Advanced Vocabulary List

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Debacle

(noun) a terrible failure
By most accounts, the war in Iraq has been a tremendous debacle.


Exonerate

(verb) to absolve from blame, to prove innocent
I am confident that I will be fully exonerated if I'm given a fair trial.


Lucid

(adjective) clear, clear headed
I am the most lucid right after a cup of coffee. His style of writing was very clear and lucid

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Pernicious

(adjective) harmful, deadly
The current concentration of ownership of media has had a pernicious effect on democracy in the US.


Wily

(adjective) sly, clever, cunning (usually deceitfully).
Many politicians employ teams of wily advisors to help them skirt the law.


Fickle

(adjective) changing frequently
Kids are sometimes very fickle and may have a new favorite food every week

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Lucrative

(adjective) producing a great deal of profit
Max told me that ESL was a very lucrative field, and I believed him.


Moot

(adjective) subject to debate, unsettled.
Whether the tooth fairy is male or female is a moot point. No one knows.

Opulence

(noun) wealth and luxury
Nina would not marry Charlie, for he had no money, and she was not willing to settle for anything less than a life of opulence

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Spry

(adjective) active; lively
Max was amazingly spry for an old man.


Tentative

(adjective) not certain or fixed
Our summer plans are still tentative. I think we are going to go camping in the mountains.


Wary

(adjective) cautious; leery
The children were very wary of the stranger and would not let him into the house

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Disparity

(noun) a state of inequality, a great difference
Every year economic disparities in the world grow larger and larger.


Facilitate

(verb) to make easier
The teachers put some of their course materials on the Internet to facilitate resource sharing.


Fraudulent

(adjective) dishonest, deceptive
Richie Rich received his wealth through fraudulent means

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Ludicrous

(adjective) laughable.
The politician's attempts to cover up his crimes were ludicrous.


Opportunist

(noun) a person who pursues and exploits any kind of opportunity without being guided by principles, plans or any ethical considerations
Most politicians are opportunists who will jump at any advantage without any ethical considerations.


Shirk

(verb) avoid, ignore or neglect responsibility
Many politicians' sole purpose is to shirk their duties and make as much money as possible

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Spite

(noun) a desire to hurt, annoy, vengeance
Shortly after Max and Mary broke up, Mary scratched Max's car out of spite.


Apathy

(noun) a lack of interest or enthusiasm.
Voter turnout is quite low because of widespread apathy among the voters.


Diligent

(adjective) conscientiously hard-working.
As a result of their diligent research, the scientists were able to find a cure for the disease.

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Inane

(adjective) empty and pointless.
Mary could not stand Max's inane questions any longer, so she left.


Indict

(verb) to charge with a crime.
Many politicians have been indicted recently, and many more will probably be indicted soon.


Petty

(adjective) unimportant or trivial.
Max was convicted of petty theft

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Sedentary

(adjective) inactive; spending much time seated
Fast-food and sedentary lifestyles are major factors in the obesity problem in the US.


Facetious
(adjective) in a joking manner; treating serious matters with deliberately inappropriate humor
When I said that I agreed with the President's policies, I was just being facetious.


Discord

(noun) disagreement or conflict
There was a tremendous amount of discord among the PTA officers

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Ostracize

(verb) to exclude from a group
As a child, Max was ostracized by the other kids in his school because he wore different clothes.


Pensive

(adjective) deep in thought or reflection.
Max must be in a very pensive mood today. He hasn't said anything all day.


Placid

(adjective) tranquil, peaceful, calm
My dog has a very placid temperament. She does not get upset easily