WORDLIST 01

W No. Word Meaning

1 abase degrade or humiliate; to lower in rank, status, or esteem

2 abash make (someone) embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed

3 abate subside or moderate

4 abdicate formally give up the throne (or some other responsibility)

5 aberrant markedly different from an accepted norm

6 abet assist or encourage, usually in doing something wrong

7 abeyance temporary suspension, inactivity

8 abject very poor condition; lacking pride

9 abjure give up, renounce; repudiate (usually under oath)

10 ablution washing; cleansing; purification

11 abnegation renunciation; self-sacrifice

12 abominable detestable; extremely unpleasant

13 aboriginal being the first of its kind in a region

14 abridge reduce or lessen while retaining the main idea

15 abrogate abolish, cancel

16 absolve pardon (an offense)

17 abstinence restraint from pleasant things, esp. eating or drinking

18 abstruse obscure; profound; difficult to understand

19 accost approach and speak first to a person

20 accretion growth or increase in size by gradual addition

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WORDLIST 02
W No. Word Meaning

21 acerbity bitterness of speech and temper; ADJ. acerbic

22 acquiesce assent; agree passively; comply without protest

23 acquittal deliverance from a charge; V. acquit – free from an accusation

24 acrimonious stinging; caustic; bitter in words or manner

25 acuity sharpness (of mind or senses of sight or hearing); acumen

26 adage wise saying; proverb

27 adjuration a solemn oath; an earnest urging or advising

28 adumbrate give a rough outline of; foreshadow; reveal only partially

29 adventitious happening by chance rather than by design or inherent nature

30 affectation fake behaviour adopted to give a certain impression

31 affront insult; offense; intentional act of disrespect

32 aggrandize make greater; increase in power, wealth, rank, or honour

33 aghast filled with great surprise or fear; horrified

skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate
34 agnostic
reality
35 alacrity cheerful promptness without reluctance

36 alienate cause to become unfriendly, hostile, or distant

37 allegory story or picture in which characters are used as symbols

38 alleviate relieve (pain); allay

39 allude refer indirectly; N. allusion, indirect reference

40 altercation noisy quarrel

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WORDLIST 03
W No. Word Meaning

41 altruistic unselfishly generous; concerned for others; N. altruism

43 ambivalent unable to decide, wanting two contradictory things at once

43 ameliorate make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better

44 amenable obedient; compliant; readily managed, willing to be led

45 amity friendship; peaceful relationship as between nations

46 amnesty pardon (allowed by government to political criminals)

47 amorous moved by sexual love, loving

48 amorphous formless; lacking shape or definition

49 anachronism something/someone misplaced in time; ADJ. anachronistic

50 analogous comparable, corresponding in some particular way

51 anathema formal curse; hateful, offensive; something vehemently disliked

52 anecdote short story of an amusing or interesting event

53 anguish acute pain or suffering (usually mental / psychological)

54 animadversion critical remark

55 animosity active enmity

56 annals records arranged in yearly parts; history

57 annotate comment; make explanatory notes

58 anodyne medicine that relieves pain (noun); soothing, relieving pain

59 anoint (ceremonial) rub or sprinkle oil on to make sacred

60 antecedent precursor, forerunner, ancestor, predecessor

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WORDLIST 04
W No. Word Meaning

61 antedate be older than, precede in time; assign to an earlier date

62 antediluvian antiquated; extremely ancient (of or before the Biblical flood)

63 antipathy aversion; dislike or opposition

64 antiquated obsolete; old-fashioned; outdated

65 antithesis contrast; direct opposite of or to; ADJ. antithetical

66 apathy not caring; absence of feeling; lack of interest or concern

67 aphorism a concise observation that contains a general truth; ADJ. aphoristic

68 aplomb poise; composure in difficult situations, self-confidence

69 apocalyptic describing or prophesying a large-scale destruction (of the world)

70 apocryphal of questionable authenticity; false; widely believed but untrue

71 apogee highest point, climax; the point farthest from the earth

72 apostate person who deserts a party, cause or religion

73 apostle pioneer of a reform movement; disciple (an early follower of Jesus)

74 apotheosis elevation to godhood; an ideal example of something

75 apparition ghost, phantom

76 apposite highly appropriate, suitable, or relevant

77 appraise estimate the value of something; N. appraisal

78 apprehensive anxious or fearful that something bad or unpleasant will happen

79 apprise inform, give notice to

80 approbation praise or approval, especially formal approval

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WORDLIST 05
W No. Word Meaning

81 appropriate proper; take possession of for one's own use without permission

82 arbitrate act as judge (at the request of both sides)

83 arcane esoteric, secret, mysterious, known or understood by only a few

84 archetype prototype, an original which has been imitated; a typical example

85 ardent very passionate, devoted, or enthusiastic

86 ardor heat; passion, zeal; ADJ. ardent

87 arduous hard; strenuous; demanding; tiring

88 arid (of land) dry; barren; unproductive

89 arraign charge in court; indict

90 array marshal; draw up in order; arrange in order

91 arrogate claim or take presumptuously or without the right to do so

92 artifacts object or device made by human beings

93 artifice deception, trickery; clever or cunning device to trick others

94 artless free of deceit; natural, genuine; lacking skill or knowledge

95 ascetic practicing self-denial; avoiding physical comforts; austere

96 ascribe assign or credit to a certain cause or source

97 asperity severity; harshness or sharpness of tone; roughness of surface

98 assiduous persevering, diligent; showing great care

99 assuage make less severe; lessen (pain); satisfy (hunger); soothe (anger)

100 astute wise; shrewd; ensuring something that is to one's advantage

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WORDLIST 06
W No. Word Meaning

101 atone make amends for; pay for; compensate; say sorry

102 atrocity brutal deed; ADJ. atrocious

103 atrophy wasting away; weaken and lose flesh and muscle

104 attenuate weaken or thin out; reduce the force or value

105 augment make larger

106 augury omen; prophecy; sign of coming events

107 august venerable, majestic; inspiring admiration

108 austere forbiddingly stern; ascetic; without comfort or enjoyment

109 avant-garde artists whose works are based on the newest ideas and methods

110 avarice extreme greediness for wealth or material gain

111 aver declare or affirm with confidence; declare something as true

112 averse reluctant; disinclined; not in favour of something

113 avert prevent; avoid; turn away (eyes or thought)

114 avid enthusiastic, dedicated, passionate

115 avow declare openly; N. avowal

116 awry distorted; crooked; bent

117 axiom self-evident truth requiring no proof

118 babble chatter idly or foolishly

119 bacchanalian drunken

120 badger pester; annoy continually with demands

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WORDLIST 07
W No. Word Meaning

121 badinage teasing conversation; banter; joking talk

122 baffle frustrate; perplex

123 balk hesitate or be unwilling to accept an idea or undertaking

124 banal hackneyed; commonplace; trite

125 baroque highly ornate

126 base morally low, mean, dishonorable; of little or no value; not refined

127 bastion stronghold; something seen as a source of protection

128 bawdy humorously indecent; dealing with sexual matters in a comical way

129 beatific giving or showing bliss; blissful

130 bedraggle dishevelled, untidy

131 befuddle confuse thoroughly

132 beget father; become the father of; produce; give rise to

133 begrudge envy; give or allow unwillingly

134 beguile deceive; mislead or delude; cheat

135 behemoth huge creature; something of monstrous size or power

136 beholden owing thanks; obliged or indebted from gratitude

137 belabor harp on; dwell on tediously; explain excessively

138 beleaguer besiege or attack; harass; cause problems or difficulties for

139 bellicose warlike; demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight

140 belligerent quarrelsome; hostile and aggressive

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WORDLIST 08
W No. Word Meaning

141 bemoan lament; moan for; express sorrow or disapproval of

142 bemused confused; lost in thought; preoccupied

143 benediction blessing; benison

144 benevolent generous; charitable; having a wish to do good

145 benign harmless; favorable; kindle, gentle, or beneficial; not cancerous

146 bequeath leave or hand down to someone by means of a will; N. bequest

147 berate scold strongly

148 bereaved deprived of a close a relation (usually through death)

149 beseech beg; plead with

150 beset harass or trouble from all directions; hem in

151 besiege surround with armed forces; harass; annoy continually

152 besmirch soil; defile; make dirty

153 bigotry stubborn intolerance; prejudice against others

154 bilious suffering from indigestion; irritable; easily irritated

155 blasphemy irreverence; sacrilege; bad language about god or holy things

156 blemish mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of

157 blithe joyous; excessively carefree (ignore more important concerns)

158 bludgeon beat (someone) repeatedly with a heavy object

159 boisterous violent; rough; noisy

160 bolster support; reinforce

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WORDLIST 09
W No. Word Meaning

161 bombast grandiloquent, pompous speech

162 bonhomie friendliness, open and simple good heartedness

163 boorish rude, ill-mannered, or insensitive person

164 bourgeois middle class; selfishly materialistic

165 bowdlerize expurgate; remove material that is considered improper or offensive

166 braggadocio boastful or arrogant behaviour

167 brandish shake, wave, or flourish (as a weapon)

168 bravado swagger; assumed air of defiance; false show of bravery

169 brazen insolent; without shame; bold

170 brevity conciseness; shortness of duration

think deeply or anxiously; a group of young birds; (of a bird) sit on eggs
171 brood
to hatch them
172 brook tolerate; endure; a small stream

173 browbeat bully; intimidate (with stern or abusive words)

174 brunt main impact or shock (of an attack or blow)

175 brusque blunt; abrupt; curt; not wanting to waste time being nice

176 bucolic rustic; pastoral

177 bulwark strong wall built for defence; a person who defends

178 bungle mismanage; blunder; botch; blow; spoil by clumsy behavior

179 buoyant able to float; cheerful and optimistic

180 burgeon grow rapidly; grow forth

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WORDLIST 10
W No. Word Meaning

181 burlesque give an imitation that ridicules; imitate mockingly

182 buttress support or encourage; a support or prop

183 cabal small group of persons secretly united to promote their own interests

184 cacophonous discordant; inharmonious; N. cacophony – unpleasant mix of sounds

185 cajole persuade by praise or false promise; coax; wheedle

186 callow (of a young person) immature, inexperienced

187 calumny malicious lie intended to hurt someone's reputation

188 camaraderie mutual trust and friendship among people

189 canard unfounded false rumor; exaggerated false report

190 canny having good judgement or shrewd in money matters

191 canonical authorized, body of accepted rules, standards or artistic works

192 cant insincere and hypocritical preachy talk; a slope or tilt

193 cantankerous ill-humored; irritable

194 capitulate surrender; give up all resistance

195 caprice sudden change of mind without any real cause; ADJ. capricious

196 cardinal chief or most important

197 carnage killing of large numbers of people or animals

198 carnal fleshly; sensual; concerning the desires of the body

199 castigation punishment; severe criticism or disapproval

200 cataclysm a large-scale and violent event (socio-political or in nature)

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WORDLIST 11
W No. Word Meaning

201 catapult slingshot; hurling machine; to hurl or shoot forward

202 catharsis purging and weakening of strong emotions

203 caustic bitter; burning; corrosive; (of remarks) intended to hurt

204 cavalier showing a lack of proper concern; N. knight, a chivalrous man

205 cede yield (title or territory); surrender formally; N. cessation

206 celerity speed; rapidity

207 censure blame; criticize; express strong disapproval; ADJ. censorious

208 certitude certainty

209 chagrin annoyance or distress at having failed or been humiliated

210 champion support militantly; fight for; N. winner

211 charlatan quack; pretender to knowledge (esp. in medicine)

212 chaste morally pure; virginal; abstaining from illicit sexual acts

213 chasten / chastise to discipline; punish in order to correct

214 chauvinism fanatical patriotism; undue or biased devotion to any group or cause

215 chicanery trickery; deception

216 chide to scold; rebuke (someone who has done wrong)

217 chimerical fantastically improbable; highly unrealistic; N. chimera

218 chivalrous courteous and gallant, especially towards women; N. chivalry

219 choleric hot-tempered; bad-tempered; irritable; easily angered

220 chronicle report; record (in chronological order)

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WORDLIST 12
W No. Word Meaning

221 churlish boorish; rude in a mean-spirited and surly way

222 circuitous roundabout; indirect; convoluted

223 circumlocution indirect or roundabout expression (using a large number of words)

224 circumscribe strictly limit a role, range of activity, or area

225 circumspect prudent; careful to consider the circumstances and consequences

226 circumvent overcome (a problem or difficulty) by finding a way around it

227 clairvoyant having foresight; fortune-teller

228 clamor loud continuous noise; a strong made by a large number of people

229 clandestine secret, especially because illicit

230 clemency lenient in deciding punishments; mildness as of the weather

231 coax gently and persistently persuade (someone) to do something

232 coercion use of force to get someone to object; compelling; V. coerce

233 cogent (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing

234 cogitate think over; ponder

235 cognitive related to the mental process do with knowing or perceiving

236 cognizance knowledge; ADJ. cognizant; having knowledge; aware

237 cohorts group of people who share some common quality; armed band

238 colloquial pertaining to conversational or common speech; informal

239 collusion conspiring in a fraud to cheat or deceive others; V. collude

240 colossal extremely large or great

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WORDLIST 13
W No. Word Meaning

241 comely attractive; agreeable; having a pleasing appearance

242 comeuppance a punishment or fate that someone deserves

243 commemorate honor the memory of; serve as a memorial to

244 commensurate the same in size, extent; equivalent; proportional

245 commiserate feel or express pity or sympathy for

246 compendium concise but complete summary; a list or collection

247 complacent overly content (thus lazy or neglectful); overly content

248 complaisant trying to please; obliging; willing to please others

249 complement complete; to contribute extra features; companion

250 compliance conformity in fulfilling requirements; readiness to yield; V. comply

251 complicity participation; involvement (in a questionable act or a crime)

252 compunction remorse, strong uneasiness caused by guilt

253 concede give in, admit, yield; acknowledge reluctantly

254 conceit vanity or self-love; too high opinion of one's own value

255 concerted jointly arranged; done with great effort or determination

256 conciliatory intended or likely to placate or pacify; soothing

257 concoct prepare by mixing; devise (something false) so as to deceive

258 concomitant existing or happening together with something else

259 concord harmony; accord

260 concur agree; coincide; happen at the same time

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WORDLIST 14
W No. Word Meaning

261 condescend show that one feels superior; be patronizing

262 condone overlook, tolerate, regard as harmless; forgive

263 conducive helpful; making a certain situation or outcome likely or possible

264 confer consult, compare views; bestow or give

265 confiscate seize; take possession of (private property) by official order

266 conformist person who uncritically agrees to the customs of a group

267 confound confuse; puzzle

268 congeal freeze; coagulate

269 congenial pleasant; friendly; in agreement with one's tastes and nature

270 congenital (of a disease or physical abnormality) present from birth

271 conglomerate corporation made up of different companies in varied fields

272 congruent in agreement; harmonious; corresponding; coinciding exactly

273 conjecture surmise; guess

274 conjure cause to appear by magic

275 connivance be secretly involved in an immoral or illegal act; V. connive

276 connoisseur expert, especially in the fine arts; person of educated, refined tastes

277 consanguinity kinship; relationship by birth

278 conscientious scrupulous; through and careful

279 consternation great shock; a feeling of anxiety or dismay

280 constrict squeeze, compress; restrict the freedom of

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WORDLIST 15
W No. Word Meaning

281 construe interpret or translate

282 consummate make a relationship or transaction complete; showing great skill

283 contempt scorn, disdain; disregard for something that should be considered.

