, a point where the main line of the
a near-hysterical social worker, a ghetto blaster and
railway crosses the motor road to Regina just east of the
some crisp bags to sniff glue, two glum shaven-headed
city.
squaddies with flatulence, and a computer programmer
from Maidstone who wants to tell you about why his
promotion fell through, and then with one eye twitching,
accuses you of having stolen his processed cheese.
gratis
graphic8.
7.
Forms: glummer; glummest; less glum; least glum
Forms: gorier; goriest; less gory; least gory
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19
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G
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
graphic
gratis
adj. vividly realistic
adj. free
The movie was to graphic for small children. The
The service was gratis as it was part of the package deal.
exhibition includes posters borrowed from the Imperial
The closure notice was peremptory and we made the
War Museum in London, and book illustrations, but
most of the fact that a poor, struggling little community
concentrates on the quintessential Expressionist graphic
service radio station, without benefit of commercial
technique, the woodcut.
revenue, serving the southern and central parts of the
province from gratis studios and operated by a
completely voluntary staff, was being victimized by a
powerful political federal body without regard to the
expressed wishes of the people.
Forms: more graphic; most graphic; less graphic; least
grim
grievous10.
9.
graphic
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
grievous
grim
adj. causing sorrow
adj. sternly forbidding (e.g. future)
The telegram was grievous in nature. If the point of
It looked grim for the outnumbered soldiers.
distinguishing murder from manslaughter is to mark out
the most heinous group of killings for the extra stigma of
a murder conviction, it can be argued that the "grievous
bodily harm" rule draws the line too low.
Forms: more grievous; most grievous; less grievous;
Forms: grimmer; grimmest; less grim; least grim
grotesque
gross12.
11.
least grievous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
gross
grotesque
adj. glaringly bad (e.g. injustice)
adj. distorted in appearance; hideous
The drunken truck driver was sued for his gross
The image of the traffic accident was quite grotesque to
negligence of duty.
the passers by. She looked grotesque, a little ridiculous,
with thin clumps of hair sticking out of her mouth as if she
was munching.
Forms: grosser; grossest; less gross; least gross
Forms: more grotesque; most grotesque; less grotesque;
gruesome
grotto14.
13.
least grotesque
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20
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G
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
grotto
gruesome
n. a little cavern; small cave
adj. horrifying; terrible
The natural grotto was just what the kids wanted to find.
The accident scene was quite gruesome; even to the
In spite of the local Comune's siting of a modern
seasoned policemen.
aqueduct through the grounds of the former villa, (leaving
the oddity of a twentieth-century industrial ruin within a
sixteenth-century one) a grotto, three fountain niches with
inscriptions, and a tabernacle formerly frescoed by Allori
all survive.
Forms: plural: grottoes or grottos
Forms: more gruesome; most gruesome; less gruesome;
guttural
gullible16.
15.
least gruesome
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
gullible
guttural
adj. easily fooled; naive
adj. throaty (e.g. sound); harsh
The guy proved to be quite gullible in the area of
Bears make guttural sounds when mad. He sat down and
business. Someone once told him that horse manure in
talked very naturally and freely, with a mixture of the clear
his wellington boots would make him grow taller, but the
gushing accents in his voice, a deep guttural intonation,
boys at school had made fun of him and Mr Sunderland,
and a strong tincture of the northern burr like the crust on
the headmaster, had called him a stupid gullible boy and
wine.
made him scrape his boots and wash them clean in the
outside drain and scrub his feet in hot water and carbolic
soap.
Forms: more gullible; most gullible; less gullible; least
Forms: more guttural; most guttural; less guttural; least
gullible
guttural
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hale
haggard2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
H1.
H
haggard
hale
adj. worn-looking; faded; exhausted
adj. healthy
After staying up all night; the college student looked quite She looked quite hale despite her eighty years of age.
haggard.
Forms: more haggard; most haggard; less haggard; least Forms: haler; halest; less hale; least hale
hardy
haphazard4.
3.
haggard
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
haphazard
hardy
adj. random; chance
adj. resilient; having endurance
He always had a haphazard style one had never seen
Young men have to be hardy to be in the Armed Forces.
him make a plan.
Other than their requirement for clean water, the Siamese
Tigers are quite hardy fish, resilient to most infections -except one.
Forms: more haphazard; most haphazard; less
Forms: hardier; hardiest; less hardy; least hardy
haughty
harsh6.
5.
haphazard; least haphazard
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
harsh
haughty
adj. disagreeably rough; stark
adj. arrogant; overly proud
The boy disliked his father's harsh ways.
He was haughty about his minor achievements which
earned him no friends.
heedless
hectic8.
7.
Forms: harsher; harshest; less harsh; least harsh
Forms: haughtier; haughtiest; less haughty; least haughty
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
hectic
heedless
adj. very busy; feverish
adj. thoughtless; paying little attention
The stock traders' office worked at a hectic pace. He
He was heedless at the best of times. She clutched his
admitted that he thought electors were sick of what
arm at one point, bringing him to a halt in the middle of
seemed like endless campaigning, but for the last two
the pavement, heedless of the passers-by as she pointed
weeks his home has been the headquarters for a hectic
to a tall column at the end of the street.
campaign office.
Forms: more hectic; most hectic; less hectic; least hectic
Forms: more heedless; most heedless; less heedless;
hideous
heinous10.
9.
least heedless
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
heinous
hideous
adj. outrageous (e.g. crime); shocking
adj. extremely ugly; scary
The jury gave him the death penalty for his heinous
He had a hideous scar across his cheek.
homogenous
hilarious12.
11.
crimes.
Forms: more heinous; most heinous; less heinous; least
Forms: more hideous; most hideous; less hideous; least
heinous
hideous
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22
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H
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
hilarious
homogenous
adj. very funny; humorous
adj. of like kind (e.g. group); similar in nature
The man was hilarious at the party. There were the
The birds were all of a homogeneous species. In contrast
boyfriend troubles, the wedding arrangements, the
to the monasteries of the Middle Ages and the Baroque
curtains for the new flat, tales of hilarious drinks parties
period as well as the 1930's concept originally intended
when everyone was "out of their trees", arguments with
for execution the new abbey is not designed as an
girlfriends, mothers-in-law and baby sitters.
enclosed, homogeneous complex.
Forms: more hilarious; most hilarious; less hilarious; least Forms: more homogenous; most homogenous; less
hostile
horrendous14.
13.
hilarious
homogenous; least homogenous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
horrendous
hostile
adj. horrible; dreadful
adj. unfriendly (e.g. unwelcome)
Popping a tire out in the middle of nowhere is often a
The tribe was hostile to all intruders. Many of the animals
horrendous experience.
are hostile to humans: for example, poisonous snakes
humble
humane16.
15.
and fierce mountain cats.
