JUNIOR VOCABULARY LIST – SECOND SEMESTER
Lesson One
1.
Laconic (adj.) – marked by the use of few words to convey much information
Synonyms: curt, terse, succinct
Antonyms: circuitous, prolix, verbose, windy
Sentence: Many of the characters portrayed by Clint Eastwood are laconic types:
strong men of few words.
2.
Languor (n.) – physical or mental inertness
Synonyms: lassitude, listlessness, torpor
Antonyms: vigor, vim, vitality, vivacity
Sentence: Her friends tried to overcome the languor into which Jana had fallen by
taking her to parities and to nights out on the town.
3.
Largess (n.) – something given to someone without expectation of a return
Synonyms: bestowal, donation, beneficence
Antonyms: loan, peace-offering, advance
Sentence: Carlos was a philanthropist known for his largess to the city’s public parks
and museums.
4.
Lassitude (n.) – a complete depletion of energy or strength
Synonyms: burnout, weariness, collapse
Antonyms: refreshment, rejuvenation
Sentence: As his illness progressed, Larry’s days were marked increasingly by
lassitude and isolation from the outside world.
5.
Laudatory (adj.) – expressing praise; admiring, praising
Synonyms: flattering, approving
Antonyms: blaming, critical, castigating
Sentence: Centennial celebrations of songwriters and performers tend to be
laudatory.
6.
Lethargic (adj.) – sluggish, weary, apathetic
Synonyms: indolent, somnambulant, sedentary, apathetic
Antonyms: active, dynamic, vigorous
Sentence: The stuffy room made her lethargic and sleepy.
7.
Libel (n.) – a statement that gives an unjust or unfavorable representation of a person or thing
Synonyms: calumny, smearing, traducing, vilifying, vilification
Antonyms: acclaim, accolade, flattery, adoration
Sentence: Frank filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Times, claiming they printed
untrue and libelous statements about him.
8.
Limber (adj.) – bending or flexing readily, pliable
Synonyms: flexible, lissome, lithe, pliant, supple
Antonyms: inflexible, rigid, stiff, stiffened
Sentence: He shaped the canoe out of limber pieces of timber that could easily bend
around the frame.
9.
Linchpin (n.) – something that holds separate things together; chief support
Synonyms: anchor, backbone, brace, bulwark, buttress
Antonyms: none
Sentence: The linchpin in the district attorney’s case was a photograph showing the
defendant shaking hands with the hired killer.
10.
Listless (adj.) – characterized by lack of interest, energy, or spirit
Synonyms: enervated, lackadaisical, languishing
Antonyms: animated, energetic, enterprising
Sentence: We had expected him to be full of enthusiasm and were surprised by his
listless attitude.
11.
Lithe (adj.) – able to bend easily without breaking; moving easily; having a noticeably small
amount of body fat
Synonyms: limber, lissome, pliable, agile, nimble, graceful
Antonyms: inflexible, awkward, gawky, rigid
Sentence: Figure skaters are known for their lithe frames and their graceful
movements.
12.
Loquacious (adj.) – fond of talking or conversation
Synonyms: talkative, chatty, garrulous
Antonyms: laconic, reticent, taciturn
Sentence: Though many teenagers are reticent around their parents, put them in a
group of other teenagers and it won’t take long for them to be loquacious.
13.
Luminescence (n.) – light from non-thermal sources
Synonyms: fluorescence, glare, gleam, incandescence, radiance
Antonyms: darkness, gloom, shadow
Sentence: We would see inside the cave even without a flashlight because of the
luminescence coming from some of the fungus on the walls.
14.
Machination (n.) – secret plans for accomplishing evil or unlawful ends
Synonyms: conspiracy, design, intrigue, scheme
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Fortunately, Batman saw through the wily machinations of the Riddler and
saved Gotham City from destruction.
15.
Malaise (n.) – vague feeling of discomfort or depression
Synonyms: anxiety, debility, disquiet, distress, doldrums, infirmness
Antonyms: healthiness, well-being
Sentence: Feeling slightly queasy before going onstage, Carol realized that this touch
of malaise was merely stage fright.
Lesson Two
16.
Malfeasance (n.) – improper or illegal behavior
Synonyms: misdoing, wrongdoing, transgression, impropriety, blunder, malpractice
Antonyms: decency, truthfulness
Sentence: The authorities did not discover the campaign manager’s malfeasance until
after he had spent most of the money he had embezzled.
17.
Malleable (adj.) – easily shaped or formed
Synonyms: pliable, ductile, adaptable, pliant, tractable
Antonyms: firm, rigid, stiff
Sentence: Fagin hoped Oliver was a malleable lad, easily shaped into a thief.
18.
Manifest (v.) – to show clearly, clear, obvious
Synonyms: apparent, conspicuous, distinct, unambiguous
Antonyms: concealed, obscure, unclear, vague
Sentence: Digby’s embarrassment when he met Madonna was manifest: his ears
turned bright pink, he kept scuffling one shoe in the dirt, and he couldn’t
look her in the eye.
19.
Masticate (v.) – to chew
Synonyms: chomp, crunch, gnash, grind, knead
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Joe mindlessly masticated peanuts and potato chips while watching a
baseball game on TV.
