SAT - 200 Vocabulary Words with Definitions and Sample Sentences.
Terms
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- Accessible (adj)
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Easy to reach or to approach
The introduction to the complex novel was, thankfully, written in clear accessible language.
Synonyms: approachable, attainable - Accommodate (verb)
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To give consideration to
The hospitable couple was happy to accommodate the needs of their finicky guest.
Synonyms: oblige, abet - Advantageous (adj)
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Giving an advantage
The house's location in the best school district was advantageous to the seller.
Synonyms: favorable, beneficial - Adversary (noun)
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One who opposes or resists
Franklin hoped to defeat his adversary in the afternoon's tennis match.
Synonyms: opponent, enemy - Absolve (verb)
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To forgive; to free from guilt
Marta felt greatly relieved after her mother absolved her for breaking the vase.
Synonyms: exculpate, pardon - Accentuate (verb)
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To emphasize
Carla used red ribbons to accentuate the coppery tones in her hair.
Synonyms: highlight, stress - Aerate (verb)
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To supply with air
Every spring, Soloman used his tiller to aerate the compact soil.
Synonyms: oxygenate, carbonate - Aesthete (noun)
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Person having or affecting sensitivity to beauty
Consuela's friends called her an aesthete when she claimed that Monet's paintings made her cry.
Synonyms: connoisseur, epicure - Anthology (noun)
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A collection of selected literary pieces
The writer was thrilled when his story was included in an anthology of American masterpieces.
Synonym: collection, compilation - Antidote (noun)
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Something that relieves or counteracts
Veronique found that listening to French music was an antidote for her homesickness.
Synonyms: cure, remedy - Apathetic (adj)
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Showing little or no emotion
Carmine was concerned about his usually cheerful brother's apathetic attitude.
Synonyms: impassive, indifferent. - Appalling (adj)
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Inspiring dismay or disgust
Hector found his roommate's habit of leaving his dirty socks on the floor appalling.
Synonyms: dreadful, awful - Appraise (verb)
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To evaluate the worth of
Simone, an expert in African sculpture, was asked to appraise the ambassador's collection of masks.
Synonyms: assess, review - Archaic (adj)
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Characteristic of an earlier time
In the world of high fashion, two-year-old shoes are considered positively archaic.
Synonyms: antiquated, ancient - Archetypal (adj)
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Characteristic of the original model or perfect example
Shakespeare's sonnets are considered archetypal love poems
Synonyms: classic, consummate - Augment (verb)
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To make greater
Wanda read the dictionary every night to augment her vocabulary.
Synonyms: enhance, amplify - Authoritarian (adj)
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Favoring absolute obedience to authority
Marco's authoritarian mother never allowed him to watch more than one hour of television a day.
Synonyms: strict, despotic - Avian (adj)
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Relating to birds
The old man affectionately referred to pigeons as his "avian friends."
Synonyms: bird-like - Awe (noun)
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Emotion combining dread and wonder
Charlie was in awe of his uncle, a professional football player and chess champion.
Synonyms: veneration, amazement - Belated (adj)
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Past the normal or proper time
Even though I forgot his birthday, I hoe my father accepts my belated card.
Synonyms: tardy, overdue - Benefactor (noun)
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One who offers financial help
Michael's aunt and benefactor paid his college tuition.
Synonym: patron - Beneficial (adj)
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Helpful
there is no doub that eating vegetables is beneficial to one's health.
Synonyms: advantageous, salutary - Benevolent (adj)
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Kind, helpful
Sherman revealed his benevolent side when he offered to help Carter with his homework.
Synonyms: altruistic, generous - Brandish (verb)
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To shake or wave menacingly
The baseball player was fined for brandishing his bat at the opposing pitcher.
Synonyms: flourish, swing - Buffer (noun)
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Protective barrier
The dense trees acted as a buffer against the heavy rain.
Synonyms: cushion, mediator - Buffoonery (noun)
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Foolish behavior
Clarence, an irrepressible comic, was held after cass for his buffoonery.
Synonyms: jocularity, clowning - Camaraderie (noun)
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Spirit of friendship
The manager hoped the retreat would increase the camaraderie among the feuding workers.
