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pithy: (adj) concisely meaningful-(My father's long-winded explanation was a stark contrast to his usually pithy statements.)
transgress: (v) to violate, go over a limit-(The criminal's actions transgressed morality and human decency.)
pariah: (n) an outcast-(Following the discovery of his plagiarism, Professor Hurley was made a pariah in all academic circles.)
refute: (v) to prove wrong-(Maria refuted the president's argument as she yelled and gesticulated at the Tv) relegate -1. (v) to assign to the proper place-(At the astrology conference, Simon was relegated to the Scorpio room.)
wanton: (adj) undisciplined, lewd, lustful-(Vicky's wanton demeanor often made the frat guys next door very excited.)
staid: (adj) sedate, serious, self-restrained-(The staid butler never changed his expression no matter what happened.)
proclivity: (n) a strong inclination toward something-(In a sick twist of fate, Harold's childhood proclivity for torturing small animals grew into a desire to become a surgeon) profligate-(adj) dissolute, extravagant-(The profligate gambler loved to drink, spend money, steal, cheat, and hang out with prostitutes.)
perfunctory: (adj) showing little interest or enthusiasm-(The radio broadcaster announced the news of the massacre in a surprisingly perfunctory manner.)
pulchritude: (n) physical beauty-(Several of Shakespeare's sonnets explore the pulchritude of a lovely young man) punctilious-(adj) eager to follow rules or conventions-(Punctilious Bobby, hall monitor extraordinaire, insisted that his peers follow the rules.)
puerile: (adj) juvenile, immature-(The judge demanded order after the lawyer's puerile attempt to object by stomping his feet on the courtroom floor.)
sophomoric: (adj) immature, uninformed-(The mature senior rolled her eyes at the sophomoric gross-out humor of the underclassman) spurious-(adj) false but designed to seem plausible-(Using a spurious argument, John convinced the others that he had won the board game on a technicality.)
surmise: (v) to infer with little evidence-(After speaking to only one of the students, the teacher was able to surmise what had caused the fight.)
toady: (n) one who flatters in the hope of gaining favors-(The other kids referred to the teacher's pet as the Tenth Grade Toady.)
reprove: (v) to scold, rebuke-(Lara reproved her son for sticking each and every one of his fingers into the strawberry pie.)
stingy: (adj) not generous, not inclined to spend or give-(Scrooge's stingy habits did not fit with the generous, giving spirit of Christmas.)
redoubtable: 1. (adj) formidable-(The fortress looked redoubtable set against a stormy sky.)
requisition: (n) a demand for goods, usually made by an authority-(During the war, the government made a requisition of supplies.)
officious: (adj) offering one's services when they are neither wanted nor needed (Brenda resented Allan's officious behavior when he selected colors that might best improve her artwork.)
zenith: (n) the highest point, culminating point-(I was too nice to tell Nelly that she had reached the absolute zenith of her career with that one hit of hers.)
pathology: (n) a deviation from the normal-(Dr. Hastings had difficulty identifying the precise nature of Brian's pathology.)
perspicacity: (adj) shrewdness, perceptiveness-(The detective was too humble to acknowledge that his perspicacity was the reason for his professional success.)
predilection: (n) a preference or inclination for something-(Francois has a predilection for eating scrambled eggs with ketchup, though I prefer to eat eggs without any condiments.)
rancid: (adj) having a terrible taste or smell-(Rob was double-dog-dared to eat the rancid egg salad sandwich.)
prepossessing: (adj) occupying the mind to the exclusion of other thoughts or feelings (His prepossessing appearance made it impossible for me to think of anything else.)
vindictive: (adj) vengeful-(The vindictive madman seeks to exact vengeance for any insult that he perceives is directed at him, no matter how small.)
sublime: (adj) lofty, grand, exalted-(The homeless man sadly pondered his former wealth and once sublime existence.)
palette: (adj) a range of colors or qualities-(The palette of colors utilized in the painting was equaled only by the range of intense emotions the piece evoked.)
