WORD LIST 121
allay (a ̆·'lay) v. 1. to reduce the intensity of, alleviate. 2. to calm, put to rest. The
remarks by the CEO did not allay the concerns of the employees.
allude (a ̆·'lood) v. to make an indirect reference to. The presidential candidate
alluded to the recent unemployment problem by saying, “We’ve all made sacrifices.”
altercation (awl·te ̆r·'kay·sho ̆n) n. a heated dispute or quarrel. To prevent an alter-
cation at social functions, one should avoid discussing politics and religion.
amiable ('ay·mee·a ̆·be ̆l) adj. friendly and agreeable; good natured, likable, pleas-
ing. Miguel was usually the first person invited to a party; his amiable personality
drew people to him.
amity ('am· ̆·tee) n. friendship; a state of friendly or peaceful relations. Amity had
existed between Denise and Suzanne since they decided not to fight about money any-
more.
ambivalent (am·'biv·a ̆·le ̆nt) adj. having mixed or conflicting feelings about a
person, thing, or situation; uncertain. She was ambivalent about the proposal for
the shopping center because she understood both the arguments for and against its
construction.
ameliorate (a ̆·'meel·yo ̆·rayt) v. to make or become better, to improve. The diplo-
mat was able to ameliorate the tense situation between the two nations.
amorphous (a ̆·'mor·fu ̆s) adj. 1. having no definite form or distinct shape; shape-
less. 2. of no particular kind or character, anomalous. Andrea looked up at the
sky, looking at the amorphous clouds.
amulet ('am·yu ̆·lit) n. something worn around the neck as a charm against evil.
The princess wore an amulet after being cursed by a wizard.
anachronism (a ̆·'nak·ro ̆·niz·e ̆m) n. 1. something that is placed into an incorrect
historical period. 2. a person, custom, or idea that is out of date. With the rise
in popularity of cell phones, pagers seem like an anachronism.
anarchy ('an·a ̆r·kee) n. 1. the complete absence of government or control result-
ing in lawlessness. 2. political disorder and confusion. After the king’s assassina-
tion, the country fell into a state of anarchy.
anomaly (a ̆·'nom·a ̆·lee) n. something that deviates from the general rule or usual
form; one that is irregular, peculiar, or abnormal. Everyone in my family enjoys
seafood, so my uncle’s distaste for the salmon dish was an anomaly.
antagonist (an·'ta·o ̆·nist) n. one who opposes or contends with another; an
adversary, opponent. Hillary was Mike’s antagonist as they both competed for the
lead role in the play.