Unlike the ancient redwoods that have stood for centuries, the mayflies that swarm beneath them are _____, living for only a single day as adults.	ephemeral — lasting only a very short time (Clue: Contrast: the trees last centuries, but the mayflies live one day, so they are short-lived.)
Rather than give reporters a clear yes or no about the stadium's opening date, the team spokesperson chose to _____, offering vague phrases that could mean anything.	equivocate — to speak vaguely to avoid giving a clear answer (Clue: Contrast: instead of a clear yes or no, he gave deliberately vague phrases.)
Although Javier had trained for months, he approached the edge of the high dive with _____, his knees shaking as he stared at the water far below.	trepidation — nervous fear about something that is coming (Clue: Description: shaking knees while staring down from the high dive show nervous fear.)
The coach was famously _____: after the championship win, while other coaches gave long speeches, she simply said "Good game" and walked to the bus.	laconic — using very few words (Clue: Contrast: others gave long speeches; she said only two words.)
Hoping to win a better grade, Derek became almost _____ toward his teacher, laughing too loudly at her jokes and praising every assignment she handed out.	obsequious — too eager to please or obey others (Clue: Examples: forced laughter and constant praise to win favor show excessive eagerness to please.)
The hikers huddled under a rocky ledge, waiting for the hailstorm to _____; only when the pounding on the rocks faded to a light patter did they continue.	abate — to become less strong or intense (Clue: Cause and effect: they moved on only once the pounding faded, so the storm weakened.)
Fourteen-year-old Priya showed remarkable financial _____ when she noticed which snacks sold best at games and doubled the club's profits by stocking only those.	acumen — skill at making quick, smart judgments (Clue: Examples: spotting the best sellers and doubling profits shows sharp practical judgment.)
While her teammates argued over an elaborate, expensive design for the egg-drop contest, Ana offered a _____ solution: a simple cardboard box padded with leftover packing foam.	pragmatic — focused on what is practical and actually works (Clue: Contrast: elaborate and expensive versus a simple, workable fix using what was on hand.)
The note on the door, which read only "Meet at the usual place," was so _____ that half the club went to the library and half went to the gym.	ambiguous — able to be understood in more than one way (Clue: Cause and effect: people read the note two different ways, so it had two meanings.)
When the team captain stopped organizing practices and refused to make any lineup decisions, the players felt she had chosen to _____ her responsibilities entirely.	abdicate — to give up a throne or a responsibility (Clue: Description: refusing all of her duties means she gave up her role's responsibilities.)
Rosa was _____ about joining the robotics team; she loved building machines, but she dreaded giving up her Saturday mornings for practice.	ambivalent — having mixed feelings about something (Clue: Contrast: she loves one part and dreads another, so her feelings are mixed.)
Coach Lee often repeated the old _____ "Practice makes perfect," a line passed down so many generations that every player could finish it for him.	adage — an old, well-known saying (Clue: Description: an old line passed down for generations is a traditional saying.)
Although she had strongly opposed the field trip at first, the principal finally decided to _____ quietly once every parent signed the permission forms and volunteered to chaperone.	acquiesce — to agree or give in without protest (Clue: Contrast: she first opposed the trip, then quietly went along with it.)
Most climbers considered the frozen north face impossible even in summer, so experts were stunned by the _____ team that planned to scale it in winter without extra oxygen.	audacious — boldly daring and willing to take big risks (Clue: Description: attempting what experts call impossible, in worse conditions, shows reckless daring.)
Unlike the colorful, cluttered bedrooms of her friends, Mei's room was strikingly _____, containing nothing but a narrow bed, a wooden desk, and bare white walls.	austere — plain and severe, without comfort or decoration (Clue: Contrast: colorful and cluttered versus bare walls and only the basics.)
Though he usually dragged his feet over chores, Omar accepted the job of walking the neighbor's new puppy with _____, racing over before she had even finished asking.	alacrity — cheerful eagerness and quickness (Clue: Contrast: usually slow, he raced over eagerly, showing cheerful speed.)
To _____ the crowding in the cafeteria, which had grown so bad that students ate standing up, the school added a second lunch period and twenty new tables.	ameliorate — to make a bad situation better (Clue: Cause and effect: new tables and an extra period were added to fix a bad problem.)
The judges praised the painter's bold, surprising use of color but called her subject matter _____, noting that they had seen a hundred identical sunsets over the same lake.	banal — dull and ordinary, lacking anything fresh (Clue: Contrast: bold color versus a subject so ordinary they had seen it a hundred times.)
Mr. Hale had a reputation as the most _____ neighbor on the street, grumbling at children who walked on his grass and complaining about every barking dog.	cantankerous — grumpy and quick to argue (Clue: Examples: grumbling at kids and complaining constantly show a bad-tempered, argumentative person.)
Every other sample in the experiment showed steady bacterial growth, so the single dish with no growth at all was the _____ that the students had to explain.	anomaly — something that differs from what is normal (Clue: Contrast: every sample grew except one, which broke the normal pattern.)
Before letting anyone swim, the lifeguard used a testing kit to _____ whether the chlorine level in the pool was safe, rather than simply guessing from the water's color.	ascertain — to find out for certain (Clue: Contrast: testing to know for sure is the opposite of guessing.)
The toddler's tastes were completely _____: one day she demanded only bananas, the next she refused to touch them, and by Friday bananas were her favorite again.	capricious — changing suddenly and without any good reason (Clue: Examples: her preference flips back and forth for no reason, showing unpredictable whims.)
Wanting to keep the surprise party hidden from their teacher, the students held _____ planning meetings in the supply closet, whispering and posting a lookout at the door.	clandestine — done in secret, often to hide something (Clue: Description: hiding in a closet, whispering, and posting a lookout show secrecy.)
Hoping to _____ his little brother's fear of the thunderstorm, Kofi read him a story about how lightning works until the boy's trembling finally stopped.	assuage — to ease or calm a painful feeling (Clue: Cause and effect: the story made the trembling stop, so it eased the fear.)