Synonyms: sociability, espirit de corps - Catastrophic (adj)
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Relating to extreme misfortune
The effects of the massive hurricane were catastrophic.
Synonyms: devastating, disastrous - Celebrated (adj)
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Widely known, respected
The fans waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the celebrated actress.
Synonyms: admired, famous - Censure (verb)
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To find fault with
The critical teacher was quick to censure her students for even small mistakes.
Synonyms: blame, criticize - Civility (noun)
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Politeness
The usually unruly Thomas acted with great civility when his favorite uncle visited.
Synonyms: courtesy, consideration - Clairvoyance (noun)
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Ability to see things beyond ordinary perception
Rosa used her clairvoyance to help Alexander find his lost keys.
Synonyms: divination, foretelling - Clairty (noun)
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Clearness
The refreshing water in the mountain stream was remarkable for its clarity.
Synonyms: lucidity, limpidity - Colossal (adj)
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Immense, enormous
After pushing with all his might, Frank realized he could never move the colossal boulder.
Synonyms: gigantic, tremendous - Combative (adj)
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Eager to fight
The teacher suggested the combative student channel his aggression into boxing.
Synonyms: aggressive belligerent - Combustion (noun)
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Act of burning
Campers must use fire with great caution to prevent combustion of the parched brush.
Synonyms: igniting, kindling - Commemorate (verb)
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To mark by a ceremony
Each year, the Franklins commemorate their anniversary by visiting the site of their first date.
Synonyms: observe, remember - Comparable (adj)
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Similar, equivalent
Helen will only accept something of comparable value for her ticket to the concert.
Synonyms: akin, analogous - Composed (adj)
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Calm
Although her stomach was in knots, the actress appeared perfectly composed when she took the stage.
Synonyms: serene, unperturbed - Comprehensible (adj)
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Understandable
Shannon spoke slowly so her directions would be comprehensible to her foreign visitor.
Synonyms: intelligle, coherent - Condone (verb)
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To treat as acceptable
Crystal condoned her friend's late arrival because she found it hard to be on time herself.
Synonyms: excuse, sanction - Conduit (noun)
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Means for transmitting or distributing
Jason, a notorious gossip, was a conduit for information about his friends.
Synonyms: channel, pipeline - Corrective (adj)
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Intended to correct
The school decided to take corrective measures to prevent truancy.
Synonyms: remedial, curative - Corroborate (verb)
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To support with evidence
"Unless you can corroborate your story, it will not be admissible in court," the attorney told his client.
Synonyms: verify, prove - Corrosive (adj)
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Bitingly sarcastic
The cruel Estella's corrosive comments made Pip cry.
Synonyms: caustic, sardonic - Cunning (adj)
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Showing clever insight
The general devised a cunning strategy to outfox the enemy.
Synonyms: crafty, ingenious - Curtail (verb)
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To make less
Doreen decided to curtail her spending after she bounced a check.
Synonyms: shorten, reduce - Deferment (noun)
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The act of delaying
Sybil was frustrated by the deferment of her much anticipated vacation.
Synonyms: postponement, reprieve - Defiant (adj)
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Showing bold resistance
The defiant toddler refused to leave the park.
Synonyms: impudent, disobedient - Demean (verb)
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To lower status
The embarrassing photograph demeaned the candidate in the eyes of the voters.
Synonyms: humble, degrade - Demeanor (noun)
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Behavior towards others
Carlos was well liked because of his charming demeanor.
Synonyms: disposition, comportment - Derelict (adj)
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Abandoned
The derelict house was condemned as a public hazard.
Synonyms: destitute, forsaken - Derivative (adj)
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Lacking originality
Critics panned the movie as a derivative version of last year's Best Picture.
Synonyms: banal, cliche - Diffident (adj)
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Lacking self-confidence
The diffident student never raised her hand in class, even when she knew the answer.
Synonyms: timid, bashful - discern (verb)
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To recognize as separate as distinct
The pastry connoisseur was able to discern Swiss from Belgian chocolate.
Synonyms: detect, discriminate - Disconcert (verb)
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To throw into confusion
Jennifer's outspoken criticism of the meal disoncerted the waiter.
Synonyms: unnerve, bewilder - Disdain (noun)
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Feeling of contempt
The arrogant writer did not hide his disdain for his uneducated dinner companion.
