| Word | Definition | Example Sentence |
| Abate | v. to become less active, less intense, or less in amount | As I began my speech, my feelings of nervousness quickly abated. |
| Abstract | adj. existing purely in the mind; not representing actual reality | Julie had trouble understanding the appeal of the abstract painting. |
| Abysmal | adj. extremely bad | I got an abysmal grade on my research paper! |
| Accordingly | adv. in accordance with | All students must behave accordingly. |
| Acquisition | n. the act of gaining a skill or possession of something | Language acquisition is easier for kids than it is for adults. |
| Adapt | v. to make suit a new purposev. to accommodate oneself to a new condition, setting, or situation | The US has adapted many foreign foods to better suit the tastes of Americans.Dogs are known for their ability to quickly adapt to their environments. |
| Adept | adj. having knowledge or skill (usu. in a particular area) | Beth loves playing the piano, but she’s especially adept at the violin. |
| Adequate | adj. having sufficient qualifications to meet a specific task or purpose | Though his resume was adequate, the company doubted whether he’d be a good fit. |
| Advent | n. the arrival or creation of something (usu. historic) | The world has never been the same since the advent of the light bulb. |
| Adversarial | adj. relating to hostile opposition | An adversarial attitude will make you many enemies in life. |
| Advocate | n. someone who promotes or defends somethingv. to defend or promote something (usu. a belief, theory, opinion, etc.) | I am an advocate for free higher education.Environmental protesters often advocate for cleaner energy practices. |
| Aesthetic | adj. relating to beauty or refined taste | The aesthetic decorations at the wedding reception made you feel as if you were a character in a fairy tale. |
| Afford | v. to be able to buyv. to be able to spare | He’s saving money so he can afford to buy a new car.I can’t afford to lose any more pencils! |
| Agitate | v. to promote something (usu. a cause) | They’re agitating for better health care. |
| Allow | v. to permit or consent to | US law allows citizens to speak freely. |
| Allude | v. to make a secretive mention of something | She alluded to the problem at hand but didn’t say anything more about it. |
| Altercation | n. a noisy argument or confrontation | Greg got into an altercation with a stranger at the bar. |
| Ambiguous | adj. unclear or vague in meaning | Her ambiguous statement made me question whether she could be trusted. |
| Ambitious | adj. having a powerful desire for success or achievement | Penny is so ambitious, she wants to be president someday. |
| Ambivalence | n. the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options | His ambivalence prevented him from immediately signing the contract. |
| Analogous | adj. similar but not identical | Green onions are considered analogous to spring onions. |
| Annihilate | v. to destroy or cause devastating destruction | The dictator sent orders to annihilate the group of rebels. |
| Anomaly | n. something different from the norm | This result is an anomaly and very rarely happens. |
| Anticipate | v. assume to be likely to happen | The party was just as fun as I had anticipated it would be. |
| Antipathy | n. a strong feeling of dislike | Her antipathy toward the professor was obvious: she rolled her eyes whenever he entered the classroom. |
| Apex | n. the highest point of something | The spring play was the apex of our school year. |
| Apprehension | n. fearful expectation of something | Her apprehension to leave her house resulted in her missing the train. |
| Articulate | v. to clearly express in words | She articulated her opinion on the price of the house. |
| Artificial | adj. something made; not occurring naturally | Many candies use artificial flavors to make them taste fruity. |
| Assertion | n. a strong declaration | His assertion that sharks are mammals made everyone laugh. |
| Austere | adj. extremely plainadj. stern and forbiddingadj. relating to self-denial | He lived in a small, austere cabin in the middle of the woods.My boss had an austere expression on her face.An austere lifestyle, like that of monks, isn’t for everybody. |
| Authenticity | n. the quality of being real and true instead of fake and contrived | The police officer doubted the authenticity of the suspect’s story. |
| Avenue | n. an intangible path or approach to something | The company has decided to pursue other avenues. |
| Avid | adj. actively interested in or enthusiastic about something | Gerald is an avid soccer fan. |
| Basic | adj. relating to the foundation or basis of something | You have to start with basic Russian before you can move on to the advanced level. |
