1. Level E Unit 2
Vocabulary Words

2. 1. Adroit (adj.) – skillful, expert in the use of the hands or mind
Many rodeo performers are ADROIT at twirling a rope while on horseback.
Synonyms: clever, deft, dexterous, slick
Antonyms: clumsy, inept, all thumbs

3. 2. Amicable (adj.) peaceable, friendly
Sometimes mediation by a neutral individual can lead to an AMICABLE settlement of a dispute.
Synonyms: congenial, neighborly, cordial
Antonyms: hostile, antagonistic

4. 3. Averse (adj.) having a deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling
You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you are AVERSE to strenuous exercise.
Synonyms: disinclined, loath
Antonyms: favorably disposed, eager, keen

5. 4. Belligerent
(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive; (n.) one at war, one engaged in war.
I did not expect such a BELLIGERENT answer to my request for directions.
After each BELLIGERENT signed the peace treaty, the war was declared legally over.
Synonym: assertive, truculent, pugnacious
Antonyms: peaceful, conciliatory, placid

6. 5. Benevolent (adj.) kindly, charitable
The newcomers had nothing but BENEVOLENT feelings toward all their neighbors.
Synonyms: benign, well-meaning
Antonyms: malicious, spiteful, malevolent

7. 6. Cursory (adj.) hasty, not thorough
The mayor gave a final CURSORY glance at the text of her speech before mounting the podium.
Synonyms: quick, superficial, perfunctory
Antonyms: thorough, painstaking, careful

8. 7. Duplicity (n.) treachery, deceitfulness
We found it difficult to believe that one of our good friends could be capable of such DUPLICITY.
Synonyms: fraud, double-dealing, chicanery

9. 8. Extol (v.) to praise extravagantly
Many inspiring stories and plays have been written that EXTOL the heroic deed of Joan of Arc.
Synonyms: glorify, applaud, acclaim, hail
Antonyms: criticize, belittle, disparage

10. 9. Feasible (adj.) possible, able to be done
Our city needs to develop a FEASIBLE plan of action for dealing with storms and other emergencies.
Synonyms: workable, practicable, viable
Antonyms: unworkable, impractical

11. 10. Grimace
(n.) a wry face, facial distortion; (v.) to make a wry face
The GRIMACE of the refugee in the photograph reveals the pain of homelessness.
Most people GRIMACE at the sound of the dentist’s drill.
Synonyms: pained expression, facial contortion
Antonyms: smile, grin, beam

12. 11. Holocaust
(n.) a large-scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast slaughter; a burnt offering
Journalists at the time were eager to interview survivors of the Chicago HOLOCAUST.
Synonyms: conflagration, devastation, annihilation
Antonyms: deluge, inundation

13. 12. Impervious
(adj.) not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage or entrance
It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic cover that is IMPERVIOUS to moisture.
Synonyms: impenetrable, resistant, proof against
Antonyms: porous, permeable, vulnerable

14. 13. Impetus (n.) a moving force, impulse, stimulus
The coming of winter gave a new IMPETUS to the appeals for food and clothing for needy families.
Synonyms: impulse, incentive, spur
Antonyms: curb, hindrance, impediment, constraint

15. 14. Jeopardy
(n.) danger
Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake can put an entire expedition in JEOPARDY.
Synonyms: risk, hazard, peril
Antonyms: safety, security

16. 15. Meticulous (adj.) extremely careful; particular about details
If you have a full-time job outside the home, you may find it exceedingly difficult to be a METICULOUS housekeeper.
Synonyms: fastidious, painstaking, fussy
Antonyms: careless, negligent, sloppy

17. 16. Nostalgia (n.) a longing for something past; homesickness
Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can bring on a vague sense of NOSTALGIA.

18. Synonyms: paragon, exemplar
17. Quintessence
(n.) the purest essence or form of something; the most typical example
Risking one’s own life to save the lives of others is considered the QUINTESSENCE of selfless valor.
Synonyms: paragon, exemplar

19. 18. Retrogress
(v.) to move backward; to return to an earlier condition
In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion RETROGRESS into a state of barbarism and anarchy.
Synonyms: revert, degenerate, decline
Antonyms: advance, evolve, progress

20. 19. Scrutinize (v.) to examine closely
Lawyers are paid to SCRUTINIZE legal papers and explain the fine print to their clients.
Synonyms: inspect, pore over
Antonym: skim, scan, glance at

21. 20. Tepid
(adj.) lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an absence of interest
A cup of TEPID tea will not warm you up on a chilly morning.
Synonyms: insipid, halfhearted, wishy-washy
Antonyms: heated, excited, enthusiastic