- Amy felt ambivalent about her dance class: On the one hand, she enjoyed the exercise;
but on the other, the choice of dances bored her.
ANALOGY a comparison of one thing to another; similarity
- Early internet developers created an analogy between viral infections and the popularity
of video clips.
ANECDOTE a short account of an interesting incident
- Uncle Richard is known for his many stories and childhood anecdotes.
ANOMALY an unusual occurrence; an irregularity; a deviation
- James is an anomaly; he is equally skilled in both art and science.
APPREHENSIVE worried; anxious
- My grandmother was very apprehensive before her hernia surgery.
ASCERTAIN to determine with certainty; to find out definitely
- We tried to ascertain why the traffic on the highway was backed up for 20 miles.
BENEVOLENT generous; kind; doing good deeds
- She belonged to many benevolent organizations dedicated to helping underprivileged
students.
BREVITY the quality or state of being brief in duration
- Brevity = briefness. (You can’t get any shorter than that!)
CANDOR truthfulness; sincere honesty
- Candace’s candor overwhelmed her business colleagues, who were not used to such
honesty.
COMPLACENT self-satisfied; overly pleased with oneself; contented to a fault
- Voter turnout is chronically low in this city; many residents are complacent about the
current state of politics.
CONSPICUOUS easily seen; impossible to miss
- The red tuxedo was conspicuous among all the classic black ones. What was he
thinking? - The antonym of conspicuous is inconspicuous.
DEBILITATE to weaken; to cripple
- After contracting the flu, Max was utterly debilitated.
DEFERENCE submission to another’s will; respect; courtesy
- The children were taught to show deference to their parents.