pretense: (n)an appearance or action intended to deceive-(Though he actually wanted to use his parents' car to go on a date, Nick borrowed his parents' car under the pretense of attending a group study session) privation-(n) lacking basic necessities-(After decades of rule by an oppressive government that saw nothing wrong with stealing from its citizens, the recent drought only increased the people's privation) probity-(n) virtue, integrity-(Because he was never viewed as a man of great probity, no one was surprised by Mr. Samson's immoral behavior.)
verbose: (adj) wordy, impaired by wordiness-(It took the verbose teacher two hours to explain the topic, while it should have taken only fifteen minutes.)
prurient: (adj) eliciting or possessing an extraordinary interest in sex-(David's mother was shocked by the discovery of prurient reading material hidden beneath her son's mattress.)
rife: (adj) abundant-(Surprisingly, the famous novelist's writing was rife with spelling errors.)
tangential: (adj) incidental, peripheral, divergent-(I tried to discuss my salary, but the boss kept veering off into tangential topics.)
rescind: (v) to take back, repeal-(The company rescinded its offer of employment after discovering that Jane's resume was full of lies.)
sobriety: (n) sedate, calm-(Jason believed that maintaining his sobriety in times of crisis was the key to success in life.)
nominal: (adj) trifling, insignificant-(Because he was moving the following week and needed to get rid of his furniture more than he needed money, Jordan sold everything for a nominal fee.)
tenuous: (adj) having little substance or strength-(Your argument is very tenuous, since it relies so much on speculation and hearsay.)
petulance: (n) rudeness, irritability-(The Nanny resigned after she could no longer tolerate the child's petulance.)
rebuke: (v) to scold, criticize-(When the cops showed up at Sarah's party, they rebuked her for disturbing the peace.)
propitious: (adj) favorable-(The dark storm clouds visible on the horizon suggested that the weather would not be propitious for sailing.)
trenchant: (adj) effective, articulate, clear-cut-(The directions that accompanied my new cell phone were trenchant and easy to follow.)
vivacious: (adj) lively, sprightly-(The vivacious clown makes all of the children laugh and giggle with his friendly antics.)
presage: (n) an omen-(When my uncle's old war injury ached, he interpreted it as a presage of bad weather approaching.)
ominous: (adj) foreboding or foreshadowing evil-(The fortuneteller's ominous words flashed through my mind as the hooded figure approached me in the alley.)
vicissitude: (n) event that occurs by chance-(The vicissitudes of daily life prevent me from predicting what might happen from one day to the next.)
nuance: (n) a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression-(The nuances of the poem were not obvious to the casual reader, but the professor was able to point them out.)
wizened: (adj) dry, shrunken, wrinkled-(Agatha's grandmother, Stephanie, had the most wizened countenance, full of leathery wrinkles.)
tenable: (adj) able to be defended or maintained-(The department heads tore down the arguments in other people's theses, but Johari's work proved to be quite tenable.)
recalcitrant: (adj) defiant, unapologetic-(Even when scolded, the recalcitrant young girl simply stomped her foot and refused to finish her lima beans.)
parsimony: (n) frugality, stinginess-(Many relatives believed that my aunt's wealth resulted from her parsimony.)
rapport: (n) mutual understanding and harmony-(When Margaret met her paramour, they felt an instant rapport.)
unctuous: (adj) smooth or greasy in texture, appearance, manner-(The unctuous receptionist seemed untrustworthy, as if she was only being helpful because she thought we might give her a big tip.)
raze: (v) to demolish, level-(The old tenement house was razed to make room for the large chain store.)
palliate: (v) to reduce the severity of-(The doctor trusted that the new medication would palliate her patient's discomfort.)
panacea: (n) a remedy for all ills or difficulties-(Doctors wish there was a single panacea for every disease, but sadly there is not.)
tortuous: (adj) winding-(The scary thing about driving in mountains are the narrow, tortuous roads.)
pertinacious: (adj) stubbornly persistent-(Harry's parents were frustrated with his pertinacious insistence that a monster lived in his closet. Then they opened the closet door and were eaten) perusal-(n) a careful examination, review-(The actor agreed to accept the role after a two-month perusal of the movie script.)
