Sunday, May 17, 2015

300 Smart Words You Should Know


1.       Abate – decrease, subside
2.      Aberrant – abnormal, unusual
3.      Abeyance- lapse in succession during which there is no person in whom a title is vested, temporary inactivity
4.      Abscond – run away, escape
5.      Abstemious – self-denying, self-disciplined
6.      Admonish – reprove, caution
7.      Adulterate – contaminate, taint
8.      Aesthetic – artistic, visual
9.      Aggregate – collective, total
10.   Alacrity – eagerness, enthusiasm
11.    Alleviate – make less severe
12.   Amalgamate – merge, join
13.   Ambiguous – vague, unclear
14.   Ambivalence- simultaneous and contradictory attitudes or feelings toward an object, person or action, continual fluctuation, uncertainty as to which approach to follow
15.   Ameliorate – improve, restructure
16.   Anachronism – relic, survival
17.   Analogous – similar, equivalent
18.   Anomalous – irregular, uncharacteristic
19.   Antipathy – opposition, aversion
20.  Apathy – indifference, lack of concern
21.   Appease – mollify, conciliate
22.  Apprise – explain, tell
23.  Approbation – approval, consent
24.  Appropriate – suitable, fitting
25.  Arduous – difficult, hard
26.  Artless – simple, natural
27.  Ascetic – austere, abstinent
28.  Assiduous – diligent, persevering
29.  Assuage – alleviate, lessen, #11
30.  Attenuate – satisfy, assuage, #29
31.   Audacious – daring, bold
32.  Austere – severe, strict, #27
33.  Autonomous – independent, self-directed
34.  Aver – avow, state
35.  Banal – commonplace, trite
36.  Belie – contradict, disprove
37.  Beneficent- doing or producing good
38.  Bolster – boost, strengthen
39.  Bombastic – pompous, pretentious
40. Boorish – rude, ill-mannered
41.   Burgeon – multiply, prosper
42.  Burnish – polish, shine
43.  Buttress – support, prop, #38
44. Cacophonous – dissonant, jarring
45.  Capricious – impulsive, unpredictable
46. Castigation – criticism, rebuke
47.  Catalyst – means, channel
48. Caustic – scathing, cutting
49. Chicanery- actions or statements that trick people into believing something that is not true: depiction or trickery
50.  Coagulate – clot, congeal
51.   Coda – postscript, addendum
52.  Cogent – convincing, forceful
53.  Commensurate – equal, proportionate
54.  Compendium-a collection of things that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book
55.  Complaisant—marked by an inclination to please or oblige
56.  Compliant – acquiescent, obedient
57.  Conciliatory – appeasing, peace-making
58.  Condone – overlook, disregard
59.  Confound – stun, amaze
60. Connoisseur – expert, authority
61.   Cumbersome – unwieldy, awkward
62.  Debilitate – incapacitate, weaken
63.  Decorum – good manners, good behavior
64. Deduce – infer, assume
65.  Déjà vu- the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time
66. Deify – idolize, worship
67.  Delectable – delicious, tasty
68. Demure – modest, sedate
69. Deplorable – terrible, awful
70.  Dialectic-discussion and reasoning by dialogue as a method of intellectual investigation; specifically the Socratic techniques of exposing false beliefs and eliciting truth
