adumbrate: (verb) report or represent in outline; indicate faintly
EX: The professor requested we adumbrate our entire essay before we began with the final copy.
apotheosis: (noun) the highest point in the development of something; culmination, climax; elevation of someone to divine status
EX: The apotheosis in the novel occurred when the detective found the last clue to the murder mystery.
ascetic: (adj.) characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons;
EX: The ascetic teenage girl wouldn't allow herself to attend a single party for the fear of doing something wrong.
bauble: (noun) a small, showy trinket or decoration
EX: The golden bauble was displayed proudly in the glass case.
beguile: (verb) charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way
EX: The witch managed to beguile the prince and forced him to marry her daughter.
burgeon: (verb) begin to grow or increase rapidly, flourish
EX: With spring arriving, the plants in the garden burgeon.
complement: (noun, verb) a thing that completes or brings to perfection; add to something in a way that enhances or improves it, make perfect
EX: The blazer complements that stylish yet professional look.
contumacious: (adj.) stubbornly or willfully disobedient to authority
EX: The ex-con was contumacious with his public demonstrations.
curmudgeon: (noun) a bad tempered or surly person
EX: The curmudgeon created an immense scandal because the pickles were missing on his double cheeseburger.
didactic: (adj.) intended to teach, particularly having moral instruction as an ulterior motive; teacher- treat someone in a patronizing way
EX: The didactic exercise taught the pre-school children to be kind and respectful to one another.
disingenuous: (adj.) not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does
EX: The young homeless man was disingenuous and wished to get by without having to work a day in his life
exculpate: (verb) show or declare that (someone) is not guilty of wrongdoing
EX: The court did not exculpate the young lawyer of tax fraud.
faux pas: (noun) an embarrassing or tactless act or remark in a social situation
EX: Unfortunately, the young man made a faux pas when he first met Stephanie.
fulminate: (verb) express vehement protest
EX: I fulminate at the idea of animal cruelty.
fustian: (noun) pompous or pretentious speech or writing
EX: "A smoke screen of fustian and fantasy."
hauteur: (noun) haughtiness of manner; disdainful pride
EX: Most teenagers today have hauteur attitudes.
inhibit: (verb) hinder, restrain, prevent (action or process); make (someone) self-conscious and unable to react in a relaxed and natural way
EX: The police officer was able to inhibit a fight from occurring between the two drunk men.
jeremiad: (noun) a long, mournful complain or lamentation; a list of woes
EX: The older generations jeremiad today's teens for their laziness and utter disrespect to anyone and anything.
opportunist: (noun) a person who exploits circumstances to get immediate advantage rather than
being guided by consistent principles or plans
EX: The opportunist snuck into the home when he knew the family would be gone on a week trip.
unconscionable: (adj.) not right or reasonable; unreasonably excessive
EX: The decision was unconscionable and made the governor look unreasonable.
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