Wordlist A-1(abase – acumen)
abase•Behave in a very humble way
The new servant hated behaving in an abase manner in front of his royal employers.
abash • Embarrass
The writer felt abashed seeing the amount of attention he was receiving.
abate • Subside• Moderate
By the next morning, the flood waters had abated considerably.
abbreviate • Shorten
Because she was running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.
abdicate • Renounce• Give up
He abdicated his entire estate and retired into the forests, spending the rest of his life in a log cabin.
aberration • Abnormality • Departure from the norm
It remains the consensus among investors on Wall Street that current high oil prices are a temporary aberration and that we shall soon see a return to cheap oil.
abet • Assist, usually in doing something wrong• Encourage
She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.
abeyance •Suspended action
The storm showed no signs of abeyance.
abhor •Detest •Hate
She abhorred all forms of flattery.
abject • Wretched• Lacking pride
More than three million people in India are said to live in abject poverty.
abjure • Renounce upon oath
To save his skin, he simply abjured every statement they made.
ablution • Washing
It is the traditional custom to enter any religious place after our ablutions.
abnegation •Renunciation•Self-sacrifice
The more they tried to make him confess, the more he sank into abnegation.
abolish • Cancel • Put an end to
The Principal of the college refused to abolish the Physical Education requirement.
abominable •Detestable• Extremely unpleasant •Very bad
He is known for his abominable taste of dressing and etiquette.
aboriginal • Being the first of its kind in a
region• Primitive• Native
Her studies of the primitive art forms of the aboriginal Africans were widely reported in the scientific journals.
abortive •Unsuccessful• fruitless
Attacked by armed troops, the Chinese students had to abandon their abortive attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully.
abrasive •Rubbing away•Tending to grind down
The builder explained that the material was abrasive and hence would easily crumble to powder.
abridge •Condense•Shorten
As the publishers felt that the public wanted a shorter version of ‘War and Peace’, they proceeded to abridge the novel.
abrogate •Abolish•Repeal
It was Abraham Lincoln who took the initiative to abrogate slavery in America.
abscission •Removed by sending off, as in surgery•Separation
Gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission.
abscond •Depart secretly and hide
The clerk who absconded with the cash was not captured until someone recognized him from his photograph on ‘India’s Most Wanted’.
absolve •Pardon an offense•Forgive•Acquit
The priest put his hand on Ned’s head and said that he would pray to God and ask him to absolve him of all his sins.
abstain •Refrain•Withhold from participation
On every Tuesday, Jim abstains from meat and alcohol.
abstemious •Sparing in eating and drinking
Concerned whether her son’s abstemious diet provided sufficient protein, the worried mother pressed food on him.
abstinence •Restraint from eating or drinking
The doctor recommended total abstinence from salted food.
abstruse •Obscure•Profound•Difficult to understand
The abstruse content of the Shakespearean text completely baffled him.
abusive•Coarsely insulting•Physically harmful
She has been coping for years with a drunk and abusive husband.
abut •Border upon •Adjoin
Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.
abysmal •Bottomless
The abysmal performance of the team in the recent tournament sorely disappointed the coach.
abyss •Enormous chasm•Vast, bottomless pit
The hero of the film seized the evil terrorist and hurled him into the abyss.
accede •agree
If Jack accedes to the demand for blackmail, he’s afraid that he’ll be the victim of future demand.
accessible •Easy to approach
We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot.
accessory •Additional object•Useful but not essential thing
Today, a trendy cell phone is not just a gadget but also a fashion accessory to flaunt in public.
acclaim •Applaud•Announce with great approval
Her beautiful performance onstage was greatly acclaimed by the audience.
acclimate •Adjust to climate or environment•Adapt
One of the difficulties of our present age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.
acclivity •Sharp upslope of a hill
The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.
accolade •Award of merit
In Hollywood, an ‘Oscar’ is the highest accolade.
accomplice •Partner in crime
Because she had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon, she was arrested as an accomplice in the murder.
accord •Agreement
She was in complete accord with the verdict.
