10 th Grade Vocab

1. 10th Grade Vocab

2. Vocab List #1 • Ambiguous: adj.- unclear; vague, having several possible interpretations • Benediction: n.- good wishes; a blessing • Cloister: n.- secluded or isolated from • Despot: n.- tyrant • Enervate: v.- sap the strength; weaken • Flagrant: adj.- openly and obviously evil; glaring; conspicuous • Genial: adj.- friendly; gracious; kind • Hardy: adj.- bold; brave; capable of withstanding harsh conditions • Inchoate: adj.- not yet fully developed • Jeopardy: (n) the threat or possibility of danger

3. Vocab List #2 • Legacy: (n) something inherited, either from an ancestor or from the past itself • Marred: (adj) spoiled, scratched, blemished • Nocturnal: (adj): active at night • Obsolete: (adj): no longer usable; outdated • Pervade: (v) to spread to every part • Qualify: (v) to limit the meaning of a previous statement; to modify • Redundant: (adj) more than what is necessary; repetition of words or ideas in speech or writing • Servile: (adj) like a slave; subservient; submissive • Tenuous: (adj) thin; flimsy • Unerring: (adj) without making a mistake

4. VOCAB LIST #3 • Vapid (ADJ) dull; boring; lacking flavor • Xenophobia (N) the fear or hatred of anything foreign or alien • Germane (ADJ) relevant; fitting • Warranted (ADJ) justified; authorized • Ambivalence (N) indecision; feeling of being pulled in two directions • Destitute (Adj) poor; lacking possessions • Fledgling (N) beginner • Benevolent (Adj) kindhearted; good-natured; generous • Coalesce (V) unite; grow together • Enhance (V) intensify; improve

5. E2-VOCAB LIST #4 • Hedge: (v)- to avoid giving a clear answer, thereby escaping responsibility or blame • Incite: (v)- arouse to action; stir up; foment • Jettison: (v) to throw overboard; to discard • Lethargic: (adj) tired; sluggish; drowsy • Meager: (adj) small in size or amount; thin; weak • Nostalgic: (adj): wishing for a return to the way things used to be; longing for the past; homesick • Obstinate: (adj): stubborn; refusing to be persuaded • Petulance: (n) grouchiness • Quandary: (n) a state of confusion or doubt; dilemma • Relegate: (v) reduce or demote to an inferior place or position; banish

6. VOCAB LIST #5 • Skeptic (N) one who doesn’t believe unless he’s shown absolute proof • Terse (Adj) of few words; to the point • Uniform (Adj) similar; consistent • Veracity (N) truth • Wastrel (N) person who wastes money or resources • Ameliorate (V) to make a bad situation better; to improve • Benign (Adj) gentle; kind-hearted • Coerce (V) to force someone by threat or physical violence • Desultory (Adj) lacking a plan; aimless • Enigma (N) mystery; puzzle

7. VOCAB LIST #6 • Flippancy (N) treating a serious situation with arrogant humor or disrespect • Girth (N) distance around an object • Heed (V) notice; pay attention to • Incompatible (Adj) incapable of existing together in peace • Jocular (Adj) joking, playful, witty • Levity (N) lightness; playfulness • Meander (V) wander in a carefree manner; follow a winding course • Novelty (N) something new or unusual • Obtuse (Adj) dull, blunt, unintelligent • Phlegmatic (Adj) calm, unemotional

8. VOCAB LIST #7 • Quarantine (N) forced isolation to prevent the spread of disease • Relevancy (N) having a clear relationship to the matter at hand • Slough (V) discard, cast off, shed • Thrifty (Adj) careful about managing money • Unkempt (Adj) messy, sloppy • Verbose (Adj) very talkative • Wax (V) grow gradually larger • Amity (N) friendship • Bequeath (V) to leave behind or hand down through a will • Complacent (Adj) self-satisfied, unconcerned

