Sr. #

Word

Meaning

Example Sentence

A

Ascend

To climb

The mountaineers ascended the mountain in two days.

Abreast

To keep up to date.

The Captain has to keep abreast of the team’s morale.

Amuse

Entertain

Playing video games is a great source of amusement for children these days.

Avert

Prevent

The efforts of the authorities averted the loss of any more lives due to the disaster.

Ancestors

A person’s forefathers

His ancestors were from Africa.

Apprentice

A person who works with and learns from a skilled professional.

The blacksmith had taught his apprentice very well.

Agility

Nimbleness, dexterity, ability to be quick and graceful

The runner’s agility enabled him to be selected for the Olympics team.

Anxiety

Nervousness

The delay in response from the company’s HR department regarding the results of the interviews caused a lot of anxiety to all the candidates.

Antipathy

Strong opposition or dislike

There was an antipathy between the two political candidates.

Antique

Produced in earlier times

His collection of antique coins is quite amazing.

Avow

Admit publicly

He avowed himself as an opponent of dictatorships.

Alleviate

To ease or reduce something (usually pain or suffering)

The medicine could not alleviate his headache.

Accentuate

Make something more noticeable

The dark color of his shirt accentuated his fair complexion.

Ace

An expert

The ace pilot shared tips with the new recruits.

Apostle

Someone who strongly supports a cause/belief etc.

The apostles of free speech stood up against media censorship.

Assent

Acceptance

The authorities assented to the changes recommended by the labor union.

Astray

To move away from the correct way

We went astray for a while but were able to rejoin our original path.

Angularity

Quality of being angular

The angularity of his face was made more prominent by his shaved head.

Appalling

Something very bad that causes shock and horror.

Everyone found his mistreatment of animals to be appalling.

Avarice

Greediness for wealth

His avarice proved to be his downfall.

Annihilate

To completely destroy

The bomb annihilated the buildings.

Adjure

To ask someone to do something earnestly

I adjure you to reconsider your decision to sell this house.

Ancient

Belonging to earlier times

The ancient cave had markings from thousands of years ago.

Abode

Where one lives

The poor man invited everyone to his humble abode.

Adverse

Negative, unwanted

The medicine had no adverse side-effects.

Aboriginal

Original inhabitants of an area.

The invaders killed the aboriginal people and stole their lands.

Adversary

Opponent, rival, enemy

He defeated all his adversaries with his skill.

Anarchic

Lawless

The anarchic community quickly fell apart.

Archive

Historical records

The archives were lost in the library fire.

Artisan

A person skilled at a certain craft.

There were many artisans in the bazaar.

Adieu

An expression of good wishes when someone leaves.

He bid his friends adieu and went on his way.

Agony

Extreme suffering

His broken leg caused him much agony.

Abate

To lessen something unpleasant.

The encouragement from his friends abated his anxiety.

Astonish

Amaze

He was able to astonish everyone with his skills.

B

Butchered

To kill someone or something mercilessly or brutally

The terrorists butchered the innocent children.

Beneath

Below

She put the spare mattress beneath the bed.

Brink

On the verge of

He was on the brink of death when the paramedics found him.

Blaze

A strong fire

The firefighters tried their best to fight the blaze but they could not save everyone inside the building.

Blank

Ignore

He blanked his old friends when he heard that they talked negatively behind his back.

Bonfire

A controlled outdoor fire used to dispose of rubbish or as part of a celebration.

The campers gathered around the bonfire to tell their stories.

Board

A flat piece of a material (usually wood)

The books were placed on a wooden board.

Bleat

A weak cry

The injured animal bleated helplessly.

Budge

Make a slight movement

Despite all his efforts, the huge rock did not budge from its position.

Boon

Blessing

The roadside restaurants are a boon for all travelers.

Bestow

To confer or present someone with something.

He was bestowed with the title of Sir.

Breeze

A light, cool wind.

The gentle breeze blowing by the sea was very pleasant to experience.

Bum

A loafer, lazy person

He tried his best to convince the bum to start working somewhere.

Banter

Speak or act playfully and wittily

The banter between the fans of the opposing teams was fun to watch.

Bereaved

Greatly saddened by the loss of a loved one (usually due to death).

The bereaved mother wept for days due to the death of her son.

Beacon

Something that guides

The eldest brother serves as a moral beacon for all the siblings.

Belligerent

Acting in a hostile manner

The belligerent soldiers were on the verge of breaking the ceasefire.

Bewilder

To confuse or amaze someone.

The magician bewildered the crowd with his tricks.

Budding

New, something at an early stage

Their budding friendship was cut short due to their fight.

Bandit

Armed robbers (especially those belonging to a gang).

The bandits along the highway have caused much trouble to travelers.

Bosom

The front of the chest

The mother held her child to her bosom.

Banish

Send someone away from an area as punishment.

The criminals were banished to live on an island, away from civilization.

C

Chastened

To have a humbling effect on.

The team was chastened due to their recent losses.

Convocation

A formal gathering of people

The students are all excited for their convocation as it marks the day they will graduate and enter professional life.

Cackle

To laugh out in a loud and harsh manner

The bullies cackled at the crying of the small children.

