Forsake – abandon or leave.

To quit or leave
entirely
(Pronounced fore-sayk)

The four snakes (forsake) turned up. The people decided to abandon the ship.

Examples of forsake in a sentence

In order to be a nun, you must forsake all things which might interfere with your ability to
dedicate your life to Christ.

Jane has decided to forsake her participation in basketball until she improves her grades.

The mentor hoped to encourage his ward to forsake his criminal behaviour.

1
Ecclesiastic – A member of the clergy/a priest
(Pronounced uh-klee -zee-ast-ik)

Someone associated with the christian church.

A sleazy attic (ecclesiastic) was where members of the clergy met to have fun out of the public
eye.

Examples of ecclesiastic in a sentence

As an ecclesiastic he was dedicated to God.

She didn't know if she could be an ecclesiastic, as she lived quite a secular lifestyle.

2
The council needed to decide who would be the next ecclesiastic of their local cathedral.

Procure - Obtain something, to get

something, to bring about
(Pronounced pruh-kyoor)

A professional cure (procure). I must get that!

Examples of procure in a sentence

My sister Ellen is hoping to procure a husband on one of those online dating websites.

Since the pharmacy is closed, I need to find another place to procure my medicine.

Lionel runs an international company which can procure products from anywhere in the world.

3
Pungent – Strong smell or taste
(Pronounced pun-juhnt)

Pungent is a strong smell or taste, and often it is so strong that it can be unpleasant. 

Punt in the gents (pungent). There was so much urine. Gosh- it smelt bad!

Examples of pungent in a sentence

There was a rather pungent smell coming from the kitchen.

Ginger has a pungent taste which people often find appealing. 

The pungent smell from Allan's rugby boots hung in the air.

4
Erroneous – containing error; Wrong
(Pronounced i-roh-nee-uhs)

The error is us (erroneous). Our relationship is all wrong. 

Examples of erroneous in a sentence

The information you gave us was misleading and erroneous.

There was an erroneous report in the newspaper yesterday.

Despite common belief, not everything you read on the internet is erroneous. 

5
Remission – Reduction in severity of illness,
debt, charge or penalty
(Pronounced re-miss-shun) 

Re my mission (remission): it was to reduce in height and it worked.

Examples of remission in a sentence

She cried tears of joy as her cancer was in complete remission.

Due to the remission of the man’s arthritis, he could now move his joints easily enough to run a
marathon.

After the student moved back in with her parents, the remission of her bills allowed her to save
more money from her paycheck. 

6
Retrench - Spend less money or reduce costs.
To cut down or diminish
(Pronounciation ri-trench)

Re-dig the trench (retrench) - but in order to save money and reduce costs we are only going to
use a spade.

Examples of retrench in a sentence

When the economy slowed, the company was forced to retrench.

The pro football team could possibly retrench and trim down their huge payroll budget.

He didn't want to retrench, but he spent most of his money on trinkets and toys and needed to
change his ways.

7
Abscond – To leave hurriedly
(Pronounced ab-skond)

Abscond means to leave hurriedly and secretly, typically to escape from the law. 

Absent scone (abscond) – no wonder it left in a hurry when it was about to be eaten.

Examples of abscond in a sentence

The burglar absconded after the failed robbery and hasn't been seen since. 

We must ensure that these youths do not abscond before the trial tomorrow. 

I will not leave my family or abscond in order to avoid punishment. 

8
Absolve – Grant Pardon, declare someone
free of guilt, punishment or blame
(Pronounced ab-zolv)

Her abs solved (absolve) her problem with the judge. The Judge said: "I'll grant you a pardon if
you show me how you got such great abs!"

Examples of absolve in a sentence

The jury’s innocent verdict appears to absolve the defendant of any guilt.

If you wish to absolve yourself of your sins, you must first confess them.

The five-year warranty does not absolve the car manufacturer from the liability of selling a
faulty vehicle.

9
Ambivalence - contradictory feelings about
something or someone. Yes and No.
(Pronounced am-biv-uh-luhns)

The ambulance (ambivalence) went by and they were trying a new siren. "No Yes No Yes No
Yes." People were not sure whether to like it or not.

Examples of ambivalence in a sentence

Despite appearances, I feel totally ambivalent about the whole situation.

He felt an ambivalence towards the inmates.

I am ambivalent as to whether or not I want to take the medicine because of the drug’s known
side effects.

10
Superficial – On the surface does not think
deeply
(Pronounced soo-puh-fish-uhl)

The super fish shall (superficial) really go fast on the surface of the water. 

Examples of superficial in a sentence

The damage to the church was only superficial.

He had a superficial knowledge of the subject.

The character in the novel seemed superficial and forced. 

11
Subjugate – To bring under complete control.
To defeat and gain control using force
(Pronounced sub-juh-gayt)

This subject ate (subjugate) gruel until she behaved. 

Examples of subjugate in a sentence

The peasants were subjugated by the invading army.

We must free these people who have been subjugated for years.

It was the women who suffered most after the population was subjugated. 

12
Browbeat – Threaten or persuade forcefully.
Bully
(Pronounced brow-beet)

Man with large eyebrows kept beat (browbeat) and was very forceful and a bully.

Examples of browbeat in a sentence

Don't let the media browbeat you into thinking sexism is acceptable. 

