106. ZEALOUS
adj. <ZELL-us>
106. ZEALOUS
filled with or motivated by enthusiastic devotion
Gar>' was a zealous vocabulary lover; he studied his box for three
hours a night and talked about vocab with everyone he met.
X-treme Intensity!
zealous (106), fervent (250), ardor (253), impassioned (270),
galvanize (332)
Word Alert: A zealot is a zealous person.
Zeal (rhymes with "seal") is enthusiasm.
107. RECONCILE
v. <REH-kuhn-sahyl>
107. RECONCILE
to reestablish a close relationship between
Scott wants to reconcile his differences with John and go back to
being good friends.
Word Alert: Reconciliation is the act of reconciling.
Word Alert: Reconcile has the same root as conciliate (M°).
108. EXPLOIT
v. <ek-SPLOIT>
108. EXPLOIT
to use fully or take advantage of
Bob is an expert strategist; he always exploits his enemy's
vulnerabilities.
109. SOMBER
109. SOMBER
gloomy*;
serious or grave
adj. <SOM-ber>
News of his mother's injuries put Bob in a somber mood.
Serious Business
solemn (81), somber (109), earnest (190)
110. DEBUNK
v. <dih-BUHNK>
110. DEBUNK
to disprove or expose as false
No matter how many people debunk them, urban legends
continue to be told as if they were true.
Synonyms: refute (59), repudiate (267)
111. A D E P T
111. ADEPT
very skilled
adj. <uh-DEPT>
Bob is an adept player; he is his team's MVP every year.
Synonyms: adroit (156)
112. REPROACH
v. <ri-PROHCH>
112. REPROACH
to criticize or express disappointment
The teacher reproached me after she discovered that 1 had been
cheating.
Thumbs Down
admonish (86), reproach (112), censure (213), scathing (441),
rebuke (457), berate (486)
Word Alert: Reproach can also be a noun meaning an act of criticism or
blame.
113. EXASPERATE
113. EXASPERATE
to anger or irritate
v. <ig-ZAS-puh-rayt>
Amy was exasperated by John; why won't he just leave her
alone?
Synonyms: grate (423)
114. REMINISCE
v. <re-mi-NISS>
114. REMINISCE
to recollect and talk about the past
My father, full of nostalgia, loves to reminisce about how he met
my mother.
Word Alert: Reminiscence is the act of reminiscing. Something that is
reminiscent causes reminiscence.
115. DIVERGENT
adj. <di-VUR-juhnt>
115. DIVERGENT
differing from another; drawing apart from a
common point
The twins' lives followed divergent paths, with one becoming a
doctor and the other becoming a drunken fool.
Word Alert: To diverge is to become divergent.
Word Alert: If the prefix con- means together, what would convergent
mean?
116. DESPAIR
«. <di-SPAIR>
116. DESPAIR
a complete loss of hope
John felt deep despair once he realized that Amy would never
come back to him.
Cry Baby
melancholy (50), lament (51), despair (116), morose (284),
despondent (443)
Word Alert: Despair can also be a verb meaning to lose hope.
117. CONDESCEND
v. <con-duh-SEND>
117. CONDESCEND
to deal with people in a superior manner
Don't take that condescending tone with me; you're no better
than 1 am.
Cocky
el itist (47), pretentious (52), condescend (117), grandiose (150),
bombastic (155), patronize (356), pompous (452), haughty (463)
118. DEBILITATE
118. DEBILITATE
to weaken
v. <di-BlL-i-tayt>
After suffering a debilitating injury, the athlete could not go on.
Synonyms: enervate (400)
119. CONCILIATE
v. <kuhn-SIL-ee-ate>
119. CONCILIATE
to bring peace, to reconcile
The president helped conciliate the strained relationship between
the two warring nations.
Word Alert: Conciliate has the same root as reconcile (107).
120. INGENUOUS
adj. <in-JEN-yoo-uhs>
120. INGENUOUS
innocent, honest and straightforward
The ingenuous child gave a simple and honest answer.
Synonyms: candid (124), forthright (417)
Word Alert: If the prefix dis- means not, what would disingenuous mean?