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Vocabulary Words of the Week

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1 Vocabulary Words of the Week
English 10

2 Vocabulary #1 altruistic - adj. -unselfishly concerned for the welfare of others, generous ambivalent - adj. -having contrary feelings or attitude, uncertain as to course of action  angular - adj. -lean ; sharp cornered ; gaunt arrogant - adj. -overbearingly assuming ; insolently proud aversion - noun -strong disinclination, disliking discern - verb -to differentiate between two or more things  disdain - noun -intense dislike - verb -to treat with scorn or contempt, to reject as unworthy disparage - verb -to degrade, to speak of someone or something in a derogatory manner  disparity - noun -inequality, the condition or fact of being unequal in age, rank, or degree embellish - verb -to decorate, to make beautiful with ornamentation  engender - verb -to cause, to produce, to create innocuous - adj. -harmless, producing no injury

3 Vocabulary #2: insipid - adj. -boring and stupid
lament verb -to mourn or to express sorrow in a demonstrative manner  laud verb -to praise, to extol obscure adj. -difficult to see, vague ostentatious - adj. -showy, pretentious  prodigal adj. -wasteful noun -a person given to extravagance repudiate verb -to reject, to disown, to disavow reticence noun -restraint in speech, reluctance to speak revere verb -to honor, to regard with respect serene adj. -calm, placid subtle adj. -delicate, elusive, not obvious superfluous - adj. -beyond what is needed or required, an overflow taciturn adj. -quiet, not verbose

4 Vocabulary #3: antithesis - noun -a direct opposite, a contrast
ascend verb -to move upward, to rise from a lower station austere adj. -strict, stern ; unadorned, ascetic autonomous - adj. -independent, self-contained banal adj. -common, ordinary, lacking freshness, hackneyed benign adj. -not causing harm, of gentle disposition, beneficial capricious adj. -changing suddenly, fickle dawdle verb -to waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical (unenthusiastic) manner  defamation - noun -the act of harming or ruining another’s reputation esoteric adj. -understood only by a small group or a select few exacerbate verb -to aggravate, to irritate, to vex extol verb -to praise, to glorify  fastidious adj. -reflecting a meticulous or demanding attitude, critical to an extreme

5 Vocabulary #4: furtive -adj. -secret in an underhanded way, stealthy
gregarious -adj. -sociable and outgoing hypocrite -noun -one who is insincere or deceitful innate -adj. -existing from birth, inborn lethargic -adj. -sluggish, languid melancholy -noun -a depression of spirits opaque -adj. -not allowing the passage of light, not transparent ; hard to understand prolific -adj. -abundantly fruitful, marked by great productivity reprove -verb -to scold or rebuke for a misdeed usually with kind intent symmetry -noun -balanced proportions tranquil adj. -peaceful, calm venerate verb -to honor, to revere

6 Vocabulary #5: abstruse -adj. -difficult to understand, complex
affable -adj. -friendly, courteous, amiable audacity -n. -excessive boldness, rashness, daring contrite -adj. -extremely apologetic, remorseful, repentant credulous -adj. -believing on slight evidence ; gullible depravity -n. -moral corruption, a wicked or perverse act deprecate -v. -to disapprove regretfully, to belittle didactic -adj. -instructive, designed to teach dormant -adj. -inactive, sleeping enigmatic -adj. -mysterious, inexplicable, puzzling erudite -adj. -scholarly, academically oriented exotic -adj. -foreign, unfamiliar

7 Vocabulary #6: fuse -v. -to mix or to join (usually by melting)
immutable -adj. -unchanging incorrigible -adj. -incapable of being reformed or improved loathe -v. -to utterly detest, to hate mitigate -v. -to cause to become less harsh or hostile ; to make less severe nullify -v. -to cause not to be in effect ; to negate pacifistic -adj. -opposed to war or use of force pretentious -adj. -making an extravagant outward show, self-important prologue -n. -introductory remarks made in a speech, play, or literary work recant -v. -to withdraw or to repudiate a statement or belief, to revoke servile -adj. -overly submissive, like a slave trepidation -n. -fear, trembling, agitation vilify -v. -to malign, to defame, to utter abusive statements against

