| A | B |
|---|
| Abandon (n.) | total lack of inhibition |
| Abase | to humble; disgrace |
| Abate | decrease, reduce |
| Abdicate | to give up a position, right, or power |
| Aberration | something different from the usual |
| Abet | to aid; act as accomplice |
| Abeyance | temporary suppression or suspension |
| Abhor | to loathe, detest |
| Abject | miserable, pitiful |
| Abjure | to reject, abandon formally |
| Ablution | act of cleansing |
| Abnegate | to deny; renounce |
| Abolitionist | one who opposes the practice of slavery |
| Abortive | interrupted while incomplete |
| Abridge | to condense, shorten |
| Abrogate | to put an end to, abolish by authority |
| Abscond | to depart secretly |
| Absolve | to forgive, free from blame |
| Abstain | to choose not to do something |
| Abstract (adj.) | theoretical; complex, difficult |
| Abstruse | difficult to comprehend |
| Accede | to express approval; agree to |
| Accessible | attainable, available; approachable |
| Accessory | attachment, ornament; accomplice, partner |
| Accolade | praise, distinction |
| Accost | to approach and speak to someone |
| Accretion | growth in size or increase in amount |
| Accrue | to accumulate, grow by additions |
| Acerbic | bitter, sharp in taste or temper |
| Acme | highest point; summit |
| Acquiesce | to agree; comply quietly |
| Acquittal | release from blame |
| Acrid | harsh, bitter |
| Acrimony | bitterness, animosity |
| Acuity | sharpness |
| Acumen | sharpness of insight |
| Acute | sharp, pointed, severe |
| Adage | old saying or proverb |
| Adamant | uncompromising, unyielding |
| Adapt | to accomodate; adjust |
| Adhere | to cling or follow without deviation |
| Adjacent | next to |
| Adjunct | something added, attached, or joined |
| Admonish | to caution or reprimand |
| Adroit | skillful, accomplished, highly competent |
| Adulation | high praise |
| Adulterate | to corrupt of make impure |
| Adumbrate | to sketch, outline in a shadowy way |
| Advantageous | favorable, useful |
| Adversarial | antagonistic, competitive |
| Adverse | unfavorable, unlucky; harmful |
| Aerial | having to do with the air |
| Aerie | nook or nest built high in the air |
| Aerodynamic | relation to objects moving through the air |
| Aesthetic | pertaining to beauty or art |
| Affable | friendly, easy to approach |
| Affected (adj.) | pretentious, phony |
| Affinity | fondness, liking; similarity |
| Affluent | rich, abundant |
| Affront (n.) | personal offense, insult |
| Agenda | plan, schedule |
| Aggrandize | to make larger or greater in power |
| Aggregate (n.) | collective mass or sum; total |
| aggrieve | to afflict, distress |
| Agile | well coordinated, nimble |
| Agitation | commotion, excitement; uneasiness |
| Agnostic | one who doubts that God exists |
| Agrarian | relating to farming or rural matters |
| Alacrity | cheerful willingness, eagerness; speed |
| Alchemy | medieval chemical philosophy aimed at trying to change metal into gold |
| Algorithm | mechanical problem-solving procedure |
| Alias | assumed name |
| Alienate | distanced, estranged |
| Aligned | precisely adjusted; committed to one side |
| Allay | to lessen, ease, or soothe |
| Allegory | symbolic representation |
| Alleviate | to relieve, improve partially |
| Alliteration | repetition of the beginning sounds of words |
| Allocation | allowance, portion, share |
| Allure (v.) | to entice by charm; attract |
| Allusion | indirect reference |
| Allusiveness | quality of making many indirect references |
| Aloof | detached, indifferent |
| Altercation | noisy dispute |
| Altruism | unselfish concern for others' welfare |
| Amalgamate | to mix, combine |
| Ambidextrous | able to use both hands equally well |
| Ambiguous | uncertain; subject to multiple interpretations |
| Ambivalence | attitude of uncertainty, conflicting emotions |
| Ameliorate | to make better, improve |
| Amenable | agreeable, cooperative |
| Amend | to improve or correct flaws in |
| Amenity | pleasantness; something increasing comfort |
| Amiable | friendly, pleasant, likable |
| Amicable | friendly, agreeable |
| Amity | friendship |
| Amoral | unprincipled, unethical |
| Amorous | strongly attracted to love; showing love |
| Amorphous | having no definite form |
| Amortize | to diminish by installment payments |
| Amphibian | creature equally at home on land or in water |
| Amphitheater | arena theater with rising tiers around a central open space |
| Ample | abundant, plentiful |
| Amplify | increase, intensify |
| Amulet | ornament worn against evil spirits |
| Anachronism | something chronologically inappropriate |
| Anachronistic | outdated |
| Analogous | comparable, parallel |
| Anarchy | absence of government or law; chaos |
| Anathema | ban, curse; something shunned or disliked |
