High Frequency Words 2

Word Definition


abate subsideor moderate

aberrant abnormalor deviant

abeyance suspendedaction

abscond departsecretly and hide

abstemious sparingin eating and drinking; temperate

admonish warn;reprove

adulterate makeimpure by adding inferior or tainted substances

aesthetic artistic;dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful

aggregate gather;accumulate

alacrity cheerfulpromptness; eagerness

alleviate relieve

amalgamate combine;unite in one body

ambiguous unclearor doubtful in meaning

ambivalence the stateof having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

ameliorate improve

anachronism somethingor someone misplaced in time

analogous comparable

anarchy absenceof governing body; state of disorder

anomalous abnormal;irregular

antipathy aversion;dislike

apathy lack ofcaring; indifference

appease pacify orsoothe; relieve

apprise inform

approbation approval

appropriate v.acquire; take possession of for one’s own use

arduous hard;strenuous

artless withoutguile; open and honest

ascetic practicingself-denial; austere

assiduous diligent

assuage v. easeor lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)

attenuate makethinner

audacious daring;bold

austere forbiddinglystern; severely simple and unornamented

autonomous self-governing;independent

aver assertconfidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as

a fact


banal hackneyed;commonplace; trite; lacking originality

belie contradict;give a false impression

beneficen0t kindly;doing good

bolster support;reinforce

bombastic pompous;using inflated language

boorish rude;insensitive

burgeon growforth; send out buds

burnish makeshiny by rubbing; polish

buttress v.support; prop up

capricious unpredictable;fickle

castigation punishment;severe criticism

catalyst agentthat increases the pace of a chemical action

caustic burning;sarcastically biting chicanery trickery;deception

coagulate thicken;congeal; clot

coda concludingsection of a musical or literary composition; summarizes

or concludes


cogent convincing

commensurate adj.corresponding in extent, degree, etc.; proportionate

compendium brief,comprehensive summary

complaisant trying toplease; overly polite; obliging

compliant yielding;conforming to requirements

conciliatory reconciling;soothing

condone overlook;forgive; give tacit approval; excuse

confound confuse;puzzle

connoisseur personcompetent to act as a judge of art; a lover of art

contention claim;thesis

contentious quarrelsome

contrite penitent- Her contrite tears did not influence the judge when he

imposed sentence


conundrum riddle;difficult problem

converge approach;tend to meet; come together

convoluted coiledaround; involved; intricate

craven cowardly

daunt intimidate;frighten

decorum propriety;orderliness and good taste in manners

default failureto act

deference courteousregard for another’s wishes

delineate portray;depict; sketch

denigrate blacken

deride ridicule;make fun of

derivative unoriginal;obtained from another source

desiccate dry up

desultory aimless;haphazard; digressing at random

deterrent somethingthat discourages; hindrance

diatribe n. bitterscolding; invective

dichotomy split;branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)

diffidence shyness

diffuse adj.wordy, rambling, spread out (like a gas)

digression wanderingaway from the subject

dirge lamentwith music

disabuse correct afalse impression; undeceive

discerning mentallyquick and observant; having insight

discordant notharmonious; conflicting

discredit defame;destroy confidence in; disbelieve

discrepancy lack ofconsistency; difference

discrete adj.separate; unconnected; consisting of distinct parts

disingenuous lackinggenuine candor; insincere

disinterested unprejudiced

disjointed lackingcoherence; separated at the joints

dismiss eliminatefrom consideration; reject

disparage belittle

disparate adj.basically different; unrelated

dissemble v.disguise; pretend

disseminate distribute;spread; scatter (like seeds)

