implacable (adj.)	impossible to calm or satisfy · Synonym: relentless · e.g. The implacable coach would accept nothing less than perfection.
stymie (verb.)	to block or prevent progress · Synonym: hinder · e.g. A missing piece stymied our efforts to finish the puzzle.
panacea (noun.)	a cure for all problems · Synonym: cure-all · e.g. Some people treat vitamins as a panacea for every illness.
impudent (adj.)	boldly disrespectful; rude · Synonym: rude · e.g. The impudent child stuck out his tongue at the mayor.
incisive (adj.)	sharply clear and insightful · Synonym: sharp · e.g. Her incisive question exposed the flaw in his argument.
substantiate (verb.)	to support with proof or evidence · Synonym: prove · e.g. She substantiated her claim with three reliable sources.
paradigm (noun.)	a typical model or pattern of thinking · Synonym: model · e.g. The discovery of germs changed the paradigm of medicine.
indefatigable (adj.)	never tiring; tireless · Synonym: tireless · e.g. The indefatigable volunteer worked twelve-hour shifts all week.
supplant (verb.)	to take the place of; replace · Synonym: replace · e.g. Smartphones have largely supplanted paper maps for travelers.
inexorable (adj.)	impossible to stop or prevent · Synonym: unstoppable · e.g. The inexorable rise of the tide covered the sandcastle.
ingenuous (adj.)	innocent and trusting; not sly · Synonym: naive · e.g. The ingenuous child believed every story her cousins told.
paragon (noun.)	a perfect example of a quality · Synonym: model · e.g. Grandma was a paragon of patience and kindness.
surmise (verb.)	to guess based on limited evidence · Synonym: guess · e.g. From the muddy boots, I surmised that Dad had been gardening.
insular (adj.)	narrow-minded and isolated from outside ideas · Synonym: narrow-minded · e.g. The insular village rarely welcomed visitors or new customs.
intrinsic (adj.)	belonging to the basic nature of something · Synonym: built-in · e.g. Gold has intrinsic value because it is rare and useful.
transcend (verb.)	to go beyond normal limits · Synonym: exceed · e.g. Great music can transcend barriers of language and culture.
pariah (noun.)	a person rejected by everyone; an outcast · Synonym: outcast · e.g. After cheating, he became a pariah on the chess team.
latent (adj.)	present but hidden or not yet active · Synonym: hidden · e.g. The test revealed her latent talent for languages.
laudable (adj.)	deserving praise · Synonym: admirable · e.g. Raising money for the shelter was a laudable goal.
vacillate (verb.)	to switch back and forth between choices · Synonym: waver · e.g. He vacillated between pizza and tacos for twenty minutes.
paucity (noun.)	a shortage or scarcity · Synonym: shortage · e.g. The paucity of rain led to a poor harvest.
lackadaisical (adj.)	lacking energy or enthusiasm; lazy · Synonym: lazy · e.g. His lackadaisical attitude toward homework hurt his grades.
vilify (verb.)	to speak about someone in a cruelly insulting way · Synonym: slander · e.g. The tabloids vilified the actor for a minor mistake.
jocular (adj.)	playful and fond of joking · Synonym: playful · e.g. The jocular bus driver told riddles every morning.
maudlin (adj.)	overly sentimental in a self-pitying way · Synonym: sappy · e.g. The maudlin movie made the audience roll their eyes.
penchant (noun.)	a strong liking or habit · Synonym: fondness · e.g. Jada has a penchant for spicy foods.
abscond (verb.)	to leave secretly, often with stolen items · Synonym: flee · e.g. The raccoon absconded with our bag of marshmallows.
mendacious (adj.)	lying; not truthful · Synonym: dishonest · e.g. The mendacious salesman lied about the car's mileage.
munificent (adj.)	very generous · Synonym: generous · e.g. A munificent donor paid for the new library.
platitude (noun.)	an overused, unoriginal remark · Synonym: cliché · e.g. "Everything happens for a reason" is a common platitude.
accost (verb.)	to approach and speak to boldly · Synonym: confront · e.g. A reporter accosted the coach outside the locker room.
myopic (adj.)	shortsighted; lacking foresight · Synonym: shortsighted · e.g. Cutting the art budget was a myopic decision.
nascent (adj.)	just beginning to exist or develop · Synonym: budding · e.g. The nascent company had only three employees.
allay (verb.)	to calm or relieve fears or concerns · Synonym: ease · e.g. The doctor's smile allayed my fears about the shot.
plethora (noun.)	an excessive amount · Synonym: abundance · e.g. The buffet offered a plethora of desserts.
nebulous (adj.)	vague and unclear · Synonym: vague · e.g. His plans for the summer were still nebulous.
nominal (adj.)	very small; existing in name only · Synonym: small · e.g. The museum charges a nominal fee of one dollar.
