1. Vocabulary Unit 5 Mrs. Williams English 9

2. arbitrary (adj.) unreasonable; based on one’s wishes or whims without regard for reason or fairness Synonyms: capricious, high-handed, autocratic Antonyms: reasoned, rational, objective, equitable EX – A judge may be criticized for rulings that appear to be arbitrary and without legal precedent.

3. brazen (adj.) made of brass; shameless, impudent Synonyms: saucy, bold Antonyms: deferential, respectful, self-effacing EX – Behavior considered brazen in one era may be deemed perfectly acceptable in another.

4. catalyst (n.) a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction; any agent that causes change Synonyms: stimulus, spur, instigator EX – Enzymes are catalysts that aid in the digestion of food.

5. facilitate (v.) to make easier; to assist Synonyms: ease, smooth the way, simplify Antonyms: hamper, hinder, obstruct, impede EX – The Federal Reserve Board may lower interest rates in order to facilitate economic growth.

6. incorrigible (adj.) not able to be corrected; beyond control Synonyms: unruly, intractable, incurable, inveterate Antonyms: tractable, docile, curable, reparable EX – Criminals deemed incorrigible can expect to receive maximum sentences for their offenses against society.

7. latent (adj.) hidden, present but not realized Synonyms: dormant, inactive, undeveloped Antonyms: exposed, manifest, evident EX – Don’t you think it’s sad that many people use only a small fraction of their latent abilities?

8. militant (adj.) given to fighting; active and aggressive in support of a cause; (n.) an activist Synonyms: (adj.) truculent Antonyms: (adj.) unassertive, peaceable, passive EX – In the struggle for civil rights, Martin Luther King, Jr., advocated peaceful rather than militant protest. EX- – Elizabeth Cady Stanton was a militant in the fight for woman suffrage.

9. morose (adj.) having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable Synonyms: morbid, doleful Antonyms: cheerful, blithe, jaunty, buoyant EX – Heathcliff is the morose and vengeful protagonist in Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights.

10. opaque (adj.) not letting light through; not clear or lucid; dense, stupid Synonyms: hazy, cloudy, foggy, murky, dull, obtuse Antonyms: transparent, clear, bright, perceptive EX – I have read that book twice, but I still find the author’s meaning completely opaque.

11. paramount (adj.) chief in importance, above all others Synonyms: supreme, foremost, primary, dominant Antonyms: secondary, subordinate, ancillary EX – Voters should insist that candidates for high office address the paramount issues facing our society.

12. prattle (v.) to talk in an aimless, foolish, or simple way; to babble; (n.) baby talk; babble Synonyms: (v.) chatter; (n.) twaddle, gibberish, piffle Antonyms: speak concisely EX – Some people can prattle away on the phone for hours on end. – Over time, recognizable words become part of a toddler’s cheerful prattle.

13. reprimand (v.) to scold; find fault with; (n.) a rebuke Synonyms: (v.) reprove, reproach, chastised; (n.) reproof Antonyms: (v.) praise, pat on the back EX – A judge may need to reprimand a lawyer for repeatedly harassing a witness. – An employee who frequently violates a company’s rules may receive a written reprimand.

14. servitude (n.) slavery, forced labor Synonyms: captivity, bondage, thralldom Antonyms: freedom, liberty EX – In Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is sentenced to many years of servitude for stealing a loaf of bread.

15. slapdash (adj.) careless and hasty Synonyms: cursory, perfunctory, sloppy, slipshod Antonyms: painstaking, meticulous, thorough, in-depth EX – Landlords who routinely make slapdash repairs should be considered negligent.

16. succumb (v.) to give way to superior force, yield Synonyms: submit, die, expire Antonyms: overcome, master, conquer EX – Most dieters occasionally succumb to the lure of high-calorie dessert.