Glossary of Words PDF

Abject---Abject is often used to describe negative things and heighten the negativity. You might see loneliness, poverty, or sadness described as being abject. It describes the highest level of loneliness, poverty, or sadness a person could reach. Example sentence: Having lost his wife to the bu...

Abject---Abject is often used to describe negative things and heighten the negativity. You might see loneliness, poverty, or sadness described as being abject. It describes the highest level of loneliness, poverty, or sadness a person could reach. Example sentence: Having lost his wife to the bubonic plague, the young man fell into abject sadness that did not lift until life provided him with a new companion some 25 years later. Abode---Put simply, an abode is a place where people live. It could be anything from a house, to a cave, to an apartment, to a van. If humans take shelter there, it can be called an abode. Example sentence: "Welcome to my humble abode," said the nomad, as he lifted a flap to allow me entrance to his colorfully furnished canvas home. Abstract---When something is abstract, it isn't concrete or tangible. It might exist as an idea only (the concept of gravity is abstract), or it might be something that you can touch but that represents ideas or feelings (like abstract art, which is art that does not depict real items). Example sentence: She soon realized that while they often had long talks about the future, they were not concrete discussions. Rather, he discussed the future abstractly, as something he couldn't really see. Acknowledge---To acknowledge someone or something is to notice it and make sure it knows that it has been noticed. If a student raises her hand during a lecture, a teacher may nod toward the student to acknowledge the student. That is, the head nod says, "I see you have your hand raised. Just a moment while I finish up my thought." Example sentence: After training longer and harder than any of his teammates, the new tennis player was proud to receive the "most improved" award as an acknowledgement of all his hard work. Adapt---To adapt is to change to fit the situation. If a fish is switched to a new tank, it may need a few days to adapt before going back to its more normal patterns of existence. Example sentence: The sudden change of rules was very upsetting for the mock trial team, but soon they were hard at work adapting their strategy in order to best take advantage of the new situation. Admonition---An admonition is the noun form of the word admonish. Therefore, an admonition is the scolding you might receive if you have done something wrong. Example sentence: Having been caught with her hand in the cookie jar, the little girl hung her head and waited for the admonition she was sure she would receive from her parent. Affluent---To be affluent is to be very well off financially. Example sentence: Having grown up in an affluent home, John Smith was well accustomed to all the luxuries and sophistication of upper-class life. Agitate---To agitate means to work up or disturb. The big post that is sometimes in the middle of a clothes washing machine is called an agitator because it helps work the soap into a lather. You might also agitate a human or animal by annoying them or frustrating them until they become all worked up. Example sentence: As the baby's cries grew louder and louder, the other theatergoers became more and more agitated until someone was finally so fed up that he asked the parents to take the baby outside. Aggrandize---If you notice the word grand in aggrandize, it may help you remember how this word is used. Generally, to aggrandize something is to make it grander; oftentimes people mentally aggrandize and think of things as grander than they really are. Example sentence: Since they lived in different states, the young couple had spent a lot of time apart. When they finally saw each other again, they realized that they had each aggrandized the other, and were disappointed in the real person in front of them. Aggregate---When discussing the aggregate (as a noun), you're talking about the whole, not the parts. Aggregate can also be a verb in which you build up the parts to create a whole. Example sentence: I've been very busy at work since my superior asked that I aggregate all the available data on consumer habits and present it as a complete report to the CEO. Alternation---Alternating is simply taking turns. For example, you and your sibling might alternate doing the dishes so that no one has to do them two nights in a row. Alternation, then, is simply the noun form of the verb alternate. Example sentence: The alternation of quarterbacks from one play to the next confused the opposing team and caused them to misread several plays, leading to our team scoring a touchdown. Amicable---To be amicable with other people means to get along with them. It is a warm word often used to describe friendly, but not overly friendly, relationships with coworkers, neighbors, and other acquaintances. Example sentence: After the hubbub from the move settled down, the roommates forged an amicable relationship. While never becoming close friends, they were more than happy to bring in the other's mail and to live in relative peace and harmony. Analogous---When two things are analogous to each other, they can be compared to one another. Often, this comparison will help clarify something about one of the things being compared. Think of the word analogy when thinking about what analogous means. Example sentence: Finding my missing phone was analogous to trying to find a needle in a haystack---it was pretty hopeless. Analogy---An analogy is a comparison between two items using like or as. Example analogy: The young boy's jealousy grew inside him like a little green monster, waiting to escape. Anomaly---An anomaly is something strange or out of the usual pattern of things. If, for example, a very kind and sweet classmate lost their temper just one time, you might call that occurrence an anomaly. Example sentence: The scientist assured the worried townspeople that the strange lights at night were merely a meteorological anomaly and not the signals of arriving aliens. Antipathy---If you were to hate someone's guts, you might say you felt antipathy toward them. It is a very negative feeling toward another person or thing. Example sentence: While he loved his wife very much, he felt nothing but antipathy toward his in-laws, which put a definite strain on their marriage. Apparition---Apparition sounds like the word appear. An apparition is something that suddenly appears. Oftentimes, ghosts and other supernatural phenomena will be described as being apparitions. Example sentence: The youth quaked as they heard a strange sound; they should have never broken into the abandoned house, which was full of apparitions. Arbitrary---This word can usually be replaced with the word random. Example sentence: The seating chart had previously been arbitrary, but the teacher had to be more deliberate in assigning seats during the second quarter so as to prevent cheating. Ascertain---To ascertain something is to find it out or confirm it. For example, the police may hold a person for a certain amount of time while they try to ascertain the details of the crime committed. Example sentence: The town waited with bated breath as the counters worked to ascertain the winner of the mayoral election. Aspire---If someone were to tell you to "aspire to higher things," it might be interpreted as "dream big." Aspiring means working toward a lofty goal. Example sentence: Though I'm only a yellow belt at the moment, I aspire to be a black belt in a few years. Autocratic---An autocrat is someone in charge who has all the power. The czars in Russia, for example, were autocrats. There was no governmental power outside of them. Autocratic, then, is the adjectival form of autocrat--- it can be used to describe someone who is acting like an autocrat. Example sentence: Mrs. Nafziger is a very strict teacher and is quite autocratic in the way she runs her history classes. Automated---Think about the word automatic. Automated means something has been changed to make it now automatic where as previously it was not. For example, a dishwasher would automate the dishwashing process. Example sentence: The factory workers were very concerned about losing their jobs as more and more tasks around the plant were automated. Beget---When you beget something, it means you take steps to bring that thing into existence. It can also refer to an action that leads to something. You might say that if you pass around a petition to bring chicken nuggets back to the cafeteria, you are trying to beget change. (Don't mess this word up with the similar-sounding word baguette, which is a long, thin loaf of French bread). Example sentence: Planting seeds in the spring is the only way to beget a harvest in the fall. Benevolent---To be benevolent is to be kind. Quite often, this word is used to describe elderly people who are willing to give away all they have and charities that work to better people's lives by giving. Example sentence: When hard times hit the community, many people turned to the benevolent philanthropist who live just outside of town. It was well known that he would help everyone he could. Bestow---To bestow something is to give it to someone. This is often use when giving titles and other honors. Example sentence: After his heroic actions on the battlefield left him with grave injuries, the government bestowed upon the soldier the Purple Heart medal. 