English vocabulary · C2
These are the 1,005 words that English courses and textbooks teach at level C2 (Proficiency). Each one comes with a definition and an example sentence in English, with no translation: the way native speakers learn.
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| jurisprudence | The theory and study of law, or the body of decisions made by courts in a particular area. | She wrote her doctoral thesis on European human rights jurisprudence. |
| hegemony | Leadership or control by one country or group over others, especially in politics or culture. | For decades, the empire maintained its hegemony over the entire region. |
| decadence | A state of moral or cultural decline, often linked with too much luxury and pleasure. | The novel portrays the decadence of the aristocracy before the war. |
| oblivion | The state of being completely forgotten, or of being unaware of what is happening around you. | Once a famous singer, he faded into oblivion within a few years. |
| pathos | A quality in a story, speech or situation that makes people feel pity or sadness. | The final scene, with the old man alone at the station, is full of pathos. |
| parable | A short, simple story that teaches a moral lesson. | The teacher told a parable about a lazy farmer to make her point. |
| opulence | Great wealth and luxury, often shown in expensive and impressive surroundings. | Guests were amazed by the opulence of the palace's golden ballroom. |
| heresy | An opinion that strongly disagrees with what a group generally accepts as true. | In our family, suggesting pineapple on pizza is considered heresy. |
| fidelity | Loyalty to a person, belief or promise; also, how exactly something is copied or reproduced. | The translation is praised for its fidelity to the original text. |
| clemency | Mercy shown by someone in authority, especially when giving a less severe punishment. | The judge showed clemency and gave the young man a suspended sentence. |
| conviviality | A friendly, cheerful atmosphere where people enjoy each other's company. | The conviviality of the village festival made us feel instantly at home. |
| corollary | A natural result or consequence that follows from something else. | Higher prices are an inevitable corollary of rising energy costs. |
| covenant | A formal, serious agreement or promise, often written into a legal document. | The property deeds contain a covenant forbidding any extra buildings on the land. |
| dominion | Power or control over a territory or people; also, the land that is ruled. | The king's dominion stretched from the mountains to the sea. |
| epitome | A perfect example of a particular quality or type of thing. | With his silk tie and polished shoes, he was the epitome of elegance. |
| epiphany | A moment when you suddenly understand something important. | Halfway through her run, she had an epiphany about how to fix the project. |
| fortitude | Courage and strength of mind in dealing with pain or difficulty over a long time. | She faced months of hospital treatment with remarkable fortitude. |
| frailty | Physical or moral weakness. | Despite the frailty of old age, my grandfather still walks to the shop every day. |
| futility | The fact of being completely useless or having no chance of success. | After an hour in traffic, he realised the futility of trying to arrive on time. |
| gratification | A feeling of pleasure, especially when a desire is satisfied. | Children often struggle to delay gratification when sweets are on the table. |
| impunity | Freedom from punishment or from the bad results of an action. | The gang seemed to break the law with total impunity. |
| insinuation | An unpleasant suggestion made in an indirect way. | She was hurt by his insinuation that she had cheated in the exam. |
| juxtaposition | The act of placing two very different things side by side, often to show contrast. | The photograph's power lies in the juxtaposition of wealth and poverty. |
| lineage | The line of people from whom someone is descended; ancestry. | The family can trace its lineage back to the twelfth century. |
| malice | The wish to harm or upset other people. | I'm sure he forgot your birthday by accident, not out of malice. |
| martyr | Someone who suffers or dies for their beliefs; also, someone who exaggerates their suffering to get sympathy. | Stop playing the martyr and just ask for help with the dishes. |
| maxim | A short statement of a general truth or a rule for good behaviour. | Her favourite maxim was "Measure twice, cut once." |
| misnomer | A name or term that describes something wrongly or misleadingly. | Calling it a "short walk" was a misnomer; it took us four hours. |
| mutiny | A rebellion by soldiers or sailors against the people in command. | The sailors staged a mutiny and locked the captain in his cabin. |
| panacea | Something that people believe will solve all problems or cure all illnesses. | Technology is not a panacea for every problem in education. |
| posterity | All the people who will live in the future. | The old letters were carefully preserved for posterity. |
| premonition | A strong feeling that something, usually unpleasant, is going to happen. | She had a premonition that the flight would be cancelled, and it was. |
| propensity | A natural tendency to behave in a particular way. | My brother has a propensity for exaggerating his adventures. |
| quandary | A state of not being able to decide what to do in a difficult situation. | Offered two great jobs at once, Leo was in a real quandary. |
| reciprocity | A situation in which two people or groups give each other similar help or advantages. | The trade deal is based on reciprocity: both countries will lower their taxes. |
| retribution | Severe punishment for something seriously wrong that someone has done. | The villagers feared retribution from the bandits after reporting them. |
| semblance | The outward appearance of something, especially when the reality is different. | After the storm, the town slowly returned to some semblance of normality. |
| spectre | A ghost; also, the threat of something unpleasant that might happen. | The spectre of unemployment hung over the factory workers. |
| trepidation | A feeling of fear or worry about something that is going to happen. | With some trepidation, she knocked on the head teacher's door. |
| vanguard | The leading position in a movement or development, or the people in it. | The company has always been in the vanguard of green technology. |
| vindication | Proof that someone was right or was not to blame. | The test results were a complete vindication of the scientist's theory. |
| zeal | Great energy and enthusiasm for a cause or goal. | The new volunteers cleaned the beach with remarkable zeal. |
| whim | A sudden wish or idea, often without a good reason. | On a whim, they booked a weekend trip to Lisbon. |
| benevolence | The quality of being kind and wanting to help others. | The orphanage survived thanks to the benevolence of a local businesswoman. |
| blight | A disease that damages plants; also, something that spoils or harms a place or situation. | Litter is a blight on our beautiful coastline. |
| bravado | A show of courage or confidence, often to hide fear. | Despite his bravado, he was clearly nervous before the interview. |
| causality | The relationship between a cause and its effect. | The study shows a link, but it does not prove causality. |
| concord | Agreement and peace between people or groups. | The two neighbouring villages have lived in concord for centuries. |
| credence | Belief in or acceptance of something as true. | New evidence gave credence to the witness's account. |
| crusade | A long, determined effort to achieve something you believe is right. | The mayor launched a crusade against noise pollution in the city. |
| derision | Unkind laughter or comments showing that you think someone is stupid. | His strange idea was met with derision at first, but later it succeeded. |
| disdain | The feeling that someone or something is not good enough to deserve respect. | She looked at the cheap souvenirs with obvious disdain. |
| enigma | Someone or something mysterious and difficult to understand. | The disappearance of the ship remains an enigma to this day. |
| exasperation | A feeling of great annoyance, especially when you cannot do anything about a problem. | "Not again!" she cried in exasperation when the printer jammed. |
| fervour | Very strong and passionate feeling. | The fans sang the anthem with tremendous fervour. |
| finesse | Great skill and delicacy in the way something is done. | The chef decorated the dessert with real finesse. |
| heyday | The time when someone or something was most successful or popular. | In its heyday, the seaside town attracted thousands of tourists every summer. |
| hiatus | A pause or break in an activity or process. | After a two-year hiatus, the band released a new album. |
| linchpin | The most important person or thing, on which everything else depends. | The goalkeeper has been the linchpin of the team all season. |
| penchant | A strong liking for something or a tendency to do it. | My aunt has a penchant for old detective novels. |
| acquiescence | The act of accepting or agreeing to something without protest. | The plan went ahead with the silent acquiescence of the committee. |
| acrimony | Angry, bitter feelings or words between people. | The divorce was settled without acrimony. |
| adage | An old, well-known saying that expresses a general truth. | As the old adage goes, practice makes perfect. |
| adulation | Very great admiration or praise, often more than is deserved. | The young footballer enjoyed the adulation of thousands of fans. |
| affront | An action or remark that insults or offends someone. | He saw the low salary offer as a personal affront. |
| allegory | A story, poem or picture in which the characters and events represent deeper ideas. | The novel about farm animals is an allegory of political power. |
| ambience | The character and atmosphere of a place. | The restaurant's candlelit ambience made it perfect for a birthday dinner. |
| animosity | Strong dislike or hostility between people. | There is no personal animosity between the two candidates. |
| antagonism | Active opposition or hostility towards someone or something. | The old antagonism between the rival clubs often led to trouble. |
| antecedent | Something that existed or happened before and is connected with what came later. | The early telephone was an antecedent of today's smartphones. |
| antipathy | A strong feeling of dislike. | She has a deep antipathy towards anyone who is rude to waiters. |
| antithesis | The exact opposite of something. | Her calm manner is the antithesis of her brother's nervous energy. |
| aplomb | Confidence and calm skill, especially in a difficult situation. | She handled the difficult questions with great aplomb. |
| apex | The highest point or the top of something. | At the apex of her career, she won three international prizes. |
| apotheosis | The highest or most perfect example or stage of something. | Many critics consider this symphony the apotheosis of his work. |
| ascendancy | A position of power, control or influence. | The new technology quickly gained ascendancy over older methods. |
| avarice | Extreme desire for wealth; greed. | In the fairy tale, the merchant's avarice leads to his downfall. |
| aversion | A strong feeling of not liking something. | Our cat has an aversion to water. |
| bastion | A place, institution or group that strongly defends a principle or way of life. | The small bookshop is a bastion of independent publishing. |
| bedlam | A scene of noise, confusion and disorder. | When the fire alarm went off, the school canteen was bedlam. |
| behest | A person's order or request. | The report was written at the behest of the director. |
| bequest | Money or property that someone leaves to a person or organisation when they die. | The museum received a generous bequest from a former visitor. |
| bigot | A person who has strong, unreasonable opinions and does not accept different ideas or people. | He was called a bigot after refusing to listen to any other point of view. |
| blasphemy | Something said or done that shows disrespect for something many people treat as sacred. | For a true coffee lover, adding sugar to espresso is blasphemy. |
| bonhomie | A cheerful, friendly manner. | The host's easy bonhomie made everyone feel welcome. |
| bravura | Great skill and brilliance, especially in a performance. | The violinist played the solo with real bravura. |
| brouhaha | A noisy fuss or excited public reaction, often about something unimportant. | There was a huge brouhaha over the new school uniforms. |
| cacophony | A mixture of loud, unpleasant sounds. | We woke to a cacophony of car horns, barking dogs and drilling. |
| cadence | The rise and fall of the voice when speaking, or a rhythm in sound. | I love the gentle cadence of her Irish accent. |
| calamity | A sudden event that causes great damage or suffering; a disaster. | The flood was the worst calamity the valley had ever seen. |
| callousness | A cruel lack of concern for the feelings of others. | The manager's callousness towards his sick employees shocked everyone. |
| candidacy | The state of being a candidate in an election or for a position. | She announced her candidacy for mayor last Tuesday. |
| canon | A list of works that are generally accepted as the most important in a field. | Shakespeare's plays are central to the English literary canon. |
| carnage | The violent killing or injuring of many people, or great destruction. | The motorway pile-up left a scene of carnage. |
| catharsis | The release of strong emotions, which brings a feeling of relief. | Writing in her diary provided a kind of catharsis after the bad news. |
| censure | Strong, formal criticism of someone's actions. | The minister faced public censure for his misleading statements. |
| charlatan | A person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill. | The so-called healer turned out to be a charlatan selling coloured water. |
| chasm | A very deep crack in the ground; also, a big difference between people or groups. | There is a growing chasm between rich and poor in the city. |
| clamour | A loud, continuous noise, or a strong public demand. | There is a clamour for better public transport in rural areas. |
| colloquialism | A word or phrase used in informal conversation rather than formal writing. | "Gonna" is a colloquialism you should avoid in an essay. |
| compunction | A feeling of guilt that stops you from doing something wrong. | He had no compunction about eating the last biscuit. |
| condescension | Behaviour that shows someone thinks they are better or more important than others. | The expert explained the problem with obvious condescension. |
| confluence | The place where two rivers join; also, a coming together of things. | The city was built at the confluence of two great rivers. |
| connoisseur | An expert who knows a lot about and appreciates things such as art, food or wine. | As a cheese connoisseur, he can name almost any variety by taste. |
| consternation | A feeling of shock and worry, often caused by something unexpected. | To the consternation of the passengers, the train stopped in the tunnel. |
| contrition | A feeling of deep regret for something wrong you have done. | He showed real contrition and apologised to everyone he had hurt. |
| conjuncture | A combination of events or circumstances at a particular moment. | At this conjuncture, the company cannot afford any more risks. |
| crescendo | A gradual increase in loudness, or the moment when something is loudest or most intense. | The applause rose to a crescendo as the singer returned to the stage. |
| culpability | The fact of being responsible for something wrong or bad. | The company refused to accept any culpability for the accident. |
| cusp | The point at which one situation is about to change into another. | Scientists believe we are on the cusp of a major discovery. |
