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Sam's Vocabulary
A list of words of varying diffuculty that every high schooler should know
242
General Vocab
12th Grade
01/04/2011

Additional General Vocab Flashcards

 


 

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Term

 

 

 

Abash

Definition

 

 

 

to make ashamed, embarrassed

Term

Abate

Definition
to subside, to reduce
Term
Abdicate
Definition

 

to step down from a position of power or responsibility

Term
Aberration
Definition

 

 

something not typical; a deviation from the standard

Term

 

 

Abhor

Definition

 

to hate very, very much

Term

 

 

Abject

Definition

 

 

 

hopeless; extremely sad and servile; defeated

Term

 

 

Abnegate

Definition

 

 

to deny oneself; to reject; to renounce

Term

 

 

Abortive

Definition

 

 

unsuccessful

Term
Abridge
Definition
to shorten; to condense
Term
Absolute
Definition
total; unlimited
Term
Absolve
Definition
to forgive or free from blame; to free from sin; to free from obligation
Term
Abstinent
Definition
abstaining; voluntarily not doing something, especially something pleasant that is bad for you or has a bad reputation
Term
Abstract
Definition
theoretical; impersonal
Term
Abstruse
Definition
hard to understand
Term
Abysmal
Definition
extremely hopeless or wretched; bottomless
Term
Accolade
Definition
an award; an honor
Term
Accost
Definition
to approach and speak to someone aggressively
Term
Acedia
Definition
sloth, laziness
Term
Acerbic
Definition
sour; severe; like acid in temper, mood, or tone
Term
Acquiesce
Definition
to comply passively; to accept; to assent; to agree
Term
Acrid
Definition
harshly pungent; bitter
Term
Acrimonious
Definition
full of spite; bitter; nasty
Term
Acumen
Definition
keenness of judgment; mental sharpness
Term
Acute
Definition
sharp; shrewd
Term
Adamant
Definition
stubborn, unyielding; completely inflexible
Term
Address
Definition
to speak to; to direct one's attention to
Term
Adherent
Definition
follower; supporter; believer
Term
Admonish
Definition
to scold gently; to warn
Term
Adroit
Definition
skillful; dexterous; clever; shrewd; socially at ease
Term
Adulation
Definition
wild or excessive admiration; flattery
Term
Adulterate
Definition
to contaminate; to make impure
Term
Adverse
Definition
unfavorable; antagonistic
Term
Aesthetic
Definition
having to do with artistic beauty; artistic
Term
Affable
Definition
easy to talk to; friendly
Term
Affectation
Definition
unnatural or artificial behavior, usually intended to impress
Term
Affinity
Definition
sympathy; attraction; kinship
Term
Affluent
Definition
rich, prosperous
Term
Agenda
Definition
program; the things to be done
Term
Aggregate
Definition
sum total; collection of separate things mixed together
Term
Agnostic
Definition
one who believes that the existence of a god can neither be proven nor disproven
Term
Agrarian
Definition
relating to land; relating to the management or farming of land
Term
Alacrity
Definition
cheerful readiness to respond
Term
Allege
Definition
to asset without proof
Term
Alleviate
Definition
to relieve, usually temporarily or incompletely; to make bearable; lessen
Term
Allocate
Definition
to distribute; to assign; to allot
Term
Alloy
Definition
a combination of two more things, usually metals
Term
Allusion
Definition
an indirect reference
Term
Aloof
Definition
uninvolved; standing off; keeping one's distance
Term
Altruism
Definition
selflessness; generosity ; devotion to the interests of others
Term
Amalgam
Definition
a mixture of different elements
Term
Ambience
Definition
atmosphere; mood; feeling
Term
Ambiguous
Definition
unclear; confusing; capable of being interpreted in different ways
Term
Ambivalent
Definition
undecided; having opposed simultaneously
Term
Ambuscade
Definition
a trap in which concealed persons lie in wait to attack by surprise
Term
Ameliorate
Definition
to make better or more tolerable
Term
Amenable
Definition
obedient; willing to give in to the wishes of another; agreeable
Term
Amenity
Definition
pleasantness; attractive or comfortable features