Chasm

A cleft, abyss, ravine

The earthquake caused a chasm in the road.

Commence

Begin

The ceremony will commence shortly.

Curvet

An energetic leap.

The racehorses crossed the barriers in graceful curvets.

Closet

A tall cupboard.

He put his winter clothes in the closet.

Chore

A daily task

He is in the habit of completing his chores. such as disposing the trash, early in the morning.

Counsel

Advice, guide

He is always there to counsel his younger siblings.

Career

Occupation

He decided that he would pursue a career in writing.

Canyon

A deep gorge.

There was a vast canyon between the mountains.

Carcass

Remains of a dead animal etc.

The wolves feasted on the carcasses of the dead livestock.

Creed

A faith

Followers of the pagan creeds were persecuted.

Condescending

Considering oneself to be superior to others.

The member of the royalty spoke condescendingly with the commoners.

Crucial

Vital, important

He left the project at a crucial stage, which is what led to its failure.

Colossal

Huge, gigantic

The colossal explosion caused by the bomb killed many people.

Confess

To admit to something

The criminal confessed to his crimes in the court.

Contemplate

To deeply think about something

I have decided that I will not contemplate any further and will just sell my car.

Cunning

Deceitful

The cunning thief was able to escape from the guards.

Cohesion

Unity, sticking together

The team’s cohesion is the reason for its success.

Clasp

Hold something firmly

He clasped the railing to not fall due to the strong winds.

Collude

Cooperate in some deceitful initiative

The two brothers colluded against the rest of the family to gain ownership of the property.

Conducive

Ensuring the right conditions for something to happen.

The environment of planets such as Mars is not conducive to human life.

Custodian

Caretaker

Due to working here for twenty years, the custodian of the library knows where each and every book is placed.

Clumsy

Having little grace, awkward, not refined

The father acts in a clumsy manner with his children whenever he is in a playful mood.

Credible

Trustworthy

Social media is not a credible source of news.

Constitute

Be part of a whole

About three hundred employees constitute this organization.

Contentious

Something that is not agreed upon, controversial.

Whether government should intervene in the market is still a contentious issue.

Curse

Something that brings upon harm

The house was believed to be cursed as three different families had been murdered there.

Countenance

Allow

He was unwilling to countenance his manager’s rude behavior.

Comrade

Partner

He is always there to help his comrades.

Covenant

Agreement

The two groups made a covenant with each other for peaceful co-existence.

Consternation

Amazement or dismay

His student’s inability to concentrate caused him much consternation.

Commend

Praise

My superiors commended me for my good performance on the project.

Cluster

Similar things held together.

There was a cluster of law colleges in that area.

Chuckle

A quiet laugh.

He chuckled at the foolishness of the situation.

Compendious

Brief expression of a comprehensive matter.

His compendious report was praised by all.

Consent

Agreement

The event cannot go on without the consent of all the members.

Contempt

Considering something worthless, lowly.

There was contempt in the voice of the noble when he was talking to the commoners.

D

Dingy

Gloomy

He has been living in that dingy basement apartment for years.

Disgruntled

Extremely unhappy or angry.

The employees were disgruntled with the company’s new policies.

Daintily

In an attractive/elegant manner.

The experienced batsman plays daintily.

Derisively

Mockingly

He derisively challenged the newcomer, just to embarrass him.

Desperate

Careless, reckless

He paid no heed to his already injured body while desperately trying to escape the wild animal.

Dizzy

Feeling faint or woozy.

She felt dizzy after riding on the merry-go-round.

Devour

To eat hungrily/quickly

The lion devoured the deer.

Doze

Sleep lightly

He found his son dozing with a book in his hand.

Deftly

With neat and skillful movements.

The batsman deftly managed the skillful bowler’s over.

Disposition

A person’s nature, character or quality of mind.

The girl had a shy disposition so she was not able to speak confidently in front of the crowd.

Dormitory

A bedroom for multiple people.

The new children at the hostel were shown the dormitory which they would be sleeping in.

Dangle

Hanging loosely

The cloth was dangling from the pole.

Debris

Scattered remains of something.

There was debris from buildings and other structures all over the area after the bomb blast.

Defile

Spoil something.

The tomb was defiled by robbers and raiders.

Despoiler

Looter

The despoilers took the weapons and armor of the dead soldiers.

Decrepit

In poor condition

The beggar was wearing decrepit clothes.

Dictate

Command forcefully

The authorities did not allow the protestors to dictate the terms of the agreement.

Distressing

Something that is a source of worry and mental pain

The distressing news of the death of his friend caused him to go into depression.

Deference

Respect shown to another person

The arrogant amateur did not offer any deference to his experienced colleagues.

Discounted

To disregard something due to it being improbable/not credible.

He has discounted the rumors of his friend being untrustworthy.

Declamation

Rhetorical speech, oration

He practiced the art of declamation in front of the mirror every day.

Deter

To discourage or restrain someone from an act.

The anger of their father is able to deter the siblings from being too rowdy.

Detrimental

Harmful

Eating too much fast-food is detrimental to the body.

Diverge

Follow a different direction than the common way.

He decided to diverge from his daily routine and visit a friend’s house after work.

Distractedly

Without paying much attention to what you are doing

He looked at his watch distractedly multiple times but could not note what time it was.

