Acrid: Sharp; Pungent (Used of Smells and Tastes)

Group 1

Abhor: hate
Acrid: sharp; pungent (used of smells and tastes)
Acrophobia: fear of heights
Bigot: narrow-minded, prejudiced person
Boorish: ill-mannered
Bourgeois: middle class
Counterfeit: fake; false
Cynical: believing that people act only out of selfish motives
Debility: weakness; incapacity
Enfranchise: give voting rights
Epistle: a letter (form of communication)
Epistolary: concerned with letters; through correspondence
Hamper: hinder; obstruct
Heresy: against orthodox opinion
Hiatus: interruption; pause
Kindle: to start a fire
Lance: spear; spike; javelin
Noxious: harmful; poisonous; lethal
Obscure: difficult to understand; partially hidden
Placid: calm; peaceful
Poignant: deeply moving; strongly affecting the emotions
Remuneration: payment for work done
Respite: a break; intermission
Talisman: lucky charm
Terse: concise; to the point

Group 2

Abrasive: rough; coarse; harsh
Acuity: sharpness (mental or visual)
Bilk: cheat; defraud
Braggart: someone who boasts
Covert: hidden; undercover
Debunking: exposing false claims or myths
Engender: cause
Epitomized: typified; characterized; personified
Hangar: storage area (like garage) for a plane
Hidebound: rigid in opinions
Knotty: complex; difficult to solve
Languid: tired; slow
Languish: decay; fade away; get weaker
Nuance: something subtle; a fine shade of meaning
Obscured: hidden; covered; buried
Obsequious: servile; submissive
Plagiarism: taking credit for someone else's writing or ideas
Poised: calm; collected; self-possessed
Polemical: causing debate or argument
Renown: fame
Resplendent: shining; glowing
Restorative: a tonic
Tangent: going off the main subject
Therapeutic: medicinal; curative
Thwart: prevent; frustrate

Group 3

Abasement: humiliation; degradation
Adamant: forceful; inflexible
Adroit: skilful
Billowing: swelling; fluttering; waving
Brawny: muscular
Brevity: being brief
Cower: recoil in fear or servility; shrink away from
Decathlon: an athletic competition with ten events
Decorum: dignified, correct behavior [decorous (a)]
Enhance: improve; make better or clearer
Equivocate: speak ambiguously; avoid telling the truth
Err: make a mistake
Harangue: noisy, attacking speech
Hieroglyphics: 1. picture writing; 2. writing which is difficult to read or enigmatic
Hinder: obstruct
Labyrinth: a maze
Larceny: theft; robbery; stealing
Nullify: to counter; make unimportant
Obsession: a dominating concern
Plaintiff: petitioner (in court of law)
Ponderous: weighty; slow and heavy
Replete: full
Retention: preservation; withholding
Tangible: can be touched
Timorous: cowardly; fearful

Group 4

Abrogate: cancel; deny; repeal
Adulation: strong admiration; worship
Blasphemy: speech which offends religious sentiments
Bristle: to show irritation
Credible: believable
Decoy: lure; trap; trick
Enigma: puzzle; mystery
Erratic: wandering; irregular
Harbingers: indicators; bringers of warnings
Histrionic: theatrical; exaggerated
Labyrinthine: complicated; highly convoluted
Largess: generosity
Laud: praise
Nuzzle: cuddle; snuggle
Obsolete: no longer valid
Obstreperous: noisy and boisterous
Plaudit: statement giving strong praise
Pontificate: speak pompously or dogmatically
Portend: foretell
Reprehensible: shameful; very bad
Reticent: restrained; holding something back; uncommunicative
Retraction: withdrawal; cancellation of a statement
Tardy: slow; late; overdue; delayed
Tirade: stream of verbal abuse
Titter: giggle quietly

Group 5

Absolution: forgiveness; pardon; release
Adversity: hardship
Advocate: support
Blatant: obvious
Broach: start to discuss; approach
Brusque: blunt; abrupt
Creditable: praiseworthy
Deference: respect
Defoliate: cause leaves to fall off
Ensconce: establish firmly in a position
Esoteric: obscure and difficult to understand
Espouse: promote; take up; support
Hasten: hurry; accelerate; rush
Hoary: old
Hone: sharpen; increase; whet
Laceration: a cut
Lavish: on a grand scale; wasteful
Obdurate: stubborn
Obtuse: mentally dull
Plausible: can be believed; reasonable
Portent: a warning sign; omen
Reprieve: a respite; postponement of a sentence
Revere: worship
Tawdry: of little value; gaudy
Tome: large book