Forms: more horrendous; most horrendous; less
Forms: more hostile; most hostile; less hostile; least
horrendous; least horrendous
hostile
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
humane
humble
adj. merciful
adj. modest; meek
Doctors are said to be a very humane breed of humanity. She was humble when complimented on her
The government has provided the resources in the way of achievements. Since its humble beginnings as a
the allowance and in the way of an administrative service; photocopier distributor working out of a garage, the
voluntary effort has controlled the plan and the policy,
company expanded rapidly and diversified into computers
including the detailed negotiations with manufacturers,
and telecommunications, accumulating 16 subsidiaries
bankers, insurance companies and the like, and all these and spawning foreign subsidiaries in Poland, Bulgaria
bodies have made a generous contribution to a humane
and the Czech and Slovak Republics in the process.
humid
17.
cause of powerful appeal.
Forms: more humane; most humane; less humane; least
Forms: more humble; most humble; less humble; least
humane
humble
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
humid
adj. damp; muggy; wet
It is quite humid during summer in parts of Asia.
Forms: more humid; most humid; less humid; least humid
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23
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immaculate
illicit2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
I1.
I
illicit
immaculate
adj. illegal; unlawful
adj. very tidy; spotlessly clean
She got caught receiving illicit funds and her career is
The apartment was immaculate after the tenants moved
over.
out. Ellie understood this to be an office, because there
were young men in dark blue suits and white shirts, and
young women stenographers in dark blue dresses with
white collars sitting at mahogany desks carefully
checking perfectly arranged papers, or moving silently
across the deeply carpeted floor to file immaculate
folders away in mahogany bureaus.
Forms: more illicit; most illicit; less illicit; least illicit
Forms: more immaculate; most immaculate; less
imminent
immense4.
3.
immaculate; least immaculate
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
immense
imminent
adj. very large; enormous
adj. looming; about to happen (e.g. storm)
The cave was immense in size.
If someone didn't move a crash would be imminent.
Senior policemen have also queued up in numbers to
deliver their judgments against the decline in public
morals, and to warn of the imminent eclipse of the old
imperative
impartial6.
5.
standards and traditions.
Forms: more immense; most immense; less immense;
Forms: more imminent; most imminent; less imminent;
least immense
least imminent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
impartial
imperative
adj. unbiased; neutral; fair
adj. vital; necessary
Newspapers and other types of the media are supposed
It is imperative that a fire be put out in an apartment
to be impartial in their reporting. What you can and must
building immediately. As it becomes increasingly
do, however, is ensure that all the investigators are
unacceptable for the man to remove himself to the
expert in every sense in the techniques of investigation
predominantly adult male preserve of the pub, leaving
and au fait with all aspects of operating modern aircraft,
wife and children at home, it becomes imperative for
particularly the large public transport types, but they must outlets to be found which can cater to the demands of the
also have access to reliable and impartial specialists in
whole family.
impetuous
impertinent8.
7.
the type of aircraft concerned.
Forms: more impartial; most impartial; less impartial;
Forms: more imperative; most imperative; less
least impartial
imperative; least imperative
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24
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
impertinent
impetuous
adj. impolite; cheeky; rude
adj. rash; hasty; acting on impulse
The boy got detention for being impertinent to his
Young men and women are often impetuous in their
teacher. He had met the press at a cocktail party and had decision making. Highly nervous, he rushed into combat
stood there answering impertinent questions with
like a wound-up spring, diving on his foe in the impetuous
disconcerting honesty, a glass of ginger ale in one hand
manner that cost the life of many an inexperienced young
and a canapé in the other; when he could not
aviator.
immediately think of an answer he nibbled the canapé
impromptu
implicit10.
9.
and viewed the questioner with cold button eyes.
Forms: more impertinent; most impertinent; less
Forms: more impetuous; most impetuous; less
impertinent; least impertinent
impetuous; least impetuous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
implicit
impromptu
adj. implied; understood
adj. without any preparation (e.g. remarks); unrehearsed
It was implicit that once he joined the Mafia, he would not He gave a nice impromptu speech at his buddy's
inane
impudent12.
11.
talk about their activities to anyone. Implicit information is wedding. No after action reports seem to have been filed
held in the organizational memory (for example, the
for any of these early raids, which is not surprising
description of office routine) and is rarely recorded or
considering the impromptu nature of their planning and
preserved.
execution.
Forms: more implicit; most implicit; less implicit; least
Forms: more impromptu; most impromptu; less
implicit
impromptu; least impromptu
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
impudent
inane
adj. rudely bold; overly confident
adj. silly; foolish
Their boss made them angry at his impudent manner.
She was known for her inane small talk; so people gave
Underneath his impudent and occasionally violent
her a wide berth at parties.
behavior lay a fundamentally nice, simple, easy-going,
exceptionally warm-hearted character, in whom Minton
took much pleasure.
Forms: more impudent; most impudent; less impudent;
Forms: more inane; most inane; less inane; least inane
incessant
incendiary14.
13.
least impudent
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25
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
incendiary
incessant
adj. causing fire (e.g. bomb); easily combustible
adj. uninterrupted; continuous
It was obviously arson; an incendiary device was found at He let out an incessant stream of bad language at his
the scene. An old car which had been driven across in
underlings.
front of the shooting targets was ideal, so we attached
fifteen kilos of the explosive to it in different places, fixed
up the detonators, trailed fuse wire back several yards
and clipped on the incendiary devices which would
activate the firing process.
Forms: more incendiary; most incendiary; less incendiary; Forms: more incessant; most incessant; less incessant;
incognito
inclement16.
15.
least incendiary
least incessant
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
inclement
incognito
adj. rough (e.g. weather); harsh
adj. with real identity hidden; in disguise
People couldn't wait for the end of the inclement weather. James Bond had to stay incognito so his cover would not
be blown. Incognito, he worked as a ferryman and lived in
Biddick boat-house for over twenty years, when a terrible
flood robbed him of his possessions and his proof of
identification. The gesture conveys gratitude for the
kindness, and allegedly commemorates an emperor who,
curious to taste the life of his common people, stayed
indelible
incoherent18.
17.
incognito at an inn with two companions.
Forms: more inclement; most inclement; less inclement;
Forms: more incognito; most incognito; less incognito;
least inclement
least incognito
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
incoherent
indelible
adj. not clearly connected; showing no patterns
adj. unable to be erased; permanent
The drunk was almost incoherent when he spoke.
You should use an indelible pen to mark clothing. The
strange experiences no doubt left an indelible mark on
the memories of the three electricians who would never
indigent
indifferent20.
19.
forget the malevolent power of that old wooden box.
Forms: more incoherent; most incoherent; less
Forms: more indelible; most indelible; less indelible; least
incoherent; least incoherent
indelible
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indispensable
indignant22.
21.
