Nouns

Aberration (noun) – a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected, typically an unwelcome one
 Anomaly
 Curiosity
 Deviation

Alacrity (noun) – brisk and cheerful readiness

 Eagerness
 Willingness
 Enthusiasm

Avarice (noun) – extreme greed for wealth or material gain

 Greed
 Cupidity
 Rapacity

Candour (noun) – the quality of being open and honest; frankness

 Honesty
 Sincerity
 Truthfulness

Complacency (noun) – a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements
 Smugness
 Self – satisfaction
 Pride

Confidant (noun) – a person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others
 Familiar
 Companion
 Friend

Despot (noun) – a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises it in a cruel or oppressive
way
 Tyrant
 Dictator
 Autocrat

Empathy (noun) – the ability to understand and share the feeling of another
 Affinity
 Appreciation
 Compassion

Enmity (noun) – a state or feeling of active opposition or hostility

 Animosity
 Friction
 Opposition

Gluttony (noun) – habitual greed or excess in eating

 Greed
 Craving
 Demand

Hypocrisy (noun) – the practice of claiming to have higher standards or more noble beliefs than is the case
  Deceit
 Insincerity
 Sanctimony

Infamy (noun) – the state of being well known for some bad quality or deed
 Notoriety
 Disrepute
 Disgrace

Maverick (noun) – an unorthodox or independent-minded person

 Individualist
 Original
 Nonconformist

Maxim (noun) – a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule or conduct
 Precept
 Epigram
 Saying

Modicum (noun) – a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something desirable or valuable
 Degree
 Speck
 Fragment

Myriad (noun) – a very great or indefinitely great number of persons or things

 Countless
 Infinite
 Endless

Nadir (noun) – the lowest or most unsuccessful point in a situation

 The depths
 Rock bottom
 Low point

Novice (noun) – a person new to and unexperienced in a job or situation

 Beginner
 Learner
 Neophyte

Nuance (noun) – a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound

 Shade
 Variation
 Degree

Panacea (noun) – a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases

 Cure
 Remedy
 Elixir

Parody (noun) – a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or
in ridicule
 Irony
 Burlesque
 Farce

Penchant (noun) – a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something

  Fondness
 Preference
 Relish

Perusal (noun) – the action of reading or examining something

 Scrutiny
 Inspection
 Examination

Plethora (noun) – a large pr excessive amount of something

 Excess
 Abundance
 Surfeit

Predilection (noun) – a preference or special liking for something; a bias in favour of something
 Fondness
 Preference
 Partiality

Serendipity (noun) – the gift of finding valuable or agreeable things not looked for
 Blessing
 Break
 Fluke

Sycophant (noun) – a person who acts obsequiously towards someone important in order to gain advantage
 Creep
 Fawner
 Crawly

Umbrage (noun) – offence or annoyance

 Displeasure
 Anger
 Fury

Zenith (noun) – the point on the celestial sphere vertically above a given position or observer
 Altitude
 Apex
 Acme

Verbs
Abhor (verb) – regard with disgust and hatred
  Despise
 Disdain
 Detest

Acquiesce (verb) – accept something reluctantly but without protest.

 Permit
 Allow
 Accept

Appease (verb) – pacify or placate (someone) by acceding to their demands

 Conciliate
 Propitiate
 Satisfy

Cajole (verb) – persuade (Someone) to do something by sustained coaxing or flattery

 Persuade
 Coax
 Entice

Chide (verb) – scold or rebuke

 Scold
 Chastise
 Reproach

Coerce (verb) – persuade (an unwilling person) to do something by using force or threats
 Pressure
 Constrain
 Compel

Connive (verb) – secretly allow (something immoral, illegal, or harmful) to occur

 Disregard
 Overlook
 Condone

Debase (verb) – reduce (something) in quality or value; degrade

 Devalue
 Demean
 Discredit

Decry (verb) – publicly denounce

 Condemn
 Critisise
 Censure

Deride (verb) – express contempt for; ridicule

 Ridicule
 Mock
 Disdain

Embezzle (verb) – steal or misappropriate (money placed in one’s trust or belonging to the organisation for which one
works)
 Misappropriate
 Steal
 Pilfer
Extol (verb) – praise enthusiastically
 Acclaim
 Celebrate
 Commend

Fabricate (verb) – invent (something) in order to deceive

 Forge
 Falsify
 Counterfeit

Forsake (verb) – abandon or leave

 Desert
 Leave
 Quit

Inhibit (verb) – hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process)

 Impede
 Hinder
 Discourage

Refurbish (verb) – renovate and redecorate (something, especially a building)

 Renovate
 Recondition
 Revamp

Repudiate (verb) – refuse to accept; reject

 Reject
 Abandon
 Deny

Adjectives
Amiable (adjective) – having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner
 Amicable
 Friendly
 Affable
Arcane (adjective) – understood by few; mysterious or secret
 Mysterious
 Secret
 Concealed

Brazen (adjective) – bold and without shame

 Bold
 Shameless
 Forward

Brusque (adjective) – abrupt or offhand in speech or manner

 Curt
 Abrupt
 Blunt

Callous (adjective) – showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others
 Heartless
 Unfeeling
 Cruel

Circumspect (adjective) – wary and unwilling to take risks

 Cautious
 Wary
 Guarded

Clandestine (adjective) – kept secret or done secretively; especially because illicit