alienate (verb.)	to make someone unfriendly or distant · Synonym: estrange · e.g. Constant bragging alienated him from his teammates.
obtuse (adj.)	slow to understand; dull · Synonym: dense · e.g. He was too obtuse to notice the hint.
predilection (noun.)	a natural preference or liking · Synonym: preference · e.g. My cat has a predilection for sleeping in boxes.
amalgamate (verb.)	to combine into one whole · Synonym: merge · e.g. The two schools amalgamated into one large academy.
onerous (adj.)	burdensome and difficult · Synonym: burdensome · e.g. Cleaning the attic was an onerous chore.
parsimonious (adj.)	extremely unwilling to spend money · Synonym: stingy · e.g. The parsimonious man refused to buy his children new shoes.
prerogative (noun.)	a special right belonging to someone · Synonym: right · e.g. It is the teacher's prerogative to assign extra homework.
annul (verb.)	to declare officially invalid · Synonym: cancel · e.g. The judge annulled the contract because it was signed illegally.
partisan (adj.)	strongly favoring one side · Synonym: biased · e.g. The partisan crowd booed every call against their team.
pejorative (adj.)	expressing disapproval or contempt · Synonym: insulting · e.g. "Nerd" was once used as a pejorative term.
apprise (verb.)	to inform or tell · Synonym: inform · e.g. Please apprise me of any changes to the schedule.
proclivity (noun.)	a natural tendency · Synonym: tendency · e.g. The puppy has a proclivity for chewing shoes.
penitent (adj.)	feeling sorry for wrongdoing · Synonym: sorry · e.g. The penitent student apologized for breaking the window.
perennial (adj.)	lasting a long time or returning yearly · Synonym: lasting · e.g. Traffic is a perennial problem in the city.
arbitrate (verb.)	to settle a dispute as a neutral judge · Synonym: judge · e.g. A teacher arbitrated the argument over the last cookie.
peripheral (adj.)	at the edge; not central · Synonym: minor · e.g. The author's personal life is peripheral to the novel's plot.
propensity (noun.)	a natural inclination or tendency · Synonym: tendency · e.g. Cats have a propensity to sleep most of the day.
aspire (verb.)	to strongly hope to achieve · Synonym: hope · e.g. Many young athletes aspire to play in the Olympics.
pertinent (adj.)	relevant to the matter at hand · Synonym: relevant · e.g. Please include only pertinent details in your report.
petulant (adj.)	childishly sulky or bad-tempered · Synonym: sulky · e.g. The petulant toddler pouted when he didn't get candy.
rhetoric (noun.)	persuasive or showy language · Synonym: persuasion · e.g. The speech was full of rhetoric but lacked facts.
bemoan (verb.)	to express sorrow or complaint about · Synonym: lament · e.g. Fans bemoaned the cancellation of their favorite show.
portentous (adj.)	warning of something important or bad to come · Synonym: ominous · e.g. The portentous clouds signaled a coming storm.
precipitous (adj.)	dangerously steep or sudden · Synonym: steep · e.g. The trail ended at a precipitous cliff.
berate (verb.)	to scold angrily and at length · Synonym: scold · e.g. The coach berated the team for their lazy effort.
serendipity (noun.)	a lucky, unexpected discovery · Synonym: luck · e.g. Finding my favorite book at a yard sale was pure serendipity.
pretentious (adj.)	trying to seem more important than one is · Synonym: showy · e.g. The pretentious diner sent back the soup in fake French.
primordial (adj.)	existing from the very beginning of time · Synonym: ancient · e.g. Scientists study primordial gases left over from the Big Bang.
bequeath (verb.)	to leave to someone in a will · Synonym: leave · e.g. She bequeathed her piano to her granddaughter.
solace (noun.)	comfort in a time of sadness · Synonym: comfort · e.g. Music provided solace after her grandmother died.
propitious (adj.)	favorable; likely to bring success · Synonym: favorable · e.g. Calm seas made it a propitious day for sailing.
cede (verb.)	to give up control of, often unwillingly · Synonym: surrender · e.g. The tired chess player ceded the game to his opponent.
puerile (adj.)	childishly silly · Synonym: childish · e.g. His puerile jokes made the adults groan.
punitive (adj.)	meant to punish · Synonym: punishing · e.g. The school took punitive action against the cheaters.
subterfuge (noun.)	a trick used to hide or escape something · Synonym: trickery · e.g. The spy used clever subterfuge to enter the embassy.
censure (verb.)	to criticize strongly and officially · Synonym: condemn · e.g. The committee censured the senator for misusing funds.
rapacious (adj.)	greedy and grasping · Synonym: greedy · e.g. The rapacious landlord raised the rent every month.
redolent (adj.)	strongly suggestive or smelling of something · Synonym: fragrant · e.g. The kitchen was redolent of fresh bread.
chastise (verb.)	to scold or punish severely · Synonym: scold · e.g. The teacher chastised him for cheating on the quiz.
