Word Definition Example Sentence

v. to become less active, less

Abate As I began my speech, my feelings of nervousness quickly abated.
intense, or less in amount
adj. existing purely in the mind;
Abstract Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting.
not representing actual reality
Abysmal adj. extremely bad I got an abysmal grade on my research paper!
Accordingly adv. in accordance with All students must behave accordingly.
n. the act of gaining a skill or
Acquisition Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults.
possession of something
v. to make suit a new purpose
v. to accommodate oneself to a The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans.
Adapt
new condition, setting, or Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments.
situation
adj. having knowledge or skill
Adept Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin.
(usu. in a particular area)
adj. having sufficient
Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good
Adequate qualifications to meet a specific
fit.
task or purpose
n. the arrival or creation of
Advent The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb.
something (usu. historic)
Adversarial adj. relating to hostile opposition An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life.
n. someone who promotes or
defends something
I am an advocate for free higher education.
Advocate v. to defend or promote
Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices.
something (usu. a belief, theory,
opinion, etc.)
adj. relating to beauty or refined The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were
Aesthetic
taste a character in a fairy tale.
 v. to be able to buy He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car.
Afford
v. to be able to spare I can’t afford to lose any more pencils!
v. to promote something (usu. a
Agitate They’re agitating for better health care.
cause)
Allow v. to permit or consent to US law allows citizens to speak freely.
v. to make a secretive mention
Allude She alluded to the problem at hand but didn’t say anything more about it.
of something
n. a noisy argument or
Altercation Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar.
confrontation
adj. unclear or vague in
Ambiguous Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted.
meaning
adj. having a powerful desire for
Ambitious Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday.
success or achievement
n. the state of being uncertain or
Ambivalence stuck between two or more His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract.
options
Analogous adj. similar but not identical Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions.
v. to destroy or cause
Annihilate The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels.
devastating destruction
n. something different from the
Anomaly This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens.
norm
Anticipate v. assume to be likely to happen The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be.
Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever
Antipathy n. a strong feeling of dislike
he entered the classroom.
Apex n. the highest point of something The spring play was the apex of our school year.
n. fearful expectation of
Apprehension Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train.
something
Articulate v. to clearly express in words She articulated her opinion on the price of the house.
 adj. something made; not
Artificial Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity.
occurring naturally
Assertion n. a strong declaration His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh.
adj. extremely plain He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods.
Austere adj. stern and forbidding My boss had an austere expression on her face.
adj. relating to self-denial An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody.
n. the quality of being real and
Authenticity true instead of fake and The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story.
contrived
n. an intangible path or
Avenue The company has decided to pursue other avenues.
approach to something
adj. actively interested in or
Avid Gerald is an avid soccer fan.
enthusiastic about something
adj. relating to the foundation or You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on to the advanced
Basic
basis of something level.
v. to have as a characteristic She bears a strong resemblance to your mother.
v. to have (a child) Judy will bear her first child later this year.
Bear
v. to bring forth My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.
v. to put up with I can’t bear her complaining any longer!
Benevolent adj. kind, generous Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits.
n. a preconception that prevents
Bias It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime.
objectivity
adj. tinged with a feeling of
Bittersweet The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet.
sadness
v. to support, strengthen, or
Bolster If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch.
fortify
n. an increase or growth The boost in profits was a welcome change.
Boost
v. to increase or make grow In order to boost profits, you need to cater to your customers.
Brawl n. an intense, loud fight A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating.
 v. to fight loudly and disruptively The two students brawled for an hour.
n. the quality of being brief or
Brevity The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic.
terse
Candid adj. direct, blunt Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor.
n. the trait of being honest and
Candor I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up.
frank
Capitalize v. to use to your advantage I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register.
v. to trap or take possession of
The spy was captured by the enemy.
v. to successfully represent or
Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality of life.
Capture imitate
I was captured by her beauty.
v. to captivate, mesmerize
The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident.
v. to catch or seize
adj. relating to the city or
Civic Voting is a civic duty.
citizens
adj. emotionally unattached
Clinical (usu. used in medical or Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively.
scientific setting)
Clout n. special advantage or power Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout.
adj. indicating a rough texture
The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it had never been washed.
Coarse adj. lacking refinement or
The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty.
sophistication
It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with
Coincide v. to happen at the same time
my finals.
n. the use of payment to request
Commission something (e.g., a service or This painting was commissioned by a rich merchant in 1589.
product)
Comparable adj. able to be compared This novel is comparable to Huckleberry Finn.
