abbreviate: (v) to shorten, abridge
abstinence: (n) the act of refraining from pleasurable activity, e.g., eating or drinking
adulation: (n) high praise
adversity: (n) misfortune, an unfavorable turn of events
aesthetic: (adj) pertaining to beauty or the arts
amicable: (adj) friendly, agreeable
anachronistic: (adj) out-of-date, not attributed to the correct historical period
anecdote: (n) short, usually funny account of an event
anonymous: (adj) nameless, without a disclosed identity
antagonist: (n) foe, opponent, adversary
arid: (adj) extremely dry or deathly boring
assiduous: (adj) persistent, hard-working
asylum: (n) sanctuary, shelter, place of refuge
benevolent: (adj) friendly and helpful
camaraderie: (n) trust, sociability amongst friends
censure: (v) to criticize harshly
circuitous: (adj) indirect, taking the longest route
clairvoyant: (adj) exceptionally insightful, able to foresee the future
collaborate: (v) to cooperate, work together
compassion: (n) sympathy, helpfulness or mercy
compromise: (v) to settle a dispute by terms agreeable to both sides
condescending: (adj) possessing an attitude of superiority, patronizing
conditional: (adj) depending on a condition, e.g., in a contract
conformist: (n) person who complies with accepted rules and customs
congregation: (n) a crowd of people, an assembly
convergence: (n) the state of separate elements joining or coming together
deleterious: (adj) harmful, destructive, detrimental
demagogue: (n) leader, rabble-rouser, usually appealing to emotion or prejudice
digression: (n) the act of turning aside, straying from the main point, esp. in a speech or argument
diligent: (adj) careful and hard-working
discredit: (v) to harm the reputation of, dishonor or disgrace
disdain: (v) to regard with scorn or contempt
divergent: (adj) separating, moving in different directions from a particular point
empathy: (n) identification with the feelings of others
emulate: (v) to imitate, follow an example
enervating: (adj) weakening, tiring
enhance: (v) to improve, bring to a greater level of intensity
ephemeral: (adj) momentary, transient, fleeting
evanescent: (adj) quickly fading, short-lived, esp. an image
exasperation: (n) irritation, frustration
exemplary: (adj) outstanding, an example to others
extenuating: (adj) excusing, lessening the seriousness of guilt or crime, e.g., of mitigating factors
florid: (adj) red-colored, flushed; gaudy, ornate
fortuitous: (adj) happening by luck, fortunate
frugal: (adj) thrifty, cheap
hackneyed: (adj) cliched, worn out by overuse
haughty: (adj) arrogant and condescending
hedonist: (n) person who pursues pleasure as a goal
hypothesis: (n) assumption, theory requiring proof
impetuous: (adj) rash, impulsive, acting without thinking
impute: (v) to attribute an action to particular person or group
incompatible: (adj) opposed in nature, not able to live or work together
inconsequential: (adj) unimportant, trivial
inevitable: (adj) certain, unavoidable
integrity: (n) decency, honesty, wholeness
intrepid: (adj) fearless, adventurous
intuitive: (adj) instinctive, untaught
jubilation: (n) joy, celebration, exultation
lobbyist: (n) person who seeks to influence political events

longevity: (n) long life
mundane: (adj) ordinary, commonplace
nonchalant: (adj) calm, casual, seeming unexcited
novice: (n) apprentice, beginner
opulent: (adj) wealthy
orator: (n) lecturer, speaker
ostentatious: (adj) showy, displaying wealth
parched: (adj) dried up, shriveled
perfidious: (adj) faithless, disloyal, untrustworthy
precocious: (adj) unusually advanced or talented at an early age
pretentious: (adj) pretending to be important, intelligent or cultured
procrastinate: (v) to unnecessarily delay, postpone, put off
prosaic: (adj) relating to prose; dull, commonplace
prosperity: (n) wealth or success
provocative: (adj) tending to provoke a response, e.g., anger or disagreement
prudent: (adj) careful, cautious
querulous: (adj) complaining, irritable
rancorous: (adj) bitter, hateful
reclusive: (adj) preferring to live in isolation
reconciliation: (n) the act of agreement after a quarrel, the resolution of a dispute
renovation: (n) repair, making something new again
resilient: (adj) quick to recover, bounce back
restrained: (adj) controlled, repressed, restricted
reverence: (n) worship, profound respect
sagacity: (n) wisdom
scrutinize: (v) to observe carefully
spontaneity: (n) impulsive action, unplanned events
spurious: (adj) lacking authenticity, false
submissive: (adj) tending to meekness, to submit to the will of others
substantiate: (v) to verify, confirm, provide supporting evidence
subtle: (adj) hard to detect or describe; perceptive
superficial: (adj) shallow, lacking in depth
superfluous: (adj) extra, more than enough, redundant
suppress: (v) to end an activity, e.g., to prevent the dissemination of information
surreptitious: (adj) secret, stealthy
tactful: (adj) considerate, skillful in acting to avoid offense to others
tenacious: (adj) determined, keeping a firm grip on
transient: (adj) temporary, short-lived, fleeting
venerable: (adj) respected because of age
vindicate: (v) to clear from blame or suspicion
wary: (adj) careful, cautious