GMAT Vocabulary (H-O)

hackneyed

(adj.) commonplace; trite

Just when you thought neckties were becoming a hackneyed gift item, along comes the Grateful Dead collection.

Have a nice day has become something of a hackneyed expression.

haggard

(adj.) untamed; having a worn look

The lawn in front of the abandoned house added to its haggard look.  He looked as haggard as you would expect a new
father of quadruplets to look.

Just by looking at her haggard features, you can tell she has not slept for many hours.

halcyon

(adj.) tranquil; happy

The old man fondly remembered his halcyon days growing up on the farm.

hamper

(v.) interfere with; hinder

The roadblock hampered their progress, but they knew a shortcut.

haphazard

(adj.) disorganized; random

He constantly misplaced important documents because of his haphazard way of running his office.

hapless

(adj.) unlucky; unfortunate

The hapless team could not win a game.

harangue

(n; v.) a lengthy, heartfelt speech; to talk or write excitedly We sat patiently and listened to her harangue.  When he finally
stopped his haranguing, I responded calmly.  harbor (n.; v.) a place of safety or shelter; to give shelter or to protect.  We
stood at the dock as the ship sailed into the harbor.

The peasants were executed for harboring known rebels.

The rabbits used the shed as a harbor from the raging storm.  Her decision to harbor a known criminal was an unwise
one.  harmonious (adj.) having proportionate and orderly parts The challenge for the new conductor was to mold his
musicians’ talents into a harmonious orchestra.  haughty (adj.) proud of oneself and scornful of others. The haughty ways
she displayed her work turned off her peers.  The haughty girl displayed her work as if she were the most prized artist.

hedonistic

(adj.) living for pleasure

The group was known for its hedonistic rituals.  Hot tubs, good food, and a plethora of leisure time were the hallmarks of
this hedonistic society.

heed

(v.) obey; yield to

If the peasant heeds the king’s commands, she will be able to keep her land.

hefty

(adj.) heavy or powerful

The unabridged dictionary makes for a hefty book.

heresy

(n.) opinion contrary to popular belief

In this town it is considered heresy to want parking spaces to have meters.  heretic (n.) one who holds opinion contrary to
that which is generally accepted Because he believed the world was round, many people considered Columbus to be a
heretic.

hiatus

(n.) interval; break; period of rest

Summer vacation provided a much-needed hiatus for the students.  Between graduation and the first day of his new job,
Tim took a threemonth hiatus in the Caribbean.  hierarchy (n.) a system of persons or things arranged according to rank I
was put at the bottom of the hierarchy while Jane was put at the top.

hoary

(adj.) whitened by age

The paint had a hoary appearance, as if it were applied decades ago.

homage

(n.) honor; respect

The police officers paid homage to their fallen colleague with a ceremony that celebrated her life.

homeostasis

(n.) maintenance of stability

Knowing the seriousness of the operation, the surgeons were concerned about restoring the patient to homeostasis.

homily

(n.) solemn moral talk; sermon

The preacher gave a moving homily to the gathered crowd.  hone (n.; v.) something used to sharpen; to sharpen; to long
or yearn for He ran the knife over the hone for hours to get a razor-sharp edge.  The apprenticeship will give her the
opportunity to hone her skills.

The traveler hones for his homeland.

hubris

(n.) arrogance

Some think it was hubris that brought the president to the point of impeachment.

humility
(n.) lack of pride; modesty

Full of humility, she accepted the award but gave all the credit to her mentor.

hybrid

(n.) anything of mixed origin

The flower was a hybrid of three different flowers.  hyperbole (n.) an exaggeration, not to be taken seriously The full moon
was almost blinding in its brightness, he said with a measure of hyperbole.

hypocritical

(adj.) two-faced; deceptive

His constituents believed that the governor was hypocritical for calling for a moratorium on “negative” campaigning while
continuing to air some of the most vicious ads ever produced against his opponent.  Most of his constituents believed
the governor was hypocritical for calling his opponent a “mud-slinging hack” when his own campaign had slung more
than its share of dirt.

hypothetical

(adj.) assumed; uncertain; conjectural

A hypothetical situation was set up so we could practice our responses.  The professor was good at using hypothetical
situations to illustrate complicated theories.

