100 Words High School Sophomores Should Know

1. lucid adj clear [< Latin lucidus < lucere to shine]

2. distended v swollen [< Latin distendere < dis- apart + tendere to stretch]

3. imploring v begging [< Latin implorare < in- toward + plorare cry]

4. voracious adj greedy; devouring [ < Latin voracis greedy]

5. deluge n a flood [< Old French < Latin diluvium < diluere wash away < dis- away + luere to wash]

6. alacrity n quickness and liveliness in movement; eagerness [< Latin alacritatem < alacer brisk]

7. sated v satisfied to the fullest extent [alteration of sade (Old English sadian to glut) under influence of Latin saitare satiate]

8. infallible adj incapable of error; certain [< Latin prefix not + < Medieval Latin fallisilus < Latin fallere deceive]

9. lurid adj glowing [< Latin luridus pale yellow, ghastly]

10. grimace n a facial expression of disgust or pain [Old English grimm fierce; < Middle French]

11. presumptuous adj overconfident; arrogant

12. enthrall v to spellbind; fascinate

13. malign v to speak evil of

14. dubious adj doubtful

15. credulity n a tendency to believe something too quickly and without sufficient evidence

16. furtive adj sly; secret [ fur thief]

17. rapacious adj greedy

18. depraved adj corrupt; wicked

19. futile adj useless

20. chary adj careful; cautious; not giving freely

21. poignant adj emotionally touching [< Old French, present participle of poindre to prick < Latin pungere]

22. judicious adj showing good judgment; wise [< Latin judicialis < judicium judgment < judicem judge]

23. reticent adj not inclined to speak; silent [< Latin reticentem < re- back + tacere be silent]

24. gall v to irritate; annoy [< Latin galla gall]

25. sanctimonious adj pretending to be righteous [< Latin sancitmonia < sanctus holy]

26. cad n an ill-bred man [< caddie; < French cadet younger brother]

27. malevolent adj showing ill will; wishing harm to others {< Latin malevolentem < male badly + velle to wish]

28. dauntless adj fearless; bold [<Old French danter < Latin domitare < domare to tame]

29. sagacious adj wise [< Latin sagacem; < Old French ultimately < Latin sapere be wise]

30. au gust’ adj dignified; majestic [< Latin augustus < augere to increase]

31. wanton adj unrestrained; extravagant

32. propriety n the quality of being in accordance with what is accepted as proper in taste and behavior

33. impetuous adj acting suddenly without thinking; reckless

34. illimitable adj unlimited; boundless

35. blithe adj carefree; cheerful

36. retort v to answer in a sharp, quick way

37. derisive adj making fun of; mocking

38. frugal adj thrifty

39. deplorable adj worthy of condemnation

40. sordid adj greedy; selfish

41. resolute adj determined

42. diffident adj without confidence; shy

43. procure v to acquire; get

44. brusque adj abrupt; rude

45. discretion n caution

46. veritable adj actual; real

47. gaunt adj extremely thin

48. fastidious adj extremely careful or precise in details

49. zealous adj enthusiastic; earnest

50. contemptuous adj scornful; hateful; despising

51. frivolous adj self-indulgently carefree

52. emaciate v to become abnormally thin

53. pompous adj self-important; pretentious

54. incredulous adj unable to believe

55. indignant adj angry at something that is unfair or unjust

56. meticulous adj extremely precise concerning details; fussy

57. vulnerable adj easily hurt or wounded

58. contrition n a feeling of regret for wrongdoing

59. indolent adj lazy

60. belligerent adj ready to fight or argue

61. banter n quick, witty conversation

62. flaunt v to show off

63. deference n respect; courtesy

64. surmise v to guess

65. uncanny adj weird; mysterious

66. condescending adj behaving as if superior; patronizing

67. cynical adj having no belief in the goodness and sincerity of others

68. reflective adj given to meditation or serious thought

69. self-righteous adj believing oneself to be more virtuous than others

70. analogy n a likeness between two objects that are not the same; a comparison

71. apprehensive adj fearful; worried

72. nostalgic adj longing for a pleasant situation from the past or far away

73. whimsy n a sudden, fanciful, imaginative desire

74. anachronism n an error that places something in a time when it did not exist

75. unremitting adj persistent; not slackening

76. sardonic adj bitterly sarcastic

77. assimilate v to absorb; make part of one’s thinking

78. unabashed adj not ashamed or embarrassed

79. fervent adj intense in feeling

80. imminent adj about to happen

81. retribution n punishment for having done something evil

82. insolent adj shamelessly disrespectful

83. absolve v to free from blame or guilt

84. prodigious adj enormous

85. instigate v to urge on to action

86. equinox n the time when the sun crosses the plane of the earth's equator, making night & day of about equal length all over the earth & occurring about Mar 21 & Sept 22

87. disparage v to belittle

88. sanguine adj cheerfully optimistic, hopeful, or confident: a sanguine disposition; sanguine expectations.

89. abjure v to renounce, repudiate, or retract, esp. with formal solemnity; recant: to abjure one's errors.

90. kiosk n a small building, cart, or area used to sell items

91. auspicious adj promising success; opportune; favorable

92. belie v to show to be false; contradict

93. enfranchise v to set free, as from slavery

94. churlish adj rude; mean

95. deleterious adj injurious to health; harmful

96. abrogate v to put aside; put an end to

97. enervate v to deprive of force or strength; weaken
98. bellicose adj inclined or eager to fight

99. epiphany n a sudden, intuitive perception of the essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple experience.

100. indigent adj very poor

101. expurgate v to amend by removing words, passages, etc., deemed offensive or objectionable
102. facetious adj not meant to be taken seriously or literally
103. irony n the use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning
104. plagiarize v to take and use ideas, passages, etc., from another's work

105. filibuster n the use of obstructive tactics by a legislative member to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision against the will of the majority.
106. recapitulate v. to review by a brief summary; summarize.
107. exuberant (adj.) wildly joyous and enthusiastic. tectonic
108. paradigm n. an example serving as a model; pattern