Word of the Day List – 2013-2014

1. acquisitive – able to get and retain ideas or information; concerned with acquiring wealth or property

In an acquisitive society, there is a great deal of emphasis on buying and selling.

2. arrogate – to claim or take without right

By whose authority did you arrogate to yourself the right to decide how the club’s money should be spent?

3. banal – trite, commonplace, hackneyed, stale

The new play’s banal dialogue made it seem more like a soap opera than a serious drama.

4. belabor – to work on excessively; to thrash soundly

His tendency to belabor the small points often made him miss the big picture.

5. carping – tending to find fault, especially in a petty, nasty, or hairsplitting way; petty, nagging criticism

Most artists choose to ignore the carping of critics and simply go on with their work.

6. coherent - holding or sticking together; making a logical whole; comprehensible, meaningful

* Your essay would be a great deal tighter and more coherent if you removed all the extraneous information it now contains.

7. congeal – to change from liquid to solid; to thicken; to make inflexible or rigid

If you do not wash your dishes right away, the food on them will congeal.

8. emulate – to imitate with the intent of equaling or surpassing the model

Most beginning writers try to emulate a great writer and later develop theirown individual styles.

9. encomium – a formal expression of praise; a lavish tribute

Even the most severe critics showered encomiums on the young writer forthe remarkable narrative power of her first novel.

10. eschew – to avoid, shun, keep away from

The young athletes promised the coach that they would train vigorously andeschew bad habits.

11. germane – relevant, appropriate, apropos, fitting

Bringing up examples from the past is not germane to the present discussion.

12. insatiable – so great or demanding as not to be satisfied

People with an insatiable appetite for gossip usually do not have interesting stories of their own.

13. intransigent – refusing to compromise; irreconcilable

How can we “meet them halfway” when they are so intransigent in their opposition to what we propose to do?

14. invidious – offensive; hateful; tending to cause bitterness and resentment

Parents should avoid making invidious comparisons between their children.

15. largesse – generosity in giving; lavish or bountiful contributions

The university was the fortunate beneficiary of the largesse of many of its graduates.

16. reconnaissance – a survey made for military purposes; any kind of preliminary inspection or examination

The purpose of military reconnaissance remains the same: to learn as muchas possible about the enemy.

17. substantiate – to establish by evidence; to prove; to give concrete or authentic form to

I doubt very much that he can substantiate his claim that he completed the assignment by himself.

18. taciturn - habitually silent or quiet; inclined to talk very little

In spite of his size, he was so taciturn that we tended to forget that he was even in the room.

19. temporize – to stall or act evasively in order to gain time, avoid a confrontation, or postpone a decision

In any crisis, the longer a person temporizes, the greater the danger is likelyto become.

20. tenable – capable of being held or defended

As a result of recent research, earlier theories about the origins of the universeare no longer tenable.

21. accost – to approach and speak to first; to confront in a challenging or aggressive way

As a newspaper reporter, it was my job to accost people on the street andask their opinions.

22. animadversion – a comment indicating strong criticism or disapproval

The inexperienced filmmaker was disheartened by the animadversion ofthe film critic.

23. avid – desirous of something to the point of greed; intensely eager

Most writers are also avid readers who have loved books since childhood.

24. brackish - having a salty taste and unpleasant to drink

The shipwrecked passengers adrift on the lifeboat became ill after drinkingbrackish water.

25. celerity – swiftness, rapidity of motion or action

Although the heavy snowfall was not expected, the highway departmentresponded with surprising celerity.

26. devious – straying or wandering from a straight or direct course; done or acting in a shifty or underhanded way

The interrogator used devious methods to try to get the suspect to incriminatehimself.

27. wane – to decrease gradually in size, extent, power, or intensity

“If the president’s popularity continues to wane,” the senator remarked, “he may well lose the next election.”

28. halcyon - a legendary bird; happy, calm, peaceful

The teacher read the legend of the halcyon, a mythic bird that nested in a calm sea.

29. histrionic – pertaining to actors and their techniques; theatrical, artificial; melodramatic

* Upon receiving the award, the actress gave a histrionic speech that bored the entire audience.

30. incendiary – deliberately setting or causing fires; designed to start fires; tending to stir up strife or rebellion; one who deliberately sets fires, arsonist; one who causes problems

The arsonist planted an incendiary device in the basement of the store.

31. maelstrom – a whirlpool of great size and violence; a situation resembling a whirlpool in violence and destruction

Many wealthy southern plantation owners saw their financial resources swallowed up in the maelstrom of the Civil War.

