| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Abdicate | To give up a position of power | The king decided to abdicate the throne in favor of his son. |
| Abridge | To shorten a text without losing the sense | The editor decided to abridge the long novel for a younger audience. |
| Absolve | To free someone from blame or guilt | The priest absolved the penitent of his sins. |
| Abstain | To deliberately choose not to do something | He decided to abstain from alcohol during the month of Ramadan. |
| Acquiesce | To accept something reluctantly but without protest | She acquiesced to her boss's demands, despite her reservations. |
| Alleviate | To make suffering or a problem less severe | The medicine helped to alleviate the patient's pain. |
| Ambiguous | Open to more than one interpretation | The instructions were so ambiguous that I didn’t know what to do. |
| Ameliorate | To make something bad better | The government’s new policy aims to ameliorate the housing crisis. |
| Amicable | Characterized by friendliness and lack of discord | They reached an amicable settlement of the dispute. |
| Anachronism | Something or someone not in its correct historical time | The presence of a digital clock in the ancient Roman movie was an anachronism. |
| Anomaly | Something that deviates from the norm | The scientist noticed an anomaly in the test results. |
| Antagonist | A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone | The antagonist in the story was finally defeated by the hero. |
| Antipathy | A deep-seated feeling of dislike | There was a mutual antipathy between the two rivals. |
| Apathetic | Showing or feeling no interest, enthusiasm or concern | The citizens were largely apathetic about the upcoming election. |
| Aplomb | Self-confidence or assurance; especially in a demanding situation | She handled the unexpected questions with aplomb. |
| Aptitude | A natural ability to do something | He has a remarkable aptitude for learning languages. |
| Arduous | Involving or requiring strenuous effort | The team faced an arduous journey through the mountains. |
| Articulate | Having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently | She is a very articulate speaker and always makes her points clearly. |
| Ascertain | To find out for certain | The detective attempted to ascertain the facts of the case. |
| Aspire | To direct one's hopes or ambitions towards achieving something | She aspires to be a professional musician. |
| Assiduous | Showing great care and perseverance | The student was assiduous in her studies, always aiming for the best grades. |
| Astute | Having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people | His astute management of the company saved it from bankruptcy. |
| Audacious | Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks | Her audacious plan to climb the mountain was met with applause. |
| Austere | Severe or strict in manner; attitude or appearance | The monk's room was simple and austere, with no luxuries. |
| Autonomous | Having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs | The region became autonomous after decades of struggle. |
| Avarice | Extreme greed for wealth or material gain | His avarice led him to cheat his own friends out of their money. |
| Benevolent | Well-meaning and kindly | The benevolent leader was loved by all for his kindness. |
| Bequeath | To leave something to a person through a will | She decided to bequeath her estate to her favorite charity. |
| Blatant | Done openly and unashamedly | His blatant disregard for the rules shocked everyone. |
| Bolster | To support or strengthen | The new evidence will bolster the case against the suspect. |
| Candid | Truthful and straightforward | She gave a candid interview about her experiences. |
| Capitulate | To cease to resist an opponent; surrender | The city was forced to capitulate after a long siege. |
| Cathartic | Providing psychological relief through the expression of strong emotions | Watching the drama was a cathartic experience for the audience. |
| Caustic | Able to burn or corrode organic tissue; sarcastic in a scathing way | His caustic remarks about her cooking made her cry. |
| Censure | To express severe disapproval of someone or something | The committee censured the senator for his unethical behavior. |
| Chastise | To rebuke or reprimand severely | He was chastised by his parents for coming home late. |
| Chronic | Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring | She suffers from chronic back pain. |
| Circumspect | Wary and unwilling to take risks | He was very circumspect in his financial dealings. |
| Clandestine | Kept secret or done secretively | The spies held a clandestine meeting in the dead of night. |
| Coerce | To persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats | They coerced him into signing the contract. |
| Collaborate | To work jointly on an activity or project | The two companies collaborated on a new product line. |
| Complacent | Showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself | He grew complacent after years of success. |
| Condone | To accept or allow behavior that is considered morally wrong | The teacher did not condone cheating in her class. |
| Conspicuous | Clearly visible; attracting attention | Her bright red dress made her conspicuous at the party. |
| Contingent | Dependent on certain conditions | Our plans are contingent on the weather. |
