1.

abate
become less in amount or intensity

2. abdicate
give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors

3. aberration
a state or condition markedly different from the norm

4. abstain
refrain from doing, consuming, or partaking in something

5. adversity
a state of misfortune or affliction

6. aesthetic
characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste

7. amicable
characterized by friendship and good will

8. anachronistic
chronologically misplaced
9. arid
lacking sufficient water or rainfall

10. asylum
a shelter from danger or hardship

11. benevolent
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding

12. bias
a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue

13. boisterous
full of rough and exuberant animal spirits

14. brazen
unrestrained by convention or propriety

15. brusque
rudely abrupt or blunt in speech or manner

16. camaraderie
the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
17. canny
showing self-interest and shrewdness in dealing with others

18. capacious
large in the amount that can be contained

19. capitulate
surrender under agreed conditions

20. clairvoyant
someone who can perceive things not present to the senses

21. collaborate
work together on a common enterprise or project

22. compassion
a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering

23. compromise
an accommodation in which both sides make concessions

24. condescending
characteristic of those who treat others with arrogance
25. conditional
imposing or depending on or containing an assumption

26. conformist
someone who follows established standards of conduct

27. conundrum
a difficult problem

28. convergence
the act of coming closer

29. deleterious
harmful to living things

30. demagogue
a leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions

31. digression
a message that departs from the main subject

32. diligent
quietly and steadily persevering in detail or exactness
33. discredit
the state of being held in low esteem

34. disdain
lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike

35. divergent
tending to move apart in different directions

36. empathy
understanding and entering into another's feelings

37. emulate
strive to equal or match, especially by imitating

38. enervating
causing weakness or debilitation

39. ephemeral
anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day

40. evanescent
tending to vanish like vapor
41. exemplary
worthy of imitation

42. extenuating
partially excusing or justifying

43. florid
elaborately or excessively ornamented

44. forbearance
a delay in enforcing rights or claims or privileges

45. fortitude
strength of mind that enables one to endure adversity

46. fortuitous
lucky; occurring by happy chance

47. foster
providing nurture though not related by blood or legal ties

48. fraught
filled with or attended with
49. frugal
avoiding waste

50. hackneyed
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse

51. haughty
having or showing arrogant superiority

52. hedonist
someone motivated by desires for sensual pleasures

53. hypothesis
a tentative insight that is not yet verified or tested

54. impetuous
characterized by undue haste and lack of thought

55. impute
attribute or credit to

56. inconsequential
lacking worth or importance
57. inevitable
incapable of being avoided or prevented

58. intrepid
invulnerable to fear or intimidation

59. intuitive
spontaneously derived from or prompted by a natural tendency

60. jubilation
a feeling of extreme joy

61. lobbyist
someone who is employed to persuade how legislators vote

62. longevity
the property of having lived for a considerable time

63. mundane
found in the ordinary course of events

64. nonchalant
marked by casual unconcern or indifference
65. opulent
rich and superior in quality

66. orator
a person who delivers a speech

67. ostentatious
intended to attract notice and impress others

68. parched
dried out by heat or excessive exposure to sunlight

69. perfidious
tending to betray

70. pragmatic
concerned with practical matters

71. precocious
characterized by exceptionally early development

72. pretentious
creating an appearance of importance or distinction
73. procrastinate
postpone doing what one should be doing

74. prosaic
lacking wit or imagination

75. prosperity
the condition of having good fortune

76. provocative
serving or tending to excite or stimulate

77. prudent
marked by sound judgment

78. querulous
habitually complaining

79. rancorous
showing deep-seated resentment

80. reclusive
withdrawn from society; seeking solitude
81. reconciliation
the reestablishment of cordial relations

82. renovation
the act of improving by renewing and restoring

83. restrained
under control

84. reverence
a feeling of profound respect for someone or something

85. sagacity
the ability to understand and discriminate between relations

86. scrutinize
examine carefully for accuracy

87. spontaneous
said or done without having been planned in advance

88. spurious
plausible but false
89. submissive
inclined or willing to give in to orders or wishes of others