32. myopic – nearsighted; lacking a broad, realistic view of a situation; lacking foresight; shortsighted

The myopic foreign policy of the last administration has led to serious problems with our allies.

33. overt – open, not hidden; expressed or revealed in a way that is easily recognized

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was an overt act of war.

34. pejorative - tending to make worse; expressing disapproval; derogatory; belittling

The lawyer was accused of making a pejorative remark when referring to thedefendant’s background.

35. propriety – the state of being proper; appropriateness; standards of what is proper or socially acceptable

In Grandmother’s day, standards of propriety required that a young lady weara hat and gloves when she went out in public.

36. sacrilege – improper or disrespectful treatment of something held sacred

* In the eyes of many Americans, people who burn or purposely disrespect our flag in any way, are guilty of an intolerable sacrilege.

37. summarily – without delay or formality; briefly; concisely

As soon as there was evidence of criminal wrongdoing, the official wassummarily removed from office.

38. suppliant – asking humbly and earnestly; one who makes a humble request

The prisoner made a suppliant address to the parole board.

39. talisman – an object that serves as a charm or is believed to confer magical powers

Most people do not believe that a rabbit’s foot or other talismans actually bring good luck.

40. undulate – to move in waves or with a wavelike motion; to have a wavelike appearance or form

The baseball fans began to undulate as they cheered, so they appeared to move ina wave.

41. articulate – to pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; able to employ language clearly and forcefully

The most articulate student in the class was chosen to mediate the debate.

42. malapropism – an unconscious and usually absurd misuse of a word

In one of his typical malapropisms, my landlord informed me on the hottest dayof the year that he didn’t mind the heat as much as the humility.

43. credence – belief, mental acceptance

The government and the public failed to give credence to the reports of animpending water shortage.

44. decry – to condemn; to express strong disapproval; to officially depreciate

Every office of government and every educational institution should decrybigotry in all its forms.

45. dissemble – to disguise or conceal; to deliberately give a false impression

The young woman was unable to dissemble her feelings and admitted to having committed the crime.

46. distraught – very much agitated or upset as a result of emotion or mental conflict

When news of the school fire ran through town, distraught parents rushed to the scene of the blaze.

47. eulogy – a formal statement of commendation; high praise

Every Memorial Day the Mayor delivers a eulogy stressing the selflessdevotion of those who have died in defense of this country.

48. evince – to display clearly; to make evident; to provoke

The crowd did not evince any signs of panic but moved in an orderlyfashion to the nearest exits.

49. exhume – to remove from a grave; to bring to light

When new evidence turned up in the case, the court ordered the coroner toexhume the victim’s body and reexamine it.

50. feckless – lacking in spirit and strength; ineffective, weak; irresponsible, unreliable

Although a feckless youth, Mr. Sabatini eventually matured into a hard-workingand responsible citizen.

51. lackadaisical – sorely lacking in spirit, energy, or purpose

“No matter how bright a student is,” the child psychologist observed, “a lackadaisical attitude toward studying will result in poor grades.”

52. codicil – in law, an addition to a will that adds changes or provisions; an appendix or supplement

The wealthy matriarch added a codicil to her will, providing that hergranddaughter would not inherit any of the estate if she failed to earn a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college.

53. nefarious – wicked, depraved, devoid of moral standards

The NCAA has in recent years cracked down hard on such nefariouspractices as “shaving points.”

54. piquant – stimulating to the taste or mind; spicy; tangy

The chef was an expert in making those piquant dishes that are characteristicof South Indian cooking.

55. unwonted – not usual or expected; not in character

I have always regarded my cousin as something of a daredevil, but on the day of the race, he approached the start with unwonted caution.

56. primordial – developed or created at the very beginning; going back to the most ancient times or earliest stages; fundamental; basic

The primordial stages of most civilizations are founded on ordinary needs met bycommon goals.

57. utopian – founded upon or involving a visionary view of an idea world; impractical

A number of religious groups have built separate communities based on utopian schemes.

58. feign – to pretend or give a false appearance of

The student did not fool Mrs. Namey when he feigned illness in an attemptto get out of school early.

59. emaciated – wasted or reduced by starvation, disease, or the like

The hollow eyes and shrunken cheeks of the emaciated children in themagazine ad were haunting reminders of our role in the fight against worldhunger.

60. corpulent – fat and bulky

In one of Poe’s short stories, the protagonists are corpulent, despicable men who enjoy hurting others with their practical jokes.

