Since I post my Vital Vocab assignments every week, I thought I may as well also post a dictionary here for all the vocab words. (I needed to make one of these anyway.)
Vital Vocab 1
vernacular:
n. the language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region; he wrote in the vernacular to reach a larger audience.
context:
n. the circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed: the decision was taken within the context of planned cuts in spending.
figurative:
adj. departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical: gold, in the figurative language of the people, was “the tears wept by the sun.”
literal:
adj. taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or allegory: dreadful in its literal sense, full of dread.
subtext:
n. an underlying and often distinct theme in a piece of writing or conversation.
Vital Vocab 2
archaic:
adj. very old or old-fashioned: prisons are run on archaic methods.
adj. (of a word or a style of language) no longer in everyday use but sometimes used to impart an old-fashioned flavor.
amiable:
adj. having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner: an amiable, unassuming fellow.
anecdotal:
adj. (of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research: while there was much anecdotal evidence there was little hard fact | these claims were purely anecdotal.
audacious:
adj. showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks: a series of audacious takeovers.
abhor:
v. regard with disgust and hatred: professional tax preparers abhor a flat tax because it would dry up their business.
Vital Vocab 3
acumen:
n. the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions, typically in a particular domain: business acumen.
advocate:
v. publicly recommend or support: they advocated an ethical foreign policy.
ambiguity:
n. uncertainty or inexactness of meaning in language: we can detect no ambiguity in this section of the Act | ambiguities in such questions are potentially very dangerous.
ascertain:
v. find (something) out for certain; make sure of: an attempt to ascertain the cause of the accident | [ with clause ] : management should ascertain whether adequate funding can be provided.
alleged:
adj. (of an incident or a person) said, without proof, to have taken place or to have a specified illegal or undesirable quality: the alleged conspirators.
Vital Vocab 4
arbitrary:
adj. based on random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system: his mealtimes were entirely arbitrary.
antithesis:
n. a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else: love is the antithesis of selfishness.
aesthetic:
adj. concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty: the pictures give great aesthetic pleasure.
accentuate:
v. make more noticeable or prominent: his jacket unfortunately accentuated his paunch.
abridge:
v. shorten (a book, movie, speech, or other text) without losing the sense: the cassettes have been abridged from the original stories | (as adj. abridged) : an abridged text of his speech.
Vital Vocab 5
bias:
n. prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair: there was evidence of bias against foreign applicants | the bias toward younger people in recruitment | [ in sing. ] : a systematic bias in favor of the powerful.
beguile:
v. charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way: every prominent American artist has been beguiled by Maine | (as adj. beguiling) : a beguiling smile.
benign:
adj. gentle; kindly: her face was calm and benign | his benign but firm manner.
behemoth:
n. a huge or monstrous creature.
n. something enormous, esp. a big and powerful organization: shoppers are now more loyal to their local stores than to faceless behemoths | [ as modifier ] : behemoth telephone companies.
bane:
n. a cause of great distress or annoyance: the bane of the decorator is the long, narrow hall | the depressions that were the the bane of her existence .
n. archaic something, typically poison, that causes death.
Vital Vocab 6
compelling:
adj. evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a powerfully irresistible way: his eyes were strangely compelling | a compelling film.
criteria:
n. principles or standards by which something may be judged or decided: the launch came too close to violating safety criteria.
coherent:
adj. (of an argument, theory, or policy) logical and consistent: they failed to develop a coherent economic strategy.
concede:
v. [ reporting verb ] admit that something is true or valid after first denying or resisting it: [ with clause ] : I had to concede that I'd overreacted | [ with obj. ] : that principle now seems to have been conceded.
contradict:
v. deny the truth of (a statement), esp. by asserting the opposite: the survey appears to contradict the industry's claims | he did not contradict what he said last week.
Vital Vocab 7
concise:
adj. giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive: a concise account of the country's history.
construe:
v. interpret (a word or action) in a particular way: his words could hardly be construed as an apology.
cumulative:
adj. increasing or increased in quantity, degree, or force by successive additions: the cumulative effect of two years of drought.
coalesce:
v. come together and form one mass or whole: the puddles had coalesced into shallow streams | the separate details coalesce to form a single body of scientific thought.
v. [ with obj. ] combine (elements) in a mass or whole: to help coalesce the community, they established an office.
caustic:
adj. able to burn or corrode organic tissue by chemical action: a caustic cleaner.
adj. sarcastic in a scathing and bitter way: the players were making caustic comments about the refereeing.