25 Biological---Biology is the study of life; biological is describing something related to the study of life or related to life itself. For example, if you are infected with bacteria, you could call how your body reacts a biological response. Example sentence: When I broke my leg, my doctor explained the biological process my body would go through to bring about healing; it was really neat to learn! Calibrate---To calibrate something is to adjust it so that it runs the way it should. This is especially applicable to machines that have readouts. If your car's speedometer tells you that you're going 30 miles per hour when you're really going 55 miles per hour, then you need to have your speedometer calibrated. Example sentence: The old oven was in bad shape. When we set it to 350, it only reached 200. We called a repair person to calibrate the dial, and that fixed the problem. Calisthenics---Calisthenics are a type of exercise that rely on body weight. They include push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and other simple movements that require no equipment. Example sentence: While the elderly man was far past the point in life where he could lift heavy weights, he still stuck to the daily calisthenics routine that he had in the Army some 50 years earlier. Capacity---The capacity of something is a measure of its ability. A room has a maximum capacity, which says how many people can be in that room. A car may have the capacity to go 150 miles per hour. A person could have the capacity to handle a difficult situation. Example sentence: What the president was asking the man to do was far beyond his capacity; he would need to request backup. Celestial---When something is celestial, it has to do with outer space. Example sentence: When studying astronomy, it is helpful to have a celestial map for reference. Censure---To censure someone is to give them a formal reprimand. Quite often, governments hand out censures to their members for having done something wrong, but not necessarily illegal. Example sentence: The young representative received a censure after his foolish and dangerous antics were published by a respectable newspaper. Circulation---Circulation is quite often thought of in relation to blood moving through the body, but it can refer to anything moving back and forth or around in a predictable pattern. Example sentence: The circulation of rumors can be quite detrimental to a person's reputation. Coerce---To coerce someone is to get them to do something by threat of force. Example sentence: When asking nicely fails to work, bad people often turn to coercion to get what they want. Cognition---Cognition is the ability to understand something. When people get older and develop dementia, quite often their cognition is negatively impacted. Example sentence: Getting plenty of sleep is instrumental in increasing one's cognition. Colloquial---The word colloquial almost always describes language. Colloquial language is everyday language. In English, for example, you probably use a lot of colloquial language with your friends, but likely speak a bit more properly to teachers and other adults. Example sentence: When my turn came to speak to the foreign dignitary, I did my best to speak formally and avoid using colloquial language. Commercial---Commercial has to do with the buying and selling of goods. For example, if you begin a commercial enterprise, you are likely setting out to go into business to buy, sell, create, or distribute goods. Example sentence: Many companies now use overnight delivery to get their commercial goods to the customers who have ordered them. Complementary---When something is complementary, it goes well with the thing around it. Example sentence: Milk and cookies are complementary foods that I greatly enjoy eating simultaneously. Complimentary---Something that is provided free of charge. Also, a compliment is a nice thing to say about someone. Example sentence: Compliments about your excellent work cost the teacher nothing---they are complimentary. Conflate---Oftentimes, we are warned not to conflate things. This means we need to keep the two things separate and not assume that they are the same idea. For example, in history class you may conflate the feminist movement and the suffragette movement. While they have some similarities, they aren't the same thing. Example sentence: Be careful not to conflate infatuation and love. That is a surefire way to end up with a broken heart. Conjure---To conjure is to bring something up. When telling a scary story, you may conjure up images that are terrifying to the listeners. Example sentence: If a small child demands candy when you have none, you might reply, "I'm afraid I can't conjure up sweets out of thin air just because you want them." Consensus---When everyone agrees, there is a consensus. Example sentence: In government, rarely is there a consensus. Rather, there are a multitude of opinions vying to be heard. Consequence---Consequences are the results of an action taken. There can be positive consequences, but more often this word is used to indicate a negative result or a punishment for negative actions. Example sentence: If you fail to show up at practice, the consequence is that you don't get to play. Conservator---A conservator is a person whose job it is to conserve or preserve something. This word could also be used to just mean a general guardian. Example sentence: The art collection had a marvelous conservator who did all she could to ensure that the art would be enjoyed for many generations to come. Constitution---We are likely all familiar with the governmental term constitution. But this word can also apply to someone's bodily health or how something is put together. Any of those three meanings could pop up on the SAT. Example sentences: Since the constitution of the carriage was not very sturdy, a delegate was involved in an accident on his way to the Constitutional Convention. Luckily, the delegate had a strong personal constitution, and he recovered easily in just a few days. Contingent---When something is contingent, it is relying on other factors to come to be. An outdoor field trip, for example, might be contingent on the weather. Example sentence: I am planning on traveling to the capital to watch the soccer team play for the state title. That is contingent, of course, on us winning this last playoff game. Conventional---When something is conventional, it follows the traditional rules that are set up. For example, a bride wearing white is very conventional while a bride wearing bright red would be unconventional. Example sentence: My family tends to be very conventional at Thanksgiving. We always eat a turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a few side dishes, and then we have pumpkin pie for dessert. Convey---To convey something is to get it across. You could convey a tin of cookies safely from your grandmother to your mother. If you are an effective public speaker, you can convey ideas from your mind to the minds of others. Example sentence: Try as he might, the student teacher continually failed to convey his expectations to the class. This resulted in a rather disorderly classroom experience. Convoke---Generally, the word convoke means to call a meeting. Example sentence: Convoke the leaders of the nations; we must come together or we shall surely perish. Convulsion---To convulse is a physical movement. Think of a person having a seizure---all of their muscles are convulsing. They are therefore having convulsions. Example sentence: The audience stared in amazement as the snake charmer's snake exited the basket, its body racked with convulsions as it heard the mesmerizing music. Cooperatively---You likely know the word cooperate. Cooperatively just means working in a cooperative manner. Example sentence: During times of international crisis, it is best for governments to work cooperatively with one another. 