Unit 1

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

adulterate

to corrupt, make worse by the addition of something of lesser value

contaminate

pollute

sully

purify

purge

expurgate

ambidextrous

able to use both hands equally well, skillful

deceitful, hypocritical

versatile

facile

clumsy

all thumbs

maladroit

augment

to make large

enlarge, supplement, amplify

decrease

diminish

bereft

deprived of, made unhappy through a loss

bereaved

replete

well provided

deploy

to position or arrange, utilize

station organize

dour

stern, unyielding, gloomy

harsh, bleak

forgiving, saturnine

cheery

inviting

genial

fortitude

courage in facing difficulties

resolve

steadfastness

mettle

fearfulness

timidity

faintheartedness

gape

to stare with open mouth

to open wide

gawk, ogle

guise

external appearance, cover, mask

costume, semblance

pretense

insidious

intended to deceive or entrap, treacherous

cunning

underhanded

perfidious

frank

ingenious

aboveboard

intimation

a hint, indirect suggestion

clue, indication, inkling

opulent

wealthy, luxurious, ample

rich, lavish, plentiful

abundant

poverty-stricken

wretched

destitute

pliable

easily bent, flexible, easily influenced

supple, adaptable resilient

rigid

inflexible

recalcitrant

reiterate

say again, repeat

restate, rehash, recapitulate

stolid

no easily moved mentally or emotionally

impassive, phlegmatic

emotional

oversensitive

high-strung

tentative

experimental in nature, uncertain

provisional

inconclusive

definite

conclusive

confirmed

unkempt

not combed, untidy, rude

sloppy, disheveled, rough

tidy, neat

natty

verbatim

word for word

exact

precisely

paraphrased

warily

cautiously, with great care

carefully

prudently

gingerly

recklessly

heedlessly

incautiously

Unit 2

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

adroit

skillful

clever, deft, dexterous

clumsy, inept

amicable

peaceable, friendly

congenial, cordial

hostile, antagonistic

averse

having a deep-seated distaste, opposed

disinclined, loath

eager, keen

belligerent

warlike, combative, aggressive

one at war

assertive, truculent, pugnacious

peaceful, conciliatory, placid

benevolent

kindly, charitable

benign, well-meaning

malicious, spiteful, malevolent

cursory

hasty, not thorough

quick, superficial, perfunctory

thorough, painstaking, careful

duplicity

treachery, deceitfulness

fraud, chicanery

extol

to praise extravagantly

glorify, applaud, acclaim, hail

criticize, belittle, disparage

feasible

possible

workable, practical, viable

unworkable, impractical

grimace

a wry face, facial distortion

to make a wry face

pained expression, facial contortion

smile, grin

beam

holocaust

large scale destruction especially by fire

conflagration, devastation, annihilation

deluge, inundation

impervious

not affected or hurt by, admitting of no passage or entrance

impenetrable, resistant

porous, permeable, vulnerable

impetus

move force, impulse, stimulus

impulse, incentive, spur

curb, hindrance, impediment, constraint

jeopardy

danger

risk, hazard, peril

safety, security

meticulous

extremely careful

fastidious, painstaking, fussy

careless, negligent, sloppy

nostalgia

a longing for something past, homesickness

quintessence

the purest essence or form of something

paragon, exemplar

retrogress

to move backward, return to an earlier condition

revert, degenerate, decline

advance, evolve, progress

scrutinize

to examine closely

inspect, pore over

skim, scan, glance at

tepid

lukewarm, unenthusiastic

insipid, halfhearted, wishy-washy

heated, excited, enthusiastic

Unit 3

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

adversary

enemy, opponent

antagonist, rival, foe

fried, ally, supporter, confederate

alienate

to turn away, to make indifferent or hostile

to transfer, convey

separate, drive apart, estrange

befriend, attract, captivate, reconcile

artifice

skillful or ingenious device

clever trick

clever skill

ruse, stratagem, contrivance

coerce

compel, force

pressure, bully, intimidate, constrain

persuade, cajole

craven

cowardly

fearful, fainthearted, pusillanimous

brave, courageous, valiant

culinary

of or related to cooking or the kitchen

delete

to erase, wipe out, cut out

remove, cancel, expunge

insert, add, retain, include

demise

death, especially of a person in a lofty position

decease, passing away

birth, beginning, commencement

exhilarate

to enliven, cheer, give spirit or liveliness to

stimulate, excite, gladden

discourage, dispirit, dishearten, inhibit

fallow

plowed but not seeded, inactive,

reddish-yellow

