CHAPTER 3 / BUILDING AN IMPRESSIVE VOCABULARY 87
Vocabulary Lesson 6: One Boring World
Today’s roots: vac empty uni one
mund world anima spirit, mind❑ hackneyed(adj) overused; trite
This film was a hackneyedremake with a storyline that has been done a hundred times.
Synonyms:trite, prosaic, banal Antonyms:original, novel❑ mundane(adj) ordinary; typical (mund-world)
Having worked for years behind a desk, she wanted to leave the mundaneworld behind for exotic adventures abroad.
Synonyms:routine, workaday, banal Antonyms:singular, extraordinary, sublime❑ vacuous(adj) lacking substance (vac-empty)
His latest book is widely criticized as vacuousand unintelligent.
Synonyms:inane, asinine, fatuous Antonyms:profound, thoughtful, deep❑ prosaic(adj) unimaginative; ordinary
I don’t understand why his oration was selected as the best; it was so prosaicthat I nearly fell asleep.
Synonyms:mundane, pedestrian Antonyms:innovative, quixotic, whimsical❑ insipid(adj) uninteresting; dull; without flavor (in-not+saperetaste)
Christine is the life of the party, but Tom is as insipidas they come; hardly anyone wants to talk with him.
Synonyms:bland, nondescript, vapid Antonyms:engaging, enchanting, piquant❑ banal(adj) ordinary; trivial
That show used to be my favorite, but its story lines became so banalthat I could no longer stand it.
Synonyms:hackneyed, trite Antonyms:extraordinary, singular, sublime❑ pedestrian(adj) commonplace; ordinary
Synonyms:prosaic, banal, vapid❑ dormant(adj) inactive; sleeping (dormiresleep)
Synonyms:inert, fallow❑ unanimous(adj) in full agreement (un-one+animamind)
Synonyms:concordant, concerted❑ uniform(adj) unvarying; always the same (un-one+formaform)
Synonym:homogeneous❑ equanimity(n) the quality of being even-tempered (equa-same+animamind)
Synonyms:composure, imperturbability, aplomb
❑ magnanimous(adj) noble of heart; generous; forgiving (magna-great+animamind)
Synonyms:philanthropic, altruistic, merciful