High Frequency Words
Abate Subside
or moderate
Aberrant Abnormal
or deviant
Abeyance Suspended
action
Abscond Depart
secretly and hide
Abstemious Sparing
in eating and drinking; temperate
Admonish Warn;
reprove
Adulterate Make
impure by adding inferior or tainted substances
Aesthetic Artistic;
dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful
Aggregate Gather;
accumulate
Alacrity Cheerful
promptness; eagerness
Alleviate Relieve
Amalgamate Combine;
unite in one body
Ambiguous Unclear
or doubtful in meaning
Ambivalence The
state of having contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes
Ameliorate Improve
Anachronism Something
or someone misplaced in time
Analogous Comparable
Anarchy Absence
of governing body
Anomalous Abnormal;
irregular
Antipathy Aversion;
dislike
Apathy Lack
or caring; indifference
Appease Pacify
or sooth; relieve
Apprise Inform
Approbation Approval
Appropriate Acquire;
take possession of for one's own use
Arduous Hard;
strenuous
Artless Without
guile; open and honest
Ascetic Practicing
self-denial; austere
Assiduous Diligent
Assuage Ease
or lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)
Attenuate Make
thinner; weaken or lessen (in density, force, degree)
Audacious Daring;
bold
Austere Forbiddingly
stern; severely simple and unornamented
Autonomous Self-governing
Aver Assert
confidently or declare; as used in law, state formally as a fact
Banal Hackneyed;
commonplace; trite; lacking originality
Belie Contradict;
give a false impression
Beneficent Kindly;
doing good
Bolster Support;
reinforce
Bombastic Pompous;
using inflated language
Boorish Rude;
insensitive
Burgeon Grow
forth; send out buds
Burnish Make
shiny by rubbing; polish
Buttress Support;
prop up
Cacophonous Discordant;
inharmonious
Capricious Unpredictable;
fickle
Castigation Punishment;
severe criticism
Catalyst Agent that influences the pace of a
chemical reaction while in remains unaffected and unchanged
Caustic Burning;
sarcastically biting
Chicanery Trickery;
deception
Coagulate Thicken;
congeal; clot
Coda Concluding section of a musical
or literary composition; something that rounds out, summarized, or concludes.
Cogent Convincing
Commensurate Corresponding
in extent, degree, amount, etc.; proportionate
Compendium Brief,
comprehensive summary
Complaisant Trying
to please; overly polite; obliging
Compliant Yielding;
conforming to requirements
Conciliatory Reconciling;
soothing
Condone Overlook;
forgive; give tacit approval; excuse
Confound Confuse;
puzzle
Connoisseur Person
competent to act as a judge or art, etc; a lover of an art
Contention Claim,
thesis
Contentious Quarrelsome
Contrite Penitent
Conundrum Riddle;
difficult problem
Converge Approach,
tend to meet; come together
Convoluted Coiled
around; involved; intricate
Craven Cowardly
Daunt Intimidate;
frighten
Decorum Propriety;
orderliness and good taste in manners
Deference Courteous
regard for another's wish
Delineate Portray;
depict; sketch
Denigrate Blacken
Deride Ridicule;
make fun of
Derivative Unoriginal;
obtained from another source
Desiccate Dry
up
Desultory Aimless;
haphazard
Deterrent Something
that discourages; hindrance
Diatribe Bitter
scolding; invective
Dichotomy Split;
branching into two parts (especially contradictory ones)
Diffidence Shyness
Diffuse Wordy;
rambling; spread out (like a gas)
Digression Wandering
away from the subject
Dirge Lament
with music
Disabuse Correct
a false impression; undeceive
Discerning Mentally
quick and observant; having insight
Discordant Not
harmonious; conflicting
Discredit Defame;
destroy confidence in; disbelieve
Discrepancy Lack
on consistency; difference
Discrete Separate;
unconnected; consisting of distinct parts
Disingenuous Lacking
genuine candor; insincere
Disinterested Unprejudiced
Dismiss Eliminate
from consideration; reject
Disparage Belittle
Disparate Basically
different; unrelated
Dissemble Disguise;
pretend
Disseminate Distribute;
spread; scatter (like seeds)
Dissolution Disintegration;
looseness in morals
Dissonance Discord;
opposite of harmony
Distend Expand;
swell out
Distill Purify;
refine; concentrate
Diverge Vary;
go in different directions from the same point
Divest Strip;
deprive
Document Provide
written evidence
Dogmatic Opinionated;
arbitrary; doctrinal
Dormant Sleeping;
lethargic; latent
Dupe Someone
easily fooled
Ebullient Showing
excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm
Eclectic Selective;