Vital Vocab 8
cursory:
adj. hasty and therefore not thorough or detailed: a cursory glance at the figures.
cogent:
adj. (of an argument or case) clear, logical, and convincing.
chronological:
adj. (of a record of events) starting with the earliest and following the order in which they occurred: the entries are in chronological order .
adj. relating to the establishment of dates and time sequences: the diary provided a chronological framework for the events.
adj. calculated in terms of the passage of time rather than some other criterion: ratings are calculated by dividing a child's mental age by his or her chronological age.
cerebral:
adj. of the cerebrum of the brain: a cerebral hemorrhage | the cerebral cortex.
adj. intellectual rather than emotional or physical: photography is a cerebral process.
complacent:
adj. showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements: you can't afford to be complacent about security.
Vital Vocab 9
disclose:
v. make (secret or new information) known: they disclosed her name to the press | [ with clause ] : the magazine disclosed that he had served a prison sentence for fraud.
v. allow (something) to be seen, esp. by uncovering it: he cleared away the grass and disclosed a narrow opening descending into the darkness.
derivative:
adj. (typically of an artist or work of art) imitative of the work of another person, and usually disapproved of for that reason: an artist who is not in the slightest bit derivative.
adj. originating from, based on, or influenced by: Darwin's work is derivative of the moral philosophers.
dearth:
n. a scarcity or lack of something: there is a dearth of evidence.
defer:
v. put off (an action or event) to a later time; postpone: they deferred the decision until February.
denounce:
v. publicly declare to be wrong or evil: the Assembly denounced the use of violence | he was widely denounced as a traitor.
v. inform against: some of his own priests denounced him to the King for heresy.
Vital Vocab 10
deft:
adj. neatly skillful and quick in one's movements: a deft piece of footwork.
adj. demonstrating skill and cleverness: the script was both deft and literate.
discretion:
n. the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information: she knew she could rely on his discretion.
n. the freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation: it is up to local authorities to use their discretion in setting the charges | a pass-fail grading system may be used at the discretion of the department.
dynamic:
adj. (of a process or system) characterized by constant change, activity, or progress: a dynamic economy.
adj. (of a person) positive in attitude and full of energy and new ideas: she's dynamic and determined.
adj. denoting or relating to web pages that update frequently or are generated according to an individual's search terms: the dynamic content of these sites keeps their audience informed and up to date.
discern:
v. perceive or recognize (something): I can discern no difference between the two policies | [ with clause ] : students quickly discern what is acceptable to the teacher.
v. distinguish (someone or something) with difficulty by sight or with the other senses: she could faintly discern the shape of a skull.
dubious:
adj. hesitating or doubting: Alex looked dubious, but complied.
adj. not to be relied upon; suspect: extremely dubious assumptions.
adj. morally suspect: time-sharing has been brought into disrepute by dubious sales methods.
adj. of questionable value: she earned the dubious distinction of being the lowest-paid teacher in the nation.
Vital Vocab 11
epitome:
n. (the epitome of) a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type: she looked the epitome of elegance and good taste.
n. a summary of a written work; an abstract.
n. archaic a thing representing something else in miniature.
eloquent:
adj. fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing: an eloquent speech.
adj. clearly expressing or indicating something: the touches of fatherliness are eloquent of the real man.
emulate:
v. match or surpass (a person or achievement), typically by imitation: lesser men trying to emulate his greatness.
v. imitate: hers is not a hairstyle I wish to emulate.
eclectic:
adj. deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources: her musical tastes are eclectic.
etymology:
n. the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.
n. the origin of a word and the historical development of its meaning.
Vital Vocab 12
fallacy:
n. a mistaken belief, esp. one based on unsound argument: the notion that the camera never lies is a fallacy.
n. faulty reasoning; misleading or unsound argument: the potential for fallacy which lies behind the notion of self-esteem.
fabricate:
v. invent or concoct (something), typically with deceitful intent: officers fabricated evidence.
v. construct or manufacture (something, esp. an industrial product), esp. from prepared components: you will have to fabricate an exhaust system.
forum:
n. a place, meeting, or medium where ideas and views on a particular issue can be exchanged: it will be a forum for consumers to exchange their views on medical research.
n. a court or tribunal.
fastidious:
adj, very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail: he chooses his words with fastidious care.
adj. very concerned about matters of cleanliness: the child seemed fastidious about getting her fingers sticky or dirty.
frivolous:
adj. not having any serious purpose or value: rules to stop frivolous lawsuits.
adj. (of a person) carefree and not serious.
