No Example

Word Definition
. Sentence

The storm
suddenly abated,
To reduce in amount, degree, or allowing the
1 Abate
severity rescue teams to
continue their
work.

The test results

showed an
A departure from what is normal, aberration that
2 Aberration
usual, or expected could not be
ignored by the
research team.

The evidence
absolved her
To clear from blame or from any
3 Absolve
responsibility wrongdoing in
the financial
scandal.

The professor’s
lectures were so
abstruse that
4 Abstruse Difficult to understand; obscure many students
found them
incomprehensibl
e.

5 Accolade An award or privilege granted as She received a

a special honor Grammy as an
accolade for her
 outstanding
musical
performance.

Their divorce was

an acrimonious
6 Acrimonious Bitter or angry in tone battle over
assets and
custody rights.

The debate
ended with
acrimony on both
7 Acrimony Bitterness or ill feeling
sides of the
political
spectrum.

The teacher
admonished the
students for
8 Admonish To warn or reprimand
being late to the
important
examination.

She accepted the

invitation with
alacrity, eager to
9 Alacrity Brisk and cheerful readiness
attend the
prestigious
conference.

10 Allude To hint at indirectly He alluded to his

past struggles
without giving
specific details
 about his
experiences.

His altruistic
nature led him to
11 Altruistic Selflessly concerned for others work in charities
throughout his
career.

The ambiguous
instructions
caused confusion
12 Ambiguous Having more than one meaning
among the
project team
members.

New policies
were introduced
13 Ameliorate To make something better to ameliorate the
difficult economic
situation.

He was an
amiable host,
14 Amiable Friendly and pleasant making everyone
feel welcome at
the gathering.

Her situation was

analogous to
mine last year
15 Analogous Comparable in a way
when I faced
similar
challenges.
 The historical
drama was
Belonging to a period other than criticized for its
16 Anachronistic
that being portrayed anachronistic
costumes and
dialogue.

There was clear

animosity
17 Animosity Strong hostility between the two
rival political
candidates.

The students
were apathetic
about the
18 Apathetic Showing no interest or emotion upcoming
elections and
voter
registration.

She was
apprehensive
Apprehensiv
19 Fearful about the future about moving to
e
a new city for her
job.

The rules
seemed arbitrary
20 Arbitrary Based on random choice and unfair to the
competition
participants.

21 Arduous Requiring great effort Climbing the

mountain was an
 arduous task that
tested their
endurance.

She was
assiduous in her
Showing great care and studies, never
22 Assiduous
perseverance missing a single
class or
assignment.

The austere
teacher was
Severe or strict in manner, known for her
23 Austere
attitude, or appearance no-nonsense
approach to
education.

It’s axiomatic
that all living
24 Axiomatic Self-evident, unquestionable things need
water to survive
and thrive.

The movie’s plot

was banal and
So lacking in originality as to be predictable,
25 Banal
obvious and boring disappointing
critics and
audiences alike.

26 Belie To give a false impression of His calm manner

belied the
anxiety he was
feeling about the
 presentation.

The benevolent
donor
contributed a
27 Benevolent Well-meaning and kindly
large sum to the
charity
organization.

The boisterous
crowd cheered
their team to
28 Boisterous Noisy, energetic, and cheerful
victory in the
championship
game.

The politician’s
speech was filled
High-sounding but with little with bombastic
29 Bombastic
meaning, inflated rhetoric that
didn’t address
real issues.

The construction
site next door
A harsh, discordant mixture of was a cacophony
30 Cacophony
sounds of drilling,
hammering, and
shouting.

Her capricious
Given to sudden and decisions often
31 Capricious unaccountable changes of mood left her friends
or behavior bewildered and
confused.
 He was
circumspect in
his financial
32 Circumspect Wary and unwilling to take risks
dealings, always
seeking expert
advice.

Their clandestine
meetings went
unnoticed for
33 Clandestine Kept secret or done secretively
months by
intelligence
agencies.

The various
factions
To come together to form one coalesced to
34 Coalesce
mass or whole form a united
front against the
opposition.

Solving this math

problem was a
A confusing and difficult problem
35 Conundrum conundrum that
or question
took hours to
figure out.

The scientist
debunked the
myth with solid
36 Debunk To expose the falseness of
evidence and
rigorous
research.

37 Deleterious Causing harm or damage The deleterious

 effects of
smoking are well-
documented in
medical
literature.

She wore a
diaphanous gown
38 Diaphanous Light, delicate, and translucent that fluttered
gracefully in the
evening breeze.

The critic’s
review
To regard or represent as being disparaged the
39 Disparage
of little worth movie as being
cliché and
unoriginal.

The company’s
egregious
disregard for
40 Egregious Outstandingly bad; shocking safety
regulations was
alarming to
inspectors.

The hot sun

enervated the
To cause someone to feel marathon
41 Enervate
drained of energy or vitality runners during
the summer
competition.

42 Enigma A person, thing, or situation that The

 disappearance of
the plane
is mysterious, puzzling, or remains an
difficult to understand enigma to
investigators
worldwide.

The beauty of
cherry blossoms
43 Ephemeral Lasting for a very short time is ephemeral and
only lasts for a
few days.

The surgeon
maintained her
equanimity
Calmness, composure, evenness
44 Equanimity throughout the
of temper
lengthy and
complex
operation.

The lecture was

on an esoteric
Intended for or likely to be
subject that few
understood by only a small
45 Esoteric could grasp
number of people with
without
specialized knowledge
background
knowledge.

She was
fastidious about
Very attentive to and concerned her appearance,
46 Fastidious
about accuracy and detail always ensuring
she looked
perfect.
 The spy’s furtive
movements were
Attempting to avoid notice or captured on
47 Furtive
attention, secretive video by
surveillance
cameras.

The garrulous old

man bored
Excessively talkative, especially
48 Garrulous everyone with his
on trivial matters
endless stories
about the past.

When entering
the church, many
To kneel, bow or bend in people will
49 Genuflect
reverence or worship genuflect and
cross
themselves.

She was a
gregarious
person who loved
50 Gregarious Fond of company, sociable
hosting parties
and social
gatherings.

The politician’s
harangue was
51 Harangue A lengthy and aggressive speech met with mixed
reactions from
the audience.

52 Harbinger A person or thing that The first snowfall

announces or signals the of the year is
 often seen as a
approach of another harbinger of
winter.

The artist was an

iconoclast,
A person who attacks or
always
53 Iconoclast criticizes cherished beliefs or
challenging the
institutions
status quo in
society.

His idiosyncratic
habits made him
Relating to idiosyncrasy; peculiar
54 Idiosyncratic a unique
or individual
character in the
office.

The student’s
impertinent
Not showing proper respect; remarks angered
55 Impertinent
rude the teacher
during the
lecture.

The beauty of
the landscape
Too great or extreme to be
56 Ineffable was ineffable,
expressed or described in words
beyond any
description.

The politician’s
motives were
Difficult to understand or
57 Inscrutable inscrutable and
interpret
no one knew his
true intentions.
 The disease was
insidious,
spreading
Proceeding in a gradual, subtle
58 Insidious without any
way, but with harmful effects
obvious
symptoms
initially.

The intransigent
Unwilling or refusing to change leader refused to
59 Intransigent one’s views or to agree about compromise on
something any of his
demands.

The artist
juxtaposed light
To place close together for and dark colors
60 Juxtapose
contrasting effect to create a
striking visual
impact.

His laconic reply

suggested he
was not
61 Laconic Using very few words
interested in
continuing the
conversation.

The heat made

Displaying or having a everyone feel
62 Languid disinclination for physical languid and
exertion or effort lethargic during
the afternoon.

63 Magnanimou Generous or forgiving, especially He was

 magnanimous in
victory, praising
towards a rival or less powerful
s his opponent’s
person
efforts and
sportsmanship.

The old hermit

was a
A person who dislikes misanthrope who
64 Misanthrope humankind and avoids human shunned all
society company and
social
interaction.

The city had a

myriad of
65 Myriad A very large number or variety restaurants to
choose from for
dining.

The nefarious
plot of the
66 Nefarious Wicked or criminal villains was to
take over the
world.

The bureaucratic
jargon only
To render obscure, unclear, or
67 Obfuscate served to
unintelligible
obfuscate the
issue further.

