List 10

Acumen (AH-kyoo-men)

Meaning: Quickness and keenness in understanding and judgment.
Mnemonic: Think of “IQ men”—people with high IQs who are sharp and make good judgments quickly.
Sentence: Her business acumen helped the company grow exponentially.

Antithesis (an-TITH-uh-sis)

Meaning: The direct opposite or contrast.
Mnemonic: Imagine an “anti-sis”—your sibling who’s the exact opposite of you in personality.
Sentence: Her calm demeanor was the antithesis of his fiery temperament.

Ascribe (uh-SKRYB)

Meaning: Attribute or credit something to a particular cause or source.
Mnemonic: “A scribe” always attributes the story to the king or patron who paid them.
Sentence: The success of the project was ascribed to her leadership skills.

Befuddled (bih-FUH-duld)

Meaning: Confused, bewildered, or perplexed.
Mnemonic: Imagine being “be-fooled” so much that you’re completely confused!
Sentence: He was befuddled by the complex math problem.

Eschew (es-CHOO)

Meaning: Intentionally avoid or abstain from.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone saying “Achoo!”, and you quickly avoid them because they might have a cold.
Sentence: He eschews junk food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Esoteric (es-uh-TER-ik)

Meaning: Understood by few or a small group of people.
Mnemonic: Think of an “isolated topic” that only a few nerdy friends understand.
Sentence: The professor’s lecture on quantum physics was so esoteric that most students couldn’t follow.

Evasive (ee-VAY-siv)

Meaning: Indirect or not straightforward; avoiding confrontation.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone “evading” every question like a ninja dodging attacks.
Sentence: His answers were evasive, leaving everyone unsure of his true intentions.

Exculpate (EX-kull-pate)

Meaning: Clear from blame or guilt.
Mnemonic: “Excuse culprit”—to excuse someone accused of being a culprit.
Sentence: The evidence helped exculpate her from the charges.

Expedite (EK-spuh-dyte)

Meaning: Accelerate or speed up a process or action.
Mnemonic: Picture a “speedy delivery expert” who gets things done quickly.
Sentence: The new software was designed to expedite the data entry process.

Fastidious (fas-TID-ee-uhs)

Meaning: Showing great care and attention to detail; hard to please.
Mnemonic: “Fast to diss”—someone who quickly finds fault in everything!
Sentence: The chef was so fastidious that he refused to serve any dish that wasn’t perfect.

Feign (fayn)

Meaning: Pretend or simulate.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone “faking pain” to avoid school or work.
Sentence: She feigned surprise even though she already knew about the party.

Furtive (FUR-tiv)

Meaning: Sneaky or secretive, especially due to guilt.
Mnemonic: Think of “fur thief”—a sneaky raccoon stealing food in the night.
Sentence: His furtive glance at the answer sheet didn’t go unnoticed by the teacher.

Hamper (HAM-pur)

Meaning: Obstruct or hinder progress.
Mnemonic: Imagine trying to run while carrying a laundry hamper—it would slow you down!
Sentence: The heavy traffic hampered our journey to the airport.

Indispensable (in-di-SPEN-suh-bul)

Meaning: Completely necessary; essential.
Mnemonic: Think of your “pen is able”—your favorite pen that you can’t write without.
Sentence: Clean drinking water is indispensable for survival.

Lament (luh-MENT)

Meaning: Express deep sorrow or regret.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone crying loudly saying, “I lost my lamb!”
Sentence: She lamented the loss of her childhood home.

Myopic (my-OP-ik)

Meaning: Short-sighted; lacking creativity or foresight.
Mnemonic: Think of “My optics” not letting me see far, or lacking vision for the future.
Sentence: His myopic approach to budgeting caused long-term problems.

Nonchalant (NON-shuh-lahnt)

Meaning: Appearing casually calm or indifferent.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone saying, “I’m not challenged,” acting cool even in chaos.
Sentence: He remained nonchalant even when the deadline was approaching.

Partial (PAR-shuhl)

Meaning: Prejudiced or biased toward one side.
Mnemonic: Think of a “part” of the story you like more because you’re biased.
Sentence: The referee was accused of being partial to the home team.

Pensive (PEN-siv)

Meaning: Deep in thought.
Mnemonic: Picture a writer chewing on a pen, lost in deep thought.
Sentence: She sat by the window, looking pensive as she contemplated her future.

Portend (por-TEND)

Meaning: Indicate or warn that something, often unpleasant, is going to happen.
Mnemonic: Imagine “poor tend” crops warning about famine.
porter warning about earth scarcity.
Sentence: Dark clouds portend a coming storm.

Provincial (pruh-VIN-shuhl)

Meaning: Narrow in perspective; not sophisticated.
Mnemonic: Think of a “province” as being away from the city and less worldly.
Sentence: His provincial views were out of place in the cosmopolitan city.

Rudimentary (roo-duh-MEN-tuh-ree)

Meaning: Basic or elementary; in the earliest stages of development.
Mnemonic: Think of “rude elementary”—basic manners you learn as a child.
Sentence: She only has a rudimentary understanding of physics.

Salutary (SAL-yuh-ter-ee)

Meaning: Beneficial, especially in promoting health or well-being.
Mnemonic: Think of a “salute” to health!
Sentence: The accident was a salutary reminder to drive more carefully.

Sever (SEV-ur)

Meaning: Cut off or put an end to.
Mnemonic: Think of a “severe cut” to separate something.
Sentence: The company severed ties with its unethical supplier.

Slight (slite)

Meaning: Treat with disrespect or neglect; insult.
Mnemonic: Imagine saying, “Such a light insult!” and feeling disrespected.
Sentence: She felt slighted when her contributions were ignored.