(n.) one who smashes revered images; an attacker of cherished beliefs

Nietzche’s attacks on government, religion, and custom made him an iconoclast of grand dimension.

The iconoclast spoke against the traditions of the holiday.

ideology

(n.) speculation; representative way of thinking

His ideology proved to be faulty.

The ideology of business can be found in the new book.

He joined the religious group because he agreed with their ideology.

idiosyncrasy

(n.) any personal peculiarity, mannerism

Her tendency to bite her lip is an idiosyncrasy.  idyll (n.) a written piece of work describing a peaceful rural scene Reading
the idyll made me think of the family farm.

igneous

(adj.) having the nature of fire; volcanic

When the sun shone upon it, the material took on an igneous quality.

ignoble

(adj.) ordinary; dishonorable;

The king was adamant about keeping his son from wedding an ignoble serf.

Consciously lying to someone is ignoble.

It was ignoble to disgrace the family in front of all of the townspeople.

ignominious

(adj.) contemptible; disgraced; degrading

The behavior was so ignominious he was ashamed to be associated with it.

She left him because of his ignominious treatment of her.

illuminate

(v.) make understandable

I asked a classmate to illuminate the professor’s far-ranging lecture for me.

illusive

(adj.) deceiving, misleading

It was as illusive as a mirage.

illusory

(adj.) unreal; false; deceptive

He was proven guilty when his alibi was found to be illusory.

imbue

(v.) to soak or stain; permeate

The wound will imbue the shirt in blood.


The new day imbued him with a sense of optimism.

immaculate

(adj.) perfectly clean; correct; pure

An immaculate house is free of dust or clutter.

imminent

(adj.) likely to happen without delay

The storm clouds warned of the imminent downpour.  immune (adj.) exempt from or protected against something
Doesn’t everybody wish to be immune from the common cold?

immutable

(adj.) unchangeable; permanent

The ties that bind alumni to their university are immutable .  The man’s immutable schedule soon became boring.
impale (v.) pierce through with, or stick on; something pointed The knight was impaled by the sharp lance.

impartial

(adj.) unbiased; fair

Exasperated by charges to the contrary, the judge reiterated that he had bent over backwards to be impartial in a case
that crackled with emotion.  impasse (n.) a situation that has no solution or escape The workers and administration were
at an impasse in their negotiations.

impassive

(adj.) showing no emotion

Even when his father died he gave an impassive response and walked out tearless.

Her expected announcement was met by an impassive facial expression.

impecunious

(adj.) poor; having no money

The Great Depression made family after family impecunious.

impede

(v.) to stop the progress of; obstruct

The rain impeded the work on the building.

impenitent

(adj.) without regret, shame, or remorse

It was obvious after his impenitent remark to the press that the defendant felt no remorse for his crime.

imperious

(adj.) arrogant; urgent

Her imperious manner cost her her two best friends.

It was imperious that the message reach the police chief.

imperturbable

(adj.) calm; not easily excited

The imperturbable West Point graduate made a fine negotiator.  impervious (adj.) impenetrable; not allowing anything to
pass through; unaffected The vest that the policeman wears is impervious to bullets.  The child was impervious to the
actions of the adult.  impetuous (adj.) moving with great force; done with little thought The impetuous movement took the
art community by storm.  The impetuous teenager spent her money without considering what she needed the new
purchase for.

Dagmar came to regret his impetuous actions, once he realized what he’d done.

The pirate’s men boarded the ship with impetuous matter-of-factness.  impiety (n.) irreverence toward God; lack of
respect The bishop condemned the impiety of the celebrity’s assertions.  Impiety is evident in the way many people
commit rude actions.

implacable

(adj.) unwilling to be pacified or appeased

The baby was so implacable a warm bottle would not settle her.  The two year old was an implacable child; he cried no
matter what his parents did to comfort him.  implement (v.; n.) to carry into effect; something used in a given activity In
case of emergency implement the evacuation plan immediately.  The rack is an implement of torture.

implication

(n.) suggestion; inference

An implication was made that there might be trickery involved.  implicit (adj.) understood but not plainly stated; without
doubt The child’s anger was implicit.