After years of struggling with fractions and failing quizzes, Lucas had developed a deep _____ for mathematics, so his family was astonished when he joined the math club.	antipathy — a strong feeling of dislike (Clue: Cause and effect: years of failure created strong dislike, which makes joining surprising.)
Jamal's argument was so _____, supported by clear data and careful reasoning, that even students who had opposed the later start time changed their minds after his speech.	cogent — clear, logical, and convincing (Clue: Cause and effect: clear data and logic changed opponents' minds, so the argument was persuasive.)
The tour guide spoke to the high school group in a _____ manner, explaining every simple word slowly as if the teenagers were small children.	condescending — acting as if others are less intelligent (Clue: Description: treating teenagers like small children shows talking down to them.)
Instead of praising his sister's science fair ribbon, Marco tried to _____ her achievement, claiming that anyone could have won with such an easy project.	belittle — to make someone or something seem unimportant (Clue: Contrast: instead of praise, he made her win seem small and unimportant.)
When her violin string snapped in the middle of the recital, Hana showed remarkable _____, calmly switching to a borrowed instrument and finishing the piece without missing a beat.	aplomb — calm confidence, especially under pressure (Clue: Description: staying calm and confident through an onstage mishap shows poise.)
Because the inspector gave the bridge only a _____ examination, glancing at it from his car rather than checking each beam, he missed the dangerous cracks underneath.	cursory — quick and not thorough (Clue: Contrast: a glance from the car instead of checking every beam is quick and shallow.)
To _____ her claim that the creek was polluted, Elena included water-test results, photographs of foamy runoff, and interviews with local farmers in her report.	buttress — to support or strengthen (Clue: Examples: adding tests, photos, and interviews gives her claim more support.)
The debate coach warned Ruth not to be so _____, since judges would see her refusal to admit any weakness in her position as closed-minded.	dogmatic — insisting one's beliefs are right beyond question (Clue: Cause and effect: refusing to admit any weakness looks closed-minded, describing rigid certainty.)
The café's decor was delightfully _____, combining Moroccan lanterns, Scandinavian chairs, vintage movie posters, and a Japanese fish tank in a single room.	eclectic — drawn from many different sources or styles (Clue: Examples: items from many different countries and styles are mixed together.)
Although the ghost in the old theater seemed real to visitors, it was pure _____: a hidden projector and a sheet of glass created the eerie floating figure.	artifice — clever trickery meant to fool people (Clue: Contrast: it seemed real, but it was produced by a hidden, deceptive setup.)
After an hour of compliments, promises, and sweet talk, Ben finally managed to _____ his older sister into driving him to the comic convention.	cajole — to persuade with flattery or gentle urging (Clue: Examples: compliments and sweet talk used to persuade someone describe coaxing.)
Forgetting a comma is a minor slip, but printing the wrong date on ten thousand concert tickets was a truly _____ error that cost the company thousands of dollars.	egregious — shockingly bad (Clue: Contrast: a minor slip versus a huge, costly blunder that is shockingly bad.)
Dr. Okafor, who had read thousands of books and spoke six languages, gave a lecture so _____ that even the history teachers took notes, amazed by her depth of knowledge.	erudite — having great knowledge gained from study (Clue: Description: vast reading, six languages, and deep knowledge show great learning.)
The dragon in the story was driven by pure _____, hoarding mountains of gold and jewels it would never spend while the villagers below went hungry.	avarice — extreme greed for wealth (Clue: Description: hoarding riches it never uses shows extreme greed.)
The chess champion refused to _____ even when he was down to just a king and a pawn, fighting on until his opponent finally forced checkmate.	capitulate — to stop resisting and give in (Clue: Contrast: he kept fighting rather than giving up.)
The mathematician's research was so _____ that only about a dozen experts in the world could follow her proofs, and even they needed weeks to check them.	esoteric — understood by only a small, specialized group (Clue: Cause and effect: only a dozen specialists could understand it.)
Fans were outraged by the _____ ticket prices for the reunion concert; seats that had cost twenty dollars a decade ago now sold for over five hundred.	exorbitant — far more than is reasonable, especially in price (Clue: Examples: twenty dollars rising to five hundred is an unreasonably high price.)
Rather than gently correcting the young chef's error, the famous judge chose to _____ him in front of the entire studio audience, listing every flaw in a loud, harsh voice.	castigate — to criticize or scold harshly (Clue: Contrast: not gentle correction but harsh, public criticism.)
Mosquitoes were the _____ of the campers' trip; no matter how much repellent they used, the insects ruined every meal and kept them awake each night.	bane — a cause of constant trouble or misery (Clue: Description: insects ruining every meal and night are a constant source of misery.)
The editor told Kai to cut the _____ paragraph about his cousin's pet lizard, since it had nothing to do with his essay on volcanoes.	extraneous — not related to the main subject (Clue: Cause and effect: it had nothing to do with the topic, so it was off-subject.)
Mrs. Patel was so _____ about her kitchen that she wiped every counter twice, labeled every jar, and refused to let anyone touch her spice rack.	fastidious — very careful about details and cleanliness (Clue: Examples: wiping twice, labeling everything, and guarding the spices show extreme fussiness.)
Unable to get past the fallen tree blocking the trail, the rangers chose to _____ it by cutting a new path through the meadow beside it.	circumvent — to find a way around a rule or obstacle (Clue: Description: cutting a path around the tree avoids the obstacle rather than removing it.)
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address is famous for its _____; the previous speaker talked for two hours, but Lincoln finished his remarks in about two minutes.	brevity — the quality of being short (Clue: Contrast: two hours versus two minutes highlights how short his speech was.)
The discovery of penicillin was _____: Alexander Fleming had not been looking for a medicine at all, but mold happened to land on a dish he had left out.	fortuitous — happening by lucky chance (Clue: Description: an unplanned accident that turned out well is a lucky chance.)
The reviewer praised the novel's plot but complained about its _____ insults between characters, which served no purpose and only made the dialogue feel mean-spirited.	gratuitous — unnecessary and without good reason (Clue: Description: insults that served no purpose were included without good reason.)