Vote according to your conscience. Don't let others browbeat you.

I didn't browbeat him. It was merely a misunderstanding. 

13
Cantankerous – bad tempered,
argumentative
(Pronounced kan-tan-kuh-ruhs)

Can tank take us? (cantankerous). He lost his temper because the tank wouldn't take them. 

Examples of cantankerous in a sentence

The cantankerous old man wouldn't move out of the way.

Despite her cantankerous nature, she meant well.

As Tilly grew older, she became more cantankerous than ever. 

14
Imminent – Likely to occur at any moment
(Pronunciation im-i-nuhnt)

Him, he leant (imminent) on the button. It was soon going to happen.

Examples of imminent used in a sentence

For a man in imminent danger of losing his job, he appeared quite unruffled.

Her remarks were intended to scotch rumours of an imminent election date.

He announced the imminent arrival of a messianic leader.

15
Protagonist – the leading character. A leader
of a cause
(Pronounced pro-tag-on-ist)

The Pro Tag-team list (protagonist) showed that tonight there was one main character, the main
man, the one and only, The Rock! 

Examples of protagonist in a sentence

By the end of the movie, we realize the protagonist cannot achieve his dreams because of his
greedy nature.

In the short story, the protagonist must finally stand up to the bullies who torment him.

The protagonist was willing to give his life for the woman he loved.

16
Kindred – Your relatives, or other things that
are connected or related
(Pronounced kin-dred) 

Kinder red (kindred): my relatives surprised me – they were all hiding in kinder eggs.

Examples of kindred in a sentence

Most of his kindred still live in Ireland.

He found kindred spirits in the peace movement.

English and Dutch are kindred languages.

17
Retrospect – Review past events and think
about them differently
(Pronounced ret-ruh-spekt)

Retro specs (retrospect) are terrible! I used to think they were so cool. You see things differently
over time. 

Examples of retrospect in a sentence

In retrospect, we could have done it better.

They reviewed the battle retrospectively.

The novel is in retrospect, recalling past events at random. 

18
Abate – become less intense. To reduce in
amount. Lessen or diminish
(Pronounced uh-bayt)

A bait (abate) was reduced because his son kept eating it.

Examples of abate in a sentence

After 30 minutes, the storm abated.

As usual, his temper tantrum abated at the mention of sweets. 

We must keep the patients secluded until their symptoms have abated.

19
Sobriety – the state of being sober; not
intoxicated
(Pronounced suh-bry-uh-tee)

So bright (sobriety) since being off the booze.

Examples of sobriety in a sentence

His sobriety lasted a grand total of four days.

Alcohol Concern try to encourage sobriety by promoting the challenge, 'Dry January'. 

Historically, Quakers practise sobriety.

20
Congenial – Friendly and pleasant.
Compatible or agreeable.
(Pronounced con-jeany-al)

Having similar tastes/ outlook.

The con knew the genie would (congenial) bring many friends and pleasant things with his three
wishes.

Examples of congenial in a sentence. 

Mark is a congenial host who always makes everyone feel welcome.

While Hank pretends to be congenial in public, in private he is an unpleasant man.

Even when overworked, police officers are expected to be congenial with the citizens of their
communities.

21
Translucent – Semi-transparent
(Pronounced trans-loo-sent)

Translucent means to allow light through, but not details; semi-transparent.

The train's loo (translucent) let the light in, but not the staff detailed to the train. 

Examples of translucent in a sentence

Her skin is so pale it appears to be translucent. 

The make-up artist chose a translucent colour that matched his skin tone, and applied it to the
actor's cheeks. 

Diving under the surface, I could make out shapes in the translucent light of the sea. 

22
Ubiquitous – Something that is ubiquitous is
found everywhere
(Pronounced yoo-bik-wi-tuhs)

U bit us (ubiquitous) everywhere.

Examples of ubiquitous in a sentence

Computers have become ubiquitous in everyday life.

Coffee shops are ubiquitous these days.

A ubiquitous symbol of love found everywhere on Valentine’s Day is the heart.

23
Prevaricate – Speak or act evasively; not
directly answering a question
(Pronounced pri-varr-uh-kayt)

Previously I ate carrot cake (prevaricate). Now I avoid eating carrot cake, or ever talking about
carrot cake, or answering any questions about eating carrot cake. 

Examples of prevaricate in a sentence

It was suspicious, the way he prevaricated when asked a question.

He knew he was going to lose, and that is why he kept prevaricating rather than making a
move. 

There is no other way around it. We must stop prevaricating and pay the fine. 

24
Evoke – Bring to mind memories, feelings, or
images
(Pronounced i-vohk)

Eve was by an oak (evoke) and it brought back memories of the snake appearing out of a tree. 

Examples of evoke in a sentence

The smell of honeysuckle wafted in the air, evoking childhood memories. 

Each photograph was used to evoke a sense of loss. 

Nigel hated the smell of chlorine, as it evoked bad memories of school swimming lessons. 

25
Utopia - Imagined place where everything is
perfect
(Pronounced yoo-toh-pee-uh)

You tow (utopia) to a perfect place. The garage is ideal perfection

Examples of Utopia in a sentence

In Jane’s utopia, everyone would wait on her and call her Princess Jane.

