Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop – Freshman/Level D
Sadlier Vocabulary Workshop – Level D
Unit 1
1. admonish (v.) to caution or advise against something; to scold mildly; to remind of a duty
2. breach (n.) an opening, gap, rupture, rift; a violation; (v.) to create an opening, to break through
3. brigand (n.) a bandit, robber, outlaw, highwayman
4. circumspect (adj.) careful, cautious
5. commandeer (v.) to seize for military or official use
6. cumbersome (adj.) clumsy, hard to handle; slow-moving
7. deadlock (n.) a standstill resulting from the opposition of two equal forces or factions; (v.) to bring to such a standstill
8. debris (n.) scattered fragments, wreckage
9. diffuse (v.) to spread or scatter freely or widely; (adj.) wordy, long-winded, or unfocused; scattered or spread
10. dilemma (n.) a difficult or perplexing situation or problem
11. efface (v.) to wipe out; to keep oneself from being noticed
12. muddle (v.) to make a mess of; to get by; (n.) a hopeless mess
13. opinionated (adj.) stubborn and often unreasonable in holding to one’s own ideas; having a closed mind
14. perennial (adj.) lasting for a long time, persistent; (n.) a plant that lives for many years
15. predispose (v.) to incline to beforehand
16. relinquish (v.) to let go, give up
17. salvage (v.) to save from fire or shipwreck; (n.) property recovered from a fire or shipwreck
18. spasmodic (adj.) sudden and violent but brief; fitful; intermittent
19. spurious (adj.) not genuine, not true, not valid
20. unbridled (adj.) lacking in restraint
Unit 2
1. adjourn (v.) to stop proceedings temporarily; move to another place
2. alien (n.) a citizen of another country; (adj.) foreign, strange
3. comely (adj.) having a pleasing appearance
4. compensate (v.) to make up for; to repay for services
5. dissolute (adj.) loose in one’s morals or behavior
6. erratic (adj.) not regular or consistent; different from what is ordinarily expected; undependable\
7. expulsion (n.) the process of driving or forcing out
8. feint (n.) a deliberately deceptive movement; a pretense; (v.) to make a deceptive movement
9. fodder (n.) food for horses or cattle; raw material for a designated purpose
10. fortify (v.) to strengthen, build up
11. illegible (adj.) difficult or impossible to read
12. jeer (v.) to make fun of rudely or unkindly; (n) a rude remark or derision
13. lucrative (adj.) bringing in money; profitable
14. mediocre (adj.) average, ordinary, undistinguished
15. proliferate (v.) to reproduce, increase, or spread rapidly
16. subjugate (v.) to conquer by force, bring under complete control
17. sully (v.) to soil, stain, tarnish, defile, besmirch
18. tantalize (v.) to tease, torment by teasing
19. terse (adj.) brief and to the point
20. unflinching (adj.) firm, showing no signs of fear, not drawing back
Unit 3
1. abridge (v.) to make shorter
2. adherent (n.) a follower, supporter; (adj.) attached, sticking to
3. altercation (n.) an angry argument
4. cherubic (adj.) resembling an angel portrayed as a little child with a beautiful, round, or chubby face; sweet
and innocent
5. condone (v.) to pardon or overlook
6. dissent (v.) to disagree; (n.) disagreement
7. eminent (adj.) famous, outstanding, distinguished, projecting
8. exorcise (v.) to drive out by magic; to dispose of something troublesome, menacing, or oppressive
9. fabricate (v.) to make, manufacture; to make up, invent
10. gluttony (n.) engaging in extreme eating or drinking; greedy overindulgence
11. irate (adj.) angry
12. marauder (n.) a raider, plunderer
13. pauper (n.) an extremely poor person
14. pilfer (v.) to steal in small quantities
15. rift (n.) a split, break, breach
16. semblance (n.) a likeness; an outward appearance; an apparition
17. surmount (v.) to overcome, rise above
18. terminate (v.) to bring to an end
19. trite (adj.) commonplace; overused, stale
20. usurp (v.) to seize and hold a position by force or without right
Unit 4
1. abscond (v.) to run off and hide
2. access (n.) the approach or admittance to places, persons, things; an increase; (v.) to get at, obtain
3. anarchy (n.) a lack of government and law; confusion
4. arduous (adj.) hard to do, requiring much effort
5. auspicious (adj.) favorable; fortunate
6. daunt (v.) to overcome with fear, intimidate; to dishearten, discourage
7. disentangle (v.) to free from tangles or complications
8. fated (adj.) determined in advance by destiny or fortune
9. hoodwink (v.) to mislead by a trick, swindle
