Norman Schur's 1000 Most Important WordsThis is Norman Schur's list of the 1,000 "most important" words. There are actually 1,019 here because of those that are similarly spelled, opposites of one another, etc. I've gone through and marked with asterisks the ones (*) that I'm somewhat uncomfortable with (177 of these), as in I'd be slightly apprehensive if you challenged me to pinpoint their meaning, and the ones (**) that I'm basically clueless about (26 of these). I feel roughly fluent with the rest. 1.abashed2.*abate3.abdicate4.aberrant5.abominate6.abrasive7.abrogate8.abstemious9.abstinent10.abstruse11.accolade12.acerbic13.acme14.acolyte15.acquiesce16.acrimonious17.acronym18.adage19.admonitory20.adroit21.adulation22.adversity23.*aegis24.affable25.aficionado26.affinity27.aggrandize28.alacrity29.allay30.allegory31.alleviate32.alliteration33.*amanuensis34.ambience35.ambiguous36.ambivalent37.ambulatory38.ameliorate39.amenable40.amenity41.amorous42.amorphous43.anachronism44.anagram45.analogy46.anathema47.ancillary48.animus49.annals50.anomaly51.antecedents52.anthropology53.anthropomorphic54.antic

55.antipathy56.antiquity57.antithesis58.aphorism59.aplomb60.apocalypse61.apocryphal62.apogee63.*apostate64.apotheosis65.appellation66.apposite67.apprehend68.appropriate69.apt70.arbiter71.arcane72.arch73.arduous74.argot75.arid76.Armageddon77.*arrant78.arrogate79.arsenal80.artful81.artless82.ascetic83.asperity84.aspersion85.assiduous86.assuage87.atavistic88.atrophy89.attenuate90.augment91.augur92.auspicious93.autonomous94.*avuncular95.awry96.axiom97.*badinage98.*bailiwick99.*baleful100.banal101.bastion102.*bathos103.behemoth104.beleaguer105.bellicose106.belligerent107.bemused108.bestow109.bibliophile110.bibulous111.*blandishment112.blatant113.bovine114.bravado

115.*brickbat116.*bromide117.brook118.brouhaha119.brusque120.bucolic121.burgeon122.cabal123.cachet124.cacophony125.cadaverous126.*cadge127.cajole128.*callow129.*calumny130.canard131.candor132.canon133.*cant134.cantankerous135.capitulate136.capricious137.*captious138.carnal139.carnivorous140.*carp141.carrion142.castigate143.casuistry144.cataclysm145.catharsis146.*catholic147.caveat148.*cavil149.celibacy150.champion151.charlatan152.*chary153.chasm154.*chicanery155.chide156.chimera157.churlish158.cipher159.circuitous160.circumlocution161.circumspect162.clamorous163.clandestine164.claptrap165.cleave166.clemency167.*cloy168.cogent169.cognizant170.collation171.colloquy172.compendium173.complacent174.*complaisant

175.complement176.compliant177.concomitant178.concrete179.conduit180.congenital181.consensus182.consortium183.consummate184.contentious185.context186.contiguous187.contretemps188.contrite189.*contumacious190.conundrum191.co-opt192.copious193.corollary194.corporeal195.correlate196.*coruscate197.*cosset198.coterie199.craven200.*craw201.credible202.creditable203.credulous204.crestfallen205.culpable206.curmudgeon207.cursory208.curt209.*cynosure210.dalliance211.*daub212.dauntless213.dearth214.debacle215.debase216.debilitate217.debunk218.decimate219.declasse220.decorous221.decorum222.decry223.deduce224.deem225.deferential226.definitive227.delectation228.deleterious229.demonic230.denigrate231.denizen232.deprecate233.*deracinate234.derelict

235.deride236.derisive237.derogatory238.*descry239.desecrate240.desiccate241.*desuetude242.desultory243.detrimental244.*detritus245.dexterous246.dextrous247.diaphanous248.diatribe249.dichotomy250.didactic251.*diffident252.digress253.dilettante254.diminution255.disaffection256.disconsolate257.discursive258.disdain259.disingenuous260.disparate261.dissemble262.dissertation263.*dissimulate264.dissolute265.distraught266.doff267.dogged268.*doggerel269.dogmatic270.*doleful271.dolt272.don273.dormant274.dossier275.*doughty276.*dour277.*doyen278.draconian279.droll280.dudgeon281.duplicity282.ebullient283.eclectic284.edify285.effective286.effectual287.effectuate288.efficacious289.efficient290.*effrontery291.effulgent292.egregious293.egress294.elegy

295.elicit296.elide297.elucidate298.emblazon299.emend300.emeritus301.emote302.empirical303.emulate304.encomium305.endemic306.enervate307.enigmatic308.enmity309.ennui310.entity311.**enure312.envisage313.ephemeral314.epicure315.epigram316.epitaph317.epithet318.epitome319.equable320.equanimity321.equitable322.equivocal323.errant324.ersatz325.erudite326.eschew327.esoteric328.ethereal329.etymology330.eulogy331.euphemism332.euphonius333.euphoric334.exacerbate335.*excoriate336.excrement337.exculpate338.*execrable339.exegesis340.exemplary341.exhort342.exigency343.exonerate344.exorcise345.*expatiate346.*expiate347.expostulate348.expropriate349.expunge350.extempore351.extenuate352.*extirpate353.extrapolate354.exuberant

