Essential Words for the TOEFL (7th edition) » Index

a
  • abolish
    abolish
    →
    v. to put an end to something
    syn. eliminate
    Many states have abolished the use of cell phones while driving.
    Activists have been attempting to abolish animal testing for decades.
  • abroad
    abroad
    →
    adv. to or in another country
    syn. overseas; internationally
    Louis Armstrong often traveled abroad.
    Living abroad can be an educational experience.
  • abrupt
    abrupt
    adv. abruptly; n. abruptness
    →
    adj. quick; without warning
    syn. sudden
    There was an abrupt change in the weather.
    After the incident everyone left abruptly.
  • absurd
    absurd
    adv. absurdly; n. absurdity
    →
    adj. clearly false; without reason
    syn. ridiculous
    Confidentially, I think his suggestion is absurd.
    They are absurdly irrational about the issue.
  • abysmal
    abysmal
    →
    adj. very bad; awful
    syn. appalling
    Her performance on the test was abysmal.
    He made an abysmal attempt to lift the heavy couch.
  • accelerate
    accelerate
    n. acceleration; n. accelerator
    →
    v. to go faster
    syn. hasten
    The action of molecules accelerates when they are heated.
    The poor condition of the motor made acceleration difficult.
  • accentuate
    accentuate
    adj. accentuated; n. accentuation
    →
    v. to highlight; to give more importance to
    syn. emphasize
    The colorful dress accentuated the joy of the occasion.
    The supervisor accentuated her preference for hard-working employees during the performance appraisal.
  • acceptable
    acceptable
    v. accept; adv. acceptably; n. acceptability; adj. accepting
    →
    adj. allowable or satisfactory
    syn. permissible
    The idea was acceptable to everyone.
    The registrar accepted more applicants than he should have.
  • acclaim
    acclaim
    adj. acclaimed; n. acclamation
    →
    n. enthusiastic approval; applause
    syn. praise
    Leonardo DiCaprio has earned acclaim abroad as an actor.
    Acclaimed authors often win Pulitzer Prizes.
  • accolade
    accolade
    →
    n. an award or distinction
    syn. honor
    She received many accolades during her academic career.
    A Nobel Prize is just one of his many accolades.
  • account
    account
    adj. accountable; v. account; n. accounting; n. accountant
    →
    n. a report of an event; money kept in a bank; a statement of something used or received, usually a financial report
    syn. story
    His account of the incident varied from that of the other witnesses.
    We need an accounting of all the money that was spent.
  • account for
    account for
    →
    ph. v. to take something into consideration; to provide reasons for an event
    syn. explain
    He did not account for Earth’s gravity in his physics calculations.
    Her intense studying accounts for her excellent grades.
  • accurate
    accurate
    adv. accurately; n. accuracy
    →
    adj. careful and exact
    syn. precise
    She was able to make accurate observations with the new telescope.
    Experiments must be conducted with accuracy.
  • acknowledge
    acknowledge
    n. acknowledgment; adj. acknowledged
    →
    v. to know, remember, and accept the existence of something
    syn. recognize
    The foreman acknowledged the fact that there had been a mistake in the design of the house.
    The promotion he received was an acknowledgment of his excellent work.
  • acquire
    acquire
    adj. acquisitive; n. acquisition
    →
    v. to gain or come to possess
    syn. obtain
    He acquired two beautiful paintings during his visit to Taipei.
    The office’s most recent acquisition was a new photocopier.
  • acute
    acute
    adv. acutely; n. acuteness
    →
    adj. having a sudden consequence or severe effect
    syn. intense
    The president was acutely aware of the fact that her decision would be unpopular.
    He was suffering from an acute headache.
  • adage
    adage
    →
    n. a traditional saying
    syn. proverb
    There is an old adage that states, “Slow and steady wins the race.”
    Over the years, the author’s sayings became popular adages in his town.
  • adept
    adept
    →
    adj. able to do something well, being talented
    syn. skilled
    He is adept at calming noisy children.
    The investigators were adept at their jobs.
  • adhere
    adhere
    n. adherence
    →
    v. to stick to or follow precisely
    syn. comply
    Travelers must adhere to the laws of the country they are visiting.
    The referee’s excessively strict adherence to the rules upset the players.
  • advantage
    advantage
    adv. advantageously; adj. advantageous
    →
    n. something that may help one to be successful or to gain something
    syn. benefit
    Is there any advantage in arriving early?
    He was advantageously born into a rich family.
  • advent
    advent
    →
    n. the coming or appearance of something
    syn. arrival
    With the advent of computers, many tasks have been made easier.
    The orchestra’s latest newsletter announced the advent of the upcoming concert season.
  • adverse
    adverse
    adv. adversely; n. adversity; n. adversary
    →
    adj. displeasing, objectionable, or bad
    syn. unfavorable
    The game was cancelled by officials due to the adverse weather conditions.
    His indecision adversely affected his job performance.
  • affluent
    affluent
    n. affluence
    →
    adj. rich in money or means; prosperous
    syn. wealthy
    He is not from an affluent family, but he worked hard and was able to attend college.
    The affluent supporter had a building named in her honor.
  • affordable
    affordable
    adv. affordably; v. afford
    →
    adj. able to be done, usually referring to something you can do without damage or loss
    syn. economical
    The new dictionary is quite affordable.
    He could afford the house because of current low interest rates.
  • aggravating
    aggravating
    n. aggravation; v. aggravate
    →
    adj. making worse; annoying
    syn. irritating
    The aggravating delay was caused by road repairs.
    The shortage of work aggravated the crisis in the small town.
  • agile
    agile
    adv. agilely; n. agileness; n. agility
    →
    adj. able to move in a quick and easy way
    syn. nimble
    Deer are very agile animals.
    She moved agilely across the stage.
  • agitate
    agitate
    n. agitation; n. agitator
    →
    v. to shake or move; to cause worry
    syn. disturb
    The fact that she had not arrived by midnight agitated her parents.
    He was known as a political agitator.
  • albeit
    albeit
    →
    conj. in spite of the facts, regardless of the fact
    syn. although
    His trip was successful, albeit tiring.
    Albeit difficult at times, speaking another language is rewarding.
  • alleviate
    alleviate
    →
    v. to make something less severe; to improve
    syn. lessen
    This medicine alleviates allergy symptoms.
    Regular meditation has been shown to alleviate stress.
  • allocation
    allocation
    adj. allocated; v. allocate
    →
    n. a share; a part set aside for a special purpose; an assignment of portions
    syn. distribution
    His allocation of materials was gradually used up.
    Allocating office space in the building was a difficult task.
  • allusion
    allusion
    v. allude
    →
    n. a quotation or mention, often of another person’s work
    syn. reference
    J. K. Rowling often alludes to Greek and Roman mythology in her character names.
    She alluded to her Lithuanian heritage in her autobiography.
  • alter
    alter
    v. altered; n. alteration; adj. alterable; adv. alterably
    →
    v. to change or make different
    syn. modify
    Will the storm alter its course and miss the coast?
    Gloria hasn’t altered her plans to return to school.
  • ambiguous
    ambiguous
    adv. ambiguously; n. ambiguity
    →
    adj. of unclear meaning; something that can be understood in more than one way
    syn. vague
    The men received an ambiguous message from their boss.
    Her letter was full of ambiguities.
  • amenity
    amenity
    →
    n. something that makes life easier or more enjoyable
    syn. convenience
    She missed all the amenities of home when she went camping.
    One expects many amenities at a five-star hotel.
  • ample
    ample
    adv. amply
    →
    adj. more than enough
    syn. sufficient
    There is ample evidence that the young man was speeding when the accident occurred.
    She was amply paid for the work she completed.
  • amusement
    amusement
    adv. amusingly; adj. amusing; v. amuse
    →
    n. something that holds interest and is enjoyable
    syn. diversion
    We listened in amusement as he tried to convince his friend to lend him $50.
    His amusing comment made everyone laugh.
  • analogous
    analogous
    n. analogy
    →
    adj. alike in some way
    syn. similar to
    The action of light waves is analogous to the action of sound waves.
    The analogy between the behavior of the bacteria in the lab and in the human body is not clear.
  • analyze
    analyze
    v. analyzed; n. analysis
    →
    v. to study something carefully; to separate into parts for study
    syn. examine
    Scientists must analyze problems thoroughly.
    Analysis of the substance confirms the presence of nitrogen.
  • ancient
    ancient
    →
    adj. something from a long time ago; very old
    syn. old
    Archaeologists analyze ancient civilizations.
    Dave found an ancient Roman coin.
  • annoying
    annoying
    n. annoyance; v. annoy; adv. annoyingly
    →
    adj. a slight bother; disturbing to a person
    syn. bothersome
    Mosquitoes can be an annoying part of a vacation at the beach.
    She annoyed her parents by coming home late.
  • anticipate
    anticipate
    adj. anticipatory; n. anticipation
    →
    v. to think about or prepare for something ahead of time
    syn. predict
    No one can anticipate the results of the games.
    They planned their vacation with anticipation.
  • appealing
    appealing
    v. appeal; n. appeal; adv. appealingly
    →
    adj. attractive or interesting
    syn. alluring
    Working abroad is appealing to many people.
    Through his speeches, the candidate appealed to the voters.
  • aptly
    aptly
    adj. apt; n. aptness
    →
    adv. having a tendency to do something; likely
    syn. appropriately
    It was an aptly timed remark.
    Emotional problems are apt to damage personal relationships.
  • arbitrary
    arbitrary
    adv. arbitrarily; n. arbitrariness
    →
    adj. an action or decision made with little thought, order, or reason
    syn. haphazard
    Her choice of clothing seemed arbitrary.
    The teacher arbitrarily decided to give the class a test.
  • archaic
    archaic
    →
    adj. very old; old-fashioned; no longer used
    syn. ancient
    These archaic methods of farming must be brought up-to-date.
    His speech was full of archaic expressions.
  • arduous
    arduous
    adv. arduously; n. arduousness
    →
    adj. very difficult or challenging; requiring hard work
    syn. demanding
    The mountain tour guides climbed the mountain at an arduous pace.
    The farmer’s crops survived despite the arduous summer heat.
  • arid
    arid
    →
    adj. being of little rain or water
    syn. dry
    The area known as the Sahara Desert is one of the most arid places in the world.
    The valley on the leeward side of the mountain was extremely arid.
  • ascertain
    ascertain
    adj. ascertainable; adv. ascertainably; n. ascertainment
    →
    v. to discover; find out
    syn. determine
    I tried to ascertain if he was telling the truth.
    The jury made a decision based on its ascertainment of the facts.
  • aspect
    aspect
    →
    n. a part or characteristic of something; an element
    syn. facet
    I would trust the professional’s advice in that aspect of economics.
    There are many fascinating aspects to the complex procedure.
  • assert
    assert
    adv. assertively; n. assertiveness; n. assertion; adj. assertive
    →
    v. to express or defend oneself strongly; to state positively
    syn. declare
    The government asserted its control over the banking system.
    The company president is an assertive individual.
  • assimilate
    assimilate
    n. assimilation
    →
    v. to become a part of
    syn. incorporate
    The United States of America has assimilated people from all parts of the world.
    Assimilation of a new cultural environment can be difficult.
  • assortment
    assortment
    adj. assorted
    →
    n. a variety
    syn. selection
    You have an assortment of elective courses from which to choose.
    He bought a box of assorted books at the book fair.
  • astounding
    astounding
    v. astound; adv. astoundingly
    →
    adj. very surprising
    syn. astonishing
    The scientists made an astounding discovery.
    The fans were astounded by their team’s success.
  • astute
    astute
    adj. astutely; n. astuteness
    →
    adj. very intelligent, smart, clever
    syn. perceptive
    He was an astute worker, finishing in half the time it took the others to finish.
    They astutely determined that there would be no chance to finish on time.
  • attractive
    attractive
    v. attract; n. attraction; n. attractiveness; adv. attractively
    →
    adj. calling attention to; pleasing; creating interest; pretty
    syn. appealing
    The idea of working four, ten-hour work days was attractive to many employees.
    The major attraction of the show was a speech by the president.
  • autonomous
    autonomous
    adv. autonomously
    →
    adj. by itself; with no association
    syn. independent
    Mexico became an autonomous state in 1817.
    Although working closely with the government, all businesses function autonomously.
  • avert
    avert
    n. aversion; adj. avertable
    →
    v. to stop from occurring; to turn away or aside
    syn. prevent
    She could have averted the accident if she had not been texting while driving.
    The citizens packed sandbags along the river bank to avert the flooding of their streets.
b
  • baffle
    baffle
    adj. baffling; n. bafflement
    →
    v. to confuse to a point at which no progress can be made
    syn. puzzle
    The causes of many harmful diseases have baffled doctors for centuries.
    That was a baffling question.
  • balanced
    balanced
    v. balance; n. balance
    →
    adj. a state where everything is of the same size or weight; an element on one side that counters an equal element on the other
    syn. equalized
    He made a balanced presentation of both points of view.
    The museum contains a pleasant balance of paintings from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
  • bear
    bear
    adv. bearably; adj. bearable
    →
    v. to produce, to carry; to show; to endure
    syn. yield
    This orchard bears many fine harvests of apples.
    Although stock prices declined, losses have been bearable for most investors.
  • benefit
    benefit
    adv. beneficially; adj. beneficial; n. benefit; n. beneficiary
    →
    v. to be useful or helpful
    syn. assist
    Use of solar power will benefit all mankind.
    It is extremely beneficial to prepare for a test.
  • benign
    benign
    →
    adj. doing no harm or damage; gentle
    syn. harmless
    He has a warm, benign smile that makes everyone comfortable.
    The mold on the plants proved to be benign.
  • blind
    blind
    adv. blindly; n. blindness
    →
    adj. unable to see or understand; to conceal; showing poor judgment or understanding
    syn. unaware
    They were blind to the fact that they had little chance to succeed.
    He went into the job blindly, with no previous experience.
