November 2017

1. Repugnant – extremely distasteful; unacceptable. Synonyms: abhorrent, revolting, repulsive, repellent, disgusting, offensive, objectionable Antonyms: attractive, agreeable, pleasant Usage: Because of your repugnant behavior, I no longer want to be friends with you.   2. Rapture – a feeling of intense pleasure or joy. Synonyms:  ecstasy, bliss, euphoria, elation, exaltation, joy, enchantment, delight, exhilaration Antonyms: boredom, indifference, agonize Usage: Her eyes were filled with rapture […]

1. Invincible – not possible to be defeated or harmed Synonyms: unconquerable, impregnable, unsubdued, unbeatable Antonyms: effeminate, lanquid, crippled, fragile Usage: The horrific nightmare filled the woman with consternation.   2. Infringe – to trespass upon something Synonyms:  violate, encroach, transgress, trespass Antonyms: comply, concur, confirm, observe Usage: Having that much work to do at home will only infringe upon my time with my family.

1. Consternation – a feeling of worry, shock, or fear – often happens when something unexpected happens Synonyms: dismay, perturbation, anxiety, disquiet, discomposure, trepidation Antonyms: satisfaction Usage: The horrific nightmare filled the woman with consternation.   2. Scathing – extremely severe or harsh Synonyms: devastating, withering, blistering, searing, scorching, fierce Antonyms: mild, gentle, complimentary Usage: The scathing criticism did not inspire the student to improve his

1. Conundrum – a confusing and difficult problem or question. Synonyms: enigma, mystery, problem, stumper, cruncher Antonyms: solution, clarification , explanation Usage: Trying to solve this conundrum is really making my head hurt.   2. Provocative – tending to provoke or stimulate Synonyms: annoying, irritating, exasperating, infuriating, maddening Antonyms: soothing, calming Usage: The purpose of the con artist’s provocative speech is to inspire us to give him our

1. Lugubrious – looking or sounding sad and gloomy Synonyms: mournful, doleful, Eeyorish, melancholy, sorrowful, morose Antonyms: cheerful, joyful Usage: In his first novel, the mysterious postman is the perfect example of a lugubrious character.   2. Vagrant – an individual who lacks regular work and moves around frequently Synonyms: transient, roving, floating, unsettled, footloose, itinerant Usage: The vagrant does not appear to work and

1. Straddle – to be on both sides of something; to sit or stand with one leg on each side Synonyms: bestride, mount, span, range, stride, ramble, sprawl Antonyms: side, aspect, incline, brink Usage: In order to climb the fence, she needed to carefully straddle the structure.   2. Peevish – Easily irritated, testy or annoyed Synonyms: Cranky, fractious, grumpy, snappy, waspish

1. Flimsy – insubstantial and easily damaged. Synonyms: fragile, breakable, frail, shaky, unstable, wobbly, ramshackle Antonyms: sturdy, strong, plausible, tough Usage: I never place flowers in that flimsy vase, it tips over so easily.   2. Dissect – analyse (a text or idea) in minute detail. Synonyms: examine, study, inspect, scrutinize, probe, explore, investigate Usage: He dissected the Prime Minister’s statement and revealed the truth

1. Clamour – shout loudly and insistently. Synonyms: scream, shriek, roar, clangour, tumult Antonyms: silence Usage: As soon as the people learn about the little boy’s murder, they are going to clamor for justice.   2. Reassert – to state with assurance, confidence, or force; state strongly or positively Synonyms: acknowledge, advocate, affirm, announce, argue, disclose, repeat Antonyms: abandon, abdicate, Usage: Golf has been

1. Pacify – to placate or appease Synonyms: allay, ameliorate, assuage, mitigate, mollify, conciliate Antonyms: aggravate, incite, intensify Usage: Hopefully the warm bottle of milk will pacify the crying baby.   2. Surreal – appearing as a fantasy or dream Synonyms: hypnagogic, dreamlike Antonyms: real Usage: When I woke up after the surgery, I felt as though I was in a surreal environment because of

1. Incarcerate – to lock a person up as a consequence for his or her actions Synonyms: confine, detain, imprison, book, constrain, hold, immure, impound Antonyms: free, release Usage: The police are going to incarcerate the teen who keeps committing acts of violence.   2. Impiety – lack of respect for God Synonyms: blasphemy, godlessness, heresy, irreverence, profanity Antonyms: piety, faith Usage: With an air

1. Labile – easily or frequently changed Synonyms: unstable, vacillant, mutable, unsettled, adaptable, capricious Antonyms: balanced, fixed Usage: The labile currency can be changed out easily when visiting a different country.   2. Pander – indulge Synonyms: cajole, gratify, massage, please, satisfy, snow Antonyms: dissatisfy, annoy, disappoint Usage: Because Jim wants his son to value a dollar, he does not pander to his whims by

1. Sordid – very bad or dirty Synonyms: disreputable, nasty, shameful, sleazy, squalid, abject, avaricious Antonyms: clean, decent Usage: If people learn of the politician’s sordid past, they will not vote for him.   2. Primordial – in the beginning; in a basic way Synonyms: prehistoric, primal, primeval, primitive, pristine Antonyms: modern, latest Usage: Man’s first language was primordial and consisted of only a few