In a utopia, there is plenty of food and water for everyone.

The beautiful isolated island is as close to a utopia as I will ever get.

26
Fidelity – Loyalty to a person, cause, or belief
(Pronounced fi-del-uh-tee)

He fiddled in the city (fidelity) and was always followed by his loyal dog.

Examples of fidelity in a sentence

The fidelity she demonstrated was inspiring.

It is his uncompromising fidelity that will ultimately doom him.

The bear showed a higher degree of fidelity to her foraging territory than other mammals. 

27
Aloof - distant and unfriendly
(Pronounced Ah-loof)

A loofah (Aloof) is what he used to reach the more distant parts of his body

Examples of aloof in a sentence

His aloof response made her look up.

He kept himself aloof from all party strife.

My aloof attitude kept me distant from the situation.

28
Lucid – Easy to understand; expressed
clearly
(Pronounced loo-sid)

The loo slid (lucid) and everything was clear to be seen.

Examples of lucid in a sentence

He expressed himself in a lucid fashion.

Sarah's speech became more slurred and less lucid as the evening wore on. 

She wrote beautifully. Her style was lucid and technically advanced.

29
Profound - Felt or experienced deeply. Very
great or intense knowledge.
(pronounciation pruh-fownd) 

The pro golfer found (profound) her ball deep in the grass. She was deeply affected.

Examples of profound in a sentence

The victory had a profound effect on the rest of the war.

Do you know that profound thinker?

What he found in her eyes instead was profound sadness.

30
Perceptive - Having sensitive understanding
or insight. Able to see things clearly for what
they are
(Pronounced puh-cept-tiv)

The purse was accepted (perceptive) because she had a clear understanding of everything.

Examples of perceptive in a sentence

It was amazing how someone could be so perceptive at one moment and clueless the next.

You're very perceptive, Effie.

As the experienced shoplifter swiped a necklace from the open case in the jewellery store, the
perceptive owner of the store realised what he did.

31
Idealism - unrealistic belief in perfection. Not
seeing things as they are
(Pronounced  eye-dee-uh-li-zuhm)

Ideal is him (idealism). The way he saw himself in the mirror was unrealistic

Examples of idealism in a sentence

Steeped in idealism, her goals were impractical.

The man’s idealism stopped him from keeping a job, as he was always searching for the perfect
work environment.

The inexperienced girl’s idealism lead her to be fully dedicated to a cause that was without merit
or honour.

32
Realism – Accepting the way things are;
based on facts and what is possible
(Pronounced ree-uh-li-zuhm)

The real him (realism) - and that's the way things are.

Examples of realism in a sentence

The scientist always approached his work with a sense of realism and refused to let emotions
lead him.

The film reflected a push towards realism and acceptance of the country’s problems.

Offset by her husband’s realism, Martha’s romantic attitude seemed out of place in her practical
family.

33
Benign – Gentle and kind. No danger to life
or well being
(Pronounced beh-nine)

Be mine (benign) and I'll be kind and gentle.

Examples of benign in a sentence

When the doctor said my tumor was benign, I was so happy.

The medicine is benign in its effects and will cause you no harm. 

He was a very benign person, never causing harm to any living creature.

34
Malignant - Evil in nature or effect 
(Pronounced muh-lig-nant)

Malignant means evil in nature or effect, harmful and fast spreading. Generally bad

Ma's ligament (malignant) was very harmful and bad. No wonder she had problems walking.

Examples of malignant in a sentence

Crystal cried when she learned the tumour was malignant.

In this way, they give rise to a malignant new growth.

A malignant attitude will turn others away from friendship.

35
Transsexual – A person who changes sex
(Pronounced trans-secks-you-al)

Transsexual – A person who wishes to live as the opposite sex they were assigned at birth.

 
 

Transferred sex (transsexual): When the artist transferred the image, it changed from one sex into
another.

Examples of transsexual in a sentence

She will become a transsexual man after the sex change operation

Transsexual feelings are strong because they have a biological basis.

A university student underwent the first female-to-male transsexual operation in history.

36
Officious – meddlesome; objectionably
aggressive in offering one's unrequested and
unwanted services
(Pronounced uh-fish-uhs)

I'm now off fish (officious) because you have interfered and meddled in its making. 

Examples of officious in a sentence

A rather officious Girl Guide took our bags and instructed us on how the evening would
proceed.

37
The officious officials were an unwelcome sight as we tried to leave the airport quickly. 

The officious guard rudely, and unnecessarily, asked me for identification. 

Capitalise - Gain advantage. Take advantage

of a situation
(Pronounced cap-ee-till-eyes)

The capital I (capitalise) allowed her to take advantage of a situation

Examples of capitalise in a sentence

The bank has decided to capitalise on short-term difficulties.

Wishing to capitalise on this success, Langan suggested a similar arrangement in Los Angeles.

38
The President has lost no opportunity to capitalise on his new position.

Exuberant – Full of energy, excitement and

cheerfulness
(Pronounced eggs-you-ber-ant)

X you bent (exuberant) : it takes your full energy to bend the X.

Examples of exuberant in a sentence

Carol has such an exuberant personality.

The teenage girl was exuberant when her mother surprised her with concert tickets.

The exuberant photographer was willing to climb the mountain to get the perfect photo.