  • blur
    blur
    adj. blurred; n. blur
    →
    v. to make something difficult to see
    syn. cloud
    The rain blurred everyone’s view of the valley.
    The whole accident is just a blur in my mind.
  • brash
    brash
    adv. brashly; n. brashness
    →
    adj. confident or aggressive; lacking regard for consequences
    syn. reckless
    The brash young man made many poor business decisions.
    Lucy’s brashness often got her into trouble at school.
  • brazen
    brazen
    →
    adj. defiant or shameless
    syn. bold
    The student brazenly defended her thesis.
    The brazen politician did not withdraw from the debate.
  • briefly
    briefly
    adj. brief; n. brevity
    →
    adv. short, usually in time
    syn. concisely
    The visiting professor spoke briefly at the faculty meeting.
    Solar eclipses are brief moments when the Earth and Moon cross the Sun’s fixed position in the solar system.
  • brilliant
    brilliant
    adv. brilliantly; n. brilliance
    →
    adj. intensely bright or colorful; intelligent
    syn. radiant
    Einstein was a brilliant thinker.
    She brilliantly produced a solution to the problem.
  • bring about
    bring about
    →
    ph. v. to cause something to happen
    syn. generate
    The invention of the cell phone brought about an end to the popularity of traditional telephones.
    The newly elected president of the club promised to bring about positive changes.
  • broaden
    broaden
    adv. broadly; adj. broad; n. breadth
    →
    v. to make larger or greater
    syn. enlarge
    Education will broaden your opportunities to land a good job.
    The breadth of his knowledge is impressive.
  • burgeon
    burgeon
    adj. burgeoning
    →
    v. growing at a fast pace
    syn. thrive
    His talent as a pianist burgeoned at the age of 14.
    The burgeoning population of major cities is creating a demand for more services.
c
  • caliber
    caliber
    →
    n. the standard of; the degree of goodness
    syn. quality
    The high caliber of her work earned her a raise in pay.
    Only parts of the highest caliber can be used to make repairs on the spacecraft.
  • carry out
    carry out
    →
    v. to perform a task, often for someone else
    syn. accomplish
    The boss required her team to carry out their plan.
    The prime minister asked for his order to be carried out immediately.
  • caution
    caution
    adj. cautious; adj. cautionary; adv. cautiously; n. caution
    →
    v. to alert someone of danger, warn someone to take care or pay attention to something
    syn. warn
    The officer cautioned the motorist to slow down.
    They entered into the negotiations cautiously.
  • celebrated
    celebrated
    →
    adj. acclaimed; well-known and popular
    syn. renowned
    The celebrated pianist will be giving a concert this weekend.
    San Francisco is celebrated for its multicultural makeup.
  • chaotic
    chaotic
    n. chaos
    →
    adj. being in complete disorder and confusion
    syn. disorganized
    The traffic in Seoul is often chaotic.
    There was complete chaos when the world champions arrived at the airport.
  • charisma
    charisma
    adj. charismatic
    →
    n. a special quality that endears other people to the person who has this quality
    syn. appeal
    She has charisma that no other candidate possesses.
    John F. Kennedy was known for his charismatic personality.
  • chiefly
    chiefly
    adj. chief
    →
    adv. the most important or most common
    syn. mostly
    Houses are made chiefly of wood products.
    Corn is the chief crop of the Midwest.
  • chronic
    chronic
    adv. chronically
    →
    adj. always present; continual
    syn. constant
    The author’s chronic headache prevented her from finishing the chapter.
    He is chronically late to class.
  • circulate
    circulate
    adj. circulatory; n. circulation
    →
    v. to cause to move along a fixed path; move freely
    syn. distribute
    The news of the president’s visit circulated quickly throughout the city.
    A dollar bill remains in circulation for approximately one and a half years.
  • circumvent
    circumvent
    n. circumvention
    →
    v. to go around; avoid
    syn. evade
    The hacker attempted to circumvent the computer’s security system.
    Circumvention of the freshman math requirement is possible.
  • clarify
    clarify
    n. clarification
    →
    v. to make more easily understood; to make clear
    syn. explain
    Chapter 2 in the textbook clarifies the process of osmosis.
    A clarification of the government’s position on this matter is necessary.
  • classify
    classify
    adj. classified; n. classification
    →
    v. to place into groups according to type
    syn. arrange
    Biologists classify life forms into many phylla.
    The library’s catalog is a classification of books in the library.
  • clever
    clever
    adv. cleverly; n. cleverness
    →
    adj. intelligent; resourceful
    syn. astute
    Everyone appreciated their clever idea.
    His cleverness enabled him to rise quickly in the organization.
  • coarse
    coarse
    adv. coarsely; n. coarseness
    →
    adj. not fine or smooth; not delicate
    syn. rough
    Sandpaper is an extremely coarse material.
    Wool clothing has a certain coarseness in texture.
  • coherent
    coherent
    adv. coherently; v. cohere; n. coherence; adj. cohesive*; n. cohesion*
    →
    adj. well reasoned; ideas that are clearly presented
           *sticking together as a group
    syn. logical
    It was a well-balanced, coherent presentation.
    There was a cohesive feeling among the new workers.
  • collide
    collide
    n. collision
    →
    v. to hit one object against another with violent force; to be in opposition
    syn. crash
    The collision caused major damage to both cars.
    Moon craters were caused when large asteroids collided with the moon.
  • come across
    come across
    →
    v. to find or discover, usually by chance
    syn. encounter
    The woman came across the old love letters while looking through photos of her youth.
    The professor came across the article while searching the Internet.
  • commonplace
    commonplace
    →
    adj. ordinary
    syn. frequent
    In some parts of the world, text messaging is more commonplace than voice calling.
    Female lawyers are commonplace in the United States.
  • compel
    compel
    adv. compellingly; adj. compelling
    →
    v. to make something happen by necessity or force
    syn. obliged
    The representatives were compelled to vote in favor of the legislation despite their personal opposition to it.
    The lawyer’s plea was made in a compelling manner.
  • compile
    compile
    n. compilation
    →
    v. to collect
    syn. assemble
    The film club asked each of its members to compile a list of his or her favorite movies.
    The book is a compilation of Shakespeare’s plays.
  • complex
    complex
    n. complexity
    →
    adj. difficult to understand or explain; having many parts
    syn. complicated
    The businessmen astutely approached the complex production problem.
    The universe has a complexity beyond comprehension.
  • comply
    comply
    adj. compliant; n. compliance
    →
    v. to agree to follow a request or command; to adhere to specific standards
    syn. acquiesce
    A well-trained dog will comply when told to sit.
    Students must maintain a B average to remain in compliance with the scholarship’s rules.
  • conceal
    conceal
    n. concealment
    →
    v. to prevent from being seen or discovered
    syn. hide
    The students concealed their feelings about the course.
    His concealment of the evidence made his case more difficult to prove.
  • conceivably
    conceivably
    adj. conceivable; v. conceive
    →
    adv. feasibly; believably
    syn. possibly
    They could conceivably earn first place with their science project.
    It is conceivable that humans will travel to distant planets one day.
  • concur
    concur
    n. concurrence
    →
    v. to have the same opinion or draw the same conclusion
    syn. agree
    The director concurred with the conclusions of the committee’s report.
    Do you concur with the details of the business plan?
  • condensed
    condensed
    v. condense
    →
    adj. made smaller; shortened; merge
    syn. summarize
    This is a condensed version of the original research report.
    Try to condense the two chapters into one.
  • confidential
    confidential
    v. confide; adv. confidentially; n. confidant
    →
    adj. to be said or written in secret
    syn. secret
    We were told that the information is strictly confidential.
    She confided to me that she had always wanted to be a movie star.
  • confirm
    confirm
    adj. confirmed; n. confirmation
    →
    v. to make certain; give support
    syn. prove
    The director confirmed that the meeting would be on the tenth.
    We have just received confirmation of your reservation on the flight to Los Angeles.
  • conform
    conform
    n. conformity; n. conformist
    →
    v. to follow established rules or patterns of behavior
    syn. adapt
    You must conform to the rules or leave the club.
    She has always been a conformist.
  • conscientious
    conscientious
    adv. conscientiously
    →
    adj. showing serious purpose; one who works carefully and with enthusiasm
    syn. meticulous
    She is a conscientious representative of the student body.
    They approached the task conscientiously.
  • consistently
    consistently
    adj. consistent; v. consist; n. consistency
    →
    adv. without changing; keeping the same principles, ideas, or quality
    syn. dependably
    The temperature must be maintained consistently at 75° centigrade.
    The policy of the government concerning unemployment has been consistent.
  • conspicuously
    conspicuously
    adj. conspicuous
    →
    adv. attracting attention
    syn. noticeably
    His name was conspicuously absent from the list of winners.
    The attorneys were conspicuous for their aggressive manner in the courtroom.
  • contaminated
    contaminated
    v. contaminate; n. contamination
    →
    adj. to make something impure by adding something dirty or a poisonous substance
    syn. pollute
    This contaminated water supply must be closed off to the public.
    Bacteria and insects are frequently agents of food contamination.
  • contemporary
    contemporary
    n. contemporary
    →
    adj. modern, up-to-date, or (n.) a person living at the same time as another person
    syn. current
    Contemporary architecture makes very good use of space.
    Cervantes was a contemporary of Shakespeare.
  • contradictory
    contradictory
    v. contradict; n. contradiction
    →
    adj. not agreeing with the facts or previous statements made on the subject; declared wrong
    syn. inconsistent
    It is contradictory to say that you know French after studying it for only three months.
    The expert contradicted himself during his presentation.
  • controversial
    controversial
    adv. controversially; n. controversy
    →
    adj. causing disagreement or argument
    syn. divisive
    The governor made a controversial decision to raise taxes.
    The controversy was caused by the proposal to build an airport in the area.
  • convenient
    convenient
    adv. conveniently; n. convenience
    →
    adj. easy to reach; near; suitable to one’s needs
    syn. practical
    The investigator suspected that the disappearance of the evidence was too convenient to be accidental.
    For the convenience of the student body, the library is located in a central location.
  • conventional
    conventional
    adv. conventionally; n. convention
    →
    adj. following accepted rules or standards
    syn. traditional
    Professor Canfield agreed with the conventional theory about the origin of the Basque language.
    To become integrated into a society, you must learn the conventions of that society.
  • convert
    convert
    adj. convertible; n. conversion
    →
    v. to change from one form or state to another
    syn. alter
    When boiled, liquids convert into gases.
    The conversion from Fahrenheit to centigrade can be easily made.
  • convey
    convey
    →
    v. to make something known to others; to communicate
    syn. communicate
    The manager of the store conveyed his displeasure directly to the workers.
    He was able to convey his message to the audience with ease.
  • convince
    convince
    adv. convincingly; adj. convincing
    →
    v. to make someone see things your way
    syn. persuade
    They could not convince the girls to go to the dance with them.
    The video made a convincing argument for the recycling of paper and plastic materials.
  • core
    core
    n. core
    →
    adj. the central or most important part of something
    syn. chief
    The core curriculum consists of courses that are required of all students.
    The core of an apple is not edible.
  • critical
    critical
    v. critique; n. criticism; n. critic; adv. critically
    →
    adj. very serious or unsafe; finding fault
    syn. dangerous
    It is critical to follow the directions for the experiment exactly as the instructor indicates.
    The runner accepted criticism from his coach very well.
  • crucial
    crucial
    adv. crucially
    →
    adj. of great importance; extremely necessary
    syn. critical
    Favorable weather is crucial to a good harvest.
    Having all the information necessary to make a good decision is crucially important.
  • crush
    crush
    adj. crushing; n. crush
    →
    v. to press together so as to completely distort the shape or nature of the object
    syn. grind
    The machine crushes corn to produce cornmeal.
    Passage of the legislation was a crushing blow to the president’s program.
  • culminate
    culminate
    n. culmination; adj. culminating
    →
    v. to finish; to reach a climax or the highest point
    syn. conclude
    The rock song culminated in a loud guitar solo.
    After four years of diligent study, the student’s hard work culminated in several offers of full scholarships for college.
  • cultivate
    cultivate
    adj. cultivated; n. cultivation
    →
    v. to plant and raise a crop; to encourage growth of a relationship or friendship
    syn. grow
    The professionals had common interests that allowed them to cultivate a working relationship with each other.
    The cultivation of diverse crops in pre-Columbian America is well documented.
  • curative
    curative
    n. cure
    →
    adj. being able to restore to good condition
    syn. healing
    The curative properties of certain plants have been well documented.
    There is no simple cure for the ills of society.
  • curious
    curious
    adv. curiously; n. curiosity
    →
    adj. odd or strange; eager to learn
    syn. peculiar
    A curious object was discovered in the remains.
    Sally was curiously interested in the history of Alaska.
  • currency
    currency
    →
    n. monetary unit; cash
    syn. money
    Most purchases in foreign countries must be made in the local currency.
    The Japanese currency is gaining strength against the dollar.
d
  • debilitating
    debilitating
    v. debilitate; n. debility
    →
    adj. weakening
    syn. weakening
    The lack of investment savings has a debilitating effect on the economy.
    The patient’s debility limited his mobility.
  • deceptively
    deceptively
    adj. deceptive; v. deceive; n. deception
    →
    adv. making something appear true or good when it is false or bad
    syn. misleadingly
    The magician deceptively made the rabbit disappear.
    Richard deceived Joe about the cost of the coat.
  • decline
    decline
    n. decline
    →
    v. to move from good to bad, or from much to little; to refuse
    syn. decrease
    The old man’s health has declined since he retired.
    Serious communicable diseases are on the decline in most parts of the world.
  • deficient
    deficient
    adv. deficiently; n. deficiency
    →
    adj. not having enough of something
    syn. lacking
    A diet deficient in calcium can lead to bad health.
    There is a deficiency of qualified engineers in the country.
  • defy
    defy
    adv. defyingly; adj. defying
    →
    v. to show little fear or regard for rules or established norms; to challenge
    syn. resist
    I defy you to find that book in the library’s collection.
    The circus performer demonstrated her death-defying routine.
