All terms in this list:
abate: Become less intense or widespread
aberrant: Differing from the norm, from the expected type; abnormal, anomalous.
abeyance: A state of temporary disuse or suspension
abscond: Leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to avoid detection of or arrest for an unlawful action such as theft
abstemious: Not self-indulgent, esp. when eating and drinking
admonish: Warn or reprimand someone firmly
adulterate: Render (something) poorer in quality by adding another substance, typically an inferior one
aesthetic: Concerned with beauty, artistic impact, or appearance.
aggregate: A mass, assemblage, or sum of particulars;
alacrity: eagerness; liveliness; enthusiasm
alleviate: To make less severe, as a pain or difficulty.
amalgamate: To merge, to combine, to blend, to join.
ambiguous: Open to multiple interpretations.
ambivalence: The coexistence of opposing attitudes or feelings (such as love and hate) towards a person, object or idea.
ameliorate: To make better, to improve; to heal; to solve a problem.
anachronism: A thing belonging or appropriate to a period other than that in which it exists, esp. a thing that is conspicuously old-fashioned
analogous: Comparable in certain respects, typically in a way that makes clearer the nature of the things compared
anarchy: The state of a society being without authoritarians or a governing body.
anomalous: deviating from the normal; aberrant or abnormal
antipathy: A deep-seated feeling of dislike; aversion
apathy: Complete lack of emotion or motivation about a person, activity, or object
appease: To make quiet; to calm; to reduce to a state of peace; to dispel (anger or hatred).
apprise: To notify, or to make aware; to inform.
approbation: Approval or praise
appropriate: Suitable or proper in the circumstances
arduous: Involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring
artless: Having or displaying no guile, cunning, or deceit.
ascetic: One who is devoted to the practice of self-denial, either through seclusion or stringent abstinence.
assiduous: Hard-working, diligent or regular (in attendance or work); industrious.
assuage: To lessen the intensity of, to mitigate or relieve (hunger, emotion, pain etc.).
attenuate: To reduce in size, force, value, amount, or degree
audacious: Showing willingness to take bold risks; recklessly daring.
austere: Grim or severe in manner or appearance
autonomous: Self-governing. Governing independently.
aver: State or assert to be the case
banal: Common in a boring way, to the point of being predictable; containing nothing new or fresh.
belie: To give a false representation of something.
beneficent: Given to acts that are kind, charitable, philanthropic or beneficial.
bolster: Support or strengthen; prop up
bombastic: Pompous or overly wordy.
boorish: rough in manners; rude; uncultured.
burgeon: Begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish
burnish: To make smooth or shiny by rubbing; to polish; to shine.
buttress: A brick or stone structure built against another structure to support it.
capricious: Impulsive and unpredictable; determined by chance, impulse, or whim
castigation: Corrective punishment; chastisement; reproof; pungent criticism.
catalyst: A substance which increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process.
caustic: Sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way
chicanery: Deception by use of trickery, quibbling, or subterfuge.
coagulate: Change to a solid or semisolid state (of a fluid, esp. blood)
coda: The concluding passage of a piece or movement, typically forming an addition to the basic structure
cogent: Clear, logical, and convincing (of an argument or case)
commensurate: proportionate; of a similar measurable standard
compendium: A collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, esp. in a book or other publication
complaisant: Willing to do what pleases others.
compliant: yielding; bending; pliant; submissive.
conciliatory: Intended or likely to placate or pacify
condone: To forgive, excuse or overlook (something).
confound: to mix up; to puzzle.
connoisseur: A specialist of a given field whose opinion is valued; especially in one of the fine arts, or in a matter of taste
contention: An assertion, esp. one maintained in argument
contentious: Causing or likely to cause an argument; controversial
contrite: Sincerely penitent or feeling regret or sorrow, especially for one’s own actions; apologetic.
conundrum: A difficult question or riddle, especially one using a play on words in the answer.
converge: Of two or more entities, to approach each other; to get closer and closer.
convoluted: Extremely complex and difficult to follow (esp. of an argument, story, or sentence)
craven: Unwilling to fight; lacking even the rudiments of courage; extremely cowardly.
daunt: To discourage, intimidate.
decorum: Appropriate social behavior; propriety
default: The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
deference: Humble submission and respect
delineate: To sketch out, draw or trace an outline.
denigrate: Criticize unfairly; disparage
deride: To harshly mock; ridicule.
derivative: Imitative of the work of someone else.