284 contention assertion, claim; heated disagreement

285 contingent dependent on something uncertain or in the future; conditional

286 contraband illegal trade; smuggled goods

287 contravene contradict; oppose; violate (a rule, law, or custom); N. contravention

288 contrite penitent; repentant; N. contrition

289 contrived unnatural and forced; artificial; not spontaneous; N. contrivance

290 controvert oppose with arguments; attempt to refute; contradict

291 contumacious stubborn and wilfully disobedient; resisting authority

292 conundrum riddle; a confusing and difficult problem or question

293 convivial pleasantly merry; friendly, lively, and enjoyable

294 convoluted twisted; very complicated

295 copious plentiful, bountiful

a symbol of plenty; abundant supply of good things; shaped like
296 cornucopia
goat’s horn
297 corollary natural consequence (which naturally follows from something else)

298 corporeal bodily (rather than spiritual); of a bodily form; material; tangible

299 corpulent very fat; N. corpulence

300 corroborate confirm; support; strengthen

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WORDLIST 16
W No. Word Meaning

301 coterie group that meets socially; close group of people with shared interests

302 countenance facial expression or face

303 counterintuitive against what one would intuitively expect

304 countermand cancel; revoke (an order)

305 coup highly successful action or sudden attack

306 covert secret; hidden

307 covetous avaricious; desirous of (someone else's possessions); V. covet

308 cower shrink quivering as from fear; cringe

309 crafty cunning, skilful in deception or underhanded schemes

310 craven cowardly

311 credulous gullible; prone to believing too easily; N: credulity

312 crestfallen dejected; dispirited

313 cryptic mysterious; hidden; secret

314 cull pick out from others; collect (information)

315 culpable deserving blame; blameworthy

316 cumbersome heavy and awkward to carry or wear; burdensome

317 cupidity greed (for wealth)

318 curmudgeon churlish, miserly individual; bad-tempered old person

319 cursory casual; hastily done with little attention to detail

320 cynosure person or thing that is a center of attention

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WORDLIST 17
W No. Word Meaning

321 daunt intimidate; frighten; discourage; dishearten

322 dawdle loiter; hang around; waste time doing nothing

323 debase degrade; reduce in quality or value or esteem

324 debauch corrupt morally; wild behaviour

325 debilitate weaken (esp. through heat, hunger, illness); enfeeble

326 debunk expose as false or exaggerated or worthless; ridicule

327 decadence decay; fall to a lower level; ADJ. decadent

328 decimate destroy or kill a large part of

329 declaim speak in an impassioned manner

330 declivity downward slope

331 decorous behaving with propriety and good taste; polite

332 decree authoritative order; edict; judgment of a court of law

333 decrepitude state of collapse or weakness caused by illness or old age

334 deference respectful submission; yielding to the authority or opinion of another

335 defiance refusal to yield; resistance; V. defy; ADJ. defiant

336 defunct dead; no longer in use or existence

337 deleterious harmful, damaging; dangerous

338 delineate mark the outline of; sketch; describe in detail

339 demagogue a leader who lies and gains power by misleading people

340 demur raise an objection

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WORDLIST 18
W No. Word Meaning

341 denigrate criticize in a derogatory manner; treat with little importance

342 denouement final outcome; the end of a story when everything is explained

343 denounce condemn; criticize; N. denunciation

344 deplore express sorrow and severe disapproval for something bad

345 depravity extreme corruption; wickedness; v. deprave

346 deprecate express disapproval of; protest against; belittle; ADJ. deprecatory

347 derelict (of someone) neglectful of duty; in a poor condition due to disuse

348 deride ridicule; treat with contempt; make fun of

349 desecrate profane; violate the sanctity of a sacred place

350 desiccate thoroughly dried up, dehydrated

351 despondent without hope and courage; depressed; gloomy

352 destitute extremely poor; lacking means of subsistence; utterly lacking

353 desultory lacking consistency or order, disconnected, sporadic, going off topic

354 devout pious; deeply religious; sincere; earnest

355 dexterous skilful; skill in using hands or mind; N. dexterity

356 diabolical devilish; fiendish

357 diaphanous very sheer, fine, translucent

358 diatribe a forceful and bitter verbal attack against someone or something

359 dichotomy division into two parts or into two contradictory groups

360 dictum formal or authoritative pronouncement; saying or proverb

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WORDLIST 19
W No. Word Meaning

361 didactic (of speech or writing) intended to teach a moral lesson

362 diffidence shyness; lack of self-confidence; timidity; ADJ. diffident

363 dilatory slow, late; intended to delay; procrastinating or stalling for time
person who takes up an art or activity for amusement only or in a
364 dilettante
superficial way; amateur; dabbler
365 diminution a reduction in the size / extent / importance of something; V. diminish

366 disabuse persuade that an idea or belief is mistaken

367 disapprobation strong disapproval, typically on moral grounds; condemnation

368 disarray state of disorder; a disorderly or untidy state

369 disavowal the denial of any responsibility or support for something; repudiation

370 discernible distinguishable; visible or perceivable

371 disconcert disturb the composure of; unsettle; embarrass

372 disconsolate hopelessly sad (at the loss of something)

373 discordant harsh or inharmonious in sound; disagreeing, incongruous.

374 discourse serious speech, writing, or conversation; formal discussion

375 discursive (of a person or writing) digressing; rambling (without any clear plan)

376 disgorge yield or give up; pour (something) out; eject; vomit

377 dishevelled (of a person's hair, clothes, or appearance) untidy; disordered

378 disingenuous not candid or sincere

379 disinterested unprejudiced; free from bias and self-interest; objective

380 disparage belittle, put down; bring shame upon, discredit

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WORDLIST 20
W No. Word Meaning

381 disparate basically different; impossible to compare; unrelated

382 dissemble disguise; hide the real nature of; pretend

383 disseminate scatter, spread about, broadcast

384 dissident dissenting (with an opinion, a group, or a government); rebellious

385 dissonance harsh, inharmonious sound; cacophony; disagreement

386 dither act indecisively; a state of agitation

387 divest deprive or strip of a rank, title, etc; to sell off holdings

388 dogged determined; stubborn; stubbornly persevering; tenacious

389 dogmatic opinionated; holding stubbornly to one's opinion; arbitrary; doctrinal

390 doldrums a state or period of stagnation or depression

391 dolorous feeling or expressing great sorrow or distress

392 dour sullen; gloomy; stubborn

393 droll funny in an odd way

394 drudgery hard unpleasant work; menial work

395 dubious questionable; (of something) causing doubt

396 dumbfound astonish (making dumb), amaze; astound

397 dupe someone easily fooled or deceived; deceive or trick

398 duplicity double-dealing; hypocrisy; being dishonest and deceitful

399 duress forcible restraint, illegal coercion

400 dwindle diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength

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WORDLIST 21
W No. Word Meaning

401 earmark set aside (money or time) for a particular purpose; allocate; allot

402 ebullient showing excitement; overflowing with enthusiasm

403 eccentric irregular; odd; unconventional; whimsical; bizarre

404 eclectic deriving ideas, style, or taste from a diverse range of sources

405 edict decree (especially one issued by a sovereign); official command

406 edify uplift, enlighten, instruct or improve in a spiritual or moral way

erase from a surface; cause something to disappear completely;
407 efface
make oneself appear insignificant
408 effervescence inner excitement or exuberance; showing high spirits; bubbles

409 effigy crude representation or image of a person

410 effrontery rudeness without any sense of shame

411 effulgent shining brightly; brilliant

412 egalitarian related to belief in the equality of all people

413 egotism tendency to speak or write of oneself excessively

414 egregious notorious; conspicuously bad or shocking

415 egress an exit or the action of exiting

416 elated filled with excited joy and pride; in high spirits

417 elicit draw out fact or information (by discussion or from someone)

418 elixir cure-all; something invigorating; a magical or medicinal potion

419 elusive evasive; not frank; difficult to find, catch, or achieve

420 emaciate make abnormally thin; cause to physically waste away

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WORDLIST 22
W No. Word Meaning

421 emancipate set free / liberate, especially from legal, social, or political restrictions

422 emasculate weaken or made less effective; castrate

423 embargo a ban on trade or other commercial activity with a particular country

424 embellish adorn; ornament; enhance as a story (by adding fictitious details)

425 embezzlement taking (usually money) for one's use in violation of trust; fraud

426 emblazon ornament richly; conspicuously inscribe or display a design

427 empirical based on experience or observation rather than theory or mere logic

428 encomium a formal expression of praise

429 encumber restrict, impede or burden; N. encumbrance

430 enervate weaken; take away energy or vitality from

431 engender cause; produce; give rise to

boredom; a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from a
432 ennui
lack of interest
433 ensconce settle comfortably; place comfortably (in a secure place)

434 entrance put into a trance; fill with delight; point of entry

435 enunciate announce; proclaim; pronounce clearly

436 ephemeral short-lived; fleeting

a person devoted to sensual enjoyment, especially that derived from
437 epicurean
fine food and drink
438 epigram witty or amusing thought or saying, usually short

439 epilogue a section or short speech at conclusion of dramatic work

440 epitaph inscription in memory of a dead person (as on a tombstone)

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WORDLIST 23
W No. Word Meaning

441 epithet word or phrase characteristically used to describe a person or thing

442 equanimity calmness and composure, especially in a difficult situation

443 equitable fair and impartial

444 equivocal ambiguous; intentionally misleading; V. equivocate

445 errant erring or straying from the accepted course or standards

446 erudite scholarly; having or showing great knowledge or learning

447 eschew shun, deliberately avoid, abstain from

448 esoteric hard to understand; known only to the chosen few

449 espouse adopt; support (an idea or aim); marry; N. espousal

450 estranged no longer close or affectionate to someone; alienated

451 ethereal extremely delicate in a way that seems to be heavenly or spiritual

452 ethos underlying character of a person, culture, group, era etc

453 euphemism mild expression in place of an unpleasant one; ADJ. euphemistic

454 euphony sweet sound or pleasing to the ear; ADJ. euphonious

mercy killing of someone suffering from an incurable & painful
455 euthanasia
disease or in an irreversible coma
456 evanescent quickly fading or disappearing out of sight or existence; V. evanesce

457 exacerbate make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse

458 exacting very severe in making demands; requiring precise attention

459 exalt raise in rank or dignity; praise highly; inspire

460 exasperate vex or irritate; annoy or make angry (by testing the patience)

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WORDLIST 24
W No. Word Meaning

461 exceptionable objectionable; likely to cause dislike; offensive

462 excerpt selected passage (written or musical) taken from a longer work

463 excoriate scold with biting harshness; criticise strongly; strip the skin off

464 exculpate clear from blame or guilt

465 exemplify show by example; furnish an example; serve as an example of

466 exhilarating making one feel animated or elated; thrilling; V. exhilarate

467 exhort strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something

468 exhume dig out of the ground; remove from a grave

469 exigency urgent situation; ADJ. exigent

470 exiguous very small in amount or size; minute

471 exodus mass departure (of a large number of people)

472 exonerate acquit; exculpate; free from blame or guilt

473 expatiate talk at length; speak or write in detail

474 expatriate a person who lives outside their native country; send abroad

475 expedient convenient and practical although possibly improper or immoral

476 expository intended to explain or describe something; N. exposition

477 expound present and explain the meaning (of a theory or idea) in detail

478 expropriate take (property) from its owner for public use or benefit

479 expunge obliterate or remove completely (something unwanted or unpleasant)

480 expurgate remove matter thought to be objectionable or unsuitable; censor

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WORDLIST 25
W No. Word Meaning

481 extemporaneous spoke or done without time or preparation

482 extenuate cause (an offence) to seem less serious; mitigate

483 extirpate root up; uproot; eradicate or destroy completely

484 extol praise very highly; glorify

485 extort obtain (something) by force, threats, or other unfair means

486 extraneous irrelevant or unrelated to the subject being dealt with; external origin
extend the application of (a method or conclusion) to an unknown
487 extrapolate situation by assuming that existing trends will continue, or similar
methods will be applicable
488 extricate free from an entanglement or difficulty; disentangle

489 extrinsic external; not essential or inherent; extraneous

490 exuberance being full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness; ebullience

491 exude flow out slowly; discharge (gradually and steadily); give forth

492 exult feel or show triumphant elation or jubilation

493 facetious treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humour

494 faction group or clique within a larger organization; party strife and dissent

495 factitious artificially created or developed; sham; false

496 fallible capable of (or liable to) making mistakes or being wrong

497 fallow left unplanted (of land); not in use; undeveloped

498 fanatical excessively devoted, enthusiastic, or zealous in an uncritical way

499 fastidious excessively particular, difficult to please; painstaking

500 fatuous foolish, silly, especially in a smug or complacent manner

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WORDLIST 26
W No. Word Meaning

501 fawn try to win favour through flattery and submissive behaviour

502 fecundity fertility; the ability to produce an abundance of new growth or ideas

503 feign pretend to be affected by something

504 feint make a deceptive or distracting movement, especially during a fight

505 felicitous admirably appropriate, marked by happiness; N: felicity

drive or hunt out of hiding; uncover or discover by searching; a
506 ferret
domesticated polecat used chiefly for catching rabbits
507 fervid hot; ardent, intensely enthusiastic or passionate

508 fetid stinking; having an offensive smell

509 fetter shackle; restrict the freedom of

510 fiasco total failure, especially a humiliating one

511 fidelity faithfulness, loyalty; strict observance of duty

512 fiend evil spirit; devil

513 flaccid flabby; lacking firmness; weak

lose enthusiasm hang limply or droop; mark (an item) for attention or
514 flag
treatment in a specified way; a small piece of cloth
515 flagrant conspicuously wicked, bad, or offensive; blatant; outrageous

516 fledgling a young bird; a new or inexperienced person

517 flinch hesitate due to anxiety; shrink back (in fear of something unpleasant)

518 flippant lacking proper seriousness or due respect

519 florid having a red or flushed complexion; excessively intricate or elaborate

520 flounder stagger clumsily in mud or water; show or feel great confusion

26
WORDLIST 27
W No. Word Meaning

521 flout reject; mock; show contempt for; openly disregard

522 fluster confuse; make agitated and confused

523 flux flowing continuously; series of changes; fluctuation

524 foible small weakness of character; slight fault

525 foment Incite or instigate an undesirable sentiment or course of action

526 foolhardy rash; recklessly bold; foolishly daring

527 forbearance patient self-control; restraint and tolerance; V. forbear

528 forebear ancestors

529 foreboding feeling of coming evil; a feeling/omen that something bad will happen

530 forfeit surrender or lose as a result of an error, a penalty for wrongdoing

531 forlorn sad and lonely; wretched; unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled

532 formidable menacing; arousing fear; threatening; difficult to defeat

533 forswear renounce under oath; abandon; make a solemn promise to give up

534 fortitude bravery; courage or strength of mind even in pain and adversity

535 fortuitous accidental; happening by chance rather than by intention; N. fortuity

536 foster rear, bring up; encourage the development of (usually desirable)

537 fractious unruly, troublemaking, irritable, quarrelsome

538 frantic distraught from fear/worry; conducted in a hurried/disorganized way

539 fraught filled with or likely to result in; causing or affected by anxiety or stress

540 frenetic wildly excited, frantic, fast and energetic in an uncontrolled way

27
WORDLIST 28
W No. Word Meaning

541 fret be constantly or visibly anxious

542 frugal economical, thrifty, not wasteful with money; inexpensive

543 fulminate explode, detonate; express vehement protest

544 furtive stealthy; quiet and secret (trying to escape notice); sneaky

545 fusillade simultaneous firing or outburst (of missiles, questions, etc.)