39
Complacent – Smug and self-satisfied
(Pronounced com-play-sent)

Complacent describes people who are uncritically satisfied with their abilities but unaware of
dangers; who are smug or self-satisfied and see no need to change or try harder.

The complaint was sent (complacent) but it was ignored in a smug and self-satisfied way. 

Examples of complacent in a sentence

He was complacent about his ability to swim across the fast-flowing river and drowned in the
attempt.

40
The runner was so complacent about a victory that she placed a £1,000 bet on herself to win the
race.

She had delivered so many business successes over the years that she became complacent and
that is when her business started to fail.

Conversant – To be familiar with and

knowledgeable about something
(Pronounced con-ver-sant)

Familiar or acquainted with as a result of study or experience.

The conversation with the ant (conversant) showed that she was knowledgeable about the topic.

Examples of conversant in a sentence

The man is conversant in several different languages including French and Spanish.

41
My hip grandma surprises people when they find out how conversant she is in pop culture.

The skilled doctor is conversant in many complex medical issues and can treat almost any
illness.

Conceit – Unproveable estimation of one's

worth or ability
(Pronounced con-seet)

Overly confident in one's own ability, excessive pride in one's self.

The con sold a seat (conceit) and the new owner was proud and overly confident of its worth.

Examples of conceit in a sentence

His conceit has earned him many enemies.

42
Camille's conceit about her beauty is quite annoying.

I was so fed up with his obvious conceit that I almost threw my book at him. 

Deference – show respect yielding to

judgment of another
(Pronounced deff-er-ense)

The defence (deference) that the fence gave should have been shown more respect.

Examples of deference in a sentence

Kyle decided to shave off his mohawk in deference to his career as a teacher.

43
Show some deference to your classmates by raising your hand rather than shouting out every
answer. 

The young man had deference for the elderly.

Manifest – To show, become visible or

obvious. clearly true
(Pronounced man-i-fest)

The man's vest (manifest) made him visible although it was clearly true that he was invisible. 

Examples of manifest in a sentence

The Ghost manifested before the crowd.

44
My little pupil continues to manifest the same eagerness to learn as at first.

The anger he felt is manifest in his paintings.

Contemporary – occurring now, existing in

the present
(Pronounced con-temp-or-rerry)

The con temporarily (contemporary) had to go into solitude right NOW! 

Examples of contemporary in a sentence 

Contemporary cars are more streamlined than the older ones.

45
The museum contains more than 6000 contemporary artworks. 

The 16th Century house has been renovated and furnished in a contemporary style. 

Effusive – Express Pleasure, gratitude or

approval in an enthusiastic way
(Pronounced eff-you-siv)

Gushing in expression.

He fused sieves (effusive) together to express his pleasure.

Examples of effusive used in a sentence

46
They were all most effusive in support of his financial policy.

Fellow writers could be effusive in their tributes.

He will do very much better by being rather less effusive in his publicity.

Bureaucracy – Excessively complicated

administration process
(Pronounced bew-rock-rassy)

Inflexible rules, regulations and procedures.

The blue rock (bureaucracy) found the test excessively complicated.

Examples of bureaucracy in a sentence

47
Because of bureaucracy, it will be months before I receive my passport.

Although my boss sits directly across from me at work, I still have to follow the bureaucracy of
requesting holidays online.

Over several years, bureaucracy delayed a vote on the bill.

Elucidate – to make clear and easy to

understand 
(Pronounced ill-oos-id-ate)

A loose date (elucidate): I must make sure to keep that clear. I'll draw around it in red so it's easy
to understand.

Examples of elucidate in a sentence

48
We really have still to elucidate the facts.

There is a wide array of explanations striving to elucidate this situation.

I propose to elucidate that by reference to some figures.

Gregarious – fond of company; enjoys being

with other people
(Pronounced greg-air-ee-uss)

Greg was hairy and hilarious (gregarious) and so he always attracted lots of people - he liked
their company.

Examples of gregarious in a sentence

Leo was an open, gregarious, kind individual, who loved people.

49
Monkeys and apes are long-living, usually gregarious, and intelligent animals.

If you want to be more approachable, show a gregarious smile.

Idiosyncrasy – behaviour particular to a

person. Unusual feature/behaviour of a
person
(Pronunciation id-ee-oh-sin-crass-ee)

An idiot sink craze (idiosyncrasy) occurred for a while where they carried sinks around wherever
they went. It was very unusual behaviour.  

50
Examples of idiosyncrasy in a sentence

Her worst idiosyncrasy involved repeating every word that was said to her.

While my father had many peculiar habits, his biggest idiosyncrasy was collecting his own
toenail clippings.

The home’s colourful idiosyncrasy made it stand out in the neighbourhood of white houses.

Ingenuous – innocent and unsuspecting,

honest, sincere and trusting
(Pronounced in-gen-yoo-uss)

The Engine's house (ingenuous) always had the doors and windows left open. It was very
trusting of her.

Examples of ingenuous in a sentence

51
My ingenuous six-year-old sister still believes there is an Easter bunny.

It has to be said it was rather ingenuous of him to ask a complete stranger to take care of

his luggage.

Jessica’s ingenuous nature made her an easy target for the con man.

