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Nouns

abberation - A deviation from the proper or expected course
abeyance - a temporary lapse in activity; suspension
ablution - A washing or cleansing of the body, especially as part of a religious rite
abyss - An infinitely deep hole or void
accretion - A gradual build up or enlargement
adjunct - something added to another thing, but not a part of it; an associate or assistant
adversary - an enemy or an oponent
aesthete - someone devoted to beauty and beautiful things
affability - the quality of being easy to talk to and gracious
affinity - A natural attraction, liking, or feeling of kinship
agenda - Program; things to be done
agitation - A disturbance; a disturbig feeling of upheavel and excitement
alacrity - eager and enthusiastic willingness
alias - An assumed name
allegiance - Loyalty or devotion shown to a specific person, group or cause
allusion - An indirect reference
amnesty - An official pardon for a group of people who violate a law
anarchy - Absence of law or authority; political disorder
animosity - Hostility, resentment
anomaly - Deviation or departure from the normal or common order, form, or rule
antagonism - Hostility, conflict, opposition
antipathy - A strong feeling of aversion or repugnance
apathy - Lack of interest, concern or emotion
apprehension - An uneasy anticipation of the future, dread; The act of seizing or arresting
approbation - Official approval and praise
arabesque - Intricate decorative patterns involving intertwining lines and sometimes incorporating flowers, animals and fruits
ardor - Intense feeling, passion or enthusiasm; zeal
asperity - Roughness or harshness, as of surface, sound, or climate; severity
assay - An analysis of a substance to determine is components; the substance to be analyzed or the result of that analysis
aversion - Strong or fixed dislike; feeling of repugnance
benediction - Blessing; expression of good wishes
bolster - To support or prop up
boor - A person with rude, clumsy manners; a peasant
buffoon - A fool or a clown
bulwark - Something used as a defense
cache - A hiding place, or the object hidden in a secret place
cacophony - Harsh, jarring, discordant noise; dissonance
catalyst - Something that brings about a change in something else
catharsis - The release of emotional tension after an overwhelming experience
censure - An expression of strong disapproval or harsh criticism
chauvinist - One with prejudiced belief in favor of a group to which he or she belongs
chicanery - deception by means of trickery or guile
clemency - A disposition to show mercy, especially toward an offender or enemy
clique - An exclusive group
connoisseur - a person with expert knowledge or discriminating tastes
craven - Coward; despicably fearful person
crescendo - a gradual increase in volume or indensity
criterion - Standard for judging
cupidity - Greed; excessive desire
deference - Respect, courtesy
depravity - Moral corruption or degradation
encomium - Warm praise; commendation
guffaw - Boisterous laughter
ingratitude - Ungratefulness
jingoism - Extreme nationalism characterized especially by a belligerent foreign policy
juncture - Critical point; meeting
neophyte - A beginner or novice.
         Though he was a neophyte, the young chess player looked as if he played for years.
propriety - correct or appropriate behavior; obedience to rules
prudence - Wisdom, caution, showing good discretion
quandary - Dilemma; predicament
quarantine - Isolation of a person or persons to prevent the spread of disease
ratiocination - methodical, logical reasoning
rhetoric - Skill in using language effectively and persuasively
solace - Consolation; comfort during a time of grief
stigma - A mark or token of disgrace or shame
tirade - Long, agressive speech; usually given in an attacking manner
torpor - A state of mental or physical inactivity; lethargy
utopia - Imaginary land with perfect social and political systems
vagary - whim, an unpredictable action
veneer - 1. A thin surface layer; 2. deceptive superficial show, facade
veracity - Filled with truth and accuracy
visage - Face; appearance
viscosity - The sticky or thick consistency or a liquid
vociferous - Noisy; clamorous
vogue - Modern fashion
wag - A humorous or merry person
warmonger - A person who stirs up war
warrant - Authorization given by a superior
wastrel - One who is recklessly wasteful, especially with money
welter - Confused mass; a jumble
wont - A customary practice, habit
xenophobia - The fear of foreigners
yarn - A long, elaborate, entertaining tale; fiber for knitting
yore - A former period of time
zeal - Strong devotion toward advancing a goal or cause; passion
zealot - Fanatic; person who shows excessive enthusiasm
zeitgeist - The spirit of a specific time; the taste and outlook characteristic of a period or generation
zenith - point directly overhead in the sky; summit, peak
zephyr - Gentle breeze; west wind

