504 ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL WORDS

1. abandon
forsake; leave behind

2. abide
dwell

3. abolish
do away with

4. abroad
to or in a foreign country

5. absorb
take in a liquid

6. absurd
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense

7. abundant
present in great quantity
8. abuse
cruel or inhumane treatment

9. accurate
characterized by perfect conformity to fact or truth

10. acknowledge
declare to be true or admit the existence or reality of

11. addict
to cause to become dependent

12. adequate
having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task

13. adolescent
a juvenile between the onset of puberty and maturity

14. alter
cause to change; make different

15. amateur
someone who pursues a study or sport as a pastime
16. ambush
concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise

17. annual
occurring every year

18. anticipate
regard something as probable or likely

19. appeal
earnest or urgent request

20. appoint
assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to

21. approach
move towards

22. appropriate
suitable for a particular person, place, or situation

23. architect
someone who creates plans to be used in making something
24. assemble
create by putting components or members together

25. attract
exert a force on

26. audible
heard or perceptible by the ear

27. authority
the power or right to give orders or make decisions

28. avoid
stay away from

29. aware
having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization

30. awesome
inspiring admiration or wonder

31. awkward
lacking grace or skill in manner or movement or performance
32. bachelor
a man who has never been married

33. baffle
be a mystery or bewildering to

34. baggage
cases used to carry belongings when traveling

35. bait
something used to lure fish or other animals

36. ban
prohibit especially by law or social pressure

37. beckon
summon with a wave, nod, or some other gesture

38. beneficiary
the recipient of funds or other advantages

39. betray
deliver to an enemy by treachery
40. bewildered
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements

41. bigamy
the offense of marrying someone while you have a spouse

42. biography
an account of the series of events making up a person's life

43. blunder
an embarrassing mistake

44. brawl
to quarrel noisily, angrily or disruptively

45. brutal
resembling a beast; showing lack of human sensibility

46. budget
a summary of intended expenditures

47. bulky
of large size for its weight
48. burden
weight to be borne or conveyed

49. calamity
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

50. calculate
make a mathematical computation

51. campus
a field on which the buildings of a university are situated

52. cancel
declare null and void

53. candidate
someone who is considered for something

54. capacity
capability to perform or produce

55. capsule
a small container
56. captive
a person who is confined; especially a prisoner of war

57. casual
without or seeming to be without plan or method; offhand

58. caution
judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger

59. cease
put an end to a state or an activity

60. censor
a person authorized to suppress unacceptable material

61. century
a period of 100 years

62. challenge
a call to engage in a contest or fight

63. charity
an institution set up to provide help to the needy
64. chiropractor
a therapist who practices chiropractic

65. cinema
a medium that disseminates moving pictures

66. circulate
move through a system and return to the starting point

67. clergy
the entire class of religious officials in Christianity

68. client
someone who pays for goods or services

69. coeducational
attended by members of both sexes

70. coincide
happen simultaneously

71. collapse
break down, literally or metaphorically
72. colleague
an associate that one works with

73. collide
crash together with violent impact

74. commence
set in motion, cause to start

75. commend
present as worthy of regard, kindness, or confidence

76. commuter
someone who travels regularly from home to work in a city

77. compel
force somebody to do something

78. compete
engage in a contest or measure oneself against others

79. complacent
contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
80. comprehend
get the meaning of something

81. comprehensive
including all or everything

82. conceal
prevent from being seen or discovered

83. conclude
bring to a close

84. confident
having or marked by assurance

85. confine
place limits on

86. confirm
strengthen or make more firm

87. conflict
an open clash between two opposing groups
88. consider
think about carefully; weigh

89. contagious
capable of being transmitted by infection

90. corpse
the dead body of a human being

91. crafty
marked by skill in deception

92. culprit
someone or something responsible for harm or wrongdoing

93. customary
commonly used or practiced

94. data
a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn

95. daze
confusion characterized by lack of clarity
96. debate
a discussion with reasons for and against some proposal

