ADVANCING VOCABULARY SKILLS

interrogate a. to flow or spread through b. to question formally c. to hint or suggest formally

insidious a. well-timed b. having unlimited power c. working harmfully but not noticed

insinuate a. to prevent or hinder b. to flow or spread throughout c. to hint or suggest slyly

obsequious a. more harmful than at first thought b. very willing to serve or obey to gain favor c. having unlimited power

forestall a. to question formally b. to be unequal c. to prevent, hinder, or take precautions against

disparity a. an inequality or difference b. something given or done as a reward c. a sly hint or suggestion

opportune a. more harmful than realized b. suitable for that time c. all-powerful

complement a. to perform without practice b. to add to something what is needed or lacking c. to carry out as ordered

obtrusive a. undesirably noticeable b. prudent and wise c. extreme attention to details

intuition a. mocking or insulting remark b. something evil c. the ability to know something naturally

heinous a. able to keep silent about secrets b. very evil and cruel c. suggested but not stated

flout a. treat with scorn or contempt b. to carry out as ordered c. to bring to perfection

impromptu a. suggested but not stated directly b. noticeable, standing out c. spoken or done with no practice

implement a. to add what is lacking or needed b. to carry out c. to treat with scorn or contempt

fastidious a. extremely evil b. extremely focused on details c. prudent and wise

discreet a. keeping silent about secrets b. indirect meaning or idea c. smoothed out and exact

permeate a. given as a gift b. to flow or spread to all areas c. doing harm to others beneath one

retribution a. given as a reward or pay b. suitable; well-timed c. to hint or suggest slyly

inference a. a stated fact; spoken directly b. all-powerful c. drawn from evidence; an assumption

innuendo a. a good or encouraging sign b. one who is below another in rank c. an indirect remark, suggesting something

expedite a. to speed up or ease the progress of b. to restore to favor with superiors c. to sin or commit an offense

rebuke a. to break a law or rule b. to scold sharply c. to praise and raise up in position

vehement a. intense, forceful b. a good sign or action c. tell a lie, give false statements

fraudulent a. being a good sign b. using trickery or cheating or lies c. under the power of another

auspicious a. intense b. favorable c. inferior or below others

extenuating a. forceful or bossy b. all-powerful c. serving to make less harmful by excuse

transgress a. to sin and commit an offense or wrong b. to speed up or ease the progress of c. to restore to former rank or power

subordinate a. encouraging, helping b. intense c. under the power of another

redeem a. to scold or blame for actions b. to restore to favor by good conduct c. to break a law or command

turbulent a. of greatest concern or importance b. full of wildly irregular motion c. expressing a low opinion of self

macabre a. chief in rank or authority b. about to happen c. causing horror and disgust

quandary a. a lie invented to deceive others b. an uplifting statement c. a state of uncertainty or confusion

derogatory a. express a low opinion of b. about to happen, soon c. violently disturbed and upset

validate a. to prove true b. to prove false c. to misunderstand

misconstrue a. to invent a lie b. to show to be true c. to misinterpret

deride a. to show to be false or wrong b. to make fun of or ridicule c. to make up a story to deceive

fabricate a. to invent a lie b. to show to be true c. to ridicule

impending a. cause horror and disgust b. belittle and berate c. about to happen or begin

paramount a. necessary to cause change b. of greatest concern or importance c. frightening, scary

irreparable a. much too willing to help b. all-powerful c. cannot be changed or repaired

adroit a. skilled under challenging conditions b. lacking ability to perform duties c. a mark of shame due to poor performance

stigma a. a member of a group represented by an elected official b. a peak of achievement c. a blemish on a reputation

repudiate a. to claim to be true b. to deny the truth of c. to blemish a reputation

spontaneous a. done as a result of a natural feeling or impulse b. clever and well-spoken c. not able to be repaired or remedied

promiscuous a. skilled and expert under extreme conditions b. not forced or planned c. lacking standards for selection or conduct in sexual relations

pinnacle a. a peak of achievement b. a blemish on a career c. a remark that is overused and trite

constituent a. a pointed formation, especially a mountain peak b. a member of a group represented by an elected official c. a remark that is commonplace or overused

platitude a. a member of a group; a gangster b. a remark made boring by overuse c. a peak of achievement

contention a. a declaration of truth b. to deny the truth c. to repair or remedy

tumult a. the noisy disorder of a crowd b. the final high point of a story c. a prediction of the outcome of something

incapacitate a. to try to be like another b. to make unable or unfit, not able to do activity c. to scold severely

docile a. easy to handle or discipline b. irritating and hard to deal with c. easily imitated

abrasive a. tending to give into the power of others b. unfit to perform a duty c. rough, irritating, uneven

prognosis a. the noisy disorder of a group of people b. a prediction of the outcome of something c. the exact opposite of expected results

admonish a. to try to be like another b. to disable and harm greatly c. to scold mildly

antithesis a. final high point of a story b. exact opposite of another c. noisy, loud, irritating

culmination a. the exact opposite b. the final moment or high point c. a prediction of the outcome of something

emulate a. to disable or take out of service b. to scold sternly and at length c. to try to be like one looked up to

hierarchy a. prediction of the course, outcome, or fate of something b. highest point of degree or level c. persons or things arranged in a series by degree of importance

omnipotent a. much too willing to help b. all-powerful c. doing harm to others beneath one