To reduce in amount, degree or severity.

As the hurricane's force ABATED, the winds dropped and the sea became calm.

Abscond

To leave secretly; to steal off and hide.

The patron ABSCONDED from the restaurant without paying his bill by sneaking out the back door.

To choose not to do something.

She ABSTAINED from choosing a mouthwatering dessert from the tray.

An extremely deep hole.

The submarine dove into the ABYSS to chart the previously unseen depths.

To make impure.

The man ADULTERATED the prescription by changing the strenght of the medication. 

To speak in favor of.

The vegetarian ADVOCATED a diet containing no meat.

Concerning the appreciation of beauty.

Followers of the AESTHETIC movement regarded the pursuit of beauty as the only true purpose of art.

To increase in power, influence and reputation.

The grant that Mr. Walk donated to the orphanage AGGRANDIZED his colleges to do the same, to those in need.

To make more bearable.

Taking aspirin helps to ALLEVIATE a headache.

To combine; to mix together.

The Benza-clin topical must be AMALGAMATED before we can give it to the patient.

Doubtful or uncertain; able to be interpreted several ways.

The directions he gave were so AMBIGUOUS that we disagreed on which way to turn.

To make better; to improve.

The doctor was able to AMELIORATE the patient's suffering using painkillers.

Something out of place in time.

The aged hippie used ANACHRONISTIC phrases like groovy and far out that had not been popular for years.

Similar or alike in some way; equivalent to.

The GRE has us find ANALOGOUS words.

Deviating from the normal order, form or rule.

Albino animals may display too great an ANOMALY in their coloring to attract normally colored mates.

To annoy or provoke to anger.

The child discovered that he could ANTAGONIZE the cat by pulling its tail.

Extreme dislike.

The cat is ANTIPATHIC towards the dog.

Lack of interest or emotion.

The APATHY of voters is so great that less than half the people who are eligible to vote actually bother to do so.

To judge a dispute between two opposing parties.

Since the couple could not come to an agreement, a judge was forced to ARBITRATE their divorce proceedings.

Ancient, old-fashioned.

Her ARCHAIC commodore computer could not run the latest software.

Intense and passionate feeling.

Bishop's ARDOR for landscape was evident when he passionately described the beauty of the scenic Hudson Valley.

Able to speak clearly and expressively.

She is such an ARTICULATE defender of labor that unions are among her strongest supporters.

To make something unpleasant less severe; to ease, lessen, appease or pacify.

Serena used aspirin to ASSUAGE her pounding headache.

To reduce in force or degree; to weaken. 

 Evel Knievel's motorcycle was ATTENUATED during the last stunt.

The Bill of Rights ATTENUATED the traditional power of government to change laws at will.

Fearless and daring.

Her AUDACIOUS nature allowed her to fulfill her dream of skydiving.

Severe or stern in appearance; undecorated.

The lack of decoration makes Zen temples seem AUSTERE to the untrained eye.

Predictable, cliched, boring.

He used BANAL pharases like have a nice day or another day, anotehr dollar.

To support; to prop up.

The presence of giant footprints BOLSTERED the argument that Sasquash was in the area.

Pompous in speech and manner.

The dictator's speech were mostly BOMBASTIC; his boasting and outrageous claims had no basis in fact.

Harsh, jarring or discordant in sound.

The junior high orchestra created an almost unbearable CACOPHONY as they tried to tune their instuments. 

Impartial and honest in speech.

The observations of a child can be charming since they are CANDID and unpretentious.

Changing one's mind quickly, often or unpredictably.

She was very CAPRICIOUS to what she wanted to do this weekend.

Catalyst

Something added to a chemical reaction wil increase the speed of the reaction without itself being affected.

 In Chemistry NaOH was added as a CATALYST.

To punish or criticize severely. 

The judge CASTIGATED the man for all the harm he has done.

Harsh or corrosive in tone;Biting in wit; Any chemical substance that burns/destroys living tissue.

Dorothy gained her reputation for CAUSTIC wit from her cutting, yet clever, insults.

Great disorder or confusion.

In most religious traditions, God created an ordered universe free of CHAOS.

Someone prejudiced in favor of a group to which he or she belongs. A man who treats women as though they are inferior to men.

The attitude that men are inherently superior to women and therefore must be obeyed is common among male CHAUVINIST. 