| Contrite | Feeling or expressing remorse | He was contrite after realizing the harm he had caused. |
| Copious | Abundant in supply or quantity | She took copious notes during the lecture. |
| Credible | Able to be believed; convincing | The witness provided a credible account of the incident. |
| Culpable | Deserving blame | The manager was held culpable for the accident at the factory. |
| Cursory | Hasty and therefore not thorough | She gave the report a cursory glance before the meeting. |
| Debilitate | To weaken or reduce the strength of | The illness debilitated him for weeks. |
| Debunk | To expose the falseness of a myth; idea or belief | The scientist debunked the theory that the earth is flat. |
| Deference | Polite submission and respect | He addressed the elder with deference. |
| Deliberate | Done consciously and intentionally | Her actions were a deliberate attempt to provoke him. |
| Delineate | To describe or portray something precisely | The law should delineate the rights and responsibilities of citizens. |
| Demure | Reserved; modest and shy | She gave him a demure smile from across the room. |
| Denounce | To publicly declare to be wrong or evil | The government was quick to denounce the acts of terrorism. |
| Depict | To represent by drawing; painting or describing | The artist depicted the sunset in vibrant colors. |
| Deride | To express contempt for; ridicule | They derided his suggestion as impractical. |
| Despondent | In low spirits from loss of hope or courage | She grew despondent after her business failed. |
| Detrimental | Tending to cause harm | Smoking is detrimental to your health. |
| Didactic | Intended to teach; particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive | The novel had a didactic tone, aiming to impart moral lessons. |
| Diligent | Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties | The diligent student completed all her assignments on time. |
| Discreet | Careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions | He was discreet in handling the sensitive information. |
| Disdain | The feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect | She looked at the mess with disdain. |
| Dissent | The expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or officially held | There was dissent within the party over the new policy. |
| Diverge | To separate from another route and go in a different direction | The two paths diverged in the forest. |
| Divulge | To make known (private or sensitive information) | She refused to divulge the details of the conversation. |
| Docile | Ready to accept control or instruction; submissive | The dog was friendly and docile, perfect for a family pet. |
| Dubious | Hesitating or doubting | He made a dubious claim about his experience. |
| Eccentric | Unconventional and slightly strange | His eccentric behavior made him stand out in the crowd. |
| Eloquent | Fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing | Her eloquent speech moved the audience to tears. |
| Elucidate | To make something clear; explain | The professor elucidated the complex theory with ease. |
| Empathy | The ability to understand and share the feelings of another | Her empathy for others made her an excellent counselor. |
| Ephemeral | Lasting for a very short time | The ephemeral beauty of the sunset took my breath away. |
| Equivocal | Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous | His response was equivocal, leaving everyone confused. |
| Eradicate | To destroy completely; put an end to | The disease was eradicated through years of research and vaccination. |
| Esoteric | Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with specialized knowledge | The lecture on quantum mechanics was too esoteric for the general audience. |
| Euphemism | A mild or indirect word substituted for one considered too harsh | Saying someone passed away is a euphemism for saying they died. |
| Exacerbate | To make a problem worse | Her intervention only served to exacerbate the situation. |
| Exonerate | To clear from blame or fault | The new evidence exonerated the accused from all charges. |
| Expedite | To make an action or process happen sooner | The company promised to expedite the delivery of the products. |
| Extravagant | Lacking restraint in spending money or using resources | Her extravagant lifestyle quickly depleted her savings. |
| Facilitate | To make an action or process easier | The new software will facilitate faster processing of data. |
| Fallacy | A mistaken belief; especially one based on unsound arguments | The belief that the earth is flat is a fallacy. |
| Fastidious | Very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail | She was fastidious in her preparation for the exam. |
| Flamboyant | Excessively showy and flashy | Her flamboyant dress caught everyone's attention at the party. |
| Fleeting | Lasting for a very short time | The joy of winning the lottery was fleeting as reality set in. |
| Futile | Incapable of producing any useful result; pointless | All their efforts to save the company were futile. |
| Garrulous | Excessively talkative | The garrulous old man told stories for hours. |
| Gratuitous | Uncalled for; lacking good reason | The movie was criticized for its gratuitous violence. |
| Gregarious | Fond of company; sociable | She was a gregarious person who enjoyed hosting parties. |