sycophant (noun.)	a person who flatters powerful people to gain favor · Synonym: flatterer · e.g. The king was surrounded by sycophants who praised everything he did.
remiss (adj.)	careless in doing one's duty · Synonym: negligent · e.g. It was remiss of me to forget your birthday.
reprehensible (adj.)	deserving strong blame · Synonym: shameful · e.g. Cheating on the final exam was reprehensible.
coddle (verb.)	to treat too gently; pamper · Synonym: pamper · e.g. Some parents coddle their children by doing their homework.
travesty (noun.)	a shocking or absurd imitation of something · Synonym: mockery · e.g. The rushed trial was a travesty of justice.
resplendent (adj.)	dazzlingly bright and beautiful · Synonym: dazzling · e.g. The bride looked resplendent in her silver gown.
commiserate (verb.)	to share sympathy with someone · Synonym: sympathize · e.g. The fans commiserated with each other after the loss.
sardonic (adj.)	mocking in a grimly scornful way · Synonym: mocking · e.g. His sardonic smile showed he did not believe me.
scathing (adj.)	harshly critical · Synonym: harsh · e.g. The critic wrote a scathing review of the restaurant.
vestige (noun.)	a trace of something that no longer exists · Synonym: trace · e.g. The old wall is a vestige of the ancient city.
concur (verb.)	to agree · Synonym: agree · e.g. All three judges concurred with the decision.
servile (adj.)	overly eager to obey or please others · Synonym: obedient · e.g. The servile assistant agreed with everything the boss said.
slovenly (adj.)	messy and careless in appearance or work · Synonym: messy · e.g. His slovenly room was covered in dirty clothes.
zenith (noun.)	the highest point · Synonym: peak · e.g. At the zenith of her career, she won three gold medals.
connive (verb.)	to secretly plot something wrong · Synonym: scheme · e.g. The two brothers connived to skip school.
somnolent (adj.)	sleepy; drowsy · Synonym: sleepy · e.g. The warm room made the students somnolent.
specious (adj.)	seeming true but actually false · Synonym: misleading · e.g. His specious argument sounded smart but fell apart.
construe (verb.)	to interpret in a particular way · Synonym: interpret · e.g. She construed his silence as agreement.
veracity (noun.)	truthfulness or accuracy · Synonym: truth · e.g. Reporters must check the veracity of their sources.
squalid (adj.)	extremely dirty and unpleasant · Synonym: filthy · e.g. The stray dog lived in squalid conditions behind the market.
stalwart (adj.)	loyal, strong, and dependable · Synonym: loyal · e.g. She has been a stalwart supporter of the library for decades.
contrive (verb.)	to cleverly invent or arrange · Synonym: devise · e.g. The kids contrived a way to reach the cookie jar.
stolid (adj.)	calm and showing little emotion · Synonym: unemotional · e.g. The stolid guard did not smile at the tourists.
propriety (noun.)	correct, proper behavior · Synonym: decency · e.g. Out of propriety, she wore formal clothes to the ceremony.
culminate (verb.)	to reach a final high point · Synonym: end · e.g. The festival culminated in a huge fireworks show.
subjective (adj.)	based on personal feelings rather than facts · Synonym: personal · e.g. Choosing the best ice cream flavor is subjective.
subservient (adj.)	too willing to obey others · Synonym: obedient · e.g. The subservient clerk never questioned the manager's orders.
prowess (noun.)	great skill or ability · Synonym: skill · e.g. The pianist's prowess amazed the audience.
debilitate (verb.)	to severely weaken · Synonym: weaken · e.g. The flu debilitated her for two whole weeks.
supercilious (adj.)	arrogantly looking down on others · Synonym: snobbish · e.g. The supercilious waiter sneered at our cheap shoes.
tacit (adj.)	understood without being said · Synonym: unspoken · e.g. There was a tacit agreement not to mention the broken vase.
decimate (verb.)	to destroy a large part of · Synonym: destroy · e.g. A disease decimated the town's oak trees.
irony (noun.)	a contrast between what is expected and what happens · Synonym: incongruity · e.g. The irony was that the fire station burned down.
tangential (adj.)	only slightly related; off the main topic · Synonym: unrelated · e.g. His tangential comments distracted the group from its project.
tantamount (adj.)	equal in effect or value · Synonym: equal · e.g. Ignoring the invitation was tantamount to refusing it.
deface (verb.)	to spoil the surface or appearance of · Synonym: vandalize · e.g. Someone defaced the statue with spray paint.
tempestuous (adj.)	stormy or full of strong emotion · Synonym: stormy · e.g. The sailors struggled through tempestuous seas.
nadir (noun.)	the lowest point · Synonym: low point · e.g. Losing every game was the nadir of the team's history.
