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Words that should be added to The Challenge (A)

These itemizations of words should be incorporated into The Challenge to further challenge its participants, and they conveniently encompass a wide assortment of words that range in difficulty.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G-H, I, J-L, M, N-O, P, Q-R, ..., Other
346 words 33 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. aback
    by surprise
  2. abaft
    at or near the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
  3. abalone
    a large edible marine gastropod with an ear-shaped shell
  4. abasement
    a low or downcast state
  5. abbey
    a church or building associated with a monastery or convent
  6. abdominal
    relating to or near the middle region of the body
  7. abductor
    someone who unlawfully seizes and detains a victim
  8. abeam
    at right angles to the length of a ship or airplane
  9. abjection
    a low or downcast state
  10. abjuration
    a disavowal or taking back of a previous assertion
  11. ablate
    wear away through erosion or vaporization
  12. able-bodied
    having a strong healthy body
  13. abnormality
    marked strangeness as a consequence of being abnormal
  14. abortion
    failure of a plan
  15. aboveboard
    in an honest manner
  16. abscission
    the shedding of foliage after a plant forms scar tissue
  17. abseil
    lower oneself with a rope coiled around the body from a mountainside
  18. absenteeism
    habitual failure to be present from work
  19. absorbent
    having power or capacity or tendency to absorb or soak up something (liquids or energy etc.)
  20. abstention
    the trait of avoiding some substance or activity
  21. abstinent
    self-restraining
  22. abstrusity
    wisdom that is recondite and abstruse and profound
  23. a cappella
    without musical accompaniment
  24. accelerator
    an instrument that increases the energy of charged particles
  25. acceptably
    in an acceptable or satisfactory manner
  26. accidental
    happening by chance or unexpectedly or unintentionally
  27. acclamation
    enthusiastic approval or recognition
  28. accordance
    concurrence or agreement of opinion
  29. accoutre
    provide with military equipment
  30. accoutrement
    accessory or supplementary item of clothing
  31. accreditation
    the act of granting official approval or recognition
  32. accrual
    a gain or increase in something over time
  33. accrued
    periodically accumulated over time
  34. acculturate
    assimilate culturally
  35. accursed
    under or as if under an evil spell
  36. accurst
    under a curse
  37. acetic
    relating to a clear organic acid with a pungent odor
  38. Achilles' heel
    a seemingly small but actual mortal weakness
  39. achromatic
    having no hue
  40. acidify
    make sour or more sour
  41. acidity
    the property of being acidic
  42. acne
    an inflammatory disease involving the sebaceous glands
  43. acolyte
    a devoted follower or assistant
  44. acquaintanceship
    a relationship less intimate than friendship
  45. acquisitive
    eager to attain and possess material possessions
  46. acridness
    extreme bitterness
  47. acropolis
    the citadel in an ancient Greek city, usually on a hill
  48. action
    put in effect
  49. actionable
    affording grounds for legal action
  50. activation
    causing something to take effect or to have energy
  51. activism
    a policy of action to achieve a political or social goal
  52. activity
    any specific behavior
  53. actuality
    the state of being real or true
  54. actualize
    make real or concrete; give reality or substance to
  55. actus reus
    activity that transgresses moral or civil law
  56. acupressure
    treatment of symptoms by applying pressure with the fingers to specific pressure points on the body
  57. acupuncture
    treatment of illness by inserting thin needles in the skin
  58. adagio
    slowly
  59. adamantine
    consisting of or having the hardness of adamant
  60. adapter
    device that makes different pieces of apparatus compatible
  61. adder
    a person who adds numbers
  62. addictive
    causing or characterized by addiction
  63. additive
    characterized or produced by addition
  64. addled
    confused and vague; used especially of thinking
  65. ad hominem
    appealing to personal considerations rather than to reason
  66. adiabatic
    occurring without loss or gain of heat
  67. ad infinitum
