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Words that should be added to The Challenge (T-U)

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.
D, E, F, G-H, I, J-L, M, N-O, P, Q-R, S, T-U, V-Z, Other
346 words 15 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

  1. tabby
    having patchy gray, brown, and black coloring
  2. tabernacle
    (Judaism) the place of worship for a Jewish congregation
  3. tableau
    any dramatic scene
  4. tablet
    a small, flat, compressed cake of some substance
  5. tabular
    of or pertaining to or arranged in rows and columns
  6. tabula rasa
    an opportunity to start over without prejudice
  7. tabulate
    arrange or enter in rows and columns
  8. taciturnity
    the trait of being uncommunicative
  9. tactician
    a person who is skilled at planning strategies
  10. tail
    the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
  11. take the cake
    rank first; used often in a negative context
  12. tale
    a story that tells the particulars of an occurrence or event
  13. talk turkey
    discuss frankly, often in a business context
  14. tall order
    a formidable task or requirement
  15. tallow
    a hard substance used for making soap and candles
  16. tall tale
    an improbable (unusual or incredible or fanciful) story
  17. tamp
    press down tightly
  18. tamper
    play around with, alter, or falsify, usually dishonestly
  19. tango
    a ballroom dance of Latin-American origin
  20. tangram
    a Chinese puzzle consisting of a square divided into seven pieces that must be arranged to match particular designs
  21. tanka
    a Japanese verse form of 5 lines with 5 or 7 syllables
  22. tanner
    a craftsman who tans skins and hides
  23. tantalize
    harass with persistent teasing or baiting
  24. tapestry
    a wall hanging of heavy fabric with pictorial designs
  25. tarantella
    a lively whirling Italian dance for two persons
  26. tare
    weedy annual grass in grainfields and other cultivated land
  27. tarmac
    a paved road or surface, especially at an airport
  28. tartar
    an incrustation that forms on the teeth and gums
  29. tassel
    adornment consisting of a bunch of cords fastened at one end
  30. tatterdemalion
    a dirty shabbily clothed person
  31. taxonomy
    a classification of organisms based on similarities
  32. teach
    impart skills or knowledge to
  33. teal
    a blue-green color or pigment
  34. tearjerker
    an excessively sentimental story
  35. teaser
    advertisement that offers something free to arouse interest
  36. technicality
    a detail that is considered insignificant
  37. tectonic
    pertaining to the structure or movement of the earth's crust
  38. teepee
    a Native American tent; usually of conical shape
  39. teeter
    move unsteadily, with a rocking motion
  40. teetotaler
    someone who abstains from drinking alcoholic beverages
  41. telecommunication
    (often plural) the branch of electrical engineering concerned with the technology of electronic communication at a distance
  42. telemarketing
    the act of selling products or services by calling people on the phone
  43. telemetry
    automatic transmission of data from remote sources
  44. teleology
    a doctrine explaining phenomena by their ends or purposes
  45. telepathic
    communicating without apparent physical signals
  46. teleport
    travel by dematerializing and assembling at another point
  47. teleportation
    a hypothetical mode of instantaneous travel
  48. telling
    disclosing unintentionally
  49. tempt
    dispose, incline, or entice to
  50. tenaciously
    with obstinate determination
  51. tenancy
    the act or state of being an occupant
  52. tenderize
    make easy to cut or chew, as by marinating, pounding, etc.
