PROJECT IN ENGLISH 2
UNFAMILIAR WORDS

Submitted by: John Patrick Sese

Submitted to: Ms. Lorna Sacyang

A
Abase - behave in a way so as to belittle or degrade (someone).
Example: I watched my colleagues abasing themselves before the board of trustees

Abate - (of something perceived as hostile, threatening, or negative) become less intense or widespread.
Example: The storm suddenly abated.

Abdicate - fail to fulfill or undertake (a responsibility or duty).
Example: The government was accused of abdicating its responsibility.

Aberrant - straying from the normal or right way.
Example: John’s aberrant behavior is going to get him in a lot of trouble one of these days.

Aberration - deviating from what is normal or desirable, not typical.
Example: Since I did not properly adjust my camera settings, all of my pictures have a blurry aberration on them.

Abet - to encourage or support a behavior or action.
Example: The photo editing software is sure to abet my odds of winning the photo competition.

Abeyance - a state of temporary disuse or suspension.
Example: Immediately following the terrorist attack, pilots had to observe a period of abeyance where they could not depart from the airport.

Abhor - to reject something very strongly; hate.
Example: We abhor violence against others and respect everyone, regardless of a person's race, color and creed.

Abhorrent - causing or deserving strong dislike or hatred.
Example: As I looked around the filthy apartment, I had to wonder who could live in such abhorrent conditions.

Abject - cast down in spirit or hope.
Example: After his wife died, he was an abject man.

Abjure - to give up a belief or an activity.
Example: After the tyrant took over the country, the citizens had to abjure their political beliefs.

Ablution - the act of washing or cleansing.
Example: Some religions require believers to perform an ablution before prayer so that they are clean and worthy in the presence of their God.

Abnegation - the act of rejecting or refusing something.
Example: Because everyone knew Jane loved serving the public, they were shocked by her abnegation of the congressional seat.

Abound - available in large quantity or number
Example: At the beginning of the school year, computer deals abound on the Internet.

Abridge - to make shorter.
Example: His agent told him that he needed to abridge some of the content of his novel so that it would be under 400 pages.

Abrogate - to abolish.
Example: You cannot abrogate anyone's right to free speech!

Abscond - escape into hiding.
Example: Do you think he has plans to abscond with the stolen money?

Absolve - to make (someone) free from guilt, responsibility, etc.
Example: The jury’s innocent verdict appears to absolve the defendant of any guilt.

Abstain - restrain oneself from doing or enjoying something.
Example: Because of my health, I am going to abstain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Abstemious - marked by moderation and holding back on indulgence
Example: Gerald was abstemious at dinner and only ate a little of the food on his plate.

B
Baffle - be a mystery or bewildering to
Example: It baffles her physician as well, and has got doctors increasingly worried.

Baleful - deadly or sinister.
Example: His glance fell on Van Bleit, pallid, red-eyed, obviously suffering, observing him with the baleful look of some savage captive beast.

Balk - refuse to comply
Example: Congressional Republicans, particularly in the House of Representatives, have balked at raising the debt ceiling unless it is accompanied by significant spending cuts.

Ballad - a narrative song with a recurrent refrain
Example: And in the encore there was a new ballad, “Silent Treatment,” which Ms. Bryan sang gently, backed only by Mr. Johnny on acoustic guitar.

Ban - prohibit especially by legal means or social pressure
Example: That’s why gambling and wagers are heavily regulated or banned outright in nearly every country.

Banal - repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
Example: Not bare or messy — that might be interesting — just banal.

Bane - something causing misery or death
Example: Knee pain is the bane of many runners, sometimes causing them to give up altogether.

Banish - expel, as if by official decree
Example: He, however, was destined never to return but was proscribed and banished.
Banter - be silly or tease one another
Example: Instead, they bantered, enthused, tripped over each other's words and generally offered their audience the warmest welcome imaginable.

Barbaric - without civilizing influences
Example: The law was immediately hailed as a victory by animal welfare groups over what they consider to be a barbaric and outdated practice.

Barrage - the heavy fire of artillery to saturate an area rather than hit a specific target
Example: They destroyed army communications, local cellphone towers and laid down a barrage of mortar fire.

Barren - providing no shelter or sustenance
Example: New homes are sprouting from farmland once irrigated by the nearby Tigris River but rendered barren by war and neglect.

Bastion - projecting part of a rampart or other fortification
Example: Dinner over, melons disposed of, fort, stores, and quarters examined, arrangements were made for sleeping in the various sheds and bastions of the fort.

Bathetic - effusively or insincerely emotional
Example: Taken together, her tribulations have the makings of bathetic melodrama.

Bearing - characteristic way of bearing one's body
Example: He thought her face, her whole bearing, singularly composed in view of his announcement.

Beckon - summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture
Example: Ten minutes more and the orderly opened the door, and, obedient to my beckoning finger, stepped out as the lady was ushered in.

Bedlam - a state of extreme confusion and disorder
Example: With more than 190 people killed and hundreds wounded just three days before the country’s general election, Spain was thrown into political bedlam.

Befuddle - be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly
Example: But regulators are profiling data to help find patterns in trading activity that previously would have left regulators befuddled and scratching their heads.

Beguile - attract; cause to be enamored
Example: This is such an entertaining, beguiling, charming and exciting picture.

Behemoth - someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
Example: Behemoths like JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and UBS have snapped up numerous small firms to create industry giants.

C
Cacophonous - having an unpleasant sound
Example: Shoppers mingle, traders peddle their wares and children play in the street, all to a cacophonous backdrop of roaring motorbikes and honking cars.

Cadaverous - of or relating to a cadaver or corpse
Example: These dreary, cadaverous corpses are supported in the positions which they are made to assume by means of steel wires hidden beneath their scanty robes.

Calamity - an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
Example: In that memorable calamity seventeen lives were lost and forty persons seriously injured.

Callow - young and inexperienced
Example: “Marston,” he began, “drifted into the Paris ateliers from your country, callow, morbid, painfully young and totally inexperienced.

Candid - openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness
Example: Mr. Obama, in an unusually candid public discussion of the Central Intelligence Agency’s covert program, said the drone strikes had not inflicted huge civilian casualties.

Capitulate - surrender under agreed conditions
Example: "Alas, no," said Patrick, mournfully, "the day after the battle our brave soldiers were surrounded by overwhelming forces and obliged to capitulate."

Capricious - determined by chance or impulse or whim rather than by necessity or reason
Example: She remained remote and wild, suddenly breaking off our talks and displaying, where I was concerned, the most capricious and inexplicable moods.

Caricature - represent in or produce a caricature of
Example: Mrs. Strong subsequently caricatured our progress by representing me very tall with an extremely tight waistband, and Stevenson looking upward from his diminutive steed.

Cartographer - a person who makes maps
Example: This monk was an excellent cartographer, or map-maker, and Christopher wished to talk with him about the western lands.

Castigate - censure severely
Example: In particular, Kucinich castigated Obama for pursuing military intervention in Libya without congressional authorization: President Obama moved forward without Congress approving.

Catharsis - (psychoanalysis) purging of emotional tensions
Example: Not enough people use evenings out as an opportunity for catharsis. Caustic - capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action
Example: Though the mud only came up to ankle height, its caustic ingredients continue to eat away the foundations.

Cease - put an end to a state or an activity
Example: The firing ceased; the smoke slowly cleared away, revealing the two fleets commingled, shattered, and torn, and strewed with dead. Cede - relinquish possession or control over
Example: He ceded some of his powers to elected officials, while keeping the final say on issues of defense, national security and religion.

Chagrin - strong feelings of embarrassment
Example: He watched his chance, and, at length, escaped, much to his enemies’ chagrin. Charisma - a personal attractiveness or interestingness that enables you to influence others
Example: Egypt's al-Zawahri likely to succeed bin Laden For years, Osama bin Laden's charisma kept al-Qaida's ranks filled with zealous recruits.

Charlatan - a flamboyant deceiver; one who attracts customers with tricks or jokes
Example: Like most charlatans who find it necessary to deceive the world, the physician tried to cover up his shortcomings by noisy bluster.

Chastise - censure severely
Example: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton recently chastised China in a speech she gave in which she decried Internet censorship.

Chimerical - produced by a wildly fanciful imagination
Example: Indeed during his wild and chimerical attempts for finding out a golden country, it is not improbable that this brave adventurer visited many different places.

