Transcript 10th Grade Vocabulary - Avon Grove School District

Lets improve
our writing
with some
great
vocabulary
words 
10TH GRADE VOCABULARY
2013-2014 School Year
Increment (noun):

Small increases
Immutable (adjective):
Unchangeable, never changing or
varying

Infinitesimal (adjective):
Immeasurably small; so small it cannot be
calculated

Cower (verb):
To shrink away or crouch especially for
shelter or from something that menaces or
shocks

Telltale (adjective):
Revealing what is meant to be kept secret;
disclosing unintentionally; a telltale smile/ A
Telltale sign of a
scam: being asked
for money upfront

Jettison (verb):
To drop from an aircraft or spacecraft in
flight; to get rid of as superfluous (extra or
unnecessary).

Inure (verb):

To accept something difficult or painful
Apprehension (noun):

Dread; fear of a future event
Ineffably (adjective):
Incapable of being expressed or described in
words; inexpressible: ineffable beauty.

Paramount (adjective):
Supreme; overriding; having supreme
dominance or influence

Annihilate (verb):
To destroy or demolish; to reduce to utter
ruin or nonexistence

Help!!
Irrevocable (adjective):
Unable to be reversed, canceled or
undone

Recoil (verb):

To draw back in fear, surprise or disgust
Denizens (noun):
Inhabitants; residents; or people who
regularly frequent a place.

Pensive (adjective):

Reflective; deep in thought
Dubious (adjective):
Doubtful/unsure/wavering or hesitant in opinion
(a dubious reply); of doubtful/questionable quality
(a dubious compliment); of uncertain outcome (a
dubious battle)

Antipathy (noun):
Feelings of hatred; powerful and deep
dislike

Surreptitiously (adverb):

Sneakily; stealthily; slyly; cautiously
Conspicuous (adjective):
Easily seen or noticed; readily visible or
observable: a conspicuous error

Luminous (adjective):
Glowing or giving off light; also, brilliant
intellectual (a luminous concept)

Undulate (verb):

To form or move in waves
Perceptible (adjective):
Capable of being recognized/observed by
the senses.

Strenuous (adjective):

Calling for energy or stamina
Prophecy (noun):

A prediction of something to come
Deftly (adjective):
Done with great
skill and carefulness;
clever; quick in
movement

Curtly (adjective):
Rudely brief in
speech or abrupt
in manner

Dissemble (verb):
To hide under false appearance;
To conceal facts or mislead
(to dissemble one’s
incompetence in
business);
also, to conceal one’s
true motives

Judicious (adjective):
Wise; characterized as having excellent
judgment

Countenance (noun)
Approval or favor; encouragement;
moral support.

Goad (noun)
To encourage, urge; to
provoke or annoy
(someone) so as to
stimulate some action or
reaction.

Guttural (adjective)
A sound that is harsh or throaty; husky;
rough; raspy

Vindicated (verb):
Cleared from criticism,
blame, guilt, accusation
or suspicion

Invalid (adjective):

Void; without fact, truth or law
Dispensation (noun):
Release or exemption from obligation(s)
EX: Due to his mental health, he was given
dispensation from jury duty.

Idiosyncratic (adjective):
A characteristic, habit, mannerism
that is unique to an
individual; a trait that
is usually eccentric
Or unconventional

Fratricide (noun):

The act of killing one’s own brother
Parsimonious (adjective):
Careful with money or resources; frugal to
the point of stinginess

Reticent (adjective):
Inclined to be silent;
uncommunicative

Retort (noun):
A quick, witty, intelligent reply…. one that
counters the opposing speaker’s words

Baffle (verb):

To confuse, puzzle, perplex or frustrate
Furtive (adjective):
Acting as if trying not to be seen; done
secretly (aka surreptitious)

Tacit (adjective):
Implied or indicated
but not actually
expressed; using
nonverbal
communication to
express your feelings

Capacious (adjective):
Capable of containing a great deal;
spacious, roomy

Contentious (adjective):
Likely to cause an
argument or tending
to argue (a contentious
boss), or characterized
by controversy…
as in a contentious issue.

Prodigious (adjective):
Extraordinary in size
(prodigious research grant);
also, wonderful/marvelous
(prodigious research paper)

Spectral (adjective):
Pertaining to a specter (ghost);
ghostly/phantom

Enmity (noun):
Feelings of hostility,
hatred or ill will

Venerable (adjective):
Commanding a great deal of respect,
especially because of age, wisdom or
character.

Perilous (adjective):
Involving grave risk/peril; dangerous;
hazardous

Ludicrous (adjective):
So absurd, ridiculous or exaggerated as to
cause laughter

Irresolutely (adverb):
In an indecisive way; wavering in decision,
purpose, or opinion; uncertain how to act or
proceed

Misbegotten (adjective):
Badly conceived, made, or carried out:
EX: …a misbegotten plan.

