1. Elusive – adj. Tending to avoid perception; difficult to define or describe
a)Synonyms: indefinable, hard to pin down, subtle, vague, mysterious, obscure
b)Antonyms: attracting, encountering, confronting, facing
2. Efface – v. to erase; wipe out
a)Synonyms: wipe out, obliterate, destroy, eradicate, wear away, smooth away
b)Antonyms: allow, approve, arrange, uphold
3. Taciturn – adj. habitually untalkative
a)Synonyms: silent, reserved, aloof, cold, distant, quiet innovative
b)Antonyms: talkative, outgoing
4. Ameliorate – v. make easier or become better; improve.
a)Synonyms: improve, upgrade, restructure, revolutionize, remodel, amend, alleviate
b)Antonyms: worsen
5. Acquiesce – v. consent; comply
a)Synonyms: agree, accept, consent, comply, assent, submit
b)Antonyms: disagree, protest
6. Atrophy – n. the wasting away of tissue, organs, or the entire body
a)Synonyms: waste away, waste, wither, weaken, degenerate, deteriorate
b)Antonym: flourish
7. Dubious: adj. causing doubt or uncertainty (The candidate has a dubious (questionable) past.) or v. uncertain, unsure (He was dubious about his decision.)
a)Synonyms: doubtful, uncertain, unsure, unconvinced, undecided, hesitant
b)Antonym: decided
c)Language Link:
- “Dudar”- “to doubt” as in “Sin duda” which means “without a doubt”
- Etymology: “du” means 2, as in “duo”…Dubious means being of 2 minds.
8. Flagrant – adj. extremely or deliberately conspicuous; shocking
a)Synonyms: blatant, obvious, deliberate, blazon, unashamed, overt
b)Antonym: inconspicuous
9.Concise – adj. expressing much in few words; clear and to the point
a)Synonyms: brief, short, to the point, succinct, summarizing, short and snappy
b)Antonyms: wordy, lengthy, long, redundant
c)Language Link:
- “Con” = “with” or “together”
- “Cis” from Latingcaederewhich means “to cut,” “to shorten”
VS.
10. Immutable – adj. not subject or susceptible to change
a)Synonyms: unchallengeable, indisputable, undeniable, incontrovertible, fixed
b)Antonyms: alterable, flexible, changeable
11. Static – adj. having no motion; at rest
a)Synonyms: still, stationary, motionless, stagnant, inactive, inert, unchanging
b)Antonyms: mobile, moving, active, continuous
12. Credulous – adj. disposed to believe too readily; gullible
a)Synonyms: gullible, naïve, trusting, unsuspecting, innocent, unquestioning
b)Antonyms: shrewd, guilty
c)Etymology:
- “Creder” – Latin – “to believe”
- “-ous” – suffix – “full of”
d)Language Link:
- “Creer” (“to believe” in Spanish) also comes from “creder”
13. Blasphemy – n. a contemptuous or profane act, utterance, or writing concerning God; claiming to be a God
a)Synonyms: profanity, sacrilege, irreverence, wickedness, swear word, cussing, abuse
b)Antonym: piety
14. Coalesce – v. to grow or form together; to fuse, to unite
a)Synonyms: join, mix, blend, stick, unite, combine
b)Antonyms: divide, break apart, separate
c)Etymology:
- “Co-“, “Com-“, and “Con-“ all mean “together with”
15. Lax – adj. careless, not diligent, relaxed
a)Synonyms: negligent, lenient, relaxed, sloppy, laidback, lazy
b)Antonym: strict, demanding
16. Cryptic - adj. having an ambiguous or hidden meaning; mystifying; tending to camouflage or conceal
a)Synonyms: hidden, mysterious, obscure, encoded, puzzling, secret
b)Antonym: obvious, straightforward
17. Levity – n. the state of being light; a light manner or attitude
a)Synonyms: flippancy, humor, jokiness, lightheartedness, cheerfulness, lightness
b)Antonym: gravity, serious, solemn
18. Ambivalent – adj. having mixed feelings
a)Synonyms: hazy, doubtful, dubious, questionable, unsure, undecided
b)Antonym: clear, distinct, decisive
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19. Innate – adj. possessed at birth; inborn; natural instinct
a)Synonyms: native, natural, inherited, inborn, instinctive, inherent
b)Antonyms: acquired, learned
c)Etymology:
- “NAT,” as in natural or nature, comes from Latin
- “Nasci” – to be born
d)Language Link:
- Spanish: “Nacer” – “to be born”
20. Sycophant – n. a person who attempts to win favor by flattering influential people; suck-up
a)Synonyms: brownnoser, minion, yes-man, groupie, flatterer, teacher’s pet
b)Antonyms: aloof, cool, disinterested, proud