pejorative: (adj) derogatory, uncomplimentary-(The evening's headline news covered an international scandal caused by a pejorative statement the famous senator had made in reference to a foreign leader.)
vitriolic: (adj) having a caustic quality-(When angry, the woman would spew vitriolic insults.)
vociferous: (adj) loud, boisterous-(I'm tired of his vociferous whining so I'm breaking up with him.)
raucous: (adj) loud, boisterous-(Sarah's neighbors called the cops when her house party got too raucous.)
plenitude: (n) an abundance-(My grandmother was overwhelmed by the plenitude of tomatoes her garden yielded this season) pliable-(adj) flexible-(Aircraft wings are designed to be somewhat pliable so they do not break in heavy turbulence.)
reproach: (v) to scold, disapprove-(Brian reproached the customer for failing to rewind the video he had rented.)
ostracism: (n) exclusion from a group-(Beth risked ostracism if her roommates discovered her flatulence.)
propagate: (v) to multiply, spread out-(Rumors of Paul McCartney's demise propagated like wildfire throughout the world.)
propriety: (n) the quality or state of being proper, decent-(Erma's old-fashioned parents believed that her mini-skirt lacked the propriety expected of a "nice" girl.)
rhapsodize: (v) to engage in excessive enthusiasm-(The critic rhapsodized about the movie, calling it an instant classic.)
serendipity: (n) luck, finding good things without looking for them-(In an amazing bit of serendipity, penniless Paula found a $20 bill in the subway station) sinuous-(adj) lithe, serpentine-(With the sinuous movements of her arms, the dancer mimicked the motion of a snake.)
salve: (n) a soothing balm-(After Tony applied a salve to his brilliant red sunburn, he soon felt a little better.)
protean: (adj)able to change shape; displaying great variety-(Among Nigel's protean talents was his ability to touch the tip of his nose with his tongue.)
uncanny: (adj) of supernatural character or origin-(Luka had an uncanny ability to know exactly what other people were thinking. She also had an uncanny ability to shoot fireballs from her hands.)
tirade: (n) a long speech marked by harsh or biting language-(Every time Jessica was late, her boyfriend went into a long tirade about punctuality.)
propensity: (n) an inclination, preference-(Dermit has a propensity for dangerous activities such as bungee jumping.)
proscribe: (v) to condemn, outlaw-(The town council voted to proscribe the sale of alcohol on weekends.)
rancor: (n) deep, bitter resentment-(When Eileen challenged me to a fight, I could see the rancor in her eyes.)
repudiate: (v) to reject, refuse to accept-(Kwame made a strong case for an extension of his curfew, but his mother repudiated it with a few biting words.)
pathos: (n) an emotion of sympathy-(Martha filled with pathos upon discovering the scrawny, shivering kitten at her door.)
torpid: (adj) lethargic, dormant, lacking motion-(The torpid whale floated, wallowing in the water for hours.)
veneer: (n) a superficial or deceptively attractive appearance, façade-(Thanks to her Chanel makeup, Shannen was able to maintain a veneer of perfection that hid the flaws underneath.)
scurrilous: (adj) vulgar, coarse-(When Bruno heard the scurrilous accusation being made about him, he could not believe it because he always tried to be nice to everyone.)
neophyte: (n) someone who is young or inexperienced-(As a neophyte in the literary world, Malik had trouble finding a publisher for his first novel.)
paramount: (adj) greatest in importance, rank, character-(It was paramount that the bomb squad disconnect the blue wire before removing the fuse.)
precipice: (n) the face of a cliff, a steep or overhanging place-(The mountain climber hung from a precipice before finding a handhold and pulling himself up.)
umbrage: (n) resentment, offense-(He called me a lily-livered coward, and I took umbrage at the insult.)
potentate: (n) one who has great power, a ruler-(All the villagers stood along the town's main road to observe as the potentate's procession headed towards the capital.)
wallow: (v) to roll oneself indolently; to become or remain helpless-(My roommate can't get over her breakup with her boyfriend and now just wallows in self-pity.)
pellucid: (adj) easily intelligible, clear-(Wishing his book to be pellucid to the common man, Albert Camus avoided using complicated grammar when composing The Stranger.)
