simplistic (adjective)Variants: simplistically (adverb)Definition: oversimplified; avoiding or

ignoring complexitiesSynonym: unsophisticated, naiveAntonym: sophisticated, complicatedHis simplistic plan for economic improvement

failed to account for foreign investment and the GNP.

incredulous (adjective)Variants: incredulously (adverb);

incredulousness (noun)Definition: unwilling or unable to believe;

showing disbeliefSynonym: skepticalAntonym: credulous, gullibleThe politician’s lavish promises provoked

incredulous responses rather than the admiration he sought.

ascetic (adjective) Variants: ascetically (adverb)Definition: Reflecting self-denial (as in

religious discipline); choosing minimal comforts

Synonyms: austere, SpartanAntonym: self-indulgent, hedonisticHer modest room reflected the ascetic values

she advocated.

vicarious (adjective)vicariously (adverb), vicariousness (noun)Definition: Experienced through someone

else rather than first hand; endured as substitute for someone else; delegated

synonym: second-hand [experience]antonym: actual [experience]Because she loved her son, she found

vicarious pleasure in his tremendous successes.

allocation (noun)Variants: allocate (verb), allocatable (adjective);

allocator (noun)Definition: the act of setting aside for a special

purpose; designationSynonym: allotment, apportionmentAntonym: abandonmentSentence: The mayor insisted the park district

include an allocation of land in order to build a playground.

The mayor insisted the parked district allocate land for a playground.

admonish (transitive verb)Variants: admonishment (noun)Definition: To caution, criticize, or counsel

gently againstSynonym: chastise, reproach, rebukeAntonym: approve, commend, praiseThe anti-tobacco lobbyist admonished the

President for his inability to quit smoking.

presumptuous (adjective)presumptuously (adv.), presumptuousness

(noun)overconfident, excessively forward, taking

too much for grantedSyn: arrogantAnt: humble, modestDarcy’s presumptuous manner

understandably offends Elizabeth Bennet.

subversive (adjective,noun)variants: subvert (verb), subversively

(adverb)Definition: tending or seeking to subvert,

overthrow or destroy (an established government, institution, belief, etc)

Synonym: rebellious, disloyalAntonym: loyal, faithfulSentence: The Canadian government—

indeed, the majority of Canadian citizens—believed the Nisei to be subversive operatives.

vacuous (adjective)Variants: vacuously (adverb)Definition: without contents, emptySynonym: bare, blank, devoidAntonym: full, abundantSentence: When the class looked at her with

vacuous stares, the teacher knew the lesson had failed.

avocation (noun)Variants: avocational (adjective)Definition: something a person does in

addition to a principal occupation, especially for pleasure

Synonym: pastime, hobbyAntonym: job, occupationSentence: Oddly enough, the math teacher’s

avocation was the study of Old Norse epics.

impetus (noun)Variants: Definition: a moving force; impulse, stimulusSynonym: encouragement, incentive,

motivationAntonym: hindrance, blockSentence: Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches

were the impetus behind the civil rights movement.

reticent (adjective)Variants: reticently (adverb), reticence (noun)Definition: inclined to keep one’s thoughts

and feelings to oneself, secretive, quietSynonym: reluctant, restrained, reservedAntonym: communicative, forward,

unrestrainedSentence: The reticent student hid in the

back row, unwilling to participate in the class discussion.

physiognomy (noun)Variants: physiognomic (adj),

physiognomically (adv)Definition: The features of somebody’s face

especially used as indicators of character or temperament.

Synonym: aspect, look, visageAntonym: noneSentence: In Great Expectations, Pip is

frightened by the convict, for his physiognomy is menacing.

insipid (adjective)Variants: insipidness (noun), insipidly

(adverb)Definition: without distinctive, interesting, or

stimulating qualitiesSynonym: bland, dullAntonym: exhilaratingSentence: Cauliflower’s insipid taste requires

cheese or spices to make it palatable.

tedium (noun)Variants: tedious (adjective), tediously

(adverb)Definition: quality or condition of being

wearisome or boringSynonym: dullness, monotonyAntonym: entertainment, excitement,

diversionSentence: In order to take the tedium out of

exercise, aerobic instructors rely on loud, exciting music.

cajole (verb)Variants: cajolery(noun), cajolingly(adverb)Definition: to persuade by flattery or

promisesSynonym: wheedle, coax, flatterAntonym: bully, force, repelSentence: The boy cajoled her into giving

him some of her cookies.

blasé (adjective)Variants: noneDefinition: not impressed or worried by

something, usually because of previous experience

Synonym: unconcerned, nonchalantAntonym: uptight, worriedSentence: Paris Hilton’s blasé attitude

towards spending money is typical of the very wealthy: they do not have to worry about paying bills.

indolent (adjective)Variants: indolence (n), indolently (adv) Definition: Lethargic and not showing any

interest. Also describes a disease that is slow to develop and causes no pain.

Synonym: sluggish, apathetic, lazyAntonym: industrious, productiveSentence: It is difficult to move from

summer’s indolence to the necessary productivity of the school year.

choleric (adjective)Variants: choler (noun)*, cholerically (adverb) *NOT cholera—that’s a disease!Definition: showing or tending to show anger

or irritation Synonym: bad-tempered, irascibleAntonym: phlegmatic, impassiveSentence: Ivan Ilyich’s choleric manner

intimidates his family.

phlegmatic (adjective)Variants: phlegmatically (adverb)Definition: unemotional, difficult to excite to

action or display of emotion synonym: indifferent, undemonstrativeantonym: energetic, livelySentence: Obasan’s phlegmatic approach to

life irritates the crusading Emily.

impasse (noun )Variants: noneDefinition: predicament from which there is

no escape; impassible road or waySynonym: stalemate, deadlockAntonym: progressSentence: After days of deliberation, the jury

reached an impasse, necessitating a new trial.

adulation (noun)Variants: adulate (verb)Definition: excessive flattery or adorationSynonym: obsequiousness, sycophancyAntonym: insult, offenseSentence: Robert Pattinson is the object of

young girls’ adulation.

censure (noun, verb)Variants: censure (transitive verb)Definition: judgment involving condemnation Synonym: rebuke, reproachAntonym: honor, acclamationSentence: Following the lawyer’s emotional

outburst, the judge had no choice but to censure him.

dissimulation (noun)Variants: dissimulate (verb), dissimulative

(adjective), dissimulator (noun)Definition: act of deceiving/concealing true

feelings and intentionssynonym: deception, deceit, disguise,

dissemblingantonym: frankness, honesty, truthfulness Sentence: As he becomes more desperately

ill, Ivan Ilyich finds dissimulation more difficult, and his family is frightened by the anger he reveals.

droll (adjective)variants: droller, drollest (more adjectives),

drolly (adverb)definition: humorous, amusing in an odd waysynonym: amusing, clownish, comicalantonym: serioussentence: The professor entertained the class

with his droll impersonations of literary characters.

expectorate (verb)variants: expectoration (noun), expectorant

(noun)definition: to expel matter, esp. phlegmsynonym: flush out, ejectantonym: inject, inhale, consumesentence: The doctor instructed the patient

to expectorate regularly to speed healing.

surfeit (noun)variants: surfeiter (I have never seen this!) definition: too great an amount or supply;

excess; overindulgence, esp. in food or drinksynonym: satiate, excess, surplus antonym: deficit, insufficiency sentence: In the child’s opinion, his plate held

a surfeit of vegetables.