Aberrant - deviating from the norm
Abyss - a deep, immeasurable space or chasm
Acrid - sharp, bitter, or harsh in taste or smell
Aegis - protection or support
Alacrity - cheerful readiness or eagerness
Ameliorate - to make something better or improve
Amorphous - lacking a clear structure or form
Anathema - something or someone that is strongly disliked
Aplomb - self-confidence or assurance, especially in a demanding situation
Ardent - passionate or enthusiastic
Arduous - involving strenuous effort; difficult and tiring
Ascertain - to find out or determine
Assuage - to make an unpleasant feeling less intense
Austere - strict or severe in manner, attitude, or appearance
Avarice - extreme greed for wealth or material gain
Beguile - to deceive or charm someone in a misleading way
Benevolent - well-meaning and kindly
Bereft - deprived of something
Blithe - showing a casual and cheerful indifference
Bucolic - relating to the pleasant aspects of rural life
Cadence - a rhythmic flow or pattern, often of sound
Callous - emotionally hardened; insensitive
Candor - the quality of being honest and straightforward
Capricious - given to sudden changes in mood or behavior
Chagrin - distress or embarrassment at having failed or been humiliated
Clandestine - kept secret or done secretly
Coalesce - to come together to form one whole
Conflagration - a large, destructive fire
Conundrum - a confusing and difficult problem or question
Cordial - warm and friendly
Cryptic - having a hidden or mysterious meaning
Cynical - distrustful of human sincerity or integrity
Deft - skillful and quick in one's movements
Deign - to do something beneath one's dignity
Demure - reserved, modest, or shy
Despondent - in low spirits from loss of hope or courage
Diaphanous - light, delicate, and translucent
Dichotomy - a division or contrast between two things
Dirge - a lament for the dead, especially one forming part of a funeral rite
Disparate - essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison
Dogma - a principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true
Dour - relentlessly severe, stern, or gloomy in manner or appearance
Eclectic - deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources
Edifice - a large, imposing building
Effervescent - bubbly, lively, and enthusiastic
Egregious - outstandingly bad or shocking
Eloquence - fluent or persuasive speaking or writing
Ephemeral - lasting for a very short time
Esoteric - intended for or understood by only a small number of people
Ethereal - extremely delicate and light; heavenly
Euphoric - intensely happy or confident
Exacerbate - to make a problem worse
Exorbitant - unreasonably high; excessive
Facetious - treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor
Farcical - absurd; ludicrous
Furtive - attempting to avoid notice or attention; secretive
Garish - excessively bright or showy
Garrulous - excessively talkative
Gaunt - extremely thin and bony
Grandiloquent - pompous or extravagant in language, style, or manner
Gregarious - sociable; enjoying the company of others
Harangue - a lengthy and aggressive speech
Hubris - excessive pride or self-confidence
Ineffable - too great or extreme to be expressed in words
Inexorable - impossible to stop or prevent
Iniquitous - grossly unfair and morally wrong
Insidious - proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects
Insipid - lacking flavor; dull
Interminable - endless or seemingly endless
Languid - displaying or having a disinclination for physical exertion or effort; slow and relaxed
Lurid - very vivid in color, especially so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect
Maudlin - overly sentimental
Mellifluous - sweet or musical; pleasant to hear
Misanthrope - a person who dislikes humankind and avoids human society
Mitigate - to make less severe or painful
Nebulous - unclear, vague, or ill-defined
Nonplussed - bewildered or unsure how to respond
Obsequious - excessively obedient or attentive
Obtuse - annoyingly