Synonyms: scorn, discersion - Distortion (noun)
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The act of twisting out of shape
The story about the actress in the gossip column was a distortion of the truth.
Synonyms: contortion, mutilation - Drab (adj)
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Dull, monotonous
The drab winter scene made Keisha long for the vibrant colors of spring.
Synonyms: dreary, colorless - Drub (verb)
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To defeat decisively
The powerful young boxer drubbed the longtime champion.
Synonyms: beat, thrash - Dubious (adj)
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Questionable
Karl found Kevin's claim that he was sick dubious, as he had just seen him playing football.
Synonyms: suspect, doubtful - Duplicity (noun)
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Deceptive thought, speech, or action
The life of an undercover detective is filed with necessary duplicity.
Synonyms: deceit, dishonesty - Ecstatic (adj)
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Overwhelmingly emotional
They were ecstatic when their team won the championship game in the last second.
Synonyms: overjoyed, rapturous - Egotist (noun)
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Self-important person
Darren dreaded carpooling with the egotist Shelly, who talked about herself nonstop.
Synonyms: blowhard, braggart - Elate (verb)
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To fill with joy
It elated Margaret to be awarded first place in the science fair.
Synonyms: delight, thrill - Eloquent (adj)
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Fluent, expressive
Kim, an eloquent speaker, was the best choice to make the presentation for the group.
Synonyms: articulate, persuasive - Elusive (adj)
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Hard to grasp
The words to the song are elusive, as the singer tends to mumble.
Synonyms: evasive, obscure - Embellish (verb)
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To decorate
Sari embellished the plain curtains with satin ribbons and tassels.
Synonyms: adorn, garnish - Entangle (verb)
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To involve in trouble
Jonah regretted entangling Parker in his legal difficulties.
Synonyms: embroil, implicate - Epistolary (adj)
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Contained or carried on in letters
The shoebox filled with letters was the ony remains of Ming's epistolary friendship with Emile. - Epitaph (noun)
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Brief statement honoring a dead person
"Beloved by all," was the epitaph Edgar chose for his wife's tombstone.
Synonyms: inscription, eulogy - Equitable (adj)
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Fair and equal
The judge made an equitable decision dividing the estate evenly among the sisters.
Synonyms: impartial, unbiased - Ethical (adj)
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Conforming to accepted standards
Mary did the ethical thing and turned in the diamond necklace she found.
Synonyms: honorable, moral - Eulogy (noun)
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Speech or writing in praise of deceased
Ernesto delivered a moving eulogy at his uncle's funeral.
Synonyms: homage, panegyric - Euphoria (noun)
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Feeling of great happiness
Cassandra was overcome with euphoria when she met her long-lost sister.
Synonyms: elation, ebullience - Exalt (verb)
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To elevate by praise
The fireman was publicly exalted for his heroism.
Synonyms: glorify, honor - Exasperation (noun)
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The state of being irritated
The longer Jorge waited in line at the ticket counter, the more his exasperation grew.
Synonyms: irritation, frustration - Exception (noun)
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A case to which the rule does not apply
The teacher made an exception and let Gina eat her snack in class.
Synonyms: anomaly, deviation - Extant (adj)
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Currently existing
Some consider Clint Eastwood the greatest extant American director.
Synonyms: living, surviving - Extenuating (adj)
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Partially excusing
The extenuating circumstance of Calviin's illness caused the teacher to excuse his lateness.
Synonyms: mitigating, qualifying - Extol (verb)
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To praise highly
The statesman extolled the ambassador who single-handedly negotiated the peace treaty.
Synonyms: glorify, exalt - Facade (noun)
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false or superficial appearance
Emily's smile is just a facade masking her broken heart.
Synonyms: mask, deceit - Fidelity (noun)
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State of being faithful
Unlike her fickle friend Benji, May Belle was known for her fidelity.
Synonyms: loyalty, devotion - Finite (adj)
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Having definite limits
The exasperated mother had finite patience for her toddler's tantrums.
Synonyms: limited, circumscribed - Flagrant (adj)
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Noticeably offensive
The executive was fired for his flagrant abuse of the company expense account.