I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
indifferent
indigent
adj. showing no interest; having no feelings
adj. poor; humble
He was indifferent about buying new dishes. The way in
The population of that country is mostly made up of
which a municipality legislates and the way in which it
indigent farmers. Europe was first to industrialize and
administers the legislation it enacts and conducts itself in
thereby throw up the indigent urban proletariat, who in
relation to activities which it lawfully undertakes cannot
their turn founded the first labour organisations which
but create a municipal reputation, be it good, bad or
spawned Marxism and fascism, both truly European
indifferent.
ideologies.
Forms: more indifferent; most indifferent; less indifferent;
Forms: more indigent; most indigent; less indigent; least
least indifferent
indigent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
indignant
indispensable
adj. very angry, showing strong feelings
adj. absolutely necessary; of importance
She was indignant at the accusations. I was gone for
He was an absolutely indispensable member of the team.
about three hours: scrambling through hedges;
Electricity is an indispensable source of energy which we
rummaging in undergrowth; wrestling with tangled nets;
take for granted in our everyday lives.
and throwing into a box the indignant ferrets, who after all
had done all the work and only wanted to wring the
inept
industrious24.
23.
rabbits' necks.
Forms: more indignant; most indignant; less indignant;
Forms: more indispensable; most indispensable; less
least indignant
indispensable; least indispensable
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
industrious
inept
adj. hard-working; productive
adj. ineffective; not skilled
She had to be industrious to stay with the firm as they
The new worker was fired because he was inept at all
expected 110% effort at all times.
areas of his job.
Forms: more industrious; most industrious; less
Forms: inepter; ineptest; less inept; least inept
infamous
infallible26.
25.
industrious; least industrious
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27
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
infallible
infamous
adj. unable to make a mistake or error
adj. having a bad reputation; well-known for something
A computer's advice is said to be completely infallible. If
The politician was infamous for his gambling and
there were a check, one need not require it to be an
adulterous practices. Chinese ladies used perfume from
infallible one; the fact that we might always be wrong
plants for their hair, the Romans used herbs of all kinds,
about how the original sensation was (a sort of memory
especially lavender, for bathing -- even the ancient
scepticism) is not a part of the argument at all.
Britons used a plant for colouring their skins, the
infamous woad, Isatis tinctoria, whose leaves, made into
infinitesimal
infinite28.
27.
a paste, supplied a blue dye.
Forms: more infallible; most infallible; less infallible; least
Forms: more infamous; most infamous; less infamous;
infallible
least infamous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
infinite
infinitesimal
adj. endless; vast
adj. very small; minute
The universe has infinite possibilities for exploration.
Subatomic particles are infinitesimal compared to atomic
Colors can of course be mixed together for an infinite
particles.
ingenious
inflexible30.
29.
variety of results.
Forms: more infinite; most infinite; less infinite; least
Forms: more infinitesimal; most infinitesimal; less
infinite
infinitesimal; least infinitesimal
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
inflexible
ingenious
adj. unbending; unwilling to compromise
adj. clever; intelligent
She was inflexible about her rules on drinking and
The manager got a raise since he always came up with
driving. In this functional bureaucracy, Ford's top-down
an ingenious solution to problems that arose. Microsoft
management style made decision-making slow and
Corp chairman Bill Gates reportedly came up with an
inflexible with a heavy emphasis on short-term financial
ingenious solution when he was romancing venture
criteria.
capitalist Ann Winblad: observing that the same movies
are usually playing at the same time all over America,
they came up with the Virtual Date -- they'd each go
alone to the same movie at the same time, and discuss it
inherent
ingenuous32.
31.
afterwards on their car phones.
Forms: more inflexible; most inflexible; less inflexible;
Forms: more ingenious; most ingenious; less ingenious;
least inflexible
least ingenious
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28
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
ingenuous
inherent
adj. naturally simple; not complicated
adj. existing in someone or something
Her life on the farm was ingenuous compared to her
Some religions believe in the inherent goodness off all
cousin's in the city. She ran her tongue nervously over
people. A problem inherent in tests to determine the
her lips, tasting the honey-coral lipgloss she'd applied
effect of light on products is that of quantifying the extent
carefully in an effort to banish her image as the
of the exposure that samples have received.
innocuous
innate34.
33.
ingenuous young art student, fresh from college.
Forms: more ingenuous; most ingenuous; less
Forms: more inherent; most inherent; less inherent; least
ingenuous; least ingenuous
inherent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
innate
innocuous
adj. inborn; natural
adj. safe; harmless
Her innate tenacity always made her parents proud.
Some snakes are innocuous while others are deadly.
Forms: more innate; most innate; less innate; least innate Forms: more innocuous; most innocuous; less innocuous;
insolent
insipid36.
35.
least innocuous
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insipid
insolent
adj. uninteresting (e.g. conversation); bland
adj. disrespectful; boldly rude in an abrasive manner
The girl's insipid small talk caused annoyance to the rest
An insolent private can get into a lot of trouble in the
of the group.
Army. Stung by the complete absence of regard for her
the insolent words betrayed, Maria rammed her key into
the lock with violently shaking fingers, anger stoking and
integral
instill38.
37.
stirring a seething cauldron of other emotions.
Forms: more insipid; most insipid; less insipid; least
Forms: more insolent; most insolent; less insolent; least
insipid
insolent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
instill
integral
v. to slowly inject ideas into the mind
adj. essential to the whole; central
She tried to instill honest qualities in her children. No
A good motor is integral when rebuilding a car. It is an
woman can take her personal safety for granted and
integral part of modern culture that it is simply not
every parent must instill into their children the need to be
possible to envisage a model of freedom, including that
vigilant and sensible. Elected or unelected public officials abstraction needed for the achievement of equality, which
can normally maintain and strengthen their support in
would not have as one of its component parts the
society, alter the attitudes of opponents, and neutralize,
tendency towards alienation.
weaken or instill uncertainty amongst their enemies.
Forms: instilled; instilling; instills
Forms: more integral; most integral; less integral; least
intermittent
intensive40.
39.
integral
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29
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
intensive
intermittent
adj. thorough; exhaustingly complete (e.g. study)
adj. sporadic; starting and stopping (e.g. rain)
Nuclear physics is an intensive course of study. Intensive The intermittent snow allowed people to still work
and uncontrolled fishing in Russia's Far Eastern seas
outdoors. Although Britain has been occupied by man for
may soon lead to the total exhaustion of fish stocks,
more than 25,000 years, in a form of intermittent visits
according to the Russian procurator-general's office.
over long periods between glaciations, it is only for the
last 12,000 years or so that the country has been
continuously occupied, with people moving into Britain
intricate
intolerant42.
41.
permanently to exploit what resources were available.
Forms: more intensive; most intensive; less intensive;
Forms: more intermittent; most intermittent; less
least intensive
intermittent; least intermittent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
intolerant
intricate
adj. narrow-minded; unwilling or unable to respect others
adj. delicate; complicated; having many connecting
or their beliefs
factors
He was intolerant of any ideas that conflicted with his
Atomic engines are quite intricate in design.
own. In times of social upheaval we guard against
anything that might make society fragment too
precipitately and dangerously, and we try to take care
irate
invincible44.