8 Vocabulary #7: aesthetic -adj. -relating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art aloof -adj. -apart, indifferent, detached archaic -adj. -antiquated, old, out of use assuage -v. -to ease, to mitigate, to make less painful, to calm belie -v. -to contradict, to give a false impression contentious -adj. -quarrelsome, stirring controversy daunt -v. -to intimidate, to dismay debilitate -v. -to weaken, to enfeeble discord -n. -lack of agreement, tension, strife dissemination -n. -the act of spreading widely ; a scattering dogmatic -adj. -strongly opinionated in an unwarranted manner duplicity -n. -double-dealing, hypocrisy egocentric -adj. -self-centered, selfish

9 Vocabulary #8 euphemism -n. -substitution of an inoffensive term for one that is offensive gluttonous -adj. -greedy for food and drink mundane -adj. -ordinary, commonplace ominous -adj. -threatening, fateful, portentous petulance -n. -unreasonable touchiness or irritability pompous -adj. -exaggerated show of self-importance; bombastic precocious -adj. -exceptionally early in development or occurrence slothful -adj. -lazy, indolent trivia -n. -insignificant matters verbose -adj. -wordy, very talkative virulent -adj. -extremely poisonous ; hateful volatile -adj. -quickly changeable

10 Vocabulary #9 acrimonious -adj. -caustic, bitter and sharp in language or tone ameliorate -v. -to make better, to improve, to relieve amenable -adj. -open to or willing to follow advice or suggestion, tractable  amorphous -adj. -shapeless, having no definite form  buoyant -adj. -capable of floating ; cheerful, happy  cajole -v. -to persuade with deliberate flattery, to coax calamity -n. -a serious event causing distress or misfortune debase -v. -to reduce in dignity or quality efface -v. -to erase, to wear away  elucidate -v. -to make clear, to explain  ephemeral -adj. -lasting a short period of time, fleeting  ferocity -n. -savagery, fierceness

11 Vocabulary #10 flourish - v. -to thrive, to grow well
haughty - adj. -arrogant, excessively proud or vain  impervious - adj. -incapable of being entered or penetrated, not capable of being damaged inane - adj. -lacking significance, meaning or point ; silly, stupid, insipid indolence - n. -laziness, slothfulness infallible - adj. -incapable of error inscrutable - adj. -difficult to fathom or understand ; mysterious languid - adj. -slow, sluggish, listless, weak malice - n. -a desire to harm others oblique - adj. -slanting, indirect, evasive, devious, misleading opulence - n. -wealth, affluence, abundance penitent - adj. -showing or feeling regret for wrongdoing, repentant perfunctory - adj. -acting routinely with little interest or care

12 Vocabulary #11: antiquated - adj. -obsolete, out of fashion, no longer usable arable - adj. -fit for plowing, tillable ascendancy - noun -domination ; growing power atrophy - verb -to waste away, to wither  clandestine - adj. -secret, covert, stealthy conciliate - verb -to reconcile, to pacify, to renew a friendship cursory - adj. -superficial, casual, hastily done derision - noun -mockery, ridicule  enmity - noun -absolute hatred extricate - verb -to free, to disentangle  forbearance - noun -patience, lenience frivolous - adj. -lacking in seriousness or importance  garrulous - adj. -talkative, rambling

13 Vocabulary #12: impetuous - adj. -violent, rash, hasty, impulsive
industrious - adj. -skillfully busy or occupied infamous - adj. -having a reputation of the worst kind, vicious, notoriously bad insolence - noun -insulting or contemptuous behavior, arrogance levity - noun -lightness of manner or speech, especially when inappropriate oblivion - noun -the state of being forgotten   paradoxical - adj. -something that appears false or contradictory but is actually correct  perjury - noun -false testimony under oath rancor - noun -bitter deep-seated ill will, enmity  sycophant - noun -a self-serving flatterer  vacillating - adj. -changing, fluctuating  vivid - adj. -bright, distinct, and clear