Adjectives

aberrant - deviating from the norm
abysmal - extremely wretched; bottomless
adroit - skillfull, adept
aesthetic - Concerned with or appreciative of beauty
affected - false, artificial
altruistic - Unselfish concern for the welfare of others
ambiguous - Doubtful, uncertain, open to more than one interpretation
         The recipe was so ambiguous that we disagreed on the amount of water to use.
anachronistic - Out of the proper time
analogous - Similar or alike in some way; equivalent
anomalous - irregular; abnormal; unusual
apocryphal - Of questionable authenticity or authority
apposite - Relevant; suitable; apt
arable - Land suitable for plowing
arbitrary - Determined by chance or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle
archaic - Characteristic of a much earlier, often more primitive period, especially one that develops into a classical stage of civilization
arduous - Difficult to do; laborious
arid - Very dry; boring and meaningless
articulate - Possessing the ability to speak clearly, expressively and eloquently
audacious - Recklessly daring, bold, brave; Not held back by what is conventional or proper
austere - Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated
authoritarian - Relating to, or expecting absolute obedience to an authority; dictatorial
authoritative - Having recognized excellence; official; highly reliable
banal - Unoriginal; commonplace; predictable; trite
baroque - Extravagantly ornate; flamboyant; complex in ornamentation
barren - Desolate; Not capable of producing offspring; Lacking liveliness
belligerent - Eager to fight; hostile, aggressive
benevolent - Characterized by doing good; concerned with the benefit of some charity
benign - Harmless; kind; gentle
blithe - Carefree; lack of concern; light hearted
bogus - Counterfeit or fake; not genuine, phony
boisterous - Loud, noisy, and lacking in restraint or discipline
bombastic - Grandiloquent, pompous speech or writing
bracing - Invigorating; refreshing
callous - Unfeeling; emotionally insensitive
callow - Being young or immature
candid - Free from predjudice, impartial and honest; open and sincere
candor - Truthfulness; great honesty
capricious - Impulsive; changing ones mind quickly and often
chronic - Lasting for a long period of time
circumspect - cautious and aware of circumstances and potential consequences
cogent - appealing to intellect or reason; convincing
coherent - Organized and making sense; logical
colloquial - conversational, used in informal speech
commodious - Spacious and convienent; roomy
compatible - In agreement with; harmonious
convoluted - intricate or complicated
copious - Abundant; plentiful; lavish.
credulous - too readily beliving or trusting; gullible
cursory - Performed quickly and without much attention to detail
dearth - A shortage
deft - Skillfil
docile - Manageable; obedient; teachable
eccentric - Odd; peculiar; strange
ersatz - An imitation or a fake, usually inferior; artificial
generic - Common; general; universal
malleable - Capable of being shaped
nascent - Coming into existence or development.
         The plan for the website development was still in a nascent stage.
pedestrian - Mediocre; ordinary
peripheral - Of minor relevance or importance; (2) related to an outer boundary
petty - Unimportant; of lesser standing
pristine - Pure or uncorrupted, fresh and clean
prodigal - Given in abundance; lavish or wasteful
pungent - Sharp, stinging or strong; (often of taste or smell)
quiescent - being quient or inactive; motionless
recondite - Not easily understood; ambiguous
redundant - Superfluous; exceeding what is needed
reticent - Silent, reluctant, reserved, to keep to oneself
salient - Noticeable; prominent
serrated - Having a saw-toothed edge
soporific - Causing sleep or tiredness
specious - Seemingly true, but actually false; deceptively attractive
stolid - Unemotional; lacking sensitivity
sublime - Majestic, noble, grand, inspiring awe
sylvan - Wooded; Characteristic of a forest
tacit - Without using any words; implied by actions
taciturn - Habitually untalkative; silent
taut - Stretched tightly
tedious - Tiresome by reason of length, slowness, or dullness; boring
thrifty - Not wasteful; economical; penny-wise
transitory - Lasting a short time; temporary
ubiquitous - Present everywhere at the same time; Omnipresent
unprecedented - Unheard of; having no previous example
vainglorious - Boastful, pompous
veracious - Truthful, honest
verbose - Wordy
verdant - Green with vegetation; covered with green growth.
vicarious - Acting for another; sharing in the experience or feelings of another through the imagination
virulent - Extremely poisonous
viscous - Sticky; gluey
vital - Essential for continued existence; relating to life
vitriolic - Corrosive; caustic; bitterly scathing
vivacious - Lively, cheerful; high spirited
volatile - Tending to vary often; changeable; explosive
voluble - Ready flow of speech; fluent
whimsical - Full of odd ideas; Erratic or sudden behavior, unpredictable
wizened - Dried up, shriveled or withered
zaftig - Full and shapely figured, plump

