Vocab WordDefinitionSentenceSynonyms

Aberrant1. Abnormal; Different from the accepted norm

2. Departing from an accepted standard chiefly Biology: diverging from the normal typeAberrant chromosomes.

Eating on the floor with the dogs is just one example of his aberrant behavior.deviating,

divergent,

abnormal,

atypical,

anomalous,

irregular

Abeyance1.State of suspension; temporary inaction

2. A state of temporary disuse or suspension Law the position of being without, or waiting for, an owner or claimant.Matters were held in abeyance pending further inquiries.

Expansion plans for the middle school are in abeyance.

in a state of suspension,

in a state of dormancy,

in a state of uncertainty,

in remission;

pending,

suspended,

deferred,

postponed,

put off,

put to one side,

unresolved,

up in the air

Abstemious1. Characterized by a state of self-denial, particularly in the area of food or drinkThe monks here have willingly chosen this abstemious life.self-denying,

temperate,

abstinent,

moderate,

self-disciplined,

restrained,

self-restrained,

sober,

austere,

ascetic,

puritanical,

spartan,

hair-shirt

Acquiescent1. Agreeing without protest

2. Ready to accept something without protest, or to do what someone else wants

The unions were acquiescent and there was no overt conflict.

The apolitical and acquiescent massescompliant,

complying,

consenting,

cooperative,

willing,

obliging,

agreeable,

amenable,

tractable,

persuadable,

pliant,

flexible,

unprotesting;

submissive,

servile,

subservient,

obsequious,

self-effacing,

unassertive,

yielding,

biddable,

docile,

deferential;

rare obeisant,

longanimous

Acrid1. Bitter; Harsh

2. Having an irritatingly strong and unpleasant taste or smell: acrid fumes.

4. angry and bitter: an acrid farewellThe fruit's acrid taste was a bad surprise.pungent,

bitter,

sharp,

sour,

tart,

caustic,

harsh,

irritating,

acid,

acidic,

vinegary,

acetic,

acetous;

stinging,

burning.

Acrimonious1. Bitter in temper, manner, and speech

2. (typically of speech or a debate) angry and bitter: an acrimonious dispute about wages.A heated and acrimonious discussionBitter,

angry,

rancorous,

caustic,

acerbic,

scathing,

sarcastic,

acid,

harsh,

sharp,

cutting;

virulent,

spiteful,

vicious,

vitriolic,

hostile,

venomous,

nasty,

bad-tempered,

ill-natured,

mean,

malign,

malicious,

malignant,

waspish

Acumen1. Keenness; quickness of intellectual insight

2. The ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain: business acumenNoted for her business acumenastuteness,

shrewdness,

acuity,

sharpness,

sharp-wittedness,

cleverness,

smartness,

brains;

judgment,

understanding,

awareness,

sense,

common sense,

canniness,

discernment,

wisdom,

wit,

sagacity,

perspicacity,

insight,

perception,

penetration;

savvy,

know-how,

horse sense,

smarts,

street smarts

Admonition 1. A gentle reproof

2. An act or action of admonishing; authoritative counsel or warning: the old judge's admonition to the jury on this point was particularly weighty

3. Warn or reprimand someone firmly: she admonished me for appearing at breakfast unshaven | You mustn't say that, Shiona, Ruth admonished her.

4. [ with obj. and infinitive ] advise or urge (someone) earnestly: she admonished him to drink no more than one glass of wine.

5. archaic warn (someone) of something to be avoided: he admonished the people against the evil of such practices

reprimand,

rebuke,

scold,

reprove,

reproach,

upbraid,

chastise,

chide,

berate,

criticize,

take to task,

read the riot act to,

rake/haul over the coals;

dress down,

bawl out,

rap over the knuckles,

give someone hell;

chew out;

formal castigate;

rare reprehend.

advise,

recommend,

counsel,

urge,

exhort,

bid,

enjoin;

caution,

warn;

formal adjure

Affront1. To offend, as with a gesture

2. An action or remark that causes outrage or offense: he took his son's desertion as a personal affront | privilege publicly worn is an affront to democracy.

