Wordlist A-1(abase – acumen)

abase•Behave in a very humble way

The new servant hated behaving in an abase manner in front of his royal employers.

abash • Embarrass

The writer felt abashed seeing the amount of attention he was receiving.

abate • Subside• Moderate

By the next morning, the flood waters had abated considerably.

abbreviate • Shorten

Because she was running out of time, the lecturer had to abbreviate her speech.

abdicate • Renounce• Give up

He abdicated his entire estate and retired into the forests, spending the rest of his life in a log cabin.

aberration • Abnormality • Departure from the norm

It remains the consensus among investors on Wall Street that current high oil prices are a temporary aberration and that we shall soon see a return to cheap oil.

abet • Assist, usually in doing something wrong• Encourage

She was unwilling to abet him in the swindle he had planned.

abeyance •Suspended action

The storm showed no signs of abeyance.

abhor •Detest •Hate

She abhorred all forms of flattery.

abject • Wretched• Lacking pride

More than three million people in India are said to live in abject poverty.

abjure • Renounce upon oath

To save his skin, he simply abjured every statement they made.

ablution • Washing

It is the traditional custom to enter any religious place after our ablutions.

abnegation •Renunciation•Self-sacrifice

The more they tried to make him confess, the more he sank into abnegation.

abolish • Cancel • Put an end to

The Principal of the college refused to abolish the Physical Education requirement.

abominable •Detestable• Extremely unpleasant •Very bad

He is known for his abominable taste of dressing and etiquette.

aboriginal • Being the first of its kind in a region• Primitive• Native

Her studies of the primitive art forms of the aboriginal Africans were widely reported in the scientific journals.

abortive •Unsuccessful• fruitless

Attacked by armed troops, the Chinese students had to abandon their abortive attempt to democratize Beijing peacefully.

abrasive •Rubbing away•Tending to grind down

The builder explained that the material was abrasive and hence would easily crumble to powder.

abridge •Condense•Shorten

As the publishers felt that the public wanted a shorter version of ‘War and Peace’, they proceeded to abridge the novel.

abrogate •Abolish•Repeal

It was Abraham Lincoln who took the initiative to abrogate slavery in America.

abscission •Removed by sending off, as in surgery•Separation

Gangrene spreads so swiftly and is so potentially deadly that doctors advise abscission.

abscond •Depart secretly and hide

The clerk who absconded with the cash was not captured until someone recognized him from his photograph on ‘India’s Most Wanted’.

absolve •Pardon an offense•Forgive•Acquit

The priest put his hand on Ned’s head and said that he would pray to God and ask him to absolve him of all his sins.

abstain •Refrain•Withhold from participation

On every Tuesday, Jim abstains from meat and alcohol.

abstemious •Sparing in eating and drinking

Concerned whether her son’s abstemious diet provided sufficient protein, the worried mother pressed food on him.

abstinence •Restraint from eating or drinking

The doctor recommended total abstinence from salted food.

abstruse •Obscure•Profound•Difficult to understand

The abstruse content of the Shakespearean text completely baffled him.

abusive•Coarsely insulting•Physically harmful

She has been coping for years with a drunk and abusive husband.

abut •Border upon •Adjoin

Where our estates abut, we must build a fence.

abysmal •Bottomless

The abysmal performance of the team in the recent tournament sorely disappointed the coach.

abyss •Enormous chasm•Vast, bottomless pit

The hero of the film seized the evil terrorist and hurled him into the abyss.

accede •agree

If Jack accedes to the demand for blackmail, he’s afraid that he’ll be the victim of future demand.

accessible •Easy to approach

We asked our guide whether the ruins were accessible on foot.

accessory •Additional object•Useful but not essential thing

Today, a trendy cell phone is not just a gadget but also a fashion accessory to flaunt in public.

acclaim •Applaud•Announce with great approval

Her beautiful performance onstage was greatly acclaimed by the audience.

acclimate •Adjust to climate or environment•Adapt

One of the difficulties of our present age is the need of travellers to acclimate themselves to their new and often strange environments.

acclivity •Sharp upslope of a hill

The car could not go up the acclivity in high gear.

accolade •Award of merit

In Hollywood, an ‘Oscar’ is the highest accolade.

