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| biting (as in wit / temperment) |
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| biting (as in wit / temperment) |
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| to leave secretly; Cheyenne ABSCONDED from McDonalds without paying her bill. |
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| to choose not to do something; The priest will voluntarily ABSTAIN from sexual activity. |
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| to make impure; The suspicious-tasting milk was ADULTERATED with water. |
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| to speak in favor of; The physician ADVOCATED a lifestyle including rigorous exercise. |
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| concerning the appreciation of beauty; Decorators include flowers in home decor for their AESTHETIC appeal. |
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| to increase in power, influence, and reputation; The overzealous job candidate AGGRANDIZED himself by claiming achievements beyond his ability. |
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| to make more bearable; Two Ibuprofen will ALLEVIATE the pain from a headache. |
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| to combine; to mix together; IBM and GE AMALGAMATED to form Mega-Corporation. |
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| doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways; Jane's AMBIGUOUS response to his marriage proposal made Joe doubt her sincerity. |
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| to make better; to improve; Jane can AMELIORATE her dental pain by taking aspirin. |
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| something out of place in time; The 1950's music seemed ANACHRONISTIC in the modern nightclub. |
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| similar or alike in some way; equivalent to; My love for my son is ANALOGOUS to my father's love for me. |
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| deviation from what is normal; Her friendly behavior at the dance was an ANOMALOUS deviation from her ususal frosty demeanor. |
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| to. annoy or provoke to anger ; The child ANTAGONIZED the cat by pulling its tail. |
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| extreme dislike; The ANTIPATHY between Clare and her mother-in-law often descended into verbal fighting.. |
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| lack of interest or emotion; APATHETIC voters don't bother to show up at the polls. |
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| to judge a dispute between two opposing parties; Since the couple could not agree on a property settlement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings. |
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| ancient, old-fashioned; Her ARCHAIC computer could not handle the latest software. |
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| intense and passionate feeling; Jason's ARDOR for Joan was evident when he passionately described the beauty of her smile. |
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| able to speak clearly and expressively; His ARTICULATE defense of his client convinced the jury to acquit him of all charges. |
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| to make something unpleasant less severe; Paula used overeating to ASSUAGE her sense of meaninglessness and despair. |
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| to reduce in force or degree; to weaken; The new law ATTENUATED the government's power to arrest people for frivolous reaosns.. |
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| fearless and daring; The AUDACIOUS waitress insulted her customer, with no fear of possible reprisal. |
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| severe or stern in appearance; undecorated; The nuns' AUSTERE home was completely unadorned. |
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| predictable, cliched, boring; Flight attendants greet all passengers with BANAL phrases like "Have a nice day". |
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| to support; to prop up; The metal brackets BOLSTERED the heavy bookshelves onto the wall. |
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| pompous in speech and manner; Jake's BOMBASTIC claims were too outrageous to be believed. |
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| harsh, jarring noise; The chirping of the birds created a CACOPHONY in the normally silent backyard. |
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| impartial and honest in speech; Children's observations are usually CANDID and unpretentious. |
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| changing one's mind quickly and often; Jill's CAPRICIOUS nature led her to change boyfriends quite often. |
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| to punish or criticize harshly; European countries CASTIGATE perpetrators harshly for crimes that are considered minor in the United States. |
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| something that brings about a change in something else; Jack's great job on the project was the CATALYST that led to his promotion. |
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| biting in wit; Jim's insulting, yet clever remarks gave him a reputation for CAUSTIC wit. |
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| great disorder or confusion; Without proper supervision, the children's behavior will descend into CHAOS. |
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| someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs; Male CHAUVINISTS think that men are inherently superior to women. |
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| deception by means of craft or guile; Dishonest salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their least desirable products. |
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| convincing and well reasoned; Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury acquitted the defendant. |
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| to overlook, pardon, or disregard; Failing to prosecute minor crimes CONDONES lawlessness. |
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| intricate and complicated; Rather than tell the truth, Jane made up a long, CONVOLUTED story to explain her absence. |
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| to provide supporting evidence; Physical evidence CORROBORATED the witness's testimony. |
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| too trusting; gullible; Only CREDULOUS 9-year-olds still believe in Santa Claus. |
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| steadily increasing volume or force; The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as the mystery movie continued. |
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| appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety; The biker lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a formal dinner. |
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| respect, courtesy; Gentle George treated his elderly grandmother with the utmost DEFERENCE. |