Decree

An order by someone in a position of authority.

He was put under arrest by decree of the Chief Justice.

Desolate

Deserted, barren

The desolate island cannot sustain human life.

Discontent

Not satisfied

He was discontent with his life so he decided to change his career.

Discord

A state of conflict, disagreement

The assembly was full of discord over the recent bill.

Defiance

Opposition, resistance.

He stood in defiance of his elders and pursued his dream career.

Deprive

To take something away or prevent from having.

He tries his best to provide his children all the luxuries that he was deprived of in his childhood.

Dismantle

Break or divide into parts.

He dismantled the machine to understand how it works.

Dissipate

Disappear, dissolve

The love that he had for his friend quickly dissipated once he learned of his evil intentions.

Discern

Find out, figure out

The doctor was able to discern the cause of my headache.

Daunting

Something that is difficult

Renovating the entire house seemed like a daunting task but she was up to the challenge.

Dismay

Shock, alarm caused by something distressing.

The news of the scholar’s death spread dismay in the community.

Disguise

To hide one’s identity

His mask served as a good disguise.

Desist

To stop doing something.

The criminal was ordered to desist from any further actions by the police officers.

E

Exploit

To take advantage of a situation, sometimes even unfairly.

The kidnappers exploited the innocent and trusting nature of the children to lure them in their vehicle. 

Eager

Impatient

I was eager to see what gift my brother had bought me for my birthday.

Expanse

A large and wide area.

The astronauts set out on their journey into the wide expanse of space.

Ephemeral

Not lasting long.

Fitted jeans were an ephemeral fashion.

Erode

Wear away

The metal tools have eroded due to the carelessness of the owners.

Enraged

To be very angry

He was enraged at the salesman for cheating him.

Entrepreneur

A business owner who attempts to make a profit through risks and initiatives.

The government has made attempts to facilitate young entrepreneurs to enhance economic growth.

Emaciated

Very thin or weak (usually due to illness)

He had become emaciated due to his prolonged stomach disorders.

Eradicate

Completely end or destroy

A nuclear war has the potential to eradicate all life on Earth.

Expeditious

Fast, prompt, quick

The expeditious investigation of the air crash revealed it was due to a technical fault.

Emancipate

To free

He fought for the emancipation of his people from the oppressive rulers.

Exalt

To praise highly, hold in high regard.

The exalted judge has served the people with dignity.

Exhilarating

Something that causes excitement.

The final match was exhilarating.

Enumerate

To name/mention things separately, one by one.

He enumerated the reasons for his decision.

Endow

Provide someone with something.

He has been endowed with a sharp intellect.

Endeavour

Try to do something

He is always engaged in challenging endeavours of all sorts.

Expedient

Convenient

I’d go meet him myself if it were expedient for me to do so.

F

Flap

Moving arms or wings up and down.

The children flapped their arms imitating the flight of birds.

Fugitive

An escaped prisoner.

The police was finally able to find and capture the fugitive before he could cause any more trouble.

Fence

A barrier that encloses an area.

The house had a wooden fence around it.

Forlorn

Miserable, unhappy.

The defeated team had a forlorn look on their faces.

Familial

Similar to that in a family.

Their shared interests in studies has created a familial bond between them.

Feeble

Weak

The old man was too feeble to take care of himself.

Fleck

Small mark or spot

Her blue shirt had flecks of black on it.

Fretful

Behaving in a manner that shows you are worried, restless, or irritable.

She was fretful about her examination results.

Footling

Trivial

His footling complaints about the taste of the canteen food were ignored by his colleagues.

Feat

An achievement that requires great ability

The batsman achieved the remarkable feat of scoring the fastest century.

Flimsy

Lacking in substance/strength

He offered flimsy arguments in favor of his position.

Ferocious

Violent and frightening

The ferocious barbarians killed the animals and mutilated their carcasses.

Fangs

Long, sharp tooth

The snake grabbed the small animal with its fangs.

Forfeit

Lose something as a penalty.

The employee knowingly forfeited his right to vote by misbehaving with the others.

Feign

Pretending to have a condition.

He feigned sickness to skip work today.

Fidelity

The quality of being faithful or loyal.

There is strong fidelity between the couple.

Fierce

Intense

He is a fierce competitor.

Frantic

Being out of control emotionally.

The parents became frantic at the news of their daughter’s death.

G

Gnaw

To constantly bite or nibble at something.

The lion gnawed at the bone.

Gaily

Cheerfully

The children waved gaily towards their parents.

Gay

Carefree and happy

The team had a positive and gay attitude due to their recent victories.

Glint

Shine

The jewelry was glinting.

Gambol

Playfully jump and run about.

Her children gamboled in the park.

Grim

Worried, stern, gloomy

He had a grim look on his face ever since he lost his wallet.

Grave

Urgent, serious

Rising child mortality is a grave issue.

Gale

A very strong wind

The gale blew the shed away.

Gaze

Look at something for a long.

He gazed at the sky, lost in thought.

Glimpse

A momentary/complete view

The witness saw a glimpse of the murderer’s face but could not see him clearly.

Growl

A low and rough sound made in anger.

The dog growled at the children to protect its puppies.