dissolution disintegration;looseness in morals

dissonance discord;opposite of harmony

distend expand;swell out

distill purify;refine; concentrate

diverge vary; goin different directions from the same point

divest strip;deprive

document providewritten evidence

dogmatic opinionated;arbitrary; doctrinal

dormant sleeping;lethargic; latent

dupe someoneeasily fooled

ebullient showingexcitement; overflowing with enthusiasm

eclectic selective;composed of elements drawn from disparate sources

efficacy power toproduce desired effect

effrontery impudence;shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness

elegy poem orsong expressing lamentation

elicit draw outby discussion

embellish adorn;ornament; enhance, as a story

empirical based onexperience

emulate imitate;rival

endemic prevailingamong a specific group of people or in a specific area or

country


enervate weaken

engender cause;produce

enhance increase;improve

ephemeral short-lived;fleeting

equanimity calmnessof temperament; composure

equivocate lie;mislead; attempt to conceal the truth

erudite learned;scholarly

esoteric hard tounderstand; known only to the chosen few

eulogy expressionof praise, often on the occasion of someone’s death

euphemism mild expressionin place of an unpleasant one

exacerbate worsen;embitter

exculpate clearfrom blame

exigency urgentsituation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring

immediate attention


extrapolation projection;conjecture

facetious joking (ofteninappropriately); humorous

facilitate helpbring about; make less difficult

fallacious false;misleading

fatuous brainless;inane; foolish, yet smug

fawning trying toplease by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing

