1. Vocabulary
Level F Unit 6

2. anomalous (adjective) abnormal, irregular, departing from the usual
SYN: exceptional,
atypical, unusual,
aberrant
ANT: normal, regular,
customary, typical,
ordinary

3. aspersion (noun) a damaging or derogatory statement;
the act of slandering
or defaming
SYN: innuendo,
calumny,
denigration
ANT: endorsement,
testimonial, praise
The National Enquirer is known for
casting aspersions on celebrities.

4. bizarre (adjective) extremely strange, unusual, atypical
SYN: grotesque,
fantastic,
outlandish
ANT: normal,
typical, ordinary,
expected

5. brusque (adjective) abrupt, blunt, with no formalities
SYN: curt, tactless,
ungracious, gruff,
rough
ANT: gracious, tactful,
courteous,
diplomatic

6. cajole (verb) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to
deceive with soothing
thoughts or false
promises
SYN: wheedle, inveigle,
soft-soap, sweet-talk
ANT: coerce, force,
strong-arm

7. castigate (verb) to punish severely; to criticize severely
SYN: chastise,
rebuke, censure,
upbraid
ANT: reward,
honor, praise,
laud

8. contrive (verb) to plan with ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the
result of a
scheme or plan
SYN: think up,
devise, concoct,
fabricate

9. demagogue (noun) a leader who exploits popular prejudices and false
claims and
promises in order
to gain power
SYN: rabble-rouser,
firebrand

10. disabuse (verb) to free from deception or error, set right in ideas
or thinking
SYN: undeceive,
enlighten, set
straight
ANT: deceive, delude,
pull wool over one’s
eyes

11. ennui (noun) weariness and dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or
interest, boredom
SYN: languor, world-
weariness,
listlessness
ANT: enthusiasm,
liveliness,
excitement, intensity

12. fetter (noun) a chain or shackle placed on the feet (usually
used in plural); anything
that confines or restrains
(verb) to chain or shackle;
to render helpless or
impotent
SYN: (noun) bond, restraint;
(verb) bind, hamper
ANT: (verb) free, liberate,
emancipate

13. heinous (adjective) very wicked, offensive, hateful SYN: evil, odious,
abominable, outrageous
ANT: excellent,
wonderful, splendid
In his book In Cold Blood, Truman Capote wrote about a heinous crime that took place in Kansas in 1959.

14. immutable (adjective) not subject to change, constant
SYN: unchangeable,
unalterable, fixed,
invariable
ANT: changeable,
inconstant, variable,
fickle
The Ten Commandments are
considered by Christians to be
immutable laws of God.

15. insurgent (noun) one who rebels or rises against authority;
(adjective) rising in
revolt, refusing to accept
authority; surging or
rushing in or on
SYN: (adjective)
revolutionary,
rebellious, mutinous
ANT: (adjective) loyalist,
loyal, faithful
In American literature, we
can read about the bravery
of many insurgents against
Britain.

16. megalomania (noun) a delusion marked by a feeling of power,
wealth, talent, etc., far
in excess of reality
SYN: delusions of
grandeur
ANT: humility, modesty,
self-abasement
Based upon his bizarre
behavior, Moammar
Khadafi appears to have
suffered from megalomania.

17. sinecure (noun) a position requiring little or no work; an easy job
SYN: “no-show”
job, cushy job,
“plum”
Our neighbor’s job appears to be nothing more than a sinecure since we rarely see him leave the house.

18. surreptitious The co-workers met surreptitiously to plan
(adjective) stealthy, secret,
intended to escape observation;
made or accomplished by
fraud
SYN: furtive, covert, clandestine,
concealed
ANT: open, frank,
aboveboard, overt
The co-workers met
surreptitiously to plan
a surprise party for their boss.

19. transgress (verb) to go beyond a limit or boundary; to sin,
violate a law
SYN: overstep,
exceed, trespass,
err
ANT: obey, toe the
line
After spending a week in ISS, the student vowed not to transgress the rules again.

20. transmute (verb) to change from one nature, substance, or form
to another
SYN: transform,
convert, translate,
metamorphose
ANT: maintain,
unchanged, preserve
After moving to a new school, my friend was able to transmute her image into a positive one.

21. vicarious (adjective) performed, suffered, or otherwise
experienced by one
person in place of
another
SYN: surrogate,
substitute, imagined,
secondhand
ANT: real, actual,
firsthand