composed of elements drawn from disparate sources
Efficacy Power
to produce desired effect
Effrontery Impudence;
shameless boldness; sheer nerve; presumptuousness
Elegy Poem
or song expressing lamentation
Elicit Draw
out by discussion
Embellish Adorn;
ornament; enhance, as a story
Empirical Based
on experience
Emulate Imitate;
rival
Endemic Prevailing
among a specific group of people or in a specific area or country
Enervate Weaken
Engender Cause;
produce
Enhance Increase,
improve
Ephemeral Short-lived;
fleeting
Equanimity Calmness
of temperament; composure
Equivocate Lie,
mislead; attempt to conceal the truth
Erudite Learned;
scholarly
Esoteric Hard
to understand; known only to a chosen few
Eulogy Expression
of praise, often on the occasion of someone's death
Euphemism Mild
expression in place of an unpleasant one
Exacerbate Worsen;
embitter
Exculpate Clear
from blame
Exigency Urgent
situation; pressing needs or demands; state of requiring immediate attention
Extrapolation Projection;
conjecture
Facetious Joking
(often inappropriately); humorous
Facilitate Help
bring about; make less difficult
Fallacious False;
misleading
Fatuous Brainless;
inane; foolish, yet smug
Fawning Trying
to please by behaving obsequiously, flattering, or cringing
Felicitous Suitably
expressed; well chosen
Fervor Glowing
ardor; intensity of feeling
Flag Droop;
grow feeble
Fledgling Inexperienced
Flout Reject;
mock; show contempt for
Foment Stir
up, instigate
Forestall Prevent
by taking action in advance
Frugality Thrift;
economy
Futile Useless;
hopeless; ineffectual
Gainsay Deny
Garrulous Loquacious;
wordy; talkative
Goad Urge
on
Gouge Overcharge
Grandiloquent Pompous;
bombastic; using high-sounding language
Gregarious Sociable
Guileless Without
deceit
Gullible Easily
deceived
Harangue Long;
passionate, and vehement speech
Homogeneous Of
the same kind
Hyperbole Exaggeration;
overstatement
Iconoclastic Attacking
cherished traditions
Idolatry Worship
of idols; excessive admiration
Immutable Unchangeable
Impair Injure;
hurt
Impede Hinder;
block
Impermeable Impervious;
not permitting passage through its substance
Imperturbable Calm;
placid
Impervious Impenetrable;
incapable of being damaged or distressed
Implacable Incapable
of being pacified
Implicit Understood
but not stated
Implode Burst
inward
Inadvertently Unintentionally;
by oversight; carelessly
Inchoate Recently
begun; rudimentary; elementary
Incongruity Lack
of harmony; absurdity
Inconsequential Insignificant;
unimportant
Incorporate Introduce
something into a larger whole; combine; unite
Indeterminate Uncertain;
not clearly fixed, indefinite
Indigence Poverty
Indolent Lazy
Inert Inactive;
lacking power to move
Ingenuous Naive
and trusting; young, unsophisticated
Inherent Firmly
established by nature or habit
Innocuous Harmless
Insensible Unconscious;
unresponsive
Insinuate Hint;
imply; creep in
Insularity Narrow-mindedness;
insolation
Intractable Unruly;
stubborn; unyielding
Intransigence Refusal
of any compromise; stubbornness
Inundate Overwhelm;
flood, submerge
Inured Accustomed;
hardened
Invective Abuse
Irascible Irritable;
easily angered
Irresolute Uncertain
how to act; weak
Itinerary Plan
of a trip
Laconic Brief
and to the point
Lassitude Languor;
weariness
Latent Potential
but undeveloped; dormant; hidden
Laud Praise
Lethargic Drowsy;
dull
Levee Earthen
or stone embankment to prevent flooding
Levity Lack
of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity
Log Record
of a voyage of flight; record of day-to-day activities
Loquacious Talkative
Lucid Easily
understood; clear; intelligible
Luminous Shining;
issuing light
Magnanimity Generosity
Malingerer One
who feigns illness to escape duty
Malleable Capable
of being shaped by pounding
Maverick Rebel;
nonconformist
Mendacious Lying;
habitually dishonest
Meticulous Excessively
careful; painstaking; scrupulous
Misanthrope One
who hates mankind
Mitigate Lessen
in intensity; moderate; appease
Mollify Soothe
Morose Ill-humored;
sullen; melancholy
Mundane Worldly
as opposed to spiritual; everyday
Neophyte Recent
convert; beginner
Obdurate Stubborn
Obsequious Slavishly
attentive; servile; sycophantic
Occlude Shut;
close
Officious Meddlesome;
excessively pushy in offering one's services
Onerous Burdensome
Opprobrium Infamy;
vilification
Oscillate Vibrate
pendulum-like; waver
Ostentatious Showy;
pretentious; trying to attract attention
Paragon Model
of perfection
