1. Vocabulary Unit 6 11 th Grade Level F

2. anomalous (adj.) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual Syn. – exceptional, atypical, unusual Ant. – normal, regular, customary Example below – anomalous chicken eggs

3. aspersion (n.) a damaging or derogatory statement; the act of slandering or defaming Syn. – innuendo, claumny, denigration Ant. – endorsement, testimonial, praise

4. bizarre (adj.) extremely strange, unusual, atypical Syn. – grotesque, fantastic, outlandish Ant. – normal, typical, ordinary

5. brusque (adj.) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities Syn. – curt, tactless, ungracious, gruff Ant. – gracious, tactful, courteous

6. cajole (v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with false promises Syn. – wheedle, inveigle, soft-soap Ant. – coerce, force, strong-arm

7. castigate (v.) to punish severely; to criticize severely Syn. – chastise, rebuke, censure, upbraid Ant. – reward, honor, praise, laud

8. contrive (v.) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan Syn. – think up, devise, concoct, fabricate Pinocchio contrived some elaborate stories, but his nose gave him away.

9. demagogue (n.) a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promised in order to gain power Syn. – rabble-rouser, firebrand Hitler was a demagogue.

10. disabuse (v.) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking Syn. – undeceive, enlighten, set straight Ant. – deceive, delude, pull wool over one’s eyes “He thinks that all women adore him, but my little sister will probably disabuse him of that idea.

11. ennui (n.) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom Syn. – languor, world-weariness, listlessness Ant. – enthusiasm, liveliness, excitement

12. fetter (n.) a chain or shackle placed on the feet; anything that confines or restrains (v.) to chain or shackle, to render helpless Syn. – (n.) bond (v.) bind, hamper Ant. – (v.) free, liberate, emancipate

13. heinous (adj.) very wicked, offensive, hateful Syn. – evil, odious, abominable, outrageous Ant. – excellent, wonderful, splendid Ex: a heinous crime would be particularly horrible

14. immutable (adj.) not subject to change, constant Syn. – unchangeable, unalterable, fixed Ant. – changeable, inconstant, variable

15. insurgent (n.) one who rebels or rises against authority (adj.) rising in revolt Syn. – (adj.) revolutionary, rebellious Ant. – loyalist, loyal, faithful

16. megalomania (n.) a delusion marked by a feeling of power, wealth, or talent Syn. – delusions of grandeur Ant. – humility, modesty, self- abasement

17. sinecure (n.) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job Syn. – “no-show” job, cushy job, “plum”

18. surreptitious (adj.) stealthy, secret, intended to escape observation Syn. – furtive, covert, clandestine, concealed Ant. – open, frank, aboveboard, overt

19. transgress (v.) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law Syn. – overstep, exceed, trespass, err Ant. – obey, toe the line Ex: Jail is the place for citizens who transgress the laws of the our justice system.

20. transmute (v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another Syn. – transform, convert, translate Ant. – maintain unchanged, preserve

21. vicarious (adj.) performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another Syn. – surrogate, substitute, imagined, secondhand Ant. – real, actual, firsthand Ex: “In search of vicarious excitement, we watched action and adventure movies in her basement.