1. PETTISH (ADJECTIVE): very angry; in a bad mood
Synonyms: annoyed, vexed
Antonyms: cheerful, pleasant
Example Sentence:
"For the last month or six weeks he has scarcely spoken to me but in the unmistakable
language of a pettish anger.
2. LAMBASTE (VERB): punish, beat
Synonyms: assail, berate
Antonyms: applaud, praise
Example Sentence:
Evening after evening, Hiro and his teammates were lambasted for their failures and shortcomings.
3. STAUNCH (ADJECTIVE): resolute, dependable
Synonyms: ardent, reliable
Antonyms: disloyal, untrustworthy
Example Sentence:
During the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, Senator Ted Kerry was his staunch supporter.
4. BOMBINATE (VERB): make droning sound
Synonyms: reverberate, hum
Antonyms: silence
Example Sentence:
Sometimes, my computer bombinates very late at night, stops for a bit of rest, then resumes its hum at the early hours of the morning.
5. MIASMA (NOUN): effluvium
Synonyms: fumes, odor
Antonyms: perfume, sweetness
Example Sentence:
These days, we sit for hours in Bangalore's heavy traffic and inhale a miasma of toxic gases; I think this is worse than smoking a cigarette.
6. EGALITARIAN (ADJECTIVE): equal
Synonyms: democratic, equitable
Antonyms: unequal, partial
Example Sentence:
People often lose interest in egalitarian measures when such measures do not directly benefit them.
7. STYMIE (VERB): frustrate, hinder
Synonyms: impede, obstruct
Antonyms: support, forward
Example Sentence:
In my effort to become successful in my career, I was stymied by my boss who always took credit for all the good things and put the blame on me for mistakes.
8. QUANDARY (NOUN): delicate situation
Synonyms: dilemma, impasse
Antonyms: good fortunate, solution
Example Sentence:
The school administration was in a quandary over the needful size of an "open-air playground."
9. MALAISE (NOUN): depression, sickness
Synonyms: despair, anxiety
Antonyms: pleasure, calmness
Example Sentence:
When she woke up, she felt malaise and dizziness that would not go away.
10. SUPERCILIOUS (ADJECTIVE) : arrogant, stuck-up
Synonyms: bossy, egotistic
Antonyms: humble, modest
Example Sentence:
The supercilious salesman treated the couple like peasants until they opened the suitcase filled with the dollar bills.
11. RUDIMENTARY (ADJECTIVE): basic, fundamental
Synonyms: elemental, primitive
Antonyms: complex, difficult
Example Sentence:
The primitive tribe's tools were so rudimentary that they looked like rocks rather than tools.
12. STRICTURE (NOUN): censure
Synonyms: blame, criticism
Antonyms: compliment, praise
Example Sentence:
Despite the strictures of living in a small apartment, we really enjoyed the time we spent in New York City.
13. DISPORT (NOUN): form of entertainment
Synonyms: play, amusement
Antonyms: boredom
Example Sentence:
At that season the males assemble, in numbers varying from twelve to twenty, on certain trees, and there disport themselves, so as to display their magnificent plumes in presence of the females.
14. PERMEATE (VERB): filter, spread throughout
Synonyms: imbue, infuse
Antonyms: dehydrate, dry
Example Sentence:
During the monsoons the stinky smell from the garbage dump permeates the whole atmosphere.
15. ANTITHESIS (NOUN): exact opposite
Synonyms: contradictory, converse
Antonyms: same, similarity
Example Sentence:
My sister is the antithesis of my brother - my sister is cheerful and enthusiastic while my brother is serious and disciplined.
16. VITRIOLIC (ADJECTIVE): bitter
Synonyms: antagonistic, caustic
Antonyms: kind, nice
Example Sentence:
The debate between the two was heated and vitriolic and thus they attracted the attention of everyone in the park.
17. DESPONDENT (ADJECTIVE): depressed
Synonyms: dejected, morose
Antonyms: cheerful, happy
Example Sentence:
After losing his job in recent cuts, the man was despondent for several months.
18. ARTFUL (ADJECTIVE): skillful; cunning
Synonyms: adroit, shrewd
Antonyms: clumsy, inept
Example Sentence:
The builder has been very artful about the basis on which he has bypassed the building
regulations.
19. INSUPERABLE (ADJECTIVE): impassable
Synonyms: insurmountable, impossible
Antonyms: ignore, neglect
Example Sentence:
Charles is a foolish dreamer who comes up with insuperable plans that he never achieves.
20. COMPENDIUM (NOUN) : abridgment
Synonyms: abstract, brief
Antonyms: lengthy, wordy
Example Sentence:
A yearbook often contains the compendium of interesting and fun stories about the members of the graduating class.