Synonyms: glaring, outrageous - Flaunt (verb)
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To display showily
Sheila, who could not resist bragging, flaunted the "A" marked on her test paper.
Synonyms: parade, brandish - Flaw (noun)
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An imperfection
The otherwise perfect diamond had a tiny flaw that reduced its value.
Synonyms: defect, blemish - Flourish (verb)
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To make bold, sweeping gestures
The fairy godmother flourished her wand and turned the pumpkin into a carriage.
Synonyms: brandish, wave - Foil (noun)
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One that enhances or underscores by contrast
The sweet cookie was a perfect foil to the sour lemon sorbet.
Synonyms: complement - Fragile (adj)
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Delicate
Jade placed the fragile vase out of reach of her rambunctious boys.
Synonyms: frail, brittle - Fraud (noun)
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Trick
The con man's fraud involved selling swampland to gullible investors.
Synonyms: deceit, racket - Frugal (adj)
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Thrifty, cheap
The frugal shopper only bought items that were on sale.
Synonyms: sparing, provident - Futile (adj)
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Without purpose, completely ineffective
Arguing with Andrew is futile because he never changes his mind.
Synonyms: hopeless, vain - Gargantuan (adj)
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Gigantic
The gargantuan monster towered over the ten-story bulding.
Synonyms: enormous, colossal - Garish (adj)
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Offensively bright
The garish wallpaper offended Jerome, who preferred subtle colors.
Synonyms: gaudy, loud - Genial (adj)
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Sympathetic, friendly
The genial host warmly greeted his many guests.
Synonyms: pleasant, cordial - Grandiose (adj)
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With an affectation of grandeur
The sweeping, grandiose staircase looked preposterous in the modest entry hall.
Synonyms: pretentious, pompous - Gravity (noun)
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Importance, significance
Understanding the gravity of his error, Ken offered his humblest apology.
Synonyms: seriousness, magnitude - Gruff (adj)
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Rough or stern in manner or speech
Heidi's grandfather was gruff, barking stern orders and hardly smiling.
Synonyms: surly, brusque - Hedonism (noun)
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Belief that pleasure is the sole aim of life
The hedonism of the emperoro, who spent all his time giving parties, caused his downfall.
Synonyms: sensualism, libertinism - Heed (verb)
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To pay attention to
"Heed my advice," the fortuneteller warned Sebastian when he tried to ignore her prophecy.
Synonyms: mind, mark - Heinous (adj)
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Shockingly evil
Eduardo's heinous betrayal of Lydia shocked even Latasha, who knew his evil ways.
Synonyms: odious, villainous - Illuminate (verb)
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To make clear
Her excellent lecture illuminated the complicated subject of nuclear physics.
Synonyms: elucidate, edify. - Immoderate (adj)
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Beyond usual or proper limits
Bob's immoderate appetite shocked the guests at the wedding banquet.
Synonyms: excessive, intemperate - Impenitent (adj)
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Lacking remorse
The impenitent criminal received a harsh penalty, but his remorseful accomplice was released.
Synonyms: obdurate, unrepentant - Implausible (adj)
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Unbelievable
Claudia's implausible excuse failed to convince her teacher.
Synonyms: improbable, doubtful - Implement (verb)
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To carry out or accomplish
All Randolph needed to implement his plan was a moonless night and a long rope.
Synonyms: execute, realize - Inauspicious (adj)
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Not favorable
Gary believed the black foreboding sky was an inauspicious sign.
Synonyms: ominous, portentous - incidental (adj)
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Minor
The accountant advised Justine not to report her incidental expenses.
Synonyms: petty, insignificant - Incisive (adj)
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Impressively direct and decisive
Samir's incisive leadership made him the natural choice for president of the company.
Synonyms: keen, acute - Incongruous (adj)
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Not harmonious, incompatible
Sadie's cowboy hat was incongruous with her black cocktail dress.
Synonyms: inappropriate, absurd - Incumbent (adj)
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It was incumbent on Jack to attend his father's retirement party.
Synonyms: oblilgatory, compulsory - Indecorous (adj)
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In bad taste
My parents banned Chad from our house because of his indecorous behavior at dinner.
Synonyms: vulgar, uncouth - Induce (verb)
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To influence or cause
The loud blast of the cannon induced an avalanche.