97. debtor
a person who owes a creditor

98. decade
a period of 10 years

99. deceive
cause someone to believe an untruth

100. decrease
a change downward

101. defect
a failing or deficiency

102. defiant
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force

103. defraud
deprive of by deceit
104. dejected
affected or marked by low spirits

105. deliberate
carefully thought out in advance

106. delinquent
a young offender

107. denounce
speak out against

108. dense
having high compaction or concentration

109. depart
go away or leave

110. depict
give a description of

111. deprive
take away
112. descend
move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way

113. despite
contemptuous disregard

114. detect
discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

115. detest
dislike intensely

116. detour
a roundabout road or route

117. devise
arrange by systematic planning and united effort

118. devour
eat immoderately

119. dilemma
state of uncertainty in a choice between unfavorable options
120. diminish
decrease in size, extent, or range

121. disaster
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

122. discard
anything that is cast aside

123. disclose
expose to view as by removing a cover

124. dismal
causing dejection

125. dispute
the act of coming into conflict

126. disrupt
make a break in

127. distress
a state of adversity
128. document
a representation of a person's thinking with symbolic marks

129. doubt
the state of being unsure of something

130. dread
fearful expectation or anticipation

131. drench
cover with liquid; pour liquid onto

132. drought
a shortage of rainfall

133. duplicate
a copy that corresponds to an original exactly

134. dwindle
become smaller or lose substance

135. economical
using the minimum of time or resources for effectiveness
136. editor
the person who determines the final content of a text

137. elevate
raise from a lower to a higher position

138. eliminate
end, take out, or do away with

139. embrace
squeeze tightly in your arms, usually with fondness

140. emerge
come out into view, as from concealment

141. encourage
inspire with confidence

142. endure
undergo or be subjected to

143. enormous
extraordinarily large in size or extent or degree
144. envy
a desire to have something that is possessed by another

145. epidemic
a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease

146. essential
basic and fundamental

147. estimate
judge tentatively

148. evade
avoid or try to avoid fulfilling, answering, or performing

149. event
something that happens at a given place and time

150. evidence
knowledge on which to base belief

151. exaggerate
enlarge beyond bounds or the truth
152. excel
distinguish oneself

153. excessive
beyond normal limits

154. exempt
freed from or not subject to an obligation or liability

155. exhaust
wear out completely

156. exhibit
show; make visible or apparent

157. expand
extend in one or more directions

158. expensive
high in price or charging high prices

159. explore
travel to or penetrate into
160. expose
show; make visible or apparent

161. extract
remove, usually with some force or effort

162. famine
a severe shortage of food resulting in starvation and death

163. feeble
pathetically lacking in force or effectiveness

164. feminine
associated with women and not with men

165. fertile
capable of reproducing

166. fiction
a literary work based on the imagination

167. fierce
marked by extreme and violent energy
168. final
an examination administered at the end of an academic term

169. finance
the commercial activity of providing funds and capital

170. flee
run away quickly

171. flexible
able to bend easily

172. forbid
command against

173. fortunate
having unexpected good luck

174. fragile
easily broken or damaged or destroyed

175. frank
characterized by directness in manner or speech
176. frequent
coming at short intervals or habitually

177. frigid
extremely cold

178. fugitive
someone who is sought by law officers

179. gallant
having or displaying great dignity or nobility

180. glance
take a brief look at

181. gleam
a flash of light

182. glimpse
a brief or incomplete view

183. gloomy
depressingly dark
184. grateful
feeling or showing thankfulness

185. guide
someone employed to conduct others

186. harmony
compatibility in opinion and action

187. harsh
disagreeable to the senses

188. harvest
the gathering of a ripened crop

189. hasty
excessively quick

190. hazy
filled or abounding with fog or mist

191. heed
careful attention
192. heir
a person entitled by law to inherit the estate of another

193. hesitate
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

194. hinder
be an obstacle to

195. homicide
the killing of a human being by another human being

196. horrid
grossly offensive to decency or morality

197. humid
containing or characterized by a great deal of water vapor

198. identify
recognize as being

199. idle
not in action or at work
200. idol
a material effigy that is worshipped