14 Vocabulary #13 abhor - verb -to regard with extreme repugnance; to detest utterly, to loathe accolade -noun -praise, an award  ascetic - noun -one who leads a life of self-denial and contemplation; - adj. -absent of luxury bequeath -verb -to hand down, to give or to leave in a will charlatan -noun -one who claims to know something that he does not, a quack  conflagration -noun -a large fire dearth -noun - a lack, a scarcity diffidence -noun -shyness, reserve, unassertiveness effervescent - adj. -showing high spirits ethereal - adj. -heavenly, unusually delicate, light, lacking material substance expunge - verb -to remove, to erase  guile - noun -deceitfulness, duplicity implausible - adj. -not believable

15 Vocabulary #14 incongruity - noun -nonconformity, disagreement, incompatibility  insularity - noun -qualities of an island ; narrow-mindedness of opinion  morose - adj. -being sullen or gloomy  placate - verb -to appease or to pacify by making concessions poignant - adj. -piercing, incisive, and keen ; profoundly moving or touching provincial - adj. -lacking sophistication, narrow minded reiterate - verb -to repeat spontaneous - adj. -happening or arising without apparent external cause ; arising from a natural inclination or impulse and not from external incitement or constraint synthesis - noun -combining parts into a whole toxic - adj. -poisonous vigilant - adj. -watchful, very alert voluble - adj. -ability to use words easily, fluent and glib

16 Vocabulary #15: acquiesce - verb - to give in, to comply, to compromise affinity - noun -a likeness, a natural relationship, a kinship blasphemous - adj. -irreverent, profane buttress - noun -a support or prop circumspect - adj. -careful to consider consequences, cautious, prudent corroboration - noun -confirmation, validation deplete - verb -to use up gradually, to lessen in amount or value despotic - adj. -ruling oppressively and absolutely ; tyrannical emaciated - adj. -very thin (usually as a result of starvation), wasting away empirical - adj. -based on observation or experiment and not on theory extraneous - adj. -not essential or vital fallow - adj. -inactive, plowed but not sowed

17 Vocabulary #16: homogeneous - adj. -of the same kind
hyperbole - noun -a great and obvious exaggeration incontrovertible - adj. -indisputable irascible - adj. -irritable, easily angered, crass, cross laconic - adj. -using a minimum of words; concise magnanimity - noun -a lofty, generous, and courageous spirit obsequious - adj. -overly attentive, like a sycophant, servile proliferation - noun -an increase in number scrupulous - adj. -very principled, very careful and conscientious sublime - adj. -exalted, noble, uplifting, superb surreptitious - adj. -secret, clandestine, stealthy veracity - noun -devotion to the truth zeal - noun -enthusiasm, fervor

18 Vocabulary #17: ambiguous - adj. -having more than one meaning; unclear, uncertain  amiable - adj. -friendly, sociable, and congenial ; civil and urbane crass - adj. -coarse, crude and unrefined discursive - adj. -rambling, moving from one topic to another randomly docile - adj. -easily managed, obedient, passive estrange - verb -to alienate, to separate exonerate - verb -to free from blame, obligation, or responsibility gratuitous - adj. -given freely, unwarranted and unnecessary hypothesize - verb -to reach a conclusion based on an assumption or something not proven indignation - noun -anger as a result of something unjust induce - verb -to bring on or to bring about intractable - adj. -stubborn, difficult to manage introspective - adj. -examining one’s own mind or thoughts

19 Vocabulary #18: lucid - adj. -easily understood ; mentally sound
meticulous - adj. -taking great care misanthrope - noun -a hater of mankind munificent - adj. -very generous plagiarize - verb -to steal and to use another’s writings as one’s own profuse - adj. -extravagantly abundant, flowing freely recluse - noun -a person who lives in solitude, a hermit sated - adj. -satisfied fully, indulged to excess stupefy - verb -to dull the senses as to put into a stupor terse - adj. -concise, succinct, to the point transient - adj. -quickly passing, fleeting virtuoso - noun -one skilled in the fine arts as an accomplished musician