546 gaffe social blunder; an unintentional act/remark causing embarrassment

547 gainsay declare false, deny; oppose

548 gait manner of walking or running

549 galvanize shock or excite into taking action; coat with a protective layer of zinc

550 gamely in a brave or spirited manner

551 gamut the complete range or scope of something

552 gape open widely; stare wonderingly with the mouth open

553 garbled (of a message/sound/transmission) confused and distorted; unclear.

554 gargantuan huge; enormous; gigantic

555 garish overbright in color; unpleasantly bright; gaudy

556 garner gather and store; amass, collect (especially information or approval)

557 garrulous excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters; N. garrulity

558 gauche tactless, lacking social grace, awkward, crude, unsophisticated

559 gaudy extravagantly bright or showy, typically so as to be tasteless

560 gawk stare openly and foolishly; an awkward or shy person

28
WORDLIST 29
W No. Word Meaning

561 geniality the quality of having a friendly and cheerful manner; ADJ. genial

562 genteel typical of a high social class; being very polite, gentle, or graceful

563 gentry people of good family or high social position

564 genuflect bend the knee typically in worship or as a sign of respect

565 germane pertinent; relevant to a subject under consideration

566 ghastly causing great horror or fear; extremely unwell

567 gibberish nonsensical or unintelligible talk or writing; babbling

568 gibe mock; make insulting remarks

569 giddy disorientating and alarming, but exciting; excitable and frivolous

570 gild cover with a thin layer of gold

571 gingerly very carefully or cautiously

measurement around something; circumference; a band attached to
572 girth
a saddle
573 gist essence; main point; substance

574 glacial pertaining to glaciers; cold, icy, slow, unsympathetic

575 glaring highly conspicuous; harshly bright; stare in an angry or fierce way
gather grain left after harvest; obtain (information) from various
576 glean
sources, often with difficulty
577 glib fluent and easy in a way that suggests superficiality or insincerity
express evil satisfaction - dwell on one's own success or another's
578 gloat
misfortune
try to conceal or disguise something unfavourable by treating it briefly
579 gloss over
or representing it misleadingly
580 glower have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl

29
WORDLIST 30
W No. Word Meaning

581 glut overstock; fill beyond capacity (with food); fill to excess

582 gnarled rough, and twisted, especially with age

583 goad urge on with a stick; provoke or annoy to stimulate an action/reaction

584 gobble eat very quickly and noisily

585 gory involving or showing violence and bloodshed

586 gossamer a light, thin, and insubstantial or delicate material or substance

587 gouge scooping or digging tool; a hole made with such a tool

588 gourmand person who takes pleasure in eating and drinking excessively

589 gourmet a connoisseur of good food; a person with a discerning palate

590 grandeur splendour and impressiveness, especially of appearance or style.

591 grandiloquent pompous or extravagant in language; bombastic

592 grandiose affectedly grand; pretentious; high-flown; ridiculously exaggerated

593 grapple wrestle; come to grips with; take hold of and struggle with;

594 gratify please, satisfy

595 gratis free; without charge

596 gratuitous given freely; unwarranted; uncalled for; done without good reason

597 gratuity money given to somebody who has done a service; tip

598 gravity seriousness, solemnity of manner; ADJ. grave

599 gregarious sociable; (of an animal) tending to form a group

600 grievance a real or imagined cause for complaint, especially unfair treatment

30
WORDLIST 31
W No. Word Meaning

601 grievous causing grief or suffering; (of something bad) very severe or serious

602 grimace facial distortion to show feeling such as pain, disgust, etc

603 grisly causing horror or disgust; ghastly

604 grotesque comically or repulsively ugly or distorted

605 grouch bad-tempered person; a trivial complaint; grumble

606 grouse complain or grumble; a reason for complaint

607 grovel act in a servile way to obtain someone's forgiveness or favour

608 gruelling extremely tiring and demanding

609 gruesome causing repulsion or horror; grisly

610 guffaw boisterous laughter

611 gullible easily deceived; easily persuaded to believe something; naive

612 hackneyed so commonplace as to be stale; not fresh or original; banal

613 halcyon a calm, peaceful, successful and happy period of time

614 hallmark a distinctive mark indicating quality, purity, genuineness

615 hallowed greatly revered and honoured; made holy

616 harangue a lengthy, passionate and aggressive speech

617 harbinger forerunner (which announces or signals the approach of another)

618 harrowing agonizing; distressing; traumatic

619 haughtiness being arrogantly superior and disdainful; ADJ. haughty

620 headstrong energetically wilful and determined

31
WORDLIST 32
W No. Word Meaning

621 hedonist one who believes that materialistic pleasure is the sole aim in life

622 hegemony domination, authority; influence by one country over others

623 heinous atrocious; wicked; hatefully bad

624 herald messenger, sign of something to come; V: announce; proclaim;

625 herculean requiring extreme effort or strength

626 heresy opinion contrary to popular belief or accepted religion; ADJ. heretical

627 hermetic airtight, sealed; isolated, reclusive; pertaining to alchemy, occult

628 heterodox (of beliefs) against accepted opinion; unorthodox; unconventional

629 heterogeneous incongruous; composed of different types of elements

630 hiatus gap or interruption in space or time; break

631 histrionic theatrical; excessively dramatic or emotional, of actors or acting

632 hoard stockpile; accumulate for future use; supply stored for future use

633 holocaust destruction or slaughter on a mass scale, especially by fire

634 homage special honour or respect demonstrated publicly

635 homely not good-looking; unattractive; simple but cosy and comfortable

636 homily sermon/moralizing lecture, intended primarily for spiritual edification

637 hoodwink deceive; delude

638 hostility unfriendliness; hatred; enmity; ADJ. hostile

639 hubris arrogance; excessive pride or self-conceit

640 humdrum dull; monotonous

32
WORDLIST 33
W No. Word Meaning

641 husband spouse; manage prudently, sparingly, or economically; conserve

642 hyperbole exaggeration; overstatement; AJ. hyperbolic

643 iconoclast attacker of cherished beliefs or institutions; non-conformist

644 idiosyncrasy characteristic or habit peculiar to an individual; peculiar quality, quirk

645 idyllic charmingly carefree; pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity

646 ignoble not noble or honourable; having mean, base, low motives

647 ignominy deep disgrace; shame or dishonour; AJ. ignominious;

648 imbecility weakness of mind; state of being stupid

649 imbroglio an extremely confused, complicated, or embarrassing situation

650 imbue inspire or permeate with (a feeling or quality)

651 immaculate spotless; flawless; absolutely clean

652 imminent impending; near at hand; about to happen; unavoidable

653 immolate offer or kill as a sacrifice (by fire)

654 immutable unchangeable; cannot undergo mutation

655 impair make worse, weaken

656 impalpable imperceptible; cannot be felt by touch

657 impassive not having or not showing physical feeling or emotion

658 impeach charge (a public official) with crime in office; raise doubts about

659 impeccable faultless; in accordance with the highest standards

660 impecunious having little or no money

33
WORDLIST 34
W No. Word Meaning

661 impede retard or obstruct the progress of; delay or prevent; block

662 impel drive or force onward; drive to take action; urge to action

663 impenitent not feeling shame or regret about one's actions or attitude

664 imperceptible unnoticeable; impossible to perceive; undetectable

665 imperil put in danger

666 imperious commanding, domineering; acting like a high-ranking person

667 impermeable impassable, not allowing passage through

668 impertinent insolent; rude; irrelevant

669 imperturbable calm, not able to be upset or agitated

670 impervious impenetrable; incapable of being damaged / distressed / affected

671 impetuous acting/done quickly and without thought or care; moving rapidly
moving force; momentum; something that makes a process or activity
672 impetus
happen or happen more quickly
673 implacable incapable of being pacified/calmed; impossible to appease

674 implausible unlikely (to be true); unbelievable;

675 implication something hinted at or suggested; implying; implicating

676 implore ask or beg earnestly; beseech

677 importune harass someone persistently for or to do something

678 impoverish make poor; deprive of natural strength or something important;

679 imprecation a spoken curse; malediction

680 impregnable invulnerable; impossible to capture or enter by force

34
WORDLIST 35
W No. Word Meaning

681 impropriety improper behaviour or character; dishonesty

682 improvident not having or showing foresight; spendthrift or thoughtless

683 imprudent lacking caution; not showing care for the consequences of an action

684 impudence impertinence; the quality of being rude and not showing respect

685 impugn dispute the truth, validity, or honesty of something or someone

686 inadvertent unintentional; not resulting from or achieved through planning

687 inane silly; senseless

688 incandescent strikingly bright; shining with intense heat; emitting visible light

689 incantation a series of words said as a magic spell or charm

690 incapacitate disable; prevent from functioning in a normal way

691 incarcerate imprison or confine

692 incarnate embody or represent in a human form

693 incendiary designed to cause fires; tending to stir up conflict

694 inchoate just begun, underdeveloped, confused or incoherent

695 incidental occurring by chance in connection with something major

696 incinerate burn to ashes; destroy by burning

697 incipient beginning; in an early stage

698 incisive intelligently analytical and clear-thinking; quick and direct; sharp

699 inclement unpleasantly cold or wet; unkind

700 incognito with identity concealed; using an assumed name

35
WORDLIST 36
W No. Word Meaning

701 incoherent muddled; unable to express one's thoughts in an orderly manner

702 incommodious not spacious; causing inconvenience or discomfort

703 incongruity lack of harmony; incompatibility; ADJ. incongruous

704 inconsequential insignificant, unimportant

705 incontrovertible indisputable; not open to question; unquestionable

706 incorporeal without a material body; not composed of matter

707 incorrigible not able to be changed or reformed

708 incredulity the state of being unwilling or unable to believe something

709 incriminate make (someone) appear guilty of a crime or wrongdoing

710 inculcate teach or instil (an idea, attitude, or habit) by persistent instruction

711 incumbent necessary as a duty or responsibility; currently holding an office

712 indefatigable tireless; untiring; showing no sign of getting tired

713 indelible not able to be erased

714 indeterminate uncertain; not clearly fixed; indefinite

715 indict formally accuse of or charge with a crime

716 indifferent not caring, having no interest; unbiased, impartial

717 indigence extreme poverty; ADJ. indigent

718 indigenous originating or occurring naturally in a particular place; native

719 indignation anger or annoyance provoked by unfair treatment; ADJ. indignant

720 indiscriminate choosing at random; not based on careful distinctions

36
WORDLIST 37
W No. Word Meaning

721 indoctrinate cause to accept a doctrine / idea without questioning it

722 indolent lazy, slothful

723 indubitable unable to be doubted; which cannot be doubted; unquestionable

724 induct admit or formally introduce someone to a post or organization

725 indulgent indicating a readiness to be generous to or lenient with someone

726 industrious diligent; hard-working

727 inebriated habitually intoxicated; drunk

728 ineffable too great or extreme to be expressed or described in words

729 inerrancy infallibility, lack of error

730 inevitable unavoidable, certain to happen

731 inexorable impossible to stop or prevent; relentless

732 infallible incapable of making mistakes or being wrong

733 infidel unbeliever (with respect to a particular religion)

734 infirmity weakness

735 infringe violate (a law); encroach (the right of another person)

736 ingenious marked by inventive skill; clever; resourceful; N. ingenuity

737 ingenuous naive and trusting; innocent and unsuspecting

738 ingrained deep-rooted, forming part of the very essence; worked into the fibre

739 ingrate ungrateful person

740 ingratiate make an effort to gain favour with

37
WORDLIST 38
W No. Word Meaning

741 inimical hostile, adverse; tending to obstruct or harm

742 inimitable matchless; not able to be imitated

743 iniquitous grossly unfair and morally wrong

744 innocuous not harmful or offensive

745 innuendo indirect or subtle (derogatory) hint; insinuation

746 inopportune untimely; inappropriate or ill-timed; poorly chosen

747 inordinate beyond reasonable limits; unrestrained; excessive

748 inquisitive eager for knowledge; unduly curious

749 insalubrious unwholesome; not healthful

750 insatiable not easily satisfied; unquenchable;

751 inscrutable impossible to understand or interpret

752 insidious proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with very harmful effects

753 insinuate suggest or hint (something bad) in an indirect and unpleasant way

754 insipid lacking in flavour; lacking vigour interest; dull

755 insolence rude and disrespectful behaviour; ADJ. insolent

756 insouciant without concern or care; unconcerned; indifferent

757 instigate start; urge; provoke; incite;

758 insular pertaining to an island; detached, narrow-minded; provincial

759 insurgent rebellious; a person fighting against a government or invading force

760 insurmountable overwhelming; unbeatable; too great to be overcome

38
WORDLIST 39
W No. Word Meaning

761 insurrection a violent uprising against an authority or government

762 intelligible able to be understood, clear

763 interdict prohibit; forbid; intercept and prevent the movement

764 intermittent periodic; on and off; stopping and starting at intervals

765 internecine destructive to both sides in a conflict

766 interregnum period between two successive reigns or governments

767 intimidate frighten; N. intimidation

768 intractable difficult to control, manage, or manipulate; hard to cure; stubborn

769 intransigence refusal of any compromise; stubbornness; ADJ. intransigent

770 intrepid fearless, brave, enduring in the face of adversity

771 intrinsic essential; inherent; built-in

772 inundate flood, cover with water, overwhelm

773 inure toughen up; accustom or habituate to pain, hardship, etc.