50 Cultivate---To cultivate something is to bring it up or to try to make it grow or exist. Farmers cultivate crops. Your teachers try to cultivate in you a love of learning. Example sentence: Holidays like the 4th of July, Labor Day, and Memorial Day all have a side effect of cultivating a sense of patriotism in the population. Dawdle---To dawdle is to lag behind. Example sentence: "Don't dawdle or you'll miss the school bus," the grandfather called, as he turned around to see what was taking his grandchild so long. Decipher---To decipher something is to figure it out. A spy might decipher a special code, for instance. Example sentence: The store clerk looked puzzled as he tried to decipher why the customer in front of him was so upset. Deficient---When something is deficient, it isn't enough; it is lacking something. In the winter, people are often vitamin D deficient due to spending too much time indoors. Example sentence: The young man, while highly educated, had no work ethic. Due to this deficiency, he was nearly unemployable. Degrade---To degrade is to break something down slowly over time. Example sentence: While the engine was still sound, the body of the car had degraded to the point where it was no longer safe to drive. Demur---To demur is to politely say no to something or avoid it. Example sentence: When offered a second helping of food, the man politely demurred since he already felt full. Desolation---Desolation is total abandonment, emptiness, and destruction. Desolation occurs when everything of value and everything alive is destroyed. Example sentence: War seemed more imminent each day, and families quickly began fleeing the city, worried at what seemed to be the certain desolation to come. Despoil---Despoil is related to the phrase the spoils of war. The spoils of war are the things that invaders would take from the inhabitants upon victory. Pretty much anything of worth would be looted or plundered. To despoil is the act of taking away anything of value. Example sentence: The greedy criminals broke into the historic mansion to despoil it. Deter---To deter someone is to stop them from doing something. Example sentence: The would-be bank robbers were deterred when they saw that security had been increased dramatically. Disenfranchise---To disenfranchise is to take away someone's right to vote, or prevent them from using it. Example sentence: For most of human history, women were disenfranchised. Disparity---A disparity is an inequality or a difference between two things. For instance, there may be a disparity between the posted rules in a classroom and the rules that are actually enforced. Example sentence: Small children are quick to point out any disparity between the dessert they receive and the dessert their brother or sister receives. Disseminate---To disseminate is to pass out or to ensure the spread of something (quite often information). Example sentence: At the end of the security meeting, the participants were asked not to disseminate the knowledge that they had acquired, since doing so could put people in harm's way. Dissimilar---Things that are dissimilar are not the same (not similar). Example sentence: While they had grown up in the same house, at the same time, with the same parents, the twins were quite dissimilar. Diverge---When two things move apart, they diverge. (This is the opposite of when two things come together, which is when they converge.) Example sentence: Quite often, when students graduate, they diverge from their friends and move on with life. Doctrine---A doctrine is a sincerely held belief, often of the religious variety, but also political or other beliefs as well. Example sentence: Some people do not stand for the pledge as it goes against their religious doctrine---this is their right under the First Amendment. Doldrums---The word doldrums is often used to describe a time in which nothing happens. It is also used in sailing to describe an area of water that is not moving in which a sail boat would be trapped. Doldrums are never a good thing and can sometimes even be used to describe depression, boredom, and other negative mental states. Example sentence: After his breakup, he entered a period of doldrums which lasted for several weeks. Domestic---When something is described as domestic, it is related to the home. If someone hires domestic help, they are likely hiring someone to help take care of their house or something in it. It could be a gardener, maid, or cook. Example sentence: Compared to the other families of 1900, their marriage was unconventional, with her working and bringing home a paycheck while he stayed home and attended to domestic matters. Dominion---Dominion is control or authority over someone or something. Example sentence: The king frequently exercised his dominion over the serfs to extract more and more work from them in less and less time. Dubious---To be dubious is to be doubtful and uncertain. Example sentence: While my friend was eager to explore the cave, I was much more dubious about doing so. Earnest---When someone is earnest, they are showing that they are serious. They really believe what they are saying and they find it important that you understand that. Example sentence: The young man spoke earnestly as he told her of his feelings and tried to convince her to accept his proposal. Eddy---An eddy is when water or air moves swiftly in a circular motion. Example sentence: The boat, caught in a persistent eddy, appeared to be lost forever. Effectual---The word effectual means that the desired result has been achieved through that action. Example sentence: I have found that asking for help is far more effectual than simply waiting for someone to offer. Efficacy---The efficacy of something is how effective that thing is. Example sentence: The efficacy of the treatment came into question when the wound became infected instead of healing. Efficient---When something is efficient, it is done in the most direct way possible using the least amount of time and resources to get the best result. Example sentence: Jennifer completed her errands quite efficiently and was back at home just an hour after she had left. Embellish---To embellish is to add details or flair to something---either verbally or physically. Example sentence: The seamstress told embellished tales of her youth while embellishing the wedding dress with thousands of tiny pearl beads. 75 Emit---Emit means to give off. Example sentence: After having been sprayed by a skunk, the puppy emitted a horrid smell for several days to come. Empathize---When you empathize with someone, you feel what they're feeling. You might empathize with a friend who had a terrible grade on a test, or with a family who needs some help getting enough food for a holiday meal. Example sentence: The storm damage to the home caused an outpouring of support from their neighbors, who empathized with the now-struggling family. Endearing---When people are endearing, they create warm feelings toward themselves. A person may have an endearing smile that makes you like them and feel kindly toward them. Example sentence: When I joined my new school, I was seated next to a small girl with pigtails. She had the most endearing personality and we were soon great friends. Endeavor---To endeavor is to try something. It can also be used as a noun, meaning "a try." Example sentence: Once the rain stops, we will endeavor to get the garden planted. Endow---To endow is to give. Quite often, this term is used to describe massive donations given to charities upon the death of a wealthy person. It can also talk about rights given to people just because of their birth or citizenship. Example sentence: (From the Declaration of Independence) "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Enhance---To enhance something is to make it better or clearer. An umbrella enhances your experience of walking in the rain. Prescription glasses enhance your eyesight. Example sentence: The coach added a few trick plays to the book in order to enhance our chances of success. Enterprise---When you set out to do something, the process of doing it is an enterprise. This word often refers to big or difficult tasks. Think about the starship Enterprise from Star Trek---it has a very difficult mission: "To explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before." Example sentence: The process of building and moving to a whole new school in just a year was quite a difficult enterprise; however, the school board was committed to it as it was seen as the best option for the students' education. Entice---To entice someone is to convince them to do something through the promise of reward (as opposed to coerce, which is through promise of harm). A cat can be enticed to come out from under the bed with a treat. Example sentence: When the workers dragged their feet getting a project done, the manager enticed them to finish by promising an extra vacation day to