Vocabulary Study

Affiliated

• Definition: associated or connected.
• Example: After the scandal, a decision was made to not be affiliated with that company any longer.

Ascertain

• Definition: To learn or discover with certainty.
• Example: The police questioned everyone in the area in order to ascertain the cause of accident.

Attainment

• Definition: Arrival at a new stage.
• Example: The teacher gave short, periodic tests to gauge the students’ attainment of knowledge.

Bequeath

• Definition: To leave or give by will after one’s death.
• Example: In the event of death, all cats would be bequeathed to sister Sue.

Cogent

• Definition: Powerfully persuasive.
• Example: After Caesar’s assassination, Mark Antony delivered a cogent speech in an effort to persuade the citizens of Rome.

Converge

• Definition: To come together so as to form a single product.
• Example: When all of group members' ideas converge perfectly it helps produce a solid presentation together.

Disperse

• Definition: To move away from each other.
• Example: When the rain started, the concert crowd dispersed to find shelter.

Esteem

• Definition: The condition of being honored.
• Example: The retired city-councilwoman was held in high esteem by the citizens because of her service to the community.

Expunge

• Definition: Remove by erasing or crossing out.
• Example: It was possible to expunge the crime from a permanent record because of all the positive lifestyle choices made in the past two years.

Finite

• Definition: Bounded or limited.
• Example: Jack and Jill decided to declare a finite ending to the relationship instead of continuing their on-again, off-again routine.

Invulnerable

• Definition: Immune to attack.
• Example: The flu vaccine helped people be invulnerable when the outbreak started.

Malevolent

• Definition: Wishing or appearing to wish evil upon others.
• Example: Maggie’s facade seemed sweet and innocent, but there was awareness of her malevolent intentions underneath.

Nonchalant

• Definition: Cool and confident or unconcerned.
• Example: Being too nonchalant may give the impression that you do not care about the job in an interview.

Omniscient

• Definition: All-knowing.
• Example: The omniscient narrator helped the reader to know the thoughts and feelings of all the characters involved in the story.

Panacea

• Definition: An answer to all problems; a remedy to all ills.
• Example: The law will improve the lives of local farmers, but it's no panacea.

Scrupulous

• Definition: Characterized by extreme care and great effort.
• Example: The scrupulous accountant never leaves the books unbalanced.

Skulk

• Definition: To avoid responsibilities and duties; to keep out of sight.
• Example: The shoplifter attempted to skulk around the mall while holding several pieces of stolen clothing.

Supercilious

• Definition: Arrogant superiority.
• Example: Tom Buchanan’s wide, over-confident stance and his harsh, pompous words reveal his supercilious nature.

Uncanny

• Definition: Beyond what is natural or normal.
• Example: Remembering the uncanny connection felt when they first met so many years ago.

Venial

• Definition: Easily excused or forgotten.
• Example: Most of his behaviors were venial in the moment, but they compounded over time and required the teacher to call his parents.