Term
Amiable
Definition
friendly; agreeable
Term
Amnesty
Definition
an official pardon for a group of people who have violated a law or policy
Term
Amoral
Definition
lacking a sense of right and wrong; neither good nor bad immoral; without feelings
Term
Amorous
Definition
shapeless; without a regular or stable shape; blob-like
Term
Anachronism
Definition
something out of place in time or history; an incongruity
Term
Analogy
Definition
a comparison of one thing to another; similarity
Term
Anarchy
Definition
absence of government or control; lawlessness; disorder
Term
Anecdote
Definition
a short account of a humorous or revealing incident
Term
Anguish
Definition
agonizing physical or mental pain
Term
Animosity
Definition
resentment; hostility; ill will
Term
Anomaly
Definition
an aberration; an irregularity; a deviation
Term
Antipathy
Definition
firm dislike; a dislike
Term
Antithesis
Definition
the direct opposite
Term
Aoristic
Definition
indefinite; indeterminate
Term
Apartheid
Definition
the former policy of racial segregation and oppression in South Africa
Term
Apathy
Definition
lack of interest; lack of feeling
Term
Aphorism
Definition
a brief, witty saying, a proverb
Term
Apocalypse
Definition
a prophetic revelation, especially one concerning the end of the world
Term
Apocryphal
Definition
of dubious authenticity; fictitious; spurious
Term
Apotheosis
Definition
elevation to a divine status; the perfect example of something
Term
Appease
Definition
to soothe; to pacify by giving in to
Term
Appreciate
Definition
to increase in value
Term
Apprehensive
Definition
worried; anxious
Term
Approbation
Definition
to take without permission; to set aside for a particular use
Term
Aptitude
Definition
capacity for learning; natural ability
Term
Arbiter
Definition
one who decides
Term
Arbitrary
Definition
random; capricious
Term
Arcane
Definition
mysterious; known only to a select few
Term
Archaic
Definition
extremely old; ancient; outdated
Term
Archetype
Definition
an original model or pattern
Term
Ardent
Definition
passionate; enthusiastic
Term
Arduous
Definition
hard; difficult
Term
Aristocratic
Definition
of noble birth; snobbish
Term
Artful
Definition
crafty; wily; sly
Term
Artifice
Definition
a clever trick; cunning
Term
Ascendancy
Definition
supremacy; domination
Term
Ascetic
Definition
hermitlike; practicing self-denial
Term
Assiduous
Definition
hardworking; busy; quite diligent
Term
Assimilate
Definition
to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly
Term
Assuage
Definition
to soothe; to pacify; to ease the pain of; to relieve
Term
Astute
Definition
shrewd; keen in judgment
Term
Atheist
Definition
one who does not believe in God
Term
Attrition
Definition
gradual wearing away, weakening, or loss; a natural or expected decrease in numbers or size
Term
Audacity
Definition
boldness; reckless daring; impertinence
Term
Augment
Definition
to make bigger; to add to; to increase
Term
Auspicious
Definition
favorable; promising; pointing to a good result
Term
Austere
Definition
unadorned; stern; forbidding; without excess
Term
Autocratic
Definition
ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy
Term
Autonomous
Definition
acting independently
Term
Avarice
Definition
greed; excessive love of riches
Term
Avow
Definition
to claim; to declare boldly; to admit
Term
Avuncular
Definition
like an uncle, especially a nice uncle
Term
Awry
Definition
off course; twisted to one side
Term
Axiom
Definition
a self-evident rule or truth; a widely accepted saying
Term
Banal
Definition
unoriginal; ordinary
Term
Bane
Definition
poison; torment; cause of harm
Term
Bastion
Definition
stronghold; fortress; fortified place
Term
Beget
Definition
to give birth to; to create; to lead to; to cause
Term
Belabor
Definition
to go over repeatedly or to an absurd extent
Term
Beleaguer
Definition
to surround; to besiege; to harass
Term
Belie
Definition
to give a false impression of; to contradict
Term
Belittle
Definition
to make seem little; to put someone down
Term
Belligerent
Definition
combative; quarrelsome; waging war
Term
Bemused
Definition