 Mandatory – required by law, compulsory

(Pronounced man-duh-tory)

Man tore tree (mandatory) down: he had to do it because it was compulsory when a tree
exceeded the hight limit.

Examples of mandatory in a sentence

Primary school attendance is mandatory in all countries.

52
She could not log in to her account because she was unable to complete all mandatory fields.

Crash helmets are mandatory for motorcyclists in the U.K.

Misdemeanor – A minor wrong doing

(Pronounced miss-duh-meaner)

A less serious crime, punishable but not by prison.

Mister Meaner (misdemeanor) was for ever tripping people up. He couldn't be sent to prison for
it, but it needed punishing.

Examples of misdemeanor in a sentence 

53
It was neither a high crime nor a misdemeanor.

She was pulled over for a misdemeanor traffic stop.

He was charged with misdemeanor battery which has a bail of at least £1,000.

Astute – Clever/ Cunning. Able to

understand a situation quickly and take
advantage
(Pronounced uh-stewt)

As tutor (astute) she could tell that her student was really clever.

54
Examples of astute in a sentence

The astute businessman went from rags to riches with one great idea. 

Both of the tricksters were astute and could easily select a mark that would fall for their scam.

Astute and perceptive, the chess player seemed to always know what move his opponent would
make next. 

Futile – Pointless, having no effect; achieving

nothing
(Pronounced few-tile)

A few tiles (futile) have little effect – it's pointless, this room is too big.

Examples of futile in a sentence

55
The losing team made a valiant but futile effort to catch up to their opponents.

It is futile to wash your car on a rainy day.

The man’s futile attempt to escape his kidnappers ended when he fell down the stairs and broke
his leg.

Mitigate – to make less severe

(Pronounced mit-ig-ate)

To reduce the severity of the situation.

The mit came out of the gate (mitigate) but reduced speed when it saw the oven.

Examples of mitigate used in a sentence

Good information on a product can mitigate this problem.

56
The doctor gave me a prescription to mitigate the pain.

The United Nations will try and mitigate the crisis between the two countries.

Legislation – A law or set of laws made by the

government 
(Pronounced ledge-is-lay-shun)

A ledge is a late-on (legislation) meeting point for the law.

Examples of legislation in a sentence

The government introduced new legislation to stop landlords taking advantage of tenants. 

57
The sale of alcohol is covered by strict legislation regarding age. 

The legislation covering trespass urgently needed to be changed.

Contempt – 1. A feeling that a person or

thing is beneath consideration, worthless
2. Disobedience or open disrespect for the
rules of a court.
(Pronounced con-tempt)

The con tempted (contempt) her with a Rolex but she was sure it was worthless.

58
The con also tempted (contempt) the judge in court. He had a total disrespect for the rules.

Examples of contempt in a sentence (beneath consideration)

He feels that wealthy people view him with contempt because he is poor.

The parents of the murder victim showed a great deal of contempt for their child’s killer.

He was bitten by a dog and started to feel contempt for all dogs.

Examples of contempt in a sentence (courtroom)

After refusing to listen to the judge, the defendant was held in contempt of court and taken back
to his jail cell.

He spat on the floor while awaiting trial: he had a clear contempt for the courtroom.

59
Despite being a criminal, he had no contempt for the courtroom and accepted his punishment
willingly.

Despise – to deeply dislike

(Pronounced diss-pies)

To deeply dislike and have a very low opinion of someone or something.

The spies (despise) deeply hated being spied upon.

Examples of despise in a sentence

The two groups despise each other.

She despised him for the way he treated her sister.

He despised himself for being such a coward.

60
Demob – To discharge from armed services.
Leaving the army
(Pronounced dee-mob)

The mob (demob) was demanding better pensions for people who had left the armed forces.

Examples of demob in a sentence 

The entire squadron was demobbed in the post-war era.

Following his demob, he returned to London determined to resume his acting career.

She was unsure whether to demob from the armed services permanently or to serve
another tour. 

61
Fated – Not able to avoid
(Pronounced fay-tid)

Not able to avoid a circumstance because it's been predetermined or destined. 

She fainted (fated) and hit her head. She could not avoid hitting her head on the floor. 

Examples of fated in a sentence

She felt she was fated to be famous.

When the couple reflected on their first date they felt their love was fated to happen.

She believes that everything in life is fated. 

62
Nonentity – unimportant person or thing
(Pronounced non-en-tah-tee)

Person or object with no special or interesting qualities.

No entry (nonentity) to unimportant people. They use the side door. 

Examples of nonentity in a sentence

The celebrity cut in front of me as if I were a nonentity.

Since Peters is a nonentity, he will soon realise it is impossible to take the Congressional seat
from the popular politician.

While the pizza maker was once a nonentity who made pizzas in his garage, he now owns over
two hundred pizza stores.

63
Insinuate – Suggest or hint something bad
(Pronounced in-sin-you-ate)

Imply something negative in an indirect way.

In sin you ate (insinuate), but the snake should have been a hint that it was a bad thing.

Examples of insinuate in a sentence

I do not insinuate for one moment that his personal view is much different from ours.

The article went on to insinuate that the celebrity was a liar.

Many dictators use propaganda to insinuate fear among the public.

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Archetype – Typical example
(Pronounced ar-key-type)

Out of the ark came types (archetype) of animals that are still the typical examples we see today.