Implicit trust must be earned.

impolitic

(adj.) unwise; imprudent

If you are planning to invest your money, impolitic decisions may be costly.

imprecate

(v.) to pray for evil; to invoke a curse

A witch may imprecate an enemy with a curse of bad luck.

impromptu

(adj.) without preparation

Her impromptu speech was well-received, giving her new confidence in her ability to speak off the cuff.

improvident

(adj.) not providing for the future

An improvident person may end up destitute in latter life.

impudent

(adj.) disrespectful and shameless

Impudent actions caused him to be unpopular.  impugn (v.) to attack with words; to question the truthfulness or integrity
The defense lawyer impugned the witness’s testimony, which set back the prosecution’s case.

If I believe the man is a fraud I will impugn his comments.  imputation (n.) to charge, to attribute a fault or misconduct to
another The imputation of guilt was made by the judge.

inadvertent

(adj.) not on purpose; unintentional

It was an inadvertent error, to be sure, but nonetheless a mistake that required correction.  inanimate (adj.) to be dull or
spiritless; not animated, not endowed with life The boy nagged his father for a real puppy, not some inanimate stuffed
animal.

inarticulate

(adj.) speechless; unable to speak clearly

He was so inarticulate that he had trouble making himself understood.

inaudible

(adj.) not able to be heard

The signals were inaudible when the fans began to cheer.

incessant

(adj.) constant and unending

The mother gave in to the child after her incessant crying.

Incessant rain caused the river to flood over its banks.

inchoate

(adj.) not yet fully formed; rudimentary

The inchoate building appeared as if it would be a fast-food restaurant.  The outline of the thesis was the inchoate form
of a very complex theory.

incidental

(adj.) extraneous; unexpected

The defense lawyer argued that the whereabouts of the defendant’s sneakers were only incidental to the commission of
the crime.  incisive (adj.) getting to the heart of things; to the point His incisive questioning helped settle the matter
quickly.

inclined

(adj.) apt to; likely; angled

The man’s ear for music indicated he was inclined toward learning an instrument.

The hillside was inclined just enough to make for a fairly serious climb.

incognito

(adj.) unidentified; disguised; concealed

The federal Witness Protection Program makes its charges permanently incognito.

incoherent

(adj.) illogical; rambling; disjointed

Following the accident, the woman went into shock and became incoherent as medics struggled to understand her.

incommodious

(adj.) inconvenient

The incommodious illness caused her to miss an important interview.  incompatible (adj.) disagreeing; disharmonious
not compatible Being incompatible with each other, children were assigned to sit on opposite sides of the room.

incompetence

(n.) failing to meet necessary requirements

The alleged incompetence of the construction crew would later become the subject of a class-action suit.

inconclusive

(adj.) not final or of a definite result

The results being inconclusive, the doctors continued to look for a cause of the illness.

incorporeal

(adj.) not consisting of matter

The apparition appeared to be incorporeal.

incorrigible

(adj.) not capable of correction or improvement The mischievous boy was an incorrigible practical joker.

incredulous

(adj.) skeptical

The incredulous look on his face led me to believe he was not convinced of its importance.

The reporter was incredulous on hearing the computer executive’s UFO account.  inculcate (v.) to impress upon the
mind, as by
insistent urging I will inculcate the directions if people are unsure of them.  incursion (n.) an entry into, especially when
not
desired The incursion by enemy forces left the country shocked.

indecipherable

(adj.) illegible

The scribbling on the paper is indecipherable.  indelible (adj.) that which cannot be blotted out or erased The photograph
of Neil
Armstrong setting foot on the moon made an indelible impression on all who saw it.  indemnify (v.) to insure against or
pay for
loss or damage It is important to indemnify your valuables with a reliable insurance company.

indict

(v.) charge with a crime

The grand jury indicted her and her husband for embezzlement and six other lesser counts.

indifferent

(adj.) unconcerned

There he lay, indifferent to all the excitement around him.

indigence

(n.) the condition of being poor

The family’s indigence was evident by the run-down house they lived in.

indigenous

(adj.) native to a region; inborn or innate

These plants are indigenous to all of the western states.

Piranha are indigenous to the tropics.

indignant

(adj.) expressing anger to an injustice

He was indignant over the way he was treated.

indolent

(adj.) lazy; inactive

If we find him goofing off one more time, we won’t be able to escape the fact that he’s indolent.