whomever completed their portion first. Entrenched---To be entrenched means to be dug in, to refuse to move, especially when it comes to thoughts and ideas. Think about how armies use trenches. They dig trenches, and then they can't easily move from the trenches without risking harm. The word entrenched comes from that idea. Example sentence: Some people believe that debates are essentially useless since both parties often begin the debate already so entrenched in their ideas that they won't even listen to the other debater. Ephemeral---Something ephemeral is very short-lived. It is fleeting and quickly gone. Example sentence: The rainbow---one of the most beautiful natural phenomena---is quite ephemeral and generally disappears within just a few short minutes. Evince---Evince is generally a verb meaning to show one's feelings. Example sentence: The actions of the government as it tries and fails to help time and again evince anger and frustration. Expenditure---An expenditure is a spending of money or other resources. Example sentence: Buying all new china was an extravagant expenditure, but the noble felt it was necessary since he would be entertaining a duchess. Explanatory---When something is explanatory, it explains something. Example sentence: Quite often, students skip over explanatory examples and jump straight to the work; this is generally a mistake. Extensive---When something is extensive, it is widespread or far-reaching. You might also say it is thorough. Example sentence: Due to extensive cheating, the teacher shredded the tests and instead made each student meet with her for an oral examination of their knowledge. Feature---A feature is a part of an item that is designed for a specific use. One feature of my car, for example, is a stereo system. Example sentence: I was excited to check out all of the new features on my phone upgrade. Feeble---To be feeble is to be weak. Example sentence: The feeble elderly couple often needed their neighbors' help with the landscaping. Fetter---To fetter is to hold someone or something back from what they want to do or accomplish. Example sentence: While I love my parents, living under their rules often leaves me feeling fettered. Finite---Finite is the opposite of infinite. When something is finite, it has a definitive beginning and ending. Example sentence: The fact that the movie was finite saddened me---I wished it could go on and on forever. Fiscal---When people describe things as fiscal (like the fiscal year), they are talking about money and the economy. Example sentence: Because of excessive spending, the business was experiencing fiscal difficulties that threatened to bankrupt it. Florid---Generally describing a person's face, this adjective means red or flushed. Example sentence: Having run the 5K in brutal heat, the athlete rested with his florid face cradled in his hands. Former---Former refers to the one before or in the past. The former president used to be the president, for example. If I give you two options and you choose the former, then you have chosen the first one that was given. Example sentence: I was shocked when the former mayor of my town was revealed to be in the middle of a scandal, which plunged the town into a fiscal crisis. Forum---A forum is a location or a meeting where people can talk about their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. Example sentence: The teacher rearranged the desks into a circle to facilitate discussion and turn the classroom into a forum on governmental improvements. Frantic---Frantic could also be expressed as desperate. When you are frantic about something, there is urgency to do all you can as you try to solve the problem. Example sentence: The dog wandered off during the picnic, triggering a frantic search by all the family members. Frequent---Frequent simply means often. When something happens frequently, it happens all the time. Example sentence: His frequent tardiness led to a Saturday detention. Fundamental---Fundamentals are basics. The fundamentals of reading would be learning the alphabet and phonics. The fundamentals of baseball are throwing, catching, and hitting. Example sentence: After many in the class failed the math test because they weren't allowed to use calculators, the teacher made them return to fundamentals and practice adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing by hand. 100 Germinate---To germinate something is to take something with potential and make it start to grow. Quite often this term is used with seeds. Example sentence: Part of the preschool's mission statement is "to germinate active and curious minds." Glom---To glom is to attach to something (often in a blob-like manner). Example sentence: Even despite continual cleaning, the boat was still covered in barnacles, which had glommed on to the hull. Glut---A glut is a ridiculous abundance of something. It's having so much of something you don't even know what to do with it. Example sentence: When the flood waters receded, there was a glut of carp left behind, flopping on the streets. The townspeople ate like kings that night and celebrated the day every year after with a Carp Festival. Grievance---A grievance is a complaint. Think of it as something you would grieve over---something that makes you sad. Example sentence: After the salesperson was seen taking a picture of my credit card, I felt it necessary to lodge a grievance against him as he was probably planning on stealing my identity. Haggle---Haggling is the process two people go through as they exchange offers back and forth while trying to make a deal. Example sentence: One reason I like garage sales so much is the opportunity to haggle with the seller and try to secure a better deal. Ignominious---Something that is ignominious is undignified---it will likely cause the person experiencing it to feel shame or embarrassment. Example sentence: My brother pulled the chair out from under me, causing me to sprawl on the ground in a very ignominious position. Illegible---When something is illegible, it is unable to be read or understood. Example sentence: With the prevalence of typing these days, many people have illegible handwriting due to lack of practice. Immured---When someone is immured, they are held against their will in some way, often enclosed. Example sentence: The young man felt trapped in the relationship, immured by his desire not to hurt her feelings. Impel---To impel is to push or force someone to do something in some way. Example sentence: Impelled by the fear of loneliness, many people resort to blind dates to try to find a companion. Inapplicable---When something doesn't apply in a given situation, it is inapplicable. For example, you may have the quadratic equation memorized, which is great; however, that equation is inapplicable to many non-quadratic math problems. Example sentence: While she had many skills, most of them were inapplicable to the current crisis; she would have to call for help. Incomprehensible---Something that is incomprehensible is unable to be comprehended or understood. Example sentence: The student's illegible handwriting and incomprehensible train of thought resulted in a very low grade on the essay. Incontestable---Incontestable means unable to be contested. In other words, you can't dispute it or go against it. Example sentence: The results of the election were incontestable; the candidate won by a landslide. Incorporate---To incorporate is to fully include something. For example, you might incorporate an explanation of climate change into a paper on Antarctica. Example sentence: The leader was harshly criticized when the press found out that he had failed to incorporate any women into the task force on family and children's rights. Incredulous---When you're incredulous of something, you don't really believe it, or you have doubts about it. Example sentence: The child looked at her friend incredulously when she tried to convince her that the monster was, in fact, not real. Indifference---Indifference is that feeling of not feeling strongly about something one way or the other. You might feel indifference toward which teacher you get, or what you have for lunch, or any number of things. Example sentence: Indifference is a dangerous emotion as it can lead to people drifting through life and never taking any risks or making any big decisions. Indistinguishable---When two things are indistinguishable, they can't be told apart from one another: There are no distinguishing features. Example sentence: Even though their mother could tell them apart, to everyone else the twins were indistinguishable. Ineffective---When something is ineffective, it doesn't work. It doesn't have the effect it should. Example sentence: Flushing ice cubes down the toilet is an ineffective strategy that kids try to ensure