Trickery or subterfuge; diception by means of craft or guile.

Dishonest used car salesmen often use CHICANERY to sell their beat-up old cars.

Cogent

Convincing and well reasoned.

Swayed by the COGENT argument of the defense, the jury had no choice but to acquit the defendant.

To overlook, pardon, or disregard.

Some theorist believe that failing to prosecute minor crimes is the same as CONDONING an air of lawlessness.

Complex, complicated, intricate.

Although many people bought A Brief Hisory of Time, few could follow its CONVOLUTED ideas and theories.

To provide supporting evidence.

Fingerprints CORROBORATED the witness's testimony that he saw the defendant in the victim's apartment.

Too trusting; gullible.

I can be very CREDULOUS at times.

To remember: think of credulous-as lacking in credibility, but making others believe your not.

Steadily increasing volume or force.

The CRESENDO of tension became unbearable as Evel Knievel prepared to jump his motorcycle over the school buses.

Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety.

The children showed DECORUM during the play.

Respect, courtesy.

The respectful young law clerk treated the Supreme Court justice with the utmost DEFERENCE. 

To speak of or treat with contempt; to mock.

The awkward child was often DERIDED by his "cooler" peers.

To dry out thoroughly. 

After a few weeks of lying on the desert's baking sands, the cow's carcass became completely DESICCATED.

Jumping from one thing to another; disconnected.

Diane had a DESULTORY academic record; she had changed majors 12 times in three years.

An abusive, condemnatory speech.

The trucker bellowed a DIATRIBE at the driver who had cut him off.

Lacking self-confidence.

Steve's DIFFIDENT manner during the job interview stemmed from his nervous nature and lack of experience in the field.

To make larger; to expand.

When you enter a darkened room, the pupils in your eyes DILATE to let in more light.

Intended to delay.

The congressman used DILATORY measures to delay the passage of the bill.

Someone with an amateurish and superficial interest in a topic.

Jerry's friends were such DILENTTANTES that they seemed to have new jobs and hobbies every week.

A funeral hymn or mournful speech.

They wrote a DIRGE in honor of him.

To set right, to free from error, to undecieve.

Galileo's obervations DISABUSED scholars of the notion that the Sun revolved around the Earth.

To perceive, to recognize.

It is easy to DISCERN the difference between butter and butter-flavored topping.

Fundamentally distinct or dissimilar; entirely unlike.

Although the twins appear to be identical physically, their personalities are DISPARATE.

To decieve; To present a false appearance; to disguise one's real intentions or character.

The villain could DISSEMBLE to the police no longer-he admitted the deed and tore up the floor to reveal the body of the old man.

A harsh and disagreeable combination, often of sounds.

Cognitive DISSONANCE is the inner conflict produced when long-standing beliefs are contradicted by new evidence.

A firmly held opinion, often a religious belief.

Linus' central DOGMA was that children who believed in the Great Pumpking would be rewarded.

Dictatorial in one's opinions.

The dictator was DOGMATIC-he, and only he, was right.

To deceive; a person who is easily deceived.

Bugs Bunny was able to DUPE Elmer Fudd by dressing up as a lady rabbit.

Selecting from or made up from a variety of sources.

Budapest's architecture is an ECLECTIC mix of eastern and western styles.

Effectiveness

The EFFICACY of penicillin was unsurpassed when it was first introduced; the drug completely eliminated almost all bacterial infections for which it was administered.

A sorrowful poem or speech.

Although Thomas Gray's "ELEGY written in a country churchyard" is about death and loss, it urges its readers to endure this life, and to trust in spirituality.

Persuasive and moving, especially in speech.

The Gettysburg Address is moving not only because of its lofty sentiments but also because of its ELOQUENT words.

To weaken, reduce in vitality.

The chemotherapy drugs ENERVATE the patient's body. 

To produce, cause, or bring about.

His fear and hatred of clowns was ENGENDERED when he witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a clown. 

A puzzle; a mystery.

Speaking in riddles and dressed in olf robes, the artist gained a reputatin as something of an ENIGMA.

To count, list or itemize.

Moses returned from the mountain with tablets on which the commandments were ENUMERATED.

Lasting a short time.

The lives of mayflies seem EPHEMERAL to us, since the flies' average life span is a matter of hours.

