fulminate strike, send forth invectives, akin to lightning

fulsome disgusting, morally offensive

fumble handle clumsily, fail to catch

 

garish (gaudy) flashy, excessively colorful

 

garrulous (loquacious) extremely talkative, wordy

gavel (mallet) wooden hammer

genial helpful, cheerful, pleasant

genre distinctive category/class (especially in literature)

goad urge forcefully, to prod

gouge chisel with curved blade

gouging force out

 

hapless unlucky

hold placeswherescargo is kept

hone sharpen

imperturbab

le calm

 

implement carry out

improvident (lavish) wasteful, careless

impudent bold, impertinent, discourteous

impugn attack, especially the truth/integrity of something

impute ascribe to, refer to, attribution

inchoate unformed, just beginning

 

indifference detachment, lack of interest/concern

indignant angry (as result of unfairness)

indulgent lenient, yielding to desire

ineluctable inevitable, unavoidable

 

infatuation love [antonym - odium]

ingenuous free from deceit/disguise

insolvent unable to pay one's bills

intrinsic inherent

invective insulting/abusive speech

laconic using few words (to the point of rudeness)

lambaste scold, beat [antonym - extol]

laudatory (approbative) applausive, approving

lax slack, careless, negligent, not strict

levee embankment to prevent overflowing of river

lode a vein, ore imbedded in a rock fissure

loquacious (garrulous) extremely talkative/wordy

maverick (rebel) nonconformist

mellifluous sweetly flowing

minatory threatening

misanthrope one who hates people

mitigated softened

mitis soft

munificent (lavish) very generous

neophyte beginner

noisome bad-smelling

obdurate (intractable) stubborn, inflexible

odium hate, disgust [antonym - infatuation]

offense wrongdoing

oscillate (fluctuate) swing back and forth

ossify harden, turn to bone, become rigid

ostentatious conspicuous, showing off

palliate excuse, cause to seem less serious

palpable touchable, obvious

panegyric lofty praise

partisan who supports a particular idea ...

peccadillo slight fault

pedagogue pedantic/dogmatic person, teacher

penchant inclination

penchant strong liking/leaning

petulant ill-tempered, rude, cranky

piquant spicy, pleasantly pungent

placate (propitiate) conciliate, pacify, appease, calm, soothe

placid calm, peaceful

plumb measure the depth of

polemic powerful argument in refutation of something

pragmatic practical

precarious uncertain, dangerous

precipice very steep, overhanging place, hazardous situation

precipitate cause to happen abruptly

presumptuous arrogant

prevarication lie

pristine pure, uncorrupted, unspoiled

probity integrity, honesty

prodigy extraordinary

promulgate (proclaim) declare, put in force/law

propinquity kinship, nearness

propitiate (placate) conciliate, pacify, appease, calm, soothe

proscription restriction/ban/restraint imposed

proselytize convert, recruit converts

pundit expert

pungent sharp/biting to taste/smell

qualify modify, restrict

rampart fortification, defense

ravenous very eager/greedy for food/gratification/satisfaction

reciprocal mutual, shared, interchangeable (but not in math!)

recondite (abstruse) obscure, concealed, deep, difficult to

comprehend

rectitude righteousness, moral integrity

reprobate depraved, wicked, corrupt, degenerate, vicious

repugnant offensive, distasteful

resolute (intransigent) determined, unyielding

reticent (tacit) quiet, dumb, reserved, silent, reluctant

ribald in decent, coarse

rivet attract and hold attention

sagacious wise (from experience)

salubrious promoting good health

sanction ratify, confirm, authorize, approve

saturnine gloomy/sullen/dismal in temperament

savor relish, enjoy

sedulous zealous, persevering [antonym - careless]

serene tranquil, clear, untroubled, calm

sinuous winding, intricate

spendthrift wasteful, extravagant

spurious bogus, false

squalid filthy, repulsive, wretched, degraded

subjugate enslave, subdue, dominate

substantive solid, substantial

succinct concise, precisely expressed

sullen gloomy, dismal

superficial shallow, unimportant, external, without profundity

superfluous extra, unnecessary

surreptitious secret, sneaky

tacit implicit, understood

taunt insult, ridicule

temerity (audacity) recklessness, foolish boldness

tiff argument

timbre quality of sound independent of pitch/loudness

tout give a tip

transitory temporary

trepidation fear, nervousness

truculent savage, fierce

turbid muddy, foul with sediments

turpitude (depravity) shameful wickedness

untoward (awkward) unfavorable, unruly

usurer money lender charging high interest

vacuous stupid

veracity truthfulness

vex annoy, pester, confuse

vindicate clear from blame/suspicion

viscid sticky, viscous

viscous thick and sticky

visionary dreamer (with impractical goals/ideas about future)

vituperation (malediction) abusive language

welter (turmoil) confused mass

xenophobe one who hates strangers

Compiled by Monika Bender

STUDENT LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER (SLAC)

Southwest Texas State University