Capricious: changing one’s mind quickly and often

Example: The boss’s capricious mood swings made it difficult for

employees to know what to expect.

Cogent: convincing or believable

Example: The lawyer presented a cogent argument that swayed the jury
in his client’s favor.

Didactic: intended to teach, often in a moralizing way

Example: The children’s book had a didactic tone, with a clear message
about the importance of kindness.
equanimity and focused on saving her patient’s life.

Fastidious: very attentive to detail, often excessively so

Example: The chef was fastidious about the freshness of the ingredients,
carefully inspecting each one before using it in his dishes.

Gratuitous: unnecessary, without reason or cause

Example: The violence in the movie was gratuitous, serving no purpose
other than to shock the audience.

Harbinger: a sign of things to come, often used to describe something

negative
Example: The sudden drop in the stock market was a harbinger of an
economic recession.

Inscrutable: difficult to understand or interpret, often used to describe

people’s expressions or behavior
Example: The poker player’s inscrutable face made it impossible to tell if
he had a good hand or not.

Meticulous: very careful and precise, paying close attention to detail

Example: The accountant was meticulous in her calculations, double-
checking every figure to ensure accuracy.
Nebulous: vague or unclear, often used to describe ideas or concepts
Example: The politician’s platform was nebulous, with no clear plan for
how to accomplish

Ostracize: to exclude someone from a group or society

Example: After the scandal, the company decided to ostracize the CEO,
refusing to work with him again.

Pedantic: overly concerned with minor details, often in a way that is

annoying or tedious
Example: The professor’s pedantic lecture on grammar was so boring
that half the class fell asleep.
Quandary: a difficult situation or problem, often with no obvious
solution
Example: The team was in a quandary when the star player was injured
and unable to play in the championship game.

Rancor: bitter, long-lasting resentment or hatred

Example: Despite the passage of time, the two former friends still held
rancor toward each other.

Sagacious: having good judgment or wisdom

Example: The CEO’s sagacious decision to invest in new technology
helped the company stay ahead of its competitors.

Tenacious: persistent, not easily giving up or letting go

Example: The lawyer’s tenacious pursuit of justice helped her win a
difficult case.

Vex: to annoy or frustrate someone

Example: The constant interruptions from her coworker vexed the
employee, making it difficult to focus on her work.

Wistful: having a feeling of sadness or regret, often with a longing for

something that can’t be obtained
Example: The old man looked wistfully out the window, remembering his
youth and the opportunities he had missed.

Zealot: a person who is fanatical or uncompromising in pursuit of their

beliefs or goals
Example: The political zealot refused to listen to anyone who disagreed
with him, insisting that he was always right.

Ostensible: seeming or appearing to be true, but not necessarily so

Example: The ostensible reason for the meeting was to discuss budget
cuts, but in reality, it was a strategy session for the upcoming election.

Quotidian: ordinary, mundane, or everyday

Example: Despite his fame and fortune, the actor’s life was largely filled
with quotidian tasks like going to the grocery store and doing laundry.

Recalcitrant: stubbornly resistant to authority or control

Example: The recalcitrant student refused to follow the teacher’s
instructions and ended up getting detention.

Sanguine: optimistic, cheerful, and confident, often in the face of

difficulty
Example: Despite setbacks, the entrepreneur remained sanguine about
the future of her business and continued to work hard.

Tenuous: weak or fragile, often used to describe a connection or

relationship
Example: The tenuous bond between the two countries was strained
even further by the recent conflict.

Vacillate: to be indecisive, to waver back and forth between choices

Example: The politician vacillated on the issue, unable to make up his
mind on how to proceed.

