Abash - to embarrass someone or make them feel uncomfortable.

Abate - to become less intense or severe; to make something less intense or severe.

Abdicate - to give up the position of being king, queen or emperor.

Aberration - a temporary change from the typical or usual way of behaving.

Abhor - to hate a way of behaving or thinking, often because you think it is not moral.

Abject - the state of being extremely unhappy, poor, unsuccessful, etc.

Abortive - not successful; failed.

Abridge - to make a book, play, or piece of writing shorter by removing details and information that
is not important.

Absolute - very great or to the largest degree possible.

Absolve - to free someone from guilt, blame, or responsibility for something.

Abstinent - completely avoiding something such as alcohol or sex.

Abstract - existing as an idea, feeling, or quality, not as a material object.

Abstruse - difficult to understand.

Abysmal - extremely bad or of a very low standard.

Accolade - praise or an award for an achievement that people admire.

Accost - to go up to somebody and speak to them, especially in a way that is rude or frightening.

Acerbic - used to describe something that is spoken or written in a way that is direct, clever,
and cruel.

Acquiesce - to accept something without arguing, even if you do not really agree with it.

Acrid - having a strong, bitter smell or taste that is unpleasant

Acrimonious - full of anger, arguments, and bad feeling

Acumen - the ability to understand and decide things quickly and well

Acute - very serious or severe

Adamant - determined not to change your mind or to be persuaded about something

Address - details of where somebody lives or works and where letters, etc.

Adherent - a person who supports a particular set of ideas.

Admonish - to tell someone that they have done something wrong.

1
Adroit - very skilful and quick in the way you think or move.

Adulation - very great admiration or praise for someone, especially when it is more than is deserved.

Adulterate - to make food or drink less pure by adding another substance to it.

Adverse - having a negative or harmful effect on something.

Aesthetic - connected with beauty and art and the understanding of beautiful things.

Affable - friendly and easy to talk to.

Affectation - behaviour or speech that is not sincere.

Affinity - a strong feeling that you understand somebody/something and like them or it.

Affluent - having a lot of money or owning a lot of things.

Agenda - a list of matters to be discussed at a meeting.

Aggregate - something formed by adding together several amounts or things.

Agnostic - a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not.

Agrarian - connected with farming and the use of land for farming.

Alacrity - great happiness or enthusiasm.

Allege - to say that someone has done something illegal or wrong without giving proof.

Alleviate - to make something bad such as pain or problems less severe.

Allocate - to give something to someone as their share of a total amount, to use in a particular way.

Alloy - a metal that is made by mixing two or more metals, or a metal and another substance.

Allusion - something that is said or written that refers to or mentions another person or subject in an
indirect way.

Aloof - not friendly or willing to take part in things.

Altruism - willingness to do things that bring advantages to others, even if

it results in disadvantage for yourself.

Ambience - the character and atmosphere of a place.

Ambiguous - that can be understood in more than one way; having different meanings.

Ambivalent - having or showing both positive and negative feelings about somebody/something.

Ameliorate - to make better something that was bad or not good enough.

2
Amenable - willing to accept or be influenced by a suggestion.

Amenity - a feature or service that makes a place pleasant, comfortable or easy to live in.

Amiable - pleasant and friendly.

Amnesty - a decision by a government that allows political prisoners to go free.

Amoral - not following any moral rules and not caring about right and wrong.

Amorous - showing sexual desire and love towards somebody.

Amorphous - having no definite shape, form or structure.

Anachronism - a person, a custom or an idea that seems old-fashioned and does not belong to the
present.

Analogy - a comparison between things that have similar features, often used
to help explain a principle or idea.

Anarchy - a situation in which there is no organization and control, especially in society, because
there is no effective government.

Anecdote - a short, interesting or funny story about a real person or event.

Anguish - extreme unhappiness caused by physical or mental suffering.

Animosity - a strong feeling of opposition, anger or hate.

Anomaly - a thing, situation, etc. that is different from what is normal or expected.

Antecedent - a thing or an event that exists or comes before another, and may have influenced it.

Antipathy - a feeling of strong dislike, opposition, or anger.

Antithesis - the opposite of something.

Apartheid - a system of keeping groups of people separate and treating them differently, especially
when this results in disadvantage foe one group.

Apathy - the feeling of not being interested in or enthusiastic about something, or things in general.

Aphorism - a short phrase that says something true or wise.

Apocalypse - the destruction of the world.

Apocryphal - well known, but probably not true.

Apotheosis - the best or most extreme example of something.

Appease - to make somebody calmer or less angry by giving them what they want.

Appreciate - to recognize how good someone or something is and to value them or it.
3
Apprehensive - worried or frightened that something unpleasant may happen.

Approbation - approval or agreement, often given by an official group.

Appropriate - suitable, acceptable or correct for the particular circumstances.

Aptitude - natural ability or skill at doing something.

Arbiter - someone who makes a judgment, solves an argument, or decides what will be done.

Arbitrary - based on chance rather than being planned or based on reason.

Arcane - mysterious and known only by a few people.

Archaic - old and no longer used.

Archetype - a typical example of something, or the original model of something from

which others are copied.

Ardent - very enthusiastic and showing strong feelings about something/somebody.

Arduous - difficult, needing a lot of effort and energy.

Aristocratic - belonging to a class of people who hold high social rank.

Artful - clever and skilful, especially in getting what you want.

Artifice - the clever use of tricks to cheat somebody.

Ascendancy - a position of power, strength, or success.

Ascetic - avoiding physical pleasures and living a simple life, often for religious reasons.

Assiduous - working very hard and taking great care that everything is done as well as it can be.

Assimilate - to fully understand an idea or some information so that you are able to use it yourself.

Assuage - to make an unpleasant feeling less severe.

Astute - able to understand a situation quickly and see how to take advantage of it.

Atheist - a person who believes that God or gods do not exist.

Attrition - a process of making somebody/something, especially your enemy, weaker by repeatedly

attacking them or creating problems for them.

Audacity - behaviour that is brave but likely to shock or offend people.

Augment - to increase the amount, value, size, etc. of something.

Auspicious - showing signs that something is likely to be successful in the future.

4
Austere - simple and plain; without any decorations.

Autocratic - demanding that people obey completely, without asking or caring about anyone else’s
opinions.