Over millions of years, clouds of dust and gas in space began to _____, slowly gathering into the dense ball of matter that would eventually become our sun.	coalesce — to come together to form one whole (Clue: Description: scattered dust and gas gather into one single body.)
Ms. Rivera asked students to avoid _____ expressions such as "at the end of the day" and "think outside the box," phrases repeated so often they have lost their punch.	hackneyed — used so often it has lost its freshness (Clue: Examples: familiar phrases repeated until they lose their punch are worn out.)
As the elementary school band tuned up, a _____ of squeaking clarinets, blaring trumpets, and crashing cymbals filled the auditorium, making the parents wince.	cacophony — a harsh, jarring mix of loud sounds (Clue: Examples: squeaks, blares, and crashes that make people wince form a harsh noise.)
Although the coach understood why the frustrated players had argued with the referee, she made it clear that she would never _____ such unsportsmanlike behavior on her team.	condone — to accept or allow behavior that is wrong (Clue: Contrast: she understood their anger but refused to accept the bad behavior.)
While the audience gasped and cheered at each twist of the magic show, the judge remained completely _____, her face giving away no hint of what she thought.	impassive — showing no emotion (Clue: Contrast: the audience reacted loudly, while her face showed nothing.)
The new jacket's fabric is _____ to rain, so water simply beads up and rolls off instead of soaking through to the hiker's clothes.	impervious — unable to be affected or passed through (Clue: Cause and effect: water rolls off rather than soaking in, so nothing gets through.)
After weeks of bottling up stress about exams, Theo found that pounding out a loud song on the drums provided a much-needed _____, leaving him calm and relieved.	catharsis — a release of strong emotion that brings relief (Clue: Cause and effect: letting out bottled-up stress left him relieved.)
The astronomer's discovery of a new moon was not accepted until a second observatory, using different telescopes, was able to _____ her findings independently.	corroborate — to confirm with additional evidence (Clue: Description: a second, independent source backing up the result confirms it.)
The bright pink plastic flamingo looked utterly _____ in the solemn gray stone garden of the old monastery, where everything else was simple and quiet.	incongruous — out of place; not fitting its surroundings (Clue: Contrast: a loud pink flamingo clashes with a plain, solemn setting.)
Over summer break, Diego became so _____ that he slept until noon, ignored his chores, and spent his afternoons lying on the couch.	indolent — lazy and avoiding effort (Clue: Examples: sleeping late, skipping chores, and lounging show laziness.)
The traveling "scientist" who sold bottles of colored water as a cure for baldness was exposed as a _____ when chemists tested his product.	charlatan — a person who falsely claims special skill (Clue: Description: selling colored water as a cure is pretending to have expertise.)
Using careful research, the students set out to _____ the popular belief that lightning never strikes the same place twice, showing that tall towers are hit many times a year.	debunk — to show that a claim is false (Clue: Description: evidence showing tall towers are hit repeatedly proves the belief false.)
Although the bright red berries looked dangerous, the park ranger assured the hikers that they were completely _____ and were eaten safely by birds and deer every fall.	innocuous — harmless; not likely to hurt or offend (Clue: Contrast: they looked dangerous but are eaten safely, so they cause no harm.)
The cafeteria's new low-salt soup was so _____ that students said it tasted like warm water, and most of them reached for the pepper shaker.	insipid — lacking flavor or interest (Clue: Description: tasting like warm water means it had no flavor.)
Bird lovers were quick to _____ the plan to pave over the wetland, writing letters and holding meetings that called the project a disaster for migrating birds.	decry — to criticize openly as wrong (Clue: Description: publicly calling the plan a disaster expresses strong criticism.)
Instead of giving the late students a week of detention, the principal showed _____, letting them off with a warning because it was their first offense.	clemency — mercy shown when deciding a punishment (Clue: Contrast: a warning instead of detention shows mercy in punishment.)
Talks over the new playground design stalled because both committees were _____; neither group would budge an inch on the location, no matter what compromise was offered.	intransigent — refusing to change one's position (Clue: Description: refusing to budge on any compromise shows unyielding stubbornness.)
Known for his _____ temper, the old ferry captain would snap at passengers over the smallest things, from a dropped napkin to a polite question about the weather.	irascible — easily made angry (Clue: Examples: snapping over tiny things shows he angers easily.)
Before the project began, the teacher took care to _____ each member's duties precisely, listing exactly who would research, who would build, and who would present.	delineate — to describe or mark out precisely (Clue: Description: listing exactly who does what spells out duties precisely.)
Choosing between the two summer programs was a real _____ for Amara: the art camp matched her passion, but the coding camp offered a scholarship she might never see again.	conundrum — a confusing and difficult problem (Clue: Description: two strong options pulling opposite ways make a hard problem to solve.)
Unlike his quiet twin brother, who rarely said more than a few words, Felix was so _____ that he could chat for an hour with a stranger at the bus stop.	loquacious — very talkative (Clue: Contrast: a quiet twin versus someone who chats for an hour with strangers.)
After learning that the champion had secretly hidden a tiny motor inside her bicycle, cycling officials rushed to _____ her publicly and strip her of every title.	denounce — to declare publicly that something is wrong (Clue: Cause and effect: discovering cheating led officials to publicly declare it wrong.)
Even after losing the final match, the tennis player was _____ in defeat, praising her opponent's skill and refusing to blame the umpire or the wind.	magnanimous — generous and forgiving, especially toward a rival (Clue: Description: praising the winner and not blaming others shows a generous spirit.)
In the fairy tale, the kind fairies bless the princess with gifts, but a _____ fairy who wishes her harm curses her to sleep for a hundred years.	malevolent — wishing harm to others (Clue: Contrast: kind fairies give gifts; this one wishes harm and curses her.)
Because the story came from an anonymous post with no evidence, the editors refused to give it any _____ until a reliable source confirmed it.	credence — belief that something is true (Clue: Cause and effect: with no evidence, editors would not believe it.)