  53. tendril
    slender structure by which some plants attach to an object
  54. tentacular
    of or relating to or resembling tentacles
  55. tenured
    appointed for life and not subject to dismissal except for a grave crime
  56. termagant
    a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman
  57. terminator
    someone who exterminates
  58. terra cotta
    clay fired for pottery and building material, or the finished object
  59. terra firma
    the solid part of the earth's surface
  60. terrarium
    transparent container in which plants and animals are kept
  61. terrible
    exceptionally bad or displeasing
  62. terrific
    extraordinarily good or great
  63. terrified
    thrown into a state of intense fear or desperation
  64. tetanus
    an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system
  65. tete-a-tete
    a private conversation between two people
  66. tetrad
    the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
  67. tetralogy
    a series of four related works (plays or operas or novels)
  68. textile
    artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting fibers
  69. thanatopsis
    an essay expressing a view on the subject of death
  70. thane
    a feudal lord or baron
  71. thanksgiving
    a short prayer of thanks before a meal
  72. thatch
    plant stalks used as roofing material
  73. thatcher
    someone skilled in making a roof from plant stalks or foliage
  74. theatre
    a building where performances can be presented
  75. theism
    the doctrine or belief in the existence of a God or gods
  76. thence
    from that place or from there
  77. theodicy
    the branch of religious studies that defends God's goodness
  78. theodolite
    a surveying instrument for measuring angles
  79. theologian
    someone who is learned in the study of religion
  80. theophany
    a visible manifestation of a deity to a human person
  81. theorem
    an idea accepted as a demonstrable truth
  82. theorize
    construct a hypothesis about
  83. therefrom
    from that circumstance or source
  84. therein
    (formal) in or into that thing or place
  85. theropod
    any of numerous carnivorous dinosaurs of the Triassic to Cretaceous with short forelimbs that walked or ran on strong hind legs
  86. theurgy
    the effect of supernatural intervention in human affairs
  87. thick-skinned
    insensitive to criticism
  88. thievery
    the act of taking something from someone unlawfully
  89. third person
    pronouns referring to people besides the speaker or listener
  90. thirsty
    feeling a need or desire to drink
  91. thither
    to or toward that place; away from the speaker
  92. thoracic
    of or relating to the chest or thorax
  93. thorax
    the body of an arthropod between the head and the abdomen
  94. thoroughgoing
    performed comprehensively and completely
  95. thou
    the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100
  96. threnody
    a song or hymn of mourning
  97. thrice
    three times
  98. throwback
    a reappearance of an earlier characteristic
  99. thunder
    a booming or crashing noise along the path of lightning
  100. thus
    from that fact or reason or as a result
  101. thusly
    in the way indicated
  102. tidewater
    low-lying coastal land drained by tidal streams
  103. tiered
    having or arranged in layers or levels
  104. tighten one's belt
    live frugally and use less resources
  105. tilde
    a diacritical mark placed over the letter n in Spanish
  106. tilth
    aggregation of soil and its condition for supporting growth
  107. tincture
    a substance that colors metals
  108. tinder
    material that burns easily and is used for starting a fire
  109. tine
    a prong on a fork, pitchfork, or antler
  110. tinnitus
    a ringing or booming sensation in one or both ears
  111. tint
    a variation or slightly different shade of a color
  112. tit for tat
    an equivalent given in return
  113. titration
    a measured amount of a solution of unknown concentration is added to a known volume of a second solution until the reaction between them is just complete; the concentration of the unknown solution (the titer) can then be calculated
  114. toadstool
    common name for an inedible or poisonous agaric
  115. to and fro
    moving from one place to another and back again
  116. toboggan
    a long narrow sled without runners
  117. to boot
    in addition, by way of addition; furthermore
  118. toggle
    a hinged switch that can assume either of two positions
  119. tolerable
    capable of being borne or endured
  120. tolerably
    in an acceptable or satisfactory manner
  121. tomfoolery
    silly or senseless behavior
