Vocabulary Drill

Chapter Ten

abruptly · suddenly

accusatory · blaming

affectation · pose

allegation · accusation

ambiguous · vague

ambivalent · undecided, conflicted

amicable · friendly

assiduousness · diligence

assurances · promises

asylum · mental institution

attaining · achieving

banality · ordinary nature

benevolent · kind

betray · prove unfaithful to

brandished · held as a weapon

buttresses · supports

cantankerous · cranky

censuring · scolding

challenge · defy boldly

circumlocution · talking in circles

clarity · clearness

coherent · sensible

collusion · secret agreement

compassionate · sympathetic

comprehend · understand

conciliatory · appeasing

concisely · sharply

concordant · agreeing

contrite · sorry

convergence · gathering

convey · pass on

corrosive · damaging

curtail · shorten

daunting · intimidating

debilitating · weakening

decisive · conclusive

deferment · temporary delay

degradation · humiliation

devious · cunning

disregarded · ignored

distracted · diverted

divert · redirect

divulged · revealed

drab · cheerless

duplicates · copies

ebbed · eased

embezzle · swindle

embittered · bitter

emphatically · with emphasis

encroach · trespass

endorse · support

enhance · increase

entangled · entrapped

equitable · fair

essential · necessary

evaluate · assess

exaggerate · overstate

exculpate · clear from guilt

expedite · speed up

extenuating · mitigating

firebrand · troublemaker

flanking · aside

flee · escape

flippancy · disrespectfully easygoing

futile · useless

gargantuan · huge

grove · area of trees

gruff · hoarse

immoderate · excessive

impassioned · excitedly

incompetent · without skill

incriminating · proving guilt

indeterminate · unknown

innocuous · harmless, trivial

lunacy · madness

reprehensible · disgraceful