Early critics loved to _____ the Wright brothers, laughing at the idea that a flying machine could ever carry people, but the brothers' success silenced the mockery.	deride — to mock with scorn (Clue: Restatement: laughing at them and the word mockery point to scornful ridicule.)
The famous conductor was notoriously _____: he might joke warmly with the orchestra at the start of rehearsal and then storm off in a rage minutes later.	mercurial — changing mood quickly and unpredictably (Clue: Examples: warm jokes turning into rage within minutes show sudden mood swings.)
In the mystery novel, the detective uncovers the museum director's _____ plot to replace the priceless paintings with forgeries and sell the originals in secret.	nefarious — wicked or villainous (Clue: Description: secretly swapping and selling stolen masterpieces is a wicked scheme.)
The judges announced that originality would be the most important _____ for scoring the science fair projects, so even simple ideas could win if they were new.	criterion — a standard used for judging something (Clue: Description: originality is the measure the judges use to score projects.)
Jealous of his rival's success, the chef began to _____ her restaurant to anyone who would listen, calling her food overpriced and her recipes unoriginal.	disparage — to speak of as having little worth (Clue: Examples: calling the food overpriced and unoriginal speaks of it as worthless.)
Instead of asking directly for a ride, Zara made _____ remarks about how long the walk was and how heavy her backpack felt, hoping her brother would take the hint.	oblique — indirect; not stated openly (Clue: Contrast: hinting instead of asking directly is an indirect approach.)
Unlike clear glass, which lets sunlight stream through, the _____ curtains in the theater blocked every ray of light so the film could be shown at noon.	opaque — not letting light pass through (Clue: Contrast: clear glass lets light through; these curtains block all of it.)
To _____ the safety instructions to all two thousand students quickly, the principal posted them online, emailed every family, and read them over the loudspeaker.	disseminate — to spread information widely (Clue: Examples: posting, emailing, and announcing send information out widely.)
The class picnic turned into a complete _____: the bus broke down, a thunderstorm soaked the food, and the cooler of drinks sat forgotten back at school.	debacle — a sudden and embarrassing failure (Clue: Examples: one thing after another went wrong, making a total failure.)
Unlike her modest neighbors, the new owner of the mansion was quite _____, parking three gold-painted sports cars in the driveway where everyone could admire them.	ostentatious — showy and meant to impress others (Clue: Contrast: modest neighbors versus gold cars displayed for everyone to admire.)
During the friendly trivia game, Ellis was so _____ that he stopped play to argue that a tomato is technically a fruit and that a spider is not an insect.	pedantic — too concerned with minor rules and details (Clue: Examples: halting a casual game over technicalities shows fussiness about minor details.)
The teacher's habit of praising every honest effort helped _____ a sense of trust in the classroom, so even shy students began to share their ideas.	engender — to cause or give rise to (Clue: Cause and effect: her praise created trust that had not existed before.)
Because of the _____ of volunteers this year, the animal shelter had only three people to care for more than fifty dogs.	dearth — a lack or shortage (Clue: Cause and effect: only three helpers for fifty dogs shows a shortage.)
Clearly eager to leave, the store clerk gave the customer a _____ nod and a mumbled "Have a nice day" without even looking up from his phone.	perfunctory — done only out of duty, with little care (Clue: Description: a mumbled routine phrase without looking up shows effort made only from duty.)
The invasive weed is especially _____ because it looks harmless at first, quietly spreading underground for years before it chokes out every native plant in the field.	pernicious — harmful in a gradual or hidden way (Clue: Description: quietly causing damage over years shows hidden, gradual harm.)
Rather than easing the traffic jam, closing two lanes for repairs during rush hour only served to _____ it, doubling drivers' commute times.	exacerbate — to make a problem worse (Clue: Contrast: rather than easing it, the closure made the jam worse.)
The final scene of the documentary, in which the elderly musician plays his late wife's favorite song one last time, was so _____ that many viewers wept.	poignant — deeply moving, often in a sad way (Clue: Cause and effect: a tender, sad scene made viewers weep.)
Visitors to the ancient temple were expected to show _____ by speaking softly, dressing modestly, and removing their shoes before entering.	decorum — proper and polite behavior (Clue: Examples: quiet voices, modest dress, and removing shoes are proper, respectful behavior.)
Lily had been blamed for the broken window, but the neighbor's video, which showed a stray baseball flying in from across the street, helped to _____ her completely.	exonerate — to clear someone of blame (Clue: Contrast: she was blamed, but the video proved she was innocent.)
The blue whale has a _____ appetite, consuming up to four tons of tiny krill each day to fuel its massive body.	prodigious — remarkably great in size or amount (Clue: Examples: four tons of food a day shows an amazingly large appetite.)
After inheriting a fortune, the _____ young man spent millions on parties, yachts, and diamond collars for his dogs, and within five years he was completely broke.	profligate — recklessly wasteful, especially with money (Clue: Examples: lavish spending that left him broke shows reckless waste.)
Out of _____ to their grandmother, who had hosted every family holiday for fifty years, the cousins let her choose the menu and seating without any argument.	deference — polite respect for another's wishes or judgment (Clue: Cause and effect: honoring her experience, they yielded to her wishes.)
Food critics rushed to _____ the tiny new bakery, calling its croissants the best in the city and urging every reader to visit at once.	extol — to praise with great enthusiasm (Clue: Description: calling it the best and urging visits is enthusiastic praise.)
Hoping the strange lights in the sky were alien spacecraft, the children were disappointed by the _____ explanation that they were simply weather balloons.	prosaic — ordinary and lacking imagination (Clue: Contrast: exciting aliens versus a plain, everyday explanation.)
Having never traveled beyond his small village, the farmer held rather _____ views, distrusting any food, music, or custom that came from beyond the nearby hills.	provincial — narrow-minded because of limited experience (Clue: Cause and effect: never leaving home led him to distrust anything unfamiliar.)
