English Vocabulary
English Vocabulary D–I
D
dearth n. a shortage or lack
debacle n. a disastrous failure, disruption
debase v. to lower the quality or esteem of something
debunk v. to expose the falseness of something
decorous adj. socially proper, appropriate
decry v. to criticize openly
defile v. to make unclean, impure
defunct adj. no longer used or existing
delegate v. to hand over responsibility for something
deleterious adj. harmful
deliberate adj. intentional, reflecting careful consideration
demagogue n. a leader who exerts power by appealing to people’s prejudices or emotions
demean v. to lower the status or stature of something
demur v. 1. to voice objection or opposition; 2. to delay
demure adj. quiet, modest, reserved
denigrate v. to belittle, diminish the opinion of
denounce v. to criticize publicly
deprecate v. to belittle, depreciate
derelict adj. abandoned, run-down
deride v. to laugh at mockingly, scorn
derivative adj. taken directly from a source, unoriginal
desecrate v. to violate the sacredness of a thing or place
desiccated adj. dried up, dehydrated
desolate adj. deserted, dreary, lifeless
despot n. one who has total power and rules brutally
destitute adj. impoverished, utterly lacking
desultory adj. aimless, purposeless, haphazard
deter v. to discourage, prevent from doing
devious adj. not straightforward, deceitful
dexterity n. mental or physical skill or grace
diaphanous adj. light, airy, transparent
diatribe n. an abusive verbal or written attack, denunciation
didactic adj. 1. intended to instruct; 2. overly moralistic
diffident adj. shy, quiet, modest
diffuse adj. not concentrated, scattered, disorganized; v. to scatter, thin out, break up;
dilapidated adj. run-down, decayed, neglected
dilatory adj. tending to delay, causing delay
dilettante n. one who dabbles idly in a topic or field of study
diligent adj. showing care in doing one’s work
diminutive adj. small or miniature
disavow v. to deny knowledge of or responsibility for
discern v. to perceive, detect
disclose v. to reveal, make public
discombobulate v. to throw into confusion or bewilderment
discomfited adj. thwarted, baffled, embarrassed
disconsolate adj. cheerless, downcast, gloomy
discord n. disagreement, lack of harmony
discrepancy n. difference, failure of things to correspond
discretion n. 1. the quality of being reserved in speech or action; 2. good judgment
discursive adj. rambling, lacking order
disdain v. to scorn, hold in low esteem; n. scorn, low esteem
disgruntled adj. upset, not content
disheartened adj. feeling a loss of spirit or morale
disparage v. to criticize or speak ill of
disparate adj. sharply differing; containing sharply contrasting elements
dispel v. to drive away, scatter
dissemble v. to conceal, fake
disseminate v. to spread widely
dissent v. to disagree; n. the act of disagreeing
dissipate v. 1. to disappear, cause to disappear; 2. to waste
dissonance n. lack of harmony or consistency
dither v. to be indecisive
divisive adj. causing dissent, discord
divulge v. to reveal something secret
docile adj. easily taught or trained
dogmatic adj. aggressively and arrogantly certain about unproved principles
domicile n. home, dwelling place
dote v. to shower with excessive affection or attention
dour adj. stern, gloomy
dubious adj. doubtful, of uncertain quality
ductile adj. easily molded, stretched, or persuaded
duress n. hardship, threat
E
ebb v. to decline, weaken, wane
ebullient adj. extremely lively, enthusiastic
eclectic adj. consisting of a diverse variety of elements
ecstatic adj. intensely and overpoweringly happy
effervescent adj. bubbly, lively
effete adj. weakly decadent or effeminate
efficacious adj. effective
effrontery n. impudence, nerve, insolence
effulgent adj. radiant, splendorous
effusive adj. overflowing, unrestrained, gushy
egregious adj. conspicuously bad
elaborate adj. complex, detailed, intricate
élan n. vigor, enthusiasm
elated adj. overjoyed, thrilled
elegy n. a song or poem of sorrow or lamentation
eloquent adj. expressive, articulate, moving, persuasive, especially as relating to speech
embellish v. 1. to decorate, adorn; 2. to add details to
embezzle v. to steal money by falsifying records
eminent adj. distinguished, prominent, famous, noteworthy
emollient adj. soothing; n. something that soothes or softens
emote v. to express emotion in a dramatic manner
empathy n. sensitivity to another’s feelings as if they were one’s own
empirical adj. 1. based on observation or experience; 2. capable of being proved or disproved by experiment