Verbs

abash - To make ashamed; to embarrass
abate - To reduce in amount or intensity; decrease
abbreviate - To reduce (a word or phrase) to a shorter form intended to represent the full form
abdicate - To step down from a position of power
abjure - To renounce or reject; to officially disclaim
abrade - To irritate by rubbing; to wear down in spirit
abridge - To cut short, to condense
abrogate - To nullify, to abolish
abscond - to make a secret departure, to elope
absolve - To forgive or free from blame
abstain - To refrain from something by ones own choice
accede - To comply with; consent to
acquiesce - To comply passively; to give in
adulterate - To make impure by adding extraneous, improper, or inferior ingredients
advocate - To be in favor of; support
aggrandize - To increase in power or reputation; to make larger or greater
alleviate - To make more bearable (usually pain)
allocate - to apportion for a specific purpose, to distribute
allude - To refer indirectly to something
amalgamate - To combine, mix or blend into a unified or integrated whole
ameliorate - To make or become better; improve
amplify - To make larger, exaggerate or increase
antagonize - to annoy or provoke to anger
arbitrate - To judge or settle a dispute
assail - To attack physically or verbally; assault
assimilate - To absorb into the mind or culture; cause to resemble
assuage - To make something harsh less severe; pacify, calm, relieve
attenuate - Reduce in force, amount or degree; weaken
augment - To increase or add to; to make larger
avenge - To inflict a punishment on behalf of another
aver - To claim to be true; to affirm
avow - To acknowledge openly and boldly; confess
begrudge - To envy anothers possessions
berate - To scold or criticize harshly
blanch - To become pale in color
boggle - To hesitate in fear or doubt; To become overwhelmed in astonishment
botch - Ruin through clumsiness; bungle
broach - To bring up a subject for debate
burgeon - To grow or flourish; sprout
burnish - To polish
cajole - To coax with insincere talk, teasing, or flattery; to trick into doing something
capitulate - To surrender under specific conditions, come to terms
castigate - To criticize or punish severely
chastise - To criticize severely; punish by beating
coalesce - To grow together to form one; fuse or unite
condone - To overlook, forgive or disregard without protest
consecrate - To sanctify; to make sacred; to immortalize
convey - To transport, transmit or communicate.
corroborate - To support or strengthen with evidence
delineate - To describe in words or gestures with great detail.
delude - To deceive; to have false illusions
disentangle - To free from confusion
engender - To produce, cause, or bring about
macerate - To soften by soaking or steeping in a liquid
malinger - To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill
meander - To go aimlessly
placate - To appease or pacify
prevaricate - To stray from or evade the truth; to lie
proliferate - To grow or increase in number very quickly
propitiate - To conciliate or appease
rarefy - to make thinner or less dense
relegate - To banish; to put to a lower position
repudiate - To reject the authority or validity of
satiate - to satisfy fully
stoke - To stir up and feed fuel to (very often to a fire)
succumb - To give in; to yeild
transpire - To take place; to come about
truncate - To shorten by cutting
vascillate - To sway physically (oscillate) or indecisively (hesitate) from one side to another.
vaunt - To speak boastfully; brag
venerate - To honor, worship or respect
vex - To annoy or bother
waffle - Speaking or writing vaguely with little result
waft - To cause to go gently and smoothly through the air or over water
waver - To fluctuate between choices; to show indecision.
wean - To gradually detach from a strong habit
wend - To proceed or go along
wince - An involuntary movement or startled gesture; flinch
woo - To attempt to win over or gain