71.   Dichotomy- division into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities
72.  Eclectic – assorted, diverse
73.  Eccentric – odd, unconventional
74.  Elicit – draw out, bring out
75.  Elusive –indefinable, vague
76.  Emanate – originate, come
77.  Enigmatic – mysterious, unknowable
78.  En masse – all together, as one
79.  Endemic – widespread, prevalent
80. Eradicate – eliminate, get rid off
81.   Evasive – elusive, slippery, #75
82.  Faux Pas – gaffe, indiscretion
83.  Fiasco – debacle, disaster
84. Futility – uselessness, pointlessness
85.  Fortuitous – accidental, chance
86. Formidable – alarming, frightening
87.  Fractious – irritable, peevish
88. Funereal –befitting or suggesting a funeral
89. Fledging-develop wing feathers that are large enough for flight.
90. Fidelity – loyalty, faithfulness
91.   Flippant – frivolous, offhand
92.  Galvanize – rouse, stimulate
93.  Gamut – range, scale
94. Gargantuan – huge, large
95.  Globular – spherical, round
96. Gormandize- to eat gluttonously or ravenously
97.        Grandeur – splendor, magnificence
98.       Gradation – shade, nuance
99.       Gregarious – outgoing, sociable
100.          Gratuitous – unwarranted, uncalled for
101.            Halcyon – untroubled, calm
102.           Haphazard – random, chaotic
103.           Hapless – unfortunate, unlucky
104.          Herculean – phenomenal, prodigious
105.           Hiatus – pause, break
106.          Ignoble – dishonorable, shameful
107.           Ignominious – humiliating, embarrassing
108.          Illicit – illegal, unlawful
109.          Impasse – stalemate, deadlock
110.            Impertinent – insolent, impudent
111.             Jocular – humorous, funny
112.Jettison – throw away, throw out
113.Jejune – sophomoric, immature
114.            Juxtapose – put next to, put side by side
115.Jingoistic – nationalistic, patriotic
116.            Kibosh-something that serves as a check or stop
117.            Kinetic-movement of physical object
118.            Kudos – status, regard
119.            Keynote – important, crucial
120.           Kinesiology- a study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human            movement
121.Laconic – terse, brief
122.           Laggard – straggler, dawdler
123.           Lascivious-filled with or showing sexual desire
124.           Latent – dormant, hidden
125.           Lethargic – sluggish, tired
126.           Levity – lightheartedness, cheerfulness
127.           Liaison – link, connection
128.           Loquacious – wordy, long-winded
129.           Ludicrous – absurd, ridiculous
130.           Lucid – clear, logical
131.Malignant – evil, hateful
132.           Maniacal-affected with or suggestive of madness
133.           Masticate – chew, munch
134.           Maverick – nonconformist, unconventional person
135.           Mawkish – over-sentimental, maudlin
136.           Megalomania- a condition or mental illness that causes people to think that they have great             or unlimited power or importance
137.           Mendacious – untruthful, untrue
138.           Mesmerize – hypnotize, captivate
139.           Misconstrue – misinterpret, misunderstand
140.          Mnemonic- assisting or intended to assist memory
141.            Narcissistic – vain, self-absorbed
142.           Narcolepsy-a medical condition in which someone suddenly falls into a deep sleep while       talking, working, etc.
