By: Bryan Robinson, Ashley Davenport, & Ryan Tang

Abominate

(v.) to have an intense dislike or hatred for

Synonyms: loathe, abhor, despise, detest

Antonyms: relish, savor, cherish, esteem

Most students abominate doing homework every day.

Acculturation

(n.) the modification of the social patterns, traits, or structures of one group or society by contact to those of another; the resultant blend

Synonyms: adaptation

The puritans had to go through an acculturation process before they were fully settled in and used to the new world.

Adventitious

(adj.) resulting from chance rather than from an inherent cause or character; accidental, not essential; (medicine) acquired, not congenital

Synonyms: extrinsic, incidental, fortuitous

Antonyms: essential, intrinsic, inherent, congenital

The early start to the school year was not adventitious.

Ascribe

(v.) to assign or refer to (as a cause or source), attribute

Synonyms: impute, credit, attribute

You may ascribe that this work is yours but I believe you copied off of your neighbor.

Circuitous

(adj.) roundabout, not direct

Synonyms: indirect, meandering, winding

Antonyms: straight, direct, as the crow flies

My father took a circuitous path to find our beach house, we later found out he was lost and took a wrong turn.

Commiserate

(v.) to sympathize with, have pity or sorrow for, share a feeling of distress

Synonyms: feel sorry for, empathize

Antonym: feel no sympathy for

The teachers always commiserate when my brother tells them a made up story for why he doesn’t have his homework done.

Enjoin

(v.) to direct or order; to prescribe a course of action in an authoritative way; to prohibit

Syn: bid, charge, command, adjureAnt: allow, permit

A bossy person likes to enjoin people to do things they don’t want to do.

Expedite

(v.) to make easy; cause to progress fasterSyn: accelerate, facilitate, speed upAnt: hinder, hamper, impede, obstruct

Many stores try to expedite shopping for their customers with low prices and sales.

Expiate

(v.) to make amends, make up for; to avertSyn: redeem, make amends for, atone, make

reparation

He would say anything to expiate what he had done to her.

Ferment

(n.) a state of great excitement, agitation, or turbulence

(v.) to be in or work into such a state; to produce alcohol by chemical action

Syn: commotion, turmoil, unrestAnt: peace and quiet, tranquility, placidity

In the midst of the ferment, I could hardly hear what anyone was saying.

Inadvertent

(adj.) resulting from or marked by lack of attention; unintentional, accidental

Syn: accidental, unconsideredAnt: deliberate, intentional, premeditated

I know it was inadvertent, but I still can’t believe you broke my vase.

Nominal

(adj.) existing in name only, not real; too small to be considered or taken seriously

Syn: titular, token, trifling, inconsequentialAnt: real, actual, exorbitant, excessive

Because of the math test yesterday, many people were out with nominal sicknesses.

Noncommittal

(adj.) not decisive or definite; unwilling to take a clear position or to say yes or no

Syn: cagey, uninformative, playing it safe, playing it close to the vest

Ant: positive, definite, committed

Standing at the alter, suddenly the groom became noncommittal and could not seem to say “I do.”

Peculate

(v.) to steal something that has been given into one’s trust; to take improperly for one’s own use

Synonyms: embezzle, defraud, misappropriate

A stereotype of a politician is one who corrupts and embezzles government money for their own private use.

Proclivity

(n.) a natural or habitual inclination or tendency (especially of human character or behavior)

Synonyms: natural bent, penchant, propensity

Antonyms: inability or incapacity

The proclivity of many people is to bite their nails when they are nervous.

Sangfroid

(n.) composure or coolness, especially in trying circumstances

Synonyms: poise, self-assurance, equanimity

Antonyms: excitability, hysteria, flappability

In order to succeed, poker players are required to have a lot of sangfroid in order to fool their opponents.

Seditious

(adj.) resistant to lawful authority; having the purpose of overthrowing an established government

Synonyms: mutinous, rebellious, subversive

Antonyms: supportive, loyal, faithful, allegiant

Mr. Robinson’s penetrating glare quells any of his children’s seditious acts. (LIES)

Tenuous

(adj.) thin, slender, not dense; lacking clarity or sharpness; of slight importance or significance; lacking a sound basis, poorly supported

Synonyms: flimsy, insubstantial, vague, hazy

Antonyms: strong, solid, substantial, valid

A spider’s thread can be really tenuous, however, it is still able to support the spider as it ascend up its string.

Vitriolic

(adj.) bitter, sarcastic; highly caustic or biting (like a strong acid)

Synonyms: withering, acerbic, mordant

Antonyms: bland, saccharine, honeyed, sugary

In the show House, Dr. House acts very vitriolic when speaking to his patients, and to his co-employees as well.

Wheedle

(v.) to use coaxing or flattery to gain some desired end

Synonyms: cajole, inveigle, soft-soap, sweet-talk

Antonyms: coerce, browbeat, intimidate, strong-arm

In the game Pokémon, Pokémon Weedle is so weak and unwanted that one would have to wheedle others to take it in exchange for a better Pokémon.