ANTHROPOMORPHIC (an thruh puh MOHR fik) adj ascribing human characteristics to
nonhuman animals or objects ANTIPATHY (an TIP uh thee) n firm dislike; a dislike
ANTIPODAL (an TIP ud ul) adj situated on opposite sides of the Earth; exactly opposite
ANTITHESIS (an TITH uh sis) n the direct opposite APATHY (AP uh thee) n lack of
interest; lack of feeling APPREHENSIVE (ap ruh HEN siv) adj worried; anxious ASCERTAIN
(as ur TAYN) v to determine with certainty; to find out definitely ASSIMILATE (uh SIM uh
layt) v to take in; to absorb; to learn thoroughly ASTUTE (uh STOOT) adj shrewd; keen in
judgment
ASYLUM (uh SYE lum) n refuge; a place of safety
AUTOCRATIC (aw tuh KRAT ik) adj ruling with absolute authority; extremely bossy
AUTONOMOUS (aw TAHN uh mus) adj acting independently BENEDICTION (ben uh DIK
shun) n a blessing; an utterance of good wishes BENEFACTOR (BEN uh fak tur) n one
who provides help, especially in the form of a gift or donation BENEVOLENT (beh NEV uh lunt)
adj generous; kind; doing good deeds BENIGN (bih NYNE) adj gentle; not harmful; kind;
mild BLUSTER (BLUS tur) v to roar; to be loud; to be tumultuous BOMBAST (BAHM bast)
n pompous or pretentious speech or writing BRAWN (brawn) n big muscles; great strength
BREVITY (BREV i tee) n the quality or state of being brief in duration BURGEON (BUR jun)
v to expand; to flourish
CALLOUS (KAL us) adj insensitive; emotionally hardened CANDOR (KAN dur) n
truthfulness; sincere honesty
CASTIGATE (KAS tuh gayt) v to criticize severely; to chastise CEREBRAL (suh REE brul)
adj brainy; intellectually refined CHRONIC (KRAHN ik) adj occurring often and repeatedly
over a period of time; lasting a long time; inveterate CHRONICLE (KRAHN uh kul) n a record
of events in order of time; a history CIRCUMNAVIGATE (sur kum NAV uh gayt) v to sail or
travel all the way around CIRCUMSCRIBE (SUR kum skrybe) v to draw a line around; to set
the limits; to define; to restrict CIRCUMSPECT (SUR kum spekt) adj cautious
CIRCUMVENT (sur kum VENT) v to get around something in a clever, occasionally dishonest
way COMPLACENT (kum PLAY sunt) adj self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself;
contented to a fault CONGREGATE (KAHN grih gayt) v to come together
CONSPICUOUS (kun SPIK yoo us) adj easily seen; impossible to miss CONTIGUOUS (kun
TIG yoo us) adj side by side; adjoining CONTRABAND (KAHN truh band) n smuggled
goods
CONTRETEMPS (KAHN truh tahn) n an embarrassing occurrence; a mishap CORRUGATED
(KOHR uh gay tud) adj shaped with folds or waves COSMOPOLITAN (kahz muh PAHL uh
tun) adj at home in many places or situations; internationally sophisticated CREDULOUS
(KREJ uh lus) adj eager to believe; gullible CULPABLE (KUL puh bul) adj deserving blame;
guilty DEBASE (di BAYS) v to lower in quality or value; to degrade DEBILITATE (di BIL uh
tayt) v to weaken; to cripple DEBUNK (di BUNK) v to expose the nonsense of