Chronic - being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
Example: Patrick is expected to remain out until at least June, while Utley, battling chronic knee injuries, may not return until May.

D
Dally - waste time
Example: Too long already had the young General dallied, wasting time. Dapper - marked by up-to-datedness in dress and manners
Example: Favoring elegant, tailored suits, he was once named one of the best dressed men in America by People magazine for his "diplomatically dapper" style.

Dauntless - invulnerable to fear or intimidation
Example: He had dauntless courage, unwearied energy, engaging manners, boundless ambition, unsurpassed powers of debate, and strong personal magnetism.

Dawdle - take one's time; proceed slowly
Example: Being alone, she ate slowly, and deliberately dawdled over the meal, to kill time.

Dearth - an insufficient quantity or number
Example: In those arid deserts, they suffered from thirst as well as from dearth of provisions. Debacle - a sudden and violent collapse
Example: Meanwhile, for now, Mr. Obama has no major scandals or foreign policy debacles. Debilitate - make weak
Example: Necropsy reports told of horses that had been running with debilitating ailments: stomach ulcers, degenerative joint diseases, pneumonia, metal screws from previous broken bones.

Debunk - expose while ridiculing; especially of pretentious or false claims and ideas
Example: Many examples show that what physicians once accepted as truth has been totally debunked. Deduce - conclude by reasoning; in logic
Example: These cases, extreme as they are, do not justify, in my judgment, the conclusion deduced from them.

Defame - charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
Example: Doesn't King know he is going to be smeared and defamed for these hearings no matter what? Defiance - a defiant act
Example: At least 10 people were escorted by security out of the building after a systematic protest in defiance of the board's actions.

Defunct - no longer in force or use; inactive
Example: Gold's has found that its express gyms fit well in spaces vacated by defunct or shrinking retailers. Dejected - affected or marked by low spirits
Example: Around the table, the group of men—pallid, gloomy, dejected, disheartened. Deleterious - harmful to living things
Example: A number of the species are edible, while others have been recorded as deleterious, poisonous, etc. Delicacy - something considered choice to eat
Example: The lady soon prepared supper, consisting of broiled chicken, and other delicacies. Deluge - the rising of a body of water and its overflowing onto normally dry land
Example: Dykes and bridges were washed away in places and roads submerged by the muddy deluge. Demeanor - (behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people
Example: Hollander projects a unifying, jovial persona and leadership method that clashes with Sarkozy’s dominating, impetuous, controversial, and at times grating demeanor. Demographic - a statistic characterizing human populations (or segments of human populations broken down by age or sex or income etc.)
Example: In my country, about 70 percent of the citizens are 30 years old or younger, and there are similar demographics in many other developing countries.
Denounce - to accuse or condemn or openly or formally or brand as disgraceful
Example: Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the courthouse, chanting slogans denouncing the perpetrators and demanding justice for victims. Depict - show in, or as in, a picture
Example: The life-size bronze statue depicts Shannon Stone and his young son wearing baseball caps.

E
Ebullient - joyously unrestrained
Example: The piece opened with ebullient bursts of energy and color that scampered over harmonica drones played by one or more members.

Eclectic - selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas
Example: A former student of fine art, Mr. Scruff's eclectic selections are accompanied by animations of the trademark "potato people" who humorously narrate his musical journey.

Edible - suitable for use as food
Example: Nevertheless, hunger increased so much that many ventured out into woods along the river seeking edible roots, and with some success.

Edify - make understand
Example: Then Miss Fairbairn held one of her little discourses, with which now and then she endeavored to edify her pupils.

Efface - remove by or as if by rubbing or erasing
Example: Her rich beauty was wiped out as an acid-soaked sponge might efface a portrait.

Effervescent - marked by high spirits or excitement
Example: When he ran for president, Barack Obama's effervescent campaign was about hope, optimism, national unity, and, above all, the future.

Effulgent - radiating or as if radiating light
Example: Ere another year be passed, we hope to see its effulgent rays light up all the dark corners of our land.

Egalitarian - favoring social equality
Example: “We are living in an egalitarian society where everyone is equal,” he said.

Egotistical- characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance
Example: I have lived an entirely egotistical life, for myself alone.

Egregious - conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
Example: “His comments were so egregious, naturally advertisers will have doubts about being associated with Limbaugh’s brand of hate,” Mr. Boehlert said in an e-mail message.

Elated - full of high-spirited delight
Example: Young Barry returned from his parting walk with his brother in high spirits, elated with hope, and better both in mind and body.

Eloquent - expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively
Example: But, so far as the best selection of words, the clearest style, the most coherent and convincing argument can constitute eloquence, Mill's speeches are eloquent.

Elucidate - make clear and (more) comprehensible
Example: Improving the understanding of why tissues in bar-headed geese are so adept at taking up oxygen might elucidate human respiration as well.

Elude - escape, either physically or mentally
Example: Gregory was arrested at the scene after allegedly attempting to elude police by jumping out of a window, police said.

Elusive - skillful at eluding capture
Example: They are an elusive lot and Don Ramon would soon wear out his troops hunting them in the bush.

Emancipate - free from slavery or servitude
Example: The Civil War came to an end, leaving the slave not only emancipated but endowed with the full dignity of citizenship.

Embellish - make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.
Example: At Saks, reedy shapes and flared minis, and more vanguard looks like Marc Jacobs’s sports-inspired skirts embellished with a racing stripe, are projected best sellers.

Embody - represent in bodily form
Example: He was a can-do optimist who, despite many years in the environs of Hollywood, identified with and embodied American values.

Embryonic - of an organism prior to birth or hatching.
Example: Human embryonic stem cells typically come from fertilized eggs.

Eminent - standing above others in quality or position
Example: The daring aviator was heartily congratulated again by the President and other eminent men who thronged about him.

F
Fabricate - put together out of artificial or natural components or parts
Example: Generally they are fabricated in that hardest of all metals—steel.

Facet - a distinct feature or element in a problem
Example: For the last two years, my work has focused on all facets of the energy sector, including investment, development and policy issues.

Facetious - cleverly amusing in tone
Example: I am looked upon as highly facetious at night, for I crack jokes with everybody near me until we fall asleep.

Facile - performing adroitly and without effort
Example: His facile talent adapted itself to every style in turn.

Facsimile - an exact copy or reproduction
Example: These ultra-counterfeits are light years beyond the weak facsimiles produced by most forgers, who use desktop printers.

Faction - a dissenting clique
Example: According to reports, an Islamist, al-Qaeda-linked faction known as Ansar Dine spearheaded the city’s takeover, likely muscling out more secular Tuareg and rebel comrades.

Fallacy - a misconception resulting from incorrect reasoning
Example: It's called the straw man fallacy: refuting arguments nobody's made.

Fallible - wanting in moral strength, courage, or will; having the attributes of man as opposed to e.g. divine beings
Example: We regard them as extraordinary but fallible and imperfect men, whom it would be very unsafe to follow in every view and line of conduct.

Fallow - left unplowed and unseeded during a growing season
Example: But before that the fields, which had lain fallow through the winter, must be ploughed and harrowed.

Falter - the act of pausing uncertainly
Example: Tom tried to speak, but he faltered and moved from one foot to the other, in an embarrassed and hesitating way.

Familial - relating to or having the characteristics of a family
Example: They are also highly familial, with very high rates among first-degree relatives of affected people.

Famine - a severe shortage of food (as through crop failure) resulting in violent hunger and starvation and death
Example: To address famine in developing countries, genetic engineers can make inexpensive food crops, such as rice or corn that contain extra nutrients.

Farcical - broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce
Example: Mr. Sheldon's The Havoc seems also farcical in its type; nevertheless it is a serious satiric thrust at certain extreme conceptions of marital relations.

Fastidious - giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
Example: Clodagh bent her head, noting with the fastidious intolerance of youth that his clothes were baggy and his hands unclean.

Fatal - bringing death
Example: It was a very fatal complication, death resulting in all but two instances.

Fatuous - devoid of intelligence
Example: Seth Meyers’s opening monologue: Background required to understand jokes: Like other celebrities, professional athletes are occasionally fatuous and commit embarrassing acts in their personal lives.

Fauna - all the animal life in a particular region or period
Example: Bore holes and wells drilled in Australia, however, have revealed an amazing water beetle fauna of about 100 species.

