Vocabulary Workshop Unit 2: #s 1-20 www.vocabularyworkshop.com adverse (adj.) unfavorable, negative; working against, hostile Synonyms: difficult, trying Some people suffer an adverse reaction if they eat peanut butter or anything with
peanuts. arid (adj.) extremely dry; uninteresting, dull Synonyms: waterless, parched, boring, unimaginative Although California leads the nation in farming, crops wont grow in its most arid regions.
assailant (n.) a person who attacks violently (with blows or words) Synonyms: assaulter, attacker, mugger The jogger was injured by an unknown assailant who left him immobile on the side of the road.
billow (n.) a large wave Synonym: breaker (v.) to rise or swell like a wave Synonym: surge, bulge, balloon Fans cheered enthusiastically
when they saw their teams flags billow over the stadium. confront (v.) to meet face-to-face, especially as a challenge; comes to grips with Synonym: face, encounter In court, defendants can
confront their accusers in a controlled setting. constrain (v.) to force, compel, to restrain, hold back Synonyms: pressure, restrict, confine, limit You cant constrain me against my will.
contemporary (adj.) belonging to the same period of time as oneself Synonyms: present-day, modern, current (n.) a person of the same time Synonyms: peer His novel used a contemporary style but had a historical setting. Rather than ask parents for
help, teens often turn to a contemporary for advice. depict (v.) to portray; to represent or show in a form of a picture Synonym: sketch, draw, picture, illustrate The painter chose to depict a plain prairie landscape using bold colors and shadows.
disinterested (adj.) fair-minded, free from selfish motives; indifferent Synonyms: neutral, impartial, unbiased, apathetic A judge must remain disinterested in order to render an evenhanded and logical decision.
encompass (v.) to encircle, go or reach around; to enclose; to include with a certain group or class Synonyms: surround, envelop, comprise Oceans encompass about three-fourths of the surface of our planet.
groundless (adj.) without any good reason or cause, unjustified Synonyms: baseless, unsupported Joes groundless fear of hurting himself during exercise has left him weak and out of shape. hypocrite
(n.) a person who pretends to be what he or she is not or better than he or she really is; a two-faced person Synonyms: phony, charlatan, fraud The speaker who said one thing but did something else entirely was regarded as a hypocrite. incomprehensible
(adj.) impossible to understand Synonyms: baffling, confusing, bewildering Our schools intercom system is so old that this mornings announcements were almost incomprehensible. manipulate (v.) to handle or use skillfully; to
manage or control for personal gain or advantage Synonyms: work, maneuver, exploit, influence Scientist should not manipulate data. maximum (n.) the greatest possible amount or degree (adj.) reaching the greatest
possible amount or degree Synonyms: largest, highest, utmost The postage scale can weigh a maximum of only five pounds. mimic (n.) a person who does imitations Synonym: copycat,
impersonator (v.) to imitate; to make fun of Synonym: parrot, impersonate The comedy troupe has many talented members, but it still needs to hire a good mimic. ruffle (v.) to wrinkle, make uneven; to
annoy, upset, to flip through (n.) a gathered strip of material used for trimming edges; a ripple; a low drumbeat Synonyms: (v.) disturb (n.) frill Try not to let wisecracks ruffle your feelings. My favorite pillow is soft and fluffy to the touch and has a velvet ruffle.
serene (adj..) peaceful, calm; free of emotional upset; clear and free of storm; majestic, grand Synonyms: tranquil, composed, fair, august How does she manage to stay so serene in the face of such chaos.
sheepish (adj.) embarrassed; resembling a sheep in meekness, timid Synonyms: shamefaced, meek His sheepish grin made the crowds cheer all the more for his unlikely victory.
stamina (n.) the strength needed to keep going or overcome physical or mental strain; staying power Synonym: endurance Marathon runners need a great deal of stamina.
