List 13

1. Affinity (uh-FIN-i-tee)

Meaning:

  1. A natural liking or connection to a person, thing, or idea.
  2. A similarity between two things.

Mnemonic:
Think of a fin on a dolphin—it naturally has an affinity for water!

Sentence:
She had an affinity for classical music and could spend hours listening to Mozart.


2. Altruistic (al-troo-IS-tik)

Meaning: Showing generosity and concern for the welfare of others.

Mnemonic:
Picture a person saying, “ALL TRUE, I’m here to help!”—that’s being altruistic.

Sentence:
The billionaire’s altruistic donations helped build schools in underprivileged areas.


3. Baroque (buh-ROHK)

Meaning: Overly detailed or ornamental.

Mnemonic:
Imagine a bar of soap with intricate carvings of flowers—it’s unnecessarily baroque!

Sentence:
The palace was decorated in a baroque style, with gold details covering every inch.


4. Byzantine (BIZ-un-teen)

Meaning: Overly complex or intricate.

Mnemonic:
Think of a maze in Byzantium—so complex you can’t find your way out!

Sentence:
The company’s byzantine bureaucracy made even simple tasks a nightmare to complete.


5. Compromise (KOM-pruh-mize)

Meaning: To weaken or diminish in quality, character, or value.

Mnemonic:
Imagine a wall with a compromised foundation—it starts to wobble and weaken!

Sentence:
Using cheap materials will compromise the structural integrity of the building.


6. Conciliatory (kun-SIL-ee-uh-tor-ee)

Meaning: Intended to appease or calm someone down.

Mnemonic:
Picture someone handing over a cone of ice cream to settle an argument—it’s conciliatory!

Sentence:
Her conciliatory tone helped resolve the heated dispute.


7. Countenance (KOWN-tuh-nuhns)

Meaning:

  1. To accept or permit.
  2. The look of a person’s face or expression.

Mnemonic:
Imagine a judge with a serious countenance, nodding to count the votes—it’s both acceptance and facial expression!

Sentence:

  1. The teacher refused to countenance cheating in any form.
  2. His stern countenance made it clear he wasn’t joking.

8. Covert (KOH-vert)

Meaning: Hidden or concealed; not openly practiced.

Mnemonic:
Think of a covert coat that has secret pockets to hide things—it’s covert!

Sentence:
The spy conducted a covert operation to gather intelligence.


9. Credible (KRED-uh-buhl)

Meaning: Able to be trusted; persuasive.

Mnemonic:
Imagine someone showing their credit score—it’s proof they are credible!

Sentence:
The lawyer presented a credible argument backed by solid evidence.


10. Diffuse (di-FYOOZ)

Meaning:

  1. Spread or disperse widely.
  2. Scattered over a large area.

Mnemonic:
Picture a fuse diffusing sparks all over the room—it’s diffuse!

Sentence:

  1. The smell of freshly baked cookies diffused through the house.
  2. The organization’s resources were too diffuse to be effective.

11. Documentary (dok-yuh-MEN-tuh-ree)

Meaning: Based on or reproducing real events or facts.

Mnemonic:
Think of a document that comes alive to tell real stories—it’s a documentary!

Sentence:
The documentary about climate change was both informative and eye-opening.


12. Exhaustive (ig-ZAW-stiv)

Meaning: Thorough and comprehensive.

Mnemonic:
Imagine someone exhausting themselves by checking every single detail—they’re being exhaustive!

Sentence:
The study provided an exhaustive analysis of the data collected over ten years.


Here’s another Group of 14 words with meanings, pronunciations, sentences, and funny mnemonics:


13. Exhilarating (ig-ZIL-uh-ray-ting)

Meaning: Intensely exciting.
Mnemonic:
Imagine riding a roller coaster and shouting, “Exhilarating!”—it’s so thrilling it makes your heart race!

Sentence:
Skydiving was the most exhilarating experience of her life.


14. Extraneous (ek-STRAY-nee-uhs)

Meaning: Lacking relevance; unnecessary.
Mnemonic:
Think of extra ants in your picnic basket—they’re extraneous and totally unnecessary!

Sentence:
The essay was full of extraneous details that distracted from the main argument.


15. Fervor (FUR-vur)

Meaning: Intense enthusiasm toward something.
Mnemonic:
Imagine a fur coat on fire because of someone’s fervor for a heated argument—it’s burning with passion!

Sentence:
The fans cheered with fervor as their team scored the winning goal.


16. Futile (FYOO-tl)

Meaning: Incapable of resulting in anything worthwhile.
Mnemonic:
Think of a person trying to fill a leaking tub with water—it’s a futile effort!

Sentence:
Trying to change his mind was futile; he wouldn’t listen to reason.


17. Illusory (il-LOO-suh-ree)

Meaning: Unreal or based on illusion.
Mnemonic:
Imagine a magician pulling an illusionary rabbit out of a hat—it’s not real, it’s illusory!

Sentence:
The freedom she thought she had was illusory, as her choices were heavily restricted.


18. Invidious (in-VID-ee-uhs)

Meaning:

  1. Likely to cause resentment or envy.
  2. Unfair; prejudiced against someone or something.

Mnemonic:
Picture someone inviting envy at a party by showing off their shiny new car—it’s invidious!

Sentence:

  1. The promotion created an invidious atmosphere among colleagues.
  2. The law was criticized for its invidious treatment of minority groups.

