(adj) obviously absurd, ridiculous, laughable

"His attempt to explain his error was           and ineffective."

(noun) strict disciplinarian

"The colonel was a            but was held in wide respect."

(adj) weakly, effusively sentimental or weepy

"When he drinks, he talks about the past in a tearful,        tone."

(adj) hazy, indistinct, vague

"I am always suspicious when you have such vague,         plans for the evening."

(adj) servilely attentive, sycophantic, subservient, fawning

"His behavior around the new boss was disgustingly _______."

(verb) ban from social or political favor, exile, shun

"When the scandal emerged, he was ______ by his neighbors."

(noun) cure-all, universal remedy

"A long nap is my _______ for all problems."

(verb) cater to or exploit the weaknesses of others; abet

"The niece ______ to her uncle's vanity until the old man altered his will in her favor."

(verb) soothe or mollify by concessions, appease, pacify

"It was difficult to ______ the hot-tempered manager."

(adj) extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree; huge, vast

"The bomb exploded with a _______ roar."

(adj) fertile, productive

"After publishing ten novels he began to be known as a ________ author."

(noun) natural inclination, leaning, bent

"He had a great _______ toward the field of medicine."

(adj) shrewd, careful, wisely cautious

"Because the intelligent young prince was careful and not impulsive, he became a _______ ruler."

(adj) wordy, superfluous, repetitive

"The governor's statement to the press was ______; it said the same thing five different ways."

(adj) stealthy, clandestine, covert

"Be _______ in your surveillance of the suspect."

(adj) habitually silent, close-mouthed, reserved

"A _______ person will not contribute much to a conversation."

(adj) belligerent, cruel, scathingly harsh

"An extremely ______ drunk disrupted the banquet."

(verb) fluctuate, waver in mind or feeling, hesitate

"His tendency to ______ caused him to make many delayed and faulty decisions."

(verb) malign, slander, call names

"The desperate politician ______ his opponent in his campaign speech."

(noun) bitter railing and condemnation, invective

"The frustrated, furious woman heaped _______ on her faithless husband."