Examples of archetype in a sentence

She is the archetype of an American movie star.

When vampire books became popular, many authors tried to imitate the archetype of the most
successful novel. 

Superman is the archetype of a hero. 

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Judicious – having or showing good
judgement
(Pronounced jew-dish-uss)

They drew delicious (judicious) food menus, which made it easy for diners to make a good
judgement about what they wanted.

Examples of judicious in a sentence

Without judicious planning, we will not be able to complete the project on time.

When it comes to choosing friends, be very judicious and choose wisely!

The man made the judicious decision to give the gun-carrying robber his money.

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Exonerate – Clear or free someone from
blame or wrongdoing
(Pronounced eggs-on-er-ate)

The eggs on a date (exonerate) were clear of any faults. All the others had cracks and faults in
their eyes. 

Examples of exonerate in a sentence

The arrogant suspect thought he could easily exonerate himself from the testimony.

As your lawyer, I will do everything I can to exonerate your restaurant of the food poisoning
accusations.

He studied the data and was confident it would exonerate him.

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Tenacious – Keeping a firm hold; not giving
up easily
(Pronounced ten-ay-shuss)

Ten acres! (tenacious) I won't give up until I have ten acres.

Examples of tenacious used in a sentence

Williams is a tenacious opponent, she never gives in.

He became famous for his tenacious nerves, physical courage, exceptional organization and

planning skills.

Despite its tenacious defence, the team lost in the first round each time it made the playoffs.

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Tenable – Able to defend or maintain against
attack or objection
(Pronounced ten-ah-bull)

The tenant was able (tenable) to defend his house

Examples of tenable in a sentence

During the battle, we were fortunate to be safe behind a tenable castle wall.

If you do not eat well before the race, it will be difficult to keep your energy level tenable.

He knew his claim of innocence was no longer tenable when the DNA results linked him to the
crime.

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Bona fide – Genuine, real, made or done
without fraud of deceit
(Pronounced bow-nah-fi-dee)

Bones I find (Bona fide) are genuine and real. 

Examples of bona fide in a sentence

The jeweller stated the large diamond was bona fide and valuable.

Because the man had lied about having a medical degree, he was not a bona fide doctor.

When she married the prince, she became a bona fide royal.

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Opulent – Exhibiting wealth; looking grand
and expensive
(Pronounced opp-you-lent)

Opal aunt (opulent) I call her as she is very rich and covered in opals.

Examples of opulent in a sentence

He lived an opulent lifestyle that included sports cars and enormous homes.

The film used a very large cast, opulent sets, and lavish costumes.

The family rose to opulent prominence in the early 14th century.

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Salubrious – Health-giving and favourable to
well-being
(pronounced sah-loo-bree-uss)

So lubricate us (salubrious) to make us healthy again.

Examples of salubrious in a sentence

Rumour has it that the spring waters in our community are salubrious and filled with healing
oils.

While nuts are salubrious on a nutritional level, eating too many of them can cause you to gain
unwanted weight.

Janice has decided to open a salubrious restaurant specializing in grilled foods.

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Salutary – Producing good effects; beneficial
(Pronounced sal-you-turry)

Salute tree (salutary) and it produces a good effect.

Examples of salutary in a sentence

It was a salutary experience to be in the minority.

The letter had a particularly salutary effect.

I hope that intervention will prove salutary from the educational point of view.

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Malice – The desire to harm someone
(Pronounced mal-iss)

Ma leased (malice) everything I owned just to teach me a lesson and harm me.

Examples of malice in a sentence

She recoiled inwardly at the malice in his eyes.

Actions done with malice have no good intention.

If a person commits a crime with malice, they did it on purpose.

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Prerogative – special right; an exclusive
privilege 
(Pronounced pruh-rog-uh-tiv)

Per login, we actively (prerogative) charge, but for some special customers, it's a free and
exclusive privilege.

Examples of prerogative in a sentence

It is the prerogative of national governments.

I have the prerogative to change my mind, especially after sleeping on it.

He was a supporter of the prerogative but within definite limits.

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Résumé – A summary; a brief account of
events, work or experience
(Pronounced res-you-may)

Note: Not to be confused with resume (pronounced re-zhoom) which means to start again after a
pause.

Re zooming (résumé) the binoculars, he could see the summary of their rival's top customers

Examples of résumé in a sentence

He was given the job thanks to a well-written résumé.

I gave him a quick résumé of the events of the past few weeks.

Her résumé of the company's achievements went down well with the shareholders.

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Presumptuous – Overstepping due bounds
(Pronounced pri-zump-choo-uhs)

 Failing to observe the limits of what is permitted or appropriate.

Pre sumptuous times (presumptuous) I only ate carrots, now I overstep all boundaries and eat
everything.

Examples of presumptuous in a sentence.

It was presumptuous of him to purchase the item.

The man seemed too presumptuous to be a humble leader for the nation, so he was not elected.

I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I might be the only person who can deal with the
situation.

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Presupposition – To suppose or assume
beforehand
(Pronounced pree-sup-uh-zish-uhn)

My pre supper position (presupposition) is a bit of an assumption that I will be fed.

Examples of presupposition in a sentence.

Both men shared certain ethical presuppositions about the universe.

His general presupposition of his date was unfair.