| Hapless | Unfortunate | The hapless man seemed to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time. |
| Harbinger | A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another | The blooming flowers are a harbinger of spring. |
| Haughty | Arrogantly superior and disdainful | Her haughty attitude made her unpopular among her peers. |
| Heinous | Utterly wicked or reprehensible | The criminal was sentenced to life for his heinous crimes. |
| Hypocrisy | The practice of claiming to have moral standards to which one's behavior does not conform | His hypocrisy was evident when he preached about honesty but was caught lying. |
| Idiosyncrasy | A mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual | One of his idiosyncrasies was always wearing a hat. |
| Illicit | Forbidden by law, rules or custom | The police were investigating his illicit activities. |
| Immaculate | Perfectly clean, neat or tidy | Her house was immaculate, not a speck of dust anywhere. |
| Imminent | About to happen | The dark clouds signaled an imminent storm. |
| Impartial | Treating all rivals or disputants equally | The judge was impartial and made a fair decision. |
| Impediment | A hindrance or obstruction in doing something | His speech impediment made it difficult for him to communicate. |
| Impeccable | In accordance with the highest standards | Her impeccable manners impressed everyone at the dinner. |
| Impetuous | Acting or done quickly and without thought or care | His impetuous decision to quit his job left him unemployed. |
| Inadvertent | Not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning | The error was inadvertent and unintentional. |
| Inane | Lacking sense or meaning | Their conversation was filled with inane chatter. |
| Incorrigible | Not able to be corrected or reformed | The teacher considered him an incorrigible student. |
| Indefatigable | (Of a person or their efforts) persisting tirelessly | She was an indefatigable advocate for human rights. |
| Indigenous | Originating or occurring naturally in a particular place | The kangaroo is indigenous to Australia. |
| Inept | Having or showing no skill | His inept handling of the situation only made it worse. |
| Infallible | Incapable of making mistakes or being wrong | The scientist believed his theory was infallible. |
| Ingenious | (Of a person) clever, original and inventive | Her ingenious solution to the problem impressed the entire team. |
| Ingrate | An ungrateful person | He was labeled an ingrate after complaining about the gift he received. |
| Inhibit | Hinder, restrain or prevent an action or process | The cold weather inhibited the plant's growth. |
| Insipid | Lacking flavor or interest | The soup was insipid and needed more seasoning. |
| Insolent | Showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect | His insolent remarks angered his boss. |
| Intrepid | Fearless; adventurous | The intrepid explorer ventured into the unknown jungle. |
| Invincible | Too powerful to be defeated or overcome | The team felt invincible after winning every game of the season. |
| Inviolate | Free or safe from injury or violation | The ancient ruins remained inviolate despite the passage of time. |
| Jeopardize | Put something into a situation in which there is a danger of loss or harm | His careless actions could jeopardize the entire mission. |
| Jubilant | Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph | The fans were jubilant after their team won the championship. |
| Juxtapose | Place or deal with close together for contrasting effect | The artist juxtaposed bright colors with dark ones in her painting. |
| Lackluster | Lacking in vitality, force or conviction | The team's lackluster performance disappointed the coach. |
| Lament | To express passionate grief or sorrow | They lamented the loss of their beloved pet. |
| Laud | To praise highly; especially in public | The critic lauded the novel as a masterpiece. |
| Lethargic | Affected by lethargy; sluggish and apathetic | He felt lethargic after the long, exhausting day. |
| Loquacious | Tending to talk a great deal | She was a loquacious person who loved chatting with everyone. |
| Magnanimous | Very generous or forgiving | He was magnanimous in victory, praising his opponents. |
| Malevolent | Having or showing a wish to do evil to others | The villain in the movie had a malevolent glare. |
| Malicious | Intending to do harm | The hacker launched a malicious attack on the website. |
| Malleable | Easily influenced; pliable | The metal was malleable and could be shaped into various forms. |
| Mediocre | Of only average quality; not very good | The movie was mediocre and didn’t live up to the hype. |
| Meticulous | Showing great attention to detail | She was meticulous in her work, ensuring every detail was perfect. |
| Misconstrue | Interpret something wrongly | His words were misconstrued as an insult. |
| Mitigate | Make less severe, serious or painful | The government took steps to mitigate the effects of the disaster. |
| Morose | Sullen and ill-tempered | He was morose after hearing the bad news. |
| Mundane | Lacking interest or excitement; dull | Her life was filled with mundane tasks and little excitement. |
| Nefarious | (Typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal | The nefarious plot was uncovered by the detectives. |