774 invective violent denunciation; accusations, insults, or verbal abuse

775 inveigh speak or write about (something) with great hostility

776 inveigle persuade to do something by means of deception or flattery

777 invidious designed to create ill will or envy; tending to rouse ill will or envy;

778 invocation he action of invoking someone or something

779 irascible irritable; having or showing a tendency to be easily angered

780 irate feeling or characterized by great anger

39
WORDLIST 40
W No. Word Meaning

781 irreproachable beyond reproach; blameless; impeccable;

782 irresolute uncertain how to act; weak; lacking in resolution; indecisive

783 irreverence lack of proper respect or reverence; ADJ. irreverent

784 irrevocable not able to be changed, reversed, or recovered; final

785 itinerant traveling from place to place, esp. as part of a job

786 jaded tired or uninterested by surfeit; fatigued; surfeited; worn out; wearied;

787 jargon vocabulary specific to a group or profession

788 jaundiced yellowed; affected by bitterness, resentment, or cynicism

789 jeopardize endanger; imperil, compromise; put at risk; N. jeopardy

790 jest playful remark or act

791 jettison discard or cast off in urgent situations; abandon or discard

792 jingoism excessive, loud patriotism and aggressive, warlike foreign policy

793 jocular joking or given to joking all the time; jolly, playful

794 juggernaut a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force

795 kindle start a fire; ignite; inspire; arouse

796 kindred related; belonging to the same group; similar in nature or character

797 knave untrustworthy person; rogue; scoundrel

798 labyrinth maze; a complicated irregular network of passages or paths

799 laceration a deep cut or tear in skin or flesh; criticizing someone severely

800 lackadaisical lacking enthusiasm and determination; carelessly lazy

40
WORDLIST 41
W No. Word Meaning

801 lackluster not shiny; dull, mediocre; lacking brilliance or vitality

802 laconic using few words, concise

803 laggard slow to act, move or respond; sluggish

804 lambaste criticise or mock harshly

805 lament mourn; express grief, sorrow, or regret

806 lampoon publicly criticise by using ridicule, irony or sarcasm

807 languid lacking energy or vitality; weary; sluggish; listless

808 larceny theft of personal property

809 largess generous gift (given to people who do not have enough)

810 lascivious lustful; an overt sexual interest or desire

811 lassitude tiredness, weariness; lazy indifference

812 latitude freedom from narrow limitations

813 lechery gross lewdness; lustfulness; ADJ. lecherous

814 leery suspicious or wary due to realistic suspicions

815 levity lack of seriousness or steadiness; frivolity; lightness of manner

816 liaison contact that keeps parties in communication; secret love affair

817 libel false statement that defames someone

818 libertine morally or sexually unrestrained person; freethinker in religion

819 libidinous lustful; excessive sexual drive

820 licentious promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual maters

41
WORDLIST 42
W No. Word Meaning

821 limpid clear, transparent, easily accessible

822 lionize treat like a celebrity; excessively glorify

823 listless lacking in spirit or energy; languid

824 lithe flexible; thin, supple and graceful

825 livid furiously angry, enraged

826 loath reluctant; unwilling; disinclined

827 loathe detest, strongly dislike; ADJ. loathsome

828 loquacious very talkative; N. loquacity

829 lucid easily understood; clear; intelligible; N. lucidity

830 ludicrous so foolish, unreasonable, or out of place as to be amusing

831 lugubrious mournful, gloomy (sometimes in an exaggerated way)

832 lull moment of calm or less active; period of reduced activity

833 lumber move in a slow, heavy, awkward way

834 luminous shining, radiant, well-lit; brilliant or enlightening

unpleasantly bright in colour, especially to create a harsh or
835 lurid
unnatural effect
836 luscious with a pleasingly rich, sweet taste; appealing strongly to the senses

837 macabre disturbing because concerned with or causing a fear of death

crafty; double-dealing; of the political doctrine of Machiavelli, which
838 Machiavellian
holds that craft and deceit are justified in pursuing political power
generosity or forgiving, especially towards a rival or less powerful
839 magnanimity
person; ADJ. magnanimous
840 magniloquent boastful or pompous in speech

42
WORDLIST 43
W No. Word Meaning

841 makeshift acting as an interim and temporary measure device or substitute

842 maladroit clumsy; not skilful; awkward

843 malady illness

844 malaise uneasiness; vague feeling of ill health

845 malapropism comic misuse of a word

846 malcontent person dissatisfied with existing state of affairs

847 malediction a curse; a magical word intended to cause evil

848 malefactor evildoer; criminal

849 maleficent causing harm or destruction, especially by supernatural means

850 malevolent wishing evil; exhibiting ill will; N. malevolence

851 malfeasance wrongdoing; misconduct (by a public official)

852 malicious hateful, spiteful, expressing malice; N. malice

853 malign speak in a spitefully critical manner; evil in nature or effect

854 malignant tending to cause death; highly injurious

855 malinger pretend to be sick, especially to escape work or duties

856 malleable able to be bent, shaped, or adapted

857 mandate order; charge; authoritative command

858 manifest obvious, apparent, perceptible to the eye

859 mar spoil the appearance of

860 martinet strict disciplinarian who demands total obedience to rules and orders

43
WORDLIST 44
W No. Word Meaning

861 masochist person who enjoys his own pain

862 masquerade wear a mask or disguise; pretend to be someone / something else

863 matriarch woman who rules a family or larger social group

864 maudlin excessively sentimental, self-pityingly or tearfully emotional

865 maverick rebel; unorthodox or nonconformist (in a group)

866 mawkish sentimental in an exaggerated or false way

867 maxim a general truth or fundamental principle expressed as a proverb

868 mayhem violent or extreme disorder; chaos

869 meager scanty; inadequate

870 meddlesome interfering; V. meddle

871 melancholy gloomy, very sad, morose; blue; ADJ. melancholic

872 melee a confused fight or scuffle; commotion

873 mellifluous (of words or a voice) sweetly or smoothly flowing; melodious

874 memento token; reminder of the past; keepsake

875 memoir a historical account or biography written from personal knowledge

876 mendacious lying; habitually dishonest; N. mendacity

877 mendicant beggar, or religious follower who lives by begging

878 menial suitable for servants; lowly; mean

879 mercenary motivated solely by money or gain

880 mercurial capricious; quick and changing; fickle; containing mercury

44
WORDLIST 45
W No. Word Meaning

881 meretricious attractive in a vulgar or flashy way, often with little or no real value

882 metamorphosis a complete change or transformation

883 meteoric swift; momentarily brilliant; N. meteor

884 meticulous excessively careful; painstaking; scrupulous

885 milieu social environment

886 minatory menacing; expressing or conveying a threat

887 minutiae the small, precise, or trivial details of something

unreal reflection; optical illusion; an unrealistic hope or wish that
888 mirage
cannot be achieved
889 mired cause to become stuck in mud; involve in a difficult situation

890 mirth merriment; laughter

891 misanthrope a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society

892 misconstrue interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge

893 miscreant wretch; wrongdoer; villain

894 misnomer wrong or improper name; incorrect designation

895 misogamy hatred of marriage

896 misogynist who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women

897 mitigate make or become less in force or intensity

898 modicum a small quantity of a thing, especially something desirable or valuable

899 mollify calm or soothe (an angry person); lessen or soften

900 mollycoddle pamper; treat (someone) in an indulgent or overprotective way

45
WORDLIST 46
W No. Word Meaning

901 momentous very important; especially in having a bearing on future events

902 monastic related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns

903 moratorium a temporary prohibition of an activity

an abnormal and unhealthy interest in disturbing and unpleasant
904 morbid
subjects
905 mordant having or showing a sharp or critical quality (especially in humour)

906 moribund dying; at the point of death; in terminal decline

907 morose ill-tempered; sullen

cause (someone) to feel very embarrassed or ashamed; subdue by
908 mortify
self-denial or discipline
909 motley incongruously varied in appearance or character; disparate

910 mountebank charlatan; a person who deceives others; boastful pretender

911 multifarious varied; greatly diversified

912 mundane common, ordinary, everyday, lacking originality

913 munificent very generous in giving

914 murky dark and gloomy; thick with fog

915 mutilate inflict a violent and disfiguring injury

916 myopic short-sighted; lacking foresight or intellectual insight

917 myriad a countless or extremely great number of people or things

918 mystic of hidden meaning and spiritual power

919 nadir the lowest or most unsuccessful point in a situation

920 naïve showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgement; innocent

46
WORDLIST 47
W No. Word Meaning

921 narcissist those who have an excessive interest in or admiration of themselves

922 nascent coming into existence, still developing

923 nebulous vague; hazy; cloudy

924 necromancy black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead

925 nefarious very wicked

926 nemesis a long-standing rival; source of downfall or ruin

927 neologism new word or phrase

928 neophyte recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner

929 nepotism favouritism by someone powerful to a friend or relative)

930 nettle irritate; annoy; vex

931 niggardly meanly stingy; parsimonious

one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence
932 nihilist
meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist;
933 nimble quick in movement; agile; quick in understanding

934 nocturnal done or active at night

935 noisome foul smelling; very unpleasant; disagreeable

936 nominal trivial, so small as to be unimportant; in name only

937 nonchalance indifference; lack of concern; composure; ADJ. nonchalant

938 nondescript lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics

939 notoriety being famous or well known for some bad quality or deed
star that suddenly becomes much brighter and then returns to its
940 nova
original brightness

47
WORDLIST 48
W No. Word Meaning

941 novelty something new; newness; ADJ. novel

942 noxious harmful; poisonous or very unpleasant

943 nuance a subtle difference in tone, meaning, expression, etc.

944 nugatory worthless; futile

945 nuptial related to marriage or the wedding ceremony

946 obdurate stubborn; refusing to change one's belief

947 obeisance deferential respect; bow (to show respect and obedience)

948 obfuscate confuse; muddle; cause confusion; make needlessly complex

949 objective factual, not influenced by emotions; unbiased

950 oblique indirect; deviating from a straight line

951 obliterate destroy completely; wipe out

952 oblivion being completely forgotten; unaware or unconscious; destruction

953 oblivious not aware of or concerned about what is happening around one

954 obloquy slander; disgrace; infamy; strong public condemnation

955 obnoxious offensive; disagreeable

956 obscure dark; vague; unclear; not well known

957 obsequious slavishly attentive; servile; full of servile compliance; sycophantic

958 obstinate stubborn; hard to control or treat

959 obstreperous boisterous; noisy and uncontrollable

become noticeable in an unwelcome or intrusive way; impose
960 obtrude
(oneself or one's ideas) on others; butt in;

48
WORDLIST 49
W No. Word Meaning

961 obtuse blunt; not sharp; stupid; slow in understanding

962 obviate make unnecessary; get rid of

963 occlude shut; close; obstruct

964 occult mysterious; secret; supernatural; beyond human comprehension

965 odious arousing strong dislike; hateful (causing hatred); vile

966 odyssey long, eventful, adventurous journey

967 offhand casual; done without prior thought or preparation

968 officious excessively eager in giving unwanted advice or intruding; pushy

threatening; giving the worrying impression that something bad is
969 ominous
going to happen
970 omnipotent all-powerful; having unlimited power

971 omnipresent universally present; widely or constantly encountered

972 omniscient knowing everything

973 onerous involving a great deal of effort, trouble, or difficulty

multicoloured; showing many small points of shifting colour against a
974 opalescent
pale or dark ground
975 opportune timely; well-chosen

976 opprobrium disgrace arising from shameful conduct; harsh criticism or censure

977 opulence extreme wealth; luxuriousness; abundance; ADJ. opulent

978 ordeal severe trial or affliction; difficult experience

979 ordinance decree; authoritative order

980 ornate excessively or elaborately decorated

49
WORDLIST 50
W No. Word Meaning

981 orotund (voice) resonant and imposing; pompous or pretentious style

982 oscillate swing back and forth; waver, change one's mind

983 ossify harden into bone; become hard and unchanging in one's ideas

984 ostensible apparent; stated or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

985 ostentatious characterized by pretentious or showy display; designed to impress

986 ostracize banish from a group; exclude from public favour; boycott

987 oust expel; drive out; force out

988 outlandish bizarre; peculiar; unfamiliar and unconventional

989 overbearing bossy; domineering and arrogant; unpleasantly overpowering

990 overt open to view; public; not secret

musical introduction to a long musical piece or something substantial;
991 overture
a proposal (to begin talks in the hope of reaching an agreement)
992 overweening showing excessive confidence or pride

993 overwhelm have a strong emotional effect; defeat completely by greater force
in a state of nervous excitement or anxiety; too elaborate or
994 overwrought
complicated in design or construction
995 pacifist one opposed to force; who believes or advocates peace

996 paean a song of praise or joy or triumph

997 painstaking taking pains; showing hard work; taking great care

998 palatable agreeable; pleasing to the taste

999 palliate ease pain (without curing); make less severe or offensive

1000 pallid lacking vigour or intensity; pale, typically because of poor health

50
WORDLIST 51
W No. Word Meaning

1001 palpable tangible; (of a feeling or atmosphere) easily perceptible; obvious

1002 paltry insignificant; petty; trifling

1003 pan criticize harshly

1004 panacea cure-all; remedy for all diseases

1005 panache flair; flamboyant confidence of style or manner

1006 pandemonium wild commotion; wild noisy disorder

1007 panegyric a public speech or published text in praise of someone or something

1008 panoply an extensive or impressive collection; a splendid display of all items

1009 paradigm an example that serves as a model or pattern

1010 paradox apparently contradictory in nature (that may nonetheless be true)

1011 paragon model of perfection; perfect example

1012 parallelism state of being parallel; similarity; analogy

1013 paramount foremost in importance; supreme

1014 paranoia psychosis marked by delusions of grandeur or persecution

1015 paraphrase restate a text in one's own words while retaining thought of author

1016 pariah social outcast; outsider; recluse

1017 parity equality; close resemblance

1018 parlance a particular manner of speaking; idiom; jargon

1019 parley a conference between opponents to discuss terms

1020 parochial narrow in scope or outlook; provincial

51
WORDLIST 52
W No. Word Meaning

1021 paroxysm a sudden attack or outburst of a particular emotion or activity

1022 parry ward off a blow; deflect; avoid; dodge

1023 parsimony stinginess; excessive frugality; miserliness

1024 partisan one-sided; prejudiced; committed to a party

1025 passe old-fashioned; past the prime

1026 pastoral rural; of rural life; idyllic; of a pastor

1027 patent obvious; easily recognisable; of or protected by a patent

1028 pathos a quality that evokes pity or sadness

1029 patronize support; act superior toward; treat in a condescending manner

1030 paucity scarcity; dearth; lack

1031 peccadillo slight offense or fault

1032 pecuniary pertaining to money

1033 pedantic bookish; marked by an excessive for minor details

1034 pedestrian ordinary; dull; unimaginative; going on foot;

