1. 12th Grade English Literature
Vocabulary Week 1

2. maladroit
Example: A maladroit movement of his hand caused the car to swerve.

3. maladroit Unskillful, awkward
Synonyms: blundering, inept, tactless, ungraceful

4. pungent
Example: Fish has a rather pungent odor.

5. Pungent
Sharp or strong in smell or taste
Synonyms: spicy, zesty

6. sentinel
Example: The sentinel’s senses were heightened after the most recent attack.

7. sentinel
a soldier stationed as a guard to challenge all comers and prevent a surprise attack
a person or thing that watches or stands as if watching
Synonyms: sentry, guard, watch, lookout

8. dastardly
Example: The dastardly villain is destroying our town.

9. dastardly cowardly; meanly base; sneaking
Synonyms: despicable, foul, mean, rotten, vile

10. Fait accompli
Example: The enemy’s defeat was fait accompli long before the final surrender.

11. Fait accompli
An accomplished and presumably irreversible deed, fact or action
Synonyms: determined, completed, inevitable

12. onus
Example: The onus of presenting the tough case was on the defense attorney.

13. onus a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.
Synonyms: weight, duty, load

14. zenith
Example: The sun reaches its zenith at midday.

15. zenith a highest point or state; culmination
Synonyms: crest, peak, summit, pinnacle

16. transient (transitory)
Example: There are many transient guests at a hotel.

17. transient lasting only a short time; existing briefly; temporary
Synonyms: fleeting, flighty, migratory, short-lived

18. florid
Example: The girl’s face appeared florid after running a mile.

19. florid
Red, ruddy
Synonyms: flushed, glowing, rosy

20. afflict
Example: The criminal’s plan was to afflict emotional anguish on the store owner.

21. afflict To distress with mental or bodily pain
To trouble greatly or grievously
Synonyms: torment, plague