word list a-z a-z

7/31/2019 Word List a-Z a-Z

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Word

aberrant

adj.

deviatingfromnormalorcorrect.

abscond

v.

toleavesecretlyandhide,oftento

avoidthelaw.

advocate



v.,n.

tospeak,plead,orargueforacause,

orinanother’sbehalf.(n)--onewho

advocates.

aggrandize

v.

tomakegreater,toincrease,thus,to

exaggerate.

amalgamate

v.



touniteormix.(n)--amalgamation.

ambiguous

adj.

vague;subjecttomorethanone

interpretation

ambrosial

adj.

extremelypleasingtothesenses,

divine(asrelatedtothegods)or

delicious(n:ambrosia)



adj.

ancient;outmoded;(literally,beforethe

antipathy

n.

hostilitytoward,objection,oraversion

arbitrate

v.

tosettleadisputebyimpulse(n:arbitr



assuage

v.

tomakelesssevere;toappeaseorsatis

attenuate

v.

weaken(adj:attenuated)

audacious

adj.



extremelybold;fearless,especially

saidofhumanbehavior(n:audacity)

aver

v.

todeclare

banal

adj.

commonplaceortrite(n:banality)

barefaced



adj.

unconcealed,shameless,orbrazen

blandishment

n.

speechoractionintendedtocoax

someoneintodoingsomething

bombast

n.

pompousspeech(adj:bombastic)



breach

n.,v.

alapse,gaporbreak,asinafortress

wall.Tobreakorbreakthrough.ex:

Unfortunately,theclubmembersneverforgothisbreachofettiquette.

burgeon

v.,n.

togroworflourish;abudornew

growth(adj:burgeoning)

buttress



v.,n.

tosupport.asupport

cadge

v.

togetsomethingbytakingadvantage

ofsomeone

caprice

n.

impulse(adj:capricious)



castigate

v.

tochastiseorcriticizeseverely

catalyst

n.

anagentofchange(adj:catalytic;v.cat

caustic

adj.



capableofdissolvingbychemical

action;highlycritical:"Hiscaustic

remarksspoiledthemoodofthe

party."

chicanery

n.

deceptionbytrickery

complaisant

adj.

willinglycompliantoracceptingofthe

statusquo(n:complaisance)



conflagration

n.

agreatfire

corporeal

adj.

oforhavingtodowithmaterial,as

opposedtospiritual;tangible.(Inolder

writings,coeporealcouldbea

synonymforcorporal.Thisusageisno

longercommon)



corporal

adj.

ofthebody:"corporalpunishment."a

non-commissionedofficerranked

betweenasergeantandaprivate.

corroborate

v.

tostrengthenorsupport:"Thewitness

corrobortedhisstory."(n:

corroboration)

craven



adj.,n.

cowardly;acoward

culpable

adj.

deservingofblame(n:culpability)

dearth

n.



lack,scarcity:"Theprosecutor

complainedaboutthedearthof

concreteevidenceagainstthe

suspect."

deference

n.

submissionorcourteousyielding:"He

heldhistongueindeferencetohisfather."(n:deferential.v.defer)

depict

v.



toshow,createapictureof.

deprecation

n.

belittlement.(v.deprecate)

depredation

n.

theactofpreyinguponorplundering:

"Thedepredationsoftheinvaders

demoralizedthepopulation."

descry



v.

tomakeclear,tosay

desiccate

v.

todryoutthoroughly(adj:desiccated)

diatribe

n.

abitterabusivedenunciation.



diffident

adj.

lackingself-confidence,modest(n:diffi

disabuse

adj.

tofreeapersonfromfalsehoodorerror:"Wehadtodisabuseherofthe

notionthatshewasinvited."

disparaging

adj.



belittling(n:disparagement.v.disparag

dispassionate

adj.

calm;objective;unbiased

dissemble

v.

toconcealone'srealmotive,tofeign

dogged



adj.

stubbornordetermined:"Herdogged

pursuitofthedegreeeventuallypaid

off."

dogmatic

adj.

relyingupondoctrineordogma,asopposedtoevidence

eclectic

adj.



selectingoremployingindividual

elementsfromavarietyofsources:

"Manymoderndecoratorspreferan

eclecticstyle."(n:eclecticism)

efficacy

n.

effectiveness;capabilitytoproducea

desiredeffect

effluent

adj.,n



thequalityofflowingout.something

thatflowsout,suchasastreamfroma

river(n:effluence)

emollient

adj.,n.

softening;somethingthatsoftens

emulate

v.

tostrivetoequalorexcel(n:emulation

encomium



n.

aformaleulogyorspeechofpraise

endemic

adj.

prevalentinornativetoacertain

region,locality,orpeople:"The

diseasewasendemictotheregion."