We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our
Competent adj. sufficiently qualified
company.
 adj. satisfied, with no desire to Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he
Complacent
change or improve was complacent with his life as a poet.
Complement v. to make perfect or complete This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese.
v. to be forced to agree or
With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded.
Concede surrender
Dan conceded to pranking his sister.
v. to admit to a transgression
Conceive v. to imagine or come up with The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s.
Condone v. to overlook, approve, or allow She couldn't condone her daughter's rebellious behavior.
adj. able to bring about or be
Conducive The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying.
suitable for
v. to control or manage The group conducted their research abroad last year.
Conduct
v. to behave a certain way Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly.
v. to share something secretive
Confide She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend.
with someone
Confine v. to put limits on; to restrict We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain.
Consensus n. overall agreement After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to a consensus.
v. to form or compose (part of)
Constitute The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement.
something
Contemplate v. to think deeply about She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student.
v. to maintain or assert (an
Contend The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists.
opinion)
Contradict v. to be in contrast with The camera footage contradicts his alibi.
adj. highly debatable and
Controversial Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place.
causing contention
adj. abiding by accepted
Conventional She lives a conventional life in the suburbs.
standards
v. to pass on or transfer
Convey I have trouble conveying my thoughts in French.
(information)
Conviction n. a firm belief in something Her religious convictions prevent her from eating meat.
v. to provide evidence for; to The note signed by her father corroborates her claim that she was absent from
Corroborate
back up (a claim) class that day.
Counteract v. to work in opposition to This ingredient seems to counteract the other ones.
n. an argument used to criticize Make sure to include a counterargument in your essay so that you can show
Counterargument
or dismantle another argument you’ve considered the topic from all perspectives.
adj. hindering the achievement Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was ultimately counterproductive: it took us twice
Counterproductive
of a goal as long to get to the train station.
Culmination n. the final act or climax The culmination of the performance was unforgettable.
Teachers don’t just pass on new information to students—they cultivate their
Cultivate v. to foster the growth of
academic potential.
v. to declare formally and with
Decree The president decreed that Halloween would henceforth be a national holiday.
authority
Her deference to the elderly makes her the perfect candidate for an internship at
Deference n. respect; regard
the retirement center.
adj. not enough in degree or
Deficient I feel as though the sources for my paper are deficient.
amount
Could you demonstrate the dance move for me?
v. to do as an example
Demonstrate This book’s use of words such as “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the author’s
v. gives evidence for
mournful tone.
Demur v. to object to She demurred at my request to transfer to a different department.
v. to (over)use over time (usu.
Deplete The lost campers quickly depleted their supply of food.
resources)
Desolate adj. bare, barren, empty The moon is one giant, desolate landscape.
Devise v. to come up with (a plan) Lana devised a plan to make herself famous.
n. a problem, usually requiring a
Dilemma The main dilemma is whether to pay for a commercial or not.
choice between two options
Diligence n. conscientiousness; the quality Diligence and confidence will get you far in life.
 of being committed to a task
v. to become smaller in scope or
Diminish The itchiness of mosquito bites usually starts to diminish after a few days.
degree
adj. hopeless and dangerous or When the police didn’t explain what was happening right away, Jane knew that
Dire
fearful the situation must be dire.
Discord n. disagreement Disputes over money caused intense discord in the family.
n. a lack of respect and strong
He looked at me with such disdain that I immediately knew the job wouldn’t work
Disdain dislike (toward something or
out.
someone)
n. hopelessness, stress, or
consternation To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the test.
Dismay
v. to fill with woe or Many were dismayed by the town’s implementation of metered parking.
apprehension
Disparage v. to belittle or speak down to A good boss is stern but never disparages his or her employees.
v. to send off a message or
Dispatch The mother dispatched her daughter to their neighbor’s house.
messenger
Diversification n. the act of becoming diverse Lately, there’s been noticeable diversification of students at higher institutions.
n. a principle, theory, or position,
Doctrine usu. advocated by a religion or Devoutly religious people often live their lives according to their doctrines.
gov’t
n. power and authority (usu.
The country claimed to have dominion over parts of Russia.
Dominion over a territory)
Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US.
n. a legal territory
Dreary adj. sad, gloomy, dull The gray clouds in the sky made the day feel dreary.