Fawning - attempting to win favor by flattery
Example: Waiters at fashionable hotels, who hung on the chairs of rich guests with more than usual fawning, were boasting of fortunes made in a day.

Fealty - the loyalty that citizens owe to their country (or subjects to their sovereign)
Example: In Germany and France the vassal owned supreme fealty to his lord, against all foes, even the King himself.

Feasible - capable of being done with means at hand and circumstances as they are
Example: There are many evening classes at universities in major metropolitan areas, which make it more feasible when you're working full-time.

G
Genteel - marked by refinement in taste and manners
Example: "Mrs. D.," said he, turning on me like a tiger, "are you going to teach me polite breeding and genteel manners?" Gentility - elegance by virtue of fineness of manner and expression
Example: Obviously, that level of gentility and decorum is difficult to maintain at regular tour events. Gentry - the most powerful members of a society
Example: In my young days the people with means were the landed gentry and the nobility. Genuflect - bend the knees and bow in church or before a religious superior or image
Example: When you enter, bless yourself with holy water and go quietly to your seat, genuflect on your right knee and enter the pew. Genuine - not fake or counterfeit
Example: While partial relief may be obtained through other channels, real, genuine, and lasting redress can only be obtained by organized action at the polls. Germane - relevant and appropriate
Example: But such questions are not germane to my central theme, and so I pass them over lightly.

Germinal - containing seeds of later development
Example: The most valuable means of securing this all-important growth is “play,” which Froebel said contained the germinal leaves of all later life. Germinate - cause to grow or sprout
Example: Nothing might come of it just then, but Elmer hoped the seed would find lodging, and perhaps later on germinate. Gerrymander - divide unfairly and to one's advantage; of voting districts
Example: In practice, though, officials in both parties often try to gerrymander districts to help themselves and their parties win more elections. Gestate - be pregnant with
Example: In her womb they were gestated and formed. Gesticulation - a deliberate and vigorous gesture or motion
Example: Then the clapping and gesticulations broke forth with increased violence. Gesture - motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
Example: At that, one of the younger men lifted a hand--a quick, nervous gesture, denoting at once surprise and consternation. Ghastly - shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
Example: From here events build up to highly shocking climaxes, including a ghastly murder. Gibberish - unintelligible talking
Example: But the answer was a gurgling gibberish that made no sense at all! Gibe - an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
Example: When nothing but charred end-logs and glowing coals remained, Kent’s men tramped off through the deep snows shouting gibes and taunts at their enemies. Giddy - lacking seriousness; given to frivolity
Example: Another party of giddy, laughing girls, chatter away in a different strain. Gingerly - in a gingerly manner
Example: Newman got hurt during practice Wednesday, walking gingerly off the field after getting tangled with a receiver during pass coverage drills. Gird - prepare oneself for a military confrontation
Example: In this semantic skirmish, the White House, bolstered by the momentum of victory and allies old and new, is girded for combat. Girder - a beam made usually of steel; a main support in a structure
Example: The 130-year-old stone cathedral stands broken and deconsecrated, with stained-glass windows shattered and the west wall propped up by girders. Girth - the distance around a person's body
Example: Others posted messages saying they were looking for "a fat guy called Ai"– a reference to the artist's impressive girth.

H
Haven - a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
Example: At most shows, security guards usually swoop in at this point, cutting off audience access to designers and their backstage havens. Havoc - violent and needless disturbance
Example: On Friday, 62-mph winds caused havoc, knocking over TV towers and fences, and forced race organizers to cancel a giant slalom. Headstrong - habitually disposed to disobedience and opposition
Example: She has a great deal of difficulty, for they are both so headstrong and unruly that they will hardly obey at all. Hearsay - gossip (usually a mixture of truth and untruth) passed around by word of mouth
Example: I tell you not of things learned by hearsay; I myself have beheld all these horrors in the Holy Land of Palestine. Hearty - showing warm and heartfelt friendliness
Example: Not one hesitating voice, but instead, three hearty cheers that made the vessel ring. Heathen - a person who does not acknowledge your god
Example: "Are you Christians," said the holy man, "or heathens?" Heave - throw with great effort
Example: Instead, he panicked and heaved an incomplete pass at teammate Rich. Heckler - someone who tries to embarrass you with gibes and questions and objections
Example: For the next few days, when NTV reporters went out to cover public events, hecklers gathered around them chanting “shame.” Heed - pay close attention to; give heed to
Example: For some distance he put on great speed, but later heeded Perth's suggestion to go more slowly and so attract less notice. Heedless - characterized by careless unconcern
Example: Rembrandt was heedless in his habits, spending what he earned, living on credit, signing onto bad deals.

Hegemony - the dominance or leadership of one social group or nation over others
Example: Chinese officials say the purpose of their military modernization is purely defensive and they have no aspirations toward regional hegemony. Heinous - extremely wicked, deeply criminal
Example: Supporters of the death penalty, meanwhile, described heinous cases and said there were still some circumstances so intolerable as to require execution. Heir - a person who inherits some title or office
Example: Hu’s heir apparent, Vice President Xi Jinping, is scheduled to take over next year and is far less shy about making headlines and meeting Westerners. Helm - a position of leadership
Example: He held various positions, including head of the technology development planning unit and personnel chief, before taking the helm at the camera business in April. Hemisphere - half of a sphere
Example: The New World or Western Hemisphere consists of two continents. Hemorrhage - the flow of blood from a ruptured blood vessel
Example: On the other hand, babies delivered by C-section were less likely to have one type of bleeding around the brain -- known as subdural hemorrhage. Herald - foreshadow or presage
Example: The fleet of traders was preceded some way in advance by light, swift sailing ships which heralded its coming. Herbivorous - feeding only on plants
Example: Sheep and cattle are herbivorous: they feed on herbs, on vegetables. Herculean - extremely difficult; requiring the strength of a Hercules
Example: He made herculean efforts to get on terms with his examination subjects, and worked harder than he had ever done in his life before. Hereditary - inherited or inheritable by established rules (usually legal rules) of descent
Example: From the way in which his eldest son Osman is being brought up, it is evident that Abdullah seeks to establish a hereditary succession.

I
Inclement - (of weather or climate) severe
Example: Check with your business's insurance policy to make sure it covers any accidents on company property caused by inclement weather conditions. Incognito - without revealing one's identity
Example: Hitherto their security has depended on keeping up their incognito by disguises, and the secrecy of their camping place. Incompetent - not qualified or suited for a purpose
Example: The common people, especially in the villages, know nothing at all of Christian doctrine; and many pastors are quite unfit and incompetent to teach. Inconspicuous - not prominent or readily noticeable
Example: Unless Socapa Castle, therefore, is so small and inconspicuous as to have escaped my notice, it must have fallen into ruins or been destroyed. Incorrigible - impervious to correction by punishment
Example: There are some, however, who maintain that the criminal is incorrigible and that reformatory agencies have invariably failed. Incredulous - not disposed or willing to believe; unbelieving
Example: She looked puzzled, half incredulous and perplexed, inclined to smile, blushing somewhat, and all uncertain. Increment - the amount by which something increases
Example: The plan also called for quoting prices in decimals, doing away with the one-eighth increments that had long defined Wall Street math. Incumbent - the official who holds an office
Example: The Democratic incumbent faces no serious primary challenge and his re-election campaign already is well under way. Indelible - cannot be removed or erased
Example: The paints were not indelible, consequently they could be easily removed and another application made as circumstances required. Indemnity - protection against future loss
Example: They should pay an indemnity to the state of Guatemala, not just apologize.” Indenture - bind by or as if by indentures, as of an apprentice or servant
Example: Beneath both these classes were the indentured servants, a few of whom were men of ability forced to pay their passage by service. Indifferent - marked by a lack of interest
Example: He leant back in his chair, outwardly indifferent and calm, but throbbing in every nerve and pulse with wild excitement. Indigenous - originating where it is found
Example: These deer are not indigenous, but were introduced by the Romans, probably from Asia Minor; and are, as at home, more or less private property.