confused; bewildered
Term
Benefactor
Definition
one who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation
Term
Benevolent
Definition
generous; kind; doing good deeds
Term
Benevolent
Definition
generous; kind; doing good deeds
Term
Benign
Definition
gentle; not harmful; kind; mild
Term
Bequest
Definition
something left to someone in a will
Term
Bereaved
Definition
deprived or left desolate, especially through death
Term
Beset
Definition
to harass; to surround
Term
Blasphemy
Definition
irreverence; an insult to something held sacred; profanity
Term
Blatant
Definition
unpleasantly or offensively noisy; glaring
Term
Blight
Definition
a disease in plants; anything that injures or destroys
Term
Blithe
Definition
carefree; cheerful
Term
Bombastic
Definition
given to pompous speech or writing
Term
Bourgeois
Definition
middle class, usually in a pejorative sense; boringly conventional
Term
Bovine
Definition
cow-related; cowlike
Term
Brevity
Definition
briefness
Term
Broach
Definition
to open up a subject for discussion, often a delicate subject
Term
Brumal
Definition
wintry
Term
Bucolic
Definition
charming rural; rustic; country-like
Term
Bureaucracy
Definition
system of government administration consisting of numerous bureaus or offices, especially one run according to inflexible and inefficient rule; any large administrate system characterized by inefficiency, lots of rules, and red tape
Term
Burgeon
Definition
to expanding; to flourish
Term
Burlesque
Definition
a ludicrous, mocking lewd imitation
Term
Cacophony
Definition
harsh-sounding mixture of words, voices, or sounds
Term
Cadence
Definition
rhythm; the rise and fall of sounds
Term
Cajole
Definition
to persuade someone to do something he or she doesn't want to do
Term
Callow
Definition
immature
Term
Caliginous
Definition
misty, dim, dark
Term
Candor
Definition
truthfulness, sincere honesty
Term
Capitalism
Definition
an economic system in which business are owned by private citizens (not by the government) and in which the resulting products and services are sold with relatively little government control
Term
Capitulate
Definition
to surrender; to give up or give in
Term
Capricious
Definition
unpredictable; likely to change at any moment
Term
Caricature
Definition
a portrait or description that is purposely distorted or exaggerated, often to prove some point about its subject
Term
Castigate
Definition
to criticize severely; to chastise
Term
Catalyst
Definition
anyone or anything that makes something happen without being directly involved in it
Term
Categorical
Definition
unconditional; absolute
Term
Catharsis
Definition
purification that brings emotional relief or renewal
Term
Catholic
Definition
universal; embracing everything
Term
Caustic
Definition
like acid; corrosive
Term
Celibacy
Definition
abstinence from sex
Term
Censure
Definition
to condemn severely for doing something bad
Term
Cerebral
Definition
brainy; intellectually refined
Term
Chagrin
Definition
humiliation; embarrassed disappointed
Term
Charisma
Definition
a magical-seeming ability to attract followers or inspire loyalty
Term
Charlatan
Definition
a fraud; con man
Term
Chasm
Definition
a deep, gaping hole; a gorge
Term
Chastise
Definition
to inflict punishment on; to discipline
Term
Chicanery
Definition
trickery; deceitfulness; artifice, especially legal or political
Term
Chimera
Definition
an illusion; a foolish fancy
Term
Choleric
Definition
hot-tempered; quick to anger
Term
Chronic
Definition
constant; lasting a long time; inveterate
Term
Chronicle
Definition
a record of events in order of time; a history
Term
Circuitous
Definition
roundabout; not following a direct path
Term
Circumlocution
Definition
an indirect reference; use of wordy or evasive language
Term
Circumscribe
Definition
to draw a line around; to set the limits; to define; to restrict
Term
Circumspect
Definition
cautious
Term
Circumvent
Definition
to frustrate as though by surrounding
Term
Civil
Definition
polite; civilized; courteous
Term
Clemency
Definition
mercy; forgiveness; mildness
Term
Cliché
Definition
an overused saying or idea
Term
