1. He spent years training to become certified to adjudicate for the National Orchid Society.

• Parts: ad(to); judicare (judge); ate (make, do)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: to make a formal judgment or decision about a problem; to judge a competition, to pronounce or declare.

• Antonyms: na

• Variant forms: adjudication (n); adjudicative (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• Adjudicate – (verb)

• Synonyms: judge, adjudge

2. The relative who was going to inherit millions of dollars sobbed when the will was adjudicated to be apocryphal and therefore, invalid.

• Parts: apo (away); crypt (hidden); al (related to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Of questionable authorship or authenticity; Of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated (an urban legend)

• Antonyms: real, genuine, true, authentic, veritable

• Variant forms: apocrypha (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Apocryphal - adj

• Synonyms: fake, counterfeit, false, spurious, bogus

3. A good sense of humor and bonhomie contribute to his charming personality.

• Parts: bon (good); homeo ( man)• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Cheerful friendliness; A pleasant and affable disposition

• Antonyms: rudeness, insolence, sulkiness, sulleness

• Variant forms: bonhomous (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• Bonhomie- noun

• Synonyms: geniality, congeniality, amiability

4. Unlike the other successful athletes who became complacent, he continued to practice daily.

• Parts: com (together); plac (please); ent (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Showing smug satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements; Contented to a fault

• Antonyms: modest, humble, self-effacing

• Variant forms: Complacence (n) complacently (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• Complacent – adj.

• Synonyms: smug, conceited, proud, vain, arrogant

5. They were fortunate to find a witness who would corroborate their account of the accident.

• Parts: cor (together, with) robor (strong) ate (make,do)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: To confirm or give support to; to support or confirm with new evidence; to attest the truth or accuracy of

• Antonyms: deny, reject, refute, disprove, contradict

• Variant forms:corroboration (n) corroborative (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• corroborate - verb

• Synonyms: confirm, certify, endorse, support, assure

6. Her tendency to make derogatory remarks about everybody and everything offends me.

• Parts: de (down); rogat (ask) ory (pertaining to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Showing a critical and disrespectful attitude; Detracting or disparaging

• Antonyms: praising, lauding, laudatory, commending

• Variant forms:derogate(v)derogatorily(adv)derogation(n)

• Context Phrase:

• Derogatory - adj

• Synonyms:belittling, lessening, disparaging, detracting

7. “Until someone can show me the efficacy of this plan, I refuse to vote for it,” said the legislator.

• Parts:ef (out); fic (make, do); acy (state, quality)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: The ability to produce a desired outcome; The power or capacity to produce a desired outcome.

• Antonyms: uselessness, futility, inadequacy

• Variant forms: efficacious(adj) efficaciousness (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Efficacy - noun

• Synonyms: effectiveness, usefulness

8. Memorial garden is a euphemism for cemetery or graveyard.

• Parts: eu (good); phem(name); ism (belief, doctrine)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: A mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be harsh or blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.

• Antonyms: na

• Variant forms: euphemist (n) euphemize (v)

• Context Phrase:

• Euphemism - n

• Synonyms: na

9. Sometimes an attorney’s service will be gratuitous or pro bono if the client is unable to pay.

• Parts: grat (please, thank, favor);ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: given or granted without return or recompense; Given or received without cost or obligation; Unnecessary

• Antonyms: deserved, warranted, forced, earned

• Variant forms: gratuitously (adv); gratuitousness (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Gratuitous – (adj)

• Synonyms: free, voluntary, unprovoked, unjustified

10. The humorous remarks seemed incongruous with the sadness of the occasion.

• Parts: in(not); congrus (agree, meet); ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Not corresponding with or in keeping with the surroundings or other aspects of something; Not consistent with what is logical, customary, or correct.

• Antonyms:compatible, consistent, agreeable, appropriate

• Variant forms: incongruity (n); incongruously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• incongruous – adj.

• Synonyms: absurd, inharmonious, inappropriate

11. A gallon of water could not quench his insatiable thirst after being in the desert so long.

• Parts: in (not); satis (enough); able (capable of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Incapable of being satisfied (usually food or desire)

• Antonyms: quenchable, satisfiable

• Variant forms: insatiability (n), insatiableness (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Insatiable – ( adj.)

