Ultimate Vocabulary Test: Part Two

Question: Bolster

Answer: Bolster (v.): to support, strengthen, or fortify. Example: “She knew her sister would help bolster her confidence after the bad breakup.”

Question: Clinical

Answer: Clinical (adj.): emotionally unattached (often in a medical or scientific setting). Example: “The doctor was unpopular because of the cold, clinical way he treated his patients.”

Question: Concede

Answer: Concede (v.): to surrender or acknowledge reluctantly. Example: “He was forced to concede the debate when his opponent pointed out the holes in his logic.”

Question: Commission

Answer: Commission (n.): a request to produce something in exchange for payment. Example: “Painters who received commissions from the Medici family were among the most successful and talented artists of their time.”

Question: Afford

Answer: Afford (v.): to be able to pay for or provide. Example: “They can’t afford the rent this month.”

Question: Ambivalence

Answer: Ambivalence (n.): the state of being uncertain or stuck between two or more options. Example: “Elizabeth felt ambivalence toward marriage, which worried her mother.”

Question: Competent

Answer: Competent (adj.): sufficiently qualified. Example: “He was a competent waiter, though his real passion was for cooking.”

Question: Doctrine

Answer: Doctrine (n.): a principle, theory, or position, usually advocated by a religion or government. Example: “Except for papal supremacy, King Henry VIII never abandoned the main doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church.”

Question: Discord

Answer: Discord (n.): disagreement. Example: “There was discord among the city council members about the proposed building project, so they could not come to a decision.”

Question: Ambiguous

Answer: Ambiguous (adj.): unclear or vague in meaning. Example: “The ambiguous end to the novel sparked debate among readers.”

Question: Dire

Answer: Dire (adj.): fearful, desperate, or ominous. Example: “With food and water quickly running out after the plane crash, the survivors knew that the situation had become dire.”

Question: Altercation

Answer: Altercation (n.): a noisy argument or confrontation. Example: “I was awoken at midnight by an altercation between two people standing outside my window.”

Question: Advent

Answer: Advent (n.): the approach, arrival, or coming into being of something. Example: “The advent of the telephone changed communication forever.”

Question: Apex

Answer: Apex (n.): the highest point of something. Example: “Climbing to the apex of the mountain would be difficult, but she was determined to complete the hike.”

Question: Confine

Answer: Confine (v.): to put limits on; to restrict. Example: “Sarah was confined to her room after talking back to her parents at the dinner table.”

Question: Constitute

Answer: Constitute (v.): to unite, form, or compose. Example: “Together the five of them constituted the new task force.”

Question: Disdain

Answer: Disdain (n.): a lack of respect and strong dislike (toward something or someone). Example: “Now a successful researcher, she felt nothing but disdain for the teachers who had discouraged her from studying chemistry.”

Question: Confide

Answer: Confide (v.): to share something secretive with someone. Example: “It was inappropriate for my professor to confide in me and other students about department politics.”

Question: Capture

Answer: Capture (v.): to trap or take possession of. Example: “By 14 CE the Roman Empire had captured most of western Europe.”

Question: Ambitious

Answer: Ambitious (adj.): having a powerful desire for success or achievement. Example: “The ambitious politician announced his candidacy for United States president after serving just one term in Congress.”

Question: Adequate

Answer: Adequate (adj.): just good enough for a specific requirement or purpose. Example: “Though his qualifications for the job were merely adequate, his instant connection with the recruiter got him hired.”

Question: Bias

Answer: Bias (n.): a preconception that prevents objectivity. Example: “Because of his bias in favor of his alma mater, the administrator’s office was almost entirely staffed by Bulldogs.”

Question: Benevolent

Answer: Benevolent (adj.): kind, generous. Example: “The benevolent donation allowed the food bank to continue operation for another year.”

Question: Antipathy

Answer: Antipathy (n.): a strong feeling of dislike. Example: “There was antipathy between the local environmentalist group and the mining corporation.”

