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Online Vocabulary

Our Vocabulary List

abbreviate	v	To shorten; to make smaller.
abdication	n	A formal giving up of control or authority.
aberrant	adj	Abnormal or deviant.
abhor	v	To detest; to hate; to loathe.
abolish	v	To cancel; to put an end to; to eradicate.
aboriginal	adj	Primitive; original; native.
abrasive	adj	Rubbing away; causing irritation; harmful.
abscission	n	A cutting off; a separation.
abstain	v	To refrain from use; to withdraw from participation.
abstinence	n	Restraint from pleasurable things or experiences.
abusive	adj	Insulting; physically or psychologically harmful.
accessible	adj	Easy to approach; obtainable; within reach.
accessory	n	An additional object; a useful but not essential component of a whole.
acclimate	v	To adjust to a climate or environment; to adapt to a new area, situation, conditions, etc.
accolade	n	An award of merit; praise; approval.
accommodate	v	To help someone; to oblige; to bring into harmony; to adapt.
accomplice	n	A partner in crime.
accountable	adj	Responsible; honorable and honest.
accrue	v	To accumulate over time; come about by addition.
acidulous	adj	Sour in attitude; sharp; bitter.
acoustics	n	The science of sound; the sound characteristics of a singular room or venue.
acquittal	n	A verdict by a jury that a person is not guilty.
acrid	adj	Bitter; sharp; biting.
acrophobia	n	The fear of heights.
acute	adj	Sharp; biting; quickly perceptive; keen.
adamant	adj	Inflexible; unwilling to change; hard.
addendum	n	An addition; something that is added.
addiction	n	A compulsive, often habitual need; a feeling of necessity for an item that is not strictly required to maintain health and longevity.
address	v	To speak to; to focus ones attention on; to deal with and to contemplate.
adjoin	adj	To be next to.
adulterate	v	To make impure; to reduce the quality of by the introduction of something inferior.
adversary	n	An opponent; the enemy; someone or something that offers opposition.
adverse	adj	Going against; opposing; unfavorable.
advocate	v	To speak in favor of; to support; to encourage.
aerate	v	To put air into; to expose to fresh air; to supply with air.
aesthetic	adj	Artistic; dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful; appealing to the sense of sight.
affirmation	n	An assertion in the positive; a confirmation.
affliction	n	A condition of distress; a disease; the cause of suffering.
affluence	n	Abundance; wealth.
agenda	n	The items or list of items to be covered during a meeting; the plan of action.
aggrandize	v	To make more great; to increase in power, wealth, rank, etc.
aggravate	v	To make worse; to irritate.
agility	n	The ability to move in a coordinated and quick manner.
agitate	v	To stir up; disturb; to cause to move from a place of rest or peace.
agnostic	adj	Being skeptical of the existence of a god or any supreme being.
agrarian	adj	Pertaining to land or its cultivation.
agronomy	n	The broad science of crop rotation and crop maintenance, including soil management, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation, etc.
alcove	n	A nook; a cranny; a recess; an enclosed space.
alimony	n	Payments made on a regular basis, most often to a spouse of a former engagement or marriage.
allegiance	n	Support; a sense of loyalty; duty towards an individual or specific cause.
allergy	n	A condition where a person is very sensitive to certain chemicals or substances in the environment; an exaggerated immune response to otherwise harmless stimuli.
alliteration	n	A poetry term referring to the repetition of beginning sounds of two or more words; the commencement of two or more words of a word group with the same letter.
allocate	v	To assign; to set aside for a particular purpose.
allude	v	To refer indirectly to; to imply.
allure	v	To entice; attract; to tempt; to entice.
altercation	n	A noisy fight; a heated argument that involves yelling.
amalgam	n	A combination of different things; a mixture of metals.
amalgamate	v	To combine; to form into a clump; to unite.
amass	v	To collect over time; to gather in large amounts.
amazon	n	A female warrior; the jungle region in South America in the vicinity of the river by the same name.
ambidextrous	adj	Able to use the left hand or the right hand equally well; equally skilled.
ambience	n	The environment; the atmosphere; the mood.
ambiguous	adj	Uncertain; hard to understand.
ambush	n	A sudden attack made from a concealed position.
amend	v	To correct; to make a positive change; to right a wrong.
amenities	n	Niceties; features or components that help to make life pleasurable and easier.
amiable	adj	Agreeable; friendly; lovable.
amicable	adj	peaceful; friendly.
amnesia	n	Loss of memory.
amnesty	n	A time when a criminal is exempt from punishment; an official pardon that is mandated by a government and usually extended to political offenders.
amoral	adj	Without morals; unable to distinguish between right and wrong.
ample	adj	Enough; abundant; sizable; opportune.
amplify	v	To increase in size, effect, volume, etc. to expand; to broaden or clarify.
amputate	v	To cut off part of a body; to prune.
amulet	n	A charm or talisman; an object that is worn to protect against evil or to shun away bad luck.