a snow day the next morning. Inefficacious---This is pretty much the same as the previous word. Inefficacious just means not having the desired effect. Example sentence: Studying can be inefficacious if you don't make sure to get rid of all distractions before beginning. Inexorable---Inexorable is kind of like inevitable. It can't be avoided or stopped---it will occur no matter what. Example sentence: The clock had been ticking constantly for the entire winter, counting out the inexorable passage of time. Ingenious---For some reason, ingenious and genius mean the same thing. Example sentence: The pirate queen was known for her ingenious plots to capture other ships. Innumerable---When something is innumerable, it is unable to be counted. You'll notice num hidden away---this is also the root of the word number. Example sentence: The grains of sand on the beach are truly innumerable. Institution---An institution is an organization that has been created to fulfill a purpose (generally for the greater good). For example, governments, churches, and schools can all be examples of institutions. Generally, institutions are thought of as permanent or nearly impossible to get rid of. Example sentence: Between churches, schools, and my mom's job as our small-town mayor, I often feel like I grew up in institutions. Insurrection---An insurrection is a revolt or an uprising. Example sentence: Though Catherine the Great is revered by Russians, the peasant insurrection during her time as ruler put a damper on her legacy. Integrate---To integrate two or more things is to mix them together. Example sentence: I don't remember the exact date, but at some point in seventh grade, the girls' lunch tables and the boys' lunch tables started to integrate and nothing was ever the same again. Intend---Intend has to do with intentions. It's what you mean to do, not what you actually do. Every new year, many people intend to form new habits; what actually happens is a different story. Example sentence: In the evenings, I always intend to get up early the next morning to increase my productivity. This rarely actually happens. 125 Intermittent---Intermittent just means off and on at a set interval. Example sentence: The stoplight let cars proceed intermittently. Intuitive---When something is intuitive, it is easy to use and figure out without directions. You can go based on your gut feeling and probably get it right. Example sentence: While some people struggle to memorize math facts, other people find numbers to be intuitive and breeze through their classes. Inherent---When something is inherent, it wasn't learned or created; it is naturally occurring. For example, some animals have an inherent fear of predators. You may have an inherent love of the color green or hatred of the smell of tomatoes. Example sentence: As hard as they tried, my neighbors could not train their dog out of his inherent desire to dig holes. Insolent---You might well get in trouble for acting insolent at school. Such behavior shows a general bad attitude, lack of respect, and overall grumpiness. Example sentence: "Wouldn't you like to know," came the insolent reply from the teen when her father asked her why she had returned so late the night before. Intolerable---When something is intolerable, you simply can't put up with (or tolerate) it. Example sentence: "Your behavior is intolerable," her father responded before he grounded her. Invasive---Think of the word invade. When something is invasive, it invades something or goes somewhere it isn't wanted. Example sentence: Family get-togethers are always difficult since my great aunt likes to gossip; she goes around asking everyone highly invasive questions. Inversion---To invert something is to turn it upside down. An inversion is the noun form of that word and means the act of turning upside down. Example sentence: The scariest roller coaster in the park had the fastest speeds, the highest hills, and the most inversions. Irk---When something irks you, it annoys you, but not in a major way. Someone leaving a dirty dish out, taking the middle piece of cake, not using their turn signal in traffic, or failing to do what they promised may irk you. Example sentence: I was very irked when the teacher changed the assignment. While there was still plenty of time before the due date, I had already begun the research and had to change course due to the adjustments. Labyrinth---Quite simply, a labyrinth is a maze. Example sentence: Moving from a small family firm to a giant corporation was a big change, and I often found myself lost in the labyrinth of cubicles. Laden---To be laden is to be weighed down with something physically. A shopping cart might be laden with groceries, for instance. Example sentence: The mailman dreaded the holiday season when his bag became quite cumbersome to carry, laden as it was with packages full of presents. Latter---Latter is the opposite of former. Former is the first thing mentioned, latter is the second or last. Example sentence: I was given the option of either getting out of bed for school or getting grounded, and I foolishly choose the latter, which left me trapped at home over homecoming weekend. Liaison---This is often used to mean a close connection or relationship. It can also mean a person who facilitates understanding between parties. Example sentence: In the office, it was often my job to be a liaison between various parties. Magnitude---The magnitude of something is how big it is. Example sentence: My coworker seemed to have her head buried in the sand and didn't realize the magnitude of losing our biggest client. Malice---Malice (mal at the beginning of the word means bad) is generally used to describe the feeling of one person wishing to do something harmful to another person. Example sentence: It was a long-standing rivalry, and the malice off the field lead to overly aggressive behavior on the field, which resulted in the game being ended at halftime. Malign---To malign someone is to say terrible things about them. Example sentence: After he got a bad grade, he proceeded to malign the teacher to anyone who would listen. Manifest---This can mean a variety of things. As a noun, it is a complete list. As a verb, it means to make appear or to make clear. As an adjective, it means obvious or clear. Example sentence: The passenger manifest manifested to the detective the fact that the sought-after party was not on board the ship. Manipulate---To manipulate something or someone is to change them to your liking. You might manipulate your parent's opinion on where to eat by casually mentioning pizza several times during the day. You might also manipulate clay into the shape of a vase. Example sentence: While many people believe that data don't lie, in reality, data can be heavily manipulated to show just about whatever results are desired. Mantra---A mantra is something that people repeat over and over to themselves in the hopes that it becomes true or as a means toward achieving a goal. Example sentence: In the early days of January, people who appear to be just going about life are silently repeating their mantras in the hopes of fulfilling their New Years' resolutions. Marginalize---This word refers to the action of making something less, often when it shouldn't be. A person's feelings may be marginalized or brushed away as not important. Example sentence: The young girl always felt marginalized when her successful older siblings were around. Meander---To meander is to wander in a non-straight line and with little or no haste or purpose. Example sentence: If I get bored this afternoon, I may meander over to the park to see if anything is going on. Mechanization---Mechanization is when something that used to be done by hand is now done by a machine. Example sentence: Mechanization has caused great concern in the auto industry lately as workers have been laid off and their jobs replaced by robots. Meddle---To meddle is to tamper with something, often human situations or emotions. Example sentence: When my two best friends broke up, I tried to help them fix their relationship, but I only ended up making it worse. As my mom often says, "Meddling does no one any good." Metastasize---When something metastasizes, it is spreading. Example sentence: Luckily, the disease had been found before it metastasized, and so it appeared as if recovery were very likely. Mire---To mire is to stick something down. When someone or something is mired, it can't be freed, but is stuck in a sticky situation either figuratively or literally. Example sentence: I always cry during my favorite childhood book when the horse becomes mired in a bog and must be abandoned so that the quest can be completed. Monotony---Monotony is the same thing over and over again. Example sentence: As the semester progressed, I