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| to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock; The awkward teenager was often DERIDED by his more popular peers. |
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| to dry out thoroughly; DESICCATED coconut has been dried and browned in a hot oven. |
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| an abusive, condemnatory speech; The angry husband bellowed a DIATRIBE at his unsuspecting wife. |
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| jumping from one thing to another; disconnected; Jade had a DESULTORY education, dropping out at the drop of a hat. |
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| lacking self-confidence; Sara's DIFFIDENT manner during her date suggested she was not interested in Jake. |
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| to make larger; to expand; My pupils DILATE when I enter a dark room. |
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| intended to delay; The attorney used DILATORY means to stall the trial. |
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| someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic; DILETTANTES have only a superficial interest in the hobby. |
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| a funeral hymn or mournful speech; Mike wrote a DIRGE for the funeral of his cherished grandfather. |
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| to set right; to free from error; Benjamin Franklin DISABUSED critics who didn't understand electricity . |
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| to perceive; to recognize; It is not always easy to DISCERN the difference between the truth and lies. |
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| fundamentally different; entirely unlike; The boys look alike, yet their personalities are DISPARATE. |
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| to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character; The lying husband could DISSEMBLE to his wife no longer; he admitted his plans to leave her. |
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| a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds; The DISSONANCE in the woods was caused by the is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence. |
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| a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief; Karen's firm DOGMA was that our souls all live multiple lives through reincarnation. |
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| to deceive; a person who is easily deceived; Con artists often DUPE the elderly out of their life savings. |
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| selecting from or made up from a variety of sources; Jade's furiniture is an ECLECTIC mix of modern and southwestern styles. |
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| effectiveness; The EFFICACY of the drug is reduced if it is not taken according to the directions. |
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| a sorrowful poem or speech; The author wrote an emotional ELEGY about his mother's death. |
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| persuasive and moving, especially in speech; The President gave an ELOQUENT speech in honor of the lost soldiers. |
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| to copy; to try to equal or excel; Jody tried to EMULATE her older sister Connie, copying her dress, hairstyle and mannerisims. |
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| to reduce in strength; The US military's surprise attacks ENERVATED the opposing army. |
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| to produce, cause, or bring about; Laura's fear of dogs was ENGENDERED at age six, when she was bitten by a pit bull. |
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| a puzzle; a mystery; Lois was so quiet about her personal life that she was somewhat of an ENIGMA in the otherwise close group. |
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| to count, list, or itemize; The wife ENUMERATED her husband's faults during their bitter argument. |
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| lasting a short time; The heady romantic phase of a relationship is EPHEMERAL in the context of a lifelong marriage. |
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| to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead; The witness EQUIVOCATED when questioned by the police, misleading them about the time of the robbery. |
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| wandering and unpredictable; The excited puppy ran ERRATICALLY through the house, often bumping into the furniture. |
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| learned, scholarly, bookish; The annual research meeting attracted the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals. |
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| known or understood by only a few;The teacher struggled to explain the ESOTERIC world of forensic science to the young class. |
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| admirable; Diane's commitment to charity work is ESTIMABLE, considering her busy schedule. |
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| speech in praise of someone; David gave his father's EULOGY; outlining his achievements and delightful personality. |
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| use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one; The human resource director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM "outsourced" instead of "fired." |
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| to make worse; Instead of helping, the antacid EXACERBATED Karen's queaziness. |
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| to clear from blame; prove innocent; The defense attorney was hired to EXCULPATE his innocent client. |
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| urgent; requiring immediate action; Because the bank robbers had loaded weapons, it was EXIGENT for the police to capture them. |
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| to clear of blame; Mr. Williams was EXONERATED when his partner confessed to stealing the money. |
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| clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression; The homeowners left a list of EXPLICIT instructions for their housecleaner to follow. |
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| acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion; The moviegoers were FANATICAL in their devotion to Jim Carrey, praising even his worst movies. |
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| to grovel; Diane FAWNED over the stagehand, hoping to gain a backstage pass for the concert. |
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| intensely emotional; feverish; Bon Jovi fans were FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the group. |
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| excessively decorated or embellished; Having more money than taste, the lottery winner decorated her home in an excessively FLORID style. |
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| to arouse or incite; The candidate tried to FOMENT sentiment against the war during his impassioned speech. |