Question: Contemplate

Answer: Contemplate (v.): to think deeply about. Example: “She contemplated whether she should use her vacation to travel to Florida or California.”

Question: Conducive

Answer: Conducive (adj.): tending to help bring into being or bring about. Example: “The warm atmosphere of the coffee shop was especially conducive to studying.”

Question: Assertion

Answer: Assertion (n.): a strong declaration. Example: “Assertions of the politician’s honesty were questioned by his constituents.”

Question: Advocate

Answer: Advocate (n.): someone who promotes or defends something. Example: “She was an advocate for the new construction project on Main Street.”

Question: Contend

Answer: Contend (v.): to maintain or assert (an opinion). Example: “The king contended that his country was the most powerful in the world.”

Question: Dispatch

Answer: Dispatch (v.): to send off a message or messenger. Example: “A messenger was quickly dispatched to headquarters with the news that the spy had been uncovered.”

Question: Complacent

Answer: Complacent (adj.): satisfied, with no desire to change or improve. Example: “She had grown complacent at work, so she wasn’t interested in taking on new projects.”

Question: Apprehension

Answer: Apprehension (n.): fearful expectation of something. Example: “The announcement of budget cuts filled the department with apprehension.”

Question: Anticipate

Answer: Anticipate (v.): to assume to be likely to happen. Example: “He anticipated that he would receive a promotion before the end of the year.”

Question: Coarse

Answer: Coarse (adj.): lacking refinement or sophistication. Example: “Her coarse manners did not fit in at the five-star restaurant.”

Question: Dismay

Answer: Dismay (n.): sudden or utter disappointment; consternation. Example: “The teacher realized with dismay that half her students had failed the exam.”

Question: Artificial

Answer: Artificial (adj.): man-made; not occurring naturally. Example: “The artificial plants did not need to be watered.”

Question: Allude

Answer: Allude (v.): to refer to indirectly. Example: “The author alluded to the Watergate scandal in his new political thriller.”

Question: Dominion

Answer: Dominion (n.): power and authority, usually over a territory. Example: “By 1700 dominion over the southern part of the Low Countries had passed from Spain to France.”

Question: Coincide

Answer: Coincide (v.): to happen at the same time. Example: “Since her birthday usually coincided with her school’s winter break, she was rarely able to celebrate the day with her friends.”

Question: Consensus

Answer: Consensus (n.): overall agreement. Example: “The consensus of the school board was to approve the funding for new textbooks.”

Question: Austere

Answer: Austere (adj.): extremely plain. Example: “Without any decorations, the dorm room looked cold and austere.”

Question: Adversarial

Answer: Adversarial (adj.): relating to hostile opposition. Example: “The lawyer approached the witness in an adversarial manner.”

Question: Condone

Answer: Condone (v.): to overlook or approve of something considered morally wrong. Example: “The professor refused to condone cheating or plagiarism.”

Question: Conventional

Answer: Conventional (adj.): abiding by accepted standards. Example: “Traveling nine months of the year, she made good on the claim that she didn’t want a conventional life.”

Question: Articulate

Answer: Articulate (v.): to clearly express in words. “The teacher articulated the classroom rules to the new students.”

Question: Avenue

Answer: Avenue (n.): an intangible path or approach to something. Example: “The principal decided school uniforms were the best avenue to stop bullying in the classroom.”

Question: Civic

Answer: Civic (adj.): relating to a city or citizens. Example: “Voting is an example of a civic duty.”

Question: Avid

Answer: Avid (adj.): actively interested in or enthusiastic about something. Example: “My grandmother is an avid beekeeper, and she often sends me honey from her hives.”

Question: Disparage

Answer: Disparage (v.): to belittle or talk down. Example: “He disparaged his father’s idea of starting a business together, preferring to work alone.”

Question: Authenticity

Answer: Authenticity (n.): the quality of being real and true rather than fake and contrived. Example: “The voters were looking for authenticity after the last mayor was arrested for fraud.”