| debauchery | Behaviour involving too much drinking, eating and other wild pleasures. | The novel describes a weekend of debauchery at a country house. |
| decorum | Polite and correct behaviour suited to a formal occasion. | Guests are expected to maintain decorum during the ceremony. |
| demagogue | A political leader who wins support by appealing to people's emotions and fears rather than reason. | The historian described the leader as a dangerous demagogue. |
| denouement | The final part of a story, in which everything is explained or resolved. | The film's surprising denouement left the audience speechless. |
| deprecation | Disapproval; also, a polite way of making yourself seem less important. | With typical self-deprecation, the author said her success was pure luck. |
| despondency | A state of low spirits and loss of hope. | After weeks without work, he sank into despondency. |
| despot | A ruler with total power who often uses it cruelly. | The despot imprisoned anyone who criticised him. |
| diatribe | A long, angry speech or piece of writing that criticises something. | The columnist launched a diatribe against the new parking rules. |
| dictum | A formal statement of opinion or a short saying expressing a principle. | The coach followed the dictum that defence wins championships. |
| didacticism | The quality of trying too obviously to teach moral lessons. | The film's heavy didacticism annoyed many critics. |
| diffidence | Shyness and lack of confidence in yourself. | Her diffidence disappeared once she started talking about her research. |
| dilettante | A person who is interested in an activity but does not study it seriously. | He's a dilettante who has tried painting, poetry and pottery but finished nothing. |
| dirge | A slow, sad song or piece of music, especially one played at a funeral. | The band played a mournful dirge as the procession passed. |
| dissonance | A lack of agreement or harmony between things, including sounds. | There is a clear dissonance between what he says and what he does. |
| dogma | A set of firm beliefs that people are expected to accept without question. | The scientist challenged the dogma that had ruled the field for years. |
| drudgery | Hard, boring work that has to be done. | Washing machines freed many people from the drudgery of hand-washing clothes. |
| duplicity | Dishonest behaviour intended to deceive people. | The spy's duplicity was finally discovered. |
| ebullience | Cheerful energy and enthusiasm. | Her ebullience lifted everyone's spirits on the long journey. |
| edict | An official order given by someone in authority. | The royal edict banned all music in public squares. |
| effrontery | Rude, shameless behaviour that shows no respect. | He had the effrontery to ask for a pay rise after arriving late every day. |
| egalitarianism | The belief that all people are equal and should have the same rights and chances. | The school is proud of its spirit of egalitarianism. |
| elegy | A sad poem or song, especially for someone who has died. | She wrote a moving elegy for her grandmother. |
| eloquence | The ability to speak or write well and persuasively. | The young lawyer's eloquence impressed the whole courtroom. |
| emissary | A person sent on an official mission to deliver a message or represent someone. | The president sent an emissary to begin peace talks. |
| encumbrance | Something that makes it hard to move freely or act easily; a burden. | Without the encumbrance of heavy luggage, we explored the town on foot. |
| ennui | A feeling of boredom and dissatisfaction caused by having nothing interesting to do. | The long, rainy summer filled the teenagers with ennui. |
| ephemera | Things that are useful or popular for only a short time, such as tickets and posters, later collected. | The exhibition displays concert ephemera from the 1960s. |
| epithet | A word or phrase used to describe someone, often added to their name. | Alfred earned the epithet "the Great" for defending his kingdom. |
| epoch | A long period of time marked by particular events or developments. | The invention of printing marked the start of a new epoch. |
| equanimity | Calmness, especially in a difficult situation. | She received the bad news with surprising equanimity. |
| erudition | Great knowledge gained from reading and studying. | The professor's erudition was obvious from her first lecture. |
| euphoria | A very strong feeling of happiness and excitement. | There was euphoria in the streets after the team won the cup. |
| exigency | An urgent need or demand caused by a difficult situation. | The exigency of the crisis forced the government to act quickly. |
| exoneration | The act of officially declaring that someone is not guilty. | After ten years, new DNA evidence led to his exoneration. |
| expediency | The practice of doing what is convenient or useful rather than what is right. | The decision was based on political expediency, not principle. |
| extravagance | Spending too much money, or something that is too expensive. | A taxi to the airport felt like an extravagance, so we took the bus. |
| facet | One part or aspect of something. | Every facet of the plan was discussed in detail. |
| facsimile | An exact copy of something, especially a document or picture. | The museum shop sells a facsimile of the original manuscript. |
| fallibility | The tendency to make mistakes. | Good leaders admit their own fallibility. |
| fanaticism | Extreme, unreasonable enthusiasm for a belief or activity. | His fanaticism about football meant he never missed a match. |
| farce | A comedy based on ridiculous situations; also, an event so badly organised that it seems silly. | With no chairs and no microphone, the meeting was a complete farce. |
| ferocity | The state of being violent, fierce or extremely intense. | The ferocity of the storm took everyone by surprise. |
| filibuster | A very long speech made in a parliament to delay or prevent a vote. | The senator's filibuster lasted more than twenty hours. |
| flippancy | A lack of seriousness when talking about something important. | His flippancy about the exam results upset his parents. |
| foible | A small, harmless weakness or strange habit in someone's character. | Grandpa's foible is that he always reads the last page of a book first. |
| forbearance | Patience and self-control, especially when someone has treated you badly. | The teacher showed great forbearance with the noisy class. |
| fracas | A noisy fight or argument involving several people. | Police were called to a fracas outside the stadium. |
| furore | A sudden expression of public anger or excitement. | The referee's decision caused a furore among the fans. |
| gauntlet | A strong glove; in expressions, a challenge or a series of attacks. | The reigning champion threw down the gauntlet to any challenger. |
| gravitas | A serious and dignified manner that makes people respect you. | The veteran actor brought real gravitas to the role of the judge. |
| grandeur | The quality of being impressive in size, beauty or importance. | We stood in silence, admiring the grandeur of the mountains. |
| guile | Clever but dishonest behaviour used to trick people. | The fox used guile to steal the farmer's chickens. |
| hallucination | The experience of seeing or hearing something that is not really there. | The high fever caused him to have a hallucination about spiders on the ceiling. |
| harbinger | A sign that something, often important, is about to happen. | The first swallows are a harbinger of spring. |
| hedonism | The belief that pleasure is the most important thing in life. | Their holiday was pure hedonism: sun, food and no responsibilities. |
| histrionics | Very emotional, exaggerated behaviour meant to attract attention. | Ignore the toddler's histrionics and he'll soon calm down. |
| hubris | Too much pride or self-confidence, which often leads to failure. | The company's hubris made it ignore its smaller competitors. |
| hyperbole | Exaggeration used for effect, not meant to be taken literally. | Saying he'd told me a million times was hyperbole, of course. |
| iconoclast | A person who attacks or rejects widely accepted beliefs and traditions. | The young architect was an iconoclast who rejected every classical rule. |
| idiosyncrasy | A strange or unusual habit or way of behaving that is typical of one person. | One idiosyncrasy of my boss is that she writes everything in green ink. |
| ignominy | Public shame and loss of respect. | The team suffered the ignominy of losing ten–nil at home. |
| illusion | A false idea or belief, or something that seems real but is not. | Mirrors on the walls create the illusion of a much larger room. |
| impertinence | Rude behaviour that shows a lack of respect, especially towards someone older or more important. | The pupil's impertinence earned him a week of detention. |
| imposition | An unfair or unwelcome demand on someone's time or kindness. | I hope it's not an imposition if I stay with you for a couple of nights. |
| impropriety | Behaviour that is not honest or not acceptable, especially in a professional situation. | The inquiry found no evidence of financial impropriety. |
| incongruity | The quality of being strange because something does not fit its surroundings. | We laughed at the incongruity of a penguin statue in the desert. |
| incredulity | The feeling of not being able to believe something. | She stared at the lottery ticket in incredulity. |
| inequity | Unfairness, or an unfair situation. | The report highlights the inequity in access to healthcare. |
| infamy | The state of being well known for something bad. | The pirate's name lived on in infamy for centuries. |
| infidelity | The act of being unfaithful to a husband, wife or partner. | The play explores jealousy and infidelity in a small town. |
| ingratitude | The failure to show thanks for help or kindness. | After all I did for him, his ingratitude really hurt. |
| iniquity | Great injustice or very wicked behaviour. | The novel exposes the iniquity of the old factory system. |
| innuendo | An indirect remark that suggests something unpleasant without saying it clearly. | The article was full of innuendo about the minister's private life. |
| insurrection | A violent attempt by a group of people to take control of their country. | The army crushed the insurrection within days. |
| intransigence | Refusal to change your opinions or behaviour. | The intransigence of both sides meant the talks failed. |
| invective | Rude, angry language used to attack someone. | The debate quickly turned into a stream of invective. |
| irreverence | A lack of respect for things that people usually take seriously. | The comedian is famous for her irreverence towards celebrities. |
| jingoism | Extreme, aggressive pride in your country, often with support for war. | The newspaper's jingoism during the conflict was criticised by historians. |
| jubilation | Great happiness and celebration, especially because of a success. | There was jubilation in the village when the new bridge finally opened. |
| kudos | Praise and respect for an achievement. | She earned a lot of kudos for organising the charity concert. |
| lament | A strong expression of sadness or regret, sometimes in a song or poem. | The old folk song is a lament for a lost home. |
| lassitude | A feeling of physical or mental tiredness and lack of energy. | The heat brought on a pleasant lassitude after lunch. |
| leitmotif | A theme or idea that is repeated throughout a piece of music, a book or a film. | Water is a leitmotif that runs through all her novels. |
| lethargy | A lack of energy and enthusiasm. | After the long flight, I spent the day in a state of lethargy. |
| levity | Humour or lack of seriousness, especially in a serious situation. | A moment of levity helped to ease the tension in the room. |
| libel | The crime of publishing false statements that damage someone's reputation. | The actor sued the magazine for libel. |
| litany | A long list of things, usually complaints or problems. | The customer recited a litany of complaints about the hotel. |
| magnanimity | Generosity and kindness, especially towards a rival or someone who has hurt you. | The winner showed magnanimity by praising her opponent. |
| malevolence | The wish to do harm or cause evil. | The villain's smile was full of malevolence. |
| maelstrom | A powerful whirlpool; also, a confused and violent situation. | The family was caught up in a maelstrom of media attention. |
| matriarch | A woman who is the head of a family or group. | At ninety, she is still the matriarch of a large and lively family. |
| maverick | An independent person who does not follow the usual rules or ideas. | The film was directed by a Hollywood maverick who never used big stars. |
| melancholy | A deep feeling of sadness that lasts for a long time, often without a clear reason. | A gentle melancholy filled the empty seaside town in winter. |
| mercenary | A soldier who fights for any country or group that pays them. | The king hired foreign mercenaries to defend the castle. |
| minutiae | Small, precise and often unimportant details. | My accountant loves the minutiae of tax law. |
| misanthrope | A person who dislikes and avoids other people. | The old misanthrope lived alone and never answered the door. |
| misdemeanour | A minor crime or a small piece of bad behaviour. | Parking on the pavement is only a misdemeanour, but you'll still be fined. |
| modicum | A small amount, especially of something good. | Anyone with a modicum of common sense would take an umbrella. |
| monotony | A lack of variety that makes something boring. | The monotony of the motorway made him feel sleepy. |
| morass | An area of muddy ground; also, a complicated situation that is hard to escape from. | The project got stuck in a morass of paperwork. |
| mores | The customs and habits that are typical of a particular group or society. | The novel gently mocks the social mores of Victorian England. |
| myriad | A very large number of something. | The coral reef is home to a myriad of colourful fish. |
| nadir | The lowest or worst point of something. | The defeat marked the nadir of the club's history. |
| narcissism | Too much interest in and admiration for yourself. | His constant selfies suggested a touch of narcissism. |
| nemesis | An enemy or rival who is very hard to defeat; also, a deserved punishment. | Maths was always my nemesis at school. |
| neophyte | A person who is new to an activity or subject; a beginner. | The course is designed for complete neophytes in photography. |
| nexus | A connection or a central point where several things meet. | The city became the nexus of trade between east and west. |
| nonchalance | A calm, relaxed manner that suggests you are not worried or interested. | She walked onto the stage with remarkable nonchalance. |
| nuisance | A person or thing that is annoying or causes problems. | The wasps were a real nuisance during our picnic. |
| obfuscation | The act of making something deliberately unclear or confusing. | The spokesman's answer was pure obfuscation. |
| odyssey | A long, adventurous journey or experience. | Their trip across the continent became a three-month odyssey. |
| ostentation | A showy display of wealth or knowledge intended to impress people. | Despite his fortune, he lived without any ostentation. |
| ostracism | The exclusion of someone from a group. | The whistle-blower suffered years of ostracism from colleagues. |
| outlier | A person or thing that is very different from the rest of a group. | One very high result was an outlier and was removed from the data. |
| panache | A confident and stylish way of doing things. | He wore his bright red suit with real panache. |
| pandemonium | A situation of wild noise, confusion and disorder. | Pandemonium broke out when the band appeared on the balcony. |
| paragon | A person or thing that is a perfect example of a good quality. | My neighbour is a paragon of patience with her three children. |
| pariah | A person who is rejected and avoided by others. | After the scandal, the politician became a pariah in his own party. |