43.
that racist or intolerant literature is suppressed.
Forms: more intolerant; most intolerant; less intolerant;
Forms: more intricate; most intricate; less intricate; least
least intolerant
intricate
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
invincible
irate
adj. unable to be conquered; impregnable; unbeatable
adj. extremely angry; having very strong feelings
The castle was invincible to all attempts to conquer it.
He was irate when he wife said she was leaving him for
the postman. A number of previous attempts to penetrate
this male club had been unsuccessful, with the raiding
parties being driven back by irate men.
Forms: more invincible; most invincible; less invincible;
Forms: more irate; most irate; less irate; least irate
irrational
45.
least invincible
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30
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I
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
irrational
adj. unreasonable; illogical; groundless
People can be irrational when they get emotional. The
thread which runs through these sorry tales is that they
are all examples of irrational over-reaction by a
government which is, by the standards of the region,
honest, able and secure.
Forms: more irrational; most irrational; less irrational;
least irrational
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31
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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jubilant
jovial2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
J1.
J
jovial
jubilant
adj. good-humored in a good natured way
adj. joyous; ecstatic
If it weren't for her jovial nature; the rest of the team
He was jubilant when he got a Christmas bonus from
would have been demoralized.
work.
Forms: more jovial; most jovial; less jovial; least jovial
Forms: more jubilant; most jubilant; less jubilant; least
judicious
3.
jubilant
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
judicious
adj. showing good judgment (e.g. decision)
A good leader must be a judicious thinker. A moody
silence descended between brother and sister, and after
a judicious interval, Belinda painted a smile on her face
and joined them, hoping her cheeks were not as flushed
as they felt.
Forms: more judicious; most judicious; less judicious;
least judicious
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32
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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lanky
laborious2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
L1.
L
laborious
lanky
adj. demanding a lot of work; often lengthy
adj. tall and thin
Construction can be a laborious job. Harvesting by simple He was lanky in build until he got out of his teens. The tall
methods, and drying crops on tripods and fences, may
lanky figure of Billy Tolboys was slouched in the comer
seem, at first sight, a wastefully laborious business.
seat by the fire.
Water supply to the fields may be high on the list,
although it is generally possible, if laborious, to carry
water or move stock to it.
Forms: more laborious; most laborious; less laborious;
Forms: lankier; lankiest; less lanky; least lanky
laudable
latent4.
3.
least laborious
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
latent
laudable
adj. hidden (e.g. talent)
adj. worthy of praise
It wasn't until his thirties when the latent talent of being
His efforts toward the mission were laudable. Her
able to sing emerged. What can be seen is that the
determination to succeed and getting what she wants out
attempt to correlate black youth and crime is a latent but
of her career and life makes her a laudable influence.
definite element in the law and order debate.
Forms: more latent; most latent; less latent; least latent
Forms: more laudable; most laudable; less laudable;
lax
lavish6.
legitimate
legible8.
7.
5.
least laudable
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
lavish
lax
adj. extremely generous (e.g. praise)
adj. loose; tolerant or lenient (e.g. discipline)
He was lavish with his money when he won the lottery.
The privates liked Sergeant Wolf because of her lax
Ruth sipped her drink and gazed across at Steve who
leadership style. Women who have had children will know
was happily engrossed in their latest project, a
that their vaginal muscles are slightly more relaxed after
presentation for one of the largest computer software
delivery, but they should remember that many men prefer
companies in the UK, offering their salesmen lavish
space to move in and that sufferers of premature
holidays in lavish Majorca in exchange for lavish rises in
ejaculation will benefit from the more subtle stimulation of
sales.
lax vaginal walls.
Forms: more lavish; most lavish; less lavish; least lavish
Forms: more lax; most lax; less lax; least lax
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
33
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L
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
legible
legitimate
adj. easily read (e.g. print)
adj. lawful (e.g. claim)
His legible handwriting made the job of reading the
Since his claim was legitimate he was eligible for
manuscript quite a bit easier. There is no evidence to
disability pay. We accept that both the Unionist and
show that a particular typeface is generally more legible
Nationalist traditions are valid and legitimate; that
for pupils with visual impairments than any other; it is the
Northern Ireland should remain a part of the UK until the
layout and contrast that require attention.
free consent of the majority of its people is given to
change; that the Republic of Ireland has a legitimate
interest in the future of Northern Ireland; and that a
partnership in government which allows both
communities to participate is the only practical way in
listless
lethal10.
9.
which to make progress.
Forms: more legible; most legible; less legible; least
Forms: more legitimate; most legitimate; less legitimate;
legible
least legitimate
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
lethal
listless
adj. fatal; deadly
adj. lacking in spirit
A car crash at 80 MPH is often lethal for everyone in the
After doing the same minuscule job for a week she was
vehicle.
getting listless. The contrast between the two American
girls was almost painful; Ellen was so healthy and strong,
while the waif-like Robin-Anne was pathetically wan and
listless.
Forms: more lethal; most lethal; less lethal; least lethal
Forms: more listless; most listless; less listless; least
literate
literal12.
11.
listless
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
literal
literate
adj. following the exact words or intended meaning of the adj. educated to the point of being able to read and write
original (e.g. translation)
(e.g. person)
Stenographers take literal recordings of court trials.
American society has the goal of making sure all children
will be literate by the time they are teenagers.
Forms: more literal; most literal; less literal; least literal
Forms: more literate; most literate; less literate; least
loath
livid14.
lofty
15.
13.
literate
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
livid
loath
adj. discolored by a bruise; extremely angry (e.g. flesh)
adj. averse; unwilling; extremely reluctant
He had a livid scar on his forehead that could be seen
He was loath to take out the trash since he knew it would
from a good distance away.
leak on his clothing.
Forms: more livid; most livid; less livid; least livid
Forms: more loath; most loath; less loath; least loath
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34
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L
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
lofty
adj. very high; grand
He sets lofty goals, but doesn't work towards them. We
were taken to the main hall, a long lofty chamber
dominated by a hammer-beamed roof with an oriel
window at one end depicting the Lamb of God carrying a
standard.
Forms: lofty; loftier; loftiest; less lofty; least lofty
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35
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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malicious
majestic2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
M1.
M
majestic
malicious
adj. grandeur; extravagant and luxurious
adj. with harmful intent; spiteful
The majestic castle was more than I expected. Whether
He was malicious during the divorce proceedings. Laws
you choose a chateau hotel or stay in stately homes
used to specify offences such as loitering with intent or
where families take in guests, splendour is the word and
malicious wounding, so that it was up to the prosecutor to
we found it at the majestic Chateau de Noirieux in
prove the evil character of an act that might be more or
Briollay, Anjou.
less culpable. The men, who are claiming damages for
false imprisonment, assault and malicious prosecution,
were arrested in the early hours of the morning by
mammoth
malignant4.
3.
officers of the Operational Support Division.
