357 Words – Minimal English

wdt_ID	No.	Term	Definition
1	1	abate	v. to diminish in intensity: v. to cause to diminish in intensity
2	2	aberrant	adj. diverging from the standard type
3	3	abjure	v. to reject or renounce
4	4	abscond	v. to leave secretly, evading detection
5	5	abstain	v. to voluntarily refrain from doing something
6	6	acumen	n. keen judgment and perception
7	7	admonish	v. scold or to advise firmly
8	8	adulterate	v. to contaminate or make impure by introducing inferior elements
9	9	advocate	v. to recommend, support, or advise : n. one who advocates
10	10	aesthetic	adj. concerned with the nature of beauty and art
11	11	affectation	n. fake or artificial behavior, often meant to impress or conceal the truth
12	12	aggrandize	v. enlarge or increase, esp. wealth, power, reputation
13	13	alacrity	n. promptness and eagerness
14	14	alleviate	v. to relieve a problem or ease a burden
15	15	amalgamate	v. to combine to or mix together
16	16	ambiguous	adj. unclear : adj. open to multiple interpretations
17	17	ambivalent	adj. having mixed or contradictory feelings about someone or something
18	18	ameliorate	v. to improve or mitigate a situation
19	19	amenable	adj. easily convinced or persuaded
20	20	anachronism	n. something old-fashioned : n. something appearing in a time period where it does not belong
21	21	analogous	n. comparable : n. appropriate for analogy
22	22	anoint	v. to choose for a particular office or position : v. to use oil on a person in a religious ceremony
23	23	anomaly	n. an exception or unusual case
24	24	antipathy	n. strong dislike or hatred
25	25	antithetical	adj. contrary to the very nature of
26	26	apathy	n. state of total disinterest or unenthusiasm
27	27	appease	v. to placate : v. to satisfy (an appetite, a need)
28	28	arbitrary	adj. seemingly chosen or designated without reason or purpose
29	29	arcane	adj. secret or known only to a select group
30	30	archaic	adj. old-fashioned : adj. no longer in the common usage
31	31	arduous	adj. difficult, taxing, requiring considerable effort
32	32	articulate	adj. exhibiting considerable communication skills, well-spoken
33	33	artless	adj. without artifice : adj. natural, untrained
34	34	ascetic	adj. austere or self-denying
35	35	assuage	v. to provide relief from an unpleasant feeling : v. to satisfy a need or appetite
36	36	astonishment	n. total surprise, shock
37	37	audacious	adj. very bold or presumptuous
38	38	austere	adj. severe, unadorned
39	39	avarice	n. greed
40	40	aver	v. to assert or allege
41	41	banal	adj. boring, cliché
42	42	belie	v. give a false impression (intentional or unintentional) in word, appearance, or deed
43	43	benign	adj. gentle, harmless
44	44	biased	adj. prejudiced, displaying partiality
45	45	bolster	v. to shore up or support
46	46	bombastic	adj. overblown, theatrical
47	47	brazen	adj. bold or open to the point of shocking : adj. shameless
48	48	bucolic	adj. pastoral, rustic, countryfied
49	49	burgeon	v. flourish, bloom, expand or increase quickly
50	50	cacophony	n. loud and chaotic noise
51	51	calumny	n. lie or slander
52	52	candid	adj. honest, open
53	53	canon	n. accepted rules and tenets of a discipline : n. sacred works/scripture; in this sense it is also used to refer to notable literary and artistic works of a culture or discipline
54	54	capacity	n. the capability to perform a particular action or fulfill a given function : n. the total amount a container can hold : n. a particular position or role (i.e. “she served in an advisory capacity”)
55	55	capricious	adj. mercurial, unpredictable, whimsical
56	56	castigate	v. to scold or berate strongly
57	57	catalyst	n. something that speeds up a process or causes action
