English Honors 10---A Year of Vocabulary in Review
- abetto encourage or to assist (usually an offense against justice or the law
- abhorto regard with extreme repugnance; to detest utterly; to loathe
- abridgeto shorten, to diminish
- abstractedremoved in thought from the immediate situation, lost in thought
- abstrusedifficult to understand, recondite, concealed
- accoladepraise, an award
- acquiesceto give in, to comply
- acrimoniouscaustic
- adulationextreme praise or admiration
- adversitymisfortune, unfavorable happening
- aestheticrelating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art
- affablefriendly, courteous, amiable
- affinitya likeness, a natural relationship, a kinship
- agilecharacterized by ability to move quickly with suppleness and grace
- alacrityprompt and cheerful response
- aloofapart, indifferent
- altruisticunselfishly concerned for the welfare of others
- ambiguoushaving more than one meaning; unclear, uncertain
- ambivalenthaving contrary feeling or attitudes, uncertain as to course of action
- ameliorateto make better, to relieve, to improve
- amenableopen to or willing to follow advice or suggestion, tractable, malleable
- amiablefriendly, sociable, and congenial; civil and urban
- amorphousshapeless, having no definite form
- angularlean, sharp-cornered, gaunt
- antidotesomething that relieves the effects of poison
- antipathya dislike, distaste, or enmity
- antiquatedobsolete, out of fashion, no longer usable
- antithesisa direct opposite, a contrast
- arablefit for plowing, tillable
- archaicantiquated, old, out of use
- arrogantoverbearingly assuming; insolently proud
- ascendto move upward, to rise from a lower station
- ascendancydomination; growing power
- ascertainto find out definitely; to determine
- asceticone who leads a life of self-denial and contemplation; absent of luxury
- assuageto ease, to mitigate, to make less painful or burdensome, to calm
- atrophyto waste away, to wither
- audacityexcessive boldness, rashness, daring
- augmentto make greater or to supplement
- austerestrict, stern; unadorned, ascetic
- autonomousindependent, self-contained
- aversionstrong disinclination, disliking
- banalcommon, ordinary, lacking freshness, hackneyed
- belieto contradict, to give a false impression
- benevolencekindness, generosity, charity
- benignnot causing harm, of gently disposition, beneficial
- bequeathto hand down, to give or to leave in a will
- blasphemousirreverent, profane
- bombasticusing inflated language, pompous
- buoyantcapable of floating; cheerful
- burgeonto sprout, to newly emerge
- buttressa support or prop
- cajoleto persuade with deliberate flattery, to coax, to wheedle
- calamitya serious event causing distress or misfortune
- capriciouschanging suddenly, fickle
- charlatanone who claims to know something that he does not, a quack
- chimeraa fantasy; a horrible creature of the imagination
- circumspectcareful to consider consequences, cautious, prudent
- clandestinesecret
- conciliateto reconcile, to pacify, to renew a friendship
- conflagrationa large fire
- contentiousquarrelsome, stirring controversy
- contriteextremely apologetic, remorseful, repentant
- corroborationconfirmation
- crasscoarse, crude, and unrefined
- credulousbelieving on slight evidence, gullible
- culpabledeserving blame; guilty
- cursorysuperficial, casual, hastily done
- daunto intimidate, to dismay
- dawdleto waste time, to spend time idly, to move in a lackadaisical manner
- deartha lack, a scarcity
- debaseto reduce in dignity or quality
- debilitateto weaken, to enfeeble
- decadentdecaying
- decryto speak against, to rail against, to disparage
- defamationact of harming or ruining another's reputation
- depleteto use up gradually, to lessen in amount or value
- depravitymoral corruption, a wicked or perverse act
- deprecateto disapprove regretfully, to belittle, to express mild disapproval
- derisionscoffing at, mockery, ridicule
- desolatedeserted, without inhabitant, barren
- despoticruling oppressively and absolutely; tyrannical
- didacticinstructive, designed to teach
- diffidenceshyness, reserve, unassertiveness
- dinloud and discordant noises, cacophony
- discernto differentiate from two or more things
- discordlack of agreement, tension, strife
- discursiverambling, moving from one topic to another randomly
- disdainintense dislike, to treat with scorn or contempt; to reject of unworthy
- disparageto degrade, to speak of someone or something in a derogatory manner
- disparityinequality, being unequal in age, rank, or degree