90. substantiate
establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts

91. subtle
difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze

92. superficial
of, affecting, or being on or near the surface

93. superfluous
more than is needed, desired, or required

94. surreptitious
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy

95. tactful
having a sense of what is considerate in dealing with others

96. tenacious
stubbornly unyielding
97. transient
lasting a very short time

98. venerable
profoundly honored

99. vindicate
show to be right by providing justification or proof

100. wary
marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

Word Definition Example Sentence

v. to become less active, less
Abate
intense, or less in amount
adj. existing purely in the mind; not
Abstract
representing actual reality
Abysmal adj. extremely bad
Accordingly adv. in accordance with
n. the act of gaining a skill or
Acquisition
possession of something
v. to make suit a new purpose
Adapt v. to accommodate oneself to a new
condition, setting, or situation
adj. having knowledge or skill (usu.
Adept
in a particular area)
adj. having sufficient qualifications
Adequate
to meet a specific task or purpose
n. the arrival or creation of
Advent
something (usu. historic)
As I began my speech, my feelings of ne
quickly abated.
Julie had trouble understanding the appe
the abstract painting.
I got an abysmal grade on my research
All students must behave accordingly.
Language acquisition is easier for kids
adults.
The US has adapted many foreign food
suit the tastes of Americans.
Dogs are known for their ability to quickl
their environments.
Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s
especially adept at the violin.
Though his resume was adequate, the c
doubted whether he’d be a good fit.
The world has never been the same sinc
the advent of the light bulb.
 An adversarial attitude will make you m
Adversarial adj. relating to hostile opposition
enemies in life.
n. someone who promotes or
I am an advocate for free higher educat
defends something
Advocate Environmental protesters often advocat
v. to defend or promote something
cleaner energy practices.
(usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.)
The aesthetic decorations at the weddin
adj. relating to beauty or refined
Aesthetic made you feel as if you were a characte
taste
tale.
He’s saving money so he can afford to
v. to be able to buy
Afford car.
v. to be able to spare
I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!
v. to promote something (usu. a
Agitate They’re agitating for better health care.
cause)
Allow v. to permit or consent to US law allows citizens to speak freely.
v. to make a secretive mention of She alluded to the problem at hand but
Allude
something anything more about it.
Greg got into an altercation with a stran
Altercation n. a noisy argument or confrontation
bar.
Her ambiguous statement made me qu
Ambiguous adj. unclear or vague in meaning
whether she could be trusted.
adj. having a powerful desire for Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be
Ambitious
success or achievement someday.
n. the state of being uncertain or His ambivalence prevented him from im
Ambivalence
stuck between two or more options signing the contract.
Green onions are considered analogou
Analogous adj. similar but not identical
onions.
v. to destroy or cause devastating The dictator sent orders to annihilate th
Annihilate
destruction rebels.
n. something different from the
Anomaly This result is an anomaly and very rarel
norm
The party was just as fun as I had antic
Anticipate v. assume to be likely to happen
would be.
Her antipathy toward the professor was
Antipathy n. a strong feeling of dislike she rolled her eyes whenever he entered
classroom.
Apex n. the highest point of something The spring play was the apex of our sch
Her apprehension to leave her house re
Apprehension n. fearful expectation of something
her missing the train.
She articulated her opinion on the price
Articulate v. to clearly express in words
house.
Artificial adj. something made; not occurring Many candies use artificial flavors to m
 naturally taste fruity.
His assertion that sharks are mammals
Assertion n. a strong declaration
everyone laugh.
He lived in a small, austere cabin in the
adj. extremely plain the woods.
Austere adj. stern and forbidding My boss had an austere expression on
adj. relating to self-denial An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, i
everybody.
n. the quality of being real and true The police officer doubted the authentic
Authenticity
instead of fake and contrived suspect’s story.
n. an intangible path or approach to The company has decided to pursue
Avenue
something other avenues.
adj. actively interested in or
Avid Gerald is an avid soccer fan.
enthusiastic about something
adj. relating to the foundation or You have to start with basic Russian be
Basic
basis of something can move on to the advanced level.
v. to have as a characteristic She bears a strong resemblance to you
v. to have (a child) Judy will bear her first child later this yea
Bear
v. to bring forth My garden is going to bear pumpkins th
v. to put up with I can’t bear her complaining any longer!
Benevolent adj. kind, generous Many cultures believe in benevolent sp
n. a preconception that prevents It’s important to avoid bias when investig
Bias
objectivity crime.
Bittersweet adj. tinged with a feeling of sadness The ending of the romance movie was b
If we work together, we should be able t
Bolster v. to support, strengthen, or fortify
then bolster the couch.
The boost in profits was a welcome cha
n. an increase or growth
Boost In order to boost profits, you need to ca
v. to increase or make grow
customers.
A brawl broke out at school today after o
n. an intense, loud fight
Brawl accused another of cheating.
v. to fight loudly and disruptively
The two students brawled for an hour.
The brevity of their time together made
Brevity n. the quality of being brief or terse
more romantic.
Candid adj. direct, blunt Josh is candid about his desire to becom
I admire her candor, especially when no
Candor n. the trait of being honest and frank
bothers to speak up.
I’d like to capitalize on your math skills b
Capitalize v. to use to your advantage
your work the cash register.
Capture v. to trap or take possession of The spy was captured by the enemy.
v. to successfully represent or Your painting beautifully captures the e
imitate of life.

