Vocabulary Unit #12 Definitions and Examples
Learn the meanings of vocabulary words such as absolve, caricature, clangor, contiguous, cupidity, deleterious, enhance, enthrall, and extenuate with their synonyms and usage examples in sentences. Enhance your vocabulary with vivid imagery and contextual understanding to improve word usage in your conversations and writing.
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Presentation Transcript
absolve v. to clear from blame, responsibility, or guilt Synonym: pardon, acquit They assumed that their alibi would absolve them of suspicion.
caricature n. a representation, such as a drawing, that exaggerates a subject s characteristic features Synonym: cartoon What began as a hasty newspaper caricature soon turned up on coffee mugs, t-shirts, and sweatshirts.
clangor n. a loud ringing sound v. to make a loud ringing noise Synonym: clamor, uproar For more than a century, American grade schools summoned children to school with the clangor of a bell.
contiguous Adj. side by side, touching; near; adjacent in time Synonym: next door to; abutting Trouble arose over who should control the weeds and bushes that grew in the lot contiguous to ours.
cupidity n. an eager desire for something; greed Synonym: avarice, lust You say that these catalogue prices show the quality of the goods, but I say they show the seller s cupidity.
deleterious Adj. harmful, injurious Synonym: detrimental, damaging Wishing can give zest and purpose to anyone s life, but wishful thinking can have a deleterious effect.
enhance v. to raise to a higher degree; to increase the value or desirability of Synonym: improve, elevate She sanded and varnished the old table in order to enhance its appearance and value.
enthrall v. to captivate, charm, hold spellbound; to enslave; to imprison Synonym: attract, fascinate All the critics were enthralled by the performance and wrote rave reviews.
extenuate v. to lessen the seriousness or magnitude of an offense by making partial excuses Synonym: downplay, diminish The jurors believed that the young man s crime had been committed under extenuating circumstances.
implicit Adj. implied or understood though unexpressed; without doubts or reservations, unquestioning Synonym: inferred, unspoken She never said so, but it was implicit that she did not like conversations before her morning coffee.
incisive Adj. sharp, keen, penetrating (with a suggestion of decisiveness and effectiveness) Synonym: perceptive I am truly thankful for your incisive remarks about my report that I worked so diligently to complete.
inimical Adj. tending to cause harm or obstruct developments; being oppositional or adverse Synonym: unfriendly, hostile Several inimical groups have tried to create chaos and undermine democratic principles.
ostentatious Adj. marked by conspicuous or pretentious display; showy Synonym: flashy, overdone, flamboyant The restaurant s interior was so ostentatious that the meager meal, when it came, seemed an afterthought.
paragon n. a model of excellence or perfection Synonym: ideal; good example I may not be a paragon of scholarship, but I do try my best.
politic Adj. prudent, shrewdly conceived and developed; artful; expedient Synonym: tactful, diplomatic In your angry state I think it would be politic to say nothing, at least until you have calmed down.
prosaic Adj. dull, lacking in distinction and originality; straightforward; matter-of-fact Synonym: literal I remember his singing voice as being on key and clear but also prosaic.
redundant Adj. extra, excess, more than is needed; wordy, repetitive Synonym: unnecessary; verbose Some redundant expressions, such as hollow tubing are acceptable in the English language.
sanctimonious Adj. making a show of virtue or righteousness; hypocritically moralistic or self-righteous; holier-than-thou Synonym: self-righteous Cautionary tales that take on a sanctimonious tone often achieve the opposite of the desired result.
scintillating Adj. sparkling, twinkling, exceptionally brilliant (applied to mental or personal qualities) Synonym: glittering She was known for her scintillating conversation.
winsome Adj. charming, attractive, pleasing (often suggesting a childlike charm and innocence) Synonym: delightful; winning When my little brother wanted something badly, he became as winsome as a puppy.
