20 English vocabulary words with their meanings and brief explanations:
- Abate – To reduce in intensity or amount.
- Explanation: Often used for things like storms or pain, it describes something becoming less severe. E.g., “The storm abated after hours of heavy rain.”
- Benevolent – Kind and generous.
- Explanation: Describes someone with a disposition to do good. E.g., “The benevolent donor funded the orphanage.”
- Candid – Honest and straightforward.
- Explanation: Refers to speaking openly without pretense. E.g., “Her candid feedback helped improve the project.”
- Dearth – A scarcity or lack of something.
- Explanation: Used when there’s not enough of something. E.g., “There’s a dearth of clean water in the region.”
- Ebullient – Cheerful and full of energy.
- Explanation: Describes lively enthusiasm. E.g., “The ebullient crowd cheered at the concert.”
- Fastidious – Very attentive to detail; hard to please.
- Explanation: Suggests meticulousness or pickiness. E.g., “His fastidious nature made him a great editor.”
- Gregarious – Sociable and fond of company.
- Explanation: Describes someone who enjoys being around others. E.g., “Her gregarious personality made her popular.”
- Hapless – Unfortunate or unlucky.
- Explanation: Used for someone who faces bad luck. E.g., “The hapless traveler lost his luggage.”
- Incongruous – Out of place or not harmonious.
- Explanation: Describes something that doesn’t fit. E.g., “His casual attire was incongruous at the gala.”
- Jubilant – Extremely joyful.
- Explanation: Expresses great happiness, often after success. E.g., “The team was jubilant after winning.”
- Knack – A natural skill or talent.
- Explanation: Refers to an innate ability. E.g., “She has a knack for solving puzzles.”
- Lethargic – Sluggish or lacking energy.
- Explanation: Describes feeling tired or unmotivated. E.g., “He felt lethargic after the long flight.”
- Mitigate – To make less severe or intense.
- Explanation: Used for reducing negative effects. E.g., “They took steps to mitigate the crisis.”
- Nebulous – Vague or unclear.
- Explanation: Describes something hazy or ill-defined. E.g., “His plans for the future were nebulous.”
- Obstreperous – Noisy and difficult to control.
- Explanation: Refers to disruptive behavior. E.g., “The obstreperous crowd delayed the event.”
- Pernicious – Harmful in a subtle way.
- Explanation: Describes something dangerously destructive. E.g., “The pernicious rumor ruined reputations.”
- Quixotic – Unrealistically optimistic or impractical.
- Explanation: Suggests pursuing lofty but unrealistic goals. E.g., “His quixotic dreams ignored reality.”
- Reticent – Reluctant to speak or share.
- Explanation: Describes someone reserved. E.g., “She was reticent about her personal life.”
- Serendipity – Finding-something valuable by happy accident.
- Explanation: Refers to fortunate coincidences. E.g., “Their meeting was pure serendipity.”
- Tenacious – Persistent and determined.
- Explanation: Describes holding firm to goals. E.g., “Her tenacious effort led to success.”
