Unit 5 Vocabulary list
“A White Heron”
1. plodding (adjective) - slow and steady; lacking in excitement or creativity -
Antonym: energetic - Synonym: laborious - Example: The plodding pace of
the work was beginning to wear on her.
2. dilatory (adjective) - tending to delay or procrastinate; slow to act -
Antonym: prompt - Synonym: procrastinating - Example: Her dilatory
response to the urgent email caused her boss to become impatient.
3. consolation (noun) - comfort or solace in a time of distress or
disappointment - Antonym: disappointment - Synonym: comfort -
Example: The kind words of her friend were a great consolation after the
loss of her pet.
4. zest (noun) - enthusiasm, energy, or excitement - Antonym: apathy -
Synonym: enthusiasm - Example: The chef added lemon zest to the dish to
give it a burst of flavor.
5. wistful (adjective) - having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful
longing - Antonym: content - Synonym: melancholy - Example: She looked
at the old photo with a wistful smile, remembering the happy times of her
youth.
6. discreetly (adverb) - in a careful, circumspect manner, in order to avoid
causing offense or attracting attention - Antonym: indiscreetly - Synonym:
prudently - Example: She discreetly slipped the note into her friend's hand
without anyone else noticing.
7. inaudibly (adverb) - in a manner that is not able to be heard - Antonym:
audibly - Synonym: silently - Example: The speaker whispered inaudibly,
causing the audience to strain to hear her.
8. wayfarer (noun) - a person who travels on foot - Antonym: driver -
Synonym: traveler - Example: The wayfarer stopped to rest by the side of
the road, enjoying the peaceful countryside.
9. proffered (verb) - to offer or present for acceptance - Antonym: refuse -
Synonym: offer - Example: He proffered his hand in greeting, introducing
himself to the new arrival.
10. squalor (noun) - a state of being extremely dirty and unpleasant, often
due to poverty or neglect - Antonym: cleanliness - Synonym: filthiness -
Example: The homeless people were living in squalor, surrounded by
garbage and debris.
11.quaint (adjective) - attractively old-fashioned or unusual - Antonym:
modern - Synonym: charming - Example: The quaint little cottage had a
thatched roof and a beautiful garden.
12.demure (adjective) - modest and shy, often in a way that is considered
charming or attractive - Antonym: bold - Synonym: coy - Example: The
demure young woman blushed when the handsome stranger
complimented her.
13.divining (verb) - to discover something by intuition or guesswork -
Antonym: know - Synonym: guess - Example: She had a talent for divining
the truth from a person's body language and tone of voice.
14.elusive (adjective) - difficult to catch or grasp; hard to pin down or define -
Antonym: attainable - Synonym: evasive - Example: The elusive criminal
had managed to evade the police for years.
15.wending (verb) - to travel or proceed on a winding or indirect course -
Antonym: straighten - Synonym: meandering - Example: The road wended
its way through the mountains, offering breathtaking views at every turn.
16.vexed (adjective) - annoyed or frustrated, especially by minor things -
Antonym: content - Synonym: irritated - Example: The vexed customer
demanded to speak to the manager about the poor service.