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PART-2
Conundrum – a confusing and difficult problem or question
Examples:
 Solving this math problem was a conundrum that took me hours to
figure out.
 The mystery of the missing keys was a conundrum that baffled the
detectives.
 The ethical conundrum of cloning is still being debated by
scientists and lawmakers.
Ephemeral – lasting for a very short time
Examples:
 The beauty of cherry blossoms is ephemeral and only lasts for a
few days.
 The success of the internet startup was ephemeral and it quickly
went bankrupt.
 The popularity of the latest fashion trend is ephemeral and it will
soon be replaced by something else.
Inscrutable – difficult to understand or interpret
Examples:
 The politician’s motives were inscrutable and no one knew what he
was really after.
 The ancient text was inscrutable to the modern scholar without
translation.
  The expression on his face was inscrutable, making it hard to tell if
he was happy or sad.
Myriad – a very large number or variety
Examples:
 The city had a myriad of restaurants to choose from.
 The book contained a myriad of facts and figures about the history
of the region.
 The artist used a myriad of colors to create a vibrant and complex
painting.
Nefarious – wicked or criminal
Examples:
 The nefarious plot of the villains was to take over the world.
 The nefarious actions of the dictator were condemned by the
international community.
 The thieves had a nefarious plan to rob the bank and get away
with the money.
Querulous – complaining or whining in a petulant manner
Examples:
 The querulous customer complained about the service even
though nothing was wrong.
 The querulous child whined about not getting the toy he wanted.
 The querulous tone of her voice annoyed her coworkers.
Salient – most noticeable or important
Examples:
 The salient point of the argument was that the proposal was too
expensive.
 The salient feature of the new car was its fuel efficiency.
 The salient fact in the case was that the defendant had an alibi for
the time of the crime.
Ubiquitous – present, appearing, or found everywhere
Examples:
 Smartphones are ubiquitous in modern society.
 Fast food chains are ubiquitous in the United States.
 The internet is ubiquitous and connects people all over the world.
Vexatious – causing annoyance, frustration, or worry
Examples:
  The vexatious delay in the flight schedule caused many
passengers to miss their connecting flights.
 The vexatious noise of the construction site next door kept the
neighbors up all night.
 The vexatious behavior of the students disrupted the class and
made it difficult to teach.
Zealous – having great enthusiasm or passion for something
Examples:
 The zealous soccer fans cheered loudly for their team.
 The zealous entrepreneur worked tirelessly to build her company
from the ground up.
 The zealous artist poured his heart and soul into his paintings.
Aberration – a departure from what is normal, usual, or expected
Examples:
 The sudden rain in the middle of summer was an aberration from
the usual weather pattern.
 The politician’s stance on the issue was an aberration from his
party’s platform.
 The athlete’s poor performance in the competition was an
aberration from his usual record.
Bombastic – high-sounding but with little meaning, inflated
Examples:
 The politician’s speech was filled with bombastic rhetoric that
didn’t address any real issues.
 The artist’s abstract paintings were often criticized for their
bombastic use of color and form.
 The CEO’s email to employees was filled with bombastic language
about the company’s success.
Cacophony – a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds
Examples:
 The construction site next door was a cacophony of drilling,
hammering, and shouting.
 The city traffic during rush hour was a cacophony of honking,
screeching, and revving engines.
  The band’s performance was marred by a cacophony of out-of-
tune instruments and off-beat rhythms.
Disparage – regard or represent as being of little worth, belittle
Examples:
 The critic’s review disparaged the movie as being cliché and
unoriginal.
 The boss’s constant criticism and disparagement of his employees
demotivated the team.
 The politician’s opponent disparaged his record as a failed leader.
Enigma – a person, thing, or situation that is mysterious, puzzling, or
difficult to understand
Examples:
 The disappearance of the plane remains an enigma to
investigators.
 The artist’s abstract painting was an enigma to many viewers who
couldn’t decipher its meaning.
 The sudden change in the CEO’s behavior was an enigma to his
employees.
Furtive – attempting to avoid notice or attention, secretive
Examples:
 The spy’s furtive movements were captured on video by a
surveillance camera.
 The teenager’s furtive attempts to sneak out of the house at night
were thwarted by her parents.
 The employee’s furtive glance at her phone during the meeting
was noticed by her boss.
Gregarious – fond of company, sociable
Examples:
 The gregarious host of the party made everyone feel welcome and
included.
 The dog was so gregarious that it greeted every visitor to the
house with wagging tail.
 The politician’s gregarious personality made him popular among
his constituents.
Harbinger – a person or thing that announces or signals the approach
of another
Examples:
 The first snowfall of the year is often seen as a harbinger of winter.
 The economic downturn was a harbinger of the recession that was
to come.
 The sudden drop in the stock market was a harbinger of the
financial crisis.
Axiomatic – self-evident, unquestionable
Examples:
 It’s axiomatic that all living things need water to survive.
 The idea that people have the right to free speech is axiomatic in
democratic societies.
 It’s axiomatic that two parallel lines will never intersect.
Equanimity – calmness, composure, evenness of temper
Examples:
 The surgeon maintained her equanimity throughout the lengthy
and complex operation.
 He faced the criticism with equanimity and did not let it bother
him.
 Even when the situation got heated, she remained a model of
equanimity.
Genuflect – to kneel, bow or bend in reverence or worship
Examples:
 When entering the church, many people will genuflect and cross
themselves.
 The athlete genuflected before the game as a sign of respect for
his opponents.
 As a gesture of gratitude, she genuflected before her mentor and
thanked him.
Intransigent – stubborn, unwilling to compromise
Examples:
 The union leaders were intransigent in their demands for higher
wages.
 Despite the overwhelming evidence, he remained intransigent in
his belief that the Earth was flat.
  She found it difficult to work with intransigent colleagues who
refused to consider other viewpoints.
Juxtapose – to place side by side for comparison or contrast
Examples:
 The exhibit juxtaposed contemporary art with classic paintings
from the Renaissance.
 The author juxtaposed the protagonist’s inner thoughts with her
outward actions.
 The contrast between the modern skyscrapers and the historic
buildings is striking when they are juxtaposed.
Limpid – clear, transparent, easy to understand
Examples:
 Her voice was as limpid and pure as a mountain stream.
 The explanation was so limpid that even a child could understand
it.
The writer’s style is limpid, making his ideas accessible to readers.
Metamorphosis – a profound change in form or nature
Examples:
 The butterfly undergoes a metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a
winged insect.
 The town underwent a metamorphosis from a sleepy village to a
bustling metropolis.
 Her experiences during the war caused a metamorphosis in her
beliefs and attitudes.
Perspicacious – having keen insight, mentally sharp
Examples:
 The perspicacious detective quickly solved the crime.
 The student’s perspicacious analysis of the poem impressed her
teacher.
 She is known for her perspicacious observations and insightful
comments.
Querulous – complaining, whining, fretful
Examples:
 The querulous child constantly asked “Are we there yet?” during
the long car ride.
  The patient was querulous and demanded constant attention from
the nurses.
 Her querulous tone of voice made it difficult for others to take her
seriously.
Vituperate – to criticize or berate harshly, to use abusive language
towards
Examples:
 The politician vituperated his opponent during the debate, using
personal attacks instead of addressing the issues.
 He vituperated his boss in a scathing email that he later regretted
sending.
 Her mother-in-law would often vituperate her cooking, making her
feel unwelcome in her own home.
Nonplussed – bewildered, confused, unsure how to react
Examples:
 He was nonplussed by her unexpected confession of love.
 The teacher was nonplussed when the student asked a question
that she couldn’t answer.
She was left feeling nonplussed by the strange turn of events.