9. VOCAB LIST #8 • Dexterity (N) high level of skill, especially with the hands • Enmity (N) mutual hatred • Foment (V) to stir into action, to incite • Glutton (N) a person who consumes huge quantities of food or drink • Heinous (Adj) shockingly evil • Incongruous (Adj) out of place • Jubilant (Adj) filled with joy • Lionize (V) to treat someone with great respect • Mellifluous (Adj) smooth, sweetly, flowing • Obviate (V) to eliminate the need for something, to make unnecessary

10. 10th: VOCAB LIST #9 • Pious = (Adj) exhibiting religious devotion • Remorse = (N) a feeling of guilt or regret • Solemn = (Adj) serious, somber, grave • Timorous = (Adj) afraid • Unprecedented = (Adj) first of its kind • Versatile = (Adj) having many talents or uses • Amorphous = (Adj) without form or shape • Benign = (Adj) gentle, kind-hearted, mild • Compliant = (Adj) following someone else’s demands • Diatribe = (N) a bitterly critical speech

11. VOCAB LIST #10 • Ephemeral – adj. temporary; short-lived • Foresight - n. the ability to see ahead, anticipate, or predict • Heresy – n. an opinion expressed in defiance of generally accepted ideas • Incorrigible – adj. impossible to correct, control or discipline • Listless – adj. tired; sluggish; lacking drive

12. VOCAB LIST #10 • Mendacity – n. a lie; a false statement • Ominous – adj. a sign of something unpleasant that’s about to happen; inauspicious • Pithy – adj. to the point; concise • Reprimand – v. scold; criticize • Somber – adj. dark; gloomy

13. VOCAB LIST #11 • Tirade = (N) a long bitter speech, diatribe • Vestige = (N) something left behind, visible trace of something that vanished • Analogous = (Adj) similar • Composure = (N) calmness, equanimity • Digress = (V) to move away from the main topic when writing or speaking • Eradicate = (V) to remove completely and permanently, to exterminate • Incredulous = (Adj) unwilling or unable to believe • Loath = (V) reluctant or unwilling • Meticulous = (Adj) extremely careful with the details • Placate = (V) to appease, pacify

14. VOCAB LIST #11 • Eradicate = (V) to remove completely and permanently, to exterminate • Incredulous = (Adj) unwilling or unable to believe • Loath = (V) reluctant or unwilling • Meticulous = (Adj) extremely careful with the details • Placate = (V) to appease, pacify

15. VOCAB LIST #12 • Reprove – v. scold; criticize; disapprove of • Sonorous – adj. loud, full in sound; booming • Torpid – adj. sluggish; dull; lacking enthusiasm • Anarchy – n. a lack of order; chaos • Concede – v. admit reluctantly; yield (concession speech by a politician)

16. VOCAB LIST #12 • Dilatory – adj. causing lateness; stalling • Erratic – adj. unpredictable; differing from what is normal or expected • Indict – v. charge with a crime; accuse • Minute – adj. very small in size • Platitude – n. dull; trite statement (expected)

17. VOCAB LIST #13 • Repudiate – v. to disown or reject • Specious – adj. have a false/misleading appearance • Anathema – n. a religious curse, or the thing/person being cursed • Concise – adj. short and to the point, terse • Discerning – adj. insightful, perceptive

18. VOCAB LIST #13 • Erudition – n. the knowledge acquired through many years of study • Indigent – adj. very poor • Plausible – adj. believable, but not completely • Sporadic – adj. occurring infrequently, occasional • Antagonistic – adj. in hostile competition, in opposition to

19. VOCAB LIST #14 • Recondite: (adj) hidden; difficult to understand; profound • Redolent: (adj) strongly scented; fragrant • Salubrious: (adj) promoting health • Salutary: (adj) promoting health, or having some beneficial effect • Sanction: (v) approve; give consent

20. VOCAB LIST #14 • Sanguine: (adj) optimistic; cheerful • Sardonic: (adj) humorous, but humor tinged with sarcasm or disdain; cynical • Scanty: (adj) small in quantity; insufficient • Scrupulous: (adj) very thorough; or, doing what is right and ethical • Scrutinize: (v) examine closely; inspect carefully