defame (verb.)	to damage someone's reputation with false statements · Synonym: slander · e.g. The blogger defamed the chef with made-up stories.
tenable (adj.)	able to be defended or maintained · Synonym: defensible · e.g. Her argument was tenable because it was backed by evidence.
tremulous (adj.)	shaking slightly from nervousness or weakness · Synonym: shaky · e.g. In a tremulous voice, he admitted breaking the lamp.
schism (noun.)	a split into opposing groups · Synonym: split · e.g. A schism divided the club into two rival groups.
deign (verb.)	to do something one considers beneath oneself · Synonym: condescend · e.g. The famous actor would not deign to sign autographs.
trenchant (adj.)	sharp, forceful, and clear · Synonym: sharp · e.g. Her trenchant essay exposed every flaw in the plan.
turgid (adj.)	swollen; also, too wordy and showy · Synonym: swollen · e.g. The turgid river overflowed its banks after the storm.
denigrate (verb.)	to unfairly criticize or belittle · Synonym: belittle · e.g. He tends to denigrate his sister's achievements.
efficacy (noun.)	the ability to produce the desired result · Synonym: effectiveness · e.g. Doctors tested the efficacy of the new vaccine.
unassuming (adj.)	modest and not showing off · Synonym: modest · e.g. The unassuming scientist never mentioned her Nobel Prize.
vapid (adj.)	dull and lacking interest or ideas · Synonym: dull · e.g. The vapid song had no real meaning.
deprecate (verb.)	to express disapproval of · Synonym: disapprove · e.g. The principal deprecated the use of phones in class.
fidelity (noun.)	loyalty or faithfulness; also accuracy · Synonym: loyalty · e.g. The dog's fidelity to its owner was remarkable.
venal (adj.)	willing to do wrong for money · Synonym: corrupt · e.g. The venal official accepted bribes from builders.
disavow (verb.)	to deny any connection with or responsibility for · Synonym: deny · e.g. The company disavowed the rude ad made by an employee.
verdant (adj.)	green with lush plant growth · Synonym: green · e.g. The verdant hills were covered in spring grass.
viable (adj.)	capable of working or succeeding · Synonym: workable · e.g. The engineers found a viable solution to the leak.
philanthropist (noun.)	a person who donates to help others · Synonym: donor · e.g. The philanthropist gave millions to fight hunger.
dissemble (verb.)	to hide one's true feelings or motives · Synonym: pretend · e.g. She dissembled her fear with a confident smile.
vicarious (adj.)	experienced through another person's actions · Synonym: secondhand · e.g. She felt vicarious joy watching her brother graduate.
vitriolic (adj.)	full of bitter, harsh criticism · Synonym: bitter · e.g. The critic's vitriolic review left the young author in tears.
dissipate (verb.)	to scatter or fade away gradually · Synonym: scatter · e.g. The morning fog began to dissipate as the sun climbed higher.
tenet (noun.)	a core belief or principle of a group · Synonym: principle · e.g. Honesty is a central tenet of the school's honor code.
voluble (adj.)	talking a lot, quickly and easily · Synonym: talkative · e.g. Our voluble tour guide chatted nonstop for the entire bus ride.
wanton (adj.)	deliberate and without any reason or excuse · Synonym: senseless · e.g. The park rangers were shocked by the wanton damage to the ancient trees.
dupe (verb.)	to trick or fool someone · Synonym: trick · e.g. The clever fox duped the crow into dropping its cheese.
respite (noun.)	a short break from something difficult · Synonym: rest · e.g. The cool breeze offered a brief respite from the summer heat.
heterogeneous (adj.)	made up of many different kinds · Synonym: varied · e.g. The heterogeneous crowd included toddlers, teenagers, and grandparents.
efface (verb.)	to erase or wipe out · Synonym: erase · e.g. The tide effaced our footprints from the sand within minutes.
homogeneous (adj.)	the same kind all the way through · Synonym: uniform · e.g. Stir the paint until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
iconoclastic (adj.)	attacking or rejecting traditional beliefs and customs · Synonym: rebellious · e.g. The iconoclastic painter refused to follow any of the academy's rules.
retribution (noun.)	punishment given in return for a wrong · Synonym: punishment · e.g. The villain in the myth feared the gods' retribution for his lies.
elucidate (verb.)	to explain clearly · Synonym: clarify · e.g. The teacher used a diagram to elucidate the water cycle.
inane (adj.)	silly and lacking sense · Synonym: silly · e.g. He asked such inane questions that the speaker lost patience.
ineffable (adj.)	too great to be described in words · Synonym: indescribable · e.g. Standing atop the mountain, Lena felt an ineffable sense of wonder.
precursor (noun.)	something that comes before and leads to another · Synonym: forerunner · e.g. The abacus was a precursor of the modern calculator.
emanate (verb.)	to flow or come out from a source · Synonym: flow · e.g. A sweet smell emanated from the bakery on the corner.