Gratis

Without any charges/cost.

The food was distributed gratis.

Grudge

Ill will towards someone due to a past incident.

He has held a grudge against his brother ever since their heated argument from two months ago.

H

Hanker

To have strong desire for something.

The childhood friends sat together and hankered after the days of their youth.

Headlong

With reckless haste.

The soldier charged headlong into battle.

Hump

A mound or bulge.

There were many humps in the pathway to the village.

Hatch

The opening of an egg producing a young animal.

The eggs hatched and baby chickens came out from them.

Haltingly

Hesitantly

He haltingly decided to submit his resignation to the company that he had been working for, for the past twenty years.

Hideous

Having a very ugly and unpleasant appearance.

In the movie, the witch was shown to have a hideous appearance.

Hem

The edge of a cloth.

The hem of her dress was torn.

Howl

A long, wailing cry

The hungry wolves were howling in the forest.

Hardly

Barely, only just

He was hardly ten years old when he was diagnosed with the disease.

Haste

Hurry

He made his way to the hospital with haste as soon as he heard his friend had been admitted there.

Hysterical

Uncontrollably emotional

The crowd broke into hysterical laughter by the comedian’s performance.

Hindrance

Something that blocks or slows down another thing.

Traffic proved to be a great hindrance in our attempts to reach the venue on time.

Hallowed

Greatly honored

The hallowed grounds of the Church were cleaned every day.

Heir

Successor

He is the heir to a great business empire.

Hazy

Reduced visibility

The collision left his vision hazy.

Haul

To pull something with difficulty.

The labors hauled the bags onto the truck.

Harness

To control something so that it can be used.

Solar panels harness the light and heat from the Sun to produce energy.

Hinder

To make something difficult to happen, to limit.

My illness proved to be a hindrance in my studies.

I

Incumbent

Binding or necessary

It is incumbent upon the employees to arrive at 9:00AM for work.

Instance

An example

Her lashing out today is an instance of anger and is not reflective of her usual self.

Inconsequential

Of little importance.

The lone batsman’s fighting innings proved inconsequential as the rest of the team played poorly, causing the team to lose the match.

Immense

Huge, very big.

He had immense respect for his teachers.

Immigrant

A person living in a foreign country.

The immigrants protested outside the President’s office for their rights.

Indiscriminately

At random

The terrorists fired indiscriminately at adults and children alike.

Impoverished

Made poor

The farmlands were impoverished due to a lack of rain.

Improvidence

Acting rashly

His improvidence during his innings cost his team the match.

Incarnate

In human form.

His extremely rude and cruel nature makes people consider him to be evil incarnate.

Instill

Implant

He almost drowned once when he was young. That incident has instilled a fear of all water bodies in him.

Intently

With determination or attention

The inspector intently looked at the scene of the crime to find clues.

Immerse

To plunge into or get deeply involved in something.

The dyers immersed the fabric in the dye-bath.

Intramural

Done within the walls of a structure

Basketball is an intramural sport.

Inflict

Strike against

His strikes inflicted great pain upon the animal.

Impartial

Unbiased

A judge must always be impartial.

In vogue

Popular

Black colored clothing is always in vogue.

Inclusive

Without excluding something

The company’s has set a new standard for workplace inclusiveness by hiring transgender persons.

Inhabitant

The people who live somewhere

The inhabitants of the city had to be evacuated due to the flood.

Invigorate

Something that freshens up

The jog in the morning is invigorating for the body.

Intimately

Very closely, personally

He has an intimate understanding of my problems as he himself has gone through similar ones.

Ignominy

Public embarrassment

His recent scandal caused him much ignominy.

Impostor

Someone pretending to be someone else.

The real dictator had died a few months back and an impostor took his place so that the powerful people would keep their authority.

Indomitable

Something that cannot be defeated or conquered.

His willpower was indomitable.

Ironic

Something being odd or humorous because of having a different or opposite result from what is expected

It was ironic that the robbers turned out to be low ranking police officers.

Indispensable

Vital, necessary

The wicket-keeper is an indispensable part of any cricket team.

Intrigue

Curiosity, interest

He is intrigued by machines.

Immense

A large amount of something.

He has immense respect for his teacher.

Interpose

To place between two things to stop them.

He interposed words of kindness to stop the quarrel between the other two.

J

Jagged

Spiky, rough, uneven

Years of hard labor had turned the skin of his hands quite jagged.

Junk

Trash, rubbish

There was a lot of junk lying around near the dustbin.

Jobbery

Receiving personal advantages from a position of trust (such as a government office).

The government must take steps to reduce jobbery.

Jeer

To make mocking remarks

The children jeered at his unusual appearance.

Jester

A person who jokes around.

He has a reputation of being a jester.

L

Laurels

Honors awarded due to achievements.

The team earned many national and international laurels due to their success.

Ledge

A narrow surface projecting from a wall or cliff.

He jumped over the ledge.

Limp

Infirm, weak.

His body had become limp due to the prolonged illness.

Lean out

To suspend oneself out of something.

He leaned out of his apartment window to smell the fresh morning air.

Lope

Move with a long bounding stride.

His pet cat loped along his side.

Lea

Pasture, grassland

The animals were grazing in the lea.