Autonomous - independent and having the power to make your own decisions.

Avarice - an extremely strong wish to get or keep money or possessions.

Avow - to say clearly and often publicly what your opinion is, what you think is true, etc.

Avuncular - behaving in a kind and friendly way towards young people, similar to the way a kind
uncle treats his nieces or nephews.

Awry - not in the intended way.

Axiom - a rule or principle that most people believe to be true.

Banal - very ordinary and containing nothing that is interesting or important.

Bane - something that causes trouble and makes people unhappy.

Bastion - a group of people or a system that protects a way of life or a belief when it seems that it
may disappear.

Beget - to be the father of.

Belabor - to explain something more than necessary.

Beleaguer - to cause a lot of problems or difficulties for someone.

Belie - to give a false impression of somebody/something.

Belittle - to make somebody, or the things that somebody does, seem unimportant.

Belligerent - aggressive and unfriendly.

Bemused - showing that you are confused and unable to think clearly.

Benefactor - someone who gives money to help an organization, society, or person.

Benevolent - kind, helpful and generous.

Benign - kind and gentle; not hurting anybody.

Bequest - money or property that you ask to be given to a particular person when you die.

Bereaved - having a close relation or friend who has recently died.

Beset - to affect somebody/something in an unpleasant or harmful way.

Blasphemy - behaviour or language that is offensive or shows a lack of respect for God or religion.

5
Blatant - done in an obvious and open way without caring if people are shocked.

Blight - to have a bad effect on something, especially by causing a lot of problems.

Blithe - happy and without worry.

Bourgeois - a person who belongs to the middle class.

Bovine - connected with animals from the cattle group.

Brevity - using only a few words or lasting only a short time.

Broach - to begin a discussion of something difficult.

Bucolic - relating to the countryside.

Bureaucracy - a system for controlling or managing a country, company, or organization that

is operated by a large number of officials employed to follow rules carefully.

Burgeon - to begin to grow or develop rapidly.

Burlesque - a performance or piece of writing which tries to make something look silly by
representing it in a humorous way.

Cacophony - an unpleasant mixture of loud sounds.

What a cacophony!

Cadence - the regular rise and fall of the voice.

Cajole - to make somebody do something by talking to them and being very nice to them.

Callow - young and without experience.

Candor - the quality of being honest and telling the truth, especially about
a difficult or embarrassing subject.

Capitalism - an economic system in which a country’s businesses and industry are controlled and run
for profit by private owners rather than by the government.

Capitulate - to accept military defeat.

Capricious - changing mood or behaviour suddenly and unexpectedly.

Caricature - a funny drawing or picture of somebody that exaggerates some of their features.

Castigate - to criticize someone or something severely.

Catalyst - a substance that makes a chemical reaction happen faster without being changed itself.

Categorical - expressed clearly and in a way that shows that you are very sure about what you are
saying.

6
Catharsis - the process of releasing strong emotions through a particular activity or experience, such
as writing or theatre, in a way that helps you to understand those emotions.

Catholic - including many different types of thing.

Caustic - a caustic remark or way of speaking is hurtful, critical, or intentionally unkind.

Celibacy - the state of not having sex, especially because you have made a religious promise not to.

Censure - strong criticism or disapproval.

Cerebral - demanding or involving careful thinking and mental effort rather than feelings.

Chagrin - disappointment or anger, especially when caused by a failure or mistake.

Charisma - the powerful personal quality that some people have to attract and impress other people.

Charlatan - a person who claims to have knowledge or skills that they do not really have.

Chasm - a very deep, narrow opening in rock, ice, or the ground.

Chastise - to criticize somebody for doing something wrong.

Chicanery - the use of complicated plans and clever talk in order to trick people.

Chimera - a hope or dream that is very unlikely ever to come true.

Choleric - very angry or easily annoyed.

Chronic - lasting for a long time; difficult to cure.

Chronicle - a written record of events in the order in which they happened.

Circuitous - not straight or direct.

Circumlocution - the use of more words than are necessary, instead of speaking or writing in a clear,
direct way.

Circumscribe - to limit something.

Circumspect - thinking very carefully about something before doing it, because there may be risks
involved.

Circumvent - to avoid something, especially cleverly or illegally.

Civil - connected with the people who live in a country.

Clemency - kindness when giving a punishment.

Cliche - a phrase or an idea that has been used so often that it no longer has much meaning and is not
interesting.

Clique - a small group of people who spend their time together and do not allow others to join them
7
Coalesce - to come together to form one larger group, substance, etc.

Coerce - to force somebody to do something by using threats.

Cogent - strongly and clearly expressed in a way that influences what people believe.

Cognitive - connected with thinking or conscious mental processes.

Cognizant - having knowledge or understanding of something.

Coherent - logical and well organized; easy to understand and clear.

Colloquial - used in conversation but not in formal speech or writing.

Collusion - secret agreement especially in order to do something dishonest or to trick people.

Commensurate - matching something in size, importance, quality, etc.

Compelling - that makes you pay attention to it because it is so interesting and exciting.

Compendium - a short but complete account of a particular subject, especially in the form of a book.

Complacent - feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need
to try any harder.

Complement - to make something else seem better or more attractive when combining with it.

Complicity - involvement in a crime or some activity that is wrong.

Comprehensive - complete and including everything that is necessary.

Comprise - to be the parts or members of something; to make up something.

Conciliatory - having the intention or effect of making angry people calm.

Concise - giving only the information that is necessary and important, using few words.

Concord - agreement and peace between countries and people.

Concurrent - happening or existing at the same time.

Condescend - to do something that you think it is below your social or professional position to do.

Condone - to accept or allow behaviour that is wrong.

Conducive - providing the right conditions for something good to happen or exist.

Confluence - the fact of two or more things becoming one.

Congenial - friendly and pleasant.

Congenital - existing since or before birth.

8
Congregate - to come together in a large group of people or animals.

Conjecture - an opinion or idea that is not based on definite knowledge and is formed by guessing.

Conjure - to make something appear by magic, or as if by magic.

Connoisseur - an expert on matters involving the judgement of beauty, quality or skill in art, food or
music.

Consecrate - to officially make something holy and able to be used for religious ceremonies.