felt trapped in a scholastic monotony with nothing ever changing, each day exactly the same as the last. 150 Motivation---Motivation is what drives you. It's the feeling inside that makes you start that project, run that extra mile, or take the extra shift. Example sentence: Since motivation was low, the teacher promised extra credit to the first student who turned in an "A"-worthy project. Mundane---Something that is mundane is boring and normal. It's a regular everyday occurrence. Example sentence: Until the fire alarms went off, it had just been a mundane Monday morning. Mutable---Think about the math term permutation. A permutation has to do with all the different ways a set of numbers can be changed and rearranged into different orders. That root word mut generally has to do with change. Mutable describes something that is easy to or likely to change. Other words you might know with this root include mutate and commute. Example sentence: The speaker was worried he would be unable to change the audience's minds, but it turned out they were much more mutable than he had anticipated. Mystify---To mystify just means to confuse. Think about the word mystery with the same root. A mystery is confusing---mystifying someone confuses them. Example sentence: The scientists were mystified at first as to the meaning of the data that they had collected. Net---In describing pay, net pay is what is left after all taxes and fees are removed. In scientific terms, it could be what is left after all other considerations are removed. For example, when you weigh something and you remove the weight of the container, you are left with the net weight of what is in the container. Example sentence: The charity race raised a net total of \$3,500 after the administrative expenses and permit fees were paid out. Notation---You know the word note; what you probably didn't realize is that it's a shortened version of notation. It's something you write to help you remember something or to convey information to another person. Example sentence: By the time I bought the textbook, it had already had several other owners and the margins were filled with notations---some helpful, others decidedly not. Nuance---A nuance is a subtle difference in the meaning or expression of something. Example sentence: While the applicants responded to the question in a similar way, the nuances in their reactions helped the manager make a decision as to who would be a better fit for the job. Null---Null means nothing; it's just another way of saying zero. Example sentence: When the parties pass away, the contract becomes null and void. Obliterate---To obliterate something is to completely and utterly destroy it beyond recognition. Example sentence: The meteor obliterated the forest into which it crashed, scattering debris all over the countryside. Obstinate---Obstinate is just the same as stubborn. It means refusing to give up even when wrong or faced with insurmountable forces against you. Example sentence: Despite pleading, cajoling, and coercing, the young child obstinately refused to get in the bathtub. Oscillate---To oscillate is to move back and forth in a predictable pattern at a set speed. The pendulum in a grandfather clock is a classic example of oscillation. Example sentence: The oscillation of the carnival ride made me sick to my stomach. Onerous---When something is onerous it is difficult to do, usually taking a lot of unpleasant work to complete. Example sentence: As a veterinarian, I often have the onerous task of discussing expensive bills with clients. Panacea---A panacea is a fix-all solution. Example sentence: While most people view love as a panacea, I know from experience that it can't solve all problems. Parasitic---Something that is parasitic attaches to something else and feeds off of it without giving anything back. This might be used to describe an actual parasite (like a tapeworm) or a person like the friend who always borrows money, but never returns it. Example sentence: When one person would get wise to her parasitic ways, she would merely find someone else to leach the homework off of for the next few weeks. Parity---Parity is equalness or being equal. It is the opposite of disparity, which is inequality. Example sentence: Despite the parent's best efforts at parity, one of the children always felt that they had received less attention. Paradox---A paradox is something that contradicts itself or sets up an impossible train of thought that never ends but always circles back on itself. Example sentence: One of the most well-known paradoxes is the statement, "This statement is false." Partake---To partake is the same as to participate. It is often used with food (to partake in a meal is to eat it) but can also be used with any given activity. Example sentence: Even though I always insist I'm not hungry, my grandmother won't let me leave her home without partaking in at least one meal or snack with her and my grandfather. Paternal---To be paternal is to act in a fatherly way. Paternal can also be used to describe things relating to fathers. Example sentence: Even though I barely knew him, the old man acted in quite a paternal way to me and insisted on seeing me home safely when I became lost. Permeate---To permeate is to soak through something, invading and saturating every part of it and leaving nothing untouched. Water permeates things in a flood, and smells permeate rooms and homes. Example sentence: The smell of burned food permeated the kitchen as the family rushed to save their dinner. Permutation---Remember the word mutable from above? Permutation has that same mut syllable indicating it's about change. Permutation has to do with all the different ways a set of items can be arranged in different orders. In how many ways can the order be changed? Example sentence: In math class, the teacher explained permutations to us by making ten students line up in as many different ways as possible; the possibilities seemed endless. Perpetual---Something that is perpetual is never-ending. Example sentence: Life in the Arctic Circle is very difficult in the winter when whole communities are plunged into perpetual darkness for months on end. Perspective---Your perspective is how you see things both literally (different seats in a theater have different perspectives of the stage) and figuratively (you and your parent may have different perspectives on your staying up until 3 A.M.). Example sentence: Since he was the only young person in the office, he was often called into meetings to give a different perspective on various issues. Perturb---To perturb is to disturb, but in an emotional way. A scary book or a strange person may perturb. Example sentence: The teacher was quite perturbed by the actions of the small child, which were very out of character for a four-year-old. Pervading---Pervading or pervade are often used as synonyms for permeate. Something (especially a smell) can be pervading when it permeates an area where it is not welcome. Example sentence: The pervading smell was quite offensive to the students, who quickly jumped to open the windows. Phenomena---Phenomena is the plural of the word phenomenon. A phenomenon is something that is known to exist or occur, the cause of which is often not clear. Planes going down in the Bermuda triangle is a well-known phenomenon. Example sentence: A great crowd gathered to watch the strange phenomenon. 175 Pittance---A pittance is a pitiably small amount: not really enough to do anything with. Example sentence: With her children and husband all gone, the widow somehow managed to live off the pittance given to her by neighborhood charities. Plasticity---The plasticity of something is its ability to change and be molded. Example sentence: The best time to learn a foreign language is when you're young; that's when you still have the most brain plasticity. Plenipotentiary---A plenipotentiary is a person who has been given the authority to act on behalf of their country in foreign countries. Diplomats often act in this role, though true plenipotentiary power is rare. Example sentence: During negotiations with France, Benjamin Franklin acted as a plenipotentiary for the United States. Posterity---Posterity is the future of humankind: all of the people who will come in the future. Example sentence: The collection of American historical artifacts at the museum is being carefully preserved for posterity. Postulate---To postulate is to guess or to present an idea that is not proven. A TV personality may postulate that a certain person will be elected. Example sentence: "Maybe there is a traffic jam," she postulated as she waited for her date who was very late. Potent---Potent means very strong. Not physically, but of a high concentration. A smell or taste, for example, may be very potent. Example