Must-Know Vocabulary

1. Abate - (verb) to decrease in force or intensity

2. Aberration - (noun) a deviation from the norm

3. Abrasive - (adjective) harsh or rough in manner

4. Adept - (adjective) highly skilled or proficient at something

5. Adulation - (noun) excessive praise or admiration

6. Aesthetic - (adjective) related to beauty or the appreciation of beauty

7. Altruistic - (adjective) showing selfless concern for the well-being of others

8. Ambivalent - (adjective) having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

9. Anecdote - (noun) a short, amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person

10. Antithesis - (noun) the direct opposite, a sharp contrast

11. Apathy - (noun) lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern

12. Arbitrary - (adjective) based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system

13. Ardent - (adjective) enthusiastic or passionate

14. Ascertain - (verb) to find out for certain; make sure of

15. Aspire - (verb) to direct one's hopes or ambitions toward achieving something

16. Astute - (adjective) having or showing an ability to accurately assess situations or people and turn this to one's advantage

17. Benevolent - (adjective) well-meaning and kindly

18. Blatant - (adjective) obvious or conspicuous, especially in an unfavorable sense

19. Brevity - (noun) concise and exact use of words in writing or speech

20. Cacophony - (noun) a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

21. Candid - (adjective) truthful and straightforward; frank

22. Capricious - (adjective) given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior

23. Censure - (verb) to criticize harshly

24. Chastise - (verb) to rebuke or reprimand severely

25. Circumvent - (verb) to find a way around (an obstacle)

26. Clandestine - (adjective) kept secret or done secretively, especially because illicit

27. clairvoyant - (adjective) able to see the future

28. Coerce - (verb) to persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats

29. Cognizant - (adjective) having knowledge or being aware of

30. Compassion - (noun) sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others

31. Complacent - (adjective) showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

32. Concise - (adjective) giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive

33. Condescend - (verb) to show feelings of superiority; be patronizing

34. Conspicuous - (adjective) standing out so as to be clearly visible

35. Contingent - (adjective) subject to chance

36. Contrite - (adjective) feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt

37. Convoluted - (adjective) extremely complex and difficult to follow

38. Cryptic - (adjective) having a meaning that is mysterious or obscure

39. Cursory - (adjective) hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed

40. Debilitate - (verb) to make someone weak and infirm

41. Defer - (verb) to put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone

42. Deference - (noun) humble submission and respect

43. Deft - (adjective) neatly skillful and quick in one's movements

44. Delineate - (verb) to describe or portray something precisely

45. Demure - (adjective) reserved, modest, and shy

46. Deride - (verb) to express contempt for; ridicule

47. Despondent - (adjective) in low spirits from loss of hope or courage

48. Detrimental - (adjective) tending to cause harm

49. Diffident - (adjective) modest or shy because of a lack of self-confidence

50. Discrepancy - (noun) a lack of compatibility or similarity between two or more facts

51. Disdain - (noun) the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one's consideration or respect

52. Diverse - (adjective) showing a great deal of variety; very different

53. Eccentric - (adjective) unconventional and slightly strange

54. Elicit - (verb) to evoke or draw out (a response, answer, or fact) from someone

55. Elucidate - (verb) to make (something) clear; explain

56. Empathy - (noun) the ability to understand and share the feelings of another

57. Enervate - (verb) to cause (someone) to feel drained of energy or vitality; weaken

58. Enigma - (noun) a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand

59. Ephemeral - (adjective) lasting for a very short time

60. Equivocate - (verb) to use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself

61. Erudite - (adjective) having or showing great knowledge or learning

62. Esoteric - (adjective) intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest

63. Euphemism - (noun) a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing

64. Exacerbate - (verb) to make (a problem, bad situation, or negative feeling) worse

65. Exemplary - (adjective) serving as a desirable model; representing the best of its kind

66. Expedite - (verb) to make (an action or process) happen sooner or be accomplished more quickly

67. Extol - (verb) to praise enthusiastically

68. Facetious - (adjective) treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant

69. Fallacy - (noun) a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument

70. Fastidious - (adjective) very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail

71. Fervor - (noun) intense and passionate feeling

72. Fleeting - (adjective) lasting for a very short time

73. Fortuitous - (adjective) happening by accident or chance rather than design

74. Frugal - (adjective) sparing or economical with regard to money or food

75. Furtive - (adjective) attempting to avoid notice or attention, typically because of guilt or a belief that discovery would lead to trouble; secretive

76. Garrulous - (adjective) excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters

77. Grandiose - (adjective) impressive and imposing in appearance or style, especially pretentiously so

78. Gratuitous - (adjective) uncalled for; lacking good reason; unwarranted

79. Hackneyed - (adjective) (of a phrase or idea) lacking significance through having been overused; unoriginal and trite

80. Hapless - (adjective) unfortunate

81. Haughty - (adjective) arrogantly superior and disdainful

82. Heinous - (adjective) utterly odious or wicked

83. Imminent - (adjective) about to happen

84. Immutable - (adjective) unchanging over time or unable to be changed

85. Impartial - (adjective) treating all rivals or disputants equally; fair and just

86. Impetuous - (adjective) acting or done quickly and without thought or care

87. Inane - (adjective) silly; stupid

88. Incongruous - (adjective) not in harmony or keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something

89. Indolent - (adjective) wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy

90. Inevitable - (adjective) certain to happen; unavoidable

91. Infallible - (adjective) incapable of making mistakes or being wrong

92. Inhibit - (verb) to hinder, restrain, or prevent (an action or process)

93. Innocuous - (adjective) not harmful or offensive

94. Insipid - (adjective) lacking flavor; dull; not at all stimulating

95. Intrepid - (adjective) fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect)

96. Jubilant - (adjective) feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph

97. Juxtapose - (verb) to place or deal with close together for contrasting effect

98. Keen - (adjective) highly developed (of a sense); enthusiastic or eager

99. Lament - (verb) to express passionate grief or sorrow

100. Languid - (adjective) displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed

101. Loquacious - (adjective) very talkative

102. Magnanimous - (adjective) very generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or someone less powerful than oneself