Consensus - a generally accepted opinion or decision among a group of people.

Consonant - a speech sound made by completely or partly stopping the flow of air through the
mouth or nose.

Construe - to understand the meaning of a word, a sentence or an action in a particular way.

Consummate - perfect, or complete in every way.

Contentious - causing , involving, or likely to cause disagreement and argument.

Contiguous - next to or touching another, usually similar, thing.

Contingent - a group of people representing an organization or country, or a part of a military force.

Contrite - feeling very sorry and guilty for something bad that you have done.

Contrived - artificial and difficult to believe.

Conventional - traditional and ordinary.

Convivial - cheerful and friendly in atmosphere or character.

Copious - in large amounts, or more than enough.

Corollary - a situation, an argument or a fact that is the natural and direct result of another one.

Corroborate - to provide evidence or information that supports a statement, theory, etc.

Cosmopolitan - containing people of different types or from different countries, and influenced by
their culture.

Countenance - the appearance or expression of someone's face.

Coup - a sudden change of government that is illegal and often violent.

Covenant - a formal agreement or promise between two or more people.

Covert - secret or hidden, making it difficult to notice.

Covet - to want something very much, especially something that belongs to somebody else.
9
Credulous - too ready to believe things and therefore easy to trick.

Criterion - a standard or principle by which something is judged, or with the help of which a decision
is made.

Cryptic - mysterious and difficult to understand.

Culinary - connected with cooking or kitchens.

Culminate - to end with a particular result, or at a particular point.

Culpable - responsible and deserving blame for having done something wrong.

Cursory - done quickly and without giving enough attention to details.

Curtail - to limit something or make it last for a shorter time.

Cynic - a person who believes that people only do things to help themselves, rather than for good or
sincere reasons.

Daunt - to make somebody feel nervous and less confident about doing something.

Dearth - a lack of something; the fact of there not being enough of something.

Debacle - a complete failure, especially because of bad planning and organization.

Debauchery - behaviour involving too much sex, alcohol or drugs.

Debilitate - to make someone or something physically weak.

Decadent - having or showing low standards, especially moral ones, and an interest only in pleasure
and fun rather than serious things.

Decimate - to kill a large number of something, or to reduce something severely.

Decorous - behaving politely and in a controlled way.

Deduce - to reach an answer or a decision by thinking carefully about the known facts.

Defame - to harm somebody by saying or writing bad or false things about them.

Deference - respect and politeness.

Definitive - not able to be changed or improved.

Degenerate - to become worse in quality.

Deleterious - harmful and damaging.

Delineate - to describe, draw or explain something in detail.

Delude - to make someone believe something that is not true.

10
Deluge - a severe flood; a sudden very heavy fall of rain.

Demagogue - a political leader who tries to win support by using arguments based on emotion rather
than reason.

Depravity - the state of being morally bad, or an action that is morally bad.

Deprecate - to feel and express strong disapproval of something.

Deride - to laugh at someone or something in a way that shows you think they are stupid or of
no value.

Derogatory - showing a critical attitude and lack of respect for somebody.

Desiccate - to remove the moisture from something so it becomes completely dry;

to lose all moisture and become completely dry.

Despondent - unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm.

Despot - a person, especially a ruler, who has unlimited power over other people, and often uses
it unfairly and cruelly.

Destitute - without money, food and the other things necessary for life.

Desultory - without a clear plan or purpose and showing little effort or interest.

Dexterous - having the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skilfully with the hands.

Dialectical - discovering what is true by considering opposite theories.

Dictum - a short statement, especially one expressing advice or a general truth.

Didactic - designed to teach people something, especially a moral lesson.

Diffident - shy and not confident of your abilities.

Digress - to start to talk about something that is not connected with the main point of what you are
saying.

Dilettante - doing or studying something without being serious about it and not having much
knowledge.

Discern - to see, recognize, or understand something that is not clear.

Discreet - careful in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing
difficulty for somebody or making them feel embarrassed.

Discrete - clearly separate or different in shape or form.

Discriminate - to recognize that there is a difference between people or things; to show a difference
between people or things.

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Disdain - the feeling that somebody/something is not good enough to deserve your respect or
attention.

Disinterested - not influenced by personal feelings, or by the chance of getting some advantage for
yourself.

Disparage - to suggest that somebody/something is not important or valuable.

Disparate - made up of parts or people that are very different from each other.

Disseminate - to spread information, knowledge, etc. so that it reaches many people.

Dissipate - to gradually become or make something become weaker until it disappears.

Dissolution - the act or process of ending an official organization or legal agreement.

Distend - to swell (= become larger and rounder than before) or make something swell because of
pressure from inside.

Distinguish - to recognize the difference between two people or things.

Docile - quiet and easy to influence, persuade, or control.

Doctrinaire - based on and following fixed beliefs rather than considering practical problems.

Dogmatic - being certain that your beliefs are right and that others should accept them, without
paying attention to evidence or other opinions.

Domestic - relating to a person's own country.

Dormant - not active or growing now but able to become active or to grow in the future.

Dubious - thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted.

Duplicity - dishonest talk or behaviour, especially by saying different things to two people.

Ebullient - full of confidence, energy and good humour.

Eccentric - considered by other people to be strange or unusual.

Eclectic - not following one style or set of ideas but choosing from or using a wide variety.

Edify - to improve someone's mind.

Efface - to remove something intentionally.

Effusion - a sudden and uncontrolled expression of strong emotion.

Egalitarian - a person who believes that everyone is equal and should have the same rights and
opportunities.
Egocentric - thinking only about yourself and not about what other people need or want.

Egregious - extremely bad in a way that is very noticeable.

12
Elicit - to get or produce something, especially information or a reaction.

Elliptical - with a word or words left out of a sentence deliberately.

Elusive - difficult to find, define or achieve.

Emigrate - to leave a country permanently and go to live in another one.

Eminent - famous and respected, especially in a particular profession.

Empirical - based on experiments or experience rather than ideas or theories.

Emulate - to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.

Encroach - to take control or possession of something in a gradual way and often without
being noticed.

Endemic - regularly found in a particular place or among a particular group of people and difficult to
get rid of.

Enervate - to make somebody feel weak and tired.

