Word List 10

Group 1

Bellicose
war-like; aggressive

Consummate
complete; total; supremely good

Elusive
hard to pin down

Gregarious
extroverted; sociable; outgoing

Jaundiced
cynical; pessimistic

Nettle
annoy

Phenomenon
an event or happening (plural: phenomena)

Recuperate
get better after illness

Superlative
extremely good; the best

Whet
sharpen

Group 2

Belligerent
aggressive; ready to fight

Contemporary
living or happening at the same time


Emaciated
very thin; withered

Gritty
coarse; granular

Jaunt
short pleasure trip

Niggardly
miserly; stingy

Philanthropy
charity; love of mankind

Red tape
formalities; paperwork; official procedure

Surly
grumpy; rude

Whimsical
capricious; changeable

Group 3

Bemoan
complain about

Contrite
sorry

Emancipate
set free

Guffaw
sudden loud laughter

Jeopardize
put at risk; endanger

Nomadic
wandering from place to place

Philistine
uncultured person

Redolent
smelling of; giving off odors

Surreptitious
secret; sneaky; stealthy

Willful
stubborn

Group 4

Benevolent
kindly

Contrition
sorrow and repentance

Embezzle
defraud; steal

Guile
cunning; craftiness

Jingoistic
extremely patriotic; nationalistic

Nonchalance
an appearance of indifference; calm and composed

Phlegmatic
calm; imperturbable

Redress
put right something that was wrong

Surreptitiously
secretly; furtively; stealthily

Wily
cunning

Group 5

Benign
kindly; harmless

Contumacious
stubborn

Embroil
involve in hostility or argument

Guileless
frank; straightforward; honest

Jocular
in a joking manner

Nondescript
having no special features; dull and ordinary

Pillage
plunder

Redundant
unnecessary; superfluous

Susceptible
vulnerable

Wispy
flimsy; frail; delicate

Group 6

Benignity
compassion; gentleness; fondness

Contusion
a bruise

Emerge
come out; appear

Gullibility
unwariness; trustfulness; being easily fooled

Jollity
gaiety; happiness

Nonentity
a person of no importance; not famous

Pinnacle
topmost point

Referendum
public vote

Suspect
doubtful

Wistful
melancholy; pensive; expressing a longing for

Group 7

Bequeath
leave something in one's will to be given after one's death

Conundrum
a puzzle

Emulate
to imitate something admired

Gullible
easily fooled

Jubilant
ecstatic; delighted; rejoicing

Nostalgia
longing for the past

Pious
very religious

Refute
disprove

Sybarite
lover of luxury

Zany
crazy; wacky

Group 8

Berate
scold; criticize

Conventional
usual; customary; common

Endorse
give support or approval to

Gustatory
concerned with the sense of taste

Judicious
correct in judgment; wise

Notoriety
infamy; known for wrong doing

Pivotal
of central importance

Regale
entertain

Sycophant
bootlicker; flatterer

Zeal
enthusiasm

Group 9

Beret
type of cap

Corpulent
fat

Endurance
staying power; patience; stamina

Hackneyed
common and over-used

Jurisprudence
science or study of law

Novel
new; unusual

Placate
pacify; soothe; calm

Relegate
dismiss to a lower position

Taciturn
quiet; saying little

Zealot
fanatic

Group 10

Bestial
behaving like a beast; brutal

Corrugated
highly folded

Enduring
lasting

Hallowed
worshipped; consecrated

Juxtapose
place next to

Novice
a beginner; tyro

Placebo
harmless medicine with no effect; dummy medicine

Remorse
regret; sorrow; contrition

Tactile
concerned with the sense of touch

Zenith
summit