| Bear | v. to have as a characteristicv. to have (a child)v. to bring forthv. to put up with | She bears a strong resemblance to your mother.Judy will bear her first child later this year.My garden is going to bear pumpkins this year.I can’t bear her complaining any longer! |
| Benevolent | adj. kind, generous | Many cultures believe in benevolent spirits. |
| Bias | n. a preconception that prevents objectivity | It’s important to avoid bias when investigating a crime. |
| Bittersweet | adj. tinged with a feeling of sadness | The ending of the romance movie was bittersweet. |
| Bolster | v. to support, strengthen, or fortify | If we work together, we should be able to lift and then bolster the couch. |
| Boost | n. an increase or growthv. to increase or make grow | The boost in profits was a welcome change.In order to boost profits, you need to cater to your customers. |
| Brawl | n. an intense, loud fightv. to fight loudly and disruptively | A brawl broke out at school today after one student accused another of cheating.The two students brawled for an hour. |
| Brevity | n. the quality of being brief or terse | The brevity of their time together made it all the more romantic. |
| Candid | adj. direct, blunt | Josh is candid about his desire to become an actor. |
| Candor | n. the trait of being honest and frank | I admire her candor, especially when nobody else bothers to speak up. |
| Capitalize | v. to use to your advantage | I’d like to capitalize on your math skills by having your work the cash register. |
| Capture | v. to trap or take possession ofv. to successfully represent or imitatev. to captivate, mesmerizev. to catch or seize | The spy was captured by the enemy.Your painting beautifully captures the ephemerality of life.I was captured by her beauty.The cops captured the criminal three days after the incident. |
| Civic | adj. relating to the city or citizens | Voting is a civic duty. |
| Clinical | adj. emotionally unattached (usu. used in medical or scientific setting) | Her clinical approach to situations allows her to handle them more effectively. |
| Clout | n. special advantage or power | Children of rich and famous people often believe they have a lot of clout. |
| Coarse | adj. indicating a rough textureadj. lacking refinement or sophistication | The horse’s mane was coarse, as if it had never been washed.The queen’s coarse way of speaking surprised the other members of royalty. |
| Coincide | v. to happen at the same time | It wasn’t until after I booked my ticket that I realized the concert coincided with my finals. |
| Commission | n. the use of payment to request something (e.g., a service or product) | This painting was commissioned by a rich merchant in 1589. |
| Comparable | adj. able to be compared | This novel is comparable to Huckleberry Finn. |
| Competent | adj. sufficiently qualified | We need to hire a competent web developer to create a good website for our company. |
| Complacent | adj. satisfied, with no desire to change or improve | Though he had never won any awards or even been published, he was complacent with his life as a poet. |
| Complement | v. to make perfect or complete | This wine perfectly complements this platter of gourmet cheese. |
| Concede | v. to be forced to agree or surrenderv. to admit to a transgression | With no chance of winning the battle, the army at last conceded.Dan conceded to pranking his sister. |
| Conceive | v. to imagine or come up with | The plan to build the city was originally conceived in the early 1900s. |
| Condone | v. to overlook, approve, or allow | She couldn’t condone her daughter’s rebellious behavior. |
| Conducive | adj. able to bring about or be suitable for | The noisy students hardly made the campus library conducive to studying. |
| Conduct | v. to control or managev. to behave a certain way | The group conducted their research abroad last year.Be sure to conduct yourself accordingly. |
| Confide | v. to share something secretive with someone | She confided all of her biggest secrets in her best friend. |
| Confine | v. to put limits on; to restrict | We are going to confine the use of this drinking fountain. |
| Consensus | n. overall agreement | After weeks of debating, the panel finally came to a consensus. |
| Constitute | v. to form or compose (part of) something | The desire for equality constituted the civil rights movement. |
| Contemplate | v. to think deeply about | She contemplated telling her teacher about the cheating student. |
| Contend | v. to maintain or assert (an opinion) | The president contends that the US government will not negotiate with terrorists. |
| Contradict | v. to be in contrast with | The camera footage contradicts his alibi. |
| Controversial | adj. highly debatable and causing contention | Millions of viewers watched the controversial debate take place. |
| Conventional | adj. abiding by accepted standards | She lives a conventional life in the suburbs. |
| Convey | v. to pass on or transfer (information) | I have trouble conveying my thoughts in French. |
