Phrase Vantage - Vocabularies

Meaning

Not self-indulgent, especially when eating and drinking.

ADJECTIVE

Abstemious

Example

The monk led an abstemious life, seeking spiritual clarity.

Meaning

Having or displaying a friendly and pleasant manner.

ADJECTIVE

Amiable

Example

An amiable fellow, he was always welcome at the local pub.

Meaning

Showing great care and perseverance.

ADJECTIVE

Assiduous

Example

She was assiduous in her duties, never missing a deadline.

Meaning

Given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behavior.

ADJECTIVE

Capricious

Example

The capricious weather made planning the picnic impossible.

Meaning

Rude in a mean-spirited and surly way.

ADJECTIVE

Churlish

Example

It seems churlish to complain about such a generous gift.

Meaning

Wary and unwilling to take risks.

ADJECTIVE

Circumspect

Example

The officials were very circumspect in their statements.

Meaning

Having or showing care and conscientiousness in one's work.

ADJECTIVE

Diligent

Example

A diligent student, she spent every evening in the library.

Meaning

Fond of company; sociable.

ADJECTIVE

Gregarious

Example

He was a gregarious person who loved hosting parties.

Meaning

Acting or done quickly and without thought or care.

ADJECTIVE

Impetuous

Example

Her impetuous decision to quit her job shocked everyone.

Meaning

Persisting tirelessly.

ADJECTIVE

Indefatigable

Example

The charity was run by an indefatigable group of volunteers.

Meaning

Having a tendency to be easily angered.

ADJECTIVE

Irascible

Example

The irascible old man yelled at anyone who stepped on his lawn.

Meaning

Tending to talk a great deal; talkative.

ADJECTIVE

Loquacious

Example

The loquacious host kept the conversation going all night.

Meaning

Generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival.

ADJECTIVE

Magnanimous

Example

She was magnanimous in victory, praising her opponent’s effort.

Meaning

Showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise.

ADJECTIVE

Meticulous

Example

The researcher was meticulous in documenting every step.

Meaning

Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

ADJECTIVE

Obsequious

Example

The waiter's obsequious behavior made the diners uncomfortable.

Meaning

Engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.

ADJECTIVE

Pensive

Example

He gazed out the window with a pensive expression.

Meaning

Not easily upset or excited; calm and peaceful.

ADJECTIVE

Placid

Example

The lake was placid in the early morning light.

Meaning

Dealing with things sensibly and realistically.

ADJECTIVE

Pragmatic

Example

We need a pragmatic solution to this budget crisis.

Meaning

Showing great attention to detail or correct behavior.

ADJECTIVE

Punctilious

Example

He was punctilious about etiquette and social rules.

Meaning

Not revealing one's thoughts or feelings readily.

ADJECTIVE

Reticent

Example

She is reticent about her personal life in interviews.

Meaning

Having or showing keen mental discernment and good judgment.

ADJECTIVE

Sagacious

Example

The king sought advice from his sagacious counselor.

Meaning

Enduring pain or hardship without showing feelings.

ADJECTIVE

Stoic

Example

He maintained a stoic silence during the difficult trial.

Meaning

Reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little.

ADJECTIVE

Taciturn

Example

The taciturn driver rarely spoke during the long trip.

Meaning

Accorded a great deal of respect, especially because of age.

ADJECTIVE

Venerable

Example

The venerable institution has existed for three centuries.

Meaning

Having or showing great energy or enthusiasm.

ADJECTIVE

Zealous

Example

She is a zealous supporter of environmental protection.

Meaning

Open to more than one interpretation.

ADJECTIVE

Ambiguous

Example

The ending of the movie was intentionally ambiguous.

Meaning

Something that belongs to a different period than it exists in.

NOUN

Anachronism

Example

The smartphone in the medieval film was a clear anachronism.

Meaning

Ability to speak fluently and coherently.

ADJECTIVE

Articulate

Example

She is an articulate speaker who expresses her ideas clearly.

Meaning

Clear, logical, and convincing argument.

ADJECTIVE

Cogent

Example

The lawyer presented a cogent case to the jury.

Meaning

A confusing and difficult problem or question.

NOUN

Conundrum

Example

It is a difficult conundrum with no easy solution.

Meaning

Intended to teach, particularly moral instruction.

ADJECTIVE

Didactic

Example

The fable was written for a didactic purpose.

Meaning

Fluent or persuasive in speaking or writing.

