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| acronym | a word or abbreviation formed from the initial letters of the words in a name or phrase |
| bewilder | to confuse, baffle, or puzzle |
| cliche' | a commonplace or overused expression or idea |
| colloquialism | an expresssion used in conversational or informal language, not usually appropriate for formal writing |
| concise | expressing much in a few words; brief |
| euphemism | the substitution of a mild or vague expression for one considered harsh |
| homonym | one of two or more words that have the same sound and sometimes the same spelling but differ in meaning |
| irony | a clash between what is expected to happen and what really does, often used humorously in literature; the use of words to state the opposite of their precise meaning |
| scrutinize | to examine carefully, especially looking for errors; to inspect |
| synopsis | a brief statement that gives a general idea; a summary |
| charisma | a special quality of leadership that inspires devotion; charm; allure |
| coup or coup d'etat | overthrow of the government; revolt |
| depose | to remove from an important position or office; to dethrone |
| figurehead | a person in a position of leadership who has no real power |
| impending | about to happen; in the near future; approaching; threatening; looming |
| infrastructure | foundations countries depend on, such as roads and power plants; the basic features of an organization |
| realm | a territory ruled by a king or queen; an empire; an area of interest, knowledge, activity |
| regime | government; period of time that a person or political system is in power |
| wrest | to extract or take through force or continuous effort |
| zenith | the highest point; the peak; the top |