An indolent student slept all day.

indomitable

(adj.) not easily discouraged or defeated

The underdog candidate had an indomitable spirit.

indubitably

(adj.) unquestionably; surely

The officer was best indubitably the candidate for captain.

indulgent

(adj.) lenient; patient; permissive

He has indulgent tendencies to eat chocolate when he is happy.

ineluctable

(adj.) something inevitable

They were prepared for the ineluctable disaster.

inept

(adj.) incompetent; clumsy

She would rather update the budget book herself, since her assistant is so inept.

inert

(adj.) not reacting chemically; inactive

Inert gases like krypton and argon can enhance window insulation.

inevitable

(adj.) sure to happen; unavoidable

A confrontation between the disagreeing neighbors seemed inevitable.

infamous

(adj.) having a bad reputation; notorious

After producing machines that developed many problems, the production company became infamous for poor
manufacturing.
The infamous gang was known for robbery.

infamy

(n.) a bad reputation

The town had only 98 residents, so all it took was one bad apple to bring infamy on the whole place.

infer

(v.) form an opinion; conclude

From the broad outline he supplied it was easy to infer that the applicant knew a great deal about trains.

ingenious

(adj.) clever, resourceful

His ingenious idea made it possible to double production at no extra cost.

ingenue

(n.) an unworldly young woman

As an ingenue, Corky had no experience outside of her small town.  ingenuous (adj.) noble; honorable; candid; also
naive, simple, artless, without guile The ingenuous doctor had a great bedside manner, especially when it came to
laying out the full implications of an illness.

ingratiate

(v.) to bring into one’s good graces

The man was hoping to ingratiate himself with his wife by buying a bouquet of flowers and candy.

ingratitude

(n.) ungratefulness

When she failed to send a thank-you card, her friend took it as a sign of ingratitude .  inherent (adj.) part of the essential
character; intrinsic A constant smile is inherent in pageant competitors.  The inherent desire to do well is present
throughout the family.

inimical

(adj.) hostile, unfriendly

The chess player directed an inimical stare at his opponent to knock him off his game.

iniquitous

(adj.) wicked; unjust

The verbal abuse towards the man was truly iniquitous.  initiate (v.; n.) begin; admit into a group; a person who is in the
process of being admitted into a group He initiated the dinner discussion by asking his father to borrow the car. As an
initiate to the Explorers, George was expected to have a taste for the outdoor life.

innate

(adj.) natural; inborn

Her talent is wondrous: it hardly matters whether it’s innate or acquired.

A lion’s hunting skills are innate.

innocuous

(adj.) harmless; dull; innocent

The remark was rude but innocuous.

He couldn’t bear to sit through another innocuous lecture.  The teens engaged in an innocuous game of touch football.
innovate (v.) introduce a change; depart from the old She innovated a new product for the home construction market.

innuendo

(n.) an indirect remark; insinuation

The student made an innuendo referring to the professor.  The office was rife with innuendo that a takeover was in the
works.
inquisitive (adj.) eager to ask questions in order to learn An inquisitive youngster is likely to become a wise adult.

insinuate

(v.) to work into gradually and indirectly

He will insinuate his need for a vacation by saying how tired he has been lately.

insipid

(adj.) uninteresting, boring flat, dull

Many people left the insipid movie before it was finished.  Declaring the offerings insipid, the critic grudgingly awarded the
restaurant one star.

insolvent

(adj.) unable to pay debts

The insolvent state of his bank account kept him from writing any checks.

instigate

(v.) start; provoke

It was uncertain to the police as to which party instigated the riot.

insubordinate

(adj.) disobedient to authority

The boy’s insubordinate behavior was a constant source of tension between the school and his parents.  insular (adj.)
having the characteristics of an island; narrow-minded, provincial After walking along the entire perimeter and seeing
that the spit of land was actually insular, we realized it was time to build a boat.  His insular approach to education
makes him a pariah among liberals.

insularity

(n.) having the characteristics of an island

The insularity of the country made it a great place to build a resort.  intangible (adj.) incapable of being touched;
immaterial Intangible though it may be, sometimes just knowing that the work you do helps others is reward enough.