Vital Vocab 13
garish:
adj. obtrusively bright and showy; lurid: garish shirts in all sorts of colors.
genial:
adj. friendly and cheerful: waved to them in genial greeting.
adj. (esp. of air or climate) pleasantly mild and warm.
grandiose:
adj. impressive or magnificent in appearance or style, esp. pretentiously so: the court's grandiose facade.
adj. excessively grand or ambitious: grandiose plans to reform the world.
grievous:
adj. (of something bad) very severe or serious: his death was a grievous blow | the American fleet suffered grievous losses.
guile:
n. sly or cunning intelligence: he used all his guile and guts to free himself from the muddle he was in.
Vital Vocab 14
hierarchy:
n. a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.
hypothetical:
adj. of, based on, or serving as a hypothesis: that option is merely hypothetical at this juncture.
adj. supposed but not necessarily real or true: the hypothetical tenth planet.
harangue:
n. a lengthy and aggressive speech.
haughty:
adj. arrogantly superior and disdainful: a look of haughty disdain | a haughty aristocrat.
immerse:
v. dip or submerge in a liquid: immerse the paper in water for twenty minutes.
v. (immerse oneself or be immersed) involve oneself deeply in a particular activity or interest: she immersed herself in her work | she was still immersed in her thoughts.
Vital Vocab 15
implicit:
adj. implied though not plainly expressed: comments seen as implicit criticism of the policies.
adj. with no qualification or question; absolute: an implicit faith in God.
imperative:
adj. of vital importance; crucial: immediate action was imperative | [ with clause ] : it is imperative that standards be maintained.
innuendo:
n. an allusive or oblique remark or hint, typically a suggestive or disparaging one: she's always making sly innuendoes | a constant torrent of innuendo, gossip, lies, and half-truths.
induce:
v. succeed in persuading or influencing (someone) to do something: [ with obj. and infinitive ] : the pickets induced many workers to stay away.
inept:
adj. having or showing no skill; clumsy: the inept handling of the threat.
Vital Vocab 16
insinuate:
v. suggest or hint (something bad or reprehensible) in an indirect and unpleasant way: [ with clause ] : he was insinuating that she had slept her way to the top.
instigate:
v. bring about or initiate (an action or event): they instigated a reign of terror | instigating legal proceedings.
inundate:
v. overwhelm (someone) with things or people to be dealt with: we've been inundated with complaints from listeners.
v. flood: the islands may be the first to be inundated as sea levels rise.
interject:
v. say (something) abruptly, esp. as an aside or interruption: she interjected the odd question here and there | [ no obj. ] : Christine felt bound to interject before there was open warfare.
irreverence:
n. a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously: an attitude of irreverence toward politicians.
Vital Vocab 17
jubilant:
adj. feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
lucid:
adj. expressed clearly; easy to understand: a lucid account | write in a clear and lucid style.
adj. showing ability to think clearly, esp. in the intervals between periods of confusion or insanity: he has a few lucid moments every now and then.
latent:
adj. (of a quality or state) existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden; concealed: discovering her latent talent for diplomacy.
kudos:
n. praise and honor received for an achievement.
n. informal compliments or congratulations: kudos to everyone who put the event together.
laconic:
adj. (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words: his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic.
Vital Vocab 18
metamorphosis:
n. a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means: his metamorphosis from presidential candidate to talk-show host.
malevolent:
adj. having or showing a wish to do evil to others: the glint of dark, malevolent eyes | some malevolent force of nature.
myriad:
n. a countless or extremely great number: networks connecting a myriad of computers.
adj. countless or extremely great in number: the myriad lights of the city.
adj. having countless or very many elements or aspects: the myriad political scene.
maxim:
n. a short, pithy statement expressing a general truth or rule of conduct: the maxim that actions speak louder than words.
malleable:
adj. (of a metal or other material) able to be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking.
adj. easily influenced; pliable: Anna was shaken enough to be malleable.
Vital Vocab 19
nebulous:
adj. in the form of a cloud or haze; hazy: a giant nebulous glow.
adj. (of a concept or idea) unclear, vague, or ill-defined: nebulous concepts like quality of life.
nondescript:
adj. lacking distinctive or interesting features or characteristics: she lived in a nondescript suburban apartment block.
nuance:
n. a subtle difference in or shade of meaning, expression, or sound: the nuances of facial expression and body language.
v. [ with obj. ] (usu. "be nuanced") give nuances to: the effect of the music is nuanced by the social situation of listeners.
negligent:
adj. failing to take proper care in doing something: directors have been negligent in the performance of their duties.
nurture:
v. care for and encourage the growth or development of: Jarrett was nurtured by his parents in a close-knit family.
v. cherish (a hope, belief, or ambition): for a long time she had nurtured the dream of buying a shop.
n. the process of caring for and encouraging the growth or development of someone or something: the nurture of ethics and integrity.
n. upbringing, education, and environment, contrasted with inborn characteristics as an influence on or determinant of personality. Often contrasted with nature.