accomplice •Partner in crime

Because she had provided the criminal with the lethal weapon, she was arrested as an accomplice in the murder.

accord •Agreement

She was in complete accord with the verdict.

accost •Approach and speak first to a person

When the two young men accosted her, she was frightened because she thought they were going to attack her.

accoutre •Equip

The fisherman was accoutred with the best that the sporting goods store could supply.

accretion •Growth• Increase

Over the years Bob put on weight, because of this accretion of flesh, he went from size M to size XL.

accrue •Comes about by addition

You must pay the interest that has accrued on your debt as well as the principal sum.

acerbity •Bitterness of speech and temper

The meeting of the Parliament was marked with such acerbity that little hope of reaching a common consensus could be seen.

acetic•Vinegary

The pickle had an exceedingly acetic flavor.

acidulous•Slightly sour•Sharp•Caustic

James was unpopular because of his sarcastic and acidulous remarks.

acknowledge •Recognize•Admit

The greeting of the student was acknowledged by a curt nod of the professor.

acme •Peak•Pinnacle•Highest point

The actor’s success in receiving the Oscar award marked the acme of his career, never again did he achieve such acclaim.

acoustics •Science of sound•Quality that makes a room easy or hard to hear in

This auditorium is liked by music lovers because of its fine acoustics.

acquiesce •Assent•Agree passively

Although she appeared to acquiesce to the employer’s suggestions, one could tell she had reservations about making the changes.

acquittal •Deliverance from a charge

His acquittal by the judge surprised those who had thought him guilty.

acrid •Sharp•Bitterly pungent

The acrid odour of burnt gunpowder filled the room after the pistol had been fired.

acrimonious •Bitter in words or manner

The candidate attacked his opponent in highly acrimonious terms.

acrophobia •Fear of heights

A born salesman, he could convince someone with acrophobia to sign up for a membership in a sky-diving club.

actuarial •Calculating•Pertaining to insurance•Statistics

According to recent actuarial tables, life expectancy is greater today than it was a century ago.

actuate•Motivate

Jim failed to understand what actuated Lisa to reply to his letter so nastily.

acuity •Sharpness

In time, his youthful acuity of vision failed him , and he needed glasses.

acumen •Mental keenness

Her business acumen helped her to succeed where others had failed.

Wordlist A-2(adage-agrarian)

adage •Wise saying•Proverb

There is much truth in the old adage about fools and their money.

addendum •Addition•Appendix to a book

This year, the company has put in a new addendum to the existing set of rules and regulations.

addle •Muddle•Drive crazy

Ken became addled by all this talk because he just couldn’t understand what Dorothy was saying.

adept •Expert at

Stand up comedians are adept at the fine at of imitating others.

adhere •Stick fast

The accused said he would adhere to his statement until proven guilty.

adherent•Supporter•Follower

The little puppy stuck to Jane like an adherent.

adjacent •Adjoining•Neighbouring•Close by

Philip’s best friend Jason lived in the adjacent house, just five feet away.

adjunct •Something attached to, but holding an inferior position

Lastly, the lawyer made another adjunct to the will on the advice of the client.

adjuration •Solemn urging

Broken hearted with the verdict, the captain decided to make an adjuration to a higher court.

adjutant •Staff officer assisting the commander•Assistant

Jerry had secured a summer job as the chemist’s adjutant.

admonish •Warn•Reprove

When her husband questioned her religious beliefs, Mary admonished him, declaring that she would worship as she pleased.

adorn • Decorate• Ornament• Beautify• Enhance• Embellish

The lady loved to adorn herself with gold and diamond jewellery.

adroit • Skillful• Clever• Adept• Dexterous

Being an army officer’s daughter, she was quite adroit at all the physical exercises they asked her to do.

adulation •Flattery•Admiration

By now, the film star was sick of all the adulation he was drawing.

adulterate •Make impure by adding inferior substances

It is a crime to adulterate food without informing the buyer.

advent •Arrival

Ever since the advent of mobile telephones, the world of communication has been completely revolutionized.

adventitious•Accidental•Casual

That they would meet like this at a coffee shop after twenty years of being separated was too adventitious to believe.