Indigent - poor enough to need help from others
Example: Tarkowski declared himself indigent, and said he could not pay the fines, according to news reports. Indignant - angered at something unjust or wrong
Example: In Spain throngs of young people, known as “the indignant ones,” occupied public plazas nationwide, protesting unemployment and exclusionary politics. Indomitable - impossible to subdue
Example: "The very heart of the city was burned out, but nothing could extinguish its indomitable spirit." Ineffable - defying expression or description
Example: He had asked questions—never in the form of words but only ineffable yearnings of his soul—and at last it had responded. Inevitable - incapable of being avoided or prevented
Example: “Yes,” she repeated more faintly, as though this was all natural, inevitable, expected. Inexorable - not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
Example: He urged, entreated, commanded in vain, Mrs. Fortescue was inexorable. Infamous - known widely and usually unfavorably
Example: This one line in President George W. Bush's 2003 State of the Union address overshadowed all the others, becoming infamously known as the "16 words."

J
Jaded - dulled by surfeit
Example: After so long on the road, beaches and ruins might have left me jaded, and breathtaking views might no longer take my breath away. Jargon - specialized technical terminology characteristic of a particular subject
Example: He has complained that officials' speeches and writings were clogged with Party jargon and demanded plainer speaking. Jaunt - a journey taken for pleasure
Example: He got the idea during afternoon jaunts around the neighborhood with his daughter, Iris, then who rode her bicycle while Mr. Cronin jogged. Jaunty - having a cheerful, lively, and self-confident air
Example: Yet his mood was jaunty and he cheerfully claimed to have achieved his ambition, thus far, of getting through February without touching alcohol. Jeer - laugh at with contempt and derision
Example: The mob jeered, and derided, and insulted her in every conceivable way. Jejune - lacking interest or significance or impact
Example: The works called good are dry and jejune, soon consummated, often of questionable value, and leaving behind them when finished a sense of vacuity. Jeopardize - pose a threat to; present a danger to
Example: Furthermore, Facebook could jeopardize Google’s online dominance by developing its own search capabilities. Jest - activity characterized by good humor
Example: Everybody was in the highest spirits; every jest or bit of fun was caught, bandied back and forth, and passed on with new trimmings. Jettison - throw away, of something encumbering
Example: In the editing room, they jettisoned material they had once deemed essential but came to view as extraneous. Jibe - an aggressive remark directed at a person like a missile and intended to have a telling effect
Example: We would jibe one another, laugh at a fellow to his chagrin, and when we were angry bawl each other out unmercifully. Jingoist - an extreme bellicose nationalist
Example: And, hell, I'm no jingoist, but surely we can do better in this country than importing our drugs from Mexico, right? Jocular - characterized by jokes and good humor
Example: Maria saw everything, and marked well the expression of Mr. Santos's face, so serious, so unlike his usual jocular tone.

Jollity - feeling jolly and jovial and full of good humor
Example: Smiling faces, mirth, and jollity abound everywhere, and good feeling unites all men as brethren on this most popular of all the Dutch festivals. Jostle - make one's way by jostling, pushing, or shoving
Example: "This morning there was a lot of people trying to jostle and barge into the queue, but fortunately everyone had a number," he said.

Jovial - full of or showing high-spirited merriment
Example: He looked a gentleman all over, and his merry laugh and jovial manner made one certain at once that he was a general favorite. Jubilant - full of high-spirited delight
Example: As the results poured in, a jubilant, well-heeled crowd thronged the street outside the party's headquarters, dancing and cheering. Judicious - marked by the exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters
Example: It is judicious to consult a physician immediately, in punctured or lacerated wounds, because they often induce the most dangerous diseases. Juggernaut - a massive inexorable force that seems to crush everything in its way
Example: Welch transformed GE into a sleek juggernaut that dominated market segments from jet engines and locomotives to finance. Juncture - a crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made
Example: At critical junctures throughout the crisis, Mrs. Merkel has resisted appeals to appease the financial markets by lowering borrowing costs. Junket - a trip taken by an official at public expense
Example: Mr. Enriquez arranged for junkets, including foreign golfing destinations, for the members of Congress he was trying to influence.

K
Keen - having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
Example: His keen eyes had detected a small, swiftly moving object on the horizon--the expected patrol boat. Ken - range of what one can know or understand
Example: Ah, but the Eyes Divine look long and see far; things beyond the human ken are all revealed. Kindle - cause to start burning
Example: At a little distance a fire had been quickly kindled and cooking was already going on. Kinetic - characterized by motion
Example: But when the can is opened, the potential energy quickly converts to kinetic energy as the fake snake jumps out. Kinship - (anthropology) relatedness or connection by blood or marriage or adoption
Example: Alexander the Great extended his conquests as far eastward as India, whose native inhabitants claim kinship with European peoples through a common Aryan ancestry. Knave - a deceitful and unreliable scoundrel
Example: The merchant subsequently turned out a very great knave, cheating Tom on various occasions, and finally broke, very much in his debt. Knead - make uniform
Example: He did not look at her as he spoke, but kept on diligently smoothing and kneading the soft clay. Knell - the sound of a bell rung slowly to announce a death or a funeral or the end of something
Example: "If she dies," he had said, and the words rang in my ears like a funeral knell. Knit - make (textiles) by knitting
Example: Poor farming families took up extra work in the villages such as making gloves, knitting stockings, or spinning yarn. Knoll - a small natural hill
Example: At the very base of the hill or knoll alluded to, they halted. Knotty - highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious
Example: I am, at this present writing, perplexed and plagued with two knotty problems in politics.

L
Labile - (chemistry, physics, biology) readily undergoing change or breakdown
Example: We are rather like the labile chemical compounds: our molecules readily rearrange themselves. Lachrymose - showing sorrow
Example: She had got rid of her tears before she came down to dinner, but still she was melancholy and almost lachrymose. Lackadaisical - idle or indolent especially in a dreamy way
Example: She was rather listless and lackadaisical, but seemed to be well content so that she could lie within sight of the Master and dream. Lackluster - lacking brilliance or vitality
Example: But his momentum dwindled just as quickly after a pair of lackluster debate performances. Laconic - brief and to the point; effectively cut short
Example: I thought the circumstances warranted conciseness, and my being laconic, if necessary. Lament - express grief verbally
Example: They went through the passages weeping and lamenting. Lampoon - a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way
Example: Granted, all are outrageously exaggerated, but a discerning eye can detect the truth that lurks behind any satire, parody, or lampoon. Lancet - an acutely pointed Gothic arch, like a lance
Example: Nothing of the sacred edifice remained, however, but the Gothic front, with its deep portal and grand lancet window, already described.

Languid - lacking spirit or liveliness
Example: I felt languid, disinclined for all that was serious,—in fact, lazy. Languish - lose vigor, health, or flesh, as through grief
Example: He would have found production suspended, or languishing. Languor - a feeling of lack of interest or energy
Example: Now, on that evening an inexplicable languor made him dreamy; his eyes followed in vain the text; his rebellious thoughts were scattered. Lassitude - weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
Example: He told by her very attitude that now there was lassitude, even weariness in her. Latent - potentially existing but not presently evident or realized
Example: But the whole future man is already hidden, not yet declared, but latent all the same in the child's heart. Latter - referring to the second of two things or persons mentioned (or the last one or ones of several)
Example: More missiles were fired carefully—not to do damage, but to discourage the intruders; the latter were held at bay for another twelve hours. Laudable - worthy of high praise
Example: In newspaper obituaries, it was long customary to lavish praise on the subjects, noting laudable traits of character.

Lavish - characterized by extravagance and profusion
Example: In Colorado, Blagojevich — whose penchant for expensive suits and lavish spending were outlined at his first trial — will have no luxuries. Leery - openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
Example: People in China wounded by gunshots are often leery of going to hospitals, fearing that they will face questioning and possibly retaliation by the authorities. Legacy - (law) a gift of personal property by will
Example: Like other heirs to civil rights legacies, Mr. Boykin finds himself facing expectations he did not seek. Legerdemain - an illusory feat; considered magical by naive observers
Example: Everything short of this is trick, legerdemain, sleight of hand. Legislate - make laws, bills, etc. or bring into effect by legislation
Example: "We will dispense with the conventional wisdom that bigger bills are always better," he said, "that fast legislating is good legislating." Legitimacy - undisputed credibility
Example: The Fathers of the Church never called in question the validity or the legitimacy of such Baptisms.