accost •Approach and speak first to a person
When the two young men accosted her, she was frightened because she thought they were going to attack her.
accoutre •Equip
The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply.
accretion •Growth• Increase
Over the years Bob put on weight, because of this accretion of flesh, he went from size M to size XL.
accrue •Comes about by addition
You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.
acerbity •Bitterness of speech and temper
The meeting of the Parliament was marked with such acerbity that little hope of reaching a common consensus could be seen.
acetic•Vinegary
The pickle had an exceedingly acetic flavor.
acidulous•Slightly sour•Sharp•Caustic
James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.
acknowledge •Recognize•Admit
The greeting of the student was acknowledged by a curt nod of the professor.
acme •Peak•Pinnacle•Highest point
The actor’s success in receiving the Oscar award marked the acme of his career, never again did he achieve such acclaim.
acoustics •Science of sound•Quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in
This auditorium is liked by music lovers because of its fine acoustics.
acquiesce •Assent•Agree passively
Although she appeared to acquiesce to the employer’s suggestions, one could tell she had reservations about making the changes.
acquittal •Deliverance from a charge
His acquittal by the judge surprised those who had thought him guilty.
acrid •Sharp•Bitterly pungent
The acrid odour of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.
acrimonious •Bitter in words or manner
The candidate attacked his opponent in highly acrimonious terms.
acrophobia •Fear of heights
A born salesman, he could convince someone with acrophobia to sign up for a membership in a sky-diving club.
actuarial •Calculating•Pertaining to insurance•Statistics
According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.
actuate•Motivate
Jim failed to understand what actuated Lisa to reply to his letter so nastily.
acuity •Sharpness
In time, his youthful acuity of vision failed him , and he needed glasses.
acumen •Mental keenness
Her business acumen helped her to succeed where others had failed.
Wordlist A-2(adage-agrarian)
adage •Wise saying•Proverb
There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.
addendum •Addition•Appendix to a book
This year, the company has put in a new addendum to the existing set of rules and regulations.
addle •Muddle•Drive crazy
Ken became addled by all this talk because he just couldn’t understand what Dorothy was saying.
adept •Expert at
Stand up comedians are adept at the fine at of imitating others.
adhere •Stick fast
The accused said he would adhere to his statement until proven guilty.
adherent•Supporter•Follower
The little puppy stuck to Jane like an adherent.
adjacent •Adjoining•Neighbouring•Close by
Philip’s best friend Jason lived in the adjacent house, just five feet away.
adjunct •Something attached to, but holding an inferior position
Lastly, the lawyer made another adjunct to the will on the advice of the client.
adjuration •Solemn urging
Broken hearted with the verdict, the captain decided to make an adjuration to a higher court.
adjutant •Staff officer assisting the commander•Assistant
Jerry had secured a summer job as the chemist’s adjutant.
admonish •Warn•Reprove
When her husband questioned her religious beliefs, Mary admonished him, declaring that she would worship as she pleased.
adorn • Decorate• Ornament• Beautify• Enhance• Embellish
The lady loved to adorn herself with gold and diamond jewellery.
adroit • Skillful• Clever• Adept• Dexterous
Being an army officer’s daughter, she was quite adroit at all the physical exercises they asked her to do.
adulation •Flattery•Admiration
By now, the film star was sick of all the adulation he was drawing.
adulterate •Make impure by adding inferior substances
It is a crime to adulterate food without informing the buyer.
advent •Arrival
Ever since the advent of mobile telephones, the world of communication has been completely revolutionized.
adventitious•Accidental•Casual
That they would meet like this at a coffee shop after twenty years of being separated was too adventitious to believe.
adversary •Opponent•Enemy•Foe
One should never underestimate his adversaries.
adversity•Poverty•Misfortune
We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.
advert•Refer to
Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.
advocacy •Support•Active pleading on behalf of someone or something
No threats could dissuade Peter from his advocacy of the rights of the slum dwellers.
advocate•Urge•Plead for
What was really shocking was that he advocated the use of violence in their protests.