intercede

(v.) to plead on behalf of another; mediate

The superpowers were called on to intercede in the talks between the two warring nations.

intermittent

(adj.) periodic; occasional

Luckily, the snow was only intermittent, so the accumulation was slight.  The intermittent blinking light was distracting.
intractable (adj.) stubborn, obstinate; not easily taught or disciplined Every teacher in the school became frustrated with
the intractable student and sent him to the principal’s office.  An intractable pet can be very frustrating..

intransigent

(adj.) uncompromising

With intransigent values, no amount of arguing could change her mind.  The baseball owners and players remained
intransigent, so a deal was never struck.

intrepid

(adj.) fearless, bold

The intrepid photographer flew on some of the fiercest bombing raids of the war.

Her intrepid actions deserved a medal.  inundate (v.) to flood; to overwhelm with a large amount of The broken water main
inundated the business district with water.  Surfing the Internet can inundate you with information: That’s why a web
browser comes in handy.

inured

(adj.) accustomed to pain

Beekeepers eventually become inured to bee stings.  inveterate (adj.) a practice settled on over a long period of time The
inveterate induction ceremony bespoke one of the school’s great traditions.

invoke

(v.) ask for; call upon

The parishioners invoked divine help for their troubles.

iota

(n.) a very small piece

There wasn’t one iota of evidence to suggest a conspiracy.

irascible

(adj.) prone to anger

The irascible teenager was known to cause fights when upset.  Knowing that the king was irascible, the servants
decided not to tell him about the broken crystal.

ironic

(adj.) contradictory, inconsistent; sarcastic

Is it not ironic that Americans will toss out leftover French fries while people around the globe continue to starve?

irrational

(adj.) not logical

It would be irrational to climb Mt. Everest without some very warm clothing.  irreparable (adj.) that which cannot be
repaired or regained The damage to the house after the flood was irreparable.  The head-on collision left the car
irreparable.

irreproachable

(adj.) without blame or faults

The honesty of the priest made him irreproachable.

itinerary

(n.) travel plan; schedule; course

Their trip’s itinerary was disrupted by an unexpected snow storm.

jaded

(adj.) worn-out

A person may become jaded if forced to work too many hours.  jargon (n.) incoherent speech; specialized vocabulary in
certain fields The conversation was nothing but jargon, but then the speakers were nothing but cartoon characters who
specialize in an oddly bracing form of gibberish.

The engineers’ jargon is indecipherable to a layperson.

jeopardy

(n.) danger; peril

The campers realized they were in potential jeopardy when the bears surrounded their camp.

jester

(n.) a person employed to amuse

The jester tried all of his tricks to get the girl to laugh.  jettison (v.) to throw overboard goods to lighten a vehicle; to discard
To raise the balloon above the storm clouds, they had to jettison the ballast.

jocund

(adj.) happy, cheerful, genial, gay

The puppy kept a smile on the jocund boy’s face.

The jocund atmosphere was due to the team’s victory in the playoffs.

jollity

(n.) being fun or jolly

The jollity of the crowd was seen in the cheering and laughing.

jovial

(adj.) cheery; jolly; playful

She was a jovial person, always pleasant and fun to be with.

judicious

(adj.) to have or show sound judgment

Because the elder was judicious, the tough decisions were left to him.

Putting money away for a rainy day is a judicious decision.

juncture

(n.) critical point; meeting

When the gas changed into a liquid, they sensed that they’d come to a critical juncture in their experimentation.

juxtapose

(v.) place side-by-side

The author decided to juxtapose the two sentences since they each strengthened the meaning of the other.

ken

(v.; n.) to recognize; one’s understanding

It was difficult to ken exactly what she had in mind.

My ken of the situation proved to be incorrect.

kindle

(v.) ignite; arouse

Being around children kindled her interest in educational psychology.

kinship

(n.) family relationship; affinity

Living in close proximity increased the kinship of the family.

kith

(n.) relatives and acquaintances

Our kith will meet at the family reunion.

knavery

(n.) a dishonest act

An act of knavery is cause for loss of trust.