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| a tendency to be thrifty or cheap; Due to Claire's FRUGALITY, she was able to save more than half of her take-home pay. |
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| outgoing, sociable; Jill was so GREGARIOUS that she was always surrounded by friends. |
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| deceit or trickery; The desperate soldier resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy. |
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| easily deceived; The con man fooled GULLIBLE elderly people into investing their life savings. |
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| of a similar kind; The group was fairly HOMOGENOUS, including seven food science majors. |
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| one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions; Because he rejected traditional beliefs, Jerry Garcia was considered an ICONOCLAST. |
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| not capable of being disturbed; The day care worker seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest tantrums. |
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| impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected; A good roof is IMPERVIOUS to moisture. |
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| quick to act without thinking; Rachel preffered to think through her options thoroughly, rather than make an IMPETUOUS move. |
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| unable to be calmed down or made peaceful; John's rage at his wife's betrayal left him IMPLACABLE for weeks. |
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| not fully formed; disorganized; In his first rough manuscript, the author's ideas were still in an INCHOATE. |
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| showing innocence or childlike simplicity; Diane was INGENUOUS by nature, trusting everyone with the innocence of a child. |
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| hostile, unfriendly; Despite settling their lawsuit, the two sides were still INIMICAL to each other. |
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| harmless; Most bacteria are INNOCUOUS and pose no danger to humans. |
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| lacking interest or flavor; INSIPID writing lacks interest and flavor. |
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| uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled; Joe's boss was INTRANSIGENT on the deadline, insisting that the project be completed on time. |
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| to overwhelm; to cover with water; After the hurricane, the insurance company was INUNDATED with claims. |
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| easily made angry; Dave's IRASCIBLE nature made it hard to keep friends and lovers. |
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| using few words; Laura was a LACONIC speaker who used words as sparingly as possible. |
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| to express sorrow; to grieve; Marah continues to LAMENT the death of her mother. |
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| to give praise; to glorify; The students LAUDED the success of Mr. Stevens, who was named Teacher of the Year. |
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| to give unsparingly (v.); extremely generous or extravagant (adj.); She LAVISHED the child with so much attention that it soon become selfish and spoiled. |
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| acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner; The effects of mono left Grace so LETHARGIC that she couldn't complete her chores. |
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| talkative; Her LOQUACIOUS nature was a problem at times when listening was more important than talking. |
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| clear and easily understood; The explanations were written in a simple and LUCID manner that readers easily understood. |
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| bright, brilliant, glowing; The beach was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine all summer long. |
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| to evade responsibility by pretending to be ill; John hoped that his MALINGERING would prevent him from being drafted. |
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| capable of being shaped; MALLEABLE precious metals can easily be formed into almost any shape. |
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| a figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol; The METAPHOR "a sea of troubles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea. |
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| extremely careful about details; The investigators METICULOUSLY examined every inch of the crime scene. |
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| a person who dislikes others; Scrooge is such a MISANTHROPE that even children make him angry. |
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| to soften; to lessen; The storm MITIGATED after several hours, allowing stranded motorists to resume their journey home. |
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| to calm or make less severe; The sparring spouses were so angry that no compromise would MOLLIFY them. |
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| lack of variation; The MONOTONY of the simple task drove the factoy worker crazy. |
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| lacking sophistication or experience; Jane was so young and NAIVE that she believed the man's insincere flattery. |
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| hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion; Monica was OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuasion would change her mind. |
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| overly submissive and eager to please; The OBSEQUIOUS new secretary complimented her supervisors to the point of embarrassment. |
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| stubborn, unyielding; The OBSTINATE child refused to eat any food that she disliked. |
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| to prevent; to make unnecessary; The unexpected bonus check OBVIATED her need for an emergency loan. |
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| to stop up; to prevent the passage of; During a solar eclipse, the light from the sun is OCCLUDED by the moon. |
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| troublesome and oppressive; burdensome; The huge assignment was an ONEROUS burden to the already overworked team. |
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| impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light; The windows were almost OPAQUE from the buildup of dirt. |
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| public disgrace; After his torrid extramarital affair became public, the Governor resigned in OPPROBRIUM. |
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| a contradiction or dilemma; In a sad PARADOX , those most in need of medical attention are least able to obtain it. |