10. inanimate (adj.) not having life; without energy or spirit
11. incinerate (v.) to burn to ashes
12. intrepid (adj.) very brave, fearless, unshakable
13. larceny (n.) theft
14. pliant (adj.) bending readily; easily influenced
15. pompous (adj.) overly self-important in speech and manner; excessively stately or ceremonious
16. precipice (n.) a very steep cliff; the brink or edge or disaster
17. prototype (n.) an original model on which later versions are patterned
18. rectify (v.) to make right, correct
19. reprieve (n.) a temporary relief or delay; (v.) to grant a postponement
20. revile (v.) to attack with words, call bad names
Unit 5
1. accomplice (n.) a person who takes part in a crime
2. annihilate (v.) to destroy completely
3. arbitrary (adj.) unreasonable; based on one’s wishes or whims without regard for reason or fairness
4. brazen (adj.) shameless, impudent; made of brass
5. catalyst (n.) a substance that causes or hastens a chemical reaction; any agent that causes change
6. exodus (n.) a large-scale departure or flight
7. facilitate (v.) to make easier; to assist
8. incorrigible (adj.) not able to be corrected; beyond control
9. latent (adj.) hidden, present but not realized
10. militant (adj.) given to fighting; active and aggressive in support of a cause; (n.) an activist
11. morose (adj.) having a gloomy or sullen manner; not friendly or sociable
12. opaque (adj.) not letting light through; not clear or lucid; dense, stupid
13. paramount (adj.) chief in importance, above all others
14. prattle (v.) to talk in an aimless, foolish, or simple way; to babble; (n.) baby talk, babble
15. rebut (v.) to offer arguments or evidence that contradict an assertion; to refute
16. reprimand (v.) to scold; find fault with; (n.) a rebuke
17. servitude (n.) slavery, forced labor
18. slapdash (adj.) careless and hasty
19. stagnant (adj.) not running or flowing; foul from standing still; inactive
20. succumb (v.) to give way to superior force, yield
Unit 6
1. atone (v.) to make up for
2. bondage (n.) slavery; any state of being bound or held down
3. credible (adj.) believable
4. defray (v.) to pay for
5. diligent (adj.) hardworking, industrious, not lazy
6. doleful (adj.) sad; dreary
7. ghastly (adj.) frightful, horrible; deathly pale
8. hamper (v.) to hold back
9. hew (v.) to shape or cut down with an ax; to hold to
10. impoverished (adj.) poor, in a state of poverty; depleted
11. incessant (adj.) never stopping, going on all the time
12. intricate (adj.) complicated; difficult to understand
13. lucid (adj.) easy to understand, clear; rational, sane
14. posthumous (adj.) occurring or published after death
15. prim (adj.) overly neat, proper, or formal; prudish
16. sardonic (adj.) grimly or scornfully mocking; bitterly sarcastic
17. superfluous (adj.) exceeding what is sufficient or required, excess
18. supplant (v.) to take the place of, supercede
19. taunt (v.) to jeer at, mock; (n.) an insulting or mocking remark
20. tenacious (adj.) holding fast; holding together firmly; persistent
Unit 7
1. adieu (int.) “Farewell!”; (n.) a farewell
2. advent (n.) an arrival; a coming into place or view
3. apex (n.) the highest point, tip
4. assimilate (v.) to absorb fully; to adopt as one’s own; to adapt fully
5. bogus (adj.) false, counterfeit
6. exorbitant (adj.) unreasonably high; excessive
7. interim (n.) the time between; (adj.) temporary, coming between two points in time
8. inundate (v.) to flood, overflow; to overwhelm by numbers or size
9. malign (v.) to speak evil of, slander; (adj.) evil
10. meander (v.) to wander about, wind about; (n.) a sharp turn or twist
11. metropolis (n.) a large city; the chief city of an area
12. momentous (adj.) very important
13. obstreperous (adj.) noisy; unruly, disorderly
14. pensive (adj.) thoughtful; melancholy
15. perilous (adj.) dangerous
16. shoddy (adj.) of poor quality; characterized by inferior workmanship
17. sprightly (adj.) lively, full of life; spicy, flavorful
18. surly (adj.) angry and bad-tempered; rude
19. tirade (n.) a long, angry speech, usually very critical
20. vagrant (n.) an idle wanderer, tramp; (adj.) wandering aimlessly
Unit 8
1. assurance (n.) a pledge; freedom from doubt, self-confidence
2. asylum (n.) an institution for the care of children, elderly people, etc.; a place of safety
3. console (v.) to comfort; (n.) the keyboard of an organ; a control panel for an electrical or mechanical device
4. dilate (v.) to make or become larger or wider; to expand upon