M
Manumit - free from slavery or servitude
Example: The slave, now free, would lay down his life for the man who has manumitted him. Mar - make imperfect
Example: This energetic and clear-textured approach allowed for plenty of striking details of percussion and phrasing, marred only by a few brass blemishes. Marital - of or relating to the state of marriage
Example: In many jurisdictions, if your separately owned property increases in value during the marriage, that increase is also considered marital property. Maritime - relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen
Example: In any case, the report argues, international maritime law in theory obligates ships to come to the assistance of those in trouble at sea. Martyr - one who suffers for the sake of principle.
Example: Despite the pounding summer sun, Protesters turned out to demand justice for those killed during the revolution, who are seen as martyrs for democracy. Materialistic - marked by materialism
Example: Moreover, in contrast to the dominant thinking of our age, which is materialistic, King's philosophy is spiritual and religious. Materialize - come into being; become reality
Example: As ties warmed, the two countries discussed joint ventures, though most haven’t materialized. Maternal - characteristic of a mother
Example: Maternal mortality rates are also high, with 85 women dying in childbirth for every 100,000 live births, Tidey said. Matriarchy - a form of social organization in which a female is the family head and title is traced through the female line
Example: In effect, however, women owned the country and women governed it; suddenly the matriarchy existed. Matrix - an enclosure within which something originates or develops (from the Latin for womb)
Example: Today, Web music services are spread across the entire range of the price/convenience/permanence matrix. Maturation - (biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
Example: Again, that is a very fast maturation rate, making it efficient for breeding in the lab. Maudlin - effusively or insincerely emotional
Example: He detested the florid sentimentality of some other universities, the maudlin old grads singing of bright college years! Maul - injure badly by beating
Example: Or if Sleepless in Seattle ended with Meg Ryan being graphically mauled to death by an escaped tiger. Maven - someone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field
Example: The Deadhead community boasts any number of recording engineers, lighting experts, rock video mavens, electronic technicians of all descriptions.

Maverick - independent in behavior or thought
Example: He's still the same maverick, independent spirit he has always been. Mawkish - effusively or insincerely emotional
Example: She is full of mawkish sentimentality, her verses could not fail to be foolish, their whole impulse being the ambition that springs from self-admiration. Maxim - a saying that is widely accepted on its own merits Example: As we are hastily reading books and papers we continually come across maxims, epigrams, and short, pithy sayings that attract us. Mayhem - violent and needless disturbance
Example: Although some graffiti had already been removed, evidence of the previous night's mayhem was visible in broken display cases. Meager - deficient in amount or quality or extent
Example: Prime Minister John Key said he was spreading his Marmite more thinly to stretch his meager and dwindling supply. Meander - to move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course
Example: That route turns out to be a long and meandering one, ending up at an ambiguous, or at least ambivalent, conclusion.

N
Nadir - an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
Example: No one in that vast audience raised a word of protest, and my spirits fell to their nadir.

Naïve - marked by or showing unaffected simplicity and lack of guile or worldly experience
Example: Some have argued that the ministers in question should not have been so naive and foolish as to unburden themselves to complete strangers. Naiveté - lack of sophistication or worldliness
Example: But there was a sort of freshness and naiveté and youthfulness about her which made him use that adjective. Narcissist - someone in love with themselves
Example: Narcissists blame others for failures, take undeserved credit for success, are hypersensitive to negative feedback, and show an exaggerated sense of entitlement. Narrative - consisting of or characterized by the telling of a story
Example: Mr. Barton is master of the mystery story, and in this absorbing narrative the author has surpassed his best previous successes. Nascent - being born or beginning
Example: The initiative also invests in nascent solar companies, acting as an incubator for small businesses and entrepreneurs looking to bring disruptive new technologies to market. Nationalism - the doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goals
Example: Populist nationalism also tends to favor protectionist policies that shield American workers and businesses, particularly small businesses, from foreign competition. Native - characteristic of or existing by virtue of geographic origin
Example: The first European colonists in America found there two valuable native products—maize and tobacco.

Natty - marked by up-to-datedness in dress and manners
Example: These styles are the latest thing, Brought from Paris for the spring, Neat and natty, trim and cool”— “April Fool!” cried Amos. Naught - a quantity of no importance
Example: Names to him were nothing, and titles naught—assumption always standing back abashed at his cold, intellectual glare. Nauseate - upset and make nauseated
Example: After dialysis, patients can feel weak and nauseated, sometimes experiencing significant head, chest and stomach pain — and the tears often flow. Nauseous - causing or able to cause nausea
Example: I still grew nauseous after eating and experienced other stomach-related disorders such as food "Sticking" above my stomach and gastrointestinal disturbances. Nautical - relating to or involving ships or shipping or navigation or seamen
Example: For this expedition Henry Hudson—already known as an experienced and intrepid seaman, and well-skilled in nautical science—was chosen commander. Navigable - able to be sailed on or through safely
Example: This, indeed, is an exaggerated vaunt; but the Flemish stuffs were probably sold wherever the sea or a navigable river permitted them to be carried. Navigate - act as the navigator in a car, plane, or vessel and plan, direct, plot the path and position of the conveyance
Example: Washed out roads grounded trucks in the muck, and precarious mountain passes were in some cases too risky to navigate.

Nebulous - lacking definite form or limits
Example: “The time for nebulous, unspecified and non-detailed commitments is gone,” Fiat SpA Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne said yesterday in London. Necessitate - require as useful, just, or proper
Example: Bean’s famed hunting boots are seeing a surge in popularity, necessitating the hiring of more than 100 additional employees to make them. Necessity - anything indispensable
Example: The rainy season was fairly under way and suitable shelter was an absolute necessity. Necromancy - the belief in magical spells that harness occult forces or evil spirits to produce unnatural effects in the world
Example: In necromancy, spirits are summoned by means of spells and incantations. Nectar - a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators
Example: Nor was it understood that the beautiful blossom of the flower, with its sweet nectar, was an exceedingly important factor in attracting the bees.

O
Occlude - block passage through
Example: In many cases we can dissolve the clot that is occluding the artery or blood vessel in the brain and restore normal flow. Occult - supernatural practices and techniques
Example: He studied magic, and his thirst for knowledge of the occult sciences grew.

Occupy - live (in a certain place)
Example: Another reason sales have fallen is that previously occupied homes have become a better deal than new homes. Odious - unequivocally detestable
Example: Hideous and odious, revolting beyond all expression, the underground war finished by becoming impossible. Odium - hate coupled with disgust
Example: Week after week, the seceders were held up to public odium, derision and scorn. Odoriferous - having a natural fragrance
Example: Some odoriferous substances are fragrant for many years, exhaling continually, yet are not quickly consumed. Odyssey - a long wandering and eventful journey
Example: He hit six rodeos in seven days, an odyssey that took him to stops in Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico and California. Offend - cause to feel resentment or indignation
Example: The research said milder expressions should be used to "avoid offending the public and stoking social tensions". Officious - intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner
Example: Be kind, of course; that’s only your duty, but I call it officious and presumptuous to interfere in other people’s lives. Offset - compensate for or counterbalance
Example: The chain has been raising prices on some drinks to help offset higher costs for commodities like coffee and milk. Ogle - look at with amorous intentions
Example: “This simple food keeps you in beautiful health, Father,” said Mistletoe, ogling the swarthy face of the Abbot with an affection that he duly noted. Olfactory - of or relating to olfaction
Example: The human brain’s olfactory bulb is activated differently depending on where a smell hits the nostril, indicating that odor receptor organization is not uniform. Oligarchy - a political system governed by a few people
Example: The track management of this particular university was an oligarchy; was governed by a few absolute individuals. Omen - a sign of something about to happen
Example: Pale-faced, wide-eyed, statuesque, their presence, interpreted by a vivid imagination, might have been regarded as an omen of impending misfortune. Ominous - threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
Example: He knew there was something ominous in her silence, like gathering thunder. Omit - leave undone or leave out
Example: Titles are abbreviated, mottoes dropped, foot notes cut out, and many earlier poems reduced, or omitted entirely. Omnipotent - having unlimited power
Example: We can still call Him Omnipotent in the sense that He possesses all the power there is. Omnipresent - being present everywhere at once
Example: He is here, there, and everywhere; he is omnipresent—this curse of Finland. Omniscient - infinitely wise
Example: The Omniscient Being alone can have perfect knowledge of all beings and things as they are. Omnivorous - feeding on both plants and animals
Example: Rats and mice are practically omnivorous, feeding upon all kinds of animal and vegetable matter.