Clique
Definition
an exclusive group bound together by some shared quality or interest
Term
Coalesce
Definition
to come together as one; to fuse; to unite
Term
Coerce
Definition
to force someone to do or not to do something
Term
Cogent
Definition
powerfully convincing
Term
Cognitive
Definition
dealing with how we know the world around us through our senses; mental
Term
Cognizant
Definition
aware; conscious
Term
Coherent
Definition
holding together; making sense
Term
Colloquial
Definition
conversational; informal in language
Term
Collusion
Definition
conspiracy; secret cooperation
Term
Commensurate
Definition
equal; proportionate
Term
Compelling
Definition
forceful; causing to yield
Term
Compendium
Definition
a summary; an abridgement
Term
Complacent
Definition
self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault
Term
Complement
Definition
to complete or fill up; to be the perfect counterpart
Term
Complicity
Definition
participation in wrongdoing; the act of being an accomplice
Term
Comprehensive
Definition
covering or including everything
Term
Comprise
Definition
to consist of
Term
Conciliatory
Definition
making peace; attempting to resolve a dispute through goodwill
Term
Concise
Definition
brief and to the point; succinct
Term
Concord
Definition
harmony; agreement
Term
Concurrent
Definition
happening at the same time; parallel
Term
Condescend
Definition
to stoop to someone else's level, usually in an offensive way; to patronize
Term
Condone
Definition
to overlook; to permit to happen
Term
Conducive
Definition
promoting
Term
Confluence
Definition
a flowing together, especially of rivers
Term
Congenial
Definition
agreeably suitable; pleasant
Term
Congenital
Definition
describing a trait or condition acquired between conception and birth; innate
Term
Congeries
Definition
aggregates, collections
Term
Congregate
Definition
to come together
Term
Conjecture
Definition
to guess; to deduce or infer on slight evidence
Term
Conjure
Definition
to summon or bring into being as if by magic
Term
Connoisseur
Definition
an expert, particularly in matters of art or taste
Term
Consecrate
Definition
to make or declare sacred
Term
Consensus
Definition
unanimity or general agreement
Term
Consonant
Definition
harmonious; in agreement
Term
Construe
Definition
to interpret
Term
Consummate
Definition
perfect; complete; supremely skillful
Term
Contentious
Definition
argumentative; quarrelsome
Term
Contiguous
Definition
side by side; adjoining
Term
Contingent
Definition
dependent; possible
Term
Contrite
Definition
admitting guilt; especially feeling remorseful
Term
Contrived
Definition
artificial; labored
Term
Contumacious
Definition
stubbornly rebellious or disobedient
Term
Conventional
Definition
common; customary; unexceptional
Term
Convivial
Definition
fond of partying; festive
Term
Copious
Definition
abundant; plentiful
Term
Corollary
Definition
something that follows; a natural consequence
Term
Corroborate
Definition
to confirm; to back up with evidence
Term
Cosmopolitan
Definition
at home in many places or situations; internationally sophisticated
Term
Countenance
Definition
face; facial expression, especially an encouraging one
Term
Coup
Definition
a brilliant victory or accomplishment; the violent overthrow of a government by a small internal group
Term
Covenant
Definition
a solemn agreement; a contract; a pledge
Term
Covert
Definition
secret; hidden
Term
Crapulous
Definition
marked by intemperance in eating or drinking; sick from over indulgence in liquor
Term
Credulous
Definition
eager to believe; gullible
Term
Criterion
Definition
standard; basis for judgment
Term
Cryptic
Definition
mysterious; mystifying
Term
Culinary
Definition
relating to cooking or the kitchen
Term
Culminate
Definition
to climax; to reach full effect
Term
Culpable
Definition
deserving blame ; guilty
Term
Cursory
Definition
hasty; superficial
Term
Curtail
Definition
to shorten; to cut short
Term
Cynic
Definition
one who deeply distrusts human nature; one who believes humans are motivated only by selfishness
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