v. to captivate, mesmerize
v. to catch or seize
Civic adj. relating to the city or citizens
adj. emotionally unattached (usu.
Clinical
used in medical or scientific setting)
Clout n. special advantage or power
adj. indicating a rough texture
Coarse adj. lacking refinement or
sophistication
Coincide v. to happen at the same time
n. the use of payment to request
Commission something (e.g., a service or
product)
Comparable adj. able to be compared
Competent adj. sufficiently qualified
adj. satisfied, with no desire to
Complacent
change or improve
Complement v. to make perfect or complete
v. to be forced to agree or surrender
Concede
v. to admit to a transgression
Conceive v. to imagine or come up with
Condone v. to overlook, approve, or allow
adj. able to bring about or be
Conducive
suitable for
v. to control or manage
Conduct
v. to behave a certain way
v. to share something secretive with
Confide
someone
Confine v. to put limits on; to restrict
Consensus n. overall agreement
I was captured by her beauty.
The cops captured the criminal three da
incident.
Voting is a civic duty.
Her clinical approach to situations allow
handle them more effectively.
Children of rich and famous people often
they have a lot of clout.
The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it h
been washed.
The queen’s coarse way of speaking su
other members of royalty.
It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket tha
the concert coincided with my finals.
This painting was commissioned by a r
merchant in 1589.
This novel is comparable to Huckleberr
We need to hire a competent web deve
create a good website for our company.
Though he had never won any awards o
published, he was complacent with his
poet.
This wine perfectly complements this p
gourmet cheese.
With no chance of winning the battle, the
last conceded.
Dan conceded to pranking his sister.
The plan to build the city was
originally conceived in the early 1900s.
She couldn't condone her daughter's re
behavior.
The noisy students hardly made the cam
library conducive to studying.
The group conducted their research ab
year.
Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly
She confided all of her biggest secrets
friend.
We are going to confine the use of this
fountain.
After weeks of debating, the panel finally
 a consensus.
v. to form or compose (part of) The desire for equality constituted the c
Constitute
something movement.
She contemplated telling her teacher a
Contemplate v. to think deeply about
cheating student.
The president contends that the US gov
Contend v. to maintain or assert (an opinion)
will not negotiate with terrorists.
Contradict v. to be in contrast with The camera footage contradicts his alib
adj. highly debatable and causing Millions of viewers watched
Controversial
contention the controversial debate take place.
Conventional adj. abiding by accepted standards She lives a conventional life in the subu
v. to pass on or transfer
Convey I have trouble conveying my thoughts in
(information)
Her religious convictions prevent her fr
Conviction n. a firm belief in something
meat.
v. to provide evidence for; to back The note signed by her father corrobora
Corroborate
up (a claim) claim that she was absent from class tha
This ingredient seems to counteract the
Counteract v. to work in opposition to
ones.
Make sure to include a counterargume
n. an argument used to criticize or
Counterargument essay so that you can show you’ve cons
dismantle another argument
topic from all perspectives.
Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was
Counterproductiv adj. hindering the achievement of a
ultimately counterproductive: it took us
e goal
long to get to the train station.
The culmination of the performance wa
Culmination n. the final act or climax
unforgettable.
Teachers don’t just pass on new informa
Cultivate v. to foster the growth of
students—they cultivate their academic
v. to declare formally and with The president decreed that Halloween w
Decree
authority henceforth be a national holiday.
Her deference to the elderly makes her
Deference n. respect; regard
candidate for an internship at the retirem
adj. not enough in degree or I feel as though the sources for my pape
Deficient
amount are deficient.
Could you demonstrate the dance mov
v. to do as an example
Demonstrate This book’s use of words such as “grim”
v. gives evidence for
“bleak” demonstrates the author’s mou
She demurred at my request to transfer
Demur v. to object to
different department.
v. to (over)use over time (usu. The lost campers quickly depleted their
Deplete
resources) food.
Desolate adj. bare, barren, empty The moon is one giant, desolate landsc
Devise v. to come up with (a plan) Lana devised a plan to make herself fam
n. a problem, usually requiring a The main dilemma is whether to pay for
Dilemma
choice between two options commercial or not.
n. conscientiousness; the quality of