She could not accept the presupposition that she covered up a crime.

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Profane – To treat (something sacred) with
abuse. Showing no respect for a God or
religion
(Pronounced pro-fane)

The propane (profane) flame was used to burn a religious monument. There is no respect
nowadays for religion.

Examples of profane in a sentence

When the coach heard the referee’s call against his team, he began to yell profane words.

We do not allow our young children to watch movies with profane references.

Because the comic’s jokes were profane and offensive to our religion, we left the show early.

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Ruminate – Think deeply about something &
chew the cud
(Pronounced roo-muh-nayt)

To think carefully and for a long period. Also means chew up the cud. Bring up food from the
stomach and chew it again.

This room I hate (ruminate) because I have to think for long periods.

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Once the student had left the room she hates, the cow chewed on the table.

Examples of ruminate in a sentence

Although I knew I cared deeply for Henry, I still had to ruminate on his marriage proposal for a
while.

The judges will ruminate over the evidence before deciding upon a verdict.

Cows emit more methane when they ruminate.

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Scruple – A feeling of doubt or hesitation
because it is wrong.
(Pronounced skroo-puhl)

The screw pulled (scruple) a hole on her jumper but she hesitated to take it off because it would
reveal too much.

Examples of scruple in a sentence.

 Janet has no scruples about mistreating people who mistreat her.

If a man has no scruples, there is not a great deal he will not do.

He acted wrongly and without scruple.

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Moral – Concerned with the principles of
right and wrong, good or bad 
(Pronounced morr-uhl)

''More! All!'' (moral) said the Devil.

''Less! None!'' said the Angel. 

What's right and what's wrong? 

Examples of moral in a sentence

He prides himself on being a highly moral and ethical person.

Animals are not moral creatures and are not responsible for their actions.

The criminal had no morals and burgled an orphanage. 

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Mawkish – Over emotional, exaggerated

emotion or sentimentality
(Pronounced maw-kish)

More kisses (mawkish) than I needed. Ma was far too emotional for my first day of school.

Examples of mawkish in a sentence

My unromantic husband would never do anything as mawkish as writing me a poem.

The politician’s mawkish speech was so overly sentimental it failed to win him any new votes.

Although Larry hated to come across as mawkish, he never hesitated to share pictures of his
family with his friends.

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Reprehend – Express strong disapproval
(Pronounced rep-ree-hend)

The rep was apprehended for selling dangerous goods. The judge expressed strong disapproval
and sent him to jail.

Examples of reprehend in a sentence

Since I didn’t finish the project, I’m sure my boss is going to reprehend me over my lack of
effort.

Who are we to reprehend others about their mistakes when we’re not perfect ourselves?

When the teacher decided she needed to reprehend the misbehaving student, she asked the
young man to step into the hall.

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Stipulate – Demand or specify a requirement;
to state exactly what must be done
(Pronounced stip-u-late)

"I'll strip you later (stipulate)," she stated, "But what must be done first is to watch the match on
T.V!"

Examples of stipulate in a sentence

The contracts of the baseball players stipulate they must attend all practices and games.

The software company’s policies stipulate employees must take two fifteen-minute breaks a
day.

If the contract does not stipulate how often payments should be made, then it is not a valid
agreement.

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Subordinate – Lower in rank or position
(Pronounced  sub-or-din-ate)

The sub ordered late (subordinate). It was already lowering into the water.

Examples of subordinate in a sentence.

The subordinate soldiers followed their commander’s orders without hesitation. 

In prison, the inmates are reprimanded if they are not subordinate to the guards and other
facility officials.

The young man was a subordinate to his mentor.

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Surrogate – A substitute; Replacing someone
else or used instead of something else
(Pronounced surr-uh-gayt)

Sorrow gate (surrogate) was substituted for a happy gate.

Examples of surrogate in a sentence

The couple were unable to conceive, they decided to have a surrogate carry their child.

He could not attend the meeting, so he sent his surrogate.

When the juror fell ill, a surrogate was put in his place.

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Surreptitious – Obtained, done or made in
secret
(Pronounced surr-uhp-tish-uhs)

Kept secret, especially because it would not be approved.

Syrupy tissues (surreptitious) were the only evidence that he had secretly scoffed the syrup
cakes.

Examples of surreptitious in a sentence

After winning the lottery, the family surreptitiously kept their winnings to themselves.

The team began a surreptitious search for the suspect but did not tell the media.

Files and tapes that were previously surreptitious have now been leaked to the public.

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Tactile – Connected with the sense of touch
(Pronounced tak-tile)

He tacked a tile (tactile) and hit his finger. He certainly knew about touch then.

Examples of tactile in a sentence

The man who was blind and deaf used his tactile senses to move around the house.

Tweed is timeless, tactile and tough.

What is most notable about the exhibition is its tactile quality.

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Transcend – to surpass, exceed, rise above or
go beyond
(Pronounced tran-send)

The train can send (transcend) people exceedingly fast. It surpasses anything you have ever seen
before.

Examples of transcend in a sentence

It was not at all clear at the time, but his work would transcend the ages.

She was able to transcend her own suffering and help others.

Music can transcend cultural boundaries.

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Pontificate – To give your opinion
(Pronounced pon-tiff-i-kate)

As if you know everything about something and only your opinion is correct.