61. atrophy – to waste away ; any progressive decline or failure

Almost every case of muscle or tissue atrophy is the result of disease, prolonged disuse, or changes in cell nutrition.

62. bastion – a fortified place, a stronghold

The high ground east of the river formed a natural bastion, which the army defended with all the forces at their disposal.

63. concord – a state of agreement, harmony, unanimity; a treaty, pact, or covenant

Peace is not just the absence of war but a positive state of concord among the nations of the world.

64. disarray – disorder, confusion; to throw into disorder

* If you leave the window open, a breeze may disarray the papers on the desktop.

65. exigency – urgency, pressure; urgent demand, pressing need; an emergency

A born leader is someone who can rise to the exigencies of any crisis that he or she may be confronted with.

66. flotsam – floating debris; homeless, impoverished people

In the shelter, I saw for the first time people who’d been beaten and discouraged by life; these were the so-called derelicts and flotsam of the great city.

67. grouse – a type of game bird; a complaint; to complain, grumble

The patient’s latest grouse was that he did not get any dessert with his dinner the night before.

68. jocular – humorous, jesting, jolly, joking

It was pleasant to see the usually quiet and restrained Mr. Fisher is such a jocular mood.

69. frenetic – frenzied; highly agitated; frantic

We were fascinated by the frenetic scene on the floor of the stock exchange as brokers struggled to keep up with sudden price changes.

70. incarcerate – to imprison; confine; to jail

Even critics of our penal system admit that as long as hardened criminals are incarcerated, they can’t commit further crimes.

71. glean – to gather bit by bit; to collect small quantities; to pick up

We were able to glean only a few shreds of useful information from his long, boring speech.

72. incumbent – obligatory or required; one who holds a specific office at the time spoken of

Of all the Congressional seats in our state, only one was won by a new member; all the other winners were incumbents.

73. ludicrous – ridiculous, laughable, or absurd

Mrs. Cody’s comment was so ludicrous that we finally understood that she was only joking.

74. mordant – biting or caustic in thought, manner, or style; sharply or bitterly harsh

The actor was upset by the mordant criticism of the gossip columnist who seemed out to ruin his reputation.

75. pecuniary – consisting of or measured in money; of or related to money

The couple was forced by pecuniary considerations to sell their large home and buy a much smaller one.

76. pusillanimous – cowardly or mean-spirited

To feel fear in difficult situations is natural, but to allow one’s conduct to be governed by fear is pusillanimous.

77. recumbent – in a reclining position, lying down; in the posture of one sleeping or resting

Comfortable recumbent in the shade of an oak tree, the injured player watched the other members of the football team go through a long, hard workout.

78. stratagem – a scheme to outwit or deceive an opponent or to gain an end

The purpose of our stratagem was to draw in the safety so that Tom could get behind him to receive a long pass.

79. megalomania – a psychological disorder marked by delusions of exaggerated grandeur, wealth, or power

Accusations of megalomania are common in Hollywood, where many successful actors believe that they are more powerful, popular, and beautiful than everyone else.

80. ominous – foreshadowing evil; menacing or threatening

If Dad had paid some attention to the ominous sounds coming from the engine, he would not have been so surprised when the car stopped dead in the middle of nowhere.

81. nuance – a subtle or slight variation ( as in color, meaning, or quality), delicate shade of difference

Music can often express a nuance of mood or feeling that would be difficult to put into words.

82. penchant – a strong attraction or inclination

A teacher with a penchant for belaboring the obvious is bound to be boring.

83. esoteric – intended for or understood by only a select few; private, secret

The conversation between the computer programmers was so esoteric that I wasn’t sure whether they were speaking English.

84. ignominy – shame and disgrace

He was a changed man after suffering the ignominy of being fired for conduct unbecoming a gentleman.

85. complicity – involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplice

Those who saw the young woman being assaulted and did nothing to help her were guilty of complicity in the crime.

86. diatribe – a bitter and prolonged verbal attack

All of a sudden, a strange young man rushed onto the speaker’s platform at the assembly and launched into a diatribe against the school’s dress code policy.

87. perspicacity – keenness in observing and understanding

The professor had long been noted for the soundness of his knowledge and the perspicacity of his judgment.

88. allay – to calm or pacify; to set to rest; to lessen or relieve

Nothing we could say seemed to allay my brother’s grief over the loss of our dog.

89. bestial – beastlike; beastly brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibility

In beating the prisoner, the guards were guilty of a truly bestial act.