Group 6

Abstain: desist; go without; withdraw
Aesthetic: concerning art or beauty
Blighted: damaged; destroyed; ruined
Bulwark: fortification; barricade; wall
Credulous: gullible; ready to believe anything
Defunct: no longer in existence
Enshroud: cover
Etymology: the study of word origins
Haughtiness: arrogance; pride
Hyperbole: grossly exaggerated speech
Lachrymose: tearful; sad
Lax careless; not strict
Legend: 1. key to map; 2. myth or story
Obfuscate: deliberately make something difficult to understand
Obviate: avoid; make unnecessary
Odious: hateful
Plethora: an excess
Poseur: someone who puts on an act
Posterity: future generations
Repudiate: shun; eschew
Riddled: full of (usually full of holes)
Rife: common
Tedium: boredom
Torpid: inactive; lazy; stagnant
Torpor: dormancy; sluggishness; inactivity

Group 7

Abstemious: self denying; refraining from indulging
Affable: friendly; social; easygoing
Alacrity: eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness
Blithe: free-spirited; carefree
Bureaucracy: officialdom
Burgeon: grow; flourish; put forth new shoots
Crepuscular: active at dawn and dusk
Degradation: deprivation; poverty; debasement
Deleterious: harmful
Enunciation: clear pronunciation; accent; articulation
Eulogy: praise
Euphemism: a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant
Headstrong: stubborn; willful
Hypochondriac: a person obsessed with health; having imaginary illnesses
Hypocritical: insincere
Lackluster: dull; monotonous; bland
Legion: in large numbers
Objective: unbiased; not subjective
Officious: domineering; intrusive; meddlesome
Pliable: flexible; not stubborn
Posthumous: after death
Rescind: retract; repeal
Rigor: thoroughness
Temper: to moderate; soften
Totter: walk unsteadily

Group 8

Abstruse: difficult to understand; obscure
Alchemy: medieval chemistry; attempt to change base metal into gold
Blunderbuss: 1. ancient weapon (type of gun); 2. a clumsy person
Burnish: polish
Cringe: recoil; flinch; shy away
Deliberate: to think over deeply
Envenom: to cause bitterness and bad feeling
Euphony: pleasant sounds
Hedonism: self indulgence; pleasure-seeking
Iconoclast: person who opposes orthodoxy
Laconic: using few words; brief; to the point
Lethargic: tired; without energy
Levity: flippancy; joking about serious matters
Oblique: indirect; slanting
Ogle: stare at; observe in an obvious manner
Olfactory: concerned with the sense of smell
Plumage: feathers of a bird
Postulate: hypothesize; propose
Potable: suitable for drinking
Resignation: acceptance of fate
Robust: strong; healthy; tough
Rotund: round
Tenacious: stubborn; resolute; holding firm to a purpose
Tractable: obedient; dutiful; polite
Tranquil: peaceful

Group 9

Accolade: tribute; honor; praise
Alibi: an excuse that shows someone was not at a crime scene
Antiquated: outdated; old fashioned
Bolster: support; prop up
Buttress: strengthen; support
Choleric: easily angered
Cryptic: puzzling; enigmatic
Delineation: demarcation; explanation; definition; outlining
Diorama: model of a scene
Ephemeral: short-lived
Evacuate: vacate; empty; abandon
Fecund: fertile
Hedonist: a pleasure seeker
Idiosyncrasy: a personal peculiarity; something unique to an individual
Inebriation: drunkenness; intoxication
Lamentation: expression of regret or sorrow
Libertarian: someone who opposes tyranny
Obliterate: destroy; demolish; eradicate
Ominous: threatening
Plummet: fall suddenly and steeply
Potent: powerful; compelling; strong
Resolution: determination
Ruminate: think over something; ponder
Tentative: not certain
Transcribe: copy

Group 10

Acquiesce: to agree to; give in to
Allay: to lessen
Alleviate: make less severe
Bombast: arrogant, pompous language
Byline: the line that tells you who wrote an article
Cacophony: discordant loud noises
Curtail: cut short
Demur: hesitate; refuse
Denounce: condemn; speak out against
Epicure: someone who appreciates good food and drink
Exacerbate: make worse
Exasperated: frustrated; annoyed
Heed: listen to
Ignominious: shameful
Ignominy: shame [ignominious (a) = shameful]
Lampoon: ridicule; spoof
Liniment: soothing lotion
Oblivious: totally unaware
Omnipotent: all-powerful
Podium: raised platform
Pragmatic: practical
Resonant: echoing
Ruse: trick; stratagem
Tenuous: flimsy; not solid
Transgress: go astray; disobey; commit a sin