Forms: majestic; more majestic; most majestic; less
Forms: malicious; more malicious; most malicious; less
majestic; least majestic
malicious; least malicious
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
malignant
mammoth
adj. cancerous or harmful (usually a growth)
adj. very large; huge
The malignant tumor was growing. In humans, malignant
The mammoth structure blocked the sun's rays. They
melanoma -- a cancer of the cells containing skin pigment looked up and the mammoth wave of all time, a titan
among giants, a lumbering dinosaur of a wave, had
-- is a particular hazard of excess sunbathing.
manual
mandatory6.
martial
marine8.
7.
5.
rubbed out the sky.
Forms: malignant; more malignant; most malignant; less
Forms: mammoth; more mammoth; most mammoth; less
malignant; least malignant
mammoth; least mammoth
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
mandatory
manual
adj. expected; required; describing a duty
adj. describing a feat or process performed by hand
Serving in the army is mandatory in some countries. It
Manual cars have gear shifters and clutches in them. In
goes without saying that testing of the urine for glucose
official publications types of manual job are usually
and ketones should be mandatory for all patients
distinguished according to levels of skill, with separate
admitted with infarction and this should be continually
categories being used for the unskilled, semi-skilled and
charted for those found to be diabetic.
skilled manual worker.
Forms: mandatory; more mandatory; most mandatory;
Forms: manual; more manual; most manual; less manual;
less mandatory; least mandatory
least manual
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
36
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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M
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
marine
martial
adj. referring to the ocean or sea
adj. refers to war; warlike
The marine life seemed happy in the aquarium.
Martial arts contain discipline and fighting skills. Staff
Sergeant Michael Tilghman, a security officer at
Bentwaters air base in Suffolk, was convicted at a court
martial of the rape of his British girlfriend against the
conditions of the Visiting Forces Act which states that
cases of murder and rape must be tried by domestic
meager
massive10.
9.
civilian courts.
Forms: marine; more marine; most marine; less marine;
Forms: martial; more martial; most martial; less martial;
least marine
least martial
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
massive
meager
adj. very heavy and large
adj. small in amount; scanty
Two men lifted the massive box. Germany has become
The meager amounts of food were not enough to sustain
increasingly concerned about the danger of importing
them.
inflation through an undervalued currency despite a
massive balance of payments surplus, particularly within
mercenary
menial12.
militant
meticulous14.
13.
11.
the EU.
Forms: massive; more massive; most massive; less
Forms: meager; more meager; most meager; less
massive; least massive
meager; least meager
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
menial
mercenary
adj. low level (usually refers to tasks or positions)
adj. making efforts only for financial advantages or gain
The menial job was all he could do for now.
He was a true mercenary and his employees knew it.
Forms: menial; more menial; most menial; less menial;
Forms: mercenary; more mercenary; most mercenary;
least menial
less mercenary; least mercenary
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
meticulous
militant
adj. detailed work; very careful
adj. aggressive; often very structured
The meticulous work was more than most could handle. I The group was more militant than he expected.
particularly enjoyed long evening discussions with Lance, Culturally, the most militant gangs who beat up
whose meticulous methods and ambitions in
immigrants in the name of the nation belong to the
broadcasting were explained in his book "The Stuff of
international youth culture and reflect its modes and
Radio", which he sent me on his return to London,
fashions, jeans, punk-rock, junk food and all.
mobile
15.
together with a copy of his novel, "The Perfect Witch".
Forms: meticulous; more meticulous; most meticulous;
Forms: militant; more militant; most militant; less militant;
less meticulous; least meticulous
least militant
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
37
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M
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
mobile
adj. having the ability to move; portable
The mobile camper allowed them to comfortably enjoy
the outdoors.
Forms: mobile; more mobile; most mobile; less mobile;
least mobile
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38
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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nocturnal
nimble2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
N1.
N
nimble
nocturnal
adj. moving quickly and easily
adj. having a preference for the evening; of the night
The nimble assassin made no noise as he entered. Some Bats, being nocturnal, are only seen during the day if sick
large firms have demonstrated a preference for female
or injured.
workers, often on the grounds of their supposed nimble
fingers though, in reality, usually because they can be
paid less and are less likely to unionize and form any
nonchalant
nominal4.
3.
opposition to management.
Forms: nimble; more nimble; most nimble; less nimble;
Forms: nocturnal; more nocturnal; most nocturnal; less
least nimble
nocturnal; least nocturnal
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
nominal
nonchalant
adj. describing a small amount paid for a greater service
adj. not excitable; very casual
or value
For a nominal charge, chocolate sauce is available with
The man was nonchalant even after hearing that his
the ice cream. Over the past decade productivity in
brother had died. She begins to describe, in the most
Singapore has risen fast, but not nearly as fast as
nonchalant tone of voice, the variety of hard and soft
nominal wages.
drugs: "I'm beginning to become familiar with them all,
notorious
notable6.
5.
hashish, cannabis, heroin".
Forms: nominal; more nominal; most nominal; less
Forms: nonchalant; more nonchalant; most nonchalant;
nominal; least nominal
less nonchalant; least nonchalant
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
notable
notorious
adj. important; significant meaning
adj. well known in a negative way
The leader of a country is always a notable person.
Billie the Kid is a notorious villain in classic literature.
Forms: notable; more notable; most notable; less notable; Forms: notorious; more notorious; most notorious; less
null
7.
least notable
notorious; least notorious
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
null
adj. having no effect; devoid of effects; void
The man was thrown in jail leaving his employment
contract null and void.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
39
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objective
obese2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
O1.
O
obese
objective
adj. very fat
adj. having no prejudice; impartial; fair
obsolete
oblique4.
3.
Many Americans are becoming obese. You often find, for Newspapers are supposed to be an objective source of
example, that teenage girls who are just slightly
information. It's difficult to be objective about a match that
overweight see themselves as massively obese.
was as one-sided as a two-headed coin.
Forms: obese; more obese; most obese; less obese;
Forms: objective; more objective; most objective; less
least obese
objective; least objective
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
oblique
obsolete
adj. indicated in an indirect way
adj. no longer used; out-of-date
He mentioned in an oblique way that the man may want
Computers made five years ago are quite obsolete now.
to rethink his course of action.
Forms: oblique; more oblique; most oblique; less oblique; Forms: obsolete; more obsolete; most obsolete; less
ominous
obstinate6.
5.
least oblique
obsolete; least obsolete
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
obstinate
ominous
adj. not easy to persuade; stubborn
adj. threatening; often frightening
The man was obstinate about coming in from the rain.
The sky looks very ominous before a tornado. He was
cutting his journey fine and it was only by actually jogging
from Friedrichstrasse, and feeling a fool for doing so,
apart from almost breaking his neck by slipping on the icy
pavement, that he arrived at his office before the ominous
red line was drawn. Nowadays in Hungary, when the
dismantling of red stars -- from public buildings, from
railway engines, and perhaps even from the gravestones
of party members --; has become a minor industry,
opportune
onerous8.