• Synonyms: greedy, voracious, gluttonous, piggish

12. A moment or two of levity would have made the long lecture more tolerable for the students.

• Parts: lev (light) ity (state or quality)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect, the state of being light

• Antonyms: gravity, sobriety, seriousness, solemnity

• Variant forms: na

• Context Phrase:

• levity – n.

• Synonyms: lightheartedness, flippancy, foolishness

13. Transformed into a shrine to Elvis, the basement displayed over 10,000 memorabilia and other evidence of monomania.

• Parts: mono (one); mania (obsession, craze)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Pathological obsession with one thing or idea• Intent concentration on or enthusiasm for a subject or

idea

• Antonyms: reasonableness, common sense, normalcy

• Variant forms: monomaniac (n); monomaniacal (adj.)

• Context Phrase:

• Monomania - noun

• Synonyms: obsession, fixation, passion, preoccupation

14. An unethical attorney might choose to pervert the law for his own personal benefit.

• Parts: per (through, thoroughly); vert (turn)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: To alter something from its original course, meaning, or state to a distortion or corruption of what was first intended;one whose sexual behavior is abnormal (n)

• Antonyms: edify, elevate, respect, exalt

• Variant forms: perversion (n) perverted (adj)

• Context Phrase:

• Pervert - verb

• Synonyms: corrupt, debase, distort, subvert, adulterate

15. The king tried to placate the rebellious peasants by offering each a small tract of land.

• Parts: plac (please); ate (make, do, cause)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: To make someone less angry or hostile, usually by yielding concessions

• Antonyms: irritate, provoke, agitate, aggravate, incite

• Variant forms: placation (n); placatory (adj); placater (n)

• Context Phrase:

• placate - verb

• Synonyms: calm, appease, allay, pacify, assuage, mollify

16. Poor academic performance will likely preclude your enrollment in many colleges and universities.

• Parts: pre (before); clud (close, shut)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: To make impossible by previous action, to prevent from happening.

• Antonyms: allow permit, include

• Variant forms: preclusion (n); preclusive (adj.)

• Context Phrase:

• preclude - (v)

• Synonyms: prevent, exclude, prohibit, obviate, forstall

17. The beauty and quietude of the beach at sunrise inspired him to write this poem.

• Parts: quietus (quiet); tude (state of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: A state of stillness, calmness, and quiet in a person or place.

• Antonyms: tumult, commotion, disturbance, uproar

• Variant forms: na

• Context Phrase:

• Quietude - n.

• Synonyms: tranquility, peacefulness, serenity

18. Impressed by the defendant’s confession and sincere apology, the judge reduced his retribution to community service and probation.

• Parts: re (back,again); trib (give, assign); tion (act of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Punishment that is considered morally right and fully deserved; Something given or demanded in payment; requital, usually for evil

• Antonyms: reward, recompense

• Variant forms: retributive (adj.) retributory (adj.)

• Context Phrase:

• retribution - noun.

• Synonyms: punishment, vengeance, revenge, reprisal

19. Although all people should be treated equally in the courts, some verdicts seem more subjective than others.

• Parts: sub (under); ject (throw); ive (capable, able to)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes or opinions; Dependent on the mind or on an individual’s perception for existence

• Antonyms: objective, impartial, factual, fair, real

• Variant forms: subjectively (adv); subjectivity (n)

• Context Phrase:

• Subjective – (adj.)

• Synonyms: prejudiced, biased, partial, illusory

20. The ubiquitous jeans and t-shirts appear at many social events, even at weddings and funerals.

• Parts: ubique (everywhere); ous (full of)

• Educated Guess:

• Definition: Present, appearing, or found everywhere; Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time

• Antonyms: rare, infrequent, unusual, scarce

• Variant forms: ubiquity (n); ubiquitously (adv)

• Context Phrase:

• ubiquitous - adjective

• Synonyms: omnipresent, prevalent, universal