20.
Mawkish (adj.) – appealing to the emotions in an obvious and tiresome way
Synonyms: sentimental, emotional, cloying, maudlin, nauseating
Antonyms: calm, serious, unemotional
Sentence: In order for a romantic comedy to reach a wider audience, it cannot be too
mawkish; if it is, many viewers will be turned off by all of the ‘mushiness.’
21.
Mellifluous (adj.) – having a pleasantly flowing quality suggestive of music; sweetly or
smoothly flowing
Synonyms: melodious, euphonious, musical, dulcet, sweet
Antonyms: grating, staccato, discordant, strident, dissonant
Sentence: The young country music singer’s voice is mellifluous and folksy, his
cadence slow and thoughtful.
22.
Mendacious (adj.) – telling or containing lies
Synonyms: deceitful, deceptive, duplicitous, fallacious, perfidious, spurious
Antonyms: frank, honest, sincere, truthful
Sentence: Distrusting Huck from the start, Miss Watson assumed he was mendacious
and refused to believe a word he said.
23.
Mercenary (n./adj.) – (n.) a person who takes risks; soldier paid for hire (adj.) intended for
financial gain
Synonyms: explorer, opportunist, speculator; pecuniary, profit-making, venal
Antonyms: not-for-profit
Sentence: Andy’s every act was prompted by mercenary motives: his first question
was always “What’s in it for me?”
24.
Misogyny (n.) – hatred of women
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: misandry (hatred of men)
Sentence: Unfortunately, in the past twenty years there has been a marked increase in
explicit violence and misogyny in popular music.
25.
Misanthrope (n.) – a person who hates others
Synonyms: cynic, egoist, recluse
Antonyms: humanitarian, philanthropist
Sentence: In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift portrays an image of humanity as vile,
degraded beasts; for this reason, various critics consider him a misanthrope.
26.
Miserly (adj.) – greedy, stingy
Synonyms: abject, avaricious, churlish, covetous
Antonyms: generous, giving, liberal
Sentence: Transformed by his vision on Christmas Eve, mean old Scrooge ceased
being miserly and became a generous, kind old man.
27.
Modicum (n.) – the smallest amount or part imaginable
Synonyms: bit, dash, fragment, scrap, trifle
Antonyms: lot
Sentence: Although his story is based on a modicum of truth, most of the events he
describes are fictitious.
28.
Mores (n.) – conventions, moral standards, customs
Synonyms: etiquette, manners, formalities, rites, rituals
Antonyms: none
Sentence: In America, Benazir Bhutto dressed as Western women did; in Pakistan,
however, she followed the mores of her people, dressing in traditional veil
and robes.
29.
Moribund (adj.) – nearly dead; having passed its time of use or usefulness
Synonyms: dying, doomed, expiring, fading, passing, perishing
Antonyms: creating, developing, growing, living
Sentence: Hearst took a moribund, failing weekly newspaper and transformed it into
one of the liveliest, most profitable daily papers around.
30.
Munificent (adj.) – generous, benevolent
Synonyms: beneficent, bountiful, charitable, magnanimous
Antonyms: greedy, stingy, selfish
Sentence: Shamelessly fawning over a particularly generous donor, the dean kept on
referring to her as “our munificent benefactor.”
Lesson Three
31.
Myopic (adj.) – able only to see things near at hand; short-sighted
Synonyms: biased, blind, near-sighted, astigmatic
Antonyms: far-sighted, wise, prudent, thoughtful
Sentence: Unbelievably, the urban planners were myopic in their designs for the city,
not leaving any room for additional growth.
32.
Nascent (adj.) – incipient; coming into being
Synonyms: budding, inceptive, inchoate
Antonyms: adult, mature, ripe
Sentence: With his charged weekly editorials and rousing public speeches, Kareem
quickly became one of the leading figures in the nascent civil-rights
movement.
33.
Nebulous (adj.) – having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning; not seen or
understood clearly
Synonyms: ambiguous, arcane, cryptic, enigmatic, opaque
Antonyms: accessible, clear, obvious, plain
Sentence: The school board chair kept making nebulous reference to some major
changes the future may hold, but had no concrete examples of upcoming
alterations.
34.
Neologism (n.) – a new or recently coined word or phrase
Synonyms: coinage
Antonyms: none
Sentence: As we invent new technologies and professions, we must also invent
neologisms such as ‘smart phones’ and ‘bloggers.’
35.
Nominal (adj.) – being something in name or form only; so small or unimportant as to
warrant little or no attention
Synonyms: alleged, apparent, pretended, titular
Antonyms: actual, real, true
Sentence: Although he liked to tell everyone that he played a significant role in the
committee’s decisions, his role was actually nominal.
36.
Nonplus (v.) – to throw into a state of self-conscious distress
Synonyms: astonish, astound, baffle, dismay, bewilder
Antonyms: enlighten, explain
Sentence: Jack’s uncharacteristic rudeness nonplussed Angie, leaving her uncertain
how to react.
37.