| parlance | A particular way of speaking or set of words used by a group. | In legal parlance, a "minor" is anyone under eighteen. |
| partiality | Unfair support for one person or side; also, a liking for something. | The referee was accused of partiality towards the home team. |
| patriarch | A man who is the head of a family or group. | The family patriarch carved the turkey every Christmas. |
| paucity | A lack of something; a very small amount. | The paucity of evidence made the case hard to prove. |
| pedant | A person who cares too much about small details and formal rules. | Only a pedant would correct the grammar on a birthday card. |
| penance | Something unpleasant you do to show you are sorry for doing wrong. | As penance for forgetting her birthday, I cooked dinner all week. |
| permutation | One of the possible ways in which a set of things can be ordered or combined. | We tried every permutation of the four numbers to open the lock. |
| perpetrator | A person who commits a crime or a harmful act. | Police are still searching for the perpetrator of the robbery. |
| persona | The character or image a person shows to the public. | On stage he has a confident persona, but in private he is shy. |
| philanthropist | A rich person who gives money and time to help others. | A local philanthropist paid for the new children's hospital. |
| philanthropy | The practice of giving money and help to people in need. | Her philanthropy funded scholarships for hundreds of students. |
| piety | Deep religious respect; also, a strong sense of duty and devotion. | The old chapel reflects the piety of the villagers who built it. |
| platitude | A statement that has been made so often that it is no longer interesting or meaningful. | The speech was full of platitudes about hard work and success. |
| plaudits | Public praise and approval for an achievement. | The young director won plaudits for her first film. |
| plethora | A very large amount of something, often more than is needed. | The menu offers a plethora of vegetarian options. |
| polemic | A strong written or spoken attack on an opinion or idea. | The book is a fierce polemic against fast fashion. |
| pomposity | Behaviour that shows someone thinks they are very important. | The mayor's pomposity made the reporters roll their eyes. |
| precept | A general rule about how to behave or think. | Honesty was the first precept my parents taught me. |
| precipice | A very steep side of a cliff; also, a very dangerous situation. | The economy stood on the edge of a precipice. |
| predilection | A strong liking or preference for something. | He has a predilection for spicy food. |
| preponderance | The fact of being greater in number or importance. | The preponderance of evidence points to an accident. |
| prerogative | A right or privilege that belongs to a particular person or group. | Changing your mind is your prerogative. |
| presumption | An idea that is accepted as true without proof; also, rude, overconfident behaviour. | The law is based on the presumption of innocence. |
| pretension | The act of trying to seem more important or clever than you really are. | The café is cosy and friendly, without any pretension. |
| prodigy | A young person with extraordinary talent. | The ten-year-old chess prodigy beat three grandmasters. |
| profanity | Rude or offensive language; swearing. | The film contains profanity and is not suitable for children. |
| progeny | A person's or animal's children or descendants. | The old oak tree and its progeny cover the whole hillside. |
| prophecy | A statement that something will happen in the future. | The old woman's prophecy about a hard winter came true. |
| propriety | Correct and acceptable behaviour, according to social or moral standards. | The guests behaved with perfect propriety at the reception. |
| providence | Fate, or a power believed to protect people; also, careful planning for the future. | By a stroke of providence, a doctor was sitting in the next seat. |
| provocation | An action or remark meant to make someone angry or react. | He lost his temper at the slightest provocation. |
| prudence | Careful and sensible judgement, especially to avoid risks. | Financial prudence means saving part of every pay cheque. |
| purview | The range of things that a person or organisation deals with or controls. | Road repairs fall outside the purview of this committee. |
| quagmire | Soft, wet ground; also, a difficult situation that is hard to get out of. | The negotiations turned into a legal quagmire. |
| qualm | A feeling of doubt or unease about whether you are doing the right thing. | She had no qualms about leaving the job. |
| quintessence | The most perfect or typical example of something. | This little café is the quintessence of Parisian charm. |
| quirk | A strange habit or feature; also, a strange accident or chance. | By a quirk of fate, we were born on the same day. |
| rancour | Bitter, long-lasting anger or hatred. | They parted without rancour after ten years together. |
| rapprochement | The improvement of relations between two countries or groups that were unfriendly. | The visit marked a rapprochement between the two former enemies. |
| rebuke | An expression of strong disapproval or criticism. | The player received a sharp rebuke from the coach. |
| recluse | A person who lives alone and avoids other people. | The famous author became a recluse in his later years. |
| redress | Payment or other action to correct a wrong. | Customers who were overcharged can seek redress. |
| refutation | An argument or evidence that proves something is wrong. | Her paper offers a clear refutation of the old theory. |
| remission | A period when an illness becomes less serious or disappears. | After treatment, her cancer went into remission. |
| renaissance | A revival of interest in something, or a period of new growth. | Vinyl records are enjoying a renaissance among young people. |
| repartee | Quick, witty conversation in which people reply cleverly to each other. | The two hosts are famous for their lively repartee. |
| reprieve | A delay or cancellation of something unpleasant, such as a punishment or closure. | The library won a reprieve when the council found extra funds. |
| reproach | An expression of disapproval or disappointment. | She looked at me with reproach when I arrived late. |
| requiem | A piece of music or a ceremony in memory of someone who has died. | The choir performed Mozart's requiem in the cathedral. |
| resonance | A deep, rich quality of sound; also, the power to bring strong feelings or memories. | Her story has a special resonance for anyone who has moved abroad. |
| respite | A short break from something difficult or unpleasant. | The rain brought a welcome respite from the heatwave. |
| restitution | The return of something stolen or lost, or payment for damage. | The court ordered restitution to the victims. |
| reticence | Unwillingness to talk about your thoughts or feelings. | Despite his reticence, he eventually told us about the accident. |
| retrospective | An exhibition showing the work of an artist over their whole career. | The gallery is holding a retrospective of the photographer's work. |
| reverence | Deep respect for someone or something. | The students spoke of their old teacher with reverence. |
| reverie | A pleasant state of being lost in your thoughts; a daydream. | The ringing phone broke her reverie. |
| rhetorician | A person who is skilled in persuasive speaking or writing. | The senator was a brilliant rhetorician who could hold any crowd. |
| rigmarole | A long, complicated and annoying process. | Renewing a passport can be a real rigmarole. |
| rubric | A set of instructions or rules, especially a guide for marking work. | The teacher shared the marking rubric before the essay was due. |
| ruse | A trick used to deceive someone. | The phone call was a ruse to get him out of the house before the surprise party. |
| sanctity | The quality of being very important and deserving great respect. | Doctors must respect the sanctity of human life. |
| sangfroid | The ability to stay calm in a dangerous or difficult situation. | The pilot landed the damaged plane with remarkable sangfroid. |
| satire | The use of humour and exaggeration to criticise people or ideas. | The TV show is a sharp satire of modern office life. |
| schadenfreude | Pleasure felt at someone else's bad luck. | I felt a little schadenfreude when the show-off fell into the pool. |
| scourge | Something that causes great suffering or trouble. | Malaria remains a scourge in many tropical countries. |
| sedition | Speech or actions that encourage people to rebel against a government. | The journalist was falsely accused of sedition. |
| serendipity | The lucky chance of finding something good without looking for it. | By pure serendipity, we found the perfect flat on our first day. |
| servitude | The condition of being a slave or of being completely controlled by someone. | The novel tells of a family's escape from servitude. |
| squalor | Very dirty and unpleasant living conditions. | The charity helps families living in squalor. |
| stalwart | A loyal and hard-working supporter of a group or cause. | He has been a stalwart of the local football club for forty years. |
| stasis | A state in which nothing changes or develops. | The economy has been in stasis for years. |
| status quo | The existing situation or state of affairs. | Most voters seemed happy to keep the status quo. |
| stoicism | The ability to accept pain or difficulty calmly without complaining. | She endured the long recovery with quiet stoicism. |
| stupor | A state in which someone can hardly think or react, often because of tiredness or shock. | After the night shift, he stumbled home in a stupor. |
| subterfuge | A secret, dishonest trick used to achieve something. | The spies used clever subterfuge to cross the border. |
| succour | Help and comfort given to someone in difficulty. | The shelter offers succour to families who have lost their homes. |
| sycophant | A person who praises powerful people too much in order to gain an advantage. | The director was surrounded by sycophants who agreed with everything he said. |
| symbiosis | A close relationship between two living things or groups that benefits both. | The clownfish and the sea anemone live in symbiosis. |
| temerity | Too much confidence, shown in a way that seems rude or disrespectful. | He had the temerity to criticise the chef's cooking in her own kitchen. |
| tenacity | The quality of being very determined and not giving up easily. | Her tenacity finally paid off when she won the scholarship. |
| tirade | A long, angry speech criticising someone or something. | The manager launched into a tirade about the team's poor performance. |
| travesty | A very bad or unfair version of something. | The trial was a travesty of justice. |
| treachery | The act of betraying someone who trusts you. | The king never forgave his brother's treachery. |
| trope | A common idea, theme or image that appears often in stories or art. | The lost twin is a familiar trope in soap operas. |
| truism | A statement that is so obviously true that it is hardly worth saying. | It's a truism that you get better at something by practising. |
| tumult | A loud, confused noise or a state of great disorder. | The tumult of the market woke us early every morning. |
| tyranny | Cruel and unfair use of power by a ruler or government. | The people finally rose up against years of tyranny. |
| ubiquity | The fact of being found everywhere. | The ubiquity of smartphones has changed how we travel. |
| umbrage | A feeling of being offended or insulted, usually used with "take". | She took umbrage at his comment about her cooking. |
| upstart | A person who has suddenly become important and behaves too confidently. | The small upstart company is challenging the industry giants. |
| usurper | A person who takes power or a position illegally or by force. | The rightful queen returned to drive out the usurper. |
| vagary | An unexpected and unpredictable change, often of weather or fortune. | Farmers are at the mercy of every vagary of the weather. |
| valour | Great courage, especially in battle. | The soldier received a medal for his valour. |
| vehemence | Great force or strength of feeling. | She denied the accusation with surprising vehemence. |
| veneer | A thin layer of fine wood covering a surface; also, a false outward appearance. | Beneath his veneer of politeness, he was extremely angry. |
| veracity | The quality of being true or accurate. | Journalists must check the veracity of their sources. |
| verisimilitude | The quality of seeming real or true. | The historical details add verisimilitude to the novel. |
| vestige | A small part or trace of something that no longer exists. | Not a vestige of the old castle remains today. |
| vicissitude | An unexpected change, usually for the worse, in someone's life or situation. | The family survived every vicissitude of war and poverty. |
| vilification | Very harsh and unfair criticism of someone. | The referee faced public vilification after the final. |
| virtuoso | A person who is extremely skilled at something, especially playing music. | The young piano virtuoso played without any sheet music. |
| vitriol | Extremely bitter and cruel criticism. | The film critic's review was full of vitriol. |
| volition | The power to make your own decisions; free will. | She left the company of her own volition. |
| wanderlust | A strong desire to travel and explore the world. | After university, wanderlust took him across three continents. |
| wherewithal | The money or means needed to do something. | We don't have the wherewithal to buy a house yet. |
| wrath | Extreme anger, often leading to punishment. | The children hid the broken vase to escape their mother's wrath. |
| zealot | A person with extreme and uncompromising beliefs or enthusiasm. | My uncle is a fitness zealot who trains three hours a day. |
| zenith | The highest point of success, power or development. | The empire reached its zenith under its third emperor. |
| zeitgeist | The general mood and ideas typical of a particular period. | Her songs perfectly captured the zeitgeist of the 1990s. |
| acolyte | A devoted follower or assistant of a person or cause. | The famous chef arrived with a group of young acolytes. |
| adversary | An opponent or enemy in a contest or conflict. | She shook hands with her adversary before the final. |
| alchemy | An early form of chemistry that tried to turn metals into gold; also, a magical-seeming transformation. | By some kitchen alchemy, he turned leftovers into a feast. |
| anathema | Something that someone strongly dislikes or disapproves of. | Wasting food is anathema to my grandmother. |
| apparition | A ghost, or something that appears suddenly and strangely. | In the fog, the lighthouse looked like a pale apparition. |
| arbiter | A person who settles a disagreement or judges what is right or good. | The magazine became the arbiter of style for a generation. |
| armistice | An agreement between two sides to stop fighting. | The armistice was signed at eleven o'clock in the morning. |
| auspices | Official support or protection given by an organisation to an activity or event. | The festival is held under the auspices of the city council. |
| autocrat | A ruler with total power; also, someone who demands to be obeyed. | The headmaster ran the school like an autocrat. |
| belligerence | Aggressive behaviour that shows a readiness to fight or argue. | His belligerence made the negotiations almost impossible. |
| blandishment | Pleasant words or actions used to persuade someone. | She resisted all his blandishments and refused to sign. |
| cabal | A small secret group of people who plan to gain power or influence. | The novel describes a cabal of bankers controlling the government. |
| cachet | The quality of being respected or admired; prestige. | Owning a vintage car carries a certain cachet. |
| canard | A false and unfounded story or rumour. | The idea that bulls hate the colour red is an old canard. |