vindicate: (v) to avenge; to free from allegation; to set free-(The attorney had no chance of vindicating the defendant with all of the strong evidence presented by the state.)
saccharine: (adj) sickeningly sweet-(Tom's saccharine manner, although intended to make him popular, actually repelled his classmates.)
phlegmatic: (adj) uninterested, unresponsive-(Monique feared her dog was ill after the animal's phlegmatic response to his favorite chew toy.)
vehemently: (adv) marked by intense force or emotion-(The candidate vehemently opposed cutting back on Social Security funding.)
pallid: (adj) lacking color-(Dr. Van Helsing feared that Lucy's pallid complexion was due to an unexplained loss of blood.)
zephyr: (n) a gentle breeze-(If not for the zephyrs that were blowing and cooling us, our room would've been unbearably hot.)
polemic: (n) an aggressive argument against a specific opinion-(My brother launched into a polemic against my arguments that capitalism was an unjust economic system.)
sacrosanct: (adj) holy, something that should not be criticized-(In the United States, the Constitution is often thought of as a sacrosanct document.)
oblique: (adj) diverging from a straight line or course, not straightforward-(Martin's oblique language confused those who listened to him.)
prudence: (n) cautious, circumspect-(After losing a fortune in a stock market crash, my father vowed to practice greater prudence in future investments.)
reciprocate: (v) to give in return-(When Steve gave Samantha a sweater for Christmas, she reciprocated by giving him a kiss.)
reprehensible: (adj) deserving rebuke-(Jean's cruel and reprehensible attempt to dump her boyfriend on his birthday led to tears and recriminations.)
respite: (n) a break, rest-(Justin left the pub to gain a brief respite from the smoke and noise.)
succinct: (adj) marked by compact precision-(The governor's succinct speech energized the crowd while the mayor's rambled on and on) surfeit-(n) an overabundant supply or indulgence-(After partaking of the surfeit of tacos and tamales at the All-You-Can-Eat Taco Tamale Lunch Special, Beth felt rather sick.)
swarthy: (adj) of dark color or complexion-(When he got drunk, Robinson's white skin became rather swarthy.)
utilitarian: (adj) relating to or aiming at usefulness-(The beautiful, fragile vase couldn't hold flowers or serve any other utilitarian purpose.)
noisome: (adj) unpleasant, offensive, especially to the sense of smell-(Nobody would enter the stalls until the horse's noisome leavings were taken away.)
winsome: (adj) charming, pleasing-(After such a long, frustrating day, I was grateful for Chris's winsome attitude and childish naivete.)
preclude: (v) to prevent-(My grandfather's large and vicious guard dog precluded anyone from entering the yard.)
verdant: (adj) green in tint or color-(The verdant leaves on the trees made the world look emerald.)
ruminate: (v) to contemplate, reflect-(Terry liked to ruminate while sitting on the banks of the river, staring pensively into the water.)
odious: (adj) instilling hatred or intense displeasure-(Mark was assigned the odious task of cleaning the cat's litter box.)
prosaic: (adj) plain, lacking liveliness-(Heather's prosaic recital of the poem bored the audience.)
transient: (adj) passing through briefly; passing into and out of existence-(Because virtually everyone in Palm Beach is a tourist, the population of the town is quite transient.)
wily: (adj) crafty, sly-(Though they were not the strongest of the Thundercats, wily Kit and Kat were definitely the most clever and full of tricks.)
potable: (adj) suitable for drinking-(During sea voyages it is essential that ships carry a supply of potable water because salty ocean water makes anyone who drinks it sick.)
wistful: (adj) full of yearning; musingly sad-(Since her pet rabbit died, Edda missed it terribly and sat around wistful all day long.)
preponderance: (adj) superiority in importance or quantity-(Britain's preponderance of naval might secured the nation's role as a military power.)
upbraid: (v) to criticize or scold severely-(The last thing Lindsay wanted was for Lisa to upbraid her again about missing the rent payment.)
with a standing ovation) refract: (v) to distort, change-(The light was refracted as it passed through the prism.)