201. ignite
cause to start burning

202. ignore
refuse to acknowledge

203. illegal
prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules

204. illustrate
depict with a visual representation

205. indifference
the trait of remaining calm and seeming not to care

206. ingenious
showing inventiveness and skill

207. inhabit
live in; be a resident of
208. innovative
being like nothing done or experienced or created before

209. insist
be emphatic or resolute and refuse to budge

210. jagged
having a sharply uneven surface or outline

211. jealous
suspicious or fearful of being displaced by a rival

212. jeopardize
pose a threat to; present a danger to

213. jest
activity characterized by good humor

214. jolly
full of or showing high-spirited merriment

215. journalist
a person who writes or broadcasts news stories
216. justice
the quality of being just or fair

217. juvenile
of or relating to children or young people

218. keen
intense or sharp

219. keg
small cask or barrel

220. kneel
rest one's weight on one's knees

221. lack
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

222. lecture
a speech that is open to the public

223. legend
a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events
224. legible
capable of being read or deciphered

225. linger
remain present although waning or gradually dying

226. logical
based on known statements or events or conditions

227. lottery
a game in which players buy chances to win

228. loyalty
the quality of being loyal

229. lubricate
make slippery or smooth

230. lunatic
an insane person

231. magnify
increase in size, volume or significance
232. maim
injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration

233. maintain
keep in a certain state, position, or activity

234. majestic
having or displaying great dignity or nobility

235. majority
the main part

236. manipulate
influence or control shrewdly or deviously

237. masculine
associated with men and not with women

238. matrimony
state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life

239. mature
having reached full natural growth or development
240. maximum
the greatest or most complete or best possible

241. mediocre
moderate to inferior in quality

242. menace
something that is a source of danger

243. merit
the quality of being deserving

244. microscope
magnifier of the image of small objects

245. migrate
move from one country or region to another and settle there

246. miniature
being on a very small scale

247. minimum
the smallest possible quantity
248. minority
being or relating to the smaller in number of two parts

249. miserly
characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity

250. misfortune
a state resulting from unfavorable outcomes

251. molest
harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to

252. monarch
a nation's ruler usually by hereditary right

253. morality
the quality of being in accord with right or good conduct

254. morgue
a building or room where dead bodies are kept before burial

255. morsel
a small amount of solid food; a mouthful
256. mortal
subject to death

257. mount
go up, advance, or increase

258. mourn
feel sadness

259. multitude
a large indefinite number

260. mumble
talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

261. municipal
relating to a self-governing district

262. mute
expressed without speech

263. mythology
the body of stories associated with a culture or institution
264. narcotic
a drug that produces numbness or stupor

265. negative
characterized by denial or opposition or resistance

266. neglect
leave undone or leave out

267. neutral
having no personal preference

268. nimble
moving quickly and lightly

269. nominate
propose as a candidate for some honor

270. nourish
provide with sustenance

271. novel
an extended fictional work in prose
272. numb
lacking sensation

273. numerous
amounting to a large indefinite number

274. oath
a solemn promise regarding your future acts or behavior

275. obedient
dutifully complying with the commands of those in authority

276. obesity
the condition of being excessively overweight

277. observant
quick to notice; showing quick and keen perception

278. obstacle
something that stands in the way and must be surmounted

279. obtain
come into possession of
280. obvious
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind

281. occupant
someone who lives at a particular place for a long period

282. opt
select as an alternative over another

283. oral
using speech rather than writing

284. outlaw
someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted
of a crime