| cataclysm | A sudden, violent event that causes great change or destruction. | Some scientists think a cataclysm wiped out the dinosaurs. |
| cauldron | A large, deep cooking pot; also, a situation full of strong, dangerous feelings. | The witch stirred the bubbling cauldron over the fire. |
| cavalcade | A procession of people on horses or in vehicles. | A cavalcade of vintage cars drove through the village. |
| chagrin | Annoyance or embarrassment at having failed or been disappointed. | Much to his chagrin, his little sister beat him at chess. |
| charade | A pretence that is obviously false. | Their friendly smiles were just a charade for the cameras. |
| citadel | A fortress on high ground above a city. | The ancient citadel overlooks the whole town. |
| cloister | A covered walkway around a courtyard, especially in a monastery or college. | Students study quietly in the shady cloister. |
| coda | The final part of a piece of music, a story or an event. | The book ends with a short coda set twenty years later. |
| conflagration | A large and destructive fire. | The conflagration destroyed half the city in 1666. |
| consummation | The point at which something is completed or made perfect. | The new stadium was the consummation of years of planning. |
| contrivance | A clever device or plan; also, something that seems artificial. | The plot relies on one contrivance after another. |
| coterie | A small group of people with shared interests who keep others out. | The poet was surrounded by a coterie of admirers. |
| crucible | A pot for melting metals; also, a severe test that creates something new. | The war was the crucible in which the nation was formed. |
| curmudgeon | A bad-tempered person, especially an old one, who complains a lot. | Our neighbour is a lovable old curmudgeon who hates noise. |
| dalliance | A brief, not very serious involvement with something or someone. | After a short dalliance with politics, he returned to teaching. |
| demagoguery | Political activity that wins support by exploiting people's fears and emotions. | Voters grew tired of the candidate's demagoguery. |
| detritus | Waste or broken pieces left after something has happened. | The beach was covered with the detritus of the summer festival. |
| dissolution | The official ending of an organisation, marriage or agreement. | The dissolution of the partnership took months. |
| doldrums | A state of no activity, progress or energy. | The housing market has been in the doldrums all year. |
| ecstasy | A feeling of extreme happiness. | The fans were in ecstasy when the final whistle blew. |
| effigy | A model of a person, sometimes damaged or burned in protest. | Protesters burned an effigy of the governor. |
| emanation | Something such as light, smell or energy that comes out of a source. | A warm emanation of light came from the open door. |
| embellishment | A decorative detail, or an addition that makes a story more interesting but less true. | His version of the fishing trip included a few embellishments. |
| empiricism | The idea that knowledge should come from experience and observation. | Modern science is built on empiricism. |
| enmity | A feeling of hostility between people or groups. | The enmity between the two families lasted for generations. |
| entreaty | A serious, emotional request. | She ignored all his entreaties to stay. |
| epigram | A short, clever and amusing saying or poem. | Oscar Wilde was famous for his witty epigrams. |
| epilogue | A section at the end of a book or play that comments on what has happened. | In the epilogue, we learn what became of each character. |
| ethic | A set of moral principles or beliefs about how to behave. | She has a strong work ethic and never misses a deadline. |
| exhortation | A speech or message that strongly encourages someone to do something. | Despite the coach's exhortations, the team played poorly. |
| expanse | A wide, open area of land, sea or sky. | We gazed out over the vast expanse of the desert. |
| fabrication | An invented story intended to deceive; also, the process of making something. | His alibi turned out to be a complete fabrication. |
| fissure | A long, narrow crack, especially in rock or the ground. | Steam rose from a fissure in the volcano's side. |
| fulcrum | The point on which a lever turns; also, the central or most important part. | The midfielder is the fulcrum of the whole team. |
| gestation | The period during which a baby or young animal develops inside its mother; also, the development of an idea. | The novel had a long gestation of almost ten years. |
| glut | A situation in which there is much more of something than is needed. | A glut of strawberries has pushed prices down. |
| gratuity | Money given to someone for their service; a tip. | A ten per cent gratuity is included in the bill. |
| harangue | A long, loud speech that criticises or tries to persuade. | The coach gave the team a furious harangue at half-time. |
| hearsay | Information that you have heard from others but cannot prove. | The court cannot accept mere hearsay as evidence. |
| heirloom | A valuable object passed down from one generation of a family to the next. | This silver watch is a family heirloom. |
| homily | A talk that gives moral advice, often in a boring way. | We had to listen to a long homily about tidying our rooms. |
| hullabaloo | A lot of noise and fuss. | What's all this hullabaloo about a missing sock? |
| imbroglio | A complicated and embarrassing situation. | The minister got caught up in a diplomatic imbroglio. |
| impresario | A person who organises and finances concerts, plays or other shows. | The impresario brought the famous opera singer to our small town. |
| incantation | Words said or sung as a magic spell. | The wizard muttered an incantation and the door opened. |
| incursion | A sudden attack on or entry into an area. | The army repelled an incursion across the border. |
| inkling | A slight idea or suspicion about something. | I had no inkling that they were planning a party. |
| interloper | A person who enters a place or situation where they are not wanted. | The local players treated the newcomer as an interloper. |
| jamboree | A large, lively celebration or gathering. | The town holds a summer jamboree with music and fireworks. |
| juggernaut | A huge, powerful force or organisation that is hard to stop; also, a very large lorry. | The online retailer has become a global juggernaut. |
| labyrinth | A complicated set of paths or passages in which it is easy to get lost. | The old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets. |
| lacuna | A gap or missing part, especially in knowledge or a text. | The report reveals a serious lacuna in our research. |
| latency | The delay before something begins or happens, especially in computing. | Gamers complain about the high latency of the new server. |
| lodestar | A principle or person that guides your actions. | Fairness has always been the lodestar of her career. |
| machination | A secret, clever plan to achieve something, usually dishonest. | The novel follows the machinations of a scheming courtier. |
| magnate | A rich and powerful person in business. | The shipping magnate owned three private islands. |
| malady | An illness or a serious problem. | Loneliness is a common malady of modern city life. |
| mantra | A word or phrase repeated often, especially as a guiding principle. | "Less is more" is the designer's mantra. |
| melee | A confused fight or crowd of people. | In the melee after the concert, I lost my scarf. |
| memento | An object kept to remember a person or event. | She kept the ticket as a memento of their first date. |
| mettle | Courage and determination to deal with difficulties. | The steep climb really tested our mettle. |
| monolith | A large single standing stone; also, a huge organisation that is slow to change. | The tiny start-up took on a corporate monolith. |
| nostrum | A medicine or solution that does not really work, though people believe in it. | Every politician offers the same nostrum for the economy. |
| oddity | A strange person, thing or feature. | A snowman in July is a real oddity. |
| ombudsman | An official who investigates complaints against organisations or public bodies. | You can take your complaint to the energy ombudsman. |
| oratory | The art of public speaking. | His oratory moved the crowd to tears. |
| overture | A piece of music that introduces an opera; also, a friendly approach to start a relationship. | The company made overtures to its rival about a merger. |
| pallor | An unhealthy paleness of the face. | Her pallor worried the doctor. |
| panorama | A wide view of a large area. | The tower offers a stunning panorama of the city. |
| paroxysm | A sudden, violent attack of an emotion, a cough or pain. | The joke sent him into a paroxysm of laughter. |
| pastiche | A work of art that imitates the style of another artist or period. | The film is a playful pastiche of old detective stories. |
| penury | The state of being extremely poor. | The famous composer died in penury. |
| peril | Serious and immediate danger. | The sailors were in great peril during the storm. |
| philistine | A person who does not value art, music or culture. | Only a philistine would cover that painting with wallpaper. |
| pittance | A very small amount of money, especially as pay. | The interns work for a pittance. |
| posturing | Behaviour meant to impress or mislead rather than to achieve anything real. | The debate was all political posturing and no solutions. |
| preamble | An introduction to a speech, document or event. | Without any preamble, she announced that she was resigning. |
| precursor | Something that came before and led to the development of something else. | The abacus was a precursor of the calculator. |
| primacy | The state of being the most important. | The new policy gives primacy to public transport over cars. |
| pundit | An expert who regularly gives opinions in the media. | The football pundit predicted a draw. |
| quorum | The minimum number of members who must be present for a meeting to make decisions. | The vote was postponed because there was no quorum. |
| ramparts | Wide defensive walls around a castle or town. | We walked along the medieval ramparts at sunset. |
| rapture | A feeling of extreme pleasure and joy. | The children listened to the story in rapture. |
| reckoning | A calculation; also, the time when someone must face the results of their actions. | The day of reckoning came when the bills arrived. |
| recrimination | An angry accusation made in return for one made against you. | The meeting ended in bitter recriminations. |
| regression | A return to an earlier or less developed state. | The doctor noticed a regression in the patient's speech. |
| renegade | A person who leaves a group or abandons its beliefs to join the opposition. | The renegade senator voted against his own party. |
| reparation | Money or actions that make up for a wrong or damage done. | The country paid reparations after the war. |
| repository | A place where things are stored or collected. | The library is a repository of local history. |
| revelry | Lively, noisy celebration, often with drinking and dancing. | The sounds of revelry continued until dawn. |
| riposte | A quick, clever reply. | Her witty riposte silenced the heckler. |
| sabbatical | A period of paid leave from work, often for study or travel. | The professor took a year's sabbatical to write a book. |
| scion | A young member of a rich or famous family. | The scion of a banking dynasty, he never had to work. |
| sinecure | A job that pays well but requires very little work. | His post on the board was a comfortable sinecure. |
| solace | Comfort in a time of sadness or worry. | She found solace in long walks by the sea. |
| soliloquy | A speech in a play in which a character speaks their thoughts aloud alone. | Hamlet's famous soliloquy begins "To be, or not to be". |
| sortie | A short trip to an unfamiliar place; also, a brief attack by soldiers. | We made a quick sortie to the market before lunch. |
| spectacle | An impressive public show or sight; also, a situation that attracts attention for bad reasons. | The fireworks were a breathtaking spectacle. |
| splendour | Great beauty that impresses people. | The palace has been restored to its former splendour. |
| stratagem | A clever plan or trick to deceive an enemy or gain an advantage. | The general's stratagem fooled the enemy into retreating. |
| subjugation | The act of bringing a people or country under complete control. | The museum tells the story of the island's subjugation by foreign powers. |
| swansong | The last performance or work of someone before they retire or stop. | The final concert was the conductor's swansong. |
| tableau | A striking scene or picture, especially one formed by people standing still. | The actors froze in a dramatic tableau as the curtain fell. |
| talisman | An object believed to bring good luck or protect its owner. | He always carries a small stone as a talisman. |
| tapestry | A heavy cloth with a picture woven into it; also, a rich mixture of things. | The city is a tapestry of cultures and languages. |
| testimonial | A formal statement praising someone's character or a product's quality. | The website is full of glowing testimonials from happy customers. |
| torpor | A state of having no energy or not being active. | The afternoon heat put the whole village into a torpor. |
| tract | A large area of land; also, a short piece of writing on a moral or political subject. | They bought a huge tract of forest in the north. |
| transgression | An act that breaks a law, rule or moral principle. | The player apologised for his transgression on the pitch. |
| treatise | A long, serious piece of writing on a particular subject. | She wrote a treatise on the history of mathematics. |
| tutelage | Teaching and guidance given by an expert. | Under the tutelage of a great master, he became a fine painter. |
| underling | A person of low rank who works for someone more important. | The boss left all the boring tasks to his underlings. |
| vantage point | A position from which you can see something clearly; also, a point of view. | From our vantage point on the hill, we watched the race. |
| vendetta | A long, bitter quarrel in which one side tries to harm the other. | The journalist accused the minister of pursuing a personal vendetta against her. |
| verbiage | Too many words, or words that are unnecessary. | Cut the verbiage and get to the point. |
| vernacular | The everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a region. | The poet wrote in the local vernacular instead of formal English. |
| vignette | A short, vivid description or scene. | The book offers charming vignettes of village life. |
| vista | A beautiful view; also, a range of future possibilities. | The new job opened up a whole vista of opportunities. |
| watershed | An event or period that marks an important change. | The invention of the internet was a watershed in communication. |
| abate | To become less strong or intense. | We waited in the café until the storm began to abate. |
| abdicate | To give up a position, especially the throne; also, to fail to take responsibility. | The king decided to abdicate in favour of his daughter. |
| abhor | To hate something very strongly, usually for moral reasons. | I abhor cruelty to animals of any kind. |
| abscond | To leave secretly and suddenly, often with something that is not yours. | The treasurer absconded with the club's funds. |
| absolve | To declare someone free from blame or responsibility. | The inquiry absolved the pilot of any wrongdoing. |
| abstain | To choose not to do something, especially not to vote. | Three members voted against and two abstained. |
| accede | To agree to a request or demand. | The company finally agreed to accede to the workers' demands. |
| acquiesce | To accept something without arguing, even if you do not like it. | After a long debate, the committee acquiesced to the new plan. |
| adjudicate | To act as a judge in a dispute or competition. | Three famous chefs will adjudicate the cooking contest. |