| Conviction | n. a firm belief in something | Her religious convictions prevent her from eating meat. |
| Corroborate | v. to provide evidence for; to back up (a claim) | The note signed by her father corroborates her claim that she was absent from class that day. |
| Counteract | v. to work in opposition to | This ingredient seems to counteract the other ones. |
| Counterargument | n. an argument used to criticize or dismantle another argument | Make sure to include a counterargument in your essay so that you can show you’ve considered the topic from all perspectives. |
| Counterproductive | adj. hindering the achievement of a goal | Bill’s idea to take a shortcut was ultimately counterproductive: it took us twice as long to get to the train station. |
| Culmination | n. the final act or climax | The culmination of the performance was unforgettable. |
| Cultivate | v. to foster the growth of | Teachers don’t just pass on new information to students—they cultivate their academic potential. |
| Decree | v. to declare formally and with authority | The president decreed that Halloween would henceforth be a national holiday. |
| Deference | n. respect; regard | Her deference to the elderly makes her the perfect candidate for an internship at the retirement center. |
| Deficient | adj. not enough in degree or amount | I feel as though the sources for my paper are deficient. |
| Demonstrate | v. to do as an examplev. gives evidence for | Could you demonstrate the dance move for me?This book’s use of words such as “grim” and “bleak” demonstrates the author’s mournful tone. |
| Demur | v. to object to | She demurred at my request to transfer to a different department. |
| Deplete | v. to (over)use over time (usu. resources) | The lost campers quickly depleted their supply of food. |
| Desolate | adj. bare, barren, empty | The moon is one giant, desolate landscape. |
| Devise | v. to come up with (a plan) | Lana devised a plan to make herself famous. |
| Dilemma | n. a problem, usually requiring a choice between two options | The main dilemma is whether to pay for a commercial or not. |
| Diligence | n. conscientiousness; the quality of being committed to a task | Diligence and confidence will get you far in life. |
| Diminish | v. to become smaller in scope or degree | The itchiness of mosquito bites usually starts to diminish after a few days. |
| Dire | adj. hopeless and dangerous or fearful | When the police didn’t explain what was happening right away, Jane knew that the situation must be dire. |
| Discord | n. disagreement | Disputes over money caused intense discord in the family. |
| Disdain | n. a lack of respect and strong dislike (toward something or someone) | He looked at me with such disdain that I immediately knew the job wouldn’t work out. |
| Dismay | n. hopelessness, stress, or consternationv. to fill with woe or apprehension | To Nick’s dismay, he got an F on the test.Many were dismayed by the town’s implementation of metered parking. |
| Disparage | v. to belittle or speak down to | A good boss is stern but never disparages his or her employees. |
| Dispatch | v. to send off a message or messenger | The mother dispatched her daughter to their neighbor’s house. |
| Diversification | n. the act of becoming diverse | Lately, there’s been noticeable diversification of students at higher institutions. |
| Doctrine | n. a principle, theory, or position, usu. advocated by a religion or gov’t | Devoutly religious people often live their lives according to their doctrines. |
| Dominion | n. power and authority (usu. over a territory)n. a legal territory | The country claimed to have dominion over parts of Russia.Puerto Rico is a dominion of the US. |
| Dreary | adj. sad, gloomy, dull | The gray clouds in the sky made the day feel dreary. |
| Dubious | adj. doubtful, questionable | The man’s claims to the throne were dubious since nobody knew where he’d come from. |
| Eccentric | adj. peculiar or odd; deviating from the norm | She’s a little eccentric but still fun to be around. |
| Egregious | adj. extremely bad | After cheating on the exam, Emily began to feel as though she’d made an egregious mistake. |
| Eloquent | adj. having refined or expressive communication skills (in speaking or writing) | His speech was not only eloquent but also extremely compelling. |
| Eminent | adj. superior or distinguished; high in position or status | Our town made news when the eminent magician came to perform at our local theater. |
| Emit | v. to discharge, give forth, or release | Plants consume carbon dioxide and emit oxygen. |
| Emphatic | adj. very expressive; using emphasis | Her emphatic smile told me she was excited to ride the roller coaster. |
| Empirical | adj. derived from experience, observation, or an experiment | You need empirical evidence to support your claim. |
