A-B Vocabulary

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English vocabulary

1. adulation — excessive flattery or praise

Used in a sentence: Self-adulation is one of the worst traits of good leaders because it leads them to corruption.

2. adulterate — make something worse by adding to it

Used in a sentence: To get his kids bigger, the parent adulterated their chocolate smoothie by mixing in protein the kids didn’t know about until tasting.

3. aesthetic — relating to beauty

Used in a sentence: Anyone who sees the celebrity’s mansion that overlooks the ocean will have an aesthetic appreciation for the home.

4. amicable — friendly and agreeable spirit

Used in a sentence: When you’re looking for sympathy, find an amicable friend who will help you relax.

5. amok — behave in an out of control fashion

Used in a sentence: After Jenny saw a shark in the ocean 25 feet away, she swam amok to the beach.

6. analogous — comparable or similar

Used in a sentence: Samantha’s new boyfriend looks analogous to her previous ex-boyfriends.

7. antithesis — the exact opposite of someone, something, or some idea

Used in a sentence: The two presidential candidates are the antithesis to each other when it comes to their beliefs on foreign policy: one prefers isolationism and the other prefers interventionism.

8. apathetic — having no emotion, feeling, or concern

Used in a sentence: The defense lawyer’s appeal for mercy on his client’s 5-year prison sentence didn’t sway the apathetic judge.

9. assuage — to provide relief and make less intense

Used in a sentence: After the E. coli outbreak in its restaurants, Chipotle assuaged its customers with an offer for a free burrito.

10. asylum — protection granted by a country for a political refugee who has left their native country, or a place of safety

Used in a sentence: Many political refugees seek asylum when they believe they will be killed in their native country if they’re forced to return.

11. audacious — willing to take bold risks

Used in a sentence: Alexander the Great is known as an audacious leader who conquered an indescribable amount of land during his reign as king.

12. banal — lacking originality so it’s boring

Used in a sentence: If you want the same movie over and over again, even if it’s your favorite it will turn banal.

13. binary — something that consists of two parts

Used in a sentence: The binary compound, which contains two rare chemicals, needs to be investigated further before a comment is made.

14. buttress — something that gives support to another structure

Used in a sentence: If buildings aren’t designed with a proper buttress, they’re likely to break the fire code because they could collapse with enough stress.