Vocabulary Quiz: Didactic and Diffident

negligent = habitually careless, neglectful nascent = in the process of being born or coming into existence nocturnal = relating to or occurring during the night nondescript = lacking a distinctive character

neophyte = someone who is young or inexperienced nomadic = wandering from place to place nonchalant = having a lack of concern, indifference notorious = widely and unfavorably known

nominal = trifling, insignificant noxious = harmful, unwholesome nuance = a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression nurture = to assist in development

implement = to put into effect, to institute implicate = to involve in an incriminating way implicit = understood but not outwardly obvious impregnable = resistant to capture or penetration

impudent = casually rude, insolent impute = to ascribe, blame inane = silly and meaningless inarticulate = incapable of expressing oneself clearly through speech

implicate = Tom was implicated by the evidence suggesting he had supplied guns. inane = Some films are so inane that the psychology of the characters makes no sense. implicit = Such a message was implicit in her instruction to use scholarly sources. impute = The CEO imputed the many typos in the letter to his lazy secretary.

acumen = keen insight acute = sharp, severe adamant = impervious, immovable, unyielding adept = extremely skilled

acute = Arnold could not walk because the pain in his foot was so acute. adept = Tarzan was adept at jumping from tree to tree like a monkey. acrimony = Biff and Trevor could not keep acrimony from overwhelming their friendship after they both fell in love with the lovely Teresa. adhere = to stick to something

acumen = keen insight adamant = unyielding adept = skilled acrimony = bitterness

acumen = Larry was able to figure out problems that took other students hours. adamant = The President remained adamant about his proposal. adept = Tarzan was adept at jumping from tree to tree like a monkey. acrimony = Biff and Trevor could not keep acrimony from overwhelming their friendship after falling in love with Teresa.

Didactic = Intended to instruct Diffident = Shy, quiet, modest Dilatory = Tending to delay Disparage = To criticize or speak ill of

Disgruntled = Upset, not content Disheartened = Feeling a loss of spirit or morale Dirge = A mournful song, especially for a funeral Disavow = To deny knowledge of or responsibility for

Discern = Perceive, detect Discomfit = Thwart, baffle Discordant = Not in harmony with Discrepancy = Difference, failure of things to correspond

Diligent = Showing care in doing one’s work Discursive = Rambling, lacking order Disaffected = Rebellious, resentful of authority Disparate = Sharply differing, containing contrasting elements

Disclose = To reveal, make public Discourage = To thwart, baffle Discretion = The quality of being reserved in speech or action; good judgment Disdain = To regard or treat with haughty contempt

incumbent = one who holds an office indolent = lazy inexorable = incapable of being persuaded or placated innocuous = harmless, inoffensive

infusion = an injection of one substance into another innovate = to do something in an unprecedented way insidious = appealing but imperceptibly harmful, seductive insolent = rude, arrogant, overbearing

inept = unqualified innate = inborn, native, inherent iniquity = wickedness or sin insatiable = incapable of being satisfied

induce = to bring about, stimulate inhibit = to prevent, restrain, stop inoculate = to introduce a microorganism, serum, or vaccine into an organism instigate = to urge, goad

ingenious = clever, resourceful innuendo = an insinuation insipid = dull, boring integral = necessary for completeness

inimical = hostile, enemylike insular = separated and narrow-minded; tight-knit, closed off insolent = rude, arrogant, overbearing insurgent = one who rebels

ineffable = incapable of being expressed through words infamy = notoriety, extreme ill repute interminable = without possibility of end intimation = an indirect suggestion

ingenuous = not devious; innocent and candid inquisitor = one who inquires, especially in a hostile manner interlocutor = someone who participates in a dialogue or conversation intervention = an order of official warning

innate = inborn, native, inherent innocuous = harmless, inoffensive insatiable = incapable of being satisfied insidious = appealing but imperceptibly harmful, seductive

interject = to insert between other things inept = not suitable or capable, unqualified infusion = an injection of one substance into another; the permeation of one substance by another intimation = an indirect suggestion