Obdurate (adj.) – stubborn, pigheaded
Synonyms: adamant, dogged, firm, inflexible, obstinate, unrelenting
Antonyms: amenable, gentle, submissive, yielding
Sentence: Ale was obdurate in his refusal to listen to our complaints.
38.
Oblique (adj.) – inclined or twisted to one side; running in a slanting direction
Synonyms: angled, askance, askew, slanted, twisted
Antonyms: straight
Sentence: Casting a quick, oblique glance at the reviewing stand, the sergeant
ordered the company to march to the left.
39.
Obstinate (adj.) – hard to control or treat; stubborn
Synonyms: adamant, dogged, unyielding, obdurate, recalcitrant
Antonyms: agreeable, amenable, flexible, submissive
Sentence: We tried to persuade him to give up smoking, but he was obstinate and
refused to change.
40.
Olfactory (adj.) – relating to the sense of smell; having fragrance
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: none
Sentence: A wine taster must have a discriminating palate and a keen olfactory
sense, for good wine appeals to both the taste buds and the nose.
41.
Omnipresent (adj.) – universally present; ubiquitous
Synonyms: ubiquitous, universal, boundless
Antonyms: bounded, circumscribed, confined, finite
Sentence: The Beatles are a major musical force whose influence is omnipresent in
all contemporary popular music.
42.
Oration (n.) – a dignified and formal speech
Synonyms: address, declamation, peroration, monologue
Antonyms: none
Sentence: The celebrated orations of Daniel Webster in unwavering support of the
federal union is required reading for any student of U.S. history.
43.
Ostensible (adj.) – appearing to be true on the basis of evidence that may or may not be
confirmed
Synonyms: alleged, supposed, avowed
Antonyms: improbable, obscure, unlikely
Sentence: Although the ostensible purpose of this expedition is to discover new
lands, we are really interested in finding new markets for our products.
44.
Ostentatious (adj.) – flashy, showy
Synonyms: boastful, egotistic, flamboyant, grandiose, vain
Antonyms: modest, plain, reserved
Sentence: Donald Trump’s latest casino in Atlantic City is the most ostentatious
gambling palace in the East; it easily out-glitters its competitors.
45.
Overwrought (adj.) – being in a state of increased activity or agitation
Synonyms: exhausted, excited, affected, agitated, frantic, tense, weary
Antonyms: calm, cool, unruffled
Sentence: When Kate heard the news of the sudden tragedy, she became too
overwrought to work and had to leave the office early.
Lesson Four
46.
Pacify (v.) – to sooth, ease; to make peaceful, appease
Synonyms: allay, ameliorate, assuage, conciliate, moderate, tame, temper
Antonyms: agitate, incite, irritate, upset
Sentence: Dentists criticize the practice of giving fussy children sweets to pacify
them.
47.
Palatable (adj.) – delicious, agreeable
Synonyms: acceptable, delectable, luscious, toothsome, scrumptious
Antonyms: bitter, disagreeable, distasteful, sour, unsavory
Sentence: I did not find the idea of moving again very palatable.
48.
Panegyric (n.) – formal praise
Synonyms: commendation, approval, recommendation, encomium,
Antonyms: blame, censure, criticism
Sentence: Blushing at all of the praise heaped upon him by the speakers, the modest
hero said, “I don’t deserve such panegyrics.”
49.
Paragon (n.) – model of perfection
Synonyms: apotheosis, archetype, champion, epitome, nonpareil, paradigm
Antonyms: worst
Sentence: Her fellow students disliked Lavinia because Miss Loney always pointed
her out as a paragon of virtue.
50.
Pastoral (adj.) – rural, simple and peaceful, idyllic
Synonyms: Arcadian, agrarian, bucolic, provincial, rustic, sylvan
Antonyms: agitate, bustling, busy, urban
Sentence: Tired of the stress of life in the city, Dana dreamed of moving to the
country and enjoying a simple and pastoral life.
51.
Patent (adj.) – clear, apparent; unconcealed, conspicuous
Synonyms: blatant, evident, obvious, plain, prominent
Antonyms: concealed, hidden, inconspicuous
Sentence: It was patent to everyone that the witness spoke the truth.
52.
Pellucid (adj.) – clear, transparent
Synonyms: limpid, translucent
Antonyms: clouded, foggy, obscured
Sentence: After reading these stodgy philosophers, I find Bertrand Russell’s pellucid
style very enjoyable.
53.
Penurious (adj.) – stingy, cheap
Synonyms: avaricious, close-fisted, frugal, parsimonious, scrimping
Antonyms: generous, munificent, benevolent, giving
Sentence: He became such a penny pincher that he turned into a close-fisted,
penurious miser.
54.
Peregrinate (v.) – to travel from place to place on foot
Synonyms: journey, hie, jaunt, ramble, trek, voyage, wander
Antonyms: stay, wait
Sentence: J.T. and Diego were a couple of backpacking college students who
decided to spend the summer peregrinating around the Pacific Northwest.
55.
Peripatetic (adj.) – traveling from place to place
Synonyms: nomadic, roaming, peregrine, wandering, wayfaring
Antonyms: fixed, settled
Sentence: Hans—a free-lance, peripatetic reporter—decided to finally accept a full
time position with the Wall Street Journal and settle down in New York City.