desiccate: Lacking interest, passion, or energy
desultory: Lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm
deterrent: A thing that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something
diatribe: A forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something
dichotomy: A cutting in two; a division.
diffidence: Modesty or shyness resulting from a lack of self-confidence
diffuse: To spread over or through as in air, water, or other matter, especially by fluid motion or passive means.
digression: A departure from the subject, course, or idea at hand; an exploration of a different or unrelated concern.
dirge: A mournful poem or piece of music composed or performed as a memorial to a dead person.
disabuse: Persuade (someone) that an idea or belief is mistaken
discerning: Having or showing good judgment
discordant: Disagreeing or incongruous
discredit: To harm the good reputation of a person; to cause an idea or piece of evidence to seem false or unreliable.
discrepancy: An inconsistency between facts or sentiments.
discrete: Individually separate and distinct
disingenuous: Not noble; unbecoming true honor or dignity; mean; unworthy; fake or deceptive.
disinterested: Having or feeling no interest in something
disjointed: Not connected, coherent, or continuous.
dismiss: To discharge; to end the employment or service of.
disparage: Regard or represent as being of little worth
disparate: Things so unlike that there is no basis for comparison
dissemble: Conceal one's true motives, feelings, or beliefs
disseminate: Spread or disperse (something, esp. information) widely
dissolution: The termination of an organized body or legislative assembly, especially a formal dismissal.
dissonance: a harsh, discordant combination of sounds
distend: To extend or expand, as from internal pressure; to swell
distill: Purify (a liquid) by vaporizing it, then condensing it by cooling the vapor, and collecting the resulting liquid
diverge: (lines, paths, interests, opinions etc.) to run apart; to tend into different directions
divest: Deprive (someone) of power, rights, or possessions
document: An original or official paper relied upon as the basis, proof, or support of anything else, including any writing, book, or other instrument conveying information pertinent to such proof or support.
dogmatic: Stubbornly adhering to insufficiently proven beliefs; inflexible, rigid.
dormant: Inactive, asleep, suspended.
dupe: To swindle, deceive, or trick.
ebullient: boiling, agitated, enthusiastic
eclectic: Deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources
efficacy: Ability to produce a desired amount of a desired effect.
effrontery: Insolent or impertinent behavior
elegy: A mournful or plaintive poem; a funeral song; a poem of lamentation.
elicit: To evoke, educe (emotions, feelings, responses, etc.); to generate, obtain, or provoke as a response or answer.
embellish: To make more beautiful and attractive; to decorate.
empirical: Based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic
emulate: To copy or imitate, especially a person
endemic: Native to a particular area or culture; originating where it occurs.
enervate: Cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken
engender: Cause or give rise to (a feeling, situation, or condition)
enhance: Intensify, increase, or further improve the quality, value, or extent of
ephemeral: Lasting for a short period of time.
equanimity: Mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, esp. in a difficult situation
equivocate: Use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself
erudite: Having or showing great knowledge or learning
esoteric: Understood only by a chosen few or an enlightened inner circle.
eulogy: An oration to honor a deceased person, usually at a funeral.
euphemism: The use of a word or phrase to replace another with one that is considered less offensive or less vulgar than the word or phrase it replaces.
exacerbate: Make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse
exculpate: Show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing
exigency: An urgent need or demand
extrapolation: A calculation of an estimate of the value of some function outside the range of known values.
facetious: Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant.
facilitate: To make easy or easier.
fallacious: Deceptive or misleading.
fatuous: Obnoxiously stupid, vacantly silly, content in one's foolishness.
felicitous: Well chosen or suited to the circumstances
fervor: An intense, heated emotion; passion, ardor.
flag: A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol.
fledgling: A person or organization that is immature, inexperienced, or underdeveloped
flout: Openly disregard (a rule, law or convention)
foment: Instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action)
forestall: To prevent, delay or hinder something by taking precautionary or anticipatory measures; to avert.
frugality: A sparing use; sparingness.
gainsay: Deny or contradict (a fact or statement)
futile: Incapable of producing results; useless; not successful; not worth attempting.
garrulous: Excessively talkative, esp. on trivial matters
goad: A thing that stimulates someone into action
gouge: A cut or groove, as left by something sharp.
grandiloquent: Pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner, esp. in a way that is intended to impress
gregarious: Describing one who enjoys being in crowds and socializing.
guileless: honest but naïve.
gullible: Easily deceived or duped; naïve, easily cheated or fooled.
harangue: A lengthy and aggressive speech
homogeneous: similar, or the same as something else
hyperbole: Extreme exaggeration or overstatement; especially as a literary or rhetorical device.