355.facet356.facile357.facilitate358.fallacious359.*fallow360.falter361.*farrago362.fatuous363.feasible364.feckless365.fecund366.feisty367.felicitate368.felicitous369.felicity370.*feral371.ferret372.*festoon373.fetid374.foetid375.*fey376.fiasco377.fiat378.fiduciary379.figurative380.finite381.flaccid382.flagellate383.flamboyant384.flatulent385.flay386.fledgling387.flippant388.flout389.foible390.foment391.font392.foray393.*force majeure394.forensic395.formidable396.fortuitous397.founder398.*fractious399.fruition400.*fulminate401.*fulsome402.*furtive403.*fusillade404.*gadfly405.garrulous406.gauche407.generic408.genesis409.genre410.*gentry411.germane412.googol413.*gormandize414.*gossamer

415.grandiloquence416.gratuitous417.gratuity418.**gravamen419.gregarious420.guise421.habituate422.hackneyed423.halcyon424.harbinger425.**harridan426.hedonist427.hegemony428.**hegira429.heinous430.herbivorous431.hermaphrodite432.heterogeneous433.heuristic434.hiatus435.**hie436.*homily437.homogeneous438.honorarium439.hubris440.hyperbole441.hypothesis442.iconoclast443.idyllic444.ignominy445.illicit446.illusory447.imbibe448.*imbroglio449.immemorial450.immutable451.impassive452.impecunious453.impede454.*imperious455.imperturbable456.implacable457.implement458.implicate459.implicit460.imponderable461.importunate462.importune463.impugn464.impute465.inauspicious466.incarnate467.inchoate468.*incipient469.inclement470.incognito471.incongruous472.increment473.incredulous474.*incubus

475.inculcate476.incumbent477.indecorous478.indigenous479.indigent480.indolent481.ineffable482.ineluctable483.ineptitude484.ingenue485.ingenuous486.innate487.innocuous488.innuendo489.inordinate490.*inscrutable491.*insouciant492.insular493.intangible494.integument495.*interdict496.interlocutor497.interpolate498.intractable499.intransigent500.intransigeant501.intrepid502.intuit503.inundate504.*inure505.invective506.inviolable507.inviolate508.*irascible509.issue510.iterate511.*jejune512.jettison513.jingoism514.jocular515.*journeyman516.juxtapose517.karma518.keen519.ken520.kinetic521.kite522.*kitsch523.*knell524.kowtow525.kudos526.**lachrymose527.laconic528.lacuna529.*lagniappe530.*lambent531.lament532.languish533.lascivious534.lassitude

535.latent536.laudatory537.lax538.lay539.lethargic540.leviathan541.lexicon542.*licentious543.*limn544.linchpin545.limpid546.**lissome547.**lissom548.litany549.*lithe550.litigious551.logy552.loquacious553.**lothario554.lugubrious555.lurid556.macrocosm557.maladroit558.malaise559.malapropism560.malfeasance561.malign562.malleable563.*manque564.*martinet565.*masticate566.matriculate567.*maw568.*mawkish569.megalomania570.*melange571.mellifluous572.mendacious573.mendicant574.*mercurial575.meretricious576.messianic577.metamorphosis578.metaphor579.metaphysics580.mete581.miasma582.microcosm583.*mien584.milieu585.militate586.minutiae587.misanthrope588.misapprehension589.misappropriate590.miscreant591.misnomer592.misogyny593.mitigate594.mnemonic

595.modicum596.molt597.morass598.*mordant599.*moribund600.motif601.*mottled602.*mountebank603.**mulct604.mundane605.*munificent606.nadir607.nascent608.nebulous609.nefarious610.nemesis611.neophyte612.nether613.*niggardly614.*niggling615.nihilism616.nirvana617.nomenclature618.non sequitur619.*nostrum620.noxious621.nuance622.nubile623.**nugatory624.obdurate625.obeisance626.obfuscate627.oblivion628.obloquy629.obscurantism630.*obsequies631.obsequious632.*obstreperous633.obtrude634.obtrusive635.obtuse636.obviate637.occlude638.odious639.*offal640.Olympian641.*ombudsman642.omniscient643.omnivorous644.onerous645.onomatopoetic646.*opprobrium647.ordure648.ostensible649.ostentatious650.ostracize651.otiose652.*paean653.palliative654.pallid

