ACT/SAT Vocabulary Unit 12

Absolve

(v) to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt Syn: acquit, exonerateAnt: condemn, incriminate

Caricature(n) a representation (especially a

drawing) in which the subject’s characteristic features are deliberately exaggerated; (v) to present someone or something in a deliberately distorted way.

Syn: cartoon, parody

*Clangor

(n) a loud ringing sound; (v) to make a loud ringing noise

Syn: din, clamorAnt: silence, peace

*Contiguous

(adj) side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time and/or space

Syn: adjoining, abuttingAnt: detached, remote

Cupidity

(n) an eager desire for something; greedSyn: rapacity, cravingAnt: generosity, contentment

Deleterious

(adj) harmful, injurious Syn: detrimental, destructiveAnt: beneficial, innocuous

Enhance(v) to raise to higher

degree; to increase the value or desirability of

Syn: magnify, elevateAnt: diminish, degrade

*Enthrall

(v) to captivate, charm, hold spellbound Syn: fascinate, attractAnt: bore, repel

Extenuate

(v) to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses

Syn: moderate, downplayAnt: aggravate, exacerbate

*Implicit

(adj) implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning; potentially contained in

Syn; inferred, unspokenAnt: explicit, stated

Incisive

(adj) sharp, keen, penetrating (with suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness)

Syn: acute, perceptive

Ostentatious

(adj) marked by conspicuous or pretentious display, showy

Syn: flashy, flamboyantAnt: plain, simple

Paragon

(n) a model of excellence or perfection Syn: exemplar, paradigm

Paraphrase

(v) to restate in other words; (n) a statement that presents a given idea in a new language

Syn; reword, rephraseAnt: verbatim, duplicate

Politic

(adj) prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful, expedient

Syn: tactful, diplomaticAnt: imprudent, rash

Prosaic

(adj) dull, lacking in distinction and originality; matter- of- fact, straight forward; characteristic of prose, not poetic

Syn: commonplace, pedestrianAnt: remarkable, distinctive

Redundant

(adj) extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive; profuse, lush

Syn: unnecessary, superfluousAnt: succinct, terse

*Sanctimonious

(adj) making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or pious, self-righteous, canting, holier-than-thou

Ant: heartfelt, humble

*Scintillating

(adj) sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities – NOT PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTE)

Syn: stimulating, livelyAnt: boring, insipid

*Winsome

(adj) charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence)

Syn: engaging, delightfulAnt: unattractive, repulsive