3. verb [ with obj. ] (usu. be affronted)offend the modesty or values of: she was affronted by his familiarity.an affront to public morality

she was affronted by his familiarityinsult,

offense,

indignity,

slight, snub,

put-down,

provocation,

injury;

outrage,

atrocity,

scandal;

insult,

offend,

mortify,

provoke,

pique,

wound,

hurt;

put out,

irk,

displease,

bother,

rankle,

vex,

gall;

outrage,

scandalize,

disgust

Aggrandize1. To widen in scope or make bigger

Aggregate1. Accounting to a whole

2. noun |agrigit| a whole formed by combining several (typically disparate) elements: the council was an aggregate of three regional assemblies. the total number of points scored by a player or team in a series of sporting contests: the result put the sides even on aggregate .

3. a material or structure formed from a loosely compacted mass of fragments or particles. pieces of broken or crushed stone or gravel used to make concrete, or more generally in building and construction work.

4. adjective [ attrib. ]formed or calculated by the combination of many separate units or items; total: the aggregate amount of grants made.

Botany (of a group of species) comprising several very similar species formerly regarded as a single species.

Economics denoting the total supply or demand for goods and services in an economy at a particular time: aggregate demand | aggregate supply.verb |-gt|form or group into a class or cluster: [ no obj. ] : the butterflies aggregate in dense groups.

the specimen is an aggregate of rock and mineral fragments

he won with an aggregate of 325collection,

mass,

agglomeration,

conglomerate,

assemblage;

mixture,

mix,

combination,

blend,

accumulation;

compound,

alloy,

amalgam.

total,

sum total,

sum,

grand total.

adjectivean aggregate score: total,

combined,

gross,

overall,

composite.

Allay1. To reduce the intensity of

2. diminish or put at rest (fear, suspicion, or worry): the report attempted to educate the public and allay fears.

3. relieve or alleviate (pain or hunger): some stale figs partly allayed our hunger.Nothing would allay his fearsreduce,

diminish,

decrease,

lessen,

assuage,

alleviate, ease,

relieve,

soothe,

soften,

calm,

take the edge off

Amalgamate1. To mix or blend together in a homogenous body

2. combine or unite to form one organization or structure: [ with obj. ] : he amalgamated his company with another | [ no obj. ] : numerous small railroad companies amalgamated | (as adj. amalgamated) : his true genius lies in synthesis, in an amalgamated vision.

3. [ with obj. ] Chemistry alloy (a metal) with mercury: (as adj. amalgamated) : amalgamated zinc.

The two departments were amalgamated | various companies amalgamatedcombine,

merge,

unite,

fuse,

blend,

meld;

join (together),

join forces,

band (together),

link (up),

team up,

go into partnership;

literary commingle

Ameliorate1. To make better or improve

2. make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better: the reform did much to ameliorate living standards

Measures were taken to ameliorate the situationimprove,

make better,

better,

make improvements to,

enhance,

help,

benefit,

boost,

amend;

relieve,

ease,

mitigate

Anecdote1. A short account of an interesting incident

2. a short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person: told anecdotes about his job | he had a rich store of anecdotes.

3. an account regarded as unreliable or hearsay: his wife's death has long been the subject of rumor and anecdote.

4. the depiction of a minor narrative incident in a painting

Amusing anecdotesstory,

tale,

narrative,

incident;

urban myth/legend

Archipelago1. A large group of islands

Artifice1. Cleverness or skill

2. clever or cunning devices or expedients, esp. as used to trick or deceive others: artifice and outright fakery | the style is not free from the artifices of the period.

In our trade, artifice is an assettrickery,

deceit,

deception,

duplicity,

guile,

cunning,

artfulness,

wiliness,

craftiness,

slyness,

chicanery;

fraud,

fraudulence.