285. pacify
ease the anger, agitation, or strong emotion of

286. panic
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety

287. parole
 a conditional release from imprisonment

288. partial
being or affecting only a segment

289. patriotic
inspired by love for your country

290. pauper
a person who is very poor

291. pedestrian
a person who travels by foot

292. penalize
inflict punishment on

293. penetrate
pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance

294. pension
regular payment to allow a person to subsist without working

295. peril
 a state of danger involving risk

296. perish
pass from physical life

297. persist
refuse to stop

298. persuade
cause somebody to adopt a certain position or belief

299. pierce
penetrate or cut through with a sharp instrument

300. pioneer
one the first colonists or settlers in a new territory

301. placard
a sign posted in a public place as an advertisement

302. plea
a humble request for help from someone in authority

303. pledge
 a binding commitment to do or give or refrain from something

304. pollute
make impure

305. ponder
reflect deeply on a subject

306. popular
regarded with great favor or approval by the general public

307. population
the people who inhabit a territory or state

308. possible
capable of happening or existing

309. postpone
hold back to a later time

310. potential
existing in possibility

311. precaution
 a measure taken in advance to ward off impending danger

312. precede
be earlier in time

313. predict
tell in advance

314. prejudice
a partiality preventing objective consideration of an issue

315. preoccupied
having excessive or compulsive concern with something

316. preserve
keep in safety and protect from harm, loss, or destruction

317. prior
earlier in time

318. probe
an exploratory action or expedition

319. proceed
 move ahead; travel onward in time or space

320. prohibit
command against

321. prominent
conspicuous in position or importance

322. promote
assign to a higher position

323. prompt
according to schedule or without delay

324. prosecute
conduct legal proceedings against a defendant

325. prosper
make steady progress

326. provide
give something useful or necessary to

327. pursue
 follow in an effort to capture

328. qualify
prove capable or fit; meet requirements

329. quantity
how much there is or how many there are of something

330. quarter
one of four equal parts

331. quench
satisfy, as thirst

332. quota
a prescribed number

333. quote
repeat a passage from

334. radical
far beyond the norm

335. rage
 a feeling of intense anger

336. rapid
characterized by speed

337. rash
imprudently incurring risk

338. rave
talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner

339. recede
pull back or move away or backward

340. recent
of the immediate past or just previous to the present time

341. reckless
marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences

342. recline
move the upper body backwards and down

343. redeem
 exchange or buy back for money; under threat

344. refer
make a remark that calls attention to

345. reform
make changes for improvement to remove abuse and injustices

346. refrain
resist doing something

347. rehabilitate
help to readapt, as to a former state of health or repute

348. reject
refuse to accept or acknowledge

349. related
connected logically or causally or by shared characteristics

350. relieve
free from a burden, evil, or distress

351. reluctant
 not eager

352. repetition
the act of doing or performing again

353. reptile
a cold-blooded vertebrate including snakes and lizards

354. resent
feel bitter or indignant about

355. resign
accept as inevitable

356. resist
withstand the force of something

357. respond
show a reaction to something

358. resume
take up or begin anew

359. retain
 secure and keep for possible future use or application

360. reveal
make visible

361. revise
make changes to

362. revive
cause to regain consciousness

363. rival
the contestant you hope to defeat

364. roam
move about aimlessly or without any destination

365. rural
living in or characteristic of farming or country life

366. sacred
made or declared or believed to be holy

367. scald
 burn with a hot liquid or steam

368. scarce
deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand

369. scorch
burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color

370. scowl
frown with displeasure

371. security
the state of being free from danger or injury

372. sensitive
responsive to physical stimuli

373. severity
excessive sternness

374. shriek
sharp piercing cry

375. shrill
 having or emitting a high-pitched and sharp tone or tones

376. signify
denote or connote

377. sinister
wicked, evil, or dishonorable

378. site
the piece of land on which something is located

379. skim
remove from the surface

380. slender
having little width in proportion to the length or height

381. sneer
a facial expression of contempt or scorn

382. soar
rise rapidly

383. solitary
 not growing or living in groups or colonies

384. soothe
cause to feel better

385. source
the place where something begins

386. spontaneous
said or done without having been planned in advance

387. spouse
a person's partner in marriage

388. squander
spend thoughtlessly; throw away