Partisan One-sided;
prejudiced; committed to a party
Pathological Pertaining
to disease
Paucity Scarcity
Pedantic Showing
off learning; bookish
Penchant Strong
inclination; liking
Penury Severe
poverty; stinginess
Perennial Something
long-lasting
Perfunctory Superficial;
not thorough; lacking interest, care, or enthusiasm
Permeable Penetrable;
porous; allowing liquids or gas to pass through
Pervasive Spread
throughout
Phlegmatic Calm;
not easily disturbed
Piety Devoutness;
reverence for god
Placate Pacify;
conciliate
Plasticity Ability
to be molded
Platitude Trite
remark; commonplace statement
Plethora Excess;
overabundance
Plummet Fall
sharply
Porous Full
of pores; like a sieve
Pragmatic Practical (as opposed to idealistic);
concerned with the practical worth or impact of something
Preamble Introductory
statement
Precarious Uncertain;
risky
Precipitate Rash,
premature; hasty; sudden
Precursor Forerunner
Presumptuous Arrogant;
taking liberties
Prevaricate Lie
Pristine Characteristic
of earlier times; primitive; unspoiled
Probity Uprightness;
incorruptibility
Problematic Doubtful;
unsettled; questionable; perplexing
Prodigal Wasteful;
reckless with money
Profound Deep,
not superficial; complete
Prohibitive Tending
to prevent the purchase or use of something; inclined to prevent or forbid
Proliferate Grow
rapidly; spread; multiply
Propensity Natural
inclination
Propitiate Appease
Propriety Fitness;
correct conduct
Proscribe Ostracize;
banish; outlaw
Pungent Stinging;
sharp in taste or smell; caustic
Qualified Limited;
restricted
Quiescent At
rest; dormant; temporarily inactive
Rarefied Made
less dense [of a gas]
Recalcitrant Obstinately
stubborn; determined to resist authority; unruly
Recant Disclaim
or disavow; retract a previous statement; openly confess error
Recluse Hermit;
loner
Recondite Abstruse;
profound; secret
Refractory Stubborn;
unmanageable
Refute Disprove
Relegate Banish
to an inferior position; delegate; assign
Reproach Express
disapproval or disappointment
Reprobate Person
hardened in sin, devoid of a sense of decency
Repudiate Disown;
disavow
Rescind Cancel
Resolution Determination
Resolve Determination;
firmness of purpose
Reticent Reserved;
uncommunicative; inclined to silence
Reverent Respectful;
worshipful
Sage Person
celebrated for wisdom
Salubrious Healthful
Sanction Approve;
ratify
Satiate Satisfy
fully
Saturate Soak
thoroughly
Savor Enjoy;
have a distinctive flavor, smell, or quality
Secrete Hide
away or cache; produce and release a substance into an organism
Shard Fragment,
generally of pottery
Skeptic Doubter; person who suspends
judgment until having examined the evidence supporting a point of view
Solicitous Worried,
concerned
Soporific Sleep-causing;
marked by sleepiness
Spectrum Colored
band produced when a beam of light passes through a prism
Sporadic Occurring
irregularly
Stigma Token
of disgrace; brand
Stint Be
thrifty; set limits
Stipulate Make
express conditions, specify
Stolid Dull;
impassive
Striated Marked
with parallel bands; grooved
Strut (1) Pompous
walk
Strut (2) Supporting
bar
Subpoena Writ
summoning a witness to appear
Subside Settle
down; descend; grow quiet
Substantiate Establish
by evidence; verify; support
Supersede Cause
to be set aside; replace; make obsolete
Supposition Hypothesis;
surmise
Tacit Understood;
not put into words
Tangential Peripheral;
only slightly connected; digressing
Tenuous Thin;
rare; slim
Tirade Extended
scolding; denunciation; harangue
Torpor Lethargy;
sluggishness; dormancy
Tortuous Winding;
full of curves
Tractable Docile;
easily managed
Transgression Violation
of a law; sin
Truculence Aggressiveness;
ferocity
Vacillate Waver;
fluctuate
Venerate Revere
Veracious Truthful
Verbose Wordy
Viable Practical
or workable
Viscous Sticky,
gluey
Vituperative Abusive;
scolding
Volatile Changeable;
explosive; evaporating rapidly
Warranted Justified;
authorized
Wary Very
cautious
Welter Turmoil;
bewildering jumble
Whimsical Capricious;
fanciful
Zealot Fanatic;
person who shows excessive zeal
Default Failure
to act
Disjointed Lacking
coherence
Negate Cancel
out; nullify; deny
Obviate Make
unnecessary; get rid of
Perfidious Treacherous;
disloyal
Quibble Minor
objection or complaint
Specious Seemingly
reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)
Impassive Without
feeling; imperturbable; stoical
Insipid Lacking
in flavor; dull
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