1. Docile
The docile students followed the museum guide’s instructions and quietly filled the lobby.
easily taught, trained, or managed
Adjective
Syn: submissive, gentle
Ant: aggressive

2. nonchalant
The spectators in the gym were applauding and cheering wildly, but the captain of the basketball team was nonchalant and yawned as he accepted the trophy.
Showing a lack of interest or enthusiasm
Adjective
Syn: unconcerned
Ant: passionate

3. gaunt
Lincoln’s tall, gaunt appearance seemed in perfect keeping with the dismal gray of the sunless sky.
very thin and bony
Adjective
syn: haggard
ant: plump

4. Effusive
No one was fooled by the newspaper’s effusive praise for the football coach; everyone knows Coach Riley is the editor’s brother-in-law.
showing more feeling than necessary
Adjective
syn: excessive, gushing
ant: lacking, limited

5. precursor
CD players were a precursor to the Ipod just as vinyl records were to cassette tapes.
Noun
a person or thing that goes before and indicates the approach of another
syn :forerunner, ancestor
ant: spin-off, descendent

6. converge
People from all over the world will converge in Boston to watch the 2020 Olympics.
Verb
come together
Syn: Join, assemble, merge
Ant: Separate, depart

7. vanquish
The Troy Knowledge Bowl team hopes to vanquish an opponent this semester.
Verb
To defeat or overcome in a battle, contest, or conflict
Syn: conquer
ant: lose, surrender

8. orthodox
Many middle eastern women dress in orthodox attire; they are often seen wearing a head scarf.
Adj.
conforming to traditional and established beliefs, attitudes, and doctrines
syn: conventional
ant: unconventional, untraditional

9. desolate
Death Valley is a desolate place because of its extreme temperatures.
Adj.
uninhabited, deserted
syn: bare, gushing
ant: lacking, limited

10. genocide
The Holocaust conducted by the Nazis in Germany is an example of an attempt at genocide.
the policy of deliberately killing a nationality or ethnic group
Noun
Syn: Extermination, murder
ant: survival

11. sedition
It was their fear of sedition that prompted the authorities to place the nation on high alert.
Acts that incite rebellion or civil disorder against an established government.
Noun
syn: insurrection, mutiny
ant: peace

12. glib
The politician’s glib response to my question convinced me she would not get my vote; that subject is far too important to be dismissed with such a simple answer.
speaking or spoken with little thought or sincerity
adjective
Syn: insincere, superficial
Ant: communicative, sincere

13. bellicose
The bellicose actions of the South American dictator provoked the neighboring countries to put their armies on alert.
eager to fight
Adjective
syn: aggressive
ant: peaceful, agreeable

14. belligerent
His continual belligerent behavior landed him in the principal’s office.
aggressively hostile
Adjective
syn: combative, ornery
ant: agreeable

15. malice
Ted’s malice never ends; he bullied a 6 year old and then stole his lunch.
Noun
Desire to inflict injury or suffering on another
Syn: Meanness, hatred
ant: kindness

16. omen Breaking a mirror is considered a bad omen.
anything perceived or happening that is believed to indicate a good or evil event or circumstance in the future
Noun
syn: foreboding, warning
ant: surprise

17. subside
Our laughter subsided when we realized the teacher had walked into the room.
Verb
To become quiet
syn: lessen, stop
ant: continue

18. solemn
Their solemn faces told us something terrible had just happened.
Adj.
somber or serious
syn: grave, sober
ant: humorous, light-hearted

19. bedlam Bedlam arose after the twin towers were hit by airplanes. Noun
Wild uproar and confusion
syn: Disorder, chaos
ant: serenity peace

20. maverick
Jason was a maverick who didn’t appreciate his father’s orthodox attitude toward his son’s plans.
A person who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates
Noun
syn: dissenter, rebel
ant: conservative, moderate

21. mentor
The boy from the hood was able to rise above his circumstances because he had such a strong mentor.
Noun
a wise and trusted counselor or teacher
syn: trainer, coach, guide
ant: pupil or student

22. Mundane
The flighty Caroline could not be troubled with mundane tasks such as paying her bills.
(adj)
Practical, ordinary
Synonyms: commonplace, earthly

23. laconic
He is usually laconic when trying to get his point across; therefore, he never lectures us.
Adj
using few words; expressing much in few words; concise
Syn: brief
Ant: extensive; long

24. oppression The oppression of African Americans lasted over 100 years.
Noun
the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner
Synonym: persecution, hardship
Antonym: justice

25. evocative The perfume was evocative of spring.
Today, the term machine is evocative of software rather than hardware.
Adj
Tending to call forth
Syn: expressive; remindful of
Ant: mindless, forgetful

26. mesmerize The children were mesmerized by the magician’s tricks. Verb
Fascinate, hypnotize
syn: enthrall, spellbind
Ant: bore

