Question
Answer
aberrant
departing from the normal or expected
abscond
to leave secretly to avoid detection
abstain
to choose not to do something
acrimony
bitterness or ill feeling
admonish
to warn or reprimand firmly
advocate
to support or argue in favour of
alleviate
to make suffering less severe
ambiguous
open to more than one interpretation
ambivalent
having mixed feelings about something
ameliorate
to make something bad better
anachronism
something out of its proper time
anecdote
a short personal story
antagonist
a person who opposes another
apathy
lack of interest or concern
appease
to satisfy or pacify someone
archaic
very old or old-fashioned
arduous
requiring great effort; difficult
articulate
able to express ideas clearly
assiduous
showing great care and effort
astute
having good judgment; clever
atrophy
to waste away through lack of use
audacious
showing bold daring
austere
severe or strict in manner
autonomous
self-governing; independent
aversion
a strong dislike
banal
so common as to be dull
benevolent
well-meaning and kindly
brevity
concise and exact use of words
byzantine
excessively complicated
cacophony
a harsh unpleasant mixture of sounds
callous
showing no concern for others
candid
truthful and straightforward
capricious
given to sudden changes of mood
catalyst
something that causes change
caustic
sharply critical; burning
charlatan
a person falsely claiming expertise
circumspect
wary and careful about risks
clandestine
kept secret or hidden
clemency
mercy or leniency
coerce
to force or compel someone
complacent
self-satisfied; uncritically satisfied
convoluted
extremely complex and difficult
copious
abundant in supply or quantity
credulous
too ready to believe things
cynical
distrusting other people's motives
daunt
to make someone feel nervous
debunk
to expose the falseness of an idea
deference
humble submission and respect
deliberate
done consciously and intentionally
demagogue
a leader who appeals to emotions
denounce
to publicly declare wrong or evil
derivative
originating from another source
diligent
having steady effort and care
discern
to recognize or find out
disdain
the feeling that something is unworthy
disparage
to regard or represent as unimportant
dissent
to hold or express opposite opinion
eccentric
unconventional and slightly strange
eloquent
fluent and persuasive in speaking
empirical
based on observation and experience
enigmatic
difficult to interpret; mysterious
ephemeral
lasting for a very short time
equivocate
to use vague language to mislead
exacerbate
to make a problem worse
exonerate
to officially declare not guilty
expedient
convenient and practical
explicit
stated clearly and in detail
fabricate
to invent information; to lie
fallacious
based on a mistaken belief
fanatical
filled with excessive enthusiasm
fastidious
very attentive to accuracy
furtive
attempting to avoid being noticed
garrulous
excessively talkative
gratuitous
uncalled for; lacking justification
gregarious
fond of company; sociable
guile
sly or cunning intelligence
harangue
a lengthy aggressive speech
hypocrite
a person who claims beliefs they don't have
iconoclast
a person who attacks cherished beliefs
impetuous
acting without thought; rash
incisive
intelligently analytical and clear
indolent
wanting to avoid activity; lazy
inevitable
certain to happen; unavoidable
ingenuous
innocent and unsuspecting
insidious
proceeding in a subtle harmful way
intrepid
fearless; adventurous
irreverent
showing a lack of respect
lament
to express grief or sorrow
lethargic
sluggish and apathetic
lucid
expressed clearly; easy to understand
magnanimous
generous in forgiving; unselfish
malevolent
having or showing ill will
meticulous
showing great attention to detail
mitigate
to make less severe
mundane
lacking interest or excitement
nefarious
wicked or criminal
oblivious
not aware of what is happening
obstinate
stubbornly refusing to change
ominous
giving the impression of evil
opaque
not able to be seen through; unclear
ostracize
to exclude from a group
paradox
a seemingly absurd self-contradicting statement
partisan
prejudiced in favour of a cause
pedantic
excessively focused on minor details
pragmatic
dealing with things sensibly
pretentious
attempting to impress through false claims
prolific
producing much work or output
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