 Covert
 Furtive
 Secret

Coherent (adjective) – (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent

 Logical
 Reasoned
 Rational

Cumulative (adjective) – increasing or growing by accumulation or successive additions

 Increasing
 Aggregate
 Heightening

Cynical (adjective) – believing that people are motivated purely by self-interest; distrustful or human sincerity or
integrity
 Doubtful
 Sceptical
 Suspicious

Deferential (adjective) – showing deference; respectful

 Humble
 Respectful
 Considerate

Demure (adjective) – reserved, modest, and shy (typically used of a woman)

 Modest
 Unamusing
  Reserved

Diligent (adjective) – having or showing care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties
 Assiduous
 Industrious
 Exacting

Elated (adjective) – ecstatically happy

 Thrilled
 Exhilarated
 Delighted

Eloquent (adjective) – clearly expressing or indicating something

 Expressive
 Sensitive
 Suggestive

Erudite (adjective) – having or showing great knowledge or learning

 Intelligent
 Scholarly
 Knowledgeable

Feral (adjective) – (especially of an animal) in a wild state, especially after escape from captivity or domestication
 Wild
 Untamed
 Undomesticated

Fractious (adjective)- (typically of children) irritable and quarrelsome

 Grumpy
 Cross
 Crotchety
OR
(of a group or organsiation) difficult to control; unruly
 Wayward
 Uncontrollable
 Headstrong

Furtive (adjective) – attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would
lead to trouble; secretive
 Secretive
 Surreptitious
 Sly

Gratuitous (adjective) – done without good reason; uncalled for

 Unjustified
 Unwarranted
 Unprovoked

Haughty (adjective) – arrogantly superior and disdainful

 Proud
 Vain
 Conceited

Impeccable (adjective) – in accordance with the highest standards; faultless

 Flawless
 Faultless
  Untarnished

Impertinent (adjective) – not showing proper respect; rude

 Insolent
 Impolite
 Unmannerly

Implacable (adjective) – unable to be appeased or placated

 Unforgiving
 Unsparing
 Adamant

Implicit (adjective) – suggested though not directly expressed

 Implied
 Indirect
 Inferred

Impudent (adjective) – not showing due respect for another person; impertinent
 Insolent
 Audacious
 Brazen

Incisive (adjective) – (of a person or mental process) intelligently analytical and clear-thinking
 Penetrating
 Acute
 Sharp

Indolent (adjective) – wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy

 Idle
 Loafing
 Lazy

Inept (adjective) – having or showing no skill; clumsy

 Incompetent
 Unskilful
 Amateurish

Innate (adjective) – existing in one from birth

 Elemental
 Ingrained
 Inherent

Insatiable (adjective) – (of an appetite or desire) impossible to satisfy

 Unquenchable
 Unpleasable
 Uncontrollable

Insular (adjective) – ignorant of or uninterested in cultures, ideas, or people outside one’s own experience
 Limited
 Blinkered
 Restricted

Intrepid (adjective) – resolutely fearless; dauntless

 Courageous
 Fearless
  Heroic

Inveterate (adjective) – having a particular habit, activity, or interest that is long-established and unlikely to change
 Ingrained
 Established
 Entrenched

Jubilant (adjective) – feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph

 Exultant
 Joyful
 Rejoicing

Lithe (adjective) – (especially of a person’s body) thin, supple, and graceful

 Agile
 Graceful
 Limber

Lurid (adjective) – unpleasantly bright in colour, especially so as to create a hard or unnatural effect
 Garish
 Bright
 Glaring

Meticulous (adjective) – showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
 Diligent
 Careful
 Conscientious

Morose (adjective) – sullen and ill tempered

 Sulky
 Gloomy
 Ill tempered

Nominal (adjective) – (of a role or status) existing in name only

 Titular
 Formal
 Official

Oblivious (adjective) – not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one
 Unaware
 Unmindful
 Unsensible

Obsequious (adjective) – obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree

 Ingratiating
 Servile
 Unctuous

Obtuse (adjective) – annoyingly insensitive or slow to understand

 Stupid
 Slow
 Dull

Quaint (adjective) – attractively unusual or old-fashioned

 Picturesque
 Charming
  Attractive

Rash (adjective) – acting or done without careful consideration of the possible consequences; impetuous
 Reckless
 Impulsive
 Hasty

Rife (adjective) – (especially of something undesirable of common occurrence; widespread

 General
 Universal
 Extensive

Salient (adjective) – most noticeable or important

 Important
 Principle
 Major

Staid (adjective) – sedate, respectable, and unadventurous

 Sedate
 Respectable
 Quiet

Superfluous (adjective) – being more than is sufficient or required; excessive

 Expandable
 Gratuitous
 Redundant

Taciturn (adjective) – (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little

 Untalkative
 Quiet
 Reticent

Truculent (adjective) – eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant

 Aggressive
 Defiant
 Antagonistic

Venerable (adjective) – accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age, wisdom, or character
 Respected
 Venerated
 Revered

Vociferous (adjective) – expressing or characterised by vehement opinions; loud and forceful

 Outspoken
 Vocal
 Vehement

Wanton (adjective) – (of a cruel or violent action) – deliberate and unprovoked

 Deliberate
 Malicious
 Malevolent