Group 11

Aloof: distant; detached; cold
Altruism: putting others first; being self-sacrificing
Cajole: coax
Caldron: huge cooking pot
Deplete: use up; lessen
Deplore: regret
Exceptionable: very bad (something which we should object to)
Exculpate: free someone from blame; pardon; acquit
Illuminate: to light up or make clear
Illusory: deceptive; false; misleading
Livid: very angry
Lobbyist: person who tries to persuade someone to support a particular cause
Omniscient: all-knowing
Onerous: burdensome; hard to undertake
Onus: burden
Pragmatist: practical person; one who is concerned with usefulness
Preamble: introductory material
Precarious: unstable; risky
Saccharin: falsely sweet
Sacrosanct: very holy; inviolable
Sagacious: wise
Transient: short-lived; ephemeral
Traverse: to move across
Trepidation: fear

Group 12

Amass: accumulate
Ambiguity: uncertainty; vagueness
Ambiguous: unclear in meaning; can be interpreted in different ways
Callow: immature
Candid: frank; honest
Candor: frankness; openness
Depravity: moral corruption
Deprecate: criticize; denounce
Deride: ridicule; make fun of; mock
Execrable: very, very bad
Exegesis: scholarly explanation or interpretation
Exemplary: outstandingly good; setting a fine example
Immoderate: excessive; extreme
Immutable: unchanging; permanent
Impartial: unbiased; neutral
Lofty: snooty; arrogant; haughty
Longevity: long life
Opaque: does not let light through
Opulent: wealthy; rich; magnificent
Precedent: a previous occurrence used as a guide
Precept: guiding principle
Sage: a wise person
Salacious: lecherous; erotic
Trinket: something of little value; knick-knack
Trite: unoriginal; dull

Group 13

Ambivalence: lack of clarity; wavering; being undecided
Ambulatory: able to walk around (used of hospital patients)
Cantankerous: bad-tempered; quarrelsome
Capacious: spacious
Derogatory: uncomplimentary
Desecrate: to damage or pollute a holy place
Exemplify: to serve as a good example
Exhaustive: complete and thorough
Impecunious: having no money
Impious: wicked; profane
Loquacious: talkative
Lucid: clear
Ludicrous: ridiculous; silly
Ordain: 1. destine; 2. confer holy orders on a priest
Ornate: highly decorated
Orthodox: conventional
Precinct: district of a city
Precipice: steep slope
Precipitous: done in a hurry
Sallow: yellowish
Salubrious: health-giving
Salutary: something which teaches you a lesson; beneficial
Trivial: unimportant
Truant: shirker; someone absent without permission
Truncate: cut short

Group 14

Ameliorate: make better
Amelioration: improvement
Amiable: surrender; give in to
Carping: constant criticism
Cartographer: person who makes maps
Desecration: spoiling something holy
Desist: stop; discontinue; cease
Despondent: having no hope; miserable
Exonerates: acquits; absolves; removes blame
Exorcism: getting free/rid of; eliminating (especially demons)
Expatriate: refugee; emigrant; someone living away from his own country
Impoverished: destitute; poor
Impromptu: unrehearsed; spontaneous
Inadvertent: not intentional
Lukewarm: 1. unenthusiastic; 2. neither hot nor cold
Lummox: clumsy person
Ossify: 1. turn to bone; 2. become fixed and rigid
Ostentatious: showy
Preclude: prevent or make impossible
Precocious: developing early
Sanctimonious: hypocritically holy
Sanction: give approval to
Tumult: uproar; noise
Turpitude: depravity

Group 15

Amity: friendship
Amorphous: lacking in shape
Castigate: scold strongly
Catharsis: purging of pent-up emotions
Destitution: hardship; poverty; misery
Deter: put off; prevent
Expedient: convenient; practical
Expedite: make faster
Incantation: chant; invocation; prayer
Incarceration: putting in prison
Luscious: juicy; moist; succulent
Lynch: assassinate; kill; illegal hanging
Machinations: plots and plans
Oust: push out of a position
Overt: obvious; not hidden
Overwrought: worked up; in an emotional state
Predecessor: one who came before
Predicament: dilemma; difficult situation
Preeminent: famous; outstanding
Sanguinary: bloodthirsty; bloody
Sanguine: optimistic; cheerful
Sardonic: mocking
Tyro: novice; beginner
Ubiquitous: found everywhere; omnipresent
Unalloyed: undiluted; total