56.
Permeate (v.) – to spread throughout
Synonyms: diffuse, imbue, infiltrate, interfuse, suffuse
Antonyms: none
Sentence: The odor of frying onions permeate the air at every county and state fair.
57.
Pertinacious (adj.) – stubbornly persistent, holding to a belief or position
Synonyms: bullheaded, determined, dogged, firm, headstrong, inflexible, resolute
Antonyms: tentative, irresolute
Sentence: He is bound to succeed because his pertinacious nature will not permit him
to quit.
58.
Perspicacious (adj.) – of acute mental vision or discernment
Synonyms: observant, perceptive, acute, astute, discerning, sagacious
Antonyms: ignorant, unobservant, unperceptive
Sentence: Even the most perspicacious historians and geographers have been
troubled by the civil division.
59.
Physiognomy (n.) – the art of judging human character from facial features; external aspect
Synonyms: face, appearance, aspect, countenance, expression, visage
Antonyms: none
Sentence: He and his son have the same distinctive physiognomy.
60.
Pithy (adj.) – succinctly meaningful
Synonyms: cogent, compact, epigrammatic, pointed, succinct
Antonyms: verbose, wordy
Sentence: The book is noteworthy not only for its pithy and concise text, but also for
its review questions at the end of each chapter.
Lesson Five
61.
Placate (v.) – to soothe, appease
Synonyms: assuage, mollify, conciliate, reconcile, soothe
Antonyms: agitate, upset, worry
Sentence: The store manager tried to placate the angry customer, offering to replace
the damaged merchandise or to give back her money right away.
62.
Poignant (v.) – having the power to affect the feelings or sympathies
Synonyms: affecting, painful, emotional, heartrending, moving, touching
Antonyms: calm, numb, soothing, unaffecting
Sentence: Romeo and Juliet is a poignant story of a love affair that ends in tragedy.
63.
Polemical (adj.) – given to arguing
Synonyms: controversial, political, contentious, disputatious
Antonyms: peaceable, ingratiating, cordial
Sentence: The author took an unnecessarily polemical look at the supposed
incompatibility between science and religion.
64.
Polyglot (adj.) – speaking several languages
Synonyms: multilingual
Antonyms: none
Sentence: New York City is a polyglot community because of the thousands of
immigrants who settle there.
65.
Ponderous (adj.) – heavy, burdensome
Synonyms: cumbersome, awkward, graceless, oppressive, onerous, unwieldy
Antonyms: airy, buoyant, delicate, light
Sentence: His humor lacked a light touch; his stories and jokes were always
ponderous.
66.
Portly (adj.) – fat, chubby, round
Synonyms: ample, bearish, chunky, fleshy, hefty, plumpish, stout
Antonyms: skinny, slim, thin
Sentence: The overweight gentleman was referred to as portly by the polite
salesclerk.
67.
Precarious (adj.) – tricky, doubtful
Synonyms: ambiguous, borderline, contingent, hairy, shaky, unstable
Antonyms: certain, definite, firm
Sentence: Saying the stock would be a precarious investment, the broker advised her
client against purchasing it.
68.
Preponderance (n.) – a great amount or frequency
Synonyms: supremacy, dominance, mass, extensiveness, sway
Antonyms: inferiority
Sentence: A preponderance of the evidence points to a guilty verdict for the
defendant.
69.
Prestidigitation (n.) – a sleight of hand
Synonyms: magic, alchemy, augury, enchantment, sorcery, witchcraft
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Harry Houdini’s powers of prestidigitation remain legendary to this very
day.
70.
Presumptuous (adj.) – self-confident; overstepping due bounds, taking liberties
Synonyms: arrogant, audacious, overconfident, presuming, smug, supercilious
Antonyms: humble, modest
Sentence: It’s a little presumptuous of you to assume that I’m your new best friend
just because I invited you along.
71.
Pretentious (adj.) – expressive of affected, unwarranted, or exaggerated importance, worth,
or stature
Synonyms: affected, bombastic, ostentatious, overblown, pompous, vainglorious
Antonyms: humble, modest
Sentence: None of the other prize winners are wearing their medals; isn’t it a bit
pretentious of you to wear yours?
72.
Prodigal (adj.) – wasteful
Synonyms: excessive, extravagant, lavish, profligate, reckless, wanton
Antonyms: careful, thrifty
Sentence: Dad exclaimed, “Don’t be so prodigal spending my money; when you’ve
earned some money for yourself, you can waste it as much as you want!”
73.
Profane (adj.) – indecent, blasphemous
Synonyms: immoral, crude, coarse, impious, indecent, raunchy, vulgar, wicked
Antonyms: clean, moral, sacred
Sentence: Kendra was offended by the profane language that her coworkers used so
casually.
74.
Propensity (n.) – an inclination, preference
Synonyms: penchant, predilection, proclivity, proneness
Antonyms: disinclination, dislike
Sentence: Convinced of his own talent, Jimmy has an unfortunate propensity to
belittle the talents of others.
75.
Puerile (adj.) – immature, childish
Synonyms: callow, foolish, infantile, juvenile, petty
Antonyms: adult, mature
Sentence: “Throwing tantrums! You should have outgrown such puerile behavior
years ago!” Tommy shouted to his sister.