  • delighted
    delighted
    adj. delightfully; adj. delightful; n. delight
    →
    adj. to be satisfied; very happy
    syn. elated
    He was delighted with the results of the experiment.
    It was a delightful afternoon.
  • demeanor
    demeanor
    →
    n. someone’s outward appearance or behavior
    syn. conduct ( n.)
    The old woman had a pleasant demeanor.
    The dog was huge, but its friendly demeanor eased my fears.
  • demonstration
    demonstration
    adv. demonstrably; v. demonstrate; adj. demonstrative*; adj. demonstrable
    →
    n. a show or exhibit
        *overtly showing emotion
    syn. display
    The demonstration clarified the procedure for everyone.
    I have never seen the politicians so demonstrative of their feelings.
  • dense
    dense
    adv. densely; n. density
    →
    adj. closely packed or crowded; difficult to see through
    syn. thick
    The boating accident was caused by the dense fog.
    Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
  • deplete
    deplete
    adj. depleted; n. depletion
    →
    v. to use up; reduce greatly
    syn. consume
    She depleted all of her savings to buy the new bicycle.
    The depletion of the Earth’s oil reserves poses a threat to our current way of life.
  • derive
    derive
    →
    v. to come from or find something from its starting point
    syn. obtain
    The English word “decadent” is derived from the Latin word “decadere.”
    He derives great joy from growing vegetables in his backyard.
  • designate
    designate
    n. designation; n. designator
    →
    v. to specify, name, or select to do a task; to indicate
    syn. assign
    The president designated the vice president to represent him at the meeting.
    The designated driver drove every one home after the party.
  • determined
    determined
    n. determination; v. determine
    →
    adj. strong in one’s opinion, firm in conviction, to find out
    syn. resolute
    They were determined to go to graduate school.
    The judge determined that the man was lying.
  • deviate
    deviate
    n. deviation
    →
    v. to break away from what is normal or average
    syn. differ
    She deviated from the typical study path and graduated early.
    He enjoys deviating from the main trail when he goes hiking.
  • devise
    devise
    adj. devisable
    →
    v. to brainstorm; to come up with an idea
    syn. formulate
    The firefighters devised a plan to safely bring the cat down from the tree.
    The scientists had to devise an entirely new experiment after the first one failed.
  • dictate
    dictate
    adj. dictatorial; n. dictator
    →
    v. to state demands with the power to enforce
    syn. impose
    The workers were not in a position to dictate demands to management.
    His boss resembled a dictator.
  • diligent
    diligent
    n. diligence; adv. diligently
    →
    adj. done with persistence and hard work; with attention to details
    syn. conscientious
    Stephanie displayed great diligence in the completion of her assignments.
    The diligent worker received recognition for his accomplishments.
  • dim
    dim
    adv. dimly; v. dim; n. dimness
    →
    adj. not bright or clear
    syn. faint
    The light was too dim for studying.
    The stars dimly lit the evening sky.
  • disapproval
    disapproval
    v. disapprove; adv. disapprovingly
    →
    n. the act of disagreeing; not giving approval
    syn. objection
    Their disapproval of the plan caused the experiment to be abandoned.
    The students disapproved of the level of difficulty of the test.
  • discernible
    discernible
    adv. discernibly; v. discern; n. discernment
    →
    adj. noticeable; easily seen
    syn. detectable
    A feeling of anxiety was discernible among the members of the team.
    The new student was unable to discern the humor of the teacher’s joke.
  • discreetly
    discreetly
    adj. discreet
    →
    adv. in a careful, polite manner
    syn. cautiously
    The teacher discreetly told the parents about their child’s inappropriate behavior.
    You can count on me to be discreet.
  • discrepancy
    discrepancy
    →
    n. a difference between things that should be similar or equal
    syn. inconsistency
    The discrepancy in her experiment data led her to believe that she had made a mistake.
    There is usually a discrepancy between how coffee smells and how it tastes.
  • disguise
    disguise
    adj. disguised; n. disguise
    →
    v. to hide the usual appearance of something
    syn. conceal
    It is hard to disguise the fact that business is slow.
    Everyone saw through his disguise.
  • disperse
    disperse
    adj. dispersed
    →
    v. to cause to move in many different directions
    syn. circulate
    The high winds and rain dispersed the crowd.
    After the hurricane, dispersed belongings cluttered the street.
  • display
    display
    n. display
    →
    v. to show; reveal
    syn. exhibit
    The model displayed the details of the human hand.
    The candidate’s display of anger was unfortunate.
  • disregard
    disregard
    n. disregard
    →
    v. to pay no attention
    syn. ignore
    They disregarded the no parking signs and were ticketed by the police.
    His disregard of the lab instructions caused him to make many errors.
  • disruptive
    disruptive
    v. disrupt; n. disruption; adv. disruptively
    →
    adj. causing confusion and interruption
    syn. disturbing
    Frequent questions during lectures can be disruptive.
    The storm caused a disruption in bus service.
  • distinct
    distinct
    adv. distinctly; adj. distinctive; n. distinction
    →
    adj. clearly noticed; different
    syn. definite
    There was a distinct aroma of coffee in the restaurant.
    The two theories are distinctly different from each other.
  • distinguish
    distinguish
    adj. distinguishable; adj. distinguished; adj. distinguishing
    →
    v. to hear, see, or recognize differences
    syn. discriminate
    Some people cannot distinguish colors well.
    Anteaters are distinguished by their long noses.
  • distort
    distort
    adj. distorted; n. distortion
    →
    v. to change from the original shape or condition, usually in an unnatural way
    syn. deform
    Time and space are distorted when traveling at the speed of light.
    Distortion of the image from a microscope can be caused by low light.
  • distribute
    distribute
    n. distribution
    →
    v. to divide among people or to give out
    syn. dispense
    Many publishers now distribute their newspapers via the Internet.
    The distribution of seeds is very quick with this new machine.
  • diverse
    diverse
    adv. diversely; n. diversity; v. diversify
    →
    adj. various; distinct from others
    syn. different
    Freud had many diverse interests in psychology.
    The diversity of life forms on the earth makes zoology an interesting area of study.
  • docile
    docile
    adv. docilely; n. docility
    →
    adj. easy to control or train
    syn. manageable
    The moose is typically a very docile animal.
    Many rebellious young people see docility as a weakness.
  • documented
    documented
    adj. documentary; v. document; n. documentation
    →
    adj. proven with written evidence
    syn. proven
    He had documented proof that the bank had made an error.
    The car’s documentation was in order.
  • dominant
    dominant
    adv. dominantly; v. dominate; n. domination
    →
    adj. primary or principal; having or exercising control over something
    syn. major
    The dominant life forms of the Paleozoic era lived in the water.
    The skyscraper dominated the skyline.
  • dormant
    dormant
    n. dormitory
    →
    adj. not growing or producing; asleep
    syn. inactive
    The volcano had been dormant for hundreds of years before the eruption last month.
    The seniors live in the new dormitory.
  • drab
    drab
    adv. drably; n. drabness
    →
    adj. lacking color; uninteresting, boring
    syn. colorless
    Their clothing was quite drab.
    The drabness of the desert made driving less interesting.
  • dramatic
    dramatic
    adv. dramatically; v. dramatize; n. drama
    →
    adj. something that captures the imagination; exciting
    syn. emotional
    The dramatic finish to the game left us speechless.
    The hurricane dramatically changed the coastline.
e
  • eclectic
    eclectic
    adv. eclectically
    →
    adj. to select or represent something chosen from many sources or places
    syn. diverse
    He has an eclectic taste in music, from hard rock to classical.
    The eclectic group of students came from fifteen different countries.
  • elaborate
    elaborate
    adv. elaborately; v. elaborate; n. elaboration
    →
    adj. something with a large number of parts; full of details
    syn. complex
    An elaborate head dress indicated rank within the Aztec community.
    His elaboration of the issue was quite thorough.
  • element
    element
    adj. elemental; n. element*
    →
    n. a part of the whole
        *environment
    syn. component
    Her presence added an element of humor to the group.
    Hard work and perseverance are the basic elements of success.
  • elementary
    elementary
    →
    adj. simple in structure, easy to do
    syn. primary
    The solution to the problem was actually quite elementary.
    You must take Elementary Physics before you can enroll in the advanced course.
  • elicit
    elicit
    n. elicitation
    →
    v. to get the facts or draw out the truth
    syn. extract
    A lawyer will elicit all the facts necessary to prove her case.
    Elicitation of the truth can be difficult at times.
  • eliminate
    eliminate
    adj. eliminated; n. elimination
    →
    v. to remove, free oneself of something
    syn. delete
    Mistakes must be eliminated before you hand in a term paper.
    The elimination of the runner from the race was decided by the judge.
  • eloquent
    eloquent
    adv. eloquently; n. eloquence
    →
    adj. expressing clearly, effectively, and convincingly
    syn. articulate ( adj.)
    Successful politicians are usually eloquent speakers.
    That student’s essay is eloquently written.
  • elude
    elude
    adj. elusive; n. elusiveness
    →
    v. to escape in a tricky way
    syn. evade
    The criminal has eluded the police for months.
    Success has been elusive for the team.
  • embedded
    embedded
    v. embed
    →
    adj. included or found inside something
    syn. inserted
    The archaeologist found a rare fossil embedded in the rock face.
    The instructions say to embed the seeds one inch apart.
  • embody
    embody
    n. embodiment
    →
    v. to be a good example of a concept or idea
    syn. exemplify
    The constitution is an embodiment of American ideals.
    Charlotte embodies all of the qualities of a good leader.
  • emerge
    emerge
    n. emergence
    →
    v. to come into view, or existence
    syn. appear
    It took an hour for the newborn chick to emerge from its egg.
    The sun emerged from the thick rain clouds, giving hope that the game would be played.
  • emit
    emit
    n. emission; n. emitter
    →
    v. to send out; give off
    syn. release
    The raging forest fire emitted a dense, white smoke.
    Modern telescopes can detect the faintest light emitted by distant stars.
  • emphasize
    emphasize
    adv. emphatically; adj. emphatic; n. emphasis
    →
    v. to show that something is especially important or exceptional
    syn. highlight
    The professor emphasized certain aspects of the historical period.
    When asked if they would like to leave class early, the students answered with an emphatic “yes.”
  • emulate
    emulate
    →
    v. to match or achieve by imitation
    syn. mimic
    Young puppies tend to emulate the habits of older dogs.
    Many authors attempt to emulate Hemingway’s writing style.
  • enact
    enact
    adj. enacted; n. enactment
    →
    v. to pass a law
    syn. legislate
    Congress enacted the legislation during its last session.
    The enactment of the laws was in the hands of the Senate.
  • encircle
    encircle
    adj. encircled
    →
    v. to make a circle around
    syn. surround
    The players encircled their coach after winning the big game.
    The encircled celebrity actually became afraid of her fans.
  • encompass
    encompass
    →
    v. to surround completely; to envelop
    syn. include
    Her plan of study encompasses every aspect of computer science.
    The course encompasses all the literature of the nineteenth century.
  • encourage
    encourage
    n. encouragement; n. encourager; adv. encouragingly; adv. encouraging
    →
    v. to promote, help, or support
    syn. stimulate
    The government cut taxes in order to encourage spending.
    The professor gave each student the encouragement that was needed to learn the material.
  • endemic
    endemic
    →
    adj. native to or commonly found in a specific place
    syn. indigenous
    Kiwi birds are endemic only to Australia.
    The use of English is by no means endemic to English-speaking countries.
  • endorse
    endorse
    n. endorsement
    →
    v. to express approval
    syn. support
    The union endorsed the new contract.
    The president’s endorsement of the project guaranteed its funding.
  • endure
    endure
    adj. endurable; adj. enduring; n. endurance
    →
    v. to last; suffer pain
    syn. persevere
    How he is able to endure living next to the airport is beyond my comprehension.
    The endurance displayed by the athlete gave evidence of his rigorous training.
  • energetic
    energetic
    n. energy; adv. energetically
    →
    adj. full of life, action, or power
    syn. vigorous
    Sam hasn’t been as energetic as he usually is.
    There’s a lot of energy in these batteries.
  • engender
    engender
    →
    v. to cause something new to exist; to create
    syn. produce
    The politician’s charisma engendered enthusiasm.
    Economic conditions in the 1950s engendered an era of industrial growth.
  • engross
    engross
    n. engrossment; adj. engrossing
    →
    v. to become completely occupied or involved in an activity
    syn. engage
    The teacher’s lecture engrossed the entire class.
    O. Henry’s short stories engross readers all the way to their surprise endings.
  • enhance
    enhance
    n. enhancement; adj. enhanced
    →
    v. to increase in a positive way, such as in value, power, or beauty
    syn. strengthen
    Passing the exam should enhance your chances of being admitted to college.
    The computer enhanced our productivity.
  • enlighten
    enlighten
    n. enlightenment; adj. enlightened
    →
    v. to give information or understanding to someone
    syn. instruct
    Books often enlighten readers to different ways of thinking.
    The speaker enlightened the audience on how to succeed in college.
  • enormous
    enormous
    adv. enormously; n. enormity
    →
    adj. very large
    syn. tremendous
    His enormous wealth allows him to contribute to many charities.
    A diet with many fruits and vegetables is enormously beneficial to the body.
  • enrich
    enrich
    n. enrichment; adj. enriching
    →
    v. to make rich; to make something of greater value
    syn. enhance
    The fine arts enrich our lives.
    The discovery of oil was an enrichment for the country.
  • entirely
    entirely
    adj. entire; n. entirety
    →
    adv. completely
    syn. thoroughly
    The economist was entirely right in his analysis.
    The president released the speech in its entirety before the news conference.
  • erode
    erode
    n. erosion
    →
    v. to wear away; disappear slowly
    syn. deteriorate
    The senator’s support is eroding because of his unpopular positions on the major issues.
    It took millions of years of erosion for nature to form the Grand Canyon.