Somnolent (SOM-nuh-lent)

Meaning: Sleepy or drowsy.
Mnemonic: Think of a “somber lent”, where fasting makes you tired and sleepy.
Sentence: The warm weather made everyone feel somnolent.

Stoic (STOH-ik)

Meaning: Unaffected by pain or distress; showing no emotion.
Mnemonic: Imagine someone watching a stone kick their foot and not reacting at all!
Sentence: Despite the challenges, he remained stoic throughout the ordeal.

Supersede (soo-per-SEED)

Meaning: Replace or take the place of.
Mnemonic: Think of “super seed” that grows faster and replaces old crops.
Sentence: Electric cars are starting to supersede gasoline-powered vehicles.

Tout (tout)

Meaning: Promote or praise energetically.
Mnemonic: Imagine a “loud tout” yelling about a product in the market.
Sentence: The company touted its new product as revolutionary.

Wane (wayn)

Meaning: Decrease in power, size, or intensity.
Mnemonic: Think of the “waning moon”, which gets smaller each night.
Sentence: His enthusiasm for the project began to wane after a few weeks.

Story Mode

In the bustling city of Wordopolis, a group of friends decided to hold a talent show that would showcase their unique abilities. Each friend had a distinct personality that contributed to the evening’s entertainment.

First up was Tim, known for his sharp business acumen. He confidently took the stage to tout his latest investment strategy. However, his presentation quickly turned into an evasive display when he was asked about potential risks. “Well, you see…” he began, looking rather befuddled, as if he had forgotten his entire plan.

Next was Sarah, who had a knack for storytelling. She shared a tale about her recent trip to a provincial town where she encountered an esoteric group of artists who painted with invisible ink. “It was so rudimentary that only the most fastidious critics could appreciate it,” she said, causing the audience to chuckle at the absurdity.

As the night went on, Mark decided to perform a magic trick. He attempted to make his assistant disappear but accidentally made himself vanish instead! The audience gasped, and the moment felt like it could portend disaster. Fortunately, he reappeared moments later, looking nonchalant and trying to play it cool.

Then came Lisa, who was known for her lament-filled ballads. Her song about lost love was so moving that even the most stoic audience members couldn’t help but shed a tear. “I’ll never eschew writing about my feelings again,” she vowed.

The final act featured Jake, who had a reputation for being somewhat myopic. He tried to juggle while blindfolded but ended up dropping everything—his performance was both hilarious and chaotic. “I guess I should have been more careful!” he admitted with a grin.

As the night progressed, they all gathered to reflect on their performances. They realized that despite their differences, they had created something truly special together. They agreed that while some moments were filled with hampering mishaps and others with pure joy, every experience was indispensable in shaping their friendships.

In the end, they decided that next time they would plan better and avoid being so haphazard. They all left the talent show feeling invigorated and ready for their next adventure—whatever that might be!

More

In the quirky town of Greeville, a group of friends decided to start a band called “The Myopic Musicians.” Each member had their own unique quirks that made for a hilarious adventure.

One day, they gathered to practice in a somnolent garage that smelled like old pizza. Tim, the lead singer, had a sharp acumen for music but often got befuddled when it came to lyrics. “I’m pretty sure this song is about a cat,” he said, looking confused as he stared at his notes.

Meanwhile, Sarah, the guitarist, was known for her fastidious nature. She would spend hours tuning her guitar while the others played random notes. “You have to get it just right!” she insisted. “Otherwise, it’s just noise!” This made the others feel slight and unappreciated for their creative contributions.

As they practiced, Jake, the drummer, tried to tout his new rhythm but ended up playing something that sounded like a rudimentary drum circle instead. “That’s not quite what I had in mind,” he said with a nonchalant shrug.

Then came Lisa, the keyboardist, who was always pensive. She often gazed out the window, lost in thought about how to make their music more appealing. “What if we added some esoteric elements?” she suggested. The others looked at her blankly. “Like what? Invisible notes?” Tim joked.

Feeling frustrated by their lack of direction, Sarah decided to take charge. “Let’s not be so myopic! We need to expand our horizons!” But Jake just laughed and said, “I prefer my narrow view; it’s less complicated!”

Suddenly, they heard a loud crash outside. They rushed out to find their neighbor Mr. Grumpyface yelling about the noise. He was the antithesis of fun and always seemed ready to complain. “You kids better keep it down or I’ll call the cops!” he warned.

In an attempt to calm him down, Lisa tried to exculpate them by saying they were just practicing for a big concert. But Mr. Grumpyface wasn’t having any of it. “You’re just being evasive! I can hear you from two blocks away!” he shouted.

Realizing they needed to change their approach, Tim suggested they throw a neighborhood concert instead. “It’ll be salutary! We can bring everyone together!” The others agreed but worried about how to make it happen without being too loud and annoying.

They decided to hold the concert in their backyard and invited everyone in the neighborhood. As the day approached, they worked hard to prepare and even tried to expedite their practice sessions.

On concert day, they were nervous but excited. As they played their first song, they noticed Mr. Grumpyface standing at the edge of the yard with his arms crossed. The band played on, determined not to let anything hamper their performance.

Halfway through their set, something amazing happened: Mr. Grumpyface started tapping his foot! By the end of the concert, he was even smiling (though he’d never admit it). The crowd cheered and clapped as Tim declared, “We did it! We’ve managed to bring joy instead of chaos!”

Afterward, they all sat together and realized that despite their differences and quirks, they had created something special that brought people together. They learned that sometimes it takes a bit of creativity and teamwork to turn a chaotic situation into something beautiful.

And so, the moral of their story became clear: Embrace your differences and work together; you never know what amazing things can happen!