Age lines abated, or diminished. (verb) to make less in amount, degree, etc.; to subside, nullify, or omit Synonym: diminish, decrease, subside Antonym: intensify, increase, magnify

adulation (noun) praise or flattery that is excessive Lloyd took drugs to win 1 Tour De France, Lance took them to win Seven! Who’s adulation is excessive? (noun) praise or flattery that is excessive Synonyms: adoration, idolization, hero-worship Antonyms: ridicule, derision, scorn, odium

anathema (noun) an object of intense dislike; a curse or strong denunciation Synonyms: malediction, imprecation, abomination Antonyms: benediction, blessing

astute (adjective) shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom Bill gates and Steve Jobs are probably the most astute of all the tech C.E.O.s. (adjective) shrewd, crafty, showing practical wisdom Synonyms: shrewd, acute, sagacious, judicious Antonyms: obtuse, doltish, dumb

avarice (noun) a greedy desire, particularly for wealth Also one of the Seven Deadly Sins. Mr. Trump is arguable the most avaricious man in these United States. (noun) a greedy desire, particularly for wealth Synonyms: cupidity, rapacity, acquisitiveness

culpable (adjective) deserving blame, worthy of condemnation Synonyms: guilty, delinquent, blameworthy Antonyms: blameless, innocent, laudable

dilatory Don’t be like dilatory Dan. (adjective) tending to delay or procrastinate, not prompt; intended to delay or postpone Synonyms: stalling, slow, tardy, laggard Antonyms: prompt, punctual, speedy, expeditious

egregious (adjective) conspicuous, standing out from the mass Everyone knows the red sour patch kids are the most egregious. (adjective) conspicuous, standing out from the mass Synonyms: glaring, flagrant, blatant Antonyms: unnoticeable, paltry, piddling

equivocate Harvey Dent may be two faced, but there’s nothing equivocal about how he does business. (We can’t say the same for Allison.) (verb) to speak or act in a way that allows for more than one interpretation; to be deliberately vague Synonyms: to talk out of both sides of one’s mouth, palter, hedge

evanescent (adjective) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy Like a wisp of smoke, or a face in the clouds. (adjective) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy Synonyms: ephemeral, transient, transitory

I can’t decide which is more disgusting, or delicious. irresolute I can’t decide which is more disgusting, or delicious. (adjective) unable to make up ones mind, hesitating Synonyms: indecisive, vacillating, wavering

nebulous This is a horse head and crab nebula from the Hubble Space Telescope. They are made of clouds of electrically charged gases. (adjective) cloudlike, resembling a cloud; cloudy in color, not transparent; vague, confused, Synonyms: hazy, fuzzy, cloudy, vague, murky, opaque

novice Before finishing his first term as a rookie U.S. Senator, in 2008 Barack Obama was a novice President of these United States. For the class of 2016, they were 8 when he was 1st elected, and Obama is the only president they remember. (noun) one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience (also adjective) Synonyms: neophyte, tyro, trainee, apprentice

penury (noun) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency This is Kenyan poverty. The United States does not know penury like this. (noun) extreme poverty; barrenness, insufficiency Synonyms: destitution, want, indigence

pretentious (adjective) done for show, striving to make a big impression, claiming merit or position unjustifiably Synonyms: inflated, ostentatious, affected Antonyms: unassuming, unaffected, modest

recapitulate (verb) to review a series of facts; to sum up Al Gore didn’t need to recapitulate the vote when he won the Academy Award for best Documentary Film. Though Hillary and Barack weren’t thrilled. (verb) to review a series of facts; to sum up Synonyms: review, summarize, go over

resuscitate (verb) to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence Synonyms: revitalize, reanimate, restore, reactivate

slovenly (adjective) untidy, dirty, careless Synonyms: unkempt, slatternly, slipshod, lax Antonyms: neat, tidy, careful, meticulous

supposition Did you simply suppose that the Liger either did or did not exist without evidence? Well, because of that supposition, you missed out on this super sweet photo. (noun) something that is assumed or taken for granted without conclusive evidence Synonyms: assumption, presumption, hypothesis

torpid (adjective) inactive, sluggish, dull This torpid torpedo won’t get off its lazy computer generated perch. (adjective) inactive, sluggish, dull Synonyms: sluggish, lethargic, languid Antonyms: energetic, dynamic, vigorous