VOCABULARY UNIT 1

3

ADAPT

Definition: (verb) to adjust or change to suit

conditions

Sample sentence: As anyone who moves to a new home or starts a new

job can tell you, ittakes time to adapt to new surroundings.

SYNONYMS: regulate, alter, acclimate

ANTONYMS: remain unchanged

ATTESTDefinition: (v.) to bear witness, affirm to be

true or genuine

Sample sentence: I can attest to the truth of her story, because I,

too, saw whathappened.

SYNONYMS: witness, verify, confirm, corroborate

ANTONYMS: deny, disprove, refute, rebut

DOVETAILDefinition: (v.) to fit together exactly; to connect so as to

form a whole(n.) a carpentry figure resembling a dove’s tail

Sample sentences: We may be able to dovetail activities with theirs, if we all plan

ahead.We examined the fine dovetails the carpenter used to make the

cabinet.

SYNONYMS: mesh, jive, harmonize

ANTONYMS: clash, be at odds

ENORMITYDefinition: (n.) the quality of exceeding all moral

bounds; an exceedingly evil act; huge size, immense

Sample sentence: The enormity of the disaster shocked and saddened the

nation.

SYNONYM: atrociousness, heinous, vastness

ANTONYM: mildness, harmless, innocuous

FALTERDefinition: (v.) to hesitate, stumble, lose

courage, to speak hesitatingly; to lose drive, weaken, decline

Sample sentence: The newscaster’s voice faltered as he announced

to the nation thatthe president was dead.

SYNONYMS: waver

ANTONYMS: persevere

FOREBODINGDefinition: (n.) a warning or feeling that

something bad will happen (adj.) marked by fear, ominous

Sample sentence: As the hurricane neared, residents of towns along the coast were filled with foreboding.

SYNONYMS: misgiving, premonition

FORLORNDefinition: (adj.) totally abandoned and

helpless; sad and lonely; wretched or pitiful; hopeless

Sample sentence: When my best friend moved to another statehalfway across the country, I felt extremely forlorn.

SYNONYMS: woebegone, forsaken, bereft, pathetic

ANTONYMS: jaunty, buoyant, blithe, chipper

HAUGHTYDefinition: (adj) chillingly proud and scornful

Sample sentence: The haughty tone of your voice when you refused my invitation offended me deeply.

SYNONYMS: disdainful, supercilious

ANTONYMS: meek, humble, unassuming, modest

IMPEDIMENTDefinition: (n.) a physical defect; a hindrance,

obstacle

Sample sentence: You must not let impediments in your path keep you from pursuing your dreams.

SYNONYMS: obstruction, stumbling block

ANTONYMS: help, advantage, asset, plus

IMPERATIVEDefinition: (adj.) necessary, urgent (n.) a form of verb expressing a

command; something that is required

Sample sentence: If a tick bites you, it is imperative that you see a doctor.Writing a thank-you note after receiving a gift is a social imperative.

SYNONYMS: essential, indispensible, mandatoryANTONYMS: nonessential, unnecessary

LOITERDefinition: (v.) to linger in an aimless way,

hang around, dawdle, tarry

Sample sentence: Some students always loiter in the hallway, instead of getting to class on time.

ANTONYM: hurry along

MALINGERDefinition: (v.) to pretend illness to avoid duty

or work

Sample sentence: If you malinger too often, no one will believe you when you really are sick.

SYNONYMS: goof off, shirk

PITHYDefinition:(adj.) short but full of meaning and to

the point

Sample sentence: A good editorial should be pithy.

SYNONYMS: terse, short and sweet, meaty

ANTONYMS: wordy, verbose, foolish

PLUNDERDefinition: (v.) to rob by force, especially during

wartime; toseize wrongfully; (n.) property stolen by force

Sample sentences: In the Old West, rustlers plundered ranches and farms for cattle and horses.

Thieves often use a third party called a fence to sell jewelry and other plunder.

SYNONYMS: pillage, loot, sack; (n.) spoils, pelf

SIMPERDefinition: (v.) to smile or speak in a silly,

forced/faked way;(n.) a silly, fake smile

Sample sentences: Strangers may find it easier to simper about trivial matters than to have a serious conversation.

The camera caught me with a simper on my face.

SYNONYMS: snicker, smirk

STEADFASTDefinition: (adj.) firmly fixed; constant, not moving

or changing

Sample sentence: I urge you to be steadfast in your efforts to achieve your

goals in life.

SYNONYMS: loyal, faithful, unwaveringANTONYMS: inconstant, fickle, unreliable, vacillating

VAUNTEDDefinition: (adj.) much boasted about in a vain

or swaggering way

Sample sentence: The rookie’s vaunted strength was no match for the veteran’s skill and experience.

SYNONYMS: trumpeted, heralded

ANTONYMS: downplayed, soft-pedaled, de-emphasized

VILIFYDefinition: (v.) to abuse or belittle unjustly or

maliciously

Sample sentence: Voters have become thoroughly disgusted withcandidates who vilify their rival’s reputations.

SYNONYMS: malign, defame, denigrate, traduce

ANTONYMS: glorify, extol, lionize

WAIF

Definition: (n.) a person (usually a child) without a home or friend; a stray person or animal; something thatcomes along by chance

Sample sentence: The spunky waif who triumphs over many hardships is a popular character in film and fiction.

SYNONYMS: stray, ragamuffin, street urchin

WRYDefinition: (adj.) twisted, turned to one side,

cleverly and often grimly humorous

Sample sentence: Charles Addams was famous for wry cartoons chronicling the adventuresof a ghoulish family.

SYNONYMS: dryly amusing, ironic,

ANTONYMS: humorless, solemn