100 Great Words
19. deteriorate (v.) to become worse as time passes ; to make (something)
1. boisterous (adj.) very noisy and active in a lively way
2. ecstasy (n.) a state of very great happiness : extreme delight ; an illegal
drug that is used to produce a feeling of excitement and pleasure
3. wither (v.) of a plant : to become dry and weak
4. tranquil (adj.) quiet and peaceful
5. protrude (v.) to stick out
6. nimble (adj.) able to move quickly, easily, and lightly ; able to learn and
understand things quickly and easily
7. futile (adj.) having no result or effect : pointless or useless
8. foliage (n.) the leaves of a plant or of many plants
9. *cherish (v.) to feel or show great love for (someone or something); to
remember or hold (an idea, belief, etc.) in a deeply felt way
10. calamity (n.) an event that causes great harm and suffering
11. scrumptious (adj.) very pleasant to taste
12. utensil (n.) a simple and useful device that is used for doing tasks in a
person's home and especially in the kitchen
13. wholesome (adj.) helping to keep your body healthy : good for your
health ; morally good ; suggesting good health or behavior
14. prosper (v.) to become very successful usually by making a lot of money ;
to become very active, healthy, or strong
15. stifle (v.) to not allow yourself to do or express (something) ; to stop
(someone) from doing or expressing something ; to make (something)
difficult or impossible
16. nostalgia (n.) pleasure and sadness that is caused by remembering
something from the past and wishing that you could experience it again
17. consensus (n.) a general agreement about something : an idea or
opinion that is shared by all the people in a group
18. accelerate (v.) to move faster : to gain speed ; to cause (something) to
happen sooner or more quickly
worse
20. wrath (n.) extreme anger
21. abundant (adj.) existing or occurring in large amounts
22. fluent (adj.) able to speak a language easily and very well ; done in a
smooth and easy way
23. culprit (n.) one accused of or charged with a crime ; one guilty of a crime
or a fault ; the source or cause of a problem
24. melancholy (n.) a sad mood or feeling
25. unprecedented (adj.) not done or experienced before
26. synchronize (v.) to cause (things) to agree in time or to make (things)
happen at the same time and speed ; to happen at the same time and
speed
27. arrogant (adj.) having or showing the insulting attitude of people who
believe that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people :
having or showing arrogance
28. punctual (adj.) arriving or doing something at the expected or planned
time
29. industrious (adj.) working very hard : not lazy
30. consume (v.) to eat or drink (something) ; to use (fuel, time, resources,
etc.) ; to destroy (something) with fire
31. mediocre (adj.) not very good
32. desolate (adj.) lacking the people, plants, animals, etc., that make people
feel welcome in a place ; very sad and lonely especially because
someone you love has died or left
33. evade (v.) to stay away from (someone or something) : to avoid (someone
or something) ; to avoid dealing with or facing (something) ; to avoid doing
(something required)
34. irate (adj.) very angry
35. obstacle (n.) something that makes it difficult to do something ; an object
that you have to go around or over : something that blocks your path
36. revenue (n.) money that is made by or paid to a business or an
organization ; money that is collected for public use by a government
through taxes
37. phenomenon (n.) something (such as an interesting fact or event) that
can be observed and studied and that typically is unusual or difficult to
understand or explain fully
38. *allege (v.) to state without definite proof that someone has done
something wrong or illegal
39. valiant (adj.) having or showing courage : very brave or courageous
40. stamina (n.) great physical or mental strength that allows you to continue
doing something for a long time
41. perishable (adj.) likely to spoil or decay quickly : not likely to stay fresh for
a long time if not eaten or used
42. emphatic (adj.) said or done in a forceful or definite way ; speaking or
acting in a forceful way
43. *devastate (v.) to destroy much or most of (something) : to cause great
damage or harm to (something) ; to cause (someone) to feel extreme
emotional pain
44. bias (n.) a tendency to believe that some people, ideas, etc., are better
than others that usually results in treating some people unfairly; a strong
interest in something or ability to do something
45. radiant (adj.) having or showing an attractive quality of happiness, love,
health, etc. ; bright and shining ; sent out from something in rays or waves
that you cannot see
46. predicament (n.) a difficult or unpleasant situation
47. *instigate (v.) to cause (something) to happen or begin
48. *exasperate (v.) to make (someone) very angry or annoyed
49. compassion (n.) a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick,
hungry, in trouble, etc.