Ascetic1. Given to sever self-denial; practicing excessive abstinence

2. characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons: an ascetic life of prayer, fasting, and manual labor | a narrow, humorless, ascetic face.

3. a person who practices such self-discipline and abstention

an ascetic lifeaustere,

self-denying,

abstinent,

abstemious,

self-disciplined,

self-abnegating;

simple,

puritanical,

monastic; reclusive,

eremitic,

hermitic;

celibate,

chaste

Assiduous1. Persistent, unceasing

2. showing great care and perseverance: she was assiduous in pointing out every feature.

she was assiduous in pointing out every featurediligent,

careful,

meticulous,

thorough,

sedulous,

attentive,

conscientious,

punctilious,

painstaking,

rigorous,

particular;

persevering

Astute1. Keen; wise

2. having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage: an astute businessman.

an astute investorshrewd,

sharp,

acute,

adroit,

quick,

clever,

crafty,

intelligent,

bright,

smart,

canny,

intuitive,

perceptive,

insightful,

incisive,

sagacious,

wise

Audacious1. Fearless

2. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks: a series of audacious takeovers.

3. showing an impudent lack of respect: an audacious remark.

an audacious remark

his audacious exploitsimpudent,

impertinent,

insolent,

presumptuous,

cheeky,

irreverent,

discourteous,

disrespectful,

insubordinate,

ill-mannered,

unmannerly,

rude,

brazen,

shameless,

pert,

defiant,

cocky,

bold (as brass);

archaic contumelious;

bold,

daring,

fearless,

intrepid,

brave,

courageous,

valiant,

heroic,

plucky,

reckless,

madcap;

venturesome,

mettlesome;

literary temerarious

Austere1. Unadorned; Severely simple

2. severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance: an austere man, with a rigidly puritanical outlook | an austere expression.

3. (of living conditions or a way of life) having no comforts or luxuries; harsh or ascetic: conditions in the prison could hardly be more austere.

4. having an extremely plain and simple style or appearance; unadorned: the cathedral is impressive in its austere simplicity.

5. (of an economic policy or measure) designed to reduce a budget deficit, esp. by cutting public expenditure.an outwardly austere man

an austere life

the buildings were austeresevere,

stern,

strict,

harsh,

steely,

flinty,

dour,

grim,

cold,

frosty,

unemotional,

unfriendly;

formal,

stiff,

reserved,

aloof,

forbidding;

grave,

solemn,

serious,

unsmiling,

unsympathetic,

unforgiving;

hard,

unyielding,

unbending,

inflexible,

ascetic,

self-denying,

self-disciplined,

nonindulgent,

frugal,

spartan,

puritanical,

abstemious,

abstinent,

self-sacrificing,

strict,

temperate,

sober,

simple,

restrained;

celibate,

chaste

plain,

simple,

basic,

functional,

modest,

unadorned,

unembellished,

unfussy,

restrained;

stark,

bleak,

bare,

clinical,

spartan,

ascetic

Aver1. To avouch, justify, or prove

Vocab WordDefinitionSentenceSynonyms

Banal1. Trite; commonplace

2. So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring

Songs with banal, repeated words.trite, hackneyed, clichd, platitudinous, vapid, commonplace, ordinary, common, stock, conventional, stereotyped, overused, overdone, overworked, stale, worn out, timeworn, tired, threadbare, hoary, hack, unimaginative, humdrum, ho-hum, unoriginal, uninteresting, dull, trivial; informal old hat, corny, cornball, played out; dated dime-store; rare truistic, bromidic

Base1. The underlying concept of a system or theory

Beset1. To surround, as in an attack

Blatant1. Offensively Loud

Bolster1. To support; to reinforce

Bombastic1. Using inflated language; pompous

Boon1. A timely benefit

Brevity1. Briefness or Conciseness

Browbeat1. To intimidate in an overbearing manner

Bumptious1. Offensively self-assertive; pushy

Bungle1. To perform clumsily or inadequately; botch

Burgeon1. To grow forth; to send out buds