7.
nobody worries about ominous knocks on the door.
Forms: obstinate; more obstinate; most obstinate; less
Forms: ominous; more ominous; most ominous; less
obstinate; least obstinate
ominous; least ominous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
40
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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O
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
onerous
opportune
adj. extra work; burdensome
adj. referring to good timing; timely
Formatting text can be an onerous experience.
The money came in at an opportune time. Now that
updated guidelines on the prevention of infection in the
mortuary and post-mortem rooms are available, it would
seem an opportune time to review local current
arrangements, and if necessary, take appropriate action
that will demonstrate a true commitment to staff safety
ornate
opulent10.
9.
and welfare.
Forms: onerous; more onerous; most onerous; less
Forms: opportune; more opportune; most opportune; less
onerous; least onerous
opportune; least opportune
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
opulent
ornate
adj. describing riches; wealthy
adj. elaborate; often referring to decorations
His bedroom was quite opulent in its furnishings. Life on
The vase had many ornate details about it. It seemed to
board these opulent ships was claimed by one tourist to
Maggie that the whole place was almost hanging in the
be "the perfection of human existence": electric light,
air because it seemed impossible that such slender
carpets, libraries, ladies' saloons, gleaming brass, and
columns could hold such intricate, lacy arches and ornate
white-robed servants with red tarbooshes to provide
ceilings.
excellent service.
Forms: opulent; more opulent; most opulent; less opulent; Forms: ornate; more ornate; most ornate; less ornate;
ostensible
orthodox12.
11.
least opulent
least ornate
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
orthodox
ostensible
adj. describing rules and beliefs which are approved,
adj. very clear; apparent
especially by religion
The policeman followed the book in a very orthodox
It was ostensible to see that the proposition was a scam.
manner.
The sad fact is that although the ostensible reason for the
dolphin kills was that dolphins were stealing and eating
the commercial fish species, examination of their
stomach contents showed that only the false killer whales
overt
outright14.
13.
were actually feeding on yellowtail.
Forms: orthodox; more orthodox; most orthodox; less
Forms: ostensible; more ostensible; most ostensible; less
orthodox; least orthodox
ostensible; least ostensible
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41
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O
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
outright
overt
adj. thorough; complete
adj. not hiding anything; open
He was always outright with his information.
He conducted his campaign in an overt manner
whenever possible. Treatment of parental mental
illnesses may also be seen as potential preventive
approaches for childhood disturbance, as can efforts to
help disadvantaged families find ways of resolving their
multiple problems, and strategies to reduce overt marital
discord.
Forms: outright; more outright; most outright; less
Forms: overt; more overt; most overt; less overt; least
outright; least outright
overt
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42
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paramount
paltry2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
P1.
P
paltry
paramount
adj. insignificant; referring to a small amount
adj. chief; highly important
He looked in his satchel and saw what food he had was
The mission was of paramount importance to the good of
in paltry amounts. Despite the huge number of potential
Bulgaria.
customers (just short of a million) and the fact that all
copies of Gudok were delivered free on the railways, the
patent
passive4.
3.
circulation was a paltry 30,000 in June.
Forms: paltry; more paltry; most paltry; less paltry; least
Forms: paramount; more paramount; most paramount;
paltry
less paramount; least paramount
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passive
patent
adj. not active; usually not aggressive
adj. very easy to see; obvious
He is more passive than his brother. Behavioural
It was a patent attempt of extortion from his work. The
precursors of schizophrenia included a poor emotional
right coronary artery is a little irregular and not quite
rapport in the psychiatric interview, and parental
normal, but it is certainly patent and no surgeon would
observations that he or she had been a passive baby,
operate if shown that picture.
with a short attention span in childhood, and often
impolite behaviour, while school reports often noted that
the child was isolated, uneasy about criticism, easily
pedestrian
pathetic6.
penitent
peevish8.
7.
5.
upset, and disturbed the class.
Forms: passive; more passive; most passive; less
Forms: patent; more patent; most patent; less patent;
passive; least passive
least patent
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pathetic
pedestrian
adj. sad-looking; pitiful
adj. lacking ideas; unimaginative
The boy looked pathetic standing in the rain with no
His pedestrian views on sales would not get him far in the
umbrella.
firm.
Forms: pathetic; more pathetic; most pathetic; less
Forms: pedestrian; more pedestrian; most pedestrian;
pathetic; least pathetic
less pathetic; least pathetic
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peevish
penitent
adj. annoyed; irritable
adj. to show remorse; repentant
He was peevish to his employees after being called into
One must appear to be penitent when one goes to court if
his boss's office. The remark had been intended to put
he or she is obviously guilty.
him in his place, but it had come out sounding peevish
and sensitive, as though she actually gave a damn about
perennial
pensive10.
9.
what he thought of her.
Forms: peevish; more peevish; most peevish; less
Forms: penitent; more penitent; most penitent; less
peevish; least peevish
penitent; least penitent
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43
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P
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
pensive
perennial
adj. thinking of others; thoughtful
adj. long time effects; lasts for a longer period of time
The pensive man always sent his daughter a birthday
The perennial stream was a great source of fish for the
card early. While indulging his melancholy thoughts he
local tribe.
had taken care to position himself in a nobly pensive
attitude, with the candle at his side lending a glistening
pertinent
perilous12.
picayune
petty14.
13.
11.
aureole to his dark profile.
Forms: pensive; more pensive; most pensive; less
Forms: perennial; more perennial; most perennial; less
pensive; least pensive
perennial; least perennial
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perilous
pertinent
adj. describing a high level of danger
adj. of importance; relevant
The path was quite perilous, the loose soil could send
Lawyers are trained to only relay pertinent information to
you to your death easily.
the courtroom.
Forms: perilous; more perilous; most perilous; less
Forms: pertinent; more pertinent; most pertinent; less
perilous; least perilous
pertinent; least pertinent
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petty
picayune
adj. small or of no importance
adj. not important; petty
The man received one year in jail for petty theft. The
The picayune complaint did little to enhance his
disagreements between Charman and Allison were
popularity at the firm.
amplified in the airtight atmosphere of the studio, but they
placid
pious16.
15.
were always petty and did not run to bitterness.
Forms: petty; more petty; most petty; less petty; least
Forms: picayune; more picayune; most picayune; less
petty
picayune; least picayune
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pious
placid
adj. very religious; devout
adj. still and calm
One would hope that a pastor of a church would have a
The placid sky made the day great for a game of soccer.
pious disposition. In early sixteenth-century London it
Admittedly, this was a placid residential district, but there
pliable
plausible18.
17.
was customary for the most pious lay people to rush from should be some exterior noise: occasional traffic, water
church to church in order to be present at as many
dripping from the eaves, distant carol singers, murmuring
elevations of the host as possible in a single day.
electrical appliances.
