1. 4 th quarter – 2014/2015

2. 1. formidable Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms daunting imposing intimidating unthreatening friendly approachable (adjective) causing fear, dread, or apprehension; having qualities that discourage approach or attack noun – formidability, formidableness adverb – formidably

3.  Because of its size, its ability to blow fire, and its ability to fly, a dragon proves a formidable opponent.

4. 2. inscrutable Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms enigmatic impenetrable incomprehensible clear comprehensible obvious (adjective) not easily understood; hard to fathom noun – inscrutability noun – inscrutableness adverb – inscrutably

5.  I tried to make some sense out of the strange orders he had given us, but his plan and purpose remained utterly inscrutable.

6. 3. precocious Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms advanced mature developed behind unintelligent (adjective) exceptionally early in development; having mature qualities at an early age adverb – precociously noun – precociousness, precocity

7.  She was a precocious child who could read before she went to kindergarten.

8. 4. trepidation Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms alarm foreboding disquiet calm ease tranquility (noun) tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; trembling or quivering movement adjective – trepidatious

9.  Shaking with trepidation, I stepped into the old, abandoned house.

10. 5. virulent Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms hateful toxic malignant harmless healthy nonpoisonous (adjective) extremely poisonous; deadly; full of spiteful hatred adverb – virulently noun – virulence/virulency

11.  Hoping that the people would take precautions, health care workers warned the community about the virulent bacterium to prevent a pandemic.

12. 6. accommodate Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms board harbor shelter turn out turn away (verb) to do a kindness or a favor to; to provide, supply or furnish with accommodates, accommodated, accommodating adjective – accommodative noun – accommodator/accommodation

13.  He would often change his schedule to accommodate his clients.

14. 7. clairvoyant Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms extrasensory prophetic psychic NA (adjective) having the power of seeing objects or actions beyond the range of natural vision adverb – clairvoyantly noun – clairvoyance

15.  Although fortune tellers claim to be clairvoyant, I believe most of them are just really good at reading people’s behaviors and facial expressions.

16. 8. contiguous Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms adjoining juxtaposed next to divided separated detached (adjective) touching; in close proximity without actually touching; near; adjacent in time adverb – contiguously noun – contiguousness

17.  Pennsylvania and Maryland are contiguous states.

18. 9. debilitate Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms blunt disable cripple aid help strengthen (verb) to make weak or feeble debilitates, debilitated, debilitating noun – debilitation adjective – debilitative

19.  AIDS debilitates the body’s immune system, making it impossible for the body to heal itself.

20. 10. obliterate Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms annihilate eliminate exterminate build construct create (verb) to remove or destroy all traces of; do away with; destroy completely obliterates, obliterated, obliterating adjective – obliterative noun – obliteration/obliterator

21.  The weather forecast, calling for a snowstorm late in the month of March, obliterated our hopes for an early spring.

22. 11. officious Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms meddlesome interfering pushy unobtrusive unassertive (adjective) objectionably aggressive in offering unwanted services, help, or advice adverb – officiously noun – officiousness

23.  Nobody wanted to be partnered with Jack, an officious little man who was always telling everybody how to do their jobs.

24. 12. preclude Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms deter discontinue hinder allow permit support (verb) to prevent the presence or occurrence of; make impossible; to exclude or debar from something precludes, precluded, precluding noun – preclusion adjective – preclusive adverb – preclusively

25.  Jerry was devastated when he suffered an injury that precluded an athletic career and dashed his dreams.

26. 13. spurn Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms despise disregard sneer attend embrace welcome (verb) to reject; to treat with contempt; to kick or trample with the foot spurns, spurned, spurning noun – spurner

27.  Fiercely proud and independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help.

28. 14. stealthy Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms secret sneaky clandestine open public overt (adjective) done secretly; furtive stealthier, stealthiest adverb – stealthily noun – stealth/stealthiness

29.  Cats, the stealthiest of stalkers, make excellent predators, as their prey rarely see them before they pounce.

30. 15. taciturn Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms reticent reserved quiet talkative garrulous loquacious (adjective) inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to koin in conversation adverb – taciturnly noun – taciturnity

31.  The first time we heard the taciturn young man speak was at the end of the year when he was forced to present his project.

32. 16. cordial Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms welcoming sincere affable inhospitable unfriendly disagreeable (adjective) courteous and gracious; friendly; warm; heartfelt adverb – cordially noun – cordiality/cordialness

33.  The host and hostess stood at the door and cordially welcomed all of their guests.

34. 17. defame Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms bad-mouth discredit disparage commend compliment praise (verb) to attack the good name or reputation of; to disgrace or bring dishonor upon defames, defamed, defaming noun – defamer/defamation adjective – defamatory

35.  He claims he was defamed by reports that falsely identified him as a former gangster.

36. 18. discordant Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms conflicting unharmonious strident agreeable harmonious peaceful (adjective) disagreeing; disagreeable to the ear; harsh adverb – discordantly noun – discordance

37.  She has the difficult task of bringing together a number of discordant community groups.

38. 19. grueling Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms backbreaking brutal strenuous easy facile endurable (adjective) exhausting; very tiring; arduously severe adverb – gruelingly

39.  In The Jungle, Upton Sinclair criticizes the dirty and grueling conditions of the meat- packing industry in Chicago.

40. 20. indict Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms arraign charge incriminate absolve acquit exonerate (verb) to bring a formal accusation against; to charge with an offense or crime; to accuse of wrongdoing; to criticize indicts, indicted, indicting noun – indictee/indicter

41.  The grand jury could indict the mayor for fraud and embezzlement.

42. 21. indoctrinate Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms instill brainwash convert leave alone neglect ignore (verb) to instruct in a principle, ideology, etc., especially with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view indoctrinates, indoctrinated, indoctrinating noun – indoctrination/indoctrinator

43.  The goal of political science course should be to teach politics, not to indoctrinate students in a narrow set of political beliefs.

44. 22. submissive Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms servile unresisting yielding resistant defiant disobedient (adjective) inclined or ready to give in; unresistingly humble or obedient adverb – submissively noun – submissiveness/submission

45.  Children should be submissive to their elders’ rules and expectations.

46. 23. sullen Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms bad-tempered churlish crabby bright cheerful happy (adjective) showing irritation by a gloomy silence or reserve; persistently and silently ill- humored; dismal; sluggish sullener, sullenest adverb – sullenly noun – sullenness

47.  Sullen and bored at his in-laws house, he could not wait for the holidays to end.

48. 24. thwart Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms double-cross frustrate impede assist encourage help (verb) to oppose successfully; to prevent from accomplishing a purpose; to frustrate or baffle thwarts, thwarted, thwarting noun – thwarter adverb – thwartingly

49.  Because she was jealous that her brother was allowed to go on the trip while she was not, Alex did everything in her power to thwart his plans.

50. 25. wanton Synonyms Antonyms Definition Other Forms capricious heedless prodigal careful thoughtful prudent (adjective) deliberate and without motive; uncalled-for; without regard for what is right, just, humane; careless adverb – wantonly noun – wantonness

51.  Vandals were guilty of the wanton destruction of school property.