felicitous apt;suitably expressed; well chosen

fervor glowingardor; intensity of feeling

flag droop;grow feeble

fledgling inexperienced

flout reject;mock; show contempt for

foment stir up;instigate

forestall preventby taking action in advance

frugality thrift;economy

gainsay deny

futile useless;hopeless; ineffectual

garrulous loquacious;talkative; wordy

goad urge on

gouge overcharge

grandiloquent pompous;bombastic; using high-sounding language

gregarious sociable

guileless withoutdeceit

gullible easilydeceived

harangue long,passionate, and vehement speech

homogeneous of thesame kind

hyperbole exaggeration;overstatement

iconoclastic attackingcherished traditions

idolatry worshipof idols; excessive admiration

immutable unchangeable

impair injure;hurt

impassive withoutfeeling; imperturbable; stoical

impede hinder;block

impermeable impervious;not permitting passage through its substance

imperturbable calm;placid

impervious impenetrable;incapable of being damaged or distressed

implacable incapableof being pacified

implicit understoodbut not stated

implode burstinward

inadvertently unintentionally;by oversight; carelessly

inchoate adj.recently begun; rudimentary; elementary

incongruity lack ofharmony; absurdity

inconsequential insignificant;unimportant

incorporate introducesomething into a larger whole; combine; unite

indeterminate uncertain;not clearly fixed; indefinite

indigence poverty

indolent lazy

inert inactive;lacking power to move

ingenuous naive andtrusting; young; unsophisticated

inherent firmlyestablished by nature or habit

innocuous harmless

insensible unconscious;unresponsive

insinuate hint;imply; creep in

insipid lackingin flavor; dull

insularity narrow-mindedness;isolation

intractable unruly;stubborn; unyielding

intransigence n.refusal of any compromise; stubbornness

inundate overwhelm;flood; submerge

inured adj.accustomed; hardened


invective n. abuse

irascible irritable;easily angered

irresolute uncertainhow to act; weak

itinerary plan of atrip

laconic brief andto the point

lassitude languor;weariness

latent potentialbut undeveloped; dormant; hidden

laud v. praise

lethargic drowsy;dull

levee stoneembankment to prevent flooding

levity lack ofseriousness or steadiness; frivolity

log record ofa voyage or flight; record of day-to-day activities

loquacious talkative

lucid easilyunderstood; clear; intelligible

luminous shining;issuing light

magnanimity generosity

malingerer one whofeigns illness to escape duty

malleable capableof being shaped by pounding; impressionable

maverick rebel;nonconformist

mendacious lying;habitually dishonest

metamorphosis change ofform

meticulous excessivelycareful; painstaking; scrupulous

misanthrope one whohates mankind

mitigate appease;moderate

mollify soothe

morose ill-humored;sullen; melancholy

mundane worldlyas opposed to spiritual; everyday

negate cancelout; nullify; deny

neophyte recentconvert; beginner

obdurate adj.stubborn

obsequious slavishlyattentive; servile; sycophantic

obviate makeunnecessary; get rid of

occlude shut;close

officious meddlesome;excessively pushy in offering one’s services

onerous burdensome

opprobrium infamy;vilification

oscillate vibrate;waver

ostentatious showy;pretentious; trying to attract attention

paragon model ofperfection

partisan one-sided;prejudiced; committed to a party

pathological pertainingto disease

paucity scarcity

pedantic showingoff learning; bookish

penchant stronginclination; liking

penury severepoverty; stinginess

perennial somethinglong-lasting

perfidious treacherous;disloyal

perfunctory superficial;not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm

permeable penetrable;porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through

pervasive spreadthroughout

phlegmatic calm; noteasily disturbed

piety devoutness;reverence for God

placate pacify;conciliate

plasticity abilityto be molded

platitude n. triteremark; commonplace statement

plethora excess;overabundance

plummet fallsharply

porous full ofpores; like a sieve

pragmatic practical(as opposed to idealistic); concerned with the practical

worth or impact ofsomething

preamble introductorystatement

precarious uncertain;risky

precipitate adj.rash, premature, hasty, sudden

precursor forerunner

presumptuous arrogant;taking liberties

prevaricate lie

pristine characteristicof earlier times; primitive; unspoiled

probity uprightness;incorruptibility

problematic doubtful;unsettled; questionable; perplexing

prodigal wasteful;reckless with money

profound deep; notsuperficial; complete

prohibitive tending to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to

prevent or forbid


proliferate growrapidly; spread; multiply

propensity naturalinclination

propitiate appease

propriety fitness;correct conduct

proscribe ostracize;banish; outlaw



rarefied made lessdense (of a gas)

recalcitrant obstinatelystubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly

recant disclaimor disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess

error


recluse hermit;loner

recondite abstruse;profound; secret

refractory stubborn;unmanageable

refute disprove

relegate banish toan inferior position; delegate; assign

reproach expressdisapproval or disappointment

reprobate personhardened in sin; devoid of a sense of decency

repudiate disown;disavow

rescind cancel

resolution determination

resolve determination;firmness of purpose

reticent reserved;uncommunicative; inclined to silence

reverent respectful;worshipful

sage personcelebrated for wisdom

salubrious healthful

sanction approve;ratify

saturate soakthoroughly

savor enjoy;have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality

secrete hide awayor cache; produce and release a substance into an organism

shard fragment,generally of pottery

skeptic doubter;person who suspends judgment until having examined evidence

supporting apoint of view


solicitous worried;concerned

soporific sleep-causing;marked by sleepiness

specious seeminglyreasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)

spectrum coloredband produced when a beam of light passes through a prism

sporadic occurringirregularly

stigma token ofdisgrace; brand

stint v. bethrifty; set limits

stipulate makeexpress conditions; specify

stolid dull;impassive

striated markedwith parallel bands; grooved

strut pompouswalk

strut supportingbar

subpoena writsummoning a witness to appear

subside settledown; descend; grow quiet

substantiate establishby evidence; verify; support

supersede cause tobe set aside; replace; make obsolete

supposition hypothesis;surmise

tacit understood;not put into words

tangential peripheral;only slightly connected; digressing

tenuous thin;rare; slim

tirade extendedscolding; denunciation; harangue

torpor lethargy;sluggishness; dormancy

tortuous winding;full of curves

tractable docile;easily managed

transgression violationof a law; sin

truculence aggressiveness;ferocity

vacillate waver;fluctuate

venerate revere

veracious truthful

verbose wordy

viable practicalor workable

viscous sticky,gluey

vituperative adj.abusive; scolding

volatile changeable;explosive; evaporation rapidly

warranted justified;authorized

wary verycautious

welter turmoil;bewildering jumble

whimsical capricious;fanciful

zealot fanatic;person who shows excessive zeal