emulate v. to imitate
enamor v. to fill with love, fascinate (usually used in passive form, e.g., “enamored of”)
encumber v. to weigh down, burden
enervate v. to weaken, exhaust
enfranchise v. to grant the right to vote to
engender v. to bring about, create, generate
enigma n. a puzzling or mysterious person or thing
enmity n. ill will, hatred, hostility
enthrall v. to charm, hold spellbound
envoy n. a representative, messenger, ambassador
ephemeral adj. short-lived, fleeting
epicurean adj. having discriminating tastes, especially for food
epidemic n. a major outbreak of disease; adj. widespread
equanimity n. composure
equilibrium n. a state or point of balance or stasis
equivocal adj. ambiguous, uncertain, undecided; dubious
eradicate v. to destroy, root out
errant adj. 1. wandering, aimless; 2. deviant
ersatz adj. being an artificial and inferior substitute
erudite adj. knowledgeable, learned
eschew v. to shun, avoid
esoteric adj. understood by only a select few
espouse v. to take up as a cause, to support
etymology n. the linguistic history and origins of a word
eulogy n. a speech given in honor of a dead person
euphoric adj. elated, uplifted
evanescent adj. fleeting, momentary
evince v. to show, reveal
exacerbate v. to make more violent, intense
exalt v. to glorify, praise
exasperate v. to irritate, irk
excavate v. to dig out of the ground and remove
exculpate v. to free from guilt or blame, exonerate
excursion n. a trip or outing, usually for fun
execrable adj. loathsome, detestable
exegesis n. critical interpretation or explanation of a text
exigent adj. urgent, critical
exonerate v. to free from guilt or blame, exculpate
expiate v. to make amends for, atone
explicate v. to explain, make clear
expunge v. to erase, strike out
expurgate v. to remove offensive or incorrect parts, usually of a book
extant adj. existing, not destroyed or lost
extol v. to praise, revere
extricate v. to disentangle
extrude v. 1. to force or push out, drive away; 2. to protrude
exult v. to rejoice
F
fabricate v. to make up, invent
façade n. 1. the front face of a building; 2. a deceptive appearance or attitude
facile adj. 1. easy, requiring little effort; 2. superficial, achieved with minimal thought or care, insincere
fallacious adj. incorrect, misleading
fastidious adj. meticulous, demanding, having high and often unattainable standards
fathom v. to understand, comprehend
fatuous adj. silly, foolish
fawn v. to seek favor by flattery or lavished affection
fecund adj. fruitful, fertile
felicitous adj. 1. well suited, apt; 2. delightful, pleasing
feral adj. wild, savage
fervent adj. ardent, passionate
fetid adj. having a foul odor
fey adj. 1. fairylike, otherworldly, unconventional; 2. crazy
fickle adj. shifting in character, inconstant
fidelity n. loyalty, devotion
fiduciary n. one who holds trust; adj. having to do with confidence or trust, especially in a legal capacity
figurative adj. symbolic
flabbergasted adj. astounded
flagrant adj. conspicuously bad or offensive
flaunt v. to show off or parade something shamelessly
florid adj. flowery, ornate
flounder v. to blunder, move clumsily, have difficulty
flout v. to show scorn or lack of respect for
flummox v. to confuse, bewilder
foil v. to thwart, frustrate, defeat
foment v. to incite, stir up, promote the development of
forage v. to graze, rummage for food
fortitude n. strength, guts
fortuitous adj. 1. happening by chance; 2. lucky or fortunate
foster v. to stimulate, promote, encourage
founder v. to sink, fail, collapse
fractious adj. troublesome, irritable
frenetic adj. frenzied, hectic, frantic
frivolous adj. of little importance, trifling
frugal adj. thrifty, economical
fulsome adj. 1. offensively excessive or insincere; 2. abundant
G
gallivant v. 1. to wander, roam; 2. to flirt
gargantuan adj. enormous, gigantic
garish adj. gaudy, in bad taste
garrulous adj. talkative, wordy
gauge n. a measurement; v. to take measurement of
genial adj. friendly, affable
genteel adj. polite, refined, aristocratic, well-bred
glabrous adj. having a smooth, even, or hairless surface
goad v. to urge, spur, incite to action
gourmand n. someone fond of eating and drinking
grandiloquence n. lofty, pompous language
grandiose adj. on a magnificent, exaggerated scale
gratuitous adj. uncalled for, unwarranted
gregarious adj. sociable, drawn to the company of others
guile n. deceitful, cunning, sly behavior
H
hackneyed adj. unoriginal, trite
hallowed adj. holy, revered, consecrated
hapless adj. unlucky, unfortunate
harangue n. a long, ranting speech; v. to give such a speech