adversary •Opponent•Enemy•Foe

One should never underestimate his adversaries.

adversity•Poverty•Misfortune

We must learn to meet adversity gracefully.

advert•Refer to

Since you advert to this matter so frequently, you must regard it as important.

advocacy •Support•Active pleading on behalf of someone or something

No threats could dissuade Peter from his advocacy of the rights of the slum dwellers.

advocate•Urge•Plead for

What was really shocking was that he advocated the use of violence in their protests.

aegis •Shield•Defense

Under the aegis of the local trade union, a new community store was opened.

aerie •Nest of a large bird of prey like an eagle or hawk

The hunter was arrested for attacking an aerie of a bald eagle, as they are an endangered species.

aesthetic •Artistic•Dealing with or capable of appreciating the beautiful

The beauty of Tiffany’s stained glass appealed to Alice’s aesthetic sense.

affable •courteous

Jim had seemed like an affable person to Veronica, but his neighbour said he was often rude to her family.

affidavit•Written statement made under oath

They made him sign an affidavit before releasing him.

affiliation • Joining•Associating with

The local school seeked affiliation with a foreign educator for bringing in new innovations in the teaching methodology.

affinity •Kinship

Angel has an affinity for street dogs and puppies and often brings them home for caring.

affirmation •Confirmation

The audience were to signal their affirmation by waving a green card.

affix •Attach or add on•Fasten

One has to affix stamps on the letters before posting them or else they would be returned back.

affliction •State of distress•Cause of suffering

Even in the midst of her affliction, Jane tried to keep up the spirits of those around her.

affluence •Abundance•Wealth

Even before entering the bungalow, the family’s affluence was clearly obvious by the number of imported cars parked outside.

affront • Insult•Offend

The businessman considered it a personal affront when he was not seated in the front row at the programme.

agape •Open-mouthed

The crowd stared agape as the soldiers broke open the store and dragged out the shopkeeper.

agglomeration •Collection•Heap

John’s post-nuptial party boasted an agglomeration of intellectuals, media barons, industrialists and the like.

aggrandize• Increase or intensify•Raise in power, wealth, rank or honor

His migraine was aggrandized to a peak by the loud blaring music.

aggregate •Gather•Accumulate

Many politicians have allegedly managed to aggregate great wealth because of their corrupt ways.

aghast •Horrified

She was aghast to hear that she had lost her job.

agility •Nimbleness

The agility of sportspersons is one of the prime factors for winning the match.

agnostic •One who is skeptical

(doubtful) of the existence of God or any ultimate reality

There was no celebration for Christmas in their house because they were agnostics.

agog •Highly excited• Intensely curious

The audience was all agog with curiosity, wanting to know more about the daily schedule of the film star.

agrarian •Pertaining to land or its cultivation

His ancestral home was located in an agrarian and rural part of the country.

Wordlist A-3(alacrity – amputate)

alacrity •Cheerful promptness•Eagerness

The children were excited to go for the picnic, and they packed their camping gear in the jeep with alacrity.

alchemy •Medieval chemistry

The old sage was skilled in alchemy and occult sciences.

alcove •Nook•Recess

She sat quietly by the alcove with a book in her hands.

alias•An assumed name

His most commonly used alias was ‘Carlos’.

alienate•Make hostile•Separate

Her very attitude seemed to alienate people instead of drawing them close to her.

alimony•Payments made to an ex-spouse after divorce

After the divorce, most of his income was taken up by the hefty alimony he had to send to his former wife.

allay •Calm•Pacify

Their fear of the tiger attacking them was allayed when the zookeeper assured them that the animal was well-trained.

allege •State without proof

Later they even dared to allege that he had helped the prisoner to escape.

allegiance •Loyalty

The football fan maintained allegiance to the club he had been supporting since he was a child.

allegory •Story in which characters are used as symbols•Fable

Gulliver’s Travels is an allegory wherein the Lilliputians are symbolic of the British government at that time.

alleviate •Relieve

The painkillers were unsuccessful in alleviating his stomach ache.

allocate •Assign

The group members were allocated different tasks according to their skills.

alliteration •Occurrence of the same letter

or sound at the beginning of words next to each other

‘Coca Cola’, is the best example of an alliteration.