  • erratic
    erratic
    adv. erratically
    →
    adj. no regular pattern in thinking or movement; changeable without reason
    syn. inconsistent
    The artist’s paintings have an erratic quality, some being excellent, and others mediocre.
    The unstable chemical reacted erratically.
  • evaporate
    evaporate
    n. evaporation
    →
    v. to vanish
    syn. disappear
    The chances of the two sides reaching an agreement have evaporated.
    The evaporation of the funds was unexplainable.
  • eventually
    eventually
    →
    adv. to happen at some time in the future, usually gradually
    syn. finally
    A good education will eventually pay big dividends.
    Eventually the couple will pay off their mortgage and own their house.
  • evident
    evident
    adv. evidently; n. evidence
    →
    adj. easy to see, usually because of some proof
    syn. apparent
    It is evident that you are not feeling well.
    All the evidence points to the presence of hydrogen.
  • evoke
    evoke
    →
    v. to call up or produce memories or feelings; to cause to remember
    syn. remind
    Hearing her favorite song evoked fond memories of her high school years.
    Most sounds evoke hints of time and place.
  • evolve
    evolve
    n. evolution
    →
    v. to grow; to go through a period of change
    syn. develop
    The management team’s idea evolved over a period of two years.
    The country’s hopes for a rapid evolution of its economy depend on approval of free trade agreements.
  • exaggerate
    exaggerate
    adj. exaggerated; n. exaggeration
    →
    v. to make something more than what it is
    syn. overstate
    The federal government exaggerated the success of its programs.
    To say that his business is successful would be a slight exaggeration.
  • exceedingly
    exceedingly
    v. exceed; n. excess; adj. excessive; adv. excessively
    →
    adv. very; to an unusual degree
    syn. extremely
    In tropical zones, it is exceedingly hot and humid.
    It is not safe to exceed the speed limit.
  • exceptional
    exceptional
    adv. exceptionally
    →
    adj. unusual in a positive way
    syn. phenomenal
    The orchestra’s performance was exceptional.
    The North Star is exceptionally bright.
  • exclusively
    exclusively
    adj. exclusive; n. exclusion; v. exclude
    →
    adv. no one else; nothing else; not shared with others
    syn. restrictively
    This room is used exclusively by the faculty.
    They excluded everyone under 21 from the contest.
  • exemplify
    exemplify
    adj. exemplary
    →
    v. to give an example
    syn. symbolize
    The recent downturn in the housing industry exemplifies the poor economic conditions.
    Her exemplary academic achievement is representative of most students at this institution.
  • exert
    exert
    n. exertion
    →
    v. to put into use; to put forth an effort
    syn. apply
    He had to exert all of his strength to move the heavy box.
    Your body will be better prepared for physical exertion if you exercise daily.
  • exhaust
    exhaust
    adv. exhaustively; adj. exhaustive; adj. exhausting; adj. exhausted; n. exhaustion
    →
    v. to use completely; to expend all energy; very thorough
    syn. deplete
    They exhausted their energy in ten minutes.
    The exhaustive report was acclaimed by everyone.
  • exhibit
    exhibit
    n. exhibit; n. exhibition; n. exhibitor
    →
    v. to show or demonstrate
    syn. display
    The compound exhibits the qualities of an acid.
    It was the best exhibition of talent that I have ever seen.
  • expansion
    expansion
    adj. expandable; v. expand
    →
    n. the act of making larger
    syn. growth
    Expansion occurs when matter is heated.
    The laboratory is expanding its capacity to produce computer chips.
  • exports
    exports
    adj. exported; v. export
    →
    n. products sold abroad
    syn. foreign sales
    The United States’ imports now exceed its exports.
    Exported goods are usually high in quality.
  • extensive
    extensive
    adv. extensively; v. extend*; n. extension*
    →
    adj. large in area or number
           *to offer; to make longer
    syn. comprehensive
    The extensive snowfall caused problems throughout the city.
    The professor extended a warm welcome to the new student.
  • extinguish
    extinguish
    adj. extinguishable; n. extinguishment
    →
    v. to bring about the end of something
    syn. terminate
    The firefighters quickly extinguished the flames.
    Modern medicine has extinguished many previously serious illnesses.
f
  • fabricate
    fabricate
    adj. fabricated; n. fabrication
    →
    v. to make up, usually with an intent to fool or trick; to lie
    syn. invent
    The executive fabricated the story about the merger.
    His alibi is the weakest fabrication I have ever heard.
  • face
    face
    →
    v. to be in the presence of and oppose
    syn. confront
    The mountain climbers faced grave danger on the cliff.
    He finds it difficult to face his problems.
  • facet
    facet
    adj. faceted
    →
    n. element or component
    syn. aspect
    The proposal had many beneficial facets.
    It was a multifaceted problem that challenged the entire student body.
  • facilitate
    facilitate
    adv. facilitative
    →
    v. to make easier; to ease the progress of
    syn. assist
    His careful planning facilitated the completion of the project.
    Good teaching strategies facilitate student learning.
  • factor in
    factor in
    →
    ph. v. to account for something while making a decision or analysis
    syn. consider
    The family had to factor in the price of gasoline as they planned their road trip.
    The architect did not factor in the required distance from the sidewalk in his design.
  • fallacious
    fallacious
    adv. fallaciously; n. fallacy
    →
    adj. having errors
    syn. incorrect
    Her fallacious argument could not be defended.
    It is a fallacy to think that money will bring you happiness.
  • falter
    falter
    →
    v. to hesitate or waver
    syn. weaken
    In 2008, the United States economy began to falter dramatically.
    He faltered under peer pressure and agreed to dance with the girl.
  • feasible
    feasible
    adv. feasibly; n. feasibility
    →
    adj. able to be done
    syn. possible
    It is a feasible design for the high-rise building.
    Before they begin the project, a study must be done of its feasibility.
  • feign
    feign
    adj. feigned
    →
    v. to pretend; make believe
    syn. simulate
    She feigned illness when it was time to visit the dentist.
    The athlete feigned his injury.
  • fertile
    fertile
    v. fertilize; n. fertility; n. fertilizer
    →
    adj. able to produce abundantly
    syn. rich
    The delta areas of rivers are known for their fertile soil.
    Fertilizers are used on crops to increase yields.
  • finite
    finite
    →
    adj. of a certain amount; having an end; not infinite
    syn. limited
    There are a finite number of explanations for the unusual results.
    Is there a finite number of stars in the universe?
  • flaw
    flaw
    adj. flawed
    →
    n. a small sign of damage that makes an item imperfect
    syn. defect
    There is a flaw in his theory.
    They noticed that the contract was flawed.
  • flourishing
    flourishing
    v. flourish
    →
    adj. active and growing; healthy
    syn. thriving
    Small flourishing companies would be harmed by an increase in the minimum wage.
    A young mind will flourish with the proper guidance.
  • forfeit
    forfeit
    n. forfeit
    →
    v. to give up; have something taken away, usually by rule or regulation
    syn. relinquish
    You may have to forfeit your home country’s citizenship to become a citizen of another country.
    The forfeit occurred because not enough players showed up.
  • formidable
    formidable
    adv. formidably
    →
    adj. difficult; causing worry or fear
    syn. overwhelming
    Their formidable opponents gave no sign of weakness.
    The man’s voice echoed formidably throughout the hallway.
  • foster
    foster
    →
    v. to promote growth or development
    syn. stimulate
    The industrial revolution fostered the rise of the middle class.
    Parents usually foster the development of good habits in their children.
  • found
    found
    n. foundation*; n. founder
    →
    v. to establish; start up;
        *a philanthropic organization
    syn. establish
    The wealthy woman founded a hospital in her hometown.
    The foundation maintained a number of philanthropic activities.
  • frail
    frail
    n. frailty
    →
    adj. weak in health or in body
    syn. fragile
    The frail wings of the newborn bird could not lift it off the ground.
    One of the frailties of human beings is laziness.
  • freshly
    freshly
    adj. fresh; v. freshen; n. freshness
    →
    adv. caught or produced not long ago
    syn. recently
    Freshly harvested produce is hard to find in the winter months.
    The product’s freshness depends on an efficient transportation system to bring it to market.
  • function
    function
    adv. functionally; adj. functional; v. function
    →
    n. the normal purpose of something
    syn. role
    It is the function of the director to organize and lead the department.
    Most appliances cannot function without electricity.
  • fundamental
    fundamental
    adv. fundamentally
    →
    adj. a primary or basic element
    syn. essential
    The student government promised fundamental changes in the registration process.
    He is fundamentally strong in his area of expertise.
g
  • generic
    generic
    adv. generically
    →
    adj. relating to a whole group or category of things
    syn. general
    “Bird” is the generic term used to describe animals with feathers.
    Universities provide students with the generic skills needed to compete in the workplace.
  • genuine
    genuine
    adv. genuinely; n. genuineness
    →
    adj. honest or true; real
    syn. authentic
    She was genuinely concerned about world hunger.
    This is a genuine artifact from the American Civil War.
  • gigantic
    gigantic
    adv. gigantically
    →
    adj. very large
    syn. enormous
    Reaching the moon was a gigantic step in space exploration for mankind.
    New methods of farming offer gigantic advantages over the old methods.
  • gradually
    gradually
    adj. gradual
    →
    adv. slowly, but surely
    syn. steadily
    The bay has gradually deteriorated over the years.
    There has been a gradual change in the climate over the past decade.
  • gratifying
    gratifying
    adv. gratefully; adj. grateful; v. gratify; n. gratification; n. gratefulness
    →
    adj. giving pleasure or a feeling of accomplishment; showing thanks
    syn. satisfying
    Studying abroad can be a very gratifying experience.
    She was grateful for all the work he had done for her.
h
  • halt
    halt
    adv. haltingly; adj. halting; n. halt
    →
    v. to stop or discontinue
    syn. stop
    Bus service to the city was halted due to poor road conditions.
    The supervisor put a halt to the tardiness of the employees.
  • handle
    handle
    n. handling
    →
    v. to deal with or control
    syn. manage
    They handled themselves very well given the circumstances.
    The president’s handling of the crisis was widely applauded.
  • haphazardly
    haphazardly
    adj. haphazard; n. haphazardness
    →
    adv. having no order or pattern; by chance
    syn. arbitrarily; carelessly
    It was obvious that the house was built haphazardly.
    Susan completed the assignment in a haphazard way.
  • harbor
    harbor
    →
    v. to give protection; to not express a desire or opinion, usually bad
    syn. shelter
    He harbors ill feelings for her.
    They harbored the political refugee in their home.
  • harmful
    harmful
    adv. harmfully; v. harm; n. harm
    →
    adj. something that causes pain or damage
    syn. unhealthy
    Excessive radiation is harmful to the body.
    Bleach harms certain fabrics.
  • harvest
    harvest
    adj. harvested; v. harvest
    →
    n. the act of collecting a crop; the crops gathered
    syn. gather
    The United States had a comparatively good grain harvest this year.
    They were able to harvest the crop before the rain.
  • hasten
    hasten
    adj. hastily; adj. hasty; n. hastiness
    →
    v. to cause to go faster; move forward more quickly
    syn. accelerate
    After notifying the driver’s family of the accident, the officer hastened to add that their son had not been hurt.
    You should not make important decisions hastily.
  • hazardous
    hazardous
    adv. hazardously; n. hazard
    →
    adj. very risky, unsafe
    syn. dangerous
    Handling flammable liquids is hazardous.
    There are many hazards involved with starting a business.
  • heighten
    heighten
    adj. heightened; n. height
    →
    v. to cause to become greater
    syn. intensify
    A very successful interview can heighten a candidate’s chances to get a job.
    The public was in a heightened state of nervousness as the hurricane approached.
  • heyday
    heyday
    →
    n. a high point of success or abundance
    syn. pinnacle
    Many settlers became rich during the heyday of the California gold rush of the 1800s.
    We are living in the heyday of digital communications.
  • highlight
    highlight
    n. highlight
    →
    v. to emphasize the part of a greater whole
    syn. emphasize
    The owner’s manual highlights the basic functions of the camera.
    The final goal was the highlight of the game.
  • hue
    hue
    →
    n. color
    syn. color
    he hue of the sunset was beautiful.
    The hue of the room gave it a warm feeling.
i
  • idol
    idol
    n. idolatry; adj. idolatrous
    →
    n. a person or image that is loyally admired or respected
    syn. hero
    The Beatles, a famous singing group of the 1960s, were the idols of many teenage girls.
    Sports fans often idolize famous athletes.
  • ignite
    ignite
    adj. ignitable; n. ignition
    →
    v. to set on fire; to give energy or life to something
    syn. kindle
    The jury’s decision ignited a fierce debate in the legal community.
    Wood is difficult to ignite if it is damp.
  • immense
    immense
    adv. immensely; n. immensity
    →
    adj. extremely large
    syn. massive
    From the mountaintop you can see the immense valley.
    She was immensely interested in the idea of teaching a foreign language.
  • impartial
    impartial
    n. impartiality
    →
    adj. showing no favoritism; being fair or just
    syn. objective
    Teachers must be impartial judges of their students’ work.
    Judges are known for their impartiality.
  • impressive
    impressive
    adv. impressively; v. impress; n. impression
    →
    adj. causing admiration because of an object’s importance, size, or quality
    syn. imposing
    Lincoln’s power of persuasion was impressive.
    Everyone left with a good impression of the play.
  • improperly
    improperly
    adj. improper; n. impropriety
    →
    adv. not following established rules; not desirable
    syn. inappropriately
    The disappointing outcome was a result of an improperly prepared petri dish.
    There was an impropriety with the way the funds were spent.
  • impulsively
    impulsively
    adj. impulsive; n. impulse; n. impulsiveness
    →
    adv. acting without thinking
    syn. capriciously
    She reacted impulsively to the loud noise.
    Many shoppers buy items on impulse.
  • in conjunction with
    in conjunction with
    →
    prep.
    ph. in addition to, alongside
    syn. along with
    Exercise, in conjunction with a nourishing diet, contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
    The architects planned the building in conjunction with the engineers.