P
Plethora - extreme excess
Example: I’ve spent a plethora of times going through my essays, over and over and over again. Pliable - capable of being bent or flexed or twisted without breaking
Example: Worse, the tissues are less pliable, less flexible. Plight - a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
Example: Although one oncologist waived her fees after hearing about the family’s plight, other creditors have demanded payment, and bankruptcy remains a possibility. Plummet - drop sharply
Example: For one thing, even while video games have skyrocketed, youth violence plummeted to its lowest levels in 40 years according to government statistics. Plunder - destroy and strip of its possession
Example: So bold had these robbers become that they did not hesitate to raid the coasts of Italy and to plunder Ostia. Plutocracy - a political system governed by the wealthy people
Example: “Plutocracy" means control by those who own wealth. Poignant - keenly distressing to the mind or feelings
Example: Thus, for example, could I ever have imagined the poignant and terrible suffering of never being alone even for one minute during ten years? Polarize - become polarized in a conflict or contrasting situation
Example: Looking at America Mr. Murray sees a country increasingly polarized into two culturally and geographically isolated demographics. Pompous - puffed up with vanity
Example: A pompous, boasting sort of man, I did not like him at all. Portentous - of momentous or ominous significance
Example: It grew awfully dark— portentous omen!—and some enormous drops of rain, as big as bullets, came smacking down upon the window-stone. Posterity - all future generations
Example: Our posterity will be the living public of a future generation. Potent - having a strong physiological or chemical effect
Example: Yet potent as the medicine might be, it was not powerful enough to keep Edward Armstrong asleep all night. Potentate - a ruler who is unconstrained by law
Example: The land is ablaze with kings and potentates on golden thrones under canopies of angels. Pragmatic - of or concerning the theory of pragmatism
Example: The pragmatic method in such cases is to try to interpret each notion by tracing its respective practical consequences. Preamble a preliminary introduction to a statute or constitution (usually explaining its purpose)
Example: It has no preamble, but is simply introduced by the enacting clause. Precarious - fraught with danger
Example: It pines for that precarious life; its very dangers and privations fill its breast with desire. Precedent - an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
Example: Canada and Newfoundland, following the precedent of the United States, require copyright notice in statutory form. Precocious - characterized by or characteristic of exceptionally early development or maturity (especially in mental aptitude)
Example: He had been a precocious child, advanced beyond his years in all the studies of the schools. Precursor - something that precedes and indicates the approach of something or someone
Example: In theory, learning to detect the precursors of environmental distress could help raise the alarm before any damage is irreversible. Predator - any animal that lives by preying on other animals
Example: “Polar bears are very much of a predator bear, having evolved rapidly to become a specialist in hunting seals.

Q
Quack - the harsh sound of a duck
Example: A family of ducks were slowly paddling about in front of me, making little furrows in the quiet water and giving an occasional placid quack. Quadrilateral - a four-sided polygon
Example: It is quadrilateral in shape, consisting of four unequal sides flanked by towers and built round a courtyard. Quadruped - an animal especially a mammal having four limbs specialized for walking
Example: In a moment they were on all fours, hopping about like so many quadrupeds. Quaff - to swallow hurriedly or greedily or in one draught
Example: Gareth gave it to him, and quaffed deeply of the refreshing draught, for he was burning with thirst.

Quagmire - a soft wet area of low-lying land that sinks underfoot
Example: The heavy rain had reduced this low-lying ground to a veritable quagmire, making progress very difficult even for one as unburdened as he was. Quaint - attractively old-fashioned (but not necessarily authentic)
Example: She lives in a quaint old-fashioned house with casement windows and deep window seats, old oak staircase and paneled rooms. Qualified - meeting the proper standards and requirements and training for an office or position or task
Example: All schools need administrators who are highly qualified, dedicated to the profession and not hired due to political connections. Qualify - prove capable or fit; meet requirements
Example: The housing bust wiped away $7 trillion in household equity, leaving many homeowners with too much debt to qualify for new loans. Qualitative - involving distinctions based on qualities
Example: Qualitative research can help entrepreneurs to understand their customers' or clients' feelings, values, and perceptions of a particular product or service. Qualm - uneasiness about the fitness of an action
Example: Kenneth had no qualms about asking a neighboring table at the country club to stop cussing with his daughters in earshot. Quandary - a situation from which extrication is difficult especially an unpleasant or trying one
Example: Colleges and universities are in a quandary: Spending cuts, combined with a freeze on tuition, mean fewer teachers and the closing of certain programs. Quantitative - expressible as a quantity or relating to or susceptible of measurement
Example: Agencies have not traditionally hired for skills like “number crunching, data visualization, quantitative analysis,” Mr. Neumann said. Quantity - how much there is or how many there are of something that you can quantify
Example: Producing big quantities in America has become harder, as the authorities have cracked down on bulk purchases of the ingredients. Quantum - (physics) the smallest discrete quantity of some physical property that a system can possess (according to quantum theory)
Example: Physicists have used all manner of quantum objects to store qubits—electrons, atomic nuclei, photons and so on. Quarantine - isolation to prevent the spread of infectious disease
Example: The exact time when it is safe for a person to come out of quarantine and resume ordinary life varies in different diseases. Quarrel - an angry dispute
Example: The slightest quarrel, the most commonplace street brawl are pretexts for rival factions to come out in battle array. Quarry - a surface excavation for extracting stone or slate
Example: But what about quarries from which are taken building stone, salt, kaolin or clay? Quash - put down by force or intimidation
More than 500 people are thought to have been killed since mid-March as the security forces try to quash dissent. Quay - wharf usually built parallel to the shoreline
Example: The harbor accommodation is extensive and excellent, large new docks and quays having been recently built, and other works being under construction or contemplated. Queasy - feeling nausea; feeling about to vomit
Example: The ground still shook under his feet, and his insides were producing the queasy symptoms of motion sickness.

R
Recipient - a person who receives something
Example: The society left open the possibility of transplanting hearts into patients over age 70, as long as recipients were otherwise in very good health. Reciprocate - act, feel, or give mutually or in return
Example: He took some pains, moreover, to reciprocate the civilities he had received, by entertaining his hosts in return. Recluse - one who lives in solitude.
Example: He must not continue to withdraw himself from their society, they urged, and live the life of a recluse and hermit. Recoil - draw back, as with fear or pain
Example: The Reverend Mr. Prattleton literally recoiled at the words, and staggered back a few steps in his dismay.

Recommence - begin again
Example: He was released under the first declaration of indulgence; but as he instantly recommenced his preaching, he was arrested again. Recompense - payment or reward (as for service rendered)
Example: In 1830, the United States government made a large grant of lands to his heirs as a further recompense for his military services. Reconcile - bring into consonance or accord
Example: They split up two weeks later, then reconciled, then split up again. Recondite - difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge
Example: On both sides of Lamb, however, there lie literatures more difficult, more recondite. Reconnaissance - the act of reconnoitring (especially to gain information about an enemy or potential enemy)
Example: This 38 metre-long remotely operated airship is designed to carry communications and monitoring equipment for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Recrimination - mutual accusations
Example: But despite calls for national unity to face this challenge, Mexico's politicians keep slinging mud and trading mutual recriminations over who is to blame. Rectitude - righteousness as a consequence of being honorable and honest
Example: You must be morally upright and of steadfast rectitude. Redoubtable - inspiring fear
Example: Then implacable and dangerous pursuits, redoubtable struggles, were the order of their days and nights. Redress - act of correcting an error or a fault or an evil
Example: Some efforts at redress were made; but the remedy proved ineffectual, and the discontent of the Indians increased with every year. Refined - (used of persons and their behavior) cultivated and genteel
Example: You have seen him becoming more refined and careful day by day, more carefully dressed, less clumsy in the ways and methods of social life. Refulgent - radiating or as if radiating light
Example: Through the same clear mirror La Fayette saw the sun of freedom reflecting its refulgent rays over Columbia's prolific land. Refurbish - make brighter and prettier
Example: She said Kimpton had refurbished many guest rooms to include bigger desks with improved lighting and an ergonomic rolling chair, rather than an armchair. Refutation - the act of determining that something is false
Example: Whatever falsehoods the counsel for the Crown may advance, and the witnesses swear to, shall meet neither denial nor refutation from me. Regime - the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
Example: “Today in the world there is no place for authoritarian administrations, one-party rule, closed regimes,” he said. Regress - get worse or fall back to a previous condition
Example: Instead of getting better, the team has regressed. Reiterate - to say, state, or perform again
Example: He reiterated the previous rules but added an extra rule related to screen size, measured in inches.