allude •Refer indirectly

‘Which example are you alluding to?’ asked the professor.

allure •Entice•Attract

Jiah has a unique sense of charm and allure which makes her extremely popular among the men.

allusion • Indirect reference

She was perhaps making a reference or allusion to the incident that had taken place five years ago.

aloft •Upward

Beaming with pride, he held aloft the trophy and kissed it before the roaring crowds.

aloof •Apart•Reserved

He stood by himself aloof from the crowd.

altercation •Noisy quarrel

As per the eyewitnesses, the altercation between the two men started because of the lady accompanying them.

altruistic •Unselfishly generous•Concerned for others

Because of his altruistic nature, he has no qualms about donating even millions to charity.

amalgamate •Combine•Unite in one body

The unions will attempt to amalgamate their groups into one national body.

amass •Collect

Over the years, she has managed to amass hordes of supporters for her political party.

ambidextrous •Capable of using either hand with equal ease

To be skilled at that game, you need to be ambidextrous and make use of both your hands at equal ease.

ambience •Environment•Atmosphere

The restaurant had a relaxed ambience and feel to it, you couldn’t help but feel comfortable.

ambiguous •Unclear or doubtful in meaning

His ambiguous directions misled us ; we did not know which road to take.

ambivalence •The state of having

contradictory or conflicting emotional attitudes

Torn between loving her parents one minute and hating them the next, she was confused by the ambivalence of her feelings.

amble •Moving at an easy pace

Soaking in the lush greenery around them, they ambled along behind the guide on the long winding road.

ambrosia •Food of the gods

After weeks of eating bland, tasteless food, the dinner cooked by Zoya felt as good as ambrosia to Neil.

ambulatory •Able to walk

Being still in an ambulatory stage, Mr. Rogers will not resume duty for another fortnight or so.

ameliorate • Improve

It was his deep-seated desire to ameliorate and improve the condition of his poorer relations.

amenities •Convenient features

Even the most basic amenities were not available in that village.

amenable •Readily managed•Willing to be led

Provided he finds the terms amenable, he will sign the document.

amend•Correct•Change, generally for the better

After twenty years of bitter quarrel, the son now wanted to make amends and patch up with his father.

amiable •Agreeable•Lovable

Lara has such a sweet, amiable personality.

amicable•Friendly

Jeremy seems to be an amicable person, as he is always smiling and cheerful.

amiss •Wrong•Faulty

As soon as George entered the room and saw the broken glass pieces on the floor, he knew something was amiss.

amity •Friendship

After years of conflict, the two countries are now proceeding towards a feeling of amity and harmony.

amnesty •Pardon

On seeing the mayor arriving at the court, the prisoners begged for amnesty.

amnesia •Loss of memory

The doctor said that on account of the head injury, Sara was afflicted with amnesia so she wouldn’t remember anything for some weeks or maybe months.

amok • In a state of rage

The elephant ran amok among the stunned and fearful people on the city roads.

amoral •Non-moral

Clara was stunned to discover that her husband was such a corrupt, amoral man that he wouldn’t even hesitate to cheat his own best friend.

amorous •Moved by love•Loving

The pretty young lady rejected the man’s amorous advances.

amorphous•Shapeless•Vague• Indeterminate

Joan was such a drab, amorphous character as compared to Vera.

amphibian•Able to live both on land and in water

Few people like to have an amphibian as a pet as they are tough to keep.

amphitheater •Oval building with tiers of seats

In Rome, their primary tourist attraction was the amphitheater.

amplify•Enlarge

The blaring music at the party was amplified even after repeated requests by the neighbours.

amputate •Cut off part of body

Jack’s leg had started to show signs of gangrene, so the surgeon decided to amputate his leg beyond the knee.

