UNIT 10

ACQUIESCE

• DEF: (v.) to accept without protest, to agree or submit
• SYN: comply with, accede, consent, yield
• ANT: resist, protest
• EX: I was yelled at so I had to acquiesce and go to the principals office.

ALLURE

• DEF: (v.) to entice, tempt; to be attractive to
• (n.) a strong attraction, the power to attract, charm
• SYN: (v.) beguile, tantalize (n.) temptation, enticement
• ANT: (v.) repel, turn off (n.) repellent
• EX: The attractive women allured all the men that saw her.

ASKEW

• DEF: (adj., adv.) twisted to one side, crooked; disapprovingly
• SYN: awry, lopsided, cockeyed
• ANT: straight, symmetrical
• EX: After the boxer broke his nose, it was permanently askew.

BLITHE

• DEF: (adj.) cheerful, lighthearted; casual, unconcerned
• SYN: carefree, nonchalant, indifferent
• ANT: glum, morose, despondent, depressed
• EX: The hippie on the corner is always blithe.

CONTENTIOUS

• DEF: (adj.) quarrelsome, inclined to argue
• SYN: argumentative, disputative, combative
• ANT: agreeable, amiable, affable, pacific
• EX: When a child is extremely mad, they may be contentious.

COVET

• DEF: (v.) to desire something belonging to someone else
• SYN: crave, yearn for, hunger for
• ANT: disdain, scorn, despise
• EX: Steve covet johns new toy.

CRESTFALLEN

• DEF: (adj.) discouraged, dejected, downcast
• SYN: despondent, disconsolate
• ANT: elated, cheerful, self-satisfied, cocky
• EX: The team that lost the final was very crestfallen.

DISHEVELED

• DEF: (adj.) rumpled, mussed; hanging in disorder
• SYN. untidy, disarranged, tousled
• ANT. tidy, well-groomed
• EX: In the morning, most people appear disheveled.

EXPONENT

• DEF: (n.) one who advocates, speaks for, explains, or interprets
• SYN. defender, champion, interpreter
• ANT: critic, adversary, faultfinder, detractor
• EX: My teacher was an exponent when she explained all of the rules.

GARRULOUS

• DEF: (adj.) given to much talking; tediously chatty
• SYN: talkative, loquacious
• ANT: reticent, mum, taciturn, laconic
• EX: Everybody knows that one garrulous kid that never stops talking

INSUPERABLE

• DEF: (adj.) incapable of being overcome
• SYN: invincible, insurmountable
• ANT: surmountable, conquerable
• EX: Superman is considered insuperable due to his many super powers.

LAMENTABLE

• DEF: (adj.) to be regretted or pitied
• SYN: deplorable, regrettable, distressing
• ANT: praiseworthy, commendable, laudable
• EX: It was lamentable looking at my final average.

MISNOMER

• DEF: (n.) an unsuitable or misleading name
• SYN: misnaming, malapropism
• EX: Driveways are a misnomers because you park in a DRIVEway.

PROFESS

• DEF: (v.) to affirm openly; to state belief in; to claim, pretend
• SYN: assert, proclaim, purport
• ANT: disclaim, disavow, repudiate
• EX: My coach professed by stating that I performed well at practice.

RESPITE

• DEF: a period of relief or rest
• SYN: interval, intermission, lull, breather
• EX: Halftime serves as a respite for the players.

RETRIBUTION

• DEF: (n.) a repayment; a deserved punishment
• SYN: recompense, requital, just deserts
• EX: If you do something illegal, retribution is in your future.

SINUOUS

• DEF: (adj.) winding, having many curves; lithe and flexible
• SYN: twisting, convoluted, supple
• ANT: direct, unbending, stiff, rigid
• EX: The rubber sword was very sinuous.

SONOROUS

• DEF: (adj.) full, deep, or rich in sound; impressive in style
• SYN: resonant, resounding, grandiloquent
• ANT: tinny, reedy, harsh, grating
• EX: The excellent rock band was sonorous.

VANGUARD

• DEF. (n.) the foremost part of an army; the leading position in any field
• SYN: forefront, cutting edge, trailblazers
• ANT: rear guard, stragglers, laggards
• EX: The vanguard was the first group to engage in battle.

WASTREL

• DEF: a wasteful person, spendthrift; a good-for-nothing
• SYN: loafer, idler, profligate
• ANT: skinflint, tightwad
• EX: The homeless people that waste their money on drugs are wastrel.