SAT “HOT” WORDS #14 English 3

1. FACILITATE  The exemplary guidance given us by the bank helped to facilitate the merger.  In order to facilitate the sale, I cajoled Lorraine into signing a blank check.  To facilitate our move, the company sent a crew to crate all of the furniture.

1. FACILITATE  Verb  To make easy; to help bring about  Syn: aid, help  Ant: hinder; prohibit

2. FALLACY  By the time I discovered the fallacy in his argument, he had already claimed victory.  The economist revealed the fallacy in the government’s proposal.  We showed the fallacy in the public belief that our opponents were invulnerable.

2. FALLACY  Noun  False idea; mistaken belief  Syn: ambiguity; deceit; deception  Ant: certainty; fact; honesty

3. FASTIDIOUS  Lauren was so particular about her home that she was extolled as a fastidious housekeeper.  In The Odd Couple, Jack Lemmon was the fastidious one, while the sloppy Walter Matthau was his antithesis.  Everett was so fastidious that his messy fraternity brothers refused to room with him.

3. FASTIDIOUS  Adj.  Hard to please; dainty in taste  Syn: critical; finicky  Ant: indifferent

4. FERVOR  Alicia does her volunteer work with with tremendous fervor.  Our initial fervor subsided when the public failed to support us.  The fervor of our Olympic relay team was etched onto every runner’s face.

4. FERVOR  noun  Intense emotion; great warmth of feeling  Syn: ardor; eagerness  Ant: apathy

5. FITFUL  Monte’s fitful sleep tended to exacerbate his normal irritability.  When the fitful machine gun fire increased in tempo, the government troops dispersed.  The infant’s fitful crying could not be soothed by his parents.

5. FITFUL  Adj.  Spasmodic; intermittent  Syn: irregular; impulsive  Ant: regular; continuous

6. FLAGRANT  Citing extenuating circumstances, Peter asked his boss to overlook the flagrant bookkeeping error.  After having been accused of a flagrant misuse of company assets, the treasurer resigned.  Drinking from one’s saucer is considered a flagrant breach of etiquette.

6. FLAGRANT  Adj  Outrageous; glaringly offensive  Syn: brazen; conspicuous  Ant: concealed; restrained

7. FLEDGLING  Although their fledgling soda business is only a year old, the two women have been offered $3,000,000 for it.  Luckily, the fledgling pilot’s egregious blunder was discovered before the plane departed.  The fledgling, suddenly an orphan, had to find its own food.

7. FLEDGLING  Adj.  Newly developed; little known (as a noun--refers to a young bird or inexperienced person)  Syn: promising  Ant: withering; dying

8. FORLORN  When the TV camera showed the forlorn youngster at the graveside, there wasn’t a dry eye in the viewing audience.  Feeling forlorn and full of self-pity, Eddie was a danger to himself.  Old pictures of Ellis Island immigrants are ambivalent in that they portray happy faces as well as forlorn ones.

8. FORLORN  Adj.  Deserted; left alone and neglected; unhappy  Syn: bereft; depressed  Ant: cheerful; hopeful

9. FORMIDABLE  The champion made a silly reference to his opponent, showing that he underestimated that formidable rival.  Requirements for some of the Ivy League schools were so formidable that Laurie became distraught over her chances.  Seemingly a mild-mannered reporter, Clark Kent was actually the formidable Superman.

9. FORMIDABLE  Adj.  Hard to overcome; to be dreaded  Syn: appalling; horrific  Ant: friendly harmless

10. FORTUITOUS  Wally’s fortuitous meeting with Mr. Berman in the restaurant helped to facilitate the agreement between both their companies.  My fortuitous discovery of the cache of valuable stamps enabled me to buy a motorcycle.  With one fortuitous question, the reporter unravelled the actor’s composure.

10. FORTUITOUS  Adj.  Happening by chance  Syn: lucky; accidental; fortunate  Ant: unlucky; deliberate; planned