90. demur – to object or take exception to; an objection

Since all students agreed that the proposal seemed to offer the best solution to their problem, it was accepted without demur.

91. coterie – a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interest

As the rock star’s popularity began to skyrocket, what had been a small coterie ofadmirers became an unruly mob.

92. effrontery – shameless boldness, impudence

After being suspended for disrespectful behavior, the student had the effrontery to talk back to the principal again.

93. illusory – misleading; deceptive; lacking in or not based on reality

Many sad experiences finally taught the young man that hopes of getting something for nothing are entirely illusory.

94. picayune – of little value or importance; paltry; measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-minded

A busy administrator in today’s high-pressure business world just doesn’t have time to deal with such picayune concerns as making coffee.

95. jettison – to cast overboard; to get rid of as unnecessary or burdensome

The crew of the freighter jettisoned most of its cargo in a desperate effort to keep the sinking ship afloat.

96. pertinacious – very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs hard to get rid of; refusing to be put off or denied

The defense attorney was as pertinacious as a bulldog in his cross-examination of the witness.

97. indigent – needy; impoverished; destitute

The number of homeless and indigent people has increased since the economy took a downturn.

98. raiment – clothing, garments, apparel, or attire

When Charles V retired to a Spanish monastery, he exchanged the costly raiment of a king for the simple clothing of a monk.

99. ephemeral – lasting only a short time; fleeting; short-lived

Only the greatest of writers and artists achieve anything other than ephemeral popularity.

100. garish – glaring; tastelessly showy or over decorated in a vulgar or offensive way; gaudy; flashy

The kind of garish makeup used by circus clowns is not suitable for an elegant fashion model.

101. allege – to assert without proof or confirmation; claim

The men now being held in police custody are alleged to have robbed eight supermarkets over the last year.

102. badinage – light and playful conversation; banter

The doctor’s attempts at casual badinage did not conceal the fact that he was acutely embarrassed by his mistake.

103. countermand – to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the first; revoke; recall

The authority of the Student Council is not absolute because the principal can countermand any of its decisions.

104. echelon – one of s series of grades in an organization or field of activity; an organized military unit; a step-like formation or arrangement

Although the civil servant began in the lower echelon of government service, he rose quickly through the ranks.

105. paucity – an inadequate quantity; scarcity or lack

His four disastrous years in office were marked by a plenitude of promised and a paucity of performance.

106. raze – to tear down, destroy completely; to cut or scrape off or out; to demolish

The town razed the old schoolhouse to make room for a larger, more modern school complex.

107. saturnine – of a gloomy or sullen disposition; cold or sluggish in mood

Someone with such a saturnine outlook on life doesn’t make an agreeable traveling companion, especially on a long journey.

108. acclamation – a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approval; ovation

Since Lucy had expected no more than polite applause, she was delighted by the acclamation she received from the audience.

109. bucolic – characteristic of the countryside; rural; pastoral

The painting shows a restfully bucolic scene, with some cows grazing peacefully in a meadow and shepherds dozing under a tree.

110. capricious – subject to whims or passing fancies; impulsive, unpredictable

The tastes of TV audiences are so capricious that no one can predict in advance which new shows will be successful.

111. sophomoric – immature and overconfident; conceited; superficial

Teenagers are not the only people whose behavior might at times be considered a bit sophomoric .

112. calumniate – to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciously; defame

It has long been known that some twisted and unhappy people derive a kind of satisfaction from calumniating others.

113. acquiesce – to accept without protest; to agree or submit; consent; yield

It isn’t likely that the school administration will acquiesce to your recommendation to do away with all final examinations and grades.

114. wastrel – a wasteful person; a good-for-nothing; loafer; idler; squanderer

Anyone who spends hours, days, and weeks just hanging around is a wastrel, with the most precious thing we have – time.

115. covet – to desire something belonging to another; to crave; to hunger for

Those who covet the good fortune of others are likely to be unhappy with their own situations in life.

116. misnomer – an unsuitable or misleading name; misnaming

The term World Series is a misnomer because only North American teams participate in this annual event.

117. endemic – native or confined to a particular region or people; characteristic of or prevalent in a particular field; restricted to

Some people maintain that intelligent life must exist elsewhere in the universe, but I firmly believe that it is endemic to Earth.

118. plagiarism – passing off or using as one’s own the writing of another person: piracy; theft

The brilliant essay for which the writer received so much lavish praise has been exposed as a skillful act of plagiarism.