Instead of offering real plans, the student-council candidate acted like a _____, whipping up classmates' anger about cafeteria food with dramatic promises he could never keep.	demagogue — a leader who stirs up emotions instead of reason (Clue: Contrast: stirring up anger with empty promises instead of offering real plans.)
It took the rescue team nearly an hour to _____ the hiker's boot from the narrow crack in the rocks, carefully chipping away stone until her foot slipped loose.	extricate — to free from a difficult situation (Clue: Description: chipping away rock until the foot slipped loose frees it from a trap.)
The _____ debater seemed to enjoy conflict for its own sake, challenging the moderator, interrupting opponents, and picking arguments even with members of her own team.	pugnacious — eager to argue or fight (Clue: Examples: picking fights with everyone, even teammates, shows eagerness for conflict.)
By the fourth hour of the delayed flight, the _____ passenger in row twelve had complained about the seat, the snacks, the temperature, and the crying baby behind him.	querulous — complaining in a whiny way (Clue: Examples: a long string of complaints shows a whiny, peevish person.)
Even after the scientist's explanation, the students could not _____ how the universe could be nearly fourteen billion years old; the number seemed far too vast for any mind.	fathom — to understand something difficult (Clue: Cause and effect: the number is too vast, so they cannot understand it.)
What began as a polite review of the restaurant quickly turned into a furious _____, as the critic spent three pages attacking everything from the soup to the wallpaper.	diatribe — a bitter, angry speech of criticism (Clue: Contrast: a polite review becomes three pages of furious attacks.)
The trainer had worked with many difficult horses, but this _____ stallion refused every command, planting its hooves and tossing its head whenever she reached for the reins.	recalcitrant — stubbornly refusing to obey or cooperate (Clue: Examples: refusing every command and resisting the reins show stubborn disobedience.)
Although he would talk happily about baseball for hours, Ravi was _____ about his own feelings, quickly changing the subject whenever anyone asked how he was coping.	reticent — unwilling to share thoughts or feelings (Clue: Contrast: chatty about baseball, but he avoids sharing his feelings.)
To avoid spoiling the secret, Nora had to _____ surprise when her friends jumped out from behind the couch, even though she had overheard their plans a week earlier.	feign — to pretend to feel or have (Clue: Cause and effect: she already knew, so her surprise had to be pretended.)
The novel explores the _____ between the two sisters, one cautious and practical, the other wild and dreamy, as if they were opposite halves of a single personality.	dichotomy — a sharp division into two opposing parts (Clue: Description: two sisters as opposite halves shows a sharp division into two.)
Villagers traveled for miles to seek advice from the _____ elder, whose thoughtful judgments had settled countless disputes fairly over the decades.	sagacious — wise and showing good judgment (Clue: Description: people seek her advice because her judgments are thoughtful and fair.)
The substitute teacher suspected that a few students were trying to _____ chaos in the classroom, whispering to classmates and urging them to ignore her instructions.	foment — to stir up trouble or unrest (Clue: Description: whispering and urging others to disobey deliberately stirs up trouble.)
Rather than retell every detail of the hundred-page report, Asha summarized only its most _____ points: the rising temperatures, the shrinking glaciers, and the threat to water supplies.	salient — most noticeable or important (Clue: Contrast: not every detail, only the key points that stand out most.)
Even though the team was down by twenty points at halftime, Coach Garcia remained _____, assuring the players they could still win if they kept their energy up.	sanguine — cheerfully hopeful (Clue: Contrast: despite a big deficit, she stayed hopeful about winning.)
Serious musicians dismissed the wealthy collector as a _____ who had played piano, violin, and opera for a few weeks each but had never truly studied any of them.	dilettante — someone who dabbles in a subject without serious study (Clue: Description: trying many arts briefly without real study describes a dabbler.)
To _____ complaints about the long line, the theater manager handed out free popcorn and moved the crowd inside before anyone could grow impatient.	forestall — to prevent by acting ahead of time (Clue: Cause and effect: acting before anyone grew impatient headed off complaints in advance.)
Known for being _____ in all his dealings, the shop owner once chased a customer two blocks just to return a single dollar of overpaid change.	scrupulous — very careful to be honest and correct (Clue: Description: chasing someone to return one dollar shows careful honesty.)
Instead of steady rainfall, the desert receives only _____ storms, sometimes going months without a drop and then getting three downpours in a single week.	sporadic — happening now and then, at irregular times (Clue: Contrast: not steady, but scattered at irregular times.)
Zoe was shocked by her lab partner's _____; he had promised to share credit for their invention while secretly entering it in the contest under his own name.	duplicity — dishonest behavior that deceives others (Clue: Description: promising one thing while secretly doing another is two-faced deceit.)
News that the town's only library might close helped to _____ the community: within a week, residents had organized a fundraiser, a petition, and a volunteer staffing plan.	galvanize — to shock or excite into action (Clue: Cause and effect: the news spurred residents into rapid action.)
The supposedly ancient map turned out to be _____; experts found that its paper had been made in a modern factory less than twenty years earlier.	spurious — false or fake, though seeming genuine (Clue: Description: an "ancient" map on modern paper is a fake.)
The usually _____ history professor, known for his tweed suits and serious lectures, astonished his students by arriving at the costume party dressed as a dancing banana.	staid — serious, proper, and unadventurous (Clue: Contrast: a serious, formal professor surprises everyone with a silly costume.)
Every morning, the strict coach would _____ the swimmers for twenty minutes about their sloppy turns before letting anyone near the pool.	harangue — to lecture someone forcefully and at length (Clue: Description: twenty minutes of forceful scolding is a long, loud lecture.)
The _____ between the two neighboring towns dated back a century to a dispute over a river, and even now their fans refused to sit on the same side of the stadium.	enmity — deep and lasting hostility (Clue: Description: a century-old feud that still divides fans is deep hostility.)
Despite the freezing wind and her aching, blistered feet, the _____ hiker never once complained, marching steadily on while her friends grumbled about every mile.	stoic — enduring hardship without complaining (Clue: Contrast: friends grumbled, but she bore the pain without complaint.)