21. IRASCIBLE (ADJECTIVE): crabby
Synonyms: cranky, feisty
Antonyms: pleasant, cheerful
Example Sentence:
He was a little quick tempered and irascible and people were apt to think him cross and crabbed, but he had a kind heart.
22. CONSTRUE (VERB): deduce; explain
Synonyms: define, translate
Antonyms: misunderstand, confuse
Example Sentence:
The law has always been construed as permitting the behaviour for which the neighbour has been arrested.
23. ACRID (ADJECTIVE): bitter, sour to taste
Synonyms: pungent, stinging
Antonyms: savoury, delicious
Example Sentence:
Long after the forest fire had been put out, I could sense the acrid sting of smoke in my nostrils.
24. CONVIVIAL (ADJECTIVE): fun-loving
Synonyms: cheerful, jovial
Antonyms: gloomy, sad
Example Sentence:
In a convivial gathering, the people present enjoy eating, drinking, talking and being in each other's company.
25. CHARLATAN (NOUN): swindler
Synonyms: cheat, fraud
Antonyms: honesty, fairness
Example Sentence:
The man was selling a spray to effortlessly and permanently repair the scratches in the paint on cars; but he was just a charlatan.
26. DERIDE (VERB): make fun of; insult
Synonyms: disdain, taunt
Antonyms: admire, respect
Example Sentence:
The sports columnists have derided the local football team, which has not won any match in years.
27. DELUGE (NOUN): downpour, flood of something
Synonyms: avalanche, inundation
Example Sentence:
When the city traffic police announced reward for photographs of vehicles crossing red lights, it was deluged by tens of thousands of such photos coming in every day.
28. VIRULENT (ADJECTIVE): poisonous, lethal
Synonyms: deadly, fatal
Antonyms: harmless, healthful
Example Sentence:
The virulent disease quickly swept through the community leaving a lot of people
extremely ill and the local hospitals unable to keep up with their needs.
29. CHEAPSKATE (NOUN): miser
Synonyms: scrooge, penny pincher
Antonyms: spendthrift
Example Sentence:
A cheapskate who lived like a pauper, she was reputedly the wealthiest woman in America at the time of her death
30. CIRCUMSCRIBE (VERB) : mark off, delimit
Synonyms: delineate, restrain
Antonyms: aid, allow
Example Sentence:
A fence of barbed wire and the presence of security guards circumscribed the movement of prisoners.
Synonyms: annoyed, vexed
Antonyms: cheerful, pleasant
Example Sentence:
"For the last month or six weeks he has scarcely spoken to me but in the unmistakable
language of a pettish anger.
2. LAMBASTE (VERB): punish, beat
Synonyms: assail, berate
Antonyms: applaud, praise
Example Sentence:
Evening after evening, Hiro and his teammates were lambasted for their failures and shortcomings.
3. STAUNCH (ADJECTIVE): resolute, dependable
Synonyms: ardent, reliable
Antonyms: disloyal, untrustworthy
Example Sentence:
During the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, Senator Ted Kerry was his staunch supporter.
4. BOMBINATE (VERB): make droning sound
Synonyms: reverberate, hum
Antonyms: silence
Example Sentence:
Sometimes, my computer bombinates very late at night, stops for a bit of rest, then resumes its hum at the early hours of the morning.
5. MIASMA (NOUN): effluvium
Synonyms: fumes, odor
Antonyms: perfume, sweetness
Example Sentence:
These days, we sit for hours in Bangalore's heavy traffic and inhale a miasma of toxic gases; I think this is worse than smoking a cigarette.
6. EGALITARIAN (ADJECTIVE): equal
Synonyms: democratic, equitable
Antonyms: unequal, partial
Example Sentence:
People often lose interest in egalitarian measures when such measures do not directly benefit them.
7. STYMIE (VERB): frustrate, hinder
Synonyms: impede, obstruct
Antonyms: support, forward
Example Sentence:
In my effort to become successful in my career, I was stymied by my boss who always took credit for all the good things and put the blame on me for mistakes.
8. QUANDARY (NOUN): delicate situation
Synonyms: dilemma, impasse
Antonyms: good fortunate, solution
Example Sentence:
The school administration was in a quandary over the needful size of an "open-air playground."
9. MALAISE (NOUN): depression, sickness
Synonyms: despair, anxiety
Antonyms: pleasure, calmness
Example Sentence:
When she woke up, she felt malaise and dizziness that would not go away.
10. SUPERCILIOUS (ADJECTIVE) : arrogant, stuck-up
Synonyms: bossy, egotistic
Antonyms: humble, modest
Example Sentence:
The supercilious salesman treated the couple like peasants until they opened the suitcase filled with the dollar bills.