- disseminationthe act of spreading widely; scattering
- dissuadeto advise against, to talk out of
- distendto expand, to swell
- docileeasily managed, obedient, passive
- dogmaticstrongly opinionated in an unwarranted manner
- dormantinactive, sleeping
- duplicitydouble-dealing, hypocrisy
- eclecticcoming from a variety of diverse sources
- effaceto erase, to wear away
- effervescentshowing high spirits
- elucidateto make clear, to explain
- emaciatedvery thin (usually as a result of starvation), wasting away
- embellishto decorate, to make beautiful with ornamentation
- empiricalbased on observation or experiment and not on theory
- enervationweakness
- engenderto cause, to produce, to create
- enhanceto make better, to improve
- enigmaticmysterious, inexplicable, puzzling
- enmityabsolute hatred
- entreatya plea, an earnest request
- ephemerallasting a short period of time, fleeting
- eruditescholarly
- esotericunderstood only by a small group or a select few
- estrangeto alienate, to separate
- etherealheavenly, delicate, light, lacking material substance, intangible
- eulogypraise or tribute
- euphemismsubstitution of an inoffensive term for one that is offensive
- euphoniouspleasant or agreeable (sound); dulcet
- exacerbateto aggravate, to irritate, to vex
- exonerateto free from blame, obligation, or responsibility; to exculpate
- exoticforeign, unfamiliar
- expungeto remove, to erase
- extolto praise, to glorify
- extraneousnot essential or vital
- extricateto free, to disentangle
- fallowinactive, plowed but not sowed
- fastidiousreflecting a meticulous or demanding attitude, critical to an extreme
- fatuousfoolish, silly in an obnoxious way, inane
- ferocitysavagery
- fervidardent, burning, impassioned
- fitfulirregular
- flourishto thrive, to grow well
- forbearancepatience, lenience
- frivolouslacking in seriousness or importance
- furtivesecret in an underhanded way, stealthy
- fuseto mix or to join (usually by melting)
- garruloustalkative, rambling
- gluttonousgreedy for food and drink
- gratuitousgiven freely, unwarranted
- gregarioussociable and outgoing
- guiledeceitfulness, duplicity
- haughtyarrogant, excessively proud and vain
- homogeneousof the same kind
- humanekind, compassionate, sympathetic and considerate
- hyperboleobvious exaggeration
- hypocriteone who is insincere or deceitful
- hypothesizeto reach a conclusion based on an assumption or something not proven
- immutableunchanging
- impecuniouswithout money
- imperviousincapable of being entered or penetrated, not capable of being damaged
- impetuousviolent, hasty, rash, impulsive
- implausiblenot believable
- inanelacking significance, meaning, or point; silly, insipid
- incongruitynonconformity, disagreement, incompatibility
- incontrovertibleindisputable
- incorrigibleincapable of being reformed or improved
- indeliblecannot be removed, washed away or erased
- indignationanger as a result of something unjust
- indolencelaziness
- induceto bring on or to bring about
- indulgentlenient, especially toward oneself
- industriousskillfully busy or occupied
- ineptnesslack of competence or judgment
- inertunable to move or to act, sluggish
- infallibleincapable of error
- infamoushaving a reputation of the worst kind, vicious, notoriously bad
- ingratean ungrateful person
- ingratiateto make an effort to gain good favor with someone
- innateexisting from birth, inborn
- innocuousharmless, producing no injury
- inscrutabledifficult to understand; mysterious
- insipidboring and stupid
- insolenceinsulting or contemptuous behavior
- insularityqualities of an island; narrow-mindedness of opinion
- intractablestubborn, difficult to manage
- introspectivethe quality of examining one's own mind or thoughts
- inundateto flood, to overflow
- irascibleirritable, easily angered, cranky, cross
- laconicusing a minimum of words; concise to the point of seeming rude
- lamentto mourn or to express sorrow in a demonstrative manner
- languidslow, sluggish, listless, weak
- laudto praise, to extol
- lethargicsluggish, languid
- levityexcessive frivolity, flippancy
- loatheto detest
- lucideasily understood, mentally sound
- luxuriantabundant in growth, very fertile
- magnanimityhaving a lofty, generous, and courageous spirit
- malevolenceill will or evil intentions
- malicedesire to harm others
- melancholydepression of spirits
- meticuloustaking great care
- misanthropea hater of mankind
- miserone who lives in wretched circumstance to save and hoard money
- mitigateto cause to become less harsh or hostile; to make less severe
- morosebeing sullen or gloomy