    without or seemingly without limit
  68. adios
    a farewell remark
  69. adipose
    composed of animal fat
  70. adjacency
    the attribute of being so near as to be touching
  71. adjoin
    lie next to another or share a boundary
  72. adjournment
    the termination of a meeting
  73. adjunctive
    joining; forming an adjunct
  74. ad lib
    without advance preparation
  75. ad-lib
    perform without preparation
  76. administrate
    supervise or be in charge of
  77. admissible
    deserving to be accepted or allowed
  78. admonishment
    a firm rebuke
  79. admonitory
    expressing reprimand, criticism, or censure
  80. ad nauseam
    to a sickening or excessive extent
  81. adnoun
    an adjective used as a noun
  82. adolesce
    become adolescent; pass through adolescence
  83. adoptive
    of parents and children; related by adoption
  84. adulterated
    mixed with impurities
  85. adulteration
    the act of adulterating
  86. ad valorem
    in proportion to the estimated value of the goods taxed
  87. advancement
    the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)
  88. advisable
    worthy of being recommended or suggested; prudent or wise
  89. adviser
    an expert who gives advice
  90. aerate
    fill, combine, or supply with oxygen
  91. aerial
    existing, living, growing, or operating in the air
  92. aerobics
    exercise that increases the need for oxygen
  93. aeronaut
    someone who operates an aircraft
  94. aerosol
    a cloud of solid or liquid particles in a gas
  95. aesthete
    one who professes great sensitivity to the beauty of art
  96. aesthetically
    in a tasteful way
  97. afar
    (old-fashioned) at or from or to a great distance; far
  98. affability
    a disposition to be friendly and approachable
  99. affairs
    transactions of professional or public interest
  100. affray
    a noisy fight
  101. afoot
    currently in progress
  102. aforementioned
    being the one previously spoken of
  103. aforesaid
    being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
  104. aforethought
    planned in advance
  105. a fortiori
    with greater reason
  106. afoul
    especially of a ship's lines etc
  107. afresh
    again, but in a new or different way
  108. aft
    near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
  109. against the clock
    as fast as possible; before a deadline
  110. agnosticism
    a religious orientation of doubt
  111. agonizing
    extremely painful
  112. agora
    the marketplace in ancient Greece
  113. agoraphobia
    a morbid fear of open spaces
  114. agreement
    harmony of people's opinions, actions, or characters
  115. aide-de-camp
    an officer who acts as an assistant to a more senior officer
  116. aim
    point or cause to go towards
  117. akimbo
    with hands on hips and elbows extending outward
  118. a la carte
    having many choices with a separate price for each item
  119. a la mode
    in the current fashion or style
  120. alacritous
    quick and eager
  121. albedo
    the ratio of reflected to incident light
  122. albinism
    the absence of pigmentation in the eyes, skin, and hair
  123. albino
    a person who lacks pigment and has pale skin, white hair, and pink eyes
  124. alcoholic
    characteristic of or containing volatile hydroxyl compounds
  125. alcoholism
    habitual intoxication
  126. alder
    north temperate shrubs or trees having toothed leaves and conelike fruit; bark is used in tanning and dyeing and the wood is rot-resistant
  127. alderman
    a member of a city or town government
  128. ale
    a general name for beer made with a top fermenting yeast
  129. alfresco
    in the open air
  130. algid
    chilly
  131. alike
    having the same or similar characteristics
  132. allegro
    in a quick and lively tempo
  133. allele
    any of the forms of a gene that can occupy the same locus
  134. allergen
    any substance that can cause an allergy
  135. alleviation
    the act of reducing something unpleasant
  136. alma mater
    a school you graduated from
  137. alongside
    side by side
  138. a lot
    to a very great degree or extent
    commonly misspelled as alot
  139. aloud
    using the voice; not silently
  140. alpha
    the 1st letter of the Greek alphabet
  141. alphanumeric
    of or pertaining to alphanumeric characters
  142. alpine
    relating to or characteristic of high mountains
  143. alter ego
    a very close friend who seems almost a part of yourself