| admonish | To tell someone firmly that they have done something wrong. | The teacher admonished the boys for running in the corridor. |
| affirm | To state firmly or publicly that something is true or that you support it. | The minister affirmed her commitment to the project. |
| aggravate | To make a bad situation, injury or illness worse. | Scratching will only aggravate the rash. |
| alienate | To make someone feel unwelcome or unfriendly towards you. | His rude comments managed to alienate even his closest friends. |
| allay | To make a fear, worry or doubt less strong. | The doctor tried to allay the patient's fears. |
| amass | To collect a large amount of something over time. | The collector amassed over ten thousand stamps. |
| ameliorate | To make a bad situation better. | New measures were introduced to ameliorate the housing crisis. |
| annul | To officially declare that a law, agreement or marriage is no longer valid. | The court annulled the contract after finding it was illegal. |
| appease | To calm someone by giving them what they want. | The company lowered prices to appease angry customers. |
| apportion | To divide something and share it out; to assign blame or responsibility. | It's too early to apportion blame for the accident. |
| arbitrate | To officially settle a disagreement between two groups. | An independent expert was asked to arbitrate the pay dispute. |
| assuage | To make an unpleasant feeling less intense. | Nothing could assuage her guilt about missing the funeral. |
| atone | To do something to show you are sorry for a wrong you have done. | He tried to atone for his rudeness by bringing flowers. |
| attest | To show or prove that something is true. | Thousands of happy customers can attest to the quality of our service. |
| beguile | To charm or attract someone, sometimes in order to trick them. | Tourists are beguiled by the town's narrow streets and colourful houses. |
| belie | To give a false idea of something. | His calm face belies the panic he felt inside. |
| belittle | To make someone or something seem unimportant. | Don't belittle her achievements just because you're jealous. |
| berate | To criticise someone angrily. | The coach berated the players for their lack of effort. |
| besiege | To surround a place with an army; also, to overwhelm with requests or questions. | The star was besieged by reporters as she left the hotel. |
| bestow | To give someone an honour, gift or quality. | The university bestowed an honorary degree on the author. |
| bewilder | To confuse someone completely. | The complex instructions bewildered even the engineers. |
| bicker | To argue about unimportant things. | The twins are always bickering about whose turn it is. |
| brandish | To wave something, especially a weapon, in a threatening or excited way. | The robber ran into the shop brandishing a knife. |
| burgeon | To grow or develop quickly. | Tourism began to burgeon after the new airport opened. |
| buttress | To support or strengthen something, such as an argument. | She used several studies to buttress her argument. |
| cajole | To persuade someone gently by flattering them or making promises. | She cajoled her brother into lending her his car. |
| capitulate | To stop resisting and accept defeat or demands. | After weeks of strikes, the management had to capitulate. |
| castigate | To criticise someone very severely. | The report castigated the council for its slow response. |
| chastise | To criticise or scold someone severely. | The judge chastised the lawyer for arriving late. |
| circumscribe | To limit something within certain boundaries. | Their freedom was circumscribed by strict rules. |
| coalesce | To come together to form one group or mass. | Several small protests began to coalesce into a national movement. |
| coax | To persuade someone gently and patiently to do something. | She coaxed the frightened kitten out from under the bed. |
| codify | To arrange laws or rules into a written system. | The rules of football were codified in 1863. |
| commandeer | To officially take something, especially for military use. | The army commandeered the hotel as its headquarters. |
| conflate | To combine two or more different things or ideas into one, often wrongly. | Many people conflate weather with climate. |
| confound | To confuse or surprise someone by being unexpected. | The results confounded the experts, who had predicted the opposite. |
| construe | To understand or interpret something in a particular way. | Her silence was construed as agreement. |
| contravene | To do something that breaks a law or rule. | Parking here contravenes local traffic regulations. |
| convene | To arrange a meeting, or to come together for a meeting. | The committee will convene next Monday to discuss the budget. |
| corroborate | To provide evidence that confirms a statement or theory. | Two witnesses were able to corroborate her story. |
| countenance | To accept or approve of something. | The head teacher would never countenance cheating. |
| covet | To strongly want something that belongs to someone else. | She had long coveted her sister's vintage leather jacket. |
| cower | To bend down or move back because you are frightened. | The puppy cowered under the table during the thunderstorm. |
| dabble | To take part in an activity in a casual, not serious, way. | My father dabbles in watercolour painting at weekends. |
| debase | To reduce the quality, value or respect of something. | Cheap imitations debase the reputation of the brand. |
| debunk | To show that a belief or idea is false. | The documentary sets out to debunk popular myths about sharks. |
| decimate | To destroy or kill a large part of something. | The disease decimated the town's elm trees. |
| decry | To publicly criticise something as bad. | Environmental groups decry the plan to build on the wetlands. |
| deflect | To make something change direction; to turn attention away from something. | The goalkeeper deflected the shot over the bar. |
| defraud | To get money from someone dishonestly. | The firm defrauded its customers of millions. |
| delineate | To describe or show something precisely. | The contract should clearly delineate each person's responsibilities. |
| delude | To make someone believe something that is not true. | Don't delude yourself: the exam will not be easy. |
| demean | To make someone lose respect or dignity. | I wouldn't demean myself by answering such a rude email. |
| demur | To show reluctance or disagree politely. | When asked to give a speech, she demurred at first. |
| denigrate | To say that someone or something has little value or importance. | It is unfair to denigrate the work of volunteers. |
| deplore | To say or think that something is very bad and unacceptable. | We deplore all forms of violence. |
| depose | To remove a ruler or leader from power. | The general deposed the president in a military coup. |
| deride | To laugh at someone or something in an unkind way. | Critics derided the film, but audiences loved it. |
| desecrate | To damage or show no respect for a place or object that is highly valued. | Vandals desecrated the war memorial with graffiti. |
| desist | To stop doing something, especially when told to. | The court ordered the company to desist from using the logo. |
| despise | To hate and have no respect for someone or something. | I despise people who are cruel to animals. |
| detract | To make something seem less good or valuable. | The ugly car park does detract from the beauty of the square. |
| devolve | To pass power or responsibility to a lower level or smaller group. | Some powers have been devolved to the regional governments. |
| disavow | To say that you are not responsible for or connected with something. | The party quickly disavowed the candidate's comments. |
| discredit | To make people stop trusting or believing someone or something. | The lawyer tried to discredit the witness. |
| disparage | To speak about someone or something as having little value. | She never misses a chance to disparage her rival's work. |
| dispense | To give out or provide something. | The machine dispenses hot drinks and snacks. |
| disseminate | To spread information or ideas widely. | The charity uses social media to disseminate health advice. |
| dissipate | To gradually disappear or become weaker; also, to waste. | By noon the morning fog had dissipated. |
| dissuade | To persuade someone not to do something. | His parents tried to dissuade him from leaving university. |
| divulge | To reveal information that was secret. | The journalist refused to divulge her sources. |
| dwindle | To gradually become smaller in size or number. | The village population has dwindled to just fifty people. |
| embellish | To make something more beautiful by adding decoration; to add invented details to a story. | Grandad always embellished his war stories a little. |
| embezzle | To steal money that you have been trusted to look after. | The accountant embezzled thousands of pounds from the charity. |
| embroil | To involve someone in a difficult situation or argument. | The company is embroiled in a long legal battle. |
| emulate | To try to be like someone you admire, or to copy their success. | Young players often try to emulate their heroes. |
| encroach | To gradually take more of something, such as land or time, than is right. | The city is slowly encroaching on the surrounding farmland. |
| endow | To give a large sum of money to an organisation; to provide with a quality. | She is endowed with a wonderful sense of humour. |
| engender | To cause a feeling or situation to develop. | Good leadership can engender trust within a team. |
| enthral | To hold someone's complete attention and interest. | The magician enthralled the children for an hour. |
| entice | To persuade someone to do something by offering something attractive. | The shop uses free samples to entice customers inside. |
| entrench | To establish an idea or situation so firmly that it is hard to change. | These attitudes are deeply entrenched in society. |
| epitomise | To be a perfect example of something. | This little café epitomises everything I love about the city. |
| equivocate | To speak in a deliberately unclear way to avoid giving a direct answer. | Stop trying to equivocate and tell me what really happened. |
| espouse | To support or adopt a belief, cause or way of life. | The party espoused a policy of free education. |
| exalt | To praise someone or something very highly. | The poem exalted the beauty of the countryside. |
| excavate | To dig in the ground, especially to find ancient objects. | Archaeologists excavated a Roman villa beneath the car park. |
| excise | To remove something completely, such as a part of a text or of the body. | Several violent scenes were excised from the film. |
| exonerate | To officially show that someone is not guilty. | DNA evidence exonerated the man after ten years in prison. |
| expound | To explain an idea or theory in detail. | The professor loves to expound on her theories of language. |
| expunge | To remove something completely, especially a record. | His criminal record was expunged after five years. |
| extol | To praise something very enthusiastically. | The guidebook extolled the virtues of the local cuisine. |
| extricate | To free someone or something from a difficult situation or place. | It took an hour to extricate the car from the mud. |
| fathom | To understand something difficult after thinking about it. | I can't fathom why she left so suddenly. |
| feign | To pretend to have a feeling or condition. | He feigned illness to avoid the maths test. |
| fester | To become infected; also, of bad feelings, to grow worse over time. | If you don't talk about the problem, resentment will fester. |
| flounder | To struggle or have great difficulty, often without knowing what to do. | The company was floundering until the new director arrived. |
| flout | To deliberately break a rule or law openly. | Some drivers openly flouted the speed limit. |
| foment | To cause or encourage trouble or violence. | The rebels tried to foment unrest in the capital. |
| forestall | To prevent something by acting first. | The bank cut interest rates to forestall a crisis. |
| forfeit | To lose something as a punishment or because of a rule. | The team forfeited the match by arriving late. |
| forgo | To decide not to have or do something pleasant. | I'll forgo dessert tonight; I'm too full. |
| fortify | To make a place stronger against attack; to strengthen. | The cereal is fortified with vitamins and iron. |
| garner | To collect or gather something, such as support or praise. | The film garnered excellent reviews. |
| goad | To provoke someone into doing something, especially by annoying them. | His friends goaded him into jumping into the cold lake. |
| grapple | To struggle to deal with a difficult problem; also, to fight physically. | Scientists are still grappling with the problem of plastic waste. |
| hoodwink | To trick or deceive someone. | Thousands of investors were hoodwinked by the fake company. |
| impeach | To formally accuse a public official of a serious crime. | The president was impeached for abusing his power. |
| impede | To slow down or block the progress of something. | Fallen trees impede the rescue teams' progress. |
| impinge | To have an effect on something, often by limiting it. | The new rules impinge on our freedom to work from home. |
| implore | To ask someone for something in a desperate, emotional way. | She implored him not to drive in the storm. |
| impugn | To question whether something, such as someone's honesty, is real or true. | No one would dare to impugn her integrity. |
| incite | To encourage people to behave violently or angrily. | He was arrested for trying to incite a riot. |
| indoctrinate | To teach someone to accept beliefs without questioning them. | The cult indoctrinated its members to obey every order. |
| infiltrate | To secretly enter a group or place in order to get information. | The detective infiltrated the gang by posing as a driver. |
| infuriate | To make someone extremely angry. | His constant lateness infuriates his colleagues. |
| ingratiate | To try to make someone like you, especially to gain an advantage. | The new employee tried to ingratiate himself with the boss. |
| insinuate | To suggest something unpleasant in an indirect way. | Are you insinuating that I lied? |
| instil | To gradually put an idea or feeling into someone's mind. | Her parents instilled a love of reading in her from an early age. |
| inundate | To give someone so much of something that they cannot deal with it all; to flood. | The radio station was inundated with complaints. |
| juxtapose | To put things side by side, especially to compare them. | The exhibition juxtaposes old photographs with modern ones. |
| lambast | To criticise someone or something very harshly. | The newspaper lambasted the government for its slow response. |
| languish | To stay in an unpleasant situation for a long time without progress. | The proposal languished in a drawer for years. |
| laud | To praise someone or something highly. | The young surgeon was lauded for her skill and courage. |
| loathe | To hate someone or something very much. | I loathe getting up early on cold winter mornings. |
| lull | To make someone feel calm or sleepy; also, to make someone feel falsely safe. | The sound of the waves lulled us to sleep. |
| malign | To say unpleasant and often untrue things about someone. | The much-maligned coach has finally won a trophy. |
| mar | To spoil something that would otherwise be good. | The celebrations were marred by heavy rain. |
| meander | To follow a winding course; to move slowly without a clear direction. | The river meanders gently through the valley. |
| mollify | To make someone less angry or upset. | The manager offered free tickets to mollify the disappointed fans. |
| muster | To gather together; also, to find enough courage or strength. | She finally mustered the courage to ask for a pay rise. |
| negate | To cancel the effect of something or make it useless. | Eating a whole cake after the gym rather negates the benefits. |
