Vocabulary 15B

Raucous (adj.) disagreeably harsh-sounding; disorderly S: boisterous, clamorous, strident A: placid, tranquil, peaceful, serene, pastoral A raucous voice can be a liability for someone wishing to pursue a career in television journalism.

receptive (adj.) open and responsive to ideas or suggestions S: open-minded, tolerant, amenable A: narrow-minded, intolerant, hidebound People will generally be receptive to criticism of their work if it is given in a constructive manner.

renounce (v.) to give up or resign something S: repudiate, disown, abdicate, abjure A: retrain, secure, affirms, assent, aver Throughout history, martyrs have willingly given up their lives rather than renounce their faith.

repress (V.) to hold back; to put down or check by force S: subdue, curb, stifle, constrain, bottle up A: liberate, set loose, provoke, excite As history has repeatedly proved, even the most brutal tyrants cannot forever repress the human desire for freedom.

reticent (adj.) not inclined to speak; reserved; reluctant S: taciturn, closemouthed, tight-lipped A: talkative, garrulous, voluble, long-winded She is understandably reticent about discussing her most deeply held beliefs with a group of total strangers.

savory (adj.) tasty, appetizing; pungent or salty, not sweet; inoffensive, respectable S: delectable, flavorful, aromatic, piquant A: distasteful, unpalatable, malodorous, bland Some of the characters a reader meets in a detective story are none too savory.

somnolent (adj.) sleepy, drowsy; inducing sleep S: groggy, soporific A: alert, lively, wide-awake, stimulating By the end of an enormous Thanksgiving feast, most diners usually feel quite somnolent.

vehement (adj.) intense, forceful, powerful S: emphatic, fierce, vigorous, impassioned A: apathetic, lukewarm, subdued, muted The defendant’s vehement protestations of innocence failed to convince the jurors.

voluble (adj.) characterized by a ready flow of words; glib, fluent S: loquacious, garrulous, long-winded, prolix A: uncommunicative, reticent, taciturn, terse Reporters never give much credence to tips that they receive from voluble but unreliable informants, however persistent.

zealous (adj.) eager, earnest, devoted S: ardent, fervent, devout, dogged, gung ho A: reluctant, unwilling, averse, tepid Most members of my family are zealous supporters of our local high school’s basketball, baseball, and football teams.