aegis •Shield•Defense
Under the aegis of the local trade union, a new community store was opened.
aerie •Nest of a large bird of prey like an eagle or hawk
The hunter was arrested for attacking an aerie of a bald eagle, as they are an endangered species.
aesthetic •Artistic•Dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful
The beauty of Tiffany’s stained glass appealed to Alice’s aesthetic sense.
affable •courteous
Jim had seemed like an affable person to Veronica, but his neighbour said he was often rude to her family.
affidavit•Written statement made under oath
They made him sign an affidavit before releasing him.
affiliation • Joining•Associating with
The local school seeked affiliation with a foreign educator for bringing in new innovations in the teaching methodology.
affinity •Kinship
Angel has an affinity for street dogs and puppies and often brings them home for caring.
affirmation •Confirmation
The audience were to signal their affirmation by waving a green card.
affix •Attach or add on•Fasten
One has to affix stamps on the letters before posting them or else they would be returned back.
affliction •State of distress•Cause of suffering
Even in the midst of her affliction, Jane tried to keep up the spirits of those around her.
affluence •Abundance•Wealth
Even before entering the bungalow, the family’s affluence was clearly obvious by the number of imported cars parked outside.
affront • Insult•Offend
The businessman considered it a personal affront when he was not seated in the front row at the programme.
agape •Open-mouthed
The crowd stared agape as the soldiers broke open the store and dragged out the shopkeeper.
agglomeration •Collection•Heap
John’s post-nuptial party boasted an agglomeration of intellectuals, media barons, industrialists and the like.
aggrandize• Increase or intensify•Raise in power, wealth, rank or honor
His migraine was aggrandized to a peak by the loud blaring music.
aggregate •Gather•Accumulate
Many politicians have allegedly managed to aggregate great wealth because of their corrupt ways.
aghast •Horrified
She was aghast to hear that she had lost her job.
agility •Nimbleness
The agility of sportspersons is one of the prime factors for winning the match.
agnostic •One who is skeptical
(doubtful) of the existence of God or any ultimate reality
There was no celebration for Christmas in their house because they were agnostics.
agog •Highly excited• Intensely curious
The audience was all agog with curiosity, wanting to know more about the daily schedule of the film star.
agrarian •Pertaining to land or its cultivation
His ancestral home was located in an agrarian and rural part of the country.
Wordlist A-3(alacrity – amputate)
alacrity •Cheerful promptness•Eagerness
The children were excited to go for the picnic, and they packed their camping gear in the jeep with alacrity.
alchemy •Medieval chemistry
The old sage was skilled in alchemy and occult sciences.
alcove •Nook•Recess
She sat quietly by the alcove with a book in her hands.
alias•An assumed name
His most commonly used alias was ‘Carlos’.
alienate•Make hostile•Separate
Her very attitude seemed to alienate people instead of drawing them close to her.
alimony•Payments made to an ex-spouse after divorce
After the divorce, most of his income was taken up by the hefty alimony he had to send to his former wife.
allay •Calm•Pacify
Their fear of the tiger attacking them was allayed when the zookeeper assured them that the animal was well-trained.
allege •State without proof
Later they even dared to allege that he had helped the prisoner to escape.
allegiance •Loyalty
The football fan maintained allegiance to the club he had been supporting since he was a child.
allegory •Story in which characters are used as symbols•Fable
Gulliver’s Travels is an allegory wherein the Lilliputians are symbolic of the British government at that time.
alleviate •Relieve
The painkillers were unsuccessful in alleviating his stomach ache.
allocate •Assign
The group members were allocated different tasks according to their skills.
alliteration •Occurrence of the same letter
or sound at the beginning of words next to each other
‘Coca Cola’, is the best example of an alliteration.
allude •Refer indirectly
‘Which example are you alluding to?’ asked the professor.
allure •Entice•Attract
Jiah has a unique sense of charm and allure which makes her extremely popular among the men.
allusion • Indirect reference
She was perhaps making a reference or allusion to the incident that had taken place five years ago.