  144. alternator
    a device that converts mechanical energy into electric energy (especially in cars)
  145. altimeter
    an instrument that measures the height above ground
  146. alto
    the lowest female singing voice
  147. amanuensis
    someone skilled in the transcription of speech
  148. amateurish
    lacking professional skill or expertise
  149. amatory
    expressive of or exciting sexual love or romance
  150. amazement
    the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
  151. amazingly
    in an amazing manner; to everyone's surprise
  152. amazon
    a large, strong, and aggressive woman
  153. ambiguously
    in an ambiguous manner
  154. ambuscade
    the act of hiding and waiting to make a surprise attack
  155. amethyst
    a transparent purple variety of quartz; used as a gemstone
  156. amiably
    in a friendly manner
  157. amino acid
    organic compounds containing an amino group and acid group
  158. ammonia
    a strong-smelling gas compounded of nitrogen and hydrogen
  159. amnesiac
    suffering from a partial loss of memory
  160. amorality
    the quality of being amoral
    Note to Vocabulary.com: The word 'Amoral' is not in your dictionary as of yet
  161. amorally
    without regard for the distinction between right and wrong
  162. amortize
    pay off a debt by making periodic payments
  163. ampere
    the basic unit of electric current adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
  164. ampersand
    a punctuation mark (&) that represents the conjunction "and"
  165. amphora
    an ancient jar with two handles and a narrow neck
  166. amuck
    wildly; without self-control
  167. anal
    of or related to the anus
  168. analog
    something having a similarity to something else
  169. analogue
    something similar or equivalent to something else
  170. anaphora
    repetition of a word or phrase to begin successive clauses
  171. anarchism
    a political theory favoring the abolition of governments
  172. anatomical
    of or relating to the branch of morphology that studies the structure of organisms
  173. ancestral
    of or inherited from someone from whom you are descended
  174. anchorite
    one retired from society for religious reasons
  175. andante
    at a moderately slow tempo
  176. android
    a moving mechanical device that looks like a person
  177. anemometer
    a gauge for recording the speed and direction of wind
  178. anemone
    a marine polyp that resembles a flower
  179. anesthesiologist
    a specialist who administers an anesthetic to a patient before he is treated
  180. anesthetize
    administer a numbing or sleep-inducing drug to someone
  181. anhedonia
    an inability to experience pleasure
  182. animalistic
    of or pertaining to animalism
  183. animism
    the doctrine that all natural objects have souls
  184. ankylosaurus
    having the back covered with thick bony plates
  185. annalist
    a historian who writes annals
  186. anno Domini
    in the Christian era
  187. annoyance
    the state of being irritated or bothered
  188. annually
    by the year; every year
  189. annular
    shaped like a ring
  190. annulment
    an official or legal cancellation
  191. anodize
    coat a metal with an oxide coat
  192. anointment
    the act of applying oil or an oily liquid
  193. anon
    (old-fashioned or informal) in a little while
  194. anorexia
    a prolonged disorder of eating due to loss of appetite
  195. answerable
    capable of being answered
  196. antechamber
    an outer room or waiting area that leads into another room
  197. antedate
    be earlier in time than
  198. ante meridiem
    before noon
  199. antepenultimate
    third from last
  200. anterior
    of or near the head end or toward the front plane of a body
  201. anthracite
    a hard natural coal that burns slowly and gives intense heat
  202. anthrax
    a highly infectious animal disease
  203. anthropocentric
    focused on human needs and values
  204. anthropocentrism
    a tendency to see reality only in terms of human experience
  205. anthropogenic
    relating to or resulting from the influence of human beings
  206. anthropophagus
    a person who eats human flesh
  207. antiaircraft
    designed for defense from land against air attack
  208. antifreeze
    a liquid added to the water in a cooling system
  209. antinomian
    relating to or influenced by antinomianism
  210. antinomy
    a contradiction between two equally reasonable statements
  211. antipodal