sentence: As the potent fumes wafted through the laboratory, the alarms sounded to warn all the scientists to evacuate quickly. Prattle---To prattle is to talk on and on while saying little of value. Example sentence: Faced with an abundance of awkward silences, the young lady prattled endlessly to avoid the quiet. Predecessor---The predecessor to something or someone is what came before. This word is often used to describe a person who held an office or job prior to the current office or job holder. Example sentence: "My predecessor may have allowed talking in class, but I do not," the new teacher informed her students. Preposterous---Something that is preposterous is so ridiculous as to be laughable. Example sentence: The elderly man laughed and said "don't be preposterous," when his grandson suggested that he try the mechanical bull at the fair. Primitive---Something that is primitive is very basic and not technologically advanced. For example, some might see flag signaling as a primitive form of long-distance communication. Example sentence: Primitive computers took up whole buildings and had less computing power than the average flip phone does today. Pristine---Something that is pristine is untouched and perfect. It is completely unmarred in any way. Example sentence: One of my favorite sights is a field of pristine snow, untrampled by any animals or humans. Proliferate---To proliferate is to grow, spread, and reproduce, often at a high rate of speed. Rumors tend to proliferate within schools, as do germs. Example sentence: The weeds proliferated throughout the summer, and he quickly realized that having a pristine garden was impossible. Promulgate---To promulgate an idea is to spread it around. There are a lot of programs, for example, that promulgate anti-bullying messages to students. Example sentence: The man was asked to leave the gathering when he was heard to be promulgating his latest get-rich-quick scheme. Province---A province is a geographical area under a government. Many countries have a province system instead of having states. Example sentence: As a Canadian, I often simply respond with my province when Americans ask what state I'm from. Proxy---A proxy is a substitute. A person standing in for another person can generally be called a proxy. In some situations, formal events like voting, getting married, and signing contracts can be done by proxy. Example sentence: Since the CEO was incredibly busy that day, he had his assistant attend the board meeting to vote as his proxy. Psychological---Things that are psychological have to do with the inner workings of our minds, which affect our feelings, emotions, and actions. Example sentence: The doctor, having run out of tests to perform, came to the conclusion that the symptoms must have psychological causes. Quarrel---To quarrel is to argue with someone. A quarrel is an argument. Example sentence: The young nanny was constantly begging the children not to quarrel. Rapacious---Someone who is rapacious is unable to be satisfied. They are very greedy and always looking to gain more of what they want. Example sentence: The rapacious vultures searched for food all over the meadow. Receptive---A person who is receptive is open to receiving things, quite often ideas. Example sentence: While the student was nervous about asking to take the test again, the teacher was quite receptive to the idea. Redress---Don't get tricked into thinking this word means to get dressed again. Instead, it means to fix or make a situation right where someone has been wronged. Example sentence: The man who had been wrongfully imprisoned sought redress for his grievances. Reluctant---To be reluctant is to act on the feeling of not wanting to do something. If you end up doing the thing, you do it in a manner that shows that you don't want to be doing it. Example sentence: The teacher was reluctant to give up his Saturday to grade papers, but the students had already waited a week, so he sat down with his red pen and got started. Remonstrate---To remonstrate is to object to something strongly or to speak out against something strongly. Example sentence: The principal remonstrated the student's misbehavior. Repression---Repression is the act of holding something down or back, especially ideas and movements. Example sentence: The governmental repression of revolutionary societies became stronger each week. Reverence---Reverence means showing great respect or a deep appreciation for something. Example sentence: When entering the throne room, it is always necessary to show reverence for the king by bowing before him and kissing his ring. Rhetoric---Rhetoric is the way in which people speak and argue to convey their points. Different people may have different styles of rhetoric: They may ask questions, they may use persuasive language, they may yell, they may trick. All of those are types of rhetoric. Example sentence: The country quickly got tired of the candidates' loud rhetorical blustering. 200 Sanction---Sanction is a very interesting word as it has seemingly opposite meanings. Make sure you pay very close attention to the context. Sometimes sanction refers to officially approving or allowing something to happen. The school might sanction a dance, meaning it's officially approved by the administration. However, sanctions can also be negative---a penalty for something done that is bad. Usually the context of negative sanctions is legal; when the word is used in this manner, it often refers to one country placing sanctions on another country for things like human rights violations. Example sentence: "Just know that I do not sanction this event," said the major when the town council voted to have the festival against her wishes. Scuttling---Scuttling is a very specific type of movement. It's moving very quickly with tiny (often not smooth) steps. Think about how crabs may run along a beach---they're almost always scuttling. Example sentence: The pickpocket checked over his shoulder one more time before scuttling down an alley with his ill-gotten gains. Scenario---A scenario is the setup for a work of fiction, a book, movie, or play. It can also be any imagined situation that people put themselves in, such as discussing what could happen in the future or things that should have happened in the past. Example sentence: My English teacher proposed an interesting scenario--- what books would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island? Seamless---Think of a shirt without seams---it's completely smooth and has no breaks in the fabric. When something is seamless, it is very smooth. This word is often used as a synonym for flawless. Example sentence: The director was thrilled when the whole production came together seamlessly. Sentiment---A sentiment is how you feel or what you say about something that has occurred. Example sentence: While he expressed nice sentiments about being sorry, she couldn't bring herself to forgive his mistakes. Sentinel---A sentinel is a soldier whose job it is to keep watch over something. Example sentence: The sentinel rushed to the general with news of invaders. Sequence---A sequence is the order that things are in or the order that they should be in. Example sentence: The librarian got very upset when she found out that her assistant was shelving books in the wrong sequence. Shingled---Something described as shingled would have the same layered look as the shingles on a roof. Example sentence: As odd as it looked, shingled hair was quite popular in the early 2000s. Skeptic---A skeptic is someone who is skeptical, or doubtful, of something. Example sentence: Jack continued to power forward with his extravagant plans, despite the loud voices of his skeptics. Sluggish---When described as sluggish, things are slow or moving like a slug. Example sentence: I'm incredibly sluggish if I don't have any coffee in the morning. Squalid---When described as squalid, things are run down, dirty, and often infested with vermin. This is often the result of war or poverty. Example sentence: Despite her best efforts at fixing and cleaning, the apartment remained at best squalid and at worst unlivable. Squelch---Squelch is an onomatopoeia; the word means the sound it makes. Squelch is the sound that might be made if you tried to pull your foot out of thick mud or if you stepped on a slug. Example sentence: With soaking wet socks and shoes, every step squelched. Stagnate---To stagnate is to stop moving forward. This is generally not physical movement. Example sentence: The project had stagnated, which caused great concern with the management team. Stewardship---A steward is someone who takes care of something. Stewardship, then, is the noun form of the act of taking care of something. Example sentence: As the result of careful stewardship, the manor