20 Vocabulary #19 abstracted - adj. -removed in thought from the immediate situation, lost in one’s own mind adulation - noun -extreme praise or admiration adversity - noun -misfortune, unfavorable happening burgeon - verb -to sprout, to newly emerge chimera - noun -a fantasy ; a horrible creature of the imagination culpable - adj. -deserving blame ; guilty decadent - adj. -being in a state of decline or decay ; marked by or providing unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent entreaty - noun -a plea, an earnest request fatuous - adj. -foolish, silly in an obnoxious way humane - adj. -kind, compassionate, sympathetic and considerate indulgent - adj. -lenient, especially toward oneself ineptness - noun -lack of competence or judgment

21 Vocabulary #20: ingrate - noun -an ungrateful person
inundate - verb -to flood, to overflow miser - noun -one who lives in wretched circumstances to save and hoard money nefarious - adj. -extremely wicked, evil, vicious prattle - noun -meaningless sounds, babble predilection - noun -a preference, an inclination procrastinate - verb -to defer action ; to delay stoic - adj. -not showing passion or feeling, indifference, impassive suffrage - noun -the right to vote summon - verb -to call together, to send for or to request to appear transparent - adj. -easily seen through or detected, clear turbulence - noun -wild or disturbing activity  viable - adj. -capable of working, functioning, or developing adequately

22 Vocabulary #21: abet - verb -to encourage or to assist (usually an offense against justice or the law) agile - adj. -characterized by an ability to move quickly with suppleness and grace antidote - noun -something that relieves the effects of poison ascertain - verb -to find out definitely ; to determine benevolence - noun -kindness, generosity, charity desolate - adj. -deserted, without inhabitants, barren din - noun -loud and discordant noises, cacophony dissuade - verb -to advise against, to talk out of distend - verb -to expand, to swell enervation - noun -weakness, emasculation eulogy - noun -a praise or tribute fitful - adj. -irregular, convulsive, spasmodic indelible - adj. -cannot be removed, washed away or erased

23 Vocabulary #22: inert - adj. -unable to move or act, sluggish
malevolence - noun -ill will or evil intentions obliterate - verb -to remove all traces of ; to do away with ; to destroy completely ornate - adj. -excessively decorated paucity - noun -a scarcity, fewness of number, a dearth piety - noun -devotion and reverence to God precarious - adj. -dangerous, risky, not a secure situation prosaic - adj. -commonplace, uninspired, banal quiescent - adj. -inactive, dormant, latent scintillating - adj. -sparkling, shining, or flashing squalid - adj. -filthy in appearance, sordid vexation - noun -discomfort or distress

24 Vocabulary #23: abridge - verb -to shorten, to diminish
alacrity - noun -a prompt a cheerful response antipathy - noun -a dislike, a distaste, or enmity augment - verb -to make greater or to supplement bombastic - adj. -using inflated language, pompous decry - verb -to speak against, to rail against, to disparage eclectic - adj. -coming from a variety of diverse sources enhance - verb -to make better, to improve euphonious - adj. -pleasant or agreeable (sound) fervid - adj. -ardent, burning, impassioned impecunious - adj. -without money ingratiate - verb -to make an effort to gain good favor with someone luxuriant - adj. -abundant in growth, very fertile

25 Vocabulary #24 paltry - adj. -trifling, petty, worthless
pedantry - noun -the act of showing off learning in a manner that is needless and unimaginative placid - adj. -peaceful, calm preclude - verb -to make impossible promontory - noun -land of rock projecting into a body of water raze - verb - to completely destroy secular - adj. -nonreligious, worldly static - adj. -having no motion, showing little change tact - noun -a keen sense for what is appropriate or tasteful in delicate situations torpid - adj. -sluggish, inactive, dull vindicate - verb -to clear of accusations or charges vindictive - adj. -revengeful or spiteful

26 Vocabulary #25: allure - verb -to influence, sway, or entice with some tempting appeal apathy - noun -a lack of concern or feeling, indifference auspicious - adj. -favorable, propitious caricature - noun -a portrayal where features are distorted, a parody cordial - adj. -courteous and gracious; friendly; warm cosmopolitan - adj. -dealing with the whole world, global deplore - verb -to regret deeply or strongly; to feel or to express deep grief for discrepant - adj. -disagreeing, inconsistent ecstasy - noun -extreme happiness, rapture empathy - noun -understanding or identification with another’s feelings or situation equivocal - adj. -ambiguous (usually intended to mislead) expeditious - adj. -done with speed and efficiency

