1. Unit 4
January

2. Alliance
Noun
A joining together for some common purpose.
The two nations formed an ALLIANCE to defend each other in case of attack.
SYN-pact, league, coalition
ANT-rift, split

3. To puzzle completely, confuse
bewilder
Verb
To puzzle completely, confuse
The captain continues to BEWILDER his
troops by giving contradictory orders.
SYN-perplex, confound
ANT-set straight, enlighten

4. A clown, a coarse, stupid person
BUFFOON
NOUN
A clown, a coarse, stupid person
Some students think that they need to play the BUFFOON in order to entertain their classmates and charm their teachers.
SYN-jester, dunce

5. Arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement
CONTROVERSIAL
ADJECTIVE
Arousing argument, dispute, or disagreement
The school board waited until all members were present before issuing the
CONTROVERSIAL proposal to ban after-school programs.
SYN-arguable, at issue

6. Do not let your low score on the math test DISHEARTEN you.
Verb
To discourage
Do not let your low score on the math test DISHEARTEN you.
SYN-demoralize, dispirit
ANT-encourage, hearten

7. FRUITLESS ADJECTIVE Not producing the desired results, unsuccessful
When their efforts to fight the infection with penicillin proved FRUITLESS, the doctors tried a new antibiotic.
SYN-useless, vain, unproductive
ANT-productive, effective

8. Unfriendly, unfavorable, warlike, aggressive
HOSTILE
Adjective
Unfriendly, unfavorable, warlike, aggressive
Relations between the two nations have been HOSTILE for decades.
SYN-None
ANT-friendly, cordial

9. Easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused
INFLAMMABLE
ADJECTIVE
Easily set on fire; easily angered or aroused
Always be cautious when using INFLAMMABLE cleaning solvents.
SYN-flammable, excitable
ANT-fire-resistant, calm

10. To give or cause something unpleasant, impose
INFLICT
Verb
To give or cause something unpleasant, impose
Despite all the jokes, doctors do not like to INFLICT pain on their patients.
SYN-deal out, visit upon
ANT-suffer, undergo, sustain

11. Deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious
MALIGNANT
ADJECTIVE
Deadly, extremely harmful, evil; spiteful, malicious
Much to the patient’s relief, the x-ray revealed no MALIGNANT growth.
SYN-wicked, malevolent
ANT-wholesome, beneficial

12. MORTIFY
Verb
To hurt someone’s feelings deeply; to cause embarrassment or humiliation; to subdue or discipline by self- denial or suffering
The teacher was MORTIFIED by the students’ childish behavior on the field trip.
SYN-embarrass, abash
ANT-none

13. ORTHODOX
ADJECTIVE
In agreement with established or generally accepted beliefs or ways of doing things.
Our principal, who believes in proven teaching methods, takes an ORTHODOX approach to education.
SYN-traditional, standard, customary
ANT-unusual, unconventional

14. To obtain through special effort, to bring about
PROCURE
Verb
To obtain through special effort, to bring about
The hospital held a raffle to PROCURE the necessary funds for the new children’s wing.
SYN-gain, achieve
ANY-none

15. To run quickly, scamper, hurry
SCURRY
Verb
To run quickly, scamper, hurry
The reappearance of the teacher caused the students in the class to SCURRY back to their seats.
SYN-rush, dash, scramble
ANT-trudge, plod, creep, crawl

16. SODDEN
Adjective
Soaked with liquid or moisture, expressionless, dull, listless, spiritless
All at once, and with much loud honking, the flock of geese rose from the SODDEN marshlands.
SYN-waterlogged, saturated
ANT-parched, arid

17. Full of life and vigor; courageous
SPIRITED
Adjective
Full of life and vigor; courageous
The royal soldiers put up a SPIRITED defense against the invading army.
SYN-lively, animated, gallant
ANT-lifeless, dull

18. VIRTUAL
Adjective
Having a certain force or effect in fact but not in name; so close as to be equivalent to the real thing
To those who worked in the office, the bossy new manager was a VIRTUAL dictator.
SYN-functioning as
ANT - none

19. VOID Adjective, Noun, Verb
Completely empty, having no legal force or effect, empty or unfilled space, to cancel or nullify
I thought the poem was completely VOID of sense.
Grandmother’s death left a great VOID in my grandfather’s life.
Do you know how to VOID a check?
SYN-invalid, vacant, bare
ANT-in effect, confirm

20. Disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious
WAYWARD
Adjective
Disobedient, willful; unpredictable, capricious
Tracking the WAYWARD path of a comet is no easy matter.
SYN-insubordinate, rebellious
ANT-docile, well-behaved, predictable

21. WINCE
Verb
To draw back suddenly, as though in pain or fear; the act of drawing back in this way
The animal’s bite made the child WINCE in pain.
The patient’s WINCE told the doctor to press more gently.
SYN-flinch, shudder