survived the 50 years of being boarded up with only a bit of dust to tell of the long emptiness. Stupefied---To be stupefied is to be made temporarily stupid. This generally happens if something really sudden or unexpected occurs. Example sentence: After witnessing the last-minute heartbreaking loss, many fans left the stadium with stupefied looks on their faces. Subjugate---To subjugate a person or group of people is to put them under your total control. This is especially applicable in war-time situations when entire populations are conquered and subjugated. Example sentence: The hero rode gallantly into town, determined to free the subjugated people. Subordinate---Someone who is subordinate is lower in status, usually in a workplace. A worker is subordinate to the boss. Example sentence: The hallmark of a good manager is when they treat their subordinates with care, kindness, and fairness. Subsequent---Something that is subsequent comes after something else. For example, my birthday is subsequent to that of my older sibling. Example sentence: After getting a D on the midterm, he resolved to study harder for any subsequent tests. Substantial---When something is substantial, it is not insignificant, but almost the opposite. It is of an important size or amount. Example sentence: The restaurant lost a substantial amount of money when it changed management. Sufficient---When something is described as sufficient, it means that it is enough. Example sentence: While I was doubtful that we'd have enough food to feed everyone, it ended up being a sufficient amount. Supplemental---Something that is supplemental adds something unnecessary, but helpful, to something else. There may be supplemental information at the end of a chapter. A family may pay for a vacation with supplemental income from a part-time job. Example sentence: The supplemental assistance from neighbors helped the family through tough times. Sustenance---Sustenance is what sustains a person. Generally, this is used as a fancy word for food. Example sentence: After having been shipwrecked for months, the sailors craved sustenance other than dried fish and leaves. Swayed---To sway is to move slightly back and forth. However, this term can be used figuratively as well as literally. In an argument, you may have swayed your opponent. They didn't actually move back and forth, but maybe their opinions moved slightly. Example sentence: As the boat swayed, I felt my stomach turn. Symmetric---Something that is symmetric is the same on both sides. For example, if a person has a symmetrical face, then the left and right sides of their face would be identical. Example sentence: By very definition, all circles must be symmetric in all directions. Synthetic---Something that is synthetic is made artificially, not naturally. Example sentence: Clothing made from synthetic material may last longer, but it also tends to breathe less, causing sweat, smells, and acne. 225 Sullen---To be sullen is to be grumpy and unenthusiastic. It is a type of bad mood wherein you do things only under protest. You might think of it as being related to sulking. Example sentence: The sullen young man was often reprimanded by his mother for his bad attitude. Tactile---Something that is tactile has to do with the sense of touch. A tactile sensation, for example, is a sensation of being touched in some way. Example sentence: When I was young, I had a tactile disorder whereby the feeling of grass and other things against my skin caused me great distress. Tangible---Something that is tangible can be seen and touched (as compared to the opposite intangible). Example sentence: The tangible benefit of saving for retirement is obviously the money; the intangible benefit is peace of mind. Tedious---Something that is tedious is repetitive and boring. It takes a long time and doesn't engage the mind. Example sentence: The tedious task of hand stitching clothing is thankfully no longer necessary due to the advent of the sewing machine. Tout---To tout is to aggressively try to sell something, to sing its praises to get someone to buy it. Example sentence: I left quickly when I discovered the so-called party was just an excuse for the hostess to tout her overpriced essential oils. Transaction---When something is a transaction, it has something to do with the purchase or exchange of goods or services. Example sentence: The person she thought was her friend was really just interested in a transactional relationship. Transit---To transit is to move from one place to another. As a noun, transit can also refer to a network of public busses, trains, and streetcars. Example sentence: Since her car had broken down, she found it necessary to take public transit to work for a few weeks. Traipsing---When one is traipsing, they are coming and going or moving in a carefree manner. Example sentence: He finally had to put a stop to the children traipsing in and out of the house with their shoes covered in mud. Tributary---A tributary is a stream or river upstream that feeds into a bigger river. Example sentence: The Ohio River, while large, is just a tributary of the mighty Mississippi River. Ubiquitous---When something is ubiquitous, it is found everywhere. It is common. Example sentence: The flags were ubiquitous in the highly patriotic town. Unassuming---When something or someone is unassuming, they are unthreatening and down to earth. Example sentence: Everyone liked the high school principal. His unassuming nature made him easy to work with. Unrequited---When feelings are unrequited, they are not returned in kind. This word is often used to describe one-sided love. Example sentence: Driven mad by unrequited love, the story's heroine wandered the moors for the rest of her life and haunted her beloved after her death. Unseemly---Something that is unseemly might otherwise be described as inappropriate for the situation. Example sentence: While appropriate for milking cows, overalls are an unseemly choice for a fine French restaurant. Unstinting---Something that is unstinting is given without pause or second thought. Example sentence: My favorite teacher gave me unstinting support in my quest for academic excellence. Unveil---To unveil is to reveal. Think of a bride walking down the aisle wearing her veil and then removing her veil to reveal her face to the groom. Example sentence: The excitement was noticeable as the crowd waited for the mayor to unveil the new city monument. Usurp---To usurp is to overthrow. This word is often used to discuss overthrowing governments and other authorities. Example sentence: It is the duty of several agencies to find and arrest anyone who intends to usurp the government. Validate---To validate something is to say that it is valid, true, or accurate. Quite often, businesses will validate parking. That is, they'll stamp the parking ticket to indicate that the person who parked had a true reason to be there. Example sentence: Though the woman claimed that she owned the house, her words needed to be validated by calling the local public records office. Vantage---Vantage is a spot with a good view to see what needs to be seen. Example sentence: From their vantage point on the second story, they could see the whole parade while staying nice and warm. Verifiable---Something that is verifiable is able to be verified, or proven correct. Facts are generally verifiable while opinions are not. Example sentence: His alibi was not verifiable and so he was left on the list of suspects. Vernacular---The vernacular is the common or slang terms that people in a given community use. Example sentence: While parents might think it's rude or confusing, most students have vernacular terms that they and their friends use frequently. Versatile---Something that is versatile can be used in many different ways. Example sentence: Anytime you go camping you should take a good length of cording. It's a versatile tool that can help in many dangerous situations. Vestigial---Something that is vestigial is a small left-behind part of something much bigger. Example sentence: The one standing hut was the vestigial remains of a once-mighty empire. Virtuous---Something that is virtuous has virtue, or a high sense of morality. Example sentence: The virtuous young people refused to take part in the cheating ring that was quickly growing at their school. Wayside---The wayside is exactly what it sounds like, the side of the road. This term is also often used in a figurative sense. Example sentence: It is often a sad fact of life that when someone begins dating, their friends are pushed to the wayside. Yearning---Yearning is to want something with all your heart. To crave it at the expense of all else. Example sentence: Although the young man liked his hometown, he felt a sense of yearning for international travel.