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Nadir (noun)
Low point
Ralph Nader has an emotional nadir after every election, but it doesn't stop him from running again the next year
At my emotional nadir, I considered some drastic options to relieve my pain
S: rock bottom, perigree
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Nascent (adjective)
Coming into being; in early developmental stages.
My novel is still in its nascent form, so I'm hesitant to describe the plot.
S: Emerging, embryonic, burgeoning.
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Natty (adjective)
Trimly neat and tidy
The natty young man always wore a well-pressed suit to the office.
S: dapper
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Nebulous (adjective)
Vague; cloudy; lacking clearly defined form
My plans for tomorrow are nebulous, but I'll contact you later to work out the details.
S: hazy, unformulated, unclear
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Neologism (noun)
A new word, expression, or usage
Many neologisms arise from technology including "spam," "mouse," and "internet."
S: coinage (of a word or phrase)
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Nexus (noun)
A connection; tie or link
Greenwich Village became a nexus for artists and writers during the 1920's
S: core, center of focus
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Nice (adjective)
Exacting, extremely or even excessively precise; done with delicacy or skill
The distinction he drew between the two findings was so nice that most of his listeners weren't even sure it was there
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Noisome (adjective)
Offensive, especially to one's sense of smell; fetid
I don't know how anyone with a nose can live in an apartment that is so noisome
S: foul
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Nonplussed (adjective)
Baffled, in a quandary, at a loss for what to say, do or think
Ernest was a little nonplussed when Gertrude told him that she loved him but she wasn't in love with him, which is admittedly pretty confusing.
S: bewildered
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Nostrum (noun)
Panacea; questionable remedy
Chocolate chip cookies were an effective nostrum for the crying child.
S: cure-all
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Noxious (adjective)
Harmful; injurious
I think my old car is leaking noxious gasses because whenever I drive it, I get a headache.
S: Toxic, poisonous, deleterious
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Nefarious (adjective)
Wicked
Some of the most nefarious criminals in the world are held in that maximum-security prison.
S: sinful
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Nugatory (adjective)
Trifling; inconsequential
Our meeting was derailed because we discussed nugatory details instead of matters of substance.
S: piddling
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Neophyte (noun)
A recent convert; a beginner
The freshman senator is a neophyte to the conventions of Capitol Hill
S: tyro, novice.
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Obdurate (adjective)
Unyielding; hardhearted
The obdurate ruler would not change his policies, even to ease the suffering of his people
S: intractable
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Obeisance (noun)
Gesture that expresses deference, such as a bow or curtsy
In the court of a king or queen, no one would think of dancing without first offering some sort of obeisance to the monarch; obviously, rules on other dance floors are more relaxed
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Obfuscate (verb)
To deliberately obscure; to make confusing
The politician obfuscated the truth about his corruption by accusing his opponent of having an affair.
S: confound
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Obsequious (adjective)
Exhibiting a fawning attentiveness
Roger thought fawning over the boss would help him get promoted, but his obsequious behavior annoyed his co-workers
S: kowtowing
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Obstinate (adjective)
Stubborn; hardhearted
Otto was obstinate and refused to compromise even on trivial issues
S: uncompromising
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Obstreperous (adjective)
Noisy; defiant
The obstreperous child ran down the aisles of the movie theatre and disrupted audience members.
S: unruly
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Obtain (verb)
To be established, accepted, or customary, prevail
The customary niceties of polite conversation do not obtain in the middle of a tornado.
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Obtuse (adjective)
Lacking sharpness of intellect; not clear or precise in thought or expression
My father is obtuse when it comes to computers; he doesn't even know how to turn one on.
