Vocabulary Drill

September 3: Uncle Sam’s Birthday

abhor · hate or detest

accordance · agreement

adjacent · next to

affluent · wealthy

aloof · standoffish

articulate · well-spoken

avert · turn aside

banal · bland

catalyst · something that brings about a change

cerebral · brainy or intelligent

condescending · degrading

descending · downward

disparities · differences

dunce · idiot

ebullient · high-spirited

effulgent · brilliant or radiant

emitting · giving off

enclave · closed society

gait · way of walking

haughty · proud

hierarchy · chain of command

implicit · implied

intriguing · interesting

irrational · not logical

lofty · superior

nave · inexperienced

neophyte · beginner

particularly · specifically

persevered · kept trying

peruse · examine

phenomenon · fact or event

precedes · comes before

rant · lecture

resolution · promise

resonance · character or tone

salient · significant

smug · self-satisfied

stolid · indifferent

unabashed · unashamed

verbose · wordy