  122. tongue-in-cheek
    cleverly amusing in tone
  123. tonnage
    a tax imposed on ships that enter the US
  124. tonsorial
    of or relating to barbers and barbering
  125. toothsome
    extremely pleasing to the sense of taste
  126. topaz
    a mineral in crystals of various colors used as a gemstone
  127. top banana
    the most important person in a group or undertaking
  128. top brass
    the most important persons in a governing body
  129. tope
    drink excessive amounts of alcohol; be an alcoholic
  130. topiary
    the art of making shapes by trimming shrubs or trees
  131. torpedo
    a long cylindrical self-propelled underwater projectile
  132. tortious
    of or pertaining to a wrong committed against another
  133. torturous
    extremely painful or unpleasant
  134. totality
    the state of being total and complete
  135. tote
    carry with difficulty
  136. tour de force
    a masterly or brilliant feat
  137. tourism
    the business of providing services to travelers for pleasure
  138. tourney
    a sporting competition
  139. towering
    of imposing height; especially standing out above others
  140. toxicology
    the scientific study of poisons
  141. traceable
    capable of being tracked or detected
  142. traditionally
    according to long-standing practice
  143. tragedian
    a writer (especially a playwright) who writes tragedies
  144. tragic flaw
    the error of a hero in a drama that leads to his downfall
  145. trailblazer
    an innovator or pioneer in a field
  146. trailing
    the pursuit by following tracks or marks they left behind
  147. training
    activity leading to skilled behavior
  148. traipse
    walk or tramp about
  149. trammel
    place limits on extent or access
  150. tranche
    a portion of something (especially money)
  151. tranquilize
    make calm or still
  152. tranquillity
    an untroubled state, free from disturbances
  153. transatlantic
    crossing the Atlantic Ocean
  154. transcendentalist
    advocate of a philosophy emphasizing the spiritual
  155. transfiguration
    a striking change in appearance or character
  156. transfigure
    completely change the nature or appearance of
  157. transformer
    an electrical device changing one voltage to another
  158. transfuse
    introduce blood or blood plasma into a vein or artery
  159. transfusion
    the introduction of blood or plasma into a vein or artery
  160. transgender
    involving a partial or full reversal of sexual attributes
  161. transgressor
    someone who violates a law or command
  162. transistor
    a semiconductor device capable of amplification
  163. transmigrate
    be born anew in another body after death
  164. transmigration
    the passing of a soul into another body after death
  165. transmittable
    (of disease) capable of being spread by infection
  166. transmutation
    an act that changes the form or character or substance of something
  167. transnational
    involving or operating in several countries
  168. transpiration
    the emission of water vapor from the leaves of plants
  169. transplant
    transfer from one place or period to another
  170. transposition
    the act of reversing the order or place of
  171. transversal
    extending or lying across
  172. transvestite
    someone who adopts the sexual role of the opposite sex
  173. traumatize
    inflict an emotional wound or shock upon
  174. traumatophobia
    a morbid fear of battle or physical injury
  175. traveling
    the act of going from one place to another
  176. trawl
    a long fishing line with many shorter lines and hooks attached to it (usually suspended between buoys)
  177. treacherously
    in a disloyal and faithless manner
  178. treasury
    a depository where wealth can be kept safely
  179. treat
    apply a process to with the aim of preparing for a purpose
  180. treatment
    the management of someone or something
  181. trebuchet
    a heavy war engine for hurling projectiles such as stones
  182. trellis
    latticework used to support climbing plants
  183. tremolo
    a tremulous effect produced by repetition of a single tone
  184. trepid
    timid by nature or revealing timidity
  185. trestle
    a supporting tower used to support a bridge
  186. triad
    a set of three similar things considered as a unit
  187. triage
    sorting and allocating aid on the basis of need
  188. trial
    the act of testing something
  189. triangulate
    measure by using trigonometry
  190. triangulation
    a trigonometric method of determining the position of a fixed point from the angles to it from two fixed points a known distance apart; useful in navigation
  191. tribal
