affable

We spent a pleasant afternoon with our affable neighbors.

affable

(adj.) courteous and pleasant.

synonyms: genial, amicable, agreeable

antonyms: surly, dour, inhospitable

aggrandize

John D. Rockefeller worked to aggrandize his empire by purchasing oil wells, refineries, and pipelines.

aggrandize

(v.) to increase in greatness power or wealth; to build up or intensify, to make appear greater.

synonyms: augment, amplify, enhance

antonyms: reduce, decrease

amorphous

The amorphous body of the amoeba was fascinating to watch under the microscope.

amorphous

(adj.) shapeless, without definite form.

synonyms: formless, unstructured

antonyms: definite, well-defined

erudite

For my paper, I would like to find an erudite history of the subject written in an unbiased manner.

erudite

(adj.) scholarly, learned, bookish, pedantic

synonyms: profoundly educated, well-read

antonyms: ignorant, uneducated

gossamer

The book was so old that each finely printed page seemed only the weight of gossamer.

gossamer

(adj.) thin, light, delicate (n.) a very thin cloth

synonyms: filmy, diaphanous, sheer

antonyms: thick, dense, solid, massive

infer

I can infer nothing from his odd behavior.

infer

(v.) to find out by reasoning, to arrive at a conclusion on the basis of thought.

synonyms: gather, deduce, presume

inscrutable

I could not tell by her inscrutable smile whether she was pleased or only amused by me.

inscrutable

(adj.) incapable of being understood, impossible to see through physically.

synonyms: impenetrable, enigmatic

antonyms: comprehensible, intelligible

insular

You seem too sophisticated to hold such insular opinions

insular

(adj.) relating to, characteristic of, or situated on an island, a narrow or isolated outlook on life.

synonyms: parochial, provincial

antonyms: catholic, cosmopolitan, liberal

querulous

Some flight attendants dread a querulous airline passenger more than they do rough weather.

querulous

(adj.) peevish, complaining, fretful

synonyms: petulant, touchy, cranky

antonyms: uncomplaining, stoical, serene, placid

remonstrate

Slowly, carefully, keeping his voice down, he argued with the caller as one might remonstrate with a child.

remonstrate

(v.) to argue or plead with someone against something, protest, object to

synonyms: reason against, expostulate

repudiate

He was forced to repudiate a statement he made before he’d had all the information.

repudiate

(v.) to disown or deny the validity of

synonyms: disavow, abjure, renounce

antonyms: avow, affirm, aver, avouch

resilient

The development of lightweight, resilient plastics revolutionized the design of many durable goods.

resilient

(adj.) able to return to an original shape or form

synonyms: springy, elastic, buoyant, bouncy

antonyms: rigid, stiff, inflexible, unyielding

reverberate

From the construction site, the noise of bulldozers and dump trucks reverberated throughout the valley.

reverberate

(v.) to re-echo, to resound, to reflect or be reflected repeatedly

synonyms: rumble, thunder, boom, echo

scurrilous

Days passed and unrest grew, and soon the rebels began a scurrilous attack on their absent leader.

scurrilous

(adj.) coarsely abusive, vulgar language

synonyms: obscene, filthy, abusive,

antonyms: decorous, seemly, tasteful, dignified

sleazy

The old lady made her clothes at home in order to avoid the sleazy goods sold in the general store.

sleazy

(adj.) thin or flimsy in texture, cheap, shoddy or inferior in quality or character

synonyms: inferior, cheesy, tawdry, tatty

antonyms: superior, quality, sturdy