Forms: pious; more pious; most pious; less pious; least
Forms: placid; more placid; most placid; less placid; least
pious
placid
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44
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P
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
plausible
pliable
adj. seeming to be the truth; apparently true
adj. movable; flexible
pompous
poignant20.
posthumous
portable22.
21.
19.
Since he had a plausible excuse, his wife did not get mad The pliable clay was great for sculpture art. Linen, when
for his being late for the party. The government gave a
new, had a certain quantity of starch applied, thereby
series of reasons for its decision, some of them more
making it slightly stiff whilst remaining pliable; wrapped in
plausible than others; but the main aim seemed to be to
such material a body would be given a neat, crisp
acquire cash or foreign credit for the rehabilitation of its
appearance and presentable for viewing, the shroud
industries.
being drawn away from the features for this purpose.
Forms: plausible; more plausible; most plausible; less
Forms: pliable; more pliable; most pliable; less pliable;
plausible; least plausible
least pliable
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poignant
pompous
adj. keen to the senses and emotions
adj. to think highly of oneself; self-important
The poignant smell of skunk made everyone want to get
The pompous senator quickly annoyed the crowd he was
out of the car as soon as possible.
speaking to.
Forms: poignant; more poignant; most poignant; less
Forms: pompous; more pompous; most pompous; less
poignant; least poignant
pompous; least pompous
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
portable
posthumous
adj. movable and capable of being carried
adj. describing actions after a person's death
Minidisk players are portable and don't skip; making them The posthumous medal was awarded to the man's wife
great for use in exercising.
for valor in war. The sister of Derek Bentley, executed for
his alleged role in the killing of a policeman forty years
ago, has been given leave to take court action to secure
a posthumous pardon.
Forms: portable; more portable; most portable; less
potential
potent24.
pragmatic
practicable26.
25.
23.
portable; least portable
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potent
potential
adj. strong; powerful
adj. high possibility
The potent brew had the cowboys drunk after a very
He had the potential at one time to be the best anyone
short time had passed.
had ever seen.
Forms: potent; more potent; most potent; less potent;
Forms: potential; more potential; most potential; less
least potent
potential; least potential
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45
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P
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
practicable
pragmatic
adj. capable of doing something; describing something
adj. realistic; practical
that can be done
The idea was practicable, so they began work the very
The woman looked only for pragmatic solutions that
next day. When it comes to sharing development and
gained her respect from her colleagues. Successive
production with our European partners, we have the
generations of politicians, civil servants, judges and
common aims of all middle powers: protecting our own
philosophers reared on a meagre intellectual diet of
national armament industries; and preserving the
pragmatic utilitarianism and positivism had firmly rejected
greatest practicable measure of military independence.
these ideas as a basis for ensuring constitutional
precise
precarious28.
27.
government and citizens' rights.
Forms: practicable; more practicable; most practicable;
Forms: pragmatic; more pragmatic; most pragmatic; less
less practicable; least practicable
pragmatic; least pragmatic
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precarious
precise
adj. possible danger; risky
adj. detailed; exact
The precarious bridge had already claimed two peoples'
One has to be precise when installing explosives in
lives that year.
buildings. As a concise and precise international
language like that longed for by the natural philosophers
of the seventeenth century, where symbols would stand
for things and not words, engineering drawing was
predominate
precocious30.
29.
valuable in opening machinery to scientific study.
Forms: precarious; more precarious; most precarious;
Forms: precise; more precise; most precise; less precise;
less precarious; least precarious
least precise
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precocious
predominate
adj. advanced to a higher level than expected
adj. leading; prevailing
Tommy was quite a precocious child; he could read at the The predominate party was now in power for four years.
prevalent
preposterous32.
31.
age of four.
Forms: precocious; more precocious; most precocious;
Forms: predominate; more predominate; most
less precocious; least precocious
predominate; less predominate; least predominate
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46
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P
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
preposterous
prevalent
adj. very silly; ridiculous
adj. broad and widespread
The plan was so preposterous that the board would not
The prevalent theory of black holes and their existence
bother discussing it. Now Freud, in trying to the explain
was finally proved last month. Since the introduction of
the origins of ambivalence about incest, suggests the
computer-based indexing systems, alphabetical indexing
apparently preposterous and farfetched idea, that in the
languages have become more prevalent and UDC has
beginning, human beings lived in these kinds of primal
suffered a reduction in use.
prime
primary34.
33.
hoards, and er, there was no incest prohibition as such.
Forms: preposterous; more preposterous; most
Forms: prevalent; more prevalent; most prevalent; less
preposterous; less preposterous; least preposterous
prevalent; least prevalent
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
primary
prime
adj. referring to the base level; fundamental; main
adj. top in importance or quality; first
The primary source of diamonds in the world is Africa.
The prime choice in steak is filet mignon. He disliked the
This is because the mouth is a primary erotic zone of the
way clubs were compelled to concern themselves with
body, and dentistry can trigger off hidden memories of
points at the cost of skill, the restrictions imposed on
sexual abuse.
development of young players by the prime importance of
the first team, and the premature blooding of young
prior
primitive36.
35.
players in the first team.
Forms: primary; more primary; most primary; less
Forms: prime; more prime; most prime; less prime; least
primary; least primary
prime
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
primitive
prior
adj. not civilized; crude
adj. previous; before
Racism is considered primitive thinking.
She couldn't make the date because she remembered
that she had a prior engagement. Prior to the nineteenth
century children were dressed as miniature adults,
complete with all the external manifestations of
masculinity and femininity; exposed to the social aspects
of adult sexuality earlier than modern children, they
probably had much less difficulty in coping with their own
biological changes.
Forms: primitive; more primitive; most primitive; less
Forms: prior; more prior; most prior; less prior; least prior
proficient
prodigious38.
37.
primitive; least primitive
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47
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P
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
prodigious
proficient
adj. describing a very large size or amount
adj. skilled and effective
There is a prodigious amount of undiscovered species of
She was found to be quite proficient in her law career.
insects in this world.
Forms: prodigious; more prodigious; most prodigious;
Forms: proficient; more proficient; most proficient; less
less prodigious; least prodigious
proficient; least proficient
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48
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singular
simultaneous2.
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
S1.
S
simultaneous
singular
adj. taking place at the same time
adj. hard to believe; strange; remarkable
Lightning and the crash of thunder seems simultaneous
His singular take on the issue left no room for discussion.
but is not. A simultaneous thinning and shrinking of the
In his social criticism Eliot assumes an idea of England
sea ice lessens its albedo, or reflectivity, thereby allowing which never existed and proposes an England which
could not exist: in the same way, his own vision of the
the oceans to absorb more heat from the sun.
world was too singular for him to be able to invest his
social dramas with the emblematic or representative
significance to which he aspired.
Forms: singular; more singular; most singular; less
skeptical
sinister4.