Lesson Six
76.
Pugnacious (adj.) – belligerent
Synonyms: aggressive, antagonistic, bellicose, combative, militant, quarrelsome
Antonyms: kind, easy-going, agreeable
Sentence: Unfortunately, there is one pugnacious member on the committee who will
not agree to any compromises; therefore, they did not reach an agreement
and were disbanded.
77.
Pulchritude (n.) – physical beauty
Synonyms: allure, elegance, glamour, attractiveness, prettiness
Antonyms: ugliness
Sentence: Known for her pulchritude than for her acting talent, Kristen Stewart
continues to find new roles in films.
78.
Pungent (adj.) – having a sharp, strong quality, especially related to smell
Synonyms: aromatic, stinking, seasoned, sharp
Antonyms: bland, tasteless
Sentence: The pungent odor of ripe Limburger cheese appealed to Simone but made
Stanley gag.
79.
Putrid (adj.) – rotten, rancid, foul
Synonyms: decayed, decomposed, fetid, foul, putrefied, rancid, reeking, spoiled
Antonyms: fresh, perfumed, sweet
Sentence: When we removed the bandage, we could tell from the putrid smell that
the wound had turned gangrenous.
80.
Quagmire (n.) – a swamp (literally); a bad situation
Synonyms: dilemma, entanglement, imbroglio, jam, mire, morass, plight
Antonyms: solution, success
Sentence: Up to her knees in mud, Myra wondered how on earth she was going to
extricate herself from this quagmire.
81.
Quell (v.) – to defeat, to suppress
Synonyms: crush, extinguish, overpower, quench, silence, subjugate, vanquish
Antonyms: succeed, win
Sentence: Miss Taylor’s demeanor was so stern and forbidding that she could quell
any unrest among her students with one intimidating glance.
82.
Querulous (adj.) – grouchy, hard to please
Synonyms: bemoaning, captious, deploring, fretful, irritable, dissatisfied
Antonyms: cheerful, happy, easy-going
Sentence: Even the most agreeable toddlers can begin to act querulous if they miss
their nap.
83.
Quid pro quo - (n., Latin) – a mutually beneficial exchange
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: none
Sentence: In politics nobody does something for nothing; there’s always a quid pro
quo involved.
84.
Quiescent (adj.) – inactive
Synonyms: asleep, dormant, fallow, idle, immobile, passive
Antonyms: active
Sentence: After the massive eruption, fear of Mount Etna was great; people did not
return to cultivate the rich hillside lands until the volcano had been quiescent
for a full two years.
85.
Rancorous (adj.) – having or showing deep-seated resentment
Synonyms: resentful, acrimonious, begrudging, bitter, embittered, offended
Antonyms: agreeable, content, kind, pleasant
Sentence: Matt wrote a rancorous autobiography in which he heaps blame on just
about everyone who had the misfortune of knowing him.
86.
Ratiocinate (v.) – to think, contemplate
Synonyms: analyze, appraise, deduce, rationalize, ruminate, speculate
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Kenny had to ratiocinate for a bit about the principles he learned in his
economics lectures, but he eventually mastered the concepts.
87.
Rebuff (v.) – to reject or criticize sharply
Synonyms: reject, snub, repulse
Antonyms: embrace, accept
Sentence: Kate rebuffed his invitation so smoothly that he did not realize he had
been snubbed.
88.
Recapitulate (v.) – to repeat, reiterate
Synonyms: recap, recount, reiterate, review, summarize
Antonyms: take back
Sentence: The professor paused for a moment and then said, “Let us recapitulate
what has been said thus far before going ahead.”
89.
Redact (v.) – to revise, edit
Synonyms: rewrite, refine, adapt, emend, proofread, rephrase
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Failure to redact an incorrectly filed federal tax return will result in action
against the filer.
90.
Redress (n.) – payment to another for a loss or injury
Synonyms: damages, indemnity, recompense, remuneration, reparation
Antonyms: none
Sentence: The plaintiff incredulously cried, “Do you mean to tell me that I can get no
redress for my injuries?” after hearing the non-guilty verdict.
Lesson Seven
91.
Refrain (v.) – to hold oneself back, forbear
Synonyms: abstain, constrain, forbear, withhold
Antonyms: indulge, use
Sentence: Whenever he heard a song with a lively chorus, Gil could never refrain
from joining in and began belting at the top of his lungs.
92.
Relish (v.) – to take zestful pleasure in, enjoy the flavor of
Synonyms: adore, delight, revel, savor
Antonyms: abhor, detest, scorn
Sentence: Watching Peter enthusiastically chow down, I thought, “Now there’s a
man who relishes a good dinner!”
93.
Render (v.) – to give over to the control or possession of another, usually under duress
Synonyms: cede, deliver, hand over, relinquish, yield
Antonyms: retain, withhold
Sentence: The doctor’s goal is that the treatment procedure would render the
patient’s body completely healed.
94.
Repose (n.) – rest, sleep; a place of rest, peace, and tranquility
Synonyms: slumber
Antonyms: consciousness, wakefulness
Sentence: Typically, the wealthy socialite spends most of the morning in repose, is
served lunch, and then embarks on an exhaustive afternoon of shopping.