truculent: (adj) ready to fight, cruel-(This club doesn't really attract the dangerous types, so why was that bouncer being so truculent?) turgid-(adj) swollen, excessively embellished in style or language-(The haughty writer did not realize how we all really felt about his turgid prose.)
ribald: (adj) coarsely, crudely humorous-(While some giggled at the ribald joke involving a parson's daughter, most sighed and rolled their eyes.)
ostensible: (adj) appearing as such, seemingly-(Jack's ostensible reason for driving was that airfare was too expensive, but in reality, he was afraid of flying.)
portent: (n) an omen-(When a black cat crossed my sister's path while she was walking to school, she took it as a portent that she would do badly on her spelling test.)
paucity: (adj) small in quantity-(Gilbert lamented the paucity of twentieth century literature courses available at the college.)
poignant: (adj) deeply affecting, moving-(My teacher actually cried after reading to us the poignant final chapter of the novel.)
tacit: (adj) expressed without words-(I interpreted my parents' refusal to talk as a tacit acceptance of my request.)
nondescript: (adj) lacking a distinctive character-(I was surprised when I saw the movie star in person because she looked nondescript.)
replete: (adj) full, abundant-(The unedited version was replete with naughty words.)
stolid: (adj) expressing little sensibility, unemotional-(Charles's stolid reaction to his wife's funeral differed from the passion he showed at the time of her death.)
promulgate: (v) to proclaim, make known-(The film professor promulgated that both in terms of sex appeal and political intrigue, Sean Connery's James Bond was superior to Roger Moore's.)
prescient: (adj) to have foreknowledge of events-(Questioning the fortune cookie's prediction, Ray went in search of the old hermit who was rumored to be prescient.)
quixotic: (adj) idealistic, impractical-(Edward entertained a quixotic desire to fall in love at first sight in a laundromat.)
plaudits: (n) enthusiastic approval, applause-(The controversial new film received plaudits from even the harshest critics.)
pungent: (adj) having a pointed, sharp quality—often used to describe smells (The pungent odor in the classroom made Joseph lose his concentration during the test.)
repose: (v) to rest, lie down-(The cat, after eating an entire can of tuna fish, reposed in the sun and took a long nap.)
paradigm: (n) an example that is a perfect pattern or model-(Because the new SUV was so popular, it became the paradigm upon which all others were modeled.)
somnolent: (adj) sleepy, drowsy-(The somnolent student kept falling asleep and waking up with a jerk.)
penitent: (adj) remorseful, regretful-(The jury's verdict may have been more lenient if the criminal had appeared penitent for his gruesome crimes.)
paragon: (n) a model of excellence or perfection-(The mythical Helen of Troy was considered a paragon of female beauty.)
partisan: (n) a follower, adherent-(The king did not believe that his rival could round up enough partisans to overthrow the monarchy.)
(adj) able to pay debts: (Upon receiving an unexpected check from her aunt, Annabelle found herself suddenly solvent.)
placate: (v) to ease the anger of, soothe-(The man purchased a lollipop to placate his irritable son) platitude-(n) an uninspired remark, cliché-(After reading over her paper, Helene concluded that what she thought were profound insights were actually just platitudes.)
obtuse: (adj) lacking quickness of sensibility or intellect-(Political opponents warned that the prime minister's obtuse approach to foreign policy would embroil the nation in mindless war.)
turpitude: (n) depravity, moral corruption-(Sir Marcus's chivalry often contrasted with the turpitude he exhibited with the ladies at the tavern) ubiquitous-(adj) existing everywhere, widespread-(It seems that everyone in the United States has a television The technology is ubiquitous here.)
vituperate: (v) to berate-(Jack ran away as soon as his father found out, knowing he would be vituperated for his unseemly behavior.)
noxious: (adj) harmful, unwholesome-(Environmentalists showed that the noxious weeds were destroying the insects' natural habitats.)
patent: (adj) readily seen or understood, clear-(The reason for Jim's abdominal pain was made patent after the doctor performed a sonogram.)
pittance: (n) a very small amount, especially relating to money-(Josh complained that he was paid a pittance for the great amount of work he did at the firm.)