inimical (adj.)	harmful or unfriendly · Synonym: harmful · e.g. Freezing temperatures are inimical to most tropical plants.
intractable (adj.)	hard to control, manage, or solve · Synonym: stubborn · e.g. The intractable puzzle stumped even the math club's best solver.
embroil (verb.)	to involve deeply in a conflict · Synonym: involve · e.g. The two clubs became embroiled in a dispute over the gym schedule.
pretext (noun.)	a false reason that hides the real one · Synonym: excuse · e.g. She used a sore throat as a pretext to skip the speech.
fatuous (adj.)	silly and foolish in a smug way · Synonym: foolish · e.g. The fatuous host laughed loudly at his own bad jokes.
feckless (adj.)	weak, careless, and ineffective · Synonym: ineffective · e.g. The feckless club treasurer lost the receipts twice in one month.
encroach (verb.)	to gradually intrude on another's space · Synonym: intrude · e.g. The growing suburbs encroached on the farmland outside town.
fetid (adj.)	smelling very bad · Synonym: stinking · e.g. A fetid odor rose from the forgotten lunch in his locker.
premonition (noun.)	a feeling that something is about to happen · Synonym: hunch · e.g. Maya had a premonition that the test would be canceled.
enthrall (verb.)	to hold someone's complete attention · Synonym: fascinate · e.g. The magician's tricks enthralled the children.
florid (adj.)	overly fancy or decorated in style · Synonym: flowery · e.g. His florid speech was full of long words and grand phrases.
insidious (adj.)	harmful in a slow, hidden way · Synonym: sneaky · e.g. Mold is insidious, spreading quietly behind the walls.
satire (noun.)	humor that mocks foolishness or flaws · Synonym: parody · e.g. The school paper published a satire about the cafeteria's mystery meat.
entreat (verb.)	to ask earnestly; to beg · Synonym: beg · e.g. The puppy's eyes seemed to entreat us for another treat.
obdurate (adj.)	stubbornly refusing to change one's mind · Synonym: stubborn · e.g. Despite our pleas, the obdurate referee would not change his call.
truculent (adj.)	eager to argue or fight · Synonym: aggressive · e.g. The truculent goose chased everyone away from the pond.
eschew (verb.)	to deliberately avoid · Synonym: avoid · e.g. Mia eschews sugary drinks and sticks to water.
accolade (noun.)	an award or expression of high praise · Synonym: honor · e.g. The film earned every major accolade at the festival.
timorous (adj.)	shy and easily frightened · Synonym: fearful · e.g. The timorous kitten hid under the couch whenever guests arrived.
torpid (adj.)	slow and inactive · Synonym: sluggish · e.g. The lizard stayed torpid until the sun warmed the rocks.
espouse (verb.)	to adopt and support a cause or belief · Synonym: support · e.g. The club espoused the idea of a plastic-free cafeteria.
anachronistic (adj.)	out of place in time · Synonym: outdated · e.g. A wristwatch on a Roman soldier would be anachronistic.
affinity (noun.)	a natural liking or connection · Synonym: liking · e.g. Rosa has an affinity for languages and speaks four.
evince (verb.)	to show or reveal clearly · Synonym: show · e.g. Her smile evinced her delight at the surprise.
egalitarian (adj.)	believing all people deserve equal treatment · Synonym: equal · e.g. The camp had an egalitarian rule: everyone, even counselors, washed dishes.
deleterious (adj.)	causing harm or damage · Synonym: damaging · e.g. Too little sleep has deleterious effects on memory.
allegiance (noun.)	loyalty to a person, group, or cause · Synonym: loyalty · e.g. Fans kept their allegiance to the team through every losing season.
exalt (verb.)	to praise highly; to raise in rank · Synonym: glorify · e.g. The poem exalts the beauty of the mountains.
incorrigible (adj.)	unable to be corrected or reformed · Synonym: hopeless · e.g. My incorrigible little brother keeps sneaking cookies despite every warning.
indiscriminate (adj.)	done without careful choice or judgment · Synonym: random · e.g. The indiscriminate use of pesticides harmed the bees too.
exhort (verb.)	to strongly urge someone to act · Synonym: urge · e.g. The coach exhorted the team to give one final push.
amnesty (noun.)	an official pardon for past offenses · Synonym: pardon · e.g. The library declared an amnesty week for overdue books.
insurmountable (adj.)	too great to be overcome · Synonym: impossible · e.g. The steep cliff seemed an insurmountable obstacle to the climbers.
inscrutable (adj.)	impossible to understand or read · Synonym: mysterious · e.g. The cat stared at us with an inscrutable expression.
expound (verb.)	to explain in great detail · Synonym: explain · e.g. The professor expounded on her theory for nearly an hour.
antithesis (noun.)	the exact opposite · Synonym: opposite · e.g. Her calm manner was the antithesis of her brother's panic.
