On writing well

Diana A. (Switzerland)
193 words 4 learners

Learn words with Flashcards and other activities

Definition First
Print Flashcards

Other learning activities

Answer a few questions about each word. Use this to prep for your next quiz! Compete with other teams in real time to see who answers the most questions correctly! Test your spelling acumen. Read the definition, listen to the word and try spelling it!

Teaching tools

Create and assign quizzes to your students to test their vocabulary. Assign learning activities including Practice, Vocabulary Jams and Spelling Bees to your students, and monitor their progress in real-time.

Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abandon
    forsake; leave behind
  2. adjacent
    having a common boundary or edge
  3. adolescence
    the period between the beginning of puberty and adulthood
  4. affinity
    a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
  5. alliteration
    use of the same consonant at the beginning of each word
  6. allure
    the power to entice or attract
  7. ambush
    the act of hiding and waiting to make a surprise attack
  8. antinomianism
    the theological doctrine that by faith and God's grace a Christian is freed from all laws (including the moral standards of the culture)
  9. appendix
    a small sac attached to the large intestines of some animals
  10. appraise
    consider in a comprehensive way
  11. assault
    attack someone physically or emotionally
  12. atrocity
    an act of shocking cruelty
  13. august
    profoundly honored
  14. avidly
    in a zealous manner
  15. ballot
    a document listing the alternatives that is used in voting
  16. bevel
    a sloping edge where two surfaces meet at a non-right angle
  17. bloat
    swelling of the intestinal tract of animals caused by gas
  18. blunder
    an embarrassing mistake
  19. blunt
    not sharp (used of a knife or other blade)
  20. bore
    make a hole, especially with a pointed power or hand tool
  21. brevity
    the attribute of being short or fleeting
  22. brooder
    apparatus consisting of a box designed to maintain a constant temperature by the use of a thermostat; used for chicks or premature infants
  23. buzzing
    noisy like the sound of a bee
  24. cadence
    the accent in a metrical foot of verse
  25. carpentry
    the craft of a carpenter: making things out of wood
  26. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
  27. commendable
    worthy of high praise
  28. compulsive
    having obsessive habits or irresistible urges
  29. condemn
    express strong disapproval of
  30. consecrate
    give entirely to a specific person, activity, or cause
  31. conspicuous
    obvious to the eye or mind
  32. constituent
    one of the individual parts making up a composite entity
  33. contraption
    a small mechanical device or tool
  34. copout
    a failure to face some difficulty squarely
  35. crotchet
    a sharp curve or crook; a shape resembling a hook
  36. dazzle
    cause to lose clear vision, especially from intense light
  37. debase
    make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
  38. debris
    the remains of something that has been destroyed
  39. deceit
    the quality of being fraudulent
  40. deify
    exalt to the position of a God
  41. deliberately
    in a careful unhurried manner
  42. deliberation
    careful consideration
  43. deprive
    take away
  44. deride
    treat or speak of with contempt
  45. desiccated
    thoroughly dried out
  46. despair
    a state in which all hope is lost or absent
  47. dissertation
    a treatise advancing a point of view resulting from research
  48. distinctive
    of a feature that helps to identify a person or thing
  49. doggedly
    with obstinate determination
  50. drape
    the manner in which fabric hangs or falls
  51. dullard
    a person who is not very bright or interesting
  52. edifying
    enlightening or uplifting so as to encourage improvement
  53. eliminate
    end, take out, or do away with
  54. embellish
    make more attractive, as by adding ornament or color
  55. eminent
    standing above others in quality or position
  56. endow
    give qualities or abilities to
  57. equivocal
    open to two or more interpretations
  58. etymology
    a history of a word
  59. euphemism
    an inoffensive expression substituted for an offensive one
  60. evasive
    avoiding or escaping from difficulty or danger
  61. exert
    put to use
  62. faddish
    intensely fashionable or popular for a short time
  63. fanciful
    indulging in or influenced by the imagination
  64. fate
    the ultimate agency predetermining the course of events
  65. festoon
    a decorative representation of a string of flowers
  66. finial
    an ornament at the top of a spire or gable
  67. finicky
    fussy, especially about details
  68. fiscal
    involving financial matters
  69. flaunt
    display proudly
  70. garnish
    decorate, as with parsley or other ornamental foods
  71. garrulous
    full of trivial conversation
  72. gaudy
    tastelessly showy
  73. gnaw
    bite or chew on with the teeth
  74. grapple
    work hard to come to terms with or deal with something
  75. groom
    someone employed in a stable to take care of the horses
  76. hence
    from that fact or reason or as a result
  77. hernia
    rupture in tissue through which a bodily structure protrudes
  78. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
  79. howl
    cry loudly, as of animals
  80. hypocrisy
    pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not have
  81. impelled
    urged or forced to action through moral pressure
  82. indulge
    yield to; give satisfaction to
  83. indulgence
    the act of gratifying a desire
  84. insidious
    working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
  85. intruder
    someone who enters a place or situation without permission
  86. inundate
    fill or cover completely, usually with water
  87. irk
    irritate or vex
  88. irreverence
    a mental attitude showing lack of due respect
  89. jocular