11. RUDIMENTARY (ADJECTIVE): basic, fundamental
Synonyms: elemental, primitive
Antonyms: complex, difficult
Example Sentence:
The primitive tribe's tools were so rudimentary that they looked like rocks rather than tools.
12. STRICTURE (NOUN): censure
Synonyms: blame, criticism
Antonyms: compliment, praise
Example Sentence:
Despite the strictures of living in a small apartment, we really enjoyed the time we spent in New York City.
13. DISPORT (NOUN): form of entertainment
Synonyms: play, amusement
Antonyms: boredom
Example Sentence:
At that season the males assemble, in numbers varying from twelve to twenty, on certain trees, and there disport themselves, so as to display their magnificent plumes in presence of the females.
14. PERMEATE (VERB): filter, spread throughout
Synonyms: imbue, infuse
Antonyms: dehydrate, dry
Example Sentence:
During the monsoons the stinky smell from the garbage dump permeates the whole atmosphere.
15. ANTITHESIS (NOUN): exact opposite
Synonyms: contradictory, converse
Antonyms: same, similarity
Example Sentence:
My sister is the antithesis of my brother - my sister is cheerful and enthusiastic while my brother is serious and disciplined.
16. VITRIOLIC (ADJECTIVE): bitter
Synonyms: antagonistic, caustic
Antonyms: kind, nice
Example Sentence:
The debate between the two was heated and vitriolic and thus they attracted the attention of everyone in the park.
17. DESPONDENT (ADJECTIVE): depressed
Synonyms: dejected, morose
Antonyms: cheerful, happy
Example Sentence:
After losing his job in recent cuts, the man was despondent for several months.
18. ARTFUL (ADJECTIVE): skillful; cunning
Synonyms: adroit, shrewd
Antonyms: clumsy, inept
Example Sentence:
The builder has been very artful about the basis on which he has bypassed the building
regulations.
19. INSUPERABLE (ADJECTIVE): impassable
Synonyms: insurmountable, impossible
Antonyms: ignore, neglect
Example Sentence:
Charles is a foolish dreamer who comes up with insuperable plans that he never achieves.
20. COMPENDIUM (NOUN) : abridgment
Synonyms: abstract, brief
Antonyms: lengthy, wordy
Example Sentence:
A yearbook often contains the compendium of interesting and fun stories about the members of the graduating class.
21. IRASCIBLE (ADJECTIVE): crabby
Synonyms: cranky, feisty
Antonyms: pleasant, cheerful
Example Sentence:
He was a little quick tempered and irascible and people were apt to think him cross and crabbed, but he had a kind heart.
22. CONSTRUE (VERB): deduce; explain
Synonyms: define, translate
Antonyms: misunderstand, confuse
Example Sentence:
The law has always been construed as permitting the behaviour for which the neighbour has been arrested.
23. ACRID (ADJECTIVE): bitter, sour to taste
Synonyms: pungent, stinging
Antonyms: savoury, delicious
Example Sentence:
Long after the forest fire had been put out, I could sense the acrid sting of smoke in my nostrils.
24. CONVIVIAL (ADJECTIVE): fun-loving
Synonyms: cheerful, jovial
Antonyms: gloomy, sad
Example Sentence:
In a convivial gathering, the people present enjoy eating, drinking, talking and being in each other's company.
25. CHARLATAN (NOUN): swindler
Synonyms: cheat, fraud
Antonyms: honesty, fairness
Example Sentence:
The man was selling a spray to effortlessly and permanently repair the scratches in the paint on cars; but he was just a charlatan.
26. DERIDE (VERB): make fun of; insult
Synonyms: disdain, taunt
Antonyms: admire, respect
Example Sentence:
The sports columnists have derided the local football team, which has not won any match in years.
27. DELUGE (NOUN): downpour, flood of something
Synonyms: avalanche, inundation
Example Sentence:
When the city traffic police announced reward for photographs of vehicles crossing red lights, it was deluged by tens of thousands of such photos coming in every day.
28. VIRULENT (ADJECTIVE): poisonous, lethal
Synonyms: deadly, fatal
Antonyms: harmless, healthful
Example Sentence:
The virulent disease quickly swept through the community leaving a lot of people
extremely ill and the local hospitals unable to keep up with their needs.
29. CHEAPSKATE (NOUN): miser
Synonyms: scrooge, penny pincher
Antonyms: spendthrift
Example Sentence:
A cheapskate who lived like a pauper, she was reputedly the wealthiest woman in America at the time of her death
30. CIRCUMSCRIBE (VERB) : mark off, delimit
Synonyms: delineate, restrain
Antonyms: aid, allow
Example Sentence:
A fence of barbed wire and the presence of security guards circumscribed the movement of prisoners.