Acumen

(n) quickness of perception, keen insight.

"A man with his           rarely loses an argument."

Adamant

(adj) unyielding, absolutely firm.

"He was          in his refusal to reveal the name of his accomplice."

Anomaly

(n) deviation from the common rule, out of place.

"His coonskin cap was an           in the Congressional cloakroom."

Antipathy

(n) aversion, dislike, distaste, hatred.

"My           for vocabulary tests was no secret."

Apathy

(n) lack of feeling, absence of emotion.

"Student           toward school vandalism was shocking."

Assiduous

(adj) diligent, steadily attentive, persistent.

"An           reader often makes a good scholar."

(adj) self-governing, existing independently.

"Although the store carried the name of a chain, it was really          ."

(adj) trite, insipid, commonplace.

"The pompous speaker bored his audience with          remarks."

(n) forthrightness, frankness, outspokenness

"The senator talked about political issues with surprising          ."

(n) unpredictable action, irrational notion, whim.

"It was simply           which made him order the promotion of all red-headed men in the platoon."

(v) punish or criticize severely.

"Editors love to           crooked politicians."

(n) deception by artful subterfuge, trickery.

"Many people assume that there is always a certain amount of           in the awarding of city contracts."

(adj) Marked by corruption or evil, perverted.

"The judge termed the mass murderer          ."

(adj) digressive, rambling, passing from one topic to another.

"John simply could not got directly to the point; he always told a story in a           manner."

(n) mingling of discordant sounds, unharmonious, jangling.

"Musical composers often use           to suggest a state of restlessness."

(adj) stern, harsh, gloomy, sullen.

"The           expression on her face discouraged people from making jokes."

(adj) full of enthusiasm, exuberant.

"Since she was basically           nothing discouraged her for long."

(adj) marked by ecstasy, delight.

"The reunited lovers were          ."

(v) weaken, deprive of energy.

"Hiking up the mountain will           all but the toughest of climbers."

(v) to cause to exist, to produce.

"Such violent language is more likely to           resentment than remove it."