68 Obsequious Obedient or attentive to an His obsequious

excessive or servile degree behavior made
him unpopular
 with his peers at
work.

Her ostentatious
Characterized by vulgar or outfit drew
69 Ostentatious pretentious display; designed to everyone’s
impress or attract notice attention at the
formal event.

There is no
A solution or remedy for all panacea for all of
70 Panacea
difficulties or diseases life’s problems
and challenges.

His parsimonious
nature meant he
Unwilling to spend money or use
71 Parsimonious rarely went out
resources; stingy or frugal
with friends for
entertainment.

His pedantic
Excessively concerned with approach to
72 Pedantic minor details or rules; teaching made
overscrupulous his classes dull
and uninspiring.

She gave a
perfunctory nod
Carried out with a minimum of and continued
73 Perfunctory
effort or reflection with her work
without
enthusiasm.

74 Querulous Complaining or whining in a The querulous

petulant manner customer
 complained
about the service
even though
nothing was
wrong.

The salient point

of the argument
75 Salient Most noticeable or important was that the
proposal was too
expensive.

Smartphones are
Present, appearing, or found ubiquitous in
76 Ubiquitous
everywhere modern society
and daily life.

The vexatious
delay in the flight
Causing annoyance, frustration, schedule caused
77 Vexatious
or worry many passengers
to miss
connections.

The zealous
soccer fans
Having great enthusiasm or cheered loudly
78 Zealous
passion for something for their team
throughout the
match.

79 Abhor To regard with disgust and She abhors

hatred violence in any
form and
advocates for
 peaceful
solutions.

He acquiesced to
the demands
To accept something reluctantly
80 Acquiesce rather than face
but without protest
further
confrontation.

The surgeon was

adroit in
Clever or skillful in using the performing the
81 Adroit
hands or mind complex
operation
successfully.

The museum’s
aesthetic appeal
Concerned with beauty or the
82 Aesthetic attracted visitors
appreciation of beauty
from around the
world.

The affable host

made everyone
Friendly, good-natured, or easy
83 Affable feel comfortable
to talk to
at the dinner
party.

The aggregate
A whole formed by combining score determined
84 Aggregate
several elements the winner of the
competition.

85 Alleviate To make suffering, deficiency, or The medication

a problem less severe helped alleviate
 her chronic pain
significantly.

She felt
Having mixed feelings or ambivalent about
86 Ambivalent contradictory ideas about accepting the job
something offer in another
country.

The amiable
shopkeeper
Having or displaying a friendly
87 Amiable always greeted
and pleasant manner
customers with a
warm smile.

The microphone
amplified her
To increase the volume or
88 Amplify voice so
strength of something
everyone could
hear clearly.

His behavior was

A person or thing that is the the antithesis of
89 Antithesis direct opposite of someone or what was
something else expected from a
professional.

The government
tried to appease
To pacify or placate someone by
90 Appease the protesters
acceding to their demands
with minor
concessions.

91 Articulate Having or showing the ability to She was

speak fluently and coherently articulate in
 expressing her
views on
environmental
policy.

The detective
worked to
To find something out for ascertain the
92 Ascertain
certain; make sure of facts surrounding
the mysterious
case.

The astute
Having or showing an ability to businessman
93 Astute accurately assess situations or recognized the
people potential of the
new technology.

Her audacious
plan to climb
Showing a willingness to take
94 Audacious Mount Everest
surprisingly bold risks
impressed the
expedition team.

The sunny
weather was an
95 Auspicious Conducive to success; favorable auspicious start
to their wedding
day.

His avarice led

him to make
Extreme greed for wealth or
96 Avarice unethical
material gain
business
decisions.
 The belligerent
customer
97 Belligerent Hostile and aggressive shouted at the
staff over a
minor issue.

The coach
berated the
players for their
98 Berate To scold or criticize angrily
poor
performance
during practice.

The brevity of his

Concise and exact use of words speech made it
99 Brevity
in writing or speech more impactful
and memorable.

She appreciated
his candor when
10 The quality of being open and discussing the
Candor
0 honest in expression; frankness company’s
financial
problems.

The army was

To cease to resist an opponent or
10 forced to
Capitulate an unwelcome demand;
1 capitulate after
surrender
months of siege.

Her caustic
remarks about
10 Sarcastic in a scathing and bitter
Caustic his performance
2 way
hurt his feelings
deeply.
 The committee
voted to censure
10 To express severe disapproval of
Censure the politician for
3 someone or something
his inappropriate
behavior.

The teacher
chastised the
10
Chastise To rebuke or reprimand severely student for
4
cheating on the
examination.

The governor
granted
10
Clemency Mercy; lenience clemency to the
5
prisoner on death
row.

They tried to
To persuade an unwilling person coerce him into
10
Coerce to do something by using force signing the
6
or threats unfavorable
contract.

She presented a
cogent argument
10
Cogent Clear, logical, and convincing for increasing the
7
education
budget.

10 Complacent Showing smug or uncritical The team

8 satisfaction with oneself or one’s became
achievements complacent after
their early
success in the
 season.

He adopted a
10 Intended or likely to placate or conciliatory tone
Conciliatory
9 pacify to resolve the
heated dispute.

The school does

To accept and allow behavior
11 not condone
Condone that is considered morally wrong
0 bullying in any
or offensive
form whatsoever.

The unexpected
results
11 To cause surprise or confusion in
Confound confounded the
1 someone
researchers and
their hypotheses.

His theory was

An opinion or conclusion formed based on
11
Conjecture on the basis of incomplete conjecture rather
2
information than solid
evidence.

The security
11 To secretly allow or help with guard connived
Connive
3 wrongdoing with the thieves
to rob the bank.

She
contemplated
11 To think about something deeply
Contemplate the job offer for
4 and thoroughly
several days
before deciding.
 The contentious
issue divided the
11 Causing or likely to cause an
Contentious community into
5 argument; controversial
opposing
factions.

He showed
genuine
11 The state of feeling remorseful contrition for his
Contrition
6 and penitent mistakes and
apologized
sincerely.

The student took

copious notes
11
Copious Abundant in supply or quantity during the
7
important
lecture.

The witness
testimony
11 To confirm or give support to a
Corroborate corroborated the
8 statement, theory, or finding
defendant’s alibi
perfectly.

The credulous
11 Having or showing too great a investor fell for
Credulous
9 readiness to believe things the elaborate
financial scam.

The investigation
found him
12
Culpable Deserving blame culpable for the
0
accident that
occurred.
 She gave the
12 Hasty and therefore not document only a
Cursory
1 thorough or detailed cursory glance
before signing it.

His cynical
Believing that people are
12 attitude made it
Cynical motivated purely by self-
2 difficult for him
interest; distrustful
to trust anyone.

There was a
dearth of
12 qualified
Dearth A scarcity or lack of something
3 candidates for
the specialized
position.

The funeral
service was
12 In keeping with good taste and conducted in a
Decorous
4 propriety; polite and restrained decorous and
respectful
manner.

The newspaper
published
Damaging the good reputation
12 defamatory
Defamatory of someone; slanderous or
5 articles about the
libelous
celebrity’s
private life.

12 Deference Humble submission and respect She showed

6 deference to her
elderly
professor’s
 extensive
knowledge.

The defunct
factory was
12
Defunct No longer existing or functioning converted into a
7
modern shopping
center.

The architect
delineated the
12 To describe or portray something
Delineate building plans
8 precisely
with meticulous
detail.

The activist
denounced the
12 To publicly declare to be wrong
Denounce government’s
9 or evil
environmental
policies.

She deplored the

violence shown
13 To feel or express strong
Deplore in modern
0 disapproval of something
television
programs.

The critics
derided his latest
13
Deride To express contempt for; ridicule novel as
1
pretentious and
boring.

13 Despondent In low spirits from loss of hope or He became

2 courage despondent after
 failing the
important
examination.

The charity helps

13 Without the basic necessities of families who are
Destitute
3 life destitute and
homeless.

The security
13 To discourage someone from cameras were
Deter
4 doing something installed to deter
potential thieves.

Smoking is
detrimental to
13
Detrimental Tending to cause harm your health and
5
overall well-
being.

The room was

13 devoid of any
Devoid Entirely lacking or free from
6 furniture or
decorations.

The surgeon’s
dexterous
13 Showing skill in performing
Dexterous movements
7 tasks, especially with the hands
saved the
patient’s life.