Enfranchise - to give a person or group of people the right to vote in elections.

Engender - to make a feeling or situation exist.

Enigma - something that is mysterious and seems impossible to understand completely.

Enormity - very great size or importance.

Ephemeral - lasting for only a short time.

Epigram - a short saying or poem that expresses an idea in a clever, funny way.

Epitome - a perfect example of something.

Equanimity - a calm state of mind that means that you do not become angry or upset, especially in
difficult situations.

Equitable - treating everyone fairly and in the same way.

Equivocal - not having one clear or definite meaning or intention; able to be understood in more than
one way.

Erudite - having or showing great knowledge that is gained from academic study.

Esoteric - likely to be understood or enjoyed by only a few people with a special knowledge or
interest

Espouse - to become involved with or support an activity or opinion.

Ethereal - light and delicate, especially in an unnatural way.

13
Euphemism - a word or phrase used to avoid saying an unpleasant or offensive word.

Evanescent - disappearing quickly from sight or memory.

Exacerbate - to make something worse, especially a disease or problem.

Exacting - demanding a lot of effort, care, or attention.

Exalt - to raise someone to a higher rank or more powerful position.

Exasperate - to annoy somebody very much.

Exemplify - to be or give a typical example of something.

Exhaustive - complete and including everything.

Exhort - to try hard to persuade somebody to do something.

Exigency - a need or demand that you must deal with immediately.

Existential - relating to existence or being alive.

Exonerate - to show or state that someone or something is not guilty of something

Expatriate - someone who does not live in their own country.

Expedient - an action that is useful or necessary for a particular purpose, but not always fair or right.

Expedite - to make a process happen more quickly.

Explicit - clear and easy to understand, so that you have no doubt what is meant.

Extol - to praise something or someone very much.

Extraneous - not directly connected with or related to something.

Extrapolate - to guess or think about what might happen using information that is already known.

Extricate - to remove something or set something free with difficulty.

Extrovert - an energetic person who enjoys being with other people.

Exult - to feel and show that you are very excited and happy because of something that has happened.

Fabrication - false information that is invented in order to trick people; the act of inventing such
information.

Facetious - not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever.

Facile - produced without effort or careful thought.

Faction - a group within a larger group, especially one with slightly different ideas from
the main group.
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Farcical - silly and not worth taking seriously.

Fastidious - giving too much attention to small details and wanting everything to
be correct and perfect.

Fatalist - a person who believes that events are decided by fate and cannot be controlled.

Fatuous - stupid, not correct, or not carefully thought about.

Fauna - all the animals living in an area or in a particular period of history

Fecund - able to produce a lot of crops, fruit, babies, young animals, etc.

Felicity - well-chosen or successful features, especially in a speech or piece of writing.

Fervor - very strong feelings about something.

Fetter - to keep someone within limits or stop them from making progress.

Fidelity - the quality of being loyal to somebody/something.

Figurative - used not with their basic meaning but with a more imaginative meaning,
in order to create a special effect.

Finesse - great skill in dealing with people or situations, especially in a light and careful way.

Flagrant - (of an action) that shocks you because it is done in a very obvious way and shows no
respect for people, laws, etc.

Flaunt -to show or make obvious something you are proud of in order to get admiration.

Flout - to show that you have no respect for a law, etc. by openly not obeying it.

Foible - a silly habit or a strange or weak aspect of a person’s character that is not considered serious
by other people.

Foment - to create trouble or violence or make it worse.

Forebear - a person in your family who lived a long time ago.

Forego - to decide not to have or do something that you would like to have or do.

Forsake - to leave someone for ever, especially when they need you.

Fortuitous - happening by chance, especially a lucky chance that brings a good result.

Founder - someone who establishes an organization.

Fraternal - connected with the relationship that exists between brothers.

Frenetic - involving a lot of energy and activity in a way that is not organized.

15
Frugal - using only as much money or food as is necessary.

Furtive - behaving in a way that shows that you want to keep something secret and do not want to be
noticed.

Futile - having no purpose because there is no chance of success.

Garrulous - talking a lot, especially about unimportant things.

Gauche - shy or uncomfortable when dealing with people and often saying or doing the wrong thing.

Genre - a particular type or style of literature, art, film or music that you can recognize because of its
special features.

Genteel - quiet and polite, often in an exaggerated way; from, or pretending to be from, a high social
class.

Gesticulate - to move your hands and arms about in order to attract attention or make somebody
understand what you are saying.

Glut - a situation in which there is more of something than is needed or can be used.

Grandiloquent - using long or complicated words in order to impress people.

Grandiose - larger and containing more detail than necessary, or intended to seem important or great.

Gratuitous - done without any good reason or purpose and often having harmful effects.

Gravity - serious behaviour, speech or appearance.

Gregarious - liking to be with other people.

Guile - the use of clever but dishonest behaviour in order to trick people.

Hackneyed - used too often and therefore boring.

Hapless - unlucky and usually unhappy.

Harbinger - a sign that shows that something is going to happen soon, often something bad.

Hedonism - the belief that pleasure is the most important thing in life.

Hegemony - the position of being the strongest and most powerful and therefore able to control
others.

Heresy - a belief or an opinion that is against the principles of a particular religion; the fact of
holding such beliefs.

Hermetic - tightly closed so that no air can escape or enter.

Heyday - the most successful or popular period of someone or something.

Hiatus - a break in activity when nothing happens.

16
Hierarchy - a system in which people or things are arranged according to their importance.

Histrionic - showing a lot of emotion in order to persuade others or attract attention.

Homily - a speech or piece of writing giving advice on the correct way to behave, etc.

Homogeneous - consisting of parts or people that are similar to each other or are of the same type.

Husbandry - the careful use of money, food, supplies, etc.

Hyperbole - a way of speaking or writing that makes something sound better, more exciting, more
dangerous, etc. than it really is.

Hypothetical - based on situations or ideas that are possible and imagined rather than real and true.

Iconoclast - a person who strongly opposes generally accepted beliefs and traditions

Ideology - a set of beliefs or principles, especially one on which a political system, party,
or organization is based.

Idiosyncrasy - a person’s particular way of behaving, thinking, etc., especially when it is unusual; an
unusual feature.

Idyllic - peaceful and beautiful; perfect, without problems.