    characterized by jokes and good humor
  90. juncture
    the shape or manner in which things come together
  91. kowtow
    bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
  92. limb
    one of the jointed appendages of an animal
  93. limping
    disability of walking due to crippling of the legs or feet
  94. lore
    knowledge gained through tradition or anecdote
  95. merely
    and nothing more
  96. merit
    the quality of being deserving
  97. metabolism
    the organic processes that are necessary for life
  98. metaphor
    a figure of speech that suggests a non-literal similarity
  99. mimeograph
    duplicator that uses a stencil through which ink is pressed
  100. mirthful
    full of or showing high-spirited merriment
  101. missile
    a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a target
  102. murkiness
    an atmosphere in which visibility is reduced because of a cloud of some substance
  103. nudge
    push against gently
  104. nuisance
    anything that disturbs, endangers life, or is offensive
  105. oblique
    slanting or inclined in direction or course or position
  106. opaque
    not transmitting or reflecting light or radiant energy
  107. opulent
    rich and superior in quality
  108. ornamentation
    the act of adding extraneous decorations to something
  109. ornate
    marked by complexity and richness of detail
  110. paradigm
    a standard or typical example
  111. pervasive
    spreading or spread throughout
  112. picayune
    small and of little importance
  113. plunge
    dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity
  114. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
  115. pompous
    puffed up with vanity
  116. ponderous
    having great mass and weight and unwieldiness
  117. populace
    people in general considered as a whole
  118. poultry
    the flesh of domesticated birds raised for food
  119. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
  120. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
  121. prejudice
    a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue
  122. pretentious
    creating an appearance of importance or distinction
  123. pretentiousness
    the quality of being pretentious
  124. prod
    push against gently
  125. profusely
    in very large amounts or quantities; extremely
  126. prohibition
    the action of forbidding
  127. proliferate
    grow rapidly
  128. prose
    ordinary writing as distinguished from verse
  129. prune
    cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
  130. pudgy
    short and plump
  131. pursue
    follow in an effort to capture
  132. purvey
    supply with provisions
  133. rail
    a horizontal bar, usually of wood or metal
  134. redress
    make reparations or amends for
  135. relish
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
  136. relish
    vigorous and enthusiastic enjoyment
  137. reminiscence
    a mental impression retained and recalled from the past
  138. reveal
    make visible
  139. revere
    regard with feelings of respect
  140. rickety
    inclined to shake as from weakness or defect
  141. ridicule
    language or behavior intended to mock or humiliate
  142. rifle
    a firearm with a long barrel
  143. rival
    the contestant you hope to defeat
  144. ruffian
    a cruel and brutal fellow
  145. sacred
    made, declared, or believed to be holy
  146. sacred
    made, declared, or believed to be holy
  147. sampan
    an Asian skiff usually propelled by two oars
  148. scuttle
    move about or proceed hurriedly
  149. sedate
    characterized by dignity and propriety
  150. sheer
    so thin as to transmit light
  151. simile
    a figure of speech expressing a resemblance between things
  152. slum
    a district of a city marked by poverty
  153. smother
    deprive of oxygen and prevent from breathing
  154. solicit
    request urgently or persistently
  155. sonority
    having the character of a loud deep sound
  156. sprout
    produce buds or branches; germinate
  157. stealthy
    marked by quiet and caution and secrecy
  158. strenuous
    taxing to the utmost; testing powers of endurance
  159. strenuously
    strongly or vigorously
  160. sturdy
    having rugged physical strength
  161. subsequent
    following in time or order
  162. summon
    ask to come
  163. supple
    moving and bending with ease
  164. sustain
    lengthen or extend in duration or space
  165. syntax
    the study of the rules for forming admissible sentences
  166. tabulate
    arrange or enter in rows and columns
  167. tedious
    so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness
  168. teetotal
    practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages
  169. tendentious
    having a strong bias, especially a controversial one
  170. thoroughly
    in an exhaustive manner
  171. timid
    showing fear and lack of courage
  172. tinseled
    glittering with gold or silver
  173. tow
    drag behind
  174. trove
    a valuable collection or treasure found hidden
  175. truism
    an obvious statement of fact
  176. turret
    a small tower extending above a building
  177. unabashedly
    in an unabashed manner
  178. undignified
    lacking dignity
  179. usher
    someone employed to conduct others
  180. vaporous
    resembling or characteristic of vapor
  181. vast
    unusually great in size or amount or extent or scope
  182. vaudeville
    a genre of variety show with songs, comic acts, etc.
  183. venality
    susceptibility or openness to bribery and corruption
  184. vice
    a specific form of evildoing
  185. vigilant
    carefully observant or attentive
  186. vivid
    having striking color
  187. vivid
    having striking color
  188. vow
    a solemn pledge to do something
  189. wigmaker
    someone who makes and sells wigs
  190. wrath
    intense anger
  191. wrath
    intense anger
  192. wry
    humorously sarcastic or mocking
  193. zest
    a tart spicy quality
Created on Sun Jan 31 23:52:33 EST 2010 (updated Wed Feb 03 05:09:54 EST 2010)

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.