S: thickheaded, simple-minded, dull-witted
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Obloquy (noun)
Sharp criticism; abusively detractive language
After the judge was arrested for accepting bribes, she became the target of public obloquy
S: calumny
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Obviate (verb)
To anticipate and make unnecessary
Streaming movies online obviates the need to go to a video store
S: intervene, preclude, avert
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Occlude (verb)
To obstruct or block
The last mile of the trail was occluded by overgrown brush and fallen trees
S: clog, congest
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Occult (adjective)
Hidden, concealed, beyond comprehension
The occult mysteries of humankind's purpose on earth have yet to be fully solved despite the best efforts of scientists, philosophers and theologians
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Odious (adjective)
Evoking intense aversion or dislike
Rotting eggs cause an odious smell
S: repugnant
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Officious (adjective)
Meddlesome; pushy in one's services
My neighbor is extremely officious; she keeps offering to set me up with her nephew
S: intrusive
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Ombudsman (noun)
A person who investigates citizens' complaints
The newspaper's ombudsman fielded phone calls from readers who complained about factual errors in the front-page story
S: mediator
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Onerous (adjective)
Troubling; burdensome
Shoveling out the stables is a more onerous task than feeding the chickens
S: arduous, grueling, laborious
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Opaque (adjective)
Impenetrable by light; not reflecting light
The opaque curtains prevent the early morning light from waking me up
S: turbid
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Opprobrium (noun)
Disgrace; contempt
Allegations of steroid use brought such opprobrium that the athlete lost several sponsers
S: scorn
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Oscillation (noun)
The act or state of swinging back and forth with a steady, uninterrupted rhythm
The oscillation of the electric fan back and forth was the only sound in the diner mid-afternoon
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Ossified (adjective)
Tending to become more rigid; conventional; turned into bone
At what point is it no longer possible to change the ossified opinions of someone from an older generation?
S: hardened
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Ostensible (adjective)
Seeming; appearing as such
The ostensible purpose of college is for children to learn about different academic areas, but what they really learn are life skills and responsibility
S: outward
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Ostentatious (adjective)
Characterized by or given to pretentiousness
The economic downturn is causing some wealthy people to curtail their ostentatious lifestyles
S: showy
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Overweening (adjective)
Presumptuously arrogant; overbearing
The overweening pride of the celebrity is unbearable; he showed up at the restaurant with an entourage and expected to be seated immediately
S: excessive
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Paean (noun)
A song or expression of praise and thanksgiving
Though learning it was a pain, the paean we gave at his retirement ceremony went over very well.
The young musician composed a paean to his beloved teacher in thanks for her guidance
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Palliate (verb)
To make something appear less serious; to make less severe
I tried to palliate the throbbing migraine with aspirin and deep breathing, but what I really needed to do was go home and sleep
S: mitigate
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Pandemic (adjective)
Widespread; occurring over a large area or affecting an unusually large percentage of the population
HIV and AIDS have become pandemic throughout much of the world and are likely to be the biggest health crisis of the century
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Panegyric (noun)
Formal praise
At the retirement dinner, Juan's panegyric on loyalty and friendship brought tears to a few people's eyes.
S: encomium
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Paradigm (noun)
Something that serves as a model, example or pattern
She is a paradigm of studiousness; she spends all of her time studying in the library
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Paradox (noun)
A contradiction; a seemingly self-contradictory statement that seems true nonetheless
The most widely used example of a paradox is the statement "less is more."
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Paragon (noun)
Something regarded as a model of excellence or perfection in some way
The businessman relied on his reputation as a paragon of honesty to become one of the town's most beloved politicians
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Pariah (noun)
An outcast; a rejected and despised person
His abrasive attitude and angry outbursts made him a pariah at the office
S: leper
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Parody (noun)
A humorous imitation intended for ridicule or comic effect, especially in literature and art.
The comedy troupe performed a parody in which a popular young actress was portrayed by a large hairy man.
S: satire, lampoon, caricature
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Parry (verb)
To block, evade or ward off, as a blow
Chuck was able to parry all his opponent's blows, except the last one, which caught him right on the chin
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Parsimonious (adjective)
Cheap; miserly
The parsimonious man led a meager tip for the kind and overworked waitress
S: stingy
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Partisan (adjective)
Biased or prejudiced
Many newspapers have become increasingly partisan, and few offer objective and balanced coverage of current events.