1035 pedigree ancestry; lineage

1036 peerless having no equal; incomparable

1037 peevish bad-tempered; irritable

1038 pejorative expressing contempt or disapproval

1039 pellucid transparent; clear in meaning; easy to understand

1040 penance self-imposed punishment for sin

52
WORDLIST 53
W No. Word Meaning

1041 penchant a strong or habitual liking for something; a tendency to do something

1042 penitent repentant; feeling guilt or remorse for a certain action

1043 penury extreme poverty

1044 perceptive insightful; showing a good ability at understanding

1045 peremptory insisting on immediate attention or obedience

1046 perfidious treacherous; disloyal

1047 perfunctory done routinely and with little care; superficial; not thorough

1048 peripatetic travelling from place to place (usually for work)

1049 peripheral of a periphery; marginal; outer; of minor importance; not central;

1050 perjury false testimony while under oath; V. perjure

that can be passed through; allowing liquids or gas to pass through; V.
1051 permeable
permeate
1052 pernicious very harmful; deadly; very destructive;

1053 perpetrate carry out or commit (a harmful, illegal, or immoral action)

1054 perspicacious (of someone) having keen insight; astute

1055 perspicuous (of something) plainly expressed; easy to understand

1056 pertinent suitable; to the point; relevant

1057 perturb disturb greatly

1058 peruse read through with care; N. perusal

1059 pervasive spread throughout; V. pervade

1060 perverse purposely continuing to do something wrong; wicked

53
WORDLIST 54
W No. Word Meaning

1061 pestilential causing plague; tending to cause death; baneful

1062 petrify turn to stone; cause to become stonelike; stun or paralyze

1063 petulant touchy; peevish; childishly sulky or bad-tempered

1064 philistine person hostile or indifferent to artistic and cultural values

1065 phlegmatic calm and unexcitable; not easily disturbed

1066 phony not genuine; fraudulent

1067 piecemeal unsystematic partial measures taken over a period of time

1068 piety devoutness; reverence for god; ADJ. pious

1069 pilfer steal things of small value

1070 pillage rob a (place) using violence, especially in wartime; loot

long for; yearn; suffer a mental and physical decline, especially
1071 pine
because of a broken heart
1072 pinnacle peak; highest point; acme;
having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavour; pleasantly
1073 piquant
stimulating
1074 pique irritation; resentment from wounded pride

1075 pitfall hidden danger; concealed trap

1076 pithy concise and meaningful; terse and vigorously expressive

1077 placate pacify; bring peace to; conciliate; appease; calm

1078 placebo harmless substance prescribed as a dummy pill

1079 placid peaceful; calm

1080 plagiarize steal another's ideas or writings and pass them off as one's own

54
WORDLIST 55
W No. Word Meaning

1081 plaintive expressing sorrow; mournful

a remark or statement, especially one with a moral content, that has
1082 platitude
been used too often to be interesting or thoughtful
1083 platonic theoretical; affection but without sensual desire

1084 plaudit praise; enthusiastic approval

1085 plausible conceivably true; seeming reasonable or probable

1086 plebeian common; of or belonging to the lower social classes; not refined

1087 plenitude excess; excessive amount

1088 plethora excess; overabundance

1089 pliant flexible; easily influenced

1090 plight difficult condition; predicament

1091 ploy stratagem to gain an advantage; tactic

1092 pluck courage; pull off or out

1093 plummet fall sharply; fall straight down

1094 poignancy quality of being deeply moving; painful; distressing; ADJ. poignant

1095 polarize split into opposite extremes or camps

1096 polemic a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something

1097 polygamist one who has more than one spouse at a time

1098 ponderous slow and clumsy because of great weight; dull or laborious writing

1099 pontificate express one's opinions in a pompous and dogmatic way

1100 portend be a sign or warning that something is going to happen

55
WORDLIST 56
W No. Word Meaning

1101 portly stout; corpulent

1102 posterity descendants; all future generations

self-evident truth; something assumed to exist or be true without
1103 postulate
proof
1104 pragmatic practical (as opposed to idealistic)

1105 prattle talk idly; babble

1106 preamble introductory statement or passage

1107 precarious unsafe; lacking in stability; uncertain; risky

1108 precedent coming before (in time, rank, etc.)

1109 precipice cliff; dangerous position; a very steep or tall rock

cause something (typically undesirable) to happen suddenly,
1110 precipitate
unexpectedly, or prematurely; cause to move suddenly and with force
1111 preclude make impossible; prevent; exclude; eliminate

1112 precocious advanced in development for his or her age

1113 precursor forerunner; predecessor

1114 predicament difficult situation; tricky or dangerous situation; dilemma

1115 predilection having an inclination or tendency beforehand; bias

1116 predispose give a prior inclination; make susceptible to

1117 preeminent outstanding; superior

1118 pre-empt prevent in advance; forestall by acting first

1119 preen make oneself tidy in appearance; feel self-satisfaction or pride

1120 prehensile capable of grasping or holding (esp. by wrapping around)

56
WORDLIST 57
W No. Word Meaning

1121 prelude introduction; introductory performance or event; forerunner

1122 premeditate plan or decide in advance

a strong feeling that something is about to happen, especially
1123 premonition
something unpleasant
1124 prepossessing attractive or appealing in appearance

1125 preposterous absurd; completely unreasonable; ridiculous

1126 prerogative a right or privilege exclusive to a particular individual or class

1127 presage be a sign or warning of (an imminent event, typically unwelcome)

1128 prescience ability to foretell the future; knowledge of actions before they occur
claiming or demanding a position of importance or dignity
1129 presumptuous
unjustified; overconfident; arrogant
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is
1130 pretentious
actually possessed
1131 preternatural beyond what is normal in nature; supernatural

1132 prevaricate lie; hide the truth (by using misleading language)

1133 primacy the fact of being pre-eminent or most important

1134 primordial existing at the beginning (of time); primitive

1135 pristine unspoiled; remaining in a pure state

1136 privy sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private)

1137 probity uprightness; honesty; incorruptibility

1138 proclivity inclination; natural tendency (esp. towards something bad)

1139 procrastinate postpone; delay or put off

wastefully extravagant; reckless with money; having or giving
1140 prodigal
something on a lavish scale

57
WORDLIST 58
W No. Word Meaning

1141 prodigious remarkably or impressively great in extent, size, or degree

1142 prodigy highly gifted child; person with exceptional talents; marvel; wonder

1143 profane violate; disrespect (something sacred or holy); treat unworthily

1144 profligate recklessly extravagant or wasteful in the use of resources; corrupt

1145 profound deep; not superficial

1146 profuse plentiful; copious; bountiful; abundant

1147 progenitor ancestor

1148 progeny children; offspring; descendants

1149 prognosis forecasted course of a disease; prediction

1150 prognosticate predict (according to present indications)

1151 prohibitive tending to prevent the purchase or use of something

1152 prolix using or containing too many words; tediously lengthy

mixed indiscriminately; indiscriminate; not choosing carefully;
1153 promiscuous
indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners
promote or make widely known (an idea or cause); proclaim a
1154 promulgate
doctrine or law; make known by official publication
1155 pronounced distinct; very noticeable; marked; obvious

1156 prop a major source of support or assistance

1157 propagate increase in number by producing young specimens; multiply; spread;

1158 propensity natural inclination, tendency; bent; predisposition

1159 prophetic having to do with predicting the future; V. prophesy; N. prophet

1160 propinquity nearness (in space or relationship); proximity; kinship

58
WORDLIST 59
W No. Word Meaning
win or regain the favour of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing
1161 propitiate
something that pleases them
1162 proponent supporter; backer

1163 propriety fitness; quality of being morally proper; conformity to customs

1164 prosaic lacking in imagination; matter-of- fact attitude

1165 proscribe prohibit; ostracize; banish

1166 proselytize convert someone to a religion or belief

stretch out full on ground; completely overcome or helpless,
1167 prostrate
especially with distress or exhaustion
1168 protégé person receiving protection and support from a patron

1169 protagonist advocate of a cause or an idea; chief character in a play or story

1170 protean able to take on many forms; versatile

1171 prototype original work used as a model by others

1172 protract prolong; lengthen in time; draw out

1173 protrude extend beyond or above a surface

the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power; timely
1174 providence
preparation for future eventualities
1175 provocative arousing anger or sexual interest; annoying

1176 prudent cautious; careful

1177 prurient having or encouraging an excessive interest in sexual matters

1178 puerile childish; immature

1179 pugilism the profession or hobby of boxing

1180 pugnacity combativeness; disposition to argue or fight; ADJ. pugnacious

59
WORDLIST 60
W No. Word Meaning

1181 puissance great power, influence, or prowess

1182 pulchritude beauty; attractiveness; adj. pulchritudinous

1183 punctilious minutely attentive; stressing niceties of conduct or form

1184 punitive punishing; disciplinary; penal; corrective;

remove something or someone unwanted; cleanse or purify (esp. of
1185 purge
sin, guilt, or defilement)
1186 purported alleged; claimed; reputed or rumoured, but may not be true

1187 pusillanimous cowardly; lacking courage; fainthearted

1188 putative supposed; reputed; generally regarded as such

1189 putrid decayed and foul-smelling; foul; rotten

a person who dishonestly claims to have special knowledge and skill
1190 quack
in some field, typically medicine
1191 quagmire soft, wet, boggy land; predicament; complex or dangerous situation
limited; restricted; officially recognised as trained or knowledgeable;
1192 qualified
be entitled to a particular benefit
1193 qualms uneasy feelings; fears, usually about matters of conscience;

1194 quandary dilemma; state of uncertainty

1195 quash crush; suppress; squash; subdue; annul

1196 queasy experiencing nausea; squeamish; nervous or worried

1197 quench assuage or satisfy (thirst); douse or extinguish; put out; suppress

1198 querulous given to complaining; complaining; fretful; whining

1199 quibble minor objection or complaint

1200 quiescent dormant; temporarily inactive; at rest

60
WORDLIST 61
W No. Word Meaning

1201 quintessential representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class

1202 quirk sudden turn or twist; strange occurrence; peculiarity of behaviour

1203 quisling traitor who aids invaders

1204 quiver tremble; shake

1205 quixotic idealistic but impractical

1206 quizzical curious; suggesting puzzlement (without saying); bantering

1207 quotidian daily; commonplace; customary

1208 rail complain bitterly; scold; rant

1209 rake immoral or dissolute person; draw together

1210 ram male sheep; strike or drive against with a heavy impact
walk for pleasure in the countryside; talk or write at length in a
1211 ramble
confused or inconsequential way
1212 ramshackle (of a building or vehicle) poorly constructed; rickety; falling apart

1213 rancid having an odour of stale objects; highly unpleasant; repugnant

1214 rancor long-lasting hatred; bitterness

1215 rant speak violently or excitedly, showing anger; criticise

1216 rapacious aggressively greedy or grasping

1217 rapture great joy and delight; ecstasy; ADJ. rapturous

made less dense (of a gas); distant from the lives and concerns of
1218 rarefied
ordinary people

1219 ratify approve formally; confirm; verify

1220 raucous (of voice) harsh and unpleasant; (of people) disorderly and noisy

61
WORDLIST 62
W No. Word Meaning

1221 ravage devastate; plunder

overwhelmingly favourable review; talk incoherently, as if one were
1222 rave
delirious or mad
1223 ravenous extremely hungry; voracious

1224 rebuff reject bluntly; snub; beat back

1225 rebuke scold harshly; criticize severely

1226 rebuttal refutation; response with contrary evidence; V. rebut

1227 recalcitrant disobedient or resisting authority even after being punished

1228 recant retract a previous statement; openly confess an error

1229 recidivism habitual return to crime (even after being punished)

1230 recluse hermit; loner

make friendly again (after quarrel); make consistent (two ideas in
1231 reconcile
opposition)
1232 recondite abstruse; not easily understood; profound

1233 reconnaissance survey of enemy by soldiers; preliminary surveying or research

1234 recourse resorting to help when in trouble

1235 recreant unfaithful to a belief; cowardly

1236 recrimination counter-charges; an accusation in response to one from others

1237 rectitude morally correct behaviour or thinking; righteousness

1238 redolent strongly reminiscent or suggestive of; fragrant or sweet smelling

1239 redoubtable formidable; causing fear

1240 redress remedy; set right; make amends for

62
WORDLIST 63
W No. Word Meaning

1241 refractory unmanageable; disobedient and stubborn

1242 refrain abstain from; resist

1243 refulgent effulgent; brilliant; brightly shining; gleaming

1244 refurbish renovate; make clean, bright, or fresh (make new) again

1245 refute disprove; prove to be false

1246 regale entertain or amuse

1247 relegate put into a lower or worse place; banish to an inferior position

1248 relinquish give up something voluntarily; yield

1249 reminiscence recollection

1250 remiss negligent; careless about a duty

1251 remission the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty; forgiveness of sins

transmit (money) in payment; free someone from a debt or
1252 remit
punishment
1253 remonstrate protest; objection

1254 rendezvous meeting place; meeting at a set time or place

1255 renegade deserter; traitor

1256 renounce abandon; give up (by formal announcement)

1257 repartee quick clever reply

1258 repeal revoke; annul; cancel; abolish

1259 repercussion rebound; reaction; consequence; result

1260 repertoire list of works of music, drama, etc., a performer is prepared to present

63
WORDLIST 64
W No. Word Meaning

1261 replenish fill up again

1262 replete filled to the brim or to the point of being stuffed; abundantly supplied

1263 repose a state of rest, sleep, or tranquillity; be situated in a particular place

1264 reprehensible deserving blame; blameworthy

1265 repress hold back (the natural expression of); restrain; crush; oppress

1266 reprieve postponement or cancelation of a punishment; temporary stay

1267 reprimand scold severely; rebuke

1268 reprisal retaliation; payback; counterattack

1269 reproach accuse someone; express disapproval or disappointment

1270 reprobate an unprincipled person

1271 repudiate disown; refuse to accept; deny

1272 repugnance disgust; strong dislike; loathing

1273 rescind repeal; annul; cancel (a law, decision, or agreement)

1274 resilient having the power to survive; able to recover quickly from misfortune
returning something (lost or stolen) to the rightful owner;
1275 restitution
compensation for loss, damage, or injury
1276 restive impatiently restless (induced by external coercion or restriction)