27 Vocabulary #26: galvanize - verb -to stimulate or to excite as if by an electric shock Implacable - adj. -incapable of being appeased inimitable - adj. -not able to be imitated mutability - noun -the degree to which something is subject and likely to change odious - adj. -deserving hate or contempt parochial - adj. -limited in range or scope, narrow, provincial penchant - noun -a strong inclination ponderous - adj. -very heavy, unwieldy from weight protract - verb -to prolong replete - adj. -filled to capacity, abundantly supplied soporific - adj. -something that tends to cause sleep and to dull awareness or alertness strident - adj. -loud and harsh sounding treachery - noun -a violation of faith; a betrayal of trust; treason

28 Vocabulary #27: adulterate - verb -to make impure by adding lesser substances ; to corrupt animosity - noun -harsh feelings, enmity, resentment, hatred apocryphal - adj. -of doubtful origin or authenticity, not genuine avarice - noun -greed for wealth coalesce - verb -to merge, to fuse, to join, or to unite collaborate - verb -to work together cryptic - adj. -mysterious, secret desultory - adj. -jumping around, aimless, random dissipation - noun -wasteful spending, squandering edifying - adj. -instructing and improving spiritually or morally equivocate - verb -to attempt to lie, to mislead, or to hide the truth espousing - adj. -giving one’s loyalty ; adopting or embracing a cause  hedonist - noun -one who seeks pleasure as the sole aim in life

29 Vocabulary #28: indefatigable - adj. -tireless, incapable of being fatigued interminable - adj. -having or seeming to have no end, wearisomely protracted naïve - adj. -unsophisticated ; inexperienced parody - noun -humorous or ridiculous imitation peripheral - adj. -on the edge, not important portent - noun -a sign or forewarning prodigious - adj. -extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree ; great in size, enormous profane - adj. -showing contempt towards sacred things respite - noun -a rest, a delay, a period of relief sordid - adj. -filthy, foul surfeited - adj. -fed or supplied to excess trifling - adj. -not significant, frivolous

30 Vocabulary #29: abate - verb -to reduce in intensity or amount
antecedent - adj. -preceding a cause arid - adj. -very dry bane - noun -a source of harm or destruction beleaguer - verb -to harass, to annoy contempt - noun -scorn, extreme dislike or disdain cynical - adj. -given to faultfinding, sneering, and sarcasm dexterous - adj. -skillful and active with the hands dour - adj. -sullen, stern, harsh exalt - verb -to glorify, to praise, to raise in rank felicitous - adj. -happy or delightful impeccable - adj. -free from fault or blame

31 Vocabulary #30: imperturbable - adj. -marked by extreme calm, impassivity, assurance and steadiness malleable - adj. -capable of being shaped, influenced, or altered ; tractable mortify - verb -to humiliate, to wound pride, to experience shame obdurate - adj. -extremely stubborn, unwilling to accept advice platitude - noun -trite remark, banal statement profligate - n./adj. -a wasteful person ; extremely wasteful, given to licentiousness pugnacious - adj. -looking for a fight, combative, belligerent savory - adj. -appetizing spurn - verb -to reject or to refuse with hostility supercilious - adj. -haughty, vain and arrogant trite - adj. -overused, commonplace, clichéd vociferous - adj. -clamorous, boisterous  vulgarity - noun -something offensive to good taste and refinement

32 Vocabulary #31: acclaim - noun -praise, approval ;
verb -to salute , to hail amass - verb -to collect, to gather, to accumulate anarchist - noun -one who believes in the absence of government or law banter - verb -to speak in a witty or teasing manner noun -teasing talk blithe - adj. -lighthearted, joyous, glad, cheerful, free of spirit cacophonous - adj. -harsh sounding, having dissonance commensurate - adj. -equal, proportionate complacency - noun -the state of being self-satisfied desiccate - verb -to dry up diminution - noun -a reduction, a diminishment elicit - verb -to bring out a response, to evoke incessant - adj. -constant, perpetual, uninterrupted jollity - noun -merriment, glee, the state of being jolly

