Assent (v.)

“There was a murmur of assent.”

Assent (v.): To express agreementSynonyms: Acceptance, approval

Antonyms: Disagreement, rejection

Bravado (n.)

“Ralph surprised himself by the bravado of its intention.”

Bravado (n.): A pretentious, swaggering display of courage

Synonyms: Boasting, bragging

Antonyms: Cowardice, fear

Cessation (n.)

“Piggy, reassured by the cessation of violence, stood up carefully.”

Cessation (n.): The stopping of something

Synonyms: Break, cease

Antonyms: Beginning, commencement

Contrite (adj.)

“The leaves came apart and fluttered down. Simon’s contrite

face appeared…”

Contrite (adj.): Extremely apologetic; remorseful

Synonyms: Sorrowful, regretful

Antonyms: Hurtful, mean

Demure (adj.)

“Ages ago they had stood in two demure rows…”

Demure (adj.): Characterized by shyness or modesty; reservedSynonyms: Bashful, humble

Antonyms: Aggressive, bold

Discursive (adj.)

“The assembly shredded away and became a discursive and

random scatter…”

Discursive (adj.): Rambling; moving from one topic to another randomly

Synonyms: Long-winded, wandering

Antonyms: Abbreviated, brief

Essayed (v.)

“He wagged his spear and essayed fierceness.”

Essayed (v.): Attempted

Synonyms: Endeavor, seek

Antonyms: Forget, neglect

Fervor (n.)

“If Jack was astonished by their fervor he did not show it.”

Fervor (n.): Great intensity of feeling or belief

Synonyms: Eagerness, passion

Antonyms: Apathy, coolness

Furtive (adj.)

“There was a slight, furtive boy whom no one knew…”

Furtive (adj.): Secret in an underhanded way; stealthy

Synonyms: Cunning, hidden

Antonyms: Honest, open

Impervious (adj.)

“So they sat, the rocking, tapping, impervious Roger…”

Impervious (adj.): Incapable of being damaged or penetrated Synonyms: Immune, unaffected

Antonyms: Exposed, open

Inimical (adj.)

“This would rouse those striped and inimical creatures from their

feasting by the fire.”

Inimical (adj.): Hostile; antagonistic Synonyms: Harmful, unfriendly

Antonyms: Friendly, hospitable

Inscrutable (adj.)

“Jack lifted his head and stared at the inscrutable masses of creeper

that lay across the trail.”

Inscrutable (adj.): Difficult to understand; mysterious

Synonyms: Ambiguous, unexplainable

Antonyms: Clear, obvious

Specious (adj.)

“Ralph had been deceived before now by the specious appearance of

depth in a beach pool…”

Specious (adj.): Pleasing to the eye, but deceptive; superficial

Synonyms: Inaccurate, untrue

Antonyms: Real, true

Tacit (adj.)

“Jack nodded, and by tacit consent they left the shelter…”

Tacit (adj.): Understood, silent, not spoken; implicit

Synonyms: Assumed, suggested

Antonyms: Explicit, specific

Ungainly (adj.)

“The figure… trod with ungainly feet the tops of the high trees…”

Ungainly (adj.): Not graceful; clumsy

Synonyms: Gawky, awkward

Antonyms: Elegant, graceful

Academic Vocabulary WordsBenefit (n. or v.): A good or helpful result or effect

Concept (n.): An idea of what something is or how it works

Consist (v.): To be composed or made up of

Context (n.): The interrelated conditions in which something exists or occurs

Constitute (v.): To make up or form something