VOCABULARY BUILDER .

The top 50 vocabulary words on the exam are: PRECIPITATE PRODIGAL ZEAL ABSTAIN ADULTERATE APATHY AUDACIOUS CAPRICIOUS CORROBORATE HOMOGENOUS DESICCATE ENGENDER EPHEMERAL GULLIBLE PEDANT

VOCABULARY BUILDER

.

The top 50 vocabulary words on the exam are:

PRECIPITATE PRODIGAL ZEAL

ABSTAIN ADULTERATE APATHY

AUDACIOUS CAPRICIOUS CORROBORATE

HOMOGENOUS DESICCATE ENGENDER

EPHEMERAL GULLIBLE PEDANT

MITIGATE PRAGMATIC PROPRIETY

ADVOCATE ANTIPATHY BOLSTER

INGENUOUS LETHARGIC MALLEABLE

MISANTHROPE OBDURATE OSTENTATION

PARADOX PHILANTHROPIC PREVARICATE

VENERATE

TOP 180 WORDS IN CONTEXT

1) ABSCOND: to leave secretly

Cheyenne ABSCONDED from McDonalds without paying her bill

2) ABATE: to reduce in amount, degree, or severity

After the storm ABATED, people left the shelter and returned to their homes

3) ABSTAIN: to choose not to do something

The priest will voluntarily ABSTAIN from sexual activity

4) ABYSS: an extremely deep hole

The rodent scurried into his hiding place in the deep ABYSS of the cave Related words

ABYSSAL: pertaining to great depth

ABYSMAL: extremely bad

5) ADULTERATE: to make impure

The suspicious-tasting milk was ADULTERATED with water

Related words

UNADULTERATED: pure

ADULTERY: an illicit relationship; an affair

6) ADVOCATE: to speak in favor of

The physician ADVOCATED a lifestyle including rigorous exercise

Related words

ADVOCACY: active support for

7) AESTHETIC: concerning the appreciation of beauty

Decorators include flowers in home decor for their AESTHETIC appeal

Related words

AESTHETE: someone unusually sensitive to beauty

AESTHETICISM: concern with beauty

8) AGGRANDIZE: to increase in power, influence, and reputation

The overzealous job candidate AGGRANDIZED himself by claiming achievements beyond his ability

9) ALLEVIATE: to make more bearable

Two Ibuprofen will ALLEVIATE the pain from a headache

10) AMALGAMATE: to combine; to mix together

IBM and GE AMALGAMATED to form Mega-Corporation

Related Words

AMALGAM: a mixture, especially of two metals

11) AMBIGUOUS: doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways

Jane's AMBIGUOUS response to his marriage proposal made Joe doubt her sincerity

Related Words

AMBIGUITY: the quality of being ambiguous

12) AMELIORATE: to make better; to improve

Jane can AMELIORATE her dental pain by taking aspirin.

13) ANACHRONISM: something out of place in time

The 1950's music seemed ANACHRONISTIC in the modern nightclub

14) ANALOGOUS: similar or alike in some way; equivalent to

My love for my son is ANALOGOUS to my father's love for me

Related words

ANALOGY: a similarity between things that are otherwise dissimilar

ANALOGUE: something that is similar in some way to something else

15) ANOMALY: deviation from what is normal

Her friendly behavior at the dance was an ANOMALOUS deviation from her ususal frosty demeanor

Related words

ANOMALOUS: deviating from what is normal

16) ANTAGONIZE: to annoy or provoke to anger

The child ANTAGONIZED the cat by pulling its tail

Related Words

ANTAGONISTIC: tending to provoke conflict

ANTAGONIST: someone who fights another

17) ANITPATHY: extreme dislike

The ANTIPATHY between Clare and her mother-in-law often descended into verbal fighting

18) APATHY: lack of interest or emotion

APATHETIC voters don't bother to show up at the polls

19) ARBITRATE: to judge a dispute between two opposing parties

Since the couple could not agree on a property settlement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATEtheir divorce proceedings

Her ARCHAIC computer could not handle the latest software.

Related words

ARCHAISM: an outdated word or phrase

21) ARDOR: intense and passionate feeling

Jason's ARDOR for Joan was evident when he passionately described the beauty of her smile Related words

ARDENT: expressing ardor; passionate

22) ARTICULATE: able to speak clearly and expressively

His ARTICULATE defense of his client convinced the jury to acquit him of all charges

23) ASSUAGE: to make something unpleasant less severe

Paula used overeating to ASSUAGE her sense of meaninglessness and despair

24) ATTENUATE: to reduce in force or degree; to weaken

The new law ATTENUATED the government's power to arrest people for frivolous reaosns

25) AUDACIOUS: fearless and daring

The AUDACIOUS waitress insulted her customer, with no fear of possible reprisal

Related words

AUDACITY: the quality of being audacious

26) AUSTERE: severe or stern in appearance; undecorated

The nuns' AUSTERE home was completely unadorned

Related words

AUSTERITY: severity, especially poverty

27) BANAL: predictable, cliched, boring

Flight attendants greet all passengers with BANAL phrases like "Have a nice day"

Related words

BANALITY: the quality of being banal

28) BOLSTER: to support; to prop up

The metal brackets BOLSTERED the heavy bookshelves onto the wall.