Diligence Diligence and confidence will get you fa
being committed to a task
v. to become smaller in scope or The itchiness of mosquito bites usually s
Diminish
degree to diminish after a few days.
When the police didn’t explain what was
adj. hopeless and dangerous or
Dire right away, Jane knew that the situation
fearful
be dire.
Disputes over money caused intense dis
Discord n. disagreement
family.
n. a lack of respect and strong
He looked at me with such disdain that
Disdain dislike (toward something or
immediately knew the job wouldn’t work
someone)
n. hopelessness, stress, or To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the te
Dismay consternation Many were dismayed by the town’s imp
v. to fill with woe or apprehension of metered parking.
A good boss is stern but never disparag
Disparage v. to belittle or speak down to
her employees.
v. to send off a message or The mother dispatched her daughter to
Dispatch
messenger neighbor’s house.
Lately, there’s been noticeable diversifi
Diversification n. the act of becoming diverse
students at higher institutions.
n. a principle, theory, or position, Devoutly religious people often live their
Doctrine
usu. advocated by a religion or gov’t according to their doctrines.
n. power and authority (usu. over a The country claimed to have dominion 
Dominion territory) of Russia.
n. a legal territory Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US.
The gray clouds in the sky made the day
Dreary adj. sad, gloomy, dull
feel dreary.
The man’s claims to the throne were du
Dubious adj. doubtful, questionable
nobody knew where he’d come from.
adj. peculiar or odd; deviating from
Eccentric She’s a little eccentric but still fun to be
the norm
After cheating on the exam, Emily began
Egregious adj. extremely bad
though she’d made an egregious mista
adj. having refined or expressive
His speech was not only eloquent but a
Eloquent communication skills (in speaking or
extremely compelling.
writing)
 adj. superior or distinguished; high Our town made news when the eminent
Eminent
in position or status came to perform at our local theater.
v. to discharge, give forth, or
Emit Plants consume carbon dioxide and em
release
adj. very expressive; using Her emphatic smile told me she was ex
Emphatic
emphasis the roller coaster.
adj. derived from experience,
Empirical You need empirical evidence to suppor
observation, or an experiment
v. to equip or bestow (usu. a quality According to the myth, the gods endowe
Endow
or ability) the gift of healing.
v. to withstand, sustain, or hold out I can’t endure this wait any longer. Will S
Endure
against accept or reject me?
A doctoral program entails long nights a
Entail v. to involve or include
workload.
Entrenched adj. firmly established Her face will forever be entrenched in m
I can’t enumerate how many times I’ve
Enumerate v. to specify or count
remind my students when their papers a
n. excessive jealousy His envy of her is quite obvious.
Envy
v. to admire and be jealous of She envies her coworker's social skills.
adj. having no fixed course;
Erratic The car became erratic after slipping on
deviating from the norm
v. to enact They established a law that made it ille
Establish v. to found (a business, group, after drinking any amount of alcohol.
school, etc.) Our group established a new branch in
Evoke v. to draw forth or call up Horror movies are great at evoking fear
v. to make worse or increase the The doctor told me not to run as it
Exacerbate
severity of can exacerbate my knee injury.
v. to do something extremely well or She was a well-rounded student
Excel
to be superior in but excelled especially in science.
Exert v. to put into use (usu. as effort) Don’t exert all of your energy at once.
adj. invigorating, stimulating, or The music playing at the club was catch
Exhilarating
exciting and exhilarating.
Be careful not to expend all your energy
Expend v. to use up (as in energy or money)
half of a marathon.
The shoddy company exploited its work
Exploit v. to use selfishly or for profit
paying them extremely low wages.
In grad school, advisors facilitate stude
Facilitate v. to aid the progress of
research and offer constructive criticism
The feasibility of her project was doubtf
n. the practicality or possibility of
Feasibility have to go all the way to Antarctica and
something
the school year ended.
 The lion is just one wild animal known fo
Ferocity n. viciousness, violence
its ferocity.
Fiscal policy is how the government use
Fiscal adj. related to (government) money
influence the economy.
v. to prosper, grow, or make fast After one year, the tiny plants had flouri
Flourish
progress breathtaking garden.
Stocks can fluctuate on a daily basis, m
Fluctuate v. to be unstable; to rise and fall
difficult to determine when to buy or sell
The civilians accused their leader
Foment v. to stir up
of fomenting political unrest.
adj. capable of being predicted or I can't imagine aliens visiting us in