To use expressions of double meaning in order to mislead.

When faced with criticism of his policies, the politician EQUIVOCATED and left all parties thinking he agreed with them.

Wandering and unpredictable.

The plot seemed predictable until it suddenly took a series of ERRATIC turns that surprised the audience. 

Learned, scholarly, bookish.

The annual meeting of philosophy professors was a gathering of the most ERUDITE, well-published individuals in the field. 

Known or understood by only a few.

Only a handful of experts are knowledgeable about the ESOTERIC world of particle physics.

Admirable.

Most people consider it ESTIMABLE that Mother Teresa spent her life helping the poor of India.

Speech in praise/honor of someone.

His best friend gave the EULOGY, outlining his many achievments and talents.

Use of an inoffensive word or phrase in place of a more distastful one.

The funeral director preferred to use the EUPHEMISM "sleeping" instead of the word "dead". 

To make worse.

It is unwise to take aspirin to try to relieve heartburn; instead of providing relief, the drug will only EXACERBATE the problem.

To clear from blame; prove innocent.

The adversarial legal system is intended to convict those who are guilty and to EXCULPATE those who are innocent.

Urgent; Requiring immediate action.

The patient was losing blood so rapidly that it was EXIGENT to stop the source of the bleeding.

To clear of blame.

The fugitive was EXONERATED when another criminal confessed to committing the crime.

Clearly stated or shown; forthright in expression.

The owners of the house left a list of EXPLICIT instructions detailing their house-sitters' duties, including a schedule for watering the house plants.

Acting excessively enthusiastic; filled with extreme, unquestioned devotion.

The stormtroopers were FANATICAL in their devotion to the Emperor, readily sacrificing their lives for him.

To grovel.

The understudy FAWNED over the director in hopes of being cast in the part on a permanent basis.

Intensely emotional; feverish.

The fans of Maria Callas were unusually FERVID, doing anything to catch a glimpse of the great opera singer.

Excessively decorated or embellished.

The palace had been decorated in an excessively FLORID style; every surface had been carved and gilded.

To arouse or incite.

the protesters tried to FOMENT feeling against the war through their speeches and demonstrations.

A tendency to be thrifty or cheap.

Scrooge McDuck's FRUGALITY was so great that he accumulated enough wealth to fill a giant storehouse with money.

Garrulous

Tending to talk a lot.

The GARRULOUS parakeet distracted its owner with its continuous talking. 

Outgoing, sociable.

She was so GREGARIOUS that when she found herself alone she felt quite sad.

Deceit or Trickery.

Since he was not fast enough to catch the roadrunner on foot, the coyote resorted to GUILE in an effort to trap his enemy.

Easily deceived.

The con man pretended to be a bank officer so as to fool GULLIBLE bank customers into giving him their account information. 

Of a similar kind.

The class was fairly HOMOGENOUS, since almost all of the students were senior journalism majors.

One who opposes established beliefs, customs, and institutions.

His lack of regard for traditional beliefs soon established him as an ICONOCLAST.

Not capable of being disturbed.

The counselor had so much experience dealing with distraught children that she seemed IMPERTURBABLE, even when faced with the wildest tantrums. 

Impossible to penetrate, incapable of being affected.

A good raincoat will be IMPERVIOUS to moisture. 

Quick to act without thinking.

It is not good for an investment broker to be IMPETUOUS, since much thought should be given to all the possible options.

Unable to be calmed down or made peaceful.

His rage at the betrayal was so great that he remained IMPLACABLE for weeks.

Not fully formed; disorganized.

The ideas expressed in Nietzsche's mature work also appear in an INCHOATE form in his earliest writing.

Artless, frank, candid, lacking in sophistication; showing innocence or childlike simplicity.

The speach that the student gave was INGENUOUS, indicating that he did not do enough research. 

Hostile, unfriendly.

Even though the children had grown up together they were INIMICAL to each other at school. 

Harmless, causing no damage.

Vaccines are INNOCUOUS.

Some snakes are INNOCUOUS, while others are poisonous.

Lacking interest or flavor.

The critic claimed that the painting was INSIPID, containing no interesting qualities at all. 

Uncompromising; refusing to be reconciled.

The professor was INSTRASIGENT on the deadline, insisting that everyone turn the assignment in at the same time.