    relating to or characteristic of a clan or social group
  192. tribe
    a group of people with shared ancestry and customs
  193. tribune
    an ancient Roman official elected by the plebeians
  194. triceratops
    huge ceratopsian dinosaur having three horns and the neck heavily armored with a very solid frill
  195. trichotillomania
    an irresistible urge to pull out your own hair
  196. trickery
    the use of cunning actions to deceive someone
  197. tricksy
    marked by skill in deception
  198. tricycle
    a vehicle with three wheels that is moved by foot pedals
  199. trigonometry
    the mathematics of three-sided figures and their functions
  200. triplicate
    one of three copies
  201. triptych
    art consisting of a painting or carving on three panels
  202. triskaidekaphobia
    a morbid fear of the number 13
  203. triumphal
    joyful and proud especially because of triumph or success
  204. triviality
    a detail that is considered insignificant
  205. trivialize
    make insignificant
  206. troposphere
    the lowest atmospheric layer; from 4 to 11 miles high
  207. troubleshoot
    solve problems
  208. trou-de-loup
    a sloping pit with a stake in the middle used as an obstacle to the enemy
  209. trowel
    a small hand tool with a handle and metal blade
  210. truculently
    in a defiantly truculent manner
  211. trump card
    a playing card in the suit that has been declared trumps
  212. trumpery
    ornamental objects of no great value
  213. truncheon
    a short stout club used primarily by police officers
  214. trundle
    small wheel or roller
  215. trustee
    a person who administers property for someone else's benefit
  216. trustworthiness
    the trait of deserving trust and confidence
  217. truth
    a factual statement
  218. tuberculosis
    infection transmitted by inhalation or ingestion of bacilli
  219. tuft
    a bunch or cluster of strands, as of grass, hair, etc.
  220. tumbril
    a farm dumpcart for carrying dung
  221. tungsten
    a heavy grey-white metallic element
  222. tuppence
    a former United Kingdom silver coin
  223. turnkey
    someone who guards prisoners
  224. tussle
    disorderly fighting
  225. tussock
    a bunch of hair, feathers, or growing grass
  226. tutorial
    a session of intensive instruction
  227. twain
    two items of the same kind
  228. tyke
    a young person of either sex
  229. typhus
    rickettsial disease transmitted by body lice and characterized by skin rash and high fever
  230. typically
    in a manner conforming to a type
  231. typography
    the craft of composing type and printing from it
  232. typology
    classification according to general category or kind
  233. tyrannize
    exercise power over in a cruel and autocratic manner
  234. tyrannous
    marked by unjust severity, cruelty, or arbitrary behavior
  235. ubiety
    the state of existing and being localized in space
  236. ubiquity
    the state of being everywhere at once
  237. ultra
    far beyond the norm
  238. ultrasound
    using high-frequency sound waves to construct a sonogram
  239. umber
    an earth pigment
  240. umbilical
    relating to or resembling the umbilicus
  241. umbra
    a region of complete shadow resulting from total obstruction of light
  242. umbrella
    having the function of uniting a group of similar things
  243. umlaut
    a diacritical mark (two dots) placed over a vowel in German
  244. unabated
    continuing at full strength or intensity
  245. unacquainted
    not knowledgeable about something specified
  246. unadorned
    not decorated with something to increase its beauty
  247. unalloyed
    free from admixture
  248. unanimously
    of one mind; without dissent
  249. unapologetic
    unwilling to express regret
  250. unashamed
    used of persons or their behavior; feeling no shame
  251. unauthorized
    without official permission or approval
  252. unbeatable
    hard to defeat
  253. unceasingly
    without stopping
  254. uncertain
    lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
  255. uncompromising
    not willing to make concessions
  256. uncontrollable
    incapable of being restrained or managed
  257. undemonstrative
    not given to open expression of emotion
  258. underachiever
    a student who does not perform as well as expected or as well as the IQ indicates
  259. undercut
    cut away the underpart of
  260. undergird
    make secure underneath
  261. underling
    an assistant subject to the authority or control of another
  262. underpin
    confirm or support with evidence or authority
  263. underrate
    make too low an estimate of
  264. understood
    implied by or inferred from actions or statements
  265. undertaker