  • inaccessible
    inaccessible
    n. inaccessibility; adv. inaccessibly
    →
    adj. something that cannot be reached or communicated with
    syn. remote
    The summit of the mountain was inaccessible.
    The dignitary’s inaccessibility frustrated the reporter.
  • inadvertently
    inadvertently
    adj. inadvertent
    →
    adv. by accident; without paying attention; unexpectedly
    syn. carelessly
    The reporters had inadvertently failed to include the name of one of the dignitaries.
    His inadvertent calculation caused him to derive the wrong answer.
  • incessant
    incessant
    adv. incessantly
    →
    adj. nonstop, continual, or never-ending
    syn. constant
    The woman’s incessant talking disturbed everyone watching the movie.
    The dogs’ incessant barking kept the whole neighborhood up all night.
  • indifferent
    indifferent
    n. indifference
    →
    adj. being uninterested or not caring about something
    syn. apathetic
    The teacher was indifferent to student requests to extend the project’s deadline.
    The player’s indifference about his error on the field upset the coach.
  • indiscriminate
    indiscriminate
    adv. indiscriminately
    →
    adj. not chosen carefully; unplanned
    syn. arbitrary
    The indiscriminate arrangement of the products made the store confusing.
    The book’s chapters seem to be organized indiscriminately.
  • inevitable
    inevitable
    adv. inevitably; n. inevitability
    →
    adj. something that cannot be prevented from happening
    syn. unavoidable
    When two weather systems meet, unpredictable weather conditions are inevitable.
    The inevitability of the outcome made the challenge less exciting.
  • infancy
    infancy
    adj. infantile; n. infant
    →
    n. in the beginning stages of development
    syn. beginning
    The new theory is in its infancy and will be thoroughly tested by its critics.
    The author’s infantile writing style appeals to young readers.
  • influx
    influx
    →
    n. a sudden increase
    syn. inflow
    Each holiday season, the company experiences an influx of customers.
    There was an influx of Western influence in eastern Asia.
  • infrequently
    infrequently
    adj. infrequent; n. infrequency
    →
    adv. almost never
    syn. rarely
    Tornadoes occur infrequently in the eastern part of the United States.
    Deserts are characterized by their infrequent rainfall.
  • ingredients
    ingredients
    →
    n. things combined to make something; the contents of something
    syn. elements
    The ingredients of the product are kept secret.
    Good style, punctuation, and grammar are the important ingredients of a good essay.
  • initiate
    initiate
    adj. initiated; n. initiation; n. initiative
    →
    v. to begin; to establish; to take decisive action without help
    syn. launch
    The newcomers initiated the long citizenship process.
    Their work shows a lot of initiative.
  • innovative
    innovative
    n. innovator; n. innovation
    →
    adj. something newly introduced; creative
    syn. creative
    This innovative project is worthy of support.
    There have been many innovations in the field of genetic engineering.
  • inordinate
    inordinate
    adv. inordinately
    →
    adj. a large amount or quantity; more than reasonable
    syn. excessive
    The airlines had to cancel an inordinate number of flights due to the fog.
    There was an inordinately large number of whales off the coast.
  • insignificant
    insignificant
    adv. insignificantly; n. insignificance
    →
    adj. not important; of little value
    syn. meaningless
    The amount of rainfall this summer has been insignificant.
    The insignificance of his comment became apparent with the passing of time.
  • install
    install
    n. installation; n. installer
    →
    v. to set up or create an office; to place in a fixed position
    syn. establish
    The software we needed was already installed on the computer.
    Antonia was installed as president of the art club last week.
  • instantaneous
    instantaneous
    adv. instantly; n. instant
    →
    adj. occurring in an instant
    syn. immediate
    A lightbulb turns on nearly instantaneously when you flip the switch.
    The teacher was instantly met with complaints when he announced the test.
  • instigate
    instigate
    n. instigator; adj. instigative; adv. instigatively
    →
    v. to cause a conflict or argument
    syn. initiate
    No one knew who had instigated the demonstration.
    Dissatisfaction with government policies instigated the revolution.
  • insufficient
    insufficient
    →
    adj. not enough; unsatisfactory
    syn. inadequate
    He had insufficient materials to build his construction project.
    A small breakfast is usually insufficient to have a good start to the day.
  • integral
    integral
    adv. integrally; n. integrallity
    →
    adj. to be an essential or basic part of something
    syn. vital
    Knowledge of spelling is an integral part of writing in any language.
    A film’s music is integral to drawing the viewers into the story.
  • intensify
    intensify
    n. intensity; adj. intense; adj. intensive; adv. intensely; adv. intensively
    →
    v. to make stronger in feeling or quality
    syn. heighten
    The importance of the test will sometimes intensify the nervousness of the students.
    The chess match was played with great intensity.
  • intentionally
    intentionally
    adj. intentional; n. intention; n. intent
    →
    adv. with definite purpose and planning
    syn. deliberately
    The machine was left on intentionally.
    Her action was an indication of her good intentions.
  • intervention
    intervention
    v. intervene
    →
    n. taking action; be involved
    syn. involvement
    The tutor’s intervention helped him improve his grade.
    Some world leaders decide to not intervene in the affairs of other nations.
  • intolerable
    intolerable
    n. intolerance; adv. intolerably; adv. intolerantly; adj. intolerant
    →
    adj. difficult or painful to experience; not able to accept different ways of thought or behavior
    syn. unbearable
    Any opposition to the rules is intolerable.
    His boss was intolerant of his tardiness.
  • intricate
    intricate
    adv. intricately; n. intricacy
    →
    adj. having many parts; finely detailed
    syn. complex
    The intricate design of the vase made it a valuable piece for her collection.
    I cannot begin to understand all of the intricacies of modern automobile motors.
  • intrigue
    intrigue
    adj. intriguing; adv. intriguingly; n. intrigue
    →
    v. to interest greatly
    syn. fascinate
    He was intrigued by the acclaim that he received.
    The intriguing question baffled historians.
  • intrinsic
    intrinsic
    adv. intrinsically
    →
    adj. being a primary part of something
    syn. inherent
    A penny has little intrinsic value.
    The forests of the Northwest are intrinsically rich in natural resources.
  • intrusive
    intrusive
    adv. intrusively; v. intrude; n. intrusion; n. intruder
    →
    adj. the state of being inside when not desired to be there by others
    syn. annoying
    The intrusive bacteria caused his condition to worsen.
    The intrusion of the hazardous gas made it difficult to live in the house.
  • intuition
    intuition
    adj. intuitive
    →
    n. a feeling or instinct
    syn. hunch
    He often relies on his intuition rather than analyzing the situation logically.
    Her intuition told her that there was more to the story than she knew.
  • inundate
    inundate
    n. inundation
    →
    v. to flood
    syn. overwhelm
    The radio stations were inundated with reports of a severe traffic accident.
    The charity received an inundation of donations after the news story was published.
  • involuntarily
    involuntarily
    adj. involuntary
    →
    adv. in an unthinking manner; not chosen
    syn. automatically
    He involuntarily worked overtime.
    Reflexes are involuntary reactions to external stimuli.
  • isolated
    isolated
    v. isolate; n. isolation
    →
    adj. to keep separated from others
    syn. secluded
    The failure of the communications system left the towns isolated.
    The doctors were unable to isolate the cause of the epidemic.
j
  • jargon
    jargon
    adj. jargony
    →
    n. language specific to a profession or activity
    syn. terminology
    The legal jargon in the contract was confusing.
    Science fiction jargon used in television shows and movies often comes from real science.
  • justify
    justify
    n. justification; adj. justifiably
    →
    v. to show to be right or reasonable; to support
    syn. defend
    The young boy could not justify his rude behavior.
    There was no justification for the criminal’s attack.
l
  • lack
    lack
    adj. lacking; v. lack
    →
    n. a need for; an insufficient amount
    syn. shortage
    There was an inordinate lack of rain last fall.
    The mathematician was lacking in communication skills.
  • launch
    launch
    n. launch; n. launching
    →
    v. to cause something to begin
    syn. initiate
    The company launched a new program to attract more clients.
    The launching of the first Soviet Sputnik created concern among the American public.
  • legitimate
    legitimate
    adv. legitimately; n. legitimacy
    →
    adj. reasonable; lawful
    syn. authentic
    The engineer had a legitimate reason for changing the design of the building.
    The legitimacy of the theory has yet to be determined.
  • lethargy
    lethargy
    adj. lethargic; adv. lethargically
    →
    n. a lack of energy or commitment; lazy; indifferent
    syn. sluggishness
    The hippopotamus basking in the sun displayed almost total lethargy.
    When it is time to do homework assignments, many students become lethargic.
  • limber
    limber
    →
    adj. to be stretched; easily shaped
    syn. flexible
    The dancer has a limber body.
    He was able to perform the limber movements that are required of a gymnast.
  • look over
    look over
    →
    ph. v. to review something; inspect
    syn. examine
    He asked his mentor to look over his essay.
    She looked over the research in the library’s database.
m
  • magnitude
    magnitude
    adv. magnificently; adj. magnificent; v. magnify*; n. magnification*
    →
    n. of great size or importance
        *to increase
    syn. dimension
    The magnitude of shock waves determines the damage that occurs during an earthquake.
    The invention of the telephone was a magnificent achievement for mankind.
  • maintain
    maintain
    n. maintenance
    →
    v. to support; to keep in good condition
    syn. preserve
    The building had to be renovated because it was not well maintained.
    Proper maintenance of a car’s engine will preserve its performance and value.
  • mammoth
    mammoth
    n. mammoth
    →
    adj. very large
    syn. enormous
    The successful entrepreneur is now known as a mammoth in the computer world.
    The physics teacher required the students to purchase a mammoth textbook.
  • marvel
    marvel
    adv. marvelously; adj. marvelous
    →
    n. something that surprises or impresses
    syn. wonder
    The Great Wall of China is one of the world’s marvels.
    The weather was marvelous for an afternoon get-together in the park.
  • means
    means
    →
    n. ways
    syn. methods
    He was told to finish the job by any means available to him.
    The most convenient means of communicating with someone is by phone.
  • mediocre
    mediocre
    n. mediocrity
    →
    adj. of average quality; not good or bad
    syn. average
    This is a mediocre research report.
    The mediocrity of his work was disappointing.
  • mimic
    mimic
    n. mimicker
    →
    v. to copy an action
    syn. imitate
    The comedian mimicked the president’s gestures.
    Parrots mimic the speech that they hear in their surroundings.
  • mindset
    mindset
    →
    n. an established attitude or mood
    syn. mentality
    A person is more likely to succeed if he or she approaches projects with a positive mindset.
    The political mindset is different in every region of the country.
  • minuscule
    minuscule
    adj. minute; n. minutia
    →
    adj. of little consequence; very small
    syn. tiny
    The sale of the building had a minuscule effect on the profits of the corporation.
    Some leaves are covered with minute hairs.
  • mirror
    mirror
    n. mirror
    →
    v. to show, as in a mirror
    syn. reflect
    The results of the study mirror public opinion.
    The strength of the economy is mirrored in the standard of living of the people.
  • moderate
    moderate
    adv. moderately; v. moderate*; n. moderation
    →
    adj. not too much, not too little;
           *to reduce
    syn. medium
    She made the best of her moderate dancing ability.
    The Broadway play was moderately successful.
  • mortify
    mortify
    n. mortification
    →
    v. to embarrass
    syn. humiliate
    He was mortified upon forgetting his lines during the play.
    She mortified her son by showing Alice his baby pictures.
  • motivate
    motivate
    n. motivation; adj. motivated
    →
    v. to provide a reason or purpose for doing something
    syn. encourage
    Grades motivate most students to do well in their studies.
    The speaker gave a motivational speech that inspired everyone in the audience.
  • mundane
    mundane
    adv. mundanely; n. mundaneness; n. mundanity
    →
    adj. common or routine
    syn. ordinary
    The student’s mundane summer job frustrated her.
    His mother asked him to do all the mundane household chores.
  • mysterious
    mysterious
    adv. mysteriously; n. mystery; n. mysteriousness
    →
    adj. not easily understood or figured out
    syn. baffling
    He had a mysterious effect on everyone who heard him speak.
    The man’s disappearance was a mystery.
  • myth
    myth
    adj. mythological; n. mythology
    →
    n. an invented story or idea
    syn. legend
    Throughout history myths were created in an attempt to explain many common natural occurrences.
    Mythology is the study of legends and fables.
n
  • narrate
    narrate
    adj. narrative; n. narrative; n. narration; n. narrator
    →
    v. to tell a story; relate
    syn. relate
    The American actor, Morgan Freeman, narrated the documentary film.
    Her fabricated narrative generated a lot of excitement.
  • negligible
    negligible
    adv. negligibly; adj. neglected; adj. neglectful; adj. negligent; n. neglect; n. negligence; v. neglect
    →
    adj. hardly noticeable; scarcely detectable
    v. to ignore; to give little attention
    syn. insignificant
    The amount of bacteria in the culture was negligible.
    His negligence caused him to lose all of the work he had done on the computer.
  • negotiate
    negotiate
    n. negotiation; n. negotiator
    →
    v. to find a middle ground, come to an agreement
    syn. bargain
    He negotiated with his teacher for an extension on the project.
    The negotiations brought about an end to the conflict.
  • nevertheless
    nevertheless
    →
    conj. in spite of that
    syn. nonetheless
    She was quite sick; nevertheless, she attended all of her classes.
    His project was flawed; nevertheless, it won second prize.
  • nominal
    nominal
    adv. nominally
    →
    adj. very small; in form, but not in substance
    syn. moderate
    The office building was sold at a nominal price.
    She was nominally successful as an actress.
  • normally
    normally
    adj. normal; v. normalize; n. normalization; n. norm
    →
    adv. commonly; usually
    syn. typically
    It is normally quite cold this time of the year.
    The new treaty led to a normalization of relations between the two countries.
  • notion
    notion
    →
    n. an idea, belief, or opinion
    syn. concept
    She has the notion that she wants to become an architect.