655.palpable656.panacea657.panache658.*panegyric659.panoply660.pantheon661.paradox662.paragon663.parameter664.*pariah665.*parlous666.parochial667.paroxysm668.parsimonious669.*parvenu670.pastiche671.pastoral672.patent673.pathological674.pathos675.patrician676.paucity677.peccadillo678.pecuniary679.pedagogue680.pedant681.pedestrian682.pejorative683.penchant684.penultimate685.*penurious686.**peregrination687.*peremptory688.*perfidious689.perfunctory690.peripatetic691.peripheral692.pernicious693.*peroration694.perquisite695.*persiflage696.persona697.perspicacious698.peruse699.pervasive700.petulant701.philistine702.phlegmatic703.*piquant704.pithy705.placate706.placebo707.placid708.plaintive709.*plangent710.platitude711.*plaudits712.plethora713.poignant714.polemic

715.polyglot716.ponderous717.pontificate718.portend719.portmanteau720.postulate721.potpourri722.*potter723.pragmatic724.**prate725.*prattle726.precipitate727.precipitous728.precursor729.predilection730.*preen731.prehensile732.presage733.prescience734.presentiment735.*prestidigitator736.**prevaricate737.*priapic738.*primogeniture739.primordial740.privation741.privy742.*probity743.proclivity744.procreate745.prodigal746.prodigious747.prodigy748.profane749.profligate750.prognosis751.prognosticate752.proliferate753.prolific754.*prolix755.prone756.propensity757.prophylactic758.*propinquity759.*propitiate760.*propitious761.proprietary762.prosaic763.proselytize764.*protean765.protracted766.proviso767.prowess768.prurient769.*puckish770.puerile771.pugnacious772.**pulchritude773.*pummel774.*punctilious

775.pundit776.**purgative777.*purloin778.*pusillanimous779.putative780.quaff781.quagmire782.quail783.qualm784.quandary785.*quarry786.quash787.**quaver788.**quay789.*quell790.*querulous791.query792.queue793.quiescent794.quintessence795.quixotic796.quizzical797.*raconteur798.**raffish799.*rake800.rambunctious801.*rancor802.rankle803.rapacious804.rapt805.recalcitrant806.recant807.recapitulate808.recidivism809.reclusive810.recondite811.reconnoiter812.rectify813.rectitude814.redolent815.redoubtable816.redress817.*refractory818.*refulgent819.*regale820.rejoinder821.remand822.*remonstrate823.renegade824.renege825.repartee826.repertoire827.replete828.reprehensible829.reprobate830.reprove831.resolute832.reticent833.retrograde834.retrogress

835.retrospective836.rhetoric837.ribald838.rife839.rigors840.*riposte841.*risible842.**roue843.**rubicund844.*rue845.ruminate846.sacrosanct847.sagacity848.salacious849.salient850.salubrious851.salutary852.salvo853.sanctify854.sanctimonious855.sang-froid856.sanguine857.*sapient858.sardonic859.sartorial860.**saturnine861.savoir-faire862.savor863.saw864.*scabrous865.schism866.**scion867.score868.scourge869.scurrilous870.*scuttle871.*seamy872.secular873.seminal874.sententious875.sentient876.septic877.sequel878.sequester879.serendipity880.*serpentine881.servile882.shibboleth883.*sibilant884.simile885.simulate886.*sinecure887.*sinuous888.skeptic889.sceptic890.skittish891.slake892.slew893.*slue894.smug

895.*sobriquet896.sodden897.solecism898.soliloquy899.solipsism900.sop901.*sophism902.sophomore903.soporific904.*soupcon905.spate906.spleen907.sporadic908.spurious909.squalid910.**stentorian911.stolid912.strident913.stultify914.sublimate915.*sub rosa916.succor917.succubus918.succulent919.succumb920.sully921.supercilious922.supine923.supplicate924.surfeit925.surmise926.surreptitious927.*sybarite928.sycophant929.**sylph930.symbiosis931.syntax932.synthesis933.tacit934.taciturn935.tactile936.tangential937.tangible938.tautology939.tawdry940.tedious941.*temerity942.temporal943.tendentious944.tenet945.tenuous946.terse947.testy948.*timorous949.*titular950.*toady951.torpid952.tortuous953.traduce954.transcend

955.travesty956.*tremulous957.*trenchant958.trepidation959.*truculent960.truism961.truncate962.turgid963.*tyro964.ubiquitous965.*umbrage966.unconscionable967.*unctuous968.unfathomable969.unflagging970.unmitigated971.*unpropitious972.unseemly973.unsullied974.untenable975.*untrammeled976.*uxorious977.vacillate978.vacuous979.vagary980.vapid981.variegated982.vehement983.*venal984.veneer985.venerate986.venial987.veracious988.verisimilitude989.veritable990.vertigo991.vicissitude992.vignette993.vilify994.**virago995.virtuoso996.virulent997.visage998.visceral999.vitriolic1000.vituperative1001.vociferous1002.voluble1003.voracious1004.votary1005.votive1006.waft1007.wag1008.wanton1009.waspish1010.*welter1011.winnow1012.winsome1013.wizened1014.*wont

1015.wry1016.xenophobia1017.*yen1018.zealot1019.zenith