5. dross (n.) refuse, waste products
6. dwindle (v.) to lessen, diminish
7. flippant (adj.) lacking in seriousness; disrespectful, saucy
8. immunity (n.) resistance to disease; freedom from some change or obligation
9. institute (v.) to establish, set up; (n.) organization that promotes learning
10. liability (n.) a debt; something disadvantageous
11. preposterous (adj.) ridiculous, senseless
12. pugnacious (adj.) quarrelsome, fond of fighting
13. rabid (adj.) furious, violently intense, unreasonably extreme; mad; infected with rabies
14. realm (n.) a kingdom; a region or field of study
15. rejuvenate (v.) to make young again; to make like new
16. remunerate (v.) to reward, pay, reimburse
17. sparse (adj.) meager, scant; scattered
18. sterling (adj.) genuine, excellent; made of silver of standard fineness
19. venture (n.) a risky or daring undertaking; (v.) to expose to danger; to dare
20. warp (v.) to twist out of shape; (n.) an abnormality
Unit 9
1. auxiliary (adj.) giving assistance or support; (n.) a helper, aid
2. candid (adj.) frank, sincere; impartial; unposed
3. cubicle (n.) a small room or compartment
4. drudgery (n.) work that is hard and tiresome
5. envoy (n.) a representative or messenger (as of a government)
6. escalate (v.) to elevate; to increase in intensity
7. expedient (n.) a means to an end; (adj.) advantageous, useful
8. feign (v.) to pretend
9. flair (n.) a natural quality, talent, or skill; a distinctive style
10. grievous (adj.) causing sorrow or pain; serious
11. heterogeneous (adj.) composed of different kinds, diverse
12. horde (n.) as vast number (of people)
13. impel (v.) to force, drive forward
14. incredulous (adj.) disbelieving, skeptical
15. inscribe (v.) to write or engrave; to enter a name on a list
16. monologue (n.) a speech by one actor; a long talk by one person
17. prognosis (n.) a forecast of the probable course and outcome of a disease
18. rasping (adj.) with a harsh grating sound; (n.) a harsh sound
19. repugnant (adj.) offensive, disagreeable, distastefull
20. scuttle (v.) to sink a ship by cutting holes in it; to get rid of something in a decisive way; to run hastily, scurry; (n) a pail
Unit 10
1. adept (adj.) thoroughly skilled; (n.) an expert
2. aspire (v.) to have ambitious hopes or plans, strive toward a higher goal, desire earnestly; to ascend
3. bleak (adj.) bare, dreary, dismal
4. chide (v.) to blame; scold
5. despicable (adj.) worthy of scorn, contemptible
6. diminutive (adj.) small, smaller than most others of the same type
7. emancipate (v.) to free from slavery; to release or liberate
8. erroneous (adj.) incorrect, containing mistakes
9. exploit (v.) to make use of, develop; to make improper use of for personal profit; (n.) a feat, deed
10. extemporaneous (adj.) made or delivered on the spur of the moment
11. impair (v.) to make imperfect, damage, harm
12. invincible (adj.) not able to be defeated, unbeatable
13. languid (adj.) drooping; without energy, sluggish
14. mire (n.) mud; wet, swampy ground; a tough situation; (v.) to get stuck
15. obtrusive (adj.) forward; undesirably prominent; thrust out
16. preamble (n.) an introduction to a speech or piece of writing
17. render (v.) to cause to become; to perform; to deliver officially; to process, extract
18. rugged (adj.) rough, irregular; severe, stern; strong; stormy
19. skeptical (adj.) inclinded to doubt; slow to accept something as true
20. slipshod (adj.) untidy in dress, personal habits, etc.; careless, sloppy
Unit 11
1. brevity: (n) shortness (of duration)
2. comport: (v) to conduct or bear one’s self in an appropriate manner; behave; to be in agreement
3. concise: (adj) expressing much in few words
4. demure: (adj) modest
5. depreciation: (n) a lessening of value; belittling
6. deteriorate: (v) to lower quality or value; to wear away
7. divulge: (v) to disclose or reveal
8. enlightened: (adj) free from ignorance and/or false ideas
9. forestall: (v) to prevent by acting first
10. garble: (v) to make unintelligible
11. proponent: (n) person who supports a theory or proposal
12. quaver: (v) to shake or quiver
13. recoil: (v) to draw or be thrown back; (n) the act of springing back
14. recoup: (v) to regain or recover
15. reek: (v) to smell strongly / unpleasantly; (n) a strong, unpleasant smell
16. relentless: (adj) tenacious, inflexible, unyielding
17. rivulet: (n) a small stream
18. squander: (v) to spend or use wastefully
19. staccato: (adj) shortened and detached when played or sung
20. statute: (n) a law