13 Didactic Intended to teach, particularly in The novel was

8 having moral instruction as an criticized for
ulterior motive being too
didactic and
 preachy.

Despite her
talent, she
13 Modest or shy because of a lack remained
Diffident
9 of self-confidence diffident about
her artistic
abilities.

The committee’s
14 dilatory response
Dilatory Slow to act
0 frustrated the
urgent situation.

She could discern

the subtle
14 To perceive or recognize
Discern differences
1 something
between the two
paintings.

The discordant
14 voices in the
Discordant Disagreeing or incongruous
2 choir ruined the
performance.

There was a
A lack of compatibility or discrepancy
14
Discrepancy similarity between two or more between his
3
facts story and the
evidence.

14 Disdain The feeling that a person or She looked at

4 thing is beneath consideration him with obvious
disdain and
 contempt.

The judge
remained
14 Dispassionat Not influenced by strong
dispassionate
5 e emotion; impartial
throughout the
emotional trial.

The organization
disseminated
14 To spread something, especially
Disseminate information
6 information, widely
about the health
risks.

The dissonance
in their
14 Lack of harmony among musical relationship
Dissonance
7 notes or disagreement became
increasingly
apparent.

His dogmatic
Being inclined to lay down
14 approach to
Dogmatic principles as incontrovertibly
8 teaching stifled
true
creative thinking.

The volcano had

14
Dormant Temporarily inactive been dormant for
9
over a century.

She was dubious

15 Hesitating or doubting; not to be about the
Dubious
0 relied upon accuracy of his
claims.
 His duplicity was
15 revealed when
Duplicity Deceitfulness; double-dealing
1 his lies were
exposed.

She was ebullient

about her
15
Ebullient Cheerful and full of energy acceptance to
2
the prestigious
university.

The eccentric
professor was
15 Unconventional and slightly
Eccentric known for his
3 strange
unusual teaching
methods.

The new
treatment proved
15 Successful in producing a
Efficacious efficacious in
4 desired or intended result
curing the
disease.

The eloquent
15 Fluent or persuasive in speaking speaker moved
Eloquent
5 or writing the audience to
tears.

The professor
elucidated the
15 To make something clear;
Elucidate complex theory
6 explain
with simple
examples.

15 Emaciated Abnormally thin or weak, The emaciated

 refugees needed
especially because of illness or a immediate
7
lack of food medical
attention.

She embellished
To make something more her story with
15
Embellish attractive by the addition of fictional details
8
decorative details to make it more
interesting.

The scientist
relied on
Based on, concerned with, or
15 empirical
Empirical verifiable by observation or
9 evidence to
experience
support her
hypothesis.

Young athletes
often emulate
16 To match or surpass, typically by
Emulate their sports
0 imitation
heroes and role
models.

Malaria is
16 Native to or prevalent in a endemic to many
Endemic
1 particular place tropical regions
of the world.

The celebrity
endorsed the
16 To declare one’s public approval new
Endorse
2 or support of environmental
protection
campaign.
 The controversial
policy
16 To cause or give rise to a feeling,
Engender engendered
3 situation, or condition
heated debate
among citizens.

The new software

will enhance the
16 To intensify, increase, or further
Enhance computer’s
4 improve the quality of
performance
significantly.

The Mona Lisa’s

enigmatic smile
16 Difficult to interpret or
Enigmatic has puzzled
5 understand; mysterious
viewers for
centuries.

The enmity
The state or feeling of being
16 between the two
Enmity actively opposed or hostile to
6 families lasted
someone
for generations.

The magician’s
performance
16 To capture the fascinated
Enthrall enthralled the
7 attention of
audience
completely.

She was the

A person or thing that is a
16 epitome of grace
Epitome perfect example of a particular
8 and elegance at
quality
the formal event.

16 Equivocal Open to more than one His equivocal

 response left
everyone
9 interpretation; ambiguous confused about
his true
intentions.

The erudite
17 Having or showing great professor was
Erudite
0 knowledge or learning respected for his
vast knowledge.

She eschewed
social media to
17 To deliberately avoid using;
Eschew focus on her
1 abstain from
academic
studies.

He was held in
17 Respect and admiration, high esteem by
Esteem
2 typically for a person his colleagues
and peers.

“Passed away” is
A mild or indirect term
17 a euphemism for
Euphemism substituted for one considered
3 “died” in polite
too harsh or direct
conversation.

The evanescent
Soon passing out of sight, beauty of the
17
Evanescent memory, or existence; quickly sunset left a
4
fading lasting
impression.

17 Exacerbate To make a problem, bad The medication

5 situation, or negative feeling exacerbated his
 symptoms
worse instead of
improving them.

The exacting
Making great demands on one’s standards of the
17
Exacting skill, attention, or other competition
6
resources challenged all
participants.

The community
17 To hold someone or something in exalted the hero
Exalt
7 very high regard for his brave
actions.

Her exemplary
behavior earned
17 Serving as a desirable model;
Exemplary her recognition
8 representing the best of its kind
from the school
administration.

New evidence
exonerated the
17 To absolve someone from blame wrongly
Exonerate
9 for a fault or wrongdoing convicted man
after years in
prison.

The company
To make an action or process expedited the
18
Expedite happen sooner or be delivery to meet
0
accomplished more quickly the urgent
deadline.

18 Explicit Stated clearly and in detail, The contract

 contained explicit
terms regarding
1 leaving no room for confusion
payment and
delivery.

The company
18 To make full use of and derive exploited the
Exploit
2 benefit from a resource natural resources
of the region.

The critics
extolled the
18 virtues of the
Extol To praise enthusiastically
3 groundbreaking
scientific
discovery.

The essay
contained
extraneous
18 Irrelevant or unrelated to the
Extraneous information that
4 subject being dealt with
detracted from
the main
argument.

The witness
fabricated his
18 To invent or concoct something,
Fabricate testimony to
5 typically with deceitful intent
protect his
friend.

His facetious
18 Treating serious issues with comments during
Facetious
6 deliberately inappropriate humor the meeting were
not well received.
 The new software
will facilitate
18 To make an action or process
Facilitate communication
7 easier or help bring about
between
departments.

His argument
was fallacious
18
Fallacious Based on a mistaken belief and based on
8
incorrect
assumptions.

She was a
fervent supporter
18 Having or displaying a
Fervent of environmental
9 passionate intensity
conservation
efforts.

The fickle
Changing frequently, especially weather made it
19
Fickle as regards one’s loyalties or difficult to plan
0
affections outdoor
activities.

The referee’s
flagrant bias
19 Conspicuously or obviously
Flagrant toward one team
1 offensive
angered the
spectators.

She flaunted her

To display something
19 expensive
Flaunt ostentatiously, especially in
2 jewelry at the
order to provoke envy
charity gala.
 The radical
To instigate or stir up leader tried to
19
Foment undesirable or violent sentiment foment rebellion
3
or actions among the
citizens.

His forbearance
in dealing with
19 Patient self-control; restraint and
Forbearance difficult
4 tolerance
customers was
admirable.

The mountain
presented a
Inspiring fear or respect through
19 formidable
Formidable being impressively large,
5 challenge to the
powerful, or capable
experienced
climbers.

Their fortuitous
meeting at the
19 Happening by accident or
Fortuitous airport led to a
6 chance rather than design
lifelong
friendship.

The investigation
revealed
Obtained, done by, or involving
19 fraudulent
Fraudulent deception, especially criminal
7 activities in the
deception
company’s
accounting.

19 Frivolous Not having any serious purpose The court

8 or value dismissed the
frivolous lawsuit
 as a waste of
time.

Her frugal
lifestyle allowed
19 Sparing or economical with
Frugal her to save
9 regard to money or food
money for
retirement.

Their attempts to
20 Incapable of producing any revive the failing
Futile
0 useful result; pointless business proved
futile.

The
environmental
20 To shock or excite someone into disaster
Galvanize
1 taking action galvanized the
community into
action.

The candidate
To gather or collect something,
20 garnered support
Garner especially information or
2 from various
approval
political groups.

The genial host

20 made everyone
Genial Friendly and cheerful
3 feel welcome at
the dinner party.

20 Germane Relevant to a subject under His comments

4 consideration were not
germane to the
discussion at
 hand.