The pontiff was eating cake (pontificate) while going on about his opinion, which he thought
was the only correct one.

Examples of pontificate in a sentence

Before you start to pontificate on the faults of others, you should first review your own
weaknesses.

The interview was cut short when the journalist started to pontificate about the celebrity’s drug
addiction.

The students stopped listening when their teacher started to pontificate in a tone that implied
they were stupid.

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Ergonomics – The study of people's efficiency
in their working environment
(Pronounced urr-guh-nom-iks)

Ergonomics relates to the efficiency of equipment, furniture, buildings etc.

ERRR! It's gone! It's just comical (ergonomics). But isn't it a lot more efficient to stand up at
work?

Examples of ergonomics in a sentence

Using her knowledge of ergonomics, she designed a comfortable chair for the office workers
with back pain.

The ergonomics of her office furniture was so bad, she had to stretch to reach everything.

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This umbrella has a soft and ergonomic finger hole grip which makes use of all four fingers to
keep it steady.

Embody – Symbolise or represent something

                 To contain or include
(Pronounced em-bod-ee)

Empty, except for bodies (embody). That's all the cave contained. What do you think it
symbolises?

Examples of embody in a sentence (symbolise)

The national flag is supposed to embody the spirit of our country. 

The knight asked the blacksmith to design a shield that would embody his loyalty to his king. 

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Sometimes a film starts to embody something bigger than its intentions.

Examples of embody in a sentence (contain)

Galaxies embody a great deal of missing matter which cannot be detected.

The social sciences embody a range of sometimes conflicting stances towards the human world.

The burial chamber was designed to embody fallen kings and queens.

Instigate – Bring about, provoke, to cause an

event to happen
(Pronounced in-stig-ate)

Instant gate! (instigate). All she had to do in order to bring it about was snap her fingers.

Examples of instigate in a sentence.

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Justine hoped to instigate Will and Gail's separation.

Hopefully, the red band campaign will instigate a greater awareness of cancer prevention. 

Poverty is a factor that is known to instigate crime.

Pertain – Connected with, related or

belonging to
(Pronounced per-tayn) 

The purring container (Pertain) belonged to the purring cat. 

Examples of pertain in a sentence

I'm afraid that your remark does not pertain to the question.

I will pertain only to matters of grave importance in this meeting.

96
Those laws no longer pertain.

Egotism – An inflated sense of self

importance
(Pronounced ee-go-tizz-um)

Thinking only about yourself; considering yourself to be of more importance.

'E' goes to prison (egotism) but it doesn't think it should go because it believes it's better than all
the other letters.

Examples of egotism in a sentence

His egotism meant he was always promoting himself in any way possible.

Henry's egotism was profound, and personal motives underlay his public action.

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Finding herself world-famous by the time she was eighteen only encouraged the
actress's egotism.

Voracious – Wanting or devouring great

quantities of food 
(Pronounced vurh-ay-shuss)

To eat great quantities of food, or to show great eagerness and enthusiasm for something. 

Four acres (voracious)! No problem – this pig will devour the lot because it's so eager.

Examples of voracious in a sentence (devouring large quantities)

The football player was a voracious eater who easily consumed two chickens during one meal.

When she was pregnant, she was voracious and ate constantly.

98
After the marathon, I felt absolutely voracious. 

Examples of voracious in a sentence (great eagerness)

She is a voracious reader of crime novels.

Frank had a voracious thirst for astrophysics.

Since I am a voracious reader, I often read two or three books a day.

Headlong – In a rush; with a reckless haste

(Pronounced head-long)

Head is always long on the bullrush.

99
Examples of headlong in a sentence

She finally reached the bottom of the embankment and fell headlong into a bunch of blackberry
bushes.

She went headlong into the relationship without considering the implications.

The adventurous man had a habit of diving headlong into new risky business ventures.

Precipitate – To make something happen

suddenly
(Pronounced pruh-sip-it-ate)

To cause an action sooner or faster than expected

She pre-sipped a taste (precipitate) but this one made her suddely sick.

100
Examples of precipitate in a sentence.

The passing of the gun control bill may precipitate a rapid increase in illegal gun sales.

Drinking in excess will precipitate liver disease.

The principal did what she could to precipitate an end to the student dispute.

Delinquent – A young person with a tendency

to commit crime
(Pronounced de-link-went)

The link went (delinquent) around all the young criminals.

Examples of delinquent in a sentence

They were a group of violent delinquents.

101
The twins were the local delinquents of the village.

Most delinquent children have deprived backgrounds.

Fastidious – Excessive attention to detail;

very concerned about cleanliness
(pronounced fast-iddy-uss)

Fast idiots (fastidious). They crashed their vehicles and were arrested.

102
 

There then had to be a massive clean up operation – you have to be exccesively particular.

Examples of fastidious in a sentence (detail)

The devoted fans of the science fiction show were fastidious in terms of plot development.

Despite Marilyn’s high grade, the professor remained fastidious in his assessment of her
academic skill.

He was fastidious about his appearance.

Examples of fastidious in a sentence (cleanliness)

Constantly licking themselves, cats are fastidious creatures.

Alvin was fastidious in flossing his teeth, he loved a clean mouth.

103
The boy was fastidious with his toy chest, each toy had its special place.

104