Unit 4 Vocabulary 7th Grade Language Arts

alliance (noun) Definition: a joining together for some common purpose Synonyms: pact, league, coalition Antonyms: rift, split The two nations formed an alliance to defend each other in case of attack.

bewilder (verb) Definition: to puzzle completely, confuse Synonyms: baffle, perplex Antonyms: set straight, enlighten The captain continues to bewilder his troops by giving them contradictory orders.

buffoon (noun) Definition: a clown; a coarse, stupid person Synonyms: jester, fool Some students think that they need to play the buffoon in order to entertain their classmates.

controversial (adjective) Definition: arousing or inspiring argument, dispute or disagreement Synonyms: arguable, debatable Antonyms: innocuous, agreeable The school board waited until all members were present before issuing the controversial proposal to ban after-school programs.

dishearten (verb) Definition: to discourage Synonyms: dismay, demoralize, dispirit Antonyms: encourage, hearten, inspire Do not let your low score on the math test dishearten you.

fruitless (adjective) Definition: not producing the desired results; unsuccessful Synonyms: useless, vain, unproductive, futile Antonyms: productive, effective, fruitful When their efforts to fight the infection with penicillin proved fruitless, the doctors tried a different antibiotic.

hostile (adjective) Definition: unfriendly; unfavorable; warlike, aggressive Antonyms: friendly, cordial, peaceful Relations between the two nations have been hostile for decades.

inflammable (adjective) Definition: easily set on fire; easily angered or agitated Synonyms: combustible, flammable, excitable Antonyms: fireproof, fire-resistant, calm Always be cautious when using inflammable cleaning solvents.

inflict (verb) Definition: to give or cause something unpleasant, impose Synonyms: deal out, visit upon Antonyms: suffer, undergo, sustain (Here, the vocabulary word means you giving pain, and the antonyms are for you receiving pain.) Despite all the jokes, doctors do not like to inflict pain on their patients.

malignant (adjective) Definition: deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious Synonyms: lethal, wicked, vicious Antonyms: wholesome, beneficial, benign Much to the patient’s relief, the X-ray revealed no malignant growth.

mortify (verb) Definition: to hurt someone’s feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or discipline by self-denial or suffering Synonyms: humiliate, embarrass, abash Antonyms: mollify, make amends The teacher was mortified by the students’ childish behavior on the field trip.

orthodox (adjective) Definition: in agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things Synonyms: traditional, standard, customary Antonyms: unusual, unconventional, heretical Our principal, who believes in proven teaching methods takes an orthodox approach to education.

procure (verb) Definition: to obtain through special effort; to bring about Synonyms: gain, acquire, achieve Antonyms: lose, give away The hospital held a raffle to procure the necessary funds for the new children’s wing.

scurry (verb) Definition: to run quickly, hurry Synonyms: rush, dash, scramble, scamper Antonyms: trudge, plod, creep, crawl The reappearance of the teacher caused the students in the class to scurry back to their seats.

sodden (adjective) Definition: soaked with liquid or moisture; expressionless, dull; spiritless, listless Synonyms: drenched, waterlogged, saturated Antonyms: parched, arid, barren All at once, the flock of geese rose from the sodden marshlands.

spirited (adjective) Definition: full of life and vigor; courageous Synonyms: lively, animated, gallant Antonyms: lifeless, dull, lackluster The royal soldiers put up a spirited defense against the invading army.

virtual (adjective) Definition: having a certain force/effect in reality but not in title; so close as to be the same as the real thing Synonyms: functioning as; equivalent to To those who worked in the office, the bossy new manager was a virtual dictator.

void Definitions: (adjective): completely empty; having no legal force or effect (noun): empty or unfilled space (verb): to cancel or nullify Synonyms: (adj.) invalid, vacant, bare Antonyms: (adj.) in effect, teeming with; (v.) confirm I thought that poem was completely void of sense. Grandma’s death left a void in my grandpa’s life. Do you know how to void a check?

wayward (adjective) Definition: disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious Synonyms: perverse Antonyms: docile, well-behaved, predictable Tracking the wayward path of a comet is no easy matter.

wince Definition: (verb): to draw back suddenly, as though in pain or fear (noun): the act of drawing back in this way Synonyms: (v.) flinch, shudder, recoil The dog’s bite made the child wince in pain. The patient’s wince told the doctor to press more gently.