Wordlist A-4(anachronism –

aptitude)

anachronism •Something or someone misplaced in time

Shakespeare’s reference to clocks in Julius Caesar is an anachronism, no clocks existed in Caesar’s time.

analgesic •Causing insensitivity to pain

The pain was so severe that Peter had to opt for an analgesic pill.

analogous •Comparable

She called our attention to the things that had been done in an analogous situation and recommended that we do the same.

analogy •Similarity•Parallelism

To explain the concept of writing a program in a simpler manner, Bob took an analogy of cooking a dish and listed out each step.

anarchist•Person who rebels against the established order

The country was soon becoming anarchist; it was so full of chaos and disorganization.

anarchy •Absence of governing body

The assassination of the leaders led to a period of anarchy.

anathema •Solemn curse•Someone or something that is despised

Taxes are anathema to most people.

ancillary •Serving as an aid or accessory•Auxilliary

There was an ancillary clause in the will, which stated that unless she was married, she wouldn’t inherit the estate.

anecdote •Short account of an amusing or interesting event

Our old grandfather loved to tell funny anecdotes from his past and make us all laugh.

anemia•Condition in which blood lacks red corpuscles

The girl looked too pale, colourless and thin; the doctor suspected she suffered from anemia.

anesthetic•Substance that removes sensation with or without loss of consciousness

Paul was so cold-hearted even about his own self that he refused an anesthetic before the surgery.

anguish •Acute pain•Extreme suffering

Daisy’s sudden disappearance caused a lot of anguish to his family.

angular•Sharp-cornered•Stiff in manner

Dan was tall, slim-built with an angular jaw and short brown hair.

animadversion •Critical remark

She resented the animadversions of her critics, particularly because she realised that they were true.

animated•Lively•Spirited

The conversation at the party was lively and animated.

animosity •Active enmity

He confessed he did not bear any animosity towards his opponent.

animus •Hostile feeling or intent

Jim holds an unhealthy amount of animus and dislike towards his neighbours.

annals •Records•History

The movement led by Mahatma Gandhi has found place in the annals of history.

anneal •Reduce brittleness and improve toughness by heating and cooling

The metal was annealed before use in the production, for improving durability.

annex •Attach•Take possession of

All the medieval kings increased the extent of their empires by waging wars against other countries and annexing their territories after winning them.

annihilate •Destroy

Filled with anguish and remorse at losing his only son in an auto accident, he swore to annihilate rash driving by promoting ‘If drunk, don’t drive’ campaign.

annotate •Comment •Make explanatory notes

The book was filled with so many annotates that it distracted him from reading it.

annul •Make void

The business was annulled barely one month after its inception due to incompatibility of the partners.

annuity •Yearly allowance

The siblings began quarreling among themselves for their annuity from their dead father’s estate.

anodyne •Drug that relieves pain

Her acute pain was considerably reduced by taking the prescribed anodynes by her doctor.

anoint •Make or declare something holy• Officially make someone a bishop• Consecrate

The senior priest anointed John as the new bishop.

anomalous •Abnormal• Irregular

She was placed in the anomalous position of seeming to approve procedures that she despised.

anomaly • Irregularity

Saying that Lance Armstrong, six-time Tour-De-France champion, doesn’t like cycling would be an anomaly.

anonymity •State of being nameless

On being assured anonymity, the prime witness confirmed seeing the minister visiting the party hosted by the accused.

antagonism •Hostility•Active resistance

Emily showed her antagonism towards her new governess by turning her head away whenever she was addressed by her.

antecedents •Preceding events or

circumstances that influence what comes later

His rude behavior with his parents were antecedents to his decision to put them in an old age home.

antediluvian •Antiquated•Extremely ancient

While exploring the abandoned and dilapidated house, they came across several antediluvian pieces of furniture and artifacts.

anthology•Book of literary selections by various authors

The anthology of literary lapses was compiled by

anthropoid •Man-like

The new-age scientists claim that there are anthropoids on Pluto.

anthropologist •Student of the history and science of humankind

Neil is extremely interested in the history of mankind and wants to become an anthropologist.

anthropomorphic •Having human form or characteristics

Scientists have discovered anthropomorphic features in certain fossils.

antic •Extravagantly odd

Because of her antics, they were extremely embarrassed and hence left the party hurriedly.

antidote •Remedy to counteract a poison or disease

An antidote has been prepared to combat the fast-spreading epidemic.

antipathy •Aversion•Dislike

Jim’s severe antipathy for loud noises, not just make him stay away from parties but also from burial services and religious congregations.

antiquated •Obsolete•Outdated

Everyone turned up in modern and trendy attire except Mr. Gomes who came in his brown, antiquated suit.