58	58	caustic	adj. corrosive : adj. bitterly sarcastic
59	59	censure	v. to express intense condemnation
60	60	chauvinist	n. someone who believes prejudicially that their own group is the superior one
61	61	chicanery	n. trickery or deception
62	62	chronological	adj. ordered by time
63	63	coalesce	v. to come together, esp. from disparate parts
64	64	cogent	adj. clearly laid out and persuasive
65	65	commensurate	adj. in accordance with, proportional
66	66	compelling	adj. captivating : adj. very persuasive
67	67	comprehensive	adj. complete and thorough
68	68	condone	v. to approve or allow
69	69	confound	v. to confuse or astonish
70	70	connoisseur	n. an expert in a particular subject matter area, usually relating to the fine arts or cultural pursuits
71	71	consequential	adj. as a result of : adj. significant or memorable
72	72	construe	v. to interpret
73	73	consumption	n. utilization (esp. of a resource)
74	74	contend	v. assert or claim : v. grapple with
75	75	contentious	adj. controversial : adj. involving conflict
76	76	contrite	adj. remorseful
77	77	convoluted	adj. roundabout, not straightforward
78	78	copious	adj. plentiful or abundant
79	79	cosmopolitan	adj. of or relating to a city or urban area : adj. sophisticated
80	80	covet	v. to desire something that does not belong to you
81	81	craft	n. cunning : n. skill
82	82	craven	adj. cowardly to the point of being shameful
83	83	credence	n. belief or trust
84	84	credulous	adj. gullible, naïve
85	85	decorum	n. appropriate behavior or good manners
86	86	deference	n. respect or polite submission
87	87	deflect	v. divert or cause to ricochet
88	88	deftness	adj. skill, acumen : adj. manual dexterity
89	89	delineate	v. to describe very accurately : v. to clearly demarcate a boundary : v. to render an outline
90	90	demur	v. to object or raise concerns
91	91	denigrate	v. say negative things about, particularly in a defamatory way
92	92	deride	v. to mock or ridicule
93	93	derivative	adj. imitates another work in a way that is unoriginal or uninspiring
94	94	desiccate	v. to dry out completely : v. to suck out the vitality and passion
95	95	desultory	adj. halfhearted : adj. inconsistent or random
96	96	detachment	n. objectivity or aloofness
97	97	determinant	n. a strong factor in an outcome
98	98	diatribe	n. a rant or angry speech denouncing someone or something
99	99	didactic	adj. educational or with an instructive purpose; often includes an element of moralizing
100	100	diffident	adj. shy, timid, or reserved due to a lack of confidence
101	101	dilettante	n. someone with an amateur, nonserious interest in something
102	102	dirge	n. funeral or mourning lament : n. any sad, slow song
103	103	disabuse	v. to dispel someone’s illusions or false impressions about something
104	104	discern	v. to perceive
105	105	discrepancy	n. inconsistency
106	106	disinterested	adj. objective, unbiased : adj. not invested in the outcome
107	107	disparage	v. to belittle
108	108	disparate	adj. dissimilar to such a degree that comparison is not possible
109	109	dispassionate	adj. impartial or cool
110	110	disregard	v. to ignore or pay no attention to
111	111	dissemble	v. to mislead or conceal the truth, esp. with respect to one’s motives
112	112	disseminate	v. to spread widely (esp. information)
113	113	dissonance	n. a clash between two elements that don’t blend well
114	114	diverge	v. to split apart, esp. a road or path
115	115	dogma	n. the official beliefs or tenets of particular sect or group
116	116	dupe	v. to deceive or fool
117	117	ebullient	adj. cheerful, enthusiastic, excited
118	118	eccentric	adj. quirky or unusual
119	119	eclectic	adj. composed of a variety of styles, themes, motifs, etc.
