abundant
present in great quantity
Sea lions are now so
abundant they are pushing into new territory to forage, disrupting efforts to save other species from extinction.
ambiguous
open to two or more interpretations
The charity said more needed to be done to protect consumers, claiming current rules were "
ambiguous".
correlate
bear a reciprocal or mutual relation
However, diets using artificial sweeteners still
correlate with health issues such as an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.
differentiate
mark as distinct
Forecasters said they were able to
differentiate between birds and bats on radar due to the pattern of movement and the timing.
anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
Indeed, Norway’s case was something of an
anomaly: a rare example of reality intruding.
meticulous
marked by precise accordance with details
The Clean Air Act dictates a
meticulous process for considering a new standard; each review usually takes at least five years, Goldman said.
discrepancy
a difference between conflicting facts or claims or opinions
In some cases, says Moult, it was not clear whether the
discrepancy between AlphaFold’s predictions and the experimental result was a prediction error or an artefact of the experiment.
fleeting
lasting for a markedly brief time
The problem, according to Buddhism, is that our feelings are no more than
fleeting vibrations, changing every moment, like the ocean waves.
spontaneous
said or done without having been planned in advance
In a
spontaneous way, without any preparation, he told everything to his brother.
antagonize
provoke the hostility of
While the new version included some needed modernization, it
antagonized allies and left months of uncertainty over the future of the $1.2 trillion trade bloc.
incremental
increasing gradually by regular degrees or additions
Can
incremental reforms transform the U.S. into a just, prosperous society, or are more drastic measures required?
feign
make believe with the intent to deceive
Sometimes the job calls for displaying the right emotion, as when a funeral parlor attendant
feigns sorrow and performs what I call “surface acting.”
apprehensive
in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
He was
apprehensive about a storm system forecast to hit the area starting Sunday night, but fortunately, the weather system proved mild.
relegate
assign to a lower position
The match will decide which of the two teams is
relegated to the second tier.
profound
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
I’m waiting for her to say something
profound—I always am, even though it’ll never happen.
proliferate
grow rapidly
When water's pH is too high, the disinfecting power of chlorine diminishes, allowing germs to
proliferate.
relevant
having a bearing on or connection with the subject at issue
A year ago, my daily reading was largely determined by what curators considered to be important and
relevant, catalogue essays and scholarly articles related to upcoming exhibitions.
assessment
the act of judging a person or situation or event
But even the epidemiologists didn’t all agree on their
assessment of risk.
skeptical
marked by or given to doubt
He looked to me and added, “Your highly
skeptical friend may not believe me at all. That notwithstanding, it is true.”
astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
Here we find the words Homer applies to Ulysses, the same descriptions applied to the hero of the Odyssey: sagacious, cunning,
astute, shrewd, artful, crafty, deceitful, tricky.
attribute
explain or regard as resulting from a particular cause
Scientists
attribute the significantly larger population in the Americas to a relatively disease-free society whose use of herbal medicine, surgery, dentistry, and hygienic and ritual bathing kept disease at bay.
befall
happen or be the case in the course of events or by chance
On the ground in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter, residents said they were definitely concerned, but that the virus was an entirely different threat from the natural disasters that routinely
befall the city.
nonchalant
marked by casual unconcern or indifference
“It appeared
nonchalant and not too concerned about me.”
bolster
support and strengthen
She was just trying to
bolster my mood and keep my spirits up—and maybe my courage, too.
coherent
marked by an orderly and consistent relation of parts
The division of the liberal arts is not accidental; it articulates a
coherent system of thought.