95.
Reprove (v.) – to criticize, usually gently so as to correct a fault
Synonyms: admonish, chide, reprimand, reproach
Antonyms: approve, applaud, extol, hail
Sentence: Though Aunt Bea at times had to reprove Opie for inattention in church,
she believed he was at heart a God-fearing lad.
96.
Requisition (n.) – a demand for goods, often by an authority
Synonyms: appropriation, commandeering, summons
Antonyms: none
Sentence: A brand-new, top-notch computer was the new science teacher’s first
requisition.
97.
Retribution (n.) – vengeance, revenge, payback
Synonyms: comeuppance, reckoning, redress, reprisal
Antonyms: forgiveness, pardon, sympathy
Sentence: The neighborhood is being torn apart by an endless cycle of gang violence
and retribution.
98.
Ruse (n.) – a trick, deception
Synonyms: artifice, deceit, gambit, ploy, stunt, subterfuge
Antonyms: honesty, truthfulness, forthrightness
Sentence: Timmy’s act was just a clever ruse to get girls to go out with him.
99.
Saccharine (adj.) – overly sweet; sugary
Synonyms: cloying, ingratiating, sentimental, sweet
Antonyms: dry, unemotional
Sentence: The moving was funny, but it had a saccharine ending in which everyone
lives happily ever after.
100.
Salubrious (adj.) – promoting good health; healthful
Synonyms: beneficial, hygienic, invigoration, salutary
Antonyms: unhealthy, unwholesome
Sentence: The health resort advertised the salubrious properties of the waters of its
famous hot springs.
101.
Sate (v.) – to satisfy (an appetite) fully
Synonyms: cloy, glut, gorge, gratify, overfill, satiate
Antonyms: deprive, starve
Sentence: Its hunger sated, the lion dozed.
102.
Savor (v.) – to appreciate fully, enjoy
Synonyms: appreciate, relish
Antonyms: dislike, shun
Sentence: Relishing his triumph, the actor especially savored the chagrin of the
critics who had predicted his failure.
103.
Scourge (n.) – a plague, torment
Synonyms: affliction, bane, curse, infliction, pestilence
Antonyms: blessing, boon, delight
Sentence: Abraham Lincoln wrote, “Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that
this mighty scourge of war speedily may pass away.”
104.
Sedate (adj./v.) – calm and composed, dignified; to calm, soothe
Synonyms: quiet, taciturn; allay, lull, steady
Antonyms: talkative, chatty; agitate, outrage
Sentence: To calm the agitated pony, we teamed him with a sedate mare who easily
accepted the harness.
105.
Sententious (adj.) – marked by or given to preaching moral values; terse, concise, aphoristic
Synonyms: concise, epigrammatic, laconic, pithy, pompous, moralistic
Antonyms: verbose, diffuse, prolix, windy
Sentence: After reading so many redundant speeches, I find his sententious style
particularly pleasing.
Lesson Eight
106.
Slavish (adj.) – showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly
submissiveness
Synonyms: apish, emulative, mimetic, unoriginal, servile, sycophantic
Antonyms: arrogant, haughty, imperious
Sentence: His wife’s slavish agreement with his every thought led to bland
conversations.
107.
Solecism (n.) – a socially improper or unsuitable act or remark
Synonyms: faux pas, gaffe, indiscretion, blunder
Antonyms: civility, courtesy, formality, pleasantry
Sentence: Frank’s solecism of asking his hosts how much money they make led to a
very awkward conversation.
108.
Soothsayer (n.) – a fortune teller
Synonyms: augur, diviner, prognosticator, seer, visionary
Antonyms: none
Sentence: A soothsayer predicted that I would meet the woman of my dreams online,
assuming of course that I became a subscriber to the website’s dating service.
109.
Spectral (adj.) – ghostly
Synonyms: eerie, apparitional, haunted, phantasmal, spooky, supernatural
Antonyms: ordinary, silly, normal
Sentence: The old Victorian home had a distinguished, but spectral quality to it;
consequently, no one wanted to live there.
110.
Static (adj.) – not moving, being at rest
Synonyms: motionless, immobile, stuck, stagnant
Antonyms: mobile, dynamic, changing
Sentence: Isaac Newton tells us that a static object at rest will remain at rest unless
acted upon by an outside force.
111.
Stealth (n./adj.) – undertaken or done so as to escape being observed or known by others
Synonyms: clandestine, covert, surreptitious, underhand
Antonyms: open, overt, aboveboard, unclassified, patent
Sentence: Fearing detection by the sentries on duty, the scout inched his way toward
the enemy campy with great stealth.
112.
Subsist (v.) – to live, exist
Synonyms: breathe, live, endure, survive, flourish
Antonyms: depart, die, expire, succumb
Sentence: Subsisting on roots, berries, and grubs, Lenny survived in the forest for
thirty days after getting lost.
113.
Succinct (adj.) – marked by the use of few words to convey much information
Synonyms: aphoristic, compact, compendious, curt, laconic, pithy, terse
Antonyms: circuitous, diffuse, verbose, prolix, rambling
Sentence: Don’t bore your audience with excess verbiage: be succinct.