To overwhelm; to cover with water.

The tidal wave INUNDATE Atlantis, which was lost beneath the water.

Easily made angry.

Attila the Hun's IRASCIBLE and violent nature made all who dealt with him fear for their lives.

Using few words.

She was a LACONIC poet who built her reputation on using words as sparingly as possible. 

To express sorrow; to grieve.

The children continuted to LAMENT the death of the goldfish weeks after its demise.

To praise highly; to glorify.

Parades and fireworks were staged to LAUD the success of the rebels.

To give unsparingly (v.); Extremely generous or extravagant (adj.)

She LAVISHED the puppy with so many treats that it soon became overweight and spoiled. 

Acting in an indifferent or slow, sluggish manner.

The clerk was so LETHARGIC that, even when the store was slow, he always had a long line in front of him.

talkative

She was naturally LOQUACIOUS, which was a prblem in situations in which listening was more important than talking. 

Clear and easily understood.

The explainationswere written in a simple and LUCID manner, allowing students to be able to apply what they learned.

Bright, Brilliant, Glowing.

The park was bathed in LUMINOUS sunshine which warmed the bodies and the souls of the visitors. 

To evade responsibility by pretending to be ill.

A common way to avoid the draft was by MALINGERING. 

Capable of being shaped.

Gold is the most MALLEABLE of precious metals; it can easily be formed into almost any shape.

A figure of speech comparing two different things; a symbol.

The METAPHOR "a sea of trobles" suggests a lot of troubles by comparing their number to the vastness of the sea.

Extremely careful about details.

To find all the clues at the crime scene, the investigators METICULOUSLY examined every inch of the area.

A person who dislikes others.

The character Scrooge in A Chirstmas Carol is such a MISANTHROPE that even the sight of children singing makes him angry.

To soften; to lessen

A judge may MITIGATE a sentence if she decides that a person committed a crime out of need.

To calm or make less severe.

Their argument was so intense that it was difficult to believe any compromise would MOLLIFY them.

Lack of variation.

When eating out, our choices MONOTONY.

Lacking sophistication or experience.

Having never traveled before, the hillbillies were more NAIVE than the people they met in Beverly Hills.

Hardened in feeling; resistant to persuasion.

The President was completely OBDURATE on the issue, and no amount of persuation would change his mind. 

Overly submissive and eager to please.

The OBSEQUIOUS new associate made sure to compliment his supervisor's tie and agree with him on every issue. 

Stubborn, unyielding.

The OBSTINATE child could not be made to eat any food that he disliked.

To prevent; to make unnecessary.

The river was shallow enough to wade across at many points, which OBVIATED the need for a bridge.

Occlude

To stop up; to prevent the passage of.

A shadow is thrown across the Earth's surface during a solar eclipse, when the light from the sun is OCCLUDED by the moon.

Troublesome and oppressive; burdensome.

The assignment was so extensive and difficult to manage that it proved ONEROUS to the team in charge of it.

Impenetratable by light; Impossible to see through; preventing the passage of light.

The heavy buildup of dirt and grim on the windows almost made them OPAQUE.

Excessive Showiness.

The OSTENTATION of the Sun King's court is evident in the lavish decoration and luxuriousness of his palace at Versailles.

A contradiction or dilemma.

It is a PARADOX that those most in need of medical attention are often those least able to obtain it.

Model of excellence or perfection.

She is the PARAGON of what a judge should be:  honest, intelligent, hardworking and just.

Someone who shows off learning.

The graduate instructor's tedious and excessive commentary on the subject soon gained her a reputation as a PEDANT.

Willing to betray's one's trust.

The actress's PERFIDIOUS companion revealed all of her intimate secrets to the gossip columnist.

Done in a routine way; indifferent.

The machinelike bank teller processed the transaction and gave the waiting customer a PERFUNCTORY smile.

To penetrate.

This miraculous new cleaning fluid is able to PERMEATE stains and dissolve them in minutes.

Charity; a desire or effort to promote goodness.

New York's Metropolitian Museum of Art owes much of its collection to the PHILANTHROPY of private collectors who willed their estates to the museum.

To soothe or pacify.

The burglar tried to PLACATE the snarling dog by saying, "Nice Doggy" and offering it a treat.

Abel to be molded, altered, or bent.