The politician’s
glib responses
20 Fluent and voluble but insincere
Glib failed to address
5 and shallow
the serious
concerns.

The movie
contained
20 Uncalled for; lacking good gratuitous
Gratuitous
6 reason; unwarranted violence that
added nothing to
the plot.

The gregarious
20 child made
Gregarious Fond of company; sociable
7 friends easily at
the new school.

The gullible
20 Easily persuaded to believe tourist was easily
Gullible
8 something; credulous deceived by the
street vendor.

The speech was

20 Lacking originality or freshness; full of hackneyed
Hackneyed
9 overused phrases and
clichés.

21 Haphazard Lacking any obvious principle of The books were

0 organization arranged in a
haphazard
manner on the
 shelves.

His hedonistic
21 Engaged in the pursuit of lifestyle
Hedonistic
1 pleasure; self-indulgent eventually led to
financial ruin.

The heinous
21 crime shocked
Heinous Utterly odious or wicked
2 the entire
community.

His heretical
views challenged
21 Believing in or practicing
Heretical the orthodox
3 religious heresy
teachings of the
church.

Her histrionic
Overly theatrical or reaction to the
21
Histrionic melodramatic in character or minor criticism
4
style was
embarrassing.

The committee
was criticized for
21 Homogeneou
Of the same kind; alike being too
5 s
homogeneous in
its composition.

21 Hyperbole Exaggerated statements or The

6 claims not meant to be taken advertisement
literally used hyperbole
to promote the
product’s
 benefits.

The professor
presented a
21 Based on or serving as a hypothetical
Hypothetical
7 hypothesis scenario to
illustrate the
concept.

The party’s
A system of ideas and ideals,
ideology
21 especially one that forms the
Ideology influenced all of
8 basis of economic or political
their policy
theory
decisions.

They spent an
idyllic weekend
21 Extremely happy, peaceful, or
Idyllic at the
9 picturesque
countryside
cottage.

The team’s
ignominious
22 Deserving or causing public defeat ended
Ignominious
0 disgrace or shame their
championship
hopes.

The police
22 Forbidden by law, rules, or discovered illicit
Illicit
1 custom drugs hidden in
the warehouse.

22 Immaculate Perfectly clean, neat, or tidy Her immaculate

2 appearance
 impressed the
job interviewers.

The dark clouds

22 indicated that
Imminent About to happen
3 rain was
imminent.

The laws of
physics are
22 Unchanging over time or unable
Immutable considered
4 to be changed
immutable
principles.

The judge
remained
22 Treating all rivals or disputants impartial
Impartial
5 equally; fair and just throughout the
controversial
trial.

His impeccable
manners
22 In accordance with the highest
Impeccable impressed
6 standards; faultless
everyone at the
formal dinner.

The heavy traffic

22 To delay or prevent someone or impeded their
Impede
7 something by obstructing them progress to the
airport.

22 Imperative Of vital importance; crucial It is imperative

8 that we address
climate change
 immediately.

The imperious
manager
alienated his
22 Assuming power or authority
Imperious subordinates
9 without justification; arrogant
with his
demanding
attitude.

She remained
imperturbable
23 Imperturbabl Unable to be upset or excited;
despite the
0 e calm
chaos around
her.

His impetuous
23 Acting or done quickly and decision to quit
Impetuous
1 without thought or care his job surprised
everyone.

The defendant’s
23 Not seeming reasonable or alibi seemed
Implausible
2 probable; failing to convince implausible to
the jury.

There was an
implicit
23 Suggested though not directly
Implicit understanding
3 expressed
between the two
parties.

23 Impromptu Done without being planned, She gave an

4 organized, or rehearsed impromptu
speech that
 moved the
audience to
tears.

The inadvertent
disclosure of
23 Done without conscious
Inadvertent confidential
5 intention; accidental
information
caused problems.

The comedian’s
inane jokes failed
23
Inane Silly; lacking sense or meaning to amuse the
6
sophisticated
audience.

The politician’s
incendiary
23
Incendiary Tending to stir up conflict remarks sparked
7
protests in the
streets.

The incessant
noise from
23 Continuing without pause or
Incessant construction kept
8 interruption
the neighbors
awake.

Her incisive
analysis of the
23 Accurately analytical; clear-cut
Incisive problem
9 and distinct
impressed the
board members.

24 Incongruous Not in harmony or keeping with His casual attire

 was incongruous
the surroundings or other
0 with the formal
aspects
setting.

The DNA
evidence
24 Incontroverti Not able to be denied or
provided
1 ble disputed
incontrovertible
proof of his guilt.

The incorrigible
student
24 Not able to be corrected,
Incorrigible continued to
2 improved, or reformed
disrupt classes
despite warnings.

She gave him an

24 Unwilling or unable to believe incredulous look
Incredulous
3 something when he told his
unlikely story.

The indefatigable
researcher
24
Indefatigable Persisting tirelessly worked day and
4
night on the
project.

The museum
Originating or occurring featured artifacts
24
Indigenous naturally in a particular place; from indigenous
5
native cultures of the
region.

24 Indignant Feeling or showing anger or She was

6 annoyance at what is perceived indignant about
 the
as unfair treatment discriminatory
hiring practices.

His indolent
attitude
24 Wanting to avoid activity or
Indolent prevented him
7 exertion; lazy
from achieving
his potential.

Her indomitable
spirit helped her
24
Indomitable Impossible to subdue or defeat overcome
8
numerous
obstacles.

The indulgent
parents spoiled
24 Having or indicating a tendency
Indulgent their children
9 to be overly generous or lenient
with expensive
gifts.

The ineffable
25 Too great or extreme to be beauty of the
Ineffable
0 expressed in words sunset left them
speechless.

The inept waiter

25 Having or showing no skill; spilled drinks on
Inept
1 clumsy several
customers.

25 Inexorable Impossible to stop or prevent The inexorable

2 march of time
affects everyone
 equally.

No human being
is infallible;
25 Incapable of making mistakes or
Infallible everyone makes
3 being wrong
errors
sometimes.

The
inflammatory
25 Relating to or tending to arouse
Inflammatory article sparked
4 anger, hostility, or passion
heated debates
online.

The engineer’s
ingenious
25 solution solved
Ingenious Clever, original, and inventive
5 the complex
technical
problem.

Her ingenuous
25 nature made her
Ingenuous Innocent and unsuspecting
6 vulnerable to
deception.

Risk is inherent
25 Existing as a natural or basic in any
Inherent
7 part of something investment
opportunity.

25 Inhibit To hinder, restrain, or prevent an Shyness inhibited

8 action or process her from
speaking up in
 meetings.

The harsh
weather
25 conditions were
Inimical Tending to obstruct or harm
9 inimical to
outdoor
activities.

The seemingly
innocuous
26 comment
Innocuous Not harmful or offensive
0 actually
contained a
hidden insult.

His insatiable
appetite for
26
Insatiable Impossible to satisfy knowledge led
1
him to read
constantly.

The insipid
conversation
26 Lacking flavor; lacking vigor or
Insipid bored everyone
2 interest
at the dinner
table.

The insolent
teenager was
26 Showing a rude and arrogant
Insolent suspended for
3 lack of respect
disrespecting
teachers.

26 Instigate To bring about or initiate an The activist tried

 to instigate
reforms in the
4 action or event
education
system.

Mathematics is
Necessary to make a whole
26 an integral part
Integral complete; essential or
5 of engineering
fundamental
education.

His integrity
26 The quality of being honest and made him a
Integrity
6 having strong moral principles trusted leader in
the organization.

The professor
made the
26 Able to be understood; complex theory
Intelligible
7 comprehensible intelligible to
undergraduate
students.

The intrepid
explorer
26
Intrepid Fearless; adventurous ventured into
8
uncharted
territories.

The intrinsic
value of
26 education
Intrinsic Belonging naturally; essential
9 extends beyond
monetary
benefits.
 She had an
Using or based on what one intuitive
27
Intuitive feels to be true even without understanding of
0
conscious reasoning human
psychology.

The office was

inundated with
27 To flood; to overwhelm with
Inundate applications for
1 things or people to be dealt with
the popular
position.

The politician’s
speech was full
27 Insulting, abusive, or highly
Invective of invective
2 critical language
against his
opponents.