120	120	efficacy	n. effectiveness
121	121	elegy	n. sad poem or song, often in remembrance of someone deceased
122	122	elicit	v. to provoke a response
123	123	eloquence	adj. persuasive and articulate speech
124	124	eminent	adj. well-known, respected, distinguished
125	125	empirical	adj. based on evidence
126	126	emulate	v. to imitate or attempt to equal in accomplishment
127	127	enervate	v. to exhaust or drain of energy
128	128	engender	v. to cause or give rise to
129	129	enhance	v. intensify, increase, augment
130	130	entitlement	n. belief that one deserves things one has not earned : n. the rights one is afforded under the law
131	131	ephemeral	adj. short-lived or transient
132	132	equable	adj. even-tempered : adj. not given to much change or variation
133	133	equivocate	v. to use ambiguous language in order to mislead or deceive
134	134	erroneous	adj. incorrect
135	135	erudite	adj. learned
136	136	eschew	v. avoid or abstain from
137	137	esoteric	adj. obscure, arcane
138	138	estimable	adj. deserving respect, esteem, and admiration
139	139	eulogy	n. memorial speech for one who has passed, normally given at a funeral
140	140	exacerbate	v. to make worse
141	141	exacting	adj. challenging, demanding, grueling
142	142	exculpate	v. to exonerate or vindicate
143	143	exigent	adj. urgent or pressing
144	144	exonerate	v. to clear of charges of wrongdoing
145	145	expatiate	v. to elaborate on something in great detail
146	146	explicate	v. to explain in detail
147	147	exposition	n. a thorough explanation : n. a public show or fair
148	148	extraneous	adj. irrelevant or superfluous
149	149	extrapolate	v. to estimate or conjecture about the future based on presently available information or facts
150	150	facetious	adj. glib or flippant
151	151	facilitate	v. to make something easier or simpler
152	152	fallacious	adj. relying on a fallacy and thus incorrect/misinformed
153	153	fastidious	adj. meticulous : adj. invested in cleanliness
154	154	fluctuate	v. to shift without apparent pattern
155	155	foment	v. to foster unrest or discontent
156	156	forestall	v. to hold off or try to prevent
157	157	fortuitous	adj. fortunate and lucky
158	158	frugal	adj. economical, thrifty
159	159	gainsay	v. deny or oppose
160	160	galvanize	v. to prod someone into action
161	161	garrulous	adj. talkative
162	162	gauche	adj. socially inept, inappropriate, or awkward
163	163	germane	adj. relevant to the matter at hand
164	164	glib	adj. talking volubly, but carelessly or insincerely
165	165	gregarious	adj. sociable, genial
166	166	guile	n. craftiness and cunning
167	167	hackneyed	adj. cliché, trite, banal
168	168	harangue	n. diatribe or rant
169	169	hedonism	n. the pursuit of pleasure
170	170	hierarchical	adj. arranged in rank order or hierarchy
171	171	homogenous	adj. uniform, identical
172	172	hyperbole	n. obvious exaggeration for effect
173	173	iconoclast	n. a person who attacks traditional religious and cultural institutions
174	174	ideological	adj. relating to a particular belief system or theory
175	175	imminent	adj. about to happen
176	176	immutable	adj. unchangeable
177	177	impair	v. to hinder or weaken someone or something
178	178	impediment	n. barrier, hindrance, or obstruction
179	179	imperturbable	adj. remaining calm under any circumstance
180	180	implacable	adj. unforgiving : adj. relentless
181	181	implicit	adj. implied or insinuated without being directly stated
182	182	imprudence	n. bad judgment
183	183	impudent	adj. disrespectful
184	184	inadvertent	adj. by accident or unintentional
185	185	Inchoate	adj. rudimentary, in the beginning stages
186	186	inconclusive	adj. indeterminate or unresolved
187	187	indebted	adj. owing money : adj. owing gratitude to someone or something
188	188	indefatigable	adj. cannot be made tired
189	189	indolent	adj. lazy : adj. idle
190	190	infer	v. to conclude from implicit evidence (as opposed to explicit facts)
191	191	ingenuous	adj. naïve or innocent
192	192	inimical	adj. harmful or hostile
193	193	Innocuous	adj. harmless
194	194	inscrutable	adj. enigmatic, incomprehensible