The usually soft-spoken librarian's voice turned shrill and _____ when she spotted the spilled juice, her piercing words echoing through the silent reading room.	strident — loud, harsh, and grating (Clue: Contrast: a soft voice becomes shrill and piercing, loud and harsh.)
Angry about losing the spelling bee, Evan tried to _____ the judge's honesty, suggesting without any evidence that she had secretly favored her own students.	impugn — to question someone's honesty or motives (Clue: Description: suggesting she cheated, without evidence, attacks her honesty.)
After struggling with the jigsaw puzzle for days, Hiro had a sudden _____ while brushing his teeth: the missing piece had been upside down the whole time.	epiphany — a sudden moment of understanding (Clue: Description: a sudden flash of understanding after days of struggle.)
Standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon as sunset painted the cliffs gold and violet, the travelers fell silent, overwhelmed by the _____ beauty before them.	sublime — so beautiful or excellent it inspires awe (Clue: Cause and effect: beauty that leaves people silent and overwhelmed inspires awe.)
Since the school already had more than enough chairs for the assembly, the two hundred additional ones that arrived were _____, so the janitors stacked them in storage.	superfluous — more than is needed (Clue: Cause and effect: they already had enough, so the new chairs were beyond what was needed.)
By reminding her students every single day to check their work, Mrs. Nguyen hoped to _____ a habit of careful proofreading that would stay with them for life.	inculcate — to teach by constant repetition (Clue: Description: daily repetition to plant a lasting habit is teaching by repetition.)
During the long assembly, Owen cast _____ glances at the phone hidden beneath his program, careful never to let the teachers on stage catch him looking.	surreptitious — done secretly to avoid being noticed (Clue: Description: hidden glances made so teachers won't notice are sneaky.)
Always on time, endlessly patient, and willing to help any student after class, Mr. Bello was considered the very _____ of a dedicated teacher.	epitome — a perfect example of a quality or type (Clue: Examples: every listed trait makes him the perfect example of dedication.)
Hoping to _____ himself with his new boss, the intern brought her coffee every morning, laughed at all her jokes, and complimented every idea she shared.	ingratiate — to win favor by trying hard to please (Clue: Examples: coffee, laughter, and compliments are efforts to win someone's favor.)
Although his grandfather was famously _____, rarely speaking more than a few sentences a day, Koji found that the old man would talk for hours about gardening.	taciturn — habitually quiet and saying little (Clue: Restatement: rarely speaking more than a few sentences a day defines the word.)
Ben's claim that video games improve grades rested on a _____ link: his only evidence was that he had played games the night before acing one quiz.	tenuous — very weak or slight (Clue: Description: a single quiz is very weak evidence for his claim.)
Whether her team won by thirty points or lost in the final second, Coach Adebayo met every result with the same _____, never celebrating wildly or sulking afterward.	equanimity — calmness and an even temper, even under stress (Clue: Description: staying even-tempered through wins and losses alike shows steady calm.)
After the bakery offered free cupcakes online, customers began to _____ the tiny shop with so many orders that the owners had to stop answering the phone.	inundate — to overwhelm with a huge amount (Clue: Cause and effect: so many orders came in that the owners were overwhelmed.)
The beach town's population is largely _____; thousands of tourists pour in each July, but by September most have left and only a few hundred residents remain.	transient — lasting only briefly; passing through (Clue: Description: visitors who arrive and leave within a season are passing through.)
Pigeons are so _____ in big cities that you can find them on nearly every rooftop, sidewalk, statue, and park bench from London to New York.	ubiquitous — found everywhere (Clue: Examples: on every rooftop, sidewalk, and bench means they are everywhere.)
When the cafeteria renamed its leftover stew "chef's surprise," students recognized the phrase as a _____ designed to make yesterday's scraps sound appealing.	euphemism — a mild word that replaces a harsh one (Clue: Description: a pleasant name used to hide something unappealing is a softened term.)
To lighten the hot-air balloon before it drifted into the trees, the pilots had to _____ several sandbags, tossing them overboard as fast as they could.	jettison — to throw away or discard (Clue: Description: tossing sandbags overboard to lighten the load is throwing them away.)
Unlike his awkward younger cousin, who mumbled and spilled his soup, Julian was _____, chatting gracefully with the ambassador and knowing exactly which fork to use.	urbane — polished, polite, and sophisticated (Clue: Contrast: an awkward cousin versus graceful, sophisticated manners.)
The celebrity's interview was entertaining but completely _____; for twenty minutes she talked without saying anything meaningful about her new film or her craft.	vacuous — empty of ideas or intelligence (Clue: Description: talking for twenty minutes without meaning anything shows emptiness of thought.)
Jealous of her popularity, a rival student spread false rumors to _____ Keisha, claiming she had copied her award-winning poem from the internet.	malign — to say false, harmful things about (Clue: Description: spreading false rumors damages someone's reputation.)
Through two surgeries and months of painful physical therapy, the young gymnast showed remarkable _____, never giving up her goal of returning to competition.	fortitude — courage and strength in facing hardship (Clue: Description: enduring surgeries and painful therapy without quitting shows inner strength.)
The _____ professor, who had taught at the university for sixty years and trained many of its current faculty, was honored with a statue near the library.	venerable — respected because of age, wisdom, or character (Clue: Description: sixty years of service and a statue show deep respect earned over time.)
Unlike the mild cold that swept through the class last fall, this _____ strain of flu spread rapidly and kept students in bed for over a week.	virulent — extremely severe, harmful, or hostile (Clue: Contrast: a mild cold versus a fast-spreading, harsh illness.)
To _____ the damage from future floods, the town built raised walkways and planted marsh grasses that soak up excess water.	mitigate — to make less severe or harmful (Clue: Cause and effect: walkways and grasses were added to lessen flood damage.)
In the Greek myth, Icarus's _____ led to his downfall; so sure of his own abilities, he ignored his father's warning and flew too close to the sun.	hubris — excessive pride or self-confidence (Clue: Cause and effect: overconfidence made him ignore a warning, causing his fall.)