19. Lethargic (luh-THAR-jik)

Meaning: Sluggish; tired.
Mnemonic:
Imagine a lethargic lizard basking in the sun, barely moving.

Sentence:
After staying up all night, he felt too lethargic to attend the meeting.


20. Metaphorical (met-uh-FOR-uh-kuhl)

Meaning: Symbolic rather than literal.
Mnemonic:
Think of someone saying, “Life is a roller coaster,” while holding a metaphorical ticket to ride!

Sentence:
The poem used metaphorical language to express the complexity of emotions.


21. Mimic (MIM-ik)

Meaning: To imitate or copy someone or something.
Mnemonic:
Imagine a mimicking parrot perfectly copying everything you say!

Sentence:
The comedian could mimic celebrity voices with uncanny accuracy.


22. Numinous (NOO-mi-nuhs)

Meaning: Having a spiritual or divine quality.
Mnemonic:
Picture a glowing new moon that fills you with a sense of the numinous.

Sentence:
The ancient temple had a numinous atmosphere that left visitors in awe.


23. Obscure (uhb-SKYOOR)

Meaning:

  1. Not clearly expressed or understood.
  2. Making something unclear and vague.

Mnemonic:
Imagine someone skewing a painting so badly that it becomes obscure and hard to recognize.

Sentence:

  1. The professor’s explanation was so obscure that the students were left confused.
  2. The fog obscured the mountain from view.

24. Overt (oh-VURT)

Meaning: Open and observable; not hidden or secret.
Mnemonic:
Imagine someone overtly waving a huge sign that says, “I’m here!”—it’s impossible to miss!

Sentence:
His overt enthusiasm for the project inspired the whole team.


25. Pellucid (puh-LOO-sid)

Meaning:

  1. Transparently clear in meaning or style.
  2. (Of a body of water or substance) Transparent and clear.

Mnemonic:
Think of a lucid pool of water—you can see right through it, it’s pellucid!

Sentence:

  1. Her pellucid writing style made even complex topics easy to understand.
  2. The pellucid lake reflected the blue sky like a mirror.

26. Perpetuate (per-PETCH-oo-ayt)

Meaning: To make something continue for an indefinite time.
Mnemonic:
Picture a pet chewing on a toy forever—it just won’t stop, it’s perpetuating the activity!

Sentence:
Spreading false rumors can perpetuate harmful stereotypes.


27. Rational (RASH-uh-nuhl)

Meaning: Based on clear thought or reason.
Mnemonic:
Imagine someone building a rational house with a clear, logical blueprint—it makes perfect sense!

Sentence:
Her decision to save money for the future was entirely rational.


28. Scathing (SKAY-thing)

Meaning: Harshly or bitterly critical; vitriolic.
Mnemonic:
Picture someone scathing (burning) a book with fiery criticism—it’s brutally harsh!

Sentence:
The film received scathing reviews from critics who called it unwatchable.


29. Subtle (SUHT-l)

Meaning: Delicate or slight; not obvious.
Mnemonic:
Imagine a subtle breeze that gently moves the leaves—it’s so faint you barely notice it.

Sentence:
The painting’s beauty lies in its subtle use of color.


30. Superficial (soo-pur-FISH-uhl)

Meaning:

  1. Existing, occurring, or located on the surface.
  2. Not profound or thorough.

Mnemonic:
Think of a person giving a superficial fish a quick glance but never diving deeper to see its beauty!

Sentence:

  1. The wound was superficial and didn’t require stitches.
  2. Her analysis of the topic was too superficial to be meaningful.

Story Mode

A Biography of Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Genius

Leonardo da Vinci was born in a quaint Italian village, where his affinity for art and nature became evident from an early age. His altruistic personality often led him to help his community by designing tools and devices. Despite living in a modest home, his surroundings were anything but baroque; his early sketches, however, were often criticized as byzantine, reflecting a complexity that would later define his work.

As a young man, Leonardo faced challenges that threatened to compromise his budding career. Yet his conciliatory nature and ability to adapt earned him patrons who appreciated his talent. His calm countenance under pressure made him stand out among his peers, even as he worked on covert projects for influential families.

Leonardo was known for his credible theories in both art and science. His ability to diffuse knowledge across disciplines made him a true polymath. He recorded his findings in notebooks that resembled modern documentary accounts, providing an exhaustive view of his experiments and discoveries.

His most famous work, the Mona Lisa, is an exhilarating masterpiece, free from any extraneous details, showing his fervor for perfection. Although some of his ambitious projects were futile, like designing flying machines that couldn’t lift off, they showcased his illusory dreams of human flight.

Leonardo’s life was not without its invidious moments. Jealous rivals often tried to undermine his success. Yet, even during his most lethargic days, he found inspiration in the metaphorical connections between art and science. His ability to mimic nature in his work, from the veins in leaves to the structure of the human body, set him apart.

Spiritual yet practical, Leonardo had a numinous belief in the interconnectedness of all things. At times, his ideas were so obscure that few could understand them, but his overt brilliance left an undeniable mark. His scientific sketches were as pellucid as his paintings, revealing a mind deeply committed to uncovering life’s mysteries.

Even today, his contributions continue to perpetuate his legacy, inspiring new generations to think rationally and dream boldly. Leonardo’s scathing critiques of his own work reflect his relentless pursuit of improvement. Though his fame may seem subtle, his impact is anything but superficial.

Leonardo da Vinci remains an eternal symbol of the Renaissance spirit—a man whose genius transcended art, science, and humanity itself.