Vocabulary
scathing
severely critical.
"he unleashed a scathing attack on his former boss"
perfunctory
carried out without real interest, feeling, or effort.
mawkish
adj
sentimental in an exaggerated or false way.
"a mawkish ode to parenthood"
draconian
excessively harsh and severe.
"the Nazis destroyed the independence of the press by a series of draconian laws"
pervasiveness
adj
the fact of existing in all parts of a place or thing;
ebb
verb
gradually decrease.
"my enthusiasm was ebbing away"
pellucid
adj
easily understood; lucid.
"he writes, as always, in pellucid prose"
vexed
annoyed
agog
higly excited
bloster
to support
nadir
the lowest point
rapturous
showing extreme pleasure
impinge upon
infringe on
Squalid
Dirty
Sullied
Dirty
eulogistically
in a praising or laudatory way
extempore
on the spur of the moment, without preparation
Protracted
prolonged or drawn out, especially in time
Abridged
shortened or condensed without changing the central idea
Deceptively
Through trickery
Painstakingly
Carefully
Sham
counterfeit or fake
Discerning
showing good judgment or perceptiveness,
Blunt
abrupt, direct, insensitive
Deleterious
Harmful or damaging
unobtrusive
not conspicuous or attracting attention
Assail
Attack
Relish
To enjoy or to be gratifies by
acerbic
harsh in tone
"Most movie critics are acerbic towards summer blockbusters, often referring to them as garbage."
to have a pechant for
to have a preference for something
broadside
attack
unswerving
Not deviating from any rule, standard, or course; undeviating; unwavering; firm.
tepid
moderately warm (tibio)
half-hearted
not sincere
vitriol
abusive or venomous language used to express blame or bitter deep-seated ill will
His vitriol spewed forth from a deep-seated racism that consumed his whole life.
hauteur
overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors
As soon as she won the lottery, Alice began displaying a hauteur to her friends, calling them dirty-clothed peasants behind their backs.
to clutch at something
to try very hard to hold something:
Feeling herself fall, she clutched at a branch.
surrender
to give back again
tantamount
equivalent to
lionized
assign great social importance to
Students in the U.S. learn to lionize Jefferson, Franklin, and Washington because they are the founding fathers of the nation.
vanquish
to win completely in a competition or fight
Modern medicine has nearly vanquished some diseases that only two generations ago might have been deadly.
ostracize
desterrar
vitiate
viciar
to bluff
to mislead
to feign
to symmulate