Synonyms: incite, spur - Inflammatory (adj)
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Tending to excite anger
Garth's inflammatory remarks at the party made Gwen furious.
Synonyms: seditious, hostile - Insinuate (verb)
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To suggest indirectly
Sinead, who did not like confrontation, insinuated that Beth was lying.
Synonyms: imply, allude - Insolence (noun)
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Boldness or rudeness
The boy's insolence to the policeman embarrassed his mother.
Synonyms: impudence, impertinence - Interminable (adj)
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Never ending, or seemingly endless
The impatient Zoe found the longwinded lecture interminable.
Synonyms: ceaseless, monotonous - Intricate (adj)
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Having complex and interrelated parts
The intricate poem baffled most readers with its numerous obscure metaphors.
Synonyms: complicated, convoluted - Inviolable (adj)
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Secure from assault of trespass
Situated on a mountain, with sixteen-foot walls, the castle was inviolable.
Synonyms: untouchable, sacrosanct - Iridescent (adj)
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Having a lustrous or attractivve quality
The movie star's iridescent presence charmed even the hardened reporter.
Synonyms: shimmering, sparkling - Lenient (adj)
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Mild or tolerant
The judge issued a lenient sentence because it was Frank's first offense.
Synonyms: merciful, clement - Liability (noun)
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Kevin's growing fatigue was a liability as he attempted to climb the steep hill.
Synonyms: handicap, encumbrance - Lurid (adj)
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Causing horror, shocking
The lurid photos of the crime scene upset the jury.
Synonyms: gruesome, sensational - Mandate (noun)
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Martha reluctantly obeyed the mandate to vacate her apartment.
Synonyms: command, decree - Manifest (adj)
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Obvious
James finally made his affection manifest when he handed Jessica a red rose.
Synonyms: evident, unmistakable - Mediate (verb)
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To come between parties in order to reconcile
The diplomatic Henry was able to mediate between the quarreling sisters.
Synonyms: arbitrate, negotiate - Melee (noun)
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A tumultuous fight among several people
After the game, a melee broke out between fans of the opposing teams.
Synonyms: brawl, skirmish - Melodious (adj)
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Having a pleasing melody
The melodious sounds of the symphony soothed Tim after his trying day.
Synonyms: dulcet, mellifluous - Methodical (adj)
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Performed in an orderly manner
Oscar's methodical approach exasperated his free-spirited friend Ben.
Synonyms: systematic, meticulous - Meticulous (adj)
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Extrememly careful regarding details
The meticulous detective found every shred of evidence at the crime scene.
Synonyms: fastidious, painstaking - Moderate (adj)
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Tending toward the average
The best-selling writer was disappointed; his new novel was only a moderate success.
Synonyms: medium, mediocre - Mundane (adj)
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Practical, ordinary
The flighty Caroline could not be troubled with mundane tasks such as paying her bills.
Synonyms: commonplace, earthly - Naive (adj)
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Lacking worldy wisdom
The naive Simon assumed that everyone was as simple and kind as he was.
Synonyms: artless, credulous - Negate (verb)
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To make invalid
Paula negated Tiffany's argument by proving that her main premise was false.
Synonyms: neutralize, annul - Nurture (verb)
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To further the development of
Our cat made a nest of blankets to nurture her newborn kittens.
Synonyms: foster, cultivate - Oblivious (adj)
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Lacking awareness
Love-struck Charlie was oblivious to everyone but the object of his affection.
Synonyms: careless, heedless - Obnoxious (adj)
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Highly offensive
The manager asked the obnoxious diner to leave the restaurant.
Synonyms: objectionable, repugnant - Onset (noun)
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Beginning
Crocuses bloom at the onset of spring, sometimes even before the snow melts.
Synonyms: start, commencement - Opportune (adj)
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Suitable or convenient
Quan stepped onto the platform at the most opportune time, just as the train pulled in.
Synonyms: propitious, fortunate - Pallid (adj)
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Lacking color
The nurse was worried by the patient's pallid face and shallow breathing.
Synonyms: pale, wan - Pantomime (noun)
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Telling a story through gestures
The jealous actress called her understudy's performance a ridiculous pantomime.
