Hot Words #3

1. Antagonism (n.) hostility, active opposition. hostility, active opposition. Teenagers sometimes show antagonism toward parental suggestions that they clean up their rooms. Teenagers sometimes show antagonism toward parental suggestions that they clean up their rooms.

2. Antithesis (n.) Direct opposite. Direct opposite. Surprisingly, Donna is the antithesis of her twin, Debby. Surprisingly, Donna is the antithesis of her twin, Debby.

3. Apocryphal (adj.) Of doubtful authenticity; counterfeit. Of doubtful authenticity; counterfeit. The story of George Washington and the cherry tree is apocryphal, no doubt. The story of George Washington and the cherry tree is apocryphal, no doubt.

4. Arduous (adj.) Hard to do; strenuous. Hard to do; strenuous. Until Hercules accomplished it, cleaning the Augean Stables was considered an arduous task. Until Hercules accomplished it, cleaning the Augean Stables was considered an arduous task.

5. Articulate (adj.) Able to put one’s thoughts into words easily and clearly. Able to put one’s thoughts into words easily and clearly. Being articulate, Ellyn was able to do well on her job interviews. Being articulate, Ellyn was able to do well on her job interviews.

6. Assuage (v.) To calm or soothe; to satisfy. To calm or soothe; to satisfy. Mother hastened to the bedroom to assuage Beth’s fears. Mother hastened to the bedroom to assuage Beth’s fears.

7. Atrophy (v.) To waste away. To waste away. Failure to exercise your muscles may cause them to atrophy. Failure to exercise your muscles may cause them to atrophy.

8. Augment (v.) To increase or enlarge; to become greater in size. To increase or enlarge; to become greater in size. You can augment your income by working overtime. You can augment your income by working overtime.

9. Austere (adj.) Stern in manner or appearance; strict in morals. Stern in manner or appearance; strict in morals. When the austere lifestyle proved to be too arduous to maintain, Alberto left the monastery. When the austere lifestyle proved to be too arduous to maintain, Alberto left the monastery.

10. Authoritarian (n.) A person who supports the principle of subjection to authority instead of individual freedom. A person who supports the principle of subjection to authority instead of individual freedom. As the family authoritarian, my eldest brother succeeded in alienating the rest of us. As the family authoritarian, my eldest brother succeeded in alienating the rest of us.