S
Sacrilegious - grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred
Example: Some say the artwork blurs the line between church and state; others consider it sacrilegious to have Mexico's patron saint pictured surfing. Sacrosanct - must be kept sacred
Example: After decades of being considered politically sacrosanct, why are homeowner mortgage write-offs suddenly on the chopping block? Sagacious - acutely insightful and wise
Example: The sagacious painter had a truer insight into this matter than most of our modern educationists. Salubrious - promoting health; healthful
Example: The air is extremely salubrious, and the place has long been remarkable for its freedom from epidemics.

Sardonic - disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking
Example: With unemployment in some parishes above 25 percent, sardonic bumper stickers entered state lore: “Last one out, turn off the lights.” Satiate - fill to satisfaction
Example: That means it's more effective at keeping your blood sugar levels stable, leaving you feeling satiated and less likely to start eating again hours later. Satirical - exposing human folly to ridicule
Example: Inevitably there were instant faux feeds on Twitter with satirical commentary about Bin Laden’s death, including Ghost Osama and Osama in Hell. Saturate - infuse or fill completely
Example: The head was shockingly disfigured, battered by some heavy instrument, and the clothes were saturated with blood. Scarce - deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
Example: Many Americans reside in food deserts—communities where retailers offering fresh food are scarce but fast-food restaurants and convenience stores selling prepared foods can abound. Scathing - marked by harshly abusive criticism
Example: "You sickening little coward—you sneak," said Osmond, with scathing contempt. Schism - division of a group into opposing factions
Example: After building a market worth at least $6 billion, fair trade is undergoing a schism, with Fair Trade USA splitting off. Scion - a descendent or heir
Example: Mr. Papandreou, a political scion whose father and grandfather were also prime ministers, took office late last year. Scornful - expressing extreme contempt
Example: Mr. Gates also was scornful of the top deal makers: “Russian democracy has disappeared, and the government is an oligarchy run by the security services.” Scrupulous - characterized by extreme care and great effort
Example: “His films have a look, an ambience, a setting, that’s very real because of his scrupulous attention to detail,” Mr. Jewison added. Scrutinize - examine carefully for accuracy with the intent of verification
Example: Days before Thanksgiving, AT&T's heavyweight lobbying team was busy setting up meetings with antitrust authorities scrutinizing the company’s $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile. Seamless - perfectly consistent and coherent
Example: String quartets, made up of four similar instruments that blend seamlessly and resonate together, are the thoroughbreds of chamber music. Secede - withdraw from an organization or communion
Example: On the 3rd of November a revolution broke out at Panama, and the state seceded from Colombia and declared itself to be an independent republic.

Secession - formal separation from an alliance or federation
Example: But southern Sudanese living in northern Sudan were more ambivalent — 42 percent opted for unity and 58 percent for secession. Sedentary - requiring sitting or little activity
Example: There is a growing body of research showing that very active women are less likely to develop breast cancer than their sedentary peers. Seditious - in opposition to a civil authority or government
Example: If stones were thrown at the police and seditious cries were raised, it was no more than might be reasonably expected.

T
Temporize - draw out a discussion or process in order to gain time
Example: I dare say you have often observed this disposition to temporize, or to procrastinate, in people who are labouring under any very poignant sorrow. Tenable - based on sound reasoning or evidence
Example: "Then you allow his position to be more tenable and reasonable than yours?" Tenacity - persistent determination
Example: Constancy, persistence, dogged tenacity is certainly the striking feature of Jacob’s character. Tenet - a religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof
Example: Mr. Malik, who does not drink, decided that trading so-called pub securities would violate tenets of his faith. Tentative - unsettled in mind or opinion
Example: Here and there, passages of solid, compelling music making were marred by tentative, uncertain moments. Tenuous - lacking substance or significance
Example: Watching Belasco's short play in London in 1900, Puccini reportedly was deeply moved — despite his tenuous grasp of the English language. Tenure - the term during which some position is held
Example: Mr. Marshall's career as Chief Justice extended through a period of more than thirty-four years, which is the longest judicial tenure recorded in history. Terminal - station where transport vehicles load or unload passengers or goods
Example: Workers prepare flower orders in the American Airlines cargo terminal at Kennedy International Airport. Termination - the act of ending something
Example: This sight made us forget our fatigues, and we hurried on, with fond anticipations of finding a speedy termination to all our sufferings. Terminology - a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline
Example: This building was known, in monastic terminology, as the “Lavabo.” Terrain - a piece of ground having specific characteristics or military potential
Example: Most inhabitants were farmers struggling to coax crops out of the steep and rocky terrain. Terrestrial - operating or living or growing on land
Example: On land, habitat loss takes away much-needed space for large, terrestrial animals.

Territory - a region marked off for administrative or other purposes
Example: The war was just a few months old, and the entire Michigan territory had fallen into British hands. Terse - brief and to the point; effectively cut short
Example: While she stared at him, he uttered the short, terse command: “Hands up!” Tertiary - coming next after the second and just before the fourth in position
Example: The plan divides roadways into three major categories: arterial, secondary and tertiary. Tessellated - decorated with small pieces of colored glass or stone fitted together in a mosaic
Example: Passing from one pavilion to another over tessellated pavements, we enter apartments rich in mosaics and all manner of precious stones. Theocracy - a political unit governed by a deity (or by officials thought to be divinely guided)
Example: For in theocracies, to the social evil of the offence is added the impiety committed against the Deity and his representative on earth. Theology - the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth
Example: He is a theology students. Thermal - relating to or associated with heat
Example: The great masses of concrete act as a thermal sink, absorbing heat during the molten days and then radiating warmth at night. Thespian - of or relating to drama
Example: True to her thespian inheritance, she played Olivia in Twelfth Night on a student tour of the Highlands and Islands.

U
Ubiquitous - being present everywhere at once
Example: In the run-up to the launch, Morgan has been ubiquitous, popping up all over the place to promote the show. Ulterior - lying beyond what is openly revealed or avowed (especially being kept in the background or deliberately concealed)
Example: Its worth lies in the fact that it is manifestly unprejudiced and advanced by the speaker with no ulterior motive. Ultimatum - a final peremptory demand
Example: Have issued ultimatum to my own country. Umbrage - a feeling of anger caused by being offended
Example: Such men are easily offended, take umbrage at trifles, and are unforgiving in their resentments. Unabashed - not embarrassed
Example: But she looked up into his face with such frank unabashed admiration that I couldn't help laughing—nor could he! Unalterable - not capable of being changed or altered
Example: There were no immovable prejudices, no fixed and unalterable traditions. Unambiguous - having or exhibiting a single clearly defined meaning
Example: A man who is capable of thinking can express himself at all times in clear, comprehensible, and unambiguous words. Unanimous - in complete agreement
Example: With a couple of exceptions, the president has nominated moderates who receive overwhelming, sometimes unanimous, support once they get a vote. Unappreciated - having value that is not acknowledged
Example: Unappreciated, poor and neglected, it was not until after years of struggle that they attained recognition and success. Unapproachable - discouraging intimacies; reserved
Example: They are apart, unapproachable, unidentified, not to be communicated with though you look into their faces and speak to them. Unassailable - impossible to assail
Example: But the towns, within their strong Roman walls, were unassailable by the light cavalry which formed his only armed strength. Unassuming - not arrogant or presuming
Example: Quiet and unassuming offstage, Mr. Watson played down his virtuoso guitar playing as nothing more than “country pickin.’ ” Unattainable - impossible to achieve
Example: Stick to the world in which you are born, and throw no bouquets at the impossible or the unattainable. Unbiased - without bias
Example: When the trusts are controlled, and labor submits its grievances to an impartial, unbiased board of arbitration, then there will be peace and plenty. Unbridled - not restrained or controlled
Example: She was afraid of him in his ardent moods, almost as much as when he allowed his unbridled temper free rein. Uncanny - surpassing the ordinary or normal
Example: In fact there was nothing unusual, or uncanny in the whole experience. Uncharted - (of unknown regions) not yet surveyed or investigated
Example: It’s not like this is untested, uncharted territory in some respect. Uncommunicative - not inclined to talk or give information or express opinions
Example: The men, too, sat uncommunicative, silent; whereas their daughters or spouses turned, chattering, laughing, waving a hand to this or that friend. Unconditional - not conditional
Example: Meanwhile, Peel has said that its offer is now unconditional, meaning it will go ahead whatever the uptake. Unconscionable - greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
Example: United’s chapter of the Air Line Pilots Association said the planned reuse of the flight numbers showed “insensitivity and unconscionable disrespect.”