Ignominy - public shame and loss of honour.

Illicit - not allowed by the law.

Immigrate - to come to live in a different country.

Imminent - coming or likely to happen very soon.

Immutable - that cannot be changed; that will never change.

Impartial - not supporting one person or group more than another.

Impeccable - without mistakes or faults.

Imperial - belonging or relating to an empire or the person or country that rules it.

Impervious - not affected or influenced by something.

Impetuous - acting or done quickly and without thinking carefully about the results.

Implement - to make something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used.

Impotent - not having the power or ability to change or improve a situation.

Impugn - to cause people to doubt or not trust someone’s character, honesty, or ability.

Inane - extremely silly or with no real meaning or importance.

17
Inaugurate - to introduce a new public official or leader at a special ceremony.

Incandescent - showing extreme anger or happiness.

Incantation - words that are believed to have a magical effect when spoken or sung.

Incense - a substance that produces a pleasant smell when you burn it, used particularly in religious
ceremonies.

Incessant - never stopping, especially in an annoying or unpleasant way.

Incipient - just beginning or just coming into existence.

Incisive - expressing an idea or opinion in a clear and direct way that shows good understanding of
what is important.

Incongruous - strange, and not suitable in a particular situation.

Incorrigible - having bad habits that cannot be changed or improved.

Increment - one of a series of amounts that increase a total.

Indifferent - having or showing no interest in somebody/something.

Indigenous - coming from a particular place and having lived there for a long time before other
people came there; relating to, belonging to or developed by these people.

Indigent - very poor.

Indignant - feeling or showing anger and surprise because you think that you have been treated
unfairly.

Indolent - showing no real interest or effort.

Indulgent - allowing someone to have or do what they want, especially when this is not good for
them.

Ineffable - too great or beautiful to describe in words.

Inept - not skilled or effective.

Inert - not moving or not able to move.

Inexorable - continuing without any possibility of being stopped.

Infamous - well known for being bad or evil.

Infatuated - having a strong but unreasonable feeling of love or attraction for someone or something.

Infer - to reach an opinion or decide that something is true on the basis of information that is
available.

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Infinitesimal - extremely small.

Ingenuous - honest, innocent and willing to trust people.

Inherent - existing as a natural or basic part of something.

Injunction - an official order given by a law court, usually to stop someone from doing something.

Innate - that you have when you are born.

Innocuous - completely harmless.

Inordinate - far more than is usual or expected.

Insatiable - always wanting more of something; not able to be satisfied.

Insidious - spreading gradually or without being noticed, but causing serious harm.

Insinuate - to suggest indirectly that something unpleasant is true.

Insipid - not having a strong taste or character, or having no interest or energy.

Insolent - rude and not showing respect.

Instigate - to make something start or happen, usually something official.

Insular - interested only in your own country or group and not willing to accept different
or foreign ideas.

Insurgent - someone who is fighting against the government in their own country.

Integral - necessary and important as a part of a whole.

Integrate - to combine two or more things so that they work together; to combine with something
else in this way.

Intractable - very difficult or impossible to control, manage, or solve.

Intransigent - refusing to change your opinions or behaviour.

Intrinsic - being an extremely important and basic characteristic of a person or thing.

Introspective - tending to think a lot about your own thoughts, feelings, etc.

Inundate - to give someone so much work or so many things that they cannot deal with it all.

Invective - rude language and unpleasant remarks that somebody shouts when they are very angry.

Inveterate - done as a habit and not likely to change.

Irascible - becoming angry very easily.

Ironic - showing that you really mean the opposite of what you are saying.
19
Irrevocable - impossible to change.

Itinerant - travelling from one place to another, usually to work for a short period.

Judicious - careful and sensible; showing good judgement.

Juxtapose - to put things or people next to each other, esp. in order to compare them.

Kinetic - of or produced by movement.

Labyrinth - a complicated series of paths, which it is difficult to find your way through.

Laconic - using only a few words to say something.

Lament - to express sadness and feeling sorry about something.

Lampoon - to criticize somebody/something publicly in a humorous way that makes them/it look
silly.

Languish - to be forced to stay somewhere or suffer something unpleasant for a long time.

Largesse - willingness to give money, or money given to poor people by rich people.

Latent - present, but not yet active, developed, or obvious.

Laud - to praise somebody/something.

Legacy - money or property that you receive from someone after they die.

Lethargy - the state of not having any energy or enthusiasm for doing things.

Levity - humour or lack of seriousness, especially during a serious occasion.

Libel - a piece of writing that contains bad and false things about a person.

Litigate - to take a claim or disagreement to court.

Loquacious - having the habit of talking a lot.

Lucid - clearly expressed; easy to understand.

Lugubrious - sad and serious.

Luminous - producing or reflecting bright light, especially in the dark.

Machination - a secret and complicated plan.

Magnanimous - very kind and generous towards an enemy or someone you have defeated.

Magnate - a person who is very rich and successful in business or industry.

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Malaise - a general feeling of being ill, unhappy or not satisfied, or that something is wrong in
society, without being able to explain or identify what is wrong.

Malfeasance - an example of dishonest and illegal behaviour, especially by a person in authority.

Malignant - (of a tumour or disease) that cannot be controlled and is likely to cause death.

Malinger - to pretend to be ill in order to avoid having to work.

Malleable - that can be hit or pressed into different shapes easily without breaking or cracking
Lead and tin are malleable metals.

Mandate - the authority given to an elected group of people, such as a government,

to perform an action or govern a country.

Manifest - to show something clearly, especially a feeling, an attitude or a quality.

Manifesto - a written statement in which a group of people explain their beliefs and aims, especially
one published by a political party to say what they will do if they win an election.

Marshal - to bring together or organize people or things in order to achieve a particular aim.

Martial - connected with fighting or war.

Martyr - a person who is killed because of their religious or political beliefs.

Matriculate - to be formally admitted to study at a university or college.

Maudlin - talking in a silly, emotional way, often feeling sorry for yourself.

Maverick - thinking and acting in an independent way, often behaving differently from
the expected or usual way.

Maxim - a short statement of a general truth, principle, or rule for behaviour.

Mediate - to talk to two separate people or groups involved in a disagreement to try to help them
to agree or find a solution to their problems.