- mundaneordinary, commonplace
- munificentvery generous
- nefariousextremely wicked, evil, vicious
- nullifyto cause not to be in effect, to negate
- obliqueslanting, indirect, evasive devious, misleading
- obliterateto remove all traces of; to do away with; to destroy completely; to cancel
- oblivionstate of being forgotten
- obscuredifficult to see, vague
- obsequiousoverly attentive, like a sycophant, servile
- ominousthreatening
- opaquenot allowing the passage of light, not transparent, hard to understand
- opulencewealth, affluence abundance
- ornateexcessively decorated
- ostentatiousshowy, pretentious
- pacifisticopposed to war or use of force
- paltrytrifling; petty; worthless
- paradoxicalsomething that appears false or contradictory but is actually correct
- paucityscarcity, fewness of number, dearth
- pedantryact of showing off learning in a manner that is needless and unimaginative
- penitentshowing or feeling regret for wrongdoing, repentant
- perfunctoryacting routinely with little interest or care
- perjuryfalse testimony under oath
- petulanceunreasonable touchiness or irritability
- pietydevotion and reverence to God
- placateto appease or to pacify by making concessions
- placidpeaceful, calm
- plagiarizeto steal and to use another's writings as one's own
- poignantpiercing, incisive, and keen
- pompousexaggerated show of dignity or self-importance, bombastic
- prattlemeaningless sounds, babble
- precariousdangerous, risky, not a secure situation
- precludeto make impossible
- precociousexceptionally early in development or occurrence
- predilectionpreference
- pretentiousmaking an extravagant outward show, self-important
- procrastinateto defer action; to delay
- prodigalwasteful, a person given to extravagance
- profuseextravagantly abundant, flowing freely
- proliferationan increase in number, multiplication
- prolificabundantly fruitful, marked by a great productivity
- prologueintroductory remarks in a speech, play or literary work, introductory action
- promontoryland or rock projecting into a body of water
- prosaiccommonplace, uninspired, banal
- provinciallacking sophistication, narrow minded
- quiescentinactive, dormant
- rancorbitter deep-seated ill will, enmity
- razeto completely destroy
- recantto withdraw or to repudiate a statement or belief, revoke
- reclusea person who lives in solitude, a hermit
- reiterateto repeat
- reproveto scold or to rebuke for a misdeed usually with kindly intent
- repudiateto reject, to disown, to disavow
- reticencerestraint in speech, reluctant to speak
- revereto honor, to regard with respect
- satedsatisfied fully, indulged to excess
- scintillatingsparkling, shining, or flashing
- scrupulousvery principle, very careful and conscientious
- secularnonreligious, worldly
- serenecalm, placid
- servileoverly submissive
- slothfullazy, indolent
- spontaneoushaving no external cause, acting on impulse
- squalidfilthy in appearance, sordid
- statichaving no motion, showing little change
- stoica stoical person; not showing passion or feeling, indifference, impassive
- stupefyto dull the sense as to put into a stupor
- sublimeexalted, noble, uplifting
- subtledelicate, elusive, not obvious
- suffrageright to vote
- summonto call together, to send for or to request to appear
- superfluousbeyond what is needed or required, an overflow
- surreptitioussecret, clandestine, stealthy
- sycophanta self-serving flatterer, a brownnoser
- symmetrybalanced proportions
- synthesiscombing parts into a whole
- taciturnquiet, not verbose
- tacta keen sense for what is appropriate or tasteful in delicate situations
- terseconcise
- torpidsluggish, inactive, dull
- toxicpoisonous
- tranquilpeaceful, calm
- transientquickly passing, fleeting
- transparentquality of being able to be seen through, clear
- trepidationfear, trembling, agitation
- triviainsignificant matters
- turbulencewild or disturbing activity
- vacillatingchanging, fluctuating
- venerateto honor, to revere
- veracitydevotion to the truth
- verbosewordy, very talkative
- vexationdiscomfort or distress
- viablecapable of working, functioning, or developing adequately
- vigilantvery alert, watchful
- vilifyto malign, to defame, to utter abusive statements against
- vindicatedcleared of accusations or charges
- vindictiverevengeful, spiteful
- virtuosoone skilled in the fine arts as an accomplished musician, a savant
- virulentextremely poisonous; hateful
- vividbright, distinct, and clear
- volatilequickly changeable, easily vaporized
- volubleability to use words easily, fluent and glib
- zealenthusiasm, fervor