| nullify | To make something legally invalid or without effect. | The judge can nullify the contract if it was signed under pressure. |
| obliterate | To destroy something completely so that nothing remains. | The village was obliterated by the avalanche. |
| ostracise | To exclude someone from a group. | After the argument, he was ostracised by the rest of the team. |
| pander | To try to please people by giving them what they want, even if it is wrong. | Newspapers often pander to their readers' prejudices. |
| perpetrate | To commit a crime or a harmful act. | The fraud was perpetrated by a group of former employees. |
| peruse | To read something, especially in a relaxed or careful way. | Feel free to peruse the menu while you wait. |
| pervade | To spread through every part of something. | The smell of fresh bread pervaded the whole house. |
| placate | To make someone less angry by doing something to please them. | He bought her flowers to placate her after the argument. |
| plunder | To steal goods from a place, especially by force during a war. | Pirates plundered the coastal towns for centuries. |
| posit | To suggest something as a basic fact or idea for discussion. | The scientist posited that the planet once had oceans. |
| preclude | To prevent something from happening or make it impossible. | His injury precludes any chance of playing in the final. |
| predispose | To make someone more likely to suffer from something or behave in a certain way. | A poor diet predisposes people to heart disease. |
| procrastinate | To delay doing something you should do, usually because it is boring. | If you procrastinate any longer, you'll miss the deadline. |
| propagate | To spread ideas or beliefs; also, to grow new plants from a parent plant. | You can propagate this plant by putting a cutting in water. |
| quash | To officially reject a decision; also, to stop something completely. | The appeal court quashed the conviction. |
| quell | To stop something such as violence or worry, often by force. | Police quickly quelled the disturbance outside the stadium. |
| rankle | To continue to cause annoyance or bitterness. | It still rankles that he got the job instead of me. |
| ratify | To make an agreement official by signing or voting for it. | The treaty was ratified by all member states. |
| rebuff | To refuse an offer or suggestion in an unfriendly way. | She rebuffed all his attempts to make peace. |
| recant | To publicly say that you no longer hold a belief or that something you said was untrue. | The witness later recanted her statement. |
| recoil | To move back suddenly because of fear, disgust or shock. | She recoiled in horror at the sight of the snake. |
| redeem | To make up for earlier faults; also, to exchange a voucher for goods. | He redeemed himself by scoring the winning goal. |
| refute | To prove that a statement or idea is false. | New evidence seems to refute the theory. |
| rejuvenate | To make someone or something look or feel younger or more lively. | A week by the sea has completely rejuvenated me. |
| relegate | To move someone or something to a lower position; to move a team to a lower league. | The club was relegated to the second division. |
| relish | To enjoy something very much. | I don't relish the idea of a long drive in this weather. |
| reminisce | To talk or think about pleasant past experiences. | The old friends spent the evening reminiscing about their school days. |
| renege | To fail to keep a promise or agreement. | The company reneged on its promise to create new jobs. |
| renounce | To formally give up a right, title or belief. | She renounced her claim to the family fortune. |
| repeal | To officially end a law. | The unpopular tax was repealed last year. |
| repel | To force something away or keep it away; also, to cause disgust. | This spray repels mosquitoes for up to eight hours. |
| reprimand | To tell someone officially that they have done something wrong. | The officer was reprimanded for sleeping on duty. |
| repudiate | To refuse to accept or be associated with something. | The scientist repudiated the claims made in her name. |
| rescind | To officially cancel a law, decision or agreement. | The council rescinded its decision to close the library. |
| retaliate | To do something harmful to someone because they have harmed you. | When he pushed her, she retaliated by kicking him. |
| retract | To withdraw a statement; also, to pull something back in. | The newspaper retracted the story and apologised. |
| revere | To respect and admire someone deeply. | The old doctor is revered by everyone in the village. |
| revile | To criticise someone in a very angry and insulting way. | Once reviled by critics, the painter is now celebrated. |
| revoke | To officially cancel something, such as a licence or law. | His driving licence was revoked after the accident. |
| salvage | To save something from damage or loss. | Firefighters salvaged a few paintings from the burning house. |
| savour | To enjoy food, drink or an experience slowly, to get as much pleasure as possible. | Eat slowly and savour every bite. |
| scold | To speak angrily to someone, especially a child, because they have done something wrong. | Mum scolded us for leaving muddy boots in the hall. |
| scour | To search a place very thoroughly; also, to clean by rubbing hard. | Volunteers scoured the woods for the missing dog. |
| shirk | To avoid work or a duty that you should do. | A good leader doesn't shirk responsibility. |
| skew | To make information or results inaccurate or unbalanced. | A few extreme answers skewed the survey results. |
| slander | To say false things that damage someone's reputation. | The actor claimed he had been slandered on television. |
| smother | To cover something completely; also, to stop a fire or feeling by covering it. | She smothered the pancakes in chocolate sauce. |
| solicit | To ask for something, such as money, support or opinions. | The charity will solicit donations from local businesses. |
| spurn | To reject someone or something with disdain. | The striker spurned several offers from bigger clubs. |
| squander | To waste money, time or opportunities. | He squandered his inheritance on fast cars. |
| stifle | To stop something from happening or developing; to hold back a feeling. | She stifled a yawn during the long speech. |
| stipulate | To state clearly that something must be done, especially in an agreement. | The contract stipulates that payment is due within thirty days. |
| subjugate | To defeat people and take complete control of them. | The empire subjugated its neighbours one by one. |
| subside | To become less strong or violent; to sink to a lower level. | By evening the floodwaters had subsided. |
| subsume | To include something within a larger group or category. | The small charity was subsumed into a national organisation. |
| subvert | To try to weaken or destroy an established system or idea. | The novel cleverly sets out to subvert readers' expectations. |
| succumb | To be unable to resist something, such as pressure, temptation or illness. | I finally succumbed to temptation and ordered dessert. |
| supersede | To replace something older or less effective. | Typewriters were superseded by computers. |
| supplant | To take the place of someone or something. | Streaming has largely supplanted DVDs. |
| surmise | To guess something without having enough information. | From his tan, I surmised that he had been on holiday. |
| surmount | To deal successfully with a difficulty. | The team had many obstacles to surmount before the launch. |
| tarnish | To damage a reputation; also, to make metal lose its shine. | The scandal has tarnished the club's good name. |
| taunt | To try to upset someone with unkind remarks or jokes. | The older boys taunted him about his accent. |
| thwart | To stop someone from doing what they plan. | Bad weather thwarted our attempt to reach the summit. |
| transcend | To go beyond the usual limits of something. | Great music transcends language and culture. |
| transgress | To break a law, rule or moral principle. | Any player who has transgressed the rules will be suspended. |
| traverse | To travel across or through an area. | The explorers traversed the desert on camels. |
| truncate | To make something shorter by removing the end. | The match was truncated because of the storm. |
| usurp | To take someone's power or position without having the right. | The duke usurped the throne from his young nephew. |
| vacillate | To keep changing your mind. | She vacillated between staying and leaving for weeks. |
| venerate | To respect someone or something greatly, often because of age or wisdom. | The old poet is venerated as a national treasure. |
| vilify | To say or write very unpleasant things about someone, often unfairly. | The referee was vilified in the press after the match. |
| vex | To annoy or worry someone. | The question of what to do next vexed him all night. |
| waver | To become uncertain or less firm in a decision or opinion. | Her determination never wavered, even after many rejections. |
| whittle | To make something smaller gradually; also, to carve wood with a knife. | We have whittled the list of candidates down to three. |
| wield | To hold and use a weapon or tool; to have and use power. | The editor wields enormous influence in the industry. |
| wrangle | To argue noisily or for a long time. | The two sides are still wrangling over the details of the deal. |
| abject | Extremely bad or unpleasant; also, completely without pride or hope. | The family lived in abject poverty. |
| abrasive | Rude and unkind in manner; also, rough enough to rub a surface away. | His abrasive style upset many of his colleagues. |
| acerbic | Clever and critical in a sharp or cruel way. | The critic is known for her acerbic wit. |
| acrimonious | Full of angry and bitter feelings or words. | After an acrimonious divorce, they no longer speak. |
| adroit | Very clever or skilful, especially in dealing with people or situations. | She is adroit at handling difficult customers. |
| affable | Friendly and easy to talk to. | Our new neighbour is an affable man who always stops to chat. |
| alluring | Attractive and exciting in a mysterious way. | The idea of a year abroad was very alluring. |
| aloof | Not friendly or interested in other people; distant. | At first she seemed aloof, but she was really just shy. |
| altruistic | Caring about others and helping them without expecting anything in return. | Volunteering at the shelter was a purely altruistic act. |
| ambivalent | Having mixed feelings about something. | I'm ambivalent about moving to the city: it's exciting but expensive. |
| amenable | Willing to accept or be influenced by suggestions. | The landlord was amenable to our request to paint the walls. |
| amiable | Friendly, pleasant and easy to like. | We had an amiable chat about the weather. |
| anachronistic | Belonging to a different period of time; old-fashioned and out of place. | A wristwatch in a film about ancient Rome would be anachronistic. |
| antiquated | Old-fashioned and no longer suitable. | The office still uses antiquated computers. |
| apathetic | Showing no interest or enthusiasm. | Many young voters feel apathetic about politics. |
| apocryphal | Probably not true, although widely told. | The story about the founder sleeping in his car is probably apocryphal. |
| arcane | Mysterious and known or understood by very few people. | The tax rules are so arcane that even accountants get confused. |
| arduous | Very difficult and tiring, needing a lot of effort. | The climb to the summit was long and arduous. |
| assiduous | Working with great care and attention. | Thanks to her assiduous research, the mystery was solved. |
| atrocious | Extremely bad or unpleasant. | The weather was atrocious, so we stayed indoors all weekend. |
| audacious | Showing a willingness to take bold risks. | The thieves carried out an audacious robbery in broad daylight. |
| auspicious | Suggesting a positive and successful future. | Winning the first match was an auspicious start to the season. |
| austere | Simple and plain, without decoration or comfort; also, strict and serious. | The monks' rooms were small and austere. |
| banal | Boring and ordinary, with nothing original. | The song has catchy music but banal lyrics. |
| belligerent | Hostile and aggressive, ready to fight or argue. | The belligerent customer started shouting at the waiter. |
| benevolent | Kind, helpful and generous. | A benevolent stranger paid for our coffee. |
| bereft | Feeling great sadness and loss; completely without something. | She was bereft after her dog died. |
| blatant | Very obvious and done without any attempt to hide it. | It was a blatant lie, and everyone knew it. |
| bombastic | Using long, impressive words that have little real meaning. | The politician's bombastic speech said nothing new. |
| boisterous | Noisy, energetic and lively. | The boisterous children ran around the garden shouting. |
| brazen | Shameless and bold, without any embarrassment. | In a brazen attempt to skip the queue, he walked straight to the front. |
| brusque | Speaking quickly and rudely, using few words. | The receptionist's brusque manner made us feel unwelcome. |
| burgeoning | Growing or developing quickly. | The city has a burgeoning music scene. |
| cantankerous | Bad-tempered and always ready to argue or complain. | The cantankerous old man shouted at the children for playing football. |
| capricious | Changing mood or behaviour suddenly and without reason. | The capricious weather made planning the picnic impossible. |
| caustic | Bitterly critical or sarcastic; also, able to burn by chemical action. | Her caustic remarks made the new intern cry. |
| cavalier | Showing a careless lack of concern about something important. | His cavalier attitude to safety worried his colleagues. |
| chivalrous | Polite, kind and respectful, especially in a traditional or old-fashioned way. | In a chivalrous gesture, he offered her his coat. |
| clandestine | Done secretly, often because it is not allowed. | The rebels held clandestine meetings at night. |
| commensurate | Matching something in size, amount or degree. | Salary will be commensurate with experience. |
| complicit | Involved with others in something wrong. | By staying silent, he became complicit in the fraud. |
| conciliatory | Intended to end an argument and make people less angry. | After the row, she sent a conciliatory message. |
| contemptuous | Showing that you think someone or something is worthless. | He gave the cheap souvenir a contemptuous glance. |
| contrite | Feeling sorry for something wrong you have done. | The contrite boy apologised for breaking the window. |
| convoluted | Extremely complicated and difficult to follow. | The film's plot was so convoluted that I gave up trying to follow it. |
| copious | Produced in large amounts. | She took copious notes during the lecture. |
| cursory | Done quickly, without much attention to detail. | After a cursory glance at the report, he signed it. |
| debilitating | Making someone very weak or unable to function. | She suffers from debilitating headaches. |
| deft | Quick, neat and skilful in movement. | With a few deft movements, the chef sliced the onion. |
| deleterious | Causing harm or damage. | Smoking has a deleterious effect on your health. |
| despondent | Unhappy and without hope. | After losing again, the team was despondent. |
| destitute | Extremely poor, without money, food or a home. | The war left thousands of families destitute. |
| didactic | Intended to teach, especially in a way that is too obvious. | The children's book is rather didactic, with a lesson on every page. |
| diffident | Shy and lacking confidence. | He was a diffident student who rarely spoke in class. |
| dilapidated | Old and in very bad condition. | They bought a dilapidated farmhouse and restored it. |
| disingenuous | Pretending to know less or be more honest than you really are. | It's disingenuous to claim you didn't know about the meeting. |
