Assent (v.) “There was a murmur of assent.”
Assent (v.): To express agreement Synonyms: 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; reserved • Synonyms: 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 Words Benefit (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