| Ancillary | accessory; subordinate; helping |
| Anecdote | short, usually funny account of an event |
| Angular | characterized by sharp angles; lean and gaunt |
| Animation | enthusiasm, excitement |
| Animosity | hatred, hostility |
| Annul | to cancel, nullify, declare void, or make legally invalid |
| Anodyne | something that calms or soothes pain |
| Anoint | to apply oil to, especially as a sacred rite |
| Anomaly | irregularity or deviation from the norm |
| Anonymity | condition of having no name or an unknown name |
| Antagonistic | foe, opponent, adversary |
| Antecedent (adj.) | coming before in place or time |
| Antediluvian | prehistoric, ancient beyond measure |
| Antepenultimate | third from last |
| Anterior | preceding, previous, before, prior (to) |
| Anthology | collection of literary works |
| Anthropomorphic | attributing human qualities to nonhumans |
| Antipathy | dislike, hostility; extreme opposition or aversion |
| Antiquated | outdated, obsolete |
| Antiquity | ancient times; the quality of being old |
| Antithesis | exact opposite or direct contrast |
| Apathetic | indifferent, unconcerned |
| Apathy | lack of feeling or emotion |
| Aphasia | inability to speak or use words |
| Aphelion | point in a planet's orbit that is farthest from the sun |
| Aphorism | old saying or short, pithy statement |
| Apocryphal | not genuine; fictional |
| Apostate | one who renounces a religious faith |
| Apostrophe | an address to the reader or someone not present |
| Apotheosis | glorification; glorified ideal |
| Appease | to satisfy, placate, calm, pacify |
| Approbation | praise; official approval |
| Appropriate (v.) | to take possession of |
| Aquatic | belonging or living in water |
| Arable | suitable for cultivation |
| Arbitrary | depending solely on individual will; inconsistent |
| Arbitrate | mediate, negotiate |
| Arboreal | relating to trees; living in trees |
| Arboretum | place where trees are displayed and studied |
| Arcane | secret, obscure, known only to a few |
| Archaic | antiquated, from an earlier time; outdated |
| Archipelago | large group of islands |
| Ardent | passionate, enthusiastic, fervent |
| Ardor | great emotion or passion |
| Arduous | extremely difficult, laborious |
| Arid | extremely dry or deathly boring |
| Arraign | to call to court to answer an indictment |
| Arrogate | to demand, claim arrogantly |
| Arsenal | ammunition storehouse |
| Articulate (adj.) | well spoken, expressing oneself clearly |
| Artifact | historical relic, item made by human craft |
| Artisan | craftsperson; expert |
| Ascend | to rise or climb |
| Ascendancy | state of rising, ascending; power or control |
| Ascertain | to determine, discover, make certain of |
| Ascetic | self-denying, abstinent, austere |
| Ascribe | to attribute to, assign |
| Ashen | resembling ashes; deathly pale |
| Askew | crooked, tilted |
| Aspersion | false rumor, damaging report, slander |
| Aspire | to have great hopes; to aim at a goal |
| Assail | to attack, assault |
| Assent | to express agreement |
| Assert | to affirm, attest |
| Assiduous | diligent, persistent, hard-working |
| Assignation | appoinment for lover's meeting; assignment |
| Assimilation | act of blending in, becoming similar |
| Assonance | resemblance in sound, especially in vowel sounds; partial rhyme |
| Assuage | to make less severe, ease, relieve |
| Astringent | harsh, severe, stern |
| Astute | having good judgment |
| Asunder (adv.) | into different parts |
| Asymmetical | not corresponding in size, shape, position, etcetera |
| Atone | to make ammends for a wrong |
| Atrocious | monstrous, shockingly bad, wicked |
| Atrophy | to wate away, wither from disuse |
| Attain | to accomplish, gain |
| Attenuate | to make thin or slender; weaken |
| Attest | to testify, stand as proof of, bear witness |
| Audacious | bold, daring, fearless |
| Audible | capable of being heard |
| Audit | formal examininaiton of financial records |
| Auditory | having to do with hearing |
| Augment | to expand, extend |
| Augury | prophecy, prediction of events |
| August | difnified, awe inspiring, venerable |
| Auspicious | having favorable prospects, promising |
| Austere | stern, strict, unadorned |
| Authoritarian | extremely strict, bossy |
| Autocrat | dictator |
| Autonomous | separate, independent |
| Auxiliary | supplementary, reserve |
| Avarice | greed |
| Avenge | to retaliate, take revenge for an injury or crime |
| Aver | to declare to be true, affirm |
| Aversion | intense dislike |
| Avert | to turn (something) away; prevent, hinder |
| Aviary | large enclosure housing birds |
| Avow | to state openly or declare |
| Awry | crooked, askwer, amiss |
| Axiom | premise, postulate, self-evident truth |