aloft •Upward
Beaming with pride, he held aloft the trophy and kissed it before the roaring crowds.
aloof •Apart•Reserved
He stood by himself aloof from the crowd.
altercation •Noisy quarrel
As per the eyewitnesses, the altercation between the two men started because of the lady accompanying them.
altruistic •Unselfishly generous•Concerned for others
Because of his altruistic nature, he has no qualms about donating even millions to charity.
amalgamate •Combine•Unite in one body
The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.
amass •Collect
Over the years, she has managed to amass hordes of supporters for her political party.
ambidextrous •Capable of using either hand with equal ease
To be skilled at that game, you need to be ambidextrous and make use of both your hands at equal ease.
ambience •Environment•Atmosphere
The restaurant had a relaxed ambience and feel to it, you couldn’t help but feel comfortable.
ambiguous •Unclear or doubtful in meaning
His ambiguous directions misled us ; we did not know which road to take.
ambivalence •The state of having
contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.
amble •Moving at an easy pace
Soaking in the lush greenery around them, they ambled along behind the guide on the long winding road.
ambrosia •Food of the gods
After weeks of eating bland, tasteless food, the dinner cooked by Zoya felt as good as ambrosia to Neil.
ambulatory •Able to walk
Being still in an ambulatory stage, Mr. Rogers will not resume duty for another fortnight or so.
ameliorate • Improve
It was his deep-seated desire to ameliorate and improve the condition of his poorer relations.
amenities •Convenient features
Even the most basic amenities were not available in that village.
amenable •Readily managed•Willing to be led
Provided he finds the terms amenable, he will sign the document.
amend•Correct•Change, generally for the better
After twenty years of bitter quarrel, the son now wanted to make amends and patch up with his father.
amiable •Agreeable•Lovable
Lara has such a sweet, amiable personality.
amicable•Friendly
Jeremy seems to be an amicable person, as he is always smiling and cheerful.
amiss •Wrong•Faulty
As soon as George entered the room and saw the broken glass pieces on the floor, he knew something was amiss.
amity •Friendship
After years of conflict, the two countries are now proceeding towards a feeling of amity and harmony.
amnesty •Pardon
On seeing the mayor arriving at the court, the prisoners begged for amnesty.
amnesia •Loss of memory
The doctor said that on account of the head injury, Sara was afflicted with amnesia so she wouldn’t remember anything for some weeks or maybe months.
amok • In a state of rage
The elephant ran amok among the stunned and fearful people on the city roads.
amoral •Non-moral
Clara was stunned to discover that her husband was such a corrupt, amoral man that he wouldn’t even hesitate to cheat his own best friend.
amorous •Moved by love•Loving
The pretty young lady rejected the man’s amorous advances.
amorphous•Shapeless•Vague• Indeterminate
Joan was such a drab, amorphous character as compared to Vera.
amphibian•Able to live both on land and in water
Few people like to have an amphibian as a pet as they are tough to keep.
amphitheater •Oval building with tiers of seats
In Rome, their primary tourist attraction was the amphitheater.
amplify•Enlarge
The blaring music at the party was amplified even after repeated requests by the neighbours.
amputate •Cut off part of body
Jack’s leg had started to show signs of gangrene, so the surgeon decided to amputate his leg beyond the knee.
Wordlist A-4(anachronism –
aptitude)
anachronism •Something or someone misplaced in time
Shakespeare’s reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism, no clocks existed in Caesar’s time.
analgesic •Causing insensitivity to pain
The pain was so severe that Peter had to opt for an analgesic pill.
analogous •Comparable
She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same.
analogy •Similarity•Parallelism
To explain the concept of writing a program in a simpler manner, Bob took an analogy of cooking a dish and listed out each step.
anarchist•Person who rebels against the established order
The country was soon becoming anarchist; it was so full of chaos and disorganization.
anarchy •Absence of governing body
The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.
anathema •Solemn curse•Someone or something that is despised
Taxes are anathema to most people.