    relating to or situated at opposite sides of the earth
  212. antipode
    direct opposite
  213. antiquarian
    of or relating to artifacts or objects from the past
  214. antitype
    an opposite or contrasting type
  215. antitypical
    of or relating to an antitype
  216. anxiously
    with anxiety or apprehension
  217. anyhow
    in any way whatsoever
  218. apache
    a Parisian gangster
  219. aperitif
    alcoholic beverage taken before a meal as an appetizer
  220. aphoristic
    terse and witty and like a maxim
  221. aphrodisiac
    a drug or other agent that stimulates sexual desire
  222. apiarist
    a farmer who keeps bees for their honey
  223. apiculture
    the cultivation of bees for the production of honey
  224. apiece
    to or from every one of two or more
  225. apologetic
    offering or expressing regret
  226. a posteriori
    involving reasoning from facts or particulars to general principles or from effects to causes
  227. apostolic
    of or relating to or deriving from the Apostles or their teachings
  228. apotheosize
    glorify or elevate to god-like status
  229. apparitional
    resembling or characteristic of a phantom
  230. appear
    come into sight or view
  231. appellate
    relating to challenges to a legal decision
  232. appendicitis
    inflammation of the appendix causing pain and illness
  233. applecart
    a handcart from which apples and other fruit are sold in the street
  234. appliance
    a small mechanical device or tool
  235. appointed
    selected for a job
  236. apportion
    distribute according to a set plan or special purpose
  237. appositive
    relating to or being in apposition
  238. approbate
    approve or sanction officially
  239. aptly
    in a competent capable manner
  240. aquaculture
    raising fish or shellfish or growing water plants for food
  241. aqueduct
    a conduit that carries water over a valley
  242. aquifer
    underground layer of rock or sand that yields groundwater
  243. arabesque
    position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind
  244. arachnid
    an arthropod with simple eyes and four pairs of legs
  245. arachnophobia
    a morbid fear of spiders
  246. arbitrament
    the act of deciding as an arbiter
  247. arbitrator
    someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
  248. arc
    a continuous portion of a circle
  249. archaeopteryx
    extinct primitive toothed bird of the Jurassic period having a long feathered tail and hollow bones; usually considered the most primitive of all birds
  250. archangel
    a spiritual at the highest rank in the celestial hierarchy
  251. architectural
    of or pertaining to the art and science of architecture
  252. arduously
    in a laborious manner
  253. areal
    of or relating to or involving an area
  254. arete
    a sharp narrow ridge found in rugged mountains
  255. argent
    of lustrous grey
  256. argonaut
    someone who sets off on a daring adventure
  257. argumentative
    given to or characterized by a tendency to dispute
  258. ark
    a boat built by Noah to save his family and animals from the flood
  259. Armageddon
    (New Testament) the scene of the final battle between the kings of the Earth at the end of the world
  260. armoire
    a large wardrobe or cabinet
  261. armory
    a structure where military equipment is stored
  262. aromatherapy
    the therapeutic use of aromatic plant extracts and essential oils in baths or massage
  263. arpeggio
    a chord whose notes are played in rapid succession
  264. arrangement
    an orderly grouping considered as a unit
  265. arrant
    complete and without qualification
  266. arrival
    the act of coming to a certain place
  267. arse
    the fleshy part of the human body that you sit on
  268. arsenic
    a very poisonous metallic element
  269. artesian
    relating to water that rises due to natural pressure
  270. arthropod
    invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body
  271. articled
    bound or forced to work by contract
  272. artistry
    great skill, imagination, or creative ability
  273. asexual
    not having or involving sex
  274. ashamed
    feeling guilt or embarrassment or remorse
  275. ashamedly
    with a feeling of shame
  276. asininity
    the quality of being asinine
  277. aspartame
    an artificial sweetener made from aspartic acid
  278. aspen
    any of several trees of the genus Populus having leaves on flattened stalks so that they flutter in the lightest wind