Foreseeable
anticipated the foreseeable future.
Frankly adv. directly, clearly I frankly don’t see the point in learning t
His freewheeling attitude often got him
Freewheeling adj. carefree
work.
adj. the most essential or most A thesis is arguably the most fundamen
Fundamental
basic part an essay.
The galvanizing performance left every
Galvanizing adj. thrilling, exciting, stimulating
spellbound.
I became interested in geriatric medicin
Geriatric adj. relating to old age
after my grandfather passed away from
The voices around the corner sounded
Hostile adj. harmful, dangerous
angry, hostile even.
adj. supposed; related to a For my physics homework, I must come
Hypothetical
hypothesis a hypothetical situation.
The politician's expensive campaign ultim
Ignominious adj. publicly shameful or humiliating
ended in ignominious defeat.
Parents must impart common sense to
Impart v. to transmit, bestow, or disclose
children.
n. the equal and objective treatment To ensure impartiality, we require every
Impartiality
of opposing views follow these general guidelines.
adj. impressive (esp. in size or The old mansion was imposing in its hu
Imposing
appearance) gothic architecture.
If it’s not too much of an imposition, cou
Imposition n. an unnecessary burden
proofread my paper?
Backpacking abroad can be fun, but don
Imprudent adj. not cautious or prudent; rash
be imprudent about money.
Incite v. to encourage or stir up Her hateful words incited anger in the c
The girl’s indifference toward her brothe
Indifference n. apathy, emotional detachment
their parents.
adv. randomly; with little or no
Indiscriminately Lottery winners are chosen indiscrimin
distinction
 My friend loves to indulge in cheesy rom
Indulge v. to give into; to satisfy or gratify
movies.
v. to guess, conclude, or derive by You can infer from this quotation that th
Infer
reasoning didn’t care for “pretty” language.
adj. novel or new (esp. as an idea Her invention was incredibly innovative
Innovative
or invention) her multiple awards.
Insatiable adj. can’t be satisfied A vampire’s thirst for blood is said to be 
Inversion n. a reversal The culture’s norms were an inversion 
v. to call on; to appeal to (e.g., a
Invoke The shaman attempted to invoke a dem
higher power)
The couple’s differences were
adj. incapable of being in harmony
Irreconcilable ultimately irreconcilable, giving them no
or agreed upon
to break up.
Susan lamented her missed chance at g
Lament v. to feel sorrow for; to mourn
Europe with her high school class.
Locomotion n. movement Physics involves the study of locomotio
adj. capable of making a lot of Writing books isn’t a particularly lucrativ
Lucrative
money; profitable unless you’re J.K. Rowling.
The malicious spirit drove out the inhab
Malicious adj. harmful, spiteful
their home.
adj. capable of being molded or
Malleable Children’s minds are malleable but only
changed
adj. superficial; focus on material Many people accuse Americans of
Materialistic
possessions being materialistic.
adj. extravagant or exaggerated (as The melodramatic play was well liked b
Melodramatic
of a melodrama) audience.
They moved into a modest house in the
adj. simple and humble countryside.
Modest
adj. small in size or amount I received a modest sum of money for m
the company event.
Dr. Nguyen modified the gene so that it
Modify v. to change, alter, or tweak
carry the disease.
Momentous adj. historically significant Her win in the election was momentous
We are looking for novel ways to approa
Novel adj. new, innovative
project.
Body-language experts even understand
Nuance n. a subtle difference in meaning
the nuances of facial expressions.
Null adj. legally void and ineffective The government declared their marriage
n. judgment based on observations In scientific research, objectivity is of u
Objectivity
instead of emotions or opinions importance.
 Historians assumed record players woul
adj. no longer used; rare or
Obsolete be obsolete by now, but in fact they’re m
uncommon
huge comeback.
Gods are omnipotent beings who can c
Omnipotent adj. almighty and all powerful
human destiny.
At the onset of her career as a lawyer, t
Onset n. the beginning or early stages
looking up.
The new employee opined at the compa
Opine v. to openly express an opinion
meeting.
That ornate silverware must be worth th
Ornate adj. highly detailed and decorated
dollars!
v. to remove or force out of (usu. a Sick and tired of putting up with his bad
Oust
position or office) pirates ousted their captain.
adj. predominant, superior, most Our paramount concern is the safety of
Paramount
important employees.
Upon entering the abandoned house, Ka
Peculiar adj. strange, bizarre experienced a peculiar feeling, as if som
watching her.
Perish v. to die; to pass away According to the news, nobody perished
They will persecute anyone who doesn’
Persecute v. to cause suffering to
their views of the world.