29) BOMBASTIC: pompous in speech and manner

Jake's BOMBASTIC claims were too outrageous to be believed

Related words

BOMBAST: pompous speech or writing

30) CACOPHONY: harsh, jarring noise

The chirping of the birds created a CACOPHONY in the normally silent backyard

31) CANDID: impartial and honest in speech

Children's observations are usually CANDID and unpretentious

32) CAPRICIOUS: changing one's mind quickly and often

Jill's CAPRICIOUS nature led her to change boyfriends quite often

Related words

CAPRICE: whim, sudden fancy

33) CASTIGATE: to punish or criticize harshly

European countries CASTIGATE perpetrators harshly for crimes that are considered minor in theUnited States

34) CATALYST: something that brings about a change in something else

Jack's great job on the project was the CATALYST that led to his promotion

Related Words

CATALYZE: to bring about a change in something else

35) CAUSTIC: biting in wit

Jim's insulting, yet clever remarks gave him a reputation for CAUSTIC wit

36) CHAOS: great disorder or confusion

Without proper supervision, the children's behavior will descend into CHAOS

Related Words

CHAOTIC: jumbled, confused

37) CHAUVINIST: someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs

Male CHAUVINISTS think that men are inherently superior to women

38) CHICANERY: deception by means of craft or guile

Dishonest salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their least desirable products

39) COGENT: convincing and well reasoned

Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury acquitted the defendant

Related words

COGITATE: to think deeply

40) CONDONE: to overlook, pardon, or disregard

Failing to prosecute minor crimes CONDONES lawlessness

41) CONVOLUTED: intricate and complicated

Rather than tell the truth, Jane made up a long, CONVOLUTED story to explain her absence

42) CORROBORATE: to provide supporting evidence

Physical evidence CORROBORATED the witness's testimony

43) CREDULOUS: too trusting; gullible

Only CREDULOUS 9-year-olds still believe in Santa Claus

Related words

CREDULITY: the quality of being credulous

44) CRESCENDO: steadily increasing volume or force

The CRESCENDO of tension became unbearable as the mystery movie continued

45) DECORUM: appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety

The biker lacked the DECORUM appropriate for a formal dinner

Related words

DECOROUS: conforming to acceptable standards

46) DEFERENCE: respect, courtesy

Gentle George treated his elderly grandmother with the utmost DEFERENCE.

Related words

DEFER: to delay; to show someone deference

DEFERENT: courteous and respectful

47) DERIDE: to speak of or treat with contempt; to mock

The awkward teenager was often DERIDED by his more popular peers

Related words

DERISION: mockery and taunts

DERISIVE: in a mocking manner

48) DESICCATE: to dry out thoroughly

DESICCATED coconut has been dried and browned in a hot oven

Related words

DESICCANT: something that removes water from another substance

49) DIATRIBE: an abusive, condemnatory speech

The angry husband bellowed a DIATRIBE at his unsuspecting wife

50) DESULTORY: jumping from one thing to another; disconnected

Jade had a DESULTORY education, dropping out at the drop of a hat

51) DIFFIDENT: lacking self-confidence

Sara's DIFFIDENT manner during her date suggested she was not interested in Jake

52) DILATE: to make larger; to expand

My pupils DILATE when I enter a dark room

53) DILATORY: intended to delay

The attorney used DILATORY means to stall the trial

54) DILETTANTE: someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic

DILETTANTES have only a superficial interest in the hobby

55) DIRGE: a funeral hymn or mournful speech

Mike wrote a DIRGE for the funeral of his cherished grandfather.

56) DISABUSE: to set right; to free from error

Benjamin Franklin DISABUSED critics who didn't understand electricity

57) DISCERN: to perceive; to recognize

It is not always easy to DISCERN the difference between the truth and lies

Related words

DISCERNMENT: taste and cultivation

58) DISPARATE: fundamentally different; entirely unlike

The boys look alike, yet their personalities are DISPARATE

59) DISSEMBLE: to present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character

The lying husband could DISSEMBLE to his wife no longer; he admitted his plans to leave her

60) DISSONANCE: a harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds

The DISSONANCE in the woods was caused by the is the inner conflict produced when long- standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence

61) DOGMA: a firmly held opinion, often a religious belief

Karen's firm DOGMA was that our souls all live multiple lives through reincarnation

DOGMATIC: dictatorial in one's opinions

The dictator was DOGMATIC-he, and only he, was right

62) DUPE: to deceive; a person who is easily deceived

Con artists often DUPE the elderly out of their life savings

63) ECLECTIC: selecting from or made up from a variety of sources

Jade's furiniture is an ECLECTIC mix of modern and southwestern styles

64) EFFICACY: effectiveness

The EFFICACY of the drug is reduced if it is not taken according to the directions

