American English New Word Review

1.       Abject(ab-jekt): A situation or condition of the most contemptible kind, extremely bad, unpleasant, and degrading.

2.       Aberration (ab-uh-rey-shuhn): A state or condition markedly different from the norm.

3.       Abjure (ab-joo r): To reject or disavow a formerly held belief.

4.       Abnegation(ab-ni-gey-shuhn): The denial and rejection of a doctrine or belief.

5.       Abrogate(ab-ruh-geyt): To revoke formally.

6.       abscond(ab-skond): To run away, often taking something or somebody along.

7.       abstruse(ab-stroos): Something or someone that is difficult to penetrate.

8.       accede(ak-seed): To yield to another's wish or opinion.

9.       accost(uh-kawst): To speak to someone.

10.    accretion(uh-kree-shuhn): An increase by natural growth or addition.

11.    acumen(uh-kyoo-muhn) (ak-yuh): Shrewdness shown by keen insight.

12.    adamant (ad-uh-muh nt): Being impervious to pleas, persuasion, requests, reason.

13.    admonish(ad-mon-ish): To scold or reprimand to take to task.

14.    adumbrate(a-duhm-breyt) To describe roughly or give the main points or summary of.

15.    adverse(ad-vurs): In an opposing direction.

16.    advocate(ad-vuh-keyt): A person who pleads for a person, cause, or idea.

17.    affluent (af-loo-uh nt): Having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value.

18.    aggrandize(uh-gran-dahyz): Add details to.

19.    alacrity(uh-lak-ri-tee): Liveliness and eagerness.

20.    alias (ey-lee-uh s): A name that has been assumed temporarily.

21.    ambivalent(am-biv-uh-luhnt): Uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow.

22.    amenable (uh-mee-nuh-buh l): Disposed or willing to comply.

23.    amorphous (uh-mawr-fuh s) Having no definite form or distinct shape.

24.    anachronistic (uh-nak-ruh-nis-tik: Chronologically misplaced.

25.    anathema (uh-nath-uh-muh: A formal ecclesiastical curse accompanied by excommunication

26.    annex(uh-neks): To attach to.

27.    antediluvian (an-tee-di-loo-vee-uh) n., Of or relating to the period before the biblical flood, out of date, outdated, outmoded, old-fashioned, antiquated, behind the times, passé.

28.    antiseptic (an-tuh-sep-tik): Thoroughly clean and free of disease-causing organisms, sterile, aseptic, germ-free, uncontaminated.

29.    apathetic(ap-uh-thet-ik): Showing little or no emotion or animation, uninterested, indifferent, unconcerned, unmoved, uninvolved, disinterested, unemotional, emotionless, dispassionate, lukewarm, unmotivated, halfhearted, couldn't-care-less.

30.    antithesis(an-tith-uh-sis): The exact opposite, opposite, converse, contrary, reverse, inverse, obverse.

31.    apocryphal(ah-pok-ruh-fuhl): Being of questionable authenticity, fictitious, made-up, untrue, fabricated, false, spurious, unverified, unauthenticated, unsubstantiated, bogus.

32.    approbation (ap-ruh-bey-shuh): n., Official approval, approval, acceptance, endorsement, appreciation,

33.    arbitrary(ahr-bi-trer-ee): Based on or subject to individual discretion or preference; capricious, whimsical, random, chance, unpredictable

34.    arboreal (ahr-bawr-ee-uh l): Of or relating to or formed by trees.

35.    arcane (ahr-keyn): Mysterious, secret, enigmatic, esoteric, cryptic, obscure, abstruse, recondite.

36.    archetypal(ahr-ki-tahy-puhl): adj., Of an original type after which other things are patterned.

37.    arrogate(ar-uh-geyt): Seize and take control without authority, assume, claim, appropriate, seize, expropriate, wrest, usurp.

38.    ascetic(uh-set-ik): Someone who practices self-denial as a spiritual discipline; austere, self-denying, abstinent, abstemious, self-disciplined

39.    aspersion(uh-spur-zhuh) n: A disparaging remark, vilify, disparage, denigrate, defame, run down, impugn, belittle.

40.    assiduous(uh-sij-oo-uhs) adj., Marked by care and persistent effort; diligent, careful, meticulous, thorough, sedulous, attentive.