| Endow | v. to equip or bestow (usu. a quality or ability) | According to the myth, the gods endowed him with the gift of healing. |
| Endure | v. to withstand, sustain, or hold out against | I can’t endure this wait any longer. Will Stanford accept or reject me? |
| Entail | v. to involve or include | A doctoral program entails long nights and a heavy workload. |
| Entrenched | adj. firmly established | Her face will forever be entrenched in my memory. |
| Enumerate | v. to specify or count | I can’t enumerate how many times I’ve had to remind my students when their papers are due. |
| Envy | n. excessive jealousyv. to admire and be jealous of | His envy of her is quite obvious.She envies her coworker’s social skills. |
| Erratic | adj. having no fixed course; deviating from the norm | The car became erratic after slipping on ice. |
| Establish | v. to enactv. to found (a business, group, school, etc.) | They established a law that made it illegal to drive after drinking any amount of alcohol.Our group established a new branch in Chicago. |
| Evoke | v. to draw forth or call up | Horror movies are great at evoking fear. |
| Exacerbate | v. to make worse or increase the severity of | The doctor told me not to run as it can exacerbate my knee injury. |
| Excel | v. to do something extremely well or to be superior in | She was a well-rounded student but excelled especially in science. |
| Exert | v. to put into use (usu. as effort) | Don’t exert all of your energy at once. |
| Exhilarating | adj. invigorating, stimulating, or exciting | The music playing at the club was catchy and exhilarating. |
| Expend | v. to use up (as in energy or money) | Be careful not to expend all your energy in the first half of a marathon. |
| Exploit | v. to use selfishly or for profit | The shoddy company exploited its workers by paying them extremely low wages. |
| Facilitate | v. to aid the progress of | In grad school, advisors facilitate students’ research and offer constructive criticism. |
| Feasibility | n. the practicality or possibility of something | The feasibility of her project was doubtful; she’d have to go all the way to Antarctica and back before the school year ended. |
| Ferocity | n. viciousness, violence | The lion is just one wild animal known for its ferocity. |
| Fiscal | adj. related to (government) money | Fiscal policy is how the government uses money to influence the economy. |
| Flourish | v. to prosper, grow, or make fast progress | After one year, the tiny plants had flourished into a breathtaking garden. |
| Fluctuate | v. to be unstable; to rise and fall | Stocks can fluctuate on a daily basis, making it difficult to determine when to buy or sell one. |
| Foment | v. to stir up | The civilians accused their leader of fomenting political unrest. |
| Foreseeable | adj. capable of being predicted or anticipated | I can’t imagine aliens visiting us in the foreseeable future. |
| Frankly | adv. directly, clearly | I frankly don’t see the point in learning to drive. |
| Freewheeling | adj. carefree | His freewheeling attitude often got him in trouble at work. |
| Fundamental | adj. the most essential or most basic part | A thesis is arguably the most fundamental part of an essay. |
| Galvanizing | adj. thrilling, exciting, stimulating | The galvanizing performance left everyone spellbound. |
| Geriatric | adj. relating to old age | I became interested in geriatric medicine shortly after my grandfather passed away from cancer. |
| Hostile | adj. harmful, dangerous | The voices around the corner sounded angry, hostile even. |
| Hypothetical | adj. supposed; related to a hypothesis | For my physics homework, I must come up with a hypothetical situation. |
| Ignominious | adj. publicly shameful or humiliating | The politician’s expensive campaign ultimately ended in ignominious defeat. |
| Impart | v. to transmit, bestow, or disclose | Parents must impart common sense to their children. |
| Impartiality | n. the equal and objective treatment of opposing views | To ensure impartiality, we require everyone to follow these general guidelines. |
| Imposing | adj. impressive (esp. in size or appearance) | The old mansion was imposing in its huge size and gothic architecture. |
| Imposition | n. an unnecessary burden | If it’s not too much of an imposition, could you proofread my paper? |
| Imprudent | adj. not cautious or prudent; rash | Backpacking abroad can be fun, but don’t be imprudent about money. |
| Incite | v. to encourage or stir up | Her hateful words incited anger in the crowd. |
| Indifference | n. apathy, emotional detachment | The girl’s indifference toward her brother upset their parents. |
| Indiscriminately | adv. randomly; with little or no distinction | Lottery winners are chosen indiscriminately. |
| Indulge | v. to give into; to satisfy or gratify | My friend loves to indulge in cheesy romance movies. |