The man’s claims to the throne were dubious since nobody knew where he’d
Dubious adj. doubtful, questionable
come from.
adj. peculiar or odd; deviating
Eccentric She’s a little eccentric but still fun to be around.
from the norm
 After cheating on the exam, Emily began to feel as though she’d made
Egregious adj. extremely bad
an egregious mistake.
adj. having refined or expressive
Eloquent communication skills (in His speech was not only eloquent but also extremely compelling.
speaking or writing)
adj. superior or distinguished; Our town made news when the eminent magician came to perform at our local
Eminent
high in position or status theater.
v. to discharge, give forth, or
Emit Plants consume carbon dioxide and emit oxygen.
release
adj. very expressive; using
Emphatic Her emphatic smile told me she was excited to ride the roller coaster.
emphasis
adj. derived from experience,
Empirical You need empirical evidence to support your claim.
observation, or an experiment
v. to equip or bestow (usu. a
Endow According to the myth, the gods endowed him with the gift of healing.
quality or ability)
v. to withstand, sustain, or hold
Endure I can’t endure this wait any longer. Will Stanford accept or reject me?
out against
Entail v. to involve or include A doctoral program entails long nights and a heavy workload.
Entrenched adj. firmly established Her face will forever be entrenched in my memory.
I can’t enumerate how many times I’ve had to remind my students when their
Enumerate v. to specify or count
papers are due.
n. excessive jealousy His envy of her is quite obvious.
Envy
v. to admire and be jealous of She envies her coworker's social skills.
adj. having no fixed course;
Erratic The car became erratic after slipping on ice.
deviating from the norm
v. to enact They established a law that made it illegal to drive after drinking any amount of
Establish v. to found (a business, group, alcohol.
school, etc.) Our group established a new branch in Chicago.
Evoke v. to draw forth or call up Horror movies are great at evoking fear.
 v. to make worse or increase the
Exacerbate The doctor told me not to run as it can exacerbate my knee injury.
severity of
v. to do something extremely
Excel She was a well-rounded student but excelled especially in science.
well or to be superior in
Exert v. to put into use (usu. as effort) Don’t exert all of your energy at once.
adj. invigorating, stimulating, or
Exhilarating The music playing at the club was catchy and exhilarating.
exciting
v. to use up (as in energy or
Expend Be careful not to expend all your energy in the first half of a marathon.
money)
Exploit v. to use selfishly or for profit The shoddy company exploited its workers by paying them extremely low wages.
In grad school, advisors facilitate students’ research and offer constructive
Facilitate v. to aid the progress of
criticism.
n. the practicality or possibility of The feasibility of her project was doubtful; she’d have to go all the way to
Feasibility
something Antarctica and back before the school year ended.
Ferocity n. viciousness, violence The lion is just one wild animal known for its ferocity.
adj. related to (government)
Fiscal Fiscal policy is how the government uses money to influence the economy.
money
v. to prosper, grow, or make fast
Flourish After one year, the tiny plants had flourished into a breathtaking garden.
progress
Stocks can fluctuate on a daily basis, making it difficult to determine when to buy
Fluctuate v. to be unstable; to rise and fall
or sell one.
Foment v. to stir up The civilians accused their leader of fomenting political unrest.
adj. capable of being predicted
Foreseeable I can't imagine aliens visiting us in the foreseeable future.
or anticipated
Frankly adv. directly, clearly I frankly don’t see the point in learning to drive.
Freewheeling adj. carefree His freewheeling attitude often got him in trouble at work.
adj. the most essential or most
Fundamental A thesis is arguably the most fundamental part of an essay.
basic part
Galvanizing adj. thrilling, exciting, stimulating The galvanizing performance left everyone spellbound.
I became interested in geriatric medicine shortly after my grandfather passed
Geriatric adj. relating to old age
away from cancer.