The new material was very PLASTIC and could be formed into products of vastly different shape.

Excess/Abundance

Assuming that more was better, the defendant offered the judge a PLETHORA of excuses.

Practical as opposed to idealistic.

While daydreaming gamblers think they can get rich by frequenting casinos, PRAGMATIC gamblers realize that the odds are heavily stacked against them. 

To lie or deviate from the truth.

Rather than admit that he had overslept again, the employee PREVARICATED and claimed that heavy traffic had prevented him from arriving at work on time.

Fresh and clean; uncorrupted.

Since concerted measures had been taken to prevent looting, the archeological site was sill PRISTINE when researchers arrived.

Lavish, wasteful.

The PRODIGAL Son quickly wasted all of his inheritance on a lavish lifestyle devoted to pleasure.

To increase in number quickly.

Although he only kept two guinea pigs initially, they PROLIFERATED to such an extent that he soon had dozens.

To conciliate; to appease.

The management PROPITATED the irate union by agreeing to raise wages for its members.

Correct behavior; obedience to rules and customs.

The aristocracy maintained a high level of PROPRIETY, adhering to even the most minor social rules.

Wisdom, caution, or restraint.

The college student exhibited PRUDENCE by obtaining practical experience along with her studies, which greatly strengthened her resume.

Sharp and irritating to the senses.

The smoke from the burning tires was extremely PUNGENT.

Stillness, motionless; at rest.

Many animals are QUIESCENT over the winter months, minimizing activity in order to conserve energy.

To make thinner or sparser.

Since the atmosphere RAREFIES as altitudes increase, the air at the top of very tall mountains is too thin to breathe.

To reject the validity of

The old woman's claim that she was Russian royalty was REPUDIATED when DNA tests showed she was of no relation to them. 

Silent, reserved

Physically small and RETICENT in her speech, Joan often went unnoticed by those upon whom she was reporting.

Rhetoric

Effective writing or speaking.

Lincoln's talent for RHETORIC was evident in his beautifully expressed Gettysburg Address.

To satisfy fully or overindulge.

His desire for power was so great taht nothing less than complete control of the country could SATIATE it. 

Causing sleep or lethargy.

The movie proved to be so SOPORIFIC that soon loud snores were heard throughout the theater.

Deceptively attractive; seemingly plausible but fallacious.

The student's SPECIOUS excuse for being late sounded legitimate, but was proved otherwise when his teacher called his home.

A mark of shame or discredit.

In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne was required to war the letter "A" on her clothes as a public STIGMA for her adultery.

Unemotional; lacking sensitivity.

The prisoner appeared STOLID and unaffected by the judge's harsh sentence.

Lofty or grand

The music was so SUBLIME that it transformed the rude surroundings into a special place.

Done without using words.

Although not a word had been said, everyone in the room knew that a TACIT agreement had been made about which course of action to take.

Silent, not talkative.

The clerk's TACITURN nature earned him the nickname "Silent Bob"

Long, harsh speech or verbal attack.

Observers were shocked at the manager's TIRADE over such a mnor mistake.

Extreme mental and physical sluggishness.

After surgery, the patient experienced TORPOR until the anesthesia wore off.

Temporary, lasting a brief time.

The reporter lived a TRANSITORY life, staying in one place only long enough to cover the current story.

Vacillate

To sway physically; to be indecisive.

The customer held up the line as the VACILLATED between ordering chocolate chip or rocky road ice cream.

To respect deeply

In a traditional Confucian society, the young VENERATE their elders, deferring to the elders' wisdom and experience. 

Filled with truth and accuracy.

She had a reputation for VERACITY, so everyone trusted her description of events.

Wordy

The professor's answer was so VERBOSE that his student forgot what the original question had been.

To annoy

The old man who loved his peace and quiet was VEXED by his neighbor's loud music.

Easily aroused or changeable; lively or explosive.

His VOLATILE personality made it difficult to predict his reaction to anything.

Waver

To fluctuate between choices.

If you WAVER too long before making a decision about which testing site to register for, you may not get your first choice.

Acting in a fanciful or capricious manner; unpredictable.

The ballet was WHIMSICAL, delighting the children with its imaginative characters and unpredictable sets.

Zeal

Passion, Excitement

She brought her typical ZEAL to the project, sparking enthusiasm in the other team members.