The teacher refused to have knavery in his classroom.

knead

(v.) mix; massage

After mixing the ingredients, they kneaded the dough and set it aside to rise.

knotty

(adj.) to be puzzling or hard to explain

The mystery was knotty.

labyrinth

(n.) maze

Be careful not to get lost in the labyrinth of vegetation.

lacerate

(v.) to tear or mangle; to wound or hurt

Sharp knives may lacerate the skin of an unsuspecting user.

Her rejection will lacerate my self-esteem.

laconic

(adj.) sparing of words; terse, pithy

After a laconic introduction the program began.  The people enjoyed the public addresses of the laconic queen.  laggard
(n.; adj.) a person who has fallen behind; moving slowly The laggard child was lost in the crowd.

The train was laggard.

Anything can happen in a swim meet: Last year’s leader can become this year’s laggard.

lambaste

(v.) to scold or beat harshly

If the boy broke the lamp his father will surely lambaste him.  lambent (adj.) traveling gently over surface; flickering
The lambent flame lit the dark room as the breeze wafted in.  lament (v.; n.) to mourn or grieve; expression of grief or
sorrow The boy is lamenting the loss of his pet.

Pedro’s only lament was that his wife didn’t outlive him.

languid

(adj.) lacking vitality; indifferent

The languid student was always late to class.

I have studied so much that I have grown languid to the subject.

During her illness she was so languid she could not leave her bed.

larceny

(n.) theft; stealing

After robbing the liquor store, she was found guilty of larceny.

lascivious

(adj.) indecent; immoral; involves lust

He said it was a harmless pin-up poster, but his mother called it lascivious.

Known as a skirt-chaser, his lascivious ways seemed to all but preclude a stable marriage.

lassitude

(n.) a state of being tired or listless

Lassitude was evident in the nurses who had been working for 24 hours straight.

Ten days of continual work caused a feeling of lassitude for the worker.

latency

(n.) a period of inactivity

Its latency was small solace for the girl who feared that the cancer would

re-emerge fiercer than ever.

laud

(v.) praise

He lauded his daughter for winning the trophy.

lax

(adj.) careless; irresponsible

She was lax in everything she did and therefore could not be trusted with important tasks.

lecherous

(adj.) impure in thought and act

The lecherous Humbert Humbert is Nabokov’s protagonist in Lolita, a novel that sparked great controversy because of
Humbert’s romantic attachment to a young girl.

The lecherous man lurked on the corner.

lethargic

(adj.) lazy; passive

Feeling very lethargic, he watched television or slept the whole day.

levee

(n.) a landing on the edge of a river or field

The swimmer came ashore on the levee.

levity

(n.) lack of seriousness; instability

The levity with which he faced the destruction hampered the rescue effort.

Levity characterized the first months of his administration.

Levity is a necessary trait for a comedian.

lewd

(adj.) lustful; wicked

The comment was so lewd it could not be repeated in front of children.

liaison

(n.) connection; link

The student council served as a liaison between the faculty and the student body.  liberalism (n.) believing in
personal freedom (favoring reform or progress) If you believe in liberalism, the First Amendment is sacrosanct.
libertine (n.) one who indulges his desires without restraint For the libertine, missing his child’s birthday was not as
significant as missing a football game.

licentious

(adj.) morally lacking in restraint

The people of Sodom and Gomorra were known for their licentious lifestyle.

ligneous

(adj.) having the composition of wood

The ligneous material appeared to be pure maple.

limber

(adj.) flexible; pliant

The dancers must be limber to do their ballet steps.

lithe

(adj.) easily bent; pliable; supple

It is best to use a lithe material when constructing a curved object.

A gymnast needs to be lithe in order to do a split.

litigate

(v.) to involve a lawsuit

A number of the state attorneys-general are litigating against the tobacco companies.  livid (adj.) discolored, as if
bruised; extremely angry; furious After the fall, her arm was livid.
She became livid when she heard the news.

When she found out she had been robbed, the woman was livid.

loiter

(v.) to spend time aimlessly

Many teenagers loiter around the mall when there is nothing else to do.

loquacious

(adj.) very talkative; garrulous

She was having difficulty ending the conversation with her loquacious neighbor.

The staff knew the meeting would be long because the administrator was in a loquacious mood.

lucent

(adj.) shining; translucent

The flowing garment gave the woman a lucent quality when standing in the spotlight.

lucid

(adj.) shiny; clear minded

He chose a shimmering, lucid fabric for his curtains.

