attrition

a natural loss of individuals

circumvent 

to avoid

cohesive

connected; sticking or holding together

grievous

terrible; causing grief or pain

inundate

to flood; overwhelm with a large number or amount

oblivious

not noticing; unaware

reticent

quiet; reluctant to speak out

robust

strong, healthy and well

sanction

to grant approval of

vociferous

loud

bolster

to support; to hold up, strengthen, or reinforce

depreciate

to become less valuable

indiscriminate

not selective; not chosen carefully

inquisitive

questioning; curious; eager to learn

nebulous

indefinite; vague; unclear

relegate

to send

replete

filled; plentifully supplied

sedentary

involving much sitting

tenet

a principle

terse

short; brief and clear

clandestine

secret; kept hidden

contingency

a possibility

egocentric

selfish

exonerate

to be found not guilty

incongruous

contradictory; out of place

indigenous

native

liability

a handicap; something that acts as a disadvantage

prolific

creating abundantly; producing many works, results, or offspring

reinstate

to put back

superfluous

unnescessary; beyond what is needed

austere

very plain

esoteric

difficult to understand

facsimile

an exact copy

grotesque

strange-looking

mesmerize

to fascinate

metamorphosis

a change in form; transformation

notorious

regarded negatively; having a reputation

perfunctory

uninterested

provocative

attention-getting

travesty

a joking, disrespectful imitatoin; mockery

connoisseur

an authority; an expert in fine art or in matters of taste

conspiracy

a plot

contrite

sorry

distraught

upset

germane

related; having to do with the issue at hand

lucid

easy to understand

plight

an unfortunate situation

superficially

slightly; not thoroughly

symmetrical

balanced; the same on both sides

verbose

wordy; using or containing too many words