Don'tconfusethiswordwithepidemic.

enervate



v.

toweakenordestroythestrengthor

vitalityof:"Theheatenervated

everyone."(adj:enervating)

engender

v.

togiveriseto,topropagate,tocause:"Hisslipofthetoungueengendered

muchlaughter."

enigma

n.



puzzle;mystery:"Mathisanenigmato

me."(adj:enigmatic)

ephemeral

adj.

lastingforonlyabrieftime,fleeting(n:

ephemera)

equivocal

adj.



ambiguous;unclear;subjecttomore

thanoneinterpretation--often

intentionallyso:"Republicans

complainedthatBillClinton'sanswers

wereequivocal."(v.equivocate)

erudite

adj.

scholarly;displayingdeepintensivelearning.(n:erudition)

esoteric

adj.



intendedfororunderstoodbyonlya

few:"Theesotericdiscussionconfused

somepeople."(n:esoterica)

eulogy

n.

aspokenorwrittentributetothe

deceased(v.eulogize)

exacerbate

v.



toincreasethebitternessorviolence

of;toaggravate:"Thedecisionto

fortifytheborderexacerbated

tensions."

exculpate

v.

todemonstrateorprovetobe

blameless:"Theevidencetendedtoexculpatethedefendant."(adj:

exculpatory)

exorbitant

adj.



exceedingcustomaryornormallimits,

esp.inquantityorprice:"Thecabfare

wasexorbitant."

explicit

adj.

fullyandclearlyexpressed

extant

adj.

inexistence,stillexisting:Theonly

extantrepresentativeofthatspecies."



fathom

n.,v.

ameasureoflength(sixfeet)usedin

nauticalsettings.topenetratetothedepthsofsomethinginorderto

understandit:"Icouldn'tfathomher

reasoningonthatissue."

fawn

v.

toseekfavororattention;toact

subserviantly(n,adj:fawning)



feign

v.

togivefalseappearanceorimpression:

"Hefeignedillnesstoavoidgoingtoschool."(adj:feigned)

fervid,fervent

adj.

highlyemotional;hot:"Thepartisans

displayedaferventpatriotism."(n:

fervor)



fledgling

n.,adj.

ababybird;aninexperiencedperson;

inexperienced.

florid

adj.

flushedwitharosycolor,asin

complexion;veryornateandflowery:

"floridprose."

floundering



adj.

struggling:"Wetriedtosavethe

flounderingbusiness."

garrulous

adj.

verbose;talkative;rambling:"Wetried

toavoidourgarrulousneighbor."

gossamer

n.,adj.



finecobwebonfoliage;finegauzy

fabric;veryfine:"Sheworeagossamer

robe."

guile

n.

skillfuldeceit:"Hewaswellknownfor

hisguile."(v.bequile;adj:beguiling.

Note,however,thatthesetwowordshaveanadditionalmeaning:tocharm

(v.)orcharming(adj:),whiletheword

guiledoesnotgenerallyhaveanysuch

positiveconnotations)

guileless



adj.

honest;straightforward(n:guilelessnes

hapless

adj.

unfortunate

headlong

adj.,adv.



headfirst;impulsive;hasty.

impulsively;hastily;without

forethought:"Theyrushedheadlong

intomarriage."

homogenous

adj.

similarinnatureorkind;uniform:"a

homogeneoussociety."

iconoclast

n.



onewhoattackstraditionalideasor

institutionsoronewhodestroys

sacredimages(adj:iconoclastic)

impecunious

adj.

penniless;poor

imperious

adj.

commanding

implication



n.

insinuationorconnotation(v.implicate

imply

v.

tosuggestindirectly;toentail:"She

impliedshedidn'tbelievehisstory."(n:implication)

improvidence

n.



anabsenceofforesight;afailureto

provideforfutureneedsorevents:

"Theirimprovidenceresultedinthe

lossoftheirhome."

inchoate

adj.

inaninitialorearlystage;incomplete;

disorganized:"Theactofwritingforces

onetoclarifyincohatethoughts."

incorrigible

adj.



notcapableofbeingcorrected:"The

schoolboardfinallydecidedtheJames

wasincorrigibleandexpelledhimfrom

school."