When lucid, the man spoke of vivid memories.

lucrative

(adj.) profitable; gainful

She entered the pharmaceutical industry in the belief that it would be lucrative.

br> (adj.) full of sorrow; mournful

The man’s lugubrious heart kept him from enjoying the special occasion.

luminous

(adj.) emitting light; shining; also enlightened or intelligent The luminous quality of the precious stone made it look
like a fallen star.  They found their way through the darkness by heading toward the luminous object in the distance.

lunge

(v.) to move suddenly

The owl will lunge at its prey in order to take it off guard.  lurid (adj.) glowing through haze; shocking, sensational A
lurid sun shone upon them as they watched the sun set on the beach.  The tabloid specialized in lurid stories about
celebrities’ indiscretions.

lustrous

(adj.) bright; radiant; shining

Surrounded by rubies, the lustrous diamond looked magnificent.  luxuriant (adj.) to grow with energy and in great
abundance The luxuriant flowers grew in every available space.

macerate

(v.) to soften by steeping in liquid

It was necessary to macerate the food before the elderly man could eat it.

They placed her foot in the solvent to macerate the cement she had stepped in.  maculate (adj.; v.) spotted,
blotched; hence defiled, impure (opposite: immaculate);

to stain, spot, defile

The maculate rug could not be cleaned.

Grape juice maculated the carpet.

magnanimity

(n.; adj.) a quality of nobleness of mind, disdain of meanness or revenge; forgiving; unselfish Being full of
magnanimity he asked the thief only for an apology and set him free.

The magnanimous store owner did not press charges once an apology was given.

The magnanimity of the professor overcame the rage of the student.  malediction (n.) putting a curse on someone;
talking negatively about another With the threat of a malediction, the man left the fortuneteller’s house.  Never
having a nice word to say about anyone, her conversations are full of malediction.

malefactor

(n.) an evil person

The malefactor ordered everyone to work over the holidays.

The prison contains malefactors of all ages.

malevolent

(adj.) wishing evil (opposite: benevolent)

The man threatened his opponent with threats and malevolent words.

She had malevolent feelings toward her sister.

malicious

(adj.) spiteful; vindictive

The malicious employee slashed her tires for revenge.  malign (v.; adj.) to speak evil of; having an evil disposition
toward others (opposite: benign)

In her statement to the judge she maligned her soon-to-be ex-husband.  She had such a malign personality that no
one even tried to approach her, mostly out of fear.  malinger (v.) to pretend to be ill in order to escape work He will
malinger on Friday so he can go to the movies.  The soldier will malinger to avoid fighting.

malleable

(adj.) easy to shape or bend; pliable

The malleable material was formed into a U shape.

The sculptor uses malleable substances to create complex masterpieces.

mandate

(n.) order; charge

The new manager wrote a mandate declaring that smoking was now prohibited in the office.  manifest (v.; adj.) to
show clearly; to appear; obvious, clear The image should manifest itself as the building when the fog lifts.  When the
missing document suddenly manifested, the search for the person that buried it began.

America’s manifest destiny was to acquire all of the land between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

mar

(v.) damage

The statue was marred by the ravages of time.

marauder

(n.) plunderer or raider

The marauder had been traveling for two months searching for the large stash.  materialism (n.) the belief that
everything in the universe is explained in terms of matter; the belief that worldly possessions are the be-all and end-
all in life Spiritualists will tell you that materialism is only half the story.  Some said that the prince’s profligacy gave
materialism a bad name.

maudlin

(adj.) foolishly and tearfully sentimental

The maudlin affair consisted of three speeches in honor of the benefactor.  maverick (n.) a person who does not
conform to the norm The maverick drove a large truck as others were purchasing compact cars.  meander (v.; adj.)
wind, wander; winding, wandering aimlessly The stream meanders through the valley.

Because we took a long, meandering walk, we arrived home well after dark.