Synonyms: charade - Parity (noun)
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Equality
Hilda, to avoid squabbles, aimed for parity in the slices of birthday cake.
Synonyms: sameness, equivalence - Pathos (noun)
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Sympathetic pity
The soldiers cherished the kindly Nurse Nightingale for her pathos.
Synonyms: compassion - Penurious (adj)
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Extrememly stingy
Ebenezer Scrooge was most penurious, refusing to give even a penny to charity.
Synonyms: frugal, parsimonious - Perception (noun)
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Capacity for seeing or understanding
His incredible perception made him the best detective on the force.
Synonyms: cognition, discernment - Periodic (adj)
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Occurring at regular intervals
The periodic innterruptions of the cuckoo clock prevented Li from concentrating.
Synonyms repeated, recurrent - Placebo (noun)
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An inactive substance used in medical testing
Tom, who had taken the placebo, found that his allergy symptoms did not go away. - Plaudits (noun)
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Enthusiastic approval
Allison's painting met with plaudits from the critics, who had dismissed her earlier work.
Synonyms: kudos, acclaim - Ploy (noun)
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A contrived plan
Sarah thought George's ploy of borrowing her notes was a cowardly way to ask her out.
Synonyms: strategem, ruse - Polarize (verb)
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To break up into opposing groups
Thelma tended to polarize discussions rather than to encourage compromise.
Synonyms: divide - Pomp (noun)
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Showy display
Jan couldn't help enjoying the pomp of the elaborate wedding ceremony.
Synonyms: pageantry, grandeur - Precept (noun)
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A general rule of action
All the students know Mrs. Brown's strict precept; no talking in class.
Synonyms: rule, axiom - Preclude (verb)
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To rule out in advance
"Having cake now will preclude dessert later," said Amber's mother.
Synonyms: prevent, hinder - Pretense (noun)
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False intention or purpose
The jewel theif entered the mansion under the pretense of fixing a leaky faucet.
Synonyms: cover, charade - Pretentious (adj)
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Making unjustified claims
The pretentious boy said that he was the fastest runner, but he finished last in the race.
Synonyms: pompous, showy - Procrastinate (verb)
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To put off intentionally
Yvonne's father urged, "Don't procrastinate. Clean your room right away."
Synonyms: delay, stall - Prominence (noun)
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Importance
The singer's prominence ensured that the concert would sell out.
Synonyms: renown, eminence - Promote (verb)
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To contribute to the growth or prosperity of
The promote peace, the diplomat hosted a talk between the warring nations.
Synonyms: advance, forward - Proximity (noun)
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Closeness
The proximity of Tia's house to school meant that she could walk there in five minutes.
Synonyms: nearness, propinquity - Prudent (adj)
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Marked by wisdom, shrewd
Su-yong was happy she followed Greg's prudent advice to study, as the test was difficult.
Synonyms: judicious, sagacious - Prune (verb)
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To reduce by removing excess
The candidate pruned his speech so he would not exceed the time limit.
Synonyms: trim, truncate - Punctual (adj)
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On time
Ron was worried when the usually punctual Amanda was late for the show.
Synonyms: prompt, dependable - Rhapsody (noun)
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State of great happiness
Lorraine was in rhapsody when she was accepte to the college of her dreams.
Synonyms: ecstasy, rapture - Fickle (adj)
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Lacking constancy, changeable
The fickle Senji had a new best friend every month.
Synonyms: erratic, capricious - Salvage (verb)
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To save from ruin
After the fire, Mrs. Han tried to salvage her family photos from the wreckage.
Synonyms: rescue, recover - Rail (verb)
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To scold in harsh language
Clay began to cry as his irate manager railed at him for missing the deadline.
Synonyms: upbraid, berate - Ramble (verb)
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To wander, physically or in language
Professor Tan rambled during his lectures, frequently straying from the subject.
Synonyms: roam, meander - Rancorous (adj)
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Marked by deep ill-will
The rancorous competition between the two chess clubs actually ended in a brawl.
Synonyms: bitter, vicious - Raspy (adj)
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rough, grating
After shouting to his players through the long game, the coach's voice was raspy.