Petulant adj. cranky, pouty, irritable Petulant children are especially difficult
Many believe that composers such as B
Pinnacle n. highest level or degree and Mozart represent the pinnacle of cl
music.
The frail-looking dog was pitiable, so I g
Pitiable adj. deserving pity
food and took it inside to care for it.
Her story is plausible, but that doesn’t m
Plausible adj. reasonable and possibly true
telling the truth.
The literary critic postulates that roman
Postulate v. to assert
naturalism are actually interconnected.
The bald eagle is a potent symbol of the
adj. having great influence
Potent The potion was definitely potent—it hea
adj. having a strong, chemical effect
wounds immediately!
It’s not necessarily more pragmatic to s
Pragmatic adj. practical, useful
engineering than it is to study philosophy
n. an example or subject from
Precedent This change in law is without historical p
earlier in time
n.  someone who comes before you My predecessor gave me many tips for
Predecessor
(usu. in position or office) office.
Prescribe v. to command orders The directions for our essay prescribe a
v. to issue authorization for at least ten pages.
 A doctor must prescribe you this medic
medications
you can begin taking it.
Remember the universal principle: trea
Principle n. basic truth, assumption, or rule
you want them to treat you.
Prohibit v. to command against, to outlaw Alcohol was prohibited in the US in the
She is always prompt when it comes to
adj. punctual, on time
her homework.
n. a cue to begin something;
Prompt I had to write an essay based on a prom
instructions
The possibility of a scholarship prompte
v. to incite, propel, or cause to act
apply to Harvard.
The ruler will at last promulgate an amn
Promulgate v. to put into law or formally declare
the neighboring countries.
v. to bring criminal action against
Prosecute The suspect was prosecuted yesterday
someone (in a trial)
adj. intending to provoke, inspire, or Her nude paintings are considered
Provocative
arouse quite provocative.
adj. involving qualities of something
Qualitative I noticed a qualitative change in her pai
(features and content)
adj. involving quantities (numbers
Quantitative We must conduct a quantitative analys
and amounts)
Quirk n. a strange habit His biggest quirk is his love of old marb
Cars ramified throughout the world in th
Ramify v. to split into two or more branches
century.
adj. without attention to danger or Her rash decision to pass the car nearly
Rash
risk a crash.
He’s got raw talent as a singer, but he n
adj. unrefined
work on his performance skills.
Raw adj. not processed; uncooked (as in
In some countries, such as Japan, it is n
food)
eat raw fish.
Water was readily available at different
Readily adv. right away and without difficulty
race.
n. thinking again about a previously The judges’ reconsideration of her perf
Reconsideration
made choice resulted in her victory.
The reform made it so that only those 1
n. a change for the better;
can legally drive.
Reform improvement
The government reformed its vague po
v. to improve via change
marijuana use.
v. to prove to be untrue, unfounded,
Refute The student refuted the professor’s claim
or incorrect
Reinforce v. to strengthen or add support to We can use these pipes to reinforce the
Max reluctantly agreed to see the horro
Reluctantly adv. somewhat unwillingly
with his friends.
 v. to give up (usu. power or a Our CEO renounced her position yeste
Renounce position) He renounced his friend after he caugh
v. to cast off stealing money from him.
The mother reproached her daughter’s
Reproach v. to criticize
making students come in during a blizza
The father repudiated his son’s marriag
v. to refuse to recognize as true
Repudiate She repudiated her son once she found
v. to cast off
married someone without telling her.
Water retention can make you weigh m
Retention n. the act of keeping something
certain days.
Satiated adj. satisfied (usu. in hunger) I felt satiated after eating a snack.
adj. having practical intelligence or My brother is not very savvy when it com
Savvy
knowledge public transportation.
adj. morally offensive, often causing The scandalous politician decided it wa
Scandalous
damage to one’s reputation resign from office.
It’s difficult for me not to scorn those wh
Scorn v. to look down on with disdain
improper grammar.
I am a scrupulous proofreader and nev
Scrupulous adj. paying great attention to detail
error.
Scrutinize v. to examine carefully and critically The teacher scrutinized her students’ e
v. to produce or release (a
Secrete Trees secrete a sticky substance called
substance)
I am of the sentiment that you should n
n. opinion out your passwords to anyone.
Sentiment
n. a tender or moving gesture Even though I’m not a big fan of porcela
appreciated the sentiment.
adj. so thin that light can shine The curtains on the window were so she
Sheer
through could clearly see inside the house.