| disparate | Very different from each other. | The book brings together disparate ideas from art and science. |
| dogmatic | Stating opinions forcefully and refusing to consider other views. | Don't be so dogmatic: there's more than one way to solve this. |
| ebullient | Full of energy, enthusiasm and cheerfulness. | The ebullient host greeted every guest with a hug. |
| eclectic | Including a wide variety of styles, ideas or sources. | Her music collection is very eclectic, from jazz to heavy metal. |
| effusive | Expressing feelings, such as praise or thanks, in an enthusiastic and unrestrained way. | The reviews were effusive, calling the film a masterpiece. |
| egregious | Extremely bad and obvious. | The report contained several egregious errors. |
| elated | Extremely happy and excited, especially because of a success. | She was elated when she heard she had passed her driving test. |
| eloquent | Able to express ideas clearly and in a moving or persuasive way. | The bride's father gave an eloquent speech that made everyone cry. |
| emphatic | Said or done in a strong, clear way that shows you are certain. | Her answer was an emphatic "No!" |
| endemic | Regularly found in a particular place or among a particular group. | Malaria is endemic in parts of Africa. |
| enigmatic | Mysterious and difficult to understand. | The Mona Lisa is famous for her enigmatic smile. |
| ephemeral | Lasting for only a very short time. | Fashion trends are often ephemeral. |
| equitable | Fair and reasonable, treating everyone equally. | We need a more equitable system for sharing the housework. |
| erroneous | Not correct; based on wrong information. | The newspaper apologised for its erroneous report. |
| erudite | Having or showing great knowledge from study. | The professor gave an erudite lecture on medieval poetry. |
| esoteric | Understood or enjoyed by only a small number of people with special knowledge. | He has some rather esoteric hobbies, such as collecting antique keys. |
| euphoric | Feeling extremely happy and excited. | The fans were euphoric after the last-minute goal. |
| exacting | Demanding a lot of effort, care or skill. | The chef has very exacting standards in her kitchen. |
| exorbitant | Much too high in price or amount. | The hotel charges exorbitant prices for drinks. |
| expedient | Useful or convenient for a particular purpose, though possibly not fair or moral. | It was politically expedient to delay the announcement. |
| facetious | Trying to be funny at an inappropriate time. | Stop being facetious; this is a serious problem. |
| fastidious | Very careful about detail, cleanliness or accuracy, sometimes too careful. | He is fastidious about keeping his desk tidy. |
| feckless | Lacking energy, purpose or a sense of responsibility. | Her feckless brother never keeps a job for more than a month. |
| flagrant | Very obvious and shocking, especially when breaking a rule. | The tackle was a flagrant foul, and the player was sent off. |
| flamboyant | Very confident, colourful and attracting attention. | The singer was famous for her flamboyant costumes. |
| frugal | Careful to spend very little money; simple and cheap. | We had a frugal meal of bread and soup. |
| furtive | Done secretly and quietly, as if you are trying not to be noticed. | He cast a furtive glance at the clock during the meeting. |
| garrulous | Talking a lot, especially about unimportant things. | The garrulous taxi driver chatted all the way to the airport. |
| gregarious | Enjoying the company of other people; sociable. | My sister is very gregarious and loves big parties. |
| grandiose | Too large, ambitious or impressive to be realistic. | He has grandiose plans to build a theme park in his garden. |
| gratuitous | Done without any good reason, and often unnecessary or harmful. | Critics complained about the gratuitous violence in the film. |
| hackneyed | Used so often that it has become boring and unoriginal. | The novel is full of hackneyed phrases like "it was a dark and stormy night". |
| haphazard | Without any order or plan. | Books were piled on the shelves in a haphazard way. |
| haughty | Behaving as if you are better than other people. | The haughty waiter looked down his nose at our cheap wine. |
| heinous | Extremely wicked and shocking. | The judge called it a heinous crime. |
| idiosyncratic | Unusual and typical of one particular person. | The writer has a very idiosyncratic style of punctuation. |
| idyllic | Extremely beautiful, peaceful and pleasant. | We spent a week in an idyllic cottage by the lake. |
| illustrious | Famous and admired because of great achievements. | The school has produced many illustrious scientists. |
| immaculate | Perfectly clean and tidy, or without any mistakes. | Her kitchen is always immaculate. |
| impeccable | Perfect, with no faults at all. | His manners at the dinner table were impeccable. |
| impervious | Not affected or influenced by something; not allowing liquid to pass through. | She seemed impervious to criticism. |
| impetuous | Acting quickly without thinking carefully. | In an impetuous moment, he quit his job and bought a boat. |
| implacable | Impossible to calm or stop; refusing to change. | The two leaders were implacable enemies. |
| incendiary | Designed to cause fires; also, likely to cause anger or violence. | The politician was criticised for his incendiary remarks. |
| incisive | Showing clear, sharp thinking and understanding. | The journalist asked a series of incisive questions. |
| incongruous | Strange because it does not fit well with what is around it. | A modern glass tower looks incongruous among the old cottages. |
| indelible | Impossible to remove or forget. | The trip left an indelible impression on all of us. |
| indignant | Angry because you feel you have been treated unfairly. | She was indignant when they accused her of lying. |
| indolent | Lazy and not wanting to work. | The indolent cat spent the whole day asleep on the sofa. |
| ineffable | Too great or beautiful to be described in words. | We felt an ineffable joy at the sight of the sunrise. |
| inexorable | Impossible to stop or prevent. | Nothing could halt the inexorable rise of the sea. |
| innocuous | Harmless and unlikely to offend or upset. | It was an innocuous question, but he seemed annoyed. |
| insidious | Developing gradually and secretly in a harmful way. | Loneliness can have an insidious effect on health. |
| insolent | Rude and disrespectful, especially to someone in authority. | The insolent pupil refused to answer the teacher. |
| intractable | Very difficult to deal with or solve. | Traffic congestion is an intractable problem in many cities. |
| irreverent | Not showing respect for things that people usually treat seriously. | The comedian has an irreverent sense of humour. |
| jaded | Tired and no longer enthusiastic, often because you have experienced too much of something. | After twenty years in the job, he felt jaded. |
| judicious | Having or showing good judgement. | A judicious use of spices can transform a simple dish. |
| laudable | Deserving praise and admiration. | The school's efforts to reduce waste are laudable. |
| lethargic | Having little energy; sleepy and slow. | The heat made everyone feel lethargic. |
| magnanimous | Generous and kind, especially towards a rival or someone who has hurt you. | She was magnanimous in victory and praised her opponent. |
| malevolent | Wishing to do harm to others. | The story's villain is a malevolent wizard. |
| mendacious | Not telling the truth; lying. | The court found his statement completely mendacious. |
| mercurial | Changing mood or behaviour suddenly and unpredictably. | The band's mercurial singer could be charming one minute and furious the next. |
| mundane | Ordinary and not interesting or exciting. | I spent the day doing mundane tasks like ironing. |
| myopic | Unable to see distant things clearly; also, not thinking about the future. | Cutting the research budget is a myopic decision. |
| nefarious | Wicked, dishonest or criminal. | The villain had a nefarious plan to steal the crown jewels. |
| nonchalant | Calm and relaxed, as if not worried or interested. | He tried to look nonchalant as he asked her to dance. |
| nondescript | Very ordinary, with no interesting or unusual features. | The spy drove a nondescript grey car. |
| obsequious | Too eager to please or obey others. | The obsequious assistant agreed with everything his boss said. |
| onerous | Needing great effort and causing difficulty or worry. | Looking after the whole family was an onerous task. |
| opaque | Impossible to see through; also, difficult to understand. | The bathroom window is made of opaque glass. |
| ostentatious | Showing wealth or importance in a way that is meant to impress people. | They live in an ostentatious mansion with gold taps. |
| palatable | Pleasant to taste; also, acceptable. | The medicine is more palatable with a spoonful of honey. |
| paltry | Very small and of little value. | He was offered a paltry sum for his old car. |
| partisan | Strongly supporting one side, especially in politics, without considering others. | The debate was bitterly partisan. |
| pedantic | Too concerned with small details or formal rules. | Sorry to be pedantic, but it's "fewer", not "less". |
| perfunctory | Done quickly, without real interest or care. | She gave a perfunctory nod and went back to her phone. |
| pernicious | Having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual way. | Rumours can have a pernicious influence on a team. |
| pervasive | Existing in every part of something. | The smell of smoke was pervasive throughout the building. |
| pithy | Short but full of meaning. | Her pithy comments always get to the heart of the problem. |
| poignant | Causing a strong feeling of sadness. | The film ends with a poignant scene at the old man's grave. |
| pompous | Behaving as if you are more important than you are, often using formal words. | The pompous official lectured us about the rules for twenty minutes. |
| precocious | Showing adult abilities or behaviour at a very young age. | The precocious four-year-old could already read newspapers. |
| prescient | Knowing or suggesting correctly what will happen in the future. | Her warnings about the crisis proved prescient. |
| pristine | In perfect condition, as if new; completely clean. | The beach was pristine before the tourists arrived. |
| prodigious | Very large or impressive. | The young pianist has a prodigious talent. |
| profligate | Spending money or using resources in a careless and wasteful way. | The government was accused of profligate spending. |
| prosaic | Ordinary and lacking imagination or excitement. | The truth was more prosaic: he had simply missed the bus. |
| protracted | Lasting a long time, often longer than expected. | After protracted negotiations, a deal was finally reached. |
| punitive | Intended as a punishment; very severe. | The court imposed punitive fines on the company. |
| quixotic | Full of noble but unrealistic ideas. | His quixotic plan to end world hunger by Friday made us smile. |
| recalcitrant | Refusing to obey or cooperate. | The teacher finally won over the most recalcitrant pupils. |
| reprehensible | So bad that it deserves strong criticism. | His behaviour towards the staff was reprehensible. |
| reticent | Not willing to talk about your thoughts or feelings. | She is reticent about her private life. |
| sacrosanct | Too important to be changed or questioned. | My Sunday lie-in is sacrosanct. |
| sanguine | Hopeful and positive, especially in a difficult situation. | The doctor is sanguine about her chances of recovery. |
| sardonic | Making fun of someone or something in a mocking way that shows you do not respect them. | He greeted the news with a sardonic smile. |
| scrupulous | Very careful, honest and thorough. | She keeps scrupulous records of all her expenses. |
| serene | Calm, peaceful and untroubled. | The lake looked serene in the early morning light. |
| solemn | Very serious and formal. | The ceremony began with a solemn minute of silence. |
| sombre | Serious, sad or dark in colour or mood. | The mood at the funeral was sombre. |
| spurious | False, though it seems to be true or genuine. | He made spurious claims about his qualifications. |
| squalid | Very dirty and unpleasant, usually because of poverty or neglect. | The workers lived in squalid conditions. |
| stoic | Accepting pain or difficulty without complaining or showing emotion. | She remained stoic throughout her long illness. |
| sublime | Extremely good or beautiful. | The view from the summit was sublime. |
| subservient | Too willing to obey others; less important. | The servants in the novel are timid and subservient. |
| succinct | Expressed clearly in very few words. | Please give a succinct summary of your idea. |
| sullen | Bad-tempered and silent, refusing to be friendly. | The sullen teenager refused to talk at dinner. |
| superfluous | More than is needed; unnecessary. | Remove any superfluous words from your essay. |
| surreptitious | Done secretly, so that others do not notice. | She took a surreptitious look at her phone during the meeting. |
| taciturn | Saying very little; not talkative. | Her grandfather was a taciturn farmer who rarely smiled. |
| tenuous | Very weak or slight. | The link between the two crimes is tenuous at best. |
| terse | Using few words, often in a rude or unfriendly way. | I received a terse email telling me to come to the office. |
| tortuous | Full of twists and turns; also, too long and complicated. | The road up the mountain is narrow and tortuous. |
| trenchant | Expressed strongly and clearly, often in a critical way. | She is a trenchant critic of the government's housing policy. |
| turbulent | Full of confusion, disorder or sudden change; moving violently. | The country went through a turbulent period after the revolution. |
| ubiquitous | Seeming to be everywhere at the same time. | Coffee shops have become ubiquitous in our city centre. |
| unassuming | Modest and not wanting to attract attention. | Despite her fame, she remains friendly and unassuming. |
| unequivocal | Completely clear, leaving no doubt. | The answer was an unequivocal yes. |
| unfathomable | Impossible to understand or explain. | Why he left his dream job is unfathomable to me. |
| unflappable | Always calm, even in difficult situations. | Our unflappable guide stayed calm when the bus broke down. |
| unscrupulous | Behaving in a dishonest or unfair way to get what you want. | An unscrupulous dealer sold them a fake painting. |
| untenable | Impossible to defend or continue. | After the scandal, his position as director became untenable. |
| unwieldy | Difficult to carry or use because of its size or weight; difficult to manage. | The old wardrobe was too unwieldy to get up the stairs. |
| urbane | Confident, polite and elegant, especially in social situations. | The urbane host made every guest feel special. |
| vacuous | Showing a lack of thought or intelligence. | The interview was full of vacuous questions about her shoes. |
| verbose | Using more words than necessary. | His essays are verbose and hard to follow. |
| vindictive | Wanting to harm someone who you think has harmed you. | After the breakup, he became bitter and vindictive. |
| virulent | Very harmful and spreading quickly; also, extremely bitter or hostile. | A virulent strain of flu swept through the city. |
| vociferous | Expressing opinions loudly and forcefully. | Residents were vociferous in their opposition to the new airport. |
| voracious | Wanting a lot of something, especially food or knowledge. | She has always been a voracious reader. |
| whimsical | Playful and unusual, often in an amusing way. | The garden is full of whimsical sculptures of animals. |
| wistful | Slightly sad because you are thinking about something you cannot have or that is in the past. | She gave a wistful smile as she looked at the old photographs. |
| zealous | Very enthusiastic and determined, sometimes too much so. | The zealous security guard checked every bag twice. |