ADJECTIVE

Eloquent

Example

The politician gave an eloquent speech about reform.

Meaning

Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous.

ADJECTIVE

Equivocal

Example

The test results were equivocal and needed further study.

Meaning

Intended for or understood by only a small number.

ADJECTIVE

Esoteric

Example

He has an esoteric hobby that few people understand.

Meaning

A mild word substituted for one considered too harsh.

NOUN

Euphemism

Example

"Passed away" is a common euphemism for "died."

Meaning

Make a problem or negative feeling worse.

VERB

Exacerbate

Example

The new policy only served to exacerbate the conflict.

Meaning

Treating serious issues with inappropriate humor.

ADJECTIVE

Facetious

Example

I was being facetious when I said I’d quit tomorrow.

Meaning

A mistaken belief based on unsound argument.

NOUN

Fallacy

Example

The idea that lightning never strikes twice is a fallacy.

Meaning

Excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters.

ADJECTIVE

Garrulous

Example

The garrulous neighbor kept me at the door for an hour.

Meaning

Exaggerated statements not meant to be taken literally.

NOUN

Hyperbole

Example

Saying you’re "starving" after skipping lunch is hyperbole.

Meaning

Intelligently analytical and clear-thinking.

ADJECTIVE

Incisive

Example

Her incisive analysis of the situation was very helpful.

Meaning

Existing in something as a permanent or essential attribute.

ADJECTIVE

Inherent

Example

Risk is inherent in any business venture.

Meaning

Full of light; bright (often used for clarity of thought).

ADJECTIVE

Luminous

Example

The watch has luminous hands that glow in the dark.

Meaning

Wicked or criminal activity.

ADJECTIVE

Nefarious

Example

The villain plotted a nefarious scheme to take over.

Meaning

A typical example or pattern of something; a model.

NOUN

Paradigm

Example

This discovery led to a paradigm shift in science.

Meaning

Make something bad or unsatisfactory better.

VERB

Ameliorate

Example

New laws were passed to ameliorate working conditions.

Meaning

A person or thing that precipitates an event.

NOUN

Catalyst

Example

The speech acted as a catalyst for the revolution.

Meaning

Come together to form one mass or whole.

VERB

Coalesce

Example

The different groups began to coalesce into a movement.

Meaning

Confirm or give support to a statement or theory.

VERB

Corroborate

Example

Witnesses were called to corroborate her story.

Meaning

Reduce in extent or quantity; impose a restriction on.

VERB

Curtail

Example

Spending must be curtailed to avoid a deficit.

Meaning

Having normal physical functions suspended for a period.

ADJECTIVE

Dormant

Example

The volcano has been dormant for hundreds of years.

Meaning

Evoke or draw out a response from someone.

VERB

Elicit

Example

The teacher tried to elicit answers from the shy students.

Meaning

Lasting for a very short time.

ADJECTIVE

Ephemeral

Example

Fame is often ephemeral, fading as quickly as it came.

Meaning

Happening by accident or chance rather than design.

ADJECTIVE

Fortuitous

Example

It was a fortuitous meeting that changed my life.

Meaning

Shock or excite someone into taking action.

VERB

Galvanize

Example

The disaster galvanized the nation to help those in need.

Meaning

The force or energy with which a body moves.

NOUN

Impetus

Example

The grant provided the impetus for the research project.

Meaning

Overwhelm someone with things or people; flood.

VERB

Inundate

Example

The office was inundated with complaints from customers.

Meaning

Make less severe, serious, or painful.

VERB

Mitigate

Example

Planting trees can help mitigate the effects of pollution.

Meaning

Remove a need or difficulty.

VERB

Obviate

Example

The new system will obviate the need for manual data entry.

Meaning

Move or swing back and forth at a regular speed.

VERB

Oscillate

Example

The fan oscillates, cooling the whole room.

Meaning

Spreading widely throughout an area or a group.

ADJECTIVE

Pervasive

Example

The smell of fresh bread was pervasive in the bakery.

Meaning

Seeming reasonable or probable.

ADJECTIVE

Plausible

Example

He gave a plausible explanation for his absence.

Meaning

Cause an event (typically bad) to happen suddenly.

VERB

Precipitate

Example

The incident precipitated a crisis in the government.

Meaning

Increase rapidly in numbers; multiply.

VERB

Proliferate

Example

Small businesses began to proliferate in the city.

Meaning

Summarize and state again the main points of.

VERB

Recapitulate

Example

Let me briefly recapitulate the main points of the talk.