ancillary •Serving as an aid or accessory•Auxilliary
There was an ancillary clause in the will, which stated that unless she was married, she wouldn’t inherit the estate.
anecdote •Short account of an amusing or interesting event
Our old grandfather loved to tell funny anecdotes from his past and make us all laugh.
anemia•Condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles
The girl looked too pale, colourless and thin; the doctor suspected she suffered from anemia.
anesthetic•Substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness
Paul was so cold-hearted even about his own self that he refused an anesthetic before the surgery.
anguish •Acute pain•Extreme suffering
Daisy’s sudden disappearance caused a lot of anguish to his family.
angular•Sharp-cornered•Stiff in manner
Dan was tall, slim-built with an angular jaw and short brown hair.
animadversion •Critical remark
She resented the animadversions of her critics, particularly because she realised that they were true.
animated•Lively•Spirited
The conversation at the party was lively and animated.
animosity •Active enmity
He confessed he did not bear any animosity towards his opponent.
animus •Hostile feeling or intent
Jim holds an unhealthy amount of animus and dislike towards his neighbours.
annals •Records•History
The movement led by Mahatma Gandhi has found place in the annals of history.
anneal •Reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling
The metal was annealed before use in the production, for improving durability.
annex •Attach•Take possession of
All the medieval kings increased the extent of their empires by waging wars against other countries and annexing their territories after winning them.
annihilate •Destroy
Filled with anguish and remorse at losing his only son in an auto accident, he swore to annihilate rash driving by promoting ‘If drunk, don’t drive’ campaign.
annotate •Comment •Make explanatory notes
The book was filled with so many annotates that it distracted him from reading it.
annul •Make void
The business was annulled barely one month after its inception due to incompatibility of the partners.
annuity •Yearly allowance
The siblings began quarreling among themselves for their annuity from their dead father’s estate.
anodyne •Drug that relieves pain
Her acute pain was considerably reduced by taking the prescribed anodynes by her doctor.
anoint •Make or declare something holy• Officially make someone a bishop• Consecrate
The senior priest anointed John as the new bishop.
anomalous •Abnormal• Irregular
She was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that she despised.
anomaly • Irregularity
Saying that Lance Armstrong, six-time Tour-De-France champion, doesn’t like cycling would be an anomaly.
anonymity •State of being nameless
On being assured anonymity, the prime witness confirmed seeing the minister visiting the party hosted by the accused.
antagonism •Hostility•Active resistance
Emily showed her antagonism towards her new governess by turning her head away whenever she was addressed by her.
antecedents •Preceding events or
circumstances that influence what comes later
His rude behavior with his parents were antecedents to his decision to put them in an old age home.
antediluvian •Antiquated•Extremely ancient
While exploring the abandoned and dilapidated house, they came across several antediluvian pieces of furniture and artifacts.
anthology•Book of literary selections by various authors
The anthology of literary lapses was compiled by
anthropoid •Man-like
The new-age scientists claim that there are anthropoids on Pluto.
anthropologist •Student of the history and science of humankind
Neil is extremely interested in the history of mankind and wants to become an anthropologist.
anthropomorphic •Having human form or characteristics
Scientists have discovered anthropomorphic features in certain fossils.
antic •Extravagantly odd
Because of her antics, they were extremely embarrassed and hence left the party hurriedly.
antidote •Remedy to counteract a poison or disease
An antidote has been prepared to combat the fast-spreading epidemic.
antipathy •Aversion•Dislike
Jim’s severe antipathy for loud noises, not just make him stay away from parties but also from burial services and religious congregations.
antiquated •Obsolete•Outdated
Everyone turned up in modern and trendy attire except Mr. Gomes who came in his brown, antiquated suit.
antithesis •Contrast•Direct opposite of
The movie was a complete antithesis to the book from which it was inspired.
anvil • Iron block used in hammering out metals
The shoemakers use the anvil to make shoes and sandals.
apathy •Lack of caring• Indifference
The young students were shocked to find the apathy of the citizens who didn’t bother to vote.
aperture•Opening•Hole
The camera’s aperture was too small to admit sufficiently large amount of light.