The irascible old

27 Having or showing a tendency to man complained
Irascible
3 be easily angered about everything
constantly.

His irreverent
humor offended
Showing a lack of respect for
27 some members
Irreverent people or things that are
4 of the
generally taken seriously
conservative
audience.

The itinerant
musician
27
Itinerant Traveling from place to place performed in
5
different cities
every week.
 Tired, bored, or lacking The jaded critic
27 enthusiasm, typically after was difficult to
Jaded
6 having had too much of impress with new
something artistic works.

His jocular
27 Fond of or characterized by personality made
Jocular
7 joking; humorous or playful him popular at
social gatherings.

The manager
made a judicious
27 Having, showing, or done with
Judicious decision to
8 good judgment or sense
postpone the
risky project.

The teacher’s
enthusiasm
27 To light or set on fire; to arouse
Kindle kindled a love of
9 or inspire an emotion or feeling
learning in her
students.

Writing the
28 Requiring considerable effort comprehensive
Laborious
0 and time report was a
laborious task.

She lamented
the loss of
28 To express passionate grief
Lament traditional values
1 about
in modern
society.

28 Latent Existing but not yet developed The child showed

2 or manifest; hidden latent musical
 talent that
emerged later.

Her laudable
efforts to help
28 Deserving praise and the homeless
Laudable
3 commendation were recognized
by the
community.

The hot weather

28 Affected by lethargy; sluggish made everyone
Lethargic
4 and apathetic feel lethargic and
unmotivated.

A little levity
Humor or frivolity, especially the helped ease the
28
Levity treatment of a serious matter tension during
5
with humor the difficult
meeting.

The company
accepted liability
28 The state of being responsible
Liability for the
6 for something, especially by law
environmental
damage.

The newspaper
A published false statement was sued for libel
28
Libel damaging to someone’s after printing
7
reputation false
accusations.

28 Licentious Promiscuous and unprincipled in The novel was

8 sexual matters criticized for its
 licentious
content and
themes.

The loquacious
28 Tending to talk a great deal; professor could
Loquacious
9 talkative lecture for hours
without notes.

Despite his
illness, he had
29 Expressed clearly; easy to lucid moments
Lucid
0 understand when he could
communicate
well.

The suggestion
to solve poverty
29 So foolish, unreasonable, or out
Ludicrous by printing more
1 of place as to be amusing
money was
ludicrous.

The luminous
29 Bright or shining, especially in stars provided
Luminous
2 the dark guidance for the
lost travelers.

The
magnanimous
Very generous or forgiving,
29 Magnanimou winner praised
especially toward a rival or
3 s his defeated
someone less powerful
opponent’s
efforts.

29 Malevolent Having or showing a wish to do The malevolent

 dictator
oppressed his
4 evil to others
people for
decades.

Gold is malleable
Able to be hammered or pressed and can be
29
Malleable permanently out of shape shaped into
5
without breaking intricate jewelry
designs.

The government
received a
mandate from
29 An official order or commission
Mandate voters to
6 to do something
implement
healthcare
reform.

Her talent was

29 Clear or obvious to the eye or
Manifest manifest from an
7 mind
early age.

The refugees
29 Lacking in quantity or quality; survived on
Meager
8 inadequate meager rations
for months.

The scientist’s
meticulous
29 Showing great attention to research
Meticulous
9 detail; very careful and precise methodology
ensured accurate
results.
 The new policies
were designed to
30 To make less severe, serious, or
Mitigate mitigate the
0 painful
effects of climate
change.

The manager
tried to mollify
30 To appease the anger or anxiety
Mollify the angry
1 of someone
customers with a
sincere apology.

He became
morose after
30 receiving the
Morose Bad-tempered and sulky
2 disappointing
news about his
application.

She was tired of

her mundane
30 Lacking interest or excitement;
Mundane daily routine and
3 dull
craved
adventure.

Human opinions
30 are mutable and
Mutable Liable to change
4 can shift over
time.

The company’s
myopic focus on
30 Short-sighted; lacking foresight
Myopic profits ignored
5 or discernment
long-term
sustainability.
 The nascent
technology
Just coming into existence and
30 showed promise
Nascent beginning to display signs of
6 for
future potential
revolutionizing
communication.

His plans for the

In the form of a cloud or haze;
30 future remained
Nebulous hazy, vague, indistinct, or
7 nebulous and
confused
undefined.

The detective
uncovered the
30
Nefarious Extremely wicked or villainous criminal’s
8
nefarious plot to
rob the bank.

The side effects

So small or unimportant as to be of the medication
30
Negligible not worth considering; were negligible
9
insignificant for most
patients.

The superhero
31 A long-standing rival; an finally defeated
Nemesis
0 archenemy his nemesis after
years of conflict.

As a neophyte in
31 A person who is new to a cooking, she
Neophyte
1 subject, skill, or belief relied heavily on
recipe books.

31 Nonchalant Feeling or appearing casually He remained

 nonchalant
despite the
calm and relaxed; not displaying chaos
2
anxiety surrounding the
emergency
situation.

The old
photographs
31 A sentimental longing or wistful
Nostalgia filled her with
3 affection for the past
nostalgia for her
childhood days.

The notorious
criminal was
31 Famous or well known, typically
Notorious finally captured
4 for some bad quality or deed
after years on
the run.

The novice driver

A person new to or was nervous
31
Novice inexperienced in a field or about taking the
5
situation highway for the
first time.

The translator
A subtle difference in or shade of captured every
31
Nuance meaning, expression, or nuance of the
6
response original poem’s
meaning.

31 Obdurate Stubbornly refusing to change The obdurate

7 one’s opinion or course of action negotiator
refused to
compromise on
 any terms.

The journalist
strived to
Not influenced by personal
31 maintain an
Objective feelings or opinions in
8 objective
considering facts
perspective in
her reporting.

The hurricane
obliterated
31
Obliterate To destroy utterly; wipe out several coastal
9
towns
completely.

The meaning of
the ancient text
32 Not discovered or known about;
Obscure remained
0 uncertain
obscure to
scholars.

The old computer

32 No longer produced or used; out system became
Obsolete
1 of date obsolete within a
few years.

The obstinate
child refused to
Stubbornly refusing to change
32 eat his
Obstinate one’s opinion or chosen course
2 vegetables
of action
despite repeated
requests.

32 Obtuse Annoyingly insensitive or slow to His obtuse

3 understand response to her
 emotional plea
frustrated her
greatly.

The ominous
Giving the impression that dark clouds
32
Ominous something bad or unpleasant is suggested a
4
going to happen severe storm was
approaching.

The onerous task

of reorganizing
Involving an amount of effort
32 the entire
Onerous and difficulty that is oppressively
5 database took
burdensome
months to
complete.

The opaque glass

prevented
32 Not able to be seen through; not
Opaque anyone from
6 transparent
seeing inside the
building.

The opportunistic
Exploiting chances offered by
politician
32 immediate circumstances
Opportunistic changed his
7 without reference to a general
stance to gain
plan
more votes.

The opulent
mansion
32 Ostentatiously rich and luxurious displayed the
Opulent
8 or lavish family’s
enormous
wealth.
 The ornate
cathedral
32 Made in an intricate shape or featured
Ornate
9 decorated with complex patterns elaborate
carvings and
detailed artwork.

His orthodox
approach to
Following or conforming to the
33 medicine
Orthodox traditional or generally accepted
0 rejected
rules or beliefs
alternative
treatments.

The ostensible
reason for his
33 Stated or appearing to be true, visit was
Ostensible
1 but not necessarily so business, but he
had personal
motives.

Her ostentatious
Characterized by vulgar or
33 jewelry drew
Ostentatious pretentious display; designed to
2 attention at the
impress
charity gala.

The mother tried

33 To quell the anger, agitation, or to pacify her
Pacify
3 excitement of crying baby with
gentle rocking.

The medication
To make a disease or its
33 helped palliate
Palliate symptoms less severe or
4 the patient’s
unpleasant
chronic pain.
 The tension in
Able to be touched or felt; so the room was
33
Palpable intense as to seem almost palpable during
5
tangible the heated
discussion.

The new
teaching method
33 A typical example or pattern of
Paradigm represented a
6 something; a model
paradigm shift in
education.

It’s a paradox
that the more
A seemingly absurd or self-
33 choices we have,
Paradox contradictory statement that
7 the harder it
may reveal a deeper truth
becomes to
decide.