Hostile adj. harmful, dangerous The voices around the corner sounded angry, hostile even.
adj. supposed; related to a
Hypothetical For my physics homework, I must come up with a hypothetical situation.
hypothesis
adj. publicly shameful or
Ignominious The politician's expensive campaign ultimately ended in ignominious defeat.
humiliating
v. to transmit, bestow, or
Impart Parents must impart common sense to their children.
disclose
n. the equal and objective
Impartiality To ensure impartiality, we require everyone to follow these general guidelines.
treatment of opposing views
adj. impressive (esp. in size or
Imposing The old mansion was imposing in its huge size and gothic architecture.
appearance)
Imposition n. an unnecessary burden If it’s not too much of an imposition, could you proofread my paper?
adj. not cautious or prudent;
Imprudent Backpacking abroad can be fun, but don’t be imprudent about money.
rash
Incite v. to encourage or stir up Her hateful words incited anger in the crowd.
n. apathy, emotional
Indifference The girl’s indifference toward her brother upset their parents.
detachment
adv. randomly; with little or no
Indiscriminately Lottery winners are chosen indiscriminately.
distinction
v. to give into; to satisfy or
Indulge My friend loves to indulge in cheesy romance movies.
gratify
v. to guess, conclude, or derive
Infer You can infer from this quotation that the writer didn’t care for “pretty” language.
by reasoning
adj. novel or new (esp. as an
Innovative Her invention was incredibly innovative and won her multiple awards.
idea or invention)
Insatiable adj. can’t be satisfied A vampire’s thirst for blood is said to be insatiable.
Inversion n. a reversal The culture’s norms were an inversion of our own.
v. to call on; to appeal to (e.g., a
Invoke The shaman attempted to invoke a demon.
higher power)
adj. incapable of being in The couple’s differences were ultimately irreconcilable, giving them no choice
Irreconcilable
harmony or agreed upon but to break up.
Susan lamented her missed chance at going to Europe with her high school
Lament v. to feel sorrow for; to mourn
class.
Locomotion n. movement Physics involves the study of locomotion.
adj. capable of making a lot of
Lucrative Writing books isn’t a particularly lucrative career, unless you’re J.K. Rowling.
money; profitable
Malicious adj. harmful, spiteful The malicious spirit drove out the inhabitants from their home.
adj. capable of being molded or
Malleable Children’s minds are malleable but only for so long.
changed
adj. superficial; focus on
Materialistic Many people accuse Americans of being materialistic.
material possessions
adj. extravagant or exaggerated
Melodramatic The melodramatic play was well liked by the audience.
(as of a melodrama)
adj. simple and humble They moved into a modest house in the countryside.
Modest
adj. small in size or amount I received a modest sum of money for my help at the company event.
Modify v. to change, alter, or tweak Dr. Nguyen modified the gene so that it wouldn’t carry the disease.
Momentous adj. historically significant Her win in the election was momentous.
Novel adj. new, innovative We are looking for novel ways to approach the project.
n. a subtle difference in
Nuance Body-language experts even understand the nuances of facial expressions.
meaning
Null adj. legally void and ineffective The government declared their marriage null.
Objectivity n. judgment based on In scientific research, objectivity is of utmost importance.
observations instead of
 emotions or opinions
adj. no longer used; rare or Historians assumed record players would be obsolete by now, but in fact they’re
Obsolete
uncommon making a huge comeback.
Omnipotent adj. almighty and all powerful Gods are omnipotent beings who can control human destiny.
Onset n. the beginning or early stages At the onset of her career as a lawyer, things were looking up.
Opine v. to openly express an opinion The new employee opined at the company meeting.
adj. highly detailed and
Ornate That ornate silverware must be worth thousands of dollars!
decorated
v. to remove or force out of (usu.
Oust Sick and tired of putting up with his bad moods, the pirates ousted their captain.
a position or office)
adj. predominant, superior, most
Paramount Our paramount concern is the safety of our employees.
important
Upon entering the abandoned house, Kate experienced a peculiar feeling, as if
Peculiar adj. strange, bizarre
someone was watching her.
Perish v. to die; to pass away According to the news, nobody perished in the fire.
Persecute v. to cause suffering to They will persecute anyone who doesn’t agree with their views of the world.
Petulant adj. cranky, pouty, irritable Petulant children are especially difficult to care for.
Many believe that composers such as Beethoven and Mozart represent
Pinnacle n. highest level or degree
the pinnacle of classical music.
The frail-looking dog was pitiable, so I gave it some food and took it inside to
Pitiable adj. deserving pity
care for it.
adj. reasonable and possibly
Plausible Her story is plausible, but that doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth.
true
The literary critic postulates that romanticism and naturalism are actually
Postulate v. to assert
interconnected.
adj. having great influence
The bald eagle is a potent symbol of the US.
