ADROIT

(adj.) skillful. Expert in the use of hands or mind

Synonyms: clever; dexterous

Many rodeo performers are adroit at twirling a rope

while on horseback.

AMICABLE

(adj.) peaceable, friendly

Traditionally, parties turn to the court system when

they cannot come to an amicable solution by

themselves.

AVERSE

(adj.) having deep-seated distaste; opposed, unwilling

You are not likely to become a marathon runner if you

are averse to strenuous exercise.

BELLIGERENT

(adj.) given to fighting, warlike; combative, aggressive

I did not expect such a belligerent answer to my

request for directions.

BENEVOLENT

(adj.) kindly, charitable

Synonyms: benign, well-meaning

The newcomers had nothing but benevolent feelings

toward all their neighbors.

CURSORY

(adj.) hasty, not thorough

Synonym: quick

The student gave only a cursory glance at the

directions before writing the essay. This is why she

got a bad grade.

DUPLICITY

(n.) treachery, deceitfulness

Synonym: double-dealing

We found it difficult to believe that our good friend

could be capable of such duplicity.

EXTOL

(v.) to praise extravagantly

Synonym: glorify

Many stories and plays have been written that extol

the heroic deeds of Joan of Arc.

My mother makes me so angry when she extols the

virtues of my sister to me.

FEASIBLE

(adj.) possible, able to be done

Synonym: workable, viable

Our city needs to develop a feasible plan of action for

dealing with storms and other emergencies.

GRIMACE

(n.) a wry face, facial distortion synonym: pained

expression

(v.) to make a wry face (painful expression)

Most people grimace at the mere sound of the

dentist’s drill.

The grimace of the refugee in the photograph reveals

the pain of homelessness.

HOLOCAUST

(n.) a large scale destruction, especially by fire; a vast

slaughter; a burnt offering

Synonym: conflagration, devistation, annihilation

Elie Weisel was the first person to use the word

holocaust to describe the genocide of WWII.

IMPERVIOUS

(adj.) not affected or hurt by; admitting of no passage

or entrance

Synonyms: impenetrable, resistant

It is best to store flour in a container with a plastic

cover that is impervious to moisture.

IMPETUS

(n.) a moving force, impulse, stimulus

Synonyms: impulse, spur

The coming of winter gave a new impetus to the

appeals for food and clothing for needy families .

JEOPARDY

(n.) danger

Synonyms: risk, hazard, peril

Experienced mountaineers know that a single mistake

can put an entire expedition in serious jeopardy.

METICULOUS

(adj.) extremely careful; particular about details

Synonyms: fastidious, fussy

If you have a full time job outside the home, you may

find it exceedingly difficult to be a meticulous

housekeeper.

NOSTALGIA

(n.) a longing for something past; homesickness

Looking at old scrapbooks and reading old letters can

bring on a vague sense of nostalgia for days gone

by and friends no longer near.

QUINTESSENCE

(n.) the purest essence or form of something; the most

typical example

Synonyms: paragon, exemplar

Risking one’s own life to save the lives of others is

considered the quintessence of selfless valor.

RETROGRESS

(v.) to move backward; to return to an earlier

condition.

Synonyms: revert, degenerate, decline

In the novel, the survivors of a nuclear explosion

retrogress into a state of barbarism and anarchy.

SCRUTINIZE

(v.) to examine closely.

Synonyms: inspect, pore over

Lawyers are paid to scrutinize legal papers and

explain the fine print to their clients.

TEPID

(adj.) lukewarm; unenthusiastic, marked by an

absence of interest

Synonyms: insipid, half-hearted

A cup of tepid tea will not warm you up on a chilly

morning.