She was
A person or thing regarded as a considered a
33
Paragon perfect example of a particular paragon of virtue
8
quality and moral
excellence.

The safety of the

passengers was
33 Of the highest importance;
Paramount of paramount
9 supreme
concern to the
airline.

34 Parochial Having a limited or narrow His parochial

0 outlook or scope views prevented
him from
understanding
 global
perspectives.

The
parsimonious
34 Extremely frugal; unwilling to millionaire lived
Parsimonious
1 spend like a pauper
despite his
wealth.

The partisan
crowd cheered
34 Prejudiced in favor of a
Partisan only when their
2 particular cause
team scored
points.

The
documentary’s
34 A quality that evokes pity or pathos moved
Pathos
3 sadness viewers to
donate to the
charity.

There was a
paucity of
The presence of something only
34 evidence to
Paucity in small or insufficient
4 support the
quantities; scarcity
prosecution’s
case.

34 Pedantic Being excessively concerned His pedantic

5 with minor details or rules correction of
everyone’s
grammar
annoyed his
 colleagues.

She had a
penchant for
A strong or habitual liking for
34 collecting
Penchant something or tendency to do
6 vintage
something
postcards from
around the world.

The penitent
Feeling or showing sorrow and criminal
34
Penitent regret for having done wrong; apologized to the
7
repentant victims’ families
in court.

She sat in
Engaged in, involving, or pensive silence,
34
Pensive reflecting deep or serious contemplating
8
thought her future career
options.

World hunger
remains a
Lasting or existing for a long or
34 perennial
Perennial apparently infinite time;
9 problem that
enduring
requires ongoing
attention.

The perfidious
ally betrayed the
35
Perfidious Deceitful and untrustworthy treaty and
0
attacked without
warning.

35 Perfunctory Carried out with a minimum of His perfunctory

 apology lacked
1 effort or reflection sincerity and
genuine remorse.

The peripheral
issues distracted
35 Relating to or situated on the
Peripheral from the main
2 edge or periphery of something
topic of
discussion.

The pernicious
influence of
Having a harmful effect,
35 social media on
Pernicious especially in a gradual or subtle
3 self-esteem
way
concerns many
parents.

The perpetual
noise from the
35 Never ending or changing;
Perpetual construction site
4 occurring repeatedly
disturbed the
neighborhood.

The pervasive
smell of smoke
35 Spreading widely throughout an
Pervasive indicated a fire
5 area or a group of people
somewhere
nearby.

The petulant
35 child threw a
Petulant Childishly sulky or bad-tempered
6 tantrum when
denied the toy.

35 Philanthropic Seeking to promote the welfare Her philanthropic

 efforts helped
of others, especially by donating build schools in
7
money underdeveloped
regions.

His phlegmatic
response to the
35 Having an unemotional and
Phlegmatic crisis impressed
8 stolidly calm disposition
everyone with his
composure.

The monk’s piety

35 The quality of being religious or was evident in
Piety
9 reverent his daily prayers
and meditation.

Winning the
Nobel Prize was
36 The highest point of
Pinnacle the pinnacle of
0 development or achievement
her scientific
career.

The pious woman

36 attended church
Pious Devoutly religious
1 services every
day without fail.

The company
offered refunds
36 To make someone less angry or
Placate to placate the
2 hostile
dissatisfied
customers.

36 Placid Not easily upset or excited; calm The placid lake

3 and peaceful reflected the
 mountains
perfectly in its
still waters.

The politician’s
A remark or statement that has
36 speech was full
Platitude been used too often to be
4 of platitudes and
interesting
empty promises.

His explanation
36 for being late
Plausible Seeming reasonable or probable
5 seemed plausible
to the teacher.

The documentary
highlighted the
36 A dangerous, difficult, or
Plight plight of refugees
6 otherwise unfortunate situation
fleeing war-torn
countries.

The poignant
farewell scene
36 Evoking a keen sense of sadness
Poignant brought tears to
7 or regret
the audience’s
eyes.

The pompous
professor looked
36 Affectedly and irritatingly grand, down on
Pompous
8 solemn, or self-important students who
asked simple
questions.

36 Ponderous Having great weight; heavy and The ponderous

9 unwieldy machinery
 required several
workers to
operate safely.

The economic
A sign or warning that
37 indicators were
Portent something momentous or
0 seen as a portent
calamitous is likely to happen
of recession.

The author
received
Occurring, awarded, or
37 posthumous
Posthumous appearing after the death of the
1 recognition for
originator
his literary
contributions.

Her pragmatic
approach to
37 Dealing with things sensibly and problem-solving
Pragmatic
2 realistically impressed the
management
team.

The mountain
climber found
37 Not securely held or in position; himself in a
Precarious
3 dependent on chance; uncertain precarious
position on the
cliff.

The court’s
decision set an
37 An earlier event or action that is
Precedent important legal
4 regarded as an example or guide
precedent for
future cases.
 The scandal
precipitated the
37 To cause something to happen
Precipitate politician’s
5 suddenly or too soon
resignation from
office.

The heavy rain

precluded any
37 To prevent from happening;
Preclude possibility of
6 make impossible
holding the
outdoor concert.

The precocious
Having developed certain
37 child could read
Precocious abilities or proclivities at an
7 complex novels
earlier age than usual
by age six.

She had a
predilection for
37 A preference or special liking for classical music
Predilection
8 something over
contemporary
genres.

He was the
37 Surpassing all others; very preeminent
Preeminent
9 distinguished in some way expert in his field
of research.

It was
presumptuous of
38 Presumptuou Failing to observe the limits of
him to assume
0 s what is permitted or appropriate
he would get the
promotion.
 The pretentious
Attempting to impress by art critic used
38
Pretentious affecting greater importance unnecessarily
1
than is actually possessed complex
vocabulary.

Flu was prevalent

38 Widespread in a particular area in the community
Prevalent
2 at a particular time during the winter
months.

The witness tried

38 To speak or act in an evasive to prevaricate
Prevaricate
3 way when asked
direct questions.

The pristine
wilderness area
38 In its original condition;
Pristine had never been
4 unspoiled
developed or
disturbed.

The judge was

known for his
38 Integrity and uprightness;
Probity probity and fair
5 honesty
treatment of all
cases.

He had a
proclivity for
38 A tendency to choose or do
Proclivity arriving late to
6 something regularly
important
meetings.

38 Procrastinate To delay or postpone action; put Students often

 procrastinate
when faced with
7 off doing something
difficult
assignments.

The prodigal heir

squandered his
38 Spending money or resources
Prodigal inheritance
8 freely and recklessly
within a few
years.

The athlete’s
38 Remarkably or impressively prodigious talent
Prodigious
9 great in extent, size, or intensity was evident from
childhood.

The profane
39 Relating to or devoted to that language in the
Profane
0 which is not sacred; secular movie earned it
an adult rating.

The profligate
spending habits
39 Recklessly extravagant or
Profligate led to massive
1 wasteful in the use of resources
debt
accumulation.

The philosopher’s
profound
39 Very great or intense; having thoughts
Profound
2 deep insight or understanding influenced
generations of
thinkers.

39 Profuse Abundant; existing in large She offered

 profuse apologies
for the
3 quantity
misunderstandin
g and confusion.

The prolific
author published
39 Present in large numbers or
Prolific dozens of novels
4 quantities; plentiful
during her
career.

Children have a
natural
An inclination or natural
39 propensity for
Propensity tendency to behave in a
5 learning
particular way
languages
quickly.

The sunny
weather was
39 Giving or indicating a good
Propitious propitious for the
6 chance of success; favorable
outdoor wedding
ceremony.

She always
The state or quality of maintained strict
39
Propriety conforming to conventionally propriety in her
7
accepted standards professional
interactions.

His prosaic
writing style
39 Having the style or diction of
Prosaic failed to capture
8 prose; lacking poetic beauty
the reader’s
imagination.
 The negotiations
39 To prolong; extend the duration were protracted
Protract
9 of and lasted for
several months.

It would be
prudent to save
40 Acting with or showing care and
Prudent money for
0 thought for the future
unexpected
emergencies.

His puerile jokes

were
40 inappropriate for
Puerile Childishly silly and trivial
1 the serious
business
meeting.