hardy adj. capable of surviving adverse conditions, robust
haughty adj. disdainfully proud
havoc n. disorder, chaos, destruction
hedonism n. the pursuit of pleasure as a way of life
hegemony n. domination over others
heinous adj. shockingly wicked, repugnant
heterogeneous adj. varied, diverse in character
hiatus n. a break or gap in duration or continuity
hierarchy n. a system with ranked groups, usually according to social, economic, or professional class
homogeneous adj. uniform, similar in character
hyperbole n. great and often intentional exaggeration
hypocrisy n. pretending to believe what one does not
hypothetical adj. supposed or assumed true but unproven
I
iconoclast n. one who attacks common beliefs or institutions
idiosyncratic adj. peculiar to one person; highly individualized
idolatry n. excessive, unthinking worship of someone or something
ignominious adj. humiliating, disgracing
ignorant adj. uneducated, uninformed
immerse v. to absorb, deeply involve, engross
immutable adj. unchangeable
impassive adj. stoic, not susceptible to suffering
impeccable adj. exemplary, flawless
imperious adj. commanding, domineering
impetuous adj. rash, impulsive
impinge v. 1. to impact, affect, make an impression; 2. to encroach, infringe
impious adj. irreverent, failing to show due respect
implacable adj. incapable of being appeased or mitigated
implicit adj. understood but not outwardly obvious, implied
impregnable adj. resistant to capture or penetration
impudent adj. casually rude, insolent, impertinent
impute v. to ascribe, attribute blame
inarticulate adj. incapable of expressing oneself clearly through speech
incandescent adj. brilliant, shining, intense
incendiary adj. inflammatory, causing combustion; n. a person who agitates or stirs dissension
incessant adj. endless, continual
inchoate adj. unformed, formless, in a beginning stage
incontrovertible adj. indisputable
incorrigible adj. incapable of correction, delinquent
inculcate v. to teach by repetition, instill, indoctrinate
indefatigable adj. tireless, unyielding
indigent adj. poor, impoverished; n. one who is very poor
indignant adj. angry, often because of unjust treatment
indolent adj. lazy, inactive
indomitable adj. not capable of being conquered
indubitable adj. indisputable, incontrovertible
induce v. to bring about, stimulate
ineffable adj. unspeakable, incapable of being expressed through words
inept adj. not suitable or capable, unqualified
inequity n. unfairness, injustice
inert adj. unable to act, move, or exert influence
inexorable adj. incapable of being persuaded or placated
infallible adj. incapable of error; failsafe, foolproof, certain
infamous adj. notorious, of ill repute
inflammatory adj. inciting anger or strong emotion
ingenious adj. clever, resourceful
ingenue n. an innocent or naïve young girl
ingenuous adj. not devious; innocent and candid
ingratiate v. to gain favor with someone by conscious effort
inherent adj. part of the essential nature or character or something, intrinsic
inimical adj. hostile, unfriendly, harmful
iniquity n. wickedness or sin
innate adj. inborn, native, inherent
innocuous adj. harmless, inoffensive
innovate v. to do something in an unprecedented way
insatiable adj. incapable of being satisfied
insidious adj. harmful or treacherous despite an appealing outward appearance, seductive
insinuate v. to suggest indirectly or subtly
insipid adj. dull, boring
insolent adj. rude, arrogant, overbearing
insouciant adj. coolly unconcerned, nonchalant
instigate v. to provoke, urge, goad
insular adj. separated, closed off, tight-knit, narrow-minded
insurgent n. one who rebels
integral adj. necessary for completeness
interlocutor n. a participant in a conversation or dialogue
intimation n. an indirect suggestion
intractable adj. difficult to manipulate, unmanageable
intransigent adj. refusing to compromise, often on an extreme opinion
intrepid adj. brave in the face of danger
intrinsic adj. essential, characteristic, inherent
inundate v. to flood with abundance
inure v. to cause someone or something to become accustomed to a situation
invective n. abusive, reproachful, or accusatory language
inveterate adj. stubbornly established by habit
invidious adj. 1. envious; 2. provoking ill will or envy
inviolable adj. secure from assault
irascible adj. easily angered
iridescent adj. showing rainbow colors
irreverent adj. disrespectful
irrevocable adj. incapable of being taken back or revoked
itinerant adj. wandering or traveling, especially to find work
English Vocabulary D–I