| ad hoc | Made or done only for a particular purpose or situation, not planned in advance. | The committee was formed on an ad hoc basis to deal with the flood. |
| ad infinitum | Without end; forever, again and again. | He could talk about football ad infinitum if you let him. |
| a fortiori | Used to say that if one thing is true, another is even more certainly true. | If a child can solve it, then a fortiori an adult can. |
| by the by | Used to introduce something that is not connected to the main subject; incidentally. | By the by, did you remember to call your mother? |
| ergo | Therefore; used, often humorously, to introduce a logical result. | The shop was closed; ergo, no cake for dessert. |
| forthwith | Immediately; without delay (formal). | The new rules come into effect forthwith. |
| henceforth | From this time on (formal). | Henceforth, all visitors must sign in at reception. |
| inexorably | In a way that cannot be stopped or prevented. | Prices rose slowly but inexorably throughout the year. |
| mutatis mutandis | Used to say that something applies in another case with the necessary small changes made. | The rules for adults apply, mutatis mutandis, to junior members. |
| pro rata | Calculated in proportion to the amount of time worked or used. | Part-time staff receive holiday pay pro rata. |
| quasi | Used before a word to mean "partly" or "seeming to be". | The organisation has a quasi-official role in the government. |
| to wit | Used to introduce an explanation or more exact details; namely (formal). | She had one goal, to wit, to win the gold medal. |
| whereupon | Immediately after which (formal). | He told a joke, whereupon everyone burst out laughing. |
| wherein | In which; in what (formal). | The contract includes a clause wherein the tenant agrees to pay for repairs. |
| whilst | While (more formal or British). | Please do not use your phone whilst the plane is taking off. |
| amidst | In the middle of or surrounded by (literary). | The little cottage stood amidst the pine trees. |
| amongst | Among; in the middle of or surrounded by. | There was some disagreement amongst the members of the jury. |
| erstwhile | Former; that used to be (formal). | He met his erstwhile business partner by chance in Rome. |
| abreast of | Up to date with the latest news or developments about something. | Doctors must keep abreast of new research. |
| ipso facto | By that very fact or act. | Being rich does not ipso facto make you happy. |
| inter alia | Among other things (formal). | The report covers, inter alia, housing, transport and health. |
| vis-à-vis | In relation to or compared with (formal). | We need to discuss our position vis-à-vis the new competitors. |
| de facto | Existing in reality, even if not officially or legally recognised. | English has become the de facto language of international business. |
| de jure | According to the law; officially, whether or not it is true in practice. | The king was de jure head of state, but the generals held real power. |
| bona fide | Real and genuine, not false or pretended. | Only bona fide students can apply for the discount card. |
| in toto | Completely; as a whole (formal). | The committee rejected the proposal in toto. |
| prima facie | Based on a first impression; accepted as true unless proved otherwise. | The lawyer said there was prima facie evidence of fraud. |
| sine qua non | Something that is absolutely necessary. | Patience is the sine qua non of good teaching. |
| in absentia | While not present, especially at a trial or ceremony. | The singer received the award in absentia because she was on tour. |
| post hoc | Done or happening after an event, often to explain or justify it. | The manager offered a post hoc explanation for the failure. |
| adroitly | In a clever and skilful way. | She adroitly changed the subject when he asked about her salary. |
| assiduously | With great care, attention and effort. | He assiduously practised the violin every evening. |
| begrudgingly | In an unwilling way, without wanting to. | He begrudgingly agreed to wash the dishes. |
| cursorily | Quickly and without much attention to detail. | The guard cursorily checked our passports and waved us through. |
| effusively | In a very enthusiastic and emotional way. | She thanked the nurses effusively for their care. |
| egregiously | In an extremely bad and obvious way. | The referee was egregiously wrong to disallow the goal. |
| ostentatiously | In a showy way intended to attract attention or impress. | He ostentatiously checked his gold watch during the meeting. |
| perfunctorily | Quickly and without real interest or care. | The waiter perfunctorily wiped the table and walked away. |
| surreptitiously | Secretly and quietly, so that others do not notice. | She surreptitiously slipped a biscuit to the dog under the table. |
| unequivocally | In a completely clear way that leaves no doubt. | The minister unequivocally denied the rumours. |
| unabashedly | Openly, without any embarrassment or shame. | He is unabashedly romantic and loves old love songs. |
| inordinately | To an unusually or unreasonably large degree. | She was inordinately proud of her tomato plants. |
| irrevocably | In a way that cannot be changed or reversed. | The fire irrevocably damaged the ancient manuscripts. |
| incontrovertibly | In a way that is impossible to doubt or deny. | The tests prove incontrovertibly that the painting is a fake. |
| inadvertently | Without intending to; by accident. | I inadvertently deleted all the photos from my phone. |
| imperceptibly | So slowly or slightly that it is almost impossible to notice. | The days grow imperceptibly shorter after midsummer. |
| judiciously | Sensibly and with good judgement. | Use the hot sauce judiciously; it's very strong. |
| ineluctably | In a way that cannot be avoided (formal). | The story moves ineluctably towards its tragic ending. |
| haphazardly | Without order, plan or care. | Clothes were thrown haphazardly across the bedroom floor. |
| at loggerheads | In strong disagreement with someone. | The two neighbours have been at loggerheads over the fence for years. |
| in the offing | Likely to happen soon. | With profits rising, a pay rise could be in the offing. |
| beyond the pale | Completely unacceptable in behaviour. | Shouting at the waiter like that was beyond the pale. |
| in extremis | In an extremely difficult or dangerous situation. | The drug should only be used in extremis, when nothing else works. |
| par excellence | Better than all others of the same kind; the best example. | Venice is the romantic city par excellence. |
| for good measure | As something extra, in addition to what is needed. | She added an extra spoonful of sugar for good measure. |
| by a whisker | By a very small amount. | Our team won the race by a whisker. |
| to the hilt | Completely, to the maximum degree. | They have mortgaged their house to the hilt. |
| on tenterhooks | Nervous and excited while waiting for something. | We were on tenterhooks until the results were announced. |
| at a premium | Rare and therefore valuable or expensive. | Parking spaces are at a premium in the city centre. |
| in dire straits | In a very difficult or dangerous situation, often financially. | After losing his job, he was in dire straits. |
| in the doldrums | In a state of no activity or improvement; feeling low. | Sales have been in the doldrums since the winter. |
| in the nick of time | Just before it is too late. | The firefighters arrived in the nick of time to save the family. |
| on the cusp of | Very close to an important change or achievement. | The young scientist is on the cusp of a major breakthrough. |
| at sixes and sevens | In a state of confusion or disorder. | After the move, everything in the house was at sixes and sevens. |
| in high dudgeon | In a very offended and angry mood. | He left the meeting in high dudgeon after his idea was rejected. |
| abyss | A very deep hole that seems to have no bottom; also, a very bad situation. | The country was on the edge of an economic abyss. |
| accord | A formal agreement between countries or groups. | The two nations signed a peace accord last spring. |
| affluence | The state of having a lot of money and possessions. | The suburb's affluence is clear from its large houses. |
| amalgamation | The joining of two or more organisations or things to form one. | The new university was formed by the amalgamation of three colleges. |
| annihilation | Complete destruction, leaving nothing behind. | The film imagines the annihilation of all life on Earth. |
| antiquity | The ancient past, especially before the Middle Ages; also, an ancient object. | The city has been an important port since antiquity. |
| appeasement | The policy of giving in to demands in order to avoid conflict. | Historians still debate the policy of appeasement in the 1930s. |
| aristocracy | The highest social class, usually people with titles and land. | The novel describes the decline of the French aristocracy. |
| ascent | The act of climbing or moving upwards; also, a rise in importance. | The final ascent to the summit took five hours. |
| assimilation | The process of becoming part of a group or culture; also, of fully understanding new information. | The children's assimilation into their new school was quick and easy. |
| autopsy | A medical examination of a dead body to find the cause of death. | The autopsy showed that the man had died of natural causes. |
| avalanche | A large mass of snow falling down a mountain; also, a very large amount of something. | The company received an avalanche of complaints. |
| bloodshed | The killing or injuring of people. | Peace talks aim to prevent further bloodshed. |
| brinkmanship | The practice of pushing a dangerous situation to the limit to get what you want. | Both sides engaged in brinkmanship until the last minute of the talks. |
| carcass | The dead body of an animal. | Vultures circled over the carcass of a zebra. |
| censor | An official who examines books, films or news and removes anything considered unacceptable. | The government censor cut several scenes from the film. |
| conquest | The act of taking control of a country or area by force. | The Norman conquest of England began in 1066. |
| contagion | The spreading of a disease by touch; also, the spread of a harmful idea or feeling. | Panic in one market can spread like contagion to others. |
| cosmos | The universe, seen as an ordered system. | The documentary explores the origins of the cosmos. |
| credo | A set of beliefs or principles that guide someone's actions. | "Work hard and be kind" is her personal credo. |
| cronyism | The unfair practice of giving jobs and advantages to friends. | The mayor was accused of cronyism after hiring his golf partner. |
| deceit | Dishonest behaviour intended to make people believe something false. | Their whole relationship was built on deceit. |
| deity | A god or goddess. | Zeus was the most powerful deity in Greek mythology. |
| demolition | The act of knocking down a building or other structure. | The old factory is scheduled for demolition next month. |
| deportation | The act of officially sending someone out of a country. | He faced deportation after his visa expired. |
| desolation | A state of emptiness and destruction; also, a feeling of great sadness and loneliness. | After the fire, the forest was a scene of desolation. |
| disillusionment | The feeling of disappointment when you discover something is not as good as you believed. | His disillusionment with politics grew after the election. |
| duress | Threats or pressure used to force someone to do something. | He claims he signed the confession under duress. |
| embezzlement | The crime of secretly stealing money that you have been trusted with. | The bank manager was jailed for embezzlement. |
| entropy | A measure of disorder in a system; a gradual decline into disorder. | My desk shows how entropy always increases over time. |
| extortion | The crime of getting money from someone by threats or force. | The gang was convicted of extortion. |
| hinterland | The area behind a coast or around a city, often less developed. | The port depends on trade with its rural hinterland. |
| idyll | A very happy, peaceful and pleasant situation or period. | Their summer on the island was a perfect idyll. |
| impoverishment | The process of becoming poor or of making something weaker. | The closure of the mine led to the impoverishment of the whole region. |
| indoctrination | The process of teaching people to accept beliefs without questioning them. | The novel describes the indoctrination of children in a cruel regime. |
| insignia | A badge or sign that shows someone's rank or membership of an organisation. | The pilot's uniform bore the insignia of the air force. |
| introspection | The careful examination of your own thoughts and feelings. | The long walk gave her time for introspection. |
| larceny | The crime of stealing (a legal term). | He was charged with larceny after taking a bicycle. |
| luminary | A person who is famous and respected in a particular field. | The Nobel Prize winner is a luminary of modern physics. |
| misogyny | Hatred of or prejudice against women. | The author's novels have been criticised for their misogyny. |
| mortality | The state of being certain to die; also, the number of deaths in a group. | Infant mortality has fallen sharply over the last century. |
| nihilism | The belief that life has no meaning and that nothing can be truly known. | The character's nihilism makes him indifferent to everything. |
| oligarch | A very rich and powerful businessperson with political influence. | The football club was bought by a foreign oligarch. |
| oligarchy | A system in which a small group of people has all the power. | The country was ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy families. |
| pacifism | The belief that war and violence are always wrong. | His pacifism led him to refuse military service. |
| perjury | The crime of telling a lie in court after promising to tell the truth. | The witness was charged with perjury. |
| polity | A state or society that is organised politically. | Ancient Athens was a small but influential polity. |
| proprietor | The owner of a business, such as a shop or hotel. | The proprietor of the café greeted us at the door. |
| provenance | The place where something comes from, or its history of ownership. | Experts are studying the provenance of the painting. |
| purgatory | A situation of great suffering, often temporary. | Waiting for the exam results was pure purgatory. |
| recompense | Payment or reward for loss, injury or effort. | He received no recompense for his years of hard work. |
| relativism | The idea that truth and moral values are not absolute but depend on culture or situation. | The philosopher argued against moral relativism. |
| remnant | A small part of something that is left after the rest has gone. | Only a remnant of the ancient forest survives today. |
| sanctum | A private, quiet place where someone can be alone. | His study was his inner sanctum, and nobody was allowed in. |
| secession | The act of a region formally leaving a country or a member leaving a group. | The southern states announced their secession from the union. |
| solvency | The state of having enough money to pay your debts. | The bank's solvency was in doubt after the crisis. |
| stewardship | The responsible care and management of something. | The park has thrived under her careful stewardship. |
| subtext | A hidden meaning in what someone says or writes. | The subtext of his polite email was clearly "Go away". |
| tribulation | Great trouble or suffering; also, a cause of it. | The book describes the trials and tribulations of a young immigrant. |
| veneration | Great respect or admiration, often for something old or wise. | The old tree is an object of veneration in the village. |
| xenophobia | Fear or hatred of people from other countries. | The campaign aims to fight racism and xenophobia. |
Ten words a day: seven new, three to review. Words you get wrong come back more often. Get the whole level right and you move up.