This math problem is so simple even a
adj. easy; not complex can solve it.
Simple
adj. undecorated The simple beauty of the ocean is what
memorable.
Medieval peasants believed sinister de
Sinister adj. ominous, evil
harm humans.
n. the joining of commonalities or I stood in solidarity with other female st
Solidarity
common purposes among a group refusing to wear the school’s sexist unifo
adv. insufficiently, meagerly, or in a
Sparingly Due to my condition, I must eat salt spa
restricted manner
Frogs typically spawn in ponds.
v. to release eggs
Spawn The topic spawned an ongoing debate a
v. to call forth or generate
family members.
Spur v. to stimulate or incite Her bravery spurred others to act.
 The squalid cabin needed a new roof an
Squalid adj. run-down, sordid, or sleazy
exterminator.
adj. very plain; devoid of any details Looking out at the stark landscape, I fel
Stark
or features sense of isolation.
adj. motionless The ball is static.
Static
adj. changeless Her life has been static for the past thre
adj. lower in rank The subordinate officers work every da
n. someone lower in rank My subordinate will check you in.
Subordinate
v. to make dependent on or put at a You aren’t my boss—you can’t subordin
lower rank the role of receptionist!
adv. happening later or after
Subsequently I subsequently went home.
something
I was shocked to find a substantial amo
Substantial adj. very large in amount or degree
money beneath the park bench.
v. to strengthen with new evidence It is important for scientists to substanti
Substantiate
or facts theories whenever possible.
I detected in her expression a subtle hin
Subtle adj. hard to detect or analyze
irritation.
adj. enough; just meeting a
Sufficient These boxes should be sufficient for ou
requirement
The bartender was a surly fellow who w
Surly adj. unfriendly; inclined to anger
to start a fight.
They managed to surmount the langua
Surmount v. to get on top of or overcome
by using a translation app.
Children are more susceptible to certai
Susceptible adj. to be vulnerable (to something)
than adults are.
Her tactful attitude toward our class ma
Tactful adj. skilled at dealing with people
of my favorite teachers.
Taut adj. pulled tight The rubberband was taut and ready to b
adj. abundantly filled (usu. with Doorknobs are not as clean as they look
Teeming
living organisms) often teeming with germs.
She had a hostile temperament, making
Temperament n. usual mood or feelings
intimidating to most people.
We haven’t made any official arrangeme
Tentative adj. not yet finalized
the tentative location for our wedding is
Stained window glass isn’t as transpare
adj. see-through; so thin that light
regular window glass is.
Transparent can shine through
She was transparent about her plans to
adj. truthful or easy to perceive
marriage.
The journey was becoming treacherous
Treacherous adj. dangerous and unstable
continued on regardless.
adj. very large, good, or bad in Tremendous news! You don’t have to re
Tremendous
degree or size loans!
Ubiquitous adj. being everywhere at once Cell phones are ubiquitous these days.
Though the dress was cheap and unado
Unadorned adj. undecorated, plain
was by far her favorite one on the rack.
v. to weaken or subvert (usu. Parents should take care not to
Undermine
gradually or secretly) constantly undermine their children.
v. to emphasize or give additional This sentence seems to underscore the
Underscore
weight to meaning of the passage.
v. to move as ripples or in a wavy Belly dancers are known for their ability
Undulate
pattern skillfully undulate their stomachs.
The unilateral decision was deemed un
Unilateral adj. one-sided
other party involved.
The court’s decision is unjust—he shou
Unjust adj. unfair; not justified
free.
Unmitigated adj. downright, utter, total My speech was an unmitigated disaste
adj. completely new and never
Unprecedented The number of protestors was unpreced
having happened before; historic
We plan to unveil our plans for the new
Unveil v. to make visible; to reveal
project on Sunday.
He had the urge to tell his parents abou
n. desire or impulse
Urge acceptance to Columbia but decided aga
v. to encourage or persuade
She urged her sister to apply to Stanfor
Your selfish actions do not validate you
Validate v. to prove or declare valid
me.
n. ability to be done in a practical or
Viability The viability of the solution is questiona
useful way
Vital adj. urgently necessary It is vital that you respond by the deadlin
My brother quickly broke his vow to nev
Vow v. to promise
chocolate again.
Wanting to look cool in front of your frien
Warrant v. to prove to be reasonable
doesn’t warrant breaking the law.
The farmer’s annual pumpkin yield exce
10,000.
n. production of an amount
Cars turning right on red must yield to o
Yield v. to give way to or surrender to
traffic.
v. to produce or supply
Our experiment yielded many unique-lo
vegetables.
Word Definition Word