The parents were _____ in their opposition to the shortened recess, filling the board meeting with loud complaints and chanting "More play!" until the vote was postponed.	vociferous — loudly and forcefully expressing opinions (Clue: Examples: loud complaints and chanting show noisy, forceful protest.)
The airline tried to _____ the furious passengers, whose flight had been delayed six hours, by offering free meals and travel vouchers.	mollify — to calm someone's anger (Clue: Cause and effect: freebies were offered to calm angry travelers.)
After the storm destroyed their crops, the farmers lived in _____ poverty, lacking food, warm clothing, and even a roof that kept out the rain.	abject — extremely miserable and hopeless (Clue: Examples: no food, clothing, or shelter describes the most wretched poverty.)
What should have been a friendly disagreement over the yearbook cover became _____, with editors trading insults and two of them quitting the staff in anger.	acrimonious — bitter and angry in tone (Clue: Contrast: friendly versus insults and angry quitting shows bitterness.)
When Liam groaned that his backpack weighed a ton and that he had walked a thousand miles to school, his English teacher smiled and praised his skillful use of _____.	hyperbole — extreme exaggeration not meant to be taken literally (Clue: Examples: a ton and a thousand miles are deliberate exaggerations.)
Skipping her cool-down stretches after every run seemed to _____ the benefits of Kara's training, since her muscles ended up stiffer than when she started.	negate — to cancel the effect of (Clue: Cause and effect: her gains were wiped out, leaving her worse than before.)
The _____ goalkeeper managed to block three penalty kicks in a row, her quick hands and clever footwork leaving the opposing team stunned.	adroit — skillful and clever, especially with hands or mind (Clue: Description: quick hands and clever footwork show great skill.)
New students always felt comfortable around the _____ librarian, who greeted everyone with a smile, remembered their names, and loved chatting about favorite books.	affable — friendly and easy to talk to (Clue: Examples: smiling, remembering names, and chatting show a warm, approachable person.)
A field trip to a polluted beach provided the _____ for the students' recycling campaign; until then, no one had thought much about where plastic ends up.	impetus — a force that drives someone to act (Clue: Cause and effect: the trip is what set the campaign in motion.)
Rather than explain his late homework simply, Max tried to _____ the issue with a long, rambling story, hoping his teacher would lose track of the question.	obfuscate — to make something unclear on purpose (Clue: Contrast: instead of a simple explanation, he deliberately muddied the issue.)
Rather than spending her prize money on herself, Naomi made the _____ choice to donate all of it to buy books for a children's hospital.	altruistic — unselfishly concerned for others (Clue: Contrast: instead of spending it on herself, she gave it all to others.)
Students complained that the new dress code seemed _____, since no one could explain why green hats were banned while red ones were perfectly acceptable.	arbitrary — based on chance or whim, not reason (Clue: Description: a rule no one can explain lacks any reason behind it.)
The kindness club teaches students never to _____ classmates who seem different, but instead to invite them to sit together at lunch and join group activities.	ostracize — to exclude someone from a group (Clue: Contrast: inviting people in is the opposite of shutting them out.)
Because the hall monitor was out sick all week, the seventh graders raced through the corridors with _____, knowing no one would stop or punish them.	impunity — freedom from punishment or consequences (Clue: Restatement: knowing no one would punish them explains the word.)
Training for the Olympics, the swimmer adopted a nearly _____ lifestyle, giving up sweets, video games, and late nights so that nothing would distract her from her goal.	ascetic — giving up comforts and pleasures for discipline (Clue: Examples: giving up sweets, games, and late nights is self-discipline through denial.)
Through _____ study, reviewing her notes every night for three months and never skipping a session, Aiko raised her biology grade from a C to an A.	assiduous — showing steady, careful effort (Clue: Description: nightly review for months without skipping shows persistent effort.)
To _____ the angry neighbors who had complained about the noise, the band agreed to stop practicing after eight o'clock and invited them to a free concert.	placate — to calm someone by making concessions (Clue: Cause and effect: concessions were offered to calm the angry neighbors.)
Without ever directly accusing anyone, the gossip columnist relied on _____, suggesting through sly remarks that the famous chef had not really created his own recipes.	innuendo — an indirect hint, usually something negative (Clue: Contrast: no direct accusation, only sly suggestions.)
The robotics team considered it an _____ beginning when their very first prototype passed every test, and they felt sure the season would go well.	auspicious — showing signs of future success (Clue: Cause and effect: a perfect first test makes them expect success, so the start was promising.)
Though the candidate for class treasurer filled his speech with grand phrases and boasts, the audience noticed that his _____ talk contained no actual plans.	bombastic — full of showy, puffed-up language (Clue: Description: grand phrases and boasts with no substance describe inflated, showy language.)
A broken wrist did not stop Maya from attending rehearsals, but it would _____ her from playing the cello at the spring concert.	preclude — to make impossible in advance (Clue: Cause and effect: the injury rules out playing beforehand, making it impossible.)
Mr. Okafor's comments were usually gentle, so students were stunned by the _____ remark that mocked the entire class's lab reports as worthless.	caustic — bitterly harsh or able to burn chemically (Clue: Contrast: usually gentle versus a mocking remark that stings, showing bitter harshness.)
The photographer hung a picture of a crowded city beside one of an empty desert, hoping the _____ would make viewers notice the differences.	juxtaposition — placing two things side by side to compare (Clue: Description: placing two images side by side to highlight differences is a juxtaposition.)
Without predators to control them, rabbits brought to Australia began to _____ so quickly that their numbers reached the millions within decades.	proliferate — to increase rapidly in number (Clue: Cause and effect: no predators leads to numbers rising rapidly into the millions.)
Unlike her impulsive brother, who signed up for everything, Priya was _____ and read every rule carefully before agreeing to join any club.	circumspect — careful to consider risks before acting (Clue: Contrast: impulsive brother versus Priya, who weighs every detail before acting.)