insouciant (adj.)	relaxed, carefree, and unconcerned · Synonym: carefree · e.g. He gave an insouciant shrug when asked about the test.
expunge (verb.)	to erase or remove completely · Synonym: delete · e.g. The website expunged all the old comments from its forum.
intemperate (adj.)	lacking self-control; excessive · Synonym: unrestrained · e.g. His intemperate outburst embarrassed everyone at dinner.
irrevocable (adj.)	impossible to undo or change · Synonym: final · e.g. Once you press send, the decision is irrevocable.
apex (noun.)	the highest point · Synonym: peak · e.g. The climbers reached the apex of the mountain at dawn.
extrapolate (verb.)	to predict by extending known information · Synonym: infer · e.g. From ten years of data, scientists extrapolated future sea levels.
lugubrious (adj.)	sad and gloomy, often in an exaggerated way · Synonym: gloomy · e.g. The basset hound gazed at us with lugubrious eyes.
magisterial (adj.)	showing great authority and expert command · Synonym: authoritative · e.g. The judge spoke in a magisterial tone that silenced the courtroom.
flout (verb.)	to openly ignore or disobey a rule · Synonym: defy · e.g. Drivers who flout the speed limit risk heavy fines.
apprehension (noun.)	anxious fear about what might happen · Synonym: worry · e.g. Nadia felt apprehension as she walked into her first exam.
obstreperous (adj.)	noisy and hard to control · Synonym: unruly · e.g. The obstreperous crowd chanted and stomped through the whole game.
opportune (adj.)	well-timed; convenient · Synonym: timely · e.g. The rain stopped at the opportune moment for our picnic.
glean (verb.)	to gather information bit by bit · Synonym: gather · e.g. Detectives gleaned clues from the scattered papers.
archetype (noun.)	a perfect or typical example of something · Synonym: model · e.g. Sherlock Holmes is the archetype of the brilliant detective.
overt (adj.)	done openly; not hidden · Synonym: open · e.g. Her overt yawn told the speaker she was bored.
goad (verb.)	to provoke or push someone into action · Synonym: provoke · e.g. His friends goaded him into singing at the talent show.
pallid (adj.)	unusually pale · Synonym: pale · e.g. After a week with the flu, his face looked pallid.
pithy (adj.)	short but full of meaning · Synonym: concise · e.g. Grandma's pithy advice fit on a sticky note.
aversion (noun.)	a strong dislike · Synonym: dislike · e.g. My cat has an aversion to water.
hone (verb.)	to sharpen or improve a skill · Synonym: sharpen · e.g. She honed her free-throw shot with daily practice.
plebeian (adj.)	common or ordinary; not refined · Synonym: common · e.g. The snobby chef sneered at plebeian foods like hot dogs.
precipitate (adj.)	done suddenly and without careful thought · Synonym: hasty · e.g. Selling the house was a precipitate decision she later regretted.
boon (noun.)	a helpful benefit or blessing · Synonym: blessing · e.g. The new bus route was a boon for students.
imbue (verb.)	to fill deeply with a quality or feeling · Synonym: fill · e.g. Her teacher imbued her with a love of poetry.
presumptuous (adj.)	too bold; acting without permission or right · Synonym: arrogant · e.g. It was presumptuous of him to plan a party at my house without asking.
prolix (adj.)	using too many words; long-winded · Synonym: wordy · e.g. The prolix speaker kept talking long after the audience tired.
incense (verb.)	to make very angry · Synonym: anger · e.g. The unfair call incensed the home crowd.
caveat (noun.)	a warning or condition to keep in mind · Synonym: warning · e.g. The coupon came with one caveat: it expired Friday.
quotidian (adj.)	ordinary and everyday · Synonym: ordinary · e.g. The poet found beauty in quotidian things like toast and rain.
recondite (adj.)	little known and hard to understand · Synonym: obscure · e.g. The professor's lecture on recondite theories baffled the freshmen.
indict (verb.)	to formally accuse of a crime · Synonym: charge · e.g. The grand jury indicted the art forger on twelve counts.
sacrosanct (adj.)	too important to be changed or questioned · Synonym: sacred · e.g. In our house, Sunday breakfast together is sacrosanct.
cliche (noun.)	an overused phrase or idea · Synonym: stock phrase · e.g. Starting a story with 'It was a dark and stormy night' is a cliche.
infuse (verb.)	to fill or soak with a quality · Synonym: inject · e.g. The new coach infused the team with fresh energy.
salubrious (adj.)	good for health · Synonym: healthy · e.g. The mountain air was salubrious after months in the city.
sedate (adj.)	calm, quiet, and unhurried · Synonym: calm · e.g. The old horse walked at a sedate pace.
conjecture (noun.)	a guess based on little evidence · Synonym: guess · e.g. Without data, her answer was pure conjecture.
