Vocabulary 8A

Animosity (n.) strong dislike; bitter hostility S: enmity, rancor, antipathy A: affection, fondness, rapport, amity The deep animosity between The University and Michigan and Michigan State fans goes back generations.

Apathy (n.) a lack of feeling, emotion, or interest S: indifference, disinterest, detachment A: enthusiasm, fervor, ardor, concern I was horrified when the sales force greeted my great idea for an ad campaign with total apathy.

Apprehensive (adj.) fearful or anxious, especially about the future S: worried, nervous, fretful, jittery A: unworried, assured, confident, certain As the hurricane approached, apprehensive residents all along the coast prepared for the worst.

Commend (v.) to praise, express approval; to present as worthy of attention; to commit to the care of. S: applaud, entrust A: abhor, loathe Ms. Kirby commended the class for scoring so high on their House on Mango Street test.

Compatible (adj.) able to get along or work well together; capable of use with some other model or system S: harmonious, in agreement, like-minded A: mismatched, incongruous, antagonistic Eyewitness accounts of an accident rarely are totally compatible.

Condolence (n.) an expression of sympathy S: commiseration, solace, sympathy A few well-chosen words of condolence can be a great comfort to someone who has lost a loved one.

Consecrate (v.) to make sacred, hallow; to set apart for a special purpose S: devote, dedicate, sanctify A: desecrate, defile, profane, dishonor Traditionally, most religious denominations hold special ceremonies to consecrate a new house of worship.

Decrepit (adj.) old and feeble; worn out, ruined S: infirm, broken-down, rickety, dilapidated A: vigorous, robust, sturdy “I may be aging,” the famous movie star replied, “But I am hardly decrepit!”

Deride (v.) to ridicule, laugh at with contempt S: mock, scorn, disparage, jeer at A: praise, extol, acclaim, applaud Most people find jokes that deride somebody’s national origin or social background extremely offensive.

Ingenuous (adj.) innocent, simple; frank, sincere S: naïve, artless, guileless, candid A: artful, crafty, worldly, sophisticated In his novels, Dickens has harsh words for those who take cruel advantage of ingenuous young people.