3.
singular; least singular
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
sinister
skeptical
adj. threatening and referring to evil and darkness
adj. not believing in something; showing doubt
The best horror movies include an actor that actually
She was skeptical of his alibi but decided to say nothing
looks sinister. We, the democracies, will still be faced by
until later.
totalitarianism, in a form less clumsy but no less
aggressive, and even more sinister in its ruthless
sleek
slack6.
5.
unexhausted might.
Forms: sinister; more sinister; most sinister; less sinister;
Forms: skeptical; more skeptical; most skeptical; less
least sinister
skeptical; least skeptical
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slack
sleek
adj. not busy; loose
adj. often shiny; smooth and glossy
There was slack time every Monday; so he knew Monday The new Ford Mustang has a nice sleek look to it.
would be an easy day at work. The public spectacle of
culture, the adoption of culture by the media, the
standardization of culture, the cultural discourse, cultural
self-satisfaction, a slack cultural conformism, the
recuperation of culture never has so much apparently
been done for culture, never have the results (another
word that deserves some elaboration) been so
slovenly
slender8.
7.
disappointing.
Forms: slack; more slack; most slack; less slack; least
Forms: sleek; more sleek; most sleek; less sleek; least
slack
sleek
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49
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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S
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
slender
slovenly
adj. small in size or amount
adj. unkempt; not clean and untidy
Her slender waist and striking face got her many looks
Bachelors have a stereotype for having slovenly
from the college football team.
dwellings. He was dull, untidy in his books, arrogant and
morose, with slovenly characteristics that hardly
endeared him to his perfectionist mother.
Forms: slender; more slender; most slender; less slender; Forms: slovenly; more slovenly; most slovenly; less
smug
sluggish10.
9.
least slender
slovenly; least slovenly
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
sluggish
smug
adj. slow moving
adj. happy with oneself; self-satisfied
Tanner felt sluggish when he woke up and decided to
She had a smug look on her face when he admitted that
make coffee.
he was wrong. If you want the whole rumbustious,
arrogant, self-satisfied, smug, righteous, courageous,
opinionated, dedicated, class-ridden, adventure-seeking,
patriotic life of an era in full technicolour, you can do no
sober
snug12.
solitary
solemn14.
13.
11.
better than collect Victorian bindings.
Forms: sluggish; more sluggish; most sluggish; less
Forms: smug; more smug; most smug; less smug; least
sluggish; least sluggish
smug
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
snug
sober
adj. feeling comfortable
adj. serious
The pants were her favorite due to their snug fit and
His wife's typical smiling face held a sober look and he
atypical color.
wondered what she had heard on the telephone.
Forms: snug; more snug; most snug; less snug; least
Forms: sober; more sober; most sober; less sober; least
snug
sober
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
solemn
solitary
adj. grave; mournful
adj. alone; lonely
The solemn funeral left no one with dry eyes. He
His self-enforced solitary lifestyle made people think of
hesitated before her a moment, and then he took her
him as strange. In his survey of all incidents involving a
hands and bent his head, and gave her the solemn kiss
solitary offender recorded by the police as rapes or
of kinship; and before she could draw breath and touch
attempted rapes between 2007 and 2011 in six English
her astonished fingers to her lips, he was out of the
counties, he found that 204 men were arrested for rape
paddock and away across the clearing into the trees.
or attempted rape.
Forms: solemn; more solemn; most solemn; less solemn; Forms: solitary; more solitary; most solitary; less solitary;
sophisticated
somber16.
15.
least solemn
least solitary
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50
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S
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
somber
sophisticated
adj. gloomy and dark
adj. cultured; wise about the world
The song had a somber, mournful tone that touched
The gentlemen looked quite sophisticated in their new
many people in the audience.
suits at the wedding. Because of the increasing use of
complex machinery and sophisticated farming methods,
many of those engaged in agriculture require managerial
and supervisory skills and it is to this area of provision
that the agricultural colleges should be turning in the next
sparse
sordid18.
17.
few years.
Forms: somber; more somber; most somber; less
Forms: sophisticated; more sophisticated; most
somber; least somber
sophisticated; less sophisticated; least sophisticated
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
sordid
sparse
adj. wretched; often referring to terrible conditions
adj. scattered thin or small amounts
To some people, rock stars are stereotypically sordid
The sparse shade offered no respite from the heat. The
characters. Yet, considering the sordid life to which the
European settlers gradually increased in numbers and
modern underclass is committed, and especially when
additionally brought over slaves from the Guinea Coast
their life is compared with that of the contented majority, it thus bringing pressure to bear on the already sparse
is an occasion for wonder that the discontent and its
natural vegetation.
more violent and aggressive manifestations are not
spiritual
spirited20.
19.
greater than they are.
Forms: sordid; more sordid; most sordid; less sordid;
Forms: sparse; more sparse; most sparse; less sparse;
least sordid
least sparse
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
spirited
spiritual
adj. joyous and lively
adj. referring to the soul; having no body, form, or
substance
She was a spirited individual that constantly helped the
The pastor was there for spiritual matters, he tried to help
moral of her teammates.
with other things but was not adept at it.
Forms: spirited; more spirited; most spirited; less spirited; Forms: spiritual; more spiritual; most spiritual; less
sporadic
spontaneous22.
21.
least spirited
spiritual; least spiritual
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51
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S
300 ASVAB Vocabulary Words
spontaneous
sporadic
adj. happening due to a natural reason; no planning
adj. irregular; occasional; infrequent
He liked her spontaneous nature as he was never bored
It rained in a sporadic fashion all evening and into the
around her. It is from the chaos of spontaneous
next day. Maria's husband finds whatever work he can,
analogizing that creativity breaks into the ordered by
his income is at best, sporadic, so the couple frequently
closed realm of analytic thinking.
relies on her meagre income to feed and clothe 8 year
staccato
spry24.
23.
old Luis and 9 year old Eveline.
Forms: spontaneous; more spontaneous; most
Forms: sporadic; more sporadic; most sporadic; less
spontaneous; less spontaneous; least spontaneous
sporadic; least sporadic
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
spry
staccato
adj. moving easily; nimble
adj. describing the breaks between successive sounds
He was amazingly spry for an eighty-year-old man.
The staccato gunfire was present every night in their
neighborhood. Gleaming French cars nosed along the
cluttered roadway bearing corpulent Chinese and their
bejewelled wives or concubines in their curtained
interiors, and the staccato, unmelodious babble of the
Cantonese dialect had entirely replaced the softer,
sibilant tones of the Annamese language.
stalwart
stagnant26.
25.
Forms: spry; more spry; most spry; less spry; least spry
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
stagnant
stalwart
adj. unclean due to a lack of movement
adj. strong and robust
Stagnant water is a home to many kinds of bacteria.
The stalwart captain marched with his troops for two
straight days.
Forms: stagnant; more stagnant; most stagnant; less
Forms: stalwart; more stalwart; most stalwart; less
stagnant; least stagnant
stalwart; least stalwart
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52
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