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| model of excellence or perfection; Miss America is the PARAGON of what a young woman should be: beautiful, intelligent, talented and fit. |
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| someone who shows off learning; The professor's excessive commentary on the topic gained him a reputation as a PEDANT. |
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| willing to betray one's trust; The actress's PERFIDIOUS boyfriend revealed all of her intimate secrets to the press. |
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| done in a routine way; indifferent; The harried waitress took the order and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile. |
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| to penetrate; The spilled wine PERMEATED the white linen table cloth. |
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| charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness; Charities owe most of their working cpaital to the PHILANTHROPY of private citizens in the community. |
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| to soothe or pacify; The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by offering it a treat. |
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| able to be molded, altered, or bent; The PLASTIC material could be formed into products of vastly different shape. |
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| excess; The house was overrun with a PLETHORA of knick knacks. |
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| practical as opposed to idealistic; While dreamers think they may win the lottery, PRAGMATIC people realize that the odds are stacked heavily stacked against them. |
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| to lie or deviate from the truth; Rather than admit the truth, the employee PREVARICATED to avoid being chastised. |
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| fresh and clean; uncorrupted; Jane cleaned all day so that Bob would return to a PRISTINE house. |
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| lavish, wasteful; The PRODIGAL son wasted his inheritance on a decadent lifestyle. |
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| to increase in number quickly |
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| to conciliate; to appease; The management PROPITIATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages. |
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| correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs; My grandmother maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to dozens of social rules. |
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| wisdom, caution, or restraint; The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by carefully managing her small savings. |
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| sharp and irritating to the senses; The smoke from the burning casserole was extremely PUNGENT |
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| motionless; QUIESCENT animals minimize their activity to conserve energy. |
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| to make thinner or sparser; Because the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe. |
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| to reject the validity of; The woman's paternity suit was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed her ex-boyfriend was not the father of her baby. |
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| silent, reserved; RETICENT in her speech, Clara often remains unnoticed. |
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| effective writing or speaking; Lincoln's talent for RHETORIC was evident in his Gettysburg Address. |
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| to satisfy fully or overindulge; His desire for power was so great that nothing could SATIATE it. |
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| causing sleep or lethargy; The SOPORIFIC movie left most viewers sleepy. |
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| deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious; Jill's SPECIOUS excuse sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise when her teacher called her home. |
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| a mark of shame or discredit; As progressive as we seem, there is still a STIGMA against single motherhood. |
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| unemotional; lacking sensitivity; The convict appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence. |
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| lofty or grand; The SUBLIME music transformed the ordinary surroundings into a special place. |
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| done without using words; The group made an TACIT agreement about which course of action to take. |
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| silent, not talkative; John's father was so TACITURN that he rarely spoke to his own children. |
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| long, harsh speech or verbal attack; Diane was shocked at the man's TIRADE over such a minor mistake. |
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| extreme mental and physical sluggishness; After surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off. |
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| temporary, lasting a brief time; The student lived a TRANSITORY life, moving almost every semester. |
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| to sway physically; to be indecisive; The customer VACILlATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream. |
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| to respect deeply; In China, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to their wisdom and experience. |
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| filled with truth and accuracy ; The doctor's reputation for VERACITY made everyone trusted her description of events. |
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| wordy; The witness's answer was so VERBOSE that the attorney forgot his original question. |
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| to annoy; The quiet old man was VEXED by his neighbor's loud music. |
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| easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive; Fawn's VOLATILE personality made it hard to predict her reaction to anything. |
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| to fluctuate between choices; Dave WAVERED between asking Cathy and Sharon to the dance. |
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| acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable; he WHIMSICAL ballet delighted the children with its imaginative characters. |
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| passion, excitement; Cathy brought ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members. |
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| gentle breeze; The coolness of the room was enhanced by the ZEPHYR coming through the window. |
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