abash
cause to be embarrassed
abate
become less in amount or intensity
abdicate
give up power, duties, or obligations
aberration
a state or condition markedly different from the norm
abhor
feel hatred or disgust toward
abject
of the most contemptible kind
abnegate
deny or renounce
abortive
failing to accomplish an intended result
abridge
lessen, diminish, or curtail
absolute
perfect or complete or pure
absolve
grant remission of a sin to
abstinent
self-restraining
abstract
existing only in the mind
abstruse
difficult to understand
abysmal
exceptionally bad or displeasing
accolade
a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction
accost
approach and speak to someone aggressively or insistently
acerbic
sour or bitter in taste
acquiesce
agree or express agreement
acrid
strong and sharp, as a taste or smell
acrimonious
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
acumen
shrewdness shown by keen insight
acute
ending in a sharp point
adamant
insistent; unwilling to change one's mind or opinion
address
speak to
adherent
someone who believes and helps to spread a doctrine
admonish
warn strongly; put on guard
adroit
quick or skillful or adept in action or thought
adulation
exaggerated flattery or praise
adulterate
make impure by adding a foreign or inferior substance
adverse
in an opposing direction
aesthetic
characterized by an appreciation of beauty or good taste
affable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
affectation
a deliberate pretense or exaggerated display
affinity
a natural attraction or feeling of kinship
affluent
having an abundant supply of money or possessions of value
agenda
a list of matters to be taken up, as at a meeting
aggregate
a sum total of many heterogeneous things taken together
agnostic
a person who claims the existence of God is unknowable
agrarian
relating to rural matters
alacrity
liveliness and eagerness
allege
report or maintain
alleviate
provide physical relief, as from pain
allocate
distribute according to a plan or set apart for a purpose
alloy
a mixture containing two or more metallic elements
allusion
passing reference or indirect mention
aloof
distant, cold, or detached in manner
altruism
the quality of unselfish concern for the welfare of others
ambience
the atmosphere of an environment
ambiguous
having more than one possible meaning
ambivalent
uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
ameliorate
make better
amenable
disposed or willing to comply
amenity
something that provides value, pleasure, or convenience
amiable
diffusing warmth and friendliness
amnesty
a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense
amoralism
the doctrine that moral distinctions are invalid
amorous
inclined toward or displaying love
amorphous
having no definite form or distinct shape
anachronism
locating something at a time when it couldn't have existed
analogy
drawing a comparison in order to show a similarity
anarchy
a state of lawlessness and disorder
anecdote
short account of an incident
anguish
extreme distress of body or mind
animosity
a feeling of ill will arousing active hostility
anomaly
deviation from the normal or common order, form, or rule
antecedent
a preceding occurrence or cause or event
antipathy
a feeling of intense dislike
antithesis
exact opposite
apartheid
a social policy of racial segregation
apathy
an absence of emotion or enthusiasm
aphorism
a short pithy instructive saying
apocalypse
a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the powers of evil
apocryphal
being of questionable authenticity
apotheosis
model of excellence or perfection of a kind
appease
make peace with
appreciate
increase the value of
apprehensive
in fear or dread of possible evil or harm
approbation
official acceptance or agreement
appropriate
take possession of by force
aptitude
inherent ability
arbiter
someone chosen to judge and decide a disputed issue
arbitrary
based on or subject to individual discretion or preference
arcane
requiring secret or mysterious knowledge
archaic
so extremely old as seeming to belong to an earlier period
archetype
something that serves as a model
ardent
characterized by intense emotion
arduous
characterized by effort to the point of exhaustion
aristocratic
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility
artful
marked by skill or cunning in achieving a desired end
artifice
the use of deception or trickery
ascendancy
the state when one person or group has power over another
ascetic
someone who practices self denial as a spiritual discipline
assiduous
marked by care and persistent effort
assimilate
take up mentally
assuage
provide physical relief, as from pain
astute
marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
atheist
someone who denies the existence of god
attrition
a wearing down to weaken or destroy
audacity
aggressive or outright boldness
augment
enlarge or increase
auspicious
indicating favorable circumstances and good luck
austere
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor
autocratic
characteristic of an absolute ruler or absolute rule
autonomous
existing as an independent entity
avarice
reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth
avow
declare or affirm solemnly and formally as true
avuncular
being or relating to an uncle
awry
turned or twisted to one side
axiom
a proposition that is not susceptible of proof or disproof