| A | B |
|---|
| alacrity | noun: Cheerful willingness; speed Sentence: Hermes was often requested by customers of the messenger service because of the _alacrity_ with which he would respond to the call. |
| autonomy | noun: The ability to choose one's own fate; self-governance; self-sufficiency Sentence: Although the Physics department answers to the Dean for administrative matters, it has _autonomy_ in matters relating to research. |
| constrain | verb: To confine; restrain; to compel by force Sentence: Chayna _constrained_ her new puppy to the kitchen by attaching a small wooden gate in the hallway. |
| convene | verb: To assemble; to summon to appear Sentence: When Leander heard that the sportswear company his investment club had researched was going to have an IPO, he _convened_ a special meeting of the club. |
| discharge | verb: To relieve of a charge or obligation; to let go; to release from confinement; to dismiss from service Sentence: Liberius waited eagerly outside the prison to greet Ned when she was _discharged_. |
| disentangle | verb: To free from ensnarement or involvement; to separate Sentence: Herkimer wanted to go fishing, but first he had to _disentangle_ all of the lures in the tackle box. |
| dynamic | adj: Characterized by energy or action; forceful Sentence: With a _dynamic_ singer, even bands with no talent can attract fans. |
| evade | verb: To escape or avoid by cleverness or trickery; to avoid fulfilling or answering Sentence: Alf made a good politician because of his ability to _evade_ the tough questions the reporters posed. |
| expeditious | adj: Quick; characterized by speed and efficiency Sentence: Commuters are hoping that negotiations between city officials and the cab drivers' union will go smoothly and the transit strike will end _expeditiously_. |
| hindrance | noun: Something that impedes or delays progress or action; an obstacle Sentence: The scaffolding around the boutique was a _hindrance_ to pedestrians and customers alike. |
| inertia | noun: Resistance to motion or change; the tendency of a body at rest to stay at rest or of a body moving in a straight line to continue motion in a straight line Sentence: The townspeople hoped to elect a strong mayor, one who could overcome the _inertia_ of the legislative process and quickly enact new programs. |
| lethargic | adj: Lacking alertness or activity Sentence: Kaden drank too much coffee before bed, so he was unable to sleep and was _lethargic_ the next day. |
| loiter | verb: To linger or stand idly about; to proceed slowly; to dawdle or lollygag Sentence: Although _loitering_ is generally prohibited, Ali had never seen anyone ticketed for hanging around. |
| nonchalance | noun: A casual lack of concern Sentence: Obadiah's parents were astounded by his _nonchalance_ when he announced that he'd wrecked the car. |
| rambunctious | adj: Boisterous; noisy; lacking restraint; difficult to control Sentence: The puppy was so _rambunctious_ that Mignolia feared for her furniture. |
| regress | verb: To revert to a previous state, usually worse or less developed; move backward Sentence: Even in his thirties, whenever Teman was around his high school friends, his behavior _regressed_ to that of a teenager. |
| stem | verb: To stop the flow of; plug, check, or restrain Sentence: Additional police officers were needed to _stem_ the violence in the city's most dangerous neighborhoods. |
| stifle | verb: To suffocate; suppress; end by force Sentence: The musician _stifled_ the crowd's conversation with a loud blast from his trumpet. |
| stringent | adj: Imposing rigorous standards; severe Sentence: Parents deemed the new dress codes too _stringent_ so the school board relaxed them. |
| taut | adj: Drawn tight, not slack; emotionally or mentally strained, tense Sentence: Jadi pulled the plastic wrap until it formed a _taut_ layer over the top of the container. |