1277 resumption taking up again; recommencement after a pause or interruption

1278 resurgent increasing or reviving after a period of little activity

1279 resurrect revive or revitalize (something dead, inactive, disused, or forgotten)

1280 resuscitate revive from unconsciousness or apparent death

64
WORDLIST 65
W No. Word Meaning

1281 reticent inclined to silence; uncommunicative; reserved

1282 retrench cut down; cut down expenses; economize

1283 retribution deserved punishment for wrongdoing; vengeance

1284 retrieve recover; put right; find and bring in; regain

1285 retrospective looking back on the past

1286 revelry boisterous merrymaking, festivity or celebration

1287 reverberate echo repeatedly; resound

1288 reverent respectful; worshipful

1289 reverie daydream; abstracted musing

1290 revoke officially cancel; retract

excessively enthusiastic expression of feeling; musical composition of
1291 rhapsody
irregular form (as if made up as one plays it)
1292 rhetoric effective communication; using language effectively & persuasively

1293 ribald referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way

1294 rickety (of structures) likely to break or fall apart; of rickets

1295 rife (of something bad) widespread; abundant

1296 rift narrow opening in a large mass; break in a friendly relation

1297 rile irritate; vex; muddy

1298 riveting holding one's attention; absorbing; engrossing

1299 rococo ornate; highly decorated

1300 rotund (of a person) fat and round

65
WORDLIST 66
W No. Word Meaning

1301 rousing lively; inducing excitement; stirring; arouse from sleep or depression

1302 rout complete defeat and disorderly retreat

1303 rudimentary elementary; not developed; crude

1304 rue regret; lament; mourn

1305 ruminate chew over (mentally or, like cows, physically); mull over (ponder)

1306 rummage ransack; thoroughly search

1307 ruse trick to deceive; stratagem

1308 rusticate banish to the country; dwell in the country

1309 sacrilegious theft or violation of something sacred

1310 sacrosanct inviolably sacred; deriving pleasure from inflicting pain

1311 sadistic deriving pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation on others

1312 sagacious wise; perceptive; shrewd; having insight; N. sagacity

1313 salacious lascivious; lustful; scandalous

1314 salient prominent; projecting beyond a line; conspicuous

1315 salubrious conducive to health or well-being; pleasant and agreeable

1316 salutary tending to improve; beneficial; wholesome

1317 salvage rescue (goods or property or reputation) from loss or crisis

1318 sanctimonious making a show of being morally superior to other people

1319 sanguine optimistic; cheerful; hopeful; of the colour of blood

1320 sap diminish; weaken; undermine the foundations of (a fortification)

66
WORDLIST 67
W No. Word Meaning

1321 sardonic scornfully mocking; disdainful; sarcastic

1322 sartorial pertaining to tailoring, clothing or dressing

1323 satiate or sate satisfied to the full (a desire or appetite)

form of literature in which irony, sarcasm, and ridicule are employed
1324 satire
to attack human vice and folly
1325 saturnine morose; gloomy; sad; dark in colour or mysterious

1326 saunter stroll; go for a leisurely walk

1327 savant scholar; learned person

1328 scapegoat someone who bears the blame for others

1329 scathing witheringly scornful; severely critical

1330 scavenge hunt through discarded materials for usable items or food

1331 schism division into factions (esp. within a religious body); split

1332 scion descendant of a notable family; detached plant shoot used in grafting

1333 scoff laugh (at); mock; ridicule

1334 scourge lash; whip (punishment); source of severe punishment or crisis

1335 screech unpleasant high sharp sound; shriek

1336 scrupulous conscientious; extremely thorough; trustworthy; dependable

making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the
1337 scurrilous
intention of damaging their reputation
burn the surface with intense heat; fix (an image or memory)
1338 sear
permanently in someone's mind or memory; cause (a plant) to wither
1339 season enhance the flavor of by adding a spice; inure; harden

1340 seasonable appropriate to a particular season of the year; opportune

67
WORDLIST 68
W No. Word Meaning

1341 seasoned experienced; weathered; veteran; expert

1342 seclusion isolation; solitude

1343 secular worldly; not pertaining to church matters or religion

1344 sedate composed (with no excitement); calm; grave; administer a sedative

1345 sedentary done while sitting; not moving from one place to another; settled
conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a
1346 sedition
state or monarch
1347 sedulous diligent; assiduous; paying attention

1348 seedy run-down; decrepit; disreputable

1349 seemly (of behaviour) proper; appropriate

1350 seethe be extremely angry or violently disturbed; boil

1351 semantic relating to meaning in language or logic

1352 senility old age; feeble-mindedness of old age

1353 sensitization made sensitive or responsive to an external agent or substance

1354 sentient capable of sensation and conscious; aware; able to perceive and feel

1355 seraphic very beautiful or pure like that of an angel

1356 serendipity accidental good fortune or luck

1357 serpentine winding; twisting; of or like a serpent

1358 serrated having or denoting a rough jagged edge; like a saw

1359 servile slavish; excessive willingness to serve or please other

1360 shackle chain; fetter; confine with shackles

68
WORDLIST 69
W No. Word Meaning

1361 sham pretend; feign; not genuine; fake

1362 shambles (place or scene of) complete disorder or ruin; wreck; mess

1363 sheer pure; thin and transparent; very steep

1364 shimmer shine with a flickering light; glimmer intermittently

1365 shirk avoid (responsibility, work, etc.); malinger

1366 shoddy made of inferior material; lacking moral principle

1367 shun keep away from; avoid deliberately

1368 sibylline prophetic & mysterious; oracular; N. sibyl: woman prophet

1369 sift separate fine from coarse particles; sort or examine carefully

1370 simile direct comparison of one thing with another, using the word like or as

1371 simulate feign; imitate, fake; pretend

1372 sinecure well-paid position with little responsibility

1373 sinewy (of meat) tough; strong and firm; muscular

1374 singular being only one; individual; unique; extraordinary; odd

1375 sinister evil; ominous

1376 skinflint miser; stingy person

1377 skirmish minor fight; minor battle in war; v.

1378 skirt go round or past the edge of; try to ignore; apparel

1379 skittish nervous or excitable; easily scared; frivolous or unpredictable

move secretly; keep out of sight, typically with a sinister or cowardly
1380 skulk
motive.

69
WORDLIST 70
W No. Word Meaning

1381 slake satisfy (thirst); quench; sate

1382 slander defamation; utterance of false and malicious statements

1383 slapdash hasty and careless; haphazard; sloppy (carelessly done)

1384 sleight the use of dexterity or cunning, especially so as to deceive

1385 slight insult to one's dignity; small in size; of small importance

1386 slipshod characterized by a lack of care, thought, or organization

1387 sloth slow moving tree-dwelling mammal; laziness

1388 slovenly (of a person) careless in work habits, untidy and dirty

1389 sluggish lazy; slow; inactive; lethargic

1390 smart intelligent; fashionable; cause or feel a sharp pain

1391 smug excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements

1392 sobriety moderation (especially regarding indulgence in alcohol); seriousness

1393 sobriquet nickname attributed to people or places or objects

1394 sojourn temporary stay during a travel

1395 solecism grammatical mistake in speech or writing; violation of social etiquette

1396 solicit entreat; request earnestly; seek to obtain

1397 solicitous anxious; worried; showing interest or concern

1398 soliloquy talking to oneself (especially in a play)

1399 somnolent half asleep; drowsy

1400 sonorous resonant; producing a full deep sound

70
WORDLIST 71
W No. Word Meaning

1401 sophistry seemingly plausible but fallacious reasoning

1402 sophomoric immature; half-baked; like a sophomore

1403 soporific sleep-causing; marked by sleepiness

filthy; foul; base; involving immoral or dishonourable actions and
1404 sordid
motives
1405 sparse not thick; thinly scattered; scanty
without attention to comfort; lacking luxury and comfort; sternly
1406 spartan
disciplined;
1407 spasmodic fitful; periodic; of or like a spasm; sudden burst of energy or emotion

1408 specious seemingly reasonable but incorrect; misleading (often intentionally)

1409 spectral of or like a ghost; N. spectre

1410 spendthrift someone who wastes money

1411 sporadic occurring irregularly; intermittent

1412 spruce neat and trim in appearance; make smarter or tidier

1413 spurious false; counterfeit; forged; illogical; not what it is supposed to be

1414 spurn reject disdainfully; scorn

1415 squabble minor quarrel; bickering

1416 squalor extremely dirty and unpleasant, especially due to poverty or neglect

1417 squander waste; spend foolishly

1418 squeamish easily shocked or sickened by unpleasant things; fastidious

1419 staid serious and sedate; sombre; sober; calm

1420 standstill condition of no movement or activity; stop

71
WORDLIST 72
W No. Word Meaning

1421 stasis fixed, not moving or changing, lacking vitality

1422 stellar pertaining to the stars; of a star performer; outstanding

1423 stentorian (of the voice) extremely loud; powerful; deafening

1424 stifle suppress; extinguish; inhibit; smother or suffocate

1425 stigma a mark of disgrace associated with a circumstance, quality, or person

1426 stilted self-conscious or unnatural in talking or writing; standing on stilts

1427 stodgy heavy, filling; dull and uninspired; lacking originality or excitement

1428 stoic impassive; unmoved by joy or grief; not expressing emotions

1429 stolid impassive; showing little emotion when strong feelings are expected

1430 stratagem deceptive scheme; clever trick

1431 stratified divided into classes; arranged into strata

loud and harsh; presenting a point of view, especially a controversial
1432 strident
one, in an excessively forceful way
1433 stringent (of rules and conditions) binding, rigid

1434 studied calculated; unspontaneous; deliberate; thoughtful

cause to appear stupid or absurd; cause to lose enthusiasm and
1435 stultify
initiative due to tedious or restrictive routine
1436 stupefy make (someone) unable to think or feel properly; astonish

1437 stupor a state of near-unconsciousness or insensibility

1438 stygian unpleasantly dark; gloomy; hellish; deathly

1439 stymie thwart; present an obstacle; prevent or hinder the progress of

1440 suavity urbanity; polish; sophistication; charm

72
WORDLIST 73
W No. Word Meaning

1441 subjective influenced by personal feelings; not necessarily factual or unbiased

1442 subjugate conquer; bring under control

1443 sublime causing deep feelings of wonder; of very great excellence or beauty

1444 subliminal below the threshold of conscious perception

1445 subservient behaving like a slave; servile; obsequious; subordinate

1446 subsistence the means of maintaining or supporting oneself

1447 subsume include (as a member of a group); encompass

1448 subterfuge deceit used in order to achieve one's goal

1449 subversive tending to overthrow or ruin an established system; V. subvert

1450 succor assistance and support in times of hardship and distress

1451 succulent juicy; full of juice or sap; full of richness

1452 suffragist advocate of the extension of voting rights (for women)

1453 sully damage the purity or integrity of

1454 sundry miscellaneous; various; several

1455 superannuated retired or disqualified because of age; outmoded; obsolete

1456 supercilious haughty; arrogant; condescending; patronizing

1457 superfluous excessive; overabundant; unnecessary; overflowing

1458 supersede take the place of (a person or thing previously in authority or use)

1459 supplant take the place of; usurp; replace

1460 supplicate petition humbly; ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly

73
WORDLIST 74
W No. Word Meaning

1461 surfeit satiate; feed or supply to excess; an excessive amount of something

1462 surly bad-tempered; rude; unfriendly

1463 surmise guess; inference; hypothesis; postulation

1464 surreptitious done secretly; secret; furtive; sneaky; hidden

1465 surrogate substitute; person or thing used in place of another

1466 sustenance means of livelihood, support, food, nourishment

a person who uses deception to deprive someone of money or
1467 swindler
possessions
1468 sybarite lover of luxury; person devoted to pleasure and luxury

1469 sycophant servile flatterer; bootlicker; yes man

1470 tacit understood without actually being expressed

1471 taciturn habitually silent; talking little

1472 tangential only slightly connected; not central; peripheral

1473 tangible able to be touched or understood; real; concrete; palpable

1474 tantalize tease; entice; tempt; provoke; excite

1475 tantamount equivalent in effect or value; synonymous; virtually the same

1476 tardy slow; sluggish; not on time; late

1477 tarnish make or become dull or discoloured; damage or harm done

1478 tarry linger; delay in starting or going

1479 tautological needlessly repetitious; redundancy

1480 tawdry showy but cheap and of poor quality

74
WORDLIST 75
W No. Word Meaning

1481 temerity excessive confidence or boldness; audacity

1482 temperate moderate; restrained; self-controlled

1483 tempestuous stormy; characterized by strong and turbulent or conflicting emotion

1484 temporal related to time; secular; worldly

1485 temporize avoid making a decision or committing oneself in order to gain time

1486 tenacity firmness; persistence

1487 tendentious expressing or promoting a cause or view, usually controversial

1488 tender offer formally; extend; sensitive to the touch; delicate

a principle or belief, especially one of the main principles of a religion
1489 tenet
or philosophy
1490 tenuous very slender or weak

1491 tepid lukewarm; showing little enthusiasm

1492 terse sparing in the use of words; abrupt

1493 thrifty careful about money; economical

1494 thrive prosper; flourish

1495 thwart prevent (someone) from accomplishing something; oppose

1496 timidity lack of self-confidence or courage

1497 timorous fearful; timid; demonstrating fear

1498 tirade long angry denunciatory speech; diatribe; harangue

1499 titanic gigantic; colossal; massive

1500 toady servile flatterer; yes man; sycophant; obsequious

75
WORDLIST 76
W No. Word Meaning

1501 torpid sluggishness, lethargy; a period of inactivity

1502 torpor a state of physical or mental inactivity; lethargy

1503 torrid (of weather) hot or scorching; full of passion arising from sexual love

1504 tortuous winding; full of curves; having twists and turns

promote or publicize a person or product; praise excessively (as a
1505 tout
form of advertisement)
1506 tractable docile; easily managed; (of something) easily changed or moulded

1507 tranquillity calmness; peace

1508 transcendent exceeding ordinary limits; superior; surpassing

1509 transcribe copy; put (thoughts, speech, or data) into written or printed form

1510 transgression violation of a law or moral boundary; sin

1511 transient staying for a short time; momentary; temporary

1512 travail strenuous work; toil; painful labour

1513 traverse go through or across; pass through

1514 travesty charade, caricature, parody, mockery, sham, pretence

guilty of or involving betrayal or deception; presenting hidden or
1515 treacherous
unpredictable dangers
1516 trenchant cutting; vigorous or incisive in expression or style; pointed

