Vocabulary Booster, Volume II
ASSIDUOUS (adj.) hard COMPLACENT (adj.) peaceful, DOFF (v.) to take off an item of
A
working, diligent easygoing clothing
ABHOR (v.) to strongly detest or ASTUTE (adj.) smart, perceptive CONDONE (v.) to allow DON (v.) to put on an item of
dislike AUGMENT (v.) to increase in something to happen, to give clothing
ABSTEMIOUS (adj.) sparing in size, to swell approval to a questionable act DRACONIAN (adj.) extremely
food and drink AUSPICIOUS (adj.) favorable, CONFLAGRATION (n.) a huge harsh, severe, oppressive
ABSTRACT (adj.) theoretical, fortunate, boding well for the fire
E
not concrete future CRYPTIC (adj.) secretive,
ACQUIESCE (v.) to agree with, AUSTERE (adj.) stark, severely hidden, hard to understand EBULLIENT (adj.) extremely
to go along with simple joyful
D
ADVERSARY (n.) opponent or AUTOCRATIC (adj.) having EDIFY (v.) to instruct, to educate
enemy total power, dictatorial DEFINITIVE (adj.) defining; EGREGIOUS (adj.) extremely
ADVOCATE (v. / n.) to support / AUTONOMY (n.) independence held up as the ultimate example bad or mistaken
a supporter AVARICIOUS (adj.) greedy of something ELOQUENT (adj.) well spoken,
ALLEVIATE (v.) to relieve, to AVUNCULAR (adj.) having the DELINEATE (v.) to mark with a marked by expressive and
lessen qualities of an uncle line (or lines) persuasive speech
AMBIGUOUS (adj.) unclear in DESECRATE (v.) to violate, to ELUSIVE (adj.) hard to capture
B
meaning make impure, to defile or grasp
AMBIVALENT (adj.) torn BEHEMOTH (n.) something that DESTITUTE (adj.) extremely EMISSARY (n.) agent or
between two conflicting is huge, gigantic poor, poverty stricken messenger
emotions BENEFACTOR (n.) one who DETERRENT (n.) something ERUDITION (n.) deep learning,
AMORPHOUS (adj.) lacking a provides financial support that prevents something from scholarship
definite shape or form BENEVOLENT (adj.) kind, happening ESCHEW (v.) to avoid
ANACHRONISTIC (adj.) good-hearted DETRIMENTAL (adj.) harmful ETYMOLOGY (n.) the study of
obsolete, outdated DEVIOUS (adj.) tricky, crafty, word origins
C
ANECDOTE (n.) a short story unprincipled EUPHEMISM (n.) a pleasant
intended to instruct or amuse CANTANKEROUS (adj.) DIATRIBE (n.) a lengthy and way of saying something
ARBITRARY (adj.) random, by ornery, agitated, mean-spirited accusatory speech unpleasant
chance CASTIGATE (v.) to scold DIGRESS (v.) to turn away from EVANESCENT (adj.) vanishing
ARCHAIC (adj.) outdated, severely, berate the main point, to get off track quickly, fleeting
obsolete, ancient CAUSTIC (adj.) biting, scornful DILATORY (adj.) tending to EXALTED (adj.) holding a high
ARTICULATE (adj.) skillful in CLICHE (n.) an overused saying delay position, greatly respected
the use of language, well-spoken or expression DIMINUTION (n.) a decrease or EXEMPLARY (adj.) serving as a
ASCENDANCY (n.) the state of COLLOQUIAL (adj.) pertaining diminishing good example
rising or ascending; domination to everyday language or speech DISDAIN (v.) contempt or EXONERATE (v.) to free from
ASSENT (n. / v.) agreement / to COMMEMORATE (v.) to honor scorn; bitter dislike blame
agree or consent the memory of DIVERGE (v.) to split or move
apart
EXPATRIATE (n.) someone IDIOSYNCRASY (n.) odd
L P
who leaves their native land to personality trait, quirk
settle elsewhere IDOLATRY (n.) worship of false LACONIC (adj.) sparing in PARSIMONY (n.) stinginess,
EXPEDITE (v.) to quicken, idol(s) words cheapness
hasten IMMUTABLE (adj.) unable to LAUD (v.) to praise PECUNIARY (adj.) pertaining to
EXTRANEOUS (adj.) extra and change or be changed LISTLESS (adj.) lacking energy money
unnecessary INCONGRUOUS (adj.) not LOQUACIOUS (adj.) talkative PENURY (n.) poverty
EXTRICATE (v.) to extract, congruent, dissimilar PERFIDIOUS (adj.) treacherous,
M
free, disentangle, remove INCORRIGIBLE (adj.) not able disloyal
to be corrected, beyond MALICE (n.) evil intent PERPETUAL (adj.) continuous,
F
redemption MELLIFLUOUS (adj.) smooth- without end
FACILITATE (v.) to make easier INDIFFERENT (adj.) making no flowing PESSIMISM (n.) a gloomy or
FALLOW (adj.) barren, difference, not caring one way or MENDICANT (adj. / n.) negative outlook
uncultivated the other extremely poor and given to PHILANTHROPIST (n.) a
FEASIBLE (adj.) doable, INDOMITABLE (adj.) unable to begging / a beggar person who donates large sums
possible, able to be accomplished be defeated METICULOUS (adj.) paying of money to charitable causes
FLORID (adj.) flowery INGENIOUS (adj.) pertaining to very close attention to detail PIECEMEAL (adj. / adv.) bit by
FOOLHARDY (adj.) daring in a a genius; very clever MISER (n.) a person who is bit / in a gradual way
foolish way INGENUOUS (adj.) genuine, extremely stingy or cheap PINE (v.) to miss, to long for, to
FRIVOLOUS (adj.) lacking in honest, open MITIGATE (v.) to lessen or yearn for
importance or seriousness INHERENT (adj.) natural, moderate the severity of PLATITUDE (n.) overused
FURTIVE (adj.) sneaky, hidden, innate; pertaining to the essential something saying, trite remark
stealthy nature of something MNEMONIC (adj.) pertaining to POSTERITY (n.) future
INNOVATION (n.) new memory generations
G
development MOLLIFY (v.) to soothe, soften, POTENTATE (n.) ruler,
GERMANE (adj.) pertinent, INSURMOUNTABLE (adj.) pacify monarch, very powerful person
related to the point at hand unable to be overcome MOROSE (adj.) sad, gloomy PRECOCIOUS (adj.)