S: sectarian
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Paucity (noun)
Scarcity
In the dead of winter, there is a paucity of fresh vegetables available at the farmer's market
S: dearth
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Peccadillo (noun)
A slight offense; literally, a minor sin
Taking a few office supplies from the office is a peccadillo, but stealing a laptop is a whole different story
S: infraction
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Pedagogy (noun)
The art or profession of training, teaching, or instructing
The pedagogy of early primary science focuses on the development of critical thinking skills and exploration through hands-on experiments
S: education
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Pedantic (adjective)
The parading of learning; excessive attention to minutiae and formal rules
Pete is pedantic about grammar and will nitpick my essay for even the minutest of errors
S: bookish
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Pedestrian (adjective)
Commonplace, trite, unremarkable
The movie's plot was pedestrian, despite the director's brave decision to cast a badger in the role of the hero
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Penchant (noun)
Strong inclination; a liking
The stylist has a penchant for expensive designer labels
S: fondness
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Penurious (adjective)
Penny-pinching; excessively thrifty; ungenerous
My penurious boss makes us bring toilet paper from home in order to save the company money
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Penury (noun)
Poverty; destitution
During the Great Depression, thousands of people lost their life savings and were reduced to penury
S: indigence
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Peremptory (adjective)
Admitting of no contradiction, putting an end to further debate, haughty, imperious
Her peremptory tone made it clear that there would be no further discussion of the matter.
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Perennial (adjective)
Recurrent throughout the year or over many years; happening repeatedly or continually
David is the perennial optimist; he is always hopeful now matter how bad things get at the office
S: lasting, returning
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Perfidy (noun)
Intentional breach of faith, treachery
I couldn't believe my campaign manager's perfidy in voting for my opponent
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Perfunctory (adjective)
Done without care or interest; done merely as a duty
I don't expect warm hugs at the registration office, but even a perfunctory hello would be nice
S: obligatory, cursory, automatic
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Peripatetic (adjective)
Itinerant; traveling on foot
It's difficult to maintain lasting relationships and long-term employment with such a peripatetic lifestyle
S: roving
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Pernicious (adjective)
Extremely harmful, potentially causing death
THe pernicious venom of the Black Mamba snake will always kill its victim unless an antidote is administered quickly
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Personable (adjective)
Pleasing in appearance or personality
I think personable bartenders make more money than the grumpy or homely ones
S: winning
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Perspicacious (adjective)
Acutely perceptive, having keen discernment
How very perspicacious of you to notice that I dyed my hair blue
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Peruse (verb)
To examine with great care
Frank peruses every page of the newspaper for any mention of his name
S: scrutinize
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Pervade (verb)
To permeate
Spring pervaded the entire city; flowers were blooming and everyone was energetic and happy
S: infuse
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Petrous (adjective)
Like a rock, hard, stony
I wasn't surprised that my petrous cake wasn't a big hit, but it did make an excellent doorstop, if I do say so myself
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Petulant (adjective)
Ill-tempered; irritable
The parents apologized for their petulant child and left the dinner party early
S: peevish
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Perigee (noun)
The point nearest the earth in an orbit of a body
At its perigee, the moon appears to be larger in our night's sky
S: nearest point
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Pervasive (adjective)
Having the tendency to permeate or spread throughout
Exaggeration is pervasive in advertising today; I just saw an ad for a diet pill that works overnight!