195	195	insipid	adj. bland, uninspired, inane
196	196	insular	adj. tight-knit and isolated; uninterested in matters outside one’s immediate sphere
197	197	intensive	adj. concentrated and in-depth
198	198	intermediary	n. a go-between
199	199	intimate	adj. close (as in a relationship) : adj. particularly private : v. to imply
200	200	intractable	adj. unmanageable : adj. stubborn or obstinate
201	201	intransigent	adj. uncompromising, obstinate
202	202	intrepid	adj. bold and adventurous
203	203	inveterate	adj. ingrained, habitual
204	204	invulnerable	adj. indestructible, impervious to harm
205	205	irascible	adj. irritable, testy, touchy
206	206	irresolute	adj. wishy-washy, hesitant
207	207	laconic	adj. taciturn, reserved, succinct
208	208	laud	v. to praise
209	209	laudable	adj. praiseworthy
210	210	litigation	n. legal proceedings
211	211	loquacious	adj. talkative
212	212	lucid	adj. clear and coherent
213	213	luminous	adj. full of light
214	214	magnanimity	n. generosity and nobility of spirit
215	215	maladroit	adj. clumsy, awkward, inept
216	216	malign	adj. evil or harmful : v. to speak negatively about someone or something
217	217	malleable	adj. pliant or pliable : adj. easily influenced
218	218	maverick	n. an unorthodox person or rebel
219	219	mendacity	n. untruthfulness, dishonesty
220	220	mercurial	adj. easily changeable, fickle
221	221	meticulous	adj. paying close attention to detail
222	222	misanthrope	n. person who hates humanity
223	223	mitigate	v. to improve a painful, unpleasant, or negative situation
224	224	modest	adj. not boastful : adj. not overly showy
225	225	mollify	v. placate
226	226	monotony	n. boredom and repetition
227	227	mundane	adj. everyday, boring
228	228	munificent	adj. very generous
229	229	naïve	adj. inexperienced or gullible
230	230	nascent	adj. just beginning or in the early stages
231	231	neglect	v. to abandon or leave uncared-for
232	232	nonplussed	adj. confused and baffled
233	233	notoriety	n. fame for doing something negative or criminal
234	234	nuance	n. subtle shades of difference
235	235	obdurate	adj. stubborn, obstinate
236	236	obscure	adj. mysterious or not well-known : v. to cover something up or make it more difficult to perceive
237	237	obsequious	adj. overly fawning and helpful in a way that is disingenuous
238	238	obstinate	adj. stubborn, uncompromising
239	239	obviate	v. to forestall the need for something : v. to prevent
240	240	occlude	v. to block or obstruct
241	241	occult	n. the mystical and supernatural
242	242	offset	v. to counterbalance or counteract
243	243	olfactory	adj. relating to smell or the sense of smell
244	244	omniscience	n. the quality or state of being all-knowing
245	245	onerous	adj. difficult or burdensome
246	246	opaque	adj. not see-through; blocking light
247	247	opportunism	n. the practice of taking advantage of opportunities as they arise without particular concern for morality or ethics
248	248	opprobrium	n. criticism or condemnation
249	249	oscillate	v. to swing back and forth between two points, poles, or positions
250	250	ostentatious	adj. overly showy in a way that is gaudy or vulgar
251	251	outstrip	v. to overtake or outrun
252	252	overshadow	v. to literally cast a shadow over : v. to appear more notable than
253	253	painstaking	adj. attentive to detail, meticulous
254	254	partial	adj. incomplete
255	255	partisan	n. a devoted supporter of a group, cause, or person
256	256	patent	adj. blatant, obvious
257	257	paucity	n. scarcity, poverty
258	258	pedantic	adj. overly concerned with irrelevant detail, fussy
259	259	pedestrian	adj. boring, monotonous, run-of-the-mill
260	260	perfidy	n. treachery or deceit
261	261	perfunctory	adj. done without much effort, care, or thought
262	262	peripheral	adj. on the edge or periphery; not centrally important
263	263	permeate	v. to pervade or penetrate throughout
264	264	perseverance	n. persistence in the face of obstacles
265	265	peruse	v. to read something carefully and closely : v. to read something informally or quickly (context is critical for this word!)