Related words

EFFICACIOUS: effective; productive

65) ELEGY: a sorrowful poem or speech

The author wrote an emotional ELEGY about his mother's death

Related words

ELEGIAC: like an elegy; mournful

66) ELOQUENT: persuasive and moving, especially in speech

The President gave an ELOQUENT speech in honor of the lost soldiers

67) EMULATE: to copy; to try to equal or excel

Jody tried to EMULATE her older sister Connie, copying her dress, hairstyle and mannerisims

68) ENERVATE: to reduce in strength

The US military's surprise attacks ENERVATED the opposing army

Related words

UNNERVE: to deprive of strength or courage

69) ENGENDER: to produce, cause, or bring about

Laura's fear of dogs was ENGENDERED at age six, when she was bitten by a pit bull

70) ENIGMA: a puzzle; a mystery

Lois was so quiet about her personal life that she was somewhat of an ENIGMA in the otherwise close group

71) ENUMERATE: to count, list, or itemize

The wife ENUMERATED her husband's faults during their bitter argument

72) EPHEMERAL: lasting a short time

The heady romantic phase of a relationship is EPHEMERAL in the context of a lifelong marriage

73) EQUIVOCATE: to use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead

The witness EQUIVOCATED when questioned by the police, misleading them about the time of the robbery

Related Words

EQUIVOCAL: undecided; trying to deceive

EQUIVOCATION: the act or state of equivocating

74) ERRATIC: wandering and unpredictable

The excited puppy ran ERRATICALLY through the house, often bumping into the furniture Related words

ERRANT: straying, mistaken, roving

75) ERUDITE: learned, scholarly, bookish

The annual research meeting attracted the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals

Related words

ERUDITION: extensive knowledge or learning

76) ESOTERIC: known or understood by only a few

The teacher struggled to explain the ESOTERIC world of forensic science to the young class

77) ESTIMABLE: admirable

Diane's commitment to charity work is ESTIMABLE, considering her busy schedule

Related words

ESTEEM: high regard

78) EULOGY: speech in praise of someone

David gave his father's EULOGY; outlining his achievements and delightful personality

79) EUPHEMISM: use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distasteful one

The human resource director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM "outsourced" instead of "fired."

80) EXACERBATE: to make worse

Instead of helping, the antacid EXACERBATED Karen's queaziness

81) EXCULPATE: to clear from blame; prove innocent

The defense attorney was hired to EXCULPATE his innocent client

82) EXIGENT: urgent; requiring immediate action

Because the bank robbers had loaded weapons, it was EXIGENT for the police to capture them

83) EXONERATE: to clear of blame

Mr Williams was EXONERATED when his partner confessed to stealing the money

84) EXPLICIT: clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression

The homeowners left a list of EXPLICIT instructions for their housecleaner to follow

Related Words

EXPLICABLE: capable of being explained

EXPLICATE: to give a detailed explanation

85) FANATICAL: acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion

The moviegoers were FANATICAL in their devotion to Jim Carrey, praising even his worst movies

86) FAWN: to grovel

Diane FAWNED over the stagehand, hoping to gain a backstage pass for the concert

87) FERVID: intensely emotional; feverish

Bon Jovi fans were FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the group

Related Words

FERVENT: enthusiastic

FERVOR: passion

88) FLORID: excessively decorated or embellished

Having more money than taste, the lottery winner decorated her home in an excessively FLORIDstyle

89) FOMENT: to arouse or incite

The candidate tried to FOMENT sentiment against the war during his impassioned speech

90) FRUGALITY: a tendency to be thrifty or cheap

Due to Claire's FRUGALITY, she was able to save more than half of her take-home pay

91) GARRULOUS: tending to talk a lot

Jake loved GARRULOUS women, whose continuous allowed him to quietly listen

92) GREGARIOUS: outgoing, sociable

Jill was so GREGARIOUS that she was always surrounded by friends

93) GUILE: deceit or trickery

The desperate soldier resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy

Related words

GUILELESS: innocent, without trickery

94) GULLIBLE: easily deceived

The con man fooled GULLIBLE elderly people into investing their life savings

Related words

GULL: a person who is easily tricked

95) HOMOGENOUS: of a similar kind

The group was fairly HOMOGENOUS, including seven food science majors

Related words

HOMOGENIZED: thorougly mixed together

96) ICONOCLAST: one who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions

Because he rejected traditional beliefs, Jerry Garcia was considered an ICONOCLAST

97) IMPERTURBABLE: not capable of being disturbed

The day care worker seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest tantrums Related words

PERTURB: to disturb greatly

98) IMPERVIOUS: impossible to penetrate; incapable of being affected

A good roof is IMPERVIOUS to moisture

99) IMPETUOUS: quick to act without thinking

Rachel preffered to think through her options thoroughly, rather than make an IMPETUOUSmove

Related Words

IMPETUS: impulse

100) IMPLACABLE: unable to be calmed down or made peaceful

John's rage at his wife's betrayal left him IMPLACABLE for weeks

Related Words

PLACATE: to make peaceful

101) INCHOATE: not fully formed; disorganized

In his first rough manuscript, the author's ideas were still in an INCHOATE

102) INGENUOUS: showing innocence or childlike simplicity

Diane was INGENUOUS by nature, trusting everyone with the innocence of a child

Related Words

INGENUE: a naive girl or young woman