S: ubiquitous
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Pecuniary (adjective)
Having to do with money
The stockbroker was motivated by pecuniary interests and resorted to insider trading
S: financial
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Pellucid (adjective)
Transparent; easy to understand
If the tax code were more pellucid, thousands of accountants would be out of business
S: clear
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Philistine (noun)
A crass individual guided by material rather than intellectual or artistic values
The author claimed that his many critics were just philistines, who obviously lacked any taste since they didn't appreciate his writing
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Phlegmatic (adjective)
Calm; sluggish; unemotional
Even though Phil seems phlegmatic, I think he actually cares about doing a good job
S: dispassionate
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Picaresque (adjective)
Involving clever rogues or adventurers
Huck Finn is sometimes described as a picaresque hero, since the novel follows his roguish adventures
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Pied (adjective)
Multi-colored, usually in blotches
The jester wore a pied coat of many bright colors
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Pillory (verb)
To punish, hold up to public scorn
The politician was pilloried in the press for his inability to spell potato
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Pine (verb)
To yearn intensely; to languish; to lose vigor
Meredith lost her appetite and became noticeably thinner as she pined for her dog which had been missing for three months
S: mourn, desire
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Pious (adjective)
Extremely reverent or devout
Cleo was so pious that she went to church at least once a day
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Piquant (adjective)
Agreeably pungent, spicy, stimulating
The piquant gumbo was a welcome change after days of bland hospital food
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Pique (noun)
Resentment, feeling of irritation due to hurt pride
In a fit of pique, Chelsea threw her boyfriend's bowling ball out the fourth-story window onto his car
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Pirate (verb)
To illegally use or reproduce
I always heed the warnings and do not pirate materials by making illegal copies
S: steal
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Pith (noun)
The essential or central part
Please stop digressing and get to the pith of your argument
S: core, quintessence
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Pithy (adjective)
Precise and brief
The car had a banal but pithy bumper sticker: "mean people suck."
S: succinct
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Placate (verb)
To appease; to calm by making concessions
Doctors often placate children with lollipops after giving them shots
S: assuage, pacify
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Plaintive (adjective)
Mournful, melancholy, sorrowful
The plaintive strains of the bagpipe made everyone feel as mournful as it sounded
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Plangent (adjective)
Pounding, thundering, resounding
The plangent bells could be heard all over town as they chimed the hour
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Plastic (adjective)
Moldable, pliable, not rigid
This foam is highly plastic and can be molded to almost any shape
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Platitude (noun)
A superficial remark, especially one offered a meaningful
The politician's speech was full of the regular,tired platitudes about "making the world a better place for our children and our children's children"
S: cliche
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Plethora (noun)
An overabundance; a surplus
The plethora of pastries at the bakery made it difficult to decide
S: plenty
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Pluck (noun)
Courage, spunk, fortitude
The prospect of glory and a hot cup of soup gave the soldiers the pluck they needed to keep fighting
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Plumb (verb)
To measure the depth (as with a plumb line), to examine critically
It was the exploratory ship's task to plumb the depth of a section of a section of the Pacific Ocean
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Plummet (verb)
To plunge or drop straight down
I watched my flow pot plummet five stories and then shatter onto the pavement
S: fall, decline
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Polemical (adjective)
Controversial; argumentative
Paula disagrees with many of her college policies and often sends polemical letters to the school paper
S: contentious
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Pragmatic (adjective)
Practical rather than idealistic
Pragmatic solutions often involve cooperation and compromise
S: realistic
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Prattle (verb)
To babble meaninglessly; to talk in an empty idle manner
I couldn't stand to hear my teenage sister prattle on about the prom during dinner, so I left the table
S: chatter, blather, prate
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Precarious (adjective)
Uncertain, risky, dangerous
The house was perched precariously on the edge of the cliff, vulnerable to any mudslide
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Precept (noun)
Rule establishing standards of conduct, a doctrine that is taught
You will violate the precepts of fair play if you peek at my cards
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Precipitate (adjective)
Acting with excessive haste or impulse
The captain was forced to take precipitate action when the storm arrived earlier than he had expected
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Precursor (noun)
Something that precedes and indicates or announces another
Overindulgence is often the precursor to a nasty hang over the next morning
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Predilection (noun)
A disposition in favor of something, preference
Once President Reagan's predilection for jellybeans became known, people sent him tons of them
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Preempt (verb)
To replace, to supersede, to appropriate
My friends preempted my birthday plans by throwing me a surprise party
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Preen (verb)
To dress up; to primp; to groom oneself with elaborate care