V
Varying - marked by diversity or difference
Example: National central banks do make disclosures, but in varying formats and with differing frequencies and delays. Vassal - a person holding a fief; a person who owes allegiance and service to a feudal lord
Example: Second, the vassals, who rendered service to those from whom they held their lands. Vast - unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
Example: Vast amounts of natural gas in shale rock formations have been unlocked by improved drilling techniques, making the fuel cheap and plentiful across the U.S. Vault -a strong room or compartment (often made of steel) for safekeeping of valuables
Example: Banks also offer investors the opportunity to buy shares of gold bars kept in their vaults. Vaunt - show off
Example: He is not so foolish as to be puffed up, nor does he vaunt himself nor boast. Veer - turn sharply; change direction abruptly
Example: The day before Christmas the west wind suddenly veered round northward. Vegetate - engage in passive relaxation
Example: Others vegetated around the hotel, a rare luxury, to rest tired muscles and frayed nerves.

Vehement - marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid
Example: He rushed into his arms with an expression of the most vehement joy; the other was delighted, but not astonished, at meeting him so suddenly. Velocity - distance travelled per unit time
Example: His velocity was fine, hitting 97 mph on the radar gun in the fifth inning. Venal - capable of being corrupted
Example: It was still more creditable to him, that in such venal and corrupt days he maintained his integrity perfectly unsullied. Vendetta - a feud in which members of the opposing parties murder each other
Example: They are usually engaged in some vendetta between rival factions, or families, and blood is frequently shed. Vendor - someone who promotes or exchanges goods or services for money
Example: A street vendor sells Senegalese newspapers commemorating the presidential elections. Veneer - coating consisting of a thin layer of superior wood glued to a base of inferior wood
Example: The inlay used was often oval in shape, sometimes only a line and sometimes panels of different woods or matched veneer. Venerable - profoundly honored
Example: Surely an Evangelical incident attested by so many, such respectable, and such venerable witnesses as these, is clearly above suspicion. Venerate - regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
Example: As guests of our highly respected and even venerated host, we were visited by nearly all the magistrates of the city. Venturesome - disposed to venture or take risks
Example: Brave, reckless, idealistic chaps—careless of peril, unafraid of death—who deliberately sought danger and the venturesome life as found during the war, over there. Venue - the scene of any event or action (especially the place of a meeting)
Example: By tradition Riyadh has no public entertainment - no cinemas, theatres or music - so the only leisure venues are shopping malls and parks. Veracity - unwillingness to tell lies
Example: Professionally speaking, lawyers have been called legal liars, but compared to stock manipulators they are walking examples of truth and veracity. Verbal - of or relating to or formed from words in general
Example: Recognizable quotes are like verbal shorthand, getting across in one or two sentences what normally takes much longer to explain. Verbatim - using exactly the same words
Example: Hence you will need complete sentences taken down verbatim in the exact words of the speaker.

W
Wade - walk (through relatively shallow water)
Example: At times it was even needful to take out the loads and, wading knee-deep in the ice-cold waters, drag the boats across the many shoals.

Waffle - pancake batter baked in a waffle iron
Example: She cooked some waffles. Waft - be driven or carried along, as by the air
Example: We were again wafted through the air, and were once more moving over the tops of countless houses on the way. Waggish - witty or joking
Example: Dinner, however, came, and the little waggish doctor could not, for the life of him, avoid his jokes. Waif - a homeless child especially one forsaken or orphaned
Example: Had they not been poor children, little waifs, they would not have been locked in the cabin to perish like rats. Wail - a cry of sorrow and grief
Example: “Is our house going to be covered in mud forever?” she wailed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Waive - do without or cease to hold or adhere to
Example: She agree to waive the death penalty as a possible punishment. Waiver - a formal written statement of relinquishment
Example: I signed the waiver. Wallow - devote oneself entirely to something; indulge in to an immoderate degree, usually with pleasure
Example: It was a crushing blow, but instead of wallowing in depression and giving up on being active, Irish started biking more. Wan - lacking vitality as from weariness or illness or unhappiness
Example: Tom was leaning back, pale and exhausted, his breath was short, his face gray, wan and wasted. Wanderlust - very strong or irresistible impulse to travel
Example: Perhaps a trip like this would have satisfied his wanderlust. Wane - a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)
Example: India’s biggest producer, reported an 89 percent decline in second-quarter group profit because of waning demand and higher raw material costs at its European operations. Wangle - an instance of accomplishing something by scheming or trickery
Example: You went sick When orders looked unwholesome: then, with trick And lie, you wangled home. Wanton - spend wastefully
Example: A hundred eighty days continuous feast He has oppressed the people of his rule With drunken revels and with wanton waste. Warble - sing or play with trills, alternating with the half note above or below
Example: Any singer who could warble away at runs and trills was a great artist. Wardrobe - collection of clothing belonging to one person
Example: Betty wore amazingly costly clothes, paying for a single dress far more than for her year's wardrobe in Rhode Island. Warrant - show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
Example: An inmate needs additional evidence of a separate constitutional violation to warrant a federal court’s involvement, the high court ruled. Warranty - a written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications
Example: Such sales to investors typically came with promises, known as representations and warranties, to buy back defective loans. Warren - a series of connected underground tunnels occupied by rabbits
Example: Their entrances were cunningly contrived to look like rabbit holes, so that strangers might think they led to nothing more than some sandy warren. Wary - openly distrustful and unwilling to confide
Example: Many chronic homeless people, however, after years on the street, become wary of shelters and sleeping near others.

X
Xenophobia - a fear of foreigners or strangers
Example: Some fear a return of the xenophobia that led to violent attacks on foreigners two years ago.

Y
Yahoo - a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
Example: What I wanted to bring to your distinguished notice is this—that you must not behave like a yahoo in my mathematical set.

Yearn - desire strongly or persistently
Example: Now and then there is an extreme individualist who yearns to go through life absolutely unmolested, single file. Yearning - prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
Example: Each generation of foxes grew more approachable, many showing doglike yearning for human contact. Yelp - a sharp high-pitched cry (especially by a dog)
Example: While faintly heard from somewhere outside there was the yelping, barking, howling whine of a dog. Yen - the basic unit of money in Japan; equal to 100 sen
Example: In the last decade, most major coinages have been faked, including British pounds, Russian rubles, Indian rupees, Japanese yen, and Canadian dollars. Yeoman - in former times was free and cultivated his own land
Example: On one extreme was the well-to-do yeoman farmer farming his own land. Yield - give or supply
Example: Cotton and coffee are both indigenous, the former yielding two crops per year. Yoke - become joined or linked together
Example: The reason was that it had been found unwise and unwholesome to mix up or yoke together believers and unbelievers.* Yokel - a person who is not very intelligent or interested in culture
Example: Now, poor people, yokels, clods, cannot love what is incomprehensible to them. Yonder - distant but within sight (`yon' is dialectal)
Example: “ Yonder,” said he, pointing to some distance down the river. Yore - time long past
Example: Yore, long ago; generally used in the expression "of yore," formerly, once upon a time.

Z
Zany - ludicrous, foolish
Example: Style: Pleasantly earnest overall; on occasion displayed his goofy and zany side. Zeal - a feeling of strong eagerness (usually in favor of a person or cause)
Example: While many states, particularly in the West, have nonrestrictive gun laws, Arizona’s zeal for weapons has often made headlines. Zealot - a fervent and even militant proponent of something
Example: Finally having conquered his irritable bowel syndrome, he worked out like a zealot all winter, adding about 17 pounds of solid muscle. Zealous - marked by active interest and enthusiasm
Example: "You are so willing and zealous; but for that very reason I must guard against your enthusiasm carrying you too far." Zenith - the point above the observer that is directly opposite the nadir on the imaginary sphere against which celestial bodies appear to be projected
Example: Zenith, the point in the celestial sphere directly overhead. Zephyr - a slight wind (usually refreshing)
Example: Nor I. On the contrary, all the allusions to the winds are of the gentler kind,—"balmy Zephyrs," "whispering breezes" and so forth. Zest - vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
Example: So I pursued my studies with zest and unabated enthusiasm.