Vocabulary Level F Unit 4

affable – adj. courteous and pleasant, sociable, easy to speak to The new student made friends easily because he was affable and outgoing.

aggrandize – v. to build up or intensify syn aggrandize – v. to build up or intensify syn. augment, amplify, enhance, exalt If I save 50% of my paycheck each week, I will aggrandize my savings account so that I can buy a car this year.

amorphous – adj. shapeless, without definite form; without organization, unity, or cohesion The first meeting of the new club lacked a strong leader or agenda; its amorphous start did not give me faith that it would be successful.

archetype – the ideal example of a particular type of person or thing Sherlock Holmes was an archetype of a clever detective who always solves the case.

aura – n. a distinctive air or personal quality syn. atmosphere The abandoned house at the end of the street has an aura of loneliness and desolation to it.

contraband – n. smuggled goods; adj. illegal, prohibited When traveling to another country, you will be searched by security for contraband.

erudite – scholarly, learned, pedantic syn erudite – scholarly, learned, pedantic syn. profoundly educated, well-read To be considered for membership in MENSA, a person must not only have a minimum IQ of 180, but he must also prove himself erudite through a series of tests in many areas of study.

gossamer – adj. thin, light, delicate, insubstantial Lace is a gossamer fabric and must be treated delicately so it won’t tear.

inscrutable – adj. incapable of being understood syn inscrutable – adj. incapable of being understood syn. impenetrable, incomprehensible I found the diagnosis was inscrutable initially because the doctor spoke only medical jargon that I am unfamiliar with.

insular – adj. narrow or isolated in outlook or experience syn insular – adj. narrow or isolated in outlook or experience syn. narrow-minded, provincial The senator was accused of being insular because he refused to address any concerns outside of his realms of experience.

irrevocable – adj. incapable of being changed syn. irreversible Many people regret the irrevocable tattoos they get in their youth.

propensity – n. a natural inclination toward syn. penchant, proclivity The little girl displayed a propensity for music at an early age.

querulous – adj. peevish, complaining, fretful Some adults are more querulous than toddlers; they gripe over every little thing.

remonstrate – v. to argue or plead with someone against something, object to In a debate, each side remonstrates with the other to sway the decision.

repudiate – v. to disown, reject, or deny the validity of

resilient – adj. able to recover quickly People who take care of their bodies by exercising, eating healthy foods, and getting plenty of sleep are usually more resilient than those who don’t practice healthy habits when battling illness.

reverberate – v. re-echo, resound syn. echo Our voices reverberated through the canyon.

scurrilous – adj. foul-mouthed, coarsely abusive syn. obscene, filthy School is not an appropriate place for scurrilous language or behavior; in fact, I can’t really think of a place that is!

sedulous – adj. persistent syn. tireless The tortoise never would have won if he hadn’t been so sedulous.

sleazy – adj. thin or flimsy in texture; cheap; shoddy or inferior in quality or character; ethically low, mean, or disreputable Cat-calling and other forms of harassment are generally considered sleazy behavior. As the fashion designer sewed, the sleazy material fell apart in her hands; she should have spent money on the higher quality fabric!