antithesis •Contrast•Direct opposite of

The movie was a complete antithesis to the book from which it was inspired.

anvil • Iron block used in hammering out metals

The shoemakers use the anvil to make shoes and sandals.

apathy •Lack of caring• Indifference

The young students were shocked to find the apathy of the citizens who didn’t bother to vote.

aperture•Opening•Hole

The camera’s aperture was too small to admit sufficiently large amount of light.

apex •Tip•Summit

At the apex of the shrine was a golden spire-like structure.

aphasia •Loss of speech due to injury or illness

The professor was diagnosed with aphasia, which meant he would not be able to speak and hence could not conduct any lectures.

aphorism •A clear maxim or saying

Jeff blindly followed the aphorism of “All is fair in love and war,” and behaved as he deemed fit, creating many enemies.

apiary •A place where bees are kept

Jim’s new profession is to produce honey from his apiary.

aplomb •Poise•Composure

Shelly walked into the meeting with aplomb, full of confidence.

apocalyptic •Prophetic•Pertaining to revelations, especially of disaster

Bad news started flowing in from all directions; it felt like an apocalyptic moment.

apocryphal •Untrue•Made up

The means by which he had secured the driving license was in all probability, apocryphal.

apolitical •Having an aversion or lack of concern for political affairs

The attitude of remaining apolitical by the young generation will lead to the decline of the democratic setup of the government.

apogee •Highest point

Sachin Tendulkar reached the apogee of his career when he scored 100 centuries, breaking all previous records.

apologist•One who writes in defense of a cause or institution

Being an apologist, the young leader had to face a lot of wrath of the governing body, as he directly blamed it for poverty in the country.

apostate •A person who abandons a belief or principle

After the priest’s death, many devout followers turned apostates.

apothecary •druggist

Harry was an apothecary, dealing with rare and life-saving medicines.

apothegm •Clear, concise and compact saying

Every sentence spoken by the great industrialist is so revered by all that they treated it as if it were an apothegm.

apotheosis •Elevation to godhood

A few years ago, David Beckham was the object of apotheosis, but now he’s just another fallen idol.

apparition •Ghost•Phantom

Rumours have always been doing the rounds that every full moon night, apparitions are seen near The Taj Mahal, but no concrete proof has been found yet.

appease •Pacify or soothe•Relieve

The father always tried to appease his son by gifting him expensive gadgets, to compensate his inability to give him time.

appellation •Name•Title

Today, young children have to be taught the real appellation of Mahatma Gandhi.

append •Attach

It was decided by the college authorities to append the new clause of not wearing short clothes, to the existing rules and regulations.

apposite •Appropriate•Fitting

Most women like to have apposite accessories for their outfits, especially when attending parties.

appraise•Estimate value of

To appraise the real value of the painting, the curator of a museum was called for.

apprehend •Arrest a criminal•Dread•Perceive

The culprit was apprehended minutes after the crime was detected as he had dropped his wallet which had his passport in it.

apprehensive •Fearful

Jane was apprehensive of her marriage to Steve as she barely knew him.

apprise • Inform

After being apprised of the danger of tsunami, the fishermen decided to stay away from the sea for some time.

approbation •Approval

He has gone out of town for some business on approbation by his physician as he is unwell.

appurtenances •Subordinate possessions

To set up their new home, the young couple decided to postpone the buying of appurtenances due to shortage of funds.

apropos •With reference to•Regarding

Apropos the advertisement in the newspaper, there was a rush for booking of the seats.

aptitude •Fitness•Talent

Her aptitude for dancing has helped her win many trophies and awards.