Male birds of paradise preen their feathers and clean their nests in order to woo females
S: beautify
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Prescience (noun)
Knowing of events prior to their occurring
The fortune-teller's prescience of death prevented her from leaving the house
S: presage, foreknowledge, insight
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Presumptuous (adjective)
Overstepping due bounds (as of propriety or courtesy); taking liberties
It was very presumptuous of him to ask for a raise after only two months at the company
S: presuming, rash
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Prevaricate (verb)
To deliberately avoid the truth; mislead
When my grandmother asked about her broken vase, my brother and I began to prevaricate
S: mininform, decieve, hedge
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Pristine (adjective)
Pure; uncorrupted; clean
Much of the tundra in northern Canada is still pristine since the region has not been developed
S: untouched
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Prize (verb)
To pry, press or force with a lever
His parents had to prize the trophy from his sleeping fingers, since he insisted on taking it to bed with him
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Probity (noun)
Adherence to highest principle; uprightness
The judge's reputation of probity is well deserved; she recused herself from a case because she had gone to school with the defendant
S: integrity
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Proclivity (noun)
A natural predisposition or inclination
Gerald's main personality flaw is his proclivity to do anything that anyone asks of him
S: penchant
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Prodigal (adjective)
Recklessly wasteful; extravagant
The teacher's pet was given prodigal praise
S: profuse, lavish
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Prodigious (adjective)
Abundant in size, force, or extent; extraordinary
Prodigious numbers of villagers, young and old, traveled to the castle to pay their respects to the departed queen
S: immense
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Profligate (adjective)
Excessively wasteful; recklessly extravagant
The profligate young man racked up quite the credit card-debt
S: prodigal
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Profuse (adjective)
Given or coming forth in great abundance
Dogs tend to shed profuse amounts of fur with the change of the seasons
S: copious, extravagant
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Prolific (adjective)
Producing large volumes or amounts, productive
She was a prolific writer, churning out 100 pages a week
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Prolix (adjective)
Long-winded, verbose
The prolix politician was a natural at filibustering he could talk for hours without stopping
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Propensity (noun)
A natural inclination or tendency
Independent study programs are designed for students who have a propensity for taking cross-curricular courses and have the discipline to do so on their own
S: proclivity
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Propinquity (adjective)
Nearness in time or place, affinity of nature, kinship
His propinquity to the object of his affections made him blush
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Propitiate (verb)
To appease or pacify
They tried to propitiate the storm gods by dancing in the rain and pouring wine on the ground as an offering
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Propitious (adjective)
Auspicious, favorable
The took the clearing of the sky as a propitious omen that the storm was passing
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Propriety (noun)
Appropriateness; conformity with standards of acceptable behavior
Unfortunately, Jean's dinner conversation shocked his new in-laws, whose ideas of propriety were significantly more conservative than his
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Prosaic (adjective)
Dull; unimaginative
Critics bashed the play because of its uncreative and prosaic plot
S: lackluster, commonplace
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Proscribed (verb)
To outlaw or prohibit
Attempts to proscribe swimming in the old quarry were unsuccessful; people continued to do it despite the new rules
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Provident (adjective)
Frugal, looking to the future
His provident financial planning allowed him to buy a small tropical island when he retired.
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Protracted (adjective)
Extended in time '
Protracted contract negotiations prolonged the project
S: prolonged
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Prowess (noun)
Superior skill or daring
The gymnast's athletic prowess shined through her routines during the all-around competition
S: mastery
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Proliferate (verb)
To grow or increase swiftly and abundantly
Without expedient diplomacy, nuclear weapons might proliferate
S: burgeon, propagate
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Puerile (adjective0
Childish, immature
His puerile humor prominently featured fart jokes
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Pugnacious (adjective)
Contentious; quarrelsome; given to fighting
The service industry is no place for pugnacious people
S: belligerent
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Punctilious (adjective)
Precise, paying attention to trivialities, especially in regard to etiquette
Although his punctilious obsession with etiquette is usually very annoying, it is always handy when royalty comes to dine
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Pundit (noun)
An authority on a subject; one who gives opinions
The political pundits had a field day with the senator's corruption charges
S: expert
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Pungent (adjective)
Characterized by a strong, sharp smell or taste
Some people love the pungent aroma of garlic while others find it offensive
S: acrid, pointed
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Pusillanimous (adjective)
Cowardly; craven
The pusillanimous manager preferred to let the employee show up hours late every day rather than confront him
S: timid
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Putrefy (verb)
To rot; to decay and give off a foul odor
Bacteria caused the raw meat to putrefy and stink up the whole refrigerator
S: spoil
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