119. compunction – remorse; regret; misgiving

Because the students’ misconduct was clearly deliberate, the principal had no feelings of compunction in giving them ten days of detention.

120. ruminate – to meditate; to think about at length; to ponder or reflect

I stretched out under the old maple tree in the backyard and began to ruminate on the strange events of that remarkable day.

121. askance – with suspicion, distrust, or disapproval; to view skeptically

When I found that people I admired were looking askance at my clothing, I was embarrassed and decided it was time to change my style.

122. attenuate – to make thin or slender; to weaken or lessen in force, intensity, or value dilute; water down

After making sure the wound was clean, the doctor took steps to attenuate the victim’s pain.

123. charlatan – one who feigns knowledge or ability; a pretender; an imposter; a fraud

Any “investment counselor” who promises to double your money overnight must be regarded as a charlatan or a crook.

124. eclectic – drawn from different sources; one whose beliefs are drawn from various sources

The critics accused the composer of being a mere eclectic with no original style of her own.

125. impecunious – having little or no money; penniless; impoverished

Though Oprah Winfrey was raised as an impecunious child, she eventually made a fortune in the entertainment industry.

126. sequester – to set apart; to separate for a special purpose; to seclude or isolate

In order to prevent outside influences from coming into play, a jury is normally sequestered until it reaches its decision.

127. onerous – burdensome; involving hardship or difficulty; oppressive

* Informing patients of bad news is an onerous duty that every doctor has to perform.

128. winnow – to get rid of something unwanted; to delete; to sift through to obtain what is desirable; to filter

Spelling and grammar software programs are designed to help writers winnow inaccuracies from their documents.

129. laconic – concise; using few words; succinct; compact

The senator issued a laconic statement declaring her innocence after the accusations of fraud were made public.

130. nadir – the lowest point; rock bottom

One of the comforting things about reaching the nadir of one’s grade point average is that the only place to go from there is up.

131. perfunctory – done in a superficial or halfhearted manner; without interest or enthusiasm

The police made a perfunctory search for the missing purse, but they did not really expect to find it.

132. cynosure – the center of attraction, attention, or interest; something that serves to guide or direct

For over a century, the Statue of Liberty has been the cynosure for millions of immigrants entering New York Harbor.

133. deign – to think it appropriate or suitable to one’s dignity to do something

I resent your nasty question about whether or not I will “deign to speak to ordinary students” after I am elected class president.

134. cognizant – aware, knowledgeable, or informed; conscious

Police officers must make sure that crime suspects are made cognizant of their rights before they are questioned.

135. euphemism – a mild or inoffensive expression used in place of a harsh or unpleasant one; a substitute

Common euphemisms for die include the expressions pass away and go to the other side.

136. chicanery – trickery; deceptive practices or tactics; double-dealing

The accountants used legal chicanery to cover up the company’s shaky financial position.

137. amenity – that which is pleasant or agreeable; attractive feature, customs, etc.

When my relatives go camping, there are certain amenities, such as clean sheets and a dry tent, that they will not go without.

138. presage – to foreshadow or point to a future event; to predict; a warning or indication of the future

The fall in stock prices and retail sales may be a presage of hard economic times to come.

139. seraphic – angelic; heavenly; celestial

The artist painted the children with seraphic smiles to suggest their innocence.

140. altruistic – unselfish; concerned with the welfare of others; selfless

Most people support altruistic programs to help the less fortunate of this world.

141. clemency – mercy; humaneness; leniency; gentleness

Many judges are willing to show clemency to first offenders who express regret for their wrongdoing.

142. perennial – lasting for a long time; persistent; a plant that lives for many years

Since my dad does not want to replace the plants in our garden every year, he favors perennials over annuals.

143. mediocre – average, ordinary, or undistinguished

The team’s number-one draft pick turned out to be a rather mediocre player, not a star who could lead them to the championship.

144. auspicious – favorable; fortunate; promising or encouraging

Spring, with its ever-renewing promise of life, is for me the most auspicious of seasons.

145. posthumous – occurring or published after death

Many artists and writers have been ignored during their lifetimes only to achieve posthumous fame.

146. tenacious – holding fast; persistent; stubborn

Athletes must be tenacious in the pursuit of excellence if they hope to become Olympic champions.

147. obstreperous – noisy; unruly; disorderly; wild

The principal will not tolerate obstreperous behavior at an assembly.