Limbo

An intermediate, uncertain state

The fate of the house’s real owner is stuck in a limbo due to the ongoing legal battle.

Lethal

An amount of something enough to cause death.

His body had a lethal dose of venom due to the snakebite.

Legacy

Something transmitted through generations.

A career in law has been our family’s legacy.

Liberal

Related to a political/social philosophy that promotes civil liberties, individual rights, democracy, and freedom.

The liberal party won the elections this year.

Languish

Grow weak

His health has languished due to the disease.

Latent

Not obvious

His latent ability to handle pressure became clear to everyone during today’s match.

Liberty

The state of being free

The state acts to preserve the liberty of the people.

M

Monstrous

Huge

The movie had a scene in which the heroes fought a monstrous demon.

Muster

Gather, collect

He finally mustered up the courage to confront his bullies.

Motive

Reason, intention

His only motive to do the task was to earn some extra money.

Meek

Gentle, submissive

His meek disposition led to him being bossed around by others younger than him.

Mumble

To speak in a quiet, unclear manner.

The students mumbled during the lecture.

Minimal

Very little

He always puts minimal efforts into his studies yet always scores very high grades.

Mythology

A body of myths, usually religious in nature.

Greek mythology is a fascinating subject with many metaphorical lessons.

Maladjustment

Unable to properly get adjusted/involved.

His selfish attitude became the reason for his maladjustment in the team.

Manifestation

Demonstration, display

Buying a new gift for his fiancé every other week is a manifestation of his love for her.

Morbid

Suggestive of an unhealthy mental state.

He had a morbid fascination with death.

Munitions

Materials used in war especially weapons and ammunition.

By destroying the enemy’s munitions warehouse the army was able to get a decisive advantage over them.

Mutilate

To disfigure

Mutilating human bodies is an intolerable act even in war.

Maniac

A mad or crazy person

Shouting and screaming like a maniac is not a good way to debate or argue.

Murmur

Humming, continuous low noises

The murmur of the children in the school next-door could be heard.

Momentous

Something of great significance.

Getting a degree was a momentous achievement for her as she was the first woman from her village to do so.

Meticulous

Paying attention to details.

His meticulousness enabled him to become a great editor.

Modify

To change something

He modified his plan owing to the changing circumstances.

Mellow

To become more calm and relaxed.

The rowdy child became a mellow adult.

Manor

A large private house in the country side.

That manor has been in their family for seven generations.

Mediate

Intervene in a dispute for the purpose of bringing about agreement.

The parents from both sides decided to mediate the dispute between the couple.

Musing

Reflecting, thinking about something.

His musings are always interesting to listen to.

Malady

Sickness

Cancer is known as the emperor of all maladies.

N

Nightmarish

Like a frightening dream, scary.

The monster in the film had a nightmarish appearance.

Numeracy

An ability to understand numbers and work using them.

His exceptional numeracy skills enabled him to become an accountant.

Nurture

To take care of something in its youth/early days.

He took on the responsibility to nurture his children after his wife’s death.

Nebulous

Having no clear form

The fog in the forest made the trees look nebulous.

Nexus

Causal link

The damage to the nexus of the railway lines has caused all trains to be delayed.

Nerve-wracking

Stressful, tense

The nerve-wracking final match ended in great disappointment for the home fans as their team lost.

Nettle

Irritate, annoy

The crying of the baby on the plane nettled all the passengers.

Nullify

To make something legally ineffective.

The Supreme Court nullified the decision of the High Court.igh C

Numb

Desensitize

The anesthesia made his body numb.

Nipped

Cut, pinch, bite

The puppy nipped the boy on his arm.

O

Occasionally

Sometimes

I occasionally go to meet my childhood friends.

Outfit

Attire

He is known for always wearing attractive outfits.

Outworn

Something that is ancient, out of date.

His outworn sense of fashion set him apart from all the youngsters.

Overarching

Encompassing everything that is within its scope.

The overarching themes of religious extremism in the novel made it very controversial.

Orientation

A position relative to something, or familiarization and adaption, or interests/beliefs.

The increasing orientation of the youth towards drugs is alarming.

Obliterate

Completely destroy

The air crash completely obliterated all the houses in the area.

Onerous

Something that is burdensome.

I will take upon the onerous task of painting the house myself.

Opulent

Showing great wealth

Their family has always lived an opulent lifestyle.

Offend

Annoy, disrespect

He tries his best not to offend anyone with his words.

Obstinate

Stubborn

His obstinate attitude is a double-edged sword.

P

Plaintively

With sadness, mournfully

He plaintively buried his pet dog.

Plateau

A flat area of an elevated land.

We stopped at the plateau on our way to the mountain top.

Plunge

Jump, dive, thrust, throw.

The athletes plunged into the swimming pool.

Precipice

A steep rock or cliff face.

I was afraid to look down at the bottom from the edge of the precipice.

Preen

An act done by birds to clean their feathers with their beaks.

The parrots were sitting preening in their cages.

Patriarch

The father, founder of something (an order, a religion, etc.).

It was the village’s custom to consult the patriarch on all important matters.

Pester

Annoy with frequent interruptions.