apex •Tip•Summit
At the apex of the shrine was a golden spire-like structure.
aphasia •Loss of speech due to injury or illness
The professor was diagnosed with aphasia, which meant he would not be able to speak and hence could not conduct any lectures.
aphorism •A clear maxim or saying
Jeff blindly followed the aphorism of “All is fair in love and war,” and behaved as he deemed fit, creating many enemies.
apiary •A place where bees are kept
Jim’s new profession is to produce honey from his apiary.
aplomb •Poise•Composure
Shelly walked into the meeting with aplomb, full of confidence.
apocalyptic •Prophetic•Pertaining to revelations, especially of disaster
Bad news started flowing in from all directions; it felt like an apocalyptic moment.
apocryphal •Untrue•Made up
The means by which he had secured the driving license was in all probability, apocryphal.
apolitical •Having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs
The attitude of remaining apolitical by the young generation will lead to the decline of the democratic setup of the government.
apogee •Highest point
Sachin Tendulkar reached the apogee of his career when he scored 100 centuries, breaking all previous records.
apologist•One who writes in defense of a cause or institution
Being an apologist, the young leader had to face a lot of wrath of the governing body, as he directly blamed it for poverty in the country.
apostate •A person who abandons a belief or principle
After the priest’s death, many devout followers turned apostates.
apothecary •druggist
Harry was an apothecary, dealing with rare and life-saving medicines.
apothegm •Clear, concise and compact saying
Every sentence spoken by the great industrialist is so revered by all that they treated it as if it were an apothegm.
apotheosis •Elevation to godhood
A few years ago, David Beckham was the object of apotheosis, but now he’s just another fallen idol.
apparition •Ghost•Phantom
Rumours have always been doing the rounds that every full moon night, apparitions are seen near The Taj Mahal, but no concrete proof has been found yet.
appease •Pacify or soothe•Relieve
The father always tried to appease his son by gifting him expensive gadgets, to compensate his inability to give him time.
appellation •Name•Title
Today, young children have to be taught the real appellation of Mahatma Gandhi.
append •Attach
It was decided by the college authorities to append the new clause of not wearing short clothes, to the existing rules and regulations.
apposite •Appropriate•Fitting
Most women like to have apposite accessories for their outfits, especially when attending parties.
appraise•Estimate value of
To appraise the real value of the painting, the curator of a museum was called for.
apprehend •Arrest a criminal•Dread•Perceive
The culprit was apprehended minutes after the crime was detected as he had dropped his wallet which had his passport in it.
apprehensive •Fearful
Jane was apprehensive of her marriage to Steve as she barely knew him.
apprise • Inform
After being apprised of the danger of tsunami, the fishermen decided to stay away from the sea for some time.
approbation •Approval
He has gone out of town for some business on approbation by his physician as he is unwell.
appurtenances •Subordinate possessions
To set up their new home, the young couple decided to postpone the buying of appurtenances due to shortage of funds.
apropos •With reference to•Regarding
Apropos the advertisement in the newspaper, there was a rush for booking of the seats.
aptitude •Fitness•Talent
Her aptitude for dancing has helped her win many trophies and awards.
Wordlist A-5(aquiline – azure)
aquiline •Curved•Hooked
The culprit was recognised and arrested in a very short time, due to his distinctive aquiline features.
arabesque •Style of decoration involving intertwined plants and abstract curves
Janet loved the arabesque design of the carpet and insisted on buying it in spite of its high pricing.
arable •Fit for ploughing
The alluvial soil near the delta region is more arable for rice.
arbiter •Person with power to
decide a matter in a dispute• Judge
George acted as an arbiter in the bitter battle of child custody in case of divorces.
arbitrary •Unreasonable•Tyrannical
In many countries, brides are still chosen on arbitrary grounds like fair complexion.
arboretum •Place where different
varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited
The college is planning to build a huge arboretum for botany students.
arcane •Secret•Mysterious
The arcane matters of the government, discussed behind closed doors, were being leaked out.