Synonyms: harsh, abrasive - Raucous (adj)
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Noisy, rowdy
Serena, who preferred quiet conversation, left the rancous party. - Recrimination (noun)
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A retaliatory accusation
Frank, who was wounded by Sally's remark, made a bitter recrimination.
Synonyms: counterclaim - Redouble (verb)
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To make twice as great
As the sun began to set, Brittany redoubled her effort to find the necklace she had dropped in the field.
Synonyms: intensify, strengthen - Refurbish (verb)
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To brighten or freshen
Leeanne cleaned and mended all weekend to refurbish the shabby apartment.
Synonyms: renovate, renew - Regale (verb)
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To amuse
My clever brother Jeffrey regaled the dinner guests with tales of his adventures.
Synonyms: entertain, delight - Regurgitate (verb)
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To pour out or throw back
The teacher wanted us to examine ideas rather than to regurgitate memorized facts.
Synonyms: spew, disgorge - Rehash (verb)
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To discuss again
"Sandra," said her mother, "I am tired of rehashing this same topic over and over."
Synonym: review - Repel (verb)
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To resist, reject
The soldiers made a massive charge to repel the invaders.
Synonyms: repulse, rebuff - Repentant (adj)
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Feeling regret
The repentant Dana admitted to cheating on the test.
Synonyms: contrite, penitent - Retroactive (adj)
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effective as of a prior time or condition
The retroactive law made even past infractions punishable.
Synonym: retrograde - Revive (verb)
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To bring back to life
Hank tried to revive Clare's interest in the project, but her enthusiasm had expired.
Synonyms: reanimate, quicken - Revoke (verb)
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To cancel by taking back
After Kal's father revoked his allowance, he had no money for the movies.
Synonyms: rescind, annul - Scamper (verb)
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To run quickly
The frightened kitten scampered away from the butterfly.
Synonyms: dash, scurry - Scapegoat (noun)
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Someone who bears the blame for others
Audrey used her innocent baby brother as a scapegoat for the missing cookies.
Synonyms: dupe, victim - Serenity (noun)
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Calmness
The serenity of the glassy sea soothed the sailors after the big storm.
Synonyms: peace, tranquility - Servile (adj)
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Fearfully submissive
Felicia's servile attitude annoyed her boss, who preferred an assistant with more backbone.
Synonyms: slavish, menial - Sociable (adj)
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Inclined to seek companionship
The sociable Glenda was delighted to receive the party invitation.
Synonyms: genial, gregarious - Solace (noun)
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Source of consolation
Parents' weekend was a solace to Marjorie, whose beloved daughter had left for college.
Synonyms: comfort, relief - Stealth (noun)
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The act of moving secretly or unnoticed
The cat burglar took the ring by stealth, slipping it from the sleeping woman's finger.
Synonyms: furtiveness, slyness - Stern (adj)
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Harsh, severe
The stern principal canceled the prom after the seniors played a silly prank.
Synonyms: strict, adamant - Stifle (verb)
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To repress or discourage
Amy tried ineffectively to stifle her giggles after she read Susan's note in class.
Synonyms: suppress, check - Straddle (verb)
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To favor opposing sides
Kia straddled the issue, not wanting to say whether James or Tara was right.
Synonyms: waffle, equivocate - Supple (adj)
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Flexible
The supple leather coat draped like soft cloth around her shoulders.
Synonyms: pliant, elastic - Surplus (noun)
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Excess
Trevor decided to freeze the surplus chili for next week's tailgate party.
Synonyms: surfeit, remainder - Trove (noun)
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Valuable collection
Walter's trove of vintage baseball cards was worth thousands of dollars.
Synonyms: cache, treasure - Turmoil (noun)
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Extreme confusion, agitation
The windstorm caused such turmoil in the lake that the sailboat capsized.
Synonyms: chaos, tumult - Turpitude (noun)
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Essential baseness, depravity
The turpitude of the villain in the movie offended most audiences.
Synonyms: corruption, perversion - Unscrupulous (adj)
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Lacking principles
The unscrupulous salesman was fired for lying to his customers.
Synonyms: corrupt, immoral - Untenable (adj)
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Not able to be defended
Rashid made the untenable statement that George Washington was the second president of the United States.
Synonyms: baseless, implausible