interject (verb.)	to break in with a remark · Synonym: cut in · e.g. Sam interjected a joke in the middle of the lecture.
sententious (adj.)	preachy and fond of moral sayings · Synonym: preachy · e.g. The sententious narrator lectured readers about honesty every chapter.
superlative (adj.)	of the very highest quality · Synonym: excellent · e.g. The chef earned praise for her superlative desserts.
muster (verb.)	to gather or call up · Synonym: summon · e.g. She mustered the courage to raise her hand.
consternation (noun.)	shock mixed with anxious worry · Synonym: dismay · e.g. To our consternation, the bus left without us.
tawdry (adj.)	cheap and showy · Synonym: tacky · e.g. The shop sold tawdry souvenirs made of plastic and glitter.
temerarious (adj.)	recklessly bold · Synonym: reckless · e.g. The temerarious skier ignored the warning signs on the slope.
nullify (verb.)	to cancel or make invalid · Synonym: cancel · e.g. A foul nullified the winning basket.
torrid (adj.)	extremely hot and dry · Synonym: scorching · e.g. The torrid desert sun baked the canyon walls.
demise (noun.)	the end or death of something · Synonym: end · e.g. The rise of streaming led to the demise of video rental stores.
obviate (verb.)	to remove the need for; to prevent · Synonym: prevent · e.g. The new bridge obviates the long drive around the lake.
ostensible (adj.)	seeming true on the surface, but perhaps not · Synonym: apparent · e.g. His ostensible reason for calling was homework, but he wanted to chat.
unwieldy (adj.)	hard to handle because of size or shape · Synonym: bulky · e.g. The unwieldy couch would not fit through the doorway.
despot (noun.)	a ruler with total, often cruel, power · Synonym: tyrant · e.g. The despot made every law himself and allowed no debate.
peruse (verb.)	to read or examine carefully · Synonym: examine · e.g. Dad likes to peruse the newspaper over breakfast.
uncanny (adj.)	strange in a way that is hard to explain · Synonym: strange · e.g. Jun bears an uncanny resemblance to his grandfather.
unflappable (adj.)	staying calm under pressure · Synonym: composed · e.g. The unflappable pilot landed the plane smoothly through the storm.
presage (verb.)	to be a sign of a future event · Synonym: foretell · e.g. Dark clouds presaged a heavy storm.
detractor (noun.)	a person who criticizes something · Synonym: critic · e.g. Even her detractors admitted the bridge design was clever.
indomitable (adj.)	impossible to defeat or discourage · Synonym: unbeatable · e.g. Her indomitable spirit carried her through months of recovery.
nondescript (adj.)	plain and lacking any special features · Synonym: plain · e.g. The famous chef works in a nondescript building with no sign.
proscribe (verb.)	to officially forbid · Synonym: ban · e.g. The pool rules proscribe running on the deck.
dissonance (noun.)	a harsh lack of harmony · Synonym: discord · e.g. The dissonance of the clashing chords made the audience wince.
arcane (adj.)	known or understood by very few · Synonym: obscure · e.g. The old book explained the arcane rules of medieval jousting.
protract (verb.)	to drag out for a longer time · Synonym: extend · e.g. Constant interruptions protracted the meeting by an hour.
bellicose (adj.)	eager to fight or argue · Synonym: warlike · e.g. The bellicose rooster chased anyone who entered the yard.
blithe (adj.)	cheerfully carefree, sometimes carelessly so · Synonym: lighthearted · e.g. She walked into the exam with blithe confidence.
emissary (noun.)	a person sent to represent others · Synonym: messenger · e.g. The emissary carried the king's letter across the mountains.
purport (verb.)	to claim, often falsely · Synonym: claim · e.g. The ad purports to cure baldness in a week.
cerebral (adj.)	intellectual rather than emotional or physical · Synonym: intellectual · e.g. Chess is a cerebral game that rewards careful thinking.
churlish (adj.)	rude and ungracious · Synonym: rude · e.g. It was churlish of him to refuse her handshake.
quash (verb.)	to put a stop to; to suppress · Synonym: stop · e.g. The principal quashed the rumor about a snow day.
equilibrium (noun.)	a state of balance · Synonym: balance · e.g. The gymnast kept her equilibrium on the narrow beam.
convivial (adj.)	friendly, lively, and fond of company · Synonym: sociable · e.g. The convivial dinner lasted late into the evening with laughter.
craven (adj.)	lacking courage · Synonym: cowardly · e.g. The craven villain in the story hid at the first sign of trouble.
quibble (verb.)	to argue over small, unimportant details · Synonym: bicker · e.g. The siblings quibbled over who got the bigger slice.
ethos (noun.)	the guiding spirit or values of a group · Synonym: spirit · e.g. Teamwork is the heart of the club's ethos.
decadent (adj.)	marked by excessive pleasure and luxury · Synonym: indulgent · e.g. The decadent dessert was layered with chocolate, cream, and caramel.