Obdurate – stubborn, unyielding, resistant to persuasion
Examples:
 The obdurate child refused to eat her vegetables, no matter how
much her parents pleaded.
 The obdurate boss would not listen to any suggestions from her
employees.
 Despite the overwhelming evidence, the obdurate defendant
maintained his innocence.

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----------------------------

Ready to test your skills? Try this test! Using words from the list
above, choose the most suitable word to complete each of the
sentences below.
1. The new art exhibit will ___________ the works of a famous painter
with those of a contemporary artist.

o Inscrutable

o Juxtapose

o Genuflect

o Ephemeral

2. The politician’s ___________ behavior led to widespread criticism in

the media.

o Querulous

o Vituperate

o Metamorphosis

o Salient

3. The ___________ of social media in our daily lives is undeniable.

o Ubiquity

o Disparagement

o Axiom

o Furtiveness

4. The movie’s soundtrack was a ___________ of different sounds that

clashed together.

o Cacophony

o Harbinger

o Obdurate

o Zealous

5. The CEO’s decision to cut employee benefits was viewed as a

___________ move by the workers.

o Nefarious
 o Equanimity

o Nonplussed

o Querulous

6. The professor’s lecture was filled with ___________ language that

made it hard to follow.

o Bombastic

o Gregarious

o Axiomatic

o Limpid

7. His violent response to the situation was definitely a/an ___________

as he’s normally very calm.

o Axiomatic

o Aberration

o Vexatious

o Metamorphosis

8. The student’s ___________ attitude towards studying often led to

poor grades.

o Zealous

o Intransigent

o Furtive

o Perspicacious

9. During the meeting, he cast ___________ glances around the room,

hoping no one would notice his nervousness.

o Furtive
 o Gregarious

o Vituperate

o Metamorphosis

10. The ___________ of the butterfly from a caterpillar is a

fascinating process.

o Querulous

o Ephemeral

o Metamorphosis

o Vexatious