148. pensive – thoughtful; melancholy; dreamy; reflective

My friend interrupted my pensive mood with the expression “A penny for your thoughts.”

149. pugnacious – quarrelsome; fond of fighting; argumentative; belligerent

I consider myself a peaceful person, but if someone approaches me in a pugnacious manner, I am prepared to defend myself.

150. extemporaneous – made or delivered on the spur of the moment; spontaneous

The honoree’s after-dinner speech was so polished and interesting that we never guessed it was extemporaneous.

151. emancipate – to free from slavery; to release or liberate; to set loose

It is up to all of us to emancipate ourselves from the prejudices and false ideas acquired early in life.

152. autocratic – absolute in power or authority; domineering; bossy

For many years the island was under the autocratic control of a dictator.

153. ad infinitum – endlessly; forever, unceasingly

Children who hear a favorite story read over and over ad infinitum are learning about language.

154. abet – to encourage; to assist, especially in wrongdoing

At the memorable concert, the great singer’s efforts were abetted by her accompanist.

155. facetious – not meant seriously; playful or humorous

I paid no attention to what my brother said because I could see that he was being facetious.

156. heinous – grossly wicked or vile; atrocious

We found it hard to believe that our mild-mannered neighbor had actually committed the heinous crime for which he was accused.

157. dilatory – inclined to put things off; intended to postpone something

Some people always pay their bills on time; others are as dilatory as snails.

158. connoisseur – someone with informed and discriminating judgment, especially in matters or art, literature, or taste

I know very little about quiches or soufflés, but I am a true connoisseur when it comes to pizza.

159. chagrin – irritation, embarrassment, or humiliation caused by disappointment or frustration

Much to Marsha’ chagrin, she was not elected to the student council.

160. enigma – an intentionally obscure statement; a riddle, mystery, or puzzle

Sometimes crossword-puzzle clues contain puns, enigmas, and other kinds of brain-teasers, rather than straightforward hints to the words that are wanted.

163. buttress – to support or reinforce

Congress has considered a number of measures designed to buttress and protect the economy against the ravages of inflation.

164. emaciated – wasted or reduced by starvation, disease, or the like

The hollow eyes and shrunken cheeks of the emaciated children in the magazine ad were haunting reminders of our role in fighting world hunger.

165. inveigh – to protest bitterly or vehemently

When the train ground to a halt yet again, one passenger began to inveigh angrily against the transit system and the people who ran it.

166. vagary – a bizarre or eccentric idea, action, or condition

A decision to drop out of school and travel the county should not be considered as a simple vagary.

167. aesthetic – pertaining to a sense of beauty; artistic

Though the picture did not have much aesthetic appeal, it had considerable commercial value.

168. askew – out of line or position; turned to one side; disapprovingly; scornfully

The drawers had been pulled out of the bureau, the lamps had been knocked over, and every picture on the wall was askew.

169. pseudonym – a fictitious name assumed by an author

Since the Victorians didn’t think it proper for a lady to write novels, many women published their works under masculine pseudonyms.

170. parody – a comic imitation of the style, form, or content of a serious piece of work; to imitate in a mocking or unworthy way

Several popular entertainers are noted for their ability to parody the words and gestures of prominent Americans.

171. tenable – capable of being defended or maintained

When the general realized that his forward positions were no longer tenable, he ordered an immediate withdrawal to more defensible ground.

172. tacit – unspoken; implied or inferred

The actresses friendly smile was a tacit invitation to join the group of admirers surrounding her.

173. vie – to struggle for superiority with; to compete

Three teams are now vying with one another for possession of first place in the American League East.

174. augur – someone who can forecast the future by spotting various signs or indications of what is to come

*My uncle claims to be an augur of future trends in the economy, but his predictions are no more reliable than other people’s.

175. phobia – an intense irrational fear of something

My sister’s phobia about dogs is attributed to the fact that she was nipped on the finger when she was a child.

176. pernicious – highly injurious or harmful

Even though my uncle had a massive heart attack, he continues a pernicious habit of eating fatty foods.

177. apathy – lack of feeling, emotion, or interest

Although I thought my idea for a class project was impressive, it was met with complete apathy.

178. impasse – a deadlock or dead end

Since the negotiation team reached an impasse, the union representative suggested adjournment for the night.

179. dire – dreadful or disastrous; bleak or cheerless

Those who did not complete Senior Projects are now in a dire position regarding graduation.

180. opportune – suitable, appropriate, or timely

* I would like to take this opportune moment to wish you a happy and safe summer.