266	266	pervasive	adj. found everywhere, widespread; often has a negative connotation
267	267	phenomena	n. things that happen
268	268	phlegmatic	adj. cool and unruffled
269	269	pith	n. the essential substance of something
270	270	placate	v. to calm, esp. an angry or upset person
271	271	plastic	adj. easily shaped or molded : adj. made of plastic
272	272	platitude	n. a trite or cliché statement
273	273	plausible	adj. believable, reasonable
274	274	plethora	n. a surplus or overabundance of something
275	275	plummet	v. to fall quickly and far
276	276	polarize	v. to cause a sharp division between two groups
277	277	polemical	adj. angry, hostile, harshly critical
278	278	pragmatic	adj. practical
279	279	precarious	adj. uncertain or unstable
280	280	preceded	adj. went before
281	281	precipitate	v. to cause : adj. hastily and not well-considered : n. particulate matter formed within a solution
282	282	precursor	n. a forerunner
283	283	prescient	adj. knowing things before they happen, prophetic
284	284	presumptuous	adj. overly familiar; invades social boundaries
285	285	prevail	v. to succeed, esp. with respect to vanquishing an opponent : v. to convince or persuade
286	286	prevaricate	v. to evade or deceive without outright lying
287	287	pristine	adj. untouched, clean, pure
288	288	probity	n. integrity and honor
289	289	prodigal	n. a reckless spender
290	290	prodigious	adj. enormous, immense, gigantic
291	291	profligate	adj. extravagant and wasteful, esp. in an immoral way
292	292	proliferate	v. to multiply and spread rapidly
293	293	propitiate	v. to obtain special favor from someone, esp. a powerful person or deity, by performing a pleasing action : v. to appease someone who is angry
294	294	propriety	n. appropriateness, manners, decorum
295	295	prospective	adj. potential or likely : adj. applicable to the future
296	296	qualification	n. credential : n. a modifying statement
297	297	quotidian	adj. relating to the everyday or mundane
298	298	rationalize	v. to attempt to justify with reasons that are only superficially valid
299	299	reconcile	v. to bring into harmony : v. to repair a relationship
300	300	recondite	adj. arcane or obscure
301	301	refute	v. to rebut or disprove
302	302	relentless	adj. never stopping, constant
303	303	relevant	adj. relating to the topic or issue at hand
304	304	reproach	v. to scold or express criticism
305	305	repudiate	v. to renounce or disown
306	306	rescind	v. to take back or retract (an offer or statement)
307	307	respectively	adv. in the sequential order previously given
308	308	reticent	adj. hesitant to speak : adj. introverted or silent
309	309	reverent	adj. solemn and respectful
310	310	rhetoric	n. the art of effective communication (written or verbal)
311	311	salubrious	adj. health-promoting
312	312	sanction	v. to give official permission : v. to impose a penalty for a particular action : n. punishments imposed for breaking a regulation
313	313	satiate	v. to completely satisfy (with respect to hunger or appetite)
314	314	secular	adj. of or relating to the world or worldly matters (as opposed to religious ones)
315	315	sediment	n. material that settles at the bottom of a body of water
316	316	sedulous	adj. dedicated and careful
317	317	simultaneous	adj. occurring at the same moment
318	318	solicitous	adj. considerate, attentive
319	319	soporific	adj. makes sleepy
320	320	sparse	adj. scattered or scarce : adj. austere and unadorned
321	321	specious	adj. spurious; appearing true but actually false
322	322	sporadic	adj. occasional or scattered
323	323	spurious	adj. fake or false
324	324	stolid	adj. calm and dependable
325	325	subjective	adj. open to personal interpretation; not based in objective fact
326	326	substantiate	v. to corroborate or give evidence of something
327	327	subversive	adj. meant to undercut established institutions or norms
328	328	sufficient	adj. enough for a given purpose
329	329	superbly	adv. excellently
330	330	supine	adj. laying back with the face upward (opposite position to prone)
331	331	supplant	v. to overtake or replace
332	332	sycophant	n. a fawning, insincere admirer
333	333	synthesize	v. to combine disparate parts into a coherent whole
334	334	tacit	adj. unspoken; implicit
335	335	taciturn	adj. reticent or reserved; tending towards silence
336	336	temperance	n. moderation and restraint, sometimes used to specifically describe abstinence from alcohol
337	337	tenuous	adj. weak, flimsy, insubstantial
338	338	timorous	adj. meek or timid
339	339	tirade	n. an angry rant
340	340	torpor	n. tiredness, lethargy
341	341	tortuous	adj. winding or twisty : adj. complicated
342	342	tractable	adj. can be easily influenced or managed
343	343	transient	adj. passes quickly; short-lived
344	344	ubiquitous	adj. ever-present or universal
345	345	unadorned	adj. plain; unembellished
346	346	undermine	v. to weaken or compromise
347	347	underscore	v. to line underneath for emphasis : v. to emphasize
348	348	untenable	adj. weak or unsupportable, esp. with respect to an opinion or situation
349	349	vacillate	v. to shift between multiple options or opinions
350	350	venality	n. the state of being capable of being bribed
351	351	venerate	v. to give a high degree of respect; may border on worship
352	352	veracity	n. Truth and factual accuracy
353	353	verbose	adj. long-winded; loquacious
354	354	vexation	n. state of being frustrated, irritated, or concerned.
355	355	volatile	adj. easily changeable or extreme; unstable
356	356	whimsical	adj. fanciful or capricious
357	357	zeal	n. passion or fervor