The pugnacious
debater never
40 Eager or quick to argue, quarrel, backed down
Pugnacious
2 or fight from an
intellectual
challenge.

The punctilious
secretary
40 Showing great attention to detail ensured every
Punctilious
3 or correct behavior document was
perfectly
formatted.

40 Pungent Having a sharply strong taste or The pungent

4 smell aroma of garlic
filled the kitchen
 during cooking.

The quaint
village cottage
40 Attractively unusual or old-
Quaint charmed visitors
5 fashioned
with its rustic
appeal.

She found herself

40 A state of perplexity or in a quandary
Quandary
6 uncertainty over what to do about which job
offer to accept.

The infected
passengers were
40 A state of isolation imposed to
Quarantine placed in
7 prevent the spread of disease
quarantine for
two weeks.

The police were

40 To put an end to a rebellion or called to quell
Quell
8 other disorder the riot in the
city center.

The querulous
patient
40 Complaining in a petulant or constantly
Querulous
9 whining manner complained
about the
hospital food.

41 Quiescent In a state or period of inactivity The volcano had

0 or dormancy been quiescent
for over fifty
 years.

She was the

quintessential
41 Quintessenti Representing the most perfect
professional,
1 al example of a quality or class
always prepared
and punctual.

His quixotic plan

to end world
41 Extremely idealistic; unrealistic
Quixotic poverty was
2 and impractical
admirable but
unrealistic.

The rancor
between the two
41 Bitterness or resentfulness,
Rancor families had
3 especially when long-standing
lasted for
generations.

The rapacious
corporation
41
Rapacious Aggressively greedy or grasping exploited workers
4
for maximum
profit.

The teacher
A close and harmonious established good
41
Rapport relationship in which people rapport with her
5
understand each other students
immediately.

41 Ratify To sign or give formal consent to The senate voted

6 a treaty, contract, or agreement to ratify the
international
 trade agreement.

The raucous
Making or constituting a
41 laughter from the
Raucous disturbingly harsh and loud
7 party disturbed
noise
the neighbors.

The principal
rebuked the
41 To express sharp disapproval or
Rebuke student for his
8 criticism of someone
disrespectful
behavior.

The recalcitrant
employee
41 Having an obstinately
Recalcitrant refused to follow
9 uncooperative attitude
company
policies.

Under pressure,
the scientist
42 To say that a former belief or
Recant recanted his
0 statement was wrong
controversial
theory.

The two
42 countries signed
Reciprocal Given, felt, or done in return
1 a reciprocal trade
agreement.

42 Reclusive Avoiding the company of other The reclusive

2 people; solitary author rarely
gave interviews
or public
 appearances.

The mediator
To restore friendly relations helped reconcile
42
Reconcile between; to make consistent the feuding
3
with business
partners.

The professor’s
recondite
42
Recondite Little known; abstruse research was
4
understood by
few colleagues.

The company
promised to
42 To remedy or set right an
Redress redress the
5 undesirable situation
environmental
damage caused.

The new software

42 Not or no longer needed or made several job
Redundant
6 useful; superfluous positions
redundant.

The scientist’s
experiments
42 To prove a statement or theory refuted the
Refute
7 to be wrong or false previously
accepted
hypothesis.

42 Relegate To consign or dismiss to an The team was

8 inferior rank or position relegated to a
lower division
 after poor
performance.

She reluctantly
relinquished her
42 To voluntarily cease to keep or
Relinquish position as
9 claim; give up
department
head.

The security
guard was remiss
43 Lacking care or attention to
Remiss in checking
0 duty; negligent
visitor
identification.

He felt genuine
43 Deep regret or guilt for a wrong remorse for his
Remorse
1 committed harsh words to
his friend.

The prince
To formally declare one’s
43 renounced his
Renounce abandonment of a claim, right,
2 claim to the
or possession
throne for love.

The museum was

replete with
43 Filled or well-supplied with
Replete artifacts from
3 something
ancient
civilizations.

43 Reprehensibl Deserving censure or The politician’s

4 e condemnation reprehensible
behavior shocked
 his supporters.

The governor
granted a
43 A cancellation or postponement
Reprieve reprieve to the
5 of a punishment
condemned
prisoner.

The employee
received a formal
43 To rebuke someone, especially
Reprimand reprimand for
6 officially
violating safety
protocols.

She reproached
43 To address someone in such a him for his lack
Reproach
7 way as to express disapproval of consideration
toward others.

The organization
repudiated the
43 To refuse to accept or be
Repudiate extremist views
8 associated with
of former
members.

The company
decided to
43 To revoke, cancel, or repeal a
Rescind rescind the
9 law, order, or agreement
controversial
policy change.

44 Resilient Able to withstand or recover The resilient

0 quickly from difficult conditions community
rebuilt after the
devastating
 earthquake.

She remained
44 Admirably purposeful, resolute in her
Resolute
1 determined, and unwavering decision despite
family pressure.

The reticent
witness provided
44 Not revealing one’s thoughts or minimal
Reticent
2 feelings readily information
during
questioning.

The newspaper
44 To draw back or withdraw a was forced to
Retract
3 statement or accusation retract the false
story.

The congregation
maintained a
44 Feeling or showing deep and
Reverent reverent silence
4 solemn respect
during the
prayer.

The politician’s
rhetoric appealed
44 The art of effective or persuasive
Rhetoric to voters’
5 speaking or writing
emotions rather
than logic.

44 Rigorous Extremely thorough and careful The university

6 maintained
rigorous
academic
 standards for
graduation.

The robust
economy showed
44
Robust Strong and healthy; vigorous steady growth
7
throughout the
year.

His rudimentary
knowledge of
44 Involving or limited to basic
Rudimentary French made
8 principles
communication
difficult.

The sagacious
44 Having or showing keen mental advisor helped
Sagacious
9 discernment and good judgment the king make
wise decisions.

The salient
features of the
45 Most noticeable or important;
Salient proposal were
0 prominent
highlighted in the
presentation.

His
sanctimonious
45 Sanctimonio Making a show of being morally attitude
1 us superior to other people alienated his
colleagues at
work.

45 Sanguine Optimistic or positive, especially Despite

2 in an apparently bad situation setbacks, she
 remained
sanguine about
the project’s
success.

His sardonic
comments
45 revealed his
Sardonic Grimly mocking or cynical
3 bitter
disappointment
with politics.

The accountant
was scrupulous
45 Diligent, thorough, and
Scrupulous in checking every
4 extremely attentive to details
financial
transaction.

The auditor
scrutinized the
45 To examine or inspect closely
Scrutinize company’s
5 and thoroughly
financial records
carefully.

The country
maintained a
Denoting attitudes, activities, or secular
45
Secular other things that have no government
6
religious basis separate from
religious
institutions.

45 Sedentary Tending to spend much time His sedentary

7 seated; inactive lifestyle
contributed to
 various health
problems.

Darwin’s work
was seminal in
45 Strongly influencing later
Seminal the development
8 developments
of evolutionary
theory.

His servile
Having or showing an excessive behavior toward
45
Servile willingness to serve or please the boss
9
others embarrassed his
colleagues.

The scientist
remained
46 Not easily convinced; having skeptical of
Skeptical
0 doubts or reservations claims without
empirical
evidence.

The solemn
ceremony
46 Formal and dignified; serious honored the
Solemn
1 and thoughtful fallen soldiers
with appropriate
respect.

The nurse was

Characterized by care and solicitous about
46
Solicitous concern for someone or the patient’s
2
something comfort and well-
being.
 The somber
46 Dark or dull in color or tone; mood at the
Somber
3 grave or serious funeral reflected
everyone’s grief.

The sophisticated
wine connoisseur
46 Having great knowledge or
Sophisticated could identify
4 experience; refined and cultured
subtle flavor
differences.

His specious
argument
46 Superficially plausible, but sounded
Specious
5 actually wrong convincing but
lacked factual
support.

The investigation
revealed
46 Not being what it purports to be;
Spurious spurious claims
6 false or fake
in the research
paper.

The refugees
lived in squalid
46 Extremely dirty and unpleasant,
Squalid conditions in the
7 especially as a result of poverty
overcrowded
camp.

The stagnant
economy showed
46 Having no current or flow; not
Stagnant no signs of
8 developing or progressing
improvement or
growth.
 The stoic soldier
A person who can endure pain or bore his injuries
46
Stoic hardship without showing without
9
feelings complaint or
emotion.

