Week One

aficionado (noun)

            a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued     interest or activity

syn: a fan; devotee

The Harry Potter aficionado saw each movie ten times.

alleviate (verb); alleviation (noun)

            to lessen; to soften

syn: relieve                        ant: aggravate

This should alleviate the pain; if it does not, we shall have to use stronger drugs.

amass (verb)

            to pile up

syn: collect                        ant: squander

The miser’s aim is to amass and hoard as much gold as possible.

ambivalent (adjective)

            simultaneous and contradicting attitudes or feelings toward an object, person, or action

Mary is ambivalent about cooking; she likes to cook, but

she does not like to wash dishes.

articulate (verb & adjective); articulation (noun)

            speaking well or clearly

syn: enunciate                  ant: mumble

The famous football player was articulate and culturally literate, thus breaking the stereotype of the “dumb jock.”

Week Two

bane (noun); baneful (adjective)

            cause of death, ruin, or distress.  Obviously, you

would avoid baneful herbs like baneberry, and

even shun baneful superstitions which could be

equally harmful.

syn: nuisance; pest

Poor study habits were the bane of Anthony’s academic career.

banter (noun & verb); bantering (adjective)

            good-natured and witty teasing; joking

syn: joshing                      ant: serious

They resented his bantering remarks because they thought he was being sarcastic.

barren (adjective)

incapable of producing off-spring; producing little or no fruit

syn: sterile                         ant: fertile; productive

At three o’clock in the morning, her brain was barren of ideas.

belligerent (adjective); belligerence (noun)

            warlike; hostile; quick to fight

syn: argumentative         ant: benevolent

The belligerent child was removed from the class.

bovine (adjective)

            an ox, cow, or related animal; having ox-like

qualities; slow, dull, stupid, or stolid

syn: obtuse                       ant: acute

People with bovine temperaments may be dependable, but they are not exciting company.

Week Three

brawn (noun); brawny (adjective)

            muscular strength and breadth

syn: robust                        ant: feeble

Goliath was known more for his brawn than brains.

candid (adjective); candidness (noun)

free from bias, prejudice, or malice; marked by honest, sincere expression ; relating to photography of subjects; acting naturally or spontaneously without being posed

syn: honest                       ant: biased

If you ask Carla how you look in that outfit, you must realize that she will give you her candid opinion.

condescend (verb); condescension (noun); condescending (adjective)

            show courtesy with a superior air; to assume a

patronizing attitude or behavior

syn: snobby                      ant: humble

After Bertha won the title of Miss Ninth Grade, she became quite condescending toward her less beautiful classmates.

condone (verb)

            to excuse; make allowance for

syn: overlook; forgive

We cannot condone your cheating on the final exam.

covert (adjective)

            secret; hidden; implied

syn: undercover; camouflaged     ant: overt; revealed

He understood the covert threat in the letter.

Week Four

credulous (adjective); credulousness (noun)

            too ready to believe; easily deceived

syn: gullible; naïve          ant: skeptical

Gerald is too credulous; he will believe anything a salesperson may tell him.

debacle (noun)

            a sudden downfall; collapse; a general baking              up

syn: defeat                        ant: success

The last football game was a complete debacle; the players couldn’t execute any of the plays and as a result, they lost the game by thirty-five points.

deplore (verb)

            to feel very sorry about to regret deeply; to

lament; to disapprove of strongly

syn: condemn                  ant: rejoice

Do you deplore the graffiti on public buildings?

desolate (adjective & verb); desolation (noun)

            literally make lonely; lay waste; ravage;

devastate; left alone; deserted; forlorn; abandoned; forsaken

syn: destroy                      ant: improve; together

A section of the house was desolated by the tornado.

discrepancy (noun)

            an inconsistency; a contradiction

syn: conflict; disagreement           ant: similarities

There is a discrepancy between you answer and the one given on the test.

Week Five

dissent (verb); dissention (noun);

dissenting (adjective)

            (verb) to differ in opinion; to disagree

            (noun) the refusal to conform to the beliefs of an

established authority, such as the church or state;

a difference of opinion

syn: contradict                 ant: agree; uniform

Because there was so much dissent among the members, the group disbanded.

diverse (adjective); diversity (noun)

            differing in some characteristics; various

syn: different                    ant: identical; same

There are diverse ways of approaching this problem.

emulate (verb); emulation (noun)

            to strive to equal or excel; imitate

syn: imitate; mimic         ant: original

As long as our political leaders emulate the virtues of the great leaders of this country, we shall flourish.

epithet (noun)

a word or phrase that describes or characterizes a person or thing; a descriptive name

The angry mob shouted a cruel epithet at the deposed actor.

erratic (adjective)

            inconsistent; irregular

syn: unpredictable                           ant: consistent; regular

The fly buzzed about his head, causing him to wave his arms erratically.