The students pestered their teacher with unnecessary questions to disturb his lecture.

Poignant

Something that evokes a sense of sadness.

The poignant passage in the book regarding the loss of a parent reminded him of the death of his mother.

Pampering

Treat with excessive care and love.

He is in the habit of pampering his children.

Pediatric

The branch of medicine that deals with the care and treatment of children.

The parents consulted a doctor who was a specialist in pediatrics, to treat their son.

Pragmatic

Considering things practically

He has a very pragmatic outlook on life.

Peck

Bite (by a bird).

The sparrows were pecking at the windows.

Ponder

Think deeply about something.

He stopped and took time out to ponder over his mistake.

Parable

A short story intended to make a moral point.

The parable of the turtle and rabbit teaches us the value of persistent hard work.

Profuse

Plentiful

Her profuse affection and leniency towards her children led to them becoming ill-mannered.

Pretty

Pleasing to the eye.

Her pretty dress earned her praise from everyone.

Protest

A strong complaint.

There was protest from the employees against the company building’s poor safety standards.

Plead

To beg or to passionately try to persuade someone.

The parents pleaded with the kidnappers to release their children.

Phenomenon

Something experienced or felt

Seeing mirages is a common phenomenon in the desert.

Punk

A useless, petty person

None of the punks that are a part of the current team could match up to the legendary players of the past.

Pugnacious

Argumentative, quarrelsome

Pugnacious people have a difficulty making friends.

Pretension

A claim

His pretension that he was an expert driver proved to be an exaggeration.

Prevail

Succeed

I hope our team prevails in today’s match.

Privilege

Benefit, special right

I had the privilege of serving as the company’s President for many years.

Pivotal

Occupying a central or very important position/role.

The position of the Chief Financial Officer is pivotal for any organization.

Prodigal

Giving or having something in excess amounts.

The company’s prodigal supply of capital helped them overcome the crisis.

Pernicious

Destructive, evil

His pernicious nature has ensured that he has no friends in life.

Pandemic

A disease spread across a whole country or the world.

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of millions of lives.

Pestilence

An infectious/epidemic disease.

The pestilence spread across the land, causing much loss of life.

Paltry

Very small amount

The rich man gave the beggar a paltry sum of just ten rupees.

Peril

Risk, dangers

Great perils lay along the journey of the two warriors.

Pretend

To behave as if something is the case when it is really not.

He pretended to not be hurt by the injury although it caused him much pain.

Pomp

Colorful, extravagant ceremonies

There was a high degree of pomp in the welcome ceremony for the team when they got back home.

Preposterous

Completely unreasonable, contrary to the way things are.

His preposterous claims were rejected by the majority.

Q

Quilted

A garment or bed-covering etc. made of two layers of cloth filled with padding held in place by lines of stitching.

He was wearing a quilted black sweater.

Quest

A journey in search of something.

In the book, the group of heroes set out on a journey to find the magic item.

R

Rut

A track made passage of vehicles.

The constant passage of trucks has filled the road with ruts and bumps.

Rake (v)

To bring together with a rake.

He raked the leaves and cleaned up after the storm had passed.

Replenish

Refill

He replenished his bottle with water from the cooler.

Reflect

To think and ponder deeply

He reflected on his mistakes and decided to never repeat them.

Retrospect

Looking back at and reviewing the past.

He realized that, in retrospect, he had lived a life devoid of any adventure.

Ravine

A deep gorge

The earthquake caused a ravine in the road.

Refuse

Rubbish

Animal refuse was lying all over the farmland.

Remote

Far away in distance

The sailors arrived on a remote island in the middle of the ocean.

Relent

To change one’s mind about a decide course.

He had made his mind up about becoming a lawyer and was not willing to relent.

Reckon

Consider

When deciding to go to war, an enemy’s ammunition supply is to be reckoned with.

Redemption

Being saved

The fighting innings by the tail-ender proved to be a source of redemption for the team as they were able to achieve a draw.

Reconciliation

Restoring friendly relations.

All efforts for reconciliation have been from his side alone.

Reign

Rule

The intelligent king had a long and successful rule.

Rent

Tear, split

The cloth was rent by the branches.

Reproach

Express disapproval for someone’s actions.

The parents reproached their child for his bad behavior.

Robe

A long and loose outer garment.

The scholar was wearing a white robe.

Rash

Carelessly

His rash driving resulted in the accident.

Remnant

Remains

There were no remnants of the building after the detonation.

Resentment

A feeling of bitterness and anger for having been wronged.

I hold no resentment for your past actions towards me.

Retract

To take something back.

He retracted his original words which were considered offensive by many people.

Revile

Verbally abuse

The supporters of the two political parties reviled each other.

S

Shackles

Fetters used to fasten the wrists of prisoners.

The prisoners had shackles on their wrists to restrain their movement.

Scrap

A fragment

There were scraps of burnt metal everywhere at the site of the air crash.

Sheer

Perpendicular

He tried to get up the sheer slope of the mountain.

Shrill

A sharp and high pitched voice/sound.

She had a shrill voice which was unpleasant to listen to.

Swish

To move with a hissing/rustling sound.

We could hear the cars swish by from afar.

Seize

Capture, grab.

The police seized the drugs from the criminals.