    Some outlandish notions about the origin of the solar system have been disproved.
  • novel
    novel
    →
    adj. something unusual, uncommon; new
    syn. original
    The physicist had some novel ideas about traveling at the speed of light.
    The novel suggestions were implemented.
  • nurture
    nurture
    adj. nurturing; n. nurture
    →
    v. to support and encourage the development of something
    syn. cultivate
    The owner of the vineyard carefully nurtures the grapevines in order to produce the best grapes.
    That school is well-known for having a nurturing learning environment.
o
  • oblige
    oblige
    adv. obligingly; adj. obliging; adj. obligatory; n. obligation
    →
    v. to have to do something
    syn. require
    She felt obliged to choose him as her lab partner.
    Payment of the student activity fee was obligatory.
  • oblivious
    oblivious
    n. obliviousness; adj. obliviously
    →
    adj. to be unaware of or forgetful
    syn. ignorant
    The students were oblivious to the fact that the test would cover the entire chapter.
    The coastal inhabitants were oblivious to the dangers of the approaching hurricane.
  • obsolete
    obsolete
    n. obsolescence
    →
    adv. being old fashioned; no longer in general use
    syn. outdated
    Some people believe that writing instruments, such as pencils and pens, will soon be obsolete.
    Some products are manufactured with planned obsolescence.
  • obstruct
    obstruct
    n. obstruction; adj. obstructive; adv. obstructively
    →
    v. to prevent movement, progress, or success
    syn. block
    Just after the storm, downed trees obstructed many roads in the community.
    A huge building obstructed the ocean view from the apartment.
  • obtain
    obtain
    adj. obtainable
    →
    v. to gain or secure something
    syn. gain
    The university obtained a new particle accelerator.
    The painting by Whistler was not obtainable.
  • obviously
    obviously
    adj. obvious
    →
    adv. in a clear, easy-to-understand way
    syn. evidently
    It had obviously rained.
    It was obvious that he had not practiced his oral report.
  • odd
    odd
    adv. oddly; n. oddity
    →
    adj. unusual
    syn. strange
    It is odd to find a person who speaks many languages.
    The moon rock is an oddity available at the museum for all to view.
  • offensive
    offensive
    n. offensiveness; adv. offensively
    →
    adj. causing anger; rude; being unpleasant
    syn. insulting
    Rotten eggs emit an offensive odor.
    Her offensive remarks angered the entire audience.
  • omit
    omit
    adj. omitted; n. omission
    →
    v. to leave out; not include
    syn. neglect
    She inadvertently omitted some important data from the report.
    His paper had several notable omissions.
  • ongoing
    ongoing
    →
    adj. continuing
    syn. current
    The tutoring project is an ongoing program of the school.
    Maintaining roads is an ongoing job.
  • opposition
    opposition
    adj. opposed; v. oppose
    →
    n. the state of acting against; not being in agreement
    syn. resistance
    The students voiced their opposition to the rise in tuition.
    The government opposed price controls.
  • outburst
    outburst
    →
    n. a sudden and intense release of something
    syn. eruption
    The joke caused an outburst of laughter from the audience.
    There was an outburst of complaints from the students when the teacher moved the test to Monday.
  • outlandish
    outlandish
    adv. outlandishly
    →
    adj. strange and unpleasant; beyond accepted norms
    syn. bizarre
    His outlandish ideas demonstrated his creativity.
    Rebellious youth in many countries dress outlandishly.
  • overbearing
    overbearing
    →
    adj. persistently overconfident or controlling
    syn. oppressive
    The old woman’s overbearing demeanor did not make her approachable.
    The teacher tried his best to not be overbearing when speaking to his students.
  • overcome
    overcome
    →
    v. to defeat; fight with success; to take control of an individual
    syn. conquer
    The young woman was overcome with emotion when she learned she had won a scholarship.
    The family overcame many obstacles to purchase the house.
  • overlook
    overlook
    adj. overlooked
    →
    v. to ignore or neglect
    syn. disregard
    Scientists must not overlook any aspect of experimental procedure.
    The overlooked error raised his score on the test.
  • overtly
    overtly
    adj. overt
    →
    adv. in a way clearly seen; not done secretly
    syn. openly
    He overtly disregarded the regulations.
    Her overt attempt to take control of the discussion failed.
p
  • parallel
    parallel
    v. parallel
    →
    adj. being almost of the same type or time; comparable
    syn. similar
    There were many parallels between his life and mine.
    Her background parallels mine.
  • paramount
    paramount
    adv. paramountly; n. paramountcy
    →
    adj. to be of highest importance
    syn. foremost
    The club’s paramount goal is to raise awareness of the importance of community service.
    Being quiet is of paramount importance while watching a movie at the theater.
  • partially
    partially
    adv. partly; adj. partial; n. part
    →
    adv. a part of the whole; incomplete
    syn. somewhat
    The clerk was only partially responsible for the error.
    The business venture was only a partial success.
  • particle
    particle
    →
    n. a very small piece of something
    syn. fragment
    Particles of dust can destroy electronic instruments.
    Small particles of matter hold the keys to understanding the origin of life.
  • particular
    particular
    adv. particularly*
    →
    adj. a certain way or thing; unusual; hard to please;
           *especially
    syn. specific
    The speaker has a particular way of persuading his audience.
    Some customers are particularly difficult to satisfy.
  • partisan
    partisan
    →
    adj. strongly supporting a group or point of view
    syn. biased
    Partisan political infighting has caused a decline in the efficiency of Congress.
    His views reflected his partisan bias.
  • pattern
    pattern
    adj. patterned; v. pattern
    →
    n. a regular, repeated arrangement or action
    syn. habit
    The bright pattern of the monarch butterfly distracts its predators.
    The new stadium was patterned after the old traditional ballparks.
  • perceive
    perceive
    adv. perceptibly; adj. perceivable; adj. perceptive; adv. perceptively; n. perception
    →
    v. to sense; become aware of
    syn. observe
    We perceive major differences between the two political parties.
    Porpoises are very perceptive mammals.
  • perilous
    perilous
    adv. perilously; n. peril
    →
    adj. threatening or risky; harmful
    syn. dangerous
    It is perilous to exceed the speed limit.
    There are ample perils in the sport of mountain climbing.
  • periodic
    periodic
    adj. periodical; adv. periodically
    →
    adj. occurring at specific, determined periods of time
    syn. regularly
    Periodic payments must be made on home loans.
    Some people need periodic doses of medicine.
  • persistent
    persistent
    v. persist; n. persistence; adv. persistently
    →
    adj. continuous; refusing to give up; firm in action or decision
    syn. constant
    The attorney’s persistent questioning unsettled the witness.
    Her persistence earned her a spot on the team.
  • persuade
    persuade
    adv. persuasively; adj. persuasive; n. persuasion
    →
    v. to change a belief or behavior by argument or reason
    syn. convince
    They couldn’t persuade their critics to see their point of view.
    John presented a persuasive argument for his salary increase.
  • petition
    petition
    n. petition
    →
    v. to make a request
    syn. appeal
    Canada petitioned the United Nations to consider its case.
    The student’s petition was denied.
  • phenomena
    phenomena
    adv. phenomenally; adj. phenomenal; n. phenomenon
    →
    n. natural events or facts; strange or notable happenings
    syn. events
    Rain showers are almost unknown phenomena in the Atacama Desert of Chile.
    The musician’s phenomenal performance was applauded by the critics.
  • philanthropic
    philanthropic
    n. philanthropist; n. philanthropy
    →
    adj. a feeling of love for people, usually resulting in financial aid to worthy causes
    syn. humanitarian
    The philanthropic work of the foundation benefits all sectors of society.
    His philanthropy is recognized around the world.
  • pinpoint
    pinpoint
    adj. pinpoint
    →
    v. to find or describe something with precision
    syn. locate
    The engineers were immediately able to pinpoint the problem with the bridge.
    The new, advanced thermometer measures the temperature with pinpoint accuracy.
  • placid
    placid
    adv. placidly
    →
    adj. quiet; not easily upset
    syn. calm
    The placid nature of her personality made her easy to work with.
    The waves moved placidly toward shore.
  • plentiful
    plentiful
    adv. plentifully; n. plenty
    →
    adj. more than sufficient
    syn. abundant
    Examples of Miro’s art are plentiful.
    A balanced diet normally provides plenty of the necessary vitamins.
  • portray
    portray
    n. portrayal
    →
    v. to represent; to act
    syn. depict
    The actress portrayed an orphan in the movie.
    The book’s portrayal of Mozart as a calm, mature individual is inaccurate.
  • postpone
    postpone
    adj. postponable; n. postponement
    →
    v. to change to a later time; to delay
    syn. reschedule
    The referees decided to postpone the soccer match.
    The postponement of the meeting upset the impatient club members.
  • potent
    potent
    →
    adj. very strong
    syn. powerful
    He gave a potent speech at the convention.
    The venom of the coral snake is extremely potent.
  • potential
    potential
    adj. potential; adv. potentially
    →
    n. an ability, happening, or opportunity that has not occurred or been developed
    syn. possibility
    The medical students have shown great potential to become doctors.
    Small space heaters are a potential fire hazard.
  • practical
    practical
    adv. practically; adj. practicable; n. practicality
    →
    adj. convenient or effective
    syn. functional
    Her ambitious plan was not very practical.
    Space travel to distant planets is not practicable at this time.
  • precarious
    precarious
    adv. precariously
    →
    adj. not safe, firm, or steady
    syn. hazardous
    The diver put himself in a precarious situation among the sharks.
    The cup was positioned precariously on the edge of the table.
  • precious
    precious
    →
    adj. having much monetary or sentimental value; beautiful
    syn. cherished
    This golden ring is my most precious possession.
    The precious stone was one of a kind.
  • precipitate
    precipitate
    →
    v. to speed up the occurrence or development of something
    syn. hasten
    Romeo and Juliet’s relationship precipitated a violent conflict.
    Trade with other cultures was the main precipitant for the advent of the Renaissance.
  • preconception
    preconception
    adj. preconceived; v. preconceive
    →
    n. an opinion formed in advance without experience or knowledge of something
    syn. bias
    It is difficult to overcome preconceptions if we are not open to new ideas.
    His preconceived notions about Los Angeles disappeared after he visited the city.
  • predictably
    predictably
    adj. predictable; v. predict; n. prediction
    →
    adv. in a way that foretells future events
    syn. expectedly
    She predictably forgot to do her assignment.
    The government’s predictions were accurate.
  • predominant
    predominant
    adv. predominantly; n. predominate; n. predominance
    →
    adj. the most noticeable or powerful element
    syn. principal
    The predominant export of the Middle East is petroleum.
    Many cities in the Southwest are predominantly Hispanic.
  • prevalent
    prevalent
    n. prevalence
    →
    adj. existing widely or commonly
    syn. commonplace
    Comfortable trade winds are prevalent in the Caribbean islands.
    There is a prevalence of disease where poor sanitation conditions exist.
  • prime
    prime
    adj. primed; adj. prime*; n. prime
    →
    v. to make ready;
        *first in importance or in time
    syn. prepare
    The directors primed the actors before the performance.
    Mozart passed away in the prime of his life.
  • proficient
    proficient
    adv. proficiently; n. proficiency
    →
    adj. to be skilled or experienced in something
    syn. competent
    The exam will test the students’ proficiency in the Portuguese language.
    Highly proficient athletes earn the privilege of competing in the Olympics.
  • profoundly
    profoundly
    adj. profound; n. profundity
    →
    adv. in a deep way; showing deep knowledge of a subject
    syn. significantly
    Everyone was profoundly impressed by the news reports.
    The Nobel Prize is a profound recognition of outstanding achievement.
  • profuse
    profuse
    n. profuseness; adv. profusely
    →
    adj. to be very generous, often in excess
    syn. abundant
    The company apologized profusely for the defects in its product.
    She deserved the profuse praise from her teacher.
  • prominent
    prominent
    adv. prominently; n. prominence
    →
    adj. famous; having a high position
    syn. renowned
    Their talent for locating oil deposits made them prominent geologists in the corporation.
    He gained prominence through his television appearances.
  • promote
    promote
    n. promoter; n. promotion
    →
    v. to encourage or advertise; to elevate in rank or grade
    syn. boost
    Many nations promote tourism to lure foreign currency.
    The customers responded favorably to the half-price promotion.
  • prompt
    prompt
    adv. promptly; n. promptness
    →
    v. to cause something to happen; do quickly; be on time
    syn. induce
    His emotional plea prompted the director to give him a second chance.
    Promptness is a valued trait in the professional world.
  • prone
    prone
    →
    adj. likely to do something
    syn. inclined to
    Most liquids are prone to contract when frozen.
    She is prone to study hard the night before her tests.
  • propensity
    propensity
    →
    n. a bias toward certain things or actions
    syn. tendency
    He has a propensity to procrastinate.
    She has a propensity for being extremely friendly to newcomers.
  • prophetic
    prophetic
    adv. prophetically; v. prophesy; n. prophecy; n. prophet
    →
    adj. correctly telling about future events
    syn. predictive
    His prophetic powers were investigated by a team of psychologists.
    The brilliant student fulfilled his teacher’s prophecy that he would be a successful doctor.
  • proportions
    proportions
    adv. proportionally; adj. proportional; adj. proportionate; adv. proportionately
    →
    n. the relationship of size or importance when compared to another object or person
    syn. dimensions adj. proportional
    The goal of establishing a space station will take a team effort of major proportions.
    The pilot’s salary is proportional to that of pilots of other airlines.
  • propose
    propose
    n. proposal; n. proposition; adj. proposed
    →
    v. to suggest or plan to do something
    syn. suggest
    The governor is going to propose new taxes.
    Her proposal was well accepted.
  • prosperous
    prosperous
    adv. prosperously; v. prosper; n. prosperity
    →
    adj. successful, wealthy
    syn. thriving
    In the early 1900s, San Francisco was a prosperous city.
    Bacteria prosper under the proper conditions.