Virtuoso (noun):
A person displaying great knowledge/technical
skill in a particular field (usually in fine arts, singing,
composition, playing a musical instrument).

Opulent (adjective):
Very wealthy or rich in appearance;
luxurious

Mull (verb):
To think over, consider, ponder,
contemplate…

Cacophony (noun):
Disharmony; the unpleasant combination
of loud, harsh sounds

Assimilate (verb):
To take in and incorporate as one’s own.
To conform to new customs and attitudes of
a group/culture/nation. To adjust or adapt.

Apathy (noun)
Lack or
suppression of
passion or
excitement.
Lack of interest in
things others find
exciting.

Bestial (noun)
Without reason or intelligence;
cruel and savage;
inhumane

Benediction (noun)
A formal blessing, or the act of calling
upon God during a religious service

Blandishment (noun)
Flattering remarks
that are meant to
be persuasive

Implore (verb)

To beg (urgently) for aid or mercy
Qualms (noun)
Feelings of unease, doubts, uncertainties,
worries…

Innate (adjective):
Relating to qualities had from birth;
qualities naturally inherent to a person

EX: Even when he's playing the good guy,
there's that innate menace lurking within.
Billet (noun)
Lodging; refers to temporary lodging of
military personnel in private homes

Constraint (noun)
Restriction, especially of feelings or
emotions

Expulsion (verb)

To drive out by force
Harangue (verb)

To be scolded in a noisy or bullying way
Hermetically (adverb)
In an airtight way, as in “hermetically
sealed”

Construe (verb)
To interpret, analyze or explain
something/someone

Entreat (verb)
To make a request, plead or negotiate…
sometimes in a begging way

Mettle (noun)
The quality and
strength of one’s spirit
and character as
in honor, bravery,
courage, etc.

Conspirator (noun)
One who plans with others to commit an illegal
act

Portentous (adjective)
Hinting/foreshadowing evil to come; of a
threatening and warning nature; also,
marvelous/amazing in grandeur

Augment (verb)
To make greater, more numerous, larger,
or more intense

Visage (noun)
The appearance
conveyed by a person’s
facial expression
(a stern visage)

Affable (adjective)
Being pleasant, polite, warm, friendly etc.;
characterized as easy to talk to

Appease (verb)
To bring to a state of peacefulness, to calm
down; to pacify

Malicious (adjective):
Showing or acting on the desire to cause
pain, injury
or distress
to another;
spiteful;
vicious

Orator (noun)
A formal
speaker or
lecturer

Swagger (noun)
Bold arrogance, self-confident outlook,
self-assured behavior

Repulse (verb)
To drive back, repel (to repulse an
intruder)

Comprehensive (adjective)
Including all of the relevant details;
covering completely

Lament (verb)

To express sorrow, mourning and/or regret
Insolence (noun)

Bold disrespect
Ominously (adverb)
In a way that suggests something bad will
happen

Senile (adjective)
Mentally impaired;
mental deterioration
that may accompany
old age

Who
are
Who are
you calling
calling
you
senile?!?
senile?!?
Cajole (verb)

To urge, coax, persuade, entice, charm…
Conundrum (noun)
a puzzle;
a difficult problem

Despondent (adjective)

Feeling depressed, discouraged, hopeless…
Expunge (verb)
To obliterate, eradicate, eliminate
completely… wipe away any trace…

*Fearful of an IRS investigation, Paul tried to expunge all
incriminating evidence from his tax files.
Mesmerizing (adjective)
Fascinating; holding attention as if by
spell; a hypnotic, trance-like state

Nonchalantly (adverb)
Without interest or concern; an indifferent
non-caring attitude

Prefixes
Roots
Suffixes
Pre-chron(in front of, prior, before) (time)
-able –ible
(able to be or become
worth, ability)
Inter(between, among)
-al
(of, like, relating to)
-fact- -fac(make, do)
Anti-rupt(against, the opposite of, (break)
false)
-en
(to make more so, made
to cause/become of)
Intro- Intra- Im- In(in, into, inward)
-tain- -ten(hold)
-ous
(full of, having something)
Ir- Il- Un- Dis- Im- NonMis(not)
-tag- -tang- -tact(touch)
-ion -tion -sion
(act of, state of, result of)
Prefixes
Roots
Suffixes
precede, predetermine,
preview
Chronological,
synchronize
incredible, solvable
international, intercept,
interject, intermission,
internal
artifact, manufacture
criminal, autumnal
antisocial, antipathy
rupture, interrupt
golden, sharpen
implode, introvert,
inbound, intramurals
detention, contain,
content
perilous, adventurous,
misplace, nondescript,
dishonest, unattractive,
immobile, illegible
contact, intact, tangible,
contagious
action, invention