Mellifluous - having a pleasant and flowing sound.

Mendacious - not telling the truth.

Mendicant - living by asking people for money and food.

Mentor - an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period
of time.

Mercenary - interested only in the money that can be obtained from a situation.

Mercurial - often changing or reacting in a way that is unexpected.

Metamorphosis - a process in which somebody/something changes completely into something

different.
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Microcosm - a small place, society, or situation that has the same characteristics as something
much larger.

Milieu - the social environment that you live or work in.

Minuscule - extremely small.

Misanthropic - hating and avoiding other people.

Mitigate - to make something less harmful, unpleasant, or bad.

Mollify - to make someone less angry or upset.

Monolithic - very large, united, and difficult to change.

Moribund - not active or successful.

Morose - unhappy, in a bad mood and not talking very much.

Mortify - to make someone very embarrassed.

Mundane - very ordinary and therefore not interesting.

Munificent - very generous with money.

Myopia - a condition in which someone cannot clearly see things that are far away.

Myriad - extremely large in number.

Narcissism - the habit of admiring yourself too much, especially your appearance.

Nebulous - unclear and lacking form; vague .

Nefarious - criminal; extremely bad.

Neologism - a new word or expression or a new meaning of a word.

Nepotism - giving unfair advantages to your own family if you are in a position of power, especially
by giving them jobs.

Nihilism - the belief that life has no meaning or purpose and that religious and moral principles have
no value.

Nominal - being something in name only, and not in reality.

Nostalgia - a sad feeling mixed with pleasure when you think of happy times in the past.

Notorious - famous for something bad.

Novel - new and original, not like anything seen before.

Noxious - poisonous or harmful.

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Nuance - a very slight difference in meaning, sound, colour or somebody’s feelings that is not
usually very obvious.

Obdurate - refusing to change your mind or your actions in any way.

Obfuscate - to make something less clear and harder to understand, especially intentionally.

Oblique - not expressed or done in a direct way.

Oblivion - a state in which you are not aware of what is happening around you, usually because you
are unconscious or asleep.

Obscure - not well known.

Obsequious - trying too hard to please somebody, especially somebody who is important.

Obtuse - slow or unwilling to understand something.

Officious - too ready to tell people what to do or to use the power you have to give orders.

Onerous - difficult to do or needing a lot of effort.

Opaque - not clear enough to see through or allow light through.

Opulent - expensive and luxurious.

Orthodox - considered traditional, normal, and acceptable by most people.

Ostensible - appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is really something else.

Ostentatious - showing your wealth or status in a way that is intended to impress people.

Pacify - to make somebody who is angry or upset become calm and quiet.

Painstaking - extremely careful and correct, and involving a lot of effort.

Palliate - to reduce the bad effects of something.

Palpable - that is easily noticed by the mind or the senses.

Paltry - too small to be considered as important or useful.

Panacea - something that will solve all the problems of a particular situation.

Paradigm - a model of something, or a very clear and typical example of something.

Paradox - a person, thing or situation that has two opposite features and therefore seems strange.

Parochial - only interested in small issues that happen in your local area and not interested in more
important things.

Parody - something that is such a bad or an unfair example of something that it seems silly.
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Parsimonious - extremely unwilling to spend money.

Partisan - showing too much support for one person, group or idea, especially without considering it
carefully.

Patent - the official legal right to make or sell an invention for a particular number of years.

Paternal - behaving or feeling as a father does toward his child.

Pathology - the scientific study of disease.

Patriarch - a powerful man in a family.

Patrician - a person of high social rank.

Patronize - to treat somebody in a way that seems friendly, but which shows that you think that they
are not very intelligent, experienced, etc.

Paucity - the fact that there is too little of something.

Peccadillo - a small unimportant thing that somebody does wrong.

Pedantic - too worried about small details or rules.

Pedestrian - a person walking in the street and not travelling in a vehicle.

Pejorative - expressing disapproval, or suggesting that something is not good or is of no importance.

Penchant - a liking for or a habit of doing something, esp. something that other people might not like.

Pensive - thinking deeply about something, especially because you are sad or worried.

Peremptory - expecting to be obeyed immediately and without any questions.

Perennial - lasting a very long time, or happening repeatedly or all the time.

Perfidy - unfair treatment of somebody who trusts you.

Perfunctory - done quickly, without taking care or interest.

Peripatetic - going from place to place, for example in order to work.

Periphery - the outer edge of an area.

Perjury - the crime of telling a lie in court after you have sworn to tell the truth.

Permeate - to spread through something and be present in every part of it.

Pernicious - having a very harmful effect on somebody/something, especially in a way that is not
easily noticed.

Perquisite - something you receive as well as your wages for doing a particular job.
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Pertinent - appropriate to a particular situation.

Perturb - to make somebody worried or anxious.

Peruse - to read something, especially in a careful way.

Pervade - to spread through and be easy to notice in every part of something.

Petulant - easily annoyed and complaining in a rude way like a child.

Philanthropy - the activity of helping the poor, especially by giving them money.

Philistine - a person who does not like or understand art, literature, music, etc.

Pious - having or showing a deep respect for God and religion.

Pivotal - important because other things depend on it.

Placate - to stop someone from feeling angry.

Plaintive - used to describe something that sounds slightly sad.

Platitude - a statement that has been repeated so often that it is meaningless.

Plebeian - connected with ordinary people or people of the lower social classes.

Plethora - an amount that is greater than is needed or can be used.

Poignant - causing or having a very sharp feeling of sadness.

Polarize - to separate or make people separate into two groups with completely opposite opinions.

Polemic - a speech or a piece of writing that argues very strongly for or against something/somebody.

Ponderous - slow and awkward because of being very heavy or large.

Portent - a sign that something bad is likely to happen in the future.

Postulate - an idea that is suggested or accepted as a basic principle before a further idea is formed or
developed from it.

Pragmatic - solving problems in a practical and sensible way rather than by having fixed ideas or
theories.

Precedent - an official action or decision that has happened in the past and that is seen as an example
or a rule to be followed in a similar situation later.

Precept - a rule about how to behave or what to think.

Precipitate - to make something happen suddenly or sooner than expected.

Precipitous - very steep, high and often dangerous.