  • provoke
    provoke
    n. provocation; adj. provocative
    →
    v. to cause or produce negative behavior or result
    syn. trigger
    The installation of speed cameras provoked an angry response from the public.
    The manager did not deliberately provoke the argument among his workers.
  • purposefully
    purposefully
    adj. purposeful; adv. purposely; n. purpose
    →
    adv. done for a special reason
    syn. deliberately
    The course syllabus was designed purposefully to be easy to follow.
    He was authorized to spend the money for business purposes.
r
  • radiant
    radiant
    adv. radiantly; n. radiance; n. radiation; n. radiator
    →
    adj. sending out in all directions, especially heat or light
    syn. bright
    The actor’s radiant smile captivated the audience.
    The radiance of the fire prevented the firefighters from entering the house.
  • reaction
    reaction
    adv. reactively; adj. reactive; v. react; adj. reactionary
    →
    n. a reply; a change that occurs when substances are mixed
    syn. response
    When chlorine and ammonia are mixed, the chemical reaction causes chlorine gas.
    They reacted to the report by making some swift changes in management.
  • readily
    readily
    adj. ready; v. ready; n. readiness
    →
    adv. willingly; easily
    syn. freely
    The workers readily complained about the food in the cafeteria.
    Her readiness to cooperate was an important factor in the investigation.
  • reciprocate
    reciprocate
    →
    v. to give something or express a feeling in return
    syn. respond
    After he fixed her car, she reciprocated by buying him lunch.
    He is very polite, and I reciprocate by showing him the same politeness.
  • recompense
    recompense
    adv. recompensable; v. recompense
    →
    n. a repayment or reward for a deed
    syn. compensation
    The knight received gold as recompense for saving the kingdom.
    His boss assured him that he’d be recompensed for his extra efforts.
  • recover
    recover
    adj. recovered; adj. recoverable; n. recovery
    →
    v. to get back; to have something returned
    syn. retrieve
    The NASA team was unable to recover the space capsule.
    The recovered objects had not been damaged.
  • redundant
    redundant
    n. redundancy; adv. redundantly
    →
    adj. being excessive; showing unnecessary repetition
    syn. repetitious
    Students who ask teachers to “repeat that again” are being redundant because “repeat” means “again.”
    Lush, redundant vegetation is common in tropical climates.
  • refine
    refine
    n. refinement; adj. refined
    →
    v. to make pure; to improve
    syn. perfect (verb)
    Factories must refine oil before it can be used as fuel.
    A squirt of lime juice is the perfect refinement to cola.
  • reflection
    reflection
    adj. reflected; v. reflect
    →
    n. a picture or element thrown back
    syn. image
    His bright smile was a reflection of his satisfaction.
    In order for us to perceive something visually, light must be reflected from the object’s surface.
  • reject
    reject
    n. rejection
    →
    v. to refuse
    syn. refuse
    The insurance company rejected the claim.
    The rejection of his work was difficult for him to understand.
  • relate
    relate
    adj. related; n. relation; n. relationship
    →
    v. to tell; to show a connection between two things
    syn. communicate
    Although they did not agree with the plan, they did not relate their opposition to it.
    What is the relationship between supply and demand?
  • release
    release
    n. release
    →
    v. to allow to come out; to give freedom
    syn. free
    A new movie was just released.
    The release of the Supreme Court’s decision was expected today.
  • reliably
    reliably
    adj. reliable; adj. reliant; v. rely; n. reliability; n. reliance
    →
    adv. in a trusted way
    syn. dependably
    An appliance must perform its task reliably to be popular with consumers.
    Satellite photos show the smallest details with great reliability.
  • relinquish
    relinquish
    n. relinquishment
    →
    v. to give up control
    syn. abdicate
    The troubled executive relinquished her control of the company.
    The relinquishment of his claim to the building will allow the building to be sold.
  • reluctantly
    reluctantly
    adj. reluctant; n. reluctance
    →
    adj. unwillingly
    syn. hesitatingly
    Although not completely satisfied with the contract, the officials reluctantly agreed to sign it.
    The electrician was reluctant to estimate the cost of the repair work.
  • remarkable
    remarkable
    adv. remarkably
    →
    adj. worthy of mention; uncommon
    syn. exceptional
    The invention of the radio was a remarkable achievement.
    The actor was remarkably calm before his performance.
  • renown
    renown
    adj. renowned
    →
    n. fame
    syn. prominence
    This school is of great renown.
    The renowned conductor made a guest appearance at the concert.
  • reportedly
    reportedly
    adj. reported; v. report; n. report
    →
    adv. to know by report; unconfirmed; supposedly
    syn. rumored
    The students reportedly sent a representative, but she has not yet arrived.
    The reported tornado has not been confirmed.
  • requisite
    requisite
    v. require; n. requirement; n. requisition*; v. requisition*
    →
    adj. needed for a specific purpose;
           *a formal request
    syn. demanded
    Here is the list of requisite courses for the master’s degree in biology.
    The project team made a requisition for a new set of reference books.
  • resilient
    resilient
    adv. resiliently; n. resilience
    →
    adj. strong enough to recover from difficulty or disease
    syn. tenacious
    She has a resilient personality and will soon feel better.
    The doctor was surprised by his patient’s resilience.
  • restore
    restore
    n. restoration; adj. restored
    →
    v. to give back or bring back something; to return to the original condition
    syn. revitalize
    He restored my confidence in him.
    It is a beautiful restoration of the old table.
  • retrieve
    retrieve
    adj. retrieved; n. retrieval
    →
    v. to find and bring back
    syn. recover
    Will Detroit retrieve its status as the car manufacturing center of the world?
    This computerized information retrieval system is the most up-to-date system available.
  • reveal
    reveal
    adv. revealingly; adj. revealing; n. revelation
    →
    v. to uncover; to expose
    syn. disclose
    The president revealed some of his ideas before he gave his speech.
    The report made some revelations about the nature of the conflict.
  • revive
    revive
    n. revival; adj. revived
    →
    v. to restore to life or bring back into memory
    syn. renew
    The students revived the old tradition of having a homecoming dance.
    Old plays are sometimes revived by applying modern interpretations to their content.
  • rhythm
    rhythm
    adv. rhythmically; adj. rhythmic
    →
    n. a regular pattern, usually in music
    syn. pulse
    The rhythm of the rain hitting the roof put him to sleep.
    She noticed the rhythmic beating of her heart as the moment of truth arrived.
  • rigid
    rigid
    adv. rigidly
    →
    adj. not easy to bend; firm; inflexible
    syn. stiff
    The teacher was very rigid in his ideas about class attendance.
    He adhered rigidly to his opinions about economic growth.
  • robust
    robust
    adv. robustly; n. robustness
    →
    adj. showing good health; in good shape
    syn. energetic
    The robust economy is expected to continue growing quickly.
    The new product is selling robustly.
  • routinely
    routinely
    adj. routine; n. routine
    →
    adv. regularly; usually done
    syn. ordinarily
    She routinely gets a physical examination.
    It is routine for students to become homesick at times.
  • rudimentary
    rudimentary
    n. rudiment
    →
    adj. simple; not complex
    syn. basic
    He has a rudimentary knowledge of computers.
    The rudiments of grammar are taught in all English classes.
  • run into
    run into
    →
    ph. v. to come into contact with something or someone
    syn. encounter
    She ran into her old roommate at the reunion.
    The distracted driver narrowly avoided running into the tree.
s
  • saturate
    saturate
    n. saturation; adj. saturated
    →
    v. to fill or occupy to the maximum level
    syn. overflow
    In order to paint, you must saturate a brush with a hue of your choice.
    In order to obtain food, the sponge saturates itself with sea water.
  • scarcely
    scarcely
    adj. scarce; n. scarcity
    →
    adv. almost not
    syn. hardly
    The woman scarcely spoke a word of English.
    Due to a scarcity of water, a rationing plan was established.
  • scattered
    scattered
    v. scatter
    →
    adj. spread out or separated widely
    syn. dispersed
    Hurricane Andrew left debris scattered throughout Miami.
    The crowd scattered when it began to rain heavily.
  • scenic
    scenic
    adv. scenically; n. scenery; n. scene
    →
    adj. concerning pleasant natural surroundings
    syn. picturesque
    The scenic route to the summit is much more interesting than the fastest route.
    The scenery in rural Japan is impressive.
  • security
    security
    adv. securely; adj. secure; v. secure
    →
    n. the feeling of freedom from danger, doubt, or worry
    syn. safety
    Her sense of security increased as her grades improved.
    We secured all of the doors of the lab before leaving.
  • selective
    selective
    adv. selectively; adv. select; v. select; n. selection; n. selectivity
    →
    adj. carefully chosen
    syn. discriminating
    They were very selective when they chose the members of the academic team.
    He selected Spanish as his language class.
  • severe
    severe
    adv. severely; n. severity
    →
    adj. extreme; harmful
    syn. intense
    The weather service issued a severe storm warning for most of Michigan.
    The severity of his condition will not be known until the test results are studied.
  • shallow
    shallow
    adv. shallowly; n. shallowness
    →
    adj. not far from top to bottom
    syn. superficial
    Estuaries are typically shallow bodies of water.
    The results of their research demonstrated the shallowness of the hypothesis.
  • sharply
    sharply
    adj. sharp; v. sharpen; n. sharpness
    →
    adv. showing sensitivity or quick thinking; showing a quick change in direction
    syn. quickly
    Car prices rose sharply over the past year.
    There was a sharp change in the humidity after the storm.
  • shed
    shed
    →
    v. to throw off naturally; to give out
    syn. discard
    In order to grow, crabs must shed their shells.
    The experiments shed no new information on the cause of the disease.
  • sheltered
    sheltered
    v. shelter; n. shelter
    →
    adj. protected from harmful elements; isolated from reality
    syn. protected
    She has led a sheltered life, her parents having done everything for her.
    Everyone looked for shelter from the blazing sun.
  • shift
    shift
    adj. shifting; v. shift; adj. shifty
    →
    n. a change in position or direction
    syn. switch
    The shift in the wind was helpful to the sailors.
    Earthquakes are caused by the shifting of the Earth’s crust along tectonic faults.
  • simultaneous
    simultaneous
    adv. simultaneously
    →
    adj. occurring at the same time
    syn. concurrent
    The boys simultaneously screamed, “Ice cream!”
    This student is skilled at performing many tasks simultaneously.
  • singular
    singular
    →
    adj. the only one of its kind; extraordinary
    syn. unique
    The platypus is a singular example of a mammal that lays eggs.
    Her scientific experiment was a singular success!
  • situated
    situated
    n. situation*; v. situate
    →
    adj. being found in a certain place
           *a current condition
    syn. located
    The resort town of Cancun is situated in the northern part of the Yucatan peninsula.
    They found themselves in a very difficult situation.
  • skeptical
    skeptical
    adv. skeptically; n. skeptic
    →
    adj. to question the truthfulness of information presented as fact; to not trust
    syn. unconvinced
    The professor was skeptical about the theories of climate change.
    To answer his skeptics, the scientist presented proof of his conclusions at the conference.
  • somewhat
    somewhat
    →
    adj. a little
    syn. slight
    They feel somewhat tired after the mile run.
    Buying food at a convenience store can be somewhat expensive.
  • spacious
    spacious
    adv. spaciously; n. space; n. spaciousness
    →
    adj. having a lot of room syn. expansive
    The spacious plains of the Midwest make up the nation’s breadbasket.
    A vacuum is an empty space.
  • span
    span
    n. span
    →
    v. the length of time or distance from one limit to the other; to cross
    syn. cover
    The old man’s life spanned two centuries.
    The span of the bridge is three miles.
  • spontaneous
    spontaneous
    adv. spontaneously; n. spontaneity
    →
    adj. unplanned; uncontrolled
    syn. instinctive
    The spontaneous combustion inside the cylinder creates the power of the motor.
    The crowd reacted spontaneously to the danger.
  • sporadic
    sporadic
    adv. sporadically
    →
    adj. not consistent; irregular
    syn. erratic
    The radio communications were subject to sporadic sunspot interference.
    Violent storms occur sporadically in the Southwest.
  • stable
    stable
    adv. stably; n. stability
    →
    adj. experiencing few or no changes; not moving
    syn. steady
    Be sure the ladder is stable before climbing it.
    Most people believe that maintaining economic stability is an important goal of every government.
  • stagnant
    stagnant
    n. stagnation; v. stagnate
    →
    adj. not moving or developing
    syn. still
    The stagnant water was a perfect home for frogs.
    Some say that television causes the mind to stagnate.
  • stamina
    stamina
    →
    n. lasting physical or mental strength
    syn. endurance
    The Olympic runner demonstrated incredible stamina.
    The horse lacked the stamina to win the race.
  • stem from
    stem from
    →
    ph. v. to emerge or develop from something
    syn. originate
    The author’s talent in writing stems from his love of reading books.
    Many opportunities have stemmed from his decision to attend the university.
  • stoic
    stoic
    adv. stoically; n. stoicism
    →
    adj. showing no emotion; appearing disinterested
    syn. indifferent
    His stoic reaction to the event surprised his friends.
    His stoicism was unusual, since he is normally an emotional boy.
  • straightforward
    straightforward
    adv. straightforwardly; n. straightforwardness
    →
    adj. easy to understand; simple; honest
    syn. uncomplicated
    The assembly directions were straightforward.
    His straightforward approach to his business dealings earned him respect.
  • stream
    stream
    v. stream
    →
    n. a natural flow of something; a pouring out
    syn. river
    There was a constant stream of information coming from the White House.
    Water streamed from the dam as workers attempted to make the repairs.
  • streamline
    streamline
    adj. streamlined
    →
    v. to update; to make more efficient or concise
    syn. simplify
    The planning process must be streamlined in order for it to be more reliable.
    Internet stores have streamlined the process of finding, buying, and selling merchandise.
  • striking
    striking
    adv. strikingly
    →
    adj. drawing special attention to
    syn. remarkable
    His striking proposal saved the company from bankruptcy.
    That was a strikingly convincing argument that the speaker delivered.