Her strident
voice could be
47
Strident Loud and harsh; grating heard across the
0
entire
auditorium.

The laboratory
followed
47 stringent safety
Stringent Strict, precise, and exacting
1 protocols to
prevent
contamination.

The sublime
47 Of such excellence, grandeur, or mountain vista
Sublime
2 beauty as to inspire awe took their breath
away completely.

The lawyer
needed to
47 To provide evidence to support substantiate his
Substantiate
3 or prove the truth of claims with
concrete
evidence.

47 Subtle So delicate or precise as to be The subtle

4 difficult to analyze or describe changes in her
behavior
indicated
 underlying
stress.

The subversive
Seeking or intended to subvert literature was
47
Subversive an established system or banned by the
5
institution authoritarian
government.

His succinct
summary
47
Succinct Briefly and clearly expressed captured the
6
essence of the
complex report.

The editor
removed
47 Unnecessary, especially through superfluous
Superfluous
7 being more than enough words to improve
the article’s
clarity.

The dancer’s
supple
movements
47 Bending and moving easily and
Supple captivated the
8 gracefully; flexible
audience
throughout the
performance.

She cast
surreptitious
47 Kept secret, especially because
Surreptitious glances at her
9 it would not be approved of
watch during the
boring meeting.
 The sycophant
constantly
48 A person who acts obsequiously
Sycophant flattered the boss
0 to gain advantage
to secure a
promotion.

There was a tacit

agreement
48 Understood or implied without between them to
Tacit
1 being stated avoid the
controversial
topic.

The taciturn
professor rarely
48 Reserved or uncommunicative in engaged in
Taciturn
2 speech; saying little casual
conversation
with students.

The company
needed tangible
48 Perceptible by touch; clear and
Tangible results to justify
3 definite; real
the expensive
project.

The tedious
lecture on tax
48 Too long, slow, or dull; tiresome
Tedious law put several
4 or monotonous
students to
sleep.

48 Temerity Excessive confidence or He had the

5 boldness; audacity temerity to
criticize his
 boss’s decision in
public.

The tenacious
reporter pursued
48 Tending to keep a firm hold of
Tenacious the story despite
6 something; persistent
numerous
obstacles.

They made
tentative plans to
48
Tentative Not certain or fixed; provisional meet next week
7
pending schedule
confirmation.

His terse reply

48 Sparing in the use of words; indicated his
Terse
8 abrupt displeasure with
the question.

The timorous
Showing or suffering from
48 student hesitated
Timorous nervousness or a lack of
9 to ask questions
confidence
during class.

The hot weather

49 Mentally or physically inactive; made everyone
Torpid
0 lethargic feel torpid and
unmotivated.

49 Tractable Easy to control or influence; The tractable

1 manageable horse was
perfect for
beginning riding
 lessons.

The transient
nature of fame
49 Lasting only for a short time;
Transient became apparent
2 impermanent
when his
popularity faded.

The graduation
speech was full
49 Overused and therefore lacking
Trite of trite phrases
3 originality or freshness
and clichéd
advice.

The truculent
customer
49 Eager or quick to argue or fight; demanded to
Truculent
4 aggressively defiant speak with the
manager
immediately.

The country
experienced a
49 Very disturbed; characterized by
Turbulent turbulent period
5 conflict, disorder, or confusion
of political
upheaval.

Cell phones have

become
49 Present, appearing, or found
Ubiquitous ubiquitous in
6 everywhere
modern society
worldwide.

49 Unctuous Excessively or ingratiatingly The unctuous

7 flattering; oily salesman’s
 excessive
compliments
made customers
uncomfortable.

The pandemic
created
49 Unprecedent unprecedented
Never done or known before
8 ed challenges for
healthcare
systems globally.

She continued to
To waver between different
49 vacillate between
Vacillate opinions or actions; be
9 the two job offers
indecisive
for weeks.

The venerable
professor
Accorded a great deal of respect,
50 emeritus was
Venerable especially because of age or
0 honored for his
wisdom
lifetime
achievements.

[Link] CEO’s decision was seen as highly ______, as it prioritized long-term

stability over short-term profit.
A) capricious
B) prudent
C) negligent
D) arbitrary

[Link] argument was so ______ that even her critics had to admit she made
valid points.
A) tenuous
B) cogent
C) spurious
D) ambiguous
[Link] witness gave a ______ account of the events, leaving out crucial details.
A) comprehensive
B) cursory
C) meticulous
D) exhaustive

[Link] remarks were considered ______ and offended several members of the
audience.
A) innocuous
B) tactful
C) incendiary
D) benign

[Link] scientist’s theory was initially dismissed as ______ but later gained
acceptance.
A) orthodox
B) plausible
C) outlandish
D) credible

[Link] has a ______ ability to remember even the smallest details.

A) prodigious
B) mediocre
C) negligible
D) trivial

[Link] politician tried to ______ the scandal by diverting attention to unrelated

issues.
A) exacerbate
B) obfuscate
C) elucidate
D) corroborate

[Link] success was not due to luck but to his ______ efforts over many years.
A) sporadic
B) assiduous
C) negligible
D) perfunctory

[Link] novel is a ______ critique of modern society, exposing its flaws.

A) scathing
B) benign
C) indifferent
D) subtle

[Link] company’s sudden collapse was ______ by years of poor

management.
A) precipitated
B) alleviated
C) mitigated
D) forestalled

[Link] explanation was so ______ that no one could follow her reasoning.
A) lucid
B) convoluted
C) coherent
D) succinct

[Link] remained ______ in his beliefs despite overwhelming evidence to the

contrary.
A) resolute
B) malleable
C) fickle
D) compliant

[Link] professor’s lectures were often ______, filled with unnecessary

digressions.
A) concise
B) verbose
C) succinct
D) terse

[Link] manager’s ______ attitude made employees feel undervalued.

A) empathetic
B) indifferent
C) supportive
D) attentive

[Link] agreement was reached after ______ negotiations lasting several

months.
A) amicable
B) protracted
C) fleeting
D) trivial
[Link] apology seemed ______, lacking genuine remorse.
A) heartfelt
B) sincere
C) perfunctory
D) profound

[Link] artist’s style is highly ______, making it instantly recognizable.

A) derivative
B) distinctive
C) generic
D) imitative

[Link] report was full of ______ claims that lacked credible evidence.
A) substantiated
B) dubious
C) verified
D) credible

[Link] gave a ______ response, avoiding the question entirely.

A) direct
B) evasive
C) candid
D) forthright

[Link] new policy aims to ______ economic inequality.

A) exacerbate
B) alleviate
C) intensify
D) amplify

Answers

1.B) prudent
Explanation: “Prudent” means acting with careful judgment and foresight,
especially for long-term benefit.

2.B) cogent
Explanation: “Cogent” means clear, logical, and convincing.

3.B) cursory
Explanation: “Cursory” means superficial and lacking attention to detail.
4.C) incendiary
Explanation: “Incendiary” refers to language that provokes anger or conflict.

5.C) outlandish
Explanation: “Outlandish” means strange or difficult to believe.

6.A) prodigious
Explanation: “Prodigious” means remarkably great or impressive.

7.B) obfuscate
Explanation: “Obfuscate” means to deliberately make something unclear.

8.B) assiduous
Explanation: “Assiduous” means showing great effort and persistence.

9.A) scathing
Explanation: “Scathing” means harshly critical.

10.A) precipitated
Explanation: “Precipitated” means caused something to happen suddenly.

11.B) convoluted
Explanation: “Convoluted” means overly complex and hard to follow.

12.A) resolute
Explanation: “Resolute” means firmly determined.

13.B) verbose
Explanation: “Verbose” means using more words than necessary.

14.B) indifferent
Explanation: “Indifferent” means showing no interest or concern.

15.B) protracted
Explanation: “Protracted” means lasting for a long time.

16.C) perfunctory
Explanation: “Perfunctory” means done with little effort or sincerity.

17.B) distinctive
Explanation: “Distinctive” means easily recognizable and unique.

18.B) dubious
Explanation: “Dubious” means doubtful or unreliable.

19.B) evasive
Explanation: “Evasive” means avoiding a direct answer.
20.B) alleviate
Explanation: “Alleviate” means to make something less severe.