103. Malevolent - (adjective) having or showing a wish to do evil to others

104. Mellifluous - (adjective) (of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear

105. Mendacious - (adjective) not telling the truth; lying

106. Mitigate - (verb) to make less severe, serious, or painful

107. Mollify - (verb) to appease the anger or anxiety of (someone)

108. Munificent - (adjective) more generous than is usual or necessary

109. Nebulous - (adjective) in the form of a cloud or haze; hazy; unclear

110. Nefarious - (adjective) (typically of an action or activity) wicked or criminal

111. Nonchalant - (adjective) (of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm

112. Nostalgia - (noun) a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations

113. Obdurate - (adjective) stubbornly refusing to change one's opinion or course of action

114. Obfuscate - (verb) to render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible

115. Obsequious - (adjective) obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree

116. Omnipotent - (adjective) having unlimited power; able to do anything

117. Opaque - (adjective) not able to be seen through; not transparent

118. Ostentatious - (adjective) characterized by vulgar or pretentious display; designed to impress or attract notice

119. Pacify - (verb) to quell the anger, agitation, or excitement of

120. Palpable - (adjective) able to be touched or felt; so intense as to seem almost tangible

121. Paragon - (noun) a person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a particular quality

122. Paucity - (noun) the presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities or amounts; scarcity

123. Pecuniary - (adjective) relating to or consisting of money

124. Perfunctory - (adjective) (of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection

125. Perspicacious - (adjective) having a ready insight into and understanding of things

126. Philanthropic - (adjective) seeking to promote the welfare of others, especially by donating money to good causes

127. Pithy - (adjective) (of language or style) concise and forcefully expressive

128. Placate - (verb) to make (someone) less angry or hostile

129. Pragmatic - (adjective) dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations

130. Precarious - (adjective) not securely held or in position; dangerously likely to fall or collapse

131. Precocious - (adjective) having developed certain abilities or proclivities at an earlier age than usual

132. Prolific - (adjective) (of a plant, animal, or person) producing much fruit or foliage or many offspring

133. Prudent - (adjective) acting with or showing care and thought for the future

134. Quaint - (adjective) attractively unusual or old-fashioned

135. Quell - (verb) to put an end to (a rebellion or other disorder), typically by the use of force

136. Querulous - (adjective) complaining in a petulant or whining manner

137. Quiescent - (adjective) in a state or period of inactivity or dormancy

138. Quintessential - (adjective) representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class

139. Rancor - (noun) bitterness or resentfulness, especially when long-standing

140. Recalcitrant - (adjective) having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

141. Reciprocity - (noun) the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefit, especially privileges granted by one country or organization to another

142. Reclusive - (adjective) avoiding the company of other people; solitary

143. Relegate - (verb) to consign or dismiss to an inferior rank or position

144. Renounce - (verb) formally declare one's abandonment of (a claim, right, or possession)

145. Reproach - (verb) to address (someone) in such a way as to express disapproval or disappointment

146. Resilient - (adjective) (of a person or animal) able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions

147. Respite - (noun) a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or unpleasant

148. Reticent - (adjective) not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily

149. Sagacious - (adjective) having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd

150. Salient - (adjective) most noticeable or important

151. Sanguine - (adjective) optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation

152. Scathing - (adjective) witheringly scornful; severely critical

153. Scrutinize - (verb) to examine or inspect closely and thoroughly

154. Serendipity - (noun) the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

155. Servile - (adjective) having or showing an excessive willingness to serve or please others

156. Soporific - (adjective) tending to induce drowsiness or sleep

157. Spurious - (adjective) not being what it purports to be; false or fake

158. Stoic - (noun) a person who can endure pain or hardship without showing their feelings or complaining

159. Substantiate - (verb) to provide evidence to support or prove the truth of

160. Superfluous - (adjective) unnecessary, especially through being more than enough

161. Surreptitious - (adjective) kept secret, especially because it would not be approved of

162. Taciturn - (adjective) (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little

163. Tenacious - (adjective) tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely

164. Terse - (adjective) sparing in the use of words; abrupt

165. transient  - (adjective) temporary, fleeting

166. Trepidation - (noun) a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen

167. Truculent - (adjective) eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant

168. Uncanny - (adjective) strange or mysterious, especially in an unsettling way

169. Untenable - (adjective) (especially of a position or view) not able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection

170. Vacillate - (verb) to alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive

171. Venerate - (verb) to regard with great respect; revere

172. Veracity - (noun) conformity to facts; accuracy

173. Verbose - (adjective) using or expressed in more words than are needed

174. Vestige - (noun) a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists

175. Vex - (verb) to make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters

176. Vindicate - (verb) to clear (someone) of blame or suspicion

177. Vitriolic - (adjective) filled with bitter criticism or malice

178. Wane - (verb) (especially of a condition or feeling) decrease in vigor, power, or extent; become weaker

179. Wary - (adjective) feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems

180. Whimsical - (adjective) playfully quaint or fanciful, especially in an appealing and amusing way

181. Wry - (adjective) using or expressing dry, especially mocking, humor

182. Xenophile - (noun) an individual who is attracted to foreign peoples, cultures, or customs

183. Yearn - (verb) to have an intense feeling of longing for something, typically something that one has lost or been separated from

184. Zeal - (noun) great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective

185. Zenith - (noun) the time at which something is most powerful or successful