vacillate: (v) to fluctuate, hesitate-(I prefer a definite answer, but my boss kept vacillating between the distinct options available to us.)
tractable: (adj) easily controlled-(The horse was so tractable, Myra didn't even need a bridle.)
sanguine: (adj) optimistic, cheery-(Polly reacted to any bad news with a sanguine smile and the chirpy cry, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!") satiate-(v) to satisfy excessively-(Satiated after eating far too much turkey and stuffing, Liza lay on the couch watching football and suffering from stomach pains.)
pert: (adj) flippant, bold-(My parents forgave Sandra's pert humor at the dinner table because it had been so long since they had last seen her.)
quaint: (adj) charmingly old-fashioned-(Hilda was delighted by the quaint bonnets she saw in Amish country.)
perfidious: (adj) disloyal, unfaithful-(After the official was caught selling government secrets to enemy agents, he was executed for his perfidious ways.)
solipsistic: (adj) believing that oneself is all that exists-(Colette's solipsistic attitude completely ignored the plight of the homeless people on the street.)
quandary: (n) a perplexed, unresolvable state-(Carlos found himself in a quandary: should he choose mint chocolate chip or cookie dough?) quell-(v) to control or diffuse a potentially explosive situation-(The skilled leader deftly quelled the rebellion) querulous-(adj) whiny, complaining-(If deprived of his pacifier, young Brendan becomes querulous.)
travesty: (n) a grossly inferior imitation-(According to the school newspaper's merciless theater critic, Pacific Coast High's rendition of the musical Oklahoma was a travesty of the original.)
remiss: (adj) negligent, failing to take care-(The burglar gained entrance because the security guard, remiss in his duties, forgot to lock the door.)
temperance: (n) moderation in action or thought-(Maintaining temperance will ensure that you are able to think rationally and objectively.)
penultimate: (adj) next to last-(Having smoked the penultimate cigarette remaining in the pack, Cybil discarded the last cigarette and resolved to quit smoking.)
obstreperous: (adj) noisy, unruly-(Billy's obstreperous behavior prompted the librarian to ask him to leave the reading room.)
revel: (v) to enjoy intensely-(Theodore reveled in his new status as Big Man on Campus.)
whimsical: (adj) fanciful, full of whims-(The whimsical little girl liked to pretend that she was an elvin princess.)
salient: (adj) significant, conspicuous-(One of the salient differences between Alison and Nancy is that Alison is a foot taller.)
sanctimonious: (adj) giving a hypocritical appearance of piety-(The sanctimonious Bertrand delivered stern lectures on the Ten Commandments to anyone who would listen, but thought nothing of stealing cars to make some cash on the side.)
temerity: (n) audacity, recklessness-(Tom and Huck entered the scary cave armed with nothing but their own temerity.)
scrupulous: (adj) painstaking, careful-(With scrupulous care, Sam cut a snowflake out of white paper.)
palatable: (adj) agreeable to the taste or sensibilities-(Despite the unpleasant smell, the exotic cheese was quite palatable.)
obfuscate: (v) to render incomprehensible-(The detective did want to answer the newspaperman's questions, so he obfuscated the truth.)
prescribe: (v) to lay down a rule-(The duke prescribed that from this point further all of the peasants living on his lands would have to pay higher taxes.)
opulent: (adj) characterized by rich abundance verging on ostentation-(The opulent furnishings of the dictator's private compound contrasted harshly with the meager accommodations of her subjects.)
rectitude: (n) uprightness, extreme morality-(The priest's rectitude gave him the moral authority to counsel his parishioners.)
rail: (v) to scold, protest-(The professor railed against the injustice of the college's tenure policy.)
subjugate: (v) to bring under control, subdue-(The invading force captured and subjugated the natives of that place.)
surreptitious: (adj) stealthy-(The surreptitious CIA agents were able to get in and out of the house without anyone noticing.)
variegated: (adj) diversified, distinctly marked-(Each wire in the engineering exam was variegated by color so that the students could figure out which one was which.)
pernicious: (adj) extremely destructive or harmful-(The new government feared that the Communist sympathizers would have a pernicious influence on the nation's stability.)