GLUTTON (n.) habitual INTRACTABLE (adj.) MYOPIC (adj.) near sighted, characterized by early
overeater extremely stubborn, not able to lacking foresight development, advanced at an
GRANDIOSE (adj.) overly grand be solved early age
N
GREGARIOUS (adj.) sociable INTREPID (adj.) brave, fearless, PRIVATION (n.) a condition or
GULLIBLE (adj.) unquestioning, lacking trepidation NOXIOUS (adj.) harmful result of deprivation or loss
easily fooled INVOKE (v.) to call upon NURTURE (v.) to care for, to PRODIGAL (adj.) wasteful;
raise reckless with money
H J
PROFLIGATE (adj.) reckless in
O
HIERARCHY (n.) power JOVIAL (adj.) good natured, spending
structure merry, given to joking OPAQUE (adj.) impossible to PROFOUND (adj.) deep, deeply
HYPERBOLE (n.) exaggeration, see through moving
K
overstatement OPTIMISTIC (adj.) having a PROPENSITY (n.) tendency
KINETIC (adj.) pertaining to positive outlook PROTEGE (n.) a person who is
I
motion groomed for a position
PROVINCIAL (adj.) pertaining RESPITE (n.) a brief break or TACITURN (adj.) quiet,
W
to a province; narrow-minded rest reserved
PRUDENT (adj.) wise, marked REVILE (v.) to hate or detest TEMPETUOUS (adj.) of or WARY (adj.) cautious
by good judgment RHETORIC (n.) skillful use of pertaining to a tempest or storm WANE (v.) to decrease, diminish
PUGNACIOUS (adj.) combative, language, or just language in TENACIOUS (adj.) unyielding, WHIMSICAL (adj.) fickle,
tending to fight general forceful changeable, moody
RIBALD (adj.) vulgarly TENET (n.) a key belief or WISTFUL (adj.) filled with
Q
humorous, lewd, crude principle regret and longing
QUIESCENT (adj.) quiet, ROBUST (adj.) strong, hearty, TENTATIVE (adj.) possible but
dormant, temporarily inactive vigorous subject to change, not definite
THEOLOGY (n.) the study of
R S
religion
RACONTEUR (n.) a person who SCANT (adj.) minimal TIMOROUS (adj.) timid, fearful
tells witty and amusing stories SCRUTINIZE (v.) to examine TIRADE (n.) a lengthy and
RAMIFICATION (n.) a closely (visually) abusive verbal attack
branching out; a consequence of SEEMLY (adj.) proper, suitable TORPOR (n.) lack of energy,
a problematic situation SERPENTINE (adj.) serpent- listlessness
RANCID (adj.) foul, putrid, like, snake-like TRANSCEND (v.) to surpass, go
disgusting SLUGGISH (adj.) slow moving, beyond
RANCOR (n.) anger, ill will hard to arouse TRITE (adj.) overused,
REBUFF (v.) to snub, beat back SOPHOMORIC (adj.) of or unoriginal
RECTIFY (v.) to fix, correct pertaining to a sophomore; wise TRUNCATE (v.) to shorten,
RECTITUDE (n.) uprightness, and foolish at the same time reduce
moral virtue STAID (adj.) bland, boring
U
REDOLENT (adj.) fragrant, STRIDENT (adj.) loud, harsh,
scented shrill UTOPIA (n.) a perfect place
REMEDIAL (adj.) pertaining to SUBSIDIZE (v.) to assist
V
a remedy financially
REMISS (adj.) at fault, negligent SUBTLE (adj.) not overt, VENERATE (v.) to hold in high
REMUNERATIVE (adj.) nuanced, subject to fine regard, to greatly respect, to
resulting in monetary gain, distinctions revere
profitable SUPERCILIOUS (adj.) haughty, VERACITY (n.) truthfulness
REPARATIONS (n.) money to arrogant, overly proud VERBOSE (adj.) wordy
be paid for injury or damage SUPERFLUOUS (adj.) VERDANT (adj.) lush with
REPLETE (adj.) full of or filled unnecessary, extraneous greenery
with SURREPTITIOUS (adj.) VILIFY (v.) to make into or
REPRIMAND (v. / n.) blame secretive, stealthy portray as a villain
REPROACH (n.) blame, SYCOPHANT (n.) brown-noser, VIRULENT (adj.) poisonous,
disapproval servile flatterer toxic
RESCIND (v.) to take back, VOLATILE (adj.) explosive;
T
recall, nullify, repeal tending to evaporate quickly