unproductive, inert, dormant

productive, fertile, prolific

harass

to disturb, worry, trouble by repeated attacks

annoy, pester, bedevil, beleaguer

inclement

stormy, harsh, sever in attitude or action

blustery, tempestuous, implacable

mild, gentle, balmy, tranquil

muse

to think about in a dreamy way, ponder

meditate, contemplate, daydream

negligible

so unimportant that it can be disregarded

trivial, inconsequential, insignificant

significant, crucial, momentous

perpetuate

to make permanent or long lasting

continue, preserve, prolong indefinitely

discontinue, abolish, abandon

precedent

an example that may serve as a basis for imitation or later action

guide, tradition, model

punitive

inflicting or aiming at punishment

penalizing, retaliatory

redress

to set right, remedy

relief from wrong or injury

rectify, correct, mitigate

sojourn

temporary stay

to stay for a time

visit, stopover, brief stay

urbane

refined in manner or style, suave

elegant

crude, uncouth, boorish

Unit 4

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

affiliated

associated, connected

attached, related, joined

dissociated, unconnected

ascertain

to find out

discover, determine, establish

attainment

an accomplishment, the act of achieving

achievement, fulfillment

failure, defeat, frustration

bequeath

to give or pass on as inheritance

transmit, bestow, hand down

cogent

forceful, convincing, relevant, to the point

persuasive, compelling

weak, unconvincing, ineffective, irrelevant

converge

to move toward one point, approach nearer together

meet, unite, intersect, merge

diverge, separate

disperse

to scatter, spread far and wide

break up, dispel

collect, congregate, assemble, muster

esteem

to regard highly

highly favorable opinion or judgment

respect, admire, honor, revere

disdain, scorn, contempt

expunge

to erase, obliterate, destroy

delete, efface, annihilate

insert, mark, imprint, impress

finite

having limits

bounded, measurable

unlimited, immeasurable, everlasting, eternal

invulnerable

not able to be wounded or hurt, shielded against attack

impregnable, impervious, immune

exposed, unprotected, defenseless

malevolent

spiteful, showing ill will

malicious, wicked, sinister, malignant

kind, benevolent, compassionate

nonchalant

cool and confident, unconcerned

composed, unruffled, indifferent, blasé

perturbed, agitated, disconcerted, abashed

omniscient

knowing everything, having unlimited awareness or understanding

wise, all-knowing

ignorant, unknowing

panacea

remedy for all ills, cure all

universal cure, easy solution

scrupulous

having high standards

exact, careful

painstaking, meticulous, conscientious

careless, negligent, remiss, dishonest

skulk

to move about stealthily

lurk, slink, prowl

supercilious

proud and contemptuous

showing scorn because of a feeling of superiority

snobbish, patronizing, overbearing

humble, meek, deferential, servile

uncanny

strange, mysterious, weird

eerie, inexplicable, spooky

venial

easily excused, pardonable

excusable, forgivable

inexcusable, unforgivable, unpardonable

Unit 5

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

altruistic

unselfish, concerned with the welfare of others

selfless

selfish, self-centered

assent

to express agreement

concur, consent, accede

disagree, differ, dissent

benefactor

one who does good to others

patron, humanitarian

misanthrope, malefactor

chivalrous

marked by honor, courtesy, and courage

knightly

gallant, civil, valiant

crude, uncouth, churlish, loutish

clemency

mercy, humaneness, mildness, moderateness

leniency, forbearance, gentleness

harshness, severity, cruelty, inflexibility

dearth

lack, scarcity, inadequate supply

insufficiency, want, paucity

surplus, oversupply, glut, abundance

diffident

shy, lacking self-confidence, modest

timid, bashful, unassertive, withdrawn

bold, brash, audacious, self-confident, jaunty

discrepancy

difference, lack of agreement

disagreement, divergence, inconsistency

agreement, convergence, consistency

embark

to go aboard, to make a start, to invest

commence, launch, begin, board

facile

easily attained, superficial, ready, fluent

effortless, assured, poised, specious

labored, awkward, halting

indomitable

unconquerable, refusing to yield

unbeatable, invincible, unyielding

surrendering, submissive, yielding

infallible

free from error, absolutely dependable

unerring, certain

imperfect

plod

to walk heavily or slowly, to work slowly

lumber, trudge

scamper, skip, prance

pungent

causing a sharp sensation, stinging, biting

sharp, spicy, piquant, caustic, racy

bland, unappetizing, colorless, insipid