Wordlist A-5(aquiline – azure)

aquiline •Curved•Hooked

The culprit was recognised and arrested in a very short time, due to his distinctive aquiline features.

arabesque •Style of decoration involving intertwined plants and abstract curves

Janet loved the arabesque design of the carpet and insisted on buying it in spite of its high pricing.

arable •Fit for ploughing

The alluvial soil near the delta region is more arable for rice.

arbiter •Person with power to

decide a matter in a dispute• Judge

George acted as an arbiter in the bitter battle of child custody in case of divorces.

arbitrary •Unreasonable•Tyrannical

In many countries, brides are still chosen on arbitrary grounds like fair complexion.

arboretum •Place where different

varieties of trees and shrubs are studied and exhibited

The college is planning to build a huge arboretum for botany students.

arcane •Secret•Mysterious

The arcane matters of the government, discussed behind closed doors, were being leaked out.

archaeology •Study of artifacts and relics of early mankind

In spite of being highly interested in archaeology, she chose to pursue management studies due to parental pressure.

archaic •Antiquated

The interiors of the house were archaic and not suitable for modern living.

archetype •Prototype•Primitive pattern

Tim was the archetypal professor who refused to adapt his methodology to new and modern techniques that could interest today’s students.

archipelago •Group of closely located islands

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an archipelago in the Indian Ocean.

archives •Public records•Place where public records are kept

The detective searched for the information in newspaper archives.

ardor •Heat•Passion•Zeal

The new recruit showed tremendous ardor for the project and completed it in two days instead of the designated time of ten days.

arduous •Hard•Strenuous

Due to an arduous adult life, she now suffered from various ailments, both physical and emotional.

argot •slang

Both the children developed a new kind of argot so that their parents would not understand their secretive talks.

aria •A song for a solo voice in an opera

The opera began with an exquisite aria that moved people to tears.

armada •A fleet of warships

An armada of warrior ships was seen in the enemy waters, which alerted the fishermen who in turn reported to the authorities.

aromatic •Fragrant

Aromatic oils are very effective to combat stress -related diseases.

arraign •Charge in court• Indict

Hardly a few days after reconciliation with his estranged wife, Jeremy was arraigned for domestic violence.

array •Draw up in order•Clothe•Adorn

She was stunned at the beautiful array of gowns at the new boutique.

arrears •Being in debt

He was in deep depression as he was stressed due to heavy arrears incurred because of losses in his business.

arroyo •gully

Feeling nostalgic, Tom went near the arroyo behind his old house where he had spent many hours playing with his friends.

arrythmic •Lacking rhythm or regularity

The doctors feared his arrythmic heart beats might be the symptom of a possible heart attack.

arsenal •Storage place for military equipment

Our soldiers discovered an arsenal at the outskirts of the enemy territory and destroyed it.

articulate •Effective•Distinct

Being very articulate in her speech, she was selected to represent her school at the international debate competition.

artifact •Products of primitive culture

Whenever they visit different countries, they collect artifacts and the collection has kept growing.

artifice •Deception•Trickery

Mary decided to call off their relationship as it was based on artifice; Tom was already married.

ascribe •Refer•Attribute•Assign

The decline of the historical dynasty can be correctly ascribed to the wayward lifestyle of the last emperor.

aseptic •Preventing infection•Having a cleansing effect

The aseptic atmosphere of the house made it feel like a hospital.

ashen •Ash coloured•Deadly pale

Her ashen face worried her family and made her undergo a complete medical check up.

asinine •Stupid

Though she was beautiful, her reply seemed very asinine to the judges and dismissed her from the beauty contest.

askance •With a sideways or indirect look

Freida looked askance at Peter, wondering how he would accomplish the difficult task.

askew •Crooked•Slanted •At an angle

The superstar had the habit of wearing his cap askew, adhering to the latest fashion trend.

asperity •Sharpness of temper

It was not right on Susan’s part to use such asperity while scolding Fiona; the child was close to tears.

aspersion•Slanderous remark

The manager cast aspersions on his character, which led him to give in his resignation.

assail •assault

The controversial socialite was assailed with all kinds of questions at the grand party hosted by her.

assent •Agree•Accept

Henry waited impatiently for her assent in response to his proposal.

assert •State strongly or positively• Insist on

He strongly asserted himself while voicing his argument against the rules imposed by the authorities.

assimilate •Absorb•Cause to become homogenous

Maria takes twice as much time as others her age to assimilate the facts presented to her.

assuage •Ease or lessen pain•Satisfy hunger•Soothe anger

He tries to assuage the guilt of not spending enough time with his children by giving them expensive gifts all the time.

astigmatism •Eye defect that prevents proper focus

After the complaint of double vision, she was tested by an opthalmologist who diagnosed her with astigmatism.

