abashed

Adj – embarrassed, ashamed Ant – unembarrassed, unashamed

aloof In almost every office, there are some people who keep aloof from their coworkers.

Adj -=- withdrawn, standing apart from others (usually as a matter of choice) Syn -=- distant, cold, standoffish Ant – involved, sociable

anguish Survivors of a natural disaster often suffer great mental anguish long after their terrible ordeal is over.

N – great mental suffering v – to be deeply tormented by pain or sorrow Syn – misery, woe, torment Ant – joy, delight, peace of mind

articulate A successful candidate can articulate ideas in a way that makes them acceptable to voters.

V – to pronounce distinctly; to express well in words; to fit together into a system adj – able to use language effectively; expressed clearly and forcefully Syn – enunciate, expound, eloquent Ant – tongue-tied, mumbled, inchoerent

bask Because they are cold-blooded creatures, lizards and reptiles must bask in the sun to regulate their body temperature.

V – to be in, or expose oneself to, pleasant warmth Syn – wallow, revel

defect There is no one who does not have at least one serious character defect.

N – an imperfection, flaw, or blemish of some kind v – to desert a cause or organization

finesse To become a champion, a tennis player needs to combine power with finesse.

N – delicate skill; tact and cleverness v – to accomplish something by cleverness Syn – delicacy, subtlety Ant – clumsiness, awkwardness

flaunt Some people seem to need to flaunt their wealth and good fortune in life.

V – to wave or flutter showily; to display in a conceited, offensive way Syn – show off, parade Ant – hide, downplay

forthright I appreciate the forthright way in which you express your opinions, even when they do not agree with my own.

Adj – frank, direct, straightforward Syn – candid, blunt Ant – indirect, evasive, two-faced

genial The genial host and hostess made each party guest feel especially welcome.

Adj – cordial, pleasantly cheerful or warm Syn – friendly; amiable Ant – cold, unfriendly, unsociable

instill How can parents best instill in their children a love for reading?

V – to add gradually; to introduce or cause to be taken in Syn – implant, infuse, Ant – root out, eradicate,

ostracize Society ostracizes those who commit acts of treason.

V – to exclude from a group, banish, send away Syn – cast out, expel, snub Ant – fraternize with, associate with

premonition I felt a vague premonition of danger as I entered the abandoned building.

N– forewarning or foreboding of a future event Syn -- persentiment

Pseudonym It is wise to use a pseudonym to protect your privacy when you chat on the Internet.

N – a pen name; name assumed by a writer Syn – nom de plume

purge A soaking rainstorm will purge the air of pollutants.

V – to wash away impurities, clean up Syn – cleanse, purify Ant – pollute; contaminate; defile

rehabilitate Over the years, government agencies have spent a good deal of money trying to rehabilitate run-down inner-city neighborhoods. They tried to make me go to rehabilitation but I said, No, no, no.

Vto make over in good form; to resotre to good condition or to a former position Syn – reclaim, rebuild, reform

repercussion The repercussions of the 1929 stock market crash were felt all over the world.

N – an effect or consequence of some action or event, result; an echo or reverberation Ant – cause, source

resolute Commencement-day speakers generally urge graduates to be resolute in pursuit of their dreams.

Adj – bold, determined, firm Syn – steadfast, unflinching Ant – weak, spineless, indecisive

retentive A retentive memory is a great asset for an actor, especially one who performs on stage.

Adj – able to hold, keep, or recall; retaining knowledge easily Ant – porous, forgetful

scapegoat In ancient times, a messenger who brought bad news often was made the scapegoat for it and killed.

N – a person or thing carrying the blame for others Syn – fall guy, whipping boy