remiss

neglectful in performance of one’s duty, careless

negligent, lax, slack

scrupulous, dutiful, punctilious

repose

to rest, lie, place

relaxation

sleep, tranquility, respite

exertion, wakefulness, tumult, bustle, ado

temerity

rashness, boldness

recklessness, foolhardiness, effrontery

timidity, fearfulness, diffidence, humility

truculent

fierce and cruel, aggressive

brutal, savage, belligerent, vitriolic

gentle, mild, meek

unfeigned

since, real, without pretense

genuine, heartfelt

insincere, phony

virulent

extremely poisonous, malice

venomous, noxious, baneful

innocuous, harmless, benign

Unit 6

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

accede

to yield to, to assume

consent, concur, comply, assent

demur, balk at

brandish

to wave or flourish in a menacing fashion

swing, shake

comprise

to include or contain

compose, constitute, encompass

exclude

deft

skillful, nimble

dexterous, adroit, proficient, clever

clumsy, awkward, bungling, inept

destitute

deprived of the necessities of life

wanting, devoid, impoverished, penniless

rich, wealthy, luxurious, bountiful, full, replete

explicit

definite

distinct, forthright, unambiguous

vague, ambiguous, implied, implicit

extirpate

to tear up by the roots, to destroy

uproot, eradicate, wipe out, excise

implant, sow, foster, nourish

inopportune

coming at a bad time

ill-timed, inconvenient, inappropriate

timely, convenient, felicitous

ironic

suggesting an incongruity between what might be expected and what actually happens

incongruous, satiric, sardonic

straightforward, unequivocal

musty

stale, moldy, out of date

hackneyed, antiquated

fresh, sweet smelling

officious

meddling, excessively forward in offering services or assuming authority

meddlesome, prying, impertinent, obtrusive

reserved, diffident, timid, aloof

ominous

unfavorable, threatening, of bad omen

unpropitious, inauspicious, portentous

promising

pinnacle

high peak or point

apex, acme, summit, apogee

nadir, perigee, low point

premeditated

considered beforehand, deliberately planned

preplanned, rehearsed, calculated

unplanned, spontaneous, impromptu

rampant

growing without check, running wild

widespread, unrestrained, extravagant, prevalent

controlled, restrained

solace

comfort, relief

soothe, reassure, cheer up

vex, aggravate, upset

stately

dignified, majestic

grand, magnificent, imposing

low, humble, servile, abject

supple

bending easily

flexible, limber, pliable, pliant

stiff, rigid, unbending, hidebound

suppress

to stop by force, put down

subdue, crush, stifle, squelch, quash, silence

provoke, spur, arouse, incite, instigate

venal

open to or marked by bribery or corruption

dishonest, bribable, corruptible, mercenary

honest, incorruptible, venal

Unit 7

Word

Definition

Synonyms

Antonyms

abhor

to regard with horror or loathing

detest, despise, abominate

admire, cherish, respect, relish

amend

to change in a formal way

modify, improve, correct

buffet

to slap or cuff, strike repeatedly

batter, sock, thump, pummel

chaos

great confusion, disorder

anarchy, turmoil, pandemonium

order, regularity

commodious

roomy, spacious

comfortable, ample, capacious

cramped claustrophobic, insufficient

corrosive

eating away gradually, acid like

caustic, mordant, acidulous, spiteful

bland, mild, benign, amiable

discern

to see clearly, recognize

perceive, detect

overlook

extant

still existing

surviving, in existence

extinct, defunct, vanished

implicate

to involve in, connect

incriminate, entangle

absolve, exculpate

inter

to bury

unearth, exhume

martinet

strict disciplinarian, stickler for rules

taskmaster, slave drive

obviate

to anticipate and prevent, to remove, dispose of

preclude, forestall, ward off

renegade

one who leaves a group, traitorous

turncoat, defector, heretic

loyalist, patriot

reprehensible

deserving blame or punishment

objectionable, blameworthy, culpable, odious

commendable, blameless, meritorious

somber

dark, gloomy, depressed in sprit

mournful, dismal

bright, sunny, lighthearted

squalid

filthy, wretched, debased

dingy, sordid, foul, vile

neat, spruce, exalted, lofty

turbulent

disorderly, riotous, violent

tumultuous, unruly, agitated

calm, placid, tranquil, still

vociferous

loud and noisy, compelling attention

clamorous, uproarious, blustering

quiet, soft-spoken, muted, subdued

voluminous

of great size, numerous, writing or speaking  at great length

bulky, massive, copious, plentiful

scant, meager, brief, succinct

waive

to do without, give up voluntarily, defer

decline, relinquish, forgot

claim, accept