Vital Vocab 20
oblique:
adj. neither parallel nor at a right angle to a specified or implied line; slanting: we sat on the settee oblique to the fireplace.
adj. not explicit or direct in addressing a point: he issued an oblique attack on the president.
oblivious:
adj. not aware of or not concerned about what is happening around one: she became absorbed, oblivious to the passage of time | the women were oblivious of his presence.
ominous:
adj. giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening; inauspicious: there were ominous dark clouds gathering overhead.
orthodox:
adj. (of a person or their views, esp. religious or political ones, or other beliefs or practices) conforming to what is generally or traditionally accepted as right or true; established and approved: the orthodox economics of today | orthodox medical treatment | orthodox Hindus.
adj. (of a person) not independent-minded; conventional and unoriginal: a relatively orthodox artist.
adj. (of a thing) of the ordinary or usual type; normal: they avoided orthodox jazz venues.
ostracize:
v. exclude (someone) from a society or group: a group of people who have been ridiculed, ostracized, and persecuted for centuries.
v. (in ancient Greece) banish (an unpopular or too powerful citizen) from a city for five or ten years by popular vote.
Vital Vocab 21
peruse:
v. read (something), typically in a thorough or careful way: he has spent countless hours in libraries perusing art history books and catalogues.
v. examine carefully or at length: Laura perused a Caravaggio.
plausible:
adj. (of an argument or statement) seeming reasonable or probable: a plausible explanation | it seems plausible that one of two things may happen.
adj. (of a person) skilled at producing persuasive arguments, esp. ones intended to deceive: a plausible liar.
paradigm:
n. technical a typical example or pattern of something; a model: there is a new paradigm for public art in this country.
palatable:
adj. (of food or drink) pleasant to taste: a very palatable local red wine.
adj. (of an action or proposal) acceptable or satisfactory: a device that made increased taxation more palatable.
penchant:
n. a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something: he has a penchant for adopting stray dogs.
Vital Vocab 22
pretense:
n. an attempt to make something that is not the case appear true: his anger is masked by a pretense that all is well | they have finally abandoned their secrecy and pretense.
n. a false display of feelings, attitudes, or intentions: he asked me questions without any pretense at politeness.
procure:
v. obtain (something), esp. with care or effort: food procured for the rebels | [ with two objs. ] : he persuaded a friend to procure him a ticket.
prosaic:
adj. having the style or diction of prose; lacking poetic beauty: prosaic language can't convey the experience.
adj. commonplace; unromantic: the masses were too preoccupied by prosaic day-to-day concerns.
pragmatic:
adj. dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations: a pragmatic approach to politics.
prudence:
n. the quality of being prudent; cautiousness: we need to exercise prudence in such important matters.
Vital Vocab 23
rapport:
n. a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well: she was able to establish a good rapport with the children | there was little rapport between them.
rebuke:
v. express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions: she had rebuked him for drinking too much | the judge publicly rebuked the jury.
n. an expression of sharp disapproval or criticism: he hadn't meant it as a rebuke, but Neil flinched.
refute:
v. prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove: these claims have not been convincingly refuted.
v. deny or contradict (a statement or accusation): a spokesman totally refuted the allegation of bias.
quaint:
adj. attractively unusual or old-fashioned: quaint country cottages | a quaint old custom.
quixotic:
adj. exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical: a vast and perhaps quixotic project.
Vital Vocab 24
reciprocate:
v. [ with obj. ] respond to (a gesture or action) by making a corresponding one: the favor was reciprocated | [ no obj. ] : perhaps I was expected to reciprocate with some remark of my own.
v. experience the same (love, liking, or affection) for someone as that person does for oneself: her passion for him was not reciprocated.
rescind:
v. revoke, cancel, or repeal (a law, order, or agreement): the government eventually rescinded the directive.
remedial:
adj. giving or intended as a remedy or cure: remedial surgery.
adj. provided or intended for students who are experiencing learning difficulties: remedial education.
relish:
n. great enjoyment: she swigged a mouthful of wine with relish.
v. be pleased by or about: I don't relish the thought of waiting on an invalid for the next few months.
ruse:
n. an action intended to deceive someone; a trick: Eleanor tried to think of a ruse to get Paul out of the house.