Group 16

Analgesic: medicine to combat pain
Analogous: comparable
Anarchy: chaos; lack of government
Caucus: type of private political meeting
Caustic: burning
Cavalcade: procession of vehicles
Deteriorate: worsen; decline
Detrimental: harmful
Devoured: greedily eaten/consumed
Exposition: clear explanation
Extol: praise
Extradite: deport from one country back to the home country
Incessant: without stopping
Incipient: just beginning
Inclination: tendency; a leaning toward
Maelstrom: whirlpool; storm in the ocean
Magnanimous: generous; big-hearted
Palatable: good to eat; agreeable
Palisade: fence made of posts
Prerogative: right or privilege
Prescient: having fore-knowledge
Savant: person with knowledge
Scale: to climb
Unctuous: oily; using excessive flattery
Undermined: damaged; attacked

Group 17

Anecdote: a brief amusing story
Animosity: hatred; antagonism
Celerity: speed
Censorious: disapproving; critical
Dexterous: skilful with hands
Dichotomy: a division into two parts
Extraneous: irrelevant
Extrapolate: extend; predict on the basis of known data
Incoherent: not clear
Incongruous: not fitting in; out of place
Magnate: powerful businessman
Maladroit: clumsy; unskillful
Malady: illness
Palliative: a remedy that improves but doesn't cure
Pallid: pale
Palpable: easily felt; easily perceived
Presentiment: a feeling that something might happen
Presumptuous: assuming too much; arrogant
Pretentious: pompous; self-important
Scapegoat: person on whom blame is placed for faults of others
Scrupulous: careful; diligent; painstaking
Scrutinize: examine carefully
Underscore: emphasize
Unequivocal: clear; obvious
Unfetter: set free

Group 18

Annex: (n) a building which is an addition to an existing building
Annex: (v) take possession of; seize; capture
Anomaly: something which does not fit in a pattern; irregularity
Censure: blame
Cerebral: intellectual
Certitude: certainty
Didactic: intended to teach; instructive
Diffident: lacking confidence
Digress: wander off the subject
Extrinsic: irrelevant; on the outside
Fallacious: false
Falter: hesitate; waver
Inconsequential: unimportant; insignificant; negligible
Inconspicuous: not easily seen; subtle; not noticeable
Indelible: cannot be wiped out
Malediction: a curse
Malefactor: a wrong-doer
Panacea: remedy for all ills
Paradigm: 1. example; 2. model; 3. way of looking at things
Prevaricate: speak misleadingly and evasively
Pristine: unspoiled
Scuttle: sink
Seminary: an institution in which priests are trained
Unfrock: to remove a priest from his position
Unprecedented: never having happened before

Group 19

Antagonism: hostility; strong opposition
Antagonistic: opposed; hostile; aggressive
Charlatan: trickster who claims knowledge he doesn't have
Chary: wary of; cautious about; reluctant to give
Dike :dam; embankment
Dilatory: slow; falling behind with one's work
Fanatical: obsessive; fixated
Fanaticism: passion; excessive devotion
Indifferent: 1. neutral; 2. not outstanding
Indigenous: native to a particular area
Malinger: deliberately avoid work; shirk
Malingerer: person who deliberately tries to avoid work
Malleable: flexible; can be shaped
Paradox: apparently contradictory statement
Paragon: a perfect example
Paramount: of supreme importance
Proclivity: tendency towards
Procrastinate :delay; put off
Prodigal: wasteful; extravagant
Sensuous: appealing to the senses
Sentinel: guard; sentry
Sequester: isolate
Unscathed: unharmed; intact; without a scratch
Unwitting: not deliberate; unconscious
Upbraid: scold; tell off; reprimand

Group 20

Antediluvian: outdated; prehistoric; very old-fashioned
Anthology: a book which is a collection of poems or stories
Chastises: punishes
Chicanery: trickery
Dilemma: puzzling situation
Dilettante: person who dabbles in a subject without serious study
Diligent: hard-working
Fastidious: overly particular; finicky
Fatuous: silly; foolish
Feasible: possible and practicable
Indolence: laziness
Inductee: novice; beginner
Indulgent: pampering; satisfying desires
Manipulatable:influencable; controllable
Marred: damaged; spoiled
Parasite: 1. scrounger; 2. animal which takes digested food from another
Parched: dried up
Pariah: an outcast from society
Prodigious: very large
Profane: unholy
Profanity: swearing; cursing
Serendipity: fortunate coincidence; unsought discovery
Serene: calm; peaceful
Serrated: jagged; saw-like
Urbane: sophisticated; suave