Potent adj. having a strong, chemical
The potion was definitely potent—it healed my wounds immediately!
effect
 It’s not necessarily more pragmatic to study engineering than it is to study
Pragmatic adj. practical, useful
philosophy.
n. an example or subject from
Precedent This change in law is without historical precedent.
earlier in time
n. someone who comes before
Predecessor My predecessor gave me many tips for running the office.
you (usu. in position or office)
v. to command orders
The directions for our essay prescribe a length of at least ten pages.
Prescribe v. to issue authorization for
A doctor must prescribe you this medication before you can begin taking it.
medications
n. basic truth, assumption, or
Principle Remember the universal principle: treat others as you want them to treat you.
rule
v. to command against, to
Prohibit Alcohol was prohibited in the US in the 1920s.
outlaw
adj. punctual, on time
n. a cue to begin something; She is always prompt when it comes to turning in her homework.
Prompt instructions I had to write an essay based on a prompt.
v. to incite, propel, or cause to The possibility of a scholarship prompted him to apply to Harvard.
act
v. to put into law or formally
Promulgate The ruler will at last promulgate an amnesty with the neighboring countries.
declare
v. to bring criminal action
Prosecute The suspect was prosecuted yesterday.
against someone (in a trial)
adj. intending to provoke,
Provocative Her nude paintings are considered quite provocative.
inspire, or arouse
adj. involving qualities of
Qualitative something (features and I noticed a qualitative change in her paintings.
content)
adj. involving quantities
Quantitative We must conduct a quantitative analysis.
(numbers and amounts)
Quirk n. a strange habit His biggest quirk is his love of old marbles.
v. to split into two or more
Ramify Cars ramified throughout the world in the twentieth century.
branches
adj. without attention to danger
Rash Her rash decision to pass the car nearly resulted in a crash.
or risk
adj. unrefined
He’s got raw talent as a singer, but he needs to work on his performance skills.
Raw adj. not processed; uncooked
In some countries, such as Japan, it is normal to eat raw fish.
(as in food)
adv. right away and without
Readily Water was readily available at different points in the race.
difficulty
n. thinking again about a
Reconsideration The judges’ reconsideration of her performance resulted in her victory.
previously made choice
n. a change for the better;
The reform made it so that only those 18 and older can legally drive.
Reform improvement
The government reformed its vague policies on marijuana use.
v. to improve via change
v. to prove to be untrue,
Refute The student refuted the professor’s claim in class.
unfounded, or incorrect
v. to strengthen or add support
Reinforce We can use these pipes to reinforce the structure.
to
Reluctantly adv. somewhat unwillingly Max reluctantly agreed to see the horror movie with his friends.
v. to give up (usu. power or a
Our CEO renounced her position yesterday.
Renounce position)
He renounced his friend after he caught her stealing money from him.
v. to cast off
The mother reproached her daughter’s school for making students come in
Reproach v. to criticize
during a blizzard.
The father repudiated his son’s marriage.
v. to refuse to recognize as true
Repudiate She repudiated her son once she found out he’d married someone without telling
v. to cast off
her.
Retention n. the act of keeping something Water retention can make you weigh more on certain days.
Satiated adj. satisfied (usu. in hunger) I felt satiated after eating a snack.
adj. having practical intelligence
Savvy My brother is not very savvy when it comes to using public transportation.
or knowledge
adj. morally offensive, often
Scandalous causing damage to one’s The scandalous politician decided it was best to resign from office.
reputation
Scorn v. to look down on with disdain It’s difficult for me not to scorn those who use improper grammar.
adj. paying great attention to
Scrupulous I am a scrupulous proofreader and never miss an error.
detail
v. to examine carefully and
Scrutinize The teacher scrutinized her students’ essays.
critically
v. to produce or release (a
Secrete Trees secrete a sticky substance called sap.
substance)
n. opinion I am of the sentiment that you should never give out your passwords to anyone.
Sentiment
n. a tender or moving gesture Even though I’m not a big fan of porcelain dolls, I appreciated the sentiment.
adj. so thin that light can shine The curtains on the window were so sheer you could clearly see inside the
Sheer
through house.
adj. easy; not complex This math problem is so simple even a first grader can solve it.
Simple
adj. undecorated The simple beauty of the ocean is what makes it memorable.
Sinister adj. ominous, evil Medieval peasants believed sinister demons could harm humans.
n. the joining of commonalities
I stood in solidarity with other female students by refusing to wear the school’s
Solidarity or common purposes among a
sexist uniform.
group
adv. insufficiently, meagerly, or
Sparingly Due to my condition, I must eat salt sparingly.
in a restricted manner
v. to release eggs Frogs typically spawn in ponds.
