1. Vocabulary
Level F Unit 9

2. abate After the rain abates, the baseball game will resume.
(verb) to make less in
amount, degree, etc.;
to subside, become
less; to nullify; to
deduct, omit
SYN: diminish,
decrease, subside,
let up
ANT: intensify,
increase, magnify,
wax
After the rain abates, the
baseball game will resume.

3. adulation (noun) praise or flattery that is excessive SYN: adoration,
idolization,
hero-worship
ANT: ridicule,
derision,
scorn, odium
Professional athletes are often too immature
to handle the adulation of their fans.

4. anathema The inability of both political parties to stop
(noun) an object of
intense dislike; a
curse or strong
denunciation (often
used adjectivally
without the article)
SYN: malediction,
imprecation,
abomination
ANT: benediction,
blessing
The inability of both political parties to stop
spending is anathema to most Americans.

5. astute It was very astute of you to arrange an
(adjective) shrewd,
crafty, showing
practical wisdom
SYN: shrewd, acute,
sagacious, judicious,
wily
ANT: obtuse, doltish,
empty-headed,
dumb
It was very astute of you to arrange an
interview with the CEO of the company.

6. avarice (noun) a greedy desire, particularly for wealth SYN: cupidity,
rapacity,
acquisitiveness
Tom Walker’s avarice for money
proved to be his undoing.

7. culpable (adjective) deserving blame, worthy of condemnation
SYN: guilty,
delinquent, peccant,
blameworthy
ANT: blameless,
innocent, laudable,
meritorious

8. dilatory (adjective) tending to delay or procrastinate, not
prompt; intended
postpone
SYN: stalling, slow,
tardy, laggard
ANT: prompt,
punctual, speedy,
expeditious
It is never a good idea to be
dilatory in filing your taxes!

9. egregious (adjective) conspicuous, standing out from the mass (used
particularly in an
unfavorable sense)
SYN: glaring,
flagrant, blatant
ANT: unnoticeable,
paltry, piddling
It was senseless to foul in such
an egregious manner with
only seconds left on the clock.

10. equivocate Politicians often equivocate on issues
(verb) to speak or act in
such a way that allows
for more than one
interpretation; to be
deliberately vague or
ambiguous
SYN: to talk out of both
sides of one’s mouth,
palter, hedge
ANT: to speak one’s
mind plainly
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Politicians often equivocate on issues
in order to please both sides.

11. evanescent (adjective) vanishing, soon passing away; light and airy
SYN: ephemeral,
transient, transitory
ANT: everlasting,
immortal,
imperishable

12. irresolute (adjective) unable to make up one’s mind, hesitating
SYN: indecisive,
vacillating,
wavering
ANT: determined,
decisive, unwavering
My friend is always irresolute when
it comes to choosing a movie, so
we always choose for her.

13. nebulous When the street signs began to appear nebulous, I knew it was
(adjective) cloudlike,
resembling a cloud;
cloudy in color, not
transparent; vague,
confused, indistinct
SYN: hazy, fuzzy, cloudy,
vague, murky, opaque,
indeterminate
ANT: definite, distinct,
clear, sharply focused
When the street signs began to
appear nebulous, I knew it was
time to have my eyes checked.

14. novice No one wants to ride with a novice driver. (noun) one who is
just a beginner at
some activity
requiring skill and
experience (also
used adjectivally)
SYN: neophyte, tyro,
trainee, apprentice
ANT: veteran, past
master, pro, expert
No one wants to ride
with a novice driver.

15. penury Many of Charles Dickens’ characters (noun) extreme poverty;
barrenness,
insufficiency
SYN: destitution,
want, indigence
ANT: affluence,
abundance,
luxury, opulence
Many of Charles Dickens’ characters
began life in a state of penury, only
to reach affluence in later life.

16. pretentious (adjective) done for show, striving to make a big
impression; claiming
merit or position
unjustifiably; making
demands on one’s skill
or abilities, ambitious
SYN: inflated,
ostentatious, affected
ANT: unassuming,
unaffected, modest

17. recapitulate (verb) to review a series of facts; to sum up
SYN: review,
summarize,
sum up, go
over

18. resuscitate (verb) to revive, bring back to consciousness or existence
SYN: revitalize,
reanimate,
restore,
reactivate

19. slovenly (adjective) untidy, dirty, careless SYN: unkempt, slatternly,
slipshod, lax
ANT: neat, tidy,
careful,
meticulous
It is no wonder that he could not find
his project in his slovenly work space.

20. supposition (noun) something that is assumed or taken for
granted without
conclusive
evidence
SYN: assumption,
presumption,
hypothesis
Don’t make suppositions about people
before you get to know them.

21. torpid (adjective) inactive, sluggish, dull SYN: sluggish,
lethargic, otiose,
languid
ANT: energetic,
dynamic, vigorous
The room was so hot and muggy
that we all began to feel torpid
as we worked on our assignment.