  279. asperse
    charge falsely or with malicious intent
  280. asphalt
    a dark bituminous substance found in natural beds
  281. asphyxiate
    deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
  282. aspirin
    a medication used to treat pain, fever, and inflammation
  283. assassinate
    murder; especially of socially prominent persons
  284. asseverate
    state categorically
  285. assiduity
    great and constant diligence and attention
  286. assigned
    appointed to a post or duty
  287. associative
    resulting from bringing ideas together in the imagination
  288. assured
    exhibiting confidence
  289. aster
    a chiefly fall-blooming herb with showy daisylike flowers
  290. astern
    at, near, or toward the stern of a ship or airplane
  291. as the crow flies
    by the shortest and most direct route
  292. asthmatic
    relating to breathing with a whistling sound
  293. astonishingly
    in an amazing manner; to everyone's surprise
  294. astray
    away from the right path or direction
  295. astrolabe
    instrument used to calculate positions of celestial bodies
  296. asymmetry
    a lack of balance or proportion among the parts of something
  297. asymptote
    a straight line that is the limiting value of a curve
  298. asynchronous
    not occurring or existing at the same time
  299. at a loss
    below cost
  300. atelier
    a studio especially for an artist or designer
  301. at hand
    close in space; within reach
  302. athlete's foot
    fungal infection of the feet
  303. athleticism
    the quality of having physical strength, speed, and energy
  304. atoll
    an island consisting of a coral reef surrounding a lagoon
  305. atomic mass
    the property of an atom that causes it to have weight
  306. atomic number
    quantity of protons in the nucleus of an atom of an element
  307. atrophied
    diminished in size or strength from disease or injury
  308. at sea
    perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements
  309. attached
    being joined in close association
  310. attainder
    cancellation of civil rights
  311. attenuation
    a weakening in force or intensity
  312. attestation
    the action of bearing witness
  313. attune
    adjust or accustom to; bring into harmony with
  314. au courant
    being up to a particular standard or up to date in knowledge
  315. auctioneer
    an agent who conducts a public sale to the highest bidder
  316. audiology
    the branch of medicine dealing with hearing
  317. au fait
    being up to a standard, especially in being up to date
  318. augmentation
    the act of enlarging or increasing
  319. au naturel
    completely unclothed
  320. au pair
    a foreigner who lives with a family and provides childcare
  321. au revoir
    a farewell remark
  322. auric
    of, relating to, containing, or derived from gold
  323. auricle
    a pouch projecting from an atrium of the heart
  324. auricular
    relating to, perceived by, or shaped like the ears
  325. auriferous
    containing gold
  326. aurora
    bands of light caused by charged solar particles
  327. aurous
    of, relating to, containing, or derived from gold
  328. austral
    of the south or coming from the south
  329. authorization
    official permission or approval
  330. autistic
    affected with a condition that causes social difficulties
  331. automotive
    containing within itself the means of propulsion or movement
  332. autotroph
    an organism capable of synthesizing its own food
  333. avenue
    a wide street or thoroughfare
  334. aversive
    tending to repel or dissuade
  335. avian
    pertaining to or characteristic of birds
  336. avidity
    a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
  337. avidly
    in a zealous manner
  338. avoid
    stay away from
  339. avoirdupois
    a system of weights based on the 16-ounce pound
  340. awaken
    cause to become conscious
  341. awestricken
    having or showing a feeling of mixed reverence and respect and wonder and dread
  342. awestruck
    having a feeling of mixed reverence and wonder and dread
  343. awful
    exceptionally bad or displeasing
  344. awol
    absent without leave
  345. axiology
    the study of values and value judgments
  346. azalea
    any of numerous ornamental shrubs grown for their showy flowers of various colors
Created on Mon Jul 09 23:20:42 EDT 2012 (updated Tue Apr 29 01:52:34 EDT 2014)

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