Vital Vocab 25
speculate:
v. form a theory or conjecture about a subject without firm evidence: my colleagues speculate about my private life | [ with clause ] : observers speculated that the authorities wished to improve their image.
salient:
adj. most noticeable or important: it succinctly covered all the salient points of the case.
adj. prominent; conspicuous: it was always the salient object in my view.
scathing:
adj. witheringly scornful; severely critical: she launched a scathing attack on the governor.
scrupulous:
adj. (of a person or process) diligent, thorough, and extremely attentive to details: the research has been carried out with scrupulous attention to detail.
adj. very concerned to avoid doing wrong: she's too scrupulous to have an affair with a married man.
seminal:
adj. (of a work, event, moment, or figure) strongly influencing later developments: his seminal work on chaos theory.
Vital Vocab 26
sublime:
adj. of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe: Mozart's sublime piano concertos | (as noun the sublime) : experiences that ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous .
adj. used to denote the extreme or unparalleled nature of a person's attitude or behavior: he had the sublime confidence of youth.
succinct:
adj. (esp. of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed: use short, succinct sentences.
surmise:
v. suppose that something is true without having evidence to confirm it: he surmised that something must be wrong | [ with direct speech ] : “I don't think they're locals,” she surmised.
stoic:
adj. another term for stoical.
stoical:
adj. enduring pain and hardship without showing one's feelings or
complaining: he taught a stoical acceptance of suffering.
strident:
adj. loud and harsh; grating: his voice had become increasingly sharp, almost strident.
adj. presenting a point of view, esp. a controversial one, in an excessively and unpleasantly forceful way: public pronouncements on the crisis became less strident.
Vital Vocab 27
tacit:
adj. understood or implied without being stated: your silence may be taken to mean tacit agreement.
tangent:
n. a straight line or plane that touches a curve or curved surface at a point, but if extended does not cross it at that point.
n. a completely different line of thought or action: he quickly went off on a tangent about wrestling.
tenable:
adj. able to be maintained or defended against attack or objection: such a simplistic approach is no longer tenable.
adj. (of an office, position, scholarship, etc.) able to be held or used: the post is tenable for three years.
tantamount:
adj. equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as: the resignations were tantamount to an admission of guilt.
trenchant:
adj. vigorous or incisive in expression or style: she heard angry voices, not loud, yet certainly trenchant.
Vital Vocab 28
truncate:
v. shorten (something) by cutting off the top or the end: a truncated cone shape | discussion was truncated by the arrival of tea.
ubiquitous:
adj. present, appearing, or found everywhere: his ubiquitous influence was felt by all the family | cowboy hats are ubiquitous among the male singers.
vacillate:
v. alternate or waver between different opinions or actions; be indecisive: I had for a time vacillated between teaching and journalism.
utilitarian:
adj. designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive.
undulate:
v. move with a smooth wavelike motion: her body undulated to the thumping rhythm of the music.
v. (usu. adj. undulating) have a wavy form or outline: delightful views over undulating countryside.
Vital Vocab 29
vapid:
adj. offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging: tuneful but vapid musical comedies.
vehement:
adj. showing strong feeling; forceful, passionate, or intense: her voice was low but vehement | vehement criticism.
veracity:
n. conformity to facts; accuracy: officials expressed doubts concerning the veracity of the story.
n. habitual truthfulness: voters should be concerned about his veracity and character.
vestige:
n. a trace of something that is disappearing or no longer exists: the last vestiges of colonialism.
n. [ usu. with negative ] the smallest amount (used to emphasize the absence of something): he waited patiently, but without a vestige of sympathy.
vivacious:
adj. (esp. of a woman) attractively lively and animated.
Vital Vocab 30
vocation:
n. a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation: not all of us have a vocation to be nurses or doctors.
wane:
v. (of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.
v. (esp. of a condition or feeling) decrease in vigor, power, or extent; become weaker: confidence in the dollar waned.
whimsical:
adj. playfully quaint or fanciful, esp. in an appealing and amusing way: a whimsical sense of humor.
zealous:
adj. having or showing zeal: the council was extremely zealous in the application of the regulations.
zeal:
n. great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective: his zeal
for privatization | Laura brought a missionary zeal to her work.
zenith:
n. the highest point reached by a celestial or other object: the sun was well past the zenith | the missile reached its zenith and fell.
n. the time at which something is most powerful or successful: under Justinian, the Byzantine Empire reached its zenith of influence.
Abridged From:
"Dictionary" App
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