Level E Unit 12 Vocabulary Words

1. Abjure (v.) to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun Toward the end of Shakespeare’s last play The Tempest, the magician ABJURES his powers over nature. Synonyms: forswear, retract, recant, abstain from Antonyms: affirm, avow, aver, profess

2. Acrid (adj.) harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper The ACRID stench of a fire lingers in the air long after the flames have been extinguished. Synonyms: irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic Antonyms: gentle, soothing, mild

3. August (adj.) majestic, inspiring admiration and respect The AUGUST visages of the four American presidents are carved on the face of Mt. Rushmore. Synonyms: stately, dignified, exalted, venerable Antonyms: humble, base, mean, lowly, abject

4. Callous (adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeeling Protestors accused the mayor of CALLOUS indifference to the plight of the homeless. Synonyms: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned Antonyms: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted

5. Clandestine (adj.) secret, concealed; underhanded During the early stages of the American Revolution, CLANDESTINE colonial printing presses churned out anti-British propaganda. Synonym: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy Antonyms: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard

6. Compunction (n.) remorse, regret In some religious writings, COMPUNCTION is used as a synonym for contrition to express regret for sins. Synonyms: scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition Antonyms: shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance

7. Conflagration (n.) a large destructive fire A large number of wooden structures quite literally added fuel to the CONFLAGRATION that swept through San Francisco in 1906. Synonyms: holocaust, wildfire Antonyms: deluge, flood

8. Elated (adj., part.) in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased ELATED fans lined the city’s streets to cheer the World Series champions. Synonyms: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink Antonyms: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue

9. Indelible (adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable The brutal crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis left an INDELIBLE stain on our history. Synonyms: lasting, permanent, unforgettable Antonyms: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral

10. Indulgent (adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others A heightened sense of compassion has induced the federal government to adopt a more INDULGENT policy toward illegal aliens. Synonyms: lenient, permissive, tolerant, liberal Antonyms: strict, severe, inflexible, hard-nosed

11. Inveterate (adj.) firmly established, long standing; habitual It has been claimed that many writers and artists have an INVETERATE hostility to criticism. Synonyms: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool Antonyms: sporadic, intermittent, occasional

12. Irrelevant (adj.) not to the point, not applicable or pertinent When you take notes, it’s best to record only the main points and eliminate all IRRELEVANT details. Synonyms: inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point Antonyms: pertinent, material, apropos, germane

Antonyms: daytime, diurnal 13. Nocturnal (adj.) of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness Most NOCTURNAL creatures have keen eyesight and acute hearing. Synonyms: nighttime Antonyms: daytime, diurnal

14. Platitude (n.) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark The sentiments expressed in most greeting cards seldom rise above the level of timeworn PLATITUDES. Synonyms: cliché, truism, bromide Antonyms: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot

15. Quell (v.) to subdue, put down forcibly The English poet Dryden believed that music has the power to either arouse or QUELL strong emotions. Synonyms: suppress, pacify, squelch, quash, crush Antonyms: active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile

16. Quiescent (adj.) inactive; at rest Although some volcanoes are believed to be truly extinct, many are merely QUIESCENT. Synonyms: still, inert, motionless, dormant, tranquil Antonyms: active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile

Synonyms: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse 17. Ruminate (v.) to meditate, think about at length; to chew the cud In old age, many people sadly RUMINATE on mistakes made and opportunities missed. Synonyms: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse

18. Tacit (adj.) unspoken, silent; implied, inferred The neighbors had a TACIT understanding that they would help each other in an emergency. Synonyms: unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit Antonyms: explicit, express, specific

19. Tangible (adj.) capable of being touched; real, concrete After months of intensive negotiation, diplomats reported they had made TANGIBLE progress toward reaching a settlement. Synonyms: perceptible, actual, evident, palpable Antonyms: immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial

20. Trenchant (adj.) incisive, keen; forceful, effective; cutting, caustic; distinct, clear-cut Scholars consider the TRENCHANT satires of Jonathan Swift to be the greatest works of their kind in the English language. Synonyms: penetrating, cutting, telling, acute Antonyms: dull, bland, insipid, vapid, imperceptive