114.
Suffice (v.) – to meet needs
Synonyms: suit, content, satiate, satisfy
Antonyms: dissatisfy
Sentence: Her example alone should suffice to show that anything is possible.
115.
Supercilious (adj.) – having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing
attitude
Synonyms: bumptious, cavalier, haughty, high-handed, presumptuous, peremptory
Antonyms: humble, lowly, modest
Sentence: The supercilious headwaiter sneered at customers whom he thought did
not fit in at a restaurant catering to an ultra-fashionable crowd.
116.
Surfeit (n.) – an excess, a surplus, an overabundance
Synonyms: overflow, plethora
Antonyms: dearth, deficit, insufficiency
Sentence: Every Thanksgiving we are surfeited with an overabundance of holiday
treats.
117.
Surreptitious (adj.) – done in a secret, or stealthy way
Synonyms: clandestine, covert, furtive, sneaky, stealthy, underhanded
Antonyms: open, overt, aboveboard
Sentence: Hoping to discover where his mom had hidden the Christmas presents,
Timmy took a surreptitious peek into the master bedroom closet.
118.
Sybarite (n.) – someone devoted to pleasure and luxury, a voluptuary
Synonyms: Epicurean, bon vivant, glutton, gourmand, libertine, rake
Antonyms: ascetic
Sentence: The prince was remembered as a self-indulgent sybarite, not as a
statesman or warrior.
119.
Tactile (adj.) – pertaining to the organs or sense of touch
Synonyms: material, palpable, solid, tangible
Antonyms: none
Sentence: His callused hands had lost their tactile sensitivity.
120.
Tantamount (adj.) – equivalent in effect or value
Synonyms: commensurate, equal, synonymous, parallel, indistinguishable
Antonyms: opposite, polar, reverse
Sentence: Lance Armstrong’s refusal to fight the charges was, unfortunately,
tantamount to an admission of guilt.
Lesson Nine
121.
Temporal (adj.) – not lasting forever; limited by time; secular
Synonyms: earthbound, mundane, sublunary, terrestrial
Antonyms: heavenly, unearthly, unworldly
Sentence: At one time in our history, temporal rulers assumed that they had been
given their thrones by divine right.
122.
Terrestrial (adj.) – relating to the land, especially as opposed to that in heaven
Synonyms: carnal, earthbound, temporal, sublunary
Antonyms: heavenly, unearthly, unworldly
Sentence: In many science fiction films, alien invaders from outer space plan to
destroy all terrestrial life.
123.
Terse (adj.) – marked by the use of few words to convey much information or meaning
Synonyms: compact, compendious, curt, laconic, pithy, succinct, sententious
Antonyms: circuitous, circumlocutory, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy
Sentence: There is a fine line between speech that is terse and to the point and speech
that is too abrupt.
124.
Toady (n.) – servile flatterer; a yes man
Synonyms: sycophant, boot-licker, brownnoser, fawner, suck-up, minion
Antonyms: independent
Sentence: No one likes the office toady who spends most of his or her time
complimenting the boss on what a great job she’s doing.
125.
Toothsome (adj.) – agreeable, attractive
Synonyms: desirable, luscious, alluring, seductive, sultry
Antonyms: ugly, unattractive
Sentence: Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen are considered one
of the most toothsome celebrity couples.
126.
Transient (adj.) – lasting only for a short time
Synonyms: deciduous, ephemeral, evanescent, fleeting, passing, temporary
Antonyms: endless, enduring, eternal, perpetual
Sentence: Located near the airport, this hotel caters to a largely transient clientele.
127.
Turmoil (n.) – a state or condition of extreme confusion, agitation, or commotion
Synonyms: disquiet, ferment, restiveness, restlessness
Antonyms: calm, ease, tranquility
Sentence: Having suffered through a divorce, the death of his parents, and arguments
with his siblings over the estate, Randall lived a life in constant turmoil.
128.
Umbrage (n.) – a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight remark or insult
Synonyms: anger, offense, resentment
Antonyms: satisfaction, appeasement, contentment
Sentence: Mr. Taylor took umbrage at the slightest suggestion of disrespect;
consequently, his students took great care to never cause trouble in his class.
129.
Unctuous (adj.) – full of unction (oil, ointment); revealing or marked by a smug, ingratiating,
and false earnestness or spirituality; insincerely suave
Synonyms: artificial, counterfeit, feigned, hypocritical, mealy-mouthed, phony
Antonyms: artless, candid, genuine, heartfelt, honest
Sentence: In political campaigns, many politicians consciously put forth unctuous
efforts to appear religious to the voters.
130.
Undulate (v.) – to move in a smooth wavelike motion; rise and fall
Synonyms: billow, heave, oscillate, ripple, wave
Antonyms: straighten
Sentence: When earthquakes occur, they cause the ground to undulate and shake,
sometimes violently.
131.
Unilateral (adj.) – having only one side
Synonyms: one-sided, independent
Antonyms: bilateral, multilateral
Sentence: In our complicated, inter-connected global economy, the president has
almost no unilateral authority to improve economics conditions.