They meandered through the woods for the afternoon.

melancholy

(n.) depression; gloom

The funeral parlor was filled with the melancholy of mourning.

mellifluous

(adj.) having a sweet sound

The flute had a beautifully mellifluous sound.

melodious

(adj.) pleasing to hear

The melodious sounds of the band attracted many onlookers.  menagerie (n.) a place to keep or a collection of wild
or strange animals Little Ryan couldn’t wait to visit the zoo to see the menagerie of wild boars.

mendacious

(adj.) not truthful; lying

The couple was swindled out of their life’s savings by the mendacious con men.

mentor

(n.) teacher; wise and faithful advisor

Alan consulted his mentor when he needed critical advice.  mercenary (adj.; n.) working or done for payment only;
hired (soldier) Lila was suspicious that Joe had jumped at the chance only for mercenary reasons.

A mercenary was hired for a hundred dollars a month, good money in those days even if you had to fight a war to get
it.

mercurial

(adj.) quick, changeable, fickle

The mercurial youth changed outfits six times before deciding what to wear.  meretricious (adj.) deceptive beauty -
alluring by attractive appearance A cubic zirconia is a meretricious way of impressing others.

mesmerize

(v.) hypnotize

The swaying motion of the swing mesmerized the baby into a deep sleep.

metamorphosis

(n.) change of form

A metamorphosis caused the caterpillar to become a beautiful butterfly.

meticulous

(adj.) exacting; precise

The lab technicians must be meticulous in their measurements to obtain exact results.

mettle

(n.) spirit, courage, ardor

He proved he had the mettle to make it through basic training.

mien

(n.) appearance, being or manner

Her mien was typically one of distress, especially after the mishap.

mimicry

(n.) imitation

The comedian’s mimicry of the president’s gestures had the audience rolling in the aisles.

minatory

(adj.) threatening

The minatory stance of the dog warned the thief of an attack.

minute

(adj.) extremely small, tiny

Being on a sodium-restricted diet, he uses only a minute amount of salt in his dishes.  mire (v.) to cause to get stuck
in wet, soggy ground The car became mired in the mud.  misanthrope (n.) a person who distrusts everything; a hater
of mankind After the man swindled all of the woman’s savings, she became a misanthrope.

The misanthrope lived alone in the forest.

miscreant

(adj.; n.) evil; an evil person; villain

Her miscreant actions shocked and surprised her family.

The miscreant thought nothing of taking others’ money and belongings.

miser

(n.) penny pincher, stingy person

The miser made no donations and loved counting his money every night.  mite (n.) a very small sum of money; very
small creature The mite they pay me is hardly worth the aggravation.  The baseball team was made up of such small
children they were nicknamed the “Mites”.

mitigate

(v.) alleviate; lessen; soothe

She tried to mitigate the loss of his pet by buying him a kitten.

The lawyer will attempt to mitigate the sentence probation.

modulate

(v.) to regulate or adjust; to vary the pitch

He modulated the color knob on the television set until the picture was perfect.

A trained singer knows how to modulate her voice to the desired pitches.

mollify

(v.) to soften; to make less intense

We used our hands to mollify the sound of our giggling.

molten

(adj.) melted

Steel becomes molten after heating it to thousands of degrees.  moot (adj.) subject to or open for discussion or
debate The discussion of extending the girl’s curfew was a moot point.

mordant

(adj.) cutting; sarcastic

Her mordant remark made me feel unqualified and useless.

morose

(adj.) moody, despondent

He was very morose over the death of his pet.

After the team lost the fans were morose.

motif

(n.) theme

Although the college students lived in Alaska, they decided on a tropical motif for their dorm room.

The decorations include a rose motif.

motility

(n.) spontaneous motion

The motility of the car caused the driver to lunge for the brake.

mundane

(adj.) ordinary; commonplace

The small town was very mundane.

Going food shopping soon became mundane, losing all of its excitement.

munificent

(adj.) giving generously

The civic group made a munificent donation to the homeless shelter.

muse

(v.) to think or speak meditatively

I expect I’ll have to muse on that question for a while.

myriad

(n.) a large number

Buying an old house often necessitates fixing a myriad of problems.  Gazing up on the clear, dark midnight sky, the
astronomer saw a myriad of stars.  narcissistic (adj.) egotistical; self-centered; self-love, excessive interest in ones
appearance, comfort, abilities, etc.

The narcissistic actor was difficult to get along with.