27. nemesis
Sophie should really quit messing with her nemesis, the big German Shepherd down the street; she has no chance in winning a fight.
Noun
An opponent or rival
Syn: enemy
ant: associate, friend

28. quixotic
Carlos has good intentions, but his quixotic scheme could not possibly succeed.
Adjective
impractical
syn: impulsive, unrealistic
ant: realistic, workable

29. agnostic
The lifelong agnostic refused to attend any religious service.
Noun
one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any 
religious doctrine.
Syn: disbeliever
ant: believer

30. paradox
Modern science often presents us with a paradox; passenger planes can travel faster than the speed of sound, but we still have to wait for our luggage.
Noun
a statement that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth
Syn: inconsistency
ant: normality

31. culminate
Our study of how dogs help veterans will culminate in a research paper.
to end or arrive at a final stage
verb
syn: conclude, climax
ant: begin

32. rendezvous It is possible to have a quiet rendezvous in a library.
A meeting at a certain time and place
Noun or verb
Syn: appointment, engagement
Ant: run into

33. recurrent A recurrent theme in Lois Lowry novels is conformity.
occuring or appearing again
Adj
syn: frequent, regular
ant: infrequent

34. discord
There is great discord among the republicans and democrats; they can’t agree on anything.
Noun
lack of concord or harmony between persons or things
syn: disagreement
Ant: agreement

35. indigenous The Steptoe is indigenous to Idaho.
originating in a particular region or country; native
Adjective
Syn: Homegrown, natural
ant: alien

36. autonomy
The residents of the island expelled the foreign ministers and proclaimed their autonomy; never again would they bow to another country’s flag.
Noun
Independence or freedom
Syn: liberty
Ant: slavery, dependence

37. bureaucracy
The government plan to offer tuition assistance to deserving students in the poor neighborhoods made sense. But, by the time applications made their way through the bureaucracy, many deserving students got tired of waiting and dropped out of the program.
administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine
Noun
Syn: administration, government
Ant: republic

38. imperious
The candidate’s imperious manner turned off voters because they expect elected officials to be their servants and not the other way around.
Adjective
domineering in a haughty manner
Syn: arrogant, dictatorial
Ant: flexible, humble

39. expedite
In order to expedite the shipment, the mechanic phoned in the order and asked the supplier to send the parts on the next plane.
Verb
to speed up
Syn: hurry, quicken
Ant: slow, delay, hinder

40. Capricious
 In WWII, the RAF trained their fighter pilots to fly in capricious flight patterns; this made them extremely hard to hit.
(Fisher Gray (Little One) 2020) 
 adj.
likely to change quickly for no obvious reason.
Synonym: erratic; flighty; unpredictable
Antonym: consistent; steadfast

41. vivacious
She has a vivacious personality; she’s always talking with her hands. 
adj.
full of life and spirit; animated; lively
Synonym: playful; energetic
Antonym: dull; lifeless

42. precocious
 The precocious little girl recited the capitols of all 50 states.
adj.
having the skills or knowledge of a much older person; exceptionally smart
Synonym: advanced; aggressive; ahead of time
Antonym: below average

43. precarious
The precarious bridge was a risk to go over; the creaking, rotted boards; the loose, unstable screws; and the moss growing over it was frightening. (Kwate class of 2020)
adj.
so unstable or insecure as to be dangerous
Synonym: dicey; perilous; risky
Antonym: safe; certain

44. ignominious
He felt his ignominious loss—to a five year old—was degrading. Maddie Barber 2020
 adj.
characterized by or associated with disgrace or shame
Synonym: degrading; humiliating; embarrassing
Antonym: glorious; admirable; honorable

45. copious
The copious amount of ripe, green apples; juicy, large cherries; and soft, plump peaches came from his home town – McCall. By Rozi Nelson 2020
 adj.
abundant in number or quantity
Synonym: plentiful
Antonym: meager; sparse

46. ostentatious
The young star enjoyed his ostentatious display of wealth. 
 adj.
extravagantly showy or ornate.
Synonym: pompous; pretentious;
Antonym: conservative; elegant; simple;

47. punctilious
A punctilious host leaves nothing to chance when preparing for guests. 
 adj.
attentive to details especially ones relating to good manners and behavior.
Synonym: careful; conscientious; exact; precise
Antonym: careless

48. voracious We arrived back with voracious appetites. adj
Definition: ravenous; desiring and eating a large amount of food
Synonym: very hungry; eager; insatiable
Antonym: quenched; satisfied

49. auspicious
He thought it was an auspicious time to ask for a raise in salary.
adj.  
Definition: favorable; promising.
Synonym: encouraging; advantageous; bright
Antonym: inauspicious; inopportune; ominous; unfortunate

