1. Level E Unit 12
Vocabulary Words

2. 1. Abjure (v.) to renounce, repudiate under oath; to avoid, shun
Toward the end of Shakespeare’s last play The Tempest, the magician ABJURES his powers over nature.
Synonyms: forswear, retract, recant, abstain from
Antonyms: affirm, avow, aver, profess

3. 2. Acrid (adj.) harsh in taste or odor; sharp in manner or temper
The ACRID stench of a fire lingers in the air long after the flames have been extinguished.
Synonyms: irritating, stinging, bitter, caustic
Antonyms: gentle, soothing, mild

4. 3. August (adj.) majestic, inspiring admiration and respect
The AUGUST visages of the four American presidents are carved on the face of Mt. Rushmore.
Synonyms: stately, dignified, exalted, venerable
Antonyms: humble, base, mean, lowly, abject

5. 4. Callous (adj.) emotionally hardened, unfeeling
Protestors accused the mayor of CALLOUS indifference to the plight of the homeless.
Synonyms: insensitive, unsympathetic, thick-skinned
Antonyms: sensitive, compassionate, tenderhearted

6. 5. Clandestine (adj.) secret, concealed; underhanded
During the early stages of the American Revolution, CLANDESTINE colonial printing presses churned out anti-British propaganda.
Synonym: covert, furtive, surreptitious, stealthy
Antonyms: open, overt, undisguised, aboveboard

7. 6. Compunction (n.) remorse, regret
In some religious writings, COMPUNCTION is used as a synonym for contrition to express regret for sins.
Synonyms: scruple, qualm, misgiving, contrition
Antonyms: shamelessness, insouciance, nonchalance

8. 7. Conflagration (n.) a large destructive fire
A large number of wooden structures quite literally added fuel to the CONFLAGRATION that swept through San Francisco in 1906.
Synonyms: holocaust, wildfire
Antonyms: deluge, flood

9. 8. Elated (adj., part.) in high spirits, jubilant; extremely pleased
ELATED fans lined the city’s streets to cheer the World Series champions.
Synonyms: overjoyed, ecstatic, tickled pink
Antonyms: depressed, crestfallen, despondent, blue

10. 9. Indelible (adj.) not able to be erased or removed; memorable
The brutal crimes against humanity committed by the Nazis left an INDELIBLE stain on our history.
Synonyms: lasting, permanent, unforgettable
Antonyms: erasable, impermanent, ephemeral

11. 10. Indulgent (adj.) yielding to the wishes or demands of others
A heightened sense of compassion has induced the federal government to adopt a more INDULGENT policy toward illegal aliens.
Synonyms: lenient, permissive, tolerant, liberal
Antonyms: strict, severe, inflexible, hard-nosed

12. 11. Inveterate (adj.) firmly established, long standing; habitual
It has been claimed that many writers and artists have an INVETERATE hostility to criticism.
Synonyms: persisting, chronic, dyed-in-the-wool
Antonyms: sporadic, intermittent, occasional

13. 12. Irrelevant (adj.) not to the point, not applicable or pertinent
When you take notes, it’s best to record only the main points and eliminate all IRRELEVANT details.
Synonyms: inapplicable, immaterial, beside the point
Antonyms: pertinent, material, apropos, germane

14. Antonyms: daytime, diurnal
13. Nocturnal
(adj.) of or occurring in the night; under cover of darkness
Most NOCTURNAL creatures have keen eyesight and acute hearing.
Synonyms: nighttime
Antonyms: daytime, diurnal

15. 14. Platitude (n.) a commonplace, stale, or trite remark
The sentiments expressed in most greeting cards seldom rise above the level of timeworn PLATITUDES.
Synonyms: cliché, truism, bromide
Antonyms: epigram, quip, witticism, bon mot

16. 15. Quell (v.) to subdue, put down forcibly
The English poet Dryden believed that music has the power to either arouse or QUELL strong emotions.
Synonyms: suppress, pacify, squelch, quash, crush
Antonyms: active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile

17. 16. Quiescent (adj.) inactive; at rest
Although some volcanoes are believed to be truly extinct, many are merely QUIESCENT.
Synonyms: still, inert, motionless, dormant, tranquil
Antonyms: active, thriving, lively, bustling, volatile

18. Synonyms: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse
17. Ruminate
(v.) to meditate, think about at length; to chew the cud
In old age, many people sadly RUMINATE on mistakes made and opportunities missed.
Synonyms: ponder, reflect, mull over, muse

19. 18. Tacit (adj.) unspoken, silent; implied, inferred
The neighbors had a TACIT understanding that they would help each other in an emergency.
Synonyms: unexpressed, unvoiced, understood, implicit
Antonyms: explicit, express, specific

20. 19. Tangible (adj.) capable of being touched; real, concrete
After months of intensive negotiation, diplomats reported they had made TANGIBLE progress toward reaching a settlement.
Synonyms: perceptible, actual, evident, palpable
Antonyms: immaterial, imperceptible, insubstantial

21. 20. Trenchant
(adj.) incisive, keen; forceful, effective; cutting, caustic; distinct, clear-cut
Scholars consider the TRENCHANT satires of Jonathan Swift to be the greatest works of their kind in the English language.
Synonyms: penetrating, cutting, telling, acute
Antonyms: dull, bland, insipid, vapid, imperceptive