archaeology •Study of artifacts and relics of early mankind
In spite of being highly interested in archaeology, she chose to pursue management studies due to parental pressure.
archaic •Antiquated
The interiors of the house were archaic and not suitable for modern living.
archetype •Prototype•Primitive pattern
Tim was the archetypal professor who refused to adapt his methodology to new and modern techniques that could interest today’s students.
archipelago •Group of closely located islands
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an archipelago in the Indian Ocean.
archives •Public records•Place where public records are kept
The detective searched for the information in newspaper archives.
ardor •Heat•Passion•Zeal
The new recruit showed tremendous ardor for the project and completed it in two days instead of the designated time of ten days.
arduous •Hard•Strenuous
Due to an arduous adult life, she now suffered from various ailments, both physical and emotional.
argot •slang
Both the children developed a new kind of argot so that their parents would not understand their secretive talks.
aria •A song for a solo voice in an opera
The opera began with an exquisite aria that moved people to tears.
armada •A fleet of warships
An armada of warrior ships was seen in the enemy waters, which alerted the fishermen who in turn reported to the authorities.
aromatic •Fragrant
Aromatic oils are very effective to combat stress -related diseases.
arraign •Charge in court• Indict
Hardly a few days after reconciliation with his estranged wife, Jeremy was arraigned for domestic violence.
array •Draw up in order•Clothe•Adorn
She was stunned at the beautiful array of gowns at the new boutique.
arrears •Being in debt
He was in deep depression as he was stressed due to heavy arrears incurred because of losses in his business.
arroyo •gully
Feeling nostalgic, Tom went near the arroyo behind his old house where he had spent many hours playing with his friends.
arrythmic •Lacking rhythm or regularity
The doctors feared his arrythmic heart beats might be the symptom of a possible heart attack.
arsenal •Storage place for military equipment
Our soldiers discovered an arsenal at the outskirts of the enemy territory and destroyed it.
articulate •Effective•Distinct
Being very articulate in her speech, she was selected to represent her school at the international debate competition.
artifact •Products of primitive culture
Whenever they visit different countries, they collect artifacts and the collection has kept growing.
artifice •Deception•Trickery
Mary decided to call off their relationship as it was based on artifice; Tom was already married.
ascribe •Refer•Attribute•Assign
The decline of the historical dynasty can be correctly ascribed to the wayward lifestyle of the last emperor.
aseptic •Preventing infection•Having a cleansing effect
The aseptic atmosphere of the house made it feel like a hospital.
ashen •Ash coloured•Deadly pale
Her ashen face worried her family and made her undergo a complete medical check up.
asinine •Stupid
Though she was beautiful, her reply seemed very asinine to the judges and dismissed her from the beauty contest.
askance •With a sideways or indirect look
Freida looked askance at Peter, wondering how he would accomplish the difficult task.
askew •Crooked•Slanted •At an angle
The superstar had the habit of wearing his cap askew, adhering to the latest fashion trend.
asperity •Sharpness of temper
It was not right on Susan’s part to use such asperity while scolding Fiona; the child was close to tears.
aspersion•Slanderous remark
The manager cast aspersions on his character, which led him to give in his resignation.
assail •assault
The controversial socialite was assailed with all kinds of questions at the grand party hosted by her.
assent •Agree•Accept
Henry waited impatiently for her assent in response to his proposal.
assert •State strongly or positively• Insist on
He strongly asserted himself while voicing his argument against the rules imposed by the authorities.
assimilate •Absorb•Cause to become homogenous
Maria takes twice as much time as others her age to assimilate the facts presented to her.
assuage •Ease or lessen pain•Satisfy hunger•Soothe anger
He tries to assuage the guilt of not spending enough time with his children by giving them expensive gifts all the time.
astigmatism •Eye defect that prevents proper focus
After the complaint of double vision, she was tested by an opthalmologist who diagnosed her with astigmatism.
astral •Relating to the stars
The man claimed that he had seen an astral body floating over his field.