| Infer | v. to guess, conclude, or derive by reasoning | You can infer from this quotation that the writer didn’t care for “pretty” language. |
| Innovative | adj. novel or new (esp. as an idea or invention) | Her invention was incredibly innovative and won her multiple awards. |
| Insatiable | adj. can’t be satisfied | A vampire’s thirst for blood is said to be insatiable. |
| Inversion | n. a reversal | The culture’s norms were an inversion of our own. |
| Invoke | v. to call on; to appeal to (e.g., a higher power) | The shaman attempted to invoke a demon. |
| Irreconcilable | adj. incapable of being in harmony or agreed upon | The couple’s differences were ultimately irreconcilable, giving them no choice but to break up. |
| Lament | v. to feel sorrow for; to mourn | Susan lamented her missed chance at going to Europe with her high school class. |
| Locomotion | n. movement | Physics involves the study of locomotion. |
| Lucrative | adj. capable of making a lot of money; profitable | Writing books isn’t a particularly lucrative career, unless you’re J.K. Rowling. |
| Malicious | adj. harmful, spiteful | The malicious spirit drove out the inhabitants from their home. |
| Malleable | adj. capable of being molded or changed | Children’s minds are malleable but only for so long. |
| Materialistic | adj. superficial; focus on material possessions | Many people accuse Americans of being materialistic. |
| Melodramatic | adj. extravagant or exaggerated (as of a melodrama) | The melodramatic play was well liked by the audience. |
| Modest | adj. simple and humbleadj. small in size or amount | They moved into a modest house in the countryside.I received a modest sum of money for my help at the company event. |
| Modify | v. to change, alter, or tweak | Dr. Nguyen modified the gene so that it wouldn’t carry the disease. |
| Momentous | adj. historically significant | Her win in the election was momentous. |
| Novel | adj. new, innovative | We are looking for novel ways to approach the project. |
| Nuance | n. a subtle difference in meaning | Body-language experts even understand the nuances of facial expressions. |
| Null | adj. legally void and ineffective | The government declared their marriage null. |
| Objectivity | n. judgment based on observations instead of emotions or opinions | In scientific research, objectivity is of utmost importance. |
| Obsolete | adj. no longer used; rare or uncommon | Historians assumed record players would be obsolete by now, but in fact they’re making a huge comeback. |
| Omnipotent | adj. almighty and all powerful | Gods are omnipotent beings who can control human destiny. |
| Onset | n. the beginning or early stages | At the onset of her career as a lawyer, things were looking up. |
| Opine | v. to openly express an opinion | The new employee opined at the company meeting. |
| Ornate | adj. highly detailed and decorated | That ornate silverware must be worth thousands of dollars! |
| Oust | v. to remove or force out of (usu. a position or office) | Sick and tired of putting up with his bad moods, the pirates ousted their captain. |
| Paramount | adj. predominant, superior, most important | Our paramount concern is the safety of our employees. |
| Peculiar | adj. strange, bizarre | Upon entering the abandoned house, Kate experienced a peculiar feeling, as if someone was watching her. |
| Perish | v. to die; to pass away | According to the news, nobody perished in the fire. |
| Persecute | v. to cause suffering to | They will persecute anyone who doesn’t agree with their views of the world. |
| Petulant | adj. cranky, pouty, irritable | Petulant children are especially difficult to care for. |
| Pinnacle | n. highest level or degree | Many believe that composers such as Beethoven and Mozart represent the pinnacle of classical music. |
| Pitiable | adj. deserving pity | The frail-looking dog was pitiable, so I gave it some food and took it inside to care for it. |
| Plausible | adj. reasonable and possibly true | Her story is plausible, but that doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth. |
| Postulate | v. to assert | The literary critic postulates that romanticism and naturalism are actually interconnected. |
| Potent | adj. having great influenceadj. having a strong, chemical effect | The bald eagle is a potent symbol of the US.The potion was definitely potent—it healed my wounds immediately! |
| Pragmatic | adj. practical, useful | It’s not necessarily more pragmatic to study engineering than it is to study philosophy. |
| Precedent | n. an example or subject from earlier in time | This change in law is without historical precedent. |
| Predecessor | n. someone who comes before you (usu. in position or office) | My predecessor gave me many tips for running the office. |
| Prescribe | v. to command ordersv. to issue authorization for medications | The directions for our essay prescribe a length of at least ten pages.A doctor must prescribe you this medication before you can begin taking it. |