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Preclude - to prevent something or make it impossible, or prevent someone from doing something.

Precursor - something that comes before another and may lead to it or influence its development.

Predilection - a strong liking or preference.

Preeminent - more important or powerful than all others.

Preempt - to prevent something from happening by taking action to stop it.

Premise - an idea or theory on which a statement or action is based.

Prerogative - a right or advantage belonging to a particular person or group because of their

importance or social position.

Prevail - to exist or be very common at a particular time or in a particular place.

Pristine - fresh and clean, as if new.

Prodigal - too willing to spend money or waste time, energy or materials.

Prodigious - very large or powerful and causing surprise; impressive.

Prodigy - a young person whose intelligence or skill is unusually good for their age.

Profane - showing no respect for a god or a religion, often through language.

Profess - to claim that something is true or correct, especially when it is not.

Proficient - skilled and experienced.

Profligate - using money, time, materials, etc. in a careless way.

Profound - showing a clear and deep understanding of serious matters.

Profuse - produced or given in large amounts.

Proletariat - the class of ordinary people who earn money by working, especially those who do not
own any property.

Proliferate - to increase rapidly in number or amount.

Prolific - producing a great number or amount of something.

Promulgate - to spread an idea, a belief, etc. among many people.

Propensity - a tendency to behave in a particular way.

Propitious - likely to produce a successful result.

Proponent - a person who supports an idea or course of action.

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Proprietary - relating to owning something, or relating to or like an owner.

Propriety - moral and social behaviour that is considered to be correct and acceptable.

Prosaic - ordinary and not showing any imagination.

Proscribe - to say officially that something is banned.

Proselytize - to try to persuade other people to accept your beliefs, especially about religion or
politics.

Protagonist - ​ the main character in a play, film or book.

Protract - to make something last for a long time or last longer than necessary.

Provident - careful in planning for the future, especially by saving money.

Provincial - relating to an area that is governed as part of a country or an empire.

Provisional - arranged for the present time only and likely to be changed in the future
These dates are only provisional.

Proximity - the state of being near in space or time.

Prudent - sensible and careful when you make judgements and decisions; avoiding unnecessary risks.

Purported - claimed but not proved to be true.

Putative - generally thought to be or to exist, even if this may not really be true.

Qualify - to have or achieve the necessary skills.

Qualitative - connected with what something is like or how good it is, rather than with how much of
it there is.

Querulous - often complaining, especially in a weak high voice.

Quixotic - having or involving ideas or plans that show imagination but are usually not practical.

Ramification - the possible result of a decision or action.

Rancor - feelings of hate and a desire to hurt other people, especially because you think that
somebody has done something unfair to you.

Rapacious - wanting more money or goods than you need or have a right to.

Rebuke - the act of speaking severely to somebody because they have done something wrong.

Rebut - to argue that a statement or claim is not true.

Recalcitrant - unwilling to obey rules or follow instructions; difficult to control.

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Recant - to announce in public that your past beliefs or statements were wrong and that you
no longer agree with them.

Reciprocal - involving two people or organizations who agree to help each other by behaving in the
same way or by giving each other similar advantages.

Reclusive - living alone and avoiding going outside or talking to other people.

Recondite - not known about by many people and difficult to understand.

Recrimination - arguments between people who are blaming each other.

Redolent - smelling strongly of something or having qualities (especially smells) that make
you think of something else.

Redundant - having lost your job because your employer no longer needs you.

Refute - to prove that something is wrong.

Reiterate - to repeat something that you have already said, especially to emphasize it.

Relegate - to give somebody a lower or less important position, rank, etc. than before.

Relentless - continuing in a severe or extreme way.

Relinquish - to stop having something, especially when this happens unwillingly.

Remonstrate - to complain to someone or about something.

Renaissance - a new growth of activity or interest in something, especially art, literature, or music.

Renounce - to say formally or publicly that you no longer own, support, believe in, or have
a connection with something.

Reparation - payment for harm or damage.

Repercussion - an indirect and usually bad result of an action or event that may happen some time
afterwards.

Replenish - to fill something again, or return something to its earlier condition.

Replete - full, especially with food.

Reprehensible - morally wrong and deserving criticism.

Reprisal - a violent or aggressive act towards somebody because of something bad that they have
done towards you.

Reproach - to criticize or find fault with someone.

Reprove - to tell somebody that you do not approve of something that they have done.

Repudiate - to refuse to accept or obey something or someone; reject.

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Requisite - necessary or needed for a particular purpose.

Resolute - strong and determined.

Respite - a pause or rest from something difficult or unpleasant.

Reticent - unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelings.

Revere - to admire and respect somebody/something very much.

Rhetoric - speech or writing intended to be effective and influence people.

Rigorous - done carefully and with a lot of attention to detail.

Robust - strong and healthy.

Rogue - a person who behaves badly, but despite this is quite attractive.

Rudimentary - dealing with only the most basic matters or ideas.

Ruminate - to think deeply about something.

Rustic - simple and often rough in appearance; typical of the countryside.

Saccharine - too sweet or too polite.

Sacrilege - an act of treating a holy thing or place without respect.

Sacrosanct - so important that there cannot be any change or question.

Sagacious - showing good judgement and understanding.

Salient - most important or easy to notice.

Salutary - causing improvement of behaviour or character.

Sanctimonious - giving the impression that you feel you are better and more moral than other people.

Sanguine - cheerful and confident about the future.

Sardonic - showing that you think that you are better than other people and do not take them
seriously.

Scintillate - to say very clever, exciting, or funny things.

Scrupulous - doing everything correctly and exactly as it should be done.

Scrutinize - to look at or examine somebody/something carefully.

Secular - not having any connection with religion.

Sedition - the use of words or actions that are intended to encourage people to oppose a government.

29
Segregate - to keep one thing separate from another.

Sensory - connected with your physical senses.

Sentient - able to see or feel things through the senses.

Sequester - to take control of somebody’s property or assets until a debt has been paid.

Serendipity - the fact of something interesting or pleasant happening by chance.

Servile - wanting too much to please somebody and obey them.

Singular - of an unusual quality or standard; noticeable.

Sinister - seeming evil or dangerous; making you think something bad will happen.