50. contentious
The long, boring, contentious lecture took 27 hours—torture! By Chris Gillespie class of 2020 
adj.
Definition: causing or marked by argument or conflict; argumentative
Synonym: quarrelsome; antagonistic
Antonym: calm; easy-going; laid-back

51. confiscate Be careful or Frank may confiscate your property. verb
Definition: to take ownership or control of something by right of one's authority
Synonym: seize; expropriate
Antonym: release; surrender

52. conservative
Storing canned food, water, and weapons—many people are conservative in case of war, geographical catastrophes, or zombie apocalypses. By Brenna (the cannibal) Dunworth class of 2020  
 adj. and n.
Definition: 1. wanting things to stay as they are; 2. old-fashioned; 3. not willing to take chances or risks
Synonym: moderate; orthodox; old-fashioned
Antonym: extreme; progressive; radical

53. confer We must confer before we make a decision. Verb
Definition: to meet for discussion; hold a conference; to give an award
Synonym: deliberate; bestow
Antonym: to be alone

54. contemplative
 Rhett had to be contemplative when searching for a birthday present for Mitchell—it had to be suitable for a child 3 years or younger. (By Rhett Sandquist class of 2020)
adj.
to consider thoughtfully
Synonym: ponder; think about; consider
Antonym: disregard; overlook; reject

55. clad She was clad in gold. Verb
to outfit with clothes and especially fine or special clothes
Synonym: dressed; arrayed; garbed
Antonym: undressed

56. flamboyant The band had very flamboyant costumes. adj.
exceptionally showy or dashing in one's speech manner or appearance
Synonym: dashing; flashy; showy; theatrical
Antonym: discreet; modest

57. clamor
The clamor of the crowd at the gates grew until the doors were opened n.
a loud noise that goes on for sometime; a strong public protest; v. to produce a clamor
Synonym: hubbub; racket; uproar; outcry
Antonym: silence

58. flagrant
Trying to conceal the Watergate break-in was a flagrant abuse of power.
adj.
clearly offensive or bad; conspicuously acting against what is right.
Synonym: egregious; glaring; gross; obtrusive
Antonym: concealed; disguised; hidden; mild; moral

59. posterity For the sake of posterity do not cut down the oak trees. n.
all generations to come; future generations 2. a person's descendants
Synonym: heirs; successors; descendants; family
Antonym: past; ancestry

60. fallacy Their assumption was based upon a fallacy. noun
a false or mistaken idea.
Synonym: error; misconception
Antonym: correctness; truth

61. balmy The weather is beautiful and balmy. adj. soothingly mild.
Synonym: gentle; pleasant; temperate
Antonym: biting; bitter; cutting

62. calamity It will be a calamity if he fails his exam. n.
an event that causes great suffering and harm; a disaster.
Synonym: catastrophe; tragedy
Antonym: miracle

63. fortify We need to fortify the city against attack. v.
to make strong or stronger
Synonym: harden; reinforce
Antonym: weaken

64. Tedious Painting a long fence can become tedious. adj.
long and boring; dull
Synonym: wearisome; tiring
Antonym: exciting; interesting

65. accosted The beggar accosted me for money. verb
to approach and speak to in an aggressive or challenging way.
Synonym: confronted; annoyed; bothered; harassed
Antonym: avoid; dodge; evade; ignore; shun

66. accolade Emily received an accolade for her good deed. Noun
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
Synonym: trophy; prize; award; honor
Antonym: dishonor

67. impeccable He has impeccable taste in clothes. Adj
flawless or blameless; incapable of misdeed
Synonym: immaculate; perfect
Antonym: imperfect

68. acclimate
 It’s hard to acclimate to cold weather when you come from Florida. 
Verb
get used to a certain climate or environment
Synonym: adjust; conform;adapt
Antonym: ignore; be intolerant

69. succulent Juice from the succulent peach dribbled down my chin. adj.
fresh and juicy.
Synonym: delicious; divine; heavenly; luscious
Antonym: dry; stale

70. systematic The machine performs a systematic routine. adj.
involving or based on a method or plan; characterized by order and organization
Synonym: methodical; planned; regular
Antonym: chaotic; random; unsystematic

71. synthesis A good composition is the synthesis of many skills. noun
the putting together of parts or elements so as to form a whole
Synonym: blending; combination;
Antonym: taking apart; separation

72. synthetic My jacket is made of synthetic leather. adj.
man-made; made with chemicals formed in a laboratory instead of something found in nature
Synonym: fabricated; manufactured; artificial
Antonym: natural

73. syncopation Occasional syncopation is used in many musical styles.
 noun
a temporary accenting of a normally weak beat in music to vary the rhythm
Synonym: accent shift; beat change; rhythm variation
Antonym: normal accent