Skim

To move lightly over a surface.

The mother skimmed her fingers through her daughter’s hair.

Soar

To rise, fly upwards.

The eagle spread its wings and soared into the sky.

Stretch

Extend.

He stretched his arms to warm up before it was his turn to bowl.

Swoop

Quickly move upwards.

The little bird swooped up in the air after catching its prey.

Scrubby

Something that is inferior in quality or size.

The family decided to sell their scrubby little apartment and move into a beautiful house.

Smolder

Slowly burning with a lack of flame.

The bonfire smoldered long after the campers had left.

Smother

Killing someone by suffocating them.

The killer used a pillow to smother his victim.

Smudge

A smeared mark.

There was a smudge of blood on his shirt.

Snap

Break something suddenly.

He snapped the stick into two pieces.

Snug

Comfortable, cozy.

The blanket was warm and snug.

Splinter

A smaller, sharper piece of a material broken from a larger piece.

There were splinters of wood lying around in the area where the wood cutting was done.

Spook

A ghost.

It is believed that the house is haunted by a spook.

Squishing

Make a soft sound when walked upon.

The mud was squishing under the shoes of the children as they walked through the forest.

Stack

A pile of objects.

The carpenter had a stack of wood in his workspace.

Surmount

Overcome

He was able to surmount his depression and make his life better.

Snuggled

Nestled/arranged together closely.

The children were snuggled together in bed.

Surplus

Excess

The surplus food was distributed among the needy.

Squander

Wasting something recklessly.

He has a habit of squandering his money on videogames.

Stigma

Negative attitude towards something.

There is a stigma attached with marrying without the consent of one’s parents in our culture.

Scorn

To treat with great lack of respect

The tyrant treated his defeated enemies with scorn.

Stoop

To bend one’s head and/or body forwards.

He stooped in front of his grandparents so that they could place their hands on his head.

Sordid

Selfish, vile

His sordid behavior with his teammates led to him being disliked by everyone.

Suckle

Feed a baby

The mother cow was suckling her calf.

Stumble

To trip, miss one’s step, or walk in an awkward manner.

She was stumbling as this was the first time she wore high heels.

Shatter

Break or fall into pieces.

The glass shattered as it fell to the floor.

Sneer

Smiling or laughing with contempt or scorn.

He sneered at the dressing style of the simple villagers.

Speck

A tiny spot

He can notice every speck of dust on his furniture.

Squeal

Making a shrill cry or noise

The animal squealed in pain.

Squint

To look or peer with the eyes partly closed.

The brightness of the sunlight made the children squint.

Sabotage

To ruin, stop, destroy

He sabotaged his opponent’s car to gain an unfair advantage in the race.

Slurred

Difficult to understand

The drunk man’s slurred words were not understandable to anyone.

Succumb

Submit, surrender

The parents succumbed to the demand of their children to buy them new phones.

Simulation

A model or imitation of something

These days, pilots receive extensive training in flight simulations before they fly an actual plane.

Sparkle

Glittering, shining brightly

The sparkle of the stars lit up the beautiful night sky.

Stupendous

Amazing, extremely impressive

His innings from last night was a stupendous display of batting talent and skill.

Sovereign

Absolute, highest authority

The President serves as the sovereign of that country.

Secular

Not connected to religion

European countries mostly follow secular laws.

Subjection

Being under the authority of something.

This area is under military subjection.

Splendor

Great beauty

The splendor of the waterfall caught everyone’s attention.

Sacred

Something regarded with high respect.

The constitution occupies a sacred position in modern states.

Sweltering

Extremely hot

June was sweltering this year.

Seething

Extremely agitated

The coach was left seething after his team’s horrible performance.

Swirling

Moving in a spiral/circular manner.

The swirling waves of the sea storm sank the ship.

Scowl

Using the face (especially brows) to express anger.

The mother scowled at her children for their unruly behavior.

Scrap

Discard

He decided to scrap his initial plan and come up with a better one.

Servile

One who behaves like a slave

The nation’s servile attitude ensures that it will not gain independence any time soon.

Silhouette

The outline or dark shape of something.

The witnesses recorded their statements in front of the camera in the form of silhouettes.

Scoff

To laugh or talk about something in a mocking manner.

He always scoffs at his brother’s suggestions because he is secretly jealous of him.

Speculation

Guess

His actions were based purely on speculation.

Sagacity

The quality of having wisdom.

The old man’s sagacity was a result of many years of experience.

Shrug

Raising one’s shoulders to express lack of knowledge or care about a matter.

She shrugged her shoulders at the matter.

T

Thwart

To stop or ruin someone’s actions.

The evil plans of the terrorists were thwarted by the law enforcement agencies.

Taunt

To mock

The bullies taunted the boy for his weak physique.

Trot

Moving at a moderate pace.

The children trotted along behind their teacher.

Tuck

Fold or turn

The mother tucked her children into their beds.

Tumble

Fall

The earthquake caused the furniture to tumble.

Tedious

Difficult, laborious

Even though it was a tedious task, he managed to help all the needy people in his neighborhood all by himself.

Tacks

A broad-headed nail that is sharp and small.

The wall art was hung using tacks.