1517 trepidation fear; nervous apprehension

1518 tribulation suffering; ordeal; distress; trial

1519 trifle something of little importance or value; small amount

1520 trite hackneyed; commonplace; lacking originality

76
WORDLIST 77
W No. Word Meaning

1521 truculence aggressiveness; ferocity; strong defiance

1522 truncate cut the top off; shorten

1523 tryst meeting arranged by lovers; arrangement between lovers to meet

making an uproar or loud, confused noise; excited, confused, or
1524 tumultuous
disorderly
(of a liquid) cloudy or muddy or thick; confused or obscure in
1525 turbid
meaning or effect
swollen; distended or congested; tediously pompous or bombastic
1526 turgid
language
1527 turncoat who deserts one party or cause in order to join an opposing one

1528 turpitude depravity; baseness; immorality; wickedness

1529 tutelage guardianship; training; function of a tutor; instruction

1530 tyranny oppression; cruel government

1531 tyro beginner; novice

1532 ubiquitous being everywhere; omnipresent

1533 umbrage resentment; anger; sense of injury or insult; offence

1534 unanimity complete agreement

1535 unassailable not open to attack; impregnable; not subject to question

1536 unassuming modest; humble, down-to-earth

1537 unbridled uncontrolled; unconstrained

1538 unconscionable unscrupulous; not guided by conscience; unreasonably excessive

1539 uncouth lacking good manners, refinement, or grace; clumsy

1540 unctuous oily; excessively flattering or ingratiating

77
WORDLIST 78
W No. Word Meaning

1541 undermine weaken gradually; lessen the effectiveness; erode the foundation

1542 underscore underline; emphasize

1543 unequivocal leaving no doubt; unambiguous

1544 unexceptionable entirely acceptable; not offering any basis for criticism

1545 ungainly (of someone) awkward in movement; clumsy

1546 unobtrusive inconspicuous; not attracting attention

1547 unprecedented having no previous example; novel; unparalleled

1548 unprepossessing unattractive

1549 unravel disentangle; solve

1550 unscathed unharmed; untouched, intact

1551 unseemly unbecoming; not proper in behaviour; indecent; inappropriate

1552 unsightly ugly; unpleasant to look at

1553 unsullied Untarnished; not spoiled or made impure

1554 untenable (of an argument) indefensible; not able to be maintained

1555 untoward unexpected and adverse; unfortunate or unlucky

1556 unwonted unaccustomed; unusual

1557 upbraid reprimand; severely scold; find fault with

1558 upright (sitting or standing) straight up; honest; moral

1559 uproarious marked by commotion or uproar; very noisy (esp. with laughter)

1560 urbane suave; refined in manner; elegant

78
WORDLIST 79
W No. Word Meaning

1561 usurp seize another's power or rank (without legal authority)

1562 utopia ideal place, state, or society; paradise

1563 vacillate waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive

1564 vanguard a group of people leading the way in new developments or ideas

1565 variegated having multicoloured patches or spots; marked by variety

1566 venerate revere, regard with deep respect and awe

1567 veracity truthfulness, accuracy; habitual adherence to the truth

1568 verbose wordy; unnecessarily lengthy in expression

1569 verdant green, such as with vegetation, plants, grass, etc

1570 verisimilar having the appearance of truth, probable

1571 vestige a remnant of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

1572 vex annoy or bother; puzzle or distress

a change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is
1573 vicissitude
unwelcome or unpleasant
1574 virulent extremely severe or harmful in its effects

1575 vitriol bitter criticism or malice

1576 vituperative bitter and abusive

1577 vociferous varying, inconsistent, fleeting; tending to violence, explosive;

1578 voluble talking fluently, readily, or incessantly

wanting or devouring great quantities of food; engaging in an activity
1579 voracious
with great eagerness or enthusiasm
1580 wage begin and continue (a war), instigate; carry on

79
WORDLIST 80
W No. Word Meaning

1581 waggish humorous; mischievous; tricky

1582 wanton unrestrained; gratuitously cruel; wilfully malicious

1583 warranted justified; authorized

1584 wary very cautious; watchful

1585 wax increase gradually (as the moon); grow; polish, shine

1586 weary tired after long work

1587 whet sharpen; stimulate

1588 whimsical capricious; fanciful; amusingly strange

1589 whine complain (in a sad voice)

1590 wily crafty; cunning; artful

1591 winsome attractive or appealing in a fresh, innocent way

1592 wistful having or showing a feeling of vague or regretful longing

1593 witticism witty saying; wisecrack (clever joking remark)

1594 wizened shrivelled; withered; wrinkled (usually with age)

1595 woeful expressive of, or causing sorrow or misery; deplorably bad

1596 wont (the stated person's) habit or custom; habitual procedure

1597 wrath anger; fury

(of a person's face) twisted to express disgust or disappointment; using
1598 wry
or expressing dry, especially mocking, humour
1599 zealot one who is zealous; fanatic; uncompromising in

1600 zenith point directly overhead in the sky; summit; acme; highest point

80
COMMONLY MISUSED WORDS
ABERRANT VS ABHORRENT
Aberrant is an adjective, and it means abnormal or untypical. Example: This year has witnessed quite an
aberrant weather, compared to the entire decade. Abhorrent is an adjective, and it means repugnant or
loathsome. Example: She finds violence in films abhorrent.

ACCEPT VS EXCEPT
Accept is a verb, and it means take, receive, or tolerate. Example: I did not accept the gift she gave me for
my birthday. Except is a preposition, and it means other than; apart from. Example: Everyone except him
was invited to the party.

ADDUCE VS DEDUCE
Adduce is a verb, and it means mention something as evidence or proof. Example: In support of their
decision, the committee adduced data from schools in other districts. Deduce is a verb, and it means reach
a conclusion by reasoning or evidence. Example: I can deduce from your behavior that you are frustrated.

ADAPT VS ADOPT
Adapt is a verb, which means alter for new use. Example: Those who adapt to changes end up being
successful. Adopt is a verb, which means take on or assume something. Example: You should adopt some
good habits if you wish to be successful.

ADVICE VS ADVISE
Advice is a noun, and it means recommendation or counsel. Example: A good advice is all you need to set
yourself on the right path. Advise is a verb, and it means offer advice to someone. Example: My grandfather
always advised me to not venture into the stock market mindlessly.

AFFECT VS EFFECT
Affect is a verb, and it means influence or change something. Example: The cyclone affected the low-lying
areas of the town. Effect is a noun, and it means result; produce a result. Example: The effect of over-
medication is often underestimated.

AFFLICT VS INFLICT
Afflict is a verb, and it means give pain or grief to. Example: The disease afflicted an estimated two million
people last year. Inflict is a verb, and it means to impose something unpleasant on. Example: Some bees
are capable of inflicting a painful sting.

AFFLUENT VS EFFLUENT
Affluent is an adjective, and it means rich. Example: He is more affluent than the king himself. Effluent is a
noun, and it means liquid waste. Example: The factory has been accused of releasing various effluents into
the nearby river.

ALLUDE VS ELUDE
Allude is a verb, and it means refer to indirectly. Example: The patient alluded to some health problems,
without being specific. Elude is a verb, and it means escape from, especially by cleverness. Example: The
culprit somehow managed to elude a prison sentence.

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ALLUSION VS ILLUSION
Allusion is a noun, and it means passing reference. Example: The rapper’s lyrics contain misogynistic
allusions. Illusion means false appearance; mistaken belief. Example: Reality is an illusion, albeit a very
persistent one.

ALTERNATE VS ALTERNATIVE
Alternate is an adjective, and it means occurring by turns. Example: She liked the shirt with alternate shades
of white and grey. Alternative means thing done or had instead of something else; choice. Example: Is there
an alternative to this plan of yours?

AMEND VS EMEND
Amend is a verb, and it means change or correct. Example: You should amend your current plan if you want
to visit that place. Emend is a verb, and it means edit or correct a text. Example: The editor emended the
intern’s article, which had several errors.

AMONG VS BETWEEN
Among is a preposition, and it means in the midst of. Example: He was one among the three players who
received the award. Between means in the midst of two points. Example: I frequently travelled between New
York and Chicago during my early career to make ends meet.

AMORAL VS IMMORAL
Amoral means without moral standards, principles or rules. Example: Don’t do that. It is an amoral way of
doing business. Immoral means transgressing moral rules. Example: The psycho’s immoral acts were
condemned by thousands of people.

APPRAISE VS APPRISE
Appraise is a verb, and it means assess the value, quality or worth of something. Example: The realtor
appraised the value of the house to those innocent foreigners. Apprise is a verb, and it means make someone
aware of something. Example: Let me apprise you of your current situation.

ASSURE VS INSURE
Assure is a verb, and it means promise or guarantee. Example: I assure you that your money is safe with
me. Ensure means make certain. Example: I will ensure that your children will have access to the best
education possible.

AURAL VS ORAL
Aural means relating to the ear or hearing. Example: People today are seeking relief from the overload of
aural stimulus due to traffic. Oral means relating to the mouth. Example: While intravascular injections tend
to cure the illnesses faster, oral pills are recommended for infants and children.

BIANNUAL VS BIENNIAL
Biannual is an adjective, and it means twice a year. Example: The biannual convention of agriculturists was
a huge success, where the new agricultural policies were discussed. Biennial is an adjective, and it means
every two years. Example: The twenty-over Cricket World Cup is a biennial event, and brings together the
top teams from around the world.

BLATANT VS FLAGRANT
Blatant is an adjective, and it means glaringly obvious or bad behavior. Example: The driver showed a blatant
disregard for the lives of the children crossing the road. Flagrant is an adjective, and it means openly
outrageous. Example: Several communities have condemned the flagrant remarks of the minister.

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CLIMACTIC VS CLIMATIC
Climactic is an adjective, and it means pertaining to a climax or an ending. Example: The film’s climactic
chasing scene won many accolades from the critics. Climatic is an adjective, and it means pertaining to the
climate. Example: Sudden climatic changes have resulted in widespread influenza all over the country.

COMPLACENT VS COMPLAISANT
Complacent is an adjective, and it means self-satisfied. Example: One should not be complacent in life, no
matter how many riches or accolades they possess. Complaisant is an adjective, and it means willing to
please. Example: The complaisant convict lost all hopes in getting a reduced sentence from the judge.

CONSCIENCE VS CONSCIOUS
Conscience is a noun, and it means sense of right or wrong. Example: Self-conscience is what separates
the good people from the bad. Conscious is an adjective, and it means alert and awake. Example: Thankfully,
the man was conscious by the time the ambulance arrived.

DEFUSE VS DIFFUSE
Defuse is a verb, and it means to remove tension (from) or to calm. Example: The teacher finally managed
to defuse the two quarreling kids. Diffuse is a verb, and it means spread out; scattered. Example: The
different colors of ink diffused into the water in a beautiful pattern.

DESERT VS DESSERT
Desert is a noun, and it means dry or lifeless region. Example: I was thinking of going on a camp to the
Saharan desert this winter. Dessert means sweet food served after a main course. Example: Despite being
on a diet, I couldn’t resist my temptation. I ate a lot of dessert at the party.

DISINTERESTED VS UNINTERESTED
Disinterested is an adjective, and it means detached or impartial; unbiased. Example: The police were
disinterested in the petty qualms made by the thief. Uninterested means indifferent; unconcerned; apathetic.
Example: The teacher was fed up with teaching to a bunch of uninterested students.

ENSURE VS INSURE
Ensure is a verb, and it means make certain something happens. Example: Can you please ensure that the
package is delivered carefully? Insure is a verb, and it means take cover against loss or damage of
something. Example: The car was insured by the company, and hence I did not have to pay a lot for the
damages.

ENVELOP VS ENVELOPE
Envelop is a verb, and it means cover or surround something. Example: The atmosphere envelops the earth.
Envelope is a noun, and it means paper covering a letter. Example: She was ecstatic, after she received the
envelope that had her offer letter.

FLAUNT VS FLOUT
Flaunt is a verb, and it means show off; boast; brandish. Example: She flaunted her new car in front of her
jealous friends. Flout means defy; disregard; spurn. Example: Despite repeated warnings, the duo continued
to flout the court’s orders.

FLOUNDER VS FOUNDER
Flounder is a verb, and it means falter, struggle or make mistakes. Example: Being a newbie, he was
floundering around in the swimming pool. Founder is a verb, and it means sink; break down or fail. Example:
Her career foundered when she was caught taking a bribe.

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GLANCE VS GLIMPSE
Glance is a verb, and it means look rapidly or briefly. Example: I glanced through the important formulae
right before the test began. Glimpse is a noun, and it means brief, incomplete view. Example: The visitors at
the museum were shown glimpses of the horrid images of war.

HISTORIC VS HISTORICAL
Historic is an adjective, and it means important or significant. Example: His superhuman skills proved vital
during the team’s historic win last week. Historical is an adjective, and it means pertaining to history.
Example: All the presidents were listed in a historical order.

INGENIOUS VS INGENUOUS
Ingenious is an adjective, and it means skillful; clever; original. Example: He came up with an ingenious plan
to escape the legal case he was stuck in. Ingenuous means honest or sincere; naïve. Example: Being the
head of a large company, she often rewarded her ingenuous employees.

INTENSE VS INTENSIVE
Intense is an adjective, and it means of great strength or degree. Example: Yesterday’s boxing match was
quite an intense battle. Intensive is an adjective, and it means using concentrated effort or resources.
Example: It was a rather intensive course on effective writing.

INTENSELY VS INTENTLY
Intensely is an adverb, and it means in an intense way. Example: She began to dislike him intensely after
she came know about his criminal background. Intently is an adjective, and it means closely or attentively.
Example: The little boy watched intently as his brother showed him how to dance to the song.

LAY VS LIE
Lay is a verb, and it means put, place (something somewhere). Example: The teacher asked you to lay this
book on her table. Lie is a verb, and it means recline, rest, or lounge. Example: After a hard day’s work, Jim
decided to lie down for a bit.

LIGHTENING VS LIGHTNING
Lightening is a verb, and it means becoming less dark. Example: The sky began to lighten in the east, as
the sun rose over the seas. Lightning is a noun, and it means electrical discharge in the sky. Example: That
unlucky man was struck by lightning twice, during his lifetime.

LOATH VS LOATHE
Loath is an adjective, and it means unwilling, opposed to, averse. Example: I was loath to leave her company,
because I liked her. Loathe is a verb, and it means hate, despise, abhor. Example: I loathe him for his bullying
attitude over children.

LOOSE VS LOSE
Loose is an adjective, and it means not firmly held. Example: My trousers were too loose, and they made
me feel uncomfortable. Lose is a verb, and it means to misplace something; be defeated. Example: I promise
you that I will never lose this book.

LUXURIANT VS LUXURIOUS
Luxuriant is an adjective, and it means rich and abundant or elaborate. It is mostly used with reference to
hair or vegetation. Example: The luxuriant fields all across the country meant that famine was farther than
ever. Luxurious is an adjective, and it means something that is expensive, comfortable, and sumptuous.
Example: She always liked to live a luxurious life.