Abate (v.) To reduce, to lessen Emulate (v.)

 To refrain from
Abstain (v.) Empathy (n.)
doing something

Adversity (n.) Hardship, misfortune Exemplary (adj.)

Arid (v.) Very dry Florid (adj.)
Well-meaning,
Benevolent (adj.) Fortitude (n.)
helpful
Prejudice for or
against something, or
Bias (v., n.) to prejudice someone Fortuitous (adj.)
for or against
something
Brazen (adj.) Bold Foster (v.)
Collaborate (v.) Work together Frugal (adj.)

Compassion (n.) Sympathy Inconsequential (adj.)

To meet in the
Compromise (v., n.) middle, to settle Longevity (n.)
differences
Patronizing, talking
Condescending (adj.) Mundane (adj.)
down to
Someone who
Conformist (adj., n.) Nonchalant (adj.)
follows the majority

Convergence (n.) Coming together Procrastinate (v.)

Hardworking,
Diligent (adj.) Prosperity (n.)
dedicated
To dishonor
Discredit (v.) someone, or prove Prudent (adj.)
something untrue

Disdain (n., v.) To regard with scorn Restrained (adj.)

Moving apart, going

Divergent (adj.) in different Reverence (n.)
directions

Intermediate Words
These are a bit tougher. The definitions are still fairly straightforward, but the words
themselves are less commonly used. Again, when it's possible a word might appear on the
test in either of two parts of speech in the same form, we've noted it for you.

Word Definition Word Definition

About beauty, or a particular perspective
Aesthetic (adj., n.) Intrepid (adj.) Fearless
on beauty
Amicable (adj.) Agreeable Intuitive (adj.): Knowing somethin
One who represent
Boisterous (adj.): Enthusiastic, loud Lobbyist (n.):
government officia
Brusque (adj.): Short, rude Opulent (adj.): Wealthy
Camaraderie (n.): Togetherness, trust, friendship Orator (n.): Speaker
To have removed w
Canny (adj.): Careful, showing good judgment Parched (v., adj.):
something is dried
Clairvoyant (adj., Able to predict the future, or one who can
Pragmatic (adj.): Practical
n.): predict the future
Conditional (adj.): Contingent upon something else Pretentious (adj.): Thinking yourself
Causes a fuss, infla
Demagogue (n.) Rabble-rousing leader Provocative (adj.):
people riled up
Digression (n.): Straying from the main point Reclusive (adj.): Hermit, withdrawn
Filled with, especially of tension or Reconciliation (n.) The act of bringing
Fraught (adj.)
negative emotion : making an agreem
Haughty (n.): Being arrogant, talking down to people Renovation (n.): Being new, being r
Hypothesis (n.): Unproven theory, educated guess Sagacity (n.) Wisdom
Inevitable (adj.): Unavoidable, definitely going to happen Scrutinize (v.): To look at carefull
Spontaneous (adj.)
Inspect (v.) To look at closely, to assess Being impulsive, a
:

Challenging Words
These are the toughest words we're presenting. Don't despair! There's nothing intrinsically
mysterious about these words. They're just uncommon in everyday conversation and on
occasion their definitions are a bit ambiguous.

Word Definition Word Definition

Something unusual, different

Aberration (n.) Hackneyed (adj.) Clichéd
from the norm
 Person who acts in pursuit
Abdicate (v.) Give up a position Hedonist (n., adj.)
of pleasure

Abhor (v.) To really hate Impetuous (adj.) Rash, impulsive

Out of the context of time, To assign or attribute to

Anachronistic (adj.) Impute (v.)
out of date someone

Something out of place, a

Anomaly (n.) Jubilation (n.) Extreme happiness, joy
strangeness

Apex (n.) Peak Melodramatic (adj.) Exaggerated, extreme

Asylum (n.) Sanctuary, place of safety Null (adj.) Void, meaningless

Capacious (adj.) Very large, spacious Ostentatious (adj.) Flaunting wealth

Capitulate (v.) Surrender Perfidious (adj.) Disloyal

Gifted or talented beyond

Corroborate (v.) To back up a claim Precocious (adj.)
one's years

Irritable, prone to
Deleterious (adj.) Harmful Querulous (adj.)
argument

Demur (v.) Object to Rancorous (adj.) Hateful, unpleasant

Enervating (adj.) Tiring Spurious (adj.) False, untrue

Entail (v.) To involve or include Substantiate (v.) To confirm, prove

Ephemeral (adj.) Fleeting, temporary Superfluous (adj.) Unnecessary, too much

Evanescent (adj.) Not lasting long Surreptitious (adj.) Secret

Something that makes the Respectable because of its

Extenuating (adj.) Venerable (adj.)
situation not as bad age