| Negligible | So small or unimportant as to be not worth considering | The cost difference between the two models was negligible. |
| Nostalgia | A sentimental longing for the past | She felt a wave of nostalgia when she visited her childhood home. |
| Obdurate | Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action | He remained obdurate despite the persuasive arguments. |
| Oblivious | Not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one | She was oblivious to the dangers ahead. |
| Obscure | Not discovered or known about | The origins of the ritual are obscure and mysterious. |
| Obstinate | Stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion | The child was obstinate, refusing to eat his vegetables. |
| Omnipotent | Having unlimited power; able to do anything | The ancient gods were believed to be omnipotent. |
| Omniscient | Knowing everything | The novel is narrated by an omniscient narrator who knows all the characters' thoughts. |
| Ostentatious | Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display | Her ostentatious jewelry drew everyone's attention. |
| Paradox | A statement that contradicts itself | The paradox of his situation was that he needed money to make money. |
| Pensive | Engaged in deep or serious thought | She was pensive, contemplating the future. |
| Perfunctory | (Of an action) carried out without real interest | He gave a perfunctory nod as he walked by. |
| Perplexed | Completely baffled; very puzzled | She was perplexed by the complex puzzle. |
| Placate | Make someone less angry or hostile | He tried to placate the angry customer by offering a refund. |
| Placid | Not easily upset or excited | The placid lake was a perfect spot for meditation. |
| Pragmatic | Dealing with things sensibly and realistically | Her pragmatic approach to solving problems made her a great leader. |
| Precarious | Not securely held or in position | The ladder was in a precarious position, ready to fall. |
| Procrastinate | Delay or postpone action | He tended to procrastinate, waiting until the last minute to start his projects. |
| Prodigious | Remarkably or impressively great in extent or size | The prodigious talent of the young musician was evident to all. |
| Proficient | Competent or skilled in doing something | She was proficient in multiple languages. |
| Prolific | Producing much fruit, foliage or offspring | The prolific writer published several books a year. |
| Propensity | An inclination or natural tendency to behave in a particular way | She had a propensity for helping others in need. |
| Prosaic | Having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty | His prosaic writing style made the novel less engaging. |
| Prudent | Acting with or showing care and thought for the future | It was prudent to save money for emergencies. |
| Quaint | Attractively unusual or old-fashioned | The quaint cottage had a charming, rustic feel. |
| Quell | Put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder) | The police were called in to quell the protests. |
| Quintessential | Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class | She was the quintessential example of a dedicated teacher. |
| Rancor | Bitterness or resentfulness | There was rancor between the two former friends. |
| Ravenous | Extremely hungry | After the hike, they were ravenous and ate everything in sight. |
| Recalcitrant | Having an obstinately uncooperative attitude | The recalcitrant student refused to follow the rules. |
| Redundant | Not or no longer needed or useful | The new software made many of the old systems redundant. |
| Reiterate | Say something again or a number of times | He reiterated his point several times during the meeting. |
| Resilient | Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions | The resilient community rebuilt after the hurricane. |
| Reticent | Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily | She was reticent about her personal life. |
| Reverence | Deep respect for someone or something | The teacher was held in reverence by all her students. |
| Sagacious | Having or showing keen mental discernment | His sagacious decisions helped the company grow. |
| Scrupulous | (Of a person) diligent, thorough and extremely attentive to details | The scrupulous editor caught every mistake in the manuscript. |
| Spurious | Not being what it purports to be; false or fake | The document was found to be spurious and not authentic. |
| Sporadic | Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places | The disease was sporadic, appearing in different regions unpredictably. |
| Staunch | Loyal and committed in attitude | He was a staunch supporter of the political party. |
| Superfluous | Unnecessary; especially through being more than enough | The extra details in the report were superfluous and could be removed. |
| Surreptitious | Kept secret because it would not be approved of | They had a surreptitious meeting to discuss the confidential matters. |
| Sycophant | A person who acts obsequiously towards someone important to gain advantage | The sycophant always flattered the boss to get ahead. |
| Taciturn | (Of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech | The taciturn boy rarely spoke in class. |
| Tenacious | Tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely | The tenacious athlete never gave up on his dreams. |
| Tranquil | Free from disturbance; calm | The tranquil garden was a place of peace and relaxation. |