Meaning

Something that deviates from standard or expected.

NOUN

Anomaly

Example

The failure of the machine was an anomaly.

Meaning

Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

NOUN

Apathy

Example

Low voter turnout is often blamed on voter apathy.

Meaning

Based on random choice rather than reason.

ADJECTIVE

Arbitrary

Example

The teacher’s rules seemed completely arbitrary.

Meaning

Severe or strict in manner or appearance.

ADJECTIVE

Austere

Example

The monastery was known for its austere way of life.

Meaning

Well-meaning and kindly.

ADJECTIVE

Benevolent

Example

A benevolent donor gave money for the new library.

Meaning

A complex system of administration.

NOUN

Bureaucracy

Example

Getting a visa involves a lot of bureaucracy.

Meaning

Kept secret or done secretively.

ADJECTIVE

Clandestine

Example

The spy was involved in clandestine operations.

Meaning

Humble submission and respect.

NOUN

Deference

Example

He bowed his head in deference to his elders.

Meaning

A ruler who holds absolute power, typically cruel.

NOUN

Despot

Example

The country was ruled by a cruel despot.

Meaning

Believing that all people are equal.

ADJECTIVE

Egalitarian

Example

They aimed to create a more egalitarian society.

Meaning

A person or thing that is mysterious or puzzling.

NOUN

Enigma

Example

His disappearance remains an enigma to this day.

Meaning

A system where groups are ranked by status.

NOUN

Hierarchy

Example

She rose quickly through the corporate hierarchy.

Meaning

Assuming power without justification; domineering.

ADJECTIVE

Imperious

Example

She had an imperious manner that put people off.

Meaning

Poor; needy.

ADJECTIVE

Indigent

Example

The clinic provides free care for indigent patients.

Meaning

A general feeling of discomfort or uneasiness.

NOUN

Malaise

Example

A general malaise has settled over the economy.

Meaning

No longer produced or used; out of date.

ADJECTIVE

Obsolete

Example

Typewriters have become obsolete in most offices.

Meaning

Ostentatiously rich and luxurious or lavish.

ADJECTIVE

Opulent

Example

The palace was decorated in an opulent style.

Meaning

A person guided by practical considerations.

NOUN

Pragmatist

Example

As a pragmatist, she focused on what was achievable.

Meaning

Exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical.

ADJECTIVE

Quixotic

Example

He had a quixotic dream of ending world hunger.

Meaning

Interaction of agents for a greater combined effect.

NOUN

Synergy

Example

The synergy between the two companies led to success.

Meaning

Brisk and cheerful readiness.

NOUN

Alacrity

Example

She accepted the invitation with alacrity.

Meaning

Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas.

NOUN

Ambivalence

Example

He felt ambivalence about moving to a new city.

Meaning

Showing smug satisfaction with oneself.

ADJECTIVE

Complacent

Example

We cannot afford to be complacent about our success.

Meaning

In low spirits from loss of hope.

ADJECTIVE

Despondent

Example

She grew despondent after her research project failed.

Meaning

A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.

NOUN

Euphoria

Example

The team was in a state of euphoria after the win.

Meaning

Filled with lively energy and excitement.

ADJECTIVE

Exuberant

Example

The exuberant crowd cheered loudly for the band.

Meaning

Very attentive to accuracy and detail.

ADJECTIVE

Fastidious

Example

He was fastidious about the organization of his desk.

Meaning

Not harmful or offensive.

ADJECTIVE

Innocuous

Example

It seemed like an innocuous question at the time.

Meaning

Lacking flavor or vigor; dull.

ADJECTIVE

Insipid

Example

The coffee was insipid and lukewarm.

Meaning

Easily influenced; pliable.

ADJECTIVE

Malleable

Example

Young children's minds are very malleable.

Meaning

Characterized by vulgar or pretentious display.

ADJECTIVE

Ostentatious

Example

The house was filled with ostentatious furniture.

Meaning

In its original condition; unspoiled.

ADJECTIVE

Pristine

Example

The snow lay in a pristine blanket across the field.

Meaning

Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficulty.

ADJECTIVE

Resilient

Example

She is a resilient woman who has overcome many challenges.

Meaning

Present, appearing, or found everywhere.

ADJECTIVE

Ubiquitous

Example

Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern society.

Meaning

Full of energy and enthusiasm.

ADJECTIVE

Vibrant

Example

The city has a vibrant nightlife and cultural scene.

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