Level FVocabulary Unit #9

vocabulary word

Definition

“Link” word

Or

Synonym

Sentence Picture

abate(v.) to make less in amount, degree, etc; to subside, become less; to nullify; to deduct, omit

•rebate reduce

•deduct

I am hoping that since I have signed up for a better cell phone plan, my phone bill will abate and I will be able to afford it.

adulation(n.) praise or flattery that is excessive

•adoration

•idolization

Every year at the Academy Awards, the stars enjoy the adulation of their adoring fans as they enter the theater for the ceremony.

anathema(n.) an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation (often used adjectivally without the article)

•abomination

The Science Fair is absolutely anathema for Joe, since he received last place in all the fairs he had participated in.

astute

(adj.) shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom

•acute

The astute couple saved a lot of money by making their wedding a DIY project.

avarice

(n.) greedy desire, particularly for wealth

•Wants to be “A Very Rich” person

The man had such an avarice for fame and fortune that he betrayed his friends to get ahead.

culpable

(adj.) deserving blame, worthy of condemnation

•the culprit (is to blame)

•guilty

After the hurricane, many critics felt that elected officials were culpable because they acted too slowly to organize relief efforts.

dilatory(adj.) tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone

•delay

•laggard

The dilatory student was always tardy to class and turned all of his homework in late.

egregious(v.) conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used particularly in an unfavorable sense)

•glaring

He tried to make it seem like he only scraped the side of the car, but it was actually an egregious dent with scratches all along the right side! Lady Gaga’s meat outfit

was egregious.

equivocate(v.) to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague or ambiguous

• = (not on either side; not one way or the other)

Some politicians try to equivocate during their speeches so they can seem appealing to everyone.

evanescent

(adj.) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy

•vanishing

•ephemeral

Although some reality stars become very popular, their fame is evanescent and they soon become irrelevant.

irresolute

(adj.) unable to make up one’s mind, hesitating

•indecisive

My husband prefers to go shopping without me, because I tend to be irresolute and take forever to decide on something to buy.

nebulous(adj.) cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague, confused, indistinct

•nebula

•murky

Once my cousin stayed mad at me for almost a year, but the whole reason she was originally upset became nebulous as time went on.

novice(n.)one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience (also used adjectivally)

•new

Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill played novice police officers who had to prove themselves in the field in the movie 21 Jump Street.

penury

(n.) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency

•poverty

During the Depression, many people lived in penury and had to scrounge to find food and shelter.

pretentious(adj.) done for show, striving to make a big impression; claiming merit or position unjustifiably; making demands on one’s skill or abilities, ambitious

•pompous

•ostentatious

Many people in Houston think the city of Dallas is pretentious and pompous.

recapitulate

(v.) to review a series of facts; to sum up

•review

I’m glad that most TV shows recapitulate the previous episode in case I missed anything important.

You should only use CliffNotes to recapitulate what you already know, not to learn an entire subject or book.

resuscitate

(v.) to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence

•restore

•reactivate

•revive

Hipsters like to resuscitate vintage styles and make them popular (“hip”) again.

slovenly

(adj.) untidy, dirty, careless

•sloppy

•slatternly

•slipshod

You should always go to a job interview looking your best, not in slovenly clothes that you wear while watching TV at home.

supposition(n.) something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence

•suppose

•assumption

On the supposition that it would rain on Thursday, the Jones canceled their plans to go to the beach; in fact, however, the weather turned out to be sunny and warm.

Since the party was on Halloween, Tina made a supposition that everyone would be in costumes; Tina was wrong.

torpid

(adj.) inactive, sluggish, dull

•languid

•tortoise (is sluggish)

•tired

After having to give the TAKS and STAAR tests for many days in a row, I feel very sleepy and torpid.