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Vocabulary Notes
Words Meaning Conspicuous Clear, Visible Deriding Expression of contempt or ridicule Malfeasance Misconduct by public official Poignant Touching, sad Pyrrhic (of a victory) won at too great a cost to have been worthwhile for the victor. Embroil involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation (involve, Enmesh, ensnare) Vilify Disparage, denigrate, Defame Renege go back on a promise, undertaking, or contract. Aspersion an attack on the reputation or integrity of someone or something. (Vilification, denigration) Brevity concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. (Succinctness, concision) Sobriquet A person’s nickname Conscientious wishing to do one's work or duty well and thoroughly. (Diligent, industrious, punctilious) Drab Colorless, dull Inordinately unusually large degree, excessively Complacency a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements (Smugness, self-satisfaction) Fulsomely In a way that expresses too much admiration for someone (amply, handsomely) Apogee Climax, or culmination of something Pandemonium wild and noisy, uproar, bedlam, chaos, mayhem Inundate Flood, deluge, overpower, overburden Indigent poor, needy Lexicon Dictionary, Wordbook, Vocabulary list Chaperon an adult who accompanies or escort a young woman or a group of young women. Ubiquitous present, appearing or found everywhere, omnipresent Deprecate Express disapproval or disparage Surreptitiously Secretively Flout Openly Disregard Stymie Hinder, impede, interfere with Coterie Clique, set, circle Rapacity Greed, avarice, rapaciousness Rank & File Ordinary workers in a company Dialectics the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions. (Reasoning, argumentation) Encumber restrict or impede (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult. (Hamper, impede, obstruct) Largesse Generosity, Gifts, munificence Profligacy Extravagant spending (Prodigality) Red Herring Bluff Bottlenecks setback or obstacle that slows a (production) process Ostensibly seemingly, apparently (So, ostensibly, the Chancellor should worry but appearances may be deceptive.) Timorous showing or suffering from nervousness or a lack of confidence. Chutzpah extreme self-confidence or audacity. (guts) Frazzled showing the effects of exhaustion or strain Sleuth private detective or investigator
Words Meanings/Synonyms/Use in sentences
Kibosh Decisively end or reject something
"The presence of a submarine would kibosh the operation" Vociferous Characterized by strong or vehement opinions (outspoken, forthright, vocal) "He was a vociferous opponent of the takeover" Excoriation The act of abrading or wearing off the skin (condemnation, reprimand, censure) The candidates have publicly excoriated each other throughout the campaign. Hogwash Nonsense talking, Balderdash
Iconoclastic criticizing or attacking cherished beliefs or institutions. (Critical,
skeptical, heretical) Jargon special words or expressions used by a profession or group that are difficult for others to understand. (Technical language, idiom, Argot) "We need to remove the legal jargon." Pulverise reduce to fine particles. (Grind, crush, pound) Pakistan has been pulverised by various iterations of ‘hybrid’ militarised rule. Rechristening Rename, Reappoint, dissuade Iteration A repeated performance (repeating, replication) Defang to make someone or something less harmful, so that they are no longer dangerous. (Remove, takeaway, withdraw) Vigilante a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily. (Avenger, punisher, chastiser) Lionise Give a lot of public approval & attention to someone (celebrate, fete, glorify) Expropriate (Of the state or an authority) take (property) from its owner for public use or benefit. (Seize, take away, take over) "Their assets were expropriated by the government" Recalcitrance the quality of being determined not to do what other people, especially people in authority, want or expect to be done. (Rebellion, Defiance)
Ostracize exclude from a society or group. (Exclude, shun, spurn, cold-
shoulder) "She was declared a witch and ostracized by the villagers” Ameliorate Make better. (Enhance) Insularity ignorance of or lack of interest in cultures, ideas, or peoples outside one's own experience (Narrow-mindedness, blinkered approach, parochialism) Here, insularity seemed to prevail. Exhumed Dig up, unbury, unearth Anodyne not likely to cause offence or disagreement and somewhat dull. (Bland, dull, inoffensive) Chummy Friendly, affectionate, on good terms Entente a friendly understanding or informal alliance between states or factions. (Understanding, agreement) Couched in to express something in a particular way Subterfuge deceit used in order to achieve one's goal. (Deceit, trickery, deviousness, evasion) Death knell the tolling of a bell to mark someone's death. Rapacious aggressively greedy or grasping. (Grasping, greedy, avaricious, covetous) Sisyphean Extremely difficult task and futile struggle Skewed Biased, distorted in favour of Gamut Range, spectrum, span Bellicosity A natural disposition to fight Thaw (Of ice, snow, or another frozen substance, such as food) become liquid or soft as a result of warming up. Defrost Reticent not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily. (Reserved, withdrawn) Comeuppance Deserved reward, fate, just punishment Damp Squib a situation or event which is much less impressive than expected. Rent apart Tear apart Inundate Overpower, overwhelm Double down Strengthen one’s commitment to a particular strategy or course of action Dour Stern, unsmiling, frowning
Sobriety State of soberness, clear-mindedness, seriousness
Belligerent Hostile and aggressive Disconcerting Unsettling, unnerving, disturbing Apropos With regard to, in relevance with
construed Interpreted, understood
Purveyor Seller, trader, vendor Pervasive Spread throughout or thoroughly
Inimical Detrimental, harmful
Coeval Contemporary, having the same age or date of origin Depredation an act of attacking or plundering.
Geniality he quality of having a friendly and cheerful manner. (Friendliness, affability, congeniality) Commotion A state of confused and noisy disturbance. (Disturbance, uproar, ruckus, tumult) Wallow Lie around, luxuriate, bask, take pleasure
Volition the faculty or power of using one's will. (Choice, option,
selection) Obsolete Old, out of date, old fashioned Defenestration Act of throwing someone out of the window. (Ejection, exclusion, riddance)
Incorrigible Not able to be changed or reformed (inveterate, hardened,
unreformable) Unscrupulous Unprincipled, unethical, immoral Trepidation Fear, apprehension (a feeling of fear or anxiety about something that may happen).
