Sample Vocabulary List Study Guide
1) absurd: ridiculous; unreasonable
2) access: ability to enter; approach; make use of
3) acclaim: to approve; to praise
4) acquiesce: to agree; to accept passively
5) advocate: to support; to be in favor of
6) aloof: distant or removed in interest or feeling; disinterested
7) ambiguous: having two or more possible meanings; unclear; vague
8) analogy: similarity in some respects between things otherwise
unlike
9) analysis: examination of something by studying its smaller
parts
10) anarchy: absence of government; lawlessness; disorder
11) apathy: lack of feeling, emotion, interest, or concern
12) arbitrary: based on one's preference; whimsical
13) arrogant: overly proud
14) articulate: to speak distinctly; expressing oneself clearly
15) augment: to add to; to make greater in size, quality, or
strength
16) authentic: genuine; not fake, false, or an imitation
17) baffle: to confuse; to perplex
18) benevolent: intending to do good for others
19) bias: prejudice; preference
20) censor: to delete material that is forbidden
21) censure: an official reprimand or criticism
22) circumlocution: using more words than necessary; to evade with
words; to talk around
23) coherent: sticking together; logical; connected
24) competent: fit; suitable; able
25) contempt: disdain; intense dislike
26) deference: courteous; respectful
27) denounce: condemn; inform against
28) deter: discourage; restrain
29) deviate: to turn aside from established ways
30) discern: to see or understand clearly; distinguish
31) discriminate: to make a distinction; to distinguish accurately
32) disdain: to look upon with scorn; despise
33) disparage: to lower in esteem; discredit; to show disrespect
for
34) dispute: to engage in an argument; to call into question
35) distort: to twist out of the true meaning or proportion
36) diverse: differing from one another; having various forms or
qualities
37) dogma: an established opinion or belief; doctrine
38) eccentric: peculiar; odd; unusual
39) effect: to produce; to make happen
40) emulate: to imitate; to try to equal or surpass
41) endorse: approve, support, or sustain; write or sign the back
of a document
42) enhance: to raise the value of; to make more desirable
43) enigma: mystery; something puzzling
44) ephemeral: lasting a short time; fleeting
45) erratic: wandering; not predictable or following a pattern
46) exaggerate: to magnify beyond the truth
47) expedite: to speed up the process; to complete quickly
48) extol: to praise highly; glorify
49) fallacy: false or misleading notion or character
50) fanatic: one who is excessively and unreasonably enthusiastic
51) finite: having a definite limit
52) flatter: to praise excessively; to portray too favorably
53) fluctuate: to shift back and forth uncertainly
54) futile: serving no purpose that is useful; frivolous
55) hostile: unfriendly; antagonistic
56) hypocrite: one who fakes virtue or pretends to have qualities
that he does not really have
57) hypothesis: a tentative assumption made in order to draw out
and test its consequences
58) immense: great in size or degree; enormous
59) impose: to force something on others
60) indifferent: not mattering one way or the other; without
interest or concern
61) indulge: pamper; to give in to another's wishes
62) inevitable: incapable of being avoided or evaded
63) infer: to derive as a conclusion from facts or premises;
imply; hint
64) innocuous: not causing harm; inoffensive
65) innovate: to introduce something new
66) intense: extreme; deeply felt
67) manipulate: to manage or utilize skillfully
68) miser: one who lives measurably to save or hoard money
69) novel: new; unusual; strange
70) obscure: remote; not distinct; vague
71) optimism: looking at things in a positive way
72) paradox: a statement that is opposed to common sense yet
perhaps is true
73) partial: biased; favoring one over the other
74) permanent: stable; long-lasting
75) persist: to proceed stubbornly, despite opposition
76) pretentious: making claims; ostentatious
77) prosaic: commonplace; dull
78) provincial: not sophisticated; narrow-minded; confined to a
region
79) punctual: prompt; pointed
80) rational: sensible; having reason or understanding
81) rend: separate into parts by force
82) revere: to honor or worship
83) revive: to come back to life; to return to health and vigor
84) sentiment: opinion, emotion, feeling
85) servile: lacking independence; servant-like
86) skeptic: one who has or shows doubt; one who questions
validity
87) static: showing little or no change; stationary
88) subtle: hardly noticeable; clever or sly
89) superficial: near or on the surface; outward; not thorough
90) tact: poise; diplomacy; to say or do the right thing without
offending others
91) tolerant: showing the ability to endure; forbearing
92) tyranny: the government of an absolute ruler; oppressive and
unjust government
93) vague: not clear; not well defined, outlined, or expressed
94) valid: founded in truth or fact; legally sound or binding
95) verify: to confirm; to establish the accuracy of something
96) virulent: extremely infectious; marked by rapid progression
97) vital: necessary or essential
98) vulnerable: that which can be easily wounded or criticized
99) initial: first; beginning
100) maudlin: very emotional or sentimental
101) pyrotechnics: fireworks; spectacular display
102) compulsory: mandatory; required
103) prominent: famous or well known
104) assuage: to make less severe; to satisfy or appease
105) brevity: concise expression; to the point
106) censure: an official reprimand or criticism
107) deter: to discourage or restrain
108) ephemeral: lasting a short time
109) redundant: unnecessary repetition
110) reprove: to call attention to a misbehavior in a mild manner
111) photogenic: suitable for being photographed
112) stigmatize: to label something as unfavorable
113) cavalier: casual or indifferent
114) demeanor: manner; behavior
115) tangible: real or able to touch
116) reciprocate: to give and get in return
117) slovenly : untidy or careless in appearance or work
118) intricate: very complicated and detailed
119) equine: relating to horses
120) enlighten: to inform or instruct
121) overt: obvious; not hidden
122) pandemonium: chaos; confusion
123) benevolence: kindness
124) kleptomaniac: someone who has the compulsion or urge to steal
125) etiquette: manners; proper behavior
126) affirmation: a positive statement that raises self-image
127) vigilante: person who takes matters into their own hands
128) repository: a place where things may be kept for safe keeping
129) manifesto: a public declaration
130) treachery: violation of faith; evil; underhandedness
131) barter: to trade by exchanging things without money
132) culture: the way of life of a group of people
133) polytheism: belief in many gods
134) republic: a government run by elected officials
135) democracy: a government in which the citizens have the power
136) dictator: a ruler who has absolute power
137) liable: likely to happen
138) epidermis: the top layer of skin
139) hypothesis: an educated guess that can be tested for truth
140) whimsical: odd or fanciful
141) architecture: the science of building