50. hesitant (adj.) slow to act or speak especially because you are nervous or
unsure about what to do : feeling or showing hesitation
51. nonchalant (adj.) relaxed and calm in a way that shows that you do not
care or are not worried about anything
52. *relinquish (v.) to give up (something) : to give (something, such as
power, control, or possession) to another person or group
53. dynamic (adj.) always active or changing ; having or showing a lot of
energy ; of or relating to energy, motion, or physical force
54. *enhance (v.) to increase or improve (something)
55. *defy (v.) to refuse to obey (something or someone) ; to make
(something) very difficult or impossible ; to resist or fight (something)
56. frivolous (adj.) not important : not deserving serious attention ; silly and
not serious
57. obsolete (adj.) no longer used because something newer exists :
replaced by something newer ; no longer used by anyone
58. *provoke (v.) to cause the occurrence of (a feeling or action) : to make
(something) happen ; to cause (a person or animal) to become angry,
violent, etc.
59. zeal (n.) a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm that makes someone
very eager or determined to do something
60. fluctuate (v.) to change level, strength, or value frequently
61. hinder (v.) to make (something, such as a task or action) slow or difficult
62. distort (v.) to change the natural, normal, or original shape, appearance,
or sound of (something) in a way that is usually not attractive or pleasing ;
to change (something) so that it is no longer true or accurate
63. longevity (n.) long life : the fact of living for many years ; length of life ;
the length of time that something or someone lasts or continues
64. repulsive (adj.) causing strong dislike or disgust ; physics : of or relating
to the force that pushes something away from something else
65. undaunted (adj.) not afraid to continue doing something or trying to do
something even though there are problems, dangers, etc.
66. rivalry (n.) a state or situation in which people or groups are competing
with each other
67. indignant (adj.) feeling or showing anger because of something that is
unfair or wrong : very angry
68. crucial (adj.) extremely important
69. lenient (adj.) allowing a lot of freedom and not punishing bad behavior in
a strong way : not harsh, severe, or strict
70. haphazard (adj.) having no plan, order, or direction ; marked by lack of
plan, order, or direction
71. sluggish (adj.) moving slowly or lazily
72. *taunt (v.) to say insulting things to (someone) in order to make that
person angry
73. substantial (adj.) large in amount, size, or number ; strongly made ; of
food : enough to satisfy hunger
74. wary (adj.) not having or showing complete trust in someone or something
that could be dangerous or cause trouble
75. chaos (n.) complete confusion and disorder : a state in which behavior
and events are not controlled by anything; the state of the universe before
there was any order and before stars and planets were formed
76. eloquent (adj.) having or showing the ability to use language clearly and
effectively ; clearly showing feeling or meaning
77. optimist (n.) one who feels or believes that good things will happen in the
future : one who feels or believes that what you hope for will happen
78. shrewd (adj.) having or showing an ability to understand things and to
make good judgments : mentally sharp or clever
79. persistent (adj.) continuing to do something or to try to do something
even though it is difficult or other people want you to stop ; continuing
beyond the usual, expected, or normal time : not stopping or going away
80. tremor (n.) a shaking movement of the ground before or after an
earthquake ; a slight shaking movement or sound that is caused
especially by nervousness, weakness, or illness
81. veto (n.) a decision by a person in authority to not allow or approve
something (such as a new law) ; the right or power of a person in authority
to decide that something (such as a new law) will not be approved
82. presume (v.) to think that (something) is true without knowing that it is
true ; to accept legally or officially that something is true until it is proved
not true ; to do (something) that you do not have the right or permission to
do
83. formidable (adj.) very powerful or strong : deserving serious attention and
respect ; very difficult to deal with ; large or impressive in size or amount
84. momentous (adj.) very important : having great or lasting importance
85. wily (adj.) full of clever tricks : very clever
86. unwieldy (adj.) difficult to handle, control, or deal with because of being
large, heavy, or complex
87. vigorous (adj.) healthy and strong ; done with great force and energy
88. temperament (n.) the usual attitude, mood, or behavior of a person or
animal
89. scrutinize (v.) to examine (something) carefully especially in a critical way
90. ruthless (adj.) having no pity : cruel or merciless
91. reluctant (adj.) feeling or showing doubt about doing something : not
willing or eager to do something
92. recuperate (v.) to return to normal health or strength after being sick,
injured, etc. ; to get back (money that has been spent, invested, lost, etc.)
93. compatible (adj.) able to exist together without trouble or conflict : going
together well ; of devices and especially computers : able to be used
together
94. impetuous (adj.) acting or done quickly and without thought : controlled
by emotion rather than thought
95. *intercept (v.) to stop and take someone or something that is going from
one place to another place before that person or thing gets there
96. insolent (adj.) rude or impolite : having or showing a lack of respect for
other people
97. *confound (v.) to surprise and confuse (someone or something) ; to prove
(someone or something) wrong —used as an interjection to express anger
or annoyance
98. grapple (n.) the act or an instance of grappling ; a hand-to-hand struggle ;
a contest for superiority or mastery ; a bucket similar to a clamshell but
usually having more jaws
99. obscure (adj.) not well-known : not known to most people ; difficult to
understand : likely to be understood by only a few people ; difficult or
impossible to know completely and with certainty
100. prudent (adj.) having or showing careful good judgment