Week Six

facetious (adjective)

            in the habit of joking; said in jest without serious intent

syn: kidding                      ant: serious

Our facetious club president has a way of turning

almost every comment into a joke.

firmament (noun)

            the expanse of the heavens; sky

syn: heaven                      ant: ground

As we stood on the mountaintop, we gazed in awe at the starry firmament.

flagrant (adjective)

            conspicuously wicked; without shame

syn: blatant; brazen        ant: sincere; gracious

We cannot condone such flagrant violations of the rules.

formidable (adjective)

            causing fear, dread, or apprehension

syn: appalling; threatening            ant: fearless; confident

Mike Tyson is a truly formidable opponent in the boxing ring.

gargantuan (adjective)

            huge; gigantic; prodigious. 

syn: colossal; humongous             ant: tiny; compact

After skipping breakfast and lunch, I had a gargantuan appetite.

Week Seven

garrulous ((adjective); garrulousness (noun)

            very talkative, especially about trifles

syn: talkative                   ant: quiet

While some people become taciturn when they exercise,

he becomes quite garrulous.

grave (adjective); gravity (noun)

            deserving serious attention; weighty;

momentous

syn: gloomy                      ant: minor; happy; lighthearted

The President summoned his cabinet into emergency session on receipt of the grave news.

gregarious (adjective)

a friendly person, a good mixer, one who enjoys

being with other people (from the Latin word

grex, meaning flock of cattle).

syn: affable; outgoing                    ant: introvert; shy

Because people are gregarious, they get married, have families and live in thronging cities.

hackneyed ((adjective)

            lacking in freshness or originality

syn: trite; cliché                                ant: original

Graduation speeches must be carefully written to

avoid hackneyed phrases and images.

hardy (adjective)

            bold; brave; robust

syn: strong; tough                            ant: weak; powerless

He was a hardy soul; strong, brave, and sturdy.

Week Eight

hypocrisy (noun); hypocritical (adjective)

            saying one thing and doing another

syn: contradict                 ant: genuine; consistent

The hypocrisy of the organization caused many members to band together and branch out  on their own.

idiosyncrasy (noun)

            peculiarity; eccentricity

syn: quirk; oddity            ant: uniform; homogenous

One of his idiosyncrasies was his habit of spitting on all cutlery given him in a restaurant.

illicit (adjective)

            forbidden by law; improper; not legal

syn: illegal                         ant: proper; legal; licit

New trade agreements made the sale of certain foreign goods illicit.

immerse (verb); immersion (noun)

            (verb) to plunge or place into a liquid; dip;

engross; absorb

(noun) state of being deeply engrossed; absorption

syn: engaged                    ant: uninvolved

She is immersed in her book.

implausible (adjective)

            not having truth or credibility; not likely

syn: doubtful                    ant: plausible; credulous

I find it highly implausible that you saw Elvis at K-Mart.

Week Nine

inadvertence (noun); inadvertent (adjective); inadvertently (adverb)

            oversight; carelessness

syn: accidental                 ant: careful; intentional

By inadvertence he omitted two questions on the exam.

innate (adjective)

            inborn

syn: inherited; native      ant: acquired; learned

His innate talent for music was soon recognized by his parents.

innocuous (adjective)

            producing no injury or effect

syn: harmless                   ant: harmful; effective

It was an innocuous remark; no one bothered to respond.

introvert (noun)

one who is introspective; inclined to think more about oneself

syn: shy                             ant: extrovert; gregarious

In his poetry, Anthony reveals that he is an introvert by his intense interest in his own problems.

irrefutable (adjective)

            not able to be disproved

syn: proof; certain           ant: refutable; disprove

The lawyers claimed to have irrefutable proof that Elvis was still alive.

Week Ten

lethargic (adjective); lethargy (noun)

            drowsy; dull

syn: bovine; lazy             ant: energetic; active

The stuffy room made him lethargic.

luxuriant (adjective); luxuriance (noun)

            characterized by abundant growth; rich; lush

syn: abundance               ant: poor; scarce; barren

Rapunzel’s hair was so luxuriant she was known throughout the land.

meander (verb); meandering (adjective)

to wind or turn in its course; to wander aimlessly and casually without urgent destination

syn: drift                            ant: direct

It is difficult to sail up this stream because of the way it meanders through the countryside.

menial (adjective)

            low; subservient; servile

syn: lowly; degrading          ant: majestic; royal

Many college students do menial work such as waiting on tables, to help pay their tuition.

mercenary (noun & adjective)

            interested in money or gain

I am certain your action was prompted by mercenary motives.

Week Eleven

miser (noun); miserly (adjective)

            one who hoards his wealth

syn: frugal                         ant: generous; giving

My brother was a miser until he met Jennifer; now he’s nearly broke.

mitigate (verb); mitigation (adjective)

            to make less harsh or painful

syn: alleviate                    ant: intensify; aggravate

Nothing he did could mitigate her wrath; she was unforgiving.

nebulous

            cloudy; hazy

syn: overcast                    ant: clear

Your theories are too nebulous; please clarify them.

negate (verb)

            to deny the truth or value of; to invalidate

syn: nullify                        ant: validate; affirm

Tonya moved quickly to negate his alibi with eyewitnesses who contradicted him.

negligence (noun)

failure to exercise the care that a prudent person usually exercises

syn: carelessness              ant: attentive

Upon the death of our favorite maple tree, the incompetent tree surgeon was sued for negligence.