astronomical •Enormously large or extensive
The new price of the air tickets are astronomical, thus leading to displeasure of the commuters.
astute •Wise•Shrewd
Despite Aryan’s young age, he was very astute in all his dealings.
asunder • Into parts•Apart
The big, joint family was divided asunder when a bitter quarrel ensued between them on a trivial matter.
atavism •Resemblance to remote
ancestors rather than to parents•Throwback
Suddenly, there was an atavism of good fortune and he became extremely successful in his career, rising from the rank of a clerk to a manager.
atheistic •Denying the existence of God
Derek has shown an atheistic bend of mind when he refused to participate in the religious ceremonies .
atone •Make amends for•Pay for
The notorious dacoit wanted to atone for his sins, so he decided to surrender himself to the police.
atrocity •Brutal deed
The island of Andaman was infamous for the atrocities incurred on the prisoners.
atrophy •Wasting away
Certain steroids cause skin atrophy, leading to severe pain and discomfort to the patients.
attentuate •Make thinner•Weaken or lessen
The recent recession attentuated the cash flow to a mere trickle.
attrition •Gradual wearing down
A large number of network marketing companies are facing attrition and are losing their consultants every day.
audacious •Daring •bold
The conservative party members squirmed at the audacious remarks passed by the young politician who was unaware of the tricks of the trade.
augury •Omen•Prophecy
His sense of augury is so pronounced that he can even predict events that would occur hundred years later.
august • Impressive•Majestic
The pandemonium immediately fell to a murmur when the audience felt the august presence of the Queen.
augment • Increase
Kevin was desperately looking for ways to augment his income as his family was continuously facing one health problem after the other.
aureole•Sun’s corona•Halo
The devotees were so mesmerized by the speech of the saint that they sensed an aureole around his head.
auroral •Pertaining to the aurora borealis
There was an auroral glow in the skies as they stared with wonder and amazement at the beautiful spectacle.
authenticate •Prove genuine
The judge asked Peter to authenticate himself when he declared in the court that he was the rightful claimant to the dead man’s property.
authoritarian •Favoring or exercising total control•Non-democratic
As Fiona’s father was a strict authoritarian, he refused to acknowledge her marriage to Sam, on the grounds of social disparity.
autocrat •Having absolute, unchecked power•Dictatorial
The autocratic government failed to create a peaceful environment to its citizens, rather it caused discontent and discord.
automaton •Mechanism that imitates actions of humans
The scientists are hell-bent on building an automaton as availability of human labour is continually on the decline.
autonomous •Self-governing
As the college is autonomous, it could bring in revolutionary ideas to educate young minds.
autopsy •Examination of a dead body•Postmortem
An autopsy needs to be conducted to ascertain the cause of the untimely death of Jane.
auxiliary •Offering or providing help•Additional or subsidiary
They have added an auxiliary department to the main store.
avalanche •Great mass of falling snow and ice
They were caught in an avalanche and somehow managed to survive till help came.
avarice •Greed for wealth
Avarice is the sole reason for his treachery.
avenge •Take vengeance for something ( or on behalf of someone)
Tom vowed to avenge his father’s brutal murder.
aver •Assert confidently •Declare
The Principal averred that the new regulation of daily compulsory attendance has been scrapped.
aversion •Firm dislike
Dorothy had a strong aversion towards flowers.
avert •Prevent•Turn away
Clint tried to avert the accident by turning his car to the extreme left.
aviary •Enclosure for birds
Jeremy has built a beautiful aviary in his garden.
avid •Greedy•Eager for
Dave is an avid admirer of horror movies.
avocation •Secondary or minor occupation
Playing guitar is her favourite avocation.
avuncular •Like an uncle
Because of his avuncular nature, Prof. Gordon attracts many young
students.
awry •Distorted•Crooked
Fred held his head awry, wondering at the weird decoration at the party.
axiom •Self-evident truth requiring no proof
Strongly believing in the axiom of “Practice what you preach”, Henry always spent his days doing hard work.
azure •Sky blue
The beauty queen’s azure eyes captivated the whole world.
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