Timid

Afraid, lacking courage

The timid little boy was not able to scare away the angry dog that was chasing him.

Thrift

Careful use of money (or other resources).

Practices such as thrift and saving money made him financially strong.

Tyrant

An unjust and cruel ruler.

The tyrant was defeated and dethroned by the public uprising.

Tardy

Not on time

He has a reputation for being tardy when it comes to arriving at work.

Torment

Severe suffering (mental or physical)

The patient was in severe torment due to his brain tumor.

Trickle

Move slowly/gradually

The economy is trickling its way upwards.

Trodden

Walked along/on

To learn about the roads in the area, I decided to stray from my usually trodden path and find a new way to my house.

Titanic

Very large

The titanic skyscraper rose high above the sky.

Tranquility

Peacefulness

The feeling of tranquility in the mountains is what makes me love mountaineering.

Threshold

Starting point

He is at the threshold of his career.

Tarry

Stay or wait somewhere longer than you should.

I refuse to tarry here while my friends could be in danger.

Temper

Tendency to become angry easily.

His bad temper gets him in a lot of trouble.

Treason

Betraying one’s country/homeland.

He was convicted of the crime of treason.

Triumph

A great success/victory

Pakistan Cricket Team’s triumph at the Champions Trophy 2017 will be remembered for many years to come.

U

Upheaval

Violent and sudden change.

The city faced mass riots and upheaval due to the inability of the authorities to stop the series of murders.

Upbraid

Scold

He was upbraided by his father for his careless behavior.

Untethered

To free from restraints.

The animals were untethered and left to graze about freely in the farmland.

Utopia

A place of ideal perfection.

To some people, a world built on economic equality is a utopia.

Utterance

A statement

The utterance of a simple, heartfelt apology is all it took for her to forgive her friend.

Undergrowth

A mass of bushes, small plants etc.

The undergrowth in the backyard trees of the abandoned house had many insects in it.

Ultimatum

A final proposition, warning etc.

The authorities gave an ultimatum to the inhabitants to vacate the building within a week.

Unhinged

Deranged, mentally unstable

Spending many lonely years on the island, away from society, had made his mind unhinged.

Unprecedented

Something that has not happened before.

Such high prices of household goods are unprecedented.

Utmost

Highest, greatest

He is a professional of the utmost caliber.

V

Virtually

Nearly

The earthquake has virtually destroyed all infrastructure of the city.

Vanity

Excessive pride in one’s own self.

His vanity prevents him from self-improvement.

Verge

Edge, border

She was on the verge of losing her life when she reached the hospital.

Vicious

Brutal, savage, very dangerous and violent.

The vicious robbers murdered the family and took all their possessions.

Visceral

Instinctive rather than intellectual.

He had a visceral fear about losing his family.

Void

Containing nothing.

Outer space seems like a void.

Visage

A person’s face, with special reference to their features, expressions etc.

His anger changed the visage of his face into an unpleasant form.

Variegated

Having spots of many different colors

His garden is full of beautiful, variegated plants.

Vivid

Very strong or bright

The vivid colors of his paintings have earned him praise.

Validate

To confirm

He used advanced software to validate the authenticity of the data.

Viable

Able to succeed, practical

Long-term lockdowns are not a viable solution to the covid-19 pandemic for economically struggling countries.

Vanish

To go out of sight, stop being visible

The airplane vanished into the sky.

Verdict

Decision

Everyone waited anxiously for the court’s verdict.

Veteran

Experienced

The veteran actor delivered an informative lecture to the aspiring artists.

Vaguely

In an unclear manner

I vaguely remember the details of the story.

Vestige

Remnants

There was no vestige of the structure left after the explosion.

Vulnerable

Able to be easily damaged, hurt, influenced.

Without proper guard posts, the base was vulnerable to potential enemy attacks.

Vandalism

Intentionally damaging the property of others.

Many cases of vandalism were reported during the riots.

Vow

Promise or pledge

I vowed that I would take care of the matter myself.

Vexation

Being in a state of annoyance, worry, or disturbance.

He was left in vexation after his friend’s hurtful and confusing remarks.

W

Whet

To sharpen the blade of a tool or weapon.

The blacksmith started to whet the blade of the sword he had created.

Wreck

Destroy

The waves caused by the thunderstorm wrecked the ship.

Wander

Aimlessly move about

They wandered through the forest trying to find their way back to the road.

Wear

Damage

The wear of the coat is due to it being used by all the brothers.

Wither

To decay

The dead body of the animal withered away in a few days.

Wallow

To lie about

The animals wallowed in the mud.

Wretched

Extremely sad, miserable, unfortunate

The country is in a wretched state due to the civil war.

Wanton

Unprovoked

The wanton display of violence from the security forces was very unfortunate to see.

Wonder

Feeing surprised or amazed

The magician sparked wonder among the children with his tricks.

Wage

To continue or carry on

The countries waged war on each other.

Wrath

Strong/extreme anger

He invited his father’s wrath upon himself by misbehaving with the guests.

Wretch

Someone in a state of misfortune

The police found the corpse of the wretch near the river.

Y

Yield

Amount produced of a product.

The cotton yield was poor this year.

Level

Percentage

Easy

20

Moderate

55

Difficult

25