indelible

adj.

permanent;unerasable;strong:"TheQueenmadeanindelibleimpression

onhersubjects."

ineffable

adj.



undescribable;inexpressibleinwords;

infer

v.

todeduce:"Newgeneticevidenceled

somezoologiststoinferthatthered

wolfisactuallyahybridofthecoyote

andthegraywolf."

ingenious

adj.



clever:"Shedevelopedaningenious

methodfortestingherhypothesis."(n:

ingenuity)

ingenuous

adj.

unsophisticated;artless;

straightforward;candid:"Wilson's

ingenuousresponsetothecontroversialcalmedthesuspicious

listeners."

inhibit

v.



toholdback,prohibit,forbid,or

restrain(n:inhibition,adj:inhibited)

innocuous

adj.

harmless;havingnoadverseaffect;

notlikelytoprovokestrongemotion

insensible

adj.



numb;unconscious:"Waynewas

renderedinsensiblebyablowtothe

head."unfeeling;insensitive:"They

wereinsensibiletothesufferingof

others.:

insipid

adj.

lackingzestorexcitement;dull

insular

adj.



pronetooutburstsoftemper,easilyan

laconic

adj.

usingfewwords;terse:"alaconicreply.

latent

adj.

presentorpotentialbutnotevidentor

active(n:latency)

laudable



adj.

praiseworthy;commendable(v.laud)

leviathan

n.

giantwhale,therefore,somethingvery

loquacious

adj.

talkative



lucid

adj.

clear;translucent:"Hemadealucid

argumenttosupporthistheory."

lugubrious

adj.

weighty,mournful,orgloomy,

especiallytoanexcessivedegree:

"Jake'slugubriousmonologues

depressedhisfriends."

magnanimity



n.

generosityandnobility.(adj:magnanim

malevolent

adj.

malicious;evil;havingorshowingill

will:"SomeearlyAmericancolonistssawthewildernessasmalevolentand

soughttocontrolit."

misanthrope

n.



onewhohatespeople:"Hewasatrue

misanthropeandhatedevenhimself."

misnomer

n.

incorrectnameorwordforsomething

misogynist

n.

onewhohateswomen

mitigate



v.

tomakelessforceful;tobecomemore

moderate;tomakelessharshor

undesirable:"Hewastryingtomitigate

thedamagehehaddone."(n:mitigation)

nefarious

adj.

wicked,evil:"anefariousplot."

noisome



adj.

harmful,offensive,destructive:"The

noisomeodorofthedumpcarriedfor

miles."

obdurate

adj.

hardenedagainstinfluenceorfeeling;intractable.

obviate

v.



topreventbyanticipatorymeasures;

tomakeunnecessary:

occlude

v.

tocloseorshutoff;toobstruct(n:occl

opaque

adj.

nottransparentortransluscent;dense;

difficulttocomprehend,asinopaque

reasoning



ossified

adj.

turnedtobone;hardenedlikebone;

Inflexible:"Theossifiedculturefailed

toadapttoneweconomicconditionsanddiedout."

panegyric

n.

awritingorspeechinpraiseofa

personorthing

peccadillo



n.

asmallsinorfault

pedantic

adj.

showinganarrowconcernforrulesor

formalbooklearning;makinganexcessivedisplayofone'sown

learning:"Wequicklytiredofhis

pedanticconversation."(n:pedant,

pedantry).

perfidious



adj.

deliberatelytreacherous;dishonest(n:

perfidy)

petulant

adj.

easilyorfrequentlyannoyed,especiallyovertrivialmatters;

childishlyirritable

philanthropy

n.



tendencyoractionforthebenefitof

others,asindonatingmoneyor

propertytoacharitibleorganization

phlegmatic

adj.

noteasilyexcited;cool;sluggish

placate

v.



tocalmorreduceangerbymaking

concessions:"Theprofessortriedto

placatehisstudentsbypostponingthe

exam."

plastic

adj.

relatedtobeingshapedormolded;

capableofbeingmolded.(n:plasticityn:plastic)

plethora

n.



excessivelylargequantity;

overabundance:"Wereceivedap

lethoraofapplicationsforthe

position."

ponderous

adj.

heavy;massive;awkward;dull:"A

ponderousbookisbetterthanasleepingpill."

pragmatic

adj.



concernedwithfacts;practical,as

opposedtohighlyprincipledor

traditional:"Hispragmaticapproach

oftenoffendedidealists."(n:

pragmatism)

precipice

n.