iconoclastic: Characterized by attack on established beliefs or institutions;
idolatry: The admiration of somebody or something.
immutable: Unable to be changed without exception
impair: to weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
impassive: Having, or revealing, no emotion.
impede: to get in the way of; to hinder
impermeable: Not liable to be affected by pain or distress; insusceptible or imperturbable
imperturbable: Unable to be upset or excited; calm
impervious: unaffected or unable to be affected by
implacable: Relentless; unstoppable
implicit: Contained in the essential nature of something but not openly shown
implode: to collapse or burst inward violently
inadvertently: Unintentionally, because of an oversight.
inchoate: Recently started but not fully formed yet; just begun; only elementary or immature.
incongruity: The state of being incongruous, or lacking congruence.
inconsequential: Having no consequence, not consequential, of little importance.
incorporate: To include (something) as a part.
indeterminate: not accurately determined or determinable
indigence: extreme poverty or destitution
indolent: Habitually lazy, procrastinating, or resistant to physical labor/labour.
inert: unable to move or act; inanimate
ingenuous: naïve and trusting
inherent: A natural part or consequence of something.
innocuous: Not harmful or offensive
insensible: Unable to be perceived by the senses.
insinuate: Suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way
insipid: Lacking vigor or interest
insularity: Ignorance of or lack of interest in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience
intractable: Hard to control or deal with
intransigence: Unwillingness to change one's views or to agree.
inundate: To cover with large amounts of water; to flood.
invective: Insulting, abusive, or highly critical language
irascible: Easily provoked to outbursts of anger; irritable.
irresolute: Showing or feeling hesitancy; uncertain
itinerary: A route or proposed route of a journey.
laconic: Using as few words as possible; pithy and concise.
lassitude: Lethargy or lack of energy; fatigue.
latent: Existing or present but concealed or inactive.
laud: Praise or glorification.
lethargic: sluggish, slow
levee: The steep bank of a river, or border of an irrigated field.
levity: lightness of manner or speech, frivolity
log: The trunk of a dead tree, cleared of branches.
loquacious: Talkative or chatty, especially of persons given to excess conversation.
lucid: clear; easily understood
luminous: emitting light; glowing brightly
magnanimity: Showing generosity
malingerer: someone shirking their duty by feigning illness or incapacity
malleable: Able to be hammered into thin sheets (literally); Easily influenced;
maverick: Showing independence in thoughts or actions.
mendacious: lying, untruthful or dishonest
metamorphosis: A transformation, such as that of magic or by sorcery
meticulous: Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise
misanthrope: A person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society
mitigate: To reduce, lessen, or decrease.
mollify: To ease a burden; make less painful; to comfort
morose: Sullen, gloomy; showing a brooding ill humour
mundane: Lacking interest or excitement; dull
negate: To deny the existence, evidence, or truth of; to contradict.
neophyte: A beginner.
obdurate: Stubbornly persistent, generally in wrongdoing; refusing to reform or repent.
obsequious: Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree
obviate: Remove (a need or difficulty)
occlude: To obstruct, cover, or otherwise block an opening.
officious: Assertive of authority in an annoyingly domineering way, esp. with regard to petty or trivial matters
onerous: burdensome; difficult; wearing; tiring
opprobrium: Harsh criticism or censure
oscillate: To swing back and forth, especially if with a regular rhythm.
ostentatious: Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice
paragon: A person of preeminent qualities, who acts as a pattern or model of some given (especially positive) quality. [from 16th c.]
partisan: An adherent to a party or faction.
pathological: Compulsive; obsessive
paucity: The presence of something only in small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity
pedantic: marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
penchant: taste, liking, or inclination (for)
penury: extreme want; poverty; destitution.
perennial: Lasting or remaining active throughout the year, or all the time.
perfidious: Deceitful and untrustworthy
perfunctory: Performed out of routine and with little care.
permeable: A substance, substrate, membrane or material that absorbs or allows the passage of water.
pervasive: Manifested throughout;
phlegmatic: Having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition (of a person)
piety: The quality of being religious or reverent
placate: To calm; to bring peace to;
plasticity: The quality of being easily shaped or molded
platitude: An often-quoted saying that is supposed to be meaningful but has become unoriginal or hackneyed through overuse; a cliché.
plethora: An excessive amount or number; an abundance.
plummet: A steep and rapid fall or drop
porous: Full of tiny pores that allow fluids or gasses to pass through.