| Principle | n. basic truth, assumption, or rule | Remember the universal principle: treat others as you want them to treat you. |
| Prohibit | v. to command against, to outlaw | Alcohol was prohibited in the US in the 1920s. |
| Prompt | adj. punctual, on timen. a cue to begin something; instructionsv. to incite, propel, or cause to act | She is always prompt when it comes to turning in her homework.I had to write an essay based on a prompt.The possibility of a scholarship prompted him to apply to Harvard. |
| Promulgate | v. to put into law or formally declare | The ruler will at last promulgate an amnesty with the neighboring countries. |
| Prosecute | v. to bring criminal action against someone (in a trial) | The suspect was prosecuted yesterday. |
| Provocative | adj. intending to provoke, inspire, or arouse | Her nude paintings are considered quite provocative. |
| Qualitative | adj. involving qualities of something (features and content) | I noticed a qualitative change in her paintings. |
| Quantitative | adj. involving quantities (numbers and amounts) | We must conduct a quantitative analysis. |
| Quirk | n. a strange habit | His biggest quirk is his love of old marbles. |
| Ramify | v. to split into two or more branches | Cars ramified throughout the world in the twentieth century. |
| Rash | adj. without attention to danger or risk | Her rash decision to pass the car nearly resulted in a crash. |
| Raw | adj. unrefinedadj. not processed; uncooked (as in food) | He’s got raw talent as a singer, but he needs to work on his performance skills.In some countries, such as Japan, it is normal to eat raw fish. |
| Readily | adv. right away and without difficulty | Water was readily available at different points in the race. |
| Reconsideration | n. thinking again about a previously made choice | The judges’ reconsideration of her performance resulted in her victory. |
| Reform | n. a change for the better; improvementv. to improve via change | The reform made it so that only those 18 and older can legally drive.The government reformed its vague policies on marijuana use. |
| Refute | v. to prove to be untrue, unfounded, or incorrect | The student refuted the professor’s claim in class. |
| Reinforce | v. to strengthen or add support to | We can use these pipes to reinforce the structure. |
| Reluctantly | adv. somewhat unwillingly | Max reluctantly agreed to see the horror movie with his friends. |
| Renounce | v. to give up (usu. power or a position)v. to cast off | Our CEO renounced her position yesterday.He renounced his friend after he caught her stealing money from him. |
| Reproach | v. to criticize | The mother reproached her daughter’s school for making students come in during a blizzard. |
| Repudiate | v. to refuse to recognize as truev. to cast off | The father repudiated his son’s marriage.She repudiated her son once she found out he’d married someone without telling her. |
| Retention | n. the act of keeping something | Water retention can make you weigh more on certain days. |
| Satiated | adj. satisfied (usu. in hunger) | I felt satiated after eating a snack. |
| Savvy | adj. having practical intelligence or knowledge | My brother is not very savvy when it comes to using public transportation. |
| Scandalous | adj. morally offensive, often causing damage to one’s reputation | The scandalous politician decided it was best to resign from office. |
| Scorn | v. to look down on with disdain | It’s difficult for me not to scorn those who use improper grammar. |
| Scrupulous | adj. paying great attention to detail | I am a scrupulous proofreader and never miss an error. |
| Scrutinize | v. to examine carefully and critically | The teacher scrutinized her students’ essays. |
| Secrete | v. to produce or release (a substance) | Trees secrete a sticky substance called sap. |
| Sentiment | n. opinionn. a tender or moving gesture | I am of the sentiment that you should never give out your passwords to anyone.Even though I’m not a big fan of porcelain dolls, I appreciated the sentiment. |
| Sheer | adj. so thin that light can shine through | The curtains on the window were so sheer you could clearly see inside the house. |
| Simple | adj. easy; not complexadj. undecorated | This math problem is so simple even a first grader can solve it.The simple beauty of the ocean is what makes it memorable. |
| Sinister | adj. ominous, evil | Medieval peasants believed sinister demons could harm humans. |
| Solidarity | n. the joining of commonalities or common purposes among a group | I stood in solidarity with other female students by refusing to wear the school’s sexist uniform. |
| Sparingly | adv. insufficiently, meagerly, or in a restricted manner | Due to my condition, I must eat salt sparingly. |