Spawn
v. to call forth or generate The topic spawned an ongoing debate among his family members.
Spur v. to stimulate or incite Her bravery spurred others to act.
Squalid adj. run-down, sordid, or sleazy The squalid cabin needed a new roof and an exterminator.
 adj. very plain; devoid of any
Stark Looking out at the stark landscape, I felt a keen sense of isolation.
details or features
adj. motionless The ball is static.
Static
adj. changeless Her life has been static for the past three years.
adj. lower in rank
The subordinate officers work every day.
n. someone lower in rank
Subordinate My subordinate will check you in.
v. to make dependent on or put
You aren’t my boss—you can’t subordinate me to the role of receptionist!
at a lower rank
adv. happening later or after
Subsequently I subsequently went home.
something
adj. very large in amount or
Substantial I was shocked to find a substantial amount of money beneath the park bench.
degree
v. to strengthen with new
Substantiate It is important for scientists to substantiate their theories whenever possible.
evidence or facts
Subtle adj. hard to detect or analyze I detected in her expression a subtle hint of irritation.
adj. enough; just meeting a
Sufficient These boxes should be sufficient for our move.
requirement
Surly adj. unfriendly; inclined to anger The bartender was a surly fellow who wasn’t afraid to start a fight.
Surmount v. to get on top of or overcome They managed to surmount the language barrier by using a translation app.
adj. to be vulnerable (to
Susceptible Children are more susceptible to certain illnesses than adults are.
something)
adj. skilled at dealing with
Tactful Her tactful attitude toward our class made her one of my favorite teachers.
people
Taut adj. pulled tight The rubberband was taut and ready to be fired.
adj. abundantly filled (usu. with
Teeming Doorknobs are not as clean as they look and are often teeming with germs.
living organisms)
Temperament n. usual mood or feelings She had a hostile temperament, making her intimidating to most people.
We haven’t made any official arrangements yet, but the tentative location for our
Tentative adj. not yet finalized
wedding is Hawaii.
 adj. see-through; so thin that
Stained window glass isn’t as transparent as regular window glass is.
Transparent light can shine through
She was transparent about her plans to end her marriage.
adj. truthful or easy to perceive
Treacherous adj. dangerous and unstable The journey was becoming treacherous, but they continued on regardless.
adj. very large, good, or bad in
Tremendous Tremendous news! You don’t have to repay your loans!
degree or size
Ubiquitous adj. being everywhere at once Cell phones are ubiquitous these days.
Though the dress was cheap and unadorned, it was by far her favorite one on
Unadorned adj. undecorated, plain
the rack.
v. to weaken or subvert (usu.
Undermine Parents should take care not to constantly undermine their children.
gradually or secretly)
v. to emphasize or give
Underscore This sentence seems to underscore the overall meaning of the passage.
additional weight to
v. to move as ripples or in a
Undulate Belly dancers are known for their ability to skillfully undulate their stomachs.
wavy pattern
Unilateral adj. one-sided The unilateral decision was deemed unfair by the other party involved.
Unjust adj. unfair; not justified The court’s decision is unjust—he should not go free.
Unmitigated adj. downright, utter, total My speech was an unmitigated disaster!
adj. completely new and never
Unprecedented having happened before; The number of protestors was unprecedented.
historic
Unveil v. to make visible; to reveal We plan to unveil our plans for the new company project on Sunday.
He had the urge to tell his parents about his acceptance to Columbia but decided
n. desire or impulse
Urge against it.
v. to encourage or persuade
She urged her sister to apply to Stanford.
Validate v. to prove or declare valid Your selfish actions do not validate your feelings for me.
n. ability to be done in a
Viability The viability of the solution is questionable.
practical or useful way
Vital adj. urgently necessary It is vital that you respond by the deadline.
Vow v. to promise My brother quickly broke his vow to never eat chocolate again.
Warrant v. to prove to be reasonable Wanting to look cool in front of your friends doesn’t warrant breaking the law.
n. production of an amount The farmer’s annual pumpkin yield exceeded 10,000.
Yield v. to give way to or surrender to Cars turning right on red must yield to oncoming traffic.
v. to produce or supply Our experiment yielded many unique-looking vegetables.