astral •Relating to the stars

The man claimed that he had seen an astral body floating over his field.

astronomical •Enormously large or extensive

The new price of the air tickets are astronomical, thus leading to displeasure of the commuters.

astute •Wise•Shrewd

Despite Aryan’s young age, he was very astute in all his dealings.

asunder • Into parts•Apart

The big, joint family was divided asunder when a bitter quarrel ensued between them on a trivial matter.

atavism •Resemblance to remote

ancestors rather than to parents•Throwback

Suddenly, there was an atavism of good fortune and he became extremely successful in his career, rising from the rank of a clerk to a manager.

atheistic •Denying the existence of God

Derek has shown an atheistic bend of mind when he refused to participate in the religious ceremonies .

atone •Make amends for•Pay for

The notorious dacoit wanted to atone for his sins, so he decided to surrender himself to the police.

atrocity •Brutal deed

The island of Andaman was infamous for the atrocities incurred on the prisoners.

atrophy •Wasting away

Certain steroids cause skin atrophy, leading to severe pain and discomfort to the patients.

attentuate •Make thinner•Weaken or lessen

The recent recession attentuated the cash flow to a mere trickle.

attrition •Gradual wearing down

A large number of network marketing companies are facing attrition and are losing their consultants every day.

audacious •Daring •bold

The conservative party members squirmed at the audacious remarks passed by the young politician who was unaware of the tricks of the trade.

augury •Omen•Prophecy

His sense of augury is so pronounced that he can even predict events that would occur hundred years later.

august • Impressive•Majestic

The pandemonium immediately fell to a murmur when the audience felt the august presence of the Queen.

augment • Increase

Kevin was desperately looking for ways to augment his income as his family was continuously facing one health problem after the other.

aureole•Sun’s corona•Halo

The devotees were so mesmerized by the speech of the saint that they sensed an aureole around his head.

auroral •Pertaining to the aurora borealis

There was an auroral glow in the skies as they stared with wonder and amazement at the beautiful spectacle.

authenticate •Prove genuine

The judge asked Peter to authenticate himself when he declared in the court that he was the rightful claimant to the dead man’s property.

authoritarian •Favoring or exercising total control•Non-democratic

As Fiona’s father was a strict authoritarian, he refused to acknowledge her marriage to Sam, on the grounds of social disparity.

autocrat •Having absolute, unchecked power•Dictatorial

The autocratic government failed to create a peaceful environment to its citizens, rather it caused discontent and discord.

automaton •Mechanism that imitates actions of humans

The scientists are hell-bent on building an automaton as availability of human labour is continually on the decline.

autonomous •Self-governing

As the college is autonomous, it could bring in revolutionary ideas to educate young minds.

autopsy •Examination of a dead body•Postmortem

An autopsy needs to be conducted to ascertain the cause of the untimely death of Jane.

auxiliary •Offering or providing help•Additional or subsidiary

They have added an auxiliary department to the main store.

avalanche •Great mass of falling snow and ice

They were caught in an avalanche and somehow managed to survive till help came.

avarice •Greed for wealth

Avarice is the sole reason for his treachery.

avenge •Take vengeance for something ( or on behalf of someone)

Tom vowed to avenge his father’s brutal murder.

aver •Assert confidently •Declare

The Principal averred that the new regulation of daily compulsory attendance has been scrapped.

aversion •Firm dislike

Dorothy had a strong aversion towards flowers.

avert •Prevent•Turn away

Clint tried to avert the accident by turning his car to the extreme left.

aviary •Enclosure for birds

Jeremy has built a beautiful aviary in his garden.

avid •Greedy•Eager for

Dave is an avid admirer of horror movies.

avocation •Secondary or minor occupation

Playing guitar is her favourite avocation.

avuncular •Like an uncle

Because of his avuncular nature, Prof. Gordon attracts many young students.

awry •Distorted•Crooked

Fred held his head awry, wondering at the weird decoration at the party.

axiom •Self-evident truth requiring no proof

Strongly believing in the axiom of “Practice what you preach”, Henry always spent his days doing hard work.

azure •Sky blue

The beauty queen’s azure eyes captivated the whole world.