pragmatic: Practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory
preamble: A short preliminary statement or remark, especially an explanatory introduction to a formal document or statute.
precarious: dangerously insecure or unstable; perilous
precipitate: To make something happen suddenly and quickly; hasten.
precursor: A person or thing that comes before another of the same kind; a forerunner
presumptuous: Going beyond what is right or proper because of an excess of self-confidence or arrogance
prevaricate: Speak or act in an evasive way
pristine: Unspoiled; still with its original purity; uncorrupted or unsullied
probity: The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency
problematic: A thing that constitutes a problem or difficulty
prodigal: wastefully extravagant.
profound: Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to a great depth; deep.
prohibitive: Costly to the extreme; beyond budget.
proliferate: To increase in number or spread rapidly.
propensity: A tendency, preference, or attraction.
propitiate: Win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them
propriety: The state or quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals
proscribe: To forbid or prohibit.
pungent: Having a strong odor that stings the nose, said especially of acidic or spicy substances.
qualified: Meeting the standards, requirements, and training for a position.
quibble: A trivial or minor complaint, objection or argument.
quiescent: Inactive, at rest, quiet.
rarefied: Esoterically distant from the lives and concerns of ordinary people
recalcitrant: marked by a stubborn unwillingness to obey figures of authority
recant: To withdraw or repudiate (statement or opinion formerly expressed), especially formally and publicly.
recluse: A person who lives a solitary life and tends to avoid other people
recondite: Hidden from the mental or intellectual view; secret; abstruse.
refractory: Obstinate and unruly; strongly opposed to something.
refute: To prove (something) to be false or incorrect.
relegate: To send into exile; banish.
reproach: A mild rebuke, or an implied criticism.
reprobate: Rejected; cast off as worthless.
repudiate: To reject the truth or validity of something; to deny.
rescind: To repeal, annul, or declare void.
resolution: A strong will, determination.
resolve: Firm determination to do something
reticent: Keeping one's thoughts and opinions to oneself; reserved or restrained.
reverent: showing respect or reverence; respectful
sage: wise
salubrious: Promoting health or well-being; wholesome. Especially related to air.
sanction: An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid.
satiate: To fill to satisfaction; to satisfy.
saturate: To cause to become completely penetrated, impregnated, or soaked; imbue.
savor: Enjoy or appreciate (something pleasant) completely, esp. by dwelling on it
secrete: Conceal; hide
shard: A piece of broken glass or pottery, especially one found in an archaeological dig.
skeptic: Someone who habitually doubts beliefs and claims presented as accepted by others, requiring strong evidence before accepting any belief or claim.
solicitous: Characterized by or showing interest or concern
soporific: Something inducing sleep, especially a drug
specious: Superficially plausible, but actually wrong
spectrum: A range; a continuous, infinite, one-dimensional set, possibly bounded by extremes.
sporadic: Rare and scattered in occurrence.
stigma: A mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person
stint: A period of time spent doing or being something. A spell.
stipulate: To require (something) as a condition of a contract or agreement.
stolid: Having or revealing little emotion or sensibility.
striated: Having parallel lines or grooves on the surface.
strut: A stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant or conceited gait
strut: A support rod.
subpoena: A writ requiring someone to appear in court to give testimony.
subside: Become less intense, violent, or severe
substantiate: to verify something by supplying evidence; to corroborate or authenticate
supersede: Take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use); supplant
supposition: An uncertain belief
tacit: Understood or implied without being stated
tangential: Diverging from a previous course or line; erratic
tenuous: Thin in substance or consistency.
tirade: A long, angry or violent speech; a diatribe
torpor: A state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy
tortuous: Twisted; having many turns; convoluted.
tractable: Easy to deal with (of a situation or problem)
transgression: A violation of a law, command or duty
truculence: defiantly aggressive;
vacillate: Alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive
venerate: To treat with great respect and deference.
veracious: truthful
verbose: Abounding in words, containing more words than necessary. Long winded, or windy.
viable: Capable of working successfully; feasible
viscous: Having a thick, sticky consistency between solid and liquid
vituperative: Bitter and abusive
volatile: Liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, esp. for the worse
warranted: Justify or necessitate (a certain course of action)
wary: Cautious of danger; carefully watching and guarding against deception, artifices, and dangers;
welter: Move in a turbulent fashion
whimsical: capricious; odd; peculiar; playful; light-hearted or amusing.
zealot: one who is zealous, one who is full of zeal for his own specific beliefs or objectives, usually in the negative sense of being too passionate; a fanatic
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