penchant: (n) a tendency, partiality, preference-(Jill's dinner parties quickly became monotonous on account of her penchant for Mexican dishes.)
stoic: (adj) unaffected by passion or feeling-(Penelope's faithfulness to Odysseus required that she be stoic and put off her many suitors.)
punitive: (adj) involving punishment-(If caught smoking in the boys' room, the punitive result is immediate expulsion from school.)
vestige: (n) a mark or trace of something lost or vanished-(Do you know if the Mexican tortilla is a vestige of some form of Aztec corn-based flat bread?) vicarious-(adj) experiencing through another-(All of my lame friends learned to be social through vicarious involvement in my amazing experiences.)
tremulous: (adj) fearful-(I always feel a trifle tremulous when walking through a graveyard.)
trite: (adj) not original, overused-(Keith thought of himself as being very learned, but everyone else thought he was trite because his observations about the world were always the same as David Letterman's.)
restitution: (n) restoration to the rightful owner-(Many people feel that descendants of slaves should receive restitution for the sufferings of their ancestors.)
tantamount: (adj) equivalent in value or significance-(When it comes to sports, fearing your opponent is tantamount to losing.)
strident: (adj) harsh, loud-(A strident man, Captain Von Trapp yelled at his daughter and made her cry.)
solicitous: (adj) concerned, attentive-(Jim, laid up in bed with a nasty virus, enjoyed the solicitous attentions of his mother, who brought him soup and extra blankets.)
penurious: (adj) miserly, stingy-(Stella complained that her husband's penurious ways made it impossible to live the lifestyle she felt she deserved.)
veracity: (n) truthfulness, accuracy-(With several agencies regulating the reports, it was difficult for Latifah to argue against its veracity.)
vacuous: (adj) lack of content or ideas, stupid-(Beyonce realized that the lyrics she had just penned were completely vacuous and tried to add more substance.)
restive: (adj) resistant, stubborn, impatient-(The restive audience pelted the band with mud and yelled nasty comments.)
reprobate: (adj) evil, unprincipled-(The reprobate criminal sat sneering in the cell.)
yoke: (v) to join, link-(We yoked together the logs by tying a string around them.)
torrid: (adj) giving off intense heat, passionate-(I didn't want to witness the neighbor's torrid affair through the window.)
recapitulate: (v) to sum up, repeat-(Before the final exam, the teacher recapitulated the semester's material.)
repentant: (adj) penitent, sorry-(The repentant Dennis apologized profusely for breaking his mother's vase.)
resplendent: (adj) shiny, glowing-(The partygoers were resplendent in diamonds and fancy dress.)
oscillate: (v) to sway from one side to the other-(My uncle oscillated between buying a station wagon to transport his family and buying a sports car to satisfy his boyhood fantasies.)
prowess: (n) extraordinary ability-(The musician had never taken a guitar lesson in his life, making his prowess with the instrument even more incredible.)
solvent: 1. (n) a substance that can dissolve other substances-(Water is sometimes called the universal solvent because almost all other substances can dissolve into it.)
quotidian: (adj) daily-(Ambika's quotidian routines include drinking two cups of coffee in the morning.)
seminal: (adj) original, important, creating a field-(Stephen Greenblatt's essays on Shakespeare proved to be seminal, because they initiated the critical school of New Historicism.)
venerable: (adj) deserving of respect because of age or achievement-(The venerable Supreme Court justice had made several key rulings in landmark cases throughout the years.)
ruse: (n) a trick-(Oliver concocted an elaborate ruse for sneaking out of the house to meet his girlfriend while simultaneously giving his mother the impression that he was asleep in bed.)
pugnacious: (adj) quarrelsome, combative-(Aaron's pugnacious nature led him to start several barroom brawls each month.)
virtuoso: (n) one who excels in an art; a highly skilled musical performer-(Even though Lydia has studied piano for many years, she's only average at it. She's no virtuoso, that's for sure.)
onerous: (adj) burdensome-(My parents lamented that the pleasures of living in a beautiful country estate no longer outweighed the onerous mortgage payments.)

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Deck Info

Number of cards 204