389. stationary
not capable of being moved

390. subsequent
following in time or order

391. subside
 wear off or die down

392. summit
the top or extreme point of something

393. surpass
be or do something to a greater degree

394. surplus
a quantity much larger than is needed

395. survive
continue in existence after

396. swarm
a group of many things in the air or on the ground

397. symbol
something visible that represents something invisible

398. sympathetic
expressing compassion or friendly fellow feelings

399. tact
 consideration in dealing with others

400. talent
natural abilities or qualities

401. temperate
not extreme

402. tempest
a violent commotion or disturbance

403. tempt
dispose, incline, or entice to

404. tendency
an inclination to do something

405. theory
a belief that can guide behavior

406. thorough
painstakingly careful and accurate

407. threat
 declaration of an intention to inflict harm on another

408. thrifty
mindful of the future in spending money

409. thrust
push forcefully

410. toil
work hard

411. topic
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion

412. torment
intense feelings of suffering; acute mental or physical pain

413. torrent
an overwhelming number or amount

414. tradition
a specific practice of long standing

415. tragedy
 an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

416. traitor
a person who says one thing and does another

417. transmit
send from one person or place to another

418. transparent
transmitting light; able to be seen through with clarity

419. trifle
a detail that is considered insignificant

420. tumult
a state of commotion and noise and confusion

421. typical
exhibiting the qualities that identify a group or kind

422. tyrant
a cruel and oppressive dictator

423. unaccustomed
 not habituated to; unfamiliar with

424. unanimous
in complete agreement

425. undeniable
not possible to contradict

426. underdog
one who is at a disadvantage and expected to lose

427. underestimate
make too low an approximation of

428. undernourished
not getting adequate food

429. undoubtedly
certainly

430. unearth
recover through digging

431. uneasy
 causing or fraught with or showing anxiety

432. uneventful
marked by no noteworthy or significant events

433. unforeseen
not anticipated

434. unify
join or combine

435. unite
join or combine

436. unruly
unable to be governed or controlled

437. unstable
subject to change; variable

438. untidy
not neat and tidy

439. upholstery
 covering on a piece of furniture

440. urban
relating to a city or densely populated area

441. urgent
compelling immediate action

442. utensil
an implement for practical use

443. utilize
put into service

444. utter
without qualification

445. vacant
without an occupant or incumbent

446. vaccinate
produce immunity in by inoculation

447. vague
 lacking clarity or distinctness

448. vain
having an exaggerated sense of self-importance

449. valiant
having or showing valor

450. valid
well grounded in logic or truth or having legal force

451. valor
courage when facing danger

452. vandal
someone who willfully destroys or defaces property

453. vanish
become invisible or unnoticeable

454. vapor
a visible suspension in the air of particles of a substance

455. variety
 a category of things distinguished by a common quality

456. vast
unusually great in size or amount or extent or scope

457. vein
a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart

458. ventilate
furnish with an opening to allow air to circulate or gas to escape

459. venture
an undertaking with an uncertain outcome

460. verdict
findings of a jury on issues submitted to it for decision

461. verify
confirm the truth of

462. vermin
any of various small animals or insects that are pests

463. verse
 a piece of poetry

464. vertical
at right angles to the plane of the horizon or a base line

465. vessel
an object used as a container, especially for liquids

466. vicinity
a surrounding or nearby region

467. vicious
having the nature of evildoing

468. victorious
having won

469. vigor
forceful exertion

470. villain
someone who does evil deliberately

471. violent
 acting with great force or energy or emotional intensity

472. visible
capable of being seen or open to easy view

473. vision
the ability to see

474. vital
performing an essential function in the living body

475. vocation
the particular occupation for which you are trained

476. volunteer
a person who performs work done by choice

477. vulnerable
capable of being wounded or hurt

478. wad
a small mass of soft material

479. wager
 the act of gambling

480. warden
the chief official in charge of a prison

481. wary
marked by keen caution and watchful prudence

482. wasp
social or solitary hymenopterans typically having a slender body with
the abdomen attached by a narrow stalk and having a formidable
sting

483. weary
physically and mentally fatigued

484. weird
strikingly odd or unusual

485. whirling
the act of rotating in a circle or spiral

486. wholesale
the selling of goods to merchants
487. witty
combining clever conception and facetious expression

488. wobble
move sideways or in an unsteady way

489. wrath
intense anger

490. wretched
deserving or inciting pity

491. skim
remove from the surface