VOCUBLARY WORDS TOP 52@jamalmmalik

1. anomaly – noun – something that is unusual or unexpected

• The student’s poor performance on the latest test was an anomaly since she
had previously earned excellent grades.
2. equivocal – adj. – not easily understood or explained
• Politicians have been known to provide equivocal answers to reporters’
questions.
3. lucid – adj. – very clear and easy to understand
• The lecture was lucid and straightforward, allowing the students to fully
grasp the concepts presented.
4. precipitate – verb – to cause (something) to happen quickly or suddenly
• Unforeseen costs can precipitate a budget crisis.
5. assuage – verb – to make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense
• A massage can assuage the soreness in your muscles.
6. erudite – adj. – having or showing great knowledge
• High school students often struggle with novels that are more erudite than
entertaining.
7. opaque – adj. – not able to be seen through; not easily understood
• Medical jargon includes many opaque terms like macrocosmic, which
describes a newborn who weighs more than 4,000 grams.
8. prodigal – adj. – wastefully extravagant
• The prodigal prince bought lavish gifts and planned expensive events.
9. enigma – noun – a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to
understand
• Scientists continue to research cancer to solve the enigma of its primary
cause, which will hopefully lead to a cure.
10. fervid – adj. – intensely enthusiastic or passionate
• The child showed a fervid fascination for superheroes, pouring over comic
books for hours.
11. placate – verb – to make (someone) less angry or hostile
• A parent may decide to placate a baby with a pacifier.
VOCUBLARY WORDS TOP 52@jamalmmalik

12. zeal – noun – a strong feel of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone very
eager or determined to do something
• The great emperor’s crusading zeal led him to conquer many lands.
13. abstain – verb – to restrain oneself for doing or enjoying something
• Doctors encourage their patients to abstain from smoking cigarettes.
14. audacious – adj. – a willingness to take bold risks / adj. – showing a lack of respect
• The new CEO pursued audacious initiatives to save the company from
bankruptcy. / The student’s audacious remark earned her a seat in afternoon
detention.
15. desiccate – verb – remove the moisture from (something)
• The heat and energy from the sun can desiccate even the heartiest plants.
16. gullible – adj. – easily persuaded to believe something
• The gullible little boy gave his older sister all his allowance because she told
him she would buy a pony for him.
17. laudable – adj. – deserving praise and commendation
• Providing affordable healthcare for all citizens is a laudable goal.
18. pedant – noun – a person who makes an excessive display of learning
• Professor Blackwell, a well-known pedant, required his pre-med students to
speak in Latin throughout the entire semester.
19. vacillate – verb – to waver between different opinions or actions
• Undergraduate students often vacillate among various majors before
deciding which degree to pursue.
20. adulterate – verb – to make (something) impure or weaker by adding something of
inferior quality
• Many chefs use fresh produce and refuse to adulterate their dishes with
canned ingredients.
21. capricious – adj. – given to sudden changes of mood or behavior
• The capricious supervisor would hand out raises one day and fire his entire
staff the next.
22. engender – verb – to produce, cause, or give rise to (something)
VOCUBLARY WORDS TOP 52@jamalmmalik

• Political debates can engender controversy regarding the subjects

discussed.
23. homogenous – adj. – of the same or similar kind
• There are very few truly homogenous cultures since social diversity is
increasingly widespread.
24. loquacious – adj. – tending to talk a great deal
• The loquacious professor was known for his five-hour lectures.
25. pragmatic – adj. – dealing with the problems that exist in a reasonable and logical
way instead of depending on theories
• A pragmatic approach to legislation can be difficult given the complexities of
politics.
26. volatile – adj. – likely to change rapidly and unpredictably
• It is possible for a country’s political climate to remain volatile for decades.
27. apathy – noun – lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern
• Political parties try to engage young voters who are more prone
to apathy than older citizens.
28. corroborate – verb – to confirm or make more certain
• The scientist was able to corroborate his hypothesis with data gathered from
multiple sources.
29. ephemeral – adj. – lasting for a very short time
• An ephemeral moment of victory may last mere seconds, but it can remain
as a triumphant memory for decades.
30. laconic – adj. – using few words
• The student’s laconic response suggested that she did not know very much
about the topic the professor was discussing.
31. mitigate – verb – make less severe, serious, or painful
• We want to mitigate students’ GRE stress by offering helpful study tools.
32. propriety – noun – the state or quality of being correct or proper
• The students were instructed to behave with the utmost propriety while on
their class field trip.
VOCUBLARY WORDS TOP 52@jamalmmalik

33. advocate – verb – publicly recommend or support

• The governor chose to advocate for a higher minimum wage rather than a tax
incentive.
34. cacophony – noun – a harsh, unpleasant mixture of sounds
• The cacophony of the middle school band warming up was nearly
unbearable for the audience.
35. enervate – verb – cause (someone or something) to feel drained of energy; weaken
• The boxer used a swift left uppercut to the jaw to enervate his opponent.
36. ingenuous – adj. – innocent and unsuspecting
• The scam artist preyed on ingenuous nursing home residents.
37. misanthrope – noun – a person who dislikes humankind
• The neighborhood misanthrope surrounded his yard with barbed wire to
keep people away.
38. paradox – noun – a statement that contradicts itself but might be true
• The fact that the retired teacher claimed to hate all pets but adopted seven
cats is an intriguing paradox.
39. venerate – verb – regard with great respect
• To venerate the fire chief’s forty years of service, the department held a
special banquet.
40. antipathy – noun – a strong feeling of dislike
• The students voiced their antipathy for homework very loudly.
41. deride – verb – to express contempt for, ridicule
• The unreasonable supervisor was known to deride his employees daily.
42. eulogy – noun – a speech that praises someone, typically some who has recently
died
• The rabbi’s eulogy was both heartfelt and inspiring.
43. lethargic – adj. – lacking energy
• It’s not uncommon to feel lethargic for weeks or even months after major
surgery.
VOCUBLARY WORDS TOP 52@jamalmmalik

44. obdurate – adj. – stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion

• The obdurate three-year-old refused to eat any vegetables, no matter how
they were prepared.
45. philanthropic – adj. – seeking to promote the welfare of others
• The students were grateful to receive financial support
from philanthropic organizations that promote education.
46. waver – verb – to go back and forth between choices or opinions
• Some citizens vote solely along party lines and never waver in their political
decisions.
47. bolster – verb – to support or strengthen
• The prosecutor worked to find evidence that would bolster her case against
the defendant.
48. dissonance – noun – a lack of harmony or agreement
• The school board’s meeting lasted for hours due to the length of debate
fueled by dissonance among opinions.
49. garrulous – adj. – excessively talkative
• The garrulous hair stylist talked to each customer for hours at a time.
50. malleable – adj. – easily influenced; pliable
• Children’s moods are often malleable since children are greatly affected by
their surroundings.
51. ostentation – noun – excessive display of wealth
• Owning a mansion doesn’t imply ostentation, but traveling exclusively by
private jet certainly can.
52. prevaricate – verb – avoid telling the truth by not directly answering a question
• During the trial, the lead witness was willing to prevaricate to protect his
friend.