Vocabulary

Level F Unit 6

anomalous• (adj.) abnormal,

irregular, departing from the usual

• SYN: exceptional, atypical, unusual, aberrant

• ANT: normal, regular, customary, typical, ordinary

aspersion• (n.) a damaging or derogatory

statement; the act of slandering or defaming

• SYN: innuendo, calumny, denigration

• ANT: endorsement, testimonial, praise

• The National Enquirer is known for casting aspersions on celebrities.

bizarre• (adj.) extremely strange,

unusual, atypical

• SYN: grotesque, fantastic, outlandish

• ANT: normal, typical, ordinary, expected

brusque• (adj.) abrupt, blunt,

with no formalities

• Synonyms: curt, tactless, ungracious, gruff, rough

• Antonyms: gracious, tactful, courteous, diplomatic

cajole

• (v.) to coax, persuade through flattery or artifice; to deceive with soothing thoughts or false promises

• SYN: wheedle, inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk

• ANT: coerce, force, strong-arm

castigate• (v.) to punish

severely; to criticize severely

• SYN: chastise, rebuke, censure, upbraid

• ANT: reward, honor, praise, laud

contrive• (v.) to plan with

ingenuity, invent; to bring about as the result of a scheme or plan

• SYN: think up, devise, concoct, fabricate

demagogue• (n.) a leader who

exploits popular prejudices and false claims and promises in order to gain power

• SYN: rabble-rouser, firebrand

disabuse• (v.) to free from

deception or error, set right in ideas or thinking

• SYN: undeceive, enlighten, set straight

• ANT: deceive, delude, pull wool over one’s eyes

ennui• (n.) weariness and

dissatisfaction from lack of occupation or interest, boredom

• SYN: languor, world-weariness, listlessness

• ANT: enthusiasm, liveliness, excitement, intensity

fetter• (n.) a chain or shackle

placed on the feet (usually used in plural); anything that confines or restrains

• (v.) to chain or shackle; to render helpless or impotent

• Synonyms: (n.) bond, restraint; (v.) bind, hamper

• Antonyms: (v.) free, liberate, emancipate

heinous• (adj.) very wicked,

offensive, hateful

• SYN: evil, odious, abominable, outrageous

• ANT: excellent, wonderful, splendid In his book In Cold Blood,

Truman Capote wrote about a heinous crime that took place in Kansas in 1959.

immutable• (adj.) not subject to

change, constant

• SYN: unchangeable, unalterable, fixed, invariable

• ANT: changeable, inconstant, variable, fickle

The Ten Commandments are considered by Christians to be immutable laws of God.

insurgent(n.) one who rebels or rises

against authority; (adj.) rising in revolt, refusing to accept authority; surging or rushing in or on

SYN: (adj.) revolutionary, rebellious, mutinous

ANT: (adj.) loyalist, loyal, faithful

In American literature, we can read about the bravery of many insurgents against Britain.

megalomania• (n.) a delusion marked

by a feeling of power, wealth, talent, etc., far in excess of reality

• Synonyms: delusions of grandeur

• Antonyms: humility, modesty, self-abasement

• Based upon his bizarre behavior, Moammar Khadafi appears to suffer from megalomania.

sinecure• (n.) a position

requiring little or no work; an easy job

• Synonyms: “no-show” job, cushy job, “plum”

Our neighbor’s job appears to be nothing more than a sinecure since we rarely see him leave the house.

surreptitious• (adj.) stealthy, secret,

intended to escape observation; made or accomplished by fraud

• SYN: furtive, covert, clandestine, concealed

• ANT: open, frank, aboveboard, overt

The co-workers met surreptitiously to plan a surprise party for their boss.

transgress• (v.) to go beyond a

limit or boundary; to sin, violate a law

• SYN: overstep, exceed, trespass, err

• ANT: obey, toe the line

After spending a week in ISS, the student vowed not to transgress the rules again.

transmute

• (v.) to change from one nature, substance, or form to another

• SYN: transform, convert, translate, metamorphose

• ANT: maintain, unchanged, preserve

After moving to a new school, my friend was able to transmute her image into a positive one.

vicarious

• (adj.) performed, suffered, or otherwise experienced by one person in place of another

• SYN: surrogate, substitute, imagined, secondhand

• ANT: real, actual, firsthand