143.           Nascent – budding, promising
144.          Nefarious – wicked, evil
145.           Ne plus ultra – the highest point capable of being attained
146.          Noblesse Oblige
147.           Nocturnal – night-time, of the night
148.          Nom de guerre
149.          Nonchalance – casual manner, indifference
150.           Non sequitur- a statement that is not connected in a logical or clear way to anything said      before
151.Oblivious – unaware, unconscious
152.           Obsequious – flattering, toadying
153.           Obsolete – out of date, outdated
154.           Onus – responsibility, burden
155.           Optimal – best, most favorable
156.           Opus – composition, oeuvre
157.           Onerous – burdensome,  arduous
158.           Ostensibly – apparently, supposedly
159.           Ostracize – exclude, banish
160.          Onomatopoeia- the creation of words to imitate natural sounds
161.            Pacify – appease, soothe, #21
162.           Pandemic – plague, deadly disease
163.           Paradigm – example, model
164.          Paragon – model, ideal, #163
165.           Paroxysm – convulsion, fit
166.          Paucity – scarcity, rareness
167.           Peccadillo – sin, offense
168.          Pedantic – finicky, obscure
169.          Penultimate – last but one, second to last
170.           Perennial – recurrent, permanent
171.            Perpetuate – be responsible for
172.           Peruse- read thoroughly
173.           Pervasive -all encompasing
174.           Picayune- a Spanish half real piece formerly current in the South
175.           Pinnacle- peak
176.           Placid- easy-going
177.           Platonic- spiritual, friendly
178.           Plethora- overabundance, excessive
179.           Polarize- to cause to separate into opposing groups, to cause to vibrate in a particular pattern
180.          Polemics- a strong written / spoken attack against someone else’s opinions, beliefs, practices
181.            Portend – foreshadow, foretell
182.           Posit- hypothesize, conjecture
183.           Potable- drinkable
184.          Pragmatic- practical
185.           Precarious- shaky, unstable
186.          Precedent- example
187.           Precocious-intelligent
188.          Preemptive- preventative
189.          Pretense- charade, façade
190.          Primordial- primeval
191.            Pristine- immaculate, perfect
192.           Prodigal- reckless
193.           Procrastinate- delay
194.          Proliferate- reproduce
195.           Promiscuity- miscellaneous mingling
196.          Protégé-trained
197.           Protocol- procedure
198.          Proverbial- recognizable
199.          Prudent- careful, cautious
200.         Pulchritude  - beauty
201.           Raconteur-narrator
202.          Raillery-good-humored teasing.
203.          Raiment-clothing
204.         Raison d’être-the most important reason or purpose for someone or something's existence.
205.          Rambunctious-uncontrollably exuberant; boisterous
206.         Ramification- consequence
207.          Rancor-resentment, bitterness
208.         Rapacity- greed
209.         Rapprochement-an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations.
210.           Ratiocinate- form judgments by a process of logic; reason.
211.Recalcitrant-unruly
212.           Recant- renounce
213.           Recapitulate- recap, sum up
214.           Reciprocity-the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another.
215.           Recriminate-make counteraccusations.
216.           Rectitude- morality
217.           Redact-edit for publication,ensor or obscur
218.           Redolent –scented, aromatic
219.           Reflexive-automatic
220.          Rejoinder- response
221.           Salacious- scandalous, spicy
222.          Salient- most important, most outstanding
223.          Salubrious-healthy
224.          Sangfroid-self- assurance
225.          Sapient-wise, or attempting to appear wise, of or relating to the human species 
226.          Sardonic- scornful
227.          Sartorial-of or relating to tailoring, clothes, or style of dress.
228.          Satiety-a feeling or condition of being full after eating food
229.          Saturnine- slow and gloomy, dark in coloring and moody or mysterious,
230.          Satyr- half goat, half human
231.           Savoir faire – the ability to behave in a correct and confident way in different situations
232.          Scintilla-a very small amount of something
233.          Scion- a person who was born into a rich, famous important family
234.          Secular- worldly, material
235.          Sedentary- inactive
236.          Serendipity- fate, chance, destiny
237.          Sinecure- a job or position which someone is paid to do little or no work
238.          Sojourn- halt, break, rest
239.          Spurious- false, fake, bogus
240.         Supercilious- arrogant
241.           Tabula Rasa- mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty slate before receiving outside       impressions
242.          Taciturn- reticent, silent
243.          Tangential- peripheral, lateral
244.         Tantamount- equal, equivalent
245.          Tautology- a statement which you repeat a word, idea, etc in a way that is not necessary
246.         Teleological-exhibiting or relating to design or purpose especially in nature
247.          Temerity- nerve, audacity, boldness
248.         Temper- anger
249.         Tempestuous- emotional, passionate
250.          Tenet – principle, theory
251.           Tendentious – strongly favoring a particular point of view in a way that may cause argument:       expressing a strong opinion
252.          Tenacious- firm, stubborn
253.          Tete-a-tete- private conversation between two persons
254.          Thaumaturge- to perform miracles
255.          Titular- suppose
256.          Toothsome-edible
257.          Tractable-good
258.          Transient- fleeting
259.          Tryst- assignation, rendexvous, meeting
260.         Tumid- swollen
261.           Ubiquitous- ever present
262.          Umbrage- offense
263.          Unassuming- modest
264.         Unbridled- unrestrained
265.          Unceremonious- abrupt
266.         Unctuous- syncophatic
267.          Ungainly- clumsy
268.         Unilateral- one-sided
269.         Unimpeachable- faultless
270.          Unsavory- nasty
271.           Vacuous- blank, empty-headed
272.          Vagary- erratic, unpredictable extravagant action, manifestation or notion
273.          Vainglorious - conceited
274.          Vapid- insipid
275.          Vanguard –frontline
276.          Vehement – fervent, passionate
277.          Venal- willing to do dishonest things in return for money
278.          Venial- not serious
279.          Veracity- truth, accuracy
280.         Verdant- green with growing plants
281.           Vers libre- free verse
282.          Vignette- a short written description, short scene
283.          Vociferous- enthusiastic, vocal, loud
284.         Wanderlust- desire to travel, “itchy feet”
285.          Wane- diminish, decrease
286.         Wanton- meaningless, gratuitous , motiveless
287.          Watershed- division, break point
288.         Wayfaring-traveling on foot
289.         Weltschmerz-a feeling of melancholy and world-weariness
290.         Wherewithal- ability, resources, means, finances
291.           Xanadu- exotic
292.          Xenophile-one attracted to foreign things
293.          Yahoo- a person who is very rude, loud or stupid
294.         Xenophobic- intolerant, racist
295.          Yawnful-causing or arousing yawns, especially as the result of boredom
296.         Za-zen-Zen meditation, usually performed in the lotus position
297.          Zeitgeist- the general beliefs ideas and spirit of a time and place
298.         Zest- enthusiasm, keenness
299.         Zenith- peak, summit, pinnacle
300.         Yammer- to talk in an annoying way usually for a long time






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