132.
Vanguard (n.) – advance guard of a military force; forefront of a movement
Synonyms: cutting edge, avant-gardist, pioneer, forerunner, trailblazer
Antonyms: old-guard, establishment, follower
Sentence: For better or worse, AM talk radio is often regarded as being in the
vanguard of the conservative movement.
133.
Variance (n.) – a difference between what is expected and what actually occurs
Synonyms: conflict, disaccord, dissent, dissonance, friction, schism, strife
Antonyms: concurrence, cooperation
Sentence: There was some variance in the results, but on the whole, the study was
very informative.
134.
Vast (adj.) – enormous, immense
Synonyms: colossal, elephantine, herculean, mammoth, leviathan, massive
Antonyms: diminutive, small, bantam, infinitesimal
Sentence: The policy is supported by the vast majority of citizens, yet Congress
refuses to compromise on this issue and enact legislation.
135.
Veracious (adj.) – honest, truthful
Synonyms: candid, forthright, plain, true, conscientious, scrupulous
Antonyms: dishonest, mendacious, prevaricating, untruthful
Sentence: He has a reputation for being veracious, so people generally trust his
opinion.
Lesson Ten
136.
Verdant (adj.) – green; lush in vegetation
Synonyms: green, grown, leafy, overgrown
Antonyms: barren, leafless
Sentence: The countryside is lush, with rolling hills, and tea bushes nestled under
verdant green trees.
137.
Vigor (n.) – vitality and energy, vim
Synonyms: drive, dynamism, moxie, pep, verve, vitality
Antonyms: lethargy, listlessness, torpidity
Sentence: Although he was over seventy years old, Jack had the vigor of a man in his
prime.
138.
Virulent (adj.) – poisonous, lethal; marked by a rapid, severe, and destructive course
Synonyms: malevolent, malicious, malignant, spiteful, vicious
Antonyms: benevolent, benign, loving
Sentence: The country seemed to be returning to the virulent nationalism of its past.
139.
Vivacious (adj.) – lively, spirited, full of life
Synonyms: active, animated, jaunty, spirited
Antonyms: inactive, dead, languid, languorous, listless
Sentence: Clara is an outgoing, vivacious young woman who quickly became a
successful sales rep.
140.
Volition (n.) – a conscious choice or decision
Synonyms: accord, autonomy, choice, self-determination, will
Antonyms: coercion, compulsion, force, pressure
Sentence: Wanda left the church of her own volition, not because she was
excommunicated.
141.
Voluptuary (n.) – someone devoted to sensory pleasure and luxury, a sybarite
Synonyms: debauchee, decadent, hedonist, sensualist, sybarite, epicure
Antonyms: ascetic
Sentence: After his friend introduced him to the world of fine-dining and high
society, Pete became a voluptuary and was always looking for a good time.
142.
Vouchsafe (v.) – to choose to give in reply; to grant or permit
Synonyms: award, bestow, concede, condescend, grant, yield
Antonyms: refuse, withhold
Sentence: Fernando vouchsafed his family secrets to only a few of his closest
friends.
143.
Wax (v.) – to increase gradually in size or degree
Synonyms: appreciate, expand, swell
Antonyms: wane, contract, decrease, diminish, lessen, recede
Sentence: With sound investments, Kareem’s fortunes waxed and he became rich.
144.
Whet (v.) – to make more keen, stimulate
Synonyms: grind, hone, stone
Antonyms: blunt, dull
Sentence: The odors from the kitchen are whetting my appetite; I will be ravenous by
the time the meal is served.
145.
Whimsical (adj.) – prone to sudden illogical changes of mind, ideas, or actions
Synonyms: capricious, freakish, impulsive
Antonyms: pragmatic, sensible, reasonable, steady, unchanging
Sentence: Some of the movie’s humor is quite whimsical or even silly, and plots
don’t always go where you think they’re going to end up.
146.
Wistful (adj.) – vaguely longing; sadly thoughtful
Synonyms: daydreaming, forlorn, meditative, musing, nostalgic, pensive
Antonyms: uncaring
Sentence: With a last wistful glance at the happy couples dancing in the hall, Sue
headed home to watch a movie all by herself.
147.
Xenophobia (n.) – fear or hatred of foreigners
Synonyms: prejudice, racism
Antonyms: tolerance, openness, regard
Sentence: Militarism, xenophobia, and protectionism will remain beguiling options
for any politician hoping to be elected to national office.
148.
Zealous (adj.) – marked by fervent partisanship for a person, cause, or ideal
Synonyms: enthusiastic, avid, devoted, fervent, fervid, impassioned, rabid
Antonyms: apathetic, indifferent, lethargic
Sentence: The law firm dedicated itself to a work environment of teamwork,
camaraderie, and the zealous defense its clients.
149.
Zephyr (n.) – gentle breeze; slight movement of air
Synonyms: puff, waft, draft, sea breeze
Antonyms: stillness
Sentence: A calm, summer zephyr stirred her hair.
150.
Zeitgeist (n.) – the spirit of the time
Synonyms: none
Antonyms: none
Sentence: Bob Dylan’s songs perfectly capture the zeitgeist of the 1960s in America.