NOUN A representation, such as a drawing, that exaggerates a subject’s characteristic features Instead of focusing on his political Policies, the caricature artist highlighted The president’s ears.

ADJECTIVE Making a show of virtue, holier-than-thou The sanctimonious coach wore his championship rings everywhere he went.

VERB To clear from blame, responsibility or guilt. Tom Brady was accused of lying about deflating footballs before a game but his coach’s press conference seemed to absolve the QB.

ADJECTIVE: Tending to cause harm or obstruct development Kanye made the inimical Decision to disrupt Taylor Swift’s Acceptance speech at the VMAs.

NOUN A loud ringing sound VERB To make a loud ringing sound The clangor from trumpet practice was almost unbearable in every room of the house but his parents hoped he’d get better.

ADJECTIVE Sharp, keen, penetrating The cartoon provided incisive commentary into the worsening pollution situation.

ADJECTIVE Side by side, touching Excluding Alaska and Hawaii provides a clear map of the contiguous U.S.

ADJECTIVE Implied or understood though unexpressed An iceberg metaphor can be used to describe the implicit components of a conversation between men and women.

NOUN An eager desire for something, greed Scrooge McDuck’s cupidity for gold and money was unrivaled in the Disney world.

VERB To lessen the seriousness of an offense by making partial excuses The teenager tried to extenuate her sneaking out of the house after curfew blaming her friends.

VERB To captivate, charm, hold spellbound Heath Ledger’s brilliant performance as The Joker managed to enthrall viewers that had never touched a comic book.

ADJECTIVE Showy, flashy, overdone, MTV Cribs gave anxious celebrities a chance to show off their ostentatious homes and lives.

ADJECTIVE Harmful Even cigarette companies Know their products are deleterious.

ADJECTIVE Charming, attractive, pleasing Leo’s acting talent is undeniable but his career has certainly benefited from that winsome face.

VERB To raise to a higher degree The students were able to enhance their grades on the last paper with hard work.

NOUN A model of excellence or perfection Dale Earnhardt’s aggressive nature and unrelenting desire to win made him a paragon in the racing world.

ADJECTIVE Shrewdly conceived or developed Einstein’s politic formula for the theory of relativity remains one of the most important equations in science.

ADJECTIVE Exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities She loved the scintillating ring for its simplicity.

ADJECTIVE Dull, lacking in distinction Some readers refer to prose as prosaic writing because it lacks the lyrical beauty of poetry but they miss the allure of detail.

ADJECTIVE: Extra, more than is needed Sometimes vocabulary review can seem redundant, but we strive to make it both interesting and helpful.