cliffwithaverticalornearlyverticalface;adangerousplacefromwhich

oneislikelytofall;metaphorically,a

veryriskycircumstance

precipitate



v.,n.

tofall;tofalldownwardsuddenlyand

dramatically;tobringaboutorhasten

theoccurrenceofsomething:"Old

Worlddiseasesprecipitatedamassive

declineintheAmericanIndianpopulation."

precursor

n.

something(orsomeone)thatprecedes

another:"TheassasinationoftheArchdukewasaprecursortothewar."



prevaricate

v.

tostrayawayfromorevadethetruth:

"Whenweaskedhimwhathisintentionswere,heprevaricated."(n:

prevarication;prevaricator)

prodigal

adj.

rashlywasteful:"Americans'prodigal

devotiontotheautomobileisunique."



propitiate

v.

toconciliate;toappease:"Theymade

sacrificestopropitiateangrygods."

Pulchritudinous

adj.

beautiful(n:pulchritude)

pusillanimous

adj.



cowardly,timid,orirreselute;petty:

"Thepusillanimousleadersoonlost

therespectofhispeople."

quiescence

n.

inactivity;stillness;dormancy(adj:quie

rarefy

v.

tomakeorbecomethin;topurifyor

refine(n:rarefaction,adj:rarefied)



reproof

n.

theactofcensuring,scolding,or

rebuking.(v.reprove).

rescind

v.

torepealorannul

sagacious

adj.



havingasharporpowerfulintellector

discernment.(n:sagacity).

sanguine

adj.

cheerful;confident:"Hersanguine

attitudeputeveryoneat

ease."(Sangfroid(noun)isarelated

Frenchwordmeaningunflappibility.Literally,itmeanscoldblood)

sate

v.



tosatisfyfullyortoexcess

saturnine

adj.

havingagloomyormorosetemperame

savant

n.

averyknowledgableperson;agenious

sedulous

adj.



diligent;persevering;persistent:"Her

sedulousdevotiontoovercomingher

backgroundimpressedmany."(n:

sedulity;sedulousness;adv.

sedulously)

specious

adj.

seeminglytruebutreallyfalse;

deceptivelyconvincingorattractive:

"Herargument,thoughspecious,was

readilyacceptedbymany."

superficial



adj.

onlycoveringthesurface:"A

superficialtreatmentofthetopicwas

alltheywanted."

tacit

adj.

unspoken:"Katieandcarmellahada

tacitagreementthattheywouldnot

mentionthedentedfendertotheir

parents."

taciturn



adj.

habituallyuntalkativeorsilent(n:tacit

temperate

adj.

exercisingmoderationandself-denial;

calmormild(n:temperance)

tirade(diatribe)

n.



anangryspeech:"Histiradehadgone

onlongenough."

tortuous

adj.

twisted;excessivelycomplicated:

"Despitepubliccomplaints,taxlaws

andformshavebecomeincreasingly

tortuous."Note:Don'tconfusethiswithtorturous.

tractable

adj.



abilitytobeeasilymanagedor

controlled:"Hermotherwishedshe

weremoretractable."(n:tractibility)

turpitude

n.

depravity;baseness:"Mr.Castorwas

firedformoralturpitude."

tyro

n.



beginner;personlackingexperiencein

aspecificendeavor:"Theyeasilytook

advantageofthetyro."

vacuous

adj.

empty;withoutcontents;without

ideasorintelligence::"Sheflasheda

vacuoussmile."

venerate

v.



greatrespectorreverence:"The

Chinesetraditionallyveneratedtheir

ancestors;ancestorworshipismerely

apopularmisnomerforthistradition."

(n:veneration,adj:venerable)

verbose

adj.

wordy:"Theinstructoraskedherverbosestudentmakeherpapermore

concise."(n:verbosity)

vex

v.



toannoy;tobother;toperplex;to

puzzle;todebateatlength:"Franklin

vexedhisbrotherwithhis

controversialwritings."

viscous

adj.

slowmoving;highlyresistanttoflow:"Heintzcommercialsimplythattheir

catsupismoreviscousthanothers'."

(n:viscosity)

volatile



adj.

explosive;fickle(n:volatility).

voracious

adj.

cravingordevouringlargequantities

offood,drink,orotherthings.Sheisa

voraciousreader.

waver

v.

tohesitateortotremble



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large



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word list a-z a-z

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