The proposal to cancel recess was so _____ that the student council meeting stretched past midnight as parents and teachers argued fiercely.	contentious — likely to cause arguments (Clue: Cause and effect: the proposal sparked fierce arguments, so it was disputed.)
During the tense final hour of the debate tournament, Jamal's silly joke about the timer added welcome _____ and made everyone laugh.	levity — lighthearted humor, especially at a serious time (Clue: Description: a silly joke easing a tense, serious moment shows lightheartedness.)
The botanist explained that she could _____ new mint plants simply by placing stem cuttings in water until roots appeared.	propagate — to spread or reproduce widely (Clue: Examples: making new plants from cuttings is the process of reproducing them.)
Although several students were near the shattered window, the video showed that only Derek was _____ because he had thrown the ball.	culpable — deserving blame for wrongdoing (Clue: Cause and effect: the video shows Derek threw the ball, so he deserves blame.)
Many old fables are openly _____, ending with a stated moral so that young readers cannot miss the lesson the author wants to teach.	didactic — intended to teach, often in a preachy way (Clue: Description: stories built to deliver a clear lesson are meant to instruct.)
After weeks of gray winter weather, a sluggish _____ spread through the dorm; no one was sick, yet everyone felt tired and vaguely unhappy.	malaise — a vague feeling of unease or low energy (Clue: Description: not sick but tired and vaguely unhappy defines a general unease.)
Galileo was pressured to _____ his view that Earth circles the sun, publicly withdrawing a belief he had openly defended.	recant — to publicly take back an earlier statement (Clue: Restatement: 'publicly withdrawing a belief' explains what recanting means.)
Although Lena knew the answers, she was too _____ to share them aloud, always doubting herself and speaking only when called upon.	diffident — lacking self-confidence; shy (Clue: Description: doubting herself and speaking only when called on shows a lack of confidence.)
The museum exhibit brought together _____ objects, from ancient Egyptian pottery to modern video game controllers, that seemed to have nothing in common.	disparate — very different; not alike at all (Clue: Examples: pottery and game controllers with nothing in common are fundamentally different.)
After the team lost every game, the league decided to _____ it to the lower division, where it would face weaker opponents.	relegate — to move to a lower, less important position (Clue: Cause and effect: losing every game leads to being moved down to a lower division.)
While every other chef followed traditional recipes, Rosa was a _____ who invented strange flavor combinations and ignored the rules of classic cooking.	maverick — an independent person who refuses to conform (Clue: Contrast: others follow tradition; Rosa ignores the rules, an independent nonconformist.)
Usually reserved and quiet, Kenji became positively _____ when he learned he had won the science fair, laughing and hugging everyone in sight.	ebullient — bubbling over with cheerful excitement (Clue: Contrast: reserved and quiet versus laughing and hugging shows bubbly excitement.)
Instead of a simple thank-you, Aunt Marisol wrote an _____ letter that spent three pages praising our gift with endless warm compliments.	effusive — expressing feelings in an overflowing, gushing way (Clue: Contrast: a simple thank-you versus three gushing pages of praise shows overflowing expression.)
Tomas had promised to drive the team to the tournament, so everyone was upset when he chose to _____ on the deal the night before.	renege — to go back on a promise (Clue: Cause and effect: breaking his promise the night before upset everyone.)
The term "peanut" is actually a _____, since peanuts are not true nuts at all but legumes related to peas and beans.	misnomer — a name that describes something wrongly (Clue: Cause and effect: peanuts aren't nuts, so the name inaccurately describes them.)
To make the chore schedule _____, the siblings agreed that each of them would do exactly the same number of tasks every week.	equitable — fair and equal to everyone involved (Clue: Description: everyone doing exactly the same amount describes a fair arrangement.)
When a website falsely claimed the famous scientist supported its product, she rushed to _____ the claim, firmly denying any connection.	repudiate — to reject completely and refuse to accept (Clue: Restatement: 'firmly denying any connection' describes rejecting the claim.)
When the principal asked a serious question about safety, Leo gave a _____ reply about hiring dragons as guards, and nobody found it funny.	facetious — joking at an inappropriate or serious moment (Clue: Contrast: a serious question met with a silly joke shows inappropriate humor.)
When asked why he had missed three practices, Marcus gave a _____ shrug and said, "Whatever," which made the coach even angrier.	flippant — lacking respect or seriousness; casually disrespectful (Clue: Examples: a careless shrug and 'Whatever' show disrespectful lack of seriousness.)
The puzzle was hard, but with just a _____ of patience, even beginners could finish it; you needed only a little, not a lot.	modicum — a small amount (Clue: Contrast: 'only a little, not a lot' explains a small amount.)
After hundreds of families complained, the town council voted to _____ the new parking fee, so the old free parking returned the next week.	rescind — to cancel or officially take back (Clue: Cause and effect: complaints lead to the fee being officially canceled.)
The _____ tour guide chatted endlessly about his childhood, his cat, and his favorite sandwiches, leaving little time to actually see the castle.	garrulous — excessively talkative, especially about trivial things (Clue: Examples: endless chatter about trivial topics shows excessive talkativeness.)
Dr. Patel had an _____ teaching style, insisting on whistling before every lecture and grading only in green ink, habits no other teacher shared.	idiosyncratic — peculiar to one person; quirky (Clue: Examples: whistling and green ink, habits no one else shares, show individual quirks.)
Translating poetry is difficult because each word carries a _____ that may be lost, a slight shade of meaning that other languages cannot match.	nuance — a subtle difference in meaning or tone (Clue: Restatement: 'a slight shade of meaning' defines a subtle difference.)
Before choosing a college major, Ana took several weeks to _____ over her options, turning each choice over in her mind again and again.	ruminate — to think deeply and at length (Clue: Description: turning choices over in her mind for weeks shows deep, lengthy thought.)
With an _____ wave of her hand, the team captain ordered the younger players to carry all the equipment, never once asking politely.	imperious — bossy and arrogant, expecting to be obeyed (Clue: Description: ordering others around without asking shows commanding arrogance.)