33 Vocabulary #32: kindle - verb -to start a fire ; to stir up
parsimony - noun -stinginess, frugality penury - noun -extreme poverty perspicacious - adj. -having clear insight, shrewd, very perceptive and wise pliable - adj. -easily manipulated or able to be bent freely without breaking quell - verb -to quiet or to put down a disturbance rectify - verb -to set right or to correct rue - verb -to be sorry for, to regret sluggard - noun -a person who is lazy or indolent stealthy - adj. -acting in a secret and sneaky way (negative connotation) succinct - adj. -brief, compact, concise, pithy voluminous - adj. -marked by great volume or size

34 Vocabulary #33: abstemious - adj. -sparing (usually in drinking or eating) ; temperate admonish - verb -to caution, to advise, or to counsel against something amity - noun -friendship bastion - noun -a fortification, a stronghold ; a place of safety callous - adj. -hardened ; insensitive, indifferent, unsympathetic clemency - noun -leniency ; compassion debunk - verb -to expose the falseness or hypocrisy of something diffuse - verb -to spread in all directions dupe - verb -to trick, to fool, to deceive, or to cheat exorcise - verb -to expel an evil spirit, to get rid of something troublesome finesse - noun -delicate skill ; sophistication humility - noun -the quality or state of being humble in spirit (marked by meekness or modesty in behavior or spirit ; not arrogant or prideful)

35 Vocabulary #34: imperious - adj. -extremely overbearing, domineering
larceny - noun -the act of stealing another’s property mirth - noun -gladness and merriment usually accompanied by laughter mollify - verb -to sooth or to appease, to assuage neologism - noun -a newly coined word or phrase ; new use of a word (often disapproved of) orthodox - adj. -conforming to established standards, conventional plight - noun -a difficult or adverse situation repertoire - noun -a list of works of music or readings that are ready for performance rupture - verb -to break apart, to burst solicitous - adj. -worried, concerned stolid - adj. -showing little emotion tempestuous - adj. -turbulent, stormy untenable - adj. -not able to be defended

36 Vocabulary #35: accord - noun -agreement, state of harmony
annulment - noun -a voiding, invalidation arduous - adj. -very difficult to accomplish or to achieve, very demanding astute - adj. -shrewd, perspicacious, perceptive carping - adj. -finding fault, critical covert - adj. -secret, concealed, furtive desecrate - verb -to violate the sanctity of something, to profane, to adulterate dilatory - adj. -delaying slow esteem - noun -estimate of value ; approval and respect often blended with fondness expatriate - noun -an exile  fortuitous - adj. -something that happens by accident or chance (usually good)  guileless - adj. -without deceit or deception

37 Vocabulary #36: hackneyed - adj. -trite, banal, lacking freshness
illustrious - adj. -notably outstanding, famous insatiable - adj. -incapable of being satisfied loquacious - adj. -very talkative neurotic - noun -an emotionally unstable person adj. -emotionally unstable parch - verb -to become dry from heat, to shrivel from heat porous - adj. -something that permits the passages of substances through pores rancid - adj. -having a foul or offensive smell or taste reconcile - verb -to reestablish friendship, to resolve a dispute saccharine - adj. -an overly sweet attitude sonorous - adj. -resonant, producing a full and rich sound tentative - adj. -not fully worked out, provisional, uncertain utility - noun -usefulness

38 Vocabulary #37: adjunct - adj. -joined or added to a thing but not necessarily a part of it anomalous - adj. -out of place, abnormal belligerent - adj. -waging war ; inclined to or exhibiting assertiveness censure - verb -to blame or to condemn compliance - noun -a yielding ; acquiescence defile - verb -to make dirty, to desecrate, to pollute diligent - adj. -characterized by steady, attentive and energetic effort in a pursuit or study galling - adj. -very irritating heralded - adj. -announced or publicized incantation - noun -a spell, written or recited formula of words designed for a particular effect indigenous - adj. -native to a certain area luscious - adj. -pleasant to the taste pungent - adj. -sharp or irritating to the taste or smell ratify - verb -to give formal approval  sagacious - adj. -wise, shrewd, very discerning


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