  • stumble upon
    stumble upon
    →
    ph. v. to discover or run into a person or thing accidentally
    syn. come across
    She stumbled upon a lot of interesting information about her research topic.
    We might stumble upon deer while hiking in the woods.
  • subsequently
    subsequently
    adj. subsequent
    →
    adv. following; coming after something
    syn. afterward
    The public applauded the president’s actions and subsequently his ratings in the polls improved.
    This report, and all subsequent reports, must be written in the appropriate style.
  • substantial
    substantial
    adv. substantially; adj. substantive
    →
    adj. important; strongly made; of value
    syn. significant
    The discovery of a vaccine for smallpox was a substantial medical achievement.
    This substantive article will change your opinion of rock music.
  • succinct
    succinct
    adv. succinctly
    →
    adj. short and to the point
    syn. concise
    Since she had little time to speak, the biologist made her presentation succinct.
    The class assignment is to summarize the book’s plot as succinctly as possible.
  • sufficiently
    sufficiently
    n. sufficiency; adj. sufficient; v. suffice
    →
    adv. enough; in a satisfying manner
    syn. adequately
    Jenny is sufficiently mature to make her own decisions.
    Her income is sufficient for her needs.
  • suitable
    suitable
    adv. suitably; v. suit
    →
    adj. appropriate; correct; convenient
    syn. appropriate
    Her dress was not suitable for the occasion.
    The agreement suits all the members of the negotiating team.
  • superficial
    superficial
    adv. superficially
    →
    adj. simple; not deep; near the surface
    syn. shallow
    The inspector determined that the crack in the bridge was only superficial.
    You should not try to answer the question superficially.
  • superior
    superior
    n. superiority
    →
    adj. excellent quality; above all the rest
    syn. exceptional
    This is a superior fossil of a trilobite.
    The restaurant’s superiority was established shortly after it opened.
  • supposedly
    supposedly
    adj. supposed; v. suppose; n. supposition
    →
    adv. according to reports or hearsay; widely believed or accepted
    syn. presumably
    The new trains are supposedly able to reach speeds of 150 miles per hour.
    The stockbroker’s supposition is that the economy will improve.
  • surpass
    surpass
    adj. surpassable; n. surpasser
    →
    v. to go beyond
    syn. exceed
    The movie surpassed even the film critics’ high expectations.
    The soccer player will probably surpass the scoring record set last year.
  • susceptible
    susceptible
    n. susceptibleness; adj. susceptibly
    →
    adj. to be subject to influence; capable of being affected by a person or thing
    syn. vulnerable
    When traveling in tropical climates, travelers are susceptible to malaria.
    Adolescents are especially susceptible to the influence of their friends.
  • suspect
    suspect
    adj. suspected; n. suspicion; n. suspect
    →
    v. to think that something is true, but having no proof
    syn. speculate
    He suspected that the substance was not present in the compound.
    I have a suspicion that he will want to participate in the investigation.
  • sustained
    sustained
    v. sustain; adj. sustenance
    →
    adj. continuing in a constant way; remaining strong
    syn. consistent
    Sustained rainfall is the only hope they have for relief from the drought.
    Luckily, the trees did not sustain any damage from the attack of the locusts.
  • swift
    swift
    adv. swiftly; n. swiftness
    →
    adj. quick
    syn. fast
    The contestants were swift thinkers.
    They swiftly agreed with the conclusion of the report.
  • synthesis
    synthesis
    adv. synthetically*; adj. synthetic*; v. synthesize
    →
    n. the mixing of separate things to form a whole;
        *not made by nature
    syn. combination
    The language of Papiamento is a synthesis of Dutch and native Indian languages of Curaçao.
    Vitamins are synthetically produced.
  • systematically
    systematically
    adj. systematic; n. system
    →
    adv. done according to a plan
    syn. methodically
    The plan was developed systematically by a team of experts.
    Systematic changes in foreign policy have been proposed.
t
  • tangible
    tangible
    adv. tangibly; n. tangibility
    →
    adj. real; that which can be felt
    syn. concrete
    The work of a teacher seldom produces tangible results until years after a student has graduated.
    The solution to this problem can be tangibly demonstrated.
  • tedious
    tedious
    adv. tediously; n. tedium
    →
    adj. long and tiring
    syn. monotonous
    The tedious lecture bored most of the audience.
    Some people become frustrated by the tedium of daily living.
  • teeming
    teeming
    v. teem
    →
    adj. to be full of something; crowded
    syn. overflowing
    The pond teemed with young fish in the warmer months.
    Her essay was teeming with convincing arguments.
  • theoretically
    theoretically
    adj. theoretical; n. theory; v. theorize
    →
    adv. according to a reasoned, but not proven, point of view
    syn. hypothetically
    His argument was theoretically appealing, but not realistic.
    Leonardo da Vinci theorized that Earth was not the center of the universe.
  • toxic
    toxic
    n. toxicity
    →
    adj. harmful; capable of being fatal
    syn. poisonous
    Disposal of toxic wastes is an ongoing environmental issue.
    This product has the highest toxicity of any known to science.
  • trait
    trait
    →
    n. specific qualities that distinguish one from another
    syn. characteristic
    Her sense of humor and cheerful personality are some of her most impressive traits.
    Alma’s blonde hair is a trait inherited from her father.
  • tranquility
    tranquility
    adv. tranquilly; adj. tranquil; v. tranquilize
    →
    n. calm; quietness
    syn. peacefulness
    The tranquility of the lake at sunrise inspired a profound sense of well-being.
    His tranquil manner of expression made us all feel more secure.
  • transform
    transform
    n. transformation; n. transformer
    →
    v. to change in form or appearance
    syn. alter
    The leader’s policies transformed the country in many positive ways.
    The student’s transformation from a “D” student to a “B” student was remarkable.
  • transport
    transport
    adj. transportable; adj. transported; n. transportation
    →
    v. to move from one place to another
    syn. carry
    Flying is not always the fastest way to transport passengers to their destination.
    The transportation expenses of products increase the final cost of the item.
  • trigger
    trigger
    adj. triggered
    →
    v. to initiate, cause, or start
    syn. generate
    The possibility of being in the path of a hurricane triggered fear in the residents of coastal areas.
    The town hall meeting triggered a lively debate about the need for increased taxes.
  • trite
    trite
    →
    adj. overused or lacking originality; commonplace
    syn. cliché
    He finds the expression “fit as a fiddle” to be quite trite.
    She tries to avoid using trite examples and vocabulary in her writing.
  • truncate
    truncate
    adj. truncated
    →
    v. to shorten; to end something suddenly
    syn. cut
    The television program was truncated because the soccer match went into extra time.
    The publishers of the newspaper asked the writer to truncate her report.
  • turbulent
    turbulent
    n. turbulence; adv. turbulently
    →
    adj. to be in a disordered, disturbed, or unstable condition
    syn. chaotic
    The plane flew through an area of turbulence.
    The turbulent crowd insisted on a meeting with the prime minister.
u
  • unbiased
    unbiased
    →
    adj. with no preconceptions
    syn. objective
    Her unbiased analysis of the problem allowed her to find the solution more rapidly.
    Here is unbiased proof that nitrogen exists in this compound.
  • undeniably
    undeniably
    adj. undeniable
    →
    adv. clearly true
    syn. absolutely
    Of all the planets in our solar system, the Earth is undeniably the most conducive to supporting life.
    It is undeniable that he has skill, but he needs to show more initiative.
  • underestimated
    underestimated
    v. underestimate
    →
    adj. guessed lower than the actual quantity
    syn. miscalculated
    The underestimated demand for tickets made the theater manager plan better for the next performance.
    The treasurer underestimated the cost of the new furniture.
  • underscore
    underscore
    →
    v. to make evident or emphasize
    syn. highlight
    The high quality of the student’s science fair project underscored her talent in biology.
    The conclusion of the report should underscore its main ideas.
  • uniform
    uniform
    adv. uniformly; n. uniformity
    →
    adj. every part being the same;
    syn. consistent
    Bread has a uniform texture.
    The grades on the test were uniformly poor.
  • unique
    unique
    adv. uniquely; n. uniqueness
    →
    adj. to be the only one of a kind; special
    syn. rare
    He was presented with a unique opportunity to attend the conference.
    His style of writing is uniquely his own.
  • unlikely
    unlikely
    →
    adj. not probable
    syn. doubtful
    Rain is unlikely to occur during the dry season.
    It is unlikely that he will want to attend the conference.
  • unmistakable
    unmistakable
    adj. unmistakably
    →
    adj. clearly able to be determined
    syn. indisputable
    The markings of the insect provided for an unmistakable identification of the species.
    It is unmistakably clear that the report must be finished by noon.
  • unravel
    unravel
    n. unraveling
    →
    v. to organize; make clear
    syn. separate
    The detective was not able to unravel the mystery of the missing money.
    The unraveling of the Soviet Union took place in the span of a few months.
  • unwarranted
    unwarranted
    →
    adj. without good reason or cause; inappropriate
    syn. unjustified
    His negative reaction was unwarranted.
    The motorist felt that the ticket for the infraction was unwarranted.
  • uphold
    uphold
    n. upholder
    →
    v. to support or maintain
    syn. sustain
    The tree house was upheld by three thick tree branches.
    Each president of the United States must promise to uphold the Constitution.
  • upstanding
    upstanding
    n. upstandingness
    →
    adj. marked by integrity; good, honest
    syn. moral
    The school only accepts upstanding young adults.
    The neighborhood has been kept clean and beautiful thanks to its upstanding residents.
v
  • vague
    vague
    adv. vaguely; n. vagueness
    →
    adj. not clear; ambiguous
    syn. unclear
    She has only vague memories of her childhood.
    The vagueness of his directions caused us to get lost.
  • valid
    valid
    n. validity; adv. validly
    →
    adj. producing a desired result based on truths or facts
    syn. convincing
    The students had a valid reason for missing class.
    The professor questioned the validity of the test results.
  • vanishing
    vanishing
    v. vanish
    →
    adj. going out of sight
    syn. disappearing
    The red squirrel is a vanishing species that needs a protected habitat to survive.
    No one knows with certainty what caused the dinosaurs to vanish from the face of the earth.
  • varied
    varied
    adv. variably; adj. variable; adj. various; v. vary; n. variant; n. variety; n. variation; n. variability
    →
    adj. being of many different types
    syn. diverse
    The class expressed varied opinions about the movie.
    There are various ways to solve the problem.
  • vast
    vast
    adv. vastly
    →
    adj. very much; very large
    syn. huge
    I have noticed a vast improvement in your English vocabulary.
    Unfortunately, the water quality has deteriorated vastly since my last visit here.
  • vibrant
    vibrant
    adv. vibrantly; n. vibrance
    →
    adj. lively; powerful; full of action; bright
    syn. brilliant
    His vibrant personality made him well liked by everyone.
    The vibrance of the city is attractive to many individuals.
  • vigorous
    vigorous
    adv. vigorously; n. vigor
    →
    adj. powerful, full of action
    syn. strong
    His vigorous defense of the issues impressed everyone.
    He approached his work with vigor.
  • visibly
    visibly
    adj. visible; n. vision*; v. view; adj. visionary*
    →
    adv. can be seen
           *power of imagination or wisdom, especially with regard to the future
    syn. noticeably
    Ken was visibly upset about his performance evaluation.
    Stars are more visible on a clear fall evening.
  • vital
    vital
    n. vitality; adv. vitally
    →
    adj. of great importance; full of life
    syn. indispensable
    Money is vital to the success of the program.
    His intense vitality was easily observable.
w
  • wanton
    wanton
    adv. wantonly
    →
    adj. done without thought or consideration; grossly negligent
    syn. senseless
    Her wanton disregard of the rules was unexplainable.
    The jealous man was wantonly impolite to the winner.
  • well-suited
    well-suited
    →
    adj. to be complementary or appropriate; a good match
    syn. compatible
    The design of the house is well-suited to its surroundings.
    The experienced principal was well-suited for the job of superintendent of schools.
  • widespread
    widespread
    →
    adj. found everywhere
    syn. extensive
    There is a widespread rumor that there will be no class next Thursday.
    The political influence of the developed countries of the world is widespread.
  • wisdom
    wisdom
    adv. wisely; adj. wise
    →
    n. knowledge and understanding
    syn. insight
    It is often said that wisdom is the product of experience.
    It was a wise decision for you to buy a car.
  • withdraw
    withdraw
    n. withdrawal
    →
    v. to remove, take out, or take back
    syn. extract
    The player withdrew from the competition.
    Gloria had to make a withdrawal from her savings to pay tuition.
  • withstand
    withstand
    →
    v. to fight without surrender; to persist
    syn. survive
    She cannot withstand the pressures of her job.
    The old building withstood the terrible storm.
  • witticism
    witticism
    adv. wittily; adj. witty; n. wit; n. wittiness
    →
    n. a joke; a funny story
    syn. humor
    His witticisms captivated the audience.
    Mark Twain was famous for his sharp wit.
  • woo
    woo
    →
    v. to make efforts to attain or gain something
    syn. attract
    The directors tried to woo the support of the union.
    The opponents of the proposed highway wooed nearby residents to defend their position.
  • work out
    work out
    →
    v. to end or cause to end successfully; to develop
    syn. solve
    Their ambitious plan will likely work out.
    The two groups worked out a compromise that benefited them both.
  • worthwhile
    worthwhile
    →
    adj. value in doing something
    syn. rewarding
    It was worthwhile waiting ten hours in line for the tickets.
    It’s worthwhile to prepare for the TOEFL.
z
  • zenith
    zenith
    →
    n. the highest point
    syn. apex
    He reached the zenith of his profession at a very young age.
    The publication of the book represented the zenith of his career.
Answer Key
Favorite Books
Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know

The study of the English language has spread all over the world, and high school and college students everywhere have come to realize that language mastery depends on the possession of a comprehensive vocabulary. This is just what 1100 Words You Need to Know has been offering through the five earlier editions and continuing on this sixth one.

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