List 25

Adept

  • Pronunciation: uh-DEPT
  • Meaning: Well skilled; completely versed
  • Mnemonic: “A-DEPTH of skill” (diving deep into expertise), well adapte because of his skills.
  • Example: She was adept at solving complex mathematical problems

Adverse

  • Pronunciation: AD-vers
  • Meaning: Unfavorable or opposed to one’s interests or desires
  • Mnemonic: “AD-VERSE” (like a negative song about your situation)
  • Example: The adverse weather conditions canceled the event

Appropriate

  • Pronunciation: uh-PROH-pree-eyt (verb)
  • Pronunciation: uh-PROH-pree-it (adjective)
  • Meaning: 1. Take something forcefully without owner’s agreement; 2. Suitable or fit for a situation
  • Mnemonic: “A-PROPER-ATE” (taking what seems right)
  • Example: The government would appropriate land for public use

Archetype

  • Pronunciation: AR-kih-type
  • Meaning: A typical example of something
  • Mnemonic: “ARCH-TYPE” (the ultimate blueprint)
  • Example: Sherlock Holmes is an archetype of the brilliant detective

Articulate

  • Pronunciation: ar-TIK-yuh-leyt
  • Meaning: Able to express ideas or feelings fluently and clearly
  • Mnemonic: “ART-TICK-LATE” (painting words precisely)
  • Example: The articulate speaker captivated the audience

Auspicious

  • Pronunciation: aw-SPISH-uhs
  • Meaning: Favorable and indicative of good luck
  • Mnemonic: “AWESOME-SUSPICIOUS” (surprisingly good omen)
  • Example: The auspicious start promised great things

Bereft

  • Pronunciation: bih-REFT
  • Meaning: Lacking or mourning something or someone
  • Mnemonic: “BARE-LEFT” (empty and abandoned)
  • Example: She was bereft after losing her beloved pet

Captious

  • Pronunciation: KAP-shus
  • Meaning: Fault-finding (especially petty ones)
  • Mnemonic: “CATCH-PIOUS” (nitpicking with self-righteousness) , a person with cap find faults at other head.
  • Example: The captious critic found fault with every detail

Conclusive

  • Pronunciation: kuhn-KLOO-siv
  • Meaning: Without doubt
  • Mnemonic: “CON-CLOSE-IVE” (completely closing the argument)
  • Example: The DNA evidence was conclusive

Conspire

  • Pronunciation: kuhn-SPYRE
  • Meaning: Secretly work together for something bad
  • Mnemonic: “CON-SPIRE” (spinning a secret plot)
  • Example: The politicians would conspire to manipulate the election

Delineate

  • Pronunciation: dih-LIN-ee-eyt
  • Meaning: Describe or depict precisely; outline
  • Mnemonic: “DE-LINE-ATE” (drawing clear lines of explanation)
  • Example: The architect would delineate the building’s complex design

Disentangle

  • Pronunciation: dis-in-TANG-guhl
  • Meaning: Free from entanglement or confusion; make clear
  • Mnemonic: “DIS-ENTANGLE” (breaking free from a messy knot)
  • Example: He tried to disentangle the complicated family dispute

Exhort

  • Pronunciation: ig-ZORT
  • Meaning: Strongly persuade, encourage, or urge
  • Mnemonic: “EX-HEART” (pushing with passionate motivation)
  • Example: The coach would exhort the team to give their best

Frailty

  • Pronunciation: FRAIL-tee
  • Meaning: Quality or state of being weak; weakness
  • Mnemonic: “FRAIL-TEA” (a weak, easily broken teacup)
  • Example: Her physical frailty prevented her from traveling

Grievance

  • Pronunciation: GREE-vuns
  • Meaning: An issue or problem
  • Mnemonic: “GRIEVE-DANCE” (a painful emotional shuffle)
  • Example: The workers filed a formal grievance about working conditions

Harangue

  • Pronunciation: huh-RANG
  • Meaning: A long angry rant
  • Mnemonic: “HAIR-HANG” (a wild, tangled verbal explosion)
  • Example: The politician would harangue the opposition for hours

Ploy

  • Pronunciation: PLOY
  • Meaning: A strategy or tactic used to gain an advantage
  • Mnemonic: “PLOT-OY” (a sneaky plan with an ‘oy’ of excitement)
  • Example: It was just another ploy to distract from the real issue

Poise

  • Pronunciation: POYZ
  • Meaning: A state of balance, equilibrium, or stability
  • Mnemonic: “POY-SE” (balancing on a magical stick)
  • Example: She maintained her poise during the difficult interview

Pomposity

  • Pronunciation: pom-POS-uh-tee
  • Meaning: The quality of being pompous; self-importance
  • Mnemonic: “POMP-OSITY” (overblown parade of self-importance)
  • Example: His pomposity made him difficult to be around

Proxy

  • Pronunciation: PROK-see
  • Meaning: A substitute (usually for a person) that is compatible
  • Mnemonic: “PROK-SEE” (seeing through someone else’s eyes)
  • Example: She voted by proxy during the shareholders’ meeting

Relent

  • Pronunciation: rih-LENT
  • Meaning: 1. Abandon a harsh intention by giving in; 2. Reduce in intensity again lending money because of the empathy
  • Mnemonic: “RE-LENT” (softening like a melting heart)
  • Example: The strict teacher would finally relent and extend the deadline

Rhetoric

  • Pronunciation: RET-uh-rik
  • Meaning: Persuasive speech or writing
  • Mnemonic: “RIGHT-TRICK” (the art of verbal manipulation)
  • Example: The lawyer’s powerful rhetoric swayed the jury

Rigor

  • Pronunciation: RIG-er
  • Meaning: Thoroughness and strictness
  • Mnemonic: “RIGID-OR” (extremely strict approach)
  • Example: The scientific study was conducted with great rigor

Sparse

  • Pronunciation: SPARS
  • Meaning: Not dense and meager; having widely spaced intervals
  • Mnemonic: “SPARS-E” (scattered like lonely dots)
  • Example: The sparse population made the area feel empty

Steadfast

  • Pronunciation: STED-fast
  • Meaning: Fixed or unchanging; steady
  • Mnemonic: “STEAD-FAST” (standing like a rock)
  • Example: Her steadfast commitment inspired everyone

Suspect

  • Pronunciation: SUHS-pekt (noun/adjective)
  • Pronunciation: suh-SPEKT (verb)
  • Meaning: Viewed with suspicion
  • Mnemonic: “SUSP-ECT” (expecting something fishy)
  • Example: The mysterious stranger looked highly suspect

Tedious

  • Pronunciation: TEE-dee-uhs
  • Meaning: Boring and slow, without variety
  • Mnemonic: “TEED-USES” (golf ball stuck in endless repetition)
  • Example: The tedious lecture put everyone to sleep

Vitality

  • Pronunciation: vye-TAL-uh-tee
  • Meaning: Strength and energy
  • Mnemonic: “VITAL-ITY” (life force on steroids)
  • Example: Her vitality was contagious and inspiring

Whimsical

  • Pronunciation: WIM-zi-kuhl
  • Meaning: 1. Playful or silly; 2. Unpredictable
  • Mnemonic: “WHIM-SICK-AL” (crazy ideas running wild)
  • Example: The whimsical artist created surreal paintings

Yield

  • Pronunciation: YEELD
  • Meaning: 1. Produce or generate a result; 2. Give up or surrender
  • Mnemonic: “YELL-D” (surrendering with a dramatic cry)
  • Example: The investment would yield significant returns