Week Twelve

novel (adjective)

new or resembling something formerly known or used

syn: fresh; modern          ant: antiquated; old

What a novel idea—using a cliché to illustrate your point.

obstinate (adjective); obstinacy (noun)

stubbornly sticking to an opinion, purpose in spite of reason, arguments, or persuasion

syn: stubborn                   ant: open-minded; compliant

Completely ignoring all scientific proof, Leroy obstinately held the opinion that country songs played backwards contain satanic messages.

ominous (adjective)

indicative of future misfortune or calamity

syn: apocalyptic; baneful              ant: favorable

Dark, ominous clouds preceded the storm.

oxymoron (noun)

a figure of speech by which a particular phrasing of words produces an effect by seeming self-contradictory, as in “cruel kindness” or “jumbo shrimp”

To indicate Romeo’s shallow feelings for Rosaline as opposed to his deep love for Juliet, Shakespeare has him utter a string of oxymorons like “loving hate, heavy lightness, and cold fire.”

philanthropist (noun); philanthropy (noun)

            lover of mankind; doer of good

syn: humanitarian           ant: misanthrope; mercenary

As he grew older, he became famous as a philanthropist and benefactor of the needy.

Week Thirteen

presumptuous (adjective); presumptuousness (noun)

overstepping due bounds of propriety or courtesy

syn: assuming; condescending     ant: courtesy; praise

It was presumptuous of him to think that he could eat all the food I had in the refrigerator.

profusion (noun); profuse (adjective)

            lavish expenditure; overabundant condition

Seldom have I seen food and drink served in such profusion.

provocation (noun); provoke (verb);

 provocative (adjective)

            something that stirs up anger or excitement

syn: instigate; disrupt      ant: serene; appease

Some people become angry at the slightest provocation.

rebuff (verb & noun)

            to refuse sharply; a snub; rejection

syn: refuse; reject            ant; accept; welcome

She was soundly rebuffed when she attempted to get a job with the FBI.

rejuvenate (verb)

            to make young again

syn: renew                         ant: decay; make old; to age

The charlatan claimed that his tonic would rejuvenate the aged and weary.

Week Fourteen

rescind (verb)

            to declare null and void

syn: cancel                        ant: accept; approve

Because of public resentment, the king had to rescind his order.

serenity (noun); serene (adjective)

            calmness; placidity

syn: peaceful                    ant: chaos

The serenity of the sleepy town was shattered by a tremendous explosion.

spendthrift (noun)

one who spends wastefully; person careless with money

syn: squanderer               ant: miser

The spendthrift spent all of the money on bubble gum, so there was none left to buy milk for the baby.

strident (adjective)

            having or making a harsh sound

syn: shrill                           ant: harmonious

A good telephone voice is never strident.

stupor (noun)

a state of extreme apathy or of mental and physical inactivity

syn: dazed                        ant: active

The movie left us in a stupor.

Week Fifteen

stymie (verb)

            present an obstacle; stump

syn: frustrate; hinder      ant: expedite

The detective was stymied by the contradictory evidence in the robbery investigation.

subtlety (noun); subtle (adjective)

            not obvious; delicacy; cunning

syn: astute                        ant: obvious

The subtlety of his remarks was unnoticed by most of his audience.

svelte (adjective)

            slender and graceful; suave; polished

Lisa maintained her svelte figure with a sensible diet, regular exercise, and, of course, a hereditary gift.

tedium ( noun); tedious (adjective)

            boredom; weariness

syn: monotony                                ant: exciting; entertaining

We hope this coloring book will help you overcome the tedium of your delay at the airport.

tentative (adjective)

            uncertain; hesitant

syn: indefinite                  ant: certain

Tomorrow’s quiz is tentative; it might be canceled if the assembly lasts too long.

Week Sixteen

terse (adjective)

            brief; neatly concise language

syn: short                          ant: long

His manner was terse and reserved; he said no more than was necessary.

theorize (verb)

            to form a theory; to speculate

The Buddha theorized about the meaning of life.

trivial (adjective); trivialize (verb); triviality (noun)

            unimportant

syn: superficial ant: valuable; important

Buying a new aardvark is trivial when compared to paying your rent on time.

unimpeachable (adjective)

            beyond doubt; not to be attacked or discredited

She maintains that her character is unimpeachable, but, do I have a story for you.

urbane (adjective)

            suave; refined; elegant

syn: civilized                     ant: savage

Julio Iglesias is known for his urbane and sophisticated manner.

Week Seventeen

verifiable (adjective)

            able to be proven or authenticated

Her alibi is verifiable by the video from the store.

vociferous (adjective)

            crying out noisily; loud

The hungry, vociferous lion cub did not go to sleep until his mother fed him.

vulnerable (adjective)

            open to injury or attack

The lax attitude of the islanders made them vulnerable to pirates.

xenophobia (noun)

            an unusual fear or hatred of strangers or

foreigners

Insecurity may often lead an American traveling abroad

to exhibit xenophobic tendencies.

zeal (noun)

            eagerness and pursuit of something

syn: passion; fervor        ant: unexcited; indifferent

Since science was her favorite subject, she did her

science homework with much zeal.