84
PERSONAL VS PERSONNEL
Personal is an adjective, and it means belonging to a particular person. Example: I felt uncomfortable as the
police asked me several personal questions. Personnel are a noun, and it means people who work for an
organization. Example: The boss did not like his personnel being late to work.

PRACTICABLE VS PRACTICAL
Practicable is an adjective, and it means possible; feasible. Example: This plan looks quite practicable for
me. Let’s do it. Practical means sensible; pragmatic; realistic. Example: My mother always gives me practical
advice.

PRECEDE VS PROCEED
Precede is a verb, and it means happen before something else. Example: Babur preceded Humayun as the
king of the Mughal Empire. Proceed is a verb, and it means start or continue to do something. Example: I
proceeded right towards the stage as they called my name.

PRESCRIBE VS PROSCRIBE
Prescribe is a verb, and it means order something; write a prescription. Example: The doctor prescribed me
some medication. Proscribe is a verb, and it means ban or forbid something. Example: The government
proscribed some dangerous medicines this year.

ROUT VS ROUTE
Rout is a noun, and it means overwhelming defeat. Example: The army’s bitter rout brought on great shame
on the country. Route is a noun, and it means road or path chosen to reach a destination. Example: I took a
different route and ended up wasting more time and fuel.

SKEPTIC VS SEPTIC
Skeptic is a noun, and it means a person who doubts what others believe. Example: The skeptic did not
believe in the priest’s words. Septic is an adjective, and it means infected with poison. Example: The nurse
cleaned and dressed the septic wound.

THERE VS THEIR VS THEY’RE

There is a preposition, and it is used to say that something does or does not exist, to show position or
direction. Example: I want to go there this weekend. Their is a determiner, and it is used to indicate that
something belongs to a group of people or things. Example: Why did you take their money and run away?
They’re a contraction of they are Example: They’re our relatives.

TORTUOUS VS TORTUROUS
Tortuous is an adjective, and it means curved, twisted or winding; deceptive. Example: The entire route was
tortuous and full of potholes. Torturous is an adjective, and it means causing pain or torment, pertaining to
torture. Example: Last night was a torturous experience as the bed bugs did not allow me to sleep at all.

VENAL VS VENIAL
Venal is an adjective, and it means easily bribed; mercenary; corrupt. Example: The clerk was such a venal
man. He deserved to be fired. Venial is an adjective, and it means easily forgiven, pertaining to a minor sin.
Example: The judge had to forgive the acquitter’s venial misdeed.

WEATHER VS WHETHER
Weather is a noun, and it means the condition of the atmosphere in one area at a particular time, i.e., what it
is like outside. Example: The weather looks good today, doesn’t it? Whether is a conjunction, and it is used

85
when you are talking about a choice or doubt between two or more alternatives. Example: I don’t know
whether you are joking or not.

WANDER VS WONDER
Wander is a verb, and it means walk around in a casual way. Example: All those who wander are not lost.
Wonder is a verb, and it means be amazed at something. Example: I wonder what will happen to the future
of humans.

BOUGHT AND BROUGHT

Bought is a verb, and it is the past tense of buy. Example: I bought the apartment last month. Brought is a
verb, and it is the past tense of bring. Example: I brought you some flowers from the market.

ADEPT AND ADOPT

Adept is an adjective, and it means to be skilled at something. Example: He is adept at abstract painting.
Adopt is a verb, and it means to take on a certain form or to accept something/someone. Example: The
couple decided to adopt an orphan kid.

PRINCIPAL AND PRINCIPLE

Principal is an adjective, and it means important. Example: The unity of its people is a country’s principal
concern. Principle is a noun, and it means a general rule. Example: Every man must have his own principles.

ARDENT AND ARDUOUS

Ardent is an adjective, and it means an intense emotion. Example: He has an ardent affection for her.
Arduous is an adjective, and it means grueling, straining. Example: Studying for this test was such an
arduous task.

ASCENT AND ASSENT

Ascent is a noun, and it means a climb or a walk on an upward slope. Example: The first ascent of Mt.
Everest was an unprecedented feat. Assent means an agreement. Example: The president expressed his
assent on the new company policy.

ATTAIN AND OBTAIN

Attain is a verb, and it means to gain something with effort. Example: I attained this job with a lot of effort.
Obtain is a verb, and it means to have something in possession. Example: I obtained this rare coin from my
grandfather.

AMORAL AND IMMORAL

Amoral is an adjective, and it means not having any morals. Example: An otherwise pious man, he always
seemed amoral to his colleagues. Immoral is an adjective, and it means having no morality, or not adhering
to ethical morals. Example: Immoral acts of terrorism have been condemned by many countries.

ABSTRUSE AND OBTUSE

Abstruse is an adjective, and it means difficult to understand. Example: Calculus has always been an
abstruse subject for me. Obtuse is an adjective, and it means lacking intellect. Example: Obtuse people are
hard to argue with.

CHAOTIC AND INCHOATE

Chaotic is an adjective, and it means disorderly. Example: What a chaotic display of football it was. No
wonder they lost the game. Inchoate is an adjective, and it means imperfect or vague. Example: The young
country suffered from inchoate democracy.
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COMPLEMENT AND COMPLIMENT
Complement is a verb, and it means to complete something. Example: Her shoes complemented her
beautiful skirt. Compliment is a verb, and it means to praise something or someone. Example: He
complimented his assistant on her sense of humor.

CONNOTE AND DENOTE

Connote is a verb, and it means to express something indirectly. Example: The term “modern science”
usually connotes a complete openness to testing. Denote is a verb, and it means to indicate something.
Example: Let us assume that X denotes the number of fruits.

CHILDISH AND CHILDLIKE

Childish is an adjective, and it means immature. Example: His childish antics often received a lot of criticism.
Childlike is an adjective, and it means exhibiting simplicity and innocence like a child. Example: That girl,
though very intelligent and mature, often seems childlike to me.

COUNCIL AND COUNSEL

Council is a noun, and it means a governing body. Example: The council will finalize the decision tomorrow.
Counsel is a verb, and it means to help someone with suggestions. Example: The teacher counseled the
struggling student.

DISCREET AND DISCRETE

Discreet is an adjective, and it means modesty. Example: Though a rich man, he always remained discreet
about his wealth. Discrete is an adjective, and it means different, or separate. Example: Speech sounds are
produced as continuous sound signals rather than discrete units.

DEPRECATE AND DEPRECIATE

Deprecate is a verb, and it means to disagree strongly with someone. Example: My father deprecates the
value of the internet. Depreciate is a verb, and it means to lower the value of something. Example: The value
of the currency depreciated due to the economic slowdown.

EMINENT AND IMMINENT

Eminent is an adjective, and it means of great quality or position. Example: Eminent leaders from all over
the world attended the convention. Imminent is an adjective, and it means about to occur. Example: Global
warming is imminent very soon, with all the pollution that we are causing.

EVOKE AND INVOKE

Evoke is a verb, and it means to make something occur. Example: Their dislike for each other evoked the
quarrel between the two groups. Invoke is a verb, and it means to call earnestly for something. Example:
She invoked his help on the issue.

EXHORT AND EXTORT

Exhort is a verb, and it means to appreciate or support. Example: The media have been exhorting people to
turn out for the demonstration. Extort is a verb, and it means to take something by force (looting). Example:
He was convicted of trying to extort $1 million from the company.

FAINT AND FEINT

Faint is an adjective, and it means lacking clarity. Example: I only have a faint idea of what he is planning to
do. Feint is a verb, and it means to deceive someone. Example: The boxer feinted his opponent with a fake
move, and then punched him in the face.

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INVEIGH AND INVEIGLE
Inveigh is a verb, and it means to complain bitterly. Example: He inveighed against the wasteful ways of
modern society. Inveigle means to influence. Example: He inveigled her into going to the party.

INSIDIOUS AND INVIDIOUS

Insidious is an adjective, and it means attractive but harmful. Example: One should not indulge in insidious
pleasures. Invidious is an adjective, and it means prejudice or partiality. Example: The juror was obviously
invidious towards the plaintiff.

INCITE AND INSIGHT

Incite is a verb, and it means to urge. Example: She incited me to sacrifice my career for her. Insight is a
noun, and it means a deep perception. Example: I would like your insight on this matter.

NECESSARY VS ESSENTIAL
Necessary is an adjective, and it means unavoidable. Example: It is necessary that you take this medicine
every day. Essential means something fundamental. Example: Water is an essential part of our life.

ACCEDE AND EXCEED

Accede is a verb, and it means to allow or agree. Example: The leader of the group acceded to the new rule.
Exceed is a verb, and it means to be greater than or superior to. Example: I hope you exceed my
expectations.

MERETRICIOUS AND MERITORIOUS

Meretricious is an adjective, and it means pretentious. Example: What a meretricious person he is! Definitely
something that he ought to be ashamed of. Meritorious is an adjective, and it means having merit or a good
quality. Example: He was always a meritorious student.

MILITATE AND MITIGATE

Militate is a verb, and it means to influence forcefully. Example: Politeness has been militated against his
opinions. Mitigate is a verb, and it means to make something less severe. Example: The circumstances have
somehow mitigated the crime he could have committed.

PRODIGY AND PROTÉGÉ

Prodigy is a noun, and it means a young, talented person. Example: The child prodigy has already won
numerous awards. Protégé is a noun, and it means a person who trains under a skilled or influential coach.
Example: The youngster was an aide and protégé of the former senator of state.

RELUCTANT AND RETICENT

Reluctant is an adjective, and it means unwillingness to do something. Example: He was reluctant to
withstand any violence against his family. Reticent is an adjective, and it means unemotional. Example: The
reticent criminal was punished severely by the jailer.

VERACIOUS, VOCIFEROUS, AND VORACIOUS

Veracious is an adjective, and it means accurate. Example: It was a veracious account of his attitude.
Vociferous is an adjective and means very loud. Example: The vociferous mob was silenced by the police.
Voracious is an adjective, and it means greedy. Example: The voracious businessman met the fate he
deserved: jail.

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ADVERSE AND AVERSE
Adverse is an adjective, and it means contrary to something. Example: He had to face adverse conditions
during his trip. Averse is an adjective, and it means strongly opposed to something. Example: He was always
averse to taking risks in life.

AGGRAVATE AND AGGREGATE

Aggravate is a verb, and it means to make something worse. Example: Your hatred towards her is only
aggravating the situation. Aggregate is a noun, and it means a sum total. Example: What is the aggregate
score of our team during the tournament?

A LOT AND ALLOT

A lot means many. Example: I have a lot of mobile phones with me. Allot is a verb, and it means to give out
or allocate. Example: I was allotted the smallest of all the dorm rooms.

BISECT AND DISSECT

Bisect is a verb, and it means to divide something into two parts. Example: The road bisects the two states.
Dissect is a verb, and it means to cut something open. Example: The trainee doctor dissected the frog.

EMIGRATE AND IMMIGRATE

Emigrate is a verb, and it means to leave one’s country for another. Example: It is noteworthy that during the
boom years when Ireland had close to full employment, not many chose to emigrate. Immigrate is to come
to a new country from another. Example: Many people immigrated to the US at the beginning of the 20th
century.

EXACERBATE AND EXASPERATE

Exacerbate is a verb, and it means to make something worse. Example: The situation is already pretty bad.
Do not try to exacerbate it. Exasperate is a verb, and it means to make someone angry. Example: The
judge’s cynical comments were exasperating to the lawyers.

HOARD AND HORDE

Hoard is a noun, and it means a secret store. Example: He came back to rescue his little hoard of gold.
Horde is a noun, and it means a large, moving crowd. Example: Hordes of people are migrating to the west
every year.

IMPLY AND INFER

Imply is a verb, and it means to indicate indirectly. Example: The salesmen used technical jargon to imply
his superior knowledge. Infer is a verb, and it means to conclude by reasoning. Example: What did you infer
from this new experiment?

INHERENT AND INHERIT

Inherent is an adjective, and it means built-in. Example: His inherent talents have proved useful to him
throughout his career. Inherit is a verb, and it means to obtain from someone. Example: I have inherited
some property from my forefathers.

JIVE AND JIBE

Jive is a noun, and it means a happy dance. Example: The kids liked the jives and the gaming sessions at
the picnic. Jibe is a noun, and it means an aggressive remark on someone. Example: His jibe at the ruling
party’s inefficiency was such a shocking remark.

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PERPETRATE AND PERPETUATE
Perpetrate is a verb, and it means to perform an act. Example: The group of criminals perpetrated the crime
together. Perpetuate is a verb, and it means to continue something. Example: People are still perpetuating
the myth of the Loch Ness Monster

PERSPECTIVE AND PROSPECTIVE

Perspective is a noun, and it means a view or way of looking at things. Example: Our perspectives on this
issue may be different, given our different backgrounds. Prospective is a noun, and it means something
related to the future. Example: The prospective students just attended the admissions seminar.

ELICIT AND ILLICIT

Elicit is a verb, and it means to extract something. Example: We elicited some interesting data from the
experiment. Illicit is an adjective, and it means forbidden by law or illegal. Example: He was arrested for
possessing illicit drugs.

CENSURE AND CENSOR

Censure is a noun, and it means disapproval. Example: The sensitive girl could not withstand such harsh
censure from the crowd. Censor is a verb, and it means to condemn or remove unacceptable material.
Example: The news channel had to censor many swear words from yesterday’s speech.

TRAVESTY AND TRAGEDY

Travesty is a noun, and it means a parody. Example: I can’t help but laugh at this unbelievable travesty.
Tragedy is a noun, and it means a sad incident. Example: It was indeed a tragedy when the minister was
shot dead in front of the media.

REFUTE AND REFUSE

Refute is a verb, and it means to prove something as false. Example: I refute your stance on this issue.
Refuse is a verb, and it means to not accept. Example: I refuse to join your corrupt political party.

ENORMITY AND ENORMOUS

Enormity is a noun, and it means of great importance. Example: The universities have recognized the
enormity of their student profiles. Enormous is an adjective, and it means of great size. Example: The country
decided to cut back on its enormous military budge.

DECIMATE AND DECIMAL

Decimate is a verb, and it means to kill. Example: The bomb has decimated several thousands of people.
Decimal is a noun, and it means a number. Example: The decimal system is the most popular system of
numbers.

LESS AND FEWER

Less is used for uncountable nouns, like water. Example: I drank less water yesterday compared to today.
Fewer are used for countable nouns, like people. Example: There were fewer people at the gym today.

PREMIER AND PREMIERE

Premier is an adjective, and it means first or top ranked. Example: The premier institutes received the biggest
financial help from the government. Premiere is a noun, and it means a first-time performance/show.
Example: The premiere is about to begin in a few minutes.

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