analogous	adj	Comparable; having a similar form or shape.
anatomy	n	The scientific study of the structure of animals; the dissection and study of the body.
ancestry	n	Family descent; inherited properties that are shared among people with a past common family member.
anecdote	n	A short story of an amusing event; a quick tale meant to entertain or to invoke laughter.
anesthetic	n	Something that causes the loss of sensation.
annuity	n	A yearly or periodic allowance or payment.
anoint	v	To consecrate; to pour oil onto as part of a religious ceremony.
anomalous	adj	Abnormal; irregular; unexpected.
anomaly	n	An irregularity; something that is out of place.
anonymity	n	State or condition of not having a name or identity.
anthology	n	A collection of various pieces of writing, all from different authors.
anthropomorphic	adj	Possessing human characteristics.
antibiotic	n	A drug, ointment, or medicine that destroys bacteria or pathogens.
antibody	n	An immune body; something that prevents or blocks another; a protein produced as an immune response to a specific virus or bacteria.
anticipate	v	To act in advance; to prevent; to predict; to realize beforehand.
antidote	n	A remedy; a magic potion; something that counteracts a disease or poison.
antipathy	adj	Strong aversion; dislike.
antiquated	adj	Obsolete, outdated, run-down.
antique	n	Something from a previous time; something made previously which is now of great worth.
antithesis	n	The direct opposite; opposition; contrast.
apathy	n	A lack of caring or interest; indifference; a lack of concern or interest in important affairs.
aperture	n	An opening; a hole; the adjustable opening in a camera that limits the amount of light that can enter.
apex	n	To top; the summit; the ultimate goal; a climax.
apocalyptic	adj	Prophetic; pertaining to revelations of disaster.
apologist	n	A person who writes in defense of a cause or institution.
appall	v	To shock; to disgust; to dismay.
apparent	adj	Evident; easily perceived.
appease	adj	To make quiet; to soothe; to calm.
appreciate	v	To be understanding of; to be thankful; to be conscious of.
aptitude	n	Fitness; talent.
arbitrate	v	To act as judge; to preside over.
arboretum	n	A place where different types of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited; a place where a large variety of woody plants are kept for ornamental purposes.
archaic	adj	Antiquated; out of date; no longer used; of or belonging to the past.
archaism	n	A word or phrase that is no longer in use; an archaic expression; something that is outdated.
archetype	n	A prototype; a primitive pattern; something that is the first and original.
archives	n	Public records; a place where public records are maintained.
arduous	adj	Hard; strenuous; labor-intensive; difficult.
arduous	adj	Difficult; steep; laborious; requiring great effort.
arid	adj	Dry; barren; unproductive; forgotten.
aristocracy	n	A form of government in which nobility and power is based on heredity only; the privileged class.
armada	n	A fleet of navy warships.
aromatic	adj	Fragrant; sweet smelling.
arrogance	n	Proud superior mannerisms; behavior that is snobbish.
arsenal	n	A storage place for military equipment; the available military weapons at one's disposal.
artery	n	A large blood-vessel; a main blood vessel in the body.
ascend	v	To go up; to climb.
ascertain	v	To find out; to make certain; to clarify and finalize.
aseptic	adj	Preventing infection; having a cleansing effect.
assertive	adj	Having and expressing strong opinions; exhibiting a confident belief in one's own abilities.
assimilate	v	To absorb; to take in; to grasp and to make one's own; to fully understand.
assort	v	To classify into different sorts; to arrange: to match.
assorted	adj	Of various types; matched; of many origins; not of the same variety.
assurance	n	A promise or a pledge; a statement of authenticity; certainty.
astigmatism	n	A defect in the eye which prevents proper focus.
astonish	v	To astound; to surprise.
astral	adj	Of or pertaining to the stars, related to the stars.
astronomical	adj	Enormously large; gigantic.
astute	adj	Shrewd, wise, and keen.
asylum	n	A refuge or a shelter; political protection.
atheistic	adj	Denying the existence of God or of a supreme being.
atrophy	n	The wasting away of tissue, an organ, or any part of a living organism due to a lack of food.
attentive	adj	Alert; listening carefully; at full attention; considerate.
attest	v	To swear and testify; to bear witness to.
attribute	n	A quintessential component; an essential quality.
atypical	adj	Not normal; out of the ordinary.
audacious	adj	Daring and bold.
augment	v	To increase; to add to; to compound.
authenticate	v	To verify as genuine; to prove.
autocratic	adj	Having absolute unchecked power; like an absolute dictator.
autonomous	adj	Not needing support; being able to function without outside influence or help; self-governing.
autopsy	n	An examination of a dead body; the identification of the case of death.
auxiliary	adj	Additional; secondary; in a supportive role.
avalanche	n	A great mass of falling snow and ice.
aversion	n	A strong dislike; a hatred for.
avid	adj	Eager; very willing.