Vocabulary Chapter 1: Read the sentences carefully for context clues and choose the meaning closest to that of the boldfaced word.

affinity Part of speech: Noun Definition: a natural liking for or attraction to a person, thing, idea, etc. Sentence: If we interviewed Olympic swimmers, we would probably find that they have a natural affinity for water. Synonyms: partiality, fondness Antonyms: dislike, aversion

fledgling Part of speech: adjective Definition: young, new, or inexperienced Sentence: Beauty schools often allow their fledgling hairdressers to practice on new clients for a reduced price. Synonyms: novice, beginner Antonyms: expert, professional

hackneyed Part of speech: adjective Definition: made commonplace or trite; stale Sentence: If your writing is riddled with hackneyed phrases, perhaps you should consider using a thesaurus. Synonyms: overdone, overused Antonyms: rare, unique

incessant Part of speech: adjective Definition: continuing without interruption; ceaseless; unending Sentence: Her incessant whining grates on my nerves. Synonyms: unceasing, constant, continuous, never-ending, perpetual Antonyms: intermittent

opulence Part of speech: noun Definition: wealth, riches, or affluence Sentence: For most people, the American Dream involves a certain amount of opulence. Synonyms: luxury, abundance Antonyms: poverty, destitution

proximity Part of speech: noun Definition: nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation Sentence: The proximity of the curtains to the fireplace was a cause of concern to the safety inspector.

sagacious Part of speech: adjective Definition: having or showing acute mental discernment and keen practical sense; shrewd Sentence: The prophets of the Bible are widely regarded as sagacious men. Synonyms: wise, discerning, clever, intelligent, judicious, acute, sharp, keen Antonyms: unwise, foolish

supplant Part of speech: verb Definition: to take the place of (another), as through force, scheming, strategy, or the like; to replace (one thing) by something else. Sentence: The leader of the small country would like to supplant democracy with his own brand of dictatorship. Synonyms: remove, succeed

unassailable Part of speech: adjective Definition: not subject to denial or dispute Sentence: The fact that certain movie stars are the epitome of the male physique is unassailable. Synonyms: indisputable, incontestable Antonyms: refutable

voluminous Part of speech: adjective Definition: of great volume, size, or extent Sentence: Teachers and students alike are often overwhelmed with voluminous quantities of books and paper. Synonyms: extensive, copious, ample Antonyms: abbreviated, sparse