Slander - a false spoken statement about someone that damages their reputation, or the making of
such a statement.

Sloth - the bad habit of being lazy and unwilling to work.

Sobriety - the state of not being drunk.

Solicitous - showing care and helpful attention to someone.

Solvent - having enough money to pay all the money that is owed to other people.

Soporific - causing sleep or making a person want to sleep.

Sordid - dirty and unpleasant.

Spawn - to cause something new, or many new things, to grow or start suddenly.

Specious - seeming right or true but actually wrong or false.

Sporadic - happening sometimes; not regular or continuous.

Spurious - false, although seeming to be real or true.

Squalor - dirty and unpleasant conditions.

Squander - to waste money, time, etc. in a stupid or careless way.

Stagnation - the fact of no longer developing or making progress.

Static - not moving, changing or developing.

Staunch - always showing strong support in your opinions and attitude.

Steadfast - not changing in your attitudes or aims.

Stigmatize - to treat someone or something unfairly by disapproving of him, her, or it.

30
Stipulate - to state clearly and definitely that something must be done, or how it must be done.

Stoic - a person who is able to suffer pain or trouble without complaining or showing what they.

Stratum - one of the parts or layers into which something is separated.

Stricture - a severe criticism, especially of somebody’s behaviour.

Strife - violent or angry disagreement.

Stringent - very strict and that must be obeyed.

Stymie - to prevent something from happening or someone from achieving a purpose.

Subjugate - to defeat somebody/something; to gain control over somebody/something.

Sublime - of very high quality or great beauty.

Subordinate - having a lower or less important position.

Substantive - dealing with real, important or serious matters.

Subtle - not very obvious or easy to notice.

Subversive - a person who tries to destroy or damage a government or political system by attacking it
secretly or indirectly.

Succinct - expressed clearly and in a few words.

Succumb - to not be able to fight an attack, a temptation, etc.

Supercilious - behaving towards other people as if you think you are better than they are.

Superficial - never thinking about things that are serious or important.

Superfluous - unnecessary or more than you need or want.

Surfeit - an amount that is too large.

Surreptitious - done secretly, without anyone seeing or knowing.

Surrogate - replacing someone else or used instead of something else.

Sycophant - a person who praises important or powerful people too much and in a way that is not
sincere, especially in order to get something from them.

Synthesis - the mixing of different ideas, influences, or things to make a whole that is different, or
new.

Tacit - not expressing or talking about something directly or openly.

Taciturn - tending not to say very much, in a way that seems unfriendly.

31
Tangential - having only a slight or indirect connection with something.

Tangible - that you can touch or feel.

Tantamount - having the same bad effect as something else.

Tautological - saying the same thing twice in different words, when this is unnecessary.

Temerity - a willingness to do or say something that shocks or upsets other people.

Temperate - neither very hot nor very cold.

Tenable - easy to defend against attack.

Tenacious - that does not stop holding something or give up something easily; determined.

Tenet - one of the principles on which a belief or theory is based.

Tentative - not definite or certain because you may want to change it later.

Tenuous - so weak or uncertain that it hardly exists.

Terse - using few words and often not seeming polite or friendly.

Theology - the study of religion and religious belief.

Tirade - a long, angry speech expressing strong disapproval.

Torpor - the state of not being active and having no energy or enthusiasm.

Touchstone - an established standard or principle by which something is judged.

Tout - to advertise, talk about, or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way
of encouraging people to like, accept, or buy something.

Transcend - to be or go beyond the usual limits of something.

Transgress - to go beyond the limit of what is morally or legally acceptable.

Transient - lasting for only a short time; temporary.

Trepidation - great worry or fear about something unpleasant that may happen.

Turpitude - very bad behaviour.

Ubiquitous - found or existing everywhere.

Unconscionable - morally unacceptable.

Unctuous - friendly or giving praise in a way that is not sincere and that is therefore unpleasant.

Uniform - the same; not changing or different in any way.

32
Unremitting - never stopping, becoming weaker, or failing.

Unwitting - not aware of what you are doing or of the situation you are involved in.

Urbane - good at knowing what to say and how to behave in social situations; appearing relaxed and
confident.

Usurp - to take control of a position of power, especially without having the right to.

Utilitarian - designed to be useful and practical rather than attractive.

Utopia - an imaginary place or state in which everything is perfect.

Vacillate - to keep changing your opinion or thoughts about something, especially in a way that
annoys other people.

Vapid - not showing interest or intelligence.

Vehement - showing very strong feelings, especially anger.

Venal - prepared to do things that are not honest or moral in return for money.

Venerate - to honour or very much respect a person or thing.

Veracity - the quality of being true; the habit of telling the truth.

Verbose - using or containing more words than are necessary.

Verisimilitude - the quality of seeming true or of having the appearance of being real.

Vernacular - the language spoken by ordinary people in a particular country or region.

Vestige - a small part of something that still exists after the rest of it has stopped existing.

Vicarious - felt or experienced by watching or reading about somebody else doing something, rather
than by doing it yourself.

Vicissitude - one of the many changes and problems in a situation or in your life, that you have to
deal with.

Vilify - to say or write unpleasant things about somebody/something so that other people will have a
low opinion of them.

Vindicate - to prove that something is true or that you were right to do something, especially when
other people had a different opinion.

Vindictive - having or showing a wish to harm someone because you think that
they harmed you; unwilling to forgive.

Virtuoso - a person who shows very great skill at doing something, especially playing a musical
instrument.

Virulent - dangerous and spreading quickly, or (of poison) having an effect very quickly.
33
Visionary - original and showing the ability to think about or plan the future with great imagination
and intelligence.

Vitiate - to destroy or reduce the effect of something.

Vitriolic - full of anger and hate.

Vocation - a type of work or way of life that you believe is especially suitable for you.

Vociferous - expressing your opinions or feelings in a loud and confident way.

Volatile - changing easily from one mood to another.

Volition - the power to choose something freely or to make your own decisions.

Wanton - causing harm or damage deliberately and for no acceptable reason.

Willful - done deliberately, although the person doing it knows that it is wrong.

Wistful - thinking sadly about something that you would like to have, especially something in the
past that you can no longer have.

Zealous - showing great energy and enthusiasm for something, especially because you feel strongly
about it.

34