| Spawn | v. to release eggsv. to call forth or generate | Frogs typically spawn in ponds.The topic spawned an ongoing debate among his family members. |
| Spur | v. to stimulate or incite | Her bravery spurred others to act. |
| Squalid | adj. run-down, sordid, or sleazy | The squalid cabin needed a new roof and an exterminator. |
| Stark | adj. very plain; devoid of any details or features | Looking out at the stark landscape, I felt a keen sense of isolation. |
| Static | adj. motionlessadj. changeless | The ball is static.Her life has been static for the past three years. |
| Subordinate | adj. lower in rankn. someone lower in rankv. to make dependent on or put at a lower rank | The subordinate officers work every day.My subordinate will check you in.You aren’t my boss—you can’t subordinate me to the role of receptionist! |
| Subsequently | adv. happening later or after something | I subsequently went home. |
| Substantial | adj. very large in amount or degree | I was shocked to find a substantial amount of money beneath the park bench. |
| Substantiate | v. to strengthen with new evidence or facts | It is important for scientists to substantiate their theories whenever possible. |
| Subtle | adj. hard to detect or analyze | I detected in her expression a subtle hint of irritation. |
| Sufficient | adj. enough; just meeting a requirement | These boxes should be sufficient for our move. |
| Surly | adj. unfriendly; inclined to anger | The bartender was a surly fellow who wasn’t afraid to start a fight. |
| Surmount | v. to get on top of or overcome | They managed to surmount the language barrier by using a translation app. |
| Susceptible | adj. to be vulnerable (to something) | Children are more susceptible to certain illnesses than adults are. |
| Tactful | adj. skilled at dealing with people | Her tactful attitude toward our class made her one of my favorite teachers. |
| Taut | adj. pulled tight | The rubberband was taut and ready to be fired. |
| Teeming | adj. abundantly filled (usu. with living organisms) | Doorknobs are not as clean as they look and are often teeming with germs. |
| Temperament | n. usual mood or feelings | She had a hostile temperament, making her intimidating to most people. |
| Tentative | adj. not yet finalized | We haven’t made any official arrangements yet, but the tentative location for our wedding is Hawaii. |
| Transparent | adj. see-through; so thin that light can shine throughadj. truthful or easy to perceive | Stained window glass isn’t as transparent as regular window glass is.She was transparent about her plans to end her marriage. |
| Treacherous | adj. dangerous and unstable | The journey was becoming treacherous, but they continued on regardless. |
| Tremendous | adj. very large, good, or bad in degree or size | Tremendous news! You don’t have to repay your loans! |
| Ubiquitous | adj. being everywhere at once | Cell phones are ubiquitous these days. |
| Unadorned | adj. undecorated, plain | Though the dress was cheap and unadorned, it was by far her favorite one on the rack. |
| Undermine | v. to weaken or subvert (usu. gradually or secretly) | Parents should take care not to constantly undermine their children. |
| Underscore | v. to emphasize or give additional weight to | This sentence seems to underscore the overall meaning of the passage. |
| Undulate | v. to move as ripples or in a wavy pattern | Belly dancers are known for their ability to skillfully undulate their stomachs. |
| Unilateral | adj. one-sided | The unilateral decision was deemed unfair by the other party involved. |
| Unjust | adj. unfair; not justified | The court’s decision is unjust—he should not go free. |
| Unmitigated | adj. downright, utter, total | My speech was an unmitigated disaster! |
| Unprecedented | adj. completely new and never having happened before; historic | The number of protestors was unprecedented. |
| Unveil | v. to make visible; to reveal | We plan to unveil our plans for the new company project on Sunday. |
| Urge | n. desire or impulsev. to encourage or persuade | He had the urge to tell his parents about his acceptance to Columbia but decided against it.She urged her sister to apply to Stanford. |
| Validate | v. to prove or declare valid | Your selfish actions do not validate your feelings for me. |
| Viability | n. ability to be done in a practical or useful way | The viability of the solution is questionable. |
| Vital | adj. urgently necessary | It is vital that you respond by the deadline. |
| Vow | v. to promise | My brother quickly broke his vow to never eat chocolate again. |
| Warrant | v. to prove to be reasonable | Wanting to look cool in front of your friends doesn’t warrant breaking the law. |
| Yield | n. production of an amountv. to give way to or surrender tov. to produce or supply | The farmer’s annual pumpkin yield exceeded 10,000.Cars turning right on red must yield to oncoming traffic.Our experiment yielded many unique-looking vegetables. |