ravage (verb.)	to cause severe damage to · Synonym: wreck · e.g. Locusts ravaged the wheat fields in a single afternoon.
desultory (adj.)	lacking plan or purpose; halfhearted · Synonym: aimless · e.g. We made desultory conversation while waiting for the bus.
dilapidated (adj.)	falling apart from age or neglect · Synonym: run-down · e.g. The dilapidated barn leaned sharply to one side.
foible (noun.)	a minor flaw or odd habit · Synonym: quirk · e.g. Grandpa's only foible is humming loudly while he reads.
raze (verb.)	to completely tear down a building · Synonym: level · e.g. Workers razed the old factory to build a park.
disingenuous (adj.)	insincere; pretending to know less than one does · Synonym: insincere · e.g. His disingenuous apology fooled no one.
dispassionate (adj.)	not influenced by emotion; fair and impartial · Synonym: objective · e.g. A good judge stays dispassionate when weighing the evidence.
forbearance (noun.)	patient self-control; tolerance · Synonym: patience · e.g. The teacher showed great forbearance with the noisy class.
reconcile (verb.)	to restore friendship after a disagreement · Synonym: make up · e.g. The two friends reconciled after a long talk.
dour (adj.)	stern, serious, and gloomy · Synonym: stern · e.g. The dour librarian rarely smiled at anyone.
erroneous (adj.)	wrong; containing mistakes · Synonym: wrong · e.g. The map gave an erroneous location for the trailhead.
redress (verb.)	to set right a wrong · Synonym: correct · e.g. The company redressed the error by refunding every customer.
furor (noun.)	an outburst of public anger or excitement · Synonym: uproar · e.g. The new dress code caused a furor among students.
exacting (adj.)	demanding great care and effort · Synonym: demanding · e.g. The exacting coach made us repeat the drill twenty times.
extant (adj.)	still in existence · Synonym: surviving · e.g. Only three extant copies of the ancient map remain.
remunerate (verb.)	to pay for work or service · Synonym: pay · e.g. The museum remunerated the guides for their extra hours.
frenetic (adj.)	wild, fast, and frantic · Synonym: frantic · e.g. The kitchen was frenetic during the dinner rush.
harbinger (noun.)	a sign of something to come · Synonym: sign · e.g. The first robin is a harbinger of spring.
retort (verb.)	to reply sharply or quickly · Synonym: reply · e.g. 'Speak for yourself,' she retorted with a grin.
germane (adj.)	relevant to the subject · Synonym: relevant · e.g. Please keep your comments germane to the topic.
grandiose (adj.)	far too ambitious or impressive; showy · Synonym: showy · e.g. His grandiose plan for the dance included fireworks and a live band.
heresy (noun.)	an opinion that goes against accepted beliefs · Synonym: dissent · e.g. In our chess club, saying checkers is better is pure heresy.
revile (verb.)	to criticize harshly and angrily · Synonym: condemn · e.g. Critics reviled the remake as a cheap copy.
histrionic (adj.)	overly dramatic · Synonym: dramatic · e.g. Her histrionic sobbing over a lost pencil made us laugh.
impecunious (adj.)	having little or no money · Synonym: poor · e.g. The impecunious artist traded paintings for meals.
sanction (verb.)	to officially approve or allow · Synonym: approve · e.g. The school sanctioned the new chess club.
hiatus (noun.)	a pause or break in activity · Synonym: break · e.g. The band went on hiatus for two years.
incendiary (adj.)	likely to stir up anger or conflict · Synonym: inflammatory · e.g. The incendiary editorial sparked angry letters from readers.
indelible (adj.)	impossible to erase or forget · Synonym: permanent · e.g. The trip left an indelible memory.
stipulate (verb.)	to state as a required condition · Synonym: specify · e.g. The rules stipulate that each team have four players.
indigent (adj.)	very poor; needy · Synonym: needy · e.g. The charity delivers warm meals to indigent seniors each winter.
intrigue (noun.)	secret scheming or plotting · Synonym: scheming · e.g. The novel is full of palace intrigue and secret letters.
subjugate (verb.)	to bring under complete control · Synonym: conquer · e.g. The empire subjugated the neighboring kingdoms.
inherent (adj.)	existing as a natural, basic part · Synonym: built-in · e.g. There are risks inherent in any extreme sport.
inveterate (adj.)	having a long-established habit · Synonym: habitual · e.g. My grandfather is an inveterate storyteller.
labyrinth (noun.)	a complicated maze · Synonym: maze · e.g. We got lost in the labyrinth of hallways.
subvert (verb.)	to undermine or overturn · Synonym: undermine · e.g. The twist ending subverts everything we believed about the hero.
lithe (adj.)	flexible and graceful · Synonym: flexible · e.g. The lithe dancer bent backward until her hands touched the floor.