    one whose business is the management of funerals
  266. undertow
    a current that flows away from the shore after waves break
  267. underwrite
    protect by insurance
  268. undeserving
    not worthy of being treated in a particular way
  269. undesirable
    not wanted
  270. undignified
    lacking dignity
  271. undivided
    not separated into parts or shares
  272. undocumented
    lacking written authorization
  273. undone
    not fastened or tied or secured
  274. undulation
    wavelike motion
  275. unemployment
    the state of not having a job
  276. unendurable
    incapable of being put up with
  277. unenlightened
    not enlightened; ignorant
  278. unequal
    poorly balanced or matched in quantity or value or measure
  279. unerring
    always accurate or correct
  280. unexpected
    not anticipated or planned for
  281. unexplainable
    not able to be accounted for or made clear
  282. unfeasible
    not capable of being carried out or put into practice
  283. unflagging
    unceasing
  284. unflappable
    not easily perturbed, excited, or upset
  285. unforgivable
    not excusable
  286. unhinged
    affected or as if affected with madness or insanity
  287. unilateralism
    a doctrine that nations should conduct affairs individually
  288. uninformed
    lacking in knowledge or necessary facts
  289. unintentionally
    without intention; in an unintentional manner
  290. uniquely
    so as to be unique
  291. unit
    a single undivided whole
  292. unitary
    having the indivisible character of a single entity
  293. unite
    join or combine
  294. unknown
    not known
  295. unleavened
    made without leavening
  296. unlisted
    not on a list
  297. unmistakably
    without possibility of mistake
  298. unnecessarily
    without any necessity
  299. unnerve
    disturb the composure of
  300. unnerving
    inspiring fear
  301. unofficial
    not having official authority or sanction
  302. unperturbed
    free from emotional agitation or nervous tension
  303. unpleasant
    disagreeable to the senses, to the mind, or feelings
  304. unproductive
    not producing or capable of producing
  305. unregistered
    not registered
  306. unsaturated
    used of a compound (especially of carbon) containing atoms sharing more than one valence bond
  307. unstinting
    given or giving freely, generously, or without restriction
  308. unstoppable
    not capable of being stopped
  309. unusual
    not common or ordinary
  310. unusually
    to a remarkable degree or extent
  311. unutterable
    defying expression or description
  312. unwittingly
    without knowledge or intention
  313. unworthy
    lacking in value or merit
  314. upbeat
    pleasantly optimistic and cheerful
  315. upbraiding
    a severe scolding
  316. upcast
    air passage consisting of a ventilation shaft through which air leaves a mine
  317. updraft
    a strong upward air current
  318. upheave
    lift forcefully from beneath
  319. upholster
    provide furniture with comfortable padding or covers
  320. upholstery
    covering on a piece of furniture
  321. uplift
    fill with high spirits; fill with optimism
  322. uplifting
    the rise of something
  323. upload
    transfer data to a server, remote computer, or website
  324. uppercut
    a swinging blow directed upward
  325. uppity
    arrogant or self-important
  326. upright
    in a vertical position; not sloping
  327. uprightly
    in an honorable manner
  328. uproar
    a state of commotion and noise and confusion
  329. upstage
    draw attention to oneself away from someone else
  330. upstanding
    meriting respect or esteem
  331. upstart
    a person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status
  332. upsurge
    a sudden or abrupt strong increase
  333. uptake
    the process of taking food into the body through the mouth
  334. uptight
    in a very tense state
  335. upturn
    an upward movement or trend as in business activity
  336. upwind
    toward the wind
  337. urgently
    with great urgency
  338. used
    previously owned by another
  339. useful
    having a helpful function
  340. usefulness
    the quality of being of practical use
  341. user-friendly
    easy to use
  342. usual
    occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
  343. usually
    under normal conditions
  344. usufruct
    a legal right to use and profit from someone else's property
  345. usurious
    greatly exceeding bounds of reason or moderation
  346. usurpation
    wrongfully seizing and holding by force
Created on Sun Dec 16 15:37:15 EST 2012 (updated Fri Feb 28 08:18:21 EST 2014)

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